The First Time We Met by Jo Lovett **Book Review** @rararesources

Happy Thursday!

Do you believe in love at first sight? Then do I have the book for you! And even if you don’t you’ll enjoy this lovely romantic story.☔️

My Thoughts

Do you believe in love at first sight? Jo Lovett will tug at your heart strings with this romantic story. Izzy and Sam first meet in December when Izzy is working as a waitress. There is an instant spark when these two meet. So why does Sam say no when Izzy asks him out? Well he has a good reason… it is his wedding day. Time passes: marriage, children, new jobs, new countries, and yet they cannot seem to forget. Over a decade has passed and Sam reaches out to Izzy ostensibly for help for his son. They begin an email correspondence, but an ocean, many yearsand relationships, separate these two. Will they be able to rekindle the spark?

Do you believe in “the one“? OK full confession- I do not necessarily believe in love at first sight or the one and yet I really enjoyed this story. Both Izzy and Sam were fabulous characters. I found them both so kind, genuine, and likable. Also found them both quite frustrating at times. I wasn’t always thrilled with some of the characters choices and didn’t like how fickle Izzy was throughout most of the book. Nevertheless, this was an engaging story that warmed my heart.

This book in emojis 🥄 🤰🏻 ☕️ 🎨 🐑 📩 ☔️

*** Big thank you to Bookouture for my gifted copy of this book. All opinions are my own. ***

About the Book

What if you met The One on his wedding day?

Izzy doesn’t believe in love at first sight, but when Sam walks into the cafe where she works one winter’s morning, she knows without a doubt that he’s The One. Too bad Sam’s getting married. Today.

Nearly a year later, Izzy still can’t stop thinking about Sam, the one that got away, but she knows it’s time to move on: he’s a married man and probably wouldn’t recognise her if he passed her on the street.

But Sam has never forgotten Izzy, the funny, gorgeous woman who asked him out on his wedding day. If the timing had only been better, he knows they could have had something wonderful.

When Izzy and Sam’s paths finally cross again, everything has changed. But with the Atlantic Ocean and decades of baggage between them, they are about to find out whether some obstacles are too big for even true love to overcome.

An unforgettable love story about what happens when the stars finally align. Fans of One Day in December, The Day We Met and Jojo Moyes will fall head over heels for The First Time We Met.

About the Author

Jo Lovett lives in London with her family.

She worked in Corporate Tax before taking a longer-than-expected career break to have more-than-expected children (five). She started writing romantic comedy when she realised that she was regularly begging her oldest son to let her do his English homework but she wasn’t actually that interested in haunted houses or Macbeth.

Jo was runner-up in the Good Housekeeping/ Orion First Novel Competition 2018 and shortlisted for the Comedy Women in Print Award 2019.

When she can escape from her laundry mountain and childcare, she enjoys reading, tennis and wine.

https://twitter.com/JoLovettWrites

Buy Links:

Amazon: https://bit.ly/2HSL06J

Apple: https://apple.co/3akac09

Kobo: https://bit.ly/31Oiyt6

Google: https://bit.ly/30PqKdk

The Confession Club by Elizabeth Berg #bookreview

Happy Sunday all!

This was such a fun uplifting read perfect for this time of year! And it is the perfect length to squeeze in before 2020!

My Thoughts

What a sweet uplifting story that just made me feel good! A perfect palate cleanser from all those twisted thrillers. Good people behaving kindly, rather than despicable people behaving badly. This is the third book in this small town series that takes place in Mason Missouri. All three books can be read as standalones, but I strongly encourage you to read the first book “The Story of Arthur Trueluv”, it is the true gem in this series. This story as well as the second in the series are both very sweet however not quite as special.

In this book we are reunited with some familiar characters, Iris who we met in the second book as well as Maddie who has been in all three books. We are also introduced to many new characters including the ladies of the “confession club“. This was a group of ladies who met weekly and confess their secrets to this supportive group of friends. Iris and Maddie are the newest members of the club and it is good timing because they both need a little support. Iris has recently fallen for an unlikely Man and Maddie is struggling with telling her husband that she wants to move back home. Elizabeth Berg is so good at creating that small town vibe. I just loved how kind and supportive these characters were. I also loved the impact that Arthur still has on these characters and this community. Such a lovely feel good story, can’t wait to see what’s next in store for this charming small town.

