Category Giveaway

The Cornish Rebel by Nicola Pryce @NPryce_Author @rararesources @CorvusBooks #Giveaway #histfic #romance #cornwall #bookreview

yvonnembee 2 Comments

I am delighted to share my review today of The Cornish Rebel by Nicola Pryce. I have read nearly all of her books in this series, they are standalone and are set in Cornwall. If you like historical fiction then this is an author you should have a look at.

My huge thanks to Rachel at Rachel’s Random Resources for my copy of the book and for my spot on the Blog Tour.

The Cornish Rebel
In the wake of her mother’s death, Pandora Woodville is desperate to escape her domineering father and finally return to Cornwall. Posing as a widow, she safely makes it across the Atlantic, bright with the dream of working at her Aunt Harriet’s school for young women. But as Pandora is soon to learn, the school is facing imminent closure after a series of sinister events threatened its reputation.

Acclaimed chemist Benedict Aubyn has also recently returned to Cornwall, to take up a new role as Turnpike Trust Surveyor. Pandora’s arrival has been a strange one, so she is grateful when he shows her kindness. As news of the school’s ruin spreads around town, everyone seems to be after her aunt’s estate. Now, Pandora and Aunt Harriet must do everything in their power to save the school, or risk losing everything.

However, Pandora has another problem. She’s falling for Benedict. But can she trust him, or is he simply looking after his own interests?
Purchase Links – Amazon UK or US

MY REVIEW

Having read most of the books in this series, I am always delighted to pick up a copy of this author’s new books. Each book can be read as a standalone and each one is a story in its own right. The Cornish Rebel is a fabulous story and one that I read in one sitting, definitely, one I could not put down.

Pandora has returned from the US where she has been living for several years. She had left Cornwall when she was young with her parents and after listening to her mother’s stories she wanted to return. After her mother’s death, she does return and she lands in Falmouth where she is to discover that things are not as her mother had said they would be. Being rebellious, as the title suggests, Pandora starts to use her way of thinking and determination to do what she can to help the failing school she was hoping to teach at.

This is such an addictive story and I found Pandora to be a character who I really liked. Not one for swooning or having ‘turns’ she is determined and at times a bit headstrong when she gets an idea. Living with her Aunt Hetty and the few staff that remain at the house she starts to discover why the school has lost its students.

Also back in Cornwall is Benedict Aubyn, a surveyor who is looking to upgrade the roads. Hoping to make transporting goods easier and trying to insure himself a good income for himself. He seems to be around when needed but this leads to a sense of untrust. Surely he must be up to something.

Once again this author has created a wonderful story and one that is captivating and I adored it. Falmouth is 9 miles from me as the crow flies, but 24 miles by road so the transport is something that was important then as it is now. Weaving this into the struggles of people in 1801 and the grain shortages was wonderful, it showed how people lived, worked and tried to make ends meet. Having lost students of the school, it was a determined Pandora who wanted to return things to how they were. She remembers a time when things were happy and is desperate to return to that.

There is some turmoil in the lives of many of the characters, Pandora has some harsh truths that will rock her. The characters of the story all have fabulous parts to play and this helps to keep the story moving. Including references to historical events and things that are happening in society at the time is great.

This is a story that is just wonderful. If you are a fan of historical fiction, sagas, romance and especially with a Cornish setting then this is an author you should take a look at. A fabulous book from start to finish and one I would definitely recommend.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Nicola Pryce trained as a nurse at St Bartholomew’s Hospital in London. She has always loved literature and completed an Open University degree in Humanities. She is a qualified adult literacy support volunteer and lives with her husband in the Blackdown Hills in Somerset. Together they sail the south coast of Cornwall in search of adventure.

Check out the other stops on the Blog Tour…

There is a fabulous GIVEAWAY included in this Tour…

Giveaway to Win a The Cornish Rebel Tote Bag and Paperback (Open to UK Only)

CLICK HERE TO ENTER

Terms and Conditions –UK entries welcome.  Please enter using the Rafflecopter box below.  The winner will be selected at random via Rafflecopter from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then Rachel’s Random Resources reserves the right to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over.  Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. This will passed to the giveaway organiser and used only for fulfilment of the prize, after which time Rachel’s Random Resources will delete the data.  I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.

Many thanks for reading my post, a like or share would be amazing 🙂 xx

Lethal Ties by Helen J Christmas @SFDPBeginnings @rararesources #mystery #psychologicalthriller #Giveaway (UK only) #bookreview

yvonnembee 5 Comments

I am delighted to share my review today for Lethal Ties by Helen J Christmas. This is a very powerful and emotional read and one that does have a chilling edge to it.

My huge thanks to Rachel at Rachel’s Random Resources for my spot don’t he Blog Tour and for arranging my e-copy of this fabulous story.

I do have to mention the cover, it is so appropriate now I have read this story!

Lethal Ties


A haunting vision. A spine-chilling nightmare. A missing boy.


