Open House by Jill Mansell

This was a really interesting story, but it took me a while to get into it. For some reason, I could not connect with one of the main characters, Nell. How she and Marcus ended up getting together was very adrupt and random, and she seemed to change her mind about him too easily. And there was something about Marcus which did not click at first, either. However, about half way through the book I did begin to like them a lot better. It was the other main character, Hetty, which I really enjoyed reading about the most. I felt empathetic towards her at the start, and felt almost proud of her as her character grew. Some of the minor characters were interesting, too, such as Kiki and Jemima. And overall, it was an enjoyable read once I got into it. I give this book 7/10.

A Crowded Marriage by Catherine Alliott

This was a really good book. I enjoyed reading the story told from Imogen's perspective and discovering plot twists as she did. Some of the twists were really surprising and kept me gripped. Imogen's son, Rufus, was adorable and gave the book a homely feel. The way Imogen's husband was portrayed was very good - there was something about him that wasn't quite right, but I couldn't put my finger on it, similar to how Imogen felt in the situation. The only thing I wasn't keen on was the love interest, Pat. He never really grew on me and his personality was somewhat lacking. The ending was also a bit abrupt, and I felt that it should have developed further. However, overall this was a good book, that I found difficult to put down. I give it 8/10.

Recipe for Love by Katie Fforde

I am a big fan of Katie Fforde, and have read all of her books. So I was very excited when this arrived in the post. It didn't dissappoint, either. I felt connected with the main character, Zoe, straight away from the first chapter. I just couldn't put the book down, wanting to find out what would happen next. I liked the theme of the book, a cookery competition set in a beautiful location, which reminded me of the TV series 'The Great British Bake Off' (which I love!). Cher was a brilliant character who I loved to hate. Gideon is exactly what I hope for in a romantic hero, although the plot twist involving his wife was resolved too quickly in my opinion. Zoe fell back into his arms far too easily, and he should have had to fight for her more. Therefore I thought the book was ended a bit too abruptly for my liking. But overall, a brilliant read. I give this book 9/10.

The Beach Hut by Veronica Henry

Although this book didn't progress as I was expecting, it was still an enjoyable read. After reading the synopsis, I imagined there would be three main characters, when there were stories told from many different character's perspectives. It was like reading lots of different short stories which all took part in the same location. The good thing was that I felt connected and empathetic towards each new character and their story as they were introduced. However, sometimes it got a bit complicated remembering all of the characters names and their stories when they were continued later on in the book. I liked the main family - the Miltons - and their various stories. And I also liked how several of the seperate characters came together in different ways. However, another issue I felt was that some of the stories seemed unresolved, whilst others were tied up neatly by the end. Overall, it was a nice read, if a little difficult to follow at times. I give it 7/10.

It Happened One Summer by Polly Williams

To get me in the mood for the warmer weather on my holiday, I chose a book about summer to take with me. I was so glad I took this as it was a great holiday read. Once I'd picked it up, I couldn't put it down. It was gripping, and I always wanted to find out more, especially because of the cliff hangers at the end of some of the chapters. There were lots of family dynamics that drove the story forward. The side plot of April that eventually led to the main plot was particularly enthralling. Polly Williams managed to create empathy for all of the characters, especially the main character, Nell, but also her sister, Heather, despite the initial judgement I came to when hearing how she had stolen Jeremy. I especially loved the descriptions of Cornwall in the book, especially those of the beach. Therefore I give this book 10/10!

The Difference A Day Makes by Carole Matthews

I quite enjoyed this book. When reading the synopsis, the term 'tragedy' didn't have me expecting what happened early on in the book. It made the story much more interesting. I didn't like the main character, Amy, at first. Although as she grew to love the country, the animals and became less materialistic, I also grew to love her. I generally enjoy books about the countryside (living in it myself) so all the tales of the animals such as Hamish the dog and the blind chickens really tickled me, and the love interest, Guy, being a vet was interesting. The children were lovely characters which added a cosy, family feel to the book. In terms of written style, I find that Carole Matthews writes well and I love the short chapters that feature in her books. I give this book 8/10.

Monday to Friday Man by Alice Peterson

I really enjoyed this book and felt really involved in the life of Gilly. I liked following her journey and her gradual discovery of what she really wanted out of life. The Monday to Friday man idea was an interesting one with which the plot was based around, rather than Jack just being somone she meets randomly. I love the dog-walking group where the characters are all different and heart-warming. And I especially love the sounds of Gilly's dog, Ruskin. I felt like the chapters that were told from Gilly's view when she was a child were a bit uneccesary or would have been better told in past rather than present tense. But other than that, it was an excellent read, and I particularly loved the ending. I give this book 9/10.