JO LAMBERT

Fabulous new book from the best selling author of Oh Crumbs and Too Damn Nice. Highly recommended.

She’s got the brains, he’s got the muscle …
When Kelly Bridge’s parents insist on employing a bodyguard for her protection, she’s not happy. Okay, so maybe not every woman is on the cusp of developing a vaccine against a potential biological terrorist attack – but crikey, it’s not like she’s a celebrity!

Ben Jacobs flunked spectacularly out of school, so he knows his new client Dr Kelly Bridge spells trouble for him. But on a conference trip to Rome he finds things are worse than he thought. Not only is he falling for the brilliant scientist, he’s also become horribly aware she’s in grave danger. As they go on the run, dodging bullets and kidnappers, can he resist his feelings and keep her safe?

BUY LINKS

Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Crikey-Bodyguard-Choc-Lit-heart-warming-ebook/dp/B07P43K6RH/

Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/Crikey-Bodyguard-Choc-Lit-heart-warming-ebook/dp/B07P43K6RH/

Apple: https://geo.itunes.apple.com/gb/book/crikey-a-bodyguard/id1454236476?mt=11&at=11lNBs

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/gb/en/ebook/crikey-a-bodyguard-choc-lit

Google: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Kathryn_Freeman_Crikey_a_Bodyguard_Choc_Lit?id=lPKNDwAAQBAJ

Nook: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/books/1130706561?ean=2940161201749

Website: https://www.choc-lit.com/dd-product/crikey-a-bodyguard/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/44285008-crikey-a-bodyguard-choc-lit

Other books by Kathryn Freeman:
Oh Crumbs, A Little Christmas Charm, A Little Christmas Faith, Too Damn Nice, Before You, A Second Christmas Wish, Search for the Truth, Too Charming, Do Opposites Attract?

ABOUT KATHRYN

Kathryn started her working life as a retail pharmacist but soon realised trying to decipher doctors’ handwriting wasn’t for her. Next she joined the pharmaceutical industry where she spent twenty happy years working in medical communications, doing a lot of writing – about medicines. What she really wanted to write about though, was romance.

In 2011, backed by her family, she left the world of pharmaceutical science to begin life as a self employed writer, juggling the two disciplines of medical writing and romance. Some days a racing heart is a medical condition, others it’s the reaction to a hunky hero…

She lives with two teenage boys and a husband who asks every Valentine’s Day whether he has to bother buying a card again this year (yes, he does) so the romance in her life is all in her head. Then again, her husband’s unstinting support of her career change goes to prove that love isn’t always about hearts and flowers – and heroes can come in many disguises.

She can be found at: http://kathrynfreeman.co.uk

Perfect for fans of Maggie Hope and Katie Flynn – the first in a heartwarming new series set against an ironworks in 1830s Shropshire, by debut saga author Mollie Walton.

Anny Woodvine’s family has worked at the ironworks for as long as she can remember. The brightest child in her road and the first in her family to learn to read, Anny has big dreams. So, when she is asked to run messages for the King family, she grabs the opportunity with both hands.

Margaret King is surrounded by privilege and wealth. But behind closed doors, nothing is what it seems. When Anny arrives, Margaret finds her first ally and friend. Together they plan to change their lives.

But as disaster looms over the ironworks, Margaret and Anny find themselves surrounded by secrets and betrayal. Can they hold true to each other and overcome their fate? Or are they destined to repeat the mistakes of the past?

‘Feisty female characters, an atmospheric setting and a spell-binding storyline make this a phenomenal read’ – Cathy Bramley

‘The Daughters of Ironbridge has that compulsive, page-turning quality, irresistible characters the reader gets hugely invested in, and Walton has created a brilliantly alive, vivid and breathing world in Ironbridge’ – Louisa Treger

Mollie Walton is the saga pen-name for historical novelist Rebecca Mascull. Visit her websites for more information: https://molliewalton.co.uk/ & https://rebeccamascull.co.uk/

She has always been fascinated by history and on a trip to Shropshire, while gazing down from the iron bridge, found the inspiration for what has become her debut saga novel, part of a trilogy titled THE IRONBRIDGE SAGA, published by Bonnier Zaffre. She is currently hard at work on the three books, with the first novel due for release in April 2019, set in the dangerous world of the iron industry: THE DAUGHTERS OF IRONBRIDGE.

