Roberta Reads

A Royal Second Chance Summer by Viv Royce My rating: 3 of 5 stars I’m not, in general, a fan of royal romances, because they generally seem hugely implausible to me. However, I had greatly enjoyed the previous two books in the series (A Family by Christmas and A Valentine Proposal), so I decided to give this one a chance. I’m glad I did. The story is delightful, charming, and romantic (of course). It was lovely to return to Heart Street, and there were small cameos from the characters from the previous books.  It’s such a lovely setting, and this time, we had the 4th of July celebrations. I really liked the main characters - Nicolas seemed kind and sensitive, and Lizzie was lovable, if a little timid. The one niggle I have is the way that Nicolas acted when they found the bird of paradise - he suddenly morphed into a horrible person. He was so unnecessarily unkind to Anna (the owner of the bird). It just doesn’t seem to fit with his character, and gives me dou...

The Little Shop in Cornwall by Helen Pollard My rating: 4 of 5 stars I actually really enjoyed this book. It’s a little more emotional than my usual fare (as I expected from the blurb), but it takes it at a slow, mostly peaceful, pace that is very relaxing to read. I liked Claudia very much, she had the strength to leave her husband (in the prologue) and work out what she really wanted from life. She perseveres even when things are difficult, but she’s not infallible, and still gets stressed and upset about things. Jason, and especially his daughter Millie, are also very appealing characters, who have also been through a difficult time. It’s wonderful seeing Millie gradually come out of her shell. The character development in general is excellent. The story comes to a very satisfying happy ending, though I do have some small doubts about whether Claudia and Jason will make it long term if Jason carries on putting his foot in it to such an extent. But I think they ha...

The Clockwork Crow by Catherine Fisher My rating: 4 of 5 stars This was a fun fae adventure, suitable for children (and adults). I was drawn in by the cover, and the story lived up to it. Seren travels to her godfather’s house, accidentally acquiring a parcel on the way. When she arrives, it is not the happy home she was hoping for. She sets out to solve the mystery, and then to rescue Tomos, her godfather’s son. I really liked Seren, she was a lively and inquisitive character. The Crow was delightful in his grumpy crustyness, and also quite helpful on their adventure. I really enjoyed the story, it was so easy to read and become immersed in, and had a satisfying, happy, and Christmassy ending. I’d definitely recommend this book to both children and adults looking for a fun adventure with a happy ending. I can’t wait to find out what Seren and Tomos (and hopefully the clockwork crow) get up to in the sequel. I was given a free copy of this book. My opinions are my...

The Little Teashop in Tokyo by Julie Caplin My rating: 5 of 5 stars Having enjoyed a couple of Julie Caplin’s books before, and seeing the beautiful cover, I had no hesitation in picking this up. I enjoyed it a lot. The characters were realistic, and most of them very loveable. The setting was amazing, and I loved all the bits of Japanese culture and how they helped Fiona put herself back together again. The ending was happy and romantic. I just have one tiny niggle - it still doesn’t sit well with me that Gabe took photos of her, lied about what he was doing, and went against her express wish to not be photographed. Also, taking her phone away (though for a goodish reason) smacks of controlling behaviour. It was just a little bit creepy. For this reason, my rating is really 4.5 stars, but I have rounded it up. Overall, this was an excellent story  and a romantic escape to a beautiful country. I’d definitely recommend it. I was given a free copy of this book. ...

The Cruise Ship Lost My Daughter by Morgan Mayer My rating: 4 of 5 stars This was a great book. I absolutely loved Sheila and Shane, they are adorable. I love their relationship and the way they support each other. I love the fact that the heroes of this mystery story are considerably older than 30. I really liked their sheer determination to find their daughter in spite of all the difficulties, though I did occasionally find their slowness to catch on a little frustrating! The plot went a little darker in one or two places than I prefer, but there was also plenty of humour to lighten things. I’d definitely recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good mystery. I was given a free copy of this book. My opinions are my own. View all my reviews

The Summer We Ran Away by Jenny Oliver My rating: 4 of 5 stars Jenny Oliver is a new author for me, so I wasn’t sure what to expect. The Summer We Ran Away was not the typical summer romance, but I definitely enjoyed it. To start with, Julia seems like a selfish, social media obsessed woman, and Charlie has obviously retreated. However, things are more complex than that. I really enjoyed the character development - Julia, in particular, as she freed herself (with a little help from Amber) from her preoccupation with pleasing others. The other three main characters also had good development. The story itself was entertaining and funny. Both “romances” were enjoyable, and there was a satisfying happy ending. I’d recommend this book to people looking for a slightly different type of summer romance. I was given a free copy of this book. My opinions are my own. View all my reviews

