Blog Tour: 'Learning to Speak American' by Colette Dartford

After the tragic death of their only child, Lola and Duncan Drummond’s last chance to regain their lost happiness and rebuild their marriage lies in a trip to America.  Day tripping in the heart of California’s wine region, the couple stumble across a derelict house in Napa Valley that’s crying out for love and attention.

It’s a far cry from their life in the Somerset village they call home, but Lola immediately falls for the house and shows the first spark of enthusiasm since the death of Clarissa. Unable to talk about Clarissa, Duncan reaches out to his wife in the only way he knows how, buying the house in the hope that the renovation project will bring both Lola and their relationship back to life.

As Lola works on the house she begins to realise the liberating power of letting go, helped along the way by her new Californian friends including easy going blond and blue-eyed project manager, Cain McCann. He may be 10 years younger than Lola, but his surfer good looks and easy charm work wonders, and soon Lola finds herself opening up for the first time in years. 

Unbeknown to Lola, back at home her life with Duncan has begun to fall apart. Still emotionally scarred from his daughter’s death, Duncan starts to lose deal after deal in his high flying London job.  Finding release in a series of one night stands, Duncan convinces himself he still loves Lola and promises himself that each infidelity will be the last…until he meets Saskia. 

As Duncan and Lola get caught up in a series lies and indiscretions, drifting into the arms of others, will they be able to untangle their relationship or will the distance tear them apart?

Today I'm really excited to be part of the blog tour for author Colette Dartford's debut novel 'Learning to Speak American'! The novel is released today, November 5th, as an e-book by Twenty7, and the paperback version will follow in 2016. The book was actually a quarter finalist in Amazon's First Novel Prize and as soon as I saw the cover it grabbed my attention. It reminds me of lovely sunny days and gorgeous landscape views, and I think all of us can use a bit of warming up now the days are getting both colder and shorter! As a part of the blog tour I also have a character study from Colette Dartford to share with all of you today, so be sure to not miss it by just scrolling down!

Lola and Duncan Drummond have been married for over twenty years, but ever since the tragic death of their daughter Clarissa things haven't been the same between them. In order to try and fix things, Duncan takes Lola on a trip to California, far away from their daily lives in England. Against expectations, Lola falls in love with an abandoned house in the woods of Napa Valley and Duncan decides to buy it in the hope it will bring both Lola and their marriage back to life. However, Lola's passion for the renovation of the house and her new Californian friends on the one hand and Duncan's troubles at work and with dealing with the past on the other, only cause the rift between them to become even bigger. Will they be able to save their marriage or is it time to admit defeat?

'Learning to Speak American' is Colette Dartford's debut novel and a book that is slightly based on her own experiences. I really liked the setting of the book; the differences between the Somerset village and the American life in Napa Valley really shone through in the writing and I loved the detailed descriptions that made it easy to imagine everything. Each chapter of the novel is told from one character's perspective, mainly the two protagonists Duncan and Lola, providing the reader with a chance to really see what the characters are thinking and feeling. There are quite a number of secrets being kept and it was interesting to see how specifically Lola and Duncan dealt with certain things and communicated with each other and the people around them. 

It took a bit of time before I really got into this novel, because I wasn't quite sure where the storyline was going to go and I had a bit of difficulty reading and warming to the characters. Duncan and Lola have experienced something truly tragic and they are both trying to find their own way to move on. I did feel for Lola, but somehow I couldn't connect to Duncan, not even in the slightest way. I was, however, intrigued by their story and wondered how it would all eventually end. Overall, I did enjoy reading 'Learning to Speak American'; it was an engaging, well-written, and quite heavy women's fiction read; one that held my attention throughout and certainly a promising start to Colette Dartford's writing career!

Rating:8/10

  For more information about this book: Amazon.co.uk / Amazon.com / Goodreads

Learning to Speak American by Colette Dartford is out now and is £3.99 on Amazon.

Thanks to the publisher for providing me with a review copy in exchange for an honest review.

