romance

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Love Returned (Life and Loves of Elizabeth Simmons, #2) by Margaret Lynette Sharp #BookReview @MargaretLynett1

 

The author sent me an ARC of this book (mobi format) in exchange for an honest review.

My rating:  ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

Plot
(by Goodreads)

Four years have passed since Elizabeth left Australia’s shores, to live on a Scottish sheep farm run by her husband, Tom. As newlyweds, they faced a period of adjustment, but their love for each other kept them close. When Elizabeth’s father sustains life-threatening injuries, her sense of care and duty compels her to return to the land of her birth, leaving Tom behind to hold the fort. What unexpected complications will fate thrust into her life? How skilfully will she play her hand? Will Edward, her wealthy, former admirer, succeed as he tries to woo her away from her husband, to be with him and his daughter in their magnificent home?

Genre(s): Books
> Romance > Historical > 20th Century
> Romance > Clean & Wholesome
Kindle Store
> Kindle Short Reads > 90 minutes (44-64 pages) > Romance
Series: Life and Loves of Elizabeth Simmons, #2
Length: 52 pages
Release date: 2017-03-07

 

Teaser

“That’s a shame. I thought with your being married and living away, the situation might have altered – especially given your father’s hospitalisation.”

“I had hoped for a change, too, but her attitude seems inflexible. At least, I won’t be under her roof for long: well, I hope not, anyway. It depends on how Dad is faring, and how well Tom is coping without me.”

My Opinion

This book brings Elizabeth back to Australia to check on her father who is in a serious condition.

With Love Returned, Margaret Lynette Sharp provides us with a romantic novella about Elizabeth, whose sense of duty lets her temporarily leave her husband back in Scotland to check in on her father. Four years back she married Tom and moved to Scotland, glad to flee her mother’s negativity. It is obvious that her mother has not changed – not only because her former admirer, Edward, wants to spend time with Elizabeth. Once again, the readers find themselves in Australia of the 1950s, including the mindsets of that era. Romance is not my typical genre, therefore I really like that this novella is not a hard-core romance. This book has a story to tell and gives a good insight in Elizabeth’s feelings; she has matured. The story is touching, has ups and downs; I felt reminded of expertly applied watercolours. I hoped the best for Elizabeth; she is a very likeable character. The characters are real enough to be family members, friends or acquaintances. I had a good time reading Love Returned; it would be nice to see it on television, one day.

This is for you if you like romance with a background story and some surprises, and shorter reads.

In brief:

Cover ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
Writing ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
Plot ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
Characters ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
Mood Light-hearted
Pace Steady
POV First person – past tense
Language :mrgreen:
Violence :mrgreen:
Sexual content :mrgreen:

 

About the author

Margaret Lynette Sharp is an award-winning writer, and the author of #1 Amazon Best Seller, ‘Longbourn Revisited’. Her work was highly commended during the 2014 Hurstville Discovery Festival of Community Arts, and published by Hurstville Council in an anthology entitled ‘Write Out Loud’. In November 2015 she won a Second Prize, again in the short story section of this same competition, and her title, ‘More Than a Mere Bagatelle’, has been selected for inclusion in another anthology, ‘The Art of Writing’.

She spent her early years in an inner city suburb of Sydney, moving with her family to a leafy, outer suburb at the age of ten.

A self-motivated student who loved to seek out information, she matriculated just before her eighteenth birthday. Her enthusiasm for literature led to further studies, with a particular focus on Short Story Writing.

Shortly after the death of her elderly mother whom she cared for, Margaret met and later married Ronald Sharp B.E.M., the creator of the Sydney Opera House Grand Organ. She believes that, without doubt, he is her greatest fan and motivator.

Excelling in English himself, Ron has edited much of her work.

Connect with the author:

Please take a look at my statement on reading in My train of thoughts on …reading.  Now I am asking you.  🙂

My questions for you bibliophiles:
What about you?  What did you think about Love Returned?  Or – if you did not yet read Love Returned – are you now interested in reading it yourself?

I am looking forward to reading your comments.  🙂

Review – Love Denied

10 Statements – Margaret Lynette Sharp

 

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Charlotte’s Lance and the Round Fable by Margaret Lynette Sharp

charlottes_lance

 

The author sent me an ARC of this book (mobi format) in exchange for an honest review.

