BLOG TOUR: Christmas at the Cornish Confetti Agency - Daisy James

I absolutely love Daisy James books so I'm thrilled to be one of the bloggers opening the Rachel's Random Resources blog tour for Christmas at the Cornish Confetti Agency, the third book in the fabulous Cornish Confetti Agency series.  Read on to find out more about the book and what I thought about it.

It's Christmas at The Cornish Confetti Agency!

When Lexie Harrington is asked to choreograph Phoebe and Sam’s Christmas-themed wedding, she can’t wait to create the perfect winter wonderland - elegantly dressed fir trees, glossy garlands of holly and mistletoe, baskets of yule logs and pine cones, and the mouth-watering fragrance of gingerbread, cinnamon sticks and warm mulled wine floating through the air.

With handsome wedding columnist-cum-fledgling scriptwriter Theo Barker at her side, she’s confident that she can create the perfect festive ambience the bride and groom have been dreaming of since their engagement in the Swiss Alps; no rampant hosepipes, no mechanical mice, no confetti-filled hairdryers.

But this is The Cornish Confetti Agency, and the words ‘plain-sailing’ and ‘hassle-free’ do not feature in the promotional brochure. So, when a much-loved portrait of the groom’s father is adorned with pirate eye-patches and black plastic moustaches, and his expensive cologne is switched for toilet cleaner, Lexie and Theo must once again don their metaphorical deerstalkers and unravel the mystery before the wedding dissolves into Christmas-themed chaos and calamity.

A perfect Christmas wedding?

Is there such a thing for The Cornish Confetti Agency?

A glittery, feel-good story perfect for the festive season, and the third book in The Cornish Confetti Agency series.

What did I think?

As much as I like to read books in order, I jumped into the Cornish Confetti Agency series at book two in Summertime at the Cornish Confetti Agency.  I don't usually like starting mid-series but Daisy James writes so brilliantly that all of her books can be read as a standalone, so don't be put off if you haven't read the earlier books as I still haven't read the first one.  

Lexie is temporarily at the helm of the Cornish Confetti Agency whilst its owner is working in America.  Lexie may not own the business but she lives and breathes it, constantly striving to plan the perfect wedding for the brides who request her services.  Striving for perfection means that there's always something that goes wrong, although Lexie does seem to have more than her fair share of mishaps that result in her and her lovely boyfriend Theo doing some amateur sleuthing.

There are some wonderful character stories to read about from among the wedding guests and Lexie's friends.  I particularly enjoyed reading about Lexie's friend Freya and her wedding dress show that has been a life long dream for the two friends.  Lexie really makes it hard for herself by arranging a fashion show at the same time as organising a Christmas wedding, but it shows off her amazing organisational skills and quick thinking.  It's certainly double trouble and opportunity for more things to go wrong, which they inevitably do.

Christmas at the Cornish Confetti Agency is so festive that I felt I should have been having an eggnog and a sweet mince pie whilst reading it.  Daisy James’ writing is a feast for the senses; portraying all of the sights, sounds, smells and tastes of Cornwall.  I often found my mouth watering as various baked goodies were mentioned, especially the gingerbread that sounded so yummy.  I think I put on a pound in weight just reading about it!

I absolutely adore Daisy James' writing and there's always something in her books that stands out and stays with me.  As much as I loved the sleep fairies in the previous book, I loved the reference to Morpheus, the Greek god of dreams and son of the god of sleep, Hypnos.  Travelling down Morpheus' highway is such a beautiful phrase for falling asleep and perfectly encapsulates the immense talent of Daisy James.

Fabulously festive, charming and entertaining, Christmas at the Cornish Confetti Agency is tremendously heart-warming.  It's the perfect book to read as the cold, dark nights are drawing in to add a bit of sparkle to your day.  It's wonderfully uplifting and guaranteed to put a smile on your face.

I received a gifted ebook 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.

Social Media Links – 

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

Twitter - https://twitter.com/daisyjamesbooks

Instagram - @daisyjamesbooks

Follow the tour:

Winter: An Anthology for the Changing Seasons - Melissa Harrison

Winter is a withdrawal: quiet and dark and cold. But in the dim light frost shimmers, stars twinkle and hearths blaze as we come together to keep out the chill. In spite of the season, life persists: visiting birds fill our skies, familiar creatures find clever ways to survive, and the world reveals winter riches to those willing to venture outdoors.

In prose and poetry spanning seven hundred years, Winter delights in the brisk pleasures and enduring beauty of the year's turning. Featuring new writing from Patrick Barkham, Satish Kumar and Anita Sethi, extracts from the work of Robert Macfarlane, James Joyce and Kathleen Jamie, and a range of exciting new voices from across the UK, this invigorating collection evokes the joys and the consolations of this magical time of year.

What did I think?

I feel fortunate to have read the full series of seasonal anthologies edited by Melissa Harrison.  I felt the hope and rebirth of Spring, basked in the lazy heat of Summer, revelled in the glorious colours of Autumn and now it is the cold and harshness of Winter.

Perhaps as it is my least favourite season, I didn't feel winter through the writing as much as I did with the other anthologies.  Winter does, however, have the most apt opening line that epitomises winter as written by Roger Deakin in Notes from Walnut Tree Farm:

A sharp, sugaring frost.  The mulberry is at its best in November when at last it undresses itself.

For does not the ground look sprinkled with icing sugar on a cold frosty morning?  And do the trees not shed their leaves like the last remnants of clothing as they put themselves to bed for the cold harsh winter to come?

Published in conjunction with The Wildlife Trusts, Winter completes the year of seasons and, although it is my least favourite of the anthologies, as a whole it is a stunning collection.

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

My rating:

Buy it from Amazon

Just What Kind of Mother Are You? - Paula Daly

 

Synopsis:

No family is perfect.

A husband, three children and a full-time job, so many plates to keep spinning.

No wonder you forgot you were supposed to be looking after your friend's daughter.

But no one has seen her since yesterday.

And she's not the first to go missing from your small town.

So who's hiding something?

What did I think?

In Paula Daly's page turning debut novel, set in the wonderful wintry Lake District, we encounter every parent's nightmare - a missing child.  Where this novel stands out from the rest is the fact that Lucinda went missing when she was supposed to be in the care of her best friend's Mum, Lisa.  I really felt Lisa's anguish pouring out of the page as she crushed herself under the weight of blame.  I willed her on, together with her husband Joe, when she found the courage to face Kate and Guy.

When suspicions turn towards Lucinda's Dad, Guy, I knew he had something to hide and, I have to admit, I did suspect what it was but I didn't get it 100% right and I certainly didn't see the other twists coming.  

I loved the inclusion of the scenes at Lisa's animal shelter and when she was out on a rescue visit; it was written with such feeling and was cleverly linked to the abduction story.  These shelters do such amazing work and I thought it was brilliant that the author managed to raise awareness of the plight of such establishments whilst dealing with such a tense storyline.

We are also introduced to DC Joanne Aspinall, her colleague DS Ron Quigley and her auntie Mad Jackie - characters who also make an appearance in Keep Your Friends Close.  I do like to see some of the same characters in books as you feel like you get to know them.  These characters inject a bit of humour into a serious storyline - there are some hilarious pages discussing alcohol consumption and Ron says he's not much of a boozer, he just has five or six pints on an evening!

Paula Daly is certainly one to watch - her writing brings the characters to life and with more twists than a Curly Wurly, I can't put her books down and read this in one sitting (thanks to Tempur for providing the cushion).

Buy it from the Book Depository with free delivery