BLOG TOUR: House Party - Chloe Ford

A slow-burn romance fifteen years in the making...

Hattie has spent half her life secretly crushing on Freddie - her best friend Sam's irresistibly gorgeous older brother. But Freddie? He's barely spared a glance for Hattie, the girl Sam befriended one fateful New Years' Eve when they discovered they were birthday twins.

Fast-forward to now: Hattie finds herself single for the first time in years - just before the holidays. Enter Sam, who, in classic best-friend fashion, whisks her away to a remote cabin in the Forest of Dean to cheer her up. Snowy woodland views? Check. A crackling fire and a steamy hot tub? Check. Zero cell service, ravenous wild boars, and an incoming snowstorm of apocalyptic proportions? Also check.

And to make matters even more intense, Freddie joins them, unexpectedly. Still infuriatingly gorgeous, and still ridiculously off-limits. Except this time, he's actually noticing Hattie. But then again, maybe he's been noticing her all along.

Fifteen years of longing. One night to change everything. This New Year's Eve, they're playing with fire.

 

What did I think?

The romance may be slow-burn in House Party but it's a binge-worthy book that is impossible to put down.  If you loved Friends (and who didn't?) then you will love House Party as the flashback chapters entitled 'The one where...' reminded me of my favourite TV show.  It also reminded me of the feelings I had after watching Four Weddings and a Funeral, leaving me with a warm glow and a smile on my face.

Hattie and her best friend Sam sort of share a birthday; Sam is 31st December and Hattie is 1st January so they have a triple celebration when they bring in each New Year.  Hattie met Sam on his 14th birthday and they have been inseparable ever since.  Sam sets a condition of their friendship: his older brother Freddie is off limits.  That's fine when Hattie is 13 years old and not that interested in boys but the heart wants what the heart wants and she can't escape Freddie's orbit.

Sam, Hattie and their friends book a lodge in the countryside to celebrate their 29th birthdays and Freddie invites himself along.  When the snow starts to fall the temperature starts to rise and the sexual tension between Freddie and Hattie is so sizzling I'm surprised they didn't turn the snow into a raging flood.

Incredibly romantic and completely addictive, I absolutely loved House Party.  It's a fabulous slow-burn romance that is sure to warm your heart on a cold night.  You'll not need to curl up under a blanket with this book as it will get your pulse racing and your temperature rising on its own merit.  Very highly recommended.

I received a gifted paperback to read and review for the Instagram Tour and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

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The Days of Our Birth - Charlie Laidlaw

 

Theirs was the most important relationship of their life...

It was a perfect relationship until time pulled them apart. A beautiful story sensitively told about how love and friendship can conquer everything, including time, to a point.

“The Days of Our Birth” delves into the intricate bond between Peter and Sarah as they navigate their formative years. Spanning from their sixth birthday through two decades, the narrative unfolds against the backdrop of Sarah’s placement on the autism spectrum. With a blend of humour and poignancy, the book intricately weaves together themes of love and friendship, unravelling the tale of two individuals who grapple with their emotions for each other, even though they remain unacknowledged.

What did I think?

This beautiful book surprised, delighted and almost broke me.  I have to say that I wouldn't have picked it up simply from looking at the plain cover, however, I've read Charlie Laidlaw's books before so I knew I was in for a treat and I was not wrong.  The cover may be simple but the story is very deep and meaningful.

Peter and Sarah aren't just next door neighbours, they are also the best of friends who coincidentally share the same birthday.  I felt very privileged to watch them celebrate over the years as I got to know these beautiful characters.  As each year passes, the two characters work their way further and further into my heart and I shall never forget them.

It's heartbreaking to see how Sarah is treated as school, just because she thinks differently to others.  Kids can be so cruel and it's no wonder that people with autism retreat further into their own minds where they can make sense of things.  Peter doesn't see Sarah's autism, he just sees Sarah but when Sarah is sent to a new school the pair start to drift apart.  Will they ever find their way back to each other?  You'll just have to read the book to find out!

I'm not ashamed to admit that I shed a tear or two whilst reading this beautiful book.  I was so completely invested in Sarah and Peter's lives that I felt as if I knew them personally, thanks to Charlie Laidlaw's outstanding character development.  Friendship is at the heart of the novel and once you make such a firm friendship, time or distance can never break it.  

Prepare to feel all the feels with this one; The Days of Our Birth is a stunning and completely unforgettable novel.  Very highly recommended - please don't judge this book by its cover, it really is a hidden gem.

Many thanks to Charlie Laidlaw for sending me an ARC to read and review; this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

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The Year that Changed Everything - Cathy Kelly

Three women celebrate their birthdays . . . 30. 40. 50. But their milestone birthdays mark the start of a year that will change everything . . .

Ginger isn't spending her 30th the way she would have planned. Tonight might be the first night of the rest of her life - or a total disaster.

Sam is finally pregnant after years of trying. When her waters break on the morning of her 40th birthday, she panics: forget labour, how is she going to be a mother?

Callie is celebrating her 50th at a big party in her Dublin home. Then a knock at the door mid-party turns her perfect life upside down . . .

Full of warmth and wisdom, this is a story about finding happiness on your own terms from international bestseller Cathy Kelly.

What did I think?

I love Cathy Kelly books, they always make me feel warm and squidgy inside; but they're not all sunshine and rainbows, as the characters have to go through some tough times to come out the other side stronger and happier.  Cathy's writing is as bubbly and effervescent as a bottle of Prosecco so I couldn't wait to get stuck into her new novel: The Year that Changed Everything and I positively whizzed through it as fast as a cork shooting out of a bottle.

Three women, unknown to each other, celebrate milestone birthdays on the same day and it's certainly a day they will never forget: Callie is 50 and her house is raided by the fraud squad as she is hosting her birthday party, Sam is 40 and goes into labour on her birthday, and Ginger is 30 but selflessly spends the day celebrating her friend's wedding rather than her birthday.  All three characters are strong and unforgettable with the common thread of unconditional family love running through their stories. 

I really identified with Ginger and felt my jaw drop when I read a line about her not wearing heels to comply with the unfeminine persona she had created to protect herself from heartbreak.  Although I do wear flat shoes because I have a problem with my back, there are occasions where I could wear heels but refrain from doing so.  I asked myself why and the honest answer is that I believe I'm not attractive enough to wear heels, so why would I want to draw attention to myself?  I reminded myself that beauty is in the eye of the beholder so treated myself to a new pair of heels.  Not plain black, oh no, but sparkly Wizard of Oz style 'look at me' heels.  Gulp!  Thank you for giving me the courage to buy my fabulous new shoes, Cathy Kelly.  I will need to summon my inner Ginger to have the courage to wear them!

There are quite a few pearls of wisdom in The Year that Changed Everything that I could liken Cathy Kelly to my personal Dalai Lama; I certainly felt unexpectedly enlightened by some of the passages in the book.  Take the quote that Joanne gave to her sister, Sam, for example:

You can't change other people: you can only change how you react to them.

So simple, yet so very true.  I'm definitely going to remember this and repeat it like my personal mantra.  I admit that I'm not a people person, so people do often annoy me but I'm going to practise changing my reaction to them.

The Year that Changed Everything is a fabulous, unexpectedly enlightening book that did more for me than any self-help book has ever done.  The warm and effervescent writing of Cathy Kelly will make this a firm favourite among her many fans, myself included.

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

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