BLOG TOUR: Surprises on the Scottish Isle (Coorie Castle Crafts Book 1) - Lilac Mills

Will they get a second chance at first love?

When newly divorced Tara McTaigh spots an advert for a studio to let in Coorie Castle’s craft centre, she packs up her Edinburgh life and moves to the Isle of Skye, eager for a fresh start.

Little does she know that the castle’s estate manager, single dad Calan Fraser, is the man who broke her heart back at university. Thoroughly done with romance, Tara decides to ignore Cal and focus on building her business – creating dollhouses to commission. But Duncoorie is a small community, and the two keep bumping into each other… 

Just as she is starting to open her heart once more to Cal, a change in his life puts everything on the line. When a surprise storm threatens Tara's safety, will Cal realise in time that love is worth the risk?

An uplifting and feel-good crafty romance for fans of Holly Martin, Sue Moorcroft and Julie Shackman.

What did I think?

Oh I thoroughly enjoyed my virtual visit to the Isle of Skye in Lilac Mills' new book, Surprises on the Scottish Isle.  This heartwarming romance left a huge smile on my face and I wasn't sad to leave the characters as I had already noticed that this is the first book in a series so I'll be going back to the gorgeous Coorie Castle.

Cal broke Tara's heart when they split up; he was the love of her life so her marriage to Dougie McTaigh didn't really stand a chance.  Little does Tara know that she was also the love of Cal's life and he has never forgotten her, even naming the princess after her in his daughter's bedtime story.  So it's a surprise for both Cal and Tara when fate throws them together again in a place where they least expected to find each other.

I really felt for both characters as they attempted to find their way back to each other despite all of the hurdles that were placed in their way.  Tara doesn't want her heart broken again and Cal has made a promise to his daughter that he will never have a girlfriend but it is clear that they are both meant to be together.

Surprises on the Scottish Isle is a completely charming story with an idyllic setting and I absolutely loved it.  The dollhouses that Tara makes sounded exquisite as Lilac Mills paints such a vivid picture with her wonderful words.  I am delighted that there is another book in the series due out in the summer and I can't wait to visit Coorie Castle and the Isle of Skye again.

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

My rating:

Purchase Link - https://geni.us/SOTSI

About the author:

Lilac Mills lives on a Welsh hillside with her very patient husband and incredibly sweet dog, where she grows veggies (if the slugs don't get them), bakes (badly) and loves making things out of glitter and glue (a mess, usually).

She's been an avid reader ever since she got her hands on a copy of Noddy Goes to Toytown when she was five, and she once tried to read everything in her local library starting with A and working her way through the alphabet.

She loves long hot summer days in the garden, and cold winter ones snuggled in front of the fire, but whatever the weather she's usually writing, or thinking about writing, with heartwarming romance and happy-ever-afters always on her mind.

Social Media Links – 

Website: https://www.lilacmills.com 

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

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/lilacmills 

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BLOG TOUR: Return to Half Moon Farm - Holly Hepburn

Discover the beautiful, escapist new novel from beloved author, Holly Hepburn...

When Daisy’s mother falls ill she is forced to return home. With her twin sons in tow, she moves back to Half Moon Farm, her family’s ancient hop farm.  

But a new life in the Kent countryside isn’t necessarily as idyllic as it might seem. Daisy’s relationship with her mother is complicated and the tumbledown farm isn’t the only thing that needs rebuilding. Daisy and her sons must adjust to life with estranged family, a leaking roof, and no WiFi.

Luckily for Daisy, she might yet find some distraction in silver fox farmer, Drew, or in the haughty heir to the nearby estate, Kit, who she can’t seem to avoid.

Daisy must learn to juggle her new life, the boys, and the daunting task of updating the farm. But there are secrets lurking in her family’s past that might throw everything into further disarray…

 

What did I think?

Return to Half Moon Farm is a truly gorgeous Holly Hepburn novel.  It's like a modern day fairy tale with a castle and an earl's brother instead of a prince and I absolutely loved it.

Divorcée Daisy and her twin boys are temporarily moving to the picturesque village of Mistlethorpe to look after her estranged mother.  The last thing Daisy is looking for is romance but there are two love interests vying for her attention: mistletoe farmer Drew and spare to the heir Kit.  Which one, if any, will win her heart?

