Book Review – Page 59

Review Card & Book Review- Hope Blooms In Tuppenny Bridge By Sharon Booth

The aroma of freshly baked chocolate and caramel cake wafts through the cobbled streets of Tuppenny Bridge, carrying with it the promise of new beginnings for café owner Daisy Jackson…

After years of putting others first, Daisy has found a place to call her own in the charming market town of Tuppenny Bridge. The Crafty Cook Café, her pride and joy, is a testament to her determination. But beneath her cheerful demeanour and flour-dusted apron, Daisy still carries the weight of her past.

As summer unfolds in the Yorkshire Dales, Daisy takes long hikes through wildflower meadows, gradually learning to leave her troubles behind with each step. When Daisy meets Noah Lavender, the kind-hearted local headmaster, they forge a connection that helps her more than any amount of cake therapy ever could. But it seems he’s not quite the uncomplicated Prince Charming she might have wished for – Noah carries a secret of his own…

Then, Daisy bumps into a figure from her past who forces her to confront long-buried memories. With autumn approaching, it feels time to take a leap of faith. But will the echoes of yesterday remind her that this new life is too precious to risk?

About The Author

My Review

This emotional finale to the Tuppenny Bridge series, is a powerful and moving conclusion that ties up various storylines from earlier books. Central to this story is the resolution of a plot involving a young man’s tragic death, with new revelations that bring shocking discoveries, particularly about relationship abuse. The novel explores deeper themes of emotional and physical abuse and its lasting impact.

The story alternates between the perspectives of two characters: Daisy Jackson, a newcomer who runs The Crafty Cook Café, and Noah Lavender, the local headmaster trapped in an unhappy marriage. Daisy, a kind and nurturing figure who has experienced her own traumas, forms a deep connection with Noah. Their friendship becomes a source of strength, especially as Noah’s secrets begin to surface, revealing the complexity of his personal struggles. Despite the emotional weight of these subjects, there are also moments of joy and romance, with Daisy’s café serving as a symbol of warmth and healing.

The novel skillfully addresses the darker aspects of relationships, while also providing a satisfying and hopeful conclusion. Fans of the series will appreciate revisiting familiar characters and seeing unresolved questions finally answered. The themes of personal growth, friendship, and healing are key to this heartwarming, yet thoughtful ending.

My Rating

Link To Purchase

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

Review Card & Book Review – A Recipe For Christmas By Jo Thomas

Take one woman longing for the perfect Christmas . . .

All Clara has ever wanted is Christmas surrounded by loved ones, full of warmth and delicious food. So when her new boyfriend asks her to move to Switzerland, she can’t help but say yes! After all, what could be more perfect than Christmas in the Alps?

Add a dash of surprise

She quickly signs up for a chocolate-making course, imagining a workshop like something out of a festive advert. Instead, it’s chocolate-making bootcamp! And her boyfriend isn’t all he seemed either . . .

And enjoy a magical festive treat!

Despite it all, Clara begins to make friends – including the aloof yet intriguing Gabriel. With all of the ingredients at her fingertips, will she finally be able to whisk up her Christmas dream?

About The Author

My Review

This heartwarming novel by Jo Thomas follows Clara, a 40-year-old woman seeking a new start after losing her job. She moves to Switzerland to join a romantic interest and takes up a professional chocolate-making course, despite it being designed for experts. Clara’s determination and resilience help her overcome challenges, and her journey through the class becomes a metaphor for her personal growth.

The book is rich in vivid, mouth-watering descriptions of chocolate, and Clara’s character shines through her perseverance and support of others. The festive setting of snowy Switzerland adds to the fairy-tale charm, making it a perfect Christmas read. While the repetition of chocolate school scenes may feel slow initially, they become a comforting aspect of the story, showcasing Clara’s development.

Ultimately, the novel is filled with hope, joy, and emotional depth, delivering an uplifting and cozy reading experience, ideal for the holiday season.

My Rating

Link To Purchase

Amazon

Review Card & Book Review- Love Is For The Birds By Diane Owen Prettyman

The Texas Gulf: beautiful yet unpredictable.

A beach town destroyed. Her mother’s candy store swept away. This is what Teddy Wainsworth faces when she returns to Bird Isle. Meanwhile, Jack Shaughness, owner of a popular barbecue restaurant chain and widower still grieving the death of his wife, receives permission to cross over to the island with a smoker full of brisket to feed hurricane survivors. Soon after arriving, he meets Teddy and immediately finds himself drawn to her—which makes him feel he is betraying his wife. When the two find a lost dog, Jack convinces Teddy to take it home while they attempt to find the owner, creating a bond that brings them closer.

In the wake of the hurricane, Bird Isle residents fear the Aransas Wildlife Refuge will not be ready for the whooping cranes’ annual migration south. Seeing that Jack has important connections and a love for the island, they enlist him to help restore the habitat of the endangered cranes before they fly to Padre Island for the winter. With their rescued dog always nearby, Teddy and Jack work side by side to rebuild Bird Isle for the return of the whooping cranes. But Jack is harboring a secret that may ruin everything he and Teddy are creating—and he won’t be able to keep that secret forever.

About The Author

My Review

Love is For the Birds by Diane Owens Prettyman is a touching story set on Bird Isle, blending themes of family, friendship, and romance. Teddy Wainsworth returns to her hurricane-devastated hometown, grappling with the loss of her mother and the destruction of her mother’s candy store. Overwhelmed by grief and guilt, Teddy finds unexpected solace in Jack Shaughness, a widower and restaurant owner, who arrives on the island to help in the hurricane recovery efforts.

Their growing friendship, fueled by the shared experience of rebuilding their community, quickly blossoms into a romance. Despite the accelerated pace of their relationship, it is a heartwarming journey. One of the standout elements of the book is its emphasis on bird conservation, particularly the restoration of the Aransas Wildlife Refuge for the annual whooping crane migration, adding depth and educational value to the story.

However, Jack’s hidden secret creates tension, testing their newfound connection. The novel explores whether Teddy can overcome this challenge, adding a layer of emotional complexity to the storyline. The depiction of community resilience and environmental restoration forms the foundation of this heartfelt and hopeful romance.

My Rating

Link To Purchase

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

Kobo

Review Card & Book Review – Into The Storm By Cecelia Ahern

ONE NIGHT

It is a wild night in the middle of December, and GP Enya is crouched over a teenage boy, performing CPR in the rain.

ONE MOMENT

The boy survives, but Enya’s life splinters in two. Trapped in a loveless marriage, the storm propels her to break free.

ONE CHANCE TO BE FREE

But even in the remote country town that becomes her sanctuary, Enya is haunted by the night in the rain.

Beneath the boughs of an ancient tree that tells a thousand stories, can she find the courage to face her own?

About The Author

My Review

Into the Storm by Cecelia Ahern tells the story of Dr. Enya Pickering, who, after saving a teenage boy’s life on a stormy night, becomes overwhelmed by emotional turmoil. Struggling with her strained marriage, a distant relationship with her son, and increasing anxiety, she relocates to a rural Irish village in search of peace. However, her fixation on a Hawthorn tree, or Rag Tree, outside her new home only heightens her unease. The tree, connected to healing and forgiveness in Celtic tradition, becomes a symbol of her unresolved emotional struggles.

Though the novel combines psychological tension, folklore, and personal drama, I found some elements disconnected from the central plot. Themes of family dysfunction, superstition, and mental health are explored, but the overall narrative didn’t resonate as strongly as Ahern’s previous works. Nevertheless, I appreciated the folklore aspects and remains a fan of Ahern’s writing.

My Rating

Link To Purchase

Amazon

Review Card & Book Review – The Fake Wedding Project By Pippa Grant

Romeo and Juliet meets Hallmark Christmas movie in this steamy romp about star-crossed nonlovers caught up in a fake romance that could change everything they know in a real big way.