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Character study by Colette Dartford

There are three main characters in Learning To Speak American: Duncan and Lola Drummond, a British couple whose marriage is blighted by the death of their only child two years earlier, and Cain McCann, an easy-going American who oversees the renovation of a derelict house the Drummonds impulsively purchase in California’s Napa Valley.
They are very different people and as their creator, I love all three but if pressed to pick a favourite, I would have to say Duncan. For reasons I can’t explain, I find it easier to write a bad man than a good woman. I should qualify that statement by saying Duncan isn’t a really a bad man, but a good man in a bad situation who makes morally questionable choices. His eight-year-old daughter, Clarissa, was killed while in his care and he blames himself for her death. Consumed by panic attacks he is too ashamed to admit to, he finds respite in anonymous sexual encounters—the only thing powerful enough to pause the memory of Clarissa’s accident, stuck on replay in his head. For Duncan this isn’t infidelity—it’s survival.
Duncan still loves his wife but the marriage has never recovered from the trauma of losing their child. Struggling under a tsunami of guilt, Duncan shrinks from the very mention of Clarissa’s name. When Lola pleads with him to talk about her – our memories are all we have left – he retreats behind an impenetrable silence which leaves no doubt that the subject is taboo. As a last ditch attempt to save their marriage, Duncan takes Lola on an anniversary trip to California – vibrant San Francisco and then north to the glorious Napa Valley. It is here that they stumble across a derelict house for sale and for the first time since Clarissa’s death, Lola shows a flicker of enthusiasm. Seizing on the hope that this might be a project to make her look to the future rather than dwelling on the past, Duncan buys the house. Despite his one night stands, (which he tells himself mean nothing), he loves his wife and is desperate to fix what he has broken. He doesn’t think about the practicalities or the money, only the possibility that Lola might be happy again. That is all he wants.
In this respect he appears to gets his wish, but as Lola’s life is coming together, Duncan’s is falling apart. The recession casts a long shadow over his career and as he struggles to pay for the house, panic threatens to overwhelm him completely. Instead of confiding in his wife, he takes comfort in Saskia, a young Russian escort. With her he feels calm and in control, and he soon realises their connection runs far deeper than just sex.
But Lola habours her own dark secret and when this is dramatically revealed, the Drummonds are forced to face up to the truth about themselves, their marriage and their future.
Duncan is my favourite character because he is flawed, complex and unfailingly human. Thanks so much, Colette!

Blog Tour: 'Among a Thousand Stars' by Jo Bartlett!

They say you'd do anything for love, but what happens when you don't believe it exists?
When her mother turns up naked and proud during her first term at college, Ashleigh Hayes assumes that life can’t get any more embarrassing. Ten years later, with best friend Stevie at her side, and a successful career as a freelance photographer for monthly magazine Glitz, it looks like she might have finally got the hang of things. Only she seems to have inherited the embarrassment gene from her mother and her every encounter with new boss, Tom Rushworth, looks set to send her career spiralling backwards. Getting past their shaky start, Ashleigh and Tom embark on a relationship that was only ever meant to be a bit of fun. But when life, paparazzi and love-sick Labradors get in the way, they suddenly find themselves caught in a roller coaster ride of emotions.
Jo Bartlett's novel 'Among a Thousand Stars' was released by So Vain Books on the 17th of June and I'm really excited to be part of the blog tour for the book today! Over the past couple of months I've had the pleasure of reading several of So Vain Books' romantic comedy releases and I've enjoyed all of them so far, so definitely looked forward to picking up 'Among a Thousand Stars' and giving it a chance! I also have a guest post from Jo Bartlett on the blog today to share with all of you, so be sure to scroll down to read both my review and Jo's own blog post!
Ashleigh Hayes has been friends with eccentric but loveable Stevie for a long time, ever since meeting one another at art school when they immediately hit it off. They now work together as a great team for popular gossip magazine Glitz; Stevie as a stylist and Ashleigh as a photographer. While Ashleigh loves her job, she isn't as lucky when it comes to romance. Her ex-boyfriend cheated on her and she's just not sure she will be able to find someone else who's right for her. When Glitz is taken over by PR company Rushworth Associates, Ashleigh and Stevie also get a new boss, the handsome and difficult-to-read Tom Rushworth. The sparks between Ashleigh and Tom are difficult to ignore, but things aren't that easy when careers, gossip, and life in general continue to get in the way...
'Among a Thousand Stars' is an entertaining and fun rom-com read by author Jo Bartlett; a novel which I really enjoyed from start to finish! The author's writing style certainly suits the genre, it flowed well and made it easy to just dive in and enjoy the story. One of the definite strengths of this novel has to be the friendship between protagonist Ashleigh and the flamboyant stylist Stevie. The two have known each other for years and that becomes evident in the way they treat one another. They are really different characters; while Ashleigh is the quiet one, Stevie definitely knows how to get a party started and they just complimented one another really well. 
I liked the storyline of the book and its main setting, the celebrity gossip world. There was a clear division between Ashleigh's working life in London and the peace and quiet at her home in Kent, near the beach. There was a good selection of secondary characters, such as Tom's lovely dog Bertie, his mother Isobel, and the rock singer and playboy Zac. While the story did seem to lose a bit of its pace and story towards the middle/end of the book, it was still a read I personally really enjoyed. Overall, 'Among a Thousand Stars' is an entertaining, fun, light-hearted read that is worth picking up if you're a fan of chick lit. A promising novel by Jo Bartlett and I look forward to hopefully reading more of her work in the future!

