Benidorm Cocktail Hour (The Benidorm Series Book 3) - Jo Lyons

Benidorm Cocktail Hour is the third book in The Benidorm Series. Follow Connie and The Dollz as they ‘do’ Las Vegas.

Connie attempts to juggle her romantic break with an over-the-top stag do, an increasingly heavy workload, and a case of unrequited love. With Ged and Liam turning into major bridezillas, Connie struggles to keep up with their incessant demands for forced enjoyment and their obsessive hunt for A-List celebrities. When The Dollz ramp up their reckless behaviour, Connie finds herself on the receiving end of some disgruntled local mobsters and an accidental wedding that should never have taken place.

Amid the chaos, will her and Matteo’s love ever find a way? Only one thing is for sure - what happens in Vegas, MUST stay in Vegas…

 

What did I think?

I have absolutely loved all of the books in the Benidorm series but I think Benidrom Cocktail Hour has to be my favourite as it didn't just make me cry with laughter, I also cried happy tears.

I love Connie and The Dollz, as well as Ged and Liam, and their hilarious escapades, so I raced straight onto the virtual Las Vegas flight after finishing book 2, Bendorm again.  Connie was hoping for a romantic getaway with Matteo but her trip has snowballed into including Ged and Liam's pre-moon and a gig with The Dollz.  There's also an unwelcome face on the same flight...

Oh Connie, she does get herself into some scrapes but with friends like The Dollz there's always someone there who has her back.  The Dollz are proper Geordie lasses who drink until they throw up (or fall asleep) and then start again!  Las Vegas won't know what's hit them when these crazy ladies descend on the Strip.

Benidorm Cocktail Hour is one of the funniest yet heartwarming books I have ever read.  It really should have waterproof pages though; I almost spat my cuppa out laughing from the start and I struggled to hold in my happy tears towards the end - that's how much I love these characters!  Jo Lyons never fails to make me laugh and with lots of laughs and plenty of romance, Benidorm Cocktail Hour is the perfect romantic comedy.

Many thanks to the author for a gifted copy to read and review; this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

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Benidorm again (The Benidorm Series Book 2) - Jo Lyons

Benidorm again is the second book in the The Benidorm Series. Follow Connie as she embarks on her first classical tour.

Connie never dreamed she’d get the chance to follow in the footsteps of her beloved late mother, to become a classical singer. But when she attracts jealous comments from the choir, more attention than she would like from the lead tenor and some unwanted scandalous publicity involving the Royal family, she starts to wonder if she is doing the right thing.

Connie soon finds herself caught in a reluctant love triangle with a difficult choice to make - the gorgeous, moody-eyed music producer who was love at first sight, or the exceptionally talented aristocratic millionaire? Determined to follow her heart, she turns to The Dollz and her newly engaged best friends, Ged and Liam, for help, only to find they all have problems of their own.

Who knew touring with the Royal Northern Sinfonia would involve so much drama or so many Royals?

 

What did I think?

I absolutely loved meeting Connie Cooper and The Dollz in Benidorm, Actually so I couldn't wait to read the next book in the series, Benidorm again, to see what happens next and I was not disappointed.  My laughing muscles got a good workout once again at the escapades and drama in this hilarious book.

It's a bittersweet moment for Connie when she is given a starring role in the Northern Sinfonia as it is her dream to follow in her mam's footsteps but her mam isn't here to see Connie shine on stage.  I couldn't feel sad for long though as Jo Lyons shakes her virtual giggle stick and instantly transforms the poignant moment of Connie stepping on stage for the first time into an absolutely brilliant laugh out loud moment that made me almost choke with laughter.  I won't be able to watch Harry Potter again without laughing now!

The Northern Sinfonia tour is filled with drama as the leading man has the chorus girls all aflutter but he only has eyes for Connie.  Connie has to admit that there is amazing chemistry between her and Luke that sets the stage alight but her heart lies with Matteo.

I loved that Connie's new romance from her trip to Benidorm is still going strong, albeit she has only known Matteo for a week before he jets off to work in LA and Connie comes home to join the Northern Sinfonia.  Despite their busy schedules, the couple make plans to meet up in Las Vegas but it's soon hijacked by Connie's friends and before she knows it, her romantic trip to Vegas has been turned into a Barbie and Ken themed group outing.

Connie's friends, Ged and Liam and The Dollz, provide much of the hilarity as their lives are a constant drama show.  I absolutely love The Dollz; their antics make the cast of Geordie Shore look tame!  I really can't wait to read about the Vegas trip so I have book 3, Benidorm Cocktail Hour, already lined up to start reading.

