Today I am sharing my review for Cathy Bramley's new book, A Vintage Summer, a sparkling summer story that's FULL of surprises!

Title: A Vintage Summer

Author: Cathy Bramley

Published: March 21st 2019 by Corgi

Amazon | Amazon UK

Blurb: London has not been kind to Lottie Allbright. Realising it’s time to cut and run, she packs up and moves back home – but finds her family in disarray. In need of a new place to stay, Lottie takes up the offer of a live-in job managing a local vineyard. There’s a lot to learn – she didn’t even know grapes could grow so far north!

Butterworth Wines in the rolling Derbyshire hills has always been run on love and passion but a tragic death has left everyone at a loss. Widowed Betsy is trying to keep the place afloat but is harbouring a debilitating secret. Meanwhile her handsome but interfering grandson, Jensen, is trying to convince her to sell up and move into a home.

Lottie’s determined to save Butterworth Wines, but with all this and an unpredictable English summer to deal with, it’ll be a challenge.

And that’s before she discovers something that will turn her summer – and her world – upside down...

Review: A book by Cathy Bramley is always a highlight of my reading year, I absolutely adore her style and her heart-warming stories, and A Vintage Summer is no exception. Set in a vineyard in Derbyshire, this is a novel about friendship, family and love. 

You can't help but fall in love with this setting but also with Lottie's bright personality and enthusiasm. She has had a rough time in London, so she is ready to go back home and find a new purpose in life. And she soon finds it in Butterworth Wines, a vineyard with a very unclear future. 

In the vineyard, Lottie doesn't only find a job tough, she discovers a whole new passion and makes a whole bunch of very passionate friends. These characters were a joy to read. I loved finding out more about them and how they all had their part to make this story special. 

But it was not all sunshine and laughs at the vineyard, the story also handled some more serious issues, which really touched my heart. I really cared for this characters and rooted for them. 

A Vintage Summer is a beatiful story that will warm your heart. With a delightful cast of characters and a stunning setting, it is the perfect read to enjoy outside now that the warmer months are coming.

Cathy Bramley is spoiling us this year. The lovely Hetty's Farmhouse Bakery came out earlier this year and now we have the serialized enovel A Match Made in Devon finally out as a whole. Here are my thoughts on her latest story:

Title: A Match Made in Devon

Author: Cathy Bramley

Published: Published July 26th 2018 by Corgi

Amazon | Amazon UK

Blurb: A Match Made in Devon was published as a four-part serial. This is the complete story in one package.

Sometimes you have to play a part to realise who you really are… 

Nina has always dreamed of being a star. Unfortunately her agent thinks she’s more girl-next-door than leading lady and her acting career isn't going quite as planned. Then, after a series of very public blunders and to escape a gathering storm of paparazzi, Nina is forced to flee from London.

Her plan is to lay low with a friend in Devon, in beautiful Brightside Cove. But soon Nina learns that more drama can be found in a small village than on a hectic television set.

And when a gorgeous man (and his adorable dog) catch her eye, it’s not long before London and showbiz start to lose their appeal. Will Nina choose to return to the bright lights or has she met her match in Brightside Cove?

Review: A Match Made in Devon is a gorgeous novel. I fell completely in love with the story, the characters, the location and with every little detail. I love Cathy Bramley's books but this one might be my new favorite. 

The story follows Nina, who is an actress in London, on her temporary move to Devon. After a few unfortunate events, she decides to escape the big city and lay low for a few weeks. She ends up in the beautiful Brightside Cove, helping a past love interest with his new business.

I liked Nina instantly and with every passing chapter, I liked her more and more. She was a box full of surprises, she was lively, had a great heart and always tried to find the funny side in everything. I loved her attitude towards life and how much she cared for what she loved. 

The cast of secondary characters was also delightful. They all had their own story and their own dreams and insecurities and I loved how they all added to the main plot. I definitely had a soft-spot for mermaid-to-be Eliza. I loved her energy and her crazy ideas. She was such a breath of fresh air and she definitely created some hilarious moments.

A Match Made in Devon is a great read that has a really positive vibe around it. I was grinning non-stop during the whole book and it left me in such a good mood. But the story also had some more serious issues, which really touched my heart. Definitely another winner by Cathy Bramley! 

Cathy Bramley's books are always a treat, with scrumptious food descriptions, well developed and relatable characters and original and fun settings. Today I am reviewing her latest release, Hetty's Farmhouse Bakery. Here are my thoughts on it:

Title: Hetty's Farmhouse Bakery

Author: Cathy Bramley

Published: March 22nd 2018 by Corgi

Amazon | Amazon UK

Blurb: Thirty-two-year-old Hetty Greengrass is the star around which the rest of her family orbits. Marriage, motherhood and helping Dan run Sunnybank Farm have certainly kept her hands full for the last twelve years. But when her daughter Poppy has to choose her inspiration for a school project and picks her aunt, not her mum, Hetty is left full of self-doubt.

Hetty’s always been generous with her time and until now, her biggest talent – baking deliciously moreish shortcrust pastry pies – has been limited to charity work and the village fete. But taking part in a competition run by Cumbria’s Finest to find the very best produce from the region might be just the thing to make her daughter proud... and reclaim something for herself.

