Review: The Piano Man Project by Kat French

Publication Date: July 30^th 2015
Publisher: Harper Collins UK/Avon
Length: 400 pages

Huge thanks to Netgalley and Harper Collins UK/Avon for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review

A delightfully romantic, heartwarming read for everyone who’s ever looked for The One and found someone better.
You: kind, piano-playing sex god
Me: hopelessly romantic charity shop manager
Honeysuckle Jones has a problem, and her best friends Nell and Tash are on a mission to help her solve it. She needs a man – a caring, intelligent, funny man. But most importantly, a man who’s good with his hands…
Luckily Honey’s new neighbour – moody, antisocial ex-chef Hal – fails on almost every count. Even though the chemistry between them is electric, he’s obviously wrong for her in every way.
But when Honey discovers the devastating reason for his moods she decides to give him another chance. And discovers that the best songs aren’t always in tune…

It’s summer time and I always need a few good chick-lits to curl up and read when it gets warmer, and that blurb had me more than a little bit intrigued.
The book starts with one of the most attention grabbing scenes I’ve read in a long time. Honey and her two best friends in a sex shop, discussing vibrators and sex. This is not a book that holds back, and you’re thrust in (no pun intended) right from the very first sentence.

I wasn’t initially convinced, I mean yes the book had my attention, but that doesn’t mean it’s going to be good. But ‘The Piano Man Project’ ended up surprising me until by the end I was thoroughly invested and more than a little bit emotional.

Honey and Hal are fantastic together. The banter is brilliant and I frequently found myself laughing out loud. Add to that their chemistry and that alone would be enough to make this a good book. But it had so much more depth to it. It tackles sex, the culture and emphasis on orgasm. It tackles the plight of the residents of the home, the problematic attitude that so many have about sweeping the elderly under the rug and forgetting the things they have done for us with their youth. It has strong and brilliant friendships between Honey and her two best friends, plus the friendships Honey has developed with the residents of the home. There was so much to this book that it stopped being ‘just a romance’ from only a handful of pages in.

Whilst the relationship developing between Hal and Honey was fantastic, and the side story of the search for an elusive piano man was amusing/cringeworthy at points, the real show stealer for me was the story thread about trying to save the home. I loved watching Honey come out of her shell and start to really put herself out there and speak up for these residents. I loved the protests and the humour that came through above the fear in those moments. I loved the quiet determination throughout, but I particularly loved the crowning glory, the giant protest at the end where everything comes to a head. I was so emotional by that point reading the speeches from Honey, and the support from all of the other characters that I was actually in tears on the train whilst reading. I was so drawn into the narrative and invested with these characters and their lives.

My only issue was with some of Hal’s character points. I got that he had to be grumpy and abrasive, but there were several points where the way he was treating Honey was just too awful to really then sell the romance. I could have done with his terribleness being toned down a little bit so that I wasn’t constantly questioning why Honey was falling for him. It was decidedly problematic at several points. That said I loved the slow build-up of their relationship. The kisses, the cooking, the dinner and talking through the door. It was brilliantly done. I loved that we had a hero who wasn’t the norm. Kat really embraced the challenge of having Hal be blind, and I loved seeing how he dealt with that, the emotional and physical problems, how he tried to deal with it and the fall-out from that. It added more unexpected depths that I truly wasn’t expecting and surprised me in the best possible way.

This whole book surprised me. I was expecting a light romance and instead I got a romance with some much deeper themes underlying it. It was emotional, and poignant and utterly brilliant. I was swept away with this story and loved spending time with Honey. This is definitely one that I’m going to come back to again and again.

Review: The Little Flower Shop by the Sea by Ali McNamara

Publication Date: July 30^th 2015
Publisher: Sphere/Little Brown Book Group
Length: 432 pages

Huge thanks to Netgalley and Sphere/Little Brown Book Group for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review

Poppy Carmichael, 30, certainly never intended to own a florist. But when she inherits her grandmother's beloved flower shop on the beautiful Cornish coast, Poppy has no choice but to return to the pretty harbour town of St Felix where she spent much of her childhood.
Returning to St Felix brings back sad memories for Poppy. But when she makes new friends such as local flower grower Jake, a young widowed father of two teenagers, Poppy begins to overcome her fears, and discover for herself what's so special about this little flower shop by the sea.

I love Ali McNamara’s books. They’re always light, (but not just filled with fluff) with some brilliant plots, wonderful characters and fantastic romances. I don’t think anything will ever beat the brilliance of ‘From Notting Hill with Love… Actually’ for me, but ‘The Little Flower Shop by the Sea’ comes a very close second.

I loved Poppy, from her grumpy snarky attitude to her Doc Martins and black clothes. She’s offset brilliantly by Amber and the two of them make a really fantastic team. The whole cast of characters work beautifully together to create a wonderful cohesive whole that draws you in and really feels like you’re in St Felix yourself surrounded by these welcoming people.

And what a place St Felix is. Reading this had me longing for the sea, to burrow away in a quite cottage on the coast and go for long walks on the cliffs and the sand. The setting is wonderful and Ali has really captured it and made St Felix feel real. I loved opening the book and falling back into the town.

