Tag: women’s fiction

All about Books, Book review

Book Review: The Daughter-in-law by Fanny Blake

kakenzieblog

Happy Sunday! I hope you’re having a lovely weekend and able to curl up with a good book. I’m excited to be part of the tour for The Daughter-in-law by Fanny Blake. With secrets and potential family tensions, the blurb drew me in.

Scroll down to see if it met my expectations.

Book Review: The Daughter-in-law by Fanny Blake

The Daughter-in-law by Fanny Blake

Title: The Daughter-in-law

Author: Fanny Blake

Publisher: Simon and Schuster

Release date: 16th February 2023

Genre: Women’s fiction

Blurb

‘A moving, relatable and heart-thumpingly good story about family secrets and the lengths we’ll go to protect our loved ones.’ CATHY BRAMLEY

When Hope’s only son Paul met and married Edie, Hope was delighted that he had found love and was settling down to make his own family. Hope has loved bringing up her own child, and is happy to step in and help out now and again – but is always worried about overstepping the line between grandmother and mother.

Edie was hoping that having children with Paul would fulfil her as much as her busy job as a barrister has. But the reality is far from her dream. And with her mother-in-law Hope constantly poking her nose in where it’s not wanted, she finds herself frustrated and alone.

Both women could be each other’s greatest ally, but both have secrets that could ruin their relationship. Secrets neither wants Paul to uncover…

My Thoughts

I was thrown into the tense family dynamics from the start, with a sunny Greek holiday that promised relaxation if only Hope and Edie got along. Told from both sides it was clear why each struggled to overcome the ever-increasing barriers in their relationship, but as much as I wanted to be neutral in my feelings, my sympathy kept being drawn to Hope. The love for her grandchildren and son, Paul, was clear and with a softer side, she was easy to connect to. While she had strong opinions, she was prepared to adjust to the needs of the relationship. 

Edie was more complex and her viewpoint showed a different side to motherhood than the usual I’ve read recently. She wants it all, her career, control and the perfect family, but despite her ambition is trapped by the guilt that brings. With clashes of personality, generational differences of the approach of parenthood and opinions, I kept me turning the page even before secrets were revealed and their consequences caused an earthquake in the family. Thanks to all the characters having depth, I became entangled in their lives so felt their emotional rollercoaster.

This is an emotional story of unexpected revelations, ramifications of decisions made with good intentions and family bonds. This was the first Fanny Blake book I’ve read but won’t be the last because of realistic characters, ability to describe the heart of the matter and emotionally connect to the reader. WIth a healthy back catalogue, my TBR pile has increased.

Have you read any of her books? Let me know your recommendations below.

Author Biography

Photo of Fanny Blake. White woman, with choppy dark blonde hair with highlights. Blue eyes
Fanny Blake

Fanny Blake was a publisher for many years, editing both fiction and non-fiction before becoming a freelance journalist and writer. She has written various non-fiction titles, acted as ghost writer for a number of celebrities, and is a former books editor of Woman & Home magazine. She has been a judge of a number of literary prizes, including the Costa First Novel award, the Desmond Elliott Award, the RNA Romantic Novel of the Year award and the British Book Awards. She is also the commissioning editor for Quick Reads and a book reviewer. She has written seven novels, including Our Summer Together and An Italian Summer.

Thank you Sara-Jade Virtue for the invite and advanced copy of this book to so I could give an honest and unbiased review.

Happy reading!

Love

16 Feb @Williams12Anne @book_problem 17 Feb @handwritten 18 Feb @mm_cheryl @bookread2day 20 Feb @emthebookworm 21 Feb @JoannaLouisePar 22Feb @KarenNHollis 23 Feb @Karenbookbag 24 Feb @KarenKingston8 25 Feb @Lou_Boomarks 26 Feb @thebookmagnet 27 Feb @Wendyreadsbook! 28 Feb @portybelle 01 Mar @Littlemissbook6 02 Mar @ElizabetgCurrie
Other blogs on this tour
All about Books, Book review

Book Review: Together Again by Milly Johnson

kakenzieblog

The mobile library has dropped off some treats this week including Together Again by Milly Johnson. The reservation list on this book is miles long so I took notice of the sticky note telling me to read it quickly.

