Bring Me Sunshine by Alex Brown - #bookreview #blogtour

 

Sinking her toes into the sand, she savoured the soft sensation as the plump, peach sun streaked the sky amber, bathing the sea with its shaft of shimmering gold. Leaning into him, she rested her head on his shoulder as they sat together on a large rock at the water's edge listening to the waves tumbling over the sand. The holiday was almost over...

***

Mamma Mia meets Shirley Valentine in the brand-new holiday romance for 2024 from the International No.1 bestseller.

Gina Bennett has had enough after her husband of twenty-seven years lets her down one time too many. Deciding to choose herself, she embarks on a transformative solo journey to break free from the monotony of her life.

She escapes to the gorgeous Greek island of Kalosiros, where she holidayed in her youth, and where she had her first romance with the handsome Nico. Encountering two kindred spirits in Rosie and Deedee, the women bond over art classes and cocktails, renewing their lust for life and a shared quest to find Gina's lost love.

Together, they navigate the challenges of middle-age, self-discovery, and the liberating power of skinny-dipping. Will Gina find love again with her teenage sweetheart Nico, her husband, or with someone new? 

Bring Me Sunshine is a wonderfully uplifting, coming-of-middle-age story about female friendship, romance and starting over, set on a gorgeous Greek island in the sun. The perfect summer read!

***

This is a wonderfully uplifting read which is perfect for summer.

When I saw a new release from Alex Brown was being offered on a blog tour I jumped at the chance to get my hands on it. I have previously read two of her titles, The Great Village Show and The Great Christmas Knit Off. You can find my review of the latter by clicking here..

Bring Me Sunshine would be an ideal book to read on the beach. However, it worked perfectly well for me on a rainy day in June in the UK. It may have been a typical English summer day here in the UK, but the book filled my heart with sunshine. It was an uplifting read and I sighed with satisfaction when I turned the final page.

The main character, Gina, is a lovely creation. She has lost her confidence due to her husband, Colin, criticising her. When he refuses to join her on a planned holiday to Greece, she boldly goes by herself. There she meets DeeDee and Rosie who help her to rediscover the confident and brave woman that she really is. I was rooting for her every step of the way. Additionally, I was really hoping that Colin would get his comeuppance for the horrible way he treated her and took her for granted.

I loved the strong friendship that these three women formed. Each of their voices were very distinct and hugely likeable characters. Ms. Brown is able to bring her characters fully to life on the page.

The book is well written, and I could have sat and gobbled the whole thing up in one had time permitted. The descriptions of the Greek island of Kalosiros were sublime. I have been lucky enough to visit Greece in the past and it is every bit as beautiful as the author conveys on the page. I was left longing for hummus and hot pitta bread after reading it described in the book.

This is a novel to get completely lost in, and I thoroughly enjoyed my time reading this book. I highly recommend it.

ISBN:  978 1836030782

Publisher:  Boldwood Books

Formats: e-book, audio, hardback and paperback

No. of Pages:  232 (paperback)

About the Author:

Alex Brown is an international #1 bestselling women’s fiction author. Her novels have been published in twenty-one countries and have sold over a million copies. Previously published by HarperCollins, her first title for Boldwood, Bring Me Sunshine, will be published in June 2024.

(ARC and media courtesy of Rachel's Random Resources)

(all opinions are my own)

Leeza McAuliffe Has Loads More to Say by Nicky Bond - #bookreview #blogtour

 

Sunday 1st January

'My name's Leeza McAuliffe, I'm 11 years old, and my family does my head in.'

If I were writing a book, that's how I'd start. Straight to the point, no messing around...

***

Leeza McAuliffe is used to change. The previous year saw a house move, a family wedding, and the surprise arrival of baby Harvest. The next twelve months should be calmer. Except...

A new girl at school is causing Leeza headaches. What is her problem, anyway? Best mate Jake can cheer her up but their friendship has begun to spark gossip. And the arrival of a letter brings change that none of the McAuliffes saw coming.

Join Leeza as she charts another rollercoaster year. Whether it's misunderstandings about her love life, getting to grips with the brand new world of periods, or having her very first kiss, she's determined to record the highs and lows, no matter what.

***

Although this book is the second in the Leeza McAuliffe series, it worked perfectly well as a standalone novel. I have not read the first book, Leeza McAuliffe Has Something to Say, but that did not impede my enjoyment of this book at all.

Written in the form of Leeza's diary, we get to know her via her own words. This was exceptionally well done. Although the book is aimed at young adults, reading this as an adult was equally enjoyable. In fact, I think an adult reading perspective gave us a glimpse into the secondary characters; particularly when she is writing about her parents. For example, it was easy to read beyond the text when Leeza writes about her annoying parents because as adults we can interpret their actions via Leeza's response. Very cleverly done.

However, although  my girlhood is a good few years behind me know, I was still able to identify with Leeza. She is a fantastic main character, and I think readers will love her. I definitely intend to keep my copy of the book back for when my granddaughter reaches the appropriate age to get the best out of this book.

I love the way Leeza imagines that her diary will become a historical artefact of the future. It made for an amusing and entertaining read. The author has created a character with a distinct voice and who is an extremely likeable character. I very much hope that there will be more books in the series as I would love to accompany Leeza on her journey through her teens.

This is well worth reading and I think young people and adults alike will enjoy reading this book.

ISBN:  978 0995657458

Publisher:  Take-Away-Tea Books

Formats: e-book and paperback

No. of Pages:  350 (paperback)

About the Author:

Nicky Bond was born in Liverpool, UK, in 1978. The eldest of seven children, she found books were a perfect way to drown out the lively household around her, and meant her hands were never free to change a nappy. 

She studied Psychology and English Literature at University College Northampton before embarking upon a career in Education. Twelve years later, she stopped procrastinating and got writing.

Her first novel, 'Carry the Beautiful' was published in 2017. Her second, for pre-teens and those that care for them - 'Leeza McAuliffe Has Something To Say' - came out in 2019. 'Assembling the Wingpeople' - the sequel to her first novel - was published in Autumn 2021.

Nicky is a regular supporter of Liverpool Women Football Club, relaxes by cooking, and spends a lot of time drinking tea.

(book and media courtesy of Love Books Tours)

(author photo courtesy of her website)

(all opinions are my own)