April 2022 – My Sanctuary

Book Review – The Meet Cute Method By Portia Macintosh

Do movie romances ever happen in real life…?

Frankie doesn’t believe in true love. As relationships expert at popular magazine Stylife, she has learnt that dating disasters are far more common than happy ever afters.

So when she is tasked to find out if meet cutes can work in real life she is up for the challenge – but whether it’s being a damsel in distress with a flat tyre, or spilling coffee over a stranger, she isn’t convinced this can really lead to love.

But little does Frankie know that the ultimate meet cute opportunity is just around the corner. As she is whisked off her feet (all in the name of her work project of course…) perhaps true love isn’t just for the movies after all…?

Publish Date: 4 May 2022

My Review

Frankie was tasked to go on a trip with someone she hardly known i.e at the elevator and to write her adventures thereafter, she never thought that things will changes so drastically. She thought it is going to be an innocent trip with Max. Unbeknown to her, Max invited her to join the fully paid holiday for a reason.

This book is about cute storyline with romance, friends turned lovers and full of humor. It leave you with a fuzzy feeling with a fun loving story and lovable characters. Overall it is a fun read for me

My Rating

Book Review – A Rose Petal Summer By Katie Fforde

Caro Swanson has taken a job in a remote part of Scotland.

She’s answered an ad in The Lady: being a companion to an elderly gentleman who lives in a country estate could be perfect! Surely it’s time to make a change and do something different for a while?

The fact that she may also see Alec, the young man who she met some years previously and who she has always thought of as her ‘one who got away’, is of course purely incidental.

Soon Caro is falling in love – not only with Alec but with the stunning country house she’s now living in. But the estate is in financial difficulties, and Caro soon realises there’s only one way to rescue it.

So begins a magical romantic summer, one that will take Caro from Scotland to London and the south of France, in search of a classic lost perfume that might just restore all their fortunes

Published Date: 19 April 2022

My Review

Caro took up a job in Scotland as a companion to an elderly man, Murdo while his daughter is away. The story focus on her life there and evolve around her acquaintance with the family. It was here she found the man that she fall in love years ago in Greece.

The story line is lively, moving from one character to another, pleasant read to me. The story is entertaining with strong characters with their own charms.

My Rating

Book Review- Someone To Love By Tracy Corbett

Synopsis

It’s hate at first sight for the wedding planners…

It’s down to maid of honour Beth and best man Matt to plan a dream wedding for the absent bride and groom. Not only do they have to handle the bride’s sky-high expectations and their respective dysfunctional families, they also have to deal with each other – and so far, it’s not going well.

Fire-fighter Matt is far too laid-back for Beth’s liking, and Beth’s need to arrive half an hour early for everything is driving Matt crazy. But over the weeks, the arguing and animosity morphs into something else that feels fun and flirty…

With Beth’s father parading his new, half-his-age girlfriend around, her mother set on revenge, Matt’s family refusing to engage in the celebrations, and an addled grandmother thrown in the mix, is there any way Beth and Matt can make the wedding a success?

Published Date: 14 April 2022

My Review

Beth is responsible given her profession was tasked by her younger sister in planning her wedding together with the groom’s uncle whom Beth couldn’t stand. Beth and Matt’s relationship did not start off well and this has form a rather negative perception of Beth over him. In the middle of planning, there is story of her parent who are in the middle of a divorce.

The storyline is promising but I find it abit rushed as it’s storyline started to develop. The story is also complicated and serious than what I expected just by looking at the book cover. Too many issue appeared and while I find all the conflict is interesting I feel that these conflict does not have sufficient time for it to develop before it end/resolved

My Rating

Book Review – Silver Creek Bodyguard By Lindsay McKenna

Synopsis

With a fresh start in the heart of big sky country, Sara Romano is thrilled to bring her herbal remedies to the lovely people of Silver Creek, Wyoming. But when her dark past follows her, and Sara is nearly killed, she knows she is in imminent danger. Reluctantly accepting the bodyguard her mother hires, Sara opens her home to Wes Paxton. Trained to protect, the ruggedly handsome stranger soothes her fears, making Sara feel cared for in a way she has not felt in a long time. If only she had the courage to tell him her family’s secrets. . . .

A former orphan who found family in the military, Wes can’t ignore the feeling that Sara is holding back. The more time he spends with her, the more he understands how afraid she is—which only sends his well-honed protective instincts into overdrive. So when danger finally closes in, Wes is an army of one, ready to do anything to protect the woman he’s falling hard for . .

Published Date: 29 March 2022

My Review

Wes has been hired by an elite security firm and his assignment is to protect Sara Romano, who is hiding from her stepbrother whom she believe is trying to kill her. Wes is hired by her mum to protect her. All Sara want is that whoever is assigned to guard her safety, she can have a good rapport with him.

This is a romantic suspense story which I enjoy reading. The book focus mainly on what happened when both Wes and Sara running away from hired thugs who attack them. Love the narration here as it really bring me to where they story is about. I love the connection and chemistry between the 2 characters. The story well written and is a good read to me.

My Rating

Book Review- Spring Tides At The Starfish Cafe By Jessica Redland

Synopsis

Welcome back to the Starfish Café – where you will find stunning views, delicious food and lifelong friendships.

A new season…

As winter turns to spring, Hollie – owner of The Starfish Café – is feeling content as she settles into her new life with her loving boyfriend, Jake, and their adorable dog Pickle.

But when an unwelcome visitor threatens the future of her café, Hollie must stay strong to protect her family’s legacy…

A leap of faith…

Emerging from an unhappy relationship, Tori finds herself with nowhere to stay and nobody to talk to. The long-hidden secrets of her past weigh heavily on her until a chance encounter with Finley, struggling to come to terms with his own secrets, provides an opportunity to open up.

Can she find the strength to stop hiding from her past and face up to her family? Especially when that would mean letting her guard down and learning to trust again…

A fresh start…?

Little do Hollie and Tori know that their lives are about to collide at The Starfish Café and they may be able to help each other with a fresh start. After all, with good friends in your life, nothing is impossible…

Published Date: 5 April 2022

My Review

The story of Hollie and Jake continue in this 2nd book where Hollie encountered threat from a slimy villain who wanted to buy her cafe and simply refuse to accept No from Hollie. Tori have her own story and her friendship with Finley is helping each other through their troubles.

This is 2nd trilogy where the characters from its 1st book develop further and new character in being introduced. It is a warm story of friendship and love in a community and whilst the first book is about trauma, this 2nd story are much gentler and upbeat to read. Love all the characters: Hollie, Jake, Tori and Finley. They are loving, kind, hardworking and at time stubborn too. Overall, it is a good read for me.

My Rating

Book Review – The Little Library On Cherry Lane By Katie Ginger

Synopsis

Elsie Martin may lead a quiet life, but working in her beloved local library is enough to make her happy. After all, books have always been her armour against the world. So when the library is threatened with closure to make way for a new housing development, Elsie knows it has to be saved – and that, despite being painfully shy, she needs to lead the campaign to save it.

Jacob Yardley thinks he’s doing the right thing by building a new affordable housing development. Why shouldn’t local people be able to buy a house in the place they grew up? Having to leave his own small hometown broke his heart. Plus, people don’t really use libraries anymore, do they?

As Elsie and Jacob clash over the future of the library, sparks begin to fly. Jacob is falling back in love with books and libraries – could he possibly be falling for her too? And will Elsie be able to save the library that means so much to her?

Published Date: 11 March 2022

My Review

Elsie loves book and library is her paradise. Being able to work as a librarian in a library is a dream come true for her but this is going to be taken away very soon from her. The location where the library is being identified for future development by a private construction company led by Jacob. Being a shy and timid , it was a surprise to see Elsie rise above to protect the one thing that meant to her.

This is a lovely story and I love both Elsie and Jacob’s character very much. The author did a good job in writing the way the relationship between them grow and the ending is really uplifting . Not too fast or vice versa. I love the supporting characters i.e the local who frequented the library. Love their story and it give you a cosy feeling reading about them.

My Rating