Double #bookreview Winter Beneath the Stars and Finding Love at the Christmas Market by Jo Thomas #romance

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I always enjoy Jo Thomas’ books and these two were no exception. It did take me a bit to get into one of them but then the characters wormed their way into my heart and I really enjoyed both books. Below are the blurbs and my brief reviews.

Winter Beneath the Stars

Halley has been running from her problems for years.

On a courier trip to Tallfors, deep in Swedish Lapland, everything is going to plan. Halley has her bag, with two precious wedding rings inside for delivery… until she doesn’t.

The only way to save the wedding is to team up with mysterious reindeer herder Bjorn, the one person who can lead her across the snowy tundra to be reunited with her bag.

On a journey of a lifetime beneath the stars, with only the reindeer and a bad-tempered stranger for company beside the fire, Halley realises that she will need to confront her past heartaches in order to let the warmth of love in once more…

My Brief Review

I did have to suspend my disbelief with this one as the premise of the story just didn’t seem plausible. Halley is a courier delivering special wedding rings that get lost when her hand luggage is accidently swapped with someone else’s. I could not get over the fact she could have carried the rings on her person. Of course there would be no story then, but it really bugged me for a while.

Anyway, it goes to show if you can just let something go and keep reading you may just be surprised. It was a great story about two people struggling to overcome their personal issues and hopefully find love. The setting was very special and really made the book come alive for me. Plus I loved the husky dogs. In the end it was a brilliant read and I loved Halley and Bjorn.

Finding Love at the Christmas Market

Residential-home caterer Connie has had one online-dating disaster too many. Hurt in the past and with her son to consider, now she’s feeling hesitant. Then one of Connie’s residents sets her up on a date at a beautiful German Christmas market – with the promise she’ll take a mini-bus full of pensioners along with her…

Amongst the twinkling lights and smell of warm gingerbread in the old market square, Connie heads off on her date with a checklist of potential partner must-haves. Baker Henrich ticks all the boxes, but when Connie meets Henrich’s rival William, she starts to wonder if ticking boxes is the answer.

Will Connie’s wish for love this Christmas come true, and if so – with who?

My Brief Review

This is was a lovely Christmas read and an original story idea where Connie takes the old folks from the retirement home on a jaunt to a Christmas market in Germany. They visit a bakery, which features in the story quite a lot. I loved these scenes and all the descriptions of the delicious food. At first I found the many characters from the retirement home hard to keep track of, but it all fell into place and I really enjoyed the story. I also loved how everyone had a Christmas wish and they made a pact to help each other fulfil them.

Another recommended read. Jo Thomas is a master at telling heart warming stories with characters you fall in love with.

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Suzanne Rogerson – Author of epic fantasy and romance.

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#Bookreview Capital Action by @stevens_gj #spy #thriller

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As a newsletter subscriber, I was excited to be able to download a free copy of GJ Stevens new novella Capital Action. More on how you can get your free copy later, first let’s focus on the book.

Blurb

After two years of clandestine operations, Agent Carrie Harris doesn’t know why she’s been attached to the Metropolitan Police. Could it be, as her superiors say, to hone her skills at breaking down doors and catching bad guys? Or is it to become accustomed to working as a team when she’s been so used to operating alone?

Putting her uncertainties behind her, Carrie leans into her new role, taking pleasure as part of a special task force targeting organised criminals, until during an early morning raid, her colleagues lay dead and dying around her.

After saving those still clinging to life, she can’t do as she’s told and sit around while others hunt down those who gave the order to murder her colleagues. Determined not to let their deaths be in vain, can she rally against those up high who want her to have nothing to do with the investigation? Can she make the right choices to bring justice for her friends when everything, even the people she should trust, seem to conspire against her?

My Review

This novella was entertaining from start to finish. It’s a complete story that can be read as a standalone, or at any stage you are reading the agent Carrie Harris series. I think it’s a great introduction to her story, although having read book one (Operation Dawn Wolf) I enjoyed seeing what Carrie is getting up to after finishing her training.

I love books (and films) where they show you a glimpse of the present day and set up the main character in an impossible situation. Then you’re taken back in time to see how it all transpired. Stevens make great use of this and had me turning the pages to find out the who, what and why.

Capital Action is fast-paced and intriguing, with a twist or two along the way that has you wondering who is to blame for the messed up operation that cost so many lives. You can always rely on agent Harris to sniff out the baddie though, and deal some well deserved justice.

A great quick read, perfect for those who love spy thrillers.

If you want to receive this book for free, all you need to do is sign up for GJ Steven’s newsletter. See more details on his website here.

I have previously read and reviewed book 1 in the series Operation Dawn Wolf.

Add Capital Action to your goodreads bookshelf.

Check out GJ Stevens Amazon author page

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Suzanne Rogerson – Author of epic fantasy and heart-warming romance

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#Audiobook alert! The Sentinel’s Alliance is here in #audio #audible

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Happy weekend. I have the best news to share – the final book in my Silent Sea Chronicles Trilogy is out now!

