Blog Tour: 'The Phantom Tree' by Nicola Cornick!

“My name is Mary Seymour and I am the daughter of one queen and the niece of another.”
Browsing antiques shops in Wiltshire, Alison Bannister stumbles across a delicate old portrait – supposedly of Anne Boleyn. Except Alison knows better… The woman is Mary Seymour, the daughter of Katherine Parr who was taken to Wolf Hall in 1557 as an unwanted orphan and presumed dead after going missing as a child.
The painting is more than just a beautiful object from Alison’s past – it holds the key to her future, unlocking the mystery surrounding Mary’s disappearance, and the enigma of Alison’s son.
But Alison’s quest soon takes a dark and foreboding turn, as a meeting place called the Phantom Tree harbours secrets in its shadows…
I'm really excited to be part of the blog tour for author Nicola Cornick's latest release 'The Phantom Tree' today! I had the pleasure of reading her novel 'House of Shadows' last year, which was a really intriguing and enjoyable time-slip novel set in the 17th and 19th century and present day. Back then I was already keen to read more of Nicola's work, so I was really glad when I was asked to be part of this blog tour and said 'yes' straight away. I also have a great guest post from Nicola herself to share with all of you, so be sure to scroll down to also check that out, as well as the links of all the other blogs taking part in this tour, in case you'd like to read a bit more about the book!
Alison Bannister has been searching for her lost son Arthur for a long time already, but her time and place are making it quite difficult for her to trace him. Alison grew up during the sixteenth century, but now finds herself trapped in modern times, with no idea how to get herself back. Then she stumbles upon a portrait of what is said to be Anne Boleyn, but Alison immediately recognises as her cousin Mary Seymour. Mary promised to help Alison with the search for her son, so the portrait might include some clues to help Alison in the right direction. But will Alison be able to be helped by Mary, despite the time difference, and can she finally find what she has been looking for all this time and go back to where she believes she belongs...?
I love reading a good historical fiction book every now and again and I have to say Nicola Cornick is becoming one of my historical fiction authors to turn to. Her 2016 novel 'House of Shadows' was a great read and her latest release, 'The Phantom Tree', is another intriguing and well-written novel I thoroughly enjoyed. Time travel takes on an important role in this book, and while this is a topic that has always fascinated me, it's also a topic that needs to be approached in a particular way for it to be done well and convincingly. Nicola Cornick definitely managed to do that, and Alison's story grabbed my attention from the very beginning and held it until the last page. There was quite a bit going on in the story; more than enough to keep me guessing about the details and what would happen to all the characters.
I'm not a particular fan of the Tudor age, but this story really fascinated me. I love how the author actually used an existing person, Mary Seymour, to play a significant role in this book and decided to fill in some of the gaps herself. It really gave the story that special touch, if you ask me. If I have to give one point of critique I'd admit I didn't really warm to Alison that much, but perhaps this also has to do with the struggles she's facing which reflect on her behaviour and actions. However, overall, Nicola Cornick has definitely convinced me once again with her writing and I already can't wait for her next novel. 'The Phantom Tree' is a well-written, intriguing and convincing historical fiction novel, and definitely one I can recommend to anyone looking for their next read!

Rating:9/10

  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 Nicola Cornick

I'm both honoured and excited to welcome Nicola Cornick herself to the blog today to celebrate the release of her latest novel, 'The Phantom Tree'! Below you can find a special guest post from Nicola herself in which she tells us a bit more about one of the main characters in her novel, Mary Seymour!

The Theories, Myths and Stories surrounding Mary Seymour
Mary Seymour is the ultimate mysterious historical heroine. The known facts of her life are so few that she is a gift for an author who enjoys filling the gaps in research with historical imagination. I was drawn to tell Mary’s story because lesser-known historical women appeal to me. I want to bring them into the light.
Mary Seymour was born in August 1548 at Sudeley Castle. That much we do know. She was the daughter and only child of Thomas, Baron Seymour, brother of the more famous Jane, and Katherine Parr, the sixth wife and widow of King Henry VIII, who had married the previous year. Katherine died only five days later as a result of complications arising from childbirth leaving all her fortune to her husband. Less than a year after that, Thomas was executed for treason and his estates confiscated, leaving Mary a penniless orphan before the age of one.
It is a curious thing that no one in either of Mary’s extended families, the Seymours or the Parrs, was prepared to give her a home. Instead she went to live with the Katherine Willoughby, Duchess of Suffolk, who had been a close friend of her mother. However the destitute Mary was a drain on the Duchess’s financial resources and one of the few references we have to her is when Katherine complained that she received no payment for looking after the “late Queen’s child.”
Mary disappeared from the historical record in 1550 and after that, myths and theories abound as to her fate. Author Agnes Strickland claimed that Mary had survived into adulthood and married Sir Edward Bushell, a courtier in the household of Queen Anne of Denmark. However, no evidence has been found to support this. Similarly, the idea that Mary was sent to Ireland to live with a family called Hart, a band of pirates who had known her father, is colourful but not proven. An epitaph in a book written by Katherine Parr’s chaplain in 1573 could refer to Mary but no grave has ever been found. She remains an intriguing mystery.
The Phantom Tree by Nicola Cornick is out now (£7.99, HQ) 

Blog Tour: 'The Dress' by Sophie Nicholls!

