National Stationery Week: Win Alice in Wonderland Notepad, Bookmarks and Postcard

I'm not following the suggested schedule again today as I am not artistic or creative so haven't got anything hand made to give away, nor have I bought anything hand made.  Instead today's giveaway bundle is a selection of Alice in Wonderland items that I bought from Literary Emporium (A6 jotter notepad, pair of bookmarks and a postcard).  

Author Interview: Rachel Dove

Earlier today Emma reviewed The Chic Boutique on Baker Street for the first part of our blog tour stop and now it's my pleasure to welcome Rachel Dove to the blog for a chat.

Can you tell us a little bit about your new book The Chic Boutique on Baker Street?
The Chic Boutique on Baker Street is about starting again, about realising what you want from life, and going for it. Sometimes, we are on a path, but it changes without us wanting it to, or being able to prevent it, and we have to roll with the punches. Ben and Amanda both had their lives planned out, but were they happy? This book explores those paths and how they alter. 

What inspired you to set this story in a rural countryside village instead of a town or city where you'd typically expect to see a boutique? 
I love the country, I like the idea of slowing down life, away from the hustle and bustle. The boutique is Amanda's input into village life, a bit of city influence, and it causes somewhat of a kerfuffle! 

The Chic Boutique on Baker Street won the Prima Flirty Fiction competition earning you a publishing deal with Mills and Boon, can you recall the exact moment you got the news that you'd won? 
Yes, I was at work! I happened to notice an email from Prima, and I had to wait till break to contact them! I hid from my students and jumped around outside the classroom, before I had to compose myself and finish teaching! Luckily, I had amazing students who didn't notice my distracted state that day! I didn't drive home, I flew home on a cloud.

If The Chic Boutique on Baker Street was to be made into a TV series, who would you like to see cast as the central characters?
I have been asked this before, but I always struggle for Amanda Perry, as the Amanda in my head is so defined. I really rate James Norton, his acting is amazing and I think he would make a fantastic Ben Evans. Amanda I would say (after great discussion over a coffee with a friend) that Felicity Jones would be a good fit. I loved her in Northanger Abbey. Agatha Mayweather would have to be the fabulous Judi Dench or Maggie Jones, and Taylor, who I love dearly as a character, I can't cast at all! He lives too firmly in my imagination I think. 

Emma's Review: The Chic Boutique on Baker Street by Rachel Dove

Reviewed by Emma Crowley

The perfect escape to the country…

Recently single and tired of the London rat race Amanda is determined to make her dreams of setting up an idyllic countryside boutique come true, and the picturesque village of West¬field is the perfect place to make a fresh start.

Local vet Ben is the golden boy of West¬field, especially to resident gossip Agatha Mayweather, who is determined to help Ben get his life back together after his wife left.

When a chance encounter outside the ‘chic boutique’ sets sparks flying between Amanda and Ben, Agatha is itching to set them up. But are Amanda and Ben really ready for romance?

Amazon links: Kindle or Paperback

National Stationery Week: Win one of these Book Lover Notebook and Bookmark sets

Today is one of the days when I'll be deviating from the suggested schedule for National Stationery week as personally I don't like fountain pens plus I'd already bought a selection of items that I wanted to give away this week so couldn't afford to spend any more money buying fountain pens to give away as well. 

So today the prizes on offer are these A6 notebook and bookmark sets that I bought from Literary Emporium.  There are 2 to be won, Go Away! I'm Reading or So Many Books So Little Time... sayings I'm sure we've all said at one time or another ;-)

Author Interview: Amanda Jennings

It's the final day for the in Her Wake blog tour and it's my pleasure to welcome Amanda Jennings to the blog to talk about her amazing book.  

A tragic family event reveals devastating news that rips apart Bella's comfortable existence. Embarking on a personal journey to uncover the truth, she faces a series of traumatic discoveries that take her to the ruggedly beautiful Cornish coast, where hidden truths, past betrayals and a 25-year-old mystery threaten not just her identity, but her life.

Chilling, complex and profoundly moving, In Her Wake is a gripping psychological thriller that questions the nature of family - and reminds us that sometimes the most shocking crimes are committed closest to home.

If you had to describe In Her Wake in one sentence, what would it be?
A woman's search for answers and her true identity against the backdrop of the Cornish coast. 

