290 pages Boldwood Books publisher March 16,22 publish date
Fall in love with Sarah Bennett’s bestselling Mermaids Point series!
Bestselling author Alex Nelson is slowly coming apart at the seams after a failed marriage and an abrupt change in career leave him at a crossroads in life. When an unexpected opportunity arises to escape to the idyllic village of Mermaids Point, he’s hot on the heels of his brother, Tom, who has recently moved there. Buying a rundown bookshop might be just his latest harebrained scheme, but Alex has never been one to do things by halves.
After spending her early years caring for her mother, Ivy Fisher is finally ready to start living her own life. But when the impossibly charming, impossibly good-looking Alex Nelson swoops in and snatches her dream out from under her nose, it really is the last straw. Forced by circumstances to spend more time with him, Ivy finally gets a peek of the real man beneath the confident exterior, and she likes what she sees.
But just when things are starting to come together for them, Ivy is reminded why men can never be trusted. Is Alex who he says he is, or is he using Mermaids Point as nothing more than research fodder for his next bestseller?
Enjoy a gloriously uplifting, page-turning, romantic escape to the seaside with the bestselling author Sarah Bennett. Perfect for all fans of Trisha Ashley, Holly Martin and Milly Johnson.
My Thoughts
I read the Mermaid’s Point series out of order, so I am now finishing it up. I am really going to miss this series, I’ve enjoyed it quite a bit, meeting the characters, having them carry over into other books, plus the location of the seaside is so relaxing. The author really makes this into a place you’re ready to come and visit. The book is an emotional page turner. With Alex Nelson going through a job change he relocates to Mermaids Point at the suggestion of his older brother who also lives there. When he gets the great idea to buy an old rundown bookshop from the owner who is retiring, he has his blessings to redesign it to suit his fancy. Will it be just what Mermaids Point needs or a bust? Ivy is a creative woman designing clothing and toys and the bookshop would be the perfect place to sell her designs. When that falls through, she feels the loss even more so because she has the goods strewn about her home and her mother’s bedroom whom she misses terribly after her loss. I loved seeing how Alex and Ivy’s romance plays out. They are such a wonderful couple. Heartwarming and gentle this emotionally moving story is a real winner. I’m looking forward to starting the next series she’s putting out.
Pub Date 16 Mar 2022 I was given a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.
Thank you for taking the time to check out my books. I write heart-warming stories set in small communities full of family, friendship and romance. My hope is that readers will fall in love with the places I create just as much as they do with the characters who live there.
I write in third person from a dual perspective to ensure readers can truly get under the skin of both the hero and the heroine. Every book can be enjoyed as a standalone story with a guaranteed happy ever after, but for the most satisfying reader experience I recommend following the arc of each series.
It is both a dream come true and a joy to be able to offer you a few hours of gentle escapism from the rigours of day-to-day life.
Settle into your favourite reading spot and let me whisk you away to beautiful settings you’ll wish you could visit for real.
Happy Endings at Mermaid’s Point is the fifth and final book in the series. It’s the perfect book to pick up and get lost in on a lazy day while sipping from your tea or coffee cup. We met Nick and Aurora way back in the first book, Summer Kisses at Mermaid’s Point but had to wait til now for them to get their own story, and oh what a delightful story it is. Aurora is a singer and despite all things gets caught up in a media storm. As we all know more than half of the stuff you hear in the media isn’t true. Due to unforeseen circumstances she has to come home to Mermaid’s Point. Now Mermaid’s Points residents have the small-town, charming, will help you with anything feel. This is exactly what Aurora is counting on as she needs to enlist the help of Nick. He’ll pretend to be her boyfriend just until the media settles down. Well, we know how fake dating turns out so many times, it becomes the real thing, either right away or eventually. The romance of Christmas is in the air and the residents of Mermaids are out and about celebrating. So fun and festive this feel-good book will linger with you long after the last page has been read.
Pub Date 01 Jul 2022 I was given a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.
Hello and a very warm welcome to you!
Thank you for taking the time to check out my books. I write heart-warming stories set in small communities full of family, friendship and romance. My hope is that readers will fall in love with the places I create just as much as they do with the characters who live there.
I write in third person from a dual perspective to ensure readers can truly get under the skin of both the hero and the heroine. Every book can be enjoyed as a standalone story with a guaranteed happy ever after, but for the most satisfying reader experience I recommend following the arc of each series.
It is both a dream come true and a joy to be able to offer you a few hours of gentle escapism from the rigours of day-to-day life.
Settle into your favourite reading spot and let me whisk you away to beautiful settings you’ll wish you could visit for real.
Love, Sarah xx
Have a marvelous day. Thank you for visiting today.
Hosted at That Artsy Reader Girl. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together. This week’s topic is genre freebie, we are to build a theme around this. I’m going to list some general fiction books with the word Summer in the title as I’m ready for warmer weather and summer reads. Come join me.
All her life she’s been searching for the truth . . .
The three daughters of stunning but unstable movie star Jillian Croft and her famous acting-teacher husband, Daniel Braddock, grew up being treated as special, even after their mother’s tragic death. Years later, their world is overturned when they discover a medical document suggesting Jillian could never have given birth to them.
