Blog Tour - Book Review - A Little Of Chantelle Rose by Cristina Hodgson

Book Review : A Little Of Chantelle Rose by Cristina Hodgson

About Christina Hodgson :

Cristina Hodgson, mother of two, born in Wimbledon, London, currently lives in southern Spain. Cristina had a long career in sport, reaching national and international level and still actively participates in Triathlon races and enjoys outdoor activities. In her spare time she also enjoys reading and writing. She won a sports scholarship to Boston College. After a period in Boston, she returned to the UK and graduated from Loughborough University with a degree in Sports Science.

A LITTLE OF CHANTELLE ROSE is her debut novel and was be released in May 2017. Amazingly, it has nothing to do with running!

Book Blurb :

At the age of twenty-four, Chantelle Rose has all a city girl can expect: a tiny bed-sit in South London, a lousy poorly-paid job, a tyrannical boss, and quite a few exes added to an ever-growing list.

Desperate for change, she becomes an extra in a seedy crime film. When that leads to the opportunity of a lifetime – a role to play with a million dollars to win and seemingly nothing to lose – she accepts without thinking twice. After all, what could possibly go wrong? In any event, she´ll earn enough to buy her dream home, set up her own business and never worry about money again.

And what about love? Two men have won her heart: Robbie – sultry, silent, mysterious; and Lionel – Hollywood heart-throb, charm, wealth, adventure.

But who can she trust? Who is bent on scaring her away, and why?

There seems to be more at stake than just her heart. Will a million dollars be worth it?

My Review :

First of all, I really liked this book! The main character, Chantelle Rose, is a movie extra and one of my American friends is (shout out to @atlfilmxtra ) which made it fun to read. It's not a job that's in any books I've read before which made this different and worth a read. The story is a little far-fetched but that's what books are for right? It's a perfect escapism story to relax with. 

Chantelle Rose is living in a not so nice London flat with a low paid job she hates and desperate for money, which makes her relatable, then she gets a very lucky break and is flown off to California. She seems naive at the start of the book but endearing by the end. There are lots of colourful and complex characters, mistakes, and misunderstandings which keeps you reading. This isn't a straight forward girl meets boy and they live happily ever after novel. The (shock) ending is abrupt and teases possibility for a sequel. There's romance but also mystery and lots to keep you thinking and guessing.

There's something for everyone, a glamorous film set, a yacht and a red carpet with a Hollywood hunk and a cozy country cottage with a cute charming guy. Books that are described as a 'romantic comedy' are usually more romance and less comedy but A Little Of Chantelle Rose is definitely a comedy with so many funny moments! This is a great book to relax with on holiday in the sun or a rainy British Sunday afternoon.

You can follow Cristina on Twitter @HodgsonCristina and GoodReads 

A Little Of Chantelle Rose is available on AmazonUK and AmazonUS

Giveaway : A Little of Chantelle Rose bookmarks and keyrings

 

~ Click here to enter the Rafflecopter giveaway ~

* I received a copy of this book for an honest review by the awesome Neverland Blog Tours @NeverlandBT

~ Katie aka Word Scribbler ~

My Review of The Moon and More by Sarah Dessen

Back in week 2 of my reading challenge - a book set on or by the sea/ocean - I read The Moon and More by Sarah Dessen (Young Adult Romance).

~~~
Book blurb:

Colby may be just a small holiday beach town for the tourists, but for Emeline it's home.

It looks like its going to be another typical summer there with her gorgeous high-school sweetheart, Luke - until a New York filmmaker and her ambitious assistant Theo check in. They're obviously after a story. But, when getting the locals to talk proves tricky, Theo decides they need a guide and he's got his eye on Emeline...

Can Emeline decide where her loyalties, and her heart, truly lie before the summer ends?
~~~

My review:

Looking back on my reading challenge so far, many of the books have taken the whole week to read, and some (that I didn't love) took 2 weeks. I read The Moon and More in 3 days!

