BLOG TOUR: Thank You, Next - Kathryn Freeman

I'm delighted to be taking part in the Rachel's Random Resources blog tour for Thank You, Next by Kathryn Freeman.  Scroll down to find out more about the book, read my review and win a paperback copy in the fabulous giveaway.

In this game of hearts, the stakes have never been higher…

Molly Harris is used to being left. Parents, boyfriends – she’s the queen of rejection. Her latest boyfriend, gym-fanatic Duncan, dumps her to go on reality dating show The One which sets up hot singletons to date for four weeks before meeting at the altar to say, ‘I do’.

But Duncan was the one who picked Molly up and put her back together the last time her heart got broken, so, determined not to let ‘The One’ get away, she follows Duncan onto the show. If she can prove that they’re meant to be, she might just get the happily ever after of her dreams…

But on the first day of filming, another reminder of her painful history walks into Happily Ever After Towers: Ben Knight, her it’s-not-you-it’s-me heartbreaker. The one she loved before Duncan.

In four weeks’ time, who will she meet at the altar? Duncan, the first person who ever made her feel loved, or Ben, the first person who made her feel?

 

What did I think?

If you follow my blog, you will know that I love Kathryn Freeman books and her latest novel, Thank You, Next is fun, flirty and a little bit racy.  It certainly had me blushing at times!

Molly loves watching reality dating show The One with her boyfriend Duncan and the romance on TV has Duncan hinting at marriage and children.  So, Molly is shocked when Duncan decides to join the show 'to gain more followers' or so he says.  Well, two can play at that game and Molly joins the show too.  Molly is sure that she will be matched with Duncan anyway and she starts dreaming of her wedding...until she is matched with her ex Ben.

Oooh I loved Ben even though he tries to keep Molly at arms length the attraction virtually sizzles off the page.  Ben doesn't have any desire to get married though and that's something that Molly really wants, due to being abandoned in her past by her parents and Ben himself.  Is Duncan 'the one' for Molly or should she give Ben another shot?

This is a really fun read and I really enjoyed following the couples on the dating show.  I was worried that Molly would get her heart broken again, either by Ben or Duncan, as Ben has a past he has yet to reveal and Duncan loves himself so much that he has no love left to give anybody else.  Who will be standing at the altar and what will happen next?  I couldn't read fast enough to find out!

Hugely entertaining, pulse-racing and very enjoyable, Thank You, Next is classic Kathryn Freeman and I absolutely loved 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:

A former pharmacist, Kathryn now writes romantic comedies. Feel good books that are sexy and sweet, funny yet heart-warming. Mr Right Across the Street won the RNA Award for Romantic Comedy in 2022. 

With a husband who asks every Valentine’s Day whether he has to buy a card (yes, he does), the romance in her own life is all in her head. Then again, his unstinting support of her 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

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kathryn.freeman_author/ 

GIVEAWAY!!!

Win a Paperback copy of Thank You, Next (Open Internationally). 

*Terms and Conditions –Worldwide entries welcome.  Please enter using the Rafflecopter box below.  The winner will be selected at random via Rafflecopter from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then Rachel’s Random Resources reserves the right to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over.  Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. This will passed to the giveaway organiser and used only for fulfilment of the prize, after which time Rachel’s Random Resources will delete the data.  I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Follow the tour:

BLOG TOUR: Cherry Slice (A Cherry Pi Mystery) - Jennifer Stone

Reality TV turns deadly in Cherry Hinton's first case

When Kenny Thorpe, a contestant on Expose TV's Big Blubber, the hot new celebrity weight-loss show, is murdered on live television in front of 3 million viewers, the case seems pretty watertight. After all, everyone saw Martin do it, didn't they?

Cherry Hinton knows there's more to this than meets the eye. As an investigative reporter, she went undercover on dating show Caravan of Love... but after getting in too deep with one of the other contestants, she was caught knickerless in front of the nation. Humiliated, fired and heartbroken, she has fled to Brentwood, where she opens a cake shop, and tries to forget all about Expose.

