Hello all my lovely Peeps! I hope you are well on this rather grey Saturday. (Well, it's grey where I'm sitting!) So, you know I recently rebranded my covers... And I do love, love, love them... but I have been awful at promotion again. It's something I need to get back to! In the meantime, my first novel, Marriage Unarranged,  is up for bidding in the Children in Read book auction this year.

I'm back with another great blog tour review for my friend, Susan Buchanan and her latest release, A Taste of Christmas Spirit. The Blurb CAN LARA ADD A SPRINKLING OF MAGIC THIS CHRISTMAS? Jacob introduces ever tastier treats to the Sugar and Spice cafe’s menu as the Christmas Spirit knits her magic into the lives of those finding this Christmas tough.

September came, and so did the new school year. And year 51 for me, too! My birthday was a lovely time, with lots of love from family, friends and colleagues, and we had a lovely meal out at a restaurant, Coco Asia, a fusion place. (Not-so) Lil Man was thrilled that he was able to arrange this meal as it was a place he frequents regularly with clients, and he does love being a bit of a big shot, lol!

I am delighted to be on the blog tour for Jaimie Admans' Winter Magic at Hollybrae Castle. The Blurb A Scottish castle, a fake marriage… and one very real Christmas romance? After a window display goes disastrously viral – thanks to a malfunctioning animatronic Santa and an unfortunate encounter with Paddington Bear – Lula Haines finds herself without a job just weeks before Christmas.

How has August finished so fast? I have had the best start to the month, with the RNA Conference kicking things off. The first 2 weeks were filled with appointments for either me, Lil Princess or my MIL. Lil Princess got her A-Level results (She passed with great grades, and that made us all the more proud, given the ups and downs she has faced over the last few years!) as well as starting her apprenticeship!

We are Val Penny's new release, Murder in Gilmerton, today! The Blurb Behind Edinburgh’s genteel facade, a killer is settling an old score . . . An elderly man is shot dead on his own doorstep in the leafy suburb of Gilmerton. One bullet. Point-blank range. A professional hit on a harmless old man who lived a simple life collecting rare books.

I am thrilled to be on the Cover Reveal Blog Stop for the inimitable Nicola May's Christmas release, Mrs Clutterbuck's Christmas Emporium. It looks soooo good! The Blurb When Mabel Clutterbuck opens a Christmas shop in sleepy Merrycombe Bay, she has no idea howmuch her little emporium is about to change the hearts and minds of the people who live there.

And so the holidays are here, finally! School finished. My big news is that I have stepped down from my management role and will be solely a teacher in Nursery next academic year. A little less stress, no team to manage on top of the day-to-day work of a teacher. Yes, there will be a little pay drop, but I think my peace of mind is more important!

So Happy to be on the Blog tour for the debut of Ko Porteous and her book, The Freshman Parents, the first in the Empty Nesters series. The Blurb They're off for the time of their lives. But are you? Book #1 in The Empty Nesters Series. Single parent Heather isn't neurotic (honest!) - she's simply dreading the day her only child leaves for university - so her meticulous checklists grow longer by the hour.

I am thrilled to have the President of the RNA, and fabulous author, Sue Moorcroft's latest release, Secrets of the Italian Guest House, on the blog today! The Blurb Two sisters she's never metA first love who's impossible to forget...For Jade, life in Lake Como is la dolce vita. Until her beloved grandmother passes, leaving Jade not just the family's bustling guesthouse to run, but two life-changing secrets to confront...

We are celebrating the first book birthday of A Scottish Teashop in Napoli, written by the lovely Jane Lambert! The Blurb When Lucy’s childhood sweetheart leaves her at the altar, her world shatters. But instead of cancelling her honeymoon, she boards the plane alone—bound for a sun-soaked island that will change everything. In Naples, recently widowed Elena is fighting to keep her husband’s family mozzarella factory and language school afloat while raising her young son.

How is it already the end of June? That is half of 2026 done! So... it's been another busy one at school. The build-up to the end of term is always huge. We have the prep of the new classes for next year, and for the Early Years side, which starts a lot earlier than the rest of the school, as we have to accept applications to school, as well as nursery, then there is form filling, and working out classes, who will be where, which staff will be where...

I'm back with another great blog tour review for fantastic author, Nicola May and her latest release, Marry Me in Seahaven Bay. The Blurb The emotional and uplifting new novel from the author of the million-copy bestselling Cockleberry Bay series. Life at the Seahaven Bay Retreat is flourishing, but Rita Jory’s second chance at happiness is about to face its biggest test yet.

