Welcome to my blog, Kirsty’s Book Buying Addiction. It was hard to come up with a name for this blog but with a friend’s help this is it! I seem to have the problem of buying and downloading books and not a lot of time to read them. I also love discovering new and upcoming authors so please any recommendations throw them my way! 😊
The main aim of my blog is to just spread the love of reading. For me reading is my escape I love going into a different world and I need that in my life to be able to deal with my health. I’ve always been an avid reader as far as I can remember, going to the library a lot as a child especially.
Please send any review requests to me through my twitter account via DM @KirstyOughton26 😊📚
Wendy Clayton stopped believing in fairy tales a long time ago. Instead, she has a ‘nice’ life. Nice job. Nice flat. Absolutely no men. Until her life is turned upside-down when her elderly neighbour, Eulalie, passes away and leaves her the Château of Happily Ever Afters!
But there’s a catch: she must share the sprawling French castle with Eulalie’s long-lost nephew, Julian. And no matter how gorgeous he is, or how easily she finds herself falling head over heels, Wendy needs to find a way to get rid of him…
Because surely happily ever afters don’t happen in real life?
My Review
“I think if you’re doing something that you feel equally excited and scared about, then you’re doing exactly the right thing”
I just couldn’t resist picking up another Jaimie Admans’ book so soon after enjoying ‘The Beekeeper at Elderflower Grove’ This time, I picked up ‘The Château of Happily Ever Afters’
Wendy is shocked to inherit a Château in France from her neighbour Eulalie. What she finds out is that Eulalie’s great nephew has also inherited the Château due to France law. Trouble is, Wendy thinks Justin is a git!
I absolutely flew through this wonderful story in just a couple of days! The setting of Normandy in France just sounds so beautiful. This allowed me to escape the typical British cold weather at the moment.
I become invested in Wendy and Justin’s journey with the Château. Once again, I am craving a sequel for this book, I just want more of Wendy, Justin, and the beautiful setting of Normandy, France.
Jaimie Admans just has this gift of being able to transport me to a completely different world, which I loved.
I am so glad I’ve still got a few of Jaimie Admans’ books to read!
Rating: 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟
Author Bio
Jaimie is a 36-year-old English-sounding Welsh girl with an awkward-to-spell name. She lives in South Wales and enjoys writing, gardening, and drinking tea, although she’s seriously considering marrying her coffee machine. She loves autumn and winter, and singing songs from musicals despite the fact she’s got the voice of a dying hyena. She hates spiders, hot weather, and cheese & onion crisps. She spends far too much time on Twitter and owns too many pairs of boots.
She will never have time to read all the books she wants to read.
She is the author of several romantic comedies for HarperCollins – The Chateau of Happily Ever Afters, The Little Wedding Island, It’s a Wonderful Night, The Little Vintage Carousel by the Sea, Snowflakes at the Little Christmas Tree Farm, The Little Bookshop of Love Stories, The Wishing Tree Beside the Shore, The Little Christmas Shop on Nutcracker Lane, and The Post Box at the North Pole.
Having moved into her mum’s spare room after a disastrous break-up, Kayleigh Harwood is desperate for a fresh start. When she sees an opening for a new beekeeper at Elderflower Grove she jumps at the chance – despite not knowing a thing about bees…
The abandoned manor house holds a mystery of its own – the previous owner vanished years ago – and locals have been inventing stories about the manor ever since. Unable to resist the urge to look around, Kayleigh is shocked to find drop-dead-gorgeous gardener Carey living inside!
Carey explains that the house and surrounding land is at risk of being demolished, endangering the bees, and he has been staying there to protect it.
Convinced the secret of the house holds the key to saving Elderflower Grove’s bees, Kayleigh is prepared to do everything she can to help. But is she ready to find her own happy-ever-after too…?
My Review
“I believe in the universe moving to put people in the right place at the right time and we were meant to be here this summer, together”
Oh, what a wonderful story this is! I flew through ‘The Beekeeper at Elderflower Grove’ in just two days.
We joined Kayleigh Harwood as she started work as Elderflower Grove’s new beekeeper. She bumps into the charming Carey, and they work to uncover some mysteries. I won’t go into any more of the plot, as I don’t want to spoil it!
I know I’m always in for such a comforting treat when I read a Jaimie Admans book. This story was full of charm and mystery. It had a few twists that I definitely wasn’t expecting, and I loved that. Jaimie’s narrative just keeps you hooked with her descriptive and beautiful settings and fun characters. I rooted for Kayleigh to do well in her job as a beekeeper. She was certainly determined.
I read half of this glorious book in one sitting! But at the same time, I didn’t want it to end and really want a sequel.
I can’t wait to read more of Jaimie’s backlist as I’m so glad I’ve not devoured them all (just yet!)
I highly recommend you grab a copy of this gorgeous story as reading this book. I felt like I was in the middle of summer.
Rating: 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟
Author Bio
Jaimie is a 36-year-old English-sounding Welsh girl with an awkward-to-spell name. She lives in South Wales and enjoys writing, gardening, and drinking tea, although she’s seriously considering marrying her coffee machine. She loves autumn and winter, and singing songs from musicals despite the fact she’s got the voice of a dying hyena. She hates spiders, hot weather, and cheese & onion crisps. She spends far too much time on Twitter and owns too many pairs of boots.
She will never have time to read all the books she wants to read.
She is the author of several romantic comedies for HarperCollins – The Chateau of Happily Ever Afters, The Little Wedding Island, It’s a Wonderful Night, The Little Vintage Carousel by the Sea, Snowflakes at the Little Christmas Tree Farm, The Little Bookshop of Love Stories, The Wishing Tree Beside the Shore, The Little Christmas Shop on Nutcracker Lane, and The Post Box at the North Pole.
Stella Shakespeare isn’t having a good day, or month come to think of it. She’s been unceremoniously dumped by her boyfriend,cut off from the bank of dad and at thirty-two years old, she doesn’t know what she’s doing with her life.
What Stella really wants is to find love. She wants all-consuming, can’t-think-about-anything-else, can’t-even-manage-to-eat kind of love. What she found beside her in bed that morning wasn’t love. But when a tall, handsome man in a well-fitting suit walks into a Notting Hill pub, she thinks she’s finally found The One.
Everything seems to be falling into place now Stella has met the man of her dreams and has an actual job working with a private investigator nicknamed ‘The Affair Hunter’. Although sadly, life is never that straightforward and Stella starts to question whether she’s been looking for love in the wrong places all along…
My Review
“If the journey there was confusing, it would be worth it in the end”
I’ve read a few of Sophia Money-Coutts’ books before, so I just had to purchase her new story ‘Looking Out For Love’
This story focuses on Stella Shakespeare. She lives with her best friend Billie in Notting Hill. A flat which is paid for by Stella’s father. She has been told she needs to stand on her own two feet. She needs a job.
Stella comes across Marjorie, but it sounds a bit dodgy for a job. Stella decides to go for it. What could possibly go wrong?!
It was a joy to witness Stella’s personal growth as the story progressed. She annoyed me at times, especially when it came to her friendship with Billie.
Sophia Money-Coutts weaves into the story a difficult subject, but the author has brought a lot of sensitivity to it.
I just loved Harold and Basil. They were a great addition to the story. I would say my favourite character of this story is Billie, for the courage and determination she showed throughout.
I am looking forward to reading more of Sophia’s books.
Rating: 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟
Author Bio
Sophia is a British journalist and author who spends most of her time writing at her kitchen table in South London, making a cup of tea whenever she gets stuck halfway through a sentence (this happens a LOT). She’s written four novels – The Plus One, What Happens Now?, The Wish List and Did You Miss Me? – and hopes to carry on writing books that make people laugh forever. Because we could all do with more of a laugh, these days, couldn’t we? Sometimes, if Sophia’s not drinking lukewarm tea in her leggings at home, she appears on radio and television talking about important topics such as the Royal family and how to correctly eat a pear (with your fingers, having cut it into quarters first. Sophia didn’t make this rule up, she’s just passing it on).
She also has a website (www.sophiamoneycoutts.com) which she’s been saying she’ll update since the beginning of this year. Seven months later, she has finally sorted this out and a shiny new site should be up and working by September. PROMISE.
