Tropical Girl Reads

The Ice Cream Book Tag

Hello all!!! So I decided to take a break from reviewing books and do a book tag instead!! And who loves ice cream??? Everyone does and ice cream is like my favorite type of dessert!!!

So I came across this idea from another blog She Got Books on Her Mind so decided to try out this tag. I won’t be tagging anyone in this post but feel free to use this book tag if you want!!

First of all, vanilla is my favorite flavor in ice cream. There are so many books I wish had more boost but this is the book I chose for this theme

Baby Doll by Hollie Overton

I really liked the plot of the story but I really wished there was more boost into the story which would have made this thriller far more interesting to read!

Harry Potter!!!!

I don’t mind reading this book again and again, just like I don’t mind enjoying a taste of chocolate ice cream again and again.

Strawberry and sweet? That sounds lovely. Well, a book that matches with this theme and what comes into my mind is Holly Martin’s Autumn Skies Over Ruby Falls

Autumn Skies over Ruby Falls: An utterly gorgeous, heartwarming romantic comedy to escape with by [Holly Martin]

Normally I love thrillers and very rare I like romance novels but one of the books I loved was Days of Wonder by Keith Stuart–a heartwarming story between a father and daughter plus a bit of romance in it as well. I truly enjoyed reading this book!

Besides thrillers and romance, another genre I like is Historical Fiction so Daughter of Reich by Louise Fein sounds more suited to this role. Not only is this a historical fiction–it mostly involves romance between a Jewish boy and a German girl coupled with a little bit of thriller makes this story more like a milkshake!

Amazon.com: Daughter of the Reich: A Novel (9780062964052): Fein, Louise: Books

Amazon.com: The Second Chance Supper Club eBook: Meier, Nicole: Kindle Store

Though the story wasn’t that great, I like this cover–it brings some artistic feeling into the story.

A book worthy of celebration???? Well I can think of one book

Amazon.com: We Were the Lucky Ones (9780399563089): Hunter, Georgia: Books

Based on the true story and talks about how a Jewish family in Poland survived the war and Holocaust, this book calls for a celebration.

Best of Friends by Lucinda Berry has three narrative perspectives and was one of the good thriller books I have read

**A Book You Felt Compelled to Read Very Quickly.**

Really a horrible book, didn’t enjoy and I was forced to finish this book quickly.

**A Book You Set Aside but Plan on Going Back to Later.**

I started reading but since I had ARCs to complete, I have set this book aside and plan to read it later.

Cup or Cone?

Cone! I can feel the real flavor of ice cream by having from a cone

Favorite Flavor?

Ooh many but my favorite is coffee or cookies and cream

Toppings?

Not really a fan of toppings but if I had honey or chocolate drippings would be great

Favorite Local Ice Creamery?

Umm…in Sri Lanka, it’s Carnival Ice Cream parlor. Back in U.S.A my favorite was Cold Stone and Grater’s in Cincinnati.

Anyone who wants to join in can join in!What are some of your answers to this tag?

The Playdate – ARC Book Review

The Playdate: An absolutely gripping and unputdownable psychological thriller by [Victoria Jenkins]

Arranging the playdate was easy. Child’s play. Preparing the house was more difficult. It was only now she realised how many photographs there were: the picture-perfect unit. Wife, husband, child. All of it a lie.

I made a new friend at playgroup today. She’s different from the other mothers. She feels like someone I can trust. Someone I can confide in.

But there are some things I can’t tell her. Things I can’t tell anyone.

Because I have a secret that no one else knows. One that still haunts my dreams, wakes me up in a cold sweat at night.

Even another mother would never understand. Unless, of course, she’s hiding something too…

From the bestselling author of The Argument, this utterly addictive psychological thriller will have you hooked from the first page to the final, mind-blowing twist. Fans of Friend Request, The Silent Patient and The Girl on the Train won’t be able to put this down.

