BLOG BLITZ: Poppy's Parisian Patisserie - Daisy James

Escape to chic and glamorous Paris!

When Poppy Phillipson loses her chocolate-making business in the Blossomwood Bay fire, she’s heart-broken; all her hopes and dreams wiped out in the space of an hour. As if that wasn’t enough, her last three dates were a complete disaster – one two-hour lecture on the intricacies of the off-side rule, one no-show, and an embarrassing abandonment mid-date – and she’s having a hard time not to take it personally.

So, when her brother asks her to come to the rescue of his friend Olivier Bourdain, owner of Pâtisserie Madeliene, following a freak skiing accident, she decides it’s the perfect way to escape the Devonshire drizzle and enjoy a petit sojourn from all-thing romance exploring the boutiques and boulevards of elegant Paris.

However, when she meets handsome French chef Fabien Dumont, with his sexy accent and dark brooding eyes, her determination to take a dating hiatus is severely tested. Should she concentrate on improving her skills as a pâtissière, or should she throw caution to the wind and embrace everything the City of Light has to offer… including the possibility of love?

Join Poppy as she heads to the dazzling city of Paris, and enjoy a story filled with delicious French pâtisserie and a soupçon of heart-warming romance.

 

What did I think?

I am absolutely loving Daisy James' Blossomwood Bay series and Poppy's Parisian Patisserie is another fabulous instalment, filled with romance, drama and delicious pâtisserie.  Don't worry if you haven't read any of the other books in the series as they can all be read as standalones.

Poppy lost her livelihood in the Blossomwood Bay fire so she's at a bit of a loose end when a wonderful opportunity comes her way.  So she jets off to Paris to work in a pâtisserie and learn from one of the best pâtissières in the city.  A local chef catches Poppy's eye and a spark of romance is ignited, but Fabien has a lot on his plate with strange deliveries appearing at his bistro and some awful reviews that threaten his business.  Somebody definitely has it in for him!

I love the little sprinkling of mystery that Daisy James adds to her books, it adds a huge dollop of drama to the mixing bowl of romance.  I thought Paris was brought to life beautifully through Daisy's writing and I felt as if I was walking along the banks of the Seine, experiencing all the sights, sounds and smells of Paris.

Poppy's Parisian Patisserie is a fun, romantic read that sweeps the reader off to Paris.  I really enjoyed my virtual visit to the City of Light and can't wait to read more about the lovely residents of Blossomwood Bay.

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

My rating:

Purchase link: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0CX9N1JLL

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 website – daisyjames.co.uk, or her Facebook page or you can follow her on Twitter @daisyjamesbooks, or on Instagram @daisyjamesstories.

Social Media Links – 

https://www.facebook.com/daisyjamesbooks/

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https://x.com/daisyjamesbooks

The Seven Sisters (Seven Sisters Book 1) - Lucinda Riley

The Seven Sisters is a sweeping epic tale of love and loss by the international number one bestseller Lucinda Riley.

Maia D’Aplièse and her five sisters gather together at their childhood home – a fabulous, secluded castle situated on the shores of Lake Geneva – having been told that their beloved adoptive father, the elusive billionaire they call Pa Salt, has died.

Each of them is handed a tantalising clue to their true heritage – a clue which takes Maia across the world to a crumbling mansion in Rio de Janeiro in Brazil . . .

Eighty years earlier, in the Belle Époque of Rio, 1927, Izabela Bonifacio’s father has aspirations for his daughter to marry into aristocracy. But Izabela longs for adventure, and convinces him to allow her to accompany the family of a renowned architect on a trip to Paris. In the heady, vibrant streets of Montparnasse, she meets ambitious young sculptor Laurent Brouilly, and knows at once that her life will never be the same again.

The Seven Sisters is the first book in the spellbinding Seven Sisters series, inspired by the mythology of the famous star constellation. It is followed by The Storm Sister.

 

What did I think?

I have wanted to read The Seven Sisters for a while but with so many books, so little time I didn't know how I would ever fit in a 622 page novel, but I am SO glad that I made time for it.  It is breathtaking!

