Skip to main content

Featured

See the Stars by Eleanor Ray #Review

  See the Stars by Eleanor Ray will be  published on February 5th 2026 by Piatkus .  Do you ever feel that life isn't going to plan?   When Alice Thorington collapses in the street after a particularly hellish day at work, she must finally admit to herself that her outwardly happy life - steady relationship, well-paid job, beautiful flat in the city - isn't everything she'd hoped it would be. Burnt out by long hours and living a life that doesn't fulfil her dreams, Alice returns home to Yorkshire.  Her childhood home brings complicated family dynamics, a rediscovery of her passion for stargazing and two new friends: Berti, a boy who finds it easier to count the stars than interact with people, and Matt, her brother's best friend and Alice's teenage crush. With each of them facing their own struggles, can the stars that meant so much to Alice in her past help them to find their way in the present?  Filled with heart and warmth, this uplifting novel...

Daisy's Christmas Gift Shop by Hannah Pearl #Review


I am delighted to be featuring Daisy's Christmas Gift Shop on the blog today, on the first day of its festive blog tour. 
 
Struggling to find the perfect Christmas gift? Step into Romantic Daze … 


Daisy Kirk is a sucker for a love story, which is why she opened up her gift shop – because there’s nothing that makes Daisy happier than when she’s helped a customer achieve their own ‘happily ever after’ by finding the perfect Christmas gift for their loved one. And she absolutely does not just sell ‘soppy presents and frilly pants’ as her brother’s infuriating best friend, Eli, is so fond of suggesting.  


The sad fact is that whilst Daisy is helping others with their love lives, hers is non-existent. But when unusual circumstances take Daisy and Eli on a road trip from London to rural Wales, will she finally get the happily ever after to her own Christmas love story? 


My Thoughts

This festive read is great fun with its varied cast of characters and amusing moments. Daisy herself is a likeable and sympathetic character who is a kind and thoughtful central character. Her shop reflects her personality and her desire to make people happy. Daisy's customers in the shop are a delight and bring out her kindness. Her relationship with her brother rings true and I like the way his character is slowly revealed to us. He has challenges in his life but at work, these are turned into positives.

    Another strength of the book is the pacing of the story. It moves through at a good speed and this kept me reading and anticipating what was going to happen next. Full of the happiness of the season, this is a book which welcomes you in with that feelgood feeling. 

In short: Fun and festive
      
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.

You can follow Hannah here: Blog   |  Twitter

Book links: Kindle UK  |  Kindle US   |  Apple Books   |  Nook  

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. 

                                                               Follow the rest of the tour!


Comments

Popular Posts