Maddy's Book Blog

  Counting Down to You by Emily Stone   I have now read four books by Emily Stone, and they just seem to get better and better. Counting Down to You has everything I look for in a great read: deep emotion, romance, humour, and stunning scenery. From the very beginning, I was completely drawn into the story and couldn't wait to see how it would unfold. Ali and Robyn have been best friends and couldn’t be closer, sharing everything, especially their love of Christmas and the tradition of creating advent calendars filled with challenges for each other. When Robyn becomes seriously ill, she creates one final advent calendar for Ali, packed with special tasks designed to push her out of her comfort zone. Devastated by the loss of her best friend, Ali feels completely adrift, but completing the challenges gives her a way to honour Robyn's memory. As she works through each one, she finds herself embarking on a journey of friendship, healing and self-discovery. Emily Stone bala...

  Always A Silver Lining by Jessica Redland I have read so many books by Jessica Redland, and I am always completely immersed in her stories, which feel like sinking into a warm bubble bath. Although Always A Silver Lining can be enjoyed as a standalone novel, it is the sixth book in the series, so I loved revisiting old friends and learning more about characters who have only been mentioned briefly in previous books. Juliet is a wedding planner who has helped many couples achieve their dream day, but despite being engaged twice, she has never made it down the aisle herself. When she meets Christian following a cycling accident in a car park, the attraction between them is immediate, and she cannot stop thinking about him. However, Christian is concerned about their age difference, while Juliet is hiding a secret that she fears could destroy any chance of a future together. As their feelings deepen, both must decide whether they are willing to take a chance on love and hope th...

  Winter Magic at Hollybrae Castle by Jaimie Admans I absolutely love a Jaimie Admans book, and this one is right up there with her best. I'm a sucker for a love story, and if it has a healthy dose of comedy, even better. This book has both in spades. Once I started reading, I couldn't put it down. I absolutely loved it! Lula is a window dresser, but disaster strikes just before Christmas and she ends up getting fired. After all, who wants to see Santa decapitating Paddington Bear?! When Lula spots an advert for someone to decorate a castle for Christmas, she jumps at the chance. There's just one catch: she has to pretend to be the owner's long-term girlfriend, Lucy. The fact that Oliver is drop-dead gorgeous certainly makes keeping up the charade a little easier! Add in a couple of fake children, plenty of festive chaos, and some laugh-out-loud moments, and you have the perfect recipe for a heartwarming romance. This was such a fun read, packed with humour, Christmas...

  Under Story by Chloe Benjamin   I hadn't read anything by Chloe Benjamin before, but the premise of the book really appealed to me. I'd previously read and enjoyed a book about time moving backwards, so I was very keen to read this one. It started a little slowly, but picked up around the 30% mark. She covered most of the backwards-time concepts that I'd enjoyed in the previous book, along with some physics, although she didn't touch on the concept of eating. Imagine that going backwards! 😊   Lauren is a renowned scientist, but after experiencing a traumatic event, she and her husband, fellow scientist Eli, separate. Seeking a complete change of direction, she moves to Antarctica and ends up working in the kitchen. When Eli arrives at the research station, old feelings begin to resurface. After Lauren has the epiphany that the mysterious Arc may be a portal, she must convince Eli to take a leap of faith with her. However, sometimes what you think you want isn...

  The Perfect Gift by Sarah Bennett Halfmoon Quay No. 4   I was so excited to be offered the fourth book in the Halfmoon Quay series, and it genuinely felt like meeting up with a group of old friends. I was immediately immersed and couldn’t put it down — the kind of story that sweeps you along so completely that you finish it within 24 hours. Although it is part of a series, it can be read as a stand-alone. Who needs sleep when a book is this good?   In this instalment, absent brother Ed finally returns to Halfmoon Quay, excited to move back in with his cousin Matt — only to arrive home and discover Matt isn’t there to greet him. What he does find delivers a shock that sends ripples through the whole story. Meanwhile, Frankie Webber, a well‑known actress with a traumatic past, is filming in Halfmoon Quay and quickly becomes part of the local friendship circle. She fits in so naturally that it’s impossible not to warm to her. And honestly, how much do I wish Half...

  The Comeback by Mel Giedroyc   I love Mel Giedroyc, so I was really looking forward to reading this book. While it isn’t badly written, I struggled to connect with the characters and didn’t enjoy the storyline, and ultimately it just wasn’t for me.   Gill Piper returns to Leatherhead to help promote the Youth Theatre she grew up in, only to find her old nemesis Carla still firmly entrenched there — and the battle lines drawn almost immediately. The whole dynamic is meant to be comedic and chaotic, but I just found it all a bit cringe, and it stopped me from connecting with the story.   Overall, it’s a light, easy read, but it just didn’t land for me. The premise had potential and Mel Giedroyc’s humour does shine through in places, yet the characters and the theatre‑based drama felt more awkward than engaging. In the end, it wasn’t a book I connected with, though I know others may enjoy it more than I did.   https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/89270...

  I'll Be Home for Christmas by Helen Rolfe This is my third Helen Rolfe book, and I’ve enjoyed every one of them. The characters are so easy to love, and the wintery ski‑resort setting is absolutely gorgeous. The family dynamics are interesting, believable and full of heart, and the whole story has that gentle, comforting charm Helen Rolfe does so well. I really enjoyed it.   Sarah’s wedding is fast approaching, and although she loves her husband‑to‑be, she’s getting cold feet — nudged along by her mum, Chrissie, who worries she’s too young and rushing into things. Instead of spending Christmas with her mum or fiancé, Sarah decides to stay with her grandparents in their chalet, especially as they can’t attend the wedding due to ill health. When she arrives, she’s surprised to find her Aunt Meg already there. She’s always known her mum and Meg don’t speak, but never understood why. Over the holiday, she takes the chance to get to know her aunt properly and quickly grows fo...