Thank you to Caroline for joining me on the blog today. I really enjoyed reading My Summer of Magic Moment definitely deserved a break after her breast cancer journey and the recent breakdown of her marriage and the imminent sale of the marital home. The cottage sounded the perfect place to forget about daily life and enjoy the peace and quiet of the seaside - I must admit I would love to see the mysterious neighbour's early morning skinny dip each day!

The book was a great read and I really enjoyed it. It is a cosy read which is perfect for a summer holiday but as the story progresses the story gathers pace and when I was halfway through I thought I was going to be disappointed with the outcome, however I can safely say, that I was very pleased with the ending.

Each chapter begins with a magic moment and I found myself smiling as I started each new one. I really like Caroline's writing style. Her descriptive writing brought the village to life and there are some great characters within the story.

This story is going to touch many people and I am sure there are lots of Claire's within the world, who have or are fighting cancer and I think that Claire is a strong role model that people will relate to.

Thank you to the publishers, Harper Collins, and Caroline Roberts for inviting me on to this tour and I am very excited to be kicking the tour off.

Claire was up early again- six a m but this was the norm after the nightmare of the last year. Claire had almost a full month off work to recover the surgery if her breast removal from breast cancer. She was in a rather broken down cottage where even the water heater had issues. But she had time to herself to recover from all she had been through. There was another cottage not far from her own and she saw a man out jib down the beach and strip and go swimming naked. Claire had also seen him when he came out of the water so Claire had seen all there was to see of the man. Claire had been through chemotherapy as well as radiotherapy. Claire was a cancer survivor. Things had went wrong between Claire and her husband Paul even before the cancer. Claire's energy level wasn’t up to par yet. Her cancer nurse had told Claire told her it could take up to year to get back to feeling like her old self. It had only been five months so far. Claire decides to refocus on her writing while she was away on this vacation and recovery period. Claire is a journalist. Claire met the neighbor she saw swimming naked his name was Ed and he was gruff to the point of rudeness. Claire made a list of magic moments which gave her things to enjoy and look forward to. She also bases her blog for work on these magical moments. Claire is not as confident as she once was after the past year and all that had happened. Ed has been through his own hardship. But Claire and Ed are forming a bond.
I loved this book . i loved how Claire took alone time for her after the cancer. I loved how Claire was determined about rebuilding a new life. I loved the plot. I also loved the fact Claire was learning to love herself as well as her scars. This was a beautiful read of hope that was realistic as far as I am concerned. I thought it was great the way the author had some magical moments from her readers and friends just added to an already great book. I liked that Ed really needed Claire. I loved the characters and the ins and outs of this book and I highly recommend.

Lovely story that makes you really think about the small pleasures you have in your life.

Its a rather gentle book that I enjoyed the writing of, and especially loved Claire's willingness to keep trying to bake new breads that sounded delicious.

I also loved the early morning swims of her rather hard to get to know neighbour in the cottage she rented for a few weeks, especially his rather magnificent physique.

Its another lovely book from Caroline Roberts, which feels a bit different from the previous once I've read by her. Some absolutely fabulous moments including the whole muddy assault course which was a delight to read about, in addition to some moments of drama and tension too.

Thank you to Netgalley and Harper Impulse for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

This story turned out to be so much more than I expected.

Claire has an indomitable spirit. Despite suffering life-threatening illness and the worst kind of betrayal, she has lived to tell the tale. Spending some time on her own in idyllic coastal surroundings is her present to herself, for getting through the pain.

The setting for this story is one that I am very familiar with. Reading it was an added pleasure when I recognised places that I had visited in the last few years. The cover of this book is lovely but doesn't really reflect the setting, which has a rugged untamed beauty.

The story reflects the title, each chapter illustrates a magic moment. The plot's beautiful simplicity allows the Claire to tell her story with all its poignant and sometimes humorous nuances.

Ed has an impact on Claire even before they meet and this continues but doesn't have the obvious conclusion you would expect. He is deeply troubled and Claire isn't sure she is strong enough to ride the storm with him.

The supporting characters are few but memorable, as Claire realises how important her family and friends are to her happiness.

