Top Ten Tuesday - Top Ten Books That Should Be In Your Beach Bag

'Top Ten Tuesday' is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish. I love making lists, so this feature fits me perfectly! If you also take part in this feature or have any additions to my lists, please get in touch; I'd love to hear from you!  

  Top Ten Books That Should Be In Your Beach Bag   I missed last week's Top Ten Tuesday, but this Tuesday I have another great top 10 of books lined up for all of you! This week's list includes books that should be in your beach bag this year. The days are slowly becoming warmer and lovelier, so I'm sure I'm not the only one who longs for some great days spent at the beach. If you are looking for the perfect beach read, be sure to check out any of these books!  

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1. Carole Matthews - 'A Cottage By the Sea'

 

I read this book last year and it definitely got me in the mood for summer! Grace and her two best friends are spending a week together in a holiday cottage in South Wales. The descriptions of the cottage and the beach immediately made me long for my own summer holiday; perfect for a day on the beach or pretending you are on the beach!

 

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2. Nicholas Sparks - 'The Last Song'




I personally love nothing more than a great romantic story to keep me company during a long day at the beach, so the author that immediately pops up into my head is Nicholas Sparks. 'The Last Song' is a fantastic book and one that is set in Wilmington, USA; a setting that reminds me of beautiful views and long summer days.

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3. Various Authors - 'Sunlounger'

What better to take with you to the beach than a collection filled with a ton of amazing short stories filled with sun, sand and cocktails, written by the best chick lit authors out there?! Sunlounger 2 is being released soon, so that makes two fabulous collections of short stories to take with you!
 

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4. Lindsey Kelk - 'What a Girl Wants'

Lindsey Kelk's books are guaranteed great and funny reads. 'About a Girl' tells the story of Tess, who has just lost everything in her life, and decides to take on a job for which she has to travel to Hawaii. The perfect ingredients for an enjoyable beach read!

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5. Lucy Diamond - 'One Night in Italy'

Another amazing chick lit author whose stories always make me smile. And with the mention of Italy in the title, I'm pretty sure this book deserves a place in my beach bag!
 

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6. Alexandra Brown - 'Ice Creams at Carrington's'

The lovely pastel colours of the cover, the mention of ice cream... I have been looking forward to this June 2014 release for months, and I am sure it will be a summer best-seller this year! 
 

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7. Janey Fraser - 'After the Honeymoon'

I've just read this novel (click here to read my review) and it's a wonderful story of three leading characters who spend a week together on a gorgeous Greek island in the sun. I didn't want to put it down, so perfect for a day in the sun!
 

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8. Victoria Fox - 'Power Games'

Summer days on the beach are also a perfect excuse to pick up a scandalous and glamorous bonkbuster like Victoria Fox's upcoming release 'Power Games.' This would definitely go into my beach bag!
 

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9. Paige Toon - 'One Perfect Summer'

Another simply wonderful chick lit read which I read in one sitting. Nothing too complex, just a captivating and romantic story... Love it!
 

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10. Jane Austen - 'Pride and Prejudice'

And of course a favourite classic deserves a spot on this list as well. A story which I can dream from start to finish, and doesn't need my complete attention and focus... Perfect beach read!

Which are your beach reads for this year? I'd love to hear from you!

Review: 'In the Summertime' by Judy Astley (2013)

It's twenty years since Miranda, then sixteen, holidayed in Cornwall and her life changed forever. Now she's back again - with her mother Clare and the ashes of her stepfather Jack, whose wish was to be scattered on the sea overlooked by their one-time holiday home.

The picturesque cove seems just the same as ever, but the people are different - more smart incomers,fewer locals, more luxury yachts in the harbour. But Miranda and Clare both find some strangely familiar faces, and revisit the emotions they both thought had disappeared.

When I found a review copy of Judy Astley’s latest novel ‘In the Summertime’ in my mailbox (thanks to the amazing people at Transworld), I immediately started longing for my summer holidays a little bit more. The cover and blurb promise a perfect-for-a-day-on-the-beach holiday read, so I was looking forward to getting stuck in the story and imagining myself sitting on a sunny Cornwall beach!

When she was a 16-year-old girl, Miranda spent her summer holiday in Cornwall, where she experienced certain things that changed her life completely. She’s now a 36-year-old woman and going back to that exact same village in Cornwall to spend the summer. Main reason is her mother Clare, who has just lost her husband Jack, and wants to scatter his ashes on the sea near their beloved Cornish holiday home. Miranda’s teenage kids, Silva and Bo, have come along on the trip, and it doesn’t take long before Harriet, Miranda’s sister, joins them as well. Miranda soon realises that in contrast to what she initially expected, there are still lots of familiar faces walking around in Chapel Creek, including her former best friends Jess and Andrew, and her holiday crush Steve. It doesn’t take long before forgotten memories and emotions return, and it becomes clear this holiday has much in store for not just Miranda, but the rest of her family as well.

