Blog Tour ~ Review | Forever at Conwenna Cove ~ Darcie Boleyn

Forever at Conwenna Cove

Darcie Boleyn

Canelo

April 2018

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Following heartbreak, Zoe Russell found a haven in Conwenna Cove. 

As the owner of the village diner and a volunteer for the local greyhound sanctuary, she’s happy with her peaceful life.

Local surfer Nate Bryson plans to leave Conwenna and see the world. 

He wants to shake off his reputation as a ladies man and start again somewhere new. Before departing, Nate decides to raise funds for the dog rescue home as a way of giving back to the community.

When Nate approaches Zoe to help with the charity event she sees there’s more to him than meets the eye. Nate can’t believe he’s failed to notice the kind and beautiful woman right before him. But can two such different people ever be together, especially if one of them is determined to leave?

             

Despite my reading mojo being AWOL of late, When I was asked if I would like to review and kick off the blog for the last book in the Conwenna Cove series by Darcie Boleyn, I jumped at the chance.

Forever at Conwenna Cove is the third Conwenna Cove book, the first being Summer at and the 2nd Christmas at.

I'm really going to miss being in Conwenna Cove, all of the characters Darcie has written about have all had troubled times and the cove almost has heeling powers... with its idyllic landscapes and friendly locals it's certainly a holiday destination thty I would go to!

In Forever at Conwenna Cove we meet Zoe and Nate.

We've met Nate a few times in the previous two stories so I was really pleased to see he finally had a starring role. He's currently working in the local cafe that his aunt and uncle own having moved to Conwenna after losing his father. 

Nate is a bit if charmer, a surfer dude with a ladies man reputation, however with Jack and Oli having now settled down (Jacks story is with Eva in book one, Oli with Grace in book 2!) He is started to think about his life and achievements. He wants to settle down but has always wanted to travel too and plans the latter after he organises a fundraising event for the local grey hound charity.

Zoe is a new character who owns and runs the local diner. She escaped to the cove and made a business for herself. I don't want to say too much about why she has come to Conwenna as the reasons why she moved here is quite a big part of her and Nate's story, but she has had a troubled time and again Conwenna seems to be helping her.

Zoe and Nate meet when he is organising the fundraiser and as with all good stories, they grow close and form feelings to each other.

I wondered where Darcie could go with another Conwenna tale but this one is just as fresh as the previous two and has some real challenges thrown in to the mix.

I loved the sub plots of Nates mother and Zoe returning to to home town, they tied in nicely with both their pasts and their present lives.

And reconnecting with the other characters from the Cove was a delight - especially cheeky  little Tom (if you know, you know... right?!)

I really hope Darcie decides to take us back to Conwenna Cove at some point as I'd love to check in on the whole gang and see what they are up to! 

As with the other books, this can be read as a stand alone novel but I like to read things in order and feel you will benefit from doing so in this series. 

Forever at Conwenna Cove by Darcie Boleyn is a pure gem to read!

Review | The Holiday Cottage by the Sea ~ Holly Martin

The Holiday Cottage by the Sea

Holly Martin

Bookouture

April 2018

Amazon

                 

The new book from the bestselling author of Summer at Buttercup Beach. Escape to Sandcastle Bay, where you’ll discover a charming little seaside village brimming with heart-warming friendships, quirky characters and plenty of sunshine.

The perfect place to fall in love this summer…

Tori Graham is in need of a holiday. Trying to piece her heart back together after losing the love of her life, she escapes to Blossom Cottage, with its picturesque views of the sea. And plans to spend the summer in gorgeous Sandcastle Bay, where her best friend Melody Rosewood lives.

Tori’s not expecting her summer by the beach to be eventful, until she meets handsome and mysterious Aidan Jackson…

Aidan looks after the holiday cottage Tori is staying in. Healing from past hurts, he wants to avoid any further chance of heartache. But could this newcomer be the breath of fresh air he needs?

Finding herself embracing life in the coastal community, Tori starts to fall in love with Sandcastle Bay and its welcoming cast of residents. But that’s not all she begins to fall for, as Tori is swept away by Aidan’s genuine heart and mischievous sense of humour. The attraction between them is undeniable, but will a simple holiday romance be enough?

