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...
It's My Birthday by Hannah Pearl #Review
Welcome to today's blog and Hannah Pearl's It's my Birthday. This contemporary romance was published by Ruby Fiction on March 19th.
It's My Birthday
... I'll cry if I want to.
Oh boy, another birthday …
Karen could be excused for crying on her birthday,
especially as it’s the first one since her husband got on a plane to the States
and never came back. Then there’s the fact that her workmates were practically
bribed to attend her birthday meal. But when a restaurant double booking leads
to her sharing a table with single dad Elliot and his daughter, things start
looking up.
As Karen gets to know Elliot she experiences feelings she
thought she’d never have again. But is it enough? Or will the thing that destroyed
Karen’s previous relationship also ruin things with Elliot?
My Thoughts
This is a diverting romance which I read in one sitting and thoroughly enjoyed. It is always refreshing to read stories which centre around slightly more mature characters and as both Karen and Elliot share a fortieth birthday, this means that they both have previous lives which impact on any future relationship.
There are some serious issues bubbling in the background of the story. Childlessness, adoption, child neglect, abandonment all are there to be found as well as the difficulties which one parent families face as the sole parent. So it certainly is not a pink, fluffy kind of story although its tone is light and there is plenty of love and romance to be found. Elliot has plenty of his own issues as he faces an empty nest without his teenage daughter and I found the references to the effect his challenging job has had on his life and family added credibility and depth.
In short: A romance full of emotion and thought.
About the Author
Hannah Pearl was born in East London. She is married with
two children and now lives in Cambridge.
She has previously worked as a Criminology researcher, as a
Development Worker with various charities and even pulled a few pints in her
time.
In 2015 she was struck down by Labrynthitis, which left her
feeling dizzy and virtually housebound. She has since been diagnosed with ME.
Reading has allowed Hannah to escape from the reality of feeling ill. She read
upwards of three hundred books during the first year of her illness. When her
burgeoning eReader addiction grew to be too expensive, she decided to have a go
at writing. In 2017 she won Simon and Schuster's Books and the City #heatseeker
short story competition, in partnership with Heat magazine, for her short story
The Last Good Day.
Hannah is a member of the Romantic Novelists Association.
Thanks to Hannah Pearl, Ruby Fiction and Rachel of Rachel's Random Resources for a copy of the book and a place on the tour.
Check out these great bloggers!
Comments
Post a Comment