Book Review: A Soldier’s Return by RaeAnne Thayne

A Soldier’s Return is the fourth in the Brambleberry House mini series written by RaeAnne Thayne and published as part of the Mills and Boon True Love series. 

Melissa Fielding is a single mum and nurse who has just returned with her 7 year old daughter, Skye, to her childhood home, Canon Beach, after travelling the world with her surfer ex husband.  She finds employment in the local clinic, but the Doctor who runs it is recuperating after surgery and is replaced by a local who his son, Eli Sanderson.   Their first encounter on the beach when Meli trips over her friend’s dog she is walking as she is jogging! Eli rushes over to help her accompanied by his dog.  The pair went to the same high school, but were in different years as Eli is a few years older. Eli trained in the Army and does not intend to stay when the local position ends.  The attraction between the pair slowly builds up and this is a nice gentle contemporary romance.  

This is a story about 2 characters reconnecting and finding love when they didn’t expect it. There are no angst ridden, cliff hanger moments, just two people whose friendship develops into love. 

I received this book via Netgalley and Mills and Boon in exchange for a honest review. I am a #MillsAndBoonInsider #netgalley.

Available from: 

Amazon 

Mills & Boon

Book Review: The Spaniard’s Stolen Bride by Maisey Yates (M&B)

The Spaniard’s Stolen Bride is the the second novel in Maisey Yates’ M&B mini series, Innocent brides. I reviewed the first novel here. 

Liliana Hart is briefly mentioned in the first instalment as she is Matius’ fiancée. She is kidnapped by his brother, Diego, to prevent the marriage and Mattias taking the inheritance.    Haunted by his mother’s death, abuse from his father and the death of his pregnant wife, Diego Navarro  is not the traditional M&B Hero.  He is bitter, vengeful and doesn’t care who he hurts.  Liliana, however, is quiet and thoughtful who goes willingly with Diego when he kidnaps and marries her in order to secure his inheritance. Liliana helps Diego work through the bitterness and pain that has shaped his life, whilst Diego shows his wife that she does not need to keep seeking her father’s approval. She only agreed to marry Mattias as her father wanted her to and she felt, as always, that she had to make up for her mother dying in childbirth with her. The novel follows these characters as they fall in love and overcome these issues.

I enjoyed this book. It is interesting that although Maisey Yates is a prolific M&B and romance author, she still can find a new slant or storyline that moves away from the enjoyable but sometimes formulaic storylines. This novel is steamy in terms of romance but also thoughtful when dealing with the characters’ issues, showing how their characters are shaped and for the most part improved upon as the pair grow closer.  They certainly deserve a HEA!

I received this book via Netgalley and Mills and Boon in exchange for a honest review. I am a #MillsAndBoonInsider #netgalley. 

Available from: 

Amazon 

Mills & Boon

Book Review: A Duke In Need Of A Wife by Annie Burrows (M&B Historical)

A Duke In Need Of A Wife is written by Annie Burrows and published by Mills & Boon Historical. Both the main characters in this novel are, for their own reasons, outcasts in the high society Ton. Sofia Underwood is the granddaughter of a Duke but her parentage is questionable as her father was a soldier and her mother Portuguese.  Oliver, the Duke of Theakstone, needs a wife who will accept care for and love Olivia, his illegitimate daughter. Their first meeting is very much by chance. Sofia is an orphan and Uncle Ned and Aunt Agnes are her guardians.  They have taken lodgings on Marine View in Theakstone Creacent so Sofia can recuperate  from a winter illness by taking daily swims in the sea. Sofia is watching the fireworks celebrating the end of the Napoleonic war when she she sees that a woman has been hit by a firework as is on fire. She rushes to help her, as does Oliver. He is intrigued by and is determined to find out more about her, so invites her and her guardians to a select party at Theakstone Court, along with several other women he is considering to be his wife.  Sofia’s beauty and personality have caught the Duke’s attention, but will she accept his little daughter, and his proposal?

