“She reads books as one would breathe air, to fill up and live.”
Annie Dillard
Thank you, Spidey, for finding another quote that suits me just fine!.
Firstly, sorry for posting late!
But, this, as you will see from the gist of my post, is where the above quote is relevant.
As soon as I start school in September, things begin to happen.
Life goes from a comfortable speed to powering ahead with me a the wheel of a large truck, trying to keep all my cargo safe.
my team and their wellbeing
my new class, and settling them into their new life in school
new initiatives and expectations to be implemented in school
my family and their various needs, be it being taxi mum to their emotional health and wellbeing
keeping house, even after long days (that ironing pile seems to double when we are working!)
having time for Hubby Dearest, who is juggling his own cargo load
giving Sonu Singh plenty of love
new pressures of keeping to a better budget with all these rising costs…
my own health and sanity, not helped by the onset of Perimenopause
As you can imagine, all this leaves me pretty shattered at the end of a typical working day.
It means that I have no energy left for my other passion which is my writing. I have editing to do. I have a new book to start plotting… But I don’t have the headspace or the time to do either.
What I won’t forgo, though, is my time with a good book.
Reading is like food for my soul. A moment to dip into the lives of others and to forget what is going on around me at any given moment.
It’s true that I read much less in the week, as I find I am asleep by 9.30pm, but I will always read a few pages at least before my eyes close.
My Kindle is brimming with at least 150 unread books that I have downloaded over the years, and my little trolley of unread books holds around 50 more physical books I have either been sent to read or have picked up on my visits to bookshops. My Amazon Wishlist has plenty more that I want to read… one day…
I don’t think I will ever reach the end of my TBR pile, virtual or otherwise, and I am not sad about that at all. It means that I will always have a tap of beautiful stories to turn on and sink into when I have nothing left to give to the world…
Okay, so now it is August, the month I have pretty much all off, from school, so it is time to ease up on school pressures, get words down, and do family things. But you know I will be reading throughout!
Stay tuned for a review on the Blog Tour post on 9th September!
Now, I shall not leave my review here for you to read, since Kiley is appearing on a very special post tomorrow morning to celebrate the release of her new book, so I hope you will pop over. It is such a wonderful read!
Releasing 1st September, 2022
Releasing 1st September, 2022 Review will be posted on 1st September on a Blog Tour post!
I have just finished this fantastic debut by Anita Faulkner, and I am blown away! What a brilliant read! Lexie Summers’ life appears much like her thrift shop clothes. A bit borrowed, a bit colourful with quite a history, and no longer needed by previous owners. When she finds herself ousted from her home and relationship with a rich boy who was playing at being your average rock band singer bloke, Lexie takes off in Penny, her aunt’s old camper van, and heads off to areas unknown in search of a new start, a new job and new friends. What seems like the ideal job for her, as a social media manager for a small family-run paint company in the village of Tewkesbury, ends up being quite different from what she imagined. And it includes wealthy families and rich boys she’s sworn off for life, along with a matchmaking circus she has no intentions of getting involved in… Oh, and some pretty feisty peacocks, too! I loved Lexie and her colourfully tweaked CV that got her a position that her life experiences had already qualified her for. She’s a caring, compassionate soul who just can’t seem to put herself first, even when she knows that is what she should be doing. Enter rich boys, Ben and Cory, brothers who are like chalk and cheese. Ben is the uptight, business-minded (bland, some might say) but kinda cute older brother in charge of recruiting for a role he really doesn’t understand. Cory is the free-spirited, hunky surfer-dude-styled younger one, without a care in the world, who wants to help his brother bring their family business into the 21st century. Okay, so we’re reading contemporary romance, so you kinda know that things will work out in the end, but it’s always the journey that we’re here for, isn’t it, readers? And the side characters. Because without a colourful cast, things can get a bit monochrome. Lexie’s sister, Sky, is a flakey hippie who lives on a commune in a quadruple with Billy-Bob… Grace is a posh version of Lexie, and they become firm friends, despite the differences in their backgrounds. Then you have Mrs Moon, the homely, widowed housekeeper at Nutgrass Hall, and Tom, the dear gardener, with his own yearnings. And how could I forget Mrs Carrington-noble, Ben and Cory’s mother, who spends most of her time looking down her nose at common Lexie and is convinced she is only in the job for the family fortune? Truly loved this book, and I cannot wait for her next release!
Mansi Shah created a fantastic story here of a search for individuality in a culture where it is expected of you to do what everyone else before you has done. Sophie is a young woman from Ahmedabad, India. After losing her mother at a young age, she was brought up by a loving father and her aunts until tragedy struck again, and she lost her father, too. The thing is, she finds out a family secret after hearing her aunts talk and through some intriguing letters that her father had always kept. Her mother didn’t die but left her and her dad to go to France. The story plays out on a dual timeline, as we follow the young Nita to Paris, hoping to realise her dream of becoming an artist rather than staying at home being a wife and mother, and we follow a modern-day similar journey with Sophie. She goes to Paris to try and find the only family she has left. The story moved along beautifully, and I felt for Nita, stuck in a life she didn’t want to be living, and how the twists and turns of fate treated her in Paris. Equally, the shock and hurt of Sophie’s predicament kept me hooked. I almost wish the ending weren’t as rushed, but there was sadness and some joy to finish the story. Many thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
You know when you start a book and are convinced you know what the outcome will be? That was me at the beginning of this story. Audrey is the bride-to-be, and the story’s beginning sees her stumble out of the church in a rather unconventional manner. As we visit different times in her past, fragments of her life join up to create the picture we think we will see at the end. Six years before, she was a single woman with not a lot to write home about. In fact, she was still living at home, so there was no need to write. A chance strip of photos left in the rack of an old photo booth triggers something in her that leads to meeting someone who could just be the one. Fast forward to now, and that didn’t materialise how she dreamed, but Audrey has her true Prince Charming, Josh, waiting at the end of the aisle. But, many signs, bad omens, if you believe that, like old Granny Parker, mean she ends up questioning whether this marriage is the right path for her. Especially when Photo Booth Guy turns up at the wedding as a plus one. I don’t want to go into this anymore for fear of giving the story away, but suffice to say, many deep-rooted issues from Audrey’s past need revisiting to reset her life and thoughts for the future. I enjoyed the story. Another great read by Sophie Cousens. Many thanks to NetGalley and Hodder, and Stoughton for an ARC in exchange for an honest opinion.
