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Blog Tour for Summer Secrets at Duck Pond Cottage by Della Galton

ABOUT THE BOOK

Summer Secrets at Duck Pond Cottage

Can love conquer all?

Jade and Finn are idyllically happy in their little corner of rural Wiltshire. A rescue centre jampacked with animals keeps them super busy. With Finn’s art going from strength to strength, Jade can’t believe they’re living the dream until an arrogant property developer with questionable motives jeopardises their perfect lives and the future plans of the rescue centre.

Jade and Finn both have trust issues and they’ve promised there’ll be no more secrets. But keeping promises is harder than either of them imagined, especially where Finn’s past is concerned.

Living with Mr Spock the potty-mouthed parrot and Mickey the dog who barks at TV baddies there’s never a dull moment at Duck Pond Rescue. But will the humans get their ‘happy-ever-after’ too?
Can they lay the ghosts of the past to rest and find a bright new future together?

MY THOUGHTS

Simply fantastic. This is a series I try not to miss any of the stories in it and I’ve read quite a few by this author. I’ve read quite a few romance books and though this is one, I love that this series focuses on animal rescue as I am a big animal person. I really hope this series inspires others to help animals in some way even if by volunteering, donating goods, time or money, or even adoption or fostering animals.


We have our lovely couple Jade and Finn living in rural Wiltshire. Each are settled in with their own things to keep them busy, he’s an artistic painter, she runs the animal rescue with the help of some lovely volunteers and Finn as well.


I do have to say I did find humor in Mr. Spock; the rescue center resident parrot who would say things at the most inconvenient times.
Jade and Finn promised each other no more secrets but things have come up they’ve found hard to talk to each other about.


As the book progresses, we are introduced to some quirky characters and a turn happened I just didn’t see coming. Heartwarming and emotional I greatly look forward to reading more by the author.

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

Purchase Link – https://mybook.to/summersecrets

MEET THE AUTHOR

Author Bio –

Della Galton writes short stories, teaches writing groups and is Agony Aunt for Writers Forum Magazine.

Social Media Links – 

Facebook: @dailydella

Twitter: DellaGalton

Instagram: dellagalton

Newsletter Sign Up: http://bit.ly/DellaGaltonNewsletter

Bookbub profile: @dellagalton

Have a pleasant day. Thank you for stopping in.

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Escape to Pumpkin Cottage: A feel-good read about romance and rivalry

320 pages Allison & Busby publisher September 19, 2024 publication date

ABOUT THE BOOK

Pippa Mason is ready for a fresh start. She has bought Pumpkin Cottage in the picturesque Wye Valley village of Riverdean, where her late mother grew up, and plans to renovate the run-down bed and breakfast into the business of her dreams. Adjusting to her new life on the Welsh-English border might take time, but Pippa is settling into village life and starting to fall for the charms of local Jake when problems start coming thick and fast …
Jenny Foster has enough on her plate running Riverside Lodge as well as managing her husband Phil’s diagnosis of early-onset dementia. She did not need the threat of another B&B on her doorstep. When a spat between Pippa and Jenny escalates and an autumn storm brings matters to a head, they will have to see if Riverdean is big enough for the both of them.

MY THOUGHTS

Wye Valley village of Riverdean is the village where Pippa’s late mother grew up, she believes it’s as good a place as any to make her new start and she does so by buying Pumpkin Cottage which she is about to turn into a bed and breakfast after its remodel.

The other bed and breakfast owner. Jenny in this small village is jealous and doesn’t want the competition from another bed and breakfast owner. A rivalry starts though Pippa, the newcomer wants to become friends with everyone.


A romance starts when she meets Jake, someone Jenny is very familiar with. With so many new friends who could be sabotaging her new business?


A fun and heartwarming women’s fiction book with a slow start. The characters have their ups and downs, and the book has a nice solid ending.

Nice autumn seasonal read.

