Notice how the weather forecast has a serious hold on our food mood. Rain? Give us seven types of potato. Cold wintry day? Stews, roast dinners, pie and mash in that order, one after the other. Basically, if it’s dominated by carbs, we want it. Hot Summer’s day? Gimme the juice of an orange Calipo and a watermelon the size of our head.

With the higher temps comes an appetite for snacks on skewers and convenient light bites we can rustle up in a matter of minutes.

We can pick things back up with hearty comfort food in October but for now, these are the summer snacks we want in and around our mouths.

Classic bruschetta

It’s the Italians’ worst kept secret and one we’re glad to be in on. Warm-up for your main course with this Mediterranean medley made with fresh basil, garlic, tomatoes, red onion, punctuated with balsamic and served on toasted bread. Remarkably simple. Undeniably genius.

Find the recipe from ‘Add a Pinch’ here.

Watermelon Feta Salad

This is one we like to call The Harry Styles. For one of the most refreshing salad iterations of all time, toss watermelon, cucumber, feta, mint and red onion together in a bowl and dress with a simple red wine and olive oil vinaigrette. Refreshing AF.

Find the recipe from Delish here.

Build Your Own Sandwich Board

If you haven’t had a ‘picky bits’ dinner, is it even Summer?

Find the recipe from The Baker Mama here.

Creamy Peach & Honey Popsicles

It’s peak season for popsicles and these are positively peachy. It would be rude not to.

Find the recipe from Cookie and Kate here.

Campfire Trail Mix

Summer time s’mores, anyone? Satisfy your sweet and salty cravings in one sitting with this fireside treat.

Find the recipe from Bake Love Give here.

Cracker Pizza

We’re just ashamed we’re only learning about the cracker pizza hype NOW. Crunchy base – winning, bubbly cheese – winning, ready in under 10 mins – WINNING.

Find the recipe from Moms Without Answers here.

Banana Split Skewers

Skip the big dinner and head straight for dessert with these banana split kebabs. Hear us out. Thread banana, strawbs and pineapple onto a skewer, drizzle with melted chocolate and coat with chopped nuts. Converted? We thought as much.

Find the recipe from Delish here.

Baked Sweet Potato Crisps

Crispy and light, these sweet potato crisps are a post-lockdown miracle. Great as a stand-alone snack or married between bread to form a 10/10 sweet ‘n’ salty sarnie.

Find the recipe from Minimalist Baker here. 

Boozy Melon Bites

This is the fruit cocktail you’ve all been waiting for… and most definitely one of our five a day.

Find the recipe from Delish here.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Bites

These frozen chocolate peanut butter banana bites are the perfect warm-weather canapé. Keep a batch in the freezer for that 3pm snack attack. Or ya know, midnight.

Find the recipe from Eating Bird Food here.

Caprese Salad Skewers

Colourful, quick and full of flavour – we’ve never met a mozzarella-based snack we didn’t like.

Find the recipe from My Gourmet Connection here.

What’s your favourite summer snack to inhale on a hot day?

The pub doors have been prized open, bottomless brunch is a go, and finally we’ve been let loose to enjoy a cheeky glass of vino after work or a birthday/engagement/pregnancy celebration not via a screen- hallelujah! There’s only one problem: we’ve forgotten how to dress in clothing other than our worse for wear PJs and elasticated leggings. HELP.

When all else fails, you can’t go wrong with jeans and a nice top, and these beauties make post lockdown dressing feel easy. Printed, puff-sleeved, strapless or shirred, we’ll be singing the praises of the outfits that make us feel 10/10 after months of lounging. Let’s just hope we can still get our jeans on.

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As well as separating us from our family and friends and depriving us of festivals, coronavirus has hugely impacted the dating scene. While cohabiting lovers hunkered down for three months unaffected by distance, singletons were left to navigate the world of virtual dating. But don’t go reaching for your violins just yet because it wasn’t all bad news for the love life, despite the lack of human contact. Since lockdown began in March, dating app Bumble saw a 42% increase in video dates with the average call lasting 30 minutes.

Now, as the government loosen the lockdown reins and social distanced dates replace the video call meet-cute, what will this new dawn of dating feel like, and how do you stay safe as well as smitten when you’re looking for love? Will masking up be a total mood killer? What if they think you’re really not feeling it because you can’t brush their kneecap accidentally on purpose, or lean in for a quick peck?

