Stuck in Paradise with you by Laura Crater ~Blog Tour

 Publisher:  Boldwood Books

Publication Date: 15th October 2024

Genre: Romantic Comedy

Summary:

It’s hard to stay professional when you’re stuck on a tiny island… with your ex

Carrie Briggs is on the cusp of a career breakthrough. About to be made partner at her accountancy firm, she’s been given one more hoop to jump through before it can be made official.

And she could think of worse clients to work with – because world-renowned billionaire Joe Hettich is flying her out to his private island in the Caribbean.

But her hopes of career highs (and relaxing in the gorgeous sun in her spare time, of course!) are dashed when she meets the CFO of Joe’s company: Luke Chalmers, the man who broke her heart seven years ago when he chose his ex over her.

With a storm brewing in paradise – both in her heart and literally, on the island – she’s going to have to put her big girl pants on and get through this, before all those feelings have a chance to resurface…

Review:
Firstly thank you to Rachels Random Resources, Boldwood Books and Laura Carter for having me on this tour and sending me a copy of the book.
I loved this book. I mean I haven't read a book by Laura Carter that I haven't loved in all fairness so I kinda already knew that I was more than likely going to love this one too. As always the author's writing style is fantastic, it's able to draw you into the story so easily that you'll probably, like me, not want to put it down and easily finish it in a day. I really loved our two MC's Luke and Carrie they really lept off the page for me and I found myself getting so invested in them clearing up the misunderstanding that happened at the end of the relationship the first time and being able to start again, they were so clearly right for each other! Laura Carter has this brilliant ability to create such fantastic side characters that capture you, even if they don't appear in the book too often, like Callum. I loved Calllum and his friendship with Carrie, he was there for her no questions asked no matter the time and he's the kind of friend we all hope to have in our lives.
I really enjoyed the forced proximity aspect of this second-chance romance, I mean who wouldn't want to be on such a beautiful island! And I liked the added bit of peril that was added in order to make the characters realise what they had in front of them and what they could lose if they didn't take a chance.
Generally, I just loved this book and I can't wait to get my hands on Laura Carter's next book, whatever and whoever it's about.

Krystina xx

A Scandal in Mayfair by Katharine Schellman~Blog Tour

 Publisher: Crooked Lane Books

Publication Date: 20 Aug. 2024

Genre: Historical Fiction

Summary:

Fans of Bridgerton will delight in this Regency-era mystery featuring an intrepid sleuth, plenty of intrigue, and a touch of romance. London, 1817. The London Season is beginning once more, and Lily Adler's return to her home on Half Moon Street feels different this year. No longer a recent widow, she has a life and friends waiting for her. Lily also has new responsibilities in the form of her protegee Amelia, the sister of her longtime friend Jack Hartley, who is escaping her own brush with scandal and murder. It doesn't take long for Lily's growing reputation as a lady of quality who can discreetly find what is missing or solve what is puzzling to bring a desperate young woman to her doorstep. But helping her means unraveling a tangled web of family secrets. Soon, a missing will, a dead body and the threat of blackmail leave Lily facing danger every way she turns. The glittering society of Mayfair conceals many secrets, and the back alleys of London hide even more. Lily Adler will need to find the connection between them quickly if she wants to stop a killer before it's too late.

Review:
Firstly thank you to Partners in Crime Book Tours, Crooked Lane Books and Katharine Schellman for having me on this tour and sending me a copy of the book.
I was instantly hooked when I started reading this, I was so drawn to Lily from the first moment she stepped onto the page and I wanted to get to know her more. I really regret not having read the other books in this series first, not because I needed them to read this because it works really well as a standalone but because I wished I'd seen the progression of the growing relationship between Lilly and Jack. I loved watching them come to terms with their feelings and realising how the other felt, it was really well done over the course of the book. Sometimes it's done too quickly so I really enjoyed the pace it happened at.
Lily isn't the only fantastic female character in this book, it's filled with really strong brilliantly crafted women who each are vital to the book in their own way. I really think I'd happily read a book solely about any of them, they each have so much to explore individually I think.
I really loved the writing style of this book, i really can't wait to read more books by this author. She has a really great way of pacing her books so you just keep wanting to turn the page and find out where you're being led to next.
I can't wait for, hopefully, the next book in this series and meanwhile I'll go back and read the others to keep myself occupied.

