Tag: Books and Authors

Optimistic October and My Reading Choices.

October this year has been a time of optimism, after a hellish three months during which I was ill ,and my much-loved cat Alexei,  died. I’m slowly feeling  better and tackling the backlog of tasks. Part of my recovery has been due to a small black cat. I previously owned and loved two black cats. The most loving of cats. Heartsore, I’d no plans to get another cat. I was emotionally drained ,with my bank balance depleted after Alexei’s treatment. Then I saw an appeal for a foster carer for a black cat, they are hard to place. My heart said yes,so I applied. After a some checks, I met Jinx a 12-year-old male cat. Suddenly, the house has a heartbeat again. I’m sure he’s aiding my recovery.

Jinx didn’t get the don’t sit on the table meme.

The Barefoot Bookshop on the Beach by Rebecca Raisin.

A wildly romantic, escapist summer romantic comedy, perfect for fans of Sarah Morgan and Eliza J Scott, guaranteed to make you feel like you’re on vacation already! 🏖️👣☀️💖 We need a bookseller for the Barefoot Bookshop on the Beach… apply here!

When Harper sees an ad for what must surely be the most idyllic job in the world, she’s almost tempted. But she can’t possibly leave her bookshop job in London, or her burgeoning career as a successful Bookstagram influencer… That is, until a casual remark about a debut author lands her in deep trouble.

So she applies. After all, now she’s got nothing to lose. Except maybe her heart, she realises, as she lands on the beautiful island of Ésperé in the Seychelles and finds herself seemingly surrounded by beautiful men. Including the hotel owner, moody but heartbreakingly-handsome Xavier.

But inter-staff relations are strictly forbidden. And Harper has enough on her plate, with a member of staff missing and a wily band of expats to contend with. Plus, she’s determined to make the bookshop and new start the success they deserve to be… Even if – under the blazing sunshine – the romance novel superfan in her can’t help but hope the boss of the hotel might not be quite the grump he seems…

The most romantic story you’ll read this year, with an unforgettable cast of characters that includes a giant tortoise living in a bookshop. Don’t miss it! 📚🐢🇸🇨 Genres Chick Lit Romance eBooks Contemporary Rom Com Fiction Audiobook

335 pages, Kindle Edition  Published March 7, 2026

My Review.

Easy escapist reading that will have you longing to take a holiday in the Seychelles. How could you resist a bookshop on the beach with a visiting giant tortoise? There is  mystery as to why the last bookseller left, a gorgeously grumpy  hotel boss and  lots of book world and book related  gossip and insights.

The Cottage at the Edge of the Woods by Jane Lovering.

Some houses won’t let go of the past. Some people won’t, either…

When single mum Libby is offered a life-changing sum of money to clear out an old cottage in the woods, she expects dust and decay. She doesn’t expect a house full of secrets, a room full of birds, and a woman who refuses to leave.

The handsome but stressed architect who hired Libby is also a puzzle. Why can’t Ross empty Elm Cottage himself? What can he possibly see in Libby, who has been burned by love and is wary of attachment? How can they persuade the mysterious but kindly Isobel to move on?

As Libby is pulled into the cottage’s story, she must face up to her own deepest fears. Can she help Isobel, fight the past that haunts her, and learn to open her own heart to love once more?

Genres Romance Fiction Women’s Fiction Mystery

282 pages, Kindle Edition First published February 23, 2026

My Review.

Verges on the slightly creepy and perhaps could have done with a trigger warning relating to Libby’ s past. Beyond the perceived menace of the birds something is seriously wrong. It kept me engaged but I felt there was an implausible ending

Anywhere high up for Jinx.

The DS Cross Mysteries #2

The Cyclist by Tim Sullivan .

To solve any murder, you must first know your victim . . .

THE DETECTIVE
DS George Cross has unique and unmatchable talents. He uses a combination of logic, determination and, often, pedantry to get answers where others have failed for families who have long given up hope.
So when a ravaged body is found in a local demolition site, it’s up to Cross to piece together the truth from whatever fragments he can find.
THE VICTIM
Cross has little to go on, but from the faint tan lines on the ravaged body, and strange scars on his forearms, an identity gradually a male amateur cyclist; a reliance on performance-enhancing drugs. But what happened that led to this man’s death? How did he end up here? And, most importantly, who is he?

THE FAMILY
In the face of ever-mounting challenges, including budget cuts and unreliable witnesses, Cross must first work out who the man is to have any chance of solving the murder. But in searching for this man’s identity, Cross will come up against a lot that he is unfamiliar with – jealousy, ambition and a family tearing itself apart . . .

Genres Mystery Crime Fiction Audiobook Procedural British Literature Detective

268 pages, e-book First published September 2, 2020

My Review.

Another complex case for D.S.Cross to solve, a mystery body in an abandoned garage and few clues. Piece by painstaking piece clues are collected and slowly a picture of the victim emerges. While reading I learned about the elite world of competitive cycling, for many more an obsession than simply a sport.

A challenging case for Cross, filled with complex emotions, he’s unfamiliar with. I like how the author shows how Cross’ personality is slowly changing through the course of this series. A satisfying read.

The Book Club for Troublesome Women by Marie Bostwick

USA TODAY BESTSELLER · SOUTHERN INDIE BESTSELLER · A BRENDA NOVAK BOOK GROUP PICK · GLOSS BOOK CLUB PICK · THE GIRLFRIEND BOOK CLUB PICK · A MOST ANTICIPATED BOOK OF 2025 (SheReads) · Margaret never really meant to start a book club . . . or a feminist revolution, for that matter in this bold and plucky novel from New York Times bestselling author Marie Bostwick.

“Ideal for fans of historical fiction and those who enjoyed Bonnie Garmus’s Lessons in Chemistry.” —Library Journal, starred review

“Readers will cheer.” –Kirkus

“Perfect for those who love book club, nostalgia for the 1960s, and stories of female friendship.” –Booklist

“A feel-good beach read with . . . elements that spark a revolution.” —Southern Review of Books

By 1960s standards, Margaret Ryan is living the American woman’s dream. She has a husband, three children, a station wagon, and a home in Concordia–one of Northern Virginia’s most exclusive and picturesque suburbs. She has a standing invitation to the neighborhood coffee klatch, and now, thanks to her husband, a new subscription to A Woman’s Place–a magazine that tells housewives like Margaret exactly who to be and what to buy. On paper, she has it all. So why doesn’t that feel like enough?

Margaret is thrown for a loop when she first meets Charlotte Gustafson, Concordia’s newest and most intriguing resident. As an excuse to be in the mysterious Charlotte’s orbit, Margaret concocts a book club get-together and invites two other neighborhood women–Bitsy and Viv–to the inaugural meeting. As the women share secrets, cocktails, and their honest reactions to the controversial bestseller The Feminine Mystique, they begin to discover that the American dream they’d been sold isn’t all roses and sunshine–and that their secret longing for more is something they share. Nicknaming themselves the Bettys, after Betty Friedan, these four friends have no idea their impromptu club and the books they read together will become the glue that helps them hold fast through tears, triumphs, angst, and arguments–and what will prove to be the most consequential and freeing year of their lives.

The Book Club for Troublesome Women is a humorous, thought provoking, and nostalgic romp through one pivotal and tumultuous American year–as well as an ode to self-discovery, persistence, and the power of sisterhood.

Genres Historical Fiction Book Club Fiction Audiobook Feminism Historical

384 pages, Paperback First published April 22, 2025

My Review.

I take a slightly more jaundiced view perhaps than many readers. I’m old enough to have read this kind of story before , even the original The Group. These middle-class women have relatively privileged lifestyle, but it comes at a price. Margaret feels vague dissatisfaction, she allegedly has everything a woman could want, why isn’t it enough? Charlotte has a careless charm and glamour that baffles and intrigues Margaret. But there is much more to Charlotte and her story than  it initially appears. Perfect for reminding me of the patronising and dismissive attitudes of men of the era.

The book was reportedly carefully edited so it was shock to find the Concordia estate homes supposedly named after “ English Villages—York, Rye Exeter and the like. So, then women knew exactly what house she meant. Oxfords were by far the largest available, even Bigger than Barb’s Cambridge”

I appreciate the book is aimed at an American audience, but to call two of the world’s most famous university towns villages is quite a shocking bit of ignorance and mis information.

Note Oxford has a population of  about 168,00.Cambridge 153,00 York has a population of about 210,000 Exeter 129.00 and Rye, a true village 10,800.

Mad Mabel by Sally Hepworth

From New York Times bestselling author Sally Hepworth comes a twisty tale of justice, redemption, and one irrepressible woman who’s not done breaking the rules just yet.
Meet Elsie Mabel Fitzpatrick: eighty-one years old, gloriously grumpy, fiercely independent, and never without a hot cup of tea—or a cutting remark. She minds her own business in her quiet Melbourne suburb, until a neighbor turns up dead and the whispers start flying.

Because Elsie hasn’t always been Elsie. Once upon a headline, she was Mad Mabel Waller—Australia’s youngest convicted murderer. But was she really mad, or just misunderstood? Either way, she’s kept her secret buried for decades.

Enter seven-year-old Persephone, a relentless little chatterbox who has just moved in across the road (armed with stickers, questions, and no sense of personal boundaries); Joan, who appears to have it in for Elsie; and a healthy dose of public interest—the cops are sniffing around, and the media is circling like seagulls at a picnic.

So Mabel does what she’s always done best—she takes matters into her own hands.
Is she a cantankerous old lady with a shady past? A cold-blooded killer with arthritis? Or just someone who’s finally ready to tell her side of the story?

Sharp, surprising, and wickedly funny, this is the unforgettable story of a woman who’s spent a lifetime being underestimated—and is about to prove everyone wrong. Again.