It’s been a long while since I’ve read a sapphic romance, and this was a perfect way to get back into them! Make You Mine This Christmas is a laugh-out-loud romance with all manner of kerfuffles, including rude jumpers and rescuing reindeer. Oh, and falling in love with your fake boyfriend’s sister in the middle of a charade set up to make life easier…! Haff finds herself in Oxley with Christopher, a relative stranger, having only met by chance at a party she has crashed, pretending to be his girlfriend to stop his parents with their matchmaking efforts as he nurses a bruised heart and a bit of an identity crisis. Thing is, she hadn’t expected to meet a woman who could turn her world upside down, only to lose her, then find her again, in the most complex of situations. Haf is a fantastic heroine, and kudos to Huxley-Jones for all the representation in this book! So, Haf: well, she’s a plus-sized, bisexual woman about to spend her first Christmas alone, not through any choice of her own. Then you have her flatmate and good friend Ambrose, who has carved a career out for themselves as an influencer, and they are the most straight-talking friend you could ever have. Christopher, the fake boyfriend, is a sweet guy who is being pressured into following in his father’s footsteps rather than following his own dreams. And how could I forget Kit, the aforementioned fake boyfriend’s sister? Kit is a tall, beautiful, strong woman with a fantastic career, a potty mouth, and a disability that makes everyone think she can’t be capable of all she can. There are plenty of other characters that help make this story a joy to read, but if I detail them all, you would find everything out in the review, and that is not what I want to happen at all! A really fun read, where I did laugh out loud. several times and I was so happy with the ending. We all need supportive friends, even though they can interfere a bit too much sometimes! Many thanks to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton, Hodder Studios for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Reading any situation from the eyes of a child can be eye-opening, and harrowing, and the view of war, is one of the toughest to read. Yeva’s recount of those first few days of the Russia/Ukraine war was touching and heartbreaking. This is exactly like a modern-day Anne Frank story, filled with pictures and diary entries, as well as transcripts of WhatsApp group messages between Yeva and her classmates. Something the youth of today should maybe read, too, so they realise what war in the now is really about. Many thanks to NetGalley and Bloomsbury Publishing for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I have been following Gillian Harvey for a while. However, this was my first read by her, making me want to put her other books at the top of my teetering TBR pile! A fabulous story about a middle-aged woman, ready to spread her wings as her chick flies the nest and embark on that adventure she and her husband have been planning for many years. Lily’s redundancy couldn’t have come at a better time. Her son, Ty, is off to university, meaning the pay-out money can help her and Ben realise a dream they have been nurturing for a long time. Moving to France to live a wonderful life out there. Only, she finds out it might not have been Ben’s dream, only hers. In a state of emotional drunkenness, Lily makes the sort of eBay purchase that makes her cringe in the morning. A dilapidated farmhouse. In France. Oops! How’s this one going to work out? I thoroughly enjoyed reading this story as anything about women my age grips me straight away. Wouldn’t we all like to move away, somewhere new, and begin living our lives for ourselves, after decades of being wife/mum/slaves to our jobs? Lily has to battle the fact that her husband wasn’t interested in fulfilling the dream they had always talked about and decides to just go for it, with or without him. A strong woman! Moving to a different country will always have its ups and downs, and to do that alone and to find out exactly how dilapidated the property you bought on a drunken whim could be classed as a huge dip in your line of ups and downs. Fortunately, Lily meets some fantastic people along the way, and she still has her best friend, Emily, as a support for her, by phone, message and impromptu visits. There is even a little romance, but, how do you explain to your teenaged-son that you might be going on dates but that it doesn’t mean anything, even though you and your husband have split up? A Year at The French Farmhouse was an easy read with a great ending, and it fostered the spirit of never being too =old to make our dreams come true! Many thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for an ARC in exchange for an honest opinion.
What a fantastic story by Leoni Mack! Heiress Ren is used to a luxury lifestyle and living in hotels like the Ritz. Sacha is a man from the wrong side of the Parisien tracks. One night, they meet in rather unfortunate circumstances, yet their meeting was fated. Ren is trying to understand her life or the lack of control that she has over hers. Sacha is dealing with his ghosts. Somehow, he gets roped into helping Ren get over a broken relationship, to the horror of her grandmother, But, as we know will happen, acting soon turns into reality. But, just how they end up at that stage is an endearing, deep story filled with poetry and exploration of feelings. I really enjoyed reading this, as well as now wanting to go and revisit Paris! Many thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
An easy-to-read second chance romance where two meant to be together individuals were separated due to circumstances out of their control, only to meet again to rekindle their relationship. Maddie and Kaden met as teenagers and were in a relationship when the actions of Maddie’s father meant she and her mother had to flee the country, leaving the two lovers estranged, with no contact between them. Years later, her identity changed; Lina embarks upon a visit to a newly opened safari park and lodge in her position as a well-respected travel blogger. Only to be met with a face from her past. Kaden. A lovely read, dotted with realistic descriptions of the wilds in Africa, as well as sympathetic views on the main characters’ vulnerabilities. Many thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Romance for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I thoroughly enjoyed the first set of The Wishing Tree Books and am thrilled that the second wave of instalments is coming through now! It was lovely to go back to Linden Falls, visit familiar faces like Neve, follow what happened with her new housemate, Janie and her daughters, and meet newcomer Coco, the News Anchor wannabee. The Wishing Tree plays a huge part, as always, in this book, as the community fights to save its existence when an outsider buys a property which includes the tree in its land, and they want to tear it down! Each book centres around one or two specific characters in the area, and in this, we find out how Janie is settling into Linden Falls after separating from her husband, Max. She has set up a new business which she is very proud of, and though it isn’t anywhere as lucrative as her previous career, it fills her with passion. Coco is the newcomer this time. She’s moved to Linden Falls for a couple of months to reset herself, and lose weight, to get the job she always wanted, but ends up in the thick of the local Wishing Tree trauma, when she helps the local journalist, who is incapacitated, to raise awareness of the potential loss of a tree which is dear to so many. We have family ups and downs, slow-burn romance, and cats and dogs. What more could you ask for? Thanks to Kay Bratt for an ARC.
