Blog Tour: The Sunflower Cottage Breakfast Club by Lynsey James

The Sunflower Cottage Breakfast Club by Lynsey James

Published: 1st August 2016

Publisher: Carina UK

Pages: 218

Available on Kindle

Order now from Amazon

Rating: 5/5

Blurb

Emily Reed is having a bad day. Devastated at losing her hard-earned promotion to the ditz who’s sleeping with the boss, her mother drops a devastating bombshell—the dad she’s known and loved for twenty-five years isn’t her biological father.

Now Emily needs answers and a month in Luna Bay should give her the time she needs to find her father, and land the difficult client at the Sunflower Cottage B&B which should put her back in the running for her coveted promotion.

Setting up the Sunflower Cottage breakfast club should be a great way to meet the locals and maybe even find out who her father is! The only problem is that brooding and insanely gorgeous, Noah, is determined to make Emily’s stay perfectly uncomfortable.

Finding out the truth was never going to be simple, but she never thought her heart would get in the way…

Review

The Sunflower Cottage Breakfast Club is the second book in Lynsey James’ Luna Bay series, although it can also be read as a standalone novel.

Emily Reed, Business Development Manager for Walter Marshall Hotels has gone from having her life all sorted to being completely lost, after twenty five years her mum has just dropped the bombshell that her loving dad Simon is not her biological father. Her biological father is actually a man named Brian who her mother had a fling with shortly after she was married in the little Yorkshire town of Luna Bay.

To make things worse she’s just been beaten to a promotion by Tara, who seems a little too friendly with their boss Paul. Needing a break and longing to go find out more about her father Emily asks for time off, Paul strikes a bargain with her she has a month to visit Luna Bay and find some answers but while she’s there Emily must get the Sunflower Cottage Bed & Breakfast to sign itself over to Walter Marshall and then she can have her longed for promotion.

Simple, except Emily makes a bad first impression on Mr Grumpy himself Noah Hartley. This wouldn’t be so bad except Noah is very close to The Sunflower Cottages owner Rose and Noah is determined that Rose won’t sell up. After an accident puts Rose out of action for a few days Emily agrees to help Noah run the B & B and to set up his “breakfast club” as a way to keep herself busy and try to subtly find out more about Brian.

After a number of mishaps, misunderstandings and a little heartbreak it’s finally time for Emily to head back to Glasgow, but something’s happened that Emily wasn’t expecting she’s fallen in love…can she really turn her back on Luna Bay now it’s in her heart?

Just like Lynsey’s first Luna bay book I adored this book, it’s an easy enjoyable read and one which is full of emotions, drama and some hilarious scenes. I think the thing that has made Lynsey’s writing standout to me is the characters, she has written some brilliant ones which I can so easily imagine. One of my favourites being Emily’s mum, I just loved her little pep talks with Emily and the scenes where she’s helping Emily cook the breakfasts are some of my favourite in the book.  Talking of breakfasts, I really want one of Noah’s New Yorker breakfasts as it sounded delicious!

I thought Emily was a great main character and had an ah-ha moment when I realised she had been mentioned in book one. I also have my suspicions as to who will be the main character in book three and fingers crossed I’m right because I’m dying to know more about that person.  Anyway back to  Emily, I loved the journey she went on in this book starting out being the uptight, health conscious business woman to the relaxed Emily who goes after what she wants rather than what is expected of her. The sparks that flew between her and Noah were wonderful and I loved reading how their relationship changed.

I also loved that other previous characters were mentioned, it was lovely to check in with Lucy and Jake and see how they were doing. I was a little sad that Elle and George were not in the book as there were character I loved from the first book.

I enjoyed reading The Sunflower Cottage Breakfast Club while I was on holiday and found it to be the perfect holiday read as its light-hearted and fun and Luna Bay reminded me of one of my favourite places Robin Hood’s Bay in Yorkshire.  I’m so looking forward to more of Lynsey’s wonderful story-telling in Luna Bay book three.

Thank you to the Lynsey, the publishers and Neverland Blog Tours for the review copy and for allowing me to be part of the blog tour.

