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Ever wondered what happened to your first love? As if that isn't intriguing enough!
Paige Toon's novels mean everything to me! As crazy as that sounds I am completely and utterly attached!
I've never laughed, cried or smiled as much as when I'm reading her novels. For the crying part it depends on the novel... (CHASING DAISY!!)
Paige Toon has done it again, writing yet another character addictive page turner!
There was something different about this novel which I'm still unsure what. I don't know if it's because the characters were my age and doing what I should be doing. I felt I connected more to these characters than I ever have before with a Paige Toon's characters.
Alice is a carefree, shy girl about to start university with a shattered heart.
Joe.... First Love... the one that got away?
When we were first introduced to Joe in Baby Be Mine I wanted Meg to uncover all of his secrets. although I got something extremely better! THANK YOU Paige again for giving him his own novel!
Joe is the perfect character! He is funny, caring and so mine if real! I'm so looking forward to reading more about him and his relationship with Alice. Joe definitely had a tiny piece of my Paige Toon heart... but Johnny Jefferson has the rest! Or maybe Nathan... Luis... Ben... Lucas have, too! But I literally cried over Johnny Jefferson - how dare he?
Lucas! When I first started reading about him and Alice I was like 'Alice don't ever go back to Joe' but obviously I must have been sick.
Although again there was something strange about One Perfect Summer!
I loved Lucas and Alice together. I have to admit that! I also don't know at the start who I wanted Alice to end up with!
I really enjoyed reading about Lizzy as she's so funny, honest, flirty and full of life! Especially what Alice and every other girls needs in a friend!
The backgrounds of the characters were amazing and something that was totally unexpected but amazing!
Paige Toon is AMAZING!
One Perfect Summer is a sublime novel which there will defo be a repeat of reading!
Paige don't make me wait ages for the sequel! I literally don't think I could cope!
I advise everyone to read Paige Toon... I need to make it a a law... anyone agree?
One of our favourite partners, and great friends of Books and the City is Colour Couture.
Specialising in Look Books, Colour Couture brings the very latest professional quality HD make up to all of us, at great prices.
What’s not to love?
And if you pop on over to our Competitions page, you can win a make-over by one of their celebrity make-up artists, plus a bespoke range of The Catwalk Collection cosmetics – a prize worth £2,000!
If the weather holds off, The Place to Be Seen this month will be on the roof of Selfridges.
As part of their Big British Bang, The Big Rooftop Tea & Golf Party runs through to September 2, and Selfridges have transformed the roof to incorporate a cake based crazy golf course and Daylesford Café for the highest afternoon tea with a twist on Oxford Street.
FORE!
GRILLED HALLOUMI WITH PEA, BROAD BEAN AND MINT SALAD from
THE SCOUTS ESSENTIAL CAMPING COOKBOOK
Serves 4
400 g (13 oz) halloumi cheese, sliced about 1 cm (½inch) thick
A drizzle of olive oil
150 g (5 oz) fresh peas (or frozen if fresh are unavailable)
150 g (5 oz) fresh broad beans (or frozen if fresh are unavailable)
A big handful of seasonal salad leaves, such as rocket, gem or endive, washed
25 g (1 oz/about ½a bunch) fresh mint, roughly chopped
Juice of ½lemon
Pepper
Whatever the time of year, this salad is refreshingly bright, colourful and seriously tasty.
Halloumi is a great cheese for grilling as it holds its form and doesn’t really melt when it’s cooked.
- Prepare your campfire, barbecue or grill.- Coat the halloumi slices with a small amount of olive oil and season with ground black pepper.
- If you are using fresh peas and broad beans, take them out of their pods, and then blanch them in boiling water for 3–4 minutes.
- Place the halloumi straight onto a grill above the campfire or barbecue, and cook for about 5 minutes, turning halfway.
- Remove from the grill and leave to cool slightly.
- Mix the lettuce leaves with the mint.
- You can either cut the cheese into cubes or leave as slices.
- In a big serving bowl place the minted salad leaves, top with the halloumi and then drizzle with lemon juice and olive oil.
For this and more delicious camping recipes, see THE SCOUTS ESSENTIAL CAMPING COOKBOOK (OR HOW TO COOK AN EGG IN AN ORANGE) out now!
As those of you who check out Books and the City regularly will know, we love a bit of cake here at BATC Towers.
A classic Victoria Sponge, a daring Red Velvet, a zingy lemon drizzle… all and every cake is welcome at our table.
And one of our very favourite professional cake ladies is Charlotte, creator of Restoration Cake. Charlotte has baked and decorated cakes for everyone from Dame Vera Lynn to the Big Brother 10th birthday cake to Stacey Solomon’s “Marie Antoinette” photo shoot in Heat Magazine, to my very own birthday cake – and is now sharing her decorating wisdom at a series of workshops at The Make lounge.
Further details can be found over at http://www.themakelounge.com/workshops/detail/457 - but do be quick as there are just a few classes left with spaces!