My rating:  ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

Plot
(by Goodreads)

Almost on the eve of her nineteenth birthday, Charlotte – the daughter of a wealthy property developer – starts to date handsome, ambitious, fellow university student Lance. Trouble brews when Lance throws his weight behind an environmental cause that’s in direct opposition to the plans of Charlotte’s father. Will Charlotte follow her heart, or succumb to the demands of her family?

Genre(s): Teen & Young Adult, Romance
Series: n.a.
Length: 66 pages
Release date: 2016-07-29

 

Teaser

“Why do you say that, honey? Why would you want to disclaim kin with one of the wealthiest developers in the State, even if he’s hell-bent on destroying a pristine sanctuary for some of the most rare and endangered species in Australia?”

My jaw fell open. “I… I don’t know anything about that…”

“Fair enough… I don’t s’pose the subject makes for polite discussion around the dinner table.”

My Opinion

This book introduces you to 18-year-old Charlotte. She is in love with Lance – a guy her father wouldn’t really approve of.

With Charlotte’s Lance and the Round Fable, Margaret Lynette Sharp has created a romantic novella for teens and young adults. Once again, the readers find themselves in Australia of the 1950s, including the mindsets of that era. Romance is not my typical genre, therefore I really like that this novella is not a hard-core romance. It is a very appealing read as it covers a controversial issue that is as important as it was then: profit versus environmental protection. Margaret Lynette Sharp draws you close to the protagonist and the topic at hand while the story evolves. I was drawn relatively close to Charlotte and her dilemma, silently encouraging her to do the right thing. The main characters are of sufficient depth, believable in their actions.

This is a book for you if you like young adult romance and are interested in environmental protection.

Recommended.

In brief:

Cover ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
Writing ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
Plot ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
Characters ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
Mood Light-hearted
Pace Steady
POV First person – past tense
Language :mrgreen:
Violence :mrgreen:
Sexual content :mrgreen:

 

About the author

Margaret Lynette Sharp is an award-winning writer, and the author of #1 Amazon Best Seller, ‘Longbourn Revisited’. Her work was highly commended during the 2014 Hurstville Discovery Festival of Community Arts, and published by Hurstville Council in an anthology entitled ‘Write Out Loud’. In November 2015 she won a Second Prize, again in the short story section of this same competition, and her title, ‘More Than a Mere Bagatelle’, has been selected for inclusion in another anthology, ‘The Art of Writing’.

She spent her early years in an inner city suburb of Sydney, moving with her family to a leafy, outer suburb at the age of ten.

A self-motivated student who loved to seek out information, she matriculated just before her eighteenth birthday. Her enthusiasm for literature led to further studies, with a particular focus on Short Story Writing.

Shortly after the death of her elderly mother whom she cared for, Margaret met and later married Ronald Sharp B.E.M., the creator of the Sydney Opera House Grand Organ. She believes that, without doubt, he is her greatest fan and motivator.

Excelling in English himself, Ron has edited much of her work.

Connect with the author:

Please take a look at my statement on reading in My train of thoughts on …reading.  Now I am asking you.  🙂

My questions for you bibliophiles:
What about you?  What did you think about Charlotte’s Lance and the Round Fable?  Or – if you did not yet read Charlotte’s Lance and the Round Fable – are you now interested in reading it yourself?

I am looking forward to reading your comments.  🙂

 

 

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Whatever it Takes by Margaret Lynette Sharp

Whatever_it_Takes

 

The author sent me a copy of this book (mobi format) in exchange for an honest review.

 

My rating:  4  of  5  stars

Plot
(by Goodreads)

Although the London of the early 1950’s holds its attractions, and love is blossoming between Lisa and her fellow trainee schoolteacher, Liam, Lisa stills nurtures resentment towards her Dad, who exiled her there from Sydney, leaving her in the care of her grandmother six years before.

But when the widowed father who abandoned her announces that he will be marrying again — this time to his flighty secretary, Eleanor — he asks Lisa to return to Sydney to be a bridesmaid. How will Lisa deal with this, given the likelihood of her once again meeting up with her first love, the newly-separated, handsome Josh? What other complications will life dish out to her?

