Review – Deadly Dancing at the Seaview Hotel

“Stepping forward, stepping back, who cares, as long as you’re dancing together in the right direction.”

Well, I’m back at the Seaview Hotel for the fourth time. Breathing in the sea air, feeling the breeze on my face and tucking into one of the hotel’s award winning breakfasts (I wish). At this point in the ‘Helen Dexter’ series, it really does feel like catching up with old friends from the moment I turn the first page. As noted by one of the (many) eccentric guests, the Seaview itself feels so calming, and its landlady Helen feels so restful. That is, until one of the guests doesn’t return.

Of course, Scarborough’s (albeit fictional) police detectives are once again barking up the wrong tree when it comes to catching the killer, so it falls to Helen and her trusty greyhound Suki to catch the killer before they strike again. As if poor Helen didn’t have enough on her plate with running the Seaview, the insufferable Miriam lands unexpectedly with suitcases in hand, her closest confidante-come-chef Jean has her head turned by a complete scallywag and Helen’s own relationship with the lovely Jimmy reaches an uncomfortable, and most untimely, ultimatum. Can Helen solve the murder, and matters of her heart, before it’s too late?

“She’d come this far, and she was determined not to leave without discovering the truth.”

We’re four instalments into the Helen Dexter series now, so as I’ve said it does feel like catching up with old friends when Helen, Jean and Sally are all chatting away in the apartment of the Seaview. However, it’s a testament to Glenda Young’s fantastic writing and gripping plotlines that this instalment really had me questioning what I thought I knew about all of the main characters, even Helen herself. I found myself practically shouting at the pages at times, particularly as Helen and Jean navigated their respective matters of their hearts; which just shows the care and attention which Glenda Young pours into creating these characters who are so multi-layered that they can still surprise familiar readers when we’re four novels in. Without spoiling anything for those who are yet to read ‘Deadly Dancing’, if there is one thing I will take away from this book, it’s to never trust a man in Cuban heels.

As always, it wouldn’t be a stay at the Seaview Hotel without a gaggle of quirky guests. Just when I think I’ve seen it all at the Seaview, Glenda Young introduces a motley crew of ballroom dancers, all with their own individual rich personal histories, many of which threaten to spill over into the present day as they all prepare for a ballroom dancing competition in Scarborough. I will admit that I’m not a ‘Strictly’ fan, and know absolutely nothing about dancing, but as always these characters and their respective plotlines are so well-written, with such attention to detail that I found myself totally engrossed in the glittering world of ballroom dance, and all the drama it entails.

“Suddenly, everything began to make sense. It was as if a fog had lifted”.

We may be four books into this series, but once again the plot had me guessing until the very end, and I’m four for four with not being able to work out who the killer was. But, I will overlook this as it’s a sign of Glenda Young’s excellent writing that she, and her characters, are always one step ahead of the reader. Again, without wanting to spoil anything for those who are yet to read this book, the ending was everything I’d hoped for and more – all ends tied up, characters making the right steps on their individual journeys but, as always, just a tiny hint of intrigue at the end which has truly piqued my interest for book five, so I will definitely be checking into the Seaview again!

Blog Tour – Love Forever Lindisfarne

“Our island is changing, ladies, and there’s not a lot we can do about it.”

Who doesn’t love an escape to Northumberland? Stunning coastal views, friendly locals, and a quiet break from life’s dramas. Or so I thought. Well, I suppose two out of three isn’t so bad.

As a North East reader, I am ashamed to admit that I hadn’t come across Kimberley Adams’ Love Lindisfarne series until now. Never one to pass up a chance to visit my favourite place in the world (albeit by turning pages rather than driving up the A1), I’d have happily read a detailed memoir on watching paint dry if it were set in Northumberland; but thankfully Kimberley’s fantastic writing, paired with a plot that had as many exciting and unexpected turns as the Northumbrian climate, meant that I was hooked from the first chapter.

“Life moved along like the tide, ebbing and flowing with regular certainty and stopping for no one.”

This may be the third instalment, but if, like me, you’re new to the ‘Love Lindisfarne’ series, then do not hesitate to dive straight in. I may have been a newbie to this island, much like young Kitti, but it was no time at all before I felt like I was catching up with old friends. The warm characters are so well-written and clearly had such rich histories and bonds with one another, that I couldn’t help laughing (and sometimes crying) along with them as I turned the pages. I knew there was something particularly special about this group when I was just getting to know them in the opening chapter, and learned that they were prepared to stop and help a complete stranger despite it being the most important day of one of their lives. From that point onwards, I was completely hooked – absolutely devouring each chapter in a desperate need to find out what happened next, and completely ignoring the ‘just one more chapter’ limit I (fruitlessly) tried to give myself.

Of course the breathtaking Northumbrian coastline needs no introduction, but Kimberley Adams’ beautiful writing really brought Lindisfarne to life. The descriptions were so vivid that I could practically smell the sea air wafting out of the pages, and feel the fresh coastal breeze on my face. The island is so unique and untamed that it’s almost one of the main characters in its own right, although, in my humble opinion, second only to Barry Big Lad when it comes to delivering the dramatics!

“Lindisfarne, where dreams really can come true.”

All in all, it was an absolute joy to watch Kitti spread her wings on Lindisfarne, with the support of a hilarious yet fiercely loyal motley crew of characters, and I will certainly be going back to read the earlier instalments of Kimberley Adams’ ‘Love Lindisfarne’ series because I can’t get enough of this group, or their incredible island. It remains my life’s ambition to retire to Northumberland, but I will now only be doing so with a level of sass that matches that of Ethel Fish. #Goals.

Why not check out the rest of the Love Forever Lindisfarne blog tour?

Purchase Links
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0FF5DSM9R
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FF5DSM9R

Love Forever Lindisfarne

Take a summer break to stunning Northumberland via the pages of this feel-good romantic comedy by award winning writer Kimberley Adams. Full of love and laughter, it will leave you yearning to visit this iconic location in person!

When a stranger appears in the middle of a very important celebration, no one can foresee the island connections that will later come to light. Kittiwake Penaluna is drawn to the island at a sad time in her life; she’s broken, but it doesn’t take long for the islanders to rally round and take her under their wing.

Ellie and Zen are busier than they’ve ever been, jumping from task to task with little time for themselves. Will they ever find a moment together away from all the drama that constantly follows them around the island?

The forthcoming arrival of nine new mini animals puts even more pressure on the islanders, but Bert is resolute, and it’s all hands to the pump to prepare for their arrival. The Mini-Fest fundraiser gets off to a great start, until a despised face from the past appears and throws everything into chaos.

Full of heart, Love Forever Lindisfarne is a story steeped in love and community. You’ll reunite with beloved characters who feel like old friends and meet a few lively newcomers with big personalities! Each page will pull you deeper into island life and leave you with a wide smile and a warm glow!

Praise for Kimberley Adams taken from Amazon reviews:

‘Kimberley’s books often feel more like a chat between friends than reading a book, she has the knack of making the reader feel they are part of the action and at the heart of the story.’ Ginger Book Geek Reviewer.

‘The characters just jump off the page and charm you and are so well drawn you can almost see them.’ Amazon customer.

‘I want to visit Lindisfarne even more after reading Kim’s books.’ June, Australia.

‘Thank you for writing such a beautiful love letter to Northumberland.’ Kindle Customer.

‘Witty, great storytelling and a wonderful mix of characters that keep you engaged and invested.’ Orapps.

Author Bio – Kim writes heartwarming romantic comedies which are set in glorious Northumberland on the iconic Holy Island of Lindisfarne. Kim is an award-winning writer and her books are amongst the highest rated romcoms on Amazon. Kim’s beautiful book covers are bespoke artwork by a Northumbrian artist and a representation of a scene within the book!

FACEBOOK Kimberley Adams-Writer or Love Lindisfarne

X kim_adamsWriter

INSTAGRAM love_lindisfarne

Review – Secrets of the Toffee Factory Girls

“Mr Jack’s going to make an important announcement that will affect the future of the factory – and all of our lives.”

The toffee factory girls are back! The war might be raging on, but it’s no match for their courage and determination. By 1916, and Hetty, Elsie and Anne’s jobs at Mr Jack’s toffee factory in Chester-Le-Street may be more settled, but their home and romantic lives are anything but. Then, just as work seems to be the one stable element of their lives, Mr Jack makes an announcement which throws everything into question. And with sugar rationing crippling the nation, will the factory survive the uncertainty ahead?

