May 2023 – Page 3 – My Sanctuary

Review Card – Once Upon A Royal Christmas By Teri Wilson

“I’m Prince Nikolas of San Glacera. Oh, you’ve never heard of us? Well, you’re not the only one. Our country relies on winter tourism, but we’re attracting fewer and fewer visitors. I admit it’s a problem. I just don’t think the solution is an American who likes to play dress-up.

You see, while I was away on a trip, my younger sister convinced the palace to hold a contest. The winner gets to star in our annual Ice Village festivities and accompany our royal family to holiday events.

And who did they choose? Gracie Clark, who runs a children’s party business and performs as—I kid you not—‘Princess Snowflake.’

Of course, I do respect the fact that she volunteers at children’s hospitals. I suppose to some, she might have a certain charm… But the whole cheap spectacle is beneath our dignity.

I’m not going to shirk my duty to my kingdom. I’ll go to every event with her. At least, once Christmas is over, she’ll be gone…”

About The Author

USA Today Bestselling Author Teri Wilson writes heartwarming contemporary romance with a touch of whimsy. Three of Teri’s books have been adapted into Hallmark Channel Original Movies, including UNLEASHING MR. DARCY (plus its sequel MARRYING MR. DARCY), THE ART OF US and NORTHERN LIGHTS OF CHRISTMAS, based on her book SLEIGH BELL SWEETHEARTS. She is also a recipient of the prestigious RITA Award for excellence in romantic fiction and a 2022 inductee into the San Antonio Women’s Hall of Fame.

Teri loves pretty dresses, Audrey Hepburn films and following the British royal family. Visit her at http://www.teriwilson.net or on Instagram @TeriWilsonauthor where she posts way too many photos of her Cavalier King Charles Spaniels.

Link To Purchase

Happy Publication Day – 12 May 2023

A Taste Of Italian Sunshine By Leonie Mack

Jenn has always prided herself on being a city girl – she insists on easy access to good coffee, great food from around the globe, not to mention an easy commute. So, when her job takes her to one of the most famous Italian wine regions in search of the perfect Prosecco, travelling to meetings on a tractor is a bit of a culture shock.

Tiziano hates the city. He was made for the mountains and vineyards of Veneto, and generations of his family have earned their living from the land. But times are changing even in the Italian countryside, and the arrival of Jenn at his grandmother’s B&B opens up a window on a different world.

Jenn has two months to persuade the Prosecco producers to trust her with their business, and Tiziano has one summer to persuade Jenn that there’s more to life than the rat race. But can a city girl and a country boy ever find enough in common to see a future beyond one long summer of sun…

Happy Publication Day – 11 May 2023

Holiday Read By Taylor Cole

When romance-fanatic Candice meets writer Alexis, she thinks her happy ending is finally on its way. He walks into her struggling Cornish surf school, and they hit it off straight away. Until she discovers that Alexis has been using their courtship as inspiration for the romantic novel he’s struggling to write.

When Alexis offers to bring her in on the deal if Candice helps him deliver a winning book to his publisher, she accepts. But can Candice trust Alexis after his lies? And will she keep her focus when Alexis’ sweet, handsome and loyal agent Daniel arrives on the scene? Together, Candice, Alexis and Daniel will embark on a very unusual summer of love, as Candice tries to teach the men the recipe for a perfect romance story.

But you can’t have a great love story without a great romantic hero. Will Candice find hers before the summer is over?

Queuing For The Queen By Sweta Rana

One queue. 250,000 people. Twenty-four life-changing hours.

A young boy wearing a cereal box crown, impatiently dragging his mother behind him.

A friendly man in a khaki raincoat, talking about his beloved Leeds United to anyone who will listen.

An elderly woman who has lived her life alongside the Queen, and is just hoping she’ll make it to the end of the queue to say goodbye.

And among them, a British Indian mother and daughter, driven apart by their differences, embarking on a pilgrimage which neither of them yet know will change their lives forever.

Full of secrets and surprises, this uplifting novel celebrates not only the remarkable woman who defined an era and a country, but also the diverse and unique people she served for so long.

