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His Last Christmas Gift by Debra Borchert #Review

    His Last Christmas Gift by Debra Borchert will take you to a different country and season. It was published by Le Vin Press on 1st November 2025. Widowed, fired, and 50, Claire is one hot mess. This later in life romance hits like a snowball packed with grief and hope and mystery and the kind of second-chance that says, “I didn’t think I’d ever feel this again, and now I’m terrified, but… Hi.” Romance that’s frost melting off a windowpane. It’s “I forgot my heart could do this.” It’s love doesn’t have an expiration date. Twinkly lights, mulled wine and flaming crêpes so immerse you in Christmas markets—you’ll book a flight to France before the fares go up. A book club fiction favourite, Claire’s journey of self-discovery is perfect for fans of women’s fiction and stories about strong women over 50 navigating reinvention with inspiration, humour, with a delicious frosting of romance. “Give yourself the gift of a lush, romantic, French adventure and be swept away ...

Colouring Outside the Lines by Amanda Paull #Review #CherryDeneBook3

 

Today's book, Colouring Outside the Lines by Amanda Paull is the third book in the Cherry Dene series.


Meet Katie: she’s about to marry the most wonderful man in the world. The planning is done, the checklist is
checked. The future is set.

Having spent her twenties and thirties enjoying life with good friends, and building a career she loves, it’s taken Katie until her forties to contemplate settling down. And she couldn’t be more delighted she waited.

So, why is her perfect groom standing gawping at her, wearing mismatched socks and sweating buckets? This can’t bode well.

With her special day in tatters, Katie has a decision to make. Does she snatch back the reigns of her old life, and tighten her grip even more? Or should she take a chance on change? Will she find the key to happiness at a Pilates class in a smelly old hall? Or is the curve ball heading her way too huge to handle?

If you like British humour and a flawed protagonist on an emotional journey, you’ll enjoy reading Amanda Paull’s latest novel, Colouring Outside the Lines – a heart-warming tale of shattered dreams, self-discovery and finding true love where you least expect it.


 My Thoughts

Real life versus the idealised version of romance which is to be found in romcoms is the central idea in Amanda Paull's romance. Katie seems to have everything on target to marry and all her checklists have been double checked. She thinks she has sorted out her life and is set for an uneventful if unexciting marriage. However, there are some revelations coming her way and she has to face up to some truths about what she actually wants.

    I found the humour in the book to be quite visual. You can see the events unfolding. Katie's family also made me smile, with her mother in particular causing a degree of mayhem. Despite her organisation, Katie's life seems to descend into chaos, not helped by her family but in the end, I found it to be an endearing story, mostly because of the character of Katie herself.

In short: Can lists and check sheets sort out Katie's messy life? 

About the Author


Amanda Paull grew up in the North East of England and couldn't wait to move away. However, after studying and then living both in England and abroad, she returned to the North East and wouldn't dream of living anywhere else now.

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After a short career in teaching, she retrained as a nurse. She recently retired from her post as a Sleep Nurse Specialist and now spends her time writing Women’s Fiction novels and Romantic Comedy short stories. 

You can follow Amanda here:  Website  |  Twitter  |   Facebook

Book link:  Amazon UK  |  Goodreads

 Thanks to Amanda Paull and Rachel of Rachel's Random Resources for a copy of the book and a place on the tour.  

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