The Art Fiasco by Fiona Veitch Smith

Oct23

Nostalgia At Its Finest

The Art Fiasco by Fiona Veitch Smith is a marvellous historical novel and the fifth book in the Poppy Denby Investigates series. It can be read as a stand-alone but I recommend reading all the books in the series, they are fabulous.

This Poppy Denby series is nostalgic amateur sleuthing of the very best. I find it reminiscent of Agatha Christie and also the television series Death In Paradise as the ending wraps up all loose ends in a perfect summary.

The Art Fiasco is set in Northumberland in 1924 with links to a cold case in 1897. Fiona Veitch Smith has perfectly captured the atmosphere and the landscape as she paints the scene with her words.

The cast of characters are all unique and work well together. The camaraderie and the close bonds are tangible as the characters all play to their strengths.

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Meet Me In London by Georgia Toffolo

Oct20

Believe In Me

Meet Me In London by Georgia ‘Toff’ Toffolo is a delightful contemporary debut novel that will warm your heart and leave you smiling.

The novel has the themes of family, friendship and dreams. We all have dreams. Sometimes we pursue them. Sometimes we have to pursue the dreams of others at the expense of our own. We all need people to encourage us to follow our dreams and to fly.

There will always be those ready to squash us. We must not listen to the negative voices – whether they belong to others or our own inner voice. We need people to speak life-affirming words into our lives.

Guilt weighs heavy. Sometimes it is not our burden to pick up. We are our own worst critic. We need to learn to be as kind to ourselves as we are to others.

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Misstletoe Mishaps by various

Oct19

Heart Warming

Misstletoe Mishaps is a marvelous collection of five Christian historical novellas. All are warm and welcoming, infusing the reader with the festive spirit. There are some very light-hearted, fun moments too. The stories are set in Scotland, Ireland and America, ranging from 1880 to 1959. This wonderful collection will warm your heart and leave you smiling.

One Groom Is Not Enough by Anne Greene is a charming, fun and light-hearted tale concerning the time constricted hunt for a marriage partner. There is a wonderful camaraderie among the characters. We see the value of good friendships and good family relationships. It is positively delightful.

Victoria’s Value by Kimberly Grist is a delightfully amusing match making tale. The atmosphere is warm and welcoming. The characters are realistic and fun. This charming tale will bring a smile to your face as you discover the true meaning of Christmas.

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The Heart Of The Midwife by various

Oct19

New Lives

The Heart Of The Midwife is a delightful collection of four Christian novellas that will warm your heart. They are all set at the end of the nineteenth century.

The themes are all similar as young women attempt to bring babies into the world. They meet various opposition from pompous men to aging women practicing voodoo. The love for the poor shines through as the young women become the eyes and ears, the hands and feet of Jesus. Faith is strong as God is able to guide us and protect us from our fears.

This is a positively charming quartet of tales.

Love’s Charm by Cynthia Hickey is an absolutely charming tale. I found the setting very reminiscent of Walnut Grove in Little House On The Prairie. The community pulls together and is warm and welcoming. There is some match making as the new midwife enters the small community, as well as some opposition for a young, unmarried midwife. The whole story is light-hearted and positively delightful.

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