Meet Ella and her mother Fabbia Moreno who arrive in York, one cold January day, to set up their vintage dress shop.
The flamboyant Fabbia wants to sell beautiful dresses to nice people and move on from her difficult past. Ella just wants to fit in. But not everyone is on their side.
Will Fabbia overcome the prejudices she encounters? What's the dark secret she's hiding? And do the silk linings and concealed seams of her dresses contain real spells or is this all just 'everyday magic'?
Among the leopard-print shoes, tea-gowns and costume jewellery in Fabbia's shop are many different stories - and the story of one particular dress.
Today I'm really quite excited to be part of the blog tour for a novel I've been looking forward to reading for several weeks now, namely Sophie Nicholl's 'The Dress'! The book was released by Bonnier Zaffre on July 28th and is my first experience with Sophie Nicholl's writing. I'm really a girly-girl when it comes to pretty dresses, so I straight away really liked the sound of this novel and fell in love with the gorgeous book cover. Needless to say, I couldn't wait to check out this novel! I've got some exclusive content from Sophie Nicholl's herself as well, so be sure to scroll down to take a look and visit some of the other blogs on the tour as well, you can find the names on the blog tour poster!
Fifteen-year-old Ella and her mother Fabbia Moreno have left their life in Eastbourne behind to start over in York, where Fabbia has plans to start her own vintage clothing store. Fabbia has always had a love for glamour and beautiful clothes and loves nothing more than to share her passion with others and help them pick out the right outfit. Ella can’t help but struggle with her mother’s personality every now and again, because all she wants is to fit in and be accepted. Luckily, Ella finds a friend in Billy and Katrina, who is the daughter of rich housewife Jean Cusworth. While Ella tries her best to lead a normal life, Fabbia is focused on moving on from her past; a past that always manages to catch up with her eventually, no matter what or where she goes…
I was really curious to check out Sophie Nicholl’s ‘The Dress’ and I’m happy to say that after just a few chapters I was already hooked by the story and that stayed that way until the very last chapter. I personally love novels that have a touch of magic to them and that’s definitely the case with this book. I was intrigued by both Ella and Fabbia, who each had their own story to share, and just really enjoyed reading about them. I could understand Ella on the one hand, because I still remember what it is like to be a teenage girl, looking for a way to fit in and wanting others to understand you, but I also felt for Fabbia and really admired her passion for clothing and wanting to give her daughter a good life. It really felt like these characters have a lot of stories to tell, which is also why I was really happy when I discovered this is the start of a series and I’m already looking forward to reading more.
The novel reminded me a bit of Menna van Praag’s ‘The Dress Shop of Dreams’, which I read last year and can highly recommend. There are some similarities between the two novels, but Sophie Nicholls definitely managed to give this story her own twist. I really enjoyed her writing style which includes some great descriptions of all the amazing clothes and was just really comfortable to read. I also loved how each chapter starts with a reference to a specific piece of clothing or accessory, and how the novel was occasionally interrupted by a story that played an important role in Fabbia and Ella’s lives. Overall, I think ‘The Dress’ is an enchanting, well-written and captivating read which I thoroughly enjoyed from start to finish; author Sophie Nicholls has that touch of magic and I already can’t wait to see what she will come up with next!

Rating:9/10

  For more information about this book: Amazon.co.uk/ Amazon.com / Goodreads
The Dress by Sophie Nicholls is published on 28th July by Tweny7; paperback, £7.99
Thanks to the author for providing me with a review copy in exchange for an honest review.

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Guest Post by Sophie Nicholls!

