Good Morning!
Today I am absolutely thrilled to be hosting the blog tour to promote this gorgeous book by Veronica Henry; How To Find Love In A Book Shop. Today I'll be sharing my review with you.
Title | How To Find Love In A Book Shop
Author | Veronica Henry
Publisher | Orion Publishing Group
Source | Review Copy
Rating | 5/5
Nightingale Books, nestled on the high street in the idyllic Cotswold town of Peasebrook, is a dream come true for booklovers.
But owner Emilia Nightingale is struggling to keep the shop open. The temptation to sell up is proving enormous - but what about the promise she made to her father? Not to mention the loyalty she owes to her customers.
Sarah Basildon, owner of stately pile Peasebrook Manor, has used the book shop as an escape from all her problems in the past few years. But is there more to her visits than meets the eye?
Sarah Basildon, owner of stately pile Peasebrook Manor, has used the book shop as an escape from all her problems in the past few years. But is there more to her visits than meets the eye?
Since messing up his marriage, Jackson asks Emilia for advice on books to read to the son he misses so much. But Jackson has a secret, and is not all he seems...
And there's Thomasina, painfully shy, who runs a pop-up restaurant from her tiny cottage. She has a huge crush on a man she met and then lost in the cookery section, somewhere between Auguste Escoffier and Marco Pierre White. Can she find the courage to admit her true feelings?
How to Find Love in a Book Shop is the delightful story of Emilia's fight to keep her book shop alive, the customers whose lives she has touched - and the books they all love.
As any book lover can attest to, hours spent in a book shop are well spent hours. There is something so tranquil and therapeutic about standing amongst hundreds, thousands of books. There is also the friendliness of the people in there. There are unspoken rules and a bond that is immediate. Everyone knows when the right time is to speak up to a fellow customer about a book, or when to just honour the peace surrounding them. It really is a magical thing.
It's this exact atmosphere and magic if you like that is captured in the pages of How To Find Love In A Book Shop which makes Veronica Henry's writing just phenomenal. The book shop that is centre stage in this book is called Nightingale Books and it was started by Julius Nightingale and will be continued *hopefully* by his daughter Emilia after he passes away.
A town without a book shop is a town without a heart.
Nightingale Books is more than just a book shop and when Julius passes away the sheer impact that this shop and the man who owned it gave to the local community is sincerely felt and the locals have all found solace and healing, along with companionship whether with a person or a book.
Each character in the book is easily able to identify with and to be honest, some of it just breaks your heart in the most beautiful way. There are heart warming secrets shared in this little shop, and what blossoms from those secrets shows that out of something seemingly bad, something beautiful can indeed grow.
Books are more precious than jewels.
I adored how although we began grieving for Julius within the first chapter, we were able to travel back in time to the early 1980s and learn all about him as a young twenty something, how he met Rebecca and then the gorgeous Emilia came into the world, in an albeit heart breaking way. I think it really makes a difference to know the history of this little book shop, and it certainly cemented my love for it.
If you love books which I am going to safely assume that you do hence your visit here, and if you love the thought of reading about a book shop, I hand on heart fully recommend this book to you. This book will stay with me forever, and the love shared between the pages between the characters will endure eternity. This is a book simply NOT to be sitting on shelves unread, go out into the beautiful world, find a copy, buy it, hold it, read it - no DEVOUR it, and let the love that is indescribable from this book, heal your bookish heart as it did mine.
What a wonderful tribute to book shops everywhere!
Don't forget to stop by and visit these other gorgeous blogs taking part in the blog tour!
I thought that it would be rather nice and fun to do a quick bookish lifestyle post where I share 10 reasons why I became a BookBlogger, especially as we go through the next few weeks I'll be posting plenty of promos for book tours and first looks at books coming soon!
1. I Love To Read - Yep, it really does all come down to the fact that I love to read books, always have and I think and hope that I always will. I'm very open to the genre I read, and will give anything a try.
2. The Wide Range of Books - There are so many genres out there that it would be a crying shame to limit my reading taste-buds to just one or two genres. So, I like to try new genres and share my thoughts with you all.
