Skip to main content

Featured

The Burning Stones by Antti Tuomainen translated by Don Bartlett #Review #Giveaway

I am delighted to be taking part in the celebrations for the paperback launch of   Antti Tuomainen's  The Burning Stones. I am happy to repost my original review for the hardback edition and to offer a great giveaway of a printed copy of The Burning Stones . Details on how to enter are at the foot of this post.   Saunas, love and a ladleful of murder…   A cold-blooded killer strikes at the hottest moment: the new head of a sauna-stove company is murdered … in the sauna. Who has turned up the temperature and burned him to death?   The evidence points in the direction of Anni Korpinen – top salesperson and the victim’s successor at Steam Devil.   And as if hitting middle-age, being in a marriage that has lost its purpose, and struggling with work weren’t enough, Anni realizes that she must be quicker than both the police and the murderer to uncover who is behind it all – before it’s too late…   From the international bestselling auth...

You Make It Feel Like Christmas by Louise Marley #Review

 

 Another festive read you might want to consider is You make it feel like Christmas by Louise Marley. 

The only thing preventing Beth’s perfect family Christmas? Her family!

Television presenter Agatha Holly has built her career on telling viewers how to have the perfect Christmas. A Holly Jolly Christmas has been screened every December for twenty years and her entire family are involved, including her daughter Beth—the unwilling star of a thousand memes and gifs. But Beth has finally had enough of public ridicule. All she’s ever wanted is a traditional family Christmas away from the television cameras. If she can’t persuade her family to change, should she consider celebrating Christmas without them?

My Thoughts

This is a tale of two families and in particular, two pairs of siblings. It is an entertaining look at how Christmas can be packaged up and how the effects of being under the media spotlight can be harmful. Despite her family's marketing of their Christmas, Beth has hated the ridicule she has suffered but at the same time, longed for a traditional warm and cosy, unspoilt family Christmas. Other members of her family have become driven to keep the family programme alive. Meanwhile, brothers Aiden and Nick have struggled to communicate since the death of their parents. You discover that not all the assumptions you may make about them are true.

    There are lots of romcom moments in this story with some wry dialogue and over the top happenings.  What shines through however, is family affection and friendship. You also get to see all the Christmas trimmings- log fires, Christmas trees, snowy hillsides, holly and mistletoe and to bathe in some of the feelgood episodes which are created. You get the message loud and clear that it is People who make Christmas, not things.

In short: A fun festive read.

 

About the Author

 


Louise Marley writes murder mysteries and romantic comedies. She is lucky enough to live in a village where there is a famous library and TWO ruined castles. (Her husband still thinks they moved there by accident).

Her first published novel was Smoke Gets in Your Eyes, which was a finalist in Poolbeg's 'Write a Bestseller' competition. She has also written articles for the Irish press and short stories for women's magazines such as Take a Break and My Weekly. Previously, Louise worked as a civilian administrative officer for the police.

Louise's books have spent a total of 7 months in the Amazon Top 100 (UK). Three of her books have been #1 bestsellers in Romantic Suspense and Smoke Gets in Your Eyes was #1 in Romance.

You can follow Louise here: Website  |  Amazon Author Page UK 

  |  Amazon Author Page US  |  Twitter   |  Blog  |  Facebook 

  |  Facebook (page) |  Instagram   |  Goodreads    |  Pinterest

Book links:  Amazon UK  |  Amazon US

Thanks to Louise Marley 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

Popular Posts