New Releases, Free & Bargain Books Link-up Week 46

How are you all this week?  It's freezing and last night we had thunder and gales.  Yes, winter is definitely here.

It's Stir Up Sunday this weekend if you love your baking - the day when we all traditionally need to make our Christmas cakes and puddings.  I have a truck of dried fruit arriving later today and am relying on Mary Berry (who else?) to create a Christmas cake masterpiece.

I'm currently reading "At Last', the next Alex Troutt thriller by John W. Mefford so stand by for my review on the 21st of this month but in the meantime if you're a wine lover and you love a good mystery, check out "Overcast Sunset" by Joyce T. Strand - murder, theft, kidnap and romance at a winery which will keep you guessing.

It's Black Friday next week but if you want some bargains in the meantime - as well as something good to read - you've come to the right place as there's plenty to choose from on this week's link-up.

Don't forget that I still have plenty to be won on my competitions page and don't forget my new problem page here.

Happy bargain and freebie book hunting on this link.

Have a great week!

Sharing the Love of Books
Enjoy our selection of New Releases / Free & Bargain Books this week

Authors please feel free to add your own books
Readers please free to add your own finds
(any genre except erotica welcome)

This weekly link up is hosted by Beck Valley Books & these awesome book loving blogs...
Monday
 Life as Leels | IrishdaisylovesRomance | Book Babble | All Romance Reader
Tuesday
It's My Side of Life | Celticlady's Reviews | First Time Mommy Adventures 
Wednesday
Beck Valley Books | Cinnamon Hollow Reviews
Thursday
Miki's Hope | Nicki's Nook
Friday
Ebook Addicts | I Love Romance | Mother Distracted | Colorimetry | The Ultimate Fan Blog
Saturday
Totally Addicted to Reading | 3 Partners in Shopping | Angie's Angle | I Create Purty Thangs | Wishful Endings
Sunday
Lynchburg Mama | LibriAmoriMiei | Ali - The Dragon Slayer | Wondermom Wannabe | Deal Sharing Aunt | Rambling Reviews 

For Pre-orders post - PRE-ORDER / genre / title /author

For New Releases post - NEW / genre / title / author

For Free Books post - FREE / genre / title / author / end date 

For Bargain Books post - SALE / price / genre / title / author / end date
(Strictly no Erotica please.  Steamy romance is fine but watch those covers people, incase any underage child is viewing it!)

Click here for this weeks awesome selection!

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Mums Forced Out Of Work Due To Lack Of Flexible Jobs

In my time in the corporate world, it quickly became clear that all jobs were not created equal. Time after time I would see women in relatively senior positions return from maternity leave only to find out that their role had mysteriously been redefined.  Or, if they did request a more flexible working arrangement, this would be frowned upon and deemed as unfair to the rest of the staff (often predominantly women).

Many of the firms I worked for considered themselves above the constraints of employment law - or at least they knew very well how to circumvent them.

As usual, mums and those without kids were pitted against each other.  Occasionally there might be a half-hearted attempt at a 'job share' but, in general, the working lives of women returners were often made so untenable that they left.

So it was no surprise to read that Workingmums.co.uk is calling for improved education on employment rights and toughening up of legislation

Nearly one in five (18%) working mums have been forced to leave their jobs because a flexible working request has been turned down, according to Workingmums.co.uk's annual survey published on 18th October this year.

The survey of over 2,000 women in Workingmums.co.uk's 10th anniversary year shows that over a quarter (26%) of mums in work have had a flexible working request turned down. Some 12 per cent said their employer did not even seem to consider their request at all and over a quarter (27%) said the reason given for turning down the request was not one which is allowable under flexible working legislation.

For women currently on maternity leave the figures were higher: 35% of those who had had a flexible working request turned down had had it rejected on grounds other than reasons which are allowable under flexible working legislation. Some 68% said they did not feel the rejection was justified. However, 79% did not appeal. This was not surprising given only 5% appealed successfully. Some 41% of those on maternity leave said refusal of flexible working would mean they might not return to their job, yet 50% said they had not discussed flexible working before going on maternity leave.

