The Widow of Pale Harbor by Hester Fox #bookreview

Happy Monday everybody!

Hope you all had an amazing weekend! Today I am sharing with you a book that I loved, the perfect fall read!🦉

My Thoughts

Hauntingly beautiful and exquisitely told. Hester Fox’s Second novel is as stunning and atmospheric as her first. The perfect story to kick off your fall reading, an absorbing tale full of mystery and gloom with a Gothic vibe. Miss Fox’s elegant and descriptive writing completely transported me too 1840s Pale Harbor, Maine. A small town brimming with Mystery and secrets. When Gabriel arrives in town determined to redeem himself, he finds himself caught up in The town’s gossip, rumors, and accusations. Sophronia has been a reclusive since the death of her husband, a death that the town seems to blame her for. When Gabriel meets Sophronia he is immediately taken with her and when strange things start happening and Sophronia is blamed he is determined to prove the town wrong.

I was completely swept away by this mesmerizing story. Sophronia was such a remarkable character, A beautiful soul with a quiet grace that completely drew me in. Gabriel was wounded and flawed as well as strong and supportive. All the creepy happenings around town were somehow tied to the writings of Edgar Allan Poe. I was not previously tremendously familiar with Poe’s works, but WOW he was so twisted! I thought this was done so well and added an additional haunting layer to the story. An evocative story, equal parts mystery and romance with a satisfying ending.

This book in three emojis: 🌫 🥀 🌕

About the Book

A town gripped by fear. A woman accused of witchcraft. Who can save Pale Harbor from itself?

Maine, 1846. Gabriel Stone is desperate to escape the ghosts that haunt him in Massachusetts after his wife’s death, so he moves to Maine, taking a position as a minister in the remote village of Pale Harbor. 

But not all is as it seems in the sleepy town. Strange, unsettling things have been happening, and the townspeople claim that only one person can be responsible: Sophronia Carver, a reclusive widow who lives with a spinster maid in the eerie Castle Carver. Sophronia must be a witch, and she almost certainly killed her husband. 

As the incidents escalate, one thing becomes clear: they are the work of a twisted person inspired by the wildly popular stories of Mr. Edgar Allan Poe. And Gabriel must find answers, or Pale Harbor will suffer a fate worthy of Poe’s darkest tales.

Let’s Connect

Instagram|

Goodreads|

Twitter|

Have a Beautiful day!🌻

Berit☀️✨

Countdown to Christmas by Donna Ashcroft @bookouture #bookreview

Happy weekend everybody!

74 days till Christmas! This was another fun festive Christmas book with a bit of a unique twist!🎄

My Thoughts

Fun, flirty, and festive! This was a delightful Christmas romance with a bit of a unique twist. Holly is devastated after the two people she trusts the most betray her. Devastated she retreats to the home of her beloved Aunt Clara. Aunt Clara and her fab friends create an advent calendar for Holly to cheer her up and to build her confidence. One of the items on the calendar was to ask out a stranger…enter Finn. This book just put a huge smile on my face! It was so much more than just a Christmas romance. Holly was a great character and I loved seeing her character bloom throughout the course of this book. Aunt Clara was simply amazing, we all need an aunt Clara in our life! I love the friendships and how supportive and willing to help everyone was. This book was the true definition of a feel good holiday read! If you are anything like me and love Christmas stories this is a can’t miss!

This book in emojis: 💔 🎄 ⛄️

*** thank you to Bookouture for my copy of this book ***

About the Book

It’s that time of year again, snowflakes are fluttering and the countdown to Christmas has begun! Holly Devine is returning to the only place that feels like home, hoping that some festive magic will help to turn her life around…

Twenty-seven-year-old Holly Devine has just had her heart well and truly broken. Hurt by the two people she loves the most, she flees to her eccentric Aunt Clara’s cosy cottage to hide away over the winter season. But kind, impulsive Aunt Clara has other ideas… She’s not about to see her favourite niece wallowing in sadness during the most wonderful time of the year. So, with the help of her close circle of friends and plenty of gin, she creates a handmade advent calendar for Holly.

Every day in December, Holly opens a new door and has a different task to complete. She soon finds herself asking out a complete stranger – gorgeous, cheeky pub landlord, Finn Jackson. But as handsome Finn gets involved in her festive challenges, Holly’s determination to avoid romance is put to the test. Still, Finn’s far too carefree and single for true love, isn’t he?

