Book Review – Page 9 – My Sanctuary

Review Card & Book Review- Home Sweet Home In Brambleton By Fay Keenan

Following a less-than-picture-book childhood, Bella West has got used to moving around – putting down roots opens you up for disappointment and heartbreak. But since arriving in the idyllic Somerset village of Lower Brambleton, something has changed.

Bella loves her job at Purrfect Paws cat rescue and the many residents love her back. So, when one particularly grumpy Bengal named Monty proves hard to charm, Bella is determined to find out his story.

When Noah Hathaway’s beloved Grandpa Jack passes away it falls to him to deal with his estate including his charming but run-down cottage in Lower Brambleton, not forgetting Jack’s cantankerous cat Monty. Busy with a life in London, Noah wants to settle things quickly, but countryside life has its own pace and slowly but inexorably the charms of Lower Brambleton begin to work their magic on Noah.

Can one morose moggy, one perfect English village and one endless countryside summer teach Bella and Noah the meaning of home and the joy of taking a chance on love?

About The Author

My Review

This book is about Bella West, a woman who has never truly felt settled, returning to Lower Brambleton and cautiously allowing herself to build roots. Working at Purrfect Paws, she pours her heart into caring for the animals—especially Monty, a gloriously temperamental Bengal cat who steals every scene. After a childhood shaped by instability, Bella’s gradual sense of belonging in the village is both gentle and deeply satisfying.

When Noah Hathaway comes back to Lower Brambleton following his grandfather’s death, he arrives grieving, overwhelmed, and far more city-polished than country-ready. Reconnecting with Monty—and the slower rhythm of village life—begins to shift something in him. Watching the countryside quietly soften his edges is one of the novel’s greatest pleasures.

This is a warm, uplifting return to a community that feels like a hug. Bella and Noah’s slow-burn romance unfolds naturally, grounded in shared kindness and healing. With charming friendships, emotional growth, and small-town magic, this is comfort reading at its finest.j

Small-Town Romance

Slow-Burn Romance

Fresh Start

Healing Through Community and Found Family

My Rating

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Review Card & Book Review- The Last Page Cafe By Kate Storey

Sometimes the last page is just the beginning…

At fifty-four, Erin McRae feels like she’s living in the margins of her own story. Her son is preparing to fly the nest, and the rent increase on the café she loves to run means she’s going to have to close up shop. Her greatest escape is the mismatched book club she founded, bound together by one unusual rule: they choose their next book based solely on the last page.

But when the book club discusses what their own last pages might say, Erin and her fellow members begin to see their own lives in unexpected ways.

As the club’s discussions grow deeper, long-buried secrets surface, old wounds start to heal – and romance leaps off the page. With The Bookmark under threat of closure, Erin must ask herself: can she write herself a happier story?

About The Author

My Review

This book is about Erin McRae, a 54-year-old divorcée who inherits her mother’s beloved café, The Bookmark—a cozy haven where customers read while sipping coffee and children play nearby. Facing an empty nest as her son prepares to leave home and the looming threat of closure, Erin must decide what her next chapter will be.

At the heart of the story is a quirky book club that chooses its monthly read by sampling the final page first—an unusual tradition that reflects the novel’s theme of rethinking endings and new beginnings. When newcomer Adam Darling challenges this logic, he gently disrupts the group’s comfortable routine, sparking fresh perspectives and a subtle romantic thread.

This is a true comfort read, rich with warmth, community spirit, and literary references. Each book club member navigates personal struggles, creating a tender found-family dynamic. With Tybault the cat stealing scenes and heartfelt moments throughout, this charming novel celebrates second chances, connection, and the courage to turn life’s page.

Found family

Cozy community setting

Second chance

My Rating

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Review Card & Book Review- The A To Z Of Everything By Debbie Johnson

Poppy and Rose used to be close as sisters could be—until everything went wrong. Now in their forties, they haven’t spoken in years. But when their vivacious, glamorous, powerhouse of a mother dies, they are both faced with the shock of grief. However, their mother was not one to go shrinking into the night. No, their mother, Andrea, has left them a project to work on together: a sort of scavenger hunt through their lives, which she calls the A to Z of Everything. Her final wish: to heal the fractured relationship between her daughters that broke her heart.

