Book Review - One Hundred Proposals by Holly Martin

 

Publisher: Carina

Published: 25.06.2014

Format: Kindle

Available From Amazon now

 

I have been intrigued by this book since it first started showing up on people’s blogs and was mentioned everywhere. I really love the idea behind it: Is there such a thing as a perfect proposal?  I was a little scared to start reading this as whenever there is a book which has received a lot of praise I worry that I will be the one person that hates it. Well worry not, this book lives up to every good review it has been given and all the praise it has received, it’s heartbreakingly romantic and will take you on an emotional journey with two characters you know belong together.

Suzie and Harry are best friends. Together they run thePerfectProposal.com a website helping would be grooms to plan their perfect proposal. One day Harry asks Suzie what her perfect proposal would be, when she draws a blank, Harry embarks on a mission to find Suzie’s perfect proposal. He decides to do one hundred different proposals over one hundred days.

What is obvious from the very beginning is Suzie is madly in love with Harry and has been ever since they first met. Their friendship goes way beyond the boundaries of a normal male/female friendship, they sleep in the same bed, they’ve seen each other naked, and they know almost everything there is to know about each other. She doesn’t want to tell him how she feels as she doesn’t want to lose his friendship. He’s been her rock since her brother Jack died from cancer and she’s not sure what she would do without him. So the idea of having to watch the man she loves propose to her each day just for research is heart-breaking. Remembering to say no each time Harry asks “Marry Me?” almost pushes Suzie to the edge.

The romance between these two is so beautiful because it seems so real, how many men would you let see you wear a cow suit onesie? Not so many I’m sure. As they start their daily routine of the proposals you so want Suzie to say “yes” every time, however there’s always something holding her back or some mishap which gets in the way and all this just adds to the beauty of this story.

Harry and Suzie are both characters which you will adore instantly. Harry is so kind, funny and really hot that you just can’t help but fall in love with him. I loved the way he would just drop everything and go running to Suzie no matter what time of day it was, how can you not want a man like that?  Suzie is a lovely down to earth character, I love the way that she will let Harry see her when she is a total mess with no make-up on and those pj’s you hide from everyone, I love the way she is a little clumsy and has a habit of falling over at totally the wrong time. These two are just so at ease with each that they need to be together and when the tension between them begins to build I guarantee the only thought running through your head will be “just tell him how you feel!”

Although it seems obvious how the story will end you will be on tenterhooks throughout this book as these two never quite manage to make their true feelings known and you are almost left wondering if they actually will.  This book had me laughing, crying and shouting because I was so frustrated; it is a truly wonderful romantic book which will take you on a journey that you will not want to end.

Rating 5/5

 

 

 

 

Showcase Sunday #5

 

Showcase Sunday is a weekly event hosted by Vicky at Books, Biscuits and Tea where bloggers share which books they have received or bought throughout the week. This week I only picked up two books from the library and my friend Jane has lent me one to read.

 

 

 

 

I'm  a huge Adele Parks fan and her novels just seem to keep getting better, this is set in 1920 after the end of The Great War and focuses on the lives of Beatrice, Ava, Sarah and Lydia. I'm intrigued by this as its her first historical novel. Party Games is Jo Carnegie's first novel which is not part of the Churchminister series, which I loved, so it will be interesting to see what this is like.

 



 

Don't know anything about this one, but its Erica James so is bound to be good. Could be a while before I get round to this one though. So what books have made their way into your collection this week? Take a look at everyone else's list here.

 

Book Review - A Gift to Remember by Melissa Hill

 

Published: 2013

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Pages: 405

Source: Library

Available In: Hardback, Paperback and Kindle

 

Fall head over bicycle wheels in love with Melissa Hill’s A Gift to Remember. Darcy Archer loves books and surrounds herself with them all-day working in a bookshop called Chapters in Manhattan. She spends all her time dreaming about books and longing to find her own perfect Mr Darcy.  One day while cycling to work Darcy crashes into Aidan Harris and knocks him out cold. Racked with guilt Darcy takes his dog and the beautifully wrapped gift he drops and vows to reunite Aidan with his lost property.  At the hospital Darcy finds out Aidan has lost his memory and has no clue who he is or where he came from. Darcy decides to make it her mission to help him piece his life back together  building a picture in her mind of the man she knocked over, who is beginning to resemble Darcy’s dream man. Will Darcy find her happy ever after or will it all be just a dream?

