Thank you to Rachel from Rachel's Random resources for my place on the book tour for this charming  summer read!

Cornish Dreams At Cockleshell Cottage

Sitting alongside the beach and just up from the gently lapping waves, sat a perfect cottage. She had found where she was going to live. Her own little cockleshell cove.

Ever since the Byrne sisters – Ariana, Aster, Clem, Paddy and Nic – discovered they were heiresses to the vast Hiverton fortune, their lives have never been the same. No longer living in poverty in London, they now own an estate in Norfolk, a castle in Scotland and a picturesque village in Cornwall.
When sensitive Paddy, the baby of the family despite her successful career as a model, swaps the catwalks of Paris Fashion Week for the cobbled lanes of Tregisky on the beautiful Cornish coast, it’s time for her to stand on her own two feet.
Soon, she’s settled in her new home of Cockleshell Cottage overlooking the wild surf, the seals her closest companions.
And when she meets ex-soldier Hal, she’s instantly smitten. Funny, considerate, and not to mention drop dead gorgeous, he’s perfect in every way apart from one – he’s engaged. But after a misunderstanding brings the two together in ways they couldn’t have imagined, it seems like they might just change each other’s lives.
Will Paddy fall in love with more than just the glorious blue skies of Cornwall? Or are there storm clouds gathering ahead?
Escape to the Cornish coast this summer with this completely uplifting romcom – perfect for fans of Holly Martin, Phillipa Ashley and Milly Johnson.

Purchase Links
Amazon  /  Kobo  / Apple

My thoughts:
This is the second book in Liz Hurley's sweet and charming series about the turn in fortunes of five sisters. Ariana, Clementine, Nicoletta and Patricia (twins) and Aster grew up in a family with lots of love and little money. Their mother was disinherited by her rich and noble parents, but chose to leave all her luxurious lifestyle for true love of a good man. Then a tragedy struck. The girls' parents were killed in a car accident. All of them dealt with the trauma in their own different ways. Ari became over-responsible and over-protective. Paddy got severely depressed. Her intense grief almost took the family apart, as there was a moment when the social services could have separated the sisters. Once Paddy got over the worst part of her grieving, she threw herself into work- modelling wasn't easy, but it was a source of steady income and helped Nick and Clem to start their businesses and put Aster through university. Then the girls' uncle died and Ariana inherited a title and several properties, including one in Cornwall. The sisters had to adjust to the circumstances, but they will always remember that family is the most important thing in life and their sisterly love is the biggest treasure.

All five girls are different with their unique dispositions and unique voices. In many ways, Paddy is the softest, the most vulnerable and emotional. She is kind and sees the best in everyone. On the downside, Paddy has a lot of insecurites. We meet her as she is going to oversee one of her sister's properties which, believe it or not, comes with its own village. Paddy needs to work out how to manage the big house and how to improve the life of her tenants. She moves in into a small cottage decorated with cockleshells to be closer to the sea and go for her regular swims.  A German TV crew is filming their show in the big house. And here a momentous thing happens. Paddy is given a small role of a bride about to get married. The groom, handsome Hal Ferguson, won his opportunity to play his tiny part in a charity auction (although he might have misunderstood the things and bet on a wrong thing).  Afterwards, Paddy and Hal go for a dinner and totally fall for each other's charm. They avoid speaking about their private lives, so it is only the following day that Paddy discovers her lovely, funny, handsome companion is actually engaged to somebody else....

The book is full of interesting characters. I really enjoyed reading about the Byrne sisters. I hope every sister gets her own book! It was great to see Ari at her home, taking care of little boys and her new husband. Clem, Nick and Aster make their appearances, but of course, we concentrate on getting to know Paddy and her romantic life. From her dreams of having a lovely future family to the reality full of twists and misunderstandings. Hal is a bit directionless at the beginning and needs to become more focused and take on more responsibility. He has great friends who I hope might feature in the following books. There is a gold-digger or two in the book as well. My favourite secondary character was Beryl, a ninety year old inhabitant of Tregeskey, the village Paddy oversees.

It was interesting to get a glimpse of the world of modelling and the woes of the upper classes (from having to modernise the estate to keep up with the new government regulations to worrying about a potential romantic partner loving you for your money, not for yourself). I loved Jemima and her husband's idea to get a couple of geese to keep his wife company and scare off unwanted guests. There are also a few more serious moments thrown in, such as Hal's charity for homeless. If you read a lot of romance, the twists Liz Hurley is throwing at you aren't going to seem so surprising, but still it was great to see how exactly the protagonists are going to work out their misunderstandings. Bianca's story, slightly exaggerated as it was, provided a bit of comic relief in the end.

