Review + Giveaway | Spring at Lavender Bay ~ Sarah Bennett

Today I'm helping Neverland Blog Tours kick off the new book by Sarah Bennet - Spring at Lavender Bay. There is also a very generous giveaway from the author so please make sure you scroll tp the end of this post and enter!

Spring at Lavender Bay

Lavender Bay, Book 1

Sarah Bennett

HQ Digital

February 2018

Rating 4/5

A season for change…?

Beth Reynolds loved growing up close to Eleanor’s Emporium – a bric-a-brac shop full of wonders on Lavender Bay. Devastated to learn that Eleanor has died, she returns home from London immediately and is shocked to discover that the elderly lady has left the shop to her!

Vowing to restore it to its former glory, she only intends to stay until the end of the season. Although the longer she spends in the colourful seaside town, the more she falls back in love with everything she left behind…and quite possibly, with her best friend Eliza’s older brother, local chef Sam Barnes!

Why didn’t she notice he was quite this gorgeous before? And will their spring fling be enough to convince her to stay?

Don’t miss Spring at Lavender Bay, the first book in the enchanting Lavender Bay trilogy! Perfect for fans of Trisha Ashley, Rachael Lucas and Hilary Boyd.

Book 1: Spring at Lavender Bay

Book 2: Summer at Lavender Bay

Book 3: Snowflakes at Lavender Bay

Since reading and falling in love with the Butterfly Cove series, Sarah Bennett is fast becoming an author I look forward to reading, so when I saw that she had a new book out, I jumped at the chance to read and review it as part of the  blog tour.

Spring at Lavender Bay tells Beth and Sam's story. I enjoyed the way Sarah wrote the book, giving us in insight to each of the characters seperately before bringing them together.

Beth works in London and lives in a grotty bedsit. She has a job that no longer gives her satisfaction and a boss that takes her for granted. Her Mother is living a life with her new husband abroad and to top it all off, Beth's boyfriend has dumped her.

The only thing good in her life is Eleanor - the woman that took Beth under her wing when her mum left, and her two best friends, Libby and Eliza.

However when a skype call to Libby and Eliza results in some unwanted news, Beth has to suddenly return to Lavender Bay which is also where Sam has returned to, putting his career dreams on hold to return to the pub his parents run to lend a hand after his Father has fallen unwell.

Beth and Sam once shared a kiss but with Sam being Eliza's brother, it has never been spoken about since. As events unfold Beth and Sam draw closer, but we are left wondering if Lavender Bay is a place they can both call home when a series of events threatens to push them apart.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading Spring at Lavender Bay and getting to know the familiar faces of the locals that I am sure will pop up in the next books.

Lavender Bay, as with Butterfly Cove offers a warm and welcoming environment and gives a story of love, friendship and an uplifting sense of belonging.

I can't wait for the next instalment!

Author Bio

Sarah Bennett has been reading for as long as she can remember. Raised in a family of

bookworms, her love affair with books of all genres has culminated in the ultimate Happy Ever

After – getting to write her own stories to share with others.

Born and raised in a military family, she is happily married to her own Officer (who is

sometimes even A Gentleman). Home is wherever he lays his hat, and life has taught them both

that the best family is the one you create from friends as well as relatives.

When not reading or writing, Sarah is a devotee of afternoon naps and sailing the high seas, but

only on vessels large enough to accommodate a casino and a choice of restaurants.

Sarah is the author of the Butterfly Cove trilogy, published by HQ Digital UK.

Her new series is set in the beautiful seaside town of Lavender Bay, and will follow the lives of

three best friends - Beth, Eliza and Libby.

