📖 Blog Tour ~ The Beekeeper at Elderflower Grove by Jaimie Admans

 

HQ Digital
15 July 2022

My thanks to the publisher and Rachel's Random Resources for my copy of the book
and the invitation to the blog tour.

Her new start is about to bee-gin!

Having moved into her mum’s spare room after a disastrous break-up, Kayleigh Harwood is desperate for a fresh start. When she sees an opening for a new beekeeper at the old manor house at Elderflower Grove she jumps at the chance – despite not knowing a thing about bees…

The abandoned house holds a mystery of its own – the previous owner vanished years ago – and locals have been inventing stories about the manor ever since. Unable to resist the urge to look around, Kayleigh is shocked to find drop-dead-gorgeous gardener Carey living inside!

Carey explains that the house and surrounding land is at risk of being demolished, endangering the bees, and he has been staying there to protect it.

Convinced the secret of the house holds the key to saving Elderflower Grove’s bees, Kayleigh is prepared to do everything she can to help. But is she ready to find her own happy-ever-after too…?

📖 My Review ..

When Kayleigh Harwood takes on the job of beekeeper at Elderflower Grove she is determined to make a success of it even though she knows absolutely nothing about looking after bees. Armed with her Idiots guide to Beekeeping Kayleigh does her best to keep the bees comfortable and even though she is a beekeeping novice she quickly develops a real love for the bees  and her natural connection to them will be her saving grace.

There is an air of mystery at the abandoned manor house at Elderflower Grove and people have told of mysterious goings on and ghostly noises coming from the old house. Having a good old nosey around Kayleigh soon discovers that she's not the only one with a love for Elderflower Grove when she bumps into a rather good looking gardener called Carey, who has more than enough secrets of his own.

This fun story flows really well. I enjoyed getting to know Kayleigh, and learned a little bit about looking after bees, and their hives, in the process. The delapidated manor house quickly becomes another character in the story and I enjoyed how Kayleigh and Carey starting to get involved in caring for the old place whilst at the same time being sympathetic to its secrets.

There is much to enjoy in this light and easy romantic comedy. Kayleigh and Carey are both lovely characters and I enjoyed seeing their relationship flourish as the story develops. The addition of some quirky villagers who go by the name of Nectar Inspectors add a really fun element but there is also a serious side about conservation and cherishing the nature and heritage we have in our local communities.

The Beekeeper at Elderflower Grove is a lovely summer read, just perfect for relaxing in the garden with the scent of summer and the buzz of bees around you.

🍷Best read with...Bagels with honey and refreshing drink of elderflower cordial

About the Author

Jaimie is a 36-year-old English-sounding Welsh girl with an awkward-to-spell name. She lives in South Wales and enjoys writing, gardening, watching horror movies, and drinking tea, although she’s seriously considering marrying her coffee machine. She loves autumn and winter, and singing songs from musicals despite the fact she’s got the voice of a dying hyena. She hates spiders, hot weather, and cheese & onion crisps. She spends far too much time on Twitter and owns too many pairs of boots. She will never have time to read all the books she wants to read.

She is the author of several romantic comedies for Harper Collins - The Chateau of Happily Ever Afters, The Little Wedding Island, It's a Wonderful Night, The Little Vintage Carousel by the Sea, Snowflakes at the Little Christmas Tree Farm, The Little Bookshop of Love Stories, The Wishing Tree Beside the Shore, The Little Christmas Shop on Nutcracker Lane, The Post Box at the North Pole, and The Beekeeper at Elderflower Grove.

Twitter @be_the_spark #TheBeekeeperAt ElderflowerCove

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📖 Blog Tour ~ The Secrets of Meadow Farmhouse by Katie Ginger

 

 Delighted to be one of the blogs opening this Blog Tour

on Publication Day  

📖

HQ Digital
17 March 2021

My thanks to the publishers for my copy of this book
 and to Rachel's Random resources for the invitation to be part of the blog tour

The Secrets of Meadow FarmhouseEscape to the countryside with a heart-warming new novel from Katie Ginger, author of Snowflakes at Mistletoe Cottage.

Amelia loves her life in Paris. But with the surprise inheritance of her childhood home, Meadow Farmhouse, she has no choice but to return to the small village of Meadowbank to restore her great-aunt’s old farmhouse. However returning to Meadowbank means she has to confront her past,including old flame Adam.When Amelia discovers a locket hidden in the farmhouse, containing the picture of a mysterious World War Two soldier, she starts to uncover the secrets of her great-aunt’s past and is drawn further into village life. Shocked by the warm welcome from the villagers and her own surprising feelings for first love Adam, Amelia is suddenly confused as to where she truly belongs.

