Books Read: Holly Martin - One Hundred Proposals

‘Is there really such a thing as a perfect proposal?

Over the next hundred days I intend to find out. I will find one hundred ways to propose to our Chief Proposer Suzie McKenzie and post the results here for your enjoyment. One thing’s for sure, not one of my proposals will be on top of the Eiffel Tower with a dozen red roses.’

Best friends Suzie and Harry are partners in romance. That is, they run the.PerfectProposal.com, coming to the aid of would-be grooms to create the ultimate marriage proposal.

But when Harry decides to catapult the business into the big leagues with a PR stunt all Suzie can see is a hundred days of heartbreak stretching ahead of her. But however exotic the location, or breath-takingly romantic the setting, Suzie has to keep remembering that ‘Marry Me?’ is the one question she can’t say yes to.

This business proposal should come with one hundred broken heart warnings…

One hundred proposals, one hundred chances to say yes.

Amazon link: Kindle

Guest Book Review: Eloisa James - Potent Pleasures

Reviewed by Sarah Brew

Nothing is more seductive than temptation.

Reckless desire sends Charlotte Daicheston into the garden with a dashing masked stranger. He's powerful, unforgettable, a devastatingly handsome footman who lures her - not against her will - into a grand indiscretion at a masquerade ball. Then he vanishes.

Several years later, after Charlotte has made her dazzling debut in London society, they meet again. But the rogue is no footman. He's rich, titled, and he doesn't remember Charlotte. Worse, he's the subject of some scandalous gossip: rumour has it, the earl's virility is in question.

Charlotte, who knows all too intimately the power of his passion, is stunned by the gossip that has set society ablaze. At last, there can be a storybook ending...unless, of course, Charlotte's one mad indiscretion had not been with him at all....

Amazon links: Kindle or Paperback 

Giveaway: Win an ARC of The Sunrise by Victoria Hislop

This morning I have a fantastic giveaway for Victoria Hislop fans, an advance reading copy of her next novel The Sunrise that is not being published until 25th September so you'll be able to read it early.

In the summer of 1972, Famagusta in Cyprus is the most desirable resort in the Mediterranean, a city bathed in the glow of good fortune. An ambitious couple are about to open the island’s most spectacular hotel, where Greek and Turkish Cypriots work in harmony.

Two neighbouring families, the Georgious and the Özkans, are among many who moved to Famagusta to escape the years of unrest and ethnic violence elsewhere on the island. But beneath the city’s façade of glamour and success, tension is building.

Coming soon from Headline & Tinder Press

This Summer is certainly turning out to be a busy one for book lovers as there are so many fab books being published, today I've decided to feature a few of the books that Headline Review and Tinder Press will be publishing this July and August.  Which ones will you be adding to your wishlist?

Season to Taste or How to Eat Your Husband by Natalie Young (published 3rd July)

Always let the meat rest under foil for at least ten minutes before carving...

Meet Lizzie Prain. Ordinary housewife. Fifty-something. Lives in a cottage in the woods, with her dog Rita. Likes cooking, avoids the neighbours. Runs a little business making cakes.

No one has seen Lizzie's husband, Jacob, for a few days. That's because last Monday, on impulse, Lizzie caved in the back of his head with a spade. And if she's going to embark on the new life she feels she deserves after thirty years in Jacob's shadow, she needs to dispose of his body. Her method appeals to all her practical instincts, though it's not for the faint-hearted. Will Lizzie have the strength to follow it through?

Strange Girls and Ordinary Women by Morgan McCarthy (published 3rd July)

They say you know instinctively who to trust.

Alice is normal; she'd never do anything rash. But when she sees her husband one day with a younger girl, she knows at once that he's having an affair. And it must be stopped.

Vic loves her friend Michael, more than he knows. He wants happiness, and thinks he's found it with the magnetic Estella. But Vic feels sure she can't be trusted - and she needs to make Michael see that too.

They don't know Kaya; her life is tougher than they can imagine. But Kaya's a survivor, and she's determined to find a way out of her miserable world.

Three women, three lives that come crashing together in this dark, lyrical and utterly enthralling story of warped perceptions, female intuition and 'the other woman'.

Books Read: Julia Crouch - The Long Fall

How far would you go to protect your secrets?

Greece, 1980
Emma takes part in a shattering, violent event. An event to which she is anything but an innocent bystander.
She is only eighteen, but this marks her fall from innocence.
It will haunt her for the rest of her life.