I loved this instalment of The Wishing Tree series, even though, as I am reading arcs, I have been reading out of order! Pam has moved to Linden Falls after a divorce that we learned about in a previous book in the series. She’s back in her home town, living in her grandmother’s home and renovating it, helping her mother with her Saturday market stall, and being a Personal Trainer at the local gym. When we left her last, she was starting a relationship with fellow PT, Steve. The Wishing Tree is the catalyst for more adventure in the book; as a wish Pam helps Neve, the keeper of the wishes, to rescue from the tree when it has been raining, strikes a chord. This wish plays on Pam’s mind, as she thinks of what she could be doing with her free time now the renovations are done. There is love, self doubt, investigations, suspicions, and a TV series in the middle, as well as cats and dogs! Love this series!
Having read a couple of Jeevani Charkica’s books before, I was excited to start this one, and I’m so glad I read it! Niro is a photographer who has lost her mojo. setbacks in the forms of broken relationships and constant derogatory comments have worn her down. Vimal is a hard-working guy who tries his hardest to win back his girlfriend of four years after being told he is simply boring. Through the meddling of the Sri-Lankan Aunties, they are introduced and somehow end up on holiday together with a mutually beneficial deal in place; she gets her photography mojo back and he wins back the girl. Is anything ever so simple? I absolutely loved this story with kudos to Charika for her POC heroine, who is not only overweight but dark-skinned too. The issues brought about by constant remarks about those two attributes weigh heavy on Niro’s heart and mind and have huge, detrimental effects on her confidence. And the best thing is that this story embraced both facts and showed that it is possible, and fine, to look beyond these two factors, and love the person within. And, sorry to say this but shame on the Aunties for making Niro feel so low with their constant comments about her appearance! Beauty is in everything, and the most beautiful shine from within, not outwardly. Vimal is a person I feel I know. He is intelligent and capable but so unconfident because he thinks he will never ‘fit in’ with many of the people he works with. Yet he wants to change himself to win back the love of his life. The side characters’ cast was also great, with Sam, Niro’s cousin and cheerleader, and the new friends she makes on this ‘working’ holiday. Felicity was one who helps to break other stereotypes. Not all young beautiful, and rich people are the shallow, selfish people some think they are. loved how she became another of Niro’s cheerleaders! I honestly wanted to slap Lucien. What a pompous, institutionally racist piece of rubbish! But, again, there are people like that, unfortunately, and good on the author for calling him out! I raced through this book and loved it, especially the ending. READ IT! Many thanks to NetGalley and HQ Digital for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Okay, so I nabbed this little beauty when it was on offer a couple of weeks back, and I didn’t regret my purchase at all! Rose Pedal is quite happy at home, living with her parents in the local vicarage. Yup, dad is the local vicar. Things haven’t quite worked out on the job front until she has a brainwave and sets up a business for weddings, Pedals and Prosecco, and begins the rounds of the local wedding fayres, hoping to drum up some business to get her venture on the map. Of course, things were never going to run smoothly for Rose, were they? Because, quite honestly, it seems that life has never been kind to her regarding her decisions about her future… She has a near miss on the way to her first fayre and arrives in a dishevelled state to find the drenching culprit, a stall owner at the same fayre. James Blume is there to showcase his family business, Blumes; flowers, obviously! But his arrogance and seeming lack of tact rub Rose the wrong way. Rose and James begin to clock through a series of mishaps and coincidences. Still, the road to romance is never smooth, and various characters along the way crop up to create obstacles in their budding relationship. Oh, I loved it! Knowing who I wanted to get together and seeing it progress, albeit with a few stops and starts, was fantastic. The setting in Weddington (love the name!) and its surrounding villages in the English countryside was quaint, and you could feel the sense of community among the residents, the strong friendships within the cast of characters, and the camaraderie between the local wedding businesses, as they help to straddle all sorts of problems. Two very different families with their own ups and downs and supportive, though meddlesome, best friends provided a lovely supporting cast to our ‘will they, won’t they?’ couple. The romance was a wonderful slow burn, and the ending was perfect. Florence Keeling, I shall be visiting your books again very soon!
Review to follow in October when I am on Diana’s Blog Tour! But, it is a very different book to the kind I have been reading, recently!
Another wish to Linden Falls and the Wishing Tree! This time, Author Tammy. L. Grace is showing the way with a story about Norma Braxton, the school’s librarian with a secret. A secret that’s about to come tumbling out with the surprise visit from a face from her past. Norma is so scared that the impact of the knowledge about an event that occurred when she was much younger will tarnish her relationships and respect that she hides from someone who really doesn’t want her to disappear. What a sweet conclusion to a story that could have had a much harsher ending, if her thoughts were true. I enjoyed this next visit to Linden Falls, and fall a little more in love with the whole community whenever I read another book!
Releasing 15th September, 2022
I managed 17 books over the summer, along with finishing my first draft for my own book 2! Not bad going, eh! Let me know which books tickled your fancy!
August is a month where school takes a total back burner… well, usually, it does. I may have some documents to read and write, and a visit into the classroom, to get ready for September, but for the best part it will be cricket, house stuff, a little writing (I hope!) and reading! Bring it on! (I have sp many arcs publishing this month, I hope I get them all read!)
Advance Warning!: I managed to read loads! TWENTY BOOKS! And the reading also included some Christmas ARCs, so for me, it wsa Christmas in August, not July, as many like to post about!
