Monday 29 July 2013

Review - Vivien's Heavenly Ice Cream Shop by Abby Clements

I absolutely adored this book.

Imogen and Anna are two sisters who between them inherit an ice cream parlour which changes their lives forever. Their grandmother dies leaving them not only the shop but the legacy of the shop which has been a successful ice cream parlour since she opened it many many years ago.

They have to come up with a plan for this business which will make it a roaring success. They also have to do it quickly before other members of their family who would love to see them fail, can get their hands on the shop.

While Imogen has to turn her back on her life in Thailand, and Anna's family life is under threat, will the ice cream parlour survive and become the roaring success that they both wish it to be?

This book was absolutely delicious. I even had to raid my freezer at one stage as I had a craving for ice cream after the descriptions of all the different flavoured ice creams in the book!

This book is everything I feel a book should be: a great story, a family that pull together, with some romance thrown in to create the perfect ingredients.  I completely and utterly fell in love with this book.  There were even ice cream recipes at the back of the book for you to try to make yourself. What a fabulous idea.

 
The book made me want to own an ice cream parlour and made me wish that I was a third sister on this fabulous journey.

This was not a feel-good romance, it was a feel-fantastic for the rest of the weekend romance! Totally scrumptious and couldn't resist it!

Abby Clements worked in book publishing before she switched to writing. She lives in North London and Vivian's Heavenly Ice Cream Shop is her second novel. I reviewed her first novel, Meet Me Under The Mistletoe last year and you can find that review by clicking here.

 
Read more about Abby Clements at her website.



You can buy this book via Amazon UK by clicking here

Thursday 25 July 2013

Review - Just Add Spice by Carol E Wyer


Today I have the absolute pleasure of hosting fabulous best-selling author Carol E. Wyer on her blog tour. Here's my review of Just Add Spice. Carol is running a fab competition too today with some superb prizes. 
Join in the fun and win one of our spicy prizes by clicking this link:  
RAFFLECOPTER CODE:

Join the Facebook event for FAB spicy prizes! Click HERE.


My review 

Dawn Ellis thinks that her life is dull and boring. Her hubby is unemployed and spends all day complaining about everything and everyone and generally is a real grump watching rubbish TV and not helping around the house. 

Dawn joins a local writing group which is really good for her. There, she meets lots of unusual characters all going through the process of writing a novel. One of the men there, Jason, becomes a little more than friendly towards her ..........

She writes about vivacious character Cinnamon Knight, the exact opposite of herself and the two lives become entwined more than she ever thought possible.

I loved the storyline of Just Add Spice, it really was a real treat to read. It was funny, sad, true to life in many parts, and so very enjoyable and entertaining. Dawn was such a wonderful character who I became completely involved with and empathised with and Cinnamon was everything that Dawn wasn't. Or was she? 

I adored the writing group, such an eclectic group of people that all had their own interesting stories and all of them were budding authors. I would love to join that writing group! 

Carol is such a wonderful author. She manages to take all the things that annoy you in life, makes them funny and also makes you think that you can't possibly be the only one who is thinking these things. Her books are full of wit and a ton of humour which make them such an entertaining read. 

I wish Carol every success with this book, I'm sure that it will be a huge winner! 

BUY LINKS:




 

CAROL’S LINKS:











Blogstop for Carol E Wyer



Im delighted today to be a blog stop for the lovely Carol E Wyer who is touring with her latest novel Just Add Spice.  Carol is a fabulous and her books are full of real life and hilarity. A pleasure to read. The other stops on this tour are at the bottom of this post. There are prizes galore too so do enter.  The link for the competitions is also further into the post. Hope you enjoy reading the book blurb and extract. It was a fab book to read. 

Published by Safkhet Publishing 25th July 2013
as ebook. Paperback due later in the year

The blurb

Dawn Ellis needs to escape from her painfully dull existence. Her unemployed husband spends all day complaining about life, moping around, or fixing lawnmowers on her kitchen table.

