Review: The Cowboy's Second Chance Family by Jules Bennett *

So a little disclaimer before I start. I worked on this post Mills & Boon Insider. This essentially means I was given a list of books and able to pick which one I wanted to read. My views on this book are completely my own and the truth. 

This review is of the newest book by Jules Bennett called ‘The Cowboys second Chance Family’.  This is the first time I have read anything from this author but after finishing this story I look forward to reading more by them. This book is part of the Mills & Boon Cherish collection. It is the perfect read for any Mill & Boon alum or anyone who is looking for a good romance to read.

This story is set in Stonerock Texas and focuses on Lucy Brooks and Noah Spencer.  These two characters are easy to fall in love with and who haven’t always come up smelling like roses. Both are dealing with their grief after losing the other half of their marriage. One is looking for a fresh start and the other is balancing their life between work, a small ranch and their friends. However the pull between these characters means that they can’t keep either of their lives simple. It also adds for some interesting reading.

Noah Spencer is not only a cowboy but also an officer of the law, add to the fact that he is a devoted dad to his daughter means he is easy to fall in love with. Lucy Brooks works in the station and spends her life juggling the many different aspects of her life helping others.  Sparks fly the moment these characters start to interact and in a small town gossip ensures.

This book keeps you hooked with wanting to know where this thing between these characters is going to go. The author also introduces you to the town of Stonerock and its residents. The same residents who are all connected in some way by friendship or a love story waiting to happen.

I found this book not only a good read but intriguing to keep me reading in any spare time trying to find out what happens between the two main characters.  It is also what I class as an easy read meaning that the story flows and all you need to do is sit back and enjoy the story.

The more you read and hear about the other residents of Stonerock, the more you fall in love with them.  So you can imagine the happiness when you find out that this is actually the first book in a series called ‘Return to Stonerock’. I personally can’t wait for this author to release more in this series so I can visit Stonerock again and read the stories of more residents.

If you decide to get this book which comes out 1st September 2017 let me know your thoughts in the comments.

Until Next Time

Emma

xx

Review: Fifty shades Darker

Fifty Shades Darker is the latest movie adaptation to come from E.L.James best selling series. The Fifty Shades book series quickly shook the nation becoming a sort after book by ladies. It was a nice surprise when it was announced that the books were being made into films! The first movie came out 2 years ago in 2015.

The sequel was anticipated by ladies especially when it was announced that ladies would have to wait 2 years until the sequel would hit the big screen. The movie was finally released on the 10th February 2017 and this blogger couldn't wait to see how the movie turned out.

After the first movie came out there was criticism that the leads Jamie Dornan and Dakota Johnson had no chemistry. I can say that if they didn't have chemistry in the first movie they certainly did have it in the second movie! In general it seemed this movie became darker and better than the first, whether the introduction of more characters like Jack Hyde helped, or whether it was because there was a lot more going on.

What was unexpected when watching this movie was the amount of times that it had the whole Cinema laughing. Now if you have read the books, you know that there isn't a lot to laugh about in the second book, but it seems that the writer did add some bits that had us laughing. Whether you were suppose to laugh or not is yet to be seen.

I will warn that there is a part in the movie that did make me jump as it was unexpected. I am not going to mention which part as there will be NO spoilers in this blog, but you have been warned.

After seeing the film this blogger immediately wanted to watch it again, or wish they could go on and watch the third movie sadly it is not planned to hit the Cinemas until 2018. In this bloggers opinion, the movie did do the book justice, including some crucial scenes. 

Although some of the songs were not liked at the beginning of the movie, by the end they were loved. So much that the soundtrack is now owned.

I would recommend this movie to anyone who has read the books or anyone who watched the first series. Let me know if you have watched this movie or have booked into watching this movie. I would love to hear your thoughts on the movies so far.

Emma

Review: LO'real Clay Masks

So as you guys are probably aware L'Oréal have released 3 different clay masks and I immediately wanted to try them. They come in a Red Algae Glow mask, a Charcoal Detox Mask and a Green Purity Mask.