As Holly begins to embrace each day – a complete makeover, building the biggest snowman she’s ever seen, singing in a karaoke contest – Finn is there adding fun and laughter to every moment. Holly starts to realise that she can become the person she’s always wanted to be…

But a secret from Finn’s past threatens to turn Holly’s Christmas upside down and makes her question everything she has experienced in the last few weeks. Will Finn open up to Holly in time to show her how he really feels? And will she complete the advent calendar challenges and fall in love this Christmas?

It’s time to curl up for a delicious Christmas romance about daring to take chances, opening yourself up to love, and being true to who you really are. Perfect for fans of Carole Matthews, Debbie Johnson and Debbie Macomber.  

Let’s Connect

Instagram|

Goodreads|

Twitter|

Have a Beautiful day!🌻

Berit☀️✨

Call Me Maybe by Stephie Chapman @rararesources @stephiechapman #bookreview

Happy weekend all!

It is crazy windy and dry here fire weather in California. But thank goodness I finally kicked the headache I had for the last couple days! This was a really cute romance perfect for anyone who loves the love!

Call Me, Maybe

What if you got a second chance with your first love?

What happens when you meet your teenage heart-throb – when you’re both all grown up? When Cassie was fifteen, all she wanted was to marry Jesse Franklin, the bassist from her favourite band, Franko. Now she’s single, in her late twenties and wondering what happened to that teenage dream.

A chance encounter on Facebook soon leads to a transatlantic hook up, and soon, Jesse and Cassie are having a long-distance love affair spanning five thousand miles.

Cassie is on cloud nine – until she hears something that makes her think that Jessie might not be all that he seems. They say never meet your heroes – but what happens when you fall in love with them…?

Are Cassie and Jessie star crossed lovers, destined to be together? Or should Cassie have left her crush in the box marked teenage memories? 

My Thoughts

Who was your teenage crush? My teenage crush was Rob Lowe. So imagine you send a friend request to your teenage crush on Facebook and not only does he accept your friend request but he starts a conversation with you. Before you know it you are involved in a long distance love affair with a boy you dreamt about when you were a teenager. But is this a dream come true or nightmare? Cute and complicated this was an entertaining romance. The story is told from the perspectives of both Cassie and Jesse. I really like this because I felt as though we got the full story. I’m not a fan of Insta love and it was a little harder to buy into given that the characters lived across the ocean from one another. This book also had my least favorite trope the dreaded miscommunication, seriously I just wanted to shake these two if they just would really talk so much could have been avoided. This was an interesting romance I think I liked these characters apart more than I like them together? Individually they seem like great people perhaps a little selfish, but who isn’t at some point in their life. The secondary characters really stole the show for me, I especially loved Jessie’s family! This was a good romance that I might need a follow-up to, need to find out if these two really make it or not. The perfect book for those who love the love!

Purchase Links

AMZ: https://amzn.to/2ZpcCbJ

Kobo: http://bit.ly/2Ukxjj1

Author Bio –

Stephie was born in England in the mid 1980s, which makes her thirty-something (but if you ask, she’ll probably tell you she’s 27). Now, she lives on the South coast of the UK, has a day job to keep her holiday budget topped up, and two kids and a husband to keep an eye on.

Getting Over Jesse Franklin and Jetplanes to Jupiter were born out of a healthy appreciation of bass guitars (and the dudes who play them), and Franko was very much inspired by her favourite band as a teenager. So now you know.

Get in touch on Twitter @imcountingufoz or at stephiechapman.co.uk

Social Media Links –

http://www.stephiechapman.co.uk

Snowflakes at Mistletoe Cottage by Katie Ginger @rararesources #bookreview

Happy Thursday all!

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas! 76 days until Christmas are you ready? I certainly am not I haven’t bought a single present yet, but I’ve read some pretty amazing Christmas books already this year! Excited to share my review with you for this one today!🧝🏻‍♀️❄️

Snowflakes at Mistletoe Cottage

On a grey, London day, Esme’s world crumbles around her when she loses her glitzy job on a top TV programme, her gorgeous, city-slicker boyfriend and her stunning apartment, all in one fell swoop just before Christmas.

Esme is forced suddenly to move back to her sleepy hometown of Sandchester, and despite the snow blanketing the roof and the fairy lights that twinkle in her rustic little cottage, everything is looking bleak. That is until she reconnects with an old crush and finds herself unexpectedly getting swept away.

But Joe, handsome and charming as he is, is not all he seems. Esme soon realises that he has a tragic past which he just might not be able to overcome…

Surrounded by her loving, if harebrained, family and with the support of her hilarious friends, Esme is determined to have a go at forging her own path, even if it all comes to nothing. But one question still lingers in her mind: will she find someone to kiss under the mistletoe this Christmas?

My Thoughts

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas

Everywhere you go

Take a look at the five and ten, it’s glistening once again

With candy canes and silver lanes that glow.

A festive feel good story bursting with yuletide cheer and second chances. Katie ginger writes stories that will warm your heart and raise your spirits. This was an engaging second chance romance; humorous, magical, and charming. The perfect book to get you in the Christmas mood all wrapped up in a beautiful festive cover with a bow on top!

Esme has lost everything her job, her boyfriend, her apartment. So she makes the trip home to lick her wounds and regroup. Esme was such a likable character, you cannot help but route for the girl. The secondary characters were divine! I absolutely loved her parents so much fun especially her mom! I was seriously ready to pack my bags and head to Mistletoe Cottage! The charm, the whimsy, the food! My only very tiny complaint with the book was the love interest Joe, he was a little too brooding for me. I got a little frustrated with him throughout the book. Having said that I did like the slow burn romance and the ending was definitely satisfying and sweet! so cozy up with a warm blanket and a cup of hot chocolate and get yourself a copy of this festive fun story!

This book in emojis: 🧝🏻‍♀️ ❄️ 🍪 ☕️ 🎁

*** Big thanks to HQ Digital for my copy of this book ***

Purchase Links

Amazon UK ebook: https://amzn.to/2NL7fhq

Amazon UK paperbook: https://amzn.to/2Y51uPP

Kobo: https://bit.ly/2LP8Ujm

Amazon US ebook: https://amzn.to/2XHxFR1

Author Bio –

KATIE GINGER lives in the South East of England, by the sea, and apart from holidays to very hot places where you can sit by a pool and drink cocktails as big your head, she wouldn’t really want to be anywhere else. Snowflakes at Mistletoe Cottage is her third novel. She is also author of the Seafront series – The Little Theatre on the Seafront, shortlisted for the Katie Fforde Debut Novel of the Year award, and Summer Season on the Seafront.

When she’s not writing, Katie spends her time drinking gin, or with her husband, trying to keep alive her two children: Ellie, who believes everything in life should be performed like a musical number from a West End show; and Sam, who is basically a monkey with a boy’s face. And there’s also their adorable King Charles Spaniel, Wotsit (yes, he is named after the crisps!).

For more about Katie you can visit her website: http://www.keginger.com, find her on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/KatieGAuthor, or follow her on Twitter: @KatieGAuthor.

One For the Blackbird, One For the Crow by Olivia Hawker @tlcbooktours @amazonpub @luauthors #bookreview

Happy Tuesday everybody!

So excited about this book! Do you ever read a historical book and think wow that was really interesting, but I’m sure glad I did not live back then? That was me with this book, I was definitely born in the right century!

My Thoughts

Olivia Hawker’s descriptive storytelling Whisked me away to 1870s Wyoming. Gritty and raw this is a tale about resilience, acceptance, and forgiveness. Two families living on the Wyoming Prairie with their nearest neighbors over 20 miles away. When the husband of one family and the wife of another are caught in a compromising position. One man is killed and the other man is sent to jail, leaving the women Cora and Nettie Mae to pick up the pieces. Life on the frontier is hard and these women have to find a way past their grief, guilt, and hurt and help each other survive.

The strength of the story was in these characters. They will tug at your heart strings, you will cry with them, you will sweat with them, you will laugh with them, and you’ll pray with them. The main focus of the story for me was Beulah. Beulah was such a free spirit with a spark of magic. This was a quiet understated story that was loosely based on the author’s own family history. Sometimes it’s just nice to cozy up with a good book! An old fashion well told story full of colorful characters and descriptive writing that envelops you.

This book in three emojis: 💪🏻 👩🏼‍🌾 🙏🏻

*** Big thanks to Lake Union for my copy of this book ***

About the Book

From the bestselling author of The Ragged Edge of Night comes a powerful and poetic novel of survival and sacrifice on the American frontier.

Wyoming, 1876. For as long as they have lived on the frontier, the Bemis and Webber families have relied on each other. With no other settlers for miles, it is a matter of survival. But when Ernest Bemis finds his wife, Cora, in a compromising situation with their neighbor, he doesn’t think of survival. In one impulsive moment, a man is dead, Ernest is off to prison, and the women left behind are divided by rage and remorse.

Losing her husband to Cora’s indiscretion is another hardship for stoic Nettie Mae. But as a brutal Wyoming winter bears down, Cora and Nettie Mae have no choice but to come together as one family—to share the duties of working the land and raising their children. There’s Nettie Mae’s son, Clyde—no longer a boy, but not yet a man—who must navigate the road to adulthood without a father to guide him, and Cora’s daughter, Beulah, who is as wild and untamable as her prairie home.

Bound by the uncommon threads in their lives and the challenges that lie ahead, Cora and Nettie Mae begin to forge an unexpected sisterhood. But when a love blossoms between Clyde and Beulah, bonds are once again tested, and these two resilient women must finally decide whether they can learn to trust each other—or else risk losing everything they hold dear.

Purchase Links

Amazon | Books-A-Million | Barnes & Noble

Connect with Olivia

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Let’s Connect

Instagram|

Goodreads|

Twitter|

Have a Beautiful day!🌻

Berit☀️✨

A Spell of Murder by Kennedy Kerr @kennedykerr5 @bookouture #bookreview

Happy New Week All!

Excited to share my review with you today for this fun witchy perfect for October book!🔮

My Thoughts

Witches. Small town. Cozy mystery. Yes please!

Kennedy Kerr has crafted a spellbinding cozy mystery. Two witches, A murder, a little magic, a little humor, and a lot of fun! The book takes place in the small town of Lost Maidens Loch Scotland this was the perfect backdrop for this atmospheric mystery with a touch of magic. After the murder of a local teacher the new constable Angus Harley calls upon Temerity for some supernatural help. Temerity is able to divine things after touching objects; where they came from, who they belong to, and the emotions involved. Harley is skeptical at first that is until Temerity proves him wrong. This is a relationship I am excited to see develope over the course of the series. Temerity’s sister Tilda was also a colorful character who I am looking forward to getting to know even better, I also liked her parent and his wise words. The mystery was compelling and plausible and kept me guessing. This was an excellent start to what looks like an entertaining new cozy mystery series. The characters were well-developed, the mystery was well plotted, and the setting was atmospheric The witch craft was threaded throughout the story, but very understated. I think this is a mystery that will appeal to anyone who enjoys a good story. Can’t wait to see what’s next for this small Scottish village.

This book in three emojis: 🧙🏻‍♂️ 🔮 🦜

f

About the Book

In the sleepy town of Lost Maidens Loch, people sometimes disappear… Down a quiet lane in town sits a little shop full of oddities you’d probably miss if you weren’t looking for it. This is Love’s Curiosities Inc., and its owner, Temerity Love, is sought by experts all over the world for her rare and magical gift: the ability to find lost things and learn their stories.

When Lost Maidens’ pretty local school teacher is found murdered by a poisoned cup of tea, a strange antique hand mirror is discovered nearby. Temerity – with the help of witchy sister Tilda, their cats Scylla and Charybdis and the lovingly eccentric local townspeople – is determined to divine the story behind the mirror and its part in Miss Molly Bayliss’ untimely death.

If only grumpy out-of-towner Angus Harley of Lost Maidens Police wasn’t on the scene. Temerity can’t solve the crime without him, but he’s distracting, and in more ways than one. Can this unconventional duo solve the most mysterious murder ever to blight Lost Maidens Loch before the killer strikes again?

A magical and unputdownable whodunnit, perfect for fans of Adele Abbott, Amanda M. Lee and Leighann Dobbs.

