Blog Tour: A Shore Thing by Portia Macintosh

It's survival of the fittest!

 From the moment Cleo met Lockie, her infuriatingly charming co-casting producer on hit reality show Welcome to Singledom, he’s been getting under her skin. Their job? Casting singles for the ultimate island romance. Their problem? They can’t agree on anything.

Now, the cameras are ready to roll, and the contestants—well, most of them—are en route. But when the threat of a tropical storm delays half the cast, launch night turns into a total disaster. With no Plan B, Cleo and Lockie are forced to step in as contestants. Just for 24 hours until the real stars arrive.

Simple, right? Except tensions are sky-high and sparks are flying for all the wrong reasons! All they have to do is couple-up and get voted off - but there’s a storm coming, so leaving the island might not be so easy. Cleo’s used to pulling strings behind the scenes, not falling headfirst into the drama.

But when the cameras stop rolling, will their fake fling fade with the credits—or could it be Cleo’s most unexpected plot twist yet?

Review

Sometimes, a book really hits the spot.

I resonate a little too strongly with Cleo, who is feeling very old and very single, despite - or perhaps because of her job casting singles for a long-running reality dating show. With falling ratings, her boss brings in Lockie. He's hot, full of fresh ideas, and he pushes every one of Cleo's buttons, good and bad. One thing leads to another, and next thing you know, Cleo is on screen in a tiny bikini, pretending to fall for Lockie to keep the cameras rolling.

And then the storm hits.

My favourite part of the book was definitely their time on the island. I found it totally believable that the circumstances would turbocharge relationship building and I enjoyed the other contestants evolving from deliberate caricatures to individuals realising it's okay to put down the mask. In a story set somewhat behind the curtain, it was nice to see what happens when the cameras stop rolling. It gave me hope that Cleo and Lockie fit well together, even once the outside world forces its way back in.

I did see the third act coming and while I wouldn't call myself vindictive, I do wish for a bit more grovelling, a bit more comeuppance where comeuppance is due. Now I can't imagine I'd ever enjoy getting stranded on an island, but a love story like Cleo and Lockie's would make it all worthwhile. 

If you're looking for some delicious 'reality' show goodness, this book might be for you!

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

Purchase Link - https://mybook.to/ShoreThing 

Author Bio 

Portia MacIntosh is the million copy bestselling author of over 20 romantic comedy novels. Whether it’s southern Italy or the French alps, Portia’s stories are the holiday you’re craving, conveniently packed in between the pages. Formerly a journalist, Portia lives with her husband and her dog in Yorkshire. 

Social Media Links
Facebook: @macintoshportia
Twitter: @PortiaMacintosh
Instagram: @portiamacintoshauthor
Newsletter Sign Up: https://bit.ly/PortiaMacIntoshNews

Blog Tour: The Locked Room by Holly Hepburn

Join Harriet White in 1930's London for another glorious Sherlock Holmes-inspired mystery, for fans of Nita Prose and Janice Hallett.

After a very close call on the Norfolk Fens, Harriet White is about ready to hang up her deerstalker and settle back into her normal life, working in a bank on Baker Street. Until she discovers a letter in The Times newspaper challenging Sherlock Holmes to prove his status as the world’s greatest detective, by solving an impossible mystery. The letter, signed Professor James Moriarty, advises Holmes that the crime will be committed within the following seven days. There will be no further clues – Holmes himself must deduce which crime is the correct one to investigate.

Dismissing the letter as a prank, Harry goes about her business until news breaks of the theft of valuable jewel collection from a safe in an apparently locked room in a Mayfair townhouse.

Intrigued in spite of her misgivings, Harry dons a disguise and investigates. But as she begins to unpick the puzzle, a body is found. And now, a stranger, and far more deadly mystery begins to unfold around her...

Review

Come along on a charming mystery with a plucky young heroine, nefarious villains, and just a hint of romance!