May - one of those weird months as a teacher. It is short in that we have two bank holidays, plus the half-term week is at the end, but hectic down my end as we have all the new places filled, paperwork to do, transitions to organise, reports to write, as well as it being exam season, and Lil Princess started her A-Level exams too!

I am delighted to be on the Blog tour for Lynne Shelby's A Venice Summer! The Blurb Art conservator Rose Bennet is still reeling from a bad break-up when she is offered a dream job in Venice, restoring an art collection in the Ca’ D’Ambra, a six-hundred-year-old Venetian palazzo. Despite her fears about travelling to a foreign country on her own, Rose is soon heading to Italy for the summer.

Click below to read some exciting news about my new covers for The Rishtay Series!

I am delighted to be on the blog tour for Jaimie Admans' The Sunshine Teashop/ The Blurb Dolly Lymford is having one of those days… 🧁🫖 The kind that starts with dreams of opening a café… and ends with discovering your boyfriend kissing your best friend! Heartbroken and with nowhere else to go, Dolly accidentally-on-purpose borrows her now-ex-boyfriend’s campervan and drives until the road runs out.

It is blog tour time for another book! This time, Wed or Alive by Portia Macintosh The Blurb She’s not getting hitched. He’s just here for the ride. Whitney’s life is not going to plan. Her romantic comedy novel isn’t selling, her career feels stuck, and by the time she realises she’s in love with her best friend and roommate, Andy, he’s back from his work trip with a fiancée - and a wedding date that is alarmingly soon.

Hello and goodbye to April, arriving with the school holidays, so YAY! And I have been away for a week, too, in beautiful Jamaica, with my Lil Princess! You will need to check out my Instagram for some gorgeous sunshine-filled photos of our break! Formatting has been my companion this month, as I get things ready to press Publish on my three novels!

Very happy to be a part of the book tour for my friend, Kim Nash, and her newest release, Love Blooms At The Cornish Cottage. The Blurb 💔 How do you mend a broken heart? 💔 Michelle finally thought she’d found love with her hot Greek doctor. But when Demetri reveals he’s returning home to care for his sick mother, Michelle’s dream future crumbles.

March heralds the entrance of Spring, apparently... It's also a term fully in school with no other days out, so how did I go with my reading? So, the whole submission thing didn't go to plan; however, I am not too worried. In fact, I am getting my covers redesigned, will be self-publishing the three books, and will hopefully start writing again soon!

I am excited to be on the blog tour for Richard Robinson's Deep Swimmers! The Blurb Belfast, 1995. When an elderly couple fall to their deaths from the city’s notorious Ashton Tower, the incident is quickly ruled a suicide. For most, it’s a tragedy. For British Intelligence, it’s the beginning of something far more dangerous.Jones and Jenny, now seasoned members of MI5’s Young Communicators Unit, find themselves pulled into an investigation that reaches back to the Second World War.

Thrilled to be on the blog tour for Kate Galley's The Old Girl's Island Getaway! The Blurb Two old friends. One sun-soaked adventure. Dorothy and Gina may be separated by twenty years, but their friendship is timeless. At seventy-one and nearly ninety, life’s too short not to have a little fun – especially in Corfu. When Dorothy is invited to visit an old friend at his villa, she insists Gina comes along.

I am super excited to be on the Blog tour for this fantastic book, The Strawberry House, by the amazing Rachel Burton! The Blurb 1938: For Camilla Kerrigan, life at her family's Oxford manor is a delicate balancing act – between duty to her family and a yearning for something more. When her brother Anthony returns for the summer, bringing with him a new friend, Camilla recognises a kindred spirit.

It's always a very busy month, February, in our family. We have had all my in-laws' birthdays, Hubby Dearest's, and Lil Princess turned 18 this year, so I am now officially the mother of two adults! EEEK! It was bittersweet, too, as we remembered my dear brother-in-law on what would have been his 51st birthday. Then there was Valentine's Day and half-term, so a lot of reading time...

Thrilled to welcome Jane Lovering and her latest book, The Cottage At The Edge Of The Woods, to the blog! The Blurb Some houses won’t let go of the past. Some people won’t, either… When single mum Libby is offered a life-changing sum of money to clear out an old cottage in the woods, she expects dust and decay. She doesn’t expect a house full of secrets, a room full of birds, and a woman who refuses to leave.

