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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 ...

Better Off Wed by Portia Macintosh #Review

 

I am delighted to be on the tour for Portia Macintosh's latest romcom, Better Off Wed. It was published by Boldwood Books on 10th April.

 

Save the date...!

Olivia can’t believe it when her boyfriend, Teddy, proposes out of the blue. She loves him (of course she does!) BUT it does seem sudden, especially when they don’t even live together yet…

There is only one place that Olivia has ever wanted to get married - a gorgeous venue on the Cornish coast, built by her grandfather. The problem is they only have one date available - and it's only a few weeks away! Olivia isn't so sure about rushing but Teddy jumps at the chance to be married within the month.

Thrown into a whirlwind of wedding planning, alarm bells start to ring for Olivia. Are they doing this for the right reasons? Why is Teddy in such a rush? And when he fails to help with any part of the preparations, Olivia must find help elsewhere, with unexpected results...

As the countdown begins, will the wedding go ahead? Or will Olivia find that her future happiness lies elsewhere...?

My Thoughts

There are plenty of laughs in this romcom but they are never nasty. It is just a wry look at the lengths some brides will go to for their dream wedding. What shines through is the family feeling and genuine affection between the characters. The setting in Cornwall sounds idyllic but there are a few gentle digs at the 'influencers' who want to be married there 'for the social media views'. Olivia's family have a genuine reason for wanting to be married there and a family link back to the area.

    Olivia's job as a comedian fits in nicely to the story. I loved all her on purpose terrible jokes and her observations of what was going on in her life. You sense her doubts from early on, but I was never sure whether she would be swept along by events or actually face up to what she wanted. I think my favourite character was her mother, who seemed to never over react but who you always felt had a good idea as to what was going on. You couldn't have more of a contrast  with Olivia's future mother in law. This is a fun read with some great characters and plenty of humour. Enjoy!

In short: Love and laughter

About the Author

Portia MacIntosh is the bestselling author of over 20 romantic comedy novels. From disastrous dates to destination weddings, Portia’s romcoms are the perfect way to escape from day to day life, visiting sunny beaches in the summer and snowy villages at Christmas time. Whether it’s southern Italy or the Yorkshire coast, Portia’s stories are the holiday you’re craving, conveniently packed in between the pages.

Formerly a journalist, Portia has left the city, swapping the music biz for the moors, to live the (not so) quiet life with her husband and her dog in Yorkshire.

 

You can follow Portia here: Website  |  TwitterInstagram   |  Facebook  | Newsletter sign up  |  Bookbub 

Book link: Amazon UK 
 
 Thanks to Portia Macintosh, Boldwood Books, and Rachel of Rachels Random Resources  for copy of the book and a place on the tour. 

Check out the rest of the tour!
 

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