How to make time for writing in a very busy life Before my daughter was born, I would get up at 5am every morning to write before I began work. This was my time, time to indulge my passion. It was precious time, when the house was still dark and quiet, just me and the glow of my computer screen, my hands moving over the keyboard in perfect rhythm. 
But then my little girl was born and things changed. Suddenly, those hours of silence, my hard-won prize for dragging myself out of bed before sunrise, were no longer possible. Nights and days blurred together, punctuated only by the cries of a colicky baby. 
I remember tearfully wondering out loud to a friend, during that first year of motherhood, whether I would ever manage to write another word again. (In fact, I also seriously wondered if I would ever again manage to sleep for more than four hours straight. Or drink a cup of coffee whilst it was still hot.)
My friend, also a writer, shrugged and said, ‘You’re just going to have to think differently about writing. You’re not going to get that chunk of time – that early morning, that Saturday – for writing anymore. You’re going to have to learn to pop in and out of the ‘zone,’ write whenever you can, in snatched moments. Get used to it. That’s just the way things are now.’  
This turned out to be very good advice. Galvanised by my friend’s words, I stopped yearning for those uninterrupted stretches and started grabbing any moment I could. At first, I could write only when my daughter was napping or late at night, when I knew that I had at least a couple of hours before she’d wake for a feed again. The laundry and the clearing-up would have to wait, I told myself. I’m not a writer anymore unless I write. 
And so I did. I wrote with a new sense of urgency. I wrote as if my life depended upon it. And perhaps it did.
I’m not saying that everything I wrote during those times was my best work. Often, it would be sleep-deprived drivel. But at least I was writing again – and that felt good. 
In between these short bursts, I’d fill my notebooks with ideas, or scribble notes on the backs of receipts, cardboard packaging, paper napkins, whatever I could grab. Feeding times proved to be excellent opportunities to write in my head. I’d cradle my daughter and dream up plot lines, working through bits of dialogue. This way, as soon as I did manage to grab an hour here to perfect, a story beat to hit. I maximised every bit of time that fell randomly into my lap.  I stopped waiting for the perfect writing time to arrive. My writing desk, previously my sacred space, gradually heaped up with household bills, old magazines, the ironing. My laptop, my notebook, post-it notes, those paper napkins, became my best friends.
These days, my daughter is four and I do have a desk again and even a room of my own, of sorts, in our spare bedroom. But right now, for example, I’m writing this article with my laptop balanced on my knees in the changing room outside my daughter’s ballet lesson. 
I’m not the writer who needs perfect quiet anymore, uninterrupted stretches to create and dream and get the first draft down. I’ve trained myself to tune out all the noise. I can write in a crowded café or in the twenty minute gap between a tutorial with a student and the school pick-up. I can even write with Peppa Pig blaring out in the background. Well, sometimes. 
I won’t say that it’s easy. I’m sure that I often appear absent-minded, even obsessive. (I think all writers are, by nature, at least a little obsessive.) My long-suffering partner has got used to me banging on, over dinner, about a plot line, sounding out an idea. He’s endlessly patient with my explanations of character or background. Just the act of talking a storyline through out loud often helps me to get it straight – ready for when the next writing opportunity comes along.  
And I think that, for me, that really is the key to the art of writing in the gaps. It’s about knowing what comes next. 
Write in the gaps. Use the in-between times. Most importantly of all, just write.

Thanks so much, Sophie!

Review & Guest Post: 'Letting You Go' by Anouska Knight (2015)

What if a tragedy occurred and you only had yourself to blame? How do you move on from the past?

Alex Foster lives a quiet life, avoiding the home she hasn’t visited in eight years. Then her sister Jaime calls. Their mother is sick, and Alex must return. Suddenly she’s plunged back into the past she’s been trying to escape.

Returning to her hometown, memories of the tragic accident that has haunted her and her family are impossible to ignore. Alex still blames herself for what happened to her brother and it’s soon clear that her father holds her responsible too. As Alex struggles to cope, can she ever escape the ghosts of the past?

I've got a great review to share with all of you today! Great because it is actually a great review because I really enjoyed this book, but also great because I had been looking forward to reading an Anouska Knight novel for so long and was over the moon when I received a review copy of her latest release 'Letting You Go'! I had heard so many positive things about this author's work from other readers and bloggers, and somehow I've never managed to actually sit down and give one of her other novels a try. So, it was about time I was introduced to Anouska Knight's writing and I couldn't wait to dive into this gorgeous book (don't you just love the cover?)!

After a tragic accident tore Alex and her family apart, she decided to leave her home town of Eilidh Falls for good, not just leaving her mother, father and younger sister Jem behind, but also Finn, the love of her life. Because her father has seemed not able to forgive her, Alex hardly has any contact with her family and after having quit her studies, spends her days working and blaming herself for what happened all those years ago. When Alex's mother unexpectedly ends up in the hospital with a suspected stroke, Alex knows she has no other choice but to go back to Eilidh Falls. The ghosts of her past immediately come back to haunt her, but Alex realises it might be time to confront her fears and stop hiding from everything and everyone that once meant so much to her.

I have a feeling Anouska Knight’s ‘Letting You Go’ will stay with me for quite some time to come. The story really grabbed me and I ended up warming to all of the characters, not wanting to put down the book until I had reached the very last page. It took me a while to pick up my first Anouska Knight  novel, but I have to say I am glad it was ‘Letting You Go’ because it has definitely made me want to read more of her novels in the future. The novel has a story about family and love at its core and is filled with lots of emotions. The book already starts with a heartbreaking moment, namely the accident that caused the death of protagonist Alex’s little brother Dillon. This is the event that changed everything for the, sometimes quite complex but really authentic, characters in the book, which focuses on the different fascinating relationships between them. I specifically loved the relationship between Alex and her sister Jem, and Alex and her ex-boyfriend Finn. 

The book is quite a long read with almost 500 pages. While I did think the story was a bit unnecessarily slow-paced at times, I was taken in by the author’s detailed writing style and the way she managed to get different emotions across on paper. It really felt like I went on a journey with these characters, unveiling secrets along the way, and as we got further I enjoyed it more and more. It is quite a heavy book, but not too heavy for it to no longer be enjoyable. I thought ‘Letting You Go’ was a stunning, beautifully written and emotional read about family and the power of forgiveness. I’m so glad I was provided with the chance to review this book and I am sure this will not be my last Anouska Knight novel!
Rating:9/10

  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 Anouska Knight!
I'm both honoured and excited to welcome Anouska Knight to the blog today! I was provided with the opportunity to give Anouska a topic to write about for a special guest post for 'A Spoonful of Happy Endings' and I asked her to tell us a bit more about how she finds the inspiration for her novels and whether she has any writing rituals she wants to share with us!

I’m not really sure where the first whiff of an idea comes from (and it is only a whiff) but thankfully it does! Eventually. There’s a lot of idle pondering, on the school run, around the supermarket, in the shower etc. A lot of vacant staring. Lately, I’ve found swimming helps. The exercise keeps the blood pumping nicely so I’m alert, plus no one bugs me for an hour (or until the vending machine lures me out) which is ace! But a spark of an idea is all you really need to begin with and once it comes, you just think on it some more. 
With each of my books so far, I suppose that spark has had roots somewhere in the things that worry me personally… the thought of losing my best friend and husband as Holly did in Since You’ve Been Gone, or feeling out of control of my own situation as did Amy in A Part Of Me. More recently with Letting You Go, it was the idea of being responsible for something so catastrophic my family would never recover. Awful!
But there are also the odd occasions where a throwaway comment or a setting can trigger a plot idea too. In Letting You Go Dillon Foster’s character came to me after I’d been walking beside the river that cuts through the village near to where I’d just dropped my little boys off at school. A gang of us used to mess around down there as teenagers on hot summer afternoons. We didn’t think much about the dangers back then because teenagers don’t. But as a mum to mischievous boys, it looks very different now. Accidents happen, in a blink. After an accident like Dill’s, nothing is ever the same again.     
When it comes to the actual writing itself, I guess my only ‘rituals’ are grabbing a cuppa, finding a plug socket and putting as much space between me and the rest of the rabble as possible. Once I’ve got the triggering event sorted in my head though, I do like to have a good root around my music collection and start piecing together a playlist that will see me through the writing ahead. Usually they’re songs that fit with the themes I think will be running through the book, but also they’re songs that help me get in the right sort of headspace to write about certain emotions. 
There are times though that even the music doesn’t help the writing along and I feel like I need to clear my head and come at it all from a different angle. I hate when that happens, but when it does, and invariably it does at least once with each book, I tend to take myself off up Cannock Chase and blow the cobwebs away. I’m lucky to live so close to all that woodland and it’s perfect for clearing the mind. You have to remember, I share my home with four fellas… I usually have to find my zen somewhere outside of the house! 

Thanks so much, Anouska! :)

Guest post by Sophie King!

I'm really excited to have a special guest post from wonderful author Sophie King on the blog today! Scroll down to read Sophie's post 'Unusual Weddings', to learn a bit more about her latest release 'The Wedding Party' and be in with the chance to win a wedding gift experience voucher from Tinggly.com! 
UNUSUAL WEDDINGS by SOPHIE KING

The bride wore white. White thermals. The groom wore a hat. A bobble one. The guests were blue with cold. Which wasn’t surprising. Because the ‘registry office’ was on the top of a very high hill in Scotland.
Jill and Robbie are keen mountaineers. “We couldn’t imagine getting married inside,” said Jill. “It might have been a bit nippy, But it was a perfect day.”
Nowadays, weddings are getting more and more unusual as I found out when researching my latest novel THE WEDDING PARTY. In fact, getting married on a mountain is small fry compared with getting married in the basket of a hot air balloon. “We didn’t want a big wedding,” said Simon, who recently plighted his troth with Mandy. “But we couldn’t work out how to restrict the number of our guests. Then we saw an advert for hot air balloon weddings. It seemed the answer to our problems. There was only space for eight people – so we restricted it to close family.”
Well it’s one way of sorting out the guest list! Or you could go for a full strike like the couple who got married in a bowling alley recently. Talk about being knocked for six!
Perhaps you fancy a museum, instead, although personally I wouldn’t like a dinosaur looking over my shoulder. Frankly, I’d rather get married in a treehouse. See www.the-lodge-scotland.com. Or maybe in a castle in full Elizabethan dress like a friend of mine (who got divorced two years later).
But it’s not just the venue that makes an unusual wedding. It’s also the company. Recently, my second husband and I went to our first same-sex wedding reception. We were still there at midnight – no one wanted to leave because there were so many interesting people to talk to. The couple also gave a really moving speech about how much it meant to have the support of their families and friends.
Sometimes, unusual weddings happen without you meaning them to! When I got married for the second time, my husband and I decided to have our ceremony in a church without electricity in the Lake District. We wanted something simple and close to the earth. But we hadn’t reckoned on one of the worst storms of the decade! My husband’s had to discard his soaking wet wedding trousers and don jeans. And I wore a pair of pink Wellington boots underneath my halter-neck Amanda Wakeley designer dress! The yew tree outside the church, swayed so violently during the service, that it threatened to crash into the stained glass window. And the mud outside the church was so thick that my groom had to carry me to the car! It was certainly a day to remember.
But maybe the most unusual weddings are the ones that are usual. A simple ‘I do’ without any frills. I have some friends who got married in their work clothes and asked two strangers off the street to be their witnesses at the registration office. That was thirty four years ago. And they’re still going strong ...   
NOTE: Some of the names in this post have been changed!

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The Wedding Party by Sophie King

Sophie King’s popular romantic comedy is published in a brand new ebook edition. Shortlisted for Love Story of the Year by the Romantic Novelists’ Association in 2010.
’An absorbing, feel-good novel ‒ I really enjoyed it.’ Penny Vincenzi
When Monique and Geoff decide to tie the knot they soon discover that love second time around brings special challenges. And not just for them. There are ups and downs for family, friends, the wedding planner, and even the vicar as the big day approaches.
Geoff’s ex-wife can’t accept that he has moved on. Could a chance meeting help Helen come to the right decision about her future?
Their daughter, Becky, doesn’t approve of her dad’s bride-to-be. But as she juggles motherhood and a high-powered career, will she realise it’s her own marriage that needs most attention?
Janie was sacked from her last job as a wedding planner for being so disorganised. Is she really the right choice to help the happy couple get hitched without a hitch?
Mel swapped a job in advertising for a new life as a vicar. But can she keep her faith after an accident which turns her family’s world upside down?
Family and friends learn that the course of true love never did run smooth, and there really is no such thing as a stress-free wedding. But can they each still find their own happy ever after?

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WIN AN £80 WEDDING GIFT EXPERIENCE VOUCHER FROM TINGGLY.COM!
To celebrate the publication of "The Wedding Party", thanks to the lovely people at gift experience company Tinggly, we have a voucher worth £80 for any one experience worldwide from their Essential Collection. The ideal present for friends or family who are about to tie the knot!
To be in with a chance, simply email your answer to the following question to sophie@greatstorieswithheart.com by midnight BST on 10th August 2015.
Question: What is the name of Geoff's daughter in "The Wedding Party" by Sophie King?
See the full range at www.tinggly.com. Voucher must be used by 25/6/2017. Entry will be chosen at random. Emails and contents will not be shared with any third party and will be deleted after the competition. Competition run by Wyndham Media Ltd. Judges decision is final. Good luck!

Review & Guest Post: 'A Country Practice' by Judith Colquhoun (2015)

It’s 1981 and a desperate woman arrives at the Wandin Valley Bush Nursing Hospital in the final stages of labour. Can Dr Terence Elliott overcome his demons to save both mother and baby? 
Simon Bowen, the newest doctor in town, is frustrated at being seen as an outsider by the tight knit country folk. Will he succeed in winning them around ‒ especially young vet Vicky Dean? 
Vicky’s mum, Sister Shirley Dean, is courted by widowed police sergeant Frank Gilroy. But is he the man for her? 
Brendan and Molly Jones arrive in Wandin Valley. Are they prepared for the realities of country life? 
Meanwhile, a teenager in love clashes with her father and a serious car accident reveals a surprising secret about two of the town’s residents.
Today I have a review of the first part of an exciting new book series from Corazon Books to share with all of you! 'A Country Practice' was an award-winning and international hit TV series years ago which focused on the community of Wandin Valley in New South Wales, Australia, in the 1980s. One of the writers of the show, Judith Colquhoun, decided to bring the series back to life but in a new form, namely as a collection of books. The first part of the book series, 'New Beginnings', was released on the 12th of June and I was lucky enough to get a review copy. You can not only read my review below, but also a special guest post from Ian Skillicorn from Corazon Books to tell us a bit more about the original TV show on which the book is based!
'A Country Practice: New Beginnings' is the first part of a book series set in the 1980s in the town of Wandin Valley in New South Wales, Australia. Like every other town, all the inhabitants have their own stories to tell and secrets to hide. There's new doctor Simon Bowen, who is trying to find his place at Wandin Valley Bush Nursing Hospital, while also trying to win over charming vet Vicky Dean. Brendan and Molly Jones have just moved into the area, living the dream of having their own farm house. However, Brendan has some crazy working hours as a nurse at the hospital and Molly starts to doubt their decision realising she's alone in a strange house most of the time. And when two of the town's inhabitants are involved in a serious car crash, things get even more exciting and surprising for the residents of Wandin Valley.
Before I received a review copy of Judith Colquhoun's 'A Country Practice: New Beginnings' I have to admit I didn't know anything about the TV series the book is based on. Luckily, this didn't form a problem because I was able to just dive into the story without any prior knowledge. The story is set in a town in Australia in the 1980s and focuses mainly on the town hospital. There are a lot of different characters who each have their own storyline and I personally really enjoyed the fast pace of the book and the switching between the different storylines. All characters had something interesting to share, resulting in an entertaining and enjoyable read. My personal favourites, though, are young vet Vicky Dean and married couple Molly and Brendan who have just moved to the area. I immediately warmed to these characters and can't wait to hopefully read more about them in the upcoming parts of the book series.
While the book is easy to get into and comfortable to read, I do think it shines through that the story is based on a TV show. Some scenes are described like made-for-TV situations and I definitely would have liked a bit more background information on the different characters; their histories, their personalities, etc. Even though I missed the detail in places, it was still a really enjoyable read and I am already curious about what will happen in the next part of the series! Overall, ‘A Country Practice’ is an enthralling, entertaining, fast-paced read that managed to hold my attention until the very last page; a promising start to this new series!

