My lovely guest today on One More Page is bestselling author Carmel Harrington. Welcome Carmel!

November is known for many things, but one thing that is near and dear to many people’s hearts is the fact that November is Adoption Awareness Month. In her newest book Every Time a Bell Rings, Carmel Harrington explores many different types of love and hardship, and many of them involve the foster care system, which most of the main characters are a part of in one way or another. So as Adoption Awareness Month wraps up, let’s take a moment to hear from Carmel about what it meant to her to explore such a special kind of love and family.

Dear Readers,

I’ve always been interested in different family dynamics. I’ve learned that they come in different shapes and sizes, and isn’t that wonderful? Children may be biological or adopted or fostered. Some have a house full of siblings, others none. And more often than not now half siblings or step-siblings can be in the fray, as is the case in my own house.

I have a step-daughter whom I adore and love like my own, so I understand that you do not need to be a blood relative to love someone. I love exploring these different types of families in all my books and the subject of foster care is one of the central themes in Every Time a Bell Rings.

Belle Bailey is a foster child herself, taken from her mother for her own safety at four years old. Her life in foster care is quite chequered at first, as she struggles to find the right forever family. But when veteran foster caregiver Tess comes into her life, she finally begins to understand what it’s like to be loved and to love.

Belle meets Jim Looney whilst in Tess’s care. Unlike Belle, he is a temporary placement and eventually he returns to his mother. But during their time together in Tess’s, they form an unbreakable bond.

Belle goes on to become a foster parent herself, and that journey from child in care to caregiver herself was a joy to write. During my research, I had the pleasure of interviewing several foster children and caregivers. I learned that placing the right child with the right family can change lives. I also learned that these caregivers who take children into their homes and their hearts are walking angels. I am in awe of them and salute every single one.

Every Time a Bell Rings has many moments that are romantic, festive, magical, happy and heartwarming. But life can be dark and cruel at times, and I had to explore these aspects in my story too. Writing the scenes that revolve around Belle as a young child with her mother, Dolores, were incredibly difficult. They have the power to still make me weep, as I ponder a world where children are mistreated.

But then I think of all the real life Tess, Belle and Jim’s of this world, the walking angels and I smile. Because I know that right now, there are selfless people who are changing the lives of children all over the world. Isn’t that pretty amazing?

Wishing every single one of you the most wonderful Christmas.

Carmel x

Every Time a Bell Rings is out now in paperback and ebook formats.

Find out more about Carmel and her writing at: http://carmelharrington.com/

Today I welcome my lovely Mum back to One More Page with her latest review – she’s been trying out a new author; Elizabeth Waite.

Carla Scofield has looked after her family since she was a teenager but it’s never been a bother because there isn’t anything she wouldn’t do for those closest to her. Warm, friendly and loving, she carries her burden proudly.

As the years roll past, Carla sees life around her change dramatically. Wartime brings new challenges – a new job for Carla in a sewing factory – and it also brings with love. Carla has a chance at real happiness – but not everyone is rooting for her. With Christmas ahead of her, and her sights set firmly on love and the future, will she be too distracted to sense the danger before it’s too late?

I’m not sure why this story is called,  An East End Christmas  as it is not set at Christmas and although the story concludes at the run up to the festive season, it is not a Christmas story. However, in its own right it is a lovely, fast paced emotional story of life – set mainly in the East End of London near the docks, but the events, challenges and achievements can relate to anyone.

Carla Scofield lives with her Granddad, but because of her father’s disappearance and her mother’s sad demise, her aunts, uncles and cousins all feature strongly. As the story begins, war is about to be declared for the second time.

Throughout the story Elizabeth portrays strong family bonds, total commitment and the most refreshing sense of being grateful for what you have – well done! For me it is this thread that keeps the reader on the edge of their seat – not because of the amazing events, but because of the wonderful selflessness of the characters.

Peggy is Carla’s friend from work and later her partner in business and together the women face many challenges together, but neither loses sight of their families or their grass roots. Even when the girls are sent to do war service in Southend at a sewing factory, they return to the dock area of Tilbury whenever possible.