Rating:8,5/10

  For more information about this book: Amazon.co.uk / Amazon.com / Goodreads

Thanks to the publisher for providing me with a review copy in exchange for an honest review.

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Guest post by Jo Bartlett!

What makes a hero

When I was growing up with a sister two years older, there was a bit of sibling rivalry; especially since my sister got the looks, the figure and the sporting ability and, years later, I’m still trying to work out exactly what I got!  The sibling rivalry has long since passed, but I still find it amazing how we could be brought up side-by-side, with the same genes and yet end up so completely different.  Take our taste in men, for example… I’ve always been a beta girl myself, but my sister was attracted to a far edgier sort of man - the kind who you couldn’t be sure were going to turn up as arranged. There’s some excitement in that I guess, the thrill of the chase never quite going away.

With such differences between the opinion of two sisters, it’s impossible to write a hero who’s going to be every reader’s ideal man.  I didn’t want Tom in ‘Among a Thousand Stars’ to be a chest-beating alpha male but, of course, in a romantic comedy, true love can never be allowed to run too smoothly! So Tom ended up as exactly the sort of beta hero I could fall in love with myself – he cares about the people closest to him and keeps the promises he makes – but he’s complicated, wounded by his past.

That’s not to say that I don’t appreciate an alpha hero.  Back in those days of teenage sibling-rivalry, one of the heroes of commercial fiction who has always stuck with me is Rupert Campbell-Black, from Jilly Cooper’s “Riders”.  Yet, if, like me, you read the whole series of novels, you soon discovered even Rupert had his beta-side and as a reader I completely fell for the romance which eventually saw him tamed by true love.

Some might argue that fiction is the only place where such perfect matches exist – the couples who come together and smooth out one another’s broken edges.  It’s exactly the sort of partnership that Tom seems to need, but just can’t accept, in ‘Among a Thousand Stars’. Although I can’t tell you how that ends, of course. 

I don’t buy into the theory that it only happens in novels, though. I think the best relationships are the ones where a couple balance each other out.  As my sister will tell you, perfection is boring.  Whether your hero is alpha or beta, real or imagined, it’s those broken edges and the conflict they create which keep us turning the pages.

Thanks so much, Jo!

Blog Tour: 'The Two of Us' by Andy Jones!

