 Release date - 25th September 2018 Book length - 320 pages Publisher - St. Martin's Press Worldwide - www.bookdepository.com Amazon UK - www.amazon.co.uk Amazon US - www.amazon.com I want to thank Justine from St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to take part in this blog tour and for providing me with an e-copy of this book for review via Netgalley. I am very lucky to have an extract for you all to enjoy which you can read further on. ABOUT THIS BOOK A man who loves adventure and the open sea, Devin Murphy returns for a short Christmas trip to his small hometown of Eternity Springs. Immersed in the joy and magic of the holiday season all around him, he doesn't hesitate to play along when a young boy phones Santa to ask for a very special wish. Devin never guesses that a wrong number has the potential to make everything in his life so right. Jenna Stockton adopted Reilly when he needed a mother and she intends to keep him safe. A small town across the country called Eternity Springs seems like a good place to hide from their past without any complications --until sexy Santa himself discovers her secrets. When Devin proposes a daring plan to face down the danger together and defeat it once and for all, she is tempted. Maybe Devin really is capable of making wishes come true? Perhaps in a Christmas wish they'll both find the miracle they've been looking for all along... MY REVIEW Ok, that's it. I want to move to Eternity Springs! After reading THE CHRISTMAS WISHING TREE by Emily March, I have fallen head over heels in love with this magical place and its amazing community who care so deeply for each other. Jenna Stockton will do whatever it takes to protect her son Reilly and when a stalker seems to up the ante and her little boy gets hurt in the process, Jenna realises that they must disappear. Remembering a special phone call that her son had made to Santa, they soon find themselves in Eternity Springs and this special place soon begins to work its magic on both of them. But the stalker isn't ready to give up yet... Devin Murphy is footloose and fancy-free and that's the way he intends to keep it. All he needs is the ocean and his family but he knows he is going to break their hearts when he tells them he is leaving Eternity Springs for good to move to Australia. When he accidentally picks up a call one day from an unknown number, it will bring Jenna and Reilly into his life and that of his family. And it isn't long before sparks fly between Jenna and himself. But commitment isn't something that is on his radar and he isn't meant to be someone's dad, no matter how much Reilly yearns for one. But when danger threatens those he cares about, Devin may just realise that love matters more than anything else in the world. Engaging, festive, magical, and simply stunning THE CHRISTMAS WISHING TREE by Emily March is everything you could ever want in a Christmas novel. The characters are strong, intelligent, kind, and completely loveable and the element of danger from Jenna's past really adds a tension to parts of the story that had my stomach in knots. The community of Eternity Springs bursts to life on every page and I fell in love with the people as much as the beautiful scenery. If you want a novel that will burrow into your heart and just make you feel warm and fuzzy inside then look no further than THE CHRISTMAS WISHING TREE by Emily March where family, friendship and discovering where you belong, is the order of the day. EXTRACT Chapter One NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE Christmas carols played softly in the background. The scent of spiced cider perfumed the air. Shoppers munched happily on gingerbread cookies and perused the bookshelves for that perfect gift. Dr. Jenna Stockton imagined ripping the halo off the angel’s head and choking her with it. Instead, she reached deep within herself for patience and managed to find a smile for the costumed character behind the bookstore counter. “If I could speak with your manager, please?” “She’s awfully busy.” Jenna thought of the ridiculous length of her own to-do list as she fought to keep her smile from turning into a sneer. “Yes, well, it’s that time of year, isn’t it? Your manager?” The little angel gave a haughty sniff, and then said, “If you’ll step out of line, please?” Without missing a beat, the angel turned a bright smile toward the woman waiting behind Jenna. “I’m sosorry for this unfortunate delay, ma’am. I’ll be as quick as I possibly can.” Jenna didn’t snarl like a rabid dog. She didn’t. She smiled at the woman behind her in line. Sweetly. Without canines. The woman and the four people behind her each gave Jenna an annoyed glower. She gave them all a smile too, then reached for the nearest book, which she pretended to read until the clerk returned, accompanied by a fiftysomething woman dressed like an elf. The angel gestured toward Jenna and said, “This is the one, Ms. Thomas.” The