Sophia is on Twitter (www.twitter.com/sophiamcoutts) and Instagram (www.instagram.com/sophiamcoutts) AND is making quite feeble attempts at TikTok (www.tiktok.com/@sophiamcoutts), even though she doesn’t really understand it.
Midwife Ella Mehenick can’t wait to marry the love of her life, Dan Ferguson. They have both waited so long for their perfect day, and they know their future together will be everything they’ve ever dreamed of. But when Ella suddenly and unexpectedly collapses – all plans are put on hold.
Dan just wants Ella to get better, but Ella, so used to caring for others, struggles to accept she needs care herself. She doesn’t want Dan to give up everything for her and suddenly the life they dreamed of seems to be slipping through their fingers…
Once rock solid, Ella and Dan suddenly seem further apart than ever before. Can they find a path back to their happy ever after or will Ella’s change of heart risk everything they love?
My Review
“Whatever life holds for us now, we’re in it together”
I just had to download ‘A Change of Heart for The Cornish Midwife’ as soon as it was published. I just adore the whole series, but they can be read as standalone books, too.
Ella and Dan are all sorted to get married, but tragedy strikes the couple in unimaginable ways. I’m not going to say much more on the plot.
The characters in Port Agnes are delightful. The sense of community just bursts off the pages, especially when one of their own is in trouble.
This book hit me right in the heart as it was relatable in some ways, but I just couldn’t put it down.
Reading ‘A Change of Heart for The Cornish Midwife’ made me feel a lot of different emotions such as sadness, frustration, and happiness. It was certainly more serious than the other books in the series, but I loved that as I was totally engrossed.
Jo Bartlett is definitely an auto buy author for me, and I highly urge you to try her books too!
Rating: 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟
Author Bio
I was born a stone’s throw from the English Channel and I still live near the sea in Kent, with my own family – so close to the South Eastern edge of England that we’re very nearly French – and it’s probably why so many of my books are set near the sea too. I’ve made up stories for as long as I can remember, but never really took it any further. Concentrating on my career and family, writing went on the back burner until a catalyst called cancer gave me a major kick up the proverbial. I decided I was going to write that novel after all.
Since having my debut novel published in 2015, things have happened quite quickly and I have recently released my twentieth novel. I’ve been able to fulfil a childhood dream of walking into WHSmiths and buying a book with my name on it and I still find it almost impossible to believe that my books have been bestsellers on Amazon too. I write contemporary women’s fiction, with a focus on love, friendship, family and community, when I’m not knee deep in assignments at the university where I still teach part-time. My first three novels in The Cornish Midwife series from Boldwood Books – ‘The Cornish Midwife’, ‘A Summer Wedding for the Cornish Midwife’ and ‘A Winter’s Wish for the Cornish Midwife’ are all available from Amazon, and have been in either the Top 10 or Top 100 bestseller list. The fourth book in the series ‘A Spring Surprise for the Cornish Midwife’ is now available for pre-order. ‘A Cornish Summer’s Kiss’ and ‘Second Chances at Cherry Tree Cottage’ from Boldwood Books are also available on Amazon and I hope to be able to share news of future books soon.
My ambition to drink tea and make stuff up on a full-time basis is ever closer and if you follow me on Twitter, Instagram or my author page on Facebook, I might even say something interesting one of these days… although I wouldn’t hold your breath!
It’s the most romantic day of the year but the girls aren’t just gearing up for Valentine’s Day and a busy wedding season ahead, it’s also the 10 year anniversary of their beloved shop!
Jess is planning the party of the decade and with the champagne and cocktails flowing, sparks are going to fly…and not just from the fireworks display!
My Review
“real life isn’t ever perfect, the imperfections are what make it interesting”
In this final instalment of ‘The Little Wedding Shop’ series, we meet Milla, who fled to Brides By The Sea wedding emporium to escape some personal issues that become clear during the story.
Milla gets roped into wedding planning for the lovely Nic. Well, how hard can it be to plan a wedding for someone who you are attracted to?!
I adored Milla’s determination to work hard at planning a wedding in little time with a picky person to plan it for. Especially when she felt so down herself.
It was such a pleasure to read more of Jane Linfoot’s narrative, which can be serious with just the right amount of humour and banter woven in.
It was just great to be back at Brides By The Sea with old friends such as Jess, Poppy, and Immie.
