Category: ChocLitUK

#MidnightChocLit No.2 | #JorieReads a novella by Henriette Gyland of whom she *loved!* reading “UP CLOSE”!

Posted Friday, 23 December, 2016 by jorielov , , , 1 Comment

#MidnightChocLit banner created by Jorie in Canva. Book Photography Credit: Jorie of jorielovesastory.com.

Coffee and Tea Clip Art Set purchased on Etsy; made by rachelwhitetoo.

Acquired Book By: I am a regular reviewer for ChocLitUK, where I hand select which books in either their backlist and/or current releases I would like to read next for my #ChocLitSaturdays blog feature. As of June 2016, I became a member of the ChocLit Stars Team in tandem with being on the Cover Reveal Team which I joined in May 2016. I reference the Stars as this is a lovely new reader contribution team of sending feedback to the publisher ahead of new book releases. As always, even if I’m involved with a publisher in this sort of fashion, each review is never influenced by that participation and will always be my honest impression as I read the story. Whether the author is one I have previously read or never had the pleasure to read until the book greets my shelf.

I received a complimentary copy of “Blueprint for Love” from ChocLit in exchange for an honest review! I did not receive compensation for my opinions or thoughts shared herein.

Coffee and Tea Clip Art Set purchased on Etsy; made by rachelwhitetoo.

#MidnightChocLit No.2: Jorie’s second reading of Henriette Gyland

Knitting & #PocketChocLit. Book Photography Credit: Jorie of jorielovesastory.com.

An hidden talent of Jorie’s: K N I T T I N G!

IF your just joining me for #MidnightChocLit and want to know why I conceived this wicked #awesomesauce of a readathon – please direct your attention to #MidnightChocLit No.1: You’re the One that I Want.

I was fascinated by the Rom Suspense styling of Ms Gyland when I first read her incredible novel: Up Close! (see also Review) It was quite literally one of my favourite ‘introductions’ to a Rom Suspense novelist – as Gyland has such an incredible gift for telling a story you’re seriously uncertain about how in the end, any of the characters will make it out of the circumstances they’ve been consumed by! You’re emotionally connected to the heart of the story – dearly on pins for the ending and quite eager to set your sights on reading more of her collective works!

When I saw this novella tucked into the #ChocLitChristmas parcel I received, I was #aboveandbeyond elated! I’ve been itching to read another suspenseful cuppa of Gyland – how fitting I get a happy dose of her fiction at Christmas! Talk about being enveloped in a lot of Christmas joy this year (more on this soon, promise!) as stories are finding their way into my hands!

You might be curious – why is there a ceramic knitting bowl with a UFO (unfinished object) cast-on inside being featured with Gyland’s novella?! So happy you’ve asked! If you have caught sight of my pepperings of joy via Twitter about being a ‘Knitty Whovian’ wherein I randomly share bits and bobbles of my knitty life through the twitterverse – you  might have caught-on to the fact I have a hidden talent: I can knit! And, knit I do quite quirkily, too! You see, I knit a hybrid style of American & Continental – yes, it’s attributed to my dyslexia (not that I allowed that to stop me!) but more to the point, knitting has opened a door of creativity connecting me to Old World Arts & Crafts whilst digging into the fascinating world of textiles & fibre arts!

Most knitters are avid readers – however, this knitter loves to knit at libraries whilst chatting up patrons about my #currentreads whilst talking about natural fibres & amassing an affinity for UFOs & knitting patterns! Makes proper sense then, to find portable stories to nip into our knitting bags or knitting bowls a story to soak inside during a ‘break’ from our stitches flying into our rows! Audiobooks are quite infamous amongst knitting groups, but I think #PocketChocLit is just the ‘right size’ for knitters who want to sippa cuppa java, tea or wine whilst in-between being chatty & knitty! (here I refer to the ‘sit & knits’ meet-ups we’re equally infamous for attending!)

Hence why tonight I focused on the #stockingstuffing brilliance of these novellas for anyone who has a knitty friend mad for fibre & handmade crafts!

Join me whilst I read *six!* ChocLit novellas Christmas Week & New Year’s – as we read through the holidays with a ‘pocket of ChocLit’ in our hands! Remember: I’m tweeting LIVE as I read ahead of posting these reviews! Tweet me your reactions & add your commentary on the posts!

Coffee and Tea Clip Art Set purchased on Etsy; made by rachelwhitetoo.

