Altered Helix by Stephanie Hansen Blog Tour

 There are moments where I just need a short story to entertain me.

Sometimes it's purely because I have a lack of time and there are those days where I fancy reading but I just haven't got the concentration for a full blow novel.

Altered Helix was the perfect book to help me out of a reading slump, as well as being ideal for the Halloween season.

I didn’t want to take the traditional path. First, I wasn’t ready for college. Second, I was going to live with my best friend, Tiff, and work at the Haunted House. Third, did I mention the hot guy Josh that works there too?

The most exciting thing about Austria’s new job, at a local haunted house, was the fact that the toughest looking people screamed the loudest. But when she meets the boy without a home, Josh, Austria's life takes intriguing and eventful turns. Up until now, Josh has managed to hang with his Street crowd, but they’re in danger, and so is Austria, the girl Josh recently fell for. The group finds themselves joining forces with previously considered enemies who also now find themselves in danger.

Snowed In For Christmas by Sarah Morgan Blog Tour

 I'm just going to say it, Sarah Morgan is the queen of Christmas stories!

If you haven't read one of her festive books yet then you may as well start with Snowed In For Christmas because it is a corker!

A family gathering

This Christmas the Miller siblings have one goal—to avoid their well-meaning family’s endless stream of prying questions. Ross, Alice and Clemmie have secrets that they don’t intend to share, and they are relying on each other to deflect attention.

An uninvited guest

Lucy Clarke is facing a Christmas alone and the prospect of losing her job. Unless she can win a major piece of business from Ross Miller, the season promises to be anything but festive. She’ll just deliver her proposal to his family home and then leave. After all, she wouldn’t want to intrude on the Miller family’s perfect Christmas.

A Christmas to remember

When Lucy appears on the Miller family’s snow-covered Highland doorstep, she's mistaken for Ross’s girlfriend. By the time the confusion is cleared up, they're snowed in—she can’t leave, even if she wants to! But does she want to? As secrets spill out like presents from an overstuffed stocking and the chemistry between her and Ross ignites, this is going to be either Lucy's worst Christmas ever or the best mistake of her life. 

Santa Maybe by Mary Jayne Baker Blog Tour

 Christmas + romance = perfection.

Well it does for me anyway.

So when I was given the chance to join the blog tour for Mary Jayne Baker's novel Santa Maybe, I was quick to say yes. 

Because quite frankly a bit of festive cheer any time of the year is not a bad thing.

Toy Store owner Elodie Martin is not one to get into the festive spirit but nothing gets her fired up more than the chance to get one over on her nemesis, Callum Ashley – the frosty, infuriatingly handsome owner of the local department store.

Christmas is the only time she can compete thanks to her grandad Jim, everyone's favourite Santa Claus. But when he has to unexpectedly hang up his red suit, Elodie risks losing the business for good and has no choice but to rely on last-minute replacement out-of-work actor Nick Winter.

The Twelve Wishes of Christmas by Ruby Basu Birthday Blitz

 We all need feel good stories in our lives, especially the way the world is at the moment.

And what better book than a Christmas one.

Festive cheer always puts a smile on my face and that's exactly what Ruby Basu's story did. The Twelve Wishes of Christmas is celebrating its first book birthday and I'm here with my review to join in with the celebrations.

When Sharmila discovers her late friend, Thomas, has gifted her the holiday of her dreams, she can’t pack her bags fast enough. Arriving in Pineford, it’s everything she’d ever hoped for and more.

But she’s in for another surprise, because Thomas has left her with one last request: if she completes his Christmas wish list of festive activities, her chosen charity will receive a big donation. Or so Sharmila thinks.

…He’s there to reclaim his family’s legacy

Little does she know, she’s set to inherit Thomas’s estate too, much to his nephew Zach’s disbelief. Determined not to see his family’s legacy left to a stranger, he’s come to Pineford to do whatever it takes to stop Sharmila from fulfilling that list.

When Sharmila and Zach meet, neither are prepared for sparks to fly. For Sharmila’s sworn off love, and Zach doesn’t trust her. But with every passing wish they find themselves growing closer. And amongst the twinkling town lights and fallen snow, Sharmila can feel her heart opening up to Zach. But when she learns he’s been keeping a secret from her, can Sharmila forgive him and get the happy-ever-after she’s always wished for this Christmas?

Sea Shaken JM Simpson Blog Tour

 Those of you who are regular readers of my blog will know that I have become quite partial to JM Simpson's Casteby series having already reviewed both Sea State and Sea Change (books one and two in the series). 

So when I heard that book three was nearly ready to be released, I may have squealed a little and kept my fingers crossed that I could once again join the blog tour so that I'd get the pleasure of reading and reviewing Sea Shaken.

And well, here we are . . .

All is not well in Castleby.

Her life hangs in the balance… He needs to be sure she’s dead…

Jesse Stevens lies in a coma after being pulled off a cliff by a psychopath who escaped from prison to find her.

He is in hiding, also hurt from the fall, but fuelled with rage. He needs to make sure she’s dead. If she isn’t, he’ll finish the job once and for all.

Military Intelligence Officer, Sam Jones, missing presumed dead, returns from Afghanistan after two years of brutal torture in captivity. Struggling to cope, Sam has no desire to carry on living, or return to family life, with his wife, Sophie, and son, Marcus. Sophie is desperate to help Sam recover and leans heavily on her friend and ex-forces soldier Foxy for support.

Castleby is plagued by a series of unexplained deaths among the elderly and that of a local fisherman. Inspector Steve Miller works closely with the new local GP, Kate Cooper, to try and find an explanation and they eventually uncover the sinister truth.

Keeping a Christmas Promise by Jo Thomas Blog Tour

 If you visit my blog often, you will know that I am quite the fan of Jo Thomas. And I may love an author even more if they write a Christmas story... hint hint other authors.

So of course I was going to say yes to joining the blog tour for their latest release, Keeping a Christmas Promise.

A Christmas to remember for a friend they'll never forget

Four friends

Twenty-five years ago, Freya and her three best friends created a bucket list. The future seemed bright, full of hope and most importantly guaranteed . . .

One promise

Now they are travelling to Iceland in memory of the friend they've lost, determined to fulfil her dream of seeing the Northern Lights at Christmas.

A life-changing adventure

They didn't count on an avalanche leaving them stranded! Handsome local, Pétur, comes to the rescue, showing them how the community survives the hard winter. With Christmas approaching, Freya and her friends throw themselves into the festivities, decorating and cooking for the villagers using delicious local ingredients.

But will the Northern Lights appear so they can honour their friend's wish? And can Freya's own dreams come true, this Christmas?

The Mistletoe Mixtape Blog Tour

 I've come to love a short story, even better when they happen to have a festive theme. 

The Mistletoe Mixtape happens to offer both so I was eager to see what this collection had to offer.

Snuggle up for the holidays with 12 very different tales of love that will have you dancing under the mistletoe!

The Mistletoe Mixtape, the second anthology from The Christmas Collective, is a diverse and inclusive mix of stories, with more swoon-worthy characters, second chances and happy endings.

Amongst these twelve Christmas music inspired stories you will discover long lost love, festive fantasy, LGBTQ+ love stories, witty one liners and holiday romances. There really is a story to capture every reader’s festive spirit. So grab yourself a hot chocolate, pop on your favourite festive tunes and immerse yourself in the magic of The Mistletoe Mixtape.