Cornish Dreams at the Cockleshell Cottage is a clean romance and a light, entertaining read. If you like British sense of humour and are a fan of Austinesque stories, you will enjoy it and start waiting for the next book in the series.

Thank you to Rachel from Rachel's Random Resources and Hera Books for a review copy provided in exchange for an honest opinion.

About the author:
Heroines with grit, gumption and good old-fashioned gorgeousness!
Liz Hurley writes exciting and heart warming stories that will make you cheer and laugh.

Social Media Links
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If you would like to check out the first book of the series, just click on this link:
A new Life for Ariana Byrne by Liz Hurley

Thank you for stopping by and reading the post!

Thank you to Rachel from Rachel's Random Resources for my place in this Blog Blitz.

A Cornish Daisy’s Kiss
Weeks after boarding a train to Paris in pursuit of her writing dreams, aspiring novelist Maisie Clark is right back where she started: on the idyllic shores of Port Hewer in Cornwall, luggage in hand and heart filled with anticipation for what lies ahead. Except that nothing seems the same as Maisie left it, from her place among the staff at the hotel Penmarrow to her budding romance with groundskeeper Sidney Daniels, who isn’t quite ready to overlook the painful consequences of her sudden departure.

Losing Sidney would be unbearable, but Maisie can’t help fearing it might be true if the rift between them proves too deep to heal. She knows her feelings for him are unchanged, but whether he feels the same remains to be seen—particularly since she stopped him from expressing them in the first place. And to make matters worse, her position at the Penmarrow has been filled by another, there’s nowhere for her to live in the village, and her savings are finally dwindling to a pathetic number – with her book still unpublished after her startling discovery about the author helping guide her towards success.

But one thing which hasn’t changed is the drama and excitement at the hotel Penmarrow, where the staff is awaiting inspection from the dreaded owner Ms. Claypool. Stirring up trouble in the meantime is the owner’s special guest ‘Mad Ludwig’, an eccentric architect whose demands are definitely driving everyone on the staff a little crazy. And then there’s the hotel’s mysterious new desk manager, whose behavior ignites Maisie’s suspicions and causes her to become entangled in yet another form of intrigue—one that could unwittingly jeopardize the future of the Penmarrow and everyone who works there, unless Maisie can find a way to undo the harm.

With everything that matters to her most at stake this time, Maisie faces her biggest challenges yet...and her deepest question of the heart as she confronts the reason she returned to Cornwall and the Penmarrow in the first place.

Purchase Link

My thoughts:

I am a big fan of Laura Briggs, so when I see that her new book was coming out and there was going to be a book tour for it, I jumped at my chance to participate!

A Cornish Daisy's Kiss is Book Six in A Little Hotel in Cornwall series. If you've read the previous books, you know how delightful the setting of the little sleepy village of Port Hewer is. I imagine it full of tender sunshine and spectacular views. Of course, the disadvantage of living in such a small place is that it isn't easy to find a job or a place to rent, unless you come from the village originally. Why would our protagoinist Maisie Clark need these things? Isn't she chasing her dream of writing and publishing her own book in Paris and London? Six weeks after Maisie confessed her feelings to Sidney and left Cornwall, she is back. Of course, the only place she can think of where she can stay is the Penmarrow Hotel. Her job and her little room in the attic have been given to somebody else, so Maisie is staying as a guest. It was great to meet the familiar cast of the hotel employees and village inhabitants.

Maisie knows Sidney needs time to forgive her for leaving so suddenly after telling him she loved him and there are still too many secrets between them or rather things to discover. So there is charming romance in a Cornish Daisy's Kiss. There is also a mystery to solve as Maisie accidentally discovers that the new desk manager Frank isn't exactly who is pretending to be. Why is he in the hotel and what is his secret agenda?

Maisie is such a lovely protagonist. She is kind and supportive. It was great to see the inside workings of writing a book, drafting and  re-drafting endless times from an author's perspective. I love the way she decided not to take any shortcuts with her book by riding somebody else's famous name, but earn its existence with hard work. She is also a very fair and loyal person,as we can see from her interactions with the hotel owner, mysterious Ms Claypool, who comes to PenMarrow on one of her awe-striking inspections.

