Review: Cold-Hearted Rake by Lisa Kleypas

Publication Date: October 27^th 2015
Publisher: Piatkus/Little Brown
Length: 400 pages

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

A twist of fate…
Devon Ravenel, London's most wickedly charming rake, has just inherited an earldom. But his powerful new rank in society comes with unwanted responsibilities . . . and more than a few surprises. His estate is saddled with debt, and the late earl's three innocent sisters are still occupying the house . . . along with Kathleen, Lady Trenear, a beautiful young widow whose sharp wit and determination are a match for Devon's own.
A clash of wills…
Kathleen knows better than to trust a ruthless scoundrel like Devon. But the fiery attraction between them is impossible to deny - and from the first moment Devon holds her in his arms, he vows to do whatever it takes to possess her. As Kathleen finds herself yielding to his skillfully erotic seduction, only one question remains:
Can she keep from surrendering her heart to the most dangerous man she's ever known?

Sometimes you just need to curl up with a good chicken soup read, and for me chicken soup is a good historical romance. I haven’t had a huge amount of experience with Lisa Kleypas so I was a little hesitant going in, but luckily I had nothing to fear.

I was instantly swept up in this story, I loved the characters (flaws and all) I loved the witty banter, and I loved the languorous pacing of the story that really allows you to get to know the characters intimately and makes the relationships infinitely more believable.

Some rare novels manage to capture the day to day life of a family or household without getting lost in mundane details so that it feels like you’re there, a part of that family, a part of those experiences, and you feel a pang of loss when you’ve finished. You want to go back and re-experience, to banter with them a little longer. This is one of those novels for me. I loved how Kleypas unfolds the characters over a period of time so that the relationships felt real, they had a solid basis that made the rest of the novel so much more enjoyable to sink into.

I did have a few little gripes with how Devon and Kathleen treat each other at a few points, but on the whole I really loved their dynamic and the chemistry was off the charts.My biggest gripe was with Helen and her relationship with Rhys. I was really sold on it to start with and then at the end of the book his behaviour was utterly appalling. It felt like it came out of nowhere just to create conflict for the end of this book and to set up a conflict with the start of the next book. I felt like the same issue could have been achieved without blackening his character quite so firmly. As it is I’m looking forward to the second book but it’s going to take a lot to try and restore Rhys to my good graces. Not an ideal starting point with a romance.

However despite my issues above, I loved everything about this book. It was fun, it was deliciously steamy, and the perfect autumn read. This is definitely a book for curling up by the fire with. I was left more than a little in love, both with Kathleen and Devon, but also with the other girls. I really loved their set up in this book and I cannot wait to get to know them properly over the rest of the series and see each of them get their own happily ever after.

If you’re a fan of Lisa Kleypas this is a must read. If you’re a fan of historical romance then this is definitely a must read. And if you’re after a steamy and brilliantly written book to curl up with this winter then you really should order this one right now.

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!