Blog Tour: The House That Alice Built by Chris Penhall*

So I was attracted to this book by the amazing cover and the blurb. It sounded like something I would love to do. I mean who doesn't want to drop everything and go to another country. Check out the blurb below and see what your first impression is.

'Home is where the heart is … 
Alice Dorothy Matthews is sensible. Whilst her best friend Kathy is living it up in Portugal and her insufferable ex Adam is travelling the world, Alice is working hard to pay for the beloved London house she has put her heart and soul into renovating. 
But then a postcard from Buenos Aires turns Alice’s life upside down. One very unsensible decision later and she is in Cascais, Portugal, and so begins her lesson in ‘going with the flow’; a lesson that sees her cat-sitting, paddle boarding, dancing on top of bars and rediscovering her artistic talents. 
But perhaps the most important part of the lesson for Alice is that you don’t always need a house to be at home.'

So one of the first things I noticed about this book was that it is very easy to read. By this I mean you soon find yourself zooming through the chapters. I mean the story flows so well, that even though a few weeks is passing in the book it is not made obvious which I enjoyed immensely. 

So as in every romance there is a Prince Charming, whether he is there to save the day or just sit in the background until our main girl needs him. Now in this book I found myself questioning whether he was Prince Charming or Mr Mysterious. I loved that factor though because it go you thinking. This factor also added some extra depth to this character.

One thing that will really draw you to this book, apart for the descriptions of this Place (I really want to go now!) is the way it sounds like Paradise and it is a completely real life situation that Alice is going through. I mean from the beginning you are thrust into her world, it was all very normal. Its a situation I can imagine a friend telling me about. This in mind, it makes the book very relatable.  

Now let's talk a little bit about the Author Chris Penhall, a freelance writer and radio producer who is also a member of the Romantic Novelists Association. Winner of the 2019 Choc-Lit Search for a Star Competition (with this book!) Chris was originally born in South Wales but has lived near London and Portugal. When she lived in Cascais near Lisbon (where the book is set) she began to dabble in writing fiction, but it was years later that she was confident enough to start her first novel. Many years after, she finally finished it. She is currently working on her second. Chris is a lover of books, music, cats and is an enthusiastic salsa dancer, a keen cook and loves to travel. She is never happier than when she is gazing at the sea. Chris currently lives in the Essex countryside and has two grown up daughters. 


Overall I enjoyed this book immensely. Reading the story and the descriptions of the gorgeous is enough to add it to my holiday list. This is a great summer read and is available now. You can get your copy HERE

Until Next Time

Emma

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Blog Tour: Reach For A Star by Kathryn Freeman*

'What if your dreams were so close you could reach out and touch them? 

How could anyone resist Michael Tennant, with his hypnotic blue eyes and voice like molten chocolate? Jessie Simmons certainly can’t. But Jessie’s a single mum who can’t sing to save her life – there’s no way she’ll ever cross paths with the star tenor. 

At least that’s what she thinks until she’s unexpectedly invited to take part in a new reality TV show. The premise? Professional singers teach hopeless amateurs how to sing. The surprise? Jessie’s partner is none other than Michael Tennant!

As she becomes better acquainted with the man behind the voice, will Jessie find out the hard way that you should never meet your idols? Or will she get more than she bargained for?'

This book is all about taking a chance and following your dreams. It's also very real and could happen to anyone which I love. The whole story is just amazing! I mean the author has written the story in a way that all 36 Chapters simply fly by. It's so well written and flows effortlessly. 

The story of Jessie and Michael is, to say the least addictive.  It is so easy to get caught up in their lives and their story. I mean I will say their story is not all Roses and smooth sailing but the bumps in the road add to this story. Not only that the bumps in the road aren't far fetched, they are genuine bumps that could happen in the everyday life, which makes this book so much more relatable. 

So when I said this book was addictive (in the best possible way), I meant it. I mean I went from Chapter 15 to done in less than 24 hours. I had trouble putting the book down saying 'One More Chapter' then finding myself going from Chapter 26-31. I was so engrossed in the story that I didn't register that I was moving through chapters. This book makes you want to know more, you get involved in the Characters and their feelings.  

Now let's talk about the Author, Kathryn Freeman is a former Pharmacist, now medical writer who also writes Romance.  She can go from a racing heart due to a medical condition to the cause being a hunky hero. She lives with her husband and two teenage boys. Her husband may not be the most  romantic man around valentines day but his unstinting support about her career change proves love isn't just about Hearts and Flowers and heroes come in many disguises. 

Overall I thoroughly enjoyed this book. If you are a fan of Kathryn's or even if your not, you will like this book. It is everything you want in a romance. Not only that you don't even finish the book after it ends, I found myself thinking about this book  hours after I finished reading it, and that's not in a bad way. This amazing story is available and you can get your copy HERE

As a special addition to this blog tour there is also an awesome Giveaway giving you the chance to win one of Kathryn Freeman's other books called 'Oh Crumbs'. You can enter the Giveaway HERE. Make sure you read the Terms and conditions which are below:

Worldwide entries welcome.  Please enter using the Rafflecopter box below.  The winner will be selected at random via Rafflecopter from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then Rachel’s Random Resources reserves the right to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over.  Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. This will passed to the giveaway organiser and used only for fulfilment of the prize, after which time Rachel’s Random Resources will delete the data.  I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.

