Review Card & Book Review – Second Chances By Roisin Meaney

It’s never too late for second chances…

For the first time in her life, Lydia is taking a great big leap of faith. She’s moving to a small town on the west coast of Ireland to overhaul a large, long-abandoned residence named Chance House with her new husband.

But when things don’t go as planned, Lydia is reminded why she doesn’t take chances. Suddenly she’s facing a very different prospect: a half-finished ramshackle estate, an overgrown garden, dwindling funds, and some difficult choices to make.

Starting over feels impossible. Staying put feels harder still. But when the local community rallies around her and Lydia is unexpectedly reminded of the power of new beginnings, she realises she might just owe it to herself and them to take a second chance on Chance House . . .

About The Author

My Review

This book is about love, loss, and the fragile bravery it takes to begin again when life veers wildly off course. In Second Chances, Roisin Meaney crafts a heartfelt and hopeful story rooted in resilience and community on Ireland’s west coast.

Lydia, a Dublin yoga instructor, falls swiftly for Damien, a charismatic chef from a small seaside village. Swept up in romance and possibility, she leaves city life behind to build a future with him in Chance House, a derelict property brimming with promise. But when tragedy strikes, Lydia’s world shatters, leaving her to navigate overwhelming grief and uncertain dreams alone.

What follows is an emotional journey of reckoning and renewal. Meaney beautifully captures Lydia’s inner turmoil—her fear, exhaustion, and doubt—while also illuminating the quiet strength she draws from the warm, steadfast local community. The villagers’ compassion becomes a lifeline, reminding Lydia that even in devastation, hope can flicker.

Tender, authentic, and deeply human, this novel balances heartbreak with healing. It’s a moving tribute to ordinary lives transformed by extraordinary circumstances—and a gentle reminder that sometimes the most unexpected paths lead to new beginnings.

My Rating

Link To Purchase

Review Card & Book Review- Roped Into Paradise By Shanna Hatfield

A cowboy, a cruise, and a meddling grandma—what could go wrong?
JJ McKade expected to spend two weeks with his grandmother at her condo in sunny Florida, celebrating her birthday. Instead, he got shanghaied by his mischievous grandma on a Caribbean cruise—complete with hot pink luggage, a gaggle of giggling octogenarians, and a humiliating childhood nickname haunting his every move.

Between meddling matchmakers, unexpected friendships, and the endless chaos of cruise life, JJ can’t help being drawn to Kinsley Kline, the ship’s enchanting horticulturist. There’s just one catch: crew fraternizing with passengers is strictly forbidden.

With only a few months left in her contract aboard The Affinity, Kinsley can’t let anything rock her boat or derail her plans. Then the arrival of a hunky cowboy on the ship makes her question if some rules are meant to be broken, and a little boat rocking is a good thing.

From sun-drenched beaches to moonlit strolls, JJ and Kinsley must decide if an onboard romance can last on land, and if love is worth risking their hearts.

About The Author

My Review

This book start is about a hardworking cowboy whose quiet birthday visit to his grandmother turns into a wildly unexpected adventure at sea. In Roped Into Paradise, Shanna Hatfield delivers a charming, feel-good romance filled with humor, heart, and plenty of surprises.

JJ McKade flies to Florida each year to celebrate his beloved grandmother’s birthday, expecting nothing more than cake and family time. Instead, for her 80th birthday, Grams shocks him with a spontaneous cruise—complete with a 4 a.m. shopping spree for clothes far removed from his usual jeans and boots. Exhausted but devoted, JJ gamely agrees, proving there’s nothing he wouldn’t do for his sweet Grams.

Things truly take off when he collides—almost literally—with a cruise line horticulturist, saving her lilies and possibly losing his heart in the process. Their instant chemistry is swoony and sweet, unfolding against the lively backdrop of a cruise filled with spirited octogenarians.

Fast-paced, witty, and delightfully wholesome, this story blends fish-out-of-water comedy with tender romance, creating a refreshing escape brimming with warmth and joy.

My Rating

Link To Purchase

Happy Publication Day – 11 June 2026

Out Of Bounds By Laura Carter

She knows better than to fall for another football player – especially her brother’s best friend…

As a single mother, Annie Quinn knows she should steer clear of football players, if her son’s absent father is anything to go by. Determined to prove she can raise Nelson on her own, she’s decided to go back to school. There’s just one problem: she refuses to rely on her brother Colton for rides into the city.

