Category Archives: Book Review

Review Card & Book Review – A Shore Thing By Portia MacIntosh

Lights. Camera…Showmance!

From the moment Cleo met Lockie, her infuriatingly charming co-casting producer on hit reality show Welcome to Singledom, he’s been getting under her skin. Their job? Casting singles for the ultimate island romance. Their problem? They can’t agree on anything.

Now, the cameras are ready to roll, and the contestants—well, most of them—are en route. But when the threat of a tropical storm delays half the cast, launch night turns into a total disaster. With no Plan B, Cleo and Lockie are forced to step in as contestants. Just for 24 hours until the real stars arrive.

Simple, right? Except tensions are sky-high and sparks are flying for all the wrong reasons! All they have to do is couple-up and get voted off – but there’s a storm coming, so leaving the island might not be so easy. Cleo’s used to pulling strings behind the scenes, not falling headfirst into the drama.

But when the cameras stop rolling, will their fake fling fade with the credits—or could it be Cleo’s most unexpected plot twist yet?

About The Author

My Review

This is a warm, witty rom-com that delivers exactly the kind of escapism her readers have come to love. Set within the glossy, overproduced world of reality dating television, the novel cleverly pulls back the curtain on manufactured romance while still indulging in all its most entertaining tropes.

Cleo is very much a behind-the-scenes heroine—a capable fixer who values structure and control—making her forced on-screen pairing with Lockie, a charming yet infuriating co-producer, an inspired clash of personalities. Their dynamic begins with sharp banter and competitive tension, and when unforeseen circumstances push them into pretending to be contestants, the story fully embraces fake dating and forced proximity to great effect.

MacIntosh’s trademark humor shines throughout, landing in quick observations and throwaway lines that feel effortless and knowing. The island setting offers breezy escapism without overwhelming the story, allowing the focus to remain on character interaction and romantic development. Cleo feels refreshingly human, while Lockie fits the rom-com mold of a flawed hero learning as he goes.

Light, charming, and comfortably familiar, this is an enjoyable, fast-paced read that will particularly appeal to fans of workplace romance, enemies-to-lovers dynamics, and reality TV–inspired stories.

My Rating

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Review Card & Book Review- The French House Share By Gillian Harvey

‘I can’t live with total strangers… can I?’

Bella’s living her dream life, running a beautiful, rural French B&B and has finally put her past behind her. But when her husband suddenly asks for a divorce, everything changes.

Forced to abandon everything she’d built before, she finds herself moving to the beautiful town of Versailles, where she takes a job working in a hotel, and moves into a chaotic house share.

At first, it doesn’t feel like a problem that she can’t seem to convince her young housemates she’s older than them – it’s quite nice to pretend she’s in her 20s again. But when it becomes clear her new boss has also hired her under false pretences, she starts to wonder if she’s gone from living the dream to living a lie.

Despite the chaos though, she starts to feel that spark return. Even more so when handsome American landlord Brad arrives on the scene. But with so many secrets – now and in her past – how will Bella’s new start end?

About The Author

My Review

This is a warm, uplifting novel about starting over when life unravels unexpectedly. Bella appears to be living her dream in rural France, running a B&B and leaving her past behind—until her husband asks for a divorce and everything collapses. Forced to rebuild, Bella moves to Versailles, house-sharing with two twenty-somethings while quietly hiding her real age and a résumé exaggeration.

What truly shines is the atmosphere. Harvey’s descriptions of French villages, cafés, and city life are immersive and comforting, making the setting feel like a character in its own right. Bella is a wonderfully relatable heroine—flawed, insecure, funny, and resilient. Her struggles with self-doubt, especially when compared to her sister, feel authentic and heartfelt.

The supporting cast adds charm and warmth, particularly Odette, Henri, and the formidable Claudette. Brad, the handsome American landlord, brings a gentle romantic thread that complements the story without overpowering it. Filled with humour, emotional depth, and themes of love, loss, and second chances, this novel is far more than a simple romance—it’s a reassuring reminder that it’s never too late to begin again.

My Rating

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Review Card & Book Review- How To Be Fabulous By Carmen Reid

Family, fashion, fiascos—this is how to be fabulous. 💃🏼

Busy mum. Fashion guru. Domestic disaster waiting to happen?

When Annie Valentine agrees to help her best friend Svetlana pull off a charity fashion show, she thinks it’ll be a breeze. After all, no one knows couture quite like Annie, so how hard can it be?

Answer: very. With no venue, no clothes, and definitely no showstopper, Annie’s in danger of her first ever fashion fail.

And just when the wardrobe rails are about to collapse, her family life does too. Daughter Lauren is home from New York with a broken heart, son Owen is off to university with an empty wallet, and Annie is hanging on by a thread.

But when a mystery donation arrives in to save the day—and Annie—it feels like she might just pull it all together. That is, until Owen goes AWOL and everything unravels.

About The Author

My Review

This is a warm, witty blend of fashion, family chaos, and heartfelt humor that pleasantly surprised me. What begins as a seemingly breezy fashion comedy quickly reveals more emotional depth, with Annie Valentine juggling a charity fashion show, family upheaval, and her own fraying nerves.

Annie is wonderfully drawn—capable and caring, yet perpetually overwhelmed. She can transform anyone with the right outfit, but her personal life is held together with loose threads. Reid excels at showing the messiness of midlife, balancing real emotional stakes with perfectly timed humor. Annie’s children bring their own challenges, adding tenderness and relatability without tipping the story into heaviness.

The fashion show plot is gloriously chaotic, spiraling into disaster in the most entertaining way, while small twists—like a mystery donation—offer moments of hope. Reid’s writing is confident and lived-in, with sharp but kind humor and a brisk, engaging pace.

