April 17, 2025 – My Sanctuary

Review Card & Book Review – Christmas At The Board Game Cafe By Jennifer Page

Kate seems to have it all – wonderful friends, a successful career and an idyllic life in the quirky Yorkshire town of Essendale. But under the surface Kate’s lonely, and she longs to feel part of a family – especially during Christmas.

With the holiday season fast approaching, and the town desperate to attract more visitors, Kate conceives a brilliant plan: an enchanting living Advent calendar. Each December evening, a captivating window display will be unveiled across town. With local businesses struggling, including her best friend’s board game café, she’s feeling the pressure.

But Kate’s picture-perfect plans take an unexpected turn when her ex-boyfriend arrives in Yorkshire, insisting on creating the Christmas Eve display. Can Kate trust him to deliver a show-stopping window? And can she finally put the past behind her and embrace the future she’s always dreamed of?

About The Author

My Review

Christmas at the Board Game Café follows Kate, a skilled organizer who is tasked with reviving business in a struggling village during the holiday season. She devises the idea of a Living Advent Calendar, revealing one window each night leading up to Christmas. Despite her professional success, Kate feels lonely and unfulfilled, especially when it comes to finding love. However, this Christmas brings her a second chance at romance.

The book is a cozy, heartwarming read, perfect for fans of Christmas stories. The well-drawn characters, realistic friendships, and the charming English village setting make it feel like a Hallmark movie. Kate, an overachieving perfectionist, wrestles with feelings of inadequacy and the pressure to find a loving relationship. As she takes on the challenge of organizing the village-wide event, the story unfolds with warmth, humor, and a touch of romance, leaving readers both satisfied and longing for more.

My Rating

Link To Purchase

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

Kobo

Happy Publication Day – 17 April 2025

Secrets Beneath A Riviera Sky By Jennifer Bohnet

As one door closes, another one opens…

When Agnes Agistini receives a phone call from Theo, her brother-in-law informing her that her estranged, abusive husband Oscar has died in an accident, she feels nothing but relief. But that relief is short-lived as Oscar’s vengeance from an early grave forces Agnes to return to the place she fled from over forty years ago. A place and time she’s not keen to revisit.

At the request of a French notaires dealing with Oscar’s last will, Agnes travels to Cannes in the South of France alongside their daughter Francine and her grand-daughter Jasmine.

Agnes knows that going back will inevitably drag up deep, dark memories which she is yet to reconcile, but what choice does she have?
What she wasn’t prepared for are the family secrets that will come to light, or the cruel way in which Oscar treats her right until the bitter end.

As always Theo remains by her side, helping to navigate the myriad of bombshells Oscar leaves in his wake. But as wonderful memories begin to resurface Agnes begins to wonder if she can finally make peace with the past and find an everlasting happiness?

Review Card & Book Review- Lessons In Love At The Cornish Country Hospital By Jo Bartlett

A broken bond…

Wendy Tyler’s marriage ended when she discovered her ex-husband, Mike, had got his much younger new partner, Chloe, pregnant. Wendy’s over Mike, but suddenly she fears her own daughters will find a new baby much more exciting that their old mum…

A chance encounter…

But when Wendy bumps into Chloe at St Piran’s, it’s clear something is troubling the fragile young woman. Wendy doesn’t want to be sucked into Chloe and Mike’s relationship, but she can’t help worrying that Chloe needs someone to turn to.

A lesson in love.

And when Wendy realizes that Chloe is more fragile than any of them realised, she knows she has to step up. She might not love Mike anymore, but Chloe is about to join their family and Wendy can’t just stand by. Sometimes life is hard, but the easiest lessons are built on a solid foundation of love.

About The Author

My Review

This book centers on Wendy, a hospital housekeeper navigating life after a difficult divorce. Now in a stable relationship, she struggles with body image issues and the fact that her daughters prefer spending time with her ex-husband’s younger, pregnant girlfriend, Chloe. Despite her insecurities, Wendy steps in to support Chloe during a tough moment at the hospital, showing her compassion. Meanwhile, Danni, a senior doctor, is balancing her demanding job while preparing for motherhood, with rising stress due to her lack of a support network. The story is filled with well-written drama, heartbreaking moments, and lovely instances of lightness and laughter, making it a perfect balance of emotion. The depth of the research adds realism to the medical and personal challenges the characters face. With its strong emotional connection, warmth, and humor, the book is a true page-turner, keeping readers engaged until its uplifting conclusion.

My Rating

Link To Purchase

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

Kobo