Month: Jun 2021

Posted in Adult Fiction, Blog Tour, Historical Fiction

Today I am taking you back in time with my review for Dark Days for the Tobacco Girls by Lizzie Lane

Posted on by LovetheSmellofaBook

My Review

I love historical fiction and was very happy to be able to go back and visit the Tobacco Girls in Bristol as they learn to adapt to life during the ongoing war. In this story we spend more time with the trio that picks up straight after the last story.

Phyllis she has just gotten married to Robert and moved in to live with her inlaws. We experience her highs and lows as she realises that living with her mother in law is even harder than she ever anticipated and how she is being cut off from her own family and friends.

The friendship between these girls is growing all the time and you can see how important it is to all of them as they start to feel the pressures of war and bombs start to come down in Bristol. We get to revisit existing characters and spend more time with them as well as meeting new characters that play vital roles as Bridget finds that she now has 2 men vying for her attention despite previously stating she never wants to get married.

I look forward to the next book in this saga as war continues to ravage Europe and they continue to all suffer the consequences.

Book Blurb

Nothing will stop the The Tobacco Girls, not even war…


BRISTOL 1940.

The Tobacco Girls cling together as they realise that the clouds of war are turning dark, the world is becoming more dangerous and their lives more unpredictable. 

Bridget Milligan’s big, happy family fragments when her siblings are evacuated to North Devon, then a letter from America further fills her with dismay.

Maisie Miles safe haven from both Eddie Bridgeman and her father is jeopardised and she is forced to move on, but where too this time? 

Phyllis Mason is struck down by tragedy and her life spirals downwards into despair until a new horizons beckons, but also perhaps great danger…

Regardless of the rationing, shortages and an ever-worsening situation, The Tobacco Girls all pull together and hope for better days to come.

Available to purchase here

Meet the Author

Lizzie Lane is the author of over 50 books, a number of which have been bestsellers.  She was born and bred in Bristol where many of her family worked in the cigarette and cigar factories.  This has inspired her new saga series for Boldwood The Tobacco Girls, the first part of which will be published in January 2021.

Social Media Links

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/baywriterallat1

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/baywriterallatsea/

Newsletter Sign Up Link: http://bit.ly/LizzieLaneNewsletter

Bookbub profile: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/lizzie-lane


Many Thanks to Rachel’s Random Resources for the invitation to join the blog tour. Please remember to like and share to help spread the book love

Thanks for visiting Love the Smell of a Book today and I hope you have a great day!

Daisy & Kel x


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Posted in Adult Fiction, Blog Tour, Chick Lit, Contemporary Fiction

Today is my turn to jump on the blog tour for the wonderful – The Moment I Met You by Debbie Johnson

Posted on by LovetheSmellofaBook

My Review

Wow what an emotional rollercoaster of a story, which consists of many layers all loaded with many emotions to process as you read. This group of people are thrown together through tragedy and through this they find unexpected friendships and live lives they never anticipated.

A story that will stay with me for a long time, I found it raw in places and the descriptions were so vivid the words jumped off of the page and created a vivid illustration to the disasters unfolding around them and the many sunsets they watched from the hospital balcony. The research into this story is evident with the detail provided and the weight of the emotion it carries.

Once you pick this up you will want to keep reading as you are immersed in the tragedy and the aftermath of destruction it leaves behind. Elena was a character who I loved, she was kind and compassionate and always thought of everyone else’s needs ahead of her own which is both heartbreaking and admirable as they all lost something on that unfortunate day in Mexico.

A wonderful story that I recommend you clear a day to read as I didn’t want to put it down once I had started.

Book Blurb

It only takes a second…

For life to change forever.

Elena Godwin could never have known that her dream holiday to Mexico would change her life forever. She thought that she was in charge of her own destiny. But on a gorgeous summer evening, her whole world is ripped from her feet in a single moment.

Ten years later, she still can’t forget the face of the stranger who held her whilst everything she knew was destroyed. Thrown back together again, Elena starts to uncover the truth around that fateful night – and questions whether she made the right decision all those years ago.

She only met him for a moment, but maybe it’s not too late…

Available to purchase here

Meet the Author

Debbie Johnson is an award-winning author who lives and works in Liverpool, where she divides her time between writing, caring for a small tribe of children and animals, and not doing the housework.

