The Booklover's Library

 

Welcome to the book blog tour for Madeline Martin's latest historical novel, The Booklover's Library.

I am so excited that I am able to tell you about her latest book! I read her debut novel The Last Bookshop in London and thoroughly enjoyed it.

About the Book:

A heartwarming story about a mother and daughter in wartime England and the power of books that bring them together, by the bestselling author of The Last Bookshop in London.

In Nottingham, England, widow Emma Taylor finds herself in desperate need of a job. She and her beloved daughter Olivia have always managed just fine on their own, but with the legal restrictions prohibiting widows with children from most employment opportunities, she’s left with only one option: persuading the manageress at Boots’ Booklover’s Library to take a chance on her with a job.

When the threat of war in England becomes a reality, Olivia must be evacuated to the countryside. In the wake of being separated from her daughter, Emma seeks solace in the unlikely friendships she forms with her neighbors and coworkers, and a renewed sense of purpose through the recommendations she provides to the library’s quirky regulars. But the job doesn’t come without its difficulties. Books are mysteriously misshelved and disappearing and the work at the lending library forces her to confront the memories of her late father and the bookstore they once owned together before a terrible accident.

As the Blitz intensifies in Nottingham and Emma fights to reunite with her daughter, she must learn to depend on her community and the power of literature more than ever to find hope in the darkest of times.

About the Author:

Madeline Martin is a New York Times, USA Today, and internationally bestselling author of historical fiction and historical romance with books that have been translated into over twenty-five different languages.

My Review(ish):

Today is the last day of the blog tour, and I have to tell you I haven't quite finished the novel. In fact, I had my doubts in the beginning. Obviously, since I loved her debut, I had high hopes for this novel. And with the way the novel began with tragedy following tragedy and even more tragedy and a war...well, I was just not sure how Emma would survive this novel! And she's the main character!

As it moved along past the string of tragedies, the story picked up quite a bit, more historical context was explored (in particular, the law about married and widowed women not being allowed to work!), and things moved along quite well. It's a powerful story, one which I am enjoying now that I'm past the first few chapters.

Martin is a terrific storyteller, and I hope you enjoy this novel as much as I am!

Where can I buy the book? (Note: these links are NOT affiliate links. I make no money from this.)

• HarperCollins: https://www.harpercollins.com/products/the-booklovers-library-madeline-martin?variant=41311560695842  
• Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1335000399  
• Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-booklovers-library-madeline-martin/1143849745  
• BookShop.org: https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-booklover-s-library-original-madeline-martin/20392302

Where can I find the author online?

• Author Website: https://madelinemartin.com/ 
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MadelineMartinAuthor 
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/MadelineMMartin 
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/madelinemmartin/ 
• Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/12062937.Madeline_Martin 

Thank you to HarperCollins, NetGalley and Madeline Martin for an ebook review copy of this novel. All thoughts are my own.

Be creative!

 Creative Sparks: 21 Affirmations and Inspiration by Sharon J. Burton

About the Book:

Are you ready to rediscover, reclaim or reignite your creative flame and embark on an exciting journey of self-expression and imagination? Midlife is the perfect moment to embrace your inner artist, and "Creative Sparks: 21 Affirmations and Inspiration for Creativity at Midlife" is your guiding light on this transformative path. Midlife is a season of self-discovery and  reinvention. Through 21 (plus a bonus!) empowering affirmations, creativity tips, advice from artists, writers, and musicians, and journal exercises, "Creative Sparks" will help you rekindle your creative and artistic passions, guiding you to create your most meaningful and fulfilling work yet.

If you've ever dreamed of creating something extraordinary, if you've yearned to express your innermost thoughts and feelings, and if you're seeking the inspiration to make your creative dreams a reality, then "Creative Sparks" is the key to unlocking your artistic potential. From painting to writing, music to crafts, you’ll find the inspiration to embrace your artistic calling, no matter your chosen medium.

About the Author: 

Sharon J. Burton is an artist, art curator, poet, teaching artist, yoga nidra guide, certified creativity coach and founder of Spark Your Creative Coaching based in the Washington, DC area. Since 2016, she has focused on helping people in "creative recovery"...those looking to revive or jump start their creativity through group and individual coaching, workshops, her blog and as the host of Spark Your Creative Podcast which features artists and other creatives who are using their unique talents to create more mindful communities and a safer world. (Author's Website: SparkYourCreative.com)

Book Review:

This book came to me at the perfect time. As a writer of a certain age, I felt like this book spoke to me where I am right now: an empty nester with a desire to write and a need to do creative things, but often feeling stuck in the middle of everything. Sharon's words are kind and thoughtful, borne of years of experience, and most importantly, they do not talk down to those of us who are entering a new phase of life reluctantly or with strong feelings. She is with us as our guide, offering ideas, prompts for writing and art, and practical suggestions for moving forward with confidence and vigor, rather than anger and cynicism. I highly recommend this book as a guide, an anchor, a way forward, and a workbook to savor and work through. 