This is a fun and enjoyable read. Sofia’s little dog Snowball steals the show, as does little Olivia. Oliver doesn’t know how to express his emotions, whilst Sofia is very conscious of her parentage. Both characters have issues that are addressed throughout the book, giving an insight in to attitudes of that particular time.

I received this book via Netgalley and Mills and Boon in exchange for a honest review. I am a #MillsAndBoonInsider #netgalley

Available from: 
Amazon UK

Mills & Boon

Beak & Claws: Jouer Long Wear Lip Creme Liquid Lipstick in Rose

                          

Welcome to the latest instalment of Beak & Claws. I am going to be reviewing Jouer Cosmetics Long Wear Lip Creme Liquid Lipstick in Rose on my beak/lips. I chose this shade as it is a cool toned metallic champagne  mauve. I got a mini version in my Christmas stocking which is great for travelling and a great way to see if I like the formula etc before I commit to purchasing the full size version. 

Jouer’s Long Wear Lip Creme Liquid Lipstick range are supposed to glide on the lips with full coverage that lasts all day. Weightless on the lips, the liquid lipsticks have buildable coverage, contain vitamin E to moisturise the lips and are a non sticky formula. There is a wide range of cool and warm shades and both matte and metallic finishes. 

I really like the shade I chose. It brightens up my face and it isn’t overly metallic. The lipstick did glide on to my lips. One swipe was enough, I didn’t have to build it up and there wasn’t any patchiness. It did feel very light and barely there on my lips and my lips felt moisturised. The lipstick didn’t crack as it dried and lipstick did not feel at all sticky. It lasted a good 5 hours which included earring and drinking without needing any touch ups. 

I enjoyed wearing this lipstick. It felt and looked great on my lips and was easy to apply. The shape wand made it easy to apply the lipstick precisely. I would purchase the full size version and I would try a few of the matte shades. 

I purchased this item myself and the views expressed in this blog are my own. 

Sticks & Stones: Valentines Edition

I haven’t posted a Sticks and Stones post in months, so here’s a swift recap. I find/post a fashionable walking stick and show how it can be teamed with various pieces of clothing and jewellery to show how I would put together a hopefully fashionable look. So this post with is influenced by Valentines Day. Lots of pink/red/hearts with a romantic vibe thrown in. 

I found two pink/ heart walking sticks. The first is from Gastrock via EBay UK and the RRP is £68.5 and £6.85 postage. I have had a few walking sticks from this brand and they seem to be very well made with slightly unusual patterns/ colours. It is an adjustable Derby cane. It is adjustable from 85cm-95cm.  It is matte pink with a heart print all over it.  The handle is quite comfy to hold. It is made from carbon and so it is quite lightweight (210g) and easy to manage. 

The second pink/heart walking stick that I found is more purse friendly.  This one is made by Classic Canes. The RRP £32.95. The shaft is a dark pink with white hearts embossed on the front of the cane.  It is an adjustable Derby cane. The cane is adjustable from 70cm to 93cm. The stick weighs 260g. I have reviewed. Massive Canes several times. They are comfortable to use and well made.  

I would team these walking sticks with black boots, lots of heart shaped jewellery and black boots or ballerinas. A floaty grey skirt would contrast well with the pink. I would toughen the look up with a leather jacket.

Review: Westlab Cleansing Himalayan Salt & Relaxing Dead Sea Salt Bath Fizzers

Late last year Westlab launched a range of Dead Sea Salt Bath Fizzers. It is one fizzer per bath. The fizzers contain the same ingredients as their fabulous Dead Sea Salts but are compacted down into hand size balls which are great for travel. Each bath fizzer contains Dead Sea Salt which has been regarded as a luxury and skin saviour since the Middle Ages.  Cleopatra is thought to have bathed in the mineral rich waters which softens and smooths the skin, calming skin complaints. Dead Sea Salt is extremely high in potassium and magnesium which are both great for the skin, so to combine this with  essential oils creates a sensual and sensory yet healthy bathing experience. As I have mentioned in previous blog posts I do enjoy using Dead Sea salts as I have skin and scalp psoriasis, acne and stressed skin as a consequence of long term medication and long term health problems and I find that I do see a vast improvement in both my scalp and skin problems when I use them.

The Fizzers normally retail for £2.99 at Boots.com which may seem a little expensive per bath in comparison to the bags of bath salts,  but they are often on offer - at the moment they are £1.99 each and if you have a Boots card there are points to collect!  

The Relaxing Dead Sea Salt Bath Fizzer contains Dead Sea Salt and is also packed with essential oils designed to help you unwind and relax at the end of the day. This fizzer contains soothing white tea, lavender fragrance to aid relaxation and almond, chamomile and lavender oils to soften and smooth the skin, leaving it looking radiant and feeling smooth and healthy. I enjoyed using this Fizzer the most out of the two I bought. It fizzed very dramatically when I dropped it in the bath and smelled fantastic. I could smell the lavender before I got helped into the bath. The lavender did not smell artificial at all. The scent smelled just the same as the two large lavender bushes I have in my garden.  I have an aversion to overpowering smells due to my medication, but the smell was subtle and relaxing and not at all overpowering or obnoxious.  The bath water itself looked very relaxing as it turned a lavendery/purplish colour (it didn’t stain the bath).  Overall my bath was a sensorial experience for all my senses. I felt relaxed, my skin felt and looked healthy and smooth and there was a lingering lavender scent on my body and in my  hair.  I would definitely use this fizzer again. 

The Himalayan Cleansing Bath Fizzer  just like the rest of the range is packed with minerals and essential oils. The cleansing fizzer contains Himalayan salts which were formed 250 million years ago and are a pink, cleansing crystal Salt. The Salt has the 84 trace minerals and salts which are essential to the human body.  Rose and pomegranate oils uplift and invigorate the senses whilst also harmonising and balancing the mind.  May Chang, ylang ylang and almond oils all balance the skin, leaving it feeling silky, nourished, radiant and glowing. I didn’t enjoy using this Fizzer as much as the Relaxing one. It didn’t seem to fizz and the change to the colour of the water was only minimal so I didn’t get the same sensory experience as when I used the Relaxing Fizzer. I couldn’t really smell much rose scent which was disappointing. My skin did feel silky, soft and nourished and looked healthy after my bath but I still preferred the overall experience of the Relaxing Fizzer.

I enjoyed using Relaxing Fizzer and will repurchase. The Cleansing Fizzer in comparison was rather disappointing but if I had used it first I probably would have enjoyed using it more as my expectations wouldn’t have been so high! There would be great for travel as once they are taken out of the box they are still wrapped in a protective film so if they get squashed or chipped in transit they can still be used and won’t scatter in luggage.  They can often be found on offer which helps as they are expensive in comparison to the bags of Relaxing/ Cleansing Sea Salts.  I didn’t review the Reviving Epsom Salt Bath Fizzer as it contains spearmint, which I hate the smell of, so I would not be able to give it a fair review!

I purchased these items myself and the views expressed in my blog are my own.

Book Review: Carrying The Billionaire's Baby (M&B) Susan Meier

The first in the Manhattan Babies series, Carrying the Billionaire's Baby is part of Mills and Boon's True Love series and is written by Susan Meier.  Avery Novak and Jake Mcallan have a short lived and passionate affair that has long lasting consequences.  Avery is working hard as lawyer in Manhattan at the law firm Waters, Waters & Montgomery, which is the firm used by Jake, so she can go back to her home town and open a not for profit criminal defence centre after seeing her father sent to prision for a crime he didn't commit.  Jake is a billionaire, interested in making money. When they were together they argued about politics, principles etc with all of them being diametrically opposed. He felt she was critical of his indulgent, privileged lifestyle and background.  He takes her to Paris for the weekend and puts her up in his beach side house in order to try and persuade her he can be a good father, but will it work?