About the Author

Kennedy Kerr is the author of the Lost Maidens Loch witch-themed cozy mystery series. She is from a Scottish family and adores the magic and mystery of Scotland and all the Celtic lands: cairns, misty mountains, stone circles and misty lochs are her particular favourite things. She is the proud owner of a cuddly black cat called Twinkle, who evidently believes she is a princess.

Kennedy also loves cooking and baking all types of food, which is almost as much fun as eating it.

 

Author Social Media Links

 

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/kennedykerrauthor/

 

TWITTER: https://twitter.com/KennedyKerr5

 

 

Let’s Connect!

Instagram|

Goodreads|

Twitter|

Have a magnificent day!🌼

Berit☀️✨

Wrapped Up For Christmas by Katlyn Duncan @katlyn_duncan @rararesources #bookreview

Happy Sunday all!

This was a Christmas book for Christmas lovers! It read like a Hallmark movie, so sweet and festive!🎁🎄

Wrapped Up for Christmas

It’s the most wonderful time of the year… but not for Angie Martinelli…

Having lost her boyfriend, job, and apartment all in the space of a week, Angie has no choice but to leave California and return to her family in New England.

Determined not to let life weigh her down, Angie finds work at the local mall where she worked as a teenager. After an embarrassing run-in with a handsome stranger, Nick, she’s convinced her luck is about to change.

But Nick has secrets of his own… and as the first flakes of snow begin to fall, Angie can’t help but wonder if she’ll ever find love.

My Thoughts

Katlyn Duncan has written a festive feel-good story bursting with holiday cheer! The entire time I was reading this I was thinking to myself, this is like reading a Hallmark movie. So it was no surprise to find out after I was finished that Katlyn is a big fan of the Hallmark Christmas movies and wrote this with them in mind. This was definitely a cozy up in a warm blanket with some hot chocolate and Christmas music in the background kind of read.

Angie has returned home to Connecticut after a bad breakup that also lead to the loss of her job in California. This was not how Angie had planned on spending the Christmas holidays, but it is nice to be home enveloped in the warmth of her family and friends. Determined to start over Angie finds herself a new job and perhaps even a new love interest. But is it too soon? Nick is a great guy handsome and kind, but what is he hiding? A dash of drama, a peppering of secrets, a sprinkling of romance, and a generous dose of holiday cheer. Angie was a great character, I loved her heart, her family, and her friends. The connection between Angie and Nick was so sweet, The romance happened a bit speedily, But the Christmas season is short. This is an absolute must read for anyone who is a fan of a feel good festive Christmas story!

This book in three emojis: 🎁 ❤️ 🎄

*** Big thanks to HQ Digital for my copy of this book ***

Purchase Links

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2NGuQyc
Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/2HBoxs2
B&N: http://bit.ly/32fCF1R
Google Play: http://bit.ly/2NGvUlG
iBooks: https://apple.co/2LmsotI
Kobo: http://bit.ly/32jrSUl
Books2read universal link: http://bit.ly/34deOBH

Author Bio –

Coming from a small town in Western Massachusetts, Katlyn Duncan always had her head in the clouds. Working as a scientist for most of her adult life, she enjoyed breaking down the hows and whys of life. This translated into her love of stories and getting into the minds of her characters.

Currently, she’s a full-time author and freelance writer. When she’s not writing, she’s obsessing over many (many) television series’.

She currently resides in Southern New England with her family. Check out more about her writing and current TV addiction in her newsletter, and on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter!

SCBWI & RWA Member.

Social Media Links –

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authorkatlynduncan/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/duncankatlyn/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/katlyn_duncan

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/duncankatlyn/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7060690.Katlyn_Duncan

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/katlyn-duncan

Newsletter sign up: https://www.subscribepage.com/q6i5n1

Giveaway to Win a book of your choice from The Book Depository up to the value of $25 (Open Internationally)

*Terms and Conditions –Worldwide entries welcome, so long as The Book Depository delivers to your country.  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/33c69494287/?

Smoke in Her Eyes by Anna Belfrage @tlcbooktours #bookreview

Happy Friday afternoon all!

