Today I am over the moon to be on the Blog Tour for The Choice by the one and only Nicholas Sparks. Now a major motion picture starring Benjamin Walker and Teresa Palmer, The Choice is an unforgettable - and heart-wrenching - love story that will capture your hearts. And today, thanks to Little, Brown UK, I am offering you the chance to win a signed copy! 

Title: The Choice

Author: Nicholas Sparks

Published: February 11th 2016 by Sphere

Amazon | Amazon UK

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The giveaway is open to UK & Ireland and the winner will be contacted via email. They will have then 48h to claim their prize. 

This summer, one of the Top Ten Tuesday topics was exactly this. Back then I didn’t do it but I have been wondering since then which authors I have read the most books from and if they were actually my favourite authors.

After checking Goodreads and my memory (as I only started using it a couple of years ago), I was quite surprised to see the authors that came up. Some of them are from before I started blogging. I guess that’s because thanks to the blog I have discovered so many new and fantastic authors that I no longer have the time to read all the back lists of an author I enjoy. This is something I used to do a lot. When I discovered a new author, then I would read all the books they had published until then straight away. But now with all the new releases I want to read I don’t have enough time to do that.

Anyway, here are the top ten authors I have read the most books from:

1) Sophie Kinsella (14 books). No surprise here. I have read all she has written so far except for her latest Shopaholic release (which is on my kindle and I’m planning to read asap. Actually, I have also read one of her Madeilene Wickham books (even if I didn’t enjoyed it that much) which makes the grand total 15 books.

2) Lindsey Kelk (13 books). Also one my all time favourite authors. When I first discovered her, she was on her 5th book so I read them all in a couple of weeks and completely fell in love with her witty style. 

3) Paige Toon (10 books). I first read her books when I started blogging as there were a lot of bloggers that were raving about her and her books and I absolutely loved her stories. In the last couple of years I have read all her books except for two (One Perfect Summer and I Knew You Were Trouble) but they are on my kindle ready for me.

4) JK Rowling (8 books). Obviously I have read all the Harry Potter books. Then I was a bit reticent to read The Vacant as the reviews were quite mixed. Last year I finally read her cosy crime novel The Cukoo’s Calling (written under her pseudonym Robert Galbraith) and really enjoyed it. I now have the other two books on the series and I am looking forward to starting them.

5) Holly Martin (8 books). An author I discovered thanks to blogging and who has become one of my all time favourites. Her stories are so fun and magical! The only books I haven’t read by her are her fantasy books. I have the first one on my kindle so I hope to get to it soon.

6) Marian Keyes (8 books). Another fantastic author. I have loved most of her stories and she is one of those authors I have on auto-buy. I still have one of her older books (The Mystery of Mercy Close) to read though!

7) Meg Cabot (8 books). Internationally known for her A Princess’ Diary Series, she has written tons of books. Although I have to admit I haven’t read any of her books for years!

8) Ken Follett (8 books). One of my mum’s favourite authors, we used to read his books together. I really enjoy his historical fiction novels.

9) Nicholas Sparks (8 books). I remember reading Message in a Bottle for the first time more than 15 years ago (also because my mum had loved it and passed it to me) and since them I have read and loved several of his novels. A bunch left to read still!

10) Aven Ellis (6 books). The fantastic and lovely Aven closes this list. I discovered her thanks to blogging too and I have read and loved all she has written so far. It’ll soon be 7 books as she’s just published a new story and I already have it on my kindle.

So here they are, some of my all time favourite authors are on the list. But I have discovered so many amazing ones lately that I hope to catch up with! But you know, so many books, so little time and all that…

Blurb: #1 New York Times bestselling author Nicholas Sparks returns with another classic love story of second chances and love tested.

Colin Hancock is giving his second chance his best shot. At 28, he's focused only on walking a straight line -- getting his teaching degree, working out at the gym religiously, and avoiding all the places and people that proved so destructive in his earlier life. The last thing he's looking for is a serious relationship. But when Maria Sanchez crosses paths with him on a rain swept night in North Carolina, his plans are upended in a way that will rattle the foundations of his carefully structured life. As for Maria, the hardworking lawyer and daughter of Mexican immigrants, Colin will challenge every notion she's ever had about herself and her future, making her question what truly makes her happy.

