Review... Girl From Mars - Julie Cohen

Girl From Mars - Julie Cohen
Little Black Dress, 2011
Headline
ISBN: 9780755341399












My rating

From the back cover:



"I, Philomena Desdemona Brown, do solemnly swear to forsake all romantic relationships...
It's not like the vow, made by Fil and her three nerdy male best friends, seemed much of a big deal at the time. Frankly, Fil wouldn't know romance if it hit her in the face, and with her real love being her artist job at Girl from Mars, the comic whose heroine has never had a love interest, she doesn't exactly mind being relationship-free anyway. Until her world is rocked to its core when one of her long-standing quartet and Girl from Mars herself both unexpectedly fall in love. Is it time to give in to temptation and finally fall in love?"

Oh, what a wonderful book! Just what I needed to distract myself on a day when I had the house full of builders making lots of noise!

Julie Cohen is a brilliant storyteller and she really shows it in this book. She captures the thoughts and feelings of her heroine perfectly, and takes her on a journey that had me absorbed right from the start.

The descriptions of the comic book art, and how the heroine creates it, are described with such rich and vividness, I could really visualise it.   

The characters are normal people, as well as slight oddballs, and very relatable in a story that is more than believable.

The love-story is, sigh, built up beautifully and full of ups and downs. The heroine is shy, awkward, and into things most people would find geeky and weird, which makes the book even more endearing, and the author seems to relish writing her.

So many different emotions are explored in the story and it ends up feeling magical. I simply adored it!

Xx

Review... You Don't Know Jack - Erin McCarthy

You Don't Know Jack - Erin McCarthy
Brava
Kensington, 2008
ISBN: 9780758214102












My rating

From the back cover:

"Jamie Peters no longer believes in true love. True idiots, true scumbags, true moochers - these she believes in wholeheartedly, and she's got the checkered dating history to prove it. So, she's more than a little skeptical when her cross-dressing psychic tells her she's about to meet her soul mate - during an accident. Yeah, sounds about right. And then it happens. A knight in shining armour steps between her and a mugger on a subway platform. Just a regular, honest, upright Jack. The kind they don't make anymore...

Jonathon Davidson doesn't believe in destiny - or lying to beautiful women as a rule. But now that Jamie thinks he's just an ordinary guy, how can he possibly tell her that he's really, her roommate's brother, a millionaire to boot, and the jerk who's investigating her application to his grandfather's charitable trust because she may be involved in something illegal? Yeah, rhetorical question. He can't. Not until he knows what's going on. Besides, it would require being able to resist Jamie's luscious curves long enough to say, "Hi, my name is Big Liar. Let's get naked." Sometimes, destiny sucks..."

I have tried quite a few Single-Title romances from a bunch of popular authors but I have never really warmed to the style of them, so I started reading this on with a bit of trepidation. While I can't say that I love it, I did find it relatively enjoyable.

My favourite thing at this book is that the hero falls head over heels in love with the heroine and isn't afraid to say it.

The heroine is quirky and endearing but she constantly pushed the hero away for what seemed like ridiculous reasons and this became incredibly frustrating after a while.

The premise of the book (hero is investigating heroine, falls in love but doesn't say who he really is or what he's doing) had great potential for both conflict and fun, but I think everything was revealed too early, it let the idea down in my opinion. After that it seemed liked all the book was about was the heroine's issues (and she had a lot) and the hero being a bit too-good-to-be-true.

It's an OK read.

Xx

Review... The Chalet Girl - Kate Lace

The Chalet Girl - Kate Lace
Little Black Dress, 2007
Headline
ISBN: 9780755338313












my rating

From the back cover:

"The ski season. A glamorous world of snowy pistes, gorgeous ski instructors and glittering après-ski nightlife. What's not to love?
Quite a lot, thinks Millie Braythorpe. Four months of endless bed-making and cooking for guests have taken their toll, and the only thing she really looks forward to is her nightly gig singing in a little French bar. Then handsome troublemaker Luke comes to stay at her chalet, and before she knows it Millie's head over heels in love. But is Luke to be trusted, or is her Alpine romance destined to end in heartbreak?"

I have wanted to read this book for a while, it comes with a lot of good reviews. And while I found it enjoyable, it wasn't what I was expecting.

The book starts off great; we learn a lot about the heroine, especially how she got to where she was at that point and what she has been through. The author weaves the backstory in well, makes it gripping and not too info-dumpy.

This is one of the first books I have read (in the general romance area) that deals with abortion. This was interesting to me, as it's something that brings a lot of issues/opinions with it. However I don't really think this was made the most out of, it was virtually forgotten about in the second half of the book.

