Spring in the Northern Hemisphere but heading into winter in the Southern Hemisphere.
It’s getting chillier and wetter in the Southern Hemisphere, so it’s ideal weather to curl up by the fire with a good book. Here is what I read in May. I’ve read part of more books, but I choose not to review any book I haven’t finish as that seems unfair .
I’m British expat living in Australia and as such I use British spellings.
I’ve also been working on my memoir, which at times has brought up some uncomfortable emotions. But it’s a little bit of social history, and also the story of my unexpected short term career as a bus conductor Many people have been generous with their time to help me reconstruct the past.
Sifting through memories.
Love Life: How to Raise Your Standards, Find Your Person, and Live Happily by Matthew Hussey.
In Love Life, relationship coach and expert Matthew Hussey explores the most important and foundational relationship of all—the one we have with ourselves.
More than a book about navigating our love lives, Hussey’s new book is about the deeper issues our love lives reveal. Love isn’t the answer to our problems, Hussey explains. It’s a doorway to them; not a way out, but a way in. Like most of us, Hussey has gone through major changes over the past decade, and he shares some of those experiences, vulnerabilities, and mistakes.
What happens when we date, fall in love, or when we are faced with loneliness? What decisions do we make that cause us more pain and send us further adrift from what we want? Who hasn’t shied away from taking risks because they feared rejection? Who hasn’t put up with the wrong behavior because they’re afraid of losing someone or of expressing what they really need? Who hasn’t lived with the fear and anxiety of not being good enough for their partner? Or knowing their partner isn’t good for them, but stay in a bad relationship that is ultimately self-harming? In Love Life Hussey addresses these questions and more.
Our love lives hold the uncanny power to elevate or eradicate all the adjacent joy in our lives. The deeper purpose of Love Life is to ensure your love for your life will never be dependent on your relationship status. It’s about finding your love for life even while still on the journey to finding your person
My Review.
I was expecting something more from this much hyped book. More insight, suggestions and actual practical advice. Instead, the book veers through personal reminiscences and excerpts of advice. Organisation of the topics could have been clearer and better.
The Philosophy of Love by Rebecca Ryan.
What is love? Is it something spiritual or wholly physical? Can our feelings be explained and quantified? Or are we all actually two halves of a whole?
Ask Alice and Luke and you’d receive vastly different answers.
Despite her world having been recently dismantled by a messy break-up, Alice would tell you that love is the most important – albeit ineffable – human experiences. But when she once again crosses paths with her old school nemesis, Luke, he challenges this. Luke is a scientist and he’s certain love can be measured and explained – just like everything else.
So the two decide to make a bet they’ll each venture back into dating and if one of them falls in love, Alice wins, if not, then Luke does.
But can anyone win when you’re playing with emotions?
My Review
I enjoyed this quirky tale of love laced with philosophy. Do we plan to fall in love, can we plan it, or resist it? What if the person we are meant to be with isn’t the person we expect? Luke takes the objective scientific approach to life and to love. Alice leads with her heart as they discuss philosophy and love.
The Paris Bookshop for the Broken-Hearted by Rebecca Raisin.
Can you ever swear off love, in the city of love? Coco is having a hell of a month. She’s lost her boyfriend and her business, been forced to uproot her daughter to move back in with her parents in Paris, and now an infuriatingly handsome stranger is yelling at her for acting like a tourist… Right underneath the Eiffel Tower.
Storming away from him – and swearing off men for life – she decides she’s going to take the first job that comes her way.
Then, as if fate hears her, later that day she stumbles into a little bookshop – but not any old bookshop. This one comes complete with a café, cocktail bar, reading room and secret tunnel of books, and just a little hint of magic in the air. So when Coco’s offered a job selling books there, it feels like the perfect fit.
There’s only one problem… propping up the bar in the bookshop is none other than the grumpy, gorgeous stranger she’d met earlier that day…
A totally romantic, bookish and gorgeously escapist romantic novel, set in Paris in Springtime. Perfect for fans of Emily Henry, Abby Jimenez, and Sarah Morgan.
My Review.
Rebecca Raisin knows the delights of Paris well and allows her characters to explore them in this gorgeous book. You will feel as if you are propping up the bar and meeting all the characters in this starting over romance. Relationships and friendships, parental relationships and romantic ones all devolve around the bookshop.
Witch You Well by Collen Cross
Westwick Witches 1
A Westwick Witches Cozy Mystery Novel Cendrine “Cen” West has an intriguing secret. . . Cen is a journalist descended from a long line of powerful witches who have inhabited the small town of Westwick Corners for generations. Except, Cenis a witch who craves an ordinary life, and as the family black sheep, she doesn’t even want to dabble in the craft. . . much to her troublemaking Aunt Pearl’s dismay.
Then days before Cen’s wedding to a “normal” guy, a visiting billionaire is murdered at her family’s cozy inn–and now all evidence points to her eccentric Aunt Pearl. If Cen hopes to prove her aunt’s innocence, she will have to embrace her own magic and do a little sleuthing. Yet her investigation only uncovers more questions than answers after she discovers a supernatural connection to the murder, a strange vortex beneath the town, and a disturbing secret about her gorgeous fiancée.
For help she turns to the town’s sexy new sheriff, Tyler Gates. But working with him only adds more complications to her already harried life once Cen starts feeling an overwhelming attraction to the no-nonsense man.
But are her feelings for Tyler real, or just the result of pre-wedding jitters? Cen will have to find out! And will the two of them be able to get past their personal baggageto solve the case in time to save her aunt?
My Review.
This really sounded promising but unfortunately for me it fell a bit flat. It has all the ingredients for a cosy witchy mystery,small town, family, secrets, hot guy , so you may feel differently.
My cat and I will snuggle up and enjoy the pause in the seasons.
As I’m writing more, I’m not reading as much, but I will always have a book or three on the go. Other people’s word entertain me and inspire my own.
Christmas came and went in a blur , a few end of year events and then spending time at home. It was an ideal time for reading as here in Australia we aren’t battling cold and ice, but heat and sizzling temperatures. So,I enjoyed reading about snowy landscapes and the kind of Christmases that I remember.
New Year passed quietly and suddenly it was 2025. January was an unexpectedly challenging month for me. It marked the end of a twenty- five association with a community group. Sadly a long-standing friendship also ended. So ,I’ve joined two online author groups and still continue with the art classes I attend. My much loved cat, Alexei( aged 14) had yet another vet visit and we now have dental wipes and water additives to add to his daily routine.He’s not enthusiastic about either .
He knows he shouldn’t be on the car!
Four Weddings and a Christmas by Phillipa Ashley.
Don’t miss the new Christmas novel from Sunday Times Bestselling author Phillipa Ashley! Can the spirit of Christmas reignite an old flame? With her thriving business Cottage Angels, Freya Bolton prepares the Lake District’s holiday homes for Christmas visitors. It’s her job to think of everything, from cinnamon-scented candles to tasteful decorations and hampers of seasonal treats. If only her love life were such a success… After being burned by past relationships, she’s now determined to steer clear of love for good. So when she bumps into gorgeous – and single – ex-boyfriend Travis, a no-strings festive fling seems perfect. But when her feelings for him begin to develop, is she on track for another romantic calamity? Or could this Christmas give her the gift of true love? This gorgeous Christmas romance from Sunday Times bestseller Phillipa Ashley will take you to the Lake District with a story of second chance love as heartwarming as a cup of mulled wine. Perfect for fans of Sarah Morgan, Karen Swan and Heidi Swain I adored this from beginning to end. Phillipa Ashley never disappoints, her books are a warm hug on a cold day .’
My Review.
Perfect escapist holiday reading! Delivers on all counts, a believably flawed heroine, and an ex-boyfriend who still sets her pulses racing The push and pull of family dynamics and relationships. With just enough uncertainty to say the end result isn’t a foregone conclusion.
I read this over Christmas in a boilingly hot Australian summer but mentally I was snowbound in the Lakes and enjoying it!
My Hygge Home: How to Make Home Your Happy Place by Meik Wiking
The author of the New York Times bestseller The Little Book of Hygge, helps you turn your home into your happy, cozy safe place.
The urge to nest and control our close environments has never been stronger. We spend more time in our homes than anywhere else—but the way in which our homes impact how we feel has remained relatively unexplored until now.
Backed with Danish design principles, years of research, case studies and a sprinkle of hygge, Meik Wiking has created the ultimate guide to turning your home, office, or wherever you may be, into your happy place.
The Hygge Home will teach us all how to create a much-needed cozy safe space in our homes into which we can retreat to escape the tough things going on in the outside world. Meik will explore the size of our spaces, the way we decorate our homes, the amount of natural light coming in, how much access to green space we have and how we can extend these design principles from inside our homes to our neighbourhoods and beyond.
Meik is guaranteed to help you create a home and safe space where you can both live and thrive.
272 pages, Hardcover
My Review.
I enjoyed reading this with its reflections on home, and how we use our personal space. There are some thought provoking ideas and concepts.I found the study of hospital patients and recovery particularly interesting.The illustrations add to its charm. and I looked at my home with new eyes and concepts of spatial awareness.
