15 Oct 2024

WINTER SNOWFALL AT ELDER FELL FARM.

My apologies once again to Tour host Rachel of Rachel's Random Resources and author, Liz Taylorson. Sadly due to recent illness I had been unable to share my thoughts on this Blog Tour read on 11th of October as planned. Still, better late than never, its with pleasure that I'm able to share them with you today. FGT.


WINTER SNOWFALL AT ELDER FELL FARM by LIZ TAYLORSON.

Genre ... Women’s Fiction (with a dash of romance)

Publication Date ... October 2024

Estimated Page Count ... 340

Standalone Second Book in a three book series

Author Content Warnings ... Drowning (not depicted, but talked about). Bereavement.

A simple Christmas just got complicated …
Amy’s in love. She’s looking forward to spending her first Christmas together, as a blended family, with Matt and their two sons, Harry and Oliver. What could be more perfect than a romantic escape to the remote and beautiful Lake District farm where Matt and Amy met?
However, an unexpected and difficult guest threatens to disrupt the festivities, and undermine her relationship with Matt. With Harry and Oliver around to create mayhem, and a snowstorm closing in, it seems that nothing is going to be romantic about Christmas at Elder Fell Farm.

Can their relationship weather the storm?

Over and over again, my one niggle about 'Christmas/Festive' reads has been how little {often as little as just a chapter or two} there is of Christmas in them. Not so with festive novel which, a charming read that my late nana would describe as capable of 'warming the cockles of your heart', I'm soooo relieved largely concerns itself with the obligatory festive school play through to a few days post Christmas Day.

A romantic escape, just the four ... oh, with an ex-mother in law, one of the boy's grannies, Mrs Willis, having just invited herself, better make that the five of you???

What could go wrong when two families {Matt and Amy and their respective sons, Olly, and Harry} try to become one? Their destination? A remote farm cottage in the Lake District with its own ghost story/curse.

A wonderful exploration into the blended family and all that it entails, something that many will relate to, the family dynamics, even more so. Transported to a truly beautifully winter landscape, I loved the real-life adventure the boy's found themselves on ... thank goodness for the book Amy was reading them. Most of all though I adored the delightfully cheeky Harry who promises to behave himself {especially when around the fastidious, somewhat snooty Mrs Willis} and not use any of the 'naughty' words he is so fond of. Not that its just his using 'naughty' words that need worry Matt and Amy when Mrs Willis hasn't yet been informed and most certainly won't approve of their relationship.

Way up there when it comes to my top favourite three reads of 2024 and, as it turns out, how exciting is this, the second book in a planned series of three. Whilst reading perfectly well as a standalone novel everything about Winter Snowfall At Elder Fell Farm screams at me to read not just the previous book in the series, Summer Showers at Elder Fell Farm , but also the other books by Liz Taylorson in whom I believe I've just discovered a new favourite author.



Liz Taylorson ... Yorkshire based author of romantic women’s fiction, including The Little Church by the Sea and Summer Showers at Elder Fell Farm. When she’s not at work for her local parish church Liz is an avid reader, a keen theatre-goer and a football fan – and she occasionally does a bit of writing.

Social Media Links ...

https://www.facebook.com/TaylorsonLiz (Facebook)

https://x.com/taylorson_liz (Twitter/X)

http://www.liztaylorson.com (Website)
With thanks to Rachel of Rachel's Random Resources for organising a paper copy. One of several bloggers participating in the Blog Tour of this book, agree or disagree with me, all opinions are my own; no financial compensation was asked for nor given; threats of violence towards my favourite teddy bear went unheeded as did promises of chocolate.

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11 Oct 2024

{COMING SOON TO PEN AND PAPER} WINTER SNOWFALL AT ELDER FELL FARM.

It is with sincere apologies to Rachel of Rachel's Rambling Resources and author, Liz Taylorson, that, due to my recent ill health, I find myself in the unenviable position of not being able to share my thoughts on what so far is proving to be a cracking Christmas read today. However,

 COMING IN THE NEXT DAY OR TWO TO PEN AND PAPER ...



Genre ... Women’s Fiction (with a dash of romance)

Publication Date ... October 2024

Estimated Page Count ... 340

Standalone Second Book in a three book series

Author Content Warnings ... Drowning (not depicted, but talked about). Bereavement.

A simple Christmas just got complicated …
Amy’s in love. She’s looking forward to spending her first Christmas together, as a blended family, with Matt and their two sons, Harry and Oliver. What could be more perfect than a romantic escape to the remote and beautiful Lake District farm where Matt and Amy met?

However, an unexpected and difficult guest threatens to disrupt the festivities, and undermine her relationship with Matt. With Harry and Oliver around to create mayhem, and a snowstorm closing in, it seems that nothing is going to be romantic about Christmas at Elder Fell Farm.

Can their relationship weather the storm?

9 Oct 2024

MISTLETOE MAGIC IN THE HIGHLANDS.

 

MISTLETOE MAGIC IN THE HIGHLANDS by BELLA OSBORNE.

Genre ... RomancePublication Date ... 10th October 2024Publisher ... Aria / Head of ZeusStandalone NovelEstimated Page Count ... 368Pre-order Link ... https://amzn.eu/d/gGWZGrQ 


Olivia Bingham has bad luck with men.

She’s been ghosted more times than she can count, but this Christmas she’s finally met someone really special online: Fraser Douglas, a Scottish chef working at an idyllic hotel in the Highlands. He’s sweet and sensitive, thoughtful and funny – not to mention incredibly good looking.

Just when she thinks things couldn’t be going any better, Fraser’s dating profile vanishes, and Olivia fears the worst. Frustrated and wounded, Olivia decides she’s going to drive all the way out to Loch Lochy Hotel and confront Fraser.

But when she arrives, things don't go exactly as she hoped. Worse still, Fraser doesn’t seem to have any idea who she is...



An easy, no spice to speak of read but then I'm afraid I'd didn't rate Olivia and Fraser as a couple; finding her a bit wishy-washy and him, well, I found him a total grump but, unlike Mr T {just don't tell him I said this} not in an endearing Eeyore kind of way, together they lacked in any meaningful chemistry.

Plot wise. Hmm! There just seemed to be several aspects of the story that were skimmed over, the ghosting of Olivia 'Liv' for example that, having been mentioned at the beginning, was not really mentioned again until the end.
I did however love the setting, I mean where better than a run-down hotel in the Highlands of Scotland {sigh} ... especially at Christmas.
In a nut shell, not what I'd call a full-on Christmas story but with enough of a festive feel {think of those ready-made for TV seasonal Hallmark films} that I can certainly think of worse books to curl up with under my favourite blanket in the run-up to Christmas.

Bella Osborne has been jotting down stories as far back as she can remember but decided that 2013 would be the year that she finished a full length novel. In 2016, her debut novel, It Started At Sunset Cottage, was shortlisted for the Contemporary Romantic Novel of the Year and RNA Joan Hessayon New Writers Award. Bella's stories are about friendship, love and coping with what life throws at you. She likes to find the humour in the darker moments of life and weaves these into her stories. Bella believes that writing your own story really is the best fun ever, closely followed by talking, eating chocolate, drinking fizz and planning holidays. She lives in the Midlands, UK with her lovely husband and wonderful daughter, who thankfully, both accept her as she is (with mad morning hair and a penchant for skipping).
Social Media Links ...
Twitter ... https://twitter.com/osborne_bella 
Facebook ...  https://www.facebook.com/BellaOsborneAuthor/Instagram ... https://www.instagram.com/bellaosborneauthor/TikTok ... https://www.tiktok.com/@bellaosborneauthor


With thanks to Rachel of Rachel's Random Resources for organising a paper copy. One of several bloggers participating in the Blog Tour of this book, agree or disagree with me, all opinions are my own; no financial compensation was asked for nor given; threats of violence towards my favourite teddy bear went unheeded as did promises of chocolate.

Share the love by following their blog. 


 Take a few minutes to check out their newest post and leaving a comment, you’ll instantly put a smile on their face. 
 
Share on FaceBook, X, Pinterest, and other social media sites, it shows that you care about their work and want others to enjoy it too! 

 The next time you see their post pop up on your feed, hit the like button, leave a comment, or even share it with your followers. It’ll defiantly make their day.