Whilst Olivia and Eve insist there’s some mistake, quirky, impulsive middle sister Rosalind can’t leave the matter alone. Rosalind has always felt separate from her poised, successful sisters. If she has a different birth mother, she wants to know.
Investigation leads her to Leila Allerton, an opera singer from New Jersey with a vibrant, close-knit family to whom Rosalind aches to belong. At first its members warmly welcome their new neighbour – but circumstances and personalities soon clash, leaving a bewildered Rosalind unsure how they’ll feel when they discover her true reason for seeking them out . . .
Rose Anderson is done with being known as “the nice one” in the small town in Northern California where she lives. She’s done with playing third, fifth, seventh wheel at loud gatherings on her family’s flower farm. And most of all, she is done with the pitying looks and well-meaning comments she gets about her single status from the way-too-interested townsfolk.
No one seems to care that she’s single by choice. That she actually enjoys going to bed early with a good book—love stories are always better in fiction anyway. Busy with her flower arranging business, Rose has no time for a man, thank you very much. So when news spreads that Hillsboro is being used to shoot an upcoming Hollywood movie, Rose gets an idea. One that will appease her family while keeping her heart safely intact…
Bestselling author Debbie Burns combines her love for rescue dogs with a compelling woman’s journey in her brand new series.
Making a new start in a new part of the country is particularly challenging for a single mom. Fate and good fortune lead 27-year-old Josie Waterhill to Galena, Illinois where she and her six-year-old daughter, Zoe, move into a historic mansion that operates as a tea house. When 34-year-old journalist Carter O’Brien comes to stay at the mansion while researching his next story, Josie isn’t sure what to think of this charming stranger and his 110-pound rescue dog.
Carter’s curiosity about Josie deepens and he inadvertently stirs up trouble when he learns things about Josie and her daughter that she would rather not have known. Ready or not, Josie has to let go of her painful past so she can create a glorious future.
A new start can come from the most unexpected places…
It’s been years since Lizzie Lockhart spoke to her parents. But she was safe in the knowledge she knew everything about them. Once upon a time, they were as close as could be. Until they weren’t.
After receiving the earth-shattering news of their passing, Lizzie decides it’s time to unearth some family secrets and find out just who her parents really were… starting with Streamside Cottage. A cottage Lizzie never knew existed, in a place she’s never heard of: the beautiful English village of Leafton.
Leaving behind London, and the tattoo parlour she called home, Lizzie finds herself moving to the countryside. Faced with a tight-lipped community, who have secrets of their own, Lizzie is at a loss for what to do, until her rather handsome neighbour, Ben, steps in to help.
Each year, the start of summer brings bustle and much-needed tourist dollars to the little town of Albany Beach, Delaware. For Natalie Sullivan, this season is proving more stressful than others. It’s make-or-break time for the Irish pub her husband, Conor, recently bought with his brothers. Their two children are thriving, but she’s experiencing pangs of loss at the end of her childbearing years.
When sixteen-year-old McKenzie starts gushing about Bella, the new coworker at her summer job, Natalie suddenly finds her past and present in conflict. Bella, two years older than McKenzie, looks so similar that a customer remarks that they could be sisters. And when Natalie learns that Bella was adopted, she is propelled back into a heartbreaking decision. As a college student, Natalie became pregnant and put her baby up for adoption. Now, the more McKenzie talks about Bella, the more Natalie wonders: could Bella be her daughter?
Conor insists it’s a mistake to pursue the matter. Natalie’s child belongs to another family now; that was the agreement in the closed adoption. Still, Natalie can’t resist spending time with Bella. As their bond deepens, McKenzie accuses her mother of caring more for a stranger than for her, and Natalie begins imagining what it would be like to have Bella as a second daughter. What will the impact be if Bella really is her biological child? And if she isn’t, can Natalie embrace the joy and potential in her own family, without always wondering about what could have been?
In the summer, everything feels possible… A heartwarming small-town romance about new beginnings, old secrets and how home is truly where the heart is. Fans of Susan Mallery, Pamela Kelley, and Mary Alice Monroe will fall head over heels for this romantic page-turner.
All that Meghan Gray has left of her beloved Pappy is his cottage on the edge of the shimmering Atlantic Ocean. Longing to feel close to her grandfather, she returns to the golden sands of Hatteras Island in the Outer Banks for the summer, clutching the manilla envelope he gifted her tightly in her hand.
On her first night on the sun-drenched island, she meets brooding Toby Meyers, a local businessman. She might feel lost without Pappy, but looking into Toby’s sparkling blue eyes feels like coming home.
The beach house where she spent her childhood is just how she remembers: a shingled bungalow with two rocking chairs on the porch and shutters on the windows. As Meghan strolls along the sand with Toby, breathing in the salty air, she realizes she is making new memories…
When Meghan opens the envelope, she finds a black-and-white photograph of someone she doesn’t recognize. If she can find out its meaning, and why Pappy gave it to her, she’ll unlock a secret that has been hidden for decades. The truth has the power to change everything Meghan and Toby thought they knew about their lives—and it will either bring them together, or break their hearts…
In the summer of 1936, while the Nazis make secret plans for World War II, a courageous and daring young woman struggles to expose the lies behind the dazzling spectacle of the Berlin Olympics.
