Friday 31 October 2014

Short Story: Pumpkin Pie at The Green Teapot


It was strange being back in the village after so long. Not much had changed – a lick of paint here, a single-storey extension there. But Jack had changed. She wasn’t the silly love-struck teenager that had left ten years ago, weeping her way to the train station, sobbing her way to Leeds to embark on a brand new life away from her parents and boyfriend Tom. It wasn’t as though she was leaving Tom behind; he was going away himself, even further afield than Jack, and they’d made the sensible, grown up decision to temporarily break up.  
Jack soon came to the conclusion that being a grown up sucked.
She missed Tom terribly and took to stalking the postman on the off-chance that Tom would break their no-contact rule (another stupidly mature decision) and send her a letter or even a hastily scribbled postcard. When she received nothing (not even a Christmas card – good old Tom, sticking to the rules), Jack drew comfort from the fact that the break-up wouldn’t last forever. They’d meet up again when they had their degrees and they would live happily ever after.
Except it hadn’t quite worked out like that.
Jack tightened the belt around her coat, cocooning herself against the bitter late October chill as she wandered into the heart of the village. The Green was just as she’d left it; neat and cheerful with an array of pretty shops and the red telephone box (yes, they still had one of those), shiny and bright against the gloom. No, she wasn’t the love-struck teenager that had left Hartfield Hill behind. If only! She’d give anything to go back to that age of naivety, where the worst thing that could ever happen was parting with your boyfriend, where she had never experienced true heartbreak and Tyler Aspen wasn’t even on her radar. When the dream of reuniting with Tom was still very much alive, before Tom landed himself his dream job – in Queensland – and Jack found Tyler.
Jack’s fingers moved to her left hand, brushing against the empty space where her wedding band had once nestled, though admittedly not for very long. Marrying Tyler had been a massive error in judgement. Tyler was handsome with a cheeky-chappy charm, but he was also lazy and irresponsible and it transpired that he couldn’t keep his little pal in his trousers for more than a few days. He was indiscriminate and indiscreet in his unfaithfulness and in the end he couldn’t even be bothered to apologise for the man he was. So here Jack was, less than eighteen months after saying ‘I do’, licking her wounds and trying to fathom why she had ever said yes to Tyler’s proposal in the first place. Yes, she’d loved him, but had he ever truly been The One?
Jack shoved her hands deep into her pockets and, head down against the harsh wind, she made her way across The Green, pausing outside her aunt’s tearoom. The large window had steamed up as the delicious smells of baking wafted into the cool air. The Green Teapot was Jack’s favourite place in the village – possibly her favourite place in the whole world – with its cosy interior and delightful cakes and biscuits. The Green Teapot was a happy place. A warm place where people gathered to chat, to reminisce, to celebrate. Jack had spent many wonderful hours in the place, either nestled in a corner with her books, a bun or apple pie taking away the sting of homework, or chatting with her friends after school, imagining they were oh-so-sophisticated and just a little bit like Carrie Bradshaw.
She felt a blanket of ease envelop her as she pushed open the door and stepped inside, the old memories rushing to the surface, replacing the more recent bitter ones. She felt at home, comforted by the familiar surroundings and she found that she was grinning as she stepped over the threshold.
‘Jacqueline! You’re here!’ Jack’s aunt flew from behind the counter, throwing her arms around her in a bone-snapping hug. ‘Your mum said you were coming to stay. How long are you here for?’
‘I’m not sure. A while, maybe.’ Jack spoke into her aunt’s hair, enjoying the warmth of the embrace. ‘At least until we’ve sold the house.’
‘How are you, love?’ Enid pulled away and cupped Jack’s face with a cool hand. ‘You’re looking thin. It’ll be the stress of the divorce. You need feeding up. Go and sit down and I’ll bring you something over. What would you like? I made a batch of sticky pecan buns. They used to be your favourite.’
Imitating the old Bisto ads, Jack sniffed the air, her stomach growling in appreciation. ‘What’s that I can smell?’
‘Pumpkin pies. They’re still in the oven but they’ll be ready soon. We’re having a competition for Halloween.’ Enid indicated behind them, where the tables were occupied by eager youngsters and their parents. Each table held a large pumpkin and kid-friendly tools. Jack’s eye was immediately drawn to the table in the centre of the room, where a little boy sat, his tongue poking out of the corner of his mouth as he concentrated on the pumpkin in front of him. Next to him, eyes boring into Jack’s, was Tom.
‘Hey, Jack.’ Tom was on his feet, eyes crinkled as a welcoming smile lit up his face. He bundled Jack into a tight hug without hesitation, almost lifting her onto her tiptoes in his eagerness.
‘You’re back then.’ Tom had settled in Australia the last Jack had heard. Why hadn’t her mother told her he was back in the village?
‘I missed the gloomy weather.’ Tom grinned at Jack and she felt her eyes pool with tears, which was a pain as she’d been doing so well and hadn’t cried for almost twelve hours – her personal best in recent months. ‘Hey, are you ok?’
‘Yeah, I’m fine. It’s just so good to see you. And Aunty Enid.’ Jack swiped her cheeks with the back of her hand. ‘So you’re back for good then?’
‘Yep. Moved back a few months ago.’ He looked down at the small boy, who had toddled away from the table and was tugging at Tom’s jumper. He had the same white-blond hair that Tom had once had as a child before it darkened into the dirty blond it now was, though the boy’s lips were much fuller and his nose wider. Perhaps he’d inherited those features from his mother.
