Tag Archives: Hannah Pearl

Hannah Pearl joins my Christmas Countdown!

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Today, I am delighted to have fellow Ruby Fiction author, Hannah Pearl, joining my Christmas countdown, with her fabulous, heartwarming festive read Daisy’s Christmas Gift Shop!

Welcome to my blog Hannah, I love your gorgeous cover and I am excited to know how your characters will be spending Christmas…

Evie will be spending the day with Jake. Her cousin Charmaine will cook. Charmaine will complain about having to do so on her day off as she’s a chef so she’ll have been busy making Christmas dinners for work parties for the last month, but she knows no one else could make anything as tasty. Jake certainly can’t be trusted to bake without setting fire to the kitchen. Jake’s dad, sister and niece will be there so the day will be full of love, laughter and Guinness.

Karen will be looking forward to Hogmanay, but will doubtless raise a glass of whisky on Christmas Day when she thinks about how her life has changed since her last birthday.

Daisy will be spending the day with her brother Ben, her dad, her best friend Lily and Ben’s best friend Eli. You’ll have to read my first ever Christmas book, Daisy’s Christmas Gift Shop, to find out whether she and Eli will be kissing or killing each other under the mistletoe!

OO what a tease and the blurb is not giving much away either:

Struggling to find the perfect Christmas gift? Step into Romantic Daze …

Daisy Kirk is a sucker for a love story, which is why she opened up her gift shop – because there’s nothing that makes Daisy happier than when she’s helped a customer achieve their own ‘happily ever after’ by finding the perfect Christmas gift for their loved one. And she absolutely does not just sell ‘soppy presents and frilly pants’ as her brother’s infuriating best friend, Eli, is so fond of suggesting.

The sad fact is that whilst Daisy is helping others with their love lives, hers is non-existent. But when unusual circumstances take Daisy and Eli on a road trip from London to rural Wales, will she finally get the happily ever after to her own Christmas love story?

Buying links: Amazon UK | Amazon.com | Ruby Fiction

I can’t wait to find out how Christmas turns out for Daisy and Eli, in the meantime why don’t you tell us how you will be spending this festive season?

Hopefully with a big family get together. I somehow ended up volunteering to coordinate a Secret Santa for about twenty relatives a few years ago. It went well and I’ve been organising them ever since so I assume a chunk of the day will also go on making sure that everyone has a gift to open!

 I’ll try to make sure I fit in a rest at some point, often when many of my family go out for a walk, to make sure that I can last for as much of the day as possible.

 There are usually too many of us to sit down for a formal traditional meal but we’ll make sure we fit in a roast dinner at some point during the holidays, albeit that I’ll have mine with veggie sausages instead of turkey!

 Well done on organising the Secret Santa, it sounds like you have Christmas all wrapped up (sorry I couldn’t resist). Before you go, I’d love you to answer five quick questions from my Christmas selection:

Christmas jumper or posh frock? Christmas jumper. I don’t think I could look smart if I tried any more so might as well embrace it and go with something fun.

 Real or artificial Christmas tree? Real. We had an artificial tree for about ten years and my daughter loves it so much she now puts it in her room, but I love a real tree. I always feel a bit sad when it’s time to get rid of it. It adds so much colour and cheer to the room.

 Mince pie or Christmas pudding? Both.

 Favourite Christmas film? Die Hard. (Now you’re being controversial – I’ve heard arguments over whether this is a Christmas film.)

 Cracker hat or no cracker hat? No hat, they barely fit over my hair!

 Favourite Christmas song? Slade. Merry Christmas Everybody.  It doesn’t feel like Christmas until I’ve heard Noddy Holder belt out Merry Christmas!

 Must watch Christmas TV? Doctor Who and Strictly.

Thank you so much for joining my Christmas countdown, and I love the fact you got carried away and answered seven of my Christmas selection questions. I wish you and your family a fabulous festive season! xx

About the author:

Hannah Pearl was born in East London. She is married with two children and now lives in Cambridge.

She has previously worked as a Criminology researcher, as a Development Worker with various charities and even pulled a few pints in her time.

In 2015 she was struck down by Labrynthitis, which left her feeling dizzy and virtually housebound. She has since been diagnosed with ME. Reading has allowed Hannah to escape from the reality of feeling ill. She read upwards of three hundred books during the first year of her illness. When her burgeoning eReader addiction grew to be too expensive, she decided to have a go at writing. In 2017 she won Simon and Schuster’s Books and the City #heatseeker short story competition, in partnership with Heat magazine, for her short story The Last Good Day.

