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Blog Tour / Review: “How to Find Love in a Bookshop” by Veronica Henry

*Minor spoiler / spoiler-free review*

Title: How to Find Love in a Bookshop

Author: Veronica Henry

Published: June 16th, 2016

Publisher: Orion

Find the Author: Goodreads


I received this book for review! As always, my reviews are fair and unbiased.


Nightingale Books, nestled on the high street in Peasebrook, a picture-postcard Cotswold town, is a dream comes true for booklovers. Everyone who enters falls in love with something.

But owner Emilia Nightingale is struggling to keep the shop open and the developers are circling. The temptation to sell up is proving enormous – but what about the promise she made to her father? Not to mention her customers, for whom the shop is a comfort, a meeting place, a lifeline.

There’s Gary, a stable lad for a nearby trainer, who buys books to read to Nikki, who is lying in a coma. He spends every spare hour at Nikki’s bedside, never giving up hope that she will come round.
Betty, who runs a supper club from her tiny cottage, has a huge crush on a man she met and then lost in the cookery section, somewhere Auguste Escoffier and Marco Pierre White.
Mrs Norris repeatedly ‘forgets’ to pay for her books – and Emilia never has the heart to remind her. But Mrs Norris isn’t quite as forgetful as she pretends …
And then Emilia meets Dexter, local jack-the-lad, who is looking to improve his English so he can better himself. He buys all Emilia’s recommendations, and together they re-discover all her favourite authors. But Dexter has a secret, and is not all he seems…

How to Find Love in a Bookshop is the delightful story of Emilia’s fight to keep her bookshop alive, the customers whose lives she has touched – and the books they all love.

When I first heard about a novel about falling in love in a bookshop, I thought about how that’s literally every book lover’s dream. What better way to fall in love than the place we love the most? I had heard such great things about Veronica Henry’s writing from other bloggers and I was definitely excited to get started reading my first novel from her.

Nightingale Books is exactly the kind of bookshop you want to go to. It used to be owned by Julius who had sadly passed and now was passed on to his daughter; Emilia, who took over everything to do with the store. But what she didn’t expect was the multitude of things she would have to re-organise and put the store back together again to optimal condition. There are other characters that weave into the tapestry of the book, like Thomasina who’s shy and has a secret crush, Sarah who uses Nightingale Books to escape her life and Jackson who wants to buy the bookshop to convert it, working for developers, among many characters that blend into the story in their own plots. They all play important parts, but Emilia’s storyline takes center stage and I couldn’t help but become enthralled by her story, past and future that may or may not include Nightingale Books.
Everyone is there for Emilia when her father dies and the shop is left to her, book lovers and musicians among them. There is a moment when I thought maybe she would cave in to the developers and sell the store, but I knew underneath it all she had learned to love the store just as much as her father did, after all, it sounded like an idyllic, wonderful little bookshop. Not only does Emilia find herself in the store, but she finds love, friendship and happiness within the cosy walls of Nightingale Books.
Overall, How To Find Love In a Bookshop is a book that all book lovers have been waiting for. It’s a love story, friendship rollercoaster and journey all in one, all tied to one special bookshop. It had heart, love, beauty and charm and everything that I love in a story. I can’t praise it highly enough – Veronica has surely written something all book lovers are going to think is a dream read. Five stars completely.


 Book Lovers everywhere.

Veronica Henry was a television script writer before turning her hand to fiction. She has published six novels which she describes as realistic escapism – her characters might have Agent Provocateur knickers drying on the Aga, but their problems and dilemmas are ones everyone can identify with. She is also on the writing team of Bafta-award winning Holby City.

Thank you for stopping by my tour stop for How to Find Love in a Bookshop!


What did you think of the story?


Let me know in the comments or on twitter @LittleMemoirs!


happy reading!

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Tour // Review & Guest Post: “House of Dreams” by Fanny Blake

Title: House Of Dreams

Author: Fanny Blake 

Published: November 5th, 2015

Publisher: Orion

Find the Author: Goodreads

Other Reviews by this Author: The Secrets Women Keep


I received this book for review! As always, my reviews are fair and unbiased.