Blog Tour Review: Don't You Forget About Me by Liz Tipping

Don't You Forget About Me by Liz Tipping

Published: 6th June 2016

Publisher: Carina UK

Available on Kindle

Order now from Amazon

Rating: 4/5

Blurb

An athlete, a princess, a brain, a criminal, a basket case…

Cara Dunham is definitely one of them. But stuck in her small hometown, with no prospects of escape, she's struggling to find her thing. Her life is more book club than Breakfast Club and there is no Judd Nelson in sight!

So when Cara is invited to a school reunion she knows this is her chance to channel her inner Molly Ringwald and grab her John Hughes moment, once and for all. Because her teenage love, Daniel Rose will be there, the coolest boy at school and the one that got away.

But transforming into an 80's icon isn't easy and Cara enlists the help of her oldest friend, Stubbs, to teach her all she needs to know about being cool and quirky – a la Ringwald.

Except Stubbs thinks she’s perfect, just as she is and takes it upon himself to show Cara that her life might not be ‘movie perfect’, but there is always another take to get things right. And maybe the hero she's dreamed of has been under her nose the whole time…

Review

Cara Dunham is feeling lost, she’s being stuck doing the same job for years, she’s waiting to find her dream man and her purpose in life. So when she gets the chance to go to her school reunion she decides to channel her inner Molly Ringwald and find out who she really is an athlete, a princess, a brain, a criminal, or a basket case so she can finally have her perfect moment with her teenage crush Daniel Rose, who is back in town.

Cara enlists friend Stubbs to help her find out who she really is and in exchange she will help him land a date with his dream girl April. So begins so very comical moments as Cara works her way through the roles.  Alongside this madcap scheme to find herself Cara also needs to find a way to save the local video shop where she works and where she relives her eighties fantasies on a daily basis.

I felt an instant connection to Cara whose trying to decide which character from the eighties films of John Hughes she should become. Having spent her school days just wanting to belong and find out who she is, is something I can identify with greatly. I loved she suddenly has these moments throughout the book like lightning bolts where things suddenly hit her and start to make sense.  I think a lot of readers may find Cara an annoying character as she does take being insecure with herself to a whole new level but I found her quite endearing and wanted her to find her happy ending.

Cara’s friends make other great characters. I loved the used of surnames for Stubbs’ and Divvy which seemed to emphasize that Cara still felt she was a teenager waiting to grow up. I loved Verity, she reminded me of myself, loving my kids but desperately needing to get out and be with the grown-ups sometimes.

This is the second book I’ve read this year that has referenced teenage films from the 80s, particularly The Breakfast Club, which I haven’t seen so a few of the references mentioned regarding the film didn’t make sense to me. This didn’t ruin my enjoyment of the book however as I still loved Cara and her madcap scheme to find herself.

Can Cara find herself before she meets back up with Daniel? Will Stubbs land his dream date? Will Cara save the video shop? Don’t You Forget About Me is an easy light-hearted read full of comical moments which had me laughing all the way through. It is predictable from quite early one who will end with who and what the secrets are, but I still enjoyed it and think it would make a good beach read where you just wanting something entertaining.

Thank you so much to the publishers and Netgalley for this copy to review in exchange for honest opinions.

Colouring Book Review: The Aviary by Claire Scully and Richard Merritt

The Aviary: Bird Portraits to Colour

by Claire Scully & Richard Merritt

Published: 2nd June 2016

Publisher: Michael O'Mara Books

Images to Colour: 31

Order now from Amazon

Rating:  5/5

Having recently joined the adult colouring craze I was super excited when I was given a chance to review this book for the publishers. I’ve bought a few of the more well-known adult colouring books but I’ve felt a little intimidated by the amazing artwork I’ve seen people do with these books, so they’ve just sat on my shelf.  For me The Aviary is different I instantly found it an accessible book and dived straight in with colouring the many detailed areas. It’s a book where there is enough detail in the drawing that the images look stunning without blending and shading, which really appealed to me as a beginner. There is potential to blend and shade though if that is your thing as you could just work over a larger area or add a background in.

It measures 29cm square so is slighter larger than most colouring books available. This maybe does make it a less portable choice but this book has gone on a recent holiday with me and was not cumbersome to pack or carry around. The book itself has thirty-one bird images to colour on a good weight of bright white paper, all single sided which means using markers is possible. The images themselves are quite detailed but not so much that you don’t know where to start. They do take a while to colour but I’ve enjoyed the hours I’ve spent with this book greatly and look forward to many more hours with it.  I love that the images themselves have hints of backgrounds and colours which you can add to or leave blank. I found the suggested colour schemes helpful when I wasn’t sure where to start.