Having lapped up Sandy Barker’s previous novels, I was extremely excited to get a chance to read The Dating Game, her highly anticipated next release. And I was not disappointed! Abby is a woman with dreams of becoming a serious journalist. But right now, she’s ended up on a gig where she writes as her alter-ego, Anastasia Blabbergasted, a hilarious gossip columnist whose recaps of reality shows grasp the attention of the masses. Somehow, she ends up being railroaded into taking part in The Stag (think The Batchelor), purely for fly on the wall, research purposes, where she is asked to pretend to be one of the Does (the women hoping to be chosen by The Stag), so she can get close to the action, and write really juicy recaps of the newest series. So that is Abigail the journalist Abby the Doe and Anastasia the columnist. Quite a lot of personas for one person to juggle! What she didn’t expect was to feel the flutterings of romance building up from a totally different source, as well as finding out she really likes some of her fellow contestants! Okay, so if you are looking for a straight-up romance, it ain’t gonna necessarily come from this book, but that doesn’t mean, by any way, shape, or means that there isn’t any sizzle. Add to that, the fact that he’s a hot Aussie hunk… who isn’t The Stag… There is hidden romance and plenty of laughs, so it firmly sits in the Rom-Com sector, for me. I do love a bit of reality TV, and having watched series like The Batchelor, it was great to get a feel for what possibly happens behind the scenes! The dynamics between a group of women vying for the attention of one man, for very, very different reasons, was a great avenue to explore. Add in all the different locations they visit on dates, in and around Sydney, and I felt like I was on holiday, myself! (Much needed in this climate, I’ll have you know!) A fun, light-hearted read to give you a giggle! Many thanks to NetGalley, Harper Collins Uk and One More Chapter for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
As I embarked upon making my own writing dreams a reality, I stumbled upon author Nikesh Shukla, a fellow Indian of Kenyan descent, who was of similar age, and though he was Gujerati, and Male, to my Punjabi and Female, there were enough similarities to make his career interesting to me. Brown Baby is a memoir, as well as a guide to life for his own Brown Baby, Ganga, and her sister, but the memories he recounts, the feelings he encounters, growing up as a British-born Indian, a child of immigrant parents, displaced by society, not really getting why, but then, yeah, getting it, were all emotions I’ve felt, too. The passages about his mother and those feelings of love, loss, and guilt were overwhelming. Add in the fact that his own Brown Baby has a mother who isn’t brown, so there are so many other questions, and hurdles to overcome. Again, close to home, as my own brother married a Finnish girl, and their boys are ‘Finndian’, so yup, more intriguing questions as they grow up, inquisitive. A heartfelt tribute to a strong mother, a memoir filled with lessons. All in all, a good read. Many thanks to NetGalley and Pan Macmillan for an ARC in exchange for an honest opinion.
Having spent the whole of January gorging on the entire Bridgerton Series, I was drawn to try this older regency novel by Georgette Hayer, after it was advertised as something for Bridgerton fans. We still have a rakish Duke, and a young lady who may, or may not, be suitable as a bride for him, alongside a strange situation that throws them together, despite neither of them really wanting to be with one another. I’m afraid this was where the similarity ends, for me. Perhaps the writing was not a style that I enjoyed, as it was written quite a while back, compared to the slightly more contemporary way the Bridgerton series was penned. The story was intriguing, but I did find the language didn’t captivate me in the same way. Still, if you are a Regency Romance fan, I am sure you would be more than happy to read this, and the many others Heyer has penned. Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House UK for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
The Wish List was a book I loved, when I read it, so to be offered the chance to read a new book by Sofie Money-Coutts was not to be sniffed at. I really loved this story centring around first loves and second chances. Nell is a successful lawyer in a prestigious law firm in London, specialising in family law, so basically she spends her days dealing with divorces. Good thing that she wasn’t all that fussed about marriage, since the stories she has to deal with, would put off many a bridezilla. Oh and her partner, Gus, was also of the opinion that marriage was unimportant: an unnecessary evil in their perfect relationship. A local tragedy brings her back home for a short while, but in that twenty four hours she is back, she meets people who stir up a whole lot of long hidden emotions. She’s faced with Art, the newly appointed Lord of the manor, since his father passed away, and also, her first love. Of course, he’s married, and lives in another country, so why would he remember much about their teenage romance? Or was it just a little fling for him? Fantastic story! I think I always know where it would end up, however, there were a few points where I thought the end might have been something different, so I was definitely turning the pages, in anticipation. I kinda loved Art, the handsome new Lord, who really didn’t know what he’d done wrong. Gus, well, I could take him or leave him, but I understood why Nell was with him, comfortable, content, but was she happy? The addition of the secondary characters back home; Nell’s newly separated parents, her brother and her two besties from school, Colin and Luce, all made for some interesting side storylines, too. And Nell, I was quite proud of her by the end, making a stand where it counted! Many thanks to Netgalley and HQ for an ARC in exchange for an honest opinion.
Okay, so I’ll start off by saying that Horror is not my go-to genre, usually, but having read the opening chapters of this book, previously, my appetite was well and truly whetted, so when I was given the opportunity to read the whole book, I jumped at the chance, straight away! Ouija is the debut novel by Zoé-Lee O’Farrell, and what a fantastic debut it is, too! Six high school students take it upon themselves to have a go at something they really shouldn’t have touched, i.e. the Ouija board, inside an abandoned school, where tragedy struck a little while before. What were they thinking? That’s what I was thinking, as I read, having been a little silly in my own youth, and tried this occult madness out at university. Put it this way, we had to break the session, and I was too scared to walk home in the dark, alone, for ages! Still, Jon, Ben, Caley, Lara, and twins, Simon and Sophie all head into the school, some with doubt and trepidation, some with scepticism, some with a little indifference. They all leave with something that binds them all together for life, and it ain’t something pleasant, I tell you! O’Farrell has created just the right amount of tension and jumps, twists and turns to really keep you turning the pages, and the ending? OMG! I will be needing a continuation, please! If you like a bit of horror, that isn’t overly gory, but will play with your mind, you need to read this!