As with all of Glenda Young’s fantastic sagas, the main thing which had me itching to know what comes next for our toffee factory girls is the (seemingly) unbreakable bond between Hetty, Elsie and Anne. If there’s one thing Glenda knows how to perfect, it’s writing powerhouse female leads, and the combination of these three heroines had me hooked on the ‘Toffee Factory Girls’ saga from the first instalment. However, as life continues to throw unexpected twists and turns their way, and secrets from their respective pasts threaten to boil over to the present, the bond between these three women is tested to the very limit. Without spoiling anything for those who haven’t yet read ‘Secrets’, I was absolutely rage-turning the pages as it seemed, at points, that the girls might drift apart irreconcilably in light of the huge plot twists which were pushing them in different directions. However, we can all relate to the idea of life getting in the way of our friendships, and I can only imagine how that would have been to experience within the wider throes of war, to say nothing of that huge, age-old and ever looming threat to female friendships – men.

“It felt as if the ground had shifted beneath her feet, but instead of being shaken, she felt very happy indeed.”

To match three such headstrong women, of course readers would never settle for some boring old doormats who fall in step behind them; our girls need male leads who can match their complexity, without overshadowing them. It’s a difficult balance to strike, but once again, Glenda smashed it. I was so pleased to see the return of Dirk and Mr Jack; of course less so to meet Frankie again, but then all great heroes (or in this case heroines) need an equally matched villain, and I continue to thoroughly enjoy the slow burn of sweet, dependable Stan in the background. Although, I’m not sure if I was getting caught up in the suspicion and paranoia of wartime, or if it was just Glenda Young’s great plot development (probably the latter), but I definitely had my guard up around Dirk and Mr Jack this time – something which I never would have expected from the first ‘Toffee Factory Girls’ book. It’s a testament to the great storytelling and plot twists however, that this instalment had me really questioning two such seemingly great and dependable characters which I was already familiar with.

“There’s only one woman I love. With you by my side, we’ll get through this damn war.”

However, as the old saying goes, it all comes out in the wash, and most of our toffee factory girls’ secrets (and those of their respective men) come out in the end, but as always, Glenda Young leaves her readers wanting more. Again, without spoiling anything for those who are yet to read this book, the end was a perfect blend of celebration, resolve and the reunion of our girls, but left me absolutely itching to know what happens next – particularly around whether Anne’s secret will remain out of sight and out of mind. Personally, I’ll be keeping one eye on that sneaky mother in law. But whatever happens next, I know Glenda Young will continue serve intrigue, heartbreak and heroism by the gallon, and if our toffee factory girls face it together, then nothing is unachievable.

“I’ll always stand by you. No matter what happens from now on, we’re a team, all three of us.”

Cover Reveal – Love Forever Lindisfarne

Now that Summer is finally here, what better place to enjoy it than beautiful Northumberland? I would never miss an opportunity to enthuse about my favourite place in the world, so I’m beyond excited to share the cover reveal for Kimberley Adams’ upcoming romantic comedy ‘Love Forever Lindisfarne’.

Out on 26th June, I absolutely can’t wait to get into ‘Love Forever Lindisfarne’; the cover is so warm and inviting that I can almost feel the sea breeze wafting out of it. Any eagle-eyed Northerners like myself will also appreciate the subtle placement of the Northumberland flag on the cover as well! To get your hands on a copy of this perfect Summer read, pre order links are here:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0F8MQM8VP
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0F8MQM8VP

Love Forever Lindisfarne

Full of heart, ‘Love Forever Lindisfarne’ is a story steeped in love and community. You’ll reunite with beloved characters who feel like old friends and meet a few lively newcomers with big personalities! Each page will pull you deeper into island life and leave you with a wide smile and a warm glow!

Who is Kimberley Adams?

Kim writes heartwarming romantic comedies which are set in glorious Northumberland on the iconic Holy Island of Lindisfarne. Kim is an award-winning writer and her books are amongst the highest rated romcoms on Amazon. Kim’s beautiful book covers are bespoke artwork by a Northumbrian artist and a representation of a scene within the book!