Krystina xx

A Scottish Highland Hideaway by Julie Shackman ~Blog Tour

 Publisher: One More Chapter

Publication Date: 15th August 2024

Genre: Romance

Summary:

For Bailey McArthur, her family and job mean everything. She runs her own floristry shop and loves spending time in nature in the pretty town of Heather Moore, whilst desperately trying to forget about being jilted on her wedding day.

When journalist Zach Stern arrives in town asking questions about a famous actor, Bailey decides to throw him off the trail of the superstar hiding out in the Scottish Highlands.

But despite Bailey’s efforts to thwart Zach's investigation she finds herself falling for him. It’s just a shame she can’t be honest with him. But then, Bailey might not be the only one with a secret to hide…

Review:
Firstly thank you to Rachels Random Resources, One More Chapter and Julie Shackman for having me on this tour and sending me a copy of the book.
OK so I discovered Julie's books last year with a brilliant Christmas book that I absolutely devoured and so when this one came up I knew I had to read it. I really love her writing style it makes for such an easy book to read because I practically step into the places she created like I'm watching the interaction in Bailey's shop or gossiping with her employees, I love that it feels that way. It's a really well-done enemies-to-lovers trope, much like Bailey I started off distrusting and disliking Zach and he really had to work to earn that trust so that by the end I was yelling at Bailey to go find him and have her happy ending because they clearly are meant to be.
But I have to say my absolute favourite interactions in the whole book were Bailey and Ezra. They were so similar and their experiences with the media were almost mirror image to some degree and I loved how caring Bailey was towards him because she knew what he was going through in that regard and she wanted to protect him. Their friendship was by far my favourite relationship in the book(yes I know it's meant to be the romance but you read it and tell me you didn't love them!).
Everything about this book gave me the autumnal vibes and I am so ready to embrace that, this book gave me the cosy feeling I needed and I will definitely be rereading it soon. Julie Shackman is an auto-buy author for me and I plan to head into her back catalogue asap for more trips to Scotland.

Krystina xx

Before You Say I Do by Sharon Ibbotson ~Blog Tour

 Publisher: Choc Lit

Publication Date: 31st July 2024

Genre: Romance

Summary:

What if you were planning the wedding of the year . . . for the man you were meant to marry?

Wedding planner Ari Lightowler doesn’t believe in happily-ever-after.

Her job is to create the perfect magical wedding for demanding brides. And certainly not focus on her own heartache.

When Ari is invited to plan the upcoming ‘society wedding of the year’ in New York she arrives at the sprawling estate to meet the happy couple.

The only problem? The groom is Tom Somerset, her long-lost love . . . And father of her child.

Eight years ago Ari met Tom at Reykjavik airport. After a whirlwind romance, Tom was called home to New York. He promised to return for Ari.

He never came back.

And she never got to tell him she was expecting his child.

Now Ari must deal with the whims of a society bridezilla who cares more about her wedding than her groom. And the unresolved tensions with Tom.

Because Tom did go back for Ari.

The only question now is who will say I do?

Review:
Firstly thank you at Hygge Book Tours, Choc Lit and Sharon Ibbotson for having me on this tour and sending me a copy of the book.
Now I'm 50/50 on the second chance romance troupe, depending on the reason for the split in the first place and I have to say in this one Tom came out badly for me. Yes, he did go back for her, way too late in my opinion and after not giving her a way to contact him, which let's face it would have helped him know about his child sooner. But Ari didn't come off great to me either, she spent way too long (8 years!) telling herself he was going to come find her instead of moving on with her life with her child properly, she sort of hung onto it so long it was becoming sad. I found myself frustrated with both of them for a lot of the modern-day scenes but I absolutely loved the flashbacks from their time together before he left, which convinced me that they just fitted so well together. I so loved that Tom bought all of her paintings though, it was so sweet and the fact that he wanted them all to have a connection to her I loved, even though it was a mire of his own making. And I have to say the star of the book for me was Luis, i absolutely adored that man, and I would happily claim him as a friend he was just so fabulous. He made the book for me, he just lit up any of the scenes he was in and his relationship with Renie was gorgeous, he was definitely more of a father figure than an uncle and the "one year later" made me sad that he and Sebastian who pretty much helped raise Reine for the first 8 years of her life were pushed aside for Tom. I get it he's her dad but those two deserved more in my opinion.
I enjoyed reading the book the style meant it was easy to get sucked in and just read the whole thing in one sitting, which I did, and id happily read more by Sharon Ibbotson.