But when Kenny Thorpe's sister walks into her shop with a letter that turns the case inside out, Cherry realises it's down to her to expose the real killer.

What did I think?

I was drawn to Cherry Slice, not only by the mouthwatering cake on the cover, but by the story being set around the hilariously named reality TV weight loss show: Big Blubber.  I think because I found the show name so funny, I expected Cherry Slice to be quite funny but, although I did laugh at some of the clever show names, I reminded myself that it's a murder mystery not a joke book. 

When Martin appeared to murder fellow contestant Kenny on live TV, he has little choice but to plead guilty.  When Kenny's sister claims that Martin is innocent, she turn to Kenny's old schoolfriend Cherry Hinton to uncover the truth.  'Who killed Kenny?' is the theme of the book and I have to admit to having a little South Park snigger every time I read it.

After being disgraced on TV whilst working undercover to expose vote rigging, Cherry returns home to run a cake shop.  Cherry creates some lovely cakes with clever names and I found the visits from her social media obsessed friend, Kelsey, very entertaining.  Kelsey even gets a cake named after her: a Kelsey Bun.

I really enjoyed the investigative side to the story and the big reveal at the end is absolutely brilliant.  Although I didn't quite connect with Cherry at first, she certainly grew on me and I loved her run-ins with local policeman and one-time crush, Jacob.  This is a part of Cherry's story that is 'to be continued' and leaves the reader not necessarily hanging but interested enough to look forward to the next instalment.

Cherry Slice is a fun, murder mystery with an intriguing storyline and an occasional giggle; it's a great parody of reality TV and social media obsessives.  A light, entertaining read and a good start to a new series.

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

My rating:

Buy it from Amazon




Follow the tour:

BLOG TOUR: Reach for a Star - Kathryn Freeman

It's a Rachel's Random Resources Blog Tour today so that means there's a fabulous giveaway!  After reading my review of Reach for a Star, you can enter to win a paperback copy of Oh Crumbs by Kathryn Freeman and this is a book I absolutely loved so do make sure you enter!  Good Luck!

What if your dreams were so close you could reach out and touch them? 

How could anyone resist Michael Tennant, with his hypnotic blue eyes and voice like molten chocolate? Jessie Simmons certainly can’t. But Jessie’s a single mum who can’t sing to save her life – there’s no way she’ll ever cross paths with the star tenor. 

At least that’s what she thinks until she’s unexpectedly invited to take part in a new reality TV show. The premise? Professional singers teach hopeless amateurs how to sing. The surprise? Jessie’s partner is none other than Michael Tennant!

As she becomes better acquainted with the man behind the voice, will Jessie find out the hard way that you should never meet your idols? Or will she get more than she bargained for?

What did I think?

My reading tastes have changed over the years and I rarely read romantic fiction or chick-lit these days, however, I always make an exception for certain authors and Kathryn Freeman is one of them.  It's nice to have a change of pace from psychological thrillers and bloodthirsty crime and with her comforting, heartwarming romantic fiction Kathryn Freeman certainly fits the bill.

In Reach for a Star, pharmacist and divorcee, Jessie, is secretly entered into a TV singing competition by her two sons; not because she is a good singer, but because she can't sing at all.  The TV show teams members of the public with professional singers from various music genres in an attempt to teach them to sing.  With only one week to do it, it seems like an impossible task so it's not the best but the most improved singer who will win.  Jessie can't believe her luck when she is partnered with her idol, Michael Tennant, but their meeting doesn't go as perfectly as she imagined as Michael is at his most snappy with trying to squeeze this reality show in right before an upcoming world tour.

As you would expect after spending a lot of time with somebody over an intense week, Michael's shell begins to crack and he starts to fall for Jessie.  Michael has had his heart broken once before and he's worried that Jessie is more in love with Michael Tennant the tenor than Michael the man.  With so many insecurities, misunderstandings and prior commitments getting in the way, not to mention a PA who has her own sights set on Michael, the pair have to survive being apart during Michael's world tour.  If it's meant to be, they'll find a way.

