Elora Canne's Blog, page 4
April 28, 2024
New Book Release
Swooping Through the Milky Way PaperbackYou may not know that I also write children’s books, as well as my adult stories. That’s because I write them under different names. After four long years, I’ve finally created a paperback version of the very first children’s book I ever wrote, Swooping Through the Milky Way. I’ll be celebrating the new book release with an online launch party 🥳🥳
It feels so right to have gone full circle to my beginnings as an author. If you’re wondering why it took so long, it’s because I had to change the cover. But I’m okay with that now. If you’re curious, come join my new book release launch event live on either Instagram or Facebook, or catch the replay if our time zones don’t align.
Instagram Book Release Party
Facebook Book Release Party
Onto Other Exciting NewsI’m going on a literary trail in South West England!
I’ll be visiting Dulverton where Lorna Doone’s statue stands. I’ve owned a copy of her story since 1977 and even have a photo of me in a similar dress as on the book cover!
I’ll also be visiting Tintagel where King Arthur’s legendary statue looms over the moors.
Poldark scenery will definitely feature too.
Other stops include the birth town of Agatha Christie where I’ll be posing with her statue too, in Torquay; and Frederick Forsyth in Bucks.
Of course, no visit to Southwest country is complete without a stop in Cheddar Gorge - all the cheese! - and Glastonbury Tor. One of my own stories has a scene from Glastonbury Tor in it, though it’s not near to being released, it is in the editing stages. Even though I’ve written about Glastonbury Tor, I’ve never been, so I’m thrilled to be able to fill in any gaps in my descriptions.
I guess you can tell I’m a little bit excited.
I’ll also be catching up with dear friends who are mentioned in my memoir, En Route, and permission permitting, I might even share pics of them.
If you’re curious, have a peak at the link: EN ROUTE: A coming-of-age travel memoir
If you’re after something a little light-hearted to end off Couples Appreciation Month, I have a movie and a book recommendation for you:
Creating Sparks that Last eBookThat’s all for now, keep smiling.
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April 18, 2024
The 31 Days of May
Deep and Heartfelt
In the wake of a devastating family loss, 24-year-old May finds herself adrift, her belief in love and happiness shattered.
Determined to shield herself from further heartache, she concocts a radical scheme to safeguard against future abandonment.
That is until May meets Mr. Parsley, a charming retiree who becomes May's unexpected neighbour.
Will May stick to her meticulously crafted schedule, or will the warmth and kindness of the Parsley family lead her down an unforeseen, life-altering path?
Join May on her poignant journey of resilience, love, and the transformative power of human connection in the face of life's most profound challenges.
⚠️ Trigger Warning:
.
.
This story contains themes of death and suicide.
My 5 Star Review:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Though the topic is deep and thought-provoking, the author, Helen Aitchison, lightens the prose with anecdotes of May’s quirky personality as we walk through her daily life with her.
May is weighed down with her heavy thoughts, while her friends try valiantly to rally around her. I became instantly invested in May’s story and followed her highs and lows with equal amounts of empathy and compassion.
Character-rich and filled with empathic understanding of human nature.
What I didn’t love about this book:The only thing I would change is to have a more distinct trigger warning for death and suicide as it felt quite abrupt to the flow of reading for me.
Favourite Quotes:My favourite quote that lightens the prose and highlights May’s sense of humour:
‘Crap, I look like my hair has lost a fight with a toffee apple.’
A relationship quote that defines love in its entirety:
That’s what love is about, she thought, never giving up.
The author outlines the premise of the book in this single quote, in my opinion:
‘…if I don’t deal with the things that cause me pain, they’ll just resurface.’
About the Author: Helen AitchisonWhere to find the book:The 31 Days of May by Helen Aitchison
Release date: 12th April 2024
Universal Links: www.books2read.com/t31dom
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/210540110-the-31-days-of-may
Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/31-Days-May-Helen-Aitchison-ebook/dp/B0CW19DR7H
Apple Books: https://books.apple.com/gb/book/the-31-days-of-may/id6480327884
Waterstones: https://www.waterstones.com/book/the-31-days-of-may/helen-aitchison/9781915307071
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My writing news:My second short story submission was published on Fred’s Blog for consideration in his nonfiction anthology.
