Feathertide by Beth Cartwright

Blurb

"Born covered in the feathers of a bird, and kept hidden in a crumbling house full of secrets, Marea has always known she was different, but never known why. And so to find answers, she goes in search of the father she has never met.

The hunt leads her to the City of Murmurs, a place of mermaids and mystery, where jars of swirling mist are carried through the streets by the broken-hearted.

And Marea will never forget what she learns there.

Feathertide is an enchanting, magical novel perfect for fans of Erin Morgenstern's The Night Circus and Katherine Arden's The Bear and the Nightingale."

Published July 2020

With thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for sharing a copy with me in exchange for an honest review.

My Review

I was immediately intrigued by the beautiful cover of this book and it's unusual premise and that feeling of curiosity continued throughout the book.

Beginning with Marea's childhood hidden in the basement of a brothel, you follow her story as she explores the limited world around her, guided by her mother, the whores and a professor to teach her about the wider world. Before too long, being told about the world isn't enough and Marea sets out to find her father and learn the truth about herself. 

I was really excited to find out about the City of Murmurs but felt a little let down as, to me, it didn't seem quite as magical and wondrous as I was expecting from the blurb and the story slowed down for a while as Marea settles in and does a lot of dog walking. However, there are some beautiful descriptions of Marea's world and the City of Murmurs and I enjoyed the story as Marea met more characters and started to open herself up to love in different forms.

An intriguing, coming of age story that didn't quite draw me all the way in but was very enjoyable. I give this 3 out of 5.

Blog Tour: Coming Home to Penvennan Cove by Linn B. Halton

Blurb

"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."

Due to by published 8th October 2020.
With thanks to the author, published and NetGalley for sending me an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

My Review

Returning from her busy London life to the scenic Cornish village of her childhood, Kerra is a determined lady who doesn't hesitate to step in and help to get the job done. She's been very successful in the past and now wants to spend time with her dad and old friends while she decides what she wants to do next. Personally I occasionally thought she was a little bit arrogant, thinking she always knows best and assuming everyone is desperate to know what she's doing next, but her heart is in the right place and she wants the best for everyone she cares about.

There's a delightful romantic energy between Kerra and Ross and I enjoyed reading how their relationship develops and about their past. Sy and Tegan, along with a whole village of other characters add fun and energy to the story. Ripley the Bengal cat is a great character in her own right and adds plenty of drama!

Set in a village in the beautiful Cornish countryside, there is a strong sense of community and everyone knowing everyone else's business!

A lovely Cornish adventure full of friendship, loyalty and romance, I give this 4 out of 5.

The Author

Linn B. Halton is a #1 bestselling author of contemporary romantic fiction. In 2013 she won the UK Festival of Romance: Innovation in Romantion Fiction Award. Originally from Bristol, she now lives in the Welsh valleys with her husband and Bengal cat, Ziggy.

For Linn, life is all about family, friends and writing. She is a self-confessed hopeless romantic and an eternal optimist. When Linn is not writing, she spends time in the garden weeding or practising Tai Chi. And she is often found with a paintbrush in her hand indulging her passion for upcycling furniture.

Her novels have been translated in to Italian, Czech and Croatian. She also writes as Lucy Coleman.

Visit Linn's website at: https://linnbhalton.com

And follow her on Twitter: @LinnBHalton

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Blog Tour: Love Me Like You Do by Aimee Brown

Blurb

"A runaway bride. A handsome stranger. Two pasts to put behind them.

Parker is ready to marry the man of her dreams. But he isn't ready to marry her. When she's dumped moments before walking down the aisle, she didn't expect to run into the arms of a handsome stranger. The southern drawl, the dreamy eyes, she can't fall for another man after being left at the altar – can she?

When Liam agreed to go on yet another blind date, he didn't expect his escape would lead him to the emergency room with a runaway bride. She might have just been left at the altar, but he's immediately drawn to her fiery spirit, kind heart and beautiful smile. Liam's got a whole host of problems and a past that's haunting him, now can't be the time to fall in love, but Parker might just be the one to break down his barriers and let him live a little – if she'll let him in.


Will these two strangers allow serendipity to force them together, or will their fears keep them apart?

From the bestselling author of The Lucky Dress comes a story about love, finding yourself and living your dreams."

Published 17th September 2020
With thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for sending me an advance copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

My Review

Parker is reeling from being dumped at the altar when she bumps into Liam for the first time and I felt an instant connection between them.

The story is split between Parker and Liam's points of view. Parker is a kind-hearted ER nurse with a close-knit family and a habit of being in embarrassing situations, usually whenever Liam is around. I really liked how authentically herself Parker was, she didn't make any apologies for loving romantic films and for knowing what she wanted.

Liam has had a tough start to life but despite this is charming and thoughtful. I really enjoyed finding out his past and how it links with the events in the story.