This book in emojis 📖 ☕️ 🍰 🐶

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

About the Book

USA TODAY BESTSELLER • An uplifting novel about friendship, surprising revelations, and a second chance at love, from the New York Times bestselling author of The Story of Arthur Truluv.

When a group of friends in Mason, Missouri, decide to start a monthly supper club, they get more than they bargained for. The plan for congenial evenings—talking, laughing, and sharing recipes, homemade food, and wine—abruptly changes course one night when one of the women reveals something startlingly intimate. The supper club then becomes Confession Club, and the women gather weekly to share not only dinners but embarrassing misdeeds, deep insecurities, and long-held regrets.

They invite Iris Winters and Maddy Harris to join, and their timing couldn’t be better. Iris is conflicted about her feelings for a charming but troubled man, and Maddy has come back home from New York to escape a problem too big to handle alone. The club offers exactly the kind of support they need to help them make some difficult decisions.

The Confession Club is charming, heartwarming, and inspiring. And as in the previous books that take place in Mason, readers will find friendship, community, and kindness on full display.

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Have a Beautiful day!🌻

Berit☀️✨

In the Heart of Windy Pines by Holly @rararesources #bookspotlight

Happy Sunday all!

Ten days until Christmas! Can’t even believe it! Here is a cute cozy novella to add to your holiday reading list!

In the Heart of Windy Pines

From the author of Kindle Unlimited All-Star winner Sweet Hollow Women comes a new novella featuring characters from Murder at Mistletoe Manor, Carnage at the Christmas Party, and The Port Elspeth Jewelry Making Club!

Klarinda Snow is the innkeeper of Mistletoe Manor in beautiful, remote, Windy Pines, Idaho, where she brings her unique brand of hospitality to the tiny mountain town.

When she finds her inn unexpectedly fully booked on a snowy Tuesday night in November, it brings back memories of a tragedy years before. Before she knows what hit her, she and her trusty team of employees (Myrtle, Pierre, and her new night manager, Josephine), have found themselves back at the task of solving another mystery at Mistletoe Manor!

While this book can be enjoyed as a stand-alone novella, if you plan to read the books in the Windy Pines Mystery series or The Port Elspeth Jewelry Making Club, it’s highly recommended you read those first, as this book contains spoilers that could affect your ability to enjoy them.

Purchase Links

Author Bio –

Holly Tierney-Bedord lives in Madison, Wisconsin. She’s the author of over twenty books including The Woman America Loves a Latte, The Port Elspeth Jewelry Making Club, and Kindle Unlimited All-Star winner Sweet Hollow Women.
For more information or to subscribe to Holly’s newsletter, visit http://www.hollytierneybedord.com.

Tweets by HollyTierney

https://www.instagram.com/authorhollytierneybedord/

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https://www.facebook.com/HollyRecommends/

Giveaway to Win a $5 Starbucks card (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.

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Giveaway to Win a complete collection of Holly Tierney-Bedord audiobooks (Open UK / US Only)

Only open to those who have a UK or US Amazon Audible Account.

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A Christmas Hamster by Stephanie Dagg @rararesources #bookreview

TGIF!

Is anyone else like me and panicking that Christmas is fewer than two weeks away? Where did all this time I thought I had go? This was another cute fun Christmas story that definitely put me in the holiday mood! Now if I could just get someone to get me motivated to shop and wrap presents!🎁🐹

A Christmas Hamster

Cam’s career and romantic prospects take a nose dive once she becomes guardian to her young nephew. She leaves a bustling Dutch city to move to a small, dull country town in England, and where once she restored magnificent old paintings to their former glory, now she operates the paint-mixing machine at a soulless hardware store. As much as she adores little Rowan, life has lost some of its sparkle.

However, a handsome and charming customer causes her heart to flutter once more. Fate, alas, seems determined to hamper any possibility of them getting together. So what chance does a tiny, naughty hamster have of bringing happiness this Christmas?

This is a festive, light-hearted and uplifting romcom novella.

My Thoughts

The Book is as cute as the cover!!! Short and sweet. Festive and furry! This was just a feel-good, fun, uplifting story with some holiday vibes. There was some major cuteness factor going on in this book, and a hamster and a cat who stole the show! Cam has made some major life changes in order to take care of her young nephew Rowan. She is now working at a hardware store mixing pate, doing mommy and me things, and taking care of her menagerie of animals. Then one day she has a meet cute with a guy she is waiting on at the hardware store, but will she ever see him again? Well if Harley the hamster has anything to do with it, she absolutely will! I am not a big fan of hamsters, but this one was too adorable and quite the matchmaker. This is the type of story that puts a big smile on your face and fills your heart with Cheer! A must read for anybody who is a fan of Christmas romances or hamsters.

this book in emojis 🐱 👩‍👦 🐹 🖌 🎄

Purchase Links

Amazon UK https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0817TSD58

Universal link getbook.at/XmasHamster

Author Bio –

I’m an English expat living in France, having moved here with my family in 2006 after fourteen years as an expat in Ireland. Taking on seventy-five acres with three lakes, two hovels and one cathedral-sized barn, not to mention an ever increasing menagerie, makes for exciting times. The current array of animals ranges from alpacas to zebra finches, with most letters of the alphabet represented. And of course there are hamsters!

I’m a traditionally-published author of many children’s books, and have been self-publishing fiction and non-fiction for adults for the last seven years. I combine freelance work as an editor with running carp fishing lakes with husband Chris. When time allows I enjoy cycling, geocaching, knitting and gardening.

Social Media Links –

@llamamum

@penandfinch

https://www.facebook.com/StephanieDaggBooks/

http://www.booksarecool.com

Giveaway to Win a Hamster Christmas Tree Decoration (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.

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Snowflakes Over Moondance Cottage by Rosie Green @rararesources #bookreview

Happy Monday booklovers!

Another holiday treat from a much loved author! The gems keep coming!

Snowflakes over Moondance Cottage

When Jess Thornton’s dad was lost at sea, the family coped in different ways, alone in their grief. Now, her mum seems to be going off the rails and her sister, Isla, who moved to France, is now back and determined to get their old family home on the market. But the last thing Jess wants this Christmas is for renovations to start on the house. It’s sure to stir up all sorts of memories she’s desperate to avoid. And to make things worse, Isla appears to have hired the most obnoxious builder in the world to do the work. Jess could ignore the fact that women seem to be putty in his hands. But what she finds harder to ignore is the frisson she gets every time she squeezes past him in the mess that is now their beloved old home! Can the family finally start talking and find a way to move on from the past this Christmas?

My Thoughts

Emotional and entertaining with a festive feel! Rosie Green has written a beautiful story that hit me right in the heart. I went in expecting a heartwarming Christmas romance and got so much more. It was heartwarming, there was a romance, and it does take place around Christmas, but this book was more focused on grief and the bonds of family. Sisters Jess and Isla Lost their father over three years ago and they are both contending with their grief but in very different ways. When Isla returns from France she feels it is time to renovate and sell the family home. Jess is determined to not let this happen especially at Christmas. But soon she finds herself not only dealing with a mother who has been acting strangely, but a rude contractor that makes her heart pitter patter a bit faster. What follows is a lovely story that will make you smile, cry, and want to hug your loved ones A little tighter.

I really loved getting to know these sisters better. Jess was easier to Like, but as I got to know Isla The better I liked her. This book really made me reflect on my own family and made me grateful my parents have already moved out of the family home. As depressing as the subject matter might sound, this book really had a lot of hope and heart in it. Another enchanting story from this fabulous author. A stunning story of family peppered with romance and holiday cheer!

*** Big thanks to the author for my copy of this book ***

Purchase Links

UK – https://www.amazon.co.uk/Snowflakes-over-Moondance-Cottage-sparkling-ebook/dp/B07XGDZ4Z2

US – https://www.amazon.com/Snowflakes-over-Moondance-Cottage-sparkling-ebook/dp/B07XGDZ4Z2

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

Coming Home to Merriment Bay Part 4 by Emily Harvale @emilyharvale @rararesources #bookreview

Happy Monday book friends!

Emily Harvale has become one of my favorite authors, I would read anything she writes. Rachel could email me with a book about antelope on a rocket trip to the moon where they encounter dinosaurs and I’d see it was by Emily and I’d say OK I’ll read it! But please don’t get any ideas! This is the last book in this fun serial and I am certainly hoping that there is more fun to be had in Merriment Bay! 🙏🏻

Coming Home to Merriment Bay: Part Four: Starry Skies

Part Four of this heartwarming four-part serial about finding the strength to put the past behind you and to reach out for a future filled with happiness and love.

Cat is reeling from the unexpected events of Christmas and as Merriment Bay prepares to toast in the New Year, she’s facing choices she never thought she’d have to make. Her head and her heart are pulling her in very different directions.

Bailey is sitting by Viola’s bedside, regaling everyone with tales from the past but is there any chance he’ll get to see a smile on the lips of the woman he still loves?

Having realised she has made mistakes, will Mary finally tell Cat what she really wants to know?

And what will the New Year bring for Kyra? Will she fulfil the plans she made before she came to Merriment Bay?

When distressing events end more than one person’s dream, can Cat find the strength to fight for the Love she deserves? Sometimes it takes a crisis to make someone realise what they truly want. And Cat has decided what – and who – that really is. But is she too late?

My Thoughts

This was the perfect ending to this delightful series. Emily Harvale sure knows how to spin a tale and tug at my heartstrings. This book hit me right in the feels! Emotional, whimsical, and charming! This book ties up all the loose strings from the previous books and does it in a beautiful heartfelt way. We finally find out if Granny Violet and Bailey rekindle there long burning flame. Best of all we finally get to see if Cat and Amias figure things out. Over 18 years of will they? Won’t they? Two smart people acting foolishly, I’m sure everyone reading this wanted to knock their heads together! I thought the conclusion to the story was perfect and I loved the backdrop of New Year’s Eve, perfect time to finally get it together. I hope this is not the last book in the series I’m sure there is more fun to be had in Merriment Bay.

This book in emojis 😢 😩 😍 🥳

*** Big thanks to the author for my copy of this book ***

Purchase Link:

 

Amazon UK – https://www.amazon.co.uk/Coming-Home-Merriment-Bay-Starry-ebook/dp/B07Z6QPTZR

Amazon US – https://www.amazon.com/Coming-Home-Merriment-Bay-Starry-ebook/dp/B07Z6QPTZR

Author Bio

Emily writes novels, novellas and short stories about friendship, family and falling in love. She loves a happy ending but knows that life doesn’t always go to plan. Her stories are sure to bring a smile to your face and a warmth to your heart.

Emily loves to connect with her readers and has a readers’ group in which many have become good friends. To catch up with Emily, find out about the group, or connect with her on social media, go to her website at http://www.emilyharvale.com.

Having lived and worked in London for several years, Emily returned to her home town of Hastings where she now writes full-time. She’s a member of the SoA and the RWA, an Amazon bestseller and a Kindle All Star. When not writing, she can be found enjoying the stunning East Sussex coast and countryside, or in a wine bar with friends, discussing life, love and the latest TV shows. Chocolate cake is often eaten. She dislikes housework almost as much as she dislikes anchovies – and will do anything to avoid both. Emily has two mischievous rescue cats that like to sprawl across her keyboard, regardless of whether Emily is typing on it, or not.

 

Social Media Links – https://www.facebook.com/emilyharvalewriter

https://www.twitter.com/emilyharvale

https://www.instagram.com/emilyharvale

 

Hanukkah at the Great Greenwich Ice Creamery by Sharon Ibbotson @rararesources #bookspotlight

Happy Monday all!

