Blog Tour: Spotlight and Review- Dreaming of Rome by T.A. Williams

Title: Dreaming of Rome

Author Name: T.A. Williams

 

Previous Books (if applicable): Dreaming of Venice, Dreaming of Florence, Dreaming of St Tropez, Dreaing of Christmas and Dreaming of Tuscany

 

Genre: Women’s Fiction

 

Release Date: 6th May 2019

 

Cover Image:

About the Book: 

Rome is where the heart is… The heartwarming read of the summer
Jo has had enough of handsome men. After a painful break-up, she’s decided she doesn’t believe in love.

Then, while on a professional trip to the magical city of Rome, she meets Corrado, a scientist and her brother-in-law to be, who doesn’t believe in love either. To him, it’s just a biochemical reaction. So what’s the problem?

Well, he’s gorgeous for a start, as well as charming, generous, intelligent and attentive, and she feels herself immediately falling for him, despite her new outlook.

The majesty of the Eternal City brings them ever closer together. But is their relationship doomed, or will love conquer all?

Heartbreaking and hilarious in equal measure, Dreaming of Rome is a joyous and uplifting read from T.A. Williams, perfect for fans of Holly Martin, Tilly Tennant and Jenny Oliver

My Review:

I absolutely love the way T.A.Williams writes. When you have one of his books you are guaranteed sun, amazing locations and total immersion in a different culture, language and customs.

Dreaming of Rome takes us to Rome and the surrounding areas via the adventures of Jo who is invited to her sister’s wedding and also to her gorgeous house.

Jo swears she’s over men after a disasterous breakup and another disasterous date during which I was cheering her on and hoping for the best that she found someone really worthy of her love. So, leaving London for Italy is pretty easy for her. Jo has a passion for butterflies and the butterflies were made so visual in the book, a unique characteristic.

Regarding love: Is Corrado the one for her? Or someone totally different? In true T.A. Williams style, of course there’s romance, lounging by the pool and mouthwaterring food as well as great company as well as not so great company. And there has to be a dog. Daisy was a real character and she stole the show on more than one occasion.

The premise is pretty simple, but T.A. Williams pulls the plot off with ease and takes the reader along to Italy (I could almost literally taste the ice creams and other food!) Food, romance, sun and fun, Dreaming of Rome is a laid-back book that really keeps the reader hooked.

A great addition to the Dreaming of……series which has already taken me to many locations.

It really helps that the author lived in various couuntries and has such a love of languages and culture because I always feel I learn some new vocabulary through the easy way the foreign language is woven into the text. This makes the books more enjoyable for me. I learnt some Italian for a year is but still learnt something new through this novel.

A perfect summer/ beach novel- or one for any time of year. Feelgood, and a wonderful pace.

Thanks to T.A. Williams for my ARC in exchange for an honest and voluntary review plus a space on the blog tour fot this title.

5 sun drenched stars

Links to Book:

Amazon (UK)

Kobo (UK)

Google Books (UK)

Apple Books (UK)

About the Author:

T.A. Williams lives in Devon with his Italian wife. He was born in England of a Scottish mother and Welsh father. After a degree in modern languages at Nottingham University, he lived and worked in Switzerland, France and Italy, before returning to run one of the best-known language schools in the UK. He’s taught Arab princes, Brazilian beauty queens and Italian billionaires. He speaks a number of languages and has travelled extensively. He has eaten snake, still-alive fish, and alligator. A Spanish dog, a Russian bug and a Korean parasite have done their best to eat him in return. His hobby is long-distance cycling, but his passion is writing.

Twitter: @TAWilliamsBooks

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Review: Lidl Tropical Summer Hand Cleansing Gel in Coconut Kiss

Lidl summer collection is back! It has a body lotion, body scrub tanning products lip balms and shaving products.
What I was really interested in this time around was the hand gel for those times when I am out in a restaurant and there is no adapted bathroom or also if wherever I am does not have one. Or, (as in the case of the adapted bathroom of the room we stayed in for the wedding) the height of the sink counter will not allow me to get near enough in my wheelchair to be able to use the sink and wash my hands.
 I also thought it would be great to have to be able to freshen up anytime anywhere and also it would be good for travelling.
The hand gel comes in three fragrances: Coconut Kiss, Tropical Fruits and Red Berries. 

 Being a coconut addict, I of course bought the coconut scented one. I bought two. 

The Coconut Kiss hand gel smells heavenly, just like a glass of Malibu rum and my hands felt soft when it was applied. The scent stuck around for a while afterwards which was a bonus.
 If there is one thing Lidl does well. It is tropical – scented products because of how authentic they smell. 

Verdict: 7/10

The product itself is a clear gel which is instantly absorbed into the skin and the fragrance is very nice. 
The packaging is a silicone bottle with a standard flip up cap lid. There’s also a loop to hang it where you want to and you get 50 mL in each bottle which is small enough to fit in any bag. 
It costs €1.99.

I think I would buy this again because of the product and the fun floral packaging  which is characteristic of the collection. The fragrance is gorgeous too.

