BOOK REVIEW // The Winters - Lisa Gabriele

I was really excited to read The Winters and was very happy when I was sent a copy to review, it felt like it was going to be the perfect read in the runup to Halloween and it turned out it was, there's no denying the opening line “Last night Rebekah tried to murder me again” is striking and lures you in. I ended up reading this one in a day or two as I flicked through eager to see what was going to happen, the story follows an orphaned and unnamed narrator as she falls for the older, wealthy New York Senator and recently widowed, Max Winters as he holidays in the Cayman Islands, Max is charming yet somewhat damaged having recently lost his wife Rebekah, mother of his troublesome teenage Daughter, Dani and he soon meets the soon to be second Mrs Winters who works at a boat shack that Max frequents, both of them bonding over their seemingly troubled pasts, they fall for each other very early on in the book and it's not long before she's whisked back to Asherley, his Long Island mansion, which was somewhat of a passion project of his former wife and is definitely an underlying element throughout the whole book, Asherley is dark and compelling and a stark contrast to the opening setting of the Cayman Islands, it adds a sense of unease throughout the whole book. 

I haven't read Daphne Du Maurier's Rebecca that this book is based on so I can't comment on the similarities but there's definitely an eeriness and sense of foreboding to this story that I have heard the original does have, as each new character is introduced, you can't help but wonder how they will play into the book, it kept me guessing until the very end and was a thoroughly enjoyable if not slightly creepy read, perfect for these darker winter months. 

Have you read this? What did you think?

Soph x




BOOK REVIEW // The Christmas Sisters - Sarah Morgan

I realise this is probably a little bit late now but if any of you are wanting to relive that festive vibe, this is a really enjoyable read, the story follows three sisters, Posy, Beth and Hannah as they prepare to meet up at their parent's home in the Scottish highlands, there's snow, there's Christmas, there's family angst, budding romances and marriages being tested, what more is there to want? In all seriousness though, this book does have a lot happening set against a cosy, Christmas background, it had a bit of a feel of Paige Toon's 'The One we Fell in Love With' - possibly because of the three sisters but I enjoyed how the sisters relationships played out and how they were quite realistic. 

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and would highly recommend it and although it does definitely have a festive feel and I did read it in the run up to Christmas, I think this would be one that you could definitely still pick up now and enjoy. 

Do it!

Do you have any other Sarah Morgan recommendations?

Soph x









BOOK REVIEW // One Day in December by Josie Silver

Where to start with this book, I read it pretty much in one sitting as I got completely and wholeheartedly lost in Laurie's world, the book opens as Laurie, fresh out of university and living in London spots a boy from the window of the double decker bus she's riding on, she falls in love instantly and so ensues the story of Laurie, her best friend and Flatmate, Sarah and Jack, the boy she fell in love with. We follow Laurie, Jack and Sarah throughout the years as their lives entangle and intertwine across Friendships, Heartbreak, new Jobs, rubbish Jobs and Tragedy. 

Laurie, our leading lady is an aspiring Journalist who can't quite seem to get catch that break so she can leave her Hotel Receptionist job and make it into the heady world of Publishing, Sarah is the glossy but brilliant best friend and Jack is the ultimate boy next door that I think pretty much everyone would fall in love with. The story spans over 10 years, starting in 2008 (perfect for a bit of nostalgia) and takes us right up into 2018 as we follow the lives of these three.


It's utterly charming, it's everything cosy and wintertime, it will make you want to write new years resolutions every year and know that sometimes you will make wrong choices and bad decisions and that's OK but ultimately it will make you believe in true love and in a world of Trumps, Brexit and post Christmas January blues, who doesn't want that?