Krystina xx

We Were On A Break by Jo Lovett~Blog Tour

 Publisher: Boldwood Books 

Publication Date: 29th July 2024

Genre:Romance

Summary:

A summer to remember...

Stranded in Italy, with all the planes grounded due to volcanic ash, Callum puts his fate in the hands of a stranger. His work friend Azim has a contact who’s also in the country, and she’s happily agreed to give him a lift home in her van.

But when he meets the girl at the designated meeting point, his heart soars – he’d know that face anywhere.

A love to last a lifetime...

When Emma sees Callum again, she doesn’t know whether to laugh or cry. It’s taken so many years to heal her heart – can she really spend two weeks with this man in close quarters?

As they embark on the drive of a lifetime, it certainly feels like fate has had a hand in reuniting them. But forgetting past rifts and overcoming resentments isn’t so easy. Can the gift of time – and forced proximity – bring them back together again?

Review:
Firstly thank you to Rachels Random Resources, Boldwood Books and Jo Lovett for having me on this tour and sending me a copy of the book.
This is definitely a does as it says-on-the-tin romance, we've got a second chance romance with vibes of friends from the title (a la Ross and Rachel) and definitely vibes of it in the story, it's very fun.
I loved it from page one, it was such an easy-to-read book with a friendly writing style and I pretty much devoured it in a day because it was so fun to follow Callum and Emma's story. I loved how we gradually got the story of how they ended up on a break and then we got their relationship history through them talking or thinking it over rather than through flashbacks, it was refreshing because normally flashbacks are used a heck of a lot for this. I found both Emma and Callum very likeable and relatable characters, everyone has their first love that sits fondly in their mind no matter how the relationship ended. I quite liked the forced proximity aspect to their growing relationship, the need to travel across France and Italy in just a campervan did just what any long car journey does, made difficult conversations happen. And the banter! I so loved the banter between the two of them and how easily they slipped back into the easy back and forth that they had as a couple.
 It's brilliantly written and I definitely want to pick up more by Jo Lovett, also how cute is the cover!

Krystina xx

A Couples Guide to Menopause by Kate and Neil Usher ~Blog Tour

 Publisher: Hero

Publication Date: 2nd August 2024

Genre: Self-Help

Summary:

The menopause can challenge even the most stable, loving and supportive relationships: here’s how to make sure yours can survive – and thrive.

As a woman, are you:

• In a relationship?
• Know you are – or think you may be – menopausal?
• Fearful of the possible impact of the menopause on your relationship – and don’t know what to do?
• Expecting (or hoping) your partner will support you through the menopause?

As a man, are you:

• In a relationship?
• Know – or think your partner may be – menopausal?
• Fearful of the possible impact of the menopause on your relationship – and don’t know what to do?
• Wanting to know how you can support your partner manage her menopause?

Then this book is for you. And for you both.

Written by leading gender equity and menopause coach Kate Usher and her husband, Neil, a highly experienced workplace and change leader, this unique book looks at the menopause from a female and male perspective.

In a refreshing, candid, positive and accessible guide drawn from their personal experience in learning about and managing Kate’s traumatic menopause, it helps couples to successfully manage the experience together and emerge stronger.