This is the first Sarah Dessen novel that I've read. I tagged this as Young Adult Romance, as per the Amazon categorisation, but this book is actually more coming-of-age with romantic side plots. Emeline's future plans shift early on in the book, for her and her family and friends. First impressions aren't always accurate and people she's known for years surprise her, in good and bad ways. Her life changes dramatically over the course of one summer. New experiences cause new expectations in friendship, love, career and life goals.

This book is set in a small coastal town on the East Coast of America. The familiarity and security of living in a small town where everyone knows Emeline versus her feelings of suffocation and over-familiarity are perfectly felt. Emeline surprises herself as well as others. In many ways The Moon and More is not a love story at all, but a tale with love, family, and friendship 'drama', many subplots with different characters, insight into the film and art industries and a happy but open ending. Will she end up with Luke or Theo or neither? Will old friendships last? Will new friendships grow? Where will Emeline end up? I love that Emeline's story continued to change and kept me guessing right up until literally the last page. Brilliant storytelling. I 'may' have inwardly cheered with the last reveal. The last few pages of this book truly played out like a movie in my head :) I hope to read many more Sarah Dessen books and wish I'd discovered her before!

~ Purchase links for The Moon and More -  UK http://amzn.to/1Q3hhkQ  US http://amzn.to/1OJ1ryA ~

Have you read The Moon and More or any other Sarah Dessen books? Can you recommend any other Young Adult romance or coming-of-age books/authors?

My review of Winter Wonderland by Belinda Jones

For week 1 of my reading challenge - A book with 'Winter' in the title - I read Winter Wonderland by Belinda Jones (Contemporary Romance).

~~~
Book blurb:

Imagine waking up in a snow globe...

That’s how travel journalist Krista feels when she arrives in magical Quebec to report on Canada's glittering Winter Carnival.

Over ten sub-zero days Krista's formerly frozen heart begins to melt as she discovers an enchanting world of ice palaces, husky dog-sledding and maple-syrup treats galore. And then she meets Jacques, a man as handsome and rugged as he is mysterious…

The two share a secret that could bond them forever, but can they find a way to break through the protective layers around their hearts to warm up this winter wonderland?

…let the snow-spangled adventure begin
~~~

My review:

First of all, I've read a few of Belinda's novels before so knew what to expect. Travel, romance, and a happy (for now, at least!) ending. Winter Wonderland didn't disappoint! From the very first chapter it's obvious that Krista's work trip is going to be eventful! The romance is a cute romance and isn't overwhelming to the story as there's more adventures and mysteries for Krista than just romantic ones. The location is as equally an important character as Krista is. The vivid descriptions of all the places Krista visits makes you want to visit Quebec and Montreal and even long for snow (I personally hate the cold and snow but the setting is so pretty!). I now really want to visit everywhere in this novel. 

Warning, reading this book will make you hungry. This is as much a food diary as a travelogue with a side dish of romance (and not just between Krista and Jacques). Maple syrup, Poutine, Caribou (the drink, not the animal) and much more. Don't know what Poutine is? It's chips, gravy and cheese. Yes it sounds weird (sorry Quebecois), it does to Krista too, but I've tried this (in Vancouver, not Quebec) and it's actually quite nice. 

The husky dog sledding is a multi sensory experience on the page, I loved these scenes, and the Cirque du Soleil seems like a must see for Krista and myself! I liked that the romance storyline wasn't the only plot and this definitely isn't a straightforward girl meets boy and everything is perfect. There are lots of subplots and characters in this book which keep you guessing how everything and everyone is going to end up. 

Side note - Belinda Jones herself read my reading challenge blog post and responded to my tweets about reading this book! Thanks so much for reading my blog Belinda :) You can follow Belinda on Twitter here .

Have you read any of Belinda's books? Any other Contemporary Romance recommendations?


~ Winter Wonderland purchase links - UK  http://amzn.to/1HUA4vX  US http://amzn.to/1GJ17Zy ~