The local writing class proves to be an adequate distraction with its eccentric collection of wannabe authors and, of course, the enigmatic Jason, who soon shows a romantic interest in her.

Dawn pours her inner frustrations into her first novel about the extraordinary exploits of Cinnamon Knight, an avenging angel -- a woman who doesn’t believe in following the rules. Cinnamon is ruthless and wanton, inflicting suffering on any man who warrants it.

Little does Dawn realise that soon the line between reality and fiction will blur. Her own life will be transformed, and those close to her will pay the price.

An Extract 

Cinnamon Knight ground the stub of her Benson and Hedges’ cigarette into the pavement with the heel of her Prada leather motorcycle boot, where it now joined a small pile of tab ends. Strategically placed in a shop doorway, she watched the top left window of a block of flats opposite. She had been there almost two hours. Rain beat steadily on the pavement, drumming against the gutter with constant thuds, but this did not deter her. Her patience was rewarded as the light blazing from the window was finally extinguished. She sauntered across the road to the BMW parked in front of the block of flats along the kerbside, sandwiched between a Peugeot 205 and a C Class Mercedes.

Dressed completely in black, face partially obscured by her North Face hooded jacket; she was almost invisible next to the dark car. It took only a minute to fiddle with the lock, open the door, and slide into the car. She lowered herself down in the driver’s seat, casting a cursory glance out of the window. The streets were empty. The weather was on her side and no one was braving the downpour, not even the old man at the end of the road who rarely missed taking his dog out for an evening stroll.

She leant forward and pulled off the cover below the steering wheel with one deft movement. Extracting the screwdriver from a neat case, she stabbed it into the ignition lock. A quick fiddle, one sharp twist, and the car burst into life; the persistent thudding of the rain against the pavement hid the initial coughing of the engine. She pulled away from the kerb swiftly and headed up the road at speed.

Pushing the hood away from her head, she checked her face in the rear-view mirror. That’ll teach him to mess about with women, she thought. No one, but no one, messes about with Cinnamon—the rat!


There are prizes to be won to celebrate Just Add Spice.....
and the competition entry form here


Download your copy at its promotional price of only 0.77p/$1.18/ 0.89 Euros (0.99 cents on Smashwords), post a review on Amazon UK, Amazon US, Goodreads and Smashwords and you’ll stand a chance of winning a “Spicy Experience!” You’ll be entered into a draw to win an experience of your choice including a spa day pamper package, a health club day for two or :
motor experience
A motor experience for two
vineyard tasting
Vineyard tour for two
Hovercraft experience
Hovercraft experience
Those of you who live in the US or elsewhere will be able to claim the equivalent amount in the form of an Amazon Voucher to indulge yourself any way you wish and spice up your life.
The Video Trailer

Carol's Links

Mini Skirts and Laughter Lines

Surfing in Stilettos

How Not to Murder Your Grumpy

Tutorials and Tools for Prospering in a Digital Age (Contributing Author)

Indies Unlimited 2012 Flash Fiction Anthology (Contributing Author)

www.carolewyer.co.uk

www.facing50withhumour.com

http://www.safkhetpublishing.com

Monday 22 July 2013

Review: It's Raining Men by Milly Johnson

I have been well and truly Milly Johnsoned!

Claire, Marie and Lara have more than they could ever know in common with each other. Friends through the years, they all need extremely busy lives and do not even have the time to catch up with each other. But when one of them insists on getting  together, in a two week break of rest and recuperation, after each of them have suffered a dreadful time in their lives with the men they are with, a spa break is just what they need.

However, They are all completely devastated when the planes that the satnav takes them to is a cottage in the village of Ren Dullem. As they arrive in the middle of the night and plan to get to the correct destination the following day. However the spa is fully booked so they have no alternative but to stay in Well Cottage. They appear to have stumbled upon a village which is full of secrets, and being the type of women that they are aim to get to the bottom of the mystery.