Falling in love is the easy part. What matters most is what happens next...
Fisher and Ivy have been an item for a whole nineteen days. And they just know they are meant to be together. The fact that they know little else about each other is a minor detail. Over the course of twelve months, in which their lives will change forever, Fisher and Ivy discover that falling in love is one thing, but staying there is an entirely different story.
I'm really excited to share my review of Andy Jones' 'The Two of Us' with all of you today as part of the blog tour for this new release! I was lucky enough to receive an early review copy of Andy Jones’ promising novel ‘The Two of Us’ a few months ago. The Kindle edition of the book was released by Simon & Schuster in February 2015 and the paperback version followed on the 7th of May. I mostly read fiction written by female authors, so I looked forward to picking up this one, a romantic novel written by a male author and with a male perspective! Since the Kindle release of 'The Two of Us' I've only heard positive things, so I definitely had my fingers crossed for an entertaining read. I've also had the chance to ask Andy some questions about his book as part of the blog tour, so be sure to scroll down and have a look!
Will Fisher and Ivy Lee have only known each other for a few weeks, but they find themselves in the middle of a whirlwind romance; completely crazy about each other and not really caring about anything else that's happening in the world around them. But then the excitement is suddenly taken away when, to Fisher's surprise, Ivy seems to lose interest. This is, however, just the start of twelve months in the lives of William and Ivy; filled with big changes, for the both of them, in which they will have to decide whether they want to tackle things together or go their separate ways.
I actually ended up starting and finishing this book in one day and that hardly ever happens to me. I instantly fell in love with Andy Jones' writing style, which is well-paced, flows easily and managed to hit me with the right emotions over and over again, from laughter to tears. I really enjoyed experiencing things from the perspective of the main male character, Fisher. He's a great guy; down-to-earth, crazy about a girl and trying to figure out what it is she wants and what he himself wants. All characters were really well-drawn, though, and realistic. I personally didn't particularly warm to Ivy, who is quite a complex character, but this definitely didn't stop me from enjoying the book. 
I liked the fact that there was a focus on the romance side of the story, but also a focus on the friendship between Fisher and his best friend El, who is suffering from Huntington's disease. This part of the book was incredibly touching to read and just heart-breaking in places. I don't want to give too much away about what happens in the book, but it deals with some contemporary and realistic topics in a moving and convincing way. This novel is actually a follow-up to Andy Jones' 'Girl 99', but can undoubtedly be read as a stand-alone. Overall, 'The Two of Us' is a touching, addictive and honest love story that will make you both laugh out loud and shed a few tears; a truly enjoyable read that is certainly worth picking up!

Rating:8,5/10

  For more information about this book: Amazon.co.uk / Amazon.com / Goodreads

Thanks to the publisher for providing me with a review copy in exchange for an honest review.

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Author Interview with Andy Jones!