Hard work and dreams are at the core of this moving story. The reader just has to keep going because you can feel the sense of urgency and drive portrayed within the text. Such a clever clean transition between emotions is very noticeable when tragedy strikes – the family rally and are supported by Arthur a kindly, mature gentleman who despite the differences in background shares his emotional riches as well as his financial ones.

In summarising this book I feel there is something amongst the pages for everyone.  I think that Elizabeth has found a clever way to make us think of our lives; not necessarily that everything we want is easy to achieve – but more that we should never give up on the dream and find peace in what we have. Fast paced  and emotional, yet very down to earth – a good read!

4/5

An East End Christmas is out now in paperback and ebook formats.

With thanks to publisher Sphere for providing a copy of the book for review.

It is almost a year since Sean and Thea met and it’s been a roller-coaster ride: they’re getting married on Christmas Day!

Neither Thea or Sean want a big fuss – a simple wedding, with Christmas lights and just a few sprigs of mistletoe for decoration is all they need. But before they know it, things begin to get complicated. Trying to manage a long-distance relationship in the build-up to their Christmas wedding is one thing, but as one challenge after another comes their way, the happy couple begin to wonder if they’ll ever make it down the aisle.

Last winter I thoroughly enjoyed meeting Thea and her lovely family as they spent an eventful and very snowy Christmas in Cornwall together. A Merry Mistletoe Wedding sees us join Thea and her family a year later in the build up to Thea’s wedding on Christmas Day. I absolutely loved being back with all of these characters again and finding out what had happened  to them all since the events of It Must Have Been the Mistletoe. If you haven’t read the earlier book I’d really encourage you to but this book does fill you in on the background of the story and can be read as a standalone too.

The story starts in sunny August as Thea and her boyfriend Sean enjoy the last days of the school summer holidays before Thea has to leave Cornwall to return to hear teaching job in London. As the two are due to part surfer Sean surprises her with a proposal and the scene is set for the family to reunite in Cornwall at Christmas to see the sweethearts tie the knot where it all began.

Planning a wedding is rarely a stress-free experience and when you throw in a family group made up of lots of different personalities and each with their own plans and agendas, it’s probably no surprise that things don’t go completely smoothly for Thea. There are lots more changes afoot in the family and without giving too much of the plot away, just about every significant event in family life is covered in the plot from a new baby to moving house!

Judy writes with such lovely warmth, sensitivity and humour and I was quickly swept up into Thea and Sean’s plans; Thea’s parent’s Mike and Anna’s next adventure and the ups and downs of family life for Emily and Sam. Reading this book was like catching up with old friends and I found it a lovely relaxing read. Relaxed is something that many of the characters aren’t as the festive season approaches and having read A Merry Mistletoe Wedding I now feel quite organised compared to them!

With a wonderful sprinkling of winter romance this is an ideal read to get you in the mood for Christmas. I hope this isn’t the last we’ll hear from this lovely family and I can’t wait for Judy’s next book.

5/5

A Merry Mistletoe Wedding is out now in hardback and ebook formats and will be released in paperback on 3rd December.

Find out more about Judy Astley and her novels at: http://www.randomhouse.co.uk/authors/judy-astley

I’d like to thank the publisher for providing a review copy of this novel.

Please do check out the other stops on Judy’s November and December blog tours!

Today I’m delighted to welcome Lynn Marie Hulsman to One More Page on the latest stop of her blog tour in celebration of her lovely new Christmas Novel, A Miracle at Macy’s. Lynn Marie is the bestselling author of three romantic comedies, who also writes cookbooks. She enjoys Nora Ephron movies, pop psychology, terriers, and napping. She is not a fan of people walking three abreast on New York City sidewalks or spiders of any ilk. Welcome Lynn Marie!

The first line of my newest novel, A Miracle at Macy’s, goes like this:

“They say dogs are man’s best friend and that a woman’s not a woman until she’s a wife. Wrong! I’m here to tell you that the most natural match in the world is a girl and her dog…end of.”

I couldn’t believe that sentiment more. I have always had dogs in my life, and I always will. When people who have never experienced the magical bond between pooches and humans lobby against living with canines, I turn a deaf ear.