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 Ian Skillicorn
I'm really happy to have a special guest post to share with all of you today from Ian Skillicorn from Corazon Books in which he tells us a bit more about 'A Country Practice'!

Welcome to Australia's Best-Loved Country Town For more than ten years, millions of viewers were glued to their TVs each week to see the latest episodes in the lives and loves of a small Australian country town. The action in A Country Practice centred on the Wandin Valley Bush Nursing Hospital, the doctors and nurses who worked there, and the local townsfolk. The programme was a hit because of its mixture of drama and comedy, and the likeable characters who became well-loved around the world. This was long before Neighbours and Home and Away had arrived on our screens and when, here in the UK, daytime telly consisted of a stream of popular Aussie soaps.
Like Doctors and Holby City/Casualty today, A Country Practice combined the ongoing stories of the regular characters with guest characters who would leave after their storyline was resolved. Regular cast members included Shane Withington and Georgie Parker (who now play John and Roo in Home and Away), and some of the guests were young actors who went on to international fame, such as Nicole Kidman, Simon Baker and Delta Goodrem. But it wasn't just the people on the show who became hugely popular. According to our Facebook page it seems one of the best-remembered stars was the wombat called Fatso!
Corazon Books has been publishing popular medical fiction for a while now, and I was delighted when the creator of A Country Practice gave us a licence to publish a series of novels based on the programme. Shortly afterwards, I was thrilled when one of the show's original scripwriters, Judith Colquhoun, agreed to write the novels. For the first novel, A Country Practice: New Beginnings, we've gone right back to the start of the story, to introduce readers to the inhabitants of Wandin Valley.
A Country Practice is set in the early 1980s in what now seems, in some respects, a gentler time – before the internet and mobile phones had taken over our lives. But the issues faced by the characters are just as relevant to us today: love and hate, family and friends, life and death, secrets and lies – it's all there!
When I was a schoolboy I would record A Country Practice (shown in the afternoons) during the day on our video recorder, and watch it in the evening while I did my homework. [Ahem] years later … it's a great privilege to be part of this new chapter in the life of an Australian television institution. I hope you'll enjoy your visit to Wandin Valley and meeting the engaging characters whose lives revolve around A Country Practice.
Thanks so much, Ian!

Review & Guest Post: 'Home Comforts' by Ali Chrisp (2015)

