From the blurb:
A hopeful and emotional novel about twists of fate, enduring friendships, and life’s never-ending surprises by New York Times bestselling author Mariah Stewart.

In the decade since Emma Dean’s husband died, she’s maintained a peaceful and organized life in her hometown of Wyndham Beach—until she finds evidence of her husband’s longtime affair. How, Emma wonders, can a man who’s been gone for ten years still break her heart?

Still reeling from the betrayal, Emma must focus on the group of artists she’s invited to take up residence at the art center she founded, one of whom is secretly seeking refuge from her abusive ex. Toss in a charming businessman who’s returned to town with eyes for only Emma, and it’s becoming a most interesting summer.

And the biggest surprise of all is about to ring Emma’s doorbell and turn her life completely upside down yet again.

As Emma struggles between what was and what is, she discovers that the life she really wants—however unexpected—is just within reach, if she’s willing to fight for it.

Publisher: Montlake
Publication Date: December 13, 2022
ISBN 9781542039635, 1542039630
Purchase Link
Wyndham Beach Series:
1 An Invincible Summer
2 Goodby Again
3 All That We Are

My thoughts:
All That We Are is the third book in the Wyndham Beach series which is set in a small town on the Massachusetts coast. If you love reading about complex family dynamics, real life dilemmas, unexpected life events that make you question everything, second chances in love, and, above all, lifelong friendships, this is a series for you. It is better to start with the first book as you would get a much fuller reading experience, but All That We Are can be read as a standalone, if you don't mind getting glimpses of the happily-ever-afters Maggie and Liddy, the protagonists of the previous two books, are living  in this one.
The focus of this book is on Maggie and Liddy's friend Emma Dean. Emma, who is always impeccably dressed and effortlessly 'appropriate, has her own heartbreak to come to terms with and overcome in this story. Although she's been widowed for a long time, it is only now that she starts looking through her husband's papers and discovers that he had a long term affair with his co-worker. As the evidence keeps mounting, Emma is trying to reassess her life and decide whether she wants her son Chris even know about his father's infidelity. After all, neither of them can confront Harry who's been dead for more than ten years. My heart went to Emma who had the proverbial rug pulled from under her feet not once, but twice in this book, when a stranger rings her doorbell and Emma has to deal with the situation she never thought she would have to face.

Luckily, Emma has her wonderful system of support and I don't mean just her life-long friends Maggie and Liddy who keep reminding her who she is and what she genuinely and wholeheartedly believes in. It is the whole Wyndham Beach community with its very special atmosphere. I liked the way different generations with their different perspectives have their stories interwoven as they do in real life. If you've read the previous two books, you might also appreciate the development some characters (e.g. Grace, Maggie's daughter) have gone through in the series.
The writing is very engaging and you need this kind of style when the topic can be summarised by one word: Life. Other topics include a relationship parents have with their grown-up children, which can be a reason for anxiety, feeling guilt, or pregrets, but can also be a source of joy, happiness, and support.
Emma's age group doesn't get enough representation and it is lovely to read a well-written series giving women in their late fifties-early sixties protagonist roles.
I am now a fan of Mariah Stewart and will be looking forward to reading more of her stories in future.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the review copy. All opinions are my own and were not influenced in any way.

About the author:
Mariah Stewart is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of forty-one novels and three novellas and has been featured in the Wall Street Journal. She is a RITA finalist in romantic suspense and the recipient of the Award of Excellence for contemporary romance, a RIO Award for excellence in women's fiction, and a Reviewers Choice Award from Romantic Times Magazine. A three-time winner of the Golden Leaf Award presented by the New Jersey Romance Writers, Stewart was recently awarded their Lifetime Achievement Award (which placed her in their Hall of Fame along with former recipients Nora Roberts and Mary Jo Putney — very excellent company, indeed!)

