#BookReview ~ Have I Told You Lately by Beth Moran ~ @rararesources @BoldwoodBooks

Have I Told You Lately

One photo and a handful of letters can change everything.

About the Book:

Emmie Brown has always known she was adopted. Nellie Brown sacrificed everything to make their life together comfortable and, while not the most demonstrative or warm woman, Emmie never doubted her devotion. But, when Emmie finds a stash of letters and a hidden photo after her mother’s death, everything she has believed changes in an instant. And she won’t be able to rest until she finds the mysterious ‘G’ who sent the letters.

Emmie’s quest takes her to the breathtakingly beautiful Isle of Siskin and into the home of the gregarious, fiercely loyal Hawkins family. After an isolated and introverted life, the burst of colour and noise is overwhelming. But soon Emmie feels her heart begin to open, her mind begin to dream. And as her friendship with kind and gorgeous islander Pip Hawkins gets closer, endless possible futures draw into focus.

But the discovery of ‘G’s true identity will mean Emmie has to choose. One of her choices would mean revealing secrets hidden for decades, one could lead to happiness, but both will need Emmie to be braver than she’s ever been…

A truly uplifting, unputdownable, heart-warming and unforgettable read guaranteed to make you smile, read longer than you planned and punch the air with happiness at its beautiful ending. Perfect for all fans of Shari Low, Jill Mansell and Lucy Diamond.

My Review:

Have I Told You Lately is a fascinating novel about Emmie Brown. After her mom's death, Emmie finds a photo and letters that turn her world upside-down. The letters become Emmie's obsession and she strives to identify and locate "G" who authored those letters.

I really enjoyed Have I Told You Lately. The author wrote a very realistic book. The setting was wonderfully captivating. The characters were complex, fully developed, and likeable. I love the author's writing style and have loved everything I've read by Beth Moran. 

I was provided a copy of this book. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

My Rating:

Purchase Link:

https://mybook.to/haveItoldyoulately

Meet the Author:

Beth Moran is the award winning author of ten contemporary fiction novels, including the top ten bestselling Just the Way You Are. Her books are set in and around Sherwood Forest, where she can be found most mornings walking with her spaniel Murphy. She has the privilege of also being a foster carer to teenagers, and enjoys nothing better than curling up with a pot of tea and a good story.

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#Review ~ It Had To Be You by Beth Moran ~ @bethcmoran @rararesources @BoldwoodBooks #SecondChanceRomance

About It Had To Be You:

Growing up, sisters Libby and Nicky never knew who they’d find at breakfast.

Their parents fostered children of all ages, and although the girls loved playing their part in providing a safe haven, it meant that life was rarely peaceful.

Now as a single mother of two, Libby’s life is still anything but peaceful. In her work as an antenatal coach, as well as for the charity she and Nicky run for teenage mothers, Libby uses all the skills she learnt growing up surrounded by children. Her days are full, caring for her family, the mothers-to-be and the latest strays she has welcomed into her home. But in the dark of the lonely nights, Libby worries she’s falling apart at the seams.

One troubled boy and a reckless decision she made thirteen years ago still haunts her.

Two hearts that were broken, still not mended.

The time has come for Libby to look out for herself. As her family, friends and her community have known forever, Libby is one of a kind, and if she can just learn to love herself, she may be able to welcome back the love she let slip through her fingers.

Uplifting, heart-warming and irresistibly good for the soul, it’s impossible not to fall in love with a Beth Moran story. Perfect for all fans of Jill Mansell, Julie Houston, and Jenny Colgan.

My Review:

It Had To Be You is a wonderful second-chance romance. I loved reading about Libby and Jonah. The book has dual time periods - now and then, so the reader gets a story in real-time but also the lead-up to the reckless decision made by Libby all those years ago.

The author wrote a very realistic book with shaky family dynamics, and I found myself immersed in Libby and Jonah’s tale. The setting in the story was wonderfully described. The characters were complex and fully developed. I enjoyed the writing style of the author. The author wrote the book with plenty of emotion, passion, and realism. I enjoyed watching each character grow and work through some very difficult personal choices.

I was provided a copy of this book.

My Rating:

 

Purchase Link:

Amazon

Meet the Author:

Beth Moran is the award winning author of ten contemporary fiction novels, including the top ten bestselling Just the Way You Are. Her books are set in and around Sherwood Forest, where she can be found most mornings walking with her spaniel Murphy. She has the privilege of also being a foster carer to teenagers, and enjoys nothing better than curling up with a pot of tea and a good story.

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Lean On Me by Beth Moran ~ #Review ~ @bethcmoran @BoldwoodBooks @rararesources

Lean On Me

Beth Moran

From No. 1 bestselling author Beth Moran comes a story about family, friendship and community.