She writes feel-good emotional women’s fiction, and has sold more than 1,000,000 books worldwide. She is published globally in nine different languages, and has had two books optioned for film and TV.

Her books include the best-selling Comfort Food Cafe series,The A-Z of Everything, and the upcoming Maybe One Day.

She is also the author of supernatural crime thriller, Fear No Evil, and urban fantasies Dark Vision and Dark Touch.

You can find out more at http://www.debbiejohnsonauthor.com, http://www.facebook.com/debbiejohnsonauthor or twitter.com/debbiemjohnson

Many thanks for the invitation to read and review your latest release.

Massive thanks to everyone who has stopped by to visit my blog, please remember to like and share to help spread the book love far and wide!

Have a great day

Daisy, Jacks & Kel x

Posted in Adult Fiction, Blog Tour, Chick Lit

Kicking off my weekend with my review for Sunlight over Crystal Sands by Holly Martin

Posted on by LovetheSmellofaBook

My Review

I love it when I get the little notification that Holly is releasing a new book as there is always some guaranteed escapism amongst its pages and this book had it in buckets.

In this story we are back in The Sapphire Bay Hotel where we have previously met the wonderful sisters and we are introduced to some new additions to the team in Nix and Lyra. From the moment Lyra free wheeled her trusted Daisy down the hill I just knew I would love this book. Filled with moments to make you giggle, as well as reflections on how upbringing has affected the way Lyra is now living her life. I quickly fell in love with Lyra and Nix and couldn’t wait to see where the treasure hunt would take us.

As part of this adventure we also got to explore other parts of the island and the surrounding smaller islands including how the caves were used by smugglers, it was lovely to explore new areas and get more of a back story of this beautiful island.

I am already hoping we get to revisit these characters in the near future as I really enjoyed this story and will miss the new characters that have joined the fold.

Book Blurb

Love is in the air on the sun kissed sands of the Cornish coast, where the sea sparkles and romance sizzles on golden beaches. This stunning new novel by Holly Martin, bestselling author of Ice Creams at Emerald Cove, is guaranteed to steal your heart this summer.

Lyra Thomas has dreamed of living on Jewel Island ever since she first visited its breathtaking shores. And now her dream has come true – she has her own little cottage and a brand new job. But when Lyra sets out for a bike ride to explore her new home, a mishap has her crash-landing at the feet of the very handsome Nix Sanchez.

A true gentleman, Nix comes to Lyra’s rescue. His face is so familiar and yet they are strangers. But the more they talk, Lyra feels as though she has known Nix forever. What follows is the most magical night of Lyra’s life… until the spell is broken when the next morning she finds Nix has gone.

Feeling foolish Lyra vows to be more careful with her heart from now on. She’ll pretend Nix never existed. But destiny has other ideas and in a perfect twist of fate Lyra will discover that Nix Sanchez is impossible to forget…

Available to purchase here

Meet the Author

Holly lives in a little white cottage by the sea. She studied media at university which led to a very glitzy career as a hotel receptionist followed by a even more glamorous two years working in a bank. The moment that one of her colleagues received the much coveted carriage clock for fifteen years’ service was the moment when she knew she had to escape. She quit her job and returned to university to train to be a teacher. Three years later, she emerged wide eyed and terrified that she now had responsibility for the development of thirty young minds. She taught for four years and then escaped the classroom to teach history workshops, dressing up as a Viking one day and an Egyptian High Priestess the next. But the long journeys around the UK and many hours sat on the M25 gave her a lot of time to plan out her stories and she now writes full time, doing what she loves.

Holly has been writing for 8 years. She was shortlisted for the New Talent Award at the Festival of Romance. Her short story won the Sunlounger competition and was published in the Sunlounger anthology. She won the Carina Valentine’s competition at the Festival of Romance with her novel The Guestbook. She was shortlisted for Best Romantic Read, Best eBook and Innovation in Romantic Fiction at the Festival of Romance. She is the bestselling author of 26 books selling over a million books worldwide. Holly’s books have been translated into French, German, Italian, Dutch, Bulgarian, Estonian, Turkish and Russian.

