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Fireworks at Pennycress Inn by Sarah Hope #Review PennycressInnSeriesBook3

  I am delighted to feature another in  The Pennycress Inn Series  by Sarah Hope . The third in the series,  Fireworks at Pennycress Inn is published today by Boldwood Books on November 13th. You can read my review of  Welcome to Pennycress Inn   here  and Falling in Love at Pennycress Inn  here .    🍂 Sparks are flying in more ways than one... After years of juggling teaching with volunteering, Polly is finally ready for a change. When she lands her dream job at Meadowfield Nature Reserve – with the promise of a promotion in three months’ time – she trades in the stress of the classroom for the beautiful autumn days of the Cotswolds countryside. Pennycress Inn is the perfect base for her fresh start: charming, cosy and filled with friendly faces. But everything changes when Zac, her attractive but infuriating ex-colleague, arrives. He’s here to take up a post at the reserve too – and is also staying at the inn! Worse still, the ...

A Scottish Island Summer by Julie Shackman #Review #ScottishEscapesBook8

 

This is a true escape to the Isle of Skye! A Scottish Summer Summer by Julie Shackman was published on January 30th by One More Chapter.You can read my reviews of others in the Scottish Escapes series here   A Secret Scottish Escape. |  A Scottish Highland Surprise   |  The Cottage in the Highlands | A Scottish Country Escape  |  The Bookshop by the Loch A Scottish Highland Hideaway


When ambitious city girl, Darcie Freeman is sent to the Isle of Skye to conduct research for a travel guide, she’s horrified. The prospect of having to travel to a remote island in the Scottish Highlands leaves her wondering what she’ll do.

Step in Logan Burns. Gorgeous and adventurous, he lives and breathes the island, and along with his sister Iona, who owns a rather haphazard PR company, they’re going to show Darcie everything she needs to know about Skye.

As Darcie swaps her designer shoes for her walking boots and her faux fur jacket for her raincoat, will she learn there’s more to life than the picture-perfect presence she shares on social media, or will it be the case that Skye is the limit…


 My Thoughts

The Isle of Skye is ever-present in the story and the colours and light of the environment adds to the atmosphere, as well as being intrinsic to the story. Darcie arrives on the island with all her city preoccupations and you see her respond to what she sees as she travels around the island. Darcie seems like the complete opposite of Logan when she meets him. He avoids social media and looks down on it as a rather shallow way of life, you sense. 

    Darcie's actions which are all fuelled by her ambitions to compete with other social media influencers, put her at the mercy of others' self -interest. She can be impulsive and envious and speak before she thinks. However, you feel that beneath this veneer, there are different priorities. Some of her actions have been part of her desire to protect herself from heartbreak. She has put on a veneer of ice to stop people getting close. Several of the people Darcie meets on the island can see beneath her act. The mystery at the centre of the story adds interest and shows you how Darcie has reassessed her future and how she wants to live her life. 

In short: escapist romance with a mystery to uncover 

About the Author

Julie Shackman is a former journalist from Scotland, who has always wanted to write feel-good romance.

As well as being an author, Julie also writes verses and captions for greetings card companies. Julie admits to having an obsession with stationery and handbags.

She is married, has two sons and adopted a Romanian rescue puppy, Cooper.

A Scottish Island Summer is Julie's twelfth novel.

 

You can follow Julie here:  Twitter  |  Facebook  |  InstagramWebsite

Book links: Amazon UK  |  Amazon US 


Thanks to Julie Shackman, One More Chapter and Rachel of Random Things Resources for a copy of the book and a place on the tour. 

Check out the rest of the tour!


 

 

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