Before the couple has a chance to envision what a life together might look like, however, menacing reminders of events in Maria's past begin to surface. And as the threat of violence begins to shadow her every step, she and Colin will be tested in increasingly terrifying ways. Will demons from their past destroy the tentative bonds they have forged, or will their love protect them, even in the darkest hour?

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: I've just read that this is Nicholas Sparks' 19th book. I have to admit that I haven't read them all but I've read quite a few (at least 7 that I can think of right now) and not one of them have disappointed me nor have left me indifferent. So when I received an advance proof copy of his latest book, See Me, I was over the moon. It didn't take me long to dive in and find myself totally immersed with Colin and Maria's story.

Colin Hancock is quite the opposite of what you expect from a romantic hero, with violence tendencies, a troubled kid and teenager, still under police surveillance. However, it looks like that finally at 28 he is able to control his rage and is working hard to make his life better. One of the traits that made me like him and warm to him immediately was his honesty and how he was always upfront with everyone he cared about. This no lies policy might have made him get into trouble more than once but it was really refreshing to read.

Maria Sanchez was also a very likable character. Really smart and the model daughter, she soon realised that Colin was nothing like her but, strangely, exactly what she needed in her life. Reading about them falling in love (with Sparks' characteristic voice) was a real treat.

The book focuses in Maria and Colin's relationship for about the first 200 pages but Sparks leaves quite a few hints that something or someone is lurking in the shadows and soon, Maria and Colin's new found happiness is threatened. The last half of the book actually has more of a mystery/thriller vibe that had me turning pages non stop to find out what was going on and who was behind all the drama.

I more or less guessed some of the twits but some just left me totally in shock. I think that Nicholas Sparks' incursion into suspense genre is really well executed and he has managed not to lose his romantic side in the process. I am absolutely sure that See Me will be another hit and I'm already crossing everything in the hope it will be turned into a movie, as it would be an amazing one.

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To celebrate the publication of See Me, I've got a fantastic giveaway for you all (open to EU). Thanks to Little Brown, one lucky winner will get a signed copy of See Me! How exciting is that? Enter the rafflecopter below for your chance to win: 

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Follow the Blog Tour for more fantastic content and reviews: 

Blurb: They were teenage sweethearts from opposite sides of the tracks - with a passion that would change their lives forever. But life would force them apart.

Years later, the lines between past and present are about to slip . . . Called back to their hometown for the funeral of the mentor who gave them shelter when they needed it most, they are faced with each other once again. Can true love ever rewrite the past?

The new epic love story from the multi-million copy bestselling author of The Notebook and The Last Song. Nicholas Sparks is one of the world's most beloved authors.

Review: As a huge fan of Nicholas Sparks I was over the moon when I was offered the chance to review The Best of Me. Nicholas is one of my favourite authors, his books never leave me indifferent and something that always captures me is that with his books you never know if the ending is going to be happy or devastating. I remember when I first read Message in a Bottle when it came out and I was so angry this the way the book ended! But Nicholas' books are about life and the struggles and difficulties we all find and fight, so if they all ended like fairytales, they wouldn't reflect real life and we wouldn't love them so much.

The Best of Me tells the story of two teenagers who fall in love against all odds. They share a love pure and real but life gets in the way and they get separated. They aren't able to forget each other though and even with new lifes, new families, they keep thinking, what if? So when they find each other years later, they wonder if their love might have survived all these years and they might have a future together.

The book is beautifully written, describing their feelings perfectly, you can actually feel their love through the pages. But as I said, Nicholas' book never promise a happy ending so you just keep wondering if they will be able to make it at the end or not. But the beauty of the book is not only the ending but the journey through it. You get to know the characters and end up loving them, I especially warmed to Tuck, the lonely old man who helps this couple even after his death and you can tell that there's more under his grumpy exterior. It was beautiful to read about his love story with Clara too.

All in all, I loved this story and how all the pieces clicked together to create a wonderful unique love story. Even the title makes perfect sense when you finish the story. I cannot wait now to see this great book turned into a movie. 

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