Tanner Pace has always known Annie Quinn is strictly off limits. Colton is his teammate and best friend, so she’s more like a sister. When he offers to teach her to drive, it’s just to help out a friend. At least, that’s what he tells himself. Because these days, Annie has transformed into a strong and independent woman – one he can’t seem to stay away from.

Somewhere between unpredictable drives and slow Texas sunsets, sparks fly and Annie forgets why she decided never to trust a sports star again.

As much as Tanner wants something to happen, he knows it can’t. Annie is his best friend’s sister. Completely, undeniably out of bounds… but are some rules meant to be broken?

The Grump I Married By Leslie North

Working for Weston Kincaid should come with hazard pay—and maybe a therapist on retainer.The man is a corporate glacier in a designer suit—arrogant, ice cold, and allergic to anything resembling a work-life balance. As his assistant, I basically run his empire, his schedule, and his caffeine supply. Holidays included.

Then his grandfather’s will drops a nuclear-level twist: Weston must get married ASAP to inherit a jaw-dropping Scottish estate straight out of a Highland fairy tale. Who does he choose?

Me.

Qualifications: female, breathing, knows his coffee order. Romance isn’t just dead—Weston buried it six feet under and salted the earth. I quit. Then flee to a café to rage-call my bestie—only to discover (too late) that Weston’s psycho ex is in the booth behind me, listening like she bought tickets.Within hours, every woman who might’ve considered him refuses to touch him—even for a castle.

Oops. My bad.

Cornered, Weston offers me a deal: so much money my bank app would crash, a chance to chase my dream, and (best of all) time away from the biggest bosshole on Earth. All I have to do is live in the Highlands as his wife for a couple months. And I don’t know whether it’s exhaustion or insanity, but I say yes. Naturally, the universe has jokes, because somewhere between the airport and the castle, my brain decided to develop a crush on Satan in a suit.

Review Card & Book Review- The Woman Who Turned Her Life Around By Fiona Gibson

🎸 Is it ever too late for an encore? 🎸

When they were young, Josie and Shane thought both they and their band were headed for greatness. But fast forward three decades, and Josie’s life looks more like this:

A dead-end job in a niche London bookshop. A boyfriend who thinks the answer to their financial problems is Josie sharing photos of her feet on OnlyFans. A grown daughter who’d rather Josie stayed out of her new family’s business

Then Ravi – their band’s fearless frontwoman and Josie’s oldest friend – dies, leaving one last request: for Josie and Shane to finish the ‘tour’ they abandoned all those years ago. Which is how Josie ends up rattling up the motorway in a retired ambulance with one mattress, one map, and the man who once broke her heart.

Will this be yet another mistake for Josie? Or could it be her chance to make her life what she’d always dreamed it would be?

About The Author

My Review

This book is about a woman rediscovering her spark and daring to reclaim the dreams she once set aside. In The Woman Who Turned Her Life Around, Fiona Gibson delivers a warm, witty, and deeply uplifting story about second chances and the courage to begin again.

Josie feels stuck—trapped in a draining relationship, unfulfilled at work, and uncertain of her place in her grown daughter’s life. The vibrant future she once imagined as part of a band seems long gone. But when her fearless former bandmate Ravi dies, leaving behind one final wish, Josie is propelled into an unexpected road trip that becomes both a physical and emotional journey.

Climbing into a retired ambulance with Shane—the man who once broke her heart—Josie embarks on a chaotic, heartfelt adventure filled with unresolved history, humour, and healing. Their shared past adds depth and tenderness as grief gradually gives way to clarity and renewed possibility.

Balancing nostalgia with growth, this novel celebrates friendship, music, and self-belief. It’s an empowering reminder that it’s never too late to step back into the spotlight and give yourself the encore you deserve.

My Rating

Link To Purchase

Happy Publication Day – 10 June 2026

A Perfect Summer In Starshine Cove By Debbie Johnson

Suzie has always been the wild one. While her siblings settled happily into village life, she roamed the world – chasing adventures, collecting stories and running from that horrible day, sixteen years ago. But when it’s finally time to return to the tiny Dorset village of Starshine Cove, Suzie must face everything – and everyone – she left behind.

There’s her dad George, still the beloved heart of the village at almost ninety. Her sister-in-law Connie, who runs the irresistible Cove Café, where the scent of sugar and vanilla drifts on the sea breeze and the red velvet cake is to die for. And then there’s Guy, a brooding stranger with secrets of his own who arrives in the village on the very same day…

As the summer unfolds and old wounds begin to heal, Suzie discovers that sometimes the bravest adventure isn’t running away – it’s finally coming home.