Can you tell us a little bit about your new book In Her Wake?
When a young woman returns home for her mother's funeral she is lost, confused and, naturally, devastated. But when further tragedy hits she discovers that everything she thought she knew about her childhood is a lie. Tracing her real roots back to the rugged West Cornwall coast, she is forced to confront crimes committed in the past, and to search through the wreckage to find out who she really is. It's a story of identity, sacrifice, betrayal, loss, love in many forms and ultimately, hope.

A family secret is at the heart of this book, where did the inspiration come from for this theme?
I was thinking about one of the children who had gone missing when I was young. It was a high-profile case, covered extensively in the press. No body was ever found and I got to thinking, 'What if he was still alive?' not hurt or abused, but cared for by another set of parents? I suppose I put myself in the shoes of the mother who had lost her child, thinking if that tragedy had befallen us, then I would want my child safe and cared for, stolen not by the monsters we all fear, but by people who wanted to love her. I knew I wanted to set it in Cornwall and its thick tradition of legends and myth from the outset, so with these two starting points, everything else began to grow.

Why did you choose to set this book in Cornwall as opposed to other counties? 
I am proudly half-Cornish and know the area well, and, more importantly perhaps, am inspired by the surroundings, the raging sea, the bleak moors, the picturesque villages, the wind, call of the gulls, the hot sand on an August day. I think Cornwall, with its changeable weather and crashing ocean, was the only place that I could set the story. The turmoil in Bella's head is reflected in the weather and landscape, and her confusion is mirrored by her reliance on fantasy and fiction. Also, I think you have to write about somewhere you know well, and Oxfordshire (where I live) – though it features – doesn't have the same associated emotion as Cornwall. Cornwall has its own identity and this is important in the story. 

Bella is a flawed protagonist, and at the outset is almost dislikeable, as she demurs to everyone and allows herself to be overpowered. It’s a skill to bring a character back into a reader’s affection. How do you think you achieved that?
I felt very sympathetic to Bella from the off. I think it's easy to say 'Oh, but surely she'd leave her controlling husband?' or 'She would have rebelled against her mother, wouldn't she?' but people stay in difficult situations all the time. Like a puppy who is kicked by its owner but still follows the owner around, Bella knew no different, and that becomes explained as her story unfolds. She felt safe in those situations. And, to a certain extent, she was safe. In her mind there was nothing to run from. I think our sympathy grows with her as she grows into herself, and begins to make her own decisions. One reader said they were cheering her on and I think that's what I was doing as the writer. I wanted Bella to be happy and I wanted her to face her traumatic circumstances and carve out a life for herself when everybody she'd encountered previously had been controlling her life for her. Maybe because I genuinely wanted this for her, the reader does too. 

Emma's Review: Summer at the Comfort Food Cafe by Debbie Johnson

Reviewed by Emma Crowley

The Comfort Food Cafe is perched on a windswept clifftop at what feels like the edge of the world, serving up the most delicious cream teas; beautifully baked breads, and carefully crafted cupcakes. For tourists and locals alike, the ramshackle cafe overlooking the beach is a beacon of laughter, companionship, and security – a place like no other; a place that offers friendship as a daily special, and where a hearty welcome is always on the menu.

For widowed mum-of-two Laura Walker, the decision to uproot her teenaged children and make the trek from Manchester to Dorset for the summer isn’t one she takes lightly, and it’s certainly not winning her any awards from her kids, Nate and Lizzie. Even her own parents think she’s gone mad.

But following the death of her beloved husband David two years earlier, Laura knows that it’s time to move on. To find a way to live without him, instead of just surviving. To find her new place in the world, and to fill the gap that he’s left in all their lives.

Her new job at the cafe, and the hilarious people she meets there, give Laura the chance she needs to make new friends; to learn to be herself again, and – just possibly – to learn to love again as well.

For her, the Comfort Food Cafe doesn’t just serve food – it serves a second chance to live her life to the full…

Amazon links: Kindle or Paperback

National Stationery Week: Win a Stationery Happy Mail package from Emma

Today's giveaway prize has been very generously donated by my friend and guest blogger Emma who is offering to post a surprise stationery package to a follower of the blog.  Even I don't know exactly what you will win although I have been told a couple of the items ;-)

Emma's Review: Cupcakes and Confetti by Jane Linfoot

Reviewed by Emma Crowley

Brides by the Sea, the cutest little wedding shop in all of Cornwall, has it all, including cake baker Poppy who lives upstairs. But wedding planning is not the piece of cake Poppy thought it would be, and when her best friend Cate’s wedding planner walks out, Poppy has to tie up the loose ends so her bestie can tie the knot.

