Alba in bookland

Today is my stop on the Blog Tour for Katey Lovell's new book, The Café in Fir Tree Park. It was published this past week and to celebrate, Katey stops by today to talk about her running experience:

Keep on Running

by Katey Lovell

I’m not a natural athlete. I never have been. I’m reasonably well co-ordinated, and over the years I’ve had dance lessons, so it’s not that I’m totally unfit. I’ve just never been able to run.

Running is something that Lacey, one of the characters in The Café in Fir Tree Park, struggles with too. She’s desperate to succeed at her first half marathon, because not only have people generously sponsored her, but she’s also running the race in memory of her beloved auntie Marilyn.

Writing the scenes where Lacey’s training (and turning more and more beetroot-like with every step) brought back a lot of memories of my own. A few years back, I decided to raise money for charities that were close to my heart by taking part in charity runs. The 5k was a challenge (because my previous running experience had been limited to jogging for the bus) but armed with the C25K app and my pig-headedness, I managed to jog my way around the course, albeit slowly.

The first 10k I entered was always going to be a walk/run effort, and I knew my time wasn’t going to challenge any Olympians, but I was delighted to be raising funds for Sheffield Children’s Hospital, who had looked after my son Zachary when he was a poorly newborn. It was a sunny September day and the spectators cheering on from the sidelines kept me going. The medal for completing the race was worn with sheer pride and I foolishly thought I was up to the challenge of a half marathon.

HOW WRONG I WAS. I’ve actually completed two half marathons for charity, although to say I ran them would be an outright lie. My blister-covered feet walked as speedily as they could for the majority of them, and I ran (jogged) as much as I could manage. I was seventh from last in one of them, second from last in the other. But 13.1 miles is a long way, and as I said, I am not a natural athlete!

The total moment of madness came when I registered for the Shine walk in London – an overnight walking marathon raising money for Cancer Research. I trained for months, getting up early on weekends to pound the Sheffield streets to try and get my muscles, and my poor feet, prepared. It was the hardest thing I’ve ever put my body through, and I’ve had a 9lb 6oz back-to-back baby with only paracetamol and codeine as pain relief. I cried my way past Buckingham Palace. I sobbed past Big Ben. I was pretty much delirious by the time I reached the O2, 26.2 miles (and ten pain-filled hours) later.

But I did it. I did it, every time. That’s what I wanted to tell Lacey as I was writing the scenes where her jelly-legs could barely carry her, that I did it, and she could too. Because being pig-headed can go a long way. 26.2 miles, to be precise.

What an inspiring post Katey! And huge congratulations on your achievements.

About the book:

Title: The Café in Fir Tree Park

Author: Katey Lovell

Published: May 26th 2017 by HarperImpulse

Amazon | Amazon UK

Blurb: ‘A delightful heart-warming read…made me want to visit the cafe right now, meet everyone and share Maggie’s delicious cakes’ Phillipa Ashley, author of the bestselling Summer at the Cornish Cafe.

Maggie’s café is at the very heart of Fir Tree Park. Business is booming, her lemon drizzle is the stuff of legend, her children are happy and life is good. But she hasn’t had it easy. When her husband Clint was sent to prison, she had to raise Josh and Kelly alone. But Clint can’t hurt them now, and there’s no denying that Paolo, the Italian football coach she spies every weekend out on the green, is more than easy on the eye.

It may be summer outside, but a new arrival in Fir Tree Park sends an icy chill through the café…

‘Warm-hearted and utterly lovely’ Sunday Times bestseller Miranda Dickinson

This weekend, I'm going on holidays for a couple of weeks, so this time I'm sharing my new releases post a bit earlier. I'm taking a few of these books to read during my holidays so I'll let you know what I think after I come back but they all sound amazing, don't you think?

Phanton Limbs by Paula Garner - June 1st

In this YA contemporary romance, a sixteen-year-old boy must learn to swim against an undercurrent of grief - or be swept away by it.

Otis and Meg were inseparable until her family abruptly moved away after the terrible accident that left Otis's little brother dead and both of their families changed for ever. Since then, it's been three years of radio silence, during which time Otis has become the unlikely protégé of eighteen-year-old Dara - part drill sergeant, part friend - who's hell-bent on transforming Otis into the Olympic swimmer she can no longer be. But when Otis learns that Meg is coming back to town, he must face some difficult truths about the girl he's never forgotten and the brother he's never stopped grieving. As it becomes achingly clear that he and Meg are not the same people they were, Otis must decide what to hold on to and what to leave behind. Quietly affecting, this compulsively readable debut novel captures all the confusion, heartbreak, and fragile hope of three teens struggling to accept profound absences in their lives.