After having written seven contemporary romance novels, Stewart found true happiness writing murder and mayhem. She considers herself one lucky son of a gun to have landed the best job in the world: getting paid for making up stories. At home. In sweats and J. Crew flip flops. Could life be sweeter?

From the Blurb:

Villa of Second Chances
Everyone deserves a second chance…right?
Escape to the Villa in the South of France with Top 10 international bestseller Jennifer Bohnet, for an uplifting story of family, love and second chances.

 Run by sisters Rebecca and Delphine, Villa Sesame is a popular venue for small intimate weddings on the sparkling French Riviera. Beautiful terraces and a horizon pool all over look the Mediterranean setting the scene to make memorable days and dreams come true.

When recently widowed Delphine unexpectedly announces her desire to retire and live a different life, Rebecca feels her own life could be slipping into free fall.

How can she possibly carry on with the business without her sister at her side? Could this be the beginning of the end for Villa Sésame and Rebecca’s life as she knows it?

As the guests gather for the June wedding of Freya and Marcus, Freya’s two childhood friends bring their own problems to the villa and cousin Verity has her own agenda.

But it's the arrival of a certain guest who throws Rebecca’s whole world into turmoil and she finds herself asking the question, where do I go from here?

Publisher: Boldwood Books
Publication Date: 1st March, 2022
Purchase

My thoughts:
Everybody loves a good second chance story and even more so, if it is set in lovely South of France...
This was my first book by this talented author, but it won't be the last.

It was very easy to imagine gorgeous Villa Sesame, run by sisters Delphine and Rebecca, an exotic venue for elegant, intimate weddings. But life doesn't stand still and big changes are coming to this sun-soaked, romantic place...Delphine has lost her beloved husband Andre and now would like to do what she had promised him: to retire and enjoy her life and that would mean becoming a sleeping partner in their successful business. A big wedding is coming up and with the couple's guests, friends and family, each with their own story. The stories intertwine and create new second chances at life.

What I loved the most about this book is that the characters belong to a more mature category which is  underrepresented in romance. Readers will appreciate the realistic way the author portrays life challenges and dilemmas the characters face. There are secrets and past mistakes, regrets and caution, born out of life experience. There's also foregiveness and hope.

A heartwarming read with interesting characters and a lovely setting.

Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for the review copy provided in exchange for an honest opinion.

Author Bio –

Jennifer Bohnet is the bestselling author of over 14 women's fiction titles, including Villa of Sun and Secrets and A Riviera Retreat. She is originally from the West Country but now lives in the wilds of rural Brittany, France.
 

Social Media Links
Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / Bookbub

Synopsis:

Can Kerra's Cornish hometown offer the fresh start she needs?When Kerra left the quiet Cornish town of Penvennan Cove for the bright lights of London she didn't look back. But after the death of her mother, she's decided it's time to face her past and return to the place she called home. Her father needs her, and perhaps she needs him more than she's willing to admit?
Tackling town gossip, home renovations and a flame from her past, it's not quite smooth sailing for Kerra. Ross is the bad boy she was meant to forget, not a man who still sets her heart aflutter. As he helps bring her dream home to life, they begin to break down the barriers that have been holding them back and in the process learn things about themselves they never thought possible.
As friends old and new come together, the future in Penvennan looks bright.
Perfect for fans of Milly Johnson, Phillipa Ashley and Julie Houston.

Publisher: Aria
Publication Date: January 14, 2021
ISBN 9781800245938, 1800245939

Purchase
Amazon UK / Amazon US

Coming Home to Penvennan Cove is the first book in Linn B.Halton's new series featuring a picturesque village in Cornwall, a thirty year old who decides to come back home after having built up a successful company, an unforgettable first crush, a kind and understanding neighbour, a proud and independent Bengal cat with a very cute name (Ripley) and lots of other memorable characters.