No. of pages:- 289 pages

Date published:- will be May 21st 2021

Publisher:- Bookouture

Genre:- Psychological Thriller

What will happen when a playdate turns into a nightmare? Well this is such story. Dani joins in a playdate and meets Adele who also has a daughter named Ivy. Ever since she joined the playdate, Dani has been getting threatening messages from an anonymous and escalated to a point where she was physically harmed. Adele meanwhile is facing abuse from her husband.

The story started a bit slow and was a bit boring. However, towards the end, unexpected twists and turns came into the picture that left me hooked at the end. Though not fast paced in the beginning, the story picked up the momentum in the end. The story is told from the perspectives of Adele and Dani and and the writing was good.

Overall, I give this book as four stars! Many thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for the ARC. The review is based on my honest opinion only.

Victoria Jenkins lives with her husband and daughters in South Wales, where her bestselling series of crime novels featuring Detectives King and Lane is based. The first in the series, The Girls in the Water was a top 5 US Kindle Bestseller and a top 30 UK Kindle Bestseller. She has an MA in Creative and Media Writing from the University of Wales, Swansea.

She has since written four psychological thrillers, one of which – The Argument – reached number 17 in the UK Kindle chart. Each thriller has a family at the centre of its story, with ordinary people thrown into extraordinary events. The Playdate – a ‘twisty turny psychological thriller’ about two mothers who meet at their daughters’ play group – is out on pre-order now.

The Inn at Tansy Falls – Book Review

The Inn at Tansy Falls: Gripping and heart-warming women's fiction full of family secrets by [Cate Woods]

Dearest Nell, if you’re reading this letter, I’m already gone. You’re my best friend in the world, and as my last request I’m asking you to lay me to rest hundreds of miles away, in my crazy gorgeous, totally one-of-a-kind hometown of Tansy Falls. I know you’re a born-and-bred city girl, but hear me out. After first losing Adrian, and then me… I know your heart is hurting, Nell. I think you’ll find that you need Tansy Falls as much as I do.

So, I’ve got it all planned out. For two weeks, you’ll be staying at the sweet, local inn and every day you’ll be trying something new. And if you follow my instructions to the letter, you may discover there’s more to my story than you think. A surprise something… or someone at the end of it? Only you can find out!

Some last advice before you set off, Nell. Don’t forget your sturdy boots and make sure to give Boomer, the inn’s resident dog, a belly rub from me. Stay well away from former quarterback Brody Knott (boy, do I have some stories about him!). And finally, let the future bring what it brings. While Tansy Falls may look small, I know better than anyone that new beginnings can be found in all kinds of places. That little Vermont town you’d never heard of? Well, it might suddenly begin to feel just like coming home…

If you love feel-good love stories by ReaAnne Thayne, Debbie Macomber and Robyn Carr, you’ll adore this gorgeous, heart-warming novel about starting over.

No. of pages:- 272 pages

Published:- May 12th 2021

Publisher:- Bookouture

Genre:- Romance

I just loved this book!!!! I don’t have any other words to describe this wonderful gem of book–a heartwarming and a bit emotional book that will keep you hooked into the story from the first page itself!!!

Nell was devastated at the death of her best friend, Megan. But before dying, Megan has final wish–she wanted Nell to shatter her ashes in Mount Maverick, located in the small town called Tansy Falls in the state of Vermont. And she has written a letter to Nell–with requests that Nell must visit Tansy Falls and visit all the places Megan had visited during her teenage years. Nell decides to fulfill Megan’s wishes by taking a flight from London and reaching Tansy Falls. And while staying at the inn, she makes new friends–Darlene who owns the Fiske store where Megan used to work, and meeting Mallory who was one of Megan’s friends. And also she meets Jackson who is residing the house where Megan used to live with her aunt and uncle. As Nell develops close bonds and relationships, she is beginning to feel Tansy Falls as a part of her home…

I truly enjoyed reading the book. The first thing that I got attracted to this book was the cover–it was pretty and cozy looking. And I wasn’t disappointed when the story was equally good as the book cover! The characters in the book are all likable and I had a fun time getting to know these characters. The settings and the descriptions of the town felt realistic and as a reader, I felt I was in Tansy Fall with Nell, setting out on an adventure of lifetime and making new friends. The ending was unexpected and really good that I cannot wait for the second book of this series to come out soon!

Worth five stars! Many thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for the ARC. The review is based on my honest opinion only.

Cate made the most of her university degree in Anglo-Saxon Literature by embarking on a career running errands on TV shows including Who Wants to be a Millionaire. After narrowly missing out on the chance to become a weather presenter, she moved into the world of magazine journalism and then ghostwriting, working on novels and autobiographies for a host of celebrities. She has written two best-selling romantic comedies – Just Haven’t Met You Yet and More Than a Feeling – and a festive novel, The Christmas Guest, under the name Daisy Bell. Cate lives in London with her husband and two children, but escapes to her family home in the Vermont mountains whenever she can.

@catewoodswriter

Don’t Look For Me – Book Review

One night, Molly Clarke walked away from her life. Or at least, that’s the story.

The car abandoned miles from home. The note found at a nearby hotel. The shattered family that couldn’t be put back together.

It happens all the time. Women disappear, desperate to leave their lives behind and start over.

But is that what really happened to Molly Clarke?

No. of pages:- 352 pages

Published:- September 17th 2020

Publisher:- Orion Publishers

Genre:- Psychological Thriller

Molly Clarke seems to be having an estranged relationship with her family after the death of her youngest daughter, Annie. While on the way home after visiting her son’s football game, her cars stops in the middle of the road and while trying to get gas for her car, she stops an oncoming truck and gets in. That was the last seen of Molly Clarke as she has left a note saying “Don’t Look For Me,”. A few days later, her oldest daughter Nic gets a tip from a woman who is saying that she saw the truck in which Molly got into.

This story was really good! Fast paced, some twists and turns that will keep you hooked from the first page onwards. The story is told from the perspective of Molly who is being held captive by a man named Mick and develops a sort of bond with a ten year old girl named Alice and Nic, who comes to the small town of Hastings, in the hopes of finding her mother and discovers some deep dark secrets in the town. I was hooked into the story, wondering what is going to happen next that I simply couldn’t put the book down. I like Molly’s determination to live and escape and Nic’s determination to find her mother even though her father is asking her to return back home. The ending was a bit dramatic, like I felt as if I was watching a movie or something and a bit unrealistic but nonetheless, the book was good and enjoyable, that will hook you up from the beginning. I also like how both Molly and Nick are struggling with the death of Annie, each blaming themselves for the death and the emotions that each of them are going through seems realistic.

Overall, I give this book as four stars!

Wendy Walker is the author of the psychological suspense novels All is Not Forgotten, Emma In The Night, The Night Before and Don’t Look For Me. Her novels have been translated into 23 foreign languages and have topped bestseller lists both nationally and abroad. They have been featured on The Today Show, The Reese Witherspoon Book Club, and The Book of the Month Club and have been optioned for television and film. Prior to her writing career, Wendy practiced both corporate and family law, having earned her J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center and her undergraduate degree from Brown University. Wendy also worked as a financial analyst at Goldman, Sachs & Co. Wendy is currently finishing her next thriller and managing a busy household in Connecticut.

Going Greek – ARC Book Review

Going Greek: A totally hilarious summer romantic comedy by [Sue Roberts]

Sun, sea and a sizzling romance… the perfect holiday, right? Wrong.

After a work party gone disastrously wrong, Samantha suddenly finds herself jobless and jilted. So when her sister invites Sam to stay at her little whitewashed farmhouse on a Greek island, Sam leaps at the chance to escape. Before long, she’s trundling up the cobbled driveway, almost colliding with sexy neighbour Spyros.

It isn’t all sunshine and smiles though. For every afternoon spent lounging by the pool, cocktail in hand, there is a morning spent adjusting to life with boisterous six-year-old nieces. When Spyros invites Sam to explore the island with him she’s tempted, but with his carefree, live-for-the-moment attitude, he couldn’t be more different to Sam with her five-year plans and high-maintenance hair. One drink, as friends, couldn’t hurt though? Over glasses of fruity Greek wine and honey-sweet baklava, can he – and the other charming locals – help city girl Sam to appreciate the simple pleasures the Greek life has to offer?

Just as Sam is considering ditching her designer gear for good though, she runs in to an old flame from home, and suddenly her London life comes hurtling back. Can her smooth-talking ex convince Sam to return to the concrete jungle, or will the lessons she’s learned from her Greek escape persuade her to stay?

A fun, fabulous and completely laugh-out-loud summer read perfect for fans of Carole Matthews, Jenny Colgan and Sophie Kinsella.

No. of pages :- 257 pages

Published:- will be published on 28th May 2021

Publisher:- Bookouture

Genre:- Romance/Comedy

Sam is a successful and famous TV presenter in London. So when suddenly, a sudden fling after a work party gone wrong with people and the media hounding after her, Sam decides to leave behind the drama and move to Greece where her sister, Fiona and her husband, Nick are running a ship farm in a Greek countryside with their twin daughters. While Sam is getting used to her life being non famous in Greece, she meets a handsome Greek Spyros who owns a cheese factory. And then while at the beach, she meets Aaron, her ex-boyfriend who broke her heart years ago and now wants to get back with her.

I have read Sue Robert’s book before and this book didn’t even disappoint me. A warm cozy romance story with Greek culture in the background and the author did a good job drawing the reader into the story and making the reader feel like they are in Greece with the character. For me, the characters are likable, a short read which I was able to finish off the book within a day and quiet enjoyed reading this cheesy warm romantic novel that made me feel like I was in Greece enjoying the beautiful descript scenes in Greek countryside and away from the hustle and bustle of London city. The cover is beautiful and manage to attract the reader (I am fetish for beautiful covers)

Looking forward to read more books from this author and worth four stars!

Many thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for the ARC. The review is based on my honest opinion only.

Sue was born in Liverpool and moved to Lancashire as a teenager where she has lived ever since. Her fifth book ‘As Greek As it Gets.’ will be published on May the18th 2020, with another sunshine book scheduled for August!
When not busy writing, Sue spends her time with her ever growing family and enjoys walking, cinema and travelling. Her first book ‘My Big Greek Summer.’ was inspired by frequent visits to the Island of Rhodes in Greece. All Sue’s books are available from Amazon in kindle and paperback format.

The Family Tree – ARC Book Review

The Family Tree: the DNA results are back - and there’s a serial killer in the family tree... the gripping, page-turning new thriller for 2021 by [Steph Mullin, Nicole Mabry]

The DNA results are back. And there’s a serial killer in her family tree…

Liz Catalano is shocked when an ancestry kit reveals she’s adopted. But she could never have imagined connecting with her unknown family would plunge her into an FBI investigation of a notorious serial killer…

The Tri-State Killer has been abducting pairs of women for forty years, leaving no clues behind – only bodies.

Can Liz figure out who the killer in her new family is? And can she save his newest victims before it’s too late?

No. of pages:- 412 pages

Published:- will be published on 10th June 2021

Publisher :- Avon

Genre:- Thriller

First of all, thank you Netgalley, Avon Publishers and the authors for inviting me to review this ARC. The review is based on my honest opinion only.

And….WOW!! What did I just read? What would happen when you suddenly discover through your DNA test that one of your family members is a serial killer?? And not just an ordinary serial killer but someone who has been wanted by FBI for almost a decade? That’s what happened to Liz Catalano.

When Liz does DNA family tree test with the urge of her cousin Andie, she finds out that that she was adopted as she did not have any Italian family background like she should be having. Desperate to find more information about her biological family, she uploads her DNA family test into a government site, as apparently her mother did some time for possessing drugs. Then comes the surprise when two FBI agents knocks on her apartment and tells her that from her mother’s side of the family, there’s a serial killer in the family who has been terrorizing the Tri State area for decade. Now Liz desperately wants answers and finds two of the male relatives from her mother’s side who is still alive–her grand uncles Cris who is a vet and Adam. Could one of them be the killer?

This story left me breathless! From the first page onwards, I was hooked into the story and stayed up all night to finish the book! The story is mainly told from Liz’s point of view though there were chapters of the victims of the Tri State Killer, starting from 1974 recounting their final hours in the hands of a demented killer. I couldn’t simply put this book down and shared the same frustration with Liz at her desperate quest to find the answers. The story was unpredictable, with twists and turns and a fast paced–all those qualities of a good thriller book! The authors did a good job drawing the reader into the story. The ending was unpredictable and I truly enjoyed reading the book.

Overall, this book gave me a roller coaster ride with twists and turns you didn’t even expect, staying up all night finishing this fast paced thriller that left me breathless–looking forward to read more from this duo and worth five stars!

Steph Mullin works by day as Creative Director for Townsquare Media, using early mornings, nights, and weekends to write fiction. Steph’s dream of becoming a writer started at age 6, followed by winning scholastic writing awards and crafting articles for her university’s literary magazine. In her 20’s, she became engrossed in true crime podcasts and literature, which later became the perfect source of inspiration to launch her second career as an author writing dark and twisty thrillers. In 2018, Steph relocated from NYC to Charlotte, North Carolina where she currently resides with her husband and her rescue puppy. Outside of reading, writing, and playing with her dog, you may find her sipping on a soy latte, watching a new movie, or trying out new recipes in the kitchen.

Nicole Mabry spends her days at NBCUniversal as the Senior Manager of Photography Post Production. Her nights are reserved for writing novels. At the age of seven, she read The Boxcar Children, sparking a passion for reading and writing early on. Nicole grew up in the Bay Area in Northern California and went to college at UCLA for Art History. During a vacation, she fell in love with New York City and has lived in Queens for the past sixteen years. On weekends you can find her with a camera in hand and her dog, Jackson, by her side. Nicole is an animal lover and horror movie junkie.

The Girl Behind the Wall – ARC Book Review

The Girl Behind the Wall: The new novel from the internationally bestselling author of WW2 historical fiction for 2021 by [Mandy Robotham]

A city divided.
When the Berlin Wall goes up, Karin is on the wrong side of the city. Overnight, she’s trapped under Soviet rule in unforgiving East Berlin and separated from her twin sister, Jutta.
Two sisters torn apart.
Karin and Jutta lead parallel lives for years, cut off by the Wall. But Karin finds one reason to keep going: Otto, the man who gives her hope, even amidst the brutal East German regime.
One impossible choice…
When Jutta finds a hidden way through the wall, the twins are reunited. But the Stasi have eyes everywhere, and soon Karin is faced with a terrible decision: to flee to the West and be with her sister, or sacrifice it all to follow her heart?

No. of pages:- 416 pages

Date published:- will be published on July 6th 2021

Publisher:- Avon

Genre:- Historical Fiction/Women Fiction

After reading The Secret Messenger by Mandy Robotham, I have always wanted to read her books and was excited when I got the privilege to get an ARC copy of The Girl Behind the Wall.

The story is set during the early 1960’s, the year when Iron Curtain was formed and Berlin Wall built, dividing East and West Berlin, separating the loved ones. That’s what happened to Jutta and Karin, the identical twin sisters. Karin goes to East Berlin side to the hospital and on the same fateful day when East and West Berlin were divided. In the midst of political drama, Jutta who lives in a free spirited life in West Berlin was determined to bring Karin back home. Karin meanwhile tries settling down in East Berlin, adapting to the harsh communism rule and then falling in love with an architect. Jutta through a tunnel she comes across risks her life to meet Karin on the other side and the two sisters see each other through that secret tunnel, until the wall will divide them for good.

Normally, Mandy Robotham’s books are based on WWII with Nazi Germany background, this book was quiet different–set when the whole world watched the Iron Curtain being built and the power between capitalists and communists, the year when Berlin Wall was built that would separate the East and West. The sisters, particularly Jutta’s courage and willingness to bring her sister back to the West was powerful, overwhelming as she knows the consequences of what will happen to her own life if she was discovered. The author has done tremendous research during that period, in both West Berlin, where life is nothing but freedom and luxury and East Berlin, where many lived in fear and also in poverty so the reader could get a glimpse of what the life really like in West and East Berlin. The first part of the story was a bit slow and boring but the story gained momentum towards the middle when Jutta discovers a secret path that will help her to get to East Berlin to meet her sister, Karin. I was kept on the edge of the seat as I was worried if Jutta will get caught. Though the characters in the book was fictional, as I did a part of this Berlin Wall for my history lessons, I know how countless lives have been lost while crossing the wall to the other side–the East Berliners to the West Berliners and the fear and the bravery to do so was so realistic and overwhelming–which I applaud, the author did a good job of making the story as realistic as possible. The story starts with 1961 with the building of the wall, through 1963 when the wall was firmly built separating the twins forever and ends with 1989 with the Berlin Wall demolished–the momentous moment in history. I really like the characters particularly Jutta as she has become one of my favorite characters.

Overall, the story is touching, heartbreaking and emotional. Mandy Robotham did a very good job with this book and as this is the second book I have read from this author, I cannot wait to read more books from this author!

Worth four stars!

Many thanks to Netgalley and Avon publishers for the ARC. The review is based on my honest opinion only.

USA TODAY BESTSELLER
GLOBE AND MAIL BESTSELLER
AMAZON US, CA AND AU BESTSELLER

I’ve been dreaming of writing of a book since the age of nine, when I read ‘Harriet the Spy’ and carried my notebook around the school playground trying to look interesting. I was waylaid, however, by journalism and children, which led me into midwifery, and more years away from my keyboard. But I’m immersed again in the world of words, having completed an MA in Creative Writing at Oxford Brookes University. Now I write about birth, death and anything else in between (when I’m not called out to birth with women in the small hours).

‘A Woman of War’ is my first novel, combining a continued passion for birth with a fascination for wartime history and the tenacity of the human soul – survival, regardless of culture or creed. It’s reception among readers worldwide has been beyond my wildest dreams; in the Kindle bestseller lists in the UK & Canada, and in paperback bestseller lists too.

My second novel – ‘The Secret Messenger’ – continues a wartime theme, this time in occupied Venice and charts the contribution of the thousands of courageous women to the Allies hard won victory. Now I’m researching and gathering for the next two novels with Avon Books/Harper Collins. Thanks to book lovers, I’m one happy little scribe.

In any spare time away from writing and babies, I’m a keen gym-goer, a knitter of what my children call ‘strange things’ (placentas included!), and pride myself on being Jack Savoretti’s number one fan.

The Marriage – ARC Book Review

The Marriage: An absolutely jaw-dropping psychological thriller by [K.L. Slater]

Ten years ago he killed my son. Today I married him.

Ten years ago my darling son Jesse was murdered and our perfect family was destroyed. My strong, handsome boy, so full of life, became a memory, a photo I carried with me everywhere.

But today I’m finally close to finding happiness again. My ash-blonde hair has been curled into ringlets. Carefully placed white flowers frame my delicate features. The small, drab chapel has been prettied up with white satin, and there are tiny red hearts scattered on the small table where I will soon sign the register with my new husband.

The man who killed my son.

My friends and family can’t understand it. My neighbours whisper in the street whenever I walk past. How can I love a man like Tom?

They don’t really know me at all…

The most unputdownable psychological thriller you’ll read this year from the bestselling author K.L. Slater. If you love The Wife Between Us or Gone Girl, you’ll be totally hooked on The Marriage.

No. of pages:- 356 pages

Published:- will be published on 20th May 2021

Publisher:- Bookouture

Genre:- Romance

Wow! Ten years ago, a boy named Tom accidentally kills his friend, Jesse and was sentenced to ten years in prison. Then after he was released from the prison, he marries Jesse’s mother, Bridget, which was a shock to both Tom’s parents and Jesse’s girlfriend, Coral. What was the real motive behind Bridget marrying Tom? Is it for revenge? Tom’s mother, Jill is determined to find the reason and would do anything to annul the marriage.

I was so hooked into the story from the beginning and didn’t really want to put the book down. The story is told from the perspectives of Bridget and Jill, Tom’s mother, spanning back and forth between past and present. The story got more intense, dramatic with twists and turns you didn’t expect. The author did a good job keeping the reader hooked into the story and as I read on, I was craving for more! The characters to me are OK, though some characters I didn’t like much. The twist at the ending was unexpected that I couldn’t even believe that ending!!!

