Is Mr Jones really Mr Right? Meet the women in love with three very different brothers ...
Izzy’s determined to escape her troubled past with a new start by the sea – but flirtatious Charlie Jones is causing complications. Alicia’s been happily married to loyal Hugh for years but secretly craves excitement. Maybe it’s time to spice things up? Emma’s relationship with David was once fun and romantic but trying for a baby has taken its toll. Then temptation comes along...
As the future of the family’s B&B becomes uncertain, Izzy, Alicia and Emma are thrown together unexpectedly. It seems that keeping up with the Joneses is harder than anyone thought...
As soon as I took my review copy of Lucy Diamond’s ‘Me and Mr Jones’ out of its envelope (thank you, Becky!), not only a smile appeared on my face but I also think it lit up the room just a bit! The lovely colours and small pictures on the cover immediately made me think of sunshine, fun times and summer. I hadn’t read any of Lucy Diamond’s novels before this one, but the beaming cover and the blurb (which includes the phrase ‘from the queen of summer reading’) already promised rays of sunshine, which seemed a good and welcome distraction from all the horrible rain we’ve been having the past couple of weeks!
‘Me and Mr Jones’ tells the story of the Jones family. Eddie Jones and his wife Lilian, who have been happily married for several decades, still live in the lovely Mulberry House, where they once started their family. After their three sons Hugh, David and Charlie left home, Lilian and Eddie turned their home into a cozy Bed & Breakfast, but Eddie’s health is slowly deteriorating. Lilian decides it is time for them to retire, but who will take over the business and Mulberry House? Will it be the eldest son, Hugh, who is dealing with a big secret of his own, while his wife Alicia is dreading her upcoming birthday (the big 4-0) and decides to step away from her reputation as the perfect housewife? Or what about David and his wife Emma, who have been trying for a baby for several years, which is slowly driving the two of them further and further apart? Or Charlie, the youngest Jones man and a true charmer who can’t possibly be able to run the family business by himself... Right? What will happen when Charlie falls head over heels for dance teacher Izzy, who has two young daughters and some bad experiences with men? The Jones family seems to not only have to decide about their beloved home, but also deal with some tricky individual troubles along the way...
I really loved this novel, from the very first chapter. Lucy Diamond’s writing is fabulous, which made me not want to stop reading. From the start, I could easily imagine the beautiful Mulberry House and the town of Lyme Regis, where most of the story takes place. Next to that, the novel includes an amazing set of instantly-captivating characters, which all have their own distinctive personalities. The chapters each focus on a different person and I couldn’t wait to find out what was going to happen each member of the Jones family and their own particular part of the complete storyline. I especially loved Charlie and Izzy (and Izzy’s two adorable daughters) and their tale, but the entire Jones family managed to capture my heart.
This novel is a delightful, warm read with a real family feeling attached to it. It focuses on the struggles of multiple characters of different ages, and some serious subjects are touched upon. However, Lucy Diamond manages to do this in a perfectly-balanced whole with fun and drama mixed together. ‘Me and Mr Jones’ is a delightful summer read, but also ideal for a rainy afternoon with a cup of tea. I really enjoyed reading about the Jones family, and I am sure I am not the only one secretly hoping we will perhaps be able to visit Mulberry House again in the future in the form of a sequel!
Rating:
9,5/10
Caroline is finding it difficult to trust her husband Roger. Can a marriage really survive an affair? Then a chance meeting makes her wonder if it's time for a fresh start....
Susan is struggling to bring up her disabled daughter Tabitha on her own, and dreams of a better life for them both. But just when it seems things can't get any worse, a knock at the door changes everything.
Mark is learning how to be a single dad while his wife Hilary is away. But as he wrestles with the secrets he is keeping from his family, he's blissfully unaware of the secrets they're keeping from him.
Lisa is looking forward to the birth of her child. Will a new baby help her get over the past? Whatever that is...
Sometimes you have to keep a secret from the one you love - and sometimes you have to keep the one you love a secret.
Thanks to Ian at Corazon Books I received an e-copy of Sophie King’s new novel ‘Love is a Secret’ to review. I was already familiar with some of Sophie King’s work; several years ago I read ‘The Wedding Party’ (2009) and ‘The Supper Club’ (2008), and I enjoyed both books. So, I was quite excited about reading ‘Love is a Secret’ (previously published under the title ‘Mums@Home’) and finding out whether I would still enjoy Sophie King’s writing and ideas!
‘Love is a Secret’ centres around four main characters that all have two things in common: they are all users of the forum ‘Mums Know Best’, which has been set up for mothers around the country as a place to come for advice or just to talk to other parents about their experiences. Next to this, they all have a secret which they are keeping from one another or from the people closest to them... There’s Caroline, who is trying to make her marriage work after she caught her husband Roger cheating on her, but when she meets another man, her whole world is turned upside down. We meet Lisa, who wants nothing more than to have her own baby, but her past continues to get in the way. There’s Mark, who is trying to be a working single dad while his wife Hilary is away from home, but he has some trouble trying to juggle everything at once. And last but not least, there’s Susan who has been used to bringing up her disabled daughter Tabitha all by herself, until suddenly her ex-husband decides to come back into the picture. Within the world of parenting, everyone has their own secrets and things might not be what they initially seem...
