Review of Sophie's Turn by Nicky Wells

Sophie’s Turn is Nicky Wells’ debut novel and published by Sapphire Star.

I was instantly hooked from the very beginning of the novel and found the writing style to be both easy to read and gripping at the same time.

Sophie Penhalligan is a twenty eight year old journalist who is in a comfortable relationship with Accountant Tim. Sophie is waiting for Tim to propose and is worried that he is missing every opportunity. When Tim does propose it seems like everything Sophie has wanted. However, things soon get even more heated when Sophie’s bumps into her rock star crush from 80s band Tusk at the airport and the two begin a series of romantic (and hilarious) evenings together. Before Sophie realizes it she is engaged to Dan as well and is not quite sure what to do!

I loved Sophie’s character and I think that only she could end up in the situation engaged to two men and still seem to be a lovely person.
The book itself is hilarious and had me laughing out loud in places – especially when we see Tim de-slugging the garden in the middle of the night.

The story is divided into three separate sections and flits back between present day and ten years earlier when Sophie first met the band. I liked the way that the author did this as it really made me think about the story and see how Sophie and Dan’s friendship began. The book is quite a whirlwind and you will see Sophie flitting from London to New York for work and then to Paris for romantic weekends. I found that I didn’t want to put it down as I was desperate to know what would happen with Sophie.

If you love chick lit then you will adore Sophie’s Turn; it is funny, gripping and will see you laughing (and possibly crying) in places and I loved the ending which was not what I thought it would be at all. Nicky Wells has written a fantastic novel and I look forward to reading her future work.

Thank you Nicky for sending me a copy of Sophie’s Turn. You can follow Nicky on twitter @WellsNicky and visit her website: www.nickywellsklippert.wordpress.com

Review of A Very Accidental Love Story by Claudia Carroll

I had heard a lot of good things about Claudia Carroll’s books, so I was keen to read her latest novel ‘A Very Accidental Love Story’.

Eloise Elliott is a high flying career woman, she is editor of the ‘Post’ where staff are terrified of her and the board refer to her as Madame Editrix. At thirty, she is one of the youngest newspaper editors in the country and works all hours. However, when virtually no one turns up to celebrate her thirtieth birthday, Eloise realizes that she has sacrificed everything for her job. She decides that her life needs to change and has a baby.

Three years on and Eloise is frantically trying to balance everything. She loves her daughter Lily, but realizes that she has a lot of questions to answer when Lily starts asking who and where her Daddy is. What follows is a determined and heartwarming journey to track down Lily’s real father. There are quite a few hilarious moments as Eloise uses her journalistic skills to work out who he might be and where he could be.

Eloise is a fascinating character. At first, I felt that she was a little selfish as she was always working and hardly spending anytime with her daughter. However, by the end of the book my mind had totally changed and I admired her for all of the sacrifices that she had made. Seth is a great character and again, he has totally transformed by the end of the book.

I loved this story, the characters really change and grow over the course of the novel. Carroll’s writing draws the reader right into the story making it an addictive read for me.

The cover is gorgeous too!

Thank you to Avon for sending me a copy to review.

Review of Move Over Darling by Christine Stovell

Move Over Darling is the first book by author Christine Stovell that I have read and I loved it.

The story is set between Penmorfa, a sleepy Welsh village and New York. Coralie Casey has escaped her past and her busy corporate life by setting up ‘Sweet Cleans’, a range of natural beauty and cleaning products in Penmorfa. Gethin Lewis is a world famous artist living in New York, but is originally from the village. Both Gethin and Coralie are desperately trying to escape their past when they first meet.

The locals of Penmorfa have turned against Gethin and felt betrayed by his most famous painting ‘Last Samba before Sunset’. So, it comes as a surprise to many when he offers to donate a painting that can be auctioned to help pay for the new community hall. There is, however, one clause – the subject of the painting must be Coralie and she must go to New York to sit for the painting.

I loved the setting of Penmorfa and all of the local characters. Although, mainly set in Wales, the storyline does also take us to New York and I enjoyed Stovell’s vivid descriptions of this famous city.

There are lots of smaller stories woven into the plot of the novel and this is a part I really enjoyed, as I felt we got to know the other characters. I particularly looked forward to reading about Kitty and the two village gossips; Delyth and Mair. Doris Day songs are also interwoven in the storyline and fit with the mood – this is a lovely touch.

Move Over Darling is another un-putdownable love story from Choc Lit. I am looking forward to reading more books by this author.

Thank you to Choc Lit for sending me a copy to review.

Move Over Darling is available to buy now:

 http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1906931658/ref=s9_simh_gw_p14_d0_i1?pf_rd_m=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=1PVJYNT35HZWTP8K3FND&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=317828027&pf_rd_i=468294

Review of The Age of Miracles by Karen Thompson Walker

The Age of Miracles is a fantastic debut novel by Karen Thompson Walker and is a book that is quite unlike anything I have read before.