I'm back with another great blog tour review for fantastic author, Nicola May and her latest release, Escape To Seahaven Bay. The Blurb The heartwarming new novel from the author of the million-copy bestselling Cockleberry Bay series Seahaven Bay has always been a place where the sparkling tides bring laughter, love and a lot of fun. But when Rita Jory’s beloved husband Archie dies in a tragic accident, she’s left alone on their failing Cornish farm with nothing but her grieving heart, a mountain of debt and some very badly behaved goats.

I'm back with another great blog tour review for Clare Flynn's Under A Southern Sky. The Blurb After a German fighter sinks her husband's ship in the icy Atlantic, grief-stricken Hannah Kidd flees the rubble and ration queues of wartime Liverpool for a new life on the other side of the world. In sun-soaked Sydney, she discovers more than just refuge from nightly bombing raids—she finds unexpected family connections, meaningful work, and the handsome Eddie Greenbank.

I am excited to be on the blog tour for Margaret Amatt's most recent release, Faking the Grade at Glenbriar High. The Blurb Fake dating isn’t on the curriculum… but neither is falling in love He’s tall, dark and handsome… And he’s just announced his engagement to someone else. Guidance teacher Clara Morgan thought her year couldn’t get any worse, but it just did.

First month of our new year is up, and what did I get up to? Back to school with 7 new whippersnappers starting in Nursery! It's been busy. Plus I went out with colleagues one evening for a Thai meal and to watch a really funny panto, Robin Hood in Space, starring an old colleague of ours! A few thousand words more on my newest writing project, which I need to concentrate on, especially now that I have no publisher!

It is blog tour time for another book! This time, A Shore Thing by Portia Macintosh The Blurb Lights. Camera...Showmance! From the moment Cleo met Lockie, her infuriatingly charming co-casting producer on hit reality show Welcome to Singledom, he’s been getting under her skin. Their job? Casting singles for the ultimate island romance. Their problem? They can’t agree on anything.

Today, I am on the blog tour for Dean Koontz's newest novel, The Friend of the Family. The Blurb A girl liberated from a carnival sideshow discovers her mysterious purpose in a moving fable about family, sacrifice, and transcendent love by #1 New York Times bestselling author Dean Koontz. The human ‘oddities’ in the Museum of the Strange are less wondrous than the gawking rubes had been promised.

I'm back with another great blog tour review for my friend, Susan Buchanan and her latest release, Teh Boulangerie on the Corner. The Blurb 🥖🥐🥖🥐 Grab your passport for the first in the European Escapes series 🥐🥖🥐🥖 No home. No job. No boyfriend. When Lia loses her job straight after a break-up, she escapes to the Molins’ family-run boulangerie in Toulouse – the place she was last happy, far away from her cheating ex.

Today, I am thrilled to be on the blog tour for Eva Glyn's The Croatian Island Library. The Blurb Where books are borrowed, and friendships are forged… When her beloved grandfather dies, Ana Meštrović buys a catamaran in his memory, which she names Dida Krila – Grandad’s Wings. For the summer months, it will be transformed into a travelling library, delivering books to children living across the Croatian islands.

Another new year has arrived. Hello, 2026. And wishing you all a Happy New Year, too! Welcome to 2026! I feel like every year, recently, I step into the new tentatively, not fully convinced that what is going to be presented to me is going to be positive, and that is very unlike me. There is still so much horribleness around the world, and though I try to raise awareness, I feel like I can't do anything that really helps others.

Er, seriously? December has ended, already?! It's been a strange month. Yes, school was crazy in those last few weeks, with festive fun happening, winding the children up. But my heart wasn't as into it as it usually is. There was a big gap where my Brother-in-Law had sat, and his memory was everywhere. It was tough for us all.

Thrilled to be on the blog Tour for Judy Leigh's lovely book, Golden Girls On The Run! The Blurb Age is just a number. Trouble is a lifestyle. When octogenarian sisters-in-law Sadie and Bronagh find themselves at the centre of a scandalous (and slightly explosive) bake-off fiasco, there’s only one thing to do – steal Sadie’s grandson’s gleaming red Ferrari and make a run for it.