Except that life isn’t as simple as producing the perfect pie. Changing the status quo isn’t easy – and with cracks appearing in her marriage and shocking secrets coming to light, Hetty must decide where her priorities really lie...

Review: A new book by Cathy Bramley is always a highlight in my year. I love her uplifting and inspiring stories and her lovable and relatable characters. In Hetty's Farmhouse Bakery we meet Hetty Greengrass, husband Dan and daughter Poppy. They live quite a content life in Sunny Bank Farm and Hetty is always there to help with whatever is needed, both with the farm and their family.

But as we get to know her, we soon discover that something is missing in Hetty's life. Her daughter regards her entrepreneur aunt Naomi as a role model, not her mother. So maybe it's time for Hetty to embark on a new venture? She has always loved baking short-crust pastry pies and she is pretty damn good at it, so with a little push from her sister-in-law Naomi, Hetty is ready to start her own business. 

I really enjoyed reading about Hetty's new adventure and found it very inspiring to see how determined she was to make it a reality, even with all the obstacles that she had to overcome. That's probably why I didn't like her husband very much, as he was not supportive of her. Luckily, Hetty had a whole net of support, from other business owners in the area to her daughter, who were all there for her. 

But this story was not only about pies (even if they all sounded delicious!), Cathy Bramley had so many surprises in store for us! There were secrets, doubts, old flames and shocking revelations that definitely kept me on my toes. I think that the author handled the more serious issues very well, giving them the time to unfold at the right path and not rushing through them. And main character Hetty kept surprising me with her big heart and love for her family and friends. A beautiful character.

Hetty's Farmhouse Bakery is a scrumptious inspiring read that reminds you how important it is to believe in your dreams. Definitely best enjoyed with a piece of a delicious apple pie. 

Rating: 4.5 stars

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

Today I am delighted to host the Blog Tour for Laura Madeleine's new book, The Secrets Between Us. I've got a review for this gorgeous read but also a recipe from Laura to share with you:

Title: The Secret Between Us

Author: Laura Madeleine

Published: January 1st 2018 by Transworld

Amazon | Amazon UK

Blurb: A gripping mystery with a heart-breaking revelation, The Secrets Between Us is a sublimely satisfying story of lost love, betrayal and the dangers of war. 

Perfect for fans of Kate Morton's The Lake House and Dinah Jeffries' Before the Rains.

High in the mountains in the South of France, eighteen-year-old Ceci Corvin is trying hard to carry on as normal. But in 1943, there is no such thing as normal; especially not for a young woman in love with the wrong person. Scandal, it would seem, can be more dangerous than war.

Fifty years later, Annie is looking for her long-lost grandmother. Armed with nothing more than a sheaf of papers, she travels from England to Paris in pursuit of the truth. But as she traces her grandmother’s story, Annie uncovers something she wasn’t expecting, something that changes everything she knew about her family – and everything she thought she knew about herself…

Review: I haven't read many historical fiction novels in the last few months and I had kind of forgotten why I enjoyed this genre so much. But The Secrets Between Us made me fall in love with it all over again. I love the kind of books that transport you to another place, to another time (one you probably don't know much about) and make you part of it. And this is one of these reads.

One of the storylines is set in the South of France during WWII and although I have read many books set during this time, I didn't know much about the situation in this area, controlled by the Italians. Laura Madeleine painted it as a gorgeous place, a place destined for happy endings, which contrasted with the difficult circumstances and what really happened during those horrific times. 

I really enjoyed discovering these mountains and its people, especially the main character Ceci, who was an interesting and complex girl. As the story progressed, we saw her flourish and transform into a brave young woman that surprised me more than once. 

The other storyline took place 50 years later and focused on Ceci's granddaughter, Annie. I was really curious to see how both stories would intertwine and I was not disappointed at all. I loved how well-crafted the whole story was. I was surprised to see how much I ended up caring for these characters. 

The story unwrapped at the right pace, giving me enough time to take all the little details in and kept me wondering what was going to happen next. All in all, a very complex and mesmerising read.

Rating: 5 stars

Recipe by Laura Madeleine:

For the cake:

• 200g butter, softened
• 200g golden caster sugar
• 150g polenta (fine cornmeal)
• 50g ground almonds
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 3 free-range eggs

For the syrup:

• 1 tbsp honey
• 1 tsp vanilla bean paste (or 1 vanilla pod)
• 2 tsp orange blossom extract
• zest and juice of 1 orange 

A topping of candied orange slices is entirely optional; if you can’t be bothered with it, then feel free to simply decorate your cake with fresh orange zest, toasted pine nuts and a dusting of icing sugar!