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After barely leaving the house for months, sitting down on a picnic to share a punnet of sweaty strawberries with a freshly sanitized hand is bound to feel weird and unnatural at first, so don’t be too hard on yourself. Take time to adjust and figure out what’s comfortable for you at this stage.

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To help alleviate the anxiety around the future of dating and to, ahem, lubricate the social dating experience, Bumble will be introducing a range of features to facilitate dating from a distance.

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With the introduction of profile badges, users will be able to filter their potential love interests based on their dating preferences. Whether you’re in the virtual-only camp, up for a socially distanced meet up or you prefer socially distanced dating with masks, the badges alleviate any pressure of having those awkward conversations. So, if you’re not interested in

l-o-v-e without full P-P-E, the badge is one way to spell it out.

We spoke to Bumble user, Charlotte Bendkowski, about her lockdown dating experience and the future of dating in a post-pandemic world. Charlotte is a criminology student living in London, she’s been single for two years and is currently looking for something long-term.

How have you found dating during lockdown?

I have been on a few virtual dates during lockdown. I sit there before with my laptop thinking how weird it will be, and what excuse can I come up with to cancel. Even though I am always pleasantly surprised, I have found dating during lockdown challenging. With meeting IRL out of the question, I thought it would be a great time to build on those online connections using Bumble and create some solid foundations. However, with nothing new happening, it’s inevitable you will run out of things to discuss. With small talk about your day a lot harder with the decrease in activities, I struggled to stay interested myself! 

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Some people might struggle to feel connected to someone on a video date, have you got any tips for breaking the ice / getting the conversation flowing?

Video calling can feel awkward at the start. Just relax into it, have a few questions in the back of your mind that you’d like to ask, make sure you are in comfortable surroundings and are feeling your best. Remember, you don’t have to spend hours on the call, just a gentle hello and introduction can be a friendly opening. 

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Was there anything better / simpler about virtual dating than dating IRL?

I think the one thing which stands out to me as tricky, is knowing whether you have chemistry in person. I have fancied a lot of men, and then when I’ve met them on a date, I just haven’t had that electricity that I want with them. 

What are your reservations about social distanced dating, if any?

My reservations about social distanced dating are, what happens to the culture of chatting to someone at a bar? You can’t approach someone without knowing if they are comfortable with it, you can’t flirt or share a goodnight kiss. It does prove problematic for romance. 

Tips for anyone nervous to get back out there?

Go for it! You’ve spent months locked in your house, get back out there and start living your best life! 

How do you build intimacy from a distance?

I think the key to building intimacy from a distance is really understanding what each other is into, the key values they hold, their aspirations, motivations and what drives them. If you can understand these fundamentals, I believe you can build a great understanding of someone, and because you have the key principles, the intimacy comes with that understanding. 

What’s your ideal socially distanced date?

My ideal socially distanced date would be on a beautifully sunny day, having a lovely picnic in a park and chatting until the early evening. 

What’s been your biggest learning from this experience?

My biggest learning from this experience is that I am comfortable on my own, but I am growing and learning every day and it feels like the right time to look for someone to spend life with. The lockdown gave me a lot of time to reflect on my previous relationships and has helped me to understand what sort of partner I am looking for. 

Do you think you’ll date differently in the future, even when ‘normal’ dating resumes?

Yes. I do really hope to be back to normal dating soon!

What’s in your social dis-dating survival kit?

My social distancing date survival kit includes a mask, hand sanitiser, perfume, mints, hairbrush and lipstick. My motto is feel your best, look your best, and the men will follow! 🙂 

Alongside this month’s book club, we read Reni Eddo-Lodge’s ‘Why I’m No Longer Talking To White People About Race’.

The Observer described Reni’s work as, ‘A wake up call to a nation in denial’ and that’s exactly what it is.

This book hit a (white) nerve back in 2017 when it was first released, and it will continue to catalyse urgent and messy conversations that we were previously too uncomfortable to have. It will examine how you think and feel about race, interrogate your white identity and require you to listen intently to the black lived experience.

“Yet racism is a white problem. It reveals the anxieties, hypocrisies and double standards of whiteness. It is a problem in the psyche of whiteness that white people must take responsibility to solve.”

