Beck Valley Book Tour: Overcast Sunset A Brynn Bancroft Mystery By Joyce T. Strand

NEW RELEASE.....

Brynn Bancroft’s enjoyment at running her former husband’s winery is overcast by a rash of troubling burglaries and her inability to reconnect with her ex. When she receives an urgent phone call from an old college friend requesting that she speak to an investor, she welcomes the interruption. Unfortunately, her friend’s business activities intrude on her routine. Then her ex-husband threatens her marriage hopes when he considers selling the winery. When the burglaries escalate, a sense of foreboding plagues her, hinting at trouble to come.

Available to buy from....

Amazon.co.uk   Amazon.com   Barnes & Noble   Paperback    

About Brynn Bancroft

Brynn Bancroft evolved from the Jillian Hillcrest mysteries where she served as Jillian’s manager while Chief Financial Officer of Harmonia Therapeutics in Silicon Valley. A shapely blonde with a MENSA IQ, she had an affair with the CEO of the company.

Unfortunately for Brynn, the CEO’s wife figured out that the two were involved and asked Brynn to leave the company, which she agreed to do.

In the meantime, her husband, Liam—not unfamiliar with extramarital affairs himself but also understanding that Brynn grew up in an abusive household- grew tired of waiting for Brynn to commit to their relationship and asked for a divorce. At the same time, he solicited her assistance in developing his new winery in Sonoma County, Calif.

As the protagonist in HILLTOP SUNSET, Brynn begins to shed her past and her behavior of protecting herself by blocking emotions. We watch her transition from a shallow uncaring person to someone who starts to understand the emotions of friendship and love.

At the same time, much like Jillian—who occasionally shows up in the Brynn Bancroft mysteries—Brynn, too, attracts mystery and murders as she grows to enjoy life at her ex-husband’s Hilltop Sunset Winery.

My Review

I loved this mystery - not least because it features a female detective with a Welsh name and lots of wine. Brynn Bancroft is interesting because she combines a frustrating reticence to deal with issues in her private life, with plenty of energy when it comes to crime fighting and protecting her beloved winery and her rather ad-hoc family comprising her ward (the son of a previous romantic partner) and her ex husband who she is desperate to remarry.

The story centers around the sudden reappearance of an old friend who is looking for investors to help build their wine business but then things start to go missing, solar panel and wines, and a body turns up.

The plot is intricate and interwoven with so many threads it is occasionally difficult to keep up - but all the more interesting because Strand writes about and adapts real life events. This more than makes up for the slight lack of descriptive detail about the characters' appearance.

Although the reader suspects quite early on who the villains are, Strand keeps the reader on the edge of their seats, teasing them with clues but never quite giving the game away.   When the baddies are finally confronted it is immensely satisfying, not least because Brynn finally realises the truth about friendship. 

Although Overcast Sunset is part of a series, it works perfectly well as a stand alone mystery and certain whets the reader's appetite to return to the beginning to understand why Brynn is such a complex, occasionally annoying, but engaging character.

Also Available
Hilltop Sunset: A Brynn Bancroft Mystery

A mystery set in wine country pitting financial exec Brynn Bancroft against a determined stalker, a troubled love interest, and career clashes.


Brynn Bancroft learns that a former employee who beat her nearly to death has returned to stalk her and her friend, Jillian Hillcrest, also a former victim.

Recently divorced, Brynn turns to a new love interest only to encounter additional unwelcome issues. Meanwhile, short-timer Brynn, who has resigned from her Silicon Valley company, becomes bored fulfilling her remaining responsibilities there. She begins to prefer supporting the launch of her ex-husband’s new hilltop winery while waiting to move to her next position. Between her stalker and her new love interest, Brynn faces a series of life-changing events.

Read an excerpt here

Book available from....

Amazon.co.uk   Amazon.com   Barnes & Noble   Paperback

Landscape For Murder: A Brynn Bancroft Mystery

A friend’s murder. An unconnected cast of suspects, including the victim’s missing adult daughter. As if that wasn’t enough, Brynn Bancroft’s winery has been broken into. Can she deal with her co-owner ex and help the police find her friend’s murder so she can finally overcome her own troubled past and enjoy family life with her teenage ward?

Book available from....

Amazon.co.uk   Amazon.com   Barnes & Noble   Paperback   

About the Author

Joyce T. Strand is the author of who-done-it contemporary and historical mysteries set in San Francisco, Napa-Sonoma wine regions of California, or Ventura, California.