Topping:

• 1 orange
• 200g caster sugar
• 250ml water
• A handful of pine nuts 
• A sprinkling of icing sugar, to decorate

To make the cake:

• Preheat the oven to 165C / 325F / Gas Mark 3. Grease and line a 20cm baking tin. 
• In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. 
• Measure the polenta, almonds and baking powder into a different bowl and gently stir together.
• Beat the eggs into the butter and sugar one at a time, adding a little of the polenta mix with each to stop the batter from splitting.
• Make the syrup for the cake and topping: combine the honey, vanilla bean paste, orange blossom extract, orange juice and zest in a jug. (If you’re using very small oranges, you might need a splash more juice).
• Pour half of the syrup into the cake batter, along with the rest of the polenta mix, and gently fold together. 
• Pour into the prepared tin, smooth over and bake for around 45 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and a skewer pushed into the middle comes out clean. 
• Place on a wire rack and leave to cool slightly in the tin. 
• While the cake is still warm, use a skewer to poke holes in the surface, then slowly spoon over the remainder of the orange-honey-vanilla syrup, so that it soaks in. 

To make the topping: 

(You can do this while the cake is baking!)

• In a dry frying pan, gently toast the pine nuts for a minute or two until golden and fragrant: don’t take your eyes off them, they burn quickly! Set aside to cool.
• Cut the orange into slices, as thinly as you can. 
• Tip the sugar and water into a fairly deep, wide frying pan (a skillet is perfect). 
• Bring to the boil, stirring until the sugar has dissolved. 
• Arrange the orange slices in a single layer, and reduce the heat to low, until it is barely simmering. 
• Simmer gently for around 25-30 minutes, turning the slices occasionally, until the liquid has reduced to a syrup and the white pith of the oranges starts to turn translucent. 
• Turn off the heat and allow the orange slices to cool in the syrup, before transferring to greaseproof paper, or straight onto your cake. 
• Decorate the cake with the candied slices, toasted pine nuts and a dusting of icing sugar. Sit back with a cup of coffee to enjoy the sweet, sunny flavours.

               

The Lemon Tree Café was first released as a serialised enovel, but I always wait for the whole paperback to come up because one, I need to read it all at once, and two, how beautiful and colourful are Cathy Bramley's covers? Here are my thoughts on this one:

Title: The Lemon Tree Café 

Author: Cathy Bramley

Published: August 24th 2017 by Corgi

Amazon | Amazon UK

Blurb: The Lemon Tree Cafe was originally published as a four-part serial. This is the complete story in one package.

When Rosie Featherstone finds herself unexpectedly jobless, the offer to help her beloved Italian grandmother out at the Lemon Tree Cafe – a little slice of Italy nestled in the rolling hills of Derbyshire – feels like the perfect way to keep busy.

Surrounded by the rich scent of espresso, delicious biscotti and juicy village gossip, Rosie soon finds herself falling for her new way of life. But she is haunted by a terrible secret, one that even the appearance of a handsome new face can't quite help her move on from. 

Then disaster looms and the cafe’s fortunes are threatened... and Rosie discovers that her nonna has been hiding a dark past of her own. With surprises, betrayal and more than one secret brewing, can she find a way to save the Lemon Tree Cafe and help both herself and Nonna achieve the happy endings they deserve?

Review: A new book by Cathy Bramley is always a highlight in my year. I love her uplifting and inspiring stories and I can already tell you that I absolutely loved The Lemon Tree Café. Especially it is not the first time that we read about Rosie Featherstone, she was a friend of the lovely Veritiy in The Plumberry School of Comfort Food. So I was very.  excited to find out more about her and her story.

Rosie is a hardworking and business driven strong woman who has focused on her career and forgot about relationships for many years. So when she starts helping her nonna in the café, she discovers a completely new rhythm of life. The small and cosy café couldn't be more different that her latest workplace. Soon though, she becomes attuned to it and doesn't miss her old life any more. I especially enjoyed seeing how Rosie adapted to this new challenge and used her strength in the café. 

The star of the story though is her nonna. At seventy five she stills runs the café single-handly and is as stubborn as sweet. I was really intrigued with her past. We know she came to England when she had her daughter but nothing else. I kept trying to guess how her story would unfold but I was surprised at every turn! 

Rosie though is not the only familiar character in this story. A lovely family moves to the village too and makes Rosie's life definitely more interesting. I have to say that in The Lemon Tree Café we get to meet such a lovely and fun bunch of characters! I loved how everyone was so supportive of each other and the whole small village atmosphere. 

The Lemon Tree Café is a charming and heart-warming story that will make you laugh but that will surprise you too. Definitely the perfect read for a crispy weekend, to be enjoyed with a good Italian coffee and a big piece of lemon cake. 

Rating: 5 stars

Title: My Not So Perfect Life

Author: Sophie Kinsella

Published: February 9th 2017 by Batham Press

Amazon | Amazon UK

Blurb: Caz Brenner is living the dream – she has a flat in London, a job in creative branding, and her Instagram feed is full of all the amazing things London has to offer: delicious food and beautiful sights and lots of fun. Ok, so the crappy truth is that she rents a tiny room in Catford with no space for a wardrobe, spends most of her days engaged in tedious admin on the other side of the city, and posts photos of food she could never ever afford to eat. But it’s all just about worth it.

