Has it been more than a week since my last review? Crazy! But in my defense I still have been reading and reviewing. I have joined Choc Lit’s Taster Panel for about a month now. This means I get to read submissions and help select what will be published. Its been an amazing experience and has inspired me even more to become an editor.

More details here: http://www.choc-lit.com/join-the-choc-lit-tasting-panel/

To the review:

Published by Choc Lit, April 2015, £2.99 ebook.

Tagwords: Sweet, emotional, heart-warming, contemporary, life-lessons, journey.

Perfect for?: Lazy afternoons, weekend reads.

Steam?: Minimal.

Plot: Celebrity photographer Grace Buchanan has always known that one day, she’d swap her manic day job for the peace and quiet of her beloved childhood cottage, St Christopher’s – she just didn’t expect it to be so soon.

At the reading of her mother’s will, she’s shocked to learn that she hardly knew Rosamund at all, and that inheriting St Christopher’s hangs on one big – and very inconvenient – condition: Grace must drop everything for two weeks and travel the country with a mysterious stranger – war-weary Royal Marine, Alasdair Finn.

This novel is about getting to a certain stage of success or routine that you need to take a step back and have a good look at your life. Are you satisfied with what you have? Do you think you have it all worked out?

Grace is very likeable and sensitive character. In the midst of grief and confusion, she forms an unlikely friendship with Alasdair, who is also carting around some baggage (whilst being irresistible at the same time!) Each step that she takes to learning more about her mother she also unravels pieces of herself. The letters from her mother were very gripping. It felt like reading two stories in one. It got me thinking about what the heck my parents were doing at my age!

The novel stresses that everybody has a private life. Love, lies and secrets are the real laws that govern our lives. The chaos of life’s enemies: sibling bitterness, infidelity, and loneliness has a way of, if not smoothing over, but reaching a silent agreement. 

I did feel at certain points it got quite conversation heavy which slowed down the pacing. The romance between Grace and Alasdair also blossomed a little slow and mild for my liking. However, it was a sweet, heart-warming read and nudged me to seize opportunities before it may be too late.

Connect with the author: melanie-hudson.co.uk @Melani_Hudson_ 

My review copy was provided by Choc Lit with many thanks! xx