The Lonely Hearts Travel Club is back! This time, our favourite backpacker, Georgia Green, travels to Chile with boyfriend Ben to take part in a reality show. I had a lot of fun following them around and I cannot wait for more adventures with her. Read my thought of Destination Chile here:

Title: Destination Chile (The Lonely Hearts Travel Club #3)

Author: Katy Colins

Published: September 22nd 2016 by Carina

Amazon | Amazon UK

Review: This series is just getting better and better. After loving Georgia's adventures in Thailand and in India, I was really looking forwards to joining her in her new adventure: Chile. This time though, she is not travelling alone as it seems that things with new boyfriend Ben are going well and both of them are invited to take part in a reality show that will take them to this beautiful country. The reality is about couple who have a business together and during their stay in Chile there are several challenges, where the couples have to compete with each other.

As you can imagine, the whole thing doesn't go as smoothly as they first thought and you find yourself laughing out loud almost non-stop. I really enjoyed reading about the whole experience, especially discovering this new side of Georgia, as part of a couple and of a team. We know that after everything she's gone through, she doesn't trust easily so I was really curious to see how well (or bad) Georgia and Ben worked together.

But the book is not only about the show, Katy Colins takes us to Chile and as usual, she does a great job describing this new place to us (at least new to me, as I've never been there but now I'd love to visit it!). She has a special way of making you picture yourself there, walking in the streets of Santiago or taking selfies with a llama. She also has the power of making me check flights to the other end of the world every time I read one of her books. She certainly knows how to spark my wanderlust.

Destination Chile is another winner by Katy Colins. It's full of surprises, laughs and craziness but it also has a more serious part that balances the story perfectly. If you haven't met Georgia Green yet, you are missing out. She is one of the most fun characters you can find and I'm absolutely loving discovering the world through her eyes. I'm already looking forward to a new adventure.  

Rating: 5 stars

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

Welcome to Bookish Recipes, a feature on the blog where I cook or bake a recipe from a book I have loved and share the result with you. This time, the recipe is inspired by the book The Wedding Date by Jennifer Joyce. This is a fun and cute story that will put a smile on your face, with lots of laughs, quite a big web of lies with hilarious consequences, a good pinch of romance and best friends who are worth their weight in gold.

In the story, Delilah works at a biscuit factory (which, apparently, is not that much fun) and I loved reading all about biscuits and the recipes they all came up with for a campaign at the factory. So I decided to try my hand at making Millionaire's Shortbread for the first time. I decided to go for a my own recipe for gooey salted caramel and the result was really tasty. Here's my recipe:

- 120ml heavy cream

- 1 tsp salt

Ingredients for the chocolate topping:
- 200g dark chocolate

The resulting caramel was a bit runny but after a couple of hours in the fridge, it got better. I really liked the taste of it though. Definitely a recipe to make again soon. Perfect for chocolate lovers! Enjoy!

Title: The Wedding Date

Author: Jennifer Joyce

Published: March 28th 2016 by Carina UK

Amazon | Amazon UK

Blurb: Delilah James, singleton and smoothie-addict, has six months to find a date for her oldest friend’s wedding. Oh, and to prove to her ex, best man Ben, that she has totally moved on since he dumped her out-of-the-blue nine months, eight days and seventeen hours ago…

So, with her two BFFs playing Cupid, Delilah launches herself into the high-tech, fast-paced and frankly terrifying world of dating. Luckily there’s the hot new guy at work, Adam Sinclair, to practice her flirting on – even if, as a colleague, he’s strictly off-limits!

Yet time’s running out and date after disastrous date forces Delilah to tell a little white lie – and invent a fake boyfriend! But will her secret crush on Adam ruin everything? Does she even care about Ben anymore? And is it too late to untangle her web of lies and take a real date to the wedding…?

The Lonely Hearts Travel Club is back! This time, our favourite backpacker, Georgia Green, travels to India alone to find out why this tour is not working as well as it should. I had a lot of fun following her around and I cannot wait for more adventures with her. Read my thought of Destination India here:

Title: Destination India (The Lonely Hearts Travel Club #2)

Author: Katy Colins

Published: June 2nd 2016 by Carina UK

Amazon | Amazon UK

Blurb: Let yourself go…

Georgia Green is about to board a plane to India, alone – again. Things were supposed to be different this time, but Georgia backpacked solo to Thailand and survived, what could possibly go wrong?