Until her bright and shiny life comes crashing down: her demanding boss Demeter gives her sack, and with no means to live in London any more, Caz has to move home to Somerset. Now she’s plain old Katie Brenner again, helping out her dad and her stepmum as they attempt to launch a glamping business on their farm. (They think she’s on sabbatical from her job, and she can’t quite bear to tell them the truth…)

With Katie’s creative branding experience, the glamping is soon a big success. So much so that Demeter and her family book in on holiday - and Katie sees her chance to get revenge on the woman who ruined her dream. So long as Demeter doesn’t see beyond her disguise and give the game away to her parents, of course.

It’s time to see who’s the boss…

Review: I love Sophie Kinsella. She is probably the reason why I read so much these days. I discovered her books about ten years ago and since then, I have read everything she has ever written. Plus, the first book I ever reviewed was one of hers, so as you can imagine, every time she releases a new book, my expectations are always high. Especially when she releases a brand new story with new characters. Is it gonna be as good as the others? The answer is yes. 

My Not So Perfect Life is such a fun, warm and entertaining read with everything I love in a story, relatable and lovable characters, a bit of love and lots of laughs. Our main character, Caz, pretends to have the perfect life in London, a life she has always dreamed about and she makes sure to let everyone know how much fun she is having. The truth couldn't be more different though, her life is falling apart so when she gets fired, she ends up living back home with her dad and stepmum.

It's then when we get to know the real Caz and really fall in love with her. I loved following her new adventure, a glamping site at her dad's place, and discovering what she really was capable of and what a brave and smart girl she really was. But Caz is not the only surprise in the story, her boss is not that different from her. Demeter's own life is on the brick of falling apart too. I found the relationship between these two women really interesting, and when Caz was determined to get her revenge on her, it was just hilarious. 

Let's not forget about the love story, it doesn't take centre stage in the book but it complements it perfectly, adding the perfect sweet touches and letting us see yet another side of Caz. 

My Not So Perfect Life has the same fresh and fun touch that Sophie Kinsella has us accustomed to but it also a heart-lifting and inspiring story about believing in yourself and fighting for what you deserve. A joy to read, nothing I didn't love about it!

Rating: 5 stars

Today I'm kicking off the Blog Tour for Simon Beckett's latest Story, The Restless Dead. This is the fifth novel of the forensic anthropologist Dr David Hunter Series. And I'm sharing my review and also an extract for you to read:

Title: The Restless Dead

Author: Simon Beckett

Published: April 6th 2016 by Transworld

Amazon | Amazon UK

Blurb: It was on a Friday evening that forensics consultant Dr David Hunter took the call: a Detective Inspector Lundy from the Essex force. Just up the coast from Mersea Island, near a place called Backwaters, a badly decomposed body has been found and the local police would welcome Hunter's help with the recovery and identification...

Because they would like it to be that of Leo Villiers, the 31 year-old son of a prominent local family who went missing weeks ago, and they are under pressure to close the case. Villiers was supposed to have been having an affair with a married woman, Emma Derby. She too is missing, and the belief is that the young man disposed of his lover, and then killed himself. If only it was so straightforward.

But Hunter has his doubts about the identity of the remains. The hands and feet are missing, the face no longer recognisable. Then further remains are found - and suddenly these remote wetlands are giving up yet more grisly secrets. As Hunter is slowly but surely drawn into a toxic mire of family secrets and resentments, local lies and deception, he finds himself unable, or perhaps unwilling, to escape even though he knows that the real threat comes from the living, not the dead.

With its eerie and claustrophobic sense of place, explosive heart-in-mouth moments, and viscerally authentic forensics and police procedural detail, coupled with David Hunter’s own uncanny ability to understand the living as much as the dead, The Restless Dead stands as a masterclass in crime fiction and marks the stunning return of one of the genre’s best.

Review: When I first picked this book, I did not know that this was the fifth book around the character of Dr David Hunter, a forensic anthropologist and police consultant, but I soon realised that this character had quite a background story that was mentioned during this story. This being said, I had all the information I needed to follow the story with no problem at all and after a few chapters I was completely immersed in this story and its characters. So it's fair to say that this story works perfectly well as a standalone and it definitely leaves you wanting to more about this character.

In this book, Dr David Hunter is not facing the brightest future, with his university job hanging by a thread and with his name as a consultant on a black list with the police. So when he gets a call from DI Lundy to join them for a body recovery from the murky Blackwaters of the Saltmere Estuary, he is hoping to clear his reputation. Soon though what seemed quite a straight forward case of suicide turns out to be a case full of secrets, deceits and with several members of this close-knit community involved.

While reading this book, I instantly took a liking of Dr David Hunter, he is definitely more comfortable with the dead than the living and he usually finds himself in awkward situations without even trying. But his deduction skills were as good as any detective and he was a key part in the resolution of this case, maybe because he got a bit too close to the family of the missing woman linked to the body they found. The members of this family were a bit more difficult to figure out and with every new information I was more and more surprised and curious about them.

The star of the story though was probably the setting. The estuary created an extremely tense and eerie atmosphere and you never knew what was waiting around the corner. It's a fact that the story was full of unexpected twists and surprises that kept me glued to its pages for hours. I could have never guessed who was behind everything and I think the author resolved it in a really clever way. I'm already looking forward to the next Dr David Hunter story, he has definitely gained a new fan. 