Laura Briggs never fails to entertain and A Cornish Daisy's Kiss is another charming addition to her lovely series which already has a lot of fans. A great summer read!

About Laura Briggs:
Laura Briggs is the author of several feel-good romance reads, including the Top 100 Amazon UK seller 'A Wedding in Cornwall'. She has a fondness for vintage style dresses (especially ones with polka dots), and reads everything from Jane Austen to modern day mysteries. When she's not writing, she enjoys spending time with family and friends, caring for her pets, gardening, and seeing the occasional movie or play.

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Book & Author Details:

Title: New Witch on the Block (Midlife in Mosswood, #1)
Author: Louisa West
Publication date: June 30th 2020
Genres: Adult, Paranormal

Synopsis;

She thought she was running away from her past, not catching up with it.

Rosemary Bell just wants to live a quiet, happy life and raise her daughter as far away from her toxic ex-husband as she can get. But when they move into a decrepit cottage in the woods of Mosswood, Georgia, Rosie realizes her life will never be simple.

A gang of meddling neighborhood do-gooders want to run her out of town. The vicious laundromat machines keep eating her spare change. Not to mention her buff Irish stalker who insists that he’s a Witch King and that it’s her royal destiny to be his Queen.

And to top it all off, strange things keep happening around Rosie when she least expects it…

She could deal with it all, but her ex won’t rest until he tracks her down. When her ability to protect her daughter is threatened, Rosie shows them all that nobody messes with the new witch on the block.

Practical Magic meets Bridget Jones’ Diary in this fun, heart-warming short novel about starting over, putting family first, and finding love when you least expect it.

Goodreads 

Purchase
Amazon  /  Amazon CA  /  Amazon UK /  Amazon AU

AUTHOR BIO:
Author by day, Netflix connoisseur by night.

Louisa likes Pina Coladas and gettin’ caught in the rain. Determined to empty her brain of stories, she writes across several genres including fantasy, speculative fiction, contemporary and historical fiction, and romance.

She lives in Mandurah, Western Australia, and drinks more coffee than is good for her. When she’s not writing or researching projects, Louisa enjoys spending time with her family, and Harriet The Great (Dane). Hobbies include playing video games, watching copious amounts of tv, and various craft-related initiatives.

She strongly believes that the truth is still out there.

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A victim on display. A detective on the rails.

Shopping with her sister, DI Amy Winter is admiring a Valentine’s Day window display of a perfect bride encrusted in diamonds and resplendent in lace—until she notices blood oozing from the mannequin’s mouth.

This is no stunt. A post-mortem reveals the victim was left to die on her macabre throne for all to see. When a second victim is found, it emerges that both women were ‘Sugar Babes’ arranging dates with older men online—and Amy finds herself hunting an accomplished psychopath.

As she tracks down the killer, Amy’s instincts go into overdrive when the charismatic head of the agency behind the display makes no attempt to hide his fascination with her serial-killer parents. What exactly does he want from Amy? With her own world in freefall as her biological mother, Lillian Grimes, appeals her conviction, Amy pushes the boundaries of police procedure when a third ‘Sugar Babe’ disappears…Is she as much at risk as the killer’s victims?


My thoughts:

This is the third book in the DI Amy Winter series and my first book by Caroline Mitchell and ...I'm hooked!
DI Winter has a lot of things on her plate. DCI Hazel Pike retires and is replaced by DCI Donovan. Once they shared a fleeting moment of understanding and camaraderie, but now Donovan is asked by the superiors to watch her every step and make sure she does things by the book. Amy is dealing with her father's devastating dealth, frail health condition of her mother Flora and her biological mother Lillian Grimes's court appeal. The public might see Amy as a serial killer hunter, 'psychopath whisperer', but the truth is a lot of her insight comes from growing alongside unimaginable darkness of her parents' horrific crimes.
On her shopping trip with her older sister Sally-Ann, Amy notices something off with the beautiful mannequin in the shop window. Amy's instincts turn out to be right- the body of a drugged and tortured young woman was left there on public display for hours.
Thorough as usual, Amy has an interview with the owner of the company responsible for the display design. To Amy's shock, this turns out to be one of the most bizarre and disturbing conversations she's had. Amy is convinced she has her killer, but can she prove it? and can she save other young women from becoming victims of the Lover Heart Killer?
I loved the protagonist and the whole cast of secondary characters that were well-drawn. Amy's personal life struggles do not take away from the main plot, but rather enhance it as the killer is obsessed with Amy's biological parents and their crimes. I even learnt a new word from this book 'hybristophilia'- an attraction for people who have committed really dark crimes. Amy herself needs to accept where she comes from and who she is.
The book is a compulsive page-turner with its tight plot and relentless pace. There is something about Caroline Mitchell's writing style that keeps the reader's attention engaged throughout the book.
I will go back and re-read the previous two books, because I want to get a bit more perspective on Amy's family issues, but it is possible tostart following the series from this one as well.

