Category: Geographically Specific

Author Interview | ChocLit launches! a new imprint: Ruby Fiction wherein Ms James is one of their debut novelists under this new endeavour where ChocLit expands their catalogue into Women’s Fiction. Jorie converses with Ms James about her Boomerville Hotel!

Posted Friday, 16 March, 2018 by jorielov Caroline James, ChocLitUK, Ruby Fiction (imprint of ChocLit), The Best Boomerville Hotel 2 Comments

Hallo, Hallo dear hearts!

You already know how dearly I *adore!* the novelists of ChocLitUK – therefore, it won’t surprise you to learn I’ve had my *eye!* on their latest endeavour: Ruby Fiction since it was a whispering in the wind! I even found the three authors who are debuting the imprint this year in the twitterverse!

One such lovely is Caroline James – my honoured guest today on Jorie Loves A Story, who has written a novel I am itching to *read!* as soon as it goes into another format of entry! In fact, I ought to have ‘caught’ the secret of the novel – the age of the characters featured within its chapters, as the clue of course is within the ‘title’ of the hotel! The reason I was so surprised I had missed it is because one of my parents (my Mum!) is part of the Boomer generation! Dad is in the generation ahead of it – ergo, sometimes it is quite oft true: you can miss the obvious! lol

The more I learnt about the premise behind the story (especially through this conversation!) the more giddy I was becoming to *soak inside!* the setting & the allure of venturing into the Boomerville Hotel! Mind you, I happen to love the college classes offered to retirees and the alternative ed. selections they can aspire to undertake as well – there is this wonderfully lovely door of creative blissitude & educational adventure lying in wait for me – I only have to turn *55!* in order to start enjoying the entry into this new dimension of joy!

The fact I’m nearly pushing a pence short of thirtyten is quite telling – as I’m not as ‘far off’ to those golden years as say I was twenty year ago! Laughs with mirth. No mind. I love every inch of life – each year is a new discovery & a new chance to curate experiences – wherever our adventures take us, lead to memories, personal growth & a renewing of interest for the unknown. I think this is also in-part what curated an interest in the topics of the novel – of realising there are others out there who *love!* self-learning experiences, continuing education & are self-directed learners – wherein, to seek what we become curious about is only half the journey! Sometimes the other half is being open-minded to the doors which open when we are only first glancing outside the window!

I hope you’ll appreciate this conversation as much as I had assembling the questions which inspired it! Perhaps we share a heap in common about seeking out the joys of new experiences & constantly finding new adventures to undertake! Let us all embrace the side of our lives where our curiosity is never fully quenched & where our imaginations soar on the dreamscapes of newly cast dreams wherein we expand our horizons seeking further enlightenment.

Here’s to the adventurer in all of us!

Remember, brew yourself your favourite cuppa & enjoy the convo!

An exciting *announcement!* at the very end of this lovely post celebrating Ruby Fiction – as pertaining to my #ChocLitSaturdays showcases & my chat #SatBookChat! As I am announcing what we’ll be discussing next!

I keep forgetting to mention : I’m on a green tea & lemongrass tea kick, lately!

Whilst my intake of coffee or decaf is at an all-time low – I’ve only had two cuppas in about two months – which is quite incredible, I think since I”ve spent the last month re-falling in love with TEA!

Whilst your leaving your comments for this lovely new release

don’t forget to tell me, what’s in your MUG?

The Best Boomerville Hotel
by Caroline James

Let the shenanigans begin at the Boomerville hotel…

Jo Docherty and Hattie Contaldo have a vision – a holiday retreat in the heart of the Lake District exclusively for guests of ‘a certain age’ wishing to stimulate both mind and body with new creative experiences. One hotel refurbishment later and the Best Boomerville Hotel is open for business!

Perhaps not surprisingly Boomerville attracts more than it’s fair share of eccentric clientele: there’s fun loving Sir Henry Mulberry and his brother Hugo; Lucinda Brown, an impoverished artist with more ego than talent; Andy Mack, a charming Porsche-driving James Bond lookalike, as well as Kate Simmons, a woman who made her fortune from an internet dating agency but still hasn’t found ‘the One’ herself.

