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First Line Friday

Happy Friday & welcome to the First Line Friday post! It’s time to grab the book nearest to you and leave a comment with the first line. Today I’m delighted to feature A Louisiana Christmas to Remember. I really enjoy novella collections by multiple authors. What about you? Hosted at Reading is my Superpower.

By Betsy St. Amant; Morgan Tarpley Smith; Lenora Worth

Pub Date Sep 01 2023 

FIRST LINE(S)

Three weeks before Christmas

Moreau, Louisiana

Mattie Hayes froze, her fingers warm around a latte, and stared at the flurries of white outside the window of Le Petit French Press coffee shop, the sight briefly restoring faith to her disheartened state of mind.

ABOUT THE BOOK

A Rare Snowfall Leads to a Christmas to Remember

Three heartwarming, interconnected stories of faith, love, and restoration, brought to you by three Louisiana-native authors. Will a rare snowy Louisiana Christmas bring restoration and hope to the hometown and hearts of three women from the town’s founding family?

In A Louisiana Snow by Morgan Tarpley Smith, meet Mattie: A passionate visionary who learns to forgive and finds love in unexpected places…

In Restoring Christmas by Betsy St. Amant, meet Jolene: An artist and prodigal daughter who discovers love exists in the very place she once called home…

In A Christmas Reunion by Lenora Worth, meet Adale: A beautiful widow who finally dares to love again…

And don’t forget Granny, whose feisty spirit, blunt dialogue, and quirky ways play an important and endearing role.

Thank you for stopping in. Happy weekend.

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Blog Tour for Christmas at the Board Game Cafe by Jennifer Page

ABOUT THE BOOK

Christmas at the Board Game Café

Kate seems to have it all – wonderful friends, a successful career and an idyllic life in the quirky Yorkshire town of Essendale. But under the surface Kate’s lonely, and she longs to feel part of a family – especially during Christmas.

With the holiday season fast approaching, and the town desperate to attract more visitors, Kate conceives a brilliant plan: an enchanting living Advent calendar. Each December evening, a captivating window display will be unveiled across town. With local businesses struggling, including her best friend’s board game café, she’s feeling the pressure. 

But Kate’s picture-perfect plans take an unexpected turn when her ex-boyfriend arrives in Yorkshire, insisting on creating the Christmas Eve display. Can Kate trust him to deliver a show-stopping window? And can she finally put the past behind her and embrace the future she’s always dreamed of?

Purchase Link – https://amzn.eu/d/gNiOWja

MY THOUGHTS

WOW! How is it even possible the author has four books out already in the Little Board Game Cafe series? I’ve read and loved every single one of them.

This one is Kate’s story, and I think it’s my favorite, but I probably said that about all of them because I loved them all. I think it’s the most emotional of the series but not in a bad way. There are so many things going on and I don’t think this is a spoiler, but the book has a lovely happy ending.


I still wish there was a board game cafe near me in the states, it’s sounds like such a fun way to spend some hours. I love the characters that we got to visit from previous books and meeting new characters was a blast too.
Kate has been friends with the board game cafe owner since early school days and now that winter is here business is not only slowing down in the cafe but around town in general.

With dark approaching earlier there just doesn’t seem to be the draw from the business there was in the summer. Marketing guru Kate overhears her friend lamenting about lack of business during this cold and dreary time and knows she has to do something to jump start business for the cafe but also around town. The plan she comes up with is genius and in such a short amount of time.

A lot of the time is spent talking about this plan and its marvelous final results and I loved every minute of it.
I was so glad to see Kate had cleared up a big misunderstanding she had with her father, and it has brought their relationship closer.

There is also a possibility of a romance brewing for Kate with two very different personality types. There were some laugh out loud moments in the book and some awww moments too.

I also enjoyed learning about some Polish Christmas traditions too and even looked up a few more to learn more about it.
A very well received book, I enjoyed it so much!

I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

VISIT OTHER BLOGS ON THE TOUR

MEET THE AUTHOR

Author Bio – Jennifer Page wrote her first novel – a book about ponies – when she was eight. These days she prefers to write romance. When she isn’t writing, Jennifer can usually be found playing board games which are the inspiration for her first novel. She has worked as a television producer, a music teacher and has even run a children’s opera company. She now lives near Hebden Bridge in West Yorkshire with her husband and his large collection of games.

Social Media Links –

Home

https://twitter.com/jenpagewrites

https://www.facebook.com/JenniferPagewrites/

https://www.instagram.com/jenniferpagewrites/

Have a wonderful day and thank you for stopping in.

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Cover Reveal for A Nightingale in Parkleigh Square

Today I am delighted to share a cover that I think is so pretty for a new book releasing soon.

ABOUT THE BOOK

A Nightingale in Parkleigh Square

The sparkling NEW Christmas Romance from the author of A Wedding in Cornwall!

Quirky, creative, and dedicated to their work, window dressers Nina and Molly can’t believe the news from the upscale staging and design company which occasionally hires them as extras during the Christmas season: their tiny New York company has just been tapped to create a magical Christmas window and showroom display for London’s newest designer fashion boutique!

With their trusty assistant in tow, they catch a plane across the Pond, making their way to the historic former department store with a unique past in Parkleigh Square—and their once-in-a-lifetime chance to impress the ultimate client, legendary fashion designer Simone Van Stewart.

But a humiliating encounter with the London branch’s new frosty director reveals a tragic truth — the duo was hired by mistake. With time running out before the store’s unveiling, and the best window stagers already booked, however, Nina and Molly have been given a tentative trial period to prove they can do the job – and they’ll need a miracle to survive it. Battling deadlines, a delivery disaster, and their own personal doubts, it seems their dream assignment could soon spiral into their worst nightmare.

Not everybody at the exclusive store for Van Stewart is against them, however. Rugged, handsome fashion designer Vincent is supportive of their chances, and makes Nina’s heart race whenever their paths cross. Can she risk romance with an ocean between their two worlds, and with all her future plans and dreams at stake? Her friend Molly worries she’s getting in over her head—but Molly has her own complications to worry about, both personal and professional, as the dream team from Queens searches for the key to make Parkleigh Square’s newest business come alive with Christmas magic, which may just lie in histories both beloved and forgotten.

Filled with flurries of romance, friendship, humor, and heartwarming revelations, A Nightingale in Parkleigh Square is the must-read new release of the Christmas season.

Aren’t these colors just stunning together?

Pre-order Link – https://books2read.com/u/mBB0aRPublication Date: 21st November

MEET THE AUTHOR

Author Bio – Laura Briggs is the author of several feel-good romance reads, including the Top 100 Amazon UK seller ‘A Wedding in Cornwall’. She has a fondness for vintage style dresses (especially ones with polka dots), and reads everything from Jane Austen to modern day mysteries. When she’s not writing, she enjoys spending time with family and friends, caring for her pets, gardening, and seeing the occasional movie or play.

Social Media Links

Author Facebook: http://on.fb.me/1JjeMoI

Twitter: http://bit.ly/1ME9ivJ

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Top Ten Tuesday

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted at That Artsy Reader Girl. This weeks theme is a sort of choose your own with the theme being Books with (________) on the cover and we fill in the blank. This week I’m choosing covers with cats since I’m such a big cat fan as my three cats snuggle on the bed here. I may have gone overboard and thrown in a few extra covers as I have so many cat cover books to read. Most of these are cozy mysteries. Hope you’re having a wonderful day.

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Blog Tour for Pepper Lane Sweet Shoppe

ABOUT THE BOOK

Pepper Lane Sweet Shoppe

Welcome to Pepper Bay, where you’ll find love, drama, and a happily ever after.

Snuggle down with this cosy, feel-good, comfort read that whisks you away to a beautiful bay on the Isle of Wight – Perfect for fans of Christie Barlow, Alison Sherlock, Rachael Lucas, and Holly Martin.

The Pepper Bay books are standalone stories, best read in order, that intertwine with recurring characters.