There's also the mystery of a long standing family feud between the Moons of Half Moon Farm and the Devereauxs of Winterbourne Castle.  As Daisy gets to know Kit Devereaux she might just get to the bottom of why the two families fell out all those years ago.  I absolutely adored how this mystery was woven seamlessly into the storyline, even though my heart was breaking as the past was gradually revealed.

I love how Holly Hepburn writes magical romances that aren't just filled with moonlight and roses but also real life challenges.  Daisy is trying to rebuild her relationship with her mum whilst juggling the school run and work commitments.  The wonderfully relatable characters are far from perfect and I really enjoyed getting to know them during my virtual visit to Mistlethorpe.

Heartwarming and uplifting, Return to Half Moon Farm is a magical romance that swept me off my feet from the very first page.  It's perfect escapism and I highly recommend it.

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

My rating:

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BLOG TOUR: Where Do I Go From Here? - India Rigg

Another thing checked off Seffy's list - a promotion before she's thirty! But that's not the kind of thing you can brag about on Facebook - that's reserved for engagements, weddings and photos of adorable little children. When it comes to those milestones, Seffy's struggling; she's divorced, heart-broken and reeling from a recent infertility diagnosis.

Then her best friend suggests she takes a sabbatical, goes travelling, and creates a new list - one full of mile-high clubs, hot strangers and sketchy mushrooms. Maybe amongst all that chaos, she might find a way back to herself - even if that way involves travelling halfway around the world.

But when life's a series of negatives, how far would you go to find a positive?

 

What did I think?

Where Do I Go From Here? is a really fun book to read but it also covers serious topics such as work/life balance, infertility, miscarriage and divorce.  I really enjoyed Seffy's story and my heart was breaking for her as we relive her struggle to conceive through her letters to Aphrodite.

Seffy is approaching her thirtieth birthday as a childless divorcee and the only thing left to tick off her list is a promotion at work.  Seffy is a workaholic and her job is the only fulfilment she has in her life, but there's more to life than work and Seffy is about to find that out.  Seffy's bag is packed and she's off travelling for nine months!

I loved Seffy's relationship with her friend Harry and I was fuming at Luke for divorcing her at her lowest ebb, however, there are always two sides to every story and I was guilty, as usual, of jumping to conclusions.  

India Rigg tackles the difficult subject of infertility with honesty and sensitivity and it really makes you think about what's hiding behind people's smiles.  It's surprising how many couples suffer from infertility and/or have experienced miscarriage so what you may think is an innocent question: 'Do you have children?' is like sticking a knife into their heart and giving it a good twist while you're in there.

Heartbreaking and humorous in equal measure, Where Do I Go From Here? is an entertaining and thought-provoking novel that I thoroughly enjoyed.  It's beautifully written to perfectly balance light-hearted fun with sensitive and emotional subjects.  I wish I'd read it in my thirties when I treated work as my life.  

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

My rating:

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About the author:

Born in North Norfolk, India grew up along its picturesque coastline before leaving to study Cell Biology at Durham University and embark on a career in Marketing.  Expanding from the tiny towns of East Anglia to the hustle and bustle of the big city made her see the world for all its wonders and faults - it's a big place to try and change yourself but India wants to give muted societal issues a voice and give scary topics a friendly face. She believes all good ideas come from a spicy Bloody Mary, a niche documentary and over-hearing conversations in cafes.

Follow India Rigg on Instagram: @indiegram__

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BLOG TOUR: A Cornish Summer - Catherine Alliott

Flora's been in love with her husband for twenty years. The trouble is, he's been married to someone else for the past fifteen . . .

Now she's been invited to spend the summer in the shady lanes and sandy coves of Cornwall. It should be blissful.

There's just one small snag: she'll be staying with her former mother-in-law, Belinda.

And Flora discovers she's not the only one invited when her ex-husband shows up out of the blue, complete with his new wife. So now there are two small snags.

Can Flora spend the summer playing happy families with the woman who stole her husband's heart, and the mother-in-law who might have had a hand in it?

Or will stumbling on the family secret change her mind about them all?

What did I think?

Catherine Alliott is an author who has been on my radar for a while and I have a number of her books in my collection but, rather shockingly, A Cornish Summer is the first one that I have read.  Such is the curse of so many books so little time.

A Cornish Summer is different from books that I would usually read in that it is more of a family saga.  Flora heads to Cornwall to paint a portrait of her ex-father-in-law, taking along her friend, Celia, for moral support.  It's just as well she took Celia with her as she didn't expect her ex-husband and his wife to be there also.  I really felt for Flora having to cope with seeing her ex-husband when she makes no secret about the fact that she is still in love with him.  That's not all she has to cope with though...enter the overbearing ex-mother-in-law FROM HELL.  Belinda is a total bitch and even her own grandson agrees with me!

What starts out as a lighthearted slow-burning tale, actually turns slightly darker and more sinister with a very strong and well told environmental message.  It's very current in this day and age as we are being made aware of the devastating effects of pollution, plastic or otherwise.  With private companies striving to make a profit to keep their shareholders happy, it's very possible that they would cut corners at the expense of the environment.  I found this so scarily realistic and, as heartbreaking as it was to read, it never hurts to remind people to help save our environment.

With all family sagas there are plenty of skeletons in the closet, some more firmly in the closet than others.  I loved the fact that Flora's ex-father-law, Roger, has a not so secret mistress who is fun-loving, young at heart and the complete opposite of his wife.  Bubbly Babs is clearly the love of Roger's life but he is forced through social convention to keep up appearances with Belinda the Bitch.  Roger isn't the only one with secrets though...

Escape to Cornwall with A Cornish Summer; it's the perfect book to read as you lounge in the sun with a pitcher of Pimm's.

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

My rating:

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BLOG TOUR: The Heat is On - Helen Bridgett

Angie Shepherd is back and this time she means business!

Life is perfect for Angie Shepherd. Her dreams of becoming an entrepreneur have come true, business is booming, and her best friend Patty is back in town. So when the opportunity of investing in a luxury hotel comes up, it seems like a no-brainer. It's all going swimmingly until a rival travel agency opens up across the street. Before long, The Mercury Travel Club is undercut, double-crossed and in deep trouble. It's time for Angie to up the stakes. But with costs mounting up, sales going down, and her personal life suddenly in freefall, can Angie and her friends weather the storm?

Witty and charming in equal measure, this feel-good novel shows that when the going gets tough, the tough definitely get going.

What did I think?

In this follow up to The Mercury Travel Club we rejoin Angie and friends at the point where the sky's the limit for their quirky little Manchester based travel agency.  The award winning travel agency is firmly established in the high street and they have plans to invest in a luxury hotel in an exclusive resort.  It seems like everything is going right until the vacant shop across the road is revealed as 'Launch', another travel agency and the high street is only big enough for one of them.  

Launch's owner, Lorenzo, is described brilliantly by Helen Bridgett as a snake in the grass who slithers along the high street wearing his snakeskin belt.  Obviously, I was on Team Mercury but with this brilliant snake theme the reader is under no illusion that Lorenzo is a typical cartoon style bad guy.  I even found myself imagining him as Dick Dastardly.  His underhand dealings threaten to put Mercury out of business but Angie's colleagues and friends rally round to play him at his own game.  With customers and even staff moving over to Launch, is it too late to save Mercury?  Time to bring in the big guns: Patty!

I absolutely love Angie's friend, Patty.  She reminds me so much of Patsy in Absolutely Fabulous, but now Patty has a new man in her life she is ready to settle down again.  There are still hints of the hilarious Patty we know and love, especially in the dating advice she gives Angie.  I couldn't help but laugh out loud at some of the things she comes out with but it was lovely to see another side to Patty as she shows what she's made of when the chips are down.

After working so hard for her business, Angie deserves a bit of happiness in her private life and she's met a lovely man in Michael.  With Lorenzo's plans to destroy Angie's business in full force, Angie's relationship with Michael also comes under threat.  I felt as if Angie's world could fall around her at any moment...but not if her friends have any say in the matter it won't.  I love how close these guys are; they aren't just colleagues and business partners, they're a family and a force to be reckoned with in the fight against snaky Lorenzo.

The Heat is On had me laughing one minute and seething the next.  It felt very much like a fight between good and evil and even typing the name 'Lorenzo' is enough to make my skin crawl and my blood boil.  One thought remained constant whilst I was reading: if it seems too good to be true, then it probably is.  It's frightening but true, how quickly we can switch our allegiance when offered a shiny new 'too good to be true' deal but don't forget that you often get what you pay for...and here's one especially for Lorenzo: what goes around comes around.

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

My rating:

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The Whitstable High Tide Swimming Club: Part One: Diving In - Katie May

'Warm, wise and funny' Rachael Lucas. 

Part One of a brand new summery story about sea, sunshine and second chances

In the gorgeous seaside town of Whitstable, brokenhearted Deb begins to swim each day and gathers a new group of friends around her. But can the magic of sea heal the hurt of the past? Or will family ties drag her underwater again?

A heart-warming, funny and poignant story of romance, friendship and second chances. It's also a song to the author's home town of Whitstable, where the sea is smooth, the shingle is painful on bare feet, and the air is full of possibilities.

What did I think?

Although I would never even consider dipping my toe in the freezing North Sea, it was lovely to take a trip to Whitstable courtesy of Katie May.  Whitstable is a real place on the North coast of Kent and you can read more here about places to see in Whitstable in the guest post that Katie May wrote for my stop on the blog tour.  

Deb has just split up with her husband, Derek, after she stopped turning a blind eye to his drinking and affairs.  Deb finds herself looking forward to the twice daily high tide so she can forget her troubles and go for a swim in the sea.  For a while, she has the beach to herself then one day she notices that she has company in the form of ex-corporate lawyer and recent divorcee, Maisie.  Due to their shared love of swimming, the pair strike up an unlikely friendship as they both come from different worlds: Deb is struggling to make ends meet living in a pokey bedsit and Maisie is affluent enough to be able to start again with a dozen new everything.  When a few more people start visiting the beach at high tide, The Whitstable High Tide Swimming Club is born, but the new club has barely got off the ground when developers threaten to move in.

The town of Whitstable is almost a character in itself; it sounds so quaint and picturesque, and Katie May's love for her home town is very apparent.  I loved the blossoming friendship between Deb and Maisie, both women are in their 50's and find themselves having to embrace single life again with Deb doing a bit more of the embracing (and good for her)!  I also thought the storyline about the developers was excellent - developers always seem so cold and callous as they bulldoze their way in and change our beautiful landscape.  Having something to fight for brought the members of the swimming club closer together and I actually felt as if I was an honorary member of the club by reading along as events were unfolding.

This is only part one, so I am delighted that Katie May has more visits to Whitstable planned for us readers.  I think we have only scratched the surface of some of the characters and I'm really looking forward to reading more about them.  With some laugh out loud moments and some serious issues, The Whitstable High Tide Swimming Club: Part One: Diving In is a super start to a series set in a beautiful location and filled with colourful characters we can all relate to.

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

My rating:

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BLOG TOUR: The Mercury Travel Club - Helen Bridgett

Meet Angie Shepherd who, after 24 years and 11 months of marriage, finds herself divorced and driven by friends and family to move on. From hangover to makeover, Angie steps firmly away from the sensible knitwear, and launches into every adventure on offer – from baking classes and book groups, to speed dating, and even 'The Granny-Okes', a 1980s tribute act and YouTube sensation.

But Angie needs more than a bar of galaxy and a night in with Murder She Wrote... what she dreams of is entrepreneurial success. Channelling her inner Richard Branson, the light bulb moment happens: it's time to take the plunge and invest her divorce settlement into The Mercury Travel Club, an exciting new business venture. But as the Travel Club gets going, things never go according to plan, and in this digital age a little chaos brings the fame she's been looking for.

Set in present-day Manchester, this classic mid-life journey features the 1980s soundtrack from Angie's youth, and sees her travel the world whilst coping with life after the Ex.  Angie's journey is the catalyst her friends need to examine their own lives; as they start to find their true callings, will Angie find hers? Witty, entertaining and laugh-out-loud funny, this feel-good debut novel shows it's never too late for a second chance.

What did I think?

Well this little gem of a book was just what I needed when I was feeling a bit low, not unlike Angie Shepherd at the start of The Mercury Travel Club.  I think I read this whole book with a smile on my face and certainly struggled to contain my laughter, indeed many laughs did escape whilst reading this book.

Angie was looking forward to her silver wedding anniversary when her husband, Alan, left her for a younger woman.  Forced to sell their family home and start a new life, Angie may feel like curling up and feeling sorry for herself but her friends and family have other ideas.  Her hilarious friend, Patty, is instrumental in keeping Angie on her feet as she takes a few tentative baby steps on the road to singledom.  Patty gives the impression that she's a bit of a man-eater but she's more words than actions and has an absolutely enormous heart of gold.  I couldn't get enough of Angie's hilarious mother; I really looked forward to her appearances and couldn't wait to see what imperfect pearl of wisdom she would come out with next.

Angie works in a travel agency and has a lovely boss, Charlie.  When Angie decides to make her dreams a reality, Charlie offers her a business partnership where they offer themed holidays and The Mercury Travel Club is born.  Like all best laid plans, things often go wrong but that is the charm of the club.  Angie keeps a cool head and is calm under pressure, making her trips much sought after, despite some attempted bad press.  As the Entrepreneur of the Year awards approach, Angie sets her sights on the award.  Will she win it?  Whatever the outcome, you'll be sure they'll have a good time!

I loved the quirky chapter names, each one giving a little hint as to what was in store next.  I almost clapped with glee (I would have if I could have put the book down) when I saw a chapter with the title 'The Kids Wanna Rock'.  As I involuntarily started singing, "Turned on the radio, sounded like a disco...", I was delighted to see my absolute favourite singer Bryan Adams getting some well deserved column inches.  Maybe not the real man but a tribute band, but still, any book that gives Bryan a mention gets a big thumbs up from me.  "I got my first real six string, bought it at the five and dime..."  (Admit it, it's in your head now 😃)

With such an impressive debut and a fabulously witty writing style, I am overjoyed to see that Helen Bridgett plans more books in The Mercury Travel Club series.  The Mercury Travel Club is hilariously funny and a perfect pick me up.  If I had a passport, I'd certainly sign up!

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

My rating:

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About the Author

Helen Bridgett was born in North-East England and now lives in Manchester having stopped off at a few places in between. Having failed miserably with every New Year's resolution that involved giving up food or drink, one year, she set herself a completely different goal - to write a novel and give it as a Christmas present. The Mercury Travel Club was born and the characters took on a life of their own. Outside of writing, Helen loves hiking and wine - not usually at the same time.

Helen is currently developing the next novels in The Mercury Travel Club series.

F**k This Journal: Betterness Through Bitterness - Dale Shaw

Many journals exist to encourage and provoke inspirational activity in the artistically and creatively inclined. But what is out there for those paralysed with bitterness and an overwhelming desire to push people over?

F**k This Journal faecally pollutes all over the notion of positive creative encouragement and instead uses anger and resentment as the pointy stick to goad their inner artistic pursuits.

With 'testimonials' from famous creative types through history, inspiring instructions to spur your bitter creative core and lots of blank space to exhort your artistic spirit and save costs, F**k This Journalliberally takes the wee out of twee inspiration journals and forges its own path into the brooding heart of darkness that is 'Cre-hate-tivity'.

With added fun!

What did I think?

I had high hopes for this - I have a good sense of humour so I did have a few laughs but not as many as I expected.  I liked the journal style of the book and the fun illustrations throughout.  I loved the "I wonder what your pet is thinking?" page along with the "Think outside the box, push the envelope" page.  My favourite has to be the star that I will share with you - because next time somebody says "you're a star" don't take it as a compliment, take it as the insult it was clearly intended to be!  I shared this quote with my cousin, John-Paul, and I'm proud to say that I made him laugh!  He is the king of humour and I've never been able to tell him a joke or share a pun he hasn't heard before...until now!

It was funny that all the hate is directed towards Carol, the ex-wife, and her new partner the car boot salesman!  A super-quick read as it is mainly hand-drawn illustrations but, whilst reading it, I embraced the "betterness through bitterness" idea, sharpened my pencils in the face of  cre-hate-ivity, and vowed never to leave the house - outside is full of people!!

A great gift book for the difficult to buy for and anyone with a dark sense of humour, although not as funny as I expected - perhaps more my style of humour rather than the book's fault.

I received this book from the publisher, Headline, via Bookbridgr in exchange for an honest review.

My rating:

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