This is the first Melissa Hill book which I have read and I loved it, the story had just enough mystery and plot twists to keep me guessing right until the end. I loved the character of Darcy, she’s just so sweet and helpful and would make a wonderful best friend as she seems incredibly loyal, plus she would probably always have the book you wanted to read in her pile. I loved how she bonds with Bailey the Dog and all the way through I was hoping if she didn’t get the man then maybe she would get the dog.

I thought this book flowed really well and I liked the chapters from Aidan’s point of view as I was able to build my own picture of him from the hints given, the picture I was building was similar to Darcy’s so the ending was a bit of a shock.

I loved this book it was a perfect read for me with a little mystery and romance and any book set in New York at Christmas is a winner with me as I’d love to experience this myself one day.

Rating 5/5

 

 

 

Book Review - Silver Bay by Jojo Moyes

 

Author: Jojo Moyes

Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton

Published: 2007 (This Edition 2013)

Pages: 390

Available In: Paperback & Kindle

 

 

This is a beautifully evocative tale of three women living in the idyllic “Silver Bay” on Australia’s coast and how one man’s visit changes their lives forever.  Liza McCullen lives in the Silver Bay Hotel with her aunt Kathleen and her young daughter Hannah. The three women live a peaceful and sheltered life in the Bay, where Kathleen runs one of the only hotels and Liza spends her time conducting “Whale Watching” tours on her boat. Then Mike Dormer, the mild-mannered smart Englishman who is set to change everything arrives in the hotel.

This book is told through the eyes of the three women and Mike Dormer and although at first you are lead to believe they are all happy with their lives you can soon see they are all missing a little something which turns them from existing into living.  It is beautifully written and will immerse you totally in the lives of these characters.

My favourite character in this book is Mike. I love the way he changed from being very accepting of his circumstances and not really involving himself with decisions to being someone who decides what he wants and does everything he can to get it.

I love the way that both Liza and Mike begin to change their lives after they have been whale watching, it’s as if the whales bring a calm magic to the lives of people who see them. I think this happened to me also while reading, at first I couldn’t really get into the story but then about 100 pages in Liza takes Mike out to see the whales and something changed and I could not put this book down.

Jojo Moyes has once again turned a subject matter I’m not sure of into something utterly beautiful which will touch your heart as the story unfolds.

Rating: 4/5

 

"Waiting On" Wednesday - The Marriage Mender by Linda Green

 

 

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine where we share an upcoming release we can't wait for. My pick this week is:

 

 

 

The Marriage Mender

Author: Linda Green

Publisher: Quercus

Release Date: 28th August 2014

Format: Paperback

 

 

Taken from Goodreads:

 

Alison is a marriage mender. Her job is to help couples who fear they have reached the end of the line. But the trouble with spending your time sorting out other people’s problems is that you tend to take your eye off your own.

Even when her husband’s ex Lydia arrives on the doorstep demanding to see her son, Alison thinks she can handle it.

But what Alison doesn’t realise is that Lydia is the one person who has the ability to destroy their happy family. And sometimes the cracks can run so deep that even a marriage mender can’t repair them

 

I've not read anything by Linda Green yet but I think this might be the book to change that, I also would like to read The Mummyfesto and 10 Reasons Not to Fall in Love. Check out what everyone else is "Waiting On" this week here.



Top Ten Tuesday - Books I'd Recommend to People Who Haven't Read Chick Lit

This week at The Broke and the Bookish the Top Ten was books you would recommend to someone who had never read....so I chose Chick Lit , here is my list, in no particular order:

 

 

1. Sushi for Beginners by Marian Keyes

I love this book, it was one of the first adult books which I bought and I have re-read it many times. It tells the story of Lisa who moves over to Dublin from London to be the editor of the newly launching Colleen magazine, Ashling who applies to be assistant editor and her best friend Clodagh who is seems to have the domestic dream of house, husband and child. Its just a brilliant read about being female and dealing with life.

 

 

2. Bookends by Jane Green

Bookends tells the story of four university friends Cat, Lucy, Josh and Si and what happens when Portia comes back into their lives. Bookends is the name of the café which Cat and Lucy start together, this is my idea of a dream place a bookshop with a café. A brilliant story of what can happen when you start to assume things about people.