3. Sharing My Thoughts - I think if we could have more intellectual conversations about the world in which we live today, we would be a far better bunch of humans. One way of doing this is by reading books by talented authors who address the issues in the world, and then sharing our thoughts on them.
4. I Love Writing - Actually, I think I became a bookblogger because it gave me the opportunity to write more and think about what I was writing. It's also a skill needed for University - where we read texts and then have to gleam the intricate details and write our own interpretation of our understanding, so it's a bit of practice really.
5. Get Out Of My Comfort Zone - Books have this amazing capability to "Pied Piper" you out of your comfort zone. If you are stuck in a rut, you can guarantee that kicking back and reading a book you will emerge more energised, more creative, happier, less stressed, and a tad inspired to DO something with your life. I've been thrust out of my comfort zones many times through the reading of Crime, Psychological Thrillers, and even Spiritual/Self Help titles.
6. Learn Something New - This kind of ties in with number 5 in that some titles that I have been blessed to receive from publishers have taught me things that had I not read the book I wouldn't have known, probably ever. For example, I used to think meditating and "talking to your loved ones in heaven" was a bit "Woo-Woo". But in fact, it's a very healing tool to use especially when coping bereavement (My Bereavement Counsellor just this week suggested I talk to my Auntie as if she were still here), and stress.
5. Get Out Of My Comfort Zone - Books have this amazing capability to "Pied Piper" you out of your comfort zone. If you are stuck in a rut, you can guarantee that kicking back and reading a book you will emerge more energised, more creative, happier, less stressed, and a tad inspired to DO something with your life. I've been thrust out of my comfort zones many times through the reading of Crime, Psychological Thrillers, and even Spiritual/Self Help titles.
6. Learn Something New - This kind of ties in with number 5 in that some titles that I have been blessed to receive from publishers have taught me things that had I not read the book I wouldn't have known, probably ever. For example, I used to think meditating and "talking to your loved ones in heaven" was a bit "Woo-Woo". But in fact, it's a very healing tool to use especially when coping bereavement (My Bereavement Counsellor just this week suggested I talk to my Auntie as if she were still here), and stress.
7. Cracks Me Open - Books crack me open in ways other methods have never. I have become a more "sexually embracing" woman through reading erotica (no, NOT Fifty Shades) - although I must admit, my OH really "does" help there!, I have thought about my life and the many roads it could have taken (thanks to "Written In The Stars"), I have cried my heart out reading "The Happily Ever Afterlife Of Rosie Potter & Light is The New Black (totally different genres), and I have laughed until I couldn't breathe reading... Oh wow - so many books have given me the giggles that I simply couldn't pick just one as an example.
8. Advanced Proof Copies - I wouldn't be an honest blogger if I didn't admit that yes there is a certain level of excitement and thrill at receiving an advanced proof copy of a book YET to hit the shelves. I wouldn't be human if I didn't get excited when I receive a book that is not due to hit the shelves for another 4 weeks - 3 months!
8. Advanced Proof Copies - I wouldn't be an honest blogger if I didn't admit that yes there is a certain level of excitement and thrill at receiving an advanced proof copy of a book YET to hit the shelves. I wouldn't be human if I didn't get excited when I receive a book that is not due to hit the shelves for another 4 weeks - 3 months!
9. Authors - Being a BookBlogger allows me to support authors whom I admire and adore. I get to take part in Blog Tours, Guest Posts, First Looks, Interview Authors, and just generally become a part time PR Book Lady! I get to rave about books and authors and most importantly I get to have the most amazing conversations with authors such as Kerry Fisher, Holly Martin, Kerry Wilkinson, Angie Marsons, and SO SO SO many more!
10. Finally, New Friends - I have met so many amazing fellow bookbloggers and now count them as friends. We have Becca from Becca's Books, and my Soul Sister from Macedonia - Dr Ananda aka This Chick Reads. We don't all have the same bookish interests, but we do share a love for books.
There we have 10 fun facts and reasons why I became a bookblogger. But before I leave you, I want to share with you an extra fun fact - the original intention behind A Page of Fictional Love.
