All posts by carol

Review of Lucy Diamond’s On a Beautiful Day

Book Review, , , , , ,

On a Beautiful Day by Lucy Diamond

The Blurb

It’s a beautiful day in Manchester and four friends are meeting for a birthday lunch. But then they witness a shocking accident just metres away which acts as a catalyst for each of them.

For Laura, it’s a wake-up call to heed the ticking of her biological clock. Sensible Jo finds herself throwing caution to the wind in a new relationship. Eve, who has been trying to ignore the worrying lump in her breast, feels helpless and out of control. And happy-go-lucky India is drawn to one of the victims of the accident, causing long-buried secrets to rise to the surface.

This is a novel about the startling and unexpected turns life can take. It’s about luck – good and bad – and about finding bravery and resilience when your world is in turmoil. Above all, it’s about friendship, togetherness and hope.

Genre: Women’s Fiction.
Publisher: Macmillan (11 Jan. 2018)

My review:

I always enjoy Lucy Diamond’s books. I love her down to earth characters and relatable storylines. I liked the relationships between the group of friends in this book and finding out about each of their individual stories. I tend to listen to books on my kindle while driving but found this one slightly harder to keep track of due to the number of characters. Once I got straight who was who, I was urging them each to find their happy ending and, as ever with a Lucy Diamond book, finished the book with a contented smile.

Click to buy the book.

About the author:

 

Born in Nottingham, Lucy Diamond has lived in Leeds, London, Oxford and Brighton, but now lives in beautiful Bath. She is married with three children.

Find Lucy Diamond on Twitter and Facebook.

My reviews are added to Amazon UK and Goodreads x

Happy publication day, Caroline James!

Writing & Reading, , , , , , , , , , , ,

I’d like to start this post by saying a very big congratulations to my fellow Ruby Fiction author, Caroline James, whose book The Best Boomerville Hotel is released today (13th March 2018)! I can’t wait to read Caroline’s book, which is already getting some great reviews, and I hope she has a day of celebrations planned. With a book described as a fabulously funny read – think The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel but in the Lake District – I’m sure it will be a great success. Discover more here.

Caroline’s novel is available for £1.99 across all ebook formats. If you don’t have an e-reader, there is no need to miss out. You can download the free Kindle or Kobo reading app on your phone or tablet and simply order the book via your chosen platform. How easy is that!

Also on this special day, I would like to say cheers to all of the authors who have signed with Ruby Fiction to date, Caroline James, Angela Barton, Hannah Pearl, Wendy Dranfield and me … we are off ladies, with an exciting year ahead, whoop whoop!

Mother’s Day

I hope you had a good Mother’s Day. I was very spoilt. Amongst my goodies were a Kindle voucher, a Costa voucher, a Cineworld voucher and cupcakes spelling out Mummy – I think my children have me worked out pretty well! As always, my favourite things were the gorgeous cards, messages and pictures my children and grandchildren made for me – such little treasures (the children and the gifts).

I recently connected with a group of new mums, when I asked for a little research help on my Facebook page. I was overwhelmed by offers and by the generosity with which everyone was willing to share their pregnancy and birth experiences with me. Responses to my questions came in through the night, as clearly the volunteers were awake with their little ones. The answers I received were great and inspired me to crack on with planning a novel I am really looking forward to writing. They also proved how diverse, difficult, happy and sometimes sad the path to motherhood can be. To all the mum’s out there you are amazing, and to all those who want nothing more than to be a mum, I truly hope you get your happy ending.

Out and about:

I will be at the Lyminster Primary School Craft Fair, in Littlehampton BN17 7JZ, Saturday 17th March, 11-2pm, selling my children’s book Finding a Friend and my contemporary romance novel, Crazy Over You. I will also be promoting The Purrfect Pet Sitter and my daughter is hoping to offer some crafty colouring fun for the little ones too.

It promises to be a lovely family event. There will be a range of local crafts on sale and entry is free. Come along and say hello.

Size doesn’t matter (any length review will do):

My current read is Lucy Diamond’s On a Beautiful Day. I am a big Lucy Diamond fan and have read all of her books. I enjoy her engaging style, down to earth characters and relatable storylines. I will add my review next time as I have just over a quarter of the book to go – but it is safe to say, I’m really enjoying it.