Thank you to NetGalley and Amazon Publishing UK for the ARC provided in exchange for an honest opinion.

A second chance at love blooms in the quaint Amish community of Promise Glen, from national bestselling author Marta Perry.

Dorcas Beiler's reckless teenage years are far behind her. She's serious and responsible now, and the good people of Promise Glen trust her with the education of their children. But when her first love returns after years of exile from the community, her past comes rushing back. Thomas is the only one who knows her secret, and despite his careless charm and teasing manner, she refuses to let her guard down.

Thomas Fisher has plans. Plans to start a construction company and prove himself a success to all those who doubted him, and plans to find the woman he left behind. His chance comes when he lands the opportunity to rebuild the stable and shed at the community school. He won't be paid for his time, but he'll be able to showcase his abilities...and spend time with Dorcas.

Scenting love in the air, Dorcas's young pupils make excuses to bring them together. As old feelings stir, Dorcas and Thomas wonder whether their first love might also be their last.

My thoughts:
This was my first book by Marta Perry, but it definitely won't be the last. A second chance love is one of my favourite tropes in romance and she does it brilliantly!

Dorcas Beiler is a serious and thoughtful teacher, dedicated to her scholars and their progress.  She also  has a secret she's been keeping since her teenage years. When Thomas Fisher, minister Fisher's son, comes back ome after having spent several years working alongside his uncle in a distant Amish community in Ohio, everybody is quick to remind Dorcas that they used to be great friends. They did and then something happened. One night, coming back from an Englisher party where teenagers drank alcohol and behaved wildly, Thomas got arrested the police. Needless to say, his father was extremely disapponted and ashamed. He sent Thomas away. Now the prodigal son is back, but is his father ready to accept him?

Schoolchildren may think that Dorcas is an old maid. She did put on hold her life to be there for her mother and her brothers after their father's death. Dorcas is  trying to be tactful and understanding with her sister-in-law Betsy who is supposed to take a more active role in running the household. Perhaps, she is a bit intimidated by her mother-in-law? There are also tender moments when Dorcas holds her little nephew and we get to see how much she would like a family of her own.

Somebody is spreading gossip in their little village of promise Glen and this somebody is out there to close the school. Storms have damaged the building roof and the repairs will cost money, but surely the school board must see that the children are better off staying in their own village? Thomas has a brilliant solution: he will repair the damage for free and this work will allow him to showcase his costruction skills and hopefully get employed by other people. This little project will also mean that he  and Dorcas will see each other more. There is nothing untoward in their conversations, although not everybody in the village sees it the same way.

With secrets from the past, gossip, happy new mothers, misbehaving siblings that need a bit of guidance, and long-awaited Mud Sale , Paradise Glen is a lively place and a great community full of interesting characters that are mindful of each other's feelings and always willing to help out if necessary. Plus, there is a sweet romance between two former friends who have become more responsible and can appreciate each other's steady trustworthy character much more.

I really enjoyed this story and I hope that Marta Perry continues adding to this series.

Thank you to Edelweiss and Berkley for the ARC provided in exchange for an honest opinion.

I'm a big fan of Sophie Ranald. Her books are entertaining, romantic and impossible to put down once you start reading them. They also have very relatable realistic protagonists you can't help but root for.

Alice Carlisle is about to complete her lawyer training and has already been promised a job in an important law corporation. She also has a great family, best friend, and above all, her own Mr Right, who happens to work in the same company. Jo understands and accepts Alice like nobody else. Everything is going really well for Alice, but it only takes one day for her perfect life to change. Alice loses her job through no fault of her own, but she can't help feeling she's let everyone down. Now Joe and Alice might not be able to pay the bills or live in the flat they've liked so much. Alice stumbles into a temporary job in a local pub which might help her weather the storm. Joe aslo has a solution. His ex-girlfriend Zoe, who they recently met accidentally, is going to move in with Joe and Alice and help with the rent. Seems like a great idea. If only Alice didn't feel Zoe might still have feelings for Joe...