Consider this literary uprising your crash course in structural racism, white privilege and the history that lead us here.

We reflect on the thoughts and key learnings we took from Reni’s exploration of what it means to be a Black person in Britain today. Add it to your TBR pile immediately.

Lareese

I didn’t just want to read this book, I needed to and truthfully, I should have read it years ago but would I have been ready for it… honestly? Probably not. I would have been the blinkered white girl, oblivious to the privilege right under my nose and blinded by white denial. What on earth was I so willing to defend? Reni Eddo-Lodge’s Why I’m No Longer Talking To White People About Race should be compulsory reading, and if the title alone makes you feel uncomfortable, then even more reason to pick it up and pore over its lessons. I don’t think I’ve ever gone through a book and underlined so many passages. This is not a book you can cruise through; it’s painful and powerful and it deserves your undivided attention. Reni hits you hard with sour stats (2004 the first black judge, I mean really, 2004!) and in her examination of black British history, she invites you to draw your own conclusions on whether racism is an ‘American’ issue. I’d never heard about the Groce family or Floyd Jarrett before reading this book but it’s like Reni says, you have to actively go looking for black histories to know them. I found the passages about white privilege and the system particularly eye-opening – if you really want to understand race relations in this country, work your way through Reni’s words. I will be circulating this book amongst my peers and relatives strictly on a loan-only basis, so I can revisit its powerful pages and continue to check my white privilege. I want to remember this book forever.

Charlotte

I first read this book in 2018 but shamefully didn’t get to the end as my university work took over and reading for pleasure took a back seat. And whilst racism doesn’t exactly feel like a pleasurable topic, I’ve learnt in recent weeks the importance of facing discomfort head on to become more educated and with a better understanding of how to amplify the voices of people of colour. From the very first page, the facts and experiences shared by Eddo-Lodge around the prejudice and whitewashing of history taught in the UK is shocking- as a white person, it never occurred to me that our curriculum and education system could be so discriminatory. It was the parts of life that as a white person I’d never questioned that showed me just how ingrained racism is within our world’s structures and institutions. White privilege was one area I’d learnt about through social media in recent years and a part of this book I was only too happy to revisit. The following quote is one that really stayed with me: “When I was four, I asked my mum when I would turn white, because all the good people on TV were white, and all the villains were black and brown. I considered myself to be a good person, so I thought I’d turn white eventually. My mum still remembers the crestfallen look on my face when she told me the bad news” I hope the current momentum of the Black Lives Matter movement continues to give exposure to the lessons and truths tucked beneath the pages of this book- uncomfortable facts we as white people should have to face at the earliest opportunity.

Zoe

This book had been on my TBR pile unread for longer than I care to admit. I’d seen a lot of people I follow on social media talking about it and how it changed the way they thought about racism and anti racist work. More recently with the growing momentum of the black lives matter movement and the death of George Floyd, I felt it was important that I bumped this to the top of my reading list and we added it as an extra book for the Zoella June book club too. This is a truly important book and Reni taught me so much I shamefully had no idea about. I found the first chapter about the history of racism in Britain particularly shocking. Shocking in nature but also because I didn’t know about 75% of it. Reni herself said that it isn’t easy to find information or research the history of racism and slavery through Britain and that you have to really go looking for it. This is something that needs to change. You often hear of people saying “we don’t have racism here in the UK like they do in America”, and Reni’s book proves that is far from the truth. I also found her chapter on “The System” so eye opening, highlighting systemic racism that is so deep routed and the ways in which this seeps into society. I listened on audible during morning dog walks and read from my hard copy too. This is a book that you will want to go back to and that you’ll find yourself highlighting certain sentences and paragraphs in. I also want to pass this book on to a friend or family member and I encourage anyone reading this review to listen or read this book. It’s not something that should be sat on someone’s to be read pile, it’s something that should be compulsory. It’s important that reading this as a white person, you sit with the uncomfortable feelings when faced with facts and truths surrounding your white privilege and think about the ways in which you can continue to grow, learn and support others.

Darcey

I thought to myself whilst holding the book, open on the first page, why didn’t I choose to read this sooner? What is the reason for me only now taking the time to educate myself further. I knew this book would give me an answer. This book was brought to a lot of peoples attentions through the momentum of the the Black Lives Matter movement, but I questioned myself on why I didn’t seek out reading educational books on racism sooner. Well, it’s white privilege.