 

Genre(s):  Romance

Series:  –

Length:  88 pages (print version)

Release date:  2015-08-20

 

Teaser

“Dad! Gosh, I didn’t know…” I babbled, moments before he gave me a hug.

“Surely you didn’t think I’d miss your twenty-first birthday, princess,” he continued, grinning as though he was a proud father.

 

My Opinion

Whatever it Takes introduces you to Lisa. Lisa is in love with Liam, hoping that he returns her feelings. The story is told in first person, Lisa’s point of view.

With Whatever it Takes, Margaret Lynette Sharp has created a love story, taking us first to London, then to Sydney in the early 1950s. Whatever it Takes is the story of a young woman, finally having a promising relationship in London; being obliged to be her widowed father’s bridesmaid in Sydney.  I was drawn into the story, as an invisible friend. Whatever it Takes is a good read for romance fans, who like to read novella length stories and appreciate being taken on a journey to the 1950s.

Please note that this is not one of my typical genres. Despite that, I consider this book a very pleasant and/or relaxing read.

In brief:

Writing Good
Plot Some twists
Mood Hopeful
Pace Steady
Characters Developed
Violence No violence
Sexual content No sexual content
POV First person

 

About the author

Margaret Lynette Sharp is an award-winning writer. Her work has been highly commended during the 2014 Hurstville Discovery Festival of Community Arts, and published by Hurstville Council in an anthology entitled “Write Out Loud”.
She spent her early years in an inner city suburb of Sydney, moving with her family to a leafy, outer suburb at the age of ten.
A self-motivated student who loved to seek out information, she matriculated just before her eighteenth birthday. Her enthusiasm for literature led to further studies, with a particular focus on Short Story Writing.
Shortly after the death of her elderly mother whom she cared for, Margaret met and later married Ronald Sharp B.E.M., the creator of the Sydney Opera House Grand Organ. She believes that, without doubt, he is her greatest fan and motivator.
Excelling in English himself, Ron has edited much of her work.
To date, Margaret has fourteen titles available.

 

Connect with the Author:

 

Please take a look at my statement on reading in My train of thoughts on …reading.  Now I am asking you.  🙂

My questions for you bibliophiles:
What about you? What did you think about Whatever it Takes? Or – if you did not yet read Whatever it Takes – are you now interested in reading it yourself?

My question for you cinephiles:
If Whatever it Takes was filmed – who should direct it, who could you imagine as actors?

I am looking forward to reading your comments.  🙂

 

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Sisters and Rivals by Margaret Lynette Sharp

Sisters_and_Rivals

 

The author sent me a copy of this book (mobi format) in exchange for an honest review.

 

My rating:  4  of  5  stars

Plot
(by Goodreads)

It’s the early nineteen fifties, and the nascent romance of two young Sydneysiders is about to be challenged. The heroine, Linda, is being courted by an ambitious young carpenter named Harry. Seemingly without effort, he passes the scrutiny of her parents and they encourage her alliance with him. Trouble brews, though, when her sister Tessa lays eyes on him and, despite her engagement to a young accountant, makes her feelings abundantly clear. Will Tessa’s overtures ruin the fledgling love between Harry and Linda?

 

Genre(s):  Romance

Series:  –

Length:  123 pages (print version)

Release date:  2015-06-19

 

Teaser

“Don’t let him think you’re anxious, dear. You’ll scare him off… Mum counselled. I saw a little worry line appear, though, on her brow.

“I won’t…I mean, I’m not,” I faltered, hurrying to open the door.

 

My Opinion

Sisters and Rivals introduces you to Linda and her sister Tessa. Linda is in love with Harry, hoping that history is not going to repeat itself. The story is told in first person, Linda’s point of view.

With Sisters and Rivals, Margaret Lynette Sharp has created a love story, taking us to Australia in the early 1950s. Sisters and Rivals is the story of two very different sisters: Linda has lost boyfriends to her sister Tessa; Tessa’s fiancé is Linda’s former boyfriend. Slowly but surely, the author reveals more of the siblings’ character traits. I was drawn into the story, holding my fingers crossed for Linda. Sisters and Rivals is a good read for romance fans, who like to read novella length stories and appreciate being taken on a journey to the 1950s.

Please note that this is not one of my typical genres. Despite that, I consider this book a very pleasant read.

