Summer Giveaway: Win a bundle of Summery Bookish Goodies

As it's the start of my week off I've decided to celebrate with a giveaway for this bundle of Summery themed goodies. I'm sounding like a broken record in that my reading and blogging mojo is still very much hit and miss so I'm not sure when I'll be back reviewing but thankfully Emma still has plenty of reviews coming up in the next few months. 

Emma's Review: The Secret Beach by Veronica Henry

Reviewed by Emma Crowley

Twenty years. 
One secret. 
A promise never to tell...

Nikki finally owns the little coastguard cottage of her dreams - and it's a few steps away from the hidden beach that means so much to her.

But when a handwritten note lands on her doorstep, she realises it's only a matter of time before the heartbreaking truth of her past is uncovered.

Twenty years ago, her whole world was turned upside-down when a terrible storm rolled into the small seaside town of Speedwell.

Ever since that night, Nikki has been keeping a secret. One she knows has the potential to destroy the lives of those she loves most.

Because as sure as the tide turns, there are no secrets in a small town...

Book Links: Kindle or Hardcover

Emma's Review: Thirty Days in Paris by Veronica Henry

Reviewed by Emma Crowley

Because Paris is always a good idea...

Years ago, Juliet left a little piece of her heart in Paris - and now, separated from her husband and with her children flying the nest, it's time to get it back!

So she puts on her best red lipstick, books a cosy attic apartment near Notre-Dame and takes the next train out of London.

Arriving at the Gare du Nord, the memories come flooding back: bustling street cafés, cheap wine in candlelit bars and a handsome boy with glittering eyes.

But Juliet has also been keeping a secret for over two decades - and she begins to realise it's impossible to move forwards without first looking back.

Something tells her that the next thirty days might just change everything... 

Book Links: Kindle or Hardcover

Emma's Review: The Impulse Purchase by Veronica Henry

Reviewed by Emma Crowley

Sometimes you have to let your heart rule your head . . .

Cherry, Maggie and Rose are mother, daughter and granddaughter, each with their own hopes, dreams and even sorrows. They have always been close, so when, in a moment of impulse, Cherry buys a gorgeous but rundown pub in the village she grew up in, it soon becomes a family affair.

All three women uproot themselves and move to Rushbrook, deep in the heart of Somerset, to take over The Swan and restore it to its former glory. Cherry is at the helm, Maggie is in charge of the kitchen, and Rose tends the picturesque garden that leads down to the river.

Before long, the locals are delighted to find the beating heart of the village is back, bringing all kinds of surprises through the door.

Could Cherry's impulse purchase change all their lives - and bring everyone the happiness they're searching for? 

Book Links: Kindle or Hardback

Emma's Review: A Wedding at the Beach Hut by Veronica Henry

Reviewed by Emma Crowley

Escape to Everdene Sands, where the sun is shining - but is the tide about to turn?

Robyn and Jake are planning their dream wedding at the family beach hut in Devon. A picnic by the turquoise waves, endless sparkling rosé and dancing barefoot on the golden sand . . .

But Robyn is more unsettled than excited. She can't stop thinking about the box she was given on her eighteenth birthday, and the secrets it contains. Will opening it reveal the truth about her history - and break the hearts of the people she loves most?

As the big day arrives, can everyone let go of the past and step into a bright new future?

Amazon Affiliate Links: Kindle or Paperback

Emma's Review: A Home from Home by Veronica Henry

Reviewed by Emma Crowley 

Sunshine, cider and family secrets...

Dragonfly Farm has been a home and a haven for generations of Melchiors - arch rivals to the Culbones, the wealthy family who live on the other side of the river. Life there is dictated by the seasons and cider-making, and everyone falls under its spell.

For cousins Tabitha and Georgia, it has always been a home from home. When a tragedy befalls their beloved Great-Uncle Matthew, it seems the place where they've always belonged might now belong to them...

