Sunlight Over Crystal Sands – by Holly Martin

The blurb: 

 

Love is in the air on the sun kissed sands of the Cornish coast, where the sea

sparkles and romance sizzles on golden beaches. This stunning new novel by Holly Martin, bestselling author of Ice Creams at Emerald Cove, is guaranteed to steal your heart this summer.

Lyra Thomas has dreamed of living on Jewel Island ever since she first visited its breathtaking shores. And now her dream has come true – she has her own little cottage and a brand new job. But when Lyra sets out for a bike ride to explore her new home, a mishap has her crash-landing at the feet of the very handsome Nix Sanchez.

A true gentleman, Nix comes to Lyra’s rescue. His face is so familiar and yet they are strangers. But the more they talk, Lyra feels as though she has known Nix forever. What follows is the most magical night of Lyra’s life… until the spell is broken when the next morning she finds Nix has gone.

Feeling foolish Lyra vows to be more careful with her heart from now on. She’ll pretend Nix never existed. But destiny has other ideas and in a perfect twist of fate Lyra will discover that Nix Sanchez is impossible to forget…

Escape to sundrenched Jewel Island this summer where love, laughter and the thrill of adventure await. This gorgeous, romantic, feel-good read is perfect for fans of Sophie Kinsella, Jill Mansell and Sue Moorcroft.

 

 

My Opinion:

 

 

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

 

And we are back again!!!

 

Lyra and Nix both start working on Jewel Island at the same time. 

Before their job starts, they hit it off immediately and spend some magical moments together. 

 

The next day everything changes and both think the other one just left. A big misunderstanding of course, but they don’t know that. 

 

We then follow both of them on their journey on the island and it’s very exciting, especially, when they see each other again. 

 

I don’t want to give away too much, but let’s say that they have unique chemistry and their connection is obvious. Holly Martin captured that beautifully and I was hooked to the storyline. 

 

Her writing just makes everything seem so authentic, vivid and sweet. Of course the setting is magical too. 

 

The beginning of the book is exciting and makes you want to read on. I really liked both main characters and it was also fabulous to catch up with all my Jewel Island favourites. 

 

I loved every second of this book!!!

Rating:

Holly Martin on Twitter: @HollyMAuthor

Goodreads - Amazon UK - Amazon US

 

 

 

 

Ice Creams at Emerald Cove – by Holly Martin

The blurb: 

 

Escape to the Cornish coast this spring with a trip to the beautiful Emerald

Cove, where the sea sparkles in the sunshine, the sand glitters like gold, and true love is in the air. From the bestselling author of Sunrise over Sapphire Bay comes this gorgeously romantic and uplifting tale.

Skye Philips and Jesse Hamilton have a complicated relationship. They’ve been neighbours, best friends and even briefly married. But ever since Skye returned to the beautiful shores of Jewel Island to help her sisters Aria and Clover run their family hotel, she doesn’t know where she stands with Jesse.

When they’re together the chemistry between them sizzles, but with Jesse living in Canada and Skye on the Cornish island she calls home, they’ve kept things casual. Till now…

Jesse is coming to Jewel Island for the annual Pudding Parade and Skye knows this is her chance to tell him how she really feels. But putting her heart on the line isn’t easy when it’s been broken in the past. Will Jesse return her love? Or will she lose him for good?

Everything she's ever wanted can be hers if she's willing to take the chance, but is Skye brave enough to risk her heart once again?'

Set sail to the Cornish coast where sunshine, laughter and romance awaits. This stunning love story is guaranteed to steal your heart this summer; it’s the perfect read for fans of Sarah Morgan, Veronica Henry and Jill Mansell.

 

 

My Opinion:

 

 

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

 

We are finally back on Jewel Island again, yay!!! 

 

This time the story is focused on Skye. We of course already know her and I was very excited for her story. Things are complicated between her and Jesse and we finally got to into more depth. 

 

Their feelings for each other are obvious, but Jesse is in Canada with his daughter. When Skye decides to organise a Pudding parade, she asks him to come and help and there he is. 

 

I really adored their moments and scenes together, they are a perfect match, but they just don’t tell each other what they are feeling. 

 

I don’t want to go into more detail here, you will just have to read the book. Holly Martin’s style is so vivid and fun, I got hooked immediately. She has a really talent of capturing these special moments and just makes a story so magical. 

 

Of course it’s also always great to catch up with some other familiar characters. They are a wonderful big family on the island and I actually don’t want to leave them. 

