I had the pleasure of meeting Lisa a couple of weeks ago as she was talking at The Sandgate Literary Festival. It was such a pleasant afternoon. What a lovely lady she is. So down to earth, no wonder she writes such great books. I bought Breaking the Dark, and I loved it. Very different to her normal style of writing, as she collaborated with…

This was so unbelievable that I just had to write about it! LOL I saw that a local place was advertising their festive lunches, so my friends and I thought we would book that for our December Christmas get-together. We had to pay a £5 deposit each. I  went to the bar to book. I was then told I had to book online, but after I book online, they can then take the deposit.

A few events are taking place in Sandgate this weekend, with some still having tickets available, so get in quick if you're interested. The children's events look excellent, and who doesn't like a couple of hours to chill with no questions, even if it is just to have a coffee in peace. I am loving the look of this. What a super way to spend Sunday afternoon with your family and friends.

PUBLISHED BY PENGUIN ON THE 31st JULY 202 Ruth Mancini is an author and criminal defence lawyer. Her background as a solicitor adds authenticity to her crime and psychological fiction. She has spent two decades representing those accused of crimes, navigating courtrooms and police stations. Her storytelling prowess and legal background combine to create thrilling reads that will keep you guessing until the very end.

CATHY BRAMLEY I write uplifting, heartwarming romance novels. My stories are about people I’d want to be friends with, characters my readers will root for. They are often ordinary women doing extraordinary things. I want my books to help readers find joy in everyday moments and to cherish life's unpredictability. I've been a lover of stories since I was tiny and used to beg my mum to take me to the library because I’d finished all my books and was desperate for new ones.

PUBLISHED BY AVON ON THE 31st JULY 202 Hannah Brennan lives in South East London, where she was born and raised. She studied English Literature at Durham University – alongside British Sign Language, which she uses in her role as a trustee for the Royal Association for Deaf People. After returning from the North East, Hannah has turned her love of pubs into a career, working in marketing and technology for many fantastic British hospitality brands.

 Published by Pan Macmillan Ltd This is a series of three books that went viral on TikTok, and I can see why now. THE FLOCK 19-year-old Cecilia has to go and live in the country with her father for a year, and then she will be given her inheritance, which she hopes to help her mother and pay for her college.

PUBLISHED BY AVON ON THE 25th JULY 2025 This book received a lot of publicity as the author was seriously ill in the hospital during its publication. Many authors, bloggers, and publishers shared the book on his behalf. I thought that was such a lovely thing to do, and I am sure it helped in his recovery, as he wouldn't have had to worry about his book launch.

My flowers are doing very well this year, with brilliant colours, such as the lilies. We have had gorgeous sunshine, so hopefully it will carry on for the school summer holidays. I have been a bit quiet lately, as when I went for my steroid injection in my hip, he scanned it. He said there was inflammation there, so no injection.

THE FESTIVAL FOR BOOK LOVERS AT HOME FARM GLAMPING, ALDERNHAM WD6 3AZ On Saturday, I went to a book festival. I had bought the ticket ages ago, so I watched with interest as they added more authors and events to this brilliant lineup. They had one last year, so this year was even better. This glamping ground was lovely, with numerous tents set up and ready for people to camp.

  I had a super birthday last week, with so many presents I felt truly spoilt, and I do love presents! I also had two meals out, one with friends for lunch at The Hungry Horse. Then for my birthday meal, we went to Mimosa, which is a new restaurant in Sandgate. I must say they have decorated this place so well, it is clean and fresh looking with lovely lights.

Published by Avon on the 19th June 2025 Stefanie London is the USA Today bestselling author of over twenty contemporary romances and romantic comedies. Stefanie’s books have been called “genuinely entertaining and memorable” by Booklist, and her writing has been praised as “Elegant, descriptive and delectable” by RT magazine. Her stories have earned accolades such as the RT Top Pick and have achieved bestseller status with USA Today and iBooks.