This is a book I found myself re-reading pages, making sure I was understanding not only what Eddo-Lodge was saying, but making sure I was understanding what that meant I needed to do. I was astounded at the UK’s history curriculum, which is painfully whitewashed, with little or no teaching in colonialism and slavery. But this is part of our history, this is something that needs to be taught to children.

One part of the book really stood out to me, it was when Eddo-Lodge discussed feminism and black women’s involvement within feminism. As someone who openly calls herself a feminist, I found it upsetting too read how feminism had almost rejected people of colour from the conversation, especially black women. I was ashamed in myself, that my view of feminism being inclusive and for everyone, was actually my own little bubble of how I saw feminism. I realised again how my white privilege had led me to believe that’s how everyone saw it, when in reality, a lot of people had felt left out of the conversation for some time.

I highly recommend that everyone reads this book, I think it should be compulsory to read in schools. I think if you feel uncomfortable at even the title of the book, more the reason to read it. Reading this book by no means my learning is done, I still have a lot to learn and too digest in order to be a better ally. I want to be part of keeping the Black Lives Matter momentum up, this cannot just be a moment. Radical change is needed and can only happen if everyone does their part.

Danielle

If you’re looking to start your journey of learning about race than ‘Why I’m No Longer Talking To White People About Race; should absolutely be your first read. With the most recent BLM movement gaining more deserved attention than ever it’s easy to get wrapped in the race relations happening in the U.S, I know far more about what’s going on over there than I do here and with the lack of education given to us in school about black UK history I was ashamed about how little I knew about racism in the UK. This book is tough one to pick up as every time you start it your faced with your own ignorance and white privilege but that’s exactly why you should read it. There’s such a long way to go in the fight for equality for Black People so reading this book, and subsequently lending it to everyone you know and making sure they read it to will absolutely help to educate and change people who are stuck in there ways and burying their heads in the sand. You can post a black square on your timeline and sign a few petitions but if you really, truly want to start work on anti-racism pick up a copy of this book ASAP.

Amy

Wow. What a read. I’m so glad that this was chosen to be on the Zoella Book Club this month, as this is a book that everyone should get their hands on.

It’s not easy read by any means – in fact, it’s discomforting and forthright – and as Eddo-Lodge lays out the structural racism faced by Black people in the UK, through the lenses of education, feminism, class and employment, it’s impossible to deny that we have so much work to do to dismantle those racist systems.

As a mixed race (but white-passing, and I benefit from white privilege) woman of colour, maybe the most important thing I took from this book was the need to separate Black issues from the BAME acronym. Seeing race is important, and so is identifying the racist systems embedded in all aspects of our society.

Eddo-Lodge writes with real clarity and honesty, and I hope her work reaches as many people as possible.

Black Lives Matter. 

Maddie

I’m ashamed to admit that at the age of 32, outside of education, this is the first time i’ve picked up a book that is entirely about race and black history. I studied Sociology at university, a subject I found fascinating, and so i’ve always been interested about our society and specifically inequalities and differences within society whether that was to do with gender, religion, race, femininity, masculinity and education to name a few. That being said, It’s only really now since the Black Lives Matter movement hit all of our hearts with the devastating treatment and subsequent death of George Floyd that I realised how much more I need to learn and listen. I think it also made a lot of us realise how much the text books leave out and as Reni talks about, you have to really really look and seek out this information on black history, specifically in the UK which really shouldn’t be the case. I’m pleased we chose this book for an extra bookclub pick this month and i urge you reading this to pick up a copy. Up until a few weeks ago I thought it was enough to just not be racist, to not judge people by the colour of their skin and treat everyone the same. It’s by educating myself with books like this that I have learnt that we need to do more than this, we need to be more conscious, we need to know about the history. I know that myself, as a white woman, I will never truly understand but I want to do what I can to help instil change that is so desperately needed.

The musician inspiring a new generation

It’s good news for the future of classical music! British cellist, Sheku Kanneh-Mason, quickly became a household name after he played at the Royal wedding of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. Who could forget it? He really tugged on our heartstrings. Now, thanks to the so called ‘Sheku effect’, a new generation of cellists is emerging, with Britain’s National Schools Symphony Orchestra reporting a 68% rise in applications from young cellists.