When Joe, Maisie and Sam met in a residential children’s home, they pledged to look out for each other; three friends who were inseparable until the night Sam went missing…


Twenty years later, Maisie suffers flashbacks, unable to understand what lies at the root of her recurring nightmares. Shocked to find Joe, homeless on Bognor seafront, she helps him turn his life around, but it doesn’t seem long before their past comes back to haunt them.


What really went on at Orchard Grange all those years ago?
Where did Sam go?


Only he can provide the answers but they need to find him.

Within weeks of Maisie and Joe being reunited, however, an eerie presence disrupts their world. A mysterious black car is tailing them; a campaign of online abuse makes Joe wonder if his enemies are still around. He has never forgotten Mr Mortimer from the children’s home until a shocking attempt on his life launches a police investigation. 
Lethal Ties is a tense psychological thriller, an untangling of secrets with an utterly chilling twist.

Purchase Links – Amazon UK – US

MY REVIEW…


This is a book that has had me hooked for the past couple of days. It is the story of three children who met while in care. One went to live with foster parents, one disappeared and one ran away. Years later they find each other.

Maisie is the main character of this story and as the synopsis tells, she finds one of her friends Joe. Together they begin to piece together events from the past, the ones that give Maisie nightmares and that Joe finds very difficult to describe. This is a story that involves child abuse, it is a story that is hard reading but has not been over-described.

The story is a mystery, a psychological thriller, it also has a criminal and police procedural aspect to it. The nature of the main theme is gradually brought out as initially Maisie and Joe deal with the past, they make links. It is as their friendship becomes more solid again that then turns this into a psychological thriller.

I am finding this quite difficult to review, I want so much to shout about the various events but can’t as I would give too much away.

Suppressed memories, nightmares and an uneasy feeling of being watched does not help Maisie feel safe, she does however have a good support network, though small, it provides her with the opportunity to voice her concerns. Through talking and through therapy she is able to piece things together. She realises that there is far more she has repressed than she had first realised. The author then adds the twists, the manipulation and also the realisation as things start to come together.

It is a story that the author has done so well considering the content. There is an amazing piece at the end of the book that describes how this story came about and also the people she met. I imagine research for this book to have been difficult but I think the author has done an amazing job.

This is an emotional read and also a very powerful one. Enough detail has been given so you are aware but as I mentioned earlier, there isn’t a lot of detail. I think the author got the balance for this very right. The psychological thriller aspect really builds, and I found this to add more pace to the story as it went on.

It always feels wrong to say that stories like this are wonderful reads, and Lethal Ties was such a wonderful read. It is one I would definitely recommend.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR…

I’ve had a passion for writing since childhood and wrote my first full-length novel in 2011. This grew into a five-book mystery thriller series (Same Face Different Place). I love networking with other authors and the highlight of my writing journey was in 2015 when I was selected as a winner in a short story competition “Write Across Sussex,” judged by Kate Mosse and Peter Lovesey. I love where we live and with a passion for walking and photography, found the inspiration to base my novel in West Sussex.


I am active on social media and have written various articles about my characters on my blog. The underlying premise of ‘Lethal Ties’ is to raise awareness of mental health problems and promote a better understanding of conditions such as Asperger’s.


‘Lethal Ties’ is my first standalone psychological thriller and set in my local town, Bognor Regis.
Social Media Links – Blog – Facebook – Twitter – Instagram – Website


GIVEAWAY

Giveaway to Win a signed paperback of Lethal Ties (Open to UK Only)


*Terms and Conditions –UK entries welcome.  Please enter using the Rafflecopter box below.  The winner will be selected at random via Rafflecopter from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then Rachel’s Random Resources reserves the right to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over.  Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. This will be passed to the giveaway organiser and used only for fulfilment of the prize, after which time Rachel’s Random Resources will delete the data.  I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.

ENTER HERE

Check out the other stops on the Tour…

Many thanks for reading my post, a like or share would be amazing 🙂 xx

Uncork My Love by Rich Amooi @RichAmooi @rararesources #romcom #NetGalley #Giveaway #bookreview

yvonnembee

It is no surprise to regular visitors that I do love Rich Amooi‘s books, his latest one, Uncork My Love is a fabulous bit of literary escapism and as always it put a smile on my face.

My huge thanks to Rachel at Rachel’s Random Resources for my spot on the Blog Tour and for arranging my e-copy of the book.

57210980. sy475

Uncork My Love

A sweet romantic comedy set in beautiful Napa Valley!

Ivy needs a miracle and a drink—not necessarily in that order. With a struggling winery, the only hope of keeping her dream alive is snagging a gold medal at the annual wine competition. She’s determined to win, but she can do it without the help of Ted Jacobs, aka Mr. Know-it-All.

Ted wants to catch lightning in a bottle and create the world’s greatest wine, but he’s smart enough to know he can’t do it alone. When he heads to Napa to keep his grandma from ending up in jail (don’t ask), he meets Ivy. She’s as complex and intoxicating as his award-winning cabernet, but as stubborn as the mule next door when she stomps on his offer to collaborate.