Can Amelia finally confront her own past and find where her heart truly calls home.

📖 My Thoughts...

Amelia has a settled life in Paris but when she hears the news that she has received a surprise inheritance, she needs to return to Meadow Farm, a place which holds bittersweet memories of her time growing up there with her taciturn, great-aunt Vera. Amelia's rather chic Parisian lifestyle finds her unprepared for the warmth of welcome she receives from the villagers of Meadowbank, but as they welcome Amelia back into the fold, so she must confront her own thoughts and feelings about why she hasn't been back to Meadow Farmhouse in over ten years.

The Secrets of Meadow Farmhouse is a beautifully descriptive story about life in a small English village. There's a nice element of mystery, a 'will they, won't they rekindling of romance, and a cast of quirky villagers whose hearts of gold, and occasional sharp tongues, really bring the story to life.

Amelia's slow progress with the farmhouse, and her indecision about selling the property and moving back to Paris, is one of the dilemma's she faces but there's also a mystery to solve before Amelia can make up her mind about her future. Confronting the past is a theme which runs throughout the story for not only is Amelia uncovering secrets from long ago but she is also looking at her own troubled past, and most particularly her relationship with Adam, her first love, who holds a special place in her heart, and who still lives in Meadowbank village.

The Secrets of Meadow Farmhouse is perfect escapism for a rainy afternoon, beautifully written by an author who writes with such consummate ease, and who brings time, place and people so vividly to life that they leap off the page and into your heart. I do hope that this is not the first visit we make to Meadowbank, as I am sure there are lots more lovely stories to be told about this quintessential English village.

About the Author

KATIE GINGER lives by the sea in the south-east of England, and apart from holidays to very hot places where you can sit by a pool and drink cocktails as big as your head, she wouldn’t really want to be anywhere else. The Secrets of Meadow Farmhouse is her seventh novel. She is also the author of the Swallowtail Bay series – Spring Tides at Swallowtail Bay, Summer Strawberries at Swallowtail Bay and Winter Wishes at Swallowtail Bay, Snowflakes at Mistletoe Cottage and the Seafront series – The Little Theatre on the Seafront, shortlisted for the Katie Fforde Debut Novel of the Year award, and Summer Season on the Seafront.

When she’s not writing, Katie spends her time with her husband and two kids, and their dogs: Wotsit, the King Charles spaniel, and Skips, the three-legged rescue dog. (And yes, they are both named after crisps!)

​

Twitter @KatieGAuthor

@HQStories

@Rararesources

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Book Review ~ The Second Chance Hotel by Rachel Dove ☼

HQ Digital
29 May 2020

My thanks to the publishers for my copy of this book 

April Statham had it all – until her husband left her for a blonde ten years her junior. Now she’s thirty-five, single, and starting again. So she does what anyone in her position would do: she impulsively invests her life savings in the chalet park she used to visit as a child, on the beautiful Cornish Coast.

The Shady Pines Chalet Park is… ramshackle. But it has one big advantage – it is as far as physically possible from April’s ex, his new fiancée, and her old life. With gorgeous handyman Cillian O’Leary, April is looking forward to the challenge.

As visitors arrive, April realises that Shady Pines isn’t just a second chance for her, it gives Cillian another shot at happiness too.

But when he moves into the chalet next door, April’s painful past starts to catch up with her, and she struggles to reconcile her feelings for Cillian.

Is April’s new beginning destined to end in failure – or will she find new friends, a new life and new love at her second chance hotel?

What did I think about it..

After a disastrous marriage breakup, April Statham returns to Cornwall, having hastily purchased the now dilapidated Shady Pines Chalet Park, where she once spent an idyllic summer as a child. The reality of the purchase is far removed from April's dreams and much work is needed before the holiday park can reopen for the summer. When Cillian O'Leary, and his small daughter, Orla, need a more secure home, April is happy to give over one of the chalets in return for Cillian's handyman skills around the park.

What then follows is a delightful story about the trials and tribulations of preparing to open a new business, and April's constant worry about her stretched finances, and whether the enterprise will be successful. The added inclusion of Cillian and Orla, with all their problems, adds an interesting dimension, and I enjoyed watching how the friendship between Cillian, Orla and April developed as the story progressed. The 'will they, won't they aspect of April and Cillian's burgeoning relationship adds a little bit of romantic interest to the story. However, it's not all about romance, I especially enjoyed meeting Maggie, a feisty octogenarian, who lives at the Chalet Park all year round and who fiercely guards her own sad secrets. 

With an idyllic Cornish setting, interesting characters who very soon feel as comfortable as friends, a smattering of sweet romance, The Second Chance Hotel is a light and easy summer read.

