#BlogTour New Rules by Lily Hayden

Today it’s my turn on the BlogTour New Rules by Lily Hayden.

About the Author

Lily Hayden writes chick lit with a kick. Modern day women want modern day heroines and Lily’s characters want sizzling romance, rewarding careers and equal partnerships, but like all of us, they face many challenges and it isn’t always easy.

A mother to four children, Lily graduated with a degree in Business in her hometown in South Wales and enjoyed a successful career in Financial Services before fulfilling a lifelong ambition to write books.

Her debut novel Butterflies, a heartwarming alternative to the traditional boy-meets-girl story, was released in 2018, reaching readers all over the world and she is the author of five books, including a Young Adult Dystopian novel Project Terra under the alias SJ Woods (because who doesn’t love a bit of action and defeating bad guys every now and again).

Follow Lily on social media for the latest releases, promotions and occasional photos of her dogs.

Follow @hwoods_creative on Twitter, on Facebook, on Instagram, on Goodreads, on Amazon, Buy New Rules

About the book

Kate Miller has it all; a glittering career, a wonderful home life and a promotion in the bag. She knows the rules for success, and nothing will stop her from getting to where she wants to be.

Ellie Stephens, on the other hand, can’t catch a break; she’s trapped in a vicious circle of dead-end jobs and red-flag relationships until she’s paired with Kate in their company’s brand-new mentoring scheme.

Ellie just can’t seem to get to grips with Kate’s ruthless recipe for success no matter how hard she tries, leaving her wondering if she’s the problem. Two new men in her life, affable-but-mysterious Freddie and Kate’s drop-dead gorgeous ex Liam try to help her muddle through and figure out how to get ahead.

Meanwhile, Kate’s perfect life is unravelling and where once everything she touched turned to gold, it’s suddenly falling apart. Her work nemesis is throwing obstacles in her way at every turn, her home life is in tatters and her first love is suddenly back in her life. Kate is more confused than ever; is it time to break those rules?

Review

The world is one built by men for men. Forget about the fact there would be no men without women. A patriarchal society relies on the fact we all know our place in the structure, especially when it comes to gender. Perhaps more so in a male dominated career.

A lot of women find they have no choice but to act like men to be acknowledged and get ahead in the world of business. I think Kate is one of those women, which ultimately starts to interfere with her work relationships and her family life. Her husband isn’t eager to accept her attitude towards their life and family in general, and her colleague Ellie feels abandoned by the one person who should be in her corner.

Hayden writes chick lit with an emphasis on reality. Gender equality, juggling motherhood and career and staying true to yourself regardless of the expectations of society. It’s a strong move from chick lit into more serious women’s fiction, and although this read gives readers the ending they expect I am sure the author is capable of a more calculated move if needed.

It’s a read I can imagine many readers will be able to relate to, whether it be work relationships, trying to keep work and family life balanced or being consumed with the need to succeed. Trying to fit in or finding something in life that you feel comfortable with and happy doing. Everyone experiences a little bit of the above now and again, which is what makes this a story readers will enjoy.

Buy New Rules at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Buy at Amazon com.

#BlogTour The Summer We Ran Away by Jenny Oliver

Today it’s my turn on the BlogTour The Summer We Ran Away by Jenny Oliver.

About the Author

Jenny Oliver is a bestselling author of contemporary fiction. She has been an elf in the Disney Store, a personal trainer, journalist, editor and, by far the best, a writer. Twice nominated for the RNA Best Contemporary Novel award, Jenny’s books explore the ups and downs of relationships and an unwavering belief in happily ever after. In her spare time, she can be found cajoling her family out to car boot sales, trying to reign in her competitiveness on the netball court and subtly eavesdropping on strangers’ conversations as inspiration for her next book.

Follow her on Twitter @JenOliverBooks, Instagram @JenOliverBooks, and Facebook @JennyOliverBooks, on Goodreads, on Amazon, Visit jennyoliverbooks.com, Buy The Summer We Ran Away

About the book

It was meant to be the party of the summer…

In Cedar Road, everyone is preparing for Lexi’s ‘White Hot’ summer party. For one night, parking squabbles and petitions are put aside as neighbours sip Prosecco under the fairy lights and gather by the hot tub to marvel at Lexi’s effortlessly glamorous life with Hot Hamish.

For Julia, it’s a chance to coax husband Charlie out of his potting shed and into a shirt so they can have a welcome break from the hellish house renovation they’ve been wrestling with. And it’s a chance for Julia to pretend – just for a night – that her life is as perfect as Lexi’s.

But when, during the party, one of Julia’s WhatsApp messages falls into the wrong hands and reveals her most intimate thoughts, things reach boiling point… And when all the neighbours know exactly what you’re thinking, there’s only one thing to do. Run away.

Review

Julia spends the majority of the time trying to be like someone else. Buying the same clothes, shoes and doing the same activities. When her neighbour Lexi says jump she asks how high. Julia also has an unhealthy obsession about her neighbour’s husband. The kind that gets her pulse rising.

At a summer garden party everything goes pear-shaped when one of her racy Whatsapp messages gets sent to the wrong people. Suddenly everything she thought was important becomes nothing more than white noise. Her husband is devastated and her friends aren’t so friendly anymore.

She ends up on a spontaneous trip that not only opens up her eyes, it also gives her an entirely new perspective on her marriage and life in general.

It’s women’s fiction, a story of finding yourself and friendship where you least expect it.

Oliver creates an interesting like-for-like picture when it comes to women and the way they often take their high school personas out into the big world with them. Mean girls become even meaner women and their victims often need a rude awakening to comprehend that they no longer have to live with the imbalance of power.

Learning to appreciate what you have and experience life the way you want it, as opposed to the way others may want you to experience life is just one of the messages in this book.

