But I Smile Anyway…

Bye September, and my birthday month!

It’s been another busy one, with me starting back at school in a new class, Lil Princess starting 6th Form, (not so) Lil Man passing his driving test, and me turning 49. When did that happen? I was just 30 the other day!

The big question is, what did I read, and did I continue to get words down?

I started the month with 6 NetGalley ARCs. Finally, I started with less than the previous month. And I read them ALL! (And added a couple more…) This would not have happened, had I not caught COVID and been laid down for 5 days, which meant a really badly timed absence from school, as the children were just starting… but I couldn’t do much more than rest because I was so ill, so I read!

I got feedback for book 3, In God’s Hands, from the publisher, and we have been working on a cover. Eeek! (The release date is 5 November; keep your eyes peeled!) However, there are no new words because, well, school! And, a cover reveal happened, too!

Preorder: https://mybook.to/InGodsHands

I read ten books, of which nine were ARCs, and, shh, but right now, I am reading one, and have one on my arc list, meaning I have been able to start books that are sitting there on my Kindle or shelf, patiently waiting to be read!

All I Want For Christmas by Karen Swan
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Karen Swan’s books truly intoxicated me, and this Christmas love story weaved through another tale of discovery was pure magic.
Darcy has moved to Copenhagen to finish her PhD studies. It’s a good thing because, given a breakup, she needs to remove herself from certain aspects of her life. Love and celebrating Christmas are the last things on her list, and a chance project to research a particularly juicy discovery gives her the opportunity to bury her mind in other directions.
However, her wonderful housemate, Freja, is in the throes of her own early love story and, not wanting to leave her friend behind, creates a profile for Darcy on a dating app for well-to-do folk.
Max is one of those suggestions on the app.
He’s wealthy, intelligent, in a good job, broodingly handsome, and moody. Sparks of attraction fly, but his close connection to her research makes it challenging to explore that attraction.
She kisses a few frogs on her journey of discovery, both personal and professional, and unearths some well-hidden home truths along the way.
I love the details of the art world. The history behind various artworks is always fascinating, and how this is entwined in the writing gives the story another dimension.
Did I want to shake Darcy and a specific other character several times? Why, yes, I did! But then, the book would have been far too short, and Darcy wouldn’t have been allowed to finish her essential research!
Fantastically written and a wonderful read!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Pan Macmillan for an ARC.

Releasing 15th October, 2024

Maybe Next Christmas by Emma Heatherington
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I’ve become accustomed to reading an Emma Heatherington before Christmas and this was another lovely heartwarming story.
Hotel manager Bea and nurse Ollie meet by chance as they wait for a flight from Heathrow back to Ireland to visit family.
Both feel an instant connection, however circumstances mean they are not of the right mindset to explore.
The story follows a year in both their lives, where coincidence and fate meet, and conspire to bring these two back together.
This was a wonderful tale, a beautiful book and a true feel good festive love story, laced with the emotional difficulties encountered as the characters traverse through their individual difficulties.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House UK for an ARC.

Releasing 24th October, 2024

The Christmas Dog Sitters by Lucy Mitchell
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I have to tell you, I LOVE a Lucy Mitchell book. I’ve read all her wonderful stories, and I sighed and giggled throughout them.
I was delighted to read The Christmas Dog Sitters and thoroughly enjoyed visiting Harp Brook.
Rachel, our MC, has had a tough year. From a relationship break to losing her beloved cat, followed by the devastating loss of her best friend, and ending up with no job and in a leaky flat, surrounded by memories, she’s not had the best time.
Armed with the power of WhatsApp groups, her family conspires to get her back on her feet with an invitation to Harp Brook, where she is asked to dog-sit in a beautiful mansion and have a relaxing three-week break.
However, looking after delightfully wild octogenarian Grandpa Eric, a rather strict brother-in-law’s rules how to live in his house, a young cleaner with a problem, construction work, accompanied by a rather handsome but somewhat gruff builder, strange vibes coming from the local community, constant WhatsApp messages and Facetime calls from family members, and an over-exuberant, Houdini of a cocker spaniel called Humphrey into, doesn’t quite equate to a relaxing break.
I have to say, I raced through this book in one sitting. An element of mystery added another layer to this brilliant RomCom. (Don’t ask me about it, or it won’t stay a mystery!)
Rachel’s grief burrows deep inside you as a reader. I wanted to reach into the book and hug her, and I only wanted the best for her.
Builder Ben was the sweetheart we all needed – and I always love a hero who can cook!
Lucy creates a fantastic supporting cast whenever she writes. Rachel’s mum, the Aunty gang, and cousins who add to the various WhatsApp chats are hilarious in parts and so reminiscent of groups I have on my phone! Everyone thinks they can solve the world’s problems via messages and GIFs!
Two firm favourites did emerge, though.
Grandpa Eric is a brilliant character with his wild hair, and he wishes to have a Christmas adventure while still able. The love he shows Rachel, along with the sense of loss and grief many elderly folk feel, as the world around them thinks they are now incapable of anything other than sitting in a chair with a blanket over their knees and a cup of tea, just pulled at my heartstrings.
Humphrey, the gorgeous dog Rachel went to dog sit, initially is a total loon! He appears to be a devil, but that is just the disguise he wears, as he shows himself to be a veritable angel—a real mischievous cutie.
An incredible, heartwarming, feel-good story. Please pick it up now!

Released 19th September, 2024

The Christmas Cottage by Sarah Morgan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Sarah Morgan writes amazing stories; this was another one with heartbreak and tragedy woven through the storyline and an ultimate festive, feel-good ending.
The story centres around Imogen, a young woman who has worked hard all her life to create a feeling of security around herself—something that she did not have growing up. Christmas is coming, and she doesn’t know how to handle the questions and curiosity of colleagues who have a wonderful family to spend time with. She’s gone to the extent of creating a fictitious family, boyfriend, and even pet to stave off feelings of pity from others.
But everything comes to a head when she has an awful conversation with her one existing family member.
Sent off on an enforced break by her concerned boss, Imogen ends up in a beautiful cottage hosted by a dear client for the month.
Then things start to unravel further as questions are asked, and the answers to mysteries are slowly revealed.
The story is told through the POV of several key characters, which adds to the story.
There is a dishy, caring vet, and a wonderful golden retriever named Ralph. Oh, and Alpacas!
My only wish? I had more of a conclusion about what happens with Imogen’s mother.
Wonderfully written and easy to read.
Many thanks to NetGalley and HQ for an ARC.

Releasing 24th October, 2024

Under the Mistletoe with You by Lizzie Huxley-Jones
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

TW of seizures and light transphobia.
A light-hearted MM romance with the added joy of Christmas, cake and animals!
Christopher is in the first year of starting his own business, a small cafe in a tiny Welsh village. It’s been hard, not feeling a part of the tight-knit community and far from his family.
But with the aid of one ally, a stash of Christmas films and a hunky actor in said films, he’s got through.
Just as the festive season kicks in, he’s looking forward to a break, with his small flat rented out to someone for a few days, allowing him the chance to visit his loved ones.
Then British weather happens. Snow falls. Planes, trains and automobiles grind to a halt. Everyone’s except the soon to arrive lodger, who raps on the door, and Christopher finds himself face to face, not with a woman, but a man. A familiar, handsome male. Who he’s been drooling over the last few months. Nash Nadeau, the Rom Com heartthrob.
Neither can they leave, nor can they realistically fit into his teeny flat above the cafe, but they’re going to have to manage because there are no other options!
Oh, what fun! Forced proximity to the hilt!
I enjoyed the difficulties these two had to go through, as they navigated their own feelings, as well as those around them, as a community rallies together to get through the freak snowstorm!
There is another book featuring Christopher, but I could read this as a stand-alone with no problems.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for an ARC.

Releasing 24th October, 2024

I’m on the blog tour on 27th October! Pop over to see what I thought!

Releasing 21st October, 2024

There’s Something About Mira by Sonali Dev
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Sonali Dev writes beautiful stories and I have read a good few of them.
There’s Something About Mira is a heartrending tale of a woman torn between her family and her own wishes. It’s never easy, as a child of immigrants, to navigate the new world around you, stepping around your parent’s delicate threads of connection back ‘home’, and trying to create your own threads as a person with East/Wets heritage.
As her marriage looms, Mira has a lot on her shoulders. She has to consider everyone’s thoughts and feelings as she tries to plan for her future.
Druv is perfect. Everyone says so, and he really does seem it. But his wonderful job is always getting in the way.
Then, the one chance they had, pre-wedding, to spend time together gets snatched away, and Mira goes away herself (agreed by the relevant powers who oversee her whole life, though somewhat begrudgingly and with the blessing of her intended).
While out in New York, she rekindles her relationship with her brother and gets tangled up in a lost-and-found incident when she happens across an intriguing ring and necklace. She then meets Krish, someone who can help her with the mystery she is determined to solve, as well as may be other things.
Oh, the way this story unfolded was just brilliant. The family dynamics, as well as learning how to be true to yourself, were played perfectly. There are some key themes that are still considered somewhat taboo within the South Asian culture, even now, especially with some of the older generations, and they are dealt with, with such sensitivity.
I loved it! #TeamMira!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for an ARC.

Releasing March 4th 2025

Have We Met? by Camille Baker
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This has been on my TBR for a while, so I figured I would give it a go.
It’s a cute second-chance romance story with loss at the heart.
Cori has moved away from her family to start fresh, reeling from her best friend’s death after an illness.
She only knows a distant cousin there, has no job, and hasn’t lived alone for a long time, so there i far too much time to wallow in grief.
Then, along with her cousin and friends, including another Cory, she begins to venture out.
A strange app appears on her phone, supposedly to guide her to her perfect partner. However, there is a little twist: The app tells her that her future lies with someone she has encountered before.
Of course, you gotta kiss a few frogs before your Prince Charming is revealed, but what happens when you think you might want your Prince to be someone different?
It’s an easy read with a bit of mild spice and a feel-good ending!

In Italy for Love by Leonie Mack
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Want a sweet romance with seriousness, a sprinkling of spice and some feisty pets?
Well, In Italy Love may just be for you!
Julia upped sticks from Australia for love and a handsome Italian man. Fast forward a short while, and things aren’t all sweetness and light. She finds herself without a home, money, or support. At least she has Arco, her pup.
Making her way home, she stops in a tiny village, Cividale del Friuli, hoping to wait for an elusive passport to arrive and some clarity about her life before she heads home.
That’s when things go a bit awry. Meeting Alex, a busker of sorts, and making an out-of-character suggestion of dinner sparks a journey in a totally different direction to what she had imagined, especially as he ends up entangled in her temporary stay in Friuli. Along with his cat, Attilla.
It is a gorgeous autumnal read with its fair share of emotion and giggles, too.
Thoroughly enjoyed this.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for an ARC

Releasing 22nd October, 2024

The Bookshop at the Cornish Cove by Kim Nash
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I’ve enjoyed my forays to the Cornish Cove of Driftwood Bay thanks to Kim Nash, and couldn’t wait for the next visit.
This time we get to know Nancy. She’s lived there all her life and gone from teaching to her dream of opening up a bookshop in the little village, thanks to an inheritance. It’s wonderful, being surrounded by books and all she loves, however, there are other things she needs to consider as a businesswoman, like plans, and finance, and she’d rather not.
Then she meets, or rather collides with Dennis, a visitor to the area, and grandson of the legendary potty-mouthed Vi, and her world is turned a bit on its side.
This is a cute, easy read of a romance, with its fair share of trials, as Nancy struggles to trust, as does Dennis. And all the while, everyone else knows what is staring them both in the face.
I loved visiting the Bay again, meeting new characters, and catching up with others we’d met, previously, too.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for an ARC.

Releasing 28th October, 2024

So, tell me what you have been reading, and what caught your eye from the above!

August, you have flown by, and I cannot believe that as I type this, I am preparing to return to school on Monday!

Summer holidays have whizzed by, with our Gran Canaria trip and me going to the Romantic Novelist’s Association Conference for a whole weekend (Such fun!|) and taking Lil (big) Man out driving a lot.

The Big News was that Lil Princess got her GCSE results and passed everything, including some fantastic grades in her English subjects! Those of you who know her recent struggles will appreciate how much of an achievement this is. She will be starting 6th form and her A-Levels next week!

I am now also looking into the possibility that I am lactose intolerant… that will be fun, cutting dairy out… (Do I have the Fibromyalgia to thank for that, Perimenopause, or just my silly body? Who knows?)

Also, I spent at least one, if not two, days a week in school preparing my new classroom. I am in a different room this year, so I had a lot to do from scratch. (So much for teachers having a six-week break, eh!)

Back is aching, and I am tired, but content!

The big question is, what did I read, and did I continue to get words down?

I started the month with 6 NetGalley ARCs. Finally, I started with less than the previous month.

I began to plan the next book I want to write… you will have to keep tuned about that!

I also binge-watched a few things. I had never watched BBC’s Waterloo Road, a series set in a secondary school in northern England. With 13 series out there, it was going to be a long haul, but one day, it automatically started playing on BBC iplayer, and I ended up watching. I’ve watched five series so far! I also watched part one of the new Emily in Paris Netflix series.

I also caught up with my dear friend Amanda Prowse’s podcast episodes with her best friend, Penny Dommet. It’s called Chit Chat and All That, and is so funny. I listen to them, and it’s like I am sitting there at the table with them, mug in hand, giggling along to their hilarious chatter. They go off-tangent so quickly, crease up into laughter at any moment, and talk about all sorts of stuff. I had 15 episodes to catch up on, and I listened to them all in the car or when ironing or cooking!

I read ten books, all of which were ARCs, and have a list of five left to read. (Again, this is less than what I started with, but I’d admit to adding a lot to the list and reading them, too!)

That’s Just Perfect by Nicola Gill
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

It is an intergenerational story about a brother, father, and grandmother and the untruths they keep hidden from one another for fear of being found out and not perfect.
Emily is a teacher, yet things are a bit rocky for her because she worries about not being perfect, and her fiance has just left.
Ed—her dad—is in deep money trouble. He feels the only solution is to make up with his estranged daughter to show his mother he is the perfect dad, and then she may help him financially.
Liz is stuck in a care home after ‘falling down’. She’s in a bit of a financial bind after helping her online “friend’ despite words of warning from her best friend.
Things come to a head, and honesty is found to be the best policy, but not before a lot goes wrong in the name of perfection.
A good read.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Bedford Square Publishers for an ARC.

Releasing 12th September, 2024

Tell Me Everything by Elizabeth Strout
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Here I am, back with Olive Ketteridge and her strange way of telling stories about people around her.
She’s joined by Lucy, this time, an author who has a deep connection with the area and the people. We dig deep into the psyches of different people and help solve a murder!
It is an odd book style, but that is not a criticism. It’s just different and compelling at the same time.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Books for an ARC.

Releasing 19th September, 2024

Honeybee by Dawn O’Porter
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Two best friends whose relationship faltered reconnect on the island where they grew up, and they both realise they need one another more than they care to admit.
Flo and Renee meet in Guernsey at an unexpected funeral and move in together amidst awkwardness. They wrestle through an argument that caused their strong friendship to break a few years ago.
Renee dreams of leaving her childhood home and becoming a writer in London.
Flo is escaping London with a secret that she battles to hide.
Then, they both end up working at the same marketing company and living together, which puts additional strains on their friendship and gives them an opportunity to be there for one another once again.
It’s funny but tragic, too, at times—the kind of humour you expect from a Dawn O’Porter book.
I enjoyed reading this, an easy summer read filled with more serious topics and humour.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins for an ARC.

Releasing 24th September, 2024

My Sister’s Boyfriend: A gripping and absolutely unputdownable psychological thriller by Nicola Marsh
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I’ve read a few of Nicola Marsh’s thrillers, and this is written in that same distinctive way.
A three-POV story between two estranged sisters, Brooke and Lizzie, and Noel, the surviving half of a set of twins, introduces us to some crazy family dynamics, a whole load of lies, and pretty twisted characters!
Brooke and Lizzie’s relationship is fragile due to the lies they have been told their whole lives, and mistrust is still at the forefront of their minds.
Then Noel enters. He is a seemingly decent guy, even though he was incarcerated for an accidental death he was responsible for.
But things are off from when Lizzie meets him, and she cannot get her sister, Brooke, to listen.
I must admit I figured out one of the twists along the way, but there were plenty of other betrayals and untruths that emerged later in the story.
It kept me turning the pages!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for an ARC.

Releasing 9th September, 2024

Review to follow on Blog Tour.

Releasing 24th September, 2024

The Ravenswood Witch by Jenni Keer
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I have just come up for air after immersing myself in the glorious story of The Ravenswood Witch by Jenni Keer.
Having read some of her previous books, I knew I was in for a treat.
We start with a runaway being pursued by the police, and she collides with Marcus Greybourne as she attempts to escape their clutches. Having suffered an injury, party Mr Greybourne’s fault, he insists on looking after her, but with a condition.
She continues the charade of being his wife, the excuse he used to stop the local constable from continuing his chase.
Once in the house, she discovers that this isn’t a straightforward deal, as Luna Greybourne is a woman accused of being a witch.
I don’t want to go into too much detail, as that will give away parts of the story, but the storyline has wonderfully complex twists and a dark romance at its base.
Jenni Keer draws us in with beautifully crafted characters and plenty of page-turning moments that keep the reader hooked until the end.
I absolutely LOVED it!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for an ARC.

Releasing 30th September, 2024

Counting Miracles by Nicholas Sparks
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Nicholas Sparks has the exceptional storytelling talent of drawing you into the lives of total strangers and making you care about what happens next.
In Counting Miracles, we have the POV of three people. Total strangers whose lives end up entwining in ways you wouldn’t have imagined.
Tanner Hughes, an ex-Army Ranger, is alone now. He’s grieving the loss of his grandmother, the last of his family, and the woman who, along with his grandfather, brought him up after his mother died after childbirth. And she left him with a mystery: the name and possible location of his birth father, who he’d never known.
Kaitlyn Cooper is a doctor and single mum to two kids. She lives a peaceful life in Asheboro, content with her job and her charity work. She also keeps tabs on her teen daughter, who always seems to be up to something, and her young son, whose innocence she wants to preserve for as long as she can.
Elderly Jasper lives alone in his wooden cabin by the forest. Sure, he knows the Dr. and sometimes spends time with her young son, but he doesn’t need anyone except Arlo, his faithful mutt. No one else in his life has stuck around, and most of those around him steer clear of him, allowing him to grieve a tragic accident that changed his whole life.
Twists of fate and another traumatic incident lead these three unconnected individuals through a journey of discovery and an unexpected but heartwarming ending.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Little, Brown Book Group UK, for an ARC.

Releasing 24th September, 2024

The Little Provence Book Shop: Escape to France with a BRAND NEW uplifting read from Gillian Harvey for 2024 by Gillian Harvey
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I may say this every time I read one of Gillian Harey’s France-based books, but a little bit of me wants to find a small village somewhere in France where I can lose myself!
This time, in The Little Provence Book Shop, the main character, Adeline, has taken a big step after a tumultuous period in her life. She has uprooted herself and Lili, her five-year-old daughter, from London to a sleepy village in rural Provence, where she has somehow found a job in a tiny bookshop.
Armed with enough French to get by and not much more, Adeline starts work and develops an interesting relationship with the shop’s owner, Monique, with whom she feels a strange connection she cannot pinpoint.
She is running from a secret and a possible answer she is looking to find, and at the bookshop, she slowly realises that she might not be the only one with something she is hiding, and secrets rarely stay in the box we put them in.
Of course, there is a chance of romance – why would there not be? But whether it comes from hunky patissier Andre or more friendly Michel is not for me to tell!
The Little Provence Bookshop is a feel-good, heartwarming story about a woman looking for her roots. Along the way, she finds them and helps others find their branches.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood for an ARC.

Releasing 9th October, 2024

Christmas at the Board Game Cafe by Jennifer Page
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I’ve enjoyed the Boardgame Cafe series by Jennifer Page, and to find another book was fantastic!
Kate is happy (ish) in life, being Little Miss Perfect at work and being there to help and support her friends and the community around her. However, it feels like she’s stuck in one place while everyone else is moving on. Her best friend, Jo, is loved up, and happy with her partner and running a successful business, and her other close friends are in relationships or even pregnant. It’s just her sitting there alone, even though the others never make her feel like an outsider or a spare part.
She embarks on a relationship she’s unsure of and finds another cause to support, as the local businesses and residents lament the B&B generation where summers are lovely and busy. The cold weather starts, and there is no one here… no holidaymakers, no affordable housing for those who would like to live there, and no trade…
I won’t go into it too much, as you need to read for yourself, but it was great to read about how Kate grows as a person, coming to grips with some long-held beliefs, repairing some relationships, and severing others.
Oh, and I just loved Xander! I’m just saying… who can resist a man who cooks?
Of course, we are treated to updates on all the old characters through this book, as their stories entwine, however you could read this as a stand alone.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Aria & Aries for an ARC.

Releasing 10th October, 2024

Anyone But The Superstar by Sara L. Hudson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Note: I have not read the previous book, so this can easily be read as a stand-alone. (But now I know there are more; you know what I’d be reading!)
A funny, sexy story involving two attractive people, astronauts, family politics, blackmail, and a sphinx cat named Mike Hunt (Yup, she went there!)
And though there aren’t loads, the spice scenes there are hot! 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
Liz, or Anne as she is known to John, and Felix, or Johnny as Anna/Liz recognises him, meet in a bar, and one thing leads to another, but not quite how they imagine.
Cue an embarrassing moment that comes back to haunt them as they meet again, and one identity is revealed. However, there are still secrets, as the other is still very much under wraps.
There are so many laugh-out-loud moments in this story and that spice I mentioned earlier, and the cat scenes are exquisitely done.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for an ARC.

Releasing 1st October, 2024

So, tell me what you have been reading, and what caught your eye from the above!

Firstly, sorry this is a tad later than the end of July, since I was busy sunning myself on my first beach holiday since 2004. Yes, you read that right. It’s been 20 years since I got on a plane to go away, purely for vacation reasons, and not family related ones! Lil Princess and I had a wonderful time in Gran Canaria, and I read lots and lots! It was much needed after a tumultuous academic year. I was totally exhausted, physically as well as mentally. It was a full on R & R & R time – Reading & Rest & Recuperation!

The big question is, what did I read, and did I continue to get words down?

I started the month with 10 NetGalley ARCs, and awaiting feedback on book 3 from some readers and my editor.

I wrote no new words, but I have submitted my manuscript for book 3, In God’s Hands, to my editor, and we have a prospective publication date of 5 November! I have been thinking up ideas for the next steps, though! Whether it will be connected to the first three books or a totally different project, I am not sure, but I have ideas for both!

I read 11 books, all of which were ARCs, and have a list of six left to read.

Definitely a 5 star read, but you’ll have to wait for the review, as I am inviting Lucy over around publication day to chat about her latest release!

Releasing 1st August, 2024

The Briar Club by Kate Quinn
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

OMG, I’m not sure what else to say! The Rose Code was fantastic, so I knew I was in for something special, and I was right!
Brilliant book!
Set in the 1950s in Washington, Briarwood House is home to a woman and her two children and a boarding house for women and their lodgers.
She’s not a particularly lovely landlady, but her children more than make up for her lack of manners and humanity.
Her guests are a real mishmash of characters, each with a very different backstory, from immigrants with secrets to army wives to women with nowhere else to go.
They all keep themselves to themselves until the arrival of Grace March, an enigmatic woman with an air of je ne sais quoi about her. She slowly builds relationships in the form of The Briar Club, where the lodgers and the children meet in her room for an illicit dinner club while the landlady is away. This time, she thaws the ice that has been present between the residents and slowly builds relationships that help each woman in the end.
It is a complex story, with the POV of each character in the form of a chapter, where we learn their backgrounds and what they may be running/hiding from.
Even the house has its say as it tries to make sense of an incident that brings all the women and other key characters together.
The book is set post-WW2 but amid the Korean War, and that timing dramatically impacts the story. There is fear of communism and spies, as well as racism, that is rife at that time.
It’s a book you need to give your time to, too, but once you are in there, you will find yourself turning the pages faster and faster as you become consumed by the twists and turns.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins UK for an ARC.

Releasing 18th July, 2024

The One That I Want by Sandy Barker
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Another cracker continuing the Ever After Agency series by Sandy Barker.
Is it better to find love the organic way, or do we all need a helping hand sometimes?
The One That I Want brings us back to the Ever After Agency with another client for Poppy, one of our wonderful matchmakers, to concentrate on.
Greta is the editor of a new online magazine. She focuses on her work but finds it challenging to add relationships to the mix.
Her boss, Anjali, decides to intervene by employing the services of her friend’s agency to help her employee with things through an elaborate ruse of a series of articles about dating.
There are some funny dates, a whole heap of confusion and plenty of ‘oooh!’ moments.
On paper, Greta is a successful woman with a great job, a supportive family, and good friends. However, as we find out, things aren’t always as straightforward as they seem. She doubts herself so much. I just wanted to take her to one side and tell her to believe in her instincts!
Her best friend, Tiggy, was brilliant. Straightforward, loud and hilarious. We all need a Tiggy in our lives!
It’s the kind of story I have come to expect from Sandy, with a host of challenges that Poppy faces when trying to match her client while fulfilling her brief.
Since this is book 3 in the series, it was good to revisit a few characters to see how they were getting on, including Poppy and her relationship, but it is easily read as a stand-alone, too. You’ll want to return and get the other two after because it’s such fun!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for an ARC.

