BOOK REVIEW & GIVEAWAY -- Bring Me Sunshine - Janet Gover (Choc Lit publishing)

TITLE - Bring Me Sunshine

AUTHOR - Janet Gover

PUBLISHER - Choc Lit Publishing

BUY LINK - Click here

BOOK BLURB

Sometimes, you’ve just got to take the plunge …
When marine biologist, Jenny Payne, agrees to spend Christmas working on the Cape Adare cruise ship to escape a disastrous love affair, she envisions a few weeks of sunny climes, cocktails and bronzed men …
What she gets is an Antarctic expedition, extreme weather, and a couple of close shaves with death. And then there’s her fellow passengers; Vera, the eccentric, elderly crime writer and Lian, a young runaway in pursuit of forbidden love …

There’s also Kit Walker; the mysterious and handsome man who is renting the most luxurious cabin on the ship, but who nobody ever sees.
As the expedition progresses, Jenny finds herself becoming increasingly obsessed with the enigmatic Kit and the secrets he hides. Will she crack the code before the return journey or is she bound for another disappointment?


MY REVIEW

Have you ever wanted to get away from it all and clear your head? I know I have, and that is just what Jenny wanted to do to escape Christmas and leave all her troubles behind her. She took a job on a cruise ship, looking forward to some Tropical Sunshine. She just forgot to ask where the cruise was going to and it wasn't somewhere tropical. I won't say more as I don't want to release any spoilers.

I enjoyed the excitement this book brought. I love anything with a travel element in it, and this book was no exception. I have now added another destination to my bucket list, which you may think quite a bizarre choice when you read the book.

This book had some strong and interesting characters in it; including women of all ages and backgrounds. There was also a lot of content considering it was a novella.

My only criticism of this book was that I didn't want it to end. I felt the story could have kept going and it just ended a bit too abruptly with some story lines that could have been finished. That is the only reason I gave it 4 stars and not 5.

Currently on offer from the publisher - Great value. Click link above.

LINKS -

Choc Lit publishing - Click here
Author web page - Click here
Author Facebook - Click here

Read about Janet Gover's new book coming soon "Flight to Corah Creek" - Available for pre-order now.

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BOOK REVIEW -- Close to the Wind -- Zana Bell - Historical Fiction

TITLE - Close to the Wind

AUTHOR - Zana Bell

PUBLISHER - Choc Lit Publishing

PAGES - 305

ISBN - 978-1-781890-26-4

AMAZON - UK - Click here
AMAZON - US - Click here





SYNOPSIS 

What would you give to be free?

Georgiana da Silva is catapulted out of the Victorian drawing rooms and into a world of danger. She escapes her fiendish fiance to engage in a mad dash across the world to save her brother before an unknown assassin can find him.

Meanwhile, Captain Harry Trent is setting sail for New Zealand. With a mission to complete and the law on his heels, he's got enough trouble of his own without further complications.

Thrown together, unable to trust anyone, Georgiana and Harry are intent on fulfilling their missions despite the distractions of the other. But liberty comes at a price and the closer they got, the more they must question the true cost of being free.

MY REVIEW

I'm not usually a huge fan of historical fiction unless it's the Tudors and Stuarts era of British History, although I'm happy to give them a try. This book was set in the 1860's in the UK, Madeira, South Africa and New Zealand. The travel aspect of the novel obviously intrigued me.

This story could have virtually been true to life. Having researched family trees and being a keen genealogist, I have come across similar tales of heroism. It was thoroughly well researched if that is the case.

Georgiana escaped her controlling Aunt and devious fiance, and set sail across the seas to see her Brother who's life she felt was in danger. She needed to warn him before others got to him and in fact ended his life.

I loved Georgiana. She was portrayed as a courageous and headstrong young girl who was not going to let anything or anyone stop her from getting from the UK to New Zealand in order to save her Brother. She makes some great friends along the way and also some hidden enemies.  The author introduces us to several people in the book but all at different stages so you don't get confused as to who is who, as you do in some books, where I've found myself having to re-read pages. The characters are all so vastly different and you can picture them so clearly.

Georgiana's journey was exciting and I loved the descriptions of the Countries and their citizens that she visited along her way. I could picture the streets of Madeira and the lovely Consuela. 