German power is rising again, threatening a war that will be even worse than the last one. The English aristocracy turns to an age-old institution to stave off war and strengthen political bonds—marriage. Debutantes flock to Germany, including Viviane Alden. On holiday with her sister during the 1936 Berlin Olympics, Viviane’s true purpose is more clandestine. While many in England want to appease Hitler, others seek to prove Germany is rearming. But they need evidence, photographs to tell the tale, and Viviane is a genius with her trusty Leica. And who would suspect a pretty, young tourist taking holiday snaps of being a spy?
Viviane expects to find hatred and injustice, but during the Olympics, with the world watching, Germany is on its best behavior, graciously welcoming tourists to a festival of peace and goodwill. But first impressions can be deceiving, and it’s up to Viviane and the journalist she’s paired with—a daring man with a guarded heart—to reveal the truth.
But others have their own reasons for befriending Viviane, and her adventure takes a darker turn. Suddenly Viviane finds herself caught in a web of far more deadly games—and closer than she ever imagined to the brink of war.
All NEW from bestselling psychological thriller writer Keri BeevisMead House was once our childhood home. Despite my fears, I always knew we would have to return to face the demons of our past. Back to the place where it happened, to where, as carefree teenagers, we lost our elder sister in the most brutal of circumstances. As executors of our grandmother’s will, my twin brother, Ollie, and I needed to empty the house for resale. What I didn’t expect to discover was my sister’s secret journal that contained her most private thoughts and shocking dark secrets. Now I am questioning everything that I saw that night. Did I get it wrong, who I saw? Did my evidence send an innocent man, my then boyfriend’s brother, to jail for the last 17 years? I know I have no choice. If I want to find answers, I will have to go back to that fateful night my sister died. When she made her last visit to the summer house.
Welcome back to The Starfish Café for a glorious summer, but with a few dark clouds on the horizon…
A new beginning…
As her summer wedding to Jake approaches, Hollie is excited for their new beginning as a family. But when some unexpected news threatens the future she and Jake had hoped for, Hollie will need to find the strength to overcome heartache once more.
A fragile heart….
Single mum, Kerry, loves her job at The Starfish Café, but behind the brave smiles and laughter with customers there is a sadness deep within. So when someone from her past re-appears in her life, Kerry can either hide away or face her demons and try to finally move on from her heartbreak.
A summer to remember…
For Hollie and Kerry it promises to be an emotional rollercoaster of a summer, but the community at The Starfish Café will always be there to help them through – after all, with courage nothing is impossible…
Preorder the next book in the heartwarming and bestselling Love Heart Lane series
Love Heart Lane – where friends are there for you no matter what
When Bea Fernsby discovers her fiancé’s eyes have been wandering, she calls off the wedding and hits the road. The village of Heartcross in the Scottish Highlands is about as far away from home as she can get, and when she stumbles into the ideal summer job at The Little Blue Boathouse and meets gorgeous vacationer Nolan Hemingway, things finally start looking up.
Now, as an old mystery surfaces and Bea and Nolan band together to find out what happened to his late grandfather’s one true love, fate throws Bea some unexpected curveballs…and promising opportunities.
Bea’s stay is only supposed to last a couple of weeks, but as the old saying goes: ‘Once you arrive in Heartcross, you never want to leave…’
I have lots of books with the word summer in the title. Some have released some have not. Would you read any from my selection?
Thank you for stopping in. Your visit is a blessing.
The Polish Girl: An utterly heartbreaking and gripping World War 2 historical novel (The Secret Resistance Series) by Gosia Nealon
Poland, 1944. “Please, officer, I beg you—”, I cry. But my father has already fallen. “Don’t leave me, Tata,” I whisper, rushing to desperately cradle him close. As the kind, loving man who raised me takes his last breath, I weep into my hands and promise to fight to end this terrible war, no matter the cost…
Although it won’t bring her beloved father back, twenty-three-year-old Wanda vows to honour his memory and all he stood for. Throwing herself into the Polish resistance, she risks her life on the dangerous mission of transporting ammunition for the underground network’s uprising against the Nazis.
Slipping through the night-time shadows of an empty park to meet an informant—one who could provide crucial supplies in the battle for what’s right—the sight of the man waiting turns Wanda’s blood to ice. Even in the dim light, she instantly recognises him as the soldier who killed her father.
The soldier claims he is a double agent, working for the resistance. Questioning everything, Wanda’s heart races as she is forced to make a split-second decision. Believe the man who she thought was the enemy? Or endanger the lives of her network—and their secret plans to fight the Germans?
Can Wanda trust the man she hates most in the world? Did her father die in vain? Or if she fights her every instinct, will she truly change the tide of the war?
Fans of The Alice Network, The Nightingale and The Tattooist of Auschwitz will adore this utterly heartbreaking page-turner. You will not forget this unputdownable story of love, loss, and the courage it takes to hold on to hope in darkest times.
Previously published as The Last Sketch.