Though I haven't read the previous in this series, I enjoyed this entry as it follows Harry White - granddaughter of a baron who works as Sherlock Homes' secretary - knowing, of course, that Holmes is fictional, her role to let hopefuls know that the great detective has retired. What her bosses can't know is that every now and then, Harry solves the mystery instead. When a challenge to Holmes from his literary nemesis Moriarty is placed in the papers, Harry soon realises that her recent successes (from earlier books) have attracted the notice of shadowy figures, and someone wants to know who has been solving crimes under the name of Sherlock Holmes.

Harry is a classic heroine - adventurous, headstrong, and insightful - but I also appreciated her kindness and how she didn't make stupid decisions in the name of furthering the plot. Now, she might be a little bit oblivious to romance, but even clever people have blind spots. She is surrounded by an interesting cast of characters - few enough to keep track of but not so many as to be confusing. I liked her burgeoning friendship with Beth, and do I sense a possible frisson between Beth and Harry's brother?

The mystery was clever, not immediately obvious but believably twisty. Careening from the townhouses to the underground clubs and back again, this was a great way to spend an evening and I hope Harry's adventures continue!

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

Purchase Link - https://mybook.to/TheLockedRoom

Author Bio

Holly Hepburn writes escapist, swoonsome fiction that sweeps her readers into idyllic locations, from her native Cornwall to the windswept beauty of Orkney. She has turned her hand to cosy crime inspired by Sherlock Holmes himself. Holly lives in leafy Hertfordshire with her adorable partner in crime, Luna the Labrador.

Social Media Links 
Instagram: @HollyH_Author
Newsletter Sign Up: https://bit.ly/HollyHepburnNews

Blog Tour: The Retired Assassin’s Guide to Orchid Hunting by Naomi Kuttner

Assassin. Gardener. Reluctant cat adoptee.

All Dante wants is to be left alone in the small New Zealand town no one’s heard of. No drama. No bodies. No questions. But then, of course, the orchid convention comes to town, and Dante is knee deep in suspects, intrigue, and red herrings.

On top of all this, Dante must navigate a mysterious woman from his past, cat issues, and the terrifying prospect of a first date. And he has to do it while fighting his instinct to solve problems the old-fashioned way: permanently.

The ‘Retired Assassin’s Guide to Orchid Hunting’ is a cosy paranormal mystery with found family, ghosts, a grumpy assassin and a sunshine gardener.

Come for the murder, stay for the cat, the gardens, and the New Zealand country charm.

Purchase Links
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0DWVD5XRM
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0DWVD5XRM

Review

About the only thing I know about orchids is that they are incredibly fussy plants that bloom at the store and never again - and yet this lovely mystery had me absorbed in the world of exotic orchid hunters as they hold a conference in a little town in New Zealand and one expert topples to the floor, dead. Our eclectic crew of sleuths - titular retired assassin Dante, gardener and ghost whisperer Charlie, and international woman of intrigue Eleanor - must solve the murder before conference finishes and the attendees scatter back around the globe. Joining the cast are an English Lord, an Italian scientist, a French collector, and a mysterious redhead - oh, and Inspector Avery, who is definitely on holiday and wants nothing to do with mysterious deaths and the even more mysterious Eleanor.

Written in short, engaging chapters, the characters reel you right in. I simply love to read about Dante and his struggles to maintain his no-kill streak. His former profession colours his perspective in the most entertaining manner, until a first date is approached with just as much gravity (if not more) than the murder at the conference. Oh, and his cat is getting fat.

Overall, if you enjoyed the first one or are simply a fan of cosy mysteries with a touch of the paranormal, this is definitely the book for you. As a kiwi, I also adored the little touches of home in the narrative - from the native flora and fauna, to geography, colloquialisms, and the overall vibe. I just felt the whole book was such a delightful cosy mystery about orchids, relationships, and trying really hard to not kill people.

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

Author Bio
Naomi is a writer living in New Zealand. When not busy writing or raising her twin son and daughter, she spends her free time (ha!) surfing, kitesurfing, and retrieving her shoes from Max the dog.

Social Media Links
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/16314712.Naomi_Kuttner 
https://www.facebook.com/NaomiKuttnerAuthor/ 
https://naomikuttner.com/ 
https://www.instagram.com/naomikuttner/