Only she is about to find out that when in India the country calls the shots – not you.

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

Review: After reading Destination Thailand, Katy Colins' debut and first book in the series, earlier this year and absolutely loving it, I was really looking forward to join Georgia Green in her adventures again. In Destination India, we see a new side of hers: the business woman. Since coming back from Thailand, she has set up a new business: a travel agency that helps people, especially recently dumped people, find themselves again while travelling around the globe. But there's a slight problem, Georgia has become a workaholic. She no longer has time for friends, family nor travelling.

I found this premise really interesting, as you could clearly see how her character had evolved and changed from that lost girl with no clear goal in life to this determined one with a great passion for her work. But maybe a bit too much passion? As soon as she embarked on that plane to India, I knew we were in for some more self-discovering and some crazy adventures, and I was not wrong.

Georgia's trip to India is supposed to be a business one, as they have been having problems with this tour and she wants to find out what is going on but soon, we realise that India is a country where things are not that easy to control and Georgia's crazier spark makes a brilliant come back. As in the first book, 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.

I'm always a bit afraid of reading sequels when I have loved the first book so much, but I really think that the author managed to keep me interested all through the book and added new layers to the story, making you stop and think more than once if you are living the life you want and making you value the little things in life. That's there's a third coming our way in autumn makes me incredibly happy as I can't get enough of Georgia's shenanigans. 

Destination India is another winner from Katy Colins, a rising star. Perfect to escape for a few hours to the colourful India! A highly recommended book for this summer.

Today I am delighted to welcome author Jennifer Joyce to my blog. Jennifer has just released her 4th novel, The Wedding Date, with Carina UK and she has stopped by to talk about books, biscuits and more books, what there's not to like?

1) Hi Jennifer and welcome in Alba in Bookland. First, can you tell us a bit about yourself?

Hi Alba and thank you for having me on your lovely blog! I’m a writer of romantic comedies who lives in Manchester with my husband and our two daughters, who are 13 and 7. We also have a gorgeous Jack Russell, Luna and two rabbits, Cinnamon and Leah.

2) Your latest book, The Wedding Date, has just been released. In a couple of lines, what is it about?

The Wedding Date tells the story of Delilah James and her quest to find a boyfriend to take to her oldest friend’s upcoming wedding. Delilah’s ex will be at the wedding too and she’s determined to prove she’s moved on from their relationship.

3) Delilah, the main characters, goes on several (let's say, unsuccessful) dates to find her wedding date. Which one was your favourite to write? 

It has to be the date with Dan, the barman from Delilah’s local pub. I couldn’t help having a giggle as I wrote it and every time I read it back during the edits.

4) She works in a biscuit factory, which contrary to what people may think, is not that much fun. Why did you choose this job for her?

I think I’m just a little bit mean. Think how frustrating it must be to work in a biscuit factory and not be able to sample the goods!

5) Talking about biscuits, what your favourite one?

I’m a bit boring when it comes to my favourite. I love a plain digestive as it’s the best for dipping in tea (for me, at least). I do love other, more flamboyant biscuits but dipping is important to me.

6) During the story, Delilah and her co-worker try several recipes to share on the blog of the company. Do you enjoy baking too?

I’ve dabbled a bit with baking but I’m not very good at it! Buttercream is my nemesis.

7) Any recipes I should try myself? I love baking and English desserts!

I’ve attempted a bit of baking from Marian Keyes’ baking book (Saved By Cake) and really enjoyed the apple crumble. I was pleasantly surprised by how easy it was to make from scratch.

8) The Wedding Date is your second book with Carina UK. How have you found the change of going from self-publishing to traditional publishing?

It’s both reassuring and terrifying to be working with a publisher. It’s so lovely having the guidance from the Carina team but I’m always nervous that my writing won’t be good enough. My editor has really helped me shape my books into the best that I can make them and I’m so grateful for that.