New Beginnings at the Cosy Cat Café by Julie Haworth
New Beginnings at The Cosy Cat Café tells the story of Tori who, after being dumped and left stranded by her long-term boyfriend Ryan on a trip of a lifetime to Asia, returns home to the sleepy Sussex village of Blossom Heath with her tail between her legs and her dreams shattered. Donning her frilly apron to help her Mum, Joyce, behind the counter at The Cosy Cup Café, Tori starts to believe – with the help of a hunky fireman and a clowder of rescue cats – that perhaps the secret to her future happiness might lie closer to home than she ever thought possible. If you love your romance with a side order of cake, cats and cosy community dynamics, this is the purrfect uplifting, feel-good read from the winner of the RNA Katie Fforde Debut Novel of the Year 2023.
My Review.
An enjoyable read that has that ‘feel good’ factor, especially if you are a cat lover. The café sounded delightful, and Tori had a dilemma choosing between the two men vying for her attention. I appreciated the attention to detail as to how cats were treated, the differing cat personalities and the strict rules for cat adoptions. The additional reference to a real cat cafe was a bonus.
We’ll Prescribe You a Cat by You Ishida,E.Madison Shimoda( Translator).
A cat a day keeps the doctor away….
Discover this utterly charming, vibrant celebration of the healing power of cats in the award-winning, bestselling Japanese novel that has become an international sensation.
Tucked away on the fifth floor of an old building at the end of a narrow alley in Kyoto, the Nakagyō Kokoro Clinic for the Soul can be found only by people who are struggling in their lives and who genuinely need help. The mysterious clinic offers a unique treatment to those who find their way there: it prescribes cats as medication. Patients are often puzzled by this unconventional prescription, but when they “take” their cat for the recommended duration, they witness profound transformations in their lives, guided by the playful, empathetic, and occasionally challenging yet endearing cats.
Throughout these pages, the power of the human-animal bond is revealed as a disheartened businessman finds unexpected joy in physical labor, a middle-aged man struggles to stay relevant at work and home, a young girl navigates the complexities of elementary school cliques, a hardened handbag designer seeks emotional balance, and a geisha learns to move on from the memory of her lost cat. As the clinic’s patients grapple with their inner turmoil and seek resolution, their feline companions lead them toward healing, self-discovery, and newfound hope.
297 pages, Hardcover First published March 8, 2023
Original title 猫を処方いたします。
My Review.
I didn’t know what to expect from this book with its whimsical cat decorations on almost every page. My advice? Suspend disbelief and follow where the story leads .Is it a fable? A fairytale? For me , it was an unexpected delight.
Chocolate Wishes by Trisha Ashley
Life is sweet for chocolate maker Chloe Lyon! In the picture-perfect Lancashire village of Sticklepond, Confectioner Chloe dispenses inspirational sweet treats containing a prediction for each customer. If only her own life was as easy to forecast – perhaps Chloe could have foreseen being jilted at the altar! But when a new Vicar arrives in the village, the rumour mill goes into overdrive. Not only is Raffy Sinclair the charismatic ex-front man of rock band ‘Mortal Ruin’, he’s also Chloe’s first love and the man who broke her heart. Try as she might, Chloe can’t ignore this blast from her past. Could now be the time for her to make a wish – and dare to believe it can come true? A charming novel for chocoholics everywhere, perfect for fans of Katie Fforde, Jill Mansell and Carole Matthews.
376 pages, Paperback First published January 1, 2010
My Review.
Just as predictable and delicious as I anticipated. Trisha Ashley’s books often have a touch of magic or whimsy about them, and it’s always relatable. Missed opportunities, lost love and a feel-good factor. Perfect escapist reading .
Love at First Book by Jenn Mc Kinley
When a librarian moves to a quaint Irish village where her favorite novelist lives, the last thing she expects is to fall for the author’s prickly son… until their story becomes one for the books, from the New York Times bestselling author of Summer Reading .
Emily Allen, a librarian on Martha’s Vineyard, has always dreamed of a life of travel and adventure. So when her favorite author, Siobhan Riordan, offers her a job in the Emerald Isle, Emily jumps at the opportunity. After all, Siobhan’s novels got Em through some of the darkest days of her existence.
Helping Siobhan write the final book in her acclaimed series—after a ten-year hiatus due to a scorching case of writer’s block—is a dream come true for Emily. If only she didn’t have to deal with Siobhan’s son, Kieran Murphy. He manages Siobhan’s bookstore, and the grouchy bookworm clearly doesn’t want Em around.
When Siobhan’s health takes a bad turn, she’s more determined than ever to finish her novel, while Kieran tries every trick in the book to get his mother to rest. Thrown into the role of peacemaker, Emily begins to see that Kieran’s heart is in the right place. Torn between helping Siobhan find closure with her series and her own growing feelings for the mercurial Irishman, Emily will have to decide if she’s truly ready to turn a new page and figure out what lies in the next chapter.
330 pages, Paperback First published May 14, 2024
My Review.
I loved this book! The bookish theme, the characters and the witty banter. My imagination took flight and I was with Emily every step of the way in her transformation from downtrodden Emily to the feisty and witty “Red.” Kieran had enough bite to spark rebellion in Emily and also an attraction.I really fell for these two and was sad when the story ended.Of all the books this month, this was my favourite.
Of course, I have found another book by this author, more about that next month.
Writing takes time and concentration
I’m isolating in my writing cave and putting the finishing touches to my memoir.The development editor is booked and the cover designer. No one really does this alone, nor should they. We can’t see our own mistakes or tell what isn’t working. My first book, I loved the cover, but I hadn’t considered what worked for the readers.This time I will let the professionals decide.
Currently the book is around 55,000 words. Who am I writing it for? Firstly, for me to release my memories and for my children.They may have heard one side of the story and now they get to hear the other. I think it should also appeal to double decker bus enthusiasts. It covers the years I worked as a bus conductor when being a female and doing that job was quite unusual.
November was a difficult and stressful month for me. Unusually, I read very little. My cat’s continuing health problems, and my surgeries kept me occupied. I had an eye patch – reading wasn’t a priority, but I missed it.
I won’t make my Good Reads reading target of 100 this year. I will be lucky if I hit 70. But, my cat is in remission from diabetes and he had some dental work done. I had three skin cancers removed and new skin is growing back.
Reading was a mixed bag over these two months, as health appointments and care routines took priority.
The House at Sea’s End By Elly Griffiths
Forensic archaeologist Dr. Ruth Galloway is back, this time investigating a gruesome World War II war crime. Elly Griffith’s Ruth Galloway novels have been praised as “highly atmospheric” (New York Times Book Review), “remarkable” (Richmond Times-Dispatch), and “gripping” (Louise Penny).
Now the beloved forensic archaeologist returns, called in to investigate when human bones surface on a remote Norfolk beach.
Just back from maternity leave, Ruth is finding it hard to juggle motherhood and work. The presence of DCI Harry Nelson—the married father of her daughter, Kate—does not help. The bones turn out to be about seventy years old, which leads Nelson and Ruth to the war years, a desperate time on this stretch of coastland. Home Guard veteran Archie Whitcliffe reveals the existence of a secret that the old soldiers have vowed to protect with their lives. But then Archie is killed and a German journalist arrives, asking questions about Operation Lucifer, a plan to stop a German invasion, and a possible British war crime. What was Operation Lucifer? And who is prepared to kill to keep its secret?
First published July 1, 2011.
My Review
I was looking forward to reading this, but somehow it didn’t engage me as much as the previous books. It could have been the time frame, going back to the war years, or the fact that there were fewer interactions between Ruth and Harry Nelson.
The Art of Memoir by Mary Kerr.
Credited with sparking the current memoir explosion, Mary Karr’s The Liars’ Club spent more than a year at the top of the New York Times list. She followed with two other smash bestsellers: Cherry and Lit, which were critical hits as well.
For thirty years Karr has also taught the form, winning graduate teaching prizes for her highly selective seminar at Syracuse, where she mentored such future hit authors as Cheryl Strayed, Keith Gessen, and Koren Zailckas. In The Art of Memoir, she synthesizes her expertise as professor and therapy patient, writer and spiritual seeker, recovered alcoholic and “black belt sinner,” providing a unique window into the mechanics and art of the form that is as irreverent, insightful, and entertaining as her own work in the genre.
Anchored by excerpts from her favorite memoirs and anecdotes from fellow writers’ experience, The Art of Memoir lays bare Karr’s own process. (Plus all those inside stories about how she dealt with family and friends get told— and the dark spaces in her own skull probed in depth.) As she breaks down the key elements of great literary memoir, she breaks open our concepts of memory and identity, and illuminates the cathartic history, whether writer or reader, will relate. Joining such classics as Stephen King’s On Writing and Anne Lamott’s Bird by Bird, The Art of Memoir is an elegant and accessible exploration of one of today’s most popular literary forms—a tour de force from an accomplished master pulling back the curtain on her craft. power of reflecting on the past; anybody with an inner life or a complicated one
My Review.
This was suggested reading as I am currently writing a memoir. It comes highly recommended, so I duly read it. Nothing stood out for me, which could well have been my distracted mind, as I was dealing with the health issues both for myself and for my cat. I was scheduled for biopsies and then surgery a bit later in the month. Might give it another try when life is more settled.
The Switch by Beth O’Leary.
Audio Book Read by Alison Steadman and Daisy Edgar Jones.
Leena is too young to feel stuck. Eileen is too old to start over. Maybe it’s time for The Switch…
Ordered to take a two-month sabbatical after blowing a big presentation at work, Leena escapes to her grandmother Eileen’s house for some overdue rest. Newly single and about to turn eighty, Eileen would like a second chance at love. But her tiny Yorkshire village doesn’t offer many eligible gentlemen… So Leena proposes a solution: a two-month swap. Eileen can live in London and look for love, and Leena will look after everything in rural Yorkshire.