What a beautifully crafted story about fate, and what was always meant to be, but how, sometimes it’s just not the right time. Nell, our heroine, is stuck in the snow, after a hurried reunion at her old college, where she was meant to be coming home with a special package. Instead, she is sat in the car, on the M4, stuck because of heavy snowfall, with a letter, memories, extreme emotions and a mobile with a flat battery. Her hero arrives, not on a trusty steed, as such, but with a knock at the window, and the offer of a charger, as well as some company, the night ends up as the most perfect eight hours of her life. Only, they never exchange contact details after. The next few months sees so many coincidental events happening, that it is hard for Nell to discount the thoughts of her hippyish best friends, Theo and Charlie, who firmly believe in the whole ‘it was meant to be’ theory. But, were they right? A book I devoured within hours. Honestly, if I hadn’t started it so late last night, I would have finished it in a single sitting. I truly felt for Nell, a woman with so much talent, but with responsibilities weighing her down, in the shape of her mother. A troublesome ex, and a wayward brother, make her feel like she isn’t worth much more than the lot life has thrown her. Then there’s her knight in shining armour, Sam, who rescues her from the snow, and over the story, their own lives entwine in ways that seem unreal. A hunk with a heart, that’s Sam! Of course, there is also Ed, the ex who pops back in, and even though she is thinking there could be something there, I found him rather smarmy. Keep well away, Nell! Honestly, this was a wonderful read, covering so much within it, including loss, and bereavement, as well as postnatal depression, and that old chestnut, Fate. A thoroughly good read that I would highly recommend! Many thanks to Netgalley and Orion Publishing for an ARC in exchange for an honest opinion.
Kitty Wilson is a ‘new to me” author, so reading the blurb was what attracted me to the story. I mean, who doesn’t love a Christmas Romance story? This was a beautifully crafted story about a woman and man, each with their own insecurities and losses, but with so much to give to the world, and possibly each other, if they could be brave enough to chance it. Despite coming from a family of means, Belle Wilde is determined to make it, by herself in this world. She has her love of Shakespeare, and a lifelong project she needs help to launch, but there is no way she wants to take money from her parents, especially since her famous father doesn’t really rate her chances at anything in life. Christmas is looming and faced with a jobless festive season, she goes about thinking of the cheap and cheerful gifts she could bring home when she unexpectedly bumps into Rory, an old acquaintance from student days. Now, Belle, she loves Christmas. Rory? Not so much, After the loss of his wife in December a few years previously, Christmas has lost its sparkle for him. Somehow, after finding out about Belle’s secret project, he finds himself entwined in her life every day of that festive month, as she slowly teaches him how to love Christmas, and quite possibly other things, again. Each chapter of the book is set on a different day in December and I loved it all! Belle’s goddaughter, Marsha is a firecracker of a five-year-old, and I absolutely loved Angela, cancer-stricken mum of Rory, with spunk to match that of Belle’s! Filled with a real slow burn of a romance, building a casual friendship up into something rarely found in relationships, this was a lovely read that I have to admit made me shed a tear of sentimental happiness at the end, too! I’d love to read a bonus chapter, a year on. What is happening in the world of Belle and Rory? Is Marsha still crazy but oh-so-cute? Did Angela’s Secret Santa tradition keep on going? How is that Shakespeare project progressing? And, what is happening with Belle and Rory? Many thanks to Netgalley and Harper Collins for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Nicola Marsh has totally done it again, honestly! I’ve read a couple of her domestic thrillers now, and each time, she pulls me in with the storyline, all the twists and turns, and I am blown away by the ending! The Liar Next Door was no different. Three women living as neighbours in a lovely neighbourhood become tentative friends, knowing no one else there. They each have their own secrets, and reasons for moving from previous locations, but some are more sinister than others. But, which one is lying? All three characters have issues of their own, from paternity secrets to infidelities, and the way their stories end up weaved together is nothing short of genius. You have a married mum of one, who is a famous influencer, a young, newly married, pregnant woman and a single mum, apparently fleeing from some danger. I thoroughly enjoyed this read, and can’t wait for another! Many thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
If you’re looking for an easy, uplifting read, with a bit of a slow burn romance, then this is quite possibly a book for you. Hot Desk is about precisely that. A company changes up its working procedures post-Covid, with more work from home, and less time in the office,e meaning people now have to share desks. Music to the ears of some, but not for Alice, our heroine, for whom the lockdowns and being stuck in her room in her house share haven’t been ideal, especially for work. And then she finds out that her haven at work is now to be shared, and by none other than Jamie, her annoying colleague, who was also the one to give her a kiss to remember, many moons ago, yet doesn’t seem to remember said life-changing moment. Kinda second chance romance, though the first time didn’t really go anywhere. I’ll be honest, not my favourite ever read, but it was a pleasant one, and I enjoyed the story. It would make a good beach read. Many thanks to NetGalley, Harper Collins UK and One More Chapter for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Freckles. The cover and the blurb enticed me to read. A woman, who is floundering in life uses a phrase uttered to her in a moment of annoyance, to shape the rest of her life. You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with. Who are those five people, and how have they shaped her? Are they the same five people throughout her life, or do they change? Allegra Bird is a complex character. She shows shades of autism throughout the book. I have to admit that, initially, I found it quite hard to get into, as there were no speech marks throughout the book, and sometimes I was mixing speech for thought, etc, but it added to the confusion in the mind of our main character. But, once I was in, I was IN, if you know what I mean. I was making my own list of five for Allegra, throughout the book, and am so glad I got it right, in the end! There were hints of a possible romance, but the essence of the story wasn’t muddied by that. Instead, we were given a hopeful ending. I felt for the young girl, discarded by her mother, who wanted to know more. A woman who wanted to help others, but didn’t often get it quite right. Someone who was frequently misunderstood. As I mentioned before, it took a little while to get into, but I did enjoy the journey through Allegra’s quest to pinpoint her five.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins UK for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This is my first book by Louise Fein, and I have to say I was glad I gave it a try. The Hidden Child is a story steeped in history, filled with beliefs that many of us would find hard to swallow nowadays, but which were held to by many a century ago. The story centres around Husband and wife, Edward and Eleanor. Both have a strong belief in Eugenics, and the plan to institutionalise those who suffer from certain afflictions and maybe even sterilise them, to prevent the risk of ‘inherited’ disorders, such as epilepsy, being passed down to the next generations. Until something happens in their own personal life that tears both them apart, and their own beliefs. I have to say I couldn’t read this in one sitting because the subject matter was so deep; eugenics, the search for the perfect Aryan race, institutionalisation, alternative treatments, But behind those topics was a story about a real family, struggling with dealing with situations out of their hands, Reading the Author’s note at the end was enlightening, as certain aspects of the story are based upon one of her own background truths, and it is also quite scary to read how much of what is included in The Hidden Child is based upon truths, politically, and medically. I have to say there were moments, as a mother, I had tears in my eyes,. There were times I wanted to cheer, as Eleanor grew a backbone, and also moments of upset when I read about some of the Eugenic beliefs. A really fascinating, and engaging book. It’s not an easy read beach book, but something to take time, and mull over. Many thanks to NetGalley and Head of Zeus for an ARC in exchange for an honest opinion.
You’ve got to love a Susan Lewis book, haven’t you? Well, I know I’m always going to enjoy her brilliant storytelling skills, having read many of her books over the years. I Have Something To Tell You was nothing short of a masterpiece, quite possibly one of her best, to date. Jay is a defence lawyer, caught up in the early confusion of a new murder trial. She finds herself sucked up into this particular case more than others, as she tries her hardest to help her client, who she has a gut feeling about. He can’t be guilty. Can he? Meanwhile, in her personal life, she’s dealing with trust issues. Fractured trust is never quite as strong after it’s been shattered once, and she is finding that, even years after finding out her husband cheated on her. With good reason, it seems. There were so many twists and turns within each different part of the story. from Jay’s relationship with Tom, her husband, to how she handles the murder case client, Blake, and all the investigations. I Have Something To Tell You is a brilliant title for the book, where those words, or something similar, are uttered several times, bringing new tweaks to an already engaging story. Thoroughly enjoyed this! Many thanks, to NetGalley and Harper Collins UK for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Many thanks to the Authors for providing a copy for review purposes.
Seizing the Bygone Light: A Tribute to Early Photography captures the essence of emotions within the images enclosed by the authors, and the words of poetry that accompany them. I loved some of the chosen images, which left me feeling wistful, in some ways, and ignited inspiration within me. An interesting book for photography enthusiasts, with a love of poetry.
We all need a bit of positivity in our life, and this beautiful collection of poetry and photography has it in spades. I am a lover of poetry, both syllabic, and not, and being introduced to the new-to-me forms, Kindku and Sixku, was great. I enjoyed both the photography-based lines, as well as those inspired by the words of well-known figures, such as Maya Angelou. Many thanks to the Authors for providing me with a copy, in exchange for an honest review.
Can I just say, I was so excited to be heading back to Port Willow, with Kiley Dunbar! I’ve been a huge fan of Dunbar’s stories over the last couple of years and was thrilled that I was able to read the next book about The Princess and Pea Inn, and its lost soul inhabitants and guests. It was a joy to be back with Atholl and Beatrice, Gene and Kitty, and to meet all the newer characters that made the story so great to read. Beatrice and Atholl have settled into their life at the Inn, with plenty of exciting new projects to get their teeth into. They have a couple coming to stay, who are to celebrate their twenty-fifth Anniversary, during their month-long stay, and a young woman from New York, coming to find some new trends around the Highlands that she can tout to her company back home, as the next ‘big thing’. Each of these characters has stories of their own that bring about the ‘Matchmaking’ part of the book’s title. I don’t want to go into too much detail, and give things away, but, despite being a book two in a series, it is easily readable as a stand-alone. There are trigger warnings with regards to miscarriage, but it has been health with sensitively, and as I mentioned before, I’ve read the first book, so was aware of this side of the story. Also, hats off to the author for bringing menopause into the equation. Also, it is lovely to have a cast of characters who aren’t all young, beautiful people, looking for love and finding it, but those more advanced in their years, with a history behind them, and, yes, still finding it! A heart-warming story with the capacity for more to happen… hint, hint! Many thanks to NetGalley and Hera Books for an ARC in exchange for an honest opinion.
I’ve read two of Lauren North’s previous books and loved them, so was excited to get my teeth into her latest one, Safe At Home. She is a fantastic author of Psychological Suspense, and her plots keep your mind ticking over, second-guessing every thought you have, throughout the books she writes. Safe At Home is no different. Anna is bringing up her three girls alone, while her husband, Rob, works overseas. After some incident prior to the start of the book, they are living in a different area and living a completely different life to what they were used to. She’s become an extremely protective mother, not trusting anyone, despite the local community trying to welcome her into their folds. A decision, not taken lightly, to leave one of her girls at home alone for what should have been a twenty-minute period, becomes the catalyst for an event that changes the lives of not only her family but many people around her. I was on tenterhooks throughout the whole book, I have to admit. What a fantastically told story, with so many twists, and possibilities, to make you think you know what is going on, before you get thrown off the scent, again. Loved it! Many thanks to NetGalley, Random House UK, Transworld Publishers, Corgi for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
3.5 Stars Reading the blurb for this book, I felt I really wanted to read it. an LGBTQ romance, based in recent years, in Mumbai. It’s not something that is written about often, so I was excited. Ved Mehra is the son of an affluent businessman, from a wealthy family, and wants for nothing. Except for love and acceptance. Finding himself forced into an engagement with the delightful Disha, Ved thinks it must be for the best. Only… he’s gay. Then he meets Carlos. The story is set around the time when Section 377, a law set in British colonial times, criminalising homosexual activity, amongst other things is due to be overturned. While I really wanted to love the story, I found the characters to be underdeveloped, and there were areas that the story almost went too fast, or felt a little unbelievable. I mean, considering Ved hadn’t come out to his parents, would he still have brought a man back to the house, so brazenly, indulged in such loud physical pleasure, and have none of the house staff batting an eyelid, nor his father asking questions? But, there was a HEA, so, I was happy!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
You hear people talking, jokingly, about getting together in x amount of years, if you’re both still single, but in Baby, It’s Cold Outside, the pact to meet in ten years in Dublin is something our main character Norah Jones is seriously considering. Having met Andrew in Italy, as a fresh-faced young woman, and been swept off her feet, fate brought them together but tore them apart too. As the date of reckoning approaches, life throws Norah a curveball, leaving her at a loose end at Christmas, and she finds herself going to Dublin to see if this meeting will really happen, with her long time friend Joe with her. I really loved Norah Jones, singer, turned music teacher. She’s been dealt a tough hand by life, in so many ways, losing people she loved, and I really wanted her to get her happily ever after, She gets her Happily Ever After, but, maybe, not in the way she expected. The cast of characters within the book was great, with Norah’s circle of friends, her mum, and several special other people she meets in Dublin. And, talking of Dublin, reading this book makes me want to go and visit! A lovely Christmas story to warm the cockles of your heart. Many thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Michael Joseph UK for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I was thrilled to receive a copy of Louise Jensen’s new psychological thriller, having enjoyed some of her previous books, and All For You didn’t disappoint. On the surface, the Walsh family seem like your average family, husband and wife with their two sons, but when you scratch the surface, all isn’t as simple as it should be. For a start, there is a young boy suffering an illness that nothing but a transplant can help with, and another teenager suffering anxiety and stress from a tragic event that happened in his own life a few months before. To top it off you have a husband and wife with their own secrets. Then, the unthinkable happens. One of their boys goes missing. The story is told from the viewpoints of both husband and wife, Aiden and Lucy, and the eldest son, Conner. We find out snippets of their pasts, as layers are slowly peeled off, as the story unfolds. A wonderfully wicked web of interweaving storylines makes for a fantastic thriller, and it kept me on my toes the whole way through. At many points, I was convinced I knew what was happening, only for the next chapter to throw another curveball. It really does make you think, ‘What would I do?’, had you been in a situation similar to any of the characters, for they all made bad decisions in the past, though for compelling reasons… Fantastic read. Many thanks to NetGalley and HQ for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
You can’t go wrong with a Sarah Morgan Christmas book, can you? Well, I’m pretty certain of that fact, and I loved this one as much as the others that I have read. This story centres around three main characters, Robyn, her niece, Christy and Christy’s best friend Alix. Robyn lives in Lapland with her husband Erik and has been estranged from her family for many years, yet, out of the blue, she receives an email from her niece, wanting to come over. Christy is nervously excited at the thought of meeting her aunty, the Rebel Robyn, about whom she knows nothing, other than her mother refused to discuss her, at all. She’s due to take her family; husband Seb and small, feisty daughter Holly to visit her rebel aunt, with her best friend and ally, Alix in tow, too, all the way to Lapland. But, things happen. (Of course, they do!) And she finds herself having to ask her best friend a huge favour, i.e. stepping in as ‘mum’ for a while, as she sorts out something personal, meaning Alix has to go to Lapland with Holly. With backup, of course. Zak. Who happens to be Seb’s best friend, and apparently a sworn enemy of Alix’s. Yes, it is a romance, in many ways, and how can you not get romantic, thinking of the Northern Lights, and midnight sleigh rides, the snow, and saunas… Though, more than that, I felt this book was about relationships and friendships, and misunderstandings. How something that seems so small can end up becoming bigger than you realise, and that thing you thought was huge, actually isn’t important at all. A fabulous read that I devoured pretty much in one sitting on a Bank Holiday Monday! Many thanks to NetGalley and HQ for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Releasing 28th October, 2021
So, I’ve given you quite a selection to think on from Romantic, to Christmas, Psychological thrillers to poetry, not forgetting a little LGBTQ fiction. What tickles your fancy? And share what you read this month, or recently, that you would recommend!
Last month was a wash out, with reports and assessments. This month is the last one of term, so I’m not holding out much reading hope to be honest! Still, I can try! And I have SO MAY ARCS to read, via Netgalley, that my brain is swimming with deadline dates! (Someone, tell me to stop agreeing to read, or requesting them!)
I’m not sure what I was expecting when I requested this book, but when I began reading I realised it was very different to my usual reading genre. Dystopian fiction is not really my thing, However, when you couple an unknown genre with a topic I love, which is motherhood, and family, and the lengths said mother would go to for hers, then you get a pretty good read. Many thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I loved this book on so many levels. Poppy and Alex are made for each other, but they really don’t get it. Well, not straight away. Despite being best friends for so many years, and taking their special yearly vacations together, things simmer, but never bubble over. Until one trip. A trip that changes so much. I have to say I felt for Poppy, so much through the whole book, holding onto her unrequited love, as well as trauma from the past. I honestly wanted to shake Alex. I mean, come on, why didn’t you give any indications any earlier, as to how you felt?! Still, I really enjoyed the read, and would recommend it for a great summer sizzler! Many thanks to NetGalley and Penguin for an ARC, in exchange for an honest review.
