Skip to main content

Featured

Second Chances at Hollyhock Farm by Georgina Troy #Review #HollyhockFarmBook2

  Welcome back to the blog to Georgina Troy for another in her Hollyhock Farm series. Second Chances at Hollyhock Farm was published by Boldwood Books on November 7th and takes us back to beautiful Jersey.   Festival season has come to Hollyhock Farm… Since his sister Lettie took over their parents' farm on the beautiful island of Jersey at the start of the year, Zac Torel's life has changed completely. Zac loves Hollyhock Farm, and he's determined to help Lettie succeed, but when their insurance company refuses to pay for the restoration of one of their barns in time for winter, the clock is ticking for the Torrels to raise the money themselves. The siblings decide to host a wellness festival, but with the summer already well underway, they've got their work cut out to get everything ready before the season ends. Lettie recruits the help of Melody, a yoga teacher from Edinburgh. New to the island, Melody is determined to shake things up and make a success o

The Bistro by Watersmeet Bridge by Julie Stock #Review #Giveaway

I am delighted to be taking part in the celebrations for the publication of Julie Stock's novel, The Bistro in Watersmeet Bridge. There is also a great Giveaway to enter- details are at the foot of this post.


When Olivia goes to manage Finn's failing bistro, will they end up sharing a table for two, or will it be a recipe for disaster?


Olivia Fuller longs to manage one of the restaurants in her father’s chain and to break free to live the independent life she’s wanted for so long. When her father finally puts his trust in her and sends her to a failing restaurant in Devon, she’s confident she can prove herself capable of doing the job.

Finn Anderson is about to lose his beloved seaside bistro, unless the bank can find a buyer to dig him out. When George Fuller offers Finn a deal, he has no choice but to accept if he wants any chance of getting his bistro back one day. And then the new manager arrives…

Even after meeting the prickly chef and discovering his complete lack of business skills, Olivia is confident she can turn the struggling business round. But as Olivia and Finn start working together, a mutual attraction develops between them, and soon, nothing is going according to Olivia’s plan. 
 
When there’s a real chance that the bistro might be sold off, Olivia and Finn determine to fight for it, united by their hard work and their growing feelings for each other.


But can they save the bistro and be together, or does destiny have a different path in mind?


A feel-good contemporary romance set in a bistro beside the sea in Devon.



 My Thoughts

This is a well crafted romance with some likeable and relatable characters who create a warm and welcoming community which you would like to be part of. Of course not everyone in the story is sympathetic and there are some who seem to be motivated by greed and the desire to do better than the next man. However, you tend to feel, as Olivia does, that the bistro represents a safe haven away from the corporate world which has dominated Olivia's life for so long. 
    Olivia, you soon realise, has her own independent streak and the desire to prove herself. However, the fact that her father is her boss who has brought her up for most of her life, points you to the fact that there is more to her desire to succeed than just to climb the greasy pole. I must say, I loved the bistro setting and Finn is such an appealing character that I was soon drawn into the story and rooting for him to keep the bistro afloat. 

    With a cast of characters who you would love to meet and a gorgeous Devon setting, this has all the ingredients for a great holiday read.

In short:A story to bring a smile, full of Devonshire charm.

About the Author


Julie Stock writes contemporary feel-good romance from around the world: novels, novellas and short stories. She published her debut novel, From Here to Nashville, in February 2015 and her second novel, The Vineyard in Alsace in March 2017. Over You (Sam's Story) and Finding You (Jenna's Story), her follow-up novellas to From Here to Nashville were published in 2018, making the From Here to You series complete. She has also published a boxed set of the From Here to You trilogy of books. Julie’s next novel, The Bistro by Watersmeet Bridge, will be out in summer 2019. If you'd like to sign up to her newsletter list, you can do so here. As a thank you, you'll be able to download Before You, the prequel story to the From Here to You series, for free.


You can connect with Julie via her Website, on Twitter, via her Facebook Author Page, and on Instagram. Julie is a member of the Romantic Novelists' Association and The Society of Authors.

When she is not writing, she works in communications. She is married and lives with her family in Bedfordshire in the UK.

Book links: Amazon US   |  Amazon UK

Thanks to Julie Stock 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!


Giveaway ( UK only)


To win a signed copy of The Bistro by Watersmeet Bridge and goodies (UK Only) ust follow the link below and good luck! 

The prize will contain
             Signed paperback,
             Notebook with front cover on
             Postcard magnet with front cover on
             Bookmark with front cover on
             Bag of Devon fudge 

*Terms and Conditions –UK 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.





a Rafflecopter giveaway

Comments

  1. Thanks so much, Pam, for reading and reviewing The Bistro by Watersmeet Bridge, and for hosting me on your lovely blog. I'm so glad you enjoyed reading The Bistro, and really appreciate your kind words.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment