We are returning to France for another great summer read by Gillian Harvey . The Village Cafe in the Loire was published by Boldwood on July 12th. High-flyer Becky Thorne cannot believe what she’s being told. She doesn’t need to be signed off for burnout! Life has been a bit chaotic lately, that’s all. As if dealing with her enviable job and permanent meddling from her mother aren’t enough, she’s also inherited a café in the Loire from an estranged great-aunt, complete with sitting tenant who refuses to budge. But nobody stands in Becky’s way! Ignoring her best friend Amber’s advice, she decides to storm over to France and sort the tenant out. Then she can finally get the café sold and jump back on the career ladder. What she doesn’t count on is the tenant being Pascale, who is six feet of tall, dark, handsome and extremely grumpy about her plans for change. Not to mention the village and the secrets it holds about her past. Becky’s path to succes...
Island in the Sun by Janice Horton #Review
When successful jewellery designer Isla Ashton unexpectedly inherits her eccentric Aunt Kate’s Caribbean island, she is obligated to return to the place she associates with heartache and regret. To where she grew up and fell in love with her childhood friend, Leo Fernandez. Fully intent on selling the island and finally putting the past behind her, Isla is soon compelled to put together the pieces of what really happened on a fateful night ten-years before. She begins to believe that in going to prison, Leo hadn’t only been shielding her from the same fate. She also starts to suspect that her late Aunt hadn’t been entirely honest in sending her away under the guise of recriminations. Who had they both been protecting and why?
My Thoughts
This has a truly escapist, exotic setting and is full of the flavours of smuggling, pirates, deserted islands, sunshine, treasure wrecks and romance. Written mainly through Isla's eyes, you also get to travel back through the decades to read Kate's story through her journals. It is an effective structure which moves the story along nicely, as events in the past cast light on the characters we have met.
The most intriguing of the characters is Kate whose death has been the catalyst for Isla's return to the island. Initially full of anger and resentment, Isla has to re-evaluate past events as she learns more about some hidden secrets. Full of brilliant sunshine and sparkling seas, you feel as though you dive into the story.
In short: Caribbean romance and adventure combines to make a lovely read.
About the Author
Janice
Horton, also affectionately known as the backpacking housewife, writes
contemporary romantic fiction with a dash of humour and a sense of adventure.
Once her three children had grown up, Janice and her backpacking husband sold
their empty nest in Scotland UK along with almost everything they owned and set
off to travel the world. Since then they have been traveling full-time and have
explored over 50 countries, living out of an apartment, a hut, or wherever they
happen to find themselves.
Janice
works as a writer wherever she is in the world. When not writing bestselling
romantic adventure novels, she writes lifestyle and travel features for her
website and her work has featured in national and international magazines like
‘Prima’ in the UK and ‘Friday’ in Dubai. She has also been involved in BBC
Scotland’s Write Here Write Now project and has been interviewed on many
podcasts and radio shows including Loose Women’s Kaye Adams’ prime time BBC
Radio Scotland Show.
Book links: Amazon UK
Thanks to Janice and Rachel of Rachel's Random Resources for a copy of the book and a place on the tour.
Check out the rest of the tour!
Thank you so much Marianne for reading and reviewing and being part of the Island in the Sun blog tour - and for kicking it off today too. I'm delighted you enjoyed reading the book!
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