romance reviews

Book’d Out review for Trouble Brewing

August 24, 2013roadmancebooks

The wonderful Book’d Out reviewed Trouble Brewing (see below). Go and check out the site, which is packed with fantastic reviews, and enter the comp to win a copy of TB.

I love the Book’d Out logo.

Trouble Brewing is an enchanting romance by Australian author, Jane Tara. Though ostensibly the second book to feature the magical Shakespeare family (the first is Forecast), it can be read as a standalone.

Calypso Shakespeare is a witch whose psychic ability allows her to brew cocktails to, amongst other things, mend broken hearts, instill confidence or encourage love to bloom. Though based in her parent’s London pub, Calypso’s wanderlust sees her traveling the world, never staying in one place very long but eventually The Winds of Change finds her and Calypso is forced to consider if she is always running to, or from, something…or someone.

Heartbreak haunts Calypso and the arrival of former fling Taran Dee in London is the impetus for her to move on, despite only just having arrived. But this man isn’t willing to let her run far, following her to Vienna and then Paris before convincing her to spend just three days with him. Calypso and Taran’s relationship is fun and sexy, the chemistry is obvious and the push and pull is believable given their individual histories.

Though primarily a lighthearted romance, Trouble Brewing has some additional depth as it explores grief, loss and love. Calypso struggles with the fate of a former love and her family faces a frightening health scare, while Calypso’s Viennese friends are plagued by their unexplained infertility and Simon faces being disowned by his family.

Trouble Brewing is enhanced by its eccentric cast made up of Calypso’s family and friends, several of which have their own stories explored in the novel. For her sister Nell, the focus is on her search for a career, while for Calypso’s unconventional best friend Megan, it is finding love unexpectedly with the wealthy and repressed Simon. I adored the Shakespeare matriarch, known as Batty.

Fun, charming and contemporary, Trouble Brewing is a lovely read ideal for those that believe in the magic of romance.

5 star review of Trouble Brewing

August 11, 2013roadmancebooks

Curling Up With a Good Book recently gave Forecast 4.5 stars.

Well now they’ve given Trouble Brewing 5 stars! Read the great review below, and click through to CUWAGB for other top reviews.

Love this book! Better than the first one in the series Forecast! I never like the second book better than the first but this one was an exception!

In Forecast the reader was introduced to the Shakespeare women that live in New York. In Trouble Brewing the reader gets lost in the mystical world of the Shakespeare women in London. Calypso Shakespeare is the young psychic who drifts all around world trying to help people through her magical brews. She is a special kind of bar tender that can make you a drink that will help solve all your problems!

Calypso thought she had loved and lost and would never love again until Taran Dee blew into her life! I was devouring this book so fast to learn what happen between Calypso and her first love. The connection that was revealed during the art show was mind blowing and awesome!!!

I highly recommend both Forecast and Trouble Brewing! I give this one 5 stars!

Trouble Brewing review

July 24, 2013roadmancebooks

Another review in the inbox this morning, this time from Victoria’s Gossip. Gotta say, these reviews are a lovely start to the day.

And my new novel, Trouble Brewing. Drink up!

Reviewed By: Patricia

Story:4

Romance:4

Flames:4

Trouble Brewing is the second book featuring the Shakespeare women. I never read the first one but honestly you don’t really need to read the first one. This book can stand alone. The book is set in London and follows the lives of Batty, Calypso and Nell. All witches in their own right with flaming red hair and attitudes. Batty the mother and part owner of the family pub. Calypso the wild child that mixes potions for the people who need them. In her own small pub in the basement. Then there is Nell the most sensible of the two daughters . Calypso is wild and carefree, but is running away from heart break from her past. She is quite content traveling all over the world . Until one day the winds of fate changes her life . In walks a man into her life or should I saw renters her life. Taran , a tall hot witch from America, turns her life upside down and makes her rethink the one true love . As she runs from the love that Taran offers, he follows keeping her off balance as she falls in love again. She realizes that you can really have a second chance at love.
I truly enjoyed this book. It was a laugh out loud look at a family, friends and a second chance at love. The cast of characters were well rounded and loved the quirks of each and everyone of them. Makes me want to get the first book and get to know the rest of them. the English slang didn’t even bother me in the least.
I would recommend this book for anyone who wants a great summer read.

Mad About Books gives TB 5 stars

July 20, 2013roadmancebooks

Here’s a fabulous 5 star review of Trouble Brewing from Mad About Books. I love how the reviewer Natalie says “This is more like a dramatic adventure romance.” She’s absolutely right in that my books cross a few genres. I love it when a reader recognises and appreciates that. Here’s the review:

The second installment by Jane Tara focuses this time on the London Shakeapeare witches Batty,Nell and Calypso. Unlike other Shakepeare women Batty was blessed with two magical daughters with very different gifts.

Calypso is back in London after her recent stint of globe trotting and is ready to see to her regulars in her Cauldron. Her family has always been based in a pub so what better way to give your witches brew than in a Martini or possibly a tea. She’s always had itchy feet since her old boyfriend Scott and has been hard pressed to settle anywhere so when a gorgeous artist named Taran says he’s falled for her she doesn’t dance with glee but runs for the hill.
All this is good and well for Calypso but Taran isn’t giving up easily so when he’s offered an art exhibition in London he sees it as fate and follow’s his heart across the pond.

Nell is kind, reserved, intelligent and finds lost things better than a blood hound, not that there’s a comparison. She loves history as everything has a story but her current job just isn’t paying the bills. Opportunity knocks in the way of a position at a Museum and a sweet boss.
Mad

Batty has always been known as the slightly odd one but no one would have it any other way. She looks out for her girls and is in turn looked after by her true love Alf but things aren’t running as smoothly between them as she’d like.

All three Shakespeares and their friends go through dramatic life changes, discover romances and change the course of their lives in this whirlwind feel good romance. Very light hearted with some dramatic twists. The reveal of how Taran came into Calypso’s life had me on tender hooks and restored my belief in love.

All the characters were in depth and relateable, i’d be shocked if you didn’t familiarise yourself with one or more of them. It’s told from different characters viewpoints so you really had four books in one.
This is more like a dramatic adventure romance and i’d recommend it to anyone who wants a lift from the same old books out there right now. Hope there’s another to come.

Readful Things gives Trouble Brewing 4 stars

July 10, 2013roadmancebooks

Ionia Martin at Readful Things Blog had this to say about Trouble Brewing.

Drop by, read the review, and check out the rest of her great site.

When I first began reading this book I noticed a few things right away. There seemed to be an abundance of British slang, which generally tends to irk me. Secondly, the rest of the book was so good that it rather cancelled out my concern for the first thing.

What did I like about it? Many things. One of the main things that captured my attention about this book was the way the characters came to life right before the reader’s eyes. Rather than describing every minute detail, the author let you form your own images of them with simple, yet effective descriptive words. She lets you decide what and who you want the characters to be with just the slightest assistance.

There were a few times where I felt the main character was a bit self concerned and overbearing, but she is a strong personality and her words and actions certainly reflected that. I liked the way she took control of the story, I just felt she was a bit bossy toward her love interest.

The supporting characters are great and also play a major role in the story, which I don’t think happens often enough. So frequently I like one of the secondary characters more than the main, but in this case they are all worthy of adoration.

The idea behind the premise of this story is also something I had not seen before. The way the author made the main character compassionate toward the plight of others helped me grow to really like her.

I would recommend this book to others. It was sassy, and fun.

This review is based on a digital ARC from the publisher.