I really enjoyed this fun, whirlwind romance, which I can really imagine on the big screen. I give this 5 out of 5.

The Author

Aimee Brown is a writer of romantic comedies set in Portland, Oregon, and an avid reader. She spends much of her time writing, raising three teenagers, binge-watching shows on Netflix and obsessively cleaning and redecorating her house. She’s fluent in
sarcasm and has been known to utter profanities like she’s competing for a medal.

Aimee grew up in Oregon, but is now a transplant living in cold Montana with her husband of twenty years, three teenage children, and far too many pets. She is a lot older than she looks and yes, that is a tattoo across her chest. (In the Portlandia spirit, yes, I lived many years in PDX and I do indeed have a bird tattooed on me (2!))

Aimee is very active on social media. You can find her at any of the networks below.

Stop by and say hello!

Twitter: @AimeeBWrites
Instagram: @authoraimeeb
Facebook: @authoraimeeb

Links to buy the book:
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3bpI2zK
Kobo: https://bit.ly/2WvEA2g
Google Play: https://bit.ly/2WYRZ1K
iBooks: https://apple.co/3gdxciw

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Lies Lies Lies by Adele Parks

Blurb

"Daisy and Simon’s marriage is great, isn’t it?

After years together, the arrival of longed-for daughter Millie sealed everything in place. A happy little family of three.

And so what if Simon drinks a bit too much sometimes – Daisy’s used to it, she knows he’s letting off steam. Until one night at a party things spiral horribly out of control. And that happy little family of three will never be the same again.

In Lies Lies Lies Sunday Times bestseller Adele Parks explores the darkest corners of a relationship in freefall in a mesmerising tale of marriage and secrets."

Published September 2019
With thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review.



My Review

Simon's relationship with alcohol has started to take precedence over everything else in his life, despite how much he loves Daisy and their daughter Millie. Things start to go terribly wrong for the family and I think I gasped out loud at a few points in the book as events unfolded.

Told in alternating chapters between Daisy and Simon's points of view, I absolutely couldn't put this down and meant for a very late night finishing it! The twists were amazing as I didn't see them coming.

This was an absolutely gripping read but very emotional at times too. I give it 5 out of 5.

The Author

Adele Parks was born in Teesside, NE England. She studied English Language and Literature, at Leicester University. She published her first novel, Playing Away, in 2000; that year the Evening Standard identified Adele as one of London’s ‘Twenty Faces to Watch.’ Indeed Playing Away was the debut bestseller of 2000.

She’s sold over a million copies of her work in the UK but also sells throughout the world. Two of her novels (Husbands and Still Thinking of You) are currently being developed as movie scripts. Young Wives’ Tales was short listed for the Romantic Novelist Association Award 2008. She has written numerous articles and short stories for many magazines and newspapers and often appears on radio and TV talking about her work.

Since 2006 Adele has been an official spokeswoman for World Book Day and wrote a Quick Read, Happy Families as part of the celebrations of World Book Day, 2008.

Adele has spent her adult life in Italy, Botswana and London, up until a few years ago when she moved to Guildford, where she now lives with her husband and son.

http://www.adeleparks.com

Breathless by Jennifer Niven

Blurb


"Your first love, your first time, your first heartbreak. The new novel from Jennifer Niven, author of All the Bright Places.

You were my first. Not just sex, although that was part of it, but the first to look past everything else into me. Some of the names and places have been changed, but the story is true.

Claudine Henry was not supposed to spend her summer on this remote island off the coast of Georgia.

She was supposed to be on a road trip with her best friend, spending every last minute together before they go to college.

But after her father makes a shock announcement, she is exiled with her shaken mother, with no phone service and no one she knows. She is completely cut off.


Until she meets Jeremiah. Free spirited, mysterious and beautiful, their chemistry is immediate and irresistible.

They both know that whatever they have can only last the summer, but maybe one summer is enough..."

Due to be published 29th September 2020.

With thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review.

My Review

Claudine has had a happy childhood and is just finishing high school when her dad announces he wants to split up from her mum. Claude is left spinning in the shock of it all and with strict instructions not to talk about it with any of her friends, she has no outlet for the tidalwave of emotions threatening to engulf her.

Claude and her mum travel to a remote island with a lot of family history to get away from it all. Here she meets Jeremiah and is instantly drawn to him even as she is trying to deal with the shock from her dad's news. Miah has a difficult family life and a lot of responsibilities at home so his time on the island is special to him.

There are some beautiful descriptions of the island and a focus on nature. I also really enjoyed the way the author wrote about the history of the island as well as the present.

This is a story of first love, first sex, growing up and learning to deal with change. I couldn't put it down! I give this 5 out of 5.

The Author

The author of many successful books, including All The Bright Places which has been made into a movie which is available on Netflix now.

http://www.jenniferniven.com/
https://www.instagram.com/jenniferniven/