Ted knows it’s risky to mix business with pleasure, but if Ivy would only listen, they might just be the toast of the town.

Purchase Links from Amazon UK – US

My Review…

If you like a good romantic comedy, that is full of heart-warming moments and quite a few chuckles then this is the author for you. Rich’s latest book Uncork My Love is set in the Napa region and is about two winery owners.

Now, I am the first to admit that I adore this authors books and this one is another fabulous light-hearted escapism read that is perfect for losing yourself in for a couple of hours or so. I often mention that his novels are a little bit cheesy and tongue in cheek and this is what makes them so good.

Uncork My Love did feel a little different, it did have some of the cheesiness as the two main characters danced around “not liking each other”, but the joy of this story was the hilarious moments of the two, well, I suppose you could call them “interested others”, and I am not saying much about them at all.

Having a business head is all well and good but sometimes you need to step back and take a risk. This is something that Ivy is reluctant to do and the last thing she needs is some no it all man telling her how to do things properly. Ted does know his stuff and wants to help, but he and Ivy clash and are at loggerheads much of the time.

The author uses his magic to create yet another story that had me grinning and also sniggering several times. There is also some detail about wine, mixing, the flavours and these are expertly combined into Ivy and Ted’s story. I like wine, I don’t know much about it apart from if I like it I will drink it!

This is a wonderful rom-com from an author who knows just how to hit all the right notes. A bit cheeky with wonderful characters and an all-round cracking read. I adored it and would definitely recommend it.

About the Author…

Rich Amooi is a Taleflick Discovery Winner, Readers’ Favorite Gold Medal Recipient, Holt Medallion Finalist, and the Amazon Bestselling author of 16 romantic comedies, including It’s Not PMS, It’s You, Dying to Meet You, There’s Something About a Cowboy, and Madam Love, Actually.

A former radio personality and wedding DJ, Rich now writes romantic comedies full-time in San Diego, California, and is happily married to a kiss monster imported from Spain. Rich believes in public displays of affection, silliness, infinite possibilities, donuts, gratitude, laughter, and happily ever after.

Social Media Links – Website – Facebook – Instagram – Twitter – Goodreads

There is also a GIVEAWAY as part of the Blog Tour and you can enter HERE for a chance to win a $25 Amazon Gift Card (Open Internationally). Good Luck xx

Worldwide entries welcome.  Please enter using the Rafflecopter box below.  The winner will be selected at random via Rafflecopter from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then Rachel’s Random Resources reserves the right to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over.  Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. This will passed to the giveaway organiser and used only for fulfilment of the prize, after which time Rachel’s Random Resources will delete the data.  I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.

Check out the other stops on the Blog Tour…

Many thanks for reading my post, a like or share would be amazing 🙂 xx

Hunters Secret by Val Penny @valeriepenny @rararesources #crime #giveaway (open Int) #bookreview

yvonnembee 4 Comments

I a delighted to share my review today for Hunters Secret by Val Penny. This is the first time I have read a book by this author and I am looking forward to reading the earlier books in the series.

My huge thanks to Rachel at Rachel’s Random Resources for my spot on the Blog Tour and for arranging my e-copy of Val’s latest book.

I am still quite busy at the moment and I am not on Social Media very much at the moment, so any shares would be massively appreciated ❤

Hunter’s Secret

Detective Inspector Hunter Wilson is called to the scene of a murder. DCs Tim Myerscough and Bear Zewedu found a corpse, but when Hunter arrives it has disappeared, and all is not as it seems.

Hunter recalls the disappearance of a dead body thirty years earlier. The Major Incident Team is called in but sees no connection – it is too long ago. Hunter is determined to investigate the past and the present with the benefit of modern DNA testing.

Tim has other problems in his life. His father, Sir Peter Myerscough, is released from jail. He, too, remembers the earlier murder. There is no love lost between Hunter and Sir Peter. Will Hunter accept help from his nemesis to catch a killer?
Hunter’s own secret is exciting and crucial to his future. Will it change his life? And can he keep Edinburgh safe?

Purchase Link – HERE

This is the first time I have read a book by this author and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I do think I would have enjoyed it even more if I had read the previous novels in this series, although saying that it does work very well as a stand-alone.

So where to begin… this is a story with a past and a present and more than a few coincidences that make this is a very compelling read. The past is when two young friends discover a body, they then report it but the body then vanishes.

The present is 30 years later, very much a similar setting of a body that disappears after it being reported. The reason it is connected to an old case is down to DI Hunter, he was one of the young boys responsible for the discovery years earlier.

As the title suggests, this book has a secret, it is one of many and as the story progressed the full complexity is fully explored. I really liked the way the author created double and mistrust from the outset and it added a certain amount of excitement to the investigation. Working out the goodies from the baddies was interesting, to say the least, I do love it when you get the odd rogue thrown in for good measure. Secrets within the criminal world is an obvious thing, but sometimes this can cross over and that’s when things get really interesting.

