Thursday 28 February 2019

New Starts and Cherry Tarts at the Cosy Kettle - by Liz Eeles


The blurb: 

After yet another failed romance, twenty-six-year-old Callie Fulbright is giving up on love. She’s
determined to throw all her efforts into her very own, brand-new café: The Cosy Kettle. Serving hot tea, cherry tarts and a welcoming smile to the friendly locals proves to be the perfect distraction, and Callie feels a flush of pride at the fledging business she’s built. 

But her new-found confidence is soon put to the test when her gorgeous ex reappears in the quaint little village. She’ll never forget the heartache Noah caused her years ago, but when they bump into each other on the cobbled streets of Honeyford she can’t help but feel a flutter in her chest… 

As Callie and Noah share laughter and memories, she starts to wonder if this could be her second chance at happiness. But when Callie discovers that someone is mysteriously trying to ruin the café’s reputation… she has an awful suspicion that Noah knows who’s involved. 

Was she wrong to ever trust him again? And can she find out who’s behind the lies and rumours, before it’s too late for the Cosy Kettle? 



My Opinion:

*Book provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review*

In this story we follow Callie. She works in the local bookshop, she wants to please her new boss Flora, when she suggests changing an old stock room into a cafe. Flora puts Callie in charge of turning the old stock room into a café and running The Cosy Kettle as well. 

The café is Callie’s pride and I loved seeing her in this lovely environment. She has some wonderful costumers and they all become friends and are there for each other. That was a fab thing to see and read about. 

Her personal life is full of drama and ups and downs though. First of all, we have her grandfather, who plays a very important role in this story and adds another touch to it. And then we have Noah. He kind of broke her heart years ago and moved away. Well, he is back now and the butterflies are still there. 

The drama increases when the café’s reputation is in danger. Does Noah know something about that?! And what happens when he goes back to New York?!


This book is full of so many great factors. The main character is very relatable and real, there is a love/romance aspect, but also enough drama to create an entertaining storyline and the other characters also play a significant part in the story. 

It’s a warm, cosy and sweet story! 

Rating:





Liz Eeles on Twitter: @lizeelesauthor

Saturday 23 February 2019

London – Travel Diary


After almost two years I finally made it to London again. 

This time I went with my mum, so that meant a lot of shopping and musicals, yeahi!

On Monday we had our flight at 10 am, that meant landing in London after 11 am. The landing was fabulous, great views over the whole city. We took the underground into central London and headed to our hotel in Seven Dials. We have been staying at the same hotel for years, it’s just the perfect location. We had lunch at the hotel restaurant (Monmouth Kitchen), where they served yummy tapas. It was delicious. Then we explored the shops in and around Covent Garden. Reiss, Ted Baker, Karen Millen etc. We were surprised to see a lot oft he shops gone. I found some lovely things at Karen Millen though. Covent garden is always a great place to explore, take pictures and just enjoy. At 5 pm we went back tot he hotel and got changed, before heading to Rosso Pomodoro, one of our fave restaurants. Then it was time fort he first musical: Company at the Gielgud Theatre. It was an amazing show! The main character Bobbie was done by a woman and they turned some other things around as well, it was absolutely fantastic. 


On Tuesday, our path took us down to Knightsbridge and the South Kensington area, after having the best coffee I’ve ever had at Monmouth Coffee. I love this area. We first headed to the Victoria and Albert Museum, because we really wanted to see the Dior exhibition. The first open spot was at 3.15 pm, so we changed our plans and went to Harrods and the surrounding shops first. Time passes so quickly when you’re having fun, so we found ourselves hangry in Harrods, not really in the mood for shopping. I bought a pretty Apron, but then we want to the restaurants down there to have some chicken. It was sooo good. Then we continued to check out some shops, before stopping at Caffé Concerto for a smoothie and a tea. Then it was time for the museum and the exhibition. It was fascinating to see all these dresses, by all the different Dior designers, to see how it all developed and of course picking a favourite. It was very interesting. After the exhibition it was already time to head back to the hotel, have a quick nap and then get ready. We had dinner at Monmouth Kitchen again and then went to the Adelphi theatre to see Waitress with Katherine McPhee. I loved her from the first moment I saw her in Smash (a fab tv show) and was so excited when it was announced she is coming to London. She was absolutely brilliant in the role of Jenna, her voice is amazing! The show was awesome on so many levels, I would go and see it again any time! 