Rating: 4 stars

EXTRACT

1 

Composed of over sixty per cent water, a human body isn’t naturally buoyant. It will float only for as long as there is air in its lungs, before gradually sinking to the bottom. If the water is very cold or deep, it will remain there, undergoing a slow, dark dissolution that can take years. 

But if the water is warm enough for bacteria to feed and multiply, then it will continue to decompose. Gases will build up in the intestines, increasing the body’s buoyancy until it floats again. 

And the dead will literally rise. 

Suspended face down, limbs trailing below, the body will drift on or just under the water’s surface. Over time, in a morbid reversal of its formation in the womb’s amniotic darkness, it will eventually come apart. The extremities first: fingers, hands and feet. Then arms and legs, and finally the head, all falling away until only the torso is left. When the last of the decompositional gases have seeped out, the torso too will slowly sink a second, and final, time. 

But water can also cause another transformation to take place. As the soft tissues decompose, the layer of subcutaneous fat begins to break down, encasing a once living human body in a thick, greasy layer. Known as adipocere, or ‘grave-wax’ to give it its more colourful title, this pallid substance also goes by a less macabre name. 

Soap. 

Cocooned in its dirty white shroud, the internal organs are preserved as the body floats on its last, solitary journey. 

Unless chance brings it once more into the light of day. 

The skull was a young female’s, the gender hinted at by its more gracile structure. The frontal bone was high and smooth, lacking any bulge of eyebrow ridges, while the small bump of the mastoid process beneath the opening of the ear looked too delicate for a male. Not that such things were definitive, but taken together they left me in little doubt. The adult teeth had all broken through by the time of death, which indicated she was older than twelve, though not by much. Although two molars and an upper incisor were missing, probably dislodged post-mortem, the remaining teeth were hardly worn. It confirmed the story told by the rest of her skeleton, that she’d died before reaching her late teens. 

The cause of death was all too obvious. At the back of the skull, a jagged hole about an inch long and half that wide sat almost dead centre of the occipital bone. There was no sign of healing and the edges of the wound were splintered, suggesting the bone was living when the injury occurred. That wouldn’t have been the case if the damage had been inflicted after death, when the bone dries out and becomes brittle. The first time I’d picked up the skull I’d been surprised to hear an almost musical rattle from inside. At first I’d thought it must be bone fragments, forced into the brain cavity by whatever object had killed the young victim. But it sounded too large and solid for that. The X-ray confirmed what I’d guessed: loose inside the girl’s skull was a slender, symmetrical shape. 

An arrowhead.

Follow the Blog Tour for more interesting content and reviews of The Restless Dead:

The Blogiversary celebrations end today with a Giveaway of Cathy Bramley's lates book, White Lies and Wishes. I'd like to thank everyone who has helped me celebrate. It's been a fun couple of weeks and the response from you guys has been incredible! 

"This story is a big celebration of friendship and also about learning to love yourself. I also think that it will inspire many, included me, to dream and dream big and then, actually go for it."

Read my full review here

Title: White Lies and Wishes

Author: Cathy Bramley

Published: January 26th 2017 by Corgi

Amazon | Amazon UK

Blurb: What happens when what you wish for is only half the story...?

Flirtatious, straight-talking Jo Gold says she’s got no time for love; she’s determined to save her family’s failing footwear business.

New mother Sarah Hudson has cut short her maternity leave to return to work. She says she’ll do whatever it takes to make partner at the accountancy firm.

Bored, over-eating housewife Carrie Radley says she just wants to shift the pounds – she’d love to finally wear a bikini in public.

The unlikely trio meet by chance one winter’s day, and in a moment of ‘Carpe Diem’ madness, embark on a mission to make their wishes come true by September.

Easy. At least it would be, if they hadn’t been just the teensiest bit stingy with the truth…

With hidden issues, hidden talents, and hidden demons to overcome, new friends Jo, Carrie and Sarah must admit to what they really, really want, if they are ever to get their happy endings.

Thanks to Becky, at Transworld, I have 3 paperback copies of White Lies and Wishes to offer to 3 very lucky winners! Don't miss your chance to win this up-lifting and warm novel:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Giveaway is open to Europe and the winners will be contacted via email. They will have then 48 hours to claim their prize. Good luck!

Today's is my stop for White Lies and Wishes, Cathy Bramley's latest book. A feel-good romantic comedy that's guaranteed to make you smile - perfect for fans of Carole Matthews, Trisha Ashley and Katie Fforde.

Title: White Lies and Wishes

Author: Cathy Bramley

Published: January 26th 2017 by Corgi

Amazon | Amazon UK

Blurb: What happens when what you wish for is only half the story...?

Flirtatious, straight-talking Jo Gold says she’s got no time for love; she’s determined to save her family’s failing footwear business.

New mother Sarah Hudson has cut short her maternity leave to return to work. She says she’ll do whatever it takes to make partner at the accountancy firm.

Bored, over-eating housewife Carrie Radley says she just wants to shift the pounds – she’d love to finally wear a bikini in public.