My Thoughts
This book is excellent. I could not put it down once I started it and read it past my bedtime, finishing it in one day. Twin brothers, identical twins, raised together by the same parents. Vastly different, one is gentle and compassionate taking after the mother. The other, like the father is a brutal killer, a German soldier. Wanda Odwaga feels safe in her home with her mother and her father, a retired surgeon. One evening her, Tata, (father) is killed before her eyes there. Looking into the eyes of this killer she vows she will get her revenge. As she then starts to see this murderer everywhere she goes, she is sickened and confused. He whispers to her, “I am not who you think I am.” An orphaned little boy is adopted into her family, and he is a wonderful addition to the story, he is so smart too. Poland, 1944, it was such a turbulent time, rationing was in full force, there was a curfew, the Germans had invaded. No one was safe on the streets, especially a woman alone. Some risked their lives to be in the Polish resistance using code words to pass messages. We see the characters going through such turmoil in this unputdownable book but yet they persevere and show such strength in the darkest of days because they know strength and courage brings the light. Heartwarming will not be soon forgotten.
Pub Date 24 Feb 2023 I was given a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.
About The Author
While Gosia Nealon is a proud New Yorker, she was born and raised in Poland. Her journey to the Big Apple revealed a wealth of cultural differences, but also the values that connect us all. Like the fierce desire to protect family, find love, and ultimately, discover who we are and why we’re here.
Gosia’s award-winning short stories have always delved into life’s biggest questions, but it was the drama, sacrifice, and tragedy of WWII that led her to pen her debut novel, which won a gold medal in the 2022 Independent Publisher Book Awards (IPPY).
Growing up in Poland, Gosia heard many firsthand accounts of the war, told from a perspective rarely captured in mainstream literature. She was compelled to breathe life into two young people falling in love in the midst of the most terrifying conflict of our time.
When Gosia isn’t tapping away at her laptop, she’s often walking the streets of New York. With her husband and two young sons in tow, they search for the most succulent pierogi, transporting them back to the cobbled streets of her childhood.
Pia Temple has always had a soft spot for Jackson Moody following a passionate teenage love affair that burnt out over one long summer, more than ten years ago. First loves can be hard to forget, and the devastatingly gorgeous Jackson, is harder to forget than most.
After putting aside her ambitions while she cared for her parents, it is finally time for Pia to think about herself. So, when she’s offered the perfect job running the social calendar at Primrose Hall, with a dreamy flat included, how can she refuse? There’s only one problem… The new owner of the refurbished seventeenth-century manor house set in the idyllic Primrose Woods, is none other than Jackson, the man she’s thought about every day for years.
In a whirl of weddings and craft fairs, literary festivals and tea parties, Pia blossoms in her new role. But with the delectable Jackson a daily distraction, maybe this isn’t the dream job after all – especially when Jackson’s unfeasibly beautiful ex-girlfriend Tara, comes back to visit the hall…
Dreams Come True at Primrose Hall is the perfect feel-good love story to brighten even the darkest day. Just right for fans of Cathy Bramley, Heidi Swain and Julie Houston.
The characters have jumped off the pages and become friends. I’m about to pop in and have tea with them. Primrose Hall sounds marvelous. I can see how anyone would feel comfortable living there. And the spacious grounds sound ideal as well. I am getting ahead of myself though. Pia continues to live in her home after her parents’ death and her mother’s best friend, Wendy lives next door. Pia has known Wendy her whole life and she sees her as a grandmotherly figure. With Wendy’s increasing mobility issues Pia pops in and takes her dog Betrice for a walk daily while checking on and having a visit with Wendy. This comes to an end when Wendy has a bad fall and she has to go the hospital and then will have a long recovery. Pia has to move out of her house, and she doesn’t want to leave Wendy’s dog. An ex is looking for a help mate at Primrose Hall and it looks like the perfect solution for Pia, a home and a place for Betrice. This book follows Pia as she adjusts to living at Primrose Hall while having her own flat there. Seeing her ex and him being her boss can get rather awkward. Jackson Moody seems to be everywhere Pia looks and it just brings to the forefront their long-ago romance. If only he wasn’t so nice, and she wasn’t falling for him all over again. After meeting Daniel and going on several dates with him, she isn’t sure who to choose for a boyfriend and it becomes a bit of a love triangle. I know who I chose before she chose, and I think she made the right choice. I enjoyed this book so much. Meeting Wendy the grandmotherly woman, the wonderful Bertie that everyone loved and did not want to see go to her old owner and I loved the sweet romance this book had. This feel-good make you happy book is perfect for sipping your tea and totally relaxing after a stressful day.
Pub Date 22 Feb 2023 I was given a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.
About The Author
Jill Steeples is the author of many successful women’s fiction titles – most recently the Dog and Duck series – all set in the close communities of picturesque English villages. She lives in Bedfordshire.
Top Ten Tuesday is run by That Artsy Reader Girl. Each Tuesday we are given a theme that we can make our own to fit our needs. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together. This week’s theme is February 21: Favorite Heroines (or heroes, if you prefer!) I’m going to change the theme and list books that sound like they involve female drama.
A starry-eyed romantic, a cynical writer, and (the ashes of) an elderly woman take the road trip of a lifetime that just might upend everything they believe about true love.
Millicent Watts-Cohen is on a mission. When she promised her elderly best friend that she’d reunite her with the woman she fell in love with nearly eighty years ago, she never imagined that would mean traveling from D.C. to Key West with three tablespoons of Mrs. Nash’s remains in her backpack. But Millie’s determined to give her friend a symbolic happily-ever-after, before it’s (really) too late—and hopefully reassure herself of love’s lasting power in the process.