London, now
Kate has the perfect existence: a glossy image, a glamorous home, a perfect family.
But there are cracks.
All is not what it seems.

And now the two worlds are about to collide.
Somebody's out for revenge.
Someone who has been waiting thirty years...

Amazon links: Kindle or Trade Paperback

Giveaway: Win a signed copy of The Book of Life by Deborah Harkness

Thanks to the lovely Caitlin at Headline today I have a fantastic giveaway for a signed copy of The Book of Life, the final book in the All Souls trilogy by Deborah Harkness.

Fall under the spell of Diana and Matthew once more in the stunning climax to their epic tale, following A DISCOVERY OF WITCHES and SHADOW OF NIGHT.

A world of witches, daemons and vampires. A manuscript which holds the secrets of their past and the key to their future. Diana and Matthew - the forbidden love at the heart of it.

After travelling through time in SHADOW OF NIGHT, the second book in Deborah Harkness's enchant­ing series, historian and witch Diana Bishop and vampire scientist Matthew Clairmont return to the present to face new crises and old enemies. At Matthew's ancestral home in France they reunite with their families - with one heart-breaking exception. But the real threat to their future is yet to be revealed, and when it is, the search for the elusive manuscript Ashmole 782 and its missing pages takes on a terrifying urgency. Using ancient knowl­edge and modern science, from the palaces of Venice and beyond, Diana and Matthew will finally learn what the witches discovered so many centuries ago.

To enter simply follow the instructions in the Rafflecopter form below, sorry entries restricted to UK residents only.  Entries will close at 6PM UK time on 14th July when the winner will be contacted for postal address which will be passed onto Caitlin to send the book to you.  

Good luck x

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Books Read: Sheila O'Flanagan - If You Were Me

On a sultry summer evening in Seville, anything can happen...

Carlotta O'Keefe is happily engaged, and the wedding plans are coming together. She's clear about her future path, both personally and in her busy career. Maybe Chris doesn't make her heart race every time she sees him, but you can't have that feeling for ever. Can you?

Then, on a trip to Seville, Carlotta runs into Luke Evans. Luke broke her heart so long ago she'd almost convinced herself she'd forgotten him. Now, he's not that boy any more, but an attractive and intriguing man. And he can explain everything that happened way back when.

Suddenly Carlotta's not so sure of anything any more. Except that what she decides now will shape the rest of her life...

Amazon links: Kindle or Hardback

Guest Book Review: Colette McBeth - Precious Thing

Reviewed by Laura Kemp

Remember the person you sat next to on your first day at school? Still your best friend? Or disappeared from your life for good?

Some friendships fizzle out. Rachel and Clara promised theirs would last for ever.

They met when Rachel was the new girl in class and Clara was the friend everyone wanted. Now in their late twenties Rachel has everything while Clara's life is spiralling further out of control. Then Clara vanishes.

Imagine discovering something about your oldest friend that forces you to question everything you've shared together. The truth is always there. But only if you choose to see it.

Amazon links: Kindle or Paperback 

Books Read: Sheila O'Flanagan - Things We Never Say

The things we never say: 

A daughter doesn't say how she feels about the past...

A husband is afraid to say that selling the house his wife loves is the only option...

A son can't say how useful his ageing father's fortune will be when he's gone...

But if those things were said, the results might be surprising.  As Abbey - and a whole family she knew nothing of - are about to find out. 

 Amazon links: Kindle or Paperback 

Giveaway: Win a copy of Things We Never Say and If You Were Me by Sheila O'Flanagan

Today's Sheila O'Flanagan feature day continues with a fabulous giveaway thanks to the generosity of the lovely Frances at Headline, two lucky readers have the opportunity to win a copy of Things We Never Say AND If You Were Me.

The things we never say: 

A daughter doesn't say how she feels about the past...

A husband is afraid to say that selling the house his wife loves is the only option...

A son can't say how useful his ageing father's fortune will be when he's gone...

But if those things were said, the results might be surprising.  As Abbey - and a whole family she knew nothing of - are about to find out. 

Author Interview: Sheila O'Flanagan

Today on the blog it's Sheila O'Flanagan day so we'll be celebrating the bestselling author with a day full of features including this interview, a fabulous giveaway  plus reviews of both of her latest books Things We Never Say and If You Were Me.

