Review of "Second Time Lucky" by Sophie King and Writing Competition Announcement!

Description from Amazon:

Another engaging tale of love and life from Sophie King, the bestselling author of The School Run. Meet the residents of Bridgewater House, once a grand stately home, but now converted into apartments which house a host of colourful characters, each with their own desires and secrets.

Louise thought she had everything, then suddenly finds herself as a single mum with an uncertain future. Can she build a new life for her and her children? And has real happiness been right under her nose all along?

Roddy was once the heir to Bridgewater House, but now he's a drunken lord who's fallen on hard times. Can he prove to his ex-wife that he has cleaned up his act, or is he about to risk everything in a desperate scheme to show how much he loves his kids?

Molly is a famous actress, coming to terms with retirement and the recent death of her actor husband Gideon. But dare she tell anyone that Gideon still comes to visit her? And how will she react to some unexpected messages from beyond the grave?

American Marcie always fantasised about marrying an English gentleman, just like one of her Jane Austen heroines. But will two resentful stepchildren, and failed attempts to have a baby of her own, get in the way of her dream happy ending? And what would her husband David make of her secret shame from the past?

As each of these neighbours faces their own challenges, their lives are about to become entwined in ways they never could have expected.

Review:

I have a soft spot for stories that are told from multiple points of view, yet the characters are interconnected. If I had to pinpoint why, I would hazard a guess that dates back to my early love of British chick-lit written in that format (a love that is still strong today!). I haven't read any books written like that for a while and Sophie King's latest release hit the spot! I enjoyed getting to know the various people living in Bridgewater House, a home that had been converted into apartments. While some characters seemed easier to love than others, they all had their quirks and their charms and I hoped for a happy ending for each one of them! I especially enjoyed the story of Louise, recently divorced but staying strong for the sake of her children. Her resolve in the face of difficulty  endeared her to me, and I'm sure that I'm not the only reader who will feel that way!

Second Time Lucky is well-written and easy to read, the perfect story to curl up with in these cold winter months! Sophie King gives us several characters to get to know and care about, and the plot is as fun as it is realistic. I will definitely be picking up her new releases in the future and at only $2.99, this book is a steal! My thanks to the publicist for providing me with a review copy!

Bonus! The Sophie King Writing Competition:

This romantic fiction short story competition aims to discover a great new romance short story. The winning story will be chosen by best-selling novelist and short story writer Sophie King.

The competition is free to enter, and is open to both published and unpublished writers worldwide. The winning story will be recorded by a professional actor, and broadcast from a dedicated online audio player. The winner will also receive a pair of Silver-Plated Life Long Champagne Chalices and £50 (approx $79) gift voucher courtesy of www.handpickedcollection.com. One runner up will receive a £25 (approx $39) gift Handpicked Collection voucher.

The Sophie King Prize is now open for entries. Entrants must submit a short story of between 1,500 to 2,500 words with a romantic theme. The submissions deadline is January 10th 2014 and the winner will be announced on February 14th 2014. To enter, go to: www.thesophiekingprize.com