Why so excited: I received this book a few weeks ago and it immediately caught my attention, the story sounds like a very special one. I've been saving it for when I have time to finally just sit and enjoy it, so I'm taking it on holiday with me.

Order now!

Love & Gelato by Jenna Evans Welch - June 1st

The dying wish of 16-year-old Lina's mother was for her daughter to live in Tuscany and get to know her father, whom Lina has never met. "Howard is the best man I've ever known," her mother says, "he'll keep you safe." Why did her mother wait so long to tell her about him? Lina has a happy life in Seattle and doesn't want to leave. Shortly after she arrives at Howard's home, Lina meets Sonya, who gives Lina a diary that belonged to Lina's mother, the one she had kept while she was a photography student in Florence. While Lina is living her life and exploring Tuscany with her handsome neighbour, Ren, she follows in the footsteps of her mother and gets to know her as never before. She also finds out the truth about her father. Mostly she finds out about herself.

Why so excited: The first thing that I noticed with this novel was the beautiful cover and when I read the blurb I was really curious about it. Who wouldn't go on a self-discovery journey in Tuscany? I'm sure it has many surprises for us in store.

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Holiday in the Hamptons by Sarah Morgan - June 15th

The perfect summer escape…?

'An absolute delight.’ - Veronica Henry

Professional dog-walker Felicity Knight loves everything about New York…until her ex-husband starts working at her local vet clinic. She hasn’t seen Seth Carlyle in ten years, but one glimpse of him – too gorgeous, and still too good for her – and Fliss’s heart hurts like their whirlwind marriage ended yesterday. So when her grandmother in The Hamptons needs help for the summer, it seems the perfect way to escape her past…

Their relationship might only have lasted a few scorching months, but vet Seth knows Fliss – if she’s run away to The Hamptons, it’s because she still feels their connection and it terrifies her. He let her go once before, when he didn’t know any better, but not this summer! With the help of his adorable dog Lulu, and a sprinkling of beachside magic, Seth is determined to make Fliss see that he’s never stopped loving her…

Why so excited: this is the 5th book in her latest series of books set in New York and I have read and loved them all. She isn't called the queen of romance for nothing, I cannot wait to discover her latest love story!

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Practice Makes Perfect by Penny Parkes - June 29th

The Practice at Larkford has suddenly been thrust under the spotlight – and its nomination as a ‘NHS Model Surgery’ is causing the team major headaches. Dr Holly Graham should be basking in the glow of her new romance with fellow doctor, Taffy – but she is worried that the team is prioritising plaudits over patients, and her favourite resident, the irreverent and entertaining Elsie, is facing a difficult diagnosis. Add to that the chaos of family life and the strain is starting to show.

Dr Dishy Dan Carter’s obsession with work is masking unhappiness elsewhere – he can’t persuade girlfriend Julia to settle down. It’s only as Julia’s mother comes to stay that he realizes what she has been hiding for so long. Alice Walker joins the team like a breath of fresh air and her assistance dog Coco quickly wins everyone round – which is just as well, because Coco and Alice will soon need some help of their own. Can they pull together and become the Dream Team that the NHS obviously thinks they are?

Out of Practice won the Romantic Comedy of the Year category of the RNA Awards.

Why so excited: I absolutely loved Penny Parkes' first book, Out of Practice, so I cannot wait to see how the story continues in this sequel. Such lovable characters! I hope they are doing great.

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The Summer of Impossible Things by Rowan Coleman - June 29th

If you could change the past, would you?

It is only after her mother’s death that Luna begins to discover her secrets.

While in New York to settle the estate, something impossible happens to Luna. She finds herself in 1977, face to face with her mother as a young woman, in the week that changed her life forever.

If time can be turned back, can it also be rewritten? Luna becomes convinced she can save her mother from the moment that will eventually drive her to suicide.

But in doing anything – everything – to save her mother’s life, will Luna have to sacrifice her own?

From the Sunday Times bestselling author of The Memory Book, this is a beautiful lush novel about love, courage and sacrifice, The Time Traveller’s Wife for a new readership.

Why so excited: I have had the pleasure of reading this one already and what an amazing story. Wow! It left me completely in awe, I highly recommend it. It's like nothing I had read before.

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Summer at Buttercup Beach by Holly Martin - June 30th

Pull up a deck chair and bask in the beautiful sunshine on Buttercup Beach. The sand is warm, the sea is sparkling blue and romance is sizzling in the air…

For two years Freya Greene has hidden the fact that she’s totally and utterly in love with her best friend Rome Lancaster. It’s not been easy – they work together in his glasswork business, she lives above his workshop and, he’s completely gorgeous. But Rome has never shown any sign of returning those feelings. Until now…

Lately they’ve shared affectionate touches and words heavy with meaning. Yet Freya knows Rome has a damaged heart. After losing his fiancé in a tragic accident, he’s not allowed himself to fall in love.