‘What’s up, little buddy?’ Tom hoisted the child onto his hip, tousling his white-blond hair.
‘Finished.’ The boy pointed back at the table, at the pumpkin with its jagged triangle eyes and crooked mouth.
‘That. Is. Amazing.’ Tom gave the boy’s hair another rub. ‘We are definitely going to win and Mummy is going to be so proud of you. Shall we take a photo to show her when she gets home from work?’
So Tom had done the settling down and having kids thing. No wonder her mother had kept quiet about his return. Tom’s obvious happiness was like rubbing salt into Jack’s gaping wound. She gave a wobbly sort of smile as Tom and the boy headed back to the table to take the photo. The boy posed in front of the pumpkin, his lips wide in a toothy grin as Tom captured the moment on his phone. Good for him. Tom deserved to be happy. He was a good man who had always had a big heart. Jack should have found herself someone like Tom instead of waste-of-space Tyler. Or perhaps she should have fought harder for Tom and moved to the other side of the world with him. How different would her life have been if she’d been braver? If she’d married Tom instead of Tyler? Would they have had a sweet blond-haired boy by now too? Jack certainly wouldn’t be sleeping in her childhood bedroom, crying herself to sleep and worrying about the future, that was for sure. But it was too late. You couldn’t go back, could you?
‘Pumpkin pies are ready!’ Enid had disappeared into the kitchen but she returned now, brandishing a tray of individual pies fresh from the oven.
‘Would you like to join us?’ Tom asked as he helped himself to a pumpkin pie for himself and the child.
‘I’d love to.’ What harm could it do? Catching up with an old friend was a normal, healthy thing to do. It shouldn’t matter that she had once loved this man in the way only an impassioned teenage girl could. That he had been her first love. That she had imagined they would spend an eternity together in a blissful summery existence. Those images had long since fizzled out – about the same time she had ceased trailing the postman – and had been replaced with other, equally unrealistic daydreams.
‘So who is this then?’ Jack sat at the table, trying not to look directly at the pumpkin. It was rather sinister up close. Instead, she focused on the little boy, whose mouth and jumper were already scattered with pastry crumbs.
‘I’m Max.’ Crumbs pelted out of the boy’s mouth, raining down on the table. Tom quickly gathered them into the palm of his hand and deposited them into Max’s empty pie case, apologising profusely.
Jack gave a wave of her hand. ‘Don’t worry about it. I’ve had worse happen to me than a shower of crumbs.’
Tom’s head tilted to one side, his eyes softening. ‘I heard about your separation.’
News – or gossip – still travelled fast around these parts then. ‘It’s stepped up a gear, I’m afraid. You’re looking at a soon-to-be divorced woman.’ How sad was that? She wasn’t even thirty yet and she’d already clocked up a failed marriage.
‘I’m sorry.’ Tom reached across the table and took Jack’s hand in his. The contact was so familiar, Jack could have been transported back a decade. She could have been sitting in The Green Teapot with a sticky pecan bun, a stack of books and butterflies in her tummy as Tom assured her she wouldn’t fail her A Levels in a spectacular fashion.
Tom’s sympathetic grimace lifted into a boyish smile. ‘You know, I always thought we’d end up getting married and living happily ever after.’
Jack laughed, the sound alien after so much recent misery. ‘Me too.’ Tom squeezed Jack’s hand, their eyes meeting over the freaky-looking pumpkin, but the moment was broken when Max, having shoved three-quarters of a pumpkin pie into his mouth, started to gag. Tom’s hand was snatched away as he leapt into action, grabbing fistfuls of napkins while Jack went in search of juice. When she returned, the pie had been removed from a sheepish-looking Max and he drank thirstily from the proffered glass.
‘Sorry about that.’ Tom looked equally as sheepish as the boy.
‘Don’t worry about it. Really.’ Jack smiled down at him, a feeling of nostalgia almost making her join in the gagging. ‘I should be getting back to Mum’s. I only popped in to say hello to Aunty Enid.’
‘Can’t you stay? Just for a few more minutes?’ Tom reached out, but Jack moved her hand away. Seeing Tom had dredged up all her old feelings and reminded her of all those happy times they’d shared, their promises and the plans they’d made for life post university. Plans that had never happened. It was too much to bear on top of everything else.
‘We’ll be lighting the pumpkins in a few minutes,’ Enid piped up from behind Jack. ‘You can help judge. They all look so wonderful I can’t decide on my own.’
So Jack stayed. Just for a few minutes, she told herself. She would judge the pumpkin competition and then she would go home and put Tom to the back of her mind, where he belonged with all things labelled ‘The Past’. The pumpkins were lined up in the window of the tea shop, fat candles flickering inside as everyone gathered outside to witness their hard work in all its glory.
‘Do you think we’ll win, Uncle Tom?’ Max asked. They were lined up on The Green awaiting the results, noses already pink from the cold.
Uncle Tom? ‘You’re not Max’s dad?’
Tom shook his head. ‘You remember my sister, Pam?’ Of course Jack remembered little Pam. She’d followed them around the village, making smooching noises at them and generally being a pain in the arse. ‘Max is her little boy. I don’t have any children.’
‘Oh. I see.’ So Tom hadn’t done the settling down and having kids thing after all.
‘Shall we announce the winner then?’ Enid asked from the front. Tom took hold of Max’s little hand, giving it a good-luck squeeze and ignoring the slight stickiness. Turning to Jack, he took her hand too. And this time she didn’t pull away.