Cinema-wise, just lately I’ve seen:

LadyBird – A good story, very well acted and an interesting exploration of the mother-daughter relationship. Definitely worth a watch!

I-Tonya – Margot Robbie is great. I knew a little of the story but not the details. It really is a fascinating film, where you feel the plight of Tonya Harding who is gifted and talented with the odds of success strongly stacked against her.

Red Sparrow – Jennifer Lawrence is great in this spy thriller in which seduction and double-dealing are the predominant weapons of choice.

You Were Never Really Here – this was violent, dark and well paced to suit the mood of the film.

Thanks so much for reading my blog, don’t forget to raise a glass for Caroline today, and let me know what you’ve been reading and watching lately. x

The Purrfect Pet Sitter coming soon!

Writing & Reading, , , , , , , , , , , ,

If you follow me on Facebook or Twitter, you will have found it hard to miss the exciting news that my new book, The Purrfect Pet Sitter, published by Ruby Fiction, is now available for pre-order and is due for release on 24th April. You can find it on all ebook retailers. And if you don’t have a Kindle or e-reader, you don’t have to miss out. Simply, download the free Kindle app on to your phone or tablet and order via Amazon!

With the pre-order underway, I have been focusing on promotion. This weekend was spent finishing off my book trailer. This one is extra special as my dog Hubble has a starring role. See if you can spot him (or the back of him!).

I have also created some cards to give out at events which is purrfect timing. Along with fellow Chindi Authors, I will be at the UK Southern Book Show, at the Worthing Pavilion, on 4th March, 9-6pm. It is a new event and should be a real celebration of UK authors. If you are in the area, come along and say hello. It will make a great day out for book lovers of all ages.

Finally, for now – obviously promotion is an ongoing thing – I have been contacting local newspapers. The Purrfect Pet Sitter is set largely in and around Littlehampton, encompassing Arundel, Houghton Forest and parts of Rustington. So if you live in the local area, you are sure to recognise some of the places mentioned.

In other news, I recently celebrated being with my hubby for 27 years. The time has flown by, and despite the curve balls that have come our way (it’s been 27 years after all) we still love each other oooodles! Here’s a couple of photographs from back in the 90s, and a more recent one taken in France when I was researching The Purrfect Pet Sitter.

My Reading – Size Doesn’t Matter (even a short review will do):

The Yorkshire Pudding Club by Milly Johnson: I always enjoy Milly Johnson’s books and this story of three friends and their journey to motherhood did not disappoint. It was touching, witty and laugh out loud funny at times, but also had me crying on more than one occasion. The characters were likeable and I was willing each of them to find their happy ending. A great read.

Step Away From the Sofa by Ellie Kennedy: This is a great little book packed with advice about how to live life to the full by experiencing the world around you. With suggestions that are accessible to most, in one form or another (should you be brave enough to take them on), Ellie Kennedy encourages her readers not to waste a moment. The range of fun activities suggested, will have you wondering why sitting on the sofa in a TV coma ever seemed appealing. With so many diverse suggestions to occupy yourself, some of which are free and all of which have elements of fun, physical activity, social interaction and a sense of achievement, there really is something for everyone. Add to that it is a joy to read as the author’s love for life and the world around her shines through. Also, now I’ve read this, I have realised I was one of the five strangers this author suggests you chat to a day, back when I sat next to her in a café in 2015. We have shared many lovely chats since!

 Have a happy book week 2018 everyone!

Book Boyfriend Blind Date 2

Guest Post, , , , , , , , , , , ,

With Valentine’s Day nearly upon us, and so many lovely heroes still to choose from, Book Boyfriend Blind Date continues!

Once again the lovely authors from Choc Lit and Ruby Fiction have been answering these two, all important questions to help you find the perfect Valentine’s date:

If I went on a blind date with the hero from your book, how would I recognise him and where would he take me?

And so it is with very great pleasure, that I invite you to get a drink, sit back and enjoy, as you join me, in considering which of these heroes you would choose from book boyfriend blind date round two:

Josh Owens from The Velvet Cloak of Moonlight by Christina Courtenay

Josh Owens – you’d mostly recognise him by his delicious New Zealand accent, but you can’t really miss him as he’s tall and has the kind of looks that could sell millions of bottles of aftershave if he stared moodily out of an advert – clear green eyes, black tousled hair and dark stubble.

Where would he take you? To a little country pub somewhere near the Welsh border, where you could sit in near the open fire and feel as though you’d known him forever, time had stood still for centuries and the past was only a breath away …

Marc Peterson from Little Pink Taxi by Marie Laval

Marc Petersen, the hero of Little Pink Taxi, is half French but he has fallen in love with Scotland. Therefore he would definitely take you there for a blind date. It would be in a hotel in a beautiful old castle, with roaring fires in the massive stone fireplaces, a cosy lounge where you would enjoy a dram of whisky or a locally brewed pine needle beer (rumoured to put you in the mood for romance), and a restaurant serving delicious and heart-warming dishes. There would also be four-poster beds, atmospheric views of a loch and perhaps even a ghost or two…

You would recognise him straight away by his sexy French accent, of course!

William James Austen from Dance Until Dawn by Berni Stevens

Will is a vampire, so he’d probably be the very pale man lurking in the shadows. Tall, dark and devastating with a wit as sharp as his teeth, and very hypnotic green eyes.

He would almost certainly take you to his club, Dusk, which has live bands playing several nights a week, a very trendy DJ and a werewolf as manager. I hope you like to dance because he’s very fond of dancing – and dancers.

Bill Blythe from Follow A Star by Christine Stovell

Bill Blythe would be fairly easy to spot as he’s tall, strapping and red-haired. His idea of showing a woman a good time would probably be to take her to see the Foo Fighters, but his heart’s very much in the right place. As one happy reader said, ‘Oh my goodness … wouldn’t we all like a Bill in our lives!’

The hero from The Best Boomerville Hotel by Caroline James in her Ruby Fiction debut

The hero in my story (I can’t giveaway a spoiler by telling you who he is!) would wine and dine you in the gorgeous, private, candlelit restaurant in the 17th century panel room at Boomerville. You will recognise him as soon as you walk into the room for he stands, to smile warmly; his handsome face glowing in the light from flames dancing from a fire which burns in a cast-iron grate. The discreet corner table will have an arrangement of red roses and a bottle of chilled champagne. He holds out his hand and as you walk forward he pulls out a chair and you slip your legs under the white linen cloth. He pops the cork with ease and fills your glass and as the deliciously cold bubbles explode in our mouth you gaze at your hero and wonder, ‘Where have you been all my life?’

Nathan Baker from The Purrfect Petsitter by Carol Thomas in her Ruby Fiction debut (well I had to let Nathan join in the fun!)

Nathan has fine stubble and blond, ruffled hair. At around six foot two he is tall and has a muscular physique. If he isn’t in uniform (he’s a fireman) then he’ll be smart casual in his favourite, Timberland does lumberjack, jeans, t-shirt and open checked shirt, style. Being an extreme sports enthusiast Nathan would happily take you on a date that thrills. But if what you fancy is cuddling up in front of an open fire, sharing a bottle of wine and getting to know each other better, he’s pretty good at that too.

I am so going to miss my inbox filling up with these fabulous answers. I hope you’ve found someone to spend a bit of quality time with this February. I think I am just going to read all of the answers one more time before I make my final choice 😉 Happy Valentine’s Day everyone!

Thank you so much to all those who took part. You can find all of these lovely authors on Twitter: Christina Courtenay | Marie Laval | Berni Stevens | Christine Stovell | Carol Thomas | Caroline James | Choc Lit | Ruby Fiction |

Haven’t discovered Book Boyfriend Blind Date 1? Don’t miss out, check it out here!

Book Boyfriend Blind Date 1

Guest Post, , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Looking for a blind date that won’t disappoint, this Valentine’s Day? Then look no further, as I have been doing a little research for you (honestly, it was entirely selfless) and I have discovered some wonderful book boyfriend, blind date prospects. In fact I have discovered so many, I am sharing them over two posts!

