One Summer In Italy by Victoria Springfield

     

Ebook:   320 pages      

Genre:   Contemporary Romantic Fiction                                    

Publisher: Boldwood Books May 14th 2025

Source: NetGalley

First Sentences: Natalie studied the photograph: the prow of a gondola just passing under the Rialto Bridge, golden light bathing the Grand Canal.

Review Quote: 'She has a way of bringing Italy to life that makes your mouth water when you think of the food, your body ache for some sunshine.' Susan Buchanan

My Opinion: 

I had not come across this author before, but when I discovered that she writes contemporary feel good fiction set in Italy, as an Italophile I just had to read 'One Summer in Italy'

Natalie and Cate are the main protagonists of the story. Natalie is sent to Venice for a work project, a city she has unhappy memories of, from a school trip many years ago. Imagine her shock when she finds an ex school friend from the same trip is also in Venice for the same project. forced to confront the past, the story unfolds as Natalie and Cate endeavour to put things right between them.

An escapist read which felt rather predictable. However this is made up for by being set in Venice and the author has shown her love of the city in the details. Recommended to Italophiles.

Thank you NetGalley, Victoria Springfield and Boldwood Books  for the opportunity to read and review.

Goodreads Précis: 

A BRAND NEW beautiful, romantic, getaway read from bestseller Victoria Springfield that you simply won't be able to stop thinking about... A stunning story of secrets and second chances.

A return to Venice. A friendship rekindled. A time for romance.

Natalie’s landed the opportunity of a lifetime hosting television show 'Luxe Life Swap', but she’s dreading going back to Venice, scene of the school trip that changed her life. The beauty of the floating city and handsome watch restorer Eraldo begin to win her over, however. But then glamorous contestant Cate arrives, the girl who was once plain, ordinary Cathy – the ex-best friend Natalie blames for the night that wrecked her life.

Cate’s swapping The Old Vicarage for two weeks in a Venetian palazzo, hoping she might pluck up the courage to go on the quest she’s been putting off for more than twenty years. Forced to spend time with Natalie, Cate hopes to rebuild their friendship – until Natalie makes a shocking accusation against Cate’s husband. Cate needs to find out the truth but how can she expect Phil to be honest when she’s keeping secrets of her own?

Author Profile:                

                                                          

                                                    Courtesy of Amazon Profile

Victoria Springfield writes contemporary women’s fiction immersed in the sights, sounds and flavours of Italy. Her feel-good stories follow unforgettable characters of all ages as they find adventure, friendship and romance.

Victoria grew up in Upminster, Essex. After many years in London, she now lives in Kent with her husband in a house by the river. She likes to write in the garden with a neighbour’s cat by her feet or whilst drinking cappuccino in her favourite café. Then she types up her scribblings in silence whilst her mind drifts away to Italy. Open a Victoria Springfield book and feel the sunshine!

Victoria is a member of the Romantic Novelists’ Association.

Photographs and Biographical Information courtesy of the following sites:

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Finding Belle by Reeta Chakrabarti

                                                

Ebook:   368 pages      

Genre:   Fiction                                    

Publisher: Harper Collins, 8th May 2025

Source: NetGalley

First Sentences: The voices down below began as a distant rumble, like a drum roll of approaching thunder. Mama's voice grew louder and louder and then hit a peak that was shrill and sharp, letting out a stream of curses and insults.

Review Quote: ‘A moving tale of love, loss and identity… a compelling novel about family secrets and the search for belonging’Woman’s Weekly

My Opinion: 

Finding Belle is the debut novel from the BBC journalist Reeta Chakrabarti. It is the scrutinisation of a mixed culture marriage over many decades.

The main protagonist is Mivvi the daughter of Belle, who is Indian but was raised in Kenya and her father Fairfax who is British. It is an emotional story that unfolds as this dysfunctional family cope with Belle's mental health issues, her husband's narcissism and the racism that the family are subjected to.

Though it did give me a lot to think about to be absolutely honest I found this story terribly depressing. Be careful that you are not feeling depressed yourself if and when you choose to read. 

With thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review.

Goodreads Précis: 

Mivvi has two parents. But… sometimes she only has one. Or the other. And sometimes she has none.

Belle and Fairfax have a tempestuous marriage. Wed after a whirlwind romance in Belle’s hometown of Mombasa, they returned to England as man and wife, little anticipating the culture shock Belle would face. Alienated from her peers, far from relatives and friends who would have grounded her, and with a husband who couldn’t – wouldn’t – face her crisis, Belle gradually untethers from the world.

Years later, their only daughter Mivvi must decode her mother’s illnesses and her father’s infidelities, through adolescence and into adulthood, as she tries to shape a future of her own, while uncovering what’s been hidden from her.

Atmospheric and intriguing, this is a powerful story of mothers and daughters, betrayal and madness and a child who must forge her own identity.

Author Profile:                

                                                                                        

                                                          Courtesy of Amazon Profile

Reeta Chakrabarti is a journalist and broadcaster, and presents the news for the BBC. She has also reported extensively for the BBC in the UK and abroad. She was born in London and brought up in Birmingham; she lived in Kolkata, India, as a teenager where she attended Calcutta International School, and then returned to the UK for university. Her degree was in English and French. She began working for the BBC in 1992 and has been there in a variety of roles for over 30 years. She has always been a keen reader, and was previously a judge for the 2021 David Cohen Prize for Literature; chair of the 2021 Costa Book of the Year; and in 2023 chair of the BBC National Short Story Award. She was also a judge for the 2023 Laurel Prize for poetry, and is a trustee of the Keats-Shelley Memorial Association. She lives in London with her husband, and has three children. Finding Belle is her debut novel.

Photographs and Biographical Information courtesy of the following sites:

Amazon Profile.   Twitter Profile

The Lighthouse Keeper of Anglesey by Carline Young (Welcome to Anglesey Series Bk 4)

                                          

Ebook:  320 pages      

Genre: Contemporary Fiction, Romance                                            

Publisher: 2 May 2025 by Storm Publishing

Source:  NetGalley - My Kindle

First Sentence: Lloyd Evans sat alone on the smooth-pebbled beach and gazed out towards the horizon, far beyond the lighthouse.

Review Quote: ‘‘Sweeps the reader away... you will cheer for our main character and love the description of her life in Anglesey... I read it in one sitting.’ Reader Review,

My Opinion: 

Caroline Young writes heart-warming stories about ordinary people and their everyday lives on the beautiful island of Anglesey. Living not very far from here and having visited, it is lovely to be able to visualise the locations that the author describes so well.

In the 4th book of the series 'Welcome to Anglesey' the storyline centres around the main female character Seren. Seren has returned to her roots on the island, leaving behind the stresses and problems of her life in London. She is slowly building a new and better life for herself and her young daughter, but it does not come without its trials and tribulations.

As the author herself says 'Life is often far from easy, but we need to remember what we all share rather than focusing on our differences.' Recommend this gentle story which reminds the reader that to be happy in life we need to feel loved, safe and to love others.

Thanks to Storm Publishing, the author and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review 'The Lighthouse Keeper of Anglesey' 

Previous Review:  Coming Home to the Windmill by the Sea

Précis Courtesy of NetGalley:

A moving story of love, second chances and family from the Amazon bestselling author of The Forgotten Farmhouse by the Sea.

When single mother Seren Evans returns to the Welsh island of Anglesey with her five-year-old daughter Enya, she hopes to finally escape her troubled past in London. Moving into a cottage near the iconic Black Point lighthouse where she spent her early childhood, Seren reunites with her estranged father Lloyd and begins to piece together the mystery of why her mother suddenly abandoned them decades ago.

As Seren adapts to island life and takes a job at a local art gallery, she finds unexpected romance with Jamie, a Scottish journalist seeking solace from his own tragic history. But with the shadows of her past threatening to catch up with her, and with long-buried family secrets coming to light, can Seren find the peaceful life she’s always dreamed of?