Her most recent novels, Hilltop Sunset and Landscape for Murder, feature protagonist Brynn Bancroft, a financial guru in transition to winemaker from corporate executive. Brynn Bancroft is a minor character in Strand’s first three novels On Message, Open Meetings, and Fair Disclosure—three mysteries solved by Jillian Hillcrest, a publicist in Silicon Valley whose boss was Chief Financial Officer Brynn Bancroft.

Her first historical mystery, The Judge's Story, tells the story of a Superior Court Judge with a passion for social justice as well as the law who strives to discover the truth behind the mystery of a robbery-murder in a small California town in 1939.

All of her novels are inspired by actual events and/or real people, although they are definitely fictionalized.

Much like her protagonist Jillian Hillcrest, Strand headed corporate communications at several biotech and high-tech companies in California’s Silicon Valley for more than 25 years. Unlike Jillian, however, she did not encounter murder in her career. She focused on writing by-lined articles, press releases, white papers, and brochures to publicize her companies and their products.

She lives with her two cats and collection of cow statuary in Southern California, and enjoys exploring and writing about the growing wine region in the Ramona Valley near San Diego.

She received her Ph.D. from the George Washington University, Washington, D.C. and her B.A. from Dickinson College, Carlisle, PA

Find the author on the following sites....

Website   Blog   Facebook   Twitter   Pinterest   Google+   Goodreads   Amazon Author Page

Follow the book tour

I received this book through Beck Valley Books Book Tours, I have volunteered to share my review and all the opinions are 100% my own.

NOW FOR THE AUTHOR'S GIVEAWAY

1st Prize - Win $50 Amazon.com GC / Paypal Cash (winners choice) 
2nd Prize - Win $25 Amazon.com GC / Paypal Cash (winners choice)
Open Worldwide

Ending on Sunday 11th December at 11.59pm EST

Enter Below and Good Luck !!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Read more

Is Your Kitchen Ready For Entertaining

Is your kitchen ready for entertaining? Now that the festive season is almost upon us, you are probably thinking about hosting some of your friends and family for dinner parties. You may also be thinking of gathering everyone at yours for Christmas dinner!

Image credit: www.pexels.com

But before you send the invitations out, you need to make sure that your kitchen is all ready for entertaining and hosting guests. Do you think yours could do with a bit of improvement? Here are some useful tips that can help you get your kitchen up to scratch.

Image credt: www.pexels.com

Update Your Kitchenware

Cooking appliances and crockery can quickly become dated. Unless you are going for a vintage style in your kitchen, you should update any old-fashioned items in your kitchen. Not only will this do wonders for the look of your kitchen, but you will also find that they are a lot easier to use. And new cooking appliances will help you cut down the time you spend in your kitchen. Meaning you will have a lot more time to mingle with all your guests!

Get Rid Of Clutter

I’m sure most of us have a lot of clutter on our kitchen tops and dining table. It’s because it easily gathers on these surfaces! Especially the likes of letters, bills and important paperwork. So before you start cooking for your dinner party, make sure you quickly tidy up all of this clutter and remove it from your kitchen. It is also important to tidy your kitchen work surfaces once you have taken all the clutter away. Keep them neat, and you will have plenty of space to prepare your food. They will also look very tidy to your guests!

Image credit: www.pexels.com

Clean Your Fridge

Your fridge will be used a lot during the dinner party. Even by guests who could be going in there quite a lot to top up their glass of white wine. So it is very important that the inside of your refrigerator is looking clean and tidy. If you are placing a lot of dishes in the fridge ready for the meal, make sure that the door shuts tightly. It is also a good idea to check that none of the food is blocking any of the air vents. Otherwise, the refrigerator could quickly heat up.

Image credit: www.pexels.com

Take The Bin Out

You don’t want a nasty smell to put your diners off their meal, so remember to take the bin out before anyone arrives. It might also be worth cleaning out the bin itself with some strong disinfectant. After all, no matter how careful you are, there is always the chance that some food has escaped out the bin bag and made its way into the actual bin! Make sure you have plenty of extra bin bags as well. The rubbish will quickly pile up during a dinner party, and you might have to even take the bin out half-way through the meal!

Once you follow these tips, your kitchen will be all ready for you to entertain. And your guests will certainly be impressed!