I love the mixture of bird designs in the book some are looking straight at you, some are looking to the side, some are further away in flight and some are in pairs. My personal favourites are the penguin, the peacock, the ostrich and the mallard ducks. There is sure to be an image that appeals to most people.

I have predominantly used the Marco Raffine pencils to colour this books which have worked well and have also started to use the triplus fineliners from Staedtler and these have not bled through the pages. Here is one of my completed pictures:

The Avairy is the sequel book to The Menagerie by the same authors which features animal portraits and is soon to be joined by The Aquarium, both of which are now on my growing colouring book wish list.

I think The Aviary is an excellent quality colouring book which will provide hours of fun and relaxation for whoever buys it, I know my copy will be enjoyed for many months while I complete the images.

Thank you so much to the publishers Michael O’Mara for sending me a copy to review in exchange for my honest opinions.

The Broken Hearts Book Club by Lynsey James

The Broken Hearts Book Club by Lynsey James

Published: 12th October 2015

Publisher: Carina UK

Pages: 242

Available on Kindle

Order now from Amazon

Rating 4/5

Blurb

Secrets never stay buried for long…
Lucy Harper has always been good at one thing: running from her past. But when her beloved Nana Lily passes away she has no choice except to return to the one place in the world she most wants to avoid…
Luna Bay hasn't changed much in the eight years she has spent in London. The little Yorkshire village is still just as beautiful, but the new pub landlord is a gorgeous addition to the scenery!
Lucy only intended to stay for a day, yet when she discovers that Nana Lily has not only left her a cottage but also 'The Broken Hearts Book Club', Lucy is intrigued. Her Nana never have mentioned the club and Lucy can't wait to get started, but walking into her first meeting she is more aware than ever that her past is finally catching up with her.
One way or another, Lucy must finally face the past she left behind – or spend the rest of her life on the run…

Review

The Broken Hearts Book Club is the first book in the new Luna Bay series by Lynsey James and is actually the first book of hers that I have read. Full of things I love books, romance and a gorgeous Yorkshire village I was sure I was going to love this and I did.

Lucy Harper has just returned to Luna Bay for her Nana Lily’s funeral after keeping away in London for eight years. Lucy feels very uneasy about being back in Luna Bay as the tragedy of what happened years ago still haunts her and is something of a mystery to reader until well into the second half of the book.

She was hoping to just head back to London and leave the past behind for good, but her Nana Lily has had other ideas. She has left Lucy her beautiful cottage by the sea, which is hers to keep providing she lives in the cottage and takes over the running of the Broken Hearts Book Club for three months. Lucy loved Rose Cottage as a child so is torn in two as she really doesn’t want to stay in Luna Bay, but intrigue into her Nana’s special book club and a very dishy barman are just enough reasons to get Lucy to stay instead of scurrying back to the safety and anonymity of London.

Life back in Luna Bay isn’t quite as easy as Lucy imagined, determined to help the members of The Broken Hearts Book Club doesn’t quite go to plan and makes for some very funny moments as Lucy tries to fix all the messes she makes. There’s also still some hostility from certain members of the village which Lucy is scared to face up to.

Lucy was a wonderful main character, she tries so hard to please everybody that she doesn’t always completely think things through, which leads to some misunderstandings, but you could tell she really did begin to care about making the members of the book club happy and that she just wanted the best for everybody. I also loved many of the other characters including Elle, George and Jake and I even warmed to Diane towards the end.

I did feel that the mystery of what happened to the past did overtake the story a little as it’s hinted at so frequently. I was reading fairly fast through this book as I wanted to find out what the big mystery was and to be honest I was a little disappointed when I found out what it was. I did however settle into the book more and really enjoyed the last few chapters at a more leisurely pace.

I also really enjoyed the romance that builds up between Jake and Lucy and loved reading how their relationship developed as it felt very real and also didn’t overpower the book.

Overall I found The Broken Hearts Book Club to be an enjoyable read with some lovely characters, in a beautiful setting, yes I want to go to Luna Bay myself. It’s a story with mystery, with romance and with the message that it’s okay to forgive yourself and leave your heartbreak behind.