The scrapes Georgiana got herself into were amusing at times and it was as though she had no fear of anyone or anything.

I was almost sad when the book came to an end, as I wanted to see where life would take her next and whether she would meet up with her new friends she made along the way. 

This was a very well written tale of travel and adventure. 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Zana Bell grew up in Zimbabwe and studied English Literature at the University of Cape Town. After travelling for several years doing a wide range of jobs, she immigrated to New Zealand where she now lives with her family and cats in a small harbourside community.

She began writing, just for the fun of seeing whether she could actually complete a novel and immediately became hooked. She enjoys writing in a variety of genres but has a particular fondness for all things historical. 

LINKS 

Website -- www.zanabell.com

Twitter -- @ZanaBellAuthor

Amazon -- Click here

Choc Lit Publishing -- http://www.choc-lit.com/

This book was given to me by Choc Lit publishing in exchange for an honest review.

Book review & Giveaway - Beneath an Irish Sky by Isabella Connor - incl Guest blog from the authors!

Title - Beneath an Irish Sky

Author - Isabella Connor

Publisher - ChocLit publishing

Synopsis

The past is never over.

Jack Stewart thought he'd put the past behind him. On the surface he was everything - success, money, a big house and he is never short of an attractive woman by his side, but a tragic road accident shatters his world.

Raised as an Irish Traveller. Luke Kiernan hasn't had it easy, and when he wakes in a Dublin hospital to find the man he's hated since childhood at his bedside, he's hungry for revenge.

Two very different worlds collide, bringing new dangers, exposing past deceits and unearthing dark family secrets buried long ago. But from tragedy springs the promise of a fresh start with two women who are intent on helping Jack and Luke mend their lives.

Can new love heal old wounds, or are some scars there for good?

GUEST BLOG POST BY THE AUTHORS........ Yes authors. Carry on reading :)

Beneath an Irish Sky

by Isabella Connor

I can't remember when I began my love affair with Ireland. Or why. It just happened. I think there was always a little fascination but it suddenly erupted into full-blown obsession which has never gone away, and when I'm there, I feel comfortable. More than comfortable - I feel at home.

I buy as many books about Ireland as I can; I buy DVDs of movies set in Ireland; I have a shelf full of CD's featuring traditional Irish music; I have a stash of recorded programmes on the V+ that I'm loathe to delete. And don't start me on the accent - I swear that if I were on a jury for a trial with an Irish defendant, I'd find him innocent irrespective of the evidence. 

The protagonist in ‘Beneath an Irish Sky’ (initially, the book was called Luke) was always going to be Irish. I'd happily have Irish heroes every time, but maybe that would be going beyond passion into fanaticism!

Beautiful Cobh, Ireland - credit psyberartist

Despite my fascination with Ireland and everything/everyone Irish, I didn't actually get there until 1992, when I visited my penpal, lovely Kathleen Ryan, living at the time in Borrisoleigh, Thurles, Co. Tipperary. We'd never met, but she and her family welcomed myself and my children into their home and ensured my first visit to Ireland was everything I’d hoped for. Kathleen will hopefully forgive me for saying she's not unique. I've found everyone I've met in Ireland to be welcoming, so it's no surprise it has a reputation for being one of the friendliest countries in the world.  

Limerick, Ireland - Credit fitm

It's impossible to choose my favourite part of Ireland, but I do love Limerick. It's a typical city, but I loved it there, and felt a real affinity for it. I always loved watching Terry Wogan, so maybe it's his influence! Mallow, Cobh, Cork, Killarney, all places that were once just names on a map, but now I feel the same kind of familiarity that I do with places in England.

Three years ago, I found myself in Ennis, where Luke was living before having to leave so suddenly. Now this is where I probably lose any credibility, because I walked around this lovely little town, thinking he had probably covered the same ground, and when we went into a pub for lunch, I wondered if Luke's family drank there...

Ennis, O'Connell St - Credit Joseph Mischyshyn

But this is what fiction does, right?  It takes you away from reality, and I'm quite happy with that. And I don't think I'm looking through shamrock-coloured spectacles - I know it's not Utopia. But as nations go, it's the best for me. 

Isabella Connor is the pen-name of Liv Thomas and Val Olteanu. Val lives in Canada, and Liv is in England. They met on a Tolkien fan forum and decided to write a novel together. Despite living some 4,700 miles apart (and with an 8-hour time difference), they succeeded in producing their debut novel, ‘Beneath an Irish Sky,’ which is now available as eBook and paperback. 

My Book Review 

Well ChocLit publishing have done it again. They've given us another great author in the form of Isabella Connor.

Beneath an Irish Sky brings us some amazing characters. Some you'll love and some you'll just despise. 

Without giving away anything with spoilers, this book tells the story of how the lives of Jack Stewart, a wealthy man who wants for "almost" nothing, and Luke Kiernan an Irish Traveller, collided in a way neither of them could have expected. This was a great story that drew you in from the start. It is an amazing story of families and deep connections. 

There are so many wonderful characters in the book, but you never lose track of who is who, due to the way the author immerses you into their lives.

Whilst reading the book it took me through so many different emotions from concern to anger and love to sadness. 

The way the author depicts the locations in the book makes you feel like you have actually been there. Bizarrely enough, after reading the book the author sent me some photos, and Ennis (shown in the photo's above) is just how I pictured it to be when reading the book.

I loved this book and I didn't want it to end. I would love to know what happened to all the characters next. I didn't want it to end and I didn't want to leave them behind. A great read.

I loved this video of Ennis as it was all about families - Some beautiful music too. Enjoy.

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Book Review & Kindle book Giveaway - The Elephant Girl by Henriette Gyland - A fantastic read

Book Blurb –

Peek-a-boo, I see you …….

When five-year-old Helen Stephens witnesses her Mother’s murder, her whole world comes crumbling down. Rejected by her extended family, Helen is handed over to child services and learns to trust no-one but herself. Twenty years later, her mother’s killer is let out of jail, and Helen swears vengeance.

Jason Moody runs a halfway house, desperate to distance himself from his father’s gangster dealings. But when Helen shows up on his doorstep, he decides to dig into her past, and risks upsetting some very dangerous people.

As Helen begins to question what really happened to her mother, Jason is determined to protect her. But Helen is getting too close to someone who’ll stop at nothing to keep the truth hidden.

Read the prologue and first chapter - Click here

Book links - Amazon Uk - Click here

                     Amazon US - Click here

My review –

Just looking at the cover of the book should draw you in straight away. This book was a great read. I couldn’t put it down and took it everywhere and read it everywhere at every opportunity.

The main character Helen is extremely well written and comes across as a strong, vengeful yet kind and loving person all rolled into one. I really liked her and how her character was portrayed.  There are some really strong characters in the book and some really quirky ones. I love how the characters in the halfway house were all so different and all so likeable.

The way the author constructed the family makeup of Helens extended family was great too, and you went from hating them to liking them, to distrusting them all.

The descriptive writing of all the different locations was also so good that you could picture them vividly as if you had been there yourself.

It was a bit of a whodunit type book, and just when you thought you knew who the murderer was, the author flipped the story and made you doubt yourself. It was full of twists and turns which made it so good that you don’t want to put it down.

If you like family saga’s with a bit of murder mystery thrown in, then this is the book of the year for you.

About the Author –   

Henriette grew up in Northern Denmark but moved to England after she graduated from the University of Copenhagen. She wrote her first book when she was ten, a tale of two orphan sisters running away to Egypt fortunately to be adopted by a perfect family they meet on the Orient Express.

Between that first literary exploit and now, she has worked in the Danish Civil Service, for a travel agent, a consultancy company, in banking, hospital administration, and for a county court before setting herself up as a freelance translator and linguist.

Expecting her first child and feeling bored, she picked up the pen again, and when a writer friend encouraged her to join the Romantic Novelists Association, she began to pursue her writing in earnest. Her debut novel “Up Close” won the New Talent Award in 2011 from the Festival of Romance and a Commended from the Yeovil Literary Prize.

Henriette is married and lives in London.

The Elephant Girl is Henriettes second novel. Look for her next release, The Highwayman’s Daughter, in January 2014.

Follow Henriette:

Twitter - @henrigyland

Facebook – www.facebook.com/henriette.gyland

Website – www.henriettegyland.wordpress.com

To read more about Henriette's other novels, see Choc Lit publishing author page. Click here

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Book Review - The Wedding Diary by Margaret James

Title - The Wedding Diary

 

Author - Margaret James

 

Publisher - Choc Lit Publishing

 

Published date - 07th May 2013

 

Purchase from - Amazon UK // Amazon US // Choc Lit

 

Blurb from Amazon -

 

Where's a Fairy Godmother when you need one? If you won a fairy-tale wedding in a luxury hotel, you'd be delighted - right? But what if you didn't have anyone to marry? Cat Aston did have a fiance, but now it looks like her Prince Charming has done a runner.
Adam Lawley was left devastated when his girlfriend turned down his heartfelt proposal. He's made a vow never to fall in love again.
So - when Cat and Adam meet, they shouldn't even consider falling in love. After all, they're both broken hearted. But for some reason they can't stop thinking about each other. Is this their second chance for happiness, or are some things just too good to be true?

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This book attracted me from the start with its cover. Until I found this publisher, Choc Lit publishing, I wasn’t really a chic lit kind of reader. I have to say so far I’ve not been disappointed with any of the authors I’ve come across and this book was no exception.

Cat Aston, entered a competition in a magazine and won her dream wedding, in a luxury country hotel with all the trimmings and a magazine photographic deal. Who wouldn’t want that? Only problem is that her fiancé has done a runner and despite her trying desperately to contact him, he hasn’t got in touch with her. He’s gone to find himself!

Elsewhere, Adam Lawley’s girlfriend has left him after he proposed. He feels that life is at an end. Two lost souls. In a way from reading this you feel that the book is going to be a bit predictable, however there are so many obstacles placed in their way, that the predictability soon fades!

I loved the flow of this book and how the chapters seamlessly led into each other. It was a light hearted read with some wonderful characters. Cat comes across as a well balanced girl on the outside, but then you want to shake her when she says stupid things about her loser of a fiancée as she is blinded by love.  I totally immersed myself in the story.

Adam seems like every girls dream; Kind, good looking and a real gentleman. It makes you wonder why his girlfriend turned down his proposal in favouring of going off travelling. I fell in love with him straight away! I started trying to picture who would play him in a rom com version of the book.

The authors’ description of people and places really brought them to life, and you just romanticised as you read through the book. This is another book that I read in two sittings. I have now bought the next book by Margaret James, The Silver Locket, which is part of a trilogy and I can’t wait to get started on it.

Thoroughly recommend this as another “curl up on the sofa” book.

 

 

About the Author - courtesy of Amazon author page.

 

Margaret James was born in Hereford, a beautiful cathedral city in the English Midlands.

She started writing fiction when her children were very small, and published her first novel A Touch of Earth in 1988. Since then, she has expanded her range of writing-related activities to take in journalism, short story writing, teaching creative writing, and editing other people's books.

She was delighted when her novel Elegy for a Queen was featured in the UK's Woman and Home magazine in a selection of the five best time slip novels. The fact that Margaret's own favourite time slip novel The House on the Strand was also featured put a big grin on her face!

Since becoming a novelist, Margaret has realised that having a name like Margaret James leads to lots of confusion, and in her next life she intends to have a name that she shares with absolutely nobody else.

When she's not writing, Margaret loves walking, reading anything and everything, gossiping, gardening and eating chocolate. She quite often manages to eat chocolate and write at the same time, which occasionally makes for a somewhat sticky keyboard, but also makes for happy writing.

Just for the record - this Margaret James wrote: A Touch of Earth, Fortune's Favourite Child, The Treasures of Existence, The Snake Stone, A Green Bay Tree, The Ash Grove, A Special Inheritance, The Final Reckoning, Hallowed Ground, The Morning Promise, The Long Way Home, The Penny Bangle, Elegy for a Queen, The Silver Locket, The Golden Chain, and she contributed to the anthology Loves Me, Loves Me Not. Margaret's latest novel The Wedding Diary is published in 2013.

She was thrilled when The Silver Locket won a prestigious Cataromance Single Titles Award in 2010, and when the cover of The Golden Chain was chosen to feature on the design of a KLM airliner in 2011.
 



 

This book was given to me as a review copy. This did not influence my review in any way and I was not paid for my review.