Review Card & Book Review – The Cottage In The Clouds By Caroline Young

When Elin Pugh’s life in London crumbles, she returns to the Welsh mountains of her childhood to care for Anwen Jones, the enigmatic artist who once filled her young heart with dreams of creativity and freedom.

Anwen lives alone in a ramshackle cottage high in the hills, surrounded by cats and decades of dust-covered paintings. Fiercely independent and famously difficult, she’s spent years driving away visitors with her sharp tongue and signs warning trespassers to ‘Go Away’. But as Elin settles into life in the shadow of the mountains, she discovers that beneath Anwen’s prickly exterior lies a woman with an extraordinary story to tell.

Helping the ailing artist catalogue a lifetime of work, Elin begins to uncover long-buried secrets about her own past that her mother has kept hidden for over thirty years. Soon she discovers that her journey home was about more than escaping – it was about finding out who she really is, rediscovering the life-changing joy of creativity and learning where she truly belongs.

A sweeping story of love, loss and the wonder of the natural world, The Cottage in the Clouds explores how creativity and unexpected bonds can help us to heal and find our way back to ourselves.

About The Author

My Review

This book is about a woman returning to her Welsh mountain roots in search of healing, identity, and the courage to reshape her future. In The Cottage in the Clouds, Caroline Young crafts a lyrical, atmospheric novel where landscape and emotion are deeply intertwined.

Elin, feeling adrift and burdened by family wounds and romantic disappointments, journeys back to the place that once nurtured her creativity. Reuniting with her enigmatic childhood friend Anwen, and reconnecting with memories of her troubled parents, she begins to confront the “unmapped country” within herself—a theme beautifully underscored by quotations from George Eliot. These literary touches add richness and psychological depth, echoing Elin’s quiet yearning for more than the life she has settled for.

The Welsh mountains are rendered with breathtaking beauty, becoming a character in their own right—wild, grounding, and transformative. Dylan, a gentle musician also rediscovering his roots, brings a tender, slow-burning romance that unfolds with authenticity and emotional restraint.

Poetic, introspective, and deeply moving, this novel is a heartfelt journey of self-discovery, love, and belonging.

My Rating

Link To Purchase

Review Card & Book Review- Healing Hearts At The Forever Cottage By Jill Steeples

The winds of change are sweeping through the idyllic Cotswold village of Lower Leaping.

After a tumultuous few months, Tess Alexander is ready to welcome her first guests to The Garden Retreat, a beautiful lodge in the grounds of Hollyhocks Cottage.

With her daughter Hannah home from her travels in Australia and her mother, Marjorie, acting out of character, Tess has to juggle many demands on her attention. Even her flourishing relationship with dashing Rob Templeton is put to the test when he faces an emotional dilemma from his past and Barney, her beloved beagle, has her at her wits end.

Tess can weather most storms with the unbridling support of her close friends Dilly, Gina and Suzy but when a passing remark in the local pub causes her to question one of those friendships, she wonders who can she really trust?

Can Tess overcome the obstacles in her path to find the happy ending she truly deserves?

About The Author

My Review

This book is about returning home, rebuilding relationships, and discovering that healing is rarely a straight path. In Healing Hearts at The Forever Cottage, Jill Steeples brings readers back to the charming Cotswold village of Lower Leaping, where Tess continues to rebuild her life surrounded by family and loyal friends.

Time has passed since the first installment, and it’s lovely to see Hannah settling after her Australian adventure, adding a sense of growth and continuity. Tess’s relationship with Rob deepens in a natural, comforting way, especially as he establishes a home of his own, symbolising stability and fresh beginnings. Meanwhile, Marjorie’s unexpected behaviour adds emotional intrigue and a touch of mystery that keeps the story engaging.

The return of Dilly, Gina, and Suzy reinforces the strong theme of female friendship, while new characters Danny and Michael inject fresh energy and hint at future storylines.

Although the novel occasionally feels like it could have explored certain emotional threads more deeply, it remains a warm, heartfelt continuation filled with community spirit, second chances, and hope.

My Rating

Link To Purchase

Happy Publication Day – 9 June 2026

Wild And Wanted By Amy Andrews

Clay Calhoun used to be the hottest bad boy on the professional rodeo circuit but a career-ending injury has dragged him back to Wyoming and the family dude ranch he escaped a decade ago. The washed-up bronc rider doesn’t want to babysit tourists pretending to be cowboys while he’s licking his wounds and dodging regrets. Then a record label drops a city girl straight into his pasture.

Reluctantly famous country music sensation Stephanie “Stevie” Everhart needs authentic cowgirl cred to go with her shiny golden Grammy, so her label sends her and her helicopter mother to Wyoming for a month to get some mud on her boots. Unfortunately for Clay he’s given the job of teaching her how to ride a horse.

Clay doesn’t do babysitting. Stevie doesn’t do bad boys. But beneath those big, reckless skies, good girl Stevie discovers a streak of wild she’s never dared unleash and Clay finds grit and warmth that slip past his defences. What starts as image control ignites into sparks neither planned.

Who knew going a little wild meant you might just end up wanted – for keeps.

Beneath Still Waters By Lenny Mack

Emery Caldwell needs a change.

After seven years teaching marine biology, having grant after grant denied, and growing tired of her mediocre relationship, she’s burnt out. When a sabbatical offers the chance to reset, Emery heads south to the quiet fishing village of Tidehaven, South Carolina, hoping to gather research for a new journal article—and maybe find the direction her life desperately needs.

Reid Morgan has fought hard for peace.

After leaving the Navy SEALs behind, he’s built a quiet life working at the Driftwood Marina, where the days are predictable, and the past feels farther away. The last thing he wants is trouble, or the curious, determined scientist who stirs up things better left buried.

But when Emery witnesses something she shouldn’t in the fog-thick marshes, suddenly both of their lives are in danger. As a deadly threat stalks Emery, Reid steps in to protect her—but getting close means letting her break down all the barriers he’s worked so hard to build.

As danger grows, so does their unexpected connection. But facing the truth—and each other—may be the biggest risk of all.

Because You’re Worth It By Sally Jenkins

At sixty-four, Michelle thought her best years were behind her. She couldn’t have been more wrong . . .

When Michelle’s beloved husband Eddie dies, she thinks the best part of her life has gone with him. Then her mother passes away and leaves her half a million pounds — money Michelle is certain she doesn’t deserve.

Determined to give every penny to charity, Michelle sets out to find the worthiest cause. And she’s not doing it alone.

There’s Doug — her landlord, her brother’s oldest friend, and the rugby-playing heartthrob of her teenage dreams. He’s kind. He’s funny, and he still makes her stomach flip like she’s sixteen again. There’s just one problem, Doug has broken more hearts than Michelle has had hot dinners, and she’s not about to become another name on his list.

Then she meets dashing charity trustee, Luke, and is swept into a world of scarlet ball gowns and champagne. For the first time in years, Michelle feels beautiful. Desired. Worth it.

But a forgotten suitcase, hidden away in storage, holds a secret about her inheritance. As Michelle digs deeper into the truth, she faces some big decisions — about the money, her future and who her heart truly belongs to.

Lead Me Home By Catherine Bybee

Luna Canning trusts numbers more than people—and for good reason. As a forensic accountant who specializes in exposing fraud, she knows numbers never deceive, unlike the toxic family she’s spent a lifetime trying to escape. Now living in her grandmother’s Victorian home, Luna has built a carefully ordered life behind walls she thought were unbreakable.

When her car is stolen from an airport parking lot, former FBI agent turned PI Nate Warren steps in to help—and proves more dangerous to her defenses than any thief. Despite Luna’s ironclad rules about mixing business with pleasure, their chemistry ignites, and for the first time, she considers letting someone past her guard. But just as their relationship begins to blossom, Luna’s manipulative mother arrives unannounced, dragging with her a dangerous man and decades of unresolved trauma that threaten everything Luna has built.

Now Luna must confront the ghosts of her past—both metaphorical and possibly literal, as strange occurrences in her historic home suggest she’s not alone. With a violent threat looming and her heart on the line, Luna discovers that sometimes the hardest person to trust is yourself.

Brighter Than Before By Courtney Walsh

After a painfully public discovery shatters her marriage, along with her picture-perfect, country club life, Claire finds herself suddenly single and faced with a blank page for a future. On that page she writes a simple list that reads like equal parts dare and daydream–Move to a new city. Make a real friend. Get a job I love–and she vows to accomplish every single one.

Before she can talk herself out of it, she takes a step of faith, puts her old life in the rearview mirror, and leases an apartment in Chicago, the city that has always had her heart. This one step sends Claire on a journey of self-discovery, giving her the courage to conquer her fears, one checklist item at a time, and showing her that life can be a whole lot brighter than she imagined.