The Summer Deal by Jill Shalvis My rating: 5 of 5 stars Jill Shalvis’s books are at the more emotional end of the spectrum I like to read, so it can be a bit variable how much I enjoy them (not because they aren’t well written, but because I prefer not too much emotion). This one was excellent though, it really hit the spot. It had lots of funny moments, and really great characters and character development (always the case with a Jill Shalvis). I thought it dealt well with all the difficulties that the characters have been, and are going, through, without getting too heavy and emotional. The story really drew me in and kept me interested throughout. I especially enjoyed the epilogue, it rounded off the story perfectly. I’d recommend this book to anyone looking for a romance with heart, where people struggle, but win through. I was given a free copy of this book. My opinions are my own. View all my reviews

School for Nobodies by Susie Bower My rating: 3 of 5 stars School for Nobodies is an unusual adventure story, about a girl who doesn’t even know her real name, and how she finds it, and true family. It was a little too odd for my taste, but nonetheless it is well written, and enjoyable. The characters all have their own motivations, and I thought that the interactions of the children, in particular, seemed realistic. I wouldn’t recommend this book for younger children, as there’s talk of people dying in fires, which may be a little too frightening. However, for older children, it would be an exciting adventure, with magic and a happy ending. I was given a free copy of this book. My opinions are my own. View all my reviews

The Cornish Cream Tea Summer by Cressida McLaughlin My rating: 5 of 5 stars I enjoyed The Cornish Cream Tea Bus, so I was very happy to receive a free copy of this book from NetGalley. I think I enjoyed it even more than the previous one! This story focuses on Delilah (aka Lila), who is Charlie’s cousin, and joins her on the Cream Tea Bus when everything falls apart in London. I really loved all the characters in this book, they were all individuals. It was great seeing favourites from the previous book, as well as the new characters. I thought the character development was really excellent - Lila started off as very irresponsible, but she learned from her mistakes, and by the end of the story, has become far more responsible, without losing the enthusiasm that makes her special. I very much enjoyed the subplot with Keeley too. I’d recommend this book to anyone looking for a fun summer romance, set in a beautiful place. I was given a free copy of this book. My o...

Murder on a Mississippi Steamboat by Leighann Dobbs My rating: 3 of 5 stars I chose this book because it was recommended to fans of T. E. Kinsey, and I love historical cozy crime. I think that saying it’s like T. E. Kinsey does it rather a disservice, as I was expecting it to be more humorous. There was none of the banter that characterises his books, which was disappointing. However, this was still a good book. An interesting murder mystery set in an unusual location - on board a steamboat. I enjoyed the plot, the boat was loaded with interesting characters, and there were some subplots nicely muddying the waters. I did find Nora’s constant worrying about being a modern woman, and the frequent references to smoking, a little excessive though. I was given a free copy of this book. My opinions are my own. View all my reviews

Five Hundred Miles From You by Jenny Colgan My rating: 5 of 5 stars I’ve been a Jenny Colgan fan for many years, so it’s a huge privilege to receive a copy of her latest book, Five Hundred Miles From You, from NetGalley. I enjoyed it immensely. After a horrible event, Lissa and Cormac end up swapping locations for their job for 3 months, and in the process fall in love. Although the beginning and the end packed an emotional punch, the rest of the book was a lovely and gentle read - my favourite kind. I loved all the characters (excellently written, of course), and it was great to see how those from the previous two books set in Kirrinfief are getting on. I really hope there will be another book set here - it’s such a beautiful setting. I’d definitely recommend this book to anyone looking for a slightly unconventional romance, set in a beautiful place. Just keep a small number of tissues handy for the beginning and end. I was given a free copy of this book. My op...

Defy or Defend by Gail Carriger My rating: 5 of 5 stars Another truly excellent book from Gail Carriger, Defy or Defend is Dimity’s story. It is full of all the beautiful and humorous writing that characterises the author’s writing. As it is Dimity’s story, it is also full of sparkles. I chuckled lots (both at the witty words, and the story itself), and enjoyed the whole book immensely. All the characters are well written - they all have their own personalities and motivations, and seem real. I’d definitely recommend this to anyone, really. Obviously, you get extra enjoyment if you’ve read Gail’s other books, as a few characters pop in to say hello. View all my reviews

A Springtime Affair by Katie Fforde My rating: 5 of 5 stars I’ve been a Katie Fforde fan for many years now, so I was very pleased to be given a copy of A Springtime Affair by NetGalley. I wasn’t disappointed! I loved this book, it was the perfect spring romance (or, in fact, two romances). It was gentle and relaxing to read, and very well written. I enjoyed the slow pace, the characters were (apart from the villains, of course) lovely, and of course, a happy ending. Everything one expects from a Katie Fforde. I’d recommend this book to anyone looking for a fun and relaxing romance. I was given a free copy of this book. My opinions are my own. View all my reviews