Twitter https://twitter.com/Sarahlou_writes

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

Book Links

Amazon UK https://www.amazon.co.uk/Spring-Lavender-Bay-Book-ebook/dp/B075HPQM41/

Amazon Audio Book https://www.amazon.co.uk/Spring-Lavender-Bay-Book/dp/B078Z1Y3LQ/

Kobo https://www.kobo.com/gb/en/ebook/spring-at-lavender-bay-lavender-bay-book-1

iBooks https://geo.itunes.apple.com/gb/book/spring-at-lavender-bay-lavender-bay-book-

1/id1291866254?mt=11

Google Play

https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Sarah_Bennett_Spring_at_Lavender_Bay_Lavender_

Bay?id=jso0DwAAQBAJ

Author Bio

Sarah Bennett has been reading for as long as she can remember. Raised in a family of

bookworms, her love affair with books of all genres has culminated in the ultimate Happy Ever

After – getting to write her own stories to share with others.

Born and raised in a military family, she is happily married to her own Officer (who is

sometimes even A Gentleman). Home is wherever he lays his hat, and life has taught them both

that the best family is the one you create from friends as well as relatives.

When not reading or writing, Sarah is a devotee of afternoon naps and sailing the high seas, but

only on vessels large enough to accommodate a casino and a choice of restaurants.

Sarah is the author of the Butterfly Cove trilogy, published by HQ Digital UK.

Her new series is set in the beautiful seaside town of Lavender Bay, and will follow the lives of

three best friends - Beth, Eliza and Libby.

Twitter https://twitter.com/Sarahlou_writes

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

Book Links

Amazon UK https://www.amazon.co.uk/Spring-Lavender-Bay-Book-ebook/dp/B075HPQM41/

Amazon Audio Book https://www.amazon.co.uk/Spring-Lavender-Bay-Book/dp/B078Z1Y3LQ/

Kobo https://www.kobo.com/gb/en/ebook/spring-at-lavender-bay-lavender-bay-book-1

iBooks https://geo.itunes.apple.com/gb/book/spring-at-lavender-bay-lavender-bay-book-

1/id1291866254?mt=11

Google Play

https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Sarah_Bennett_Spring_at_Lavender_Bay_Lavender_

Bay?id=jso0DwAAQBAJ

Author Bio

Sarah Bennett has been reading for as long as she can remember. Raised in a family of

bookworms, her love affair with books of all genres has culminated in the ultimate Happy Ever

After – getting to write her own stories to share with others.

Born and raised in a military family, she is happily married to her own Officer (who is

sometimes even A Gentleman). Home is wherever he lays his hat, and life has taught them both

that the best family is the one you create from friends as well as relatives.

When not reading or writing, Sarah is a devotee of afternoon naps and sailing the high seas, but

only on vessels large enough to accommodate a casino and a choice of restaurants.

Sarah is the author of the Butterfly Cove trilogy, published by HQ Digital UK.

Her new series is set in the beautiful seaside town of Lavender Bay, and will follow the lives of

three best friends - Beth, Eliza and Libby.

Twitter https://twitter.com/Sarahlou_writes

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

Book Links

Amazon UK https://www.amazon.co.uk/Spring-Lavender-Bay-Book-ebook/dp/B075HPQM41/

Amazon Audio Book https://www.amazon.co.uk/Spring-Lavender-Bay-Book/dp/B078Z1Y3LQ/

Kobo https://www.kobo.com/gb/en/ebook/spring-at-lavender-bay-lavender-bay-book-1

iBooks https://geo.itunes.apple.com/gb/book/spring-at-lavender-bay-lavender-bay-book-

1/id1291866254?mt=11

Google Play

https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Sarah_Bennett_Spring_at_Lavender_Bay_Lavender_

Bay?id=jso0DwAAQBAJ

Author Bio

Sarah Bennett has been reading for as long as she can remember. Raised in a family of bookworms, her love affair with books of all genres has culminated in the ultimate Happy Ever After – getting to write her own stories to share with others.

Born and raised in a military family, she is happily married to her own Officer (who is sometimes even A Gentleman). Home is wherever he lays his hat, and life has taught them both that the best family is the one you create from friends as well as relatives.

When not reading or writing, Sarah is a devotee of afternoon naps and sailing the high seas, but only on vessels large enough to accommodate a casino and a choice of restaurants.

Sarah is the author of the Butterfly Cove trilogy, published by HQ Digital UK.