In brief:

Writing Good
Plot Some twists
Mood Hopeful
Pace Steady
Characters Developed
Violence No violence
Sexual content No sexual content
POV First person

 

About the author

Margaret Lynette Sharp is an award-winning writer. Her work has been highly commended during the 2014 Hurstville Discovery Festival of Community Arts, and published by Hurstville Council in an anthology entitled “Write Out Loud”.
She spent her early years in an inner city suburb of Sydney, moving with her family to a leafy, outer suburb at the age of ten.
A self-motivated student who loved to seek out information, she matriculated just before her eighteenth birthday. Her enthusiasm for literature led to further studies, with a particular focus on Short Story Writing.
Shortly after the death of her elderly mother whom she cared for, Margaret met and later married Ronald Sharp B.E.M., the creator of the Sydney Opera House Grand Organ. She believes that, without doubt, he is her greatest fan and motivator.
Excelling in English himself, Ron has edited much of her work.
To date, Margaret has thirteen titles available.

 

Connect with the Author:

 

Please take a look at my statement on reading in My train of thoughts on …reading.  Now I am asking you.  🙂

My questions for you bibliophiles:
What about you? What did you think about Sisters and Rivals? Or – if you did not yet read Sisters and Rivals – are you now interested in reading it yourself?

My question for you cinephiles:
If Sisters and Rivals was filmed – who should direct it, who could you imagine as actors?

I am looking forward to reading your comments.  🙂

 

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Chez Stinky by Susan C. Daffron

Chez Stinky by Susan C. Daffron

Chez Stinky
by
Susan C. Daffron

My rating:  4  of  5  stars

Disclaimer:  I received a free eBook of Chez Stinky from Story Cartel in exchange for an honest review.

Plot
(by Goodreads)

Kat Stevens is a slightly insecure, mostly bored technical writer who likes her cat a lot more than her boss. She hasn’t laid eyes on her great aunt Abigail since she was eight, so she’s stumped when she inherits Abigail’s house in the small hamlet of Alpine Grove.

Kat’s uncomplicated life gets decidedly less so when she discovers the inheritance comes with some hairy conditions: four dogs and five cats that her aunt wanted her to love as her own. Of course, the house smells like a barn–with a touch of antique skunk–and, naturally, has serious roof issues. And that’s before the three-legged cat gets stuck in the wall and the shower goes kablooey.

When Kat meets Joel, an unemployed techie type with no love lost for his sister, Kat looks past his obvious flaws, given his timely and desirable skill set: a talent for fixing things (and his own tools).

Despite out-of-control dogs, cat fights, dust dinosaurs, massive spiders and an old grizzled hippie passed out in the yard, Kat discovers the tranquility of the forests of Alpine Grove starting to seep into her soul.

And why she can’t she stop thinking about Joel?

My Opinion

It is true:  This is normally not my genre.  However, I really liked the story’s evolution right from the start. I was unable to put my eReader down.  😉  All characters are very realistic and fit perfectly into the plot. Kat is a nice young woman, a little insecure, though. At Alpine Grove she enters unknown territory, facing difficulties she wouldn’t ever have imagined: how to keep a dog from going AWOL, how to save a cat from behind a wall, how to… No. I won’t tell you more. This would spoil the fun for your reading it yourself.

Now I am waiting for the next book in the series about Kat, Joel, and Alpine Grove – I just need to know what is going to happen next.  🙂

Susan C. Daffron (http://www.chezstinky.com/) is the author of one novel (Chez Stinky) and 14 non-fiction books, including several about pet care and animal rescue. She lives in a small town in northern Idaho and shares her life with her husband, two dogs and a cat—the last three, all “rescues.” Chez Stinky is the first of a series of romantic comedy novels that will feature the town of Alpine Grove.

A must read for all those who enjoy a little romance, respect nature. like hilarious situations.

I am looking forward to reading more of Kat’s and Joel’s life in Alpine Grove.

My statement on reading is described in My train of thoughts on …reading.  Now I am asking you.  🙂

My questions for you bibliophiles:
What about you?  What did you think about Chez Stinky?  Or – if you did not yet read Chez Stinky – are you now interested in reading it yourself?

I am looking forward to your comments.