Top Ten Tuesday: Books set in England

 This week's topic is setting. I picked books set in England. It's one of my favorite settings. 

Read this year:

Read Last Year:

Read in 2023:

What other books set in England/Britian should I read?

Review: Love & Lattes

 

Anna's super happy to be accepted into the Arrowmile labs, especially since she lied on her application about her age. If she works super hard this summer, everything will fall into place for her. She's trying hard not think of the horrible girls she lived with in college. She's trying not to think of the family vacation she's missing this summer. She's trying not to think about that guy she met at the pub, whom she kissed, who turned out to the be the son of the founder of Arrowmile labs!

It doesn't really matter that she can't stop thinking about Lloyd, he clearly isn't spending time thinking about her. In fact, he acts like he's never met her. There are moments during their interactions that Anna spies a glimpse of the boy she hung out with that night, but all too often, that's the not the person he presents to the world.  Anna's not about to blow up this opportunity of a life time for some guy...but those feelings could be very real.

My Thoughts: This is * technically * a New Adult book as the main characters are in college. I really enjoyed this book - and the message of letting go and being in the present. Anna works really hard - too hard sometimes that she forgets to stop and take in the moment. She's hyper-focused on what's next. I like that she allowed herself to spend more time with her friend friends and with LLoyd.  I wanted to know more about what they actually did at Arrowmile labs - did they design scooters? That was my take-away from it. It felt like this internship was a massive opportunity, but I didn't really understand what the company did or why it was so important. I did like the moments in the office. And of course the moments between Anna and Lloyd - the snark and the banter. I loved the coffeehouse/cake date. I liked getting to know Lloyd's brother too. This was a such a fun summer romance with the enemies to lovers trope. 

Cover Thoughts: SO CUTE!

Source: My Library

Library Recommendation: A great book for your public library's collection

Christmas in July: Love in a Winter Wonderland

Trey Anderson's family bookstore has been a corner stone in London. But a new bookstore chain down the road is wrecking their bottom line. They're able to offer cheaper books. This holiday season might just be their last. 

Trey hasn't always loved working at his family bookstore. But he can't imagine his life without it. They're behind on their rent and if they can't make the payments, the store will have to be sold.  When this father has an accident and falls, Trey feels like it's his responsibility to save the shop.

Artist, Ariel needs money for tuition to art school. She thinks to bookstore might be able to help her - and she might be able to help them.

Can they save the bookstore?

My Thoughts: I'm always here for more holiday romances - but this one was different for a couple reasons. 1) It was not set in the US but in London and 2) the leads were both Black. It was refreshing and then of course, there's the story about saving the bookstore. All add up to one lovely read - I loved the moments in the bookstore. I enjoyed the social media attention and chatting about authors. I wasn't crazy about the storyline with Trey's girlfriend. She wasn't a likeable character (not that she was supposed to be). I loved the art bits - the mural sounds amazing. And the two brothers were cute. All in all, a great choice for a holiday romance.

Cover Thoughts: Charming

Source: My Library

Library Recommendation: A must have holiday romance for your YA collection.

Review: Summer Seekers

 

One summer changes everything for three women.

One woman (Kathleen) has an intruder enter the house. Instead of scaring her, it emboldens her. She's always wanted to take a trip - cruising down Route 66. She decides to go for it. She's not getting any younger. She doesn't connect well with her daughter. But maybe the can kind some common ground. 

One woman (Martha) volunteers to be her driver. She needs to get out of her house for the summer. She understands how to drive but isn't comfortable with it...yet. Plus, she's never been to American before. She might be running away...or she might just find herself. 

One woman, Kathleen's daughter, is raising teenage daughters, but she has no balance in her life. There is no time carved out for herself. Everything revolves around her children and her husband and their needs. Until one day, her anniversary, when she snaps. She packs up her things and drives to her mother's empty house where she takes time to recharge and figure out what she wants out of life. 

My Thoughts: Three females - three different perspectives. I really got sucked into the lives of these women. I hated ending a chapter and moving on to the next woman - but then I hate leaving her story too. Even though the stories were so connected, I always wanted more. I loved the different perspectives and the different ages - each female had her own issues to sort through. And each of them helped each other and supported each other. I loved learning more about each other - and their problems. But also how they grew and solved those problems. There was So much about family and friendship and self-worth. And the ending was great. 

Also I loved the moments with the rock star - especially those moment with the fans. It added humor and lightheartedness to the story.

Cover Thoughts: I love it - especially the car

Source: My Library

Library Recommendation: A fantastic women's fiction story for your collection - highly recommended.

Review: Hot British Boyfriend

After a humiliating betrayal by her new best friend, Ellie jumps at the opportunity to spend the fall semester of her senior year in high school in England.  She can't wait to lose herself in another country - even if the classes are AP classes. So what if they're kicking her butt. At least she doesn't have to deal with her old life. 