This book is so much more than a holiday romance or an escape to recharge the batteries. This is about discovering what's really important to you and appreciating how transient life is. Dark issues are treated with reverence but there is always hopeful ethos in this story, which makes it an absorbing and emotional experience.

Definitely one of my favourite books from 2017.

I received a copy of this book from Harper Impulse via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

I've read Caroline Roberts tea shop books and loved them so had high expectations with this book as well. I didn't enjoy it as much, it seemed to be quite repetitive and skipped days at a time and got a little lost. The ending was good but I did end up skim reading some of it. I won't let it deter me from reading more of her books though. Thank you for letting me read and review this book.

I loved this book. Claire feels like a break and books a cottage in Northumberland which is an area I would love to visit. The cottage has seen better days- but she soon manages to overlook the more than shabby chic state and enjoys relaxing. I could just imagine curling up on the old sofa and enjoying breakfast there.
I could picture myself walking along the beach and visiting the bakery. Claire's baking made me want to make bread- I could smell the bread baking almost!

Ed is the neighbour of the cottage and although they don't get off to a promising start he provides her with eye candy and she enjoys watching out for him.

She enjoys the area so much that she books a few more long weekends in the area and gets to know Ed better. I loved the romantic element.

Everything about My Summer of Magic Moments was just perfect, I thoroughly enjoyed every single page, perfect setting, perfect couple, I absolutely loved it, can't wait to read more by Caroline Roberts.

Great read. Makes me stop and think. Things we all take for granted. It was a great storyline and just flowed so well. fantastic read

4.5 STARS

I loved this book. Claire is such a strong character and you are rooting for her from the beginning. Ed, the next door neighbour, is a troubled sexy main lead and you are immediately drawn into their little world by the sea. I read it in a couple of sittings!


I was wondering if this book would be hard to read, given the cancer storyline, but it really isn't. It is so well written that you laugh, cry and gasp alongside the characters. It is definitely a poignant read. I love the idea of embracing 'magic moments' in daily life and living for the little things. This aspect of the book really captured my imagination and got me thinking about my own magic moments. The quote on the front cover says this is a life affirming read and I would definitely agree with that.

This would be a great beach read; but would equally work well snuggled up with a hot chocolate by a roaring fire. So there's no excuses. If this is your genre, you won't want to miss this! I will definitely read more by this author.


I received a free review copy via netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Right from the moment I read the blurb of Caroline Roberts new book My Summer of Magic Moments I loved the entire concept of the story and thought it flowed well throughout and tied in well with Claire's journey. After a period of hardship and change for our main female protagonist is ready to attempt to move on and take stock of her life. What better way to do that than to escape everything for some time away to reassess and plan her next life move? In doing so she will learn to appreciate those 'magic moments' in life when you can sit back and take everything in and for Claire it will be a way to find some joy again in her life after being through such a traumatic event but one that readers would hope she would have emerged stronger from.

At the beginning of each chapter were some magic moments from readers or friends of the author and I thought it was a lovely touch and very inspiring. In fact the whole book was inspiring and Claire proved a strong woman and I enjoyed reading her story. I did initially think upon discovering Claire was coming out the other side of a cancer battle that this story may just prove a little too close to the bone for me and I would find it quite upsetting but instead the opposite proved to be true. It was uplifting and heart warming and not all doom and gloom which I had feared. In fact upon reflection with such a beautiful cover it couldn’t have been anything other than a lovely engaging story to read.

After a tumultuous year Claire needs a break to rest and recuperate. She rents what she believes to be an idyllic cottage near the coastal village of Bamburgh for some time away to put things into perspective. Immediately the reader can sense the cancer battle has changed Claire and she is not as confident as she once was. She would love to find that special someone who could be there for her in the future, someone she could share her hopes and dreams with but the scars that remain make her fearful that anyone could ever love her the way she deserves to be adored and cherished. I can relate in some small way to what Claire had experienced and I understood why she felt so apprehensive and felt the need to escape but it did seem she was isolating herself ever so slightly. When she arrives at the cottage, to say it doesn't live up to expectations is an understatement. It's falling apart and lacks the basic necessities but the surrounding area more than makes up for it and when early one morning she spots the handsome man next door taking a dip in the sea leaving his clothes on the beach well that more than makes up for the lack of basic amenities.

