Month: Nov 2018

Posted in Adult Fiction

The Girl in the Corner by Amanda Prowse

Posted on by LovetheSmellofaBook

Amanda Prowse has a style of writing that brings her characters to life. She builds them up in such a manner they feel like your family/friends and in turn you feel their emotions.

The Girl in the Corner is a lovely story of love, loss and trust and how rediscovery is possible at any stage in life. This book contains an important message about ensuring you are living the life you want to live and are happy and creating lasting memories to look back.

What a lovely story, I loved Rae Valentine and would love to see her and her red backpack in a other story as she reminded me of the lovely Poppy Day.

 

Book Blurb

Rae-Valentine and Howard were childhood sweethearts. They’ve shared twenty-five peaceful years since they were brought together by Dolly, Howard’s larger-than-life sister. But now, on the night of their wedding anniversary, Howard reveals a shocking betrayal that leaves Rae reeling.

Heartbroken, she takes Dolly on her would-be anniversary trip to Antigua and the two women drink and dance and talk like they haven’t in years. But in the break from real life, Rae realises her choices have always been made for her, and suddenly she’s questioning not only her fragile marriage but also her one-sided friendships. Is she really the pushover everyone else sees?

When Howard comes looking for reconciliation, Rae has a choice to make: keep the peace, as she always has, or put herself first for once and find out who she really is.

About the Author

Amanda Prowse likens her own life story to those she writes about in her books. After self-publishing her debut novel, Poppy Day, in 2011, she has gone on to author twenty novels and six novellas. Her books have been translated into a dozen languages and she regularly tops bestseller charts all over the world. Remaining true to her ethos, Amanda writes stories of ordinary women and their families who find their strength, courage and love tested in ways they never imagined. The most prolific female contemporary-fiction writer in the UK, with a legion of loyal readers, she goes from strength to strength. Being crowned ‘queen of domestic drama’ by the Daily Mail was one of her finest moments. Amanda is a regular contributor on TV and radio but her first love is, and will always be, writing.

You can find her online www.amandaprowse.com

Twitter @MrsAmandaProwse

Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/amandaprowsenogreaterlove


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Due for release on 11th December 2018
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Posted in Adult Fiction, Chick Lit

Five Ladies Go Skiing by Karen Aldous

Posted on by LovetheSmellofaBook

This was a cherry pop for me as I haven’t read anything by Karen Aldous. In the early part of this book you get to know the five friends, you are given an insight into their current relationships and tensions as well as introducing the reasoning behind why they are all meeting up for this momentous post Christmas break.

During this story I laughed and I cried, it oozes friendship and understanding and makes you consider how you would feel in the shoes of all of these lovely women. I found this a really touching story and could feel the emotional highs and lows of these ladies as the story unfolded and found myself wanting to keep turning the pages to see how it would all end for the five ladies.

Book Blurb

Five ladies, one unforgettable trip…

Escape to gorgeous Switzerland this winter with the brand new, uplifting read from Karen Aldous.

When Ginny Watts’ husband passes away, she is left grief-stricken, not only over her husband’s death but the secrets he has left behind…

Luckily for Ginny, she has four wonderful friends – Lou, Cathy, Angie and Kim – poised to whisk her away on a ladies’ skiing holiday to beautiful La Tzoumaz, Switzerland.

While all of them appear to have their lives together from the outside, little do the ladies know that every single one of them is fighting a secret battle.

As the trip unfolds, they realise that fears of tumbling down the slopes after too much après-ski fun is the least of their worries and all is not what it seems…

About the Author

Karen Aldous enjoys village life on the edge of the north-downs in Kent with easy access to the buzz of London. Not only does she love the passive pleasures of reading and writing but craves the more active pursuits, walking, cycling and skiing especially when they involve family, friends, food, and…wine!

Much of Karen’s inspiration comes from her travels. The UK, France, Switzerland and USA are just some you’ll be transported to in her books, but wherever she goes, new characters invite themselves into ‘Karen’s World’ screaming at her to tell their stories; strong independent women who are capable of directing their own lives – but struggle to control them…especially when temptation strikes!

As a member of the Romantic Novelists’ Association and The Write Place, Karen feels she owes so much of her success to the love and support of her fellow writers

You can follow Karen on Twitter at: @KarenAldous_

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Available to purchase on Amazon 

Posted in Adult Fiction, Chick Lit, Seasonal

Festive Friday – Snowflakes at Lavender Bay (Lavender Bay #3) by Sarah Bennett

Posted on by LovetheSmellofaBook

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Welcome back to snowy Lavender Bay for the third book in this series, this is another brilliant instalment which can be read as part of the series or as a stand alone book and will leave you feeling warm and fuzzy.