A is for Ashes. C is for champagne. D is for Daddy Issues. But when they get to F for Forgiveness, can they make a start, even when they can barely look at each other?

With Andrea’s wicked sense of humor and wild stories from her acting career, she has left the quest in a series of boxes filled with letters, recordings, videos, mementos, and instructions.

From Liverpool to London and even Paris, the sisters follow the trail toward a glimmer of hope: despite loss, there is room for laughter, love, and healing—and for second chances.

About The Director

My Review

This is about Andrea, a once-successful actress and devoted mother whose life is overshadowed by one heartbreaking reality: her daughters, Rose and Poppy, have been estranged for seventeen years after a painful betrayal. Now facing terminal illness, Andrea is determined to reunite them. Her solution is an A–Z list of twenty-six tasks for the sisters to complete together after her death — small, meaningful moments mixed with bigger challenges, including the question of whether to search for the father they’ve never known.

The premise is emotional and full of promise, and there are genuinely moving moments as the sisters confront old wounds and long-buried resentment. Some tasks are touching and even uplifting, especially those rooted in shared memories. However, I did feel that twenty-six challenges was a little excessive, and at times the story leaned heavily into sadness.

That said, Debbie Johnson captures the messy complexity of family beautifully. While not my favourite of her novels, the emotional payoff and sense of healing by the end made the journey worthwhile and ultimately hopeful.

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Review Card & Book Review- Happily Ever After Bookshop By Emma Bennet

She’s sworn off romance. But this summer, love might rewrite her story . . .

Single mum Carrie Worsley doesn’t need another disappointment — she needs a fresh start. So when she’s offered the chance to run her great-aunt’s romance bookshop in the Cornish seaside town of Castle Cove, she packs up her six-year-old daughter and takes the leap.

Secret beaches. Golden sunsets. And The Happily Ever After Bookshop — a pastel-pink sanctuary filled with stories of second chances. But it’s only temporary. Until she meets Michael — the quiet, brooding, local bookbinder with kind eyes and an adorably chaotic dog!

Michael isn’t looking for forever. Carrie doesn’t believe in it anymore. But stolen glances turn into slow-burn tension. Friendly coffees become lingering touches. And suddenly the chemistry isn’t just fictional — it’s undeniable.Between sea-salted evenings, cinnamon-scented mornings, and long afternoons lost among the shelves, Carrie begins to wonder . . .

What if this time, the love story is hers?

About The Author

My Review

This book is about single mum Carrie, who escapes London with her six-year-old daughter, Poppy, to spend the summer running her aunt’s seaside romance bookshop. Hoping for a fresh start and some breathing space, Carrie instead finds herself revisiting treasured childhood memories — and reconnecting with neighbour Michael, whose quiet strength and devotion to his teenage daughter, Layla, make him impossible to ignore.

I loved the gentle, low-angst tone of this story. The seaside setting feels warm and welcoming, and the bookshop itself is a charming backdrop filled with nostalgia and possibility. Watching Carrie and Michael’s families gradually blend together is one of the novel’s greatest joys. The bond between Poppy and Layla adds depth, and the sense of community in the town makes everything feel comforting and authentic.

The romance is a true slow burn, unfolding naturally and tenderly, which suits both characters and their responsibilities as parents. Overall, it’s a heartwarming, uplifting read about second chances, found family, and discovering that sometimes a new chapter begins exactly where your happiest memories were made.

Second Chance at Happiness

Slow-Burn Romance

Found Family

Small-Town Seaside Setting

My Rating

Link To Purchase

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Review Card & Book Review- The Time Of My Life By Samantha Tonge

How far would you go to change your life?

When Eliza Woods sees an advertisement for someone’s whole life for sale – their house, car, all their belongings, even their clothes and cat – not to mention a trial-run in their job and an introduction to their friends… she decides it’s fate.