Double-booked venues, ‘rustic’ locations and gorgeous but grumpy farmer Rafe have this wedding pro feeling like she could be Cate’s ‘something blue.’

Will the wedding, the shop and the cake all come crashing down on her? Or will Poppy pull it off to give Cate – and herself – the happy ever afters they deserve?

Amazon links: Kindle or Paperback

National Stationery Week: Selection of Stationery from Paperchase to be won

Today is World Stationery Day so I've decided to share the love of all things stationery with a selection of items that I've bought over the last few months from Paperchase.  And as I've had a bit of good fortune this week, and I've just been paid, I've included a couple of extra items so there will be 5 winners in total ;)   

Debut Spotlight: Faith Hogan

Today it's my pleasure to welcome Faith Hogan to the blog as part of the blog tour for her debut novel My Husband's Wives which is published on 1st May. 

Faith Hogan was born in Ireland. She gained an Honours Degree in English Literature and Psychology from Dublin City University and a Postgraduate Degree from University College, Galway. She has worked as a fashion model, an event's organiser and in the intellectual disability and mental health sector.

'My Husband’s Wives' is a contemporary women's fiction novel set in Dublin. She is currently working on her next novel. She lives in the west of Ireland with her husband, four children and two very fussy cats.

She was a winner in the 2014 Irish Writers Centre Novel Fair - an international competition for emerging writers.

Follow Faith on Twitter at @GerHogan or like her on Facebook Faithhoganauthor or, if you’re really interested, you can catch up with her on www.faithhogan.com

Hi Shaz,

It’s lovely to be here, I love your blog, it always gives me a bit of a lift when I drop by and my, what a long list of authors you have spoken to, I’m joining some very prestigious names, thank you!

Can you tell us a little bit about your debut novel My Husband’s Wives? 
Sure, the novel is a contemporary women’s fiction story. It follows the events in the lives of four women who find themselves thrown together after the death of the one man they all loved. Ultimately, it’s a tale of friendship and triumph. I suppose, it was born from the notion of What if… and that grew from the idea of one event sparking a chasm which changes so many lives. We are all connected, no matter how we may try to hide or dislocate and in My Husband’s Wives, those connections are what create the opportunities for the main characters to become who they want to be.

Describe My Husband’s Wives, in one sentence:
It is a story of love, suspicion and misunderstandings.

National Stationery Week: Win a Magnetic List Pad or Sticky Notes Set

The theme for day 2 of National Stationery Week is Get Organised Day so what better way to be organised than a magnetic list pad (2 to be won) or sticky notes so these are the prizes on offer today ;)  

National Stationery Week: Win a Readers & Writers Metallic Pencil Set

This week is National Stationery Week so I have a few little giveaways planned throughout the week to share the love of stationery as I am just as huge a stationery addict as I am a book addict.  I love buying notebooks, list pads, pens etc... let's face it I love anything stationery ;-)

As the suggested theme for Monday is Pencil Day I have bought this lovely set of pencils from Literary Emporium, Silver Writers Gonna Write & Gold Readers Gonna Read.  And the bonus library backing card can double up as a bookmark so its a win/win for book lovers.

I have placed a couple of orders now with Literary Emporium and have been really impressed with the service I have received as whenever I have placed an order during working hours I have always had my lovely items delivered the next day.

For your chance to win this pencil set simply leave a comment on this post telling me what your favourite stationery item is. The winner will be selected at random on Thursday so leave a contact email address or FB/Twitter id so that I can contact you for postal details. N.B. Please do not add details of this giveaway to other sites without my permission. 

Debut Spotlight: Lesley Allen

April is certainly turning out to be the month of debut authors and today I'm delighted to introduce you to another, Lesley Allen whose debut novel The Lonely Life of Biddy Weir was published earlier this month by Twenty7 Books. 

Lesley Allen lives in Bangor, County Down, with her teenage daughter. She is a freelance copywriter and the press officer and assistant programme developer for Open House Festival. Following the completion of her degree in Drama and English, Lesley spent several years working in PR and marketing before embarking on a freelance career. Whilst crafting words for other people has been her bread and butter for the past two decades, her heart lies with writing fiction. 

Lesley was named as one of the Arts Council of Northern Ireland's 2016 Artist Career Enhancement recipients for literature. She is using the award to complete her second novel.

Can you tell us a little bit about your debut novel The Lonely Life of Biddy Weir?
Biddy Weir is a shy young loner who lives a solitary existence with her old-fashioned, emotionally crippled father. She is happy to exist in her own wee world, sketching seagulls and examining bird poo – until she is branded a ‘Bloody Weirdo’ by the most popular girl in her primary school. What follows is a heart-breaking tale of bullying and redemption, which spans from the late 1970s to 2000. Set in a fictional seaside town in Northern Ireland, the novel is a stark illustration of the extent to which bullying can affect us all, hitting home the uncomfortable truth that beyond victim and perpetrator, those who are passive witnesses play their own unwitting part in the ensuing damage. Spare, dark and often unrelenting, Biddy’s is a story with universal appeal, which ultimately affirms the value of being different.

Bullying is such a hot and emotive topic, what inspired you to choose this as the subject for your debut novel? 
I didn’t consciously set out to write a novel about bullying, but thinking back on it, I suspect my subconscious had been at work for a while. I remember being in a shopping centre one day, and spotting a girl who had been in my year at school. She looked exactly the same as she did when she was fourteen/fifteen – same closely cropped hair, same thick tan tights, same saggy cardigan and knee-length tweed skirt. At school, the teenage years had seemed to bypass her completely. She was a loner, who wore very old fashioned, dowdy clothes and wandered around with her head bent low. When I saw her at the shopping centre we were in our early forties, but she could have been in her sixties. I couldn’t get her out of my head, and began to think of other women I’d encountered over the years who didn’t necessarily conform to the idea of being ‘normal’, many of whom seemed to be stuck in time. Around the same time, I became aware of some bullying that was going on in my daughter’s class at primary school. I witnessed one little girl whispering vile threats to another (who was timid and sweet) during a school outing, then my daughter herself experienced some unpleasant behaviour from a girl in her class, as well as another child who lived just around the corner. The girls were all around seven or eight years old, and it was so shocking and upsetting. Then one day this character literally popped into my head, demanding to tell me her story. At first I thought she was called Bunty Walker, but I knew she’d been badly bullied at school and I wrote a short story about her quest for revenge. I couldn’t leave her alone, though, and kept editing the story, and adding bits on. Then I realised that she was actually called Biddy Weir, and she wasn’t looking for revenge at all – she just wanted someone to talk to. So I let her talk, and I kept writing down what she had to say - until one day I realised, with some surprise, that I was actually writing a novel. As a nod to the original character, I briefly introduce a Bunty Walker towards the end of the book. 

Debut Spotlight: Siobhan MacDonald

Today it's my pleasure to be shining the spotlight on another debut author Siobhan MacDonald whose debut novel Twisted River was published this week.  I'm really looking forward to reading Twisted River although not sure how quickly that will be as TBR pile is already overflowing but I can share with you an extract below to whet your appetites.

Siobhan MacDonald was born in Cork in the Republic of Ireland. She studied in Galway, and worked as a technical writer in Scotland for ten years, then in France, before returning to Ireland. Twisted River is her debut novel and was inspired by her own experiences of holidays gone wrong. When the English country house where she was staying swarming with police one day, the hotel manager assured her was due to celebrity guests. It was later revealed a couple in the room next door had taken part in a suicide pact. On another occasion she was almost abducted by an unlicensed taxi driver in America who wanted her to write up his US Government conspiracy theories.

Kate and Mannix O’Brian live in a lovely Limerick house they can barely afford. Their autistic son is being bullied and their daughter Izzy is desperately trying to protect him. When Kate spots a gorgeous New York flat on a home-exchange website, she is convinced her luck is about to change…

Hazel and Oscar Harvey and their two children live on Manhattan’s Upper West Side. Though they seem successful on the surface, Hazel’s mysterious bruises and Oscar’s secrets tell another story. With Hazel keen to revisit her native Limerick, the house swap seems almost too perfect. 

When Oscar discovers the body of a woman in the boot of his hosts’ car, he realises this will be anything but a perfect break. And the body is just the beginning.

Hazel

RIVERSIDE DRIVE, MANHATTAN
EARLY SEPTEMBER

Hazel winced at her reflection in the mirror. It hurt like hell when she touched there above the cheekbone. With her finger, she patted, searching gently at the back of her head. Where was it again?