Genres Audiobook Mystery Fiction Book Club Thriller Mystery Thriller Crime

352 pages, Hardcover First published October 1, 2025.

My Review.

A complex and challenging narrative carefully told to reveal the true story of Mad Mabel, sinner or sinned against?  Taunts, threats, Mabel has heard it all before and keeps her own counsel. But 7 year old Persephone is persistent and wily and somehow gets under Mabel’s carefully constructed carapace. One concession at a time  until Mabel realises she cares and caring has always been dangerous.

The Cairo Bridal Shop by Tess Woods.

Nestled at the bustling foot of the pyramids lies the iconic Albi Bridal Shop, where three sisters are about to break the shackles of tradition to fight for their futures.

When Mariam Albi was tragically killed, the responsibility of running the business was thrust upon eldest daughter, Sarah. Bound to the dress shop and to the demands of her husband and his spiteful mother, Sarah finds herself trapped with nowhere to turn.

Political journalist Aya is writing the story of her career while on the cusp of a thrilling new relationship with Australian-raised journalist, Gamal. When Gamal is arrested on suspicion of treason, Aya risks her life to follow her heart.

University student Lola, the youngest of the Albi girls, is finding her place in the world while masking her true identity. But her secret is exposed, putting her life in grave danger as she faces losing everything and everyone she loves.

Inspired by the stories of the ancient pharaoh queens before them, the Albi sisters must harness their inner strength to survive – for in Egypt, history runs deep but blood runs deeper.

‘Illuminating, compelling and affecting. These women stole my heart and kept me guessing until the last page. I loved it.’ Sally Hepworth

‘Tess Woods just keeps getting better—sharper, braver, and more deliciously unputdownable with every novel. In her hands, the ties that bind us become a tangle of culture, politics, longing, and the eternal question of where we truly belong.’ Melina Marchetta

‘A beautifully structured, fascinating read with such palpable passion for Egyptian people and culture. It blends myth and history and an inherent message about the importance of storytelling with such real, lovable and funny characters. And I love reading about sisters.’ Meg Bignell

‘Tess is an artist, she creates pictures with her words.’ Australian Women’s Weekly

‘Woods is a natural storyteller…Her characters are as well drawn as Melina Marchetta’s and Maeve Binchy’s.’ Writing WA

‘Is this the most anticipated book of 2026 from the most loved author?‘ Gillian O’Shaughnessy

Genres  Contemporary Book Club Fiction

380 pages, Kindle Edition Published September 1, 2026

My Review.

I treated myself to this book and finished reading it last evening, just squeaking it into my October reads. Immersive reading, you will believe you are in Cairo among the crowds, the sights, the smells. Unfamiliar to us, but home to the sisters whose bridal shop sits at the foot of the pyramids. Women worldwide have similar problems .Sarah unhappily married and with a spiteful mother-in-law .Aya , passionate, impressionable , newly in love and with a big story she wants to tell.  Lola, the baby cocooned, wanting to break free, but for her freedom comes at a price . A universal story but also a decisively Egyptian one.

I haven’t heard Jinx’s full story, he was one of four cats handed in to be euthanised ,but the vet persuaded the owner to surrender them to a rescue.I don’t know his story or the circumstances but he is in such good condition I believe he’d been well card for and loved.Together, we begin a new chapter.


Reading During a Stressful September 2026

September didn’t start well, as both my cat Alexei and I were sick. An uncaring comment from a neighbour that if anything happened, “ You can always get another cat,” prompted me to pick up the first book. Yes, I had  murder in my heart!

A Neighbour’s Guide to Murder by Louise Candlish.

‘A Neighbour’s Guide to Murder is fiendishly sharp, clever and gripping. Nobody captures the mores of neighbourhoods and communities, and multi-generational complexities, like Louise Candlish. 

She’s in a league of her own‘ Lisa Jewell

Tense, clever and bitingly observed. Superb’ Claire Douglas

Her secrets will be the death of you… When Pixie moves into Columbia Mansions, divorced Gwen is quick to take the younger woman under her wing. But as Pixie becomes entangled with her charismatic landlord Alec, the lines of friendship begin to blur.

With rumours of illicit goings-on swirling, Gwen soon realises Pixie isn’t the only one with something to hide. How well does she really know the neighbours she considers her friends?

As scandal erupts, old grudges resurface, leading to a crime that will destroy the peace of Columbia Mansions forever.

Sunday Times bestseller Louise Candlish returns with this gripping, twisted story of neighbours, secrets and murder.
*A Book of the Year in the Daily Telegraph, the Daily Mail, i-Paper and the Express*
Praise for A Neighbour’s Guide to Murder: ‘A taut, deliciously twisted tale with sting after sting… Just brilliant’ John Marrs

‘Only Murders In The Building meets Miss Marple in the most juicy and twisty way’ Steph McGovern

My Review.

Deviously plotted, taut and believable.My sympathies shifted as I read  further into the book. Then, the doubts started. Who should believe? Who could I believe? Is Gwen a reliable narrator? Is Pixie flaky or misjudged? Victim or manipulator? Definitely worth reading

Spellshop 1

The Spellshop By Sarah Beth Dunst.

The Spellshop is Sarah Beth Durst’s romantasy debut–a lush cottagecore tale full of stolen spellbooks, unexpected friendships, sweet jams, and even sweeter love.

Kiela has always had trouble dealing with people. Thankfully, as a librarian at the Great Library of Alyssium, she and her assistant, Caz—a magically sentient spider plant—have spent the last decade sequestered among the empire’s most precious spellbooks, preserving their magic for the city’s elite.

When a revolution begins and the library goes up in flames, she and Caz flee with all the spellbooks they can carry and head to a remote island Kiela never thought she’d see again: her childhood home. Taking refuge there, Kiela discovers, much to her dismay, a nosy—and very handsome—neighbor who can’t take a hint and keeps showing up day after day to make sure she’s fed and to help fix up her new home.

In need of income, Kiela identifies something that even the bakery in town doesn’t have: jam. With the help of an old recipe book her parents left her and a bit of illegal magic, her cottage garden is soon covered in ripe berries.

But magic can do more than make life a little sweeter, so Kiela risks the consequences of using unsanctioned spells and opens the island’s first-ever and much needed secret spellshop .

Like a Hallmark rom-com full of mythical creatures and fueled by cinnamon rolls and magic, The Spellshop will heal your heart and feed your soul.

Genres . Fantasy .Romance. Cozy. Audiobook . Fantasy Fiction  .Romantasy

377 pages, Hardcover First published July 9, 2024

My Review

A nice bit of escapism ,blending romance and fantasy creatures into an adventurous tale. Kiela is a librarian, so obviously has to rescue as many books as she can when the Alyssium library goes up in flames. Like many librarians she is a bit of recluse, so escaping is challenging enough without her having to interact with people. I enjoyed the idea of flying cats, Mer horses and Mer people. I felt the story dragged in parts , but then I’m not intended audience.

Betrayal: Power, Deceit and the Fight for the Future of the Royal Family by Tom Bower

The British Crown is in crisis, with constitutional threats at home and abroad. Since their infamous ‘Megxit’ split from the Royal Family, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have dominated global headlines. Ferociously controversial, not least for demanding privacy while seeking the spotlight, the Sussexes have remained a subject of gripping fascination for both supporters and cynics alike. Both camps are united on one platform: what is the endgame?         

Fighting to preserve their royal titles and privileges, In their attempts to create a Sussex brand the couple have fuelled bitter hostility. Accusations of disloyalty have been trumped by recriminations about dishonesty. Amid High Court battles with the government and the media, and the infamous publication of Spare, the Sussexes have reeled after successive Netflix flops and their doomed collaboration with Spotify – only to be ridiculed for Meghan’s self-invention as a domestic goddess.
         At a landmark moment in royal history, the Sussexes’ challenge to the British monarchy echoes worldwide. The fallout always threatens to be catastrophic. Just five years on from ‘Megxit’, can King Charles overcome the scandals that blight the family and limit the Sussexes’ threat to the monarchy? Can the broken bonds between the Houses of Sussex and Windsor ever be repaired or will the King choose to strip them of their titles and banish them forever? The Sussexes are in a race against time to solve their predicament.
With inimitable research and exclusive interviews from insiders, Britain’s leading investigative biographer Tom Bower exposes the latest contortions in the explosive Royal saga of power and betrayal.

My Review.

Although the book is controversial Tom Bower and the publishers haven’t been sued. It made interesting reading as the duo have returned to Britain. Why and for how long? Lots of speculation and rumours.

Non Fiction Biography Royalty History Biography Memoir Audio Book British Literature 464 pages, Hardcover

Published March 26, 2026 by Blink Publishing

Chance and Necessity: A Novel of Narrogin and Williams by Rosanne Dingli.

Different people, similar situations

The necessity of finding empathy

The chance of something better

It is the late 1970s in Williams, a wheatbelt town in Western Australia, just south of Narrogin. Maggie Cottonwood, pharmacy assistant, and Leo Braker, bookshop owner, form a hesitant friendship. On making piecemeal revelations—all they can bear to tell—it becomes clear their histories have similar shapes and patterns. Chance played a big role in both their lives, but so did necessity.
What went before—in the world, Australia, each of their families, to their previous spouses—shapes how they see themselves. Friends cheer and steer With wheatbelt isolation and changing times affecting decisions; with river, hills, agricultural plains and tiny communities giving them outlets for emotion, Maggie and Leo draw closer, and their stories start to brighten and merge.

In the style of Elizabeth Strout’s Olive Kitteridge, and Olive Again, Chance and Necessity focuses on location and the ordinary quotidian happenings of small-town Australians. 304 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 30, 2025. A Finalist in The WA  Premier’s Book Awards.

My Review.

West Australian author Rosanne, writes well researched and thoughtful fiction for intelligent readers.
Chance and Necessity, explores the changes the 1970s brought to rural Australia. Maggie has survived a distressing past and so has Leo in a different way. With each fresh revelation they cautiously draw closer together until a misunderstanding may end their friendship for good. Can two damaged souls find healing and redemption? I enjoyed this well researched book.

The Bookseller by Tim Sullivan.

D.S George Cross Book 7

THE SETTING
The body of a bookseller is discovered, lying in a pool of blood in his Bristol bookshop. Police have one question: how did the man meet such a violent, murderous end in this peaceful place?

THE CONFLICT
DS Cross’s ability to dismiss red herrings is challenged by a worrying development in his personal life. Hopelessly distracted, he needs to rely on those around him in a way he has never been comfortable doing before.

THE MURDER PLOT
It may be a quiet profession, but it’s full of passionate, ambitious characters who know the value of a rare book. Their extensive reading means they also know how to get away with murder.

But is that enough to fool the tenacious DS George Cross?

Genres Crime Mystery Fiction AudioBook Thriller Procedural Detective

359 pages, Kindle Edition First published January 16, 2025

My Review

The title intrigued me, I’m drawn to books about books, libraries or booksellers. In this case, the search led me to a new to me detective series, one that I will explore. I imagine George Cross might be infuriating in real life, but in fiction he’s a delight. It was interesting learn more about bookselling and the book trade, with the information carefully woven through the story. I had a suspect and was sure Id solved it, but of course, I hadn’t .Intrigued to find the start of the series, which I did!

Fools Gold 10

Just One Kiss by Susan Mallery

He won’t hesitate to put his life on the line…but will he ever risk his heart?
Falling for Justice Garrett was a high point in Patience McGraw’s otherwise awkward adolescence. Even after he disappeared, Patience never forgot the boy who captured her heart. Now, he’s back in Fool’s Gold, California, and her passion for him is as strong as ever. But how can she trust that he won’t abandon her again-and her daughter, too?

When bodyguard Justice Garrett was a young man, witness protection brought him to this idyllic town and he never forgot its warmth, or the sweet beauty of his childhood friend. He’s returned to open a defence academy, and the Patience he once knew is all grown up. He can’t resist her smile, or her curves. But Justice’s past doesn’t make him husband, or father, material.

Patience and Justice think they’ll succumb to just one kiss… Then one more… Okay, just one night together. But they might learn that falling in love is beyond anyone’s control.

Romance.Contemporary Romance.Contemporary Chick Lit, Fiction Adult Audiobook

My Review.

If you love as slow burn romance and a second chance romance ,this is the book for you.  Fools Gold is a town where small-town  values and warmth permeate. A relaxing bit of escapism

The Dentist by Tim Sullivan.

D.S George Cross Book 1

A homeless man. Violently strangled. No leads. Except for his past.
An outsider himself, DS George Cross is drawn to this case. The discovery of the dead man’s connection to an old cold case then pulls Cross in further. Convinced this is where the answer to the murder lies, he sets about solving another that someone has spent the past fifteen years thinking they’ve got away with.

Cross’ relentless obsession with logic, detail and patterns is what makes him so irritatingly brilliant. It doesn’t exactly make him popular with colleagues or his superiors, though. He has numerous enemies in the force wanting to see him fail.
Red flags are soon raised as suspicious inconsistencies and errors in the original detective’s investigation come to light. Now retired, this ex-cop has powerful friends in the force and a long-standing dislike of Cross.
Set in picturesque Bristol in the Southwest of England, it’s not long before the city reveals its dark underbelly, in a case of intriguing twists and turns whose result astonishes even those involved.

Difficult and awkward, maybe. But Cross has the best conviction rate in Avon & Somerset Police. By far. Will this case put an end to that?

My Review.

Interesting to read the first book in the series after reading the seventh. Apart from the intriguing case, it showed me how far George had mellowed by book seven. His partner D.S. Ottney , fulfils a humanising role for George and those he interacts with. An old case, and a link no one saw or explored. Enjoyed it

Birthright by Fiona Lowe

For fans of Robyn Carr and Kristan Higgins comes a family drama from best-selling Australian author Fiona Lowe

Is an inheritance a privilege or a right?

Margaret, the matriarch of the wealthy Jamieson family, has always been as tightfisted with the family money as she is with her affections. Sarah is the eldest child and, although successful in her own right, her achievements are overshadowed by her younger brother. Sarah feels compelled to meet Margaret’s every demand to earn her love.

After a poverty-stricken childhood, Anita has claimed the social status she’s worked so hard to achieve by marrying Cameron Jamieson. Although they have a comfortable life she’s never able to fully relax, fearing everything could change in a heartbeat.

Ellie has lived a nomadic and, according to her siblings, a selfish life leaving them to care for their aging mother. For her, freedom means staying far away from the strings attached to her inheritance. But she needs to consider her young son’s future as well.

As their mother’s health deteriorates, will long-held secrets and childhood rivalries smash this family into pieces? And who will get the money?

An addictive and page-turning story of the relationships between siblings and of deceit, betrayal and revenge.


My Review.

I found the family conflict, dilemmas, rivalries and secrets compelling. With each revelation certain behaviours and attitudes were more easily understood. My sympathies shifted as my understanding grew. Real story telling power.

Genres Fiction Romance.Contemporary Australia Family Audiobook .Women’s Fiction

450 pages, Kindle Edition First published February 19, 2018

Now for the sad news..

I tried to lose myself in books this month. Sadly, my boy, fifteen year old cat Alexei had to be euthanised.It was almost three months of hell . Worryingly ,we didn’t know what was wrong. He had normal vet visits. He’d been to a specialist vet, had an expensive blood test sent to America for analysis. He was trialing human pancreatic medicine and nothing worked. Since I came back from the UK in June,he was waking me every night between two and five times.Ravenously hungry but NOT gaining weight.

Additionally, I was sick myself for the first time in years, a persistent wheeze and cough.I tried to tough it out, until a friend bullied me into going to the doctor.He confirmed I had narrowly escaped a lung infection.

Saying goodbye to Alexi was a heartbreaking decision, one I knew was right, but it wasn’t easy.I stayed with him while he was put to sleep. In fifteen years he had known nothing but love and care.

I was bereft and lost myself in books..

Alexei asleep on the car.






Book Reviews: A Journey Through Fantasy and Romance.

August hasn’t been a happy month as both my cat and I were sick.It was huge shock to me to be off colour, because I’m fortunate enough not to get sick. This time I wasn’t so lucky. Eventually, after some bullying by a friend,I took myself to see my doctor. A week later I was back again,as toughing it out wasn’t an option.I got a steroid inhaler and a reminder that I’d narrowly avoided a lung infection.

I certainly wasn’t social, so like all good book lovers I retreated into the world of books,and occasional TV.

The Astral Library by Kate Quinn,

From New York Times bestselling author Kate Quinn comes a gorgeously written fantastical adventure which poses the question: Have you ever wished you could live inside a book? Welcome to the Astral Library, where books are not just objects, but doors to new worlds, new lives, and new futures.

Alexandria “Alix” Watson has learned one lesson from her barren childhood in the foster-care system: unlike people, books will never let you down. Working three   dead-end jobs to make ends meet and knowing college is a pipe dream, Alix takes nightly refuge in the high-vaulted reading room at the Boston Public Library, escaping into her favorite fantasy novels and dreaming of far-off lands. Until the day she stumbles through a hidden door and meets the Librarian: the ageless, acerbic guardian of a hidden library where the desperate and the lost escape to new lives…inside their favorite books.

The Librarian takes a dazzled Alix under her wing, but before she can escape into the pages of her new life, a shadowy enemy emerges to threaten everyone the Astral Library has ever helped protect. Aided by a dashing costume-shop owner, Alix and the Librarian flee through the Regency drawing rooms of Jane Austen to the back alleys of Sherlock Holmes and the champagne-soaked parties of The Great Gatsby as danger draws inexorably closer. But who does their enemy really wish to destroy—Alix, the Librarian, or the Library itself?

Genre ;Fantasy Fiction. Magic Realism. Audio book. Historical Fiction.

My Review.

 I adore the concept of this book; it’s totally a book lovers’ dream. As the story unfolds more of our favourite books and tropes add to the  appeal of the story. Alix is an unlikely heroine and all the more realistic for it.  A book lovers’ book but more than that, an unpredictable adventure. There is satire and passion and behind the fantasy a serious message our libraries are under threat, our freedom of expression is under threat. How fitting the that the heroine should be a librarian. A book to keep and re read.

The Secrets of Sunshine by Phaedra Patrick

In the heartwarming new novel from the author of The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper , a chance encounter will lead a single father on an unexpected journey that might just help him find a second chance at love.

Mitchell Fisher hates all things romance. He works on the famous “love lock” bridge where lovers go to fasten padlocks, covering the bridge with their love stories. But to Mitchell, it’s an act of vandalism, and he enjoys his job of cutting off those padlocks. Only his young daughter, Poppy, knows that behind his grumpy veneer, Mitchell still grieves the loss of her mother.

Everything changes one fateful day when, working on the bridge, Mitchell courageously rescues a woman who falls into the river. He’s surprised to feel a connection to her, but the woman disappears before he learns her name. To Mitchell’s shock, a video of the rescue goes viral, hailing him as “The Hero on the Bridge.” He’s soon notified by the mysterious woman’s sister, Liza, that she has been missing for over a year—and the only clue to where the woman could have gone is the engraved padlock she left on the bridge.

