Escape to the Northern Lights by Carrie Walker ~Blog Tour

 Publisher: Aria

Publication Date: 6th November 2025

Genre: Romance

Summary:

High-powered lawyer Sara thought she had life figured out - until her whirlwind marriage ends in divorce, her dream promotion slips away and a burnout diagnosis forces her to take a break.

Desperate for a reset, she books a four-week spa retreat in Norway, imagining a luxurious escape. Instead, she finds herself in the rugged wilderness of Firefly Forest, knee-deep in reindeer droppings and stuck with an annoyingly bohemian - and ridiculously attractive - outdoorsman, Henrik.

What starts as a nightmare turns into a journey of self-discovery as Sara swaps designer heels for bare feet, legal briefs for tree-hugging, and fleeting flings for something far deeper...

Review:

Firstly thank you to Rachels Random Resources, Aria and Carrie Walker for having me on this tour and sending me a copy of the book.
I love a romance set in Scandinavia, partly because they have amazing landscapes and when authors write them well you can almost step into the setting and partly because who doesn't want a tall rugged Viking as a love interest. And in this book we got both, and both were brilliantly written by Carrie Walker which made me fall in love with both Bergen and Henrik. The descriptions of the retreat have just made me want to go a retreat like it,i genuinely cant think of a better way to spend a month than as Sara did, in a beautiful Nordic landscape with no wifi so i can just read! Aside from that this has been a really lovely read, i fell in love with Henrik from the first time we were introduced to him (admittedly i have a soft spot for Vikings) and watching him and Sara's interactions brought a smile to my face. Sara is a very relatable MC, i think everyone struggles with running close to burn out these days, our jobs expect so much in the amount of hours we work and a lot of people cant keep that balance. I love that not only did Sara manage to find herself under all that stress but in the process she found that work life balance that we all crave I could barely put this book down and sped through it because i found our MC's easy to engage with and the writing style just flowed beautifully. This has been a fantastic addition to my run up to Christmas reads and i may even be adding into my December rereads because it just made me smile so much.

I'm defiantly going to get some more books by Carrie Walker, I've so enjoyed her writing style and i cant wait to read more of it.

Krystina xx

A Vampire is NOT a Pet by Lexi Rees ~Blog Tour

 Publisher: Outset Publishing Ltd

Publication Date: 25th September 2025

Genre: Children's Fiction

Summary:

Yasmin REALLY wants a pet. A cat, a dog—she’d even settle for a snake. After all, there’s hardly anything Yasmin is afraid of… unless you count ghosts, zombies, monsters, and maybe custard. But Velma wasn’t the pet Yasmin expected. For starters, there are the fangs. And, well… she’s a vampire.

From classroom chaos and dental disasters to a blood bank heist (don’t ask), the world’s worst cow impressions (really don’t ask), and a Halloween party wild enough to wake the dead, Yasmin and Velma are about to have the time of their (after)lives.

As the mayhem piles up, Yasmin starts to wonder… could a vampire be the most fang-tastic pet ever?

Review:
Firstly thank you to Rachels Random Resources, Outset Publishing and Lexi Rees for having me on this tour and sending me a copy of the book.
I thought this would be a perfect book for my mini book dragon and i to read during spooky season, just enough spooky to be fun and i was right. We actually read most of this on a train journey, my mini book dragon loved what we read on the way there so much that they begged for me to read more on the way home and were honestly quite miffed when we reached our stop and hadn't finished. Honestly they were annoyed when we finished it too, they'd wanted more so i hope we'll be getting more from Yasmin and Velma soon!
I loved it too, i thought Lexi Rees writing style was fun and really engaging it really quickly gave you a picture of the characters so you could see them in your mind as you were reading. I also thought it was really clever that each chapter was like a mini story and we didn't have this massive book that took us through the year day by day. Each chapter added to our main story but was also nicely rounded off so its good for a young child who's still at the beginning of their reading journey to read in one go. As a parent i really enjoying reading with my mini book dragon, it was fun, it had points that made us both giggle and it meant we sat together and did a hobby we both enjoy which took us away from and screen and into our imaginations. Now im going to let my Mini Book Dragon take over with their review because they really wanted to add in their thoughts.

