Emma's Review: The Boathouse by Stepping Stone Bay by Helen Rolfe

Reviewed by Emma Crowley 

Sun, sand and secrets at the bay!

As a kid, Nina O'Brien spent all her summers at her grandparents' cabin by the beach at Stepping Stone Bay. Long, sunny days full of fun and laughter with her best friends, Leo, Adrian, and Maeve, her friendship with Leo slowly blossoming into love. Until one fateful night changed everything for them all...

Twelve years later, Nina must return to the bay to renovate the old cabin and pass it on to a new owner. But not only does Leo still live in the cabin next door, he works at his family's boathouse right there in the bay. As they begin to work through their differences and what happened all those years ago, can Nina really walk away from him twice?

Maeve has finally returned home to face the past. Her eleven-year-old son, Jonah, loves the sea, unlike Maeve who is terrified of it. But she knows she can't keep Jonah away from the sea or the truth forever..

Book Links: Kindle or Paperback

Emma's Review: Christmas at the Village Sewing Shop by Helen Rolfe

Reviewed by Emma Crowley

Can three sisters stitch their family back together?

Loretta loves running the little village sewing shop in Butterbury. Some of her most precious memories are sitting with her three daughters Daisy, Ginny and Fern, stitching together pieces of material - and their hopes and dreams.

But this Christmas the family is coming apart at the seams: Fern feels like she's failing at motherhood and marriage, Ginny's passion for her job as a midwife is fading, Daisy is desperate to prove she ' s changed since her wild younger years - and most of all, Loretta seems to be hiding something...

As they come together to create a new festive quilt, the bond between the sisters begins to heal. But when Loretta reveals the real reason she's brought them all home, can the sisters mend the quilt, and their family, in time for Christmas?

Book Links: Kindle or Paperback

Emma's Review: The Little Village Library by Helen Rolfe

Reviewed by Emma Crowley

It takes a village...

Cloverdale is known for its winding roads, undulating hills and colourful cottages, and more recently, its Library of Shared Things. Need a ladder, a hedge trimmer or a waffle-maker? You can borrow it from the Library of Shared Things.

Single dad Adam is doing a good job of raising his daughter, Zoe, whilst burying his past and moving forwards. When he agrees to run a mending workshop at the Library, new friendships start to blossom.

Jennifer is a volunteer at the Library. When her younger sister Isla moves back to Cloverdale after their mother dies, Jennifer finds herself wondering whether Isla is hiding something.

And when Adam's daughter Zoe makes a startling discovery, it's time for the people at the Library of Shared Things to pull together and help one family with its biggest challenge of all.

Amazon Affiliate Links: Kindle or Paperback

Guest Book Review: Helen Rolfe - The Friendship Tree

Reviewed by Emma Crowley

Is running away ever the answer? 

Tamara Harding left the UK to join family in Australia, but more importantly, to put ten thousand miles between her and her ex, Bradley Cox. She is soon drawn in to the small community of Brewer Creek where she becomes the coordinator for an old fashioned Friendship Tree – a chart telling people who they can call on in times of trouble.

 As she vows to start over, she meets Jake Manning – and life gets more complicated than she could ever have imagined. Jake is the direct competitor for the family business, and a man with a dark secret, and Tamara struggles to fight her attraction to him as she deals with secrets of her own and an ex who refuses to give up. 

When danger descends on Brewer Creek in the form of Jake’s own past, Tamara soon realises the Friendship Tree does a lot more than organise fundraising events and working bees; it has the power to unite an entire town. But will Tamara see past the complications and allow herself a happy ending with Jake? 

Or will she run away again? 

Amazon link: Kindle

Debut Spotlight: Helen Rolfe

Today it's my pleasure to introduce you to Helen Rolfe whose debut novel The Friendship Tree was published in February.

Helen J Rolfe writes contemporary women's fiction with characters and settings to fall in love with. The Friendship Tree is Helen J Rolfe's debut novel and is a story about facing up to the past rather than running away from it. Themes in the novel include friendship, family, love and everything in between. 

Born and raised in the UK, Helen spent fourteen years living in Australia before returning home and settling in Bath, a city she is fast discovering to be one of the most beautiful places she has ever visited. 

You can find out more about Helen J Rolfe at:

www.helenjrolfe.com
http://facebook.com/helenjrolfe
https://twitter.com/hjrolfe
http://thewriteromantics.com
www.goodreads.com/helenjrolfe

Is running away ever the answer? 

Tamara Harding left the UK to join family in Australia, but more importantly, to put ten thousand miles between her and her ex, Bradley Cox. She is soon drawn in to the small community of Brewer Creek where she becomes the coordinator for an old fashioned Friendship Tree – a chart telling people who they can call on in times of trouble.

 As she vows to start over, she meets Jake Manning – and life gets more complicated than she could ever have imagined. Jake is the direct competitor for the family business, and a man with a dark secret, and Tamara struggles to fight her attraction to him as she deals with secrets of her own and an ex who refuses to give up. 

When danger descends on Brewer Creek in the form of Jake’s own past, Tamara soon realises the Friendship Tree does a lot more than organise fundraising events and working bees; it has the power to unite an entire town. But will Tamara see past the complications and allow herself a happy ending with Jake? 

Or will she run away again? 

Can you tell us a little bit about your debut novel The Friendship Tree?
The Friendship Tree tells the story of Tamara Harding and Jake Manning who both run from their pasts and end up in the quiet, unassuming town of Brewer Creek. It is a story about love, family and dealing with life’s complications, and at its heart is the importance of friendship.

Tamara leaves her boyfriend behind in London and feels that the distance of thousands of miles is the key to escaping his manipulative ways. She is also in town to spend time with her family and find out why her stepfather is being so secretive. Tamara ends up being the coordinator of an old-fashioned friendship tree which helps the town’s residents know who to call on in times of trouble.

Jake is new in town and a direct competitor for the Harding family business. But Jake has a dark secret of his own and so many complications in his life that he fights his attraction to Tamara, a determined character whose ex refuses to give up on her.

When danger threatens the residents of Brewer Creek, the friendship tree unites the entire town, and both Jake and Tamara must confront their pasts.