Guest Review: A Wedding Under the Cornish Sky by Phillipa Ashley

Five years ago, Zennor’s perfect Cornish wedding fell apart in the most spectacular style - thanks to Matt Veryan, the man who crashed the celebrations and shattered her happily ever after.

Now a successful business owner in St Ives, Zennor is shocked to discover Matt is not only back in her life- he’s also her new landlord.

As old feelings resurface and long-buried secrets come to light, Zennor must face the truth about her past, her marriage . . . and the man she never truly forgot.

But can Zennor ever forgive Matt? And if she does, could it lead her to a love greater than she ever dared dream possible?

Review: I have been a fan of this author for some time now and always look forward to reading her new releases. As the title suggests, this summer’s book is set in Cornwall, so I was anticipating a romance with some beautiful scenery and seaside activity. I was not disappointed.

The story begins in the Cornish town of St Ives, at the wedding of Zennor to Trev, which is interrupted disastrously by the unwelcome entrance of her ex, Matt, who she has not seen for years. Matt has a lot to say but is too late to stop the ceremony. It then continues 5 years later, when Zennor is no longer married, but is running a successful talent agency in the same Cornish town. Everything is going well in her life when suddenly Matt and then Trev reappear in town. Each has become a wealthy businessman and each is interested in rekindling a relationship with Zennor. Unfortunately, Matt is now landlord of Zennor’s rundown office building, which is awkward as she has not forgiven him for ruining her special day all those years ago but now has to face him almost daily as he makes repairs. However, as time passes, her attitude towards him gradually changes as she finds him helping her out in many ways. When secrets of all kinds begin to reveal themselves in Zennor’s life, she thinks she may have to admit her true feelings to him and to herself.

This was a complicated, if predictable, story full of twists and turns. The setting is, as you would expect of Cornwall, lovely and the characters are, in the main, likeable. I especially liked Zennor, and admired the way she had made a success of things after her marriage ended. She also showed great fortitude in dealing with Matt and Trev when they walked back into her life. She did take her time, however, over whether to forgive Matt. As the secrets began to be revealed towards the end of the story, even I was shocked, never mind Zennor. This escapist book of love and friendship would be good for a summer holiday read.

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Top 10 Tuesday: Books I Can't Believe I Never Read

 

Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.

Guest Review: Daydreaming at the Boathouse Cafe by Alison Sherlock

Can following your dreams lead to happy-ever-after?

After leaving an unhappy relationship, Hannah Jackson has no confidence in herself or love. The only thing she secretly dreams of is her own bakery. But when her brother Ben, the owner of their family run hotel Maple Tree Lodge, asks her to open a cafe in the renovated boathouse on Dragonfly Lake, Hannah is consumed with self-doubt.

Due to an injury, Ben’s best friend and champion triathlete Alex Grant finds himself suddenly at a crossroads in his life and accepts Ben’s offer to recuperate at Maple Tree Lodge. Nursing a secret, longtime crush for Hannah, Alex is hoping that he can find a new future for himself and that it might somehow include Hannah.

Can Hannah overcome her lack of confidence and make the boathouse cafe a success? And can Alex find himself a new path and finally admit to Hannah how he really feels?

Over a magical summer by the lake, and with the help of a stray puppy, Hannah and Alex discover if all of their dreams really can come true.

Review: This is the second book in the Maple Tree Lodge Hotel series. Each book in this series is intended as a standalone read, but I cannot help but recommend you read the first book before this one to give complete enjoyment of the characters and events. Once again, this book has a stunning cover, this time conveying a beautiful summer’s day at the family-run hotel.

This story focuses on Hannah Jackson, sister of Ben, who owns the Maple Tree Lodge Hotel. Hannah has returned home to the lodge having escaped a disastrous relationship which has sapped her confidence. Although she is an accomplished baker, she refuses to accept that she could make a living through her craft. She is even unwilling to help Ben by running a cafe in the lodge’s recently renovated boathouse. When family friend and famous athlete Alex Grant is injured in a race, he is invited to spend the summer recovering at the hotel and gradually helps Hannah to establish and make a success of the new cafe. Alex has always secretly loved Hannah, a feeling that is actually mutual. Working closely together over the summer, can the pair admit their feelings and find happiness?

I loved this second instalment of the story of Maple Tree Lodge Hotel. It was good to catch up with the Jackson family and learn about their achievements since opening the hotel. They are such a close family and it was rewarding to witness the different generations working together with successful results. Hannah had been damaged by her unfortunate experience with a controlling boyfriend. Lucky for her that the strong and handsome Alex turned up to gently restore her confidence. There were some great characters in the story, most of whom I recognised from the first part of the series or some other Alison Sherlock books. I liked the way in which the latter were incorporated into the plot. I can recommend this truly heartwarming romance and wonder what is next for Maple Tree Lodge.

To order your copy now, just click here!

Top Ten Tuesday: My Favourite Books by My Favourite Authors

 

Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.

Guest Review: Family Ties for the Village Midwife by Tilly Tennant

As the clouds chase the sun across the Lake District hills, and the warm breeze hints at spring on the way, midwife Zoe Padbury is counting her blessings. Until a surprise arrival changes everything…

Zoe Padbury is a big believer in second chances. She’s been so happy since she started over in the village of Thimblebury. Especially now she’s moved into Hilltop Farm with her boyfriend Alex and can be on hand to help his daughter when her baby arrives.

All that changes when Zoe’s father arrives, arm in arm with his newly pregnant fiancée Chantal. Chantal is bowled over by Thimblebury’s picture-perfect charm, and before Zoe’s had a chance to draw breath, they’ve made plans to get married in the old stone church, make Zoe their future baby’s midwife and move into the cottage next door.

Worried about her mum’s broken heart and how Alex feels about having her family so close by, at first Zoe doesn’t notice that Chantal’s brother has also moved in and is determined to make trouble, ruining the lives of the people who have made her feel so welcome. With the villagers up in arms about his behaviour, Zoe is torn in two. Can she protect her new life and love without losing her family?

Review: This is the third book in a series of stories featuring Zoe Padbury, a midwife who is attached to the medical practice in the Lake District village of Thimblebury. Following the break-up of her marriage, she has moved to the village from Manchester and has recently become romantically involved with neighbour Alex who lives with his pregnant daughter Billie. Although part of a series, I feel that this book, like the others, can be read as a standalone.

In this story, we find Zoe considering moving in with Alex and Billie. She is shocked to receive a phone call from her dad announcing that his much younger girlfriend, Chantal, is pregnant. Zoe’s mother, who has become very bitter since divorcing Zoe’s father, is annoyed about the situation, and more so when he decides to marry Chantal. What’s more, when Chantal visits Thimblebury and sees how pretty it is, she insists that the wedding should be in the local church. When Zoe finally moves in with Alex, her father and Chantal see an opportunity and move into Zoe’s former cottage, further upsetting Zoe’s mother. However, worse is to come when Chantal’s brother and his dog move into the cottage as well. Both man and dog are very unpleasant and cause no end of trouble in the peaceful village. Poor Zoe finds herself caught in the middle between her new friends in the village and her family, all the while trying to carry on with her job.

Gosh, this was a particularly dramatic instalment of this series. I did feel sorry for Zoe, with stress on all sides. As well as the situation within her family, there were some difficult patients and tricky births for her to deal with, as well as personality clashes in the medical practice. As usual, Tilly Tennant has skilfully portrayed typical village life, where everybody knows what is going on with others and pulls together when necessary. I enjoyed meeting up with characters from previous books in the series who I feel I am getting to know, and I even felt quite upset that a disruptive element had disturbed the usual peaceful atmosphere. I am looking forward to the next book in the series and finding out how everybody is faring.

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Guest Review: Healing Hearts at the Forever Cottage by Jill Steeples

The winds of change are sweeping through the idyllic Cotswold village of Lower Leaping.

After a tumultuous few months, Tess Alexander is ready to welcome her first guests to The Garden Retreat, a beautiful lodge in the grounds of Hollyhocks Cottage.

With her daughter Hannah home from her travels in Australia and her mother, Marjorie, acting out of character, Tess has to juggle many demands on her attention. Even her flourishing relationship with dashing Rob Templeton is put to the test when he faces an emotional dilemma from his past and Barney, her beloved beagle, has her at her wits end.

Tess can weather most storms with the unbridling support of her close friends Dilly, Gina and Suzy but when a passing remark in the local pub causes her to question one of those friendships, she wonders who can she really trust?

Can Tess overcome the obstacles in her path to find the happy ending she truly deserves?

Review: This is the second book in the Lower Leaping series from this author. Lower Leaping is a small village in the Cotswolds where the central character in the first book lived in the lovely Hollyhocks Cottage. This new book can be read as a standalone, although reading book 1 first will increase any reader’s enjoyment.

Once again, this story features Tess Alexander, still living in her beloved cottage with her faithful beagle Barney, but now also with her daughter, Hannah, who has returned from her travels with a broken heart. Tess has converted the garden annexe to the cottage into a self-contained retreat and is now ready to offer it to paying guests. Unfortunately, her sense of achievement is overshadowed by a series of worries and not just about Hannah. Her normally content mother is acting strangely, her relationship with Rob Templeton has apparently met a bump in the road, she has suspicions about one of her trusted group of close friends and her ex is liable to turn up whenever he feels like it. Even Barney has decided to go on an adventure. Tess is a strong woman, but can she cope with all of this and come out the other side with her sunny personality intact?

I enjoyed everything about this easy to read story, especially meeting up again with Tess and other characters from the first book in the series. There were also some new additions to the cast, and once again they were likeable and interesting people. I am envious of anyone booking a stay in Tess’s garden retreat; it sounds as though they will be well looked after. In fact, the whole village and its community have been so well described by the author as to make me wish I could visit. I was delighted to find that Tess and Rob were in a flourishing relationship after meeting up in book 1, but it was not all plain sailing. I hope that there will be more from Lower Leaping soon and readers can find out how things are progressing for Tess and the others.

To order your copy now, just click here!

Top Ten Tuesday: 10 Books Featuring May Flowers

 

Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.