The Seven Sisters is inspired by Greek mythology and Pa Salt (Atlas) names his six adopted daughters after the daughters of Atlas and Pleione: Maia, Alcyone, Asterope, Celaeno, Taygete and Electra.  On Pa Salt's death, he leaves his daughters a letter with clues to their birth, should they wish to discover where they are from.  This book is Maia's story.  

I fell in love with this book the moment I picked it up; the writing is so beautiful and the story so compelling that I couldn't put it down.  It has a dual timeline with the story alternating between Maia in 2007 and her great-grandmother Izabela eighty years earlier in 1927.  Location plays a big part in The Seven Sisters and Geneva, Rio and Paris are painted so beautifully that I felt as if I was there.

The way that Lucinda Riley weaves historical facts with a captivating fictional story is absolutely breathtaking and I absolutely devoured every single beautifully written word, gathering interesting historical facts along the way.  I love how The Seven Sisters has the contained storyline of one sister but it's part of a much bigger picture and I can't wait to read more of the series.  

Captivating, breathtaking and epic, The Seven Sisters is a very highly recommended read - it's well worth making time to read this stunning novel.

I received a paperback to read and review for a Tandem Collective readalong and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

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The Paris Apartment - Lucy Foley

In a beautiful old apartment block, deep in the backstreets of Paris, secrets are stirring behind every resident’s door.

The lonely wife

The party animal

The curtain-twitcher

The secret lover

The watchful caretaker

The unwanted guest

One resident is missing. Only the killer holds the key to the mystery… 

What did I think?

Yowzers! Reviewing this book without giving anything away is going to be tricky so this may be a short review, but it’s no reflection on how completely brilliant the book is.

I love Lucy Foley books and The Paris Apartment is no exception.  I absolutely raced through it and couldn’t put it down, greedily devouring every single word until I had discovered all of the skeletons in its closet.  The residents of these luxury apartments have more skeletons in their closets than Halloween, that's for sure.

Jess is visiting her brother in Paris but when she gets there he has disappeared.  Jess seems to be the only one worried about Ben, despite his friend being one of his neighbours.  Told from various points of view, Jess begins her search for Ben whilst the reader peeks through the keyhole of each apartment.

The characters are drawn brilliantly; I was suspicious of all of them and I thought I had worked out what had happened to Ben (and where he was) but of course it's a Lucy Foley book so I was completely wrong.  I love being wrong like this though and there are so many jawdropping moments in the book that I'm surprised I didn't have jaw ache.

Brilliantly written, The Paris Apartment is a twisty, addictive and entertaining mystery.  It's reminiscent of Agatha Christie and I'd love to see this on the big screen.  C'est magnifique!

I received a gifted paperback for the Tandem Collective readalong and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

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The Long Way Home - Fanny Blake

A family secret, a mysterious legacy, and a journey that will change everything…

 

When Isla, a 65-year-old grandmother, is left nothing but an old painting in her mother’s will, while her sisters and aunt inherit the estate, she is devastated. Close to retirement, getting ready to live on her own terms, the last thing she expects at this time of her life is such turmoil. So, to find an explanation for her mother’s rejection, she embarks on a road-trip.

 

But, right at the last moment, she’s forced to take her sullen – and, in her view, impossible – 14-year-old granddaughter Charlie with her. Cramped together in Isla’s car with her smelly old dog, these ill-assorted travelling companions set off to uncover some shattering and life-changing family truths at the same time as learning to love each other…

 

The Long Way Home is set in the UK and 1950s Paris where the story really begins, spanning four generations of women and the secrets that get passed down through them.

 

What did I think?

It's actually really refreshing to read a novel with an older protagonist as it just shows that it doesn't matter what age you are, you are still faced with the same problems and suffer the same insecurities.  In 65-year-old Isla's case, just because you're older doesn't mean you're wiser and it's no surprise that Isla is thrown into a tizz when she is treated differently to her sisters in their mother's will.

Isla has always had a strained relationship with her mother but that doesn't explain why her two sisters and her aunt should inherit her mother's house when all she has been left is a painting.  As you would expect, there are one or two arguments among the siblings so Isla decides to take a trip back home to Scotland to patch up the relationship between her sisters and hopefully get to the bottom of the mystery of her inheritance.  