Miranda is such a likeable and warm character; I liked her from the first few pages of the novel. I enjoyed the fact that the story focused on different generations of one family. There’s Miranda in the middle (together with her sister Harriet, who is fleeing from her famous footballer boyfriend and the paparazzi); their mother Clare, who is trying to deal with the loss of her husband; and the kids, Silva and Bo, who are both dealing with their own teenage troubles of trying to fit in. Family takes on a central place in the story, and I loved the way Miranda tries to keep them all together. Next to this, the scene setting and the descriptions of Cornwall were fabulous, and they really gave me that summer feeling.    

After reading this novel, I found out it is actually a sequel to another novel by Judy Astley, ‘Just for the Summer.’ I had absolutely no idea about this when I started reading ‘In the Summertime’, but I never had the feeling as if I was missing bits of information. Astley has made sure everyone can read and enjoy this novel, and now I am actually looking forward to reading the prequel to see what the characters were like in their younger years! ‘In the Summertime’ is a lovely holiday read about a variety of characters, spread over three generations, which will warm your heart and make you long for sunshine and long days on the beach! 

Rating:7,5/10

Review: 'A Cottage by the Sea' by Carole Matthews (2013)

Grace has been best friends with Ella and Flick since university. The late-night chats, shared heartaches and good times have created a bond that has stood the test of time. Now in their thirties, Grace is always a bit disappointed about how little time they get to spend together, so when Ella invites them all to stay for a week in her cottage in South Wales, Grace jumps at the chance to see her old friends. She also hopes that the change in pace will help her reconnect with her husband, Harry. Unfortunately for her, Harry isn't as enamoured with Cwtch Cottage as she is. Then Flick arrives; loveable, bubbly Flick, accompanied by the handsome and charming Noah, and suddenly the week ahead looks as though it may be even more confusing for all the residents of Cwtch Cottage.

In April 2013 I read and reviewed Carole Matthews’ novel ‘Summer Daydreams’, which I absolutely loved. I really liked the plotline of the book and the way it was written, so I was excited when I realised I did not have to wait long for a new Carole Matthews novel. ‘A Cottage by the Sea’ has a gorgeous, colourful cover and when I discovered it is set in the south of Wales, I was already sold. I used to spend all my summer holidays there, in my grand-parents’ house near the beach. Unfortunately, both of them aren’t with us anymore, but I have some amazing memories from those summers spent in Wales. All in all, I couldn’t wait to read ‘A Cottage by the Sea’ and see whether it would fit my expectations.

Grace, Ella and Flick have been friends since their days together as university students. Over the years they’ve stayed in touch but because of their busy lives they hardly see each other. So, when Ella invites her friends to spend a week in the summer together at her cottage in South-Wales, it is the perfect opportunity for them to spend some time together again. Grace is bringing her husband Harry, with whom she hopes to have some quality time as well, since their relationship is no longer what it used to be. However, as soon as they arrive, the only thing Harry is interested in is the amount of glasses of wine he can drink in one afternoon and whether his mobile telephone works or not. To make matters even worse, Flick arrives with her latest boyfriend, the delightful and attractive Noah, and Grace starts feeling all kinds of things she shouldn’t be feeling as a married woman. This one week at Cwtch Cottage starts off as a simple summer holiday for Grace, Harry, Ella, Art, Flick and Noah, but as the days progress secrets are unfolded and lives will be changed forever...

Carole Matthews’ writing flows so easily, making her novels an absolute delight to read. ‘A Cottage by the Sea’ and its storyline immediately took me in and made me forget about everything else. I loved Grace; she’s a great friend to Ella and Flick, trustworthy, friendly. As a reader, I really felt for her and the situation she finds herself in: she is married to Harry and wants to do everything to make their marriage work. However, his problem with alcohol and the way he acts towards her... Who can blame her for having unexpected feelings for Noah? I think lots of female readers will fall in love with Noah, just like I did: what a gentleman! However, while I loved reading about this love triangle between Grace, Harry and Noah, I also really enjoyed the other storylines, including Ella, her boyfriend Art, and Flick. Just add the fabulous setting of Cwtch cottage, right at the beach, and you’ve got all the ingredients for a thoroughly enjoyable read!