I found there were quite a few characters to get my head around, and this is why I think I would have enjoyed the book more if I had started the series from the beginning. There is an obvious team camaraderie at work in the story as there is some very good banter between characters. They have friendships that are built up in a workplace and then also on a social level, I think this is something that is built up over several books. So as well as getting to know the coppers, I also obviously had to get to know various other characters. This did mean I slowed my reading, it is something I do enjoy every now and again.

I thought the story was great, it was intriguing and I really enjoyed the twisty journey I was taken on. I also really liked the more personal side to some of the characters, its not all about work!

I do wish I had read this series from the beginning before I jumped straight into book 5, and I would advise other readers not to do what I did! This is a cracking read that falls into police procedural, crime and is intriguing and has a dark plot to it. I really enjoyed it and I would definitely recommend reading it.

Val Penny is an American author living in SW Scotland. She has two adult daughters of whom she is justly proud and lives with her husband and two cats. She has a Law degree from Edinburgh University and her MSc from Napier University. She has had many jobs including hairdresser, waitress, lawyer, banker, azalea farmer and lecturer. However, she has not yet achieved either of her childhood dreams of being a ballerina or owning a candy store. Until those dreams come true, she has turned her hand to writing poetry, short stories and novels.

Her crime novels, ‘Hunter’s Chase’ Hunter’s Revenge, Hunter’s Force and Hunter’s Blood form the bestselling series The Edinburgh Crime Mysteries. They are set in Edinburgh, Scotland, published by Crooked Cat Books. The fifth novel in the series, Hunter’s Secret, is published by darkstroke. Her first non-fiction book, Let’s Get Published is available now.

Social Media Link – Twitter – Facebook – Website

Giveaway to Win a .mobi of Hunter’s Secret by Val Penny (Open INT)

*Terms and Conditions –Worldwide entries welcome.  Please enter using the Rafflecopter box below.  The winner will be selected at random via Rafflecopter from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then Rachel’s Random Resources reserves the right to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over.  Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. This will passed to the giveaway organiser and used only for fulfilment of the prize, after which time Rachel’s Random Resources will delete the data.  I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.

Enter HERE – Good Luck xx

Check out the other stops on the Blog Tour…

Many thanks for reading my post, a like or share would be amazing 🙂 xx

Just Another Silly Love Song by Rich Amooi @RichAmooi @rararesources #romcom #bookreview #Giveaway (Open Int)

yvonnembee 6 Comments

I am delighted to share a review for a favorite author of mine, Just Another Silly Love Song by Rich Amooi is pure reading escapism and I loved it. My huge thanks to Rachel at Rachel’s Random Resources for my spot on the Blog Tour and for arranging my e-copy of this brilliant book.

Let me show you what it’s about…

Two rival radio personalities. Lori Martin is a positive and upbeat DJ, known for playing love songs and dedications. Ben Baxter dishes out no-nonsense, in-your-face relationship advice. Total opposites. Never in a million years would they want to work together.

Fired for losing her cool after her boyfriend breaks up with her on the air, Lori surprisingly receives a job offer for the coveted morning show at the radio station across town where Ben works. She thinks she’s replacing him, but finds out they want to team up Lori with her archenemy to set the air waves on fire and boost ratings. Financially strapped, she can’t turn down the job.

While their on-air fireworks and explosive chemistry make for great listening, what in the world will happen after work hours?

Purchase Links – Amazon UK – Amazon US – Goodreads

If you are feeling down, the world is getting a bit too much, you want to escape from real-life for 2-3 hours and you are looking for a feel-good, pick-me-up read then look no further than Rich Amooi. His book is the perfect remedy for putting a smile on your face and have you giggling. Just Another Silly Love Song is his latest book and it had me chuckling so many times.

This is about two rival radio talk show hosts. Lori hosts a late-night show and gives sensible advice to women about their relationships, all is ok until her boyfriend breaks up with her live on her show. This results in her being fired.

The only job on offer is for a rival radio show, with Dr Tough Love, aka Ben, I know, I know this sounds so cheesy, but this is where the author absolutely excels. Ben hosts a similar show, but his advice is tough because, well let’s face it, men need telling straight about what they need to do!

So two different opinions on a radio show provides some hilarious reading. Now, I have to say, that as I was reading this I had a certain Mr Gerard Butler in my head from the film The Ugly Truth, and let’s be honest here, having him floating around in my thoughts is not a bad thing at all!!!! My point here is that Ben and Gerard, well the character he played, shared some very interesting qualities, one of them being that there is more to the characters than first meets the eye.

Lori working being Ben is finding this out for herself, and there are others that also see more. Grandma Joyce is an absolute hoot, a sassy 80-year-old with a real zest for life, she is not backwards in coming forwards with advice, and advice is what she gives Lori whenever possible.

This book is pure escapism, in fact, I think I used the same phrase for a review of the last book I read by Rich! It is, however, true, the book is funny, cheesy, well laid out and is addictive. The perfect book to lift your spirits and leave you with a daft grin on your face. Just another Silly Love Song is so heartwarming and I would absolutely recommend it.