It’s also very strange waiting for the cover image. While self-publishing, I had full control of what my books would look like, from the images used down to the fonts. It does make the reveal very exciting though!

9) What are you working on right now?

I’m working on another romantic comedy, this time centring around three women and the joys – and the drawbacks – of pregnancy, birth and coping with a new baby.

10) Can you recommend us a book you have enjoyed lately?

Yes! The Night That Changed Everything by Laura Tait and Jimmy Rice. I cannot recommend it enough! I loved the story and the writing and I’m already desperate to read more from the pair.

Ah! I've also recently read The Night That Changed Everything and totally agree with you. Fantastic read!

Thank you Jennifer for stopping by and answering my questions. It was a pleasure having you! 

About the book:

Blurb: Delilah James, singleton and smoothie-addict, has six months to find a date for her oldest friend’s wedding. Oh, and to prove to her ex, best man Ben, that she has totally moved on since he dumped her out-of-the-blue nine months, eight days and seventeen hours ago…

So, with her two BFFs playing Cupid, Delilah launches herself into the high-tech, fast-paced and frankly terrifying world of dating. Luckily there’s the hot new guy at work, Adam Sinclair, to practice her flirting on – even if, as a colleague, he’s strictly off-limits!

Yet time’s running out and date after disastrous date forces Delilah to tell a little white lie – and invent a fake boyfriend! But will her secret crush on Adam ruin everything? Does she even care about Ben anymore? And is it too late to untangle her web of lies and take a real date to the wedding…?

Weddings can be stressful – for both the bride and groom and their guests. So I’ve put together a few little reminders to ensure you – and the happy couple – enjoy the big day.

RSVP ASAP

Check your diary (and note down the new entry if you can make it) and let the bride and groom know whether you’re able to attend their wedding or not. Acting promptly is good for both sides – it not only allows you to organise childcare or time off work if needed, it also helps out the happy couple – who are probably up to their eyeballs in wedding prep – as it will mean they don’t have to chase up their guests for a response.

Get To The Church On Time

Turning up late may be the fashionable thing to do, but not when it comes to a wedding. You don’t want to stumble into the church/register office mid-vow because you forgot to set your alarm clock. All eyes should be on the bride as she makes an entrance, not on you (even if you paid a small fortune on your outfit and want to show it off).

Patience Is A Virtue – Even When You’re Hungry

If you’re attending both the ceremony and the reception afterwards, weddings can be a long, drawn-out affair and you don’t always have the chance to eat in between so that buffet can look very tempting as you make small-talk with distant relatives or members of the bride or groom’s family. But be patient. Little children can get away with having a sneaky lift of the cling film and slipping crisps from bowls – grown-ups can’t. Unfortunately.

All You Can Drink

If there’s an open bar, don’t rub your hands in glee and take full advantage. An open bar doesn’t equal all you can drink. Don’t be that guest who gets hammered and has to be shoved in a taxi before they puke on their own shoes – or worse, the bride’s.

And finally…

Remember to have fun! This is a day of celebration, a day of love and romance and new chapters. The bride and groom have put a lot of effort into organising this day not just for themselves but for their guests. They want you to have a good time so get on that dance floor and have a boogie to wedding party classics. Catch up with family and friends you may not have seen since the last wedding you both attended, toast the bride and groom and finally tuck into that buffet.

Thank you Jennifer for stopping by and sharing these useful tips. I'll have to keep them in mind for my next wedding.

The Wedding Date is out now. You can find out more about Jennifer and her books on:

And don't miss any stops of the Tour for more fun content and reviews:

Today I review Jennifer Joyce's fourth book, The Wedding Date. After self publishing her first two novels, Jennifer signed a book deal with Carina UK, so this is her second book with them. I've read some of her previous books and they are always a lot of fun. Let's see how I liked her latest one:  

Title: The Wedding Date

Author: Jennifer Joyce

Published: March 28th 2016 by Carina UK

Amazon | Amazon UK

Blurb: Delilah James, singleton and smoothie-addict, has six months to find a date for her oldest friend’s wedding. Oh, and to prove to her ex, best man Ben, that she has totally moved on since he dumped her out-of-the-blue nine months, eight days and seventeen hours ago…

So, with her two BFFs playing Cupid, Delilah launches herself into the high-tech, fast-paced and frankly terrifying world of dating. Luckily there’s the hot new guy at work, Adam Sinclair, to practice her flirting on – even if, as a colleague, he’s strictly off-limits!