Buy The Summer We Ran Away at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher: HQ; pub date 11 Jun. 2020. Buy at Amazon com. Buy at Waterstones.

#BlogTour How To Say Goodbye by Katy Colins

Today it’s a pleasure to take part in the BlogTour How to Say Goodbye by Katy Colins. It’s women’s fiction with a lively tone and an emotional thread woven throughout.

About the Author

Katy Colins is a qualified journalist with articles published in Company Magazine and The Daily Star she crossed sides to work in Public Relations before selling all she owned to backpack solo around South East Asia and finally put her thoughts into words, writing as she travelled.

Her experiences inspired her to pen ‘The Lonely Hearts Travel Club’ series and saw her labelled the ‘Backpacking Bridget Jones’ by the global media.

Katy currently lives by the sea in France where she is on a one woman mission to educate the French about the necessity and technicalities of making a good cup of tea. When she is not writing about romance, travel and adventure, she loves travelling, catching up with family and friends and convincing herself that her croissant addiction isn’t out of control – just yet.

You can find out more about Katy, her writing and her travels on her blog www.notwedordead.com

Follow Katy Colins – @Notwedordead on Twitter, on Goodreads, on Amazon, Buy How To Say Goodbye

About the book

No-one is ever happy to see Grace Salmon.

As a funeral arranger, she’s responsible for steering strangers through the hardest day of their lives. It’s not a task many would want – but, for Grace, giving people the chance to say a proper goodbye to the ones they love is the most important job in the world.

From the flowers in the church to the drinks served at the wake,Grace knows it’s the personal touches that count – and it’s amazing what you can find out about someone from their grieving relatives … or their Facebook page. But when she accidentally finds out too much about someone who’s died, Grace is finally forced to step out of the shadows… and start living.

Review

I’m not sure a lot of us give any thought to the people who ensure our loved ones get a good send off. It’s really the last thing you want to think of. The thought of somebody you love dying and then having to arrange how everyone else gets to say goodbye to them. In a way the funeral isn’t for the dearly departed, but rather for the living who grieve them.

I’ll admit I have asked my mother to plan her funeral. I was pulling her leg a little, but it actually gave her the chance to think about the way she wanted people to say goodbye to her. Her playlist is something else I tell ya! Saying that, lately she has been telling me it’s perfectly fine to pop her in a cardboard box and whip her round to the crematorium and Bob’s your uncle. (Apparently that’s legal here).

Grace is the kind of character readers tend to warm to, because she is like all of us. She is perfect with all of her imperfections. Part of her is afraid to live and to love. Hindered by the memories of a lost love and unwilling to confront what is keeping her from moving on.

I’m intentionally not going to go into the most emotional part of the book. I think It’s best readers experience that for themselves. What I will say is that it makes this more than just Chick Lit and it ventures soundly into women’s fiction.

The group meeting aspect of the story is emotional and heartfelt. In fact the whole book is, despite the light-hearted humour and the realistic characters. It’s women’s fiction with a lively tone and an emotional thread woven throughout.

I think one of my favourite paragraphs by far is the last one. It just speaks volumes about how far Grace has come and the difference in the way she sees life and lives it. Something so simple, and yet perfect in every way. It’s a lovely read.

Buy How To Say Goodbye at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Buy at Amazon com.

#BlogTour The Wedding that Changed Everything by Jennifer Joyce

Today is my turn on the BlogTour for the fabulous rom-com The Wedding that Changed Everything by Jennifer Joyce. It is an entertaining read with plenty of laughs and moments to remember.

About the Author

Jennifer Joyce is a writer of romantic comedies who lives in Manchester with her husband and their daughters, Rianne and Isobel, plus their Jack Russell Luna and bunny Cinnamon.

Jennifer has been scribbling down bits of stories for as long as she can remember, graduating from a pen to a typewriter and then an electronic typewriter.

“And I felt like the bee’s knees typing on THAT. I now write my books on a laptop (which has a proper delete button and everything).”

Follow @Writer_Jenn @HQDigitalUK

Visit jenniferjoycewrites.co.uk

Buy The Wedding that Changed Everything

About the book

Love happens when you least expect it…

Emily Atkinson stopped believing in fairy tales a long time ago! She’s fed up of dating frogs in order to track down her very own Prince Charming, despite the best efforts of her matchmaking best friend…

But now she’s been invited to the wedding of the year at the enchanting Durban Castle, and perhaps bumping into a knight in shining armour isn’t as far away as she thought! Will Emily survive the wedding and walk away an unscathed singleton – or finally find her own happily-ever-after?

Review

Emily is very much a product of her childhood, and the result of that is a fear of commitment. She mistrusts the whole concept of romance and the possibility of finding a partner to share her life with. She is so intent on discovering the Mr Wrongs, so she doesn’t get pulled into any romances or possibly find happiness, that she doesn’t see Mr Right when he is stood right in front of her.

Emily agrees to be Alice’s plus one at a family wedding. Alice needs back-up when it comes to her emotional abusive stepmother, her negligent father and old friends with simmering grievances.

There is something I have to get off my chest though. Alice needed to be told to sit down, to shut up and maybe given a shake for good measure. Regardless of whether she is bullied and submissive because of her endearing stepmother, it doesn’t give her free rein to treat Emily with the same dismissive attitude. Emily doesn’t have to fit into the girl meets Prince Charming box and finds her happy ever after, and she certainly doesn’t have to find it just because Alice thinks she has to have it.

Joyce combines a mellow sense of humour with an aura of nostalgia and memorable characters. The result is an amusing, and yet also at times quite an emotional read. The charm of the story is how the subconscious needs of Emily drive her actions, despite her conscious determination to do the complete opposite. This wedding really does change everything.

Buy The Wedding that Changed Everything at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer.