Category Archives: Book Review

Review Card & Book Review – Winter Magic On Railway Lane By Alison Sherlock

Join the residents of Railway Lane for one last magical adventure…

Globetrotting Libby Jacobs has lost her job but is looking forward to spending more time in her home village of Cranfield.

She dreams of turning her chocolate making hobby into something more permanent. There’s only one problem – Ethan Connolly.

Despite being soul mates growing up, Libby hasn’t been close to Ethan since their disastrous date at the school prom. But now he’s back and he has just what Libby needs… a large kitchen! But can they even bear to be in the same room together?

Ethan never stays in Cranfield too long as it reminds him of his parents’ terrible marriage. But when disaster strikes, he’s forced to stay and help realise his grandad’s dream of a Christmas train. Can the whole village help Ethan create a seasonal spectacular in time?

Can Libby confront her secrets and realise her dreams?

And can Ethan ever stop running from his past and trust his heart?

Perhaps the magic of winter on Railway Lane might just give Libby and Ethan a second chance after all…

About The Author

My Review

Libby Jacobs returns to her hometown of Cranfield after losing her job and dreams of turning her passion for chocolate into a business. Complicating matters is Ethan, her childhood soulmate, who’s back in town to help with a Christmas train project while dealing with his own past. As they reconnect, their old feelings resurface, but Ethan’s fear of love, shaped by his mother’s actions, holds him back. The story explores loss, illness, hope, and the magic of Christmas. Libby’s journey, mixed with chocolate-making and small-town charm, creates an uplifting, heartwarming read full of promise.

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Review Card & Book Review – What She’s Having By Laura Moher

She may be strong, but she’s not unbreakable.

July Tate is a force to be reckoned with—a big, strong blond with a heart the size of her whole town—but beneath her capable exterior lie the scars of a devastating lost love. To July, love equals vulnerability, and she can’t afford either.

Joe Anderson knew from the first moment he saw her that July was The One. Now, after years apart, he’s back, driven by the need to explain his disappearance. In search of the girl who filled his teenage dreams, he finds instead a powerhouse woman who steals his heart and soul.

Joe embodies everything July has been missing, and together they spark as brightly as ever. But with Joe around, July, who can usually outwork four men is suddenly making mistakes right and left. And that scares her. Because if July falls again, this time her beloved town could go down with her.

About The Author

My Review

July Tate, a resilient woman, reunites with her lost love, Joe Anderson, after years apart. Their old spark reignites, but July fears vulnerability and making mistakes in love again, risking everything, including her town. While the story portrays a small-town romance and explores deep emotions, some readers may find the focus on their brief teenage romance and miscommunication frustrating. The second chance trope is handled well, showing rather than telling the connection between Joe and July, though the physical progression feels abrupt. The book is inclusive, emotional, and offers a sweet, simple plot, despite occasional repetition.

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Review Card & Book Review – How To Charm A Nerd By Katherine Garbera

Dungeons and dragons and nerds, oh my…

The spooky season is almost here, and occultist and tarot reader Liberty Wakefield is already feelin’ it. But ever since her sick nan muttered the name of Liberty’s mysterious biological father, nothing feels normal. Not her friends, her family, nor the quirky shop she runs with her besties. So maybe it’s time for Liberty to track down the father she’s never met. Of course, that means getting a little help from the sexy nerd she’s been not-so-secretly vibing since last summer…

Merle Rutland hasn’t met anyone like the vivacious, bubbly Liberty. Part of him wishes he was more like her—instead of hiding his geekery from his hyper-athletic family. The other part just wants to pull the curvy redhead close, steal a kiss and hope he doesn’t roll a critical fail.

Only, somewhere between Dungeons & Dragons campaigns, pumpkins and a few ridiculously hot sexy-times, Liberty and Merle discover their respective weirds might be a match. Yet as Halloween draws closer, it seems everyone has skeletons in the closet…and nothing spells disaster quite like being haunted by the past…

About The Author

My Review

Liberty Wakefield, a witch, enlists Merle Rutland, a nerdy D&D expert, to uncover her biological father’s identity. Their chemistry grows through shared experiences, but repetitive inner thoughts slow the story’s pace, detracting from its engaging premise of romance and self-discovery. While their connection deepens, unresolved pasts threaten their budding relationship. The novel is compelling but lacks execution, focusing too much on inner dialogue instead of action.

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Review Card & Book Review – Last Christmas By Clare Swatman

As Christmas approaches, Bea Preston has a choice.

Looking up at the departures board in Heathrow airport, her flight to New York boarding soon, she knows that getting on that plane changes everything. Her life in London has grown stale, her relationship with boyfriend Dom has run its course, and New York has always been her dream. But it’s a risk – she’ll miss her parents, her friends, her job.

What if Bea could live both lives? In one she goes back home for Christmas, and in another she heads to the Big Apple. Would her fate remain the same, or can one decision really change everything?