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

THE AUTHORS

Jacqui was born into a very humble working-class family, and brought up on a council estate. Her parents were avid readers and books provided an escape, offering a ticket to a better life. She studied English Literature at university and has spent a life teaching in secondary schools. She loved words and has always dreamed of being a writer. She brought her daughter up on her own and they both loved books and films, and shared the same sense of humour. They are very close, speaking every day and enjoying annual holidays together. It was on one of these trips, a cruise where they visited Montenegro for the first time and had the gem of an idea for a book. The rest is history, as they say…

Anna grew up in South Wales, close to the beach, and loved taking long walks before coming back to snuggle up with a good book. She has always enjoyed reading and writing, as well as crafts such as painting and baking. Despite being creative, at school she performed well in Science and went to Birmingham to study Medicine at the age of 18. She chose to specialise in Psychiatry as she loves getting to hear people’s stories and help those struggling with mental illness, and is hoping to train in forensic psychiatry in the next few years. She currently lives in Derbyshire with her pilot boyfriend and cat Socks.

Thank you for stopping in.

Only pink pumpkin tag I have. I know I’m a bit late with it. I hope you’ll overlook it 🙂

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Blog Tour for Finding Friends at the Cornish Country Hospital by Jo Bartlett

ABOUT THE BOOK

Finding Friends at the Cornish Country Hospital

A fresh beginning…

Esther Hamilton, is finally finding her feet after her split with her horrible ex, and is looking forward to her new single life. She has a job she loves in the busy Accident and Emergency department, a new home and for the first time ever, a chance to just have fun with her good friends. Love is very much off the cards…

An old friend…

Until the arrival of Joe Carter – the brother of Esther’s best friend, Danni. Joe is also newly single and still as gorgeous as ever, but Esther can’t lose her heart to Joe. If it all went wrong, she’d lose two of her best friends.

A second chance at love?

But working together over a troubled patient, the connection between them is undeniable. And when Esther’s parents’ marriage hits trouble, Joe is there for her, offering her support, and Esther knows she’s fallen hard.

Are they brave enough to take a risk on love, or are they destined to remain friends forever?

Purchase Link – https://mybook.to/friendshospitalsocial

MY THOUGHTS

After just reading the first book in this new series by an author I enjoy reading very much I was more than eager to dig into Finding Friends at the Cornish Country Hospital and get an update on the characters’ lives. Though this is a series it can be read as a standalone, but why would you do that when both books are so much fun.


The first book has Danni’s story and now we have Esther’s story. Esther was going out with Lucas, Danni’s ex but the jerk cheated on her. There is so much going on in this book, so many side stories that I am hoping to see a continuation of one that will develop into out next book in the series. There is also Caroline, Esther’s mom.

They say retirement can be really rough on a couple not used to being around each other all day long. As Caroline tries to engage her husband in activities to spend time together and have a closer bond, he seems to be pulling the opposite way, away from her. It was very realistic seeing Caroline and her husband’s story as often times happens with long married couples. They both has misconceptions about how the other feels and secrets are so damaging in relationships.


Danni’s brother Joe is in town from Australia and working in the same hospital. Things seem to be a great match with Esther but how could things possibly take a romantic turn when he will be here for such a limited time?


Once again, I enjoyed the realistic hospital setting and meeting the patients. There is a bit of a charged atmosphere with the hospital staff dealing with mental illness, as kindness is thought to be so much more. It had me feeling creeped out a bit.


The author does such a great job of drawing the reader into the character’s lives and having you right there with them. Such a strong story line, it kept my attention and had me eagerly reading it. I am hopeful there will be more in this series because I am not ready to let these characters go quite yet.

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

VISIT OTHER BLOGS ON THE TOUR

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jo Bartlett was born a stone’s throw from the English Channel and still lives near the sea in Kent. Jo has had numerous bestsellers in the UK, Australia and Canada, including a UK Top 10. Since joining Boldwood Books in 2021, Jo has had a further eight bestselling novels in The Cornish Midwife series.

Social Media Links –  

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/J_B_Writer 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jo_bartlett123/

Newsletter Sign Up: https://bit.ly/JoBartlettNews

Have a great day. Thank you for stopping in.

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Finally His Bride (Bride Ships: New Voyages Book 1)

303 pages February 13,2024 publish date

ABOUT THE BOOK

A new world. A new hope. An unexpected love.
What life awaits these brides?

With the cotton mills closed and hunger rampant in Manchester, England, Willow Rhodes’s family encourages her to join the bride ship bound for the Pacific Northwest, where she is assured of employment. Willow agrees to go with the hope that eventually she can save enough money for her family to join her.

Rebellious knuckle-boxing champion Caleb Edwards loves Willow more than life itself. But Willow has been adamant that she sees him as a friend and nothing more. Unable to watch her sail away, Caleb uses his prize money to pay for passage to Vancouver Island to be with Willow.

After arriving, Willow finds work as a maid and Caleb is a farmhand on the same property. As Caleb struggles to keep his feelings for Willow from growing, he’ll do anything for her, even take the blame for a theft to keep her safe. As the crime catches up to them, they’re forced to make choices that could finally rip them apart forever.

Bride Ships: New Voyages
Book 1: Finally His Bride
Book 2: His Treasured Bride

Bride Ships by Jody Hedlund
Book 1: A Reluctant Bride
Book 2: The Runaway Bride
Book 3: A Bride of Convenience
Book 4: Almost a Bride

MY THOUGHTS

If you’ve enjoyed Jody Hedlund’s The Bride Ships series then I also suggest her newest series, Bride Ships: New Voyages.
The Rhodes family are locals in Manchester, England, after trying so hard to stay all together they are resigned to sending their daughter Willow to join the bride ship bound for the Pacific Northwest. She’ll work until she earns the money to send for the rest of her family.


She’ll miss her family greatly, but she’ll also miss her best friend, Caleb Edwards. When he joins her on her journey, she is shocked and how he earned the money to do so leaves her even more shocked.


I really enjoyed reading Willow and Caleb’s story and seeing how he is ready to go to the next step past friendship. Willow is so protective of Caleb and he of her. They have been friends for so long, each one being afraid to take the next step towards a romance for fear of the other not wanting that and losing that special friendship. I just wanted to tell them both, to just take that chance you could open a new world of possibilities.


The author so vividly paints the scenery of the interaction between the characters you can almost hear them taking. Great character development. This marriage of convenience story is not rushed, the characters have had a lot of time to develop their feelings from friends to lovers. This is something the author does well, developing her characters. The secondary characters feel important too and I wouldn’t be surprised to see any of them in future books.


I enjoyed this uplifting and positive faith filled book and greatly look forward to reading more in this series.

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

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jody Hedlund is the best-selling author of over fifty books and is the winner of numerous awards. She writes sweet historical romances with plenty of sizzle.

Have a fabulous day.

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Cocoa Magic-Picture Book, ages 4-7 by Sandra Bradley-Review

About The Book

In a cozy 1920s chocolate shop, the special ingredients in each perfect treat are empathy, generosity, and thoughtful acts of kindness.

Eight-year-old Daniel cherishes the hour he spends every morning helping his Great-Uncle Lewis in his chocolate shop. They mix, temper, pour, and mold. “It’s magic, my boy,” Uncle Lewis says. And Daniel agrees. When a new girl named Sarah joins his class, Daniel sees how lonely she is and begins sneaking chocolates into her desk. Seeing Sarah light up after each treat is wonderful…but then Daniel starts noticing other classmates with troubles. Soon he is hiding more and more chocolates until the exciting day when everyone in class receives one, even the teacher! The best part is, no one knows it’s him.

But then, when Daniel is the one feeling sad and alone, who will know to comfort him?

In Cocoa Magic, Gabrielle Grimard’s rich and nostalgic illustrations transport readers to a cozy 1920s chocolate shop and a stiff brick schoolhouse that somehow learns to be warm as well.  In her text and her closing author’s note, clinical social worker Sandra Bradley celebrates the wonders that happen when someone meets another person’s need to be seen and understood—even through the smallest act of kindness. 

credit

My Thoughts

Set in the 1920’s. When Daniel is eight years old he becomes an apprentice to his uncle at his chocolate shop. He loves learning from his uncle and who doesn’t love the taste of chocolate?
Mixing up the many varieties of chocolate he learns there is more than cocoa beans in chocolate. There are special ingredients in these perfect treats and they are empathy, generosity, and thoughtful acts of kindness.
When a new lonely girl joins his classroom he brings her a golden boxed delicately wrapped chocolate hidden in her desk. This not only brightens her up but brings her out of her shell ready to help others. He does this for other children day after day. His doing this shows how the magical ingredients, empathy, generosity, and thoughtful acts of kindness spreads among the whole school and teaches this to all the children.
This is a positive book for young children. The vintage illustrations are charming and visually appealing for children. Children will enjoy how happy the children are in the book which in turn will make them feel good. This would make a very nice gift for children.