The title, The Lock In, really pulled me to request this book, and though it wasn’t about a lock in , in its truest sense, the story was a cringy gigglefest from start to finish! Imagine it, being hungover, in a house that has a huge leak, and locked in the attic with three other people. Ellen, one of the fated housemates, is suffering from a rather wild night before, and after discovering a leak, tries her hardest to find the off switch (!!) in the attic. So something I would do, pre being a homeowner. After no success, she has to wake her fellow housemates, to alert them to said leak, and request their assistance in turning off the water. Jack, the most recent addition to the house, is clueless, but Alexa, Ellen’s friend from university, and final housemate is savvier, however, doesn’t have the brute strength to actually turn the stopcock (that was under the sink, in case you needed to know!) off. They all find themselves up in the attic, questioning Ellen’s presence there, when the fourth in the adventure arrives, Ben, who was actually Alexa’s date. Now, his brute strength is another matter, and he ends up locking them in the attic, and breaking the door handle! The hilarity that ensues from being stuck with almost no phone (I won’t go into that, too much!), no toilet, food or water, along with old stories being recalled, oh, and the memories of an old romance that turned sour popping its head up, it’s an entertaining book. The visit back to 2009 with MSN Messenger, drunken nights and the first digital cameras took me back to my own youth! I found all the characters likeable in their own way and ended up with a soft spot for Jack, who is socially clueless but ends up in the limelight in a way he never thought possible.
Many thanks to NetGalley, and Penguin Mochale Joseph UK for an ARC in exchange for an honest opinion.
Can I start by saying I want to go to Ferry Lane Market? I want to meet this cast of characters; colourful, caring and complicated! So, we have Kara, a woman stuck in an eight-year-old relationship, that is going nowhere, with barely the finance needed to stretch to living a little, outside of paying her mortgage. She’s in a job she loves, but without the appreciation from her boss, even that shine has dulled. Surrounded by people who care about her, she ends up on an adventure of a lifetime, after kicking Jago, her useless, cheating boyfriend, to the curb, to find her true path, I really enjoyed immersing myself in the world of the Ferry Lane market, and it was fantastic to read about a woman, just past what people would say was the prime of her life, finally finding her feet, her passion, and some love, along the way! And I’m looking forward to reading more about all the fantastic characters in the books to follow! Many thanks to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Two woman, one man, livng far apart, yet irreversibly connected. Brilliant read! Seriously, I had one idea in my mind about what this book was going to be about, and though I clicked, part way through, the twists and turns to get to the conclusion were gripping! The stories of the two women, how we move from the present to the past, the takes interweaving, to create this blanket of connections… was fantastic! I can’t write much, as I would give the story away, but it’s good, trust me! Loved it! Many thanks to NetGalley and Quercus for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I enjoyed part one of this book, so was thrilled to be able to read the whole of the novel. You know you’re in for a good read when within a few pages, you know exactly what you want to happen, and you speed through the chapters waiting for it, going on a fantastic journey to get to that expected destination. It was like that for me, with The Promise Of Summer. An easy, light-hearted read with three interesting characters; Ruby, with her obsession with having a baby, Kim and her secret, and Curtis… I was fascinated by Curtis, the whole way through! The pointers from the very beginning of the story indicated a person on the autistic spectrum, and it was just a joy to see him with his own happily ever after, to be honest. And don’t let me forget to mention Boomer, or Boomerang, the rescue dog, who ends up stealing plenty of hearts!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Avon Books for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
What’s Left Unsaid is a book that took me a little while to get into, but once I was in, I was hooked. Hannah Williamson is a woman with her own past and troubles. Having been sent to live with her grandmother, Mamaw, in a little town in Minnesota, on the pretext of looking after her, she embarks upon a job at the local paper, keen to get back to her real career in journalism. While there, she finds out about a story, something kept deeply hidden, which triggers her thirst for wanting to know more. The more she knows, the more invested she becomes in the story, not knowing just how involved she is to become. There are many issues raised in this book, not least the extreme prejudices that were held on to so tightly, in the South, but child abuse, depression, adoption, miscarriage… And to think it is a story based upon the real story of the author’s great aunt. A fascinating read. Many thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for an ARC in exchange for an honest opinion.
So, what happens when you are a woman living the aftermath of a broken relationship, where you found your then partner, in bed, with another man? Coupled with doing your residency in a hospital, training to be a doctor? Alongside generally feeling like absolute rubbish, because, well, you are. Anyway, that’s how life has made you come to view yourself? This kinda sums up our heroine, Tess. Oh, but I forgot, she has these two voices in her head, or rather like the devil and angel one might have on your shoulders, she has the chat show host, akin to Jerry Springer, rubbing her face in all the downs she encounters, with the lovely Jane Austen on her other side, cheering her along, with her ladylike grace. While on her training stint in the hospice of the local hospital, she encounters a patient with who she develops a strong bond. What she wasn’t counting on, was the son of said patient, who brings back certain memories… yet, he doesn’t appear to remember her, at all. It took me a short while to really get into the swing of the book, but once I was there, I was THERE, if you know what I mean! Honestly, there were times I wanted to punch the Chat Show Host in the face – What an obnoxious man! But the light-hearted banter that spilt from the mouths of the two voices, along with the story, as it unfolds, had me wanting to read more! Many thanks to Netgalley and One More Chapter for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
What an amazing read! No, seriously, I haven’t felt gushy about a book for a while, now, and this one, well, it gave me the feels. Now, it’s not a rom-com, as I usually enjoy, but the story of Patience, a woman diagnosed with Rett Syndrome in childhood, captivate me. I enjoyed how the book was written, with Patience’s point of view given through her thoughts, since, she is unable to talk, and the differing viewpoints of her family: both parents and her sister, Eliza. Life can’t be easy as a carer, and member of family of an individual who is diagnosed with such a disorder. You often find the world sympathising with them, but this also turned the tables on that, by providing Patience with a voice. Regardless of whether she was able to talk, move, feed. herself, etc., she still has opinions, and thoughts, reminding me that we never know what is going on in the mind of someone we may consider ‘disabled’. Thoroughly enjoyed this. Many thanks to NetGalley and Head of Zeus for an ARC in exchange for an honest opinion.
Released on 5th August, 2021
Well, I am quite impressed with myself to be honest! After a thankless last couple of months, with the house move and the last term of the school year, reading has always been there, but not at the forefront of my life, so nine books, this month, I think, is a winner!
So, were there any there that sparked your interest? Let me know what you’ve been reading this month, too!
But I Smile Anyway... 