Follow her on Twitter @HollyMAuthor

Many thanks for the invitation to read and review your latest release.

Massive thanks to everyone who has stopped by to visit my blog, please remember to like and share to help spread the book love far and wide!

Have a great day

Daisy, Jacks & Kel x

Posted in 5*, Adult Fiction, Blog Tour, Chick Lit

I am so excited to share my review for the superb 5* read – The Love Island Bookshop by Kate Frost

Posted on by LovetheSmellofaBook

My Review

OMG what a book, I love this author and her wonderful stories. In this book we venture to the stunning location of the Maldives and are surrounded by 5* luxury.

As soon as I had read the first few pages I knew I would love this book, sun, sea, sand and soooo many books, it was a dream read and will make a wonderful sun lounger companion. I read this book in 24 hours as once I had met Freya I just wanted to see where her 9 month adventure took her.

A story brimming with vivid descriptions that make the locations and experiences jump off of the page, the bookshop was gorgeous and set in such a wonderful location, it all felt so real that I wanted to pack my bags and go and visit.

Whilst getting to know Freya you will visit heartbreak, you will learn about her deep rooted love of books and why Zander has created the bookshop and you will discover friendship. A story with a touch of romance that screams escapism and where the words and descriptions just leap from the page and take you on a wonderful journey!

I only recently discovered this author but now I want to read her previous books in the romantic escape collection as both books so far have been massive 5* and I have been disappointed to reach the end. Make sure you grab a copy as you won’t be disappointed!

Book Blurb

A dream job, two handsome men, one destructive act. Will Freya’s opportunity of a lifetime end in tears? 

When Freya leaves her publishing job in London to be a barefoot bookseller in the Maldives, it’s the push she needs to move on from her sadness and reignite her passion for life.

While resort owner Zander is charming, it’s handsome dive instructor Aaron who befriends her when she needs it most. But all is not what it seems and there’s trouble brewing in paradise.

Taking a chance on happiness is harder than she imagined. Can Freya let go of her heartache and allow herself to fall in love again? 

Available to purchase here

Meet the Author

Kate Frost is the author of best-selling romantic escape novels (The Baobab Beach Retreat, A Starlit Summer, The Greek Heart and The Amsterdam Affair), character-driven women’s fiction (The Butterfly Storm series and Beneath the Apple Blossom), and Time Shifters, a time travel adventure trilogy for children. She has a MA in Creative Writing from Bath Spa University, where she also taught lifewriting to creative writing undergraduates.

Kate lives in Bristol with her husband, young son, and their Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Frodo. As well as writing novels, she’s also the Director of Storytale Festival, a new city-wide children’s book festival that she co-founded in Bristol in 2019 with the ethos of making books accessible to all and encouraging children and teens to read, write and be creative. Kate feels incredibly lucky to spend her days writing and being immersed in books.

Social Media Links

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

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/katefrostauthor/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/katefrostauthor

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVhcSLhVZrTwDq9OteyFmHA

Website: http://kate-frost.co.uk/

Many Thanks to Rachel’s Random Resources for the invitation to join the blog tour. Please remember to like and share to help spread the book love

Thanks for visiting Love the Smell of a Book today and I hope you have a great day!

Daisy & Kel x

Posted in Adult Fiction, Blog Tour, Contemporary Fiction

Today I am really excited to share my review for the latest release by one of my favourite authors – Waiting to Begin by Amanda Prowse

Posted on by LovetheSmellofaBook

My Review

In Amanda Prowse’s newest release meet Bess on her 16th birthday and share her joy of turning 16 followed by a day that shaped her life forever in a way she never saw coming.

Throughout this story we jump between 1984 and 2021 as we piece together what happened on that day that should have been such a happy occasion filled with wonderful memories. As we travel between her birthday both then and now, we start to see how this day is causing her future self to unravel and the ramifications for both herself and her family.

A story full of love, shame and pain as we learn what happened 37 years ago and how this has since shaped the life and decisions that Bess has made. Once again we are taken on an emotional rollercoaster as we get to know Bess’ nearest and dearest and see how secrets from the past finally come to a head and how the love and support of family can help Bess to move forward without the feelings of shame and guilt.