I'm not sure what the gift that Millie has is, but she is capable of totally drawing me into every single one of her stories wrapping a huge shawl of love, pleasure and delight around my shoulders while I become deeply ensconced in her wonderful storylines and mesmerised with the characters.

Millie's books are always full of romance, friendship and love in a way that a great big dose of real life also plays a huge part.

I seriously wanted to be there with the girls. I felt every emotion that they felt and I lived through the run up to the holiday with each of them as well as being with them in Ren Dullem.  I pictured the village and the people who lived there. I wanted to be there and be part of their lives.  If the cottage would have had a fourth bedroom, it would have had my name on it.

Whenever I get a new Milly Johnson book, I know that my life has to go on hold. This was another book that I couldn't put down, desperate to find out what was going to happen to my new friends. I read it in a day. Couldn't tear myself away.

Milly Johnson  has always been one of my most favourite authors.  For me, A Spring Affair was always my favourite book of hers, but I have to say that It's Raining Men has taken a very special place in my heart.  I honestly think that this is her best book yet! 



http://www.millyjohnson.co.uk/

Follow Milly on Twitter

Click here to buy this book on Amazon UK 


Milly Johnson was born, raised and still lives in Barnsley, South Yorkshire. As well as being an author of 8 published novels, she is also a copywriter for the greetings card industry, a joke-writer, a columnist, after dinner speaker, poet and a BBC radio presenter.

She wrote her first book 'Judith in the Land of Buns, Biscuits and Cakes' whilst still at school - an opus that remains tragically unpublished. It was only when a ex-boss called Barnsley 'A Joke Town' that she resolved to write a book about Barnsley folk and to show that the town is actually quite a nice, friendly place to grow up and live in.

She writes about love, life, friendships, rather nice food, a little bit of magic and, in her last book - A Winter Flame - reindeer, elves and theme parks in Barnsley.

When not writing, she is usually shouting at her two teenage sons to put things AWAY, watching Jeremy Kyle or being walked by her Eurasier dog Teddy, who also has a column in the local paper and gets paid more than she does.

Milly's website is www.millyjohnson.co.uk and she blogs at www.daftoldbag.blogspot.com

Friday 19 July 2013

Review - By My Side by Alice Peterson

Wow! What an incredibly moving page-turner!


Cass Brooks is a young lady with her whole life ahead of her as a doctor until she leaves home one morning with a hangover and extremely distracted she stumbles into the road with shattering consequences.

Now her future is something completely different to what she dreamt of and she has to find a way of coping and moving forward. When she meets Ticket - a gorgeous labrador - she realises that maybe with a little help from her friends and a lot of help from Ticket, she can have a good life after all.

What a wonderful book. It made me feel extremely humble and thankful for my life and the things that certainly I and lots of other people take for granted on a daily basis. So emotional, I do have to confess to having a tear or two!

I became completely consumed by this book totally immersing myself into the plot and never wanting to leave. It taught me about making the most of what you have, whatever that may be, and making sure that you live your life to the full. You are in control of your life. No one else. But there are people that can help and its ok to ask for and receive help.

Brilliantly written, showing how a dreadful life-changing situation can be turned upside down, shaken up and make an inspirational and highly motivational comeback, this was a fabulous book which is full of hope, laughter and joy and I feel privileged to have read it! It really was an absolute pleasure to read.

I love the way that my heart lifted through Alice's words and I hoped with all my heart for a happy ending. The lead character Cass, was an amazing lady with such courage and strength and I really resonated with her thoughts and emotions.  She is the sort of author that you discover through one book and then go out and buy everything she has ever written devouring them all with a hunger for her incredible writing.

It was lovely to speak to Alice, the author, who told me that the book is inspired by and dedicated to Sarah Orr, who following her C7 spinal-cord injury at the age of 16 returned to school. Alice met her for the first time in 2006 when she was studying for a Masters in Human Rights and she told Alice all about her experiences of backpacking across the world. Alice refers to Sarah as a lady who has determination, spirit, humour, stubbornness, talent, grace and beauty along with endless patience.