Freya has already had her heart broken by a man who couldn’t let go of a past love. Can she risk it happening again? Rome and Freya have a friendship that could blossom into something more. Are they both brave enough to take that chance?

Why so excited: well, it's Holly Martin, who wouldn't be excited? After meeting Freya and Rome in Spring at Blueberry Bay, I can't wait to discover their story. Definitely a read with feel-good romance guaranteed.

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Today is my stop on the Blog Tour Wishbones, Virginia Macgregor's latest book and her first YA book. And not only is she stopping by to answer all my bookish questions, but I'm also reviewing this special story:

Hi Virginia and welcome to Alba in Bookland. First of all, could you tell us a bit about yourself?

I was born in Germany to a German mother and English father and lived there until I was nearly three, then I moved to Corsica, a small island off France, until I was nearly five and after that moved to Oxford in England. Although I feel very English I also have an international outlook and can speak three languages, which I think deepens my understanding of people and makes me appreciate the richness of words. Last summer I moved to America with my husband and little girl – we now have a second little girl too – and this has also developed my experience of the huge differences and similarities between human beings. I’ve loved writing stories since I was a little girl and have always dreamt of being a full-time author. Nothing thrills me more than knowing that people enjoy reading my novels.

Your latest book, Wishbones, is a YA novel about a girl trying to help her obese mother. What inspired you to write this story?

As a writer, I’m always inspired by strong contemporary issues. In Wishbones, I wanted to explore what it was like for a young girl to carry the burden of caring for her mother – a role reversal that is more prevalent in society than we realise. I am also interested in how our attitude to food and eating has become so psychological – whether it be starving ourselves or over-eating. Obesity is on the rise and I don’t think it’s as simple as people being greedy or eating too much fast food. As a teenager, I also struggled with eating issues so this aspect is personal to me.

Your novels always handle several current issues. For example, your debut What Milo Saw touched on living with a disability, being a refugee and the problems in nursing homes. What can we expect in your new book?

As I mentioned above, I tackle social issues in all my novels. In my adult novel published this year, Before I Was Yours, I look at a couple’s longing to have a child and their journey through international adoption. In the YA novel I’m working on at the moment, the novel to follow Wishbones, I’m exploring how two people, from two very different worlds, are thrown together through a shared tragedy: they each have someone they love on a plane that goes missing.

Talking about Milo, he was a really special little fella who had a very unique view in the world. I often find myself wondering about him. Do you think Feather is also such a special character? What makes her unique?

I love to write about slightly quirky but warm-hearted and courageous characters. I love that you’ve connected Milo and Feather, they certainly have a great deal in common. Feather is a wonderfully generous and loving daughter and friend; she is also an idealist who is having to come to terms with a broken world – including that of her parents. I love her determination, her positivity and her refusal to give up on helping the people she loves.

In your novels, animals also have important roles, like Hamlet the pig in Milo, a fox in your second novel and a goat in this one. Why is that? Do you have a special pet yourself?

I’m a great animal lover: I believe that they have a special spiritual connection, that they see and feel more than we do and that when we relate to them, and that they enrich our lives by letting us into these other worlds. I also think that we all have a special bond to a particular animal – I’ve always had a funny feeling that I was an elephant in a past life and, amazingly, my first little girl, Tennessee Skye, has turned out to love elephants (without any prompting from me). All this makes me sound a bit kooky but I’m convinced that animals are pretty magical. It’s also why I’m a vegetarian.

I’ve had one or more cats my whole life and they hold a special place in my heart but if I could choose I’d live with a whole menagerie – I’ve always dreamt of having a baby goat so by writing Houdini into Wishbones, I was able to experience that vicariously! I think that children and teenagers, in particular, have a special bond to animals: they can confide in them and, through them, they learn important lessons about caring for other living beings. I love to watch my little girls interacting with animals.

Why do you write your novels from multiple points of view? Is it difficult to get into the minds of such different characters?

Although it’s a challenge to get so many voices and points of view right it also makes the writing process fun. The reason I like to write from multiple points of view is because I believe that every story can be seen from many different angles, especially stories with controversial issues at their heart. I love to read books written in this way too.

Finally, what can we expect from you next?

I’ve mentioned that my third adult novel, Before I Was Yours, is out in paperback this summer. I’ve just finished the first draft of my fourth adult novel, out in 2018, called Forgetting You about a man found in a London park with no knowledge of who he is or where he’s from. I’m also working on my second YA book, also mentioned above, called As Far As The Stars: a love story between two teenagers brought together through tragedy.