The story was built up beautifully in the first half but after that everything seemed to become too 'easy'. Too twee and convenient. Some great conflict was developed then I felt like the book kind of lost its way.

I also feel that the heroine at 18-19 years old was too young. Everything would have been deeper and easier to relate to if more time had passed since the hurtful events in her life.

Nevertheless, this is a sweet read and certainly holds your attention.

Xx

Review... Nine Uses for an Ex-Boyfriend - Sarra Manning

Nine Uses for an Ex-Boyfriend - Sarra Manning
Corgi, 2012
ISBN: 9780552163286













My rating

From the back cover:

"Hope Delafield hasn't always had an easy life.
She has red hair and a temper to match, as her mother is constantly reminding her. She can't wear heels, is terrified of heights and being a primary school teacher isn't exactly the job she dreamed of doing, especially when her class are stuck on the two times table.
At least Hope has Jack, and Jack is the God of boyfriends. He's sweet, kind, funny, has a killer smile, a cool job on a fashion magazine and he's pretty (but in a manly way). Hope knew that Jack was The One ever since their first kiss after the Youth Club Disco and thirteen years later, they're still totally in love. Totally. They're even officially pre-engaged. And then Hope catches Jack kissing her best friend Susie...
Does true love forgive and forget? Or does it get mad... and get even?"

I'm a little conflicted over this book, I'll be honest. Coming from my new-favourite-author, I knew it was going to be a) superbly written, b) deeply gripping, and c) brilliant... And it certainly was all of those three things.

I think it deserves a better title, and cover, but that of course that doesn't have any effect on my overall enjoyment.

The heroine of this story is really put through the ringer - she's chewed up, spit out, then put through it all over again. But she never loses herself totally, and eventually becomes stronger because of it.

The book captures everything, warts and all, that people go through after infidelity and when a relationship ends. Mistakes are made, even from the heroine, and the author holds nothing back. I was never sure where the author was going to take us next and the story has so many twists, turns, and unexpected happenings.

That's what makes this book so brilliant. I enjoyed every page, wanting to either cheer out load, sob, or scream in frustration! It is, at times, painful reading.

Then I got to the last few pages... The epilogue left me feeling sad. The heroine had been treated appallingly by some people and they were still a part of her life, I feel after everything she had gone through she deserved so much better.

Because it was the last thing I read, this sticks in my mind, but the rest of the book is simply wonderful so I can forgive these last few pages!

Gritty and real, and intensely moving. Read it!

Xx

Review... Love & Freedom - Sue Moorcroft

Love & Freedom - Sue Moorcroft
Choc Lit, 2011
ISBN: 9781906931667













My rating

From the back cover:

"New start, new love.
That's what Honor Sontag needs after her life falls apart, leaving her reputation in tatters and her head all over the place. So she flees her native America and heads for Brighton, England. Honor's hoping for a much-deserved break and the chance to find the mother who abandoned her as a baby. What she gets is an entanglement with a mysterious male whose family seems to have a finger in every pot in town. Martyn Mayfair has sworn off women with strings attached, but is irresistibly drawn to Honor, the American who keeps popping up in his life. All he wants is an uncomplicated relationship built on honesty, but Honor's past threatens to undermine everything. Then secrets about her mother start to spill out ... Honor has to make an agonising choice. Will she live up to her dutiful name and please others? Or will she choose freedom?
From the bestselling author of Starting Over, this novel has great charm and a cast of unforgettable characters."

Another really great book from Choc Lit and Sue Moorcroft.

The blurb and the beginning of the book really whets your appetite and makes you want to keep reading. From the word go I was desperate to find out what it was that the heroine was running from.

I loved reading all the interactions between the hero and heroine, there is plenty of spark and lots of great dialogue. I felt the hero and heroine clicked right from the start, they were both searching for something more in their lives and recognised this in each other. Oh, and a hero who is a male model? Yes please!

The only thing I found a little frustrating is that this book has a slightly unhinged/stalker-esque ex plot... as do the previous two books I have read by this author. While this part of the story is very well written and works well with the story I feel that I wanted something a little different in this book, but as I said it works.

The love story between the hero and heroine builds beautifully; it's sweet and deep and feels natural. One thing I like about this author is that her characters are normal people, with flaws and everything.

Superb writing, the story flows easily and had me absorbed all the way through, worth every minute spent reading it. Very enjoyable. 

