The Bookshop on the Corner

What would you do if the very job you loved doing were suddenly eliminated? Add into that the possibility that any future openings in the line of work was slim at best and you are one of a hundreds applying for one of two openings? How would you decide what direction you would pursue knowing you had bills to pay, not to mention rent to your roommate? Would you simply walk away from the life you knew to pursue a dream you've always had, despite how ridiculous it sounds to everyone else?

That is just the questions running nilly-willy through Nina Redmond's head when her job at the local library in England is eliminated in an effort to downsize and reduce costs. Now all the other employees are also in the same boat and there is only two positions available for more than a couple hundred people applying and on top of that they are looking for someone young who can multi-task and deal in a variety of tasks in this new multi-functional job position. While Nina definitely has the passion and true love of everything to do with books, she doesn't believe this is the job for her. She envisions a job where she matches the perfect book with a reader and running her own business. But just what can someone do to make that happen. If she doesn't figure something out soon, her roommate, Surinder is about to kick her out of the building they share due to the overstock of books she has recently acquired over her time living there.

So she does what any good natured book lover does, she answers an ad for a old van she hopes to renovate into a mobile bookstore and take it around England in hopes of creating her dream job. Only problem is that the van is located in Scotland and despite all her best intentions, she can obtain any of the permits necessary in England to make this happen. So she packs up what she can in her small car and heads to Scotland to start over again despite all the best intentions of her friends well meaning advice.

I received The Bookshop on the Corner by Jenny Colgan compliments of William Morrow, a division of Harper Collins Publishers. Being a huge book lover, I was immediately drawn to this book as I could envision doing this myself in some degrees. I love Nina's adventurous spirit to leave it all behind and begin a new future for her in Scotland. The authors insight and descriptions of a small farming town is just perfect for a virtual escape and I love how Nina can pick out just the right book for any reader or non readers in some cases. Any book lover will appreciate this book and I believe it garners a 4 out of 5 stars in my opinion. This is my first time reading any of Jenny Colgan's novels but will be checking out the others she gives readers a sneak peek at in the conclusion of this novel.

For more information about The Bookshop on the Corner, Jenny Colgan or where you can pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:

The Bookshop on the Corner by Jenny Colgan

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For more reviews on The Bookshop on the Corner, please visit William Morrow's website. 

The Name I Call Myself

Some of my all time favorite movies are chick flicks with a touch of comedy added to completely make them memorable. The Name I Call Myself by Beth Moran is exactly that and so much more. It involves a complex relationship between Faith Harp and her multi-millinaire fiancè, Peregrine Upperton or Perry for short. For one thing, you would think most women would jump at the chance to marry a handsome rich man who has eyes only for you, but Faith keeps him at arms length due in part to a past she hasn't yet shared with him. It's kinda hard when you have an abusive past with a number of men including your step father and then a roommate of Faith's and her brother Sam, named Snake.

Turns out that their stepfather Kane, is being released from prison and in doing so has vowed to take revenge out on Sam and Faith for putting him there. To top it off, Sam is struggling with all the mental issues that go with watching your mother brutally murdered and now the man who did it is being released from prison. It's no wonder Sam is a substance abuser and will use whatever he can find to help him escape from his past, but with all his panic attacks, he calls Faith whenever his life spirals out of control and she always comes to his rescue.

Perry's overbearing and controlling mother, wants Faith to wear her wedding gown which she and her best friend Marilyn have dubbed, The Ghost Web because it is so hideous and looks so horrible on Faith, that she would have to be dead to want to wear it. But Faith is a bit of a people pleaser and goes along with virtually everything that happens in her life, until she walks into the church her mother used to attend as a possible wedding venue and gets drafted into the choir. Believe it or not it will change her life in ways she could have never imagined, but first she will need to find a voice if she is to be heard. That is where Helmet head comes into play! Life is about to get so interesting.

I received The Name I Call Myself by Beth Moran compliments of Lion Hudson Publishers and Kregel Publications. This novel will have you feeling all kinds of emotions from laughing out loud, to grabbing the nearest box of tissues. It is the perfect blend of comedy and romance to keep things interesting and engaged and I honestly enjoyed this novel more than I thought I would. It's like Monster-In-Law meets Pride and Prejudice. It is simply that good. But before you begin reading it, you will want to carve out a few hours so you can enjoy it uninterrupted. My favorite part is the purpose of the choir. Oh how I had one just like it here, I'd sign right up! For me, this one easily hit at 5 out of 5 stars.

For more information about The Name I Call Myself, Beth Moran or where you can pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:

The Name I Call Myself by Beth Moran

You can find Beth Moran on Facebook to stay up to date on all her latest novels.

To read more reviews on The Name I Call Myself, please visit Kregel Publication's website. 