Faking an engagement to my secret high school crush was not on my to-do list when I landed for a short visit home. But when Amanda Anderson announces that she’s my fiancée, I take a leap and play along with the farce.

Why? Because the Capulets and Montagues have nothing on the Andersons and Silvers of Tinsel, Michigan. In the name of bringing peace to our Christmas-themed hometown and ourselves, we’ll play the part of Romeo and Juliet.

If our relatives think we’re in love, they’ll have to end this ridiculous feud. Right? Amanda’s a professional dog walker, and I’m an engineer who loves dogs—how hard could it be to show our families what else we all have in common?

The heat and this town’s infernal holiday cheer are messing with my head, though. And once we start making our fake wedding plans, I can’t seem to keep my heart out of it.

About The Author

My Review

The Fake Wedding Project is a lighthearted and charming romance set in Tinsel, Michigan, a town where it’s Christmas all year round, even though the story doesn’t take place during the holiday season. The Anderson and Silver families have been feuding for generations, though no one remembers the original cause of their rivalry. When Amanda and Dane, descendants of the two families, return to town for their grandparents’ anniversary celebrations, they come up with a plan to fake an engagement in hopes of finally ending the feud.

Though the story is filled with plenty of holiday-themed backdrops, the focus is on the humorous and heartwarming antics between the two families as they constantly try to outdo one another. The romance between Amanda and Dane develops gradually, with the fake relationship providing the perfect opportunity for the two to get closer. Amanda’s witty personality contrasts with Dane’s quiet strength, and their growing bond is sweet and understated, taking a backseat to the family dynamics and the town’s elaborate wedding planning.

The fake engagement plot drives the story, and the connection between Dane and Amanda feels genuine, as they protect and stand up for each other against their competitive families. As Dane wrestles with his long-standing crush on Amanda, she begins to question what is real and what is part of their act. The story is engaging and fun, with a blend of humor, romance, and family loyalty that makes it hard to put down.

My Rating

Link To Purchase

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

Review Card & Book Review – A Christmas Romance In The Scottish Highlands By Donna Ashcroft

Can Ella and her unlikely Prince Charming put aside their differences to live happily ever after?

Thirty-two-year-old Ella’s life is busy enough running her evil stepmother’s cleaning business, without adding Christmas into the mix. She doesn’t have time to play Cinderella in her local festive pantomime, but she recently lost her father, who loved the show and helped out every year, so she finds herself being fitted for glass slippers anyway. Her life may be falling apart, but she won’t let his memory down.

Then Ella meets brooding and handsome stranger, Alexander, who is playing Prince Charming, and her heart skips a beat. Might this knight-in-shining-armour inspire Mistletoe’s best show yet? But Alexander quickly makes it clear that he doesn’t want anything to do with her or their town’s traditions. And as the night of the show draws near, it’s one disaster after another, with the ugly stepbrothers falling suspiciously ill, and Alexander rolling his eyes at every chance he gets. Ella is exhausted and can’t help but feel she’s letting everyone – including her father – down.

But when an on-stage kiss gets a little too heated between Ella and Alexander, she’s surprised when he offers his muscled shoulder to lean on. Under the spotlight, Alex’s gentle encouragement of the child performers and his adorable pre-show nerves make Ella wonder if there may be more to her prince than she thought. As props go missing and scenery falls flat, can Ella and Alex bring the town to together for one last showstopper? And as the curtain falls on the performance of her life, will Ella find her fairytale ending?

About The Author

My Review

This retelling of Cinderella follows Ella, a talented artist who is overworked, managing her stepmother’s cleaning business while her stepbrothers constantly make excuses to avoid helping. In addition to her day job, Ella works whenever she can with Henry, a famous artist. Alex Charming, another artist, comes to town to assist Henry with his work and has a fateful first meeting with Ella. Their paths cross again when they are cast in the local festive pantomime, with Ella playing Cinderella and Alex as Prince Charming.