Xx

Review... Pear Shaped - Stella Newman

Pear Shaped - Stella Newman
Avon Books, 2012
ISBN: 9781847562708













My rating

From the back cover:

"If you found yourself glued to David Nicholls’s One Day or belting out the lyrics to Amy Winehouse’s Back to Black then you’ll love this book. 
Girl meets boy. 
Girl loses boy. 
Girl loses mind. 
Sophie Klein walks into a bar one Friday night and her life changes. She meets James Stephens: charismatic, elusive, and with a hosiery model ex who casts a long, thin shadow over their burgeoning relationship. He’s clever, funny and shares her greatest pleasure in life – to eat and drink slightly too much and then have a little lie down. Sophie’s instinct tells her James is too good to be true – and he is. 
An exploration of love, heartbreak, self-image, self-deception and lots of food. Pear-Shaped is in turns smart, laugh-out-loud funny and above all, recognizable to women everywhere."

I'm finding it very difficult to work out what I want to say about this book. Part of me doesn't want to bother writing a review at all but the other part feels the need to explain the reasons why! Odd, I know.

I got this out of the library expecting good things as the blurb sounds really interesting. What I got was a book that around 90% of I hated. Yes hated! So many times I thought about DNF'ing it but I also found that it was strangely compelling. I HAD to keep reading.

The heroine, and I use that term lightly, is an idiot... She starts going out with a total bastard of a man who treats her appallingly, yet she keeps going back for more. Yes, I know it happens, there are women like this, but, you know, I don't want to read about them. This heroine is weak in my opinion.

But, I can ignore or forgive that to a certain degree because, like I said, it is a part of life. So, my main issue with this book is the it is obsessed, and I literally mean obsessed, with weight. Barely a single page goes by without a mention of it. And what gets me is that the writer has her heroine called fat almost constantly - the heroine fluctuates between a size 8 and a size 12 (UK sizes) throughout the story. That is not fat, and it is insulting to imply it is.

The issues with the heroine going slightly of the rails and her sinking into depression were handle like a joke, and not dealt with the sensitivity they deserved - this was a chance to make the book have more depth but sadly this wasn't taken.

Between the heroine's boyfriend, the constant mention of weight, and a weak heroine, etc, this book made me angry... Yet, I couldn't put it down.

Make of that what you will; of course this is just my opinion of the book. It's not for me, but YMMV.

Xx

Review... Nina Jones and the Temple of Gloom - Julie Cohen

Nina Jones and the Temple of Gloom - Julie Cohen
Little Black Dress, 2010
Headline
ISBN: 9780755341412












My rating

From the back cover:

"Get your teeth into this devilishly racy romantic adventure that's full of surprises!
All work and no play makes Nina a dull girl... But when you're PA to a celebrity chef who's even tastier than one of his delicious dishes you can't help loving your job. And what's wrong with fancying the pants off your boss? Erm, everything if he's married to someone else. So when Nina meets sexy Spaniard Juan, she's thrilled to escape to a new life abroad... until Juan does a runner with her hard-earned cash. Nina has no choice but to head home and brave 'The Temple of Gloom' - a gothic flat with some unusual inhabitants. Nina's had enough of bloodsuckers. But is her mysterious neighbour Viktor really a vampire? "

I just love the title of this book! 

Julie Cohen is truly a master when it comes to story telling, and this is another brilliant book from her.

Nina is everything I like in a heroine; she's confident, sometimes overly confident, full of chutzpah, a little bit of a control freak, prone to moments of impulsiveness, and always looking for something more in her life. Call me cruel, but I enjoyed reading about life kicking her about a bit! It made this book feel real, and Nina wallows, winges, and feels sorry for herself like any person would before attempting to rebuild her life.

The story has a wonderful pace and flows beautifully, it grips you right from the start.

The heroine goes on a journey, learns a few lessons and comes out the other end stronger and a better person. Exactly the kind of book I love to read.

Full of humour, darkness, and a little touch of love... Wonderful!

Xx

Book Review... Spirit Willing, Flesh Weak - Julie Cohen

Spirit Willing, Flesh Weak - Julie Cohen
Little Black Dress, 2006
Headline 
ISBN: 9780755334810












My rating

From the back cover:

"Rosie Fox is a liar. A really, really good liar. But when you’re a stage psychic who’s not actually psychic, you have to be. Then one night, while pretending to commune with the dead relatives and pets of her audience, Rosie makes a startling prediction – which tragically comes true. Suddenly she’s trapped in a media frenzy, spearheaded by the impossibly handsome journalist Harry Blake, a man intent on kick-starting his stalled career by exposing Rosie as a fraud. Yet when his interest in her goes from professional to personal, she thinks she can trust him not to blow her cover – but maybe she’s making a huge mistake."


I wasn't entirley sure I was going to enjoye this one. The blub hints at a bit of paranormal in the story, which is just not my thing. But I picked it up, mainly as it's by Julie Cohen!