Rich Amooi is the Amazon #1 Bestselling author of 15 romantic comedies, including It’s Not PMS, It’s You, Dying to Meet You, There’s Something About a Cowboy, and Madam Love, Actually. 

A former radio personality and wedding DJ, Rich now writes romantic comedies full-time in San Diego, California, and is happily married to a kiss monster imported from Spain. Rich believes in public displays of affection, silliness, infinite possibilities, donuts, gratitude, laughter, and happily ever after.

Social Media Links – Twitter – Facebook – Instagram – Website

Check out the Giveaway…

Giveaway to Win $25.00 Amazon Gift Card (Open INT)


*Terms and Conditions –Worldwide entries welcome.  Please enter using the Rafflecopter box below.  The winner will be selected at random via Rafflecopter from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then Rachel’s Random Resources reserves the right to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over.  Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. This will passed to the giveaway organiser and used only for fulfilment of the prize, after which time Rachel’s Random Resources will delete the data.  I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.

CLICK HERE TO ENTER

Check out the other stops on the Blog Tour…

Many thanks for reading my post, a like or share would be amazing 🙂 xx

Magic Under the Mistletoe by Lucy Coleman @LucyColemanAuth @rararesources #Bookreview #Giveaway (UK only)

yvonnembee 2 Comments

I have been waiting for so long to share my review for Magic Under The Mistletoe by Lucy Coleman and finally my spot on the Blog Tour has arrived! 🙂

My thanks to Rachel at Rachel’s Random Resources for my spot on the Tour and for arranging my e-copy of this fabulous book. I have read a few books by this author and also under her real name of Linn B Hatton she is a fabulous author and I adore her books.

Now, let’s have a look and see what it is all about…

How gorgeous is that cover… let me tell you the story inside is just as gorgeous! 😍

Christmas and romance are in the air…

It’s December 23rd and while everyone else is rushing home for the holidays, workaholic Leesa Oliver is dreading switching on her out-of-office for the festive season. And it seems her equally driven boss, Cary Anderson, isn’t relishing spending Christmas at his family’s country estate either.

So together, they draft an unexpected Christmas contract: They’ll spend half of the holidays with each other’s families, pretending to be a couple. Leesa knows the insufferably good-looking Cary will make her Christmas more bearable, but what happens after the last of the mince pies have been eaten…?

Leesa signed off on a sensible business agreement, but somewhere, amongst the fairy lights and carols something seems to have changed… It seems there might just be some magic under the mistletoe this Christmas!

Purchase Link – HERE

Leesa is not having the best day before Christmas Eve, stuck on a flight with an energetic child, then when she finally get to the airport she weather has taken a turn for the worse. It was fortunate that her client is on the same flight, but if her client didn’t keep moving the boundaries in a video shoot she had done, then she would have been home a few days earlier.

But sometimes fate intervenes.Her client Cary, has a proposition for Leesa and it is something that could benefit them both. Leesa would get a to stay in a gorgeous house overnight, but only if she agree’s to pose as Cary’s girlfriend.

In a world of deals, contracts and clauses, this agreement seems to be quite workable and it has surprising benefits as far as their respective families go. A handy pact to fill in the plus-one gap if you like.

This author has created a wonderful setting for this story that has characters who are stubborn and quite happily dig there heels in. Some are quite justified, but ramifications and truths will always rear their heads. Not everything that goes on in families is straight forward, and I gradually found out some surprising details within the families of this story.

Past loves and relationships leave there mark, it can affect how people react to others, how easy they trust people and also take advice. There are a few strong characters who don’t always want to listen to advice or suggestions. Sometimes it is what is not said that is the important bit to listen out for. There have been several things that had been skirted around and tey do have a little habit of popping up and spoiling things.

This is another fabulous, one-sitting read read from a wonderful author. It is a heartwarming story that at times took me by surprise, a fabulous story with brilliant characters and completely gripping from start to finish. Magic Under the Mistletoe was just that …Magic and I would definitely recommend it.

From interior designer to author, Linn B. Halton – who also writes under the pen name of Lucy Coleman – says ‘it’s been a fantastic journey!’

Linn is the bestselling author of more than a dozen novels and is excited to be writing for both Aria Fiction (Head of Zeus) and Harper Impulse (Harper Collins); she’s represented by Sara Keane of the Keane Kataria Literary Agency.

When she’s not writing, or spending time with the family, she’s either upcycling furniture or working in the garden.

Linn won the 2013 UK Festival of Romance: Innovation in Romantic Fiction award; her novels have been short-listed in the UK’s Festival of Romance and the eFestival of Words Book Awards.

Living in Coed Duon in the Welsh Valleys with her ‘rock’, Lawrence, and gorgeous Bengal cat Ziggy, she freely admits she’s an eternal romantic.

Linn is a member of the Romantic Novelists’ Association and the Society of Authors. She writes feel-good, uplifting novels about life, love and relationships.