It’s only a long weekend – what could possibly go wrong?

In the hilltop villa with its spectacular views across rolling countryside to the straits of Gibraltar, Lucy anxiously awaits the arrival of her brother and sister.

They’re spending the weekend together to say farewell to Casa de Sueños, the house in the mountains of southern Spain where they grew up.

Her sister, Jo, landing at the airport with her fractious four year old, dreads the prospect of this time with her family which will fulfil their mother’s last instructions that they celebrate her birthday together. Only this time their mother won’t be there.

Tom, their brother, remembers the chaos of his bohemian upbringing and wants nothing more than for their stay to go off without a hitch. Then a beautiful face from his past appears at the villa . . .

Over one long, hot week weekend, past secrets will spill out, making the siblings question themselves, the choices they’ve made and where their future lies in this gorgeous new novel from Fanny Blake.


When House of Dreams landed on my doorstep, I couldn’t have been more excited for bookish mail. It had been three years since I read anything by Fanny Blake (The Secrets Women Keep, 2013) and I was in need of a beautiful, summer Adult fiction read. 

At first glance, House of Dreams looks like it was; idyllic, mesmerising and gorgeous. But it’s far more than it’s scenic cover and isn’t your typical Summer-y light-themed novel. Underneath the surface, there was a truly compelling story about siblings and life after the death of their Mother, back in Casa de Sueños to where they grew up, to say goodbye to it for good. 
At the start, we see Lucy awaiting the arrival of her brother and sister. It’s an anxious wait as she isn’t prepared for what this week will play out like. She’s the youngest sibling and was probably the closest to her late Mother. Her true motivation for this week is to give her Mother, Hope, the proper send-off she deserves.  Jo, her sister and a single mother, isn’t sure of it either. But they are honouring their mother’s wish that they spend her birthday together there, in southern Spain one last time. For Tom, he’s dreading returning to his unconventional, bohemian childhood and just wants it to go without a single thing going wrong. He attends the house with his wife and kids, ready to scatter his mother’s ashes and arrange dividing up the money from the house’s sale, driven by his wife’s demands.
During the week, certain true colours come out from the families and characters, also unveiling things their Mother had kept a secret. As the story plays out, they also grow closer than they were before and I loved the character development across the characters that played out truly effortlessly. 
Overall, House of Dreams was truly a dream read. From the blissful setting to the emotional, powerful plot, I was truly won over by this exceptional five-star read. Fanny Blake has definitely out-done herself, writing what is surely going to be such a hit with Adult Fiction lovers. The book was slow paced, just as a Summer read should be, and portrayed the realness of sibling bonds and saying goodbye in the backdrop of sunny Spain. 

 Chick-lit fans, Adult ficiton and feel good reads.

Fanny Blake was a publisher for many years, editing fiction and general non-fiction before becoming a freelance journalist and writer. She has written several bestsellers and acted as ghost writer for a number of celebrities.
She is also Books Editor of womanandhome magazine. Her novels include The Secrets Women Keep (Orion), With a Friend Like You (Orion) and House of Dreams (Orion).

Top Writing Tips

by Fanny Blake


I think it’s important to say that these are things that work for me, but that there’s no right or wrong way of writing a novel. A writer has to find out what works best for them and not take any notice of what others do  …


1. Read, read, read. Don’t just read in the area in which you’re writing. Expand your horizons by seeing how other writers handle different topics and characters. There’s a lot to be learnt from them.


2. Write every day. Whether you write 100 or 1000 words, it doesn’t matter. Writing’s like a muscle. The more you work at it, the more it will develop and the stronger it will get. 


3. Write what you want to write. Be true to yourself. Don’t follow fashion – chances are it will have moved on by the time you’ve finished or the market will be so crowded there may not be room for you


4. Don’t give up – frustration, self doubt and rejection are all part of the process


5. Show your work to people whose opinions you trust and who will be honest. I try not to show anyone anything until I’ve finished a draft but sometimes I can’t help myself if there’s something I really can’t iron out.