Review:
Firstly thank you to Random Things Book Tours, Hero and Kate and Neil Usher for having me on this tour and sending me a copy of the book.
So I'm closer to menopause than I am away from it with 40 being a mere 3 years away and the average age a woman experiences menopause being 45. Most women will remember their mums going through menopause and complaining about hot flashes, night sweats and mood swings, but that's usually the most we know until it's us going through it, because let's face it we aren't taught about it at school (though as this book taught me it is now on the curriculum thankfully). And if we, the people who go through it, aren't taught about it, the men we marry are taught even less so when it happens they are just as sideswiped as we are. So it's really refreshing to not only have a book about menopause that gives lots of information that is not being sandwiched in at the end of a book on female health but also gives information for both men and women. I really enjoyed hearing Neils's voice throughout this and knowing that there was someone that my partner could listen to the experience of and maybe learn from when I do need his support going through the menopause.
It has been an eye-opening book in many ways and I have come away from it feeling so much more prepared for menopause when it does come rolling my way because Kate has smashed through all the preconceived notions that we learn about menopause and give us a twisted perception of what to expect.
I really enjoyed the way the book was set out, each of the chapters was broken down really well which means that you can just take a chapter at a time if you needed, especially if you are reading it with your partner, it gives you a good chunk of information to read and discuss together.
I'm definitely keeping this on my shelf reading for when I need to revisit it and the information inside and I'm defiantly recommending it to my friends at a similar stage in life, it's a book that has been needed I think and I'm so glad someone took the time to write it.

Krystina xx

We'll always have poison by BJ Magnani~Blog Tour

 Publisher: Encircle Publications

Publication Date: 17th July 2024

Genre: Medical Thriller

Summary:

In this series finale, pathologist Dr. Lily Robinson races around the globe to hunt an assassin who, like her, finds poison the weapon of choice.

A world-renowned climatologist is found dead off the Great Barrier Reef of northern Australia weeks before he’s set to deliver his earth-shattering findings at the international Climate Council conference. Was it greed to maintain the status quo of fossil fuels—or revolutionary new science—that motivated his murder? Can Lily Robinson stop the killer before another climate scientist dies?

With operative and lover JP Marchand at her side, Lily uncovers a cunning plot that endangers world order, and changes the trajectory of her life—forever.

Review:

Firstly thank you to Partners in Crime Tours, Encircle Publications and BJ Magnani for having me on this tour and sending me a copy of the book.
So I was completely drawn in by this blurb, it gave me Bones vibes with the promise of a bones/booth-style relationship which I loved so I was ready to dive in. I think I found it difficult to connect with our MC Lily, She is quite clinical and the way she describes things reads as quite emotionless, even in situations where she is feeling very strong emotions. I don't know if that was a character choice by the author or if its just the writing style because I found the writing style to be quite clinical, the sex scene between JP and Lily is especially clinical to read, which makes it feel like their relationship is a transaction rather than two people in love.
I don't know if maybe reading the rest of the books in the series might have given me a better understanding of their dynamic or have seen it in a different way. But this was my first book in the series and I definitely believe it works as a stand-alone because you get all the information you require to kick off with the book but I think in this case this is a series that is just not for me. But I did love the Lily had a Poison Garden, as a keen gardener the whole idea of a poison garden fascinates me.
I'm short this wasn't a book for me and I'm unlikely to read the rest of the series but I would try a different series by this author to see if I like her style with a different set of characters.

Krystina xx

Sun Ascendant by C.F. Dunn ~Blog Tour

 Publisher: Resolute Books

Publication Date: 20th May 2024

Genre: Historical Fiction

Summary:

In Wheel of Fortune, single-minded and determined Isobel Fenton was resolved that nothing would separate her from her beloved manor of Beaumancote; but as unseen witness to a summary execution, she was propelled into a world of personal feud and national politics as the houses of York and Lancaster threaten to tear the country apart.

In Sun Ascendant , now unwilling mistress of the formidable Earl, Isobel despairs of ever being free to follow her own heart. But events take a sinister turn, and as the Earl of Warwick and King Edward IV vie for power, Isobel must face her own battle for survival as the King, Richard of Gloucester, Robert Langton and the Earl must fight for theirs. Trapped and alone, Isobel is at the mercy of malign forces. What is the bitter Countess prepared to do to be rid of her rival, and - divided by love and loyalty - how will Isobel contend with the decaying relationship of the two brothers who seek her love?

