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The Place We Met by Isabelle Broom

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Lucy may have suffered her fair share of bad men, but now she has Pete. Finally, a man worth sharing her favourite place with, Lake Como. That's if she can put mysterious phone calls and glamorous ex-girlfriends out of her mind. Taggie is rushed off her feet, but distraction is exactly what she needs to forget why she fled England and the sadness she left behind. She certainly doesn't have time for infuriating stranger Marco. A man is the last thing she needs right now. Lucy and Taggie might not know it, but their lives are about to collide. The New Year might begin with fireworks - but how will it end? I was given a copy of The Place We Met by Isabelle Broom by my Husband for Christmas this year and he couldn't have picked a better book for me. I have adored each of this authors previous books even if they have resulted in a pure determination for me to visit each location that her books have been set in and now having finished this book I have Lake Como to add to my list ...

Artemis by Andy Weir

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WELCOME TO ARTEMIS. The first city on the moon. Population 2,000. Mostly tourists. Some criminals. Jazz Bashara is a criminal. She lives in a poor area of Artemis and subsidises her work as a porter with smuggling contraband onto the moon. But it’s not enough. So when she’s offered the chance to make a lot of money she jumps at it. But though planning a crime in 1/6th gravity may be more fun, it’s a lot more dangerous… I was blown away by The Martian so I have been eagerly awaiting the next release by Andy Weir. Artemis is his latest release and having just finished reading this book I am going to start this review with a warning do not buy this book ready to compare to The Martian as you will be disappointed if you are expecting to experience the same adventure that book took you on having said that I was so captivated by Artemis but in a completely different way than I was with The Martian. Artemis is the first city on the moon and even with a small population there is those who are ...

The Cosy Christmas Chocolate Shop by Caroline Roberts

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Emma is the proud owner of The Chocolate Shop by the Sea, nestled in the heart of the cosy seaside village that’s become her home. With Christmas right around the corner, she and her assistant Holly are busy cooking up the locals’ festive favourites. From cinnamon hot chocolates to reindeer lollipops, Christmas wouldn’t taste the same without a little cocoa magic. And for Emma it’s the perfect distraction from her romantic pains of the past. So when the shop’s miserly landlord threatens to hike up the rent, Emma’s Christmas and New Year suddenly look a lot less cheerful. With the whole village rallying behind her – and loyal spaniel Alfie by her side – Emma’s determined to hold onto her chocolate-box dream. The chocolate calendar countdown is on. Can Emma rescue her business and her broken heart? I was looking for a light festive read and with a title that not only involves Christmas but also chocolate too, The Cosy Christmas Chocolate Shop by Caroline Roberts caught my eye. Our main c...

Sleigh Rides and Silver Bells at The Christmas Fair by Heidi Swain

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When Anna takes on the role of companion to the owner of Wynthorpe Hall, on the outskirts of Wynbridge, she has no idea that her life is set to change beyond all recognition. A confirmed ‘bah humbug’ when it comes to Christmas, Anna is amazed to find herself quickly immersed in the eccentric household, and when youngest son Jamie unexpectedly arrives home it soon becomes obvious that her personal feelings are going all out to compromise her professional persona. Jamie, struggling to come to terms with life back in the Fens, makes a pact with Anna – she has to teach him to fall back in love with Wynthorpe Hall, while he helps her fall back in love with Christmas. But will it all prove too much for Anna, or can the family of Wynthorpe Hall warm her heart once and for all...? I love this time of year when all my favourite authors start releasing their festive novels and one that I couldn’t wait to get my hands on this year was Sleigh Rides and Silver Bells at the Christmas Fair by He...

Christmas Cakes & Mistletoe Nights by Carole Matthews

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Fay and Danny are madly in love and it's all Fay's ever dreamed of. But she left everything - including the delightful cake shop she used to run - to be with Danny on his cosy canal boat The Dreamcatcher. And as she soon finds out, making delicious cakes on the water isn't always smooth sailing! Then Fay gets a call from her friends, a call that sends her back to her friends and the Cake Shop in the Garden. It will be hard being away from Danny but their relationship is strong enough to survive . . . isn't it? Fay soon falls happily back in love with her passion for baking - especially now she's on dry land again! - and starts to wonder if she ever should have left. With Christmas around the corner, Fay is determined that her friends will have a very merry time, but does that mean even more time away from Danny? What could be more exciting than a new Carole Matthews book? How about a new Carole Matthews Christmas book? Even better……….. A new Carole Matthews Christma...

The Foster Child by Jenny Blackhurst

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When child psychologist Imogen Reid takes on the case of 11-year-old Ellie Atkinson, she refuses to listen to warnings that the girl is dangerous. Ellie was the only survivor of a fire that killed her family. Imogen is convinced she's just a sad and angry child struggling to cope with her loss. But Ellie's foster parents and teachers are starting to fear her. When she gets upset, bad things seem to happen. And as Imogen gets closer to Ellie, she may be putting herself in danger... The Foster Child is the first book I have come across by author Jenny Blackhurst but after reading the synopsis for this book I couldn't wait to get stuck in and see what havoc this dangerous little girl was going to create in this book. Imogen has clearly has something bad happen in her career recently which has resulted to her moving back to her childhood town on Gaunt but her past is kept hidden from us throughout the majority of the book which adds to the suspense. When she starts her new job ...

The Woman at 72 Derry Lane by Carmel Harrington

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On a leafy suburban street in Dublin, beautiful, poised Stella Greene lives with her successful husband, Matt. The perfect couple in every way, Stella appears to have it all. Next door, at number 72 however, lives Rea Brady. Gruff, bad-tempered and rarely seen besides the twitching of her net curtains, rumour has it she’s lost it all…including her marbles if you believe the neighbourhood gossip. But appearances can be deceiving and when Stella and Rea’s worlds collide they realise they have much in common. Both are trapped in a prison of their own making. Has help been next door without them realising it? I get very little time to read now and so I am very careful when picking a book to read, I need something that is going to pull me in from the first page and make me switch off from the hustle and bustle of every day life. When one of my favourite authors sent me a copy of her latest release The Woman at 72 Derry Lane along with a pack of tissues because this Queen of emotional writin...