elf spoke in a harried tone. “May I help you?” “I hope so.” Especially considering that I went out of my way to support a local business rather than ordering online. Jenna set down the paperback. “I placed a special order two weeks ago and someone from this store called me last week to tell me it was in. However, your … angel … can’t find it in your computer system, so she insists I’m mistaken.” “Do you have your receipt?” “Not with me, no.” “Well, if you’ll come back—” “I don’t have time to come back. I ordered the books for an event that begins”—Jenna checked her watch—“in forty-five minutes. I’d like you to check your stock room. My name is Jenna Stockton.” “Ms. Stockton, I can’t—” “I ordered thirty copies of New Adventures in the Christmas Angel Waiting Room.” “Oh.” The manager pursed her lips. “Oh. I recall that order.” “Good.” Then the manager winced. Uh-oh. Maybe not so good. Jenna drew a deep, calming breath, then asked, “If you will get it for me, please?” “Oh dear.” Jenna closed her eyes. “I’m afraid we had some internal miscommunication. We sold out of our stock of that particular title and an employee unfortunately failed to notice the hold notice on your order. She put them on the shelf.” “How many are left?” “It’s a popular title,” the manager hedged. Jenna leaned forward. “The books are for pediatric cancer patients at Children’s Hospital. The Christmas party is at four o’clock.” “Oh dear,” the manager repeated. “Four o’clock you say?” Jenna nodded curtly. “I’ll call our distributor. If you can stop back by—” “You’ll need to deliver them directly to the hospital. To the attention of Dr. Jenna Stockton.” She removed a card from her purse and handed it to the manager. “Here’s the address. Take them to the information desk in the lobby. I’ll tell the volunteers working there to expect them.” “But we don’t have a delivery—” Jenna folded her arms and gave the manager her best take-no-prisoners look. “I’ll do my best to have them there by four, Dr. Stockton. I apologize for the inconvenience. Now, is there anything else I can help you with? I saw you looking at the new Liza Holcomb thriller.” She picked up the book and handed it to Jenna. “It’s a fabulous book. Scariest stalker story I’ve read in years.” Jenna quickly returned the book to the display table. A stalker story? That was all she needed. “No, thank you. All I need today is what I ordered. Thank you for the help. You have my phone number. I trust if there is any further problem, you will give me an immediate call?” “Yes. Of course.” “Perfect. Merry Christmas, Ms. Thomas.” “Merry Christmas to you too, Dr. Stockton.” The manager gave her a bright smile that didn’t quite hide the worry in her eyes. Jenna headed for the door, glancing over her shoulder before pushing it open. The elf was on the phone, the angel had been replaced at the register by a reindeer, and Frosty the Snowman was on hands and knees beside the urn of mulled cider wiping up a spill. She sighed. Angels with attitude aside, she liked this little store. She really hoped they didn’t let her and the children down. Outside, the jangle from the Salvation Army bell ringer mingled with the shrieks and laughter of children embroiled in a snowball fight in the park across the street. Jenna tugged leather gloves from her coat pocket and pulled them on as she walked to the street corner and waited for the light to change. Her gaze drifted back to the snowball warriors. It did her heart good to see healthy, happy children playing, especially after a morning like this one. When the walk signal flashed on, she crossed the street and cut through the park headed for her car, which she’d left in a lot a block away. Her thoughts returned to her to-do list. She could save a few minutes if she bought cookies at the grocery store instead of making the extra stop at the bakery before picking up Reilly from daycare. But she’d promised Reilly a gingerbread man from-- Whack. Something cold and wet stung her cheek. What in the world? Reflexively, Jenna lifted her hand to her face and the remnants of … a snowball. She’d been hit with a snowball. Had the battlefield moved without her noticing and she’d been struck by an errant shot? Or had the attack been deliberate? If that was the case, one of these heathens was about to get a piece of her mind. But when she turned to identify the culprit seconds after the snowball landed, her gaze skidded over a group of youngsters to an adult standing nearby. The pockets of a black wool coat concealed the man’s hands. A black knit cap pulled low on his brow and the matching scarf looped around his face shielded everything but his eyes. Eyes that watched her. A shiver of fear skidded down Jenna’s spine. She whirled around and picked up her pace. By the time she reached her car, she was all but running. She thumbed the key fob and unlocked the door as she approached, then locked it again the moment she was inside. She sat behind the steering wheel breathing hard, her heart pounding. Her gaze locked on the path through the park. Nobody had followed her. Chased her. She’d let her imagination run wild. “You didn’t imagine the face full of snow,” she muttered. She should call the cops. File a report. Sure. Be one of “those people.” Tie up a law enforcement officer’s time over a child’s prank. Because surely, that’s all it had been. One of those kids probably threw the snowball, and the guy dressed in black probably saw it as it flew by. He’d watched her to see if she’d pitch a fit about it. She slipped her key into the ignition, started the car, and did her best to dismiss the incident. Forty minutes later—after stops at the dry cleaners, grocery, bakery, and party store—she made it back to the office in time for her one-thirty appointment with five minutes to spare. If she’d checked her rearview mirror more often than usual and paid close attention to those around her as she completed her errands, well, she was simply being responsible. Whenever she had a few free minutes during the rest of the afternoon, her thoughts drifted back to the troubling events of recent months. The harassment had begun in October, although for the first few weeks, she hadn’t recognized the threat. Everyone got hang-up calls. She explained away the texts as wrong numbers. But once online orders she hadn’t placed began showing up on her doorstep, she realized she had a problem. She’d thought she’d been a victim of identity theft. She’d spent an entire weekend canceling cards and changing accounts. Then last week when a particularly difficult case kept her at the hospital until early morning hours, she came out to the physician’s section of the parking garage and found the air had been released from each of her tires. Random vandalism, the police said. Teenage pranks. Jenna wasn’t so certain, but she didn’t know who would be doing this to her or why. As she exited Exam Room 4, her receptionist met her with the news that her three o’clock was a no-show, which meant she was done for the day. Jenna tucked away her dark worries and turned her thoughts to the light and bright. Now she’d have time to pick up Reilly from school rather than have his after-school caregiver drop him off at the hospital. Luck was with her for a change because a parking place became available just as she pulled up. As she got out of her car, a bell rang, and the door to the kindergarten classroom opened. Reilly was the third youngster out. “Mom!” exclaimed her six-year-old son. “You’re here! It’s time for the Christmas party, isn’t it? Is it time for the party? Is Santa going to be there? I have my list all ready.” “Hello, little man. Yes, it’s time for the Christmas party and yes, Santa has promised to make an appearance.” “I’m so excited!” “Me too, Reilly. Me too.” She’d been trying to make the Santa visit happen for two weeks now. Because kids grew up so fast these days, she knew that this might be the last year that Reilly believed in Santa Claus. Jenna had wanted to make it a special event for them both. For the initial effort, she had planned an all-day Saturday holiday adventure beginning with breakfast at a pancake house, followed by shopping for gifts for Reilly’s friends, then a matinee performance of Rudolphat the children’s theater, and culminating with a visit to Santa’s Wonderland and a conversation with the big man himself. They’d had a great time eating and shopping and watching the play, but as they left the theater, her pager had gone off. She’d tried again the following Saturday with a different itinerary, but with similar Santa results. She and Reilly both were counting on “The third time is the charm” axiom working today. Arriving at the hospital, she took advantage of valet parking due to the amount of party supplies she had to tote inside. She loaded up a collapsible wheeled cart with gifts and decorations and bakery boxes, then Reilly helped her tug it inside, where she approached the information desk with trepidation. “I’m Dr. Stockton. Do I have a package waiting, I hope?” “Books,” the volunteer said. “Yes, they’re here.” Yes! She reached beneath the counter then pulled out a box. Jenna spied twice as many gift-wrapped items as she’d expected. The folded note taped to the front of the box read, “Your complete order is enclosed. In addition, please accept these thirty copies of the first book in the Christmas Angel Waiting Room series as a gift to the children from the staff here at Hawthorne Books.” “Well, isn’t that nice?” Jenna murmured. “Isn’t what nice, Mom?” “The Christmas spirit.” He nodded in all seriousness. “I love the Christmas spirit. I wish it could last all year long.” “You and me both, little man. You and me both.” The Christmas party that followed was a bittersweet success. Local and a few national celebrities showed up to shower attention and gifts and good cheer on the patients of Children’s Hospital and their families. It was