“Ouch...” She’d found it. That hurt like hell too. The size of a conker, they would say at home in Ireland. Only this was not a glossycoated chestnut but a bulbous contusion above the base of her skull. She hadn’t been able to sleep on her back— even if she’d felt like sleeping.

She had wondered about going to the emergency room at Weill Cornell but this would be the second time in as many months. She didn’t need the attention— or the incident reports. And anyway, some of those guys played squash with Oscar.

Debut Spotlight: Corrie Jackson

This week is certainly proving to be a week of debuts and today it's my pleasure to be spotlighting another author Corrie Jackson whose debut novel Breaking Dead was published as an eBook yesterday, paperback being published later this year.

Corrie Jackson has been a journalist for thirteen years. She worked on staff at Harpers Bazaar and The Daily Mail before joining Grazia as Commissioning Editor in 2004. Two years later she became Glamour magazine's Features Director, then Assistant Editor, until 2013 when her husband was given the opportunity to relocate the family to Los Angeles for his career. Corrie continued freelancing for magazines and newspapers, as well as dedicating the time to her debut novel. Corrie and her family have just returned to England. She now lives in Surrey, where she has just had her second child and is working on her second book. Follow Corrie on Twitter @CorrieJacko or via her website http://www.corriejackson.com

Can you tell us a little bit about your debut novel Breaking Dead?
It’s a crime thriller set in the fashion industry. On the eve of London Fashion Week, a Russian model is found mutilated in a five-star hotel. Leading the press charge is crime reporter, Sophie Kent; a talented journalist on the brink of a breakdown following her brother’s suicide.

Where did the inspiration come from to write about the dark side of the fashion industry?
Fashion is dark. I was at GRAZIA when anorexic catwalk model, Luisel Ramos, dropped dead of a heart attack during a fashion show; when up-and-coming model, Sally-Anne Bowman, was raped and stabbed to death outside her home. I was at GLAMOUR when Isabella Blow and Alexander McQueen committed suicide; when gruesome sexual harassment claims against photographer Terry Richardson made headlines. Over a decade in magazines taught me that glamour and violence go hand in hand. So, it didn’t feel like a huge stretch to set a crime thriller in the fashion industry.

If you had to describe your leading character Sophie in three words, what would it be?
Smart, stubborn, sinking.

What attracted you to writing a crime thriller as opposed to any other genre?
PD James once said: I don’t think we necessarily choose our genre; the genre chooses us.’ I totally agree. I’m a crime nut and always have been. I was raised on Nancy Drew and Sherlock Holmes. My thirteenth birthday party was Sherlock-themed, complete with deerstalker cake. The writing was on the wall, even then!

Guest Post: A Few of My Favourite Songs from Musicals by Jennifer Joyce

Today it's my stop on the blog tour for Jennifer Joyce's latest book, The Wedding Date, with a guest post from Jennifer linked to one of her characters.   

Will you…date me?

Delilah James, singleton and smoothie-addict, has six months to find a date for her oldest friend’s wedding. Oh, and to prove to her ex, best man Ben, that she has totally moved on since he dumped her out-of-the-blue nine months, eight days and seventeen hours ago…

So, with her two BFFs playing Cupid, Delilah launches herself into the high-tech, fast-paced and frankly terrifying world of dating. Luckily there’s the hot new guy at work, Adam Sinclair, to practice her flirting on – even if, as a colleague, he’s strictly off-limits!

Yet time’s running out and date after disastrous date forces Delilah to tell a little white lie – and invent a fake boyfriend! But will her secret crush on Adam ruin everything? Does she even care about Ben anymore? And is it too late to untangle her web of lies and take a real date to the wedding…?

Delilah James, the main character from The Wedding Date, is a massive fan of musicals, from the old classics to the current song-and-dance filled movies. And who can blame her? There’s something magical about a world where you can burst into song whenever the mood takes and instead of being bundled into a straitjacket as you belt out your feelings for all to hear, you’re joined by your loved ones and passersby alike, filling rooms and whole streets and towns with joy.

Although I’m not quite as frenzied when it comes to musicals as Delilah, I do like a good musical and thought I’d share a few of my favourite songs:

Over The Rainbow  (The Wizard of Oz)

Well, it’s a lovely song, isn’t it? Made famous by Judy Garland in The Wizard of Oz back in 1939, Over The Rainbow has been covered many times but one of my favourite versions is by Israel Kamakawiwo’ole.