Mitchell finds himself swept up in Liza’s quest to find her lost sister. Along the way, with help from a sparkling cast of characters, Mitchell’s heart gradually unlocks, and he discovers that new beginnings can be found in the unlikeliest places…

Fiction,Roamnce.Audiobook.Contemporay. Chick Lit.Mystrey Adult

My Review

I find this quirky book difficult to categorise, as it’s part romance, part mystery. Unusual characters, and a storyline that meanders along. I found it quite readable.It was annoying to realise it had been previously published under the title The Secrets of Love Lock Bridge and I’d already read it.

You Say It First by Susan Mallory.

The #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Fool’s Gold romances invites you to visit Happily Inc., a wedding destination founded on a fairy tale

Sculptor Nick Mitchell grew up in a family of artists and learned from his volatile father that passion only leads to pain. As he waits on a new commission, he takes a day job as a humble carpenter at a theme wedding venue. The job has its perks—manly the venue’s captivating owner, Pallas Saunders. Although he won’t let love consume him, for ecstasy with an expiration date, he’s all in.

Pallas adores Weddings in a Box. But if she can’t turn the floundering business around, she’ll have no choice but cave to her domineering mother and trade taffeta for trust funds working at the family’s bank. Then when a desperate bride begs Pallas for something completely out of the box, her irresistible new hire inspires her. Nick knows she doesn’t belong behind a desk, and she knows in her heart that he’s right—where she really belongs is in his arms.

My Review

Initially a slow start and I struggled with the name Pallas for some reason. I disagree with the write up above. At first I got the impression Pallas is half hearted about Wedding in a Box as she considers joining the bank. Her mother’s dream for her. I related to control aspect of the  mother- daughter relationship. Sculpted sculptor Nick is the whole package charm, creative talent and good looks.  But, he’s only staying temporarily and Pallas doesn’t want her heart broken. I cheered for these  two and their passion for making other’s wedding dreams come true

The Cat Who Solved Three Murders by L.T. Shearer.

 Conrad the Cat Detective 2

The Cat Who Solved Three Murders by L T Shearer is a charming cosy crime read for fans of Richard Osman and S. J. Bennett.

Retired police detective Lulu Lewis’s life changed forever when she met a street cat named Conrad. There’s something very special about Conrad, but it’s a secret she has to keep to herself.

When Lulu takes her narrowboat to Oxford, she is planning nothing more stressful than attending a friend’s birthday party. And drinking a few glasses of Chardonnay.

But a brutal murder and a daring art theft means her plans are shattered – instead she and Conrad find themselves on the trail of a killer.

A killer who may well strike again.

Mystery Fiction.Crime Cats. Audiobook.Cozy Mystery.Murder Mystery

315 pages, Kindle Edition First published October 25, 2023

My Review.  

I had hoped to start the series at book one, but my local library for some reason didn’t have book one only two and three. I decided to give it a go anyway as I enjoy both cosy mysteries and books with cat characters .Some  cat character communicate with their person telepathically, but Conrad actually talks. He’s a smart ex -street cat and chose Lulu and her narrow boat for his new person and home. Lula is a retired detective staying with  friends for a swish party when murder enters the plot. Conrad is  essential in pointing out a clue.

Bonus at the  end of  the book you get a prequel to Book one ( seems  a bit weird)  but I leant how Lulu and Conrad met

The Marriage Trap By Victoria Purman.

From the bestselling author of The Radio Hour comes this charming but pointed look at the tumultuous extraordinary decade of the 1960s, and the effects of the pill, rebellion and new ideas on ordinary Australian women as alongside shorter skirts and the Beatles, they embrace freedom…

1960s The Langley family – Olive, Len and their two daughters, twenty-year-old Cathy and ten-year-old Evelyn – live a peaceful suburban life, although Grandma Langley turns up each Sunday lunch like a bad fairy to castigate them for their dubious morals.

Cathy, training to be a teacher, thinks women have it tough. No sex until marriage, then no work, child after child and the sacrifice of their desires to church, husband and family. Cathy is determined not to marry right away. Once married, it’s all over. A life no longer her own.

Young Evelyn wants to be a fairy princess … until she sees for herself the price women pay for such dreams.

When the new contraceptive pill arrives women can suddenly sense freedom. But powerful forces are aligned against women’s reproductive choice and a fight begins. A fight that takes on their own doctors, the might of the Catholic church, and the outdated morality of previous generations.

Historical Ficton.Fiction Historical. Audiobook.Family

336 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 1, 2026

I think she looks like 196os model Jean Shrimpton.

My Review.

An enjoyable read illuminating the lives of so many women and girls of the era. Ambition stifled before it began, a few limited female roles which had to be given up once the girl married. The fight for control of the female body with particularly religious and medical men having the primary opinions. And moral qualms. But no one asked overworked and overburdened mothers and wives. The pill was subjected to a luxury tax so ordinary people weren’t able to have it. Sadly,I felt shortchanged by the abrupt ending of the story.

Entitled by Andrew Lowrie

The first joint biography of the Duke and Duchess of York and the first full biography of either of them, by renowned royal biographer and literary agent, Andrew Lownie.

Drawing on four years of research, numerous FOI requests and interviews with over a hundred people who have never spoken before, the book traces the lives of the late Queen’s second son and his ex-wife through their childhoods, courtship, marriage, divorce, careers, and royal and charitable activities.

Still living in the same house, they claim to be “the happiest divorced couple in the world”. The book investigates the reality of their relationship and their love lives. It charts Andrew’s record in the Falklands, his business activities and reveals details of how the couple have been able financially to sustain their extravagant lifestyles. It also recounts the full story of the Yorks’ links with Jeffrey Epstein.

Chronicling their lives in parallel, the picture that emerges is of a spoilt prince unable to connect and a duchess pushed by her insecurities into a desperate need to maintain the attention her ‘royal’ status brought. Rigorously researched and packed full of revelations, this is eye-watering biography at its best.

‘This isn’t just a royal biography. It’s a study in reputational collapse and the danger of unchecked power inside Britain’s most protected institution’ THE STANDARD

Andrew Lownie’s book ‘Entitled’ was a No.1 Sunday Times bestseller w/c 2025-08-18.

Genres Non Fiction.Biography.Audiobook,History. History Royalty.Politics.Biography.Memoir

481 pages, Kindle Edition First published August 14, 2025

My Review.

This book made me angry, and I felt soiled after reading it.
Andrew Windsor has-been a disaster in plain sight for a long time and the establishment went along with it, protected him. He and his wife are both reprehensible and rapacious people with no concept of honour, duty or anything noble at all. They created waste on an industrial scale and actually worked against the interests of the people of the Uk. They deserve nothing but contempt.Interesting that no legal challenge has been mounted against the book.

Aptly, I’ve also been enjoying the Uk TV series The Traitors, the ordinary people one with the fabulous Claudia Winkelman. Its quite addictive!

That little kitten at the back of the photograph is Alexei. In front Annabelle, who I lost last year.

He has been with me since he was 8 weeks old.

Heartwarming Fiction to Brighten Cold Days

July is winter in the Southern hemisphere, cold mornings and evenings with some sunshiny  days in between the rainy days. TV has lost its appeal ,instead  I’m curling up with a good book. My work has gone to beta readers and I’m still caring anxiously for my sick cat. He’s ok but not well. So, a little escapism is in order.

Does rain dampen your mood?

My first book this month certainly is different.

The Time Hop Coffee Shop by Phaedra Patrick.

Welcome to the Time Hop Coffee Shop, where wishes can come true…

Greta Perks was once the shining star of the iconic Maple Gold coffee commercials, the quintessential TV wife and mom. Now fame has faded, her marriage is on the rocks, her teenage daughter has become distant, and Greta’s once-glittering career feels like a distant memory.

When Greta stumbles upon a mysterious coffee shop serving a magical brew, she wishes for the perfect life in those past Maple Gold commercials. Next thing she knows, Greta wakes in the idyllic make-believe town of Mapleville, where the sun always shines and the aroma of freshly brewed coffee and second chances fill the air. Given the opportunity to live the life she dreamed, Greta is determined to rewrite her own script. But can life ever be like a coffee commercial? And what will happen when Greta has to choose between perfection and real life, with no turning back?

Fantasy Fiction.Magic Realism Time Travel.Audiobook.Cosy Contemporary.

320 page paperback.E- book=. Audiobook

My Review.

The title appealed to me; promising escapism and escapism is very attractive if you are stuck in place. Losing fame and stepping back into everyday life has proved difficult for Greta Perks ( apt name of a coffee commercial queen!) Suspend disbelief and follow Greta on her  journey. The ending was predictable but rounded out the story.

Queen Bee by Ciara Geraghty

Fifty-year-old Agatha Doyle loves her empty nest – until hot flushes, a pair of killer heels and an overbearing man who won’t stop talking conspire to change her life. In one moment of madness, she unwittingly becomes a heroine to women everywhere.

But can she become the heroine of her own life?
Sometimes you just have to wing it.

Fiction Audiobook.Contemporary,Humour.Irish Literature.Feminism.Family

 432 pages, Paperback

My Review.

While it began promisingly enough, the continuous angry tirade put me off. Maybe  if I’d been reading it at a different time, when I wasn’t personally stressed I might have seen more humour in. I finished reading and there were moments I enjoyed, but overall, just not my  book

Welcome to Pennycress Inn by Sarah Hope.

Escape to the beautiful Cotswolds with this gorgeous new romance, perfect for fans of Jessica Redland, Rachael Lucas and Phillipa Ashley ☀️💕 Laura wants to shake things up. She’s thirty-eight and has been living in her parents’ house since her divorce last year. Her siblings seem to have got their lives successful careers, happy marriages, beautiful children.