Yet time’s running out and date after disastrous date forces Delilah to tell a little white lie – and invent a fake boyfriend! But will her secret crush on Adam ruin everything? Does she even care about Ben anymore? And is it too late to untangle her web of lies and take a real date to the wedding…?

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

Review: Before picking this book, I had already read some of Jennifer Joyce's previous work so I knew that I was in for a fun lighthearted book. And I was not wrong, The Wedding Date certainly delivers what it promises: lots of laughs, quite a big web of lies with hilarious consequences, a good pinch of romance and best friends who are worth their weight in gold. 

The story revolves around Delilah (I know what you are thinking, "hey there Delilah..." and all that, she has heard it before, a thousand times, which made me giggle every time it got mentioned). Basically, Delilah has been dumped by perfect Ben and they both are attending a friend's wedding. Very maturely, Delilah needs a wedding date to prove to Ben that she is over him, which she evidently isn't. But well, she is quite young and I actually really liked her, so I'm going to forgive her immaturity here. 

The first part of the book then centers on all the dates Delilah goes to to find the perfect wedding companion. Let's say they all go horribly well (for me, seriously, I was laughing out loud with some of those guys). And the second part of the story focuses more in Delilah's two possible new love interests. There was a moment there I really didn't know which way it was going to go. I really enjoyed this suspense and how the author played a bit with us. 

I really liked seeing Delilah grow and mature during the story. As I said, I really liked her from the beginning, but she was a bit naive and she was kidding herself if she thought she was over her ex. But as the story progressed, we saw new parts of her, and she became more invested in her job, in her friends and in her own happiness. So I ended up really caring for her.

Around Delilah there was also a whole bunch of characters, from her lovely parents and her best friends to her not so lovely employers, they all formed a great community and I had lots of fun with them. Plus, Delilah worked at a biscuit factory (which, apparently, is not that much fun) and I loved reading all about biscuits and the recipes they all came up with for a campaign at the factory. I can't wait to try some myself.

All in all, The Wedding Date is a fun and cute story that will put a smile on your face. With lovable characters and quite a lot of drama, you won't get one bit bored with this one.  

Rating: 4 Stars

Title: A Home in Sunset Bay

Author: Rebecca Pugh

Published: February 9th 2016 by Carina UK

Amazon | Amazon UK

Blurb: There’s no place like home…

Enough is enough! The always perfect Laurie Chapman had jumped in her car and raced as fast as she could from London heading to Sunset Bay and (she hopes!) the open arms of her estranged sister…

Mia Chapman loves running Dolly’s Diner in the picture-perfect coastal Cornish town of Sunset Bay. Now that her and Grandma Dolly’s dream is finally a reality Mia has never been prouder! Until Laurie suddenly turns up on her doorstep… How can she forgive the sister who walked away?

Once upon a time Mia and Laurie were best friends. Back together after so long, the time has come for the sisters to figure out what went so wrong all those years ago – and whether they can ever put it right!

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

Review: Last year I had the pleasure of reading Rebecca Pugh's debut, Return to Bluebell Hill, and I adored it, so I had been highly anticipating her second book. And after reading it, I can say that A Home in Sunset Bar is a lovely and cosy story about family, love and friendship that lived up to my expectations.

Rebecca takes us once more to a small town where there's a great sense of community. And once again, I fell totally in love with the place. With the stellar Dolly's Dinner as its centre. The 50s dinner is run by Mia Chapman, who inherited it from her grandma and is giving her all to keep it running with the same success. I could totally picture the dinner with the jukebox playing in the background and the costumers enjoying its delicious stacks of pancakes. 

