Summer Life!

I'm back! (Again!)

We all have that time of year that is super busy and it seems like nothing gets done; now is that time for us! The past few weeks have been a blur of revision, exams, school trips, children's parties and more! It's a wonder that I have managed to do any reading, but as any book lover knows, you fit it in somewhere!

For those of you who follow me on Goodreads, you already know what I've been reading! For those of you that don't, see my list below! I have varied my choices quite significantly this year and I am really enjoying reading novels that I would normally avoid. Most of what I have read has been phenomenal, with the exception of just a few. Take a look below and let me know your thoughts in the comments below!

The Stranger in the Woods - Michael Finkel
Will Grayson, Will Grayson - John Green and David Levithan
Butter - Erin Lange
The Perks of being a Wallflower - Stephen Chbosky
The Circle - Dave Eggers
Fat Chance - Nick Spalding (hilarious!)
Last Breath - Robert Bryndza
The Caller - Chris Carter
Everything Everything - Nicola Yoon
The Dive from Clausen's Pier - Ann Packer
The Little Prince - Antoine De Saint Exupery
Medical Medium - Anthony William (not a believer in psychic/medium stuff but this book makes a lot of sense!)
Into the Wild - Jon Krakauer
Long Walk to Freedom - Nelson Mandela (really long book, lots of political references (obviously) but fascinating nonetheless)
Her Husband's Lover - Julia Crouch
Into the Water - Paula Hawkins

Some time has passed since reading a lot of these, hence the no reviews, but one that stuck out for me, surprisingly, was The Dive from Clausen's Pier. A simple tale of young love and small town life and tragedy, it drew me in more than I ever thought possible.

I am looking forward to seeing the movie adaptation (gasp!) of The Circle, mainly because I adore Emma Watson but also because I really enjoyed the book. Into the Wild was another one that surprised me. I often enjoy the tales of free spirited individuals and the story of Chris McCandless is as enthralling as it is tragic. Her Husband's Lover was an enjoyable psychological thriller in the vein of Gone Girl et al. Into the Water, the second novel from the writer of bestseller The Girl on the Train was unfortunately hugely disappointing. It had the bones of a good plot, but was somewhat drowned out by the curious mix of different narratives.

That's all from me today. Keep an eye out for my upcoming 'Must-read books for Summer 2017' post. :-)

Blog Tour: Finding Secrets by Lauren Westwood, published 1st March 2017

Today we welcome the lovely Lauren Westwood and her most recent novel Finding Secrets, published 1st March 2017.

A country house, a precious jewelled locket, and a puzzle dating back to the London Blitz and Imperial Russia. Utterly captivating, a fantastic romance from beginning to end. Perfect for the fans of Carole Matthews and Milly Johnson.

Alex Hart loves her dream job as manager of Mallow Court, a historic Elizabethan house, even if her friends think she needs to get out more. But a discovery in the pocket of an old coat – a jewelled mechanical locket shaped like a bird – changes everything, and Alex discovers that things are not as they seem.

From an old diary, to a handsome barrister, a mysterious clockmaker, and the darkest hours of the London Blitz, Alex must follow the trail of the jewelled bird to uncover the truth about the things she holds dearest – and someone is determined not to let sleeping dogs lie!

Only by finding the secrets of the past can Alex find the keys to her future – and her heart.

Lauren was kind enough to write us a guest post for today's stop.

The life in my men . . .

It's not the men in my life that count, it's the life in my men.

Mae West

I write a lot of posts about my inspirations and writing, but let’s face it, most of us read romance novels for one reason – the love story between the hero and heroine. It’s often said that novels are ‘escapism’, but from what, dear reader, are we trying to escape from?

I’m not a biologist or an expert in human behaviour, but as a modern professional woman, I’ve ‘been there’ many times – I’ve done the dating thing, the settling down thing, the having kids thing. I’ve done the toilet seat up or down thing, the washing his black socks with my white shirts thing, the flowers and chocolate thing, the arguments over money, schools, holidays, jobs, and you-name-it, thing.