Title: Wishbones

Author: Virginia Macgregor

Published: May 18th 2017 by HQ Stories

Amazon | Amazon UK

Blurb: Feather Tucker has two wishes:

1)To get her mum healthy again

2) To win the Junior UK swimming championships

When Feather comes home on New Year’s Eve to find her mother – one of Britain’s most obese women- in a diabetic coma, she realises something has to be done to save her mum’s life. But when her Mum refuses to co-operate Feather realises that the problem run deeper than just her mum’s unhealthy appetite.

Over time, Feather’s mission to help her Mum becomes an investigation. With the help of friends old and new, and the hindrance of runaway pet goat Houdini, Feather’s starting to uncover when her mum’s life began to spiral out of control and why. But can Feather fix it in time for her mum to watch her swim to victory? And can she save her family for good?

Review: I had read Virginia Macgregor's previous books, so I knew her style was something special, with thought-provoking topics and very complex characters but this time the story is intended for the YA audience. I have been reading this genre a lot lately, so I was very curious to see how this author handled it.

The first difference I noticed from her previous books is that this one is narrated only by one character, Feather. We only get her point of view in the story and as everyone is adamant of keeping secrets from her, we don't know what is going on until we have read quite a lot of the story. I think that this worked well though. It really helped me to get Feather and her frustration at not being told about "adult problems".

Feather is a really determined and stubborn teen. As it says in the blurb, she has two wishes, to make her mum lose weight and get healthy and to win a swimming championship, and she will stop at nothing to get these wishes. It was both inspiring and heart-breaking to read about her. Especially heart-breaking because all her efforts were not really well received by her parents. This annoyed me quite a bit at the beginning as I didn't understand how her parents could be so irresponsible and careless. But as we got to know them too and we slowly discovered all their secrets, I started understanding everything and I ended up caring a lot for them.

This story handles really heavy topics, focusing especially in eating disorders, but also loneliness, mental health and immigration. The main message I got from the story is a really strong one, how these illnesses can touch anybody and how important it is to have the support of your family and friends. But also it talks about how important it is to feel good with oneself, no matter how you look, how you dress, how "different" you are.

Feather and her parents are not the only characters in this story though, from their goat pet to the new boy who has just moved from NYC, this book is full of unique people (and animals) that will touch many hearts. As I said, it took me a while to get into this story but once it got going, it was completely worth it. A very special novel that will resonate with many readers.

Rating: 4 stars

I would like to thank the publisher for sending me a copy of this book. This is my honest opinion.

Have you been following the Blog Tour?

Today I'm reviewing Debbie Johnson's latest book, The A-Z of Everything, a very original and moving story. A bit more serious than her earlier books. Read my thoughts here:

Title: The A-Z of Everything

Author: Debbie Johnson

Published: April 20th 2017 by Harper

Amazon | Amazon UK

Blurb: P is for Paris where it all began. J is for Jealousy where it all came undone. But the most important letter is F. F is for Forgiveness, the hardest of all.

Sisters Poppy and Rose used to be as close as two sisters could be, but it’s been over a decade since they last spoke. Until they both receive a call that tells them their mother has gone – without ever having the chance to see her daughters reunited.

Andrea, though, wasn’t the kind of woman to let a little thing like death stand in the way of her plans. Knowing her daughters better than they know themselves, she has left behind one very special last gift – the A-Z of Everything.

Review: The A-Z of Everything is like nothing that Debbie Johnson has written until now. Her books are known for her humour and her love stories but this one is considerably more serious and love takes a whole new role. Does this mean that I didn't enjoy this story as much as her previous ones? In the contrary, I loved it even more.

The story is all about Andrea, who has just passed away, and her daughters. Poppy and Rose haven't talked to each other for years, something that broke their mother's heart. But Andrea has left them with a huge challenge, two boxes full of videos, letters, cassettes, photos, stories and instructions. She hopes she'll achieve something that she wasn't able to while she was alive: bring her girls together again.

As Poppy and Rose reluctantly accept to follow their mother's instructions, we get to know them better. Thanks to flashbacks to their past, we soon realise what a special relationship they had, and I had became really engaged with their story. I couldn't understand how their relationship had become nothing. And I couldn't not root for them. It was obvious that it was not going to be an easy task to bring them together, but Andrea definitely was one in a million.

In fact, for me the star of the story was Andrea. Her love for her daughters was in every tiny detail, her letters and videos brought tears to my eyes but her stories also made me laugh more than once. What a formidable woman. A special mention also for Lewis, Andrea's best friend. I instantly warmed to him and even if his scenes in the story were few, his presence was huge.

All in all, this story left me in awe. What a beautiful and moving story. Such detail and such originality! Definitely Debbie Johnson's at her best. I'm sure this book will touch many hearts.

Rating: 5 stars

I'd like to thank the publisher for sending me a copy of this book. This is my honest opinion.