I totally understand that Claire was looking for a place of solitude and peace where she could relax, enjoy the sun and let her mind wander but for the first half of the book I thought there was a distinct lack of characters or those that were mentioned we never got to know much about them. Having described the location of the cottage and the lovely village of Bamburgh so well, so much so that I had my own vivid picture created in my mind and I wanted to holiday there, it was such a pity we didn't get to know more of the residents. Linda from the bakery makes a few appearances but I felt we were just skimming the surface and I wanted more. I know this was Claire's story to tell but I wanted her to interact with a few more people. When she finally gets to meet Ed from next door boy he couldn't have come across as less charming. He was gruff, abrupt and I hate to say it rude but I wondered was there a reason for this? Surely if you have a nice woman as a next door holiday neighbour you wouldn't have such an unwelcoming attitude but would rather engage in a little holiday fun?

The book moved along at a gentle, relaxed pace and for some time I felt nothing major happened and I suppose that's what happens when you are on holiday. Claire takes up bread making and it becomes like a form of therapy for her. Her sister Sally arrives for a weekend break and I enjoyed seeing the relationship between the pair. As Claire is a journalist her idea for a new blog 'magic moments' was excellent and fitted in well with the themes of the book but still I was waiting for something big to happen, that twist that keeps the reader rapidly turning the pages. I did feel the second half picked up the pace slightly and I loved how once back at work Claire took on some personal challenges but something kept drawing her back to the cottage.

We slowly got to know a little more about Ed and things seemed to be developing a bit more beyond a friendship but could things possibly work out given Ed was such a closed book? Could Claire herself open up fully? Was she ready to expose her true feelings and the scars of which I felt she should be proud as they marked her out as a true survivor. Someone who has battled through the lowest of lows and emerged out as a winner. She had been on a journey, a slow crawl at times but now was back in the right life lane. I just wondered would that lane bring her any long term happiness or would Ed prove too elusive? Some events and twists and turns may lead the readers to answers and I hoped against hope something positive and fruitful would be the eventual outcome.

My Summer of Magic Moments was the first book I have read by Caroline Roberts and it was a lovely, enjoyable read as was suggested by the bright, inviting cover. Although I did find it an uplifting and sweet read it didn't totally blow me away, I was hoping for just that little bit more. There was something ever so slightly lacking for me that would have made this a truly brilliant read. That said I am glad I read this book and will go back and read the author's teashop series in the future.

I really loved this book!! Claire is a cancer survivor and has recently got divorced but is a really strong woman who is determined to escape her past troubles and live life to the full.

Whilst reading the book I was laughing one minute and crying the next. Willing Claire on as she turned her life around.

The Summer of Magic moments is set in Bamburgh, a beautiful seaside location, where Clare rents a run down cottage to focus on her writing and discovers a love of baking and making new magical memories to heal from the past.

She meets sexy neighbour Ed, who although as his own wounds find they share a wonderful connection . Will this develop into a romance? Will they both help each other heal from their pasts?

Although the story centres on Claire's recovery from cancer this does not dominate the novel. Caroline portrays Claire's positivity and strength which is heartwarming and sharing Claire's journey from insecurity to self love and positivity.

My Summer of Magic Moments is positive, strong, empowering, emotional , full of fun and romance and I highly recommend it. It made me think of my own life and how precious it is and every moment counts.
This story was a real page turner and I have now found a new favourite author looking forward to reading more of her books .

Review:

This is such a lovely book and one I think is needed especially with recent events. Magic Moments are special and they can be so many different things for different people. It is a theme that runs through this story. This story really makes you take a moment and reflect on what is really important in life, Magic Moments.

Caroline has written another great book. It is beautifully written in her unique style. She creates memorable characters and I just love the feel good factor running through this book.

Claire is a survivor. Through this story we follow this strong women and all the after effects of her journey to getting back to living a full life. Claire is a trooper and doesn't let anything stop her, she may wobble but keeps on going. When we read about Ed and his past, it is another example of how important life is. I knew this character was hiding something but was not expecting what Caroline decided for this character. Read and find out if Claire and Ed have the perfect summer romance.