Laura’s determined to prove herself. And buying the beautiful Pennycress Inn in the idyllic Cotswolds village of Meadowfield could be just the way to do it.

But getting the inn ready for its first guests proves easier said than done! With crumbling walls, dangerous woodwork and loose roof tiles, not to mention unfriendly locals and even errant sheep, Laura soon fears she’s made the wrong choice.

Luckily a friendly face is on hand in the form of gorgeous chef, Jackson. But is he too good to be true? And just why are the villagers so against her?

Can Laura turn her life around and get the fresh start she longs for at Pennycress Inn?

Romance Fiction .Contemporary Adult .British literature

My Review.

I started out with a good feeling about this book. After a stressful few weeks ( editing and a sick cat  ) I wanted easy undemanding feel good reads. This had that in parts BUT I got a little impatient with Laura’s ” poor me “attitude and self-doubt. Genuinely some good moments, but not quite what I expected.,

The Cottage of Curiosities by Celia Anderson

Return to 59 Memory Lane with a new novel from the Kindle Top Ten bestselling author Celia Anderson!

’A brilliantly original and enchanting tale’ Sun ‘Wonderful characters make this a great read’ Good Housekeeping ‘Truly unique…unforgettable’ Woman’s Weekly

Grace Clarke is shocked to learn at the age of fifty-six that she’s adopted – it feels as though her whole life has been a lie. But it also explains a lot of things for Grace too. Including the gift that has plagued Grace since childhood – the ability to feel other people’s memories.

Could this gift be something she shared with the woman who abandoned her – the mysterious May Rosevere? And as Grace travels to the small coastal village of Pengelly to find the answers she craves, she feels her gift growing stronger. As though May is somehow calling her long-lost daughter home…

Fiction. Chick lit.Women’s Fiction.C ontemporary456 pages, Kindle Edition.

My Review.

I chose this because the title and cover appealed to me. I hadn’t read or known about 59 Memory Lane. Imagine that your life turned upside down at almost  sixty, realising that all you knew about yourself was wrong. Then, there is your secret talent. Is it  a wonderful talent or a dreadful curse, being able to read people’s memories? The story explores this and other topics in an intriguing way. Thoroughly enjoyed this and will read more of this author.

The Boardwalk Bookshop by Susan Mallory

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Susan Mallery—a story of friends who become family, giving each other courage to start over…

When fate brings three strangers to a charming space for lease on the California coast, the Boardwalk Bookshop is born. Part bookstore, part gift shop, part bakery, it’s a dream come true for Bree, Mikki and Ashley. But while their business is thriving, their personal lives are…not.

Bree, wounded by brilliant but cold parents and her late husband’s ultimate betrayal, has sworn to protect her heart at all costs. Even from Ashley’s brother, a writer and adventurer who has inspired millions. He’s the first man to see past Bree’s barricades to her true self, which terrifies her. Mikki has this divorce thing all figured out—somehow, she’s stayed friends with her ex and her in-laws…until a new man changes how everyone looks at her, and how she sees herself. Meanwhile, Ashley discovers that the love of her life never intends to marry. Can she live without being a wife if it means she can have everything else she’s ever wanted?

At sunset every Friday on the beach in front of the Boardwalk Bookshop, the three friends share a champagne toast. As their bond grows closer, they challenge one another to become the best versions of themselves in this heartachingly beautiful story of friendship, sisterhood and the transformative power of love.
 Romance Fiction.Contemporary.Chck Lit.Audio Book .Summer Reads

My Review.

A book celebrating female friendships. I enjoyed it, the women felt authentic and were there to support each other

Like many book lovers, I suspect I’m not the only one who would love to own a bookstore. Dis-regarding the hard work and worrying part of the equation. Bree’s story felt familiar to me-having a parent I could never please.

Meanwhile Mikki has a ‘good divorce’ but is that that what is keeping her stuck?

For Ashley perfect suddenly fails. Unlike in Love Story  love does mean you have to say you are sorry, and sometimes that the hardest lesson of all.

I raise my champagne glass to these believable characters and their story.

Celebrations deserve champagne

Escapism was very much in order for me this month. I’ve sent the memoir off the be advance read and critiqued.  I’m enjoying having this time to relax.

Life would be good BUT my cat is sick and waking me four to five times a night, asking for food and he’s losing weight.  We’ve had blood tests, we’ve seen a specialist  and now more expensive blood tests, are needed.

Taken in happier days.

I used to joke he was my little luxury, now I’ve spent a not an insignificant sum and so far no results. Books still allow me to escape and so does writing.New authors to find, new books or old favorites to read.

The Adventures of Dating and Writing:

A memoir explores a part of a life

Four years ago I began writing a memoir. It covered my early forced marriage, it’s breakup and loss of my children. Then, working as a bus conductor, not my ideal job, but it paid the bills. When I began writing I’d no idea how long it would take or how cathartic it would be. This week I finally wrote “ The End”.

Of course, it’s not the end at all. The work must be edited, proofread and sent to beta readers. While the book has grown, so has my understanding of my life, finally allowing for self-compassion.

Like most writers, I’m an avid reader and my reading has continued. For balance I’ve chosen to read books on the lighter side for now.

My dating life continued too with The Aussie Bloke. We went to see Jean Valjean; the movie. Part of a French Film Festival Its based on Victor Hugo’s Les Miserable with Gregory Gadebois as Jean. A deep character study and exploration of degradation, atonement and forgiveness.    

In contrast the following week Aussie Bloke brought his dogs, who are generally well behaved and attentive to him, to my place.  Henceforth known  by me as the “Hellhounds” .

Hellhounds by Boy Employee on Pixabay.

The dogs bark annoying his neighbours if left alone too long. We went to dinner, came back and settled the dogs. As I have a cat they can’t have full household access. They were allowed into the back garden and the garden room. At some time, one or both , began digging in the grass. The excavation was quite extensive. Aussie Bloke  offered to fill it,  but I foolishly said it was ok. Two days later I’d almost filled “the pit”. Dating has certainly adding excitement and variety to my life.

They really are good dogs they just got bored!

The Payback Plan by Amy Andrews.

The Karma Club 1 .

Introducing The Payback Plan, the first installment in this gorgeously spicy series The Karma Club…where just desserts are best served shared! Karma’s here to stay!

When fate strands Paige Parker at O’Hare airport during a snow storm little does she know her misfortune is the beginning of a wild and life-changing adventure. Because when she meets three complete strangers, they quickly bond over shared tales of betrayal and heartbreak. And just for fun, they concoct a scheme to exact sweet revenge on their exes!

Except when the plan becomes a reality, Paige finds herself in Cornwall with Olly Prendergast. Son of a movie star, grumpy recluse and responsible for jilting his fiancé on their wedding day with a text message. The payback plan has begun! Step one: move into his spare room and disrupt his peace and quiet. Step two: bring a pet hamster, adopt a dog and let chaos run loose. Step Three: unapologetically make a mess in his pristine house at every opportunity. Step 4: Show Mr Grumpy what fun looks like!

But Paige is unprepared when the plan begins to backfire and she starts to see the man behind the reputation. And when she can’t ignore their undeniable chemistry anymore Paige has to battle with the secret she’s been keeping from Olly and loyalty to her friend and The Karma Club…

Romance. Rom Com. Audiobook. Contemporary Fiction. Humour. 317 pages, Kindle Edition

My Review.

It starts with an impulsive promise, one that would never have happened if the women hadn’t got stuck at O’Hare airport. At first, Paige is hell bent on getting revenge , but as she gets to know Olly better, she finds herself drawn to him. He is nothing like she imagined. Some genuinely laugh out loud moments. Hot sexual chemistry and a couple who are perfect for each other,  if only they will see it.

The Grimoire Grammar School Parent Teacher Association by Caitlin Rozakis.

Two parents and their recently-bitten-werewolf daughter try to fit into a privileged New England society of magic aristocracy. But deadly terrors await them – ancient prophecies, remorseless magical trials, hidden conspiracies and the PTA bake sale

When Vivian’s kindergartner, Aria, gets bitten by a werewolf, she is rapidly inducted into the hidden community of magical schools. Reeling from their sudden move, Vivian finds herself having to pick the right sacrificial dagger for Aria, keep stocked up on chew toys and play PTA politics with sirens and chthonic nymphs and people who literally can set her hair on fire.
As Vivian careens from hellhounds in the school corridors and demons at the talent show, she races to keep up with all the arcane secrets of her new society – shops only accessible by magic portal, the brutal Trials to enter high school, and the eternal inferno that is the parents’ WhatsApp group.

And looming over everything is a prophecy of doom that sounds suspiciously like it’s about Aria. Vivian might be facing the end of days, just as soon as she can get her daughter dressed and out of the door…

Fantasy Fiction. Adult Magic. Vampires. Cozy Fantasy. Urban Magic.

My Review.

The title and cover were promising so I gave this a go. I read to the end but it’s not my book. It may be yours. There are some fun moments,  but PTA politics overshadow much of the book. If I’d been paying more attention, it was clearly on the cover. So, a mismatch.

Tell Me Why by Sandi Wallace.

Georgie Harvey and John Franklin 1

WINNER 2015 DAVITT AWARD READERS’ CHOICE

What will they risk for answers?

Picturesque Daylesford has a darker side. Melbourne writer Georgie Harvey heads to the mineral springs region in central Victoria to look for a missing farmer, and soon links the woman’s disappearance with the unsolved mystery surrounding her husband.

Meanwhile, maverick police officer and solo dad John Franklin is working a case that’s a step up from Daylesford’s usual soft crime: a stalker targeting single mothers.