 

A gripping storyline, wonderful setting and awesome characters, this book is just amazing!!!

Rating: 

 

 

 

Holly Martin on Twitter: @HollyMAuthor

Goodreads - Amazon UK - Amazon US

 

Autumn Skies Over Ruby Falls – by Holly Martin

The blurb: 

 

Get swept away to the sparkling Cornish coast with the stunning new novel from bestselling

author Holly Martin. Autumn Skies Over Ruby Falls is the perfect romantic treat to snuggle up with this autumn.

Clover Philips is exactly where she’s meant to be – back home on Jewel Island teaching dance to the guests at the beautiful Sapphire Bay Hotel that she co-owns with her sisters Skye and Aria. Her life is complete, except for one thing…

When Clover left London she also left behind a devastating betrayal. She hasn’t been able to date anyone since, let alone allow herself to fall in love. What she needs is a casual fling to ease herself back into romance. And as luck would have it, the very handsome Angel Mazzeo is back in town.

The chemistry between Clover and Angel has been undeniable ever since Angel first arrived on Jewel Island six months ago. And though content to be her friend till now, Angel is more than willing to help Clover find her dating feet again.

It should be easy to keep things carefree when love is off the table, but when every moment is magical what started as casual soon becomes something much deeper. Will Clover and Angel find the courage to tell each other how they really feel? And is Clover ready to do the one thing she swore she’d never do again, fall in love?

 

 

My Opinion:

 

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

 

We are back on Jewel Island and I couldn’t be happier!

 

This time the story is focused on Clover. We got to know her in the first book of the series and now it’s time to tell her story. She teaches dance tot he guests of the hotel she owns together with her sisters Aria and Skye. 

 

She went through a lot in her past and a big betrayal changed the way she acts around men. She is scared, so a casual thing between her and Angel Mazzeo is perfect. He is Noah’s assistant (Aria’s boyfriend) and their chemistry is next level. 

 

All their moments are electric and full of passion. It’s clear that it’s much more than just a casual fling, but can they admit it. Angel brings some baggage as well and he travels a lot for work, sometimes gone for months, so the basis is not ideal. 

 

I absolutely adored Holly Martin’s writing. She set the moments perfectly and put a lot of heart into it. She captered their feelings perfectly and created a wonderful story around their relationship. Her style is vivid, passionate, fresh, romantic and just lovely!

I loved catching up with some familiar characters and I can’t wait fort he next book in the series!

 

The book has absolutely everything: a beautiful location, wonderful characters, a gripping storyline and much more. 

 

LOVE!!!

 

Rating:

 

Holly Martin on Twitter: @HollyMAuthor

Goodreads - Amazon UK - Amazon US

Sunrise Over Sapphire Bay – by Holly Martin

The blurb: 

Fall in love with the beautiful Jewel Island this summer, where the sapphire sea sparkles, the golden sun warms your skin and the islanders melt your heart. From the bestselling author of The Little Village of Happiness comes Holly Martin’s most romantic novel yet.

Aria Philips has lived on Jewel Island all of her life. Even when her sisters Clover and Skye left its stunning shores for bigger and better things, Aria stayed to help her father run their family hotel.

A year after her father’s death Aria’s done everything she can to keep things afloat but the hotel has long been struggling to make a profit. With so few guests Aria risks losing the only home she’s ever had.

Noah Campbell earned his fortune from making hotels a success, and he also just happens to be staying on Jewel Island this summer. Could he be the answer to Aria’s problems? If only he hadn’t kissed her under the willow tree the year before and never called her again. It had been the most incredible kiss of her life, but clearly business and pleasure should never be mixed.

As gorgeous and charming as Noah may be, Aria vows to keep things professional while she seeks his help. But for the past year Noah has been keeping a secret and his return to Jewel Island is about to change Aria’s life forever…

My Opinion:

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

WOW!!!

Where to start…

Let’s start with the wonderful main characters. Airs has lived on Jewel Island her whole live. She started working at the family hotel, helped her father run it and now after his death she is the manager. The hotel is struggling now and she doesn’t know what to do now. 

Noah Campbell has been a guest to the hotel several times. He makes hotels successful and travels a lot. 

Aria and Noah had instant chemistry, but nothing really happened between them, until he kissed her under the willow tree. After that he left and it broke her heart. 