When I first opened up this little blog I did so NOT with the intention of it becoming a running machine for blogging about books YET to hit the shelves. I actually began it to reintroduce books that have already been on the shelves for years, books that many may not know exist, books that may have been forgotten about due to the wonderful arrival of new shiny books. I wanted to share my thoughts of books published in 2009, 1999, 1989 and even further back. Titles such as; Little Women, A Whiff of Scandal, Navy Wives, etc.
This is something that I very much want to return to over time whilst picking selected upcoming titles to feature. I am however so blown away and humbled by the success of this little blog and all the wonderful memories and opportunities it has given me.
SO ... Are you a bookblogger? What is 1 reason that you became a bookblogger? Maybe you don't have a blog, but love to read, maybe you post your reviews on Amazon or GoodReads... Why do you love to read? I'd love to read your comments!
When I first opened up this little blog I did so NOT with the intention of it becoming a running machine for blogging about books YET to hit the shelves. I actually began it to reintroduce books that have already been on the shelves for years, books that many may not know exist, books that may have been forgotten about due to the wonderful arrival of new shiny books. I wanted to share my thoughts of books published in 2009, 1999, 1989 and even further back. Titles such as; Little Women, A Whiff of Scandal, Navy Wives, etc.
This is something that I very much want to return to over time whilst picking selected upcoming titles to feature. I am however so blown away and humbled by the success of this little blog and all the wonderful memories and opportunities it has given me.
SO ... Are you a bookblogger? What is 1 reason that you became a bookblogger? Maybe you don't have a blog, but love to read, maybe you post your reviews on Amazon or GoodReads... Why do you love to read? I'd love to read your comments!
With Love,
Dawn-Tracy
Dawn-Tracy
Today I am super excited to share with you all an extract from a book that was released yesterday - I saw it in Tesco's so it's out there! - and one that I am thoroughly enjoying (review will come when i'm finished reading it). It's a gorgeous little book with so many laugh out loud moments, so much truth - I find myself nodding along just knowing the feeling sometimes. I have to say it's a unique story, for me at least because I've not read anything with a similar theme running through it before.
Anyway, here is the extract for you to read, which I am sure you'll be hunting down the book afterwards because you'll need to know what happens next. Enjoy!
‘You may kiss the bride!’
There was a moment’s silence while we leant into each other, then my sisters started whooping as one, and as we kissed the whole register office applauded, and it felt alright for a moment. We pulled away and Jack looked like he was glowing, happiness pouring out of his freckles, and I thought, I wonder if I look like that?
Then the registrar said a few more things, the music started up and we were back down the aisle, out into the sunshine and then. . . then we didn’t know where we were supposed to go. The car wasn’t there – Al wasn’t due back for a good while yet. He was probably sitting back in the pub he’d picked me and Dad up from, enjoying a quiet drink before the happy couple spilt prosecco all over the back of his car. We milled about for a while, doubling back on ourselves to watch everyone trooping out, then we had to walk back in and out again so the photographer could get some shots of everyone throwing confetti at us on the stone steps.
My shoes hurt and my eyes felt heavy from the fake eyelashes I’d let myself be talked into, despite my choice of natural hair, plain white jumpsuit and simple faux fur. I was happy enough at this precise moment – all these people! Jack’s face! – but I’d wanted us to just keep on walking when we got outside, just hit the road, no looking back until we’d had some time to talk about all of this. I squeezed Jack’s hand and he squeezed back.
‘Happy?’ he said.
‘I was about to ask you the same thing.’
We smiled at each other, but neither of us answered.
The photographer moved us around from car park to entrance steps to under the one tree in the vicinity not surrounded by cigarette butts and cider cans, in an attempt to get a satisfactory shot. I tried to avoid Dad’s eye, until our driver finally turned up again. I dragged Jack into the car, and we sat back with a sigh, his arm around my shoulders, and we stayed in comfortable, quiet stillness until we reached our reception venue twenty minutes later. Al didn’t attempt small talk either, just turned up the heaters in the back a little more.