But the will reveals that a third of the farm has also been left to a Culbone. Gabriel has no idea why he's been included, or what his connection to the farm - or the Melchiors - can be.

As the first apples start to fall for the cider harvest, will Dragonfly Farm begin to give up its secrets?

Amazon Affiliate Links: Kindle or Paperback

Emma's Review: Christmas at the Beach Hut by Veronica Henry

Reviewed by Emma Crowley

Everyone adores Christmas . . .

Especially Lizzy Kingham. But this year, she is feeling unloved and underappreciated by her family. The present-buying, decorating and food shopping have all been left to her. So she wonders . . . what would happen if she ran away and left them to it?

Lizzy heads to her favourite place: a beach hut on the golden sands of Everdene. There she meets an unlikely collection of new friends, all running away from something. But the spirit of Christmas gets under Lizzy's skin: soon the fairy lights are twinkling and the scent of mulled wine mingles with the sea air.

Back at Pepperpot Cottage, her family are desperate to find her. For Christmas isn't Christmas without Lizzy. Can they track her down in time and convince her she means the world to them, every day of the year?

Amazon Affiliate Links: Kindle or Paperback

Emma's Review: The Forever House by Veronica Henry

Reviewed by Emma Crowley

Would you know your forever house if you found it?

Hunter's Moon is the ultimate 'forever' house. Nestled by a river in the Peasebrook valley, it has been the Willoughbys' home for over fifty years, and now estate agent Belinda Baxter is determined to find the perfect family to live there. But the sale of the house unlocks decades of family secrets - and brings Belinda face to face with her own troubled past.

Amazon links: Kindle or Paperback 

Blogiversary Giveaway #4: Take your Pick from Emma's Top Books this Year

As part of Sharon's five year blogiversary giveaways I had offered an Amazon voucher as a prize, then Sharon suggested why not do a top three books of the year for 2016 and the winner can choose the book of their choice from that selection? So that is what I'm doing although the initial idea of choosing three books has slightly stretched a bit!

I think it must be coming up to three years that I have been reviewing for Sharon and over that time I have read many wonderful books and of course a few not so great along the way. But I have been a fan of Sharon's blog right from the beginning and it's hard to believe that five years has passed so quickly. Although myself and Sharon may not have actually 'met' in real life she has become a very, very close friend to me and I feel I could tell her anything. It's not only books we chat about, it's everything and with this year being an especially tough year for me she has always been there for me - to listen to me rant, to let me offload or just offer the right words when needed. I'm very privileged to call Sharon a friend and would be lost without her and it's our love of reading and all things connected with books that brought us together and continues to develop and deepen our friendship. Sharon is so dedicated to the blog as well as working full time and I am in awe as to how she keeps everything going. She's always great at keeping me on track with what books I have to review, although my list seems to get longer not shorter - but alot of the time that's my fault.

Sharon as ever is always very generous with her giveaways and you are in for a real treat with all the goodies she has on offer to celebrate five brilliant years of reviews, début spotlights and features. Actually now that I think of it was a reader spotlight that connected myself and Sharon and we have never looked back. It was a Lesley Pearse book that Sharon first sent me so really we were destined to become friends as Lesley is a favourite author of mine for years and years. I'm delighted to be able to help celebrate five years of fantastic blogging and wish Sharon all the best for many many more years of reading, reviewing and blogging.

So now on to business as I mentioned Sharon asked me to pick my top three choices from this year. As I write it is mid October and I know there will probably more books that I read before the year is out that I would say definitely make my best books of the year list but I am going on what I have read so far. I know around the beginning of November there are three books sitting waiting to be read on my bedside locker that I have been anticipating all year but they will have to wait not to mention all the Christmas books I have yet to read (although I have made a start). I have decided to choose three books that quite simply blew me away and are still stuck in my head all these months later. They are quite serious in their themes so I decided to lighten things up a little and decided I would pick three other books on the lighter end of women's fiction so people will have a nice range from which to choose their prize once Sharon has picked the winner at the end of the giveaway. So now onto my selections.