One of the reasons why I loved reading this novel so much has to do with the fact that it brought back tons of memories of my own family holidays spent on the beaches of South-Wales. However, even if you don’t have that specific link to the setting of the story, I’m sure lots of readers will still adore this novel. It’s a perfect summer-read and exactly what a chick lit novel should be like, filled with tons of emotions and laughter. ‘A Cottage by the Sea’ shows that it’s never too late to find true love or to decide to chase your dreams, and that’s a message we can’t hear often enough, if you ask me. 

Rating:9,5/10

June 2013 release: 'Save the Date!' by Allie Spencer

 

Family weddings can be hell.

 

...and, marooned in Italy for her cousin's nuptials, Ailsa can be forgiven for thinking that this one is worse than most. With the bride and groom at loggerheads and the guests in uproar, it is a million miles away from the rest and relaxation she'd been hoping for.

 

And then suddenly, in the middle of the mayhem, she comes face-to-face with Nick, the man she walked out on just a few months earlier.

 

How can Ailsa help get the wedding back on track when she and Nick can't stop arguing? But if they do, she might remember why she fell in love with him in the first place - and then there really would be trouble.

 

The past few weeks I've been hearing and reading lots of exciting and lovely things about 'Save the Date!' and I can't wait for its release on the 20th of June! The cover is simply stunning and I can't wait to get my hands on a copy. The story sounds great: a wedding, Italy, a good love-story... I'll definitely be adding this to my holiday book list!

 

Pre-order your own copy here!

 

Review: 'Me and Mr Jones' by Lucy Diamond (2013)

Is Mr Jones really Mr Right? Meet the women in love with three very different brothers ...

Izzy’s determined to escape her troubled past with a new start by the sea – but flirtatious Charlie Jones is causing complications. Alicia’s been happily married to loyal Hugh for years but secretly craves excitement. Maybe it’s time to spice things up? Emma’s relationship with David was once fun and romantic but trying for a baby has taken its toll. Then temptation comes along...

As the future of the family’s B&B becomes uncertain, Izzy, Alicia and Emma are thrown together unexpectedly. It seems that keeping up with the Joneses is harder than anyone thought...

As soon as I took my review copy of Lucy Diamond’s ‘Me and Mr Jones’ out of its envelope (thank you, Becky!), not only a smile appeared on my face but I also think it lit up the room just a bit! The lovely colours and small pictures on the cover immediately made me think of sunshine, fun times and summer. I hadn’t read any of Lucy Diamond’s novels before this one, but the beaming cover and the blurb (which includes the phrase ‘from the queen of summer reading’) already promised rays of sunshine, which seemed a good and welcome distraction from all the horrible rain we’ve been having the past couple of weeks!

‘Me and Mr Jones’ tells the story of the Jones family. Eddie Jones and his wife Lilian, who have been happily married for several decades, still live in the lovely Mulberry House, where they once started their family. After their three sons Hugh, David and Charlie left home, Lilian and Eddie turned their home into a cozy Bed & Breakfast, but Eddie’s health is slowly deteriorating. Lilian decides it is time for them to retire, but who will take over the business and Mulberry House? Will it be the eldest son, Hugh, who is dealing with a big secret of his own, while his wife Alicia is dreading her upcoming birthday (the big 4-0) and decides to step away from her reputation as the perfect housewife? Or what about David and his wife Emma, who have been trying for a baby for several years, which is slowly driving the two of them further and further apart? Or Charlie, the youngest Jones man and a true charmer who can’t possibly be able to run the family business by himself... Right? What will happen when Charlie falls head over heels for dance teacher Izzy, who has two young daughters and some bad experiences with men? The Jones family seems to not only have to decide about their beloved home, but also deal with some tricky individual troubles along the way... 

I really loved this novel, from the very first chapter. Lucy Diamond’s writing is fabulous, which made me not want to stop reading. From the start, I could easily imagine the beautiful Mulberry House and the town of Lyme Regis, where most of the story takes place. Next to that, the novel includes an amazing set of instantly-captivating characters, which all have their own distinctive personalities. The chapters each focus on a different person and I couldn’t wait to find out what was going to happen each member of the Jones family and their own particular part of the complete storyline. I especially loved Charlie and Izzy (and Izzy’s two adorable daughters) and their tale, but the entire Jones family managed to capture my heart. 

