I Need a Hero by Emma Bennet
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
A lovely easy romantic read for anyone who's ever searched for the perfect man (and failed to find him!)
“If you read one romance novel this summer, choose “I Need a Hero,” it’s witty, fun, and completely addictive.” Ann Abrams
Romance writer Bronte Huntington has vowed she will never settle for anything less than ‘the one.’ When pleasant red-haired dentist Ryan moves in next door he just doesn't fit the bill. They have plenty in common but Bronte wants nothing more than friendship with him.
Then it looks like Bronte’s dreams have finally come true when dashing Sebastian Fairfax rescues her on his horse after she has an accident in the countryside around her idyllic little cottage. Sebastian is tall, dark, handsome, and heir to a massive country estate!
I have read a couple of Emma Bennets novels so far and I love the way she writes, very fluid and romantic. I knew from the beginning of this book there was going to be romance and to be honest I knew who with. That didn't matter though, I still enjoyed every minute of it.
Bronte lives at BlackBerry Cottage with her cat Mr Darcy. The cottage next door has been empty for some time. One night she notices the lights are on, Ryan is a dentist and the nephew of the woman who owns the cottage. Bronte doesn't find Ryan attractive, I mean he is a dentist, whenever was that attractive? But she does value his friendship and grows to enjoy having him next door.
Bronte writes about fairy tales, meeting a hero and living happily ever after. She wants that and hopes she will find her happy ever after. One day Bronte gets herself in trouble on some rocks and a dashing man comes to her rescue on a horse. Sebastian is perfect! Everything Bronte has ever wanted AND he is a lord of the manor in the village. Bronte cannot believe her luck!
This is such a sweet story, I love Ryan, he is loving, caring and a really good friend to Bronte. Camille, who is Bronte's best friend isn't in the book too much and I felt I didn't really get to know her until right at the very end. I think it would have been nice to know her better earlier on. For most of the book you just want to shake some sense into Bronte, her hero is right under her nose but she is just too stupid to see. Aiming for her ideal, when really they may not be right. I hated Sebastian, my hatred seemed to get stronger the further through the book I went and to be honest his parents aren't any better!
This story I am sure would make you think if you were single and maybe question what your interpretation is of a hero. Whether you may have one right under your nose but are looking else where.
I did enjoy this story and I would recommend it. I would like to thank the publisher for sending this in exchange for an honest review.
JUST DESSERTS: a romance novella you won't want to put down by Emma Bennet
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Leah is about to give up her job at a top restaurant to marry her fiancé Dan. Then Jean-Claude, a charming French chef, comes to work at the restaurant, and suddenly Leah’s world is turned upside down.
Does Jean-Claude offer a more exciting future than dependable Dan? And does Jean-Claude even really like her?
Find out in this gripping romance novella.
I have previously read Emma's other novel Green Hills of Home and loved it. I found the pace and suspense to be great and I also go that with this short story.
This is about Leah a young chef who is about to marry the love of her life and her childhood sweet heart. Her fiance has ideas about how their life together is going to be and suggests moving out of London and into the country. Leah goes along with this but it seems she is the only one who is going to be missing out. On announcing her resignation at the restaurant she works in, it doesn't take long for the manager to advertise her position and he expects her to train her successor.
What will Leah do when a gorgeous, talented chef turns up to replace her?
The story is a little predictable but being so short this was something I expected. I really enjoyed the story and cared about the characters. Emma is a brilliant author who seems to be able to really capture the reader if her book is 55 pages long or 300 pages long.
I would have liked this to have been a little longer as I feel there was potential for this to be a full length novel. It was executed well though and I would recommend this to anyone who loves a good romance and has a busy life. Hey, everyone can fit in 55 pages!
I would like to thank Emma for this copy in exchange for an honest review.
The Green Hills of Home by Emma Bennet
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
'Gwen Jones, a young Welsh writer, is desperate to save the family farmhouse from being sold from under her critically ill mother and herself. When she lands a lucrative three-book deal with an eminent publisher, she thinks her problems are all over. However, Gwen's need to be near her sick mother means she’s unable to travel to London to work with her devilishly desirable editor, John Thatcher, and he must come and stay with her in Wales. Handsome and eminently capable, cosmopolitan John is used to getting his own way and has plans for the future which certainly don’t include being distracted by pretty Welsh girls; nevertheless when he journeys into the country to work with Gwen it’s not long before he finds himself falling in love with her, as well as the house she’s so anxious to save. But is John capable of loving anyone as much as his job? And when he has to decide between his goals and Gwen, which will he choose? 'The Green Hills of Home' - a sweet heart warming tale of duty, devotion and love.'
I would like to thank the author for sending me this in exchange for an honest review.
Gwen is a young author from Wales, and has arrived in London for a meeting with a top publishers in the hope of them offering her a contract. Gwen is staying with her cousin while in London and after hearing the publishers is going to offer Gwen not just one book contract but three, the girls go out to celebrate.
Unknown to Gwen, she meets her editor while out that night and when she lays eyes on him again at the publishers the next morning, she is a little bemused to why he doesn’t mention their encounter. Gwen hurries back to Wales to visit her mother in hospital as she is recovering from a stroke, her mother is over the moon to hear Gwen’s brilliant news.
All is not well at Gwen’s house and she is hiding a secret from her mum; she is afraid she is going to lose the house as she cannot afford it and no one will give her a mortgage.
John, Gwen’s editor gets in touch and asks her to return to London. Gwen has been upfront with the publishers about her situation with her mother and explains she cannot come back. John then makes the journey to Wales to help her sort her manuscript. But will everything be sorted?
This is a story of gentle romance and kindness, it makes you want to have your own John. I whizzed through this book in a matter of hours, Gwen is such a likable character that you want everything to turn out alright for her. All the characters in this book are likable and you generally want everything to work out. It is slightly predictable, but hey! This is a modern day fairy tale and I wouldn’t expect it any other way.
One thing that is never clear in the story is what is the book that Gwen has written? I would have loved to have known.
Once again I would like to thank Emma for sending me this novel to read and look forward to her next.