At times I had to grit my teeth and get through the unexplained moments, such as the prediction, but I kept with the book and ended up enjoying it.

In my opinion it is not one of Julie Cohen's best, but it is well thought out, interesting, and superbly written. The heroines past is weaved in to the story perfectly, I really felt that I 'knew' her and understood exactly how (and why) she got to where she is.

The relationship between the hero and heroine builds nicely and the hero's betrayal was perfectly timed.

The scenes of the heroine on stage doing her psychic readings are really gripping; very evocative, thought provoking, and ever so slightly tongue-in-cheek. There is lots of depth here, you can tell the author has done very thorough research.

So yes, an enjoyable book despite my misgivings!

Xx

Book Review... All That Mullarkey - Sue Moorcroft

All That Mullarkey - Sue Moorcroft
Choc Lit, 2010
ISBN: 9781906931247













My rating

From the back cover:

"Revenge and love: it 's a thin line The writing 's on the wall for Cleo and Gav. The bedroom wall, to be precise. And it says This marriage is over. Wounded and furious, Cleo embarks on a night out with the girls, which turns into a glorious one night stand with Justin, centrefold material and irrepressibly irresponsible. He loves a little wildness in a woman and he 's in the right place at the right time to enjoy Cleo s.But it 's Cleo who has to pick up the pieces of a marriage based on a lie and the lasting repercussions of that night. Torn between laid-back Justin and control freak Gav, she 's a free spirit that life is trying to tie down. But the rewards are worth it"


I picked this one up on the strength that I really enjoyed the last book by Sue Moorcroft I read (Starting Over), and out of the three books I have read from Choc Lit publishing I haven't met one I didn't like!

The story starts with a bang - with the heroine being left by her unpredictable husband after a silly argument, she then goes out a meets a really nice guy and ends up having a one night stand with him.

A really unexpected, and brave, opening and it is played out wonderfully. The author neither condones nor makes light of her character's actions, and excuses aren't made either. Instead the journey the characters go on include coming to terms with the consequences, and there are many, of their actions.

The book is full of highs and lows, ups and downs, reconciliation and break-ups, and everything all over again! It really keeps you on your toes whilst reading.

This is almost, to me, like an 'anti-romance' and it feels raw and real. The characters just couldn't get it together, in the relationship sense and other, and, you know, that's life!

When the HEA does finally happen you really feel like it's deserved, that the hero and heroine have worked for it, and it isn't twee or contrived in any way.

Lovely. Highly entertaining.

Xx

Book Review... Starstruck - Jane Lovering

Star Struck - Jane Lovering
Choc Lit, 2011
ISBN: 9781906931689













My rating

From the back cover:

"Our memories define us don't they? And Skye Threppel lost most of hers in a car crash that stole the lives of her best friend and fiancé. It's left scars, inside and out, which have destroyed her career and her confidence. Skye hopes a trip to the wide dusty landscapes of Nevada and a TV convention offering the chance to meet the actor she idolises will help her heal. But she bumps into mysterious Sci-fi writer Jack Whitaker first. He's a handsome contradiction cool and intense, with a wild past. Jack has enough problems already. He isn t looking for a woman with self-esteem issues and a crush on one of his leading actors. Yet he's drawn to Skye. An instant rapport soon becomes intense attraction, but Jack fears they can t have a future if Skye ever finds out about his past ... Will their memories tear them apart, or can they build new ones together?"


Not only does this book have a story centred around a Sci-fi TV show convention - something I am fascinated by - but it is also by Jane Lovering, who's last book I read I really enjoyed.

The story starts off very dark, and doesn't really change from there throughout, but the author still manages to inject some very honest and funny moments. There is something about her style that is very appealing - it flows naturally, is chock-full of dry humour, as well as very emotional.

Both the hero and heroine have stories that are deep and tragic, and their personalities are richly portrayed - I found myself equally frustrated and cheered by them. Their love-story weaved into an already full story feels real and beautiful.

Jane Lovering isn't afraid to write about some of the more unpleasant aspects of life, but does it all with wit and aplomb that makes this book sparkle.

Hard hitting but it will also make you laugh, definitely worth a read.

Xx

Book Review... Unsticky - Sarra Manning

Unsticky - Sarra Manning
Headline Review, 2009
ISBN: 9780755347353













My rating

From the back cover:

"High fashion, high art, high expectations – this is Pretty Woman for the twenty-first century 
Money makes the world go round – that's what twenty-something Grace Reeves is learning. Stuck in a grind where everyone’s ahead apart from her, she’s partied out, disillusioned, and massively in debt. If she’s dumped by another rock-band wannabe, squashed by anyone else at her cut-throat fashion job, or chased by any more bailiffs, Grace suspects she’ll fall apart... 
So when older, sexy and above all, wealthy art-dealer Vaughn appears, she's intrigued against her will. Could she handle being a sugar daddy’s arm candy? 
Soon Grace is thrown into a world of money and privilege, at Vaughn’s beck and call in return for thousands of pounds in luxurious gifts, priceless clothes – and cash. She’s out of her depth. Where's the line between acting the trophy girlfriend, and selling yourself for money? And, more importantly: whatever happened to love?"


After reading 'You Don't Have To Say You Love Me' I knew I had to read this one - I adored that book, and loved the authors style...

And this is a brilliant book! I was hooked all the way through, literally - ask my husband, I barely spoke for the two days I spent reading it.

Sarra Manning has, in Grace, created a heroine who is both hard to like and easy to love. She seems shallow at first, but it's clear that she also some deep emotional scars that make her act that way. It makes you want to keep reading to find out why, and they are so worth it.

The premise of the relationship between Grace and Vaughan is interesting, I didn't know what to think about it at first but the author managers to draw you into a fascinating world that is oddly believable.

The book deals with a lot of issues too - abandonment, addiction, debt, etc - all of which are handled well and balanced out with some wonderful fun moments.

This is 'Chick-Lit' at it's finest, flirty and fun, as well as emotional and at times very dark.

Recommended.

Xx

Book Review... Secrets of Castillo Del Arco - Trish Morey

Secrets of Castillo del Arco - Trish Morey
Mills & Boon Modern
Harlequin UK, 2011
ISBN: 9780263890303











My rating

From the back cover:

"Fairytale palace or gilded cage? 
Reclusive billionaire Raoul del Arco’s deathbed promise to a friend haunts him. He swore to marry Gabriella D’Arenburg . . . but knows that taking her as his wife will only destroy her innocence. 
Gaby has no idea that Raoul has sworn such an oath. And when he storms back into her life he has a dark, dangerous edge she finds disturbingly alluring. 
Now, trapped in Raoul’s gothic castillo, Gaby is paying the price of his promise. The key to her lavish prison? Succumbing to her new husband’s touch . . . "


I like a good tortured hero story, and I was hoping for good things from this book.

While the story is played out well, keeping you interested with all the twists and turns and hints about what might be under the surface, I feel this book never really reached it full potential.

There are a lot of elements that are confusing and frustrating. I couldn't understand the hero, especially his whole I-can-never-love-again-because-I-married-a-cheating-bitch thing. Okay, I can understand how he wouldn't find it easy to trust women after that, but at times he treated the heroine appallingly and all because of his past marriage. Came across as a little shallow.

Interestingly enough, there seemed to be a lot more POV from the hero but so much of it was internal monologues and deep-POV, it was so self involved and not in a good way. A lot of the little things got missed out (I'm a stickler for details!), by the end of the book I still didn't know what the hero actually did., as in job-wise!

The bare-bones of the story is the hero lying, constantly, to the heroine to fulfil his purpose and that doesn't sit well with me. It makes the heroine come across as stupid (in my opinion) when she is far from it.

Overall, this isn't a bad book. It is well written and certainly draws you in, but the premise didn't quite work...

Xx

Book Review... Please Don't Stop The Music - Jane Lovering

Please Don't Stop The Music - Jane Lovering
Choc Lit, 2011
ISBN: 9781906931278












My rating

From the back cover:

"How much can you hide? Jemima Hutton is determined to build a successful new life and keep her past a dark secret. Trouble is, her jewellery business looks set to fail - until enigmatic Ben Davies offers to stock her handmade belt buckles in his guitar shop and things start looking up, on all fronts. But Ben has secrets too. When Jemima finds out he used to be the front man of hugely successful Indie rock band Willow Down, she wants to know more. Why did he desert the band on their US tour? Why is he now a semi-recluse? And the curiosity is mutual - which means that her own secret is no longer safe ..."


Wow... Just wow! I am almost speechless about how much I loved this book.

I have to admit that I was rather sceptical at first, but since it won the RNA Romantic Novel of the Year award I wanted to give it a go. By the time I was 20 pages in I was 100% hooked!

There is so much abut this book that is simply brilliant - the honest and hilariously funny dialogue, a brilliant cast of characters, and the hints to the secrets were weaved throughout the story like a master.

Oh, the hero's story is so heartbreaking. I guessed pretty early on in the book what might be his secret but it didn't make it any less emotional and I found myself very choked up when it was finally revealed.

