It seemed like a good idea. Selling everything we owned. Just Mark and me, swapping our tiny, little, terraced London home – and the heartbreak of not being able to start a family – for an entire chateau in the middle of France… It’s everyone’s dream. And now it’s coming true for us.
As I use the rusty key to open the big, creaking wooden door of the tumbledown fairytale chateau that’s officially our new home, I wonder: what could possibly go wrong?
Little do I know that the answer is going to be… ‘everything’. I don’t speak nearly as much French as I should yet, but I feel like there’s no mistaking the villagers’ hostility. Nor the look of shock on the builder’s face when he sees the roof.
Can our marriage survive this adventure? With all the tumbling masonry, will we?
As the French sun blazes overhead, one thing’s for sure: it’s going to be a year to remember…
Bright and uplifting romance about coming home and second chances
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.
Leonie has left behind everything and everyone she loves for a fresh start in California. Desperate to outrun the mess she’s come from, she hopes the change of scenery can mend her broken heart and bury her secrets forever. But when she discovers a bundle of unread love letters hidden in the back of a wardrobe in her new apartment, she is intrigued by the mystery behind them…and can’t help but notice the similarities between them and her own story.
With the help of her new friend Alex, a news reporter toting around baggage of her own, Leonie embarks on a quest down the West Coast to find the ill-fated lovers from the letters and reunite them, whatever it takes. Even if it means confronting the hurt she’s buried deep within herself. Because if the couple behind the love letters can find a happy ending, then perhaps she just might too.
Before I’m Gone By Heidi McLaughlin
Palmer Sinclair has never needed anyone’s help. A successful loan officer, she’s all work and no play. But when splitting headaches and blurred vision begin to affect her job, she begrudgingly sees a doctor and receives a diagnosis that leaves her shaken to her core and with little time left. Facing an uncertain future, Palmer makes a bucket list, determined to do the things she’d only dreamed of before she goes.
Kent Wagner has dedicated his life to helping others. An army medic turned paramedic, he’s a regular at Palmer’s bank who makes his monthly car loan payments in person just to see her radiant smile. After responding to not one but two 911 calls involving Palmer, he learns about her bucket list. Touched by her circumstances—and needing a distraction from his own—Kent offers to take Palmer to the places on her list.
Neither is prepared for the emotional journey ahead…or how little time they have left together, but the friendship they find in that brief time might be the most lasting legacy of all.
Check & Mate By Ali Hazelwood
Mallory Greenleaf is done with chess. Every move counts nowadays; after the sport led to the destruction of her family four years earlier, Mallory’s focus is on her mom, her sisters, and the dead-end job that keeps the lights on. That is, until she begrudgingly agrees to play in one last charity tournament and inadvertently wipes the board with notorious “Kingkiller” Nolan Sawyer: current world champion and reigning Bad Boy of chess.
Nolan’s loss to an unknown rook-ie shocks everyone. What’s even more confusing? His desire to cross pawns again. What kind of gambit is Nolan playing? The smart move would be to walk away. Resign. Game over. But Mallory’s victory opens the door to sorely needed cash-prizes and despite everything, she can’t help feeling drawn to the enigmatic strategist….
As she rockets up the ranks, Mallory struggles to keep her family safely separated from the game that wrecked it in the first place. And as her love for the sport she so desperately wanted to hate begins to rekindle, Mallory quickly realizes that the games aren’t only on the board, the spotlight is brighter than she imagined, and the competition can be fierce (-ly attractive. And intelligent…and infuriating…)
Ambitious real estate agent Sinclair Buchanan is ecstatic to be her best friend’s maid-of-honor—until she discovers the best man is Garrett Davenport. Sin and Rett’s mutual hate crush ignited when they were teens and hasn’t let up since . . . except for that one extremely hot (and extremely regrettable) night they shared five years ago.
Nothing gets Rett fired up like going toe-to-toe with Sinclair. She’s as infuriatingly stubborn, and as absolutely gorgeous, as when he fell for her back in high school. Working together to plan their best friends’ last-minute wedding is one thing, but when his matchmaking grandmother gets involved Rett knows he’s in deep. Attraction has always simmered between them, but this time, they’re both in danger of losing their hearts.