As Tori’s stay in Sandcastle Bay comes to an end she has a tough decision to make…. Has her heart found a new place to call home?

                 

I absolutely adore Holly Martin and her books, so when I was asked if I would review her latest book, The Holiday Cottage by the Sea, as part of her blog blitz, I couldn't resist.

The story sees Tori head away for a couple of wees to see her best friend Melody. Melody and her sister Isla moved away when their family circumstances suddenly changed after the death of their brother, Matthew.

Tori has secured herself a cute little cottage to stay in on a fruit farm, and in return she is to help the owner, Aidan, pick the legendary Heartberry fruit. I'm not going to explain this as I really won't do the Heartberry Festival and the history behind it any justice, so you are just going to have to read the book!

As soon as Tori arrives shes is faced with sheep, a runaway turkey and Agatha - who for me was the stand out secondary character with her old lady wit and wild romantic predictions - she really needs her own book and I can't wait to read more about her meddling ways in Holly's next story!!

Once Tori and Aidan meet the attraction is instant, however both have had their hearts broken before and Tori is keeping a secret from Melody and Isla about her relationship with Matthew.

As with all Holly's books, The Holiday Cottage by the Sea, and Sandcastle Bay are settings that you simply lose yourself within. Their picturesque landscapes are beautifully described and on more than one occasion I felt like I was there as I was reading.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading The Holiday Cottage by the Sea. Holly introduced us perfectly to the sub characters, Matthew's son Elliot is a dream and I can't wait to find out more about Jaime and Leo - Aidan's brothers - and their relationships with Melody and Isla as well as catching up with Tori, Aiden, Beauty and Beast (their dogs) and of course the other characters which make Sandcastle Bay a community I would happily visit.

Review | This Could Change Everything ~ Jill Mansell

This Could Change Everything

Jill Mansell

Headline Review

January 2018

Rating 5/5

Hardback | Kindle

If only Essie hadn't written that letter - the one that went viral...

THIS COULD CHANGE EVERYTHING is the feel-good new novel from Jill Mansell, the bestselling author of MEET ME AT BEACHCOMBER BAY. Not to be missed by fans of Katie Fforde and Lucy Diamond.

On the one hand, if Essie hadn't written that letter - the one that only her best friend was meant to see - then she'd still be living like an actual proper grown-up, tucked up with Paul in his picture-perfect cottage, maybe even planning their wedding...

On the other hand (if her true feelings hadn't accidentally taken the internet by storm, that is) she wouldn't have moved into the attic flat on the square. She would never have met Conor. Or got to know Lucas...

And she wouldn't have found herself falling in love with someone she really, really shouldn't fall in love with...

I absolutely adore reading a Jill Mansell novel and with every new one I indulge in, I gain a new favourite as Jill's writing never fails to captivate me and her stories are always fresh.

This Could Change Everything is no exception and as with most of Jill's books, she expertly takes a handful of characters and entwines their worlds, bringing the characters and their stories together.

In This Could Change Everything the main characters are Essie, Zillah and Conor -

Essie and her best friend think its a fun idea to send each other a round robin - a letter for no-one else to see, giving an account of their year and their thoughts and opinions.

What Essie doesn't plan on is for the round robin to be sent to everyone on her email contact list. 

Zillah is a wonder and such a vibrant character. Having lived a full life, and still going, she's seen most things and with money in the bank, Zillah loves nothing more than granting wishes and making people smile.

And Conor, well his life turned around from his role as a solictor when his heart was touched by a dying patient. Pursuing his love of gardening and photography he completely turned his life around for the better.

When Essie meets Zillah and Conor she embarks on a new chapter in her life and sees things with a new perspective. The sub characters in Lucas and Scarlett kept each chapter fresh and exciting as the three main characters face their own challenges - Essie losing her boyfriend, job and home, Zillah having a fall and Conor thinking he had what he wanted in a girlfriend.

This Could Change Everything is an uplifting and heart warming novel, full of love and friendship. It gives an insight to what happens when things doesn't go as planned - everything happens for a reason, after all.