Book Review: The Memory Book by Rowan Coleman

Title: The Memory Book

Author: Rowan Coleman

Publisher: Ebury Publishing

Publication Date: 30th January 2014

Blurb

The name of your first-born. The face of your lover. Your age. Your address...

What would happen if your memory of these began to fade?

Is it possible to rebuild your life? Raise a family? Fall in love again?

When Claire starts to write her Memory Book, she already knows that this scrapbook of mementoes will soon be all her daughters and husband have of her. But how can she hold on to the past when her future is slipping through her fingers...?

Verdict
I am new to Rowan Coleman's books and I kicked myself after finishing this as I didn't know why I haven't read books by Rowan before.
Firstly the cover of this was just so beautiful and I felt like I just wanted to hug it so much and It does look ever so amazing sat on my book shelf.

We meet Claire who is an attractive married mother of two kids,Caitlin,20 and Esther,3. Greg is the man of her dreams who she met later in life and married. She raised Caitlin single handed but now is raising Esther together with Greg. Claire had a great job as an English teacher.
Claire finds out she has got early-onset Alzheimer's Disease and her world just comes crashing down, But Claire and her mother Ruth know Alzheimer's very well, as Claire's father had the awful disease too.
Greg buys Claire a lovely notebook which they all name The Memory book, Any details from the past that they would love Claire to remember and piece her life together. The whole family all start to write in the book which is just so lovely.

This book had me in floods of tears with the first couple of chapters, I had to have a box of tissues at the side of me, I really did feel sorry for Claire as it was all of sudden she was losing her mind, had to give her job up, not allowed to drive her car and even forgot where her kids were.
I felt I just couldn't put The Memory book down It is beautifully written but it is ever so devastating and pure sadness too. There is some funny parts that in which what things Claire gets up which will have you giggling but the most of the time you'll be dabbing your eyes.

Rowan Coleman has definitely written a winner of a book here and I feel people are going to love this book and will be talking about it for a while. I loved that it is mentioned that fans of Jo-Jo Moyes will love this, I am a huge fan of Jo-Jo Moyes books and I loved Me Before You But I feel The Memory Book has out done that book and has been written ever so beautiful and with sadness. It really does give you the insight of how a family deals with an awful Disease like Alzheimer's and how they have to come together more as a family and the love they have for each other is just so sad.

I will certainly be now buying more of Rowan's books in the future.
I Thank Amelia Harvell for my review copy of The Memory Book and Letting me part of this fab blog tour to help celebrate The Memory Book's Publication.

I have to give Rowan a huge 5/5 star rating for this absolutely amazing and beautiful read which really touched my heart.

Book Review: Christmas At Claridges by Karen Swan

Title: Christmas At Claridges

Author: Karen Swan

Publisher: Pan Macmillan

Publication Date: 7th November 2013

Blurb

This was where her dreams drifted to if she didn’t blot her nights out with drink; this was where her thoughts settled if she didn’t fill her days with chat. She remembered this tiny, remote foreign village on a molecular level and the sight of it soaked into her like water into sand, because this was where her old life had ended and her new one had begun.

’Portobello – home to the world-famous street market, Notting Hill Carnival and Clem Alderton. She’s the queen of the scene, the girl everyone wants to be or be with. But beneath the morning-after makeup, Clem is keeping a secret, and when she goes too far one reckless night she endangers everything – her home, her job and even her adored brother’s love.

Portofino – a place of wild beauty and old-school glamour, and where a neglected villa has been bought by a handsome stranger. He wants Clem to restore it for him and it seems like the answer to all her problems – except that Clem has been there once before and vowed, for her own protection, never to return . . .

Verdict
This was just fantastic, however the cover and the title is a little misleading as it starts in new year not Christmas. Something deep and secret happened in the little place Portofino that Clem wants to keep secret and will do anything not to go back there again.

Clem Alderton works for her brother Tom Alderton's company, but when she goes too far one reckless night she endangers everything - her home, her job and even her adored brother's love.
Clem will do anything to help her brother's company get back to its normal state even if when she comes up with a plan to do a fashion shop for one day only with the help of her crazy friend Stella who is a fashion designer... but even that won't help until a handsome stranger wants Clem to restore a neglected villa that he has just bought and it seems the best thing to do get away from everyone, however when she realises its to go back to Portofino...she vowed for her own protection she would never return....until now!

