The Emerald Comb by Kathleen McGurl

One afternoon, Katie takes a drive to visit Kingsley House, the family home of her ancestors, the St Clairs. She falls in love the minute she sees it. It may be old and in desperate need of modernisation, but it is her link to the past and, having researched her family tree extensively, she feels a sense of belonging to the crumbling old estate.

When it suddenly comes up for sale, she cannot resist persuading her family to sell up and buy it, never telling them the truth of their connection with it. But soon the past collides with the present, as the house begins to reveal the secrets it has hidden for generations. Does Katie really want to discover what she has come from?

Thank you to Girls Love To Read for asking me to take part in the blog tour for this book. I didn't really know too much about it before I started reading it but I had seen some of the hype around it so I was very much looking forward to reading it. 

This is a time slip novel, which is not something I have read much of before, but I loved it! The way we get to see two stories both from completely different time's but overlapping was brilliant. This book was essentially two different books, a historical fiction and a contemporary novel, it was great to be able to see these two genres mixed as we don't often see this, it is good to compare the characters and their lives then and now and see how differently they lived. I loved that we got to read two different stories, about two different families (although technically the same family), both with their secrets. 

I thought at first that switching between different characters and time zones might confuse or complicate the book for the reader, however, this is not the case at all. Kathleen tells us which time zone we are in at the beginning of the chapter and stays in that time until the next, this makes it so easy to read and the novel just flows.

The parts that were written in the past I think I enjoyed more than the present and I found myself intrigued as to what was going to happen. What I loved about this is that we learn about everything through letters that are being written from Bartholomew St Clair to his son Barty, this is a much more personal way of telling us his story and we feel so much more connected to it as we become Barty reading his father's letters. When Katie Smith (formerly St Clair), a descendant of Barty's brother, buys their house the past becomes the present and Katie ends up caught in the middle of a murder mystery case that is over 100 years old.

I don't want to say too much more about this book because I went into it pretty blind and I am so glad I did because not knowing what to expect made it so much better. Plus there are so many stories going on within this book I couldn't possibly tell you them all, some of them you don't expect which is so exciting!

Kathleen has written a brilliant novel, the research she has put into it to allow us to feel as though we are back in the early 1900's is amazing, I could picture everything in front of me as if I was actually there. It is one of those books that you get hooked on straight away and just can't put down. I would recommend this book to anybody as I don't think there will be many people that won't enjoy it. If you want a book that is exciting, fast-paced and impossible to put down, with plenty of twists and turns, then you need to buy this book! I can't wait to read more of Kathleen's novels.

Amazon UK | Amazon US

BLOG TOUR - Guest Post by Kathleen McGurl

On Settings

Good settings are critical in a novel. There’s the overall setting – where do your characters live? And then there are the small, scene by scene settings to decide on. All the action has to take place somewhere.

The Emerald Comb is set mostly in Brighton and a village in Hampshire. When I first planned the novel, the historical strand was going to be set in Bath rather than Brighton. I needed somewhere that was fashionable in 1840 and Bath was the first place which came to mind. But then I realised I would have to do a lot of research, as I don’t know Bath very well at all. But Brighton – well, I used to live there. Although of course it has changed a lot over the last 150 years, I’m well aware of the basic layout, and can picture the beach and the promenade and some of the old, grand houses, squares and terraces which still exist. A bit of Googling found maps of Brighton from my chosen time period, which were really helpful. I love the sea so it was wonderful to be able to set some of the scenes on the beach there.

The Hampshire parts are set in a fictitious village I named North Kingsley. It’s described as being just north of Winchester and if you look at a map, in my mind it is pretty much where real-life Micheldever is. I had a good idea of what my village looked like, and sketched rough maps in a notebook showing where Kingsley House, the pub, the church and Irish Hill were. Irish Hill, incidentally, is named after a hill in Berkshire, which I transplanted to Hampshire for my novel. (Oh the power of the novelist! I can move mountains!)

In some books, the setting sometimes becomes a character in its own right. Whether it’s dark, foggy Victorian London streets, a beautiful stately home, or a creepy haunted house – a wonderful location can add so much more to the story. Kingsley House was crucially important in The Emerald Comb – it is the main link between the two timelines and most of the action takes place in or around the house. That’s the reason why I wanted to start chapter one with Katie arriving at Kingsley House for the first time. I wanted the reader to see it through her eyes right at the start, and hopefully fall in love with it the way she did.

