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Finding Gina
A laugh out loud romance read with a magical twist! By bestselling author, Lizzie Chantree.
Can a sprinkling of stardust overcome a past full of demons?
Gina had traversed the breadth of the country in her little campervan to try and find everyone on her grandmother’s list, before her father drunk himself into an early grave. She leant down and pulled the battered and worn journal from her bag and opened it to the latest page. The neatly written names were etched onto her heart and she was determined to visit every single one and compensate them in some way. Her family’s debt had to be repaid.
Lewis read another provincial story about a ‘guardian angel’ who had been helping families across the country and his reporters nose began to itch. He was sure that if he could track down the girl they were talking about, he would unearth an even bigger story. He just had to work out how to locate her and then find out what it was that she was running from!
What readers of Finding Gina are saying:
1. ‘This is the third book I have read by Lizzie Chantree and again I was very pleasantly surprised with the quality and depth of her writing. I love a good edgy romantic 'Chick lit' Novel and this very much reached my expectations. The characters are portrayed in such a way that you can really envisage how they look and the environments they live in; to the point that I'd love to stay with Gina in her VW van - v envious.
The story had remained with me; which isn't always the case with Novels of this genre.
Really worth a read - Lizzie Chantree can really compete with her contemparies (I'm a long devotee to Lisa Jewell and Freya North). I look forward to her next offering.’
2. ‘A really great romance read. This book has humour and romance and kept me guessing the whole way through. Lizzie Chantree is fast becoming my new favourite author!
The main character Gina is running from her past, but discovers her future along the way. The other characters are just as interesting and I especially loved reading about Tom, the gorgeous baker who works at the tearoom and Lewis the intrepid reporter. The tearoom's owner, Rachel is quite mean, but even she grew on me as the story progressed. She is quite a character! This would make a great holiday read and once I picked it up, I couldn't put the book down until I had read the last page.’
3. ‘Loved this mystical story about a girl called Gina who is trying to help people who have been hurt by her grandmother. This is a love story, but it's also about someone coming to terms with their past. Gina misses her mum and her dad is a drunk, who meddles with her life until she is forced to move out. The story hints at magical abilities and leaves you wanting to read a sequel to find out how Gina develops her newfound skills. The men in the book are pretty gorgeous and the writing is humorous and entertaining. I really enjoyed this sweet book and would recommend it to friends.’
Can a sprinkling of stardust overcome a past full of demons?
Gina had traversed the breadth of the country in her little campervan to try and find everyone on her grandmother’s list, before her father drunk himself into an early grave. She leant down and pulled the battered and worn journal from her bag and opened it to the latest page. The neatly written names were etched onto her heart and she was determined to visit every single one and compensate them in some way. Her family’s debt had to be repaid.
Lewis read another provincial story about a ‘guardian angel’ who had been helping families across the country and his reporters nose began to itch. He was sure that if he could track down the girl they were talking about, he would unearth an even bigger story. He just had to work out how to locate her and then find out what it was that she was running from!
What readers of Finding Gina are saying:
1. ‘This is the third book I have read by Lizzie Chantree and again I was very pleasantly surprised with the quality and depth of her writing. I love a good edgy romantic 'Chick lit' Novel and this very much reached my expectations. The characters are portrayed in such a way that you can really envisage how they look and the environments they live in; to the point that I'd love to stay with Gina in her VW van - v envious.
The story had remained with me; which isn't always the case with Novels of this genre.
Really worth a read - Lizzie Chantree can really compete with her contemparies (I'm a long devotee to Lisa Jewell and Freya North). I look forward to her next offering.’
2. ‘A really great romance read. This book has humour and romance and kept me guessing the whole way through. Lizzie Chantree is fast becoming my new favourite author!
The main character Gina is running from her past, but discovers her future along the way. The other characters are just as interesting and I especially loved reading about Tom, the gorgeous baker who works at the tearoom and Lewis the intrepid reporter. The tearoom's owner, Rachel is quite mean, but even she grew on me as the story progressed. She is quite a character! This would make a great holiday read and once I picked it up, I couldn't put the book down until I had read the last page.’
