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His Last Christmas Gift by Debra Borchert #Review

    His Last Christmas Gift by Debra Borchert will take you to a different country and season. It was published by Le Vin Press on 1st November 2025. Widowed, fired, and 50, Claire is one hot mess. This later in life romance hits like a snowball packed with grief and hope and mystery and the kind of second-chance that says, “I didn’t think I’d ever feel this again, and now I’m terrified, but… Hi.” Romance that’s frost melting off a windowpane. It’s “I forgot my heart could do this.” It’s love doesn’t have an expiration date. Twinkly lights, mulled wine and flaming crêpes so immerse you in Christmas markets—you’ll book a flight to France before the fares go up. A book club fiction favourite, Claire’s journey of self-discovery is perfect for fans of women’s fiction and stories about strong women over 50 navigating reinvention with inspiration, humour, with a delicious frosting of romance. “Give yourself the gift of a lush, romantic, French adventure and be swept away ...

One Summer in Rome by Samantha Tonge **Review**

It is great to be taking part in the Publication Day celebrations for Samantha Tonge's latest novel, One Summer in Rome.
 

To Rome…with love?

Mary Smith is turning her very ordinary life upside-down! She’s bought herself a one-way ticket to Rome and is ready for a summer she’ll never forget.

Men might be off the cards for waitress Mary, but within hours of arriving at the utterly charming family-run La Dolce Vita pizzeria, she’s already fallen in love with the bustling capital!

Only Dante Rossi, the mysterious (and drop-dead gorgeous) chef seems displeased with her arrival. And in the heat of the kitchen, it doesn’t take long for long-buried secrets to surface and sparks to fly…

The publishers, HQ Digital describe it as:
 
A deliciously heartwarming romance to have you dreaming of summer. Perfect for fans of Debbie Johnson and Caroline Roberts.


My Thoughts

Beautiful Rome stands mighty behind every chapter in One Summer in Rome. You can sense the sounds, sights and smells of the great city. There is a real sensual side to the story partly because of one particular character,who will remain nameless. Mary travels to Rome, looking for acceptance and love which she has never really felt before. She has an interesting childhood which gives the story a contemporary feel and which makes you understand why she reacts the way she does in certain situations. 

The people she meets in La Dolce Vita pizzeria are all intriguing in their own way and there is a lot going on beneath the surface as you later discover. There are some warm characters who show Mary kindness and open her eyes to a sense of belonging, which she longs to share in. Acceptance and rejection, feeling that you are not really wanted and facing up to a few home truths- these are some of the themes which you uncover along the way.  It is a perfect book to relax with on a sunny afternoon. 

In short: Take a Roman Holiday and escape into this italian romance.
    
About the Author



Samantha Tonge lives in Cheshire with her lovely family and a cat who thinks it’s a dog. When not writing she spends her days cycling, willing cakes to rise and avoiding housework. She has sold over 80 short stories to women’s magazines. Her bestselling debut novel, Doubting Abbey, was shortlisted for the Festival of Romantic Fiction best Ebook award in 2014. Game of Scones hit #5 in the UK Kindle chart and won the Best Romantic Ebook category at the 2015 Love Stories Awards.

You can follow Samantha here: Twitter   |  Facebook   |  Website

Book links: Amazon UK 

Thanks to Samantha Tonge, HQ Digital and Rachel of  Rachel's Random Resources for a copy of the book and a place on the tour.  




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