Unfortunately, Isla has to take an unwilling companion with her in the form of her 14-year-old granddaughter Charlie.  A typical teenager, Charlie is glued to her phone and barely says a positive word, making the trip more of a chore than a pleasure.  As the trip progresses it was lovely to see Isla and Charlie's relationship grow and it felt like Charlie unfurled like a flower with just a little bit of nurturing and some TLC.  That is until Isla's new boyfriend turned up to upset the balance.

I really liked Isla but I cringed at some of the decisions she made, although it's understandable with so much going on in her life.  I also loved May's story set in 1950s Paris and thought I had it all worked out but I was delighted to find that I was completely wrong.  Fanny Blake's wonderfully vivid writing brings her characters to life and I felt like I was drinking coffee in the cafés of Paris and actually sitting in the car with Isla, Charlie and stinky Jock.  

Beautifully heartwarming, captivating and intriguing, The Long Way Home is a fabulous summer read and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

I chose to read an ARC and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

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BLOG TOUR: The Rift - Rachel Lynch

To save one life, she risks many others.

Working for the Royal Military Police, Major Helen Scott is used to rapid change. On a posting to Paris she oversees security for a NATO summit in the city, yet has barely begun before her presence is demanded at Interpol headquarters in Lyon.

Helen’s orders are to locate a kidnapping victim – the eldest son of oil magnate Khalil Dalmani. The main suspect is Fawaz bin Nabil, whose fortune has been made from illegal trade familiar to the intelligence agencies.

Helen knows the pain of loss and won’t rest until Khalil’s child is found. Along the way, she crosses paths with old faces and forms new alliances. But who will betray her trust?

A stunning new thriller from the author of the acclaimed DI Kelly Porter novels and a rising star in British crime fiction.

 

What did I think?

Rachel Lynch has been on my radar for quite some time as I have gradually been collecting her DI Kelly Porter novels but unfortunately I haven't read any of them yet.  The author's outstanding reputation drew me to The Rift before I had even read the blurb and I have to say that this book is even better than I expected.

Incredibly well written, this is a book that grabbed me from the start and didn't let go.  I loved the character of Major Helen Scott; she's not only brilliant at her job, she has had to overcome sexism in the workplace and she has had to deal with her own grief after suffering a terrible tragedy.  Of all this makes Helen more human and relatable, enabling her character to virtually leap out from the page.  I have my fingers crossed that this isn't the last we'll hear of Major Helen Scott.

I don't want to say too much about the plot other than to say it is breathtakingly brilliant.  I don't know whether that sort of thing is possible but it's certainly very believable and incredibly scary.  I even jumped in shock towards the end and I found myself holding my breath as the vivid and dramatic scene played out in front of my eyes.

One thing to pay attention to is the exotic names of the characters.  I wish I'd taken a note of some of the names because it sometimes caused me a little bit of confusion as to which side they were on.  It's not a criticism of the book at all as I think this is mostly down to me reading kindle books in bed just before I go to sleep so my concentration levels aren't at their peak.

Blisteringly fast-paced and completely gripping, The Rift is a fantastic read; it's like a whole series of 24 squeezed into one book with a strong female lead who shows Jack Bauer how it should be done.  I'm really looking forward to reading more Rachel Lynch books so it's lucky for me that I already have her whole back catalogue sitting on my bookshelf.

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

My rating:

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Book Depository

Waterstones

Foyles

Kobo

Google Books 

About the author:

Rachel Lynch grew up in Cumbria and the lakes and fells are never far away from her. London pulled her away to teach History and marry an Army Officer, whom she followed around the globe for thirteen years. A change of career after children led to personal training and sports therapy, but writing was always the overwhelming force driving the future. The human capacity for compassion as well as its descent into the brutal and murky world of crime are fundamental to her work.

Social Media:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/r_lynchcrime 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Rachel-Lynch-Author-104835661648876 

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

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The Paris Library - Janet Skeslien Charles

 

IN THE DARKNESS OF WAR, THE LIGHT OF BOOKS - HOW LIBRARIANS DEFIED THE NAZIS

THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

PARIS, 1939

Odile Souchet is obsessed with books, and her new job at the American Library in Paris - with its thriving community of students, writers and book lovers - is a dream come true. When war is declared, the Library is determined to remain open. But then the Nazis invade Paris, and everything changes.