It’s a dog’s life

There’s nothing like a happy dog story to get you right in the feels, so let us introduce you to August. The sandy-haired doggo known as ‘Augie’ turned the grand old age of 20 this week, officially making her the world’s oldest golden retriever. Jennifer and Steve Hetterscheidt, who live in Oakland, rescued August back in 2014 when she was 14 years old but six years on, she’s still here wagging her tail and celebrating the big 2-0 with a birthday cake to boot.

Queenie by Candice Carty Williams is crowned Book of the Year

Candice Carty-Williams became the first black author to win the Book of the Year at the prestigious British Book Awards (NIBBIES). Carty-Williams won the award with her luminous debut novel and best-seller, Queenie. Speaking about her win, Carty-Williams said: “I don’t quite know how I feel about winning book of the year; I’m proud of myself, yes, and grateful to the incredible team that helped me get Queenie out of my head and onto the shelves. I’m also sad and confused that I’m the first black and female author to have won this award since it began. Overall, this win makes me hopeful that although I’m the first, the industry is waking up to the fact that I shouldn’t and won’t be the last.” We’re so excited to read it for this month’s book club.

Normal People’s Paul Mescal reads Elmer the Elephant

If ever we needed something to get us through Monday, this was it. Normal People star and silver chain-wearing heartthrob (sorry, we can’t be cool about it), Paul Mescal, sat down to read us Elmer and Super El by David McKee, to raise funds for Save The Children. And it was beautiful.

Another heroic walking challenge

Following in the footsteps of Captain Tom Moore, an inspiring little boy with two prosthetic legs has completed a heroic walking challenge. Tony Hudgell, aged 5, set out to raise £500 for the hospital that cared for him by walking 6 miles in 30 days but his efforts captured the hearts of the nation and he’s since gone on to raise over £1 million for Evelina London Children’s hospital. What an incredible little boy!

What we’re your favourite stories last week?

The summer nights might be feeling longer, but with social distancing still in place it means less nights out on the town and more in front of our phones scrolling ASOS when we probably, maybe, definitely be winding down for bed. Ahem, no judgement pls.

We’re sharing our favourite new-in style pieces this week (with a couple of isolation board games thrown in for good luck) that are making us excited for an opportunity to wear anything other than our well loved loungewear. We didn’t think it was possible to grow old of the humble dressing gown, but here we are.

Charlotte

Summer dressing is my FAVE, I literally feel most ‘me’ in my warm-weather wardrobe and have been vicariously living through my ASOS saved folder for the past few weeks. Swimwear is something I find it really hard to nail, but high waisted bottoms have saved me in recent years and I feel 10/10 comfortable and happy in them.

Monki is my go-to this season- they have so many lovely bits including these gorgeous sandals which I’m adding to basket right about now!

*ASOS, And Other Stories sunflower print high waist bikini brief in yellow, £23 

*ASOS, & Other Stories sunflower print bikini top in yellow, £23 

*Monki, Puff sleeve cardigan, £30 

*ASOS, Monki Julie ginham double strap low heel in green check, £25 

*H&M, Bucket hat, £9.99 

Danielle

Even though it’s currently windy and raining as I write this, I’m going for a ‘high summer’ outfits after last week’s heatwave! I recently purchased this Swimming costume from H&M and it’s so comfortable and flattering, the crinkly style fabric is on-trend and the tortoiseshell hardware matches my sunglasses. I’m a sucker for wearing all white as soon as it’s sunny so to show off my tan I’m going with this oversized shirt, sandals and a sun visor to top the whole look off.

*H&M, Ribbed swimsuit, £24.99 

*H&M, Oversized shirt, £34.99

*And Other Stories, Diagonal Slingback Leather Sandals, £65 

*COS, OVERSIZED BRIM STRAW VISOR, £29 

Darcey

I’ve recently found my love for a midi skirt again, specifically a satin one! They just look lovely and I find them really flattering. Paired with a simple crop top and some chunky sandals, it’s a super easy look! My obsession with 90’s style shoulder bags continues so of course, I’d style it with one of those too.