A couple of weeks ago, I took myself up to London on the coach with the Real Socialising group. Travelling by coach is significantly cheaper than taking the train, and it's ideal for me as I can simply sit and read my book. The other advantage is that you can go wherever you want, and my first stops were some of the bookshops.

PUBLISHED BY ‎SIMON & SCHUSTER UK Colleen Hoover is the #1 New York Times and International bestselling author of multiple novels and novellas. She lives in Texas with her husband and their three boys. She is the founder of The Bookworm Box, a non-profit book subscription service and bookstore in Sulphur Springs, Texas. This follows on from the best-selling novel, …

PUBLISHED BY RAVEN BOOKS ON THE 19th June 202 Katherine Faulkner is an award-winning journalist turned full-time writer. She wrote her debut novel, Greenwich Park, while on maternity leave with her first daughter and her follow-up, The Other Mothers, while juggling family life and work. She lives in London with her husband and three children. This was another excellent book, with super characters and it felt very true to life in the reactions of other people after this tragedy.

I cannot resist surprise book parcels! I mean, it is so good to get a parcel, but for it to be books, it is the best. I went for the crime package of used books. I asked for two books. I also got biscuits and two tubes of coffee, a postcard and a bookmark. I do get a lot of bookmarks.

And there we are halfway through the year! Summer to look forward to, and the holidays. Are you going away this year? I have already been to Spain, but I will be going again later in the year. It is also my birthday month, so I am looking forward to that and celebrating. Let's hope the next half of the year goes slower, especially the summer part.

I attended this art show the other day, mainly because it featured local artists. What a heap of talent we have hidden away in Folkestone! It closes tomorrow at 4 pm, so try to get along and have a look, they are also for sale, plus prints and cards. The choice is amazing with many colours to blend with your decor. Well worth a look!

I thought this looked so cute in the shop at the outlet in Ashford, so I made an impulse buy and bought it. I believe it was £30. The changing light colours at the bottom are gorgeous, and the main reading light has three settings, with the last one being very bright for reading. BUT, yes, there is a but. When the glitter light is on, it makes a humming noise, I guess because it is swirling the glitter about.

PURCHASED FROM LYDL 22nd MAY 2025 I came across these the other day in Lidl at Whitfield, Dover. I picked them up as I thought Enzo might like them, but my self and Kara tried them and they are very nice. You could have them on their own or add them to drinks for a mango flavour. They are also vegan-friendly, gluten-free, and lactose-free.

PUBLISHED BY NO EXIT PRESS ON THE 16th JANUARY 2025 Fiona McIntosh is one of Australia’s favourite storytellers across various genres, and her Jack Hawksworth character is regularly in the National Top 10. Originally born and raised in Sussex, Fiona is delighted to be bringing the Scotland Yard detective series, which has been optioned for TV, home for release in the UK during 2025.

PUBLISHED BY AVON ON THE 22nd MAY 2025 After completing a psychology degree, Alice Hunter became a prison intervention facilitator. There, she was part of a team offering rehabilitation programmes to men serving sentences for a wide range of offences, often working with prisoners who'd committed serious violent crimes. Previously, Alice was a nurse working in the NHS. She now puts her experiences to good use in fiction.

LUNCH REVIEW It was that time when the ladies that lunch meet up for their monthly get-together. I did not pop into the garden centre this time as I was told by Enzo I couldn't go without him. Today, we celebrated Sylvie's birthday. I won't mention her age, as we all look much younger than we are... lol. Most of us had the set lunch menu, which has increased in price, but it's still only £14.99 for two courses, which is not too bad.  

My new favourite drinks! I started with the Strawberry Lemonade and made it in a jug, then put it in the fridge. After topping it up with lemonade, it makes a scrummy drink. Perfect for sunny days in the garden and so refreshing. Not as elegant as their cold brew container, though. They sent me a sample of the Chocolate digestives, which I had hot, and the best thing is that you do not need any chocolate biscuits with it as it already tastes like them.