The author handles these two characters, and their lives, like a dream. I adored the heroine right from the start.

This has a lot of 'funny' moments, but don't be fooled into thinking it is a light-hearted romantic comedy. It is not. This isn't always an easy book to read, at time it is very dark, but it is certainly a book that will stay with you and leave you with tears and a sigh.

Reading this book is worth it, believe me! I can't recommend it enough.

The only thing I don't like about this book is the cover. The image of the girl on the front looks a bit like an afterthought, kind of out of place, and she seems very young - I thought this was a YA book when I first saw on Amazon! But, lesson learned, never judge a book... etc!

Xx

Book Review... You Don't Have to Say You Love Me - Sarra Manning

You Don't Have to Say You Love Me - Sarra Manning
Corgi, 2011
ISBN: 9780552165402













My rating

From the back cover:

"Sweet, bookish Neve Slater always plays by the rules. 
And the rule is that good-natured fat girls like her don't get guys like gorgeous William, heir to Neve's heart since university. But William's been in LA for three years, and Neve's been slimming down and reinventing herself so that when he returns, he'll fall head over heels in love with the new, improved her. 
So she's not that interested in other men. Until her sister Celia points out that if Neve wants William to think she's an experienced love-goddess and not the fumbling, awkward girl he left behind, then she'd better get some, well, experience. 
What Neve needs is someone to show her the ropes, someone like Celia's colleague Max. Wicked, shallow, sexy Max. And since he's such a man-slut, and so not Neve's type, she certainly won't fall for him. Because William is the man for her... right?"


I'm on a run of really good books at the moment!

I picked this one up from the library and, to be honest, I wasn't expecting much. The blurb sounds okay, I thought it would be interesting but same-old same-old.

How wrong I was, this book simply blew me away.

Not only is this a surprisingly sexy read, but it is also full of emotion, wit, intelligence, and plenty of fun.

I applaud the author for writing such a brilliant heroine - Neve is a wonderfully crafted character. When I read the blurb the bit about the heroine being a 'fat girl' I thought, 'oh hear we go... another 'chick lit' book with a perfectly normal size 12 girl banging on and on about how she's so fat, etc'. But again the author surprised me - not only is the heroine a size 14 and struggling to get out of the overweight bracket, but she was once 26st - very brave of the author and very honest.

Sarra Manning doesn't hold anything back about her heroine's struggles with her weight and food issues - both physical and emotional - and I for one appreciated the sincerity of this. I have since found out that Sarra Manning herself has gone through the same experience as her heroine, so she clearly writes with plenty of knowledge and experience on the subject, and this shows.

The journey that the heroine, and the hero, go on is beautiful. The characters feel like real people, often something you don't find in the chick-lit area. Once I started reading I couldn't stop, I wanted to know everything about these characters, and the author doesn't disappoint.

This book has it all and it will make you laugh, cry, and sigh in equal measures.

The wonderfully complex love story weaved into this book is the cherry on top of this brilliant book.

Xx

Book Review... One Night Stand - Julie Cohen

One Night Stand - Julie Cohen
Little Black Dress, 2007
Headline
ISBN: 9780755334834












My rating

From the back cover:

"Eleanor Connor has written lots of steamy novels, but sadly her own life is more mundane. In fact, the nearest she's come to passion for ages is having to listen through the thin walls of her house as friend and neighbour Hugh seduces an endless stream of women. 
But then Eleanor has a one-night fling of her own, waking up alone, repentant, and as she later realises, pregnant. Desperate to find her missing lover, if only to tell him he's going to be a father, she enlists Hugh to help her search. But should she be looking closer to home to find what she really needs?"


I think I am in love with Julie Cohen's writing. This is another great book of hers, which literally had me at hello!

I read a lot of romance novels (you have probably realised that by now!) so the whole one-night-stand-leads-to-pregnancy theme is nothing new. However this one is a slightly different take on it, and I applaud Julie Cohen for exploring the difficult and darker side of this aspect of life.

I'm sure we all know [of] someone who has been in this situation, and not knowing who, or where, the father is does happen. And that is what the heroine is going through.

This whole book is written with a refreshing honesty, and a touch of brutal reality, plus there is also plenty of humour to balance it out.

The characters are normal people living normal lives, but also lives that have enough secrets and forks-in-the-road to keep you interested.

The love-story between the hero and heroine plays out beautifully. I knew the two of them belonged together and I was desperate for them to realise it for themselves!

A wonderful book.

Oh, and there is a nice little nod back to this book in Julie Cohen's latest 'The Summer of Living Dangerously', it's nice when author's  do this, it makes their work feel very unique to them!

