#Review by Lou of The Cat Share by Angela Jariwala @TeamBATC @BookMinxSJV #TheCatShare #Cats #RomanticFiction

The Cat Share
By Angela Jariwala

The Cat Share is a beautifully joyful book that’s perfect if you like cats and romance to warm the heart. It gives me great pleasure to celebrate such a beautiful book, if not a bit bittersweet as sadly it was published posthumously.
On Christmas Day 2021 Angela Jariwala sadly passed away, just months before it was published. The novel is dedicated to Angela herself and the publisher, Simon & Schuster has her family’s permission to publish it this December. Check out the blurb and my review below to find out more about this uplifting book.

Blurb

Sometimes it’s a simple as meeting the boy next door.

Jenni lives alone with her cat Oscar – yes, she’s single but, after breaking up with her boyfriend, she’s more than content to be living alone. Sometimes she worries she might be playing things too safe, but she’s had enough of taking risks.

Ben is a firefighter and, if he’s honest, he’s finding life hard. The arrival of a small tabby cat, who Ben decides to call Fred, helps him feel less isolated. But then, one day, Ben decides to take a chance. Wanting to reassure Fred’s owner he’s not stealing their cat, he attaches a note to the cat’s collar.

As the two neighbours start corresponding via the cat, their notes to each other reveal the truths they are hiding from even their closest friends, and themselves.

The Cat Share is a warm and joyous romantic comedy about two strangers in love with one very greedy cat, inspired by a true story, for fans of The Flat Share, You’ve Got Mail and Rescue Me.

Review

The Cat Share holds an original and sweet concept, to attach notes to the collar of a cat. It is also lovely that it, in some part or another is inspired by a true story. My own cat would have it torn or lost! It’s beautifully written about how two people come together and it just warms the heart.

Ben is a great, slightly conflicted character to read about. At work as a firefighter, he’s pretty brave, but in his personal life at home, he’s struggling a bit and is quite lonely. He also has a challenging relationship with his father to deal with. Ben is quite easy to warm to.

Jenni is settling into a quieter, single life and a new routine, since she’s broken up with her boyfriend.

Jenni and Ben weren’t looking for love, but Oscar the cat had other plans and what ensues is humorous, endearing, deeply moving and emotional. It sweeps you along and keeps you there until the end.
This is one cat share where no one would mind that he shares himself with another household.

For warmth, a special cat and unfolding relationship, this book, like cats, isn’t just for Christmas, but it would make for a great present or a treat for yourself.

#Review of Life Begins at the Cornish Cottage by Kim Nash review by Lou @KimTheBookworm @Tr4cyF3nt0n @RandomTTours @Rararesources #ZoolooBookTours #CompulsiveReaders #FeelGoodRomance #Christmas #LifeBeginsAtTheCornishCottage

Life Begins at the Cornish Cottage
By Kim Nash

review by Louise Cannon

Life Begins at the Cornish Cottage with this first love, revisited book with a gorgeous scenic look at Cornwall. It is also special in that some of you may recognise the location of Standpiper Shore from previous books, but this particular story is Stand-Alone. It’s a beauty for this Christmas. See the blurb and my full review below
Thanks to Compulsive Readers, Random T. Tours, Rachel’s Random Resources, Zooloo Book Tours, I am on what is an exceptional digital blog tour, which all those aforementioned top blog tour organisers have teamed up with a host of us reviewers, which I am proud to have a space on. Check out my blurb and review below and then follow the rest of the tour…

Blurb

Set against the sparkling shores of Cornwall☀️, this BRAND NEW heartwarming, uplifting and gorgeously romantic tale of second chances is perfect for fans of Veronica Henry, Trisha Ashley and Cathy Bramley. ✨
When life gives you heartbreak 💔, sometimes it also gives you a second chance… 💕

When Tom Sullivan returns to the quiet village of Sandpiper Shore, Emma can hardly believe her eyes. She hasn’t seen him since they played Romeo and Juliet in their school play – a lifetime ago, before real heartbreak, and long before she ever imagined life as a widow.

The last thing she wants is to relive the past, especially with someone who once made her teenage heart flutter. But when Emma agrees to put on a charity pantomime to raise money for the air ambulance service that helped her late husband, she’s thrown firmly back into Tom’s path.

