The Little House by the Sea (Pennystrand Village Book 1) by Tracy Rees

source: ARC via NetGalley/Bookouture
title: The Little House by the Sea (Pennystrand Village Book 1)
author: Tracy Rees
pages: 277
published: August 24, 2022
genre: fiction
first line: Kitty, it’s time to go home now.
rated: 4 out of 5 stars

about:
Bluebells bob in the salty sea wind and the cottage gate swings open to reveal the inky-blue cove. It’s exactly how Kitty always pictured it… except in her head, she wasn’t standing here alone.

Kitty Roberts spends her days searching for the perfect home for two… until her boyfriend dumps her. Devastated, she flees to a tiny seaside village called Pennystrand, where she spent golden summers as a child, before her family fell apart.

At first, Kitty’s dramatic escape proves to be exactly what she needs – golden sunsets over warm, sandy beaches, lovably eccentric new neighbours and even a blush-inducing run-in with Cory Hudson, a floppy-haired local surfer with a heart-stopping smile.
But just as Kitty feels herself beginning to heal, Cory reveals that his time in Pennystrand is nearly up. What’s more, some strange reactions to Kitty in town make her wonder if her connection to this place might go deeper than she thought.
What is this tranquil little village hiding? It seems there’s a secret in Kitty’s past that is about to turn her life on its head once more… Is she ready for the truth? And will it bring her and Cory closer together, or drive them apart?

A page-turning story full of unexpected twists and turns. It will make you smile, laugh and wish you could visit Pennystrand! Absolutely perfect for fans of Jenny Colgan, Heidi Swain and Carole Matthews.

my thoughts:
The Little House by the Sea (Pennystrand Village Book 1) by Tracy Rees is a light, summery book and I breezed right through it.

As the story starts off, Kitty Roberts spends her days working at a job she doesn’t really like but saving her money to buy her dream home with her live in boyfriend Mitch. That is until she and Mitch suddenly break up leaving Kitty totally heartbroken. She decides to visit a psychic who suggests she should move to a house by the sea and so she does. She ends up renting a house for 6 months in Wales in the small town of Pennystrand where she would visit as a child with her parents and sisters. She has her savings to count on for now until she decides what to do next but she starts looking for work in Pennystrand in the meantime. What she finds there is a small community of locals, gorgeous views and a lot of time to self reflect.

“Running away to find myself in a beautiful new place was a romantic-sounding idea. But this is real. I’m hurt, scared and alone, my dreams in smithereens, and I’ve displaced myself further by coming here.”- The Little House by the Sea by Tracy Rees

The story moved along quickly and I rooted for Kitty, she’s a down to earth relatable type of character. I wondered how it would end up for her as she tries to meet new people in Pennystrand and tries to move on with her life. What a nice idea, to pack it up and move to a quaint little beachside town right? Pennystrand is described so nicely I could easily envision the small town setting and the sounds of the ocean waves. The supporting cast of characters was well written and the story moved at a steady pace and held my interest throughout. The plot took a few twists and turns as Kitty settles into Pennystrand life and there is also a secret woven into the storyline that I did not see coming. It all wraps up nicely in the end while leaving it open for the next book in the series. This is a story about starting over and second chances.

The Little House by the Sea is one of those feel good stories best read in your comfy pajamas while sipping a warm cup of tea and enjoying homemade cookies which is exactly how I read most of it.

“I crack the window open an inch and smell the sea, though I can’t see it. A fresh, sweet breeze drifts in. It’s the sky that seals the deal for me-pale blue, like old, ironed sheets, stretched across a faintly glowing lemon sun, with scuds of cloud and gleams of light. I’ve never seen so much sky.”- The Little House by the Sea

We fall quiet, jokes forgotten, and take in the immensity of the ocean around us. Sharp cliffs rear into the sky, and I can see a coast path and the tiny figures of walkers. Above, the sky is vast and blue and white, an endless canopy. The most hypnotic thing is the lap and hiss of the water retreating and renewing, sighing and seething.-The Little House by the Sea


about the author:
Tracy Rees is a Cambridge graduate with a degree in Modern and Medieval Languages. After an eight-year career in nonfiction publishing, she worked as a counselor for people with cancer and their families. Amy Snow is her first novel. She lives in Swansea, Wales.

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Disclaimer: This review is my honest opinion. I did not receive any kind of compensation for reading and reviewing this book. I am under no obligation to write a positive review. My copy of The Little House by the Sea (Pennystrand Village Book 1) by Tracy Rees came via NetGalley/Bookouture.