It was good and vampires are not a pet! and also i think vampires shouldn't be a pet. And maybe this book will be staying at home. Thank you Lexi Rees for writing this book i liked it and i think my mum likes it too. 10/10 hearts for this book.

Krystina xx

The Pumpkin Pact by Charlie dean ~Blog Tour

Publisher: Independently published

Publication Date: 1st September 2023

Genre: Romance

Summary:

Welcome to The Pumpkin Patch at Pickle Grove.

Andi is worried that her relationship with Drew has become dull and boring. They never do anything exciting these days, in or out of the bedroom. So when a swoon-worthy stranger appears she is instantly swept off her feet.

When they unexpectedly meet again, they realise they have more in common than they thought possible so draw up a pact to spice up their lives! The plan they conjure up while working together at The Pumpkin Patch, to make their partners jealous, brings them closer than ever.

Andi plucks up the courage to finish with Drew but there are no signs of Andrew doing the same and she thinks she’s lost him forever.

With meddling exes, misunderstandings and miscommunication getting in the way, can The Pumpkin Pact bring them back together?

Review:
Firstly thank you to Rachels Random Resources and Charlie Dean for having me on this tour and sending me a copy of the book.

Now my favourite season is Autumn and i love having a selection of cute autumnal romances to dive into in between my horror reads, and this was the perfect starter to my autumn reading this year. Those opening two paragraphs just made me smile, they drew me into our setting perfectly and i was gone. I stepped into Andi's life and i stayed there until the very last sentence, which was admittedly only a few hours but they flew as i read thankfully undisturbed.
Now as much as i enjoyed and loved our two MC's Andi and Andrew they were pushed to one side for Pumpkin, he stole the show for me and i really want another dog now, though you can guarantee i wont get a Pumpkin! He is fantastically written dog and i loved him.

I also loved the whole setting of this book, the family shop and pumpkin patch, it just screamed out pumpkin spice to me and it was a perfect backdrop for this. As i was meant to i disliked Drew and Carla from the moment they stepped on the page for us, i practically cheered when Andi told him where to go and threw some home truths at him, i suspect we've all had that ex and wish we could have done something similar to them.
I found Charlie Deans's writing style so very easy to read, and it pulled me into the story so well. Her slow build up between Andi and Andrew was spot on and i loved every second of it. I cant wait to get some more of her books onto my tbr, in fact I've already spied a Christmas one that i know ill be reading in a few months!
This definitely needs to be added to your autumn reading stack if you're a romance lover!

Krystina xx

 

A Billionaire for Christmas by Jo Lyons ~Blog Tour

Publisher: Boldwood Books

Publication Date:  27th August 2025

Genre: Romance

Summary:

When talented chef Molly's best friend and business partner, Ava, passes away, she leaves Molly their beloved restaurant – and a wild, impossible bucket list to complete. But thanks to a legal mix-up, Molly's inheritance is at risk unless she ticks off every outrageous item before the Christmas Eve deadline: just twelve days away.

Determined to honour Ava's wishes and desperate to save her dream, Molly searches for a billionaire willing to share Champagne with her in a hot tub – one of the more extravagant challenges on the bucket list. She's in a luxurious ski resort in the French Alps so it might just be doable. But then she meets Levi. A devastatingly handsome billionaire, yes, but infuriatingly resistant to getting involved!

As the snow falls and sparks fly, Molly is entangled in a series of increasingly embarrassing escapades. With time running out, can she pull off the impossible – and maybe even find love along the way?