Welcome to Eldey, an island with deadly secrets.
Mona: a carefree artist, staying at the Cloister to work on her illustrations.
Beth: the harried mother of a toddler, on the remote Welsh island for a weekend with her family.
Charlotte: a reluctant stepmother who wanted a romantic getaway with her husband.
One of them is a serial killer who poisoned four of her friends at her eleventh birthday party. They all fit the profile. Who will risk everything to kill again?
An absolutely gripping Welsh crime novel, perfect for fans of Sarah Pearce and Lucy Foley.
Two sisters have one summer to crush their comfort zones and save their grandmother’s legacy in this sweet, sexy, and heartfelt novel by Ali Brady, author of The Beach Trap. Things get even more complicated when secrets come to light, making the sisters question the one relationship they’ve always counted on: each other. With their company’s future on the line, they can’t afford to fail. But in trying to make a comeback to honor their grandmother, are they pushing themselves down the wrong path?
In the spirit of Colleen Hoover and Jojo Moyes’s Me Before You, an unforgettable and heartbreaking love story with an earth-shattering secret at its core that asks the question: is love worth risking everything for?
An earth-shattering secret. A life-changing love story.
When Wren realizes her fiancé is in love with someone else, she thinks her heart will never recover.
On the other side of the world, Anders lost his wife four years ago and is still struggling to move on.
Wren hopes that spending the summer with her dad and step-family on their farm in Indiana will help her to heal. There, amid the cornfields and fireflies, she and Anders cross paths and their worlds are turned upside-down again.
But Wren doesn’t know that Anders is harboring a secret, and if he acts on any feelings he has for Wren it will have serious fall-out for everyone. Walking away would hurt Wren more than she can imagine. But, knowing the truth, how can she possibly stay?
From the multi-award-winning and internationally bestselling author Donal Ryan, a searing, jubilant story about four generations of women and fierce love
The Aylward women of Nenagh, Tipperary, are mad about each other, but you wouldn’t always think it. You’d have to know them to know that—in spite of what the neighbors might say about raised voices and dramatic scenes—their house is a place of peace, filled with love, a refuge from the sadness and cruelty of the world.
Their story begins at an end and ends at a beginning. It involves wives and widows, gunrunners and gougers, sinners and saints. It’s a story of terrible betrayals and fierce loyalties, of isolation and togetherness, of transgression, forgiveness, desire, and love. Of all the things family can be and all the things it sometimes isn’t. The Queen of Dirt Island is an uplifting celebration of fierce, loyal love and the powerful stories that bind generations together.
Mexican Gothic meets Outlander in this spellbindingly atmospheric timeslip debut, as a woman struggling with struggling with her mental health spends the winter with her cruel in-laws in their eerie, haunting manor that sweeps her back through time and into the arms of her fiancé’s mysterious, alluring 19th century ancestor.
Traveling to be with her fiancé’s terminally ill mother in her last days, Saoirse Read expected her introduction to the family’s ancestral home would be bittersweet. But the stark thrust of Langdon Hall against the cliff and the hundred darkened windows in its battered walls are almost as forbidding as the woman who lies wasting inside. Her fiancé’s parents make no secret of their distaste for Saoirse, and their feelings have long since spread to their son. Or perhaps it is only the shadows of her mind suggesting she’s unwelcome, seizing on her fears while her beloved grieves?
Readers of Eve Chase, Kate Morton, and Anita Frank will devour this bewitchingly atmospheric, melancholy modern ghost story set in the lush hills of England’s Lake District. There, a solitary women’s quiet life spent in her crumbling ancestral manor house with the company of a child’s ghost is dramatically interrupted when her estranged sister returns to share a horrific story of cruelty and desperation from decades earlier…
Francine Thwaite has lived all her fifty-five years in her family’s ancestral home, a rambling Elizabethan manor in England’s Lake District. No other living soul resides there, but Francine isn’t alone. There are ghosts in Thwaite Manor, harmless and familiar. Most beloved is Bree, the mischievous ghost girl who has been Francine’s companion since childhood.
When Francine’s estranged sister, Madeleine, returns to the manor after years away, she brings with her a story that threatens everything Francine has always believed. It is a tale of cruelty and desperation, of terror and unbearable heartache. And as Francine learns more about the darkness in her family’s past—and the role she may have played in it—she realizes that confronting the truth may mean losing what she holds most dear.
As moving and poignant as it is chilling, Her Little Flowers is a story of grief and enduring love—and of the haunting regrets only forgiveness can dispel.
Love isn’t blind, it’s just little blurry.
Sadie Montgomery never saw what was coming . . . Literally! One minute she’s celebrating the biggest achievement of her life—placing as a finalist in the North American Portrait Society competition—the next she’s lying in a hospital bed diagnosed with a “probably temporary” condition known as face blindness. She can see, but every face she looks at is now a jumbled puzzle of disconnected features. Imagine trying to read a book upside down and in another language. This is Sadie’s new reality.
But, as she struggles to cope, hang on to her artistic dream, work through major family issues, and take care of her beloved dog, Peanut, she falls in love—not with one man but two. The timing couldn’t be worse.