And in the end, I’m happy in real life. It’s taken me a lot of years to be able to say that, but for the most part, it’s true. So why do I still like to read and write romance novels and conjure up in my mind those scrummy heroes?

The answer is different for everyone, I’m sure, but for me, it’s fun to dream and imagine ‘the road not taken’. Every day when I’m commuting to work I pass hundreds of men – single, in relationships? – for the most part I’ll never know or give it a second thought. For most of us, chance, fate, and the elements have aligned in a certain way, and that’s that.

But when you think about it, there are so many tiny random elements that decide the who our life partners are – who we meet and don’t meet, who we are attracted to and not, who’s ready, willing, and at the same stage in life as you are. In theory, any one of the men we pass on the street could have been ‘the one’, and we’ll never know for sure what life would have been like if we were with them.

Romance novels give us that chance to dream, that chance to explore other lives, other . . . ahem . . . partners, and rekindle those flames that are challenged in our relationships every day. Romance novels give us that little extra zest in our lives. While some people say that this may be a bad thing – it gives us an unrealistic view of love, life, and ‘happily ever after’ – I think it can be good too. Because you and me, and every woman deserve a little extra love and romance in her real life, and we shouldn’t be afraid to ask our partners to provide it.

So the next time he leaves his dirty dishes in the sink or his pants on the floor, go out, buy yourself a lovely new book, and give him a big hug and kiss. Because at the end of the day, it’s up to us to make it happen for real.  

About Lauren Westwood

Originally from California, Lauren relocated to the UK in 2000. She works as a lawyer for a renewable energy company. Lauren’s first novel, 'Finding Home' was inspired by her family's 3-year search for a house that made them the bane of home county estate agents. She currently resides in a pernickety 400-year old house in Surrey with her partner and their three daughters. She enjoys travel, visiting old houses, baking with her daughters, dance, playing piano, and hates tennis.

Follow Lauren

Twitter: @LWestwoodWriter

Website: www.laurenwestwoodwriter.com

My Inner Bookworm

I get emails with book deals several times per day, and being a complete book addict I cannot leave them unopened. I almost feel anxious if I don't read them, thinking that I will definitely miss out on a great book, a great story, a life changing novel. I know I am not alone in this way of life, as countless members of online book clubs keep reassuring me with their 'book post' hashtags and carefully posed and filtered 'book pics'. 

Sometimes I think I should just unsubscribe and let go, and for whatever my next read may be to find me instead. As if it were fate, or meant to be. But my inner bookworm refuses. She is a force to be reckoned with and has lead me down many incredible paths, introduced me to some unmissable characters and shaped my life beyond measure. So for that, I obey her every wish. She is real, she is formidable. She is my childhood and my best friend. 

She is me.

Book Praise: Behind Closed Doors by Elizabeth Haynes

Behind Closed Doors by Elizabeth Haynes
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Elizabeth is one of my favourite authors, so I fear this review may be a little biased! However, having read the previous 5 books from her, I feel that I can confidently give Behind Closed Doors a 5 star rating.
I find Elizabeth's style incredibly easy to read and the quirky information formats, such as police reports, witness statements and internal emails add greatly to the reading experience. I also find Elizabeth's novels very unpredictable which, for me, is pretty rare. I can pretty much read between the lines of most mystery/thriller novels and work out the ending to some extent, but I have not been able to do this with any of Haynes' novels. She has previously been hailed as one of the most exciting things to hit recent crime fiction, and I have to agree. Elizabeth has firmly established herself as one to watch out for and I cannot wait to read whatever comes next.

View all my reviews

Upcoming Blog Tour!

Extremely proud to announce our very first blog tour stop! The lovely Lauren Westwood is bringing to us her second novel Finding Secrets. Visit us next Saturday, 11th March to check out Lauren and her book!