Have a read and I’d love if you shared your feedback with me:
Remember to subscribe to the blog at the link below:
Remember to subscribe for more relationship ideas that leave you happy and fulfilled.March 26, 2024
Choose Her Every Day
I have an emotive book review for you today, so hold onto your hats, because this book is transformative!
What follows is a guide for your journey through the transformational fires of love and intimacy, as written by Bryan Withrow Reeves.
This book has big themes. I'm usually a multi-reader but this was a singular read for me, albeit in small doses so I could absorb all that was being discussed.
Choose Her Every Day (or Leave Her)
My Five Star Review:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Reeves has a no-nonsense style of writing that appeals to my sense of recognition and acknowledgement, that we are all in similar relationship struggles, even the experts.
He has an upfront approach to revealing all the nuances of what it's like being a male from an intimacy point of view - nothing crude, just direct. However, he is clear to differentiate between the masculine and feminine sides we each have.
The author takes us through his failed relationships from youth to maturity. He outlines what went wrong and what worked, with his recent knowledge of being a relationship coach.
Through many coaching sessions, Reeves has an in-depth insight into the needs and desires of women in relationships, though I hasten to add that we are all different. However, Reeves speaks to the basic relationship breakdowns that occur with most couples.
Why I Would Recommend the Book:
Whether you are single, in a new relationship or navigating the changes of a long-term relationship, this book gives clear guidance in the context of partnership. It asks the big questions of what you're looking for in yourself, in a partner and in relationship.
What I Didn't Like About the Book:
There is a lot to take in. While the chapters are manageable length, they are packed with content worth memorizing. I would have preferred some of the information in an addendum at the end of the book, but perhaps that's just me.
Uncertainty caused her to demand evidence of my love that made sense to her. I resented her attempts to constrain my behavior. This made her feel more uncertain...
...Had I been aware that the feminine force in her was yearning to experience the depths of my love, I could have shown up completely differently for her.
Out of context, this excerpt may seem contrite to the reader, but let me assure you that the author has considered both feminine and masculine perspectives with empathy.
I felt that this excerpt conveys the overarching arc of the book succinctly.
For anyone who's been hanging with me for a while, you'll know that I’m always striving to get the best out of my own relationship. So, when this book was offered to me, I grabbed it with both hands.
My own marriage is a long-term one spanning four decades! Yip, you read that right. I'm sure you can imagine that neither of us are the same high school sweethearts we once were. Our commitment to each other has had to undergo many transformations. And transform we did. And very successfully so, I might add.
That said, no relationship is ever free of committed work together. Because that's what it takes to stay the course, and I found much valuable content for my own relationship in Reeves’ book.
Bryan Withrow Reeves has written a masterpiece in his book, Choose Her Every Day (or Leave Her). He has outlined a recipe for success for anyone who is searching for the best in their relationship.
A former US Air Force Captain, Bryan is now an internationally renowned Author and Life/Relationship Coach. His viral blog has been read by over 30 million people in every country on the planet (except North Korea). With a Masters Degree in Human Relations and decades of experience studying - and burning in - the transformational fires of intimate relationship, Bryan now coaches men, women and couples in creating thriving lives and relationships.
Hold onto your hats, because
this book is transformative!
This is the buy link on Amazon: Choose Her Every Day (or Leave Her)
Instagram: @bryanreevesinsight
Facebook: @bryanreevesofficial
Website: BryanReeves
If you read it (and you should!), let me know your thoughts in a comment below.
Not Marriage Material is an upcoming anthology of non fiction and poetry, collated by Sue Bavey. Submissions are still open at the link below, and I am pumped to have a piece accepted for consideration.
The title of my short story is Midnight in Cowboy Boots; a retelling of a misguided relationship in my youth.
It would thrill my indie author heart no end, if you read the story and possibly gave it a ‘like’ if you enjoyed it. You’ll find it on Sue Bavey’s website at this link:
THANK YOU AND
🐰 HAPPY EASTER 🐰
Remember to subscribe at the link below, for more relationship conversations:
Creating Sparks that Last Blog
March 13, 2024
🎉 Fun Surprises 🎉
First up is my dating journal for FREE! But only for the rest of today, 14/3/24, due to those pesky timezones ⏰Find it here: Free book: Creating Sparks that Last
😱 Fear not, if you’ve missed out, because I’m also offering a free epub copy of my memoir, En Route. Simply comment below for the link. En Route is essentially a travel memoir with a whole lot of midlife flourishing!