As we pulled up the drive to our hired manor house, the first arrivals of our wedding party, Jack stroked my handbag with one finger. ‘This looks fancy, Zo.’
‘Gift from Mum and Dad last night. More Mum than Dad, I expect. In fact, probably more my sisters than either, but still. . .’
‘You’ve always wanted one of those.’ I shrugged, smiling, and Jack went on, ‘And if everything else goes wrong in life, at least we know we can flog this and live like kings.’
I clutched it to my chest. ‘You wouldn’t. . .’
‘Of course I wouldn’t! I wouldn’t dare, my dearest.’ He picked it up, and looked at it more closely. ‘It doesn’t matter how expensive it was – you deserve something this gorgeous.’
Jack pulled me in for another kiss and I wondered if we could tell Al to go back down the drive. No one’s seen us. We could still escape, just me and Jack.
Then I remembered Dad’s words this morning –sometimes you just have to do what you think is right – and swallowed the feeling down.
***
You can grab yourself a copy of Sunshine on a Rainy Day here;
Title || Word Nerd Author || Susin Nielsen
Publisher || Penguin Random House Children's Source || Review Copy
Release Date || 6th October 2016
Rating || 4/5
Ambrose Bukowski is a twelve-year-old with a talent for mismatching his clothes, for saying the wrong thing at the worst possible time, and for words. In short, he’s a self-described nerd. Making friends is especially hard because he and his overprotective mother, Irene, have had to move so often. And when bullies at his latest school almost kill him by deliberately slipping a peanut into his sandwich to set off his allergy, it's his mother who has the extreme reaction. From now on, Ambrose has to be home-schooled.
Then Ambrose strikes up an unlikely friendship with the landlord's son, Cosmo, an ex-con who's been in prison. They have nothing in common except for Scrabble. But a small deception grows out of control when Ambrose convinces a reluctant Cosmo to take him to a Scrabble club. Could this spell disaster for Ambrose?
I have been somewhat severely drawn towards Young Adult (YA) books this summer and I have found such a wealth of enjoyment from books such as Word Nerd which I am looking forward to sharing with you over the coming weeks and months.
Word Nerd has firmly secured a place in my heart for a long time to come by the depth of character each character has been given by Susin Nielsen. It's not your typical novel but one that has a strong moral compass and an adorable young man; Ambrose who is 12 and 3/4's. I adored him from the start, perhaps due to my penchant as a teaching assistant I am not one to run from a difficult child but rather embrace them wholly for who they are. Ambrose is a child that is perceived as the odd one out at school, and if I could have said one thing to him at the beginning of the book it would have been to keep on being HIM. I think by the end of the book Ambrose had come to terms with who he was, in fact I doubt he ever thought any less of himself.
He's a clever boy who is protected profusely by his mother since she lost his father in the blink of an eye, something I think we can all empathise with, yet he has this unique ability as most children do, to see the good in everyone, including his neighbour's son Cosmo. Cosmo has just gotten out of prison and Ambrose warms to him and he never lets anything dull his vision of a man who can embrace the good in him, if only he believed in himself. Cosmo has no choice but to learn to tolerate Ambrose, because Ambrose is going nowhere.
The storyline is based on a love of scrabble and how two of the most unlikeliest people in the world to become friends, actually do become like brothers. It was utterly heart warming and a joy to read. I can't wait to devour more of her work, starting with We Are Made of Molecules
Today I am spotlighting the second book in The Wedding Belles Series; For Better or Worse. I am looking forward to reading the second installment once I've finally completed the first one. So, for now, let's have a little look at what it is all about, and of course, come back soon for my review.
Will a budding wedding planner and her bad boy neighbor stop banging heads and start hearing wedding bells in the sexy second novel in USA TODAY bestselling author Lauren Layne’s irresistible new series that marries Sex and the City with The Wedding Planner?
When small-town girl Heather Fowler finally gets promoted from assistant to actual wedding planner, she’s determined to make it as one of Manhattan’s elite Wedding Belles. Unfortunately, her first client demands an opulent black-tie affair at the Plaza…in five months’ time. Heather’s days quickly become a flurry of cake tastings, dress-fittings, RSVP cards, and bridal tantrums. But what she’s really losing sleep over is the live music blaring from her playboy neighbor’s apartment all night.