What inspires your writing?
People, generally. I love watching people and wondering about them and sometimes that sets off an idea in my head for a novel. So there are people out there who don’t know that they inspired one of my books!

Can you tell us a little bit about your latest book If You Were Me?
It’s the story of Carlotta, a sharp, sassy woman with a photographic memory, who misses a train in Seville and as a result bumps into her first love - the boy who disappeared when she was 15. Even though Carlotta is now happily engaged, she wants to know why Luke never got in touch with her again. His reappearance in her life makes her wonder what might have been…..It’s a love story with a lot of bumps along the way.

Where did the inspiration come from to set it partly in Seville? 
This one of my more romantic books and Seville is a very romantic and passionate city. The heat of the city reflects the heat of Carlotta’s emotions too! I loved bringing her around the lively bars and stunning scenery of the area and letting her get carried away by the sultry flamenco dancing.

Guest Book Review: Tom Vowler - That Dark Remembered Day

Reviewed by Elizabeth Bennett

One family, one town, devastated by one tragic event.

Can you ever know what those closest to you are really capable of?

When Stephen gets a phone call to say his mother isn't well, he knows he must go to her straight away. But he dreads going back there. He has never been able to understand why his mother chose to stay in the town he grew up in, after everything that happened. One day's tragic events years before had left no one living there untouched.

Stephen's own dark memories are still poisoning his life, as well as his marriage. Perhaps now is the time to go back and confront the place and the people of his shattered childhood. But will he ever be able to understand the crime that punctured their lives so brutally? How can a community move on from such a terrible legacy?

Amazon links: Kindle or Paperback

Author Interview: Julia Crouch

One of the most popular features this year has definitely been the publisher feature weeks where the aim is to try and blitz through a backlog of reviews, although am going to be honest today and admit I might struggle this week as had a bit of a reading slump recently so only read a couple so far, as well as featuring authors and promoting books.  

My first guest is bestselling author Julia Crouch whose latest book The Long Fall was published last week, welcome Julia.  

Can you tell us a little bit about your latest book The Long Fall?
Set partly in 1980’s Greece and partly in the present, in London, the story is about how the past has a habit of catching up with you. 

I’ve spent a lot of time wondering how you go on living a life if you are basically a decent sort of person but you have been responsible for the most atrocious act ever. 

One of my characters, Kate, has a perfect life – she runs a charity, has a rich banker husband, perfect daughter, lovely house. But all is not as glossy as it may seem, and gradually her life is taken apart, piece by piece. 

Where did the inspiration come from to set this partly in Greece?
I love Greece and whenever I get a chance I’m out there. On a superficial level, the idea of having to go to Ikaria (the island where the 1980 story is largely set) to research was very attractive. And I was actually in Athens and the islands in 1980, in my year off, when I backpacked aroud Europe on my own. It was a very intense time for me and I kept a diary, which I have plundered for The Long Fall – for the setting and mood, and some of the events – but not all, I hasten to add! I have even lifted passages verbatim.

My eldest son, Owen, has a Greek girlfriend, Eva, who, along with my Athenian friend Gabi, has been really helpful in helping me find Ikaria and with the Greek detail/translations. Ikaria was the perfect island because it’s supposedly where Daedalus buried his son Icarus after he fell into the sea when he flew too close to the sun – a perfect guiding metaphor for what goes on in the book. Also, it is still relatively untouristed, rocky and wild. My decision on the island was sealed when I was talking it over with Simon Trewin, my agent, and he said he had backpacked there himself as a teenager in the early 1980s – a very strange choice back then!

Reader Spotlight: Samantha Bates

Today I'm delighted to welcome fellow blogger Sam to the blog, so let's find out a little more about her...

Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?
I am 27, a primary school teacher and have been reviewing and blogging about books for almost a year. I started off by reviewing children’s books along with my class and then progressed into YA and adult.

Have you always been a bookworm? 
I have always enjoyed reading but since I became a teacher I have read a lot more and want to promote reading for pleasure and not just reading for a necessity.

Author Interview: Lucy Diamond

When I received a proof copy of Lucy Diamond's latest book One Night in Italy it put me to shame as I still hadn't read her previous book Me and Mr Jones which was languishing in my TBR pile!  So I decided to ask if Lucy would like to do a Q&A to run alongside the reviews which she kindly agreed to do.  