This novel is a delightful, warm read with a real family feeling attached to it. It focuses on the struggles of multiple characters of different ages, and some serious subjects are touched upon. However, Lucy Diamond manages to do this in a perfectly-balanced whole with fun and drama mixed together. ‘Me and Mr Jones’ is a delightful summer read, but also ideal for a rainy afternoon with a cup of tea. I really enjoyed reading about the Jones family, and I am sure I am not the only one secretly hoping we will perhaps be able to visit Mulberry House again in the future in the form of a sequel!

Rating:9,5/10

May 2013 release: 'Vivien's Heavenly Ice Cream Shop' by Abby Clements

 

When Imogen and Anna unexpectedly inherit their grandmother Vivien's ice cream parlour, it turns both their lives upside-down. The Brighton shop is a seafront institution, but while it's big on charm it's critically low on customers. If the sisters don't turn things around quickly, their grandmother's legacy will disappear forever.

With summer looming, Imogen and Anna devise a plan to return Vivien's to its former glory. Rather than sell up, they will train up, and make the parlour the newest destination on the South Coast foodie map.

 

While Imogen watches the shop, her sister flies to Italy to attend a gourmet ice cream-making course. But as she works shoulder-to-shoulder with some of the best chefs in the industry, Anna finds that romance can bloom in the most unexpected of places...

 

I absolutely adore the summery pastel cover of Abby Clements' novel! I don't know why, but I simply love any kind of story that one way or another has to do with ice cream parlours or cupcake cafes... Perhaps it's the yummy treats? This novel has been on my to-read wishlist for quite some time already, and I'm glad the 23rd of May is almost here... Can't wait to find out what will happen to Imogen and Anna and that lovely ice cream parlour!

 

Pre-order your own copy here!

Review: 'The Summer I Turned Pretty' by Jenny Han (2010)

Every year Isabel spends a perfect summer at her family friends' house. There's the swimming pool at night, the private stretch of sandy beach ... and the two boys.

Unavailable, aloof Conrad - who she's been in love with forever - and friendly, relaxed Jeremiah, the only one who's ever really paid her any attention.

But this year something is different. They seem to have noticed her for the first time. It's going to be an amazing summer - and one she'll never forget...

Jenny Han’s novel ‘The Summer I Turned Pretty’ had been part of my to-read list for quite some time already, but somehow I never ended up actually buying the book somewhere. However, a couple of weeks ago I joined The New Book Club on Twitter (@thenewbookclub) in order to discuss lovely books with other avid readers. The first book to be discussed is ‘The Summer I Turned Pretty’, so I finally ordered the book online and dived in as soon as it arrived in my mailbox.

The novel tells the story of Isabel (called Belly by almost everyone around her) and her summers spent in the big beach house of the Fisher family, which consists of Susannah and her two sons, Conrad and Jeremiah. Belly has always enjoyed her summers at the beach house, but this summer, things are different. Belly is dealing with everything a typical 15-year-old teenage girl goes through at a certain moment in time: crushing on boys, finding out who your true friends are, and slowly discovering your own identity. Belly has always been left out by the boys, but this summer... Things are changing, and so will Belly.

I was surprised at what a quick read this novel was. I seemed to fly through the chapters and before I knew it, I had reached the last page. It was a light read (a book perfect to take with you on your summer holiday), but at the same time it managed to transport me back to those days when I was a 15-year-old girl, trying to figure out the world. That feeling of thinking that the world revolves around you (didn’t we all at one point in our lives?), and how much one summer (and that one boy) can change absolutely everything. I really liked the nostalgic feel of this novel (also caused by the occasional flashbacks): the setting of the large gorgeous beach house with the sea in the background, a long summer holiday away from school and home... The book really managed to grab me and not only take me into Belly’s world, but back into the world of my own teenage self as well.

If I’m completely honest, I didn’t come to love any of the male characters in the novel. Belly finds herself flirting with and thinking about three different boys: Conrad, Jeremiah, and Cam. But there wasn’t one I was definitely rooting for, one I wanted Belly to end up with, and I thought that was too bad. The focus is on more than just boys, though: Belly’s friendship with her best friend Taylor, the relationship between Belly and her mother, the difficult situation Susannah finds herself being forced to deal with.. I really liked Belly’s other relationships, with her own mother and with Susannah; I wish this would have been explored more in the book. And, if I am allowed to give one slightly superficial comment... What kind of a name is Belly? I know a name is just a name, but this one managed to slightly irritate me more and more as the book continued. Isabel is a lovely name, why not simply stick to that?

I didn’t end up falling in love with this book, but I didn’t dislike it either. Will I pick up the other parts of the series? I’m not quite sure... Overall, though: a light, quick, summery read, perfect to bring along on a holiday and I am sure lots of people out there will enjoy this!

Rating:7/10