A wonderful story with a superb ending that left me with my heart in my mouth, I love reading books by Amanda and this was an absolute pleasure to curl up and devour.

Book Blurb

From the bestselling author of The Girl in the Corner comes a story that asks: what would you risk for a shot at happiness?

1984. Bessie is a confident sixteen-year-old girl with the world at her feet, dreaming of what life will bring and what she’ll bring to this life. Then everything comes crashing down. Her bright and trusting smile is lost, banished by shame—and a secret she’ll carry with her for the rest of her life.

2021. The last thirty-seven years have not been easy for Bess. At fifty-three she is visibly weary, and her marriage to Mario is in tatters. Watching her son in newlywed bliss—the hope, the trust, the joy—Bess knows it is time to face her own demons, and try to save her relationship. But she’ll have to throw off the burden of shame if she is to honour that sixteen-year-old girl whose dreams lie frozen in time.

Can Bess face her past, finally come clean to Mario, and claim the love she has longed to fully experience all these years?

Available to purchase here

Meet the Author

Amanda Prowse is an International Bestselling author whose twenty seven novels and seven novellas have been published in dozens of languages around the world. Published by Lake Union, Amanda is the most prolific writer of bestselling contemporary fiction in the UK today; her titles also consistently score the highest online review approval ratings across several genres. Her books, including the chart topping No.1 titles ‘What Have I Done?’, ‘Perfect Daughter’, ‘My Husband’s Wife’, ‘The Girl in the Corner’, ‘The Things I Know’ and ‘The Day She Came Back’ have sold millions of copies across the globe.

A popular TV and radio personality, Amanda is a regular panellist on Channel 5’s ‘The Jeremy Vine Show’ and numerous daytime ITV programmes. She also makes countless guest appearances on BBC national independent Radio stations including LBC and Talk FM, where she is well known for her insightful observations and her infectious humour. Described by the Daily Mail as ‘The queen of family drama’ Amanda’s novel, ‘A Mother’s Story’ won the coveted Sainsbury’s eBook of the year Award while ‘Perfect Daughter’ was selected as a World Book Night title in 2016.

Amanda’s ambition is to create stories that keep people from turning the bedside lamp off at night, great characters that ensure you take every step with them and tales that fill your head so you can’t possibly read another book until the memory fades…

Many Thanks to Rachel’s Random Resources for the invitation to join the blog tour. Please remember to like and share to help spread the book love

Thanks for visiting Love the Smell of a Book today and I hope you have a great day!

Daisy & Kel x

Posted in Adult Fiction, Blog Tour, Chick Lit, Contemporary Fiction

What better way to kick off a Sunny Sunday that with a review for One Summer Sunrise by Shari Low

Posted on by LovetheSmellofaBook

My Review

One Summer Sunrise is written predominately within a 24 hour time period as we meet Maisie McTeer who steps in at the last minute to help her best friend cater an event as she has gone into labour. This sets off a chain reaction of events that Maisie or anyone else in this story ever saw coming.

We get to meet Maisie early on as she peels her eyes open from a hangover and realises the event she is helping to cater for is being held at the very location her ex jilted her on her wedding day just months before. We also get to meet the lovely Harriet who after a fall and broken hip is getting ready to leave the hospital, however Harriet hasn’t told anyone how alone she is and how she can’t face returning home to continue her lonely existence.

As you read this story which is full of highs and lows your heart soars and then falters as you follow the emotional story of all the people caught within its pages. Everyone in this story is experiencing a range of emotions that all interlinked and create unexpected new relationships and discoveries for both Maisie & Harriet.

I loved this book and flew through the pages as loved the short time line for the majority of the story and how it all tied together to create a wonderful discovery. An author whose books I love, took me on another wonderful journey that I did not want to end.

Book Blurb

As the sun rises on a hot summer’s day, four lives are about to be changed forever…

Brand new from the bestselling author of What If?, What Now? and One Day In Summer.

Today, Maisie McTeer decides to track down the ex who jilted her at the altar. Today, she’ll find out that revisiting the past can also rewrite her future. 

After losing her husband, Harriet Bassett can no longer bear her lonely life. Today, a familiar face in a crowd will spark a quest to discover if there’s something and someone worth living for. 

