A couple of years ago, I shared the perfect books to travel the world from your own couch (check out my Top Holidays Reads of 2014 here) and because it's August again and we're not travelling anywhere exotic this year, I've decided to share with 10 more books that will take to some of the hottest spots of the planet. Let's have a look at our route: 

1) Summer at the Comfort Food Café: the Jurassic Coast, UK

We start our route in the UK. I've chosen this book because it's set in a part of the UK I didn't know about and after reading about those stunning landscapes I can't wait to discover it! The brand new book from best-selling author Debbie Johnson will make you laugh, make you cry, and make you raid the pantry in the middle of the night…

Read my 5 stars review of  Summer at the Comfort Food Café here.
Get it now.

2) Catch Me If You Cannes: Cannes, France

On our second stop, Lisa Dickenson takes us to beautiful Cannes with two lovely and a bit crazy friends. This story is a total summer hit: laughs, beach, cocktails, sunshine and Cannes (oh! and Nutella!). What a perfect combination for a lazy afternoon by the pool. Even better if combined with a cocktail or a glass of bubbly! Also, highly recommended, Lisa's You Had Me at Merlot, set in beautiful Tuscany! 

Read my 5 stars review of Catch Me If You Cannes here.
Get it now.

3) The Heavenly Italian Ice Cream Shop: Sorrento, Italy

This story takes us to Sorrento and I could so easily picture the stunning Italian scenery! Abby Clements has a way of transporting you far far away from home, and make you enjoy the most delicious treats too. Her descriptions of ice cream and other delicious sweet creations were so detailed and scrumptious that left me with no other choice than consume great quantities of ice cream while enjoying this summery read.

Read my 5 stars review of The Heavenly Italian Ice Cream Shop here.
Get it now.

4) My Map of You: Zante, Greece

Read my 5 stars review of My Map of You here. 
Get it now.

Check out my Interview with Isabelle Broom for more pics and secrets about this story and its setting

5) Destination Thailand: Thailand.

On our 5th stop, we join Georgia on her tour around Thailand. She follows a bucket list, with things like riding an elephant or make something wild, but as soon as Georgia lands in Thailand, we discover that backpacking alone around such a different country is not going to be that easy... A fantastic debut novel by Katy Colins, inspired by her own adventures. 

Read my 5 stars review of Destination Thailand here.
Get it now. 

6) Destination India: India.

After Thailand, Georgia's adventures are not over and on the second book on the The Lonely Hearts Travel Club, she takes us to India. I enjoyed this one as much as the first and I had such a great time following her around and discovering this new country through her eyes. As usual, Katy Colins makes a great job of describing the atmosphere of the place and I found myself wishing, more than once, that I could also be in India discovering this beautiful country.

Read my 5 stars review of Destination India here. 
Get it now.

7) How to Find Your (First) Husband: Tioman Island, Malaysia.

Next, we are flying to Malaysia to discover the stunning Tioman Island with Rosie Blake's latest story. For me, this is everything a summer read should be and more. With an amazing setting, lovable character, an hilarious plot and turtles thrown into the mix, this is the book you cannot miss this summer. Laughs and good vibes guaranteed!

Read my 5 stars review of How to Find Your (First) Husband here. 
Get it now.

8) The Blue: The Philippines. 

In this story, Kitty and Lana travel to the Philippines where they discover a beautiful yacht, the Blue. For a while they travel on the yacht and explore every bit of this paradise but after a while things start to feel wrong. The Blue by Lucy Clarke is a darker story than the ones I've talked about so far but equally compelling and stunning.
Get it now.

9) The Girl From Everywhere: Hawaii, USA.

I love books set in Hawaii because it's a place I'm dying to visit. Some of my favourites are Moloka'i by Alan Brennert and About a Girl by Lindsey Kelk. So I was very happy when I saw that The Girl From Everywhere by Heidi Heilig was set in Hawaii too. The story is a mixture of fantasy, history, time-travelling and romance (there's even a pirate ship and a dragon!). With a diverse and multicultural cast and plenty of adventures.

Read my 4 stars review of The Girl From Everywhere here. 

Get it now.

10) Sleepless in Manhattan: New York, USA. 

And we end our tour around the world in New York, where else? Sarah Morgan's latest trilogy is set in New York and you know what? I love New York, I've been there twice and I'm already looking forward to going back. With this story I could totally picture myself there, from cool and trendy Brooklyn to posh and lively Manhattan. The life and shine of the city really got through the story and it felt like it was one more character in the story.

Read my 4 stars review of Sleepless in Manhattan here. 
Get it now.

The first time I went up The Top of the Rock, I fell a bit in love with this city.

I hope you had fun on my route around the world with books! What books have you read lately that have taken you to other places? Tell me, I love travelling with books! 

*All image sources are linked. 

It’s November already, can you believe it? Less than two months for Christmas! Which means lots and lots of Festive reads coming out this month. Actually, this month there are so many amazing books out that I don’t know how I am going to keep up with them. Here are the titles I am most excited about:

Blurb: While Texas is known for loving football, Lexi Stewart has always been drawn to the ice. Hockey is her passion, and she wants nothing more than to pursue a career in video editing for the home network of the Dallas Demons hockey team. 

Lexi has an editing job for a corporate account, but it’s not fulfilling. Nor is her dating life, despite having the so-called help of The One Online Dating Service. Lexi knows there has to be more for her—on both fronts. She’s ready to take the next step, but it doesn't seem like it’s going to happen anytime soon. 

Until a flying puck changes everything. 

Niko Xenakis is the new Dallas Demons TV producer, and he’s looking to make his mark in his new role and hopefully work his way back to his hometown of Baltimore. But once he meets Lexi, he might just change his mind on what he wants for his future . . . 

But the road to love is never easy, complicated by the fact that they both carry emotional baggage from the past in their hearts. Can these two “breakout”of the past to find love in the present?

Why so excited: Aven Ellis is back with her Dallas Demons Series, how could I not be excited?

A Christmas Tail by Cressida McLaughlin – November 5th

Blurb: This book was first published as an e-serial Primrose Terrace Parts 1-4. Perfect for fans of Cathy Bramley, Lucy Dillon and Debbie Johnson.

A Christmas Tail was first published as a four-part serial set in Primrose Terrace.

Catherine ‘Cat’ Palmer realizes that bringing an adorable puppy into work is a bad idea, especially when it gets her the sack. Deciding it’s the perfect opportunity to launch her dog-walking business, Cat enlists the help of flatmates Polly and Joe. After all Primrose Terrace, the street where they live, is full of home-alone hounds.

Getting to know the owners and their precious pooches isn’t all plain sailing, but soon Cat is making friends, particularly with sexy Mark and his Collie, Chips. But is he the right man for her?

With her talent for misadventure, Cat’s new life starts to show some cracks, and when one of the street’s loveable schnauzers gets ill, it looks like this Christmas could be turning into a dog’s dinner. But Cat has never given up on anything in her life – and this is one Christmas that’s definitely worth saving…

Why so excited: After realising her debut in 4 short stories over the year, Cressida is finally releasing the complete novel in this beautiful paperback. I’m definitely not missing it.

Blurb: 'Tis the season to be jolly. Unless you've found an intimate picture of another woman on your fiance's phone... 

Eve is heartbroken after discovering her fiance is cheating on her. Being surrounded by the joys of Christmas is more than Eve can bear, so she chooses to avoid the festivities by spending Christmas alone on a houseboat in Pangbourne. Eve gets gets an unexpected seasonal surprise when handsome local vet Greg comes to her rescue one day, and continues to visit Eve's boat on a mission to transform her from Kitchen Disaster Zone to Culinary Queen. 

But where does Greg keep disappearing to? What does Eve's best friend Daisy know that she isn't telling? And why is there an angry goose stalking Eve's boat? 

A hilarious and heart-warming novel about Christmas, catastrophes and cooking, containing exclusive Christmas recipes, from the talented Rosie Blake.

Why so excited: I loved Rosie’s hilarious debut, How to Get a (Love) Life and her second book looks and sounds fantastic.

The Winter Wedding by Abby Clements – November 5th

Blurb: Hazel never set out to be a wedding planner. She was just helping her stressed sister Lila with cakes and décor for her big day. But when Lila and Ollie's summer ceremony is a runaway success, with guests raving about the food and styling at the pretty venue, word about Hazel's expertise soon spreads. 

But Hazel's clients expect the very best - she's promised lawyers Gemma and Eliot a snow-covered castle in the Scottish Highlands, and laidback couple Josh and Sarah a bohemian beach wedding in a Caribbean paradise. But as weather, in-laws and wilful brides conspire against her, can Hazel get two very different couples to walk up two very different aisles to say 'I do'? And will she find her own happy ending if she does?

Why so excited: I love Abby’s stories but surprisingly, I have never read her festive stories. I am sure that they are just as specials.

A Girl's Best Friend by Lindsey Kelk - November 5th

Why so excited: Tess is back! Finally! I so want to know what happens next!

The Marble Collector by Cecelia Ahern – November 5th

Blurb: A forgotten childhood. A discovered life.

What if you only had one day to find out who you really were?

When Sabrina Boggs stumbles upon a mysterious collection of her father’s possessions, she discovers a truth where she never knew there was a lie. The familiar man she grew up with is suddenly a stranger to her.

An unexpected break in her monotonous daily routine leaves her just one day to unlock the secrets of the man she thought she knew. A day that unearths memories, stories and people she never knew existed. A day that changes her and those around her forever.

The Marble Collector is a thought-provoking novel about how the most ordinary decisions we make can have the most extraordinary consequences for how we live our lives. And how sometimes it’s only by shining on a light on someone else, that you can truly understand yourself.

Why so excited: I had fallen a bit out of love with Cecelia’s stories but last year I picked The Year I Met You and absolutely loved it. Plus, I’ve heard The Marble Collector is completely different to anything she has written so far, definitely on my wish list.

The Mince Pie Mix-Up by Jennifer Joyce – November 6th

Blurb: “I wish I could live your life. I’d happily swap lives with you.”

’Tis the season to be jolly but for Calvin and Judy the usual festive bickering has already begun! Judy’s convinced that her husband has it easy – no glittery wrapping paper, no playground gossip and absolutely no Christmas baking.

Calvin wishes he could trade in his obnoxious boss and dull nine-to-five job to spend more time kicking back with his kids – how hard can Judy’s life really be?

But after a magical mince pie mix-up, one thing’s for certain – by Christmas Day, life for Judy and Calvin will never be the same again. Perhaps the grass isn’t always greener after all…

Why so excited: After self publishing her first two novels, Jennifer has signed a book deal with Carina UK and I looking forward to finding out what she has come out with.

Lost Girls by Angela Marsons – November 6h

Blurb: Two girls go missing. Only one will return. 

The couple that offers the highest amount will see their daughter again. The losing couple will not. Make no mistake. One child will die. 

When nine-year-old best friends Charlie and Amy disappear, two families are plunged into a living nightmare. A text message confirms the unthinkable; that the girls are the victims of a terrifying kidnapping. 

And when a second text message pits the two families against each other for the life of their children, the clock starts ticking for D.I. Kim Stone and the squad. 

Seemingly outwitted at every turn, as they uncover a trail of bodies, Stone realises that these ruthless killers might be the most deadly she has ever faced. And that their chances of bringing the girls home alive, are getting smaller by the hour… 

Untangling a dark web of secrets from the families’ past might hold the key to solving this case. But can Kim stay alive long enough to do so? Or will someone’s child pay the ultimate price?

Why so excited: Angela has already published two amazing and unsettling thrillers this year and I loved them both. She is back with more Kim Stone, what more could we ask for?

Why are all the books in the world out the 5th of November? I might die of excitement this Thursday!

Blurb: Full of mouth-watering flavours, sunshine and escapist adventure, The Heavenly Italian Ice Cream Shop will delight fans of Vivien's Heavenly Ice Cream Shop as well as drawing in new readers with a taste for sweet treats and romance. Anna and her husband Matteo are preparing to embark on a delicious Italian adventure. After a year and a half running their ice cream shop on Brighton beach and raising their baby Isabella, Matteo is starting to miss Italy. A shared passion for ices means it's easy to settle on a new business idea - they'll open a sorbet shop on the town's cobbled square, a short walk from the sparkling blue sea. For a while, life is sweet; but then Matteo's overbearing family get involved…

Anna's younger sister Imogen has settled in Brighton running Vivien's Ice Cream Shop with boyfriend Finn, and for the first time in her life, she's enjoying putting down some roots. But then, late in the summer, things start to change and her willpower is put to the test…

First of all I would like to thank the publishers for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.*

Review: The Heavenly Italian Ice Cream Shop follows on from Abby Clements' previous book, Vivien's Heavenly Ice Cream Shop. However, I really don't think you need to have read the first book to fully enjoy it, as the author easily fills in any gaps there could be, and soon, you find yourself immersed in the story and the characters as if you had known them all your life. 

I always enjoy stories that tell you what happened after the happy ever after and this one is exactly that. Anna, the eldest sister has just had a daughter with her gorgeous Italian boyfriend and they are learning to manage their successful ice cream shop in Brighton with the stressing life of new parents. And then, Imogen, the youngest sister thinks he has found the perfect partner to settle but her wanderlust only grows the longer she stays at home. As you can see, both sisters are in completely different moments of their lives but their love and support for each other is stronger than ever. I really enjoyed reading the sisters' interactions and seeing their bond grow.

The story from here is easy to follow and highly entertaining with more than a fair bit of family drama. Soon, the sisters find themselves in new situations and new places and you feel like you are one more in the story. When the story takes us to Sorrento I could so easily picture the stunning Italian scenery! Abby Clements has a way of transporting you far far away from home, and make you enjoy the most delicious treats too. Her descriptions of ice cream and other delicious sweet creations are so detailed and scrumptious that left me with no other choice than consume great quantities of ice cream while enjoying this summery read.

I was surprised of how much this novel made me think about my own life too. I recognized a bit of myself in Imogen, I've always wanted to see the world before settling and I take every opportunity to travel (I still need to find a job that allows me to travel more though) so I could really relate to her. I really wanted the best for her, and struggled with her when she started feeling lost, not really knowing what she is supposed to do, as I've been there myself. She is a characters that is going to stay for me for a long while. 

I am sure old and new fans of Abby Clements will fall in love with this story and its characters. It definitely has all the ingredients for the perfect summer read. 

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