This is not the first time that I’ve bought items from Lidl’s summer collection. Here’s my review of other products in the collection. 

Review: Lidl Cien BB Cream

This product was raved about a while ago by beauty bloggers everywhere so I naturally  snapped some up.

It’s not the first BB cream I have tried. I also used Garmier BB Cream and one by Rimmel in the past.

The Cien cream is available in 2 shades: Light Tones and Medium/ Dark tones. I chose the one for lighter skin tones because it seemed a better fit for my skin tone. The light shade is not as ghostly pale ivory  as many brands which is too light a shade for me but instead is a nice shade of nude.

Occasionally, I will choose medium tones but it depends on the contrast a product has with my natural skin tone.

The BB Cream has a medium thickness on a makeup sponge and is not watery at all like others but is firm and does not run when applied. I really like the soft texture and it is comfortable to wear and lasts all day.

As with other BB creams, this moisturises, hydrates and improves the appearance of your skin. It has SPF10 which is less than I usually choose but given it is only 2.99€ it is good. To raise the SPF protection of my skin I use a moisturiser with added SPF under the BB cream. This also helps my skin be ultra moisturised which is important especially in summer and winter but as I have combination skin I do notice some dry patches year round.

Verdict: 10/10

Review: Primark Bride to Be Perfume

When you plan a wedding, you have to think about the dress, invites venue and guests amongst a myriad of  other things.

For many brides, the perfume for the big day is very important too. I went through my perfume collection and had first thought I might use my Suddenly Madame Glamour, the Coco Chanel Mademoiselle dupe. But it and all my perfumes seemed too overpowering for a midday wedding in Spring and so I went on the Primark site to see what they had. 

Primark has a whole range of perfumes for this Spring and Summer and back then I saved many to my Pinterest board vowing to try them out during my next trip to Primark.

That’s what I did. Many were very watery and did not last even ten minutes on my skin. They had the Bride to Be perfume I had been lusting over because of its name and the cute frosted glass bottle.

I sprayed it on. It is a good size which fits into the palm of my hand well which helps me with grip while spraying. I’m not sure what the exact notes of the perfume are as there are never too many product details on the Primark site but to me the scent is clean and fresh, and floral like a white flower bouquet.

Staying power is excellent and a few sprays lasted me through my wedding celebration and well into the evening needing perhaps one “touch up” spray, not because it had faded completely but because I love it so much and wanted a stronger scent.

The bottle is frosted glass with a wedding ring motif in gold which is so cute. The size also helped with packing it away after our hotel stay so it is great for travel. I was worried the bottle might break but it is strong.

It has 20ml of product and over a month after the big day I am still using it and have a lot left. I’m glad I picked two bottles up.

In conclusion, I think Primark Bride to Be is a great perfume for the bride on her big day because it has a sophisticated scent that is long lasting, not overpowering or cloying. Best of all, it will not break the bank at just 2,50€ a bottle.

Verdict: 10/10 from me.

Blog Tour: This is Me by Shari Low

About the Author: 

 

Shari Low is the No1 best-selling author of over 20 novels, including One Day In December, A Life Without You, The Story Of Our Life, With Or Without You and her latest release, Another Day In Winter. And because she likes to over-share toe-curling moments and hapless disasters, she is also the shameless mother behind a collection of parenthood memories called Because Mummy Said So. Once upon a time she met a guy, got engaged after a week, and twenty-something years later she lives near Glasgow with her husband, a labradoodle, and two teenagers who think she’s fairly embarrassing except when they need a lift. For all the latest news, visit her on Facebook, twitter, or at http://www.sharilow.com

Follow Shari

 

Website: http://www.sharilow.com

Twitter: @ShariLow

Facebook: @sharilowbooks

 

About the Book: 

 

This is… Denise.

Married to Ray, her first and only love, Denise has never for one moment regretted putting the husband she idolised on a pedestal above everyone and everything else. But, after forty years of marriage, he is gone, leaving Denise to discover that their perfect marriage was fatally flawed. Now she faces a future alone, but first she must face the betrayals of the past.
This is… Claire.

The estranged daughter of Denise, the woman who put her husband before her children, Claire took the opposite path and devoted her life to raising her family, sacrificing her marriage along the way. With her teenage sons about to flee the nest, she realises she may have left it too late to find her own happy ever after.
This is the story of two women, both alone, both cautionary tales of one of motherhood’s biggest decisions.
Who is more important, your partner or your children? And what happens if you make the wrong choice?

 

Buy links:

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2VoQlEh

Kobo: http://bit.ly/2BV5VjD

iBooks: https://apple.co/2tEtVTw

Google Play: http://bit.ly/2IDfCJj

 

My Review: 

Wow, just wow! I was blown away by This is Me. 
Shari Low’s latest novel focuses on Denise and Claire, a mother and daughter both experiencing the loss of Ray, Denise’s husband and Claire’s father. He was everything to Denise and was often first for her in every situation. 
For Claire, he was much less important and her task was looking after herself and raising her two boys. Now teens, they are going off to uni soon. How will she cope without them? 
Things are fraught to say the least between her and her mum, but when one man provided the link that made you family, who do you turn to? How will each woman cope with the loss of Ray? Will they build bridges? 
This is Me was gripping, sad and fast paced and is an emotional rollercoaster. 
There are secrets, struggles and conflicts in what I think is a must-read/ listen. 5 stars. 
Thanks to Shari Low and Aria for my ARC in exchange for an honest review. I have reviewed many of Shari Low’s novels now and enjoyed them. I can’t wait for the next one!