Releasing 23rd July, 2024

First Comes Marriage: The perfect slow-burn romcom you won’t be able to put down in 2024! by Laila Rafi
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I’ve been looking forward to reading this book for a while and was not disappointed.
I am a huge fan of South Asian-based fiction, stories that resonate with me as a South Asian woman.
Laila Rafi’s story is a culturally sensitive Halal romance with many relatable points.
Zafar and Reshma were married using the traditional arranged marriage route. She has visions of romance and slowly falling in love after their nikkah. He’s just happy he’s ticked off a box—another thing required of him as a son.
A wedding from Reshma’s side in the gorgeous setting of Mombasa becomes the catalyst for them to truly get to know one another and find that connection they have been missing.
Zafar isn’t keen. Business is at the forefront of his mind as he strives to keep his grandfather’s dream alive. However, sometimes you have to accept that another person’s dream may not be the best for you.
I don’t need heaps of spice to keep me reading. This is a true closed-door romance, where you get the hints, which is enough.
It was good to see how both characters grew and changed through the story, learning about themselves and their families and how others have shaped their thinking, sometimes for the better and for the worse,
I enjoyed this, especially as it was mainly set in Mombasa, where I spent many childhood holidays!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Orion Publishing for an ARC.

Releasing 25th July, 2024

Death in the Air by Ram Murali
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I have always liked to support South Asian authors, and when I was approached to read a copy of this book for the book tour, I readily agreed.
Murder mysteries aren’t my usual choice of genre, though I have been known to read them.
Ram Murali’s main character, Ro Krishna, is involved in work-related problems from the beginning of the book. He meets some shady characters mentioned at the beginning, but they seem to disappear until the end.
Taking a complete break from his usual life, he ends up at a spa resort in the Himalayas, Samsara. There, he meets a few of the other guests and meets new people from completely different backgrounds.
Then tragedy strikes and a body is found.
He ends up being involved in the investigations and tries to solve the mystery with some of the others and the Police.
Honestly?
I was intrigued to find out what happened.
Still, I did find it hard to get into because there were many references to fashion brands, sometimes unnecessarily, and not every situation was clear.
Ro has a crystal, Pendy, whom he talks to, and their communication isn’t always easy to understand.
I’m not sure the ending was as clear-cut as I had hoped.

Hello Little Girl by Kay Bratt
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Here we are, back at Hart’s Ridge with Taylor Gray and more cases for her to follow, although the story takes a slightly different slant this time.
In Hello Little Girl, we revisit a previous case that hasn’t been resolved: Lydia Grimes’s disappearance. Taylor is invested in this case, but this time, she is removed from it for a different mission: going undercover in one of the local women’s prisons.
It is another heartwrenching story where we learn more about Lydia’s incarceration, as well as the devastating news that another younger girl is in the situation with her.
As always, I love how these stories take root in reality, but the story itself is fiction.
Taylor’s experience was pretty horrific, too.
I missed having more contact with the Gray family in this book; however, given the ending, I am excited to read what happens next.
Nope, I am not spoiling it for you. I am just making sure you know to read the previous books, as they all build upon one another, which makes the anticipation even sweeter!

Swimming to Lundy by Amanda Prowse
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

BEAUTIFUL!
I say it every time I read an Amanda Prowse book, and I’m not scared to say it again: What a WONDERFUL story!
Swimming to Lundy is a dual-timeline story that converges at the end in a happy marriage of not necessarily happy events.
Told in the POVs of two women, we see two stories slowly unravel and reveal the ultimate knot that ties them together for good.
Tawrie Gunn is one of three generations of women who have lived in her home. Along with her loving grandma, Tawrie has her mother there with her. But she is in limbo. All three women are mourning the loss of over twenty years ago of Tawrie’s father. Unable to move forward, because of ties holding her back, Tawrie begins wild swimming, and the following events all tie in with her swimming.
Over twenty years back, we have the story of Harriet, whose life is turned upside down when she finds out about her husband’s infidelity. The upheaval of a family move to Ilfracombe seals the fate of her marriage and somehow sets a stone rolling which doesn’t rest for another two decades.
Amanda has a way with words, crafting real stories, tugging at the reader’s heartstrings, finding moments that are so believable, settings that will resonate with people, and sucking us into her ‘real’ fictional world.