The unlikely trio meet by chance one winter’s day, and in a moment of ‘Carpe Diem’ madness, embark on a mission to make their wishes come true by September.

Easy. At least it would be, if they hadn’t been just the teensiest bit stingy with the truth…

With hidden issues, hidden talents, and hidden demons to overcome, new friends Jo, Carrie and Sarah must admit to what they really, really want, if they are ever to get their happy endings.

Review: Cathy Bramley is one of my favourite authors and her stories are always something special, so I was really excited for White Lies and Wishes. The first thing I noticed with this novel is that, for the first time, the story had three main female characters instead of only one. So I was really curious to see how the author told their separate stories but also how she intertwined them. After reading it, I can tell you that this new concept worked really well. We got to know these three different women at the right pace and after a few chapters I became really involved with their lives and I also felt very inspired by their support of each other and their joie de vivre.

Basically we've got Jo, the business woman who doesn't have time for romance; Sarah, the workaholic new mum with a stay at home husband; and Carrie, the stay at home wife who feels inferior and unworthy for her husband. They all meet a bit by chance at a funeral and when they get talking, they realise they are not happy with their lives. So they decide to make a wish and then help each other to achieve it. The wishes are a bit silly but we soon realise that there's a real wish to completely change their lives behind them. I found it a really inspiring and up-lifting idea and it really made me thing about my own life and what wish I would make and how far I would go to make it come true.

At the beginning, it was a bit difficult to like these women as characters. Basically because they didn't really like them themselves. But as I got to know them and found out what made their hearts tick, it was difficult not to warm to them and root for them. I specially liked Jo, with her fighting and superwoman suit but with a huge heart in search for a bit of love. The one that took me the longest to like was Carrie. I could not really understand the dynamics with her husband, especially as we discovered more about him too.

One thing for sure though, Cathy Bramley managed to keep me glued to the pages of White Lies and Wishes for hours. The story is a big celebration of friendship and also about learning to love yourself. I also think that it will inspire many, included me, to dream and dream big and then, actually go for it. It might not be my favourite story by Cathy Bramley but it's a great and up-lifting story that I'm sure everyone will enjoy.

Rating: 4 stars

Follow the Blog Tour for more reviews and extra content:

After interviewing author T.A. Cotterell for the Blog Tour (you can read his interesting interview here), today I'm reviewing What Alice Knew, a psychological thriller with many new and shocking ingredients.  

Title: What Alice Knew

Author: T.A. Cotterell

Published by Transworld:

ebook - December 1st 2016

paperback - April 17th 2017

Amazon | Amazon UK

Blurb: Alice has a perfect life – a great job, happy kids, a wonderful husband. Until he goes missing one night; she receives a suspicious phone call; things don’t quite add up. 

Alice needs to know what’s going on. But when she uncovers the truth she faces a brutal choice. And how can she be sure it is the truth?

Sometimes it’s better not to know.

Review: I finished What Alice Knew a couple of weeks ago already but I wanted to wait a few days before writing the review to gather my thoughts. I think this is a book with many layers that makes you doubt every character and even yourself with every new chapter. The story is narrated by Alice, a portraitist with a loving husband and beautiful children. At first sight, she's living a perfect life but then, her husband disappears one night and when he comes back, their lives change forever.

Today I'm kicking off the mega Blog Tour for T.A. Cotterell's debut novel, What Alice Knew. This tense and unique thriller is released in digital format the 1st of December and in paperback in spring next year and the author stops by to talk a bit more about it:
Hi and welcome to Alba in Bookland. Could you tell us a bit about yourself?

Hi Alba; I was born in London and brought up in suburbia, which was ideal as I loved sport and there was plenty of opportunity. I read History of Art at Cambridge University, having initially persuaded my tutor to allow me to switch to English – only to reverse the request when I realised the first year was mediaeval literature (Beowulf, Song of Roland), which wasn’t my bag! After university, I worked in the City. I liked the people and the ideas but not the mechanics and left to become a novelist. Whilst failing to be published I wrote obituaries and for several magazines, an art dealer, corporate spooks and finally Redburn, for whom I produced a quarterly review and now work as an editor and writer. I live in Bristol with my wife and three children, having been chased westwards by the bailiffs via West Dorset and a year in Pollensa, Mallorca.

Your debut novel, What Alice Knew, tells the story of Alice, who has a really nice life until her husband goes missing one night and when she finds out why, she is faced with the difficult decision of telling or keeping quiet about it. What sparked this idea?

I find ideas for novels gestate over time. There is rarely a ‘Eureka!’ moment. They evolve through books I read, people I meet, stories I hear and – the difficult bit – putting a towel on one’s head (metaphorically) and trying to think things up or work the plot through. The original idea was to write from the perspective of the perpetrator rather than the police or victim. I also became interested in the idea of secrets between parents and children. That led me to write a ‘will they get away with it?’ story rather than a whodunit?’. I hope that is a (relatively) fresh angle – and that that answers your question!

Art plays a big role in the story. Alice is a portraitist and every time she paints someone, she seeks honesty. Painting them as they really are. Are you an art expert too? Or did you have to do a lot of research on this topic?