In Occupied Paris, choices as black and white as the words on a page become a murky shade of grey - choices that will put many on the wrong side of history, and the consequences of which will echo for decades to come.

MONTANA, 1983

Lily is a lonely teenager desperate to escape small-town Montana. She grows close to her neighbour Odile, discovering they share the same love of language, the same longings. But as Lily uncovers more about Odile's mysterious past, she discovers a dark secret, closely guarded and long hidden.

Based on the true Second World War story of the heroic librarians at the American Library in Paris, this is an unforgettable novel of romance, friendship, family, and of heroism found in the quietest of places.

What did I think?

Oh my goodness, this book is simply perfect.  Aside from the wonderful story, this is definitely a book for booklovers and if I could fall in love with a book, The Paris Library would be the one to win my heart.  It's like a love letter to books and libraries and Janet Skeslien Charles' beautiful writing has provided me with so many amazing phrases about books that I'll never forget.  I suggest you keep a notepad beside you while you're reading as there are so many literary gems (and book recommendations) that you will want to write down.  It's the first time I have ordered a book mentioned in a book I have been reading, while I was still reading it!

Set in the American Library in Paris in 1939 with the threat of Nazi invasion hanging over the city, Odile and her co-workers try to keep the library open as a sanctuary for all of their patrons.  With a growing sense of suspicion and unease, emotions are heightened and friendships are put to the test.  Although they try to keep things as normal as possible, nothing will ever be the same again.

The dual timeline sees us catching up with Odile over 40 years later when she is living in Montana and she becomes friendly with her teenage neighbour, Lily.  The pair share a love of all things books, particularly the Dewey Decimal Classification that can be applied to almost every part of life.  There really is a book for everything!  Lily is another wonderful character, she is a bookworm so everyone reading the book is guaranteed to love her.

Running alongside the story of Odile and Lily is the true story of Occupied Paris and I'm getting goosebumps just typing this now.  The description of a deserted Paris is so far removed from the lively, vivacious city we know it to be that it caused me to hold my breath in fear of making a sound to disturb the silence.  It's heartbreaking to see the effect of war; people turning against their friends and neighbours causes just as much devastation as bombs being dropped from the sky. 

So beautifully written and completely enthralling from beginning to end, The Paris Library is haunting, heartbreaking, captivating and so very highly recommended.  It's a perfect piece of historical and contemporary fiction and a simply wonderful novel.  I could write so much more about it but you really need to stop reading my review and start reading this stunning book for yourself.

I received a beautiful hardback edition as part of a Tandem Collective readalong; this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

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Hysteria (The Alexander Gregory Thrillers Book 2) - LJ Ross

FROM THE INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF THE DCI RYAN MYSTERIES

In a beautiful world, murder is always ugly…

Recently returned from his last case in Ireland, elite forensic psychologist and criminal profiler Dr Alexander Gregory receives a call from the French police that he can’t ignore. It’s Paris fashion week and some of the world’s most beautiful women are turning up dead, their faces slashed in a series of frenzied attacks while the world’s press looks on.

Amidst the carnage, one victim has survived but she’s too traumatised to talk. Without her help, the police are powerless to stop the killer before he strikes again – can Gregory unlock the secrets of her mind, before it’s too late?

Murder and mystery are peppered with dark humour in this fast-paced thriller set amidst the spectacular Parisian landscape.

What did I think?

Whenever I recommend books, one author springs to mind time and time again: LJ Ross.  As much as I love the DCI Ryan series, I'm really enjoying the Alexander Gregory books and Hysteria is the second instalment of that series.  Don't worry if you haven't read Imposter though; Hysteria works very well as a standalone.

Alexander Gregory is a forensic psychologist and criminal profiler, delving into the dark and murky depths of some twisted human minds.  His latest case sees him helping the Parisian police when a model is attacked in her hotel room.  The victim has been unable to speak since her attack and nobody else saw the perpetrator so the police are completely baffled.  Only the skill of Dr Gregory will reveal what truly happened behind that locked door.

Hysteria is well named as it felt like my brain was being put through the wringer whilst I was reading.  I was struggling to see how some parts of the story fit and couldn't for the life of me work out where the story was heading.  It's not my first LJ Ross book though, so I knew that everything was there for a reason.  All I'll say is well played, LJ Ross.  Very well played indeed.