Review:
Firstly thank you to Rachels Random Resources, Boldwood Books and Jo Lyons for having me on this tour and sending me a copy of the book.
So anyone that knows me knows i could happily read a Christmas book anytime of the year,so kicking off September with one seemed the perfect start to the month. And i really did enjoy this one, I found Jo Lyons writing style really lovely to read, it flowed so well and i found myself invested in the characters very quickly. There were multiple moments where i was cringing even as i chuckled at what was occurring to make me cringe in the first place and i have to say i loved that about it. Molly is one of those characters where your cheering for her to get what shes aiming for whilst you watch her do so between the fingers of the hand over your eyes, you could see some of the mishaps coming but that kind of made the run up more fun.
I really enjoyed watching how she handled each member of Levi's family, she had a different approach for each one and i think that just made me like her even more, she took the time to get to know them a little and find the best way to handle them. Now Levi i could happily have slapped a time or two with his attitude and how dismissive he was towards Molly at times, I may have, out loud, told her to slap him at one point (in my defence its really well written and at was 2am at that point). I read this in one sitting and stayed up way past my bedtime to finish it and it was worth the lack of sleep and i know ill be reading it again as we get closer to the festive season.

Krystina xx

 

Love or your money back by Suzy K Quinn~Blog Tour

 Publisher: Book Club Ltd

Publication Date:  1st July 2025

Genre: Romance

Summary:

Kat is 34, single and running out of time – she wants to get married before she turns 35, but her fiancé just ditched her for a 21-year-old life coach.

Freddy is a ruthless marketing guru who thinks love is just transactional. He’ll use his marketing genius to make Kat the most sought-after woman in London, if she lets him buy out her struggling company.

With her 35th birthday looming and her love life a disaster, Kat agrees to become Project Marriage. Can a rebrand king sell happily ever after? Or is love something even the best marketer can't package and promote?

Review:
So something a little different today. I haven't read this book (yet!) but my spot on todays tour is for content and the Lovely Rachel from Rachels Random Resources has given me an extract to share with you all. Having read this extract i most defiantly am adding this on to my digital tbr pile, Chris has already annoyed the hell out of me and i need to know if Kat manages to move on from him. I cant wait to pick this one up, take a read below and let me know if you plan on joining me.

The Wedding Humiliation

Kat attends her ex-boyfriend’s wedding, only to experience the ultimate humiliation when he makes a wedding speech.

 

‘Greetings, wedding guests.’ Chris’s theatrical voice booms across the clearing. ‘I want to kick off this celebration by apologising to my former fiancée, Kat. Sorry about falling madly in love with Minola here!’

Gentle laughter drifts around the clearing as if this is a perfectly acceptable joke.

My heart clenches.

‘Kat, where are you?’ Chris looks around. ‘Ah! There.’

Cool humiliation works its way around my stomach, as everyone turns in my direction. I try to hold myself with quiet dignity, but that isn’t possible because I’m halfway through swigging a Prosecco bottle.

‘Here’s to Kat.’ Chris raises his tumbler. ‘There’s no friend like an old friend.’

The word ‘old’ feels like a punch in the face.

‘Thanks, Chris.’ I raise my bottle. ‘Here’s to your wedding.’

‘And here’s to your wedding, Kat.’ Chris gives me a lopsided smile. ‘It’s one of your life goals, isn’t it? Married before you the age of 35?’ He turns to the crowd. ‘Kat told me that the first night we met!’

Minola’s friends and family roar with laughter.

‘I also told you I would start a publishing company and buy a house in Bloomsbury,’ I shout back. ‘Both of which I did –’

‘Wait, there’s more!’ Chris roars, clearly pleased with the audience’s reaction. ‘Kat also told me she wanted two children, and that marriage was to make sure I wouldn’t run away and leave her as a single mother. Still on the first night we met!’

Helpless laughter.

‘But you’re right about marriage, Kat.’ Chris turns serious and grabs Minola’s hand. ‘It’s a great thing to do. And even if you don’t manage your life goal, kitty cat, I’m glad you’re here to celebrate with us.’

My knuckles turn white around the Prosecco bottle. ‘I might still get married this year, Chris. You never know.’

‘Wow, Kat.’ Chris shakes his head. ‘Drunk already. I like your style.’

‘I’m not drunk.’ I lean to place the Prosecco bottle on an upright log, but my left leg chooses that moment to throw itself out and …

Ooof!

I fall, Prosecco bottle rolling, spilling and fizzing on the woodland floor.

White-grey sky drifts above me, and I feel twigs, pebbles and dried leaves under various sore body parts.

Ouch.

‘She’s not drunk, everyone!’ Chris’s voice soars over me, accompanied by shrieks of laughter. Then Freddy’s concerned face comes into view. He grabs my hand with the certainty and force of a blood pressure cuff and pulls me to my feet.

‘What was that all about, darling?’ he asks. ‘You’re not drunk. You only had three swigs of Prosecco.’

I redden. ‘Well, if you must know, it’s true what Aunty Sylvia was saying earlier. About me having a degenerative disease. I have a touch of MS. And stop calling me darling.’

‘A what?’

‘A touch of MS. Multiple sclerosis. Just a little brush of it. Nothing to worry about. Sometimes it makes my legs unsteady.’

‘Can you get a touch of MS?’ Freddy asks. ‘I thought it was a pretty serious condition?’

‘Every person’s MS is as different as a snowflake,’ I say. ‘Mine is relapsing, remitting. It comes and goes. It’s worse when I’m stressed. Or overwhelmed. Or tired.’

‘I bet you’re all of those things today,’ says Freddy. ‘Do you want me to find you somewhere to sit? I can move a log –’

‘As much as I’d love to see you showing off how strong you are,’ I say, ‘I’m okay. I just need to stand where no one can see me and eat some yellow food from the buffet.’

‘You know Chris is an idiot, right?’

‘Yes.’ I sigh. ‘I know. But he’s also funny and exciting and romantic and –.’

‘And you still love him.’

‘For a megalomaniac, you’re surprisingly perceptive.’

‘You and I aren’t so different, Kat. Tough on the outside, soft in the middle.’

‘I’m nothing like you. And for what it’s worth, I know that me and Chris are over. I have told my brain, in no uncertain terms, to move on. I just wish my heart would catch up.’

‘How did you end up with that man, anyway?’

‘Chris was my first love. We’ve been together, on and off, since I was eighteen. We got together just after my mother died.’

‘Ah.’ Freddy clicks his fingers. ‘That makes sense. He got in while you were vulnerable. Sorry, darling. Bad luck.’

‘You don’t need to be sorry.’ I don’t have the energy to rebuke Freddy for saying ‘darling’ again. He clearly has a compulsion. Like tourettes. ‘Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to get on with something.’

‘Get on with what?’

‘The final piece of closure. I need to offer the happy couple my congratulations.’

Summer Escapes on the Scottish Isle by Lilac Mills~Blog Tour

 

Publisher: Canelo Romance

Publication Date: 17th July 2025

Genre: Romance

Summary:

Will she give everything up for love?

Freya Sinclair has it all. An exciting life in London, a successful career as a ceramicist and a handsome boyfriend. But when she receives a call that her father is in hospital, she drops everything to support his recovery in Skye.

On the island, Freya finds new inspiration – Coorie Castle’s craft centre is firing her creativity and she’s glad to be back with her dad again. Being so close to her schoolgirl crush, Mackenzie Burns, is an added bonus. The two share an instant connection and Freya misses London less and less.

But Freya has a boyfriend at home and now a dazzling job offer in New York. She must figure out what she truly wants, before anyone gets hurt.

Review:
Firstly thank you to Rachels Random Resources, Canelo Romance and Lilac Mills for having me on this tour and sending me a copy of the book.

Now I've read some of Lilac Mills books before and I've always enjoyed her writing style so i knew that id enjoy this book and id be able to get lost in the story very easily.

I have to say i loved Freya from the off, she was so easy to like and relate to. I feel we all get to a point where we're carrying on but we're not completely sure if the path we're on is where we still want to be. It was so true to life that it takes a big life upheaval to make you truly look at things and make a change. 

 Now obviously the whole growing romance between Freya and Mack is the main relationship that we follow in this book and i loved doing just that but honestly i loved the relationship between Freya and her Dad more. I adored seeing that caring relationship between the two of them and the way that it had to change and almost have that complete role reversal for a while which is never easy but is something that always happens suddenly, we never like to think of our parents aging but they do and i think Lilac Mills wrote it beautifully here.
Having said it made smile so much to see how Mack just slipped into their family so easily and without a conscious effort to do so, it was one of the many parts of this book that gave me that warm fuzzy feeling that a good romance does. Im hoping that as this series continues we get little glimpses of Freya and Mack and how life is for them because i loved them as a couple and honestly id happily read more of them if it was written.
This is defiantly a good summer romance to take you away if your not going anywhere this summer and it will make you want to visit the Scottish Isles to find your own creative inspiration because the descriptions of the scenery is so vivid that you want to climb up with Freya to view the loch or walk along its shore and enjoy the sounds of nature.
Im defiantly heading back there soon, probably with a cuppa curled up listening to the birds sing.

Krystina xx

Love Forever Lindisfarne by Kimberley Adams ~Blog Tour

 Publisher: Shy Bairns Publishing

Publication Date: 22nd June 2025

Genre: Romance

Summary:

When a stranger appears in the middle of a very important celebration, no one can foresee the island connections that will later come to light. Kittiwake Penaluna is drawn to the island at a sad time in her life; she’s broken, but it doesn’t take long for the islanders to rally round and take her under their wing.

Ellie and Zen are busier than they’ve ever been, jumping from task to task with little time for themselves. Will they ever find a moment together away from all the drama that constantly follows them around the island?

The forthcoming arrival of nine new mini animals puts even more pressure on the islanders, but Bert is resolute, and it’s all hands to the pump to prepare for their arrival. The Mini-Fest fundraiser gets off to a great start, until a despised face from the past appears and throws everything into chaos.

Review:
Firstly thank you to Rachels Random resources, Shy Bairns Publishing and Kimberly Adams for having me on this tour and sending me a copy of the book.
I couldn't pass by being on the tour for this book, I've absolutely adored the first two in the series and i knew this one would bring me back to those characters I've loved following. It was so easy to slip back to Lindisfarne with Kimberley Adams wonderful writing style, she describes Lindisfarne so well that you could close your eyes and step onto the island. As always after reading her books i have the urge to go and visit Lindisfarne again, its a beautiful island and the local landmarks she highlights in her story just give me a list for where to go on holiday. Her writing makes it so easy to loose time, I read this in one sitting and i have no regrets about ignoring the world for a few hours to do so. 
I loved that we got to catch up of Ellie and Zen's life, along with the rest of the Islanders that we've grown to love over the last two books and normally Ethel is my favourite character. I love her forthright sassy nature but i have to say she was topped in this book, i have a new favourite! I absolutely loved Barry! and i so hope we get to see lots more from him he was just so lovable that every time he was on the page i wanted to give him a hug.
You know i like to keep my reviews spoiler free so i wont say much other than there were a few times in this book where i thought we were going in one direction ( that i loved the idea of) and then it'd twist just slightly and we'd end up somewhere different with an outcome that i loved even more than the one id thought of. I know its a tad cryptic but trust me you don't want me spoiling these lovely moments. If you love a sweet romance you need to pick up this book (and the rest of the series) and devour it over your summer holiday this year.

Krystina xx

The Death & Life of Lucy Westenra by Rosie Fiore~Blog Tour

 

Publisher:  Independently published

Publication Date: ‎ 2nd May 2025

Genre: Historical Fantasy

Summary:

What desperate steps will Lucy Westenra take to save her own life?

Hillingham in Hampstead, once the home of the well-to-do Westenra family, now divided into apartments. When teacher Kate Balcombe sets about renovating her flat in the attic, she finds an unsent letter, written 130 years before by Lucy, the nineteen-year-old daughter of the house.

You may know Lucy from Bram Stoker’s Dracula... a pretty, flirtatious girl with three ardent suitors, she is Mina Harker’s best friend. When Lucy falls mysteriously ill and dies, Van Helsing identifies her as a victim of the vampire.