‘Dogs make messes in your house,’ they say. ‘It’s impossible to travel when you have a dog… they take away your freedom,’ they tell me. ‘You have to walk a dog, rain or shine, even when you’re sick. Better not to saddle yourself with that burden.’ These arguments all have merit. Being responsible for a dog, or dogs, requires effort and sacrifice. Still, no amount of inconvenience would deter me from cohabitating with my furry friends. No cost could outweigh the benefits of having a devoted friend to greet me when I open the door on a cold winter’s evening, or the heart-centering peace I feel when my dogs snuggle me on the sofa when I’m feeling down, or the silly joy my dogs transmit when they get frisky, and run in circles barking.

My first dog was Chester, a Shelty we found as a stray when we were temporarily stationed in the mountains of Appalachia because of my parents’ work situation. Chester slept in the garage, much to the heartache of my brothers and myself, because my parents had old-school, practical opinions about the stations of animals and pets. Chester didn’t seem to mind. He had lived on his own before he came to us, so bedding down under the workbench with a supply of kibble to supplement his meals of squirrels and rabbits worke for him. Any time my parents went out for the night, the first thing we did was bring Chester into the house, and feed him raw meat from the fridge. He let me hug him. He was gentle. He herded me like a sheep.

Max, the goofy German Shepherd, came next. An older brother bought him with after-school job money, and left him to the care of the family when he left for school. Max was open and friendly, tongue always lolling out, and he never quite grew into his giant paws and ears. When he was embarrassed, like when he had stitches in his upper leg and had to wear a t-shirt to keep him from chewing them, it was written all over his face.

We inherited Bitsy, our first toy poodle, when my cousin proved allergic. She was my dog, gotten because I was afraid to go upstairs alone in our large, suburban house. She wheezed, and whined, and when she burrowed under the covers to the foot of the bed, I was worried she’d smother, but she knew what she was doing. She liked being near me. Then came Garp, and Bonkers, the black miniature poodles I was allowed to name after characters in my then-favorite author’s books. Compact and portable, they were allowed to travel with me when I went to my grandparents’ to spend most weekends.

I got Bijou, a rat terrier, in college when I was ill-advisedly living with my boyfriend. We spied her in a mall pet store… on sale. As her price dropped, we could only imagine what the puppy-mill purveyors might do, so we took her home. Before we could spay her, she became a mom (It happened in the blink of an eye… I’ll spare you the shocking details) and had four pups that looked exactly like the popular Pound Puppy toys of that Christmas season.

When my husband and I married, we decided we were a dog household, and gave each other Piglet, our Bedlington Terrier, as a wedding present. Because of my husband’s allergies, we were afraid to take a chance on a non-hypoallergenic dog. He has always been our first baby. When we had our daughter, and then our son, the ritual of introducing them to Piglet was sacred. He got that they were helpless, and we watched over them.

A week ago as I write this, we lost our second dog, a rescued Schnoodle named Mo. He was blind, deaf, and had dementia. When we took him home, the shelter told us he was six. The vet said he was likely twelve. We didn’t care. We viewed our home as his hospice, and that’s what it ultimately became. He was ours and we were his. It hurts.

They say, ‘It’s better to have loved and lost, than never to have loved at all.’ That is especially true when it comes to dogs. When you welcome one into your home and heart, it’s likely that the years will be short. It’s a reality I accept. Losing Mo was painful. Losing Piglet will likely be excruciating as he’s 14-year-old and counting. But that doesn’t change my mind.

I’ll always have dogs. And I’ll savor each day regardless of how many days I get in the end. I’ll enjoy the licks, the snuggles, the smiles, the silliness, the comfort, and the love. And I hope they get as much back from me as I get from them.

Thank you – such a lovely post Lynn Marie and my condolences on losing Mo. Sending a hug to you and Piglet.

A Miracle at Macy’s is out now in ebook formats and will be released in paperback on 17th December.

Find out more about Lynn Marie and her writing at: http://www.harperimpulseromance.com/authors/lynn-marie-hulsman/

Please do check out the other stops on Lynn Marie’s A Miracle At Macy’s blog tourr.

 

The Meet Me in Manhattan blog tour stops by One More Page today with a lovely little guest post from Claudia Carroll on the city that she’s fallen in love with.  Claudia was born in Dublin, where she still lives and where she has worked extensively both as a theatre and television actress. For fourteen years, she appeared in Fair City, (Ireland’s answer to Eastenders) playing a character she likes to describe as ‘the horrible old cow that everyone loves to hate.’ She is now a full time writer. Welcome Claudia!