My attention was drawn while reading this book to two fabulous charities. The work they do is unbelievable, and if I had not read this book I would not have been aware of either of these two charities.  If you get the chance to share with your friends the wonderful work that these two charities do, it would be awesome. 
 

Canine Partners is a charity that helps disabled people enjoy a greater independence and a better quality of life through the help of specially trained dogs. To learn more about this charity, please follow them on Twitter and take a look at their website www.caninepartners.co.uk.

Another amazing charity is the Backup Trust who like to be referred to as Backup. Backup is a national charity that has helped thousands of people of all ages and backgrounds rebuild their confidence and independence after a devastating spinal-cord injury. To find out more about Backup, please follow them on Twitter and go to their website www.backuptrust.org.uk.

Alice Peterson was a professional tennis player before suffering rheumatoid arthritis which ended her sporting career. She has written two non-fiction books, a personal story called A Will To Win which has been updated and republished as Another Alice, and a family memoir based on her grandmother's life in Rhodesia. Her fiction has received outstanding reviews and her ebook Monday To Friday Man was one of the best selling ebooks a of 2012. By My Side is her third novel for Quercus. Alice lives in West London.

To find out more about Alice her website is www.alicepeterson.co.uk

To order this book from Amazon UK 
http://www.amazon.co.uk/By-My-Side-ebook/dp/B009P1WF58


Monday 15 July 2013

COVER REVEAL FOR SOPHIE’S ENCORE PLUS EXCERPT AND GIVEAWAY!!!




Woohoo! The fabulous Nicky Wells is here today to celebrate the cover reveal for her third book, Sophie’s Encore. Read on for:
The BLURB
The COVER
The EXCERPT
The GIVEAWAY
There's also a chance to win an advance review copy of Sophie’s Encore or Rock Star Romance SWAG!


Sophie’s Encore

Her rock star is waiting in the wings, but will he get a second chance?

It’s all change for Sophie Jones—only this time, there is more at stake than just her happiness.

Rock star extraordinaire, Dan Hunter, has been her patient and caring friend through the highs and lows since her wedding day, but now he figures it is time for her to start over. By stealth, the rock singer draws Sophie into the behind-the-scenes work for his band’s latest album. Through the days and weeks spent together at the mixing desk, Sophie discovers whole new horizons for her life, yet before she can even begin to explore them, she faces the very real threat of losing her rock star for good.

Join Sophie and Dan in Sophie’s Encore to find out how their journey will end…



Cover design: Nicky Wells and Chad Lichtenhan


Whoa! What do you make of this? And to intrigue you further, Nicky has shared this excerpt of Sophie’s Encore:

Sophie’s Encore: Excerpt

My bedroom door opened slowly and Dan crept in. All thought of sleep forgotten, I flicked the light back on and was met by an astonishing sight. There was Dan, the rock star, legend for his antics on and off stage, clad in a demure pair of checked pajamas with a button-up top and a mismatched, stripy dressing gown. His feet were stuffed into fluffy slippers, and he clutched a bottle and two glasses in his hands.

“Come on,” he whispered. “Dinner is served.”

I giggled and left my bed, grabbing my own stripy dressing gown and a pair of thick socks.

“What are you doing?” I breathed into his ear, but he simply took my hand and pulled me down the dark corridor toward the open-plan lounge.

“Have a seat,” he invited me and gestured at the dining table, which was once again laid, although only for two, complete with candles and napkins.

He set down the bottle and glasses and scurried off to shut the lounge door. While he busied himself in the kitchen, I basked in the heat from the fire which Dan had re-stoked, and observed my rock star with some degree of amusement.

Within a few minutes, he brought a dish of smoked salmon bites to the table, followed by olive bread, a cheese board, various cold meats, olives, pickled anchovies, and prawns with some sort of aioli dip. He popped the cork on the bottle of champagne, poured two glasses, and sat down, satisfied at last.

Now we can eat,” he announced. “Tapas. What do you think?”

I raised my glass. “Cheers,” I giggled. “So that’s what you meant earlier. I think it’s amazing. It’s like a midnight feast. I’m just waiting for matron to discover us and give us detention. Why all the secrecy?”

Dan speared a prawn and pointed it at me. “Well, for one, as you say, matron will certainly come and give us detention. Peter is very strict on my sleep regimen, you see.” He dipped the prawn into the aioli before popping it into his mouth. The beatific look on his face and his scrunched up eyes suggested he was enjoying this humble treat far more than was warranted.

He swallowed and cleared his throat. “And for another, I’m on a strict diet. Every last bit of cheese gets weighed, the carbohydrates counted, the sugar added up. It’s really tedious.” He grimaced.

I helped myself to some bread and salmon. “Tedious indeed, I can see that. But why? I thought you were supposed to eat lots and get better.” I chewed greedily, my tummy having given an impressive rumble.

Dan speared another prawn and added a mountain of cheese and bread to his place. “Bliss,” he murmured before explaining further. “I’m supposed to eat healthy, not lots. So Peter has taken it upon himself to reform the bad eating habits of a lifetime. Bless him, it’s what he’s paid to do. I’ve been going along with it, and I have to admit, I’m feeling pretty good. But…”

He grinned his school-boy grin, took a big mouthful of food, washed it down with a large gulp of champagne, and finished his thought. “Well, it gets boring. And I wanted to do something special with you. On my own.”

I burst out laughing, but quieted down when I saw the alarm on Dan’s face.

“Sorry,” I whispered.

“Peter’s bedroom is right next door there,” Dan whispered back. “And he’s a light sleeper.” He pointed his finger, and we sat in silence for a minute, straining to hear.

“I think we’re okay,” Dan finally concluded and resumed eating.

I giggled softly. “Naughty, naughty, us.”

“Ha, we’re not naughty yet,” Dan shot back, speaking softly as well. “I was working up to that part.”

He winked, and my heart skipped and jumped. He didn’t mean—he couldn’t mean what I thought he meant?

“What do you mean?” I bumbled, hoping for clarification, but Dan was enjoying himself.

“All in good time,” he teased. “Let’s finish our meal first.”


The Giveaway

Nicky wants to share her excitement about this cover reveal and upcoming release with you! She’s offering a giveaway — Enter for your chance to win:

One of TWO Sophie’s ENCORE Advance Review e-Copies
or

One Sophie’s RUN Mug
or

One Rock Star Romance Trilogy SWAG Pack featuring postcards and bookmarks



GIVEAWAY CLOSES 15 AUGUST AT MIDNIGHT BST.
The small print! Entrants must be aged 18 or over. Giveaway is open internationally. Winners will be drawn via Rafflecopter.

GOOD LUCK!

****STOP PRESS: Nicky's just told me that her first two books, Sophie's Turn and Sophie's Run, are now available for only $0.99 (or equivalent) each to celebrate the cover reveal! Hurry ~ limited time only!! Book details below!!!***** 

SOPHIE’S ENCORE: coming your way in e-book and paperback editions on 5 SEPTEMBER 2013!!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

About Nicky Wells


Nicky Wells is your ultimate rock chick author. Signed to US Publisher, Sapphire Star Publishing, Nicky writes Romance That Rocks Your World, featuring the rock star and the girl next door. Nicky’s books offer glitzy, glamorous contemporary romance with a rock theme ~ imagine Bridget Jones ROCKS Notting Hill!

Like Sophie, her leading lady, Nicky loves listening to rock music, dancing, and eating lobsters. When she’s not writing, she’s a wife, mother, occasional knitter, and regular contributor to The Midweek Drive show on Lincoln’s Siren 107.3 FM. Rock on!



Find Nicky’s Rock Star Romance Trilogy here:

Part 1~Sophie’s Turn: So the rock star wants to marry her, but she’s already engaged…

Part 2~Sophie’s Run: Her famous star remains her rock while life takes her on a little detour…