Hi, welcome to Sparkling Magpie, a blog dedicated to my jewellery box, all things sparkly, book reviews, makeup, lifestyle, disability issues and also to fun, funky and fashionable walking sticks.
Nathalie Fournier is a pharmacist desperately wants to adopt her deceased step-sister’s (Antoinette) baby boy. Conscientiously she decides to track down the Alain’s father before she does take the first steps to adopt him. She gets a seasonal job picking grapes at a large Provençal grapeyard/chateau as her Antoinette’s best friend Claire sister had told her that Alain’s father had worked at the Fontesquieu chateau. She falls for her billionaire employer Dominic Fontesquieu, but is he the father of the child? He has the same colouring and an identical birth mark. Raul, Dominic’s cousin turns out to be the father. Nathalie, however, decides she cannot have a relationship with Dominic as she is unable to have children. Will they be overcome this impasse and find their HEA? 
Orla O’Reilly met billionaire Tonino Valente when she went to Sicily to meet her father. She ran back to Ireland when she was told by Sophia Tonino was engaged to her. She was was pregnant and involved in a major car accident. Both Orla and her little boy, Finn, suffered major injuries - he now has cerebral palsy. She also suffers from amnesia and can’t remember who the father of her baby is. She meets Tonino at a wedding and the memories come flooding back. Tonino is determined to be a hands on father so they move to Sicily. Will Orla be able to overcome her trust issues and realise she loves Tonino? The epilogue of the novel will tell all. 
I was in room 782. I found the door not too heavy to push open, even when navigating a wheelie suitcase, a stick and my lack of coordinated self through the door! The light switches were at the entrance so no scrabbling around in the dark. I liked that the suitcase storage area was tucked away in the hall so I was less likely to trip over abandoned luggage in the main room areas. The wardrobe was large and spacious and there was a full length mirror. Opposite the mirror/ storage area was a can’t/ hairdryer/ drinks facility space, which for once I could actually easily reach? 
The bathroom area was well lit and felt and looked clean. Again the mirror was huge and I found the bath easy to get in and out of with help. I didn’t feel unsafe using the grab rail or the power shower.
I liked that the main bed/seating area of the hotel room had been cleverly divided by the ositioning of yet another mirror and the desk area. The lighting was better than some Accor hotels I have stayed in when revising for exams and I have ended up using a torch for extra light. The bed was comfortable and there was lots of space around the bed and seating area which would make it more accessible and easy to navigate for someone like me who lacks spatial awareness and has to use a walker or stick. 
Written in the first person, Millie is fulfilling her mother's Last wish and undertaking a trip around the world. She meets asks Michael, a barrister, in a bar in Dublin, to have a one night stand so that she can lose her virginity. He agrees but has his own set of rules that she must adhere to. Will there arrangements be enough to prevent Millie moving on to Paris and for Michael to overcome his fear of relationships? 
This novel is the third and final instalment of the London Underground mini series. Thomas Powell is the new Duke of Northfield. He knows that he should cast off just playboy/ rake image and become an upstanding and proper Duke, just like his father. He visits the sensual Orchid Club and meets the proprietress, Lucia/Amina. The Orchid club is a club where anything goes, fantasy becomes reality, no one knows each other as masks are worn. After several months of flirtatious glances, will they give into temptation? 
The Rake’s Enticing Proposal is the second instalment in the Sinful Sinclairs mini series, Charles Sinclair is a globetrotting adventurer who visits Huxley Manor to sort out his late cousin’s affairs. He meets Eleanor Walsh, a practical lady who wants to clear her family’s debt. He senses that she wants to escape her staid existence at the Manor. Charles can offer her an exciting trip to Egypt, if she will agree to his shocking proposal. They travel to Egypt to solve a mystery and find the missing box whilst the chemistry between them gets stronger all the time. 
The last person paediatrician Dr Ethan Reid expects to encounter on his rescue boat whilst rescuing refugees from the Mediterranean Sea is Nurse Claire Durand. They had an electrifying one night stand in France and now Claire has some news - she is pregnant. Ethan has always been alone. He was the victim as a teenager and now dogged by survivors guilt always has to be the rescuer, almost like payback.
Sierra Jones is visiting her brother, Cal, and his new bride, Maggie, during a brief stay at Sullivans Crossing. Sierra thought she had sorted her life out, conquered her alcoholism, and put her past behind her but it appears to be. Arching up with her. She meets Conrad, Connie, a firefighter and his adorable puppy and enters into a relationship with him. Will he be able to help save her when her life is in danger? 
Letty Barton lives a double life. She both is both a debutante and a trained Doctor - Dr Hatfield. She masquerades as an elderly male - no one knows Dr Hatfield is actually female or Letty. Will Lord Antony Ashcroft uncover her secret. They met again when she is caring for his brother. The first time they met she was Letty and there was a mild verbal flirtation. Now he is a scarred war hero and she leads this double life. 
Lil Bailey, a primary school teacher, thought she had found her soul mate, the one. After 8 years together, however, he dumped her for his new colleague. She meets Max Rushbrooke via OLD. He is an intrepid mountain climber who, after a great one night stand, subsequently ghosts her. She discovers that at 31 years of age she is pregnant and single. She decides to have the baby and finally tracks Max down only to discover his parents are Lord and Lady Rushbrooke and maybe he wasn’t ghosting her but merely uncontactable as he is leading a mountain climb! The rest of the novel follows Max and Lil navigating friendship, imminent parenthood and romance. 