Navy SEAL’s Innocent Italian By Leslie North

Romance and revenge are a deadly combination…

Former Navy SEAL Jake Travers’s mission is simple… Tail Marco Bresi, the man who once kidnapped billionaire Trent Caldwell’s baby, so Trent can find out what he’s up to now. But Jake never expected to find an intoxicatingly beautiful woman alongside the shady character he’s following.

Alexandra Moretti may be smart, gorgeous, and the most captivating woman Jake has ever met. But as far as he’s concerned, she’s the key to getting close to Marco. But as Jake gets closer to her, his attraction becomes an addiction. And soon, he can’t imagine life without her…

After a disastrous arranged engagement, Alexandra is looking to escape Italy, so she allows Marco to bring her to the U.S. as a favor to her father. But the second she meets the ruggedly handsome Jake, she finds herself drawn to him. Something about his smoldering blue eyes and commanding presence makes her feel safe and protected. And she knows he desires her as much as she desires him…

But will their steamy affair come to an end when Alex uncovers Jake’s true motives?

Book Review – Something From Tiffany’s By Melissa Hill

New York City at Christmas and a visit to Tiffany’s is a recipe to sweep a girl off her feet unless fate has other plans . . .

When Ethan Greene lost his wife, he never thought he would be able to replace her, until one woman stepped in and showed him how to be happy again. Now, on a romantic Christmas trip to New York City, he has a plan to show Vanessa just how important she is to him and maybe even to give his daughter, Daisy, a complete family again. He’s going to propose with a perfect ring from Tiffany’s.

Gary Knowles and his girlfriend, Rachel, are on the trip of a lifetime in New York at the most magical time of year. The only thing missing is Gary’s gift for Rachel, since as usual, he’s left his shopping far too late. On a last-minute Christmas Eve visit to Tiffany’s, he quickly picks out a charm bracelet for her and heads back to their hotel. But, in a moment, one small mistake changes everything…

Published Date: 4 October 2022

My Review

It is a story of 2 man who are bought a gift for their respective partners and the gift got mixed up between them when they involved in an accident. Gary did his last minutes shopping, bought a Tiffany’s charm for his girlfriend while Ethan who planned to proposed over Christmas bought a perfect engagement ring for Vanessa. And when the Tiffany’s bag got mixed up, their lives has become intertwined when Ethan tried to recover to find back his pricey bag.

This story filled with twist and turns. At times, i feel frustrated with Ethan. He come across as Mr Nice guy in this story. He doesn’t want to hurt Rachel’s feeling hence he missed the chance to tell her the ring that she wore belong to him and not from her fiancé. Overall, this book is a quick read to me with fate and betrayal being the focus of the story.

My Rating

Happy Publication Day – 9 May 2023

You’re My Home By Debbie Burns

When Riley Leighton and Levi Duncan meet again after years apart, they find to their mutual surprise, that the chemistry between them is as hot as ever. But as much as Levi has missed Riley all these years, he still remembers the heartbreak she caused when she left him the first time…

Riley wants to open her heart again, but she’s spent a lifetime running from love. Now that she has another chance to get it right with Levi and an opportunity at the job of a lifetime at the local pet rescue, everything Riley’s wanted but thought she couldn’t have is within reach, if she can show Levi that she can call anyplace home, as long as he’s by her side.

You’ve Got This By Maxine Morrey

To find true love, first you have to truly love yourself…

Fleur French does not have the best of luck when it comes to life and love, and her current boyfriend Jasper is yet another person who only seems to like Fleur when she moulds herself into his idea of the perfect partner. So, when she finds herself single, jobless and homeless, Fleur has to decide if she’s ready to finally be herself – if only she knew who that was.

Matt Morgan saw things he’ll never forget when he was deployed in the military, but now back home in Wales, the recuperative powers of the stunning countryside are working their magic. And when Fleur takes a job at his mother’s hotel, Matt senses she could benefit from that same magic – if only Fleur realised it too.

It’s hard to be yourself, when you’ve never felt you quite fitted in. But with new days come new opportunities, and as Fleur begins to flourish and find out who she really is, her luck in love might be about to change too.

How To Kiss Your Enemy By Jenny Proctor

How is it possible for the chemistry between two chefs to be hotter than a ghost pepper yet colder than liquid nitrogen?

