Book reviews in magazines I write for in August #bookreviews

The following books made it to Fleet Life magazine this month.

For the online edition go to http://www.fleetlife.org.uk load the online directory and turn to page 28.

The Family Trap by Joanne Phillips

Rise Of The Enemy by Rob Sinclair

Old Town Nights by Linda Lee Williams

Swamp Ghosts by Marcia Meara

Country Affairs by Zara Stonely

The next set of books made it into the August edition of The Elvetham Heath Directory,

The online edition can be found at http://www.ehd.org.uk load the online directory and turn to page 22

Big Men’s Boots by Emily Barraso

The Cunning Woman’s Cup by Sue Hewitt

Will O’ The Wisp by C. S Boyack

Dream On by Terry Tyler

From Lime Street To Yirgacheffe by Robert Leigh

Country Affairs by @ZaraStoneley @BrookCottageBks #bookreview

Country Affairs by Zara Stoneley

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Country Affairs is the second book set in Tippermere, Cheshire. Readers need to be aware that this is bubbling with sexual potential and edges just off the boil of a bonk buster style book. So if you choose to read this don’t be shocked to find hot sexy men and women who lust after them.

However this book is much more than that. The Stanthorpe’s are aristocracy, running equestrian centres and have the full stately home with leaking roof, gurgling water pipes and moth eaten carpets behind them. They live side-by-side with the rich and famous of the celebrity world who live in Kitterley Heath, to whom money is no object.

Lady Stanthorpe has decided it’s time to hand over the debt and the running of Tipping House Estate to her lovable but scatty grand-daughter. Lottie must come up with a money making plan to appease the bank manager and repair the roof. Lady Stanthorpe or Elizabeth to family and friends, is a wily old Lady who manipulates people whilst swigging her G&T. Always with an ulterior motive up her sleeve she is one of my favourite characters.

Poor Lottie is stretched between her love of Tipping House and her love for the sexy Rory and their relationship is put under intense strain when plans to launch Tipping House as a wedding venue get under way. With the help of Sam, Pip and Amanda the storyline romps through a wedding with an impromptu horse jump off, a celebrity charity cricket match, horse mishaps, ex boyfriends and girlfriends and the final celebrity wedding venue showcase.

I loved the continuation of the characters and the storyline from the first book “Stable Mates” and enjoyed the more humorous storyline and a move away from the Jilly Cooper style of the first book showing Zara’s own writing ability.

View all my reviews on Goodreads

Genre: Contemporary Fiction/Humour/ChickLit

Release Date: e-book 7 May 2015, Paperback 16 July 2015

Publisher: HarperCollins (HarperImpulse)

 

COUNTRY AFFAIRS ‘A great treat for readers who love their books jam-packed with sexy men and horses.’ Bestselling author Fiona Walker It’s time to get back in the saddle with the follow up to the deliciously naughty Stable Mates!  Swapping her spurs for stilettoes and becoming Lady of the Manor is not on loveable, but scatty, Lottie’s life plan. Nor does she have the faintest idea how to rescue it from rack and ruin. But with footballer’s wife Sam on the case, determined to bring glamour to the manor, and fun-loving eventer Rory egging them on, nothing can possibly go wrong, can it? Todd never forgave himself for abandoning Lottie on a Barcelona beach, but now he’s tracked her down and he’s ready to kiss and make up. With a roving eye and his roguish grin he soon has more than one girl in Tippermere going weak at the knees, but why is he really there? With wedding plans going awry, unexpected pregnancies and relationships starting to look rocky, will Lottie ever be ready to accept her inheritance and help Tipping House Estate move into the 21st Century? Praise for Stable Mates – ‘A delightful romp peppered with humour, sadness, scandal and steamy sex.’ ‘…reminded me of Jilly Cooper whose books I grew up with. Stable Mates is up there with Riders and Rivals. If you loved these books then you will love this one’ ‘…the perfect mix of horsey shenanigans, Cheshire glamour and flirty fun.’ ‘…reminded me of the Tilly Bagshawe novels I love, with all the scandal and drama. I don’t think I’ve read another author who writes in that kind of style without finding negative comparisons but Zara Stoneley comes into her own’  ‘a really impressive read.’  ‘Fun, Frothy & a Good Weekend Read’ ‘An unexpected FUN read that should not be missed by anyone. I would say I laughed at almost every page! ‘
BUY LINKS

Amazon (UK)

Amazon (COM)

Amazon (paperback)

Foyles

Waterstones

iTunes

Google Play

Blackwells

Bestselling author Zara Stoneley lives in deepest Cheshire surrounded by horses, dogs, cats and amazing countryside. When she’s not visiting wine bars, artisan markets or admiring the scenery in her sexy high heels or green wellies, she can be found in flip flops on the beach in Barcelona, or more likely sampling the tapas! Zara writes hot romance and bonkbusters. Her latest novels, ‘Stable Mates’ and ‘Country Affairs’, are fun romps through the Cheshire countryside and combine some of her greatest loves – horses, dogs, hot men and strong women (and not forgetting champagne and fast cars)!  She writes for Harper Collins and Accent Press.