Library stash with a range of books but centre place is the cover of Milly Johnson's book Together, Again
Library Stash

Book Review: Together Again by Milly Johnson

Book cover for Together Again by Milly Johnson Yellow cover with Blue and dark pink typeface. Shows an open front doorway with 3 sisters outside on the steps. One leaning against the pillared entrance, one sitting on the steps and the other sitting on suitcases.
Together Again by Milly Johnson

Title: Together Again

Author: Milly Johnson

Publisher: Simon and Schuster

Release date: 29th September 2022

Blurb

Together again after years apart, can they find a new beginning? The brilliant novel full of laughter, love, tears and hope from the Sunday Times bestselling author Milly Johnson.

‘This masterpiece honestly describes the strength and acceptance required to be a family. 5 STARS’ Adele Parks, Book of the Month, Platinum magazine

Sisters Jolene, Marsha and Annis have convened at their beautiful family home, Fox House, following the death of their mother, the tricky Eleanor Vamplew. Born seven years apart, the women are more strangers than sisters.

Jolene, the eldest, is a successful romantic novelist who writes about beautiful relationships even though her own marriage to the handsome and charming Warren is complicated.

Marsha, the neglected middle child, has put all of her energy into her work, hoping money will plug the gap in her life left by the man who broke her young heart.

Annis is the renegade, who left home aged sixteen and never returned, not even for the death of their beloved father Julian. Until now.

So when the sisters discover that their mother has left everything to Annis in her will, it undermines everything they thought they knew. Can saying their final goodbyes to Eleanor bring them together again?

Together, Again is the story of truths uncovered and lies exposed, of secrets told – and kept. It is a novel about sister helping sister to heal from childhood scars and finding in each other support, forgiveness, courage and love.

My Thoughts

Milly Johnson is one author I know will have me laughing one minute and crying the next with her quirky observations and down-to-earth Northern humour, which balances out the heartache and sensitive topics she covers in her romantic fiction. I’m still reeling from the chocolate eclair scene in Woman in the Middle. If you haven’t read it, you need to pop it on your must-read pile with this one. While love, friendship and character’s finding their own self or strength are fundamental in all her books, this one is different.

Maybe it was because there was less romance and more focus on the relationship between sisters from a dysfunctional family, but it sent me on a powerful, hard-hitting, and  emotional rollercoaster. Each sister’s viewpoint got under my skin as they dealt with the emotions following their mother’s death, getting to know each other and the secrets each were hiding. Grief is tackled in many books, but usually the person is loved and missed for their warmth but in this case, the mother was horrid. This triggered different emotions and guilt usually seen, and it was refreshing to see another type of family dynamic shown.  I’m sure it will resonate with many readers. Despite the tough issues covered, Milly Johnson writes with warmth, depth and hope, so when I finished reading I was left with the comforting belief that anything is possible with friendship and support.

Have you read it? I’d love your hear your thoughts. Keep warm and happy reading!

Love

All about Books, The Enchanted Emporium's Bookshelf

Book Review: The Beekeeper of Elderflower Grove by Jaimie Admans

kakenzieblog

After a sweltering few days, I hope you are all well. I’m excited to share my review for The Beekeeper of Elderflower Grove by Jaimie Admans. My attraction to this book was two-fold, firstly I adore bees and if I had the space I’d love to learn beekeeping and secondly, I loved Jaimie Admans The Post box at the North Pole. If this book was half as enjoyable as that one, I knew I’d be in for a treat.

Scroll down to see if this bee filled romance met my high expectations.

Book Review: The Beekeeper of Elderflower Grove by Jaimie Admans

Book cover for The Beekeeper of Elderflower Grove by Jaimie Admans. Title in yellow. Green meadow with bees in the foreground and a mansion in the background. A woman in a red dress is walking towards two beehives.
The Beekeeper of Elderflower Grove by Jaimie Admans

Title: The Beekeeper of Elderflower Grove

Author: Jaimie Admans

Publisher: HQ Digital

Genre: Romance, Women’s fiction

Release Date: 15th July 2022

Purchase Links

Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B09Z757JFW

Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B09Z757JFW

Blurb

Her new start is about to bee-gin!

Having moved into her mum’s spare room after a disastrous break-up, Kayleigh Harwood is desperate for a fresh start. When she sees an opening for a new beekeeper at the old manor house at Elderflower Grove she jumps at the chance – despite not knowing a thing about bees…

 The abandoned house holds a mystery of its own – the previous owner vanished years ago – and locals have been inventing stories about the manor ever since. Unable to resist the urge to look around, Kayleigh is shocked to find drop-dead-gorgeous gardener Carey living inside!

 Carey explains that the house and surrounding land is at risk of being demolished, endangering the bees, and he has been staying there to protect it.

 Convinced the secret of the house holds the key to saving Elderflower Grove’s bees, Kayleigh is prepared to do everything she can to help. But is she ready to find her own happy-ever-after too…?

My Thoughts

The Beekeeper in Elderflower Grove has the most original chuckle inducing openings I have read. The job interview conducted by a bee via zoom is one to remember and sets the tone of the book. It’s light-hearted, full of bee puns and offers the reader an escape from reality.

Kayleigh is down on her luck and needs a job at any cost even if she needs a dummy guide on beekeeping to do it. The location of Elderflower Grove is wonderful and has a fairy tale atmosphere about it which cast a spell on me just as much as the characters. Beautifully described, I could smell the flowers, taste the honey and hear the sound of nature, and I didn’t want to leave. The house has a huge personality of its own which made me long for it to be saved from developers.

Carey was someone I’d love to meet with his retro t-shirts which sent me down memory lane, and his humour and warmth despite a broken heart. Reading the developing friendship and chemistry between him and Kayleigh was like witnessing your best friends fall in love. It was a joy to watch.

The trials and twists to save the house and the bees made me keep turning the page so I read this in a day and night. Who needs sleep when a happy ever after is promised?

Would I recommend?

With more than a sprinkling of bee facts, this heart-warming novel is perfect for a summer’s read or when you need to escape from the world. This romance  is one for my forever shelf for a reread when I need some warmth and chuckles and with more than a few mentions of ghosts, it’ll be enjoyed by those visiting the Enchanted Emporium bookshelf too.

Author Biography

Photo of author Jaimie Admans, woman with dark long hair, glasses, smiling wearing a black top. The background is pink with white spots
Jaimie Admans

Jaimie is a 36-year-old English-sounding Welsh girl with an awkward-to-spell name. She lives in South Wales and enjoys writing, gardening, watching horror movies, and drinking tea, although she’s seriously considering marrying her coffee machine. She loves autumn and winter, and singing songs from musicals despite the fact she’s got the voice of a dying hyena. She hates spiders, hot weather, and cheese & onion crisps. She spends far too much time on Twitter and owns too many pairs of boots. She will never have time to read all the books she wants to read.

She is the author of several romantic comedies for HarperCollins – The Chateau of Happily Ever Afters, The Little Wedding Island, It’s a Wonderful Night, The Little Vintage Carousel by the Sea, Snowflakes at the Little Christmas Tree Farm, The Little Bookshop of Love Stories, The Wishing Tree Beside the Shore, The Little Christmas Shop on Nutcracker Lane, The Post Box at the North Pole, and The Beekeeper at Elderflower Grove.

Social Media Links –

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/be_the_spark

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/jaimieadmansbooks

Thank you Rachel’s Random Resources for inviting me to this tour and providing an advanced copy for me to review and give my honest and unbiased opinion.

Love

List of other blogs on the tour 15th July Book Escapes with BabsW67 @wendyreadsbooks on Instagram Being Anne 16th July Peacock's Book Review Portobello Book blog Karenandherbooks 17th July Splashes into Books Tealeavesandbookleaves The Comfy Chair 18th July Jaffareadstoo Karen's Reads ramblingreads.com 19th July BetweenTheLines Broadbean's Books Kirsty_Reviews_Books 20th July Hearding Cats Kate Kenzie Writes Romance by The Book 21st July htdk2002.reads Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers Bookish Dreams 22nd July Tizi's Book Review Tea Party Princess Stacey Hammond 23rd July Little Miss Book Lover 87 Ceri's Little Blog Captured on Film 24th July Rae Reads Bookish Jottings This Hannah Reads
Other Blogs on this tour

All about Books, Book review

Book Review: A Year of Mr Maybes by Judy Leigh

kakenzieblog

Today I’m thrilled to share my review for Judy Leigh’s A Year of Mr Maybes. Not only did the cover promise some cheer in a gloomy Yorkshire last week, I was drawn to read because of the older protagonist’s search for love. Scroll down to see if it fulfilled its promise.

Book Review: A Year of Mr Maybes by Judy Leigh

Book cover for A Year of Mr Maybes by Judy Leigh
A Year of Mr Maybes by Judy Leigh

Title: A year of Mr Maybes

Author: Judy Leigh

Publisher: Boldwood books

Genre: Women’s fiction

Release Date: 29th March 2022

Purchase Link – https://amzn.to/3tpoJmQ

Blurb

Never say never to falling in love…

Val didn’t expect to be starting again in her seventies, but when life gives her lemons, Val is determined to make lemonade.

Settled into her new home – a picture-perfect fisherman’s cottage in the small Cornish seaside town of Lowenstowe – Val is ready to start a new chapter. And with her son due to get married next Christmas, there’s also the little job of finding herself a plus-one to help her face her ex-husband and his new girlfriend.

With the support of her neighbour Connie, and after decades of married life, Val takes the plunge back into the world of dating with trepidation and excitement. But can she remember how the single life works, let alone what her type is? There seem to be plenty of Mr Maybes, but no sign of Mr Right.

As the year passes, and as friendships and community life flourish, Val begins to blossom. And as Christmas approach, she might just decide she doesn’t need that plus-one after all – although never say never… 

Judy Leigh is back with her trademark promise of laughter, love and friendship. The perfect feel-good novel for all fans of Dawn French, Dee Macdonald and Cathy Hopkins.

My Thoughts

Welcome to a year of Cornish loveliness, community and fun. The ease of writing lured me into the Val’s life who proves you’re never too old to search for new beginnings and love. The relationship between her, Connie, and Loveday were a joy to read and the adventures they went on made me want to go on  a road trip to Cornwall and visit the places they visited.

I was expecting a warm, romantic read but this is so much more: it’s a story of friendship, community and how coming together can make big things happen. With older protagonists, it proves romantic stories aren’t just for the young and it provided many memorable moments. I will have the image of a leopard skin catsuit wearing septuagenarian singing karaoke ingrained in my mind forever.

Would I recommend?

Yes, this was a joy to read and Judy Leigh’s talent for painting pictures with words provided a perfect Cornish escape without leaving home. This novel is full of warmth, memorable characters and moments that capture the heart and imagination.

Author Biography

Judy Leigh

Judy Leigh is the bestselling author of Five French Hens, A Grand Old Time and The Age of Misadventure and the doyenne of the ‘it’s never too late’ genre of women’s fiction. She has lived all over the UK from Liverpool to Cornwall, but currently resides in Somerset.

Social Media Links –  

Website http://judyleigh.com

Twitter https://twitter.com/judyleighwriter

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/judyrleigh/

Newsletter Sign Up Link http://bit.ly/JudyLeighNewsletter

Bookbub profile https://www.bookbub.com/authors/judy-leigh

Thank you Rachel’s Random Resources for inviting me to this tour and providing an advanced copy for me to review and give my honest and unbiased opinion.

Love

All about Books

Book review: The Endless Beach by Jenny Colgan

kakenzieblog

As a Jenny Colgan fan, I was excited to receive a copy of her latest book to review.

Endless Beach cover

Title    The Endless Beach

Author   Jenny Colgan

Blurb

On the quayside next to the Endless Beach sits the Summer Seaside Kitchen. It’s a haven for tourists and locals alike, who all come to eat the freshest local produce on the island and catch up with the gossip. Flora, who runs the cafe, feels safe and content – unless she thinks too hard about her relationship with Joel, her gorgeous but emotionally (and physically) distant boyfriend.

While Flora is in turmoil about her relationship. her best friend Lorna is pining after the local doctor. Saif came to the island as a refugee, having lost all of his family. But he’s about to get some shocking news which will change everything for him.

As cold winter nights shift to long summer days, can Flora find her happy-ever-after with Joel?

My thoughts

On a cold January day, there is nothing quite like a Jenny Colgan book to transport you to another place, in this case, The Endless Beach on the Scottish island of Mure. The scenery is breath-taking and the community is as close-knit as it was in the first book of this series – The Summer Seaside Kitchen. The book focuses on Flora with her bakery and the emotions of falling in love with Joel, her brother Fintan and Saif the island’s GP who is waiting anxiously for news of his family in Syria.  Jenny Colgan’s writing has a relaxed, natural flow which drew me instantly into the story and fall in love with Mure all over again. Her collection of characters are always memorable and mainly down to earth.  I would have read it in one sitting if it was not for life getting in the way. Instead, I stayed up until the early hours to finish it. For all the ideas I had about where the story was leading, I was not expecting that ending.

It is the perfect book if you love light romantic books for wintery nights curled up near the fire or on a beach on a summer’s  day.

As common in her books, Jenny Colgan writes a welcome which I appreciate these as they recap what has gone before which is always handy and I love the recipes inspired by the book at the back. One day, I may even try them.

Thank you, NetGalley and Sphere for an advanced copy.

Have you read it? Leave your comments below

Happy reading!