The plot ticks along nicely. It’s got enough twists and turns to keep you hooked and guessing, a really lovely romance that putters along in the background and some really great character arcs. It really feels like you disappear for a summer into the town and experience the highs and the lows and intrigues of life there. It’s a perfect summer read and I’ve found myself longing to go back there well after I finished the book and moved onto the next one.

My only issue was that sometimes the dialogue felt a little bit unrealistic and a bit too much like a chance to info-dump lots of feelings and information. However whilst that was frustrating, it didn’t really impede my enjoyment of the book too much.

This is the perfect summer read, with just the right blend of romance and a gorgeous setting to create a wonderful story that I loved sinking into. The only problem is that it’s made me miss the sea and want to spend a few weeks in St Felix myself!

Review: The Travelling Tea Shop by Belinda Jones

Laurie loves a challenge. Especially if it involves anything beautiful, baked and frosted. The brief is simple: With three other women, Laurie will board a London bus - kitted out as an English tea shop - on a deliciously different road trip of the USA. 
Their mission: To bring home-grown classics like Battenberg, Victoria sponge and scones to the land of cupcakes, whoopie pies and gold-leafed chocolate sundaes. 
And to show them how a real cup of tea is made. All of the women have their own secrets and heartaches to heal. As well as a grand appreciation of cupcakes, there's also the chance for romance...
But will making whoopee lead to love?

I am a big fan of Belinda Jones’ books. They’re fun, they’re romantic, they take you to new and exciting places, and they don’t always have the happily ever after that you expect. They’re a brilliant mix of the traditional romance that makes you feel all warm and fluffy inside, and real life that grounds them and shows you that not all happy endings are the stereotypical. However, much as I have loved her previous books, ‘The Travelling Tea Shop’ didn’t really hit the mark for me.

One of the biggest issues for me was actually something that I have loved about previous books, the info dumping of history and facts to liven up the tour and places visited. I think when you’re reading your first couple of Belinda’s novels you (tend to) really enjoy the extra information that’s imparted, but the more you read the more repetitive it gets. Yes some of the information was fascinating, but on the whole it felt like I was reading a travel brochure combined with a text book. It got incredibly old incredibly quickly.

I found Laurie quite hard to actually relate to or form a real opinion as she remained very one dimensional throughout. She just felt like a checklist of character traits- love life problems, check, neuroses, check, family history drama that she doesn’t want to get into, check. It felt like a well worn formula with very little new to freshen it up. I also found her romance later in the novel to be handled incredibly poorly. I realise that some of that was deliberate, but you want your reader to swoon at the romance, not cringe with second hand embarrassment.

The secondary characters were a bit mixed. I would have loved to see more of Gracie as she really breathed life into the mix, which was very much needed given how much Pamela sucked the life out of everything. I found her character to be the most hard to believe as she’s supposed to have been this big tv personality, yet she didn’t appear to have any personality to speak of. And then we come to one of the most horrible characters I’ve found in a book recently, Ravenna. I understood the basis of the character but it felt as though she’d been made into a Disney villain rather than a believable girl who was struggling with an abusive relationship.
There was the basis for brilliance with all of the characters it was simply that they remained flat and unrealistic which dragged the already slightly fanciful plot into complete fantasy.

There were still moments of brilliance where I laughed out loud or fell in love with the places described, but it wasn’t the perfect escapism I’ve become used to in Belinda’s novels and I felt let down as a result. For those looking for a cake filled fluffy read who aren’t too fussed on character development then this is a quick read that allows the reader to escape for a few hours. For anyone looking for more than that I recommend sticking with Belinda’s previous novels.

Books I'm Squeeing About in November

Welcome back to The Review Diaries monthly look at the books ahead!

I can't quite get over that we're now coming in to November and this will be the last month before the Christmas countdown begins - crazyness I know! And to add to the celebrations November also sees the celebration of my two year blogiversary!  I know, I can't believe it either! So expect plenty of giveaways, guest posts, interviews and excitements at the end of the month! Next month will be filled with books both Christmassy and not, and plenty of stocking fillers, but for now let's have a look at some of the goodies we have arriving on our shelves this month - it's going to be a good one, some of the best has definitely been saved up until last this year!

1^st– Silent Night by Deanna Raybourn

'Tis the season for an investigation! Lady Julia and Nicholas Brisbane return for a Christmas caper at Bellmont Abbey.

After a year of marriage—and numerous adventures—Lady Julia and Brisbane hope for a quiet, intimate Christmas together—until they find themselves at her father's ancestral estate, Bellmont Abbey, with her eccentric family and a menagerie of animals.

Nevertheless, Julia looks forward to a lively family gathering—but amongst the celebrations, a mystery stirs. There are missing jewels, new faces at the Abbey, and a prowling ghost that brings back unwelcome memories from a previous holiday—one that turned deadly. Is a new culprit recreating crimes of the past? And will Brisbane let Julia investigate?

Oh my, the next best thing to a new Lady Julia novel? A Lady Julia novella! And back at Belmont Abbey! For Christmas! This has the makings of unbelievable glee for me. My only worry, as someone who lives in the UK, will I still be able to get hold of it? Let's hope I can!