Libby adores her home town it is all she has ever known and she loves working alongside her Dad. Libby is a quirky character who you instantly take a shine too, a girl after my own heart. This story focuses on Libby and the mystery surrounding the arrival of Owen and how he upsets the equilibrium in her life.

I really enjoyed this seaside read set during the winter months in Lavender Bay, I loved losing myself in this story alongside these loveable characters. A perfect read to snuggle down with these upcoming winter evenings and get swept along in their whirlwind.

Book Blurb

The most wonderful time of the year…

Libby Stone has lived in Lavender Bay all her life. She loves the little seaside town and has big dreams to turn her father’s greasy old chippy into a dainty teashop – not that she’s told him yet!

Finding love isn’t easy amongst the cluster of coastal houses, but it’s not every day that someone quite as handsome and mysterious as Owen Coburn walks into the local pub.

And as the snowflakes begin to swirl on the promenade, Libby realises she’s falling for him. But Owen has been keeping a secret that could destroy everything…

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Posted in 5*, Adult Fiction

The Book of Love by Fionnuala Kearney – an exceptional 5* read

Posted on by LovetheSmellofaBook

The Book of Love is a beautifully written story about a note book that is gifted to Erin and Dom as a wedding present by Erin’s father. The idea behind the gift is so that Dom & Erin can write down anything that is difficult to talk about to ensure that they maintain a healthy relationship.

A truly beautiful story about love that lasts a life time, soul destroying loss and having the courage to overcome your demons. I sat and read this book in one sitting as once I had started reading I couldn’t put it down. This story will break your heart and then put it back together only to break it all over again, make sure you have tissues to hand as they will be required whilst reading this wonderful book.

The Book of Love is a haunting story that will stay with me, it was beautifully written and is a must read to anyone who enjoys an emotional read.

Book Blurb

One love. Two people. Twenty Years.

From the moment they met, Erin and Dom loved each other too much, too quickly. Everyone said it wouldn’t last. But they knew differently.

A wedding present, a notebook, brings them together through the good times and the bad. On the blank pages of their love story, they write down everything they can’t always say – the secrets, the heartbreak, the highs and lows. It’s where they see the best and worst of each other.

Falling in love is easy but staying in love is where the story begins…

This is the Book of Love

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Available to purchase on Amazon

 

 

 

 

Posted in Adult Fiction, Chick Lit, Seasonal

It Started with Christmas by Jenny Hale

Posted on by LovetheSmellofaBook

Over the weekend I curled up with another lovely festive read to help get me in the mood for Christmas. This year I am loving the brilliant selection of festive reads that are being released and It Started with Christmas is a lovely addition to this line up.

This brilliant festive read is highlighting the importance of family and is a lovely family based festive read. Holly is a force of a nature who is totally invested in providing a wonderful Christmas for her dear Nana to help lift her spirits after the loss of her Papa.

Set in the beautiful snowy outskirts of Nashville in Holly’s family cabin, from the first few pages where Holly was strapping their Christmas tree to the roof of her car to move it to the cabin I knew I was going to love her character in this story.

A story that will make you laugh, full of community love, wonderful characters and lots of lovely family Christmas traditions.

Book Blurb

A beautiful, feel-good Christmas story. You’ll laugh, cry, and fall in love with this wonderfully warm and MAGICAL festive romance…

Holly McAdams loves spending the Christmas holidays at her family’s cozy cabin, with its little red door and twinkling lights, tucked in the snowy hills outside Nashville. But this year will be different. Someone unexpected is joining them…

After Holly and her beloved Nana struggle through a snow storm to reach the cabin, they discover gorgeous and wealthy Joseph Barnes, who has been renting the cabin for the last few weeks, is now snowed in. And it looks like he’ll be staying for the holidays.

Determined to make the best of the surprise situation, Holly tries to bring everyone together by baking delicious treats and decorating the cabin with plenty of festive sparkle. She finds herself growing close to handsome Joseph, who is unlike anyone she’s ever met before, even if Nana isn’t so keen on the dashing stranger with the mysterious past.

But charming and irresistible musician Rhett Burton is also back in town. Thrown into close proximity with the person who used to be her best friend and the man who broke her heart, Holly realizes it’s time to face her feelings and figure out what she really wants from her life. But to complicate things, both Joseph and Rhett have secrets to reveal…

Will Holly be able to find herself and the love she’s always dreamed of this Christmas?

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Available to purchase on Amazon 

Posted in 5*, Adult Fiction, Debut Book, Historical Fiction

The Foyles Bookshop Girls by Elaine Roberts (The Foyles Girls Book 1)

Posted on by LovetheSmellofaBook

In this story you get to know the girls and their families as World War I commences. I loved the girls in this book and how the story gave you an insight into events leading up to this story.