Part of M&B Dare Collection, Pleasure Payback is a novel about revenge. Two years ago Damian Mortimer had a great bedroom experience with Neve and then destroyed her business - she was about to expand her hotel chain and he makes the deal fall through. Now she is ready to exact her revenge. Her business has recovered and she is on tv with Damien on a Dragon’s Den type programme. Will they be able to control their sexual chemistry or will it get out of control??? 
Molly Quinn’s trip to the Canadian outback is the adventure of a lifetime. She won the trip in a blind auction where she battled it out with Eric Chambault. She is just about to start her adventure when in he walks - he had bought himself a ticket! She is paired up with Eric, as they are the only two singletons on the trip, who is a rich tycoon. As they are pushed to the limit they become closer, but will their holiday fling survive in the real world? 
Dower & Hall have partnered up with the NSPCC to create the Radiant Star Collection. 10% of the purchase price of each item is to be donated to the NSPCC. I purchased the Sparkle in a Bottle sterling silver star stud earrings (£20). The earrings are sterling silver, measure 8mm and have butterfly backs. They come presented in a little glass bottle with a cork stopper and a Dower & Hall presentation bag and tissue paper, so no need to wrap them yourself! £5 from each purchase of this item is donated to The NSPCC. I bought 2 pairs of these earrings, one for a competition prize and I also bought a pair for myself. I find they are easy to put in my earlobes and really comfortable to wear. 
The second in the Redemption Bay series. Both McKenzie and Ben have left and returned to Haven Point. McKenzie returned for family reasons and is the mayor of Haven Point. Ben returned for business reasons - would Haven Point make a good base for Cain Tech facilities? Ben isn’t really liked at Haven Point. His father was a cruel man and Ben is blamed for taking away jobs when he closed Kilpatrick boats and ran down some of the buildings. McKenzie is determined to sell The Bay to Ben as the ideal place for his new facility as they need the jobs and income it would produce.
Take Me On is part of the M&B Dare collection and written by Dylan Rose. Kenzie Fox, a yoga instructor from New York inherited the rum distillery from her Great Aunt Lily, is just about to sell her share the Miami distillery until she discovers the potential buyer is Antonio Navedo, her arrogant one night stand that she has only just had a steamy night of sex with. Antonio wants to purchase the distillery as it used to belong to his family. She suggests a wager: she turns the distillery around, she gets the shares. If, however, she fails he gets the shares and as an added bonus anything he would like in the bedroom as well. 
Part of the Penniless Brides of Convenience mini series, The Earl’s Countess of Convenience follows Eloise Brannagh, who has been living with her sisters under the care of her Aunt Kate, entering into a marriage of Convenience and name only with the Earl of Fearnoch, Alexander Sinclair. She has seen what passion can do and is so quite content to live in a passion free marriage. Her new husband, however, is much more handsome and intriguing - he turns out to be a spy - than she anticipated so she may be forced to break her self imposed rules!!!
Autumn Bishop spilt up with her billionaire boyfriend Hunter Lee because he didn’t want children. He is still her best friend. Imagine her surprise when he turned up on her doorstep with his baby son Eli, the result of a one night stand after they broke up. He is to look after Eli for 3 months whilst his mother goes away to college and is asking for her help! 
Win this Lola Rose chunky and eye catching butter stone and rose quartz bracelet and pouch (£55) in this month’s blog competition. The bracelet is adjustable from 16.5 to 22cm with a Chinese style fastening. There is a gold tone LR tag. The bracelet is packaged in a Lola Rose blush pink pouch.
Eton Falmage Marquess of Lynford has vowed never to marry, as he has a closely guarded secret that he is unable to have children. He seduced Eliza Blaxland who is a mining widow. He offers her and her daughter Sophie the use of his Dowager house when she has problems with one of her mines. She has vowed to never lose her heart or her independence, but the share holders are putting her under pressure to place a mining tunnel under the sea which she feels is unsafe. They are therefore trying to take the company away from her. She is adamant she will not marry again as this would mean her husband would take control of the mining business. Lynford wants more from Eliza but if he tries to win her it means he will have to reveal his closely guarded secrets and lose her anyway.
The Midwife’s Secret Child is a M&B Medical romance written by Fiona McArthur. Dr Raimondo Salvanelli did not know midwife Faith Featherstone was pregnant when he walked out on her. When she realised she wrote to him but he ignored her letter. She is bringing their daughter up alone but when he finds out he flies to see them and persuade Faith that he is a reformed character who is dependable and committed to both her and their little girl. 
As the saying goes: You can’t choose your family! Three cousins, Sophie, Kristine and Heather are trying to navigate the problems life has thrown at them. Sophie has returned to Blackberry island after watching her business empire collapse, Kristine has to make a choice between her career and marriage and Heather is trying to save some money so she can reach her goals but every time she does save some her mother needs it. During one done these three empires lose their bonds as cousins and friends will help them navigate the most insurmountable of problems.
Secrets of His Hidden Cinderella is written by Caitlin Crews and published by M&B Modern. The nineteenth Duke of Marinceli, Most Excellent Grandee of Spain - Teo de Luz encounters his ex step sister Amelia Ransom during a masked ball at his castle. Their meeting had consequences in the shape of s baby. She has to return to Spain to admit her true identity and infirm Teo about his impending fatherhood. Teo hates Amelia and her mother as he feels that she took advantage of him when they married soon after his mother’s death. Teo decides to marry Amelia despite hating her mother in order to exact his revenge and legitimise his child but will marriage lead to a HEA?