#JustForTheHolidays #SueMoorcroft #Review

Well this book certainly is a fun read to enjoy over the summer holidays! Just as the cover promises, it is full of sunshine, mirth, drama and romance! The writing is as cheerful as the colours on the front and it's certainly a story that will help you while away some lazy afternoons by the pool - or perhaps just brighten up your reading time in your living room during these gloomy wet days we seem to be having at the moment! Wherever you are, whenever you are, if you are looking for something well paced, engaging and with some colourful characters then I recommend this book!

Just for the Holidays is about Leah Beaumont who accompanies her sister, Michele, to France to enjoy a lovely, relaxing, summer basking in the sunshine and lazing around. Well, maybe not so much of the lazing. Or the relaxing. There are three teenagers there too. And Michele's husband - who she is divorcing. Oh, and Michele is pregnant. A surprise pregnancy which she hasn't yet told her children about. Hhmm. Yes, not quite what Leah signed up for.

Not only did she not sign up for it, she didn't expect that she would end up trying to hold it all together and stop everything from totally falling apart. But, hang on, that next door neighbour - yes, the pilot....a very handsome pilot.....well, might he help distract Leah from the drama of her family and allow her a little bit of fun?

This is the first Sue Moorcroft book I have read but I can definitely see why they are so popular and why she has such a loyal fan base. I was struck by the energy of the storyline. The balance between character development, action and plot is well judged so it is well paced and speeds along but, unlike Leah's driving, there is enough time to take in the scenery around you and build definite pictures of all the characters who fall and crash through the pages.

Leah is our protagonist and she is very likeable. We empathise with her and admire her tolerance, patience and persistence with her sister and her nephews and nieces. I think a lot of readers will relate to her and she offers a more grounded perspective against her sister's antics. Well, most of the time. When she's not speeding or the few other things she does that reveal a slightly more unexpected side of her character!

Michele made me smile. She occasionally veered towards becoming a little irritating but Moorcroft steers her back quickly so actually she is just rather selfish and short sighted rather than unpleasant or too caricatured. I found her very easy to visual and thought the dynamics between the sisters was interesting and perhaps a little more complicated that the reader first assumes.

It's a fun read but it does touch on a lot of issues that are important, emotive and serious. There are some more poignant moments and like all good books, there's enough ups and downs, twists and turns that you won't notice when the sun is beginning to set and your champagne needs refilling (oh, ok, you might notice that but you'll probably take the book with you while you wander to the fridge so you don't have to leave the family alone for too long!).

So this book really has everything you would want from a holiday read. There is sun, there is chocolate - not sure how practical this is in the hot sunshine but oh my gosh you will be rummaging in the kitchen cupboards afterwards to make a cake after reading about Leah's bake offs! There are cocktails, laughter, heartache, tears, drama and love. There's a good cast of characters and I was also impressed with Moorcroft's dialogue and authentic portrayal of the voices of the teenagers as well as the parents. It's a quick read. It's an easy story. It does the trick. Add it to your suitcase and make sure it's there just for the holiday!

Just for the Holidays is out on 18th May 2017 and is published by Avon.




You can follow Sue on Twitter @suemoorcroft or visit her website for more information about her books www.suemoorcroft.com/

Sue is also coming along to my Summer Scorchers event on the 14th June so tune in to my blog then to hear more about her books, writing and life as an author.

For more recommendations and reviews from me you can follow me on Twitter @KatherineSunde3