Tag Archives: Carol Thomas Author

Review of Rachael Stewart’s The Billionaire Behind the Headlines.

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Today, I am delighted to review Rachael Stewart’s novel, The Billionaire Behind the Headlines, and there is the chance to win a fabulous stack of books from the author!

About the book

In Rachael Stewart’s latest Harlequin Romance, the second in her Claiming the Ferrington Empire duet, an invitation to Paris with a billionaire is on the cards, but only if Bree is brave enough to take it…

Can a playboy billionaire……capture her heart?

Bree has escaped the big city to heal her heart in a village bakery. But when notorious billionaire Theo walks through the door, emotionally guarded Bree discovers it’s not just her toffee pudding that’s hot and sweet! The man behind the headlines is charming but intriguingly cynical about love. Accepting his invitation to Paris could be a mistake—or the best decision she’s ever made…

My review:

I haven’t read the first in the Ferrington Brothers duet but that didn’t detract from my enjoyment of this book. The characters were all likeable and I enjoyed watching Bree and Theo’s relationship develop. They each have issues relating to the past but it is clear from the start that they share chemistry.

This book had fewer physically intimate scenes than other Rachael Stewart books I have read, but the relationship and growing intimacy is still well drawn. Scenes between Bree and Theo as they unexpectedly spend time together looking after a young child were sweet. The couple’s shared baking scenes (Bree works in her family’s bakery) showed a more vulnerable side to Theo, especially as insight into his past is revealed. As well as this, there is a trip to Paris, a chase to the airport and a happy ever after – what’s not to like?

Purchase here.

Giveaway to Win An eBook collection of Rachael Stewart’s Mills & Boon True Love / Harlequin Romances (Open INT).

Prize Contains:

  • Tempted by the Tycoon’s Proposal
  • Surprise Reunion with His Cinderella
  • Beauty and the Reclusive Millionaire
  • Secrets Behind The Billionaire’s Return
  • The Billionaire Behind the Headlines

*Terms and Conditions –Worldwide entries welcome.  Please enter using the link below.  The winner will be selected at random via Rafflecopter from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then I reserve the right to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over.  Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. This will passed to the giveaway organiser and used only for fulfilment of the prize, after which time I will delete the data.  I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.

Enter here.

About the author:

Rachael Stewart adores conjuring up stories for the readers of Harlequin Mills & Boon and Deep Desires Press, with tales varying from the heartwarmingly romantic to the wildly erotic.

She’s been writing since she could put pen to paper as the stacks of scrawled on A4 sheets in her loft will attest to, and the lovingly bound short stories that her father would run off at work and proudly share out with his colleagues. Thinking it was a pipe dream to be published one day, she pursued a sensible career in business but she was really play-acting, achieving the appropriate degree and spending many years in the corporate world where she never truly belonged. Always happiest when she was sat at her laptop in the quiet hours tapping out a story or two. And so here she is, a published author, her full-time pleasure, a dream come true.

A Welsh lass at heart, she now lives in Yorkshire with her husband and three children, and if she’s not glued to her laptop, she’s wrapped up in them or enjoying the great outdoors seeking out inspiration.

Discover more about Rachael Stewart via her website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram

Many thanks to Rachael Stewart for the great read, and thanks to Rachel Gilbey of Rachel’s Random Resources and Mills & Boon, for the advanced read copy.

My reviews are added to Amazon UK and Goodreads. x

Review of Lynne Shelby’s Summer in Rome.

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Today, I am delighted to share my review for Lynne Shelby’s latest romance novel, Rome for the Summer …

The blurb:

Kate Harper has always loved the painting that has hung in her parents’ dining room for years, never suspecting that it is worth a fortune. When her art dealer boyfriend cheats her family out of the proceeds of the painting’s sale, she is left devastated and alone.

Kate discovers that two hundred years ago, the girl in the painting, Charlotte Browne, ran off to Rome with the artist who painted her portrait, but her eventual fate is unknown.

Hoping to uncover the mystery of what happened to Charlotte, Kate seizes the chance of a summer job in Rome, where she strikes up a friendship with artist Jamie Taylor. As they explore the city and start to piece together the surprising secrets of Charlotte’s life, Kate finds herself wondering if a summer in Rome can mend a broken heart…

My Review:

What a lovely, uplifting read! I read the novel on holiday; it was the perfect book to relax and unwind with. Kate was a likeable heroine, her family were wonderful, and her newfound life and love interest in Rome was perfect. For a novel filled with artistic fervour, Jamie was the ideal hero; his passion for both the art exhibited in Rome and that created by his hand was evident throughout. The insights into the past worked well, and I enjoyed discovering more about Kate’s Italian girl (depicted in a painting). Overall it is a lovely escapist read that will whisk you off to Rome for the Summer, fill you with warmth and leave you with a big satisfied smile.