Emma's Review: How to Find Love in a Book Shop by Veronica Henry

Reviewed by Emma Crowley

Nightingale Books, nestled on the high street in the idyllic Cotswold town of Peasebrook, is a dream come true for booklovers.

But owner Emilia Nightingale is struggling to keep the shop open. The temptation to sell up is proving enormous - but what about the promise she made to her father? Not to mention the loyalty she owes to her customers.

Sarah Basildon, owner of stately pile Peasebrook Manor, has used the book shop as an escape from all her problems in the past few years. But is there more to her visits than meets the eye?

Since messing up his marriage, Jackson asks Emilia for advice on books to read to the son he misses so much. But Jackson has a secret, and is not all he seems...

And there's Thomasina, painfully shy, who runs a pop-up restaurant from her tiny cottage. She has a huge crush on a man she met and then lost in the cookery section, somewhere between Auguste Escoffier and Marco Pierre White. Can she find the courage to admit her true feelings?

Amazon links: Kindle or Hardcover

My Favourite Book Shop by Emma Crowley

As part of the blog tour for Veronica Henry's beautiful book How to Find Love in a Book Shop reviewers were asked to write about their local bookshop or a bookshop they often frequent as part of the Books are my Bag campaign for Independent Bookshop Week. So I have chosen my local bookshop - in fact the only bookshop - The Book Centre in Waterford City where I live. 

Even if there had been other bookshops from which to make my selection I would have picked this family run shop situated in the heart of Waterford City in John's Roberts Square. It's been a part of my life for as long as I can remember and I hope it will be for may years to come. You would think when asked to choose your favourite bookshop there would be an abundance to contemplate before making your final decision but sadly that is no longer the case. As is highlighted in Veronica's story bookshops are becoming that rare commodity in this day and age - they are that special place that nurtures a bookworms dream and allow us to indulge our passion for books. Where else can you go in and pick up a book enticed by the cover and sit down for a few minutes to read the blurb or a sample chapter before deciding whether this book is one for you or not? 

In the current era of  technology and the regular onslaught of all things social media books are in danger of dying out but I for one believe there is nothing like the feel of a paperback in your hands and the thrill of actually turning the pages as you venture deeper into a damn good read. I agree as with all things in life books have to move with the times and the Kindle has been a good addition to the book world but e-books will never replace the real thing. Although they have tried and their book sales are huge and e readers are handy the feeling of walking into a bookshop and discovering what new authors and books it has to offer will never die out (the teacher in me will always instill a love of books in my pupils). It would be such a shame for future generations not to experience this and as Emilia in How to Find Love in a Bookshop learns people need and want their local bookshop because if there wasn't one there in the local community there would be a huge gaping hole that would be extremely difficult to replace.

I've loved reading ever since I can remember. I was religiously brought to the library every Saturday by my Dad to pick out books ranging from Topsy and Tim to The Secret Seven from Anne of Green Gables to the Chalet School and many many more (I still remember that feeling of graduating from the children's library to the adult section and borrowing my first ever Maeve Binchy), I read everything I could lay my hands on. When I first started having some money of my own beginning with pocket money the obvious thing to do was to spend it on books and The Book Centre was where I turned to. 

Originally located on Michael Street in the city the shop was opened by a local family called the Ryan’s in 1971. The Ryan’s still own the shop today with their daughter currently running the shop. I remember the old shop from when I was younger, as you walked through the door there were shelves either side which ran from floor to ceiling full of the latest releases and well loved classics. The children's section was towards the back and I spent many a time carefully choosing my next read. I can't remember in what year the shop moved to its current location but it obviously outgrew its first premises and they moved to the old cinema in John Roberts Square where it remains to this day. 