 

 

3. Twelve Days of Christmas by Trisha Ashley

Perfect Christmas read. Holly Brown doesn't like Christmas, she agrees to house sit a remote manor in the moors of Lancashire, perfect as she just wants to be alone. When she arrives she finds she is not alone and the family have all arrived expecting a full on family Christmas. Even though the ending to this book is very predictable it is the perfect Christmas book for me as I love all the descriptions of the meals and the decorating which happens, best read by a lovely log fire with hot chocolate.

 

 
 

4. Simply Divine by Wendy Holden

 Socialite Champagne D'Vyne wants to write a magazine column so drags in journalist Jane to write it for her. Jane is also trying to help best friend Tally save a crumbling family home. This is a quick easy read which will make you laugh, although Champagne is probably one of the most annoying characters ever written.

 
 


5. Amanda's Wedding by Jenny Colgan
Fran and Mel have been invited to Amanda's wedding to Laird Fraser. They feel sorry for him marrying social-climbing Amanda who is only interested in his title. So the pair enlist Fraser's brother Angus to help sabotage the wedding. This is hilariously funny and I just love the schemes that the girls come up with to stop the wedding. 
 


6. The Undomesticated Goddess by Sophie Kinsella
Samantha Sweeting is a hotshot lawyer, until she makes a huge mistake. She packs her bags and heads out into the countryside where she is mistaken for a interviewee for a house-keeping job. She accepts the job but is completely clueless about anything found in a kitchen. As she finds her way round the kitchen she also finds love. But will her old life catch up with her? Another light-hearted funny read.
 

 
7. In Her Shoes by Adele Parks
Eliza and Martha are sisters. Each sister envy's the other Martha has the family and house and wants her freedom and Eliza longs for Martha's stability.
 


8. White Wedding by Milly Johnson
Bel, Max and Violet are all  planning their weddings and they each meet in the White Wedding shop. AS the story unfold each of their planned wedding goes slightly wrong. This is Milly Johnson at her best with a story of friendship, betrayal and a little romance.
 


9. Heiresses by Lulu Taylor
Three sisters Jemima, Tara and Poppy inherit their fathers failing perfume business, instead of selling it off they decide to try and make a go of it themselves. This is a story about wealth, lust and families and is gripping from the first page.
 

 
10. Daddy's Girls by Tasmina Perry
Four sisters Serena, Cate, Venetia and Camilla, one of them may have killed her father Sir Oswald Balcon. This is a dip into the lives of the rich and famous with an element of who done it mystery. It's perfect for pure escapism. 
 
So that's my list of beginner chick lit, what is on your list this week? Check out everyone else's list here.

Book Review - The Dress Thief by Natalie Meg Evans

 

Published: June 2014

Publisher: Quercus

Pages: 564

Source: Library Book

Available In: Paperback & Kindle

 

“The Dress Thief” tells the story of Alix Gower a young girl dreaming of working in Parisian haute couture.  Alix has a wonderful ability to be able to sketch copies of high end fashion items at just a moment’s glance. This skill gives her a chance at her dream job in one of the most prominent fashion houses in Paris; but also leads her into a world of danger and deception. After Alix meets the handsome young English journalist Verrian Haviland, Alix’s mysterious past begins to unravel itself and her life begins to fall apart.

I wanted to read this book as I am a huge “House of Elliot” fan which is set at a similar time but in London. However The Dress Thief goes way beyond a story of Parisian fashion. It is a story of mystery, romance, friendship and the everyday struggles of life.  Right from the start this book will grip hold of you and draw you into Alix’s story and it won’t let you go till the very last page.

Alix is a brilliant main character. She is obviously a talented and beautiful young woman whom the men around her find very captivating. I felt she came across as a little naïve when in some situations but I liked that because it made you like her, even though you didn’t always agree with what she was doing.  This book has many characters but they all add something to the story, making you feel like you are right there in Paris with them all.

This is a stunning debut novel by Natalie Meg Evans which has been beautifully written and well thought out. I loved the plot and the way it unfolded just made you want more and more. I was sad to finish the book as the character of Alix really grew on me and I’d love to find out what happens to her next. This book is definitely worth the read and I cannot wait until next spring when her next novel The Milliner’s Secret is released.

Rating 5/5