Today: Blog-Tour: Sunset in Central Park by Sarah Morgan

Today is my turn on the fabulous blog-tour for Sarah Morgan’s Sunset in Central Park. Follow the Tour on Twitter with the #MorganinManhattan and @Mira_BooksUK @SarahMorgan_ and @HQStories

About the Author

Sarah Morgan writes warm contemporary women’s fiction with her trademark humour which has gained her fans across the globe. Sarah lives near London with her husband and children, and when she isn’t reading or writing she loves being outdoors, preferably on holiday so she can forget the house needs tidying.

You can visit Sarah online at her website: www.sarahmorgan.com on Facebook at www.facebook.com/AuthorSarahMorgan or on Twitter @SarahMorgan_

About the book

In the chaos of New York, true love can be hard to find, even when it’s been right under your nose all along…

Love has never been a priority for garden designer Frankie Cole. After witnessing the fallout of her parents’ divorce, she’s seen the devastation an overload of emotion can cause. The only man she feels comfortable with is her friend Matt—but that’s strictly platonic. If only she found it easier to ignore the way he makes her heart race…

Matt Walker has loved Frankie for years but, sensing how fragile she is beneath her feisty exterior, has always played it cool. But then he uncovers new depths to the girl he’s known forever and doesn’t want to wait a moment longer. He knows Frankie has secrets and has buried them deep, but can Matt persuade her to trust him with her heart and kiss him under the Manhattan sunset?

Preorder/Buy Sunset in Central Park at Amazon UK or Amazon com

Review

There is one thing I can say consistently about any book by Sarah Morgan, and that is that while I am reading it I always know I am going to recommend it to someone. I’ll be thinking of people I know who will enjoy the story as much I have.

This isn’t always the case with every author or every book. Morgan does what she does really well. Her subtle combination of humour, friendship and love stories are also infused with a close sense of family. It is not uncommon for a tear-drop to fall or a snort of laughter to be heard whilst reading her stories.

Sunset in Central Park is the second part of the From Manhattan with Love series. The first is Sleepless in Manhattan and the third is Miracle on 5th Avenue (coming Nov 2016). The series focuses on the three friends Eva, Paige and Frankie, and they have a connection to Puffin Island, which is another popular series by Sarah Morgan.

In this book we follow the story of Frankie and Matt. Frankie lives her life based on the experiences she has had in her past and especially her childhood. She doesn’t believe in everlasting love or a happy ever after.She also doesn’t think she is pretty enough or good enough in the horizontal tango department.

At the same time she feels attracted to one of her best friends, but is scared of letting herself go and letting herself feel the love she knows she wants and needs. Matt wants to show her how much he cares. however he knows Frankie will bolt like a scared horse at the first sign of any romantic or flirtatious gesture.

To take the next step in her future Frankie has to get some closure about events in the past. The rocky relationships with her parents and the island she left behind her a long time ago.

In this book Morgan once again explores the difficult evolution of friends to lovers. Sometimes it is the perfect development of a relationship and other times it can be the absolute destruction of a friendship.

I have to admit there was a moment I got all misty eyed again, something I am becoming accustomed to when I read one of Morgan’s books. She just has a knack for  the written word and special moments.

As always it was a pleasure to read.

Buy Sunset in Central Park at AmazonUK or go to Goodreads for any other retailer.

You can visit Sarah online at her website: www.sarahmorgan.com on Facebook at www.facebook.com/AuthorSarahMorgan or on Twitter @SarahMorgan_

Read The Christmas Sisters. Moonlight over Manhattan (From Manhattan with Love #6), Holiday in the Hamptons (From Manhattan with Love #5), New York Actually (From Manhattan wth Love #4) Miracle on 5th Avenue (From Manhattan With Love #3), Sleepless in Manhattan (From Manhattan with Love #1), Christmas Ever After, First Time in Forever, Maybe This Christmas, Sleighbells in the Snow, Suddenly Last Summer or The Notting Hill Diaries, all by Sarah Morgan.

Follow @SarahMorgan_, @HQStories and @HarperCollinsUK

The Killing Files by Nikki Owen

This is the second part of the series The Project by Nikki Owen. The first part is Subject 375 (it was called Spider in the Corner of the Room, but has been renamed).

I think to get a clearer idea of the whole concept and Maria’s story I would suggest reading the first book. It will put the story and characters into perspective.

What I initially found really interesting about the premise was the fact the main character has Asperger’s Syndrome. The first book focuses on this aspect of Maria a little more than the second book does. Her reactions, emotions, her social anxiety and the way she reacts to her surroundings is described really well.

