Tag: travel

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Photographs from the Cove: A totally stunning, sweeping and uplifting page-turner (Sand Dollar Cove 2) 

369 pages Bookouture publisher February 15,2024 publish date

ABOUT THE BOOK

Mary Turner’s hopes of a happy life in beautiful Sand Dollar Cove come crashing down when her boyfriend leaves her. After her mother walked out when she was just a child, Aiden’s betrayal destroys the last shred of belief in love that Mary’s been clinging on to.

When the cove’s newest resident Steven Clarke hires her to renovate the town’s historic movie theater, Mary is scared of failing. But she dreams of bringing the fading theater back to its 1960s glamor. Plus, the more she works with the elusive Steven, the more she comes to like him and his striking good looks—against her better judgement…

As Mary’s confidence grows, her heart starts to reopen to the possibility of love. But then, hidden in the cinema’s storage room, Mary discovers a mysterious photo album containing pictures of a little girl who looks just like her. She can’t believe her eyes. How is Mary connected to this album and the cinema? And will the answers help to heal her broken heart?

Mary is willing to risk everything to learn the truth. But when she uncovers a secret that casts a shadow on her family, on Steven, and on Sand Dollar Cove, will the past haunt her forever? Or will she choose to believe in love and finally claim her happy ending?

MY THOUGHTS

This is the second book in the Sand Dollar Cove series. I do suggest you read these in order as this book starts immediately after the first one ends. I love the description of Sand Dollar Cove.

Having never been to Washington State where this takes place, I’m now ready to visit. Though it may rain a lot in the Pacific Northwest I’m ready to visit the beaches and take walks.


The book is absolutely packed full of so much going on.
Sisters Mary and Hannah and their grandmother live with their friend Bridget and her son in her boarding house. It’s a great situation for all of them.


Hannah’s boyfriend is not at all what she thought he was and she’s much better off without him. If only she wouldn’t still have to see him so often.
Mary is an interior decorator and is thrilled to be hired by the cove’s newest resident Steven Clarke to renovate the cinema and bring it back to its former glory days. It’s a huge job and the pressure is on, she’s afraid of failing. What does it mean when she finds an old album in a storage area of the old cinema and a girl looks like her?

Can Mary’s budding romance survive the secrets that are revealed about her family and town? So many secrets and feelings of betrayal, self-discovery, family bonds renewed. Such a beautiful story, I enjoyed it a lot.

Pub Date 15 Feb 2024
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jennifer Bardsley’s delightfully sweet romance books set in the Pacific Northwest have touched the hearts of readers all over the world. She lives in Edmonds, Washington with her family and enjoys walking from her house to the beach every chance she gets.

Like her on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JenniferBardsleyAuthor/

Find her on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5755219.Jennifer_Bardsley

Follow her on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jenniferbardsleyauthor/

Visit her website: https://jenniferbardsley.com

Thank you once again for stopping in today. Wishing you the best.

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Daily Prompt Saturday

Bloganuary writing prompt
Think back on your most memorable road trip.
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My most recent memorable road trip was July 2022. My husband and I went on a week long anniversary road trip. I had no idea where we were even going. My husband and I visited all of the New England States in the United States.

I really enjoyed Boston, Mass. It was a place I had wanted to go for a long time and we didn’t even get lost for going there the first time because we did the Freedom Trail a 2.5 red brick trail through Boston that passes by 17 locations significant to the history of the United States. It winds from Boston Common in downtown Boston, to the Old North Church in the North End and the Bunker Hill Monument in Charlestown. Stops along the trail include simple explanatory ground markers, graveyards, notable churches and buildings, and a historic naval frigate. Most of the sites are free or suggest donations, although the Old South Meeting House, the Old State House, and the Paul Revere House charge admission. The Freedom Trail is overseen by the City of Boston’s Freedom Trail Commission[2] and is supported in part by grants from various non-profit organizations and foundations, private philanthropy, and Boston National Historical Park. Wiki

We also visited Maine and the beautiful rugged coast. One thing that surprised me about most of the New England states was there are a lot less fast food restaurants and more local places which is a refreshing change from what I am used to.

The New England states are really beautiful and I look forward to more visits there.

Salem, MA – National Historic Waterfront

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Hartford, Conn

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The coast of Maine is rugged and magnificent.

I hope you’ll enjoy any road trips you may go on as well.

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Blog Tour for The Island Cottage by Jane Lovering

ABOUT THE BOOK

The Island Cottage

When Brid Harcus is sent to the Orkney Islands, in the far reaches of Scotland, she has high hopes for her trip being short, straightforward and lucrative.

Her mother has inherited a cottage from her Great Aunt Jennet which has been unlived in and unloved for decades, and the time has come to make it habitable and saleable. Easy, right?