The Bookshop Murder (Flora Steele Mystery #1) by Merryn Allingham

source: ARC via Bookouture/ https://www.bookouture.com/
/ NetGalley
title: The Bookshop Murder (A Flora Steele Mystery Book 1)
author: Merryn Allingham / Twitter
genre: cozy mystery
published: July 26th 2021 Bookouture
pages: 256
first line: Locking the shop door carefully behind her, Flora heaved the last parcel of books into the basket.
rated: 4 out of 5

blurb:
Bookshop owner Flora Steele escapes the sleepy English village of Abbeymead through the adventures in the stories she sells. Until one morning, everything changes when she discovers a body amongst her own bookshelves…

The young man with the shock of white-blond hair lay spread-eagled on the floor, surrounded by fallen books. His hand reached out to the scattered pages, as though he was trying to tell her something.

But who is he? How did he come to be killed in Flora’s ordinary little bookshop? ….


my thoughts:

The Bookshop Murder (A Flora Steele Mystery Book 1) was a fun cozy mystery that drew me in instantly. It has a nice 1955 English countryside setting and as the story begins, Flora Steele owns a bookshop in the small village of Abbeymead. She inherited the bookshop from her late Aunt. One morning one of her patrons and crime author Jack Carrington discovers a body in the back of the bookstore. Upon investigating the local police write the death off as a heart attack but Flora suspects it was something more. It doesn’t make sense for the victim to have been in her bookshop after hours plus he was young and was visiting from Australia. Flora convinces Jack to help her get to the bottom of things since he’s a crime writer and so the amateur sleuth investigating begins. Pretty soon the plot thickens as a second body turns up. Danger seems to lurk around the corner as Flora and Jack continue their investigating.

As I mentioned, I enjoyed this whodunnit and found that the mystery, the characters and the pace of the storyline made this a quick and easy read. The author includes plenty of twists and turns to keep you guessing. I had no idea who was to blame for the murders and I liked where the author took the storyline as far as the mystery went. Flora and Jack were likeable characters and as the story flowed I was invested in where their personal relationship if any would go. The small town bookshop setting was also a plus. There’s always something cozy about an independent bookstore.

“Opening the white-painted shop door, she allowed the familiar smell of books to wash over her-the sweet, musky warmth that she loved. Her first chores were always to check the till and dust at least two of the bookshelves. Then she could make a cup of tea.” The Bookshop Murder by Merryn Allingham- Kindle version 3%

I recommend this one to fans of cozy mysteries! I wouldn’t mind picking up book two in the series once it’s out.

“Yet the excitement in edging closer to the truth was undeniable, and for the first time in many years, he had a strong sense of living in the world rather than through the characters he created.”- The Bookshop Murder by Merryn Allingham- Kindle version 56%

about the author:
Bestselling author Merryn Allingham was born into an army family and spent her childhood on the move. Unsurprisingly, it gave her itchy feet and in her twenties she escaped an unloved secretarial career to work as cabin crew and see the world. The arrival of marriage, children and cats meant a more settled life in the south of England, where she’s lived ever since. Having gained a PhD, she taught university literature for many years and loved every minute of it. What could be better than spending one’s life reading and talking about books? Well, writing them perhaps.

Six Regency period romances followed, then those itchy feet kicked in. The Regency was abandoned and Daisy’s War, a wartime trilogy, found its way to the top of the Amazon charts, followed by the Summerhayes books—a saga of romance and intrigue set in the Sussex countryside during the summers of 1914 and 1944.

But itchy feet never rest and in 2020 she finally went over to the dark side! The crime series, the Tremayne Mysteries, is set in locations around the world and features Nancy, a feisty 1950s heroine, turned amateur sleuth.

Keep in touch with Merryn via the web:
Website: https://www.merrynallingham.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/MerrynWrites
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/merrynwrites


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Disclaimer: This review is my honest opinion. I did not receive any kind of compensation for reading and reviewing this book. I am under no obligation to write a positive review. If you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive a small affiliate commission.

No-one Ever Has Sex on Holiday by Tracy Bloom

source: free copy courtesy of NetGalley/Bookouture
title:  No-one Ever Has Sex on Holiday
author: Tracy Bloom
published: July 29th 2019
genre: romantic comedy/humor
pages: 209
first line: Katy pulled up outside her house just after nine o’clock at night.
rated: 4 out of 5 stars

blurb:
Get ready to enjoy your first holiday abroad with small children. Highlights include: being woken at 5 every morning and working a gruelling day in unbearable heat chasing kids around the pool with a bottle of sunscreen. Added features: screaming during mealtimes and toddlers moaning about sand. Absolutely no sex guaranteed or your money back!

Katy and Ben and their four closest friends are going to Spain for a week with their kids. Sun, sex and sangria? Almost certainly not.

The couples think they are prepared for all the joys and trials a family holiday has to offer but they have a shock coming, and not only from the kids. Into their first day by the pool crashes Ollie, who has just been dumped by his girlfriend, and Cassie, on her hen party holiday but having serious doubts about her impending marriage. A recipe for a relaxing week abroad? Let’s wait and see…

my thoughts:

No-one Ever Has Sex on Holiday by Tracy Bloom was fun from start to finish and I breezed through this one pretty quickly. I am a seasonal reader so this was the perfect summery read during these hot July days. This book is part of a series by Tracy Bloom and my second time reading this author. I read No-one Ever Has Sex on Christmas Day and enjoyed it as well. Both work fine as stand alone reads.

Sunday Post/Mailbox Monday 8/19/18: On Re-Reading Books, BBQ etc.

The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Kimba @ Caffeinated Book Reviewer. It’s a chance to share news. A post to recap the past week, showcase books and things we have received and share news about what is coming up for the week on our blog…

Mailbox Monday is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came in their mailbox during the last week. Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists….

Good morning and happy Sunday. Where is August going so quickly? We had rain pretty much all week again here and the humidity feels gross. Last Saturday’s dinner plans were canceled because of the flash flooding. This weekend we went to a food festival and decided to go rain or shine and lucked out with rain showers for about 40 minutes or so while we were eating under the tented area so it worked out. This upcoming week it looks like it will be clearing up hopefully. Also, thank you for your input on my commenting question on my last updates post. It seems a few others have also had the issue with the comments going to spam or needing to be approved.

Onto my updates….

This week on the blog:

I reviewed Sister of Mine by Laurie Petrou which was a great psychological thriller. I recommend.

In My Mailbox:

I received an ARC of Dinner Party by Tracy Bloom via Bookouture. I read No-one Ever Has Sex on Christmas Day by this author this past January and I enjoyed it so I’m looking forward to reading this one.

No-one Ever Has Sex on Christmas Day by Tracy Bloom

source: NetGalley/Bookouture
title: No-one Ever Has Sex on Christmas Day
author: Tracy Bloom
genre: fiction/holiday humor/romance
published: October 24th 2017
pages: 298
first line: “Tell me there isn’t an enormous inflatable reindeer on the front lawn,” said Katy as she walked into the kitchen and dumped her laptop on the floor.
rated: 3 1/2 out of 5 stars

blurb:
Don’t you always plan the perfect Christmas?
Don’t you always think it will be the best one ever?
And doesn’t something always come along and screw it up?

Katy’s been stuck in the office away from her family so she wants it all: snow (fake or real), the Michael Bublé Christmas album, whatever it takes.

There’s only one thing missing as far as her husband Ben is concerned: another baby to complete their family. But Katy isn’t so sure she’s ready yet…

Ben may be playing the role of Master Elf in the pre-school nativity but he is struggling to master his own family life. With romantically-challenged friends, an ex who refuses to go away and Katy’s mum’s 64-year-old toy boy thrown into the mix, Christmas looks like it could be going off the rails… Never mind family planning, can Katy and Ben even plan to make it to the end of Christmas Day?

From the no. 1 bestselling author of No-one Ever Has Sex on a Tuesday, this book will make you cry with laughter, and then book your flights abroad for the festive season.

my thoughts:
I have two words today. Snow. Day. With the snow storm in full effect outside, high winds and freezing temps thankfully work and schools are closed. It will be another comfy pj day with some inevitable snow shoveling later on. Don’t mind me and my gifs lately, I feel like I’ve been including them in each post. I like to add them to reviews, I find they give it a little something extra to express my thoughts. And forewarning, I found a few Gene Kelly gifs, so he will be making an appearance in future posts…lol. I *heart* Gene Kelly.

Anyway, I thought I’d finally get my review up for No-one Ever Has Sex on Christmas Day. This was my last read of 2017 and I couldn’t have timed it more perfectly. I finished it on Christmas Eve Eve. This one is part of as series of books which include No-One Ever Has Sex On A Tuesday and No-One Ever Has Sex in the Suburbs. However, it reads perfectly fine as a stand alone since the author gives you enough background so that you know these characters a little more.