*ASOS, ASOS DESIGN bias cut satin slip midi skirt in off white, £28

*ASOS, ASOS DESIGN slim fit racer front top in black, £8 

*ASOS, Teva midform universal chunky sandals in black, £50 

*ASOS, My Accessories London Exclusive nylon shoulder bag in taupe, £20 

Zoe

I have to admit I’ve been doing a bit more online shopping than normal recently and these are the bits that have landed on my doorstep (or will be imminently). Because we’ve had such amazing weather, I’ve definitely had my eye on some summer wardrobe bits! Although a little more pricey, I have fallen head over heels for the brand “meadows” and ordered this shirt and shorts combo and daffodil embroidered mom style jeans! I’ve also been obsessed with new games and highly recommend Quirkle & Blokus. You know me, I love a good IRL game.

Meadows, DAHLIA SHIRT ENGLISH STEMS, £145 

Meadows, BEGONIA JEANS DAFFODIL, £150

*Amazon, MindWare Qwirkle Game – Travel Size, £14.44 

*Amazon, Mattel Games Blokus Family Game, Strategy Game, £36.56 

Lareese

I’ve been on the hunt for some straight leg jeans for bloody ages and finally found the perfect pair from h&m – they’ll need to be surgically removed from me at this rate, that’s how much I’ve been wearing them. I’ve also recently become obsessed with pink gingham (must be a summer thing) and this set from Sezane is just beautiful!

*H&M, Straight High Ankle Jeans, £24.99 

*Sezane, Suzie Top, £65 

*Sezane, Lucas Shorts, £85 

Maddie

As much as I love layering up there’s something so easy about summer dressing. A crisp and comfortable floaty dress, cute accessories and some strappy sandals, bingo! I’ve recently just discovered this brand Mie and I’m pretty sure my bank balance is going to know about it!

*ASOS, ASOS DESIGN tiered cotton poplin smock midi dress in white, £32 

Mie, Sicily Dress, $145 

*And Other Stories, Strappy Leather Heeled Sandals, £85 

*Sezane, Joia Earrings, £85 

 

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If ever there were a time to read a book that feels like a giant hug, it’s now, and The Switch by best-selling author, Beth O’Leary, is just that.

Full of heart, warmth and laugh out loud brilliance, it’s an unputdownable book you’ll race through but feel utterly gutted to finish. Aren’t they the best kinda books?

Find out how the team rated this month’s book club in the gallery below!

When overachiever Leena Cotton is ordered to take a two-month sabbatical after blowing a big presentation at work, she escapes to her grandmother Eileen’s house for some overdue rest. Eileen is newly single and about to turn eighty. She’d like a second chance at love, but her tiny Yorkshire village doesn’t offer many eligible gentlemen.

Once Leena learns of Eileen’s romantic predicament, she proposes a solution: a two-month swap. Eileen can live in London and look for love. Meanwhile Leena will look after everything in rural Yorkshire. But with gossiping neighbours and difficult family dynamics to navigate up north, and trendy London flatmates and online dating to contend with in the city, stepping into one another’s shoes proves more difficult than either of them expected.

Leena learns that a long-distance relationship isn’t as romantic as she hoped it would be, and then there is the annoyingly perfect – and distractingly handsome – school teacher, who keeps showing up to outdo her efforts to impress the local villagers. Back in London, Eileen is a huge hit with her new neighbours, but is her perfect match nearer home than she first thought?

Lareese

So, I think this might be my favourite book we’ve read so far! Bursting with warmth, character and heart, every page felt like a soothing cup of hot choc. Told through the dual narratives of Leena and her 79-year-old grandmother Eileen (what a legend), The Switch is an endearing and life-affirming story about all the life there is to live, even after a loss. I particularly loved the dynamic between Eileen and Leena’s friends. Her character is such a hoot! It’s the perfect reading material for these anxious times and it just goes to show what good can come from stepping outside of your comfort zone. I already miss Eileen Cotton, she captured my heart with her sass and lust for life and I can only hope I’m that entertaining when I’m her age. As O’Leary says, I think I’ve been well and truly ‘Eileened’.