In this book we discover the extent of the conspiracy, and just how deep this web of lies extends. Maria starts to question everything and everyone.

Sometimes it isn’t evident whether Maria is in the middle of a dream, a hallucination or is actually having a real life experience. Enemies are friends, friends and loved ones are enemies or is it just possible that no one can be trusted at all.

I didn’t feel as if this was as strong as the first book, perhaps because it doesn’t have the same focus in regards to the Asperger’s, and in general just overall.

It is still an eclectic mix of medical experimentation, conspiracy theories and murder with a side-dish of an autism spectrum disorder.

Buy The Killing Files at Amazon UK or go to Goodreads for any other retailer.

Read Subject 375/The Spider in the Corner of the Room by Nikki Owen. The Project #1

Don’t You Cry by Mary Kubica

Kubica plots are like Chinese puzzle boxes. You have to wrack your brains to get to the solution, which usually means having to literally think out of the box.

The story starts with Quinn’s room-mate disappearing. Not that she notices straight away, in fact in takes her a while to figure out Esther isn’t just busy.

Quinn quickly becomes paranoid about the whole situation. She thinks Esther is a killer, a killer who is now stalking Quinn. It changes everything and all the clues appear in a completely different light. Now she starts to investigate Esther as the perpetrator, as opposed to the victim.

Simultaneously the reader also follows the story of Alex. The son of a drunk, a loner fighting to survive from one day to the next. He is enamoured with a young woman he has named Pearl. He watches her spy on someone else every day. Alex is working up the courage to speak to her. There is just something so enthralling about her.

The stories seem completely unconnected and it isn’t even clear whether they are in the same era, which makes the read all the more interesting.

Once again Kubica manages to draw the audience in and keep them guessing till the end. It’s a mystery within a mystery with a twist at the end.

Buy Don’t You Cry at Amazon UK or go to Goodreads for any other retailer.

Read Pretty Baby and The Good Girl by Mary Kubica.

Unrivalled by Alyson Noël

The feel of this book is an interesting mixture of Young Adult with a certain flair for the reality and cut-throat world of Hollywood. It reminded me of a Jackie Collins story without the huge dollop of sex she was known to incorporate into her books.

It’s the same kind of intimate and truthful look behind the golden curtains of Hollywood lifestyles, the the ruthless choices people will make to be famous, and just how hungry they are to be in the spotlight.

Obviously the fate of Madison is left as a cliffhanger to lead into another book. I couldn’t decide whether it was an intentional ploy by Noël. Was it thrown in there at random purely to hook readers, who will want to know where the girl is? A Gone Girl moment? Or did the glitzy reality TV show like competition just sink the second plot?

Tommy, Layla and Aster and just three of many when it comes to wanting a step up the ladder of fame and fortune. Taking part in a competition to become one of Ira’s shaker and movers seems like the perfect way to achieve their goals.

Layla chooses to chat, gossip and lie for her bread and butter. Tommy becomes too attached to Madison and Aster is suddenly famous in a way she really didn’t expect or want. I wonder if Noël will go back to what happened to Aster. It’s left a wee bit open-ended in this story. It needs to be addressed in some way.

In the end I think they all sacrifice a little bit of their soul to be a part of celebrity circle.

I think this will appeal to older teens and young adults. The whole ‘becoming famous’ via social media and the manipulations celebs pull off to stay on the front pages, and on the tip of everyone’s tongue.

Of course the real question is what happened to Madison? I guess we will find out in the next book.

Buy Unrivalled at Amazon UK or go to Goodreads for any other retailer.

The Summer We Danced by Fiona Harper

Pippa’s story is about perseverance in the face of diversity. Made to look a complete fool in front of the whole nation by her twerp of a rockstar husband, she has become lost in her embarrassment and grief.

The loss of her husband, reputation, home and her figure, all at the same time.That’s enough to make anyone a wee bit depressed.

In an attempt to get back into the swing of life Pippa heads back to her old dance school. and even older dance teacher.

Pippa finds herself battling with old body issues and insecurities. All of that is exacerbated by the fact her old flame Tom has also turned up.

It’s unfortunate that many younger generations will never know the charm, magic and experience of watching a black and white movie of the Golden Age of Hollywood. The beautiful dance routines of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, and you truly haven’t seen anything until you’ve watched the two of them literally glide and hover across the floor.

