While I Was Waiting 
by 
Georgia Hill 
Blog Tour
&
Giveaway

Genre: Historical/time-slip romance

Release Date: 2/7/15 (e-pub) 10/9/15 (print)

Publisher:  Harper Impulse

Tired of her life in London, freelance illustrator Rachel buys the beautiful but dilapidated Clematis Cottage and sets about creating the home of her dreams. But tucked away behind the water tank in the attic and left to gather dust for decades, is an old biscuit tin containing letters, postcards and a diary. So much more than old scraps of paper, these are precious memories that tell the story of Henrietta Trenchard-Lewis, a love lost in the Great War and the girl who was left behind.

Review

When I saw the cover of this book, I knew instantly that it was going to be my kind of read! I love reading about stories that flip back to days gone by.

Although technically this isn't a wartime story, it does flit back to the past.

Rachel Makepeace is sick of living in a one bedroom flat in Camberwell, South East London (coincidentally I had a one bed flat in Camberwell!!) and decides to buy a lovely cottage in the country (i'm jealous already!). When builders find an old tin, they hand it to Rachel and finding it legally belongs to her, she starts reading the contents of the tin and so starts a journey that changes Rachel's life.

Hetty is the previous owner of Clematis Cottage and is the writer of letters in the tin. She tells of her childhood at having to go and live in Delemere House with two sisters Hester and Leonora and also two brothers Richard and Edward and the years of growing older and falling in love with one brother, but marrying another.

Meanwhile, Gabe is one of her builders, who happens to be as fit as a Butcher's dog and you don't need me to tell you what is likely to happen there!!

This book had a great mixture of characters and I loved them all, especially Rachel's gay best friend Tim!!

This was a lovely read and I really felt that Rachel had a connection with Hetty, especially whilst reading the letters. She even felt Hetty's presence in the cottage now and again!

I would thoroughly recommend this book and although I read it on kindle, I love the cover so much that I would love to have read the actual paperback.

Thank you to Georgia Hill and JB Johnston at Brook Cottage Books for letting me review this book.

BUY LINKS

AMAZON UK

AMAZON US

ABOUT GEORGIA HILL

I used to live in London, where I worked in the theatre. Then I got the bizarre job of teaching road safety to the U.S. navy – in Marble Arch!

A few years ago, I did an ‘Escape to the Country’. I now live in a tiny Herefordshire village, where I scandalise the neighbours by not keeping ‘country hours’ and being unable to make a decent pot of plum jam. Home is a converted Oast house (Old agricultural building used for drying hops), which I share with my two beloved spaniels, husband (also beloved) and a ghost called Zoe.

I’ve been lucky enough to travel widely, though prefer to set my novels closer to home. Perhaps more research is needed? I’ve always wanted to base a book in the Caribbean!

I am addicted to Belgian chocolate, Jane Austen and, most of all, Strictly Come Dancing.

AUTHOR LINKS

https://www.facebook.com/georgiahillauthor/

https://twitter.com/georgiawrites

http://www.georgiahill.co.uk/

https://www.pinterest.com/georgiawrites/

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Callie's Christmas Countdown

by

Julie Ryan

Callie is an event planner, organising weddings and corporate parties. What she'd really love however, is to organise the perfect Christmas. How difficult can it be after all? She simply needs to get her divorced parents talking to each other, sort out a Christmas Eve wedding for the daughter of a millionaire and wait for her hunky, rich boyfriend to propose. What could possibly go wrong?

EXTRACT - Callie's Christmas Countdown

Now I was in a complete panic. I wasn’t supposed to be seeing Nathan today. He was working, or so I thought, and couldn’t get any time off. So why the hell was he here unannounced? I must look a right mess with my bedhead, no make up on and oh my God, I was still in my PJs and slippers. Well, I wasn’t expecting anyone to see me and horror of horrors they weren’t the sexy type that I wore for him, these were Winnie the Pooh ones.  I know that they are hardly the image you want to give out but I’ve always had a thing about Pooh – my childhood hero. These PJs were like a comfort blanket. Most definitely not high up the glamour stakes. In fact, the only other fashion item less flattering would be a furry onesie with sheep on it. Before you ask, I do happen to own that particular garment as well!

I really didn’t want Nathan to see me looking like this so I guessed that if I hurried I could just about make it to the shower before he got up the stairs and then he could make himself a coffee while I got dressed. Too late, before I’d finished opening the door, Nathan was outside and was looking at me askance.

“Give me too ticks and I’ll be ready. You could put the kettle on if you like.”

I’ve never seen anyone move so fast. It was as if he wanted to get the picture of his sexy sophisticated girlfriend looking like she’d got bottom place in a fancy dress competition well and truly out of his mind.

“Dress up,” he said, “We’re going for lunch at Antonio’s.”

Now if there’s one thing that’s guaranteed to get me poshed up, it’s Antonio’s. It’s quite exclusive and you have to book weeks in advance as a rule. Nathan must have called in a few favours, which meant that this was a special lunch. My heart was fluttering wildly. We hadn’t been going out that long and I was so thrilled when he’d first asked me out; I couldn’t believe my luck. He was always spoiling me, buying me clothes and perfume. I was so lucky. It helped of course that Nathan was loaded—or rather his family was. I hadn’t met them yet. He kept saying that he wanted it all to be perfect when we met at the family pile. In some ways we were just right for each other. We both planned things carefully and I loved that about him. He didn’t mock like other people did. He really understood.

BUY LINKS

AMAZON UK

AMAZON.COM

About the Author

Julie was born and brought up in a mining village near Barnsley in South Yorkshire. She graduated with a BA (hons) in French Language and Literature from Hull University. Since then she has lived and worked as a Teacher of English as a Foreign Language in France, Greece, Poland and Thailand. She now lives in rural Gloucestershire with her husband, son and two cats, a rescue cat and a dippy cat with half a tail.  She is so passionate about books that her collection is now threatening to outgrow her house, much to her husband’s annoyance, as she can’t bear to get rid of any! They have been attempting to renovate their home for the last ten years.

She is the author of the Greek Island Mystery series, Jenna’s Journey, Sophia’s Secret and Pandora’s Prophecy, each of which can be read as a standalone. She considers Greece to be her spiritual home and visits as often as she can.

www.facebook.com/Julieryanauthor

Twitter  @julieryan18

Blogsite www.allthingsbookie.com

www.juliesworldofbooks.blogspot.co.uk

The Accidental Guest by Tilly Tennant Blog Tour

Blurb

From the author of the much-loved, best-selling Mishaps in Millrise, a brand new four-novella-part series, Once Upon a Winter- come and fall in love this Christmas! 

'...a wonderful read with a bubbly, unique and fresh style of writing' Sky’s Book Corner
'Tilly makes her characters so relatable that you can’t help but fall in love with them'Starcrossed Reviews 

Soulmates don’t just fall from the sky… do they? 

Hannah Meadows doesn’t believe in fate or destiny, or any of the other things people reach for when they lose control of their lives. That is, until a man arrives on her doorstep on Christmas Day begging for help. Hannah’s not the sort of woman to turn her back on someone in need, but this isn’t what compels her to aid the handsome stranger, nor is it his intense dark eyes, or the inexplicable feelings she quickly develops for him. 

Something magical is coming her way, something that will turn her life completely upside down. Hannah Meadows may not believe in fate or destiny, but they seem to have other ideas… 

Review

I loved reading the Mishaps in Millrise series so when I found out Tilly Tennant was doing a Christmas novella I just had to read it! I love Tilly’s writing as she manages to put serious issues as well as laughter into her stories so I really look forward to reading them.

Hannah is anticipating  a quiet Christmas at home with her sister Gina and her daughter Jess in a little cottage in the country when there is a knock on the door on Christmas morning and standing there in a bloodied and dazed state is a man, not any man, but quite a handsome one, but one who can’t remember his own name!!

They decide to call him Tom and as he has quite a gash to his head, an ambulance is called to check him out. It has been snowing so this makes things difficult and the emergency services take an age to get there, so in the meantime the girls try and quiz “Tom” into finding out who he is, but obviously the knock on the head has left him with amnesia and he can’t remember a thing!

The story gets very comical, not least that it seems to take them all day to cook the Christmas dinner and with other calamities happening in the meantime, this is a really lovely, funny story.

I must admit, I was getting near the end of the novella and was wondering how it was going to end, only to find out that this was the first of another four part series!! Yippee!! I loved this story and can’t wait for the next instalment!

Thank you to Tilly Tennant and JB Johnston at Brook Cottage Books for sending me a copy of this novella for review.

Out of Control by T.A. Belshaw Blog Tour

Blurb

It began with a trivial moment of carelessness, but the shockwaves that reverberate from this seemingly insignificant incident, spread far and wide. 

Ed and his heavily pregnant wife Mary are on an errand for Ed’s ailing father before the pair depart for warmer climes. But the winter of 1962 comes early and one innocuous event and a hastily taken decision will have devastating consequences for the family of young Rose Gorton. Mary’s already fragile mental state is put under further stress while Ed tries to make sense of events that are spiralling massively, Out of Control. 