When THE Tatum Elliott shows up to run the catering kitchen at my family’s farm and event center, I don’t trust her anymore than I did back in culinary school.

But like it or not, she’s here. On my territory. My turf. In the kitchen that shares a building with my farm-to-table restaurant.

And she can’t seem to keep her hands off my parmesan.

Our old rivalry flares to life faster than a flambé, but there’s something else flaming between us too. And it’s heating up quicker than anything we’re making in the kitchen.

But I can’t forget that Tatum is the daughter of Christopher Elliott—America’s most famous chef. She belongs in a big city, in a restaurant with her name on it. Not running the catering arm of Stonebrook Farm.

Whatever her reasons for being here now, I can’t see her permanently walking away from the fame and fortune her father can offer her, no matter how well she fits in on the farm—how well she fits with me.

She’ll leave eventually—I’m sure of it. I just have to make sure that when she does, she doesn’t take my heart with her.

Happy Publication Day – 8 May 2023

Playing For Keeps By Julie Hammerle

Bryce Barrett has disappeared off the face of the earth. Well, technically she’s just temporarily hiding out in a teeny Midwest town, away from her ruined marriage and professional demise…at least until she can figure out her next steps. But when she bumps into her ex—dressed in what could be only described as “dumpster chic”—she does the only reasonable thing a woman can do: panics and pretends the cute security guard on the scene is her new boyfriend.

Free-spirited nomad Jake Warner knew returning to his hometown was a bad idea. It’s bad enough that his family’s pressuring him to step into his dad’s hypercompetitive shoes and settle down, but when a complete stranger (cute, though possibly unbalanced) enlists him as her fake boyfriend, Jake knows he’s making some questionable choices…especially when he inexplicably goes along with it.

Now these two mismatched misfits are temporary allies against a town filled with happy, normal, and annoyingly stable people. Fake dating keeps everyone off their back while they plot their respective escapes. But nothing botches a plan more than unexpected chemistry…

Not Today Cupid By Jennifer Bonds

Well, my fellow corporate drones, it’s another less-than-exciting investor meeting with the executives (Loud Talker, Human Buzzword, Master Delegator). And at the front, CEO Nick Hart, the world’s coldest—and ok, unbelievably sexy—tech badass. The man hasn’t smiled in the history of ever, he runs a tight ship filled with miserable employees, and gosh, he just really does not love feedback. Especially from me.

Development updates, acquisition delays, and…holy hell, why does he keep looking at me? I don’t work for him. I work for his brother. Which is good, because otherwise I’d spend every meeting secretly wondering what actually lies beneath that cool, aloof demeanor. Like, is he an uptight geek in the boardroom…and a sexy-assed freak in the bedroom?

He’d better not find out I’m the one stuffing the company suggestion box. What’s so wrong with a Valentine’s Day Social, anyway? But the fact that my notes are less professional and more entertainment is one seriously dangerous game. Because if he ever found out what I really thought of him, there’d be all kinds of sweet, delicious hell to pay…

Review Card – Something From Tiffany’s By Melissa Hill

New York City at Christmas and a visit to Tiffany’s is a recipe to sweep a girl off her feet unless fate has other plans . . .

About The Author

Melissa Hill is a USA Today and international bestselling author living in Ireland’s beautiful County Wicklow. Her page-turning contemporary novels of family, friendship and romance are published worldwide and have been translated into twenty-six languages.

A Hollywood adaptation of her runaway bestseller Something from Tiffany’s, produced by Reese Witherspoon’s Hello Sunshine in association with Amazon Studios, is airing now on Prime Video worldwide.

A Gift to Remember and The Charm Bracelet have also been adapted for screen by Crown Media Productions USA, with multiple other projects now in development for film and TV.

Link To Purchase

Book Review – Mail Order Cowboy By Victoria James

Hope Roberts has a strict No Cowboys Allowed policy. Between raising her daughter, running her business, and trying to settle into her new ranch, Hope has no room for romance—especially when it comes to cowboys. What she needs is someone to help fix her ranch. But the only person to respond to her ad is the one man Hope still blames for her husband’s death…

In Wishing River, Dr. Dean Stanton is pretty much a legend. Cowboy, doctor, heir to his family’s ranching empire—everyone knows and loves him…with the exception of Hope. But Dean doesn’t trust a complete stranger to keep Hope and her daughter safe. And despite their troubled past, he’s still the best cowboy for her job.