This book runs true to the aims behind the new True Love series.  Avery is a criminal lawyer who is working hard so she can go back to Pennsylvania and open a not for profit criminal law centre.  She is capable of and plans to be a full time working mother. It is Jake that will have to change to prove that he is worthy of being a full time dad and husband.  I enjoyed the interaction between the main characters and Jake's mother and felt all the characters were relatable to the reader.    

I received this book via Netgalley and Mills and Boon in exchange for a honest review. I am a #MillsAndBoonInsider #netgalley

Available from: 
Amazon UK
Mills & Boon

#win Dower & Hall Vermeil Nomad Beaten Pebble Pendant

  

To start off 2019 I have this Dower & Hall Nomad Beaten Pebble Pendant in vermeil to giveaway. The RRP is £90.  The pendant and chain are made out of sterling silver coated in 18ct gold, the beaten pebble measures 15x10mm, the chain is 18” and has the Dower & Hall quatrefoil tag as part of the clasp. It comes presented in a faux leather dark blue gift box which also has the D&H quatrefoil logo imprinted on the lid. It is a very elegant, minimalistic and timeless piece. I love D&H pieces. I have reviewed their Multi gem hoop earrings and the enchanted pearl drop earrings and when I wear them I always get asked where I got them from.

Enter here: a Rafflecopter giveaway

Rules:

The Competition opens on 12 January 12.01 am GMT and closes on 31 January 11.59 pm GMT. 

The competition is open internationally.

The competition  is run by me and has no connection with Dowet & Hall. 

Entrants must complete the mandatory Rafflecopter requirement or they will be disqualified from the competition. 

Wedding at Mistletoe Chalet by Dani Collins

Wedding at Mistletoe Chalet is written by Dani Collins and published by Tule Publishing. This novel is set in Montana where Kristen Benz is making a career change to work in a smaller hotel  and is happy to take the short term job at Mistletoe Chalet to fill in the gap. She is full of Christmas spirit, helping her employers’  daughter, Sarah, wrap presents and the renewal of Sarah’s parents’ wedding vows.  Finn Garrett, Kirsten’s first Love, has returned after years studying at medical school.  His detour to see Kirsten is supposed to find him closure from his first love. A meddling tween coupled with magical sparkle of Christmas Chalet help the pair find love that has eluded them in the past?

This is a gentle Christmas romance where love is rekindled and old sticking blocks to a successful romance are hashed out when the two main characters get snowed in. There aren’t any hot sex scenes or dramatic revelations, instead the novel focuses on the magic of Christmas, a second chance at love
and an interfering tween.

I received this book via Netgalley and Tule Publishing in exchange for a honest review. I am a #Netgalley

Book Review: Second Chance At The Ranch by Maxine Morrey

Second Chance At The Ranch is written by Maxine Morrey and published by HQ Digital.   The novel is set out in the Australian outback whilst she recovers from a terrible accident that has left her modelling career in tatters. Hero Scott is a successful model who keeps her emotions hidden behind a cool and icy facade in order to hid her true quiet, shy personality.  She has gone to Hill ranch, a cattle station, to be  with  her older sister, Juliet, who is marrying Pete, a rancher.    A romance blossoms between Hero and Nick. As the romance deepens the history and background explaining Hero’s fragility and aloofness emerges over a period of time. Both Hero and Nick are stubborn individuals, so although there is a strong chemistry between the pair, at others the sparks and tempers fly as neither one will back down.   Nick has trust issues which will potentially prevent him from committing fully and trusting Hero.  there enough to keep Hero in Australia or will she return to London for good? 

The author created the perfect sisterly bond between Hero and Justine. Even though they live on two different continents the sisters still have a bond and understand each other.  The relationship between Nick and Hero evolved and their adoration and love is clearly mutual.  The side relationship between Hero and the side character, Joe adds fireworks to the storyline! 

I received this book via Netgalley and HQ Digital in exchange for a honest review. I am a #MillsAndBoonInsider #netgalley

Available from: 

Amazon UK

Book Review: Wild Child by Christy McKellen

Wild Child is written by Christy McKellen and published by Mills & Boon (Dare) is the first in the Sexy Little Secrets mini series. 