You can feel the same kind of magic within the pages of this book. When Pippa and Tom dance cheek to cheek, everything and everyone around them disappears just for a minute or two.

The Summer We Danced is about moving on, putting the past behind you and discovering that when one door closes another one opens nearby. It’s romantic and fun with a bit of nostalgia thrown in for free.

Buy The Summer We Danced at Amazon UK or go to Goodreads for any other retailer.

Behind Closed Doors by B.A. Paris

It happens behind many closed doors, regardless of gender, race, religion, nationality or economic standing for that matter. Physical, verbal and psychological abuse.

The insidious nature of abuse goes hand in hand with secrecy and lies. One partner is adept at pretending to be something they are not and the other partner is often too scared to speak up.

Not speaking up ends up being the Achilles Heel of the abused, because when they do finally speak out they are often not believed.

They are faced with questions like: Why didn’t you tell anyone?, Why didn’t you leave? and Why would you let someone treat you that way? A lot of fingers point in the direction of the abused, as opposed to the abuser.

Grace keeps up the pretence for her own safety and for her sister Millie. Jack keeps Grace tethered like horse or a dancing bear, the only respite being an evening of entertainment with guests now and again. He knows exactly who to use as leverage, when it comes to getting Grace to do what he wants.

During the conversations the reader or I often wondered why the guests, especially the women, didn’t find anything odd or disturbing. I know I would find that type of close and claustrophobic relationship worrying.

Kudos to the author for the last two pages, it was an excellent way to end the story. Paris combines the reality of hidden abuse with a psychological thriller, and the end result is quite a good read.

Buy Behind Closed Doors at Amazon UK or go to Goodreads for any other retailer.

Read The Breakdown and Bring Me Back by B.A. Paris

Blog Tour: The Stylist featuring a Q&A with author Rosie Nixon

Today is is my turn on the Blog Tour for The Stylist by Rosie Nixon. There is a great Q&A with Rosie followed by my review of The Stylist. Enjoy!

About the author

Rosie Nixon has been joint Editor of HELLO! magazine for the past five years where she relishes the role of hands-on editor with a love of all things celebrity, royal and fashion-related.

She previously held senior positions at glossy women’s magazines including Grazia, Glamour and Red.

In her career she has been lucky enough to attend a multitude of glamorous award ceremonies, premieres and showbiz weddings all around the world. The Stylist is her debut novel.

Connect with @Rosie_Nixon and @Mira_BooksUK on Twitter to talk about #TheStylist

Q&A

Before we get down to business (i.e. talking about your book) I would like to ask a set of questions I call ‘Breaking the Ice.’

The last book you read? (Inquisitive bookworms want to know) New Beginnings, a collection of short stories written by Adele Parks. I’m nursing my three month old baby at the moment, so this was perfect for night feeds and my fuzzy mum brain. Short stories are a great alternative when you haven’t got the time or the headspace for a longer read.

The last movie you watched, which you felt left a mark (in your heart, soul, wallet…you name it)? I went to the opening night of Spectre – I love a bit of James Bond and especially Daniel Craig in the role. I saw it a few days before my son was born, thankfully the loud bangs and crashes didn’t bring on labour in the cinema – that would have left a mark on a number of people.

Are you more of a Game of Thrones or Outlander kind of gal? How about neither? I am a Homeland and The Affair kind of gal.

What do like to do when you want to relax? I bake a mean banana loaf, I always have music on and enjoy a jig around the kitchen to a classic dance anthem with my toddler, I’m a guilty internet shopper ( fir some reason new shoes relax me) and I always feel better and calmer after exercising.

Which famous person (dead, alive, barely kicking) would you most like to meet? I’d love to have a conversation with the Queen, preferably over afternoon tea at Balmoral. I think she is incredible – 90 years old and still doing so much in the public eye.

Something you treat yourself to, now and again? (Cream éclairs totally count) I’m a massive chocaholic and often have to ban chocolate from the house, because I ‘m not the kind of woman who can have one and put the rest away. Dark chocolate and mint is my absolute favourite – it might sound grannyish, but a new box of Bendicts Mint Collection choc make me very happy.That and internet shopping – I’m a magpie and particularly adore jewellery by Monika Vinader, she’s always top of my list for birthday and Christmas treats.

All of the above questions are actually a pretty elaborate pysch evaluation disguised as random questions. Have no fear here come the real ones. Let’s talk about The Stylist.

The Stylist is certainly a full speed ahead non-stop event. From the very first page the main character is just a blast of energy swooping all over the pages. Fashion and accessories galore!