Hello Spoonful of Happy Endings, thank you so much for inviting me to be on your blog. In case you’re wondering (and lord knows why you would be, but, hey…) I’m writing this at the kitchen table while Mrs Jones unloads boxes of spices into the new cupboards. We’ve had the builders in, you see, and, finally, we have our house back. It is a lovely spring evening; I’ve got a glass of white six inches from my right hand and Robert Plant on Spotify. It’s first time I’ve written at this table in this room; but I have a feeling I’ll be doing a lot more – the light is lovely. So, to the Qs:
Can you tell us something about your new novel, ‘The Two of Us’?
If I had to give you an elevator pitch, I’d tell you it was about what happens after happily ever after. Lots of romantic books (very good ones) deal with the getting together, but this one is more concerned with staying together. William Fisher and Ivy Lee are smitten. They have zero doubt that they have found their perfect partner; all they need to do now is spend the rest of their lives in a
state of perpetual romantic joy, waking up every day with a pair of big old self-satisfied smiles plastered across their faces. Or so they think. 
Normally, I’d leave it there. But it’s hard to talk further about the book without revealing what happens on page 50. It’s a good twist; a surprise that turns their worlds upside down, and for a while I thought that event was best kept secret. But … maybe you’ve already guessed, but if not, brace yourself, because here it comes: The very first time William and Ivy make love, Ivy gets pregnant. So the rest of the book deals with the way the couple deal with this bombshell. They have to move in, learn about each other (and there’s plenty to learn), and figure out if – when push comes to, well, push push push – they are meant for each other after all. It’s a funny story, I hope. But I’ve made a point of keeping it honest and true-to-life, and as such there are surprises, disappointments and some deeply sad events. It’s told exclusively through William’s point of view, so the reader gets an insight into the way men feel about and deal with these situations.
Where did you get the inspiration for your novel? Is it in any way based on your own experiences?
Well the novel was inspired by another novel. I wrote a book called Girl 99 a few years ago and self-published it on Kindle. It was the ‘getting together’ story of William and Ivy. So I got to know the characters pretty well – they were very vivid to me. The book ends with the couple making love for the first time, and I always wondered: What if? And that’s where I started – I thought about all the
possible ways the next few days and months might play out for them and ended up with The Two of Us. It’s not based on my experiences, no. But me and Mr Jones do make a cameo: 
When Mrs Jones went into labour with our second girl at 2.00 a.m., things moved fast. I mean Holy-Shit fast. We got the hospital, I parked, ran around to her side, opened the passenger door and Mrs J just went down on her knees in the deserted carpark and came extraordinarily close to delivering our baby onto the tarmac (my friend joked later that we would have been obliged to call her Parker). I found a wheelchair and got Mrs Jones up to the delivery ward – and I’m not exaggerating – approximately four and a half minutes before our baby made her big appearance. I should add that this scene doesn’t happen to William and Ivy, but they do witness it.
Can you tell us a bit more about the main character, Fisher?
I don’t know why I keep calling him William in this Q&A; he prefers to go by his surname, Fisher. So let’s get back on track – Fisher. I could tell you lots of ‘stuff’ about Fisher: he directs commercials for a living; he likes to cook; he’s sincere but also a bit of a berk at times … but I think the important points are the aspects of his character revealed under duress. He has some growing up to do, and he’s been dropped into a tough spot so that process has to be accelerated. Also, Ivy is older than Fisher, she’s seen more life than him, she’s quieter and less demonstrative by nature, and it’s her carrying the baby – so they’re in very different places mentally and emotionally, and that creates a
great deal of tension. Fisher doesn’t always get it right, but he’s doing the best he can. 
There’s a great cast of supporting characters in the novel as well. Which character did you most enjoy writing?
Thank you. I loved writing Esther, Fisher’s old-aged neighbour and third-best friend. She’s wise but a little coarse around the edges, and she was great fun to write. I’d love her to live next door to me. But as much as I adore Esther, I love El – Fisher’s best friend since they were something like 11 years old. He’s dying. He has an awful degenerative disease called Huntington’s that is slowly and inescapably undoing him: he’s losing his coherence, acuity, motor control, and tact. It’s tragic, but at the same time, El is an incorrigible bugger. He has a wicked sense of humour, nothing is sacred and he loves to tease Fisher. He’s frightened about his future, he knows there is only one way his illness is going, and yet he clings to his sense of humour. He’s brave, tragic, comic and he pretty much steals every scene I’ve put him in.
Did you do any particular research for parts of the book?
I did. I talked to a film director, a midwife, an expert in Huntington’s disease and (Ivy’s job) a make-up artist. I’ve always dreaded research – I just like to sit down and make stuff up – but people love talking about the things that are important and interesting to them. And all of the people I spoke to were incredibly generous and helpful. And it always yields something unexpected. For example, I never knew that make-up artists were known as ‘the glamour squad’ in the film business. So I took that, made it the name of Ivy’s business and stencilled it across the side of her van. It’s a small thing, but it adds authenticity and flavour.
Can you perhaps tell us something about your future plans? Are you perhaps already working on a next novel?
You bet I am. I’m working on a new novel right now. I’m somewhere between (depending on how big the book ends up) a third and a half of the way through the first draft. This one is a two-header – meaning it’s told through the eyes of two different characters. So I’m enjoying pretending to be a twenty-nine-old woman for a few hours a week. It’s a free country, after all.
Do you have any tips for aspiring writers?
I feel like a bit of a charlatan doling out advice, but, as you asked. Here are a couple of things that have helped me: Write often. I’m not going to say write everyday, because that’s not practical for everybody. But write at least twice a week; any less and it’s hard to stay immersed in the story and I think it shows in the final product. Find a routine that works for you, make time, and then protect it fiercely. 
Don’t write for anyone except yourself. You can’t second-guess trends, publishers, the market. The biggest asset you have is you – there is no one like you, no one who has the particular cocktail of experiences, opinions anxieties and passions that you have. If you can channel that uniqueness into your writing, then your work will be distinctive. And no matter the trends, readers and editor are always looking for something fresh. Besides, if you write what you love, you’ll have more fun while you’re doing it.
Oh, and get a copy of 'On Writing' by Stephen King. Read it and read it again.
What is the last book you read that you’d like to recommend to others?
'Oryx and Crake' by Margaret Atwood. It’s original, inventive, wonderful writing, amusing and shocking. I was only a few chapters in when gave in to the urge to tweet the author, telling her how much fun I imagined the book had been to write. She replied along the lines that, yes, it was fun but in a grim kind of way. Approximately another 100 pages in, I realised what she meant and felt a bit of
a buffoon for describing her book as ‘fun’. But that’s kind of the book’s and Margaret Atwood’s power – you’re drawn in by the novelty and levity of the world she has created and then the backstory begins to bleed through and … well, there’s nothing ‘fun’ about it. Great book. 
Which book could you not live without?
I tend not to re-read books. So anything I’ve read once, I can live without. But I’d go crazy of I didn’t have a novel to lose myself in. So no one book, just the one I’m currently reading. If you’re asking my favourite book, then, depending on the day and my mood, it could be The Princess Bride, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Lullaby, The Book of Illusions, The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay, The Book Thief, Cloud Atlas, A Clockwork Orange, Of Mice and Men … Ha! The list goes on.
And last but not least, if you had to describe ‘The Two of Us’ in just three words, which words would you pick?
My debut novel.
Thanks so much, Andy!