But Midness Cottage has other ideas. For one thing it’s rather more ‘fixer upper’ than Country Living, with a resident goose and her goslings who have made themselves at home. And Brid definitely hadn’t planned for the strongly-held local belief that the cottage is meant to be the home of the Orkney Witch, and whomever lives in it must fulfil this role. Not the best message for the estate agent brochure and of course Brid doesn’t believe in magic, let alone have healing powers.

But Orkney does have healing powers. Its beauty and peace are enchanting, its people welcoming, and Brid’s handsome new friend Magnus is rather charming too. When her life back in York starts calling her home, will Brid sell up and ship out? Or did the last Orkney Witch cast a spell and leave a legacy of love if only Brid believed in magic…

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

MY THOUGHTS

One thing I love about the author’s books is their association with cottages. As someone who lives in the US, I associate cottages as being a UK thing. Yes, we have them here but not the same way as I see them over there. In my mind the cottages there are magical, cozy, maybe a bit small but perfect for a couple and maybe throw in a few fairy lights.
I just love books with cottages.


A fifty-year vacant cottage sits on Orkney Islands, in the far reaches of Scotland. Inherited by Brid Harcus’s mother she doesn’t want it, so Brid knows she’ll pop in make quick work of the repairs and make a nice turn around profit quickly. When she arrives, it’s vacant alright except for the goose and her goslings that she’s super protective of. Woe is anyone who dares to go near them.


Brid hasn’t counted on having such a handsome neighbor as Magnus. Lifelong resident Mangus knows the cottage called Midness Cottage is known to outsiders as the “Witches’ Cottage, as Brid’s great Aunt Jennet was known as while living there.


Can Brid fix the cottage quickly with Magnus’s help and not scare off the tourists who’ve heard rumors? Will Brid be able to open up to Mangus even though she’s planning on leaving soon as the fix up is done? I loved Magnus’s character; he reminded me of a big bumbling guy that finally gets seen for his compassionate and genuine side. Fun, heartwarming, a true joy to read. I loved it.

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

VISIT OTHER BLOGS ON THE TOUR HERE

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jane Lovering is a bestselling and multi-award winning romantic comedy writer. Most recently Jane won the RNA Contemporary Romantic Novel Award in 2023 with A Cottage Full of Secrets. She lives in Yorkshire and has a cat and a bonkers terrier, as well as five children who have now left home.

Social Media Links –  

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jane.lovering

Twitter: https://twitter.com/janelovering

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

Bookbub profile: Jane Lovering Books – BookBub

Enjoy your day. Thanks for stopping in.

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Blog Blitz for A Winter Wonderland

ABOUT THE BOOK

A Winter Wonderland

The festive season is fast approaching and the Little Duck Pond Café menu has been given a mouth-watering sprinkling of December magic. Jaz is hoping for the perfect festive season with little daughter Emma. But her feelings for next-door neighbour, Milo, are getting in the way. With his old love back on the scene, is she really prepared to risk her heart and make it the best Christmas ever?

MY THOUGHTS

A Winter Wonderland is part of the Little Duck Pond Cafe series. I am loving this series. This book is warm and welcoming, and I know I’d love to meet the characters and have tea with them.

One of the things I enjoy about this series is its inclusivity. The book doesn’t focus on one person or one couple but the community as a whole. There are multiple side stories to focus on. The author doesn’t make the secondary characters any less, they play just as important a role in the story as the main characters.

I also enjoy how realistic the books are, we see a homeless teen in the book who has run away because he believes his father disapproves of him. He’s new in town and moody. He has a lot of growth, and it was encouraging seeing how much he improved with all pulling for him.

There’s our main character Jaz who lives next door to Milo. Both are single parents, and their daughters are best friends. Jaz is open to a new relationship but there are ups and downs and a few things seem to be getting in the way on both of their sides.


The children really have the Christmas spirit which in turn spills over onto the adults.
The plot is so much fun, I really enjoyed the catch up with all the characters and I am looking forward to more in this delightful and heartwarming series.

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

Purchase Links

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Rosie’s series of novellas is centred around life in a country village cafe. Look out for THE SUNSHINE SISTERS – a heart-warming and thoroughly enchanting trilogy of books in the Little Duck Pond Café series, out early in 2024!

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

Have a wonderful and check out the author’s other books when you get a chance.

Thank you for stopping in.

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The White Mountains in New Hampshire

I haven’t turned my blog into a photography blog I promise you. With being sick then traveling I haven’t had much reading time at all. I promise to have some reviews up soon.

Today I am sharing the majestic White Mountains in New Hampshire.

This is a tram line where you can ride it across the mountain. No thank you. I have a fear of heights. What about you, would you do it?

We are on to Vermont today to see the Green Mountains.

Have a beautiful day.

Deanne