I have always had a specific love for novels that focus on more than two characters that tell their own story. I always find it fascinating to find out about these individual tales, and the things that ultimately link these different characters together. So, as soon as I read the blurb of ‘Love is a Secret’, I couldn’t wait to get started and read about Mark, Susan, Caroline and Lisa. I really liked how each chapter was written from a different perspective, and that the novel included four separate storylines which all came together in a way. The characters were well-written and their individual tales were each fascinating and tackled a different aspect of parenting. I specifically liked Caroline and Mark; I thought they were great characters, and I couldn’t wait for their chapters to find out what would happen to them and their families.
‘Love is a Secret’ is easy to read and I can imagine mums (and dads!) can really relate to the various characters and storylines in this novel. However, as someone without children I also really enjoyed this book and felt myself wanting to read on to find out what was going to happen to the four main characters. The novel didn’t really make me laugh out loud or shed some tears, but I didn’t really miss feeling any kind of strong emotion for a change. Sometimes, it’s nice to just sit down with a lovely book and to be transported to another universe where you can look over the shoulder of other characters and find out how they deal with the cards life has given them. If you are looking for a good, well-written, not too complicated or intense read, then definitely pick up ‘Love is a Secret’!
Rating:
7,5 / 10
1 cheating ex, 3 bottles of white wine, an emergency pep talk from the girls… and this seemed like a good idea at the time:
Izzy Shaw’s Getting-Over-Him Action List
1. eBay his entire collection of football memorabilia and spend all profits on treating myself to fabulous new wardrobe.
2. Turn plans for ‘Loved-Up Mini-Break’ at exclusive boutique hotel into a weekend of spa pampering, me-time and shopping at Harvey Nics.
3. Don’t get even, get even better. Have one night stand with drop-dead gorgeous stranger – Mr Tall, Dark & Handsome in the hotel lobby is just what I need!
Your room or mine? Go on Izzy…
Several weeks ago HarperCollins announced a new exciting range of romance fiction: HarperImpulse. Since then, the lovely team has set up their own website (check it out at http://www.harperimpulseromance.com/) and they have signed their first authors, including Charlotte Phillips... Exciting times! I had seen the cover for Charlotte’s short story ‘Your Room or Mine?’ flying past on Twitter several times, and was quite curious what the Harper Impulse authors would be like. So, when I won a free e-copy of ‘Your Room or Mine?’ (thanks to the lovely ladies at HarperImpulse!), I couldn’t wait to sit down and get stuck in the story.
Izzy Shaw needs all the wine and chocolate she can get. Just a few weeks ago she was happy in love with her boyfriend Joe, secretly dreaming of a proposal and decorating their future family home. Imagine the shock when she found out Joe was busy with a slightly different kind of ‘business’ during his business trips than Izzy thought. After a pep talk from her best friends, Izzy decides to not act like the victim and she makes use of the surprise romantic mini-break she had planned for her and Joe. Never mind the Romantic Getaway Package, including the His & Her massages and romantic dinner... Just when Izzy decides this hotel visit might not have been the best idea ever, she bumps into handsome, dark-haired business man Oliver Forbes. It’s clear from the start that Oliver is flirting with her and up for a night of passion, no strings attached. But good girl Izzy couldn’t possibly do a thing like that... Or could she?
I warmed to Izzy from the first few pages of the story. I thought she was really strong for going on this romantic hotel mini-break without her boyfriend. And I couldn’t help but feel for her when the hotel staff gave her that pitiful look, while going on about the ‘his & her’ massages and romantic dinner package. Thank god for Oliver! The instant chemistry between him and Izzy almost sparked off the pages, and I knew Izzy wouldn’t be able to stay away from him (honestly, she would have been crazy if she had!). Even after their first night together, I wanted to read on to see whether this would turn into more than just a one-night-stand, and I was secretly hoping for a big Oliver & Izzy get-together before the ending of the story... However, that is of course something I am not going to give away in this review!
I was pleasantly surprised by Charlotte Phillips’ short story. I usually only read full-length novels, but I really enjoyed this because of the lovely characters and the fast-paced plot. Next to that, I’m not too big a fan of erotic fiction, but this was definitely more ‘romance’ with a sexy twist to it. I even found myself wishing there had been more pages... In my opinion, Oliver and Izzy deserve a full-length novel! ‘Your Room or Mine?’ is a romantic, sexy, fun read, which many contemporary women will enjoy and relate to. I can’t wait to read Charlotte Phillips’ next story/novel and I’ll keep my fingers crossed for more Izzy and Oliver in the future!
Rating:
8,0/10
.jpg)