The survey shows that availability of flexible working is the key career development issue for working mums, with some element of homeworking the most valued, particularly for those wanting to work full time. Other barriers included childcare costs - half of women currently on maternity leave said childcare costs could prevent them returning to work.

Flexible working legislation was extended to all employees in 2014, but some provisions of the original legislation, such as the statutory right of appeal, were watered down.

The survey shows a divide between those women who have extremely flexible jobs (10%) and those who have no flexibility at all (9%) or whose jobs are not very flexible (26%).

It also reveals that many employers are failing to retain the skills of working mums after maternity leave. Some 60% of women said they changed jobs after maternity leave and 58% say they are interested in starting their own business or becoming a franchisee, with 40% of these actively pursuing ideas and plans. Research has shown that the ability to be more in control of their hours - not necessarily to work fewer hours - is a key driver for those women who want to start businesses after having children.

Some 64% are interested in retraining. A previous Workingmums.co.uk's survey showed a need for more flexible working and a desire to do something they considered more meaningful were behind many mums' interest in retraining.

The survey also showed: - job shares are still not used by many employers. Only 4% of women said they were in a job share, despite 55% wanting to work part time - 57% of working mums struggle with holiday and after school childcare - 46% use grandparents to reduce childcare costs - 38% pay no childcare costs as they use family/friends to cover pick-ups or work school-friendly hours.

Under flexible working legislation employers have a duty to deal with requests in a ‘reasonable manner’. Workingmums.co.uk also has concerns about the weakness of the legislation around the right of appeal and clearly the survey bears out those concerns since most who had their request rejected while on maternity leave did not appeal, even though 68% felt the reasons given for the rejection was not justified.

Workingmums.co.uk would like to see more efforts made both to promote the case for flexible working more widely and to educate women about their rights with regard to the legislation. They would also like policymakers to look at the case for reinstating a statutory right of appeal if a request is turned down as this would send an important message to employers that they must give serious consideration to requests and not just dismiss them out of hand.

It's really not good enough in 2016 is it.  And might I suggest that in this Anti Bullying Week, some employers dogged determination to discriminate against those with kids (including dads, many of whom face similar issues), is nothing less than bullying.

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My Problem Page - What Was I Asked In Week 46?

This week I'm talking about scaring your crush away by declaring your love on Facebook and why throwing your toys out of your pram in business is not a good idea.

If you would like any advice, feel free to message me or pop a comment in the comment box at the end of this post. I promise to be gentle.

Here's this week's questions.

Q: Is it normal if my guyfriend (who I like and isn't seeing anyone) hasn't texted me for a few weeks?

He has been sending me kisses and I sent some back.  The week after he didn’t text me for six days but told me that he had been on Facebook (which I don't have) but he still responds to me. Is it OK for a guy who likes you to not text you for a few weeks and will he text you back?

A: Texting is not real life. It is playing with phones. 

To have a real relationship with someone you have to spend time with them in person. You have to talk to them, get to know their hopes and dreams, what makes them tick. 

Sending text kisses is not a declaration of love. It’s a mild flirtation, nothing more. 

Since you are not in a relationship with this guy, there is no reason why he should text you more regularly. 

It sounds to me as if he is keeping you sweet in case he decides he does want a relationship with you but that’s a little immature and, frankly, a waste of your time. And, by the way, you can get the Facebook app for free on your phone. 

But don’t waste any more time hankering after this guy. If he is really interested he will be phoning to ask you out on a date. 

Until that happens, this is just another keyboard flirtation which is going nowhere.

Q: Did he even love me? Did he cheat? Does he love her now?

We were happy until he told me that he doesn't love me 100%.  He took another girl to his workplace to eat but he never took me there.  We broke up but he came back again.  One minute he would be talking about an open relationship, the next he would tell me not to fall in love with someone else. Two days after he left me he was dating this other girl.