Read more

How To Find The Best Local Family Photographer

As a blogger I love photography but my own skills aren't quite up to scratch (yet!) when it comes to taking memorable, well-composed family portraits.  For a start, I'm lucky if I actually get to be in the photo - that's so true for us mums, isn't it?

So I've been looking for a good family photographer who won't charge an arm and a leg and, better still will come to me with some creative ideas, both for style and location.

Back when I was a marketer, every business had to be in the Yellow Pages.  It was probably the number one place we all turned to to find a tradesperson or a business service.  In fact I spent many hours laboriously writing the Yellow Pages ads for our law firm!  Today, with everything online, you have a wealth of services to choose from - all at your fingertips.

But how do you pick the right one for you when there's so much choice?

I recently discovered Bidvine which is a free to use website specially designed to help you hire local professionals in your area.

You simply select the type of service you are looking for and enter your postcode - for example you could search for decorators, music teachers, children's entertainers, photographers etc. My search was for Family Portrait Photography.

Then you are guided through a series of questions about your requirements.

I was then asked:

Where will the photos be taken?

What style of imagery I was looking for  - again with a drop down box and a choice of Candid, Artistic, Traditional etc.

Whether I have a specific theme in mind?  (This is optional though)

What format I want the photos in - e.g. album, on a CD.

What is my budget (anywhere from £100 up to £1000)

Whether I want to travel to the photographer and the distance I am prepared to travel or whether I want the photographer to come to me (which in this instance I do)

My timescale - days / weeks etc - your request can be flagged as urgent.

Any other information I want to pass on to the photographer

How I'd like to receive quotes - email is the default setting but you can also opt to receive telephone or text quotes too.

Then you simply hit "Get Quotes" and wait for these to hit your inbox.  I made my request on a Sunday and was told to expect quotes by the Wednesday.

So how did I get on?

Bidvine say you will receive up to 5 requests per project which is a sensible amount because otherwise choosing becomes a little overwhelming.

But I actually created two requests (or projects as Bidvine calls them) as I only received one quote for Family Portrait Photography (my first request).

My second request was for the more general search term of Family Photography and I received three quotes for that.

The reasons for this, I suspect, are that I live just outside Cardiff and asked for the photographer to travel to me and I had been quite specific in my requests.

Nevertheless, making the request via Bidvine was incredibly simple and relatively quick.  You may just find that you need to be a little more flexible to find the service professional you need.

Once you have chosen your professional, your contract is with them and you pay them directly.  Businesses who list on Bidvine have to buy Bidvine credits and then 'pay' to send quotes and personal messages by using these credits.  This is a good way of making sure that customers receive a considered, properly structured quote that addresses their requirements fully.

I received my quotes via email but you can also view them on Bidvine in the file that the system creates for each of your projects.  The main benefit of this is that you can read any customer reviews that have been published for your service professional.

The fees quoted ranged from £450 to £700, but the latter was higher due to travel expenses from the West of England.

I liked Bidvine and can see that it will further develop into a valuable resource for time-strapped parents.  I would still suggest creating a checklist of your requirements beforehand so that you can assess each of your quotes on an equal basis, simply because there is quite a bit of variation in what you get for your money.

A quote is, of course, just a guide and by having your requirements to hand (perhaps in a written list) you can have an open and constructive conversation with the service professionals you choose to contact and make sure everything is covered - and that the final price is acceptable to you both.

*collaborative post

Read more

Beck Valley Book Tour: Nipped In The Bud Not In The Butt By Debra Vey Voda-Hamilton

Conflicts over animals are among the toughest to resolve. People form deep emotional bonds with their pets—after all, they're members of the family—so when a dispute involves animals, people get just as angry as if the clash were over their human children. When they've finally had enough, they head to court where the law treats the pet as property—as just a thing.


But there's a better way: mediation. Whether your conflict is over who gets the cat in a divorce, how to deal with a barking dog, or any other issue, a neutral mediator can bring you and the other person together so you can hear each other out, acknowledge each other's feelings, and resolve your dispute. Not only can mediation settle the conflict in less time and with less expense than litigation, but it can save and even strengthen relationships.

In Nipped in the Bud, Not in the Butt: How to Use Mediation to Resolve Conflicts over Animals, litigator-turned-mediator Debra Vey Voda-Hamilton introduces her proven techniques for addressing your conflict, working out a mutually satisfactory solution, and ensuring the well-being of the most important party—the beloved pet or animal in need.

