May 7, 2026 – My Sanctuary

Review Card & Book Review – A Yorkshire Affair By Julie Houston

🏠 Jess Allen has always played it safe. 🏠

She married her high school sweetheart, stayed in her hometown and lives right next door to her mum Lisa and younger sister Sorrel. But with a new job on the horizon and her family no longer living a stone’s throw away, she’s going to have to get used to her comfortable life shifting into something new.

Jess finds the idea of being a part of the White House – the village’s new and stylish restaurant – incredibly daunting, but she knows she is more than capable. And with her role at the care home uncertain, this would give her the chance to finally pursue her passion for cooking.

But as her professional life soars, her romantic life is thrown into turmoil. Having welcomed back into her life her no-good ex, she’s quickly questioning her decision – especially as new faces in Beddingfield begin to catch her eye.

As the familiar rhythms of life shift and long-held routines are upended, she starts to see that sometimes change is no bad thing at all. And someone who encourages her to take a risk – even if it’s the last person she ever expected – might be just the thing she needed.

About The Author

My Review

This is a warm, charming and heartfelt novel brimming with northern spirit and gentle humour. It’s the kind of story that feels like a cosy chat over tea — comforting, sincere and quietly uplifting.

Jess Allen is an instantly relatable heroine. Having spent her life playing safe — marrying young, staying close to family, and living a predictable routine — she’s suddenly forced to face change when her job at the local care home becomes uncertain. An unexpected opportunity at the stylish new White House restaurant nudges her towards the dream she’s long buried: cooking. Watching Jess step out of her comfort zone is both touching and inspiring.

Houston beautifully captures small-town life: the pull of family, familiar routines, and the fear that comes with new beginnings. Add in the return of an unreliable ex and the possibility of new love, and the story becomes rich with emotional depth, humour and heart.
this is a delightful reminder that sometimes life’s biggest changes lead to the happiest chapters.

My Rating

Link To Purchase

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Happy Publication Day – 7 May 2026

Fuel To The Fire By Sophie L. Henderson

The best way to avoid single-shaming and a broken heart? Fake date Brock Holt—the infuriating yet smokin’ hot firefighter with a saviour complex and tough guy attitude. And the last person I’d ever fall for.

Sworn to singlehood with abandonment issues after my mom walked out, I need a date to my cousin’s engagement party. Anything to avoid being setup with another boring banker. Bitter and twisted after a bad breakup, Brock needs a girl on his arm to impress at a firefighter gala. No strings, no drama, and absolutely no feelings. We have a deal.

The problem is, as I watch him pull a family from a huge car wreck, and after a steamy forbidden kiss in the fire hall, I can feel myself falling. Hard. We’ve hooked up before and I can’t forget how wild those two weeks burned. But I’ve seen the dumpster fire left behind when relationships fizzle out.

The deeper we get into this lie, the more we’re getting to know each other. Brock has a short fuse, but underneath that rugged exterior, he’s protective and considerate.

Bookshop Summer By Stephanie Butland

When the Lost for Words bookshop in York hosts an event for a new reading project, four strangers’ lives will change in ways they could never have expected . . .

Trixie is hosting the event. She loves her job at Lost for Words, and she’s feeling grounded and calm – until a phone call from her ex throws everything off course.

Cherry only goes to the event because she needs to get out. Caring for her grandmother without any help is exhausting – and lonely. Maybe things will be different if her long-lost sister finally comes home.

Rhiannon and Guy really hit it off at the bookshop; it feels like the start of something special. And Guy is fantastic with Rhiannon’s baby. But Rhiannon is keeping quite a big secret . . .

When you spend time with people who love books, you’re sure to learn something about yourself – and maybe see a way to start in a different direction. As each of them is about to find out . . .

The Greatest Game By Tara Sexton

Get in the mood for the 2026 World Cup…

She’s met her match. But will the winner take all or lose everything?

Marcee Ackerman’s dream job as head soccer coach at Pemberton Prep is turning into a nightmare. Her new boss has given her an ultimatum—win the state championship or she’s fired. To make matters worse, Pemberton’s rival school hires hotshot ex-England player Remington Lockley as their new coach. How can she compete against a world-class pro?