1^st– The Feathered Man by Jeremy de Quidt

In a German town, long ago, lives a tooth-puller's boy called Klaus. It isn't Klaus's fault that he sees his master steal a diamond from the mouth of a dead man in Frau Drecht's lodging house, or that Frau Drecht and her murderous son want it for themselves.

He has nothing to do with the Jesuit priest and his Aztec companion who turn up out of the blue looking for it, or the Professor of Anatomy who takes such a strange interest in it. No, Klaus doesn't want any trouble.

But when he finds himself with the diamond in his pocket, things really can't get much worse - that is, until the feathered man appears. Then they become a matter of life... and death.

I first heard about this book at the Random House book bloogers brunch back in June, and I couldn't wait to read more. Everything about it intrigued me, from the cover and the title to that fabulous blurb, and it did not disappoint  This book is absolutely fantastic, and I cannot recommend it enough.

1^st– Jepp, who defied the Stars by Katherine Marsh

Who says fate is written in the stars? Set in seventeenth-century Europe, JEPP is the coming-of-age story of a teenage dwarf limited not only by his height but by his destiny. Seemingly bound for a life of misery as an astronomer's court dwarf, Jepp must prove himself to be a capable and trustworthy student in order to escape his fate. Willing to defy the stars to win the life he wants and the woman he loves, Jepp must choose his own course and become the man he wants to be. Thrilling, romantic and in turns heart-warming and heartbreaking, JEPP is a highly original and unforgettable story about one young man's struggle to escape his destiny. Based on a real seventeenth-century historical figure, Jepp's story includes violence, love, astrology, astronomy, and even a beer-drinking moose.

This book crept onto my radar when Angie over at Angieville was talking about it months ago, and I have been desperate to see whether it would live up to my expectations. It's another artful blend of cover, blurb and title and I absolutely adore it. Jepp's story is one of those that will stay with you long after you've turned the last page.

8^th– Days of Blood & Starlight by Laini Taylor

In this stunning sequel to the highly acclaimed Daughter of Smoke and Bone, Karou must come to terms with who and what she is, and how far she’ll go to avenge her people. Filled with heartbreak and beauty, mysteries and secrets, new characters and old favorites, Days of Blood and Starlight brings the richness, color and intensity of the first book to a brand new canvas.

Yes, just yes. 'Daughter of Smoke and Bone' was one of the top books of last year for me, and I literally cannot wait to get my hands on the second book in this series. There are no words to accurately describe how unbelievably excited I am for this release.

8^th– Winter Wonderland by Belinda Jones

Imagine waking up in a snow globe. . . 

That's how travel journalist Krista feels when she arrives in magical Quebec to report on Canada's glittering Winter Carnival.
Over ten sub-zero days Krista's formerly frozen heart begins to melt as she discovers an enchanting world of ice palaces, husky dog-sledding and maple-syrup treats galore. And then she meets Jacques, a man as handsome and rugged as he is mysterious. . .
The two share a secret that could bond them forever, but can they find a way to break through the protective layers around their hearts to warm up this winter wonderland?
. . . let the snow-spangled adventure begin.

I know, I know, I promised to wait on the Christmas extravaganza until the end of November, but I just can't wait, a new Belinda Jones book is on the horizon! I love her steamy summer reads, so the prospect of one for Christmas makes me a very happy girl. Jones always brings a brilliant mix of escapism, romance and fantastic settings to combine into escapist reads that I adore.

20^th– The Twisted Tragedy of Miss Natalie Stewart by Leanna Renee Hieber

Spooky, chilling and twisted, the highly anticipated sequel to award-winning author Leanna Renee Hieber s darkly romantic debut For Natalie Stewart, a normal life has never seemed so far away. Her only solace, Lord Jonathan Denbury, is wanted for murder. To clear his name, Denbury s must return to England and assume the role of his demon doppelganger. But Natalie begins to doubt his true motives, especially as a new gentleman begins whispering in her ear. Natalie and Denbury may be able to visit each other in their dreams, but they can t escape the darkening shadows. Amid spontaneous explosions, friends turned enemies and dangerous secrets revealed, there's still a demon who has Natalie's scent, and someone is trying to resurrect the ultimate evil.

Darker Still was one of the unexpected surprises of last year, and I absolutely adored it, and now I can't wait to see what's in store for Natalie next. The novel really captured my imagination and now that Jonathan is a little less confined to artwork I can't wait to see his and Natalie's relationship blossom. But added to that are demons! Doppelgangers! And Magic Most Foul! What more could one want?

22^nd– From Notting Hill to New York... Actually by Ali McNamara

Scarlett O'Brien, utterly addicted to romantic films, has found her leading man. She's convinced Sean is Mr Right, but the day-to-day reality of a relationship isn't quite like the movies. With Sean constantly away on business, Scarlett and her new best friend Oscar decide to head to New York for the holiday of a lifetime.

From one famous landmark to the next, Scarlett and Oscar make many new friends during their adventure - including sailors in town for Fleet Week, a famous film star, and Jamie & Max, a TV reporter and cameraman. Scarlett finds herself strangely drawn to Jamie, they appear to have much in common: a love of films and Jamie's search for a parent he never knew. But Scarlett has to ask herself why she is reacting like this to another man when she's so in love with Sean...