Her new series is set in the beautiful seaside town of Lavender Bay, and will follow the lives of three best friends - Beth, Eliza and Libby.

Twitter https://twitter.com/Sarahlou_writes

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

Book Links

Amazon UK https://www.amazon.co.uk/Spring-Lavender-Bay-Book-ebook/dp/B075HPQM41/

Amazon Audio Book https://www.amazon.co.uk/Spring-Lavender-Bay-Book/dp/B078Z1Y3LQ/

Kobo https://www.kobo.com/gb/en/ebook/spring-at-lavender-bay-lavender-bay-book-1

iBooks https://geo.itunes.apple.com/gb/book/spring-at-lavender-bay-lavender-bay-book-1/id1291866254?mt=11

Google Play https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Sarah_Bennett_Spring_at_Lavender_Bay_Lavender_Bay?id=jso0DwAAQBAJ  

Spring at Lavender Bay Blog Tour Giveaway

Prize: Kindle Fire 7, Room Diffuser & L'Occitne Hand Cream Set

UK Only

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Blog Tour Review plus Giveaway | Christmas at Butterfly Cove ~ Sarah Bennett

I'm delighted to be sharing my review today as part of the blog tour - please ensure you read to the end and take part in the giveaway!

Christmas at Butterfly Cove

Butterfly Cove, Book 3

Sarah Bennett

HQ Digital

October 2017

Rating 4/5

Kindle

               

When talented artist Nee Sutherland returns to Butterfly Cove for her sister’s wedding, it’s only a matter of time before she has to face her own bridegroom – Luke Spenser – the man she impulsively married, then left in the middle of the night.

Nee hasn’t picked up her paintbrushes in months, a part of her is broken. She knows Luke might never forgive her, leaving him was the biggest mistake of her life – but could coming home for Christmas be the best decision she’s ever made?

Maybe all she needs is a little Christmas miracle…

                

I absolutely loved the first two books in the Butterfly Cove series - Sunrise at Butterfly Cove and Wedding Bells at Butterfly Cove, Click Here to read my reviews - so was eager to get stuck in Christmas at Butterfly Cove, the third and final book.

Primarily this novel focuses on Nee and Luke  - to recap, Nee is the youngest sister to Mia and Kiki and Luke is Aaron's brother, Aaron is best buddies with Daniel

Mia and Kiki are settled in Butterfly Cove with Daniel and Aaron respectively and of course Kiki's two children, Charlie and Matty.

Christmas at Butterfly Cove picks up with Mia and Kiki closing down the guest house and cafe for the winter months, Nee is still with them having arrived in the summer but is at a lost as to what to do with her life... whatever happened to her in New York has resulted in her no longer having the ability to pursue her art career and it certainly wasn't worth her running away from her newly wed husband in the middle of the night.

Luke on the other hand is angry with Nee despite still loving her, and when the girls' mother sadly passes away he turns up to be there for Nee, giving them both hope that they can salvage their marriage.

As Luke hatches a plan to convince Nee they are meant to be together, Christmas draws closer and the gang - along with the familiar and lovable sub characters  from the previous two stories - all return to Mia's home in Butterfly Cove.

Just when you think things are going well for Luke and Nee, something happens to push them apart once again keeping the reader interested as Christmas passes and New Year approaches.

What I love about Sarah's writing is her ability to centre the story around Luke and Nee yet bringing us right up to date with Mia/Daniel and Kiki/Aaron with snippets and small chapter sections of their lives - and boy, is there some news to catch up on.

As before, Charlie and Matty play great roles tugging on your heart strings, and Meddling Madeline is still being her usual caring, loving, but interfering old self which brings some light relief and humour to the book.

I shall be sad not to be returning back to Butterfly Cove - the idyllic location and easy to read style has made this a thoroughly enjoyable trilogy - however I'm already looking forward to Sarah's next book, Spring at Lavender Bay.