Isabelle Broom has a new book out and this time she is whisking us away to the magical town of Mojacar, in Spain. Are you ready? Today I'm sharing my thoughts on this story:

Title: Then. Now. Always.

Author: Isabelle Broom

Published: April 20th 2017 by Michael Joseph

Amazon | Amazon UK

Blurb: Hannah can't believe it when she's offered a trip to sunny Spain with her best friend and dreamy boss . . . what's the catch?

Twenty-eight year old Hannah is ready for an adventure. She and her colleagues are in Spain for a month to film a documentary, and it's a dream come true. Not least because Hannah will get to spend long summer days with Theo, her boss (and crush). If only Tom (Hannah's best friend and cameramen) and Claudette (the presenter) would stop getting in the way...

Then things become even more complicated when Nancy, Hannah's half-sister arrives. What on earth is she doing here?

For once in her life, can't Hannah just have one perfect summer, free of any drama?

Review: Isabelle Broom is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors. Her stories are always surrounded by a special magic and her characters are always interesting, charming and full of surprises. In her latest story, we meet Hannah, a young woman with a stable but quite boring job researching for documentaries and with a huge crush on her boss. Her life is a bit lacking in the love and the adventures departments so when she is offered to join the team on a field trip to the south of Spain, to the very same place she discovered and fell in love with during her teen years, she is ready for the adventure of a lifetime. Especially as it will give her many chances to get to know her gorgeous Greek boss.

Once we land in Almería, we soon start feeling excited ourselves for the stay in Mojácar. This little town on the south coast of Spain is a hidden gem full of stories, sunshine, beautiful views and a bit of magic. I had never heard about it before reading this story, but as usual, Isabelle Broom has convinced me to visit asap. I especially liked how it brought the best of people out, especially with Hannah. We got to know a braver more confident Hannah as she connected with the place again.

Mojácar was full of surprises for everyone, and as the story progressed, I couldn't stop reading to know more. The unexpected arrival of Hannah's half-sister threw a bit Hannah off, but I soon realized there was something really amiss between these two. I was really curious to find out how their relationship evolved and if Hannah would be able to share her special bit of paradise with her.

As you can image, there's also love in the story. But I have to say that this part is the one that surprised me the most. The story didn't go at all as I would have thought and it surprised my in a very positive way. The ending of the story was really fitting with the whole atmosphere of the book and it literally left me with goosebumps. It's been a few days already since I finished Then. Now. Always. and it hasn't left my mind yet.

A truly special and magical story that will bring lots of sunshine to your life. I highly recommend you pick this book this summer and enjoy the south of Spain as you have never done so before.

Rating: 5 stars

I first read Catch Me If You Cannes when it was released as a serialised enovel a couple of years ago and I absolutely loved it. Now it's just been published as a paperback and I couldn't resist as re-visit to the glamorous Cannes.

Title: Catch Me If You Cannes

Author: Lisa Dickenson

Published: May 4th 2017 by Sphere

Amazon | Amazon UK

Blurb: WARNING: reading Catch Me If You Cannes may result in embarrassing outbursts of belly-aching laughter on public transport. Romantic, funny and full of Cannes Film Festival magic, it's perfect for fans of Giovanna Fletcher, Paige Toon and Mhairi McFarlane.

Jess has decided it's time to get out of her comfort zone and live a little. So when her best friend Bryony, a journalist on a gossip magazine, is sent to cover the Cannes Film Festival, Jess decides to seize the day and go along for the ride. Two weeks of sun, glamour and exclusive entry into celeb-filled parties is just the kind of adventure Jess needs.

Reality soon bites though when Jess and Bryony find they're staying in a dingy hotel far away from all the action and Bryony's expenses budget barely covers a glass of local wine. Undeterred, the two women are determined to live like the elite and enjoy one fancy night out to begin their holiday. So what if they have to tell a few white lies along the way? It's just this once. No harm done . . . right?

Full of hilarious one-liners, sparkling blue seas and plenty of romantic moments, Catch Me If You Cannes is the story of two friends, a few white lies and one very sticky situation...

Review: Lisa Dickenson's Catch Me If You Cannes is finally out in paperback and I couldn't be more excited. I loved Lisa's previous books and completely fell in love with her witty and fresh style where the laughs are guaranteed and Catch Me If You Cannes is no different. In this story we meet Jess and Bryony, two very different but close friends who are gonna stay for two weeks in Cannes while Bryony covers the famous festival for her magazine.

Jess, as Bryony says, is a ray of sunshine, and I liked her from page one. Tired of never leaving her small village, she has decided this trip is gonna be full of adventures. And what adventures! Soon the two friends find themselves surrounded by A-listers, oysters and yachts. All this in the beautiful setting of Cannes, with its sunshine and azure sea waters.