I love a good homecoming story, although usually they start with a series of disasters that force the protagonist to run to their small town where the community spirit is strong and everybody knows what you looked like in pimary school. This time there is a twist: Kerra Shaw is a successful entrepreneur who wants to come back to stay with and support her grieving father. She might feel a bit lost about what she would like to do with her life now that she sold her company, but there are neighbours and old friends and her tiny cottage. When Kerra's neighbour Drew designs an extension to both parts of their semi and hires a local contractor, Kerra is in for a huge surprise-it's Ross -her first crush and first heartbreak.

Penvennan Cove is an archetypal small town with lots of gossip and people making assumptions based on very little evidence (well, Kerra herself does it!). It can be stifling and it might feel next to impossible to change what other people think of you, but it can also be very caring and supportive with neighbours turning up on your step with Welcome Home baked goods. You have to think twice about staying over at your friend's, because the whole village will know your car wasn't parked in its usual place, but you can also depend on your neighbours to check on you simply because they are worried about your safety.

A huge part of the book is about friendships and relationships- building things over time and taking a leap of faith. It captures well the particular problems of having a relationship when you are both serious, decent people, but you've been hurt before or you've made mistakes and would like to avoid making them again or lost the love of your life. Do you take a chance when you feel things are right or do you stall because you don't want to move too quickly, impose, come across as needy? what about other people in your life and how your relationship might affect them?

I will admit that this wasn't a super fast read- I needed time to get used to the author's writing style and ...the minutiae of Penvennan Cove life. On one hand, it seems like nothing much is happening, on the other hand, there's so much rich detail, which made me oddly fascinated and hooked on the story.

Pick this book if you love British women's fiction, small town settings, and second chance romance.
I will definitely be picking up the second book in the series.

My thoughts:

When I started reading this book, I didn't realise it is the second in the series. The first one, Better in the Morning, deals with Veronica,Jada's best friend and how she reached her happily-ever-after. Better Believe It can definitely be read and  enjoyed as a standalone.

On paper, everything in Jada Marlone's life looks perfect: she has a lovely husband, three-year-old son, a successful career, and a wonderful house. She regularly posts her smiley updates on social media and has lots of 'friends'. And with all this Jada is strangely and inexplicably lonely. Her marriage is stifling, the motherhood is really hard, 'constant' and all-consuming - very different from what had imagined it to be, and she keeps thinking about her ex. Her spiritual guides-Jada's late grandparents know that deep in her heart Jada is very unhappy, so they ask another person from Jada's life who has passed away too early (her cousin Gina) to help them steer her towards a diffrent kind of life - more meaningful and full of love and forgiveness.

I must admit I didn't take to Jada straightaway. Everything she said rubbed me the wrong way. She seemed  too self-absorbed and egoistical, too cold and too blunt. Gradually, I saw that there are many sides to her, including that of going through a contract to help the elderly mother of her babysitter, that she might not be gushy and cuddly, but she is a good person who just happened to find herself in the wrong kind of life. After all, everyone makes mistakes and sometimes takes wrong turns, but the real test of strength is our willingness to change ourselves and learn from the past errors. There is a large cast of great secondary characters, although Gina has got to be my favourite.

The book has a great mix of funny, humorous moments and serious, emotional, even tragic ones. In the nutshell, it is about life and happiness, so you can expect a bit of rough and smooth thrown in together. It is also about love, forgiveness,  motherhood and family dynamics. Even if you don't believe in signs and messages from the great beyond, there's a lot in this book for anyone who likes reading about second chances in life.

I really enjoyed the book with its humorous writing, quirky characters and thought-provoking questions. Thank you To Giselle from Xpresso Book Tours, the publisher and the author for the review  copy provided in exchange for an honest opinion.
 

Happy Publication Day to Summer Secrets at the Streamside Cottage by Samantha Tonge!

Summer Secrets at Streamside Cottage

A new start can come from the most unexpected places...

It's been years since Lizzie Lockhart spoke to her parents. But she was safe in the knowledge she knew everything about them. Once upon a time, they were as close as could be. Until they weren't.
After receiving the earth-shattering news of their passing, Lizzie decides it's time to unearth some family secrets and find out just who her parents really were... starting with Streamside Cottage. A cottage Lizzie never knew existed, in a place she's never heard of: the beautiful English village of Leafton.
Leaving behind London, and the tattoo parlour she called home, Lizzie finds herself moving to the countryside. Faced with a tight-lipped community, who have secrets of their own, Lizzie is at a loss for what to do, until her rather handsome neighbour, Ben, steps in to help.
As Lizzie finally begins to piece together the puzzle of her family history she realises she has to confront the truth of the past in order to face her future.
 
Purchase Links


Amazon UK /Amazon US / Kobo

My thoughts:

Samantha Tonge is my favourite authors, so when I heard her new book is about to be published I was absolutely delighted.

The sunshine and blue skies on this gorgeous cover look so sweet and invting that if I asked you what the book is about, you'd never guess it is about dark secrets and digging in the family past. Lizzie is a tattoo artist. She is passionate about her work which more often than not requires empathy and a deeper understanding of her clients' state of mind. She also needs to be focused and concentrated. Something that is difficult to do when your aunt arrives to give you the worst kind of news- Lizzie's parents, from whom she has been estranged for five years, have passed away. They left one of their properties  Streamside Cottage in a tiny picturesque village of Leafton to her aunt, who cannot even bear the very mention of it. It appears that Lizzie's parents let an agency deal with renting it out and kept it secret for years and years. But why? Lizzie decides to investigate and what she finds out completely changes her world.

I really enjoyed learning  fun facts about tattoos. Every chapter begins with one of them, which of course propmted me to do more research, which in turn helped me understand better Lizzie's fascination with her chosen medium of art. We get glimpses from the past - Lizzie's relationship with her strict parents. Subconsciously Lizzie has always known that there was something off, some secrets (and what secrets they were!). Had her parents made different choices, Lizzie would have grown up having a closer relationship with them.

Small towns and villages make such a great setting for a novel of this kind. People remember things from long time ago, but are often reluctant to talk. Keep reading and you will understand that they are sweet and kind neighbours and Leafton is indeed a lovely community, although the pace of life is very different from  London.

Samantha's trademark writing style makes it very easy to follow this intriguing story. I'm sure fans of this versatile author are going to be delighted with this new book.

Thank you to Rachel from Rachel's Random Resources, NetGalley and Aria for the review copy provided in exchange for an honest opinion.

Author Bio –
Samantha Tonge lives in Manchester UK and studied German and French at university. She has worked abroad, including a stint at Disneyland Paris, and has travelled widely.
She has sold many dozens of short stories to women's magazines.
In 2014 her bestselling debut, Doubting Abbey, was shortlisted for the Festival of Romantic Fiction Best Ebook Award.
In 2015 her summer novel, Game of Scones, hit #5 in the UK Kindle chart and won the Love Stories Awards Best Romantic Ebook category.
In 2019 she was shortlisted for the RNA’s Romantic Comedy Award.
In 2020 she won the RNA’s Jackie Collins Romantic Thriller Award with her novel Knowing You, from publisher Canelo.


Social Media Links –
Twitter: @SamTongeWriter
Instagram: @samanthatongeauthor
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SamanthaTongeAuthor
 
Website http://samanthatonge.co.uk/

Thank you to Rachel from rachel's Random Resources for inviting me to participate in the Publication Day for the second instalment in Liz Davies's Ticklemore series.

Happy Publication Day to the Ticklemore Tattler!

The Ticklemore Tattler

Sometimes you have to write your own future…
The life of former journalist Juliette Seymour has been quiet and unassuming. Up until now, she’s been concentrating on running the local newspaper and raising her daughter.
 
But all that is about to change when Juliette is informed that the Ticklemore Tattler is to fold and that she’ll be out of a job. She begins to wonder whether she can buy the newspaper and try to make a go of it herself.
 
Aware that she needs some advice she contacts Oliver Pascoe, little knowing that when her old colleague re-enters her life, his help isn’t the only thing she wants him for!
 
As she begins to fall in love, however, what she doesn’t realise is that Oliver has something he’s keeping from her.
 
A gorgeously uplifting story, perfect for fans of Holly Hepburn, Heidi Swain, and Isabelle Broom.
 
Purchase Link - mybook.to/TicklemoreTattler

My thoughts:
It was such a pleasure to come back to the wonderful village of Ticklemore and find out how the characters from Liz Davies's The Ticklemore Toy Shop are getting on with their life. This book tells the story of inimitable Julliette Seymore, The Ticklemore Tattler one and only journalist/ photographer/ reporter /editor-in-chief and her fight for the newspaper she couldn't imagine her life without. Of course, the Ticklemore community is going to rally behind her and pull all the stops to help her save this important part of the village history and present life.
The characters Liz creates are so well-written: we get to know everything about Juliette's life, her likes and dislikes, her motivations, what made her the person she is now, her thoughts and her feelings. Juliette gave up the hectic life of a London political reporter, once she gotpregnant and came back to her home village to give birth to and raise her daughter. Now that Brooke has left the nest, Juliette may be feeling a bit lonely, but she has her paper to keep her busy. Until the owner gives her the dreadful news. He is going to close the newspaper that has been struggling to break even for years and Juliette needs to start looking for anew job elsewhere. Juliette asks her former colleague, Oliver Pascoe to give her some ideas on how she can save the paper. With both of them free and unattached and quite similar in their atttudes and values, perhaps, a bit of romance is on the horizon?
I loved everything about the setting ( I hope Liz continues adding more books to the series), but what I appreciated the most about this book was the choice to focus on the protagonists in the age category that doesn't getmuch attention: both Juliette and Oliver are in their early fifties, but  they need love, respect, understanding, support, and romance in their lives as much as anybody else.

Fans of Liz Davies are going tobe delighted with this heartwarming story and I am wishing the book all the success it deserves!

Thank you to Rachel from Rachel's Random Resources and the author for the complimentary copy. All opnions are my own and were not influenced in any way.

Author Bio

Liz Davies writes feel-good, light-hearted stories with a hefty dose of romance, a smattering of humour, and a great deal of love.
She’s married to her best friend, has one grown-up daughter, and when she isn’t scribbling away in the notepad she carries with her everywhere (just in case inspiration strikes), you’ll find her searching for that perfect pair of shoes. She loves to cook but isn’t very good at it, and loves to eat - she’s much better at that! Liz also enjoys walking (preferably on the flat), cycling (also on the flat), and lots of sitting around in the garden on warm, sunny days.
She currently lives with her family in Wales, but would ideally love to buy a camper van and travel the world in it.

Website: https://lizdaviesauthor.wixsite.com/home
Social Media Links –
Twitter https://twitter.com/lizdaviesauthor
Facebook: fb.me/LizDaviesAuthor1

Thank you for reading the post!  Have a wonderful day!

If you would like to find out what other bloggers thought of the book, here is the list of blogs, participating in this book blitz:

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Jolenes Book Corner
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My Bookish Bliss
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Lucy Mitchell Author Blog
Bookish Jottings
Carole's Book Corner
Jazzy Book Reviews

Thank you to Rachel from Rachel's Random Resources for inviting me to participate in the blog tour for this entertaining and thought-provoking book.

Painting Bananas

Painting Bananas is all about love, dreams and taking stock.

Two happy couples, one person from each on the verge of change. But as paths cross and plans unfold, will their spouses reveal their true colours?

Alison struggles with insomnia. She also hates her job and fantasizes about throttling her irritating oaf-of-a boss. Thankfully, her lifelong plan to return to university will soon be realized. After supporting her husband in his career for over twenty years, it’s now her turn. He’s rooting for her every step of the way. Or so she thinks.

Meanwhile, Christopher has a wake-up call with his health. Somehow, pre-diabetes has replaced his six-pack. He must take stock immediately. He realises that the perfect solution is right under his nose. He can’t wait to share his brilliant idea with his wife. The future looks good. But does she agree?
Will the spouses show their support? Or will Alison and Christopher start to wonder whether they really know their other halves?

Painting Bananas was written and formatted with British grammar, punctuation and humour. It is the second novel in Amanda Paull’s Cherry Dene series but can be read as a standalone story.

Purchase Links

Amazon Uk:   https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08GCLSKTQ           
Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08GCLSKTQ

My thoughts:

A friend of mine can't live without her daily fix of 'Eastenders'. She says it always cheers her up, because she can see that other people's lives are also full of problems, but they are dealing with them and so can she. It also makes her appreciate the good things she has in life: her family, her friends, the job she loves doing, and her books. I know she is going to love Painting Bananas, because this is what she is getting for Christmas!

The protagonists of this book, Alison and Christopher are in their forties, work full-time, and are happily (?) married- just not too each other!  Alison is suffering from insomnia which is not helped by having to put up with her new boss Billy, who may or may not have lied about his qualifications and whose treatment of her is totally unfair. Alison is dreaming of going back to Uni and finally getting her physiotherapy degree. She had to put her career aspirations on the back burner when her twins were born and her husband needed his precious eight hours of sleep to be well-rested so that he could focus on doing well at his job. The money was always scarce, so Alison went back to work and now, although the twins have already left the nest, Alison still continues doing all the  household chores at night, while being an exemplary employee during the daytime. At least, by now, they must have put aside enough money in their savings account to pay her university fees and let them live comfortably until she starts earning money again. If only she didn't keep getting blocked from entering the online account- must be a technical glitch!

Christopher is a bank manager who has to travel all around the country, solving problems and sorting out inifficiencies. And he is really good at his job. The only downside is that he never gets to see his own family: his wife Sandy and his now grown-up daughter Emily. When a grumpy NHS nurse suggests he should make lifestyle changes if he wants to stave off diabetes and blood pressure problems, Christopher knows he needs to find a systematic solution. He likes the latest branch he was asked to re-organise and he would like to stop living out of his suitcase for a change. But then he starts noticing that perhaps Sandy isn't as thrilled with this change as he thought she was going to be.

If you ever felt you've begun to outgrow chick-lit, but would like to read something similar, here is a perfect book for you. It was so entertaining, I really couldn't put it down. Alison's in-laws and their antics, Alison's co-workers, friends or foes, Christopher's brand-new trainers and his constant battle with his slightly expanding waistline, Sandy's token cooking attempts- Amanda Paull knows how to build up drama and make you 'see' things before the protagonists become aware of them. There is also wonderful humour that makes this all too realistic story so much fun to read!

This is indeed a story about dreams and how they fit in real life, about love and how important it is to care for and support your loved ones, about family and how it can build you up or let you down- there is something for everyone. Hope you pick your copy and love it as much as I did.

Thank you to Rachel and the author for the free digital review copy. All opinions are my own and were not influenced in any way.

Author Bio

Amanda Paull is a writer of humorous romantic fiction. She lives in the North East of England with her husband and works in the public sector. The inspiration for her stories comes from real life, which she tries to show the funnier side of by embellishing to the hilt.

Social Media Links –  Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/Apaullfiction/      
Twitter – https://twitter.com/Apaullfiction

Thank you for reading the post! I hope you pick up the book and like it as much as I did.
If you would like to see what other bloggers thought of 'Painting bananas', here is the full blog tour schedule:

Thank you to Rachel from Rachel's Random Resources for my place on this tour!

New Rules

Synopsis:

Kate Miller has it all; a glittering career, a wonderful home life and a promotion in the bag. She knows the rules for success, and nothing will stop her from getting to where she wants to be.

Ellie Stephens, on the other hand, can’t catch a break; she’s trapped in a vicious circle of dead-end jobs and red-flag relationships until she’s paired with Kate in their company’s brand-new mentoring scheme.

Ellie just can’t seem to get to grips with Kate’s ruthless recipe for success no matter how hard she tries, leaving her wondering if she’s the problem. Two new men in her life, affable-but-mysterious Freddie and Kate’s drop-dead gorgeous ex Liam try to help her muddle through and figure out how to get ahead.

Meanwhile, Kate’s perfect life is unravelling and where once everything she touched turned to gold, it’s suddenly falling apart. Her work nemesis is throwing obstacles in her way at every turn, her home life is in tatters and her first love is suddenly back in her life. Kate is more confused than ever;
is it time to break the rules?

Purchase Links

Amazon UK /  Amazon US

 My thoughts:

Kate Miller is a bit of a workaholic. She has a beautiful house, handsome husband, two wonderful children and a job where she has to prove herself every single day. Just because she is a woman. Lily Hayden perfectly captures the double standards all too familar to working women. Worrying that if you stay too long at home during your maternity leave, your clients will forget you and you will have to start winning them from the scratch. Do lots of overtime working hard to finish a project and people judge you for not being a good mother and wife.  Well, Kate is a fighter and she has a set of rules that have helped her to get on in life. Having said this, she might be losing sight of something very important - personal relationships.

Ellie Stephens is smart and creative, but perhaps a bit disorganised and lacking focus Kate has in abundance. She has an on and off-relationship with Josh who clearly doesn't respect her at all. at work, she is given a series of mindless tasks and completely overlooked otherwise.
When an important client would like to see how inclusive and socially responsible Kate and Ellie's company is, Kate and her Garth (her main competitor for an upcoming promotion) come up with a mentoring scheme for junior staff. While Garth has his pick of the brightest and most promising, Kate is stuck with Ellie.

I found both characters relatable. Yes, Kate comes across as very unlikeable and manipulative at times. Some of the things she said to Ellie and about Ellie were appalling. But then she goes through a personal crisis and realises how wrong her behaviour was. My heart was going to her when she was trying to juggle so many things and failing on all fronts, with nobody to turn to for help. Both protagonists go through a lot of development. Ellie understands she doesn't need to change herself or conform to other people's ideas to be liked or respected.

There are quite a few secondary characters (Kate's husband, Ellie's flatmates, an important client, Ellie's ex and her new love interest), but the writing is very focused and they all serve to reveal something about the protagonists and move the plot forward.

I also loved the story being set in London. One of Ellie's most important chance meetings happens on the Tube, while she is busy complaining about her train delay, praying she can still get to work on time.

The story kept my attention all way through and I found many parts of it very realistic. It is classified as chick-lit (the protagonist finds out more about herself, grows and eventually gets her Mr Right), but there are also some elements, mainly related to Kate's story, which take it beyond the classic parameters of the genre. At any rate, it is entertaining, easy to read and has a happy ending.

I really enjoyed New Rules and now will be looking forward to reading more books by Lily Hayden.

Thank you to Rachel and Lily Hayden for the review copy provided in exchange for an honest and unbiased opinion.

Author Bio

Lily Hayden writes chick lit with a kick.

Modern day women want modern day heroines and Lily's characters want sizzling romance, rewarding careers and equal partnerships, but like all of us, they face many challenges and it isn't always easy.

A mother to four children, Lily graduated with a degree in Business in her hometown in South Wales and enjoyed a successful career in Financial Services before fulfilling a lifelong ambition to write books.

Her debut novel Butterflies, a heartwarming alternative to the traditional boy-meets-girl story, was released in 2018, reaching readers all over the world and she is the author of five books, including a Young Adult Dystopian novel Project Terra under the alias SJ Woods (because who doesn't love a bit of action and defeating bad guys every now and again).

Follow Lily on social media for the latest releases, promotions and occasional photos of her dogs.

Social Media Links
facebook  / twitter  /  instagram

Thank you for stopping by and I hope you read and enjoy the book!
If you would like to check what other bloggers thought of 'New Rules', you can see the full tour schedule here:

Thank you to Rachel from Rachel's Random resources for my place on the book tour for this uplifting  novel.

Book Synopsis

One Day In Summer
Coming soon from #1 bestseller Shari Low, an emotional roller-coaster, that keeps you guessing...

One day in summer, three lives are about to change forever.

After two decades of looking after others, this is the day that Agnetha McMaster is reclaiming her life. It's her turn, her time but will she have the courage to start again?

Ten years ago, Mitchell McMaster divorced Agnetha and married her best friend, Celeste. Now he suspects his second wife is having an affair. This is the day he’ll discover if karma has come back to bite him.

Thanks to a DNA test, this is the day that Hope McTeer will finally meet her biological father. But will the reunion bring Hope the answers that she’s looking for?

Three people. Twenty-four hours. A lifetime of secrets to unravel.

Review:
One Day in Summer was such an enjoyable and uplifting read! This is my first book written by Shari Low, but definitely won't be the last.
Our protagonist Agnetha McMaster (yes, her Mum was a big fan of Abba, and, no, this isn't a common Scottish name) wakes up on her 45th birthday and thinks back to the last twenty something years of her life. They were full of caring after her ailing parents and full of grief after they passed away, full of  looking after Agnetha's lovely twin daughters Isla and Skye, who are now fully grown-up, and full of work at her family business. Agnetha used to be a joyful, spontaneous girl who travelled, partied, fell in love and lived her life to full. Can she recapture the feeling and reclaim life she has been putting on hold for such long time? Has she truly forgiven her ex-husband Mitchell who had an affair with Agnetha's former best friend?
The events of the story unfold over 24 hours and it really drives it home how many things can change over the course of one day. When I first saw the large cast of primary and secondary characters listed at the beginning I was afraid I'd find it all very confusing, but Shari Low is a master story-teller and she chose a very clear narrative structure. There are 3 POVs: Agnetha who is cautiously optimistic about the possibility of a new relationship in her life and whose birthday we all crash in, Mitchell who is having doubts about his second marriage, and Hope McTeer, a medical student who is looking for her biological parents and whose connection to McMasters we need to work out. There is present (Agnetha's birthday) and there are regular flashbacks to summer of 1997 when Agnetha and Celeste had a holiday in the USA.
All characters are well-developed and likeable with one notable exception. Interaction after interaction, present or past, friend or foe, Agnetha proves to be such a lovely, thoughtful and generous soul. She made sure her daughters had a loving relationship with their father, she is a loyal and supportive friend (loved her Wednesday bereavement group- Val, Yvie, Will and all the rest), but where it really shone through was her conversation with Hope. Not surprisingly, Mitchell's story is full of realising past mistakes and regretting them. Shari Low's book, despite its lovely flow and entertaining nature, also deals with some very serious issues and marriage breakdown with its inevitable aftermath is one of them. I absolutely adored the secondary characters in this novel! Agnetha and Mitchell's daughters Isla and Skye, then Hope and her adoptive sister Maisie are so witty and so much fun!
One Day in Summer touches upon serious issues: bereavement and grief, trust and betrayal, sharing custody after divorce, making new friends, adoption and looking for biological parents. Following the characters' stories will take you on a roller-coaster of emotions: love, depression, hurt, hope and joy. You will understand the reasons for their behaviour and see how they have changed over life and what they learnt from their mistakes. Hope you pick up a copy of One Day in summer and enjoy this captivating read.
Thank you to the author, Boldwood Books and Rachel for letting me participate in this book tour.

About the author:
Shari Low is the #1 bestselling author of over 20 novels, including One Day In Winter and My One Month Marriage and a collection of parenthood memories called Because Mummy Said So.  She lives near Glasgow.

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