Tag Archives: Angela Britnell

Feel Good Friday with Angela Britnell.

Author Interview, Guest Post, , , , , , , ,

I am delighted to welcome Choc Lit author, Angela Britnell, as she celebrates the release of A Summer to Remember in Herring Bay.

Thank you so much for joining me, Angela, before we get chatting about your new book, I’d love to know if you have a top tip to promote wellbeing you’d like to share?

For me the key is balance – I love my writing but make sure to carve out space for my water aerobics classes, volunteering at my local library, travel and most importantly spending time with my family and friends. Being a Granny is my favourite job!

Great tip and I love being a Granny, too!

This is an exciting week for you. Please, tell us a little about your latest novel, A Summer to Remember at Herring Bay (I love the cover by the way):

When Essy Havers travels to Cornwall from her home in Nashville she hopes to find out why her mother is reluctant to talk about her childhood in Herring Bay, why she left for America and most important of all why she never went back. Ruan Pascow is back home in Herring Bay after years as an architect in London and unsure of where his life is headed next. When Essy’s persistent questions involve the secret behind his own father’s disappearance they come into conflict, a conflict made harder by their undeniable attraction to each other.

That sounds great. Please share a ‘feel good’ extract:

Ruan and Essy are enjoying a day out away from their problems and he’s taken her to the Jubilee Pool in Penzance…

‘Let’s get in the geothermal pool. It was all over the news when they opened it a couple of months ago and I’ve been wanting to come and test it out.’

‘You sure getting hotter is a good plan?’ A wicked smile tugged at her lush mouth. ‘We might need to get a room tonight at this rate.’

‘Might?’ When their eyes locked it sent his heart into overdrive. Beads of sweat glistened on Essy’s skin and the heat bloomed the scent of the tropical sun cream he’d slathered on her earlier.

‘Yeah, might.’ She trailed a finger down and teasingly rested it in the middle of his chest. ‘Keeping our options open raises the stakes.’

‘They aren’t high enough already?’

‘Play along, it’ll be more fun and that’s what we’re supposed to be having today.’ Her husky voice throbbed with the challenge.

‘Pool. Now.’ He tugged on her hand. ‘You’re dangerous.’ The only answer he received was a peal of rich laughter as he half-dragged her towards the pool.

Gosh! I love the steamy tension in that scene. Here are the links to buy: Amazon | Kobo | Choc Lit

I know you always have another writing project in mind, so what can we expect from you next?

I’ve just finished writing a Christmas novella titled Mistletoe and Moonshine and will be working on a spring book next.

Wow!

Finally, I like to get all of my feel-good Friday authors to answer five quick fire questions for fun: 

Tea or coffee? Tea – PG Tips or Earl Grey when I’m feeling reckless.

Trainers or heels? Trainers now, too many high heels when younger.

Hotel or hostel? The fanciest hotel I can afford.

Favourite season? Spring, I love all the flowers and the temperature usually suits me perfectly.

Who would you give your last Rolo to? They’re not my absolute favourites so probably anyone who asked for it but if we were talking about a Crunchie or Ghirardelli Dark Chocolate Raspberry squares the answer would be different!

OO I had to look up what they were, they look very tasty 😉

Thank you so much for stopping by in your busy week. Best of luck with your new novel, Angela. I look forward to reading it. xx

About the author:

Angela grew up in Cornwall, England and returns frequently from her new home in Nashville, Tennessee to visit family and friends, drink tea and eat far too many Cornish pasties!

A lifelong love of reading turned into a passion for writing contemporary romance and her novels are usually set in the many places she’s visited or lived on her extensive travels. Thanks to over three decades of marriage to her wonderful American husband she’s a huge fan of transatlantic romance and always makes sure her characters get their own happy-ever-after.

She is a member of the Romantic Novelists’ Association, the Romance Writers of America and the Music City Romance Writers. Her first novel ‘Truth and Consequence’ was published in 2006 and she’s now had over 30 novels published internationally and several short stories in women’s magazines.