A: This man clearly wanted the best of both worlds and didn’t quite have the guts to tell you he wanted to break up. Or perhaps he wasn’t sure if this other girl really wanted him. 

I am sorry for the upset you have gone through but really, this man is not worth your time or your emotions. 

I believe love is something that develops over time in a committed relationship where both parties are prepared to make an effort.

I suspect he did cheat - and if you’re honest you suspected that too and yes, it hurts. 

I don’t think, from your description, that he was a man in love. I also don’t think he’ll be staying with the new girl for very long either. 

He sounds very immature and as if he doesn’t really know what he wants. Just make sure you don’t let him come back to hurt you all over again.

Q: Do you think it better to argue in business or to just walk away?

A: That’s a pretty vague question and without knowing the context it’s hard to talk in anything more than generalisations. 

If the argument is personal, based on dislike, or poor treatment or a simple difference of opinion, then keeping quiet and treating that person with respect is the professional thing to do. If the poor treatment continues, it is surely the responsibility of HR to help sort it out. 

If you are in a meeting and an argument arises, there’s a difference between being personal and offensive, and calmly stating your well thought out reasons for the good of the business. 

In other words, if it’s your responsibility in whatever role you have at work to deliver something, then you need to find a way to work with the various personalities you encounter to deliver it. 

I always think that the person who is shouting loses - because they have lost control. But walking away is just playing chicken. 

I can’t imagine Richard Branson storming off in a huff somehow, can you?

Q: I told my crush I like him. We were good friends but since I told him I like him he doesn't talk to me anymore. What does this mean? 

So, I told him I like him on Facebook and we talked about that for about 3–4 minutes, but that was 2 days ago and now he doesn’t even talk to me or message me. My friends have noticed that he stares at me during lessons though. Did I do something wrong?

A: I’m guessing you’re not very old and perhaps you are a little inexperienced. 

Declaring your love publicly, on Facebook, isn’t the best place to do it, particularly if he wasn’t expecting it. You put him on the line and he was probably embarrassed and didn’t know what to say.

In general, and I don’t care if this sounds old fashioned, men like to do the chasing. 

It does sound as if he does not feel the same way as he has made no effort to contact you or arrange a date. 

He may be interested, hence the stares, but lacks the confidence to do anything. Surely you got some sense how he felt in your brief conversation? 

All you can do is tell him you value his friendship and understand if he is not interested. Tell him you don’t want to lose what you had - unless you feel that you couldn’t cope with just being a friend and not a lover. 

But please, do this subtly face to face - and not on Facebook.

Q: What are the clues than an ex is playing hard to get?

A: Surely if they’re an ex they’re not really playing hard to get anymore - they’re an ex?

Do you mean that they are showing signs of wanting you back?

It’s very common for exes to reminisce about old times without necessarily wanting to rekindle the relationship.

The only way you will truly know if they are interested is by hearing them say it - or by them asking you out on a date again.

If you are chasing this person and they are giving you the runaround then I don’t think they’re really interested.

If you broke up with them or if you cheated, they may just be toying with you to get some rather immature revenge.

Either way, it’s time to stop playing games and ask what’s going on - that way you can move forward with your life and stop wasting time on someone who may have no intention of rekindling your relationship.

Q: Is it true that if you haven't fallen in love before the age of 21, you'll never really fall in love at all?

A: No of course not - unless you are living in some Disney fantasy land.

I think young love is often based on nothing more than sexual attraction whereas more mature love can be deeper and more enduring.

Falling in love is not a mechanical process. You can’t apply rules and regulations to it. If you could there would not be the acres of romantic poetry and prose from our fellow humans desperately trying to understand love.

Neither does love necessarily ‘appear’ before your magical cut-off age of 21. For some it appears out of the blue; for others it grows and strengthens over time.

There is a saying “youth is wasted on the young”. I’d argue you could say the same about love.

If you are stressing about not experiencing ‘the big love’ yet, relax. Love can be hard to find if you go looking for it.

But if you’re happy, content, like yourself and are kind to others, very often love will find you.

How would you have responded to these questions? I'd love to know. You can find more advice on my problem page.

All materials included in this post are intended for informational purposes only. This post/information is not intended to and should not be used to replace medical or psychiatric advice offered by physicians or other health care providers. The author will not be liable for any direct, indirect, consequential, special, exemplary or other damages arising therefrom.

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Protect Your Family From The Winter Cold With Redoxon® Multivitamins [closed]

As the festive season approaches with all its social events, shopping and entertaining, we often find our systems need a boost to make sure we're in a fit condition to enjoy it all.

To stay healthy we're trying to eat nutritious, vitamin-rich foods and to get outside to enjoy the beautiful autumn countryside with lots of walks and cycling.

But we parents live in fear of the kids coming down with coughs, colds and the dreaded 'puke bug'.  I am already giving Caitlin and Ieuan daily probiotics and slathering them in anti-bacterial hand gel but there's always the chance that they will come home with something virulent that we'll all get.

So we've been trying new Redoxon® Triple Action effervescent tablets, which contain high strength vitamin D to help support the immune system, vitamin C to help us to feel energised and zinc to help maintain our skin.

Why is Vitamin D important?

Our bodies need vitamin D to absorb calcium and promote bone growth. Too little vitamin D results in soft bones in children (rickets) and fragile, misshapen bones in adults.  Vitamin D is also needed for other important body functions and a lack of it has been linked to breast cancer, colon cancer, prostate cancer, heart disease, depression, weight gain, and other maladies.

Read on for a fabulous giveaway ......

Redoxon® is the leading immune brand in the UK with over 80 years' experience of helping to keep families' immune systems on top form.

There's Redoxon® Triple Action for when you need a bit of extra help and Redoxon® Every Day Immune support for day to day support.

Caitlin and Ieuan have been trying the Triple Action formula in the form of gummies for children.

NEW Redoxon® Triple Action effervescent tablets

When you need a bit of extra help, Redoxon® Triple Action is a combination of high strength vitamin C, D and zinc to support your immune system.

Why use Redoxon® Triple Action?

• Top up of vitamin D even when there is less sunlight. During the summer months, vitamin D is mainly formed in the skin through UV-B sunlight, and functions to help support the immune system
• Vitamin C can help you release your energy
• Your skin is the body’s first line of defence. Zinc can help maintain your skin

The effervescent tablets are for adults and children over 12 years of age. Simply dissolve 1 tablet per day in a glass of water to make a refreshing orange drink. Available in packs of 10 at a RRP of £3.80.

New Look Redoxon® Every Day Immune Support for day to day support

Even though you may not feel it, your immune system works 24 hours a day and that is why you need to take care of it. When you have a busy lifestyle, sometimes it can be good to have extra support.

Redoxon® Every Day is a daily multivitamin for children and adults, providing day to day support for the immune system. The effervescent tablets contain vitamins (A, B6, B12, C, D and folic acid) and minerals (zinc, iron, copper and selenium).

Why use Redoxon® Every Day?

• Vitamin A, vitamin C and zinc help maintain the skin
• Vitamin C, iron, vitamin B12 and vitamin B6 help reduce tiredness and fatigue
• Vitamins (C, A, D, B6, B12 and folic acid) and minerals (zinc, iron, copper and selenium) help support your immune system – your body’s natural protector

Children over 12 years of age and adults: Dissolve 1 tablet per day in a glass of water to make a refreshing orange drink. Children 6-12 years old: Half a tablet per day. Redoxon® Every Day come in packs of 15 (RRP £5.00) and 30 (RRP £9.50).

These make a lovely, refreshing orangey drink with no chemical after-taste.  It dissolves easily and I wasn't left with powder at the bottom of the glass.

New Redoxon® Triple Action gummies

• 3 tasty fun flavours (orange, strawberry and papaya)

Per gummy:-

• Vitamin C 30mg
• Vitamin D 5μg
• Zinc 2.5mg

Suitable for children 4 years and older: • Children 4-8 years: 2 gummies per day • Children 9-13 years: 3 gummies per day • Adults and teenagers over 14 years: 4 gummies per day Come in packs of 25 at a RRP of £2.49.

The kids like the taste and texture of these and, unlike some of the vitamins we've tried, I've had no protests from Ieuan at all!

Redoxon® products are available at a range of stores including Boots, Sainsbury’s, Superdrug, Tesco, and Waitrose.

It's good to know that we are taking care of our immune systems - and hopefully warding off Mr Puke!

If you would like to try Redoxon® for yourself and win some lovely goodies and a shopping voucher, why not enter my giveaway?

The giveaway 

Redoxon® are kindly giving one of my lucky readers a lovely goody box containing plenty of Redoxon to try along with a winter support kit containing a scented candle, hot chocolate and a mug, winter socks and a 2017 diary to help you get the family organised.  Not only that but there's a £50 Tesco voucher to stock up on some healthy food too (or some mince pies....).

Entry is via the Rafflecopter widget.  UK entries only and the usual terms and conditions apply which can be viewed on my Competitions Page, where you can view my other current giveaways.

The giveaway ends at 11:59 pm on Sunday 4th December.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck!

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A Better Way To Find Black Friday Weekend Bargains

Brace yourselves because Friday 25th November marks the start of Black Friday Weekend.

Ah, Black Friday.  Three words that conjure up visions of amazing deals, frequent confusion and occasional brawls in supermarkets.

No wonder then, that many of us would prefer to beat the battles in the stores this November, and find the best deals online with our feet up in the comfort of our own home.

This isn't without its frustrations either though because online home shopping often involves trudging through a thousand websites with fifty tabs open whilst you look through items you don’t want before you get any seriously good deals.

It's at this point that you find out your item has sold out in your size or your colour choice isn't available.

Or, even worse, the retailer's website crashes completely so you don't know if you have actually bought anything.

But I've discovered a website that brings all the sales across the internet in one convenient place with the aim of saving time and money, and keeping your stress levels manageable.

Lovethesales.com  brings together all the sales from over 500 of the top brands and retailers across the UK for you to choose from including fashion, homeware, electronics, outdoor and a kid’s section, making finding those hidden gems so much easier.

You can search the sales in your tailored sizes so you won’t be disappointed and can also sign up for sale alerts for your favourite brands so you never miss a sale again.

If you’re looking to find something a bit warmer over the Black Friday weekend, then the UGG sale  is a great place to start for warm, fashionable shoes and accessories from this world renowned brand.

These gorgeous gloves  feature a snug wool  lining and come in purple, grey, brown & black, a perfect Christmas present to tick off the list (and we bloggers do love a list, don't we?).

Classic 2point gloves, was £125 now £49. 61% off

Sticking with the warm theme, there’s nothing like updating old and tired coats for new and vibrant colours. In the coats & jackets sale you’ll find plenty of durable winter coats that will brighten up any outfit while keeping the chills at bay.

The Barbour sale mixes cool quilted jackets with waterproof winter coats, like this zip up waterproof parka.

Barbour waterproof parka, was £199 now £140, 30% off

Whether you’re getting your Christmas shopping done early, or stocking up for change of season clothing, this is a great way to shop the sales and avoid a shopping center meltdown!


*collaborative post

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Starting Your Nest Egg Late in the Shadow of Brexit

The Brexit vote reverberated loudly across Britain. We are still dealing with the aftermath of the shock of it all. Everyone was affected in some way but it seems none were more immediately affected by Brexit than those who have already retired.

Declining value in savings

As part of their savings strategy, many retirees had IRAs (Individual Retirement Accounts) and savings in the pound. Post-Brexit, they have seen their portfolios decrease in value when the pound fell after the Brexit vote. The decline in the value of the pound has largely levelled off at the moment, but the overall value of the currency has not rebounded. The consequence of this is many retirees holding IRAs that will likely not see growth for quite some time.