So all is going well with Mia until her sister, Laurie, turns up out of the blue and decides to stay in Sunset Bay. Mia and Laurie haven't been close for years so I found it very interesting to read about their interactions. They had to get to know each other again and try to solve their differences. And even if I think that this plot could have been a little more complex (as I think it had game enough for a couple more twists), I really liked the way Rebecca "handled the situation". 

But the story not only focuses on the relationship between the two sisters. Romance plays its role too as the love flourishes in the dinner, which made me very happy indeed. I love it when characters I end up caring for so much get their happy endings, and with Rebecca I know they will. 

As I said, A Home in Sunset Bay is a warm and uplifting story that will put a smile on your face. Rebecca's writing makes you feel part of the book and the story flows easily. So if you are looking for an escape to a lovely coastal town with a lively community, then this is your book. Perfect to get in the mood for spring! 

Rating:

Yesterday, Rebecca Pugh stopped by to share the Playlist for A Home in Sunset Bay, have a look now if you missed it.

Playlist for A Home in Sunset Bay

1. Let’s Twist Again – Chubby Checker

I had this song in my head when I was creating Dolly’s Diner. I could imagine so perfectly the food being served, the chatter, and the jukebox playing this song. It depicts everything that the diner’s about and is capable of putting anyone and everyone in a fantastic mood. Have a listen and tell me, honestly, that it doesn’t make you want to dance?

2. I Got You – Leona Lewis

I adore this song, and I think it’s perfect for Mia and Laurie Chapman. It’s about always being there for someone, letting them know they’ve got a place they can go to if ever they need it. It’s a gorgeous song.

3. Love Me Like You Do – Ellie Goulding

I won’t lie, I love this song and it fits pretty well with Mia and Cal. You’ll learn more about these two within A Home in Sunset Bay, but the emotions are spot-on and it definitely gives me all of the fluttery feels whenever I hear it.

4. Landslide – Stevie Nicks

*sniff* Possibly one of the most beautiful songs ever? I honestly can’t listen to this song without a tear or two escaping, and while writing Laurie’s story, I felt that this explained her journey in a strange sort of way. She’s let down, shaken up, and has to find herself again. Have a listen and see what you think.

5. One Republic – Good Life

This song is perfect for when A Home in Sunset Bay comes to an end. Life is full of ups and downs, twists and turns and surprises. But despite that, it’s an upbeat, positive song that never fails to put a smile on my face. It’s about loving life despite the hard parts and enjoying it for the moment. 

What a bunch of fantastic songs! Thank you Becca for sharing them with us. I can totally picture Let's Twist Again playing in Dolly's Dinner!

Blurb: What if you had a second chance… to find yourself?

Instead of slipping on her something borrowed and tripping up the aisle to wedded bliss, Georgia spends her big day crying into a warm Sex-on-the-Beach, wondering where it all went wrong.

Forced to make a bucket list of her new life goals by best friend Marie, it’s not long before travel-virgin Georgia’s packing her bags for a long-haul adventure to Thailand.

Yet, Georgia’s big adventure doesn’t seem to be going to plan. From strange sights, smells and falling for every rookie traveller scam in the book Georgia has never felt more alone.

But the good thing about falling apart is that you can put yourself back together any way you please. And new Georgia might just be someone she can finally be proud of…

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

Review: I had been following Katy Colins' fantastic travel blog, Not Wed or Dead, for a while when she announced her book deal with Carina UK. I was really happy for her, reading her blog I could tell she had a special way with words and a fun and entertaining style. And when I finally had Destination Thailand in my hands, only reading the first few paragraphs, I knew it. It was going to be a fantastic read. And I was not wrong.

As the author herself, our heroine, Georgia, has been ditched by her fiance just a few weeks before the wedding. It's the perfect time to reevaluate her life and take some big decisions. Even more after getting fired from her job, so she decides to travel solo around Thailand following a bucket list, with things like riding an elephant or make something wild. As soon as Georgia lands in Thailand though we discover that backpacking alone around such a different country is not going to be easy...

Georgia starts her journey with a tour group, to make things easy, but it turns out that the tour is not the best well organised ever. This adds so many fun and awkward situations to the story that I found myself both laughing and feeling a bit sorry for her. But soon we start discovering this new exotic place through Georgia's eyes and I have to admit that I had a great time following her. And I also started feeling my wanderlust kicking in too. This read really makes you think if you are living the life you want.