           

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Double Review | Butterfly Cove Series ~ Sarah Bennet

Today is my stop on the blog tour for Sarah Bennett's book, Wedding Bells at Butterfly Cove. It was only as I was preparing to read this book that I remembered I hadn't actually read the first in the series, Sunrise at Butterfly Cove.

Having now read both, you could read them as stand alone novels, but me being me - I like to read things in order and so in a mad dash 2 days ago, I switched of all distractions, made a jug of tea, grabbed few snacks and lost myself in this gorgeous idyllic world the author had created.

I therefore and bringing you a double review - what a treat eh!

           

Sunrise at Butterfly Cove

Butterfly Cove, Book 1

HQ Digital

Feb 2017

Rating 5/5

Amazon

Wedding Bells at Butterfly Cove

Butterfly Cove, Book 2

HQ Digital

June 2017

Rating 5/5

Amazon

      

Sunrise at Butterfly Cove

A year of taking chances…

After a nightmare year, Mia Sutherland is hoping for a fresh start! She’s putting the past behind her and pouring all her savings into renovating a crumbling guesthouse in peaceful Butterfly Cove. Nothing will distract her from achieving her dreams!

That is, until her very first guest, Daniel Fitzwilliam arrives – quite possibly, the most gorgeous man she’s ever seen. He’s only here for a week, but already Daniel has turned her world upside-down. And as the tide turns, it’s clear that Butterfly Cove has more than one surprise in store for Mia…

    

I was instantly drawn initally to Sunrise at Butterfly Cove for the gorgeous cover is host - I mean just look at it, it screams peace and quiet and fabulous scenery - and the book didn't fault in that department either.

What I loved about this debut from Sarah Bennett was a brilliant and detailed prologue. We were immediately given some back story to both Daniel and Mia, our main characters to the story, and learnt that Daniel had lost both his parents, his Father passing just before Daniel made a name for himself as a world class photographer and his career launching. Whilst Mia is faced opening the front door to police officers informing her that her beloved husband Jamie had been killed in a road accident on his way home.

We move on then to the bulk of the book and Daniel has decided he needs to get away. His celebrity lifestyle of drink, drugs and a long stream of women - the latest being Giselle - has taken its toll on Fitz - his celeb name - and if he doesn't make the break now, he fears his life will spiral out of the little control he has left. So swiftly packing a bag, he jumps on a train and heads to the West Country.

Daniel has no plan, no direction, but fate is forced upon him when his train reaches the end of the line and he is brought to from his daydream by a kind stranger. Madeline, or Mads as she is known, takes Daniel under her wing, explaining that there is nowhere left to go on the train and that she can give him a lift to a place she knows that he can stay.

I just want to say at this point that I adored Mads and her husband Richard. We learn throughout the story that they were unable to have their own family and have pretty much taken Mia under their wing, supporting her in her grief but they have enough love for Daniel too plus other characters we meet a long the way. Mads is a meddling old bag but with the kindest of hearts whilst Richard just goes with the flow but adores his wife - honestly, these two could have a book of their own written!

Mia has purchased Butterfly House as an escape from the home and life she made with Jamie, but the building is run down and in dyer need of some TLC. Mia is far from impressed with Mads dumping Daniel on her doorstep but agrees to give him a week to sort himself out and in return for his board she gives him a list of chores to help get the house in shape.

Two broken hearts, both characters having their share of emotional outburst should be a recipe for disaster but this only draws them closer and a week turns to two, that in turn moving on to a month.

Daniel quickly realises his feelings for Mia but allows her to guide the time on this new relationship.

When Daniel offers Mia a propersition of converting the barn into studios and work spaces as an artists retreat, she agrees  - allowing him in to her life for the first time as permanent fixture.

Although Sunrise at Butterfly Cove is ultimately a love story, it is warm and romantic and has equal parts of humour and drama. 

We are introduced to Mia's difficult childhood and her sister Kiki plays an important role within one of the sub plots. Things between them, their youngest sister Nee, and their parents are very strained to say the least.