The house itself is based partly on a house in the Avon valley outside Christchurch which I have cycled past many times, and partly on one near Penrith in Cumbria, which belongs to a friend’s parents. When planning the book, I drew floor plans of it and labelled each room twice – once showing how the room was used by Bartholomew and Georgia in the historical story, and once showing how Katie’s family used it in the contemporary story. Although every reader will picture it differently (and that’s the joy of reading compared to watching TV) I hope that I’ve given enough impressions so that their imagined house is at least a bit like mine.

When I was in the final stages of editing The Emerald Comb, I spent a weekend in Brighton. As we walked past Brunswick Terrace, I found myself telling my husband, ‘look – that’s where Georgia Holland lived with her uncle!’ He gave me a Look. Sometimes I live in my novels far too much!

Blurb

One afternoon, Katie takes a drive to visit Kingsley House, the family home of her ancestors, the St Clairs. She falls in love the minute she sees it. It may be old and in desperate need of modernisation, but it is her link to the past and, having researched her family tree extensively, she feels a sense of belonging to the crumbling old estate.

When it suddenly comes up for sale, she cannot resist persuading her family to sell up and buy it, never telling them the truth of their connection with it. But soon the past collides with the present, as the house begins to reveal the secrets it has hidden for generations. Does Katie really want to discover what she has come from?

About the author

Kathleen McGurl lives near the sea in Bournemouth, with her husband, sons and cats. She began her writing career creating short stories, and sold dozens to women’s magazines in the UK and Australia. Then she got side-tracked onto family history research – which led eventually to writing novels with genealogy themes. She has always been fascinated by the past, and the ways in which the past can influence the present., and enjoys exploring these links in her novels.

When not writing or working at her full-time job in IT, she likes to go out running or sea-swimming, both of which she does rather slowly. She is definitely quicker at writing.

You can find out more at her website, http://kathleenmcgurl.com/, or follow her on Twitter @KathMcGurl.

Waiting for Prince Harry by Aven Ellis

Twenty-four-year-old Kylie Reed has always been a rule follower. Organized and cautious to a fault, her dreams for life are often filed away for future use—when she has a house, when she meets her future husband, when she has been at her visual display job at a chic Dallas boutique longer...Kylie always has a reason for living her life in the future, not in the present, and not living her life to the fullest and reaching her dream of becoming a fashion designer. 

The only exception to rules, of course, would be running away with Prince Harry—Kylie’s ideal man. A hot, fun ginger boy would be worth breaking all the rules for, of course. And Kylie is sure Harry just needs the right, centering woman to settle him down. But living in Dallas and not knowing Prince Harry make this a non-option.

Or does it?

Because when Kylie accidentally falls into the lap of a gorgeous ginger boy—yes, even more gorgeous than the real Prince Harry—all bets are off. Could this stranger be the one to show Kylie how to take a chance, to face her fears, and live in the present? And could this stranger be the Prince Harry she has been waiting for? Kylie’s life takes some unexpected twists and turns thanks to this chance encounter, and she knows her life will never be the same because of it..

Firstly, a massive thank you to Aven Ellis for gifting this book to me, I absolutely adored it! This is the second Aven Ellis novel I have read and when I think they can't get any better, each one I read I love more than the last. I read this book in a day and a half because I got hooked straight away.

I was intrigued by this book just from the cover, the title, straight away had me wondering what could possibly happen. Is Prince Harry in this book? How could Kylie be waiting for him? And of course it has the Union Jack on the front, so what’s not to love about the cover image?

I loved Kylie, she was a down to earth, clumsy, selfless, normal girl who was slightly OCD, had to live her life by rules and had to be organised with everything planned, even the decoration of her house in the future (which she doesn't have and isn't making any steps to get). When we first meet her she is completing a pop quiz (which she lives her life by) on her iPhone, whilst trying to avoid being set up with a groomsman, at her brother’s wedding, by her mum. She sees her chance and sneaks out of the wedding party, finding a quiet bar to grab a few moments to herself, that is until she gets caught in her dress and ends up in the lap of gorgeous Harrison, drenching him with wine in the process. Although she has a rule to never pick up a guy in a bar, after hours of chatting, Kylie knows Harrison could be the love of her life – her Prince Harry. He’s gorgeous, intelligent, caring, red-haired and generous and Kylie can’t just let him walk away, but she can't go against her rule, will this feeling be mutual and who is Harrison?
Although I loved Kylie I really wished she would stand up for herself sometimes, I saw a lot of myself in her when she let herself be told what to do and walked all over. Seeing her eventually stand up for herself made me very happy as I had been hoping she would, especially with her work colleagues, it actually made me think that I should be a little bit more like Kylie at times!

