BLOG TOUR: The Forest Hideaway - Sharon Gosling

Saskia is building a home for herself out of the ruins of an old castle. Surrounded by forest, hidden away from everyone and everything, the place is special - it’s the only connection she has left to her father and it’s a hard-won chance to escape from her difficult past and create a new future. She’s spent her whole life trying to find a way to make this project work and finding someone to help her realise her dream has been almost impossible.

 

When local builder Owen finally signs up to manage the construction, things get off to a very bad start. But forced to find a way to work together, both realise that first impressions aren’t always the right ones, and when Owen discovers the forest is hiding a secret that could bring work to a halt, he realises he’s much more invested in the project – and Saskia – than he thought . . .

 

What did I think?

The Forest Hideaway by Sharon Gosling is as beautiful inside as out and I absolutely adored it.  It's the perfect autumnal read to leave readers with a lovely warm glow.

Saskia is an architect who is determined to do the impossible: convert a castle ruin, complete with an oak tree growing in the middle of it, into her home.  The local historical society are determined to stop her as they are convinced she is set on destroying the castle and the tree.  They couldn't be more wrong.

The preservation of the castle and the tree really is lovely to see and it made me think of a local beautiful tree that was cruelly chopped down in its prime.  I was surprised and delighted that it does actually get a mention in the book and I was moved to tears by the way that Sharon Gosling refers to it.  It was never 'just a tree' to anyone who loved it.

I loved the characters that are so wonderfully drawn they virtually leap from the pages.  Saskia has a very large heart and her builder Owen starts to see the real Saskia as they work together and get to know each other.  It is so heartwarming to read about Saskia's compassion and kindness, especially when she has faced challenges in her past.  Will she get her happy ever after?

Incredibly heartwarming and wonderfully uplifting, The Forest Hideaway is a beautiful novel that I wholeheartedly recommend.  I loved it so much that I plan to read it again and it's going straight onto my favourites shelf so I can escape to the forest this autumn.

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

My rating:

Buy it from:

UK.Bookshop.org

Amazon

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BLOG TOUR: Nobody Puts Romcoms in the Corner - Kathryn Freeman

Not an expert, not even close, not in any of this. But nobody will try harder than me to make you happy.

Sally is a classic romantic and Harry is a classic cynic, but when a drunken bet leads the new flatmates to (badly) recreate ‘the lift’ from Dirty Dancing, and the video goes viral (#EpicRomcomReenactmentFailure), they both realise there’s potential financial benefit in blundering their way through the romcom lexicon for their suddenly vast social media following.

Now, as Harry and Sally bring major romcom moments to new life – including recreating that classic diner scene – their faking it turns to making…out and suddenly they’re living a real life romcom of their own! But like all the greatest love stories, the road to happily ever after is paved with unexpected challenges for this hero and heroine…

 

What did I think?

I always get excited when a new Kathryn Freeman book drops on my kindle as I've been a huge fan of hers since 2016.  With the recent furore over The Sunday Times bestseller list omitting the romance category, the title of Kathryn Freeman's latest novel couldn't be more relevant: Nobody Puts Romcoms in the Corner...not even The Sunday Times!

This is the story of when Harry met Sally and yes, that famous movie scene does get mentioned in the book.  The Sally in this case being Harry's landlady who he meets when his relationship ends and he needs somewhere to live.  Hunky builder Harry couldn't be more different to romcom loving café owner Sally but there's definitely a spark there and it's only going to get hotter.

I loved both Harry and Sally's backstories and it's Sally who sees a money-making opportunity in recreating famous scenes from her favourite films and getting sponsorship on TikTok.  Harry is surprisingly amenable, possibly something to do with Sally's alluring big blue eyes and I loved seeing which scene they would come up with next.

It was great fun to relive some iconic movies through Sally and Harry's hilarious re-enactments.  To name but a few, there's scenes from Dirty Dancing, Never Been Kissed, An Officer and a Gentleman, Pretty Woman, When Harry Met Sally, and of course the abomination that is Love Actually.  

Entertaining, funny and completely heartwarming, Nobody Puts Romcoms in the Corner is classic Kathryn Freeman and it's sure to put a smile on the face of everyone who reads it.

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:

For as long as I can remember, I’ve always wanted to write a book. It may have had something to do with my obsession with reading romance. Real life interfered and I headed off in a different direction – into the world of science, becoming a pharmacist before joining the pharmaceutical industry. I did end up writing, but it was about disease and medicines. Decades later, I’m finally doing what I always wanted to do. 

With a husband who asks every Valentine's Day whether he has to buy a card (yes, he does), all the romance in my life is in my head. Then again, his unstinting support of my career change proves love isn't always about hearts and flowers - and heroes come in many disguises.

Social Media Links – 

Website:  http://kathrynfreeman.co.uk

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/kathrynfreeman

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/KathrynFreeman1

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BLOG TOUR: Death of a Painter (Mark Poynter #1) - Matthew Ross

IN THE BUILDING GAME TIME IS MONEY AND MONEY IS EVERYTHING. UNFORTUNATELY FOR MARK POYNTER, HE’S RUN OUT OF MONEY AND HE’S FAST RUNNING OUT OF TIME.

When Mark Poynter discovers a murder on his worksite all of his financial problems suddenly seem a lot closer to home: was this a warning his debts are overdue?

Suspected of being the killer and worried at being the intended victim, the murder only makes Mark’s money problems worse, leading him to turn to the local villain, Hamlet, who has his own unique repayment plan in mind for Mark.

When two more deaths plunge him even further into debt, Mark finds himself faced with a choice – help the police and clear his name or help the villain and clear his debt.

Set in the Medway Towns on the grey margins of criminality, where no job’s too big, no dodge’s too small …

Death Of A Painter is the first in a new series of darkly comic crime fiction novels featuring the beleaguered builder Mark Poynter, aided and hindered in equal measure by his trusted crew of slackers, idlers and gossips, and the lengths they go to just to earn a living.

What did I think?

I don't think I have ever read a book that is set in the building trade and with this very unusual setting, Matthew Ross has written a cracking debut novel.  Death of a Painter is full of colourful characters and hilarious banter that meant my interest was held in a vice-like grip throughout.  The story is actually quite like a game of Cluedo and we must find out who killed the painter in the kitchen with the hammer.

Mark Poyner is the brilliant main character; always busy with jobs but struggling to make ends meet as he constantly robs Peter to pay Paul.  His money troubles continue when one of his team is murdered on the job, therefore delaying payment for the work and landing him in a whole heap of trouble with his creditors.  There are so many people after his blood that Mark even wonders if there has been a case of mistaken identity and he may have been the intended victim.  When Mark becomes the prime suspect in the murder he starts his own investigation to try to clear his name but unearths a lot more than he bargained for.

Being very character driven, Death of a Painter would make a fantastic sitcom as there are some fantastic characters and I can totally see Vic Reeves and Bob Mortimer in starring roles.  We have only just scratched the surface of Mark in this first book and I can already see that there is a lot more of him to discover.  I loved the nicknames that people had and there are characters named Disco, Hamlet and even The Two Ronnies.  Although not always laugh out loud funny, the humour is quite dark and subtle so I'll probably spot a lot more when I read the book again.

Death of a Painter is a cracking debut from Matthew Ross; it's pacey, intriguing and hugely entertaining.  I'm a little torn with the rating as it's not quite a 5 star read but it's worth more than 4 stars so I'm giving it an extra half a star to make it a sparkly 4.5.  I'm going to add it to my read again list so that's definitely a recommendation from me!  

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

My rating:

Buy it from Amazon or Red Dog Press

About the author:

Matthew Ross was born and raised in the Medway Towns, England. He still lives in Kent with his Kiwi wife, his children and a very old cat.

He was immersed in the building industry from a very early age helping out on his father’s sites during school holidays before launching into his own career at 17. He’s worked on projects ranging from the smallest domestic repair to £billion+ infrastructure, and probably everything in between.

A lifelong comedy nerd, he ticked off a bucket-list ambition and tried his hand at stand-up comedy. Whilst being an experience probably best forgotten (for both him and audiences alike) it ignited a love for writing, leading to various commissions including for material broadcast on BBC Radio 4 comedy shows.

Matthew moved into the longer format of novel writing after graduating from the Faber Academy in London in 2017.

‘Death Of A Painter’ is his first novel and the first in a planned series of stories featuring Mark Poynter and his associates.

Matthew enjoys reading all manner of books - especially crime and mystery; 80s music; and travelling and can’t wait for the next trip to New Zealand to spend time with family and friends.  

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