Xx

Book Review... Take a Chance on Me - Jill Mansell

Take A Chance On Me - Jill Mansell
Headline Review, 2010
ISBN: 9780755328208













My rating

From the back cover:

"Cleo Quinn doesn't have a great track record when it comes to men, but now Will's come along she's optimistic. Handsome, attentive and an absolute gentleman when it comes to her questionable cooking skills, he could be her Mr Right. Things are definitely looking up for Cleo... apart from one small problem with a rather large ego. Johnny LaVenture, sculptor extraordinaire and her childhood adversary, is back in Channing's Hill and tormenting Cleo as if he'd never been away. 
But life never goes to plan, does it? Johnny isn't the only one stirring up trouble and, for Cleo's family and friends, all kinds of sparks are starting to fly. If you think you can put the past behind you, think again..."


I read a lot of Jill Mansell's books in my early twenties and always found them warm, engaging, and fun reads. This book was no exception.

I had a hard time getting to grips with the heroine's story. Although I don't mind books where there is more than one character's story involved, I felt in this case there is too much of the book devoted to a few too many character's stories.

All the character's lives/stories are intertwined but I feel that it would have been nicer if the focus had just been on Cleo and Abbie's stories - Abbie's story is wonderful, and beautifully written.

In my opinion there was a little too much jumping around, however the storytelling is flawless. This is a book that instantly grabs you and sucks you in, and it is very enjoyable.

There is lots of fun and quirkiness that makes this style of British 'Chick-Lit' magical, and, above all, the story and the characters are believable.

A good, solid read that will while away a few hours. Not a keeper for me though.

Xx

Book Review... Welcome to My World - Miranda Dickinson

Welcome to My World - Miranda Dickinson
Avon Books, 2010
ISBN: 9781847561664












My rating

From the back cover:

"A travel agent who longs to travel. 
An intrepid explorer who just wants to find a place to call home. 
And a Big Idea that changes everything! 
Close your eyes and imagine the world is your oyster! And now imagine never seeing it. Welcome to Harriet Langton's world. All her life she's dreamt of travelling the globe - fate always got in the way. Working as a travel agent, the closest Harri comes to her dream destination of Venice is booking the trip for someone else. But everything changes when travel fanatic Alex drops in. 
With her boyfriend Rob tied up with work, Harri is persuaded to help Alex in his quest for love. But in her attempts to help, Harri soon discovers that she's alienating those around her. 
Desperate to leave her life behind, will her dreams finally come true? Or will Harri's leap of faith be her biggest mistake yet? 
A gorgeous love story for fans of Sophie Kinsella and Jill Mansell"

At times I really enjoyed this book, but overall my feeling towards this book is one of frustration.

The author does a good job of making her heroine both likeable and unlikable, I especially liked that the author delved into the theme of loneliness.

But there is a lot about this book that is frown-inducing; It was quite clear, even though it wasn't revealed until nearly the end, that the heroine's boyfriend was cheating - I felt this made the heroine out to be very stupid, and also there was never really any explanation as to why he did it, I felt there wasn't enough 'closure' on that part. The hero (and I use that term lightly) was an idiot, and he came off as very patronising towards the heroine. There is a part in the book where the heroine overhears him telling one of his friends that he only hangs out with her as he pities her - his response is that he only said that to get his friend off his back but I couldn't buy this, the author didn't really make him believable, or redeemable, after that. And the evil-girlfriend character and her antics just didn't make sense.

I felt there were a lot of good elements that weren't really used to their full potential.

The narrative was very slow, it dragged in places and many times I almost gave up reading. However the author hooked me in buy having the story begin in the present with the heroine hiding out in a toilet cubicle and us, the reader, not knowing why only that something bad has happened - and the rest of the book is all the events leading up to that moment.

Not a bad book just, I don't know, not quite there.

Xx

Book Review... Starting Over - Sue Moorcroft

Starting Over - Sue Moorcroft
Choc Lit, 2009
ISBN: 9781906931223













My rating

From the back cover:

"New home, new friends, new love. Can starting over be that simple? Tess Riddell reckons her beloved Freelander is more reliable than any man - especially her ex-fiancé, Olly Gray. She's moving on from her old life and into the perfect cottage in the country.
Miles Rattenbury's passions? Old cars and new women! Romance? He's into fun rather than commitment. When Tess crashes the Freelander into his breakdown truck, they find that they're nearly neighbours - yet worlds apart. Despite her overprotective parents and a suddenly attentive Olly, she discovers the joys of village life and even forms an unlikely friendship with Miles. Then, just as their relationship develops into something deeper, an old flame comes looking for him... 
Is their love strong enough to overcome the past? Or will it take more than either of them is prepared to give?"