Social Media Links – Website – Facebook – Twitter

There is a fabulous #GIVEAWAY for you to enter…

Giveaway to Win a Signed paperback copy of Snowflakes over Holly Cove and Christmas Pamper Pack. (UK only)

*Terms and Conditions –UK entries welcome.  Please enter using the Rafflecopter box below.  The winner will be selected at random via Rafflecopter from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then Rachel’s Random Resources reserves the right to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over.  Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. This will passed to the giveaway organiser and used only for fulfilment of the prize, after which time Rachel’s Random Resources will delete the data.  I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.

Enter Here via Rafflecopter

Good Luck xx

See what other Book Bloggers think of this book by checking out their stops on the Blog Tour…

Many thanks for reading my post, a like or share would be amazing. If you entered the #Giveaway I wish you all the best 🙂 xx

The Louise Fawley Symphony by Rikki Evans @RikkiAuthor @rararesources #Bookreview #Giveaway (Open Int)

yvonnembee

I am delighted to share my thoughts for The Louise Fawley Symphony by Rikki Evans. This is a modern romp of a read, there is also a giveaway at the end of my post to tempt you with 🙂 My thanks to Rachel for my spot on the Blog Tour and for arranging my e-copy of the book.

Meet Louise Fawley – the newest, sassiest and sleaziest agent in Her Majesty’s Secret Service. 

Follow Louise as she burgles and bungles at Melusine Plastics, gets flirtatious and salacious in Vetchley Castle, grows amorous and glamorous in Sainte-Modeste, and finally, hooks and sinks her villainess on the super-yacht Bonquonne.

The Louise Fawley Symphony contains material of a sexually explicit nature, so will not be to the taste of every adult reader.

Purchase Links Amazon UK or US

This is a book I saw and thought I would give it a go. It kind of falls outside what I would normally pick, but it did look like mad-cap fun. Louise Fawley is a lottery winner and has left her old job. She decides to break into her old bosses factory to cause mischief, unfortunately she gets caught in the process. She is given a choice and the result of her decision is to be a member of a little known department of the secret service.

This at times, a tongue in cheek read with several references to bigger well known brands, such as the supermarket Pennypinchers and social media platform Scrapbook and I am sure there are some that I have missed!

Louise Fawley is a character that just cannot seem to help getting into trouble and soon finds herself out of her depth as she is plunged into her assignment.

This is fast paced and I did feel at times that I was running to catch up. The author has a distinctive writing style especially in her conversations. This occasionally caught me off guard and I back tracked and re-read the odd sentence. The style of writing is quite modern and and I think this adds to the pacing of the book.

As the synopsis suggests Louise is a sleazy and sassy so I did expect some steamy scenes, and that is what I got and then some!

Overall I did enjoy this book and I am glad I took a chance on it. It is a modern, fun romp into the world of Louise Fawley who is a bit of a whirlwind. I would recommend this book as I did chuckle quite a few times with some of the antics.

After more than twenty-five years in accountancy, Rikki quit the profession to care for a parent whose health had deteriorated, and to give more time to those interests and hobbies which had helped render accountancy almost bearable.

Rikki’s interests include all things historical, from castles to candlesticks, music of many genres, from Gregorian Chant to Brit Pop, and above all, like HE Bates, is happiest when working and whiling in a garden.

Social Media Links – Facebook – Twitter

Giveaway to Win 1 x Signed Paperback of The Louise Fawley Symphony (Open INT)

*Terms and Conditions –Worldwide entries welcome.  Please enter using the Rafflecopter box below.  The winner will be selected at random via Rafflecopter from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then Rachel’s Random Resources reserves the right to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over.  Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. This will passed to the giveaway organiser and used only for fulfilment of the prize, after which time Rachel’s Random Resources will delete the data.  I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.

Here is the Rafflecopter Link

Good luck xx

See what other Book Bloggers think by checking out their stops on the Blog Tour…

Many thanks for reading my post, a like or share would be wonderful 🙂 xx

Christmas at Ladywell by Nicola Slade @nicolasladeuk @rararesources #Bookreview #Giveaway (open Int)

yvonnembee

Happy Publication Day Nicola 🙂

I am delighted to share my thoughts with you today for Christmas at Ladywell by Nicola Slade. I read this for the Blog Tour and wish to thank Rachel at Rachel’s Random Resources for my space on this Publication Day Push!

Let me show you what it is about…

A time for spilling secrets…

Having refurbished her inherited house and upcycled her whole life in the process, Freya – now happily married to Patrick, and with a small child – has to transform her tiny stone barn into a romantic hideaway for a mystery guest who is also looking for change. With Christmas only a week away, things don’t go according to plan…

In the past old uncertainties are resolved when an elderly woman seeks the truth of a legend on Christmas Eve and confesses to a deception; a Tudor wife listens to a story that must never be repeated and is given a precious relic that must never be displayed; and in the early nineteenth century an old woman tells a younger one the story of the hares at Ladywell.