 Now these three masks come in glass jars that give them a very elegant feel. Both the Purity and Detox mask have a very smooth formula, where as the Glow mask has a formula similar to an exfoliator.

The Glow mask is enriched with Red Algae for its brightening properties. This mask is best for brightening the skins with its exfoliating texture.

The Purity Mask is enriched with Eucalyptus for its purifying properties. This mask is best for giving you a matte looking skin.

The Detox mask is enriched with Black Charcoal to draw out impurities. This mask is best for cleansing the face and working deep into your pores.

One thing I love about these masks is that they can be used separately or altogether depending on what your skin needs. I will admit you could have some fun with the three colours and your face.

I loved putting these masks on for the fact of the different textures and two of them were really smooth. I used the purity mask on my forehead to combat the oils that I know can be there, the detox mask was used on my nose as that is where the most of my whiteheads are and finally the glow mask was used on my cheeks.

I left the mask on for 20 minutes and then rinsed it off. My face felt very smooth following the removal of the clay masks. They were easy to remove, just like any other mask.

I was very happy to hear the L'Oréal have now brought these face masks out in a face wash, which I cannot wait to try. Let me know if you have these in the comments and what you like.

Emma

Haul - Simply be Work out Clothes

So I recently joined the gym to try and get fitter as well as lose a little bit of weight. I had a few items but realised I needed a few more and like a sign from above I received an email from Simply Be giving me free delivery and 20% off. So I had to take advantage of this offer.

The first thing I brought were some sports bras. I already own the black and white one and find it extremely comfortable. So I had to get another one, then I came across this gorgeous pink with orange detail one. Now unlike the black one that does up in the back like a normal bra, the pink one has a zip in the front which I really adore.

Next I picked up some tops. I tend to lean towards long tops when I go to the gym, so when I found these long line vests, they seemed perfect. I picked the royal blue one as I tend to go towards the darker colours. However I saw the pack of two on there and I fell in love. It comes with a plain grey one and a white one with grey, and light green detailing that I found very pretty.

The last thing I decided to pick up was some bottoms, as I only seem to own some 3/4 length black leggings. The first pair I picked up was this grey cheetah patterned pair with a black strip going down the sides.  These have an elastic waist, which means they are super comfy and the material does stretch which is brilliant. The second pair of bottoms I pick up was a black pair with some colourful detailing down the sides. This pair also had a black mesh panelling on each leg.

I have been loving my new workout clothes, let me know in the comments what you like to wear when you work out.

Emma

DIY: Peppermint Body Scrub

So this year I decided to get a bit craftier and DIY a couple gifts, so when I found this DIY I knew that I needed to share this recipe with you guys!  This is a DIY Peppermint Sugar scrub!

So before we get into the ingredients of this Sugar scrub lets talk equipment. So you will need a big bowl, a measuring cup, a teaspoon, a table spoon, a small bowl and a storage jar. I found my glass jars in Asda, they were a pack of 3 for £3.50, so bargain!

So the Ingredients you need to make this scrub are:

1/2 Cup Coconut Oil

1 1/2-2 Cups of Sugar (I ended up using a mix of granulated and caster)

Peppermint Oil

Red Food Colouring (Optional)

So the first thing you need to do to make this scrub is mix your coconut oil and sugar together in your large bowl using a tablespoon. Now you can add more or less coconut oil depending on the consistency that you want your scrub to have. I simply used the amount in the recipe.

Once you have the desired consistency you need to add your peppermint oil. Now you can use as much or as little of the oil as you want, it is all down to personal preference and how strong you want your scrub scent to be. Once you have added the amount of oil that works for you, it's time to separate your mixture. Obviously if you don't want to add food dye to your scrub you can go ahead and skip this step. Now when adding the food colouring again it depends on the colour you would like.

My scrub turned out to be pink but it worked. Once you have the colour you like you need to scoop the scrub into your glass jar but you want to alternate between the two colours. This way you end up with this layered look.

