#Review By Lou of – The Fixer Upper By Lauren Forsyth@LaureF_writer @LittleBrownUK #RomFic #ContemporaryFiction

The Fixer Upper
By Lauren Forsyth

Thanks to Little Brown Group UK, I have a review of the wonderfully originally written – The Fixer Upper. There’s more to this rim-com than meets the eye and is sure to be identifiable to many readers. Find the blurb and review below…

Blurb

An astonishingly relevant, funny and heartfelt romantic comedy about a universal experience that is yet to be explored in fiction: the emotional labour of dating men.

Ever since she can remember, Aly has tried fixing things: her parents’ marriage, colleagues’ work problems, and all her friends’ love lives. But when she bumps into her ex – who has gone from a living in his parents’ basement to a happily-married success – she realises she’s been fixing her boyfriends, too . . .

Her best friends call it ‘The Aly Effect.’

When an in-joke with her friends at the office spirals out of control, Aly uses her talents to set up THE FIXER UPPER- an exclusive underground service for women who are tired of mothering, nagging and coaching their boyfriends through life.

Before long, a mysterious celebrity client hires them for their biggest challenge yet: turning her boyfriend into the perfect fiancé in three weeks.

There’s just one catch . . . He’s Aly’s first love.

And he’s not at all pleased to see her.

Review

The Fixer Upper is feminist, original and humorous. It has a similar vibe to the film – The Wedding Planner. Ally sets up her own business in the romance sector. She, herself wants her forever happily ever after, but the way things go, well, there are some humorous things that happen along the way. Aly is the ultimate “Fixer Upper”, who has had boyfriends and yet they all need something fixing and that is something she can do. The only thing is, once fixed up, they then become more desireable men and end up with someone else. I’m sure there are many women who can relate and have been in that position of having to “mother” men and teach what I would call advance life-skills to and such like and find that either they move on, or you do. Aly is that person who does this, she fixes men up and makes them into better people, but she also at times seems to forget about taking care of herself. It’s a book that resonates. Alys’s life path is an interesting one. Things get even more juicy when her first love comes along and there’s quite a twist in the tale when he isn’t pleased to see her. This was quite different from how things normally go and I liked that.

This rom-com is sure to reel readers in on a brilliant route to pure escapism in areas of life lived by many, but rarely talked about and not particularly written about, until now.

#Review By Lou of A Season For Love By Ally Sinclair @HeraBooks #AllySinclair #Romcom #ASeasonForLove is inspired by #JaneAusten in the modern world

A Season For Love
By Ally Sinclair

Today I thought I’d share a review of A Season For Love. Let’s take a look at the blurb and then I have my no spoiler review.

Blurb

Can old-fashioned courtship survive in today’s dating world?

When Emma Love’s mother retires, it is time for her to take the reins of the family dating agency and build on its success. And she has a fresh new idea: to host a Jane Austen-style Regency Season of glamourous events where potential lovers can actually take the time to get to know each other in person, with no apps in between.

As the round of glamourous social events begins, we meet some of Emma’s new clients, and see her matchmaking skills in action.

Annie, who has a romantic soul but believes she lost her chance at love a long time ago; recently divorced Jane, who is not quite ready to see what her new love life might look like, and wild child Lydia, who is more interested in hooking up than finding her Mr Darcy.

All is going swimmingly but as the Season unfolds, there is a fly in Emma’s ointment – the irritating Mr Knight, with his casual attitude and gentle cynicism. Why is she allowing him to ruffle her calm, ordered life and why can’t she stop thinking about him? She has no intention of becoming romantically involved herself, of course; she is far too sensible to take a chance on love – isn’t she?

Jane Austen meets Sophie Kinsella.

Review

A Season for Love is very much in the territory of Jane Austen, in-fact so much so that it practically delves into the territory of Emma in both character and premise. It has Emma setting up a dating agency so she can play matchmaker professionally and host regency style balls.

It is witty in places and very much feels like Emma in contemporary times. The best concept in the book is to see whether, what would be considered old-fashioned dating can actually work in today’s modern, high-tech world.

Overall, it is a pleasantly entertaining rom-com.

Thanks to Hera Books for a copy in exchange of an honest review.

#Review By Lou of Someone To Kiss By Jamie Anderson #JamieAnderson @jandersonwrites #GoSocialBooks @rararesources #Romcom #RomanticFiction #BlogTour

Someone To Kiss
By Jamie Anderson

Someone To Kiss is witty and romantic. If you’re a fan of Beth O’Leary and Jo-Jo Moyes you may enjoy this book. You’ll find the blurb and review below and a bit about the author. Thanks to Rachel Random Resources inviting me on the blog tour.

Blurb

A Hilarious and Heartening Take on the Pitfalls of Modern Dating

As the clock strikes midnight over a disastrous New Year’s Eve and happy couples celebrate all around her, Kate makes a resolution, hastily scrawled on the back of a napkin, that next New Year’s Eve she will have found someone of her own to kiss.

