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The Forever Cottage by Jill Steeples #Review

  Having enjoyed Jill Steeples' Primrose Wood series, I am delighted to feature the first in her latest series set in the Cotswolds, The Forever Cottage . It was published by Boldwood Books on June 19th.   It's never too late to change your story... Tess Alexander lives an enviable life with her husband Charles, at Hollyhocks Cottage in the idyllic Cotswold village of Lower Leaping. Dreaming of their early retirement, Tess’s plans are dashed when Charles shares some devastating news and suddenly she’s left alone with only Barney, her adorable Beagle dog, for company. Facing an uncertain future, Tess tries to reconnect with her old self. She begins to transform the neglected garden office into a beautiful retreat, the perfect spot for her to indulge in her long-forgotten creative passions. However, a chance encounter with charming but down on his luck, Rob Templeton, soon puts pay to her plans, when she offers him the place to stay instead, sensing a kindred spirit. ...

Twice in a Lifetime by Helga Jensen #Review

 I am delighted to be taking part in the celebrations for the publication of Helga Jensen's debut novel, Twice in a Lifetime. It was published on June 23rd by Hera Books.

Amelia might have met The One. But is she twenty years too late?


After her husband left her out of the blue, the only relationship 45-year-old Amelia Simpson has enjoyed recently is with Nutella and Pinot Grigio. While her 8-year-old twin boys, Jasper and Rupert, keep her busy, Amelia dreams of a life more than washing muddy rugby kits and weekly chats with best friends Sian and Jamie.

Amelia needs some magic back in her life – but magic seems in short supply in her small Welsh village. So when she finds the phone number that was given to her twenty years ago by a handsome stranger in New York, Amelia wonders whether he might be The One That Got Away.

But when Sian takes matters into her own hands, launching a worldwide hunt to find the handsome stranger Amelia met outside Tiffany’s two decades ago, Amelia finds herself on a flight to the Big Apple to reconnect with her ‘Perfect Pierre’.

But as the two explore the sights of NYC, has Amelia reconnected with The One? Or will she discover that the sparkle she was missing is actually closer to home?

A funny, relatable romcom about second chances that fans of Kathryn Freeman and Sophie Ranald will love.


 My Thoughts

It took me a few chapters to key into the humour and the tone of this book but once I did, I found it thoroughly enjoyable. To be sure, Amelia seems a little slow on the uptake for most of the story, and I sometimes felt like shaking her but she emerged as a distinctive character with some credible character traits. In short, she came alve in its pages. 

    It is very much a book about second chances and taking a fresh perspective on life. Once Amelia had found the confidence to take a risk, things started to change for her. It is quite refreshing to have a slightly older central character and there is so much humour to be had from her nearest and dearest, especially her miserly ex-husband and his self -involved new partner. Of course, Amelia is not the only strong character in the book. Her best friends, Sian has got personality in spades and could carry her own novel, I am sure. This is a plot with plenty going on which carries right to the end with a smile on your face.

In short:  Can Amelia find love a second time around?

About the Author


Helga Jensen is a freelance journalist, of mixed Danish and Welsh parentage. Twice in a Lifetime is her debut novel, and the first chapter was a winning entry at the Emirates Literature Festival in Dubai in 2017.

You can follow Helga here: Twitter

Book links: Amazon UK   ||  Kobo  |  Apple 

Thanks to Helga Jensen, Hera Books and Rachel of Rachel's Random Resources for a copy of the book and a place on the tour. 

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