Under the pen-name Rebecca Mascull, she is the author of three historical novels.
Her first novel THE VISITORS (2014) tells the story of Adeliza Golding, a deaf-blind child living on her father’s hop farm in Victorian Kent. Her second novel SONG OF THE SEA MAID (2015) is set in the C18th and concerns an orphan girl who becomes a scientist and makes a remarkable discovery. Her third novel, THE WILD AIR (2017) is about a shy Edwardian girl who learns to fly and becomes a celebrated aviatrix but the shadow of war is looming. All are published by Hodder & Stoughton.

She has also recently completed the final chapters of her friend and fellow novelist Vanessa Lafaye’s final work, a novella called MISS MARLEY, a prequel to Dickens’s A CHRISTMAS CAROL. This novella will be published in November 2018 by HarperCollins.

Visit her Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/MollieWaltonbooks/

Her agent is Laura Macdougall at United Agents.
http://www.unitedagents.co.uk/rebecca-mascull

Rebecca has previously worked in education, has a Masters in Writing and lives by the sea in the east of England.

Evelyn Pendragon is spirited but lonely, and largely ignored by her parents whose attentions are taken up with her brother, Nicholas: the expected heir to the family’s Cornish estate and the one who will carry on the Pendragon name.
Stifled by her aristocratic existence, Evelyn finds companionship in an unlikely place when she befriends Drake Vennor, an apprentice gardener on the estate.
But When Evelyn’s life is thrown into turmoil by a tragedy, she realises just how much she has come to rely on Drake. Will family expectations and the burden of the Pendragon name mean she must turn her back on him when she needs him the most?

BUY LINKS

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Victoria Cornwall grew up on a farm in Cornwall and can trace her Cornish roots as far back as the 18th century. It is this background and heritage which is the inspiration for her Cornish based novels.

Following a fulfilling twenty-five year career as a nurse, a change in profession finally allowed her the time to write. She initially self-published two novels, Old Sins Long Shadows and The Gossamer Trail under the name B.D.Hawkey. In 2016, award winning publisher, Choc Lit, acquired both books as part of a four book deal. Old Sins Long Shadows is now published under the new title, The Captain’s Daughter, and The Gossamer Trail is now titled, The Daughter of River Valley.

Victoria is married and has two grown up children. She likes to read and write historical fiction with a strong background story, but at its heart is the unmistakable emotion, even pain, of loving someone.

She is a member of the Romantic Novelists’ Association.

AMAZING GRACE

by Kim Nash

She’s taking her life back, one step at a time…

Grace thought she had it all. Living in the beautiful village of Little Ollington, along with head teacher husband Mark and gorgeous son, Archie, she devoted herself to being the perfect mum and the perfect wife, her little family giving her everything she ever wanted.

Until that fateful day when she walked in on Mark kissing his secretary – and her perfect life fell apart.

Now she’s a single mum to Archie, trying to find her way in life and keep things together for his sake. Saturday nights consist of a Chinese takeaway eaten in front of the TV clad in greying pyjamas, and she can’t remember the last time she had a kiss from anyone aside from her dog, Becks.

Grace’s life needs a shake up – fast. So when gorgeous gardener Vinnie turns up, his twinkling eyes suggesting that he might be interested in more than just her conifers, she might just have found the answer to her prayers. But as Grace falls deeper for Vinnie, ten-year-old Archie fears that his mum finding love means she’ll never reconcile with the dad he loves.

So when ex-husband Mark begs her for another chance, telling her he’s changed from the man that broke her heart, Grace finds herself with an impossible dilemma. Should she take back Mark and reunite the family that Archie loves? Or risk it all for a new chance of happiness?

A funny, feel good romance about finding your own path and changing your life – readers of Cathy Bramley, Jill Mansell and Josie Silver will love this uplifting read.

Buy links:

AMZ: https://amzn.to/2MIAM7k
Kobo: http://bit.ly/2GeKm0D
Apple: https://apple.co/2MMvJD2

About the author

Kim Nash lives in Staffordshire with son Ollie and English Setter Roni, is PR & Social Media Manager for Bookouture and is a book blogger at http://www.kimthebookworm.co.uk.

Kim won the Romantic Novelists Association’s Media Star of the Year in 2016, which she still can’t quite believe. She is now quite delighted to be a member of the RNA.

When she’s not working or writing, Kim can be found walking her dog, reading, standing on the sidelines of a football pitch cheering on Ollie and binge watching box sets on the TV. She’s also quite partial to a spa day and a gin and tonic (not at the same time!) Kim also runs a book club in Cannock, Staffs.

