Emma's Review: The New Beginnings Coffee Club by Samantha Tonge

Reviewed by Emma Crowley

Everyone deserves a second chance…don’t they?

Jenny Masters finds herself living the modern dream. Wife to a millionaire, living in a mansion and mother to Kardashian-obsessed ten-year-old April, there isn’t anything missing. Until, her whole world comes crashing down, forcing Jenny and April to leave behind their glittering life and start over with nothing.

With village gossip following her wherever she goes, she finds refuge and a job in the new coffee shop in town. As the days pass Jenny fears she doesn’t have what it takes to pick herself back up and give April the life she always wanted to. But with the help of enigmatic new boss Noah, and housemate Elle, Jenny realises it’s never too late to become the woman life really intended you to be!

Amazon link: Kindle

Emma's Review: Breakfast under a Cornish Sun by Samantha Tonge

Reviewed by Emma Crowley

Dreaming of the perfect man?

Kate Golightly needs to move forward and what better way to do that then with a trip to the Cornish coast with best friend and boss, Izzy.

The sea wind is just what Kate needs to finally relax and begin to let go of her past. Except she’s suddenly got one big reason to panic! She RSVP’d ‘yes’ to the Queen Bee of her high school’s wedding saying she’s bringing her boyfriend (she doesn’t have one) who looks just like Ross Poldark!

With only two weeks to find the Poldark look-alike of her dreams Kate is under a lot of pressure for the Cornish coast to deliver…

Amazon links: Kindle or Paperback 

Guest Post: My Dream Wedding Destination by Samantha Tonge

Today it's my stop on the My Big Fat Christmas Wedding blog tour and Samantha Tonge has popped by to talk about dream wedding destinations.

I’ve always thought of the Greek islands as being one of the most romantic destinations in the world. My Big Fat Christmas Wedding is set on Kos and I have happy memories of a girls’ holiday there once – the sultry nights, turquoise seas, the shortbread sands and island breeze... There is something about holidaying on a small island that gives one a real sense of freedom; the feeling that you have truly left the rat-race behind, even if just for a couple of weeks. So, I have to say, my dream wedding destination is indeed Greece.

Of course, this view of mine was strengthened by watching one of my all-time favourite films Mama Mia! The untouched, simple Greek scenery is the perfect backdrop to a wedding ceremony – along with catchy string music, refreshing ouzo, locally grown floral decorations and honey cakes. And oh, to be taken to church on the back of a donkey! 

Emma's Guest Review: Samantha Tonge - My Big Fat Christmas Wedding

Reviewed by Emma Crowley

Things don’t always run smoothly in the game of love…

Former hot shot city girl Pippa Pattinson loves her new life of rustic simplicity, running a quaint teashop on a sleepy Greek island with her hot fiancé, Niko. But it’s been a quick change to slow living – and you can’t blame a girl for wondering, ‘how did I get here?’

As her Christmas wedding approaches, a trip back to snowy England for her ex’s engagement party makes her wonder if those are wedding bells she’s hearing in her mind, or warning bells. She longs for the excitement of her old London life – the glamour, the regular pedicures. Can she really give that all up to be…a fishwife?

There’s nothing for it but to throw herself into bringing a little Christmas magic to the struggling village in the form of a Christmas fair. Somewhere in amidst the sparkly bauble cakes and stollen scones, she’s hoping she’ll come to the right decision about where she belongs…fingers crossed in time for the wedding…

Amazon links: Kindle  

Guest Book Review: Samantha Tonge - Game of Scones

Reviewed by Emma Crowley

A story of icing and flour…and how love doesn’t always go to plan!

Growing up, Pippa Pattinson’s summers were spent in the idyllic Greek island fishing village of Taxos. There she spent many long hazy days determinedly ignoring thoughts of the life her parents had mapped out for her (a dreary-but-secure accounting job and obligatory sensible husband!) Instead she daydreamed of running her own tea shop – serving the perfect scones – with mocha-eyed childhood friend Niklaus by her side…

Arriving back in Taxos for the first time in years, with suave boyfriend Henrik, Pippa barely recognises the tired little town – but is relieved to catch glimpses of the quaint, charming village she’s always loved. Together Niklaus and Pippa put together a proposal to save Taxos from tourist-tastic ruin, and at the heart of their plan is Pippa’s dream project: The Tastiest Little Tea Shop in Taxos. It’s time for Pippa to leave her London life behind and dust off her scone recipe that’s guaranteed to win over both locals and visitors. And amidst the rolling pins and raisins, it seems romance is blossoming where she’s least expecting it…

Amazon link: Kindle

Author Interview: Samantha Tonge

Today it's my pleasure to welcome Samantha Tonge back to the blog to tell us a little bit about her latest book Game of Scones which was published on Monday.

Can you tell us a little bit about your latest novel Game of Scones?
Executive Pippa and her friend of old, fisherman Niko, fight to save quaint village, Taxos, from tourist-tastic ruin. An added complication is that the brutal development plans are the work of Pippa’s ambitious boyfriend Henrik. Pippa is torn between respect for his business sense and a nostalgic longing to save the picturesque destination of her childhood holidays. She is also torn between the man she thought she loved and romantic feelings that unexpectedly spring up elsewhere...