Excited to share with you today my review for this sweet and steamy book. 🔥

My Thoughts

Imagine that someone has been searching for you for their past 50 lives? This is the second book in this steamy series, the book can definitely be read as a standalone, but will be better appreciated if you have read the first book. This is the story of Helle, Jason, and Sam Wolf three people whose lives have previously collided. This is however not a love triangle, one of these men is seeking love and the other is seeking to destroy it. The most frequent complaint I hear from people about romance is they’re too predictable, this story was not! It was unique, Creative, and clever. Reincarnation does play a part in the story, but if that’s not your jam I think the book will still work. The characters were so vividly and boldly drawn. The chemistry between Helle and Jason was off the charts HOT! If you are not someone who likes steam and sizzle with their romance, this is probably not the book for you, The door is pretty wide-open in this one! A well told romance when you’re in the mood for something a little different. Guaranteed to make you smile and swoon!

This book in three emojis: 🔥 💑 🔗

About the Book

Six months ago, Helle Madsen would have described herself as normal. Now she no longer knows if that terms applies, not after her entire life has been turned upside down by the reappearance of not one, but two, men from her very, very distant past.

Helle Madsen never believed in mumbo-jumbo stuff like reincarnation—until she came face to face with Jason Morris, a man who purportedly had spent fifty lives looking for her. Coping with being reunited with the lover from her ancient past was one thing. Having Sam Woolf, her vindictive nemesis from that same ancient past join the party was a bit too much. Suddenly, Helle finds herself the reluctant heroine of a far-flung, time-transcending epic story, one in which pain and loss seem to play a very big part.

This time round, Jason and Helle are determined to make it to the happily ever after. Unfortunately, Sam Woolf will stop at nothing to crush them. That ride into the golden sunset seems awfully far away at times…

Purchase Links

Amazon | Books-A-Million | Barnes & Noble

Connect with Anna

Website | Facebook | Twitter

Let’s Connect

Instagram|

Goodreads|

Twitter|

Have a Beautiful day!🌻

Berit☀️✨

Lies in White Dresses by Sofia Grant @wmmorrowbooks @tlcboktours

TGIF!

What a week! I have felt behind all week probably because I have been behind! But I think I will finally be all caught up and have the weekend to maybe even get a little ahead! Excited to share with you today my review for this book that really emphasize the importance of female friendship!👯‍♀️

My Thoughts

Sofia Grant has written an enlightening and engaging story about a part of history I did not previously know about. In The 1940s and 50s women seeking a divorce would take up residence in Reno Nevada where they could acquire a divorce in six weeks, the “Reno Cure“. This was the story of best friends Francie and Vi Who are traveling together on a train to Reno both seeking a divorce for very different reasons. While on the train they come across June a young lady fleeing an abusive husband, the friends sympathize with June’s plight and take her and her young daughter under their wings. After a night of dinner, drinks, and dancing, a celebration of their new found freedom, a tragedy strikes that will alter these characters lives forever.

This is a story about the strength of female friendship in a time when women had far fewer options than they do today. The story also addressed some other issues such as abuse, homosexuality and disability, made you realize how far we have come, but remember how far we still have to go. Sometimes I had to take a couple steps back and realize that this was the 50s and a different time. I loved the strong theme of friendship running throughout the story, that could be found in the most unlikely of situations. Virgi The 12-year-old daughter of the lady who ran the hotel added some levity to the story. I loved watching her spy on everyone, gather clues and make inferences that were completely incorrect. A miniature Nancy drew, Who ultimately save the day. The perfect blend of drama, history, friendship, and girl power!

This book in three emojis: 👯‍♀️ 💍 🔍

*** Big thanks to William Morrow for my copy of the books ***

About Lies in White Dresses

• Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks (September 17, 2019)

Award winning author Sofia Grant weaves an entrancing tale of female friendship and new beginnings inspired by the true stories of those who “took the Reno cure”. In the 1940s and 50s, women who needed a fast divorce went to Nevada to live on a ranch with other women in the same boat.

“Sofia Grant entices us into following three women seeking the Reno Cure, as they overcome their disillusionment over the lives they expected to have and summon the bravery to embrace new and unexpected paths.” –Marie Benedict, New York Times bestselling author of The Only Woman in the Room

Francie Meeker and Vi Carothers were sold a bill of goods: find a man, marry him in a white wedding gown, and live happily ever after. These best friends never expected to be on the train to Reno, those “lies in white dresses” shattered, their marriages over.