Overall, this is the second book I have read from this author and she didn’t disappoint me in anyway! An epic thriller with twists and turns that will keep you up all night–worth four stars!

Thank you Netgalley and Bookouture for the ARC–the review is based on my honest opinion only.

Kim is the two-million-copy bestselling author of fifteen psychological crime thrillers. She has also written four Carnegie-nominated Young Adult novels as Kim Slater for Macmillan Children’s Books. Kim has an MA in Creative Writing from Nottingham Trent University.

The Little Teashop in Tokyo – Book Review

The Little Teashop in Tokyo: A feel-good, romantic comedy to make you smile and fall in love! (Romantic Escapes, Book 6) by [Julie Caplin]

Grab your passport and escape to a land of dazzling skyscrapers, steaming bowls of comforting noodles, and a page-turning love story that will make you swoon!

For travel blogger Fiona, Japan has always been top of her bucket list so when she wins an all-expenses paid trip, it looks like her dreams are coming true.

Until she arrives in vibrant, bustling Tokyo and comes face-to-face with the man who broke her heart ten years ago, gorgeous photographer Gabe.

Fiona can’t help but remember the heartache of their last meeting but amidst the temples and clouds of soft pink cherry blossoms, can Fiona and Gabe start to see life – and each other – differently?

No. of pages:- 330 pages

Published:- June 11th 2020

Publisher:- One More Chapter

Genre:- Romance

This is the sixth book of the Romantic Escape series. Fiona gets an all paid visit to Japan, one of the countries she has always wanted to visit but she gets to meet Gabe Burnett, who broke her heart almost ten years ago. She stays with a Japanese family, Haruka, Setsuko and Setsuko’s daughter Mayu. While visiting picturesque temples, beautiful cherry blossoms and Mt Fiji, she gets close to Haruka and her teashop as well as with Gabe Burnett…

This books makes you feel as if you are in Japan. Though like more romantic books where the couple at first hate each other, then start falling in love, then break up and then get back together (a typical romance novel), despite that, I enjoyed reading so much about Japan. Having born, raised and lived in Japan, I am bit familiar with the Japanese customs and traditions so the author did a good job doing research about Japan, the tea ceremony, the pink colored cherry blossoms, the Shibuya crossing…it feels like you are in Japan and that you are experiencing all these things in Japan with the characters, Gabe and Fiona. The Shinkansen ride to Kyoto, the picturesque and golden temples in Kyoto, the beautiful snow capped mountain of Mt Fiji and Hanami festival (cherry blossom) feels all real and feels like you are in Japan.

OK…soo aside feeling like you are in Japan, the writing was good, the author did a good job drawing the reader into the story. Though the story is predictable and that you know it would be happily ever after story, it was intriguing and interesting that will keep you up all night! A cute cozy romantic novel!

Worth five stars!

Julie Caplin is addicted to travel and good food. Formerly a PR director, for many years she swanned around Europe taking top food and drink writers on press trips (junkets) sampling the gastronomic delights of various cities in Italy, France, Belgium, Spain, Copenhagen and Switzerland. It was a tough job but someone had to do it.

These trips have provided the inspiration and settings for the Romantic Escapes Series which include The Little Cafe in Copenhagen, The Little Brooklyn Bakery, The Little Paris Patisserie, The Northern Lights Lodge, The Secret Cove in Croatia and the latest addition, The Little Tokyo Teashop which was published in June 2020.

There are plans for a further three romantic escapes, the first of which, The Little Swiss Ski Chalet, will be released in early 2021.

She also writes best selling novels as Jules Wake, which include Covent Garden in the Snow, Notting Hill in the Snow. The Saturday Morning Park Run, From Italy with Love and her next release The Spark which will be published in December 2020.

The Edelweiss Sisters – ARC Book Review

The Edelweiss Sisters: An epic, heartbreaking and gripping World War 2 novel by [Kate Hewitt]

1938, Salzburg. A powerful story of hope, forbidden love, and incredible courage, about three sisters who will risk everything—even their own lives—as part of the resistance movement in Nazi-occupied Austria.