About the Author

Twitter @writerdove #TheSecondChanceHotel

@HQDigitalUK

Amazon UK

Blog Tour ~ The Secret of the Château by Kathleen McGurl

🌠🌠Thrilled to be part of this blog tour on its Publication Day🌠🌠

HQ Digital
15 May

My thanks to the author and Rachel's random Resources for my ecopy of the book
 and the invitation to the blog tour

Everything is about to change

1789.

Pierre and Catherine Aubert, the Comte and Comtesse de Verais, have fled the palace of Versailles for their château, deep in the French Alps. But as revolution spreads through the country,even hidden away the Auberts will not be safe forever. Soon they must make a terrible decision inorder to protect themselves, and their children, from harm.

Present day

When Lu’s mother dies leaving her heartbroken, the chance to move to a château in the south of France with her husband and best friends seems an opportunity for a new beginning. But Lu can’t resist digging into their new home’s history, and when she stumbles across the unexplained disappearance of Catherine Aubert, the château begins to reveal its secrets and a mystery unsolved for centuries is uncovered...

What did I think about it..

When five friends, all in their fifties, decide to pool their collective resources and relocate, from England, to a shared property in rural France, they discover the beautiful Château d'Aubert in the tiny town of Saint-Michel-sur-Verais in the Alpes-Maritime region. The château is very picturesque, but with some areas that need renovating, the five set about transforming the château into a stunning home. However, as with all old buildings there is much to discover and the air of mystery, and occasional ghostly feelings which surrounds the château, draws them ever deeper into its history.

Told in alternate chapters we get the modern day story of the château as seen through the experiences of Lu, once a history teacher, who is fascinated by the history of the château which stretches back to the tumultuous days of the French Revolution. Throughout the story we get to learn more about complicated lives of Pierre and Catherine Aubert, Comte and Comtesse de Verais, who fled Versailles when the troubles escalated into danger and despair. However, they soon discover that escaping to the Château d'Aubert is not without its problems.

I was equally at home in the modern day château as I was heading back in time to the days of the terror and the collapse of the ancien regime. The author describes everything so beautifully that time and place come alive and as one chapter ended I found that I was looking forward to either returning to the present with Lu, and the gang, or of heading back to the past to see how Pierre and Catherine were faring.

The Secret of the Château is a beautifully written dual time narrative which takes you back to a dark period in French history and a time when to be a privileged aristocrat was fraught with danger. It was interesting to watch just how the historical strands of the story played out whilst at the same time allowing the modern day protagonists to bring the history of the château back to life again.

History, mystery and a hint of ghostly activity make The Secret of the Château a perfect 'Lock down' sort of read 😊

About the Author

Kathleen McGurl lives in Bournemouth with her husband. She has two sons who have both now left home. She always wanted to write, and for many years was waiting until she had the time. Eventually she came to the bitter realisation that no one would pay her for a year off work to write a book, so she sat down a nd started to write one anyway. Since then she has published several novels with HQ and self published another. She has also sold dozens of short stories to women's magazines,and written three How To books for writers. After a long career in the IT industry she became a full time writer in 2019. When she's not writing, she's often out running, slowly.

Website

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Twitter @KathMcGurl

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Book Review ~ Her Last Secret by P L Kane

HQ Digital
January 2020

My thanks to the author for my ecopy of this book

Jordan Radcliffe is found stabbed to death.

Her boyfriend’s finger prints are on the knife and his clothes are covered in her blood.

Case closed… Or is it?

When Jordan’s estranged father Jake learns of his only daughter’s death, he is convinced that there is more to her murder than he is being told. But Jake hasn’t seen Jordan for over three years and, with secrets of her own, she was far from the child he abandoned all those years ago.

Jake’s ex-wife Jules, is reluctant to let him waltz back into her life. But with a question mark hanging over the case, Jake knows that he must piece together the fragments of evidence before it is too late.

Will he ever discover the truth?

What did I think about it..

The story gets off to a dramatic start with an opening chapter which sets the scene for what is to come in this cleverly thought out murder mystery.

It would seem almost from the beginning of the murder investigation that the perpetrator of Jordan Radcliffe's murder is pretty much decided, however, Jordan's father, Jake, is determined to leave nothing to chance as he searches for more evidence, determined to put right all the wrongs he feels he is responsible for in Jordan's short life.

Her Last Secret is not so much a police procedural although the investigation into Jordan's death certainly features but rather this is more about the guilt of those who are left behind who feel that they could have done more, been more, helped more and who in the face of such profound sadness feel that they only way to assuage their guilt is do everything possible to catch whoever is responsible.