The Old Savoy Cinema

The location is absolutely perfect as the square really is the centre of the city and without The Book Centre and Penneys (Primark) across the street the city would be dead. These two shops draw residents and visitors alike and you enjoy imparting your well earned euros. The shop is huge inside with vast ceilings that stretch as high as you can see. There is a huge wall dominated by a fabulous painting which once was the old cinema screen. My Dad has fond memories of watching films there but it's nice to think many more fond memories are being created in this unique shop which is loved by many.

High Tide Blog Tour: An introduction to Kate by Veronica Henry

Today it's my stop on the blog tour for Veronica Henry's latest book High Tide which is published tomorrow.  The fab blog tour poster below shows the layout of the village (click on the picture to be taken to a bigger image) and shows places that you'll soon recognise as soon as you start reading including Bellevue which is the family home for Kate one of the central characters in the book.

Kate is Pennfleet born and bred, and had an idyllic childhood growing up by the sea, with two loving parents.  Yet sometimes we have to escape to discover our full potential, even if we love the place where we were born.  Kate has flown the nest and gone to live in New York, where she has a glamorous and exciting career as a party planner.  It really does seem as if she has the perfect life. 

But when her mother dies, a few years after her father, Kate comes home to clear out Bellevue, the tiny house that has been theirs all her life.  Going through all their belongings brings back memories, and she is reminded of the simpler and less complicated life she once had.  Is New York really the place for her?  An encounter with her teenage crush adds to her dilemma.  But when she finds a mysterious letter in her mother’s handbag, she realises her mother had a secret.   Who wrote the letter and what is behind it?  And will the answer affect Kate’s own future?

Books Read: Veronica Henry - Love on the Rocks

When the rundown Rocks Hotel comes up for auction in Mariscombe, Lisa and her boyfriend George make a successful bid to escape and live the dream. But their dream quickly becomes a nightmare. Their arch-rival, Bruno Thorne, owner of the Mariscombe Hotel, seems intent on sabotage.

Meanwhile, local chambermaid Molly is harbouring a secret that will blow the whole village apart. Then an unexpected visitor turns up on the doorstep. It seems everyone in Mariscombe is sailing a little too close to the rocks...

 Amazon links: Kindle or Paperback

Christmas Reading Challenge: Veronica Henry - Christmas at the Crescent

Behind the gorgeous Georgian sweep of Pelham Crescent, Bath, everyone's getting ready for Christmas...

At Number 14, Josie Ballard is up to her ears in brandy, raisins and cherries as she battles to make forty Christmas puddings to sell at Bath Christmas Market. Ever since Giles walked out the day their baby was born, Josie has had to work twice as hard to make ends meet. Sacrificing a career as a chef, her famous steamed puddings keep her and her gorgeous baby boy Titus afloat. Almost. So when, in the middle of Stir Up Sunday, a new neighbour in the Crescent complains about the noise that Titus is making, Josie gives him a basinful...

Giles, meanwhile, is finding life in the fast-lane with his uber-glamorous new girlfriend Rebecca rather draining. With one party blurring into another, he's now wondering if he hasn't made a terrible mistake in abandoning Josie and his child. Isn't it time he grew up, his mother asks, and Giles is starting to agree. So when he discovers Josie has a handsome new neighbour, Giles decides it's time to step up to his parental duties...

Christmas just got complicated

Amazon links: Kindle

Books Read: Veronica Henry - A Sea Change

Jenna is known as The Ice Cream Girl. She doesn't mind the name one bit. After all, there are far worse jobs than selling ice creams by the sea.  Then one hot summer's day everything changes and Jenna faces the most difficult decision of her life.

Craig spends as much time as he can at the beach hut in Everdene he rents with a few of his mates. It's the perfect break from his stressful job, and he loves to surf.  But one weekend he notices a girl on the beach - for all the wrong reasons. 

For Jenna and Craig, it's a chance meeting which could change their lives for ever...