always nice to see the smiles, but invariably, tears were shed too. The what-ifs and if-onlys were unavoidable. Hospital events always caused Jenna to hug Reilly a little tighter and spend a little more time on her nightly prayers. The books Jenna gifted were well received by parents and patients alike. Reilly finally had his visit with Santa, and Jenna shed a tear or two of her own while she snapped photos of the moment with her phone. In the car ride on their way home, Reilly bubbled about the party—the food, the games, the gifts. “There were a lot of dads there,” he observed. “Did you see, Mom? There were a whole bunch of dads.” “Yes.” Then, in an effort to alter the direction of the conversation, she said, “I was surprised to see how many football players attended. How many autographs did you get?” “I don’t know,” Reilly answered with a shrug before proving that he was not to be distracted. “I thought Dr. David would be there. Why didn’t Dr. David come?” Oh, Reilly. Dr. David Henderson was Reilly’s pediatrician, a widowed father whom she’d dated briefly last summer. “I told you he moved back to Minnesota to be closer to Bella and Jessie’s grandparents. Dr. Larimer is your new doctor.” Reilly gave a long sigh. “I pretended I forgot. I thought he would make a really good daddy for us, Mom.” “Oh, Reilly.” “We really do need a daddy.” “Reilly,” Jenna said, warning in her tone. “Please. It’s been a long day. Let’s not get started on that subject again.” “But, Mommy…” She silenced him with a stern glance. Her son could be a terrier when he got an idea in his head, and lately, every time she turned around, he’d been yipping and yapping about needing a daddy. How about I just order one online? Everything else was showing up at the house. She’d certainly have more use for a daddy for Reilly than a yodeling pickle electronic noisemaker. She switched on the radio, which was tuned to the Christmas music station. Listening to Alvin and the Chipmunks hope that Christmas wouldn’t be late wasn’t much better than the yodeling pickle. However, the music did manage to distract Reilly, who sang along the rest of the way home, so she wasn’t about to complain. Her son helped her unload the car, and then he dashed about the house turning on the lights of all of their Christmas decorations while Jenna sorted through the mail. One envelope in particular caught her notice. Whitewater Adventure Rafting on the Snake River? Her stomach took a sick little flip. Dread filled her as she stared down at the envelope addressed to JENNA M. STOCKTON, MD. This was coincidence, surely. Just bad timing of an advertisement that probably went to everyone in her zip code. She slid the letter opener blade beneath the envelope flap and removed the folded paper. A reservation for one. Paid in full. January 23rd at 10:00 a.m. She dropped the paper as if it were on fire. Her hands trembled. Her heart pounded. Her always-adventuring parents had drowned in a whitewater rafting accident seven years earlier … on January 23. “Mom, can we read a story?” Jenna saw her son standing in the doorway with his stuffed Rudolph beneath his arm. His request was a life preserver tossed to a drowning person. “Absolutely. I have a new book for us.” Because she wasn’t on call tonight and she had no patients she suspected of being in imminent need of her services, she poured herself a glass of wine, traded her shoes for slippers, and settled into the overstuffed easy chair in the family room with the copy of The New Adventures in the Christmas Angel Waiting Room that she’d reserved for her own family. “In my lap, little man.” He bounded over to her, his face alight with joy. Story time was special for them both. She’d finished the first book and allowed herself to be talked into reading a second and a third. They were negotiating a fourth when she answered the doorbell to a pizza delivery she had not ordered. By nine thirty, her doorbell had chimed eleven more times with deliveries of eleven more cheese and mushroom pizzas. Jenna was allergic to mushrooms. At nine forty-five she called the police. Copyright © 2018 by Emily March in The Christmas Wishing Tree and reprinted with permission from St. Martin’s Paperbacks. AUTHOR BIO Emily March is the New York Times, Publishers Weekly, and USA Today bestselling author of over thirty novels, including the critically acclaimed Eternity Springs series. Publishers Weekly calls March a "master of delightful banter," and her heartwarming, emotionally charged stories have been named to Best of the Year lists by Publishers Weekly, Library Journal, and Romance Writers of America. For more information: Website - emilymarch.com Twitter - twitter.com/emilymarchbooks Facebook - www.facebook.com/emilymarchbooks 
