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Coming Home to Maple Lodge by Alison Sherlock #Review

  I am delighted to feature the first in Alison Sherlock's new series set in the Corswolds. Coming Home to Maple Tree Lodge was published by Boldwood Books on June 20th. A family and hotel in desperate need of help… Maple Tree Lodge has been the home of the Jackson family for over a century. But the hotel has never been a success and, following the sudden loss of his father, architect Ben Jackson soon discovers the hotel is close to financial ruin. Ben has to make some tough decisions if the hotel is to survive and his family are to keep a roof over their heads. With the hotel in urgent need of a renovation, Ben’s sister calls on the talents of her best friend, interior designer Lily Watson. Cash strapped Lily needs a successful project to prove to herself and her high-achieving parents that she can carve a successful career and Maple Tree Lodge sounds like just the place for Lily to showcase her talents. However, Lily’s vision for a cosy, country Cotswolds hotel is the com...

Unwanted Bride by Rose Amberly #Review #EmglishChannelSeriesBook2 #Giveaway

 

Today I am featuring the second in Rose Amberly's English Channel series, Unwanted Bride. You can read my review of the first, Plain Jane Wanted here .

You can win a signed copy of Plain Jane Wanted. Details on how to enter are at the foot of this post. 

 
Some women were born to wear beautiful wedding dresses, others were born only to make them.

Talented bridal designer, Laura loves weddings, but long ago a tarot card reading told her she’s doomed to never marry. Trying to prove this wrong has left her with three broken engagements, an empty bank account and a career in tatters. Finally, she’s accepted she’ll never walk down the aisle. Now she desperately needs to rescue her career.

A high profile design commission will make her reputation, it's the only reason she came to La Canette island. She ahs six weeks to make the perfect wedding gown, no time for anything else.

Adam, the handsome but allergic-to-marriage doctor has finally found freedom. He’s just passing through, a week maybe two, maximum, then he’ll be gone. Then a disabled old man begs for his help and he agrees to stay an extra week, and things get tricky. The universe can have an evil sense of humour, and La Canette is a beautiful place where lives can take unexpected turns.

★★★★★  "Rose Amberly has a very warm feelgood style and characters that leap off the page... occasionally a laugh out loud wit."

★★★★★  "This is just lush! Who doesn't like wedding dresses? The designs here and the exquisite silks and gold chiffons are almost as wonderful as the romance in this enemies to lovers feelgood novel."

★★★★★  "This is the second book Ive read by this author and have to say Ive enjoyed them both. I want to live on La Canette! Great escapist stories for these lockdown times!"

★★★★★  "A magical uplifting story, full of warmth and laughter and deliciously romantic. Adam is swoon worthy even if he has a troubled past. Laura is the girl who didn't realise her own strength. Loved it and enjoyed revisiting La Canette."

 


 My Thoughts

You really feel as though you are escaping to the remote island of la Canette when you start one of the English Channel series books. In this second story, you meet two new characters, Laura and Adam. They both have their own heartbreaks which they are coming to terms with but Adam in particular keeps his anguish to himself. They both find themselves on the island and respond to its community feel. It seems to offer an escape from life on the mainland and space to consider their options.

    Laura's task is to design the wedding dress for Millie who we met in book one. Her marriage to George, the son of Le Seigneur, is imminent but Millie is trying to stamp her own personality on her wedding, despite the efforts of others, including an extremely pushy wedding planner. Laura is obviously very creative and talented and her efforts to keep her creation under wraps give her quite a headache. During their stay on the island, Laura and Adam's friendship deepens as they become involved in the island life. The beauty of the island shines through, reflected even in Laura's work. The mix of familiar and new characters works well as events build on the story of the first book.

In short: hugely enjoyable 

About the Author


When Rose Amberly was little, she pestered her mother for stories every night (and morning and afternoon.) In the end, her parents taught her to read so they could have some peace. Very soon, she started pestering them for books and more books. By the age of six, she started to make up stories and tell them to her parents pretending she’d read them in a book. Happily, now she’s all grown up and no longer has to pretend.

She travelled widely and tried different careers is education, therapy, art management and even briefly, bookkeeping, but none of them were as much fun as making up stories.

Rose Amberly lives in London where she plants flowers and herbs in her small balcony overlooking the Thames. She loves to set her stories in gorgeous parts of the country.

You can follow Rose here: Facebook |  Instagram

Book links:  Amazon UK |  Amazon US

 

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

Follow the rest of the tour!
 

 Giveaway (UK only)
 

Giveaway to Win a signed copy of Plain Jane Wanted and a bookmark.  (Open to UK Only)


*Terms and Conditions –UK 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.


 

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