The story is told through the eyes of eleven year old Julia. On what seems like normal Californian morning for Julia and her family, they discover that the earth’s rotation is slowing. The idea itself is almost beyond comprehension and the characters, like the reader, are soon clamouring to find out what the consequences will be. Before long, birds fall from the sky and the days seem to stretch on and on.

This is a thought provoking novel that had me hooked from the very first page. It is all the more powerful for being told through Julia’s eyes as she goes through adolescence.

The Age of Miracles is a fascinating story of an unthinkable event. Thompson Walker cleverly combines an unknown situation with everyday family dramas creating a compelling read.

This book exceeded my expectations and I did not want to put it down. I will definitely be looking out for future work from this author.

Thank you to Simon and Schuster for sending me a copy to review.

Review of The Last Telegram by Liz Trenow

 

The Last Telegram is a beautifully written love story from debut author Liz Trenow. Set against the backdrop of the Second World War, this is a novel full of love, friendship, tragedy and hope.

Lily Verner plans to travel to Geneva after finishing school to learn languages. However, the onset of the Second World War and the atrocities in Nazi Germany curtail her plans. Instead, she finds herself working at the family mill in Suffolk. At first, she is disappointed but soon begins to come round to the idea. The story is told from the Lily’s point of view and begins when she is an elderly lady re-counting her life.

Lily and her brother John persuade their father to help some young Jewish refugees who have been sent from Germany and need a sponsor in order to stay in the country. Three teenage boys go to live and work at the mill. One of the boys, Stefan, catches Lily’s eye and the two soon become close. However, as war outbreaks rumours begin to circulate the Mill that the silk is being tampered with and it is the German boys who’re the focus of spiteful gossip. Can Lily and Stefan’s love survive against all odds?

I was totally captivated by this novel and didn’t want to put it down. The love story element is dramatic and engaging, but there is much more to this story. From war torn London at the height of the blitz to the beauty of Suffolk ‘Constable’ countryside, The Last telegram is a heart wrenching love story.

Thank you to Avon for sending me a copy to review.

Review of The Road Back by Liz Harris

The Road Back is a wonderful love story from debut author Liz Harris. It is set between London and Ladakh during the 1950s and present day.

Patricia Carstairs has always longed for love and attention from her father Major Carstairs. However, she has always felt that he blamed her for her elder brother’s illness. Father and daughter begin to bond over the Major’s diaries of his trip to Ladakh during the 1940s. Patricia and her father visit Ladakh in the early 1960s and she hopes it will be the chance to finally get closer to him. What she doesn’t foresee is that she will meet and fall in love with a young man there called Kalden.

The novel is told from the dual perspectives of Patricia and Kalden. I loved this aspect of the book, as it allows the reader to get to know both sides of the story. Patricia is a strong heroine, but I don’t think it is until the very end of the novel that she really comes into her own. At the beginning, she is trying so hard to please her father that she doesn’t realise what she really wants.

The Road Back is an outstanding debut. The setting and characters are beautifully portrayed and there were quite a few turns in the storyline that I hadn’t been expecting. Harris’ writing vividly brings Ladakh and its dramatic beauty and landscape to life. I was mesmerized by the descriptions of Ladakh and its culture.

Have your tissues ready, as there are some heart wrenching scenes.

Recommended for all fans of romantic and historical fiction.

Thank you to Choc Lit for sending me a copy to review.

The Road Back is available to buy now:

 http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Road-Back-Liz-Harris/dp/1906931674/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top

Review of The King's Spy by Andrew Swanston

The King’s Spy is set between Romsey and Oxford during the English Civil War. Thomas Hill is a bookseller from Romsey who is summoned to Oxford to the King’s court which has moved there from London. The King’s cryptographer has been found dead and it soon becomes Thomas’ job to help uncover encrypted messages from the enemy. However, Oxford has changed dramatically since Thomas’ university days and he soon realizes that everything, and everyone, is not quite as it seems.

This is a dramatic and engaging novel that had me on the edge of my seat, desperate to find out what would happen next. Thomas is transported from the peaceful town of Romsey to the heart of the King’s court at Oxford. Here, he is unwittingly thrust into the heart of danger and must work out who is a friend and who is an enemy.

This is the first fictional book set during the period of the English Civil War  that I have read and I found it fascinating. Swanston has cleverly brought seventeenth century Oxford to life making the reader feel connected to the scenes. I was pleased to see that this is the first in a trilogy and I look forward to seeing what Thomas does in the future installments.

Recommended for fans of historical fiction.

I read this as part of the Transworld Historical Fiction Reading Challenge.