I loved this book and would highly recommend it to anyone who likes a romance and a feel good factor vibe running throughout the book.

I can't wait for the next book from Caroline after reading this one and her Tea shop in the Castle series she has become one of my favourite authors.

This is a sweet book which could have, with a few tweaks, made my Favourites list.

We meet Claire, our heroine, while on a holiday at a small Northumberland town. She’s just come through her battle of breast cancer, but not without some emotional baggage. Other than the usual emotional turmoil that goes with fighting cancer, her husband waited until she received the all clear health-wise before he broke the news that he wanted a divorce.

Anyway, Claire decides to spend three weeks in a cottage by the seaside to recover. The cottage proves to be quite rundown but it does a lovely outlook, and not only of the water. Claire’s neighbour, it turns out, has a tendency to swim naked and Claire is quite impressed with the view.

I don’t think it’s a spoiler to say that Claire and her neighbour, Ed, eventually go down a romantic path. Actually, I should probably remove the word ‘eventually’. Claire and Ed seem to go from saying hello in passing to kissing passionately quite abruptly. It wasn’t completely awful, but I wasn’t completely sold on the whole thing. It needed more a build up for me.

I would have liked to have read more plot conflict in the book other than Ed. I didn’t think the ex-husband or the cancer were used to their fullest in this respect. It was difficult for me to find too much ill will towards the ex-husband. After all, what would have been worse? Him asking for the divorce in the midst of her treatment? And really, he only featured in one or two chapters and this wasn't enough for me to truly dislike him.

The cancer too is not used enough. It's mentioned with regards to raising money towards its cure, and the fear of its return, but I would have recommended a few flashbacks to the actual treatment and more of Ed's reaction to the scars it left on her body.

Instead, there are large chunks of the book devoted to describing mundane activities such as Claire baking bread, moving house, and participating in a charity run. I didn’t mind this during the first few chapters but after a while I found myself skimming.

I also need to touch slightly on Claire’s age. She is supposedly thirty. Everything about her had me thinking she was quite a bit older. Now, I know young women get cancer too, but I just found that the way she was written seemed to point towards her being more in her mid- to late-forties. I do wonder if Roberts wrote the character older originally and an editor or publisher in their ‘wisdom’ made the change.

Overall, I liked the book, but didn’t love it. 3 out of 5

5☆ Simply Mesmerising and Poignant

My Summer of Magic Moments is a beautifully compelling read that will have you smiling, laughing and crying.

Claire has had a very tough year, battling with cancer and she has the scars to prove it. Both physically and mentally.
So when she decides to take a break it's the perfect time to recuperate and find herself again.

Claire sets off to the Northumberland coast and so her adventure begins.

Claire uses her time away to re focus on her writing and developing new stories and magical memories.

She also meets her very sexy neighbour Ed who isn't shy about he's body when he openly enjoys skinny dipping. (Naked swimming)
Of course it would be rude of Claire not to sneak a peak!!
Will the sexy neighbour Ed bring Claire her summer of fun and romance?
Will Ed be just the perfect tonic Claire needs to help heal her scars!

When I found out this story was about  cancer I didn't think I was going to be able to read it.
Cancer effects millions of people each and every day and I find it particularly hard to read about.

But what Caroline does is focus on the strength Claire has and her overcoming  and rebuilding her life and her mental scars.
Rather than making cancer the story.

To see Claire grow and become so strong and her positivity just shone through the pages and warmed my heart.
To see her begin to love herself and her body & scars was just so heart warming.

My Summer of magic Moments is exactly what it is.
Heart warming, empowering, Poignant, and emotional, full of sunshine, fun and Romance.
Claire sends a message to to stay strong and to love yourself.

A beautiful read all year round, that I highly recommend. I believe this book is going to appeal to so many readers as it's hugely relatable and real.

Perfect for readers who love Chick Lit, happy endings, strong female lead, Poignant and addictive reads.

