Berit Talks Books

UK – https://www.amazon.co.uk/Cosy-Christmas-Cornwall-heartwarming-Cornish-ebook/dp/B07TVZ8VYV

Have a Beautiful day!🌻

Berit☀️✨

A Cosy Christmas in Cornwall by Jane Linfoot @janelinfoot @rararesources #bookreview

October 25, 2019October 24, 2019 / berittalksbooks / 1 Comment

TGIF all!

This week went so quick! And can you believe it 61 days until Christmas! This was such a fun festive story Full of humor and yummy goodies!🎅🏻

A Cosy Christmas in Cornwall

A December to remember…

Christmas in a Cornish castle? Sign Ivy Starforth up! Hired to kit out the holiday rental as the world’s most Instagramable festive dreamland, there’s only one thing standing in the way of her hefty paycheque – the lord of the manor.

Bill Markham could give Scrooge a run for his money but Ivy is firmly #TeamChristmas…even if her handsome host seems to be doing everything he can to sabotage her staging. Maybe she shouldn’t have stumbled in on him starkers in the hot tub?

As the temperature outside cools, things inside the castle heat up. It’s been a long time since Ivy allowed herself to give in to temptation…surely one little kiss under the mistletoe won’t hurt?

My Thoughts

Deck the castle with boughs of holly

Fa la la la la, la la la la (fa la la la la, la la la la)

‘Tis the season to be jolly

Fa la la la la, la la la la (fa la la la la, la la la la)

Don we now our #TeamChristmas apparel

Fa la la la la, la la la la (fa la la la la, la la la la)

Troll the donkey sanctuary in a wheelbarrow

Fa la la la la, la la la la

Jane Linfoot has written a fun and festive story full of whimsy, cheer, and yummy goodies! This book is Christmas strong! It is a sweet and cozy (with a Z) story that is built around the holiday. Ivy is excited to spend Christmas in a castle helping her boss photograph the “perfect“ Instagram worthy Christmas. When she arrives at the castle two weeks before the family gets there to put on the finishing touches she finds a stark castle and a brooding man. Ivy however is not deterred, she is determined to turn this bleak castle into a festive palace. Christmas trees are brought in, decorations are ordered, A bunch of silver surfers arrive to help spruce the place up, and the castle begins to look a little like Christmas. What follows is mishaps, miscommunications, folly, whimsy, spoiled children, and donkeys.

Ivy was a great character and I liked the banter between Bill and her. Bill came with the castle Ivy had met him previously, there was chemistry between them but the timing was not right. The timing appears still not to be right both characters have a lot of baggage and some walls, not to mention that Ivy is all about Christmas and Bill is a bit of a Scrooge. When the family starts arriving things got a little chaotic and frantic there are a lot of family members, but I soon figured out who they all were and I thought the author did a good job of giving everyone a unique voice. Also one family had children with names that started with a T and another with a S. There were quite a few laugh out loud moments in this book especially one involving donkeys and a wheelbarrow. And the yummy goodies! So many delicious treats, my sweet tooth was going crazy! This was a delightful story that I would recommend to anyone who is a fan of a festive Christmas book.

This book in emojis: 🎄 🐶 🏄🏻‍♂️ 🧁 🌟 ❄️

*** thanks to the publisher for my copy of this book ***

Purchase Links

US – https://www.amazon.com/Cosy-Christmas-Cornwall-heartwarming-Cornish-ebook/dp/B07TVZ8VYV

Author Bio – Jane Linfoot is a best selling author, who lives in a cottage on a Derbyshire hillside with her family and their pets. Although she loves seeing cow noses over the garden wall, she’s happy she can walk to a supermarket.

Jane grew up in North Yorkshire where she spent a lot of her childhood avoiding horizontal gales blowing off the sea and wrote her first book by accident. While she loves to write feel good books that let readers escape, she’s always surprised to hear her stories make people laugh, admits to (occasionally) crying as she writes, and credits her characters for creating their own story lines.

Jane’s garden would be less brambly if she wasn’t on Facebook and Twitter so often. On days when she wants to be really scared, she rides a tandem.

Her recent stand alone novels are all set in and around the (imaginary) seaside village of St Aidan in Cornwall. They are: Ivy’s Cornish Christmas, Edie’s Browne’s Cottage by the Sea, The Little Cornish Kitchen. Her four book Little Wedding Shop series are standalone stories, also set in St Aidan. They are: The Little Wedding Shop by the Sea, Christmas at the Little Wedding Shop, Summer at the Little Wedding Shop and Christmas Promises at the Little Wedding Shop. They are all published by the Harper Impulse and One More Chapter imprints of Harper Collins.

Follow Jane on Twitter @janelinfoot, or find her on her Author Page Facebook or her

Personal Page Facebook. She’s also on Instagram, and has lots of Pinterest boards relating to her novels.

Giveaway to Win a signed Jane Linfoot Book and some chocolate (Open INT)

*Terms and Conditions –Worldwide entries welcome. Please enter using the Rafflecopter box below. The winner will be selected at random via Rafflecopter from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then Rachel’s Random Resources reserves the right to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over. Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. This will passed to the giveaway organiser and used only for fulfilment of the prize, after which time Rachel’s Random Resources will delete the data. I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/33c69494290/?

Bedside Manner by Heather Frimmer @heatherfrimmer @suzyapbooktours #bookreview

October 24, 2019October 24, 2019 / berittalksbooks / 4 Comments

Happy Thursday everyone!

This was the perfect book to read in October for breast cancer awareness month. A story about the mother daughter relationship full of hope, heart and family!🎀

My Thoughts

Heather Frimmer thoughtfully navigates the mother daughter relationship in this emotional debut. The story is told from the alternating perspectives of mother Joyce and daughter Marnie. Joyce has recently taken some time away from working as a receptionist at her husband‘s dental office to help plan Marnie‘s upcoming wedding. Marnie is in her final year of medical school and about to be married. When Joyce discovers a lump in her breast that turns out to be cancer she struggles with the best way to tell her daughter. Marnie is not only struggling to finish medical school but also trying to figure out how to balance being a doctor and being human. What follows is a real and emotional story about these strong yet vulnerable women.

Miss Frimmer is a physician and I think she did a wonderful job of weaving her medical knowledge into this story. I found Joyce’s character extremely relatable. Just like her I am the mother of adult children, and I can totally see myself confiding in the clerk at the HomeGoods store. Also like her I found a lump in my breast( that thankfully was not cancer), but it was a scary wake up call. I also have to say she must have better medical insurance then me because they just zipped her in to every appointment she needed, it seem to take me forever to get all the necessary tests. Marni’s experiences in the hospital as a med student just reaffirmed the fact that I would never want to work in the medical profession. But I do appreciate the fact that so many people have the passion and desire to be a doctor or nurse. While a large portion of this book’s focus was medical the overall message was one that is relatable to all of us. This is a book about following your heart and enjoying every day to its fullest. A story full of hope, heart, and family!

This book in emojis: 👩🏻‍⚕️ 👩🏻‍🎨 👩‍👧 🦷 🎀

About the Book

As Joyce Novak’s daughter, Marnie, completes medical school and looks ahead to a surgical internship, her wedding, and a future filled with promise, a breast cancer diagnosis throws Joyce’s own future into doubt. Always the caregiver, Joyce feels uncomfortable in the patient role, especially with her husband and daughter. As she progresses through a daunting treatment regimen including a biopsy, lumpectomy, and radiation, she distracts herself by planning Marnie’s wedding.

When the sudden death of a young heroin addict in Marnie’s care forces Marnie to come face-to-face with mortality and her professional inadequacies, she also realizes she must strike a new balance between her identity as a doctor and her role as a supportive daughter. At the same time, she struggles with the stark differences between her fiancé’s family background and her own and comes to understand the importance of being with someone who shares her values and experiences.

Amid this profound soul-searching, both Joyce and Marnie’s futures change in ways they never would have expected.

About Heather:

Heather Frimmer is a physician by day, specializing in diagnostic radiology and breast imaging, and an avid reader and writer at all other times. A published book reviewer across multiple websites, including Books, Ink and Booktrib, and a member of the Westport Writers’ Workshop, she lives in Connecticut with her husband and two sons.

