Blog Tour: The Old Girls Network by Judy Leigh

Is it ever too late to change…

After a health scare, 77 year-old spinster Barbara goes to convalesce in the sleepy Somerset village of Winsleigh Green with her sister Pauline, who is now a widow. The sisters are like chalk and cheese - Barbara, outspoken and aloof and Pauline, good natured and homely – so it’s not long before the tension starts to rise.

But when Pauline accidentally knocks down a vagrant who goes by the name of Bisto Mulligan, the ladies find themselves with another houseguest. As he recovers, it becomes apparent that Bisto is not who he first seemed, and as the sisters get to know the kind and courageous man he really is, it’s clear Bisto has the potential to change both of their lives.

As the spring turns to summer, and Winsleigh Green comes to life, can the three friends make the changes they need to, to embrace fresh starts, new loves, new lives and new horizons. Or do old habits die too hard?

Funny, joyful and with a spring in its step that reminds you to live every day like it’s your last. Judy Leigh has once again written the perfect feel-good novel for all fans of Dawn French, Dee MacDonald and Cathy Hopkins.

Purchase Link: https://amzn.to/2SLuNDu

Review

When prickly Barbara decides to spend some time with her widowed younger sister Pauline in her sleepy little village, they both soon realise it was a bad idea. Barbara is so critical, with no time for village gossip or Pauline's odd friends. Pauline is ready to ask her sister to leave when she accidentally hits Bisto Mulligan with her car. Dirty, drunk, and now concussed, he doesn't look like much - but his presence proves the catalyst they all need and it will be a summer none of them will ever forget.

Judy Leigh has written a classic village-life comedy, full of characters - the warring neighbours, the townies who moved in next door, the handsome handyman, the quiet farmer... perhaps they start as caricatures but are painted with such warmth and depth, each one fits perfectly into the whimsical tapestry of Winsley Green as we get to see them through Barbara's slowly mellowing gaze and Pauline's affectionate point of view.

Barbara starts as a character you almost love to hate but it quickly becomes apparent that behind her walls is a hurt woman with a heart of gold. It's almost comical, almost tragic, as she reassesses her life with the same critical eye that she uses on everyone else. And then buys a self-help book.

Pauline is a more sympathetic point of view but perhaps is less interesting, while Bisto is a mystery with his own tangled past that we get to untangle over the course of the book. Also, did I mention that all three main characters are over 70? Because they are and it's really cool to see older characters get the limelight, have fun, and fall in love. It's funny, emotional, and overall a good time.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher via Rachel's Random Resources; all opinions are my own

Author Bio

Judy Leigh is the bestselling author of Five French Hens, A Grand Old Time and The Age of Misadventure and the doyenne of the ‘it’s never too late’ genre of women’s fiction. She has lived all over the UK from Liverpool to Cornwall, but currently resides in Somerset.

https://twitter.com/judyleighwriter

https://www.facebook.com/judyleighuk/

https://instagram.com/judy%20leigh

http://judyleigh.com

https://www.bookbub.com/authors/judy-leigh

Newsletter sign up: http://bit.ly/JudyLeighNewsletter

Blog Tour: Up Close and Personal by Kathryn Freeman

 British actor Zac Edwards is the latest heartthrob to hit the red carpets. Hot, talented and rich, he sends women wild…all except one.
Close protection officer Kat Parker hasn’t got time to play celebrity games.  She has one job: to protect Zac from the stalker that seems to be dogging his every move.

Zac might get her hot under her very starched collar, but Kat’s a professional – and sleeping with Zac is no way part of her remit…

Amazon UK:  https://www.amazon.co.uk/Close-Personal-feel-good-will-they-wont-they-Collection-ebook/dp/B083W3RMW4
Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B083W3RMW4


Review
After shooting to stardom, Zac Edwards has a stalker. In response, his studio hire him a bodyguard - Kat Parker, who is determined to excel at her job. Falling for her client isn't in the plan, but secrets from Zac's past push them into closer contact than either of them were expecting.

It might have taken me a while to warm up to it, but the sparks between Kat and Zac were simply too good to resist! Kat and Zac seem like total opposites, but they have more in common than they think. Rather than receiving their backstories early, we get to know them as they get to know each other, which made for beautifully natural characterisation and growth. There were some important conversations about choices and the future - the details of a relationship - that I appreciated hugely.

There is a secondary theme of family that runs throughout the book, giving it more substance and depth. Kat's niece Debs especially adds to the banter as she brings teenagerhood and its drama to the table. I also enjoyed the pop culture references - F1 drivers, Marvel movies - though I wonder how well they will age.