Past and present are only a whisper apart when Freya learns of an astonishing discovery that will make Ladywell famous, but meanwhile her house is full of unexpected visitors, she has a turkey to cook – and a very special secret of her own that must be told.

Purchase links – Amazon – UK – US

This is a lovely novella and so a quick read. A story of a family that spans the generations and has a mysterious, magical and Christmas feel to it.

This is told in two timelines, there is the present setting as I get to know the family currently residing at Ladywell. Then there is the italicised sections that deal with the history of the area and the family through the years.

So a mix of two different styles as such, historical fiction and mystery as they are combined to create an enchanting and almost magical story. The present setting in Ladywell sounds lovely and a wonderful place to be at Christmas. While the past shows similarities and I gradually saw mysteries and secrets starting to emerge.

This is a charming read that has a folk lore-ish feel to the historical and a warm and generous family feel in the modern time. If you want a quick read then this is ideal, it had a nice flow and had some surprises within its pages and it is a short story that I would recommend.

Nicola Slade is an award-winning, bestselling author of historical and contemporary mysteries and romantic fiction, all set in and around Winchester and Romsey in Hampshire – which is where she lives. The House at Ladywell – a contemporary romantic novel with historical echoes – won the Chatelaine Grand Prize for Romantic Fiction at the CIBA awards in April 2019.

She is the author of the mid-Victorian Charlotte Richmond mysteries and the contemporary Harriet Quigley mysteries and The Convalescent Corpse, published November 2018, is the first in a new series, The Fyttleton Mysteries, set in 1918.

Media Links – Website – Blog – Twitter – Facebook – Pintrest

Now then! Are you ready for a chnace to win a copy of The Convalescent Corpse by Nicola? You are! Well, ideal 🙂

I read The Convalescent Corpse a while ago and you can see what I thought of it HERE 🙂

Giveaway to Win a .mobi or PDF of The Convalescent Corpse by Nicola Slade (Open INT)

*Terms and Conditions –Worldwide entries welcome.  Please enter using the Rafflecopter box below.  The winner will be selected at random via Rafflecopter from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then Rachel’s Random Resources reserves the right to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over.  Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. This will passed to the giveaway organiser and used only for fulfilment of the prize, after which time Rachel’s Random Resources will delete the data.  I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.

ENTER HERE – Good Luck

Many thanks for reading my post, a like or share would be wonderful 🙂 xx

Reach for a Star by Kathryn Freeman @KathrynFreeman1 @rararesources #Bookreview #choclit #Giveaway (open INT)

yvonnembee 2 Comments

I am delighted to share my thoughts for Reach For A Star by Kathryn Freeman. My huge thanks to Rachel at Rachel’s Random Resources for the invite onto the Blog Tour and also for arranging my e-copy of this book.

Let me show you what it is all about…

What if your dreams were so close you could reach out and touch them? 
How could anyone resist Michael Tennant, with his hypnotic blue eyes and voice like molten chocolate? Jessie Simmons certainly can’t. But Jessie’s a single mum who can’t sing to save her life – there’s no way she’ll ever cross paths with the star tenor. 

At least that’s what she thinks until she’s unexpectedly invited to take part in a new reality TV show. The premise? Professional singers teach hopeless amateurs how to sing. The surprise? Jessie’s partner is none other than Michael Tennant!

As she becomes better acquainted with the man behind the voice, will Jessie find out the hard way that you should never meet your idols? Or will she get more than she bargained for?

Purchase Links – Amazon UK or US

When Jessie’s two boys Luke and Jack set their mum up and enter her into a singing TV competition she is stunned. She gets to sing with her favourite singer Michael Tennant, in fact he isn’t just her favourite singer he is her idol and she has a real fan girl crush on him. Oh! Did I mention that she is not a very good singer!

I love the way this author has used two people from very different worlds as the focus of this story. Jessie is a single mum with two sons, works in a pharmacy and is friends with her ex-husband. Michael is a famous tenor, travels the world and has adoring fans and gorgeous women who admire him. But what the author has done is go beneath the fame and the everyday to create a magical and heartwarming story. It is a story full of endearing moments, insecurities, guilt, low self esteem and lost confidence.

Using the main two characters the author has created a story that focuses on the problems any new relationship has, but has taken it further as this relationship comes with some additional obstacles. This made for a story that had me guessing all the way through as to whether the differences between Jessie and Michael could ever be overcome.

I loved the cheeky comments from Luke and Jack, they added a down to earth feel to the story. They reminded their mum that she had responsibilities tot them as well. Again this added to the will they / wont they aspect of the story.

This is a fabulous read that had me welling up with tears one moment and laughing the next, with the occasional heart in my mouth moments added for good measure. A great balance of emotions and intrigue with some wonderful dry humour.

If you love Choc Lit books then you are going to love this. I read it easily in one sitting, I had to know how things ended. A fabulous read and one that I would Definitely Recommend.

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.