🎁 And if books are not your thing, I have more free downloads for you.
🥰 If you’re looking for a variety of date ideas, look no further. I’ve compiled a list of monthly ideas for a whole year. I’m confident you’ll find some fun experiences to enjoy: [Edit - I’ve tried to post them here several times to no avail. I’ll gladly email them to you instead. Send a request with subject line Date Ideas Download to: elora.canne@ gmail.com]
💃🏻🕺🏼 But wait, there’s more! You need music to dance along to your date night, so I’ve created a Date Night Song List on Spotify for you:
Date Night Play List
🖼️ And last but not least, I’ve created screensaver affirmations for your phone. Save the image of your choice and follow settings on your device for screensaver:
🥳 I do hope you have found pleasure in some of my free gifts today. Let me know which was your fave. And I promise not to clog your inbox again for a while xx
Remember to subscribe for more relationship ideas that leave you happy and fulfilled.
March 10, 2024
Sneaky News
Surprise! I'm in your inbox today - but that's not the best surprise I have for you 😀
This is just a short and sweet (like me 😍) update to let you know that I'm Author for the Day on the Facebook group We Love Memoirs on Wednesday 13 March 2024 - still not the best surprise I have for you 😁
Over the course of 24 hours, to include all time zones, you will receive free downloads throughout the day that you'll definitely want to keep! If you love that cosy feeling of being in a fulfilling relationship or want to amp up your self-care, these downloads are a must. No strings, of course, because that's just icky 💝
Simply my gifts to you because I want the best for you 😘
Find We Love Memoirs Group at this link: WLM Wednesday Author
Follow this link to see both names I'll be using 🤣: Elora Canne nom de plume
See you there 😎
Remember to subscribe for more relationship ideas that leave you happy and fulfilled.February 25, 2024
How to Realise Your Dreams
February was filled with dreams coming true for me and I want that for you too.
So, I'm not going to tell you all the stuff you already know, I'm going to let you in on a little-known secret to your success instead:
Elora Canne
Keep on trying.
Try something different,
or simply a different approach.
Just keep on trying.
One of my successes in January was to compete in a mini-triathlon. Now to know why this is such a big deal for me, you must understand that I am the girl who spluttered and half drowned her way through the compulsory swimming competitions at school. Hated it. But I'm not going to spoil the story for you because that leads to one of my dreams come true for this month. I've completed the first draft of a short story that takes you on my segue from drowned rat to triathlete, medal included!
Beautiful Uluru - no filter; photograph taken by me on my iPhone!My second fabulous dream come true this month involved travel. My sister, Jude, and I had Uluru on our travel dream list. And wow did we experience Uluru.
Dreams really do come true. Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine experiencing the spirit of the mountain like we did. It was immersive, spiritual and otherworldly. If you're interested in knowing how we did all that, follow this link to my Pinterest post: Uluru - A most spiritual experience
If this is something out of your realm but you have a travel dream list too, try a different approach.
Perhaps enter competitions for a trip you'd loveSave a dollar a dayWait for ridiculous specialsJude and I cut every expense we could and our budget stay was all the more immersive.
Aside from the writing group I started in January, I've also started a paddling group this month with a bunch of local ladies. Both the first meetings of these groups were so successful that those involved wanted to keep going. Now I'm not a leader of any kind and certainly don't aspire to be a leader, but these are activities that I have wanted to achieve for a very long time. And we all know by now:
There's only one way to achieve goals - keep on trying!
I have thoroughly enjoyed some diverse reads this month. I finally got my own copy of Atomic Habits by James Clear. Another first with books for me is that I have allowed myself the deliciousness of highlighting passages for future reference. Do you highlight important sentences too? I've already seen improvements in my daily tasks from this book, by the way. The following notion came upon me when I considered the many readers who will achieve varying goals after reading Atomic Habits, and I rather like it:
Books unite us in mind,
but set us apart in interpretation.
The Inca’s Curse by Ellen ReadI was fortunate to nab an ARC copy of a fellow indie author's book, The Inca's Curse, which I loved. It's a new-to-me genre of mystery romance and it's been rather intriguing to discover. The author is Ellen Read. It's the second in The Thornton Mystery series and I've so enjoyed watching the romances blossom from the first book to the second. It is delightfully clean romance with many mysterious twists.