If you’d like to find out more of what Angela gets up to (Advance warning: this may include references to wine, chocolate, Poldark and the hunky Aidan Turner) check out: Twitter |  Facebook | website | Instagram |

Angela Britnell joins my Christmas Countdown.

Guest Post, Writing & Reading, , , , , , , , , ,

Today, on my Christmas countdown, I am delighted to welcome author Angela Britnell whose novel, Christmas in Little Penhaven is definitely on my reading list this festive season.

Welcome to my blog Angela, I greatly enjoyed my last visit to Little Penhaven, in One Summer in Little Penhaven, and I would love to know how your characters will be celebrating Christmas…

It’s tricky to answer this without giving away too much of the story but ‘Christmas in Little Penhaven’ is set in a small Cornish village where most of the inhabitants celebrate in the time honoured English manner. But Samantha, my feisty American heroine from ‘One Summer in Little Penhaven’, wants to incorporate her own holiday traditions into her new life so there will be definite parallels with my own transatlantic celebrations.

Here’s the blurb, for a bit more of a hint 🙂

Have yourself a little Cornish Christmas …

Wannabe author Jane Solomon is expecting an uneventful Christmas in her Cornish village of Little Penhaven.

But then super fit American gym owner Hal Muir comes to town, and suddenly the holiday season looks set to be far more interesting. Hal is keen on embracing every British tradition on offer, from mince pies to Christmas pub quizzes – and perhaps some festive romance too …

Click to buy.

Please, tell us more about your own transatlantic celebrations and what you’ll be up to this Christmas:

By the time 25th December rolls around we’ll be getting ready to move house but plan to host the family anyway. At least two of our sons and their families will join us but the third could already have moved because they’re in the process of moving too. As far as the Christmas meal is concerned we always combine British and American favourites so as well as roast turkey we’ll have southern cornbread dressing (instead of stuffing), sweet potato casserole and an asparagus casserole plus roast potatoes and sprouts! Desserts will be a mixture too including southern boiled custard and snickerdoodle cookies alongside mince pies and Christmas pudding. We’ll have stockings for everyone old and young and I’ll definitely listen to the Queen’s speech.

Wow! Good luck with moving house at such a busy time of year. And I would love to know what snickerdoodle cookies are, they sound great. Before you go, please take a moment to answer five quick fire questions from my Christmas selection (I am loving everybody’s answers to these!):

Mince pie or Christmas pudding? I love both but if forced to choose it has to be mince pies – preferably homemade, warm and served with Cornish clotted cream.

Singing a Christmas carol or bopping along to a Christmas classic? I love hearing and singing traditional Christmas carols but seriously dislike canned seasonal music you hear played in shops for months leading up to the holidays. I particularly hate sappy Christmas songs – ‘I’ll be home for Christmas’ and ‘White Christmas’ make me gag! My own preferences have sneaked into the character of Jane in ‘Christmas in Little Penhaven.’

Worst Christmas gift? Definitely the sewing machine my husband gave me many years ago. To set the scene I hate sewing, I was suffering from the flu and everything was being captured on video to send to my parents in Cornwall. I had to plaster on a smile and pretend to be pleased while wanting to smash the offending object through the nearest window.

Multi-coloured decs or co-ordinated Christmas tree? IMHO colour-coordinated ones belong in hotel lobbies but everyone to their own! I love unwrapping our tree decorations every year because they bring back wonderful memories. Red hearts from Denmark, carved wooden decorations bought at German Christmas markets, exquisite hand painted glass balls from Italy and cross-stitch ornaments made by old friends no longer with us.

Sprouts or no sprouts? Sprouts – I love them now and my sons all enjoy them (the youngest would bizarrely eat them like sweets as a two year old!) but they’re definitely a taste I’ve acquired with age because as a child I hated them and thought them a plague on Christmas.

Oh goodness, I would be disappointed with a sewing machine too (well done on the fake smile), and I do love hearing a Christmas carol too, though I must confess to bopping along to all kinds of sappy Christmas songs from about October, hehe!

Thank you so much for joining my Christmas countdown and I wish you and your family a wonderful festive season! xx

About the author:

Angela Britnell grew up in Cornwall, England and returns frequently from her new home in Nashville, Tennessee to visit family and friends, drink tea and eat far too many Cornish pasties!

A lifelong love of reading turned into a passion for writing contemporary romance and her novels are usually set in the many places she’s visited or lived on her extensive travels. Thanks to over three decades of marriage to her wonderful American husband she’s a huge fan of transatlantic romance and always makes sure her characters get their own happy-ever-after.

Angela is a member of the Romantic Novelists’ Association, the Romance Writers of America and the Music City Romance Writers.

If you’d like to find out more of what Angela gets up to (Advance warning: this may include references to wine, chocolate, Poldark and the hunky Aidan Turner) check out: Facebook | website | Twitter | Instagram

Don’t miss author Jane Cable sharing a Christmas read and some festive fun, on my blog on Monday 9th December. xx

Author Angela Britnell is #SharingTheLove

Guest Post, , , , , , , , ,
As February is the month of love, I have a host of wonderful romance authors stopping by my blog to share flirty extracts from their novels! Well you know, any excuse 😉 

Today, I am delighted to welcome Angela Britnell, who is #SharingTheLove with an extract from her novel, Here Comes the Best Man  … over to you Angela!

Here Comes the Best Man

“‘Sorry the transport’s not fancy.’ Josh opened the truck door. ‘I didn’t expect to be ferrying any ladies around on this trip.’

‘You mean you’ve managed to entice other women into your luxurious vehicle?’ Louise joked in an effort to allay her nervousness. Lingering memories of last night’s rendezvous in the park made her body hum. ‘It suits you.’

‘Battered around the edges, in need of a paint job and a little rusty around the undercarriage?’

‘You said it, not me. My thoughts ran more on the lines of unpretentious and hard-working.’

A wide grin creased his face. ‘Hop in and we’ll see if she’ll start.’

‘I hope we’re still talking about the truck?’

‘You are trouble.’

‘Have you only now worked that one out, Mr Robertson?’

‘Sweetheart, I knew you were a threat to my sanity the day I set eyes on you.’ His delicious, low drawl made her skin suddenly too tight for her body.”

OO I loved this extract, Angela. Thank you for sharing, I have Here Comes the Best Man on my kindle and look forward to reading it, soon. 

Discover more about Here Comes the Best Man:

Being the best man is a lot to live up to …

When troubled army veteran and musician Josh Robertson returns home to Nashville to be the best man at his younger brother Chad’s wedding he’s just sure that he’s going to mess it all up somehow. But when it becomes clear that the wedding might not be going to plan, it’s up to Josh and fellow guest Louise Giles to make sure that Chad and his wife-to-be Maggie get their perfect day. Can Josh be the best man his brother needs? And is there somebody else who is beginning to realise that Josh could be her ‘best man’ too?

Publisher: Choc Lit
Genre: Romance
Buy the book Amazon UK | Amazon.com

About the author:

Angela Britnell grew up in Cornwall, England and returns frequently from her new home in Nashville, Tennessee. A lifelong love of reading turned into a passion for writing contemporary romance and her novels are usually set in the many places she’s visited or lived on her extensive travels. After more than three decades of marriage to her American husband she’s a huge fan of transatlantic romance and always makes sure her characters get their own happy-ever-after. Over the last twelve years she’s been multi-published and sold over 25 novels. She also writes short stories for women’s magazines. She is a member of the Romantic Novelists’ Association, the Romance Writers of America and the Music City Romance Writers.

If you’d like to find out more of what Angela gets up to (Advance warning: this may include references to wine, chocolate, Poldark and the hunky Aidan Turner) check out: Twitter |  Facebook | website | Instagram |

Don’t miss author Berni Stevens #SharingTheLove with an extract from Revenge is Sweet, on my blog tomorrow. xx


Carol Thomas writes contemporary romance novels, with relatable heroines whose stories are layered with emotion, sprinkled with laughter and topped with irresistible male leads. Discover more here.