So that's it! You now have a homemade peppermint scrub to use yourself or give as a gift.

Let me know in the comments if you try this recipe out and how it turned out!

Until Next Time

Emma

xx

DIY: Gingerbred Body Scrub

 So this year I decided to get a bit craftier and DIY a couple gifts, so when I found this DIY I knew that I needed to share this recipe with you guys!  This is a DIY Gingerbread Sugar scrub! Now I ended up making two of these and they smelt amazing!!

So before we get into the ingredients of this Sugar scrub lets talk equipment. So you will need a big bowl, a measuring cup, a teaspoon, a table spoon and a storage jar. I found my glass jars in Asda, they were a pack of 3 for £3.50, so bargain!

So the ingredients that you will need are as follows:

1 Cup of Sugar (I used granulated, caster works as well)

1 Cup of Brown Sugar ( I used light brown, but dark brown would work)

1/2 Cup of Coconut Oil

1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract

1/2tsp Cinnamon

1/2tsp All Spice

1/2tsp Ginger

1/2tsp Nutmeg

This recipe also stated that you needed 1/4 cup of almond oil, but I couldn't find this, so I didn't use it.

So the first thing you will want to do is put all the dry ingredients, everything except the Vanilla extract and coconut oil, in a bowl and mix using your tablespoon.

Then you want to add the vanilla extract. Once that is mixed in you want to gradually add the coconut oil, until your body scrub has reached your desired consistency. So you may use more or you may use less of that stated amount. I just used all the coconut oil.

Once your scrub has reached the consistency that you like, all you have to do is scoop it into the container that you have chosen.

That's it!! You now have a homemade Gingerbread body scrub. This makes the perfect gift or a little home made treat for your next pamper evening. I decided to give mine DIY as a gift and decorated by putting a gold bow on top and a bit of ribbon around it.

Let me know if you would like to see more DIY posts and what you think I should make next!

Until Next Time

Emma

xx

Review: Bella Bear 'Serval' Eyeliner Brush*

As you all know I have previously teamed up with Bella & Bear to bring you a review of there Pluckers tweezer set and there Make up Bag. So I was stoked to team up with their brand again and review one of their make up brushes.  As usual all opinions are my own and not influenced at all. I want to give you guys an honest review about the product.

They sent me their 'Serval' Eyeliner brush, now I will admit I was a bit skeptical because I have never been able to use Gel eyeliner, felt tip type eyeliners were my comfort zone. I tried using gel once and failed miserably!

The brush itself is about the thickness of a pen, which is brilliant as it means they are not too thin which I do not like. I find that a pen size brush or thicker gives more control of what you are doing, which you want when you are trying to do a spectacular cat eye! The bent end means you can get even closer and a better angle without your hand getting in the way of your mirror!! This eyeliner brush came in a cute box with Bella & Bear's Signature mint green/ bluish colour and the roses, which always remind me of vintage.

Now I will admit I failed at this before I even started, as when I went to try this brush out I realised I do not own any gel eyeliner! So I used the product from a mascara wand. It worked well, so bonus life hack!! Now like I said a felt tip eyeliner is where I am comfortable to use when doing my cat eye but I am a changed girl! This brush was so easy to use! I got close to my lash line and I think the resulting cat eye came out pretty good! Now I did find that I was having to go over the line but have a feeling that was more to do with using mascara instead of a gel eyeliner. Check out the results below!!

So I have fallen in love with this brush and its performance. My only question is how quick can I go buy some gel eyeliner! This brush made me feel like I could do something decent with my makeup. Now you know I am by no means a make up artist, a beginner is the best way to describe my experience. So if you are looking for a gift or a new eyeliner brush I would definitely recommend this one. Even for those who maybe are not that experienced with make up, this brush will help so much when it comes to the trouble of Gel eyeliner.

Let me know in the comments if you have this brush and what you think? Also let me know what Gel Eyeliners work best for you?

Until Next Time

Emma

xx