Digger the Wonder Dog by Barbara RandellI love my writing community over on Instagram and am never short of reading material. Fellow multi-author, Barbara Randell recently shared her first children's story Digger the Wonder Dog with me. It is such an endearing story and has a surprising, yet satisfying end to it. We predominantly follow Digger's adventures north of Adelaide where he becomes the hero of several small communities. He quickly crept into my heart and I even wished I could meet him in real life!
February was a busy month for me. I read the third in a series of memoirs by Lynn Walker. A Perfectly Good Fantasy: A Memoir, had a refreshing take on a very serious topic; addiction. Walker managed to pull off a humorous telling of her recovery from serious drug and alcohol addiction which made it an easy, yet informative, read.
A Perfectly Good Fantasy: A MemoirBy Lynn Walker
Dynamic Alignment by Brad Borkan and Holly WortonAlong similar lines of Atomic Habits, but shorter and in easily set-out format, I read a quick-read called Dynamic Alignment by Brad Borkan and Holly Worton. This book is a game-changer in getting to know yourself more deeply and using your strengths, skills and interests towards a more fulfilling and rewarding life. Really worthwhile and a definite re-read for me.
Well, that's it from me. I am determined to carry the wondrous beginnings of 2024 from summer into our Autumn months. Many of you will be heading into Spring with new beginnings aplenty. I'm excited for all of us!
If you've read this far, thank you. I'd like to give you the opportunity to be an early reader for my triathlon short story. If you'd like to be an Early Reader in the middle of March please email me at: elora.canne@gmail.com with the subject heading: Early Reader.
Uncertain of Early Reader expectations? Simply read through the +-7000 word short story and let me know your thoughts. The role of Early Readers is to give the author an idea of story flow, receptivity amongst readers and general readability. That's it. Email me with no strings attached, no monetary exchange, just an author looking for honest feedback.
Bye for now.
Remember to subscribe for more relationship ideas that leave you happy and fulfilled.January 16, 2024
MORE IN 2024!
It’s going to be a cracker of a year!
The feedback from Beta readers for Love & Laughter has been well worth the wracking nerves of sending it ‘out there.’
They helped bring greater depth to the complexities of midlife love. This novella promises to shake up the world of midlifers from a mundane routine existence.
>> Critique readers will be requested in early March, so if you’d like to be part of the journey for Love & Laughter just comment below or send me an email headed Critique Reader to: elora.canne@gmail.com
What I read in the holidays:Just two books, which felt so luxurious to slowly languish through. Both were stories that required that leisurely reading pace, not the fast pace of an edge-of-your-seat story.
The books in question? The Island of Missing Trees by Elif Shafak.
Touching on love, both young and midlife, culture, ancestry and nature, this story comprises everything I value. Beautifully narrated dual timelines converge seamlessly like a perfectly choreographed ballet. Just stunning.
The second book in question? The Garden House by Marcia Willett. She and I have the following things in common - Marcia Willett Instagram PostFavourite quote:
Human relationships are never straightforward.
Non-Fiction News:I love getting a ‘behind-the-scenes’ look at an author’s life whose work I have read. It adds a scintillating layer of interest to the author. You can read about my conversation with author Danielle Corrie, here: In conversation with author Danielle Corrie
Writerly News for the Year Ahead:I’m delighted, nervous, thrilled and intimidated to have started a writing group at our local library.
I’ve never belonged to a writing group before, let alone headed one. But the opportunity presented itself and if you know anything about me by now, you’ll know that I jumped right in, feet first!
If you’re local to MidCoast NSW and would like to join us, comment below or send an email with the header Writing Group to: elora.canne@gmail.com
That’s it from me. I have some fabulous reads from my cozy online author community that I cannot wait to get stuck into. Stay tuned and stay loved up, full of laughter, and happily ever after 😍
Feel free to comment below with your reading recommendations. Remember to subscribe for more reader/writer happenings: Creating Sparks that Last BLOG Sign Up Form
Elora Canne - En Route: The Best is Yet To Be
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December 17, 2023
Holidays/Family/Self Balance
However you celebrate and enjoy the festive season, may you strike the perfect balance between fun with family and friends and peace and harmony within.
On that note, I am seeing the year out with my final blog post. In this post I have two polar opposite book reviews, yet both equally important in defining our relationship with ourself and others.
