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Summer Secrets at Duck Pond Cottage by Della Galton #DuckPondCottageBook2 #Review #PublicationDay

  I am loving returning to the Duck Pond Cottage series by Della Galton . Summer Secrets at Duck Pond Cottage is published today by Boldwood Books on February 22nd.   Can love conquer all? Jade and Finn are idyllically happy in their little corner of rural Wiltshire. A rescue centre jampacked with animals keeps them super busy. With Finn’s art going from strength to strength, Jade can’t believe they’re living the dream until an arrogant property developer with questionable motives jeopardises their perfect lives and the future plans of the rescue centre. Jade and Finn both have trust issues and they’ve promised there’ll be no more secrets. But keeping promises is harder than either of them imagined, especially where Finn’s past is concerned. Living with Mr Spock the potty-mouthed parrot and Mickey the dog who barks at TV baddies there's never a dull moment at Duck Pond Rescue. But will the humans get their ‘happy-ever-after’ too? Can they lay the ghosts of the ...

Eve's Christmas by Julie Butterfield #Review #Giveaway


 What a treat to be taking part in the blog blitz for Julie Butterfield's festive read, Eve's Christmas. There is also the chance to win a paperback copy of the book. Details on how to enter are at the foot of this post.
 
Working for a department store where Christmas arrives in August, Eve prefers her own festivities to be low key with nothing more complicated than an oven ready turkey and frozen peas while she spends the day in her pyjamas. Unfortunately, this year her husband has invited his best friend to visit, the glamorous and sophisticated Abby, and Eve reluctantly decides that she needs to inject a little sparkle into their laid back and slightly shabby Christmas.  So the celebrations are upgraded to include champagne and canapes along with homemade gravy and organic turkey and plans are made for a Christmas that looks as though it has emerged from the pages of a glossy magazine. 

But even the best laid plans can go wrong and as Eve struggles with her mini Yorkshire puddings and an interfering cat, she is suddenly faced with an unexpected guest and an explosive secret that threatens to put her vision of a perfect Christmas in jeopardy.

My Thoughts

This is great fun and just right to read during the run-up to Christmas. Eve is totally relatable as the working mother who gets sucked into the idea of having to provide 'the perfect Christmas' whether her family wants it or not. Every article you have ever read on festive timetables, recipes, jolly activities and putting on the ultimate Christmas show come to mind as you follow Eve's tale. I particularly appreciated Eve's daughter, Alice, who loomed like the spectre at the feast, injecting realism into the proceedings with her facts about the evils which Eve was inflicting on the environment with her profligate, Christmas over-indulgences. 

    I was waiting for Abby, the unwanted guest to arrive and she did not let me down with her self-centred attitude and one- upmanship. Everyone could do with her Christmas basket which dispensed shop bought goodies but you totally felt Eve's pain as her efforts were cast aside. What emerges from the proceedings is a tongue in cheek look at consumerism and the feeling that genuine, down to earth family time trumps the manufactured extravaganza, every time.

In short: Festive cheer turned up to Mach 2. 

About the Author



Julie Butterfield belongs to the rather large group of 'always wanted to write' authors who finally found the time to sit down and put pen to paper - or rather fingers to keyboard.

She wrote her first book purely for pleasure and was very surprised to discover that so many people enjoyed the story and wanted more, so she decided to carry on writing.
It has to be pointed out that her first novel, 'Did I Mention I Won The Lottery' is a complete work of fiction and she did not, in fact, receive millions in her bank account and forget to mention it to her husband - even though he still asks her every day if she has anything to tell him!

You can follow Julie here: Twitter  |  Website

Book links:  Amazon UK   |  Amazon US

Thanks to Julie Butterfield and Rachel of Rachel's Random Resources  for a copy of the book and a place on the event.  



Giveaway (UK only)

 


 To win a paperback copy of Eve's Christmas, just follow the link below and good luck!


*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.


 

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