Roberta Reads

The Blossom Tree of Dreams by Holly Martin My rating: 5 of 5 stars Holly Martin books are always a joy to read, and this one was no exception. The Blossom Tree of Dreams is set in a woodland camping site, run by River and his brothers. After a tough few years, Indigo takes a job there. I really liked both Indigo and River. I liked that they were both willing to admit and apologise for mistakes, and move forwards. I loved Tierra too, I think she’s my favourite character, and she brings so many hilarious moments to the story. I also enjoyed the cast of supporting characters, and I can’t wait to read some of their stories too. The setting is also excellent - I love the woods and the treehouses sound absolutely magical. I’d love to go there on holiday. Overall, this was a lovely romance, with a beautiful setting, and loveable characters. The only trouble is, I enjoyed it so much I read it in one big gulp! I was given a free copy of this book, my opinions...

A Wedding in Provence by Katie Fforde My rating: 5 of 5 stars I have been a fan of Katie Fforde’s books for a very long time, so I was pleased to receive an ARC of A Wedding in Provence. I loved this book. I really liked Lexi, who was both sensible and confident, but also still very young. I loved Felicite, Henri, and Stephie, they were delightful. I enjoyed their different characters, and the way they slowly came to trust Lexi. It was great to see more of David, who was in the previous book. The setting was great, the slightly run down chateau, and the surroundings. I really enjoyed the subplot involving Jack and Penelope. And of course the main romance was lovely too. Overall, this was a joy to read, the perfect way to relax and escape for a few hours. I was given a free copy of this book, my opinions are my own. View all my reviews

Review: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ The Hedgehog Hollow series is a wonderful one, and so there was no question of whether I’d read A Wedding at Hedgehog Hollow or not. This book follows the ongoing story of all our favourite characters from Hedgehog Hollow, and also focusses on the life of one of the volunteers, Phoebe. Her life was really hard for me to read about, but the relief when she finally escaped her situation was immense. In spite of the difficult topic, I really enjoyed reading this book. Jessica Redland has a way of making you really care about the characters, right from the start. It was so lovely to return to the hedgehogs, and the characters I love. It’s great to see the characters who were unpleasant in previous books working on themselves. The progress taking time is so much more realistic and rewarding than in some books, and as a result, much more compelling. As always, the writing was excellent, and it was easy to get absorbed in the story. I loved the hedgehog information at the bac...

Murder in First Class by Helena Dixon My rating: 5 of 5 stars I love this series, so I was thrilled to receive an ARC of Murder in First Class. This time around, Kitty and Matt (and the police) are trying to solve the mystery of a man murdered in a train carriage. Only the passengers in that carriage had access, so surely it should be easy? It very much isn’t though, and I had a wonderful time reading as Kitty and Matt poked into everyone’s lives! I also loved reading about Matt and Kitty’s continuing relationship, and the ongoing saga with her mother’s murder. Bertie added some amusing moments, and I hope he’ll become a recurring character. Helena Dixon has produced yet another fascinating mystery, full of interesting characters. I’m looking forward to the next instalment already. I was given a free copy of this book, my opinions are my own. View all my reviews

The Smuggler’s Secret by Annabelle Sami My rating: 5 of 5 stars The Agent Zaiba Investigates series has become one of my absolute favourites, so of course I jumped on the chance of reading the fourth book: The Smuggler’s Secret. This time, Zaiba and her fellow sleuths are off to Chesil Beach on a school trip. It was really fun to read a book set somewhere I’ve been quite a few times. I honestly enjoyed this book so much. There’s a great mystery, a collection of well loved characters, caves, and smugglers. What could be better? As always, the illustrations are lovely, and really bring the story to life. This book would work well as a standalone, but you’ll enjoy it even more if you read the previous books first. Overall, this story was just so much fun, and another excellent addition to a favourite series. I was given a free copy of this book, my opinions are my own. View all my reviews