What if you’re behind on your retirement savings? How can you catch up in the shadow of Brexit when your time is getting short? Don’t despair: there are steps you can take to get your retirement back on track.

Protect what you have

No one can say for certain what Britain’s economic future will look like. No government exit plan has yet been unveiled. Those who have already retired or have begun a savings portfolio need to first take steps to protect the investments they have. The best way to do that is to diversify your portfolio. This includes investments in economies outside of Britain.

Increase your savings

You’ll need to put aside as much as you can if you’ve gotten behind on your retirement savings. You can calculate how much you can expect from your state pension and how much you’ll need to spend each year to maintain the lifestyle you want.

Once you have your figures in hand, look at how much you’re saving each month, then find a way to increase it by as much as you possibly can.

If your employer offers a pension plan, increase your contributions each month. If it is a plan that includes employer matching contributions, you need to put as much as possible into this fund.

Clear your debts

It is just common sense that your money will go further if you don’t have a pile of debts to pay on each month. One way to help catch up if you’re behind on your retirement savings is to pay off your debts as quickly as possible, then take the funds you would normally pay out to debts and add them to your retirement savings.

Downsizing can help

One strategy many people use is to plan to include the value of their homes as part of their retirement. Take a critical look at your home. Do you really need that much space in retirement? If not, consider selling it. Or converting all or part of it into rental property. Renting will give you an additional income in retirement.

With the final stages of Brexit still on the horizon and the continued uncertainty of the repercussions of that historic vote, the best course of action for the people of Britain is simple: don’t panic. Guard your savings through diversifying your portfolio. The rest of the best advice falls along a simple line of reasoning: use some common sense measures and you can weather this Brexit storm.

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Christmas Gift Ideas For 7 Year Old Ieuan - Ideas Please!

At the supermarket on Saturday I gave Ieuan my phone and instructed him to take pictures of the kind of thing that he might like Santa to bring him.

I was hoping that he would pick 'things to play with' rather than 'things to interact with'.  He spends far too much time in the world of Minecraft creating huge, palatial buildings which randomly burn down at regular intervals.

The wailing is enough to send you to the gin cupboard, but I console myself that he might become an architect and design me a nice maximum security home for my twilight years.

But lots of toys seem unsophisticated when compared to online games,  and unlikely to hold Ieuan's interest for more than two minutes.

I'm sure lots of parents are currently scratching their heads wondering how to get their offspring off the sofa and actually mobile in the fresh air - or at least away from a screen for a while.

Ieuan's list consisted of Star Wars and Minecraft figures but I am determined to broaden his interests and reduce his screen time!

So what to get?  Are you facing a similar quandry?

Here are some suggestions that might be suitable for Ieuan's age group 7+ - although heaven knows, they're all different!

- Tickets for something like Lego Land or the Harry Potter tour.  You may find online discounts or be able to use Clubcard vouchers.

- Music CDs - must confess I am unsure of the musical taste of 7 year old boys!

- Board games like Operation or Mousetrap

- Science kit toys

- Unusual outdoor toys like rockets, kites or giant flying discs etc

- Lego or Meccano

- Remote control car

- Metal detector

- Watch / stopwatch / pedometer

- Simple camera

- Accessories for a bicycle - bell / horn / new cycle helmet / lights

- Encyclopedia or a history book (Horrible Histories, books on Ancient Egypt)

- Set of classic boys' own stories

- Football / rugby / sports equipment

- Musical instrument such as a guitar or basic keyboard

(unfortunately Ieuan wants to be a rock drummer so I'll be stalling on that one for as long as possible).

We're at that awkward age where the existence of Santa is occasionally called into question (of course he exists!) so I don't want to let him choose his own presents.  We're still telling him he needs to get his skates on and write a list for Santa to work from.

What have you got on your boys' Christmas lists this year (for Santa to deliver obviously)?

I'd love to hear some inspiring ideas.

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