Blog Tour: 'His Other Life' by Beth Thomas!

He was hiding a terrible secret...
Grace’s new husband Adam seems like the perfect package. Good looking, great job, completely charming – almost too good to be true...
So when Adam suddenly disappears from Grace’s life, she is left bewildered and heartbroken. And with a lot of unanswered questions.
As she tries desperately to find him, Grace opens a Pandora’s Box of secrets and lies – and starts to learn that Adam wasn't so perfect after all.
What shameful secrets was her husband hiding? Is Grace in danger? And can she survive the truth? However terrible it may be...
I’m really excited to be part of quite an exciting blog tour organised by Avon today, namely for author Beth Thomas’ second novel ‘His Other Life’! The book was released on the 26th of March and for me it has been one of the March 2015 releases I’ve been most looking forward to. Last year I got the chance to read and review Beth’s debut novel ‘Carry You’, which I loved (click here to read my review), and I couldn’t wait to see what she would come up with next. ‘His Other Life’ promised to be quite the captivating read, judged by its synopsis, so I was really happy when I found a review copy on my doormat and couldn’t wait to get stuck in!
Grace has been happily married to her husband Adam for one year and she still can’t quite believe she managed to get together with a guy like Adam. He's good-looking, charming, has a good job… What more could a girl wish for, right? But then Adam suddenly disappears from Grace's life when he is supposed to get some Indian takeaway, but never returns home. Grace is left behind heartbroken and doesn't know what to do, besides try and find Adam. What happened? Did someone do this to Adam or was it free will? The questions keep on coming, and Grace has no idea what to think or to believe. It doesn’t take long before she starts to realise Adam maybe wasn’t the perfect charming guy she thought he was, and that this is just beginning of all the secrets and lies.
Before I picked up ‘His Other Life’, I was already fascinated by the short description of the book and its alluring cover, but I was also a bit in doubt about what genre to expect exactly. While the cover has an almost magical touch to it, the plot also has elements of chick lit and crime, so I had no idea what to expect exactly. However, whatever genre the book fits into, Beth Thomas once again engaged me with her addictive, funny and comfortable-to-read writing style and I ended up really enjoying this read. She really has a great narrative voice and managed to hold my attention from the first chapter until the last.
The main protagonist Grace was really easy to like, even though she is incredibly naïve. Her character really develops throughout the novel, which is not that strange considering everything she goes through after her husband suddenly disappears. I also really liked the secondary characters, such as Grace’s best friend Ginger (who cracked me up) and Grace’s family. While I do think the cover and synopsis do not reflect the story inside of this novel 100%, Beth Thomas is a promising voice and I already can’t wait to read her next novel. Overall, ‘His Other Life’ is an addictive, captivating and entertaining mix of chick-lit, drama and crime, and a novel that is certainly worth picking up!  