Goodbye Again: A memoir by Candace CahillCandace almost started her life as a young adult on the wrong foot. She made a decision almost entirely alone, that would have resounding aftershocks on her life.
Candace chose to provide her baby with a better life by opting for adoption. She agonized over the decision with minimal help and clung onto every update she received of her baby until the updates stopped completely.
By this stage, Candace had met a partner who supported her better than she could have imagined, since hiding her shame from the world previously. This more mature love, as compared to her previous unstable teenage love, provided the foundations for Candace to heal and grow.
Candace's healing journey was helped along with her writing as well: The writing proved cathartic in that it helped me explore my feelings and triggers to find patterns and ... to share my grief and insight ...
It is my belief that the deeper we know ourselves, the better our relationships with others will be. The other take away from the quote above is Candace's fulfillment in the knowledge that she was helping others; this provides us with a sense of community and belonging, another vital component to fulfillment.
Candace learnt to show herself compassion and one of the biggest tips I gained from reading her memoir is that we can both regret a decision and know it was the right one, at the same time. A mindshift worth its weight in gold.
It's a five star review from me and you can find Candace's details and her memoir information at the following link:
Instagram: Candace Cahill
***
I moved onto a lighter fiction after such a deeply affecting story, and though it was fiction, this story too, had comparisons between teenage love and mature love; just my kind of read.
If Only You Knew by Stefanie CastroThis isn't love. This can't be what love feels like because I thought what we had was forever. Love should feel like you're soaring...
We are swept into Becca's life as the new kid at school, where she is embraced by her new bestie almost immediately. She soon becomes entangled with the debonair Shane who reassures her, and her mother!, that he will be Becca's boyfriend before the end of the year.
He holds true to his 'promise' and their teenage love story is one we all wish for and swoon over...until it isn't.
Shane goes back on his promise of their 'forever' story and breaks Becca's heart beyond repair.
We fast forward through their adult lives until a chance encounter sees them face-to-face. This is where the twists and turns take you on an even steeper rollercoaster ride. The author takes us along their journey's individually in both present day and in flashbacks to their teenager years. The misunderstandings are revealed to us in intricate detail and we are led to the moment when the biggest plot twist is revealed.
I loved the transition from teenage to adult love with the insights and wisdom that come with the experience of a life well lived.
Becca gives us a glimpse of what she hopes for in a relationship by observing her parents: I loved watching my parents interact. They had this bond, this love, that had me looking at the stars at night and pleading for me to feel that one day in my future.
Will Becca find this love for herself? You'll have to find out at the link below.
I'm giving this book a four star review purely because it's hot and spicy and a little more than I expected. However, it is a tale of true love through the ages and an endearing one at that.
Instagram: Stefanie Castro
***
Elora Canne is a relationship writer who strives to highlight stories that strengthen the bond between couples, families, friends and even one's self.
Her memoir, En Route, is available on Amazon in paperback and ebook format at the following links:
Paperback: EN ROUTE Paperback
eBook: EN ROUTE eBook
Merry Christmas everyone!Remember to subscribe for more relationship ideas that leave you happy and fulfilled.
December 6, 2023
Emotive Book Reviews
Welcome to book recommendations that'll both surprise you and touch your heart.
I put a call out towards the end of November for anyone who wanted to highlight relationship connections in their books. I got a few more responses than anticipated and simply could not turn them away. They all blew me away with their raw energy. Which is why I'll be featuring these books in two parts.
Elora Canne
TEIDA'S STORY: Life Through the Eyes of a Dog by Danielle CorrieNot only is this an endearing tale of human kindness towards each other, but also a deeply affecting tale of loyalty from a dog's perspective.
Teida is a rescue dog who transforms the life of her new owner, Annie with a quiet knowing of mood and emotional needs. Teida also comforts close friends of Annie's with her gentle spirit of companionship and trust.
Written through Teida's perspective, the author has observed her behaviours and mannerisms closely, with the added nuance of studying Teida's needs in return. What results, is a fascinating life story of Teida as she engages with nature and the greater universe. We follow her as she ages and becomes more frail at which time, the life lessons turn inward towards the author as she grapples with Teida's frailty. Leaning on the lessons Teida has taught her from the loss of other's close to her, the author learns to trust her instincts and gains confidence in her decisions.
If you're an animal lover and enjoy narrative memoir, this book is for you. I would even go so far as to recommended it for tween readers.