Wednesday was another shopping day. We walked down Shaftesbury Avenue to Piccadilly Circus and then browsed through the shops on Regent Street. There are just the best shops there and the buildings are so pretty. I bought some sneakers at Pepe Jeans (on sale), a shirt in Massimo Dutti and my mum bought things too. In between we headed to Carnaby street, looked at the shops there and had lunch at Dehesa, one of our faves. We spent a long time in Ted Baker, where we even met some people from our home town and then Karen Millen again, I found a fab wallet. We even got served Prosecco. After walking through Liberty, it was time to go back tot he hotel, get changed and go to the National Theatre. Third night and our third musical. We booked a package to have dinner as well, it was at the Terrace restaurant, a kind of Tapas menu again, but the food was terrible. We left as fast as possible and ate some snacks we brought. At the Olivier Theatre we then got to see Follies. It’s a very modern theatre and it looked great with the scenery and everything. Even though the songs of the musical are great, the spark didn’t fly. I just couldn’t connect to the way they did it. The orchestra and the singing were not one and some oft he actors didn’t really meet my expectations. That was a bit of a disappointment. We had a lovely wine at the hotel afterwards, so we still had a great evening. 


Thursday was already our last day, I wasn’t feeling too well though, so we didn’t do much. We checked out some more stores in Covent Garden (didn’t have enough time the first day), enjoyed Neal’s Yard and just chilled, before heading to Heathrow airport, where we did some more shopping. 

There were many more things we wanted to do this time, like going down to King’s road and Sloane Square and other things, but there is never enough time. We had a fabulous few days though and London always feels like going home, I can’t wait to get back again. 




Thursday 21 February 2019

Release Day Blitz - Let Me Burn by Carrie Elks


Title: Let Me Burn
Author: Carrie Elks
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: February 21, 2019
Cover Designed by: Najla Qamber

She isn’t looking for love. He’s not planning on staying around. But when they meet, sparks fly…
 As a big city firefighter, Lucas lives for his job. Forced to take extended leave following an accident, he returns to his small hometown to stay at the beach cottage his grandparents left him. The problem is, he’s not used to having so much time on his hands.
 After a broken engagement, Ember isn’t ready for love right now. Though her heart might be mended, she prefers to keep herself busy with her family and work; that way she won’t get hurt again. But she didn’t count on meeting a handsome firefighter with that dimpled smile. After Lucas saves her from one awkward situation too many, she can’t stop thinking about him.
 Ember finds Lucas impossible to resist. And he’s determined not to let her. As long summer days melt into sultry, passionate nights what begins as a fling develops into something much deeper. Until the day Ember’s ex-fiancé returns to town and threatens to destroy the fragile connection that’s building between them.
 

   

Excerpt

  “Will you do something for me?” Lucas asked, leaning his hand on the car and glancing up at her. “Um, maybe?” She blinked, trying to focus. “I guess it depends what it is.” With one hand steadying himself on the car, he ran the other across his closely cropped hair. “It doesn’t matter.” Ember tilted her head, the smile still playing at her lips. “You can’t do that. I’m intrigued now. What is it you want me to do?” “I… ah…” He shook his head. “You’re gonna think I’m crazy.” She lifted an eyebrow to let him know she already did. “But I really don’t want you to go on that date.”  

Advance Praise For Let Me Burn...

‘The perfect mixture of romance, humour, and that hint of angst we all love.’ – MB, Goodreads reviewer
‘A captivating book…’ – Bev’s Books Blog
‘I couldn't put it down...’ – KarenJ, Goodreads reviewer
‘5 Beautiful, Soul Binding stars!!!’ – Alison Parkins Reviews
 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Carrie Elks Headshot
Carrie Elks writes contemporary romance with a sizzling edge. Her first book, Fix You, has been translated into eight languages and made a surprise appearance on Big Brother in Brazil. Luckily for her, it wasn’t voted out. Carrie lives with her husband, two lovely children and a larger-than-life black pug called Plato. When she isn’t writing or reading, she can be found baking, drinking an occasional (!) glass of wine, or chatting on social media.

SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS

FACEBOOK PAGE: https://www.facebook.com/CarrieElksAuthor/ 
FACEBOOK GROUP: https://www.facebook.com/groups/CarrieElksWaterCooler/ 
TWITTER: https://twitter.com/CarrieElks 
INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/carrie.elks/
NEWSLETTER: http://www.subscribepage.com/e4u8i8
WEBSITE: https://carrieelks.com

Tuesday 19 February 2019

Let Me Burn - by Carrie Elks


The blurb: 

She isn’t looking for love. He’s not planning on staying around. But when they meet, sparks fly…

As a big city firefighter, Lucas lives for his job. Forced to take extended leave following an accident, he returns to his small hometown to stay at the beach cottage his grandparents left him. The problem is, he’s not used to having so much time on his hands. 

After a broken engagement, Ember isn’t ready for love right now. Though her heart might be mended, she prefers to keep herself busy with her family and work; that way she won’t get hurt again. But she didn’t count on meeting a handsome firefighter with that dimpled smile. After Lucas saves her from one awkward situation too many, she can’t stop thinking about him.

Ember finds Lucas impossible to resist. And he’s determined not to let her. As long summer days melt into sultry, passionate nights what begins as a fling develops into something much deeper. Until the day Ember’s ex-fiancé returns to town and threatens to destroy the fragile connection that’s building between them.


My Opinion:

*Book provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review*

The story takes place in a small beach town called Angel Sands. Ember and Lucas both grew up in this town. Lucas left to be a firefighter and Ember is an elementary school teacher. They went tot he same high school, but Lucas is a bit older, so their paths never really crossed. Ember knows Lucas’ sisters, but that’s it. 

Years later Lucas comes back to take a little break off work and that’s where their story starts. One of Ember’s students gets stuck and Lucas comes to help. There are other moments, where he suddenly turns up to help. Their chemistry is electric and undeniable from the start. However, he is not here to stay and she isn’t looking for love. 

The more time they spend with each other, the more their connections grews. Carrioe Elks captured it all beautifully. Their moments and scenes are unique, fesh, passionate and emotional. 

I loved both characters very much. Lucasis a great guy and I was really able to relate to Ember, I’m a teacher too and wehave other similarities as well. 

It’s a very intense, captivating and wonderful story. It’s full ofups and downs, it’s the perfect mixture of romance, drama, love, friendship and much more. 

The setting is amazing and I can’t wait to get back to Angel Sands. 

Rating:




Book Link: mybook.to/LetMeBurn


ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Carrie Elks writes contemporary romance with a sizzling edge. Her first book, Fix You, has been translated into eight languages and made a surprise appearance on Big Brother in Brazil. Luckily for her, it wasn’t voted out. Carrie lives with her husband, two lovely children and a larger-than-life black pug called Plato. When she isn’t writing or reading, she can be found baking, drinking an occasional (!) glass of wine, or chatting on social media.

SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS



Friday 15 February 2019

The Happiness Project - by Pippa James


The blurb: 

Prepare to be captivated by one of the most poignant and uplifting books you will read this year, perfect for readers who loved One Day in December and The Keeper of Lost Things. 

1) Exercise more 
2) Eat healthily 
3) Learn how to live again… 

Forty-year-old Alison Lund has always carefully planned everything in her well-ordered life, from colour co-ordinating her beautiful house to persuading her excitable son Alexander that sticker charts are more fun than misbehaving. But Alison’s perfect world has just fallen apart… 

Her head is left spinning when her beloved larger than life mother-in-law, Maggie, passes away and Alison is left heartbroken. Every afternoon they’d talk and laugh over a pot of tea, she was the glue that kept Alison together through the first few tough years of motherhood. And now Alison is trying to figure out a future without her. 

With a little help from her two best friends, Alison resolves to be more Maggie. After an emotional New Year’s Eve get together, the three women create a happiness project, challenging themselves to step outside their comfort zones and make the most of every single day. 

Daring to do things differently, can Alison learn to live more spontaneously and find happiness along the way? Or will letting go be harder than she ever imagined? 

My Opinion:

*Book provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review*

The book follows three women: Alison, Frankie and Kate. They are all mothers. Kate has two kids and the third one is on the way. Frankie is very chaotic and a single mom. And then we have Alison, who’s mother-in-law passes away and now she has to do all by herself. 

The three friends decide to have a fresh start at the beginning of the year and come up with a plan. It’s all connected to live, health, jobs etc. 

I liked the idea of the book, but I think I just expected something completely different. I couldn’t warm to the characters and that made it really hard. 

