The Christmas Calendar Girls by Samantha Tonge. Review / Blog Tour

This is the uplifting tale of a community in Chesterwood who come together to raise money at Christmas for a very worthy cause . The local food bank which has been threatened with closure is causing deep concern for locals who know how much the service is greatly needed , putting their heads together for an answer to their problem becomes the start of an ingenious plan that is full of festive loveliness. This is a heartwarming tale with love and sense of community at the center of it and not forgetting a little romance that will leave you with a warm and cozy feel . It’s definitely a book to curl up with on a cold night . Enjoy ! 

I received this book in exchange for a review . 

The Christmas Calendar Girls by Samantha Tonge

 

About the book

This Christmas fall in love with the town of Chesterwood...

Christmas is meant to be a time of giving, so with Chesterwood food bank under risk of closure Fern knows just what to do to save it. She's going to get the town to create a living advent calendar.

Fern, and her best friends, call for help from the local community to bring this calendar to life. When Kit, the new man in town, offers his assistance Fern's heart can't help but skip a beat (or two).

As they grow ever closer, Fern must admit that Kit's breaking down the barriers she built after the death of her husband. But his past is holding him back and Fern doesn't know how to reach him. No matter how hard she tries.

In this town, Kit's not the only one with secrets. Domestic goddess Cara is behaving oddly, burning meals in the oven and clothes whilst ironing, and Davina's perfect children are causing trouble at school leaving her son, Jasper, desperately unhappy.

Can the Christmas Calendar Girls find a way to bring the community together in time to save the food bank, while still supporting their families and each other? Can Fern find love again with Kit?

This is a story about kindness and letting go of the past. It's about looking out for your neighbours and about making every day feel like Christmas.

 

About the Author

Samantha Tonge lives in Manchester UK with her husband and children. She studied German and French at university and has worked abroad, including a stint at Disneyland Paris. She has travelled widely.
When not writing she passes her days cycling, baking and drinking coffee. Samantha has sold many dozens of short stories to women's magazines. 
She is represented by the Darley Anderson literary agency. In 2013, she landed a publishing deal for romantic comedy fiction with HQDigital at HarperCollins and in 2014, her bestselling debut, Doubting Abbey, was shortlisted for the Festival of Romantic Fiction best Ebook award. In 2015 her summer novel, Game of Scones, hit #5 in the UK Kindle chart and won the Love Stories Awards Best Romantic Ebook category. In 2018 Forgive Me Not, heralded a new direction into darker women's fiction with publisher Canelo. In 2019 she was shortlisted for the Romantic Novelists' Association romantic comedy award

 

Follow Samantha

Website: http://samanthatonge.co.uk/

Twitter: @SamTongeWriter

Facebook: @SamanthaTongeAuthor

 

Buy links:

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2Z2u7NO

Kobo: https://bit.ly/2YgggEa

iBooks: https://apple.co/2yXpzJU

Google Play: https://bit.ly/2Z8YiTO

 

Follow Aria

Website: www.ariafiction.com

Twitter: @aria_fiction

Facebook: @ariafiction

Instagram: @ariafiction

 

If you would like to follow along with the blog tour , below are the other participants joining in. 

A Brew To A Kill by Cleo Coyle . Review

This is book 11 in the coffeehouse Mystery Series set in New York City . The main character of the book and series is Clare Cosi , Clare runs The Village Blend coffee shop with her ex husband , the gorgeous Matteo and her ex mother-in-law the elegant Madame who owns the business. When Matt gets himself into horrendous bother while on a coffee buying trip it becomes very worrisome for them all   , but then they have other concerns after a friend gets badly hurt and Clare tries to find out what exactly happened    .

First of I have to say if you love coffee then this entire series will make your day , that is what attracted me to it first,  but the setting is an added fabulous bonus told so well that it made me feel like I was almost there seeing the sights in Clare’s neighborhood and the scents and sounds of this part of the city . These characters are really enjoyable to get to know and the series just remains excellent quality , I can’t wait to start the next book ... :0)

Goodreads :

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18907601-a-brew-to-a-kill

Cleo Coyle 

https://www.coffeehousemystery.com/

The Institute by Stephen King . Review

This is the phenomenal story about a young boy called Luke Ellis . Luke is extremely smart with hidden gifts , the type of gifts that make certain doctors and criminals very interested . Although gifted , it comes at a high cost when it puts him at risk by those who like to take advantage of powerless children . 