But when you’re a forty-something cat-mom who’d rather binge Netflix than brave the singles scene, finding someone to kiss turns out to be harder than it sounds. Kate is totally unprepared for navigating hook-up apps, speed-dating, and sliding into somebody’s DMs.

With the end of the year rapidly approaching, Kate seems further than ever from reaching her goal. As relationships crumble around her and dark long-kept secrets spill out, could Kate’s fixation on her quest cause her to let true love slip through her fingers forever.

Someone to Kiss is a wry and witty romantic comedy, tackling serious issues with real heart. The perfect new read for fans of Beth O’Leary, Jennier Weiner and JoJo Moyes.

Review

Kate would like to find love, now she has reached the grand era of being in her 40s, working in marketing, where you get the measure of the man she works for quite quickly.

It’s the start of a new year and she is aware that she will never meet a man if she stays home with her cat and binge-watching Netflix in her spare time. Her New Year’s resolution is to enter the singles dating scene. It is a bit Bridget Jones meets Love Actually meets health issues. There is heart and humorous characters to meet in fun storytelling.

With help from a friend to set up a profile on the dating sites. What happens next is a series of dates and this is where the humour is. You can’t help but feel sorry for Kate, but the consequences are funny. She sort of feels societal pressures to find a partner but I feel it is also her desire to as well. There is a guy who cares about her, loves her but is so unspoken that you want to tell him to do something about his feelings, as she dates all these other guys, trying to find the one. This guy, however is also battling mental health issues and struggles a bit. It is good that this highlights male mental health as figures are so high. That’s what made me want to review the book with the hope the rest was good. It’s a different and real slant, this, being quite a big issue is what makes me think of Jo-Jo Moyes books as they also have romance intertwined with health issues.
Kate and her best friend drink excessively, makes you feel a bit sorry for them, but Kate is still a good and fun character to read and has a good attitude on the whole.

Ultimately the book is entertaining and has a good balance. It’s a good one to sit back, relax with a glass of wine and just have fun with.

About the Author

Jamie Anderson is based in Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada. A proud Canadian and Saskatchewanian, she wanted to set her first two novels in the place she was born and raised.

She works in content marketing, has a certificate in professional writing and has done a smattering of freelance writing, character development and copyediting over the past several years.

She’s been writing for as long as she can remember, and has been reading for longer than that. She lives happily with her mountain of books, her TV and her two plants.

#BookReview By Lou of A Cosmic Kind Of Love By Samantha Young #SamanthaYoung @Bookish_Becky @PiatkusBooks @littlebrownuk #RomanticFiction #RomCom #Space #ACosmicKindOfLove #ContemporaryFiction #BookClubReads #BookClub

A Cosmic Kind Of Love
By Samantha Young

Today I have a review of a wonderful romantic comedy, that truly is as cosmic as they come. Thanks firstly to the publisher – Little Brown Books for gifting me a copy of the book. Without further ado, onto the blurb and then find out my thoughts in my review. Thanks to Becky Hunter and Piatkus Books and Little Brown UK

Blurb

Space is the last thing an event planner and an astronaut need in this charming new romantic comedy from New York Timesbestselling author Samantha Young.

When event planner Hallie Goodman receives party-inspiration material from the bride of her latest wedding project, the last thing she expects to find in the files are digital videos from Darcy’s ex-boyfriend. Hallie knows it’s wrong to keep watching these personal videos, but this guy is cute, funny, and an astronaut on the International Space Station to boot. She’s only human. And it’s not long until she starts sending e-mails and video diaries to his discontinued NASA address. Since they’re bouncing back, there’s no way anyone will ever be able to see them…right?

Christopher Ortiz is readjusting to life on earth and being constantly in the shadow of his deceased older brother. When a friend from NASA’s IT department forwards him the e-mails and video messages Hallie has sent, he can’t help but notice how much her sense of humor and pink hair make his heart race.

Separated by screens, Hallie and Chris are falling in love with each other, one transmission at a time. But can they make their star-crossed romance work when they each learn the other’s baggage?

Review

Hallie Goodman is an interesting woman, she is an event planner and an astronaut. She has a boyfriend, but tensions and cracks show from the beginning, especially in his behaviour, even though she herself does land herself in the sorts of situations, but his response makes her question her relationship.

Away from her own relationship issues, she has an engagement party to plan for Darcy Hawthorn, a true blue New York socialite.
There is also Aunt Julia, who wants a bachelorette party and there are funny social media consequences to this.
The scene and flavour of what’s to come is set up in the first chapter. The book then goes back to 1 year ago with the chapters going between Hallie and Chris. Chris (Captain Christopher Ortiz) works for NASA and has spent over a month on the International Space Station. It really works for the background of the characters before switching back to present day.