When we find out who Harrison is, we see Kylie struggle to handle the life she has been thrown into, we see the troubles it causes between Kylie and Harrison even though there is so much love between them, it does look like the power of his star status will take over and ruin their relationship. It gives us an insight to the celebrity world and what it is like for them trying to have a normal relationship, being bothered by press and fans everywhere you go and having to deal with reading things about yourself on the internet. I thought this was great because it is not something we would see and it makes you feel sorry for them, because it is completely different for us ‘normal’ people who can have a normal life, without having to worry about any of that.

Harrison is everything you want in a book boyfriend. Very much like Deke in Chronicles of a Lincoln Park Fashionista (although in no way did they look alike), he is caring, protective and you can see he likes Kylie a lot and will do anything to keep her around. I think there is a pattern emerging here with the guys in Aven’s books! I do hope there is!

Kylie and Harrison are the perfect couple, Kylie is afraid of the now and is incredibly planned for the future, whereas Harrison is living in the now and is afraid of his future. By them both having their issues they help each other and through this they are both able to face their fears. I also found it great that Kylie didn't know who Harrison was at first as it meant we got to see him as Harrison instead of Harrison the celebrity and she fell in love with who he really is.

This is another brilliantly written novel by Aven. She writes so effortlessly and gets you hooked within the first few pages. I loved that she put pop quiz questions at the beginning of every chapter, It was a great added bonus into Kylie’s life and we could see that she really does live her life by them, we also kind of see the answers being played out in each chapter and as you get further into the book you can guess which answer Kylie will choose. Aven has the ability to make me feel all warm inside just by adding one hugely romantic line into her book, this makes me adore her books so much more and remember them just because of a few lines. Cute, romantic lines make books for me!

I think everybody should go out and buy this book! I cannot recommend it enough! It is such a heart-warming, laugh out loud funny, romantic novel that you just can’t put down. I am very sad to be finished with Kylie and Harrison’s story as I feel that a part of me is still with them, however, Aven did tell me the other day that they do pop up in her new book The Definition of Icing, which is out in May, so I am definitely going to be reading that! I have Connectivity on my TBR so that will definitely be being pushed up the list as I don't want to part with Aven's writing just yet!

Amazon UK | Amazon US

Dead Gorgeous by Elizabeth Flynn

 

Kirsty Manners is young, beautiful, and ambitious. And dead. 

Kirsty was trying to make it in the fashion world. As the in-house model for Ivano King and having dated the great designer himself, she believed she was well on her way. But Kirsty is found dead in her flat one Sunday afternoon, and D.I. Angela Costello is called to the scene.

Kirsty has left behind a lovesick ex-boyfriend and a jealous flatmate. And what about King’s new girlfriend, who openly admits she has a reason to wish Kirsty dead? Behind the flawless make-up and gleaming catwalks, Angela’s enquiries uncover theft, drug addiction, prostitution – and suddenly her own life could be in danger…

I have recently expanded my reading and started to read more crime novels, so when I was asked to take part in the blog tour for Dead Gorgeous I jumped at the chance. Just from the blurb this book sounded so interesting. This is the second in a murder mystery series, however it can be read as a standalone novel. It is the perfect book to get hooked on and feel like you are part of.

Kirsty Manners is an ambitious young woman who longs to be a model, she works for Ivana King, a top fashion house. She isn't a particularly nice woman and doesn't mind using people to get what she wants. When she is found dead in her flat D.I Angela Costello is called to investigate. This book has so many twists and turns and you are always kept guessing, exactly how a murder mystery should be. At first I was a little confused but when the book really gets started and when D.I Costello comes onto the scene it becomes a book that you just can’t put down.