Set against the wild beauty of the Welsh coast, this emotional novel explores family secrets, the power of community, and how love can light the way home through life’s darkest storms. Fans of Susanne O’Leary, Amanda Prowse and Sheila O’Flanagan will be swept away by The Lighthouse Keeper of Anglesey.

Author Profile:                    

Caroline Young has always written stories and found inspiration in the world around her, be it a bustling city or a windswept beach. She has worked for many years as a writer of non-fiction books for children, which allows for few adjectives or creative expression, so she keeps these things for her fiction. As the mother of three grown-up daughters, she now has the time to focus on her own writing, and tell the stories she wants to tell. Caroline has a degree in English from Cambridge University where she was exposed to wonderful writers from every age, and she aims to relate just some of their ideas and language to her life and writing. Caroline's idea of paradise is a bright day with a bracing wind and the sea, waiting for her to dive into it (even in January!). She hopes to write stories that the reader can lose themselves in, which take them somewhere different and fill them with joy in the beauty of the natural world, and all the amazing people in it.

            

Amazon Author Page.     Goodreads Profile.   Caroline Young - Storm Publishing

Photos and Biographical information Courtesy of the above links.

A Good Mother by Michelle Dunne

 

                                                 

Ebook:   338 pages      

Genre:  Thriller, Mystery, Fiction                                    

Publisher: Storm Publishing  29th April 2025

Source: NetGalley

First Sentence: The lights from the rescue boats danced across the black water, each sweep bringing Jen Blake closer to the moment her world would end.

Review Quote:  ‘A riveting thriller.’ Reader Review, 

My Opinion: 

Michelle Dunne is an author I discovered thanks to NetGalley and this is the second novel of hers that I have read. 'A Good Mother' is a hard hitting domestic thriller which covers some difficult topics including domestic abuse and bullying carried out by some despicable characters.

Jen Blake and Lia Higgins have known each other for years and were once very close. Their children are still best friends having grown up together, but suddenly it seems something has come between them. Tragedy occurs and as the narrative progresses the tension and anxiety grow.

This is not an easy read but a worthwhile one.  Especially if it does nothing more than make you realise we should make time to listen to the ones we love. With thanks to NetGalley, Storm Publishing and the author.

Previous Review:    The Hotel Maid

Précis Courtesy of Goodreads:

Two mothers. Two daughters. One devastating truth.

Alex Blake was terrified of water, had been since she nearly drowned at age five. So when police find her body in the river and rule it a suicide, her mother Jen knows they’re wrong. But no one will listen to a grieving mother.

The police dismiss her. Her husband thinks she’s in denial. Even their neighbours, the Higgins family, urge her to accept the truth and move on. But something isn’t right. Why was Alex messaging Lia Higgins, Jen’s former best friend, the day she died? And why is Lia now so desperate to shut down Jen’s questions?

The more Jen digs into the perfect family next door, the more she realises Alex was keeping secrets. Dangerous ones. Someone knows what really happened to her daughter. And they’re determined to keep Jen from uncovering the truth.

A breathtaking, stay-up-all-night emotional page-turner about motherhood, friendship and betrayal. Perfect for fans of K.L. Slater, Lisa Jewell and Nicola Sanders.

Author Profile:                

                                         

                                        Courtesy of Goodreads Profile

Michelle Dunne was born in Cork, Ireland, she writes crime and thriller novels. 

This month,  August 2024 The Hotel Maid, will be released as part of a two book contract with Storm Publishing. This follows June Calloway, a maid who finds the body of a murdered woman in her hotel room, just as a child is reported missing on hotel grounds. 

Michelle also wrote While Nobody is Watching and The Invisible, a series of thrillers following former soldier and UN Peacekeeper Lindsey Ryan as she tries to adapt to her new life in the clutches of PTSD. The series is currently in development for television and is inspired by Michelle’s own experiences as an infantry soldier and United Nations Peacekeeper.

Michelle is organiser and programmer of the Spike Island Literary Festival – a crime-themed festival set in Ireland's very own Alcatraz! 

Photographs and Biographical Information courtesy of the following sites:

Goodreads Profile.   Twitter Profile.   Amazon Author Profile