The majority of the story takes place in a forest in Maine in a place called The Institute , here unknown to the local citizens are children , being held against their will and being put through all manner of tests on a daily basis . Luke is one of the newest additions to this place and here makes friends with other children with similar gifts and as each day passes they gain more insight into what’s going on here and the people holding them . 

This story was deeply haunting as Stephen King books tend to be ... Luke’s story from the very start was heartbreaking yet his strength and courage was impressive considering what he went through in this clinical hell hole. I enjoyed the camaraderie between the children and what they could do when they worked together , losing innocence in some ways but gaining deep friendships and bonds that would be unshakable. It was a book to read in one go , and there was plenty of characters that stay with you long after you finish , good ones and bad ones.

Highly recommend ! 

Christmas At The Foyles Bookshop by Elaine Roberts Review / Blog Tour

This is the third and final book in the Foyles series featuring main characters Victoria , Molly , and Alice. The story is set during WW2 in England and although it is a war time story it is also a terrifically heartwarming festive tale too. The story takes us into the lives of each woman , each with her own highs and lows , love , loss , drama and courage . There was great camaraderie between the friends and a strong sense of community as they banded together during often  heartbreaking , trying times . I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it to all but especially those of you who enjoy war time stories and bookshops . 

I received this book in exchange for a review. 

Christmas at the Foyles Bookshopby Elaine Roberts

 

 

About the author

 

Elaine Roberts had a dream to write for a living. She completed her first novel in her twenties and received her first very nice rejection. Life then got in the way until she picked up her dream again in 2010 and shortly afterwards had her first short story published. Elaine and her patient husband, Dave, have five children who have flown the nest. Home is in Dartford, Kent and is always busy with their children, grandchildren, grand dogs and cats visiting.

 

 

Follow Elaine:

Twitter: @RobertsElaine11

Facebook: @ElaineRobertsAuthor

 

About the book

 

Alice, Victoria and Molly couldn't be more different and yet they share a friendship that stems back to their childhood – a friendship that provides everyday solace from the tribulations and heartbreak of war. 

All the Foyles girls want this Christmas is their loved ones back safe and sound and to look foward to a New Year without the shadow of war...

The final book in Elaine Roberts' heartwarming Foyles Girls trilogy.

Perfect for fans of Elaine Everest, Daisy Styles and Rosie Hendry.

 

 

Buy links

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2KwBFz4

 

Kobo: https://bit.ly/2YERlJV

Google Play: https://bit.ly/2MEFLrw

 

iBooks: https://apple.co/2Kv9uk3

 

 

Follow Aria

Website: www.ariafiction.com

Twitter: @aria_fiction

Facebook: @ariafiction

Instagram: @ariafiction

 

If you would like to follow along with the blog tour below are the other participants joining in.

October TBR

Hello lovelies , it’s been quite a while since I sat down and wrote a blog post where I was not writing a review , so I thought that today I would do just that . 

My reading this year has been a real mixed bag of thrillers , fiction , autobiographies, YA and non fiction ... a little of almost every genre . Below are some of the books I am intending to read through this month ... again it’s a bit of a mix of genres , another book not shown is Stephen King’s new story “The Institute “ , which I am listening to at the moment and it’s awesome , you can expect a review very soon on that book . Wishing you a lovely and peaceful Sunday XX 

A Brew To A Kill by Cleo Coyle 

The Portrait Of A Lady by Henry James 

Runemarks by Joanne Harris

The Professor by Charlotte Brontë

Holiday Buzz by Cleo Coyle 

Once Upon A Grind by Cleo Coyle 

Dead Cold Brew by Cleo Coyle 

Dead To The Last Drop by Cleo Coyle 

Yoga For Life by Josephine Fairley


Family Friendly Knits by Courtney Spainhower.