Author – Taken from Emma’s Website

Emma is a novelist, feature writer, photographer, professional speaker and accountability coach.

She has been writing fiction since she first fell for Anne of Green Gables at fourteen and is the author of the YA novels Unrequited: Boy band meets girl, Tilly Maguire and the Royal Wedding Mess, the non-fiction title, I Don’t Have Time (co-authored with Audrey Thomas), and the parenting memoir Wits’ End Before Breakfast! Confessions of a Working Mum.

Along with her schoolfriend, dual ARIA-winning composer, Sally Whitwell, Emma co-wrote two musicals, Deadpan Anti-Fan and Fairytale Derail, based on her teen novels.

She wrote her first adult novel, The Last Love Note, in the wake of her husband’s death. It’s a fictional tribute to their love, an attempt to articulate the magnitude of her loss and a life-affirming commitment to hope.

Emma lives just outside Canberra, where her world centres on her two adult daughters, young son, loved step-children and step-grandchildren, writing, photography and endlessly chasing the Aurora Australis.

Book

This book sees Kate two years after her husband has died.

Kate is working hard at her job, she has a young child, an extremely understanding boss and a dating app loving friend who is always there for her.

She tries to keep her humour as she navigates through her life.

When a neighbour moves in across the road, an adonise who Kate finds attractive, things start to get even more chaotic.

Kate hasn’t had a chance to steer her way through her grief and during a weekend away from her son, she begins to see what is directly in front of her.

Happy ending.

What I think?

I took a scroll at a few others who had read this book, and from what I’ve read, I seem to be the enjoy one who didn’t enjoy it.

Now please, feel free not to listen to my opinion.

To me, I’m only one person and I’m sure fans of Emma Grey, and Emma Grey herself, will tell me to keep my thoughts to myself, and i would if it wasn’t that I’d chosen the book for April 2025 monthly read.

The main reason I didn’t enjoy this book was the predictability of the story. And by saying that, I’m really aware that when I chose it the book, I knew the trope. I knew it was a rom com book with a female character who was going to start out strong but vulnerable with a dead husband, a small child, strong friendships, a boss who she was eventually going to find out she loved and that he had always been there for her, and all of this while she was being quirky, smart and of course looking perfect and cute.

All of this I’ve read before and so I became really bored with the story.

I do like the humour Emma wrote into her characters, she did everything she needed to do to make them fit the story, and I appreciate the detail she found to put into them.

I do know that Emma wrote this book with her husband in mind, with the loss of him and all the pain that grief brings with it, and as someone who’s husband died when I was thirty-four, I feel her pain.

So, because of that, I’m giving the book a 2 ½ egg rating.

Chef

by Lauren Shimmin

This is a chef that was so kind during lock down, do you all remember that time? It feels more than a memory ago now. (Find the Lockdown Lunch Videos here)

Since then, she has gone on to do even more amazing things than gifting us her time and her food.

I’ve combined what I first wrote, when Lauren videoed the making of this amazing pie and then added more up to date information from The Staff Canteen when Lauren was on MasterChef the Professionals.

Once again, thank you Lauren.

A picture of Lauren Shimmin from lockdown.

Lauren appeared on MasterChef the Professionals in 2024.

Working her way up from Commis Chef, Lauren first became head chef in 2012, but she’s not new to working in restaurants. Lauren has been gracing kitchens for 20 years.

Growing up in Bangor with her parents and younger brother, she now lives where whe works, in Ballygawley.

With a lovely Fiance Nicola, I’m guessing she is probably really happy with her lot.

Starting her career at 16 with college and a Level 2 NVQ in Professional Cookery before moving on to her first job with Jenny Watts in Bangor. It wasn’t long before her talent was spotted and she worked her way up to her first head chef role at Groomsport Inn and kept working until a couple of years ago when she became head chef at Tailors House.

As is with a lot of great chefs, it was her family who influenced her cooking. She told the people at The Staff Canteen. “My mother and grandmother weren't the best of cooks, and I loved to eat so, as soon as I was able, I was cooking dinner every day after school. I learnt through enjoying eating and it all started from there.”

With a style of cooking Lauren describes as “…all about flavour. I love to cure and brine meats. I concentrate a lot on getting the balance correct and bringing out the best of the ingredients. I’ve really developed my own style over the last few years. I’d say it’s modern Irish with a focus on seasonality, locality with some playful twists.”

Why dis Lauren choose to go on MasterChef the Professionals? “I have been cooking a long time and I just feel really settled in where I am now. I’ve really shaped the food and the menu and it’s doing well so that has given me the confidence to apply. I feel like, why not!”

And lastly, what does Lauren do in the rare time she has away from the kitchen?

“Other than cooking, I love walking, the gym, music, family, and reading. I love exploring Ireland and the old buildings it has. I’m fascinated by history and stories of who lived in different places and buildings.”

Chicken, Mushroom & Tarragon Pie Recipe

Pastry

2 Eggs Beaten
60ml – Ice Cold Water
500g Plain Flour
10g Table salt
250g Butter – Chilled & Diced into cubes

Method

Sieve the flour into a mixing bowl, add salt and butter.
Using a paddle attachment, work on a medium speed to incorporate the butter into the flour
Add eggs and water together and add to the flour and butter mixture.
Tip onto a floured surface, knead a few times, wrap in cling film and rest for at least 30mins in the fridge

Filling

800g Chicken Thigh
1 Litre Chicken Stock
300ml Dry Cider
400g Mushrooms
30g Plain Four
40g Butter
60ml Double Cream
1 Tbsp English Mustard
25g tarragon – Chopped

Method

Put chicken thighs. In a saucepan, pour over stock and cider and simmer on medium heat for 15 mins.
Add mushrooms and simmer for a further 5 mins
Remove from the heat and strain the stock into a bowl through a sieve.
Return the stock to the saucepan on a medium heat, reduce it by half
Once the chicken has cooled completely, chock into to chunks
In a clean saucepan, add the butter and flour.
Combine and cook over a low heat for 5 mins – A roux
Begin to slowly add the reduced stock to the roux mix, stirring continuously until you have a smooth thick sauce
Add the double cream, chicken and all the other ingredients.
Mix, season and leave to cool.
Line your loose bottom pie dish with rolled out pastry.
Add the cooled chicken mixture to the top and cover with a disk of pastry
Pinche the edges of the pie lid
Cook at 180c for 25-30 minutes until piping hot in the centre and the pastry is a deep golden brown.

Hi.

Apr 2 The Last Love Note by Emma Grey with Recipe by Lauren Shimmin

Mar 3 Miss Bensons Beetle by Rachel Joyce