 #MidnightChocLit No.2 | #JorieReads a novella by Henriette Gyland of whom she *loved!* reading “UP CLOSE”!Blueprint for Love
Subtitle: Blueprint for love or blueprint for danger?

Blueprint for love or blueprint for danger?

Hazel Dobson is pleased when she gets temp work at Gough Associates -an architectural company based in a beautiful manor house in Norfolk. Whilst it’s a far cry from the bright lights of London, Hazel is keen to get away from a mundane job with a lecherous boss, and to spend some time with Great Aunt Rose, her only surviving relative.

Jonathan Gough is the owner of Gough Associates and despite his wealth and good looks, he has a tragic past to equal Hazel’s, having been left with the responsibility of two young sons.

There’s a real chance that within each other, the pair could find the family they crave. But there is something strange going on at Combury Manor- and some people just don’t want Hazel and Jonathan to be happy…


Places to find the book:

Add to LibraryThing

Find on Book Browse

Book Page on World Weaver Press

ISBN: 9781781893555

on 4th November, 2016

Pages: 112

Published by: ChocLitUK (@ChocLituk)

Available Formats: Pocket Paperback + Ebook

Converse via: #Contemporary & #Romance

#RomSusp OR #RomanticSuspense + #ChocLit

OR #PocketChocLit (Jorie’s idea!)

Put some ChocLit,

in your pocket!

#PocketChocLit

(little rhyme I came up with to celebrate these editions!)

About Henriette Gyland

Henriette lives in London but grew up in Northern Denmark and moved to England after she graduated from the University of Copenhagen. She has worked in the Danish civil service, for a travel agent, a consultancy company, in banking, hospital administration, and for a county court before setting herself up as a freelance translator and linguist.

Expecting her first child and feeling bored, she picked up the pen again, and when a writer friend encouraged her to join the Romantic Novelists’ Association, she began to pursue her writing in earnest. Her debut Up Close won the New Talent Award in 2011 from the Festival of Romance and a Commended from the Yeovil Literary Prize.

Novels: Up Close, The Elephant Girl, Blueprint for Love & The Highwayman’s Daughter

Coffee and Tea Clip Art Set purchased on Etsy; made by rachelwhitetoo. Read More

Reading this book contributed to these challenges:

  • #WYChristmasReadathon
Divider

Posted Friday, 23 December, 2016 by jorielov in 21st Century, Blog Tour Host, British Literature, Castles & Estates, ChocLitSaturdays, ChocLitUK, Contemporary Romance, Death, Sorrow, and Loss, England, Indie Author, Library Love, Modern British Literature, Modern Day, Romance Fiction, Romantic Suspense, Siblings, Single Fathers, Small Towne Fiction, Suspense, Twitterland & Twitterverse Event

#ChocLitChristmas feat. #PocketChocLit | #JorieReads a bit of ChocLit *before!* Christmas! Portable editions of Romance novellas perfectly trimmed for your ‘pocket’!

Posted Thursday, 22 December, 2016 by jorielov , , , 1 Comment

#MidnightChocLit banner created by Jorie in Canva. Book Photography Credit: Jorie of jorielovesastory.com.

Coffee and Tea Clip Art Set purchased on Etsy; made by rachelwhitetoo.

Acquired Book By: I am a regular reviewer for ChocLitUK, where I hand select which books in either their backlist and/or current releases I would like to read next for my #ChocLitSaturdays blog feature. As of June 2016, I became a member of the ChocLit Stars Team in tandem with being on the Cover Reveal Team which I joined in May 2016. I reference the Stars as this is a lovely new reader contribution team of sending feedback to the publisher ahead of new book releases. As always, even if I’m involved with a publisher in this sort of fashion, each review is never influenced by that participation and will always be my honest impression as I read the story. Whether the author is one I have previously read or never had the pleasure to read until the book greets my shelf.

I received a complimentary copy of “You’re the One that I Want” from ChocLit in exchange for an honest review! I did not receive compensation for my opinions or thoughts shared herein.

Coffee and Tea Clip Art Set purchased on Etsy; made by rachelwhitetoo.

How a ChocLit girl like Jorie conceived #MidnightChocLit:

Pocket ChocLlit novellas, ChocLit tee, novella purse collage by Jorie. Book Photography Credit: Jorie of jorielovesastory.com.

Jorie’s #ChocLitChristmas surprise parcel:

*Six!* ChocLit novellas released into PRINT for the first time!