I absolutely adored 'From Notting Hill with Love... Actually' it was one of the wittiest and best chick lits I have ever read, so you can imagine my excitement when I saw that a sequel is being released! But there is always a little voice that worries with things like this. Just like Pocahontas 2 (terrible film, don't see it) will the happily ever after be thrown over for a new 'one true love?' I can't help but worry, but I have faith that Ali will do what she's so good at doing - blowing me away with how fantastic her writing is, so I'm sure all will be well!

So those are my squeeful books, what about yours? Are there any here that you're excited for, or even some new ones you're looking out for now? And what did I miss? Tell me the books you're excited about in the comments below!

Review: Emailing Allie by Julie Lawson

Release Date: 25^th October

Huge thanks to Cyder Press for sending me a copy to review

My name's Julie Lawson - I'm an HR Manager at BMT Publishing. Nearly six months ago my est friend, Allie Rainsbury, left the business.
Recently our MD sent a memo asking all BMT employees to clear their Inboxes and, since I had access to Allie's emails after her departure, I set about reviewing hers.
Her adventures were so entertaining that I didn't want to stop, let alone destroy them forever - instead I am determined to share her story with you.
As a new year dawns, Allie needs various questions answered. Among the most urgent are: Where is her future leading? Why are relationships so complex and confusing? Can she get through a day without five cups of tea? Hilarious, touching and unique, Emailing Allie delves into the life and loves of 31-year-old Allie Rainsbury. Through emails sent to her best-friend Julie, the smooth-talking David Marshall and the enigmatic Scott Cooper (to mention but a few) we are taken on an frenetic, funny and uplifting journey that charts her daily challenges both inside and outside the office.

Emailing Allie is a fun chick lit told through a ‘diary’ of sorts – Allie’s inbox and sent mail tells a brilliant and funny tale of the last year of her life. The romances, the intrigues, and the many, many cups of tea.

I loved how the story is told through the emails that Allie sends and receives, it gave the whole book a real lift and made it a light fun read. It never got bogged down in too much detail, but when as a reader I wanted more detail, for example when Allie had been on a date, there was always just enough to satisfy. It’s a novel that very much relies on the reader’s imagination, and because I picked this up when I was having a bit of a reading slump it was really nice to breeze through a book that was on the whole light and not weighed down by too much detail and explanation. I also loved how we as the reader never actually see any of the key scenes, they are always told back through someone else’s eyes, and sometimes the details were unbearably slow to come out – details please! It felt like I was there, being copied in on all the emails and living vicariously through someone else’s gossip and I loved it.

You immediately get a sense of who Allie is, and whilst I felt a little bit strange and voyeuristic reading her emails, I quickly became so immersed in the story and just wanted to find out what happened, that I stopped noticing that it was someone’s personal emails.

I loved the humour, the lighter moments and the way that characters were constructed. A lot of the draw for me remains in the brevity and quick pace that the emails opened up.

It wasn’t all fluff and giggles though, I wasn’t expecting some of the darker and more emotional elements to creep in, but they did and added a certain weight to it that I actually really enjoyed and helped to balance everything out.

The one thing that I wasn’t as fussed on was the love triangle. It was quite stereotypical of the genre, and the rest of the book was such a fresh and entertaining concept I really wished that the romance could have been too. I also really struggle with the actions/attitude of one of the men in the triangle, but then I suppose that is always the way, people looking into a relationship can see how awful some people are being, whereas whilst you’re involved in it you don’t see it. So yes, I think it showed the relationship really realistically, but it still didn’t make it any more fun for me to watch – it was like watching someone walk out in front of a car and not being able to do anything about it.

It’s the sort of book that you can read in one sitting, or dip in and out of over a few days. Light but with some heavier undertones to give it a little more substance, but filled with brilliant humour, fantastic characters and a great heroine, I loved ‘Emailing Allie’ and will definitely come back to it again. For anyone after a bit of a lighter read, or fans of ‘Bridget Jones’ Diary’, ‘Emailing Allie’ is a must read.

Author Q & A with Shannon Hale

Today is the release day for the fabulous Shannon Hale’s new novel ‘Midnight in Austenland’ and to celebrate, the lady herself was kind enough to agree to an interview about the book, and what we can hope to see next.
I also have a giveaway to win a copy of ‘Austenland’ and ‘Midnight in Austenland’, so enter now!

“Readers of Austenland are incredibly excited about your latest book ‘Midnight in Austenland’ can you tell us a little bit more about it and how it came about?”

I was working on the screenplay for Austenland and I wrote a page about each character for my co-writer. Talking about Colonel Andrews, I said that he enjoyed enacting little entertainments for the guests, like theatricals and mysteries. From that came the idea of another guest vacationing at Pembrook Park who uncovers a possible murder and isn't sure if it's part of Andrews's mystery or something real.

“Was it hard to go back into ‘Austenland’ with a different heroine or easier?”

I loved it. I never thought about writing another Austenland book until 2009, but I found it so fun to return to and see what the characters were up to now. I really enjoyed writing Charlotte. When I began Austenland, I was twenties and single. It was interesting for me now as a mother to write a woman my age with children. Every book has challenges, but Charlotte's character wasn't one of them. She was easy. She is so accommodating by nature.