Find out more about Zara:

Website      Twitter        Facebook        Google+

Giveaway

signed paperback Stable Mates – UK only,

e-book Stable Mates – international
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Letter L April A to Z Challenge #AtoZChallenge

Day 12 of the April A to Z Challenge, my theme is characters from books I’ve read, plus some audience participation.

Letter L is for Lottie Brinkley from Stable Mates by Zara Stonely

Stable Mates is a hot romance or bonkbuster and not a book for those who like their romances sweet. Written in a style similar to Jilly Cooper it may not be for some readers, while others will thoroughly enjoy this romp around the Cheshire countryside involving death, disaster, passion and feuds.

Rory Steel is a sexy three-day eventer and owner of a small horse yard in Tippermere. Billy Blinkley is a former superstar show-jumper with a reputation as a womaniser. Amanda James is a grieving widow and now owner of Folly Lake Equestrian Centre, while Lady Elizabeth Stanthorpe resides over all the proceedings with a meddling and mischievous skill.

Through lots of confusion and twists Lottie, Billy’s daughter is searching for reasons why she loves the place and is desperate not to see it sold off and her father left homeless. Should she keep forever chasing the hopeless Rory or should she look for love and stability elsewhere? Perhaps Mick the Irish Farrier has the answers or perhaps Tom the supermodel?

This was a fun read and very suitable as a holiday or beach read.

Find a copy here from Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com

For my audience participation I’m asking readers to think up book titles using the letter L for the picture below.

A book title and cover picture can often make or break a book sale. Is a book cover eye-catching? Does the book title appeal to the reader?

Have fun creating book titles from my own pictures, you might even think about a genre they could fit.

Leave your answers in the comments below and I’ll be choosing my favourites.

Here are today’s randomly chosen fellow challengers for you to visit.

http://afieldtriplife.com/

http://www.marianallen.com/

https://broccoliaddict.wordpress.com/

http://www.donna-mcdine.blogspot.co.uk/

http://www.margokelly.net/

Throughout the challenge we are asking readers to leave comments of blog posts, thank you.

February editions of Magazines I review books for are now delivered and on-line

February 1st and the latest editions of the local magazines I wrote book reviews for have now been delivered locally and are also on-line.

This month’s books featured in Fleet Life are;

After The Evil by Cary Allen Stone

Marlin Darlin’ by Margarette Langstaffe

Deceived by L.A Starkey

Secrets Of The Heart by Adrienne Vaughan

and Dreaming Of Love by Melissa Foster

Go to http://www.fleetlife.org.uk, click on the online directory and turn to page 6

Books featured in the February issue of Elvetham Heath Directory are;

The Parrot Told Me by Rachael Rawlings

Hawk’s Gift by Mary Forbes

Sheer Fear by Geoffrey West

Stories For Feelings  For Children by Hilary Hawkes

Stable Mates by Zara Stonely

Go to http://www.ehd.org.uk, click on the online directory and turn to page 6

Stable Mates by @ZaraStoneley #Bookreview

Stable Mates by Zara Stoneley

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Stable Mates is a hot romance or bonkbuster and not a book for those who like their romances sweet. Written in a style similar to Jilly Cooper it may not be for some readers, while others will thoroughly enjoy this romp around the Cheshire countryside involving death, disaster, passion and feuds.

Rory Steel is a sexy three-day eventer and owner of a small horse yard in Tippermere. Billy Blinkley is a former superstar show-jumper with a reputation as a womaniser. Amanda James is a grieving widow and now owner of Folly Lake Equestrian Centre, while Lady Elizabeth Stanthorpe resides over all the proceedings with a meddling and mischievous skill.

Through lots of confusion and twists Lottie, Billy’s daughter is searching for reasons why she loves the place and is desperate not to see it sold off and her father left homeless. Should she keep forever chasing the hopeless Rory or should she look for love and stability elsewhere? Perhaps Mick the Irish Farrier has the answers or perhaps Tom the supermodel?

This was a fun read and very suitable as a holiday or beach read.

View all my reviews on Goodreads.

Welcome to tranquil Tippermere, an idyllic village nestled deep in the Cheshire countryside. Home to lords and ladies, horsemen and farmers, and plenty of secrets and scandals… Leaving a scumbag ex behind her, Lottie Brinkley has hotfooted it out of Spain and back home to the country in serious need of some flirtatious fun to soothe her aching heart. Luckily for her she’s spoilt for choice with not one but three eligible bachelors offering a steamy romp in the hay! But faced with the attentions of roguish eventer Rory Steel, the smiling Irish eyes of hunky farrier Mick O’Neal, and mysterious newcomer Tom Strachan, how can she possibly choose? When billionaire landowner Marcus James drops dead unexpectedly, his WAGish wife Amanda threatens to sell the heart of the village and sets her sights on Tom! It seems things are heating up for little Tippermere… both in and out of the saddle.
What readers are saying …

‘A delightful romp peppered with humour, sadness, scandal and steamy sex.’ ‘…reminded me of Jilly Cooper whose books I grew up with. Stable Mates is up there with Riders and Rivals. If you loved these books then you will love this one’ ‘…the perfect mix of horsey shenanigans, Cheshire glamour and flirty fun.’