Grabbing a different life with both hands is exactly what she needs. Even if 26-year-old Carrie’s wildly-social life and job in a bar couldn’t be more different from Eliza’s quieter existence.

As for Carrie, she’s heading off to Greece, desperate to run away from everything she’s familiar with in England. The two women message each other after the deal has gone through, with Eliza excited to go for cocktails with Carrie’s friends before her first shift at her new job.

What Carrie doesn’t tell her is why she put her life up for sale. And what Eliza doesn’t tell Carrie is that she’s about to turn 75. And that isn’t her only secret…

About The Author

My Review

This is about Carrie, a young woman barely keeping her head above water — juggling two jobs, struggling with money, and feeling increasingly alone after falling out with her best friends. In a desperate but impulsive move, she sells her life to fund her dream trip to Greece. The buyer? Eliza — a woman in her seventies — who steps straight into Carrie’s flat, job, friendships, wardrobe, and even her beloved cat.

I absolutely loved how original and layered this story turned out to be. What starts as a quirky, almost whimsical premise quickly becomes something much deeper. The mystery surrounding Eliza’s reasons kept me hooked, and just when I thought I’d figured things out, the plot shifted in ways I didn’t expect.

Both Carrie and Eliza are beautifully developed, with emotional depth that slowly unfolds as secrets come to light. It’s clever, twisty, heartfelt, and thought-provoking — a story about regret, identity, and second chances that stayed with me long after I turned the final page.

Second Chances at Life

Strangers with Shared Secrets

Fish Out of Water

Found Family and Reconciliation

My Rating

Link To Purchase

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Review Card & Book Review- Undeniable By Mary Sue Jackson

CAL
Small towns were never part of the plan—too quiet, too close, too permanent.I stick to the rodeo circuit. Fast rides, faster exits. No roots. No ghosts. But Poplar Springs? It hits different.

I roll in to promote a local event and end up staring into a past that isn’t mine. Seems I’m the dead ringer of a man this town buried. A man Amy loved. She looks at me like I’ve torn something wide open. And I feel it too—the pull, the guilt, the heat I’ve got no business feeling.

I tell myself to walk. But then I learn I’ve got ties here. Blood. A nephew who doesn’t remember his dad. And for the first time, I wonder if I’ve been running from the wrong things. So I do what I’ve always done.I leave.

…Or at least, I try.

AMY
He’s not Luke. I know that. But the way he walks, the way he looks at me—it hurts just the same.I should shut the door, tell him to go.

Instead, I watch him reach for my son with a tenderness he doesn’t show anyone else.He says he’s just passing through.But I see the pain he doesn’t speak, the way he holds my son like a promise he never made.
And if he walks away, I don’t know how to carry both goodbyes.

About The Author

My Review

This is about Amy, a widow still grieving four years after her husband Luke’s death, whose world tilts when she meets Cal—a man who looks exactly like her late husband. In this book, what begins as a shocking resemblance soon unravels into a deeper revelation: Cal, adopted at birth, is actually Luke’s older brother.

As Amy and Cal work together to organize a local rodeo, their shared responsibilities slowly evolve into friendship and then something far more complicated. The attraction between them is tender yet fraught with guilt. Amy wrestles with the fear that loving Cal might look like she’s trying to replace Luke, while Cal struggles with stepping into a family he never knew he had.

What makes the story compelling is the emotional nuance. Though Cal shares Luke’s face, he is his own man—gentle, patient, and emotionally open in ways that set him apart. The small-town setting enhances the tension, where opinions travel fast and judgment lingers.

Heartfelt and thought-provoking, this romance explores grief, identity, and the courage it takes to choose happiness again—even when it feels forbidden.