Kathryn Freeman writes a prescription for pure unadulterated escapism in Reach for a Star.  Side effects are a warm heart, damp eyes, inability to prevent your mouth from smiling and an overall feeling of happiness.  Seriously, I wish you could bottle this stuff!  For any girl who has ever fallen in love with her idol (and let's face it, who hasn't?), Reach for a Star brings that dream to life; this sparkling, utterly fabulous book will not just warm your heart, it will warm your soul.  

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

My rating:

Buy it from:
Amazon UK
Amazon US



About the author:

A former pharmacist, I’m now a medical writer who also writes romance. Some days a racing heart is a medical condition, others it’s the reaction to a hunky hero.

With two teenage boys and a husband who asks every Valentine’s Day whether he has to buy a card (yes, he does), any romance is all 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

GIVEAWAY!!!

Giveaway to Win a PB copy of Oh Crumbs by Kathryn Freeman (Open INT)

*Terms and Conditions –Worldwide entries welcome.  Please enter using the Rafflecopter box below.  The winner will be selected at random via Rafflecopter from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then Rachel’s Random Resources reserves the right to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over.  Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. This will passed to the giveaway organiser and used only for fulfilment of the prize, after which time Rachel’s Random Resources will delete the data.  I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.

a Rafflecopter giveaway



Follow the tour:

BIRTHDAY BLITZ: Jungle Rock - Caroline James

With I'm a Celebrity Get me Out of Here starting in the past few days, this is a very fitting book to tell you about.  I read and loved Jungle Rock by Caroline James last year as I'm a Celebrity ended so I am delighted to share my review again today as part in the birthday blitz.  Don't miss the fab giveaway to win a £20 Amazon voucher, simply by signing up to Caroline James' mailing list.

Romantic comedy author, Caroline James has written an entertaining novella with a Christmas feel Set in the Australian jungle, the book has been described as ‘entertaining and funny, a real feel-good read’ and fans of, I’m A Celebrity, Get Me out of Here are sure to enjoy it.

Handsome young chef Zach Docherty is feeling the heat. Following an exposé in a national newspaper, his fiancée Poppy Dunlop has broken their engagement. Heartbroken at the thought of life without Poppy, Zach drowns his sorrows and, when his agent suggests that Zach becomes a contestant in a reality TV show, Jungle Survival, he reluctantly agrees. Plunged deep in the jungle, into a bizarre mix of talent and trials, Zach meets glamour model Cleo Petra, and the cameras go crazy. 

Will Zach survive and be crowned Jungle King? Or will his latest exploits push Poppy further away...

What did I think?

I jumped at the chance of reading Jungle Rock as the latest series of I'm a Celebrity was ending and it was just the thing to feed my jungle addiction.  The only problem is that it's only a novella and I could have quite easily read a full novel about Zach's exploits in Jungle Survival.

Zach is a celebrity chef but after being caught in a compromising position with a woman who wasn't his fiancée, his engagement is called off and he heads for the Australian jungle to star in Jungle Rock.  Poppy, his ex-fiancée also jets off to America as part of the publicity team for another celebrity chef, but even in America you can catch episodes of Jungle Survival.  Zach seems like a lovely normal guy and as the real events surrounding the exposé are revealed I had my fingers crossed that it wasn't too late to win back Poppy.

For a short book there are quite a few colourful characters in it and each of them are so much larger than life that they virtually jump out of the pages.  It is testament as to how warmly it is written, that I didn't realise that the characters have appeared in previous books. So Jungle Rock can certainly be read as a standalone as I did just that and enjoyed it immensely.

You don't have to be a fan of I'm a Celebrity to enjoy Jungle Rock but for those of us who love our annual 3 week trip to the Australian outback it's a perfect feel-good read.

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

My rating:

Buy it from Amazon

ABOUT CAROLINE JAMES

Caroline James has owned and run businesses encompassing all aspects of the hospitality industry – a subject that features in her novels. She is based in the UK and spends her time writing, climbing mountains and running a consultancy business. Caroline has a great fondness for the Caribbean and escapes to the islands whenever she can. She is a public speaker, reviewer and food writer and loves cooking and baking, especially cake. Her next novel, The Best Boomerville Hotel is coming soon…

Amazon: Caroline James Author

Twitter: @CarolineJames12

Facebook: Caroline James Author
Website: http://www.carolinejamesauthor.co.uk/

GIVEAWAY

Win a £20 Amazon Voucher

Sign up to Caroline James’ mailing list to be entered into a draw to win a £20 Amazon voucher. Giveaway open internationally and closes 30^th November 2017. Winner will be announced by Caroline via email.

Caroline James Author Mailing List

Jungle Rock - Caroline James

To celebrate the recent release of Jungle Rock by Caroline James, Brook Cottage Books are running a fabulous promotion day filled with reviews, extracts and a giveaway.  I am delighted to take part and if you like what you read, don't forget to head over to Amazon to pick up a copy for yourself.

Genre: Romcom

Release Date: 21^st Nov 2016

Publisher: Ramjam Publishing

Romantic comedy author, Caroline James has written an entertaining novella with a Christmas feel Set in the Australian jungle, the book has been described as ‘entertaining and funny, a real feel-good read’ and fans of, I’m A Celebrity, Get Me out of Here are sure to enjoy it.

Handsome young chef Zach Docherty is feeling the heat. Following an exposé in a national newspaper, his fiancée Poppy Dunlop has broken their engagement. Heartbroken at the thought of life without Poppy, Zach drowns his sorrows and, when his agent suggests that Zach becomes a contestant in a reality TV show, Jungle Survival, he reluctantly agrees. Plunged deep in the jungle, into a bizarre mix of talent and trials, Zach meets glamour model Cleo Petra, and the cameras go crazy. 

Will Zach survive and be crowned Jungle King? Or will his latest exploits push Poppy further away...

What did I think?

I jumped at the chance of reading Jungle Rock as the latest series of I'm a Celebrity was ending and it was just the thing to feed my jungle addiction.  The only problem is that it's only a novella and I could have quite easily read a full novel about Zach's exploits in Jungle Survival.

Zach is a celebrity chef but after being caught in a compromising position with a woman who wasn't his fiancée, his engagement is called off and he heads for the Australian jungle to star in Jungle Rock.  Poppy, his ex-fiancée also jets off to America as part of the publicity team for another celebrity chef, but even in America you can catch episodes of Jungle Survival.  Zach seems like a lovely normal guy and as the real events surrounding the exposé are revealed I had my fingers crossed that it wasn't too late to win back Poppy.

For a short book there are quite a few colourful characters in it and each of them are so much larger than life that they virtually jump out of the pages.  It is testament as to how warmly it is written, that I didn't realise that the characters have appeared in previous books. So Jungle Rock can certainly be read as a standalone as I did just that and enjoyed it immensely.

You don't have to be a fan of I'm a Celebrity to enjoy Jungle Rock but for those of us who love our annual 3 week trip to the Australian outback it's a perfect feel-good read.

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

My rating:

Buy it from Amazon

EXTRACT

“He’s doing what?” Hattie said. She had a mouthful of shortbread and a mug of coffee in her hand and stopped in her tracks as she watched Jo stare at her mobile phone.

“Zach’s going into the jungle. He’s a contestant on Jungle Survival.”

“Oh my.” Hattie smiled and wiped a spray of crumbs off her chest.

“He’s at the airport with Bob; they’re about to board a plane.”

“Well I never.” Hattie put her mug on the desk and stared at her friend. “How do you feel about that?”

“Astonished.”

“It might do him good.”

“Or not.”

“Fancy a bracer?”

“Start pouring.”

Cradling mugs of coffee, laced with a good slug of brandy, Jo and Hattie sat in the conservatory and looked out at the garden beyond.