I loved how none of the characters are actually like-able, this gave me a whole new experience when reading as I have never really found that I don’t like any of the characters before. What is great about this book is that none of the characters in the story were having an easy life, everybody had their problems and they all worked within the story. All of the characters worked well together and bounced off each other brilliantly, there was something entertaining about each one of them and this made you like them (yet still dislike them) so much more. Each character is capable of lying and cheating, which is perfect for this type of book, and it keeps you on your toes because you just don't know what they will do next.
There are so many characters and there is a lot going on in the book, which worried me slightly at first but as you read on you see that it is not too much at all but the perfect amount to make the book brilliant. What I love most about books that have a lot of characters with different stories is when we find out that they are all connected, which is exactly what this book does.

There were so many times in this book that I thought I knew what was or was going to happen and where the story was going (I didn't), this novel well and truly keeps you guessing. This is brilliant writing from Elizabeth as she manages to make you think something different to what is actually happening, just by releasing little bits of information, then adding a huge twist. Elizabeth constantly changes the pace of the novel at exactly the right times, which I thought was absolutely brilliant. She allows you to try to figure out the case along with D.I Costello, whilst also allowing you to feel the tension throughout. I read this book in no time at all and I think anybody would struggle to put it down.

Elizabeth is a wonderful writer who has the power to write such a detailed, elaborate story but have you able to keep up. I would definitely recommend this book if you want a flowing, easy but fascinating read that will keep you on your toes and up late at night because you can’t stop reading. Fans of crime or chic-lit will love this book as it covers both genres, I'm a massive chic-lit fan and I loved it!

Amazon UK | Amazon US

The first book in the D.I. Costello series, Game Set and Murder, is on sale until October 24th, so you can buy it for only 99p! I will be posting a review for this shortly but I would deifnately recommend buying this, how can you say no to this great price? Find it on Amazon here.

About the author

Elizabeth Flynn is a Londoner of Anglo-Irish parentage. She has a background in the theatre both as an actress and in stage management, and has experience in broadcasting. She has more recently worked as a hospital bereavement officer and managed a mortuary so she ‘knows the drill’ and has used some of this experience in her writing. This is her second novel and the second in the series: A Mystery for D.I. Costello. The first book in the series is Game Set and Murder.

I Listened My Heart by Rosemary Gallagher

Rose O’Carroll has been single for most of her 40 years. In her search for love she bravely decides to pack up her comfortable life in Australia and move to London. Guided by her special friends — her angels — she quickly settles in her new life; lands a great job; makes new friendships and begins her spiritual journey. It doesn't take long until Joe DeMarco, the handsome American, turns Rose’s world upside down and changes it forever. Rose intuitively knows she has met her twin soulmate. But how does she cope when he tells her “it’s just the wrong time”? Everything happens for a reason and soon Rose discovers why she had to meet Joe DeMarco when the timing was wrong. She had someone else to meet first...and it wasn’t only the dishy Dr St. Claire. I feel my story will attract woman from the age of 30+ who are looking for love and opening up more to the spiritual side of life, (although not saintly) and who are romantics at heart. If you enjoyed Bridget Jones' Diary and Eat Pray Love, then you will enjoy 'I Listened To My Heart'.

Thank you to Rosemary Gallagher for sending me a copy of this book for review. This is a beautiful story that captures your attention and heart from the start.

I Listened My Heart is the story of Rose, a 40-something year old Australian woman who decides to move to London. She has deep spiritual beliefs and is guided through life by her ‘angels’, she is also a gifted Tarot reader. She is waiting for her angels to inform her of the man of her dreams, the man who is ‘the one’. We learn about Rose and her friends and the trouble, heartache, happiness and confusion that comes with finding and trying to keep ‘the one’.

The book is written as though Rose is talking to us as she would her friends or a diary. It was like the author, Rosemary, was telling us her life story, rather than it being a biography of sorts it is written into the life of Rose. This is brilliant as it feels so much more real and you can believe the story. I liked that there was a short poem and a letter to Rose’s angels at the beginning of each chapter, it gave us something different and you could see what she was actually asking them for and saying to them.

I loved Rose, she made me want to laugh and cry with her throughout the book. I felt so sorry for her that she was holding out for Joe and I actually didn't want her to, I wanted her to let him go and find somebody better that would treat her right, even though Joe was supposedly ‘the one’. Although she is in her 40’s so a lot older than me, she was young at heart and I still felt I could relate to her in some ways, this was great as I think women and men of any age would relate to her, meaning that a lot more people will enjoy this book.