Amazing Grace is her debut novel with Hera Books and will be out on 10th April 2019

Connect with Kim on Social Media here:
Twitter: (@KimTheBookworm) https://twitter.com/KimTheBookworm
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KimTheBookWorm/
Instagram: @Kim_the_bookworm

When Jo Lambert invited me to very kindly share my love of music over five songs, I thought this would be an easy selection to make, but let me tell you it is so, so difficult. I have a huge back catalogue of music I simply love, and to select just five I found it really tough. I am glad Jo made it easier by wanting music relating to milestones in my life. That narrowed it down to about 750 songs!

So here we go…

I was born in the 1970s and music was always being played in our family home, and in my grandparents’ houses. It is through my grandfather that my love for country music was formed. However it would not be a country song I will select to be my first song. Well, it is the 70s, isn’t it? Also, I was a child back then. So the track I am going to select is from when I first remember dancing. I have always loved to dance and this for me is where it all begun. Now you’re probably thinking Nikki is going to choose some really cool 70s disco hit, are you not? I’m a child remember! So I was getting my groove on back then to the wonderful Wombles and Remember You’re A Womble.

Remember You’re A Womble by The Wombles

I can remember dancing around to this track and it brings back such happy memories of my childhood. I had all the Wombles memorabilia and The Wombles LP was bought at the local Woolworths. I still know all the words to every Womble song.

So for my second track, I am slightly older now. Lets move into the 80s. This is when I did almost most of my education at school, if I didn’t have far more important things to be doing with my time. I wrote my first song aged nine. Happy times at the school disco and WHAM!, the gorgeous George Michael, and to me Careless Whisper is still one of best ever written love songs. So there I was aged eleven, wanting to be cool with my ‘I Heart WHAM!’ bag and hoping high school was going to be more Kids from Fame than Grange Hill. It was at this time WHAM! posters were all over my bedroom wall and ceiling. The teenybopper days went by in leg warmers and on roller-skates, with Sony Walkman headphones permanently attached to my head. By the time I was leaving school this had changed to Pet Shop Boys and The Smiths posters, and being influenced fashion wise between Cyndi Lauper and Madonna. Public relation skills at work even back then as I soon negotiated a place on the back of the school bus! The song I am going to chose for my second track, is a song that reminds me of making decisions back then of what I was going to do once I was a grown-up.

Left to my own Devices by The Pet Shop Boys

Other bands from the 80s like Talk Talk, New Order, Depheche Mode and the fabulous Roxy Music left an imprint on my life, and here we now are in the 90s. In my student days dance music and raving was the scene. Dancing and ‘having fun’ all night long. Having a good time was all that mattered. Non-stop dancing and binge drinking. It was through those good times out clubbing in the famous Batley Frontier club, which was long ago known as Batley Variety club, that I met my husband Andrew and this song for me reminds me of when we first got together.

Never Tear Us Apart by INXS

Still only in our early twenties by the mid 90s Andrew and I were married and our two children Liam and Chloe were born. Now it was time to really settle down and become sensible. Driving around in the car when my children were small we would listen to Travis or The Verve, and from when Liam could first talk he would soon be singing along to songs in the car. It wasn’t until Liam was choosing a song for his prom a few years later, when he was aged eleven that when he asked for ‘The Trucks Don’t Work’ that we realised all this time he had been singing the wrong word along to my next track, which is…

The Drugs Don’t Work by The Verve

My children are now all grown-up and my daughter recently has been through some difficult times, which she has overcome. This is a song we would play and sing together during those times, and it helped get her through. As parents all you want is for your children to be happy, but sometimes under circumstances we cannot control, we cannot protect our children from harm. What we can be is there for them to pick up the pieces and give love and support. I think at the time this song provided a positive influence on going towards my daughter’s recovery. We go back to my love of country music and Chloe is also a huge fan of the TV series Nashville. So it’s the queen of country with…

Hard Candy Christmas by Dolly Parton

So there you have my final five, and never would I have thought out of the many songs that I love that they would have been the ones I would have picked!

Bio

Nikki Bywater’s career in media began as a model and support artist, which lead to small acting roles in film and television. It was through her work in television she was given the opportunity to write. Nikki in her role as a book and script publicist is well-known for giving her time generously to new writers, many of them going on to be published and best-selling authors.

When not daydreaming and storyboarding ideas in Paris, Nikki lives in Cheshire with her husband Andrew and their two grown-up children.