3. ‘Loved this mystical story about a girl called Gina who is trying to help people who have been hurt by her grandmother. This is a love story, but it's also about someone coming to terms with their past. Gina misses her mum and her dad is a drunk, who meddles with her life until she is forced to move out. The story hints at magical abilities and leaves you wanting to read a sequel to find out how Gina develops her newfound skills. The men in the book are pretty gorgeous and the writing is humorous and entertaining. I really enjoyed this sweet book and would recommend it to friends.’
294 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 1, 2021
30 people are currently reading
104 people want to read
About the author
Lizzie Chantree
20 books347 followersInternational bestselling author, award-winning inventor and product designer, Lizzie Chantree, has been featured on television and radio. She discovered her love of writing fiction when her children were little and now writes books full of friendship and laughter, that are about women who are far stronger than they realise. Lizzie has recently combined her love of writing and design by launching a range of sustainable book and writing-themed fashion and homewares, that are being worn and displayed by influencers, worldwide. She lives with her family on the coast in Essex. Visit her website at lizziechantree.com or follow her on Twitter, @Lizzie_Chantree
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
August 3, 2020
This book is like a warm cup of coffee with some magic stars sprinkled on top. A sweet romance for anyone who wants to be swept away by a good chick-lit read with a cast of colourful characters and satisfying happily ever afters.
April 13, 2023
3.5 stars rounded up to 4
July 5, 2019
Perfect summer reading!
This book has it all: romance, mystery, intrigue, the quintessential Lizzie Chantree quirky backdrop which sets her fiction apart from so many others in this genre, a touch of spirituality, some fascinating and contrasting characters. There's even a side of decadent biscuits and cake! Add to that some great writing and you have the perfect book to read on (and off) the beach.
This book has it all: romance, mystery, intrigue, the quintessential Lizzie Chantree quirky backdrop which sets her fiction apart from so many others in this genre, a touch of spirituality, some fascinating and contrasting characters. There's even a side of decadent biscuits and cake! Add to that some great writing and you have the perfect book to read on (and off) the beach.
September 7, 2016
This is a sweet intriguing romance written about characters who are so real they could be your next door neighbor. They have jobs to do and businesses to run, which you rarely find in a romance book.
Gina embarks on a search for people she is convinced that her evil grandmother wronged in life. She intends to make amends and seems to truly have a magical gift for helping people find what they are missing.
As the story unfolds, she falls in love with an unlikely writer who manages to dig up the secret she's tried so hard to keep. As all of the characters attempt to find their own romantic relationships, her own romance with Lewis (the writer) blooms.
Finally, all of the secrets are out in the open and she no longer has to keep moving from place to place. The story is predictable. You know from the first page that Gina is going to find what she is searching for, and even though she wouldn't admit it, that meant love.
Lewis has spent a lifetime avoiding intimate relationships as they simply robbed him of precious time he could spend writing. But finding Gina changed all of that.
I do have to point out that there are multiple grammar and punctuation errors throughout the book, so if that bothers you, don't pick it up. However, If you like a sweet romance with little suspense, you'll enjoy this book by Indie Author, Lizzie Chantree.
Gina embarks on a search for people she is convinced that her evil grandmother wronged in life. She intends to make amends and seems to truly have a magical gift for helping people find what they are missing.
As the story unfolds, she falls in love with an unlikely writer who manages to dig up the secret she's tried so hard to keep. As all of the characters attempt to find their own romantic relationships, her own romance with Lewis (the writer) blooms.
Finally, all of the secrets are out in the open and she no longer has to keep moving from place to place. The story is predictable. You know from the first page that Gina is going to find what she is searching for, and even though she wouldn't admit it, that meant love.
Lewis has spent a lifetime avoiding intimate relationships as they simply robbed him of precious time he could spend writing. But finding Gina changed all of that.