About The Author

My Review

Bea is on a plane to New York just before Christmas, contemplating whether to start a new life in the Big Apple or stay behind. She’s leaving a strained relationship with her live-in boyfriend, who suffers from depression, and is unsure if she should move forward with her own life. On the flight, she meets a man she nicknames Paddy, who keeps his real name a secret, hinting that it’s something people have laughed at in the past. The story alternates between two parallel timelines: Bea’s life at home and her life in New York, leaving the reader to wonder which is real and which will work out.

This novel is praised for its unique and clever premise, seamlessly blending two possible realities. It explores the idea that life’s path can be shaped by fate, with unexpected twists leading to different outcomes. The book is a life-affirming romance, reassuring readers that the right things happen for the right reasons, even if they don’t align with initial expectations. The story is well-crafted, Christmas-themed, and emotionally gripping, making it a memorable read that’s difficult to put down.

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Review Card & Book Review – One Midnight With You By Shari Low

What would you do if you had just twenty-four hours to change your life?

Ailish Ryan has been in hiding since her husband’s affair ended their marriage. But when a friend forces her to face her new reality, will she choose to revisit the past or embrace a brand-new future?

Ailish’s daughter, Emmy, thought her boyfriend was nothing like her cheating father, but now she’s not so sure. As the hours pass, she turns detective to find out if she picked the right man, or if history is repeating itself.

Grandmother, Minnie Ryan is on a mission to deliver a very special gift to a lifelong friend. But will dogged determination and a touch of divine intervention be enough to overcome the obstacles that fate puts in her way?

Dario Moretti has spent his whole life working in the family business, but now it’s in trouble and he’s all out of options. Will he have the strength to let it go, even if it means hurting the people he loves?

The clock is ticking… but will twenty-four hours be long enough to heal four broken hearts?

About The Author

My Review

*”One Midnight with You”* follows three generations of women—Ailish, her daughter Emmy, and mother-in-law Minnie—through a single day on New Year’s Eve in Glasgow. The story is set over 24 hours, divided into two-hour segments, as multiple characters face pivotal moments of loss, whether it be a job, a loved one, or a relationship. As the clock ticks toward midnight, they must make decisions that will shape their futures.

The novel is heartwarming and packed with emotions—laughter, tears, love, and anxieties—as the characters gather at GINO’s, their traditional New Year’s Eve spot. The book emphasizes the importance of letting go of the past to embrace the future, and despite the challenges, each character brings a heartfelt determination to find solutions. It’s a feel-good read where even those who’ve made mistakes are genuinely likable, making it easy to lose yourself in their stories.

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Review Card & Book Review -The Fecking Fabulous Forties Club By Freya Kennedy

Becca Burnside isn’t sure where it all went wrong…

How did she end up single in her forties, with the highlight of her weekend being a trip to Big Asda with her mum and the only chance of cuddles coming from her dog?

It’s fair to say that Becca’s life isn’t quite where she’d hoped it would be. She already knew that, deep down, but when she finds the time capsule she and her friends made as teenagers and remembers the hopes and dreams sixteen-year-old Becki (with an i) had for the future, she knows she has to do something, and fast.

Refusing to be controlled by her hot flushes and Unexplained Waves of Sadness, Becca is determined to turn things around – for Becki’s sake. But what will it take to prove there’s life in the old girl yet?

About The Author

My Review

Becky, now single with her twin boys at university, reconnects with old friends Laura and Niamh after the death of a friend’s mother. They revisit a time capsule from their youth, prompting them to rethink their lives as they approach their late forties. The book is a heartwarming celebration of female friendship, blending humor and emotion as it explores themes of divorce, parenting, aging, loss, and self-discovery. It’s a relatable and uplifting story that encourages readers to pursue their dreams, no matter their age, and to cherish the bonds that support them through life’s challenges.

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Review Card & Book Review- Bitter Truth By Meredith Wild & Jillian Liota

After nine years in LA, aspiring singer Murphy Hawthorne leaves behind her broken dreams to return to her family’s vineyard. But as she helps open the property’s new restaurant, she faces a family still bitter about the fact she ever left, and old wounds quickly resurface. The only refreshing note is the handsome head chef, Wesley Hart.

Hired to draw more tourists to the Hawthorne vineyard, Wes is a culinary master with a reputation he wishes he could forget. Struggling with regrets and complex family dynamics of his own, he’s trying to start over, too. The biggest mistake he could make right now is to act on his attraction to his boss’s younger sister. If only he could get her out of his head…

Despite all the reasons to keep their distance, Murphy and Wes can’t deny the connection that keeps drawing them together. In each other, they find refuge and a sense of belonging neither could have imagined. But to forge a new future together, they must answer one important question: Can they face the past—and forgive it?

About The Author

My Review

Murphy returns to her small hometown after a failed music career and meets Wes, a handsome good Samaritan who later turns out to be the new head chef at her family’s restaurant. Despite trying to stay away from each other, their instant chemistry is undeniable. However, complications arise when Wes discovers Murphy is his boss’s sister, making their relationship off-limits. Both have been wounded by past relationships and are looking for second chances. The story is a delightful blend of small-town charm, forbidden romance, and character growth, with themes of family, forgiveness, and rebuilding dreams.

My Rating

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