This really is a fantastic read, I have loved other books before by Karen Swan and I loved the cover first of, it looks all beautiful and snowy & cute.
The first couple of chapters start of slow but when you get about half way things are just about to heat up which makes you stop what your doing and just curl up and carry on reading.

I loved Stella, the crazy best friend of Clem's and the fashion designer, she reminded me of my friends and how she could be a bad influence to Clem at times but also would help her in anyway she could.
You easily warm to Clem and even feel sorry for her at times, especially her brother's girlfriend who is soo nasty to Clem trying to kick her out straight away. You just wish Clem to have lots of happiness in which she does by the end tehe!

I never could predict the ending, It really was perfect by the end It was Christmas hehe.
I loved reading about the little town Portofino, it just seemed ever so peaceful and would be glorious. Karen Swan definitely put plenty of passion into this book and plenty of secrets and heartbreak leaves you hooked right until the end.

Christmas at Claridges deserves the 5 star rating for its emotional, secretive, hooking story & for the most beautiful cover once again!
 

Fiction Addiction Book Tour: Book Review: Where Petals Fall by Melissa Foster

Title: Where Petals Fall

Author: Melissa Foster

Publisher: World Literary Press

Publication Date: 15th November 2013

BlurbOn the surface Junie Olson’s life looks idyllic, from her handsome husband and beautiful daughter to her successful business, the bakery she always dreamed of opening. But in the past few months her world has slowly unraveled. Her precocious child is withdrawing, showing unexplainable signs of emotional regression, a condition that frays the bonds of Junie’s once impenetrable marriage. When her father dies suddenly of a heart attack, Junie packs up her daughter and goes home to help her mother. Her homecoming stirs up memories of the nightmare she thought she had put behind her, the disappearance of her childhood friend, Ellen. Haunted by recurring memories of what happened on that fateful day, Junie must gather the courage to revisit her past and untangle the secrets surrounding her missing friend, and the trauma that has caused her little girl to climb back into herself. As the pieces come together on the event that shook her small town, and at the risk of losing everyone she loves, Junie will question everything she thought she could rely on and everyone she thought she knew.



Verdict
I am a big fan of Melissa Foster's books but Where Petals Fall is a different style of book that im used to reading by Melissa however it was still a good read.

Junie Olson looks like she has the perfect life with her handsome husband,a beautiful daughter and a very successful bakery business. But slowly her life is unraveling in the past few months. When her father suddenly dies of a heart attack, Junie packs up with her daughter and moves in with her mother, her homecoming stirs up memories of the nightmare she thought she had put behind her, the disappearance of her childhood best friend Ellen. When things start to haunt Junie's memories, she must have the courage to revisit the past and try and piece the past together and find out what really happened to her friend.

The first couple of chapters it starts off a bit slow but then when Junie starts to revisit the past, it gets better but with plenty of emotion.
Junie's daughter Sarah isn't talking and is not sleeping well at night either wetting the bed or climbing into her mum and dad's bed, but Brian, Junie's husband thinks she is doing it on purpose but something must obviously be upsetting Sarah or be playing on her mind that she doesn't want to talk.
The characters great in this, I wasn't sure about Brian, thought he came across a bit shifty and that he didn't really care about Junie & Sarah anymore. Ruth Junie's mother, However even after losing her husband gave Junie plenty of strength and always seemed to be there to help Junie.

Where Petals Fall is a story full of suspense, emotion and full of secrets. Just when you think you know the ending, Foster completely throws you and it ends up being totally different to what you predicted.
For big fans of suspense and secret books & fans of Melissa Fosters books are going to love this.
I'd like to thank Melissa & Sharon Goodwin( Fiction Addiction Book Tours) for letting me take part in this blog tour.



Now for your very own chance to win your own e-copy of Where Petals Fall, Just follow the rafflecopter comp.
Good Luck!
xox

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Book Review: Calling Mrs Christmas by Carole Matthews

Title: Calling Mrs Christmas

Author: Carole Matthews

Publisher: Sphere

Publication Date: 24th October 2013

Blurb
Cassie Smith has been out of work for a while but she has an idea. Drawing on her love of Christmas, she begins charging for small things: wrapping presents; writing cards; tree-decorating. She's soon in huge demand and Cassie's business, Calling Mrs Christmas, is born.

Carter Randall wants to make Christmas special for his children so he enlists Cassie's help, and his lavish requests start taking up all her time. Thank goodness she can rely on her partner Jim to handle the rest of her clients.