Pepper Lane Sweet Shoppe: Erin Mason didn’t know she had any family left, so when she inherits a sweet shop, she’s not entirely sure what to do. There isn’t much else going on in her life, so she goes to check it out in Pepper Bay. After all, a short trip to the Isle of Wight is hardly going to change her life.

MY THOUGHTS

The Pepper Bay series is quite an entertaining series. I’ve read quite a few books in the series, but not all, yet. These are a great comfort read with characters you can relate to and emphasize with.
The beautiful bay on the Isle of Wright sounds charming and I’m sure I’d feel right at home there.


This was a smile my way through it comfort read.
I’ll admit I’m a sucker for sweet shops in books, it must be a comfort thing taking me back to my childhood.


: Erin Mason is stunned to realize she has inherited a sweet shop when she didn’t even realize she had any family left. Not getting on the best with her mother she was never told she had a grandfather while he was living so that took away any chance, she had of knowing the man. After his death she inherits his sweet shop. That would be a terrible thing to have happen to you.


Traveling the short distance to Pepper Bay she investigates the shop and apartment above. Through her grandfather’s sweet shop employee, she’s able to make a decision on whether to sell the shop or reopen it. I enjoyed the fun interaction Erin had with her new friend, there are some pretty funny interactions.

It was lovely seeing her fitting right in with the town’s folks and his friends, it’s as though she was meant to be there, but does this mean a new romance is in the works too?

Books in the series aren’t overly long, so you get a full and fun read but don’t get bogged down when time is short. I keep making fun new discoveries while reading this series. Every time I read one of these books, I realize why this is one of my favorite series.

I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

Purchase Link – https://www.amazon.co.uk/Pepper-Lane-Sweet-Shoppe-Book-ebook/dp/B0CNVD4DYB

VISIT OTHR BLOGS ON THE TOUR

AUTHOR BIO

Author Bio – Hello, I’m K.T. Dady. I’m the bestselling author of the Pepper Bay series. I’m also a chocolate lover, mum to a grown-up daughter, and a huge fan of a HEA. I was born and raised in the East End of London, and I’ve been happily writing stories since I was a little girl. When I’m not writing, I’m reading, baking cakes, or pottering around in my little garden in Essex, trying not to kill the flowers.

Social Media Links –

Welcome

https://www.instagram.com/kt_dady

https://www.facebook.com/ktdady

Thank you for stopping in. I hope you’re having a wonderful day.

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Blog Tour for Wedding Cake & Big Mistakes in Lily Vale Village

ABOUT THE BOOK

Wedding Cake & Big Mistakes in Lily Vale Village

Lottie should be on top of the world – her boutique has just opened in the quaint little village of Lily Vale and her designs are already delighting the locals. But just nine months ago, she was fired from her dream job and forced to move in with her dad, all because of one big mistake and a betrayal from someone she thought was her friend.

During a fitting appointment, Lottie meets groom-to-be Kit Brooks. Her first impression? Arrogant, rude, and a downright snob. However, as they work together to create the perfect bridesmaid’s dress for his little sister, Lottie begins to view Kit in a whole new light.

Suddenly, she’s battling to keep her heart under control – after all, Kit is getting married. But nothing could prepare her for the identity of his bride…

Wedding Cake and Big Mistakes in Lily Vale Village is the eighth story in the Lily Vale Village book series, a charming set of novellas revolving around the lives of the ordinary people who reside in the beautiful countryside community. It can be read as a standalone story, or as part of the series.

Purchase Links

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D8FF2764

MY THOUGHTS

Nine months ago Lottie’s career was fully on track as a fashion designer she had risen to the top of her field and was well known. One night it all fell to shambles as she accidently divulged her style secrets and has been blacklisted in the fashion world with the top of the top. She though this woman whom she told was a friend but unfortunately now that the cat is out of the bag she finally sees the truth of the woman’s worth. A fake smile while pretending to be your friend will only go so far.


Getting away from the stress and moving closer to her father will help her stress factor and she’s thrilled to open up her own brand-new little boutique making custom dresses.


Unbelievably her first customer is the woman who betrayed her wanting her to make a wedding dress for her. Bridezilla has nothing on this woman, she couldn’t find a worse woman to sew for if she tried. I loved all her other customers though.

I loved seeing how Lottie settles in at Lily Vale Village, the descriptions have it sounding so serene and the coffee shop/bakery, I’d love to see a book taking place there.

Fun, fabulous and heartwarming with a realistic new friendship and a surprise fantastic romance. Love this, such a delight and can’t wait to read more in this series.

I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

VISIT OTHER BLOGS ON THE TOUR

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Author Bio –  Imogen Payne lives in the British countryside with three stuck-up cats, one mad dog and a very well-trained husband. There she writes the romantic, dramatic and always uplifting Lily Vale Village and Sunny Shore Bay series.

When she’s not writing, she’s cooking up a storm in the kitchen, taking long walks through the nearby woods or snuggling up on the couch with a good book.

Social Media Links – Twitter: Imogen Payne (@ImogenJPayne) / X

Newsletter: Imogen Payne Books (list-manage.com)

Have a beautiful day. Thank you for stopping in.

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DAUGHTER OF RUINS – TLC tour

About Daughter of Ruins

• Publisher: Harper Muse (October 8, 2024)
• Paperback: 400 pages

A motherless daughter. An Italian prostitute. A mail-order bride. Are these women brave enough to change their fates?

Demitra’s mother died in America in the 1930s when Demitra was three years old. Her father took her home to the Greek island of Cephalonia, where she endures a lonely childhood and dreams her dead mother watches over her, like the goddesses she reads about in her mythology books. When Demitra comes of age, she refuses to marry the man chosen for her. Instead, she defiantly begins an affair with a forbidden man who ignites her passion for painting the goddesses she once imagined protected her.

Elena is a beautiful Italian woman who dreamed of a life away from the brothels where she was raised. But opportunities are not meant for daughters of prostitutes and Elena has no choice but to become one herself. When Italy occupies Cephalonia, Elena finds work entertaining the soldiers. Her life on the island is happy and carefree–until the Germans arrive in 1943.

Maria lives in a poor mountain village in 1921 with a loving mother and sister. When her father grows desperate to feed his family, he sends her to America as a picture bride to marry a stranger. Only eighteen years old, Maria is terrified of the journey ahead.

Daughter of Ruins is an all-encompassing tale steeped in the rich history, culture, and myths of Greece. It is a deeply moving story that follows three women as they struggle to control their destinies, fighting to become the women they were meant to be.

MY THOUGHTS

Absolutely beautifully written. This is my first read by the author and I was very impressed by her writing style. I felt as if I was peeking into the character’s lives as it is so realistic.

As you read you will be completely absorbed by the Greek flavor. culturally, historically from the myths and legends and the amazing foods it’s all there waiting for you.


This is about women, yes, we have our lovely main character but there are many important women who when faced with hardships and tragedies they forge on and show such resilience. Though their world is falling apart around them they are there for each other. and will go to great lengths to show it.

I love that the author has lived in the area she writes about which makes this historical book all the more realistic.
This book has taken me on an emotional roller coaster, and I loved every bit of the ride.

Full of family and discoveries, a journey worth taking with the light shining at the end of the tunnel.
Highly recommended!

I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

About the author

Yvette Manessis Corporon is an internationally bestselling author and Emmy Award–winning producer. To date, her books have been translated into sixteen languages. A first generation Greek-American with deep family roots on Corfu, Yvette studied classical civilization and journalism at New York University. She lives in Brooklyn with her family where she spends her spare time reading, running, and trying to get into yoga.

Reviews:

Monday, October 7th: @wendysbookclub

Tuesday, October 8th: @bethreneereadsbooks (feature)

Tuesday, October 8th: @parismaereads

Wednesday, October 9th: @libraryatcarleighs

Thursday, October 10th: The Bookish Dilettante

Monday, October 14th: Eliot’s Eats

Tuesday, October 15th: @addictedtobooks86

Wednesday, October 16th: @nobookmark_noproblem

Friday, October 18th: Novels Alive

Sunday, October 20th: @audreyoaksreadseverything

Monday, October 21st: @amys_book_addiction

Wednesday, October 23rd: @marbooks88

Friday, October 25th: @books_old_and_new

Monday, October 28th: Sarah Can’t Stop Reading

Tuesday, October 29th: Vegan Book Blogger

Wednesday, October 30th: Book Bird Dog

Friday, November 1st: @page_appropriate 

Monday, November 4th:  @bethreneereadsbooks 

Tuesday, November 5th: The Calico Books

Wednesday, November 6th: @dana.loves.books

TikTok features:

Monday, October 7th: @whatkarinareads 

Tuesday, October 8th: @dharashahauthor 

Tuesday, October 8th: @shooksbooks

Wednesday, October 9th: @zaineylaney

Wednesday, October 9th: @ablueboxfullofbooks

Thursday, October 10th: @hollysbookadventure 

Friday, October 11th: @welovebigbooks 

Friday, October 11th: @jacklyn788

Saturday, October 12th: @thealylifestyle

Tuesday, October 15th: @thecalicobooks

TBD: Thursday, October 10th: @dana.loves.books5

Thank you for stopping in.

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Blog Blitz for Cosy Nights and Snowball Fights

ABOUT THE BOOK

Cosy Nights & Snowball Fights

As the nights draw in, gingerbread lattes and festive hot chocolates are on the menu, and the Little Duck Pond Café girls are gearing up for the cosiest time of the year. But new recruit Laurel just wishes she could sleep through the whole jolly affair! It might be October, but she’s still haunted by the events of last Christmas. Could a new start in Sunnybrook help to heal her heart?

Purchase Link

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0CR8BNTRL

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CR8BNTRL

I love all the covers in this series including this one. Isn’t it so charming? It would make me want to read this book just by looking at the cover.

MY THOUGHTS

Being back in Sunnybrook is always a true joy. Laurel has had some not too pleasant experiences recently and is ready to make a new start. Will Sunnybrook be just what she needs?

I really enjoy the festive holiday ambience in the book. It starts out in Autumn, but we quickly move toward the holiday season and how sweet is that? From the festive holiday decorations to the scrumptious sounding drinks. Though novella length you get a full story that is quite packed with emotion.


We meet up with some of the characters from past stories and I’m always up for catching up with the Little Duck Pond Cafe girls. They are here to bring her up when she’s been feeling down. Fun and caring relationships are shown, strong friendships and new romances blooming.

I loved seeing how Laurel got her life back on course and has once again found hope and happiness. Looking forward to more in this series I love so much.

I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

MEET THE AUTHOR

Author Bio – Rosie Green’s Little Duck Pond Cafe series of novellas is centred around life in a village cafe and most can be read as stand-alone stories. (‘The Sunshine Sisters’ is a trilogy within the Little Duck Pond Café series and it would benefit from being read in order: Aurora, Skye and Blossom.) Look out for ‘Cosy Nights & Snowball Fights’, and ‘Maddy’s Christmas Wedding’, both out later this year in time for the festive season!

Follow Rosie on Twitter – https://twitter.com/Rosie_Green88

Thank you for stopping in. Your smile is beautiful, share it with someone.

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Seasonal Children’s book reviews- Little Orange Pumpkin and The Pumpkin Seed’s Secret

40 pages ages 4-8 Sourcebooks Wonderland publisher August 6, 2024 publication date

ABOUT THE BOOK

On a magical night filled with frights, one little pumpkin gets a bigger scare and has a bigger adventure than she bargained for!

Little Orange Pumpkin has been waiting all year for Halloween night to come! She has big plans to collect lots of candy and find all the spooky, scary things in her neighborhood, and she is going to do it all by herself, no matter what her Mommy and Daddy say. Deep in her heart, she believes she is ready, but when Little Pumpkin slips into a magical, spooky world full of monsters, she realizes that maybe she doesn’t want to be a big pumpkin just yet! This Halloween, she just might learn you’re never alone when you have family who love you.

Little Orange Pumpkin is a heartwarming story you’ll want to read again and again. Full of imagination and Halloween adventure, this story will remind you there’s nothing like home to feel safe and loved.

MY THOUGHTS

Little Orange Pumpkin is so excited to go out exploring on Halloween night and thinks she’s ready to do so by herself. Candy, exciting sights and sounds, it’s all waiting for Little Orange Pumpkin. Charmingly illustrated and worded this will delight children as they read this Halloween tale with their parents. A nice little lesson for children about the importance of following the rules to ensure safety.

I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

40 pages 4-8 years Sourcebooks Explore July 2, 2024 publication date

ABOUT THE BOOK

A pumpkin life cycle book with hominess and heart!

In this rhyming picture book about the life cycle of a pumpkin, a pumpkin becomes something new with each turn of the page, from a flower to a house to a face. Extensive back matter on the pumpkin life cycle, fun pumpkin facts, and a pumpkin seed recipe are included. A perfect book for both home and school libraries. An excellent gift for Halloween or any time of year!

A pumpkin is a seed.

A plain little seed with a secret inside,

A pocket, a pip with a new life to hide.

To hide and to hold

As springtime unfolds,

A pumpkin begins as a seed.

A pumpkin is a sprout.

A curious sprout with one leaf and then two,

A budding, a nudging, a slow peekaboo.

Happy for rain

And sunshine again,

A pumpkin pops out as a sprout.

MY THOUGHTS

The little pumpkin seed has a big secret this Spring. With the rain gently falling on it, it starts out with just one leaf then two appear. As the sun shines and the vines start tangling around things it becomes lush and green, reaching up towards the sky. Summer appears and so do the orangey yellowish flowers which turn into small fruits visited by bees. Autumn comes around to visit us and the fruits have swollen into beautiful globes of orange pumpkins shielded by the thick pumpkin vines which have been silently creeping and twining upon everything. The pumpkins are now ready to pick for decorating your house or for consumption in your Autumn dishes. Fully illustrated with beautiful pictures children will fully appreciate showing the life stages of the pumpkin.

I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

Have a wonderful day. Thank you for stopping in. –

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First Line Friday

Happy Friday & welcome to First Line Friday hosted at Reading is my Super Power! It’s time to grab the book nearest to you and leave a comment with the first line. Today I’m delighted to feature the first line(s) of The Sirens by Emilia Hart.

First Line(s)

She breathes in time with the sea.

In

The waves crash against the rocks, frothing through the mouth of the cave. Icy on her toes, her shaking thighs.

Out

St. Martin’s Press publisher April 2,2025 publication date

A spellbinding novel about sisters separated by centuries, but bound together by the sea, from the author of the runaway New York Times bestseller Weyward

2019: Lucy awakens from a dream to find her hands around her ex-lover’s throat. Horrified, she flees to her older sister’s house on the Australian coast, hoping she can help explain the strangely vivid nightmare that preceded the attack—but Jess is nowhere to be found.

As Lucy awaits her return, the rumors surrounding Jess’s strange small town start to emerge. Numerous men have gone missing at sea, spread over decades. A tiny baby was found hidden in a cave. And sailors tell of hearing women’s voices on the waves. Desperate for answers, Lucy finds and begins to read her sister’s adolescent diary.

1999: Jess is a lonely sixteen-year-old in a rural town in the middle of the continent. Diagnosed with a rare allergy to water, she has always felt different, until her young, charming art teacher takes an interest in her drawings, seeing a power and maturity in them—and in her—that no one else has.

1800: Twin sisters Mary and Eliza have been torn from their loving father in Ireland and forced onto a convict ship bound for Australia. For their entire lives, they’ve feared the ocean, as their mother tragically drowned when they were just girls. Yet as the boat bears them further and further from all they know, they begin to notice changes in their bodies that they can’t explain, and they feel the sea beginning to call to them…

A breathtaking tale of female resilience and the bonds of sisterhood across time and space, The Sirens captures the power of dreams, and the mystery and magic of the sea.

What are the first line of the closest book to you ?