Which city have you fallen in love with?

Without a doubt New York City or to be more specific, Manhattan.

I first started going there when I was a teenager with my parents; my Dad used to do the NYC marathon and we’d all loyally troop over to support him. Anyway, New York in the dim, distant late 80’s was a very different place to how it is now. It was pre-Giuliani and crime really was rife. I remember our tour group leader even warning us not to wear rings on the street, as if a mugger targeted you, apparently they’d just chop your finger off to get at the ring. Delightful.

But in spite of the element of danger hanging over the whole city back then, I still fell in love with the place. The energy, the buzz, that feeling of being right in the epicenter of the whole world. Factor in the skyscrapers, the beauty of Central Park and of course the fabulous shopping, and I was a complete goner.

Since then, I’ve been a regular visitor and literally do have the days counted till my next trip. Now I’ve even got two very dear cousins who both live and work there, so it’s wonderful to catch up with family while I’m visiting. Plus, they always seem to have the best insider tips on where to go, what to do and of course – where to shop!

Thanks Claudia – I’m a big fan of New York too!

Find out more about Claudia and her writing at: http://claudia-carroll.com/

Meet Me in Manhattan is our now in ebook formats and will be released in paperback on 3rd December.

In a New York minute, everything can change …

You don’t mess with aspiring journalist Holly Johnson! The man she fell for is not all that he seems – because sometimes dating online doesn’t quite go to plan. She’s decided to fly to the Big Apple to surprise him and to get some answers. And if her plan works she’ll also get the scoop of her career …

But as she steps out of her yellow taxi and the first snowflakes start to fall, it’s Holly who has the surprise of her life.

What should be a dream come true is looking a little like a nightmare. But Holly is determined to get her New York happy ending!

Please do check out the other stops on the Meet Me in Manhattan blog tour!

Earlier this week, the cover was revealed for the final installment in Liz de Jager’s Blackhart Legacy trilogy and it is fab! I can’t wait to have all three of the books lined up on my shelves. I love this series and will be sad for it to end though. Do read my reviews of Banished and Vowed and if you haven’t read these books yet now is the perfect time ahead of the January release of Judged

 

Kit’s job description includes solving crimes – the supernatural kind. And she has her hands full with an important case that is even bigger than she knows.

Glow, a fae-created drug, is rapidly going viral and the suppliers have to be shut down. Luckily, Kit has Aiden and Dante on her team and they get to work with a special governmental unit to bring down the dealers. But the gang is militarily trained and have one of the Otherwhere’s toughest sorcerers on their side. Then while Kit’s up to her eyes in fighting crime, fae prince Thorn goes missing.

When Thorn finally returns, he’s hiding a secret that could destroy our way of life. The veil that separates us from the fae realms is weakening – and if it falls, madness will be unleashed upon both our realms. Thorn is considering a terrible sacrifice to keep those he loves safe, but if he succeeds, the consequences will be devastating. And if he fails, he could tear a hole in the world.

Find out more about Liz and her writing at: http://www.lizdejager.co.uk/

I’m delighted to welcome Debbie Johnson to One More Page on the latest stop of her Never Kiss A Man in a Christmas Jumper blog tour. Debbie’s festive release has my favourite cover of all the Christmas books this year and is a fun and funny read that had me hooked from the first page. 

Debbie lives and works in Liverpool, where she divides her time between writing, caring for a small tribe of children and animals, and not doing the housework. She writes romance, fantasy and crime – which is as confusing as it sounds! Her first humorous contemporary romance, Cold Feet At Christmas, a seasonal tale of snow-bound fun, was released by HarperImpulse last year, and became an Amazon top ten best-seller. Today Debbie shared her top tips for a romantic weekend in lovely Oxford. Welcome Debbie!

A man like Marco Cavelli could probably make anywhere feel romantic – but Oxford, where his story is set, is renowned as one of the most beautiful cities in the world. Here is our unofficial guide to the most blissful spots in and around the Dreaming Spires.