Published Date: 25 April 2023
My Review
Garrett Davenport comes home for a special family gathering, organized by Sinclair Buchanan. Seeing Garrett sends Sinclair’s heart into a flutter, a feeling he mirrors. Despite their mutual attraction, their hectic lives make them question the possibility of a relationship. However, the intervention of Mama Mae, Garrett’s grandmother, brings them together for a home renovation task she wants Sinclair to lead.
Both Sinclair and Rett are intricately crafted characters with unique and commendable traits that shine even brighter together. Sinclair’s journey to trust Rett is gradual, and I appreciated how he earnestly earned it. Their profound family connections, even with underlying tensions, are touching. Garrett’s bond with his grandmother adds a heartwarming touch, and her character is a joy to read. The story unfolds into a passionate romance, offering a delightful reading journey.
Ambitious real estate agent Sinclair Buchanan is ecstatic to be her best friend’s maid-of-honor—until she discovers the best man is Garrett Davenport. Sin and Rett’s mutual hate crush ignited when they were teens and hasn’t let up since . . . except for that one extremely hot (and extremely regrettable) night they shared five years ago.
Nothing gets Rett fired up like going toe-to-toe with Sinclair. She’s as infuriatingly stubborn, and as absolutely gorgeous, as when he fell for her back in high school. Working together to plan their best friends’ last-minute wedding is one thing, but when his matchmaking grandmother gets involved Rett knows he’s in deep. Attraction has always simmered between them, but this time, they’re both in danger of losing their hearts.
Pretending to be married to the man you were married to… How hard can it be?!
When Lina’s oldest friends unexpectedly announce they’re coming to stay, she has to think fast. No one knows she and her husband Brown are breaking up, and so she persuades him to act as if they aren’t… After all, how hard can it be to pretend to be married for ten days?
Turns out, a lot harder than she thought. On day one, she strikes so many couple poses that she throws her back out. On day two, she gets muscle spasms from smiling too hard at her husband’s jokes. On day three, she almost has a heart attack when she puts her hand far too high up his thigh at the dinner table. And on day four, when she accidentally grazes Brown’s lips when aiming for his cheek, she almost passes out in the middle of the restaurant.
By day five, Lina is starting to realise there’s a thin line between love and hate. And while she can try to fool her friends, she can’t fool her heart. Was she too hasty calling time on her marriage? Is this more than make believe? And does she even have enough time to find out if Brown feels the same?
Published Date: 8 February 2023
My Review
The story follows Lina and Brown as they try to keep their looming divorce a secret from their friends, rediscovering love along the way. It underscores that marriages aren’t just about the rosy moments. Those initial fluttery feelings experienced during dating, the wedding, and the honeymoon eventually fade. As reality settles, challenges arise – be it both partners working, scattered socks, or strands of hair on the floor. These might not be the exact issues faced by Lina and Brown, but they’re similar. The dynamics among the characters felt real, capturing genuine life challenges. The rapport and equilibrium among them were particularly engaging.
Pretending to be married to the man you were married to… How hard can it be?!
When Lina’s oldest friends unexpectedly announce they’re coming to stay, she has to think fast. No one knows she and her husband Brown are breaking up, and so she persuades him to act as if they aren’t… After all, how hard can it be to pretend to be married for ten days?
Turns out, a lot harder than she thought. On day one, she strikes so many couple poses that she throws her back out. On day two, she gets muscle spasms from smiling too hard at her husband’s jokes. On day three, she almost has a heart attack when she puts her hand far too high up his thigh at the dinner table. And on day four, when she accidentally grazes Brown’s lips when aiming for his cheek, she almost passes out in the middle of the restaurant.
By day five, Lina is starting to realise there’s a thin line between love and hate. And while she can try to fool her friends, she can’t fool her heart. Was she too hasty calling time on her marriage? Is this more than make believe? And does she even have enough time to find out if Brown feels the same?