But with a rabble of unruly OAPs to contend with, as well as the annoyingly perfect – and distractingly handsome – local schoolteacher, Leena learns that switching lives isn’t straightforward. Back in London, Eileen is a huge hit with her new neighbours, and with the online dating scene. But is her perfect match nearer to home than she first thought?
My Review.
I’ve not been a fan of audiobooks, as they often send me to sleep. This time I had one eye covered with a patch after surgery and reading was difficult. An audiobook was the perfect solution. It also helped that there were two distinct voices.
To some extent the story is predictable, but I found it amusing and entertaining.
Warning there are references to cancer and a death that happened before the book began.
Both narrators did an excellent job in conveying their characters.
Richard III: A Ruler and His Reputation by David Horspool.
For many, Richard III is an obsession–the Richard III Society has a huge membership, and Shakespeare’s Histories have contributed to, if not his popularity, certainly his notoriety. Now, with the discovery of Richard III’s bones under a parking lot in Leicester, England, interest in this divisive and enigmatic figure in British history is at an all-time high. It is a compelling story to scholars as well as general readers, who continue to seek out the kind of strong narrative history that David Horspool delivers in this groundbreaking biography of the king.
Richard III dispassionately examines the legend as well as the man to uncover both what we know of the life of Richard, and the way that his reputation has been formed and re-formed over centuries. But beyond simply his reputation, there is no dispute that the last Plantagenet is a pivotal figure in English history–his death signaled the end of the War of the Roses, and, arguably, the end of the medieval period in England–and Horspool’s biography chronicles this tumultuous time with flair.
This narrative-driven and insightful biography lays out a view of Richard that is fair to his historical character and to his background in the medieval world. Above all, it is authoritative in its assessment of a king who came to the throne under extraordinary circumstances.
336 pages, Hardcover
First published October 22, 2015
My Review,
Full disclosure, I was halfway through this when I had eye surgery and there was no way I could continue. From what I read this is a scholarly and well-researched book which examines Richards’s life in its entirety. I intend to go back to it.
It was a joy to be able to go back to reading, but my progress has been slower than I would have liked.
Part of December Reading 2024.
December brought some lighter books that I’d requested from the library as I was in the mood for a little seasonal escapism.
We Solve Murders By Richard Osman.
A brand new series. An iconic new detective duo. And a puzzling new murder to solve…
Steve Wheeler is enjoying retired life. He does the odd bit of investigation work, but he prefers his familiar habits and routines: the pub quiz, his favorite bench, his cat waiting for him when he comes home. His days of adventure are over: adrenaline is daughter-in-law Amy’s business now.
My Review.
Easy reading, with some interesting characters, but it didn’t quite gel for me. Maybe I was missing The Thursday Murder Club Gang? Steve could certainly fit in with them. His high-flying daughter-in-law Amy needs Steve’s expertise and takes him far out of his comfort zone. It has the potential to become a fun series.
The Very Secret Society Of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna.
A warm and uplifting novel about an isolated witch whose opportunity to embrace a quirky new family–and a new love–changes the course of her life.
As one of the few witches in Britain, Mika Moon knows she has to hide her magic, keep her head down, and stay away from other witches so their powers don’t mingle and draw attention. And as an orphan who lost her parents at a young age and was raised by strangers, she’s used to being alone and she follows the rules…with one exception: an online account, where she posts videos pretending to be a witch. She thinks no one will take it seriously.
But someone does. An unexpected message arrives, begging her to travel to the remote and mysterious Nowhere House to teach three young witches how to control their magic. It breaks all of the rules, but Mika goes anyway, and is immediately tangled up in the lives and secrets of not only her three charges, but also an absent archaeologist, a retired actor, two long-suffering caretakers, and…Jamie. The handsome and prickly librarian of Nowhere House would do anything to protect the children, and as far as he’s concerned, a stranger like Mika is a threat. An irritatingly appealing threat.
As Mika begins to find her place at Nowhere House, the thought of belonging somewhere begins to feel like a real possibility. But magic isn’t the only danger in the world, and when a threat comes knocking at their door, Mika will need to decide whether to risk everything to protect a found family she didn’t know she was looking for….
My Review.
Suspend disbelief and enjoy this magical book. It’s a fairy tale for adults. Mika is a disparaged and neglected witch who has to hide her power and is missing feeling loved or cared for. And what good is power if you can’t use it?
The invitation to Nowhere House should be ignored, but how can Mika ignore three isolated young witches? She knows what it’s like to feel alone. Mika finds far more than just the girls, acceptance, companionship, and potentially even love. My favourite read of the month.
A Lesson in Dying by Ann Cleeves.
Heppleburn, once a Northumberland pit village, has always been close-knit, friendly and safe – until the murder of headmaster Harold Medburn. Suddenly, the village seems unfamiliar, uncomfortable.
The school caretaker and his daughter pursue their own route of investigation, which should have made Inspector Ramsay’s job a little easier. But hampered by false leads, powerless to pre-empt the killer’s next move, and overshadowed by the evil atmosphere of All Hallow’s Eve, Ramsay finds his own reputation is on the line…
228 pages, Kindle Edition First published January 1, 1990
My Review,
It’s interesting to read an early Ann Cleeves book. I hadn’t heard of Inspector Ramsay and suspect he has been overtaken by Jimmy Perez and Vera Stanhope. He could be an interesting character. I’ve just checked and there are six books in the series set in Northumberland. Ann Cleeves does a sense of place particularly well and Ramsay comes across as a decent bloke, a bit of a loner. Might try book two.
Christmas at the Chateau by Annabel French.
Life has gone a little bit downhill for Naomi Winters… Ever since her ex-husband Ollie filed for a divorce last Christmas, Naomi is a self-confessed scrooge. She hates her job, has exactly zero hobbies, and on top of that she’s all alone this holiday season. Spurred on by her best-friend Mia – who has invited her to spend Christmas at her snow-kissed Chateau in the Swiss Alps – she decides it’s time for change. But, when she arrives, she’s shocked to see Mia’s big brother Gabriel. It’s been fifteen years since they last saw each other, forcing her to face memories she’d rather forget. As Naomi grapples with getting her life back on track, she throws herself into various festive activities, and she can’t seem to escape Gabriel this time… Will he manage to thaw her icy heart, or is she on a downward slope to disappointment? Escape to the Swiss Alps with this festive, feel-good novel! Full of warmth and romance, it’s perfect for fans of Lucy Coleman, Karen Swan and Katie Fforde.
My Review.
As I was spending Christmas alone, I grabbed a couple of “Christmassy “books, hoping they would help my festive cheer. This had all the ingredients, exotic European location, a recently single woman, her best friend, a chateau and an old flame. A recipe for seasonal delight.
I enjoyed the descriptions of the chateau, the village, the Christmas market, and the townsfolk. The relationship between Naomi and Mia seemed genuine and the brooding Gabriel in the background added a sense of intrigue.
Naomi is adopted and over time her constant reflections about not being wanted, and rejected by her birth parents, were repeated too frequently. I found the story less engaging. I finished the book but as a seasonal pick up, it hadn’t done the job for me.
Photo Pixabay by Jarka Duchakova.
I’m hoping that I will get back to reading for enjoyment and pleasure as well as for information.But my writing is going to have to take priority, I’ve been writing for a full year and need to get this memoir finished!
Healing is going well.
Wishing everyone a safe and Happy New Year, with friends and family and plenty of good books!
Suddenly it was September — where has the year gone? It’s been quite a challenging month. Sadly, I lost one of my cats in August. Annabelle had been with us for fourteen years since she was an 8-week old kitten. A tortoiseshell cat with an assertive personality, she was a definite presence. She sat on my desk or on my lap, quietly purring. It was a heartbreaking decision to say goodbye, but I knew it was the right thing to do. I miss her company and her loud purrs.
I decided to be proactive and take my other cat for a checkup as he’s thirteen. It was a wise if expensive decision. He was diagnosed as diabetic so a drastic change in his diet and insulin injections twice daily. He also needs his blood glucose monitoring. There is some good news, diabetes in cats is 80-85% reversible, but not so for dogs. It’s been a tough learning curve for both of us.
My lovely boy asleep on the car>
Additionally, a routine eye check found two suspicious spots close to my eye. They had to be biopsied and turned out to be basal cell carcinomas. I will be having surgery to deal with that, soon. It has been a disruptive time and I haven’t read as much as in other years, but so be it. I accept that I won’t reach my reading target this year.
It’s certainly NOT pretty
Educated by Tara Westover.
Tara Westover was 17 the first time she set foot in a classroom. Born to survivalists in the mountains of Idaho, she prepared for the end of the world by stockpiling home-canned peaches and sleeping with her “head-for-the-hills bag”. In the summer she stewed herbs for her mother, a midwife and healer, and in the winter she salvaged in her father’s junkyard.
Her father forbade hospitals, so Tara never saw a doctor or nurse. Gashes and concussions, even burns from explosions, were all treated at home with herbalism. The family was so isolated from mainstream society that there was no one to ensure the children received an education and no one to intervene when one of Tara’s older brothers became violent.