She rediscovers a love for baking, stumbles into new friendships, and even allows her daughter, Minnie, to create a dating profile and choose her dates for her. Perhaps the biggest surprise, though, is Miles, the charming, off-limits neighbor whose kindness makes it hard to remember why he’s off-limits at all.

Between late-night journaling, disastrous first dates, great big lessons and priceless small victories, Claire learns to quiet the voice telling her she wasn’t enough and listens to the one that asks the harder question . . .

What do I really want?

As old expectations loosen their grip, Claire discovers that belonging isn’t a place you’re invited to–it’s a life you build one brave choice at a time. And the sweetest things often show up when you finally get out of your own way.

A New Year In The Presidential Suite By Judith Keim

A New Year…A New Chance at Life

As a Christmas surprise, Lori Hamlin’s family sends her to The Beach House Hotel on the Gulf Coast of Florida to help her recover from the loss of her husband two years ago, hoping she will realize it’s time to change her life. There, she meets Griffin Sawyer, who’s on his own after his fiancée left him at the altar. Neither one is interested in anything but friendship, but Lori and Griff decide to spend the New Year’s holiday together.

Griff has to leave unexpectedly because his grandfather, the owner of the Adeline Hills Winery, has had a stroke. Having been told about wine and growing grapes by Griff, Lori decides to learn more. And when she signs up for a stay at the winery’s guest cottage, she meets Griff and his entire family. Then, they must decide if friendship is what they truly want or if the past will prevent them from moving forward.

A special spin-off book where characters have their own stories but end up at The Beach House Hotel in Florida with Ann and Rhonda. A chance to stay connected to the series in a different way.

Review Card & Book Review- Breaking His Boundaries By VH Nicolson

Elijah: she’s an obsession I can’t control. 

I thrive on order. Precision. Control. Organising Hart Law’s staff event this year is a disruption I do not need. Especially if it means working closely with Sapphire Feelgood. Event organiser and sunshine in human form. She’s bright, bubbly, and allergic to the word no. We clash instantly—her enthusiasm grates, her ideas overwhelm, and her smile… distracts far more than it should.

I don’t do chaos. Or temptation. But Sapphire is both and she knows just how to push my polished buttons and dismantle my boundaries…Sapphire: I want to know every part of him. 

Eli Hart may be beautiful, but he’s also the grumpiest man I’ve ever met. He challenges everything—my ideas, my optimism, my patience. But somewhere between the tension and the teasing, I start seeing the real man beneath the perfect suits, but I know he’s still hiding secrets. He pushes me away. I push right back. It becomes our game. Every moment together sparks hotter than the last.

And the more he tries to hold the line, the more I want to be the one who finally makes him cross it…

About The Author

My Review

This book is about control, vulnerability, and the unexpected love that breaks down carefully built walls. In this book, Elijah is battling far more than boardroom pressures. Deeply affected by his father’s declining health and move into memory care, he channels his anxiety into rigid routines that slowly spiral into obsessive control. Determined not to burden his brothers, he isolates himself emotionally—until Sapphire Feelgood storms into his structured world.

Sapphire is sunshine personified—creative, optimistic, and fearless in the face of Elijah’s frosty demeanor. Tasked with organizing the company’s annual staff event, she clashes spectacularly with him. Their banter is sharp, their chemistry undeniable. What begins as frustration simmers into explosive attraction, delivering deliciously steamy moments that balance the emotional depth.

What truly stands out is the character growth. Elijah’s internal struggles feel raw and authentic, while Sapphire’s resilience and warmth ground the story beautifully. The pacing is spot-on, with the final chapters especially gripping and heartfelt. Emotional, romantic, and satisfyingly intense, this is a standout addition to the series.

My Rating

Link To Purchase

Happy Publication Day- 8 June 2026

The Love Of Another Life By Emma Cooper

When Alice receives a mysterious letter from 1985, she’s determined to find the man who wrote it… But could chasing a miracle cost her the future?

A letter arrives at Alice’s new house, interrupting her fresh start. It’s addressed to her, but written by a man she’s never met. And yet Michael understands her – her grief, her fears, even her dreams.

As more letters follow, Alice becomes convinced that she and Michael are connected somehow – that they are meant to meet. Or perhaps, in some impossible way, they already have.

But there’s one complication: Michael isn’t just a stranger – he’s writing from four decades in the past. And as Alice searches for a man who may no longer be waiting, she must decide whether love can truly defy time – or whether she’s risking the chance at happiness right in front of her.