Tag Archives: Carol Thomas

Review of Rachael Stewart’s latest novel, Getting Dirty!

Book Review, Publication Day Push, , , , , , , , , , , ,

Today, I am delighted to join the publication day fun and share my review for Rachael Stewart’s Getting Dirty!

The Blurb:

Sometimes digging up the dirt

Means getting deliciously dirty…

I always work for the good guys. My job was simple: get the dirt on Coco Lauren, a princess of a socialite who talks—and plays—dirty. But I kissed her. I tasted her. Uncovered the tantalising woman beneath the polished façade. And she undid me in every way. Now I’m the bad guy. But how do I tell Coco the truth…when coming clean means losing her?

Genre: Erotic Romance
Published by: Mills & Boon Dare

My review:

Rachael Stewart delights with this entertaining, racy read. Not only are the intimate moments between Coco and Ash well portrayed, but there is a genuine attraction and warmth between them too. You want their relationship to work on more than the physical level, and through the time they share, you gain an understanding of how much they need each other.

The plot was interesting and enjoyable, and while I knew there was going to be a happy ending, I couldn’t help but wonder how it would play out.

The supporting characters were great, adding to and increasing our knowledge of the leads. And I have to mention the trip to the Highlands… I loved Ash’s relationship with his dad, and seeing him in this whole new setting – sigh!

Overall, this was a fabulous, sexy read, with a good pace, likeable characters and a story that holds you throughout. As always with a Rachael Stewart read, I look forward to the next.

Click to buy the book: Amazon

Giveaway to Win an e-copy of Getting Dirty by Rachael Stewart (Open INT)

*Terms and Conditions –Worldwide entries welcome.  Please enter using the Rafflecopter box 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.

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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 heart-warmingly romantic to the wildly erotic.

Despite a degree in Business Studies and spending many years in the corporate world, the desire to become an author never waned and it’s now 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

Many thanks to Rachael Stewart for the great read, and thanks to Rachel Gilbey of Rachel’s Random Resources for enabling me to be part of the publication day push.

My reviews are added to Amazon UK and Goodreads. x

Review of Rosie Green’s A Winter Wedding at the Little Duck Pond Cafe!

Blog Tour, Blog Tour Review, , , , , , , , ,

Celebrating the release of Rosie Green’s A Winter Wedding at the Little Duck Pond Cafe, I am delighted to share my review…

The blurb:

With Zak and Ellie’s wedding day approaching, there’s high excitement in the pretty village of Sunnybrook, especially among the Little Duck Pond Café crew. Ellie is over the moon with her romantic surprise wedding gift from Zak, and Madison is promising to organise a hen party to remember. Everyone has high hopes for a magical Christmas Eve wedding celebration at gorgeous Brambleberry Manor. (Even Maisie-Moo has a sparkling new outfit.)

But sometimes, even the best-laid plans can go wrong. And with the journey to the altar turning out to be rockier than expected, it’s going to take nothing short of a Christmas miracle to ensure a happy ending …

Genre: Contemporary Romance / Romantic Comedy / novella

My review:

This was a lovely catch up with the inhabitants of Sunny Brook and all at the Little Duck Pond cafe. The story was told from the perspectives of Ellie, Jaz and Fen, key characters from previous books, and it was great to get their insight into the forthcoming event, as well as to see how their own relationships had developed. Fen remains one of my favourite characters.

After the lead up to this story, I would have liked a little bit more about the actual wedding itself, and to have shared in more of the warmth of Zak and Ellie’s relationship. I really like them as a couple and just felt, for me, the lovely Zak was a bit absent, when he should have been one of the stars of the show. (Can you tell I’ve got a soft spot for him?)

Overall, it’s a fab series, with characters who will become your friends, and a setting you will want to move into.

Buy the book Amazon.UK | Amazon.com

Check out the entire Little Duck Pond series here.

About the author:

Rosie Green has been scribbling stories ever since she was little. Back then they were rip-roaring adventure tales with a young heroine in perilous danger of falling off a cliff or being tied up by ‘the baddies’. Thankfully, Rosie has moved on somewhat, and now much prefers to write romantic comedies that melt your heart and make you smile, with really not much perilous danger involved at all, unless you count the heroine losing her heart in love.

You can find Rosie on Twitter.

Follow the tour here:

Thank you, Rosie, for another great read! Thank you, also to Rachel of Rachel’s Random Resources for the advance copy of A Winter Wedding at the Little Duck Pond Cafe, and for having me along as part of the blog tour.

My reviews are posted on Amazon UK and Goodreads. xx

Happy New Year and Happy Blogiversary!

Book Review, Writing & Reading, , , ,

I started my blog two years ago this month, and it has been lovely to share my writing and reading journey with you. Over the past two years, I have had the privilege to host some wonderful guest authors and to review some great books. Thank you to all those who have contributed and all those who have read my blog to date.

I like to think about my year ahead in my first post in January, and set myself some targets I hope you will hold me to. When I started my blog two years ago, I said I had never travelled anywhere alone. I have subsequently been to Sue Moorcroft’s writing retreat in Umbria. I have attended two Romantic Novelist’s Association conferences and their York Tea. And I hopped on a plane to Dublin for a writing jolly with, my Choc Lit friend, Morton S. Gray. I have loved the adventures.

Morton and I working hard in Dublin!

This year will be a little different as I am also working in a local school. Though I am a qualified teacher, I am currently working as a TA and HLTA. The class and school I am in are lovely and have reminded me how much I miss teaching. But time is tighter. When I get a spare moment – I still have three children under sixteen and my crazy dog to look after – I am writing. So what will this year’s adventures be?

Well, it is a big year for the RNA with their 60th birthday, and so I am hoping to go to the conference in July. I hope to fit in a writing retreat, but I am pondering when and where. I had a productive weekend away just before Christmas, and so will be repeating that at some point. It’s also a big year in my family as my sister, and husband both have their 50th birthdays. For my sister, my eldest daughter and I are planning a weekend away, and for my husband … Eeek! I am not sure yet, but I am aware the time will whizz by.

Bookwise, there is exciting news to come about the paperback release of Maybe Baby. I must get my two, already written, but not yet illustrated children’s books out. And I must get my WIP finished and off to my lovely, patient, publisher. I then have plans for a Christmas novella. Watch this space!

Goodreads tells me I read 22 books last year, really it is 23 as there is another review pending when the book is released. I’ll be trying to improve on that next year. I have, of course, also read with my children and can think of at least another eight chapter books and countless shorter books we’ve shared as bedtime stories. Maybe I should start counting those too.

And here’s the review of my first read of 2020 – A Wedding in December by Sarah Morgan:

This is an enjoyable read, with a beautiful setting. I enjoyed the focus of the story being on a couple in an already established relationship, as it made a nice change. But I also liked the development of the other characters and their relationships too. When a book is by Sarah Morgan, and it’s set in the snow, you know you’re in for a treat, and this didn’t disappoint. Jordan (he lives in a log cabin and drives a snow mobile) was my favourite character – it would have been good to get to know him a little better 😉 Discover more here.

Cineworld tells me I went to see 90 films in 2019, WOW! It was a year for good stories. Regarding recent releases, I highly recommend Little Women, it’s my favourite version to date. And for children (and parents), Spies in Disguise is very funny.

On Netflix, I have greatly enjoyed Atypical and binge-watched all three series in the lead up to Christmas. Not only is it an entertaining show, but it is a good insight into the life of those on the spectrum, or, much closer to home for me, living with those on the spectrum. And if you still haven’t seen Isn’t it Romantic, you should, as you are in for a treat.

And finally, I’d like to wish you a very happy and healthy New Year, thank you for all of your fantastic support. Here’s to another busy year ahead.

Sharon Ibbotson joins my Christmas Countdown!

Book Review, Writing & Reading, , , , , , , , , ,

Rounding off my Christmas Countdown, I am delighted to welcome author Sharon Ibbotson, as she chats about her latest novel, Hanukkah at the Great Greenwich Ice Creamery!


I’ve already read and enjoyed your book, Sharon, but for those who haven’t, how will your characters be spending the festive season?

Well, given that my hero Cohen is Jewish, and my book called ‘Hanukkah at the Great Greenwich Ice Creamery’ the answer is that they won’t be celebrating Christmas! Cohen mentions in the book that they tend to order Chinese food on Christmas day (something I’ve done myself in the past) and watch a Christmas movie (something I always do!) but that otherwise the day passes without any noteworthy celebration. This year Christmas day coincides with the fourth night of Hanukkah however, so I can imagine my characters gathering around the hanukiah and saying the first and second blessings before lighting the Hannukah candles. They might then sing some traditional songs or eat some latkes (a sort of fried potato cake, very delicious!) or, given Cohen’s embittered demeanour (before he meets my heroine, I mean) he might just drink and wish the holidays away…

And to entice readers further, here’s the blurb:

Hanukkah days, Christmas nights and strawberry ice cream …
Cohen Ford is a man who could do with a little bit of sweetening up. It’s no surprise that when he walks into The Great Greenwich Ice Creamery on a typically gloomy London day before Christmas, he insists on a black coffee rather than his childhood favourite – strawberry ice cream.

But then he meets River de Luca, the woman behind the flavours. After their first encounter, Cohen begins visiting the ice creamery every Tuesday, gradually learning more about the intriguing River. Could her influence encourage cynical Cohen to become the man who embraces Christmas, Hanukkah and even strawberry ice cream?

Genre: Romance
Published by: Choc Lit

And my review:

A lovely, heart-warming original story. I liked the characters of Cohen and River (great names too) and enjoyed watching their relationship develop as they learned to communicate and face the challenges that came their way. I have never read a Hanukkah romance before and greatly enjoyed this one. It was a refreshing story – in more ways than one, as there was plenty of delicious sounding ice-cream mentioned too.

Click to buy the book: Choc Lit | Amazon | Audio

Now, I am intrigued to know how you will be spending this festive season; does the Ibbotson household embrace Christmas, Hanukkah or even strawberry ice-cream? (Do you see what I did there?)

Well, there will be about twenty of us together on the day, all squeezed into my Mum’s house in Newcastle. My husband’s family are Christian, so he’ll take his Dad to church, but we’re not Christian on my side and so don’t celebrate the religious aspect of Christmas. For my sisters and I, the holiday is more an excuse to spend time together. We’re a family of people who appreciate food and drink, so we tend to start with coffee before hitting the prosecco hard and not looking back. The kids will play and we’ll talk and spend time cooking, and we might all watch a film together. My sister has a dog (I’m not allowed one at home yet sadly as my husband has cats) so I’m hoping I’ll get to take her out for a walk on Christmas Day (hint, hint Jules!)

Oh, I do love a family get together, and I hope you get to go for your dog walk. Before you go, I wonder if you would answer five questions from my festive selection?

Naughty or nice? I’m always nice, lol. But I can be occasionally naughty if the situation calls for it!

Mince pie or Christmas pudding? I love a mince pie! They give them out at my local coffee shop so I eat far too many of them too.

Favourite Christmas film? Home Alone. My son is nearly eight and loves it, and I could listen to him laugh all day long.

Black forest hot chocolate or gingerbread latte? Gingerbread latte. But it would have to be decaff, soy, and sugar free, so I don’t tend to indulge these days disappointingly.

First Roses flavour to disappear from your tub? I miss the coffee flavour desperately. That was always the one that went first for me.

Thank you so much for joining my Christmas Countdown, and I wish you and your family a fabulous festive season. xx

About the author:

Sharon Ibbotson is Australian but has lived in the UK for nearly twenty years. She started writing romance when she ran out of Sweet Valley High movies to read. She lives in London with her husband and two kids. Her professional background is in marketing and she has a degree in anthropology and gender studies from the University of Edinburgh. She loves reading and writing regency romance novels, especially those with a more gothic and darker tone.

Discover more about Sharon and her work, here: website | Twitter | Facebook

Thank you so very much to all of the wonderful authors who have taken part in my Christmas Countdown, it has been a lot of fun to get to know you all a little more. And I would like to take this opportunity, once more, to wish you all a very happy Christmas. xx



Kitty Wilson joins my Christmas Countdown!

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

Today, I am excited to welcome author of the wonderful Village School series, Kitty Wilson, to my Christmas countdown!