5/5

Would you recommend it? Yes
Would you read it again? Yes

Danielle

So this month I decided to tackle the dreadful job of getting out every piece of clothing I own and sorting it out. A job that would usually involve sweat, tears and heap of whining was possibly one of my favourite days of the month because of The Switch. I popped on my audible when I started and time FLEW by. It’s read by the AMAZING Daisy Edgar-Jones (Normal People) and the ICONIC Alison Steadman (Pam from Gavin and Stacey) so I knew I’d be in for a treat and BOY was I. This book has literally everything, so many different types of humour, really well-rounded characters, what I would consider as twists and turns because I never saw things coming, and generally really good pacing that kept me listening for two days straight. it tackled important themes like domestic abuse, loss and the grief that comes with it, and anxiety which make it even more relatable as I’m sure you will identify with at least one character. I loved Leena and Eileen’s relationship, their sassy dry sense of humour and the sheer productivity both of them possess. Truly such a warm lovely book to gobble up in the midst of the current pandemics, a wonderful escape. I’ve already bought Beth O’Leary’s The Flat Share and hope it’s just as brilliant.

5/5
Would you recommend it? Absolutely, go and read it!
Would you read it again? I Would definitely listen again

Zoe

The switch was just what I needed this month for the book club pick. I decided to listen on audible as I was a bit more limited for time this month and it meant I could listen on the go and whilst doing things around the house. Daisy Edgar Jones is my new girl crush after her role in normal people, so it was nice hearing her play the character Leena alongside another classic and very firm favourite actress of mine, Alison Steadman who played Leenas grandmother Eileen. When Eileen finds herself single and ready to mingle at 79 years old she trades places with her 29 year old granddaughter who is living in London. This is such a gloriously funny, warm and wholesome story with a healthy dollop of romance and real-ness. I found the characters so interesting and enjoyable and the book felt like pure escapism at such an uneasy time. This also re-ignited my love of listening to audiobooks, the actresses did an incredible job at capturing my attention and telling the story! I loved Beth’s writing style and dialogue and will be downloading The Flat Share (her debut novel that I’ve not read) immediately!

5/5
Would recommend!
Would read and listen to again!

Amy

I really enjoyed O’Leary’s first novel THE FLATSHARE so I was excited to get started on THE SWITCH. This was such a fun, easy read, and I loved getting the perspectives of the two very different characters in Leena and Eileen. Beth’s warm and engaging writing style is a joy to dive into. I think I particularly enjoyed Eileen’s perspective of an older woman enjoying a long-overdue adventure in London, and although the plot was quite predictable and some of the relationships a bit underdeveloped, it also delivered everything I was hoping from it, so it didn’t bother me in the least. I’m also quite keen to ditch my London life for a gorgeous village in rural Yorkshire – anyone want to SWITCH?

3.5/5

Would you recommend it? Definitely for the beach

Would you read it again? I don’t need to read it again

Maddie

This is exactly the book I needed to read right now. Pure joyful, wholesome escapism at its finest. I absolutely fell in love with the characters immediately and the author does a great job at setting the scene and back story straight away which is great for me as I really need a book to hook me in from the first paragraph, this definitely did. The book deals with a lot of real emotions and topics; grief and loss, anxiety and anger, love and family but it never feels too heavy and there is also a lot of humour thrown in to keep a very happy-go-lucky feel throughout. I love Eileen in particular, she is literally the character we all need in our lives right now. Determined to live her best life at 79 and not give up looking for love in a 21st-century world, I was rooting for her the whole way.

4/5

Would you recommend it? Yes

Would you read it again? Yes

Would you look at that! We’re Midway through the wild effing ride that 2020 is shaping up to be and let’s just say, the only way is up, right? It has to be.

It’s the perfect month to get to work on that summer bucket list. Ok, so Glastonbury didn’t happen this year but with cheap tinnies on tap, Adele on full blast, a tent in your garden and somewhere comfortable to poo, your garden is a close second.

Here’s 20 things to do in July!

1 Get a cold pint from the pub and enjoy every glorious moment. Who knew it would feel this good to be reunited with YEAST

2 Binge Little Fires Everywhere – Reesie Witherspoon is glorious, Kerry Washington a TRIUMPH

3 Go camping in your back garden. There’s no party like GLASTHOMEBURY

4 Celebrate 4th July!

5 Eat a summer dessert. Ain’t no mountain like a stiff peak.

6 Get your hair done after 4 long months…

7 And when the nice lady shows you her handiwork in the mirror at the end, let out an audible gasp. Who IS that person in the cape staring back at me?