Review:
Firstly thank you to Literally PR, Resolute Books and C.F.Dun for having me on this tour and sending me a copy of the book.
So again I have to start off by complimenting C.F Dunn on her research and obvious extensive knowledge of this period, you easily step into the Cousin's War period because she's made it quite an immersive experience reading this book. The way she includes small details that make a difference when reading a historical novel is brilliant and I truly enjoy her writing style. That said I'm still not sure I like our MC Isobel, I spent the first book gradually warming to her because I wasn't a fan when I started the book, and in that last scene of Wheel of Fortune I was rooting for her to use that dagger so when she didn't I kind of cooled off to her a little bit. She very much was at the mercy of the Earl, who I spent both books disliking right to the very end, which is accurate for the period a young heiress would be at the mercy and whims of someone like the Earl and her agency is none existent so when she seemingly took that step to free herself I was rooting for her. For her to not go through with it and then be stuck with a man convinced her loves her whilst not taking her wishes into account felt like a step further back from where she was. I do admire the strength she has though, the birth she went through was especially difficult and she came out the other side with more of a backbone I felt because she was now fighting for more than just herself and it feels like that's what she needed to be able to stand up to the Earl to some degree.
Now I didn't like the Earl at all but I really loved his brother, Robert, he has to be my favourite character in this series and I couldn't tell you why but I just really loved the character that C.F Dunn created. The only problem I have with the book is how it ended, it kind of felt like it was building up to a reconciliation that then didn't happen. I felt like we had this build up and it fell flat at the end so I'm really hoping there's a book three coming soon.

Krystina xx

The Virtue Season by L.M Nathan ~Blog Tour

 Publisher: Scholastic

Publication Date: 4th July 2024

Genre: Dystopian fiction

Summary:

The world didn't end all at once but drip by drip...

Manon Pawlak has just turned eighteen, a debutant at the start of the Virtue Season: a process that will result in a match with a suitable genetic mate. Her best friend, Agatha, has been decommissioned, forbidden to partake in the season and unite with the boy who has had her heart since they were children.

When Manon's mother wades out into the waters of Penn Vale with stones sewn into the lining of her coat, Manon's genetic purity is called into question and she's forced to rely on the fisherman's son, Wick, to keep her secret. But as they dance, the truth about their world starts to unravel, and Manon finds herself at the centre of it all. And the council is watching.

Review:
Firstly thank you to Random Things Book Tours, Scholastic and L.M Nathan for having me on this tour and sending me a copy of the book.
Gotta start off by saying that the cover of this is really pretty, it definitely set off my magpie tendencies and looks gorgeous on my shelf. And the blurb really drew me in, no that's a lie it wasn't the whole blurb I was hooked by that first line "The world didn't end all at once but drip by drip" It completely made me need to read this to find out how.
So I really loved the writing style of this, it kind of reads like it's a YA book even though I don't think it is, but that makes sense as the Main characters in it are all 18, and all the adults are really just supporting characters. You know me I love a dual POV book and I really enjoyed getting everything from two contrasting points of view, Manon who's going through everything as a Debutant and Agatha who's been decommissioned and gets a very limited view of proceedings. The only thing about this book is the ending doesn't feel finished, it feels like you've got to the end of a binge-worthy TV series with a massive cliffhanger leaving you eager for series 2. I feel like this is book one in a series and we've laid the groundwork for more from both Manon and Agatha as the fight to change things carries on, a fight which as we leave them in book one feels like an uphill struggle.

I definitely feel like it has strong elements of The Handmaid's Tale in a really good way. It's a dystopian fiction that I've really enjoyed I kept wanting to keep reading it and seeing what happened next, and if it is part of a series I will definitely be reading the rest to see where it takes us.

Krystina xx

The Broken Pieces of Us by Celia Tandy~ Blog Tour

 Publisher: Independently published

Publication Date: 4th September 2023

Genre:Romantic Comedy

Summary:

Matt can't get over his guilt at the death of his young wife. It's broken him, and he's determined to protect his heart from falling in love again. He promises himself he'll never have another serious relationship.

Rosie also knows the pain of losing someone she loves. But she's ready for a fresh start and her bubbly personality makes her the perfect choice to be the new nanny for Matt's son.

As they get to know each other, Matt gradually opens up about his past. But it isn't until Rosie does the same that Matt questions if he's made the right decision to give up on love.

Rosie wants to embrace life and her future, but is it too late for Matt to do the same?

And can they both finally find happiness and heal all their broken pieces?

Review:

Firstly thank you to Love Books Tours and Celia Tandy for having me on this tour and sending me a copy of the book.
So there were a lot of things I liked about this book, the blurb sounded so up my street it definitely is my kind of romance to read and I liked how Celia Tandy writes. She has a really easy-to-read writing style that made this a book that you can just sit and read in one sitting if you want to. The chapters are really short, sort of no more than 5 pages to a chapter which meant that the pace was really quick and you moved through the story relatively quickly. Whilst I enjoy a quick-paced book at times, I felt this was far too quick for me. I really struggled to connect with either main character because it was so speedy that I just didn't get to know them, and it meant that I wasn't as invested in their relationship as I felt I was meant to be. I finished the book and I liked that we had a happy ending but it didn't give me the feels I normally get from this kind of romance. Having said that I would happily read another book by Celia Tandy, I really liked how she wrote, especially the alternating chapters I would just have liked the pace to be a tad slower for me.

Krystina xx

Wheel of Fortune by C.F.Dunn~Blog Tour

 Publisher: Resolute Books

Publication Date: 24th April 2023

Genre:Historical Ficton

Summary:

1469. England is in turmoil. For almost ten years, the attractive and charismatic Edward IV has ruled with the Earl of Warwick’s support, but now rebellion threatens the fragile peace.

Strong-willed and single-minded, heiress Isobel Fenton is determined that nothing will separate her from her beloved manor of Beaumancote even if she does have to marry to stay there. But as unseen witness to a summary execution, she is propelled into the world of personal feud and national politics, and her life will never be the same.

Left in the protection of the formidable Earl, Isobel soon discovers that she is much more than the daughter of his loyal retainer, but holds the key to the power base in a troubled region.

And she is about to marry Thomas Lacey – heir of the Earl’s enemy for whose peremptory execution he had been responsible.

The Earl of Warwick and the Duke of Clarence foment rebellion. With the Midlands in uproar, King Edward wants peace in the shires and the last thing he needs is potential trouble in the form of an unwed heiress.

Isolated and alone, Isobel turns to the Earl’s younger brother, Robert Langton - newly sworn to Richard, Duke of Gloucester - and as unrest boils into war, she is drawn into the very heart of the conflict.

Facing extremes of courage and moral ambiguity, Isobel has to predict the motivations of those who decide her own and England’s fate. Caught between two men and a lie, and with nothing left to lose, which way will she turn?

Review:
Firstly thank you to Literally PR, Resolute Books and C.F. Dunn for having me on this tour and sending me a copy of the book.
I was really looking forward to this book, it's set in one of my favourite historical time periods the Plantagenets/ Cousins war period in history but instead of being centred around the King and his family we are sort of looking ajecent to him. High enough up the social ladder to have the king's brother visiting but not so high that it all occurs at court. And I really liked that idea because so often when we have books set then it is all about court, almost to the point that you forget that they all had family seats to look after. I have to admit I got very excited to see how well-researched this book is, to the point of the author having had a medieval historian whose podcast I listen to read the book and endorse it. All of this made my history nerd self so very happy.
I did find this a very difficult book to get into though, at least for the first 100 pages, it's a very slow start to the book with a lot of scene settings and background giving, all of which are required for a book like this but it did make me have to come back to the book a few times. But once I hit the 100-page mark I did fly through the book, it's well-researched but also well-written so it's a very easy book to sit and devour. I wasn't a fan of Isobel in those first few pages, I didn't dislike her but I think I found her a little almost robotic maybe, she didn't have the fire I was expecting from the blurb until later in the book. I definitely warmed to her throughout the book and then further on as things happened to her I found that my emotions were coming into play and I completely wanted to just bundle her up and keep her safe. C.F Dunn has so brilliantly got across just how at the mercy of men women are in this age and how little control they have not only of their own lives but in some cases, their own bodies and those parts of the book are difficult to read because they've been written so well.
This book has left me at such a cliffhanger that I can't wait to start on book two of the series and see if Isobel manages to grasp any control back of her life and manor.

Krystina xx

Under Your Spell by Laura Wood ~Blog Tour

 Publisher: Simon & Schuster UK

Publication Date: 20th June 2024

Genre: Romance

Summary:

She only wants three things. He isn't one of them... 