Very happy to be a part of the book tour for my friend, Kim Nash, and her newest release, Life Begins At The Cornish Cottage. The Blurb When life gives you heartbreak , sometimes it also gives you a second chance… When Tom Sullivan returns to the quiet village of Sandpiper Shore, Emma can hardly believe her eyes. She hasn’t seen him since they played Romeo and Juliet in their school play – a lifetime ago, before real heartbreak, and long before she ever imagined life as a widow.

It is blog tour time for another book! This post is dedicated to A Lot To Unpack by Portia Macintpsh The Blurb It’s going to be a bumpy ride... 👀 Liberty’s just landed her dream job. The catch? It’s at Matcher, the dating app that ruined her life. After catching her boyfriend sending intimate pictures to everyone in a twenty mile radius, Liberty is struggling to get back into the dating game.

I have loved some of Linda Corbett's previous books, so was thrilled to get a chance to be on her Blog tour for Rosie's Garden of New Beginnings! The Blurb Rosie Steadman needs a new start. It’s over a year since her husband died, and there must be more to life than her job in retail. When she spots an advert to rent a garden, it feels like the perfect project.

And here we are at the end of the penultimate month of the year, November. It's always a busy month at schools, with assessments, sickness because it is getting colder and bugs are rife, and the beginnings of preparing for that time of year... I won't mention it until the next review post, promise! It's too early! My In-Laws have been away, and that takes its toll on the family in its own way, so we managed as best we could.

I'm on the blog tour for Lucy Elena's fab book, The Starling Dance! The Blurb The Starling Dance In a sweltering Roman summer, Laure is trying to start a new life. But can she manage in a city where walls have ears, trees have eyes and even the birds are acting strangely? It’s been exactly one year since the shit hit the fan and Laure's anxiety exploded into a full-blown burn out.

I am thrilled to host my dear friend Jodie Homer as she publishes the second in the Birch Lea Village series, Falling For A Star At Christmas BlurbIsaac is a contestant on The Wow Factor, and Naomi is assigned to look after him. As they spend moretime together, their feelings for each other deepen. Isaac trusts Naomi with his biggest secret, but it finds its way onto national TV and forces them apart.

I am thrilled to have the President of the RNA, and fabulous author, Sue Moorcroft's latest release, A Christmas Gift, on the blog today! The Blurb Can the happiest time of year heal the most broken of hearts? Georgine loves Christmas. The festive season always brings the little village of Middledip to life. But since her ex-boyfriend walked out, leaving her with crippling debts, Georgine’s struggled to make ends meet.

I do love a romantic story with a more mature FMC, and was pleased to be asked to join the blog tour for Maddie Please's Old Girls Go Greek! The Blurb At 64, Meg Foster is ready to paint outside the lines Newly divorced from overbearing husband Malcom and with only reruns of Bergerac and an irascible black cat called Ivan for company, Meg decides it’s time to add a little colour back into her life.

September, my 50th birthday month, had come to a close, and I would have posted my usual monthly review post. Still, circumstances beyond my control meant I could not post at the time I usually would, so I decided to combine these two months. We, unfortunately, sadly lost my dear, dear brother-in-law after an emergency stay in ICU, at the end of September, on the 1st of October.

Nanaji Today you would have hit a century, Instead, we're left with memories Of all the good you did Nanaji,A loving son, husband, brotherA father like no other Whose forward thinking gave opportunitiesTo all his children, not just his blood.And a Nanaji and BabaWhose Naatey Potey miss the opportunities We lost to know you,  And for you to know us.

I apologise for not posting this sooner, but better late than never, eh! I'm bringing to you a book with a psychological thriller twist, all with a sprinkling of Indian Masala! Rupa Mahadevan has written a brilliant book, Nine Dolls, which I was honoured to read. The Blurb When a group of friends reunite to celebrate the Hindu Dolls festival in a Scottish manor in Oban, they're hit by more than just the storm.

Another wonderful blog tour stop this time for Karen King and her fab book, The Old Gals Bucket List. The Blurb The Approval of Sheep Gordon Slee fears he was never meant to be born. Anxious since childhood after hearing he was an accident, the forty-two-year-old is still struggling to escape the shadow of his high-achieving family. But a glimmer of hope is on the horizon – a huge promotion within his hotel group is up for grabs, and he is sure that his time has come to make a mark on the world.

Another wonderful blog tour stop this time for Karen King and her fab book, The Old Gals Bucket List. The Blurb ‘It’s time to really live our lives!’ It’s been eight months since Sandra lost her beloved husband, and she knows something has to change. Her son wants her to sell up her home and move into a retirement apartment, close to him.