It is a great story of social media and romance and how events occur and relationships develop. The video diaries from Chris that readers can tap into throughout the story add extra insights and thoughts into his life. They show a certain amount of grounding even though he is in space.
In-amongst the romance is also other tensions, such as within families to follow.

A Cosmic Kind of Love builds into a story that is easy to kick off the shoes and relax on a cold, wintry day (or enjoy in the sun, if it’s your summer) and feel it’s romantic, uplifting vibes.

This is also great for book clubs as there are excellent questions prepared at the end for discussion points.

#Bookreview By Lou of A Scandinavian Summer By Helga Jensen @HelgaJensenF @rararesources #RomanticFiction

A Scandinavia Summer
By Helga Jensen

Today I’m on a blog tour for A Scandinavian Summer thanks to Rachel Random Resources and the publisher – Canelo.

Blurb

It’s the right time for love, but is it the wrong place?

After the tragic, premature death of her husband Anthony, Martha has spent all her time focused on her teenage daughter Rosie in their small Welsh village.

But with Rosie leaving the nest, and Martha’s own job on the line, it feels that life is passing her by.

Inspired by her love for Scandi-noir dramas, Martha impulsively books a trip to Denmark, determined to push herself out of her comfort zone – even if the thought terrifies her…

Her trip to the tiny island of Fano becomes something much more: in the form of handsome stranger, Lars. Can Martha find love under the Scandinavian skies… but more importantly, can she find herself?

A romantic, warm and uplifting read, guaranteed to leave you smiling. Fans of Jenny Colgan and Kathryn Freeman will adore this feelgood read!

Review

Summer is turning into autumn, but here’s an opportunity to do some armchair travelling to catch some summer rays. Readers can journey between Wales and a Danish island – Fano in this feel good rom-com. As well as romance, there’s some self love as Martha starts to embrace life more on her journey of self-discovery as she grows in confidence and determination to push through what was holding her back and to journey outwith her comfort zone. Before that, she suffered from panic attacks, had been through grief of being widowed at a young age and allowed this and her work in the library to be her main stay in life as the rest of what life had to offer passed her by. It’s a beautiful read, seeing how Martha wants to do something different and push through the discomfort of her previously assuring barriers, to regain life for herself and exploration of what she can do and of what the world has to offer. There is of course the dishy Lars to provide some new romance along the way.

It’s a good read with a writing style that makes it easy for Martha to pull readers with her and join her on her romantic and self-discovery adventure.

#Review By Lou of Lily Bennett’s Bucket List By Katherine Dyson @_katherinedyson @0neMoreChapter_ @HarperCollinsUK #Romcom #ContemporaryFiction #GeneralFiction #BucketlistAdventure

Lily Bennett’s Bucket List
By Katherine Dyson

Most people love a bucket list right? I certainly do and Lily Bennett’s Bucket List is a gorgeously uplifting read. Thanks to the publisher – One More Chapter.
Find out more in the blurb and my review.

Blurb

The most life-affirming and uplifting debut you will read this year. Perfect for fans of Jill Mansell, Fiona Gibson and Clare Pooley.

What would Lily Bennett do?

This is the question Lydia Grey finds herself asking when she discovers Lily’s bucket list at the bottom of her shopping trolley. Having just run into her ex – and his supermodel gorgeous new girlfriend – while doing the walk of shame, Lydia’s discovery takes her down an unexpected path…and into the company of Jake Jones.

Jake mistakes Lydia for Lily when he offers to help her complete the list, but tempted to be someone – anyone – other than plain old Lydia Grey for once in her life, Lydia doesn’t correct him.

Now, as each new adventure brings Lydia and Jake closer, her lie threatens everything. To complete the list she’ll need to tackle #9: ‘do the scariest thing you can think of’, but how can she do that when the scariest thing she can think of is telling Jake the truth…which could mean losing him forever?

Review

So many people have a bucket list, including me, either one for later or like me, working through it bit by bit as when something can be ticked off.
Lydia Grey’s life is often dull, as dull as the colour grey when there’s no light and shade and atmosphere to it, say like you would see in a painting. It’s just plain dull! Even her husband, since left, even though after so many years together, because she had become drab and boring.
Then life spices up quite significantly and brightness shines through, along with a whole array of colours and experiences when she discovers Lily Bennett’s bucket list at the bottom of a shopping trolley. Lily is a complete stranger to Lydia, but this list looks adventurous, so she gets brave and decides to make her way down it doing all the activities on it. Then the excitement and wonderful adventures begin!
Jake assumes Lydia is Lily and she doesn’t put him right, which later causes a bit of trepidation and wonder about what she is going to do when it comes to it, as they embark on the adventures together.

It’s a sweet, uplifting read with an edge of bittersweetness. It’s a really nice debut novel for readers to settle down and relax into, with its warmth, romance and humour.