Christmas Memories at Waterside Cottage, by K.T. Dady – Review

5 November 2023 by Melissa

About the book, Christmas Memories at Waterside Cottage

Series: Pepper Bay (Book 10)
Publication date: ‎ November 1, 2023
Language: ‎ English
File size: ‎ 910 KB

Welcome to Pepper Bay, where you’ll find love, drama, and a happily ever after.

Snuggle down with this cosy, feel-good, comfort read that whisks you away to a beautiful bay on the Isle of Wight – Perfect for fans of Christie Barlow, Alison Sherlock, Rachael Lucas, and Holly Martin.

The Pepper Bay books are standalone stories that intertwine with recurring characters. Best enjoyed when read in order.

Christmas Memories at Waterside Cottage: Charlie and Grace have been together for four years, but when Grace wakes up in hospital after an accident, she doesn’t remember her husband at all. With Christmas just around the corner, and it being their favourite time of year, Charlie pulls out all the festive stops, hoping his wife will remember their relationship or at least fall in love with him all over again, because there is no way he can lose her.

Buy, read, and discuss this book:

Amazon (US) | Amazon (UK) | Goodreads

About the author, K.T. Dady

Hello, I’m K.T. Dady. I’m the bestselling author of the Pepper Bay series. I’m also a chocolate lover, mum to a grown-up daughter, and a huge fan of a HEA. I was born and raised in the East End of London, and I’ve been happily writing stories since I was a little girl. When I’m not writing, I’m reading, baking cakes, or pottering around in my little garden in Essex, trying not to kill the flowers.

Connect with K.T.:

Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

My Thoughts

Christmas Memories at Waterside Cottage is my first visit to Pepper Bay, but it definitely won’t be my last! While the title suggested a sweet, almost Hallmark-esque holiday tale, the book is actually a deep reflection of love and memory, and how each informs the other.

I really liked the character of Grace who wakes up from a three-week coma missing four years of memories. Author KT Dady did an amazing job of depicting her initial befuddlement, her ongoing confusing, and her journey back toward strength and confidence, giving her an excellent supporting cast in her Hot Doc husband Charlie, and her younger sister Molly, and the rest of their family and friends.

I really liked the way Dady kept this story grounded in emotional truth, and let the characters find their way organically, and I especially appreciated how graceful (no pun intended) and well-crafted the plot was – turning this novel into a sort of second-chance romance with a refreshingly original twist.

I don’t know how much the setting of Pepper Bay figures into the other books in this series, or if it’s merely a connecting point for all of Dady’s work, but the town felt real. As for the titular cottage – I’ll happily spend Christmas there any time I’m invited.

Overall, this is a holiday romance that manages to be warm and hopeful without any commercial schmaltz. Highly recommend.

Goes well with: Mulled wine and mince pie.

Good Talk… Good Talk, by Ginny Andrews – Book Review and Giveaway

1 November 2023 by Melissa

About the book, Good Talk… Good Talk

Genre: Nonfiction / Humor / Comedy / Essays
Publisher: Ginny Andrews Comedy, LLC
Date of Publication: October 5, 2023
Number of Pages: 171 pages
Scroll down for Giveaway!

Raise your hand if you have ever run into a mannequin in a store and apologized. Continue to keep your hand raised if you want to pre-write thank you notes to those whom you anticipate attending your funeral because you suffer from chronic “way too nice” syndrome. Keep it up high if you have ever farted in church or yoga class. Man, my arm is getting tired!

Most people are awkward during the middle school years, grow out of it, and blossom into mature, well-functioning human beings…I’m still waiting for this to happen. Awkwardness is my hidden talent, although most who know me would tell you it isn’t hidden—it’s written on my forehead. My daily life is filled with epic failures. Sometimes I feel like I’m one big malfunction! As I have gotten older, I just try to embrace it.

After you read this collection of essays, hopefully you will be able to accept your imperfections too! Nope, probably not because I’m still not there! However, maybe my comedy will stick with you like that hemorrhoid you can’t seem to get rid of, like ever—Good Talk. . .Good Talk.

