Giveaway: Win a copy of The Other Side of Wonderful by Caroline Grace-Cassidy

I wasn't planning on doing a blog post today but after a short break for a few days I'm slowly starting to get my reading and blogging mojo back... better late than never as my TBR pile is already starting to build with some fab books being published in 2018.  

And after being totally spoilt by friends yesterday I found myself in the position of two of my friends buying me the same book The Other Side of Wonderful by Caroline Grace-Cassidy, which is the only one of Caroline's books I didn't already have, so I have decided to do a bonus festive giveaway to share the book love with one of you.

Cara has moved on. It's not that she's been hiding her deep dark past - it's just that no one asks. She is now placed in her dream job as hospitality manager in a wonderful old-world hotel, The Moritz and all she wants is a quiet life. Once bitten twice shy, she's promised herself that romance is out. But promises are made to be broken. 

Sandra is the head receptionist at the hotel, once a fun part time job, now a full time highly pressured necessity. As the recession bites hard, her marriage to local man Neil crumbles before her eyes and her second round of IVF fails, it looks like Sandra may be left with nothing at all. But life has a way of turning corners and maybe what she's always wanted has been in front of her very eyes all the time - but is it all too late now?

Books Read: The Importance of Being Me by Caroline Grace-Cassidy

When was the last time you put yourself first?

Thirty-eight-year-old divorcee Courtney Downey has no idea who she is any more. She has devoted her life to bringing up her beloved 15-year-old daughter Susan, but Courtney just doesn’t get the celebrity-obsessed, Snapchat-filtered teenage world Susan is part of, and they’re growing apart. When Susan announces she wants to live with her dad and his new, younger girlfriend, Courtney is devastated. But could the end of one life be the beginning of another?

When Courtney is offered a job in beautiful, sun-kissed Cornwall, she and her vivacious best friend Claire follow their hearts and leave their problems behind for a summer of sand, sea and second chances. And when she meets sexy but infuriating builder Tony, Courtney rediscovers her passions for life, for cooking and for love.

But just as Courtney is finally looking to the future, a crisis with Susan pulls her back to Dublin, and back into old habits. Will she ever be able to let go of the past and embrace the importance of being herself?

Amazon links: Kindle or Paperback 

Author Interview: Caroline Grace-Cassidy

Today it's my pleasure to welcome Irish actress and author Caroline Grace-Cassidy back to the blog to talk about her latest book The Week I Ruined My Life which is out now in eBook format and will be published as a paperback this week.

Can you tell us a little bit about yourself and your writing journey? 
I always loved writing essays in school and doing projects and since I could read never had a book out of my hand. I alwaysy felt I'd love to tackle the novel - but it was only when I fell pregnant and was off work as an actress I really gave it  a shot. 

I never took a creative writing class (although I wish I had, and I might still) I just read so much I got the format I was going to go into. 

To have and to hold, for better, for worse

Ali Devlin isn’t the type of woman to have an affair…

But as her marriage to her childhood sweetheart Colin turns bitter, she begins to rediscover the woman she once was. She seeks solace from her toxic relationship by throwing herself into a new job that she loves, by confiding in her best friend Corina and, most dangerously of all, by spending more and more time with her workmate Owen – who just so happens to be passionate, charming and everything her husband used to be.

Then one heat-of-the-moment decision on a business trip to Amsterdam sets off a series of events that will change the course of all their lives forever.

The Week I Ruined My Life is your 5th novel and features Ali Devlin, a bored housewife who is faced with the ultimate temptation, what was the inspiration behind this storyline? 
I was reading a copy of Vogue believe it or not. I was out of contract with my publishers and had felt strongly that I wanted to move on to a new publishers, even though I had another offer from my original publishers. I wanted to write a different type of story and this one line I read struck a chord.

"For the sake of the children"
I read and re-read the line what did it actually mean in 2016. That people  who have nothing in common anymore, stay together for the sake of the children? It made no sense. Why surround children in that horrible atmosphere. So this story of a woman - very unhappy in her marriage but with children came to me. What to do? What to do for the sake of the children. I just wrote and wrote and Black & White picked it up immediately much to my great joy!

If you had to describe Ali in 3 words, what would they be?  
Brave. Maternal. Real. 

Author Interview: Caroline Grace-Cassidy

Today I'm joined by author Caroline Grace-Cassidy so that we can find out a little bit more about her latest book Already Taken which has recently been published. 