“Can we hope for more books set here in the future? If so which Austen book would you most like to incorporate?”

I think so! I can't help but keep thinking about it now and have a couple more ideas I'd love to tackle. While there was more emphasis on P&P with Austenland and Northanger Abbey with Midnight, there are bits of all of Austen's novels that worked into both. I don't consider either book to be retellings of her books or sequels by any means. I'll likely reread all her books again whenever I start another Austenland book and see what inspiration hits me!

“Has writing always been something you wanted to do? And what drew you to it?”

Always. I first declared that I wanted to be a writer when I was 10. I loved to read and get lost in a story. I spent years in theater, satisfying my lust for storytelling during a time when my writing skills weren't good enough to satisfy my internal critic. It took me 20 years of writing before I finally reached the place where the stories I created were good enough to please myself. I love it. I'll never stop.

“Are there any specific habits, types of music to listen to, or times that have to be observed for you to write?”

I'm a mom of four, so I can't be choosy about such things. Whenever I get the chance and the kids are happy and occupied with a sitter, I sit my butt down and write. At the moment, I'm sitting up in bed covered in blankets because my room is cold. I don't write to music because I just tune it out. Probably another mom thing. The kids' voices from the other room would distract me if I weren't so practiced in the Mom Tune Out.

“What are you working on at the moment?”

I just finished the sequel to Princess Academy, which will be published in August. Now I'm returning to a kick-butt-scifi-action-adventure tome that I've been working on for years but keeps getting put on the back burner while I worked on other projects. I love it and am excited to return.

“Which books have been the hardest to write, and which are you most proud of?”

Princess Academy, The Goose Girl, Calamity Jack, and Forest Born were probably the most challenging. I'm a proud mom of all of them. But if you get some chocolate milkshake in me, I'll probably admit I think Book of a Thousand Days is my best. 

“And finally, if you were a character in Jane Austen’s books, who would you be?”

One thing that's so marvelous about Austen, I think, is how unique each of her heroines are, and yet while I'm reading, I identify completely with each of them. Some days I'm Anne, some days I'm Marianne or Emma or even Fanny. But mostly I'm Elizabeth, of course. Who doesn't want to be Elizabeth Bennet? 

'Midnight in Austenland is on sale now, and is absolutely fabulous! I have one gorgeous new copy to giveaway so enter here!
You can also check out my spoiler free review here!

And Shannon's site here!

My Favourite Christmas Re-Reads

So it’s coming up to Christmas, and as well as new and exciting books that are hitting my door mat/accidentally dropping into my hands when I go book shopping, I love to go back and revisit some old favourites around Christmas time.  Some are just random re-reads of well-loved books, but I’ve picked a few that are particularly Christmassy for me.

Silent in the Sanctuary by Deanna Raybourn

Can you get any more Christmassy than a murder at a country home at Christmas time? No I didn’t think so. I love the Lady Julia Grey series anyway, but the second book in the series holds a special place in my heart at this time of year. There’s something about the dinners and intrigues, and presents and snow and hunts and Christmas pudding making that makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. I particularly recommend reading this book by an open fire.

The Further Observations of Lady Whistledown by Julia Quinn et al.

Julia Quinn is one of my favourite regency romance authors. I love her characters, I love her world, and I love the way she’s created such a host of characters that everything interweaves and overlaps between the books. I also love Lady Whistledown, a gossip columnist that documents the scandals and parties of the ton. So a book of short stories by a collection of my favourite authors, at Christmas time, interwoven by Lady Whistledown’s own gossip and musings – la! What more could one want? Apart from a handsome hero to sweep me off my feet…

From Notting Hill with Love… Actually by Ali McNamara

I read this one for the first time just before Christmas last year, and that combined with the title and fabulous rom-com references throughout make this one of my ultimate Christmas re-reads. After all, Christmas is the season for watching rom-coms. A lot.
So go grab a copy, curl up and make sure you’ve got those rom-coms ready for re-watching straight after.

Harry Potter by J. K. Rowling

Ok, the Christmas moments in every single Harry Potter book are fabulous. Even when Ron and Harry end up hating Hermione in book 3 – it’s still awesome! The Christmas trees! The decorating! The magical bubbles out of Professor Flitwick’s wand! Everything. Whether it’s just a handful of students, or pretty much the whole school in preparation for the ball – I love the atmosphere, the Weasley jumpers, and the insane crackers. Go re-read all the books – or just pick out the Christmas bits to get you in the festive mood!

Author Q & A with Ali McNamara

To celebrate the release of Ali McNamara’s latest book ‘Breakfast at Darcy’s’ which is available from today, I was lucky enough to be able to ask Ali some questions about the book, her writing, and her love of chick lit!
A huge thank you to both Ali and to Hannah Hargrave for making this happen.

“Your first novel ‘From Notting Hill with Love… Actually’ was a huge success, were you surprised by the response to it?”

Incredibly. People’s response to the story and especially to the character of Scarlett has quite blown me away. Even now a year on it’s rare for a day to go past when I don’t get an email or message of some sort about the book, and I really do appreciate every single one of them.