Making judgment calls on anything right now is a nightmare. If only her life were a little more in focus, Sadie might be able to have it all.
New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Ginny Baird brings her signature charm to this multicultural story about two disputing families sharing a beach house and the messiness that comes from falling in love with someone who your family is determined to despise.
In 1944, Germany, two sisters seek to overcome impossible odds in this unforgettable WWII novel about sisterhood, courage and survival.
All they had left was each other. Until the Nazis tore them apart.
After years of hiding from the Nazis, Rachel Epstein and her little sister Mindel are captured by the Gestapo and sent to the concentration camp at Bergen-Belsen. The only ray of light for either girl is that they are together.
But on arrival they are separated. As she’s seventeen and deemed an adult, Rachel is sent to work in a brutal factory while four‑year‑old Mindel is sent into the so‑called “star” camp for Jewish prisoners. Rachel knows her sister will have no chance of survival all on her own.
Working in the windowless, airless factory—filling munitions casings with chemicals that burn her fingers and make her eyes sting—the only thing that keeps Rachel going is the thought of her little sister. Because if there’s even a chance Mindel is alive, Rachel knows she must try to save her.
But, separated by barbed wire, and treated brutally by SS guards who do not even see them as human beings, can either of the orphaned sisters dare to hope that they’ll ever find their way back to each other? And to freedom?
What do you think of my selections? Will you be reading any of these?
The perfect festive, feel-good love story from Jill Steeples
268 pages Boldwood Books publisher series Primrose Woods 2 of 3 October 04, 2022 publish date
About The Book
Abbey Carter, her boyfriend Sam and their trusty canine companion Lady, relish living in the picturesque village of Wishwell at the edge of their beloved Primrose Woods. The woods and the country park are full of activity as the festive season approaches.
Lizzie Baker is flat out at the Treetops café, serving all sorts of winter warmers, festive goodies and lashings of hot chocolate. And when her daughter and grandchildren arrive to stay, the run up to Christmas is set to be even more magical than she had expected.
Rhianna West has finally found the perfect man to fall in love with – if only Luke wasn’t moving away in the New Year.
As the snow falls on Primrose Woods, and the village of Wishwell sparkles with Christmas lights, could this be the year that every wish comes true for the three friends?
The Primrose Woods series by Jill Steeples is such a lovely series. The feel-good book is just what you’ll need at the end of your day. I read this while drinking my Tazo orange tea and what a wonderful relaxation it was. Not finding Australia living up to what they were expecting Lizzie’s daughter and two children just pop up on her doorstep to stay, it’s a surprising but thrilling moment. I enjoyed the relationships the women had with each other. They are close friends, sharing romance troubles and triumphs. Rhianna West has had a best friend for a long time, Luke. She sees him now as a romantic interest. If only he wasn’t moving so far away, and she sure doesn’t do long distance relationships. Abbey Carter has a fun and friendly dog. She and her boyfriend Sam love living on the outskirts of scenic Primrose Woods in the picturesque village of Wishwell. There are so many activities for them to do as a family. I enjoyed following each woman’s journey as they navigate day to day life and on again- off again relationships but yet are always the backbone in friendship for each other. I enjoyed the snowy setting and seeing the excitement of the anticipation of Christmas through the eyes of the children. There was such an exciting and wonderful surprise on Christmas Eve. An uplifting and positive book. I would recommend it.
Pub Date 04 Oct 2022 I was given a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.
The Author
Jill Steeples is the author of many successful women’s fiction titles – most recently the Dog and Duck series – all set in the close communities of picturesque English villages.
Her novels are heart-warming, feel-good stories of new beginnings, friendship and love.
Jill’s brand new fiction series will be launched in February 2022 with Starting Over at Primrose Woods.
Helen Tsang is tired of the pitying looks. From her parents, her friends, and even the bubble tea shop guy, who recognized her from the video. Almost one year ago, some loser couldn’t mind their own damn business and filmed an unsuspecting Helen’s very public break-up during what was supposed to be a romantic Valentine’s Day dinner. A video of her ex-boyfriend saying, “It’s not me, it’s you. You’re holding me back” went viral.
Desperate to give everyone something else to talk about and with Valentine’s Day approaching once again, she asks her long-time friend Taylor Li to be her fake boyfriend, just to prove that she’s moved on and hasn’t sworn off love. (Spoiler alert: She’s totally sworn off love.) Taylor is the perfect option—single for once, and for some godforsaken reason, he loves Valentine’s Day.
But Helen didn’t expect was how easy it would be to get Taylor on board, fitting right into the boyfriend-shaped hole in her life. All she wanted was a couple sickeningly sweet dates to fill her social feeds, not corny text messages of silly heart-shaped cakes, and bouquets of flowers that harbor hidden meanings. Wanting to be around his sunshine attitude and delicious forearms all the time? That definitely wasn’t expected.
With February 14 quickly approaching, it’s getting increasingly difficult to ignore her feelings, especially when she starts wishing it wasn’t all an act.