You can see all my audiobooks on Audible US author page and Audible UK author page

It’s so exciting to see the whole series out in audiobook and I have to thank the very talented George Ellington for bringing my books into this new medium. Here’s a sample of his wonderful narration.

Have you listened to the rest of the series? I’d love to know what you think.

P.S. I have a few audio codes available in exchange for honest reviews.

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Suzanne Rogerson – Author of epic fantasy and heart-warming romance

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#Bookreview The Unpredictable Consequences of Love by Jill Mansell #romance

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A lovely book, I stayed up way too late most nights reading this because I just had to know what happened next.

Blurb

In the idyllic seaside town of St Carys, Sophie is putting the past firmly behind her.

When Josh arrives in St Carys to run the family hotel, he can’t understand why Sophie has zero interest in letting any man into her life. He also can’t understand how he’s been duped into employing Sophie’s impulsive friend Tula, whose crush on him is decidedly unrequited.

St Carys has more than its fair share of characters, including the charming but utterly feckless surfer Riley Bryant, who has a massive crush on Tula. Riley’s aunt is superstar author Marguerite Marshall. And Marguerite has designs on Josh’s grandfather…who in turn still adores his glamorous ex-wife, Dot…

Just how many secrets can one seaside town keep?

My brief review

This is a perfect example of a feel-good, heart-warming romance.

I fell in love with the main characters, Sophie and Josh, but also with the many side characters and their stories. I honestly didn’t want to stop reading this and I’m sad the story is over.

I loved the location, which was my initial draw for picking up this book, a seaside escape whilst stuck in lockdown!

I enjoyed reading about Sophie’s career as a freelance photographer and her backstory was a powerful one. The many love matches in this book are a huge bonus, especially Sophie’s best friend Tula.

Thanks to this book, and Meet me at Beachcoomber’s Bay, Jill Mansell has become one of my favourite romance authors. I don’t think anyone who picks up this book could dispute her talent for weaving immersive tales that stay with you long after the books are finished.

A great 5 star read.

Check it out on Goodreads.

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Suzanne Rogerson – Author of epic fantasy and heart-warming romance

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Author pen name poll – results are in! #indieauthor

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I recently ran a poll on twitter to determine whether an author should have different names if they write in different genres.

It was an interesting experiment and I’m very happy the results fit with my plans to publish both fantasy and romance under the same name.

Here is the results poll…

4 people out of 20 prefer an author to have different names when they publish in different genres, whilst 7 people suggest the same name is fine. With 9 out of 20 people happy with either option, I take that as a successful result for using the same name.

So hopefully very soon, Suzanne Rogerson will be an indie author of both fantasy and romance books. I will be back soon with more news.

Thanks very much to those who have voted and commented. If you still want to have your say, please reply to this post. I’d love to know your thoughts.

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Suzanne Rogerson – Author of epic fantasy and heart-warming romance

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Sale alert! The Lost Sentinel and The Sentinel’s Reign just 99p #fantasy #epicfantasy

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Happy weekend everyone. I hope you are all doing well and at least the sun is shining in Surrey for a change!

I just wanted to share the news that the first two books in Silent Sea Chronicles trilogy are 99p until 24th February.

‘I highly recommend checking this one out. It’s addictive, fast-paced, with some really fantastic world-building. I can’t wait to continue in this series!’ Goodreads Reviewer

The Lost Sentinel 

The Sentinel’s Reign 

Plus the audiobooks are out now too

I don’t want to ram my books down your throat, so that’s it for today. I’ll be back soon with some book reviews.

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Suzanne Rogerson – Author of epic fantasy and heart-warming romance

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A quick poll on pen names. Should authors use them?

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As an indie author I love the freedom I have to publish what I want, when I want. I’ve been building my platform as a fantasy author since 2015, but when we first went into lockdown in March 2020 I found myself drawn to the more light-hearted escapism of romance. This new direction has been an exciting change and I’m now planning to publish a 7 book romance series.

As I get closer to completing the first book, I’ve begun to wonder what to do about publishing in this new genre. Should I stick with Suzanne Rogerson or come up with a new name so my fantasy readers won’t mistakenly buy my romance?

I would prefer to keep all my writing under the same name, but I’m interested to get some advice from you guys. So, please take part in this twitter poll and comment in the post with your thoughts.

Thanks very much.

Suzanne Rogerson – Author of epic fantasy and romance

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Book Review Christmas Wishes by Sue Moorcroft #romance #tuesdaybookblog

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I read this book just after Christmas. I loved the two protagonists, Hannah and Nico, and their story had me glued to the pages. Here’s the blurb from Amazon…

Blurb

A sparkling Christmas read from the Sunday Times bestseller – perfect to snuggle up with this winter!

Hannah and Nico are meant to be together.

But fate is keeping them apart…

As soon as Hannah bumps into her brother Rob’s best friend Nico in Stockholm, the two rekindle a fast friendship. But Hannah has a boyfriend – and Nico has two children to look after.

