I’m excited to tell you about a new novel by Lilac Mills called ‘And a Sixpence for Luck’. Today I’ll be sharing my review in addition to an exclusive guest post from the author that will inspire you to whip up something delicious in the kitchen! Did I mention there’s a giveaway too?! [Great news, the giveaway is open internationally!]
And a Sixpence for Luck by Lilac Mills
My Review:
‘And a Sixpence for Luck’ was entertaining and lighthearted filled with hilarious bursts of luck (both good and bad) amidst watching a young woman go through a rather interesting turn of events in her life. A sixpence is introduced in order to bring good luck to this young woman down on her luck but instead of bringing good luck, the sixpence sets forth the worst batch of bloody bad luck you could imagine, and yet some of it turns out to be the best of luck with a very happy ending.
One of the themes in the novel is the idea that you can be with someone for years and love them but not be in love with them. Knowing things about someone doesn’t mean that you have a meaningful relationship and that you’re in love with one another. You have to be in love with the person, not just the idea of having someone there in an effort to not be alone. It’s important to open your eyes and understand why you’re with someone to be sure that you’re both in it fully and for the right reasons.
I thought it was interesting that someone’s perspective of another person could be so off, like Daisy’s initial judgment of her brother’s wife Zoe. I enjoyed the various relationships that began and blossomed throughout the book and I thoroughly enjoyed reading this story.
My Rating: 5 /5 Stars
I received a complimentary review copy from the author via Jenny’s Blog Tour. All reviews 100% reflect my honest opinion.
Author Guest Post by Lilac Mills
Christmas Pudding Recipe
This is the recipe my gran used to use, and I remember she used to make it on the 1st December every year, and used to top it up with a tablespoon of brandy a couple of times a week whilst it was in storage. For me, Christmas is the smell of this pudding. It used to cling to my gran the way other women wore an expensive perfume. Looking back, I think it was the smell of brandy which was prominent, and these days I wonder how much she drank, and how much ended up in the pudding…
You can make this pudding up to sixth months in advance! Use a 1 litre / 2pint basin, and you’ll have enough here for 10 -12 helpings. This
Ingredients
24 oz (675g) of dried fruit. Personally, I like an equal split of raisins, sultanas and currants.
2 oz (50g) finely chopped almonds
2oz (50g) mixed peel, cut finely
2oz (50g) plain four, white or wholemeal
Grated rind and juice of 1 lemon
8oz (225g) of fresh breadcrumbs, you can use white or brown
An apple
1 teaspoon of mixed spice
1 teaspoon of ginger
3-5 tablespoons of brandy or sherry
4 eggs
9oz (250g) of muscovado sugar
8oz (225g) shredded suet or vegetable shortening (but suet makes a far nicer pudding!)
You can add 2 tablespoonfuls of black treacle or golden syrup if you want it that bit sweeter.
Method
- Grease the pudding basin and line with greaseproof paper
- Mix all the ingredients together.
- Fill the basin to about ½ inch from the rim, but don’t squash it in.
- Cover the basin with a sheet of greaseproof paper, pleated in the middle, and tie on using string. Alternatively, and this is what my grandmother used to do – use a piece of cotton cloth instead of greaseproof paper. Looks prettier too!
- Steam for 4-5 hours. The longer the steaming, the darker the pudding. You can steam by placing the basin on a trivet, which is in a pan of boiling water with the lid on. DO NOT let the water boil dry.
- When cooked, remove the greaseproof paper and take it out of the basin (you now have a naked pudding!!), leave to cool, then rewrap and store until Christmas Day.
- You will need to steam it for an additional 2 hours on the day before serving, but it you make it much nearer the day, then I’d recommend steaming it for the full amount of time in the beginning , then reheating it just before dishing it up.
And don’t forget the sixpence for luck!
About the Book
Title: And a Sixpence for Luck
Author: Lilac Mills
Published: September 30, 2017
Book Blurb: Daisy Jones has hit rock bottom. Or so she believes.
A cheating boyfriend, trouble at work, having to move back in with her mother, and being forced to compare her brother’s loved-up, newly-wed status and brand-new shiny house with her own dire lack of prospects, isn’t what she imagined her life was going to be like at thirty. To top it all off, Christmas, is just around the corner!
Daisy, bless her, thinks things can’t possibly get any worse, but when her ancient great-grandmother persuades her to plant a silver sixpence in the Christmas pud for luck, Daisy is about to discover that they most definitely can.
Book Links: Amazon US
About the Author Lilac Mills
Author Links: Website | Twitter | Facebook
Bio: Lilac spends all her time writing, or reading, or thinking about writing or reading, often to the detriment of her day job, her family, and the housework. She apologises to her employer and her loved ones, but the house will simply have to deal with it!
She calls Worcester home, though she would prefer to call somewhere hot and sunny home, somewhere with a beach and cocktails and endless opportunities for snoozing in the sun…
When she isn’t hunched over a computer or dreaming about foreign shores, she enjoys creating strange, inedible dishes in the kitchen, accusing her daughter of stealing (she meant to say “borrowing”) her clothes, and fighting with her husband over whose turn it is to empty the dishwasher.
Enter the Giveaway
And a Sixpence for Luck Giveaway
Prize: Signed copy of the book and a silver sixpence necklace
International
Enter the giveaway HERE!
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