I loved this story of Charlie Bold, who needs to regain her confidence and kick start her life a bit. She had completely lost her confidence, and for someone working in radio, has stage fright and can't speak on a microphone.

When her station forces her to relocate to Swansea, and aren't exactly honest about her new role, it is time for her to sink or swim. With the help of Delme who she has only just met, things start happening for Charlie, slowly at first, and then wow she is one fabulous woman.

I loved the ideas she had for her evening radio show and generally seeing how she fitted into her new life. I hated her current boyfriend Jonny and just prayed she would see sense with him.

I loved getting to know Delme's story properly, he is a character I gelled with from the first instance and seeing how he developed over the book was wonderful. As was Tina's story which kept giving us gasp worthy shocks, once you got to know her.

It's a story of fresh starts, new beginnings, gains in confidence, the attempt to improve a small radio station, a lovely location, all manner to unexpected directions for the story and some wonderful advice too.

It's a really great feel good story, that is guaranteed to bring some sunshine into your life.

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

Charlie Bold is an enigma-a radio host without a voice, who exists as a running joke on the station she works at. Something horrific, something catastrophic has led her to be mute whenever she goes near a mic BUT knowing she was on borrowed time she has limited options. When those options are leave, be transferred or reapply for a speaking role, she finds herself backed into a corner.

So she moves to Swansea, to Sunshine FM where she mistakenly believes she will be an associate presenter-turns out that she is the main act. What is she going to do? Her boyfriend isn't ready to move in with her, her flatmate was overheard planning on turning her room into an office as Charlie was leaving.

Her first show 'Evening Mumbkes' totally lives up to its name, and things get worse before they get better.

Laura introduces memorable characters such as Ivor Mone, handsy elderly resident of the old guard DJ, Del the health and safety officer who wants to be more, DJ Disgo,and Tina the station manager with her own, dark backstory,

I have talked before about how I find many people's choice of the word 'chicklit' as reductive. If the author owns and uses that word then absolutely that is up to them , I just personally dislike the inherent dismissive attitude towards modern women's writing. Laura has done an excellent job bringing Mumbles, Swansea and Wales to light, she tackles subjects that moddern women constantly have to tackle without flinching whilst building the characters up slowly. We get to know them as Charlie gets to know them.

It's a beautiful thing, a book written with a lightness of touch, humour and sensitivity to modern dilemms.

There's just one word to use to describe this book-lush !

Charlotte Bold is one for planning and structure, spontaneous doesn't work in her dictionary. She's rather happy with her quiet life in London, with her traffic updates radio job, her friends and her boyfriend. Maybe, but only maybe, it could be a little much better if she could get over her fear of speaking on the radio - a bit embarrassing, working on the radio, no? And she used to be a rising star, and she used to have ambitions. So what has happened? And what's going to happen when suddenly she loses her safe job and has to apply for another position in Sunshine FM in Wales? And what if it's a DJ job, with an evening show, even though Charlie is sure she has applied to be an assistant?

"Bring Me Sunshine" for sure brings you sunshine, it's fabulously uplifting, with living and breathing characters, whose stories are going to stop you in your tracks, mixing humour with some more poignant moments.

I absolutely loved how well the author has written the characters, the differences between them and their personalities, and how they changed and why. Charlie used to be a life and soul, adventurous and quirky, but after something has happened she disappeared in her shell, she hates change - hell, she eats the same sandwich everyday! - and she simply wants to stay in the shadows, and I couldn't get over how well Laura Kemp captured all those feelings and characteristics, and still made Charlie a colourful, interesting character that I adored and kept everything crossed for her. Usually such wishy - washy characters (and that doesn't mean that Charlie is wishy - washy!!! Because she's not!) that are afraid of their own shadows are annoying but this time I wanted to hug Charlie and tell her that everything is going to be OK soon and I found myself nodding along at so many wise sentences at how being in such a state of denial makes us feel.
And I loved that, deep deep down, there were hidden layers of determination and willingness in Charlie, and that she found the courage to use them. Or maybe, that she was forced to use them - a fact that, actually, made me happy for her because she needed her confidence back. There was a raw vulnerability to her, the anxiety and anguish were so well captured, but getting to know her other side, as a kind, lovely and caring woman was even better. She was real and realistic, with all the inner turmoil, coming out of her comfort zones, conquering her fears.
There are also two parallel storylines running along this of Charlie. Delme, at the first sight, looks like your relaxed guy with bravado, but when you get to know him more you start to see that he has a past, that he has skeletons in his closet and actually, his story is like emotional rollercoaster journey, and that he is, simply, hiding behind the mask of a crazy gung - ho way of life. He is the health and safety guy at the station and it's rather a surprise to discover that he also has his own fears. It took some time for him to open up. He also seems so realistic, with his struggles and not being a superman.
Tina's story was really full of heartbreak, lies and secrets, so complex and absolutely not straightforward. I liked her from the very beginning, so seeing her so torn, not knowing what to do, made my heart break, but then the way she blossomed made it mend again.
Every single character in this book has their own story to tell, and those are thought - provoking and complex stories, which only make them even more relatable and believable.

I'm not sure how Laura Kemp does it, but each of her new book is better than the previous one. I thought that "The Year of Surprising Acts of Kindness" is already on the highest level but with this book she only proves that there is so much potential in her to write gorgeous stories. Her writing style is exceptionally good, chatty, descriptive and full of heart and everything she writes about rings true and comes alive seamlessly and beautifully. I was immediately drawn into the story and all the tribes and tribulations of the characters, and there were plenty of them.

"Bring Me Sunshine" is a story about finding joy and seeing that we also deserve happiness in our lives. It was full of those small wisdoms that the author so beautifully captures and puts into words for us and waves into the plot. It was a fun, light - hearted story with tons of depth to it, a real page - turner. Fresh and funny, a perfect summer read, and I can't recommend it highly enough!

Thanks to. Netgalley and Orion for a copy of. Bring me sunshine for an honest review.
I found this ideal reading on my holidays in the sunshine !
I hadn’t read anything by Laura Kemp before , but I’ll be looking out for others.
Enjoyable,, satisfying holiday read

Bring Me Sunshine may be the first book that I have read by Laura Kemp but it certainly won't be the last. What an absolute treat of a book she has written and one in which I was quickly sucked into the lives and trials and tribulations of all the characters. It's a brilliant, dynamic and modern story which makes up the perfect package with a radio station being the main setting situated in the seaside town of Mumbles. At last we have something different beside a café, cottage or a farm. Don't get me wrong I love books with those settings but to see something new, fresh, exciting and innovative is always more than welcome.

Charlotte (Charlie) Bold is faced with a life decision, well really she is given no other option, but it's what she makes of this new lifestyle that will form the basis of the book in which many other strands and characters flow out from. Will this major move be the makings of her and bring nothing but positivity and sunshine or will it further cement her into the shell shell she has created for herself as she inhabits a world of silence in her job where really words and expression are everything? Only time will tell but as the reader journeys with Charlotte as she steps out of the comfort zone and routine she has created for herself you'll be there with Charlie every step of the way.

Charlie lives and works in London and is somewhat happy with her life although she readily admits it could be so much better if she could get over her fear of speaking on the radio. This really is a major problem considering she works for a radio station and in years gone by she was the rising star with heaps of ambition. So where did it all go wrong? Why is she reduced to working on travel updates and then she can't relay them herself over the airwaves? Why is she struck mute in front of a microphone and how has she developed such tactics to avoid even being placed in a studio? Her boyfriend Jonny is the breakfast show host and full of chatter, laughter and antics. Well on air he is but off air he can identify with Charlie and their relationship she feels is a solid one.

I couldn't fathom what could have happened to lead Charlie to being the way she was but one thing was for sure I wanted there to be a very valid and significant reason. One that didn't leave me thinking - oh was that it? Admittedly that's how I did feel when the reveal came but overall it didn't detract from the story as this was more about Charlie finding herself and her voice once again not the actual cause for its loss. She once was a bright young talent and a rising star and has now fallen from grace and has become introverted and pitied for her career collapse. So when she is called into her bosses office she expects just a general talking to and perhaps an extension to her contract but that is not the case and soon she is out on her ear. Given little choice she is demoted to a smaller seaside station - Sunshine FM - where an assistant presenter is required. Little does she realise her definition of assistant is wildly different to theirs and soon she is forced right into the spotlight where she hates to be. Will she crumble even further or will she create some much needed magic at the station and in doing so bring some sunshine, joy and happiness into her own life?