Welcome to my blog Kitty, I would love to know how your characters will be spending Christmas…

Alice and Dan both live in Penmenna and they LOVE Christmas. With Alice being a teaching assistant in the school and Dan the local vicar, this story sees the two of them working together to make the school’s Nativity play something truly special, even though at times it looks like the production may get a little out of hand.

Meanwhile, Alice is secretly trying to pull together a special choir to march down the aisle on Christmas Eve as a festive surprise for Dan whose church choir has dwindled down.

At the same time Dan’s Granny Annie has moved into the village for the Christmas period and has very firm ideas of exactly what she wants to happen for Christmas, and will stop at nothing to have her festive dreams come true.

Christmas is certainly a very special, and very busy, time of year for Penmenna.

It sounds great, and to tempt readers further here’s the blurb:

It’s the most wonderful time of the year in Penmenna…

Teaching assistant Alice has sworn off men, which is fine because with Christmas coming she’s super busy organising the school Nativity. This should be a blast with the help of close friend and village vicar, Dan – if she can ignore those more-than-just-a-friend feelings she’s developed for him…

Dan is happy to help Alice – his secret crush – but not only is his beloved Granny Annie about to be made homeless, the church choir has disintegrated and he’s battling some dark demons from his past.

With meddling grannies and PTA wars thrown in the mix, can Alice and Dan overcome their past hurts to move forward? Will they be spending Christmas together as friends… or something more?

A festive feel-good romance perfect for fans of Tilly Tennant and Holly Martin.

Buying links: Amazon | Kobo | iBooks | GooglePlay | The Village School series

With your characters having a fabulously festive time, I’d love to know how you will be spending this Christmas…

Christmas has always revolved around my children but with me now officially being an empty nester, and them both likely to be working on the day itself, things are going to be quite dramatically different this year.

In the past it has been a mad frenzy of baking and making in preparation. Lots of the things referenced in Christmas Wishes come straight from our Christmases, glitter footprints up the stairs from fireplace to stocking, bells as Santa’s sleigh crosses the skies, Christmas carol services, parties and gallons of mulled wine.

This year will probably be considerably quieter, I shall sneak off down the motorway at some point to celebrate with all my friends in Cornwall and cook a Christmas dinner for the children (which means I get two Christmases) when they are free but the day itself will be quite quiet; myself, my partner and my mum will eat far too much and lie around groaning as the dog expectantly jangles his lead. I’m looking forward to it.

I hope you enjoy your quiet Christmas, and I love the fact your own Christmases inspired the festive fun in Christmas Wishes. Before you go, Kitty, I have to ask you to answer five quick questions from my Christmas selection (when I say “have to”, I think everyone has realised by now, it is because I am nosey and loving these answers):

Naughty or nice? Naughty…every time!

Real or artificial Christmas tree? Real, I love the smell of a real tree and the excitement of choosing it.

Favourite Christmas song? No prizes for originality but it’s The Fairy Tale of New York, largely because it was the one the children and I would sing super loudly together every time it came on the radio. I also have a sneaking love for O little Town of Bethlehem.

Sprouts or no sprouts? Yes, yes, yes to sprouts. Cooked with pancetta and chicken stock make these a huge family favourite. Hmm, you’ve actually managed to make them sound appealing, hehe!

Best cracker prize? The little red fortune telling fish – despite it seemingly only having one setting (curling up) we all love this. I am with you on this!

Thank you so much for joining my Christmas countdown and I can’t wait to read Christmas Wishes! xx

About the author:

Kitty Wilson lived in Cornwall for twenty-five years having been dragged there, against her will, as a stroppy teen. She is now remarkably grateful to her parents for their foresight and wisdom – and that her own children aren’t as hideous. Recently she has moved to Bristol, but only for love and on the understanding that she and her partner will be returning to Cornwall to live very soon. She spends most of her time welded to the keyboard, dreaming of the beach or bombing back down the motorway for a quick visit! She has a penchant for very loud music, equally loud dresses and romantic heroines who speak their mind.

You can follow Kitty, and find out more about her work here: Facebook | Twitter 

Don’t miss author, Sharon Ibbotson, joining me on Monday 23rd December with her novel, Hanukkah at the Great Greenwich Ice Creamery! xx