Praise for Good Talk. . .Good Talk:

“Reading Ginny Andrews’s Good Talk. . .Good Talk is a lot like hanging out with that girlfriend that invariably makes you laugh until you cry.” —Lauren Cassel Brownell, author of Zen and the Art of Housekeeping and Dying to Donate

“Good Talk. . .Good Talk is a laugh out loud winner, filled with quirky stories reminiscent of Patrick McManus.” —J. Andersen, author of The Breeding Tree, The Gene Rift, and Legacy’s Impact

“Anyone with anxiety will totally relate to Ginny Andrews’ humorous tales of the struggle of day-to-day life in today’s world.” —John A.B., Amazon Reviewer

Buy, read, and discuss this book:

Click to Purchase | Goodreads

Watch the trailer for Good Talk… Good Talk

About the author, Ginny Andrews

Ginny Andrews is a former high school teacher and coach, who is now an aspiring comedian, speaker, and writer. She would greatly appreciate it if you purchased her book! Door Dash, dog-sitting, used car sales, lawn mowing, and selling random items found in her house aren’t high paying gigs!

Connect with Ginny:

Website | Instagram | Facebook | Amazon | X/Twitter

TikTok | YouTube | Goodreads | BookBub

My Thoughts

Ginny Andrews’s new book, Good Talk… Good Talk, is the perfect antidote to the rather dour early November. It’s breezy, it’s candid, it’s relatable, and it’s laugh-out-loud funny.

Presented as a series of essays – monologues, really – about everything from attempting meditation to fitness classes to an epic BenGay overload and beyond, and she does it all with self-deprecating humor that makes you empathize with her plight, murmur, “Same, girl, same,” and dissolve into hysterical laughter, often at once.

And yet, beneath the humor there’s a very real, very flawed (as are we all) human being trying her best to navigate a world that changes daily, seems to mock us as we age, and didn’t come with any kind of a manual. From her childhood experiences with religion to her confession that “Andrews is awkward,” there is a poignance that grounds her stories in the emotional truth of being a single woman in her forties. As she writes, “It’s cute to compare your ten-year-old self to your twenty-year-old self, but anyone thirty and above… it doesn’t fare well for us.”

If you like your humor with a side of insight, you will appreciate Good Talk… Good Talk. If you can look at yourself in the mirror and realize that, yes, you have bumped into store mannequins and apologized, that horror movies kept you awake at night as a child, and that you do take longer than others to catch on to the latest fads (or just basic household skills) you will not merely love this book, you will identify with the author.

Run, carefully lest you trip, to the nearest bookstore (or, let’s be honest, the nearest computer or tablet) and buy a copy of Good Talk… Good Talk. You will begin the month of November with a smile on your face, secure in the knowledge that you are not alone – Ginny Andrews is there to make sure.

Goes well with: Pizza, possibly a whole one, and Dr. Pepper.

Giveaway

ONE WINNER:

Signed paperback of GOOD TALK. . .GOOD TALK

+ $25 Amazon gift card

(US only; ends midnight, CST, 11/10/23)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Visit the Other Great Blogs on This Tour

Click to visit the Lone Star Literary Life Tour Page for direct links to each post on this tour, updated daily, or visit each blog directly.

10/31/23	Chapter Break Book Blog	Notable Quotables
10/31/23	Hall Ways Blog	BONUS Stop
11/01/23	Bibliotica	Review
11/01/23	LSBBT Blog	BONUS Stop
11/02/23	Reading by Moonlight	Guest Post
11/03/23	The Plain-Spoken Pen	Review
11/04/23	Carpe Diem Chronicles	Author Interview
11/05/23	The Real World According to Sam	Excerpt
11/06/23	A Page Before Bedtime	Review
11/07/23	The Page Unbound	Scrapbook
11/07/23	Forgotten Winds	BONUS Review
11/08/23	StoreyBook Reviews	Review
11/09/23	Reading by Moonlight	Review

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Christmas at the Cabin, by Rebecca Boxall – Cover Reveal!

19 October 2023 by Melissa

About the book, Christmas at the Cabin

Publication date ‏ : ‎ November 24, 2023
Language ‏ : ‎ English

A festive, coming-of-age tale about an Oxbridge candidate and a young homeless man who find themselves in the bittersweet predicament of falling in love with exactly the right person at exactly the wrong time.

Well-to-do Jed never imagined he’d end up homeless, but family circumstances have made it his only option. Local vicar, Ben, tries to help him but there’s an element of self-punishment to the homelessness that makes Jed continue to put up with his situation – until disaster leads him to re-consider the vicar’s offer of a place to stay.