I absolutely loved Charlie as a character. She was written in such a way that we saw all aspects of her personality, the raw vulnerability, the anxiety, despair and anguish but also the kind, caring and loving person who deep down really didn't want to let anybody else down or herself for that matter. She knew when she arrived at the station and was confronted with the reality that she would have to become a presenter and speak on air that OK she couldn't jump headlong into it but she couldn't cut her losses and escape for really where could she go? Her emotional battle and the inner turmoil she wrestles with are characteristics and traits that many readers will identify with for various reasons. I loved that Charlie wasn't all perfect for none of us are and that life really is a struggle and not plain sailing and I don't want to always read this in books. I want to see characters go through the wringer and experience things that they would normally avoid because to me that's realistic of our day to day lives.

The things we fear the most for whatever reason are perhaps the things we should face up to and deal with sooner rather than later. 'Fighting meant you faced up to your fears, which meant you admitted they existed. Denial was much better, it kept anxiety at bay and that was how Charlie wanted to live'. I thought this quote summed up perfectly how Charlie felt I think some readers will identify with this too but if we can garner the strength and courage just like Laura attempts to do maybe we can see a brighter light on the other side. The Charlie now and the Charlie of the past are two completely different people. Long ago she was adventurous, perky and would go with the flow. Now she crumbles when the pressure gets too much and retreats into herself. She wants nothing to throw her out of her comfort zone right down to the same sandwich she eats everyday. She prefers to remain in the relative safety of the shadows avoiding anything unexpected or any curve balls. 'She didn't want plans to change, she didn't want life to happen to her. She wanted things to stay the same to remain in control. Spontaneity was the enemy it made the horizon dip and rise and she wanted it to be flat and true. Navigable and constant'. I found myself nodding along and thinking god I would love aspects of this statement to apply to my own life but like Charlie slowly starts to realise we can't live our life that way forever.

No doubt about it Charlie was pushed out of her comfort zone and she couldn't do it all on her own but the fact deep down she had the willingness, the guts and determination lying there just waiting to emerge stood to her when the opportunities arose to transform her own life. She was inventive and creative and her ideas for her show were brilliant. She knew underneath it all that her fears needed to be conquered or else she would remain in a rut and stagnant for an undetermined amount of time. Over time she attempted to bring life and soul to both the station and the town but not without a supportive hand from those new friends and co-workers she came to rely on when the going got tough.

Del, the health and safety guy at the station, was in some ways the male version of Charlie but he kept his fears under wraps and used exuberance, quirky antics and fun to mask his true feelings and a maelstrom of emotions. He was keen, intelligent and the life and soul of the party but what is he masking behind it all? Del took time to open up and admit his fears and the reasons behind them and the reader discovers the cause before anybody else. I thought it was excellent that here was a male character who isn't some big stud playing hard to get with women. Instead there was more of a focus on his personality and the anxiety that he hides. The reasons for hiding everything were emotional and did have devastating consequences and I could see why he felt the way he did.

It was all eating him up inside and he was on a path to self destruction unless he had the courage to admit what was wrong and to set about on a course of changing things. I wanted him to be more open with people though instead of trying to navigate things solo but perhaps that's what he thought was the best way to climb out of the abyss of guilt. Del saves Charlie from disaster on her very first show and from then on I felt a spark between them but I questioned would this ever be ignited given they were both experiencing so much. Could they devote themselves to someone else considering they couldn't even express or manage their own feelings or deal with their own problems and situations very well? Also Charlie was in a relationship with Jonny and she couldn't just abandon ship when he had been her backbone and support for so long. They both needed to learn to be without any agendas just to be themselves and people will befriend and love them no matter what warts and all.