As rehearsals begin and the local community rallies around her, Emma finds unexpected joy in bringing people together – and a surprising connection with Tom that feels far too real to ignore. Maybe it’s time for Emma to become the leading lady in her own life, not just for the show, but for herself.

Full of warmth, humour and heart, this is a story about letting go and discovering that it’s never too late to take a chance on love.

While this novel is set in the same village as the other books in the Sandpiper Shore series, it can be read as a STANDALONE

Review

On first entering the gorgeous Cornish scenery, it becomes apparent it’s going to be a slow-burn, but in a luxurious reading way. The way that immerses you and really get to know the characters and the place.

Tom Sullivan was Emma’s first love who has returned to Sandpiper Shore. It’s a fascinating angle on the romance story and poses the question of will they still like each other and how will both of these characters react? They haven’t seen each other since school and now they’re both rather grown-up. It makes for a rather interesting plot shape.

Like Iris in the film, The Holiday, Emma decides it’s high time she was the leading lady of her own life and develops some gumption as opportunities are presented and memories of her younger days come flooding back, not all are those she wanted to come to the forefront of her mind…

The opportunity she grasps, however is to put on a Pantomime with her friends to raise money for charity, specifically, the Air Ambulance. This is when Tom enters the scene, but what will she do with the feelings she still seems to hold for him, even though he broke her heart many years ago?

Life Begins at the Cornish Cottage has all the warmth of a cosy fleece, heart that lightens whatever is going on around in real life, just for a moment, beautiful scenery to fall for and a joyous community you want to be part of.

Life Begins at the Cornish Cottage is one for cosying up on a dark Christmas night with hot chocolate or any other warming beverage, or doing an act of kindness and gifting it to someone.

#Review by Lou of Christmas at Hollybush Farm by Jo Thomas @jo_thomas01 @PenguinUKBooks @RandomTTours #Christmas #ChristmasAtHollybushFarm #BlogTour

Christmas at Hollybush Farm
By Jo Thomas

written by Louise Cannon

Jo Thomas welcomes readers to feel all festive and explore Hollybush Farm.
Today, I am delighted to be he closing the Random T. Tours blog tour, reviewing a book fit for cosying up for some Christmas reading, thanks also to Penguin Books for supplying the book. Check out the blurb and review below.
(all opinions are my own).

Blurb

Jemima Jones is driving home to her family’s magical hill-top farm for Christmas…

And on arrival, she soon learns that her dad has been keeping a secret – all is not as it seems, and Hollybush Farm is struggling to make ends meet! Worried about losing the childhood home she loves, Jemima must pull on her winter wellies and get stuck in.

Amid the chaos of chasing after escaping sheep and organising the Christmas tractor run, Jemima begins documenting her slice of farming life on social media. As she builds a supportive online following, she also forms an offline connection in the shape of charming, retired rugby player Llew, her very own Santa’s helper.

With a sprinkle of festive cheer and a dash of goodwill, might the community pull together to help save the farm in time for Christmas?

Review

Farms aren’t having an easy time of it at the moment and in some respects part of this is illustrated at Hollybush Farm. It shows the secrets kept in quite a human way as her dad wants to protect his family from the truth of the struggles the farm is going through. This in itself is heart-breaking, more so because it shows real family issues that are happening off the page, in real life. Farms may look idyllic, but their importance is often not noted nor taken into consideration, nor the strain put upon many families, which is illustrated rather well in this book.

Demonstrated, rather well is also the resilience and creativity that farming families have been developing over the years to continue producing the food we eat and a spacious habitat for nature to thrive.

Jemima Jones is the daughter of the family who work the land at Hollybush Farm, who has arrived for Christmas. She has determination to get stuck in to try to get the farm back up on its feet so it can be kept in the family, once the sad secret is out. She also gets creative with social media to create a presence for the farm online and get people caring about its existence. She also creates a life and connections outside the social media world too, just in time for Christmas.

In many ways, from the characters to their actions, Christmas at Hollybush Farm is both heartwarming and thought-provoking about how we view farms and their communities.

Hollybush Farm is a great Christmas read to cosy up with on a wintry day or would make a lovely Christmas present.

#Review by Lou of Wild About You by Sophie Loxton #SophieLoxton @bookminxSJV #TeamBATC @TeamBATC #Blogtour #SummerRead #Rewilding #RomanticFiction #BookRecommendation

Wild About You
By Sophie Loxton

Written by Louise Cannon

Re-wilding, people-pleasing and changes to life circumstances is explored in this book that takes you outside big country house and grounds, the type you go and visit. Discover more in the blurb and then my review below…

Blurb

Anna Whitlock is a people-pleaser, but she is done saying yes. Now she has to learn how to put herself first…

After splitting up with her fiancé and ready for a new start, Anna takes a job rewilding the glorious Stonemore Estate in Northumberland.

But when she arrives the only thing driving Anna wild is her boss: the sexy, but emotionally unavailable Jamie, who is hellbent on making Anna’s job – and her life – as difficult as possible. On the plus side, there’s Callum, the gorgeous estate manager, her best friend Fi, and an enthusiastic beagle called Hugo.

When romance with Callum blossoms, is Anna’s resolve to stop people-pleasing about to falter? And why can’t she stop thinking about Jamie? Can she truly put herself first and say yes to the thing which will make her happiest, falling truly madly wildly in love…?

Review

Set in Northumberland, North England in the gloriously picturesque surroundings of the Stonemore Estate, is quite the behind the scenes tour of a big country house as it were as, through Anna and her newfound colleagues. It’s an interesting tour in a way and a glimpse into the lives, in a fictional way of those involved in the upkeep. It does have an air of authenticity and originality in setting about it.

Anna Whitlock is a people-pleaser who, I’m sure many people with this personality will recognise a bit of themselves in. She’s said yes to so many things that now she feels “done”. She now has a desire to take care of herself and learn how to put herself first. In order to do this, to a certain extent, she’s got rid of her fiancé and started a new job on a re-wilding project on the Stonemore Estate, Northumberland.
The author has taken great care not to give Anna a job title that has just the topic of the moment in it, but has given it a bit of depth so readers can pick up bits here and there about what re-wildling means, the eco-system and more… Smartly, Loxton has made what appears to perhaps be one of her passions, engaging as she wraps it up with other life circumstances.

There’s some good, well-written comedy as romance becomes once again a thing to creep into Anna’s life, as does a dog, who wants to steal the scene at times.
Anna has dilemmas and choices to make in this new life she’s carved out for herself, but who will she end up with? Will the emotionally unavailable, enticingly sexy Jamie get it together and be with her or will the rather good-looking manager, Callum be the one?

Wild About You is a slow-burn romance that compellingly unfolds in a gorgeously setting that holds an interesting premise. It’s a book that will warm your heart, uplift your spirits and create a desire to explore the great out doors and grow your own.

Thanks to Simon &Schuster, Books And The City for a review copy and a pack of seeds. The wildflower seeds are showing, so look out for a further post about this book when they are in full bloom. All opinions on the book are my own and whether the seeds fully grow or not are down to how green-fingered I am this year. My review isn’t influenced by a pack of seeds. Wildflower growing happens in my garden, but it is a welcome and beautiful extra.

#Review of City Girls Forever by Patricia Scanlan @patriciascanl18 #BATC @BookMinxSJV #CityGirlsForever

City Girls Forever
By Patricia Scanlan

Patricia Scanlan’s City Girls Forever is unputdownable as it reels you into relationships, friendships and life’s ups and downs, including the grittiness of it.
City Girls Forever is a perfect warm, compelling read.

Find out more below in the blurb and my review.

Blurb

The City Girls are back! And as City Girl, Devlin Delaney’s iconic gym and spa, prepares to mark a big anniversary, Devlin and her best friends Caroline and Maggie are looking forward to a fabulous party where they can all put their problems behind them and celebrate. Devlin’s past has returned to haunt her, with a shocking revelation. But she’s strong and her beloved Luke has her back.  Caroline is facing up to issues she’s long suppressed, with the help of a man who’s becoming more than a friend. Will happiness finally be hers? Maggie’s family is driving her mad. Her ex, Terry, and their daughter don’t get on, and she’s made an alarming discovery about her elderly mother’s financial affairs. She wants to run far, away. Sparks are going to fly, and some people are going to get a lot more than they bargained for!  

Once a City Girl, a City Girl Forever. Nothing will stop their celebration . . . or will it?