The setting of Paris fit well with the modelling story but I've never been to Paris so I'm not familiar with the various arrondissements.  It is clear that the author knows the area well, but maybe too well as I couldn't really conjure a vivid picture of the setting in my mind.  Not that it bothered me too much, as I was more interested in the storyline than the Parisian sights.  Something else to note in relation to the setting, there are a couple of phrases in French that some people might have difficulty with.  I grasped most of it but anyone who hasn't studied French will struggle.  Don't let it put you off though; just remember, that's what Google Translate is for.

Hysteria is a real mind-bender; it's a slick and clever mystery filled with shocks, surprises and Parisian style.  Although it hasn't knocked Imposter off my Alexander Gregory number one spot, I really enjoyed it and wouldn't hesitate to recommend.

I chose to read an ARC and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

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BLOG TOUR: A Stranger in Paris (A French Life #1) - Karen Webb

The first in a three-part memoir exposing the darker side of French culture, a brilliantly funny and poignant study of French life that begins when a young graduate makes a spontaneous decision to follow the man she loves to Paris. He is, however, nowhere to be found ... Now a penniless singleton she must work in order to survive. With only a smattering of French she begins a new life. 

'A Stranger in Paris' follows Karen in her formative years as she searches for friends, family, and love. A portrayal of French life from the inside by a narrator who has seen the various echelons of French society from rich to poor, from the capital city to the rural South West.

What did I think?

I'm not a naturally nosy person so I'm not a huge fan of memoirs, of famous people or otherwise, but something drew me to A Stranger in Paris.  Perhaps it was the romance of Karen following her lover across the Channel (after all Paris is the home of romance) or her bravery at starting a new life without a penny in her pocket; whatever it was, I'm so pleased that I found this book.  It was with a slight element of trepidation that I embarked on Karen's story, as I feared that it would be a bit like looking at somebody's holiday photos and there wouldn't be enough to keep me interested, but I'm delighted to say that I couldn't have been more wrong.  I actually didn't want the story to end and, as it's the first in a trilogy, I know the story isn't over and I can't wait to read more of Karen's story.

Of course you can tell by the synopsis that this isn't going to be a romantic and soppy love story; I thought Karen was crazy to leave her home in Wales and follow David to Paris after he had broken up with her.  Forget about him and get on with your life, I shouted, but everything happens for a reason so Karen finds herself penniless in Paris and unable to locate David.  If she had found him, I dread to think what that story would have turned out like.  I loved her determination and resourcefulness as she takes a job as a very low paid au pair and this is when Karen's humour really shines through her writing.  I'm laughing now just thinking about the wash mitt.

Karen's writing is both accomplished and effervescent; A Stranger in Paris is as sparkling as a glass of champagne sipped on the banks of the Seine.  Her stories are interesting to start with but her amazing sense of humour makes them unforgettable.  You can keep your celebrity memoirs, thank you very much, Karen Webb's story is SO much better!

I chose to read an ARC and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

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BLOG TOUR: The Spaces in Between - Collin Van Reenan

There is Truth and there are Lies; there is Fiction and there is Fact; there is Life and there is Death.

And then there are the Spaces in Between.

Paris, 1968. Nicholas finds himself broke, without papers and on the verge of being deported back to England. Seeking to stay in France, Nicholas takes a three-month contract as an English tutor to the 17-year-old Imperial Highness Natalya. It is the perfect solution; free room and board, his wages saved, and a place to hide from police raids. All that is asked of Nicholas is too obey the lifestyle of the Victorian household and not to leave the house's grounds. It should have solved all his problems...

The Spaces In Between details the experience of Nicholas as he finds himself an unwitting prisoner within an aristocratic household, apparently frozen in time, surrounded by macabre and eccentric personalities who seem determined to drag him to the point of insanity. Much deeper runs a question every reader is left to ponder - if this tale is fact and not fiction, then what motivation could have driven his tormentors?

What did I think?

Before I even talk about what I thought of the book, I have to say that the cover of The Spaces in Between is absolutely magnificent.  At first glance, I just saw a Venetian style mask but on looking more closely I noticed the skeleton underneath and then my eye was drawn to the amazing detail of the mask itself.  The whole story is told in this mask so it's worth lingering a little longer on the cover before diving into the book.

