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The Castle in the Bay by Margaret Amatt #Review #BarraSeriesBook1

  We are travelling to the beautiful island of Barra for Margaret Amatt's new Barra Series, The Castle in the Bay. The first in this new series was published on 12th April by Leannan Press .   What if the castle has the key to mend their broken hearts? After a miserable few years, fun-loving Iona McKenzie tossed her corporate job to the wind, swore off long-term relationships, and escaped to the Hebridean island of Barra to teach water sports. Recently dumped by an ex who labelled him 'boring', Monty MacNeil is having a tough time. When he's tasked with carrying out his late father’s last request to scatter his ashes at Kisimul Castle – the famous castle in the bay – he doesn't expect his trip to Barra to begin by running smack bang into a feisty and gorgeous woman, knocking her off her bike, and almost dropping his father’s urn into the sea. Iona turns out to be the person he needs to take him over to the castle, but Monty soon sees another way she ca...

The Llama Farm on New Moon Lane by Laura Briggs #Review #Giveaway

I am delighted to feature another story by Laura Briggs, The Llama Farm on New Moon Lane. There is also a great international giveaway and the chance to win an e-copy of the book. For details on how to enter, see the foot of this post.


Young and quiet, Lucy Granger leads an introverted life in Reading, living in a flat and working in design at a graphics company—until it is upended when she both sells her idea for a mobile game and suffers an unexpected medical diagnosis shortly afterwards.

Facing a mandated medical rest period, she decides to use her windfall earnings to take a year's holiday, renting a farm on New Moon Lane in a country village in Yorkshire. As Lucy settles into her holiday home for some tranquility, she soon learns that she is not the only tenant, when a llama named Llarry strolls out of the farm's supposedly-derelict barn. He is shortly followed by others in a menagerie of abandoned animals left behind—from a sickly donkey who likes eating crisps to a flirtatious cockerel sleeping in the back garden.

To Lucy's consternation, no one is willing or able to take them on, leaving her with a strange mix of furry and feathered friends to find homes for. Reluctantly adapting to her circumstances in order to deal with this problem, Lucy will discover other surprises about the animals in her care, and the place she is temporarily calling home. About herself, as well.

Will her ordinary life ever be the same after her experience on New Moon Lane? More importantly, should she really want it to be?


 My Thoughts

This is a good introduction to the farm on Half Moon lane and establishes a range of characters, some of whom happen to be animals. I enjoyed how Lucy’s IT work and her creativity grew as she looked at the environment around her rather tumbledown home. 

    Lucy is an interesting character who has an unspecified social anxiety and is never sure how to relate to the people she meets. She has learnt how to respond to people’s social cues, when she can interpret them and at other times, withdraws into her inner creative world. This is in contrast to the obvious disability of the little boy who visits the llamas which she has acquired. Some, such as the vet, seem to pick up on Lucy’s hidden disability. Others do not notice. This is a warm and gentle story which shows how Lucy adapts her life to her new surroundings and begins to flourish.

In short: gentle humour 



About the Author

Laura Briggs is the author of several feel-good romance reads, including the Top 100 Amazon UK seller 'A Wedding in Cornwall'. She has a fondness for vintage style dresses (especially ones with polka dots), and reads everything from Jane Austen to modern day mysteries. When she's not writing, she enjoys spending time with family and friends, caring for her pets, gardening, and seeing the occasional movie or play.

You can follow Laura here: Facebook   |  Twitter 


Book links


Thanks to Laura Briggs and Rachel of Rachel's Random Resources 
for a copy of the book and a place on the event. 

 


 Giveaway (International)


 

 

Win an e-copy of The Llama Farm on New Moon Lane (Open Internationally) To enter, follow the link below and good luck!

*Terms and Conditions –Worldwide entries welcome.  Please enter using the Rafflecopter box below.  The winner will be selected at random via Rafflecopter from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then Rachel’s Random Resources reserves the right to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over.  Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. This will passed to the giveaway organiser and used only for fulfilment of the prize, after which time Rachel’s Random Resources will delete the data.  I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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