Then, lacking any formal education, Tara began to educate herself. She taught herself enough mathematics and grammar to be admitted to Brigham Young University, where she studied history, learning for the first time about important world events like the Holocaust and the civil rights movement. Her quest for knowledge transformed her, taking her over oceans and across continents, to Harvard and to Cambridge. Only then would she wonder if she’d traveled too far, if there was still a way home.
Educated is an account of the struggle for self-invention. It is a tale of fierce family loyalty and of the grief that comes with severing the closest of ties. With the acute insight that distinguishes all great writers, Westover has crafted a universal coming-of-age story that gets to the heart of what an education is and what it offers: the perspective to see one’s life through new eyes and the will to change it.
My Review.
As others have said, this is a tour de force of a book. As fiction the story would be heart-rending enough- but this story is true. Imagine realising that your worth/value was only a twelfth of the man who would be your husband. It was expected that Tara would have a husband, as was normal in her world. While questioning this was wrong and the devil’s work. Her husband would then decide everything for her, just as her father had. Rebellion meant exclusion.
The Right Side of Mr Wrong by Jane Lightfoot.
One-off, moving on sex, wasn’t meant to be this hot…
When determined singleton Shea Summers is persuaded to become the “wife” of the Lord of Edgerton Manor, the last thing she wants to do is play house with a stranger.
Brooding playboy Brando Marshall is far from happy when Shea turns up at his sprawling estate with production crew in tow. Surely she’s just another woman after his wallet? And if she’s looking for Mr Right, she’s definitely hitting on the wrong guy. Then again, after catching an unscheduled glimpse of her knickers, perhaps Brando needs to teach this “gold-digger” a lesson!
She’s seizing the moment, he’s breaking the rules, and when bad boys can be so much fun, who can resist getting on the right side of Mr. Wrong…
My Review.
A fun read with steamy sex and delicious banter. A hot guy who knows how to push Shea’s buttons and a woman who wants to resist, but finds she cant. A quibble, the name Brando didn’t resonate with me. I immediately connected it to Marlon Brando which spoiled the image
Coffee and Cake at Wildflower Lock by Hannah M Lynn.
Wildflower Lock 2
Daisy May is embarking on a new chapter of her life as a permanent resident at the idyllic Wildflower Lock. Determined to seize this second chance she’s been granted, Daisy is putting her all into making her new business venture a success. As her friendship with Theo grows ever stronger, her happily ever after seems within reach.
However, life isn’t always smooth sailing. When a string of unfortunate mishaps and an unruly stag party leaves Daisy’s finances in dire straits, she starts to question her decision to launch a coffee shop. But just when she’s nearly lost hope, the mysterious and generous Christian enters her life. Astute and eager to assist Daisy, he proposes a solution that could be the answer to all her problems…or will it be the beginning of even more challenges.
My Review.
I had been looking forward to this, but I was disappointed. I accept that a certain amount of repetition may be necessary to orientate a new reader, but this seemed excessive. Also, Daisy May behaves quite idiotically with Theo and seems to have lost all her decision-making abilities or confidence. Another man adds to the complications but she floats along letting things happen So much could have been resolved with an honest conversation. I won’t be reading book three.
A Cornish Cottage by the Sea by Jane Linfoot.
Hurtling through the sky was supposed to be Edie Browne’s flight of independence. But when she falls head over champagne bucket while celebrating her successful landing, her life is changed in an instant.
But starting over has its benefits, and as Edie relearns the basics under the watchful eye of her Aunty Josie and an entire Cornish village of new friends and neighbours, she finds love and joy she never could have imagined in the unlikeliest of places…
Come home to Periwinkle Cottage for a romance full of love, laughter and friends for life!
My Review.
Finding a supportive community has continuing positive effects on Edie as she loosens up returns to baking and starts to embrace life and love again. Relatable
Josephine’s Garden by Stephanie Parkyn.
A captivating story of love, nature and identity in Napoleon’s France
‘Stephanie Parkyn is one very talented storyteller.’ -Mrs B’s Book Reviews
France, 1794. In the aftermath of the bloody end to the French Revolution, Rose de Beauharnais stumbles from prison on the day she is to be guillotined. Within a decade, she’ll transform into the scandalous socialite who marries Napoleon Bonaparte, become Empress Josephine of France and build a garden of wonders with plants and animals she gathers from across the globe.
But she must give Bonaparte an heir or she risks losing everything.
Two other women from very different spheres are tied to the fate of the Empress Josephine – Marthe Desfriches and Anne Serreaux. Their lives are put at risk as they each face confronting obstacles in their relationships and in their desire to become mothers.
From the author of Into the World comes a richly imagined historical novel about obsession, courage, love and marriage.
‘Enthralling novel, rich in historical detail … Highly recommended.’ -Good Reading on Into the World
My Review.
I was looking forward to reading about this less well-known part of Josephine’s life. Most of the initial story is of Napoleon’s attraction to Josephine which I knew about. These were perilous times and Josephine accepted the inevitability of a man who could protect her. Sadly, for me the story felt oddly disjointed and as if the two parts were hardly related but two separate entities.
The Plumberry School of Comfort Food By Cathy Bramley.
The Plumberry School of Comfort Food was originally published as a four-part serial. This is the complete story in one package.
Verity Bloom hasn’t been interested in cooking anything more complicated than the perfect fish finger sandwich, ever since she lost her best friend and baking companion two years ago.
But an opportunity to help a friend lands her right back in the heart of the kitchen. The Plumberry School of Comfort Food is due to open in a few weeks’ time and needs the kind of great ideas that only Verity could cook up. And with new friendships bubbling and a sprinkling of romance in the mix, Verity finally begins to feel like she’s home.
But when tragedy strikes at the very heart of the cookery school, can Verity find the magic ingredient for Plumberry while still writing her own recipe for happiness?
My Review
like to mix my reading up, so after something heavy, something lighter, what I’d classify as an easy read. A relaxing book with enough in it to keep me interested. The Plumberry School of Comfort Food delivered all the things I wanted. Characters I cared about, a setting that inspired me, and a story that kept my attention. I enjoyed this book. The depiction of grief, guilt, and indecision was relatable. I enjoyed this book. Verity is a strong character, but even strong characters can buckle. Loved the school, the food descriptions, and the hot chef. Who wouldn’t want to attend a few classes?
The Very Virile Viking by Sandra Hill
Magnus Ericsson is a simple man. He loves the smell of fresh-turned dirt after springtime plowing. he loves the feel of a soft woman under him in the bed furs. He loves the heft of a good sword in his fighting arm.
But, Holy Thor, what he does not relish is the bothersome brood of children he’s been saddled with. Or the mysterious happenstance that strands him in a strange new land – the kingdom of Holly Wood. Here is a place where the folks think he is an act-whore (whatever that is), and the woman of his dreams – a winemaker of all things – fails to accept that he is her soul mate…a man of exceptional talents, not to mention…A Very Virile Viking
My Review.
With a title like that, how could I resist picking this book up? An absolute romp, suspend disbelief and go along for the ride. A clash of cultures and plenty of hot and steamy sex.It should have you chuckling.
Reading has kept me sane this month!
Overall it has been a difficult month emotionally both for my own health and also worrying about my cats. My reading has been an escape and a pleasure. Do you enjoy escaping into a good book?
August can still be wintery weather for us in Perth Australia and when the rain is pouring down nothing beats settling down with a good book. I’ve been branching out and reading some unfamiliar authors. I love the thrill of discovering “new to me” writers.This month its a mixed bag of four crime fiction and three “feel good” stories.
Some atmospheric novels this month
All Fun and Games Until Somebody Loses an Eye by Christopher Brookmyre.
Jane Fleming, forty-six and three years a grandmother has always played by the rules, never hurt anybody, never lied, never even had a parking ticket. But she’s about to put all that right in a very big way… Intrigue. Espionage. Advanced technology. Clinical violence. Hoovering. It’s all fun and games until somebody loses an eye.
My Review.
The story starts quite slowly and as usual with Brookmyre, the reader is thrust into the thick of a gradually unfolding action. Ok, industrial espionage, so you think you have a handle on the story. Suddenly you get Jane Fleming, a suburban mum, and wonder what the connection is. Things are about to get interesting! In one sense it morphs into every downtrodden woman’s fantasy. Jane takes control, and ignores her domestic responsibilities, finding amid the panic and terror that she is far more capable than she had ever realised. Who is this woman? Some very bad people are about to find out.
New Beginnings at Wildflower Lock by Hannah M Lynn.
Wildflower Lock 1
The start of a BRAND NEW series from Hannah Lynn, bestselling author of the Holly Berry Sweet Shop series! New starts and hopeful hearts…
At 25, Daisy May’s life is not living up to expectations. Her childhood dreams of being an artist feel as unachievable as a committed relationship or managing to save enough money for a deposit on a house. But a surprise inheritance could change all that.
After Daisy learns she’s now the new owner of a forty-foot narrow boat, she sets out for Wildflower Lock, where the fresh country breeze and the calm water is enough to assure her everything will be okay.
With the help of the ruggedly attractive, yet grumpy riverman, Theo, she begins to work on her new home, the September Rose. Can she breathe new life into the old boat and learn to navigate not only the canals themselves, but also the people who live there? Or will the whole venture pull her under?
My Review
I got this through the library app Borrow Box. It is what I expected, an easy and fun read and along the way, I learnt a little about cruising the waterways of Britain and also restoring a narrow boat. Daisy’s life isn’t without its complications so it’s not all plain sailing, Unexpectedly the book ended without a resolution for most of the problems.
