Adventure · chick-lit · romance

*BLOG TOUR* Freya’s French Farmhouse – Daisy James ★★★★

Blurb; Welcome to Freya’s French Farmhouse, the second book in a brand new series from the author of the Hummingbird Hotel series and the Cornish Confetti Agency series.

Escape to the French Riviera!

After losing her aromatherapy studio in the Blossomwood Bay fire, Freya Farnham finds herself at a loose end, especially when her trusty Renault decides that it’s time to head to the scrapyard in the sky. Now she has no excuse not to agree to her parents’ request to head to the pretty village of Saint-Julien to find out why her late Uncle Toby’s gorgeous French farmhouse isn’t selling, even when the real estate agent, Xavier Deschamps, advertises himself as “the best in the whole of Provence”.

As soon as she arrives, Freya realises what the problem is, and so, with the help of handsome local car mechanic Jacques Jordan, she invests her last euro in a kaleidoscope of cleaning products and sets about transforming the drab and dusty dwelling into a chic and shiny château. Little did she know that in the process she would discover more about her family’s history than she bargained for.

Can she come to terms with her past? Or will the demons that have been snapping at her heels since childhood prevent her from seizing the chance to achieve a much-longed-for sense of belonging in the friendly community where she’s treated as one of their own?

Why not join Freya as she explores the lavender-infused Provençal countryside, and enjoy a trip filled with fun, fragrance, and delicious foodie treats with a dash of heart-warming romance thrown in for good measure!

My Review; Having read book one and enjoying it, I was already familiar with a lot of these characters in this story. We dive into what happened to Freya after the incident in book one. These are best read in order. What follows is Freya decides to find her new beginning elsewhere, that being France. She soon settles in, finds her friends, and there may even be a little romance blossoming. But she has a family estate to sort out first and might have met her first enemy. A brilliant read. Uplifting, hopeful, and a new beginning. A well-deserved four stars from me.

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romance · Young adult

The First Move – Jenny Ireland ★★★★★

Blurb; Juliet believes girls like her – girls with arthritis – don’t get their own love stories. She exists at the edges of her friends’ social lives, skipping parties to play online chess under a pseudonym with strangers around the world. There, she isn’t just ‘the girl with crutches’.

Ronan is the new kid: good looking, smart, a bad boy plagued by guilt over what happened to his brother Ciaran. Chesslife is his escape; there, he’s not just ‘the boy with the brother’.

Juliet thinks Ronan thinks someone like Ronan could never be interested in someone like her – and she wouldn’t want him to be anyway because he always acts like he’s cooler than everyone else. Whereas, Ronan thinks life is already too complicated for dating and just wants to keep his head down at school.

Little do they know they’ve already discovered each other online, and have more in common than they think . . .

My review; This was such a cute, romantic story. It’s a YA/romance. A high school setting, enter Ronin, the new hot, moody guy, and everyone wants him. Meet Juliet, the girl with arthritis… The odd one out who has to use crutches to walk. This story is absolutely perfect in representing a disability at a young age and mixing that in with school, appointments, love, friends, and fake friends. Many characters in this story are battling their own problems at home. It’s an all-around beautiful story with a happy ending for everyone. Does involve a lot of online chess. I devoured this. Highly recommend. A well-deserved five stars from me. It is an easy, uplifting read.

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mystery · romance · Young adult

Never Never – Colleen Hoover & Tarryn Fisher ★★★★★

Blurb; Never stop…Never forget…Just remember.

The #1 New York Times bestselling author of It Starts with Us joins forces with the New York Times bestselling author of The Wives. Together, they have created a gripping, twisty, romantic mystery unlike any other.

Charlie Wynwood and Silas Nash have been best friends since they could walk. They’ve been in love since the age of fourteen. But as of this morning…they are complete strangers. Their first kiss, their first fight, the moment they fell in love…every memory has vanished. Now Charlie and Silas must work together to uncover the truth about what happened to them and why.

But the more they learn about the couple they used to be…the more they question why they were ever together to begin with. Forgetting is terrifying, but remembering may be worse.

My Review; I am fast becoming a Colleen Hoover fan. This is another story that did not disappoint me. Told through two teens who find themselves forgetting EVERYTHING every few days. Their families, friends, partners, classes. EVERYTHING. They work together to solve why? Who are they? Their pasts and it gets quite deep and dark. Add in a little romance, a few fights, and you’ve got an easy, fast-paced, young adult story to enjoy. I loved their story and the happy ending. Highly recommend. A well-deserved five stars from me.

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