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#Blogtour #Review: The French Escape by Suzie Tullett @SuzieTullett @bombshellpub #TheFrenchEscape21/9/2018  Release date - 15th September 2018 Book length - 254 pages Publisher - Bombshell Books Worldwide - www.bookdepository.com Amazon UK - www.amazon.co.uk Amazon US - www.amazon.com I want to thank Sarah for the opportunity to take part in this blog tour and for providing me with an e-copy of this book for review via Netgalley. ABOUT THIS BOOK It’s fair to say that Flick has had a terrible year. Her beloved father died, she had the wedding of her dreams and only hours after the ceremony her husband ran out on her. Brenda, fed up of her daughter living like a hermit, decides to drag Flick off to France to stay in a chateau. What could be better than an idyllic escape? But when they arrive Flick discovers the chateau is all but abandoned. The only upside of her French escape is the handsome and mysterious neighbour, Nate. Nate loves his life living in the cottage on the grounds of the abandoned chateau but that is about to be put in jeopardy... Can Nate and Flick ever learn to come to terms with the past and find love again? MY REVIEW After a crazy week, picking up THE FRENCH ESCAPE by Suzie Tullett was just what the doctor ordered and I highly recommend it to anyone who loves France, a little romance, and a lot of heart in their stories. When Flick's mum decides that she needs to help her daughter stop hiding from the world, Flick finds herself driving into rural France with her mum and a car full of their possessions for an adventure. Flick is the first one to admit that she had shut down, what with the loss of her dad and the fact that her husband did a runner a few hours after the wedding, it certainly has not been the best year. So maybe some rest and relaxation in the countryside with her mum will be just what she needs. But she didn't factor in an abandoned chateau that needs a lot of work and a handsome man living on the grounds with his own baggage to work through. With plenty of ups and downs, romance and friendship, the incomparable beauty of rural France, and a DIY project that is truly unique, THE FRENCH ESCAPE by Suzie Tullett is amazing in every possible way. The personalities, the settings and everything else in between hit just the right mark across the board and I couldn't put this book down. THE FRENCH ESCAPE by Suzie Tullett is a must-read for contemporary fiction fans everywhere and I cannot wait to read more from this author. AUTHOR BIO I'm a full time writer, lucky enough to live between the UK and France. And when I'm not tapping away on the computer creating my own literary masterpiece, I usually have my head in someone else's. For more information: Website - suzietullett.com Twitter - twitter.com/SuzieTullett Facebook - www.facebook.com/SuzieTullettAuthor/ Instagram - www.instagram.com/suzie_tullett/ DON'T FORGET TO CHECK OUT ALL OF THE OTHER STOPS ALONG THE WAY!!!   Available Now Book length - 187 pages Publisher - MX Publishing Worldwide - www.bookdepository.com Amazon UK - www.amazon.co.uk Amazon US - www.amazon.com I want to thank Caroline from www.bitsaboutbooks.net for the opportunity to take part in this blog tour and for providing me with an e-copy of this book for review. ABOUT THIS BOOK On the morning of the vernal equinox in 1899, Holmes is roused from his bed by Lestrade. The inspector has received a report of a girl brutally murdered at Stonehenge. Upon arriving at the famed site, Holmes discovers the body of a young woman. On her forehead, painted in blood, is a druidic symbol. On her side, also in blood, is a message written in a strange language that neither Holmes nor Lestrade can decipher. The girl was also eviscerated and her organs placed around her body. As a final touch, branches from yew trees had been artistically arranged around the corpse. Holmes senses a malevolent force at work, but without data, he is powerless. As the weeks pass, he slowly gathers information about the ancient druids and Celtic mythology and begins to assemble a small army of experts to assist him. Expecting the killer to strike again on the summer solstice, Holmes and Watson travel to the Nine Ladies in Derbyshire, the site of another stone circle that harkens to druidic times. While they are holding their vigil, Lestrade and his men are off keeping watch over the stone circles at Avebury and several other locations. The Great Detective's worst fears are realized when on the morning of the summer solstice, he learns that the body of a young man has been discovered in the eye of the White Horse of Uffington. Like the first victim, he too has been marked with a druidic symbol and his body bears a message. Aside from the symbol and the message, the only other difference appears to be that his body and organs have been surrounded by willow branches. MY REVIEW For Sherlock Holmes fans and historical mystery fans alike, THE DRUID OF DEATH by Richard T. Ryan is sure to keep you gripped from beginning to end. Holmes and Watson come alive on the page again when they are called upon to solve the murder of a girl