Jeanna’s voice was barely audible over the noise of a loud sniff from her pal. ‘You definitely need to have sex. Or get your jaws clamped.’

Claire fired the wrapper at her. ‘And get a new friend,’ she retorted, holding her own. They both knew she didn’t mean it. This heady combination of brutal honesty, intolerance and underlying care was a very familiar dynamic. They’d been inseparable since high school, when Jeanna had lured her into the netball team with the promise that the football squad came to all their games and they’d find her irresistible. All Claire got was a new best friend who made her laugh, chafed thighs and a knock-back from the footie team’s star striker.

Over two decades later, their dynamic hadn’t changed much. Claire was the warm ying to Jeanna’s incredibly dry, frequently bitchy yang. Through the years, they’d survived everything that the world had thrown at them. Jeanna’s two divorces, followed by her enthusiastic embrace of the online dating scene. Health issues. Make ups. Break ups. A difference of opinion on almost every subject they’d ever discussed. Several career changes for Jeanna, until she had found her calling as a life coach – someone who lit fires under the buttocks of people who weren’t reaching their personal and career goals. Then there was Claire’s one failed marriage. The traumatic split at a time when she was at her most vulnerable. And her life as a single mother to two teenagers.

They’d weathered every storm together, triumphed over every crisis, right up to the point where one of them was sporting a disappointed duck face (Jeanna had overdone the fillers again) and the other was comfort eating retro, circle shaped chocolate biscuits.

Jeanna was still dwelling on Claire’s comment about getting a new best friend. ‘Good luck finding one as irresistible as me,’ she retorted, her Botoxed eyebrows trying their best to form an indignant arch.

‘You’re right. I’d miss the DEFCON level one bitchiness and judgement.’

Jeanna laughed, the pressure of pushing her cheeks outwards almost, but not quite, causing the abomination of a crow’s foot. ‘And my unlimited, but understated, adoration.’

Claire’s crows’ feet appeared as soon as she chuckled, ‘Yep, I’d be lost without that too.’

Her phone suddenly burst into life.

‘Oh thank G…’ she started, snatching it up, before her words drifted off and she was left open mouthed, just staring at the screen.

Jeanna leaned forward, curious. ‘Aren’t you going to answer it?’

‘No.’

‘Why not? Is this some maternal lesson you’re trying to teach him? Only, you’re cutting off your nose to spite your face there.’

‘It’s not Jordy.’ Claire’s words were low and could barely be heard over the repetitive ringtone.

‘Who is it?’

‘It’s my… my mother.’

Her mother. It had been many years since she’d seen that name flashing on the screen and even the thought of that woman made Claire’s throat tighten. It had been Claire’s choice to remove her mum from her life, but there had been no argument from the other side.

Her gaze returned to the phone for a few more seconds. Then Claire pressed the red button and rejected the call.

Follow Aria
 
Website: http://www.ariafiction.com
Twitter: @aria_fiction
Facebook: @ariafiction

Instagram: @ariafiction

Sunday with a Sassy Shopaholic: Review of Babaria Olive Oil Body Milk.

This body milk has olive oil and vitamin E as its main ingredients. It’s extremely hydrating and keeps my skin hydrated and flexible. It protects skin from environmental damage. I love products with 
olive oil and also vitamin E, this is my go-to budget body milk. I have used 4 bottles so far.

On the first use, I was concerned that the texture would be very thin and that I would be disappointed with skin that was not as hydrated as I wanted and needed it to be, but  the texture is comparable with many more expensive body lotions like Dove or Revlon. It is quite thick so does need some spreading but absorbs well.

My skin can get quite dry and sometimes itchy. I always find immediate relief from this and it has a subtle pleasant olive smell to it. It leaves my skin incredibly soft and has 400ml of product so for just 1€ it’s excellent value for money.

I love it because of the scent that is not overly strong, the size and price of the product. The packaging is sturdy and the lid is a flip up lid that does not allow any product to leak out.

I highly recommend this body milk Verdict: 10/10

I bought 2 bottles this week so have enough for a while. A bottle lasts me at least a few months.

Review: Aveeno Daily Moisturising Lotion

Formulated with naturally active colloidal oatmeal, this fast absorbing lotion is clinically proven to significantly improve the condition of dry skin in just 2 weeks. 

I used some samples of this today and each sachet was 10ml but was quite large with very little product. 

The cream is a light brown colour and fragrance free. It felt sticky for hours afterwards, something I did not like but it calmed my dry skin very well. 

Verdict: 4/10