The Guggenheim Mystery by Robin Stevens My rating: 5 of 5 stars I loved this book so much. I picked it because it was written by Robin Stevens, and the plot sounded good. It was even better than I expected. I absolutely loved Ted Spark, and his sister and friend. The mystery itself was great, intriguing, and kept me guessing. But just seeing the world through Ted’s eyes, combined with Robin’s writing, made this a really wonderful read. I highly recommend it to anyone who loves a good mystery. View all my reviews

Thursday’s Child by Noel Streatfeild My rating: 3 of 5 stars I read a number of Noel Streatfeild’s books when I was a child (and enjoyed them). I can’t remember if I read Thursday’s Child. It is the story of Margaret Thursday, who is sent to an orphanage at the tender age of 11. I liked Margaret a lot. She stood up for what she thought was right, and looked after her friends. I enjoyed the story, it was entertaining and the happy ending was satisfying. The story is, of course, slightly old fashioned, having been written some time ago. However, it is charming and well worth a read, and I would think that a lot of children would enjoy it. I was given a free copy of this book. My opinions are my own. View all my reviews

Sunrise at Strawberry Farm by Kellie Hailes My rating: 3 of 5 stars I have mixed feelings about this book. I picked it because of the beautiful cover, and the strawberries. I was assuming it to be my usual lighthearted romance fare. However, it was rather more emotional than that. The story was well written and thought out, but it definitely needed the epilogue to finish it off. I didn’t really take to Grey, and the fact that he was still not listening to Hannah, and was still dismissive of her feelings, at 80% of the way through, made me feel like they might not be a good match. I didn’t feel the same sense of satisfaction at the happy ending that I usually do. I also felt that the family aspect wasn’t properly resolved, that Hannah’s family really should have told her she was wanted and needed at some point. In spite of the fact that I’ve talked at length about what I didn’t like about this book, it is well written, the majority of the characters are likeable, t...

Far From Perfect by Holly Smale My rating: 4 of 5 stars I have enjoyed Holly Smale’s Geek Girl series, so I decided to given Far from Perfect a try. I have not read the first book in the series, so I am reviewing this as a stand-alone. I really enjoyed reading this book. It is very well written, and Holly’s style of writing pulls you into the story straight away. I was really rooting for Faith, who seemed unhappy in virtually every aspect of her life (though not admitting it even to herself). The characters were all believable, and those we got to see plenty of I really liked. The character development was really excellent, and I was so pleased when Faith started to work out what she wanted, and put her foot down. I’d definitely recommend this book, just bear in mind that it deals with more serious topics, and is consequently a little more emotional. Hence only 4 stars, rather than 5, as I prefer less emotional stories. I was given a free copy of this book. My opini...

A Killer Wedding by Kate P Adams My rating: 5 of 5 stars I was happy to return to Charleton House for another fun murder mystery. This one takes place at a wedding, bringing in a cast of interesting (and suspicious) characters. As usual, Sophie dashes around, somehow managing to keep up with her job and making enquiries about the murder - not to mention getting herself into a little bit of trouble! The whole book is well written, amusing and entertaining. I particularly enjoyed the scene at the end, where Sophie and her friends are talking over the mystery. It was great to see a little bit more of how they interact outside of their jobs, and a little more of their personal lives. I’m hoping for more of this in future books too. I’d definitely recommend this book to anyone looking for a fun murder mystery in a beautiful setting. I was given a free copy of this book. My opinions are my own. View all my reviews

The Highland Falcon Thief by M.G. Leonard My rating: 5 of 5 stars This was a fun, and very entertaining mystery set on a train. I enjoyed learning about the train, there were enough facts to be interesting, but they were woven so neatly into the story, that they never dragged or felt dull. There was an excellent selection of characters - both among the passengers and the staff. The mystery itself was enjoyable - I didn’t guess the solution until very near the end, and there were lots of possibilities to be explored. I’d definitely recommend this book to anyone looking for a fun train mystery, whether they are a child, or an adult. View all my reviews

Roxy and Jones : The Great Fairytale Cover-up by Angela Woolfe My rating: 4 of 5 stars This book was very enjoyable. It was a fun romp through an alternative fairy tale world, that was believable and utterly fantastical all at the same time! Roxy and Jones themselves are fun characters, and the people they meet on their adventure are interesting and varied. I’d definitely recommend this book to anyone looking for a fun, imaginative romp, in a world that is a mixture of modern and magical. I was given a free copy of this book. My opinions are my own. View all my reviews