Georgie’s investigation stirs up long-buried secrets, and attracts enemies. When she reports the missing person to local cops, sparks fly between her and Franklin.

Has he dismissed the writer too quickly? And what will the truth cost?

Mystery Crime. eBooks. Fiction Suspense. Australia

452 pages, Kindle Edition First published September 1, 2014

My Review.

Sandi Wallace’s books have been on my mental “to read” list for ages, but this is the first that I’ve read. It made sense to go back to the beginning of her popular Georgie Harvey and John Franklin series. An intriguing set up and a genuine small-town feel. Neighbours looking out for neighbours and a disappearance that intrigues Melbourne based  Georgie. A puzzle solved but the spark of a new relationship has left me thinking I must read book 2.

Risky Business by Amy Andrews

From bestselling author Amy Andrews comes a new single-title romance about putting pleasure before business, and the risks we all need to take when we find someone worth risking everything for.

Samantha Evans’s life is going to hell. Not only has she rage-quit her beloved, high-powered job, but she is suddenly afflicted by hormones, free time, and an unavoidable, unignorable, undeniably gorgeous irritant in the form of Nick Hawke, her extreme sports star neighbour, who has come home to take over the reins of his grandmother’s second-hand bookshop. Sam needs something to keep her from begging for her old job back until she’s good and sure her boss understands how wrong he was, and taking a low-risk, low-stress job helping Nick at the bookstore might be just the thing.

After all, it’s not like Nick is the right guy to help her with her hormones. He’ll just be fun to look at while she searches for the one.

Nick has six months to get over an injury before Everest and a big, fat contract beckon. That means no sports, no danger and, above all else, no risks. It means playing it safe. And Nick Hawke doesn’t do safe. So he’s going to need something to stave off the boredom while selling books he doesn’t read to people who wouldn’t know a carabineer from a crochet hook. What could be safer than hiring a cranky, unemployed accountant to help run the bookstore? Sam is efficient and methodical and messing up her neat, post-it note world could be a fun way to pass the time….

Risky Business mixes the classic romance of Philadelphia Story, the humour and wit of When Harry Met Sally, and a strong, contemporary Australian setting to create a delightful, irresistible, utterly satisfying treat of a novel.

Romance. Contemporary Romance. Humour. 257 pages, eBook First published July 1, 2014

My Review.

A total romp of a book, with sparkling dialogue, and sexual tension that rolls off the page. It’s funny , witty , sexy and relatable because high powered exec Samantha (size 14) is convinced she is fat and beyond hope. Meanwhile, she sees gorgeous Nick with a posse of young anorexic types and is convinced that is what he wants. Sam’s hormones though want action, a baby daddy and fast. Nick helpfully sets Sam up with supposedly “suitable ” men. But no one is right. Meanwhile, totally unsuitable Nick could be just what she needs -if she lets her heart rule her head. Nick has to convince her that she is gorgeous and what he wants too.

For now I’m editing and hoping to get the work to beta readers.

 The book is written, but I have more work to do. Editing, getting rid of repetition, reading for clarity. Preparing questions for the beta readers. Recontacting the cover designer and talking to the editor.

Sadly, the Aussie Bloke and his “hellhounds” have departed my story. I am sad to see them go. It was good while it lasted. I’ll miss them and will always think of them fondly. Dating him and meeting them, has contributed to my growth, but life  goes on and I have books to read and write and other adventures to experience.

Until next time

 

Exploring Romance and Books in Autumn

March and we were into seasonal change, slowly drifting into Autumn here in the Southern Hemisphere . It’s been a long hot summer. After an intense and immerse read with A Gentleman in Moscow I’ve opted to read some lighter books. Some books you savour and some you skip through. I enjoy both in my reading life.

Relaxed autumn reading

My personal life continues to  be interesting as The Aussie Bloke  is still around. He swept into my life like a whirlwind, full of confidence, bravado and banter. A refreshing change from the blander type of man.

I met his dogs- or should I say hounds? Luckily, they were friendly, two large German shepherds who leaned against me in a welcoming fashion.

Mentally  I visualised a  younger Odin with Aussie Bloke’s tall frame draped in a scarlet wool cloak and his pair of protector wolves by his side . They allowed me to get close to him. At least there were no swooping ravens.

Really, I must get out more and quell my fevered imagination.

And  we do go out. Aussie Bloke  took me to see a play about Ruth Bader Ginsberg . A dazzling one woman show by Australian actress Heather Mitchell She richly deserved the standing ovation.

Heather Mitchell as Ruth Taylor Ginsberg photo Sydney Morning Herald

We’ve seen each other a few times since. I love a man who plans dates. So my personal life has expanded, but my reading time has suffered, I’m not complaining!

 A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles.

From the New York Times bestselling author of Rules of Civility, a novel  about a man who is ordered to spend the rest of his life inside a luxury hotel—a beautifully transporting novel.

In 1922, Count Alexander Rostov is deemed an unrepentant aristocrat by a Bolshevik tribunal. He is sentenced to house arrest in the Metropol, a grand hotel across the street from the Kremlin. Rostov, an indomitable man of erudition and wit, has never worked a day in his life, and must now live in an attic room while some of the most tumultuous decades in Russian history are unfolding outside the hotel’s doors. Unexpectedly, his reduced circumstances give him access to a much larger world of emotional discovery.

Brimming with humor, a glittering cast of characters, and one beautifully rendered scene after another, this singular novel casts a spell as it relates the count’s endeavor to gain a deeper understanding of what it means to be a man of purpose.

Historical Fiction. Book Club Fiction. Historical Russia. Literary Fiction

495 pages, Paperback First published September 6, 2016

My Review.

An absolute tour de force, a quietly  immersive book that leans into the minutiae and details of Alexi’s life. What is meant to be a punishment ends up enriching his  life in so many ways.

He accepts the change in his circumstances with stoicism and with humour. His work ethic and his ability to form connections are part of the charm of the book while as always, he is quietly subversive.

His relationship with the  inquisitive child Nina showed a new side of his personality, but the most heart-warming was his relationship with the child Sophia.  Totally worth reading. Obviously it is a book club favourite.

Celebrity Shopper by Carmen Reid. Annie Valentine 4

She’s hit the big time…hasn’t she?

Personal shopper, Annie Valentine, is presenting her own popular TV fashion series. But despite this being Annie’s dream job, success isn’t all it’s cracked up to be and suddenly Annie is feeling the pressure!

Especially as boyfriend Ed is left at home looking after their brand-new twin babies, whilst Annie comes to terms with fame.

And as Annie gets more and more sucked into the celebrity showbiz world, she feels like she’s losing more and more of who she really is.

Could the big break she’s always wanted, actually be a big mistake?

Chick Lit. Romance Fiction., Contemporary Romance .Fashion

317 pages, Kindle Edition First published January 1, 2010

 My Review.

Amazingly this was  first  published in 2010 and yet it feels completely current. Behind the glamour of Tv there is the pressure, of the ratings. You are only as good as your last show.

Annie  is dealing with  remaining current, getting some sleep, and avoiding the guilt that her darling babies and Ed are left out  of much of her life.  Annie is juggling like crazy  but never feels adequate

New York Valentine By Carmen Reid.

 Annie Valentine 5

Love is in the air!
Personal shopper Annie Valentine has a dream job in the heart of fabulous Manhattan.
Daughter Lana ( updated as Lauren)  is lost in the heat of first love, but has she fallen for a heart-breaker?
In London husband Ed faces a scandal at work and knows, in his heart, he needs Annie back. What’s a girl to do when her true love is in London, but her new love is New York?
Does it have to be fashion or family, or can Annie Valentine have it all?

Chick Lit. Romance Fiction. New York. Adult Fiction.

384 pages, Paperback First published January 20, 2011

My Review.

Suspend disbelief as Annie continues her madcap adventures. She may be  in  the know with fashion, but her life has an amazing ability to keep unravelling. This is what makes her most relatable. Yes, you can have it all, but not all at the same time and this is where Annie is torn.

Shopping With The Enemy by Carmen Reid.

Annie Valentine No 6

The opponents: mothers vs. daughters

The battle scene: a boutique changing room
Fashion-guru Annie’s well-dressed world is falling apart – first she has lost her legendary sense of style, and now her daughter Lauren seems to have become her worst enemy. Even her multi-millionairess friend, Svetlana, is having daughter trouble – she’s at war with Elena over their business in New York.

A trip to a luxurious Italian spa seems like the perfect way for Annie to forget her problems. But celery juice and Pilates can’t solve the disasters that are about to strike . . .
Will Annie rescue her passion for fashion?
And can mothers and daughters ever truly be friends?

Chick Lit .Romance Fiction .Contemporary Fiction.

330 pages, Kindle Edition. First published October 11, 2012

My Review.

Annie has lost her fashion confidence and her innate styling ability. Daughter Lauren is still in New York with Elena ,Svetlana’s daughter.

The Perfect Dress Svetlana’s company has been a success, but the girls feel it’s a little staid.

Disagreements mount; Svetlana decides to whisk Annie away to the  health retreat she swears by. It’s a huge shock to Annie’s system.

When Svetlana’s twin boys are kidnapped, she insists she is the only one who can deal with Igor her ex-husband. Another madcap Annie adventure.

UPDATE.

Personal recollections.

As some of you  may remember I’ve been writing a memoir for a few years. A project that has been self-revealing and healing in many ways. I’ve finally got a complete draft of over 130,000 words and will now be working on revisions and towards publication. Watch this space!

It may also give me time to read a little more deeply than I have been doing. Books are for fun, for relaxation ,for information. To learn about others, to foster empathy and connection. We can never see inside someone’s head ,but books give us the opportunity to see and hear and feel how others experience  the world.