The Crossing Places by Elly Griffiths .
Ruth Galloway 1
When she’s not digging up bones or other ancient objects, quirky, tart-tongued archaeologist lives happily alone in a remote area called Saltmarsh near Norfolk, land that was sacred to its Iron Age inhabitants—not quite earth, not quite sea.
When a child’s bones are found on a desolate beach nearby, Detective Chief Inspector Harry Nelson calls Galloway for help. Nelson thinks he has found the remains of Lucy Downey, a little girl who went missing ten years ago. Since her disappearance he has been receiving bizarre letters about her, letters with references to ritual and sacrifice. The bones actually turn out to be two thousand years old, but Ruth is soon drawn into the Lucy Downey case and into the mind of the letter writer, who seems to have both archaeological knowledge and eerie psychic powers. Then another child goes missing and the hunt is on to find her. As the letter writer moves closer and the windswept Norfolk landscape exerts its power, Ruth finds herself in completely new territory—and in serious danger. The Crossing Places marks the beginning of a captivating new crime series featuring an irresistible heroine.
My Review.
I enjoyed this atmospheric book with its sense of place and interesting characters. It was easy to inhabit the skin of Ruth Galloway and experience her emotions. Ruth is no fool, but she has her blind spots too. I also enjoyed having a Northern hero, with his direct ways. To tell you how much I enjoyed it, I’ve already got book two on my TBR.
The Love of My Afterlife by Kirsty Greenwood
A recently deceased woman meets “the one” in the afterlife waiting room, scoring a second chance at life (and love!) if she can find him on earth before ten days are up… If she wasn’t dead already, Delphie would be dying of embarrassment. Not only did she just die by choking on a microwaveable burger, but now she’s standing in her ‘shine like a star’ nightie in front of the hottest man she’s ever seen. And he’s smiling at her. As they start to chat, everything else becomes background noise. That is until someone comes running out of a door, yelling something about a huge mistake, and sends the dreamy stranger back down to earth. And here Delphie was thinking her luck might be different in the afterlife. When Delphie is offered a deal in which she can return to earth and reconnect with the mysterious stranger, she jumps at the opportunity to find her possible soulmate and a fresh start at life. But in a city of millions, Delphie is going to have to listen to her heart, learn to ask for help, and perhaps even see the magic in the life she’s leaving behind.
My Review.
Pure escapist fun! I enjoyed this immensely as Delphie is just the sort of nerdy heroine I enjoy reading about. Can the deadline change her luck? She will have to behave in ways she never has and do things she never thought she would. But love and life are worth fighting for. I’m going to be checking out more books by this author.
The Plumberry School of Comfort Food by Cathy Bramley
The Plumberry School of Comfort Food was originally published as a four-part serial. This is the complete story in one package.
Verity Bloom hasn’t been interested in cooking anything more complicated than the perfect fish finger sandwich, ever since she lost her best friend and baking companion two years ago.
But an opportunity to help a friend lands her right back in the heart of the kitchen. The Plumberry School of Comfort Food is due to open in a few weeks’ time and needs the kind of great ideas that only Verity could cook up. And with new friendships bubbling and a sprinkling of romance in the mix, Verity finally begins to feel like she’s home.
But when tragedy strikes at the very heart of the cookery school, can Verity find the magic ingredient for Plumberry while still writing her own recipe for happiness?
My Review.
I like to mix my reading up, so after something heavy, something lighter, what I’d classify as an easy read. A relaxing book with enough in it to keep me interested. The Plumberry School of Comfort Food delivered all the things I wanted. Characters I cared about, a setting that inspired me and story that kept my attention.
Close to Death by Anthony Horowitz.
Hawthorne & Horowitz 5
In New York Times–bestselling author Anthony Horowitz’s ingenious fifth literary whodunit in the Hawthorne and Horowitz series, Detective Hawthorne is once again called upon to solve an unsolvable case—a gruesome murder in an idyllic gated community in which suspects abound
Riverside Close is a picture-perfect community. The six exclusive and attractive houses are tucked far away from the noise and grime of city life, allowing the residents to enjoy beautiful gardens, pleasant birdsong and tranquillity from behind the security of a locked gate.
It is the perfect idyll until the Kentworthy family arrives, with their four giant, gas-guzzling cars, a gaggle of shrieking children and plans for a garish swimming pool in the backyard. Obvious outsiders, the Kentworthys do not belong in Riverside Close, and they quickly offend every last one of their neighbours. When Giles Kentworthy is found dead on his own doorstep, a crossbow bolt sticking out of his chest, Detective Hawthorne is the only investigator that can be called on to solve the case. Because how do you solve a murder when everyone is a suspect?
My Review.
I usually enjoy the interplay between Hawthorne and Horowitz, but this time the story fell a bit flat for me. Maybe it was the lack of Immediacy and the usual acerbic exchanges between them. The map at the front of the book recalled classic crime novels and was a welcome addition. I doubt anyone could have worked out the solution. I certainly didn’t.
The Janus Stone by Elly Griffiths
Atmospheric
It’s been only a few months since archaeologist Ruth Galloway found herself entangled in a missing persons case, barely escaping with her life. But when construction workers demolishing a large old house in Norwich uncover the bones of a child beneath a doorway—minus its skull—Ruth is once again called upon to investigate. Is it a Roman-era ritual sacrifice, or is the killer closer at hand?
Ruth and Detective Harry Nelson would like to find out—and fast. When they realize the house was once a children’s home, they track down the Catholic priest who served as its operator. Father Hennessey reports that two children did go missing from the home forty years before—a boy and a girl. They were never found. When carbon dating proves that the child’s bones predate the home and relate to a time when the house was privately owned, Ruth is drawn ever more deeply into the case. But as spring turns into summer it becomes clear that someone is trying very hard to put her off the trail by frightening her, and her unborn child, half to death.
The Janus Stone is a riveting follow-up to Griffiths’s acclaimed The Crossing Places.
My Review.
As I had enjoyed the first book in the series, I was happy to get this. It’s an interesting story with a definite Gothic horror feel. While I enjoyed the ongoing “not a relationship” between Harry Nelson and Ruth Galloway the story’s structure ( interspersed diary entries) didn’t work so well for me. I will still be reading the next in the series though.
Last month I sadly lost my cat Annabelle at fourteen years old.Here is my other cat Alexei as a kitten.He’s all grown up now and just one year younger than Annabelle. Instinct or caution, made me take him to the vet and he’s just been diagnosed with diabetes. That was a bit of a shock, but we will learn to deal with it together.
Wishing you all good health, good company and good reading!
Once again February delivered a hot and uncomfortable month with some good times and some not-so-good.
Welcome to the world of Alice
I visited The Alice in Wonderland exhibition at the West Australian Museum with a friend and we had a lovely time finishing with an Alice Tea party. The exhibition runs until Sunday 23rd April 2023. In my opinion, it is more for older children and adults.
The Cheshire cat
My computer and internet became seriously unreliable. It was incredibly stressful not knowing if any work would be available.
Part of the ever-changing tea party
Kudos to my broadband provider Aussie Broadband, who contacted me about the problem and arranged a call out from the NBN which fixed the internet problem.
I found to my delight that I had enough ‘Flybuys Rewards’ points to buy a new computer. I have had to spend some time getting to know it.
And of course, there was always time for reading.
Fly Me to Moongate Manor by Kate Forster.
A brand new cosy romance by the bestselling author of Starting Over at Acorn Cottage, coming to you in April 2023!
Amanda Cox is living in New York with a non-committal boyfriend and a student loan that threatens to crush her. That is, until she enters a raffle for a manor house in the British countryside of Northumberland – and wins…
352 pages, Kindle Edition
Expected publication April 13, 2023
I liked this enchanting cover.
My Review.
Life is bleak for Amanda; she is dealing with a bereavement and her life isn’t how she hoped it would be. The surprise lottery win ignites something in her and she decides to go and see what life would be like in an English manor house. Diana, the previous owner of the manor house, is friendly but reserved. Amanda senses there are things she’s not being told. Then there is Simon, the casual garden helper, who knows nothing about gardening. What is there in his past that he has run away from? A treat for anyone who enjoyed The Secret Garden. There is a definite feeling that both the garden and the people are transforming. Easy and enjoyable reading. I loved it!
Thanks to Net Galley and the publishers for giving me a complimentary digital copy of this e-book in exchange for a full, frank and honest review.
Love Heart Lane by Christie Barlow.
Welcome to Love Heart Lane…
When Flick Simons returns to the small village of Heartcross she only expected to stay for a few days. The white-washed cottages of Love Heart Lane might be her home, but the place holds too many painful memories, and of one man in particular – Fergus Campbell.
When a winter storm sweeps in, the only bridge connecting the village to the mainland is swept away! As the villagers pull together, Flick finds herself welcomed back by the friends she once left behind. And as the snow begins to melt, maybe there is a chance that Fergus’s heart will thaw too…
My Review
Trapped in Heartcross village Flick can’t help running into Fergus. They have a history, and now he tries to avoid her. Pushed reluctantly into a leadership role she is fighting for their village and its survival. Flick can’t avoid him and his delightful young daughter forever. He’s surly with her in a way she didn’t expect. Could he too be hiding a broken heart?
My Review
Just An Ordinary Family by Fiona Lowe.
Liane Moriarty meets Jodi Picoult in this tensely negotiated story of family ties, betrayal and sacrifice.