Dumped by her cheating ex, fired from her dream job, about to lose her flat: Clementine Monroe is not having a good day. So when her sisters get her drunk and suggest reviving a childhood ritual called the breakup spell, she doesn’t see the harm in it.

 

But now Clemmie has accidentally ruined a funeral, had her first one-night stand, and she’s stuck with a new job she definitely doesn’t want - spending six weeks alone with the gorgeous and very-off-limits rock star, Theo Eliott. 

 

He’s the most famous man on the planet. Her life’s a disaster. When it comes to love, Clemmie is learning you should be careful what you wish for...

Review:
Firstly thank you to Random Things Book Tours, Simon & Schuster UK and Laura Wood for having me on this tour and sending me a copy of the book.
So I've been wanting to read this for months, I saw it on NetGalley and I couldn't get a copy so I've been eagerly awaiting its publication. And I've seen so much hype about it, which if I'm honest normally puts me off a book but it's been a lot of hype from people on Instagram that I know have a similar taste in books to me and don't give 5-star reviews willy-nilly.
I have to say this really has lived up to the hype, I devoured it in a few hours because I so did not want it to end but at the same time, I just didn't want to stop reading it because I wanted to find out how Clemmie and Theo found a way to make it all work. I really loved how their relationship developed, Theo was so sweet in the way that he just was there for Clemmie and gradually showed her how much he cared even if she didn't fully notice it! I did want to shake her at times when she just didn't clock how much he was putting himself out there for her, i was with her sisters when they were giving her exasperated looks. On the subject of her sisters, I adored their relationship it was just so fun and Clemmie was right when she called them her soulmates, they are just brilliant I can't think of a better way to describe them. The mums and the three sisters I think are an amazing group of female characters in this book, they make the men side characters for most of it I feel anytime they are in a scene they own it.
It is a brilliantly written book, and I definitely can't wait to see what she writes next, especially as she put in so many childhood favourites in film and music references that had me smiling from ear to ear (The 1999 cinematic masterpiece The Mummy for one) and I have a hope that we get to revisit Clemmie and Theo, maybe.

Krystina xx

Franco and the Green Light Fairy by Fiona Lowry ~Blog Tour

 Publisher: Three Geese and a Gander

Publication Date: 4th April 2024

Genre: Childrens

Summary:

Meet Franco, a typical 6-year-old boy who loves everything about cars. Franco dreams of owning his own bright red Ferrari one day but how to get one...?

It is not until he uncovers the mystery of the Green Light Fairy that he realises, with a bit of positive thinking, he really can make his dreams come true!

Review:
Firstly thank you to Literally PR  and Fiona Lowry for having me on this tour and sending me a copy of the book.
This was another book I got to share with my small human and I do so love doing that and so do they, especially as it means book mail for them! This is aimed at 3-5-year-olds old and my small one is in that bracket. While they enjoyed the story and the fact that Franco gets help from the green light fairy and uses positive thinking to get things he wants, we did get to the end of the book and their first comment was "Is that it?". I thought it was a lovely book with a really positive message on how children can use a positive mindset to help them in life and it was really well written but like my small one, I was surprised by the size. I think I expected a longer book and to be honest I feel like it could have been a longer book because whilst you do get the positive message across in the pages we have I think it could have been made more of with a few more pages. Having said that I think that this is one that would be good to have in a preschool setting, I think whilst my little one is within the age bracket for the book actually maybe they were a little too old for this book, they read it through with me once and haven't wanted to read it again. Though they did love the illustrations and I found them super cute, perfectly fitting with the words of the story.
All in all its a lovely book with a brilliant message.

Krystina xx

The Plot Twist by Victoria Walters ~Blog Tour

 

Publisher: Boldwood Books

Publication Date: 19th June 2024

Genre: Romance

Summary:

One new boss, one ex-boyfriend, one big dilemma…

Stevie Phillips has just landed her dream job working for a publishing company and it seems like this is page one of her new, improved life.

But her first day throws more curveballs than she thinks she can handle: there’s been a takeover and the whole publicity team has been fired. And her new boss is the last face she expected to see.