Hannah is a member of the Romantic Novelists Association.

Discover more about Hannah Pearl here: Twitter |  Blog | Ruby Fiction

Also by Hannah Pearl:

Evie’s Little Black Book

Is hunting down every man you’ve kissed the answer to finding Mr Right?

When Evie is invited to the wedding of the guy she’d fancied throughout her teens, it’s the final straw. What’s wrong with her and why can’t she keep a man?

In between consoling herself with ice cream and chocolate, and sobbing her heart out to her cousin Chamaine, Evie has a brainwave – and it all centres around her ‘little black book’ (well, more floral patterned notebook really) – which contains the details of every man she’s ever kissed or dated. Perhaps the cure for her disastrous love life has been nestled within its pages all along …

Does Evie’s little black book really hold the answers, or will she learn that exes are exes for a reason?

Publisher: Ruby Fiction
Genre: Romantic Comedy
Buy the book Amazon UK | Amazon.com

It’s My Birthday

Oh boy, another birthday…

Karen could be excused for crying on her birthday, especially as it’s the first one since her husband got on a plane to the States and never came back. Then there’s the fact that her workmates were practically bribed to attend her birthday meal. But when a restaurant double booking leads to her sharing a table with single dad Elliot and his daughter, things start looking up.

As Karen gets to know Elliot she experiences feelings she thought she’d never have again. But is it enough? Or will the thing that destroyed Karen’s previous relationship also ruin things with Elliot?

Publisher: Ruby Fiction
Genre: Romantic Comedy
Buy the book Amazon UK | Amazon.com| Ruby Fiction

Don’t miss author Angela Britnell joining my Christmas Countdown, on Thursday 5th December! xx

Author Hannah Pearl is #SharingTheLove

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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 excited to welcome Hannah Pearl, who is #SharingTheLove with an extract from her novel Evie’s Little Black Book … over to you Hannah!

Evie’s Little Black Book

“‘You’re beautiful.’

I laughed and pretended that my heart wasn’t beating at a million miles an hour. He leant forward and kissed me, gently and sweetly, on the lips. ‘There. Now you can go home knowing that you’ve remembered how attractive you are,’ he said.

‘I didn’t make the first move. Last time I had the confidence to kiss him. It’s been a while since I felt able to do that without worrying that I was misreading the signs.’

‘Then kiss me first,’ Jake suggested. ‘I don’t mind, if it’ll help you with your mission I mean.’

He smiled, and for a moment I forgot how many people were crowded around us. I forgot all the men I’d met before and, most importantly, I forgot all those who came
after. Leaning forward, I kissed Jake, just for the briefest of moments, and it felt perfect.”

Thank you for sharing your lovely extract Hannah, Evie’s Little Black Book is on my to be read list!

Discover more about Evie’s Little Black Book:

Is hunting down every man you’ve kissed the answer to finding Mr Right?

When Evie is invited to the wedding of the guy she’d fancied throughout her teens, it’s the final straw. What’s wrong with her and why can’t she keep a man?

In between consoling herself with ice cream and chocolate, and sobbing her heart out to her cousin Chamaine, Evie has a brainwave – and it all centres around her ‘little black book’ (well, more floral patterned notebook really) – which contains the details of every man she’s ever kissed or dated. Perhaps the cure for her disastrous love life has been nestled within its pages all along …

Does Evie’s little black book really hold the answers, or will she learn that exes are exes for a reason?

Publisher: Ruby Fiction
Genre: Romantic Comedy
Buy the book Amazon UK | Amazon.com

About the author:

Hannah Pearl was born in East London. She is married with two children and now lives in Cambridge.

She has previously worked as a Criminology researcher, as a Development Worker with various charities and even pulled a few pints in her time.

In 2015 she was struck down by Labrynthitis, which left her feeling dizzy and virtually housebound. She has since been diagnosed with ME. Reading has allowed Hannah to escape from the reality of feeling ill. She read upwards of three hundred books during the first year of her illness. When her burgeoning eReader addiction grew to be too expensive, she decided to have a go at writing. In 2017 she won Simon and Schuster’s Books and the City #heatseeker short story competition, in partnership with Heat magazine, for her short story The Last Good Day.

Hannah is a member of the Romantic Novelists Association.

Discover more about Hannah Pearl here: Twitter |  Blog | Ruby Fiction

Don’t miss me (Carol Thomas) #SharingTheLove with an extract from The Purrfect Pet Sitter, 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.

Happy publication day, Caroline James!

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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

Book Boyfriend Blind Date 1

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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