And then she meets Will at a farmer's market. He's hot. He's British. He could be the perfect boyfriend. But if that's the case, why is it so hard to be normal around him? Why can't Ellie tell him about her fairy houses, her real name or her real age? Why do they always talk about his life and his issues? He might be British, but is he the right guy for her?

My Thoughts: This was a really fun book that reminded me of the time I spent in Bath for a semester in college. I loved reading about England and traveling with Ellie and her group of friends. I loved how Ellie fell into a group of friends and became one of them. I loved the fairy houses and the gardening moments. I loved the exploring the school building. I didn't really love Will; I wanted to punch him him the face, to be honest. And I didn't like the way Elle acted around him - she was trying to hard to be someone different. Everything else was charming and sweet.

Cover Thoughts: Grabbed my eye immediately

Source: My Library

Library Recommendation: Grab this one for your romance section!

Cozy Review: Buried to the Brim

* Book 6 in the Hat Shop Mystery Series * 

Scarlett and the gang are back! Harrison's aunt comes into the hat shop looking for a way to make her corgi stand out in the Pets and Wellness Society's annual dog show. Aunt Betty and Freddy have been previously been the runner's up. But this year they are determined to be the winners. Aunt Betty wants matching hats for her and her dog.

But Aunt Betty gets into trouble with the society when she announces that the dog food supplied by the sponsor made her dog sick and it's contaminated. Her paperwork goes missing and Scarlett's forced to step in as the Freddy's handler.

When Freddy discovers the sponsor dead on the course, Aunt Betty's the prime suspect. Scarlett and her friends are determined to uncover the truth and clear Aunt Betty.

My Thoughts: I was so happy to hear about this newest installment of the Hat Shop Mysteries! I love this series. And this book was super cute. I loved the dog show and reading about all the cute dogs. I loved reading about my favorite characters, especially Harrison and Scarlett after their engagement. I would be happy reading more in this series (including a wedding story!)

Cover Thoughts: Charming as always
Source: My Library
Library Recommendation: This cozy series is an excellent addition to the library's mystery section.

Review: All About Mia

Even though Mia wears a t-shirt that says it's all about her, it rarely is. Even when her perfect sister messes up big time, everything turns out rosy. Mia just can't catch a break.

So she lives life her way - messy. And unapologetic until she gets into real trouble. What happens when everything you touch becomes ruined?

My Thoughts:  This was hailed as a YA Bridget Jones - which meant I had to read it. I was so excited to get it at BEA. I really enjoyed this read, although I wanted to shake Mia at points (like her parents and tell her to grow up.) But I also think that's my adult viewpoint. I think it would be different reading it during your teen years. I liked Mia's family and how they interacted. I loved her relationship with her friends. Mia's super outgoing, which sometimes got her into trouble, but I also admired. Plus, it's set in England!

Cover Thoughts: Love it
Source: BEA Arc

Library Recommendation: This one might be hard for public schools as there is drinking and sex, but it's otherwise a great read. Get this for your public libraries.

Picture Book Review: Queen's Handbag

When a swan captures the Queen's handbag, she chases after it - across the country.

Sights include: Stonehenge, Snowdonia, Giants Causeway, Edinburgh Castle, Oxford and others. 

I love that the chase traveled all over Great Britain. The pictures were fun to pour over - lots of policeman and policewomen. A charming follow-up to the Queen's Hat (where the Queen chased her hat all over London)

Review: My Not So Perfect Life

Katie's dream has been to always live in London. Only once she's arrived, it's not exactly how she pictured it. Her commute is way too long. Her flat is tiny and her flatmates are terrible. She has no money and no friends. But more importantly, her job is a nightmare.

Her boss, while impressive, isn't the best person to work for. She actually forgets that she didn't fire Katie.

Katie's forced to let go of her London dream and return home to her family farm. She lies to her Dad and Stepmother, saying she's taking a sabbatical from work to help them get their business off the ground.

When her former boss comes for a holiday at the farm, this could be Katie's moment to get revenge or get back her dream of living in London.

My Thoughts: It took me a bit to get into this book, but once I did, I really liked it. I wasn't crazy about Demeter at first, but I have to admit she grew on me. I really liked Katie when she wasn't trying to be Cat (a sophisticated London girl) but rather herself. I liked how her confidence grew as she was home on the farm helping out her family. She had great ideas, especially marketing ones. I loved her family - they were sweet and funny. I did like how Katie tried for revenge on her former boss and how she used ploys to manipulate her former boss - but also how that failed. I wasn't expecting that ending, but I loved it. I loved the message that what's on social media is a representation (often misleading) of someone's life and I love how the changed. 