My very own #ChocLit tee! & a novella purse for travelling with #PocketChocLit! My endearing name for these portable ChocLit stories!

As most of you know by now, I’m an American bourne British writer – whose writerly voice is writ in AmeriBrit rather than American English (full story on My Bookish Life) – who just happens to have fallen in LOVE with reading British Romance novels published by an Indie UK publisher! For more insight into my writerly endeavours please read my essay about winning Nanowrimo via Priya’s Lit Blog!

My love of the novels themselves sparked a Twitter chat (#ChocLitSaturday | @ChocLitSaturday) and a regular blog feature (#ChocLitSaturdays) where reviews & guest features by ChocLit authors populate on my blog! My participation expanded a bit in the Spring of 2016 by joining of the ChocLit Stars Team to help give readerly insight into book covers & other wicked sweet pre-pub particulars.

I think you can see why I elected to feature my American star-tattooed teddy – in lieu of myself – as apparently the super soft & comfy tee is most appealing to bears inasmuch as thirty-something singletons! He even planted himself on my brushed soft denim (which I love to pair with the tee when I’m not in my comfy blues), put his bear paw on the novella purse & helped me select which novella to kick-off my #MidnightChocLit readings!

To read the ‘pre-reading’ excitement over You’re the One that I Want  – direct your attention to this post in which I talk about what the Stars did ahead of publication! I feel like Annie – where I could pinch myself realising that I am on the cusp of reading *ChocLit novellas!* for the first time – a bookish wish of mine was finding these available in print and/or audiobook! I knew the wait would be a longer one than awaiting the Digital First Novels but ooh! My ChocLit bookish heart couldn’t help but think one day these lovelies would be available in a format suited to my bookish eyes!

You might be wicked curious – how did a ChocLit girl like Jorie conceive #MidnightChocLit to ring in a #ChocLitChristmas!? To be honest – I dreamt up the idea in the last *24 hours!* because I’ve been itching to break into my ChocLit novels (four new lovelies to devour!) all month long whilst my mind simply couldn’t settle into them properly due my heart, mind & soul being focused on my Dad. (see also Dad’s Stroke)

This led to an impromptu book photo shoot & *boom!* #MidnightChocLit was bourne out of a desire to read a bit of ChocLit ahead of Christmas! I adore the authors of ChocLit who know exactly how to pen an uplifting tale of Romance for today’s Romance reader!

They write convicting & realistic Romantic Fiction across the sub-niches of the genre itself – whilst providing you with sweet little extras such as these wicked new #PocketChocLit’s! If you’ve signed on for their publishers’ ChocLit Treats you already know how awesome they can handle ‘small spaces’ for giving you the dose of Rom your seeking!

Join me whilst I read *six!* ChocLit novellas Christmas Week & New Year’s – as we read through the holidays with a ‘pocket of ChocLit’ in our hands! Remember: I’m tweeting LIVE as I read ahead of posting these reviews! Tweet me your reactions & add your commentary on the posts!

Coffee and Tea Clip Art Set purchased on Etsy; made by rachelwhitetoo.

 #ChocLitChristmas feat. #PocketChocLit | #JorieReads a bit of ChocLit *before!* Christmas! Portable editions of Romance novellas perfectly trimmed for your ‘pocket’!You're the One that I Want

What if you didn’t want to fake it any more?

When Sarah, a teacher from Cornwall, and Matt, a businessman from Nashville, meet on a European coach tour, they soon find themselves in a relationship …

Except it’s a fake relationship. Because Matt is too busy for romance, and Sarah is only trying to make her cheating ex-husband jealous … isn’t she?

As Matt and Sarah complete their tour of Europe, they do all the things real couples are supposed to do – from visiting fairy-tale castles in Germany to recreating the scene from Romeo and Juliet in Verona. And, of course, for every picturesque destination there’s a loved-up selfie and Facebook post to match.

But as their holiday comes to an end, Sarah and Matt realise that they’re not happy with their pretend relationship. They want the real thing.


Places to find the book:

Add to LibraryThing

Find on Book Browse

Book Page on World Weaver Press

ISBN: 978-1781893548

on 4th November, 2016

Pages: 160

Published by: ChocLitUK (@ChocLituk)

Available Formats: Pocket Paperback + Ebook

Converse via: #Contemporary & #Romance + #ChocLit

OR #PocketChocLit (Jorie’s idea!)

Put some ChocLit,

in your pocket!

#PocketChocLit

(little rhyme I came up with to celebrate these editions!)

About Angela Britnell

Angela Britnell

Angela was born in St. Stephen, Cornwall, England. After completing her A-Levels she worked as a Naval Secretary. She met her husband, a US Naval Flight Officer while being based at a small NATO Headquarters on the Jutland Peninsula in Denmark. They lived together in Denmark, Sicily, California, southern Maryland and London before settling in Franklin, Tennessee.

Angela took a creative writing course in 2000 and loved it so much that she has barely put her pen down since. She has had short stories and novels published in the US. Her novel Sugar & Spice, won Choc Lit’s Search for an American Star competition and is her UK debut.

Coffee and Tea Clip Art Set purchased on Etsy; made by rachelwhitetoo. Read More

Reading this book contributed to these challenges:

  • #WYChristmasReadathon
Divider

Posted Thursday, 22 December, 2016 by jorielov in Blog Tour Host, ChocLitSaturdays, ChocLitUK, Contemporary Romance, Romance Fiction

Book Review | “Talk to Me” by Jules Wake A Contemporary RomCom you won’t want to put down! #ChocLitSaturdays

Posted Saturday, 5 November, 2016 by jorielov , , 0 Comments

ChocLitSaturdays Banner Created by Jorie in Canva.

Why I feature #ChocLitSaturdays (book reviews & guest author features)
and created #ChocLitSaturday (the chat via @ChocLitSaturday):

I wanted to create a bit of a niche on Jorie Loves A Story to showcase romance fiction steeped in relationships, courtships, and the breadth of marriage enveloped by characters written honestly whose lives not only endear you to them but they nestle into your heart as their story is being read!

I am always seeking relationship-based romance which strikes a chord within my mind’s eye as well as my heart! I’m a romantic optimist, and I love curling into a romance where I can be swept inside the past, as history becomes lit alive in the fullness of the narrative and I can wander amongst the supporting cast observing the principal characters fall in love and sort out if they are a proper match for each other!

I love how an Indie Publisher like ChocLitUK is such a positive alternative for those of us who do not identify ourselves as girls and women who read ‘chick-lit’. I appreciate the stories which alight in my hands from ChocLit as much as I appreciate the inspirational romances I gravitate towards because there is a certain level of depth to both outlets in romance which encourage my spirits and gives me a beautiful story to absorb! Whilst sorting out how promote my book reviews on behalf of ChocLit, I coined the phrase “ChocLitSaturdays”, which is a nod to the fact my ChocLit reviews & features debut on ‘a Saturday’ but further to the point that on the ‘weekend’ we want to dip into a world wholly ideal and romantic during our hours off from the work week!

Coffee and Tea Clip Art Set purchased on Etsy; made by rachelwhitetoo.

Acquired Book By: I am a regular reviewer for ChocLitUK, where I hand select which books in either their backlist and/or current releases I would like to read next for my #ChocLitSaturdays blog feature. As of June 2016, I became a member of the ChocLit Stars Team in tandem with being on the Cover Reveal Team which I joined in May 2016. I reference the Stars as this is a lovely new reader contribution team of sending feedback to the publisher ahead of new book releases. As always, even if I’m involved with a publisher in this sort of fashion, each review is never influenced by that participation and will always be my honest impression as I read the story. Whether the author is one I have previously read or never had the pleasure to read until the book greets my shelf.

I received a complimentary copy of “Talk to Me” from ChocLit in exchange for an honest review! I did not receive compensation for my opinions or thoughts shared herein.

Coffee and Tea Clip Art Set purchased on Etsy; made by rachelwhitetoo.

Why Jorie wanted to read this debut:

I’ve been wanting to read Ms Wake’s debut for quite awhile now – however, I had taken a bit of a break from reading Contemporaries to where I reminded myself this year, aside from focusing on the serial ChocLit releases, I wanted to seek out Contemporary Rom writers as well! Either writing dramatic, suspenseful or quirky humour novels set within our modern era and world. This particular one stood out to me as there appeared to be a break-down of communication and an alarmingly strong case for personal safety being put at risk at the same time. I like finding strong themes being pursued in Contemporary Roms as it is a mirror or our everyday lives.

Ms Wake had her debut novel published by ChocLit but has since moved on to a new publisher where her successive novels are continuing to become published nowadays. Even the cover was charming to me – which is unusual to say, as this isn’t quite the typical cover I’d be enraptured by as it’s featuring my least favourite colour (pink!) and lipstick splotches are a bit cliche (most times) but there was something about the layout and the brushstroke effect of the background (reminded me of digital art ‘brushes’); I credit this to Berni Stevens! She never fails me for being intrigued by her cover art designs – and in combination with the premise, I was won over! Proves the point, even a girl who prefers Earth tones and crimson red can embrace pink on certain occasions!

It even felt a bit like a Rom Suspense novel – even if not full-on, there is a stalker involved, so perhaps not all love’s folly and fun?! I positively get giddy over debut novels, too! As you can see affirmed by this tweet s/o I posted ahead of #ChocLitSaturday (wherein we discussed this novel!). Being able to read Ms Wake’s debut novel was such a blessing, indeed! Especially as it’s the start of her writerly career wherein she gave me a Contemporary Rom Com I could blissfully soak inside with pleasure! Even if the last quarter of the novel was such high octane of sitting on pins to await the ending!

Coffee and Tea Clip Art Set purchased on Etsy; made by rachelwhitetoo.

 Book Review | “Talk to Me” by Jules Wake A Contemporary RomCom you won’t want to put down! #ChocLitSaturdaysTalk to Me

Olivia and Daniel certainly aren’t talking the language of love…

Olivia has been in love with Daniel forever but, despite her best efforts, they’ve never been able to get it together. Their relationship has always been a series of mixed messages and misunderstandings and the final straw comes when Daniel mysteriously starts dating her flatmate, Emily. Hurt and confused, Olivia resolves to forget her heartache with a spot of speed dating. After all, what could possibly go wrong?

One crazy stalker later and Olivia’s life is becoming increasingly strange and scary. Can she rely on Daniel to step in when events take a terrifying turn or will their communication breakdown ultimately result in tragedy?


Places to find the book:

Add to LibraryThing

Find on Book Browse

Book Page on World Weaver Press

ISBN: 9781781890639

on 6th January, 2013

Pages: 336

Published by: ChocLitUK (@ChocLituk)

Available Formats: Paperback, Audiobook, Large Print & E-Book

Converse via: #Contemporary & #Romance + #ChocLit

About Jules Wake

Jules Wake

Bred but not born in Yorkshire, Jules considers herself an honorary Yorkshire woman and, despite living in the Chilterns, still misses proper hills. She’s always wanted to be a writer and blames this on her grandmother taking her at a young age to the Brontë’s parsonage in Haworth.

After reading English at the University of East Anglia, she found herself in the glamorous and deeply shallow world of PR, which she rather enjoyed, and spent a number of years honing her fiction writing skills on press releases.

Upon completing a creative writing course and finding no local writing group, she set up the Tring Writers’ Circle. As a result it was incumbent upon her to set a good example and actually write, which was rather fortunate as with a genuine allergy to cleaning, she finds writing offers the perfect displacement activity. Talk to Me is Jules’s debut novel.

Coffee and Tea Clip Art Set purchased on Etsy; made by rachelwhitetoo. Read More

Divider

Posted Saturday, 5 November, 2016 by jorielov in #JorieLovesIndies, Bits & Bobbles of Jorie, Blog Tour Host, Book Cover | Notation on Design, Britian, British Literature, ChocLitSaturdays, ChocLitUK, Contemporary Romance, Dating & Humour Therein, Debut Author, Debut Novel, Domestic Violence, Dsylexia & the Dsylexic, England, Green-Minded Publishers, Indie Author, Life of Thirty-Somethings, Mental Health, Modern British Author, Modern British Literature, Psychological Abuse, Realistic Fiction, Romance Fiction, Romantic Comedy, Singletons & Commitment, Vulgarity in Literature

#ChocLitSaturday | A spooktacular chat about #Halloween + a 5-part fey short story round robin!

Posted Monday, 31 October, 2016 by jorielov , , , , , , , 0 Comments

#ChocLitSaturday banner made by Jorie in Canva.

This weekend, I changed things up a bit as I was going to talk about Jules Wake’s debut ChocLit novel “Talk to Me” – however, noticing how close Saturday hugged itself to Halloween, I decided to take a spooky route instead! I wasn’t sure if it was the holiday – as the UK is starting to whoop up Halloween on a larger scale than in previous years, a nod to their American cousins who have loved the holiday for centuries (or so it would seem!), but this particular Saturday was a bit low in attendance! I knew our numbers would start to fall off a bit towards early to mid November, as that is the time of year where we take a bit of a ‘holiday hiatus’ til after the New Year rings in!