My daughter and AI created this Viking image of me!

I’m hoping the Aussie Bloke and I will have more adventures, but I’m sure life will continue to unfold richly and rewardingly.

December Reflections: Celebrations and Reading Memories

Socialising, Celebrating and Reading, in December 2025.

Wasn’t it January 2025 a moment ago? This year has sped by and had more than its share of drama and surprises. I was invited to an “Orphan’s Christmas.” which meant they day was far pleasanter than I expected. It was a hot and humid day and we enjoyed prawns and crayfish.

Weather appropriate Christmas fare.

Sadly, there were two family deaths earlier this year, my brother- in -law and my younger daughter. There was also the joy of re-establishing contact with my eldest daughter. Life is sprinkled with joy and sadness and the two can co-exist. Throughout it all, as usual, my books were a solace and distraction.

I brought the mini pavlovas.

I began reading two books which I ultimately abandoned. I wont mention them here, except to say I have actually read more then I am reviewing.

No, it wasn’t these children’s books.

Murder at the Christmas Emporium by Andreina Cordani.

It’s Christmas at The Emporium, a bespoke gift shop hidden in the depths of London’s winding streets featuring handcrafted delights unavailable anywhere else. Tinsel coils around the wooden beams, lights sparkle in the windows and the open fire crackles comfortingly. As closing time approaches after a busy trading day, only a few customers drift towards the exit – but they find they cannot leave. The doors are locked.

What initially seemed an innocent mix-up turns sinister as the shopkeepers seem strangely uninterested in lending assistance. The festive cheer has all but disappeared among a growing feeling of unease – and then a chilling discovery is made in Santa’s grotto.

For those that survive the night, it will be a Christmas to remember.

My Review.

A book that defies easy categorization, but an enjoyable read. It is like a fantasy once the Emporium has been entered. Personal facades are soon  demolished, and no one is quite who they seem. It’s easy to imagine the trance like state that has been induced. If murder and mayhem aren’t your thing ,don’t read the book. Its perfect for those of us who don’t have the happiest of  Christmas memories. A bit of a locked room mystery, a bit Agatha Christie.

The Love Game: Your next favourite laugh-out-loud spicy romantic comedy by Kat French.


Previously published as A Summer Scandal

‘Fun and sexy – a perfect beach read’ THE SUN

‘Brimming full of joy and sunshine’ JULES WAKE

As the mercury rises, so does their chemistry…

When Violet inherits a crumbling Victorian pier in the quirky seaside town of Swallow Beach, she sees more than peeling paint – she sees potential. Her vision? An adults-only boardwalk of boutique shops, artisan offerings and second chances.
Not everyone is thrilled with Violet’s bold plans, but she finds an unexpected ally in Calvin: gorgeous, mysterious and surprisingly handy. He’s got secrets he’s not sharing – and looks at Violet like he’s got nothing to lose.
As sparks fly and passions ignite, Violet must navigate small-town drama, nosy neighbours and a connection that might be more than just a summer fling.

Will this seaside romance survive the heat – or burn out before the summer ends?

292 pages, Kindle Edition Published July 24, 2025.

My Review.

A book that starts out as a fun quirky read and the develops into something  deeper and slightly darker. There is a definite  heavy sexual connection and vibe, but topics such as infidelity and suicide are also covered which might make it challenging for some readers.

Six Weeks by the Sea by Paula Byrne.

A vivid historical novel about Jane Austen that explores a question that has fascinated Janeites for years—Austen wrote some of the greatest love stories in existence, but did she ever fall in love?

When Jane Austen hears the news that her family is to leave their beloved country home for the city of Bath, she faints with surprise and horror. But there is one the promise of a six-week holiday by the sea while their new lodgings are being prepared. She relishes the bracing air and beautiful surroundings, takes pleasure in sea bathing, and shares laughter with her sister Cassandra and best friend Martha Lloyd.

To her joy, brother Frank arrives, fresh from naval exploits in the war against Napoleon. His friend Captain Parker seems to be making a play for Jane’s affections, but her sharp emotional intelligence tells her that something is not quite right. Meanwhile, she assists the eccentric Reverend Swete in finding a home for his bi-racial granddaughter who has arrived from the West Indies.

Jane initially takes against another visitor to the seaside resort of Sidmouth, the lawyer Samuel Rose, but as she gets to know him, a wholly different feeling begins to blossom. . . . 

Written with a same wit and style that echos Austen herself, Paula Byrne expertly interweaves her deep knowledge of Austen and her world to imagine and give voice to the most romantic summer of the beloved author’s short life.

256 pages, Hardcover Published August 5, 2025

 

  My Review.

While I initially found this interesting, I think it crammed too may topics into one slight story. We were implicitly promised romance but there was little of it in these pages. What is covered was attitudes towards mixed race people, slavery, morality, homosexuality. The research is obvious and it was disappointing to learn via another reviewer, Abigail Bok, that the facts had not always been respected.

The Pumpkin Spice Café by Laurie Gilmore

A spicy small-town romance and TikTok phenomenon, perfect for fans of Hannah Grace and Stephanie Archer.

When Jeanie’s aunt gifts her the beloved Pumpkin Spice Café in the small town of Dream Harbor, Jeanie jumps at the chance for a fresh start away from her very dull desk job.

Logan is a local farmer who avoids Dream Harbor’s gossip at all costs. But Jeanie’s arrival disrupts Logan’s routine and he wants nothing to do with the irritatingly upbeat new girl, except that he finds himself inexplicably drawn to her.

Will Jeanie’s happy-go-lucky attitude win over the grumpy-but-gorgeous Logan, or has this city girl found the one person in town who won’t fall for her charm, or her pumpkin spice lattes…

The Pumpkin Spice Café is a cozy romantic mystery for fans of Gilmore Girls, with a grumpy x sunshine dynamic, a small-town setting and a HEA guaranteed!

Tropes:• grumpy x sunshine• small town• found family• spicy .First published August 30, 2023

My Review.

An easy-to-read  romance that follows the tropes pretty closely. Jeanie is unused to small- town life, but she can’t pass up the opportunity to run the Pumpkin Spice Café. Logan wants to stay under the radar of the small- town gossips but he’s unwillingly drawn to Jeanie. Someone seems to have a grudge against Jeanie, or the cafe.

The iconic Cottesloe Beach, Australia on a perfect day.

New year has brought reflections and sadness, with thoughts of loss and of the fragility of life. Of those who aren’t here to celebrate the new year. It ‘s also inspired exciting plans for the year ahead. Of course, there will be more reading, and more writing. Maybe the memoir I’ve been writing for over two years will finally be finished. Exploring new friendships, treasuring old friendships and excitedly planning for upcoming travel and family visits.

Embracing November: Reflections on Life and Memoir Writing

Living in the Northern hemisphere, November was one of my least favourite months, only competing with February for the title. In November there was Christmas to look forward to. January had holiday brochures to check, while dreaming about far away tropical places .

November can feel bleak.

February had no such excitement ,just a hard slog until Spring- date unknown. Spring could be early in April or  May, or even feel like it was never arriving at all. In the Southern hemisphere November is still Spring, but with unexpected heatwave blasts like summer. Often, its a good time to be indoors under air-conditioning and that was my plan.

In theory I was  supposed  to be writing .Finishing the two years of hard slog on spent a project very close to my heart, my memoir. Life threw a curve ball into the mix. I reconnected with my daughter, after an absence of many years. To say I was delighted is to understate it. We have been messaging daily, and catching up on What’s App. The memoir is close to my heart, but my daughter is my heart.

 I haven’t had the same time for reading or writing, so, it’s a short book list this month.

Annie in Paris by Carmen Reid.

If you love Emily in Paris, you will love this BRAND NEW book in the Annie Valentine series from bestselling author Carmen Reid. Personal shopper Annie Valentine is back! Older and bolder!

Fashion guru Annie is struggling to cope with her hectic life. With the demands of two older children, plus four-year-old twins, her marriage to Ed is in a romance-free rut and she’s clinging by a couture thread to her job as the nation’s favourite fashion fixer.

And where is Svetlana, her multi-millionaire friend, when Annie needs her? Busy with an expensive mid-life crisis, that’s where!

When Ed gets the chance to teach in Paris, Annie thinks time apart could be the answer. Wrong!

In Paris, Ed transforms into a debonair silver fox, attracting the attentions of stylish siren Sylvie.

Annie can’t lose her man or the job she loves, so bundling her bags, her babies and a reluctant Svetlana onto the Eurostar, she sets off to the rescue. But can the City of Love deliver the ooh la la that her marriage, and her fashion series, so desperately needs?

Another brilliant laugh out loud emotional read, perfect for fans of Fiona Gibson, Tracy Bloom and Sophie Ranald!

“Annie Valentine is a wonderful character – I want her to burst into my life and sort out my wardrobe for me!” Bestselling author, Jill Manse
338 pages, Kindle Edition Published April 30, 2024

My Review.

When I selected this book,  I was  unaware it was the seventh in the series. It didn’t really matter much as I was able to catch up on Annie’s story. She leads a frantic life as a fashion stylist, but also as a mum of teens and toddlers. I found the fashion advice added an extra je ne sais quoi to the story. It reminded me a little  of Sophie Kinsella’s Shopaholic series. I’d be happy to go back and start reading the series from book one. A light-hearted bit of fun.

Christmas at the Little Paris Hotel by Rebecca Raisin.

Turn a tumbledown Paris hotel into a perfect boutique, bookish retreat, and have it open for Christmas? What could possibly go wrong? When Anais receives a near-derelict Paris hotel in her divorce settlement, her first thought is to tidy it up and sell it immediately. All she wants is to move on and forget her disaster of a marriage ever happened.