‘Love at The Little Wedding Shop’ is such a heartwarming read that I highly recommend. It makes you feel all warm and fuzzy inside.
I absolutely just loved the whole Wedding Shop series by Jane and can’t wait to read a lot more of her books.
Rating: 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟
Author Bio
I write fun, flirty fiction, with feisty heroines, and lots of heart.
Writing is fab, because I get to wear pretty shoes instead of wellies. I live in a cottage up a mountain road in Derbyshire, where my family and pets are kind enough to ignore the domestic chaos. Happily, we’re in walking distance of a supermarket. I love hearts, flowers, happy endings, all things vintage, most things french. When I’m not on facebook, and can’t find an excuse for shopping, I’ll be walking, or gardening. On days when I want to be really scared, I ride a tandem.
There’s nothing more magical than a winter wonderland wedding but when photographer Holly North returns to the cosy village of St Aidan she’s determined to avoid romance and the festive season full stop. She’s doing one small favour for a friend’s wedding and then her plans involve diving under her duvet and avoiding any sign of Christmas cheer – and gorgeous but insufferable Rory Sanderson – for the rest of December!
That is until Christmas arrives at Brides by the Sea, Cornwall’s enchanting and most adorable little wedding shop. The champagne is on ice while mistletoe hangs from every nook and Holly’s friends at the shop are determined she’ll live up to her festive name.
My Review
“If only you’ll let yourself make the leap, the future could be so exciting”
I just couldn’t resist again to read book four of The Little Wedding Shop series “Christmas Promises at The Little Wedding Shop”
This story focuses on Holly, who goes back to visit St Aiden from London at Christmas in the hope of escaping the festivities. Holly ends up helping as a wedding photographer in her time there, but can she grow to be herself?
I’ve absolutely loved going straight back to St Aiden to get to know another wonderful character and to visit the familiar characters such as Poppy, Rafe, Jules, Immie, and Jess.
To witness Holly’s character develop throughout the story was an absolute pleasure. Especially her banter with the gorgeous Rory Sanderson.
Parts of this story were hilarious, which I won’t go into detail, but I found myself giggling away to myself on more than one occasion.
I am very much looking forward to book five of the series, which is the last book. I will definitely be reading Jane Linfoot’s other books!
Rating: 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟
Author Bio
I write fun, flirty fiction, with feisty heroines, and lots of heart.
Writing is fab, because I get to wear pretty shoes instead of wellies. I live in a cottage up a mountain road in Derbyshire, where my family and pets are kind enough to ignore the domestic chaos. Happily, we’re in walking distance of a supermarket. I love hearts, flowers, happy endings, all things vintage, most things french. When I’m not on facebook, and can’t find an excuse for shopping, I’ll be walking, or gardening. On days when I want to be really scared, I ride a tandem.
Ever since she can remember, Meg has wanted to be a professional cook.
But it’s 1964, and in restaurant kitchens all over England it is still a man’s world.
Then she gets a call from her mother who is running a small hotel in Dorset.
There’s an important banqueting event coming up. She needs help and she needs it now!
When Meg arrives, the hotel seems stuck in the past. But she loves a challenge, and sets to work.
Then Justin, the son of the hotel owner, appears, determined to take over the running of the kitchen.
Infuriated, Meg is determined to keep cooking – and soon sparks between them begin to fly.
Will their differences be a recipe for disaster? After all, the course of true love never did run smooth…
My Review
OMG how is “One Enchanted Evening” my first read by Katie Fforde when I own so many of her books. I’m ashamed of myself!
Meg’s mother, Louise, asks her to come and help out at a hotel in Dorset, Nightingale Woods. Meg loves cooking and being in a professional kitchen.
I haven’t read many books at all that are set in a completely different era, but I actually completely loved this and will be reading more set in the past. This book is set in the early 60s.
I just adored the dynamic between Meg and Justin. I was very annoyed with him at the beginning, especially his views on women in a kitchen, but he grew on me as I read on.
I read huge chunks of this book in one sitting, and that’s so not like me with physical books. It just goes to show how much I was engrossed in this wonderful story.
My favourite character was definitely Meg, she’s just wonderful and such a determined person who has a lot of love to give.