I hope you enjoyed Pumpkin Pie at The Green Teapot. You can find my full-length novels here



Thursday 30 October 2014

Book of the Month: October


 
It Must Have Been The Mistletoe
 
by
 
Judy Astley
 
 
Thea’s parents decide to host a big family Christmas in a house by the sea… even though they are, in fact, about to split up. Thea herself is newly single - her sister and brother are both settled, with children, homes and a future. But Thea’s boyfriend has ditched her in favour of his pedigree dogs, and Thea can’t decide whether or not she minds.

There will be copious food and drink, holly and mistletoe, lots of bracing walks and a wintry barbecue on the beach. If it seems an odd way to celebrate the final break-up of a marriage and the Moving On to new partners, no- one is saying so. But then no-one had anticipated that the new partners might actually turn up to complicate the sleeping arrangements.

As Cornwall experiences the biggest snowstorm in living memory, the festive atmosphere comes under some strain. Will Thea manage to find some happiness for herself? Will the mistletoe work its magic on them all?


*     *     *     *     *
 

It Must Have Been The Mistletoe is a fun, festive read full of family drama and romance. I loved the setting of the book, mostly taking place in a big, cosy house by the sea in Cornwall as Thea and her entire family spend Christmas together. I thought the idea of the big family get together was wonderful and it didn't disappoint. The book is full of humour and warmth (despite the snow!) and I enjoyed every page.