“What can we look forward to in your new novel ‘Breakfast at Darcy’s’?”

Breakfast at Darcy’s is about a girl called Darcy who finds out at a funeral she’s the sole beneficiary of her Aunt’s wealthy estate. But the terms of her Aunt’s will state before Darcy can inherit any of her money she must go and live on a remote island off the west coast of Ireland for a whole year, and set up a new community of people to live there with her.
Being a city girl, Darcy doesn’t find the switch from high-heeled boots to wellington boots an easy one, or for that matter any of the other many changes that the island of Tara has in store for her…

“Do you have any particular patterns of habits when you’re writing?”

I’m very bad at organising my writing time and used to berate myself daily for it. But it was only when I read an interview with another well established novelist who seemed to work in a very similar way to me, that I realised the way I write works for me, therefore it’s ok!

“Your books are fabulous fun to read, are they as much fun for you to write?”

Great fun. But lots of hard work too. The first draft (the part where you’re dreaming up the story) is the part I love the most. I don’t like the editing part that come after, and there’s always lots of that to do!

“The research for ‘From Notting Hill with Love… Actually’ must have been quite fun, were you sick of the films by the end of it? And what sort of research did you do for ‘Breakfast at Darcy’s’?”

No, I love my rom-coms, it was a joy to be able to sit and watch all those films again for ‘From Notting Hill with Love…Actually’ and call it work! I got the idea for Breakfast at Darcy’s when I was on a touring holiday of Ireland and my husband and myself were parked up one day over looking the island of Great Blasket in County Kerry.

“Will you stick with Chick Lit, or explore other genres next?”

I write the way I write. If that fits into a particular genre then so be it. I don’t set out to fit in. Never have, never will do! ;-)

“Have you got any UK tours or signings planned?”

Yes, I’m doing a Breakfast with Ali tour! http://www.alimcnamara.co.uk/breakfastwithali

You can read my reviews for ‘From Notting Hill with Love… Actually’ and ‘Breakfast at Darcy’s’ here.
You can also purchase copies of the books from Amazon, or from your nearest local book store.

A huge thank you again to Ali for giving us her time, and I hope you love her latest book as much as I did!

Review: Breakfast at Darcy's by Ali McNamara

When Darcy McCall loses her beloved Aunt Molly, she doesn't expect any sort of inheritance - let alone a small island. Located off the west coast of Ireland, Tara hasn't been lived on for years, but according to Molly's will Darcy must stay there for twelve months in order to fully inherit, and she needs to persuade a village full of people to settle there, too. Darcy has to leave behind her independent city life and swap stylish heels for muddy wellies. Between sorting everything from the plumbing to the pub, Darcy meets confident Conor and ever-grumpy Dermot - but who will make her feel really at home?

‘From Notting Hill with Love… Actually’ was a true gem of a debut at the end of 2010 from Ali McNamara. It remains the best chick lit I have ever read – smart, funny, brilliantly written with a fabulously unique twist, and with beautifully swoon worthy romance.
As a result ‘Breakfast at Darcy’s’ – McNamara’s second novel, was always going to have to work incredibly hard to live up to her first.

And it comes so very close to perfection. Don’t get me wrong, it is a stunning book; truly brilliant romance, brilliant storytelling and some humour that had me laughing out loud. There were just a couple of things that niggled at me because I had such high expectations – but I’ll get to those in a moment, let’s talk about the awesome stuff first.

Darcy – talk about character growth throughout a novel! She starts off as someone completely hidden behind this persona of clothes and make up she’s created for herself, completely obsessed with the labels she’s wearing and how much of a bargain they were – constantly trying to justify her increasing mountain of debt to herself. But when she gets to Tara, everything changes. She shrugs off the person she was pretending to be and lets her true self shine through and she’s so strong and capable, and completely loveable. I loved watching her transformation from this slightly remote person into a heroine I could identify with, who took everything that was thrown at her and shook it firmly and told it to behave.

Dermot, oh my. This goes for Conor as well, but Dermot was really my favourite of the two boys. McNamara really knows how to create believable, flawed but loveable men that you just want to pull into a great big hug (or alternatively slap at some moments...) She really captures the romance, from the tiny little gestures right down to the overblown romantic ones, her romances are one of the big highlights of the novels for me, they're fabulous, blush worthy, awesomeness.

Whilst the set-up is all really good, the novel really gets going as soon as they get to Tara, she really is the centre of the book. Everyone comes together and develops and changes and bonds, and I could have quite happily read another thousand odd pages on life of the island, both during that year and beyond it. It was a brilliantly written place that completely drew me in and made me feel safe and comfortable and completely at home. Hell, I finished the book and debated upping sticks and moving to a remote island myself, it certainly seems the way to go. And if you can promise me an experience like Darcy’s I will be there like a shot.

I would have liked to see more of the islanders, I felt that we didn’t get to see them as individuals very much, it was more of a collective. For example, apart from the odd line and a tiny bit of description from Darcy’s perspective I didn’t feel like I knew any of them that were chosen to come and live on Tara apart from Niall, Conor, Dermot and Roxi. Whilst I liked the community spirit that definitely comes through, I wanted to learn a little more about the individuals and why they wanted to come to the island, it’s quite an extreme move, and I didn’t feel like they were really fleshed out without some of the backstory.