Cover Thoughts: Charming
Source: My Library

Library Recommendation: Great for public libraries - perfect for their New Adult sections. 

Review: Everyday Magic

Maggie's father is a big shot Hollywood director - and yet he terrorizes her family. This summer the whole family's staying in Scotland while he shoots a movie. Maggie's scared to tell him about her good news. She's been accepted to a fashion design school in England. She isn't going to UCLA to become an entertainment lawyer like he thinks. She knows that she's going to have to tell him the truth about her future and suffer the consequences.

When she finally shares her news, he reacts the way everyone imagined. But her mother shocks her by leaving him. Now that Maggie's eighteen, there's nothing holding her back. But her father isn't done playing all his cards. He has an ace up his sleeve that's going to wreck havoc on Maggie's romantic life.

My Thoughts: I confess it took me a bit to get into this one. I hated Maggie's father. He was so cruel, but I need to see how Maggie made it through. Once I was invested, I couldn't put this book down. 

I loved Maggie - she didn't always make the best choices, but she had a Huge heart and she tried to make the best of a very bad situation. I love that she took control of her own life and applied to fashion school instead of going to UCLA. I loved her relationship with Preston and how that grew. I love how she met Evie and Edmund from the previous book (I loved seeing more of them.) I loved Andrew and Daisy and their moments together at school.

I love how Maggie grew up and found her independence. I can't imagine living afraid of someone who's supposed to protect you, but I'm glad that she made it through and started living her dream.

I can't wait to see what Emily Albright writes next!

Cover Thoughts: Charming
Source: My Library
Companion novel to The Heir and the Spare

Library Recommendation: Both books are fantastic to have in your library! Get them.

Challenge:

Review: Meant to Be

Julia's excited to be spending her spring vacation week in London - until she realizes that her friends aren't going and even worse she's partnered with her nemesis for the trip. Jason's just so...goofy, annoying, and smug. Julia can't believe she's stuck with him.

The first night, he takes her to a party. She lets loose for the first time. She becomes someone braver, someone interesting, someone who's not a know it all.

Afterwards, the two strike up a bargain. Jason will help Julia text flirt with a boy she met at the party and in turn Julia will write up their assignments.

Julia's vision of this trip changed the minute she was partnered with Jason, but he brings her places she never knew about. Could she be seeing him a whole new light?

My Thoughts: I took this book with me on vacation and devoured it. I felt like Julia was a modern day nonmagical Hermoine Granger. She's always reader, knows everything, and maybe needs to have a little more fun. I like how she tries to break out of her shell during the party - and how the spirals out of control. I love traveling around London with the tour group and with Jason and Julia on their own. I loved the banter between Julia and Jason. I loved getting to know Jason better - between the singing and the graffiti park moments. I liked how Julia had a grand idea of romance after hearing the stories about her parents falling in love. A really fun novel, perfect for a library collection.

Cover Thoughts: Cute - I really liked reading this piece about the evolution of the cover
Source: Gifted from my #otspsecretsister

Top Ten Tuesday: Set Outside The US

This week's topic is favorite books set outside The US. I love a good travel romance (in fact of the first longer pieces I ever wrote was a travel romance in England.) I have a bunch of these and can't wait to check out more recommendations from others. I'll try to keep the list short, but you know me...

- meme from The Broke and the Bookish 

This year's reads:

Last year's reads:

Plus these earrings from my Etsy shop are perfect for this theme:

Tween Tuesday Review: Sealed with a Secret

 * Companion Book to My Secret Life in Paris * 

While she was in Paris, Phoebe found a vintage compact. Inside, she discovers a letter to a sister. With relations at an all time low with her sister, Phoebe's intrigued. When the letter mentions a secret spell to bring people closer together, Phoebe knows that she has to complete the spell - even if it takes a few lies.

She convinces her good friend Ned to help her. After all Alice is leaving for college soon, if they don't solve their problems, Phoebe's afraid she'll lose her sister.

My Thoughts: I love the at Phoebe wants to become closer to her sister and I love the fact that she traipses all over London to do it. I enjoyed reading about the past sisters and how Phoebe discovered clues to the spell. I enjoyed the tie in with Nora. I really liked the moments between Alice and Phoebe - both the fighting and the good times. Of course it made me want to travel to London. 

Cover Thoughts: Adorable
Source: My Library
Library Recommendation: Recommended for all tween sections

Review: One Silver Summer

 After the death of her mother, Sass travels to England to live her the uncle she's never known. She's not having the best summer, until she meets a silver horse in a field. But the horse isn't alone - there's a boy.

Alex isn't thrilled about the trespassing American on his property. But then he realizes she doesn't have a clue to his true identity. It gives him to time to just be normal.

The more time they spend together, the harder they fall for each other. But the truth has to come out sometime and when it does, it will change everything.