in this twisted tale of death and magic, and it is not long before the body count begins to rise. But will this killer beat the great detectives and outwit them at every turn? Add in plenty of twists and misadventures, some Celtic mythology, and the expert and finesse of Holmes and Watson themselves and you are in for a fantastic mystery ride. THE DRUID OF DEATH by Richard T. Ryan is a compelling story that transported me back in time and made the iconic duo of Holmes and Watson jump off the page. The mystery is fresh and dynamic and I thoroughly enjoyed donning my detective hat and trying to piece the puzzle together alongside the characters. This is a great read for mystery fans, especially historical mystery fans, and I really enjoyed it. AUTHOR BIO A lifelong Sherlockian, Richard Ryan is the author of "The Official Sherlock Holmes Trivia Book" as well as a book on Agatha Christie trivia. His first two novels, the Sherlock Holmes Adventures "The Vatican Cameos," and “The Stone of Destiny” are available from MX Publishing, London. Richard Ryan obtained his master's degree from the University of Notre Dame, where he majored in medieval literature; he is a die-hard fan of the Fighting Irish -- it doesn't matter what sport. He has been happily married for 40 years and is the proud father of two children. DON'T FORGET TO CHECK OUT ALL OF THE OTHER STOPS ALONG THE WAY!!   Release date - 20th September 2018 Book length - 284 pages Publisher - Accent Press Worldwide - www.bookdepository.com Amazon UK - www.amazon.co.uk Amazon US - www.amazon.com I want to thank Rachel from www.rachelsrandomresources.com for the opportunity to take part in this blog tour and for providing me with an e-copy of this book for review. ABOUT THIS BOOK When Tess finds herself unexpectedly alone and back in Ribblemill, the childhood village she thought she’d escaped, she’s sure she can survive a temporary stay. She’s spent a lifetime making the best of things, hasn’t she? Determined to throw herself into village life, Tess starts a choir and gathers a team of volunteers to restore the walled garden at Ramblings, the local stately home. Everything could be perfect, if she weren’t sharing a cottage and a cat with a man whose manner is more prickly than the nettles she’s removing… As winter approaches, Tess finds herself putting down her own roots as fast as she’s pulling them up in the garden. But the ghosts of the past hover close by, and Tess must face them if she’s to discover whether home is where her heart has been all along. MY REVIEW An emotional story of two lost souls who are struggling with issues from their pasts, THE WINTER THAT MADE US by Kate Field, is sure to make you well up while keeping your eyes firmly hooked on the page. When Tess finds herself taking a sabbatical from work, she returns to her childhood village of Ribblemill which holds so many memories. Wanting to have some independence she rents a cottage which she will share with housemate Noah, a quiet man who prefers solitude and silence. While Tess throws herself into many community projects, Noah prefers his own company but as they begin to get to know each other, it isn't long before they recognise a sort of lost kindred spirit connection between them. But both Tess and Noah are hiding secrets and powerful feelings from their pasts which are holding them back in so many ways. Can they find a way to trust each other and themselves to find some warmth in the Winter that surrounds them? This story was so much more than what I expected. There is a beautiful village, and a tight-knit community which is always enjoyable in stories like these. The characters are engaging and intriguing and make you want to read more, but there is more to them than just likability. These characters have been through some serious things and as a reader, I really felt for them, I really cared for them and wanted them to find their happiness. This is the hallmark of a wonderful author when you find yourself completely swept up in the emotion of the story. THE WINTER THAT MADE US by Kate Field is an incredible story about life, friendship, and the importance of leaning on those around you, and I highly recommend it. AUTHOR BIO Kate writes contemporary women’s fiction, mainly set in her favourite county of Lancashire, where she lives with her husband, daughter and hyperactive cat. She is a member of the Romantic Novelists’ Association. Kate’s debut novel, The Magic of Ramblings, won the RNA’s Joan Hessayon Award for new writers in 2017. For more information: Twitter - twitter.com/katehaswords Facebook - www.facebook.com/KateFieldAuthor/ DON'T FORGET TO CHECK OUT ALL OF THE OTHER STOPS ALONG THE WAY!!!   Release date - 16th August 2018