I have to be honest, I struggled with this book. I really had difficulties getting into the story, I couldn’t relate to the characters and I feel like the title is a bit misleading. I really wanted to like it and give it a chance. I finished it, but couldn’t really warm up to the storyline. It’s well written and structured, but there was no real excitement for me and it was just not gripping. 

The friendship aspect was the strongest part of this book. I think the author really grasped it and included it in the story. 

Rating:




Pippa James on Twitter: @PippaJamesbooks 


Saturday 9 February 2019

My Moving Process


I promised you post about moving (out), so here we go.

When moving out for the first time and finally living at home you have to think about a lot of things. Here is what I did. 

Before moving:

Of course I was looking for apartments and when I saw the one I have now, I immediately fell in love. There is a reason why I waited for so long. Rents are really expensive in my area and I wanted a big enough apartment for all my things, it wasn't easy. It also meant that I was able to save a lot of money for furiture and other things. Anyway I applied for it and the day after I had the approval, I went furniture shopping. Well, actually I just wanted to have a look and ended up buying some things already. During the summer a lot of furniture stores in the area had sales, so everything was a lot cheaper. With the outline of the apartment I went to the stores and decided to get a sofa, bed, wardrobe, table and carpet immediately. After a while and going to other furiniture stores I added other things like a chair, a cupboard for the entrance as well as the bedroom, plus things for the loving room. On top of that I also saw a lot of decor things. I already decided to go with the colour blue. I went to outlet stores as well to get things like pans, plates, glasses etc. Thankfully I was also able to get things from my uncle and grandmother. I also started packing of course and that was also the chance to sort things out. I left a lot of things with my mum and dad as well, because of space. 
When moving day got closer I made a plan on what to move on which day, when the furniture people arrive etc. 

Moving: 

It all started with getting the key, the Friday before the actual moving day, which meant I was able to start doing things on the weekend. We started moving some boxes on the weekend and put everything in the kitchen. Since I didn't have a bed yet, I didn't sleep there in the beginning. On Monday the first furniture lot arrived and more arrived the following days. We moved more boxes and I was able to unpack them, move my clothes etc.Frommy room I also took my desk, a cupboard and a USM furniture, that had to be taken apart and moved as well. My family was helping a lot of course. At the same time I also had to start shopping for general things like toilet paper, oil, vinegar, salt, sugar, cleaning stuff etc. Unpacking all the boxes took me quite a while. Slowly I also started putting up some of the decor. Then I slept in my apartment for the first time, which was very special. I also had to inform the villiage commune. 

After moving: 

After settling in there were still a lot of things that had to be done. I only had some lights in the hallway, kitchen and bathroom, so I had to buy lamps and lights. There were also other things that I only realised I needed, after moving in. Of course that's normal, it's an ongoing process. Even now I don't have everything, which is fine. I had to change my address for several things as well. I'm now very happy with my decor and everything, I really want some pictures on the walls though, so that's the next step. 

I my nextpost I will talk more about living alone, so stay tuned. 




Friday 8 February 2019

The Year of Starting Over - by Karen King



The blurb: 

What if – to find yourself – you had to run away?


Last year was meant to be when Holly got her happy-ever-after. But stuck in a job that’s going nowhere, and a relationship that feels more like it’s going backwards… this year Holly has decided it’s time to change her life. She just has to:

– End the relationship with the commitment-phobic boyfriend
– Go on a proper adventure 
– Learn to be herself again
– Definitely, categorically not fall in love. 

Cramming her belongings into her little yellow Mini, Holly drives on to a ferry bound to Spain, to stay at a remote farmhouse near a beautiful village in the Andalusian hills. 

But the day she arrives she nearly crashes her car into a gorgeous guy on a motorbike. He’s called Matias and their paths keep crossing, much to Holly’s irritation. Because as she learns to speak Spanish from the locals, finally starts laying out plans for her own design business, and sips sangria in the sunlit village square, Holly is beginning to remember who she is and what she wants. 

So she won’t allow herself be distracted by Matias. Because this year – for Holly – there are more important things in life than love. And she won’t let yet another bad relationship ruin everything… will she?

My Opinion:


*Book provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review*

We meet Holly when she is still with her boyfriend Scott. He never has time for her though and does stupid things. That’s why she breaks up with him and her year of starting over starts. 

