A Stranger in Corfu - Alex Preston

On the Greek island of Vidos the past lingers like salt in the air. The inhabitants - former members of MI6 - are sent here to be forgotten. Exiled. Either too damaged or too compromised to be allowed to live freely.

For years, residents make the best of their fate - old enemies reconcile, long-lost friends swim together in the warm sea and estranged lovers share a bed once more. But secrets bind tightly. And when one of their own washes up dead, alliances fracture and a tide of suspicion begins to rise.

A vivid reimagining of a real, hidden slice of the British Intelligence Service's history, A Stranger in Corfu is an exquisitely tense and masterfully spun novel about shadowy morality, unravelled secrets and the futility of trying to outrun the past.

 

What did I think?

It was really interesting to read A Stranger in Corfu because although it is fiction it did make me wonder what happens to spies when they are no longer active.  Are they trusted to they keep their secrets or are they too much of a risk?

These former spies are exiled on the island of Vidos in Corfu and they live together rather like a dysfunctional family.  The Greek police have their work cut out when one of the ex-spies is found dead.  Is it an accident or was it murder?  The spies know better than most that it's a dangerous world out there and you don't know who you can trust.

The timeline flips back and forth between the current setting and previous assignments and although the pacing is quite slow I was mesmerised by the eloquence of Alex Preston's writing. 

Atmospheric, poignant and intriguing, A Stranger in Corfu is an enthralling literary thriller that I really enjoyed reading.  It's well worth a read if you enjoy spy thrillers as it's something a bit different from the norm.

I received a gifted hardback for the Adventures With Words readalong and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

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BLOG TOUR: Confetti at the Hummingbird Hotel - Daisy James

Welcome back to the Hummingbird Hotel!

When Abbie Coleman is asked to organise a Dance & Desserts retreat for a group of exhausted schoolteachers, she decides to pull out all the stops. With line dancing, flamenco and the Charleston on the agenda, along with a whole host of delicious themed desserts, it’s her chance to prove to everyone that she has – at last – gained the skills needed to be an accomplished hotelier. This time she’s determined there will be no “unfortunate incidents” that make the Hummingbird Hotel look like Corfu’s Comedy Central.

With her big fat Greek wedding to the gorgeous Nikos Angelopoulos only three weeks away, will she finally be able to deliver a retreat without the habitual chaos and calamity the hotel has become famous for? Can she turn a clunky chicken dance into a classy Charleston and a boogie-woogie into a beautiful ballet? Or will she be boot scootin’ it back to London and life as a floundering florist?

Let Daisy James whisk you away to gorgeous Corfu with a feel-good holiday read filled with sun, sea and a sprinkle of romance. Perfect for fans of Mandy Baggot, Sue Roberts & Sandy Barker

 

What did I think?

Confetti at the Hummingbird Hotel is the sixth and final book in The Hummingbird Hotel series but you can definitely read it as a standalone.  Before jumping in at book six, I had only read the first book in the series so I was already familiar with the main characters, but enough of their background story is covered so that any new readers are not disadvantaged.

It was an absolute delight to escape to the Hummingbird Hotel once again.  This time, Abbie and her team are running a Dance & Desserts retreat for some school teachers.  The dancing and the desserts are described so exquisitely by Daisy James that I wanted to try the moves out for myself (and I always want to try the desserts).  It had my foot tapping and my stomach rumbling, that's for sure!  

There is some tension in the group of teachers and some mysterious goings-on but the very future of the Hummingbird Hotel is at stake unless Abbie can get to the bottom of it.  As if Abbie doesn't have enough on her plate, with her upcoming wedding to vineyard owner Nikos.  Abbie has so much going on and so many things going wrong that it's a wonder she doesn't feel dizzy, but with a little help from her friends I had every confidence that things would turn out alright in the end.  

Guaranteed to put a smile on your face, nothing makes me happier than reading a Daisy James book.  Filled with sunshine, smiles, delicious food and a sprinkling of lighthearted mystery, Confetti at the Hummingbird Hotel is pure escapism.  So, grab your sunglasses and head out into the garden with your kindle; you don't need your passport to escape to Corfu courtesy of Daisy James.

I received a digital ARC to read and review for the blog tour and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

Buy it from:

Amazon UK

Amazon US

About the author:

Daisy James loves writing stories with strong heroines and swift-flowing plotlines. She especially likes to create sunshine-filled settings in exotic locations - the Caribbean, Tuscany, Cornwall, Provence - so she can spend her time envisioning her characters enjoying the fabulous scenery and sampling the local food and drink.