During their adventures, Jess meets gorgeous Leo. He seems like the perfect match for Jess, they really connect and I loved reading about their interactions. They were really cute together. But Lisa Dickenson is full of surprises and soon you realise Leo might not be that lovely. While reading this story, I couldn't stop thinking about what was going on and what was going to happen next.

Lisa created a great story that made me want to forget about everything else. I felt like I was in Cannes with them. And we also got to go to Monaco. Montecarlo sounded so glamorous and movie like. I can't wait to visit for myself!

All in all, I think this story will be a summer hit: laughs, beach, cocktails, sunshine and Cannes (oh! and Nutella!!). What a perfect combination for a lazy afternoon by the pool. And now that the paperback is out, you have no excuses for not getting it and devouring it.

Take my advice, put some Lisa Dickenson sunshine in your life this summer, you won't regret it!

Rating: 5 stars

About the author:

Lisa Dickenson is the pseudonym for Beyoncé. OK, FINE, THAT'S NOT TRUE.

Lisa lives by the Devon seaside, stuffing cream teas in the gobs of anyone who comes to visit, and writing stuff down that she hopes is funny. Her first novel was the copyright-infringing Sweet Valley Twins: The Twins Holiday Horror, which she wrote in primary school and gave up on after five pages. Twenty-ish years later Lisa went on to be a *real author* and wrote the Novelicious Debut of the Year, The Twelve Dates of Christmas.

Other titles by Lisa Dickenson:

You Had Me at Merlot

Mistletoe on 34th Street

Follow the Blog Tour for more reviews and content:

Today is my stop on the Blog Tour for Sheila Newberry's new novel, The Punch and Judy Girl. It was published last week by Zaffre and to celebrate, Sheila stops by to talk about:

WHEN WE WERE KNEE DEEP IN PLUMS

by Sheila Newberry

The little Rosanna of my book was very like the little Sheila, visiting the pumping station on the Fens for the first time and always remembering the experience. My five cousins, four boys and a girl, all older than me, were nicknamed the Chucklenuts by my father, and they took me under their wing and I loved their hideouts, “walking the plank”, the swaying bridge over the river, their puppet shows in the evening, including their interpretation of Punch and Judy, which I enjoy to this day, and was the inspiration for my latest book, The Punch and Judy Lady. Also, I have never forgotten the trips to Ely, down the river in a leaky boat. Looking back on that wonderful time I believe was the catalyst for my desire to have a large family myself, to live somewhere they could roam free and climb trees and I would have fun with them just as my dear Aunt did with her brood...

I married young, a tall, athletic chap called John who was a dreamer like myself, but also practical, which I can’t claim to be. We had six children (and a Scottie named Seamus) when we took the plunge and bought a rundown smallholding with an orchard and a house built Colonial style in Kentish weatherboarding with a bath (with no plumbing) but plenty of rooms to explore, and mice in the pantry... We arrived there , crammed into our Morris 8 and spilled out it seemed, with children intent on exploring the orchard. As I held the baby, Michael, a few months old, little Sara Louise called out: “Oh, look, Mummy and Daddy, we’re knee deep in plums!” Crawling towards her was the elderly baby Christopher, who was intent on eating the juicy Victorias which were nestling in the long grass. I cried: “Watch out for wasps!” Jonathan, the eldest was seven, and he was already climbing high up an apple tree, followed by Virginia aged three, the dark haired one among all the blondies. Joanna, a year older, was inseparable from her sister, but she kept her feet on the ground. We had our first picnic meal out there, then helped John put the beds up and had an early night. Tomorrow was another day!

Memories: Our first Christmas there when all the children except Jon were in bed with mumps, I ran a nail through my foot, breaking up a box for firewood, and John arrived home with the turkey and tree, and then subsided into bed too, with flu. Jon and I had to break the ice on the water for the chickens, and hobbling on a broomstick crutch he and I went next door to feed our neighbours incontinent cats. I won’t describe the pong in every room, but we cleared it all up. On Christmas Day I overcooked the turkey and burst into tears, because there was only me and my Jonny at the table, and he was trying to carve up! And that was the time when John put dried Christmas Greenery on the fire and we had to call the fire brigade...

We were surrounded by Romany families, one of them asked if he could put his caravan in the orchard, “We won’t be no trouble, Missus, we can connect ourselves to the electricity!” He once painted our house, it was a disaster. But we had many friends among them, and it was the Queen of the gypsies who told me I’d be famous when I was old! I wrote many letters for them, mostly to the council, but once to Sister Susie “On the Common, Sussex.”

I never wanted to leave our paradise, but children grow up (we added Roger, Katharine and Matthew to the family there), and they spread their wings. And so did we. But you can’t take memories away, can you?

