Monthly Archives: August 2023

Book Review – You Get That From Me By Charlotte Butterfield

You can’t choose your family… 

Stella thought she knew how her life would turn out. A stellar career, the perfect husband (not like her own good-for-nothing dad), two gorgeous children, a dog to take on muddy countryside walks. But here she is: forty, single, living with her mum and grandmother, and trying to choose the ideal sperm donor out of a catalogue. 

Bonnie might be an expert in genetics, but she knows there are some things you shouldn’t hand down to your children – like the secret of what really happened in her marriage forty years ago. 

Florence has raised two generations of wonderful women in this house – but her life, and the story of her blissful marriage, are more complicated than she’s ever admitted. 

When all three women start writing down their stories for Stella’s unborn child, the secrets and memories woven into the house begin to resurface. You can’t choose your family – but maybe you can choose what you make of it…

Published Date: 9 March 2023

My Review

Stella resides with her mother and grandmother, and despite being in her 40s and experiencing a string of unsuccessful relationships, she yearns to have a child. Deciding to pursue motherhood through a sperm donor, Stella receives unwavering support from both her mother, Bonnie, and her grandmother, Florence. In a touching gesture, Stella presents them with a notebook, encouraging them to document their stories for her future child. As they embark on this writing journey, a flood of memories resurfaces, unveiling hidden secrets and unraveling their seemingly straightforward past lives. The book centers around the intertwined lives of three generations of women who find themselves living together in their ancestral home. The deep connection among daughter, mother, and grandmother is beautifully depicted, and I particularly appreciate the unwavering support Bonnie and Florence provide for Stella’s decision. The characters are all remarkable and resilient, despite the generational gaps between them. Overall, this heartfelt story has left a lasting impact on me.

My Rating

Review Card – You Get That From Me By Charlotte Butterfield

You can’t choose your family… 

Stella thought she knew how her life would turn out. A stellar career, the perfect husband (not like her own good-for-nothing dad), two gorgeous children, a dog to take on muddy countryside walks. But here she is: forty, single, living with her mum and grandmother, and trying to choose the ideal sperm donor out of a catalogue. 

Bonnie might be an expert in genetics, but she knows there are some things you shouldn’t hand down to your children – like the secret of what really happened in her marriage forty years ago. 

Florence has raised two generations of wonderful women in this house – but her life, and the story of her blissful marriage, are more complicated than she’s ever admitted. 

When all three women start writing down their stories for Stella’s unborn child, the secrets and memories woven into the house begin to resurface. You can’t choose your family – but maybe you can choose what you make of it…

About The Author

A former magazine editor, Charlotte was born in Bristol and studied English at Royal Holloway. She moved to Dubai by herself on a one-way ticket with one suitcase in 2005 and left twelve years later with a husband, three children and a 40ft shipping container. She now lives in the Cotswolds teaching and writing. Her first novel won a Montegrappa award at the 2016 Emirates Festival of Literature, and she went on to publish three romantic comedies with One More Chapter (previously Harper Impulse) and two books published by Hodder & Stoughton: By This Time Tomorrow and You Get That From Me.

Link To Purchase

Happy Publication Day – 17 August 2023

The Christmas Fayre On Holly Field By Lilac Mills

Harriet is facing her second Christmas on her own since her husband walked out. With little child support, she’s struggling to manage financially.

When Owen, a passionate environmentalist and popular blogger, overhears Harriet bemoaning her situation, he challenges her to only buy second-hand until Christmas. What she doesn’t know is that Owen is reporting her journey anonymously to all his followers…

Though the challenge is proving successful, it’s not without its troubles. Can Harriet really keep her children and bank balance happy this way? How will she react when she finds her life documented online?

Lottie’s School Of Dance By Annette Hannah

Lottie Daniels is dancing up the altar in Canada when she realises her whirlwind wedding is a big mistake. Chad isn’t the right person for her at all! And, in that moment, Lottie goes from dancing bride to runaway bride.

Much to her brother’s relief, Lottie decides to return to Bramblewood in the UK. But life has more surprises in store for her. After rescuing both a donkey and a little old lady called Doris – all with the help of a handsome stranger! – Lottie suddenly becomes a big part of Doris’s life. And in return for her company and doing bits around the farm, Doris offers her the barn to run her dance classes.

From broken dreams to second chances, Lottie finally has a chance to rebuild her life. When her friends suggest she takes part in a dance audition she refuses point blank but it soon becomes clear that destiny has other plans.

Book Review – Where We Belong By Sarah Bennett

On paper, Hope Travers has an idyllic life.