I did however have one quibble with the book, and that was Zac's infringement on Kat's clear boundaries. Just because you are attracted to a woman (and she is attracted to you), when she asks you not to seduce her, you stop. Even if its because she is trying to do her job and stay professional. It's not meant to be a challenge. It's not sexy.

For a contemporary romance with action elements, give this a try

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley and Rachel's Random Resources; all opinions are my own

Author Bio
A former pharmacist, I’m now a medical writer who also writes romance. Some days a racing heart is a medical condition, others it’s the reaction to a hunky hero.
I’ve two sons and a husband who asks every Valentine’s Day whether he has to buy a card (yes, he does), so any romance is all in my head. Then again, his unstinting support of my career change proves love isn't always about hearts and flowers - and heroes come in many disguises.

Social Media Links
Website:  http://kathrynfreeman.co.uk
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/kathrynfreeman
Twitter:  https://twitter.com/KathrynFreeman1

Blog Tour: The Summer of Taking Chances by Lynne Shelby

Would you take the second chance you’ve always dreamed of?
It’s been ten years since Emma Stevens last laid eyes on Jake Murray. When he left the small seaside village of South Quay to chase the limelight, Emma’s dreams left with him.

Now Emma is content living a quiet and uneventful life in South Quay. It’s far from the life she imagined, but at least her job at the local hotel has helped heal her broken heart.

But when Jake returns home for the summer to escape the spotlight, Emma’s feelings quickly come flooding back. There’s clearly a connection between them, but Jake has damaged her heart once already – will she ever be able to give him a second chance?

Purchase Links
UK - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Summer-Taking-Chances-Lynne-Shelby-ebook/dp/B0849NF6KD/
US - https://www.amazon.com/Summer-Taking-Chances-Lynne-Shelby-ebook/dp/B0849NF6KD/

Review
Emma lives a quiet, happy life organising working as an events coordinator at a hotel and starring in the local amateur drama productions. It's not the life she dreamed of at seventeen, but she's content enough - until first love and famous actor Jake wanders into their local bar. He's just been dumped by his (also famous) on and off again girlfriend and has come back to their small town to avoid the paparazzi.

The story is told from Emma's point of view, including flashbacks to their teenage selves, so we get a really good look inside her head and a front row seat to her rekindling friendship with Jake. While I didn't agree with all her choices, this point of view makes them all understandable.

Jake has changed a lot since he last saw Emma, and I suspect he would not be nearly as sympathetic if he was seen from any other viewpoint. He chooses his roles purely on the payout (though it is made clear he doesn't need the cash) and looks down on amateur theatre. Thankfully, he doesn't stay that way. The way he and Emma quickly slip into Shakespeare is honestly adorable.

There's a great cast of supporting characters, many of them introduced in their dual identities in the town and in the play that forms the backdrop of Emma and Jake's relationship over the summer. We are given enough to appreciate them without them overloading the plot.

Speaking of the plot - I can't put my finger on how exactly, but I found this story perfectly paced and eminently enjoyable. There's no wild twists and turns, but there are the bumps and curves that crop up when people come together and the minor dramas of small town life. It was never boring, never saccharine, and never upsetting. There were a couple of seventeen year olds who made some poor choices, but seventeen wasn't a great year for anyone, so I find them reasonable, if frustrating.

If you're looking for a slow burn second chance romance with Shakespeare, please pick this up.

For a book I just really enjoyed reading and that may well become a comfort read, five stars.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley and Rachel's Random Resources; all opinions are my own.

Author Bio
Lynne Shelby writes contemporary women’s fiction/romance. Her debut novel, French Kissing, was published when it won a national writing competition. She has worked at a variety of jobs from stable girl to child actors’ chaperone to legal administrator, but now writes full time. When not writing or reading, Lynne can usually be found at the theatre watching a musical, or exploring a foreign city – Paris, New York, Rome, Copenhagen, Seattle, Athens – writer's notebook, camera and sketchbook in hand. She lives in London with her husband, and has three adult children who live nearby.

Social Media Links
Facebook: www.facebook.com/LynneShelbyWriter
Twitter: @LynneB1
Instagram: lynneshelbywriter
Website: www.lynneshelby.com

Blog Tour: The Little Teashop in Tokyo by Julie Caplin

Grab your passport and escape to a land of dazzling skycrapers, steaming bowls of comforting noodles, and a page-turning love story that will make you swoon!

For travel blogger Fiona, Japan has always been top of her bucket list so when she wins an all-expenses paid trip, it looks like her dreams are coming true.

Until she arrives in vibrant, bustling Tokyo and comes face-to-face with the man who broke her heart ten years ago, gorgeous photographer Gabe.

Fiona can’t help but remember the heartache of their last meeting but amidst the temples and clouds of soft pink cherry blossoms, can Fiona and Gabe start to see life – and each other – differently?

Purchase Links
UK - https://amzn.to/39JCFL9   
US - http://amzn.to/39QbGhh

Review

This is a gorgeous, slow-build romance about photography, family, and wonder

Fiona has just won the trip of a lifetime - two weeks in Japan that could launch her photography career to the next level. Her hypochondriac mother is worried but Fiona's sure she'll be fine - until she discovers her mentor for the next fortnight is an old crush who unwittingly sparked teenage Fiona's social isolation. Gabe is a big name in photography, but since his muse married another man, he no longer finds joy behind a camera. This unexpected mentorship is an unwelcome burden, but Fiona challenges him and refuses to let him phone it in - and why does she seem so familiar?

While this story was slow to start, the more sedate pace fits the very Japanese juxtaposition of  antiquity against modernity. It's clear the author loves Japan, for the prose is full of Japanese culture, history, and traditions as explained to Fiona, the audience surrogate. As the beauty of nature and tradition settles and enchants Fiona, we also fall in love.

Gabe, on the other hand, does not make a sterling first impression. He's not in a good place and hasn't been for a while, but Fiona's joy in discovery and her earnest appreciation of Japan captivates him and for the first time in too long, has him itching to take a photo. He does, with the best of intentions, pull a startlingly terrible stunt on Fiona at 80% through the book, and I'd have liked to see a bit more grovel instead of the narrative supporting his actions.

There's a small cast of supporting characters - mainly three generations of women in the family who host Fiona in Tokyo - and each are wonderfully different but well written. With Fiona's friends, I sort of feel like there's a book or two previous that I've missed, but this novel is wonderfully self-contained on its own.

Also, it makes Tupperware romantic. Tupperware. I think that deserves a mention all on its own!

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley; all opinions are my own

Author Bio

Jules Wake announced at the age of ten that she planned to be a writer. Along the way she was diverted by the glamorous world of PR and worked on many luxury brands, taking journalists on press trips to awful places like Turin, Milan, Geneva, Paris, Brussels and Amsterdam and occasionally losing the odd member of the press in an airport. This proved fabulous training for writing novels as it provided her with the opportunity to eat amazing food, drink free alcohol, hone her writing skills on press releases and to research European cities for her books.
She writes best-selling warm-hearted contemporary fiction for HarperImpulse.
Under her pen name, Julie Caplin, her thirteenth novel, The Little Teashop in Tokyo will be published in ebook and paperback this June.

Social Media Links
Twitter @JulieCaplin
@Juleswake
Facebook: www.facebook.com/JulieCaplinAuthor

Blog Tour: Coming Home to Heritage Cove

Welcome to Heritage Cove, the little village by the sea brimming with character, community and friendship, and the perfect place to fall in love this summer…

Melissa rushes back to Heritage Cove when Barney, the man who’s been like a father figure to her since she was a little girl, ends up in hospital. After an absence of five years, her return isn’t going to be easy, especially when she bumps into Harvey, the love of her life and the man she’s never been able to forget.

For reasons he couldn't explain at the time, Harvey changed his mind about going with Melissa to start afresh as they'd planned, and life moved on for the both of them. But with Melissa back in the village and determined to stick around to help Barney, they can't avoid each other forever. Melissa knows she let so many people down by staying away for so long, but she and Harvey blame each other for what happened and neither of them is willing to admit to being in the wrong.

When Barney insists on cancelling the Wedding Dress Ball, the charity fundraiser he holds every year in the stunning barn on his property, Melissa and Harvey realise they’re going to have to pull together. Otherwise the man they once knew might be gone forever. And when they unearth a secret Barney has never shared with anyone, they go in search of answers to not only ensure the ball runs this summer, but to bring back the Barney they know and love.

Back in the cove after all this time, Melissa gets to see the life she left behind and it’s time to deal with what it was that drove her away in the first place.

Beneath the summer sunshine in Heritage Cove, the sea sparkles, the heat rises and new love, reconciliations and the answers to an old love story could bring changes for everyone.

Purchase Links
UK - https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B086YYZF27
US - https://www.amazon.com/Coming-Home-Heritage-Cove-delightfully-ebook/dp/B086YYZF27

 Review
A dreamily nostalgic book about lost love and coming home.

