A Very Accidental Love Story * Claudia Carroll

A Very Accidental Love Story by Claudia Carroll

Eloise Elliot is one of the youngest newspaper editors in the country. Respected and revered by her peers, she’s at the top of her game.

But, on the eve of her thirtieth birthday, finding herself surrounded by some pathetic looking balloons and mangy sandwiches in The Daily Post’s conference room, Eloise is hit but a long sharp pang of loneliness.

Fast forward three years and she's a loving mother to a beautiful little girl. Yet it’s when Lily starts asking about her ‘daddy’ that Eloise really starts to panic. What will she tell her?

Eloise Elliot has hit a turning point in her life, she's hit the big 30 and whilst she's stood in her office on her own, surrounded by sandwiches, cake and balloons she realises that she's more lonely than she thought. 

Three years later Eloise has a Lily, her beautiful little girl who's ground she worships, but being the only person in her life she barely gets to see her little princess. Her job at the post has become more and more demanding over the past couple of years which means she only ever gets to see Lily when she's fast asleep.  

Though when Lily starts asking questions about her father, Eloise doesn't know what to say. How can she? "Your father was a donor" doesn't really fit the bill. Soon Eloise is on the case to track down the man she chose for her precious little girl, though just how tough can it be? 

Jake Keane has had his fair share of bad luck over the past three years, he's been in and out of dodgy situations and has now had to pay the price over the last two years, though when a woman comes to visit him, close to his parole date, he's in luck.  

With a spring in his step Jake takes on the world with a new found sense of positivity, he has a job which he's worked hard for, a lovely rented apartment and a new great friend Eloise. Though he still can't shake the feeling that she's up to something, he can't understand why she would bother with an ex-con let a lone in interested in anything that he does, so what is it that she wants? 

Soon Eloise has bitten off more than she can chew and she has to make the decision, is her job really worth it?

A Very Accidental Love Story by Claudia Caroll, is the first book I have read by this author. I remember Mr. B buying it me for Christmas one year and it took me ages to get around to reading it.  

I'll be honest with you, I got to about the fourth chapter and I just couldn't be bothered to read it, it's not until halfway through the book that the story actually starts and things change. I found Eloise quite annoying and a few times sighing at her rather than with her.  

She's so driven by her work, which don't get me wrong I'm all for if someone has the drive and are really committed to what they want to do in life. But it seems to me that she only really had Lily (her daughter) because she was either bored or just didn't want to be alone. Yet, when she had her, nothing changed. She still did un-godly hours at work such as 16 hour days and never ever saw her little girl which I found sad and quite annoying. 

All she kept doing throughout the book was stating how much time she'd missed spending with Lily and how she wishes she could spend more time with her (This actually irritated me quite a bit) but yet, she still didn't give up her job to see her little girl, or at least cut her hours back, because simply put it, her job was still more important than her only child. 

I didn't mind Lily, it's just she came across as acting out all the time and seemed a bit spoilt and her mother just gave her everything she wanted, simply because Eloise probably felt guilty. 

I did however like Jakes character and he seemed to have a better way at approaching life, he really did try with Eloise and it worked out in the end, but she could of done it a lot sooner. The way she also tried to change him and mold him into some "perfect" father to suit her rather than Lily was really annoying also. He seemed a lovely guy, yet she judged him on his appearance, which I'm not fond of. 

All in all, the book was okay, it got better towards the end of the book and I did want to finish it more than when I had started it. Would I be reading anymore of Carolls books? I don't know, maybe not for a while, but I may revisit in the future. 

I will give this book a 4.5 out of 10

The Forever House * Veronica Henry

The Forever House by Veronica Henry

Hunter's Moon is the ultimate 'forever' house. Nestled by a river in the Peasebrook valley, it has been the Willoughbys' home for over fifty years, and now estate agent Belinda Baxter is determined to find the perfect family to live there. 

But the sale of the house unlocks decades of family secrets - and brings Belinda face to face with her own troubled past.

Belinda Baxter loves her job, she loves seeing a houses potential and being able to sell to the right person. But when she gets a call about a local home, one she knows that will be snatched up as soon as it goes onto the market, Belinda can't wait to see what the house holds inside.  

Hunter's Moon as been in Sally and Alexanders life for as long as they can remember, but when Alex is diagnosed with Motor Neuron Disease they both come to terms with the fact that they will have to sell their beloved home.  

Sally and Alexander soon start to go back in time and relive the memories they have shared throughout the house and their past, all the parties Alexander's mother had thrown to the time when they inherited the house.  

Belinda is lost for words when she finally steps inside the house, such a beautiful house and she feels a longing to do the Willoughby's proud as she tries to get the best offer but sometimes she can't always promise. As she is going through, she comes to terms with a few things herself and she starts to feel like she can enter into her old home and face the saddening truths that happened within the four walls of her beloved home.  

As we follow both Sally and Belinda, we are transported back through both lives and how both houses can have such an effect on our lives. Though sometimes, buying a house or trying to sell has a lot more meaning when you are completely in love. 

The Forever House by Veronica Henry is one of the most beautiful books I have ever read and I honestly mean that. I meant to do this book review last year and had it waiting, but I had completely forgot it was there.  

The book flits between the past and present and through both out the main characters lives, being Belinda and Sally. For Belinda, we find that the past wasn't so great to her and what really happened with her old home and how she will get over her past. 

Though with Sally, she reminisces on the times she met her now, ill husband Alexander. All the way back to when they we're young and the wild parties his mother used to host, to the time their got married and had their children. 

Both characters pasts are well written and they flow perfectly. At first, I'll be honest I was a bit confused as to what was happening but once I realised, I couldn't put the book down. It was such a joy to read, the way Henry has set the scene and the background on each character is just purely beautiful. 

I'm so happy that I picked this book up on a whim and I will be reading more of her stuff in the near future!

I will be giving this book a 10/10