Southern Virtual Mini Book Festival - Introducing Louisa Heaton

Our final guest author today is Louisa Heaton. I actually met Louisa at the end of last year without realising that she was an author. I was with my mum at the Guildford Book Festival, we'd got our lunch and were looking for somewhere to sit when we spotted some space at a table where Louisa was sitting. We sat down and got talking about the authors etc and then my mum dropped into the conversation that I was a book blogger, Louisa gave nothing away and it wasn't until I got home and we connected on Twitter that I found out that she's written several books. Louisa, you really shouldn't hide your light under a bushel!

So now I'm absolutely delighted to introduce you all to the very lovely (if somewhat shy) Louisa who is answering the impossible question for any bookworm. . . . to name their five favourite books! But first let's meet Louisa and tell you about her latest book.

Photo courtesy of Louisa Heaton

Louisa Heaton is the published author of seven romances with Harlequin Mills and Boon Medical. She lives on Hayling Island with her four children, one husband and too many pets to count. She enjoys writing, reading and crafting, especially as a way of avoiding the housework. Her latest book, Reunited By Their Pregnancy Surprise is out now!

Reclaiming his wife…and his baby
Obstetrician Sam Saint wakes in hospital after an accident to find he doesn’t remember the last eighteen months. The beautiful woman by his bedside is in fact his wife…and she’s pregnant!
Midwife Emily never thought her husband would want the child she longs for. But now she’s expecting his baby, she’s determined to fight for their marriage. And as they rediscover each other, Emily and Sam find themselves making new memories—ones they’ll both treasure, for ever!

So that's Louisa's latest book now let's see what books she's chosen for her list.

                                           My Five Favourite Books!

When I was asked to come up with 5 favourite books, my first reaction was, ‘Just 5?’ There were many I could choose from, but I’ve narrowed it down to this eclectic mix, which I hope you will enjoy and perhaps might seek out one or two, to see what effect they have on you!

The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch (non-fiction)

This is an amazing book, written by a man who knows he is dying. He’s just so inspiring and makes you focus on the stuff in life that actually matters. In this book are life lessons from a man who wished he could have more time. But those of us still living have time on our side to get things right. There’s even a clip of him from the Oprah Winfrey show, that is just as inspiring (and heartbreaking; you’ll need tissues) to watch. This is not morose at all and it is not about death, but life and living.

Me Before You by Jojo Moyes (fiction)

I just loved this book! It’s an amazing story of love, between the ditzy, caring Lou Clark and the paralysed, quadriplegic, Will Trainor. There’s been a film made, which is good, but the book is better and it is one of those books where you race to the ending, because you want to know how it happens, but at the same time, you try and slow down to cherish every page, because you DON’T want it to end. It’s the kind of book that I wish I’d written.

Good Omens by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett (fiction)

When my two favourite authors get together to write a book, I just know it’s going to be amazing. This is a funny book about good vs evil, but there’s a lot about real life in there, too, but the morals are created in such a funny way and with great humour, that you don’t realise you’re being taught about life.

House Rules by Jodi Picoult (fiction)

Jodi is very good about addressing issues in life and in this story, she makes no exception. Emma is a single mother with two boys, Jacob and Theo. Jacob has Asperger’s Syndrome and is fascinated by crime scenes and solving crimes, so when a girl is murdered and it looks like Jacob is the prime suspect, a lot of his behaviours (avoiding questions and making eye contact) make the police think he’s guilty, especially when he admits to changing the scene of the crime. This book hit me hard, because my own youngest son has autism and there was a lot of interaction between the mum and her autistic son that ran so true for me, I just couldn’t put this book down.

Small Great Things by Jodi Picoult (fiction)

In today’s modern world, I thought I knew about race and racism, but Jodi created a story that made me realise I knew hardly anything at all. Not only was this an entertaining story, with some hard-hitting themes, it taught me a lot and made me question what I thought to be true. Some of the early chapters with Turk (the White Power character) were very uncomfortable to read, but they are worth reading slowly and fully to appreciate this amazing story.

So, there you have it! A mix of non-fiction and fiction – humour, romance and world issues. I really hope you’ll find the time to check them out at some point and maybe, whilst you’re at it, you might have a look for my books, too!

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What a great selection of books Louisa and I'm totally with you on Me Before You, I loved it too but despite having a DVD of the film I haven't watched it yet. I've also read some of Jodi Picoult's books but not these two so I will definitely have to take a look at them. I could be adding to my personal TBR but I won't hold you personally responsible!

You can find out more about Louisa, her books and connect with her by using the links below:

Website
Amazon
Twitter
Instagram


I'd love to know if you've read any of Louisa's books or what your favourite books are so please do let me know in the comments.

I'd like to thank Louisa for taking the time to share her favourite books and for stopping by today. I'm looking forward to hopefully catching up with you again at the Guildford Book Festival later in the year 😉