I’m glad there is a second Luna Bay book out now as I’m eager to dive back into Luna Bay and all its lovely characters.

Thank you so much to the publishers and Netgalley for providing me with a copy to review.

Blog Tour: The Dress by Sophie Nicholls Exclusive Content & Review

The Dress by Sophie Nicolls

Published: 28th July 2016 (Paperback)

Publisher: Twenty7

Pages:290

Available in Paperback and on Kindle

Pre-Order now from Amazon

Rating 3/5

Today on the blog I'd like to welcome Sophie Nicolls who has written an exclusive piece for the tour detailing her writing rituals, so over to Sophie:

My writing rituals

Do you have a writing ritual, a way of signalling to yourself that it’s time to settle down to write?

It could be as simple as sitting down at your desk with a hot cup of coffee, perhaps in a special mug; or maybe you even have a particular routine, something you have to do to create the necessary head space to begin? 

The choreographer and dancer, Twyla Tharp, talks about the power of ritual in her book, The Creative Habit: Learn it and use it for life. She writes:

‘It’s vital to establish some rituals – automatic but decisive patterns of behaviour – at the beginning of the creative process, when you are most at peril of turning back, chickening out, giving up or going the wrong way.’ Twyla Tharp (2006). The Creative Habit: Learn it and use it for life. New York. Simon & Schuster

In my own life, there are very often at least fifteen thoughts jostling for attention in my brain at any one time. As well as working on my own writing, I teach creative writing full-time at Teesside University and I have a four-year-old daughter.  Thee are always drafts of my students’ work-in-progress waiting to be read, laundry to take out of the washing machine, a lunchbox to pack, a play date to schedule. It can be difficult to make the psychological space to allow the words to flow.

But as Fabia, one of the main characters in my novel, The Dress, knows only too well, ritual is a powerful way to tap into the stillness inside us. It’s a way to tune out all that mental chatter and start to listen - really listen - to what we really want to say.

Fabia uses rituals – simple household ‘spells,’ for want of a better word – to conjure the right atmosphere of warmth and welcome in her vintage dress shop. She washes her floors with lavender-scented water, polishes them with beeswax, sprinkles salt and lights candles. She uses her special brand of ‘everyday magic’ to sew new futures for her customers, hiding secret words in the hem of a skirt or the pocket of a dress, and she keeps the snipped ends of her embroidery threads in a special jar.

Your writing rituals don’t need to be as elaborate as Fabia’s, of course. Mine tend to be very simple. Although I’m rather fond of lighting scented candles and like to do this at the beginning of an evening writing session, sometimes it’s as simple as closing the door to my office, sitting down in my chair, letting my breathing settle, opening my laptop and saying to myself, under my breath, the magic words: ‘Just write.’

I often imagine that I’m stepping into a special writing space inside my mind. I see this space as a circle, traced on the floor. It’s my safe space and, as soon as I step inside it, nothing can interrupt me. This simple visualisation helps me to make the transition instantly from the busy outer world to the stillness of my inner psyche.

I get some of my best ideas in the shower. Just making the decision to stand under the hot water for a few moments can be enough to get the words flowing. It’s also a place where my very talkative four-year-old daughter is unlikely to follow me.

Fabia uses rituals – simple household ‘spells,’ for want of a better word – to conjure the right atmosphere of warmth and welcome in her vintage dress shop. She washes her floors with lavender-scented water, polishes them with beeswax, sprinkles salt and lights candles. She uses her special brand of ‘everyday magic’ to sew new futures for her customers, hiding secret words in the hem of a skirt or the pocket of a dress, and she keeps the snipped ends of her embroidery threads in a special jar.

Your writing rituals don’t need to be as elaborate as Fabia’s, of course. Mine tend to be very simple. Although I’m rather fond of lighting scented candles and like to do this at the beginning of an evening writing session, sometimes it’s as simple as closing the door to my office, sitting down in my chair, letting my breathing settle, opening my laptop and saying to myself, under my breath, the magic words: ‘Just write.’

I often imagine that I’m stepping into a special writing space inside my mind. I see this space as a circle, traced on the floor. It’s my safe space and, as soon as I step inside it, nothing can interrupt me. This simple visualisation helps me to make the transition instantly from the busy outer world to the stillness of my inner psyche.