About the Book:  

As Faith tries on her future mother-in-law’s wedding dress in preparation for her own wedding, her tears are not of joy. The hideous frock is nicknamed ‘The Ghost Web’ by Faith’s best friend Marilyn, who can’t understand why Faith would even consider wearing it. But there’s a lot Marilyn doesn’t know about Faith – not the least of which is that Faith is just the latest of the names she has called herself.

Faith and her brother Sam survived a traumatic childhood which included having to change their names to hide from the past, but surviving has left scars. Faith’s generous fiancé Perry doesn’t just promise to be a partner, he offers freedom and security, and enough kindness to keep Faith squashing down any doubts on what ‘being in love’ really means.

It’s not until she meets an extraordinary group of women at the Grace Chapel choir, that things start to become crystal clear. As choir-leader extraordinaire, the indomitable Hester, holds a mirror up to her ragtag group of singers, all with their own burdens and insecurities, and teaches them to see how magnificent they are, so Faith can dare to dream of a future where she and Sam can stop running and she might even be ready to accept the love that she deserves.

Number 1 bestselling author Beth Moran is back with her trademark ingredients of wisdom and warmth, heartbreak and hearts soaring. Perfect for fans of Jill Mansell, Philippa Ashley and Jenny Colgan.

My Review:

Lean On Me is novel packed full of trauma, secrets, addiction, and survival. The novel is also packed full of hope, friendship, and healing. Faith and Sam are running from their horrific past. Their names may have changed but they are still haunted by murder, abuse, and addiction. Fortunately, Faith finds hope for a better life for both of them in her fiancé, Perry, and in her new friends at the Grace Chapel Choir. 

I enjoyed Lean On Me. The author wrote a realistic book with plenty of emotion on both ends of the spectrum. Their is sadness and despair, but also love and hope. The setting and world-building were well-crafted and wonderfully described. The characters were complex and fully developed. 

I was provided a copy of this book.

My Rating:

Purchase Link:

https://amzn.to/48PmnyF

Meet the Author:

Beth Moran initially worked as a biochemist and then taught antenatal classes before becoming an author. She loves to write contemporary women’s fiction set in and around Sherwood Forest, where she lives with her family.

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#Review ~ We Are Family by Beth Moran ~ @bethcmoran @rararesources @BoldwoodBooks

We Are Family

Thirty-three-year-old Ruth Henderson and her daughter Maggie have some hard choices to make. Following the tragic death of Maggie’s father, they are left with a mountain of debt and broken hearts. So, despite her vow never to return home after the fall-out from her teenage pregnancy, Ruth can’t see any option other than for the two of them to move back in with her parents.

Going home means many things – finally confronting her estranged father, navigating her mother’s desperate need to make everything ok despite the wobbles in her own marriage, not to mention helping a still-grieving Maggie to settle into a new school, find new friends, and stop expressing her emotions through her ever-changing hair colour.

What Ruth needs are friends, but she abandoned her childhood ones when she left all those years ago. Luckily for Ruth, they haven’t abandoned her. Slowly she lets herself be embraced by a group of women who have always had her back – even when she didn’t know it. And as the grief and shock recede, Ruth can even begin to imagine sharing her life with someone other than just Maggie – if Maggie will let her.

My Review:

We Are Family is a deeply emotional tale of life after loss. Going home was never in Ruth's plans but tragic circumstances dictated she uproot her and her daughter and move in with Ruth's parents. A mother who stays active to remain relevant and a father who avoids Ruth and Maggie. This is a wonderful, feel-good story.

The author wrote a very realistic book with shaky family dynamics and I found myself immersed in Ruth's tale. The setting in the story was wonderfully described. The characters were complex and fully developed. I enjoyed the writing style of the author. The author wrote a very realistic book with plenty of emotion, passion, and realism. I enjoyed watching Ruth grow and work through some very difficult personal choices.

I was provided a copy of this book to read.

My Rating:

Purchase Link:

https://amzn.to/469te5V



Meet the Author:



Beth Moran is the award winning author of ten contemporary fiction novels, including the top ten bestseller Just the Way You Are and #1 bestseller Let It Snow. Her books are set in and around Sherwood Forest, where she can be found most mornings walking with her spaniel Murphy. She has the privilege of also being a foster carer to teenagers, and enjoys nothing better than curling up with a pot of tea and a good story.

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Because You Loved Me by Beth Moran @bethcmoran @rararesources @BoldwoodBooks #Review #FourStars

Because You Loved Me

Marion Miller needs a fresh start.

Her childhood in Northern Ireland wasn’t easy, with a father who passed away when she was young and a mother who got lost in grief. Now grown-up and with family relations as tense as ever, Marion heads to England, to find out the truth about her father’s mysterious past – and hopefully an extended family who will love her as much as he did.

Scarlett Obermann runs a holiday park in Sherwood Forest with her daughter Grace, but what’s she’s best at is making people feel like they belong. With her merry band of waifs and strays, Scarlett welcomes Marion with open arms, and it isn’t long before Marion finally understands what it means to find a home.