Scott and Kelly Bassett’s daughter is leaving home. Today, Scott plans to tell Kelly that he’s ending their marriage to pursue his rock and roll dreams. 

However, Kelly, has a bombshell of her own. How will Scott react to the news that a new arrival is on the way to fill their empty nest? 

Between sunrise and sunset, there’s love, heartbreak, laughter and tears, but who will find happiness at the end of the day?

Available to purchase here

Meet the Author

Shari Low is the #1 bestselling author of over 20 novels, including One Day In Winter and With Or Without You and a collection of parenthood memories called Because Mummy Said So. She lives near Glasgow and her first title for Boldwood was My One Month Marriage in January 2020.

Social Media Links

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/sharilow

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sharilowbooks/

Newsletter Sign Up Link: http://bit.ly/ShariLowNewsletter

Bookbub profile: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/shari-low

Many Thanks to Rachel’s Random Resources for the invitation to join the blog tour. Please remember to like and share to help spread the book love

Thanks for visiting Love the Smell of a Book today and I hope you have a great day!

Daisy & Kel x

Posted in 5*, Blog Tour, Debut Book, Young Readers 5-9

If you love reading with your little ones, this would make a lovely addition to your bookshelf – The Problem with Poppy by Emma Sandford

Posted on by LovetheSmellofaBook

My Review

A lovely illustrated children’s story aimed at children 4 years and up. In this story we meet Poppy the Porcupine and Rory the Tiger who both live in the Sumatran rainforest which is one of the last places that tigers, elephants, rhinos and orangutans still roam together in the wild. I learnt whilst reading this story about both the rainforest and porcupines and their ability to hear being much stronger than their eye sight.

This story has a strong theme of friendship running throughout as initially Poppy is upset as she is lonely and doesn’t have any friends due to her spikey exterior and when she has the opportunity to make a friend she accidentally scares him away. I think it is really important for children to understand feelings and emotions from a young age and this story carefully crafts in fear and courage.

I loved the language used and the combination of words and illustration that will help younger readers to understand the words they aren’t sure on whilst offering a bit more of a challenge to the readers who are slightly older. The words are in a nice clear font with great spacing and I loved the descriptions and colours used throughout. I can’t wait to read the next one in this trilogy and see if we get to meet new animals in the rainforest or revisit Poppy & Rory.

Book Blurb

Poppy the porcupine has always wanted to make a friend, but her defensive nature prevents her. When a young tiger cub stumbles upon her one day in the rainforest, she reacts badly and scares him away.

Determined to change her ways, she sets out to find him, but little does she know that the tiger cub is about to have a problem of his own. In the face of danger, will Poppy find a way to save the day?

Available to purchase here

Meet the Author

Emma Sandford is a Liverpool-born author and businesswoman based in Cheshire. For many years, she has wanted to write a children’s book that draws on her own experiences and helps young children overcome personal issues. One day, inspiration hit her: she realised that a porcupine has a very obvious defence mechanism where it shows its quills, stamps its feet and chatters with its teeth when feeling threatened.

Unfortunately, due to traumatic events in her life, Emma has also been defensive in situations where she didn’t need to be, and was frightened to let people get close to her. The Problem With Poppy is a fun way of teaching kids that while everybody has a natural defence mechanism, there is a time and a place to use it. By the end of the story, Poppy has learnt this valuable lesson and she makes a lifelong friend in the process.

Emma is planning on writing more books in the future that have similar important messages for youngsters. Watch this space!

Social Media Links

https://www.facebook.com/FullMediaLtd

https://twitter.com/FullMediaLtd

https://twitter.com/ESandfordAuthor

Many Thanks to Rachel’s Random Resources for the invitation to join the blog tour. Please remember to like and share to help spread the book love

Thanks for visiting Love the Smell of a Book today and I hope you have a great day!

Daisy & Kel x

Posted in Adult Fiction, Blog Tour, Historical Fiction

Kicking off the weekend with my review for Mrs England by Stacey Halls

Posted on by LovetheSmellofaBook

My Review

Set in the early 1900’s against the damp backdrop of West Yorkshire, we meet Ruby May who after surviving trauma as a child relocates to become a Nurse Maid to the England children. Due to her previous family emigrating it is necessary to find a new family and she is keen to settle into her new role even if it is in a very remote location compared to London.