A family reunited after a twenty-year estrangement, will discover secrets that change their lives forever…
Gabriella Jacques, is happy to be back in her childhood home, Villa Espoir in the South of France ready to embrace fresh experiences with friends new and old and to heal some deep family scars.
Recently widowed Harriet Rogers, hopes to rebuild her family life and reconnect with Elodie, the daughter she abandoned into her mother Gabby’s care to follow her heart. But when an acquaintance from the past seeks her out, Harriet fears a secret from her past will ruin her plans.
Elodie Jacques, adores her new life in her Grandmothers old home as a freelance journalist. Her relationship with her mother is tense as she struggles to understand why her mother won’t talk to her about the past, as until their past is resolved, there can be no future.
Will these three women, all living under the same roof after two decades adrift be able to put aside the past and find harmony in the present together?
Published Date: 29 March 2023
My Review
Upon rejoining the Jacques family, the three ladies explore avenues to spend their days. Gabby focuses on rejuvenating the pool, garden, and equipping her kitchen with a range cooker. This endeavor rekindles her bond with an old friend, Colette, awakening both cherished and painful memories. Elodie dives into freelance travel journalism, works on her book, and deepens her relationship with her surfer beau. Harriet’s path seems uncertain. She procrastinates returning to painting, but when she accepts a part-time gig at an art gallery, her passion reignites, especially with the lure of her own exhibit, a prospect she hadn’t dreamed of.
This whimsical summer tale chronicles the experiences of three generations: Gabby, Harriet, and Elodie, as they commence a fresh chapter in a French villa. I was thrilled to re-immerse myself in their journey and witness their evolving life on the French Riviera.
Two families at war and Alice finds herself caught in the middle. Can she re-write a story as old as time?
When cutbacks force Alice out of her assistant manager role at a Devonshire stately home, she turns her sights elsewhere: the picturesque hills above the historic city of Parma. An aristocratic Italian family are looking to open their medieval castle to the public, and Alice is just the woman for the job.
Four years ago, a life-changing accident pushed Alice into depression, but the beauty and charm of the Italian countryside works its magic in brightening her days. Especially when she keeps bumping into handsome Luca… But rivalries run deep in the town, and Alice’s work – not to mention her potential love life – are caught in the middle of a long-standing feud between two families.
With her job and future happiness in peril, can Alice save the future of the castle, and bring two warring families together?
The Love Department By Ally Bunbury
The countdown to Christmas is on at Shillington’s luxury department store in Dublin city …
Immy Brooks has just been put in charge of personal shopping and seems to have a gift for knowing exactly what people want. The one person whose mind she can’t read is her best friend (and soon-to-be boss), Lando Shillington. The night before he leaves for Paris, the two share a drunken night of passion – but Immy hasn’t seen or heard from him since …
Lando can’t get Immy out of his head but he is under pressure to save the family business and he’s in Paris to learn the ropes from the retail magnate, Charles de Croix. Radical changes are needed if Shillington’s is to return to its former glory. But Lando hadn’t banked on getting on quite so well with Charles’ daughter, the glamorous and eminently dateable Celine.
Christmas is in the air when Lando returns to Dublin with Celine and de Croix, both determined to give Shillington’s a Parisian makeover, but does their arrival spell the end for Immy and Lando, before they even get started?
A family reunited after a twenty-year estrangement, will discover secrets that change their lives forever…
Gabriella Jacques, is happy to be back in her childhood home, Villa Espoir in the South of France ready to embrace fresh experiences with friends new and old and to heal some deep family scars.
Recently widowed Harriet Rogers, hopes to rebuild her family life and reconnect with Elodie, the daughter she abandoned into her mother Gabby’s care to follow her heart. But when an acquaintance from the past seeks her out, Harriet fears a secret from her past will ruin her plans.
Elodie Jacques, adores her new life in her Grandmothers old home as a freelance journalist. Her relationship with her mother is tense as she struggles to understand why her mother won’t talk to her about the past, as until their past is resolved, there can be no future.
Will these three women, all living under the same roof after two decades adrift be able to put aside the past and find harmony in the present together?
My Sanctuary 