This book sounds so sweet! And I love how it incorporates not just Christmas but Hanukkah as well. Ice cream and holiday cheer, yes please!🍦

Hanukkah At The Great Greenwich Ice Creamery

Hanukkah days, Christmas nights and strawberry ice cream …

Cohen Ford is a man who could do with a little bit of sweetening up. It’s no surprise that when he walks into The Great Greenwich Ice Creamery on a typically gloomy London day before Christmas, he insists on a black coffee rather than his childhood favourite – strawberry ice cream.

But then he meets River de Luca, the woman behind the flavours. After their first encounter, Cohen begins visiting the ice creamery every Tuesday, gradually learning more about the intriguing River. Could her influence encourage cynical Cohen to become the man who embraces Christmas, Hanukkah and even strawberry ice cream?

Purchase Links

UK – https://www.amazon.co.uk/Hanukkah-Great-Greenwich-Creamery-heart-warming-ebook/dp/B07ZP92PZ8

US – https://www.amazon.com/Hanukkah-Great-Greenwich-Creamery-heart-warming-ebook/dp/B07ZP92PZ8

Author Bio – Sharon was born in Sydney, Australia but now lives in London with her husband, two small children and two black cats named for desserts. She started writing ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’ fanfiction aged 15, which eventually transformed into the historical romance novels she writes today. She has two novels published by Choc Lit, and when not writing, can be found baking cakes badly or drinking wine well.

Social Media Links –

Twitter: @seibbotson

Facebook: Sharon Ibbotson – Author

Instagram: sharonibbotson

Website: sharonibbotson.com

The Broken Girls by Simone St. James @simone_stjames @BerkleyPub #bookreview #bookbestiereadssbrokengirls

Happy Thursday bibliophiles!

Hope everybody had a wonderful Christmas, my last day of celebration was yesterday and I am worn out! Today I have a review for a book that was just released in paperback by Berkley. This was a buddy read with Kenzie and I, the only besties that have not read this yet. We thoroughly enjoyed it and are excited to have Jennifer join us in the celebration of the paperback release!👻💕

The Broken Girls by Simone St. James

My Thoughts

A haunting mystery filled with the perfect amount of chills and thrills!

Mary Hand Mary Hand, Dead and buried under land. She’ll say she wants to be your friend. Do not let her in again.

This book was a bit of a genre potpourri…. a dose of mystery, a measure of thriller,a shot of historical fiction, a sprinkling of the paranormal, and a pinch of romance! All these genres were blended seamlessly creating one heck of a book! This book definitely caught me by surprise, I really was not expecting to like it quite as much as I did… I was completely entranced by the words on the pages throughout this entire book… bravo Simone St. James!

The story was told from duel timeperiods and multiple points of view… this was done flawlessly, there was never any confusion as to time or perspective… something about Miss St. James writing just transported me completely to 1950 and 2014 Vermont….

1950 four roommates, for“misfits“ sent away to boarding school at Idlewild Hall… when one of them goes missing, the other three are the only ones convinced that there was foul play at work…. what I loved about this part of the story is we got all four of the girls perspectives, and really got to know them and their backstories… The bond that forms between these girls was unbreakable, kind of ironic when the world saw them as broken…. three smart savvy girls determined to seek justice for their friend…

2014 Fiona is still haunted by the murder of her older sister Deb… still uncertain that the right person was convicted of The crime and still drawn to Idlewild Hall where her sister’s body was found… when somebody begins to renovate Idlewild Fiona is driven to write a story about the renovation…. but as she begins to dig into the history of Idlewild she finds herself with more questions than answers… what I love most about this part of the story was Fiona herself, she was so fierce and determined, I could just feel her love for her sister coming off the pages!

Two very different stories woven together with threads of Idlewild Hall, Family, friendship, love, and a ghost… I really enjoyed both storylines equally… I was mesmerized by the past and compelled by the present… so many twists and turns that took me by surprise… so many times during this book I found myself literally sitting on the edge of my seat…. all the characters in this book were so well developed, so real, I felt as though I would know them if they were walking down the street…. although I must admit Fiona was my favorite, I really had a soft spot for her and really wanted her romance with Jamie to work out! Don’t panic if you don’t like romance, this was a very small part of the story, but I thoroughly enjoyed it!