I did have a couple of problems with some aspects of the book. Firstly the title, which I know is probably just me personally. After the brilliant ‘From Notting Hill with Love… Actually’ I was expecting the title to mean more to the book. Aside from the obvious play on ‘Breakfast at Tiffany’s’ which is referenced briefly in the book, the title remained a little bit random for me, and I kind of expected it to have more relationship with the novel.

Secondly, the romance. We all know in chick lit that our heroine is going to have two yummy boys to  choose from (and potentially make out with) and that only one will turn out to be her one true love. McNamara uses this brilliantly, but I felt a little bit cheated out of the romance. Yes Darcy and her OTL have a few moments of really breathless anticipation, and they grow into friends in a way that most books miss out in the relationship process, but then it suddenly turns into ‘hey we’re in love!’ Where is the kissing? Where is the moment? I felt a bit cheated out of that, and as a result was left a little bit disgruntled, despite the gorgeousness of the final moment.

I also wished we could have had a bit more development of Darcy’s backstory. There’s a lot of her suppressing memories throughout the book, and forgetting parts of her childhood, and whilst there is a revelation of sorts part way through, I wanted something more, some moment where we find out more about her childhood and everything she’s fought down.
On the plus side I loved the reminiscing about Aunt Molly. I loved finding out more about her character despite her death, and she becomes almost part of Tara, an entity in her own right that we learn about and remember through Darcy.

But my few problems with it are just me being picky because McNamara’s writing is so good. Everything else is so deliciously brilliant that the personal niggles fade into the background and it remains a brilliant book, one you can sink into and really appreciate the writing, the characters, the humour and fabulous plot. McNamara marked herself as one to watch with her début, and she’s cemented her status with ‘Breakfast at Darcy’s’.

Books I'm Squeeing About in November

How has October finished already?! I can’t believe that we’re already into November and almost at this site’s one year bloganniversary! I will be doing a give away on the 28^th November to celebrate, as well as other sekrit excitements to surprise you with throughout the month – but in the meantime here are three books you need in your life this month!

10th– The Vampire Diaries The Hunters: Phantom (UK release date)

Since meeting vampire brothers, Stefan and Damon Salvatore, Elena Gilbert has been to hell and back. Now that she and her friends have saved their hometown from a demonic spirit, everything can finally go back to normal.
But Elena should know better than anyone that Fell's Church will never be normal. In PHANTOM, a dangerous new other-worldly threat sets its sights on Elena. And this time she can only count on one Salvatore brother to protect her.

I’m not sure what I’m going to make of ‘Phantom’. Anyone who has read L. J. Smith’s blog will have seen that the last Vampire Diaries book was the last one by her. This one has apparently been written by a ghost writer, so I don’t really know what to expect from it. But I’m curious, so I’ll give it a go.

24th– Crossed by Ally Condie (UK release date)

Rules are different outside the Society.
Chasing down an uncertain future, Cassia makes her way to the Outer Provinces in pursuit of Ky – taken by the Society to his certain death-only to find that he has escaped into the majestic, but treacherous, canyons. On this wild frontier are glimmers of a different life and the enthralling promise of rebellion. But even as Cassia sacrifices everything to reunite with Ky, ingenious surprises from Xander may change the game once again.
Narrated from both Cassia's and Ky's points of view, this hotly anticipated sequel to Matched will take them both to the edge of Society, where nothing is as expected and crosses and double crosses make their path more twisted than ever...

I’m so glad that the sequel to ‘Matched’ is out this month. It was the first book I ever reviewed on this site, and I loved it. It was one of my first deliberate forays into dystopian fantasy, and whilst I wasn’t fussed on the first half of the book, the second half swept me away. I’m looking forward to seeing how Cassia’s journey continues in her search for love, life, and a world without rules.

24th– Breakfast at Darcy’s by Ali McNamara

When Darcy McCall loses her beloved Aunt Molly, she doesn't expect any sort of inheritance - let alone a small island. Located off the west coast of Ireland, Tara hasn't been lived on for years, but according to Molly's will Darcy must stay there for twelve months in order to fully inherit, and she needs to persuade a village full of people to settle there, too. Darcy has to leave behind her independent city life and swap stylish heels for muddy wellies. Between sorting everything from the plumbing to the pub, Darcy meets confident Conor and ever-grumpy Dermot - but who will make her feel really at home?

Ah, what can I say other than BUY THIS BOOK NOW. Ali McNamara’s debut novel ‘From Notting Hill with Love… Actually’ was again, one of the first books I reviewed on here, and one of my all time favourite chick lits. It was awesome in its fresh approach and brilliant plot, and I will wave my copy in front of everyone who will listen and shriek about how awesome it is.
And now we have a NEW BOOK from Ali! And I cannot wait, literally so excited for it, because it is going to be epic. I feel it in my bones. Pre-order it now, go on, I dare you.

Review: Midnight in Austenland by Shannon Hale

Released: 31st January 2012 (from Amazon)

Spoilers? Nothing you wouldn't read in the blurb.

When Charlotte Kinder treats herself to a two-week vacation at Austenland, she happily leaves behind her ex-husband and his delightful new wife, her ever-grateful children, and all the rest of her real life in America. She dons a bonnet and stays at a country manor house that provides an immersive Austen experience, complete with gentleman actors who cater to the guests' Austen fantasies.
Everyone at Pembrook Park is playing a role, but increasingly, Charlotte isn't sure where roles end and reality begins. And as the parlour games turn a little bit menacing, she finds she needs more than a good corset to keep herself safe. Is the brooding Mr. Mallery as sinister as he seems? What is Miss Gardenside's mysterious ailment? Was that an actual dead body in the secret attic room? And-perhaps of the most lasting importance-could the stirrings in Charlotte's heart be a sign of real-life love?
The follow-up to reader favourite Austenland provides the same perfectly plotted pleasures, with a feisty new heroine, plenty of fresh and frightening twists, and the possibility of a romance that might just go beyond the proper bounds of Austen's world. How could it not turn out right in the end?

“It is a universal truth that nothing spoils a post lunch game of croquet like suspecting the other players of murder.”

I read and reviewed Shannon Hale’s ‘Austenland’ in August and I loved it – it was funny, smart and such a brilliantly fresh twist on Austen.

The first book focused on the idea, on the romance of the situation and the concept of living in Jane Austen’s world for two weeks. It was really good, but there wasn’t a vast amount of action, so some bits dragged a little bit. 

However, ‘Midnight in Austenland’ gave Hale another chance to take all the good bits and make them even better. Instead of ‘Pride and Prejudice’ we plunge with Charlotte into a story closer to ‘Northanger Abbey’ – as a result there’s a lot more action, things happening and bumps in the night enough to scare me silly.

It’s a lot tighter and a lot funnier (which is impressive considering I was laughing out loud most of the way through ‘Austenland’.) It feels like having explored the ideas in the first book, Hale has just snuggled right back into the world and thoroughly enjoyed herself. There is so much more detail, because instead of introducing all these fresh concepts, it’s something that we already know and love.

There was less of a focus on the love aspect – although it was still there. It was more about Charlotte; her re-building her self-esteem and self-worth, and the mysteries surrounding Pembroke Park. I warmed to Charlotte straight away, she was strong and feisty and unbelievably funny.

“”Oh, I meant ‘drawers’ as in the things you open, not like underwear, because clean and tidy underwear is a passion of mine!” Really, Charlotte? She thought. Is it really? Is that a statement you want defining you?”

Charlotte has an almost constant conversation with her Inner Thoughts – to the point that they practically took on a life of their own, and I really loved seeing these conversations. It gave a greater insight into her character, and provided a vast array of humour.

Her inner thoughts shut up after that, probably too distracted by Mr Mallery’s manliness to taunt her anymore.

Pipe down brain, Charlotte commanded. I blame mystery novels for your bad manners.

She was just so instantly likeable, nice Charlotte, who you just wanted to hug for making it through all the bad things and coming out as feisty, strong Charlotte. At the start of each chapter we got insights into events that had shaped her into the person she was – right back to childhood and then closer with the divorce from her husband. It was so empowering to watch her reclaim her life and her spirit, and I wanted to cheer her though.

And the host of secondary characters were a lot stronger this time. It was really good to see some people we already know from the first book, and also to have some acknowledgement of the events in the first book and their consequences.

It was great to see Miss Charming back again, and for some reason I preferred her this time, I really wasn’t fussed on her in ‘Austenland’ but she came alive this time and I felt a lot more compassion towards her as we found out more of her backstory. And the boys… I adore Eddie, he was absolutely brilliant and a fabulous side kick in all of Charlotte’s sleuthing.

“Disapproving?  Of my sister? Impossible. If that were true, I should give him a most stern and scolding sort of look that would cause quakings and shakings of fear.” Eddie previewed his stern and scolding look, and she nodded emphatically to show she was impressed.

He was absolutely fabulous, and I wanted more of him.
It was also nice to see a new dark and forbidding man in the shape of Mr Mallery, who has got glares and brooding scowls down pat. He was an intriguing man, with a lot more depth than I would have expected. Actually that’s true of all the characters, we got a lot more of them instead of one or two sides that were showcased in ‘Austenland’ – the whole thing was just so much better. And that’s impressed, because you can see from my thoughts of ‘Austenland’ that I was blown away by how brilliant I thought it was.

Mr Mallery at the reins of a light, two-wheeled open contraption that Ms. Austen might have called a “phaeton”, but which Charlotte was tempted to call a “chariot” because it reminded her of the chariot races in the movie Ben Hur. Except there was a seat. And not lethal blades swirling in the wheel hubs. At least, not noticeably.

So yes, if you like Austen, buy this book. If you like Shannon Hale, buy this book. If you liked ‘Austenland’ buy this book. And if you are a fan of feisty, intelligent and very funny heroines, buy this book.
It will be released in 2012, and is one of my highest recommended books for the coming year.

“That is wonderful.” He leaned his head back to look at the sky. “Allow me to absorb the wonderfulness of that for a moment. Yes, that will do.”