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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 ...

Starlight Cottage by K T Dady #Review #PepperBaySeriesBook1

 

Starlight Cottage is Book one in the Pepper Bay series by K T Dady. I am delighted to be on the tour to celebrate it, today. 


Welcome to Pepper Bay. A small close-knit community where you’ll find chocolate box cottages, quaint shops, drama, friendship, and love.

Snuggle down with this cosy, feel-good, comfort read that whisks you away to a beautiful bay on the Isle of Wight –Perfect for fans of Christie Barlow, Phillipa Ashley, and Holly Martin.

The Pepper Bay books are standalone stories that intertwine with recurring characters.

Starlight Cottage–Anna Cooper and Jake Reynolds both live at the luxury London building, River Heights. The only difference is that Jake lives in the penthouse, and Anna lives in a tent on the roof.

When Jake finds out, he offers Anna a chance of a new life in his grandmother’s childhood home in Pepper Bay, and she decides to take the opportunity to see if she really can make a fresh start somewhere else.

The beauty of Pepper Bay, with its quaint shops, chocolate box cottages, and all of Jake’s closest friends, immediately fills Anna’s heart with nothing but love, and it isn’t just Starlight Cottage that she finds herself falling in love with.


 My Thoughts

This is a great introduction to a new series, with several potential characters set up for subsequent novels. This first one introduces you to Pepper Bay, set on the Isle of Wight, and centres on Jake and Anna's story. It is a lovely, uplifting story to take you into Autumn, culminating with a few Christmassy scenes to get you in the mood for what is to come! Anna and Jake have their own pasts which have left their imprint on their mental health and they have some difficult issues to begin to come to terms with. They could not come from two more different backgrounds. Jake is privileged, Anna from a care background but they begin to see that they have quite a lot in common.

    Family and friends are at the centre of the story. The community of Pepper Bay is so enticing and who wouldn't want to stay in this delightful place? With such a welcome and kindness from the locals, Anna sees the chance for a new life but it remains to be seen whether she can take the risk and the opportunities. This is a heart-warming read which has some lovely references to reading and romance novels which connect the reader to the story. You are also given alternating chapters from Anna and Jake's point of view and I especially liked glimpsing those unspoken thoughts which tell you so much. 

In short: Second chances in the beautiful Pepper Bay

About the Author 

 


Author, reader, mum, chocolate lover, and a huge fan of a HEA. I was born and raised in the East End of London, and I’ve been happily writing stories since I was a little girl. When I’m not writing, I’m baking cakes or pottering around in my little garden in Essex, trying not to killthe flowers. I’m the author of contemporary romance, middle-grade, and the thought-provoking thriller about mental illness, The Focus Program.

You can follow K T Dady here: Website  |  Twitter   |  Instagram

Book links: Amazon UK   |  Amazon US

Thanks to K T Dady and Rachel of Rachel's Random Resources  for a copy of the book and a place on the tour.  

Check out the rest of the tour!


 

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