Maya Darlington-Hulme is the original party girl.  Desperate to be noticed by her controlling, workaholic father she is becoming out of control with her partying antics. She wants him to to take her jewellery business plan seriously so that she can use her trust fund to finance it. Due to her escapades he won’t take her plan seriously.  When Benedictine Chivers walks in on her when she is having some me time in the bath.  As she wants to impress her father, so that he will finally look at her business plans, she agrees to go and work at Benedict’s marketing department for a few weeks.

Maya turns the heat up once she decides she wants Benedict. Working with him every day gives them tome to have hot illicit encounters. Slowly, however, Benedict’s uncovers the real Maya who is desperate for her father’s attention and blames herself for her mother’s death. Maya risk losing everything if her father finds out about her trysts. Will Maya be able to find herself and her true love?

I received this book via Netgalley and Mills and Boon in exchange for a honest review. I am a #MillsAndBoonInsider #netgalley

Amazon UK

Book Review: Forbidden To Want by JC Harroway

Forbidden To Want (Mills & Boon Date) is written by JC Harroway and is the first in the Billionaire Bachelors mini series.  

Mia Abbott is the strong willed, independent but emotionally scarred heroine. As a consequence of her past she is a total commitment phobe. Kit Faulkner is the tragically widowed handsome billionaire who is struggling to come to terms with the death of his wife.  Just like Mia he is emotionally scarred.  Kit’s personal assistant has just resign due to Kit’s obnoxious behaviour, so when Kit’s brother introduces him to Mia he assumes she is potentially his new assistant.  She isn’t. She is there to produce a short promotional film.  There is definitely chemistry between the pair but due to their respective emotional baggage a relationship is definitely not on the cards, their one rule is no romance, but they find a one night stand isn’t enough. Can they overcome their issues and make a relationship that lasts? 

A novel that is charged with lust, sex and romance. A great read for a few hours of escapism as the main characters travel through a journey of angst, highly charged sexual chemistry, sex and a refusal to accept that a relationship might not be that bad! This book reveals how the past has the potential to shape the future unless that person is prepared to challenge and question it. I enjoyed this book and look forward to reading the others in the series. 

I received this book via Netgalley and Mills and Boon in exchange for a honest review. I am a #MillsAndBoonInsider #netgalley

Available from: 

Amazon UK

Mills & Boon

Charles Buyers: Woodland Animals Walking Stick

Last year I purchased and reviewed the Charles Buyers Deluxe British Birds Walking Cane. There are more walking sticks in this collection - woodland animals and wildflower.  Both have hand drawn patterns on them. 

I purchased the newly released Woodland Animal Derby Walking Stick. The stick has hand drawn pictures of stag, red squirrels, hares and pheasants on the shaft of the stick.  The stick shaft is made from aluminium and so it is very light weight and easy to use.  The handle is a wooden derby style and it is comfortable to hold - I have child size hands and find it easy to grip.  The stick is height adjustable (from 82.5cm-93cm). The stick is collapsible. It folds into four sections, so would be great for someone who doesn’t want to use a stick all the time as it can easily be folded up and packed into the plastic carry case it comes with. I always have to have a section taken out so I purchase mine from the Stick and Cane Shop as their customer service is excellent. 

The ferrule and wrist strap are both a dark brown colour and they fit perfectly with the white background of the stick and the colours used to paint the animals. The animals themselves, just like the British bird pictures, are beautifully done with lots of detail. They don’t just look like generic cut and paste pictures but each one looks like a mini work of art. My only complaint is where are the hedgehogs???

Maybe Charles Buyers could do another woodland animal walking cane which features hedgehogs, badgers, otters and field mice as they are also instantly recognisable British wildlife? 

I really like my new walking stick. I love wearing animal themed clothing or jewellery so this stick will be well used. 

 

I purchased this item myself and the views expressed in this blog are my own.