Alice is such a sweet character. She tries to be fair and give everybody a chance. At the end of the day, the only person she is hard on is herself. She even sees the situation from Zoe's point of view and tries to understand her feelings. There's a lot of emphasis on trust, communication and being faithful (including emotionally). I felt the book dealt really well with the issue of drawing and crossing (or not crossing) lines between being friendly and something more than that. Perhaps, Zoe's character isn't as well-developed, but I was too focused on Alice's story to mind that.

Apart from relationship issues, there are other serious and important topics in the story. Not least of which is the matter of sexual harrassment at work that partly explains Alice's insecurities and perhaps even the way she felt about her job. My heart went to Alice when she finally talked about the sexual assault she experienced and its consequences.

 Overall, this is extremely engaging and entertaining book and I'm really grateful for having been given a chance to read it. Sophie Ranald is my auto-buy author who I can rely on for a great story with unique, but relatable characters.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the ARC provided in exchange for an honest opinion.

Book & Author Details:

Title: Fireborne (Raven Cursed #1)
Author: McKenzie Hunter
Publication date: November 1st 2019
Genres: New Adult, Urban Fantasy

Synopsis:

My magic isn’t just a curse – it’s an addiction. I crave it the way some people crave chocolate. But, chocolate doesn’t kill – my magic does.

I’m Raven Cursed. When I borrow magic from someone, they die. That’s always been the case—until I met my client, the devilishly handsome and enigmatic Mephisto. He has his own brand of unique magic and a mysterious past he’s determined to keep to himself.

He knows that I’m the one to call anytime a curse goes wrong, a magical object is lost, or a rogue supernatural needs apprehending. So he offers a trade. He’ll give me his magic, and in return, I accept a job from him.

It seems like a simple deal until all hell breaks loose. We have to team up to stop a god from unleashing destruction upon the city. It leaves me to wonder: can I battle a god with the devil at my back?

Goodreads

Amazon

AUTHOR BIO:

McKenzie, as a child, discovered that her life could be a whirlwind of adventures by simply opening a book. To this day, reading is still her favorite activity. She has a fondness for fantasy and mystery, which is probably why she writes urban fantasy.

When McKenzie isn't working on her next book she is usually binge-watching paranormal and comedy shows, maintaining her title as "favorite auntie", or trying to create a tasty low-calorie pizza. McKenzie loves to hear from her readers. Feel free to contact her via her website, Facebook, or email.

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Book & Author Details:

Title: Crushing It
Author: Lorelei Parker
Published by: Kingston Publishing Company
Publication date: June 30th 2020
Genres: Adult, Comedy, Contemporary, Romance

Synopsis:In life, as in gaming, there’s a way around every obstacle . . .
To pitch her new role-playing game at a European conference, developer Sierra Reid needs to overcome her terror of public speaking. What better practice than competing in a local bar’s diary slam, regaling an audience with old journal entries about her completely humiliating college crush on gorgeous Tristan Spencer?
Until the moderator says, “Next up, Tristan Spencer . . .”
Sierra is mortified, but Tristan is flattered. Caught up in memories of her decade-old obsession as they reconnect, Sierra tries to dismiss her growing qualms about him. But it’s not so easy to ignore her deepening friendship with Alfie, the cute, supportive bar owner. She and Alfie were college classmates too, and little by little, Sierra is starting to wonder if she’s been focusing her moves on the wrong target all along, misreading every player’s motivations.
Maybe the only winning strategy is to start playing by her heart . . .
“Relatable, funny, and charming, this gamingesque book delivers laughs and romance in a warm, satisfying bundle.”
–Elly Blake, New York Times bestselling author of Frostblood

“Sexy and delicious.”
–Kristin Wright, author of Lying Beneath the Oaks

Goodreads

Purchase
 Amazon   /  B&N  /   Kobo

                       AUTHOR BIO:

Bouncing all over the north throughout her childhood, Lorelei Parker grew up believing she was a Yankee. However, raised by transplanted Alabamans, she was destined to eventually wind up in the south. After graduating from Auburn University, she disappointed her entire family by defecting to SEC rival University of Florida and eventually settled as far north as central Virginia for grad school in French literature. After a major career shift and a brief detour through New York City, she now works as a computer programmer in Charlottesville. In her free time, when she isn't playing video games, she writes contemporary romantic comedy.

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