Pub Date 8 Nov 2022
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

About The Author

Sandra Bradley is a chocolate lover, a clinical social worker and therapist, and a children’s book author. Her first picture book, Henry Holton Takes the Ice, was a finalist for the OLA Forest of Reading Blue Spruce Award and the Maine Chickadee Reader’s Choice Award. Born in Toronto, Sandra earned her Bachelor of Arts (Honours) and her Master of Arts at Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario, then earned her Master of Education (Counselling) from the University of Auckland in New Zealand. Today Sandra is back in the Kingston area where she lives on the beautiful Rideau Canal with her New Zealander husband, Grant, and their three teenage kids. Sandra has yet to temper chocolate successfully, but she’s finally nailed chocolate brownie pie. 

What type of chocolate did this post make you crave? We all love chocolate right?

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The Cowboy Cookie Challenge (Twilight,Texas #13) by Lori Wilde-Review

About The Book

New York Times bestselling author Lori Wilde returns to Twilight, Texas, with a delicious love story about a sexy cowboy and a love-shy nurse determined to win the Christmas Cookie Bake-off challenge. 

He’s sexy, single, and he can bake!

Roan Sullivan is the answer to Jazzy Walker’s prayers. The doting single dad is also fresh off his win on a popular cooking show and a whiz at campfire cooking, so who better to help her win this year’s annual cookie bake-off? With his help, Jazzy is sure she can finally take first prize right out the grasping hands of Andi Browning, the gal who stole her fiancé right from under her nose.

A widower with a four-year-old daughter, Roan tells himself there’s a million reasons not to help Jazzy. She’s too kind, too optimistic, and could do so much better than hitching up with a curmudgeon like him. But every time she draws near, he can’t help but wonder if he could open his heart and love again.

As the holidays come closer, the magic of Twilight starts to weave its spell…and soon it’s not just the competition that’s heating up, it’s the hot sizzle between Roan and Jazzy. 

My Thoughts

The Cowboy Cookie Challenge is the thirteenth book in the Twilight,Texas series. This is such a fine series. I have really enjoyed the books I’ve read in this series. Twilight,Texas is a beautiful place that you will definitely want to visit.
A charming small town pediatric nurse Jazzy Walker meets Roan Sullivan when he brings his daughter in to be treated. Yes Roan is attracted to Jazzy but he’s still grieving the loss of his wife,doing the single daddy thing to his 4 year old daughter and just happens to be ten years older than Jazzy.
I loved the daughter she has such a fun,mischievous personality.
Now not only is this guy good looking , he can bake too. Actually he’s just won a baking competition and is encouraging Jazzy to enter the cookie baking contest with something that’ll really catch their attention. I had never heard of baking cookies over a campfire, sounds like you need a special technique but it sounds like a sure fire winner to me.
I loved the slow burn relationship Jazzy and Roan had and seeing their characters develop.
This couple has quite the chemistry.
This is a wonderful series!

Pub Date: 25 Oct 2022
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

Grab A Copy Here

More in the series

About The Author

Lori Wilde is an award-winning, New York Times, USA Today, and Publishers’ Weekly bestselling author of 97 works of romantic fiction. Her writing has won numerous awards and her books have been translated into 26 languages, with more than four million copies of her books sold worldwide. Her series The Wedding Veil Wishes inspired three movies from Hallmark starring Lacey Chabert, Autumn Reese, and Alison Sweeney. The movies broke viewing records for Hallmark.

Lori is a registered nurse with a BSN from Texas Christian University, along with a Master in Liberal Arts from the same university. She holds a certificate in forensics and is also a certified yoga instructor. A sixth-generation Texan, Lori lives with her husband, Bill, in the Cutting Horse Capital of the World.

What are your favorite titles by this author?

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