But selling it proves impossible, so she has only one to make it gorgeous and open by Christmas… when her funds will almost certainly run out.

She’s not counting on the grumpy American bar-owner next door, Noah, coming and interfering at every moment though. Nor is she expecting to find a mysterious room – which holds the key to a one-hundred-year-old secret – about a woman who chose love against the odds.

One thing’s for sure… as the fairy lights twinkle all over the city of lights and the first snowflakes start to fall… this will be a Christmas in Paris to remember.

   338 pages Kindle

My Review.

This book ticked so many boxes for me. Paris, Christmas, renovations, books and reading and that is without even mentioning the burgeoning romance. Like curling up with a mug of steaming hot chocolate., warm and comforting. Hits all the seasonal highs while telling a slightly unpredictable storey.

Dealing with Annie by Jill Shalvis

Danger comes to Cooper’s Corner…

Annie Hughes had become the Martha Stewart of cosmetics. But when DEA agent Ethan McCall warned Annie that her company was the target of sabotage—and that she was in danger— she wouldn’t listen. Then Annie disappeared. And only Ethan could rescue her.

Originally published in 2003. 166 pages, Kindle Edition

   My Review.

A speedy read, which feels slightly more of an outline for a story than a fully fleshed out story. It was quick to read and had enough to retain my interest .Obviously, if I had read the previous books in the series that might have made things clearer. Reluctant romance.

There are so many conflicting  priorities.  Finish the memoir, some social obligations, and reading, always a part of my life. Most important is growing my relationship with my daughter. My priorities have shifted. It’s all about reconnecting with my daughter, and of course making up for lost time Life has blessed us with a second chance and they don’t come along very often.

Apologies for the delayed reviews, of course, I will continue reading and reviewing. Books are part of the fabric of my life, enjoyment, entertainment, information, relaxation. I cannot imagine not reading. Could you?

A Sentimental Journey through September Memories

September, we were hoping for spring weather in the Southern hemisphere, but it’s been wetter than usual. Time to curl up with a good book, or even time to try and write one! My reviewing philosophy is,if I didn’t finish a book, or disliked it, I don’t review it.Taste is personal and what appeals to me, may not appeal to you. That’s fine, well have differing expectations and experiences we bring to our reading.


I’ve been industriously building my memoir.Like a spider’s web it has many strands.

I’m 92,000 words or so into the memoir and Im hoping to send it to my editor shortly. Briefly, it tells how when my marriage broke up, I started working as bus conductor in 1960 Britain

I worked on double decker buses.

Her Majesty’s Royal Coven By Juno Dawson

If you look hard enough at old photographs, we’re there in the background: healers in the trenches; Suffragettes; Bletchley Park oracles; land girls and resistance fighters. Why is it we help in times of crisis? We have a gift. We are stronger than Mundanes, plain and simple.

At the dawn of their adolescence, on the eve of the summer solstice, four young girls–Helena, Leonie, Niamh and Elle–took the oath to join Her Majesty’s Royal Coven, established by Queen Elizabeth I as a covert government department. Now, decades later, the witch community is still reeling from a civil war and Helena is now the reigning High Priestess of the organization. Yet Helena is the only one of her friend group still enmeshed in the stale bureaucracy of HMRC. Elle is trying to pretend she’s a normal housewife, and Niamh has become a country vet, using her powers to heal sick animals. In what Helena perceives as the deepest betrayal, Leonie has defected to start her own more inclusive and intersectional coven, Diaspora. And now Helena has a bigger problem. A young warlock of extraordinary capabilities has been captured by authorities and seems to threaten the very existence of HMRC. With conflicting beliefs over the best course of action, the four friends must decide where their loyalties lie: with preserving tradition, or doing what is right.

Juno Dawson explores gender and the corrupting nature of power in a delightful and provocative story of magic and matriarchy, friendship and feminism. Dealing with all the aspects of contemporary womanhood, as well as being phenomenally powerful witches, Niamh, Helena, Leonie and Elle may have grown apart but they will always be bound by the sisterhood of the coven.

My Review

Initially I enjoyed reading  this and the concepts it explores .Women are so often simply  a foot note to history, marginalised or ignored. A story about women and not just women , but women with extraordinary powers was  appealing. The empathy Niamh shows was very relatable.  However, because  I was reading it over a few days I gradually got confused about  who each character was.

  The concept of a ‘cursed child’ is often the stuff of fantasy so that too was relatable. Gradually, I began to experience less enjoyment in reading, feeling  I was reading a polemic. I finished the book and  decided that although the story remained unfinished, I wouldn’t read  further volumes. It wasn’t for me; it may be for you.

Jane Austen, the Secret Radical by Helena Kelly.

A brilliant, illuminating reassessment of the life and work of Jane Austen that makes clear how Austen has been misread for the past two centuries and that shows us how she intended her books to be read, revealing, as well, how subversive and daring–how truly radical–a writer she was.

In this fascinating, revelatory work, Helena Kelly–dazzling Jane Austen authority–looks past the grand houses, the pretty young women, past the demure drawing room dramas and witty commentary on the narrow social worlds of her time that became the hallmark of Austen’s work to bring to light the serious, ambitious, deeply subversive nature of this beloved writer. Kelly illuminates the radical subjects–slavery, poverty, feminism, the Church, evolution, among them–considered treasonous at the time, that Austen deftly explored in the six novels that have come to embody an age. The author reveals just how in the novels we find the real Jane Austen: a clever, clear-sighted woman “of information,” fully aware of what was going on in the world and sure about what she thought of it. We see a writer who understood that the novel–until then seen as mindless “trash”–could be a great art form and who, perhaps more than any other writer up to that time, imbued it with its particular greatness.

My Review.

Jane Austen subversive. Jane Austen deliberately employed the despised novel not just to entertain, but also to inform her readership ,about so much that was going on in her time. The idea of Jane,  a spinster, who hadn’t travelled far, as a country mouse is far from the truth. She had five brothers , men who were involved with the church, the military and the war. Doubtless she heard and understood plenty ,from the conversations around her and formed her own opinions. She had sisters in law whose pregnancies she observed, and she knew that this was a dangerous time for a woman as many died in childbirth. Of course her thinking permeated her novels-but she still wrote to tell an entertaining story, or who would buy her next book?

The Radio Hour: A Novel by Victoria Purman.

From the bestselling author of The Nurses’ War comes this charming, funny, pointed look at the golden years of radio broadcasting in post-war Australia, celebrating the extraordinary unseen women who wrote the radio plays that held a nation captive. For readers of Lessons in Chemistry.

Martha Berry is fifty years old, a spinster, and one of an army of polite and invisible women in 1956 Sydney who go to work each day and get things done without fuss, fanfare or reward.

Working at the country’s national broadcaster, she’s seen highly praised talent come and go over the years but when she is sent to work as a secretary on a brand-new radio serial, created to follow in the footsteps of Australia’s longest running show, Blue Hills, she finds herself at the mercy of an egotistical and erratic young producer without a clue, a conservative broadcaster frightened by the word ‘pregnant’ and a motley cast of actors with ideas of their own about their roles in the show.

When Martha is forced to step in to rescue the serial from impending cancellation, she ends up secretly ghost-writing scripts for As The Sun Sets, creating mayhem with management, and coming up with storylines that resonate with the serial’s growing and loyal audience of women listeners.

But she can’t keep her secret forever and when she’s threatened with exposure, Martha has to decide if she wants to remain in the shadows, or to finally step into the spotlight.

My Review.

I’ve just finished reading The Radio Hour,  I enjoyed it so much and  it really resonated with me. Maybe young women today will realise how far women have come and how easily those gains could be lost .

All this happened in my lifetime. It pains me to think how disparagingly women and girls were treated. Underappreciated, underpaid and the hard working glue that often held companies together. Casual sexism was a way of life.

The Vintage Village Bake Off by Judy Leigh.

Now in his seventies, Robert Parkin is stunned to find himself the unlikely sex symbol of the village gardening club.

Living in happy solitude with his cat Isaac Mewton in the Devon village of Millbrook, entertained by his mischievous chickens and goats, Robert has never figured out the rules of romance. But as the local ladies vie for his company, it soon becomes clear that Robert’s Victoria Sponge cake is the lure, and as his baking prowess grows, so does his confidence.

Cheesecakes, meringues, puddings, Robert can do it all, but his real masterpieces are his scones – ginger, rosemary, coconut, fruit, his recipes are inspired and soon come to the attention of the local media. Which county does the best cream tea – Devon or Cornwall? It’s time for an age-old debate to be settled with a competition.

Robert’s sisters Bunty and Hattie are both at crossroads in their lives, so news of their brother’s baking competition is the perfect excuse to bring them to Millbrook. And as the siblings relish each other’s company, and Robert relishes being at the heart of his community, a summer of scones may just light the way to long-lasting happiness for them all.



My Review.

I’m surprised the blurb for the book starts with Robert, as he only appears halfway through the story. Initially, we are introduced to Hattie, who is regaining her confidence after her controlling husband left her. It’s a delight to see her venture into new territory ,encouraged by her good  neighbour.Then Bunty arrives, having left her marriage and Hattie had to assert herself. Robert  lives in Devon and is a doyenne of the local gardening club. His sense of humour is revealed in the names of his  animals, but his romantic senses are lacking. The local ladies vie subtly and not so subtly for his attentions. The cookery competition between rival counties is a highlight. Mouthwatering concoctions are mentioned and it’s a shame the book didn’t include a recipe section.

Close-up of a person holding and preparing to eat a cupcake topped with cream and a strawberry.
This book definitely made me feel hungry!
More about life as a bus conductor next time.

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