Review

Set in 1962 this story starts with Ed and Mary who are on their way to Ed’s Father’s house to collect a bottle of wine as his Father is dying and it is one of his last requests to have a decent bottle of wine from his cellar. Not an unusual request you might say, but as Ed hates going into the cellar since he was a child, it is something he is not looking forward to doing.

Ed’s wife Mary is demanding, selfish, pregnant (and still smokes and drinks, but then again it is 1962!!) and has no time for anyone but herself, so when Ed skids on the road in bad weather and clips a car which ends up over the edge of the road, Mary tries her hardest to persuade Ed to leave the scene of the crime and not report it! Poor Ed is bullied into driving off and leaving the driver hanging out of the door, lifeless……..

Once they arrive at Ed’s Father’s place strange things start to happen. Ed still has to deal with going into the cellar to retrieve the bottle of wine and Mary starts acting very oddly!

I can honestly say, this story scared the pants out of me!! I didn’t realise it was a bit of a “ghost” story as well as a thriller. I loved it and can imagine it becoming a play on tv. Very clever storyline and the fact that I didn’t like the character of Mary, is the sign of a good author, as she wasn’t meant to be liked!!

I loved this story and I think the cover is fab as well. Well done Trevor!

Thank you to Trevor Belshaw and JB Johnston at Brook Cottage Books for sending me a copy of this novella to review.

About the Author

T A Belshaw is from Nottingham in the United Kingdom. Trevor writes for both children and adults. He is the author of Tracy's Hot Mail. (Crooked Cat Publishing 2012) His latest book, Tracy's Celebrity Hot Mail was released on August 12th 2014 by Crooked Cat Publishing. (www.crookedcatpublishing.com) Trevor's latest book, a noir, suspense novella, Out Of Control, was released in August 2015.

His short stories have been published in various anthologies including 100 Stories for Haiti, 50 Stories for Pakistan, Another Haircut, Shambelurkling and Other Stories, Deck The Halls, 100 Stories for Queensland and The Cafe Lit anthology 2011, 2012 and 2013. He also has two pieces in Shambelurklers Return. 2014

Trevor is also the author of 13 children's books written under the name of Trevor Forest. The latest. Magic Molly The Murky Marshes will be released in August 2015

His children's poem, Clicking Gran, was long listed for the Plough prize (children's section ) in 2009 and his short poem, My Mistake, was rated Highly Commended and published in an anthology of the best entries in the Farringdon Poetry Competition.

Trevor's articles have been published in magazines as diverse as Ireland's Own, The Best of British and First Edition. He is a regular contributor to The Pages E-Zine.

Trevor is currently working on his new web serial The Diary of an Aspiring Adulteress and the third book in the Tracy series; Tracy's Euro Hot Mail.

http://www.trevorbelshaw.com

Welcome to December and the beginning of Advent! today I am pleased to host The Return of The Christmas Spirit by Susan Buchanan Blog Tour

Blurb

Christmas is just around the corner when Star begins working at Butterburn library, but not everyone is embracing the spirit of the season.

Sixteen-year-old Arianna’s mock exams are looming and she’s feeling under pressure. With her father living abroad and her mother working three jobs, she doesn’t have much support at home.

The bank is threatening to repossess Evan’s house, and he has no idea how he’s going to get through Christmas with two children who are used to getting everything they want.

Patricia’s cliché of a husband, after 23 years of marriage, has announced he’s moving out of the family home, and moving in with his secretary.

Daniel is doing the work of three people in his sales job, as well as looking after his kids and his wife. Pulled in too many different directions, he’s feeling stressed out.

Can Star, the library’s Good Samaritan, help set them on the path to happiness this Christmas?

Review

This is one of those feel good Christmas books that gives you a warm, fuzzy feeling once you have finished it!

Star is working in her local library for the festive season, where many of the customers are not looking forward to Christmas in one way or another.

Arianna is studying for her exams and has the added pressure of not seeing much of her mother as she is holding down numerous jobs to keep afloat.

Evan is struggling to make ends meet after losing his job.

Patricia is in shock after her husband tells her he is leaving.

Daniel is also struggling to cope with the day to day life of bringing up 3 children whilst his wife is suffering from depression.

All these people could do with a helping hand, I wonder who would be able to do that and steer them in the right direction? Star has a magical way of putting these people in the right place at the right time!

I liked the mixture of characters in this book. All had believable stories to tell of life getting them down and then getting a “helping hand” to steer them in the right direction to make things better for them.

This was a lovely Christmassy story and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. I actually felt like the story could have been a bit longer (it’s not often I say that about books!).

Thank you to JB Johnston and Brook Cottage Books for sending me a copy to review.

About the Author

Susan Buchanan lives in Central Scotland with her partner, Tony, and their two children. She is the author of four novels: Return of the Christmas Spirit, The Christmas Spirit, The Dating Game, and Sign of the Times. She is currently working on book five, What If.

Susan is also a proofreader, editor and translator, and when not working, writing, or caring for her two delightful cherubs, loves reading, the theatre, quiz shows and eating out - not necessarily in that order!

Living in the Shadows

 by

 Judith Barrow

 Blog Tour

Synopsis

Sequel to the acclaimed Changing Patterns and Pattern of Shadows. It's 1969 and Mary Schormann is living quietly in Wales with her ex-POW husband, Peter, and her teenage twins, Richard and Victoria. Her niece, Linda Booth, is a nurse - following in Mary's footsteps - and works in the maternity ward of her local hospital in Lancashire. At the end of a long night shift, a bullying new father visits the maternity ward and brings back Linda's darkest nightmares, her terror of being locked in. Who is this man, and why does he scare her so? There are secrets dating back to the war that still haunt the family, and finding out what lies at their root might be the only way Linda can escape their murderous consequences.

Review

This book is the third part in a trilogy from Judith Barrow, but can be read as a stand alone book. Although to be fair, if I had the time, I would have read the other two first, as their are a lot of characters to get to grips with and it took me a while to remember who was related to who! But once I did I really enjoyed it.

The book is set in the 1960's and gives the reader a great insight into life during the 60's and also how life was different within families then. The book starts with Linda Booth, who is a midwife and whilst caring for one of her patients who has just given birth, comes face to face with the patient's nasty, manipulative husband and the consequences of that meeting brings terrible memories flooding back to Linda and makes you want to carry on reading to find out why she was so afraid every time she saw him.

The book then tells us about twins Victoria and Richard and how differently their lives turn out. Richard is a medical student, who, although deaf, is determined to do well in life. Victoria on the other hand, is jealous of her brother and decides to run away with a man who she thinks at the time loves her. Little does she know that where she runs away to will change her life forever. There are a few harrowing bits in the book, but I felt the author dealt with these tactfully.

I really enjoy reading books about yesteryear and this book was no exception. I would recommend this book and I just wish I had personally read the previous two books, only because I enjoyed the last one but would have liked to have got more of an insight to the characters. Also I love the book cover!

Thank you so much to JB Johnston at Brook Cottage Books for sending me a copy to review.

About the Author

Judith Barrow,originally from Saddleworth, near Oldham,has lived in Pembrokeshire, Wales, for thirty four years. 

She has BA (Hons) in Literature with the Open University, a Diploma in Drama from Swansea University and a MA in Creative Writing with the University of Wales Trinity St David's College, Carmarthen. 

She has had short stories, plays, reviews and articles, published throughout the British Isles and has won several poetry competitions. She has completed three children's books.

She is also a Creative Writing tutor. 

And Baby Makes Four
 by Tilly Tennant
 Blog Tour
 (Final part in Mishaps in Millrise series)

Could Phoebe and Jack finally have put their troubles behind them? All is calm at Hendry’s toy store, and Jack’s mother has even developed a grudging respect for Phoebe. If Archie is serious about addressing his issues, then things are really starting to look rosy for the couple again. But when did Phoebe’s life ever go to plan? 

As they prepare for what should be the happiest day of their lives, fate decides to throw them yet another curve ball. What they face will test them to the limit, but Phoebe might just believe in miracles before it’s through. 

Review

I think you can guess by the title what happens in the final part of this lovely series! I have thoroughly enjoyed reading how Phoebe and Jack’s relationship has grown and the obstacles they have had to face from the beginning, mainly Jack having to bring up his daughter Maria alone after her Mum dies and how they both cope with that.  Phoebe being introduced to Jack’s family (in particular his domineering mother!) who finds great satisfaction in giving Phoebe a hard time.

This final part seems to tie things up, which is great, because who doesn’t love a happy ending!

Jack’s brother Archie finally sees the error of his ways and sets out to become a better person and once Phoebe and Jack come to terms with the pregnancy, things go from strength to strength, to the point where Jack asks Phoebe to marry him!

So, not only does Phoebe have her pregnancy to deal with, she has her job to secure, planning a wedding, moving in with Jack……what could possibly go wrong!!!

Well done Tilly Tennant for a lovely series. I have loved reading about the characters and am quite sad it is ending now!

Thank you to JB Johnston at Brook Cottage Books for sending me the series to review.