124) The Unpredictable Consequences of Love by Jill Mansell

The Blurb :

When Josh Strachan, newly returned to his home in north Cornwall from sunny California, first meets Sophie Wells, he's immediately smitten. Sophie's pretty, she's funny, she has lots of friends and she clearly loves her job as a photographer, despite the sometimes tricky clients. There's just one problem: Sophie has very firmly turned her back on love. It's nothing personal, she tells Josh, but she just doesn't do dates. And no one - even Sophie's scatty best friend Tula - will tell him why. Josh is sure Sophie likes him, though, and he's just got to find out what's put her off romance. And then put things right...

My Thoughts :

I used to read a lot of Chick-lit before I discovered the Paranormal genre and only a couple of those authors still manage to catch my interest.  One of those is Jill Mansell.  I have enjoyed each and everyone of her books so far and always try and get a copy of anything new that comes out.  Her stories are always emotional but wonderful and I love spending time with the characters she creates.

The audio book was well narrated and it really brought the story to life.  Delving into the lives of the characters in this book is like watching a soap opera but instead of crazy over the top situations there are well thought out 'that could happen' moments.

I enjoyed my time in Cornwall with the cast of this book and it was lovely to see all their stories unfolding and reaching a high point.  All the ups and downs, the emotions and thoughts, it is all wonderfully written and made me smile one more than a few occasions.

Jill Mansell stays on my must read list.  If you are looking for something in the chick-lit/romance genre for yourself or a friend then I can only highly recommend Jill's books.  Every book is a new story filled with characters and stories you can relate with and love.

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110) Fast Friends by Jill Mansell

The Blurb :

A reunion with old schoolfriends can be a truly joyful occasion. Then again, as Camilla Stewart discovers, sometimes it can change your world forever. Meeting up again with Roz Vallender has devastating consequences for Camilla. Thankfully the outrageousLoulou Marks comes to the rescue, persuading her that all is not lost. Loulou's own life might be completely chaotic but she's great at giving other people advice. And when Camilla starts taking it, she soon discovers that life in the fast lane is a lot more fun than being a cheated-on housewife...

My Thoughts :

When on holiday it is nice to also take a holiday from reading the same old.  So when I came across this Jill Mansell book on my bookshelf I was determined to take it to the pool with me.  After all I thought I had read of Jill's books and this one had somehow been sitting on my shelf gathering dust for six years!

The story was everything I have come to expect from Jill.  The well developed characters that you can't help but love and the crazy everyday ups and downs that, at some point, can happen to everyone.  I worried with the girls as things got rough and was sad when they lost the ones they loved.  It was a rollercoaster ride of emotions but the plot was so captivating and dotted with laughs that I couldn't stop myself from reading.

Fast Friends was made even more interesting by the lack of technology.  It took me a while to realise something was different about this book when people didn't just look something up on the internet.  Checking the front of the book I noticed that this book was actually first released in 1991!  I was still in school back then!  WOW!  Anyway it was actually quite refreshing to read a book from back then.  We coped without mobile phones, the internet etc and it was nice being reminded of a simpler way of life.

As always the feel good ending left me happy to have completed the book.  I love the way that each of Jill's books manage to throw so much turmoil at the characters but they always get a happy ending.  Life may not always be like that but it gives you hope and if you have been through any of the situations from the book you will admire the strength and determination of the characters.

Now I believe I have read all of Jill's books!  I look forward to the next one when it releases.  Jill Mansell is my favourite chick-lit author and as long as she keeps writing them I will keep reading them.  Even if there aren't any supernatural elements to her books they are amazing reads that I always enjoy 100%!

  

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92) Don't Want To Miss A Thing by Jill Mansell

The Blurb :

Dexter Yates loves his fun, care-free London life; he has money, looks and girlfriends galore. But everything changes overnight when his sister dies, leaving him in charge of her eight-month-old daughter Delphi. How is he ever going to cope?

Comic-strip artist Molly Hayes lives in the beautiful Cotswold village of Briarwood. When it comes to relationships, she has a history of choosing all the wrong men. Leaving the city behind, Dex moves to Briarwood - a much better place to work on his parenting skills - and he and Molly become neighbours. There's an undeniable connection between them. But if Dexter's going to adapt, he first has a lot to learn about Molly, about other people's secrets...and about himself.

My Review :

We take a break from the usual paranormal delights to focus on a little secret enjoyment of mine.  Jill Mansell.  I have been reading her books ever since I came across them and it took me a while to track some of them down back in the day.  Now they have all been re-released and I think except one (which is still waiting for me on my bookshelf) I have read all of her books.

Yes it is Chick-lit and yes there is never any sign of anything supernatural but I still love the emotional rollercoaster ride that guides the reader through each story.  There are sad moments, happy times and some cringe worthy 'oh my god' episodes inside ever book.  I laugh and have been known to cry at some of the wonderful tales but most of all they make me feel good and warm.  Sounds soppy, doesn't it?