A captivating and compelling story that I would absolutely recommend to anyone who enjoys a good thriller! Don’t let the ghost scare you off!

*** A huge thanks to Berkley for my copy of this book ***

About the Book

A suspense novel from the award-winning author of The Haunting of Maddy Clare…

Vermont, 1950. There’s a place for the girls whom no one wants–the troublemakers, the illegitimate, the too smart for their own good. It’s called Idlewild Hall. And in the small town where it’s located, there are rumors that the boarding school is haunted. Four roommates bond over their whispered fears, their budding friendship blossoming–until one of them mysteriously disappears. . . . 

Vermont, 2014. As much as she’s tried, journalist Fiona Sheridan cannot stop revisiting the events surrounding her older sister’s death. Twenty years ago, her body was found lying in the overgrown fields near the ruins of Idlewild Hall. And though her sister’s boyfriend was tried and convicted of murder, Fiona can’t shake the suspicion that something was never right about the case.

When Fiona discovers that Idlewild Hall is being restored by an anonymous benefactor, she decides to write a story about it. But a shocking discovery during the renovations will link the loss of her sister to secrets that were meant to stay hidden in the past–and a voice that won’tbe silenced. . . . 

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Book friends are the best friends! Berit☀️✨

Watching You By Lisa Jewell @lisajewelluk #bookreview #bookbestiewatchingyou #pubday

Happy Boxing Day! today is my holiday celebration with my extended family! One more day of food and festivities and then back to life, back to reality!💚❤️💚

Happy publication day in the US to this wonderful book! This was my very first Lisa Jewell Book, but it won’t be my last!💕💕

Watching You by Lisa Jewell

My Thoughts

A creepy compulsive character driven thriller that will make the hairs on the back of your neck stand up!

This is my very first book by Lisa Jewell, I know, I know, shame on me! But before you start writing me hate male, LOL, this absolutely will not be my last! Miss Jewell won me over after the first chapter! Her exceptional character developMent made my heart sing! Add in a complicated twisty plot that sucked me in from the very first page and short chapters that kept me on my toes…. and all I can say is YES! YES! YES!

The book starts out with a dead body, somebody has been murdered… but who? And why? And by whom? The story is then told from multiple different perspectives leading up to the murder…. there is a lot of speculation about Tom Fitzwilliams the new head teacher… he appears to be a little too friendly with his students especially the female ones, and what happened 20 years ago? And why does he move around so much? What I thought was so brilliant about this story is we never get Tom’s perspective, but we get that of those around him, we learn about him and form our opinions of him through their eyes…. The three primary narrators in the story see Tom in very different ways… Joey the newlywed who has just moved in twohouses away from him is seriously infatuated almost borderline obsessed with him… Freddy, Tom’s son and a kind of lovable oddball is sometimes frightened and sometimes not by him… Jana the teenager down the street and a student at Tom’s school is very creeped out by him, convinced he is acting inappropriately towards her BFF…. we also get treated to the police transcripts of the investigation peppered in throughout the book, I thought this added an additional layer to the story.

Throughout the story there is a lot of watching going on… Freddie is watching the entire neighborhood… let me just add in my opinion here, getting your teenage son high power binoculars, probably not a great idea, just saying…We also had Jenna’s mother convinced crazy shenanigans are going on, watching Tom… Jenna is watching and watching out for her BFF… Joey is watching the comings and goings of Tom and his wife… and so on, made me wonder what is going on in my own neighborhood?

This book was really all about perception and assumption, my opinion of each and every character in this book change from beginning to end…. made you realize you never really get the entire picture…. a wonderful book about the darker side of what goes on behind closed doors…

Absolutely recommend to anyone who enjoys an addictive dark twisted story with fantastically developed characters and a mystery that will keep you guessing!