It is clear from the preface that this is an unusual book.  The preface is written from the point of view of Marie-Claire, a doctor of psychology.  Newly qualified, Nicholas is her first patient and he has given Marie-Claire permission to publish his story.  A story that is so unbelievable, I had to keep reminding myself it was true.  It is the truth as Nicholas remembers it in his bewildered state after his escape from the house.

Even before a chapter was named Danse Macabre I had the memorable piece by Saint-Saëns playing in my head and I think it would be the perfect theme song for this book as Nicholas is manipulated and manoeuvred into place like a puppet.  He is powerless to resist the charms of Natalya, the Russian princess he is employed to teach, and her guardian, Madame Lili.  As his stay in the house lengthens, Nicholas starts to see figures in monochrome including Russian soldiers in the library and a family walking in the garden.  Only one member of the family is in colour, the mysterious Tatiana, but only Nicholas can see her.

I loved the format of the book with Marie-Claire talking about her patient, Nicholas.  It gives a level of credence to the story that could very easily be mistaken as fiction without such endorsement.  I was fascinated and intrigued from start to finish and it felt so very psychedelic at times that I think I will need to read the book again to appreciate every little nuance.

It's an astonishing true story, written so very vividly that you can easily picture each scene, both monochrome and technicolour, in your mind.  Scenes of life in colour, scenes of death in monochrome but what colour are The Spaces in Between?  A very enjoyable read with dark gothic undertones and trippy psychedelic moments that make it impossible to separate fact from fiction, leaving the reader limited only by their imagination.

I chose to read an ARC and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

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Another Woman's Husband - Gill Paul

Two women who challenged the Crown.

Divided by time. Bound by a secret...

1911

At the age of fifteen, carefree Mary Kirk and indomitable Wallis Warfield meet at summer camp. Their friendship will survive heartbreaks, separation and the demands of the British Crown until it is shattered by one unforgivable betrayal...

1997

Rachel's romantic break in Paris with her fiancé ends in tragedy when the car ahead crashes. Inside was Princess Diana. Back in Brighton, Rachel is haunted by the accident, and intrigued to learn the princess had visited the last home of Wallis, Duchess of Windsor, only hours before the crash. Soon, the discovery of a long-forgotten link to Wallis Simpson leads Rachel to the truth behind a scandal that shook the world...


What did I think?

You can't help but get goosebumps seeing that fateful location and date on Chapter 1: Paris, 31 August 1997.  Even typing it now gives me chills.  The events of that night are handled so sensitively by Gill Paul, paying the highest respect to Diana, Dodi and Henri Paul.  This isn't a story about Diana, Princess of Wales but rather the story of another thorn in the royal family's side: Wallis Simpson.

31 August 1997 is a night that Rachel and Alex will never forget.  They got engaged in Paris and came upon the wreckage of a car crash in the Alma Tunnel.  Alex gets out of their car to see what is happening and finds Princess Diana in the wreckage.  As more help arrives, Alex leaves the scene but not before he picks up a platinum heart charm with the initial 'J' and 'XVII' on it.  What does this mean to Diana?  It's a little piece of a puzzle that Alex is determined to solve as he decides to film a documentary into Diana's last known movements.  Movements that included a visit to Villa Windsor, the home of Wallis Simpson.

Roll back to 1911 where Mary Kirk befriends Bessie Wallis Warfield at summer camp.  The pair strike up a friendship that lasts decades, broken only by both women's love for the same man.  Not Edward, Prince of Wales, but quiet and unassuming Ernest Simpson.  As we see Wallis grow up, a pattern emerges of her always getting what or who she wants, even if that man appears unavailable like another woman's husband or a king.

With such a compelling story woven around the bare bones of historical facts, this is a story that captivated me from start to finish.  Although she doesn't feature heavily in it, I felt as if the essence of Diana was sprinkled throughout the pages.  The story that Gill Paul created felt so very like what I imagine Diana would have done.  The link between Diana and Wallis, through Rachel, was so clever, imaginative and simply breathtaking.  

I adored Another Woman's Husband and will definitely be recommending it to everyone I know.  It is my first Gill Paul book and I won't hesitate to pick up more of her books.  Very highly recommended.