In this latest release from this delightful author, the focus is pointed on Dexter and then the residents of Briarwood.  A lovely British setting and some amazing characters pave the way through the story of love and the various curve balls life can throw at you.  The stories surrounding and involving all the characters develops with some nice surprises as well as some very shocking discoveries.  You can relate to the worries and problems as well as feeling good about the high moments.  By the end it works out well and usually everyone is happy.  Too cliche?  Not for me.  Just a well written story with a good realistic plot.

As long as Jill Mansell keeps writing these special stories, well I will keep reading them.  I am not a huge fan of Chick-lit but there are a few authors that are must reads for me.  So I hope you don't mind this non-paranormal interruption but I needed a fix and I got, as always, exactly what I wanted and needed from this great writer.

On a side note, the narrator on this audiobook was fantastic!  She really brought the characters to life and her I always knew which character was holding the reins.  It could have been confusing but she made it a perfect book to listen to.




  

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Monthly Giveaway Results!

The Monthly Giveaway is now closed! It is time to see which book won and who won a copy of the winning book!

What is the Monthly Giveaway?

I pick five of my favourite reads from the previous month (sorry no ARCs are included unless they have already been released!) then you guys vote for the book you want to win or the one you think deserves to win!

So which book won this month? Let's take a look at the results!


Well it seems you guys weren't too impressed with Murder 101 by Maggie Barbieri or A Walk in the Park by Jill Mansell. In joint 4th place with each only getting 2.17% of the votes, there was no way these two were going to win! :(


In third place is Blood Bath & Beyond by Michelle Rowen ! I loved this book and 19.57% of you wanted to win a copy!


In second place, is a book I expected to be this months winner. Maybe you all rushed out to buy a copy of Fourth Grave Beneath My Feet by Darynda Jones when it was released? Don't blame you! It was amazing! 26.09% of the vote wasn't enough for Charley to win another Monthly Giveaway!


And the winner is : Precinct 13 by Tate Hallaway!!!! A fabulous read and one I hope will make it to a series. Unfortunately the author hasn't been contracted for any more! (see interview : Link in sidebar ---> But 50% of you wanted to win a copy!

Soooooo if you didn't win please make sure you support this author and series by buying a copy of Precinct 13 by Tate Hallaway

So who won a copy of Death and the Girl Next Door by Darynda Jones? The widget below should be showing the winning name!

Didn't win this time? Keep trying. Come back next month for another giveaway. Subscribe to the newsletter so you won't miss out or forget!

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How to claim your prize!

Please contact me via email - Amberkatzes_book_blog at gmx dot eu within the next 7 days to claim your prize. Your claim will go quicker if you send me your address. If you won a contest where you can choose your prize, then please make sure you state in your email which book you would like. This will help things go alot quicker! If you won an e-book please make sure you send me the email address you would like the book sent to!

If you email me and don't get a reply within 48 hours please post on the blog letting me know. Some email gets eaten by my spam filter. However please don't send me more than one email unless you really don't get an answer within 3 days. I am not online 24/7 ;) Sometimes it takes a little longer to reply.

If a prize isn't claimed after 7 days I will, if the author agrees, pick another winner.

Please also note that I can not be held responsible for prizes that come direct from authors. I will check with them for you if you haven't received your prize but I can not hunt down your mail! Any prizes that come from myself could come from a 3rd party eg. Amazon or Bookdepository. If I am sending a prize myself please be aware that it could take a few weeks to reach you as it is coming from Europe.

Keep the contests going by using the Bookdepository.com and Amazon.com links/Banners below and around the site.

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Monthly Giveaway Reminder!

The Monthly Giveaway is still open! The last one for 2012! Have you entered? Have you voted?

Would you like to win one of the books I read in November? Well you can! Just keep reading and enter the Monthly Giveaway!

You have the chance to vote for which book you want to win from my five favourite reads from last month!

Here is a little info about each book on offer this month. Just click on the book title and author to see my review -

Precinct 13 by Tate Hallaway


Fourth Grave Beneath My Feet by Darynda Jones


Blood Bath & Beyond by Michelle Rowen


Murder 101 by Maggie Barbieri


A Walk in the Park by Jill Mansell

How does the Monthly Giveaway work?

For more details check out the original post here!

The poll and widget will stay open for votes/entries until Tuesday so you still have a couple of days left to vote and enter!

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Use the Bookdepository or Amazon links/banners to keep the prizes coming! Oh and advertise Amberkatze's Book Blog wherever you can ;)

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Monthly Giveaway!

December is well under way and Christmas is can't come soon enough! I need more time to read and I am looking forward to getting lots of books read over the holidays and meeting my goal of 175 books read in 2012.

With a new month comes a new Monthly Giveaway! The last one this year!

My November reads were few but good. Some new authors and some new additions to some of my favourite series. As always picking five books for the Monthly Giveaway was hard work. But I have now picked the ones I enjoyed more than the rest and it is time for you all to see what you could win!