To keep her job and her reputation safe, Marcee will do whatever it takes. But one steamy encounter with Remy has thrown her plans off-course. Falling for the enemy may be just what Marcee’s boss needs to get rid of her for good, yet she is powerless to resist as she gets to know the real Remy behind the tabloid scandals.

Soccer is life, but love is the greatest game of all. Even Marcee’s competitiveness might not be enough for her to win…

Beneath The Orange Blossom By Emma Cowell

A lost love. A devastating secret. And a summer that could change everything…

Two years on from her husband’s death, dressmaker Ellen is learning how to live again and put memories of a difficult marriage behind her.

However, never far from her mind is another memory: Alexandros, her first love from the summer she turned eighteen.

The moment she’d arrived in his hometown of Kardamyli in Greece, Ellen had been intoxicated by the scent of orange blossom in the air, the days of endless sunshine and sparkling azure waters – but most of all by Alexandros himself. They were meant to be, until a devastating secret forced Ellen to leave and never look back…

But now, when her best friend suggests they recreate their teenage summer in Greece, Ellen knows it’s time to confront her past. Will Greece give her the freedom – and happiness – she desperately craves? And there, amidst the lush olive groves, could she rediscover the love she thought she’d lost forever?

Her Slap Shot By Emma Kate

She’s his head hockey coach. He’s her player…

As the first female head coach in professional hockey, Finley Blake knows what’s at stake. One wrong move and she’s not just risking her career, she’s setting back every woman who dreams of leading in this industry.

She didn’t work this hard to throw it all away on a six-foot-three hockey player she had a crush on in high school. Especially one who doesn’t even remember helping her with her slap shot.

Beckett Kane does one thing—hockey. Traded to the Denver Yeti midseason, the veteran defenseman is chasing the captain position he’s always wanted before his body makes him hang up his skates. He’s not here to make friends. He’s not here to feel things. And he’s definitely not here to fall for the best coach he’s ever had.

When Finley and Beckett are paired up for a team challenge, the line they shouldn’t cross starts to look enticingly thin. But some slap shots are worth taking…even the ones that could cost you everything.

Late Learner By Ciara Geraghty

Ronda dares to dream… but will she dare to live?

Ronda McCann lives a quiet, careful life. She cycles back and forth to her job at the local care home and plays chess with a robot in the evenings. At forty-four years old, she is perfectly okay with that.

Then everything changes at once. Her mother threatens to sell their home. The care home is under siege from investors looking to buy. And a scruffy solicitor in a camper van sees something in Ronda that she’s never seen in herself.

Now, Ronda has a choice to make…

Keep playing it safe on the sidelines? Or finally become the person she’s always imagined herself to be…

Review Card & Book Review – A Fling With The ER Doc By Sue MacKay

Clocking off with the doc!

When tragedy struck and Nikki’s husband left her, the ER doc’s life fell apart at the seams. Then handsome new doctor Shaun arrives in town… Nikki can’t help but tentatively put herself back out there. And, oh, do Shaun’s mind-blowing kisses make her feel alive again! Though Nikki isn’t the only one of them running from a painful past, it’s getting harder to keep their emotions under lock and key… Dare Nikki take the leap of faith, from no-strings to forever?

About The Author

My Review

This book delivers an emotionally engaging medical romance that explores healing, vulnerability, and the courage it takes to start again. The story centres on Nikki, an ER doctor whose life has quietly unravelled, leaving her wary of relationships and firmly uninterested in returning to the dating scene. That is, until the arrival of the new doctor, Shaun, whose presence challenges everything she thought she wanted.

From their first interactions, Nikki and Shaun share an undeniable connection, but both carry unresolved issues from their pasts that shape how they approach change and commitment. Nikki tends to retreat inward, guarding her heart, while Shaun pushes himself to confront his emotions head-on. This contrast creates a satisfying emotional tension that keeps their relationship grounded and believable.

What makes their story especially compelling is the way their growing chemistry steadily pushes them toward honesty and risk. The romance feels earned, not rushed, as both characters must decide whether to protect themselves or fight for the possibility of lasting happiness.

Warm, sincere, and emotionally layered, this novel is a touching reminder that sometimes the bravest thing you can do is give love another chance.

My Rating