This story drew you in so that you felt part of the family and gave you the need to know what happened next with so much at stake for all of the families involved as their boys go off to war.

A brilliant historical fiction read based around the hardworking girls at Foyles Bookshop, this offers a heart wrenching insight into how hard life was for the women left at home and how emotions ran high as war continued. A highly recommended read that will pull at your heart strings.

Book Blurb

London, 1914: one ordinary day, three girls arrive for work at London’s renowned Foyles bookshop. But when war with Germany is declared their lives will never be the same again…

Alice has always been the ‘sensible’ one in her family – especially in comparison with her suffrage-supporting sister! But decidedly against her father’s wishes, she accepts a job at Foyles Bookshop; and for bookworm Alice it’s a dream come true.

But with the country at war, Alice’s happy world is shattered in an instant. Determined to do what she can, Alice works in the bookshop by day, and risks her own life driving an ambulance around bomb-ravaged London by night. But however busy she keeps herself, she can’t help but think of the constant danger those she loves are facing on the frontline…

Alice, Victoria and Molly couldn’t be more different and yet they share a friendship that stems back to their childhood – a friendship that provides everyday solace from the tribulations and heartbreak of war.

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Available to purchase on Amazon

 

Posted in 5*, Adult Fiction, Historical Fiction

The Foyles Bookshop Girls at War by Elaine Roberts (The Foyles Girls Book 2)

Posted on by LovetheSmellofaBook

I absolutely loved the first book in this series and did a happy dance when I saw there were going to be further books. This story gives us the chance to get to know Molly the headstrong member of the trio of girls and her family.

With the war continuing to rage around them Molly feels that she needs to do more for the war efforts and against the advice of Alice and Victoria this book see’s her leaving the safety of The Foyles Bookshop and swapping it for overalls in the munitions factory.

This was a brilliant addition to this lovely heartwarming series, a story of how friendships and events that happened during wartime tied families and friends even closer together and a demonstration of how communities pulled together to help eachother with the constant threat of loss hanging over everyones heads.

I became so lost in this story that I was disappointed that I had reached the end and I can’t wait to be able to revisit the lovely girls at Foyles Bookshop in the third and final book of the series.

Book Blurb

Alice, Victoria and Molly couldn’t be more different and yet they share a friendship that stems back to their childhood – a friendship that provides everyday solace from the tribulations and heartbreak of war. Perfect for fans of Elaine Everest, Daisy Styles and Rosie Hendry.

With their loved ones fighting on the front line the Foyles girls face the trials and tribulations of living in London during the war – yet they hold on to hope that a happy-ever-after isn’t only to be found in the pages of their beloved books…

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Available to purchase on Amazon

Posted in 5*, Adult Fiction, Chick Lit, Debut Book, Historical Fiction, Monthly Round Up, Seasonal

My October Reading Round Up

Posted on by LovetheSmellofaBook

Over the past month I have read 16 books and in this pile there are some truly memorable books that will stay with me for a long time. The quality of the new releases recently has been amazing and there are some brilliant upcoming books due to be released including a few fantastic reads by debut authors!

Festive Reads

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I absolutely love Christmas and there are some brilliant festive reads in the pile that I have read over the past month that will definitely get you in the mood for Christmas and leave you wanting to put your decorations up and explore the festive drinks menu at your local coffee shop.

Below I have included the Christmas reads I have read in October and an extract from their reviews.

A Gift from the Comfort Food Cafe by Debbie Johnson – A fantastic addition to the Comfort Food Cafe series, I have loved snuggling down to read the story of Katie and Saul and I hope that there will be more books set in the lovely idyllic village of Budbury at the Comfort Food Cafe.

The Snowman by Michael Morpurgo – This is a beautiful story that is wonderfully interwoven with the original to ensure that the story of The Snowman released 40 years ago has not been lost. It is the perfect story to curl up with your younger children and read whilst snuggling with a Hot Chocolate and a lovely way for older children to experience the magic of Christmas.

A Miracle on Hope Street by Emma Heatherington – A Miracle on Hope Street is a beautiful story about loss, love and finding a reason to hope again. It is a story full of characters from all walks of life who have loved and lost and through being united are finding reasons to hope again.

No One Cancels Christmas by Zara Stoneley – A lovely warm fuzzy read that wraps you in a hug, Will and Sarah are characters you can empathise with and the story that pulls you in, so you keep turning the pages to find out what happens. A highly recommended read that will get you in the mood for Christmas and have you wishing for snow so you can make a snowman and snow angels.

 

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My October 5* Reads

Below I have included the 5* reads I have read in October and an extract from their reviews.

