IN THE MAIL: Don't Tell The Brides-to-Be / Thoughtful / Once and Always

This week has been rather nice - not only was it this very blog's first birthday (Or 'blogiversary'? Hmm. Anyway, celebratory beverages all round!) but I also received some great new books in the post. One being the next novel in Anna Bell's Don't Tell series, which I couldn't wait to get my hands on! So, on with the newest reading-pile additions...

Don't Tell the Brides-to-Be by Anna Bell
Things are looking up for Penny Robinson. She's kicked her gambling addiction and even started her own business: Princess on a Shoestring, an all-inclusive service for brides-to-be looking to pinch pennies on their big day.

Between family rows and wardrobe calamities, wedding planning is no piece of cake... but Penny's got it all under control. That is, until a rival planner decides to take her down - one hard-won bride at a time.

Now Penny must fight to save her reputation and her livelihood before its too late. But when a romantic weekend away has some unexpected consequences, Penny's expectations for her career are brought back down to earth with a bump.

Thoughtful by S.C. Stephens
The only place Kellan has ever felt at home is on stage. Gripping his guitar in a darkened bar, he can forget his painful past. These days his life revolves around his music and his band mates, and that's the way he likes it. And then one woman changes everything...

Kiera is the kind of girl Kellan has no business wanting - she's smart, sweet, and dating his best friend. Certain he could never be worthy of her love, he hides his growing attraction...until Kiera's own tormented heart hints that his feelings might not be one-sided. Now, no matter the consequences, 

Kellan is sure of one thing: he won't let Kiera go without a fight.

Once and Always by Elizabeth Hoyt
Small town cop Sam West certainly doesn't mind a routine traffic stop: speeding ticket, stern warning, and sayonara. With a whopper of a blizzard closing in, that's all he has time for. But the lawbreaker he pulls over is anything but typical. From her mile-long legs to her razor-sharp wit, Maisa Bradley is like nothing Coot Lake, Minnesota, has ever seen . . . and she's about to take Sam on the ride of his life.

Whoever said blood is thicker than water probably wasn't related to a former Russian mobster. But an innocent mix-up and rumours of stolen diamonds soon have the Russian mob taking an unusual interest in the sleepy little town-and Maisa facing heated scrutiny from a certain tall, dark, and handsome deputy. Sam's dazzling blue eyes beg her to reveal all her secrets, but how much should she tell? Getting snowed in with the sexiest cop in the frozen north may not be the worst way to decide...

COVER NEWS: Cover for Sophie Kinsella's 'Finding Audrey' revealed

Sophie Kinsella, bestselling author of the Shopaholic series, has today released the cover image of her upcoming YA novel, Finding Audrey, which is to be published in June. The book has been described as 'a mix of family comedy, romance and personal discovery.'

You can read an exclusive excerpt from Finding Audrey over at USA Today.

BOOK NEWS: It Started at Sunset Cottage by Bella Osborne

What happens when Hollywood comes to the country? Kate Marshall is about to find out in Bella Osborne's debut novel, It Started at Sunset Cottage. In the book, which is released in February, author Kate heads to the Cotswolds to work on her screenplay, only to have an A-list star knocking on her door...

Kate Marshall is slowly getting her life back on track after losing her fiancé. As an author she has been able to hide herself away from the world and its expectations – but now one of her books has been optioned for a film and Hollywood suddenly comes knocking on her door!

When Kate is given the opportunity to stay at a beautiful country retreat and concentrate on the screenplay, it’s an offer she can’t refuse. Encouraged by her best friend, sharp-tongued single mum Sarah, Kate sees it’s finally time to stop letting life pass her by.

Looking for confidence and inspiration in the idyllic Cotswolds countryside, the last thing Kate expects is for Timothy Calder, A-list actor and leading man in the movie adaptation of her book, to turn up on her doorstep, hoping to lie low after his latest tabloid scandal! But after a rocky start, with Tim narrowly avoiding death by watering can, they find they have a few things in common: a liking for Lady Grey tea, walnut whips and bad ‘knock knock’ jokes. Actually, the bad jokes are just Tim.
As an unlikely friendship begins to blossom, and with circumstances repeatedly throwing them together, is Sunset Cottage where both Kate and Tim’s lives will really start?