This was one of those books that came up as one of the 'you might also like...' recommendations after I bought something on Amazon. I have been hearing lots of good things about Choc Lit publishing but haven't read any of their books so far, so I thought I would give this one a go.

I was a little unsure of the book at first, it took me a while to get used to the author's style - there are lots of fragmented sentences that, at times, felt a little jarring. However once I was used to it, this ended up being a brilliant read.

The story is so full of emotional ups and downs and very relatable. The heroine grows as the story progresses, although she is a nicely flawed character and makes some very well written and honest mistakes.

The hero is a little difficult, but that is what makes him really charming. I fell hook, line, and sinker for him!

This is so much more than boy meets girl and then they live happily every after... The story explores problems after that initial HEA, as well as past mistakes coming back to haunt you, and how quickly you can fall out of love as you do fall in love. The author takes you on an emotional rollercoaster, and a tells a wonderful love-story.

Lovely!

Xx

Book Review... The Summer of Living Dangerously - Julie Cohen

The Summer of Living Dangerously - Julie Cohen
Headline Review, 2012
ISBN: 9780755350650












My rating

From the back cover:

"Alice Woodstock has been running away. 
Well, not literally. She spends most of her time glued to her desk, writing about grommets and model aeroplanes. No, Alice is avoiding the real world because there’s something—someone—in her past that she’s desperate to forget. So when she’s commissioned to write about life in stately home Eversley Hall, she jumps at the chance to escape into Regency England, even if it does mean swapping her comfy T-shirt for an itchy corset. Perhaps she’ll meet her own Mr Darcy… 
But when her past resurfaces in the shape of Leo Allingham, Alice is brought down to earth with a bump. Reckless, unpredictable Leo reminds Alice of the painful price of following her heart. And the new Alice doesn’t live dangerously. 
Or does she?"


I got this book on a recommendation and after reading Julie Cohen's 'Getting Away With It' I was champing at the bit to read this one. But I have to be honest and say that reading the blurb, I thought that I wouldn't like it going on the fact that the whole historical/regency/period drama thing is not my cup of tea.

How wrong I was. I simply loved this book, it's utterly brilliant!

Julie Cohen's heroine was so engaging, and beautifully portrayed, I couldn't stop reading needing to find out just what it was that was causing her so much pain (which, by the way, is heartbreaking). And, I loved that there were two contenders for the hero, it kept me guessing all the way through.

Not only is this a fun filled and charming book, it is also sad and emotional, you will be reduced to tears moments after laughing.

Julie Cohen does a fantastic job of weaving together the real and pretend lives, I was one hundred percent involved with the heroine's journey - both in her real, modern life and her pretend, historical story. The parallels between the two 'lives' of the heroine are subtly done, but work wonderfully.

Simply brilliant, it made this history-averse girl actually interested in life in a regency home! A must read.

Xx

Book Review... Watermelon - Marian Keyes

Watermelon - Marian Keyes
Arrow, 2006
ISBN: 9780099489986

N.B. The above details refer to one of the many reprints of this book.











My rating

From the back cover:

"At twenty-nine, fun-loving, good-natured Claire has everything she ever wanted: a husband she adores, a great apartment, a good job. Then, on the day she gives birth to her first baby, James visits her in the recovery room to inform her that he's leaving her. Claire is left with a beautiful newborn daughter, a broken heart, and a body that she can hardly bear to look at in the mirror. So, in the absence of any better offers, Claire decides to go home to her family in Dublin. To her gorgeous man-eating sister Helen, her soap-watching mother, her bewildered father. And there, sheltered by the love of an (albeit quirky) family, she gets better. A lot better. In fact, so much better that when James slithers back into her life, he's in for a bit of a surprise."

I read a couple of Marian Keyes's books back when I was in my late teens, I remember liking her style so I thought I would give this one a go. Although, to be honest, I hadn't realised that this was first published all the way back in 1996. If I say one thing it's that this had held up well, and apart from a few elements this doesn't feel aged at all.

I loved reading the journey that Marian Keyes takes us on with her heroine. She was in a right ol' mess and we are with her for every high and every low. There is not 'perfect' heroine here, far from it, and there is no lack of honesty from the author about her character's sometimes terrible behaviour.

The low moments in the journey are difficult to read but also funny, as well as endearing. I found I was sad for and frustrated at the heroine in equal measures.

The narrative and 'breaking the fourth wall' style isn't my favourite, so for me this occasionally felt a little forced, however the writing is flawless - hard to believe this was Marian Keyes's debut.

This is a magical story of a life in tatters and finding the will to get through it.

Xx