Georgia was a treat to read about, I instantly warmed to her and getting to know her better only cemented this feeling. And all the varied characters she encountered during her travels added a fun spark to this fantastic read.

As I said, only a few chapters in, I knew I was going to enjoy this book immensely but I was greatly surprised with some really unexpected twists that made this book even better that I was expecting. I am already looking forward to the next installment in the Lonely Hearts Travel Club Series. I foresee a fantastic and successful future for Katy Collins!

Rating: 

Bookshop owner Sarah Smith has been offered the opportunity to exchange bookshops with her new Parisian friend for 6 months! And saying yes is a no-brainer – after all, what kind of a romantic would turn down a trip to Paris? Even if it does mean leaving the irresistible Ridge Warner behind, Sarah’s sure she’s in for the holiday of a lifetime – complete with all the books she can read!

Picturing days wandering around Shakespeare & Co, munching on croissants, sipping café au laits and people-watching on the Champs-Elysees Sarah boards the plane. But will her dream of a Parisian Happily-Ever-After come true? Or will Sarah realise that the dream isn’t quite as rosy in reality…

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

Review: The Little Bookshop on the Seine is the first book on a new series by Rebecca Raisin set in Paris. But it is also part of the Gingerbread Café Series too. In fact, it follows the new adventure of Sarah Smith, who runs the little bookshop on Ashford, where the Gingerbread Café Series takes place. Also, Rebecca already wrote a novella about her, called The Bookshop on the Corner, where Sarah met the gorgeous and adventurous Ridge Warner. So, if you have read this series, you'll be happy to meet again with its lovely characters, but if this is your first book by Rebecca Raisin, do not worry. It can be perfectly read as a stand-alone and any background information necessary to the story is seamlessly added to this book. 

Basically we have Sarah, an introvert who lives with her nose in her books. She has never ventured out of her little village where she finds the comfort of her friends and her bookshop. But when a French friend who also runs a bookshop offers her an exchange, she cannot resist the Parisian pull. As you can expect, Sarah's adventure doesn't have the best of starts, she is overwhelmed by the size of her new city and how busy Once Upon a Time, the bookshop she is supposed to manage, is. Her resolution to enjoy her new life falters more than once and the uncooperative staff don't help either. But as Christmas approaches and thanks to her new friends and confidantes we start discovering a new side of Sarah, ready to take the world (or at least Once Upon a Time).

What I liked the most of this story was obviously its setting. I've been in Paris but never during Christmas. Rebecca captures perfectly the spirit of this beautiful and enigmatic city, with its secretive and elegant inhabitants and to picture it all during such a special time like Christmas! I want to take a plane there right now. 

Also, I found very interesting to read about the characters that occupied the old bookshop on the Seine, Once Upon a Time, from the regular staff, the sporadic staff, to its regular costumers and the artists that used it as its inspiration. They all had their own story to tell too. I especially liked reading about certain best-seller writer who spends the days in the conservatory of the shop writing his epic love stories. And of course, the bookshop itself had so many stories to tell. I could perfectly picture its hidden treasures in its multiple and diverse rooms.

My least favourite part was probably Sarah's own love story. She is still madly in love with her boyfriend Ridge, but their relationship is struggling with all the distance between them and their very different goals in life. I think Ridge was not supportive enough for Sarah and I couldn't really feel the chemistry between them. But I have to admit that I was happy with the ending.

If you are looking for your next Chrismtas read, I can highly recommend you pick The Little Bookshop on the Seine, I mean, who doesn't want to spend Christmas in Paris, more precisely, in a hundred-year-old bookshop with a thousand stories to tell. A bookworm's dream come true! 

Rating: 

 

Blurb: A warm pie. A tasty guy. Happy Thanksgiving indeed.Lauren Hauser is home for the holidays, and she’s been given a challenge: preparing her grandmother’s pecan pie. The problem? Lauren’s not famed for her baking skills. In fact, while her sister would win Star Baker every week, and her mom at least knows a sieve from a spatula, Lauren’s bakes have always been more dangerous than delicious!