Despite reading History of Art I am definitely not an ‘art expert’. My interest, as with the City, was always in the ideas rather than the application of the paint. And I couldn’t paint a pin-man! Instead I spoke extensively to two friends who are portrait painters, one of whom sketched me in order to talk me through the process. I have no idea whether all portrait painters have the same animus in how they approach their art, but one was very conscious of the adversarial nature of a sitting, a powerful sitter forced to obey a hired hand, which is how I decided to portray Alice.

What does this aspect add to the story? 

In the original version of What Alice Knew, which was told in the third person, Alice was a GP. Unfortunately I know nothing about medicine and as a result her vocation added nothing to her characterisation. The moment I thought of making her a portrait painter it was as if the proverbial door opened. I realised truth in art is a wonderful metaphor for truth in marriage or life and that the psychology Alice takes into (and out of) her portraits of Julie and Marianne, and the other art she makes (e.g her hands when depressed) were an analogy by which the reader could measure or chart her declining confidence and equilibrium.

When I finished the book, I felt a bit confusing. Is that what you intended, to leave the reader wondering?

No, I didn’t intend to leave people wondering, though I appreciate from conversations with readers some have found it ambiguous. I am clear in my mind about what I think happened, but I am happy for people to interpret it as they wish. I didn’t want ‘What Alice Knew’ to be a traditional ‘linear’ thriller – five suspects and one turning out to be guilty – I wanted there to be more a permanent underlying sense of unease and ‘where is it going?’ and I hope the ending reflects that – my aim was to leave it more ‘open’ than the traditional thriller. 

Actually, what do you expect your readers to feel while reading What Alice Knew?

I wouldn’t dare ‘expect’ anything of my readers! I would love it if they enjoy/suffer/enjoy suffering an on-going, low-level, almost inchoate sense of dread. From the moment Ed disappears, I would like them to sense the novel was not travelling along the traditional path of a thriller (as per above) and therefore have no real idea where it was heading and as a result have a disquieting sense of being out of control. I would also be thrilled to hear that they, male or female, thought at some point: ‘God, that could have been me! What would I have done in the circumstances?’

Lately, I have the impression that psychological thrillers are everywhere. What do you think makes What Alice Knew stand apart from the crowd?

I do think – as any writer no doubt would! – that ‘What Alice Knew’ stands apart from the increasingly crowded field of psychological thrillers. This is partly because it takes the perspective of the perpetrator rather than the police or victim, and partly because ultimately it turns on ideas – intuition is more powerful than knowledge; there can be no freedom without truth – and a character (Alice!) rather than a set of fingerprints or a smoking gun. Alice’s choices reflect the collision that occurs in her life between the limitations of knowledge and her obsession with drilling down to the truth. That said, I think there are a lot of brilliant psychological thrillers out there and I’m overjoyed that I get to be a part of that crowd.

Finally, what are you working on now? 

At present I am writing some short stories that I hope will appear alongside the paperback publication of What Alice Knew in April. The plot for my next novel is (slowly) coming together and I hope to start writing at Christmas when I have some time off from the day job! It is shaping up to be slightly more of a traditional thriller than What Alice Knew but I hope my interest in character as much as plot will ensure it is enjoyed by anyone who enjoys What Alice Knew.

Thanks so much for having me on your blog.

About the book:

Today is Publication Day for Cathy Bramley! Comfort and Joy is Cathy's latest release, a Christmas novella set in the Plumberry School of Comfort Food. If you loved the Plumberry School full novel, you'll be delighted to be back but if you haven't discovered it yet, this is the perfect opportunity for you: 

Title: Comfort and Joy

Author: Cathy Bramley

Published: October 13th 2016 by Transworld

Amazon | Amazon UK

Blurb: Curl up with this feel-good short story, full of romance, surprises and a sprinkling of Christmas magic…!

It’s been a busy year for Verity Bloom at the Plumberry School of Comfort Food, but Christmas Eve is finally here. With delicious treats all wrapped up and the ingredients packed away, Verity is looking forward to a relaxing few days with her new boyfriend.

Good food, family and friends – it’s a simple recipe for true comfort and joy, and all Verity’s friends in the village are full of excitement about the holidays too.

But the weather has other plans in store… Relentless rain leads to a power cut that spells disaster for many of Plumberry’s residents. It’s starting to look like this year’s celebrations could be a total washout.

With dreams of a perfect Christmas dashed, will the last of the festive cheer be swept away in the downpour? Or can the cookery school create a Christmas miracle for everyone Verity holds dear?

Review: It was a lovely surprise when Cathy Bramley announced she was publishing a Christmas novella this year, even more when she revealed that the story would be set in Plumberry! If you have read Cathy's previous book, The Plumberry School of Comfort Food (which I absolutely loved), you'll already know the characters in this story. If you haven't though, do not worry, you don't need any background to follow this new story. For me, it was great to catch up with this lovely community and see how Verity and her school are doing.

This story is a real festive treat. Set during Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, it's packed with laughs, love, friendship, Christmas spirit, some drama and of course, joy. It's actually a really touching story that will leave you with a huge grin on your face. 