Available to buy from....

Amazon.com    Amazon.co.uk   Barnes and Noble

Resolving Animal Conflicts Without Litigation
a way to address conflicts between people involving animals

"This book really resonated with me. Debra does an excellent job providing a realistic approach to conflicts over pets. When I opened the book , I immediately noticed Debra’s passion with regards to animal conflict resolution. She does an excellent job explaining the history of mediation, and the significance of mediation in resolving conflict."

"A Must Read for all of us who love our companion animals!!"

"If you love or work with animals, you must read this… A comprehensive, yet easy guide to avoiding litigation and achieving success through mediation in disputes over animals. This is a must read for pet owners, veterinarians, trainers, barn managers, grooms (in barn settings) pet groomers, pet rescue and adoption organizations and anyone else who wishes to avoid the pain and pitfalls of court battles"
A sample of reviews received 

About the Author

Debra spent 30 years as a practicing litigator, but she is now a full-time mediator and conflict coach for people in disputes over animals.

She works both nationwide and internationally. She has far-reaching experience in resolving interpersonal conflicts involving animals, and she is also well-known in the world of purebred dogs as a top breeder and exhibitor of Irish setters and long-haired dachshunds.

Debra speaks widely on the topic of how mediation techniques can help people address conflicts without litigation. She has presented at veterinary schools, the American Kennel Club, the American Veterinary Medical Law Association, the Society of Animal Welfare Administrators, the Living With Animals conference, state bar association Animal Law Committee meetings, and animal interest group meetings.

Debra also writes a blog for Hamilton Law and Mediation and is a contributor to the Solo Practice University blog and the Canine Chronicle. She has been featured in Forbes, the Wall Street Journal, US News and World Report, and the New York Times.

As the principal at Hamilton Law and Mediation, PLLC—the nation’s first solo mediation practice dedicated to helping people resolve conflicts over animals—Debra uses alternative dispute resolution to help address disagreements over the family pet during divorce, neighbors’ arguments over a barking dog, and confrontations between clients and veterinarians and other professionals who work with animals. HLM also looks forward to helping animal rights and welfare advocates see the benefit of having a conversation about the best interests of all parties—especially the animals—to resolve animal-related disputes.

Debra is admitted to practice law in all New York State courts. She is certified as a mediator and collaborative professional and has worked with various court-based mediation programs in New York City (Queens-Community Mediation Service) and in Westchester and Rockland Counties in New York (Westchester and Rockland Mediation Centers).

Find the author on the following sites...

Website   Facebook   Twitter   Google+   Pinterest   Goodreads 
Free ebook
click image then scroll down page to claim your free ebook

Series1 #2   Series1 #3   Series1 #4

My Review

I wanted to read this book for two reasons.  Firstly I know exactly how much a pet can mean to you.  I lost my beloved cat Samson a few years ago.  Secondly, I spent over 13 years working for various law firms (in marketing, not law) and I was really interested to read how mediation can solve so many problems on a much more cost -effective basis than litigation.

Debra explains that many divorce cases run into trouble when 'custody' of the pet is raised. Our pets are members of our family and mean as much to some as their children.  Rather than go to litigation where the court makes a decision which may benefit one party at the cost of the pet's happiness and where costs can run into thousands,  mediation offers a chance to come up with a solution which takes the pet into consideration and preserves the relationship between the warring spouses - at least so that the pet is taken care of.

Debra is an experienced lawyer and a mediator who is able to facilitate problem solving between people who just can't agree who should have their pet - or at least might agree if their views were at least heard and acknowledged.

Mediation is also very useful to settle disputes such as those which arise between vets and their clients, or neighbours who have had all they can take of barking dogs.

Debra offers fascinating case studies and techniques to help you deal with conflict yourself.  I have to say a lot of her advice would work just as well with bickering kids.

She offers 6 tactics for mediation which she calls "Stop, Drop & Roll" - 1.  stop talking and listen, 2. drop the need to be right, 3. let what the other party says roll off your back, 4. address the conflict, 5. keep the relationship and finally, 6. acknowedge and appreciate the other party.

All techniques which I can use on a daily basis - and I don't have a pet at the moment!

