Book Review: The Forbidden Greek by Michelle Smart

 The Forbidden Greek is the first novel in Michelle Smart and Pippa Roscoes’ mini series Greek Groom Swap. Billionaire Leander Liassidis has agreed to a marriage of convenience to ensure his oldest  friend Helena Haddon can access her inheritance. He backs out of the wedding and Kate Hawkins is dispatched by his estranged twin brother Leonidas and Helena to find him and bring him back to Greece before she starts her dream job as a veterinary surgeon in Borneo caring for orangutans. 

Kate finally tracks him down but he refuses to return and tries to get her to leave. Slowly they go over old ground and chemistry develops between them but will Leander’s hang ups prevent a HEA for the pair? 

I enjoyed this novel. The characters are both strong willed, determined and bounce off each other. They are relatable to the reader and it’s obvious the author enjoyed writing this book. 

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

Book Review: Think Twice by Harlan Coben

Think Twice is the twelfth novel in the series but it can be read as a standalone novel.  Myron Bolitar is a high profile ex basketball player/ sports agent/ attorney who resides in New York. He is visited by the FBI after a former client, Greg Downing’s DNA was found at a double murder scene. Greg supposedly died 3 years ago - Myron attended the funeral and gave the eulogy. Myron needs to find out if Greg is actually dead so he and his companion Win set out to discover  if Greg really did die and why his DNA is at the murder scene. 

I enjoyed this novel. The plot is full of twists and turns as secrets and lies are uncovered. As the characters are 12 books into the series they know and get on well together hence the humour in the dialogue. I wasn’t keen on the novel changing from the third to the first person a few chapters in but that is a personal preference. 

I received this book via Netgalley and Random House UK, Cornerstone in exchange for a honest review. 

Book Review: Reluctant Bride's Baby Bombshell by Rachael Stewart

Reluctant Bride's Baby Bombshell by Rachael Stewart is part of the four part one year to wed series published by the True Love series for Mills & Boon.

Eve fled the Australian outback and her home town of Marni after discovering her parents had lied to both her and to her sisters. She has built a life in London and a loving relationship with her maternal grandparents whilst remaining estranged from her parents and sisters. She returns home after her father dies to discover that to inherit the cattle station, Garrison Downs,  the sisters must all marry within a year. Nate Harrington is the son of George who was Eve’s father’s lawyer. As he is I’ll Nate has move home and taken over his practice. Nate resents his father but slowly discovers her was absent for most of his childhood as he was busy helping others. Nate and Eve meet and have a one night stand the night she returns to Marni. She finds out she is pregnant and the storyline goes from there. 

The storyline is very formulaic and there is nothing fun or memorable about it. The characters don’t seem to gell or work very well together. I also thought that they didn’t really catch the reader’s attention.  I enjoyed that that bothe characters worked through their childhood and parental issues. I wouldn’t reread this novel and normally I enjoy Rachael Stewart’s books. 

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

Book Review: Her Secret Baby Confession by Juliette Hyland

Her Secret Baby Confession by Juliette Hyland is a Mills & Boon Medical romance and the second novel in the Hope Hospital series. 

Jackson Peters, a nurse anaesthetist and Dr Ryann Oliver, a trauma surgeon had baby Alya after a one night stand in Hawaii. Jackson never thought he would be a father and has lots of emotional baggage dating back to being abandoned as a very young child. but Ryann has spent the past year trying to firstly tell him sw was pregnant and then that she had had a baby girl. She finally tracks him down to Hope hospital Arizona where she obtains a job as surgeon so she can finally tell him. The story unfolds from there. 

 I enjoyed this book because for once the heroine is the surgeon and both main characters are 40ish with interesting backstories. As someone who lives in the UK I was interested to read this medical romance which very slightly touched on the issues that shape the US - more black women die in child birth for example which I don’t think has ever been addressed in any othe medical novel I have read. 

I disliked the lack of tension and chemistry between the couple. There was a lack of a build up between the pair. was focused on building the perfect family life, whilst one of Ryann’s dominant storylines  was that she was obsessively focused on her elimination diet so she could breast feed. 

A bland book that lacks something to make the characters likeable. A shame as the premise is great. 

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

Westlab - A Revitalising Combination of Epsom Salts & Reviving Shower Gel For The Perfect Reviving, Relaxing & Revitalising Bath.

 I have chronic pain 24 hours a day and stress and medication triggered psoriasis on my scalp, face an shoulders. When I am having a flare up either condition and to keep my skin under control I enjoy a long soak in a warm bath filled with half a bag of Epsom bath salts. As they are odourless and leave the water clear they don’t make the bath fun, it seems to be just functional. I saw the Westlab bath and shower gels and thought I could combine the two.

The Westlab Epsom bath salts cost £3.19 and the Westlab reviving bath and shower gel £4.99. I used half the bag of the 1kg bath salts and a good squirt of the shower gel to make a foamy bath. 

The shower gel added a hint of luxury and relaxation to my bath. The gel didn’t irritate my skin as it is  SLS free, made with Epsom salts and has magnesium sulphate in it to relax the muscles. I found using it as a bath foam made my bath very relaxing, but also reviving and revitalising. The fresh lemony spa like scent made me relax a lot quicker. The bubbles felt thick and luxurious making the whole experience more sensorial. 

The bath salts are bath salts. They dissolved easily in the bath, leaving the water clear and odourless with no gritty pieces to stand on when getting in and out. 

I felt relaxed and my pain noises quietened down for a few hours which I was pleased about after my bath. As someone with chronic pain I am always looking for ways to reduce it and I find bath salts and a warm bath so help. My psoriasis didn’t flare up as it is normally prone to do if I get too hot or try new products which, again, was a bonus. I enjoyed both of these products and will repurchase.

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

Book Review: The Witch Is Back by Sophie H. Morgan

Mills and Boon published a supernatural Nocturne series between 2013-2017. They seem to be dipping their publishing tie in the world of supernatural romance once again with The Witch is Back by Sophie H Morgan. 

This is a second chance at love romance. Emma Blueswater is a such who wants to leave her witchness firmly in the past. She was never a particularly a good witch. Spells were never her thing. She much prefers running a bar called Toil and Trouble in Chicago with her two best friends, Leah who is human but wants to be a witch and Tia who is also a witch. Her dog and three legged cat are an adorable aside to the plot line. Bastian  Truenote, her best friend since childhood, deserted her when they are making plans for their arranged marriage seven years ago. Despite the complicated marriage contract being signed when they were children he suddenly disappeared without trace. She is humiliated and the mystical/ magical society, especially her mother, blame her as she is not a very good witch. She escapes to the human world where she has lived happily with her friends. He turns up years later in Emma’s bar begging her for a second chance and for the marriage to go ahead as otherwise his mother will die. Bastian is unwilling to share the reasons why he fled in the first place. They go through with the marriage but will they be able to recapture the happiness and love of their youth. 

Although this is a mystical romance many of the split lines are firmly based in reality. Emma is an introvert, Bastian an extrovert. Emma was bullied by her mother when she was a child to the extent that she hates speaking in public. Their characters develop and grow, showing how toxic family life, betrayal and loyal friends can shape a relationship.loyal friends.

This is my first witch/ spells/ paranormal romance and I wasn’t disappointed. Although the basic romantic storyline isn’t by any means unique the way that that the characters, witches and spells were interwoven and shape the dynamic and direction of the storyline made it a very enjoyable read. I never read any of the original Nocturne series, but going by the front cover alone, this new iteration of witchy romance is not as dark and intense but instead toned down, more fun, verging on rom-com with a twist of witch.    

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: Brutal Capo by Lucy Munroe

Brutal Capo is the fifth in the Syndicate Rules Series. Bianca had grown up within the New York mafia but was thrown out when she was a teenager after watching her father getting killed. Her twin and mother move away leaving her on her own. She was working as a pole dancer but moved to being a server in a mafia owned bar. Salvatore, a capo, falls in lust with her and the story goes from there. His don finds out who she is and demands that Sal either marries or is killed.

A fast moving plot. Lots of blood, sex and humour between the characters. An enjoyable read but nothing like the Mills & Boon novels that she used to write!.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.