Hattie is on the cusp of adulthood, frantically trying to persuade her mum that she doesn’t want to attend an elite university, preferring the idea of pursuing her love of art and textiles. When she meets Jed, she badly wants to understand his circumstances and why, when she has everything at her fingertips, he doesn’t.

Hattie’s mum, Christine, has had a hard life and is desperate for more for her only child. When she meets Ben, the vicar who’s trying to help Jed, she finds an unlikely ally, and the two heartbroken souls find themselves drawn to each other. Until they find their relationship suddenly tested to the limit.

One thing’s for certain: none of these characters is looking forward to Christmas. It’s the worst time of year for each of them, for different reasons. But perhaps this year, the festive season could defy all expectations.

Rebecca Boxall is the award-nominated author of five bestselling novels – Christmas at the Vicarage, Home for Winter, Christmas on the Coast, The Christmas Forest and Christmas by the Lighthouse. She is also the author of Christmas at the Farmhouse and her popular short story, A Winter’s Day.

Pre-Order this Book – Publication Date November 24th!

Amazon (US) | Amazon (UK)

About the author, Rebecca Boxall

Rebecca Boxall was born in East Sussex in 1977 and grew up in a bustling vicarage always filled with family, friends and parishioners. She now lives by the sea in Jersey with her family and Rodney the cat. She read English at the University of Warwick before she trained as a lawyer and more recently worked at a psychiatric unit.

She is the No. 1 bestselling author of Christmas at the Vicarage and Christmas on the Coast as well as the bestselling writer of Home for Winter, The Christmas Forest and Christmas by the Lighthouse, in respect of which she was nominated for the Romantic Novel Awards in 2020. She is also the author of Christmas at the Farmhouse and her popular short story, A Winter’s Day.

Connect with Rebecca:

Website | Facebook | Instagram

View the cover of Christmas at the Cabin

Pringle Prawn by Michael Scott Clifton – Review and Giveaway

13 October 2023 by Melissa

About the book, Pringle Prawn

Genre: Contemporary Urban Fantasy / Fairies / Humor
Publisher: Book Liftoff
Date of Publication: September 19, 2023
Number of Pages: 310 pages
Scroll down for Giveaway!

Move over Tinker Bell. There’s a new fairy in town!

Ben’s luck is changing. He has his iconic VW bus, a hot, wealthy girlfriend, and he’s managed to buy an old fixer-upper in an upscale neighborhood—just the thing to convince his girlfriend’s influential father that he’s husband material. But his new home has a secret, and when Ben opens a mysterious grandfather clock, he finds himself dropped into a magical land. There he meets Pringle, a six-inch prawn with a supercharged attitude and a pouchful of fairy dust. She saves his life, and when Ben returns to his world, Pringle returns with him.

Pringle’s adjustment to the modern world is a hilarious series of incidents that completely disrupt Ben’s life. When Russian mobsters and a vengeful HOA president attempt to hijack Ben’s life, Pringle zooms to the rescue—a pinch here, a pinch there, nothing a little fairy dust can’t fix.

But it’s when Pringle begins to grow that things really get interesting, because as Pringle’s size increases, so do her feelings for Ben. Ultimately, Pringle must decide whether to return to her world—or follow her heart and stay with Ben.

Buy, read, and discuss this book:

Click to Purchase Pringle Prawn | Visit the GoodReads page for Pringle Prawn

About the author, Michael Scott Clifton

Multi-award-winning author Michael Scott Clifton lives in Mount Pleasant, Texas with his wife, Melanie. An avid gardener, rapacious reader, and movie junkie, his books contain facets of all the genres he enjoys—action, adventure, magic, fantasy, and romance. His fantasy novels, The Janus Witch, and the Conquest of the Veil series, (The Open Portal, Escape from Wheel, A Witch’s Brew, and Cavern of the Veil Queen) all received 5-Stars from the prestigious Readers Favorite Book Reviews. The Open Portal has been honored with a Feathered Quill Book Finalist Award. In addition, his YA novel Edison Jones and The Anti-Grav Elevator received a Feathered Quill Book Award Bronze Medal. Two of his short stories have earned Gold Medals, with “Edges of Gray” winning the Texas Authors Contest, and “The End Game”, winning the Northeast Texas Writer’s Organization Contest. Professional credits include published articles in the Texas Study of Secondary Education Magazine.