I was completely enamoured with this beautiful story about family and love.
I can’t wait to read more of Katie Fforde’s books that I’ve owned for so long. She will still be an auto buy author for me.
Rating: 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟
Author Bio
I live in the beautiful Cotswold countryside with my family, and I’m a country girl at heart.
I first started writing when my mother gave me a writing kit for Christmas, and once I started I just couldn’t stop. Living Dangerously was my first novel and since then, I haven’t looked back.
Ideas for books are everywhere, and I’m constantly inspired by the people and places around me. From watching TV (yes, it is research) to overhearing conversations, I love how my writing gives me the chance to taste other people’s lives and try all the jobs I’ve never had.
Each of my books explores a different profession or background and my research has helped me bring these to life. I’ve been a porter in an auction house, tried my hand at pottery, refurbished furniture, delved behind the scenes of a dating website, and I’ve even been on a Ray Mears survival course.
I love being a writer; to me there isn’t a more satisfying and pleasing thing to do. I particularly enjoy writing love stories. I believe falling in love is the best thing in the world, and I want all my characters to experience it, and my readers to share their stories.
I love hearing from all my readers on Twitter @KatieFforde or on Facebook at facebook.com/KatieFforde
Mara, Sadie, and Hannah are friends first, scientists always. Though their fields of study might take them to different corners of the world, they can all agree on this universal truth: when it comes to love and science, opposites attract, and rivals make you burn….
Under One Roof An environmental engineer discovers that scientists should never cohabitate when she finds herself stuck with the roommate from hell – a detestable big-oil lawyer who won’t leave the thermostat alone.
Stuck with You A civil engineer and her nemesis take their rivalry – and love – to the next level when they get stuck in a New York elevator.
Below Zero A NASA aerospace engineer’s frozen heart melts as she lies injured and stranded at a remote Arctic research station and the only person willing to undertake the dangerous rescue mission is her longtime rival.
My Review
Under One Roof
Mara and Liam end up inheriting the same house. Of course, neither want to move out, but Liam doesn’t want Mara living there.
I enjoyed the dynamic between the two characters throughout. It’s one of those who don’t judge a book by it’s cover, though in this case, don’t judge a person without getting to know them.
I had many laugh out loud moments, mainly Mara’s inner thoughts on Liam initially. Mara was definitely my favourite character of this novella.
Once I started reading “Under One Roof”, I didn’t want to put it down. It was funny, delightful and just made me smile a lot.
Rating: 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟
Stuck With You
In “Stuck With You,” Sadie ends up stuck in a lift with Corporate Thor, Erik. However, Sadie hates Erik.
I enjoyed the way the story went back a few weeks to give us more context, then back to the two main characters stuck in the lift.
This story was full of miscommunication and misunderstandings. I flew through Ali’s narrative on this one as I felt the writing style was different.
It was a joy to read the ending of “Stuck With You”
Below Zero
Rating: 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟
Hannah goes to meet Ian, who is Mara’s sort of cousin. They were supposed to meet for coffee to have an informational meeting (whatever those are), and they ended up in his off debugging data and having a different steamy encounter, too. Fast forward five years, and Hannah now has a job at NASA where Ian works, too!
Although this story kept going back and forth to different times, and I got a little confused, this didn’t stop me enjoying witnessing the relationship developed.
I could have punched the air at parts, which I won’t go into as it will spoil it! I adored Hannah’s determination with her career.
I flew through “Below Zero” as I was so enamoured by these two characters. I felt so happy reading this story.
Rating: 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟
Overall Rating: 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟
Author Bio
Ali Hazelwood is a multi-published author—alas, of peer-reviewed articles about brain science, in which no one makes out and the ever after is not always happy. Originally from Italy, she lived in Germany and Japan before moving to the U.S. to pursue a Ph.D. in neuroscience. She recently became a professor, which absolutely terrifies her. When Ali is not at work, she can be found running, crocheting, eating cake pops, or watching sci-fi movies with her two feline overlords (and her slightly-less-feline husband).
Lily and her ex-husband, Ryle, have just settled into a civil co-parenting rhythm when she suddenly bumps into her first love, Atlas, again. After nearly two years separated, she is elated that for once, time is on their side, and she immediately says yes when Atlas asks her on a date.