I get some of my best ideas in the shower. Just making the decision to stand under the hot water for a few moments can be enough to get the words flowing. It’s also a place where my very talkative four-year-old daughter is unlikely to follow me.

Rituals are wonderful ways for writers to slow down, make space and tap into their subconscious, that place from which creativity flows. As Fabia says, ‘magic is everywhere, when you know how to look.’

Blurb

Meet Ella and her mother Fabia Moreno who arrive in York, one cold January day, to set up their vintage dress shop. The flamboyant Fabia wants to sell beautiful dresses to nice people and move on from her difficult past. Ella just wants to fit in. But not everyone is on their side. Will Fabia overcome the prejudices she encounters? What's the dark secret she's hiding? And do the silk linings and concealed seams of her dresses contain real spells or is this all just 'everyday magic'? Among the leopard-print shoes, tea-gowns and costume jewellery in Fabia's shop are many different stories - and the story of one particular dress.

Review

The Dress by Sophie Nicholls tells the story of Fabia Moreno and her daughter Ella who have just arrived in York and are setting up a vintage dress shop. Fabia is Iranian but is pretending to be Italian in order to blend into the community more as she seems to be on the run from something, she is a fabulous seamstress and begins to sew a little magic into the clothes of the ladies of York, bringing out one or two surprises.  As the months pass both mother and daughter struggle with finding out who they really are and where they belong, especially Ella as the older she gets the more she believes Fabia is hiding something from her.

After seeing such a beautiful cover and the very intriguing blurb I was very excited to read this and sadly I think I’m a little disappointed as this book had a couple of things which bugged me and at the end I was still confused about some things. The first thing that bugged me I think could just be me, for some reason I was convinced this book was set in the 1950/60s and the for the first couple of chapters this could easily be the case, until a man gets a mobile phone out of his pocket, which threw me completely, after that I found it really hard to determine the precise time the book was set and this left me unable to completely place the story.

The second thing that annoyed me was an incident which happens about three quarters of the way through the book, it was completely unexpected and didn’t fit in with the rest of the story and the author’s writing style. Up until then the story had been very gentle and descriptive creating a vivid picture of what was happening and was an enjoyable easy read and this sudden episode didn’t fit with or add anything to the story.

The ending left me confused as not everything about Fabia’s past was explained, unless I missed some vital point. Given that this is the first book in a trilogy I’m hoping more will be explained in the next book.

Despite these reservations I did enjoy some of The Dress, my favourite part was watching how Ella and Fabia changed. Ella’s always being such a good girl doing exactly what her mother says and doing her best and blend in and not be noticed, but as she gets older Ella wants to be noticed, particularly by friend Billy. I loved this change in Ella and was a little sad the epilogue skipped so far ahead in time as its missed part of Ella’s growing up which I would love to have read about. I loved that Fabia despite her reluctance gradually began to let a little romance into her own life.

I also loved all the descriptions of the dresses and would actually love to be able to be able to visit Fabia’s shop as it seemed like an Aladdin’s cave of loveliness. As other reviewers have mentioned The Dress does have similarities to Chocolat by Joanne Harris with Fabia sewing her magic into the clothes, I thought this was such a lovely idea and would love her to make a dress for me.

Overall The Dress was a fairly enjoyable read which had some lovely moments and I’d be interested to see where the author takes the story in the next book.

Thank you to Twenty 7 for sending me a review copy and for inviting me on the blog tour and thank you to Sophie Nicholls for popping in.

Blog Tour: Blood Symmetry by Kate Rhodes Exclusive Story and Review

Blood Symmetry by Kate Rhodes

Published: 14th July 2016

Publisher: Mulholland Books

Pages: 342

Available in Paperback and on Kindle

Order now from Amazon

Today it's my stop on the Blood Symmetry by Kate Rhodes blog tour, firstly we have an exclusive story from Kate from Mikey's perspective of events and then keep scrolling down for my review of this gripping crime novel.