Because Noah Anderson also happens to be her ex-boyfriend.

Thrown together on a campaign for a book the rest of the staff don’t want to touch with a barge-pole, Stevie resolves to make the best of a bad situation. This is her chance to prove herself, and she’s not going to let the man who broke her heart ruin it for her.

When Noah starts hinting that there was more to their break up then him just not loving her, Stevie’s resolution starts to wobble. Getting back with your ex is never a good idea, is it? Especially not when your ex is also your boss…

Review:
Firstly thank you to Rachels Random Resources, Boldwood Books and Victoria Walters for having me on this tour and sending me a copy of the book.
Oh, I was so excited to be getting this book because I loved The Love Interest and as soon as I knew Stevie was getting her own book I knew I had to read it. Stevie was a brilliant character in that book so I knew when she had her own book to romp through she would shine even brighter and make me smile so much, and I wasn't wrong but what I hadn't expected was to love Noah as much as I did. At first when we meet him, how he behaves makes him someone we don't like and I'll be honest, we want to slap him because he hurt Stevie so much and was so callus towards her but as she and we get to know his reasons for his behaviour he not only grew on me a little but I really loved him by the end. I thought the whole process of them learning to work with each other and eventually getting back together was so brilliantly paced, it never felt rushed or sudden when something happened and it's one of the things I love about Victoria Walters's writing style, her ability to pace the books just right. Her writing style in general is one I love, I always feel I can step onto the page and join in the conversations between the characters because she makes them so realistic for me.
I love how much Stevie loves Love, her whole fight for romance as a viable genre for the publishing house to spend money on was brilliant, if I could have joined in the protest I would! She has a fight on her hands from the off when she takes on the publicity campaign and I think her whole way of tackling it was bang on and boy did she show any doubting colleagues up.
All in all, I've absolutely loved this book and I really cant wait to read whatever Victoria Walters writes next.

Krystina xx

Boys Who Hurt by Eva Björg Ægisdóttir ~Blog Tour

 Publisher: Orenda Books

Publication Date: 20th June 2024

Genre: Nordic Noir

Summary:

Fresh from maternity leave, Detective Elma finds herself confronted with a complex case, when a man is found murdered in a holiday cottage in the depths of the Icelandic countryside – the victim of a frenzied knife attack, with a shocking message scrawled on the wall above him.
 
At home with their baby daughter, Sævar is finding it hard to let go of work, until the chance discovery in a discarded box provides him with a distraction. Could the diary of a young boy, detailing the events of a long-ago summer have a bearing on Elma’s case?
 
Once again, the team at West Iceland CID have to contend with local secrets in the small town of Akranes, where someone has a vested interest in preventing the truth from coming to light. And Sævar has secrets of his own that threaten to destroy his and Elma’s newfound happiness.

Review:
Firstly thank you to Random Things Blog Tours, Orenda books and Eva Björg Ægisdóttir for having me on this tour and sending me a copy of the book.

I absolutely love Nordic Noir and I truly think Scandinavian crime writers write the best crime fiction because they always take me til about 50 pages before the end before I think I'm 100% sure who the killer is, they just keep me guessing and intrigued from start to finish far more than most other authors. This is my first in the Fobbiden Iceland series and Eva Björg Ægisdóttir is a new author to me but I can defiantly tell you it won't be my last (the previous four books have magically ended up in my shopping basket) because I've adored her writing style like I said I have been kept intrigued the whole way through the book, the various threads of the case entangling with what Saevar finds was so brilliant to follow. I liked that we heard from different characters' points of view throughout the book, mostly we hear from Elma and Saevar but it was good to hear from their boss, Hordur, too and I really enjoyed the back-and-forth between the different time periods(before and after the murder and back to 1995) it both rounded out our information and at the same time gave nothing away, I spent most of the book wondering what was on the video camera tape for instance because we got glimpses of it being filmed or it being watched but never a full picture until almost the end. It really heightened my need to keep reading the book so I could find out what happened and I really loved that. I'm going to have to stop reviewing now before I give anything away because I really do want people to go out and read this for themselves, it's a fantastic book both in terms of its storyline and its writing style and if you love a bit of crime this should definitely be on your reading list this year.

Krystina xx