I had a really good time reading this novella. I started it and without even realising it, I had already read 80% of it. Once I was back in Plumberry, I forgot about everything else. I really thing that this is the perfect story to get you in the mood for Christmas. So I would recommend you treat yourself with this lovely story and enjoy it with a hot chocolate and some mince pies. I'm sure I'll be re-reading it closer to Christmas! 

Today's review is for Falling, Julie Cohen's latest work. This book was originally titled The Day of Second Chances and I first got a limited edition signed proof in January. The publishers then announced that publication day was being pushed to July and the book would have a new image, so I decided to wait a bit to read it. The time has come now, the book is out and here's what I thought about it:

Title: Falling

Author: Julie Cohen

Published: July 28th 2016 by Transworld

Amazon | Amazon UK

Blurb: Can you imagine keeping a secret so devastating, you couldn’t even tell the people you love?

Honor’s secret threatens to rob her of the independence she’s guarded ferociously for eighty years.

Jo’s secret could smash apart the ‘normal’ family life she’s fought so hard to build.

Lydia’s secret could bring her love - or the loss of everything that matters to her.

One summer’s day, grandmother, mother and daughter’s secrets will collide in a single dramatic moment.

Is it too late for second chances?

Review: Julie Cohen's books are always something special and Falling is no exception. It tells the story of three different women; a grandmother, a mother and a daughter who all lost someone very special almost ten years ago: a son, a husband, a father. Since then, life hasn't been easy and they've grown apart, keeping big secrets from each other. But things cannot go on like that any more. 

I really enjoyed getting to know these three characters and finding out about their secrets. Each of them had their own story with its challenges and difficulties, their own life and their own preoccupations so it was really interesting to read about how their worlds collided and the three of them had to share the same roof. With two little kids creating mayhem thrown into the mix, cohabitation was definitely not easy (but very entertaining for the reader).

I really don't want to give anything away about the plot because it's better if you find out for yourself how compelling this story is. It will surprise you, it will make you hold your breath and it will steal your heart. Julie Cohen handles serious day to day topics in her own thought provoking way. Always with tact, but making you think and reflect on how unfair life can be. 

If you haven't read anything by Julie Cohen yet, you're missing out. Her stories leave no one indifferent and her characters get in your head for a long time after finishing the book. If you are already a Julie Cohen fan, then pick this up immediately. Falling is probably her best book yet. 

Rating: 5 stars

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

Cathy Bramley is one of my all time favourite authors, I think that she hasn't written a word I haven't loved yet so I was over the moon to get a copy of her latest one. I started reading it immediately and loved every page. Here are my thoughts: 

Title: The Plumberry School of Comfort Food

Author: Cathy Bramley

Published: June 30th 2016 by Corgi

Amazon | Amazon UK

Blurb: The Plumberry School of Comfort Food was originally published as a four-part serial. This is the complete story in one package.

Verity Bloom hasn't been interested in cooking anything more complicated than the perfect fish finger sandwich, ever since she lost her best friend and baking companion two years ago.

But an opportunity to help a friend lands her right back in the heart of the kitchen. The Plumberry School of Comfort Food is due to open in a few weeks' time and needs the kind of great ideas that only Verity could cook up. And with new friendships bubbling and a sprinkling of romance in the mix, Verity finally begins to feel like she's home.

But when tragedy strikes at the very heart of the cookery school, can Verity find the magic ingredient for Plumberry while still writing her own recipe for happiness?

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: Well, Cathy Bramley has done it again. I completely fell in love with the story and the characters of The Plumberry School of Comfort Food. In fact, this might be her best book yet. Not only does it have the usual charm you find in her books but so much more: this story is full of love, joy and heart but also sadness and raw emotions. A story that will steal your hearts for sure. 

Lately, we've had quite a lot of foody novels in which the story is set in a bakery or a tea shop and even if I usually enjoy these settings, I was starting to feel like I was reading the same story again and again. So I was greatly surprised to discover a very original setting for this one: a culinary school, with lots of fun course (I'd love to attend), competitions and events. Not only that, the story was unique and highly entertaining with new surprises and twists with every chapter. It certainly captured my attention from start to finish and I found myself completely lost in its pages for hours. 

As the main character, Verity was perfect, easy to love and root for and with a huge heart. Since losing her best friend, she had been merely surviving and getting on with life with no enjoyment or enthusiasm so it was really touching to see her getting more involved in the school and seeing her smiling and fighting for it. I was really curious to know more about her and with every new bit of information I like her more and more. 

And then, we had all the cast of characters surrounding the school. I couldn't really pick a favourite as I loved reading about them all. Cathy Bramley always creates such well developed characters with their own stories that complement the main plot so well! I especially liked Tom, the Irish chef, and his assistant Pixie, and Mags, the receptionist and expublisher, and Gloria, whose idea started it all and... yes, I like them all, ok? 

With glorious food, lovable characters, a highly entertaining story, lots of surprises and such a fun setting, The Plumberry School of Comfort Food is the book you've been looking for! It'll definitely be in my top ten books of the year so guys, just get yourself a copy! 

Rating: 5 stars