My April 2024 reads

April (and the beginning of May) was a much better reading month for me, and I got through quite a few good books. I thought I'd share them with you and let you know what I thought! A few of these were NetGalley ARCs, so they're only available now on pre-order, just FYI.

The Paris Apartment by Lucy Foley

This is a really cult thriller, and I actually consumed this as an audiobook - it's a format I'm still getting used to, but I love listening while I'm in the bath or tidying my room or weeding the patio. And in regards to this book, I thought it was great; a lot of characters, but they didn't get lost within the story and they all had such depth to them. The story was full of twists, turns, secrets and surprises as well as a really dark undertone. If you like thrillers then I'd definitely recommend! Buy The Paris Apartment.

Better Left Unsent by Lia Louis

I absolutely adore Lia Louis and this book was no exception. It follows receptionist Millie, who has been diligently keeping any and all complaints or snarky comments in her email drafts where they stay hidden until one day, they don't... With all her secrets spilled out to the entire company, and her friends and family, Millie is understandably shaken. The book follows the aftermath of all this as she navigates cleaning up the mess, falling in love, and deepening some incredible friendships. READ THIS BOOK. Buy Better Left Unsent.

Last Call for Love by Rebekah Crane

I have read so so so many Rebekah Crane YA books, and when I saw this on NetGalley my fingers were on that request button SO quick. Not actually a YA, it's set on a tiny Irish island and features two pubs at war - as a frequent pub dweller, I love books set in pubs so this thrilled me from the get go. Maeve, reeling from finding out her estranged biological father has left her a pub, and Briggs - grieving his own father, running his own pub - are such wonderfully well-rounded and interesting characters, and the enemies to lovers plot was truly *chefs kiss*. There's just a lot of fun in this charming tale and I can't wait to re-read it... Pre-order Last Call for Love.

Enemies to Lovers by Laura Jane Williams

One of my favourite tropes, I was excited for this one - and it didn't let me down. Set on a beautiful Greek island it follows Flo (recovering from a breakdown) on a family holiday, which should be the perfect chance to relax but is immediately spoiled by the arrival of her brother's best friend, Jamie, who she hates. Obviously. He's her enemy. No awards for guessing whether or not they fall in love... A little predictable, perhaps, but the spoiler is literally in the title. And I ate it up like a big fat gyros. Highly recommend. Pre-order Enemies to Lovers.

Nosy Neighbours by Freya Sampson

This one took me a fair while to get through, but ultimately I really liked it. A nice, fun British novel about a wayward girl (Kat) who returns to the town she grew up in, hoping nobody will notice her, and takes a room in an apartment block on the brink of being sold off and torn down. The neighbours all have their own stories and secrets, but the main focus is on Kat and long-term resident Dorothy Darling. As they band together to save the building, everything comes tumbling out and they end up helping each other more than they could imagine... A very sweet read! Buy Nosy Neighbours.

A British Girl's Guide to Hurricanes and Heartbreak by Laura Taylor Namey

I absolutely love a bit of YA and this was great - from a quaint city in England to the coast of Miami, we join Flora as she decides what the hell she wants to do with her life while grieving her mum, figuring out how she really feels about her best friend, learning a new skill and getting ready for a friend's wedding. It had me laughing and crying, and I loved the blend of British and Cuban culture throughout. A really fun YA pick, if you're in the market. Buy A British Girl's Guide to Hurricanes and Heartbreak.

Side note I just learned that this is actually a sequel - the first book is called A Cuban Girl's Guide to Tea and Tomorrow which is actually about Flora's brother and the Cuban girl *he* falls in love with. It's being turned into a movie featuring Heartstopper fave, Kit Connor. So that's VERY exciting.

The Baby Plan by Emma Bennet

This is a family-focused romance, set in Brighton, following high-flyer accountant Sophie. She goes from not even knowing she had a niece, to grieving the death of her sister and suddenly having to play the role of parent - alongside the baby's dad, who also didn't know about the baby until just now. As they figure out their new normal, with plenty of ups & downs, they find there might be something more to their relationship than co-parenting... A fairly standard but nevertheless enjoyable romance! Buy The Baby Plan.

The Dixon Rule by Elle Kennedy

This is the first Elle Kennedy book I've actually finished, having DNF'd another of hers last year. But I just loved this one - a fake relationship trope, hot people, pool parties, a LOT of spice, dancing, college, it had everything I love in a romance and if you're into any of that, pick it up asap. Pre-order The Dixon Rule.

The Perfect Guest by Ruth Irons

Let me start by saying I HATED the narrator - so so so unlikeable, and this made it quite difficult to read. The premise of the thriller (woman stays a holiday home, becomes obsessed with the people who own it, infiltrates their life) is actually really good, I just wasn't totally sold on anybody in it. I know the main character is supposed to be a bit of a 'weirdo', but god she was infuriating. On that basis I probably wouldn't recommend but if you're someone who can get past annoying narrators then go for it... Pre-order The Perfect Guest.

Hickory's, Chester | brunch & lunch menu 2024

If you're looking for a taste of the USA, then you can't go wrong with Hickory's! I was recently invited to the Chester location, situated on the River Dee, to try out their newly updated brunch and lunch menu - and it didn't disappoint...

We visited on a Saturday, and it was busy but not *too* busy - the staff were attentive and efficient, which was great, and we were overall really pleased. They seated us in a booth and brought over some water and popcorn, while we perused the menu to decide what to order. When our waitress, Ruby, came back to take our drinks order she asked if we wanted a little masterclass at the bar so we could learn to make them ourselves - and of course, we couldn't turn that down!

So I headed behind the bar with barman Johnny to make a Tip-Top Triple Choc milkshake for my fiancée Kate and a frozen pornstar martini for me. It was so much fun and just made our visit a bit more special, and I believe this is something anyone can do - not just because I was there for my blog. So definitely ask if you're interested, then enjoy your yummy creations...

For food, I ordered off the brunch menu and I went for pancakes with Louisiana fried chicken; there was a huge range of options, and this just really called out to me. Kate was going to order the Pastrami & Pickle Toasted Sub off the new sub 'n' soda menu, but sadly the deal only runs during the week - it's £11.99 for a sandwich and homemade soda, though, so well worth keeping in mind if you visit Monday-Friday. Kate wasn't too disappointed though as she instead ordered the double Oklahoma Smash Burger and fries which she loved.

My pancakes were fluffy and delicious, and the fried chicken was very spicy but still super tasty - and the maple syrup helped! I couldn't not order sides as well, and opted for the mac & cheese as well as the star of the show: poutine tater tots. They're essentially just tater tots with cheese and chicken gravy but my GOD they were delicious and soooooo moreish.

The ambience in the restaurant was just great, with country music playing through the speakers and the staff decked out in checked shirts and varsity jackets. Both of the managers on shift came to say hello - shoutout to Kim and Matt who were just great! Hickory's in Chester also has a little cinema inside, playing kids films, so little ones can be entertained while waiting for their food; a genius idea if you ask me.

Good hearty food in a stunning location - what more could you ask for? Everything was delicious and the prices aren't too bad either, so if you're looking for somewhere nice for lunch in Chester then have a look at Hickory's for sure!

What we've done so far as 2025 brides

If you follow me outside of this blog at all, you probably know I'm engaged to the love of my life and SO excited about it. Planning a wedding - they say it's one of the most stressful things you'll ever do, and I won't lie it has been a *bit* stressful so far. I thought I'd write a post about what we've done, where we're up to, vague plans and so on in case anyone's interested or in the same boat!

Chosen a date

We've chosen our date - I won't put the exact date here as I'm never sure how much to give away, but it's in the Autumn of 2025 giving us plenty of time to get everything sorted. We have gone for an Autumn date as we didn't want to go for Summer, get our hopes up for good weather only to have it pour down... plus I just *love* an Autumnal colour scheme!

Booked the ceremony & reception venues

Ah, the venue. This has been pretty much our only big stress as we could NOT find something that worked for us. Essentially we're having a tiny ceremony (family only, at the local registry office which is also where my Grandad got married) and then we wanted a big, laidback party. Everywhere we looked at was either £12,000 plus extra for bloody chairs, or didn't have a bar in the room, or would only fit about 60 people, or was next door to a supermarket...

We've found somewhere now, though, and again I won't say exactly where but it's exactly what we want - not too posh, big enough for a dance floor AND seats, does good food, has plenty of hotels nearby and so on. We've paid the booking fee for the registry office to secure the date, and we've also paid a deposit for the reception venue. So that's that sorted!

Made a spreadsheet

When I say 'we', this one's just me. But I value a good spreadsheet, and I think mine's up to about 7 tabs now - guest list, what we need to book/pay for and when, decor ideas, running order and so on. You just can't go wrong.

Started buying little bits

I haven't gone mad with buying stuff yet, but I'm well aware that the costs will pile up and I think buying bits as you go is a great way to avoid having to pay out a huge chunk of money at once. So far I've got a box for people to put wedding cards in, a cake topper, and some little wooden hearts for the tables. Oh, and a TEMU basket full of fake flowers, ribbon, etc etc etc...

Planned the decor

Following on from that, I know exactly how I want the decor to look and what we need to get in order to achieve that. I just really hope I can pull this vision off - but I've planned plenty of trips to car boot sales, flea markets and so on to source the perfect 'bits and bobs' we need!

And that's pretty much everything we've done, aside from starting to eat a bit healthier so we can both be in good shape for the big day. Let me know what I need to add to my to do list that I'll have inevitably forgotten...

What we did in Buxton, April 2024

We have a few little UK trips booked this year, and the first of those was out recent trip to Buxton over the Easter weekend. Unfortunately it rained pretty much the entire time, but I still wanted to share what we got up to as it's a really sweet town!

We got there by train, which I booked via Trainline with our 'two travel together' railcard - it wasn't expensive at all. And we stayed in this lovely Airbnb which was up a very steep hill but totally worth it; spacious, clean and just what we needed to the two of us for a one night stay. I'd definitely recommend.

Sunday in Buxton

We arrived on Sunday afternoon, and had a quick coffee at Costa so we could piggyback their wifi and find out how to get to our Airbnb - just a note that signal/4G is very spotty in Buxton. Then we went and dropped our stuff off, got ready and ventured back out. Our first stop was Scrivener's Book Shop, which I'd seen all over Instagram and obviously wanted to visit. It has 5 floors, and they have a book binding service there which is super cool. They have all manner of books, from kids' books to Shakespeare and everything in between as well as book-related accessories, maps, postcards and more.

I loved exploring each floor of the Buxton book shop, and I'm so glad we got to visit. From there, we had a wander right up the high street of Higher Buxton before heading to Noonology for lunch - it's a little dog friendly café in Buxton that offers brunch, cocktails and more. I had the Elderflower & Orange Sparkle mocktail which had *actual glitter* in it, and Kate had a cookies and cream milkshake; both delicious and highly recommended by us. For food Kate had the Cheesy Classic burger, and I chose the Chicken, Grilled Halloumi and Lemon Mayo toastie. Again the food was fabulous and we really enjoyed the atmosphere in here; the staff were friendly and helpful too. For the two drinks and two meals it came to around £30, which I was more than happy with.

From here we went to the nearby Queen's Head pub for some pints and football - I will say the drinks are more expensive here than we're used to at home, at £5 per pint. Cheaper than London though! It's a busy pub showing Premier League football in Buxton, and we had a good time there. We're both big football fans, and it's one of our favourite weekend activities so this was perfect for us. Next door is the Buxton Charcoal Grill where we both got a big fat kebab to eat at our Airbnb afterwards, to round off a wonderful Sunday.

Monday in Buxton

We slept well then got up and got ready to head out the next morning; this was the day we'd set aside to actually check out all the things to do in Buxton. Of course, it was bouncing with rain again - we were determined, though, and walked through Higher Buxton then through The Slopes, a Grade II listed park. It's steep but has great views and a Cenotaph as well as a meteorological station. 

We made it to the bottom and crossed over to Pavilion Gardens, Buxton. We walked through here, surrounded by ducks and geese - it's a nice park and I can imagine on a warm, sunny day it would be even better. There's a miniature railway, too, which runs at the weekends. As the rain was picking up, we headed out of the park and inside where there was a craft market and gift sale taking place - everything from scarves to cupcakes! We carried on walking through the building, where there's a gallery featuring local artists as well as a brewery shop, café, and gorgeous conservatory with plenty of stunning plants and flowers. 

When you come out of here you end up at the Opera House, which is gorgeous, so we snapped a few photos here then tried to figure out where else we could go to shelter from the rain. I really wanted to see St Ann's well; Buxton is, as you probably know, famous for its water so of course this is on the list of must-dos! So we walked in this direction, doing some blue plaque spotting on the way - we also saw where the Roman baths used to be, but this is a lovely looking spa hotel now.

The well is located opposite the Crescent and has constantly running water, which is fairly warm, and next door is the visitor's centre, located inside The Pump Room. We popped in and read some information about the well and the water - they sell really cute tourist gifts here, too. We also had a nice look at the Crescent, which is a stunning building.

Our final stop was Cavendish Arcade, a really small and sweet shopping centre with gorgeous architecture and some great independent shops. I bought a shampoo bar and an art deco style Buxton postcard, as we collect them wherever we go! On the way back to the train station we had a little peek at the posh Palace Hotel (it really is stunning) and that concluded our trip to Buxton.

So what's the verdict? Had the weather been better, I think we would have absolutely adored our time in Buxton as there is a fair bit to see and explore - especially if you like a good walk around a nice park. With the rubbish weather, it did put a dampener on things a bit although we still had an amazing time exploring together! A day or so is enough in Buxton itself in my opinion, but it's a lovely part of the Peak District if you're planning a little UK holiday this year.

My 2024 reads so far

I have to say, 2024 has not been the most successful reading year for me so far. I haven't been able to get through as many books as I would have liked, due to work being busy and us doing some small house renovations and so on. But with that being said, I have done *some* reading and I thought I'd share my 2024 reads so far with you...

Things We Left Behind by Lucy Score

This is the third & final instalment in Lucy Score's Knockemout series, and I for one thoroughly enjoyed seeing the story continue through the eyes of dark and dreamy Lucian, and girl next door Sloane. The "will they, won't they" could be tedious for some but I knew they would, and I loved the tension that got them there. For spicy reads with a deep backstory, I highly recommend Lucy Score! Get it here.

I Will Find You by Harlan Coben

I'm a big fan of the Netflix adaptations of Coben's books, but I'd actually never read any. I picked this up while on a work trip to London without my Kindle, and it did not let me down. It follows the story of a man who's in prison for killing his son, something he's adamant he didn't do - and when it turns out he actually might not have done it, the drama really starts. It's fast paced and maybe a little far fetched, but a great read nonetheless. Buy it here.

Icebreaker by Hannah Grace

Ice hockey romances seem to be a big business right now, and I had to dip in - I actually really enjoyed this college-age romance, which was far spicier than expected but had some really interesting plot points and fun characters. An easy read but one that I enjoyed!

None of This is True by Lisa Jewell

Lisa Jewell can do no wrong, and I really liked how dark this story was. I listened to the audiobook version and definitely want to read a physical copy, as I'm still not sure audiobooks work for me, but nevertheless I thought the story was so twisted and interesting. Another winner for sure.

Confessions of a Bookaholic by Joslyn Westbrook

I got this on Stuff Your Kindle day last year (if you don't know, get to know) and I read it recently - it wasn't too long, but my god it was spicy. I mean SPICY. It follows a book blogger who's in love with her childhood best friend, and when she accidentally reveals that ...well, it's dramatic. But it's such fun, and a story that had me genuinely gasping from time to time.

The Family Upstairs by Lisa Jewell

Another audiobook I listened to, this is again a really twisted and convoluted story that in the end makes you go "duh, obviously" despite the fact you didn't see any of it coming. Cults, abandoned babies, French murders, mansions, secrets... it's got a bit of everything, and I loved it.

Two is a Pattern by Emily Waters

I don't actually read much sapphic fiction, but I thoroughly enjoyed this; set in the early 90s, it's a gorgeous tale of a college spy and an older woman, of deceit and heartache, of the way families and institutions can hold us back from happiness. Highly, highly recommend this one for the twists, turns, and pure love.

So I've managed seven books so far in 2024 which, like I say, isn't many for me. But with more trips to London coming up (meaning more time on trains) and a determination to spend less time looking at screens, I'm really going to try and up this a little. I've also got a brand new 'Bookstagram' account which I would love you to check out here!