BOOKSIMO

What secrets are hiding in the heart of Paris? At the famous Patisserie Clermont in Paris, 1909, a chance encounter with the owner’s daughter has given one young man a glimpse into a life he never knew existed: of sweet cream and melted chocolate, golden caramel and powdered sugar, of pastry light as air. But it is not just the art of confectionery that holds him captive, and soon a forbidden love affair begins. Almost eighty years later, an academic discovers a hidden photograph of her grandfather as a young man with two people she has never seen before. Scrawled on the back of the picture are the words ‘ Forgive me ’. Unable to resist the mystery behind it, she begins to unravel the story of two star-crossed lovers and one irrevocable betrayal. The story in this book alternates between 1988 in England and 1910 in Paris.  In 1910 we have Gui and his story, whilst in 1988 we have Petra an academic who find amongst her deceased Grandfathers papers a photograph from P

Imogen Tate, editor-in-chief of Glossy magazine, is a legend in the fashion world. But when she returns from a sabbatical to find her twenty-six-year-old former assistant, Eve Morton, behind her desk, she realises times are changing. Armed with a business degree, naked ambition and an iPhone, Eve announces she has been brought in to turn Imogen's beloved magazine into an app. With herself at the helm. In this terrifying new world, Imogen is almost invisible. In place of her team of dedicated staff is a constantly evolving line of twenty-something bloggers at their desks day and night ('Only losers need sleep!'), amateur snaps instead of elegant photo shoots, and a URL address in place of Imogen's glossy pages. But Imogen isn't ready to give up her hard-earned career without a fight. Where Eve has Twitter followers, Imogen has experience, talent and real relationships, and she's prepared to fight for the fashion world she knows and loves. Even if it

"Did she really just say that? I am fifteen again, except the reality is I am experiencing full parental horror, aged twenty-five. I want to die." Life hasn't quite worked out how Arielle Lockley imagined it would. Becoming the next Coco Chanel was always her childhood dream, but she's spent the past four years living a dizzying whirl of glitzy parties, luxurious holidays and daily shopping sprees - all paid for by boyfriend Piers - and not doing anything to make her Coco dreams happen. When the recession hits, it's not just the economy that takes a tumble and Arielle finds herself living back with her parents, on bad terms with Piers, and having a CV that's as welcome as a pair of knock-off Jimmy Choos. And maybe it's the location, but she's also finding unwelcome thoughts of her childhood sweetheart are popping into her head... What's a girl to do? Can Arielle figure out what it is she now wants to do with her life and move on, or will she be

It is two years since Eleanor Mace said farewell to her lover Christophe and returned to Devon.  Her bookshop in the sleepy seaside town of Combemouth has become the hub of the community and with the new love of her life, Daniel, everything seems to be blissfully plain sailing.  That is until Freya, Daniel’s ex-wife appears on the scene.  Hired as an architect for a major celebrity who plans to build an enormous new complex in Combemouth, Freya seeks Daniel’s help to get her ambitious scheme approved.  Outraged, Eleanor mounts a protest against the scheme – helped by some endangered local wildlife – that gets her noticed by the world’s media, but puts her at risk of losing Daniel.  As the campaign gains momentum, Eleanor is asked to speak at a conference in Spain, where she unexpectedly bumps into the handsome Christophe – a blast from her past.  Surely this must be fate?  Will Eleanor fall for the charms of her French ex-boyfriend, or can she find it in her heart to forgive Daniel a

As preparations for the 1893 World’s Fair set Chicago and the nation on fire, Louis Tiffany—heir to the exclusive Fifth Avenue jewelry empire—seizes the opportunity to unveil his state-of-the-art, stained glass, mosaic chapel, the likes of which the world has never seen. But when Louis’s dream is threatened by a glassworkers’ strike months before the Fair opens, he turns to an unforeseen source for help: the female students at the Art Students League of New York. Eager for adventure, the young women pick up their skirts, move to boarding houses, take up steel cutters, and assume new identities as the “Tiffany Girls.” Tiffany Girl  is the heartwarming story of the impetuous Flossie Jayne, a beautiful, budding artist who is handpicked by Louis to help complete the Tiffany chapel. Though excited to live in a boarding house when most women stayed home, she quickly finds the world is less welcoming than anticipated. From a Casanova male, to an unconventional married couple, and a condescen

How can a memory so vivid be wrong? I tried to remember the first time I’d been here and to see the tree through Izzie’s eyes. The oak stood on a rise just above the path; not too tall or wide but graceful and straight, its trunk covered in what I can only describe as offerings – pieces of ribbon, daisy chains, a shell necklace, a tiny doll or two and even an old cuckoo clock. "Why do people do this?" Izzie asked. I winked at her. "To say thank you to the fairies." In the summer of 1986 Robin and Izzie hold hands under  The Faerie Tree  and wish for a future together. Within hours tragedy rips their dreams apart. In the winter of 2006, each carrying their own burden of grief, they stumble back into each other’s lives and try to create a second chance. But why are their memories of 1986 so different? And which one of them is right? ---------- I have fairly eclectic tastes when it comes to reading but probably what underlies my reading choices

What if you could ask God anything? What would you ask? And how would He answer? Chelsea Chambers is on her own. After a public split from her NFL superstar husband, Chelsea takes a bold step out of the limelight and behind the counter of the Higher Grounds Café, an old-fashioned coffee shop in dire need of reinvention. But when her courage, expert planning, and out-of-this-world cupcakes fail to pay the bills, this newly single mom finds herself desperate for help. Better yet, a miracle. Then a curious stranger lands at Chelsea’s door, and with him, an even more curious string of events. Soon, customers are flocking to the Higher Grounds Café, and not just for the cupcakes and cappuccino. They’ve come for the internet connection to the divine. Now the café has become the go-to place for people in search of answers to life’s biggest questions. When a catastrophe strikes and her ex comes calling, Chelsea begins to wonder if the whole universe is conspiring against her que

What can rock your world faster than winning or losing a king’s ransom overnight?  Just as a huge financial scandal throws New Yorker, Olivia Wheeler, from wealth and success to bankruptcy and shame, struggling impoverished single-mother Rosie Dixon wins an unexpected million pounds. Good luck? Bad luck? Who can tell? Both women have more in common than they realize. While Olivia struggles to survive her humiliations, fleeing broke and homeless to London, shy unassuming Rosie discovers sudden riches arrive with their own mega-load of problems.  Can workaholic career-obsessed Olivia find a passion for something earthier and warmer than power and prestige? And can Rosie sift through envy and greed to discover true friends, true family and even true love?  Two strangers who’ve never met. Yet neither realizes how each is affecting the other’s destiny or the places their paths touch and fates entwine.  How will they surmount the pitfalls and perils of their outrageous change of fortune

The lovely Kerry Frith let me have a copy of this ebook to review - thanks Kerry. Hattie Carter was in the wrong place at the wrong time. She witnessed something she shouldn’t have and it changed her life overnight.  Now it’s time for Hattie to move on except it's not that easy when she's receiving death threats. On the advice of the DCI in charge, she finds herself in the exquisite village of Castleford in Wiltshire where the cottages are cosy, the locals friendly and never mind the charming Lord Ethan Parks and local sexy but grumpy DI Joe Walsh. Hattie starts to think maybe it's not so bad after all.  There's no sirens, smog or traffic and even the birds seem chirpier but when there’s a murder in the village, Hattie finds herself curious as to who poisoned Hillary Bishop. She has her suspicions but can she prove who did it all the while DI Walsh is keeping a very close eye on her? I devoured this book in one day - I had other things I needed to do, so

Fay Merryweather runs her cake shop from her beautiful garden. She whips up airy sponges and scrumptious scones, while her customers enjoy the lovely blossoms and gorgeous blooms. Looking after the cake shop, the garden and her cantankerous mother means Fay is always busy but she accepts her responsibilities because if she doesn't do all this, who will? Then Danny Wilde walks into her life and makes Fay question every decision she's ever made. When a sudden tragedy strikes, Fay's entire world is thrown off balance even further and she doesn't know which way to turn. Can Fay find the strength to make a life-changing decision - even if it means giving up the thing she loves the most? Life, love and family are about to collide in The Cake Shop in the Garden. Well – what can I say – you had me at Cake and Carole Matthews! Where to begin, because I just loved so much about this book. I actually began to ration my reading towards the close of the book, because I

Something a little bit different on my blog today. Transun are running a competition to win a trip to see the northern lights. To enter the competition you have to write a blog post about your top three travel bucket list destinations. Well it just so happens that my three top destinations are also featured in three of my favourite book titles. Budapest - The Grant Budapest Hotel I have wanted to go to Budapest for a long time. I'm intrigued by a city that was once Buda and Pest and became one. I have seen so many times the beautiful pictures of the wonderful architecture from the river Danube, particularly that of the Hungarian Parliament, that I can't wait to see it in person. Venice - A Night on the Orient Express I really want to travel on the Orient Express - experience that old world luxury and service that is so rare today. Relive what it would have been like to travel on the Orient Express in the 1880s when it first began. To arrive in Venice and explore all

A laugh-out-loud romance from the bestselling author of the Shopaholic series. Meet Audrey: an ordinary teenage girl with not so ordinary problems. Aside from her completely crazy and chaotic family, she suffers from an anxiety disorder which makes talking to her brother's hot new best friend a bit of a challenge. But Audrey has a plan to help her face her fears and take on the world again. First stop: Starbucks. This book is by one of my favourite authors which is why I requested a copy to review, although it's aimed at a teenage audience. I am far, far from a teenager! But I loved this book. Some of what Audrey is going through happens to adults too and through her eyes she explains excellently what her life has become, but she's planning on changing it and Starbucks features in that plan (who knew!). Hearing what her parents are saying through Audrey is very comical, you can imagine yourself saying these things as an adult everyday - but when analysed it real

Entry -Form This giveaway is open worldwide and administered by William Meikle and I have no involvement in it.

Sainsbury's have got lots of books with this stickered offer - £3 to spend on ebooks at Sainsburys. This book also came with the short story Stolen weekend all for £3.99. So basically you are only paying 99p for a book.

Claire Bixby grew up watching Doris Day films at her grandmother’s house and yearned to live in a world like the one on the screen – sunny, colourful and where happy endings with chiselled leading men were guaranteed. But recently Claire’s opportunities for a little ‘pillow talk’ have been thin on the ground. Until she meets mysterious Dominic. Nic is full of secrets but their connection is instant. Could he help Claire finding the Hollywood ending she’s been searching for?Perhaps, perhaps, perhaps… I love reading books that lead to other books or films. Trouble is I then get sidetracked and have even more things I want to read and see. This is the case with the latest book from Fiona Harper out on 23 April 2015. I never really knew that much about Doris Day and so this book fed me a few interesting nuggets and now I want to know more! This is such a feel good book - a real curl up and indulge book. It's girly, delightful and quirky. There are many references to the plot be

Razor-sharp and thought-provoking, Lindsey J. Palmer’s incisive new novel both celebrates and skewers modern relationships and their milestones, offering a witty and wise look at what it takes to commit—to love, to a home, and to the life that’s right for you. After three years of dating and trading nights at their respective New York City apartments, Emma Feit and Nick O’Hare are moving in together. Or they will be, as soon as they find the right place. For two happily-in-love professionals—Nick’s a teacher, Emma tutors college-bound teens—with good credit and stellar references, how hard can it be? As it turns out, very—in ways that are completely unexpected. Suddenly Emma is filled with questions about cohabiting, about giving up her freedom—not to mention about who’s going to clean the toilet. And while her best friend plans a dream wedding to her wealthy fiancé, and her older brother settles into suburban bliss, Emma must figure out what home means to her—and ho

Grace Palmer’s British friends all think she’s living the American Dream. But her design business is floundering and when she discovers her husband is cheating with her best client, she panics and flees home to England. The tranquil village of Saffron Sweeting appears to be a good place for Grace to lick her wounds, but the community is battling its own changes. Reluctantly, Grace finds herself helping her new neighbours as they struggle to adjust and save their businesses. However, not everyone has the same opinion on what’s good for the village. The charismatic new man in her life may have one speculative eye on Grace, but the other is firmly on profit. How will she navigate the tricky path between her home and her happiness? With gentle humour and generous helpings of British tea and cake, Saving Saffron Sweeting explores one woman’s need to define herself through her career and community, before she can figure out who should be by her side. My last review was for Pauline Wiles

No-one ever accused Sophie Campbell of being a coward. From caving trips to rooftop pranks, it appeared nothing could hold her back, especially once she landed a dream job promising travel all over the world.  But Sophie’s jet-setting lifestyle is not what it seems and she’s been spending more time in the quiet English village of Saffron Sweeting than she cares to admit. When her beloved Great Aunt Wol dies suddenly, Sophie loses one of the few people who truly know her. As friends, family and an old flame gather for the funeral, questions soon follow. Worse, Sophie finds herself increasingly attracted to the man most likely to expose her secrets. Can she manage to guard her past, yet finally follow her long-held dream?  Featuring both new and familiar characters, this stand-alone romantic comedy is set two years before Kindle best-seller  Saving Saffron Sweeting . With side helpings of British tea, cake and wit,  Secrets in the Sky  explores how finding the courage to be your

  Summary How far should you go to keep a secret? No-one ever accused Sophie Campbell of being a coward. From caving trips to rooftop pranks, it appeared nothing could hold her back, especially once she landed a dream job promising travel all over the world. But Sophie ’ s jet-setting lifestyle is not what it seems and she ’ s been spending more time in the quiet English village of Saffron Sweeting than she cares to admit. When her beloved Great Aunt Wol dies suddenly, Sophie loses one of the few people who truly know her. As friends, family and an old flame gather for the funeral, questions soon follow. Worse, Sophie finds herself increasingly attracted to the man most likely to expose her secrets. Can she manage to guard her past, yet finally follow her long-held dream? Featuring both new and familiar characters, this stand-alone romantic comedy is set two years before Saving Saffron Sweeting. With side helpings of British tea, cake and wit, Secrets in the Sky explo