Betsy & Lilibet by Sophie Duffy – I found this story captivating and I quickly became connected to Betsy and wanted to keep reading. She was a strong female in a time where women had no choice but to be strong, these characteristics remained long after the war and paved her way through life.

The Five People You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom – The Five People you Meet in Heaven is a beautiful story that guides you through Eddie’s journey to Heaven and the five people who played a key part in his life along the way.

Will You Remember Me by Amanda Prowse – A story that takes you on the guaranteed rollercoaster of emotions that accompany any book Amanda Prowse writes. It explores relationships, family bonds, friendship and loss and leaves you feeling bereft and that you’ve lost a member of your family.

 

Debut Books

I have had the delight recently of reading a few debut novels that are due to be released!

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How to Bake a New Beginning by Lucy Knott – released in September published by HQ Digital

The cover of this book caught my eye and I am so pleased I picked it up. A brilliant story that I absolutely loved and has made me want to nibble on Italian treats. The characters are memorable and it was set in a beautiful location, the perfect book to curl up with on a chilly evening. I look forward to seeing what Lucy Knott releases next definitely an author to look out for!

 

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The Hopes and Dreams of Lucy Baker by Jenni Keer – due to be released in January published by Avon Books

I loved this book it is the perfect feel good read with a touch of magic and mystery thrown in. I felt like the characters were my neighbours and I wanted to keep reading to see what happens to Lucy next and whether she finally starts to believe in herself. This is a heart warming debut novel and I look forward to seeing what gems Jenni Keer has in store for us in the future.

 

If you wish to read the full reviews for any of the above books please visit http://www.lovethesmellofabook.com.

All of the above books are available to purchase or pre order at most major book retailers or available on kindle from Amazon 

 

 

 

Posted in 5*, Adult Fiction, Guest Reviews

Don’t You Cry by Cass Green

Posted on by LovetheSmellofaBook

I love it when a friend loves a book so much that they text you at 1am to tell you that you must read it… well this is one of those books so I am going to share their review of Don’t You Cry by Cass Green.

Wow what a story!  I loved this book!

The minute I delved into this book I felt that I quickly knew the characters and their story. This book had ups and downs throughout for the characters and I went on their journey with them. I was routing for one character and then another, it was great and kept me turning the pages.

Overall a fantastic book, I loved the ending and it was written so well, a true 5 star for me and I totally recommend this exceptional book.

Book Blurb

One stolen baby. Two desperate strangers. One night of terror.

The USA Today and Sunday Times top ten bestselling author returns with a dark and twisty psychological thriller.

She saved your life.
When Nina almost dies during a disastrous blind date, her life is saved by a waitress called Angel. But later that evening, Nina is surprised by a knock on the door. It’s Angel – and she’s pointing a gun at her.

Now she’ll make you pay.
Minutes later, Angel’s younger brother Lucas turns up, covered in blood shielding a stolen newborn baby in his arms. Nina is about to endure the longest night of her life – a night that will be filled with terror and lead her to take risks she would never have believed herself capable of…

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Don’t You Cry by Cass Green available to buy on Amazon

 

Posted in Adult Fiction, Chick Lit, Seasonal

Today is publication day for the brilliant The Christmas Sisters by Sarah Morgan

Posted on by LovetheSmellofaBook

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I love Sarah Morgan and every year I love that Sarah Morgan releases a new Christmas book and this story did not disappoint.

The McBride sisters all knew tragedy at a young age and it has haunted them in the background ever since they were small children. During this story you see them all arrive back home to the Scottish Highlands for Christmas but each of them has their own issues that they are trying to deal with. A lovely story about three sisters uniting, rediscovering and uniting as a family once again.

This book is the perfect story to snuggle down with under a nice warm blanket, with a hot chocolate on a winters evening in December and get lost in the highs and lows of the McBride family.

Book Blurb
In the snowy Highlands of Scotland, Suzanne McBride is dreaming of the perfect cozy Christmas. Her three adopted daughters are coming home for the holidays and she can’t wait to see them. But tensions are running high…

Workaholic Hannah knows she can’t avoid spending the holidays with her family two years in a row. But it’s not the weight of their expectations that’s panicking her—it’s the life-changing secret she’s hiding. Stay-at-home mom Beth is having a personal crisis. All she wants for Christmas is time to decide if she’s ready to return to work—seeing everyone was supposed to help her stress levels, not increase them! Posy isn’t sure she’s living her best life, but with her parents depending on her, making a change seems risky. But not as risky as falling for gorgeous new neighbor Luke…

As Suzanne’s dreams of the perfect McBride Christmas unravel, she must rely on the magic of the season to bring her daughters together. But will this new togetherness teach the sisters that their close-knit bond is strong enough to withstand anything—including a family Christmas?

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Christmas-Sisters-Sa…/…/ref=sr_1_1…