My Thoughts: I'm a sucker for both horse stories and stories about royals, so this was right up my alley. And I really enjoyed it. I loved the moments when they went riding. I love the Countess meeting Sass and their moments together. I liked the moments between Sass and her uncle and how they started to become a family. And of course I loved the romance!

Cover Thoughts: Charming
Source: My Library
Library Recommendation: Purchase for horse loving teens in need of a fun summer romance

Review: That Summer

When Julia inherits a house in England from her mother's family, she's stunned. Her mother died when she was young. Her father and her moved to New York City and never looked back. She has very few memories of England and none of her family.  Since she lost her job six months ago, she has no excuses not to travel across the pond. She finds angry family members - unhappy that she has the house.

The story weaves back and forth from present day to the mid-1800s where Imogen met and married. Her marriage is far from perfect and far from her expectations.

The two women attempt to figure out their lives - who they are and where they want to go next.

My Thoughts: I love how Willig masterly weaves together the past and the present in each of her novels. I'm always learning something. In this book, I loved learning more about the art of the time-period. Even though the main artist isn't real, it could have been. As someone interested in art history, I really enjoyed the past story. I especially liked how the past came into the present story. I liked how Julia came over determined to sell the house, but ended up falling in love with England. A fantastic summer read that kept me thinking about changing the future and hope.

Cover Thoughts: Cute
Source: My Library

Mysterious Saturday Review: Death of a Mad Hatter

* Sequel to Cloche and Dagger *

Scarlett and her cousin Vivian take on a client - an old fiend of their grandmother's. The woman has memory issues and believes Vivian to be her grandmother. Happy, to learn more about the woman they love, they agree to a job with a quick deadline.  They're creating Alice and Wonderland hats for an afternoon fundraiser tea.

The Grisby family has their quirks - family arguments and friendly banter. They're not afraid to argue in public and as their secrets come to light, it's not a total surprise when Geoffry (the heir) ends up murdered.

Since he was poisoned (and poison was found on the Mad Hatter hat that he wore), Scarlett and Vivian want to clear up this matter pronto and let the family grieve. 

My Thoughts: I love this series! I love the way that Scarlett and Vivian manage the shop - with the split between the creative person and the people person. I love their sisterly relationship - their banter, their loyalty, and how they care for each other. I appreciate Scarlett's frustrations with Vivian, who refuses to answer her questions. I enjoyed the Grisby family - but that ending sure threw me for a loop. I loved their idea of an afternoon fundraiser and the hats created sounded amazing. I would love to visit a hat shop in London one day. I enjoyed the mystery and the romantic tension. As much as I admire Scarlett for her pledge to remain single for year while trying to figure out herself without a guy, I wouldn't mind seeing her and Harrison date. They have great banter and great chemistry. Another win from a favorite cozy author!

Cover thoughts: Perfect
Source: Purchased

Top Ten Tuesday: Spin-off

Tuesday's list dealt with Settings - I picked England. Here's the list of teen books I love set in England.

Courtesy of  www.freeworldmaps.net

Here's my adult list - I have to confess that with adult books, I have a harder time picking favorite books, so I'm dividing the list between authors and books. Most of the books are regency romances with a few contemporary ones. 

Jane Austen

Julia Quinn

Sarah MacLean

Sophie Kinsella

Wallflower series

From Notting Hill with Love Actually

Bridget Jones

I"ve Got Your Number ( Love Sophie Kinsella's book)

Lady's Guide to Improper Behavior 

Lord and Lady Spy

Did I miss your favorite? Let me know!

Top Ten Tuesday

This week's topic is Top Ten Favorite Books With England Setting. I spent a semester abroad in Bath, England during my junior year in college and LOVED it! I can't wait to go back and I hope I get to go next year. England is always in my heart and I love reading about it. I 'll focus on the teen books and try to create an adult list later in the week.

- meme from The Broke and the Bookish

Courtesy of  www.freeworldmaps.net

Harry Potter series - hands down, part of all time favorite books

The Agency series: Love this series - the spy agency plus the romance

Countess Below Stairs - fantastic book about after the Russian Revolution where a Countess flees and ends up in England working as maid.

Sure Fire: Twins discover a father they've never met is a spy, who gets kidnapped and needs their help.

Angus Thongs and Full Frontal Snogging: best friends, romance, and laughter - lots of laughter

The Season: Regency romance about three girls and their first season (and a potential murder)

Enola Holmes series: Sherlock's sister trying to uncover the mysterious disappearance by her mother and trying to live in London undetected by her brothers.

Bewitching Season: Magic, romance, and a plot to harm the queen

Sorcery and Cecelia: Cousins and best friends write letters to each other sharing details of evil wizards.

Ruby in the Smoke: A favorite from my youth - Sally, a recent orphan, searches for a ruby and clues to the death of her father