Purchase Links:  Amazon UK | Amazon US

Follow the rest of the tour …

About the Author:

Lynne Shelby writes contemporary women’s fiction and romance. Her debut novel, French Kissing (re-released in e-book as Meet Me In Paris) won the Accent Press and Woman magazine Writing Competition, and her fifth novel, Love On Location, was shortlisted for a Romantic Novelists’ Association Award – the Jane Wenham-Jones Award for Romantic Comedy. When not writing or reading, Lynne can usually be found at the theatre or exploring a foreign city with her writer’s notebook, camera and sketchbook in hand. She lives in London with her husband and has three adult children who live nearby.

Discover more about Lynne Shelby and her work here: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Website

Many thanks to Lynne Shelby for the wonderful holiday-read, Headline Accent for the ARC, and Rachel Gilbey, of  Rachel’s Random Resources, for inviting me to be a part of the tour.

My reviews are added to Amazon UK, Goodreads and Cariad’s Choice Reviews in Frost Magazine. xx

 

Review of K. T. Dady’s Lemon Drop Cottage.

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Today, I am delighted to join the blog tour and share my review for K. T, Dady’s novel, Lemon Drop Cottage.

About the book:

Welcome to Pepper Bay. A small close-knit community where you’ll find chocolate box cottages, quaint shops, love, drama, and a happily ever after.

Snuggle down with this cosy, feel-good, comfort read that whisks you away to a beautiful bay on the Isle of Wight – Perfect for fans of Christie Barlow, Phillipa Ashley, and Holly Martin.

The Pepper Bay books are standalone stories that intertwine with recurring characters. Best read in order for maximum enjoyment.

The blurb:

At first glance, Scott Harper is a shy artist who keeps himself to himself, but he isn’t the man everyone thinks he is. Scott has a secret. One that has kept him firmly away from any chance of having an intimate relationship. The only woman in his life is the one he talks to online but has never met. It’s easier that way, for them both.

Dolly Lynch has just taken over her aunt’s shop in Pepper Bay. Between looking after her teenage son, running around for her old aunt, moving home, and opening a new shop, she barely has time to herself, so she really appreciates the moments she spends talking online with a man she’s never met. Little does she know he’s the same man who lives just up the road in the cutest cottage she has ever seen.

Purchase Links: Amazon UK | Amazon US

My review:

This is the first book by K. T. Dady that I have read and, therefore, my first visit to Pepper Bay. As each book in the series is standalone, this didn’t spoil my understanding of the story – though I would happily go back and read the others in the series, too.

I enjoyed meeting Scott and Dolly and spending time in this close, friendly community as their feelings developed. Dolly’s son, Dexter, is a great character who shone through; it was nice to see a teenage boy represented in a positive, caring way. There is an interesting sub-plot with the local retirement home being under threat and a good cast of secondary characters – I liked Giles, who has a close link to Scott and his secretive past. Having visited the Isle of Wight, I enjoyed the setting. And I loved the sound of Lemon Drop cottage – a sunny cottage for a sunny read!

Overall, this is a warm-hearted novel full of kind, caring characters who will make you smile.

Follow the rest of the tour:

About the author:

K.T. Dady is an Amazon best-selling author, reader, mum, chocolate lover, and a huge fan of a HEA. She was born and raised in the East End of London, and has been happily writing stories since she was a little girl. When not writing, she is baking cakes or pottering around in her little garden in Essex, trying not to kill the flowers. She is the author of contemporary romance, middle-grade, and the thought-provoking thriller about mental illness, The Focus Program.

Social Media Links: Website | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook

Many thanks to K. T. Dady for the great read, and Rachel Gilbey, of Rachel’s Random Resources, for inviting me to be a part of the tour.

My reviews are added to Amazon UK and Goodreads. x

Congratulations Jules Wake!

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Exciting news for all fans of Jules Wake – and that includes me – The Wednesday Morning Wild Swim is out TODAY!

Having previously reviewed the first in the Yorkshire Escapes series, The Saturday Morning Park Run, I am delighted to wish Jules Wake a very happy publication day as she celebrates the release of the second in the series: The Wednesday Morning Wild Swim. I can’t wait to read it; as well as Jules Wakes’ wonderful characters and great sense of community, there’s a scruffy dog! How could I resist?

About the book:

For fans of The Saturday Morning Park Run! Take the plunge and discover a gorgeous new read full of friendship, love and the healing power of community!