“It doesn’t seem five minutes since he was a little boy running all over this lawn with his brother,” Jo said as she stared thoughtfully across the neatly manicured grass.

“And now he’s running off to Australia.”

In the distance, a group of guests appeared from the meadow, where a clairvoyance course was being run in an old gypsy caravan. Originally horse-drawn, the caravan had been John’s pride and joy, brightly painted with little wooden steps. It was a perfect setting for an intimate group. Boomerville hosted many courses for residents to enjoy and it was Jo’s hope that a stay at the hotel would inspire middle-aged boomers and set them up with new and inspiring skills to use in their later years.

“Another successful event,” Hattie said as she watched the beatific expressions of the participants as they drifted down the garden, confident that the spirits of their dead granny and Rover, the family pet, were beside them, whispering and woofing encouraging words from beyond.

“I wish I could see into Zach’s future,” Jo replied. “I hope he’s not making a terrible mistake.”

“Well, if he is, he’s picked the right place to make it. That show’s watched by millions. Perhaps we should run something similar here?” Hattie closed her eyes and began to plan out a jungle camp, set in the meadow. “The old ‘uns would love it! Prancing about like Bear Grylls, cooking over an open fire, sleeping under the stars. It has ‘winner’ all over it.”

“It has mass suicide all over it,” Jo replied. “Hyperthermia and food poisoning.”

“Think of the low overheads. We could bring Wonder Boy in to teach them how to skin a rabbit or two, a bit of camp-fire bonhomie and all that stuff.”

“Hattie, will you please be serious. My son is currently on his way to the other side of the world, where he’ll be exposed to any amount of danger; he’s emotionally vulnerable and I’m worried about him.”

Hattie sat up and opened her eyes.

“Oh, get a grip,” she said. “Can you imagine what he’s getting paid for this stint? How can he possibly go wrong? They’ll have him stripped down to his six-pack before the opening credits have run. He won’t even need to open his mouth and the phone lines will be pulsating as fast as every female viewer’s heart. Your Zach has made his finest career move yet.” Hattie reached for Jo’s empty mug. “Get that grumpy expression off yer face and let’s send him good luck wishes for his arrival in Aus.” She stood and glanced at the group in the garden. “Perhaps we can get that lot to send him a mystical sign...”

As Jo watched Hattie walk away, she felt cross. She knew that Hattie was probably right but Jo had a niggling feeling that Zach’s trip wasn’t going to run as smoothly or as successfully as everyone expected. A mother had an instinct about her offspring, but in this case, Jo hoped that her instincts would be proved wrong.

ABOUT CAROLINE JAMES

Caroline’s debut novel, Coffee Tea The Gypsy & Me shot to #3 on Amazon and was E-book of the Week in The Sun newspaper. Her second novel, So, You Think You're A Celebrity… Chef? has been described as wickedly funny: 'AbFab meets MasterChef in a Soap…' Coffee Tea The Caribbean & Me, an Amazon best-seller, was a Top Ten Finalist at The Write Stuff, London Book Fair 2015 and the judge’s comments included: Caroline is a natural story-teller with a gift for humour in her writing.” Her next novel, Boomerville will be published spring 2017.

Caroline has owned and run many catering related businesses and cookery is a passion alongside her writing, combining the two with her love of the hospitality industry and romantic fiction. As a media agent, Caroline represented many well-known celebrity chefs and her TV script, So, You Think You’re A Celebrity Chef? was runner up at the Winchester Writers Festival 2016.

She has published short stories and is a member of the Romantic Novelist’s Association. Caroline writes articles on food and celebrity based interviews and is Feature Editor for an online lifestyle magazine. She is a founder member of The Cheshirati and is available for inspiring and entertaining talks on anything related to the hospitality and publishing industry.

www.carolinejamesauthor.co.uk

Twitter: @CarolineJames12

https://www.facebook.com/carolinejamesauthor

GIVEAWAY

a Rafflecopter giveaway