My full review of It Must Have Been The Mistletoe will be here on the blog on 11th November as part of the blog tour.


Click here to see all 'Books of the Month' 

Wednesday 29 October 2014

Our Holiday In Florida

Last week, my family and I went on holiday to Florida. We spent a week in Orlando, staying at The Point Resort, which was a lovely hotel that I would highly recommend. The pool was gorgeous in the evenings when it was all lit up and I was grateful for the hot tub when it got a bit chilly later on!

There was a lake outside the hotel with fish, ducks and birds and quite a few turtles that we would go and see each morning.

 
 
We spent four days at Universal Studios (which was only a mile away and the hotel put on a free shuttle bus). We had loads of fun and the kids got to meet some characters from TV around the park and have their photos taken.
 
 
My oldest daughter is a massive Harry Potter fan (which is the main reason we chose Universal) so she had a brilliant time at the Harry Potter park.
 
 
 
We all really enjoyed The Dr Seuss section of the park (it was my favourite part of the park). It was so bright and colourful and the rides were more geared towards younger children and families and there was a performance of The Lorax too, which my youngest daughter loved. Afterwards, the children (and grown ups!) got to meet the Dr Seuss characters and have their photos taken.
 
 
 
Something we all enjoyed was The Simpsons section of the park, particularly the alien ride. Again, the children got to meet some of the characters and we went to Krusty Burger for lunch too.
 
 
Another highlight for us was the parade, which was fun and bright with lots of dancing and fish on roller skates!
 
 
We had lots of fun in Florida and the weather was gorgeous but not overbearing. We can't wait to go back!





Monday 27 October 2014

Everything Changes But You: Introducing Gavin & Francine



Mechanic Gavin Richmond is happily married to Ally. They’ve been together since they were teenagers and now they’re married with a small but lovely house. The obvious next step for Gavin is starting a family, but Ally doesn’t agree and wants to wait. Gavin and Ally rarely argue, but the baby issue is creating tension between the pair.


'It’s got to happen sometime, Ally. You’re thirty now.’ Like she needed reminding! ‘You’ve been saying we should wait for ages now, but how long do you want to wait? Until it’s too late?’
‘I’m thirty, Gavin, not sixty.’
‘But I want us to have a family. Don’t you?’



Francine works with Ally and the pair have become best friends, but mum of three Francine has unwittingly become the poster girl for Ally’s anti-children campaign. She barely has time for herself, with their weekly karaoke nights being the only chance she has to relax and be herself for a couple of hours. Ally doesn’t want to end up like Francine, saddled with children with any chance of spontaneity scrapped from her life. She craves freedom and adventure, not dirty nappies and school runs.



Francine sang ‘Mustang Sally’ every week, without fail. It wasn’t a Karaoke Tuesday without The Commitments.



When Ally makes her birthday wish for a new and exciting life and it comes true, where does that leave Gavin and Francine? Will they even fit in with Ally’s life at all anymore?





Be careful what you wish for...

Ally Richmond is dreading turning thirty and bidding farewell to her youth. And when her husband says he wants to start a family, she begins to panic.

Is this all that life has to offer from now on? Popping out babies and growing old gracefully? She wants a life crammed with glamour and spontaneous adventure, not one full of dirty nappies and night feeds.

When Ally makes a silly birthday wish for a new, exciting life, her wish is granted.

But when Ally is presented with the freedom and opportunities she craves, she soon realises this new life isn’t all it’s cracked up to be and that there really is no place like home. But can she find her way back - or is she stuck in this new reality forever?




http://www.jenniferjoycewrites.co.uk/search/label/ECBY%3A%20Book%20Extras


Monday 20 October 2014

Cover Reveal: One Hundred Christmas Proposals by Holly Martin

 

The eagerly anticipated follow-up to One Hundred Proposals.

If you thought Harry & Suzie’s life couldn't get anymore sweepingly romantic than Harry asking her to marry him at the end of One Hundred Proposals – think again!

It’s Christmas in a snow-kissed London, and the.PerfectProposal.com have vowed to carry out one hundred proposals in December. No easy task at the best of times - made even more complicated by Harry & Suzie trying to plan their first Christmas and a visit from the dreaded in-laws. But one hundred deliciously Christmassy proposals later they find themselves asking if everything is still perfect in their own relationship…

Welcome back to the divinely warm world of One Hundred Proposals – with a sprinkling of pure, joyful, festive magic.

Have yourself a very merry Christmas indeed with Holly Martin’s Christmas novella. 
 
Available to pre-order now
 

Friday 17 October 2014

#AmWriting Nothing

 
 
Last month, I was writing lots but at the moment I'm in between projects. I've just finished planning Book 4, which is really early as I won't start writing it for quite a few months yet but I learned from Book 3 that I need a bit of breathing space between the planning stage and the first draft. With Book 3 I spent a whole month planning the book and then decided it wasn't going the way I wanted it to and had to start from scratch again. Luckily I hadn't started writing it yet otherwise I'd have been pretty miffed!
 
So Book 4 is planned (for now?) but I won't be telling you the title just yet - mostly because it doesn't have one. Not even a working title as I'm really struggling with naming it. I'm not going to panic just yet about that because, like I said, I won't be writing it for a while yet and there'll be several drafts so there'll be plenty of time to come up with one.
 
I'm having a little writing break now but in November I'll be starting the first draft of a Christmas novella that I'll hopefully be releasing next year. I'll tell you a bit more about it nearer the time!
 
Next month I'll be writing my festive short story. I'm writing a festive sequel to a previous short story and you can help decide which one by voting here by 31st October.

Thursday 16 October 2014

Guest Post: Rachel Naples


Getting divorced was the inspiration behind my book ‘Dirty Laundry.’ I was married to ‘the man of my dreams.’ Now, that phrase makes me cringe! Clearly, I would not make a good a romance novelist!

My divorce was nasty and worse, it felt like the whole world was watching. Okay, so I sometimes have a flair for the dramatic. The whole world wasn’t watching, but hey, it felt that way as our dirty laundry got hung out to dry. It left me feeling betrayed and angry and when the dust began to settle, I wondered how I could create something of value out of something that had been so painful. 

But it wasn’t just my divorce that led me to writing my book; it was looking back a decade or so later that made me realize how lucky I was NOT to be married to him anymore. I felt so much gratitude that I literally got on my knees and thanked the Universe. From where I stood, that was a story that needed to be told because I know a lot of women (and men) who are still upset, feeling like they got the short end of the stick in their divorces. Here’s the kicker; my ex husband gave me more by leaving than he ever did by staying. 

I’m a comedy writer but my secret weapon is transformation; and at the end of the day, that’s what matters to me. I believe we learn best when we don’t know we’re learning (thank you Tony Robbins) and story is a powerful way to do that. So what if I could help someone suddenly feel grateful instead of pissed off? Like, Oh God, I’m getting divorced, but thank God I don’t have to tolerate his emotional unavailability anymore. Now that’s something to think about, yes? And definitely something to be grateful for!

I’d just finished a chick flick for Paramount called ‘Shopping for Boys.’ We had our director and actresses in place. We were ready to go, when it all fell apart. To say it was soul crushing could not begin to describe how I felt. When I picked up myself off the floor (yes, I was really on the floor and not on my knees thanking the Universe), I decided I’d take matters into my own hands and write a book; and the best part? Nobody could tell me I couldn’t. And ’Dirty Laundry’ was born.  

 
Dirty Laundry is available from Amazon now
 
You can find Rachel on Twitter @RachelNaples1 or email dirtylaundrybook@gmail.com
 
 
If you would like to appear here on the blog via a guest post, email me at jenniferjoycewrites@gmail.com
More details here

Tuesday 14 October 2014

Blog Tour: Humbugs and Heartstrings by Catherine Ferguson

Today I'm pleased to be taking part in the blog tour of Catherine Ferguson's Humbugs and Heartstrings with a review.

 
Bobbie hates working for her miserly boss, Carol. They were once best friends but now Carol is bad-tempered and ruthless when it comes to her cleaning business, Spit and Polish. Bobbie and Carol were once so close and Bobbie hopes that one day they can mend their fractured friendship but that doesn't seem possible, especially when they meet Charlie, a charming hotelier who they both take an interest in.
 
Humbugs and Heartstrings is a humorous festive tale of love and friendship that had me giggling almost immediately. Bobbie isn't very happy with her life. She feels stuck in her job, she has no real social life and she needs to scrimp and save to pay for an operation for her little brother. She couldn't be more different to Carol who is bossy and mean-spirited. Despite Carol's unpleasantness, I thought she was a fantastic character and I loved her penny-pinching ways. I also really liked Charlie and the bond he quickly forms with Bobbie.
 
There are so many great characters in the book, from Bobbie, Carol and Charlie to Bobbie's slightly flaky mum and her friend, Bunty. The book isn't overly festive but it is full of warmth and charm and a hefty dose of fun and humour. I was interested to find out what had happened between Bobbie and Carol to destroy their once close friendship and I wondered whether they would ever be able to put their past aside and get back to the friends they had once been. I liked the little references to Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol which are sprinkled throughout the novel and hoped that this would mean Carol would see the errors of her way and change for the better!
 
I thought Humbugs and Heartstrings was a lovely, heart warming romantic comedy and I enjoyed it very much.
 


Monday 13 October 2014

Everything Changes But You: Introducing Clementine & Martine



Clementine isn’t your average character – she isn’t a human being for a start. Clementine is a magical guardian-angel-type-being who grants wishes. While Clementine can be sweet, she also has a wicked sense of humour and likes to tease. She’s pretty new to the granting wishes game, so things don’t always go to plan.


Her skin was unearthly in its paleness but she had bright blue eyes, ruddy cheeks and ruby lips, which were stretched into a smile as she observed Ally from the middle of the sitting room. Her strawberry blonde hair was twisted into a thick plait that reached the base of her spine.



Martine is a human being, but she isn’t always a pleasant one. She is vain and vacuous and quite often vindictive. Martine likes to drink, dance and flirt above all else and doesn’t feel complete unless she is with a man. To Martine, life is all about appearances. She knows what she wants and will do anything to get it, no matter who gets hurt in the process.



Martine pulled a face as she plonked herself back down on the sofa. ‘I know. It sucks, doesn’t it? Can you imagine if we did get together? I’d be a stepmother.’ She gave a shudder. ‘Gross. And we’d never get rid of his wife. She’d always be hanging around, wouldn’t she?’

‘It’s the sacrifice you have to make when you go after married men.’ Ally was being sarcastic but Martine gave a sage nod.

‘That’s true. But he’ll be worth it, won’t he?’



Ally is about to meet both Clementine and Martine and when she does, her life will never be the same again...





Be careful what you wish for...

Ally Richmond is dreading turning thirty and bidding farewell to her youth. And when her husband says he wants to start a family, she begins to panic.

Is this all that life has to offer from now on? Popping out babies and growing old gracefully? She wants a life crammed with glamour and spontaneous adventure, not one full of dirty nappies and night feeds.

When Ally makes a silly birthday wish for a new, exciting life, her wish is granted.

But when Ally is presented with the freedom and opportunities she craves, she soon realises this new life isn’t all it’s cracked up to be and that there really is no place like home. But can she find her way back - or is she stuck in this new reality forever?




http://www.jenniferjoycewrites.co.uk/search/label/ECBY%3A%20Book%20Extras

Friday 10 October 2014

Calling All Festive Book Lovers!

 
 
I know, I know, it's only October but next month I'll be starting a new feature - My Festive Reads - and I'd love it if some other book bloggers (or simply book lovers) or authors took part too! I'd love to hear about your favourite festive reads or, if you're an author, all about your Christmassy books with a guest post.
 
Guest post topics can include:
  • Your favourite festive read
  • The festive reads you're looking forward to this year
  • Your festive reading list
  • Your top 5 or even top 10 festive reads of all time
  • Your favourite festive covers
  • Your favourite place to read during the winter months
Or feel free to be creative with your own ideas. As long as it's festive and involves books - I want to hear about it!
 
If you're an author and you have a festive book out or one about to be released, get in touch too! You can share the inspiration behind your story or why you chose to write a festive tale or any research for your book. Again, feel free to be creative!
 