Book length - 320 pages Publisher - Sandstone Press Worldwide - www.bookdepository.com Amazon UK - www.amazon.co.uk Amazon US - www.amazon.com I want to thank Ceris from sandstonepress.com for providing me with a copy of this book for review. ABOUT THIS BOOK Everything is coming up roses for Robbie Munro, newly married and living in the country with his wife and child. That is until his wife takes up employment abroad just as old flame, Jill Green, asks him to investigate the unexplained death of her partner. Suspecting foul play, Jill insists Robbie does whatever it takes to find the killer. As Robbie begins his investigation, his father, ex-Police Sergeant Alex Munro, comes under scrutiny. Was the evidence at the trial of a man found guilty of child murder twenty years ago fabricated? Can Robbie juggle his duties as a father, investigate his ex’s claims, and prove his father’s innocence? MY REVIEW Gripping, intriguing, and darkly witty at times, STITCH UP by William McIntyre is a cracking story that will leave you wanting more from the main characters. Robbie Munro is happy. Happily married, happy with his little daughter, and happy with his work as a criminal attorney. But like all things in life you never know what lies around the corner. Suddenly the woman who dumped him turns up looking for his help in investigating the death of her partner, and when a convicted child killer finds himself released on the premise that evidence was fabricated, Robbie finds himself defending his father who was the police sergeant at the time. As Robbie tries to uncover the truth for everyone involved, he soon realises that there is a lot more hidden to these cases than meets the eye, and will the guilty be brought to justice? I immediately got sucked into this story and with excellent pacing and dynamic prose, I was hooked to the very end. There is plenty of detective work, clues, twists, and moments of dark humour to make STITCH UP by William McIntyre a really good read and I highly recommend it to crime fiction fans everywhere. AUTHOR BIO William McIntyre is a lawyer involved in criminal defence work for so long that he can remember when the Scots Criminal Justice System was regarded as the best in the world, the days when it was 'better that ten guilty men go free than one innocent man be convicted'. For more information: Website - www.bestdefence.biz  Release date - 18th September 2018 Book length - 432 pages Publisher - St Martin's Press Worldwide - www.bookdepository.com Amazon UK - www.amazon.co.uk Amazon US - www.amazon.com I want to thank Justine from us.macmillan.com/smp/ for the opportunity to take part in this blog tour and for providing me with an e-copy of this book for review via Netgalley, I also have an extract to whet your appetite which you can read further on (thank you Justine!). ABOUT THIS BOOK Cambridge, Massachusetts, Fall 1988 Spenser Collins An unlikely Harvard prospect, smart and athletic, strapped for cash, determined to succeed. Calls his mother—who raised him on her own in Chicago—every week. Dalton Winthrop A white-shoe legacy at Harvard, he's just the most recent in a string of moneyed, privileged Winthrop men in Cambridge. He's got the ease—and the deep knowledge—that come from belonging. These two find enough common ground to become friends, cementing their bond when Spenser is "punched" to join the Delphic Club, one of the most exclusive of Harvard's famous all-male final clubs. Founded in the nineteenth century, the Delphic has had titans of industry, Hollywood legends, heads of state, and power brokers among its members. Dalton Winthrop knows firsthand that the Delphic doesn't offer memberships to just anyone. His great-uncle is one of their oldest living members, and Dalton grew up on stories of the club's rituals. But why is his uncle so cryptic about the Ancient Nine, a shadowy group of alums whose identities are unknown and whose power is absolute? They protect the Delphic's darkest and oldest secrets—including what happened to a student who sneaked into the club's stately brick mansion in 1927 and was never seen again. Dalton steers Spenser into deeper and deeper recesses of the club, and beyond, to try to make sense of what they think they may be seeing. But with each scrap of information they get from an octogenarian Crimson graduate, a crumbling newspaper in the library's archives, or one of Harvard's most famous and heavily guarded historical books, a fresh complication trips them up. The more the friends investigate, the more questions they unearth, tangling the story of the club, the disappearance, and the Ancient Nine, until they realize their own lives are in danger. MY REVIEW THE ANCIENT NINE by Ian K. Smith is an intriguing and compelling mystery set amongst the hallowed halls of the exclusive, member-only houses in Harvard, during the 1980's. Spenser Collins is not your usual candidate for membership in one of the most exclusive and powerful private member houses in Harvard but when he gets the invitation he is more than intrigued, as is his close friends Dalton Winthrop. As Dalton, a trust fund student who has a defiant relationship with his elitist father, fills