I chose to read an ARC and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

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The Betrayal - Kate Furnivall

Could you kill someone? Someone you love?

Paris, 1938. Twin sisters are divided by fierce loyalties and by a terrible secret. The drums of war are beating and France is poised, ready to fall. One sister is an aviatrix, the other is a socialite and they both have something to prove and something to hide. 

The Betrayal is an unforgettably powerful, epic story of love, loss and the long shadow of war, perfect for readers of Santa Montefiore and Victoria Hislop.

What did I think?

The Betrayal is another excellent book from Kate Furnivall set in pre-war France.  I've read (and adored) three of Kate Furnivall's books now and I have found that each one has swept me away to Kate's chosen location and historical era; they are pure escapism with riveting storylines and surprises galore.  The writing is so vivid that it feels very much like you're living in the book with these unforgettable characters.

The Betrayal has an amazing first chapter: set in 1930, Romaine (Romy) regained consciousness in her father's study with her father's body beside her.  Her twin sister, Florence, took control and encouraged Romy to blame the gardener for her father's murder, a crime which saw him tried and executed.  Romy had to live with the guilt of being responsible for an innocent man's death and she almost became carefree with her own life, by becoming a risk taking pilot.  Her twin, Florence, couldn't be more different: she mixes with the rich and famous and entertains high ranking Germans as Hitler prepares for war.

As Romy spends more time with her sister and her guests, there's something about the German language that causes fragments of Romy's memory to reappear.  She remembers that she heard German being spoken in her father's study that fateful day.  As Romy chips away at her memory, Florence is keen to keep it all hidden.  What does she know about her father's murder and what does she have to hide?  Or more significantly, what does she have to lose?

This was so gripping and reminded me of a game of Cluedo: all the pieces were laid out on the board pointing at Romy in the study with a paperknife but until Romy remembers what she saw and heard, we're playing the game with some key pieces still in the box.  So it's one of those books where you can't read fast enough to put all the pieces of the jigsaw together.  Now I've gone and mixed up my boardgames, but I'm sure you know what I mean!

You don't need a time machine with Kate Furnivall writing such superb historical fiction.  The Betrayal fully immerses the reader in the era, leaving no doubt as to the time and place you're reading about.  I do think Kate's books, in particular The Betrayal, would make a stunning film.  Not that it would enhance the story, as it's written so beautifully, but I just feel that the dramatic scenes described in The Betrayal would be absolutely breathtaking on the big screen.

I chose to read an ARC and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

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The Girl in the Painting (NightHawk book 4) - Rachael Richey

While her husband Gideon is recording a new album with his band NightHawk, Abi Hawk is busy getting her own career as a portrait painter back on track.

Following the death of her father, which coincides with the opening night of her first exhibition in London, Abi and her daughter come across an old painting in his attic that sets them on a journey of discovery to Paris. They uncover an astonishing and unexpected love story, one that has repercussions to the present day.

Meanwhile Gideon, in America to promote the new album, ignores Abi’s warnings and manages to put himself in a vulnerable situation that threatens to rock the stability of their marriage. Separated from Abi by nearly five thousand miles, and unable to speak to her, will he be able to resolve the situation before any real damage is done?

What did I think?

I cannot begin to express how much I love the NightHawk series; it is pure escapism and I have loved every single instalment that Rachael Richey has written.  You could, I suppose, read The Girl in the Painting as a stand-a-lone but to get the most out of the series you really should read them in order: Storm Rising, Rhythm of Deceit and Cobwebs in the Dark.  They all got 5 star reviews from me, and many other readers, so take my advice and read them all.  I really couldn't choose a favourite - they each have different qualities and each one is as captivating as the next.

This instalment is the story of Abi's grandmother, Janet.  Abi never knew her grandmother as she died before she was born, but when Abi and Tasha uncover a very personal painting of a mysterious redhead in Abi's Dad's loft they are determined to find out more.  As their search for Janet's story leads them to Paris, where Abi is exhibiting her own paintings, they find a lot more than they bargained for.  As we're swept away to glamorous Paris at the end of the 1920's, I was as eager as Tasha to discover Janet's story.