About the book:

Title: The Punch and Judy Girl

Author: Sheila Newberry

Published: May 4th 2017 by Zaffre

Amazon | Amazon UK

Blurb: CAUGHT BETWEEN FAMILY AND DUTY - CAN SHE FOLLOW HER DREAM?

Suffolk, 1925.

After the death of her father, a much-loved Punch and Judy man, May Moon packs her bags and moves to the seaside in the hope of continuing his legacy.

Already tasked with looking after her younger sister, May little imagines her summer will grow tougher still. Her long absent mother has finally returned - and with an agenda all of her own.

But as May struggles to balance her family's competing demands - and honour her father's legacy - she's surprised to discover her passion for performing grows ever stronger.

As the world around her begins to change, might she finally be able to find a dream of her own?

A warm-hearted and nostalgic saga perfect for readers of Katie Flynn and Sheila Jeffries.

Last year The Girl from Everywhere, Heidi Heilig's debut novel, took the bookish world by storm. Since then, we have all been waiting the second and final chapter of this story and here it is! Read my thoughts about it to see if it is as good as the first book:

Title: The Ship Beyond Time

Author: Heidi Heilig

Published: March 23rd 2017 by Hot Key Books

Amazon | Amazon UK

Blurb: The breathtaking sequel to the acclaimed The Girl from Everywhere.

Nix has spent her whole life journeying to places both real and imagined aboard her time-traveling father's ship. And now it's finally time for her to take the helm. Her future lies bright before her - until she learns that she is destined to lose the one she loves.

Desperate to change her fate, Nix sails her crew to a mythical utopia to meet another Navigator who promises to teach her how to manipulate time. But everything in this utopia is constantly changing, and nothing is what it seems. Not even her relationship with Kash: best friend, thief, charmer extraordinaire.

Heidi Heilig weaves fantasy, history, and romance together to tackle questions of free will, fate, and what it means to love another person. At the centre of this adventure are extraordinary, complicated, and multicultural characters who leap off the page, and an intricate, recognizable world that has no bounds. This sequel - and conclusion - to The Girl from Everywhere includes five black-and-white maps of historical and mythical locations. Fans of Alwyn Hamilton, Sarah J. Maas, and Outlander will be swept away.

Review: Last year I read The Girl from Everywhere and really enjoyed it. In fact, as soon as I finished, I hoped there was going to be a sequel to that story as I felt like the characters still had a lot to tell. And here we are, with the sequel. This story picks up just where the other ended, with Slate and his crew leaving 19th century Hawaii with an extra crew member, the young Hawaiian that helped them escape the island.

From there, we follow them to present day New York, where the one and only British explorer James Cook contacts them and asks them to meet in a mythological island. As you can imagine, things are not straight forward with Captain Cook and soon the crew gets in quite a bit of trouble. Once again, the story is packed with action and we get to learn a lot about the places they visit. I think that the mixture between real history and mythology is really well handled and you never feel lost or doubt anything. You are totally immersed in this fantasy world and you complete forget that no, time travel is not possible in the real world (sigh).

Actually, I really love how time travel takes place in this stories. We got all the technical explanations in the first book so in this one we just enjoy going to impossible places. In fact, the main focus of the story shifts a bit from the simple act of time traveling to the consequences that playing with time might have and how far the characters are ready to go to defy history and physics.

The story also centers more in the main love story between the brave Nix and the charming Kashmir. This story line was more secondary in The Girl from Everywhere, in which there's a love triangle, but in The Ship Beyond Time, their love plays a huge role, making them do things you might not expect. But, as these two were my favourite characters in the first book, I loved all the attention they got in this one.

All in all, I had a lot of fun reading this story. It's highly entertaining, it's really well thought and it surprised me several times. If you love history, fantasy, romance and multicultural and interesting characters, then you cannot miss these two books. They are fascinating.

Rating: 4 stars

I would like to thank the publisher for sending me a copy of this book. This is my honest opinion.

May took me a bit by surprise. Just yesterday I woke up and though, wait a minute, it's May already? So this list comes a bit later than usual. Good news though, some of the books are already out, no need to wait to get them!

Into the Water by Paula Hawkins - May 2nd

The addictive new psychological thriller from the author of The Girl on the Train, the runaway Sunday Times No. 1 bestseller and global phenomenon.

In the last days before her death, Nel called her sister. Jules didn’t pick up the phone, ignoring her plea for help.

Now Nel is dead. They say she jumped. And Jules has been dragged back to the one place she hoped she had escaped for good, to care for the teenage girl her sister left behind.

But Jules is afraid. So afraid. Of her long-buried memories, of the old Mill House, of knowing that Nel would never have jumped.

And most of all she’s afraid of the water, and the place they call the Drowning Pool . . .