I do have to point out that there are multiple grammar and punctuation errors throughout the book, so if that bothers you, don't pick it up. However, If you like a sweet romance with little suspense, you'll enjoy this book by Indie Author, Lizzie Chantree.
March 3, 2017
Ms. Chantree, wrote a charming romance, sprinkled with mystery. Gina travels in her unique campervan, that she lives in. She ends up living in the middle of a flower- covered meadow and making new friends. I enjoyed the relationships she made-- while following her mysterious list. She was out to right the wrongs she believed had been done. I was curious how this was all going to turn out. It kept me reading long into the night. I found myself introduced to new words that I had to look up (which I enjoyed!) and finding some structural issues—which did not take away from the story, for me. I cared about Gina and her new friends. I could easily see myself sitting in the coffeehouse, enjoying my hot beverage and watching the story unfold. Sweet tale, that was interesting, and relaxing to read.
March 28, 2020
Great read
Another great read from Lizzie 😀. People have magic in them, love is one kind of it. Lizzie you definitely know how to write about it! Waiting for your next story 😀.
Another great read from Lizzie 😀. People have magic in them, love is one kind of it. Lizzie you definitely know how to write about it! Waiting for your next story 😀.
December 21, 2020
Euphoric – what else captivating is there to say?
The superlative I seek is delightful but that seemed understated for a novel that engaged me so and left me with such warmth in my heart and soul. This is not the first book I have read by Chantree and I am never disappointed. She has a lightness of style that draws a reader in and what at first appears a simplistic narrative, becomes insightful, penetrating and sagacious. You are in the hands of a brilliant writer.
How do you turn a story about dysfunctional families, schism, disaffection and disharmony into a soulful, heart-warming book that I defy you to put down and not read cover to cover? I am a slow reader but read this in two reads only because my kindle needed charging and, like a watched kettle, I impatiently waited.
Gina is an enigma. She is a traveller, living in her mobile home that she drives around the country stopping only for a few months in one place. However, she is not an itinerant wayfarer, she has a purpose that she keeps close to her chest. Her mission is in a little red book that had once belonged to her estranged, ruthless, grandmother. She stays in one place and uses her empathic arts leaving her target subjects resolved in whatever was worrying them.
A journalist hears of this travelling woman from local newspaper clippings from satisfied ‘friends’ looking for Gina to thank her, but she has disappeared. She always disappears. He decides to seek her out for an article and as he digs so the story gently unfolds before him, not realising that he might be a main player. And what of Gina? Is she aware of what is happening to her? This is as much about discovery for her as it is for all who come into contact with Gina.
No more spoilers because this is a wondrously emotional tale, succinctly sublime and thoroughly engaging. I lost track of how many times I cried or, laughed, but I could not stop reading.
Lizzie Chantree just may have lured me away from my usual fare of crash-bang-wallop, having drawn out my sensitive side and I am the better for it. I have just bought another Chantree book and then I will have read them all – what will I do then?
I recommend this and all of Chantree books – 5 stars all the way.
The superlative I seek is delightful but that seemed understated for a novel that engaged me so and left me with such warmth in my heart and soul. This is not the first book I have read by Chantree and I am never disappointed. She has a lightness of style that draws a reader in and what at first appears a simplistic narrative, becomes insightful, penetrating and sagacious. You are in the hands of a brilliant writer.
How do you turn a story about dysfunctional families, schism, disaffection and disharmony into a soulful, heart-warming book that I defy you to put down and not read cover to cover? I am a slow reader but read this in two reads only because my kindle needed charging and, like a watched kettle, I impatiently waited.
Gina is an enigma. She is a traveller, living in her mobile home that she drives around the country stopping only for a few months in one place. However, she is not an itinerant wayfarer, she has a purpose that she keeps close to her chest. Her mission is in a little red book that had once belonged to her estranged, ruthless, grandmother. She stays in one place and uses her empathic arts leaving her target subjects resolved in whatever was worrying them.
A journalist hears of this travelling woman from local newspaper clippings from satisfied ‘friends’ looking for Gina to thank her, but she has disappeared. She always disappears. He decides to seek her out for an article and as he digs so the story gently unfolds before him, not realising that he might be a main player. And what of Gina? Is she aware of what is happening to her? This is as much about discovery for her as it is for all who come into contact with Gina.
No more spoilers because this is a wondrously emotional tale, succinctly sublime and thoroughly engaging. I lost track of how many times I cried or, laughed, but I could not stop reading.
Lizzie Chantree just may have lured me away from my usual fare of crash-bang-wallop, having drawn out my sensitive side and I am the better for it. I have just bought another Chantree book and then I will have read them all – what will I do then?
I recommend this and all of Chantree books – 5 stars all the way.
August 27, 2021
A charming story about a young woman who tried to right wrongs done to people by her grandmother. Gina could sense couples that were right for each other, but she was far more than a matchmaker! She also helps folks with their existing business or to start new ones. Her kindness is dispensed freely, without giving her actual identity, and always infused with kindness, friendship, wonderful food, and stars. Living in a small trailer and traveling is her life. Until she meets Lewis, Toby, and all the workers at Ruby's Tea Room. A magical presence around Gina infuses others with happiness. A gentle love story with loads of special moments along the way.
I was enchanted by the story and recommend this sweet story!
I was enchanted by the story and recommend this sweet story!
April 30, 2023
Going on a Quest Can Bring You to Unexpected Places
Gina has taken on a major pursuit. She travels the countryside to rectify old wrongs.
Toby, an heir to a manor house, offers her a site for her camper and may have hidden motives.
Lewis, a hungry journalist, has discovered a story that he can’t resist. To write it, he needs to find a mysterious do-gooder.
Finding Gina is a delicious tale of romance and family secrets. It is humorous and full of true-to-life characters that often wrangle with problems they could have avoided.
Ms Chantree has a light pen and a quirky story to tell. She does do with wit and elegance. Romance can be delightful in the right hands.
Gina has taken on a major pursuit. She travels the countryside to rectify old wrongs.
Toby, an heir to a manor house, offers her a site for her camper and may have hidden motives.
Lewis, a hungry journalist, has discovered a story that he can’t resist. To write it, he needs to find a mysterious do-gooder.
Finding Gina is a delicious tale of romance and family secrets. It is humorous and full of true-to-life characters that often wrangle with problems they could have avoided.
Ms Chantree has a light pen and a quirky story to tell. She does do with wit and elegance. Romance can be delightful in the right hands.
May 31, 2023
This novel is full of romance, friendship and a sense of belonging. The self discovery in this book is very powerful and yet so subtle. Gina evolves in front of our eyes with so many twist, turns and surprises through the whole novel.
The ending was too perfect for her. It was exactly what she deserved.
Lizzie Chantree does a great job of grasping your attention and holding on to it so tight right until the end that you feel satisfied when the novel concludes. You can close the book and say ah yes that was exactly what I wanted to happen. So satisfying.
The ending was too perfect for her. It was exactly what she deserved.
Lizzie Chantree does a great job of grasping your attention and holding on to it so tight right until the end that you feel satisfied when the novel concludes. You can close the book and say ah yes that was exactly what I wanted to happen. So satisfying.
June 16, 2021
Cute story
At first it was hard for me to get used to the flowery style of writing that is so common among the British, as well as the use of single quotation marks instead of double. Overall the story was so cute and heartwarming. The story is told from third person omniscient POV so you really get to know all of the characters. There were a few typos but the writing is solid.
At first it was hard for me to get used to the flowery style of writing that is so common among the British, as well as the use of single quotation marks instead of double. Overall the story was so cute and heartwarming. The story is told from third person omniscient POV so you really get to know all of the characters. There were a few typos but the writing is solid.