While Abi and Tasha are uncovering their own family history, Gideon is across the Atlantic in America promoting his new album.  He is planning to stay with his old friends, Kurt and Sonia, a fact that Abi is not best pleased about.  Abi tells Gideon that Sonia is attracted to him, but he doesn't listen and gets himself in a sticky situation.  When Sonia won't take no for an answer, she follows him to Seattle and the press wonder who the mystery woman is and what she means to Gideon.  With Abi in Paris, the time difference means that Gideon can't get in touch with her to explain about Sonia - will Abi believe him or is there no smoke without fire?

The Girl in the Painting is a truly magnificent book; it's such a captivating story that effortlessly spans the decades as it transports the reader to another time and place.  Rachael Richey is quite the expert at keeping us in suspense with her expressive writing style, resulting in a breathtakingly beautiful story that is slowly revealed like the unfurling petals of the most precious rose.  I didn't think you could get more heart-warming or romantic than Abi and Gideon's story - but I was wrong!  Rachael Richey continues to amaze with her superb NightHawk series.

I received this e-book from the author in exchange for an honest review.

My rating:

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The Little Bookshop on the Seine (The Little Paris Collection Book 1) - Rebecca Raisin

La Vie En Rose

Bookshop owner Sarah Smith has been offered the opportunity to exchange bookshops with her new Parisian friend for 6 months! And saying yes is a no-brainer – after all, what kind of a romantic would turn down a trip to Paris…for Christmas?

Even if it does mean leaving the irresistible Ridge Warner behind, Sarah’s sure she’s in for the holiday of a lifetime – complete with all the books she can read!

Imagining days wandering around Shakespeare & Co, munching on croissants, sipping café au laits and watching the snow fall on the Champs-Élysées Sarah boards the plane.

But will her dream of a Parisian Happily-Ever-After come true? Or will Sarah realise that the dream of a Christmas fairytale in the city of love isn’t quite as rosy in reality…

A deliciously feel-good Christmas romance perfect for fans of Debbie Johnson and Julia Williams

What did I think?

There is just something so very magical about this book - it really made me feel like I could see, smell and experience Paris from the comfort of my living room.

Sarah is quite comfortable in her little bookshop in sleepy Ashford, USA.  She has her friends across the road in the Gingerbread Cafe (an earlier book of Rebecca Raisin's) and her boyfriend is on the road trying to make a career for himself as a reporter.  Then her friend Sophie in Paris has a bust up with her boyfriend and asks Sarah to swap bookshops.  This is where the fun begins!

Sarah isn't the most confident of ladies and I though she did brilliantly well to get to Paris on her own in the first place.  She barely speaks French and the trains are a nightmare but she finally makes it to Sophie's bookshop and it is heaving with people!  Sarah dives straight in and helps out, quickly realising that her idea of dreamily wandering around Paris was indeed a dream as she doesn't get a spare minute in Sophie's bookshop.

I loved Sarah's love of books.  Her flinching as a reader cracks a spine on a book (me too!) and calling them her book babies.  Sarah's knack of matching readers to books was a lovely idea and I could almost smell and feel the books, so much so that I wanted to hop on a plane to Paris to find this wonderful bookshop for myself!

There are some lovely little stories within this book - the famous author who visits the bookshop every day to write and to be near his unrequited love and the mystery of the money going missing from the till.  All will be revealed in the pages of this gorgeous book.

I felt that Sarah really gained confidence throughout the book although she gave her boyfriend one too many chances, in my opinion.  I really didn't trust Ridge throughout the book, I felt he was messing Sarah around and was living a single life while he was away. Spending one day with her in Paris was atrocious, he might as well have not bothered at all.  I'm sure Sarah and Ridge will appear in another book but I get the feeling that they are not meant for each other.  Perhaps I am wrong...my opinion did change slightly towards the end but my suspicions had already been raised and no satisfactory explanations were forthcoming!

There are such wonderful sparkling characters in this book that I couldn't help but smile as I read it.  I loved Sarah's visits to The Little Antique Shop Under the Eiffel Tower which left me eager to read the next Little Paris instalment but, in the meantime, I hopped over to Amazon to pick up Christmas at the Gingerbread Cafe.

This is my first Rebecca Raisin book and I loved it.  Her style of writing is almost dreamlike and sparkly which will bring a smile to everyone's face.

I received this e-book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

My rating:

Buy it from Amazon