6. Listen to criticism


7. Beware adjectives and adverbs. Use them only when essential ie when they add something to the scene. Very often you can show a mood through an action or something said. Eg. Not: ‘Don’t do that,’ he said angrily. But: ‘Don’t do that,’ he said, banging his fist on the table.


8. Before I show a first (or any other) draft of my novel to my agent or publisher, I polish it within an inch of its life. 


9. Once I’ve got a draft, I find it helps to change the typeface before I reread it. For some reason it gives me an extra degree of objectivity and I start noticing different things in it. 


10. Dialogue – Bad dialogue can really let the novel down. Read it out loud. You may feel an idiot but shut the door and get on with it. It can make all the difference.


11. Don’t listen to anyone who tells you there’s a right or a wrong way to write a novel.


12. Just do it!

Fanny Blake’s House of Dreams is published by Orion in paperback, £7.99 and is out now!

Have you read House of Dreams?


What did you think of Fanny’s writing tips?


Let me know in the comments or on twitter @LittleMemoirs or using the hashtag #HouseofDreamsPLM


happy reading!

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Book Review: “If You Were Me” by Sheila O’Flanagan





Title: If You Were Me

Author: Sheila O’Flanagan
Genre: Adult – Women’s Fiction 
Release Date: July 3rd, 2014 (UK)
Published by: Headline Review

With thanks to Headline Review for the copy of this novel! As always, my reviews are non-bias and fair.

Carlotta O’Keefe is happily engaged, and the wedding plans are coming together. She’s clear about her future path, both personally and in her busy career. Maybe Chris doesn’t make her heart race every time she sees him, but you can’t have that feeling for ever. Can you?


Then, on a trip to Seville, Carlotta runs into Luke Evans. Luke broke her heart so long ago she’d almost convinced herself she’d forgotten him. Now, he’s not that boy any more, but an attractive and intriguing man. And he can explain everything that happened way back when.


Suddenly Carlotta’s not so sure of anything any more. Except that what she decides now will shape the rest of her life…

I’ve always wondered what Sheila O’Flanagan’s novels would be like after seeing my sister read them for years, so when I had the opportunity to read what looked like an amazing read, I jumped at the chance!
Carlotta O’Keefe has everything she could want in her life; a handsome doctor-fiancé and a job she loves among the many highlights. Although there are some things she isn’t liking about her life right now. Her mother-in-law to be and her sister-in-law to be are judgmental and always put her job down, but the thing that’s the worst is the constant comparisons to her fiancé Chris’s ex-fiancée. She knows they wish she wasn’t in the picture and they could be together again. 
When Carlotta has to take an important project that’s crucial to her career to Seville, she promises to be back before her mother-in-law’s birthday party. But a couple of incidents occur that delay her departure. The most startling one of all happens to have the past hurdling back up when she sees Luke Evans, her crush once-upon-a-time. He was quite literally the one that got away. He’s different from the Luke she once knew, the one who left in the middle of the night. Even though she loves Chris, she can’t stand his family. The new Luke is different in a million different ways, and she’s suddenly thrown from what she thought her life would pan out like. 
If You Were Me is a story about dilemmas, uncertain futures and everything about that future ends with a question mark. Carlotta now has to decide whether she wants the future she planned or something entirely unthinkable. Written by the incredible and highly-talented and much loved author; Sheila O’Flanagan, If You Were Me is going to be on bookshelves in many homes to come. Brilliant! 

I can’t tell the ending, but it was definitely my favourite part by far. Another favourite of mine was when Carlotta meets Luke again after the time and years they had spent apart. 

Anyone who loves Chick-Lit and Women’s Fiction. I’m a Young Adult book fan by heart, but it was a change that I didn’t mind – I now see why everyone loves a Sheila O’Flanagan novel!

Have you read If You Were Me?

What did you think? 

Tell me in the comments or at @LittleMemoirs on twitter!

happy reading!
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Book Review: “The Wedding Bees” by Sarah-Kate Lynch

Title: The Wedding Bees
Author: Sarah-Kate Lynch
Genre: Adult Fiction – Contemporary/Chick-lit
Release Date: January 28th, 2014 (US) February 13th, 2014

Other Books by Author: Dolci di Love, Eating With The Angels

Published by: William Morrow (Harper Collins) 

Purchase at: Amazon, B&N, Waterstones


With thanks to Harper Collins for the copy of this novel! As always, my reviews are non-bias and fair.


The Wedding Bees by Sarah-Kate Lynch, the author of the bestselling Dolci Di Love, is a delightful novel about love and loss, heartbreak and hope, and the magic of honey, in the vein of Amélie and Chocolat. 

 When Sugar Wallace arrives in Manhattan with nothing but a beehive, a secret past and a taste for good manners, life starts to change for the dispirited occupants of 33 Flores Street. 
 But as love wings its way into their hearts and homes, it flies away from Sugar herself. That is, until a doorman without a door and a certain busy queen join forces in a sting to end all stings. It looks like love might be in the air once more … but for how long?

 The Wedding Bees has one of those covers that just immediately says; read me! And any book set in New York has me reeled in, regardless. I don’t read that many Adult books, but when I do, chick-lit and contemporary is the one I am drawn to, so many thanks to HarperCollins360 for allowing me to get my Chick-Lit fix for January!

Sugar is running from her past, and has been for quite some time, never taking more than her cherished bees. She’s nothing but enchanting and well mannered wherever she goes and never fails to have the neighbours and people of wherever she goes becoming her lifelong friends. Although, she never stays long enough. She’s always moving on to the next place, guided by her prized bees. So I was enthralled as to her heart leaning toward a deeper connection to her arrival in Alphabet City, as she becomes attached to the people and possibilities the city has to offer. 

I could easily see Sugar’s charisma and grace acted out on the big screen, and I would be first in line. The Wedding Bees is unlike any other, alluring and riveting in every way possible. The introduction to Sugar is inviting, but toward the middle is when we delve into the storyline and back-story a little more, giving us a more open-eyed view to Sugar’s past and her potential here, guided by only her bees, which gave me a feeling that she was a very hesitant person. Even at the start, her oldest friend thinks she’s gone a little crazy, but when everyone gets a glimpse through her contrasting view of the world, they start to understand Sugar in all her inimitable ways. 

Sugar Wallace was as sweet as honey. She was an idyllic lead heroine and I was captivated by her unique quirks and charming southern appeal. She was definitely my favourite character of the book and I rooted for her the whole way through. Her stories of South Carolina were a lovely addition and just the way of how she was, as if she was enraptured by life itself meant she was an absolute delight, overall.
There were many characters along the way that sparkled like Sugar did, alike her romance with Theo; the Scottish love interest of hers. Their meeting and connection was undeniably sweet the way Sarah-Kate Lynch weaved their paths together, I knew they were going to have chemistry. And the others along the way, like; Ruby, Nate, George…there were so many that shone throughout the story and fitted in without the pages feeling cramped with characters. 

The Wedding Bees is whimsical, fascinating and an almost magical-type of Love Story set in one of the most coveted and lively places on Earth; Manhattan, NYC. I fell in love with the characters, the honey and the bees and the feel-good realistic elements. It had everything in a novel I love, filled with imagination and sweet, memorable features. 

Sarah-Kate Lynch deserves every five-star review for this amazing read!


Have you read The Wedding Bees?

What did you think? 

Tell me in the comments or at @LittleMemoirs on twitter!
happy reading!
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Book Review: “Cold Fusion 2000” by Karl Drinkwater

  

Title: Cold Fusion 2000

Author: Karl Drinkwater
Genre: Adult – Contemporary Romance
Release Date:  December 2012
Published by: Lulu

With thanks to Karl Drinkwater for the copy of the novel! My review is as always, non-bias and fair.

AUTHOR SITE | TWITTER  | GOODREADS

 Alex Kavanagh is the best!

Problem
is, he’s the best at being a pedantic physics-obsessed geek. He’s a
teacher who hates teaching; a lover who’s just been dumped (again); a
writer whose articles all get rejected; an adult who still lives at home
and gets bullied at the bus stop by teenagers; and he’s just had the
worst day of his life. So far, so bad. Things can only get better,
right?

