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Floating Solo by Shelley Wilson #Review

  Fancy taking a leisurely boat ride along a beautiful Warwickshire canal? Floating Solo by Shelley Wilson was published by Hillfield Publishing on November 5th. Are you single? Have you lost your confidence when it comes to travelling? Would you welcome a few weeks away to find that missing spark? Climb aboard the Creaky Cauldron for an adventure like no other! Budding entrepreneur Kat Sinclair wants to grow her quirky solo narrowboat holiday enterprise but faces rejection at every turn. Until a Hollywood film crew gets in touch with the potential to change her business, dreams, and love life forever. 'Enemies to lovers' 'Small town romance'   My Thoughts   You can't help but fall under the spell of life on the canals when you read this story. Kat has big dreams for her business but seems to lack confidence to put it into action. Her Floating Solo holidays are very successful for her clients and many use the experience to sort out their thoughts and plan their ...

Buttercups in the Basement by Jane Harvey #Review

 


I am delighted to feature Buttercups in the Basement, the second in Jane Harvey's Hummingbird House series, on the blog today.  

 1967: the summer of love and the year Betty moves into her first home.

Independent. Open. Inexperienced. She is excited to be living with her new husband, William, and committed to returning Hummingbird House to its former glory.

But when she invites captivating new tenants into her home and settles into married life, her world begins to transform in ways she could never have imagined.

She thought she was on a journey toward domesticity and devotion ā€“ but her experiences that summer prove to be anything but traditional.

Alternating between the1960s and the present day, Buttercups in the Basement is a delightful exploration of personal awakening, friendships ā€“ and what it means to be happy.

My Thoughts

This second in the series takes you back to 1967, when the owner of Hummingbird House was a young woman who bought the house.  I found Betty's early life to be very surprising. You alternate between her life as a newly married wife and the present day when she is quite elderly. She keeps a watching brief on her tenants and in the present day, you feel that she is desperate for them to live fulfilled lives and to avoid some of the mistakes she has seen in the past. She is such a kind and caring person but there is a certain sadness in her which is explained as the story develops.

    The story in the present day revisits the events of Book 1 but this time, you see them through Betty's eyes. In 1967, you see the different attitudes and values of the time and how they impact on people's lives, especially on women. Betty seems so innocent when you first meet her and her friendship with her first tenant brings her out of her shell. William, her husband, is an inscrutable character and some of his decisions will make your blood boil! I enjoyed Betty's relationship with her mother who saw more than she let on at times. As this is the second in the series, I am wondering how events will develop, especially given a certain unexpected twist at the end. With the past and present woven together, the pace of the story never falters and draws you into the characters' lives. 

In short: 1967 and all that...

About the Author


Jane Harvey is a pen name (shhh). She crafts fun fiction for the thinking woman, where she enjoys exploring unexpected friendships and writing happy endings. This is lucky, because in real life her (prize-winning) fiction is a little bleaker. She was born and raised on the island of Jersey, and lives with two males and a dog. She owns an admirable collection of animal vases and unusual lighting.

 You can follow Jane here: Instagram |  Facebook  |  Twitter 

Book links:  Amazon UK |   Amazon US

Thanks to Jane Harvey 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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