8 Read Queenie by Candice Carty-Williams – the book of the year as voted at the British Book Awards and this month’s Zoella book club title

9 Pretend to be cut up about gyms not reopening for a while. Merhahaha, we only life banana bread now remember?

10 Leave your phone at home and sit in a park uninterrupted with a good book or podcast

11 Book a little staycation – our far-flung holiday plans are still left in tatters but a mini-break to the Cornish coast is full steam ahead.

12 Make a ‘life after lockdown’ list full of all the things you want to do with your freedom. Sail the med? Eat at every restaurant you’ve missed? HUG every single family member for an uncomfortably long time?

13 Have a day at the beach and get sand in every orifice. But you don’t grumble because THIS IS LIVING

14 Sip on a proper coffee at a coffee shop brewed by an actual barista cries tears of joy

15 Go on a date! Dip that toe back in the Bumble water

16 Shop at one of your favourite local independent stores. Show them some love!

17 Go to a museum just because, WE CAN DO THAT NOW

18 Wear jeans for the first time in 4 months…

19 and realise exactly why you’ve avoided them for so long

20 Have a cinema date – social distancing guidelines still apply but hey, more popcorn for me

What will you be getting up to this July?

Summer puddings don’t get much better than pavlova. Crunchy on the outside with a chewy marshmallowy centre and piled high with ripe seasonal fruit & cream, it’s a classic warm-weather dessert.

Light, voluminous and drizzled in tart raspberry sauce, it’s the perfect edible centrepiece for any garden party.

Although it’s typically served with fruit and soft whipped cream, the cloud-like dessert is super easy to tailor to your taste buds, so if you fancy rhubarb and custard or lemon curd, there’s plenty of opportunity to go off piste with the fillings and toppings.

The key ingredient for a show-stopping pav is patience. Handle your egg whites right and leave your meringue to cool down slowly and you’ll be laughing.

SERVES

PREP: 30 HRS COOK: 1 HR

MEDIUM

INGREDIENTS

Ingredients

For the meringue:

4 egg whites (room temperature)
250g caster sugar
1 tsp cornflour
1 tsp vanilla extract

 

For serving:

300g berries for topping
350ml cold double cream
Icing sugar for dusting

 

For the raspberry coulis (optional):

200g fresh /frozen raspberries
1 tbs water
1 tbs fresh lemon juice
1 tbs caster sugar

Preheat your oven to 140C fan.

In a large bowl, beat 4 egg whites on medium speed until soft peaks form. You want to get as much air into the egg whites as possible. When separating your eggs, ensure no yolk gets in the bowl. The yolk contains fat, which will prevent the white from thickening.

With your mixer still running, add the caster sugar gradually a tablespoon at a time. Turn your mixer onto a high speed and whisk until the meringue looks thick and glossy. Gently fold in the cornflour and vanilla extract and gently whip on low speed just until incorporated.

Using a circular baking tray / dinner plate, mark out a 20cm circle on a sheet of baking parchment. Dab a small amount of the meringue in the 4 corners of a large baking tray, this will secure the baking parchment to the tray.

Place the baking parchment drawn side down and spoon the meringue mixture into the circle, spreading it evenly with a serving spoon or rubber spatula. You’ll need to squash it down a little bit, pushing it out to the edges to create a meringue nest with soft peaks around the outside.

Turn down the oven to 130C fan and bake for 1 hour until crisp on the outside. Turn the oven off and cool the meringue completely inside for a further 2 hours.

Ahead of serving, release the meringue from the baking paper gently, using a spatula if needed and place onto a large serving plate. Don’t worry if your meringue is cracked and imperfect, that’s the beauty of this pudd.

For the raspberry sauce if using, add the fruit into a saucepan with the lemon juice, sugar and water, bring to the boil and allow the fruit to cook for 5-10 minutes. Take off the heat and strain the raspberry mixture into a bowl using a fine mesh sieve, pressing the raspberries with a spoon to extract all the juice. Set the bowl aside to cool and pour into a small jug for serving.

When you’re ready to serve, whip the cream until soft peaks form and spoon into the centre of the meringue. Top with fresh berries of your choice, we’ve gone for strawberries, raspberries, blueberries and blackberries. Decorate with a dusting of icing sugar to serve and enjoy with a chilled glass of sparkling wine!