While drowning his sorrows he sees an ex from six years
ago, Lucy Spiers. The point when Lucy dumped him for his best friend was
the point when his life started to go nuclear. He can’t help himself:
he tells her exactly what he thinks of her.

So it comes as a
surprise when they go on a date. He didn’t expect a spark to be
reignited. Couldn’t foresee the power of magnetism. He hadn’t realised
that he still loved her.

Holy protons, he hopes she’s changed.

And
– oh boy! – she’s changed all right. For a start, she’s actually Lucy’s
twin sister, Jane – someone prone to misguided acts of kindness,
strange visions, and keeping secrets. Someone who knows she’ll leave
Alex’s life forever in three days. As lies pile up Jane wonders if she
can avoid breaking Alex’s heart like her sister did.

Cold Fusion
is a story wrapped around an enigma. It’s a novel about making peace
with the past and moving on, set in Manchester in the year 2000. It’s
time for change.

 First up, I received this so long ago and with my backlog of reviews, Cold Fusion 2000 got lost in the ever-stacking towers of books on my desk, so I’m sorry for that! But back to my thoughts, I knew from just the premise that Cold Fusion 2000 was going to be a unique novel and also being set in the UK, it was already gaining a great reputation in my books.

Set in Manchester during the Millennium
era (2000, hence the title), main character; Alex, still lives at home
with his Mum and sister; Kelly and has been in an impasse since his girlfriend
from university dumped him. 

Now thirty years old and his life being
in this rut, a sudden encounter finally unlocks him from this dilemma in his
life to get him back into his better ways. He’s fed up of getting bullied by
the teenagers at the bus stop and fed up of getting dumped, so he was surprised
when he was in a distressed way that he sees his ex Lucy (who dumped him for
his best friend) and can’t resist the temptation to tell her just what
he thinks of her.
So…how did they end up going to a date?
And how come she isn’t Lucy, and
is in fact her twin sister; Jane?
A spark like a firework between them
shocks him both. Alex didn’t realise that he would fall back in love so quickly
with someone who he thought had broken his heart. Jane isn’t anything like
Lucy, and is kind though secretive. She doesn’t want to hurt Alex like her
sister did, but she knows that she’ll be leaving Alex’s life in just three
days. She doesn’t want to lie, but she doesn’t want to repeat the past and
repeat Lucy’s faults. 
 Intricate layers of family, life
and love twist in to Cold Fusion 2000. With it’s bittersweet ending and
complicated characters, Karl writes with truth and hope in this coming-of-age
novel. The characters are so ordinary, yet so distinctive and have all had a
taste of an epiphany in their time. The past plays a huge part of the novel,
but what it truly comes down to in the end is the outlook for the future and
the peace that the characters have to make with their own pasts.
I was pleasantly surprised throughout the
story with every new unveiling, and can say that this is a one-of-a-kind novel
that can be interpreted in many different ways and that the reader plays a huge
part in what they can take from the enigma-filled novel.
A hugely inspiring novel that I adored
from start to finish.


Have you read Cold Fusion 2000?
What did you think? 
Tell me in the comments or at @LittleMemoirs on twitter!
happy reading!
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Book Review: “Jasmine Nights” by Julia Gregson (with thanks to lovereading.co.uk)

Beautiful, exquisitely written and captivating, Jasmine Nights will have you reading it from day..to night…



Published by: Orion
Author: Julia Gregson
Available: Paperback/Hardback

About “Jasmine Nights”: The author of the bestselling “East of the Sun” returns with a lush novel about a young singer who is recruited by the British Secret Service during the height of World War II.At twenty-three, Saba Tarcan is a talented but naive singer who dreams of being more than just another act playing in small clubs and talent contests in Wales. So when the opportunity arises to join a group that will entertain the troops in the Middle East, she jumps at the chance. She must leave behind her overprotective family and cut short a burgeoning love affair with a young fighter pilot, Dom, whom she met when she went to sing in the hospital where he was recovering from burns after his plane had been shot down. When Dom follows Saba to Cairo, the difficulties of combining their two intense lives are compounded. Dom, addicted to flying, refuses to stay grounded, while Saba finds she’s suited for life on the stage and on the road. When it turns out that Saba is also uniquely qualified for a secret mission, she is asked by the Secret Service to spy on a Turkish impresario and his associates. But it’s a mission that will jeopardize not only her own safety, but also the love of her life…
“Jasmine Nights” is a powerful story of danger, beauty, and love set amidst some of the most exquisite and dangerous cities of the Middle East

My review:



What first amazed me was the beautiful landscape Julia Gregson had written about
in careful, descriptive words that made me believe I was there—in that place and
time of her novel. I hadn’t read a wartime novel before, but after reading this,
I would definitely consider choosing the genre. What I liked about Jasmine
Nights was that it surprised me, and I couldn’t have predicted what would happen
on the next page. One of my favourite things about reading Jasmine Nights was it being partly based in Cardiff, Wales, which is very close to where I live in Wales. It made the book even more relate-able in ways that I didn’t think would be reflective. The character of Saba was magnificently written about, and
though she was very focused on her own future, she blended well with Dom, her
love interest. Above all, this love story wasn’t like anything I had read
before—more wonderful and powerful. I couldn’t have chosen a better ending,
either. It was purely magical!





Many thanks to lovereading.co.uk and Orion for allowing
me the opportunity to read such a beautiful novel.
 
happy reading!
xo Becca

Becca Jayne

Book Review: “The Rosie Project” by Graeme Simsion

There is no doubt “The Rosie Project” is going to be one of the best feel-good novels of 2013..with it’s humour and quirky characters, it’s going to find a place in your heart…

“The Blurb”
Rosie looked at me and said, ‘You know if you changed your glasses and your haircut, you could be Gregory Peck in To Kill A Mockingbird.’
‘Is that good?’ I asked. I assumed, given the circumstances, that it was, but wanted to hear her confirm it.
‘He was only the sexiest man that ever lived.’
Don Tillman, professor of genetics, has never been on a second date. Then a chance encounter gives him an idea. He will design a questionnaire–a sixteen-page, scientifically researched document–to find the perfect partner. She will most definitely not be a barmaid, a smoker, a drinker or a late-arriver.
Rosie Jarman is all these things. She is strangely beguiling, fiery and intelligent. And she is also on a quest of her own. She’s looking for her biological father, a search that a certain DNA expert might just be able to help her with–even if he does wear quick-dry clothes and eat lobster every single Tuesday night.
 


My thoughts and review..

As soon as I picked up The Rosie Project, I knew it was going to
be a good read. Within the first beginning pages, the endearing tale had already
began to unravel into a plot worthy of my full attention. Don Tillman, a highly
successful Professor of Genetics has a long history of not finding a
suitable relationship that has convinced him that he isn’t doing something
right. Don has a specific type of woman that he wants; a punctual, non-drinking,
non-smoking female who will fit into his own regimented lifestyle with ease,
though every time his friends try and set him up, things end disastrously. So
Don decides to, being an evidence-based person himself, start “The Wife Project”
which consists of designing a questionnaire to help him find the perfect
partner.


When the character Rosie appears, “The Rosie Project” truly
begins, a fast-paced story that made me laugh, root for Don and Rosie to be
together, and never lacked in surprising me with each turn of event. Overall,
The Rosie Project was a story of looking at love in a completely
different way, how even science can’t predict what the outcome will be. Don
and Rosie never failed to entertain me, building to a perfect
ending and amazingly written story. I strongly recommend this book to anyone who
might love the TV show; The Big Bang Theory, as both have the wit and
comedic timing of how Science and Comedy blend together, down
to a tee.

The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion isn’t out yet, but it’s due to be published on 11th April (2013) by Michael Joseph Ltd an imprint of Penguin Books Ltd. Make sure you pick up a copy online or at your local bookstore. Once again, I would like to thank Lovereading.co.uk for the opportunity to read such an amazing
novel. I really hope you like the review and I can’t wait to be surprised with
even more good reads as recommended by lovereading to share with you all.

happy reading,

xo Becca


P.S. You can also read my review at Lovereading’s website and at Goodreads!

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