Every family has its secrets…
Alice Hunter is smarting from the raw deal life has thrown her way: suddenly single, jobless and forced to move home to her parents’ tiny seaside town. And now she faces an uncomfortable truth. She wants her twin sister Libby’s enviable life.
Libby’s closest friend Jess Dekic has been around the Hunter family for so long she might as well be blood. She’s always considered herself a sister closer to Libby than Alice ever could be…
Libby Hunter has all of life’s boxes ticked: prominent small-town doctor, gorgeous husband and two young daughters. But when she is betrayed by those she loves most, it reveals how tenuous her world is…
For Karen Hunter, her children are a double-edged sword of pain and pride. She’s always tried to guide her girls through life’s pitfalls, but how do you protect your children when they’re adults?
As the family implodes, the fallout for these four women will be inescapable…
Bestselling Australian author Fiona Lowe wields a deft hand, creating utterly addictive storytelling that will have you questioning your own perceptions of what family is.
My Review.
Libby has an apparently idyllic life, while in contrast her twin Alice feels like a total failure. She’s lost her job, and her relationship and has moved back home to live with her parents. It’s not the life she envisaged for herself. She isn’t even as close to her twin as she once was, being sidelined by Libby’s friend Jess. But even perfect lives can have fault lines and in a small town, everyone notices everything. This is a real page-turner, and while you may not always agree with the characters or their choices you can understand why they take them.
The House of Hopes and Dreams by Trisha Ashley.
When Carey Revell unexpectedly becomes the heir to Mossby, his family’s ancestral home, it’s rather a mixed blessing. The house is large but rundown and comes with a pair of resentful relatives who can’t be asked to leave. Still, newly dumped by his girlfriend and also from his job as a TV interior designer, Carey needs somewhere to lick his wounds. And Mossby would be perfect for a renovation show. He already knows someone who could restore the stained glass windows in the older part of the house…
Angel Arrowsmith has spent the last ten years happily working and living with her artist mentor and partner. But suddenly bereaved, she finds herself heartbroken, without a home or a livelihood. Life will never be the same again – until old friend Carey Revell comes to the rescue.
They move into Mossby with high hopes. But the house has a secret at its heart: an old legend concerning one of the famous windows. Will all their dreams for happiness be shattered? Or can Carey and Angel find a way to make this house a home?
My Review.
The type of story that I enjoy, it is about a renovation project as well as reinventing two careers. Trisha Ashley also includes references to a village from one of her previous books, called Half Hidden. Throw in speculation about a ghost, and details of working with stained glass as well as an ongoing family mystery. Of course, there are some quirky characters too. A triple timeline throughout the book adds to the story, as we learn secrets before others know them.
The House That Made Us by Alice Cavanagh.
When Mac and Marie marry and find a home of their own, Mac takes a snap of themselves outside their newbuild bungalow, the garden bare and the paint on the front door still wet. It becomes a tradition, this snap, and slowly the photographs build into an album of a fifty-year partnership.
Every year they take a photo and though things change around them – the garden matures, the fashions change, they grow older – the one constant is their love. Every year, come rain, come shine, from the Seventies through the decades, every photo tells the story of their love.
Until the last photo, where the couple becomes one, and their story comes to an end…
My Review.
A deceptively simple story of family life that draws you in. Reminiscent of Maeve Bincy for its warmth and humour.
The Last Love Note by Emma Grey.
In the aftermath of crushing grief, sole parent Kate Whittaker must learn to live and love again. It’s been tough raising her young son and wrangling a university fundraising job, an overbearing mother and a best friend intent on matchmaking her with someone new. When Kate and her boss, Hugh, become stranded in a sleepy hamlet north of Byron Bay, she finally has a chance to process all that she’s been through and all that the future might hold. Caught in an impossible tangle of loss, love and unexpected longing, Kate wonders if she can risk her heart again. But when it becomes clear that Hugh is hiding a secret from her past, all she has to guide her is the trail of scribbled notes she once used to hold her life together. The first note captured her heart. Will the last note set it free? A sparkling Australian romantic comedy that will break your heart into a thousand shards and piece it back together again.
My Review.
This is such a beautiful book, it’s a testament to the power of love, the pain of loss and the resilience to go on. I started to read this on the anniversary of my husband’s death, somehow, I felt it would be an important book for me.
It made me laugh; it made me cry. I nodded my head in recognition of the gradual disintegration of a loved one’s brain. I recognised the fear, anger, hurt, sudden impatience, and remorse.
Kate is a young widow and for her, there is the potential to love again.
The Three Lives of Alix St Pierre.
A compelling and lavish novel from the NYT bestselling author about a young woman striving to forget her part in the war by building life anew as the publicist at the just-launching House of Dior in Paris
1943. After spearheading several successful advertising campaigns in New York, PR wizard Alix St Pierre comes to the attention of the US government and finds herself recruited into a fledgling intelligence organisation. Enlisted as a spy, Alix is sent to Europe where she is tasked with getting close to a Nazi who might be willing to help the Allied forces – but there’s also the chance he might be a double agent.
1946. Following the war, Alix moves to Paris to run the Service de la Presse for the yet-to-be-launched House of Christian Dior. But when a figure from the war reappears and threatens to destroy her future, Alix realises that only she can right the wrongs of the past and bring him to justice.
The Three Lives of Alix St Pierre is a thrilling, sumptuous work of historical fiction told in three timelines: before, during and after WWII. This completely immersive story takes readers from the dangerous, intrigue-filled rooms in Switzerland where elites of both sides mingled and schemed during the war, to the glamorous halls of the House of Dior in the golden age of French fashion and journalism.
My Review.
Sure to please M/s Lester’s many fans and garner her new ones. Alix St Pierre is an extraordinary young woman who has been many things from a diligent student, to a spy. Now promotions for the new fashion house of Christian Dior. As we have come to expect from Natasha Lester, an engaging story, well told. Alix St Pierre had to make her own way in life. The resilience she has developed has served her well. But will old scars and wounds be her undoing?
It’s a pleasure to welcome author Lisa Stanbridge to talk about her new book, Lonely in Paris. Lisa recently placed third in the Romance Writers of Australia, Sweet Treats contest. This is a highly prestigious award and it attracts many, many entries. Congratulations Lisa!
Lisa Stanbridge, author of Lonely in Paris.
Some getting-to-know-you questions.
Late nights or early mornings? Late nights all the way. My imagination comes alive at night and that’s when I do my best writing. Unfortunately, I also have a full-time job so late nights are not a good idea as I always wake up tired.
What’s for breakfast? Bacon, eggs and hashbrowns. Yum!
Night out or Netflix? Netflix for sure, I’m such a homebody.
G &T or Tea/Coffee? I like tea and coffee, but I’ll always choose coffee first.
Perfect weekend? A weekend at home with hubby, relaxing, writing, watching movies or playing games.
What did you want to be when you grew up? An author! It’s nice to be able to check that off.
What is for dinner tonight? Can you cook? What would you rather be eating? I can cook and do enjoy it, but tonight we’re having spaghetti bolognaise which hubby is cooking!
What brings you joy? Lifts your spirits, and chases away a down mood. Going to the beach. Not to swim, but to walk along the sand. There’s nothing quite like the ocean breeze washing away the worries of the day.
Nothing like a dose of Vitamin Sea.
Your hero? A family friend named Barry. He’d have to be in his 80’s now and I haven’t seen him for years, but he ‘saved’ me twice in my life and I’ll never forget him. The first time was when I was at a wedding and I was probably about 12 years old. I didn’t have anyone to dance with and I desperately wanted to, but he came up and gave me my first dance. I was flying high for the rest of the night!
The second time was about a year later when my Nana died. I loved her so much and I was absolutely devastated. At her funeral, I wasn’t allowed to sit in the front row with my family and instead had to sit by myself in the row behind. There were some other people around me, but no one I knew. I couldn’t stop crying throughout the whole funeral but I had no one to comfort me…until Barry came up and held me while I cried. He is truly my hero.
You don’t have to be a superhero to change someone’s life
Do you have any non-writing-related interests? Is reading considered a writing-related interest? Because I love reading but always struggle to find enough time to do so. I also love gaming, the relaxing type. Animal Crossing, House Flipper, Stardew Valley, and Pokémon…just to name a few.
What would surprise people to know about you? I used to dance when I was younger. All types of dance—tap, highland, jazz, Irish, and ballroom. Never professionally, but I danced for a good few years in my teens. Sadly, I never kept it up.
Life lessons-what do you wish you’d known earlier? That adulthood is hard!
Let’s talk about your new book Lonely in Paris which was released, today 16th January 2023
Lonely in Paris is a bit of a passion project. Ever since I visited Paris a few years ago I’ve wanted to write a story set there. I did try writing one about three years ago but I wasn’t happy with it so it went into the ‘maybe’ pile.
Then I decided to join a Paris anthology and I wrote a new story, which is how Lonely in Paris was born. I knew it would work better as romantic comedy/chick lit and so that’s what I did, and it pretty much wrote itself. It’s a fun, light-hearted romantic comedy with some serious aspects because you can’t have romance without a little uncertainty.
The eBook is available from the 16th of January and will be Amazon exclusive. Anyone can purchase it from Amazon, but anyone with a Kindle Unlimited subscription can read it for free. A paperback will be available wide but will be delayed by a couple of weeks.
Tell us about it.
