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GlassesShop offered me a free pair of prescription glasses in exchange for a review. This offer was too good to pass up, as spectacles in South Africa are quite pricey. And the request came quite timeously as I needed new reading glasses. GlassesShop The company was founded in Michigan in 2004 with the aim to … Continue reading GlassesShop Review
Our Italian Legacy Of Love is a beautiful family story, and the authors have a restaurant I would love to visit. I love the saying "only ice cream belongs in the freezer". This is so true for restaurants who should not be reheating meals that have been cooked in advance and frozen. What do you … Continue reading Our Italian Legacy Of Love, Chiara Viljoen
Dark Horse opening lines: Some men speak of angels and devils. Some talk about their emotions or unbidden urges. My blurb: Evan Smoak will always help the innocent, but he will not aid criminals. That is on his list of rules. But the rules are being broken and in order to save Anjelina, he must … Continue reading Dark Horse, Gregg Hurwitz
The Sneeuberg Brewery And Two Goats Deli is a delightful stop in Nieu-Bethesda. This small village is at the foot of the Sneeuberge along the banks of the Sundays River. Take the winding road down into the valley to experience what life used to be like. You will not find an ATM here, nor a … Continue reading Sneeuberg Brewery, Two Goats Deli, Nieu-Bethesda
One Step Too Far opening line: The first three men came stumbling into town shortly after ten A.M., babbling of dark shapes and eerie screams and their missing buddy Scott and their other buddy Tim, who set out from their campsite before dawn to get help. My blurb: Frankie doesn't know why she chose this … Continue reading One Step Too Far, Lisa Gardner
Simply Seasonal is my type of recipe book. As you know, I love to cook with seasonal and regional ingredients. Ilse's favourite season is autumn whereas I love spring. This is because there is so much choice when it comes to fruit and vegetables after winter. Simply Seasonal is a vibrant, visual recipe guide inspired by … Continue reading Simply Seasonal, Ilse van der Merwe
Run, Rose, Run opening line: The Louis Seize-style mirror in the bedroom of suite 409 at the Aquitaine Hotel reflected for little more than an instant a slim, fine-featured woman: wide blue eyes, clenched fists, dark hair streaming behind her as she ran. My blurb: AnnieLee has a voice made for singing, and the courage … Continue reading Run, Rose, Run, Dolly Parton And James Patterson
A Wedding in Provence opening lines: Alexandra still couldn't quite control her excitement. She was in Paris! My blurb: After Lizzie's wedding, and the sudden appearance of her family from Switzerland, everything has changed for Lexie. She has been told she has to attend a finishing school and on her way there she asks to … Continue reading A Wedding in Provence, Katie Fforde
I am a little bit of a Podcast addict, and listen to a wide variety of topics on a daily basis. In January I listened to Noa talk about The Happiness Workout and I knew we were kindred spirits. My thesis for my Clinical Psychology Masters would have been on using words to change our … Continue reading The Happiness Workout, Noa Belling
Again, Rachel opening lines: The touch of his hand, lightly circling my belly-button, woke me. Still half-asleep, I enjoyed the feel of his fingers tracing lower. My blurb: Rachel Walsh has her life together, finally. She has moved back to Ireland and is successful in her position helping people make it through rehabilitation. She knows … Continue reading Again, Rachel, Marian Keyes
When we saw The Bavarian Restaurant and Beer Garden my mom was immediately drawn to the idea of eating there. We were meant to be in Austria, and what could bring us closer than traditional food, here in South Africa? The Bavarian Restaurant and Beer Garden The space inside is small, and there are outside … Continue reading The Bavarian Restaurant, Graaff-Reinet
Love Marriage opening lines: In the Ghorami household sex was never mentioned. If the television was on and a kissing-with-tongues scene threatened the chaste and cardamom-scented home, it was swiftly terminated by a flick of the black box. My blurb: Yasmin Ghorani is fulfilling her father's dreams and becoming a Doctor. She has also stepped … Continue reading Love Marriage, Monica Ali
Amerae Vercueil is a food stylist and photographer which explains why the photographs in Food That Loves You Back are stunning. Plant-based eating is more than just putting vegetables on your plate. It offers the opportunity to experiment with different flavours and textures, and discover how a single vegetable can be transformed into a multitude of … Continue reading Food That Loves You Back
Jailhouse Lawyer opening line: I wasn't present at the courthouse in Erva, Alabama, on that morning in June, when events unfolded that would suck me into the undertow of Douglas County. My blurb: Martha's primary concern is her son. And when her company forces her hand, she finds what seems to be the ideal job. … Continue reading Jailhouse Lawyer, James Patterson & Nancy Allen
Unholy Murder opening line: The yellow JCB digger was backhoeing a deep trench for the concrete foundations to be laid. My blurb: Nick Durham seems like a nice man, and could be the perfect partner for Jane. But Detective Tennison is investigating his father. And she cannot let her personal life get in the way … Continue reading Unholy Murder, Lynda La Plante
De Camdeboo Restaurant is the onsite dining facility at The Drostdy Hotel in Graaff-Reinet. The dining area is stunningly appointed. With a formal atmosphere that lends itself to the amazing meals and fine wines you will experience. De Camdeboo Restaurant The restaurant boasts an interesting wine list, supporting the Old Vines Project. If you cannot … Continue reading De Camdeboo Restaurant, Graaff-Reinet
Fear No Evil opening line: Matthew Butler cocked his head to one side, considering the big-boned blonde in front of him. Read an extract: She was handcuffed and shackled to a heavy oak chair bolted into the concrete floor beneath bright fluorescent lights. If the woman was anxious about her predicament, she wasn’t showing it … Continue reading Fear No Evil, James Patterson
The Drostdy Hotel in Graaff-Reinet has to be one of the most luxurious places we have stayed in locally. A totally fantastic place which can be the perfect stop over if you are heading from Gauteng to the Western Cape or vice-versa. The Drostdy Hotel The original hotel has been transformed into a boardroom, reading … Continue reading Drostdy Hotel, Graaff-Reinet South Africa
Black Cake opening lines: He should have known it would come to this. He should have known the day that hak gwai wife of his ran away from home. My blurb: Benny's mom could surf waves most men would steer away from. The water was her friend, but it also held her secrets. Now Benny is … Continue reading Black Cake, Charmaine Wilkerson
Chain of Command opening line: Tim Goode grabbed the edge of the desk and pushed his padded chair away from the radar console, rolling it forward and back, bleeding off nervous energy while he took a scant moment to study the electronic blip moving north-east. My blurb: The best laid plans will always change when … Continue reading Chain Of Command, Marc Cameron