I can’t tell you how much I have enjoyed watching my inbox fill up since I asked the lovely authors from Choc Lit and Ruby Fiction to answer these two, all important questions:

If I went on a blind date with the hero from your book, how would I recognise him and where would he take me?

Reading their answers, I felt like I had joined the most wonderful, and diverse, online dating agency! So get a drink, sit back and enjoy, as you join me, in considering which of these heroes you would choose from book boyfriend blind date round one:

Jack Penhale from The Thief’s Daughter by Victoria Cornwall

On your date, you would recognise Jack because he would be wearing a tricorn hat (like Ross Poldark) and leading a horse. For the date, he would take you for a horse ride along the North Cornish Coast, finally ending up in a secluded cove. There you will stroll, barefoot, along the water’s edge together and have a kiss or two … or three.

Harry Dixon from The Girl on the Beach by Morton S. Gray

You would recognise Harry by his huge brown eyes, short dark hair, just enough stubble and a cleft in his chin. He runs a lot, usually on the beach, so he has a well-toned body. For a blind date, he would take you to the wine bar near to the beach and the promenade in Borteen, the setting for the novel. He’d wear soft faded denim jeans and a dark blue shirt. He doesn’t drink alcohol due to events in his past, so he’d have orange juice but would order a good bottle of Chardonnay for you. He’d aim to get the seats near to the window of the wine bar so that you could both watch the light change over the bay as the sun went down.

Alex Aldrich from Watch for me by Moonlight by Kirsty Ferry

You’d recognise Alex by the haunted look in his eyes, a result of the fact he was actually yearning for his childhood sweetheart, Elodie Bright. He’s very handsome; tall, dark and has amazing cheekbones. But he’s got a few demons knocking around so don’t be surprised if he’s a bit quiet and doesn’t really give you his full attention. He’s got a lot on his mind – mainly how he can get Elodie back, as she’s just returned to the village after a messy divorce and a long absence. You’re his rebound. It’ll never work – sorry, but I think it’s best that you know in advance!

He’s pretty committed to pulling his old family estate around after his dad drove it to the brink of bankruptcy. He might not want to go too far afield as he’s got a million and one things to sort out at Hartsford Hall, but, if you catch him on a good day, he might take you to the West End. But again, that’s probably because he’s hoping he’ll bump into Elodie as she works as a costume designer in the London theatres…

Aiden Foster from Before You by Kathryn Freeman

With his dark hair, striking grey eyes and ridiculously handsome face it would be hard not to notice Aiden Foster. Then again, you wouldn’t need to, because this ladies’ man would notice you. Depending on where in the world he was working – he’s a Formula 1 driver – he might take you to his yacht in Monte Carlo, or perhaps the Ritz-Carlton in Singapore. Then again, he might just take you for a meal in his luxury trailer. That’s if he’s got ten-year-old Tom staying with him…

Daniel from Angela Barton’s Ruby Fiction debut

Daniel is an artist. He’ll be the man waiting a little self consciously while scratching a couple of paint splashes from his watch face. You’re meeting by the crackling log fire in the village restaurant; a table for two booked an hour later. Daniel’s tall and slim, his hair and eyes are conker-brown, but it’ll only be when you’re close enough to speak with him that you’ll notice the amber flecks in brown eyes and the fine laughter lines fanning from them. You’ll discover that you’re breathing a little faster – he’s gorgeous after all! He’ll smell of spice and citrus, and you’ll be thanking your lucky stars that you agreed to meet him.

Jake from Hannah Pearl’s Ruby Fiction debut

Jake, would probably invite you over for dinner because he would be looking after his sister and his niece. You would recognise him because he would be the one trying not to set the kitchen on fire!

So many lovely, interesting and intriguing prospects, but the good thing about picking a book boyfriend is, you don’t have to choose just one … Happy choosing, and don’t miss Book Boyfriend Blind Date 2, coming soon!

Thank you so much to everyone who took part. You can find all of these lovely authors on Twitter: Victoria Cornwall | Morton S. Gray | Kirsty Ferry | Kathryn Freeman  | Angela Barton | Hannah Pearl | Carol Thomas | Choc Lit | Ruby Fiction