Emma's Review: The Assistants by Camille Perri

Reviewed by Emma Crowley

Behind every successful man is a busy assistant and Tina’s boss is very successful. 

But Tina is tired of being overworked and underpaid. 

She’s bored of her damp flat and her mounting debts. 

Then a blip in the expenses system sends Tina a cheque.

She’s a good person. 

But she’s desperate.

This isn’t stealing. 

It’s an administrative error.

What would you do if you thought you’d get away with it?

Amazon links: Kindle or Paperback

Guest Post: An Introduction to The Nurses of Steeple Street by Donna Douglas

Today it's my pleasure to welcome author Donna Douglas back to the blog to give us an introduction to some of the characters we're going to be meeting in her new series, the first book The Nurses of Steeple Street is published tomorrow.

The Nurses of Steeple Street is the first in my new series of novels about a group of district nurses living and working in Leeds in the 1920s. I’d like to take the opportunity to introduce you to some of the characters you’ll be meeting in the book, and tell you a bit about them. 

The central character is Agnes Sheridan, an ambitious young nurse with a bright future ahead of her, until a single mistake brings her whole world tumbling down around her. In an effort to redeem herself, Agnes moves from London to Steeple Street to retrain as a district nurse. 

Not that she believes she’ll need much training. As far as Agnes is concerned, district nursing is all about giving bed baths and changing dressings. Her high-handed attitude does nothing to endear her to her fellow nurses, especially down-to-earth Assistant Superintendent Bess Bradshaw. Bess makes it her business to teach Agnes a lesson in humility, by introducing her to the residents of Quarry Hill, a rundown slum area in the middle of the city. She means to scare off the fastidious young nurse, but little does she know Agnes has nowhere else to run…

Debut Spotlight: Isabelle Broom

Today I'm pleased to be shining the debut spotlight on journalist Isabelle Broom who I have met many times over the last couple of years at various book events.  In her day job she is book reviews editor at Heat magazine so regularly features books and authors to look out for so it's only fair to turn the tables and take a look at Isabelle herself and her debut novel The Map of You which is published this Thursday.  

I'm lucky enough to have been invited to her launch so keep your eyes peeled later this week as I will be buying an extra copy of My Map of You for Isabelle to sign for a giveaway prize. 

Isabelle Broom was born in Cambridge nine days before the 1980s began and studied Media Arts at the University of West London before starting a career first in local newspapers and then as a junior sub-editor at heat magazine. She travelled through Europe during her gap year and went to live on the Greek island of Zakynthos for an unforgettable and life-shaping six months after completing her degree. Since then, she has travelled to Canada, Sri Lanka, Sicily, New York, LA, the Canary Islands, Spain and lots more of Greece, but her wanderlust was reined in when she met Max, a fluffy little Bolognese puppy desperate for a home. When she's not writing novels set in far-flung locations, Isabelle spends her time being the Book Reviews Editor at heat magazine and walking her beloved dog round the parks of north London.

You can follow her on Twitter @Isabelle_Broom or find her on Facebook under Isabelle Broom Author

When I told Emma I was arranging this debut spotlight feature with Isabelle she immediately came up with some fantastic questions as she'd just finished reading My Map of You which she'd loved. So I'll hand you over to Emma and Isabelle for their Q&A which I'm sure will have you wanting to dive right in and read My Map of You and take a trip to Zakynthos especially after viewing the photos Isabelle sent us.   

Where did the idea come from to use a map as a source to guide Holly on her journey? Were you tempted for her to discover a notebook or something different?
It’s funny you should ask that, because originally I had planned for Holly for discover letters and postcards throughout the story. The map idea goes way back to 2014, during a chat I had with agent extraordinaire Lizzy Kremer and her assistant Harriet. I’d won a session with Lizzy as part of my prize for Simon & Schuster’s short story competition, and she had read the first 30,000 or so words of what later became My Map Of You. We batted around heaps of ideas during that session, and the hidden map was one of them.

Does the island hold a special place in your heart and is that why you chose it as the location for the setting?
Yes! I’ve been in love with Zakynthos ever since I first visited the island 16 years ago, and I’ve been back pretty much every year since – often more than once. It’s more than a second home to me, it’s my spiritual home, and I fully intend to live there myself one day. The way I feel about the place is what inspired me to create Holly and her story.

Why didn't you have any chapters set in the past from Sandra or Jennifer's point of view?
I actually did in my first draft, but it was decided quite rightly by my editor to cut them out and just keep the narrative driven purely by Holly. I’m glad I wrote them, though, because it gave me such a better grasp of Jenny and Sandra’s characters. And losing them meant we had lots more space for Holly and Aidan’s adventures around the island, which were so much fun to write.

Emma's Review: Eden Gardens by Louise Brown

Reviewed by Emma Crowley

Eden Gardens, Calcutta, the 1940s. In a ramshackle house, streets away from the grand colonial mansions of the British, live Maisy, her Mam and their ayah, Pushpa.

Whiskey-fuelled and poverty-stricken, Mam entertains officers in the night - a disgrace to British India. All hopes are on beautiful Maisy to restore their good fortune.

But Maisy's more at home in the city's forbidden alleyways, eating bazaar food and speaking Bengali with Pushpa, than dancing in glittering ballrooms with potential husbands.

Then one day Maisy's tutor falls ill. His son stands in. Poetic, handsome and ambitious for an independent India, Sunil Banerjee promises Maisy the world.

So begins a love affair that will cast her future, for better and for worse. Just as the Second World War strikes and the empire begins to crumble...

Amazon links: Kindle or Paperback

Debut Spotlight: Kayte Nunn

April is certainly proving to be a busy month for debut novels and today it's my pleasure to shine the spotlight on Australian author Kayte Nunn's whose debut novel Rose's Vintage is published today.

Kayte Nunn is a freelance book, magazine and web editor and the former editor of Gourmet Traveller WINE magazine. She writes on travel, health, wellbeing, parenting and lifestyle topics, and has been short-listed for local and international short-story awards. She is a mother to two girls. This is her first novel.

For more about Kayte go to www.kaytenunn.com or https://www.facebook.com/Kayte-Nunn

Can you tell us a little bit about your debut novel Rose's Vintage?
It’s the story of an English chef torn between family loyalty and the calling of her heart. Rose has been sacked from her dead-end job, her boyfriend has walked out on her. She’s gorging on home shopping TV and snivelling into her tissue box when her brother suggests she take a job in Australia. Before she really knows what’s going on, she finds herself on the other side of the world in the Shingle Valley– but it’s the middle of winter and far from the lush, romantic vineyard setting she’d been expecting. 

Her brother thinks she’s spying for him, her bad-tempered new boss thinks she’s the au pair and the nanny can’t wait for her to clean the place up. She stumbles upon pagan bonfire ceremonies, bizarre winemaking practices and a valley full of eccentric locals, but she just wishes she’d ended up somewhere a bit warmer. 

As the weather improves, the valley reveals its beauty, and Rose starts to fall in love: with the valley, the wines, the two children she’s helping to look after, and one of the men there. 
When her boss’s estranged wife returns and her brother descends, wanting answers, Rose has to make the most difficult choice of her life.

Emma's Review: The Daughters of Red Hill Hall by Kathleen McGurl

Reviewed by Emma Crowley

When Gemma discovers a pair of ancient duelling pistols encrusted with rubies in the basement of the local museum, she is immediately intrigued…

On a fateful night in 1838 two sisters were found shot in the cellars of Red Hill Hall. And when Gemma begins to delve deeper into their history she begins to realise that the secrets of that night are darker than anyone had ever imagined.

As the shocking events of the past begin to unravel, Gemma’s own life starts to fall apart. Loyalties are tested and suddenly it seems as if history is repeating itself, as Gemma learns that female friendships can be deadly…

Amazon link: Kindle

Emma's Review: Somewhere Inside of Happy by Anna McPartlin

Reviewed by Emma Crowley

'And just like that my boy was gone.'

Maisie Bean is a fighter. A survivor. Seventeen years ago, she went on a first date that went so badly it was enough to put the girl off chips. The marriage that followed was hell but it gave her two children: funny, caring Jeremy and bullish but brilliant Valerie.

Just as it seems everything might finally start going right, sixteen-year-old Jeremy goes missing. The police descend and a media storm swirls, over five days of searching that hurtle towards an inevitable, terrible conclusion.

Maisie is facing another fight, and this time it’s the fight of her life. But she’s a survivor. Whatever the odds, she’ll never give in.

Amazon links: Kindle or Paperback

Debut Spotlight: Linda McLaughlan

Under the debut spotlight today it's the turn of author Linda McLaughlan whose debut novel Chasing Charlie is out now as an eBook and will be published as a paperback next Thursday.