Ettie is trying to figure out her future.
Dominic’s just trying to forget his past.

But with the help of some unlikely friends, young and old, a secret lake hidden in the grounds of a beautiful estate and a scruffy dog, a new community is formed – right when they all need each other the most.

I can’t wait to read it (there’s a scruffy dog, how could I resist); here are just a few of the great reviews already in: 

‘Full of friendship, romance and humour…Great characters and superb writing’ Jenn

‘A great read full of kindness, acceptance, fighting for what matters and friendship!’ Sally

‘I absolutely loved this book…It’s all about people finding their confidence through swimming and falling in love’ Rosamund

‘Brilliant story about wild swimming and friendship…enjoyable right to the end’ Joanne

 Discover more and purchase The Wednesday Morning Swim, here.

About the author:

Jules Wake is the internationally bestselling author of over ten books including The Saturday Morning Park Run. She also writes as Julie Caplin and her Romantic Escapes series has hit the bestseller charts around the world.

After reading English at the University of East Anglia, Jules Wake worked in PR where she honed her fiction writing skills on press releases.  She’s now a full-time author and what better job is there than making stuff up! It certainly beats housework.

Discover more about Jules Wake and her work here: Twitter | Facebook | Instagram

Enjoy your publication day celebrations Jules! Thanks to Rachel of Rachel’s Random Resources, and One More Chapter for letting me be part of the fun. xx

My Writing Space by Morton S Gray.

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My inquisitive mind loves a glimpse into the writing world of other authors. Today, my good friend, Morton S Gray, shares her writing space, over to you Morton…

Thank you for inviting me to your blog to talk about my writing space, Carol. I actually found myself laughing when I thought about writing about this subject, as I can write anywhere and ironically often find it easier to write away from my dedicated writing space at home.

To give you a few examples, I have written on the park and ride bus into town, on trains, in cars (not whilst driving I hasten to add) and on airplanes. I wrote most of my earlier novels in local coffee shops. I’ve written my way through my son’s swimming and piano lessons, in airport lounges, in doctor’s and dentist’s waiting rooms and even one time when I was waiting to be taken down to the operating theatre for an operation, as I thought my feelings and fears might be useful for one of my characters at some point.

The advantage of writing when you are out and about is that you hear and see things that can act as a stimulus to the writing. I’m a terrible eavesdropper in cafes, especially if I’m searching for a new character name – just a fragment of overheard conversation can often supply the solution – e.g. ‘Our Owen is a right tearaway.’

These days and particularly during the covid era, I write mainly in my study at home and feel really very lucky to have one. It was a must for the purchase of our current house that there was separate study space for both my husband and I. He works upstairs and I work downstairs, often communicating by text message.

Indeed, during the Covid lockdown, I was in my study, hubbie was in his, teenage son was doing online lessons in his bedroom and my son and his fiancée, who had moved in temporarily (they were with us ten months in the end) were homeworking either side of the dining room table. Thank heavens for good internet I say!

My study is full of books and files and I’ve covered the walls with pictures that inspire me. I have cuddly toys, family trees and loads of pens and crystals around me. I’m forever buying birthday cards and then can’t part with them and they end up on my wall!

If you actually looked closely at my bookshelves you would be forgiven for thinking that I’m a historical fiction writer – maybe one day – as most of my books are about history particularly the English Civil War which fascinates me.

I find the main problem with working at home is that there are too many distractions, washing that needs to be done, the dog to be walked, meals to be cooked and the garden is calling me. It’s amazing I’ve ever finished one novel let alone the six published by Choc Lit so far.

I love the look of your office, Morton. Though I also like to avoid distractions and write outside my home.

Books by Morton S Gray:

The Girl on the Beach | The Truth Lies Buried | Christmas at Borteen Bay | Sunny Days at the Beach | Christmas at the Little Beach Café | Summer at Lucerne Lodge. You can find details of her books on her Choc Lit Publishing author page here or her Amazon author page here.

About the author:

Morton lives with her husband and Lily, the tiny white dog, in Worcestershire, U.K. She has been reading and writing fiction for as long as she can remember, penning her first attempt at a novel aged fourteen. She is a member of the Romantic Novelists’ Association and The Society of Authors.

Her debut novel ‘The Girl on the Beach ’was ePublished in January 2017, after she won The Choc Lit Publishing Search for a Starcompetition. She has now published six books in The Borteen Secrets Series.

She enjoys crafts, history and loves tracing family trees. Having a hunger for learning new things is a bonus for the research behind her books.

You can find out more about Morton and her work via: website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Apricot Plots