Connect with Michael:

My Thoughts

As a previous reader and review of Michael Scott Clifton‘s work, I was excited to read his latest. Pringle Prawn is, at once, a delightful romp through a fantasy world (think Terry Brooks mixed with Lev Grossman) and a contemporary thriller in the vein of David Baldacci, combined into one immensely satisfying, unique package.

The fantasy elements are what drew me to this title. I loved the fish-out-of-water Ben exploring the fantasy forest (and running for his life!) and the spunky Pringle the prawn, though in this case a prawn isn’t something you eat, but a being much akin to a fairy. Tinkerbell gone wild, maybe. But the parallel plot of human trafficking grounded the fantastic parts of this novel in a very real, very gritty world and gave real purpose to Ben’s adventures in not-so-wonderful land.

The characters are what really sold me on this book. Ben and Pringle, obviously, but the Russian criminals were deliciously villainous, and Ben’s girlfriend Cara who embodied the perfect self-absorbed rich girl who may not be as shallow as she initially seems. Clifton has a gift for writing dialogue that feels real, and his work in this novel is no exception. I particularly liked Pringle’s failure to grasp Ben’s colloquial English, and I appreciated the breezy, affected air of Cara’s speech. Maude the HOA president was also wonderfully written – I think I know her.

The pacing of Pringle Prawn is also perfect. From the opening in media res to the very end, I was completely immersed in the story. It never felt draggy, and the necessary exposition was provided organically. It’s a bit over three hundred pages long, but moves along so swiftly that I devoured it in one sitting on a rainy autumn afternoon.

Bottom line: if you, like me, never pass a wardrobe without checking to see if it leads to an enchanted forest, this novel is for you.

Goes well with: a hearty beef stew and a tankard of ale.

Giveaway

GIVEAWAY!  GIVEAWAY!  GIVEAWAY!

THREE WINNERS

1st Prize: autographed copy of Pringle Prawn + $10 Amazon gift card

2^nd & 3^rd Prize: Kindle copy

(US only; ends midnight, CDT, 10/20/23)

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Visit the Other Great Blogs on This Tour

Click to visit the Lone Star Literary Life Tour Page for links to each participating site, updated daily, or visit each one directly.

10/10/23	The Book’s Delight	Review
10/10/23	The Clueless Gent	Review
10/11/23	Book Fidelity	Review
10/11/23	LSBBT Blog	BONUS Stop
10/12/23	Reading by Moonlight	Review
10/12/23	StoreyBook Reviews	Review
10/13/23	Bibliotica	Review
10/13/23	Hall Ways Blog	BONUS Stop
10/14/23	Boys’ Mom Reads	Review
10/15/23	The Real World According to Sam	Review
10/16/23	It’s Not All Gravy	Review
10/17/23	Forgotten Winds	Review
10/17/23	Shelf Life Blog	BONUS Stop
10/18/23	The Plain-Spoken Pen	Review
10/18/23	Chapter Break Book Blog	Review
10/19/23	Carpe Diem Chronicles	Review
10/19/23	Rox Burkey Blog	Review

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Spotlight: Revisiting The Legend of Rachel Peterson by J.T. Baroni

29 September 2023 by Melissa

About the book, The Legend of Rachel Peterson

Outraged when The Post Gazette overlooks him for a promotion, 43-year-old Sports Writer Christian Kane quits the Paper and moves to the country to write fiction. Inspiration flows from a grave he stumbles upon in the woods. He pens The Legend of Rachel Petersen, a fascinating story revolving around the dead twelve-year-old girl laid to rest beneath the weathered tombstone in 1863. His book climbs the Best Seller lists; then Hollywood adapts it into a blockbuster movie. Kane becomes rich and famous; but then! Does an enraged Rachel become more than a figment of the writer’s imagination and rise from her grave, seeking revenge on him for slandering her name?

About the author, J.T. Baroni

Now retired, I am able to devote more time to one of my hobbies – writing. Other hobbies include fishing, classic cars and gardening. Once, I was an avid hunter, but my health restricts me on that hobby. Lifetime resident of Johnstown, Pa.

Watch the Trailer for this Book:

Revisiting Rachel…

I reviewed this book almost exactly eleven years ago, and loved the story and the craft behind it. It’s a ghost story that is partly supernatural and partly psychological and delves into how we respond to stress and loss, as well as success we’re not certain we earned. You can read my original review here: Review: The Legend of Rachel Petersen, by J.T. Baroni

Recently, the author contacted me to share that he’d published a revised edition which includes an additional “… 130,000 words to the background, details, and descriptions, along with a brand-new final chapter which adds one more twist… ” He’s not wrong. The original version was a gripping story with many layers. The revised edition is just as layered, but is also deeper, richer, and more immersive. It’s the perfect read for a chilly October evening, and I highly recommend it.