Happily one of the ChocLit authors came round and we had a lovely time chatting about our shared joys of Halloween and why this season of Autumn is such a wicked joy to embrace! Towards the end of the chat, Ms Cornwall dropped in on the festivities and shared in the convo before it was time to close and say ‘good-bye’! Or in this particular case, a spookily ghoulish hope of having a wicked blast over the holiday weekend!

To read our convo in full, you’ll be delight to find the archives are right here for your spooky pleasure! We kicked off the chat talking about the fey (a more proper way of saying ‘fairy’), whilst encompassing why Halloween is such a fun holiday to celebrate & what we love about it the most – of course, this deviated into talking about candy and bakery delights – you know it would happen, it’s the holiday of spooky treats! Laughs. If you find a tweet you love, RT it or respond! Never too late to join in on the fun of #ChocLitSaturday!

Coffee and Tea Clip Art Set purchased on Etsy; made by rachelwhitetoo.

Read More

Divider

Posted Monday, 31 October, 2016 by jorielov in #ChocLitSaturday (Weekly Chat), Blog Tour Host, British Literature, ChocLitUK, Fairy Tale Fiction, Fantasy Fiction, Folklore and Mythology, Gothic Literature, Modern British Literature, Parapsychological Suspense, Supernatural Fiction

Book Review | “Turning the Tide” (Book No.1 of the Little Spitmarsh series) by Christine Stovell #ChocLitSaturdays

Posted Saturday, 22 October, 2016 by jorielov , , , 0 Comments

ChocLitSaturdays Banner Created by Jorie in Canva.

Why I feature #ChocLitSaturdays (book reviews & guest author features)
and created #ChocLitSaturday (the chat via @ChocLitSaturday):

I wanted to create a bit of a niche on Jorie Loves A Story to showcase romance fiction steeped in relationships, courtships, and the breadth of marriage enveloped by characters written honestly whose lives not only endear you to them but they nestle into your heart as their story is being read!

I am always seeking relationship-based romance which strikes a chord within my mind’s eye as well as my heart! I’m a romantic optimist, and I love curling into a romance where I can be swept inside the past, as history becomes lit alive in the fullness of the narrative and I can wander amongst the supporting cast observing the principal characters fall in love and sort out if they are a proper match for each other!

I love how an Indie Publisher like ChocLitUK is such a positive alternative for those of us who do not identify ourselves as girls and women who read ‘chick-lit’. I appreciate the stories which alight in my hands from ChocLit as much as I appreciate the inspirational romances I gravitate towards because there is a certain level of depth to both outlets in romance which encourage my spirits and gives me a beautiful story to absorb! Whilst sorting out how promote my book reviews on behalf of ChocLit, I coined the phrase “ChocLitSaturdays”, which is a nod to the fact my ChocLit reviews & features debut on ‘a Saturday’ but further to the point that on the ‘weekend’ we want to dip into a world wholly ideal and romantic during our hours off from the work week!

Coffee and Tea Clip Art Set purchased on Etsy; made by rachelwhitetoo.

Acquired Book By: I am a regular reviewer for ChocLitUK, where I hand select which books in either their backlist and/or current releases I would like to read next for my #ChocLitSaturdays blog feature. As of June 2016, I became a member of the ChocLit Stars Team in tandem with being on the Cover Reveal Team which I joined in May 2016. I reference the Stars as this is a lovely new reader contribution team of sending feedback to the publisher ahead of new book releases. As always, even if I’m involved with a publisher in this sort of fashion, each review is never influenced by that participation and will always be my honest impression as I read the story. Whether the author is one I have previously read or never had the pleasure to read until the book greets my shelf.

I received a complimentary copy of “Turning the Tide” from ChocLit in exchange for an honest review! I did not receive compensation for my opinions or thoughts shared herein.

Coffee and Tea Clip Art Set purchased on Etsy; made by rachelwhitetoo.

Why Jorie wanted to read a Contemporary Rom series:

I’ve had my eye on this series for awhile as I have wanted to read more of the ChocLit series which caught my attention. There is something quite alluring about boats, ships and life on the water – it isn’t often I find a series that is set against a lifestyle I always thought was quite keenly unique. I’ve read about how husbands and wives purchase a boat and take people on excursions whilst raising their children around the lively environment of living on the water vs land. There is an interesting concept there about how you can re-create how to live your life whilst endeavouring to explore a bit more than most could whilst anchoured to land.

This series is still in-progress I believe as there are two installments thus far released, I felt picking up the series in Autumn might be a wonderful time to soak inside a Contemporary Rom series as this is the season that most appeals to me personally, when the wrath of Summer ends. Sometimes I feel stories resonate with us on a seasonal level of curiosity, and for me, the changing climate of Autumn makes thinking about being ‘outside’ or ‘out on the water’ much more enticing than if I were to contemplate that during the Spring or Summer where the brute of the humidity and heat would kill the joy!

Also, too, I liked the title of this first novel in the series – as at different points in our lives, we’re each finding a way to ‘turn the tide’ and re-define our paths. I definitely wanted to see what would happen when two strong individuals came to heads and had to find a middle ground in order to work through the causticity of a development plan. I am purposely seeking out Contemporaries on a personal level of interest too, as sometimes I forsake the stories set in contemporary times for those of the historical past, thus, all three ChocLit stories I am currently reading are set in the modern day! I couldn’t be happier – as I am finding new Contemporary authors who are giving me exactly what I’m seeking out of this kind of style for Romance!

Coffee and Tea Clip Art Set purchased on Etsy; made by rachelwhitetoo.

 Book Review | “Turning the Tide” (Book No.1 of the Little Spitmarsh series) by Christine Stovell #ChocLitSaturdaysTurning the Tide

All’s fair in love and war? Depends on who’s making the rules.

Harry Watling has spent the past five years keeping her father’s boat yard afloat, despite its dying clientele. Now all she wants to do is enjoy the peace and quiet of her sleepy backwater. So when property developer Matthew Corrigan wants to turn the boat yard into an upmarket housing complex for his exotic new restaurant, it’s like declaring war.

And the odds seem to be stacked in Matthew’s favour. He’s got the colourful locals on board, his hard-to-please girlfriend is warming to the idea and he has the means to force Harry’s hand.

Meanwhile, Harry has to fight not just his plans but also her feelings for the man himself. Then a family secret from the past creates heartbreak for Harry, and neither of them is prepared for what happens next…


Places to find the book:

Add to LibraryThing

Find on Book Browse

Book Page on World Weaver Press

ISBN: 978-1-906931-25-4

on 1st June, 2010

Pages: 336

Published by: ChocLitUK (@ChocLituk)

Available Formats: Paperback, Audiobook, Large Print & E-Book

Order of Sequence of Little Spitmarsh series:

Turning the Tide by Christine StovellFollow a Star by Christine Stovell

Read the Synopsis for Follow a Star

Converse via: #Contemporary & #Romance + #ChocLit #LittleSpitmarsh

About Christine Stovell

Christine Stovell Photo Credit: Tim Jones

Winning a tin of chocolate in a national essay competition at primary school inspired Christine Stovell to become a writer! After graduating from University of East Anglia, she took various jobs in the public sector writing research papers and policy notes by day and filling up her spare drawers with embryonic novels by night.

Losing her dad to cancer made her realise that if she was ever going to get a novel published she had to put her writing first. Setting off, with her husband, from a sleepy seaside resort on the east coast in a vintage wooden boat to sail halfway round Britain provided the inspiration for her debut novel Turning the Tide and Follow a Star. Turning The Tide was a top 100 Bestseller with Amazon Kindle and spent months in the Top 10 Chart for Adult Contemporary Romance. Christine has also published numerous short stories and articles. Christine lives in Wales. Christine novels include: Turning The Tide, Move Over Darling and Follow a Star (July 2014).

Photo Credit: Tim Jones

Coffee and Tea Clip Art Set purchased on Etsy; made by rachelwhitetoo. Read More

Divider

Posted Saturday, 22 October, 2016 by jorielov in #JorieLovesIndies, Bits & Bobbles of Jorie, Blog Tour Host, Britian, British Literature, ChocLitSaturdays, ChocLitUK, Debut Author, Debut Novel, England, Equality In Literature, Green-Minded Publishers, Indie Author, LGBTTQPlus Fiction | Non-Fiction, Modern British Author, Romance Fiction, Vulgarity in Literature