I didn't know what to make of the spiritual element to the story at first, I don’t dislike it, it is just something I am not really into and don’t know much about, so I don’t know if I believe it. I thought I would find it a bit far-fetched and hard to believe, and yes it is hard to believe that Rose has angels guiding her, but it is a possibility, and the way Rosemary has written this book shows that she is trying to teach us and make it easy for us to believe. The way she has also shown us that Rose's friends all accept that she has angels is brilliant as it makes us not straight away think she is crazy! By the end it has you thinking that maybe we all do have angels guiding us throughout life, there are just some people that can hear them.

It is a heart-warming story with the perfect lead character who you just can’t help but feel for. I have heard there will be a sequel to this book so I am very much looking forward to that! I read this book in 2 days and although I read it in cold, rainy October, it is the perfect holiday read.

Amazon UK | Amazon US

One Hundred Christmas Proposals by Holly Martin - COVER REVEAL

I am so excited to be able to be part of the cover reveal for One Hundred Christmas Proposals by Holly Martin. One Hundred Proposals went straight up there as one of my favourite books and I love Christmas, so I can't wait to re-join Harry and Suzie for a festive read. I can't remember the last time I was so excited for a sequel! Oh and how gorgeous is this cover please?!

The eagerly anticipated follow-up to One Hundred Proposals.
If you thought Harry & Suzie’s life couldn't get anymore sweepingly romantic than Harry asking her to marry him at the end of One Hundred Proposals – think again!

It’s Christmas in a snow-kissed London, and the.PerfectProposal.com have vowed to carry out one hundred proposals in December. No easy task at the best of times - made even more complicated by Harry & Suzie trying to plan their first Christmas and a visit from the dreaded in-laws. But one hundred deliciously Christmassy proposals later they find themselves asking if everything is still perfect in their own relationship….

Welcome back to the divinely warm world of One Hundred Proposals – with a sprinkling of pure, joyful, festive magic.

Have yourself a very merry Christmas indeed with Holly Martin’s Christmas novella.

Amazon UK | Amazon US

Read my review of One Hundred Proposals to get you ready for the sequel.

Guest Post: Where I Write by Emma Bennet

I'm of the mind that every successful writer needs a decent place to write. Whether that's in their home, a local coffee shop or library.... whatever works really!

Perhaps the most obvious place for me to knuckle down to writing is in my kitchen. It's warm, the kettle and biscuit tin are nearby, and I can hear when the dishwasher's finished. But, not surprisingly, I find it really hard to work in my kitchen. I get distracted by the piles of washing up and beeping machines! There are also far too many comings and goings with little people needing drinks and snacks, the phone ringing...

I have a sort of half-office affair going on, which works quite well as long as I close the door, but again it's on the ground floor of the house and there's just too much going on.

I've always worked quite well in libraries, they're nice and quiet and have a proper 'serious' feel about them, not so much in coffee shops (where there's the added danger of crumbs and icing near the laptop!). Funnily enough, I find that no wi-fi equals a big increase in output!

General notes I make whenever I can - whilst watching a Doctor Who episode with my boys for example, or whilst I wait for them to finish a judo lesson. I always carry a notebook and pen with me in case I get a spare minute, and they've proved invaluable time and time again!

Bizarrely, my most productive writing session takes place in my local Scout Hut, whilst one of my little ones is at Cubs. Providing I'm organised, and actually remember to take everything I need with me, I've been known to get a couple of thousand words down in that one and a half hours!

So, what is it that makes the Scout Hut work for me? Well, while there are other people in the building, I'm generally left in peace. There are no distractions - no internet connection and no little jobs waiting to be done. It's also not the most comfortable place in the world to write! While this wouldn't be much fun if I were to be stuck there for hours, I can't get too relaxed and comfy which makes me stay focussed. It can be a wee bit nippy in the winter months and, as much as I loath being chilly, unfortunately seems to help me concentrate. Weird eh? But whatever works!

Thank you so much Emma for joining me, I hope you enjoyed writing you're post as much as I enjoyed reading it. 

Keep in touch with Emma here:
www.emma-bennet.co.uk
@romanceemma
https://www.facebook.com/emmabennetwriter

You can read my review of Emma's debut novel The Green Hills of Home here.