It seems as if there is even more pressure in our day and age for girls to be en-pointe with their clothing and style in general. Is there any kind of middle ground between dressing as a fashionista and just being fashionably comfortable? Yes. It’s imperative that you dress for yourself – when you feel uncomfortable or aren’t convinced about your outfit, it shows. Fashion should be about feeling good – your clothes should give you confidence and turn you into the best version of yourself that you can be.

The Stylist gives us quite a brutal insight into the celebrity endorsed fashion industry and into the lives of the so-called stylists to the stars. Just how accurate would you say your portrayal is? I think it’s very much rooted in reality – I’ve been lucky enough to observe many stylists at work and these days they are a central part of a star’s entourage. It’s not always the glamour and gloss you might imagine. I hope I’ve given a rounded insight although Mona Armstrong is a completely fictional character.

I have to say you surprised me with a twist at the end. Amber makes an unusual choice (I won’t say which one, so I don’t spoil it for any other readers)… what would you say was her true motivation for this? She never managed to get him out of her head, and they are so good together!

I enjoyed the way the focus was on Amber and satisfaction in her career choice, as opposed to a purely romantic plot. Was this a conscious choice on your part when you were writing The Stylist? In this book Amber is at a stage of her life when getting on the career ladder is just as important as finding a man. I wanted her to be a full character, whose sense of self is not purely based around who she is dating.

Amber is such great character surrounded by a multitude of other solid characters with loads of potential. Will we be hearing more about Amber and Co. in the future? Yes, I’m currently woking on the sequel to The Stylist. I’m having a ball, it’s set in New York, and involves more fashion dramas, parties, hangovers and matters of the heart as Amber relocates to the city that never sleeps and navigates her first relationship.

I would just like to thank you for answering all of my questions, even the slightly odd ones.

Review

In The Stylist the reader gets a glimpse behind the curtain of fashion glam and glitz. How our perception of the fashion industry and celebrity lifestyle doesn’t necessarily match the reality of this particular industry and the lifestyles of the rich and famous.

Nixon puts the emphasis on her character as a whole, as opposed to just her romantic escapades. She is strong willed individual with a lot of ambition, and she isn’t afraid to make right choices for herself, her career and her life.

A fashion faux-pas opens up a pathway for Amber straight into the high-end world of celebrities, award shows, fashion and fame. It must seem like a dream to be able to knock shoulders with the rich and famous. To be able to choose what global stars wear and are photographed in, which in turn means everyone suddenly also knows your name.

I have to say I felt completely mortified on behalf on Amber. Embarrassing isn’t quite the word for being at an awards show in a stinky onesie.

The reader gets to watch Amber grow into her role and then outgrow her boss in a matter of hours. She learns the ugly truth about what really happens behind closed doors in the world of celebs and stylists. Just because something sparkles like a diamond it doesn’t mean it is one. Cue Mona and her excellent ability to fake her way through every situation.

Nixon writes with a sarky sense of humour with a subtle romantic undertone. Her characters are strong and memorable, so I am looking forward to reading what happens in the sequel.

Buy The Stylist at AmazonUK or go to Goodreads for any other retailer.

House of Shadows by Nicola Cornick

When Holly gets a desperate phone call her from her niece it is the beginning of a long search for her missing brother Ben and the unravelling of a love story that stretches over many centuries.

Holly doesn’t want to see the other side to Ben. He is beyond reproach and everyone else must be to blame for his disappearance. None of that changes the fact he has not only vanished without a trace, but he has also left his very young daughter to fend for herself in the middle of the night.

Holly discovers that Ben was researching the history of specific items owned by the Winter Queen. They are rumoured to be very valuable and possess magical powers. Destructive magical powers.

The story wanders in and out of three timelines, the past with the Winter Queen, the past with the close descendants and the present with Holly. The link between all of them being the dangerous heirlooms and the mysterious Ashdown House.

Inevitably it comes down to a choice between power or peace, war or sanity and money or being able to just say no. You know what they say, power corrupts, especially when you have a never ending source.

Kornick mixes historical fiction and a wee bit of the unexplained supernatural.

Buy House of Shadows at Amazon UK or go to Goodreads for any other retailer.

Today: Blog-Tour ‘Christmas Ever After’ by Sarah Morgan

Today it is my pleasure to welcome Sarah Morgan and her new book Christmas Ever After to the blog. It is only a few weeks until Christmas, and Morgan is spreading a little bit of joy, love and Xmas spirit with the third part of the Puffin Island trilogy, to get us in the mood.