Bit by cautious bit, Hope’s little family of two is making room for the man she once thought of as her enemy. Until one day, Dean looks like the perfect exception to her “no cowboys” rule. But he’s been keeping a secret from her that could destroy their newfound family…

Published Date: 27 December 2022

My Review

Hope is a holistic doctor who juggle between a ranch, work and her kid. Hope has recently moved into the ranch with her daughter. She needed help but could not find someone to and she don’t know how to fix the ranch. The only response she gotten is from Dr Dean who was her husband doctor and she blame him for his death. Dean, is a wealthy doctor who comes from a family who make you cringe. Unlike his father, Dean is responsible and sweet. He has loved Hope from afar but keep it all to himself.

It is a story about healing and finding love again. It centered between Hope and Dean who being in love but unable to be together. Love reading when they are together and they do make a cute couple. Dean is the perfect hero who seem to have a perfect life; wealthy, a professional doctor, a rich rancher and heir to a fortune. But he is miserable. He has strained relationship with his father and no contact with his only brother. Hope on the other hand, is struggling and her attraction to Dean is not helping her. Both of them need to work through their secrets and overcome all the hurdles for them to find love with each other. Overall, it is a sweet read to me.

My Rating

Review Card – Mail Order Cowboy By Victoria James

About The Author

Victoria James is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of contemporary romance.

Victoria always knew she wanted to be a writer and in grade five, she penned her first story, bound it (with staples and a cardboard cover) and did all the illustrations herself. Luckily, this book will never see the light of day again.

In high school she fell in love with historical romance and then contemporary romance. After graduating University with an English Literature degree, Victoria pursued a degree in Interior Design and then opened her own business. After her first child, Victoria knew it was time to fulfill her dream of writing romantic fiction.

Victoria is a hopeless romantic who is living her dream, penning happily-ever-after’s for her characters in between managing kids and the family business. Writing on a laptop in the middle of the country in a rambling old Victorian house would be ideal, but she’s quite content living in suburbia with her husband, their two young children, and very bad cat.

Link To Purchase

Book Review – All That We Are By Mariah Stewart

In the decade since Emma Dean’s husband died, she’s maintained a peaceful and organized life in her hometown of Wyndham Beach—until she finds evidence of her husband’s longtime affair. How, Emma wonders, can a man who’s been gone for ten years still break her heart?

Still reeling from the betrayal, Emma must focus on the group of artists she’s invited to take up residence at the art center she founded, one of whom is secretly seeking refuge from her abusive ex. Toss in a charming businessman who’s returned to town with eyes for only Emma, and it’s becoming a most interesting summer.

And the biggest surprise of all is about to ring Emma’s doorbell and turn her life completely upside down yet again.

As Emma struggles between what was and what is, she discovers that the life she really wants—however unexpected—is just within reach, if she’s willing to fight for it.

Published Date: 13 December 2022

My Review

Emma found out her death husband had a relationship with his secretary on the his 10th death anniversary. He was the local bank’s president and has left her well off and taken care off. She felt bitter and struggled to overcome the betrayal despite that it happened long ago and her husband is no longer around as it makes her questioned their relationship and the life that they shared together. While all this happening, she found a little girl at her doorstep claiming that her father is Emma’s only son, Chris. It comes as a shock to her and she can’t possibility asked the little girl to go back to where she come from before they find out the truth about her existence. While all this thing going on, Emma get support from her 2 close friends, Maggie and Liddy and her possibility of closer relationship with Owen consumed the rest of the story.

This story explores on complexity in relationship about betrayal, family and friendship. The main characters are relatable and story line realistic and flow easily. The mystery surrounding the little girl make the story make me hard to put down my kindle. The friendship between Emma, Maggie and Liddy is clearly strong in this book and the way they supported each other is something that make the reader envious. Overall, it is an enjoyable read to me.

My Rating