With two teenage boys and a husband who asks every Valentine’s Day whether he has to buy a card (yes, he does), 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 – Facebook –  Twitter 

Giveaway to Win a PB copy of Oh Crumbs by Kathryn Freeman (Open INT)

*Terms and Conditions –Worldwide entries welcome.  Please enter using the Rafflecopter box below.  The winner will be selected at random via Rafflecopter from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then Rachel’s Random Resources reserves the right to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over.  Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. This will passed to the giveaway organiser and used only for fulfilment of the prize, after which time Rachel’s Random Resources will delete the data.  I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.

ENTER THE GIVEAWAY HERE

See what other Book Blogger think by following the Blog Tour…

Many thanks for reading my post, if you entered the Giveaway I wish you Good Luck 👍😊

The Abandoned Daughter by Mary Wood @Authormary @panmacmillan @EllisKeene #Review #Giveaway

yvonnembee 27 Comments

I am delighted to be sharing my review for The Abandoned Daughter by Mary Wood. Whether this author writes as Mary Wood or as Maggie Mason I absolutely adore her books. The latest is another book that had me in tears yet again! Mary just manages to create characters that I care about and I cannot help but feel for.

Mary is generously running a Giveaway. To be entered into this just comment below. All comments on my Blog require my approval. Once I have approved your comments Mary will then be able to see them and enter you into her draw.

This Giveaway is run by Mary and she will get in touch with the winner direct. Me And My Books is not responsible for the Giveaway or the dispatch or the prize.

Now then, let’s have a look at The Abandoned Daughter and see what it is all about 🙂 xx

Voluntary nurse Ella is haunted by the soldiers’ cries she hears on the battlefields of Dieppe. But that’s not the only thing that haunts her. When her dear friend Jim breaks her trust, Ella is left bruised and heartbroken. Over the years, her friendships have been pulled apart at the seams by the effects of war. Now, more than ever, she feels so alone.

At a military hospital in France, Ella befriends Connie and Paddy. Slowly she begins to heal, and finds comfort in the arms of a French officer called Paulo – could he be her salvation?

With the end of the war on the horizon, surely things have to get better? Ella grew up not knowing her real family but a clue leads her in their direction. What did happen to Ella’s parents, and why is she so desperate to find out?

The Abandoned Daughter by Mary Wood is the second book in The Girls Who Went To War series.

The Abandoned Daughter is available in ebook and paperback now.

This is the second in the Girls Who Went To War series and while I have not yet read the first book it has no way marred my reading of The Abandoned Daughter. Though I will say I will be buying the first.

The author does put her characters through the proverbial mill and also characters that I care about. Elle is such a lovable and sweet character and my goodness does she have so much thrown at her. Pain and suffering seem to follow her, just I thought she was going to have a happy life something goes wrong. A phrase that I have heard many times and also that the author used in her book was the one about “God only gives you what he knows you can deal with”. This is something that does sum up Elle to a tee. Even so, how a person could deal with losing so much!

The story is not just about Elle, it is about her friends and her time as a nurse. I should explain that the story begins as World War I, Elle is a nurse at the battlefield hospitals. After the war ends and Elle returns home things at first start to go well. There is mention of the struggle that returning troops found and this I found very interesting. Many soldiers finding themselves homeless, ill and well… lost.

The struggles at home take on a different route to what I expected, but thank goodness for Rowena. Everyone should have a Rowena in their lives and I adored her. The author adds so many social and economic problems for the time to her stories. It is such a useful thing as not only does it fit with the setting of the book it also highlights the struggles of others.

Elle is such an amazing character who really is pushed to the limits of endurance. I had my heart in my mouth so many times as I wondered how or if she would cope with everything.

This author is an absolute delight to read. She creates characters that I care about with plot lines that touch the heart. Emotional is something I expect and tears from me seem to be a given whenever I read her books. She creates stories that keep me eagerly turning pages and often until the early hours of the morning.

If you love historical fiction and family sagas you will love Mary Wood and also Maggie Mason.

The Abandoned Daughter is a book I would Highly Recommend.

Mary married young and now, after 54 years of happy marriage, four children, 12 grandchildren and many great-grandchildren, Mary and her husband live in Blackpool during the summer and Spain during the winter – a place that Mary calls, ‘her writing retreat’. 

After many jobs from cleaning to catering, all chosen to fit in with bringing up her family, and boost the family money-pot, Mary ended her 9 – 5 working days as a Probation Service Officer, a job that showed her another side to life, and which influences her writing, bringing a realism and grittiness to her novels 

Mary first put pen to paper, in 1989, but it wasn’t until 2010 that she finally found some success by self-publishing on kindle. 

Being spotted by an editor at Pan Macmillan in 2013, finally saw Mary reach her publishing dream.

When not writing, Mary enjoys family time, reading, eating out, and gardening. One of her favourite pastimes is interacting with her readers on her Facebook – Website – Twitter

Mary welcomes all contact with her readers and feedback on her work.

See what other Book Blogger think by following the Blog Tour