Now he is back and he is there to help make the hotel a success again and the truth about everything comes out. What does that mean for their feelings for each other though?! Can they be in a relationship I this situation?!

Their connection and chemistry is there again immediately and I love how Holly Martin captured it. I just wanted them to get together, the story I s very gripping and just beautiful. Their scenes and moments were adorable. Their relationship is full of ups and downs, which made the storyline very exciting. 

Aria’s sisters come back to the island as well, as well as some other characters, who play an important role. I loved reading about all of them. Together with the guests ands the villagers they made a fab group of people with lots of stories to tell. We also got to read about characters from Holly Martin’s previous books as well, which was great. 

The setting of this story is amazing and I loved how detailed the authors style is. The book is full of love, passion, family, heart, friendship, live lessons and much more. There very also some funny moments in this story, which I really liked. 

We also get to learn lot about the characters’ pasts and I really loved that. It made me understand them more and gave us a good background on their lives. I felt like their emotions and feelings were captured really beautifully. 

I can’t wait for more to come in this series!! I’m definitely hooked!

WOW!!!!!!

Rating:

Holly Martin on Twitter: @HollyMAuthor Goodreads - Amazon UK - Amazon US

The Gift of Happiness – by Holly Martin

The blurb: 

Christmas has arrived in the little village of Happiness, promising snowflakes, hot chocolate and plenty of seasonal romance. So snuggle up and fall in love with the gorgeously cosy new story from the bestselling author of Christmas at Lilac Cottage…

Christmas has always been such an important part of Ruby Marlowe’s life and at a time of year that always holds so many memories, Ruby likes to throw herself into the magic of the season head first. So when she is offered the opportunity to open a year-round Christmas shop in the little village of Happiness it seems like a dream come true.

Accepting the offer has absolutely nothing to do with sexy Jacob Harrington, the sculptor she had a fling with in the village during the summer.

After all, Jacob is known to love the ladies and has never had a commitment. Ruby, on the other hand, made the ultimate vow of love and suffered heart-wrenching loss in return. She vows she will never be committed to a man again.

But when fate throws Ruby and Jacob together in this town in the most magical of seasons, will more than snowflakes fall? As the Christmas celebrations get underway and Ruby tries to spread her own Christmas magic over the little village, can love sparkle and come back to life.

A glorious, feel-good romance that’s like a warm hug on a cold winter’s day. An unputdownable festive treat for lovers of Sarah Morgan, Miranda Dickinson and Lucy Diamond.

My Opinion:

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

We are back in the lovely village of Happiness and I couldn't be more excited.

The main character in this book is Ruby Marlowe, who goes to Happiness to sell her Christmas things. Her store is not ready yet, so she has to share with a guy called Phoenix Blade. Well, it turns out she knows him. It's Jacob Harrington, her summer fling, you could call it. Apparently, the chemistry was really there, but she definitely doesn't want more. 

Ruby's best friend Willow is also still in Happiness and of course still together with the lovely Andrew. Jacob is Andrew's brother. It was so lovely to read about them again. Their story develops as well in this book, which is just great. 

Let's get back to Ruby and Jacob now. Sharing the same store, evidently means spending a lot of time together. Well, one thing leads to another of course, but Ruby just shoves away her feelings. She went through a lot in her past and it's hard for her to move on, even though she clearly feels attracted to him. Jacob is absolutely adorable to her, cares for her, helps her and does everything for her, even if it's his greatest fear. 

Their scenes and special moments are captured beautifully and it feels very intimate. Holly Martin's descriptive, deep and emotional writing is on point and very gripping. The characters go through a lot emotionally and have lots of people Round them, caring for them. The book is set around Christmas time and that adds a lot of magic to it. Happiness is the perfect festive town and all the festivities and events are lovely. The setting of this book is absolutely perfect and unique. 

I fell in love with the characters and the story immediately. The storyline is very exciting and full of ups and downs, Holly Martin's writing is beautiful and full of feelings and passion!

LOVE LOVE LOVE!!!!

Rating:

  

The Little Village of Happiness - by Holly Martin

The blurb: 

Fall head-over-heels in love with the beautiful new novel from bestselling author Holly Martin and let The Little Village of Happiness warm your heart and make your spirits soar.

Willow McKay needs a fresh start. Her recent break-up may not have left her heartbroken but it’s certainly wounded her pride. Desperate to escape the whispers and stares of her town’s gossips, an advert offering homes in a picturesque village in the grounds of a majestic castle on the Cornish coast sounds like just what she needs. Without thinking twice Willow applies for a cottage and packs up her life for the village of Happiness.