Living in a bustling farmhouse with her mum, aunt and uncles, cousin and too many dogs to count, surrounded by the breath-taking Cotswolds countryside, she knows she is privileged and protected. 

But all families have secrets, and the Travers family are no exception. Their farmhouse sits in the grounds of the Juniper Meadows estate, passed down through the generations and now being made to pay its own way with a myriad of businesses and projects. When a construction crew uncover what appear to be historical ruins, the history of the Travers family is put under ever closer scrutiny as a dig gets underway.

Hope may have found a blossoming romance with local archaeologist Cameron Ferguson who is running the dig, but when things start to go wrong around the estate and family secrets begin to be revealed, Hope wonders if she’s made a big mistake in digging up the past.

Published Date: 9 March 2023

My Review

Hope, amidst her contentment with her expansive family, yearns to establish a home of her own within the family estate. However, the discovery of historical artifacts at the proposed site leads her to Cam, an archaeology lecturer at the university. With his agreement, a summer excavation project takes shape, involving Cam’s friend and fellow lecturer Barnie, a team of archaeologists, and a group of enthusiastic student volunteers. As multiple storylines unfold, centered around various characters, it becomes apparent that beneath the surface of this unconventional yet tightly-knit family lies a web of secrets that cannot remain hidden for much longer, with far-reaching consequences.

This book presents a delightful tale encompassing family bonds, friendships, secrets, dramatic revelations, and intriguing puzzles to solve. While the undeniable attraction between Hope and Cameron captures attention, I found myself particularly drawn to Hope’s cousin, Rhys. Overall, this book provided an enjoyable experience, perfectly blending elements of love, family, and friendship.

My Rating

Review Card – Where We Belong By Sarah Bennett

On paper, Hope Travers has an idyllic life.

Living in a bustling farmhouse with her mum, aunt and uncles, cousin and too many dogs to count, surrounded by the breath-taking Cotswolds countryside, she knows she is privileged and protected. 

But all families have secrets, and the Travers family are no exception. Their farmhouse sits in the grounds of the Juniper Meadows estate, passed down through the generations and now being made to pay its own way with a myriad of businesses and projects. When a construction crew uncover what appear to be historical ruins, the history of the Travers family is put under ever closer scrutiny as a dig gets underway.

Hope may have found a blossoming romance with local archaeologist Cameron Ferguson who is running the dig, but when things start to go wrong around the estate and family secrets begin to be revealed, Hope wonders if she’s made a big mistake in digging up the past.

About The Author

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.

Link To Purchase

Happy Publication Day – 15 August 2023

Not My Kind Of Hero By Pippa Grant

I knew fixing up my life with a fresh start on the hobby ranch I inherited in Hell’s Bells, Wyoming, would come with challenges. Things like snow. Wildlife. Local gossip about why my daughter and I are here.

But the biggest challenge?

My surly new tenant.

He’s like a bear. Fascinating from a distance, but don’t get too close, or he’ll bite.

His personality should be a good thing. I have no need of a new man in my life. But he’s not only my tenant; he’s also my daughter’s math teacher and soccer coach. I keep running into him. He keeps thinking I need to be saved.

Maybe I do, but here’s what I don’t expect: he’s a fixer-upper in need of saving too.

And I might be the only woman for the job.

Hell’s Bells, help me.

Book Review – Finding Happiness By Ros Rendle

Can Angela build a new life for herself and her daughters…?

Having lost her husband in a motorbike accident, forty-six-year-old Angela Ross has decided to start afresh in the small village of Waterthorpe. Along with her daughters — sixteen-year-old Grace and twenty-five-year-old Debs — she does her best to adjust to village life, supporting herself with her writing.

But when she meets Gilles Richard — the head gardener at Moondreams House, the large local estate — Angela’s heart is once again thrown into turmoil.

Torn between her loyalty to her deceased husband and her growing attraction to the kindly gardener, she is unsure whether she is ready to pursue a new relationship. And as she and Gilles become closer, she cannot shake the feeling that he has something to hide.

As long-buried secrets begin to unravel and family conflicts come to a head, Angela’s anxiety over the future increases. And with her painful past still weighing her down, she must decide whether she is finally ready to follow her heart…

Can Angela find a way to move forward? Will she and Gilles act on their feelings?

Or will their unresolved traumas keep them apart…?

Published Date: 24 February 2023

My Review

Angela is embarking on a fresh start in Waterthorpe following the passing of her husband, accompanied by her two daughters: 25-year-old Debs and 16-year-old Grace. The loss of her husband has left her with numerous unanswered questions, as he is no longer there to provide answers. When Angela encounters Gilles, the charming head gardener of a local estate, there is an undeniable chemistry between them.

However, Angela hesitates to fully embrace a new relationship, uncertain if she is ready. Additionally, Gilles appears to be concealing something. This book explores the theme of starting anew after the loss of a loved one and the possibility of finding love once again. Personally, I found it to be a delightful read overall.

My Rating

Happy Publication Day – 14 August 2023

The Widow’s Wine Club By Julie Jarman

The beginning of Janet, Viv and Zelda’s friendship could not have been less promising… 

Navigating their new lives as widows, the three women venture to the same dreary bereavement group in a chilly church hall. But what bonds them is not their shared predicament, but instead how quickly they all decide to flee the depressing gathering, choosing instead to share a bottle of wine. The Three Muscat-eers is born.

The women may be down but they’re not out; in their sixties but certainly not past it. They agree a mission: to find fulfilment as single women and recover their joie de vivre. And as they start to feel ready to face the world again, the friends support each other to dive headlong into new hobbies, new adventures, and even to dip their toes into the wonderful world of dating again. 

When one of the ladies gets life-changing news, there’s only one thing for it. The Widows’ Wine Club closes rank, and it’s ‘one for all and all for one’. Because when they stick together, there’s nothing the friends can’t achieve.

Review Card – Finding Happiness By Ros Rendle

Can Angela build a new life for herself and her daughters…?

Having lost her husband in a motorbike accident, forty-six-year-old Angela Ross has decided to start afresh in the small village of Waterthorpe. Along with her daughters — sixteen-year-old Grace and twenty-five-year-old Debs — she does her best to adjust to village life, supporting herself with her writing.

But when she meets Gilles Richard — the head gardener at Moondreams House, the large local estate — Angela’s heart is once again thrown into turmoil.

Torn between her loyalty to her deceased husband and her growing attraction to the kindly gardener, she is unsure whether she is ready to pursue a new relationship. And as she and Gilles become closer, she cannot shake the feeling that he has something to hide.

As long-buried secrets begin to unravel and family conflicts come to a head, Angela’s anxiety over the future increases. And with her painful past still weighing her down, she must decide whether she is finally ready to follow her heart…

Can Angela find a way to move forward? Will she and Gilles act on their feelings?

Or will their unresolved traumas keep them apart…?

About The Author

Ros used to work as a head teacher, writing reports, policy documents and stories to which young children would enjoy listening. Now retired, she enjoys the more challenging activity of writing for adults. 

After living in France for eleven years, Ros found much inspiration in the people and places. More recently she is living in the UK again and likes to go dog walking or ballroom dancing with her husband. Although she has been caught out once or twice it’s not usually at the same time! 

Two daughters and four granddaughters also enjoy Ros’s books and support with answering questions.

Link To Purchase

Book Review – Summer Nights at The Starfish Café By Jessica Redland

A new beginning…

As her summer wedding to Jake approaches, Hollie is excited for their new beginning as a family. But when some unexpected news threatens the future she and Jake had hoped for, Hollie will need to find the strength to overcome heartache once more.

A fragile heart….

Single mum, Kerry, loves her job at The Starfish Café, but behind the brave smiles and laughter with customers there is a sadness deep within. So when someone from her past re-appears in her life, Kerry can either hide away or face her demons and try to finally move on from her heartbreak.

A summer to remember…

For Hollie and Kerry it promises to be an emotional rollercoaster of a summer, but the community at The Starfish Café will always be there to help them through – after all, with courage nothing is impossible…

Published Date: 6 April 2023

My Review

Holly and Jake’s relationship has flourished, leading them to tie the knot and eagerly anticipate what lies ahead. This narrative delves into their journey, alongside Kerry, an individual employed at the Starfish Cafe, who carries a complex history. Kerry has single-handedly raised her four children since her husband abruptly departed upon learning they were expecting twins. However, he has recently resurfaced after seven years, expressing his desire to reconnect with their lives. Kerry finds herself cautiously navigating this situation, grappling with the deep-seated resentment towards him and the manner in which he left.

This is the final installation in the Starfish Cafe Trilogy. Each character in Summer Nights at the Starfish Café serves a distinct purpose, contributing their unique essence to the narrative. Jessica, in particular, constructs a captivating environment that envelops the central setting of the Café. Love, loss, life, and happiness intertwine within this enchanting space, making it the hub around which the story revolves.This book is a wonderful, warm ending to this lovely series.

My Rating