Becca runs The Cosy Kettle cafe and shares a house with her best friend Zac. She is crippled by a lack of self confidence so writes a list of wishes which she believes will make her happier in time for Christmas.
The festive period provides the opportunity for the plot: Becca’s love interest Logan needs someone to host his work Christmas party so Becca offers to hold the event at the Cosy Kettle. Will their party meetings lead to romance…?
A Christmas Kiss and a Cranberry Kiss is a warm, feel-good festive themed book. Becca is a really likeable lead character and, if I’m honest, quite like me in terms of constantly comparing herself to others and finding herself lacking 🙁
Liz Eeles uses this book to remind us to be careful what we wish for and to appreciate ourselves the way we are. Becca has blinkers on and can’t see herself objectively: she is recovering from heartbreak and a complete change in lifestyle and career yet can’t see how brave she has been.
It was obvious from the start that Becca and Zac belonged together and around halfway through the book she realises this too but by this point her twin sister has asked him out. She tries to feel happy for them but her heart is breaking once again.
There is plenty of humour and pathos as we are introduced to a plethora of peripheral characters in the form of the book club. Whilst their actions are amusing, there is often a sadness lurking in the background and this is sensitively dealt with in the narrative.
I really enjoyed A Christmas Wish and a Cranberry Kiss at the Cosy Kettle: uplifting so just right for getting in the Christmas spirit.
Blog Tour Media Kit:
Title: A Christmas Wish and a Cranberry Kiss at the Cosy Kettle
Author: Liz Eeles
Pub day: 07/11/2019
Buy Links:
Description:
Fans of Milly Johnson and Phillipa Ashley, the Cosy Kettle café is waiting for you to find a comfy spot by the fire and snuggle up with a steaming mug of hot chocolate. Amidst the twinkling lights and falling snowflakes, Becca has a wish to make this Christmas…
Running from heartbreak, twenty-five-year-old Becca has moved to the cosy village of Honeyford. Living with her best friend Zac in a little stone cottage and serving mince pies and steaming gingerbread lattes at the Cosy Kettle, is the perfect escape from her past.
But starting over isn’t always plain sailing, and Becca’s shyness is holding her back from making her mark on the café. To make matters worse, her crush on blond-haired, blue-eyed local heartthrob Logan gets stronger by the day – but he can barely remember her name. So as the snow starts to fall in Honeyford, Becca has one big Christmas wish: to completely reinvent herself. Becca dreams of bringing the Cosy Kettle success and finding romance with Logan under the mistletoe.
As she gets a makeover, cosies up to Logan over mulled wine and plans the most festive celebration the café has ever seen, Becca wonders why she waited so long to step out of her comfort zone… Zac, on the other hand, thought she was perfect before – always caring for others – and he misses the quirky girl with the bright blue hair.
When Logan turns out to not be all he seems, Becca is left wondering if he’s really the one for her. With her party plans also going awry, can Becca save her beloved Cosy Kettle in time for Christmas? And has the key to her happiness been in front of her all along?
Author Bio:
Liz began her writing career as a journalist and press officer before deciding that she’d rather have the freedom of making things up as a novelist.
Being short-listed in the Corvus ‘Love at First Write’ competition and the Novelicious search for a new women’s fiction star gave Liz the push she needed to keep putting pen to paper …. and ‘Annie’s Holiday by the Sea’ (her first published novel) is the result.
Liz lives on the South Coast with her family and, when she’s not writing, likes to spend time walking by the sea, and trying to meditate. Her ambition is to be serene one day …. she’s still got a long way to go.
Author Social Media Links:
Oops, a third of the way through the new month and I realised I haven’t written October’s round up vegan post! There have been lots of new products in the shops so let’s see what I thought:
Tesco had lots of new items including from Plant Chef and Wicked Kitchen. these were very tasty but the burgers were a mess as they were very liquid. Once cooked they were fine but we had to re-form them.
The Like… brand also arrived in Tesco and is now one of my favourites EVER! I particularly like the schnitzel but all of them are excellent meat substitutes. The chicken and kebab ones have a good texture, realistic to trick meat eaters (I believe anyway, it has been 20 years since I went veggie!)
Also good are the Vegetarian Butcher for meat substitutes and Heck for sausages.
Chris found me these curry dishes from Ashoka at an independent shop near his work. The majority are vegan and gluten free. They are a really quick and easy meal option on their own but would also be good to add other vegetables, tofu or vegan ‘meat’ to bulk out.
Chris knocked up this quick garlic mushroom sauce which he used on toast but I had on gluten free pasta. Very tasty and helped keep vampires away at Halloween!
I made my first ever mug cake! I was sent a cup from Ginger Fox and followed the recipe included but left out the egg: wow! The cake was brilliant!
We have eaten out a few times this month. The soup and garlic bread at Zizzi in Stratford was absolutely superb and the pizza was tasty too with jackfruit pepperoni. Such a shame that the rest of the family were a little disappointed with their meals and the service was sloooooooow.
My first try of a pizza at Ask Italian (I usually go for pasta which always tastes great but leaves me hungry as I’m a pasta fiend and could eat double their portion size!) I could have done with less vegan cheese as it was quite claggy.
My final restaurant pizza of the month was Bella Italia, choose your own toppings. I was a bit underwhelmed by the distribution and quantity of the mushrooms and onions!
TRIGGER WARNING: this book deals with rape and suicide, please do not read on if this may affect you
Alton and Kane arrive back from a break to a suspected suicide of a college student. Her autopsy reveals she was drugged and gang raped prior to her death. Did Chrissie kill herself due to the trauma of her final hours or was she murdered to keep her quiet?
Soon, other students are found dead and again it is unclear if the deaths are suspicious. All of the men killed were suspected of being involved in the gang rape. The lead player of the football team is a potential victim or killer, but which is he?
Jenna Alton is horrified by the idea of a serial killer but also the despicable rapes of drugged women. Her sympathy with the murdering of the football team is limited, especially as they are all being secretive to avoid prosecution for the sex crimes.
Medical examiner Wolfe’s family are brought into danger again when Seth from the football team decides he wants Emily to be the next rape victim. This causes tension within the police team and serves to make the situation more urgent and personal.
The plot is fast paced and compelling from the beginning and I was instantly hooked. We see viewpoints from the police, victims and murderer so we can see the effect of the crimes from multiple perspectives, and gives us an emotional link to the events.
Alton and Kane’s relationship is still simmering at the friendship stage but I hope they find happiness together soon!
This book can be read on its own or as part of the series. The police team characters have past cases to bind them together but the mentions in the book will make you want to read those other books rather than detract from the current case.
DK HOOD Media Kit:
Title: Break the Silence
Author: DK Hood
PUBLICATION DAY: 04/11/2019
BUY LINKS:
Description:
Her head throbbed as she stumbled up the stairs. Music vibrating and the sound of partygoers fill her head as she walks into one of the dark, empty rooms. As she sits on the bed, she hears the unmistakable sound of the door locking behind her. She is not alone.
The body of college student Chrissie Lowe lies curled into a ball – long red cuts along her arms suggesting how she had met her death. Detective Jenna Alton is called in to investigate.
Purplish bruising on Chrissie’s upper arms and thighs make Jenna believe there is more to Chrissie’s death than others suspected, and she soon finds herself following the trail of the student’s last few moments, leading her to the scene of a party that had ended just hours before Chrissie’s body was found.
When Jenna hears reports that Chrissie was seen going into the bedroom of a college football star, she knows that finding out what went on behind that closed door could be the key to finding out how Chrissie ended up dead. But then another partygoer dies in an apparent accident at the campus gym just hours later, and Jenna is convinced the deaths are connected.
Facing a wall of silence from the student population, Jenna has to act fast to find the killer, but soon another student is found dead on the campus. As Jenna sends in one of her deputies undercover, she prays that she hasn’t just sealed his fate. Can she find the killer before any more lives are taken?
Fans of Lisa Regan, Karin Slaughter and Rachel Abbott will love this totally gripping page-turner from bestselling crime author D.K. Hood. You won’t be able to put it down!
**Each Kane and Alton book can be read as part of the series or as a standalone**
Author Bio:
I’ve always had a wicked sense of humour and was the kid who told the ghost stories around the campfire. I am lucky to have family all over the world and have spent many vacations in places from Paris France to Montana USA and Australia. I use the wonderful memories from these visits to enhance my stories.
My interest in the development of forensic science to solve crime goes back many years. I enjoy writing crime, mystery and thrillers. With many stories, waiting for me to write I’ll look forward to sharing many spine-tingling stories with you.
D.K. Hood is an active member of International Thriller Writers.
Author Social Media Links:
Having fallen in love with coriander this year (see my mexican pasta salad, and carrot and coriander soup), I wanted to make something hearty and quick so used the classic flavours to make this one pot rice dish.
So here is what you need:
2 large carrots
1 onion
400g rice
1 stock cube and 2 pints boiling water
2 table spoons fresh coriander plus a sprig per plate to be faffy and decorative 🙂
Instructions
Peel and grate the carrots, and chop the onion.
Fry the onion and carrot for 2-3 minutes until beginning to soften.
Add the rice and stir to coat in oil.
Add the stock cube made up with 2 pints of boiling water
Bring to the boil, cover and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Mix in the chopped coriander and continue to simmer until all the water has been absorbed and the rice is fully cooked (another 5-10 minutes depending on the type of rice.
This will require more frequently stirring at this stage, the alternative is to remove from the heat and allow it to steam cook for 15-20 minutes with the lid firmly closed.
Plate up and decorate or ‘garnish’ for you posh culinary types then enjoy!
The Other Daughter begins with the abduction of a toddler. Horrific for any parent to endure or even imagine.
Years later, Rachel has accepted that her daughter is probably dead. But then a new family arrive in the local area and she is instantly convinced that their eldest daughter Bella is actually her lost girl.
Is Rachel desperately clinging to hope or are the girl’s family acting suspiciously…?
Shalini Boland had me hooked from the very first page. The scenario of the abduction is so realistic and terrible. A split second decision to chat to a friend instead of keeping your child in your line of sight for every second. Mum guilt at its worst.
The narrative structure of the book is divided into two parts, then and now. The then is the past, the events of the abduction as seen through Catriona, the abductor’s, eyes. The now is the present day as we see Rachel’s composure shattered by the sighting of the girl she believes may be her daughter.
This splitting of the plot is a really clever way to show us two viewpoints and help us to gain an understanding of the emotions underpinning the actions of the main women in the book. Whilst I may not agree with Catriona’s decision to snatch Holly, I can comprehend the devastation she faced in her own life that made her take such desperate action. Equally, Rachel’s despair and increasingly frantic behaviour is completely believable as she is finally hopeful of finding her daughter after so many years of loss.
The Other Daughter has an amazing twist right at the end that almost had me jumping out of my seat in astonishment, just like Shalini’s other books which I have also loved (The Marriage Betrayal and The Perfect Family)!
Book Description:
Nine years ago her daughter was taken. And now she’s back.
Two-and-a-half-year-old Holly is playing happily in a pink plastic playhouse, while her mother Rachel sips coffee and chats with a friend nearby. It should be an ordinary day for all of them. But, in the blink of an eye, it turns into every family’s worst nightmare.
Holly is taken by a stranger and never found.
Nine years later, Rachel is living a quiet life in Dorset. She’s tried to keep things together since the traumatic day when she lost her eldest daughter. She has a new family, a loving partner and her secrets are locked away in her painful past.
Until one afternoon when Rachel meets a new school parent Kate and her teenage daughter Bella. Rachel’s world is instantly turned upside down – she’s seen Bella before. She’d recognise that face anywhere – it’s her missing child.
And she will stop at nothing to get her back…
From the million-copy-bestselling author of The Secret Mother and The Perfect Family, this utterly gripping psychological thriller will have you up all night reading. If you loved Gone Girl, The Girl on the Train and The Sister this book is for you.
Author Bio:
Shalini Boland is the million-copy, USA-Today bestselling author of eight psychological thrillers: ‘THE GIRL FROM THE SEA’, ‘THE BEST FRIEND’, ‘THE MILLIONAIRE’S WIFE’ (optioned for TV by Legendary Studios), ‘THE SECRET MOTHER’, ‘THE CHILD NEXT DOOR’, ‘THE SILENT SISTER’, ‘THE PERFECT FAMILY’ and ‘THE MARRIAGE BETRAYAL’.
THE OTHER DAUGHTER comes out Nov 5th and is now available to preorder!
Her titles are published by Bookouture, Grand Central (USA) and Tantor.
Shalini lives by the sea in Dorset, England with her husband, two children and their cheeky terrier cross. Before kids, she was signed to Universal Music Publishing as a singer/songwriter, but now she spends her days writing psychological thrillers (in between school runs and sorting endless baskets of laundry).
@ShaliniBoland