When Hannah loses her beloved shop in Stockholm, though, she is forced to move back to the little village of Middledip – only to find Nico has just moved in too. Under the same snowy sky, can the childhood friends make a romance work – or are there too many obstacles standing in their way?

My Brief Review

Oh my goodness, this story blew me away. I loved Nico and his kids and really wanted him to find his happy ever after with Hannah from the moment they were together on the page. Fate keeps getting in the way of these two people who are so clearly made for each other.

The locations were wonderfully described, both in Stockholm and the UK.

It was impossible to put this book down. It had plenty of fun but also heartfelt moments that had me secretly crying into my pillow. One of my favourite reads of 2020.

This is a 5 star read, and one you don’t have to wait to read at Christmas. Pick it up now I say!

Note – after reading this story I see there are other books set in Middledip. It clearly works as a standalone as I didn’t feel I was missing anything. And now I’m excited to read the other books set in Middledip and start a new adventure.

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Suzanne Rogerson – Author of epic and heroic fantasy

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Writing plans update #amwriting #amediting #fantasy and #romance

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Ok, so I had planned to post this at the beginning of January but due to lockdown and its various issues I haven’t been able to focus much on my writing. It’s still great to have a plan, even if it keeps changing and evolving so here’s the original post I planned for January with some changes to my writing and publishing goals.

The start of a new year is always a great time to set some new goals. As usual I have a head full of ideas and not enough time in the day to work on them all. But I thought if I set out my plans here then it might help me keep on track.

As I shared in my post Books I’ve read in 2020, I have been reading some how to books on writing. In particular romance and series writing. This is a whole new direction for me and one I am very excited about.

Romance Plans

What started as an idea in the March 2020 lockdown of a woman turning up in a quaint seaside town has steadily grown into a series. The original idea was nine novellas, but I have condensed these ideas into 6 longer books and a Christmas special. I can’t wait to get these books written and out into the world.

It’s exciting times, but I have to learn to curb my impatience as I want to have several books written before I publish anything. It’s going to be tough, but I hope it will be worth the wait.

Here’s the working blurb for book 1 – let me know what you think.

Will Evie’s dreams of a seaside escape turn out bittersweet?

Songwriter Evie Rose lives in the background, her confidence knocked by a past trauma that keeps her from the limelight. When her creativity dries up, threatening her livelihood, she heads to the seaside town of Lowenporth hoping to find inspiration.

Lowenporth’s lush sandy beaches and dramatic seascapes are just what burnt-out Evie needs. She adores the quirky charm of The Mermaid Hotel and is soon intrigued by another guest. Brooding William Bristow could be just the man to help her find her muse, but Evie’s sure he’s hiding something from her. And his secret could threaten everything. Can Evie write herself out of the slump and find the confidence to star in her own life? And will William be there by her side, or will the secret he’s keeping come between them?

Fantasy News

The Starlight Prophecy series is another project I want to finish and publish asap. I know what to do, it’s just getting around to finishing it. The structure of the series has a dual timeline so I’m desperate to get my beta readers opinion on how it works. Again, I’m so excited but I want the first two books finished this year and published, whilst working on the third. I have a plan, but with the new lockdown and kids home schooling time for writing is not something I have a lot of.

I also have another fantasy series I would like to start planning. The characters have been in my head for years and are eager for their time in the limelight. There are also other story paths I’m eager to explore in particular with my Silent Sea Chronicles series.

My big plans for the first quarter of 2021

  1. Finish book 1 of The Mermaid Hotel Romance Series.
  2. Complete draft of book 2 in MH series.
  3. Plan book 3 in MH series and try to draft it.

Plans for second Quarter of 2021

  1. Finish the extra scenes for book 1 of The Starlight Prophecy.
  2. Work on the end of book 2 in The Starlight Prophecy.

That is plenty to work with, but the sooner I get things finished, the sooner I can get them into beta readers hands.

I will review my progress at the end of March when hopefully life at home (and for the rest of the world!) is more normal.

Wish me luck!

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Suzanne Rogerson – Author of epic and heroic fantasy

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Visions of Zarua live recording #fantasy #audio #epicfantasy

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Here is something a little different. Guy Barnes, the narrator of my standalone fantasy Visions of Zarua, has done a live recording of a scene from the book. Check it out on YouTube (https://youtu.be/olzxocUjNFo)

It looks and sounds great, doesn’t it!

And whilst I’m in a sharing mood, here’s an audio sample.

Fancy a closer look? You can find out more on Amazon     Audible   iTunes

‘…the narration was excellent! Guy Barnes does a great job of creating distinct, believable voices for each character, with fine pacing and emotive enough to evoke more detailed imagery and experiences in the thoughts of listener while following along in this grand tale.’ Reviewer quote on Audible.

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Suzanne Rogerson – Author of epic and heroic fantasy

You can follow me on

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