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A New Life in Amsterdam by Helga Jensen #Review #PublicationDay

  Helga Jensen's latest novel,  A New Life in Amsterdam  is published today on October 9th by Hera Books.    Could down-sizing her life mean up-sizing her dreams? Since her daughter grew up and left home, Sandy has found herself filling her house with things - impulse purchases that she just has to have but that quickly lose their sheen. Why would she need an expensive set of copper pans when she has no one to cook for? Realising that her shopping habit is out of control, she asks herself: can she de-clutter, downsize and start a new life? She has always wanted to live on a barge, and she reasons that there is no way she would have room for random purchases on a boat. Taking the bravest decision of her life, Sandy buys and refurbishes a barge in the beautiful city of Amsterdam. Relishing her independence, she is not looking for love, but as the nights draw in and the leaves start to fall from the trees, she finds herself drawn to cafe owner and exper...

The Forever Home by Rosie Green #Review #LittleDuckPondCafeBook38

 

Welcome to Book 38 in the Little Duck Pond Cafe series! The Forever Home is the latest novella by Rosie Green.

 
What happens when a romantic Victorian pile that was meant to be your 'forever home' turns out to be a disaster in disguise? One Little Duck Pond Café pair are about to find out. Could the fall-out wreck their relationship? One thing's for sure – it will take nothing short of a miracle to turn this turkey into the house of their dreams . . .


 My Thoughts

This series carries on apace. I was delighted to see that it focussed on Ellie, the owner of the Little Duck Pond Cafe and the original central character. She is at an important point in her life, waiting to have her own much wished for baby and taking on her dream house. You realise how vulnerable and lonely she is feeling. The house seems to be her dream rather than Zac's whose preoccupation with his writing has led to him spending time away at his grandmother's home.  

    On top of Ellie's insecurities, she also has a problem with replacing her staff at her glamping business. This leads to the introduction of Rhona, a capable woman with a past full of secrets. I enjoyed her story as it unfolded. As ever, the friends in the village rallied around Ellie when she needed them. Strange goings -on at her new house mean that she fells the need of their help and support at time. This is a fun read which adds to the Little Duck Pond canon.

In short: past secrets and new beginnings

About the Author

Rosie Green burst onto the writing scene at the age of nine, anonymously penning a weekly magazine for her five-year-old brother (mysteriously titled the 'Willy' comic) and fooling him completely by posting it through the letterbox every Thursday.

Rosie's continuing love of writing saw her study English at Dundee University and spend her twenties working on various teenage magazines, including Jackie and Blue Jeans, and meeting pop stars. Then she got serious and worked as a newspaper sub-editor at the Dundee Courier before moving to Surrey and setting up an organic veg box delivery business.

These days, she lives with her family in the beautiful county of Northumberland and has finally realised a life-long dream of becoming a published author. She currently writes the Little Duck Pond Cafe series of novellas, which is centred around life in a village cafe. Each book can be read as a stand-alone story.

Rosie has also written traditionally-published books under the name Catherine Ferguson.

 

You can read my reviews of more of this series here:

 
You can follow Rosie here:   Twitter
 
     

Thanks to Rosie Green and Rachel of Rachel's Random Resources for a copy of the book and a place on the tour.



 

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