Radcliffe Square:

Maggie and Marco have a fateful encounter in Radcliffe Square in the book, and it is one of the most architecturally blessed places in the city. By day, it is bustling with bikes, students, and pedestrians – but at night, it becomes quieter, subdued, beautifully lit and perfectly moody. You can feel completely cut off from modern life there, apart from the street lamps and lights from the colleges and libraries, and it’s even more glorious in the snow and frost.

Magdalen College walks:

Many of the Oxford colleges are stunning, and set in pictureqsue grounds, but some of the nicest spots are to be found at Magdalen. Addison’s Walk. People who have trodden the tree-lined paths before include the likes of CS Lewis and Tolkien, so you’re in good company. You can stroll by the waterside, admire the woods and wild flowers, and even see deer. What could be more romantic?

The Botanic Gardens:

The oldest botanical gardens in Britain, this place is a real oasis of calm and natural beauty in the heart of the city. There are lots of walks, quiet benches, and secluded spots to relax in – ideally with your very own Marco Cavelli! It was also visited by Lewis Carroll, and used by Philip Pullman in his Dark Materials books.

Christ Church Meadows:

Some of the scenes in the book take place down by the river, and Christ Church Meadow is a perfect place to get into the mood. Bordered by water and by magnificent Christ Church College, the setting is a mesmerising blend of natural beauty and architecture – uplifting to the senses, and wonderful whatever the season. Although the riverside gets busy, there are also lots of nearby looping walks through the woods that are more secluded and private.

The Bridge of Sighs:

Actually a part of Hertford College, this is included as much for its name as for its charms! What could me more romantic than using its nickname: ‘Meet me under the Bridge of Sighs’? In reality, the bridge is in a quite busy part of Oxford, but once you had met up, you could stroll through the nearby grounds of New College, or go for a heart-to-heart in the courtyard of the Turf Tavern.

Thanks Debbie – I definitely need to visit Oxford again soon.

Never Kiss a Man in a Christmas Jumper is out now in paperback and ebook formats from HarperImpulse.

Debbie’s next book, The Birthday That Changed Everything is out in January 2016.

Find out more about Debbie and her writing at: www.debbiejohnsonauthor.com

It is 1915 and the world is being torn apart, but newlyweds Ruby and Jimmy Hawkins are sure their love will survive the trauma and tragedy of war. Sent away to fight in the desperate battles raging in Gallipoli, Jimmy plans for the future they promised each other and struggles to keep his dreams whole amidst the brutality of the trenches.

Back home in Sydney, Ruby reads his romantic letters, full of longing. But as weeks slip into months she is forced to forge her own life. A new job throws her into a man’s world fraught with complications and as the lives of those around her begin to shatter, a powerful new attraction beckons. Realising she must change to truly find her way, Ruby discovers her own strength and independence – but will the price be her marriage?

I was drawn to this book by the lovely cover – it reminded me of the similarly titled The Railwayman’s Wife that  I read last year and really enjoyed. I’ve read quite a lot of books set during World War One and the aftermath in the last year and as I started reading I was wondering if this book would provide anything different. I’m pleased to say it did and Pamela Hart has provided a very enjoyable historical fiction read in her latest novel.

This book is set in Australia and the main action takes place in Sydney. Most of the historical fiction that I’ve read set during the First World War has focused on England and France so it was good to read a book in a different setting and to be reminded that this truly was a World war with soldiers from all over the globe signing up and sadly giving their lives.

The story begins with newlyweds Ruby and Jimmy sharing a brief honeymoon before Jimmy is sent to the front. A large part of the novel covers Ruby and her life while Jimmy is overseas. Ruby takes a job at a timber merchant’s yard  in the city and her new job and its influence on her was the key theme of the story for me. I felt Pamela Hart’s depiction of a woman entering and working in a man’s world was very well done and I loved how Ruby’s character developed as she faced the reactions of her new (all male) colleagues.

From outright hostility and rudeness from her fellow office workers to the indifference of her boss and the refusal of suppliers to speak with a woman, Ruby certainly has her work cut out just to stay in the job and when tragedy strikes with a direct impact on the business she has to use all of her strength and resolve to keep her head above water

What really struck a chord and made the story feel realistic was that Ruby holds strong views on a woman’s position herself and throughout the novel fights with her own responses to being in the workplace as well as the responses of those around her. Hart really captures the attitudes of the time so very well and shows with heart-breaking clarity the challenges men and women faced during the First World War. There is a lot of sadness and emotion in the story but also, particularly for Ruby, a wonderful feeling of adventure and possibility. As Ruby tries to reconcile the woman she has become with the one her husband left behind, I thought Pamela Hart did an excellent job of depicting a couple struggling with an immense amount of change.

The Soldier’s Wife is a surprising love story too; the plot took directions that I didn’t expect several times and the final chapters kept me guessing which made the story all the more enjoyable. The depictions of wartime Sydney are beautiful and made it easy to visualise the city at that time. I also thought the supporting characters were excellent – I took Ruby’s landlady Maree and her young son to my heart and I grew to like Ruby’s boss and timber yard owner Mr Curry despite the difficulties he threw Ruby’s way. The ways that the lives of these three very different people crossed was cleverly done and again struck an excellent balance between the social conventions of the time and the changing world that the characters find themselves in.

I’m looking forward to reading more from Pamela Hart in future.

4/5

The Soldier’s Wife is out now in paperback and ebook formats.

I’d like to thank Piatkus for sending me a review copy of this book.

Find out more about Pamela and her writing at: http://www.pamela-hart.com/

 

The winners are  …

Emma Pierce, Paula Steadman, AnnMarie Lacey

Congratulations! I have sent you an email. Thanks to everyone who entered. Look out for more giveaways very soon!

Is feminism still a dirty word? We asked twenty-five of the brightest, funniest, bravest young women what being a feminist in 2015 means to them.

We hear from Laura Bates (of the Everyday Sexism Project), Reni Eddo-Lodge (award-winning journalist and author), Yas Necati (an eighteen-year-old activist), Laura Pankhurst, great-great granddaughter of Emmeline Pankhurst and an activist in her own right, comedian Sofie Hagen, engineer Naomi Mitchison and Louise O’Neill, author of the award-winning feminist Young Adult novelOnly Ever Yours. Writing about a huge variety of subjects, we have Martha Mosse on how she became a feminist, Alice Stride on sexism in language, Amy Annette addressing the body politic and Samira Shackle on having her eyes opened in a hostel for survivors of acid attacks in Islamabad, while Maysa Haque thinks about the way Islam has informed her feminism and Isabel Adomakoh Young insists that women don’t have to be perfect. There are twelve other performers, politicians and writers who include Jade Anouka, Emily Benn, Abigail Matson-Phippard, Hajar Wright and Jinan Younis.

Is the word feminist still to be shunned? Is feminism still thought of as anti-men rather than pro-human? Is this generation of feminists – outspoken, funny and focused – the best we’ve had for long while? Has the internet given them a voice and power previously unknown?

I rarely read or review non-fiction books on this blog but every so often a book comes along that grabs my interest and I feel is so important that I agree to read and review. I knew as soon as I read the blurb for I Call Myself a Feminist that it was a book I needed to read. With essays from 25 women, I Call Myself A Feminist is an excellent and thought provoking look at what it means to be a feminist in 2015.

From debating the meaning of the word itself to looking at the history of equal rights for women and shining a spotlight on the reasons behind an individual’s support for feminism, this is a book that proves that the term ‘feminist’ covers a huge spectrum but that at the end of the day we (men and women) should be proud to call ourselves feminists.

The short essays are easy to dip in and out of and I found myself looking forward to reading more every time I put this book down. The style of the essays is very readable and I’m sure many readers will relate to the content covered. In between each essay there are pages with quotes and excerpts from a huge range of people from Maya Angelou to Amy Pohler and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie – I found these short snippets as interesting and inspiring as the essays themselves and this book has made me want to read and hear more from all of the contributors.

The final pages give short biographies of the women who have written articles for I Call Myself A Feminist and it’s wonderful to see all that they have achieved so far. Having read I Call Myself A Feminist I’m certain they and many more will achieve even more in the years to come. This is a book that everyone should read and discuss.

5/5

I Call Myself a Feminist is out now in paperback and ebook formats.

I’d like to thank the publisher for sending me an ebook copy of this book to review.