As she tries to uncover her father’s story, Marion slowly blossoms, even daring to indulge in her crush on Reuben, the son of the Lord of the Manor, but she hasn’t quite out-run her past. And as Scarlett faces her own tragedy, it’s Marion’s turn to take care of everyone.

Because you can’t choose your family, but you can make your friends the family you choose.

This novel was first published as Making Marion.

My Review:

Because You Loved Me started off slow and I wasn't quite sure what to think. The heroine, Marion, had low-functioning anxiety. While others go through daily tasks smoothly and effortlessly, those with this type of anxiety shut down and have difficulty performing even easy, mundane tasks. I have high-functioning anxiety but I'm still affected by some of the same things as one does with low-functioning anxiety. Some of Marion's actions baffled me (not calling the police during specific events, among other things) and I found myself becoming detached. However, the story finally sunk its claws into and captivated me at about the 20% mark. 

I loved watching Marion blossom during her days at the holiday park. Scarlett took Marion in with open, unquestioning arms. She slowly encouraged Marion to engage in social settings that would normally send her running. In fact, Marion does that quite a few times. Marion is finally able to let people into her heart and make friends. This slow transformation makes it easier for Marion to talk to people, paving the way to her real reason for landing in Sherwood Forest. She lost her dad at a young age and wants to learn more about him and his family.

The setting and world-building were cleverly written and I (eventually) found myself immersed in Marion's tale. She gained a wonderful family in the secondary characters. I enjoyed the writing style of the author. The author wrote a very realistic book with plenty of emotion, passion, and realism. The characters were complex and fully developed. I enjoyed watching Marion grow and shed her childhood trauma. The trauma will never fully go away but her new life paves the way through the pain and opens her eyes to the life she deserves. 

I was provided a copy of this book to read.

My Rating:

Purchase Link:

https://amzn.to/3CQ0iTo

Meet the Author:

Beth Moran is the bestselling author of romantic novels including Christmas Every Day and Just The Way You Are. She regularly features on BBC Radio Nottingham and is a trustee of the national women’s network Free Range Chicks. She lives on the outskirts of Sherwood Forest.

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Book #Review ~ Let It Snow by Beth Moran #Romance @bethcmoran @rararesources

Let It Snow

Beth Moran

About the Book:

After the end of a long-term relationship, local weather girl Bea Armstrong has been avoiding her family, and their inevitable ‘I-told-you-sos.’ But with Christmas fast approaching, she is finally on her way home to Charis House, the school in Sherwood Forest that her mum and dad run in their old family home. And to top it all off, the insufferable Henry Fairfax – who her parents have always wanted her to marry – has also been invited.

Relief comes in the shape of a last minute interview for her dream job. There are just a few minor problems… The interview is in Scotland, Bea has no car, and the snow is falling already. The only solution is for Henry to drive her – could this Christmas get any worse…

But during an unforgettable two day interview, a stay in a log cabin and a nightmare journey through the snow, Henry turns out to be nothing like she thought. And when Bea’s first love and recent ex shows up, Bea has a difficult choice to make…

Purchase Link:

https://amzn.to/3xd0Mjw

Book Details:

ASIN: ‎ B09WTKZ8NB
Publisher: ‎ Boldwood Books
Publication Date: ‎ August 30, 2022
Print Length: ‎ 367 pages

My Review:

Let It Snow is a fun, romantic story. After 11 years, Bea Armstrong and her rock star boyfriend part ways. The breakup affects her more than she cares to admit and it's causing issues in her workplace. Given some time off, Bea heads home to her family in Sherwood Forest. All is not wine and roses there either, and fortunately, Bea's contacted for job interview...in Scotland...after a huge snowstorm...and she has to be there in about 8 hours or so.

Enter longtime frenemy Henry Fairfax. He's recently been hired on at the school run by her parents. He also appears to be spending Christmas with her family as well. When offers to take her to Scotland, she sets her annoyance aside. Henry surprises Bea during the 2-day live-in interview - he's nothing like she remembers. And then her ex returns.....

I really enjoyed this story. The author wrote a very realistic book with shaky family dynamics, a heroine who feels like no one approves of her career choice, and a slight love triangle. The settings in the story (Sherwood Forest and Scotland) were wonderfully described. The characters were complex and fully developed. I enjoyed watching Bea grow as a person and work through some very difficult personal and professional choices. 

I was provided a copy of this book to read.

My Rating:

Meet the Author:

Beth Moran is the bestselling author of romantic novels including Christmas Every Day and Just The Way You Are. She regularly features on BBC Radio Nottingham and is a trustee of the national women’s network Free Range Chicks. She lives on the outskirts of Sherwood Forest.

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Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bethmoranauthor

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Bookbub profile: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/beth-moran