Until Next Time

Emma

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Blog Tour: Make It Up To You by Lucy Keeling*

So the moment this Blog tour dropped into my inbox, I knew I needed to take part. I had just posted on twitter that I had wanted to read it after reading the blurb that the Author had posted. So to see this pop into my inbox felt like fate. Not only that but it is to do with a wanna be You tuber so doesn't that just say read me. Check out the Blurb and let me know what you think.

'What do mascara wands and gardening shears have in common?

Absolutely nothing! At least that’s what wannabe beauty influencer Sophie Timney thinks when her friend Polly suggests involving her brother Marcus in Sophie’s make-up tutorials. She needs more views, Marcus needs promotion for his gardening business – in Polly’s mind joining forces will help them both. Sophie isn’t so sure.

Because Marcus Bowman has a habit of getting under her skin in a way that no exfoliating face scrub ever could. But, as the views and comments on her videos begin creeping up, it becomes increasingly obvious that Sophie’s subscribers like Marcus, and what’s even worse is that Sophie might be starting to feel the same way …'

Now we talk about books being easy to read and this one certainly fits the profile. From the minute I started reading I was hooked wanting to know more and read it all. I mean what do you expect when you put a wanna be You Tuber, a Hot Gardner and a whole lot of Chemistry together. It's clear from the moment that Marcus and Sophie appear there is more to them then meets the eye. 

The book is relatable and the perfect read for your evenings. I soon got sucked into the story and wanting to know what happens next. It's easy to fall in love with these characters and the journey they take in the book. There are also parts which make you want to laugh.

The story does not just focus on Sophie and Marcus, though they are the main characters, you also have the rest of their friends. The friends Mya, Polly, Paige Joseph and Bailey who all play their part in this story but not only that they also add intrigue.  I don't want to say too much and give anything away but this reader definitely wants to know more about these Characters. Fingers crossed Lucy Keeling brings out a book about these friends.

So let's talk about the Author Lucy Keeling, an author who writes fun, sexy stories with all of the happy ever afters. If she's not at her Kitchen table typing you can find her arranging and then rearranging to meet up with her friends for some day drinking. Lucy is currently working on her third book in a Contemporary Romance series, the first was Short Listed in Choc Lit's 'Search For a Star' Competition.

Overall I loved this book and I want to know more. I want more of Marcus and Sophie and I definitely want more of their friends. One of the best things is that this book is available NOW! You can get your copy HERE.

Until Next Time

Emma

XX

Blog Tour: Call Me Maybe by Stephanie Chapman*

'What if you got a second chance with your first love?

What happens when you meet your teenage heart-throb – when you’re both all grown up? When Cassie was fifteen, all she wanted was to marry Jesse Franklin, the bassist from her favourite band, Franko. Now she’s single, in her late twenties and wondering what happened to that teenage dream.

A chance encounter on Facebook soon leads to a transatlantic hook up, and soon, Jesse and Cassie are having a long-distance love affair spanning five thousand miles.

Cassie is on cloud nine – until she hears something that makes her think that Jessie might not be all that he seems. They say never meet your heroes – but what happens when you fall in love with them…?

Are Cassie and Jessie star crossed lovers, destined to be together? Or should Cassie have left her crush in the box marked teenage memories? '

The moment this book dropped into my inbox, I wanted it! I mean let's start with that Title. I love it, so simple and I feel like I should listen to the song while writing this.Plus I can practically hear Carly Rae Jepson singing it in my head. Then you move onto the blurb, it sounded amazing and a little bit like a dream (one I have had myself.)

This book is brilliantly written which makes it easy to read and by that I mean I was easily reading 10 Chapters a Day! Until I got to Chapter 37 then I just finished it. It's so easy to get sucked into Cassie and Jesse's world, to the point where those chapters just fly by! 

It feels like the book has everything, it's easy to relate to so you can imagine putting yourself and your boy band crush in the same places. By no means is this book predictable, I mean I found some really juicy scenes that made me want to read them again. This book somehow managed to get me so addicted that my emotions got involved, I won't say which ones because spoilers are no fun. 

So let's talk a little bit about the characters Jesse and Cassie, they are soo perfect for each other! So Jesse was the kinda mysterious childhood crush and he gives you an insight into what being in a young boy band is like. Cassie is pretty much your typical everyday girl, an amazing set of friends, a job she enjoys but doesn't take up her entire life. The best thing is throughout this book you switch from Jesse's point of view to Cassie's, which I found really insightful. 

So let's talk a little bit about the Author Stephanie Chapmen, a English women born in the 1980's who now lives on the South Coast of the UK. She has a day job that helps keep her holiday budget topped up, and a husband and 2 kids to keep an eye on. She has a healthy appreciation for Bass and the dudes who play them. Franko was inspired by her favourtie band as a teenager. She also has another book out called 'Jetplanes to Jupiter'

Overall I adored this book! It laid out in my opinion every girl's secret fantasy evolving their favorite band. It was quirky, amazing and easy to devour. Oh and it's out NOW! You can grab your copy HERE.

Until Next Time

Emma

xx