With the same propulsive writing and acute understanding of human instincts that captivated millions of readers around the world in her explosive debut thriller, The Girl on the Train, Paula Hawkins delivers an urgent, satisfying read that hinges on the stories we tell about our pasts and their power to destroy the lives we live now.

Why so excited: who hasn't read Girl in the Train yet? Probably nobody, it was a real phenomenon and even if I was not the biggest fan (I did enjoy it but I have enjoyed other similar books more), I am very curious about this story. The first reviews are a bit mixed, so I can't wait to find out for myself.

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One Italian Summer by Keris Stainton - May 4th

It's been a year since Milly, Elyse and Leonie's dad died, and a year since their last trip to Rome. Summer's here again, and once again they are heading with their mum to Italy - but what's it going to be like going without Dad? Rome still holds its familiar charms - the sun is still as warm, the gelato as delicious, the people as welcoming. But nothing is quite as it once was ...

With grief still raw for all of them, Milly is facing the additional awfulness of having to see Luke again - gorgeous, gorgeous Luke, who she had a fling with last year, and who she made a total fool of herself with - or so she thinks. What's going to happen this time? What's more, things between Milly, her sisters and their mum are rocky - Leonie is being tempestuous and unpredictable, Elyse is caught up with her new boyfriend, and Milly feels like she just doesn't know how she fits in any more.

Over one Italian summer, can Milly find a way back to the life she once had?

Why so excited: I have only heard good things about Keris Stainton's stories so I'm very excited to read this, which I recently received. Plus, how beautiful is this cover?

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Release by Patrick Ness - May 4th

The most personal and tender novel yet from Patrick Ness, the twice Carnegie Medal-winning author of A Monster Calls. It's Saturday, it's summer and, although he doesn't know it yet, everything in Adam Thorn's life is going to fall apart. But maybe, just maybe, he'll find freedom from the release. Time is running out though, because way across town, a ghost has risen from the lake...

Why so excited: I only recently read A Monster Calls and fell in love with it. So imagine my excitement when a copy of his new release landed on my doorstep. It sounds like a beautiful story.

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The Last Piece of My Heart by Paige Toon - May 18th

When life feels like a puzzle, sometimes it's the small pieces that make up the bigger picture... Join Bridget on a journey to put her world back together.

A successful travel journalist, Bridget has ambitions to turn her quirky relationship blog about the missing pieces of her heart into a book. But after a spate of rejections from publishers, she accepts an alternative proposition.

Nicole Dupré died leaving behind a bestselling novel and an incomplete sequel. Tasked with finishing the book, Bridget is thankful to have her foot in the publishing door, even if it means relocating to Cornwall for the summer and answering to Nicole's grieving husband, Charlie...

Why so excited: Paige Toon's stories are always something special. In fact, her last one, made my top ten of the year last year, so yes, I am really excited for this title!

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The Light We Lost by Jill Santopolo - May 18th

Two people. One choice. What if?

Every love story has a beginning…

11th September 2001. Lucy and Gabe meet in New York on a day that will change their lives – and the world – forever. As the city burns behind them, they kiss for the very first time.

Over the next thirteen years they are torn apart, then brought back together, time and time again. It’s a journey of dreams, of desires, of jealousy, of forgiveness – and above all, love.

As Lucy is faced with a devastating choice, she wonders whether their love is a matter of destiny or chance.

…what if this is how their story ends?

Me Before You meets One Day in this passionate debut novel, The Light We Lost, an epic love story about the heartrending decision that one woman must make…

Why so excited: I received a copy of this book on the mail a couple of weeks ago and it instantly caught my attention. Even more after reading the blurb and the first reviews. It's now on top of my tbr pile.

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True Love at the Lonely Hearts Bookshop by Annie Darling - May 18th

It's a truth universally acknowledged that a single woman in possession of a good job, four bossy sisters and a needy cat must also have want of her one true love. Or is it?

Another delightful novel from the author of The Little Bookshop of Lonely Hearts. Perfect for fans of Lucy Diamond and Jenny Colgan

Verity Love – Jane Austen fangirl and an introvert in a world of extroverts – is perfectly happy on her own (thank you very much), and her fictional boyfriend Peter is very useful for getting her out of unwanted social events. But when a case of mistaken identity forces her to introduce a perfect stranger as her boyfriend, Verity’s life suddenly becomes much more complicated.

Johnny could also use a fictional girlfriend. Against Verity’s better judgement, he persuades her to partner up for a summer season of weddings, big number birthdays and garden parties, with just one promise - not to fall in love with each other…

Why so excited: I read The Little Bookshop of Lonely Hearts earlier this year and had so much fun at this quirky bookshop that I cannot wait to go back and discover this new story.

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