For more details on where to find copies of Teida's Story, follow this link: Instagram Danielle Corrie
Chimnese Davids tells of her anguish through powerful poetry in a way that the reader can visualize and sense what she is going through.
As she takes us into the depths of heartache we glimpse flashes of hope when promises of faith emerge. We are lifted up in unison with the author while she slowly comes out of her despair to find small pleasures in her memories and small windows of brightness looking out into the future.
Filled with a deep understanding of human nature and the impact of relationships on one, Davids explores the hard questions of holding on and letting go, and the merits of both. She is a highly descriptive poet and one capable of taking the reader along with her for the ride.
For those who love immersive poetry and descriptive visualizations, this book is for you. Follow the link for details on where to find Chimnese Davids' work: Instagram: Chimnese Davids
The Yard: How a Horse Healed my Heart by Grace Olsen
It’s extremely rare that I reread any books, but this is one that I will return to time and again. Olsen draws on her personal experience as a first time mom to draw the reader into her world. A world of despair…until a chance encounter with a client turns the conversation to horses.
From there, we witness a wonderful emerging of the author’s sense of humour, personality and courage as she embarks on a mission to fulfill her life’s dream.
She begins to recall the wonder of horse riding from her youth and revisits the possibility as a busy working mom. Olsen develops a heartwarming bond with each of the horses entrusted to her, and she saves the best for last as she reveals her most important lessons from a horse that crept into her heart in a beautiful transformation of rider and horse connection.
Highly recommended whether horse lover or not, find more detail here: Instagram: Grace Olson Author
I hope you’re enjoying the build-up to the Festive Season.
I’ll see you on 18 December with our final book reviews for the year.
They are smashing reads so be sure to subscribe at the link for the reviews:
Creating Sparks Blog Sign Up Form
Keep smiling
Elora Canne is a relationship writer who explores the growth and longevity of relationships of all dynamics. Find her work here: EN ROUTE: A memoir of roadtrips and relationships
Remember to subscribe for more relationship ideas that leave you happy and fulfilled.
November 16, 2023
The Shape of Love
If you've been reading my blog posts for a while, you'll know that I focus on later-in-life love quite a bit. I feel that this kind of relationship is a transition stage that very often gets overlooked, so when I come across books that include seasoned lovers, or midlife lovers, I snap up the opportunity to devour them.
This month, I have 3 relationship-altering stories for you that will make you see love from a fresh perspective of youth through to maturity across a range of environments from castles to ghetto kids to small-town every day kids.
I'll start with the seasoned love in a castle story because it was on my tbr list the longest. I discovered the titles written by Jasmine Guillory when researching 'factual fiction' for my own writing projects. This one is called The Royal Holiday.
Royal Holiday by Jasmine GuilloryVivian is a single midlifer who is coaxed into going on holiday to England with her daughter, while she works on the Christmas wardrobe of the resident Duchess.Vivian almost instantly meets Mr Hot Chocolate, aka Malcolm who is the Queen's private secretary. On a small hiatus from work engagements, he offers to take Vivian on a tour of Sandringham House, the stables, the Victoria and Albert Museum and various posh restaurants for dinner; a veritable courting indeed!
Vivian is reluctant to let her feelings flow because of the short-term arrangement of such a friendship, however, she quickly realizes the deliciousness of having someone to talk to:
Someone to flirt with. Someone to laugh with. Someone - a male someone - who clearly enjoyed her company.
This passage truly struck a chord with me. How often do you get the opportunity to just chat back and forth freely with someone who is attentive to your every word; someone who listens without interruption and without agenda to amend or add their opinion to your own? Someone who simply allows you to be you.
Their relationship quickly becomes multi-layered as they both fall for each other and Malcolm invites Vivian to extend her holiday and, well, I'll leave you to find out the solution they arrive at.
The author expertly displays Vivian's insecurities as a woman out of her comfort zone, as well as Malcolm's uncertainty of entering the dating field once more. She unveils a depth of feeling as they both thrash out their thoughts openly with each other and discover the sweet comfort of being vulnerable in the confines of a trusting cocoon. Until they are thrust into unknown territory when Vivian's extended holiday comes to an end.
I've given this book a four star review, simply because there was just one scene with a tad too much spice for my liking. It was unexpected in this story of light humour and polite courting, so I just wanted to warn any unsuspecting clean romance readers like me.
Find out more info about Jasmine Guillory here: Instagram: Jasmine Guillory
💘I 'met' Jodi Gibson on the Facebook Group, Global Girls Online Book Club for her author of the day feature. Her stories immediately gripped me with strong female protagonists - she quotes: You have to consider who they are at the start of the book and how the story will change them...you need to know their flaws, emotional wounds, their fears which will all inform the story. I decided to start with her debut novel, The Memories We Hide.The Memories We Hide by Jodi GibsonLaura and Ryan meet as teenagers at school in the midst of exam stress, increasing freedom at social outings and a host or hormonal changes. Laura is riddled with anxiety when Ryan seems to lose interest in their relationship, until she discovers the emotional rollercoaster he was on, himself:
Hindsight and wisdom were no use to her teenage emotions...they were both young and afraid...compounded by emotions they couldn't understand.
As Laura matured and hindsight gave her the clarity she sought, she realised that she had been in love with the 'idea' of Ryan, of perfect young love. She came to appreciate the wisdom of knowing that 'real love' was deep under many layers of meaning. Real love was often overlooked for the shiny gem of young love...
The author's knowledge of psychology plays a big part in The Memories We Hide as she reveals the mental anguish often felt by youngsters who are too afraid to speak out for fear of ridicule. Gibson has systematically worked through the mental resolve of the characters in her book as she outlines solutions relatable to each, through the insight of her protagonist, Laura.
As to whether Laura finds her 'real love' or not, you'll have to find that out for yourself.
It's rare to find a story that follows the love life of a youngster through to adulthood, and while this isn't in what I would call the midlife category, it certainly is in the mature love category. The books value lies in the uncovering of love in its many shapes.
Five stars from me, but be aware that there are mental health issues discussed quite openly in the book.
Check out Jodi Gibson's info at the link: Instagram: Jodi Gibson
💘I want to be VERY CLEAR when I say that this next book is most definitely not a book about love in the sense of romance, but it is a book about misguided love, conditional/unconditional love and covers a lot of sensitive trauma. That said, Kirsty Jagger is an author of high esteem in my opinion as she digs deep to reveal the grit and tenacity of never giving up through it all.
Roseghetto by Kirsty JaggerAre you doing what's best for you? And not just you as you are today. But you in ten, twenty, thirty years from now. Are you on the right path to get you where you want to be?
Shayla's Pop is her mainstay and the author of Roseghetto, Kirsty Jagger, highlights the importance throughout the story, of having someone to talk to, to rely on, and the devastating effects when that void is not filled.
The story is harrowing for sure, but we start with the adult Shayla which has a softening effect on the trauma she went through, simply because we know she came out the other side, not unscathed, but free from the cycle in which she was raised.
We follow young Shayla through childhood as she struggles to understand the adult world around her, but ends up being the one offering sage advice to her mother: Trust you intuition. Our gut instincts are usually right. Advice she receives from a school counselor, and, thankfully, takes to heart.
Whilst this doesn't erase her past, it gives her the tenacity to believe in herself and we see a teenage Shalya start to stand up for herself, to speak out for herself and to wage war on those who have wronged her.
The story reminds us that we have options, that we can start small, start at the bottom of the ladder, but making a start is what it takes to get out of a rut you don't want to be in.
Five stars from me, but I would label this book a sensitive read. The redeeming factor of Roseghetto is the unbreakable bond between mother and daughter, even if it does come from the daughter relentlessly, unconditionally and steadfastly. We do, however, see glimpses of the wrath of a mother who's child has been wronged and is forced into a system against all common sense. In fact, I think that was my favourite scene, when Shayla's mom fought back for her. It felt like a pivot for Shayla too as she witnesses the sound of love in her mother's defense of her.
For more info, click this link: Instagram: Kirsty JaggerLet's lighten the mood with a touch of humour shall we? Some parents run a tight ship. I run a pirate ship. There is some swearing, some drinking, and a touch of mutiny from the tiny crew I created. Not my joke, credit unknown, obtained from Pinterest.
In all seriousness, you are the Captain of your own ship, so sail into your future with the confidence of a skipper who knows where they are going, just like our three protagonists as shown in the stories above.
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Elora Canne is a relationship writer who strives to highlight stories that strengthen the bond between couples, families, friends and even one's self.
Her memoir, En Route, is available on Amazon in paperback and ebook format.