This is another book that published last month but I wanted to post it on Valentine’s Day because that just made sense. This was a quick and short read, clocking in at under 140 pages but it felt like a full length read. Helen Tsang absolutely dreads Valentine’s Day as last year on that day a very public break up happened. To make it worse it was recorded and then it went viral. During what was supposed to be a romantic dinner he says, “It’s not me, it’s you. You’re holding me back” First she is mortified then the anger sets in. When her mother and even the boba tea shop owner bug her about a boyfriend, she’s just had enough. Enter her long-time friend Taylor Li. He’s a friendly guy and will do just about anything for Helen even pretend to be her boyfriend just to stop the pitying looks Helen is getting. Over dinners, casual times and talks Helen decides and it seems Taylor is in on it too this fake boyfriend thing just isn’t working out. Nope! What was once fake dating has now become the real thing, not able to stop think about each other and the possibilities of what’s to come. I liked the story; it was a fun romance. The drawback for me was the frequent f bombs that were dropped. This is my first read by this author but if her other books have the same wording it’ll be a no go for me. In my opinion they add nothing of value to the story.
The Author
Jackie Lau decided she wanted to be a writer when she was in grade two, sometime between writing “The Heart That Got Lost” and “The Land of Shapes.” She later studied engineering and worked as a geophysicist before turning to writing romance novels.
Jackie lives in Toronto with her husband, and despite living in Canada her whole life, she hates winter. When she’s not writing, she enjoys cooking, hiking, eating too much gelato, and reading on the balcony when it’s raining.
That Artsy Reader Girl hosts Top Ten Tuesday now. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together. Today’s topic is Love/Valentine’s Day Freebie. So once again I’m going to make the topic my own and list books with a mostly pink or red cover for Valentine’s Day.
“A luscious, layered story of inheritance, heartbreak, reinvention, and family. I adored this book.” —Kristan Higgins, New York Times bestselling author
When a deed to an apartment in Paris turns up in an old attic trunk, an estranged mother and daughter must reunite to uncover the secret life of a family matriarch—perfect for fans of The Little Paris Bookshop and The Beekeeper’s Daughter.
Perfect for fans of Kate Quinn, Kristin Harmel, and Pam Jenoff, this new historical fiction novel from an acclaimed author is based on true WWII stories of life in the Warsaw Ghetto during the Occupation and the women who served the Allies as agents and spies. Casting light into one of the darkest periods of World War II, this powerful book tells of two Jewish sisters– one imprisoned in Poland and the other who joins the Special Operations Executive in a daring attempt to free her family from the Nazis.
Based on a true story, a spellbinding historical novel about the world’s first female investigative journalist, Nellie Bly.
In 1887, young Nellie Bly sets out for New York and a career in journalism, determined to make her way as a serious reporter, whatever that may take.
But life in the city is tougher than she imagined. Down to her last dime and desperate to prove her worth, she comes up with a dangerous plan: to fake insanity and have herself committed to the asylum on Blackwell’s Island. There, she will work undercover to expose the asylum’s wretched conditions.
But when the asylum door swings shut behind her, she finds herself in a place of horrors, governed by a cruelty she could never have imagined. Cold, isolated and starving, her days of terror reawaken the traumatic events of her childhood. She entered the asylum of her own free will – but will she ever get out?
An extraordinary portrait of a woman ahead of her time, Madwoman is the story of a quest for the truth that changed the world.
The scent of roses is in the air while romance blooms in this gorgeously escapist Scottish-set love story, about finding your way back to the one you’ve never forgotten… Sure to capture the hearts of readers who love Debbie Macomber, Carolyn Brown and Fern Michaels.
It’s hate at first sight for the wedding planners…
It’s down to maid of honour Beth and best man Matt to plan a dream wedding for the absent bride and groom. Not only do they have to handle the bride’s sky-high expectations and their respective dysfunctional families, they also have to deal with each other – and so far, it’s not going well.
Fire-fighter Matt is far too laid-back for Beth’s liking, and Beth’s need to arrive half an hour early for everything is driving Matt crazy. But over the weeks, the arguing and animosity morphs into something else that feels fun and flirty…
With Beth’s father parading his new, half-his-age girlfriend around, her mother set on revenge, Matt’s family refusing to engage in the celebrations, and an addled grandmother thrown in the mix, is there any way Beth and Matt can make the wedding a success?
A funny and heartwarming romantic comedy for fans of Jo Watson and Sophie Ranald.
It’s Christmas time at the Weber Haus mountainside inn, where the official greeter, watcher, and matchmaker of the hotel’s resident humans is an adorably mischievous bundle of feline fluff named Snowball. Snowball takes her job very seriously –even if it means being a little more naughty than nice –and she’s ready to celebrate her third holiday season by making the purrrrfect match.
New York, 1938: Martha pulled the door of her Fifth Avenue apartment closed, her heart thumping, re-reading the telegram she’d been dreading. Her beloved sister Charlotte needed her help. She was alone in Paris, and the threat of Nazi invasion grew ever stronger. The time had come for Martha to make the bravest decision of her life. She needed to bring Charlotte home.
Can a new shop change the village’s future – and Rowena’s?
Single mum Rowena is always looking for ways for her and her four-year-old daughter, Nia, to live more sustainably. So, when she visits a zero-waste shop in Cardiff, she’s inspired to start one up in her own village, where local businesses and artisan shops are a core part of the community.