Let’s Connect

Have a Beautiful day!🌻

Berit☀️✨

If Only I Could Tell You by Hannah Beckerman @tlcbooktours @wmmorrowbooks #bookreview

October 24, 2019October 23, 2019 / berittalksbooks / 4 Comments

Happy Thursday all!

This book! So emotional, so heart wrenching, so raw! Should come with a box of Kleenex!💔

My Thoughts

Hannah Beckermen has written a supremely emotional story, seriously this book should come with a box of Kleenex! This book did not break my heart it tore it out of my chest, chewed it up, spit it out, stomped on it a couple times and then slammed it against the wall! When I finish the book I dried my tears, took a deep breath, and just sat there quietly and thought. It is days later now and I’m still thinking about it. This book was a poignant look at one family’s journey to healing. Sisters Lily and Jess have been estranged for over 30 years, something happened all those decades ago and one sister is not able to forgive the other. Their mother Audrey is now ill and wants to find a way for her daughters to reconnect, she has two 17-year-old granddaughters who don’t even know each other. But after decades of secrets and hurt will these sisters even be able to be in the same room?

I’m going to be honest I have no idea if I liked this book or not? It moved me and had a profound effect on me, but it was brutal! This is really a book that begs to be discussed, so if you have read this, please message me, I still have so many questions. I still cannot understand why Audrey just didn’t force the issue and have her daughters talk things out? I cannot imagine I’d allow my kids not to speak to one another for 30 years? This was a family that had gone through so much tragedy they really would have benefited from the support of one another and probably some good therapy. Miss Beckermen’s evocative storytelling was simultaneously beautiful and agonizing. Life is hard and this book does not pull any punches. I don’t usually add trigger warnings but this book deals with a lot of serious issues including illness, miscarriage, and suicide.

This book in emojis: 💔 👩‍👧‍👧 🤔 😭

*** A big thanks to William Morrow for my copy of this book ***

About If Only I Could Tell You

• Paperback: 368 pages
• Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks (October 15, 2019)

“I loved it (even though it made me cry).”—Jojo Moyes

For fans of This Is Us comes a story of a family divided and the secret that can possibly unite them – a life-affirming novel with a twist will break your heart and an ending that will put it together again.

A secret between two sisters.

A lifetime of lies unraveling.

Can one broken family find their way back to each other?

Audrey’s dream as a mother had been for her daughters, Jess and Lily, to be as close as only sisters can be. But now, as adults, they no longer speak to each other, and Audrey’s two teenage granddaughters have never met. Audrey just can’t help feeling like she’s been dealt more than her fair share as she’s watched her family come undone over the years, and she has no idea how to fix her family as she wonders if they will ever be whole again.

If only Audrey had known three decades ago that a secret could have the power to split her family in two, and yet, also keep them linked. And when hostilities threaten to spiral out of control, a devastating choice that was made so many years ago is about to be revealed, testing this family once and for all.

Once the truth is revealed, will it be enough to put her family back together again or break them apart forever?

“Utterly compelling and completely heartbreaking. I couldn’t put it down.” — Ruth Hogan

“Totally engrossing, achingly sad and so perceptive about the corrosive legacy of family secrets.”—Kate Eberlen, author of Miss You

Purchase Links

HarperCollins | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Photo by Adam Jackson

About Hannah Beckerman

Hannah Beckerman studied English at King’s College (London) for her undergraduate degree, and at Queen Mary and Westfield (London) for her master’s degree. She spent twelve years working in television, first as a producer for the BBC and subsequently as a commissioning editor for arts and documentaries at Channel 4 and the Discovery Channel USA. She lived in Bangladesh for two years, working for the BBC World Service Trust. She is now a full-time author and journalist as well as a book critic and features writer for the Observer, the FT Weekend Magazine and the Sunday Express. She is also a regular chair at literary festivals and events and has been a judge for numerous book prizes including the Costa Book Awards. If Only I Could Tell You is Hannah’s second novel. She lives in London with her husband and daughter.

Find out more about Hannah at her website, and connect with her on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.