Grief romance

Lookalike love interest

Forbidden love

Small-town secrets

My Rating

Link To Purchase

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Review Card & Book Review- Love’s Match By Judith Keim

It takes more than love to make a match…

After clashing with the principal of the middle-grade school where she teaches, Hazel Belmont is happy to accept the offer of a job at the town’s new sports center, owned by Ross Roberts and Mike Dawson, a tennis pro who’s semi-retired and teaches tennis at the center. When Hazel notices a young boy named Jed hanging around the tennis courts, she befriends him, and she and Mike discover that he has real talent. They speak to his foster mother and get her approval for Jed to continue free lessons. Hazel is forced to lie to her mother about having a boyfriend, Mike, to keep from meeting a young man at home. Mike agrees to go along with the idea. She and Mike arrange to foster Jed when his family has to move out of state, and discover that love can make more than one match.

About The Author

My Review

This book is about Hazel Belmont, a warm-hearted third-grade teacher who finds herself unexpectedly starting over in the charming lakeside town of Lilac Lake. In this book, Hazel’s teaching contract isn’t renewed by her critical principal, Nolan Deere, leaving her disappointed but quietly hopeful for something better.

Encouraged by her close-knit circle of friends—familiar faces from the beloved Lilac Lake world—Hazel applies for a position at the town’s new Sports Center. What begins as a professional pivot soon becomes a journey of rediscovery. Her creativity, kindness, and natural leadership breathe life into the facility, proving that her talents extend far beyond the classroom.

Set against the picturesque backdrop of Lilac Lake, the novel celebrates friendship, resilience, and second chances. Tennis matches, community gatherings, and heartfelt conversations create a gentle rhythm that feels comforting and sincere. As Hazel regains confidence and opens her heart to new possibilities, romance blooms naturally and sweetly.

Uplifting and wholesome, this installment delivers small-town charm, supportive friendships, and a tender reminder that sometimes life’s detours lead exactly where we’re meant to be.

Small-Town Romance

Second Chances at Life and Love

Friends-to-Lovers

Fresh Start

My Rating

Link To Purchase

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Review Card & Book Review- Sunk In Love By Heather McBreen

Roslyn and Liam are the perfect couple. Through every up and down, every milestone – from Liam’s residency to the publication of Roslyn’s debut romance – they’ve been each other’s rock. Until now.

Nine years in, and blindsided by the untimely death of Roslyn’s mom, they’re now navigating the final wave in their marriage: divorce.

Heartbroken and unsure how to tell her family, Roslyn keeps the impending split to herself. But when her grandparents ask if Liam can officiate their vow renewal ceremony aboard a Hawaiian cruise during their annual family holiday, Roslyn needs to tell the truth or figure out a way to keep her secret.

A week trapped at sea with her ex isn’t ideal, but neither Roslyn nor Liam want to rock the boat, so they concoct a plan – they’ll fake it. After five years of marriage, it can’t be that hard to pretend, right?

But with reality and make believe starting to blur, and old feelings beginning to resurface that can’t be ignored, Roslyn and Liam must decide whether it’s sink or swim for their marriage.

About The Author

My Review

This book is about a married couple, Roslyn and Liam, standing at the edge of divorce after five years of love, ambition, and devastating loss. In this book, their story unfolds through dual timelines, revisiting the spark-filled beginnings of their romance while exposing the grief that slowly drove them apart.

Roslyn, who left medical school to pursue writing, has always battled fears of instability and heartbreak, shaped by her unconventional upbringing. Liam, steady and devoted, seemed like her safe harbor—until tragedy reshaped their marriage. When her grandparents’ vow renewal cruise forces them to pretend they’re still happily together, old wounds resurface alongside undeniable chemistry.

The Hawaiian setting adds warmth and beauty to a deeply emotional journey of shared cabins, lingering glances, and conversations long overdue. Their connection remains electric, but rebuilding trust proves far more difficult than rekindling attraction.

Raw, tender, and achingly honest, this novel captures the messy reality of marriage and the fragile hope of second chances. It’s a heartfelt, emotional romance that lingers long after the final page.

Second Chance Romance

Marriage in Trouble

Forced Proximity

Dual Timeline Romance

My Rating

Link To Purchase

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Kob

Review Card & Book Review- How To Resist Your Boss By Leslie North

From the moment I bumped into Drew Ashford I knew one thing: I’d rather lick a subway pole than deal with him again.