There's so much to say about Her Last Secret but I don't want to give anything away as this is a story better read without any preconceived notions of where it is heading. Throughout the story there are varied plots twists, and more than enough excitement to keep you guessing. I especially enjoyed getting to know the main characters, particularly Jake, who is carrying more than his share of  angst, the reason for his particular sadness is revealed as the story progresses.

Well written with an ability to get right into the heart of the characters, particularly between family  members, Her Last Secret is a cleverly controlled murder mystery which will keep you guessing until the very last twist in the tale.

About the Author

Website

Twitter @PLKane1 #HerLastSecret

@HQDigitalUK

Facebook

Instagram

Amazon UK

Blog Tour ~ The Little Theatre on the Seafront by Katie Ginger

Jaffareadstoo is thrilled to be hosting today's stop on The Little Theatre on the Seafront

Blog Tour

HQ Digital
1 September 2018

My thanks to the author for her invitation to be part of her blog tour

What's it all about..

When Lottie’s Gran dies she leaves one last request; save Greenley Theatre. 

Faced with a decaying building, a mayor who most definitely isn’t on board with the project and a group of actors who just can’t get along, Lottie has her hands full, but with best friend Sid by her side she knows she can do it somehow. 

But the arrival of Jeremy, a hotshot London developer who sweeps Lottie off her feet, complicates things. Suddenly Sid gets a new girlfriend, the Greenley Players fall apart, and that crumbling building? Well it crumbles a whole lot more. With no one to turn to, Lottie has to find the courage to save the day. 

Will Lottie be able to save the theatre and also follow her heart?

✨ I'm really thrilled to share this lovely guest post from Katie ✨

Hi Jo, Jaffa the gorgeous cat, and all your lovely readers! Thank you so much for hosting me for the blog tour of The Little Theatre on the Seafront.

As this is my debut novel, I thought I'd tell you a little bit more about myself and how I got into writing. Like most authors, I used to love writing as a child but then with university, work, and general life getting in the way, I stopped for a long time (and I mean a long time!). It wasn't until I got made redundant that I decided I wanted to do something completely different and think differently. I'd spent so many years solving problems I wanted to do something creative and as every time I picked up a book I wished it was my name on the cover and my words on the page, I decided to do a creative writing course.

I really am so glad I did!

I loved the course as soon as I started and thanks to my tutor and the online writing group I joined, I realised that, while I had a lot to learn, I was kind of okay at it! I kept writing and practicing and managed to have a few short stories published, then the idea for The Little Theatre on the Seafront started to take shape. It took a couple of years to write and the story changed a lot during the revision process. After I got my book deal, my lovely editor helped me find the story I was really trying to tell and I'm so pleased with the final result. I'm really proud of it! I'm just crossing everything I've got in the hope that others enjoy it too! If anyone does read it please let me know what you think. 

You can reach me on Twitter: @KatieGAuthor #thelittletheatreontheseafront

 Facebook or check out my website: www.keginger.com.

So that's me! I hope I'll get to talk to you again when my next book comes out in 2019 but until then, ta ta for now! 

All about Katie Ginger

KATIE GINGER lives in the South East of England, by the sea, and apart from holidays to very hot places where you can sit by a pool and drink cocktails as big your head, she wouldn't really want to be anywhere else. This is Katie's debut novel but she is also the author of some cosy mystery short stories. She loves making her characters either fall in love, or killing them off - it depends on her mood.

When she's not writing, Katie spends her time drinking gin, or with her husband, trying to keep alive her two children: Ellie, who believes everything in life should be done as a musical number from a West End show; and Sam, who is basically a monkey with a boy's face. And there's also their adorable King Charles Spaniel, Wotsit (yes, he is named after the crisps!).

Here's what I thought about The Little Theatre on the Seafront..

When Lottie's beloved gran dies, Lottie is persuaded, against her better judgement to take over one of her gran's good causes, namely to save the dilapidated old Greenley Theatre. With the best of intentions, Lottie, with the help of her friend, Sid, tries to inject some enthusiasm into the project but there are so many obstacles and grouchy people in the way that poor Lottie has her work cut out from the very start.

I found much to enjoy in The Little Theatre on the Seafront. It's a delightfully perceptive look at life and love, the power of friendship, and of the steely determination needed to carry on when all around you is floundering. I really loved the author's light and easy style of writing and the way that she allowed her characters to come to life. They're an odd bunch to be sure, making me laugh out loud at some of their antics, particularly the actors themselves who aren't always very helpful! I enjoyed watching how they all developed as the story progressed and especially of how Lottie grew in confidence.

Without doubt this is a charming debut and I hope we will see much more of Katie Ginger's writing in future stories.

Currently just 99p at Amazon UK

Huge thanks to Katie for inviting me onto her blog tour today and for her lovely guest post.