Benidorm again is an absolutely brilliant sequel to a sparkling debut novel.  I didn't think it would be possible to contain even more laughs and drama but Jo Lyons packs the hilarity and high jinks in once again to leave her readers clamouring for more.  A very highly recommended read filled with fun, laughter and drama.

My rating:

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Diva - Daisy Goodwin

In the glittering and ruthlessly competitive world of opera, Maria Callas is known simply as la divina: the divine one. With her glorious voice, instinctive flair for the dramatic and striking beauty, she's the toast of the grandest opera houses in the world. Yet her fame has been hard won: raised in Nazi-occupied Greece by a mother who mercilessly exploited her, Maria learned early in life how to protect herself.

When she meets the fabulously rich shipping magnate, Aristotle Onassis, her isolation melts away. For the first time in her life, she believes she's found a man who sees the woman rather than the legendary soprano. Desperately in love, Onassis introduces her to a life of unbelievable luxury, mixing with celebrities like Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton and the Duke and Duchess of Windsor.

And then, suddenly, it's over. The international press announce that Onassis will marry the most famous woman in the world, former First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy, leaving Maria to pick up the pieces.

 

What did I think?

Diva by Daisy Goodwin is a fabulous reimagining of the life of Maria Callas, that is based on her true story.  I love books that send me off to Google to find out more information and Diva certainly did that.  I listened to Maria's singing and got goosebumps - she really did have the voice of an angel and is well-named 'la divina'.

I didn't know a lot about Maria Callas before picking up Diva, but I certainly know a lot more now.  I had no idea that she dated Aristotle Onassis before he dropped Maria like a stone to marry Jackie Kennedy.  I felt really sorry for her early years, living in the shadow of her older sister and not getting any affection from her mother, it perhaps explains why she left her husband to be with Onassis who showered her with gifts and attention.

It also made me really appreciate the life of an artist, especially one with a divine voice, as they don't know how long their voice will last after all the strain they put it through.  Maria's singing teacher used a great analogy: imagine your voice is a purse of golden coins but you don't know how many it holds so you need to spend them wisely before there are none left.

Daisy Goodwin really brings the 50s/60s eras to life as Maria rubs shoulders with stars and royalty.  Maria herself is drawn so beautifully that she virtually leaps out from the pages and her life resembles an opera with an abundance of drama, passion and tragedy.

Filled with glitz and glamour, Diva is a wonderful glimpse into the life of Maria Callas, the world's greatest diva.  It's an unforgettable story that is both inspirational and heartbreaking.

I received a gifted paperback for the Tandem Collective readalong and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

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Amazon

Pop Idle: 30 years on the road as a professional singer - Dave Dawson

Like hordes of others, best-selling author Dave Dawson has spent decades crisscrossing the country as a solo full-time professional musician. During his 30 years on the road, he has performed thousands of shows before tens of thousands of people, yet still remains one of the army of anonymous entertainers who literally sing for their supper, as part of the Never Ending UK Tour. From pubs to clubs, dives to luxury hotels, theatres to gardens, and hen nights to care homes, there’s hardly a live environment that he hasn’t encountered, enjoyed or endured.

Along the way, he’s had brushes with fame and fandom, strippers and stalkers, crooks and colourful characters, pissed-up punters and prima donnas… and has banked a wealth of experience at the brunt of the live music circuit.

In this, his fifth book, Dave takes the reader with him as he encounters the Great British Public head on with only a microphone stand and an ad-lib to hide behind. Alongside light-hearted and cautionary tales, Pop Idle provides an invaluable insight into the pleasures and perils that await anyone dedicated or mad enough to want to forge a path into the music industry at the bottom rung of the showbiz ladder

Dave Dawson, under the pseudonym Dave Philpott, is the co-author of the cult comedy bestsellers, Dear Mr. Kershaw, Dear Mr Pop Star, Grammar Free In The UK and Dear Catherine Wheel.

 

What did I think?

What an eye-opener!  When I've enjoyed listening to singers in a pub or club, I've never really thought about what goes on behind the scenes although I could imagine some of it, especially the difficulty getting paid part.  Dave Dawson's Pop Idle is a no holds barred 30 years in the life of a singer and it's as interesting as it is entertaining.

Dave Dawson would be the answer if I was ever asked the question: "If you could have a pint with anyone past or present, who would you choose?"  I could listen to his stories for hours if they're anything like the anecdotes in this fabulous book.

Behind the glitz and glamour there is blood, sweat and tears.  This book made me laugh so often but it also made me think about how hard it actually is to make it in the music business.  Cash is indeed king and it's no secret that artists get ripped off by agents and record labels, but it's even harder to get hard-earned money out of a pub or club.

Written with honesty and humour, Pop Idle is the most entertaining and hilarious non-fiction book I have read this year.  A highly recommended read.

I received a digital ARC from the author and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

Buy it from Amazon

Benidorm, actually - Jo Lyons

“Ladies and Gentlemen, we will shortly be arriving into Alicante. Please ensure your big lips and heavy eyebrows are securely fastened, your eyelashes are stowed in the upright position and your leg tattoos are clearly visible for landing.”

Connie Cooper’s classical music career is at a dead-end. She’s singing cheap covers to a sea of bald heads and the nearest she has been to a romantic relationship in years is watching the Bridgerton buttocks scene on a continuous loop.

The last thing she needs is to be on a flight to Benidorm with strict instructions to impress the boss of Jezebel Music. But as she tries to keep up with support band, The Dollz, and the constant flashmob dancing, the going out in less than you’d wear on the beach and their obsession with the promiscuous bearded-Nuns in the villa next door, the boss seems less and less impressed.

The clock is ticking. She’s meant to be finding her voice, not finding his brooding good-looks irresistibly attractive… How can she show him that she has what it takes to succeed?

That’s right. Instead of just being herself, she’ll follow The Dollz’ advice to dress like a low-rent stripper and impress him by pole-dancing on top of a table full of drinks.

What could go wrong?

 

What did I think?

I absolutely loved this book; it was just what I needed to banish the winter blues as it whisked me away to sunnier climes.  It's so laugh-out-loud hilarious that it should come with waterproof pages as I had tears rolling down my face on so many occasions.

I've never been to Benidorm but Jo Lyons brings the vibrant and colourful holiday resort to life between the pages of her fabulous debut novel as we follow Connie Cooper's last ditch attempt to make it in the music business.  From the minute Connie steps on the plane in Newcastle, the reader is under no illusion that is going to be a regular holiday romance type of book...not with The Dollz around anyway.

I had such a vivid picture of The Dollz in my head and their constant practising of their routines still makes me smile long after turning the final page.  They're supposed to be Connie's support act, both in the story and character weighting, however, they are so much larger than life that nothing will keep The Dollz out of the limelight.

I absolutely loved Connie though; she seems to puts her foot in it every time she opens her mouth, especially with Mr Window Seat who she is destined to run into again (quite literally) when the plane touches down in Spain. 

Filled with sun, sea, sand and singing, Benidorm, actually is an entertaining and hilarious romantic comedy.  It's a sparkling debut from Jo Lyons and one I wouldn't hesitate to recommend.

My rating:

Buy it from Amazon

BLOG TOUR: The Last Party (DC Morgan Book 1) - Clare Mackintosh

On New Year's Eve, Rhys Lloyd has a house full of guests.

His lakeside holiday homes are a success, and he's generously invited the village to drink champagne with their wealthy new neighbours. This will be the party to end all parties.

But not everyone is there to celebrate. By midnight, Rhys will be floating dead in the freezing waters of the lake.

On New Year's Day, DC Ffion Morgan has a village full of suspects.

The tiny community is her home, so the suspects are her neighbours, friends and family - and Ffion has her own secrets to protect.

With a lie uncovered at every turn, soon the question isn't who wanted Rhys dead . . . but who finally killed him.

In a village with this many secrets, a murder is just the beginning. 

 

What did I think?

You're always guaranteed a good read with a Clare Mackintosh book and The Last Party is no exception.  It's the first in a new series and I'm already hooked as I love DC Ffion Morgan and the village of Cwm Coed on the Welsh/English border.

The traditional New Year's Day swim in the lake is disrupted when a body is found floating in it.  Not many tears are shed when it's revealed that the body is that of local celebrity Rhys Lloyd.  For starters, Rhys has brought the English to Cwm Coed with his controversial development The Shore on the English side of the lake.  The tension and distrust of strangers in a small village is beautifully portrayed and it makes every single one of the villagers a suspect.  

Ffion has her own demons to deal with and she wears her reputation of being a wild child like a badge of honour, although it has come at a very steep cost.  I love Ffion's personality, her flawed character and the way that she meets and interacts with Leo, her partner in this case, is just brilliant.  Cheshire police are involved as Rhys lived in England, but his body was found in Wales.  

There's just so much to enjoy and devour in this book.  Leo's personal and professional life is riveting with his ex-wife holding something over him and his boss being an absolute disgrace.  Ffion's covering something up and I was completely thrown off course and blindsided when that all got revealed.  As for who killed Rhys...well, you'll just have to read it and find out!

With a plot that would make Agatha Christie envious, Clare Mackintosh delivers once again in her stunning new novel The Last Party.  It's an absolutely stunning start to a new series and I am so excited to find out what's next in store for Ffion.  An easy five stars - very highly recommended.

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

About the author:

Clare Mackintosh is the multi-award-winning author of five Sunday Times bestselling novels, including I Let You Go, which was the fastest selling debut thriller in the year it was released. Translated into forty languages, her books have sold more than two million copies worldwide, have been New York Times and international bestsellers and have spent a combined total of 64 weeks in the Sunday Times bestseller chart.

Clare spent twelve years in the police force, including time on CID, and as a public order commander. She left the police in 2011 to work as a freelance journalist and social media consultant and is the founder of the Chipping Norton Literary Festival. She now writes full time and lives in Wales with her husband and their three children.

www.claremackintosh.com / www.facebook.com/ClareMackWrites / @ClareMackint0sh

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BLOG TOUR: Blood on the Tyne: Body Parts - Colin Garrow

I always get a thrill when I read books set in my native North East so I jumped at the chance to take part in the damppebbles blog tour for Blood on the Tyne: Body Parts by Colin Garrow.  I am releasing my review as part of the blog tour so scroll down to read what I thought.

Newcastle, 1955. A death in the family brings nightclub singer Rosie Robson home to Newcastle, but her planned return to London hits a snag after she agrees to perform with her old band. Learning the group’s previous singer left after an argument, Rosie begins to wonder if there might be a sinister reason behind the young woman’s disappearance. Uncovering the first in a series of grisly murders, Rosie decides to investigate, but in doing so, finds her own name has been added to the killer’s list…

Blood on the Tyne: Body Parts is book #1 in the Rosie Robson Murder Mystery series.

What did I think?

I love reading books set in the North East of England so I couldn't wait to dive into Blood on the Tyne: Body Parts that is set in Newcastle.  Colin Garrow brings the story to life by choosing to write his characters' speech in a Geordie dialect; although it's not easy to read, it works really well and gives some authenticity to the story.  I have to say that sometimes I struggled with the dialect and I'm fluent in Geordie, so it might be difficult for people outside the region to understand, however, Colin Garrow has preempted this by including a few handy Geordie translations at the end of the book.

Chapter 1 starts with a gripping in-built prologue where a body is found thereby immediately hooking the reader like a hungry fish, but we then roll back 4 days to Rosie's return to Newcastle from London for a family funeral.  I love how not only the scene is set but the time period of 1955 is planted firmly in the reader's mind with Rosie returning home the day that Ruth Ellis, the last woman in the UK to be executed, was hanged.

Rosie's nightmares begin, both literally and figuratively, in Newcastle.  Sleeping in her old bedroom results in a recurring disturbing dream but she keeps waking up before the conclusion.  Something happened in her past that her psyche had buried but being in the same place it happened has brought it to the fore.  Rosie doesn't have time to dwell on it too much as she's talked into helping out her old band when their lead singer goes missing.  Julie isn't the only singer to go missing though and it looks like Rosie's real nightmare is about to begin when she becomes the next target.

Although Rosie is in danger, she can't help but investigate the other disappearances like an amateur sleuth.  With links to the pub and club scene, people will talk to Rosie rather than the police but Inspector Walton is quite happy for Rosie to run a parallel investigation and the pair end up helping each other out.  I loved the dynamic between Rosie and Walton and I do hope that this is not the last we'll see of this pairing.

Blood on the Tyne: Body Parts is a gripping and authentic North East murder mystery.  The scene setting, both time and place, is excellent and I felt as if I was walking in Rosie's footsteps.  I really enjoyed this first book in the Rosie Robson series and can't wait for the next book.  In my native lingo: Aye, it's canny good like. Howay man wi' the next 'un!

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

My rating:

Buy it from:
Amazon UK
Amazon US
Smashwords





About the author:

True-born Geordie Colin Garrow grew up in a former mining town in Northumberland and has worked in a plethora of professions including taxi driver, antiques dealer, drama facilitator, theatre director and fish processor, and has occasionally masqueraded as a pirate. Colin has published three stage plays, six adventures for middle grade readers, two books of short stories, the Watson Letters series and the Terry Bell Mysteries. His short stories have appeared in several literary mags, including: SN Review, Flash Fiction Magazine, The Grind, A3 Review, Inkapture and Scribble Magazine. These days he lives in a humble cottage in North East Scotland where he writes novels, stories. poems and the occasional song.

Social Media:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/colingarrow

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

Website (adults): https://colingarrow.org/

Website (childrens): https://colingarrowbooks.com/

Website (The Watson Letters): https://thewatsonletters.com/

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

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/colingarrow

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.co.uk/-/e/B014Z5DZD4

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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.

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