Review: 'Some Kind of Wonderful' by Sarah Morgan (2015)

Her whole life, Puffin Islander Brittany Forrest has dreamed of adventure. And at the age of eighteen, she thought she'd found it in bad boy Zachary Flynn. But after just ten tempestuous, smoldering days, their whirlwind marriage went up in smoke, and Brittany resolved to put him out of her mind forever.
Zach knows he let Brittany down, but being back on Puffin Island and seeing Brittany again stirs up long-buried emotions. This daredevil pilot has never felt worthy of her, yet he can't stay away—even when he knows the chemistry between them will only complicate his life.
As long, hot summer days on the beach dissolve into sultry, starry nights, Brittany and Zach find that the sparks between them are more powerful than ever. Could it be that the second time around, their dreams of a happy-ever-after will finally come true?
I keep adding names to my list of authors who I’ve heard and read a lot of positive things about but haven’t actually read a novel from, and I always look forward to finally being able to check out the highly-praised work of these writers. So, when I found a review copy of Sarah Morgan’s ‘Some Kind of Wonderful’ on my doorstep I was delighted. I’ve heard so many positive things about Sarah Morgan’s work and I was really excited to finally sit down with one of her novels and be introduced to her writing. ‘Some Kind of Wonderful’ was released on July 2nd by Mills & Boon and is actually the second part of the Puffin Island series. I have to admit I usually never pick up second or third parts of series if I haven’t read the first book (I prefer to know the whole background story, I can’t help it!), but I decided to make an exception for this one and hoped it would also work as a stand-alone novel (which it luckily did)!
Brittany Forrest loves her job as an archaeologist, travelling all over the world and making exciting discoveries. When she breaks her wrist, she has no other choice but to return to her home on Puffin Island, Maine. While Brittany looks forward to spending time in her grandmother’s cottage and catching up with her best friends, she quickly realises there are also unpleasant memories from her past waiting for her, most specifically in the form of her ex-husband, Zach Flynn. Brittany married bad boy Zach when they were young and in love, but the marriage only lasted for 10 days, when Zach ran off and broke Brittany’s heart. Now, 10 years later, Brittany wants nothing to do with Zach but this turns out to be quite tricky with both of them living on Puffin Island. From the start, it’s clear that the chemistry they had back in the day is still there and hard to ignore. But is Brittany willing to give Zach a second chance or should she spare herself the pain and trouble…?    
I love warm-hearted, easy romance reads that make you forget about the real world for a few hours and that’s exactly what Sarah Morgan’s ‘Some Kind of Wonderful’ is. The novel is the second part of the author’s Puffin Island series, which started with ‘First Time in Forever’ and will end with ‘Christmas Ever After.’ Each part of the trilogy focuses on one of three best friends Emily, Brittany and Skylar and their love lives, which reminded me a bit of Linda Lael Miller’s ‘Brides of Bliss County’ series which I had the pleasure of reading earlier this year and also focuses on three best friends and the romances in their lives. I straight away liked Brittany, the independent and stubborn protagonist in ‘Some Kind of Wonderful’, and loved her friendship with Emily and Skylar. Zach is the perfect handsome bad boy that will undoubtedly make many readers swoon, but also a character with a complex and fascinating background that is further explored in the novel. The chemistry between Zach and Brittany was just great and resulted in quite a few well-written steamy scenes.
The story is set on Puffin Island in Maine (USA) which is described as a simply gorgeous place. I loved the feel of the island and all the inhabitants being up-to-date on each other’s lives and helping and supporting each other whenever necessary. It made me love the story and the characters even more and I just wanted to pack my bags and join all of them on the island. While ‘Some Kind of Wonderful’ is the second part of a trilogy, it can be read as a stand-alone, which I did. I personally would have loved reading the first book first, just so I knew the background stories of all the characters and what they had already been through together, but the novel definitely also works as a stand-alone. Overall, ‘Some Kind of Wonderful’ is a lovely summer read with a wonderful cast of characters at its core; perfect for romance fans or anyone looking for a romantic escapist read for a few hours!

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.

Blog Tour: 'Truly, Madly, Greekly' by Mandy Baggot (includes give-away)!

Get your summer off to a steamy start with Mandy Baggot and her sizzling new read, Truly Madly Greekly.

We've got an all inclusive tour chock-a-block with reviews, guest posts and a giveaway, as the book scorches a trail across a variety of blogs!

 
Sun, sea and a sexy stranger - a whole lot of fun just got a lot more complicated. Capable, confident and career-driven, Ellen had her dream job and a marriage proposal from boyfriend Ross. Life was good, her future set. Until it wasn’t and everything fell apart… Whisked off to the beautiful island of Corfu to plan her sister Lacey’s big, fat, Greek wedding, Ellen is hoping some time out will help clear her head and heal her heart. But letting go of her past is not going to be easy. With Lacey in full on Bridezilla mode, Ellen is soon distracted from her own problems. And when the all-inclusive treats on offer at hotel Blue Vue include one gorgeous, brooding Adonis – Yan – Ellen finds him difficult to resist. But Ellen isn’t looking for love or lust, or anything involving too much ouzo…or is she? 
Fans of Lucy Diamond, Miranda Dickinson and Lindsey Kelk will want to escape to Corfu with Mandy Baggot this summer.   
 I'm really excited to be part of the Candle Lit Author Services blog tour today for Mandy Baggot's latest Bookouture release 'Truly, Madly, Greekly'! The book focuses on main character Ellen, who is a confident and independent thirty-year-old who seemed to have things going for her. She had a great job as an accountant, a handsome boyfriend Ross who proposed to her, her own apartment... But then everything suddenly fell apart, and now Ellen finds herself on her way to the Blue Vue Hotel on the beautiful Greek island of Corfu to help her younger sister Lacey plan her wedding. Ellen hopes some time away from it all will help her leave behind the stress and other issues in her life, but this turns out to be a bit trickier than she initially expected...
Mandy Baggot's novel 'Made in Nashville' was released by Harper Impulse last year, but unfortunately I never got the chance to read it. So when I was offered the chance to read and review 'Truly, Madly, Greekly' I straight said yes, because I had only heard positive things about her writing from others. Besides, the cover and the blurb promise a great summer read and that's exactly what this book is! I really liked sisters Ellen and Lacey; they are spending a holiday in Greece together and are each other's opposites. While Ellen is quite uptight and worries a lot, Lacey is more carefree and wild. Yet, both girls have their strengths and flaws, and help each other out when the going gets tough.
I really liked the cast of characters, but the storyline was also entertaining and the setting is ideal for a summer read like this one with the Blue Vue hotel on Corfu, with its beautiful beaches and tons of sunshine. The story is told from two perspectives: Ellen's and Yan's (the handsome Bulgarian who works in the hotel). I really like it when a book includes both a male and female perspective and Mandy Baggot did a great job. I really enjoyed her writing style, which flowed well and showed the obvious chemistry between Ellen and Yan. Overall, 'Truly, Madly, Greekly' is a great beach read filled with handsome men, sunshine, laughter and a dose of romance. An entertaining and fun story, perfect to pick up and start your summer holiday with!
Rating:9/10

Click Here To Buy This Book - UK

Click Here To Buy This Book - US

   
Author Bio:   Mandy Baggot is a romantic fiction author. In 2012 she won the Innovation in Romantic Fiction award at the UK’s Festival of Romance. Her self-published title, Strings Attached was also short-listed for the Best Author Published Read award. Also in 2012 she signed with American publishing house, Sapphire Star Publishing, who produced her novels, Taking Charge and romantic suspense, Security. In June 2013 she signed a two book deal with Harper Collins' digital first romance imprint, Harper Impulse. She is a regular contributor to writing blogs and on-line magazine, Loveahappyending Lifestyle In May 2014 Mandy signed with Kate Nash of the Kate Nash Literary Agency. Mandy loves mashed potato, white wine, country music, World’s Strongest Man, travel and handbags. She has appeared on ITV1’s Who Dares Sings and auditioned for The X-Factor. Mandy is a member of the Romantic Novelists’ Association and lives near Salisbury, Wiltshire, UK with her husband, two daughters and cats, Kravitz and Springsteen. She is an advocate for women in business and belongs to the networking group Women on Wednesdays.  

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WIN a £50 Amazon voucher with Truly Madly Greekly and let Mandy Baggot see where you've escaped to this summer.

To take part just upload your photo of the cover of Truly Madly Greekly (paperback or e-reader) on Twitter or Facebook adding #TrulyMadlyGreekly. Whether you've escaped to a tropical haven with the kids or even your own backyard, Mandy would love to see where you're reading about Ellen and Yan this summer!

PLUS leave a comment on this post and you could be in with a chance of winning a Kindle copy of Excess All Areas!

 

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Giveaway terms and conditions:

Competition runs from 22 May 2015 until 31 August 2015, UK based entries only. One winner will be chosen at random from all the entries. Mandy Baggot and CandleLit Author Services reserve the right to amend and/or cancel the giveaway at any time, without prior notification.