Quite quickly as you read you become wary of the family and the strange relationship between Mr & Mrs England and the strange looks that pass between the staff. Nurse May works hard to prove herself and keep sending money home to look after her poorly sister and you get to see the true strength and determination behind her character as the story unfolds. Filled with vivid descriptions throughout the book, it makes it easy to visualise the mill and its remote location.

Throughout this story I couldn’t decide if Mr England or Mrs England had the strangest behaviour and as their secrets continued to unravel I found my opinion constantly changing. As the secrets come to light, Ruby is pushed to find her inner courage and we learn more of what happened in Ruby’s early life as she becomes worried about history repeating itself.

Another powerful and enthralling ready by Stacey Halls that leaves you keen to keep reading and discover the truth behind the deception and secrets.

Book Blurb

Mrs England is a gripping feminist mystery where a nanny must travel to Yorkshire to a grand house filled with secrets. For there’s no such thing as the perfect family…

‘Something’s not right here.’
I was aware of Mr Booth’s eyes on me, and he seemed to hold his breath. ‘What do you mean?’
‘In the house. With the family.’

West Yorkshire, 1904. When newly graduated nurse Ruby May takes a position looking after the children of Charles and Lilian England, a wealthy couple from a powerful dynasty of mill owners, she hopes it will be the fresh start she needs. But as she adapts to life at the isolated Hardcastle House, it becomes clear there’s something not quite right about the beautiful, mysterious Mrs England.

Distant and withdrawn, Lilian shows little interest in her children or charming husband, and is far from the ‘angel of the house’ Ruby was expecting. As the warm, vivacious Charles welcomes Ruby into the family, a series of strange events forces her to question everything she thought she knew. Ostracised by the servants and feeling increasingly uneasy, Ruby must face her demons in order to prevent history from repeating itself. After all, there’s no such thing as the perfect family – and she should know.

Simmering with slow-burning menace, Mrs England is a portrait of an Edwardian marriage, weaving an enthralling story of men and women, power and control, courage, truth and the very darkest deception. Set against the atmospheric West Yorkshire landscape, Stacey Halls’ third novel proves her one of the most exciting and compelling new storytellers of our times.

Available to purchase here

Meet the Author

Stacey Halls was born in 1989 and grew up in Rossendale, Lancashire. She studied journalism at the University of Central Lancashire and has written for publications including the Guardian, Stylist,Psychologies, the Independent, the Sun and Fabulous. Her first book, The Familiars, was the bestselling debut hardback novel of 2019, won a Betty Trask Award and was shortlisted for the British Book Awards’ Debut Book of the Year.

Many thanks for the invitation to read and review your latest release.

Massive thanks to everyone who has stopped by to visit my blog, please remember to like and share to help spread the book love far and wide!

Have a great day

Daisy, Jacks & Kel x

Posted in 5*, Adult Fiction, Blog Tour, Contemporary Fiction

Today is my stop on the blog tour for the new 5* release Waiting for the Miracle by Anna McPartlin

Posted on by LovetheSmellofaBook

My Review

Today I am very excited to be joining the blog tour for the eagerly anticipated new 5* book by Anna McPartlin.

Set in Ireland in 2010 this wonderful story transports you between modern day and the Ireland of 1976 where unmarried girls were sent away in sin to have their babies. This story contains triggers for infertility, child loss and discusses adoption, taking you on an emotional rollercoaster that you don’t quite see coming.

I love books by this author and once again her words are powerful on the page and bring to life the anguish and heartbreak of these strong young mothers. Catherine is just 16 when she falls pregnant and enters a living hell where her baby girl is stolen away from her never to be seen again. Fast forward to 2010 and we meet Caroline at her support groups as she struggles to come to terms with never becoming a mother.

A super yet emotional story, filled with strong women that all bring different personalities to the table to provide a support network and friendship to eachother. This will pull at your heartstrings and leave your emotions feeling raw. A highly recommended read from an author whose books are always emotionally charged and insightful, as you think back to how these young women suffered and the loss that they could never recover from.