For Huw, it’s love at first sight when he bumps into Rowena, on the day he moves to Foxmore. But a series of misunderstandings keeps the two from getting closer, and now a conflict of interest over Rowena’s shop might put a stop to any fledgling romance…
When a figure from Rowena’s past makes a surprise appearance, both her shop and relationship with Huw are suddenly under threat. Can Rowena still realise her corner shop dreams and find love?
A gorgeously fun and feel-good cosy romance, perfect for fans of Sue Moorcroft, Holly Martin and Suzanne Snow.
The start of a BRAND NEW series from bestselling author Sarah Bennett.
On paper, Hope Travers has an idyllic life.
Living in a bustling farmhouse with her mum, aunt and uncles, cousin and too many dogs to count, surrounded by the breath-taking Cotswolds countryside, she knows she is privileged and protected.
But all families have secrets, and the Travers family are no exception. Their farmhouse sits in the grounds of the Juniper Meadows estate, passed down through the generations and now being made to pay its own way with a myriad of businesses and projects. When a construction crew uncover what appear to be historical ruins, the history of the Travers family is put under ever closer scrutiny as a dig gets underway.
Hope may have found a blossoming romance with local archaeologist Cameron Ferguson who is running the dig, but when things start to go wrong around the estate and family secrets begin to be revealed, Hope wonders if she’s made a big mistake in digging up the past.
Her life spanned ninety-five years and there were only two great loves in her life. The first is long gone. The second still stands as a testament to an extraordinary woman.
1916
Venice Arial is a product of the elite social class in New Orleans and under the strict control of her cruel and hateful mother, Lorraine. At twenty, Venice must obey the rules of social duty her mother sets, including going through with an arranged marriage to a man she barely knows. The golden days of youth are being stripped away and her only escape is the family’s summer home on the north shore of Lake Pontchartrain—her beloved Belle Haven.
When Venice visits Belle Haven in the last weeks of summer, her structured life is thrown off course by a poor local boy, Etienne Armand, who shows her a love she has never known. But to Lorraine, locals are low class, and a poor boy like Etienne is strictly forbidden. But how can Venice return to New Orleans with such strict rules and the isolation of her palatial prison? Venice has a major decision to make but will the raging war in Europe make it for her?
1991
Seventy-five years ago, Venice Arial made a dramatic decision that altered her life and her future. After living through so much history, her cherished memories along with the painful ones are fading. The Lost Generation must be remembered, and her personal story recorded. That foregone era was the harsh reality of her life. She had known great love, a crippling world war, lost love, and new beginnings but should she include the cruelty, selfish greed, and hurtful deception inflicted on her all those years ago?
This story of great love, war, and remembrance will grab your emotions and hold them until the very end.
What are your choices this week?
Have a beautiful day my friends. Spring will soon be here.
302 pages Hallmark publishing January 17, 2023 publication date
About the Book
Now a Hallmark Channel original movie!!!
Do the “Cupid chocolates” from Lucy’s shop really help people meet their One True Love? Dean, a TV reporter, has his doubts…
Lucy’s chocolate shop, How Sweet It Is, has been in her family for generations…along with the secret recipe for Cupid chocolates. Rumor has it that if you eat one on February 14, you’ll meet your soulmate. Lucy herself isn’t sure if it’s magic or just romantic optimism, but a family legend is at stake. Besides, with her grandmother to support and a rival bakery opening up across the street, it certainly doesn’t hurt to believe.
Dean, an ambitious and skeptical TV reporter, doesn’t like the idea of a business taking advantage of romantic desperation. He doesn’t count on Lucy joining him as he tracks down and interviews couples supposedly brought together by the chocolates. Together, they find that the truth can be complicated…especially when it comes to their own hearts.
I wanted to read this close to Valentine's Day to savor it even though it released last month.
The book really is charming.
We have our two main characters, Lucy who is the backbone of, How Sweet it Is Chocolate shop. She took over running the shop, doing the books and making the chocolates after her grandfather passes away.
Grandma in my opinion is kind of naive. She helps customer's and does a lot of chit chat with the customers. The Chocolate shop has been in the family for four generations and Lucy can't bear to let it go. She really struggles to keep it in the black, equaling sleepless nights and not much of a social life while making the time to run the shop. I really did love grandma's character; she is so friendly and outgoing. She always tries to help Lucy.
Dean is a news reporter and reports on serious matters. He's trying to get a promotion and jump to the morning news broadcasting show. Here's the thing though, Dean is a serious guy. The morning news is a fun, zippy get your day going broadcast with positive topics, light and fun topics.
He's assigned to an assignment to do a broadcast at, How Sweet it Is Chocolates. There is a belief among many customers that the “Cupid chocolates” from Lucy’s shop
really helps people meet their One True Love? Does he believe it? Of course, not.
An old family legend says, if you eat a Cupid chocolate made from the old family recipe on Valentine's Day, you'll find your one true love. There seems to be a lot of proof to back it up too. Dean and Lucy go out and interview some of these true love couples who got their start after eating the Cupid chocolates. Will this be enough to convince Dean, that true love does happen? Charming Valentines Day story.
Pub Date 17 Jan 2023
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.
Have a wonderful day. You are everything to someone.
Vegan Book Blogger 