Paradise House by Erica James

This was a really good read, especially for the summer as it was set by the seaside. Straight away I felt connected with the main character, Genevieve and wanted to know all about her. I was hooked reading about her past, and just as hooked to find out what would be happening next. I loved all of her family, their quirkiness and all! I also loved the location of Angel Sands, with it's variety of villagers, and the B&B of Paradise House. It sounded like somewhere I would love to go on holiday. This was a definite page turner that was difficult to put down, so I give this book 9/10!

The New Rector by Rebecca Shaw

I chose to start this series after hearing it was similar to the Prior's Ford series. Although I didn't quite fall for Turnham Malpas and it's characters quite so much, it was a good read, and I will continue with the series. There were some really intriguing story lines and some more serious story lines, which made me want to read on. The character I liked the most was Muriel, and her point of view was used often to tell the story. She was a character I felt I would want to be friends with and enjoyed watching her develop as a person. Caroline was another character I admired and felt very empathetic towards during the traumas she faced in the book. Overall it was a good read and I give this book 8/10.

Mystery in Prior's Ford by Evelyn Hood

The latest (and perhaps final?) installment from Prior's Ford was no disappointment. Another exciting read which kept me hooked with its intriguing story lines. There were some darker elements to this story, but everything was still kept light-hearted enough to be enjoyable to read. The murder in the village was an exciting story line, which I couldn't guess the solution to, until it was revealed near the end. My old favourite characters were back, and there were some interesting new faces, too. I feel like I've really gotten to know some of these characters over the series and will be disappointed if there isn't another book to follow so I can find out what they will all get up to next. This series has introduced me to a new genre I maybe wouldn't have thought to read, but that I thoroughly enjoy, which is also great. Therefore I give this book 10/10!

Laura's Handmade Life by Amanda Addison

Although I really started to enjoy this book towards the end, there was something about the narrative that stopped me from loving the book as a whole. It took me a while to get into the book, for a start, as the main character, Laura, really irritated me. She seemed to see her children as an inconvenience in her life, and I didn't feel that her having children actually added anything to the plot. She was a scatty character, which was very much reflected in the narrative. One sentence she would be discussing one topic, the next something entirely different, which often made it difficult to follow what was happening! However, I did enjoy the general plot, and the descriptions of the handmade items, the sewing classes, and some of the other characters (except Chris, who annoyed me throughout). It really made me want to get my sewing box out and start sewing again, which is a good sign in a book. And there were some parts of the book that had me hooked, despite my earlier complaints. Therefore I give this book 6/10.

Scandal in Prior's Ford by Eve Houston

Another fantastic installment from the Prior's Ford series. There were some really gripping story lines in this novel - some sad and emotional, others mysterious and intriguing, others happy and uplifting. The story at Taberthill Farm got very intense in this book, and brought a tear to my eye. I really enjoyed the storyline about the poision pen letters, and was excited when I found out who had been sending them! Ingrid, who featured quite a lot in the first book, has slowly been blending into the background during this and the previous book, so I wasn't too bothered to see her go in this one. Generally, this was a book I found hard to put down, and I'm looking forward to reading the next (and unfortunately final) book in the series. I give this book 10/10!

A Mother's Wish by Debbie Macomber

What irritated me most about this book was that I didn’t realise it was two shorter stories in one, as this was not obvious from the synopsis. I probably would not have decided to read it if I had known beforehand. However, I did enjoy Debbie Macomber’s style of writing. The first story, ‘Wanted: Perfect Partner’, was a bit of a disappointment. I loved the idea behind this story, and when I started to read it, I really got into it. At first, I loved the main character, Meg and I loved the storyline of her daughter and Steve’s sister getting them together with romance ads. However, the story was slightly ruined for me by the fact that I hated Steve and I hated what Meg became because of Steve. She became needy and pathetic and he was grumpy and rude to her. Their desire seemed to be mostly sexual and their constant falling out irritating. It felt like a bit of a chore having to finish this story and I was glad when I finished it. The second story in the book, ‘Father’s Day’, was so much better. I loved the main character, Robin, and her son, Jeff. Jeff was so adorable and his love of dogs was something I could relate to! The love interest, Cole, was a much better prospect than Steve in the previous story, and you could see his love for Jeff and Robin develop over time. This story was much harder to put down than the first.  Therefore I give the book on the whole 6/10.