Book Review: Destination Weddings And Other Disasters By M. C. Vaughan

Destination Weddings And Other Disasters is the second in M.C. Vaughan’s mini series- Belize Dreams. This is an Mills & Boon Afterglow novel, aimed at the under 35 year old reader with lots of spice and a diverse storyline as the characters find their best lives.

Michelle and Jim live in LA and are currently planning their wedding (Michelle is on her 4th). Carson Miller, Jim’s son, after a serious car accident which destroyed his sports career, runs a successful events planning business whilst Julia Stone, Michelle’s daughter is currently living in NYC after attending graduate school to study working in the hotel industry. Carson bullied Julia mercilessly during high school and she has gone out of her way to avoid him since their parents started dated, after all with 4 million men in LA how could her mum meet/date her high school nemesis’s father? She finally has to meet him and is surprised that he is truly sorry for everything he put her through in school. They establish a working relationship in order to plan their parents’ wedding and travel to Belize to ensure all is ready for the nuptials in 2 weeks time. 

As the heat of Belize gets hotter the chemistry between the pair increases. They visit waterfalls, have great meld with Julia’s sister and her fiancé but will their relationship survive the wedding? 

This novel was readable but not memorable and I wouldn’t rush to read the other books in the series. The storyline isn’t particularly spicy/ raunchy in fact it is quite tame in comparison to some of the M&B Modern novels I have read. The characters seemed nice individuals who learned and appreciated that they had made mistakes in their youth and wanted to fix them, I liked the secondary storyline of their parents and Carson “s father panicking that Michelle was too good for him, so the book isn’t a total flop it just doesn’t really fit into the Afterglow criteria apart from the fact they get their HEA which happens in all romance novels. 

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

 

Michelle Jim 

Carson Miller, Julia Stone 

Mills & Boon Afterglow Imprint

Gerald Mills and Charles Boon published their first Mills & Boon novel, Arrows from the Dark by Sophie Cole, in 1908. Mills & Boon have now been publishing romance novels for over 100 years, are the number one romance novel publishing company, selling 200 million novels a year worldwide. In 1971 they merged with Harlequin books and became an imprint. HarperCollins acquired Harlequin (and M&B£ in 2014.

M&B have ventured into many different themes and imprints, some more successful than others! The most recent venture being the Afterglow Books series. Launched in January 2024 the books are aimed at the under 35 readership. This imprint aims to:

“feature(s) authentic and relatable stories, characters you can’t help but fall in love with and plenty of spice!”

Certainly TikTok #booktok and #spicytok (which has well over 4.3 billion views) indicates there is a gap in the market for this type of book. At the moment 2 novels are published per month. 

“Lisa Milton, M.D. and Publisher said: ‘Everyone deserves a love story that’s true to who they are, and from showing up to glowing up, each book features characters who are on the path to leading their best lives and finding romance along the way. TikTok has encouraged a younger generation to read more diversely, and the community has built a new and exciting way to reach readers. Afterglow Books aims to reach these readers where they are and delivers all the tropes,characters and romance that they want!”.

I have finally found another Afterglow book that caught my interest (see my review in the next post. This  is the link to my first review). To be honest I don’t see how the series will last. The remit is so wide and the category seems to be so catchall and vague. I don’t see any afterglow in either of the novels I have read. The reason their existing imprints are successful is because they are cohesive and specific. If you want a medical romance - choose the medical imprint, a story about a billionaire finding love with a waitress- M&B Modern. The series’ covers, which look cheap, remind me of the huge amount of chic flicks that were stacked up at Bookworks years ago when they cost £3.99 for 3! Maybe I’m just getting old - I’m not the target audience anymore! 

The views expressed in this blog post are my own.

Mills & Boon Announces New Imprint, Afterglow Books:

https://corporate.harpercollins.co.uk/press-releases/mills-boon-announces-new-imprint-afterglow-books/

Review: XTI Black Espadrilles for Girls

Over the years I have seen the brand XTI when I have been in Barcelona and also here in the UK. I have small (35EU) feet but I need them to be wide fit. I have some Pisamona ones and they are fine until my feet swell and they aren’t black. I put black flat buckle espadrilles into Google and an online shop called Esdmarca  popped up. As they are in Madrid as I was concerned the postage would be expensive but it was only £5.49 tracked and my shoes were with me within 2 weeks. 

The espadrilles are vegan and PETA approved which as a vegetarian I love. The shoes are flat but have a lot of foot support and cushioning because the sole is thick. The black fabric is a knitted macramé material so it stretches as my feet swell, it feels like I am wearing comfortable slippers. The strap doesn’t dig in but it can be a pain to fasten as it is soft band. This is great but it makes it harder to get the buckle to go through and fasten. I am thrilled with these espadrilles. The jute on supporting the back of the heel is also soft and doesn’t rub/blister my heel. 

I am thrilled with is purchase, they are one of the most comfortable items I own. As I have neuropathic pain in my feet I am very picky about shoes. I have always wanted a black pair as most of my clothes are either black or a dark colour! They are so comfy and look smart to wear with long skirts and dresses. 

Review: GemeShou Gypsum White Ring display holder

The Gemeshou Gypsum ring holders isre available in a set of 3 in two different sizes (£13.86) from Amazon. I got one of the taller ring holders as a sample gift and I really like it. The design and material it is made from is quite unusual. Mine measures 3.5x3.5x6cm. The holder is quite striking and the rings sit nicely on the cone. I don’t think I would have chosen this design myself but now it is in front of me I really like it!