But what if the monsters who hunt Lucy are much closer to home?

As Kate begins to investigate Lucy’s story, she meets James Harker, Mina’s great-great grandson, and together they uncover a long-hidden story of deception and murder.

Review:
Firstly thank you to Rachel's Random Resources and Rosie Fiore for having me on this tour and sending me a copy of the book.

So I'm a big fan of Dracula and as soon as I saw Lucy's name in the title of this book I knew I wanted to read it. Lucy in Dracula is always seen as a really giddy and often silly "Little Girl" despite being 18/19 and she's just cast to one side as a Victim of Dracula, a point to move the story forward and drive Mina towards him. And I really liked the idea of her being so much more than that. In this we get to see Lucy as more than just a silly girl that's a victim, she's a very intellectual woman that takes far more pride in her mind than how she looks which makes her very modern in a sense. She becomes a more relatable character to a modern audience and you get far more invested in her story and what happened to her than you do in Dracula.
I thoroughly enjoyed the fact that we went between the different time periods and that the way Kate finds out more about Lucy is though national census, it makes her more than just a character from Dracula which I adored. I found the switches between timelines very easy, I wasn't ever jolted by the switch so I kept engrossed in the story throughout. Rosie Fiore has a very easy going writing style, it never made me feel like I was working to get the next stage of the story, I found pages and time slipping away from me with ease.

I absolutely loved being able to get to know this version of Lucy Westenra, she's a far more dynamic and honestly likeable version of the original character. I don't think it matters if you've read Dracula or not to be able to dive in and enjoy this book, I enjoyed having the knowledge of who the characters were when reading but the connections are made clear enough that I don't think its a requirement. But if you do love Dracula I think you will thoroughly enjoy this and it should be added to that tbr!

Krystina xx

Catch a Falling Star by Laura Carter ~Blog Tour

 Publisher:  Boldwood Books

Publication Date: 14th April 2025

Genre: Romance

Summary:

It’s never too late…

Lyra Clarkson has built a career capturing other people’s perfect moments. She loves her work as a wedding photographer – despite her family’s disapproval – but she’s never quite found her own path.

Guy Walker, former rock star turned wedding singer, has hit a new low. Desperately needing cash, he’s agreed to take any gig his manager can get him, even if this new form of entertainment isn’t just singing.

As Lyra and Guy’s paths cross – in the most bizarre way possible – an unexpected kiss will change everything. But was it simply a chance encounter or is fate bringing them back together?

Now forced into each other’s lives for the entire wedding season, the unlikely pair may just figure out together how to realise both their dreams…

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.
Its a bit like cheating but i knew i was going to love this book from the moment that i read the blurb, that added with the fact that i already know that i love Laura Carters writing style meant this book was a winner for me.
I wasn't wrong, I've loved every single page of this book. I instantly loved Lyra, she was like all my university friends rolled into one and she was so easy to connect with that i was invested in her from the first page. 
I adored getting to know Guy through his chapters, he did frustrate the heck out of me though, his deciding that he wasn't good enough for Lyra was annoying. Don't get me wrong i did fall in love with him very quickly and i spent at least 75% of the book wanting to give him a hug and the other 25% yelling at him (out loud much to the confusion of my family) and i was rooting for them from that first moment they became reacquainted. I really disliked Lyra's family to start off with, the way they kept putting her down, and the fact that she just took it!, made me so angry at times. But i did enjoy seeing how their relationship changed throughout the book and i loved how their support came though at the end. I think the contrast in family dynamics between our two MC's was really well done and i liked seeing their different upbringings portrayed so brilliantly.
I've always loved Laura Carters writing style she makes characters that are so relatable that its easy to get drawn  into their lives and care for what is going on and their happiness. What i really loved about this book was that it wasn't just about the romance element, both MC's needed to work on what made them happy without each other as well. I loved that they both had a fulfilling relationship and career by the end of the book.
As usual Laura Carter has hit it out of the park with this book, and i cannot wait for her next book!

Krystina xx

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 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

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

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