Both characters are weighed down by personal struggles: Ella is trying to balance her art with her overwhelming family responsibilities, while Alex has spent his life trying to meet his father’s expectations. With Ella’s support, Alex begins to realize his self-worth, and Ella learns that she deserves to prioritize her own happiness.

The story, set in the Scottish Highlands, is a heartwarming romance full of festive spirit, personal growth, and charming moments. It features endearing relationships, including Alex’s connection with Henry’s dog, and offers a magical take on the classic Cinderella tale with a modern twist.

My Rating

Link To Purchase

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

Review Card & Book Review- The Making Of Us by Debbie Howells

Two people are about to take off on a journey that could change their whole lives…

As the plane surges up into the clouds, Stevie finds herself clutching the hand of the handsome stranger sitting in the seat next to her.

It is a moment that will change everything. But Ned is heading to see his dying mother, and Stevie is returning to France to escape a terrible loss in her past. Neither of them can think about that tiny flame that just flickered between them.

But then their paths keep crossing, leading them both to the same beautiful community garden in a small French village; run by a mysterious old man named Zeke – a man with many of his own secrets.

As it becomes clear that fate is going to keep bringing them together – the two of them have to ask – are they ready for a happy-ever-after? Do they even know how to find it?

As the seeds grow into plants and flowers all around them, Stevie begins to wonders if Zeke – and his garden – might just have the answers…

About The Author

My Review

This book follows the lives of four strangers whose paths cross in a small French village. Each of them is in search of personal fulfillment and contentment, and they find solace and a sense of community within the village. As with the author’s previous work, *The Last Days of You and Me*, the themes of love, loss, grief, and second chances play a central role in the story.

The characters—Stevie, Fay, Ned, and Zeke—are all grappling with life’s challenges. Stevie is mourning the loss of her parents after a plane crash and trying to rebuild her life. Fay has retreated to her summer home to reassess her failing marriage, feeling as though she has lost herself by prioritizing her family for too long. Ned, an aspiring musician, returns home to care for his dying mother while struggling to find his footing in his career. Zeke, along with his mysterious garden, becomes a pivotal connection in their lives, offering a metaphorical bridge between them.

The novel weaves together their individual stories through alternating perspectives, blending moments of sadness with warmth, insight, and compassion as they each confront their challenges in love and life. The community and the characters’ intertwined journeys become a source of healing and reflection, providing readers with a sense of hope despite the struggles faced by them.

My Rating

Link To Purchase

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

Kobo

Review Card & Book Review – Billionaire’s Secret Baby: Brother’s Best Friend Romance By Jennifer Hartley

One night with my brother’s best friend…

My heart is literally racing. He’s the boy I wanted more than anything. The one I always had a crush on and couldn’t have. Now he can buy anything he wants.

Except, he’s staring right at me like I hold the answers to his darkest secrets.

He’s forbidden, and I know he’ll break my heart.

I also know that if my brother comes to know he will break his nose. But that doesn’t stop me from taking what he’s offering.

And when I find out I’m pregnant, NOTHING will ever be the same again.

Billionaire’s Secret Baby is a brothers best friend romance and the first novel in the Bad Boy Billionaire series, although all books can be read as standalones. A HOT romantic story with a guaranteed happily ever after, it does have some strong language and sexy times. Enjoy!

About The Author

My Review

This is a second-chance romance centered on former high school sweethearts Lillian and Andre, who reconnect at Rosemary Farm. Both have grown weary of their lives in New York City—Lillian feeling trapped by her family’s wealth and expectations, and Andre struggling with the emptiness of his success as a billionaire. After a fight with her brother over her refusal to join the family business, Lillian seeks refuge at the farm, where she unexpectedly crosses paths with Andre. Despite years apart, the spark between them reignites, and they use this time away from the city to rediscover themselves and their relationship.

While the book promises a small-town romance with the familiar trope of the billionaire falling in love, Andre’s billionaire status feels secondary to the plot, which focuses more on their countryside retreat. The romance feels rushed, with the story lacking depth in the characters’ backstory, especially regarding their high school relationship. There is some misalignment between the book’s marketing and its actual content, as the advertised “forbidden romance” aspect is underdeveloped. Overall, it’s an enjoyable, fast read with a happy ending, but it leaves some readers wanting more emotional and character depth.

My Rating

Link To Purchase

Amazon

Review Card & Book Review – Last Christmas Crush By Mia Heintzelman

A beautiful hopeless romantic and her ex’s guarded best friend return home for the holidays and back into each other’s lives in this festive, bighearted, forbidden romance about letting go and letting fate.

Chiara Fortemani is home for the holidays—technically, her family’s tiny villa—where she’ll explore post-breakup digs and grow their vineyard’s brand during Napa’s annual Christmas food and wine festival. But as she interviews local wood craftsmen to curate custom gifts, she’s shocked to run into Jameson West… her ex’s best friend.

Jameson has loved Chiara since he carved her a birdhouse in woodshop. She’s everything he ever wanted: beautiful, funny, loyal… but thanks to the bro code, off-limits. Now a rising investment banking star, Jameson’s in town temporarily to help the family business tackle seasonal contracts. West Woodworks has been making Fortemani casks for ages, so the job will be easy. It’s the unexpected reunion with newly single Chiara that has him on shaky ground.

As they design together, days in the lumberyard and nights on steamy calls create magic. When Jameson confesses his feelings, Chiara is amazed by this sweet, attentive man who always should’ve been her first choice. But Jameson is still her ex’s best friend. Is uprooting her life for a man again a huge mistake…or a Christmas miracle?

About The Author

My Review

This is the third installment in the Fortemani Family series, following the story of Chiara Fortemani and Jameson West. The two childhood friends, who have secretly harbored feelings for each other for years, reunite at Chiara’s brother’s wedding after a long separation. With both back in their hometown for the holidays, they take the opportunity to rekindle their friendship, eventually deciding to explore the romantic connection they had long ignored.

Chiara, seeking more independence and respect in the family business, struggles with being seen as the “little sister.” Jameson, the former best friend of her ex, steps back into her life just in time to help with the family’s holiday events. As they grow closer, the chemistry between them ignites, leading to a heartwarming holiday romance filled with emotional moments.

Beyond the romance, the novel tackles important social themes, notably the issue of maternal mortality in African American communities. Through a poignant subplot, Heintzelman highlights the alarming disparities in healthcare faced by women of color, making the book both a touching tribute and a call for awareness. *Last Christmas Crush* blends heartfelt romance with a meaningful exploration of family, growth, and social justice.

My Rating

Link To Purchase

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

Kobo

Review Card & Book Review – The Little Provence Book Shop By Gillian Harvey

As the sun rises over the little Provence village where single mother Adeline has escaped with her little girl Lili, she breathes deeply. This is their new beginning. Here, she can forget the lies her family told her. Here, she can start her story again.

Later she opens the door to the town’s tiny bookstore, where she is to work, ready to meet the mysterious owner Monique for the first time.

She expected an ordinary bookshop. But this bookstore feels somehow different… magical. Breathing in the smell of books, she feels a jolt of something. It feels like a new chapter beginning.

As she gets to know the villagers – including the handsome Andre and friendly Michel – she starts to believe in the magic of this new start. But can a runaway like Adeline ever find what she’s looking for? Or is a happy-ever-after just another fiction?

About The Author

My Review

In this novel, Adeline, grieving the loss of her mother, uncovers shocking news that sends her from London to Provence in search of her true identity. Along with her young daughter, she ends up in a charming bookshop owned by Monique, an eccentric woman known for her use of crystals, spells, and an intuitive ability to read people. The story incorporates elements of magical realism, a touch of romance, and themes of self-discovery.

However, the descriptions of the bookshop and the village of St. Vianne are immersive, and the concept of bibliotherapy—using books to aid emotional healing—adds a meaningful layer to Adeline’s journey. The inclusion of Emily Dickinson’s poetry and reflections on storytelling add depth to the novel, making it a more thoughtful exploration of human connection and healing.

My Rating