Book Review: The Vintage Flower Van on Love Heart Lane by Christie Barlow

Every now and then, I share a review of a book I have read.  Today, I wanted to share a fabulous read by the author Christie Barlow called "The Vintage Flower Van on Love Heart Lane (this is actually book 14 of the Love Heart Lane series) and I have loved every one of them.  The books can be a stand alone read or you can read them numerically.

I was very fortunate to be offered to read this book via Netgalley, having previously reviewed a couple of titles by Christie Barlow.

I was itching to start reading this book as soon as it was downloaded, but had to control the urge and finish the book I was mid way through.  As soon as I started the first paragraph, I was immersed back into the world of the Scottish village of Heartcross and their residents.

Florist, Florries life is in a spin, Aunt Ada has passed away. At the funeral service, the face of Tom, her teenage crush turns up and then she finds out what she thought was being left to her isn't!  

Florrie has to call upon the community of Heartcross to help save "Rose Cottage Gardens" from being developed into new homes, she also has to fight to save the Vintage Flower Van too, which results in some surprising collaborations, and Toms face just keeps popping up!

I have loved reading all the Love Heart Lane books and this one is no exception.  It definitely gets a thumbs up from me!

The Vintage Flower Van on Love Heart Lane is available to pre-order on Amazon, with a release date of 23rd May 2024.

Netgalley Book Review - "That Festive Feeling" by Heidi Swain

I am a huge fan of Heidi Swain's writing so I was very fortunate to read this book before pulication via Netgalley and I am so glat that I did.

This book was such a treat to read, packed with lots of festive feel good feelings and a romance too.  It's a stand-alone book, but can also be read within a series of books written by Heidi Swain.  

The book takes us back to to Nightingale Square, where newly divorced and homeless Holly, is house sitting for friends over the Christmas period.  A chance meeting with an eccentric lady called May, while walking around the lake one morning, changes both their lives as they throw themselves into helping the community project called "The Chapel" and the forthcoming Christmas panto.

I really enjoyed this book, I had to ration my reading of it so that I could enjoy it for longer.  A lovely book that I highly recommend.

Netgalley Book Review: A Winter Wedding At Starcross Manor by Christie Barlow

I was very fortunate to read this book prior to the publication date, reviewing it on Netgalley.

"A Winter Wedding at Starcross Manor" is book twelve in Christie Barlow's "Love Heart Lane" series.  I have read each of the books and this latest one definitely didn't disappoint and I think may be my favourite of them all!

The style of writing just flows beautifully.  A wonderfully descriptive story line, puts you right in the snowy village of "Heartcross" with fabulous "Christmassy" vibes.  I just couldn't get enough of this story line and really hope that there will be another book in the series.

A bit about the story:  Fashion Designer Libby Carter, has been offered a top job in New York and has a few weeks to herself before she packs up her life.  Her brother Flynne, who owns "Starcross Manor" calls upon her help to help arrange a high profile wedding, which would make Starcross Manor "The Scottish wedding destination"! A string of events means that plans tumble like domino's for Libby but the wedding photographer Guy is there to help out at the winter wedding of the century.

Book Review: "A December to Remember" by Jenny Bayliss

I was fortunate to read and review this book for Netgalley, before the publication date of 28th September 2023.  You can pre-order the kindle or paperback version on this Amazon link.

I absolutely enjoyed this book .  It's about three sisters, fathered by the same man but with different mothers, all with totally different lifestyles.  As children, the only time they would meet up would be for a month is the summer holidays, where they had the time of their lives living freely and enjoying each others company.

As adults, the girls lead totally different lives, with minimal contact. Maggie the eldest is a green-grocer shop keeper and widowed mother of two, lives in the same village as her father, but would rarely see him as he would be away on his hippie style travels.  Professional Simone, lives in London with her wife, while the youngest daughter Star leads a free and similar hippie life style to their father.