Buy, read, and discuss The Legend of Rachel Peterson.

Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Facebook | Goodreads (original edition)

Book Spotlight and Giveaway: The Killer Enigma by Breakfield and Burkey

18 August 2023 by Melissa

About the book, The Killer Enigma

Series: Magnolia Bluff Crime Chronicles (Book 16)
Cozy Mystery / Suspense / Cozy Mystery Series
Publisher: ICABOD Press
Coming August 19, 2023
Scroll down for giveaway!

Enough is Enough – JJ rumbled when the paparazzi invaded dinner.

JJ and Jo realize privacy doesn’t exist for them. They return to Magnolia Bluff to check on their friends and recapture the small-town anonymity. In Magnolia Bluff, no one suspects their fame.
They discount the status of urban legends in favor of acceptance and a quiet, peaceful life. After all, a supermodel needs time and space to recharge between jobs. A geek wants time to adore his wife.

Does Magnolia Bluff hold the answers to their prayers?

Will their desires get clouded by a hidden secret?

Past, present, and future collide in a perfect storm no one expected. JJ and Jo take action to uncover the truth. Chief Tommy Jager likes them but feels they’re a lightning rod for trouble and disruption.

Who will live or die to prevent the truth from being exposed? The answers may be in the graveyard with fresh flowers on the gravestone.

Their friends are targets – Their dreams are broken – They must fight

Buy and read this book:

CLICK TO PRE-ORDER

Check Out the Trailer for The Killer Enigma

Watch on YouTube

About the authors, Breakfield and Burkey

Charles Breakfield is a 25+ year technology expert in security, networking, voice, and anything digital. He enjoys writing, studying World War II history, travel, and cultural exchanges. He also enjoys wine tastings, wine-making, Harley riding, cooking extravaganzas, and woodworking.

Rox Burkey is a 25+ year applied technology professional who excels at optimizing technology and business investments for customers worldwide with a focus on optimized customer experiences. She writes white papers and documents with a marked preference for fiction.

Together they create award-winning stories that resonate with males and females, young and experienced adults, and bring a fresh new view to technology possibilities today.

Connect with Breakfield and Burkey:

Series Social Media:

WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | TWITTER | YOUTUBE

Rox Burkey Social Media:

WEBSITE | TWITTER | FACEBOOK | GOODREADS | BOOKBUB

Giveaway! Giveaway! Giveaway!

TWO WINNERS

FIRST: Signed copy

SECOND: eBook copy
(US only; ends midnight, CST, 8/24/23)

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Second Chances in Bellbird Bay Cover LARGE EBOOK

Book Review, Second Chances in Bellbird Bay by Maggie Christensen

1 August 2023 by Melissa

About the book, Second Chances in Bellbird Bay

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Cala Publishing (July 30, 2023)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 258 pages

Second Chances in Bellbird Bay: A captivating story to tug on your heartstrings

Following her divorce, Greta Roberts has found solace running Birds of a Feather, an upmarket boutique in the seaside town of Bellbird Bay. But when a ghost from her past reappears, Greta’s peaceful, single life is sent into a spin.

Leo Carlson has built an empire of hotels and resorts but has never forgotten the perfect summer he spent in Bellbird Bay in his teens. When the opportunity to purchase a hotel there arises, he finds it difficult to pass it up.

Meeting again, Greta and Leo are quick to discover they are different people from the young couple who kissed on the beach and vowed to love each other for ever. Beset with challenges which threaten to keep them apart, can Bellbird Bay work its magic and provide these two with a second chance at love?

Buy, read, and discuss this book:

Amazon (US) | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

About the author, Maggie Christensen

After a career in education, Maggie Christensen began writing contemporary women’s fiction portraying mature women facing life-changing situations, and historical fiction set in her native Scotland. Her travels inspire her writing, be it her trips to visit family in Scotland, in Oregon, USA or her home on Queensland’s beautiful Sunshine Coast. Maggie writes of mature heroines coming to terms with changes in their lives and the heroes worthy of them. Maggie has been called the queen of mature age fiction and her writing has been described by one reviewer as like a nice warm cup of tea. It is warm, nourishing, comforting and embracing.

From the small town in Scotland where she grew up, Maggie was lured to Australia by the call to ‘Come and teach in the sun’. Once there, she worked as a primary school teacher, university lecturer and in educational management. Now living with her husband of over thirty years on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast, she loves walking on the deserted beach in the early mornings and having coffee by the river on weekends. Her days are spent surrounded by books, either reading or writing them – her idea of heaven!

Connect with Maggie:

My Thoughts

Second Chances in Bellbird Bay is actually my first visit to this lovely seaside village, but I felt as welcome as any visitor, and it will not be my last experience with this series.

This story is focused on Greta Roberts, owner of an upscale boutique and Leo Carlson who she knew – and kissed – as a teenager. The divorced shop owner and the returning hotelier have a history with each other, but years change us, and they must get to know each other all over again.I really appreciated that this story was about mature adults finding love. I enjoy stories about twenty- and early thirty-somethings but as someone entering her mid-fifties, I like seeing characters who are closer to my age. Fifty is the new thirty, after all, and many of us, like Greta, are still vital and active.

Author Maggie Christensen has written many other books in this series, but this is the first I’ve read, so I hope the wonderful cast of locals – friends and family – are as integral to the other books as they were in this one. It’s often said that it takes a village to raise a child, but the truth is, it takes a village to be a whole, functioning adult at times. None of us lives in a vacuum, and having the people of Bellbird Bay being involved in Greta and Leo’s lives really made this book feel plausible.

Enough cannot be said about the town of Bellbird Bay, itself. Christensen has made the seaside locale into a character in the story, with vivid descriptions, but also by adept use of the special tone that coastal villages have. Light and life are slightly different when you live by the sea, and Maggie has captured that difference with deftness.

Overall, this is an interesting, enntertaining read with rich development of characters and place.

Goes well with: Italian ice (preferably lemon) served in a paper cone.

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Book Review: All Change at the Beach Hotel by Francesca Capaldi

21 July 2023 by Melissa

About the Book, All Change at the Beach Hotel

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Canelo Hera (20 July 2023)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 368 pages

Can she choose between her duty and her heart?

While World War One changes the country beyond measure, with food becoming scarce and Britain’s young men being called up to foreign battlefields, it is harder than ever to keep the grand Beach Hotel in Littlehampton running smoothly.

Waitress Lili Probert, a young woman who escaped her demanding family in Wales in search of a new life in Sussex, has seen her hard work rewarded at the Beach Hotel, but hides heartbreak behind her sunny personality. Her sweetheart, Norman, is missing in action and has been presumed dead, but she cannot give up hope that he may be found.

But when she meets injured soldier Rhodri, a fellow Welshman now living near Littlehampton, she fights hard to ignore her growing attraction for him, torn between her feelings for him and her loyalty to the man she thought she’d spend her life with.

But her emotions run ever higher when she suddenly receives a call from home; her mother is gravely ill and Lili is needed for her care. Returning to Wales, Lili must make a difficult choice. Follow her dreams and make her own life, or return to the place she tried so hard to escape?

Torn between her duty and her heart, Lili faces her own battle far from the conflicts in Europe…

Buy, read, and discuss this book:

Amazon (UK) | Amazon (USA) | Apple | Kobo | Goodreads

About the Author, Francesca Capaldi

Francesca has enjoyed writing since she was a child. Born in Worthing and brought up in Littlehampton in Sussex, she was largely influenced by a Welsh mother who was brilliant at improvised story telling. A history graduate and qualified teacher, she decided to turn her writing hobby into something more in 2006, when she joined a writing class.

Writing as both Francesca Capaldi and Francesca Burgess, she has had many short stories published in magazines in the UK and abroad, along with several pocket novels published by DC Thomson.

Her Welsh World War 1 sagas were inspired by the discovery of the war record of her great grandfather, a miner in South Wales. Her latest series, The Beach Hotel, is set in her own childhood town, where her Italian father had a café on the riverside.

Francesca is a member of the Romantic Novelists’ Association and the Society of Women Writers and Journalists. She currently lives on the North Downs in Kent with her family and a cat called Lando Calrission.

Connect with Francesca:

Website | Facebook author page | Instagram | Tiktok | Twitter

My Thoughts

So many period romance novels are set against the backdrop of World War II, that when a series like the Beach Hotel series by Francesca Capaldi, set against World War I, comes along, it feels refreshing and new, even though it’s technically historical. Still, the struggles of living under scarcity caused by war, the worries we have about our loved ones either deployed or waiting at home, and the dreams we have for love and a satisfying life are universal, and this author has captured them extremely well in this second novel in the series: All Change at the Beach Hotel.

Main character Lili is so well drawn, and so human, that she could be a young woman of any age – she’s left home to stand on her own and build a life on her own terms, but finds herself torn between her MIA boyfriend Norman, and the very present injured soldier Rhodri. It’s a scenario we experience today, when we go off to school or move for a job and leave our first loves behind, and I loved the way author Capaldi imbued this story with a sense of wistfulness.

Another universal theme is obligation to family, which in this case is Lili’s obligation to go home and care for her ailing mother. Even the best mother-daughter relationships can become strained by the role-reversal that comes when the child becomes caregiver to the parent, and in this book that relationship is explored with deft delicacy.

Lili’s fundamental question is which is more important: her obligations to her family, or her obligation to herself. This novel gives a satisfying, compelling look at a completely relatable situation, with dimensional characters, and a vivid sense of place.

I didn’t read the first book in the series (though I now want to) but I didn’t feel that my experience lacked anything. All Change at the Beach Hotel works very well as a standalone story.

Goes well with: fish and chips and a good craft-brewed ale.

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Book Review: Learning to Fly Alien Spacecraft, by Fay Abernethy

16 July 2023 by Melissa

About the Book, Learning to Fly Alien Spacecraft

Genre: Science Fiction
Publisher: ‎ Fay Abernethy (July 3, 2023)
Language: ‎ English
Paperback : ‎ 426 pages

What if the secret alien space station protecting the Earth went PUBLIC?

Hanna Abebe has come far since leaving Ethiopia. All the way to the other end of the galaxy, in fact. And although her course at the Essoona Pilots’ Academy is tough, it’s not as tough as maintaining the ultimate long-distance relationship . . .

Astronaut Dan Simpson is furious. The Galaksi Alliance have exiled him on a remote planet to stop him telling NASA about them before they’re ready. But by the time they come to take him home, Dan has fallen in love with an enigmatic alien and decides to stay. Only then does he discover what a perilous business his new girlfriend is involved in . . .

At last! Captain Joe Llewellyn has permission to initiate first contact via the UN. But if he messes it up, the Galaksi Alliance could cancel the Shantivira’s funding, leaving the Earth defenceless. So, no pressure. All goes well until a rogue Samaritan flies a cargo ship through months of painstaking negotiations . . .

This character-driven eco science fantasy is a must-read for fans of Becky Chambers, Ursula Le Guin, Douglas Adams and Doctor Who.

Buy, read, and discuss this book:

Amazon (US) | Amazon (UK) | Goodreads

About the Author, Fay Abernethy

Fay Abernethy left the UK more than twenty years ago, seeking adventure.

When not diving with sharks or falling off horses, she worked as an engineer in the automotive industry. Later, she started her own translating business and settled down in Germany with the man of her dreams.

Pre-children, they explored the Alps together – on foot in summer and on skis or snowshoes in winter. She now lives the life of a respectable citizen, having discovered that being a parent is the greatest adventure of them all.

Why does she write? To find out what happens next, of course!

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My Thoughts

I don’t usually jump into a series without having read the first book, but the title of this novel, Learning to Fly Alien Spacecraft, hooked me, so I took a chance. Wow! Am I glad I did! While I read tons of science fiction and fantasy as a teen and young adult, I’ve largely fallen out of the habit (with the exception of Star Trek novels), and this book felt like being welcomed back into the home of speculative fiction. It’s a delightful read, with interesting characters, and plot that wasn’t hard to follow at all.

There are so many characters in this book, that it feels like an ensemble piece, but standouts were Hanna, a human who was sold as a maid when she was very young, Joe, who is the sort of big-brother character anyone would benefit from having, and Kitty, a space-demon (and Joe’s wife) who sometimes takes the form of a jaguar. All the characters, human and other, were well drawn, and author Fay Abernethy really makes the reader feel as if they’re a new resident in the house for humans who are – as the title says – learning to fly spacecraft.

Of course, the novel is more than races through the stars and acquiring flight and combat skills, it’s also a glimpse at a future where several alien cultures have formed an alliance and are working cooperatively to protect each other and each of their world’s resources. I loved the alien culture that Abernethy created, and appreciated how it was inserted organically. Most things aren’t spelled out, but explained through context, and I appreciate that the author trusted her readers to get it

If, like me, you want to read about a near-future that isn’t perfect but is still positive, Learning to Fly Alien Spacecraft is an excellent choice. It’s meaty enough for adult readers, but suitable for tweens and teens as well. While the experience of this story would have been richer had I begun with book one (The Cleaner, the Cat, and the Space Station), book two stands alone as a complete and satisfying story.

Goes well with: a somewhat wonky-looking birthday cake and a cup of coffee.

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Book Review: The French Chateau Dream, by Julie Caplin

3 July 2023 by Melissa

About the Book, The French Chateau Dream

Publisher ‏ : ‎ HARPER COLLINS (July 1, 2023)
Language ‏ : ‎ English

When wedding planner Hattie signs up for her dream job, organising her cousin’s wedding in France, it offers the perfect escape from a relationship that’s been going south for a while.

Unfortunately when she arrives at the idyllic Chateau St Martin, not everyone is as enthusiastic about the forthcoming wedding, including Luc Bremont, son of the owner of the chateau.

Luc has finally been given the chance to make his own champagne at the family vineyard and everything rests on making it a success, the last thing he wants is the distraction of a big wedding at the chateau.

Will Hattie be able to build bridges between the inhabitants of the chateau in order to allow the wedding to go ahead?

Buy, read, and discuss this book:

Amazon (US) | Amazon (UK) | Goodreads

About the Author, Julie Caplin

Julie caplin, formerly a PR director, swanned around Europe for many years taking top food and drink writers on press trips (junkets) sampling the gastronomic delights of various cities in Italy, France, Belgium, Spain, Copenhagen and Switzerland. It was a tough job but someone had to do it.

These trips have provided the inspiration and settings for the highly successful Romantic Escapes series which have hit the best seller charts in Italy, Germany and the Czech Republic and have sold a million copies worldwide.

The first book in the nine strong series, The Little Café in Copenhagen, was shortlisted for a Romantic Novel of the Year Award.

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My Thoughts

Just in time for the heat of summer is Julie Caplin’s latest novel, the bubbly (but not too fluffy) romance, The French Chateau Dream.

In this installment of her Romantic Escapes series, author Caplin follows Hattie to an estate in France where she’ll be taking over as her cousin’s wedding planner. There she meets the owner’s son Luc, and hijinks ensue. Except it isn’t all hijinks. There’s some very real family drama which has French history, especially where champagne and World War Two are concerned, cleverly woven into a plausible story where secrets abound but love is also strong.

I loved Hattie’s no-nonsense English style and the way it brushed against Luc’s thoughtful French aesthetic. I liked that each of these lead characters was strong enough to have an independent storyline, but that they meshed well, and worked together well to further a plot that had just the right pacing. Like the perfect champagne, the dialogue in this novel was crisp, with just a hint of saltiness at times – but that only added character.

I appreciated the character of Marthe, the doyenne of Luc’s family, as well. It can be challenging to write older women as both fragile and strong – the contradiction is hard to capture – but Caplin has done so very deftly, and she quickly became one of my favorite supporting characters.

I also liked that the chateau itself was a non-speaking character in this story. Old houses hold more than secret rooms, they absorb the energy of those who dwelt within them, and this house was the ultimate backdrop for Caplin’s blend of secrets, romance, and history.

Overall, this novel was a delightful read, light enough for beach reading, but not so frothy it felt saccharine.

Goes well with: chilled champagne and fresh strawberries still warm from the sun.

FictionAdvent 24: Midnight

Jean—called Grandma Love by strangers more often than family—felt that familiar tilt in the air. The almost-midnight tilt. Midnight wasn’t a time so much as a mood, a soft doorway between one thing and the next. She’d always been good with doorways.

FictionAdvent 23: Sled

She dragged it through the fresh snow to the small hill behind the apartment complex. The cold bit at her cheeks. The air smelled like minerals and ice—Earth winter, not Mars. He’d always said he missed winters most.

She set the sled down. Ran her glove over the wooden slats. Felt her heartbeat double-tap behind her ribs.

Then she climbed on.

FictionAdvent 22: Train

“Welcome,” they said, their voice resonant in a way that felt felt rather than heard. “You’re right on time.”

A woman near the front let out a short laugh. “Time for what?”

“For the Interstice,” the being replied easily. “The pause between departures.”