But her excitement is quickly hampered by the knowledge that, though they are no longer married, Ryle is still very much a part of her life—and Atlas Corrigan is the one man he will hate being in his ex-wife and daughter’s life.
My Review
“She’s my person, and I’m hers, and that’s something I’ve known since the first week we met”
“And yes it will be FaceTime, why would I waste time with a phone call when I can look at you?”
After reading my very first CoHo book last month, ‘It Ends With Us’ I just couldn’t not pick up a copy of ‘It Starts With Us’ and I’m so glad I picked it up now.
This story starts when Lily is a single parent to Emmerson, who is now nearly a year old. She’s obviously struggling to navigate divorced life with Ryle, who I still hate. It starts when Lily bumps into Atlas on the street, with the promise of her contacting him.
I loved how the alternating chapters from Lily and Atlas gave you both perspectives. Colleen Hoover has once again written a raw and poignant story which was again hard to read in places (when it flashes to the past) but at the same time it’s such a beautiful thing to witness Lily and Atlas’ connection.
I devoured up this story within a few days, and I now wish I’d picked it up straight after reading ‘It Ends With Us’ last month. It was refreshing to hear a lot more from Atlas, which was great. Hearing more of Atlas’ family background gave the story more depth.
However, I felt the story was actually too short and ended kind of abruptly. I guess I just couldn’t get enough of Lily and Atlas’ relationship.
I can’t wait to read more of Colleen Hoover’s books in future.
Rating: 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟
Author Bio
Colleen Hoover is the #1 New York Times and International bestselling author of multiple novels and novellas. She lives in Texas with her husband and their three boys. She is the founder of The Bookworm Box, a non-profit book subscription service and bookstore in Sulphur Springs, Texas.
For more information and for a schedule of events, please visit colleenhoover.com.
Jess is a numbers genius, but when it comes to love she’s had to accept there is no magic formula. Juggling a career with raising her daughter, it’s not surprising that her love life is. . . non-existent. When yet another date ends in disaster, she’s prepared to give up on love for good.
But then she hears about a buzzy new matchmaking company that claims to find you the One using a DNA equation. Suddenly, love doesn’t seem quite so far out of reach . . .
Until her test shows an unheard-of 98% compatibility with the company’s founder, Dr River Pena. Jess already knows Dr Pena, and this man is 100% not her soulmate. Yet as the pair are dragged from one event to the next as the ultimate ‘Diamond’ pairing, Jess begins to realise that there might be more to the scientist – and to the science behind a soulmate – than she thought.
My Review
“I haven’t been home in years, but I feel that way with you”
“If you say ‘average’, I’m going to toss you into the bay”
I know, I just couldn’t resist another read by Christina Lauren quite so soon after “Josh and Hazel’s Guide to Not Dating” I couldn’t resist picking up “The Soulmate Equation” as my next physical read!
Jessica’s love life is non existent. Her best friend Fizzy convinces her to send a sample of her DNA to GeneticAlly where they claim to find your soulmate using your DNA. Sounds a bit too good to be true but not for Jessica and River.
I completely and utterly ate up this book in a few sittings! I really enjoyed the concept of using DNA to find your soulmate.
I was totally invested in Jessica and River’s journey from their very first encounter.
Juno, Jessica’s daughter is so funny. She sounds a lot like my daughter. I also enjoyed how the authors portray the real struggles of being a single parent.
“The Soulmate Equation” made me feel joy, some sadness and some frustration too. It’s about trusting another person and believing in soulmates ❤️
I couldn’t get enough of this wonderful and beautiful story so I highly recommend you read it too!
Rating: 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟
Author Bio
Christina Lauren is the combined pen name of longtime writing partners and best friends Christina Hobbs and Lauren Billings, the New York Times, USA TODAY, and #1 Internationally bestselling authors of the Beautiful and Wild Seasons series, Dating You / Hating You, Autoboyography, Love and Other Words, Roomies, Josh and Hazel’s Guide to Not Dating, My Favorite Half-Night Stand, and The Unhoneymooners. You can find them online at ChristinaLaurenBooks.com, @ChristinaLauren on Instagram, or @ChristinaLauren on Twitter.
Kirsty's Book Buying Addiction 