Book Blurb

2010

Caroline has hit rock bottom. After years of trying, it’s clear she can’t have children, and the pain has driven her and her husband apart. She isn’t pregnant, her husband is gone and her beloved dog is dead.

The other women at her infertility support group have their own problems, too. Natalie’s girlfriend is much less excited about having children than her. Janet’s husband might be having an affair. And then there’s Ronnie, intriguing, mysterious Ronnie, who won’t tell anyone her story.

1976

Catherine is sixteen and pregnant. Her boyfriend wants nothing to do with her, and her parents are ashamed. When she’s sent away to a convent for pregnant girls, she is desperate not to be separated from her child. But she knows she might risk losing the baby forever.

Available to purchase here

Meet the Author

Anna McPartlin is a novelist and scriptwriter from Dublin, who has written for TV serial dramas featured on BBC UK, RTE Ireland and A&E America. She has been writing adult fiction for over ten years, and also writes for children under the name Bannie McPartlin. She lives with her husband Donal and their four dogs.

Social Media Links


To learn more about Waiting for the Miracle follow Anna on Twitter at: @annamcpartlin & Instagram: @mcpartlin.anna

Many thanks for the invitation to read and review your latest release.

Massive thanks to everyone who has stopped by to visit my blog, please remember to like and share to help spread the book love far and wide!

Have a great day

Daisy, Jacks & Kel x

Posted in Adult Fiction, Blog Tour, Historical Fiction

Today we are taking a step back in time with my review for Rose’s Ever After by Chrissie Bradshaw

Posted on by LovetheSmellofaBook

My Review

Today we are taking a step back in time to visit the Colliery Rows and the Kelly/Dodd family. I loved getting to know them in the last book and jumped at the chance to revisit them.

Rose is an inspirational lead character who isn’t afraid to break away from the norm, she is full of determination and has seen heartbreak in her childhood and once again in this story experiences true heartbreak. However I loved how she pulled herself back up and remained determined to fend for herself and Lily and chase down her dreams. Throughout this story she is thrown curve balls she has to contend with, but she always holds her head high and works hard to get the job done.

Through these books, I’ve learnt more about the expressions and what life was like for the families of the pit workers. I love the closeness of the families on Colliery Row and how they support eachother through the good and bad.

A book I loved reading and would highly recommend to anyone who loves historical fiction set in the years following World War II.

Book Blurb

Rose has a promising future stretching out before her until a cruel twist of fate seizes it. Will she overcome her heartache as she tries to build a new life? Rose returns to the safe haven of Linwood colliery and her warm-hearted family. As she settles into life in the colliery rows, Rose makes an astounding discovery and a long lost family member appears who makes demands on them all..

Chrissie Bradshaw’s emotionally gripping historical reads have a northern Catherine Cookson vibe with a modern attitude. ‘Rose’s Ever After’ follows on from ‘Rose’s Choice’ yet it can be enjoyed as a stand alone novel

Read ‘Rose’s Ever After’ to follow the twists and turns of Rose’s eventful life. Will the rugged path ahead, full of challenges, lead her to a new ‘happily ever after’?

Available to purchase here

Meet the Author

Chrissie, 2016 winner of the Romantic Novelist’s Association Elizabeth Goudge writing trophy, is a seasoned tea drinker who writes contemporary and historical family sagas.

Chrissie has always loved match-making a book to a reader. Writing the kind of book she loves to read takes this a step further. When Chrissie is not writing or reading, you will find her walking her dog on the beach, travelling or spending time with her family and friends. She would love to hear from readers.

Chrissie enjoys tweeting on @ChrissieBeee

Her instagram account is chrissie_bradshaw_author

Her blog is www.chrissiebradshaw.com

and she has a Chrissie Bradshaw author page on Facebook.

Visit www.chrissiebradshaw.com to read more about Chrissie or sign up to her newsletter

Chrissie sends out newsletters whenever she has news or something to offer and when you subscribe you receive a free prequel to The colliery rows series called ‘Rose’s War’ Just click here and scroll to the green button on my home page. http://www.chrissiebradshaw.com

Many Thanks to Rachel’s Random Resources for the invitation to join the blog tour. Please remember to like and share to help spread the book love

Thanks for visiting Love the Smell of a Book today and I hope you have a great day!

Daisy & Kel x