What does a typical writing day look like for you? 
I have three school-age children so I usually work between nine and three o’clock, while they’re out of the house. I tend to start by going over my previous day’s words and editing them, then I carry on with the next part of the story. I’m either working at home in my own little office, or sometimes I go into town and work in a shared office full of other freelancers. 

Can you tell us a little bit about your latest book One Night in Italy?

One Night In Italy follows three main characters who meet at an Italian evening class. There’s Catherine, suffering a bad case of empty nest syndrome (and an even worse case of cheating husband syndrome). There’s Anna, who is desperate to throw herself into all things Italian, having just discovered that her never-met dad is from Italy. And there’s Sophie, the class teacher, forced home to the UK after a family emergency, even though she’d much rather be back in sunny Sorrento. At first appearances, the three women have nothing in common but as the term progresses and the class get to know each other, confidences are shared, unlikely friendships develop and there’s even the first flickerings of romance...

Giveaway: 1000th Post Giveaway

Today I have reached a significant milestone on my blog... my 1000th post!

Who knew when I set up my blog in October 2011 that I would still be doing it almost 3 years later and that I would have had in excess of 170,000 page views... I didn't think anyone other than family and friends would read it!

So I would like to say a massive thank you to everyone who has helped me to achieve this milestone, the publishers who have sent me amazing books to review, authors who have agreed to be interviewed or written guest features, guest reviewers who have helped me review so many fab books but most of all everyone who has taken the time to read the posts I've uploaded.

Books Read: Belinda Jones - The Travelling Tea Shop

A delectable tale of love, friendship and cake...

Laurie loves a challenge. Especially if it involves tea-time and travel. So when British baking treasure Pamela Lambert-Leigh needs a guide on a research trip for her new cookbook, she jumps at the chance.

The brief:
Laurie and Pamela - along with Pamela's sassy mother and stroppy daughter - will board a vintage London bus for a deliciously unusual tour of the USA's East Coast, cruising from New York to Vermont.

Their mission: 
To trade recipes for home-grown classics like Victoria Sponge and Battenburg for American favourites like Red Velvet Cake and Whoopie Pie.

All the women have their secrets and heartaches to heal. As well cupcakes galore, there's also the chance for romance...

But will making Whoopie lead to love?

Amazon links: Kindle or Paperback

Books Read: Karen Swan - The Summer without You

Rowena Tipton isn't looking for a new life, just a new adventure; something to while away the months as her long-term boyfriend presses pause on their relationship before they become engaged. But when a chance encounter at a New York wedding leads to an audition for a coveted house-share in the Hamptons - the beach scene for Manhattan's elite - suddenly a new life is exactly what she's got.

Stretching before her is a summer with three eclectic housemates, long days on white-sand beaches and parties on gilded tennis courts. But high rewards bring high stakes and Rowena soon finds herself caught in the crossfire of a vicious intimidation campaign. Alone for the first time in her adult life, she has no one to turn to but a stranger who is everything she doesn't want - but possibly everything she needs.

Amazon links: Kindle or Paperback 

Author Interview: Jane Lovering

Today I'm delighted to welcome Choc Lit author Jane Lovering to the blog to talk about her latest book Falling Apart.

In the mean streets of York, the stakes just got higher - and even pointier.

Jessica Grant liaises with Otherworlders for York Council so she knows that falling in love with a vampire takes a leap of faith. But her lover Sil, the City Vampire in charge of Otherworld York, he wouldn't run out on her, would he? He wouldn't let his demon get the better of him. Or would he?

Sil knows there's a reason for his bad haircut, worse clothes and the trail of bleeding humans in his wake. If only he could remember exactly what he did before someone finds him and shoots him on sight.

With her loyalties already questioned for defending zombies, the Otherworlders no one cares about, Jess must choose which side she's on, either help her lover or turn him in. Human or Other? Whatever she decides, there's a high price to pay - and someone to lose.

Falling Apart is the second book in your Otherworlders trilogy, can you tell us a little bit about it?
Falling Apart follows on almost immediately after the events in Vampire State of Mind. It’s set in the city of York, where vampires and humans, werewolves and zombies all try to get along together. Our heroine, Jessica, has had the misfortune to fall in love with a vampire, Sil, who has disappeared right at the beginning of this book. The story follows Jess as she tries to find out where Sil went, what happened while he was gone, and deals with the fall out when the reason for his disappearance becomes apparent. Along the way she has to contend with some oppressed zombies, family revelations and a lack of suitable footwear.