When Carter asks Cassie to join them on a trip to Lapland, she knows she shouldn't go. As much as tries, Cassie can't deny how drawn she is to Carter and everything he has to offer, but she still loves her warm-hearted Jim. Suddenly Cassie finds herself facing a heart-breaking choice that could change her entire life.


Verdict
I Loved this book so much!!! Eeek sorry got carried away there!
First of all I loved the cover of this new Carole Matthews book, It looked all Christmassy and I knew I was just going to love it.

Cassie Smith has been out of work but suddenly she has an idea, Her love for Christmas gives her the idea to charge people for wrapping presents, writing cards, tree decorating, everything that people with full time jobs struggle to get done when its the countdown to Christmas, Cassie's new business Calling Mrs Christmas is born!
She is soon in huge demand and a big customer Carter Randall wants Cassie to organise everything for him including a trip to Lapland with his kids but then suddenly he invites Cassie to come as well as she has done all the hard work for him..

This book was just fabulous! I am always a huge fan of Carole's books and I knew Calling Mrs Christmas wasn't going to disappoint and It really didn't!
I loved the whole idea that Cassie Smith becoming Calling Mrs Christmas, It is a perfect cash earning business and if you love Christmas too then its just wonderful.

I loved reading this book while curled up on the sofa with a good cup of coco as I love Christmas and this really did get you in the mood for Christmas and feel very festive. The Characters in this are brill! I loved Cassie and her husband Jim, I thought they were ever so sweet but you could see their marriage was strained at times and that's why Cassie seems to like the attention she get's off Carter.
I loved what Jim did for the Kids at the prison he worked at, I really thought that was sweet and feel sometimes in real life there needs to be more people who are out there to help ones that generally need it.

For huge fan's of Carole's books are once again going to love this book as it is very festive, also will make you feel warm inside for all the caring things Cassie does. 

Book Review: Christmas at the Gingerbread Cafe by Rebecca Raisin

Title: Christmas at the Gingerbread Cafe
Author: Rebecca Raisin
Publisher: Carina UK
Publication Date: 12th November 2013


Blurb

Christmas is the season the Gingerbread Café was made for…but owner Lily couldn’t be feeling less merry if she tried. She’s spent another year dreaming of being whisked away on a sleigh-ride for two, but she’s facing festive season alone – again. And, just to give her another reason to feel anything other than candy-cane perky, a new shop across the road has opened… Not only is it selling baked goods, but the owner, with his seriously charming smile, has every girl in town swooning.

But Lily isn’t about to let her business crumble — the Gingerbread Café is the heart of the community, and she’s going to fight for it! This could be the Christmas that maybe, just maybe, all her dreams – even the someone-to-decorate-the-Christmas-tree-with ones – really do come true!

Verdict
This book was fantastic! I loved the cover of it to begin with, I got a very good Christmas feeling when I read this, It was a short story and I would of loved for the story to be longer as I was enjoying the characters alot.

We meet Lily who is owner of the Gingerbread Cafe and is spending Christmas being single once again and very lonely but is keeping herself busy baking lots of little goodies for all her customers when a new shop across the road opens..In walks Damon.. the very handsome new owner of the shop who is selling baked goods which boils Lily's blood and she will do anything to keep her cafe in business and not let the smug and handsome Damon win.

This was just a fantastic read, You easily warm to the characters Lily and Ceecee, you feel Lily's pain when the new shop opens across the road as she loves her Cafe and will not let that smug man take all her customers away..so she starts a little competition in the end..but who wins. Either way Love can blossom for anyone at Christmas.

I do hope that Rebecca will maybe write a sequel to this book as I feel there was definitely more to these characters and that you would want to know what happened to Lily and Damon in the future.

A very warm and Christmas 5 star feeling with this book. You will want to curl up on sofa with a good cup of coco :) - 

Book Review: Johnny's Girl by Paige Toon

Title: Johnny's Girl
Author: Paige Toon
Publisher: 7th November
Publication Date: Simon & Schuster UK


Blurb

Meg's life has taken a turn for the perfect. She is the envy of millions with her drop dead gorgeous husband, their two beautiful sons and her new mansion in Henley. Her celebrity PA days are over. But desperate to keep up with her rock star husband, Johnny Jefferson, she uproots her perfect family and moves back to LA. 

Meg has to learn to live with her new celebrity status and the insecurities of her old life, which keep reappearing. Under the paparazzi flash of an A-List party, complete with red carpet, champagne and canapés, Johnny's rock star past catches up with him and Meg's worst nightmare becomes a reality…


Verdict
Eeeeeeeeeeek I was so happy when I heard Paige had done a e-book novella about Johnny Jefferson and Meg. I was way too excited!
As this is only a short story I won't go into too much detail just that we soon are grabbed back into the crazy life of Meg/Nutmeg & Johnny's and this time it is married life tehe!

For huge fans of Paige Toon's books are going to love this and will wish it was longer like I certainly did, but nothing is going to leave you shocked than the ending which just makes me ever so ready for Paige's new book The accidental life of Jessie Jefferson. It is going to be fab!

Fiction Addiction Book Tour Review: Destined For Love(The Bradens #2) By Melissa Foster

Title: Destined For Love

Author: Melissa Foster

Publisher: World Literary Press

Publication Date: 28th November 2013

Blurb

Rex Braden is wealthy, hard working, and fiercely loyal. Sweat at his brow, he works the family ranch by day, then kicks back at night with part time lovers who require nothing more than his physical presence a few times each week. But that was before. Before Jade Johnson, the daughter of the man his father has been feuding with for over forty years, moves back into town.

After ditching a horrific relationship—and her veterinary practice in the process—Jade Johnson returns to the safety of her small hometown and finally finds her footing. That is...until her horse is injured and Rex Braden comes to her rescue. The last thing she needs is a bull-headed, too-handsome-for-his-own-good Braden complicating her life.

Despite the angry family history, sparks fly between Rex and Jade, and attitudes follow. Fifteen years of stifled, forbidden love stirs a surge of passion too strong for either to deny—and the rebel in each of them rears its powerful head. Loyalties are tested, and relationships are strained. Rex and Jade are about to find out if true love really can conquer all.


Verdict


What a beautiful and moving story between Rex Braden and Jade Johnson!
 It was amazing and I loved reading every minute of this book! It is slow pacing at the beginning but then soon speeds up when we get to the better parts between Rex and Jade! I just loved reading the chemistry they had and how their lives being torn as their fathers fell out really badly and have never spoken since, It kind of reminded me of Romeo & Juliet, the Montague's and the Capulet's. The whole both side's not allowed to talk or go on each other's land's but it is so hard when Romeo(Rex) and Juliet(Jade) so fall deeply in love with each other that they just don't know how to be together in public and for their families not to be angry.

The is some very saucy scenes between Rex and Jade which could make you blush if when reading in public hehe! But I just love the way the characters are so connected all the way through and are obviously wanting to do everything they can to be together.
I Loved this whole "dance of two lovers" and the story with the necklaces with charms of a man and a woman.. I thought that was ever so cute!

Destined for love is just a great book that is the second book in the Braden's series but is over all the 5th book in the love in bloom series! I cannot wait to read the rest of these books as I feel that they are all going to be just fab and I will be recommending them to everybody! (I am now off to start the next book in the series I just cannot wait to read more on these Braden lads ;) wit woo) hehe!

I want to thank Sharon Goodwin for letting me part of the Fiction Addiction Book Tour for Destined For Love and I want to thank Melissa Hill for being a fab author and writing such a great new series! 

A fab & needed 5 stars from me for this great new book series of hunky men that has been placed in my hands. Thank You Melissa!

Now Chance to win your very own e-copy of Lovers at Heart. Book 1 of The Braden's with the very hot & sexy Treat ;) tehe!
3 E-copies are up for grabs!
Good Luck!
xox

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Book Review: Christmas At Rosie Hopkins Sweet Shop By Jenny Colgan

Title: Christmas At Rosie Hopkins Sweet Shop
Author: Jenny Colgan
Publisher: Sphere
Publication Date: 7th November 2013


Blurb

Rosie Hopkins is looking forward to Christmas in the little Derbyshire village of Lipton, buried under a thick blanket of snow. Her sweetshop is festooned with striped candy canes, large tempting piles of Turkish Delight, crinkling selection boxes and happy, sticky children. She's going to be spending it with her boyfriend, Stephen, and her family, flying in from Australia. She can't wait.

But when a tragedy strikes at the heart of their little community, all of Rosie's plans for the future seem to be blown apart. Can she build a life in Lipton? And is what's best for the sweetshop also what's best for Rosie?


Verdict
I adore all of Jenny Colgan's book so when I knew there was going to be a follow on at Rosie Hopkins' sweet shop I was jumping up and down so excited hehe! 
The cover of Christmas at Rosie Hopkins' Sweet shop was just amazing in its red cover with lots of festive pictures.

We soon catch up with Rosie and her boyfriend Stephen and she is so looking forward to Christmas in the little village of Lipton where she has decorated the sweet shop with striped candy canes, yummy Turkish delight, very festive selection boxes and all of Rosie's family are flying in from Australia in which she is ever so excited...But when an accident happens in the little village will the community come to together and help or will Lipton fall apart?

Jenny Colgan did it again! The book was just amazing and made me feel all festive and got all giddy while reading. With Jenny's books you can easily follow the characters and soon warm to them. When I ever read a Jenny Colgan book I am always left drooling over yummy sweets, chocolate, biscuits, cakes the whole lot!

 CARHSS is just truly magical with the festiveness and seeing the whole village come together when this terrible tragedy happens in which some people are just happy to let little Lipton go to put but Rosie will not let that happen!

Once again Jenny made this a fabulous follow on book from Welcome to Rosie Hopkins' sweet shop. This book has plenty of goings on with the village coming to together and everyone getting ready for Christmas.
I was definitely left feeling ready for Christmas when I had read this. It is a superb book and for huge fan's of Jenny's book are not going to be disappointed with this one!

Book Review: Christmas At Carringtons by Alexandra Brown

Title: Christmas At Carrington's
Author: Alexandra Brown
Publisher: HarperCollins
Publication Date: 7th November 2013



Blurb

A deliciously indulgent read and the follow up to Cupcakes at Carrington’s. Set in Carrington’s Department Store this is perfect for fans of Jenny Colgan.

Carrington’s Department store is thrown into a spin when the staff learn that a hot new reality TV show is to be filmed in-store, featuring the formidable retail guru, Kelly Cooper. Georgie Hart, in charge of Luxury Handbags, is reluctant, but quickly realises that the show could give Carrington’s a new lease of life. With Christmas around the corner, she’s also hoping that the season will deliver her the perfect Christmas present, in the form of Tom, the store’s dishy boss.

When the film crew arrive, things start to go wrong. One of Tom’s old flames, Zara, is working on the show and then, to top things off, Tom and Zara are sent off to Paris and New York for a spot of extra filming. When Georgie settles down in front of the box to watch the first show, worse it to come – Georgie is shown in a far from flattering light and she is horrified to learn what Tom has been up to.

Georgie fears this is turning out to be the worst Christmas ever, but Santa might have a got a little surprise in store for her stocking this year – but she’ll just have to wait until Christmas to find out!

Verdict

Yay it's soo great to catch up with Georgie, Eddie && Mr Tom Carrington again!
What a fantastic read!!! Firstly the cover of this fab book was just ever cute and so festive which I just loved very much!

I am a newly big fan of Alexandra Brown's books and I loved her debut book Cupcake at Carringtons, it was just ever so fabulous, So I was just excited when I knew there was going to be another book in the series tehe!

We soon catch up with Georgie's relationship with the ever so handsome Mr Tom Carrington who is just ever yummy hehe!
When Georgie sees herself on telly on this show by Kelly Cooper...things are simply not going to be right straight away for Georgie, 1. She was shown as a clown in which she was very embarrassed about and 2. Her Mr perfect hadn't told her she was going to be on telly which makes her angry and goes charging into work the next morning to find the famous Kelly Cooper and her daughter Zara.

I think we all know fans of the Carrington's series knew this book was going to blow us away again with plenty of laughter and drama and just being able to catch up with my favourite characters again was just so amazing :)

I was so gutted for Sam(Georgie's best friend) I just hope she does find some great happiness eventually. She is still the fabulous baker though with her yummy cakes which always make me drool when I'm reading.

I just loved the whole book once again, once again I felt like I was right there along Georgie and all the drama's, chaos, laughter, the tears that was happening in the book, either way with these fab books you are just going to fall in love with all the characters and that they are your new best friends!

I do recommend everyone to go grab a copy as it is so wonderful!
I cannot wait for Ice Creams at Carrington's which is out in the summer June 2014. I am soo happy!
Alexandra Brown deserves the fab 5 star rating from me for all the chaos that goes on in the Carrington department store and for making the most wonderful characters ever.