Sarah Morgan writes warm contemporary romantic fiction with her trademark humour which has gained her fans across the globe. Described as ‘full of sparkle’ by Lovereading, she has been nominated three years in succession for the prestigious RITA© Award from the Romance Writers of America and won the award twice; in 2012 and 2013.

Sarah lives near London with her husband and children, and when she isn’t reading or writing she loves being outdoors, preferably on vacation so she can forget the house needs tidying.

Visit Sarah online at www.sarahmorgan.com, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/AuthorSarahMorgan and on Twitter @SarahMorgan_

Review:

This is the third part in the Puffin Island trilogy. First time in Forever introduces us to Emily and Ryan, Some Kind of Wonderful is about Zach and Brittany, and Christmas Ever After features Skylar and Alec.

Sarah Morgan is a literary wizard when it comes to creating romance. Reading one of her books is often like eating a deliciously frosted cupcake with sprinkles on top. She will make your heart sob, fuel your ire and then make you feel all fluffy and warm inside.

An excellent choice if you are looking for a sometimes complicated, but ultimately happy read. Not everyone wants to finish a last page and feel distraught. Some readers just want a chance to relax and feel like a unicorn has marched in with a years supply of cotton candy and marshmallows.

When you read a Morgan you need to make some room for the unicorn happy, the feeling that everything is right in the world at this moment in time, and the feeling of being content. You disappear inside the pages of a book, and for a few hours you are transported into another world.

In Christmas Ever After the two people from the Puffin Island group, who were voted most likely to never get along with each other, end up getting to know more about each other than they ever wanted to know.

Skylar and Alec come from completely different families. Skylar is used to doing whatever pleases her parents and being subjected to their disappointment when she doesn’t. In the midst of a family full of status seeking power-hungry individuals, Skylar is a creative free spirit with a mind of her own. She doesn’t quite fit. They see Christmas as business opportunity, as a great time to make business and social connections.

Alec comes from an open fun-loving family, who embrace each person as an individual and try to support their choices in life. Christmas is a time of loving and giving to them. They are warm-hearted, funny and they clearly love Alec very much.

When Skylar ends up in a spot of trouble she discovers another side to Alec, an unexpected soft and understanding side. She isn’t just completely thrown by this, Skylar also finds it oddly attractive. The two of them find themselves in a strange predicament of mutual irritation and attraction. This whirlwind of emotions comes to a head on the infamous Puffin Island.

If this your first Sarah Morgan then I also recommend her Snow Crystal series. Thank you to Harper Collins UK for my copy of Christmas Ever After.

Buy Christmas Ever After at Amazon.uk or Goodreads for any other retailer.

You can connect with Sarah online at her website: www.sarahmorgan.com on Facebook at www.facebook.com/AuthorSarahMorgan or on Twitter @SarahMorgan_

Read The Christmas Sisters, Moonlight over Manhattan (From Manhattan with Love #6), Holiday in the Hamptons (From Manhattan with Love #5), New York Actually (From Manhattan with Love #4), Miracle on 5th Avenue (From Manhattan With Love #3), Sunset in Central Park (From Manhattan with Love #2), Sleepless in Manhattan (From Manhattan with Love #1), First Time in Forever, Maybe This Christmas, Sleighbells in the Snow, Suddenly Last Summer or The Notting Hill Diaries, all by Sarah Morgan.

Follow @SarahMorgan_, @HQStories and @HarperCollinsUK

Blog-Tour: Christmas Ever After by Sarah Morgan 22nd – 30th October

I know it’s not quite Christmas yet, but to get you all warm and tingly, let’s end breezy October with the Blog-Tour for Christmas Ever After by Sarah Morgan. It is the third part of the #PuffinIsland trilogy.

I will be talking about Christmas Ever After right here on the 26th of October and I hope you will join me for my review.

So you can follow the Blog-Tour with a little more ease, and read what my fellow bloggers have to say about the new #PuffinIsland release Christmas Ever After by Sarah Morgan, I have included the links to their blogs.

22nd of October

chicksthatread.com

23rd of October

splashesintobooks.wordpress.com

24th of October

erins-choice.blogspot.co.uk

25th of October

bookishjottings.wordpress.com

26th of October

mmcheryl.wordpress.com

27th of October

bookaholicconfessions.wordpress.com

28th of October

theloveofagoodbook.wordpress.com

29thof October

chicklitchloe.blogspot.com

Friday 30th of October

bookthing.co.uk

Hope to see you here on the 26th!