Reader Spotlight: Victoria Stone

Today it's time to get to know a little more about fellow blogger Victoria from https://victorialovesbooks.wordpress.com in this afternoon's reader spotlight feature.

Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?
After my husband and my kids books are my greatest passion and I'm an absolute nerd when it comes to Harry Potter! 

Have you always been a bookworm?  
I have. My mum always says that I would often be shopping with her but my nose would firmly be in a book rather than looking at where I was going. 

Guest Post: Inspiration for A Groom with a View by Sophie Ranald

Today I'm kicking off the blog tour for Sophie Ranald's second novel, A Groom with a View, which is being published this Friday. Sophie has kindly provided us with an excerpt and written a short piece about the inspiration behind the book.

Inspiration

The idea for A Groom with a View came to me when one of my book club friends – we’ll call her Karen to protect the innocent – decided to propose to her partner. They’d been together for years, were settled and happy, owned a house and had a gorgeous daughter, but marriage had never really crossed their radar. 

Guest Book Review: Henriette Gyland - The Highwayman's Daughter

Reviewed by Tanya Phillips

Is it a crime to steal a heart? 

Hounslow, 1768. Jack Blythe, heir to the Earl of Lampton, is a man with great expectations. So when his carriage is held up by a masked woman, brandishing a pistol and dressed as a gentleman of the road, he wholly expects to have his purse stolen. And when he senses something strangely familiar about the lovely little bandit, Jack also expects to win his cousin’s wager by tracking her down first. 

But as Jack and the highwaywoman enter into a swashbuckling game of cat and mouse, uncovering an intricate web of fiercely guarded family secrets, the last thing Jack expects to have stolen is his heart.

Amazon links: Kindle or Paperback

Guest Book Review: Jenny Hale - Love Me for Me

Reviewed by Tanya Phillips

Sometimes you find perfect where you least expect it… 

Libby Potter has just lost the perfect job, the perfect apartment and the perfect boyfriend. Moving back to the home town that she couldn’t wait to escape when she was younger was definitely not on her to-do list. Especially as it means running into the man whose heart she broke when she left. 

Pete Bennett can still make Libby’s world stop with just the sound of his voice – even ten years on. Only now, she is the last person in the world that he wants to see. 

As everyone else welcomes Libby home with open arms, she realizes she’s missed that special closeness that comes from lifelong friendship. And, as Libby seeks to make amends with Pete, she begins to wonder whether she made the right choice in leaving all those years ago. 

When an amazing career opportunity gives her the chance to leave again, Libby will have to decide what her version of perfect is… and where she really belongs. 

Amazon links: Kindle or Paperback  

Guest Book Review: Terry Hayes - I Am Pilgrim

Reviewed by Sandra Foy

Can you commit the perfect crime?

Pilgrim is the codename for a man who doesn't exist. The adopted son of a wealthy American family, he once headed up a secret espionage unit for US intelligence. Before he disappeared into anonymous retirement, he wrote the definitive book on forensic criminal investigation.

But that book will come back to haunt him. It will help NYPD detective Ben Bradley track him down. And it will take him to a rundown New York hotel room where the body of a woman is found facedown in a bath of acid, her features erased, her teeth missing, her fingerprints gone. It is a textbook murder - and Pilgrim wrote the book.

What begins as an unusual and challenging investigation will become a terrifying race-against-time to save America from oblivion. Pilgrim will have to make a journey from a public beheading in Mecca to a deserted ruins on the Turkish coast via a Nazi death camp in Alsace and the barren wilderness of the Hindu Kush in search of the faceless man who would commit an appalling act of mass murder in the name of his God.

Amazon links: Kindle or Paperback  

Guest Book Review: Gaelen Foley - The Secrets of a Scoundrel

Reviewed by Sarah Brew

Nick, Lord Forrester's reputation is legendary-both as a lethal warrior and a wicked lover. But when his rule-breaking ways land him in a Scottish dungeon he's left there to rot, until a mysterious lady visits his cell, offering him a way out.

All he must do is risk his neck on the mission she proposes-and obey her every command. One look at the luscious beauty has Nick ready to promise her anything, but he must resist his desire, or she could send him straight back to prison.