The House of Brides by Jane Cockram @harpercollins #bookreview #houseofbrides

October 23, 2019October 22, 2019 / berittalksbooks / Leave a comment

Happy Humpday all! Hope you’re having a wonderful month! I am so ready for it to cool down it is supposed to be in the 90s all week, apparently mother nature didn’t get the memo that it’s fall in California too!This book published yesterday and I’m excited to share my review with you, it was a slow burn domestic drama with a creepy vibe! Perfect for October.🌫

My Thoughts

Jane Cockram’s debut was hauntingly atmospheric a perfect fall read. Her descriptive writing style will completely transport you too the creepy Barnsley House. I would not classify this as a thriller it was more of a slow burn suspenseful family drama a little reminiscent of a Kate Morton Book. The beauty of the story was not twists and turns but rather immersive incredible storytelling. Miranda’s life has hit a bit of a bump and she is looking to reinvent herself. When she receives a mysterious letter from a cousin she’s never met Miranda believes it is the perfect time to leave Australia and fly to the UK to find a piece of her pass. Miranda’s mother Tessa was a famous author who died when she was young. Tessa had fled the UK for reasons unknown to Miranda so she ensconces herself in the family as the new nanny. What follows is the unraveling of a web of family secrets and lies.

A creepy house full of creepy characters with a creepy past. The story really drew me in these characters were so vividly drawn, so real to me. I wanted nothing to happen to these children, I wanted to know where their mother Daphne had gone? I needed to know what was up with Max and scary Mrs. Mim. What was Elizabith really up to out on that island? Miranda was a great character and I was right there with her trying to piece all of this together. The ending to this story really surprise me, however there was an abruptness to it that didn’t flow with the rest of the book. All in all this was a captivating debut and I am looking forward to what’s next from Miss Cockram.

This book in emojis: 🌫 📖 🛥 ✍🏻 🏚

* Big thanks to Harper Collins for my copy of this book *

About the Book

Jane Cockram makes her thrilling debut with this riveting tale of psychological suspense in which a young woman whose life is in tatters flees to the safety of a family estate in England, but instead of comfort finds chilling secrets and lies.
Miranda’s life and career has been a roller-coaster ride. Her successful rise to the top of the booming lifestyle industry as a social media influencer led to a humiliating fall after a controversial product she endorsed flopped. Desperate to get away from the hate-spewing trolls shaming her on the internet, she receives a mysterious letter from a young cousin in England that plunges her into a dark family mystery.
Miranda’s mother Tessa Summer, a famous author, died when Miranda was a child. The young woman’s only connection to the Summer family is through Tessa’s famous book The House of Brides – a chronicle of the generations of women who married into the infamous Summer family and made their home in the rambling Barnsley House, the family’s estate. From Gertrude Summer, a famed crime novelist, to Miranda’s grandmother Beatrice, who killed herself after setting fire to Barnsley while her children slept, each woman in The House of Brides is more notorious than the next. The house’s current “bride” is the beautiful, effervescent Daphne, her Uncle Max’s wife – a famed celebrity chef who saved Barnsley from ruin turning the estate into an exclusive culinary destination and hotel.
Curious about this legendary family she has never met, Miranda arrives at Barnsley posing as a prospective nanny answering an advertisement. She’s greeted by the compelling yet cold housekeeper Mrs. Mins, and meets the children and her Uncle Max – none of whom know her true identity. But Barnsley is not what Miranda expected. The luxury destination and award-winning restaurant is gone, and Daphne is nowhere to be found. Most disturbing, one of the children is in a wheelchair after a mysterious accident. What happened in this house? Where is Daphne? What darkness lies hidden in Barnsley?

Let’s Connect

Have a Beautiful day!🌻

Berit☀️✨

Christmas Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella @KinsellaSophie @randomhouse #bookreview #ChristmasShopaholic

October 21, 2019October 20, 2019 / berittalksbooks / 1 Comment

Happy Monday all!

Hope you had a fabulous weekend! Nothing like a Sophie Kinsella book to make your weekend even better!💁🏻‍♀️

My Thoughts

SHE is BACK!!! Becky Brandon (née Bloomwood) is one of my all-time favorite characters and she was as hilarious and brilliant as ever in this festive story. I was so excited to spend time with Becky it was like catching up with an old friend. I have read and loved every book in this series and while some have been better than others this one was an absolute treat!‘tis the season to be shopping and Becky could not be happier! She barely even bats an eyelash when it is dropped on her that she will be hosting Christmas this year. Becky of course starts making a list and checking it twice, there are lots of things to be done and purchased before the holidays. And in typical Becky fashion more is always better, why have one turkey when you can have three? Becky has grown up somewhat over the course of the series but she has never lost her charm or whimsy! From the creation of a new Norwegian word, to an ex-boyfriend and multiplayer sex. From fighting to join an “old boy billiard club, to60 pounds of fish on the front yard. From hunting down and escaped hamster to an adorable Christmas performance. This book had me smiling and laughing so much that my face hurt.

If you are a fan of this series this is an absolute must! If you have not read the series yet, what are you waiting for? This is Sophie Kinsella at her finest! A delightful lighthearted story that is guaranteed to fill you with the holiday spirit! Fa la la la la la shopaholic!

This book in emojis: 🛍 🎱 🦃 🌴 🎄 🐹 🤶

* Big thanks to Random House for my copy of this book *

About the Book

Number-one New York Times best-selling author Sophie Kinsella returns with a festive new Shopaholic adventure filled with holiday cheer and unexpected gifts.
’Tis the season for change and Becky Brandon (née Bloomwood) is embracing it, returning from the States to live in the charming village of Letherby and working with her best friend, Suze, in the gift shop of Suze’s stately home. Life is good, especially now that Becky takes time every day for mindfulness…which actually means listening to a meditation tape while hunting down online bargains.
But Becky still adores the traditions of Christmas: Her parents host, carols play on repeat, her mother pretends she made the Christmas pudding, and the neighbors come ’round for sherry in their terrible holiday sweaters. Things are looking cheerier than ever, until Becky’s parents announce they’re moving to ultra-trendy Shoreditch – unable to resist the draw of craft beer and smashed avocados – and ask Becky if she’ll host this year. What could possibly go wrong?
Her sister demands a vegan turkey, her husband insists that he just wants aftershave – again, and little Minnie demands a very specific picnic hamper: Surely Becky can manage all this, as well as the surprise appearance of an old-boyfriend-turned-rock-star and his pushy new girlfriend, whose motives are far from clear. But as the countdown to Christmas begins and her big-hearted plans take an unexpected turn toward disaster, Becky starts to wonder if chaos will ensue, or if she’ll manage to bring comfort and joy to Christmas after all.

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Have a magnificent day!🌼

Berit☀️✨

A Song For a New Day by Sara Pinsker @berkleypub #bookreview #asongforanewday

October 18, 2019October 17, 2019 / berittalksbooks / 1 Comment

Happy Friday y’all!

If you love books and music as much as I do, you will love this book! A compelling dystopian/speculative fiction story that will definitely give you some food for thought.🎸

My Thoughts

Sarah Pinsker has written a captivating dystopian/speculative fiction story that prominently features music. While this is not my usual genre it blends two of my favorite things music and books, and I loved it! Pinsker’s Love and appreciation for music especially live music comes across loud and clear in this story. Luce Cannon(Got to love that name) is a musician on the way to the top when the government calls for a halt to all live concerts. Not only concerts but most large social gatherings have been banned, do to continuous terrorist attacks. Rosemary spends her days working from home in customer service for a Walmart/Amazon hybrid. She is given an amazing opportunity to attend an online concert. This leads to a job offer to travel and search out bands who are willing to perform these online concerts. Luce and Rosemary’s haves cross one day at a underground banned concert. Luce and Rosemary are on opposite sides of the issue, will Rosemarys actions cause Luce to go further underground? So what will happen when the two meet up again? Will this be the “day the music died”?

Luce was A dynamic character with a tremendous passion for music and performing live. Rosemary was a quieter character but I found her to be a little more sympathetic I could really understand her inner conflict. The story was much more character driven than plot driven. I think dystopian/speculative fiction fans who are desiring a lot of world building might be a little disappointed, I myself wish the lead up to why the world was this way was addressed more in the book. But I don’t think this impacted my overall enjoyment of this riveting story. This really was a love letter to music and a warning letter to the Reader. While the idea of attending a concert from the comfort of your home Mike sound fabulous, we really don’t ever want to lose the human connection.

This book in three emojis: 🎫 🎼 🎸

*** Big thanks to Berkley for my copy of the book ***

About the Book

Publishers Weekly’s Most Anticipated Books of Fall 2019
In this captivating science fiction novel from an award-winning author, public gatherings are illegal making concerts impossible, except for those willing to break the law for the love of music, and for one chance at human connection.
In the Before, when the government didn’t prohibit large public gatherings, Luce Cannon was on top of the world. One of her songs had just taken off and she was on her way to becoming a star. Now, in the After, terror attacks and deadly viruses have led the government to ban concerts, and Luce’s connection to the world – her music, her purpose – is closed off forever. She does what she has to do: She performs in illegal concerts to a small but passionate community, always evading the law.
Rosemary Laws barely remembers the Before times. She spends her days in Hoodspace, helping customers order all of their goods online for drone delivery – no physical contact with humans needed. By lucky chance, she finds a new job and a new calling: discover amazing musicians and bring their concerts to everyone via virtual reality. The only catch is that she’ll have to do something she’s never done before and go out in public. Find the illegal concerts and bring musicians into the limelight they deserve. But when she sees how the world could actually be, that won’t be enough.

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Have a Beautiful day!🌻

Berit☀️✨

Faker by Sarah Smith @berkleypub #bookreview

October 16, 2019October 15, 2019 / berittalksbooks / 1 Comment

Happy Wednesday all!

Excited to share with you today my review for this fun enemies to lovers romcom!🔩🔨

My Thoughts

Sarah Smith has written a sweet, swoony, and steamy romcom. This book is being compared to “The Hating Game” I think this is an accurate comparison. Both are workplace enemies to lovers romances filled with Snark, humor, and charm. So if you loved THG as much as I did you’re definitely enjoy this book. But as similar as they were they were also quite different. Emmie is one of the few women at The tool company where she works. For this reason she spends her days “faking“ that she is a tough cookie not to be messed with. Tate, her coworker is dismissive and rude, and unavoidable because their offices are right next to each other. I am sure you know where this is going, the ending is not unpredictable, but it is oh such a fun and entertaining journey! Emmie was a great character, one of those characters you’d want to be friends with. Then there is Tate. Have you ever had a friend date somebody and they just thought the guy was the hottest greatest thing ever and you just didn’t see it? Yes? In this situation I am Emmie’s friend and that guy is Tate. I just didn’t get the attraction. There was attraction and chemistry and I loved the banter between them, I just didn’t get it. In spite of this I really enjoyed this book it was a fun feel good read that put a goofy smile on my face. And even though I didn’t find Tate to be the man of my dreams I think he was Emmie’s! Not only were they attracted to one another they also communicated quite well, always a bonus!

This book in emojis: 🔩 🍍 🔨 💑

*** Big thanks to Berkley for my copy of this book ***

About the Book

Debut author Sarah Smith nails this fun and sexy multicultural romance where two office foes fight to hammer out their differences and build a love that will last….
Emmie Echavarre is a professional faker. She has to be to survive as one of the few female employees at Nuts & Bolts, a power tool company staffed predominantly by gruff, burly men. From nine to five, Monday through Friday, she’s tough as nails – the complete opposite of her easy-going real self.One thing she doesn’t have to fake? Her disdain for coworker Tate Rasmussen. Tate has been hostile to her since the day they met. Emmie’s friendly greetings and repeated attempts to get to know him failed to garner anything more than scowls and terse one-word answers. Too bad she can’t stop staring at his Thor-like biceps….
When Emmie and Tate are forced to work together on a charity construction project, things get…heated. Emmie’s beginning to see that beneath Tate’s chiseled exterior lies a soft heart, but it will take more than a few kind words to erase the past and convince her that what they have is real.

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