 

Author Bio

Bestselling author Zara Stoneley lives in deepest Cheshire surrounded by horses, dogs, cats and amazing countryside. When she’s not visiting wine bars, artisan markets or admiring the scenery in her sexy high heels or green wellies, she can be found in flip flops on the beach in Barcelona, or more likely sampling the tapas!

Zara writes hot romance and bonkbusters. Her latest novel, ‘Stable Mates’, is a fun romp through the Cheshire countryside and combines some of her greatest loves – horses, dogs, hot men and strong women (and not forgetting champagne and fast cars)!

She writes for Harper Collins and Accent Press.

Author Links

Find out more about Zara:

Website      Twitter        Facebook        Google+

Buy Links

Amazon       Barnes & Noble      Kobo   Foyles  Waterstones

Sainsbury’s      Google Play        iTunes    Blackwells

Giveaway

The giveaway for the tour is 1 signed paperback (uk only) and 1 ecopy (international).
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good Deeds Challenge, Year 2, weeks 36 – 38

Welcome to my second Year of Good Deeds, a challenge I set myself during April 2013. I decided to do at least one Good Deed a day for a whole year, now I am into my second year.

This week I’ve been doing the following;

Week 36

December 21st – Visiting relatives today, took lots of goodies, Christmas presents and helped out with washing up etc.

December 22nd – Dropping off more Christmas gifts. Am reading Feeling Lucky by Kathy Bryson.

December 23rd – Read a very good YA fantasy novel today called Deceived by L.A Starkey

December 24th – Today I’ve read and reviewed 2 books for Hilary Hawkes, they are books for English Primary aged children about kindness and friendship. Stories for feelings for Children and The Friendship Adventure programme from Strawberry Jam Books.

December 25th – I’m cooking lunch for 8 today so that no-one gets left out. Reading Secrets of the Heart by Adrienne Vaughan, the 3rd book in the Heartfelt series set on an island off the west coast of Ireland.

December 26th – Trying to get as many books read from my list while it’s the holidays, plus aiming for my highest year on the Goodreads challenge. So today I’m reading Eyes Of The Enemy by Kelly Hess, a middle grade reading book.

December 27th – Read Unexpected Partners by Sterna Kruger today and wrote my review.

Week 37

December 28th – January issues of Fleet Life and Elvetham Heath Directory are being delivered to approximately 8000 homes today which feature my book reviews. The on-line version will be available around January 1st. I’m reading Stable Mates by Zara Stonely

December 29th – Reading To Eternity by Daisy Banks, which is due for release mid January.

December 30th – Marked For Magic by Daisy Banks is my book today, this will be released in April.

December 31st – Read S.C.A.R.S by Julia Ibbotson today, a children’s adventure book. My final book for the year was To Fall In Love Again by David Burnett. Phew! Clocked up 181 books in this years challenge. Had a lovely surprise in the post a book from Melisa Foster which I’d won and some promotional material from Sophia Grey for more of her books.

January 1st – Online versions of Fleet Life and Elvetham Heath Directory are now out featuring my book reviews, I have drafted my post and will post as we return after the break. Off out for tea later and taking cakes. Helped move some cattle before out tea.

January 2nd – Today I shared an article from The Daily Telegraph about VAT increases on e-books amongst the writing community. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/businessclub/11320318/Controversial-VAT-change-means-e-books-are-about-to-get-more-expensive.html

January 3rd – Drafted and sent my February book reviews for the magazines I write for, ten more books and authors get some extra free publicity for their writing.

Week 38

January 4th – Had a lovely shout-out for the blog today from Terry Tyler’s article at Uk Arts Directory http://ukartsdirectory.com/terry-tylers-literary-blog-34/. Decided to post my book reviews in Fleet Life and EHD January issue article today making use of Terry’s publicity of the blog and using the popular #SundayBlogShare to get the books and authors some extra publicity.

January 5th – Back to school this morning, with my voluntary work. A copy of Sea Witch by Helen Hollick arrived in the post today, my competition win.

January 6th – Got a lift into town this afternoon and enjoyed a brisk walk back through the park, picked up litter on my way.

January 7th – Feel the need to get outside for fresh air an exercise after the Christmas break so took my self off for a lunch-time walk, picked up litter. Received a copy of Alison Morton’s second book Perfiditas in the post after winning a copy. Really looking forward to it as I loved the first book in the Roma Nova series.

January 8th – Rained hard all morning, but when the sun came out at lunch, nipped out to make the most of it, picked up litter on my way.

January 9th – Really into this walking and getting fit lark. Needed to go to town for one or two things and a quick browse in my favourite bargain book store. Bought two books which begged to me at 20 pence each, strolled home picking up litter.

January 10th – Reading Just Two Weeks by Amanda Sington-Williams ready for a Brook Cottage Book promotion in February, it’s a psychological thriller set in Sri Lanka. My reading review list has toppled over the 20 book mark again.