I'm going to be running the feature from November through to Christmas, so do get in touch if you'd like a slot.
 
What to do:
  • send your guest post to me at jenniferjoycewrites@gmail.com
  • include any images you'd like to go with the post
  • don't forget to include any links to you and your social media that you'd like adding
  • if you like, you can add a short bio to go at the end of post along with your links
We can then arrange a date for posting!
 
If you'd like to join in but would rather not write a guest post, I can send some festive-themed questions for you to answer instead. Just let me know you're interested in taking part with a Q&A at jenniferjoycewrites@gmail.com and I'll email them over.
 
 
Click here to view all My Festive Reads posts
 


Wednesday 8 October 2014

Cover Stars: Thirteen Weddings by Paige Toon

 
Every month I choose my favourite cover from my TBR pile. Feel free to comment or add your own suggestions for ‘Cover Stars’.
 
 
Sometimes you have to step out of the light to see clearly again…

Bronte never expected to see Alex after their one night together, but she never stopped thinking of him. So when she arrives at work one day to find that Alex is a new colleague, she is secretly thrilled. The only problem is that Alex is now engaged to Zara, the girl he was on a break from the night they met.

 Determined to move on with life, Bronte becomes a part-time wedding photographer, alongside her day job. Surrounded by loving couples, warring couples, tearful bridesmaids, mischievous pageboys and interfering mothers-in-law, she tries to navigate her way through wedding after wedding while her heart is being torn apart. 

 As Alex's own wedding day draws ever nearer, Bronte and Alex's chemistry becomes harder to ignore, and Bronte must decide whether to fight for the man she loves, or to let him go forever.
 
*     *     *     *     *
 
I like when books have a brand so that you can tell just by having a quick glance at the cover who they are by and Paige Toon's books are the perfect example. Each cover is different but has the same style.
 
Thirteen Weddings has such a lovely, romantic feel to it with the confetti falling from the top and the church in the background. I like how the colour of the confetti mirrors the flowers in the bottom corners of book, creating a gorgeous frame of pinks, blues and oranges. The cover is so pretty, it has me itching to pick the book up and discover the tale inside!
 
 
Click here to see all 'Cover Stars' 
 

Friday 3 October 2014

Twin Truths by Shelan Rodger


Language teacher Jenny's life is seemingly on a self-destruct mission after the death of her twin sister, Pippa. Jenny and Pippa were so close growing up, always knowing what the other was thinking and relying on each other to get through life with their alcoholic mother. Jenny feels lost without Pippa, feeling like part of her is missing. She moves away from her home in London to start a new life in Argentina but she can't escape from the gaping loss she feels without her twin.

It took me a long time to get into Twin Truths. The book is divided into three parts, the first taking place as we get to know Jenny as she struggles through the life she has created for herself in Argentina. I didn't warm to Jenny at all in this first part as she tells so many lies to everybody, from her fellow language teachers to her therapist. The style of the writing jarred with me too so I didn't think I was going to enjoy the book at all. But then I moved onto the second part of the book and the style and voice changed. Although it didn't always make for a comfortable read, I began to get drawn into the book and we find out why Jenny is the way she is.

Jenny and Pippa are very different in the way that they handle situations, with Pippa being the quieter, more studious of the two while Jenny is provocative and daring but both are strong in their own ways and weaker in others. I started off not liking Jenny very much at all but I could understand how damaged she had become from the events of her past. It was difficult to witness how the girls' lives were devastated and how they tried to deal with everyday afterwards and how it shaped the women they would become. I don't want to give any more of the plot away as it would spoil what turned out to be a great read. The book is heartbreaking with such a tangled, mesmerising plot. For me, I thought the ending of the book was a little abrupt. I'd have liked a neater conclusion and there was a loose thread that was niggling at me but overall I did enjoy the book.

Wednesday 1 October 2014

Giveaway Winner: Handmade Felt Bookmark

 
Thank you to everyone who entered and/or tweeted about the giveaway. Rafflecopter has selected a winner at random, who has been contacted by email.
 
The winner is
 
 
Congratulations! I hope you enjoy your prize!