Releasing 6th August, 2024

And So I Roar by Abi Daré
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

TW – references to FGM and rape.
Having read and loved The Girl With The Louding Voice in 2020, I was eager to read this next book by Abi Dare, especially since it is a continuation of Adunni’s story, the 15-year-old girl who escaped her life in the village after she was forced to marry an elder, to Lagos – where she was sold into domestic slavery to a woman who wasn’t good to her.
The story continues through her POV and Ms Tia, the woman who rescued her. Adunni’s life is set to change. She will start school as she has always dreamed, and Ms Tia will have the daughter she always dreamed of.
But nothing is that simple. A midnight disturbance finds men from the village clamouring to take Adunni back, as she is to be a part of a ritual sacrifice. There has been no rain, no crops, and animals are dying, and the blame lies on the shoulders of girls who have sinned.
Set over 24 hours, the story continues as Ms Tia follows her, and they get caught up in the tribal rituals the villagers follow.
Hearing about both Adunni’s and Ms Tia’s backstories, as well as the horrors of punishments bestowed upon girls for no reason and FGM, amongst other horrific customs, makes for a heartbreaking story filled with hope. It is a fantastic sequel, which is highly recommended.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for an ARC

Releasing 8th August, 2024

Enemies to Lovers by Laura Jane Williams
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I’ve read all of Laura Jane Williams’s books. She is an auto-read author of mine, and I was lucky enough to have an arc of this book to take on holiday.
It is a fabulous blend of a great story, wonderful flawed characters, a great side cast, and just the right amount of spice! (“Though it can be a bit embarrassing to be reading a scene of that nature when by the side of the pool, with families surrounding you!
Flo is a woman who has been through the wringer, suffering a breakdown a few years previously. Her family still treat her like a fragile piece of china, wrapping her up in cotton wool. Well, alternating between that and her brother’s version of sibling-style care…
She’s on a family holiday and reeling from a rejection from someone she never thought would mean something to her: her brother’s best friend, Jamie.
Then, there he is, on her family holiday, to cause all manner of feelings.
I won’t go into it too much, but I thoroughly enjoyed this book!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House UK for an ARC.

Releasing 15th August, 2024

One Hundred Moments of Us: A gorgeously heartwarming, uplifting romance by Jon Rance
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is a story that is reminiscent of One Day by Dave Nicholls, in the way we have revisited two people’s meetings and encountered them over a certain amount of years.
It includes the buildups, the near misses, and the highs and lows of Charlie and Ashley from 6th form, when Charlie has an unrequited crush on Ashley, to the present day.
Yes, there is happiness, but equally, as each relationship shows, there is sadness.
I almost gasped at the end, thinking we were looking at another tragic ending, like One Day, but no—we were saved, thank goodness!
A lovely story.

Releasing 22nd August, 2024

The Secrets of Flowers by Sally Page
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Sally Page’s stories have captured me since I read her first one, so being allowed to read this would always be taken gratefully.
The Secrets of Flowers is a beautiful, intricate tale based on a real person, with hints of interest by the author, but its storyline and the main characters are fictional.
Emma is a woman who is coming to grips with the loss of her husband, who quite suddenly died. She is still young, but flo9undering in her existing life.
Taking a break from her normality as a scientist, she begins to enjoy a job at the small local garden centre, remembering her father’s love for flowers and immersing herself in good memories.
But she is still nervous about socialising and mixing with others.
A small chain of events leads to her burying herself in research about the Titanic, and a pull towards the flowers on board leads her towards Violet Jessop, the only woman to have survived three major shipwrecks, including the Olympics and the Titanic.
She can’t help but feel a connection to the woman but cannot figure out what it is.
Aided by Garden Centre owners Betty and Les and Tamass, their flower delivery guy, and a whole host of other people, they slowly piece together the life of a young woman and her role on the ships, revealing the connection that Emma felt so strongly with this woman.
It is such a beautifully told dual-timeline story.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins Fiction for an ARC.

So, tell me what you have been reading, and what caught your eye from the above!