Belinda JonesCritiques

Belinda was distraught, her boyfriend at the time, Nathan, had chosen his career in the US Navy over their relationship. Bodie was in a worse predicament though. Abandoned by his owner if he was not rehomed very soon then the animal shelter would have to euthanise him. Belinda didn’t think she could get any lower. They say that you should not rush into another relationship after a breakup and the same rules apply when getting a dog, but she needed some company. When applying online she had four options to say why she wanted a dog:

Playmate for family dog

Guard dog

Exercise motivator

Companionship

She thought long and hard before making her selection. However, she felt that she needed to try and turn this around and this was why she was standing in front of Bodie’s cage. All that was needed was a home visit and it was arranged for a few days later, and suddenly he was her responsibility.

It took a little while to get used to having a dog around the house as well as getting into the routine needed. She became really good friends with Molly and her dog, Winnie. The only problem was just as it happened she found out that Molly was moving to Portland, Oregon and she invited her to her home after she had settled in. A road trip seemed in order and it seemed the perfect opportunity to drop in at some doggy themed stops on the way.

It is a beautiful coastline to travel along and take in the views of the Pacific. Bodie is a gentle, friendly dog. And as well as a trip to see their friend, it is primarily a journey of discovery for them both, where their limits are and how they can fit in with each other. Letting him off the lead for the first time was a nerve-wracking experience. She manages to find hotels that accept dogs and begins to take the steps that she needs to get over her previous relationship, which she mostly does. Except on the way back home, the phone rung, and as she was busy doing something else, didn’t look at the caller. It was Nathan and he wanted to meet up again…

This is more of a personal memoir with an element of travel. You are not going to discover anything profound about this part of the world, rather it is a feel-good type of book. It is written in a chatty and upbeat style with some amusing anecdotes. Jones is honest with her feelings throughout the book, telling it just how it is. If you have read Me, My Bike and a Street Dog Called Lucy then this would be one you’d like.

I'm a big fan of Belinda Jones's books, mainly because they always have a travel theme and I love to be whisked away with my fiction. It's been a while since her last book but I was thrilled to see that she had a new one out, The Hotel Where We Met, and not only that, it has a time travel theme. Oh be still my beating heart. A travel fiction/time travel mix?! Perfect!

In this book we meet Chloe Sinclair. She's travelling to the iconic Hotel del Coronado in California to meet up with Ross, her late best friend James's former boyfriend. They're going to say goodbye to James at places that were important to him and Ross. Chloe is unlucky in love but something very interesting happens to her on the flight and she finds herself travelling back in time to try and match-make certain couples because the right man for her has never existed because the right people didn't get together in the first place. What a wonderful and inspired concept and to do it in such gorgeous surroundings made for a brilliant and engaging story.

Chloe travels to the 1880s, the 1920s, the 1950s and the 1980s. I think the 50s was my favourite of the eras, not least because the hotel is where Some Like It Hot was filmed and there's some lovely Marilyn Monroe scenes. The 1980s was lovely too though because of the way it affected the characters. I loved all of them though and Chloe's adventures in each era had me smiling.

Belinda Jones always has me wanting to visit the places she writes about. She portrays them in such an enticing manner that I want to jump on a plane straightaway (and I'm not a jumping on a plane type of person). The Hotel del Coronado and the surrounding area sound absolutely perfect. I loved the characters too. Chloe is such a kind and lovely person and her friendship with James, and later Ross, were so warm, the kind of friendships we all aspire to have.

The Hotel Where We Met is the perfect escape novel. I found it a joy from start to finish. I really enjoyed the detail of each of the different eras and how Chloe dealt with them. It's light-hearted yet not fluffy and is the perfect way to satisfy that wanderlust without even leaving the comfort of your own settee. I absolutely loved it.

Thanks Netgalley for the digital edition in exchange for my honest review.

Loved this book. Makes me want to road trip with my dogs. Thoroughly enjoyed reading about Belinda’s and Bodie’s road trip up and down the Pacific Coast Trail. I highly recommend this one to dog lovers and travel lovers.

Grappig boekn ontspannende literatuur½

I needed something light and fluffy after In Cold Blood and Brave New World and this certainly ticked both those boxes. It is a very quick non-taxing read. However I don't think this book worked very well.
The story starts in London before moving onto Argentina,Spain and Cuba and in each of these countries the main characters Beth and Carmen are going to learn a dance for a reality tv show. Beth who is a professional dancer but can't get any work disguises herself so that she can audition for a reality show that is going to teach an absolute beginner how to do the tango, pasa doble and salsa. She passes the audition and her and her friend Carmen goes on the trip as well, because Beth has work problems in the great tradition of chick lit Carmen's problems must be man related in her case an abusive ex-boyfriend. During the section in Argentina they get found out but it is decided that the show will go on but now with both Beth and Carmen learning the dances.
For me not enough of the book was given to the story in Spain and Cuba, less than a third of it. Also while we get to know all about Beth and Carmen when Rick the shows producer decides he is not going back to London and is going to give up his career and stay in Cuba it is never explained why, other than he is tired of the cult of celebrity.

I was looking forward to reading this book as I've never read anything by Belinda Jones before. Having read several thrillers on the trot, I wanted something lighter and fun and this hit the spot. I was also pleasantly surprised as the content was less chick litty and frothy than the cover might suggest.

The story revolves round the trip that Laurie has devised for well known UK based baker Pamela Lambert-Leigh. The idea is that she will be publishing a book based on traditional cakes and ingredients found in the New York and New England states. So far so good until Laurie discovers that Pamela will be accompanied by her feisty mother and stroppy teenage daughter. Furthermore the trip will be made on a London bus, with Pamela's mother doing the driving.

Needless to say, it was not looking like a recipe for success and things were never going to be plain sailing. Throw in several males to introduce a little romance and what followed was an enjoyable read. I particularly liked the historical and cake related facts that for me, made the book more interesting and gave it a little bit more substance than I'd expected. It was a little bit like the Great British Bake Off meets Wish You Were Here and there is nothing wrong with that.

In short if you like cakes and travel, mixed with the a little romance then this book is ideal for you. It is a good holiday, feel good read that is suitable for all ages.

I received copy of this book via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

Charming

This book is such a feel-good book. It still makes me smile every time I think of it. It's so charming, the characters are great, the setting is amazing, and don't get me started on all the cakes and cupcakes....

There's a great romance story in there, just so sweet and right. There's a story line about family dynamics and how screwed up and hurtful they can be. There's lots of travel and discriptions of scenery and locations that make you want to pack your bag and go.

And all these elements are masterfully interwoven into one charming, beautiful package. Fabulous book!

Charming

This book is such a feel-good book. It still makes me smile every time I think of it. It's so charming, the characters are great, the setting is amazing, and don't get me started on all the cakes and cupcakes....

There's a great romance story in there, just so sweet and right. There's a story line about family dynamics and how screwed up and hurtful they can be. There's lots of travel and discriptions of scenery and locations that make you want to pack your bag and go.

And all these elements are masterfully interwoven into one charming, beautiful package. Fabulous book!

Charming

This book is such a feel-good book. It still makes me smile every time I think of it. It's so charming, the characters are great, the setting is amazing, and don't get me started on all the cakes and cupcakes....

There's a great romance story in there, just so sweet and right. There's a story line about family dynamics and how screwed up and hurtful they can be. There's lots of travel and discriptions of scenery and locations that make you want to pack your bag and go.

And all these elements are masterfully interwoven into one charming, beautiful package. Fabulous book!

Who we are and where we fit in the world has been written about for centuries. Now, Jones take on the issue in this new travelogue novel. When a celebrity baker hires Laurie to plan an East Coast road trip to swap recipes with local chefs' classic regional pastries, how could Laurie imagine that such a trip would involve an antagonistic teen, a double-decker bus driven by a nosy grandma, a family secret, a scene at the Trapp Family Lodge (yes, *those* Von Trapps, as in The Sound of Music), and a Harvard-educated mechanic who seems too good to be true? It's a sweet and delightful journey. Recommended. Review copy received from the publisher via NetGalley.com. (108)

Bubby: Ahhh. British people. Check! Romance. Check! Plot twists galore. Check! Fabulous fattening food. Check! Check! All wrapped up in a big red double-decker English bus.
Sissy: I truly want to go to New England after reading this book. And wouldn’t it be fun to go in a double-decker bus with crazy grandma Gracie as our driver? Read full review at www.bubblebath-books.com

This was so fabulous!! I loved every second of it!

It's got a Travelogue feel to it and that's one of the pluses for me. Krista runs a travel itinerary website and visits the destinations so she can deliver a first class low-down for the prospective vacationers. She's been unlucky in love and is mending a broken heart so she wouldn't say no to the chance of a holiday romance to cheer her spirits, if it presents itself. On this trip she is visiting Quebec and throughout the book we get to go with her and see first hand all the 'must see/do' things that Quebec has to offer. We also get to tag along on her romantic endevours and misadventures and it's all just so wonderful.

I wasn't sure of the location accuracies while I was reading, but since finishing and Googling everything that was in the book I've found out that it's a all exactly as she tells it - The places, the food, the customs, the activities - it's all there! Bonhomme and the annual carnival sound like so much fun and the restaurants Krista visited sound so yummy. The people sound wonderful, the weather seems inviting and just everything about the book/place drew me in.

The story/romance side of the book was done to perfection too and had all the usual setbacks, misunderstandings and obstacles that comes with good chick-lit. It was funny, it was touching, it had a bit of mystery and it had just the right mix of will they/won't they to keep it interesting.

I just loved it all! It's a keeper and a favourite and I really wish there was a website called Va-Va-Vacation! to see all the wonderful photo's and reportage from Krista's trip! I spent a good couple of hours after finishing the book going over all the travel websites I could find, trying to find the best deal on a package trip to Quebec for next year. Seriously, as soon as I find the best deal I'm booking up!!! :D

My boyfriend's mum brought this back for me from Sorrento, Italy, because she loved Capri and she knows I love to read (she had no idea of the quality of the book, just thought it would be fun). As she's just gotten back and I've heard all her stories, I 'recognised' (though had never seen except in my mind) many of the places that Kim goes to, and things she sees and does.

As for the storyline itself, it was pretty average. It was a light, fun read although at times there was, among the fluff, some interesting observations about love and life. I felt the most important part of the story was not the affair or love story, but Kim forgiving her mum and her realisation that things aren't always black and white.

2.5 stars½

Two friends head off on a reality TV show to learn three traditional dances in their country of origin. The story is okay but overall a bit weak. None of the elements end up going into that much detail and the ending leaves you feeling a bit "muh". But the cover was sparkly! ;)½

I don't read much chick lit these days and it's a while since I read any Belinda Jones, but the title of this book lured me in. Laurie is called upon to organise the itinerary of TV baker Pamela Lambert-Leigh's trip around the east coast of America trading English recipes for American ones for her new book. Throw in Pamela's feisty mother, Gracie and Ravenna, her nightmare of a daughter and a red London bus to travel on and Laurie has her hands full.

This is such a fun and lively story that it made me remember why I used to like this author's books. I loved the combination of the descriptions of each new place together with the mouth-watering cakes and sweet goods. It hasn't helped my sweet tooth!

A fun, frothy and heart-warming read that I enjoyed very much.

Thank you to the publishers and Netgalley for allowing me to review this book.

A cute book with a slightly different ending to the one I was expecting. Nothing special but sweet.

This is my first Belinda Jones book and I thoroughly enjoyed the read. It's chick lit for grown-ups and great fun . It also deals with some very serious issues and uses a light touch to do so - which creates a nice sense of balance to the book. I enjoyed the changes Kim our heroine goes through, and the response she has to her life's challenges. I also liked the fact that it's not necessarily an obvious romance, and the ending is both powerful and realistic.

Fun, light-hearted and made me wish I could go to Capri. Great easy read when you just want to relax and enjoy. I loved the descriptions of Capri and neighboring islands and loved the idea of this book, especially the ending. We all need to get out of our normal life and into something different now and then to get a fresh perspective and I think this book illustrates that very well.

This is a lovely book, joyful and uplifting. It has sufficient humour to prevent the message about emotional issues becoming too heavy, and plenty of local colour to make the three destinations come alive. It has inspired me to go on a dancing holiday somewhere, someday!

A wonderfuly silly, chick-lit, unrealistic, happy ending book that is perfect to read on a raining Sunday.

Ava lives in Bath, England with the sole fantasy of owning a cafe. Her father invites her to Costa Rica to manage a coffee shop for him - with the handsome and sullen Santiago. Need I go on??

I would almost say that this book is worth it just for the quotes at the beginning of each chapter but it also ended up being a pretty okay read. While parts were pretty obvious, disgruntled journalist goes to Italy to find out details about a Love Academy and starts to fall for an Italian, other parts were not so predictable. The story is enjoyable, humorous in places, frustrating in others but probably leaving you ready to pack your bags and head to Italy.

I enjoyed this book. Chick-lit but most people could enjoy reading it. It is not heavy on 'details' although it deals with a woman being called on the carpet for her habit of stealing men from other women...even from her best friends.½

Kim arver penger etter bestefaren, og planlegger å bruke dem på fettsuging. Moren hennes har imidlertid andre planer, og hun drar Kim med seg til Capri for å starte en motebutikk der. Kim forelsker seg hodestups i Capri, samtidig som hun svermer for Mario og Luca. På samme tid prøver hun å være en god datter for moren. De har uansett et felles ønske: å finne tilbake til familiens italienske røtter.

Jeg husker ikke mye fra denne boka, bortsett fra at jeg var ung, og at dette var min første Bag-of-Fun-bok. Også har jeg alltid drømt om Capri siden...

It's a light and fluffy look at a school for romance in Venice. Kirsty is a journalist working for a magazine that has decided that the lowest common denominator is a place to aim for. Stars and gossip are the be-all and end-all of the magazine and she's been selected to go to Venice to try out this Love Academy. Despite her relationship with Joe or maybe because of her relationship to Joe, she's willing to go. She begs and cajoles her brother Kier to go with her, broken heart and all, his heart having been broken in Venice.

She finds herself attracted to her assigned date. Romanced by the idea of romance and seduced by the idea of being in love with herself and understanding herself a bit like an Italian. She questions her life, her love and her purpose and finds herself along the way.

There's sometimes a little too much detail about Venice. It's almost a travelogue. The food is described in detail (but then again it is Italy, Kirsty is describing what catches her fancy and it is realistic). Some of the other characters disappear and some are broad stroked charactures that never really come alive off the page but Kirsty is full of character and quite an enjoyable person to spend some time with (though I do have a sneaking suspicion that we might get bored of each other with too much exposure!)

It's a fun read, a read that diverted me through a few bus trips without too much trauma, and that's what it's ideal for. Nothing deep, fun.½

Trashy, easy, predictable read, but enjoyable as far as no-brainer books go. Good for when you need something light and fluffy (or can't afford to venture to Vegas yourself!).