Book Review: Meet Me in Tahiti by Georgia Toffolo

 

This is the third book in the 'Meet Me In...' series by Georgia Toffolo. they can be read as stand a lone novels.

Zoe is a travel reporter who travels the world. After an accident when she was 18 years old, Zoe is confined to a wheelchair.  Her disability/ wheelchair have not prevented  her from doing what she wants and becoming a very successful travel writer. Her parents are, however, helicopter parents and do tend to smother her. When Zoe arrives in a new resort in Tahiti, she comes face to face with her past, as her ex Finn owns the resort and they must deal with feelings that go back a long way before they can move forward with their lives. 

I enjoyed the plot line, the writing style and the fact the the storyline didn’t focus on Zoe’s disability. 

I was gifted this book by Mills & Boon in exchange for a honest review #millsandbooninsider

Book Review: A Blues Singer to Redeem Him by Elle Jackson

Set in the 1920s this debut novel by Elle Jackson is a step away from the traditional Mills & Boon Historical novel in terms of storyline and era. 

Evelyn is still struggling to recover from losing her parents in a terrible act of violence whilst she still pursues her dream of becoming a blues singer and also supporting her beloved grandmother. Lorenzo is the one and only heir of the deLuca family. His family is intrinsically linked to the Mafia mob and all its violence. Lorenzo wants to move away from this influence but his father doesn’t. Lorenzo has made many enemies but now he has met someone he has fallen in love with and wants to protect whilst also removing the mob links from his family but can he have and do both?

This is a fascinating story that doesn’t sugarcoat or romanticise the mafia and the violence in the 1920s club scene. It’s not the traditional backdrop or setting for a historical romance but it definitely works. The main story is between the developing relationship between Lorenzo and Evelyn whilst the secondary storylines of violence and the mafia take the storyline to the next level. 

I love Mills & Boon UK and I think you will too! Click my personal referral link to get a discount on your first purchase http://rwrd.io/f4yjeqp?c 

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

Review: LittleSilverHedgehog Silver Hedgehog Charm Fabric Wrap Bracelet

The Little Silver Hedgehog  fabric silver hedgehog charm wrap bracelet can be customised. There is a choice of fabric and length for the wrap bracelet and the hedgehog charm is available in small (£36) and large (42)in any of the solid charms. I chose the smallest wrap bracelet, 6.5 inches. 

The fastening is a toggle loop. As I have spatial awareness problems and difficulty using my hands and fingers I found this fastening really easy to put in place compared to the usual lobster fastenings. As it is a wrap bracelet. It can also be worn as short necklace. The bracelet is packaged in a Little Silver Hedgehog gift box and comes with hedgehog information sheets and a postcard. 

I love that she uses her talents as a jewellery maker to support her hedgehog rescue. She also runs one day jewellery courses and I am hoping to attend one once restriction are fully removed and are shown to be working. 

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

Review: Mollys Mice Catnip Mice

My beloved cat Alfie died unexpectedly a few months ago. I have since adopted an ex feral of 5 years cat called Zeus from my local Cat Protection. As he is an ex feral he doesn’t know how to be a house cat who does zoomies, has toys, food on demand and cuddles. After reading the Mumsnet cat forums the most popular cat toy appeared to be Mollysmice catnip mice. I purchased the two pack in yellow and blue via their Etsy store (£7.95) and they arrived promptly.

The mice have caught Zeus’s attention. They have been tapped a few times whereas Alfie’s toy box full of cat nip toys has been ignored. I think it’s down to the strength of the cat nip. You can smell it when you take the mice out of the bag. The catnip is 100% maximum strength Canadian leaf catnip and flower catnip which has certainly attracted him to them. The mice are hand cut and stitched so no chance that the nip will fall out. The tails are long so there is less chance of getting swiped when playing chase mousie (we are not up to that stage yet, he has only just got so he can cope being in the same room as me). 

Zeus and his cat slave (me) would recommend these catnip mice. They are brightly coloured and the combination of catnip catches the cat’s attention. The fact Zeus has even acknowledged them is a breakthrough for us as I was being to think he would stay a feral cat. No photos of him swiping one as he runs when he sees the camera. Maybe in a few months he will be able to cope with his photo being taken. Anyway they are Zeus approved. 

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

Book Review: The Woman at the Gates by Chrystyna Lucyk-Berger

The Woman at the Gates by Chrystyna Lucyk-Berger is a historical novel set in the Ukraine during World War 2 and their subsequent resettlement in their country after the war ended. The storyline is based upon diaries and recollections collected from Chrystyna’s relatives.

The novel follows the life of Antonia Kozak, formerly a University lecturer turned resistance fighter and her extended family, the Mazur as she is taken into a concentration camp by the Gestapo, not knowing whether Victor, her fiancé, is alive or dead to their ultimate relocation to the US after the War had ended. 