Five years ago, Josh Tanner was an up-and-comer on Wall Street, complete with the penthouse and the migraines. But a grim cancer diagnosis made him realize there is more to life than the corner office. If only he could convince his pretty, workaholic neighbor to let loose, too. As Heather lets down her guard, Josh is surprised when he starts falling for the sweet, vulnerable woman hiding beneath those power suits. Soon, it’s Heather’s turn to convince Josh to take the biggest risk of all: love.
I loved The Wedding Planner with Jennifer Lopez in and as I get older I am starting to get all swoony at weddings so this book sounds right up my street. I will be honest and say that I hope that the cancer part of the storyline doesn't really get too detailed because I'm just not comfortable with it. But it still isn't putting me off reading it.
Does this book sound like something that you want to read too? Leave a comment below and let me know.
With Love,
Dawn-Tracy xxx
Title | The Killer Inside
Author | Kerry Wilkinson
Publisher | Bookouture
Source | Review Copy
Rating | 4/5
You can lock the doors but the killer is already inside.A gripping serial killer thriller for fans of Angela Marsons, Rachel Abbott and Robert Bryndza.When the body of a woman is found in a locked house, Detective Sergeant Jessica Daniel is called in to investigate a seemingly impossible murder.Faced with little in the way of leads and a journalist who seems to know more than she does, Jessica is under intense pressure to solve the case fast.When a second body is discovered bearing the same hallmarks of the first victim, the investigation suddenly escalates. Jessica is on the hunt for a serial killer who will strike again. Can she get to him before the body count rises? And is she prepared to put her own life in terrible danger to catch the murderer?An intense and compelling edge-of-your-seat thriller full of twists and turns. Discover Kerry Wilkinson’s crime series today.
So technically I am a UK blogger but I have a huge US following, in fact the UK audience is second with the US taking the top spot on my readership here at A Page of Fictional Love - Thank you US readers! So, I was thrilled to have the opportunity to read and review The Killer Inside for US readers.
It has been a long time since I last read a crime thriller and I had been feeling the urge for quite some time to grab one and devour, so when I spotted Kerry Wilkinson's The Killer Inside I grabbed it with both hands and immersed myself immediately.
I was so excited about this book and I told myself that having read a few crime thrillers published by Bookouture I knew I wouldn't be disappointed. I was about 30% into the book and I had my own theory of the "Who, When and How" but had no idea Why. I was actually rather pleased with myself when I was onto a lead that Detective Jessica Daniel wasn't. But I'm getting ahead of myself here. Let's go back to the start.
Detective Jessica Daniel is one of my favourite Detectives ... ever. She is smart, sassy and sarcastic. She thinks, says and does what most would be scared to, and in her line of work, thinking outside the box and taking risks can pay off. She's called to take on the case of a murder where the killer has actually locked the door after them yet ALL keys are accounted for <ahem>. So, how is the killer killing people when the doors and windows are locked, everyone has alibi's - don't they? It's a conundrum for the investigators and seems almost impossible. Aside from that fact, how are they linked if at all? And more importantly, who's next? Don't they say that in most murders that it's someone that the victim knows?
But just who is the one that KNOWS the killer, and do they really 'know' who they are?
The characters are brilliantly portrayed, in a relaxed honest and raw manner. There are no hidden shadows here - OK there may be one or two. But I think the dynamics and dialogue between the characters is incredible, and I was kept continuously on the edge of my seat.
Arghhh it's incredibly frustrating because I want to spill the details but I can't!!!! It wouldn't be fair, so all I'll say is....this is one of those books where when you get to the end you'll be kicking yourself for not having seen it sooner... or you might be like me and have seen it or had an idea of who might be behind the murders.
Kerry has promised that Jessica Daniel WILL beat me to it in the next one - Vigilante...
Moi? I take the challenge and I'll see you at the time of the arrest Jessica!
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