Still, no Thanksgiving would be complete without dessert…which is why Lauren finds herself searching for pecans on Thanksgiving Eve. Stumbling into a gorgeous stranger laden down with bags of pecans seems like a holiday miracle…but despite Jack’s kissable lips he’s frostier than a snow cone…and out of sight before she can say ‘Macy’s Parade’!

As the clock counts down to Thanksgiving dinner, Lauren is running out of time. And without her grandmother’s perfect pecan pie it won’t be a very Happy Thanksgiving! What Lauren needs is a knight in shining armour. And it might just be that the magic of Thanksgiving will find her one after all…

Review: I had the pleasure of winning the audio book version for How to Bake the Perfect Pecan Pie a couple of months ago and I was very curious to start it. First because it was my first audio book and secondly because I had never read a story based around Thanksgiving. 

Regarding my first experience with an audio book, I have to say that I enjoyed it. The narrator had a really nice voice. I think she read at a good pace and it was easy to follow her. Now for the story, as I said I was curious about all the Thanksgiving elements. Being from Europe, I have only seen Thanksgiving on TV, where they present it as a chance to meet with your family and eat a lot of delicious food. How to Bake the Perfect Pecan Pie certainly delivered this. The food descriptions were detailed and rich and only made me salivate and wish I had an American family I could join next week (I googled it and Thanksgiving is on the 26th Nov this year).

Also, Lauren's (the main character) family was very enjoyable to read. With lots of drama with know-it-all-sisters, not-really-good-at-DIY-brothers-in-law and meddling-grandmothers, I found myself smiling more than once with the family dynamics. And then there was the romantic story line. Lauren is in charge of the pecan pie this year but her grandmother's secret recipe demands she gets the pecans in a certain place. It's there where she meets moody Jack. This plot was my least favourite part of the story. I found it a bit too predictable and rushed. And the chemistry between these two was a bit off.

I did like the ending though and it left me curious enough to want to pick the next book in the series, How to Bake the Perfect Christmas Cake, which I'm sure I'll enjoy during the holidays. 

Rating: 

                       

Blurb: Step into someone else’s shoes for a day…And it will change you for a lifetime.

Cat is very good at her job. She runs a PR company with her best friend (and secret crush) Jesse, and is never happier than when her high-profile celebrities are glittering in the spotlight.

But when her footballer client gets in the press for all the wrong reasons, Cat’s career takes a sudden nosedive. So when her brother Andrew unexpectedly needs her to look after his kids for a few weeks, she can hardly say no. She’s happily single, hasn’t exactly been the ‘World’s Best Auntie’ over the years, and what she knows about looking after children would fit on the back of a postage stamp. But it’s only temporary until she gets her real life back on track – isn’t it?

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

Review: After reading Annie Lyons' book, Not Quite Perfect, last summer, I knew that she could make me laugh but also think about life and how to appreciate what we have. But with Life or Something Like It, Annie Lyons has overdone herself. She has created a fantastic character with Cat. She was a real workaholic at the beginning and regarded her nephew and niece as strange creatures that she had to avoid at all costs. But under all this you could easily see she was smart, generous and had a lot of love to share.

It was no surprise then to see this new version of her flourish during the story, especially when they went on holiday (she became, new and improved HollidayCat). I loved how her interactions with the kids slowly became easier and their bond grew. And the kids themselves were a joy to read, especially Ellie. This young girl had such a fantastic personality! She always said what she thought and more than once, her innocent comments were spot on. Without a doubt, she was my favourite character on the story. Although her older brother Charlie was really cute (sometimes). He was quite closed and moody (what can you expect from a pre-teen?) but also very protective of his sister. You could tell he loved her fiercely.

In the story there was a romantic line too, but I liked that it didn't take the main stage in the book. For Cat, what really mattered was this new found love for her family and her new love interest just added the perfect spark to the story. A story that will make you reevaluate your life for sure. 

Life or Something Like It is a fantastic summer read. Half of it was set in a lovely coastal village in Suffolk and the descriptions were wonderful. It made me want to take a little vacation there myself. And it was the perfect spot for Car to rediscover herself. 