Virginia, Lady Burke, is well aware that the powerful ex-spy will try to take command of their quest, but it's her job to keep him under control. Yet how can she keep this untamable scoundrel under her thumb when all she really wants is to unleash the smoldering passion between them?

Amazon links: Kindle or Paperback 

Author Interview & Giveaway: Alison Jameson

Photo by Leah Verwey

Today it's my stop on the blog tour for Alison Jameson's latest novel Little Beauty for which Alison has kindly agreed to answer a few questions.  Welcome Alison.

What does a typical writing day look like for you?   
Since having my son I’ve had to become less rigid about my work schedule.  I try to get to my desk every day but it isn’t always possible. Also I find I’m more productive if I go out for long walks or go running to clear my head if I’m stuck with something. Most days though I work from 9 - 12.30 i.e. when my son is at school. I tend to consume a lot of tea and buttery toast as I write….although those crumbs can ruin a good keyboard!

Can you tell us a little bit about your latest novel Little Beauty?

Little Beauty tells the story of Laura Quinn who lives on Whale island, a remote island off the West Coast of Ireland. Her boyfriend,the lighthouse keeper, Martin Cronin refuses to commit to her and so she makes a brave decision to get a job  on the mainland. Laura lost both of her parents at a young age and is something of a social misfit as a result. On the mainland she meets Finn and Audrey Campbell who are wealthy and attractive and looking for a housekeeper - and Laura's life begins to change forever.  Little Beauty is also about loneliness and how everyone needs to connect with someone else - and it’s about the ultimate act of love between a mother and her child. 

Author Interview: Martina Reilly

Regulars to my blog will know that I am a HUGE Irish fiction fan having previously held a Irish feature month so today I'm delighted to welcome back to my blog bestselling Irish author Martina Reilly who I have interviewed previously.

Martina's latest book The Things I Want You to Know has recently been published in Trade Paperback format online and in Ireland but is now also available in eBook format on Amazon today.   

Can you tell us a little bit about your latest book The Things I Want You to Know?

Things I Want You to Know is my eighteenth book. It’s about Nick, who returns home to look after his two little children when his estranged wife Kate dies. On the day of her funeral, he is given a book, written by Kate, called Things I want You to Know. It details the rules for bringing up their children. There is also a request for Nick to go out on five dates with five women who were important to Kate. Nick, who has shied away from life, soon realises that there were other things Kate wanted him to know. Is it too late for him to learn them?

It’s a story of grief and redemption with a lot of humour thrown in. 

What inspired you to write about an estranged father returning home to look after his young children?
Fatherhood has always fascinated me. I think the way men see parenting is very different to the way women see it. 

I could also see the potential for humour in a man’s man suddenly becoming immersed in a woman’s world. For added drama and poignancy, Nick had to be floundering in some way. 

The book was also inspired by a poem I wrote when a good friend of mine passed away. I wrote it in the hope that one day we would meet again. 

Books Read: Chrissie Manby - A Proper Family Holiday

Could you survive a week-long holiday with your entire family?

Newly single magazine journalist Chelsea Benson can't think of anything worse.

Your grubby small nephew torpedoing any chance of romance with the dishy guy you met on the plane...

Your eighty-five-year-old granddad chatting up ladies at the hotel bar...

Getting nothing but sarcastic comments from your older sister, who's always been the family favourite...

And all this is before your parents drop their bombshell.

Is a week enough time for the Bensons to put their differences aside and have some fun? Or is this their last ever proper family holiday?

Amazon links: Kindle or Paperback 

Author Interview: Liz Harris

Today I'm delighted to welcome back to my blog Liz Harris to talk about her latest novella A Western Heart which has just been published.

Liz was born in London and now lives in South Oxfordshire with her husband. After graduating from university with a Law degree, she moved to California where she led a varied life, trying her hand at everything from cocktail waitressing on Sunset Strip to working as secretary to the CEO of a large Japanese trading company, not to mention a stint as ‘resident starlet’ at MGM. On returning to England, Liz completed a degree in English and taught for a number of years before developing her writing career.

Liz’s debut novel, The Road Back, won a 2012 Book of the Year Award from Coffee Time Romance in the USA and her second novel A Bargain Struck was shortlisted for the 2014 Romantic Novel of the Year Award.