CONNECT WITH NIKI ON SOCIAL MEDIA:

https://www.facebook.com/nikki.bywater

https://www.instagram.com/nikkiinola/

http://nikkis-books4u.blogspot.com/

Just when you thought you had it all worked out …

Best friends Lisa and Felicity think – maybe, just maybe – they finally have everything sorted out in their lives.
Lisa is in a happy relationship with her old flame, and busy mum Felicity has managed to reignite the passion with her husband, Pete, after a romantic getaway.
But when Lisa walks in on a half-naked woman in her boyfriend’s flat and Felicity is left reeling from a shocking discovery, it becomes clear that life is nothing but full of surprises …

Sequel to The Purrfect Pet Sitter

BUY LINKS

ABOUT CAROL

In the summer of 2017, Carol Thomas was delighted to gain a publishing contract with Ruby Fiction, a new imprint of the award-winning publishers Choc Lit, for her latest novel The Purrfect Pet Sitter.

Carol writes for both adults and children: Her contemporary romance novels, have relatable heroines whose stories are layered with emotion, sprinkled with laughter and topped with irresistible male leads; while her children’s books have irresistibly cute, generally furry characters young children can relate to.

Carol lives on the south coast of England with her husband, four children and lively young Labrador. She has been a playgroup supervisor and taught in primary schools for over fifteen years, before dedicating more of her time to writing. Carol is a regular volunteer at her local Cancer Research UK shop and has a passion for reading, writing and people watching. She can often be found loitering in local cafes working on her next book.

Would you take a chance on a bad boy with a leather jacket and a vintage motorbike?
That’s the question single mum Jo Morris has to ask herself when she collides with local bike mechanic Ed Griffiths on a rainy Welsh hillside. Working at the Art Café, Jo hears the gossip and is all too aware of Ed’s reputation.

But whilst he’s certainly no angel, there is something about Ed’s daredevil antics that Jo can’t ignore. And as she gets to know him better and watches the kind way he deals with her young son Liam, she begins to wonder – is there more to this ‘bad boy’ than meets the eye?

BUY LINKS

MY REVIEW

Well, what can I say?  This is a really feel good read. There’s Ed a bad boy who’s really a good guy at heart. Jo a single mum working at the Art Cafe, making a new life for herself while protecting her small son from secrets of the past. Fun loving Beryl next door whose a mix of practical neighbour and caring surrogate mum to Jo. And of course four year old Liam. He absolutely steals the show with his energy and innocent questions which can sometimes prove embarrassing.  Once again Sue has created a story around motorbikes, which are her passion.   But romance definitely takes centre stage and if you enjoyed  Summer at the Art Cafe, you will love this.

A story packed with characters you’ll remember long after you’ve reached the end of the story.

ABOUT SUE

Arty, biking, writing granny, that’s me! Living on the Welsh coast, right at the bottom before it plops into the sea, I was a policewoman in Essex before I was diagnosed with ovarian cancer at a very early age.
Thanks to my amazing family and friends, I made a full recovery, left the police, met the man I then married and went to live in semi-rural Wales – well, I thought it was semi-rural after living in Essex. I mean, you had to drive fifteen miles to get to a Marks and Sparks. Where on earth did people buy their underwear? It was a small town that thought it was a village. But it had a beach.
I fell in love with it, along with the two adorable little boys I inherited. They inspired my passion for painting children, and they and their children inform the young characters in my books and subsequent career change as portrait painter. I even appeared on Sky’s Portrait Artist of the Year!

The beach formed a huge part of my life, and I trained as a beach lifeguard, patrolling the beach and competing on the single ski. That all stopped when I needed a hip replacement and found carrying equipment too painful. Not to be outdone, I and three pals did a 45 mile walk and raised over £10,000 for Cancer Research, and not long after that, I decided I’d learn to ride a motorbike.

That was a huge and entertaining learning curve, and inspired my debut novel, Summer at the Art Cafe. I’m on my second hip now, still riding my 1000cc red Honda, and I’ve made some of my most enduring friendships through biking.
I hope you enjoy reading about my characters and their stories. Some of my life has inevitably given birth to some of theirs, but their personalities are all their own, and I keep expecting to see them in the local supermarket or on the beach!
Second novel, Meet Me at the Art Cafe is about to meet the world. Although there is still a bikey element in there, this time I touched on vintage motorbikes, which I have a soft spot for.