It is upsetting enough to find yourself in a relationship which is breaking down, whether romantic or with your neighbours.  Nipped In The Bud shows that using mediation is a brilliant way to handle the situation whilst being heard, getting your needs met and working out collaboratively what the best solution for the animals involved may be.

And all this without spending unnecessary money on legal fees.

That in itself makes the book worth its weight in gold.

Highly recommended.

Follow the Book Tour

I received this book to review through Beck Valley Books Book Tours, all the opinions above are 100% my own.

NOW FOR THE AUTHOR'S GIVEAWAY

Win $10 Amazon.com GC or Paypal Cash - 3 Winners!!
(winners choice)
Open Worldwide

Ending on Tuesday 29th November at 11.59pm EST

Enter Below and Good Luck !!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Read more

Tasty Family Recipes From Bright Horizons Family Solutions

Bright Horizons, one of the UK’s leading nursery networks is encouraging parents to get into the kitchen with their kids and spend some quality cooking time together.

Bright Horizons operate over 200 nurseries in the UK and Ireland, many of which are managed in partnership with employers. They also offer back-up dependant care for children and adults, and a range of work-life supports

Their nurseries aim to provide children and families with naturally inspiring, exceptional care and education for the early years - and cooking together is a brilliant way to teach kids key life skills, as well as the benefits of co-operation and teamwork!

To help with this, they have produced a Family Recipes cookery book which though short, contains a tasty range of family-friendly recipes such as Chicken Paella, Butternut Squash Risotto, Summer Fruit Muffins and, as tested by us, Seaside Carbonara.

In fact these very recipes have been thoroughly road tested in one of their nurseries which offers day care in London so it was up to Caitlin to step up to the hob with me to create a tasty Monday night tea.

We were sent a copy of the recipe book and a lovely apron by Eat Sleep Doodle that kids can colour in. This was Ieuan's favourite part of the activity!

If you'd like to try the recipe, you can find it on Bright Horizon's website, along with some other great family recipes.

Seaside Carbonara

Ingredients

400g Spaghetti
200g Courgettes
2tsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 Cloves of Fresh Garlic
418g Pink Salmon
150ml Full Fat Yoghurt
60ml Whole Milk
1 Fresh Lemon
3tbsp Fresh Chives
Pinch of Black Pepper
1l Water

Method

1. Cook pasta in boiling water.

2. Add diced courgette 2 minutes before end of cooking time.

3. Drain and reserve water.

4. Return spaghetti and courgette to pan.

5. Meanwhile heat oil in pan and add crushed garlic.Cook for 1 minute.

6. Drain and remove bones from salmon. Add to garlic in pan.

7.Add yoghurt and milk and warm through.

8. Grate lemon and squeeze juice.

9. Add 1/2 of juice lemon juice 1 tsp of lemon rind.

10.Season.

11. Pour over pasta and add 4 tbsp of reserved cooking water and warm through over a low heat.

12. Serve.

We found this simple to prepare - Caitlin did the chopping.  Our only note of caution would be to make sure you take the pan off the heat before you add the yoghurt to avoid curdling.

You could also replace the fresh Salmon with tinned to save a few extra pennies.

So there you have it - a quick, tasty tea that the whole family can help to make.

(We did get Ieuan to lay the table).

Read more

Is It Possible To Be Lovers As Well As Parents?

When you’re expecting your first baby, couples often make a promise to each other. They promise they will never lose sight of their relationship. And they promise that parenthood won’t change them as a couple. Then reality hits.

Image credit

Parenthood does change you in ways you never even imagined. It changes your relationship too. But that needn’t be a bad thing. We all change and evolve throughout our lives. It’s still possible to be in love with each other as well as our children. It just takes a little more organisation.

Carving Out Time

Somewhere in the chaos of working, caring for children and the house, you need to carve out a little time for the two of you. For example, when the kids go to bed. Not every night, of course. The reality is that after a full day of work, sorting the tea and the kids’ homework; you’re not fit for anything. All you want to do is watch mindless telly with a glass of something red. But maybe once a week or every fortnight would work? Perhaps you could leave this until the weekend when things are less fraught.

Turn off your phones and switch off the TV. Focus entirely on each other. Talk about your day and what’s going on in your lives. Rather than eating with the kids that night, eat a late supper just for the two of you. Purchase a special bottle of wine and maybe even light some candles. If your partner isn’t into feminine fragrances, opt for a man candle instead. The point is to do something different and little bit special.

Image credit

Date Night

Date nights can take a little more planning. You have to arrange babysitters and all of that needs to be set up in advance. But it’s not impossible. Try to arrange for the babysitter to arrive a little earlier to give you time to get dressed. If your usual home attire is a pair of lounge pants and t-shirt, it’s good to dress up for each other and make an effort.

Plan somewhere fun and special for your date. Go to the cinema if that’s your thing, or the classic dinner and movie. Try and cut off from the kids. They’re well looked after, and you will be contacted if there are any problems. Resist the urge to keep checking your phone for texts and missed calls. Focus entirely on your partner.

Keep Talking

When we become parents our priorities change and rightly so. Children become the focus of our attention. They become the centre of our world. But within that world try to keep a little attention for each other. It could be as simple as always greeting each other and having a conversation when you get home from work. Ask each other about the day and really listen. If one of you is particularly stressed, make some adjustments to ease their burden. For example, arriving home a little earlier and putting the kids to bed. Or, taking on more of the household chores. Be attentive and observant. The important thing is to keep communicating.

Image credit

Surprise Each Other

Keep things fresh and interesting by surprising one another. This could be something simple like a small gift or cooking their favourite meal. Breakfast in bed at the weekend always goes down well. Change things a little and keep it exciting.

Dress For One Another

You get up at 6:00 am to sort the kids, arrange the school run and arrive at work on time. You work a full day, barely stopping for lunch and then face the evening commute. You finally arrive home after 6:00 pm and it doesn’t stop there. You still have the tea to prepare, the pots to wash, the kids’ bedtime, etc. So all you feel like doing when you get home is changing into a pair of comfy PJs or lounge pants. Nothing wrong with that. But perhaps once in a while change into something different. Dress up a little for your partner. It doesn’t take too much extra effort, and it will be noticed.

Image credit

Spend Time Apart

As well as being together it’s also important to spend time apart. I’m not just referring to work here. It’s important for you each to have your own hobbies and interests and meet up with friends. Being together all the time isn’t always healthy. Everyone needs their space and time to themselves. And when you are together, you’ll find you appreciate each other more.

So, is it possible to be lovers as well as parents? Of course! Like any successful relationship, it just takes work and a little planning.

Read more

Mighty Little Thirsty Quenchers - It's Ribena Minis

I've been wondering for a while why Ribena, one of the UK drinks brands I grew up with hasn't produced their drinks in mini bottles rather than cartons.

I find the bottles much easier to carry and generally they contain a larger amount of drink which is important when kids are rehydrating after biking, Taekwondo or ballet!.

But now Ribena has launched Ribena Minis, made specifically for frantic family life with a specially designed 'Less Spills, Less Mess' cap on a brightly coloured plastic bottle (recyclable of course).

The caps have been developed, based on in-depth research with parents, to minimise spillage by allowing liquid to be released only when gently squeezed.

There are three flavours with real fruit juice and no-added sugar - Brilliant Blackcurrant, Oh So Yum Orange and Amazing Apple & Mango.

The drinks come in 2 sizes, 200ml and 250ml, ideal for day trips, lunches and after-school snack and if there's a little leftover, the resealable bottles mean that they can be opened and closed whenever needed.

Caitlin tried the Amazing Apple & Mango and Ieuan tried the Brilliant Blackcurrant and they were happy to accept Ribena's challenge to prove that the new caps are leak-proof by holding the bottles upside down over their heads for 5 seconds.

The flavours are what you would expect from Ribena and whilst we tested the 200ml size, Ieuan wanted a bigger bottle - he's a blackcurrant fiend - so the 250ml would have been better for him.

The caps certainly do the job and little fingers would not be able to open them.  Ribena state that the caps are not suitable for children under 3.  You do have to push the cap in and then lift it and it took my two a while to get the hang of it because the caps are quite stiff. You might find that a grown-up is needed to open the drink for a younger child.




The Ribena Minis range is available in major supermarkets and the drinks are available in multipacks of 8 (RRP £2.99), 4 (RRP £1.99) and single 250ml bottles of Apple and Mango and Blackcurrant are available at RRP 85p.

It's nice to have a new drinks option for the kids' packed lunches and day-trips.

You can find out more at @RibenaUK on Facebook and Twitter.

*PR samples were sent for the purpose of this post.

Read more