January 12, 2023
If there’s one thing you can rely on with Lizzie Chantree’s books, it’s a heartwarming read. This has a lovely plot, with the elusive Gina setting out to put right her grandmother’s wrongs & she does it with a big heart & open arms. I loved the cat & mouse ‘will they, won’t they?’ romance that played out & found it the perfect fireside read over a couple of wet winter nights. Excellent.
June 23, 2020
Another fantastic read by Lizzie Chantree, you can guarantee it's going to be great before you start. Gina has a little bit of magic in her and is sharing it with everybody. Absolutely loved it!!
March 17, 2021
The characters are are huge and jump off the page at you. They make you laugh or bring you to the edge of tears . So much romance going on.
We all need a friend. And some magic wouldn’t go amiss.
We all need a friend. And some magic wouldn’t go amiss.
May 25, 2021
Loved this book and the beautiful descriptions of cakes, pastries and sparkly sugar stars made me yearn to visit Ruby’s Tearoom and sample the sweet treats. Wins my Star Baker award for this book ❤️
July 24, 2021
Enjoyable Book
I really enjoyed Finding Gina. It is a light hearted read, funny and a well written book. I can recommend.
I really enjoyed Finding Gina. It is a light hearted read, funny and a well written book. I can recommend.
March 23, 2023
This is a delightful book. A romantic fairy-tale. Wonderful characters and a great sense of place.
Lizzie Chantree's books are always a great read and this one is no exception.
Lizzie Chantree's books are always a great read and this one is no exception.
January 7, 2017
This is a positive story about endearing characters. It's not a steamy romance, but a tapestry of believable romances well told. It's not really a mystery since it is predicable, but it held my interest because I cared about the characters and wanted them to sort things out. The author did a superb job of describing how we all agonize over budding relationships and misinterpret what the object of our affections/desires is doing or (more important) why they are doing one thing or another. The resulting confusion was deliciously realistic! I also enjoyed that people had jobs and were trying to start or keep a business running; you so rarely see that in books. However, I can't go with five stars because, as one other reviewer noted, this book would have benefited from a strong editor. There were repetitious descriptions of characters that irritated me, for example, and points of view changed too often and too suddenly without transition. It's a gem in the raw, and I hope Lizzie will take the time to do a re-write that will make it just that much better!
December 9, 2016
This was a great, lighthearted read, and I really enjoyed it. Each of the characters were believable and likable, even self-centered Rachel. lol! The descriptions of the scenery were so serene that I wished for a meadow like that within driving distance of my home. The pace of the book was perfect, and I loved Gina and Lewis' miscommunication and Gina's desire to bop him upside the head. lol! I would have enjoyed reading more about the grandmother and the father and what happened between them, but that's just my overactive, nosy imagination. The story wasn't about them, so it makes sense that we were only given what was included. All in all, this is a story that anyone can read and walk away from with a happy feeling inside. :-)
April 11, 2023
Reading a Lizzie Chantree novel is like coming home! It's like coming home to lovely characters, who you can relate to. I enjoyed Finding Gina. And moreover I really thought the male characters in this book were very well written too.
Expect magic, love, and moments that will make you smile. Gina is a mysterious girl from a dysfunctional family with hereditary gifts - (a matchmaker, like her grandmother,) with cute matchmaking methods, a magical healer with an alcoholic father 'who ran on vodka fumes. '
But can she find love too? Or will she always move on?
Is 'oh so sexy,' journalist Lewis to be trusted? Or is he 'some sort of conman who used women,' to get the best stories.
This is a sweet feel good tale, an easy read which I recommend to all romance readers.
Expect magic, love, and moments that will make you smile. Gina is a mysterious girl from a dysfunctional family with hereditary gifts - (a matchmaker, like her grandmother,) with cute matchmaking methods, a magical healer with an alcoholic father 'who ran on vodka fumes. '
But can she find love too? Or will she always move on?
Is 'oh so sexy,' journalist Lewis to be trusted? Or is he 'some sort of conman who used women,' to get the best stories.
This is a sweet feel good tale, an easy read which I recommend to all romance readers.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews