Blog Tour: 'Last Dance in Havana' by Rosanna Ley!

Cuba, 1958. Elisa is only sixteen years old when she meets Duardo and she knows he's the love of her life from the moment they first dance the rumba together in downtown Havana. But Duardo is a rebel, determined to fight in Castro's army, and Elisa is forced to leave behind her homeland and rebuild her life in distant England. But how can she stop longing for the warmth of Havana, when the music of the rumba still calls to her?

England, 2012. Grace has a troubled relationship with her father, whom she blames for her beloved mother's untimely death. And this year more than ever she could do with a shoulderto cry on - Grace's career is in flux, she isn't sure she wants the baby her husband is so desperate to have and, worst of all, she's begun to develop feelings for their best friend Theo. Theo is a Cuban born magician but even he can't make Grace's problems disappear. Is the passion Grace feels for Theo enough to risk her family's happiness?

I'm both excited and honoured to be a part of the blog tour for Rosanna Ley's newest book 'Last Dance in Havana', which was released on May 19th by Quercus, today! I was first introduced to Rosanna's writing when I got the chance to read and review her novel 'The Saffron Trail' last year (click here to read my review), which I really enjoyed. I had been looking forward to checking out another one of Rosanna's works, so when I got the chance to be part of her blog tour I immediately said yes. Be sure to also check out the exclusive guest post from Rosanna herself in which she tells us a bit more about the research she did to write 'Last Dance in Havana', so don't forget to scroll down!

'Last Dance in Havana' is mainly set in modern-day England and 1950s Cuba; two completely different places connected by the main characters in the book. Elisa fell in love with Duardo as soon as she saw him for the first time, but their love is a complicated one, especially when Duardo decides he wants to be a part of the Cuban revolution. Now, many years later, Elisa can't help but still long for Duardo and Cuba, even though she has built up a new life for herself in England. Elisa's daughter-in-law Grace is facing problems of her own; her husband wants to have children, which Grace isn't too sure about, especially not now she notices she is developing feelings for her good friend Theo. Both Elisa and Grace need to figure out what it is they want from life, and, most importantly, whether they can find that in England...

Rosanna Ley has the ability to really transport her readers to another time and place with her words, and that's definitely what she also managed to do with her latest release 'Last Dance in Havana.' I loved joining main characters Elisa and Grace, who each had their own fascinating storyline, which were also connected to one another in a clever way. I particularly warmed to Elisa; I really liked her from the start and was rooting for her to find the happiness she had been longing for for quite some time already. While I had a bit more difficulty warming to Grace, her storyline did interest me and every time I had a free moment I picked up the novel, curious to see what was going to happen next.

This is only my second novel by author Rosanna Ley but I've really come to admire her vibrant and realistic descriptions of faraway locations, such as Cuba in this particular book. It's clear she's an author that does her research and as I was reading the book I could easily imagine myself walking down the streets in Havana, putting myself into Elisa's shoes. While I do feel the book could perhaps have been a bit shorter (it's almost 500 pages) in order to keep a steady pace at all times, I thoroughly enjoyed it and can't wait for Rosanna to treat us to another gorgeous read. 'Last Dance in Havana' is a vibrant, well-written, convincing tale about love, family and finding happiness; a great piece of women's fiction and definitely a read to pick up if you're looking for a quick escape or a bit of sunshine!

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.

---

Guest Post by Rosanna Ley!
I'm both honoured and excited to welcome Rosanna Ley to the blog today; in the post below she tells us all a bit more about the research she did before writing 'Last Dance in Havana'.

Cuba was way outside my personal experience - writing this novel would be a challenge. 
To help me on my way I began with an overview of the country – culture, history, geography - from books such as Enduring Cuba by Zoe Bran; documentaries and films like Soy Cuba directed by Mikhail Kalatozov.  And then there’s the Internet, of course... 
I had some themes in mind. Massage and magic (I don’t know any magicians but I had some lovely massages) power and control and dancing. In Biography of a Runaway Slave by Miguel Barnett I discovered the amazing Esteban Montejo. This young African slave on a Cuban sugar plantation, was also a runaway, fought in the War of Independence and experienced the Cuban Revolution before he died at the age of 113, in 1973 - the hundredth anniversary of the abolition of slavery in Cuba. Wow. What a life...
No Way Home by Carlos Acosta helped me imagine how it would be to leave Cuba, and since I was planning to write about the rumba, I also enjoyed watching him dance! And Reminiscences of the Cuban Revolutionary War by Ernesto ‘Che’ Guevara helped me explore how it might have felt to fight in the Revolution.
And then it was time to go there... I visited Havana, Trinidad, Vinales and Cayo Levisa. I walked the streets, looking for where my characters might live, work, play. I imagined places as they might have been in the 1940s, during the Revolution, when slaves worked on sugar plantations in Valle de los Ingenios. And I talked to as many Cuban people as possible to get their take on the politics, the living conditions, the culture. It was a challenge, yes. But it was so much fun, trying to get the flavour...

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!

---

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?

---

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: '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.

---

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! :)