Blood Symmetry: Mikey’s story
I think in pictures, not words. Mum says I should go to art school one day, but she’s left me behind, just like my dad. Alice looks after me now. She lets me help her to cook our meals, and sometimes she sings to me when I can’t sleep. It’s her voice I love best: gentle and quiet and kind. She keeps asking questions about mum, and I want to explain, but when I open my mouth, no sound comes out. Words sit in my mind like the stones I hide in my pockets, when mum takes me to the beach.

I keep trying to remember what happened. I see mum waiting by the front door that morning, while I lace up my trainers, then I’m chasing her down the path. She looks back over her shoulder, laughing. Circles of light fall to the ground as we sprint through the trees, round as gold coins. Our footsteps drum louder and my heartbeat’s racing to keep up. Then mum screams, and I can’t see anything anymore. Rough fabric covers my face, scratching my skin, filling my lungs with the smell of petrol. That’s when everything stops. The images shudder then fade away, like a DVD breaking down. Each day the pictures get clearer, but forgetting is safer than remembering. I want to keep mum safe in my mind, laughing back at me as we run through the trees.

Sometimes I think it’s my fault. I woke mum up, to come running with me. If I’d let her sleep, we’d still be together, and I could go back to school. I miss the lessons when the teacher lets us paint whatever we like most of all. Alice has given me a pad and pencils, but it’s not the same. I keep drawing the same picture, of the path across the common. I see it even with my eyes closed. But the nightmares are worst of all. The hood over my head is too tight to breathe, and when it comes off, there’s blood on the ground. It’s too dark to tell where it’s come from, or whether it’s mine. I wake up screaming, but Alice is always there. She says the police will find my mum, and soon I can go home, but what if she’s wrong? I want to push words from my lips, so my thoughts run freely again, but they cling to the sides of my mouth. If only making time go backwards was as easy as spinning the hands on a clock. Mum would still be at home, resting in peace. She wouldn’t have to run through the trees and never come out again.

Thank you Kate for that exclusive piece, Blood Symmetry is out now and can be purchased on Amazon here.

Blurb
Clare Riordan and her son Mikey are abducted from Clapham Common early one morning. Hours later, the boy is found wandering disorientated. Soon after, a pack of Clare's blood is left on a doorstep in the heart of the City of London.
Alice Quentin is brought in to help the traumatised child uncover his memories - which might lead them to his mother's captors. But she swiftly realises Clare is not the first victim... nor will she be the last.
The killers are driven by a desire for revenge... and in the end, it will all come down to blood.

Review
Clare Riordan and her son Mikey have been abducted on Clapham Common while taking a morning run. Hours later eleven year old Mikey is found wandering the streets disorientated and mute. Later that day a pack of Clare’s blood is found left on a doorstep in the heart of London. Alice Quentin is brought in to help Mikey try and uncover his memories and help find his mother. Soon it’s clear to Alice and the police team that Clare is not the first victim and she won’t be the last as these killers have a very distinct desire for revenge.

Alice has soon formed a bond with Mikey and is determined to bring his mother’s abductor to justice. Clare works in the haematology department at the Royal Free Hospital and it soon becomes clear that blood is the key to her disappearance as further victims are uncovered and more blood packs are found.  Alice believes there is a link between Clare and two previous attacks on medical professionals, she’s determined to prove the connection is the Tainted Blood Panel a team of experts brought in by the government to assess the damage of the use of Factor 8 on haemophilia. Can Alice and Burns find the link and the killer before it’s too late?

Blood Symmetry is the fifth Alice Quentin novel by Kate Rhodes but the first that I have read. I believe it can be read as a standalone but like me you will probably become hooked by Alice and by Kate’s brilliant writing. I’m definitely eager to go back to the beginning and find out more about Alice as she’s enthralling. She’s been in a relationship with DCI Don Burns, who she just happens to have to partner with in this book, for four months and she’s unsure whether to fully commit or run for her life as these new feelings make her uneasy. DCI Burns has left his wife but is unwavering in his affection for Alice despite her inability to commit, for me this relationship dynamic was fascinating and I’d love to find how it all began.

There are many suspects in this book including many of Clare’s colleagues, her neighbours, her sister, members of a blood activist group, the list goes on. I loved this because just when I thought I had everything worked out, Kate Rhodes threw another spanner in the works to confuse me even more. This had me gripped to this book as I was determined to work out the killer before they were revealed, sadly I couldn’t!