Melissa has it all - a job she loves, a fiance who loves her, and a life she's made for herself since she left her childhood home five years ago. But when the man she considers a father to her takes a fall, she finds herself back in town, face to face with her childhood friend and first love, Harvey.

You can probably foresee how the rest of the story plays out. There's a theme of loss that had me tearing up, but it was interesting to see how the grief that sent Melissa running has softened enough that she can look back and remember the good times and not just the loss. Melissa and Harvey are both fully realised characters with understandable flaws who share a past much deeper than the hurt that drove them apart.

There are a few things that spoil this book for me - first, there was a few missteps in editing. The most jarring was how Melissa mentions her brother a few times before bemoaning growing up as an only child. Second, it quite difficult to watch Melissa fall back in love with Harvey knowing she had a life and a fiance outside of the Cove. I know it's not intentional on Melissa's part, but I'm not a fan of love triangles. I never got the sense that the life she made and fiance she'd chosen wasn't enough until her internal narration announced it, which left me a little discomfited and desperately sorry for her fiance Jay. There was a beautiful line about have both roots and wings - but despite young Melissa's desire to leave and current Melissa's life satisfaction, the ending seems to clearly favour one over the other. Perhaps if Melissa had shown discontent with her life before returning, the ending would have gone down sweeter.

This is still a sweet book about the power of past love, so if you're keen on small towns, childhood friends-to-lovers, and a bit of past angst, pick this book up

Author Bio

Helen J Rolfe writes romantic fiction and contemporary women's fiction and enjoys weaving stories about family, friendship, secrets, and community.

Location is a big part of the adventure in Helen's books and she enjoys setting stories in different cities and countries where she thinks her readers might like to escape to.

Helen J Rolfe also writes for Orion Books under the name Helen Rolfe.

Born and raised in the UK, Helen graduated from University with a business degree and began working in I.T. This job took her over to Australia and it was there that she finally turned to what she loved and studied writing and journalism. She spent a while freelancing for women's health and fitness magazines, volunteered with the PR department of a children's hospital where she wrote articles and media releases, and eventually began writing fiction in 2011. And now, she thinks she may just have found her dream job.

Helen currently lives in Hertfordshire, UK, with her husband and their children.

Social Media Links
Helen loves to hear from readers so please don't hesitate to get in touch. She can be found at:

www.helenjrolfe.com
https://www.facebook.com/helenjrolfewriter
https://twitter.com/hjrolfe
https://www.instagram.com/helen_j_rolfe/  

When You Wish Upon a Rogue by Anna Bennett

She knows what she wants.

Miss Sophie Kendall is happiest arranging the secret meetings of the Debutante Underground, a group of women who come together to discuss the weekly advice column The Debutante’s Revenge. What makes Sophie most unhappy is her impending march down the aisle to a man she does not love. But her family’s finances are in increasingly dire straits.

He makes an offer she can’t refuse.

Henry Reese, Earl of Warshire, hasn’t slept in weeks. Desperate to escape his manor house and its haunting memories, he heads for one of his abandoned London properties. There he meets a beautiful, intriguing woman—trespassing. Reese is far less interested in Sophie’s search for a secret meeting spot than he is in her surprising ability to soothe his demons. So he strikes a bargain with her: his shop in exchange for spending one night a week with him.

Is this love for real—or just a dream?

Sophie never expected this to happen. But she cannot deny the fire Reese sparks in her—and soon their shared desire burns bright. Sophie is irrevocably promised to another. But maybe these two ill-fated lovers can find a way to risk it all—all the way to happily ever after…

Review - A witty, charming read.

I thoroughly enjoyed this romance between the war-ravaged and instantly smitten Reese, and headstrong and compassionate Sophie. He thinks she has some mystical power to help him sleep and ease his demons, but really, her practical care alleviates his insomnia. For her part, caring for Reese takes her mind off her impending marriage, arranged to rescue her family from their dire financial straits. The main characters were a perfect match and I couldn't help but root for them to be together.

There's banter, romance, emotional growth, and a happy ending for all involved - although this was slightly marred by me wanting to give two of the supporting characters a swift cuff to the head. A novella from their perspective may make me more favourably inclined to the secondary couple. In fact, I'd quite like to read that, because I liked this book except for what those two did.

Although this is the third in its series, I did not feel confused or overwhelmed by what I've missed. Sophie's friends are perfectly supportive without being overbearing and I suspect that I would enjoy reading their own happy endings as well.

Four and a half stars, rounded up.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley, all opinions are my own.