Three Fabulous Festive Reads

Book Review, , , , , , , , , , , ,

With one week to go until Christmas, I am sharing some of my recent Christmas reads. They have left me feeling thoroughly festive, so if you’re looking for a fabulous Christmas read, here’s some recommendations:

One Magical Christmas by Berni Stevens

The Blurb:

When Annie Berry collides with Nik Knoll in a car park on the day of her sister’s wedding, it feels like all of Nik’s Christmases have come at once. Annie seems like just the sort of woman he’d like to get to know, and the chance nature of their encounter is almost like, well … Christmas magic.

My Review:

I love Christmas and read this book with a big smile. The story takes you by the hand, wraps you in Christmas magic and leaves you with a warm, cosy feeling. As a novella, it was a speedy read, which was ideal for me, as a busy mum during the festive period. Berni Stevens’ gorgeous story enabled me to escape for a few hours and to claim a little Christmas magic for myself; a great read with very likeable characters. Recommended for all those who wish they could still believe!

Buy Christmas One Magical Christmas.

Christmas at Black Cherry Retreat by Angela Britnell

The Blurb:

What if you had nowhere to call home for Christmas? 
When Fee Winter books a winter break at the remote Black Cherry Retreat in the small town of Pine Ridge, Tennessee, it’s with the idea that the peace and quiet will help her recuperate from her hectic life as a photographer.

But what she didn’t bank on was meeting Tom Chambers and his huge, interfering yet lovable family. With them, could Fee finally experience the warmth and support that’s been missing from her own life – and maybe even find a place to call home in time for Christmas?

My Review:

This story begins in late fall and moves towards Christmas set in the Tennessee mountains. Told from the point of view of both Fee and Tom, it soon becomes apparent that each of the main characters has issues from their past to overcome.

As the two discover more about each other, the reader is drawn into their story and to understand their motivations. Tom is lovely – a mountain man with a big family and a heart to match. I found I liked the character of Fee more as the story progressed and willed her to allow herself to find happiness.

I loved Tom’s family and the community they inhabited around the Black Cherry Retreat. They provided levity and offered support and guidance to both Tom and Fee. With a touch of intrigue, suspense, a blossoming romance, and some emotional moments this book packs plenty in for an enjoyable Christmas read.

Buy Christmas at Black Cherry Retreat.

Christmas at Borteen Bay by Morton S Gray

The Blurb:

Christmas is a bittersweet time for Pippa Freeman. There are good memories, of course – but some painful ones too. Then her mother is implicated in a mysterious occurrence in their home town of Borteen, and Pippa wonders if she’ll ever experience a happy Christmas again – especially when a family secret is revealed.
But when police officer and old school friend Ethan Gibson offers his support, Pippa begins to realise that even though her life has been turned upside down, a happy and hopeful Christmas isn’t impossible …

(Set in the same fictional village as Morton’s other books but can be read as a standalone.)

My Review:

I greatly enjoyed my third visit to Borteen Bay. The small mentions given to characters from previous books made me smile. Having said that this book can be read and enjoyed as a standalone novella. With a shocking discovery on the beach early on and a touch of intrigue created by family secrets, it hooks you from the start – as you’d expect from Morton S Gray.

The story is told from the point of view of the main characters, Ethan and Pippa, who are both still touched by occurrences from their past, that have divided them. So when Pippa has to turn to Ethan for help, it is more than a body on the beach that is brought to the surface. As the two are thrown together it becomes apparent that Ethan is a different type of romantic hero; he is more measured in his responses and passions, he is flawed and yet thoroughly likeable.

As a novella, it is great to escape into for a few hours over the busy Christmas period. I enjoy Morton’s writing style and the world she has created in her Borteen Bay series. I look forward to visiting again in the future.

Buy Christmas at Borteen Bay.

With three great books to choose from, why not get a hot chocolate, put your feet up and indulge in a Christmas read? And if you haven’t read it yet (shock, horror, what have you been doing with your time?), don’t forget you could also read The Purrfect Pet Sitter, to join Lisa Blake in the French Alps for a Christmas she’ll never forget.

My reviews are posted on Amazon UK and Goodreads. xx