Review: 'The Sunshine and Biscotti Club' by Jenny Oliver (2016)

Moving to Italy to set up a baking club is a dream come true…
…until Libby catches her husband cheating just weeks before The Sunshine and Biscotti Club opens its doors.
With the first wave of guests set to arrive any day, Libby has no choice but to tie on her apron and get set to bake. But with a dash of sunshine and a sprinkling of old friends, Libby’s kitchen nightmare might just become the best thing that’s ever happened to her.
After all, you can’t bake biscotti without breaking a few eggs…
Last year I got the chance to read and review 'The Grand Reopening of the Dandelion Cafe' (click here to read my review), which was my first experience with author Jenny Oliver's writing. I always see a lot of positive messages about her writing on Twitter and other blogs and have to admit I love the titles and covers of her works. However, up until now I just haven't really had the chance to actually read more of her writing, until 'The Sunshine and Biscotti Club', that is! Thanks to the lovely people over at publisher Carina I got a review copy and as it was pouring down with rain last week, I decided I needed a bit of sunshine in my life and the gorgeous book cover and promising book blurb had me feeling that was exactly what this read would bring me...!
Libby is living the dream; she's a popular food blogger about to open her very own hotel/baking club in beautiful Tuscany. The only problem is that she expected to do this together with her husband Jake; the same husband she discovered was actually cheating on her and has now left the country. Luckily, Libby quickly realises she is not completely alone; she has her group of old university friends to fall back on as they all make their way to Italy to help out with the renovations and start-up of the Sunshine and Biscotti Club. Will Libby be able to pull this off by herself in just a few weeks' time, especially when not just her friends but their individual problems are also thrown into the mix...?
Jenny Oliver's 'The Sunshine and Biscotti Club' is the kind of read that's great for a lovely warm day in the garden or the beach, or a rather chilly or rainy day when you're craving that bit of sunshine and holiday feeling. The book focuses on main character Libby who is busy starting up her own hotel and baking club in Italy but needs to call in the help of her friends when her husband turns out to have been cheating on her. Next to Libby, we meet all of her friends with a specific focus on Evie (who is stuck in an unhappy marriage with two children and needs a break from it all) and Jessica (who is a complete workaholic that devotes all her time to her own design agency, but decides she could use a quick break away from it all). The reader gets to follow these three female characters with chapters told from each of their point of view, with the Sunshine and Biscotti club at the centre of it all.
I don't know whether I maybe had too high expectations of this novel going into it, but I didn't enjoy it as much as I initially hoped I would. I liked Libby, but didn't really warm to her, and neither did I with any of the other characters. Especially the male characters confused me a bit; I couldn't remember who was who and missed some background information and character details. I was also a bit disappointed there was hardly any attention paid to the actual Sunshine and Biscotti club and the hotel. I definitely think the potential for an amazing story is there, it just didn't really work for me personally, but other readers might disagree, and rightfully so. I have no doubt I will pick up another of Jenny Oliver's novels in the future, but while 'The Sunshine and Biscotti Club' is an enjoyable and fun read, it just didn't quite live up to my expectations.

Rating:7,5/10

  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.

New Release: 'Lizzie's Christmas Escape' by Christie Barlow

Every Christmas Lizzie promises herself that things will change and she will leap into the new year a new woman. And yet here she is again, at the beginning of December and nothing is different. Her girls have grown up and left home, her husband Henry is slumped in front of the TV and she is alone in the kitchen, seeking refuge in the cooking sherry and talking to her Gary Barlow calendar. She’s also been very diverted by handsome new neighbour Marcus and she knows she shouldn’t be …

So when best friend Ann suggests a weekend away in the country, Lizzie jumps at the chance. Will this Christmas escape give Lizzie some much needed perspective and allow her to mend her marriage? Or will Marcus prove to be too much of a distraction?

Yesterday, on 21 October, Christie Barlow's latest novel 'Lizzie's Christmas Escape' was released and it's an October release I can't wait to pick up myself. I really enjoyed Christie Barlow's novel 'Kitty's Countryside Dream' and have been looking forward to picking up another one of her books. Next to that, this book has just a lovely festive cover and I can't wait to dive into this year's Christmas novels... Definitely at the top of my October wishlist!

Amazon.co.uk / Amazon.com / Goodreads

Review: 'Saving Phoebe Murrow' by Herta Feely (2016)

Phoebe's mother, Isabel, is precariously balancing her career and her family. Hard-working and caring, worried but supportive, all Isabel wants, in a world of bullies and temptations, is to keep her daughter Phoebe safe. With her busy schedule, though, she fails to recognize another mother's mounting fury and the danger Phoebe faces by flirting with a mysterious boy on Facebook. A cyber-bullying episode aimed at Phoebe pushes her to the edge with horrific consequences. In her search for justice, Isabel, a DC lawyer, sets out to find the culprit behind this cruel incident.

Today I've got quite an interesting review to share with all of you, if I may say so myself. One of the positive things about being a book blogger is that you get approached by publishers and authors to read and review specific books, which also provides you with the opportunity to pick up some novels you might not have read otherwise. I think this is the case with Herta Feely's 'Saving Phoebe Murrow'; knowing me, I don't think I would have as quickly read this novel as I ended up doing now, because it was offered to me for review. Another great thing about book blogging, especially if you end up enjoying the book more than you thought you would...!

As a working mother and wife, Isabel's main goal in life seems to be making sure all the balls are kept in the air. She loves her job as a Washington DC lawyer, but at the same time she wants to be a good mum to her kids, especially her fourteen-year-old daughter Phoebe who has had some problems in the past. Phoebe has a history of self-harm, mainly caused by bullies at school, and Isabel hopes a new school will fix these issues. However, Phoebe's age means she's now slowly getting into touch with boys and alcohol, and Isabel can't seem to switch off her panic-mode. But it's not until Phoebe meets a new online friend that things slowly start to go in a downwards spiral.

'Saving Phoebe Murrow' is a contemporary and convincing novel about the effects of bullying, the pressure of belonging and fitting the picture, and the relationship between mother and daughter. It's also a strong debut novel by author Herta Feely, and a read that made quite an impression on me. The book itself is character-driven with a strong focus on the different characters, particularly teenager Phoebe and her mother Isabel. I thought both characters were interesting and even though there's not too much going on in the story plotwise, I was fascinated from the beginning of the novel until the end and wanted to keep on reading, curious to discover where things would lead.

I actually wasn't too sure what to think about the cover of the book, but another reviewer actually pointed me at the significant use of the butterfly; a beautiful insect that only gets hurt when stopped from flying and kept in a glass case, which is undoubtedly linked to the story inside this novel. I really enjoyed the author's well-paced and detailed writing style and already  look forward to Herta Feely's next novel. On the whole, 'Saving Phoebe Murrow' is a compelling contemporary read, perfect for women's fiction fans; an intriguing and well-written story and a read that actually managed to surprised me!
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.