But when Willow arrives she finds a crumbling ruin and ramshackle cottages, nothing like the pretty picture the advert had boasted. It seems Happiness was too good to be true. That is until she meets the incredibly handsome estate manager Andrew Harrington…

His passion for restoring the village to its former glory is contagious and soon they are working together to bring happiness back to Happiness. And as sparks fly between them Willow can feel herself falling. But Andrew is holding something back.

Can Willow risk her heart again? And will they succeed in transforming the old village to its original beauty before it’s too late?

My Opinion:

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

We follow Willow McKay he is desperate for a fresh start and hopes to find it in a village called Happiness. Happiness is located on the Cornish coast, has a castle and looks very pretty on adverts. She is surprised however, when she arrives it’s not like she’d imagined. Maybe the adverts were a bit misleading. 

Willow is a candle maker and I really liked her from the start. She has a bubbly personality and I loved following her around. I didn’t always agree with her decisions, but that also made her unique. 

Well, Andrew Harrington is the estate manager in this village and Willow finds him interesting from the start. 

She is determined to restore the village and Andrew is helping her. Well, sparks definitely fly between them, but it’s not so easy. I think Holly Martin captured their connection beautifully and give them some exciting and sweet moments. 

Andrew seems to hold something back and Willow doesn’t want to be in a relationship, so it was really interesting to see, how things developed. 

I have to be honest. It took me a while to get into this book, which made me sad, but then I was hooked. 

Holly Martin really knows how to create a beautiful atmosphere, a wonderful setting, lovely characters and much more. It’s a heart-warming story, full of magical scenes and Holly Martin’s writing is on point.

Rating:

UK. https://amzn.to/2FGW4A1
US. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07TMS14BT

The Summer of Chasing Dreams - by Holly Martin

The blurb: 

A joyously romantic, feel-good summer read that will make you laugh, cry and fall in love. Eva Blue is about to go on a trip of a lifetime, but one adventure she didn't count on was falling in love...

Eva is quite content with her life in London. In her job as a cover designer, she works at home, and often in her cosy pyjamas. She's happy to stay in her safe little world and not explore much outside of it.

She is the opposite of her mum, a free spirit who craved finding adventure and thrills in all corners of the world. But on the day her mum’s will is finalised, Eva finds a list of all the dreams her mum wanted to achieve in her life. Things she never did because she fell pregnant with Eva.

Eva decides these dreams will not go unfulfilled — she is going to be brave and complete them for her mum. As Eva has no experience travelling the world, she hires a guide to go with her on this holiday.

Gorgeous but rude Thor Anderson is not the person she would choose to accompany her on this journey, but somehow she gets stuck with him. As they discover the world together Eva starts to think he might not be as bad as she first thought. She is swept away by Thor's kindness and mischievous sense of humour. But will it be a simple holiday romance or could this wonderful adventure lead to so much more?

The stunning new story from the bestselling author of The Cottage on Sunshine Beach. Discover an unforgettable romance this summer. If you enjoy reading Sarah Morgan, Miranda Dickinson and Jill Mansell, this book is for you.

My Opinion:

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

So much LOVE for this story!!!

I don’t even know where to start this review, this book is just AMAZING!!!

We follow the story of Eva Blue, who loves her job as a cover designer. She likes to stay in her safe place and doesn’t risk much.

She finds a list of dreams her mum made before she fell pregnant with Eva. It’s all connected to traveling, adventures and enjoying life. Eva decides to follow her mum’s dreams and go on a world trip. I absolutely adored Eva as a character, she is very relatable and authentic. I kind of saw myself in her in some ways, but she was still very different, which made the story more exciting for me. She totally goes out of her comfort zone, shows courage and finds new joys.

Well, she is supposed to go on the trip with a girl, but she has to cancel last minute so her colleague Thor comes along. She doesn’t like that fact in the beginning, because he is rude and… The more time they spend with each other though, the better they get along. Their chemistry is undeniable and beautifully described. Thor turns out to be the perfect man: kind, thoughtful, sweet, funny and so much more. Can I have him too?! One thing leads to another… But what about his job?! And what will happen when they are back home?!

I loved traveling the world together with Eva and Thor. It was fab seeing the places through their eyes. Holly Martin captured the special and unique cultures and sights beautifully and included all the emotions. The storyline is very moving, passionate, charming, colourful and speaks of hops, dreams, traveling, love and includes so many special moments. 