Jo Longford's life takes an unexpected turn when her bosses wrongly accuse her of stealing from a client. Suddenly, she needs to find a new job and a new home for herself and ten-year-old son, Tom. Not to mention their small menagerie of badly behaved pets. 
Her selfish mum isn't much help; obsessed with keeping up appearances, nothing her daughter does is ever good enough for her. But at least Jo can rely on best friend Val for support. They've been getting themselves into mischief since they were teenagers, and that includes an eventful school reunion and joining a cringeworthy dating agency. Some things never change! 
Life certainly doesn’t get any easier for Jo. Will she be able to fend off her sex-mad landlord – a retired businessman who struts around in Lycra and thinks he’s God’s gift to women? Are her new employer and quirky clients at the Handy Jobs Domiciliary Care Agency all they seem? 
And will Jo ever be able to sort out her chaotic love life when two equally unsuitable men gatecrash her world?
I've had the pleasure of being in contact with publisher Corazon Books for quite some time now and during that time I have had the chance to read and review several of their novels (most recently Sue Shepherd's 'Doesn't Everyone Have a Secret?', click here to read my review). On the 24th of May, their newest release 'Home Comforts' by Ali Chrisp hit the shelves and I'm excited to share my review of the book with you all today. Author Ali Chrisp won the Write Time Novel Award and 'Home Comforts' is her debut novel which is described as a heart-warming comedy. Based on my experiences with the publisher so far, I definitely looked forward to sitting down with this read and once again sharing my views on the book with my lovely readers!
Jo Longford is a working single mom which means life can be a bit tricky sometimes. Luckily, she has her great ten-year-old son Tom, her best friend Val and a steady job. Until Jo is unexpectedly fired when her bosses incorrectly accuse her of stealing from a client. Suddenly, Jo finds herself worrying about everything: she needs a new job, a new place for her and Tom and their pets to live, and how can she add some spice back into her love life? Jo is over the moon when she manages to find a temporary job and place to stay in one; she'd rather deal with her new sex-mad landlord than her mum who always has an opinion on everything she does. Jo is determined to start afresh, but this definitely comes with its own challenges...
I fell in love with the book cover of 'Home Comforts' the first time I saw it and I sincerely hoped the story inside would fit it. After having read the book, I understand why author Ali Chrisp won the Write Time Novel Award because her debut release is a fun and warm-hearted romantic comedy read which I really enjoyed. The story's main protagonist, Jo, is really likeable and I was immediately rooting for her. Her son Tom is such a cute and good kid, and I loved how the author introduced other interesting characters to the story as we went along, such as Jo's crazy but loveable best friend Val and the endearing elderly Jack who is taking care of his wife and whom Jo becomes quite close to. I really enjoyed that Jo's storyline included several elements which resulted in me not getting bored with the story at any time and I felt comfortable just reading on and on, curious to see what would eventually happen to all the characters.
Ali Chrisp's writing style flowed well and was easy to get back into each time I picked up the novel again to continue reading. The fact that this is her debut novel is quite promising and I am already curious to see what else she will treat us to in the upcoming years. If you're a chick lit/romantic comedy fan and looking for a read about friendship, family, and a touch of romance, then definitely don't hesitate to pick this one up. 'Home Comforts' is a really lovely, warm-hearted, fun read which I thoroughly enjoyed from start to finish and a book I can definitely recommend!

Rating:9/10

  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 Ali Chrisp!
I have the lovely Ali Chrisp on the blog today to share a special post about Father's Day with all of us!

ON FATHER’S DAY – WISHING YOU WERE HERE
  On 21 June it will be Father’s Day and I will be celebrating it with my husband and son. We don’t make a big fuss – just a card and present and something special to eat. The day will also be tinged with sadness because it will be over ten years since my own dad passed away. I always describe him as a gentleman and a gentle man who loved his wife, three children and three grandchildren.    When my mum died after ten years of suffering from dementia, Dad was totally lost. He was of the generation when men were the breadwinners and did the DIY, driving and gardening; wives did the cooking, shopping and housework. When Mum’s health deteriorated he had to learn to cook basic meals and I remember him ringing me at work when the office was totally silent and I had to tell him how to make sardines on toast for the umpteenth time. These phone calls were made even more tortuous as he was very hard of hearing and kept telling me to spell certain words for him.  It certainly entertained my colleagues! 
  As my brother lives in America, my sister and I used to take it in turns to do Dad’s weekly shopping and we still laugh when we recall him reading the shopping list out over the phone and always giving us some mystery item that he’d seen advertised on TV or had always wanted to try. We used to waste so much time trying to find those things in the supermarket.
  He was certainly not free of health problems himself, having suffered from a stroke, heart problems, emphysema and chronic back pain.  He rarely complained and even bought a mobility scooter which he used to take into the local supermarket, terrorising the customers and running over their feet. When I got married, we decided that it would be too stressful for Dad to give the traditional ‘father of the bride’ speech so my brother offered to do it instead.  After putting himself through the ordeal, my brother couldn’t believe it when Dad stood up and gave an impromptu speech which included a very long joke that ended with, ‘and sod your Brighouse and Rastrick Brass Band’. It absolutely stole the show.
  Dad wasn’t a great fan of socialising and often couldn’t remember his work colleagues’ names if we bumped into them in town. He was also nearly as gaffe-prone as Prince Phillip, saying embarrassing things like, ‘what’s the girl with the blue national health specs called?’ when being introduced to the child’s father. 
  Proving that he was determined to live life to the full, he went to visit my brother in Texas and joined them on a cruise around the Cayman Islands.  On his first night back home, however, he had a fall and broke his leg. What should have been a short stay in hospital quickly escalated into pneumonia, followed by a fatal heart attack two weeks later.  I have an enduring image of him holding my hand and trying to kiss it through his oxygen mask.
  So this Father’s Day I will be remembering my lovely, brave Dad and celebrating all of the happy times we had together. If you’re reading these words and you’re finding your parents annoying or challenging at the moment, all I can say is make the most of them - they won’t be around forever.

Thanks so much for sharing this special post with us today, Ali!

Message from author Fia Essen!

Today I have a special message from author Fia Essen about her latest release 'Ariel'!