Rating:8,5/10

  For more information about this book: Amazon.co.uk / Amazon.com / Goodreads

Thanks to the publisher for providing me with a review copy in exchange for an honest review.

Book Tour: 'Escape for the Summer' by Ruth Saberton (2014)

Can Andi Evans find the strength to start again? Betrayed and brokenhearted, Andi's redundancy is one shock too many. Suddenly single and in debt, a summer working in the pretty Cornish town of Rock seems the perfect solution. Determined never to trust again, will a chance meeting with a stranger change her mind?
Andi's sister, Angel, is determined to find a man who can keep her in style. Heading to Rock, summer playground of the rich and famous, seems an inspired idea until a misunderstanding threatens to end a romance that has started to mean more to her than she ever expected...
Actress Gemma is no stranger to diets and disappointments. As the future of her career hangs in the balance, Gemma hopes a summer in Cornwall solves her problems. With a reality TV show being filmed in the seaside town, surely she can avoid the pasty shops and win herself a role.
Arriving in idyllic Cornwall, all three girls are hoping for a holiday to remember. But will this be for the right reasons? Or, as emotions run higher than the tide, will the summer escape turn their lives upside down?
I'm thoroughly excited to be part of the book tour for Ruth Saberton's latest release, 'Escape for the Summer', organised by the lovely Nancy over at Fictionella! The novel was published on the 10th of April by Notting Hill Press and I’m really glad I got the chance to be introduced to Ruth Saberton’s writing. I hadn’t read any of her others novels before, or any written under her pen names Jessica Fox, Georgie Carter, Holly Cavendish and Lucy Hepburn. So, I sat down with a large cup of tea one day, ready to travel with Ruth and her characters to sunny Cornwall!
Andi Evans has suddenly lost her job, her boyfriend and all of her money and she feels like she has truly hit rock bottom. Angel, Andi’s sister, has a love for the finer things in life and doesn’t worry too much about her career or having enough food to eat. However, when she has lost her job she decides she needs to come up with a plan to score herself a rich and glamorous husband. Gemma, who is Angel’s friend and flatmate, is also struggling with some issues. She’s an actress who hasn’t been able to find any work recently, because of her love for baking and the tendency to eat all the yummy creations herself. However, she will need to get herself an acting job before she will be fired by her agent. Andi, Angel and Gemma are all ready to start anew, which is why they decide to pack their bags and go to sunny Cornwall for the summer. Each of them has her own goal, but what will the summer bring and will they be able to find a solution to their problems?
I am so glad I got the chance to review ‘Escape for the Summer’ because I adored absolutely everything about this novel! The three main female characters are brilliant. Andi, Angel and Gemma are loveable in their own individual ways, and I think it’s great how the author managed to create three completely different heroines who are all easily likeable. I personally particularly loved Gemma’s story, but I enjoyed the other storylines just as much. The setting was great; the descriptions of Cornwall were amazing and it almost felt like I was on holiday myself, sitting on a boat in the sunshine. 
Ruth Saberton’s writing is fantastic; well-paced, detailed, funny, and filled with great dialogue. I was also quite surprised with some twists and turns I did not see coming, which resulted in me not wanting to put the book down. As I already said, I loved the three main female characters, but there is a great collection of secondary characters as well, including some handsome and dreamy love interests for the girls. ‘Escape For the Summer’ is a truly amazing summer read that has all the required elements for the perfect romantic comedy. Definitely the read any chick lit fan needs to add to their holiday reading list right now!      Rating:

9,5/10

  For more information about this book: Amazon.co.uk / Amazon.com / Goodreads
Thanks to the author for providing me with a review copy in exchange for an honest review.