Johanna, Birgit and Lotte Eder have always lived quiet lives, working in their father’s clockmaking shop and helping their mother in the house. But like many other Austrians, they find it impossible to ignore the changes in the world around them.

At first Johanna finds it hard to believe the Nazis pose a real threat. But then her father hires Franz to help in his shop. He’s kind and soulful, with dark eyes that twinkle with intelligence. But he’s Jewish, and as Johanna falls for him, she realizes that loving him puts them all in danger.

Then comes the Anschluss—the reunification of Austria and Germany under Nazi rule. The three sisters’ lives have become ever more separate with Lotte joining the convent at Nonnberg Abbey and Birgit’s secret involvement with the Resistance. But as Johanna realizes how mistaken she was about the level of danger, she begins to see that it may be down to her to protect the man she loves.

She knows that she can’t do it alone though. She will have to turn to the people she trusts the most: her sisters.

The three of them work together to try to get Franz to the safety of Switzerland, and they soon prove invaluable to the Resistance. But they’re risking everything. Can three women who would die for each other, also be prepared to die for what is right?

The sisters’ subsequent journey from Nazi-occupied Salzburg to the devastating concentration camps of Ravensbruck and Mauthausen will show the strength of human spirit like never before. As, out of the darkness, a tiny seed of hope flowers…

A totally heartbreaking and impossibly powerful story about love, tragedy, and the power of humanity. Perfect for fans of The Nightingale, The Lilac Girls and The Sound of Music.

No. of pages:- 399 pages

Published:- will be published on 8th June 2021

Publisher:- Bookouture

Genre:- Historical Fiction

As a child, I have been a fan of Sound of Music and one of my favorite songs from Sound of Music was “Edelweiss,” which is the national flower symbol of Austria. This story, set during the Nazi occupied Austria and during the WWII talks about the lives of three sisters–Johanna, Brigit and Lotte who are known as Edelweiss Sisters. They sang in the festival along with the infamous Von Trapp family and helped with their father at the clock shop. So when Franz joins the shop as an apprentice, Johanna falls in love with Franz–but the problem is he was Jewish. Brigit joins a resistance movement and Lotte becomes a nun, the story talks about the bravery and the courage of these women who would risk their own lives to protect their loved ones.

As a fan of historical fiction based on Holocaust and WWII, this book was really good–a heart breaking, tear jerking and emotional book. The story is told from the perspectives of Johanna, Brigit and Lotte, in third person view so the reader could share all those feelings and emotions with the sisters. The brutal treatment towards the Jews, the worsening and appalling conditions at the labor camps, the night of Kristallnacht in 1938 were so disturbing and sad to read all the same time. I was so hooked into the story that I felt I was living with these sisters during that time!! The ending was so sad, heartbreaking that I felt like I want to cry but at the same time happy as well for some characters. The characters to me are all likable and admire their bravery and courage and support for each other. I stayed up all night reading this book and didn’t want to let this book go! Also, I like how the author has done so much research about the history of Austria, particularly during the Anschluss in 1938, WWII and the labor camps as well as about the Von Trapp family that the book felt realistic, drawing the reader back to those years.

Overall, a tear jerking, heartbreaking emotional tale of three sisters who are brave and courageous women that will keep you up all night and unputdownable that will keep you up all night–worth five stars!

Thank you Netgalley and Bookouture for the ARC. The review is based on my honest opinion only.

Kate Hewitt is the bestselling author of many novels of both historical and contemporary fiction. She particularly enjoys writing contemporary issue-driven women’s fiction, and her novels have been called ‘unputdownable’ and ‘the most emotional book I have ever read’ by readers.

An American ex-pat, she lives in a small market town in Wales with her husband and five young(ish) children, along with their two Golden Retrievers. Join her newsletter for monthly updates and giveaways at http://www.kate-hewitt.com, or be part of her Facebook groups Kate’s Reads, to discuss all manner of books, movies, music and cooking.