When not scribbling away in her peppermint-and-green summerhouse (garden shed), she spends her time sifting flour and sprinkling sugar and edible glitter. She loves gossiping with friends over a glass of something fizzy or indulging in a spot of afternoon tea - china plates and teacups are a must.

Daisy would love to hear from readers via her Facebook page or you can follow her on Twitter @daisyjamesbooks, or on Instagram @daisyjamesstories.

Social Media Links – 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100009889775019

Twitter: https://twitter.com/daisyjamesbooks 

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

Website: https://daisyjames.co.uk/ 

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BLOG TOUR: Escape to the Hummingbird Hotel - Daisy James

 

Welcome to the Hummingbird Hotel!

When florist-to-the-stars Abbie Coleman catches a glimpse of her boyfriend through the window of Tiffany’s, she couldn’t be more excited. Keen to share her happiness, she organises a huge surprise party for all their family and friends… except things don’t quite work out as she expected, and instead of planning a flower-filled wedding, she finds herself single, and fired from a job she loves.

Desperate to escape her heartbreak, she jets off to her aunt’s quirky Hummingbird Hotel on the gorgeous island of Corfu. Little did she know that instead of spending her time lounging by the pool, drinking cocktails, and soaking up the sun, she’d be stepping into the role of the island’s newest hotelier.

The arrival of unexpected guests sends Abbie into a tailspin of panic, and she’s forced to turn to snippy, but charismatic, vineyard owner-turned-chef, Nikos Angelopoulos, for help. Why does the kitchen fill with smoke whenever she makes coffee? Why is there a naked man swimming in the pool? And why do the hotel’s toiletries turn their guests’ hair pink?

Despite all the chaos, the Hummingbird Hotel works its magic on Abbie, and she finds herself with a decision to make. Will she return home to the drizzly grey skies of London? Or will she take a leap of faith and embrace the new opportunities that little corner of paradise has to offer, and maybe, just maybe, discover a sprinkle of romance along the way?

What did I think?

Reading a Daisy James book is a real treat for the senses and I loved my visit to Corfu in her twentieth novel Escape to the Hummingbird Hotel.  You don't need any sunscreen or vaccine passports for this trip!

What an introduction to the wonderful character of Abbie Coleman!  Abbie is expecting a proposal from her boyfriend as all the signs are pointing in that direction but she couldn't be more wrong.  Although it's pretty hilarious, I did feel a bit mortified for Abbie when the proposal went horribly wrong but Dan is clearly not the man for her.  An invitation to visit Corfu couldn't come along at a better time but will it be more business than pleasure for Abbie?

Abbie soon forgets about the non-proposal from Dan as she suddenly has a hotel to run and she really has her work cut out with guests arriving any day.  With a little help from the locals, the visiting hen party have a wonderful time (apart from the hen ending up with pink hair!) and Abbie reconsiders her plan to sell the hotel and return home.  Home is indeed where the heart is and Abbie's heart is beating to the beat of Corfu.

Located inland away from the beaches (and the crowds), The Hummingbird Hotel sounds like my kind of place: a quiet and relaxing retreat a stones throw away from a vineyard.  Vineyard owner Nikos is quite the man of mystery, he's standoffish but charming and he's a dab hand in the kitchen, which is just as well as Abbie could burn water.  I couldn't stop my mouth from watering as Nikos rustled up some delicious treats in the kitchen and I think I might have to treat myself to some baklava soon.  

With a dash of mystery and a dollop of romance, Escape to the Hummingbird Hotel is a truly gorgeous novel.  It's a virtual hug in a book and a ray of sunshine escapes from every page to plant a firm smile on the face of every reader.  I can't wait for another virtual visit to Corfu and I don't have to wait at all as the next book in the series (Summer at the Hummingbird Hotel) is already out! 

I received a digital ARC to read and review for the blog tour; this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

Buy it from:

Amazon UK

Amazon US

About the author:

Daisy James loves writing stories with strong heroines and swift-flowing plotlines. She especially likes to create sunshine-filled settings in exotic locations - the Caribbean, Tuscany, Cornwall, Provence - so she can spend her time envisioning her characters enjoying the fabulous scenery and sampling the local food and drink.

When not scribbling away in her peppermint-and-green summerhouse (garden shed), she spends her time sifting flour and sprinkling sugar and edible glitter. She loves gossiping with friends over a glass of something fizzy or indulging in a spot of afternoon tea - china plates and teacups are a must.

Daisy would love to hear from readers via her Facebook page or you can follow her on Twitter @daisyjamesbooks or on Instagram @booksdaisyjames.

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