*** many thanks to Random House Cornerstone for my copy of this book ***

About the Book

Melville Heights is one of the nicest neighbourhoods in Bristol, England; home to doctors and lawyers and old-money academics. It’s not the sort of place where people are brutally murdered in their own kitchens. But it is the sort of place where everyone has a secret. And everyone is watching you.

As the headmaster credited with turning around the local school, Tom Fitzwilliam is beloved by one and all—including Joey Mullen, his new neighbor, who quickly develops an intense infatuation with this thoroughly charming yet unavailable man. Joey thinks her crush is a secret, but Tom’s teenaged son Freddie—a prodigy with aspirations of becoming a spy for MI5—excels in observing people and has witnessed Joey behaving strangely around his father.

One of Tom’s students, Jenna Tripp, also lives on the same street, and she’s not convinced her teacher is as squeaky clean as he seems. For one thing, he has taken a particular liking to her best friend and fellow classmate, and Jenna’s mother—whose mental health has admittedly been deteriorating in recent years—is convinced that Mr. Fitzwilliam is stalking her.

Meanwhile, twenty years earlier, a schoolgirl writes in her diary, charting her doomed obsession with a handsome young English teacher named Mr. Fitzwilliam… 

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Bestie Reviews

Jennifer @ Tarheel Reader

Mackenzie @ PhDiva

Be sure to check out the girls reviews! Unfortunately we didn’t get to read this together because we were all busy with all the holidays, but we all really enjoyed it and I am sure will be discussing it sometime today!

Book friends are the best friends! Berit☀️✨

Snowday by B. R. Maycock @BRMaycock #bookreview 🌲❄️

Happy Christmas Eve!

Thrilled to share with you today my review for this delightful book written by a fellow blogger and author!❤️💚❤️

Snowday by B. R. Maycock

My Thoughts

this was a delightful story Full of charm, warmth, and snow!

A fun festive story full of hope and heart….A book about family and the good bad and ugly side of family at the holidays…. it’s not all ho ho ho, hot chocolate, and holiday cheer… it’s all pretty complicated…This book touches on the complexities in a very realistic manner with humor and wit…

Eloise was a lovable and relatable character who completely enveloped me in her life during this book… she and I had many things in common we are both divorced single mothers with three children, and I live in Riverside, just not in the UK! I really enjoyed watching Eloise navigate her way through motherhood, the workplace, and the dating world…. this book also painted a very realistic picture of dealing with the changing family dynamics after divorce, especially in regards to the holidays…. as I mentioned it is complicated, and sometimes we mama bears get very territorial and possessive, after all these are our Cubs!

It is quite amazing how much is packed into this little book! The character development was well done and the plot was engrossing…I think what impressed me most though about this book was how real it was, it did not sugarcoat life, but it’s still made me smile and left me feeling all warm and gooey….

The perfect read when you have a snowday of your own, or in my case a rainy day!❄️💦

*** A huge thank you to the author for providing me with a copy of this most delightfull story! ***

About the Book

Sometimes hot cocoa just isn’t enough to keep you warm in the snow… 

Eloise is too busy juggling the chaos of three kids, an ever present ex-husband and a demanding boss to even remember the last time dating crossed her mind. 

But as soft snow falls silently all around, romance twinkles with the flakes. 

After being single for so long, Eloise suddenly has a lot of choices. Too many choices. Will anyone be worthy of melting the guard around her heart to let love in? 

A fun-filled, festive read for fans of Christie Barlow, Fiona Gibson and Colleen Coleman 

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About the Author

When Bernadette Maycock isn’t dreaming up vibrant leads for romantic comedies, she’s ingesting books for her blog (https://brmaycock.wordpress.com/), inparticular chick lit (her first love!) books, romantic comedies and thrillers. She can also be found playing footie or watching Marvel, DC or Star Wars moviesand cartoons in Co. Westmeath, Ireland with her brilliantly out there husband, Keith, and their four epiclittle men.

Her debut ‘It Started With A Snub’ and Christmas romantic comedy ‘Snowday’ are available now on Amazon.

Have a wonderful festive holiday evening! Berit☀️✨