The book has so many themes and the reader can imagine through the retelling of the memories the horrors that the Mazur family and other Ukrainian families went through. Antonia isn’t always a likeable character but she is a strong character, determined to fight for her family. I won’t say it’s an enjoyable read because it’s about a family’s suffering but it is an interesting read that I would recommend. 

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

Greek Heir to Claim Her Heart by Jennifer Hayes

 

Greek Heir To Claim Her Heart is written by Jennifer Hayes and published by Mills & Boon True Love. 

Hermione Kappas is the manager of a luxury hotel on a  Greek island. After losing her family she regards the other staff as her new family and the resort her home. Atlas Othonos recently inherited the resort and now wants to sell it. He is a loner who doesn’t depend or befriend anyone. Hermione has two weeks - Valentines Day is the deadline - to persuade Atlas to change his mind. 

I normally don’t request to review the True Love series novels as I find that they can be sugary sweet and very slow paced storyline wise. I did, however, enjoy this novel.  I enjoyed the contrasting characters: Atlas is a loner whilst Hermione is a people person who always looks to see the best in people and help out wherever needed. With Hermione’s help Atlas also begins to see the good in people and starts to enjoy life for itself rather than just making money. 

I love Mills & Boon UK and I think you will too! Click my personal referral link to get a discount on your first purchase http://rwrd.io/f4yjeqp?c 

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

Book Review Desert Prince’s Defiant Bride by Julieanne Howells

Desert Prince’s Defiant Bride is Julieanne Howell’s debut Mills & Boon Modern novel and it certainly doesn’t disappoint the reader!

The Crown Prince Kahled has earned the moniker the sad prince as he never appears to smile or look happy when out in public.  Kahled, future King of Nabhan meets Lily Marchand when she sneaks into his rooms in his English countryside mansion order to steal Nate Marchant, her brother’s laptop to prove his innocence - £10 million has disappeared from a charity run jointly by Kahled and his best friend from childhood, her brother.  

Kahled catches her in the act of stealing the laptip and whisks her off to his desert kingdom, in the process blackmailing her into becoming his temporary fiancée, or he will surrender her to the police. Kahled hopes to flush out her brother so the money can be recovered. Lily persuades Kahled that her brother may not have siphoned off the money and he starts investigating who may have done so if not Nate. 

Slowly Lily and Kahled fall in love and he starts to wish they could be together forever. He needs to make an alliance with a neighbouring country and has already virtually agreed to an alliance there. The most he can offer Lily is an affair with house etc. A coup, led by the villain who stole the money happens whilst Lily us in the process of having her heart broken but will Nate be able to tell/ show Lily that it is her that he really wants to be with.

This is a solid, humorous read. The characters gel well together. Both Nate and Lily are complex characters due to their childhoods. Thee are no holes in the storyline which I found to enjoyable. A great first novel, setting a high bar for future books. 

I love Mills & Boon UK and I think you will too! Click my personal referral link to get a discount on your first purchase http://rwrd.io/f4yjeqp?c 

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

 

Book Review: The Return of Her Long Lost Husband by Joanna Johnson

 The Return of Her Long Lost Husband by Joanna Johnson is. Mills & Boon historical romance with a second chance at love storyline. 

Nathaniel Honeywell is expecting to be met by his wife, Hester Honeywell, with open arms after returning from the dead. Persuaded by his father, Nat left Hester when she was very ill, to go on a voyage.  Nate’s ship, Celeste,  sank and he was captured. Enslaved in Algiers he lost his eyesight in one eye and a finger but gained a friend, Jacob Marrow. He has been missing, presumed dead, for 5 years. Obviously Hester is now not thrilled to see him, she is loving her new life as a widow and sees no need to find someone else, although her sister, Diana, thinks otherwise. Nate married Hester because his father wanted him to. He treated her very coldly during their short marriage and valued money over… well her. Can Nate redeem himself, rid himself of the perceived shame of being a slave, get out from under his father’s control and ultimate attempt to blackmail him to go back to sea voyages and save their marriage or is their marriage doomed to be like his parents? 

I love Mills & Boon UK and I think you will too! Click my personal referral link to get a discount on your first purchase http://rwrd.io/f4yjeqp?c 

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

Book Review: Returning For His Unknown Son by Tara Pammi

Returning For His Unknown Son is written by Tara Pammi and published by Mills & Boon Modern. A combination of marriage of convenience between Christian and Pryia. Christian suffers amnesia, plane crash whilst Pryia is a teenager who married, had a baby and become a CEO (growing up fast). Fast forward 8 years plus (deep breathe) the hero comes back to find he has a son should culminate in a great read but somehow it doesn’t. I normally enjoy Tara Pammi’ s novels and read them in one sitting. I struggled to get through this one. Not the most enjoyable of reads. 

I love Mills & Boon UK and I think you will too! Click my personal referral link to get a discount on your first purchase http://rwrd.io/f4yjeqp?c 

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