 

I Hope You Dance

I can't only imagine how hard it must be to find yourself dealing with the grief of losing your husband, but then learning that you are left penniless and with a mountain of debt you didn't even know existed. With no where to go, Ruth Henderson decides to pack up her stuff and leave her old life behind and move back in with her parents in Southwell, Nottinghamshire along with her 14-year old daughter Maggie, whose way of dealing with what she is going through is coloring her hair wild colors. It doesn't make her all that popular in school and soon she finds herself being teased. Her only outlet is to resort to violence which leads to repetitive phone calls from the principal to have Ruth attempt to curtain her daughter's wild side.

Ruth knows in order to move forward she has to find a way to pay off the debt without her parents help, even though they offer to write a check to cover all her debts. She wills herself to take a job working for a classmate, who subsequently had an interest in the boy she fell in love with at school and soon retribution occurs when Vanessa, the clothing store owner, takes out her frustrations on Ruth as a way of her coming to beg for a job. Ruth finds solace in her mother's well intentions to get out of the house and make some friends and finds herself meeting with a great group of women once a month, who share their own frustrations in life at the moment over some great food, and plenty of prayers.

Ruth's only regret is the love she left behind even after she married her husband, and that is of her best friend and neighbor David Carrington, who is a TV personality on his own wildlife safari show and comes to town fairly regularly. With trying to find a way to keep her own head above water and keep her feelings for David locked away in the past, you know it is only matter of time before they too come to the surface to be dealt with. It is a story of hope, love, forgiveness and redemption that come with a life well lived.

I received I Hope You Dance by Beth Moran compliments of Kregel Publications. I did not receive any monetary compensation, aside from a free copy of this book in exchange for my own honest and personal opinions. This is the second book I have read from Beth Moran and once again love the escape back to old England to immerse myself in the small town life and English literature that accompanies her books. The characters are well developed and ones that seem truly genuine that you can care about what is going on in their lives. Not only do you find yourself rooting for Ruth and David but the many secondary characters we are introduced to like David's housekeeper Ana Luisa and his father, but also between Maggie and Seth who have more in common than they think. For me, this one deserved a full 4.5 out of 5 stars.

For more information about I Hope You Dance, Beth Moran, or where you can pick up a copy of this book today, please click on the links below:

I Hope You Dance by Beth Moran 

You can find Beth Moran on Facebook to stay up to date with all her latest books.

To read more reviews on I Hope You Dance, please visit Kregel Publications website. 

Finding the Rainbow

If you have always dreamed of heading off to a charming English village, I invite you to come to Chilton Crosse! Set in the beautiful rolling hills of Cotswold, you are bound to fall in love not only with the English countryside, the quaint shoppes but the amazing people who live here as well. For fans of Traci Borum, Finding The Rainbow is the second novel in the Chilton Crosse series, and for me, it was a welcome site to feel like I am coming home again to this beautiful place and the people I met from Painting the Moon, the first novel in the series.

This time the story continues with Holly Newbury's life if you remember, she became the assistant working at Noelle's art gallery along with Frank. We caught glimpses of her but never knew her story until now. All around her everyone is getting married, from Noelle and Adam to Lizzie and Joe the pub owners and poor Noelle doesn't seem to have any prospects outside of the constant prying from Gertrude, the old spinster she pays visits too. But with raising her 3 sisters and helping her busy father, Holly has her hands full. Since her mother's sudden death, she barely has time for anything, except the constant chores, and badgering from Gertrude. In order to give Gertrude something to consider, Holly starts up a book club at Gertrude's home since she refuses to get out anyway, and they pick Jane Austen's Emma as their first choice, since a local movie company is making the film in town.

She just hopes she can garner enough interest to have people attend, but with Franks help, they put together enough posters to advertise the club. She just wasn't banking on Frank being interested in anything more than a working relationship with her. But since the town is so small, beggars can't be choosers, so she agrees to dinner with Frank, never expecting he might express his interest in her as he walks her home. When she kindly turns him down, she knows it will now lead to an awkward situation at work. Holly soon finds a warm friendship with Fletcher Hays, a lonely American writer working on the film who is simply looking for someone to pass the time with, which is just perfect for Holly. She doesn't need anything more on her already full plate. After all she knows he is returning home once the film is complete so keeping her feelings in check should be easy to do right?

I received Finding the Rainbow by Traci Borum compliments of Red Adept Publishing for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation, aside from a free copy of this book, in exchange for my honest review. I was absolutely delighted by this charming story and loved coming back to Chilton Crosse. Even Gertrude got to grow on you after awhile and it made me want to re watch Emma after reading this one. I have been so blessed to have read through this series and anticipate so many more from Traci Borum. If you truly love novels set in an English countryside, filled with unexpected surprises and romance when you least expect it, give this one a try! I'd rate it a charming 5 out of 5 stars in my opinion and I have found a perfect home for this collection in my personal library.

For more information about Finding the Rainbow, Traci Borum or where you can pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:

Finding the Rainbow by Traci Borum

You can find Traci Borum on Facebook to stay up to date with all her latest novels.

Painting the Moon

If you are looking for a charming series, set in the idyllic countryside of Cotswold's, filled to the brim with delightful and charming characters, you can't help but love, then look no further than Tracy Borum's Chilton Crosse series. In Painting the Moon, the first novel in the series, we are introduced to the small town of Chilton Crosse, buried in a quaint English village. Noelle Cooke has made the journey to the town after hearing of her late aunt Joy's death. She has 3 days leave from her employer in San Diego to settle the affairs and get back to work.

Among those details are not only getting her Aunt's cottage ready for sale, but sorting through the years of belongings to decide which must stay and what she can donate or ship home. What she doesn't expect to find is a locked door upstairs and no apparent key. Thinking she will tackle that one later, she heads to the gallery her Aunt also owned and finds that it is bordering on bankruptcy unless she can raise enough money to salvage it. It's been quite some time since Noelle has been back and is looking forward to connecting with her childhood friend Jill while she is in town. She just never expected Jill to invite her former crush Adam Spencer who is working nearby on a renovation project in the town nearby.

However she tries to fight her emotions, she knows that Adam is the one man she wishes she could have fallen for many many years ago. Even though for Noelle, the relationships she has attempted to have, have all fallen flat. As the time draws to a close, Noelle realizes that 3 days isn't enough time to settle what she needs to accomplish in England, however when her boss gives her an ultimatum, she immediately considers the implications of staying. Would it be possible to find a job if she stayed? Would there be a future with Adam? Did her Aunt Joy have more in store for her than just what her eyes can see? Only time will tell!

I received Painting the Moon by Traci Borum compliments of Red Adept Publishing for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation, aside from a free copy of this book, in exchange for my honest review. This is such a heartwarming series and I can't wait to pick up the next one, Finding the Rainbow! The characters you meet in this village are as real as the pages in the books from Mac MacDonald, the local handyman with a strong Scottish accent that always dispenses wisdom along with a sharing a cup of tea to the 90 year old gentlemen outside the bakery passing out samples of his daughters blueberry scones. You might just want to brew a pot of tea, pick up some biscuits or scones and settle down for a evening by the fire for this one. Well worth all 5 out of 5 stars in my opinion.

For more information about Painting the Moon, Traci Borum or where you can pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:

Painting the Moon by Traci Borum 

You can find Traci Borum on Facebook to stay up to date with all her latest novels.

Making Marion

I love it when you find a great novel that is written from an English author, because there are terms that are used that are quite different from the same words we would use here in the US. I've been delighted to partake of Beth Moran's latest novel, Making Marion: Where's Robin Hood When You Need Him? While it does utilize the elements from the story of Robin Hood, it is simply a whole lot more. There is simply something tucked away beneath the covers of this novel for everyone.

While I would classify this one as a contemporary romance, it adds some comedy to keep things a bit lively. Our main character, Marion Miller is searching for more information about her father, who has recently passed away. But more than that, it's about discovering who Marion really is in the process since dealing with some horrible things as a child, the first of which is losing her father, which she adored. Her mother, unable to deal with such a heavy loss, places all the blame on a young Marion at the time, for disturbing her father, instead of letting him rest. Her words are so harsh to Marion, telling her that she literally talked her father to death, that Marion refuses to speak another word in fear of killing her mother as well. It makes the reader really think about the things we may say to our own children and family members while caught up in deep emotion, and how that may impact them for the rest of their lives.

Marion's mother abandons her in a sense spending her days, locked away in her room, leaving a young child to essentially raise herself. Something that Marion will  have to work out by the conclusion of the novel. Meanwhile now that Marion is grown, she sets out to discover more about her father, since her mother refuses to speak with her. So she heads to the location of the annual Sherwood Festival, which takes place at the Peace and Pigs campsite. All Marion has to go off of is a picture of her father,dressed like Robin Hood and believes this is just the place to learn more about him. But like all family secrets, it will take a miracle to uncover the back story on her father. Along the way, she will be befriended by the owner of the Peaces and Pigs, Scarlett who immediately becomes a bit of a mentor and mother figure to Marion. She is one you truly LOVE by the end.

I received Making Marion by Beth Moran compliments of Kregel Publications and Lion Hudon Publishers for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation for a favorable review and the opinions are strictly my own. This is a wonderful story of how something tragic like Marion's childhood is able to be restored by the love of others who simply let her mature under their watchful eyes and help her to heal all those scars from their past. It is a reminder as well that the things that have devastated us from the past, don't have to hold us back from the futures that lie in front of us and the harm that can come from the unwillingness to let go of the bitterness and anger taking root inside. I absolutely LOVED how it all turned out in the end, not all tied up with a pretty bow, but with some great reflection, a love for those mentors and angels who come along when we need them the most, and for restoration of our hearts. I easily give this one a 4.5 out of 5 stars.

For more information about Making Marion, Beth Moran or where you can pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:

Making Marion: Where's Robin Hood When You Need Him by Beth Moran

You can find Beth Moran on Facebook to stay up to date with all her latest novels.

To read more reviews on Making Marion, please visit Kregel Publication's website.