There were numerous other characters who featured and some played more minor roles than others but one person who deserves a mention is station manager Tina who herself is hiding a big secret. She is not long in the area and hasn't made many friends because that would mean revealing personal details and she feels she has been judged enough. From reading her story and picking up on certain things you are lead to believe one thing and then everything is tuned upside down. My opinion of Tina and the reasons for her motivations and actions changed several times over. She was one character who I felt had been really hard done by but still she lay down and took everything for quite some time. I wanted to feel her anger, her wrath and see a big explosion of emotion and to hell with the consequences. Revenge is a dish best served cold after all. Tina shouldn't have been a doormat and as I kept reading I hoped she would face up to reality and become the woman she needed to be in order to move onwards and upwards.

Bring Me Sunshine certainly lived up to its name in that the characters all needed some sunshine brought into their lives but the way Laura Kemp wrote this book I thought all the emotions and hardships existing for the main characters balanced brilliantly with more light hearted and fun scenes and innovations. Charlie is truly an inspiring person and reading as to how her story unfolds and her attempts to come to life was very enjoyable. I am delighted to have discovered a new author who can bring a real sense of the characters inner feelings and thoughts to life on the page. There was also so much warmth, humour and understanding infused throughout that it all made for the perfect read and one that you will want to read in one sitting if at all possible. I'm definitely going to go back and check out her previous book The Year of Surprising Acts of Kindness, If its anything as good as Bring Me Sunshine I am in for a real treat.

An enjoyable story set on the coast in Wales. When Charlotte Bold loses her radio job in London and is forced/persuaded by her employers into moving to a job with Sunshine FM in Mumbles, Wales, she isn't happy - but it's either that or redundancy. Charlotte had a bit of a meltdown previously (that we eventually find out about) and so has since kept her head down doing the traffic reports and keeping every part of her life under tight regimented control, being very withdrawn.

Then due to a misunderstanding she ends up fronting the evening show on Sunshine FM and really panics about it initially, being forced into broadcasting due to various events. There are some other strands of the story which are interesting too - Delme's (bumbling health and safety guy at the radio station) and Tina (office manager), who both have quite different stories they are hiding from their colleagues.

Moving to Mumbles did Charlotte the world of good and she eventually got a bit more of a backbone and took control of her life again - she was a bit 'wet' to start with! Whilst I did enjoy Charlotte's story I actually enjoyed the side characters stories even more, especially Tina's story.

Enjoyable light-hearted read with an added layer of depth with the different stories of Del and Tina.

Charlotte Bold, Charlie to her friends, is the traffic reporter at a London radio station. She works in the background and that suits her fine. It wasn’t always like that for Charlie but that’s another story that she’s totally avoiding. When the radio station transfers her to Sunshine FM in Wales she treats it as a temporary step until she can get back to London.
Arriving at the radio station in Mumbles ready to take on the traffic and travel Charlie discovers she’s hired to host the evening show, and she’s not sure she can do it. Thrust into the limelight she must find her voice, but how.
She soon realises she’s not the only one who’s finding things hard, her colleagues, the listeners, there’s a lot of lonely people out there. Can Charlie overcome her fears, leave her old life behind and bring sunshine to the Mumbles.

Review
Another heartwarming story from Laura Kemp. This is a story of friendships and finding out who your friends are, the good from the bad. Laura has the skill of writing characters whose lives you want to be part of, be friends with. They are flawed and emotional but loving and caring, and have issues like the rest of us.
Everyone has a story behind the scenes. I especially love Delme, he steps up to save Charlie’s first broadcast but his crazy gung-ho way of life masks emotional trauma underneath.
Charlie uses her caring friendly ways to bring people together and she really does bring sunshine to the people of Mumbles.
This is definitely another good read from Laura Kemp, highly recommended.

This was a wonderful novel that will bring sunshine to you on any day. It was heartwarming and delightful. I loved the characters, the setting, everything about it draws you in and makes you feel warm and happy.

Would 100% recommend.

I loved Bring Me Sunshine. Such a nice heartwarming read that will appeal to all. I read this in a couple of days and loved every page of it.

Thank you to NetGalley, Orion Publishing Group and the author for the chance to review.