On board the train they meet June Samples, who is fleeing an abusive husband with her daughter, and take the vulnerable young mother under their wing.  The three decide to wait out the required six weeks together, and then they can toss their wedding bands into the Truckee River and start new lives as divorcees.

But as they settle in at the ranch, one shocking moment will change their lives forever. As it brings their deceptions and fears into focus, it will also demand a reckoning with the past, and the choices that a person in love can be driven to make.

Purchase Links

HarperCollins | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Photo by Madeira James

About Sofia Grant

Sofia Grant has the heart of a homemaker, the curiosity of a cat, and the keen eye of a scout. She works from an urban aerie in Oakland, California.

Find out more about Sofia at her website, and connect with her on FacebookTwitter, and Instagram.

Bonfires and Hot Chocolate at the Little Duck Pond Café by Rosie Green @rararesources #bookreview

Happy Tuesday all!

Fall is finally in the air and this is the perfect book to curl up with on a cool afternoon!🍂🍂🍂

Bonfires & Hot Chocolate (at the Little Duck Pond Café)

If you love all the colours of autumn, you’re sure to warm to this uplifting story of love, loss and starting over.

Primrose Wilkins arrived in Sunnybrook with a burning desire to find the family she’s never known. But after a heart-breaking false start, she’s beginning to have second thoughts. Can she find the courage to battle on in her quest? And with her romantic life at an all-time low, will meeting the intriguing and attractive Callum Davy be just what she needs to renew her faith in love?

Meanwhile, Fen is also finding it hard to be brave. She’s made it through to the final of TV show ‘Battle of the Bakes’ (thanks to Ellie entering on her behalf), but she’s always shied away from being in the spotlight. How will Fen cope now that she’s a famous ‘celebrity’, recognised in the street everywhere she goes?

My Thoughts

The perfect way to kick off your fall reading! I could feel the crisp in the air, the crunch of the leaves, and the warmth of the hot chocolate. Always lovely coming back to Sunnybrook and spending time with these charming characters. I loved all the fall festivities it made me feel all warm and cozy. Also all the delicious fall goodies! It appears as though they are not quite as obsessed with pumpkin everything in the UK as we are in the US! Once again Rosie Green has written a story that made me smile and a little bit hungry.

This was the seventh book in the Little Duck Pond Café series and probably my favorite so far! I thought the series wouldn’t be as good after the storyline veered away from the original trio, but I was wrong. This story was about Primrose Who we were introduced to in the last book. Primrose has come to town seeking out her biological grandmother and finds a job at the café. Primrose is a colorful character both in personality and dress. She has a big heart and a love for dogs. There is a bit of a love triangle although I was pretty sure of who the final love interest would be and I was glad for that. But what will happen when Primrose does or doesn’t find a family connection in Sunnybrook? The secondary storyline was about Fen and what happened at the end of her time on the baking reality television show. We also got periodic glimpses of Ellie and her wedding planning (is the next book about the wedding?). Another wonderful addition to this charming series and even though this was the seventh book I think it would work just fine as a standalone. However I would strongly encourage you to spend as much time as you can with these characters in this town at this café!

This book in three emojis: 🐕 ☕️ 🧬

Purchase Links

US – https://www.amazon.com/Bonfires-Chocolate-Little-Duck-Pond-ebook/dp/B07XF1FDQC

UK – https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bonfires-Chocolate-Little-Duck-Pond-ebook/dp/B07XF1FDQC

Author Bio

Rosie has been scribbling stories ever since she was little.

Back then, they were rip-roaring adventure tales with a young heroine in perilous danger of falling off a cliff or being tied up by ‘the baddies’.

Thankfully, Rosie has moved on somewhat, and now much prefers to write romantic comedies that melt your heart and make you smile, with really not much perilous danger involved at all – unless you count the heroine losing her heart in love.

Rosie’s brand new series of novellas is centred around life in a village cafe. The latest, ‘Bonfires & Hot Chocolate at the Little Duck Pond Cafe’, is out now.

Watch out for ‘A Winter Wedding at the Little Duck Pond Cafe’, which will be published Christmas 2019.

Rosie is also writing a full-length, standalone book for Christmas 2019, entitled ‘Snowflakes over Moondance Cottage’.

Follow Rosie on Twitter – https://twitter.com/Rosie_Green1988