Jane’s #1 rule in Paris: Don’t fall in love
After ending a disastrous relationship, Jane accepts a job in the City of Love. The trouble is she speaks very little French, has no friends to enjoy Paris with, and she’s awfully lonely.
Then she meets Jacques DuPont.
Rich, handsome, and the cream of the Parisian crop, Jacques is living the dream. Just not his own. His father wants him to follow in his footsteps, but Jacques wants to earn his success. Trapped in a life chosen by his family, he’s always been alone.
Until he meets Jane.
He’s from money. She’s not. He’s a planner. She’s impulsive. He’s serious. She’s definitely not.
They couldn’t be more different, but they will fall. Hard.
Together Jane and Jacques will learn why Paris is the City of Love. But when an expiring visa, a jealous colleague, and a manipulative family threaten their fledgling relationship, their loyalties will be tested to breaking point.
Jane broke her #1 rule, now they must decide what they are willing to sacrifice for love.
Who wouldn’t love Paris?
Are you writing anything else?
Lonely in Paris is book 1 in a 3-book series
Confession: Lonely in Paris was meant to be a standalone, but as I wrote it and the characters grew, I just knew it could be a series. Rather than having different characters in the other 2 books, they’ll instead feature Jane and Jacques during their evolving relationship and the many blips along the way. Book 2 is scheduled to be released on 16th May 2023 (pre-orders will be available when Lonely in Paris is released). Book 3 I’m aiming to release on 16th September, but that date isn’t set in concrete yet. I’ll see how much progress I make on it when I release book 2.
The Louvre, Paris.
Questions about Writing.
What is your writing process like? Like my current manuscript…a work in progress. It’s an area I’m still trying to perfect. Juggling writing and working full time is something I still haven’t got right.
Do you have any other projects are in the works? So many, my mind is full of ideas and future series. As I mentioned above, I’m working on books 2 and 3 of this series. I’m also editing manuscripts I finished a few years ago that I plan to publish in 2024.
Have you ever resuscitated a project you’d shelved? What helped it work better the second time around? My debut novel, Abandoned Hearts (published in 2020), was a resuscitated project. It took me 6 years from start to publication because I just couldn’t get it right and I kept sitting on it. In that 6 years, I worked on my writing, perfected my voice, learnt and learnt and learnt, until I finally I got it right.
Writers never know when an idea will strike!
What do you know now that you wish you’d known at the beginning of your writing/publishing journey? Drafts don’t have to be perfect. I often expected perfection first go and sometimes even led myself to believe my first draft was perfect even though it was far from it. There’s nothing wrong with a dirty draft where you just spill the words on the page and then go back and fix it later. I’ve started doing that recently and it’s such a great feeling. The words flow better without the pressure of getting everything right.
What is the most difficult part about writing for you? Actually getting it down on paper. I get the idea in my head and it all sounds so amazing, but then it comes to writing it and I really struggle sometimes. Since I’ve started writing dirty drafts though, it’s made this a little easier.
Did you do any research for your current book? Yes, because it’s been a long time since I went to Paris, so I needed to make sure what I remembered was still relevant (and in some cases, it wasn’t). I also had to make sure I got the French translations correct.
Do you have a favourite character that you have written? If so, who? And what makes them so special? Oh, this is hard, as I have many. 🙂 Michael and Claire in Abandoned Hearts are close firsts, as is Jacques in Lonely in Paris. But there’s also Hamish in my unpublished manuscript, The Final Masquerade, and Gavin in another unpublished manuscript (planned for 2024 release) Oceans Apart. How do I choose?
Do you think someone could be a writer if they don’t feel emotions? I think anyone can be a writer, but if someone doesn’t feel emotions it’s going to be a lot harder for them. But since I’m an over-emotional person, I can’t even comprehend not feeling emotions.
Best money you have spent as a writer? Purchasing Atticus to format my manuscripts and paying an editor to get my manuscript up to scratch.
Do you have a favourite author and why? I’ve got many, but my top two would be Katie Fforde and Sophie Kinsella. They were instrumental in helping me find my writing style and voice.
What are you reading now? Let it Snow by Beth Moran
What books or authors have most influenced your writing? Ha, see above!
What favourite book/story you have read as an adult? It’ll always be Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. I agree and the BBC 1995 Adaptation With Colin Firth and Jennifer Ehle is about as perfect as you could get.
What favourite book/story you have read as a child? The Tin Can Puppy by Wendy Orr and Brian Kogler
Thank you so much for talking with us and good luck with Lonely In Paris.
I was fortunate enough to receive an advance copy of Lonely in Paris and have posted a review on Good Reads and in last month’s blog post.
February in my part of Australia (Perth)started off hot. I mean frying eggs on the pavement hot, don’t walk out in bare feet hot. We ended up with a climate record-breaking month. Many days reached temperatures of over 40c ( 104F) While it’s not great for much activity, it is perfect for reading under the air-conditioner. It also is a month with a poignant anniversary for me, so most of my reading was light. Additionally, I am hoping to join a Regency romance project, so some of my reading is geared towards that.
Love is in the air! February is the month for romance
It’s in His Kiss by Julia Quinn. (7th Bridgerton Book)
The seventh novel in Julia Quinn’s globally beloved and bestselling Bridgerton Family series, set in Regency times and now a series created by Shonda Rhimes for Netflix. This is Hyacinth’s story: she’s all grown up and ready to cause havoc . . .
All the ton agree: there is no one quite like Hyacinth Bridgerton..
Fiendishly smart, devilishly outspoken and – according to some, particularly Gareth St. Clair – probably best in small doses. But there’s something about her – something charming and vexing – that grabs one and won’t quite let go.
Gareth and Hyacinth cross paths at the annual – and annually discordant – Smythe-Smith musicale. To Hyacinth, Gareth’s every word seems a dare, and she offers to help him out with a knotty inheritance problem he’s facing. However, as they delve into the mysterious St Clair history, they discover that the answers they seek lie not in the past – but in each other; and that there is nothing as simple – or as complicated – as a single, perfect kiss.
Find out why readers love Julia Quinn .
Fans cant get enough of Bridgerton.
My Review.
I watched the first Bridgerton series last year, but sadly, had only the vaguest recollections of Hyacinth. As it is the seventh book in the series and I have only read one, Benedict’s story, I expected to have some catching up to do. I wanted to fall in love with the characters and plot, but I didn’t. Eloise has always been the outspoken and witty one and Hyacinth didn’t gel for me. One of Gareth’s actions didn’t sit well with me. One for the fans, I think.
The Long Call by Ann Cleeves
For the first time in 20 years, Ann Cleeves –international bestselling and award-winning author of the Vera and Shetland series, both of which are hit TV shows– embarks on a gripping new series.
In North Devon, where two rivers converge and run into the sea, Detective Matthew Venn stands outside the church as his father’s funeral takes place. Once loved and cherished, the day Matthew left the strict evangelical community he grew up in, he lost his family too.
Now, as he turns and walks away again, he receives a call from one of his team. A body has been found on the beach nearby: a man with a tattoo of an albatross on his neck, stabbed to death.
The case calls Matthew back into the community he thought he had left behind, as deadly secrets hidden at its heart are revealed, and his past and present collide.
An astonishing new novel told with compassion and searing insight, The Long Call will captivate fans of Vera and Shetland, as well as new readers.
My Review.
I have always been a fan of Ann Cleeves, so I was interested in reading her new series. Matthew Venn is a quiet thoughtful man, one who I am sure will develop as the series progresses. For now, it is his knowledge of the religious community he left behind that informs part of his investigation. They say you can never go back, but sometimes you have to, so you can move forward. There is a TV adaptation of the book, which altered a couple of the plot points. I preferred the book.
Someone to Romance by Mary Balogh
Love comes when you least expect it in this captivating new novel in the Wescott Regency romance series from New York Times bestselling author Mary Balogh.
Lady Jessica Archer lost her own interest in the glittering excitement of romance after her cousin and dearest friend, Abigail Westcott, was rejected by the ton when her father was revealed to be a bigamist. Ever practical, however, once she’s twenty-five, she decides it’s time to wed. Though she no longer believes she will find true love, she is still very eligible. She is, after all, the sister of Avery Archer, Duke of Netherby.
Jessica considers the many qualified gentlemen who court her. But when she meets the mysterious Gabriel Thorne, who has returned to England from the New World to claim an equally mysterious inheritance, Jessica considers him completely unsuitable, because he had the audacity, when he first met her, to announce his intention to wed her.
When Jessica guesses who Gabriel really is, however, and watches the lengths to which he will go in order to protect those who rely upon him, she is drawn to his cause—and to the man.
My Review.
I enjoyed this. Lady Jessica is a character who is strong-willed, independent and finally ready to settle down to marriage. Somehow none of her current suitors’ appeal, too dull, too slavish in their devotion, or only after her money. At twenty -five she really should be married. Gabriel Thorne, piques her interest, although, of course, he is totally unsuitable and totally intriguing.
Our Woman in Moscow by Beatriz Williams
The New York Times bestselling author of Her Last Flight returns with a gripping and profoundly human story of Cold War espionage and family devotion that proves again why Elin Hilderbrand says Beatriz Williams “is writing the best historical fiction out there.”
In the autumn of 1948, Iris Digby vanishes from her London home with her American diplomat husband and their two children. The world is shocked by the family’s sensational disappearance. Were they eliminated by the Soviet intelligence service? Or have the Digby’s defected to Moscow with a trove of the West’s most vital secrets?