FACEBOOK Kimberley Adams-Writer or Love Lindisfarne

X kim_adamsWriter

INSTAGRAM love_lindisfarne

‘The characters just jump off the page and charm you and are so well drawn you can almost see them.’ Amazon customer.

‘I want to visit Lindisfarne even more after reading Kim’s books.’ June, Australia.

‘Thank you for writing such a beautiful love letter to Northumberland.’ Kindle Customer.

‘Witty, great storytelling and a wonderful mix of characters that keep you engaged and invested.’ Orapps.

Many thanks to Rachel at Rachel’s Random Resources for inviting me to join this exciting cover reveal! @rararesources

Review – The Toffee Factory Girls

“Some may say I’m ruthless, reckless, a rebel. But all those ingredients, along with the best cream and top-quality sugar, go to make Jack’s toffees the best in the land.”

Chester Le Street, 1915. A war raging on longer than people had predicted, men enlisting in their masses and a huge factory in need of some order, hard work and a rebrand? Get some women in to sort it all out! Hetty, Anne and Elsie make the perfect trio in the first of Glenda Young’s latest trilogy ‘The Toffee Factory Girls’, which has all the ingredients of a gripping and un-putdownable saga; and is wrapped up with intrigue that has left me itching to know what happens next.

No-nonsense, organised Anne was my favourite from the start, but as with all of Glenda’s novels, I found myself constantly re-evaluating me opinions of each character as the story progressed. As a type-A person myself, I instantly related to Anne, but together with ditzy Elsie and dependable Hetty the three girls form a perfect blend of personalities which compliment each other, and are a force to be reckoned with when they work together. Without spoiling anything for those who are yet to read this, it became clear from early in the plot that Anne has a rich back story which I am intrigued to learn more about as the trilogy progresses. Glenda has once again mastered that fine balance of giving enough to really pique the reader’s curiosity, sending the cogs in my imagination whirring as I turned each page, but maintaining the mystery right until the end, which has left the door firmly open for us to (hopefully) delve deeper into her history next time, which I can’t wait for.

“If you want my advice, take happiness where you find it. You never know when your life will be turned upside down.”

One of the main things that I love about Glenda’s novels is the complexity of her characters. Although Anne was initially my favourite, I don’t mind admitting that I was frustrated at some of her treatment towards Hetty and Elsie at times. But, as with autonomous humans in real life, well-written characters seldom do what we want them to, or at least not consistently. Anne is exactly the type of complex female heroine that I have no doubt told Glenda exactly how her story pans out, and not the other way around! Similarly, I took an instant dislike to the somewhat immature Elsie, particularly after her early betrayal of Hetty, but through her complex personal journey throughout the story, I found myself really rooting for her by the time I closed the cover, and can’t wait to see her continue onwards and upwards (hopefully) when we see her again next time. Hetty felt, to me, like the glue which holds the group together, and could easily have become the typical passive ‘best friend’ character, who probably would have been given a back seat in favour of the more vibrant Anne and Elsie by many other authors. However, I presume Glenda is a dab hand at juggling from the way she perfectly balances all three girls’ stories with equal parts of drama, suspense and love. As a feminist it pains me to admit it, but something I really love about Hetty’s story is the bubbling romance, which is even sweeter than the toffees she wraps. But having said that, Hetty strikes me as the kind of girl who has always been overlooked. Expected to put her own wishes and feelings aside in order to support everyone around her, which is what makes her such a loyal friend, so if anyone deserves to have someone notice her and shower her with a bit of love, it’s our Hetty.

Again, as with all of Glenda’s other saga novels, the setting is so vibrant that it’s almost like another protagonist in itself. Despite being relatively local to Chester-Le-Street, I had no idea about the real factory which inspired Jack’s Toffee, but now I almost feel like I’ve been there because it’s described in such vivid detail as the plot progresses. I could practically smell the toffee wafting out of each page turn.

All in all, although ‘The Toffee Factory Girls’ has all the key elements of a typical saga – romance, mystery, feisty heroines and a rich array of background characters who swirl the plot around and keep the reader guessing until the end (and beyond), it certainly stands out from the others on the shelves. Once again, Glenda Young has taken a relatively forgotten and mundane chunk of local history, and given it a rich and exciting new life. I can’t wait to see what’s coming next for The Toffee Factory Girls, because if this first instalment is anything to go by, I know it won’t disappoint.