Life for the sisters changes when they each receive an envelope from a solicitor, informing them that their Father has died on his travels and that the contents of his curio/antique shop and his estate would be left to them as long as they complete various challenges.

The challenges force the sisters to work together, even though they don't really like or even respect each other.  Their relationships are messy, but they each have a need for money, so are driven to complete the challenges with the inheritance dangling in front of them like a carrot.

Netgalley Book Review: Driving Home For Christmas by Joanna Bolouri

Rarely do I slot right into the rhythm of the writing by an author I have not previously read or heard of, but this was one of those amazing occassions. I couldn't put the book down!

The characters felt so real and the story line was so visual in my head as I read, it felt like it was something I was watching on TV. This book has humour, but also a fabulous understanding of love and insecurities within relationships.

Ed and Kate, initially school friends, which turns into a relationship, have been together for fourteen years. Through, school, university and their adult work lives to date. Ed is a laid back school music teacher, while Kate is a hot shot divorce lawyer to "C" list celebs. Both have been happy with their lives together till the night they travel to their family for Christmas, when hard to take home truths are said in a blazing argument while stuck in the motorway traffic jam. They face the dilemma of turning round and going their separate ways or visiting the relatives over Christmas and pretending everything is fine.

I have absolutely no problem awarding this book my five stars. I'm going to look up other titles by the author as I have enjoyed it so much. 

Netgalley Book Review "Holiday Romance" by Catherine Walsh

The past ten days, I have been reading a new book via Netgalley, called "Holiday Romance" by Catherine Walsh.  This book will be available to purchase from 4th October 2022 or you can pre-order on Amazon now.

I absolutely loved this book, from the bright red cover to the last sentence of the epilogue.  The story made me laugh out loud, it was a fabulous festive read which I was really sorry to finish.

Netgalley Book Review: Snowflakes and Secrets in the Scottish Highlands by Donna Ashcroft

Snowflakes and Secrets in the Scottish Highlands by Donna Ashcroft - I was instantly drawn to this book by the festive cover, which invited me into a winter wonderland.  I like the flow of the writing and enjoyed the story too.  What more can you ask of a book!

Twenty five year old budding author Merry McKenzie from Hertfordshire, wants to reclaim her life back.  She realises that she has relied on her three older brothers for too long, it's time to stand on her own two feet and get on with her life

Her Aunt Ava, who lives in "Christmas Village" in the Highlands, asks Merry to house sit and to look after her many animals while she is abroad. Merry takes this as the opportunity to move on with her life plan.

On arrival, Merry scans the many notes an animal care, detailing a secret festive mission that she would like Merry to take care of for her.  Unfortunately, the house rabbit has other ideas, destroying the notes and leaving Merry to work out the mission for herself with the help of local vet, Theo.

Netgalley Book Review: "Christmas at Red Robin Cottage" by Sue Roberts

I have been a member of Netgalley since 2016.  Netgalley is a book review site and this is a reveiw of one of the books I have just read.  The book will be available to purchase late September 2022.

The festive looking cover of "Christmas at Red Robin Cottage" drew me to this book and I wasn't disappointed by the content. The book made me want to step straight into Christmas. Sue Roberts, the author, has a very descriptive style of writing that sets the Christmas theme perfectly. I couldn't get enough of this book, it was right up my street!

Set in a village in the Liverpool area, Sarah Dunn works in an old fashioned cinema and loves her job. Sarah is a single Mum to sixteen year old Ellie and is divorced to Robbie, Ellies Dad.

Sarah lives in her beatiful old cottage and loves everything about the pretty building. Life is perfect, she has her job and great friends, but there is the lack of a life partner. Sarah reflects on her past, especially the teenage years spent doing am-dram with her best friend Kay, who just happens to have an older brother called Luke, that Sarah had her first crush on.

Fond memories of her crush for Luke, means that Sarah isn't sure if she spots him in a window seat of a train going in the opposite direction or if she has imagined it. A visit to the city library reveals a surprise for Sarah, was it Luke she saw?