Sure, he’s sexy as hell—in a hot movie-villain kind of way. Too bad he’s also obnoxious, arrogant, and worst of all, a dog hater.

Not my problem…if he didn’t own the hotel where the biggest wedding of my career is taking place.

Landing the wedding of a mega-famous reality star couple could make my career. All I need is everything to run smoothly: no scandals, no drama, no Drew.

But when a very compromising, very viral video catches him with the bride, Drew decides to drag me into his mess. Announcing—to millions of the couple’s rabid fans—that we’re engaged!

Spoiler: we are not.

Now to protect the wedding (and our own reputations), Drew convinces me to play along. The ring? Fake. The backstory? Fabricated. The chemistry?

…Unfortunately, very real.

And somewhere between the forced smiles and infuriatingly hot kisses, I start to wonder… what if I hate him a little less than I should?

About The Author

My Review

This book is about Drew Ashwood, a driven hotel manager determined to repair his resort’s tarnished reputation, and Emilia, the talented wedding planner hired to deliver a flawless celebrity ceremony. In this book, professional pressure quickly collides with personal chaos when a photo of Drew in a compromising situation with his ex—the bride-to-be—goes viral. Desperate to control the scandal, he blurts out that Emilia is his fiancée, launching them into a very public fake engagement.

What follows is a fast-paced romantic comedy packed with sharp banter, escalating mishaps, and sizzling chemistry. Drew’s protective, slightly overbearing instincts clash beautifully with Emilia’s competence and independence, creating sparks in every scene they share. As they navigate media scrutiny, wedding disasters, and their undeniable attraction, the line between pretending and real feelings blurs.

Beyond the humor and steam, the story delivers genuine emotional growth. Both characters must confront trust issues and vulnerability to make their relationship work. It’s a witty, engaging fake-fiancée romance with heart, heat, and plenty of laugh-out-loud

My Rating

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Review Card & Book Review- A Wedding At The Little Bookshop By The Sea By Eliza J Scott

Booksellers Florrie Appleton and her fiancé, Ed, are just three weeks away from their dream wedding. Between hand-selling beloved classics, unveiling Ed’s enchanting window displays and hosting lively book readings with local authors, they’ve managed to plan an intimate ceremony that promises to be everything they’ve ever hoped for – filled with literary delights, lots of laughter and the love of those closest to them.

But when Ed’s mother, Dawn, arrives unannounced on their doorstep, Florrie’s world is thrown into chaos like confetti. Dawn claims she’s come to help with the wedding preparations, yet she’s never shown the slightest interest in her son before. As she starts dismissing their carefully curated shelves and snooping around their cosy cottage, Florrie can’t shake the feeling that Dawn’s plans stretch far beyond simply choosing flowers and cake.

With her close-knit group of friends rallying around her and the bookshop’s loyal customers offering support, can Florrie protect her relationship and the bookshop that means everything to her and Ed? Or will their happily ever after slip through their fingers like pages torn from one of her treasured books?

About The Author

My Review

This book is about Florrie Appleton and her fiancé Ed as they prepare for their long-awaited literary-themed wedding in their beloved seaside bookshop. In this book, the cozy shop by the coast isn’t just a business—it’s the heart of their relationship and community.

Just weeks before the big day, Ed’s estranged mother, Dawn, arrives unexpectedly, bringing tension and suspicion with her. Her sudden enthusiasm for the wedding feels intrusive rather than supportive, and as she criticizes the shop and inserts herself into every decision, Florrie’s joy begins to falter. The emotional conflict is intimate and believable, centering on trust, boundaries, and the lingering ache of complicated family ties.

What makes this novel shine is its warmth. The loyal customers, supportive friends, and gentle humor create a comforting sense of found family. The stakes may be personal rather than dramatic, but they feel deeply real. This is a tender, uplifting seaside romance about protecting what you love and believing in your happily-ever-after.

Small-Town Seaside Romance

Found Family

Family Conflict

Cozy Bookshop Setting

My Rating