NEW RELEASES: Nanny Confidential by Philippa Christian

Readers who love glamorous celebrity tales might just love Nanny Confidential by Philippa Christian, in which Lindsay leaves her small-town life to become a nanny to the stars...

When Lindsay Starwood moved from her tiny home town to the bright lights of Melbourne, she had no idea that her after-school babysitting job would turn into a career.

Her boss was Steven Stavros, the nineties boy-band heartthrob more famous of late for his extramarital activities than his hit records. However, word soon got out about the Australian nanny who was great with kids, cool in a crisis and capable of keeping the secrets of the rich and famous tightly under wraps.

But being a celebrity nanny isn't the Mary Poppins fantasy you might imagine. When Lindsay finds herself caring for the six (yes, six!) daughters of fame-hungry reality television star Alysha Appleby, her patience is pushed to the limit. Will dashing pro-golfer Tommy Grant restore Lindsay's faith that wealth can go hand in hand with kindness? Or will she have to choose between the children she loves and her own happiness?

With a cast of millionaires ripped straight from the headlines, this is a fast-paced, outrageous novel for anyone who loves gossip, glamour and a sneak peek into the unbelievable world of a nanny to the stars.

BOOK NEWS: Once & Always by Elizabeth Hoyt

Once and Always is the new novel from bestselling historical author Elizabeth Hoyt (writing as Julia Harper). The contemporary romance will be published in late February. Maisa Bradley is on the run from the mob, and finds herself in the company of handsome cop Sam...

Small town cop Sam West certainly doesn't mind a routine traffic stop: speeding ticket, stern warning, and sayonara. With a whopper of a blizzard closing in, that's all he has time for. But the lawbreaker he pulls over is anything but typical. From her mile-long legs to her razor-sharp wit, Maisa Bradley is like nothing Coot Lake, Minnesota, has ever seen...and she's about to take Sam on the ride of his life. 

Whoever said blood is thicker than water probably wasn't related to a former Russian mobster. But an innocent mix-up and rumours of stolen diamonds soon have the Russian mob taking an unusual interest in the sleepy little town-and Maisa facing heated scrutiny from a certain tall, dark, and handsome deputy. Sam's dazzling blue eyes beg her to reveal all her secrets, but how much should she tell? Getting snowed in with the sexiest cop in the frozen north may not be the worst way to decide . . . 

UNCOVERED INTERVIEWS: Katie Stephens

Happy launch day to Katie Stephens! Katie, author of 2011 Amazon bestseller Candles in the Sand, is back with Catching Lightning; a romantic tale set in Kenya.

Tell us about your latest novel in 15 words or less.
Forced to travel to Kenya for her parents’ funeral, Mel discovers life changing hidden truths.

What inspired you to write Catching Lightning?
I fell in love with Kenya on a trip back in 2001. On paper there is a lot not to like about Kenya, the poverty, dirt, corruption, and that got me thinking about whether the love for a man could outweigh your hatred for a country. On our trip we went to an orphanage just outside Nairobi and it was such an amazing experience. That orphanage gave me the setting for Catching Lightning.

Where do you do most of your writing?
I have my laptop set up in our dining room and that is where I do most of my writing. Some of Catching Lightning was written on holiday in Spain. I would get up at about 6am and go and sit out on the patio overlooking the pool and an amazing view down to the coast. I got so much done before the rest of the family got up, it was so easy to write there.

What is your favourite book?
That’s an easy one, Pride and Prejudice. I have just been given a new Kindle cover that is a beautifully bound cover of Pride and Prejudice and I love it. I can’t wait until my daughters (9 and 11) are old enough to really appreciate Jane Austen.

Which part of Catching Lightning did you enjoy writing the most?
I loved writing the part where they are on safari. It was great to get to relive my experience of safari and transport myself back to seeing the wonderful scenery and fantastic animals.

Who is your favourite literary heroine?
It would have to be Elizabeth Bennet. I love the way she stands up for herself and her beliefs but is also not afraid to admit when she has things wrong.