Where did the idea come from to write about setting up a tea shop on a Greek island?
Often I think up a book title before the plot! I felt a book called Game of Scones just had to be written and following on from that, one about an afternoon tea shop – it has always been my fantasy to run such an establishment. I felt the book needed to be set in the summer, and in my opinion the Greek islands are the ideal romantic setting for a deliciously warm beach read.

Cover Reveal: Game of Scones by Samantha Tonge

This afternoon I'm delighted to help author Samantha Tonge with a promo reveal for the cover of her new book Game of Scones that is being published later this month.  I love the cover as it's so Summery, pity the weather outside today is not as nice...

A story of icing and flour…and how love doesn’t always go to plan!

Growing up, Pippa Pattinson’s summers were spent in the idyllic Greek island fishing village of Taxos. There she spent many long hazy days determinedly ignoring thoughts of the life her parents had mapped out for her (a dreary-but-secure accounting job and obligatory sensible husband!) Instead she daydreamed of running her own tea shop – serving the perfect scones –with mocha-eyed childhood friend Niko by her side…

Guest Post: Bring Me Sunshine by Samantha Tonge

Today it's my stop on the Mistletoe Mansion blog tour and welcome Samantha Tonge back to the blog with a guest post.

Without giving too much away, Eric Morecambe features briefly in Mistletoe Mansion. The younger ones amongst you might not know he was half of the famous UK comedy duo, Morecambe and Wise, which was massive in the seventies and eighties and their signature tune was called “Bring Me Sunshine”. Well-known for their hilarious comedy sketches, they’d also invite the celebrities of the day onto their programme to take part, which was thrilling for the audience who, back then, saw little of stars as their real selves. (Eek, showing my age now when I mention the fact that we had only three television channels back then and no remote controls!)

So how is he connected to Mistletoe Mansion? Well, the story is set in Harpenden, a small village in Hertfordshire, where he lived and where I grew up. As a small girl, I met the comedian one day, whilst I was walking over a pedestrian crossing with my mum. He was a regular feature in the village and would talk freely to locals - now and again even slipping the word Harpenden into his funny sketches on television. Always bouncy. Always smiling. Always jolly. It’s no surprise that his memory inspires the main character of Mistletoe Mansion, young celebrity wannabe and aspiring cupcake magnate Kimmy, when she decides to enter the Harpenden Christmas Market Cake Competition – now I won’t say more than that! 

Blogiversary Giveaway #18: Win Christmas eBooks from Rebecca Raisin & Samantha Tonge

Ready for another giveaway?  The second of today's fabulous Carina UK Christmas eBook packages is for a copy of Christmas Wedding at the Gingerbread Cafe, the final book in Rebecca Raisin's Gingerbread Cafe series, and Samantha Tonge's latest eBook Mistletoe Mansion.

You are invited to the wedding of the year!

Snow is falling thick and fast outside the Gingerbread Café and inside, its owner Lily is planning the wedding of the year. Her wedding! She never dreamt it would happen, but this Christmas, she’ll be marrying the man of her dreams - in a Christmas-card-perfect ceremony! 

The gingerbread is baking, the dress is fitted and the mistletoe’s in place – for once, everything’s going to plan. That is until her mother-in-law arrives... Suddenly, Lily’s famous cool is being tested like never before and her dream wedding is crumbling before her eyes. 

Coming Soon from Carina UK

As this feature week for Carina UK draws to a close it's time to take a look at a few of the books that they will be publishing in the next few weeks.

From Paris with Love by Samantha Tonge (published 24th July)

Every girl dreams of hearing those four magical words Will you marry me? But no-one tells you what’s supposed to happen next…

Fun-loving Gemma Goodwin knows she should be revelling in her happy-ever-after. Except when her boyfriend Lord Edward popped the question, after a whirlwind romance, although she didn’t say no….she didn’t exactly say yes either!

A month-long cookery course in Paris could be just the place to make sure her heart and her head are on the same page... And however disenchanted with romance Gemma is feeling, the City of Love has plenty to keep her busy; the champagne is decadently quaffable, the croissants almost too delicious, and shopping is a national past-time! In fact, everything in Paris makes her want to say Je t’aime… Except Edward!

But whilst Paris might offer plenty of distractions from wedding planning – including her new friends, mysterious Joe and hot French rockstar Blade - there’s no reason she couldn’t just try one or two couture dresses is there? Just for fun…

Author Interview: Samantha Tonge

I can't believe today is the final day in my Carina UK feature week but there's still a few more posts to come starting with a Q&A with Samantha Tonge.

What does a typical writing day look like for you?
I am fortunate in that I can write full-time, as both my children are now at High School. So, quite often, I plant myself in front of the computer at 8.30 am and don’t move again until 3pm. Tis wonderful for the writing but terrible for the figure!

Can you tell us a little bit about your latest book From Paris with Love?
From Paris with Love is the standalone sequel to my debut fun novel, Doubting Abbey. Former pizza waitress Gemma and her aristocratic boyfriend Lord Edward spend a month in Paris – she wants to be a chef and Edward is going into journalism and they can both develop their skills whilst there. Except that things take an unexpected turn after Gemma develops new friendships with a mysterious sexy man called Joe Bloggs (yes, really!) and hot French rockstar, Blade. This is a romantic, action story about Paris, romance and food – what more could a girl want?!