I love Holly Martin’s books and this is by far my new favourite!!! I didn’t want the story to end, I really want to see these characters again!

Rating:

Holly Martin on Twitter: @HollyMAuthor Goodreads - Amazon UK - Amazon US

Book of the Month - September

The books I read this month:

-      The Man Who Didn’t Call –by Rosie Walsh 4/5

-      I Will Survive –by Pippa James 3/5 

-      Love at the Northern Lights –by Darcie Boleyn 5/5

-      Coming Home to Maple Cottage –by Holly Martin 5/5

-      The Bottom Line –by Aven Ellis 5/5

It blew me away!!! But I have another one, you just can’t compare the two: 

Coming Home to Maple Cottage – Holly Martin

The bit on the back:

This utterly addictive new novel from bestselling author Holly Martin will make you smile until your cheeks hurt, sob tears of pure joy and fall head over heels in love with a totally unforgettable romance… 

Isla Rosewood is creating a new life for herself and her sweet nephew Elliot in their cosy, yellow-brick family cottage, brimming with special memories. Living in Sandcastle Bay was never part of Isla’s plan but, after her brother Matthew’s tragic accident, her whole world changed as she unexpectedly became a mother to the little boy she adores so much. 

Leo Jackson was always known as Matthew’s fun-loving and wild best friend. But now Matthew is gone, it’s time to put his colourful past behind him. His role as Elliot’s godfather is the most important thing to him. And even though Leo and Isla are two very different people, they both want to give Elliot the childhood he deserves. 

As the three of them enjoy time together watching fireworks, baking cakes and collecting conkers, Isla begins to see a softer side to charming Leo, with his twinkling eyes and mischievous sense of humour. And, despite herself, she begins to fall for him. 

But does Leo feel the same way? Isla knows their situation is complicated but is it too complicated for true love… or will the year end with a happy new beginning for them all? 

A glorious, feel-good romance that will make you want to snuggle up under a warm blanket with a hot chocolate and the one you love. If you enjoy reading Sarah Morgan, Jenny Oliver and Lucy Diamond this book is for you.

My opinion:

I couldn’t put this book down! This book has so much magic, it’s beautifully written and touches the heart. I absolutely fell in love with the characters and the writing. Holly Martin is a very talented author, who can create a unique, authentic and amazing atmosphere. 

WONDERFUL!!!

Full review: http://simonascornerofdreams.blogspot.com/2018/10/coming-home-to-maple-cottage-by-holly.html

Amazon: http://geni.us/B07G2TCVTLSocial

iBookstore: http://ow.ly/z1xW30lZzDo

Kobo: http://ow.ly/gVZ930lZzES

Googleplay: http://ow.ly/HSgD30lZzFs

The Bottom Line – Aven Ellis

The bit on the back:

After landing her dream job as an assistant buyer for a luxury fashion retailer in Minneapolis, Taylor Hartigan’s life becomes a nightmare. Performing mundane tasks and catering to the ridiculous whims of the boss from hell, she sees no opportunity for advancement. Though she’s never quit anything in her life, Taylor walks out and heads home to Chicago, the city that holds her heart. With her confidence shaken and no job on the horizon, she knows she has to find herself again.

Once she arrives, she’s shocked to learn hockey player Hunter Riley has been traded to the Chicago Buffaloes. Taylor met Hunter the previous season when his hard-hitting play broke the glass in front of her. Meeting him after the game, something passed between them—and has stayed with her ever since. Since she’s followed his career, she knows he’s coming off a disastrous season in Houston and must rediscover his game in Chicago—or face losing his hockey dream.

The timing couldn’t be worse for the pair to become involved since they’re both at a crossroads but the chemistry between them can’t be denied. Taylor worries that their budding relationship won’t survive the challenges of rebuilding two broken careers. Can the new versions of themselves fit together? Or tear them apart?

Or will love be the bottom line, after all?

My opinion:

Aven Ellis’ style is wonderful, vivid, fresh and absorbing. She really knows how to capture emotions. 

Aven Ellis has a really talent for creating gripping and thrilling storylines. It hast he perfect mixture of romance, love, friendship, family and sport. There is a lot of passion behind the writing and the plot is full of exciting elements. 

Aven Ellis on Twitter: @AvenEllis

Website: http://www.avenellis.com

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