Hello!
My name is Fia Essen and I’m an author. I’ve written and published two novels and I’m currently working on a third. Even though writing isn’t exactly a 9-5 occupation, I think of it as a job. And spreading the word about my books is a part of the job. Today, Jody has very graciously let me take up space on her blog so I can tell you a little about “Ariel”.
Ariel is a half-English, half-American, lifelong expat who was born in Hong Kong and now lives in Singapore. At the age of thirty-four, she is in debt and out of luck. She used to have a great career, a penthouse she shared with her boyfriend of ten years, and a group of fun friends. Now she has a dead-end job, a rented hovel of a home, and a rising stack of unpaid bills to keep her company.
Her friends and family think she quit her job. She didn’t. They think she was the one who ended the relationship with her boyfriend. She didn’t do that either. They also think she quit driving due to a sudden concern about her carbon footprint. But the truth is her license to drive was revoked when she was arrested for driving under the influence of red wine mixed with diazepam. She had only consumed half a glass of wine and she thought she had taken regular painkillers, not prescription drugs, which she tried to explain to the arresting officer but he wasn’t in the mood to listen to her explanation.
Just when Ariel is starting to fear she will never be able to get her life back on track, she is contacted by the mysterious Muse Agency. Suddenly, she is forced to question everything she thought she knew about herself and those around her.    
Ariel, in essence, is a story about finding the courage to pick yourself up when you’ve hit rock-bottom and starting over. And, of course, Ariel does meet a charming Irishman. But will she have the guts to take a chance on love again? 
I’d absolutely love it if you read the book and find out!
You can find Ariel on Amazon in paperback and Kindle here: http://mybook.to/ariel
And if you’d like to get social with me, you can…
Visit my Website – http://www.fiaessen.com/ Follow me on Twitter – @FiaEssen https://twitter.com/FiaEssen Join me on Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/fiaessen 
Thank you!
Fia

Blog Tour: 'No Place For a Lady' by Gill Paul!

Another amazing blog tour which I am incredibly excited to be a part of stops by 'A Spoonful of Happy Endings' today, namely the tour for Gill Paul's latest release 'No Place For a Lady'. The e-book version of the novel was released on the 4th of June and the paperback version will follow on the 2nd of July. I honestly can't wait to pick up 'No Place For a Lady' which sounds like an intriguing historical read. I have a special guest post from Gill herself on the blog today, in which she tells us all a bit more about why she writes historical novels. Be sure to check it out below!
Why I write historical novels By Gill Paul How on earth did I get into this? It would be so much easier to write fiction set in the present day, in the town where I live, based on characters I know, but I must be a glutton for punishment because I seem to be stuck on writing historical novels, with No Place for a Lady my fifth so far. 
I blame my mother. She was a Jean Plaidy fan so my first taste of adult books was reading her Tudor and Stuart series with their old-fashioned illustrations of ladies in fancy gowns on the covers. Mum also loved the Sunday night historical dramas on the tele so I sat with her through series like Jewel in the Crown and the original Poldark, long before Aiden Turner ripped open his shirt. We liked Antonia Fraser biographies and we wept over Gone with the Wind, Gandhi and Schindler’s List. As a teenager I had quite a crush on Charles II, fantasising about being one of his mistresses, before progressing into my Anne Frank phase. I always wanted to be a novelist, and when I started writing my passion for history led me straight back to the past.
The first problem with writing historical fiction is the huge amount of research you have to do. Some writers don’t bother with the minutiae but I like to get every single detail correct: the clothes, the food, which mod cons they would have had, the social etiquette, the way they spent their leisure time. My readers let me know if I get the teensiest little thing wrong  (thank you for that, by the way – I can always correct the ebooks). Because of this, I have usually been researching for about six months before I even start the first chapter so that’s why I could never produce more than one book a year, and No Place for a Lady is my first in two years. It’s not that I’m sitting at home twiddling my thumbs… honest!
When working out the plot, I stick to the sequence of historical events, so that roughly determines the structure. I couldn’t have Florence Nightingale eloping with a Russian general. Heavens, no! I have lots of real-life characters in there and feel a responsibility to represent them accurately. Where possible I get experts to check them: the director of the Florence Nightingale Museum very kindly read the proofs of No Place for a Lady and corrected a few things for me.
Historical novels shouldn’t ever feel like a history lesson. I like to immerse myself completely in the period and know a huge amount that I will never use so that I can tell the story with just enough detail to set the scene and keep it effortless for readers. It’s tricky when there’s a complex political backdrop, as with the Crimean War, which is why I’ve got into the habit of writing a ‘historical afterword’ for those who want to know more – but you can also skip it if you prefer.
So why do it? Because history has all the best stories. You simply couldn’t make them up. As the old adage goes, truth is far, far stranger than fiction. I love the fact that people 160 years ago were motivated by the same human emotions that drive us today, so they behave in ways we can empathise with. I like taking my characters and putting them in extreme situations to see how they react. And what could be more extreme than putting two genteel middle-class Victorian ladies in a chaotic, gory war zone, 1,500 miles from home?
Hope you enjoy 'No Place for a Lady'! Thanks so much for having me on the blog!
Thank YOU, Gill! :)