Four years later, Ruth Macallister receives a postcard from the twin sister she hasn’t seen since their catastrophic parting in Rome in the summer of 1940, as war engulfed the continent and Iris fell desperately in love with an enigmatic United States Embassy official named Sasha Digby. Within days, Ruth is on her way to Moscow, posing as the wife of counterintelligence agent Sumner Fox in a precarious plot to extract the Digby’s from behind the Iron Curtain.
But the complex truth behind Iris’s marriage defies Ruth’s understanding, and as the sisters race toward safety, a dogged Soviet agent forces them to make a heartbreaking choice between two irreconcilable loyalties
An intriguing cover.
My Review.
Smart and compelling but you need to pay attention as it moves at a fast pace between places and people. I remember my parents talking about Burgess and Maclean and Philby. The shadowy world of espionage means loyalty is fluid and who knows who a friend or an enemy is. At times I felt impatient with Iris and her devotion to Sasha, a charming but most unsatisfactory husband. The conclusion made it all worth it.
Romancing The Duke by Tessa Dare.
In the first in Tessa Dare’s captivating Castles Ever After series, a mysterious fortress is the setting for an unlikely love . . .
As the daughter of a famed author, Isolde Ophelia Goodnight grew up on tales of brave knights and fair maidens. She never doubted romance would be in her future, too. The storybooks offered endless possibilities.
And as she grew older, Izzy crossed them off. One by one by one.
Ugly duckling turned swan?
Abducted by handsome highwayman?
Rescued from drudgery by charming prince?
No, no, and… Heh.
Now Izzy’s given up yearning for romance. She’ll settle for a roof over her head. What fairy tales are left over for an impoverished twenty-six year-old woman who’s never even been kissed?
This one.
My Review.
A delightful romp of a book. Izzy Goodnight is a unique character, who gained both my sympathy and admiration. She is unfazed by the surly Duke, Ranson Roxbury. He is in turns enraged, baffled and unwilling to admit she may have got through to him. Unless they work together neither will have a home. Surprisingly Izzy’s past is the answer to their present problems.
The Garden House by Marcia Willett.
After the death of her father, El moves into his home just outside Tavistock in Devon. Fresh out of university and dangling on the precipice of adulthood she questions what it is she really wants from life. Although her childhood friend, Will, is there to help her through her grief she soon realises there were things her father was hiding from her…
Jules is also mourning Martin, but they thought it best to keep their relationship secret, she must now grieve entirely alone. All she has to remember her love are the memories of their time spent at a beautiful community garden and teashop nearby. The Garden House is where they met, fell in love and where their secret affair will inevitably be uncovered.
As El and Will begin to piece together her father’s secrets they bring them closer and closer to both Jules and a truth that is difficult to face.
My Review.
I’ve always enjoyed previous Marica Willet books and anticipated an easy and enjoyable read. Unfortunately, I’d say it’s one for the fans as so many characters from previous books make appearances. I did recollect who a couple were but overall, it left me feeling dissatisfied.
Someone to Love by Mary Balogh.
Humphrey Westcott, Earl of Riverdale, has died, leaving behind a fortune that will
forever alter the lives of everyone in his family—including the daughter no one knew he had…
Anna Snow grew up in an orphanage in Bath knowing nothing of the family she came from. Now she discovers that the late Earl of Riverdale was her father and that she has inherited his fortune. She is also overjoyed to learn she has siblings. However, they want nothing to do with her or her attempts to share her new wealth. But the new earl’s guardian is interested in Anna…
Avery Archer, Duke of Netherby, keeps others at a distance. Yet something prompts him to aid Anna in her transition from orphan to lady. As London society and her newfound relatives threaten to overwhelm Anna, Avery steps in to rescue her and finds himself vulnerable to feelings and desires he has hidden so well and for so long.
My Review
Having read Someone to Romance I was interested to read the story of how Avery and Anna came to be married. It seemed an unlikely pairing. The initial set-up was confusing with so many Dukes, Duchesses, Earls and assorted nobility crowded onto the pages. Anna is perhaps just as a bit too good to be true, while Avery is not as substantial a presence as I would have liked in a romance.
The Paris Library by Janet Skeslien Charles.
Based on the true World War II story of the heroic librarians at the American Library in Paris, this is an unforgettable story of romance, friendship, family, and the power of literature to bring us together, perfect for fans of The Lilac Girls and The Paris Wife.
Paris, 1939: Young and ambitious Odile Souchet has it all: her handsome police officer beau and a dream job at the American Library in Paris. When the Nazis march into Paris, Odile stands to lose everything she holds dear, including her beloved library. Together with her fellow librarians, Odile joins the Resistance with the best weapons she has: books. But when the war finally ends, instead of freedom, Odile tastes the bitter sting of unspeakable betrayal.
Montana, 1983: Lily is a lonely teenager looking for adventure in small-town Montana. Her interest is piqued by her solitary, elderly neighbor. As Lily uncovers more about her neighbor’s mysterious past, she finds that they share a love of language, the same longings, and the same intense jealousy, never suspecting that a dark secret from the past connects them.
A powerful novel that explores the consequences of our choices and the relationships that make us who we are–family, friends, and favorite authors–The Paris Library shows that extraordinary heroism can sometimes be found in the quietest of places.
My Review.
At times a book just speaks to you and for me, The Paris Library was one of those books. It is so obviously a library and book lovers’ book. To some of us, a place without a library is soulless. Libraries bring communities together and none more so during WW2 than the American Library in Paris. This dual timeline story focuses on two women and how their lives become connected. Odile in wartime France and Lily in Montana in 1983.
Odile has memories she’d rather forget, while Lily has longings she can’t even begin to explain.
During the Nazi occupation, even books became dangerous, many were banned and confiscated. And of course, the doctrine of ‘racial purity ‘ meant people were no longer permitted in some areas. The library had welcomed everyone, French, Russian, American, English, Jewish. But now Jews were disappearing, rounded up by the French police.
Long-time library regular Professor Cohen has entrusted her novel to Odile and the first section reads, ‘ The Afterlife is filed with the heavenly scent of musty books. Its walls are lined with tall bookcases full of forgotten tomes. In this cozy mezzanine between worlds, there are no window nor clocks, though an occasional echo of children’s laughter or whiff of chocolate croissant wafts in from the ground floor.’
I stopped reading and held the book close at such a beautiful description. A book for bibliophiles and anyone else who enjoys a good story.
Summer Kisses at Mermaids Point by Sarah Bennett
Laurie Morgan runs a café in the small seaside community of Mermaids Point, named after the beauties rumoured to live in the waters a few miles off the top of the point. When a hazy image is posted online of what appears to be a mermaid, the café and the village are soon full to bursting with curious sightseers.
The most eye-catching of the new arrivals is handsome author, Jake Smith, who has rented a cottage for the summer while he works on his new book. Or so he says. In fact, he is a journalist, burned out and disillusioned with life, whose editor has sent him on a crack-pot hunt for mermaids… Jake quickly finds himself drawn to village life, and to the gorgeous woman who runs the local café. But he soon suspects there’s trouble lurking beneath the idyllic façade, and when it looks like Laurie’s family might be involved, Jake faces a difficult choice. Pursue the truth, or protect the woman he’s beginning to fall in love with…
Warm, escapist, feel-good and altogether brilliant story-telling from bestselling author Sarah Bennett. Perfect for all fans of Trisha Ashley and Milly Johnson.
A cute cover, but I would have loved to see a mermaid.
My Review.
A fun escapist read. Café owner Laurie has a contented life in Mermaid Point, but something is missing. Life is predictable, and her past has left her unwilling to trust men.
Jake Smith is undercover on what he regards as a stupid assignment, the mermaid hunt. He suspects that some in the village may be involved in what he thinks is an elaborate scam.
Laurie thaws to Jake while he is increasingly holding his cynicism at bay until events take an unexpected turn.
Romancing Mr Bridgerton: Penelope & Colin’s Story by Julia Quinn.
Everyone knows that Colin Bridgerton is the most charming man in London. Penelope Featherington has secretly adored her best friend’s brother for…well, it feels like forever. After half a lifetime of watching Colin Bridgerton from afar, she thinks she knows everything about him, until she stumbles across his deepest secret…and fears she doesn’t know him at all.
Colin Bridgerton is tired of being thought nothing but an empty-headed charmer, tired of everyone’s preoccupation with the notorious gossip columnist Lady Whistledown, who can’t seem to publish an edition without mentioning him in the first paragraph. But when Colin returns to London from a trip abroad he discovers nothing in his life is quite the same – especially Penelope Featherington! The girl haunting his dreams. But when he discovers that Penelope has secrets of her own, this elusive bachelor must decide…is she his biggest threat – or his promise of a happy ending?
My Review.
Like many of us, I have a soft spot for the overlooked Penelope, who has loved Colin from afar. Now he has returned from abroad and she finds him as charming as ever. But, for the first time, he’s noticing her. They share banter and after resigning herself to spinsterhood, a ray of hope grows in Penelope’s heart. Until her secret, threatens to derail the budding love affair. Can he look past it, does he care enough, is she worth it? Will they face the future together?
Most of my reading was escapist reading this month, interspersed with a few more serious choices. For me, reading is about enjoyment and entertainment. Maybe I ‘should ‘ read more serious literary works, but I am content with what I read and I don’t think anyone should shame you for your reading choices.
Sonia Bellhouse- Author. 