I highly recommend this read for some laughs, especially at the first half of the story when Cat and the kids still don't understand each other, but also for a whole lot more of emotions! 

Rating: 

Blurb: As sweet and satisfying as strawberries and cream! This British summertime, get out in the garden with Rebecca Pugh’s sparkling debut novel.

Home is where the heart is…

Jessica McAdams has never belonged anywhere; never truly felt at home. Of course, what did she expect from parents who never made her feel welcome in her own house? Leaving her life in London to return home to the charming country village of Bluebell Hill is harder than she thought. Especially as she never considered she’d be returning under such heart wrenching circumstances…

Clearing out the stunning and imposing Bluebell House after her parents’ death is difficult for Jessica—they never had the best relationship and now it’s too late. Yet spending time in the house that was never a home, having afternoon tea with dear old friend Esme—and sharing hot, sizzling kisses with delectable gardener Rueben!—opens Jessica’s eyes to the potential of Bluebell House… Could this big old, beautiful manor really be her forever home? Is Bluebell Hill where her heart is, has always been?

Jessica soon dares to dream of her very own home with delicious Rueben by her side. But when a deep, dark secret of Bluebell House is unearthed, Jessica’s world is turned upside down…

Will Jessica ever find where her heart truly lies?

An emotional tale of self-discovery, taking chances and romance! Rebecca’s unique British voice feels like coming home again and again.

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: Rebecca Pugh, also known as Becca's Books, is a fellow book blogger and one of the loveliest people I know. She's like a ray of sunshine, always smiling and making people feel better. So when she announced her book deal with Carina earlier this year, I couldn't have been more excited for her. Reading her blog I could tell she had a special way with words. And when I finally had Return to Bluebell Hill on my hands, only reading the first few paragraphs, I knew it. It was going to be a fantastic read. And I was not wrong.

Return to Bluebell Hill has all the ingredient for a great romance novel and much more. Our heroine, Jessica, is really happy with her new and shiny life in London, but after her parents death, she must go back to the place she run away from, Bluebell House. A place fairy tales are made from. With Rebecca's detailed and generous descriptions I could totally picture the hills with the streams of bluebells and the stunning setting of Bluebell Hill. But even with the perfect candidate for Prince Charming, the dreamy Rueben, Jessica was not made for fairy tales.

Rebecca wrote such a beautiful story, with love, family and friendship as the pillars. I instantly liked Jessica, so lively and honest, and I totally fell in love Rueben, he couldn't be more perfect. To say that I was rooting for them for the whole story would be an understanding. I think I'm gonna miss these two (book hangover alert!). But the secondary characters also played a big role in the story, Jessica's best friend was the kind of friend we all want, supportive and able to make you laugh in the worst moments. But my favourite was Esme, who used to take care of Jessica when she was living in Bluebell Hill. They had a strong friendship and respect for each other. Their scenes together were a joy to read, as Esme could instantly see how Jessica was really feeling. 

Rebecca is such a talented author and I am sure big things are coming her way. What a debut for her! If you love romance, fairy tales and of course dashing heroes, I highly recommend you pick Return to Bluebell Hill, you won't be disappointed at all. 

Author Biography

Rebecca Pugh grew up in the green county of Shropshire, with a mind full of fairy-tales and happy endings. Enchanted by true love and Disney Princesses, she decided that no matter what life threw her way, she’d continue to see the world through a child’s eyes. Through the pages of countless books, her adoration of reading blossomed, and it didn’t take long for her to fall under the spell of hundreds of authors’ words. 

Now, Rebecca’s own story has taken a fairy-tale like turn, and at 22, her dream has come true. With her faithful companions: Bonnie the dog, her partner, and her gigantic family by her side, Rebecca is ready to share her stories with readers who enjoy falling in love and losing themselves within beautiful, fictional worlds.

Rebecca Pugh is the author of women’s fiction and romance, her all-time favourite genres. After all, who doesn’t enjoy a good swoon?

Connect with Rebecca on Facebook, Twitter or her Blog!

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