Linda McLaughlan has worked in film and TV in both her native New Zealand, and in the UK where she lives now. She spent some time backpacking through Asia where she met her illustrator husband and moved to England. She lives on very little sleep in a quiet lane in deepest Hampshire with her husband, two children, five chickens and string of foster dogs. Chasing Charlie is her debut novel.

When unlucky-in-love Sam bumps into her first boyfriend, the charming but roguish Charlie, she falls head first for him all over again. Even though he broke her heart, she’s determined to win him back – even if she has to chase him all over London...

Sam’s friends have their doubts about whether cheating Charlie is really the man for her, but they have their own problems to deal with. Uptight Mara is struggling to trust anyone after a bad break-up; sexy corporate go-getter Claudia has her self-confidence rocked after a health scare; and sensitive, intelligent Ed, has been secretly, hopelessly in love with Sam for years...

As Sam chases her lost love like a woman possessed, getting into ever more outlandish situations and making a fool of herself in the process, she finds herself wondering just how far she’ll go to win Charlie back. Or will she finally see what’s right under her nose?

Thanks to Linda's publishers Black & White publishing I am able to share with you an extract from Chasing Charlie to whet your appetite.

Chapter 1

SAM
It was about half past five and it felt like most of W1 were on the footpaths that evening looking for somewhere warm, dry and well stocked. Normally, this wouldn’t be much of a problem. I’d been in London for long enough to handle a spot of rain and a few extra people about, but that evening my reaction skills were somewhat lacking. My badly chosen pumps were wet for a start. Mara had taken one look at me that morning and her eyebrows had jumped halfway up her head. She was right of course. It was a boot day, not a pump day. But those eyebrows – you know the kind, they say a thousand (mostly patronising) words in the space of a few millimetres. So I left the house without changing my footwear. The roles at 21 Harvist Road, Queen’s Park, were clear-cut. Mara was the sensible one; I was the ditzy one. It was an excellent arrangement.

Except, of course, when I lost sensation in my toes. Then it was just bloody stupid.

I was taking my sodden, stupid self to meet the girls at the pub, cursing my feet and all things cold when out of nowhere someone rounded a corner and walked straight into me. A sharp intake of breath and a big splash later, I was on my bum in a puddle.

‘Fuck  me, it’s you,’  I whispered, the world tilting (it really was!) as I took in who was reaching out to help me up.

Emma's Review: Daughters of the Silk Road by Debbie Rix

Reviewed by Emma Crowley

'She crossed over to the shelf where her father kept the dragon vase. He had placed it there when they first arrived in Venice. She took it down carefully, feeling it cool and comforting under her shaking fingers.’ 

Venice 1441: Maria and her brother Daniele arrive in the birthplace of their father, Niccolo dei Conti. An Italian merchant who has travelled far and wide, Niccolo has brought spices from India, lengths of silk and damask from the lands east of India and porcelain; a vase of pure white, its surface decorated with a cobalt blue dragon, the Chinese symbol of good fortune. 

Maria settles in her new home, watching the magnificent and bustling city come to life each morning from her bedroom window. But while her father is away travelling, she soon finds herself and Daniele in terrible danger. She must protect her brother at whatever cost, and she must guard the delicate vase. 

London 2015: Single mother Miranda is struggling to make ends meet and build a new life for her and daughter Georgie. When Miranda meets the charming but mysterious Charles, she is intrigued. Could he be her second chance at love? And why is he so fascinated by the old vase sitting on her hall table… 

Amazon link: Kindle

Emma's Review: Where Dragonflies Hover by AnneMarie Brear

Reviewed by Emma Crowley

Sometimes a glimpse into the past can help make sense of the future… 

Everyone thinks Lexi is crazy when she falls in love with Hollingsworth House – a crumbling old Georgian mansion in Yorkshire – and nobody more so than her husband, Dylan. But there’s something very special about the place, and Lexi can sense it. 

Whilst exploring the grounds she stumbles across an old diary and, within its pages, she meets Allie – an Australian nurse working in France during the First World War. 

Lexi finally realises her dream of buying Hollingsworth but her obsession with the house leaves her marriage in tatters. In the lonely nights that follow, Allie’s diary becomes Lexi’s companion, comforting her in moments of darkness and pain. And as Lexi reads, the nurse’s scandalous connection to the house is revealed…

Amazon link: Kindle