After winning her battle with cancer, Claire is taking a break from work to recharge and relax. She goes back to the small Scottish village where she used to go on holiday with her family when she was a child. Claire wants to use this holiday to forget about the cancer, forget about the husband who left her for another woman, and to find new ideas for her newspaper column. On her first morning there, Claire sees her handsome and elusive neighbour, Ed, swimming naked and for a moment all her problems seem far away. But as Ed doesn't seem too interested in getting to know her, Claire focuses her attention on her job and decides to write an article about her magic moments like spending time with her family or reading a book on the beach. Soon her column is a success and people start writing to her about their magic moments. Also, Ed isn’t so unfriendly anymore although he seems to have a secret.
Claire's scars from cancer are not only physical but also psychological as she struggle to accept her body after the cancer and to overcome her fear of the disease returning. Luckily she is surrounded by friends and family who care deeply for her. I always enjoy a novel by Caroline Roberts and this is a romantic, moving and thought-provoking novel about second chances, love and never giving up.

This is my next NetGalley read.

About 24% in a few hours and it has giving me tears and understanding of the scars left behind after cancer. A really powerful start to the story and I'm already in love with the main character. A real page turner so far and different from what I expected.

I just couldn't put this down. A real page turner and a heartfelt story that captured me from the start. I think I found a new favourite author to add to my reading list and looking forward to reading more from this author.

I absolutely love Caroline Roberts books, so I was thrilled when I received a copy of this book!

Throughout the book I laughed and cried with Claire - A character that has been through so much and is a real strong woman. I have so much admiration for Claire.

My summer of magic moments sees Claire go on a getaway to escape the troubles of her last few years and try and get her life back on track. She makes a list of magic moments which gives her things to enjoy and look forward too. She also bases her blog for work on these magic moments which become truly special for her and the readers.

During her time away Claire meets a handsome neighbour who she instantly clicks with, and as a reader we just hope that they fall in love and be happy together. But things dont go that smoothly for them.

By the end of the book I think we see Claire as a new woman and it makes me so happy knowing this.

This book really is beautiful and heart warming. Full of emotion, youl need plenty of tissues.

Overall it is a book that shows us that no matter how hard or bad life gets theres always hope and the knowledge that life will get better, you just need to be strong.

This is a story any woman will identify with. Claire’s journey is an account of bravery and resilience, focusing more on the magic moments than on the dark ones. The character of Claire dominates the narrative and rightly so. She’s dealing with a lot of upheaval in her personal and familial life, but she has a very supportive net of family and friends.
I loved the British English writing, the English setting, the beautiful descriptions of Northumberland, Bamburgh Beach and the North Sea. The depiction of the media universe sounds realistic.
While I understand that the heroine’s process of emotional and psychological recover is central to the story, I would have liked to have seen the hero’s character more developed. There are some traits there – a shyness (?), the hurt, even his grumpiness – that, in my opinion, were not fully explored.
I also felt that perhaps their first supposed one-night stand happened too early if we consider the hero’s situation. Concomitantly, I would have liked to have seen the romance develop a little more throughout the novel (although I understand the author’s option of focusing on Claire’s struggles).

With all the horrors that the world throws at us on a daily basis, this book proved to be the perfect antidote for that full of those magic moments that we often ignore and take for granted and I have loved escaping into the world of Claire as she recovers from breast cancer and how that experience changes her outlook on life and how she doesn't let it beat her..

She has planned a little escape after the horrors of her illness, so a rundown cottage by the sea seems the perfect retreat to just have some 'me' time and to get back to enjoying the simpler things in life - and it also helps when you end up with a rather hunky neighbour who is partial to a bit of skinny dipping!! Enough to put a smile back on anybodys face!! ;)

As she fits into daily life on the coast, she discovers a love of baking and also starts to find inspiration for new topics for her to use in her writing career and life seems to be falling back into place, and as a reader you are cheering her on from the sidelines as she is a wonderful character who deserves a slice of luck in life. Oh and I also now have an overwhelming desire to bake my own bread!!

I adored The Cosy Teashop in the Castle, and this book was just as good for me! Love the authors' style of writing and her ability to create such wonderful characters and settings is a winner everytime for me! A real summer treat of a read and highly recommended!!