Can you tell us a little bit about your novella A Western Heart?
This is the first novella that I’ve written. With my other Choc Lit Lite books, Evie Undercover was a contemporary full-length novel of 80,000 words, and The Art of Deception 50,000 words. With A Western Heart, I set myself the limit of 30,000 words, which I understand is the ideal length for a novella – long enough for a satisfying story with fully rounded characters, but able to be read fairly quickly.

A Western Heart is set in Wyoming 1880. It’s the story of Will Hyde and Rose McKinley, who live on successful neighbouring ranches, have always been very good friends and have grown up knowing that one day they’ll marry and thereby unite their two ranches.

Their families and friends know this, too, and they’re starting to wonder aloud why Will and Rose's engagement hasn’t yet been announced.

Rose, too, has started to wonder why. She knows Will loves her and she knows she loves him, so there’s nothing to stop him proposing to her.

But Will has other thoughts on the subject, thoughts he hasn’t shared with Rose.

And she’s reckoned without her sister, Cora. At seventeen, Cora’s sick of being treated like a child who doesn’t understand ‘womanly feelings’. She has plenty of womanly feelings – and she has them for Will. 

Furthermore, Rose could never have foreseen that a lean, handsome stranger, Nate Galloway, would ride into the McKinley Ranch and into their lives …

Guest Book Review: Jules Wake - Talk to Me

Reviewed by Tanya Phillips

Olivia and Daniel certainly aren’t talking the language of love… 

Olivia has been in love with Daniel forever but, despite her best efforts, they’ve never been able to get it together. Their relationship has always been a series of mixed messages and misunderstandings and the final straw comes when Daniel mysteriously starts dating her flatmate, Emily. Hurt and confused, Olivia resolves to forget her heartache with a spot of speed dating. After all, what could possibly go wrong? 

One crazy stalker later and Olivia’s life is becoming increasingly strange and scary. Can she rely on Daniel to step in when events take a terrifying turn or will their communication breakdown ultimately result in tragedy?

 Amazon links: Kindle or Paperback

Debut Spotlight: Jules Wake

This morning I'm delighted to introduce you to Jules Wake whose debut novel Talk to Me has just been published.

Bred but not born in Yorkshire, Jules considers herself an honorary Yorkshire woman and, despite living in the Chilterns, still misses proper hills.  She’s always wanted to be a writer and blames this on her grandmother taking her at a young age to the Brontë’s parsonage in Haworth.

After reading English at the University of East Anglia, she found herself in the glamorous and deeply shallow world of PR, which she rather enjoyed, and spent a number of years honing her fiction writing skills on press releases.

Upon completing a creative writing course and finding no local writing group, she set up the Tring Writers’ Circle.  As a result it was incumbent upon her to set a good example and actually write, which was rather fortunate as with a genuine allergy to cleaning, she finds writing offers the perfect displacement activity. Talk to Me is Jules’s debut novel.

Olivia and Daniel certainly aren’t talking the language of love…

Olivia has been in love with Daniel forever but, despite her best efforts, they’ve never been able to get it together. Their relationship has always been a series of mixed messages and misunderstandings and the final straw comes when Daniel mysteriously starts dating her flatmate, Emily. Hurt and confused, Olivia resolves to forget her heartache with a spot of speed dating. After all, what could possibly go wrong?

One crazy stalker later and Olivia’s life is becoming increasingly strange and scary. Can she rely on Daniel to step in when events take a terrifying turn or will their communication breakdown ultimately result in tragedy?

Hi Shaz

Thank you very much for having me on your book blog. 

Can you tell us a little bit about your debut book Talk to Me?
Talk To Me is a contemporary romantic comedy. It tells the story of what happens when Olivia, the heroine, decides to go on a speed date to get over her unrequited love for Daniel. Unfortunately what unfolds after the speed date leaves her in a far worse predicament. The question is, who is going to come to her rescue? 

Talk to Me features unrequited love and speed dating, where did the inspiration come from? 
Originally I intended to write a story about a heroine trying to get rid of her boyfriend. It was called Dislodging Daniel and the male character was a tad selfish and spent all his free time playing cricket…but somehow the Daniel character wouldn’t behave the way I wanted him to do and actually turned into a rather yummy hero. 

The story just evolved from there. I’ve never been on a speed date in my life but it was a good setting for the start of things changing and seemed fertile ground for interesting characters. In fact one of them is based on someone I once saw on University Challenge who was so loathsomely pompous I just had to put him in.