With such an array of colourful individuals there’s bound to be laughs aplenty, but could there be tears and heartbreak too and will the residents get more than they bargained for at Boomerville?

Genres: Women's Fiction

Places to find the book:

Add to LibraryThing

Find on Book Browse

Book Page on NetGalley

on 13th March, 2018

Published By: Ruby Fiction (@RubyFiction)

an imprint of ChocLitUK (@ChocLituk)

This is a Digital First release | I am hopeful this will go into print or audio!

Inter-connected Series by Ms James | the first three are in PRINT!

Coffee, Tea, the Gypsy and Me | Book One (Synopsis) ← where Hattie & Jo enter our lives!

Coffee, Tea, the Caribbean and Me | Book Two (Synopsis)

Coffee, Tea, the Chef and Me | Book Three (Synopsis)

*originally entitled: So, You Think Your A Celebrity… Chef?

The Best Boomerville Hotel | Book Four *theoretically! → Jo & Hattie are back!

Converse via: #RubyFiction + #CarolineJames & #BestBoomervilleHotel

How did you initially conceive of the idea for the Boomerville Hotel and what made you decide to set it in the Lake District?

James responds: As a former hotelier in Cumbria, I was in love with the county from the very first day my toes tipped out of the car and I stepped on Cumbrian soil. There is so much majesty in the rolling fells, mountains and beautiful lakes. It is stunning at any time of year. Having owned and run a pub and a hotel there, my imagination got the better of me when I was thinking of plot ideas with older protagonists in mind and it seemed the perfect environment to place my characters in a fictional hotel. Read More

Posted Friday, 16 March, 2018 by jorielov in 21st Century, Bits & Bobbles of Jorie, Blog Tour Host, Bookish Discussions, Boomers & the Golden Years, British Literature, Buddhism, Creative Arts, England, Equality In Literature, Latter-life Adventures, Modern British Author, Modern British Literature, Modern Day, Non-traditional characters, Pensioners & Retirees, Personal Enrichment Retreats, Post-911 (11th September 2001), Rachel's Random Resources, Reader Submitted Author Interview, Ruby Fiction, Self-Directed Learners, The Writers Life, Women of a Certain Age, Women's Fiction

Author Q&A with audiobook extract | Talking with Dianne Ascroft about what inspired her to base her short story on behalf of a legendary ghost story!

Posted Thursday, 15 March, 2018 by jorielov (Narrator) Elizabeth Klett, An Unbidden Visitor, Dianne Ascroft, Self Published 2 Comments

Hallo, Hallo dear hearts,

I found out about this blog tour nearly too late to become a part of it – as I hadn’t been reading my newsletters recently. I had a lot going on the first quarter of 2018, which I why I am still working on my self-directed Feminist reads even as half of March has already become erased off the clock! You’ll be seeing more posts arriving which feature strong women – either in narratives which held me to the page, in audiobooks which gave me a wicked good story to feel enveloped inside or Non-Fiction stories which celebrate #WomensHistory and/or memoirs of women who are trying to share their lives, faith and the ways in which they drew strength through living their authentic life.

Imagine, then – as I was looking forward to settling into these stories, I pulled open a newsletter for the lovely Audiobookworm tours and discovered there was a *ghost!* story coming up for March! I was overly excited – as I still remember the joy of settling into the Ghost Stories by Edith Wharton – a special inter-library loan – as it was the first time I had started to seek out the stories I wanted to read through my participation in The Classics Club.

I even spoke a bit about why I love organic ghost stories or those stories which are paranormally inclined on a recent post where I showcased my first vlog interview. I love seeking out Gothic Literature as well – as there is something special about the manners in which the stories are written. A well-told ghost story in my opinion is the one where there is a firm suspension of reality and the supernatural – where you could literally either see the story going in two different directions by it’s conclusion (ie. either it will be explained or remain unexplained) or you feel so fully removed from everything you thought you knew about what is known in the world to where you believe strongly in the elements of the story by how it’s been presented.

There is a lot about the paranormal to explore – not just in ghost stories, but in the lore & legends behind the stories themselves. I would have signed on to listen to this audiobook but I was a wee bit late in getting my request submitted – which is why I have the delightful pleasure of featuring a conversation with the author, Ms Ascroft about what inspired her to write a short story on behalf of such a well-known story of lore!

I know this is one short story on audiobook I’ll be seeking out to listen to as soon as I can – as after I listened to the sampler, there was *something!* quite lovely about how the narrator (Elizabeth Klett) approached this narration! You feel so immediately drawn into the story – not only due to her voice or her articulation of the story-line but because of how she delivers the lines and evokes such a strong presence within this world you want to step inside!

Be kind to yourself – brew yourself a cuppa & settle in for a wicked good convo!

A short story inspired by Northern Ireland’s famous Cooneen ghost.

A tale of family, friends, and fear….

And the unnatural force that threatens to ruin everything….

March 1913: Struggling to make ends meet, widow Bridget Murphy finds life in rural Ireland difficult, raising six children while farming her small acreage. With the help of neighbors and friends, Bridget is able to cope with the many arduous tasks and chores required of her.

When an unnatural and terrifying force invades their house, threatening their family, Bridget is surprised to see so many backs turning on her. Fearing for themselves, those she once counted on for help and support will not risk their safety for her. Father Smyth, their priest, is the only one who stands alongside their family in the battle against the uninvited and fearsome poltergeist. But, prayers alone won’t run the farm. Will Bridget find a way to save her home and her family before there’s nowhere left to turn?

Posted Thursday, 15 March, 2018 by jorielov in Audiobookworm Promotions, Blog Tour Host, Ghost Story, Ghosts & the Supernatural, Gothic Literature, Gothic Mystery, Haunting & Ethereal, Historical Fiction, Indie Author, Inspired by Stories, Ireland, Parapsychological Suspense, Re-Told Tales, Reader Submitted Q&A, Self-Published Author, Suspense

Audiobook Review | “Sharpe Shooter” (Book One: Maycroft Mysteries) by Lisa B. Thomas, narrated by Madeline Mrozek There is something quite wonderful about this quirky Cosy series!

Posted Friday, 2 March, 2018 by jorielov (Narrator) Madeline Mrozek, Cozy Suburbs Mysteries, Lisa B. Thomas, Self Published, Sharpe Shooter 0 Comments

Acquired Digital Audiobook by: I am a new blog tour hostess with Audiobookworm Promotions wherein I have the opportunity to receive audiobooks for review or adoption (reviews outside of organised blog tours) and host guest features on behalf of authors and narrators alike. I started hosting for Audiobookworm Promotions at the end of [2016] during “The Cryptic Lines” tour wherein I became quite happily surprised how much I am now keen on listening to books in lieu of reading them in print. My journey into audiobooks was prompted by a return of my chronic migraines wherein I want to offset my readings with listening to the audio versions.

I received a complimentary audiobook copy of “Sharpe Shooter” via the publicist at Audiobookworm Promotions (of whom was working directly with the author Lisa B. Thomas) in exchange for an honest review. The difference with this complimentary copy I received is I had a 90 day window to listen and review the book whilst given a soft deadline where I could post my ruminative thoughts at an hour which worked for me on the day the review was due; this differs from a blog tour which has a more set schedule of posting. The audiobooks are offered to ‘adopt’ for review consideration and are given to readers to gauge their opinions, impressions and insight into how the audiobook is resonating with listeners. I did not receive compensation for my opinions or thoughts shared herein.

NOTE: Due to my unexpected hiatus in September, my adopted audiobooks (‘Life as a Spectrum Mom‘, ‘Sharpe Shooter’ and ‘Sharpe Edge’) as well as the blog tour ‘The Supernatural Pet Sitter’ were delayed from posting until I was able to listen to them due to a series of health issues which left me afflicted throughout Autumn 2017 and again in early Winter 2017/18.

What initially prompted me to listen to Sharpe Shooter & why I loved it:

I remember I was browsing the adoptable audiobooks, seeing if I could find either a light-hearted story OR a Mystery; reason being, I personally *adore!* Mysteries! Especially the ones which fall under ‘Cosy’ or ‘Quirky’ or uniquely spun in such a way as to give you something to think about whilst your reading (or in this case ‘listening’) to the story! I was not disappointed with my selection, as one of the most immediate things I realised as I was listening to ‘Sharpe Shooter’ is how intricate it was developed and conceived! The layers within this Cosy Mystery are quite remarkable – as the further you get into the center of novel, the closer you become to seeing the fuller picture – of how this small towne gal has a missing relative whose mysterious disappearance is actually connected to a very, very well-known event in our country’s History!

As this was being revealled bit by bit, I hadn’t quite sorted it out in my mind – not initially, but as you think back on what you’ve listened to and how each of the pieces started to fit together – it was a plausible theory. Also, part of listening to this audiobook reminded me of why I loved watching ‘Quantum Leap’. Sometimes – it is lovely to see how ‘wrongs are righted’ and how the past can be healed in the future by an unforeseen way of finding closure to an event which happened so very long ago it has become ‘lost within time’ itself.

I was thoroughly entertained watching Deena move through her investigation – of how she continued to seek out the truth even if she wasn’t entirely sure where it was going to lead. It is also a story about second chances and new beginnings – of how sometimes the lemons life brings onto your path is a period of self-growth – of seeking to find something anew to freshen your spirit and re-align your purpose onto a new path. For Deena, it meant letting go of being a teacher and finding that as a sleuth, she had a lot more to give than she had as a teacher. It is a classic story in that regard of our truer talents and how we don’t necessarily realise what we can accomplish until we’re forced to make a chance in our lives.

Sharpe Shooter
Subtitle: Cozy Suberbs Mystery Series

Deena Sharpe is ready for a change. She’s burned out and tired of teaching. Little does she know that an old family mystery is about to turn her life upside down and inside out!

A Texas sheriff’s office has just found a skeleton in their closet…literally. After the body is identified, Deena’s family turns to her to uncover the truth about the murder before a conspiracy theory-nut implicates the victim in his latest book.

Deena must channel her inner super-sleuth to solve the puzzle and protect her family name. With the help of her off-beat brother, she takes on a quest that leads to more questions than answers.

Sharpe Shooter is the first book in the Cozy Suburbs Mystery Series. With antique shopping, car chases, and ghosts in the night, the story will keep you guessing as you follow Deena on her quest for the truth.

Places to find the book:

Add to LibraryThing

Find on Book Browse

ASIN: B01L2U0N1M

on 30th August, 2016

Length: 5 hours, 18 minutes (unabridged)

Self-Published Audiobook

Order of the Maycroft Mysteries: (Read the Series Synopsis’s on the Author’s Site)

NOTE: Initially I thought this was the Cozy Suburbs Mysteries – however it’s really the Maycroft Mysteries series – as the sub-title on the audiobook versions revealled the other name.

Sharpe Shooter | Book One

Sharpe Edge | Book Two | Synopsis

Sharpe Mind | Book Three | Synopsis

Sharpe Turn | Book Four | Synopsis

Sharpe Point | Book Five | Synopsis

Sharpe Cookie | Book Six | Synopsis

+ Sharpe Image | PREQUEL Novella | Synopsis

Lisa B. Thomas | Blog | Site | @LBThomas2 | Facebook

Posted Friday, 2 March, 2018 by jorielov in #JorieLovesIndies, 21st Century, Amateur Detective, Audiobook, Audiobookworm Promotions, Bits & Bobbles of Jorie, Blog Tour Host, Book Review (non-blog tour), Brothers and Sisters, Crime Fiction, Debut Author, Debut Novel, Indie Author, Lady Detective Fiction, Modern Day, Mother-Son Relationships, Post-911 (11th September 2001), Siblings, Small Towne USA, Women's Fiction

Blog Book Tour | “The Phantom’s Apprentice” by Heather Webb a brilliant re-telling of #PhantomOfTheOpera by the #histnov author I admire for giving us strong female leads throughout History – providing a beautiful lens into #HerStory!

Posted Monday, 26 February, 2018 by jorielov Heather Webb, Phantom of the Opera, Sonnet Press, Stephanie Burgis, The Phantom's Apprentice 5 Comments

Acquired Book By: I am a regular tour hostess for blog tours via Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours whereupon I am thankful to have been able to host such a diverse breadth of stories, authors and wonderful guest features since I became a hostess! I received a complimentary ARC copy of “The Phantom’s Apprentice” direct from the author Heather Webb in exchange for an honest review. I did not receive compensation for my opinions or thoughts shared herein.

Why I was so enamored with the premise behind ‘The Phantom’s Apprentice’:

Aside from being an admirer of the author’s collective works (as hinted at through my conversational tweets attached to the bottom of this review) and having had the joyful blessing of being able to follow her career whilst I’ve been a book blogger – all of this aside, I’ve been a girl whose appreciated Broadway and Musicals since I was old enough to listen to original soundtracks on cassette tape. I used to go to sleep with a tape of Annie – not the stage play version but the original motion picture soundtrack. From there, I graduated into more familiar Musicals – including listening to the Michael Crawford soundtrack for Phantom until it etched itself into my blood.

I continued to follow Phantom – from watching the PBS broadcast of the anniversary production from London to celebrating the motion picture adaptation starring Emmy Rossum. Whilst I was writing my ruminative thoughts on behalf of this novel, I was playing the motion picture soundtrack channel for Phantom via Pandora Radio which showcased all versions of the play and musical.

I am also an appreciator of Gothic Literature – something I haven’t actively pursued on my blog – except in short spurts and showcases – however, in the back of my wanderings is a keen interest to resume my Gothic readings, as I’ve had my eye on Kate Morton for several years now. She’s only one of the authors whose winked out a recognition of the kind of Gothic vein of interest which whets a healthy appetite to explore. Closer to finishing is my reading of Jane Eyre which I always held in high esteem – mostly stemming out of a love of the author’s vision for Eyre and what I found in a film adaptation I felt owned to the strength of who Eyre was and is for all of us to know through this beautiful novel.

The music of Phantom – irregardless of which incantation of performance and artistic vision are the songs which lift my soul. The sound of Phantom is individually distinctive and the story within it’s heart is one of gutting emotions surrounding the suspense of what is truly happening to Christine and of what motivates the Phantom himself to pursue her to such an extent of invested interest. It is also part cautionary tale about obsession and misguided love.

Knowing this story was in the hands, heart and mind of Ms Webb was enough to convince me I needed to read this evocative re-telling. She’s one author I appreciate reading due to her tenacious approach to drawing forward the strong female leads I personally find myself engaging with as I read their stories. I have a newfound interest in Feminist Historical Fiction and of finding the voices out of History who are celebrating #HerStory. You’ll find many writers who write these kinds of stories peppered throughout my archives and featured within my Story Vault. It is a pleasurable joy each time I get the chance to read a story which evokes such a strong reaction and provides me with hours of cherished happiness for having found the characters and the world in which they live.

The Phantom's Apprentice
by Heather Webb
Source: Author via Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours

In this re-imagining of Phantom of the Opera, meet a Christine Daaé you’ve never seen before…

Christine Daaé sings with her violinist Papa in salons all over Paris, but she longs to practice her favorite pastime—illusions. When her beloved Papa dies during a conjurer’s show, she abandons her magic and surrenders to grief and guilt. Life as a female illusionist seems too dangerous, and she must honor her father’s memory.

Concerned for her welfare, family friend Professor Delacroix secures an audition for her at the Nouvel Opéra—the most illustrious stage in Europe. Yet Christine soon discovers the darker side of Paris opera. Rumors of murder float through the halls, and she is quickly trapped between a scheming diva and a mysterious phantom. The Angel of Music.

But is the Angel truly a spirit, or a man obsessed, stalking Christine for mysterious reasons tangled in her past?

As Christine’s fears mount, she returns to her magical arts with the encouragement of her childhood friend, Raoul. Newfound hope and romance abounds…until one fateful night at the masquerade ball. Those she cares for—Delacroix, the Angel, and even Raoul—aren’t as they seem. Now she must decide whom she trusts and which is her rightful path: singer or illusionist.

To succeed, she will risk her life in the grandest illusion of all.

Genres: After Canons, Gothic Literature, Historical Fiction, Historical Thriller Suspense, Re-telling &/or Sequel

Places to find the book:

Borrow from a Public Library

Add to LibraryThing

ISBN: 9780999628508

Also by this author: Becoming Josephine, Author Interview: Heather Webb (Rodin's Lover), Rodin's Lover, Cover Reveal: Fall of Poppies: Stories of Love and the Great War, Last Christmas in Paris

Published by Sonnet Press

on 6th February, 2018

Format: Paperback ARC

Pages: 350

Published By: Sonnet Press

Converse via: #HistFic, #HistoricalFiction + #HistNov

as well as #ThePhantomsApprentice w/ #PhantomOfTheOpera

About Heather Webb

HEATHER WEBB is the author of historical novels Becoming Josephine and Rodin’s Lover, and the anthology Fall of Poppies, which have been featured in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Cosmopolitan, Elle, France Magazine, and more, as well as received national starred reviews.

RODIN’S LOVER was a Goodreads Top Pick in 2015. Last Christmas in Paris, an epistolary love story set during WWI released October 3, 2017, and The Phantom’s Apprentice, a re-imagining of the Gothic classic Phantom of the Opera from Christine Daae’s point of view releases February 6, 2018. To date, her novels have sold in ten countries. Heather is also a professional freelance editor, foodie, and travel fiend.

Reading this book contributed to these challenges:

2018 Historical Fiction Reading Challenge

Posted Monday, 26 February, 2018 by jorielov in 19th Century, After the Canon, Bits & Bobbles of Jorie, Blog Tour Host, Cemeteries & Graveyards, Composer, Death, Sorrow, and Loss, Debilitating Diagnosis & Illness, Father-Daughter Relationships, Flashbacks & Recollective Memories, France, French Literature, Good vs. Evil, Gothic Literature, Gothic Mystery, Gothic Romance, Grief & Anguish of Guilt, Historical Fiction, Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours, Historical Thriller Suspense, Horror-Lite, Indie Author, Inspired by Stories, Literary Adaptations, Literary Fiction, Mediums & Clairvoyants, Mental Health, Mental Illness, Musical Fiction | Non-Fiction, New York City, Opera, Psychological Suspense, PTSD, Re-Told Tales, Realistic Fiction, Unrequited Eternal Love, Women's Fiction

Book Review | “The Rest of my Life” by Sheryl Browne #ChocLitSaturdays

Posted Saturday, 17 February, 2018 by jorielov ChocLitUK, Sheryl Browne, The Rest of my Life 1 Comment

Why I feature #ChocLitSaturdays (book reviews & guest author features)

I feature Romance & Women’s Fiction authors during @SatBookChat.

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!

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. This is how I first came to find out about Ms Browne’s novels – whilst reconnecting with the author at Christmastime as we have kept up with each other through my bi-monthly chat (@SatBookChat) or outside of it; Ms Browne offered to send me a copy of ‘The Rest of my Life’ to read in the New Year. I had learnt through our conversation she has moved from ChocLit to Bookouture – the publisher I happily hosted a series of author interviews for in 2016. Previously, I had received “Learning to Love” via ChocLit when Ms Browne was still with the publisher in 2017. This marks my second reading of a Contemporary Romance by Ms Browne.

I received a complimentary copy of “The Rest of my Life” from the author Sheryl Browne in exchange for an honest review! I did not receive compensation for my opinions or thoughts shared herein.

Why I was interested in reading ‘The Rest of my Life’:

I had initially intended to read this novel ahead of ‘Learning to Love’ but as fates would intervene, I read them out of sequence as this one was the debut novel for Ms Browne with ChocLit. As I awaited the novels to be released in print, I happily celebrated them being released on Jorie Loves A Story whilst finding myself smitten with her writing life as she would share snippets of her bookish and writerly joy via #ChocLitSaturday which has now become re-named #SatBookChat in 2018. Through the convos and exchanges in our then weekly chat, I garnished an appreciation for Ms Browne’s writing style and the ways in which she develops her stories – I had a sinking feeling I was going to become wickedly delighted by what I’d find inside her Romances!

On the other hand, I also knew – from what I gleamed in our convos her intensified & grisly Crime Thrillers were not my cuppa. Hence why I am positively thrilled she loves to write heart-centred Contemporary stories befitting all readers who love reading both Romance & Women’s Fiction as to me, her novels are a smashing example of how you can write a hybrid styling of a story which can happily reside in both designations! She emotes the drama of real life with realistic characters and back-stories into the very fabric of her Contemporaries. You feel every raw emotion as her characters do whilst you walk away with your ruminative thoughts.

What I appreciated the most about the trailer is that it sets the story up for a curious reader as it’s a story where redemptive qualities in a flawed approach to life and romance can be re-approached differently when you meet someone quite unexpectedly right for you. I like how the bloke in the story is very atypical of a classic choice for a woman seeking romance; who purposely would find a womanizing fool?

It’s a turning of the tables for both of them; each of them has a burdened and/or difficult set of emotional baggage to shift through in order to make their relationship work – if there is a relationship to build upon and that provides the drama which lights the fuell of curiosity to read it!

I will be quite keen to see which direction Ms Browne leads us to go forth from here!

-quoted from my Book Spotlight for “The Rest of my Life”

For these reasons, I was delightfully humbled and happily surprised Ms Browne offered to send me The Rest of my Life – as with her transition to Bookouture, I knew it would be a considerable time until I could get to read this novel. Thus, I was truly blessed I could read it so early-on in the New Year. I am simply drawn to certain kinds of stories at certain moments and I knew it was time to read this second, er, first novel by Ms Browne! There is just something about her style of writing I feel I can attach my heart inside and for this, I am truly thankful I crossed paths with her on the beginning leg of her writerly career! I’ll be cheering from the sidelines now as she continues onward & upward with Bookouture!

On my connection to the author:

I happily have had the pleasure of interacting with Ms Browne through #SatBookChat (previously #ChocLitSaturday) the chat off/on for the past two years (or thereabouts). She is a delightful presence to have in the chats and I am thankful she found a niche where she felt comfortable chattering with fellow ChocLit authors, Romance novelists, book bloggers, readers, and other bookishly chatty spirits who alight on Saturdays!

I am disclosing this, to assure you that I can formulate an honest opinion, even though I have interacted with her ahead of reading her novels. I treat each book as a ‘new experience’, whether I personally know the author OR whether I am reading a book by them for the first time. This is also true when I follow-up with them on future releases and celebrate the book birthdays that come after their initial publication.

Learning to Love
Subtitle: When is it time to stop running?

You can’t run away from commitment forever…

Adam Hamilton-Shaw has more reason than most to avoid commitment. Living on a houseboat in the Severn Valley, his dream is to sail into the sunset – preferably with a woman waiting in every port. But lately, his life looks more like a road to destruction than an idyllic boat ride…

Would-be screenplay writer Sienna Meadows realises that everything about Adam spells trouble – but she can’t ignore the feeling that there is more to him than just his bad reputation. Nor can she ignore the intense physical attraction that exists between them.

And it just so happens that Adam sees Sienna as the kind of woman he could commit to. But can he change his damaging behaviour – or is the road to destruction a one-way street?

Places to find the book:

Borrow from a Public Library

Add to LibraryThing

Find on Book Browse

Book Page on World Weaver Press

ISBN: 9781781892800

on 21st April, 2016

Pages: 352

In regards to the ‘heat’ of sensuality & sexuality explored in this novel, I felt I ought to let my readers know this one was at the upper tier of where I think Romance can almost be blurring the lines for what it can encompass, therefore for me personally, it was at the highest end.