Can you tell us a little bit about your latest book Already Taken?
This is my 4th and darkest novel to date. I moved away from romantic fiction on this one and I took a look at how growing up with an alcoholic parent can impact the rest of your adult life through my main character Kate Walsh – the book is split around two main characters the other being Englishman Hugh Clover – Hugh made a single mistake and it ruined and is ruining his life. I wanted to see what would happen when two very broken people find each other.

When Kate was twelve years old and escaping the smell of vomit and screaming in her home she snuck into the local cinema. One day she saw Flashdance and the film had such an enormous impact on her that for the rest of her life she sees images from it. 

Eventually she dragged herself to a dance class and it was the greatest freeing thing she ever did. Dance changed her life. 

Hugh escapes London and his huge mistake to Dublin to hide out. He meets Kate while still doing shocking things in Dublin. When he eventually confided she should run but she doesn’t – she’s tired of running. She sticks it out and helps him. 

Describe Kate in three words? 
Loyal, bitter, hopeful.

Books Read: Caroline Grace-Cassidy - I Always Knew

To the outside world Beth Burrows has mended her mangled heart – only she knows she will never get over John Callan but she’s finally moved on. She can’t explain it to people but it was no ordinary romance. It was a visceral chemistry of mind and heart that she knows only too well possibly only happens once in a lifetime.  

Work has been her saviour and she is carving out a career for herself as a pretty good Jewellery designer. Her creations are very much a part of her. Her designs are all an expression of her personality. In a weird way she has John to thank for this business. He created this artist within her.  

But... it’s almost three years on and Beth’s contented in a relationship with safe and reliable Rory. That is until her best friend and John’s sister, Alice, announces that she and Dan are getting married. Beth’s life is turned upside down again when John is asked to be the best man to her chief Bridesmaid.  

In the middle of all this Beth’s parents are moving to Nerja in Spain and out of the blue offer Beth and Rory to move into their home. Rent free. What excuse could she possibly have not to do move in with Rory? None, until she finds him one night in an unthinkable situation. 

When she comes face to face with John after three years she makes some truly awful life decisions. It’s time to face what’s really in her heart. What she always knew. 

Amazon links: Kindle or Paperback

Irish Fiction Month Review: Caroline Grace-Cassidy - When Love Takes Over

Mia Doyle has a talent for selling houses. She values her independence weekly visits home for her mam's corned beef and cabbage are enough to bear! So when her boss cuts her wages and takes on his niece Anita to share commissions with her, it s quite a blow. Worse still, the two women don t see eye to eye. 

Anita is dealing with a bad family situation and unfortunately she brings her problems to work. Mia is torn between sympathy for her and anger at her self-serving attitudes. 

Meanwhile Mia's friend Carla needs her wholehearted approval when she decides to have a boob job to please her boyfriend approval Mia is not able to give. Suddenly their rock-solid friendship seems more like quicksand.

To add to Mia's tensions, her love life is shaky too. When she first met Paul the Builder it was love at first sight or so she thought. But what does he think? She really can't tell as he blows hotter and colder than an Irish summer's day. 

Then Mia takes on a client of Carla s, the millionaire Gordon McHale who reveals a secret about Carla that Mia would prefer not to know. 

At a time when she needs to put the head down and get on with it, Mia is distracted by the disastrous events unfolding rapidly all around her. Suddenly she isn't so sure she knows herself at all or has any idea of what she wants from life.

Irish Fiction Month Interview: Caroline Grace-Cassidy

I've been a huge fan of Irish fiction, particularly chick-lit, for as long as I can remember which is one of the reasons I decided to do a month long feature to celebrate everything that is good about Irish fiction.  Although March is going to be predominantly Irish there will also be some other reviews as well to clear my reviews backlog.  

First up is a chat with Caroline Grace-Cassidy whose second book The Other Side of Wonderful is due to be published in May so I'll hand you over to Caroline...

Why do you think Irish Fiction has become so popular worldwide?
I think the world has always embraced Irish writing. Irish fiction has always been of an incredibly high standard.

Did you always know you wanted to be a writer?
Not really. I always knew English was my favourite subject at school and I adored being given essays to write, I always found stories came easy to me (not like maths!) In my opinion we weren’t asked to write enough. My original love was film and still in lots of ways, but writing is slowly taking over.

If you weren't a writer, what career path would you have chosen to follow?
I am still an actress but focus more on my writing careen now, so I guess if the writing hadn’t taken off for me I d be at an audition right now! I’m shooting a lead in a film called Bere Island in May so I’m pretty excited about that.