Link to purchase (this is NOT an affiliate link): https://www.amazon.com/Creative-Sparks-Affirmations-Inspiration-Creativity-ebook/dp/B0D2GGK25D

Thanks to Kelly Lacey at Love Books Tours as well as the author and her publisher for a review copy, and thanks to the author for her words of wisdom. All thoughts are my own.

 

One Month's Notice

Welcome to the Love Books Summer Extravaganza Tour for One Month’s Notice.

Book Blurb:

Nothing is going well for Natalie Cavendish. Struggling financially and reeling from a painful breakup, she moves in with her brother’s family and finds herself at a crossroads.

Should she pursue her passion for interior design or settle for something more conventional?

When Nat lands a job as the PA to Michael, the CEO of a social media company, sparks fly as they navigate the complexities of working together.

While Nat struggles to prove herself professionally, tensions rise and she must confront her own feelings.

But with a race against time to secure a design contract that could change her life, Nat discovers a shocking truth that threatens to unravel everything.

With the fate of Michael’s company hanging in the balance, will she sacrifice her own dreams to save everything he has worked for?

Opposites attract in this heartwarming office romance that will have you on the edge of your seat.

Book Review: 

The novel has a good plot and a good subplot. I found it difficult to learn about the male lead Michael’s character, as he is really just doing his own thing and not paying attention. The female lead, Nat, is good, realistic in the way she keeps trying to bolster her self-esteem, and yet still falls back into old habits of downplaying her gifts and talents. (This feels realistic, because who of us doesn’t do this sometimes in our lives?)

Also, what is it with moms not doing a good job of bolstering their daughters, but instead criticizing them? This is the second rom-com I’ve read this summer in which the mom is downgrading her kid. Not cool

I really liked this book, although mostly the plot was easy to predict.

Thanks to Love Books Tours as well as the author and her publisher, for a review copy of this novel. All thoughts about the book are my own.

New Dreams at Polkerran Point

Welcome to the Love Books Summer Extravaganza Tour for New Dreams at Polkerran Point.

Book Blurb: 

A surprise inheritance will open the doors to her future, and also the past…

When Aunt Meg leaves her cottage to Anna Redding in her will, Anna immediately packs up and heads to Polkerran, the Cornish fishing village where she was so happy as a child.

With ambitions to turn the cottage into a B&B, a job working for the enigmatic historian, Oliver Seymour, and the return of her childhood crush, Alex Tremayne, it seems the stars have all aligned for Anna.

But Aunt Meg left behind a mystery for her to solve, and a shocking discovery reveals she may be living a dream that isn’t really hers to hold. Can Anna rescue the new life she’s made for herself? Who in Polkerran can she really count on in her time of need?

Book Review:

I really enjoyed reading this story about Anna. Of course we love her, her cat, the grumpy neighbor, the friendly villagers who adopt Anna into their morning coffee klatch (which is held in her own kitchen?!), and her high school crush. I also enjoyed learning about her Aunt Meg and how she is still influencing Anna in good ways, even after her own death.

I thoroughly enjoyed how this story played out, and the author is very skilled at revealing just what she has to, at the time it’s needed most.

Recommended for those who love British cosy romances, which I particularly enjoy.

Thanks to Love Books Tours as well as the author and her publisher, for a review copy of this novel. All thoughts about the book are my own.

 

Second Chances at the Beach with Turtles and Love

 

Welcome to the Love Books Summer Extravaganza Tour for Catherine Michaels' novel Sand, Sea, & Second Chances: A Gulf Island Romance.

About the Book:

Kate Fiore is eager for a fresh start. Unemployed after a corporate takeover and scarred from a failed marriage, she hopes a temporary contract as an aquarium marketing manager will be a breath of fresh air. But a lockout and awkward misunderstandings plague Kate's arrival at her summer rental.

Luke McAllister will fight to preserve his family and tight-knit coastal North Carolina community. So when he's paired with Kate to lead the big local fundraiser and sea turtle patrol, the ardent islander clashes with the accomplished city woman. But even as their disagreements heat up, he can't deny their irresistible attraction.

Sparks fly between the two as she learns to appreciate his passionate environmentalism and he slowly lets down his wall. But when Kate's contract ends and silence follows, Luke fears letting her go may have cost him his one chance at forever. Can their hearts rekindle across miles and months?

 Book Review:

While I was drawn to the novel by its description, it took me a little while to really connect with the characters from this novel. Kate and Luke’s first meeting was, well, not as meet-cute as one might hope. The experiences Kate has of trying to fit in with a tightly knit Southern town are a bit tense and also relatable—although the town and aquarium welcome her warmly after a short while. About halfway through, however, I liked the characters more; as they opened up to each other and the story progressed, my interest also grew. Bonus: Sea Turtle Love! Overall I give this story four stars.

 Thanks to Love Books Tours as well as the author and her publisher, for a review copy of this novel. All thoughts about the book are my own.

Summer Kind of Love by Charlène Boutin

Welcome to the Love Books Tour for Summer Kind of Love by Charlène Boutin.

Book Blurb:

Avery spends most of her time hunched over a laptop, writing the kind of words that end up on website homepages and glossy brochures. But ever since "The One" turned out to be the
one who smashed her heart to bits, the page has been relentlessly blank. And blank pages mean an empty bank account.

When an up-market retreat center offers Avery a major project, she jumps at the chance to pay next month's bills. But taking the job means committing to a change of scenery to
jumpstart her failing creative spark. A cottage by the sea won't be lonely...right?

Actually, it's anything but. Because Logan, once the only person in the world Avery could rely on, is working the front desk. And just like that, Avery's past catches up to her. It's too
much and too wonderful all at once. Too...everything.

Review:

I do love a good Canadian love story (I’ve enjoyed several books by Kim Mills and Damhnait Monaghan, for starters). And don’t judge this book by its adorable cover.

I don’t always know how to take an author’s warnings at the beginning of a novel, but I always appreciate their thoughtfulness toward their readers. In this novel’s case, one of the warnings about anxiety made me wonder what was going on with (what I thought was) this romantic comedy.

 

WELL. This book was much, much more than a romantic comedy.

Summer Kind of Love begins with our main character Avery in a sad and tough place, making an uncharacteristically bold choice: pay for a month’s rent on a vacation cabin several hours from her apartment, so she could have a workcation and get some writing done. As a copywriter, she must complete the project, and she knows she cannot stay in her apartment, the one she shared with her now-ex, because she is completely blocked.

Lo and behold, she runs into her former best-friend-crush Logan while at the cabin. The book synopsis puts it this way: “Logan, once the only person in the world Avery could rely on, is working the front desk. And just like that, Avery’s past catches up to her. It’s too much and too wonderful all at once. Too...everything.”

Reconnecting with Logan, Avery must come to terms with a few unpleasant aspects of herself that are exacerbated by her anxiety, and that is the part about the story that really caught me by surprise. Anxiety is not something I knew much about until recent years, because I always thought of it as just feeling stressed. Panic attacks can be overwhelming and debilitating to people, and Avery has a couple of them during the course of the novel. Like many of us, we have to come to terms with the unpleasant aspects of ourselves, and Avery has some tough choices to make. Thankfully she doesn’t have to do it alone – and with that I will stop because no spoilers.

What I will say is this: While I respect the heads-up, I also am glad that some of this book caught me off guard, because sometimes thinking about books helps me deal with things in my own life. This book did that, and I am very glad (even though it has not been exactly easy).

Another spoiler-free shocker was the hint at the series of books to come. What this means is that I will definitely be looking for the next in the series!

Four stars for a bit of confusion in some parts and for a bit more cursing than I felt was necessary overall.

Thanks to Love Books Tours as well as the author and her publisher, for a review copy of this novel. All thoughts about the book are my own.

You'll really like this one: Leeza McAuliffe Has Loads More to Say

Leeza McAuliffe Has Loads More To Say by Nicky Bond
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Book Blurb: 

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.

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 - will be 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.

Pattie's Review:

I found this to be a cute book. At first it was a bit difficult to get into. As an American reader and teacher, even with my fairly recent slang education at the high school level I was a bit lost. I had to get used to the teen slang from the other side of the pond. However, once I got into the story, I found it to be cute and relatable. (I also loved the family Friday Fooday.)

As a former diarist in my early years, I completely respected the journal take on storytelling. I liked how honest Leeza was in her journal, and her humor was great. Leeza was a likeable character, and her best friend Jake was adorable. Their support of each other made for a great friendship.

I didn’t realize until after looking on Goodreads that this is actually the second book in Leeza’s story. But don’t feel like you have to track down the first one. The author through Leeza’s voice gives us plenty of backstory to go on as we move forward in her school year in her new town.

Defo enjoyed. Cheers.