Would you like to win one of the books I read in November? Well you can! Just keep reading and enter the Monthly Giveaway!

You have the chance to vote for which book you want to win from my five favourite reads from last month!

What is the Monthly Giveaway?

I pick five of my favourite reads from the last month (sorry no ARCs are included unless they have already been released!) then you guys go to the poll and vote for the book you want to win or the one you think deserves to win! Remember! You may not actually win the book you voted for.

Here is a little info about each book on offer this month. Just click on the book title and author to see my review -



Precinct 13 by Tate Hallaway

Fourth Grave Beneath My Feet by Darynda Jones


Blood Bath & Beyond by Michelle Rowen


Murder 101 by Maggie Barbieri


A Walk in the Park by Jill Mansell

How does the monthly giveaway work?

Well in the sidebar ---> there is this poll. You vote for the book you would most like to win. Then enter the Monthly Giveaway via the Rafflecopter widget below. When the giveaway is over the winner gets book with the most votes. So you may not even win the book you voted for!

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Newsletter subscribers! If you have not confirmed your email address then you will not be added to the draw!!!

The poll will stay open for votes until Tuesday 18th of December 2012 4pm (all times are in Central European Time). The winner will be announced within days of the contest closing.

Enter your email address:

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Use the Bookdepository or Amazon links/banners to keep the prizes coming! Oh and advertise Amberkatze's Book Blog wherever you can ;)

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150) A Walk in the Park by Jill Mansell

The Blurb :

It's been a while, but Lara Carson's back in Bath and lives are set to change as a result. Because Lara left her family and boyfriend Flynn eighteen years ago without a word to anyone. Why has no one heard from her since? Her childhood best friend Evie is thrilled Lara's back and able to share her happiness. Evie's about to walk down the aisle with her dream man, Joel. Or so she thinks... Then there's Flynn Erskine, even more attractive now and stunned to see Lara again. The spark between them is as strong as ever, but how's Flynn going to react when he discovers the secret she's been keeping from him? Oh yes, there's a lot of catching up to be done...

My Thoughts :

I don't read many chick-lit books anymore but there are a few authors I always try and check in on when I get the chance. So this weekend while sitting in an airplane I decided it was time to go for a A Walk in the Park with Jill Mansell. Her books always have amazingly fun and clever plot and the way she writes makes you feel happy to curl up with the book till the end. This newest release was exactly that and more.

the story unravelled and threw out some interesting surprises and twists. I loved the characters and instantly built up a connection to them. It felt like I was meeting up with old friends. Humour is mixed in with real life problems as this realistic story unfolds and I couldn't wait to find out what the conclusion to story would be.

Another lovely story from a brilliant author. A Walk in the Park left me feeling good and happy. I wish I could see how the characters are doing in ten years time but I like being left to imagine how things continued. I may usually read another genre but I will always make time to read another Jill Mansell.

111) To The Moon and Back by Jill Mansell

The Blurb :

When Ellie Kendall tragically loses her husband she feels her life is over. But eventually she’s ready for a new start – at work, that is. She doesn’t need a new man when she has a certain secret visitor to keep her company...

Zack McLaren seems to have it all, but the girl he can’t stop thinking about won’t give him a second glance. If only she’d pay him the same attention she lavishes on his dog.

Moving to North London, Ellie meets neighbour Roo who has a secret of her own. Can the girls sort out their lives? Guilt is a powerful emotion, but a lot can happen in a year in Primrose Hill...

My Review :

A long long long time ago before I discovered books filled with vampires, werewolves and other paranormal delights, I used to read other books. A good mystery or thriller maybe even a chick-lit. It depended really on the mood I was in. However lately those genres have been a thing of the past but every now and again I feel like a change and when my favourite chick-lit author, Jill Mansell, brings out a new book I still have to get hold of a copy and read it. Her stories are just too good to not read.

To The Moon and Back is another reason to love Jill Mansell. Filled with emotions that you can either relate to or just sympathise with, her stories tell tales that can and do happen in real life. Her characters don't need time to grow on you because you can't help but adore them within a few pages of meeting them. They are the friends, family and workmates you already feel you have known for years. I nearly stayed up all night reading this one because I felt so at home with the characters.

One thing I really liked about this book and Jill's other books is the 'real' story feel they have to them. Sure there are the usual chick-lit clichés but Jill Mansell manages to surprise the reader by twisiting things around a bit. Being allowed to share the hardest part of Ellie's life is certainly a roller coaster ride of emotions but you just know that things are going to turn out ok in the end.

The way this author weaves her plots together to come to an amazing, if not, teary end, can only be admired. You will laugh and cry while reading this but it will be one of the most amazing pieces of chick-lit you ever read. Oh and the best bit. This is British! Totally lovely and British and not over the top. Jill Mansell remains my favourite chick-lit author who can get me away from the paranormal.

To The Moon and Back released in the UK back in February. The US version is due to be released next month.