Do you have any tips for readers who are looking to become published writers?
Don’t give up. The more you write and read the better you become.

Are you working on anything else at the moment and if so, can you tell us?
I am working on book number three and it is a bit different from the first two as it is set in England so I don’t get to escape to exotic locations like Italy and Kenya as I have done with my other books.

Thanks, Katie!

You can find out more about Katie and her books by visiting her website, Facebook page or by following her on Twitter.

Catching Lightning by Katie Stephens
You never know where or when lightning will strike but when it happens on a trip back to Kenya to bury your parents you know the timing isn’t great. 

Mel has spent the past 14 years resenting her parents for abandoning her at a boarding school in England while they went back to Kenya, a country she hates, to run an orphanage and school for their charity. A tragic accident forces her to return to Kenya for her parents’ funeral but meeting the gorgeous, English educated Sam was not part of the plan. Finding her mother’s diaries reveals a lot of unanswered questions and the discovery of a detailed itinerary of a trip round Kenya that her parents dreamed of making with her makes Mel realise that maybe she had things wrong. Will taking the trip make her fall in love with the man, the country, neither or both?

BOOK REVIEW: The Year of Taking Chances by Lucy Diamond

January always feels fresh and new; a brand new year, full of new goals and promises. When midnight arrives, when you leave December behind and leap into the very first minutes of the first day of the new year, people the world over are clinking glasses and making their annual resolutions. And admittedly, even if some of them don't last more than a few days (of course you'll get round to training for that marathon. Once you've watched all of Breaking Bad), making them is still habitual fun.

So when I heard about The Year of Taking Chances by Lucy Diamond (author of many novels including Sweet Temptation, The Beach Cafe and One Night in Italy, I was quite excited. In her new book, Lucy explores the new-year theme, with the setting of a small Suffolk village and with three women who are about to experience a new year full of unexpected changes.

Gemma Bailey and her husband Spencer are hosting a New Year's Eve party at their house. Among the drinking, dancing friends and familiar faces are two newcomers; Saffron, a PR executive from London who's renting the cottage next door, and Caitlin, who is in the village to pack up the house and of her recently-deceased mother. When the three meet and get to know each other over some cocktails and fortune cookies, they promise to make this year the best year yet.

However, things are about to change in the lives of Gemma, Saffron and Caitlin. When sport-loving Spencer is injured in a work accident, Gemma's life is turned upside down. Not only are the bills quickly mounting up, but Spencer isn't the same person he used to be. And the children, Will and Darcy, are finding the changes hard to deal with. With little money and an unhappy husband, she has to find a way to keep the family afloat.

Meanwhile, Caitlin is still trying to pick up the pieces of her broken relationship, and the death of her mother. Having to go through her mother's things is a task she finds hard to bear. But when she unearths a big family secret, life comes crashing down yet again.

And Saffron, who had rented the cottage for some peace and quiet away from the busy London atmosphere, is also keeping something from her family and friends. And overbearing boss and a client from hell to contend with certainly don’t make things easy for Saffron, who escapes to the village once again to determine her next move.

When the three women find themselves again reunited in Suffolk, it’s time to make changes and finally take some chances.

Due to its premise, The Year of Taking Chances was very appealing to me. It was a book I particularly looked forward to reading, and it didn't disappoint. Each of the women had their own story, and it was easy to get into the lives of Gemma, Saffron and Caitlin, and how they each help one another throughout the novel (though I'm trying not to give too much away!) Each chapter focuses on a different character, which made it so much fun to read (and so difficult to stop). Gemma, Saffron and Caitlin each have their own journey to make throughout the year, and I felt myself rooting for all of them throughout the book. Each of the girls are easily likeable; Gemma, who's worried that she's seen as 'just a mum', web designer Caitlin, who's having a difficult time with the loss of her mum and the end of her relationship, and Saffron, PR girl from the city, who's also having a tough time. Each girl has her own dilemma, and a host of characters too (including Saffron's irritating TV star client). This is a wonderful novel, and quite possibly my favourite of Lucy Diamond's books so far. It's the perfect new-year read!

Rating: 5/5