Jules Wake

I fell in love with Tokyo through the author's stunning written imagery and delightful characters. One of the best accounts of using beautiful photography to tell a story where a picture is worth a thousand words.

Fiona has won a trip to Tokyo to study under one of the best photographers in Japan, but when he is called away unexpectedly, the gorgeous and arrogant Gabriel Burnett is sent to fill in as her mentor. Gabe, the man who broke her heart ten years ago, and he doesn't even remember show more her. Why would he? She was one of many young women that had eyes for him and she wasn't really his type anyway. His type is Yumi, the famous model, his muse, and the woman who left him to marry a wealthy Japanese businessman. Now she has to deal with his snarky and grumpy self because he got roped into being her mentor. Will she be able to get enough photographs for her exhibition in London? Is she even good enough to have an exhibition? Perhaps if Gabe pulls his head out of his arse he may be able to give her the pointers she needs.

Gabe did not want a babysitting assignment, but he owes his friend, Haruka a debt. She is desperate to save face for her husband who had promised a mentor for Fiona, who, in fact, will be staying with Haruka. Gabe had lost his passion for photography after Yumi dumped him publicly for another man and now he lives off lucrative photo ops that make him a lot of money. Until the beautiful Fiona's excitement of being in Tokyo and her love of photography start to open his eyes. Not to mention, she is a talented photographer. He feels alive again and he owes that to Fiona. Her refreshing way of looking at life, her honesty and her fortitude have grown on him and have given him purpose again. Can he make up for his bad behavior and be the man she deserves?

Fiona and Gabe are captivating once they get past the resentments and misunderstandings. Their attraction is palpable and their romance is gradual but worth waiting for. Fiona's transformation from self-conscious novice to confident professional is a sight to behold and Gabe's awakening of the world through Fiona's eyes is incredible. I particularly love the memorable grand gesture at the end which had me sobbing. The supporting characters, the all-knowing Haruka, the calm and comforting Setsuko, and the young and vibrant Mayu, are a joy and very necessary for the true Japanese experience.

I absolutely loved this amazing romantic novel filled with so much beauty and substance. I felt like I wanted to pick up a camera and start looking at life differently through a lens. Ms. Caplin's depictions of the gorgeous scenery, the traditions such as the Japanese tea ceremony, and how people interact with them, are fantastic and make one feel a part of it all. If you love novels swathed in tradition and discovery, give this book a try.

Thank you to Ms. Caplin for giving me the opportunity to read this book with no expectation of a positive review. show less

What do you get when you have a stressed-out accounting exec, a down-on-his-luck mechanical engineer, two lovable nieces, a straight-talking, matchmaking fairy-godmother, and a hairy carpet dog named Bill? A delightful Jules Wake novel, of course.

I became a big fan of Jules last year when I read the fun and cozy Notting Hill in the Snow. How thrilled I was to review another of her new contemporary romances.

Claire is a solutionist, a listmaker, an organizer, and a ball breaker. Until her show more independence, and her reluctance to ask for help catches up with her. Her doctor orders her to take a month off of work to de-stress and bring her blood pressure down. Enter her free-loading and irresponsible sister, Alice who gives Claire no other option than to take care of her 11-year-old and 5-year-old daughters while she gallivants around India. What did Claire know about kids? And what part of de-stress did Alice not understand? When Claire meets the feisty Hilda, a resident of the local elderly home, her life starts to change for the better as she discovers running. Unknowingly…or not, Hilda reunites Claire with Ash, the arrogant sod who dumped her after a one-night stand and who has some problems of his own. In typical Hilda fashion, she has given Claire and Ash a mission to start a Parkrun in Victoria Park. Will it bring them together again, or is Claire done giving Ash chances?

Who wouldn’t love Ms. Wake’s amusing and engaging characters? Claire really does need a break. It was exhausting just reading what she was accomplishing each day. It’s just a job and she has no friends because of it. With Hilda’s and Ash’s help and the love for her nieces, Claire makes some meaningful and extraordinary changes in her life that are poignant and heartwarming. Not to mention Claire’s notable accomplishment of helping organize the Saturday Churchstone Parkrun. A great feat in itself. As for Hilda, her outspoken and take-charge attitude is exactly what everyone needs to realize what they are missing when it comes to friends and family. Of course, the sexy and charming Ash makes up for his past mistakes by being supportive and loving toward Claire and her family as well as a great friend to Hilda.

I love this feel-good book with its superb humanistic elements and realistic themes such as job burnout, depression, single parenthood, and abandonment. Ms. Wake has a wonderful writing style that pulls you in and immerses you into a finely honed story that cleverly brings together a lonely group of characters who find a lovely happily ever after. I wholeheartedly recommend this book to anyone who loves heartwarming stories with endearing characters and enjoys participating in Parkruns in the U.K.

Thank you to Ms. Wake for giving me the opportunity to read this book with no expectation of a positive review. show less

4.5 stars.

I received a free copy of this book to participate in a blog tour for Rachel's Random Resources.

For a list of warnings, tropes, and representation for this book, check out its page on BookTriggerWarnings.com.

I have SO MANY feelings about this book that I already know that this review is not going to do it justice. I simply cannot get over how much I loved the way the story was written, the powerful messages it delivers, and how close to home it hit.

The Spark follows two show more characters, Jess and Sam, who both feel an unusually strong connection as soon as they meet. There’s just one problem: Sam is already in a relationship. When Sam decides to break up with his girlfriend and pursue a relationship with Jess, his ex does not handle it well. In fact, she makes it her personal mission to break the two apart.

The Spark fell so close to home for me was because I went through almost these exact same events two years ago. I too had to deal with a vindictive ex who painted me out to be the “other woman” (when I wasn’t) and who spent seemingly all of her time trying to make both me and my partner as miserable as possible.

At one point during the book, I literally put my iPad down, turned to my partner, and said, “I’m not convinced that this author didn’t follow us and write this book based on our story.” The plot came so dangerously close to what I had to go through two years ago that I might have honestly been having a panic attack the entire time I was reading. Rob (my partner) kept having to check in on me to see if I was okay with continuing to read, but there was no way I could have stopped. This book was just so good.

I’d definitely recommend The Spark to anyone interested in romance and women’s fiction. It’s a book about love, but it’s also a book about empathy, compassion, and sacrifice.

For my full review, check out my blog. show less

A sweet love story in the truest sense of the word, set in idyllic Copenhagen – with likeable characters, warm humour and lots of local colour! PR woman Kate organises a press trip to Copenhagen. Among the invited journalists is the cynical Ben, who thinks nothing of the hype surrounding the Danish hygge trend and would rather write about injustice in the world. No wonder sparks fly between him and Kate right away. In fact, the colourful tour group turns out to be a real circus. But even show more Ben can't resist the charm of idyllic Copenhagen in the end. And certainly not Kate's.
This light-hearted story, peppered with humour and clichés, was just the right read for me at that moment. show less