She comes up with a bucket list and moves to Spain for a while to see her friends and help them with their business. She wants to be herself again, do what she loves and just follow her heart. In the Andalusian hills she meets Matias. They are off a rocky start, but their paths keep on crossing. They start spending more and more time with each other, he helps her with her list, but somehow he is also a distraction. Both of them don’t want to be in a relationship, which complicates things. They had wonderful chemistry from the start and I loved their scenes and moments. Karen King found a beautiful way to build up their relationship, add some drama, lots of feelings and memorable experiences. 

I really liked Holly as a character. She is really relatable, inspiring and just lovely and so are her friends. My fave has to be Matias though. Book boyfriend calling…

The setting and atmosphere of this book were amazing. Karen King is a very talented author, who captured it all in a unique, modern and fresh way. I felt like being there with the characters. I was sad when the book ended, I think I need a second part!

Rating:




Karen King on Twitter: @karen_king

About the author

Karen King is a multi-published author of children's books, YA and romantic fiction. She has had 120 children's books published, two young adult novels, six romantic novels and several short stories for women's magazines.

'The Cornish Hotel by the Sea', published by Accent Press, became an international bestseller, reaching the top hundred in the Kindle charts in both the UK and Australia, and #2 and #3 in Holiday Reads respectively. Karen recently signed a two book contract with Bookouture, the first book 'Snowy Nights at the Lonely Hearts Hotel' was published in November 2018.

Saturday 2 February 2019

Guest Post - These 3 Design Rules Will Never Fail You

Today the team of Decor Aid have joinedme with a little guest post. It's all about designing your new home and since Imoved last year, I thought this post would be perfect for me blog. Make sure you check them out: https://www.decoraid.com

***

In the world of interior design, many things are subjective to individual taste. What one person swears by may be deemed unnecessary or unattractive by another. And while we’re encouraging many to break design rules in 2019 and go with what they truly like when designing their home, there are just some things that have aesthetic appeal that can’t be countered. Here are three design rules that Decor Aid’s interior designers have emphasized for ages, and swear you’ll never go wrong with.


Hang art at eye level.
The way your eye takes in, analyzes, and determines the space of the room has to do with the way you’ve placed your furniture, art, and fixtures around the room. Many think they can alter the appearance of ceiling height by hanging their art higher or lower, but it usually results in a crowded and disproportionate look instead. Alternatively, you should really hang your art at eye level, or even slightly lower.

Furthermore, once you’ve figured out the height that works best with your art and space, you’ll want to keep this consistent with the rest of the pieces you hang. Differentiation in hanging technique will look jumbled and messy.

If you are hanging multiple pieces, especially of different sizes, the most important trick is to make sure they all have the same center height so they remain unified and aligned, and your center height should be the predetermined eye level. Even if pieces are taller, they will appear more structured and apparent when all center points match at the same height, instead of lining up edges or frames.


Layer your lighting.
The easiest way to make a room feel lifeless is to have inadequate light sources. Most rooms will not always get the best natural light, and when the sun sets it’s up to your chosen light fixtures to bring some brightness back to the space. However, a single floor lamp or ceiling light is not going to do the trick, and often leaves your space looking flat and bleak. The best way to keep your space lively and vibrant is to layer your lighting in different ways throughout the room. They should vary in intensity to create depth and allow you to feel the dimension of the space—and the different opportunities for new decor through different fixtures certainly don’t hurt either.


Choose your window treatments carefully.
It’s easy to be blinded by a gorgeous color or alluring pattern when choosing curtains, but just because the material is ideal does not mean the size and shape of the curtain is too. Before making any decisions with your window treatments, take full measurements of the size of your windows and understand the sizes you’ll need. If you choose a size that’s wrong for your window height, you’ll be left with a disproportionately looking space, making your curtains appear visibly ill-fitting.

The ideal way to hang your curtains is to place your curtain rod halfway between the window and ceiling, and let your curtains hang just above the floor, ideally about a half inch or less.

This gives a more elegant and polished look, and lengthens the appearance of the room. Contrary to what you might think, a shorter curtain cuts your room and tend to have a cheaper appearance.

Curtain rods should also be wide enough to extend past the width of your window, instead of meeting at just about the same width. This is useful for bringing more light into your space. A wider curtain rod will allow you to open your curtains fully, and let them hang outside the frame of the window so that light can be allowed in fully. A rod that is less wide will keep your curtains hanging over the face of the window, even if they are fully opened.