I also enjoyed the chapters which are written from the killer’s perspective and were like reading their mind, which is a format I feel works very well in crime novels as we get more insight into the “why”. Beware though this book has some gruesome moments which did make my stomach churn a little.

I liked how the motive for these killings had a connection to real events in history and was connected to something which affected many, many lives rather than just being a “I don’t like you, so I’ll kill you” kind of book.  Some of the characters we meet were living with the effects of Factor 8 and it was obvious through the writing that these people and their families were really struggling and for this reason you can emphasize with the killer a little as all they really wanted was recognition and justice for their suffering.

I think this was a brilliant read and had everything I want in a crime novel, a complex plot to work out, interesting killer and suspects and protagonists with more in their lives than work. I’m definitely going to be reading the rest of the Alice Quentin novels, hopefully before the next book is published.

Thank you so much to the publishers for sending me a copy to review and for inviting me to be part of the Blood Symmetry blog tour.

If the Dress Fits by Daisy James

If the Dress Fits by Daisy James

Published: 14th July 2016

Publisher: Carina UK

Pages: 316

Available in Paperback and on Kindle

Order now from Amazon

Rating 5/5

Blurb

Callie’s exquisite, glittering silk gown has been shortlisted for the celebrity wedding of the year. But just as all her dreams are coming true, disaster strikes!
Leaving behind the bright lights of London, Callie is forced to return home to sleepy Althorpe. And there’s one man she hopes to avoid – the childhood sweetheart who turned her life upside down. But now she’s back, is it finally time to stop running?
Yet, as Callie faces her past, a Cinderella-like hunt begins for that perfect, pearl-embroidered dress, mysteriously submitted without a name…

Review
If the Dress Fits by Daisy James was a book I was eager to read after seeing the lovely cover and reading the blurb, I’m drawn to anything wedding related, especially at this time of year so this was the perfect read for me.

Callie left her hometown village of Althorpe in Yorkshire years ago after catching boyfriend Theo in the arms of another woman. Since then Callie has poured herself into her work and built up a successful wedding dress design boutique and now she’s at the pinnacle of her career as she’s a finalist in a competition to design a dress for famous actress Lilac Verbois. On the day Callie’s entry is due to be sent for judging she gets a phone-call which devastates her. Leaving her assistants in charge of the paperwork for the competition Callie heads back to Yorkshire where her life has been turned upside-down.

On returning to Yorkshire Callie has a few shocks. Firstly she is now the owner of her aunts shop Gingerberry Yarns and secondly her old boyfriend Theo, the famous rock star just keeps popping up where ever she is. She’s also trying to hide her disappointment at not winning the dress competition, but unbeknown to Callie Lilac’s wedding team are desperately trying to find the owner of the winning dress, which was submitted with no name…

Despite longing to get back to her studio and her work Callie remains in Yorkshire and begins to give Gingerberry Yarns a make-over in order to make it more saleable, but slowly happy memories of the place come flooding back and Callie begins to be won over by the shops charm, which is helped along by some lovely and loyal customers.

What will happen to Gingerberry Yarns? Will Callie return to London? Will she give Theo another chance and who won the dress competition? This books is full of drama as Callie works out where her heart lies.

This was a lovely read which I really enjoyed. Daisy James has created such a magical place with Gingerberry Yarns that I couldn’t help wishing I could go there myself and join in the Cupcakes and Couture group, despite the fact I’m useless with needles! It was such a warm and comforting place, made even better by the delicious sounding cakes which baker Tom keeps dropping by.

I also loved all of the characters, both in Yorkshire and back in London. They have each been given there own distinct personalities and dreams. One of my favourite characters was Tish, Lilac’s slightly ditzy wedding planner. She was such a hopeless romantic getting swept away with others peoples big days while she waited for her Prince Charming to come and she her off her feet. I loved how Nikki, Lilac’s PA has to step in more than once to help her organise things she’d completely forgotten.

If the Dress Fits was a really enjoyable read, it’s a light-hearted easy read which is perfect for reading in the sunshine. It left me with a warm glow inside and is sure to be a book I reach for when I need cheering up. I’m so looking forward to Daisy’s next book When Only Cupcakes Will do, as I know Daisy is one of those writers that will deliver something I will enjoy.

Thank you to the publishers for this review copy in exchange for my honest opinions.