Likewise, Aaron (Daniels best friend) and his younger brother Luke also play important sub roles and altogether Sarah has created a delightful group of characters that you can't help but lose yourself to within their stories.

              

Wedding Bells at Butterfly Cove

When Kiki Jackson’s marriage falls to pieces, there’s only one place that she knows she can escape to – her sister’s little guesthouse in Butterfly Cove.

But she’s worried that turning up on bride-to-be Mia’s doorstep, especially with her two adorable children in tow, will spoil her sister’s imminent wedding plans!

Luckily, handsome neighbour Aaron Spenser offers to share his new cottage with Kiki until she’s back on her feet. And as the wedding draws closer, Kiki realises that Butterfly Cove may be offering her little family more than just a new home…

Maybe this is where her new life begins…?

             

Wedding Bells at Butterfly Cove is just as wonderful to read as Sunrise at Butterfly Cove was and I actually quite enjoyed reading them back to back - I'm sad that Christmas at Butterfly Cove isn't out yet as I would be diving straight into that once I'd finished typing!!

Wedding Bells at Butterfly Cove still heavily features Daniel and Mia, the end of the last book was met with a proposal and now the barn conversion is almost complete and ready for their first bunch of guest to arrive.

Mia deep in thought thinks that along with the guest house and retreat, they could also offer bespoke wedding packages now that Mads and Richard have done wonders with the gardens. 

Although they would need to trail this first!

And so, the common theme of this section in the story is the build up to
Mia and Daniel getting hitched, there is so much more to enjoy reading along side.

Kiki is in a troubled relationship and when her husband Neil gets a 3 month work placement in Greece, she uses this oportunity to pack up her belongings and escape her unhappy life.

With two children in tow - six year old Matty who is very aware Daddy calls Kiki stupid and that she cries a lot, and his younger sister Charlie - the only place she feels she can escape to is Butterfly Cove.

When Neil is out of the way, Kiki rings and is met by Daniel's friend Aaron answering the phone, not knowing who is was he lets slip that the guest house is full. When Kiki breaks down and explains everything, Aaron offers her and the two children his cottage as a sacturary. Aaron has seen how wonderful the life in Butterfly Cove has treated Daniel that he waants some for himself and found, by chance, a gorgeous chocolate box cottage, but with four bedrooms, he was rattling around and with things in his life also being far from perfect, he welcomed the distractions.

As with Daniel and Mia, Mads knows best and can see that even though Kiki and Aaron are having troubled times, they are perfectly right for each other and during some alone time Kiki takes the chance to kiss Aaron and grabs it with both hands.

Something Luke, Aaron's younger half brother, recently said to him has stuck in his mind though and despite his feelings, he puts the breaks on any relationship before it gets going.

With Mia and Daniel's wedding looming, and Kiki having to return home to sort our her divorce and custody of Matty and Charlie, Aaron does some soul searching and reaches out to Luke's mum. his step mother, to find out why she's hated him for so long. Opening up makes him realise that life is too short and during his best man speech and the wedding, he has more to say than just the usual banter you normally hear.

I loved reading more about Kiki and Aaron and their back stories and they tied in nicely with the current plot and to the main characters Mia and Daniel. Aaron's relationship with Matty and Charlie was heart warming and there were often scenes where I found my eyes had misted over whilst reading - I am a sucker for sentimental moments!

What I didn't embark on in Wedding Bells at Butterfly Cove though, was the little snippets Sarah gave us into Luke's life. 

I don't want to say to much but we discover when he is talking to Aaron that he fell in love at first sight but she upped and left without a word and broke is heart.

When the wedding day arrives so does the girl's youngest sister Nee, who had been living it up in New York - but at the station she comes face to face to Luke and he introduces her to Aaron as his wife... WHAT?!! 

Things are tense but they decide the wedding should go ahead and its left me seriously hoping that Christmas at Butterfly Cove see's Luke and Nee get their happy ever after just as Daniel found with Mia and Kiki, Matty and Charlie have found with Aaron.

Plus I can't wait to see what the meddling old bag Mads is up to next !!