Review

City Girls Forever has some rather good humour from the first chapter, that is until the truth of why an otherwise sad occasion is happening, it confronts you, slam, as you almost hit the breaks, but also want to go onwards, even if in a little bit of shock by what has occurred. By this time, the city girls have already hooked you in and you know you’re in for a great read!

The characters are people who you really get to know and get engrossed in their lives. Devlin’s life is complex and brings up some important issues around relationships.

There’s Maggie, a mom/mum to Shona. Shona is supposed to be getting married and you get easily engrossed in their relationship and the stresses the big occasion is bringing to it.

Caroline is someone you can’t help but cheer on. She has supressed her issues and you just want life to start working out for her for the better.

There are relevant, pertinent issues that are addressed, some which readers may empathise with or find relatable. It makes it all fascinating to follow in that its all rather well observed and well conveyed.

City Girls Forever is an immersive read, with some gripping grittiness and comfort that wraps around you like a hug, with absorbing characters and plot.

* Buy Links

Waterstones Blackwells WH Smith Amazon

*please note that I am not affiliated to any company or person. I am merely sharing some potentially useful links.

#Review By Lou of Same Time Next Week By Milly Johnson @millyjohnson @BookMinxSJV #TeamBATC #RespectRomFic #sametimenextweek

Same Time Next Week
By Milly Johnson

Milly Johnson has now written her next heart-warming, feel-good book that is easy to be drawn into the lives of the people who inhabit it and meet up once a week over something warming, even through the complexities of life.
Same Time Next Week and The Mother Of All Christmases just might be my favourite books by Milly Johnson so far.
Thanks to Books and the City/Simon & Schuster, I am on the blog tour for Same Time Next Week with a review, that follows the cover pic and blurb…
a bit late due to an on-going cat health thing going on that I’m dealing with…
Same Time Next Week publishes on 27th Feb 2025. Take a look below to find out more…

Blurb

Welcome to Spring Hill, home to a square of independent shops and cafes, a thriving local community and nearby the newest venture, Ray’s Diner. Here a group of women meet once a week over a cup of something warming.

Amanda is primary carer to her elderly mother and one of the only women in a male-dominated company. Used to being second-best all her life, is this her time to finally break ranks and shine?

Sky works at the repair shop, patching up old teddy bears, and their owners’ hearts. But her heart beats for the one man who is strictly off-limits.

Mel has been a loyal and loving wife to Steve for thirty years. Then when he goes to his old school reunion, life as she knows it will never be the same again.

Erin is trying to get over a traumatic loss where her guilt weighs more than her grief. Can she find the first step to healing lies in sharing an hour with strangers once a week?

Astrid is feeling in need of a change and a challenge. But when a fantastic opportunity presents itself, who is around to convince her she is worthy enough to take the risk?

Can these women find the answers to their worries, acceptance, courage, support here? Join them at the same time next week to find out…

Review

Milly Johnson’s five characters, Amanda, Sky, Mel, Erin and Astrid are a wonderfully interesting bunch to get wrapped up into their lives.
Ray’s American style Diner becomes a meet up place for women to have a chat.

Amanda really captured my attention, even when I saw her segment in the blurb because I am also a carer to my mum and have been for over 20 years and counting… She’s on HRT (I’m no where near that age, but its good to read about what seems like the eventual inevitable). You’ll need to read the book to see if its working out for her as she deals with her lot in life.

It’s really fun reading about reunions, such as posh Joss who drives a Porsche and Mel when they rock up at a garden centre…

Chloe Clitheroe is something else and things are about to get messy! It may have readers seeing her name through dagger shot eyes…

You’ll find out about an all ages welcome Friendship Club too, which sounds a delightfully interesting concept.

When it comes to Erin, you can really root for her and feel for her and hope that life turns a corner and things pick up for her.

Sky makes you think of the clever people at The Repair Shop. It’s rather sweet that she uses her skills for mending teddy bears and warms the heart. You can really feel the bittersweetness of her story.

There are twists and turns as you read along, just as life doesn’t go in a straight line. Milly Johnson has the art of writing about heart-warming scenarios and ideas, pricking them with a whole spectrum of emotions. She writes about people who are relatable and makes it all feel as though it could all be tangibly real.