Ultimately, this is a joyful, comforting read that celebrates resilience over perfection. Fabulous, it turns out, is simply getting through the day with grace—and maybe good lipstick.

My Rating

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Review Card & Book Review- No Strings Attached By Christy McKellen

A revenge vacation with her hot billionaire ex-fling? Upgrade accepted ✅

Chloe Dasher has spent years saving for the honeymoon of her dreams—private hot springs, silk kimonos, and five-star room service in Kyoto. The wedding? A disaster. The groom? Gone. But she’s not giving up the trip she worked so hard for… even if she has to take it solo, with a broken heart.

What she doesn’t expect at the world’s most luxurious hotel? Kit —her once-upon-a-time college fling turned maddeningly handsome, self-made billionaire—checking into the same romantic resort, also nursing a freshly broken engagement.

Neither expected a trip down memory lane with the one that got away, but old sparks ignite instantly…. So why not have a little fun and agree to enjoy a week-long holiday fling with a side order of payback on their exes! The only rule – keeping their hearts out of it. Chloe and Kit are absolutely not looking for love. Yet sometimes, the road to happily ever after starts with a no strings fling in paradise.

About The Author

My Review

This is a short, holiday-set second-chance romance that delivers exactly what it promises: a quick, spicy escape with familiar tropes and a touch of emotional baggage. After separate breakups, billionaire Kit and Chloe both decide to take their planned honeymoons to Kyoto alone—only to discover they’re staying at the same hotel and happen to be exes from college.

McKellen’s writing is smooth and easy to read, and the novella format works well for readers wanting something light and fast-paced. There are genuinely funny moments, and the setting adds a romantic, escapist charm. However, the brevity also limits deeper character and relationship development. While Kit and Chloe are likeable enough, their chemistry feels muted, and the romance doesn’t quite have the emotional pull of a full-length novel.

The billionaire trope feels somewhat unnecessary, though fans of the trope may still enjoy it. Compared to I Do, For Now, this story feels less essential, relying on the characters’ shared past to move things along quickly.

Overall, this is an enjoyable but forgettable read—best suited for readers craving a short, spicy romance without heavy emotional investment.

My Rating

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Review Card & Book Review- Amy Elman Doesn’t Feel Sexy By Mary Newnham

“When you’re not getting any, sex is EVERYWHERE. I’ve also developed a paranoia that people can sense that Josh and I haven’t had sex for 180 nights. There are prison sentences shorter than this.”

I haven’t had sex for 180 days.

Josh and I have been together for 10 happy years, so it’s only normal that our sex life has calmed down… right?

But when Josh’s family decide to throw us a surprise wedding, I figure it’s time for us to talk about the elephant in the room – s-e-x.

As the big day approaches, crossing Josh off my to-do list is either going to make us… or break us.

About The Author

My Review

This is a sharp, funny, and unexpectedly moving exploration of identity, desire, and quiet dissatisfaction. Despite its playful title, this novel quickly reveals itself as something deeper than a traditional rom-com. Amy, a tired physics teacher stuck in a sexless engagement and blindsided by a surprise wedding she never wanted, feels achingly real from the first page.

Newnham perfectly captures the exhaustion of emotional complacency—the kind that creeps in when you’re busy being “fine” for everyone else. Amy isn’t quirky or chaotic; she’s worn down, kind-hearted, and slowly disappearing inside her own life. Her tally marks of days without intimacy are both hilarious and heartbreaking, and her internal monologue is soaked in wonderfully awkward British humour.

This story is less about romance and more about self-reclamation. The arrival of Lace adds spark, tension, and much-needed clarity, challenging Amy to question why she settled in the first place. Josh, emotionally distant yet not villainous, is frustratingly believable.

The ending opts for honesty over fantasy, which makes it deeply satisfying. Messy, witty, and painfully relatable, this is a brilliant debut about choosing yourself.

My Rating

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Review Card & Book Review- Take Me Home To Kelsea Sands By Sharon Booth

has spent years putting everyone else first. But now widowed, fed up with being taken for granted by her daughter and facing unexpected health worries, she realises she’s lost sight of the woman she used to be.

Then her cousin Rosie proposes a daring plan: move back to the coastal village where she grew up, for twelve weeks of ‘Project Alison’ – prioritising herself, for a change. Alison isn’t sure whether to laugh or cry! But the idea of going home to Kelsea Sands, back to the sea and the beautiful, wide Holderness skies, convinces her to take the plunge.

Soon she’s on a journey of rediscovery, hastened by the unexpected return of Mac – the boy she once knew, now a handsome man with a complicated past. But then come some shocking revelations. Does Alison have the courage to stand up for herself and finally seize the happiness she deserves?

About The Author

My Review

This is a refreshing and heartfelt later-in-life romance that proves love, vulnerability, and new beginnings don’t have an age limit. Alison, newly sixty-two and reeling from health scares and family pressures, retreats to her hometown seeking comfort and control. Staying with her cousin Rosie—an absolute standout and the kind of ally everyone deserves—gives her space to breathe and reassess her life.

Enter Mac, a familiar face from Alison’s past who is navigating his own grief, family strain, and self-doubt. Their connection grows gently and authentically, grounded in shared experiences: loss, complicated relationships with adult children, and insecurities about aging bodies and romance. I loved how normal and tender their bond felt, especially Alison’s first night staying over with Mac—sweet, awkward, and deeply relatable.

Both leads are compassionate to a fault, which made the harsh behavior of certain family members particularly hard to swallow. Still, this added emotional weight and realism. Warm, thoughtful, and emotionally honest, this story is a comforting reminder that it’s never too late to choose yourself—or love.

My Rating

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