Spenser in on the mystery that surrounds these clubs and the myths of murder and more that are associated with them, Spenser becomes even more intrigued by it all. What would they want with him? And as Spenser and Dalton get sucked in deeper into this land of privilege and secrecy, they will be in a lot more danger than they could ever have imagined. I found the premise of this novel very interesting and I loved the elements of research, history, and that extra something special that flowed through each page making me want to read more. The story is set during the 1980's among the breeding ground of the elite and is very realistic to the time period so there are a lot of misogynistic moments throughout which may not suit all readers, but sadly reflect the time frame. At its heart, this story is a cracking good mystery that will turn you into a detective as you try to piece it all together alongside the characters and I could definitely see this story translate easily onto our TV screens. Overall I enjoyed THE ANCIENT NINE by Ian K. Smith and would recommend it to all mystery fans. EXTRACT PROLOGUE Halloween Night, 1927 The Delphic Mansion Cambridge, Massachusetts EMPTY ROPES CLATTERED against flagpoles, and street signs flapped helplessly in the shadowy night. Two boys sneaked down a cobblestone path crowded with heavy bushes and enormous signs that warned against trespassing. They stood there for a moment, their bodies dwarfed by the gigantic brick mansion. “That’s enough, let’s turn around,” Kelton Dunhill whispered. He had large competent hands and knots of compact muscles that bulged underneath his varsity letter sweater. He carried a long silver flashlight he had borrowed from the superintendent’s office of his residential house. “I’m going all the way,” Erasmus Abbott said firmly. “I didn’t come this far to chicken out. Just a few more minutes and we’ll be inside.” Dunhill looked up at the tall wrought-iron fence that had been reinforced with solid wood planks to obstruct any potential view into the rear courtyard. He was a tough, scrappy kid, a varsity wrestler who had been undefeated in almost three years of college competition. He was many things, but a quitter was not one of them. Very little intimidated Dunhill, the son of a banker and elementary school music teacher, but when he looked up at the mansion’s towering spires and turrets set against the ominous sky and the royal blue flag that snapped so loudly in the wind, something made him feel uneasy. At that very moment, if Erasmus Abbott had not been standing next to him, he would’ve turned on his heels and run like hell. The only thing that kept his feet planted was his greater fear of the humiliation he would face once the others got word that the scrawny Abbott had showed bigger nerve. “If we get caught, we’ll be fried,” Dunhill said in his most persuasive voice, trying to sound rational rather than scared. “Technically speaking, we’re trespassing, and they can do anything they want to us since we’re on their property. I don’t need to remind you of what happened to A. C. Gordon.” Erasmus Abbott took the milk crates they had been carrying and stacked them in a small pyramid against the fence, then slipped on his gloves and pulled his hat down until it settled just above his eyes. He was dressed all in black. Now completely disguised, he turned and faced Dunhill. “There’s no proof Gordon ever made it this far,” Abbott contested. “And besides, I never believed the whole business about his disappearance anyway.” Abbott turned toward the platform of milk crates, then back at Dunhill, and said, “So what’s it going to be? I’m making history tonight with or without you. The answer is in there, and I’m not gonna stop till I find it.” “Jesus Christ,” Dunhill mumbled under his breath before pulling down his own skullcap and stepping up to the fence. It all started out as a dare, but Abbott had taken it more seriously than anyone expected. This would certainly not be the first time a student had tried to break into the well-guarded Delphic mansion. There had been many attempts over the years, but according to legend, the farthest anyone had gotten was the external foyer. No one had ever penetrated the interior. What most worried Dunhill, however, was that few had lived to share their story. “And what’s your plan once we get on the other side of the fence?” Dunhill said. Abbott ran his hand over the small canvas bag strapped to his waist. “Everything we need is in here,” he said. “Once we get to the back door, I’ll have the lock open in well under a minute.” Abbott had been practicing on diferent doors all over Quincy House in the middle of the night. His best-recorded time was twenty-nine seconds with a blindfold covering his eyes and a stopwatch hanging around his neck. Abbott was not particularly athletic, but he scaled the crates easily and in one motion hoisted himself over the top of the fence and its row of pointed spears. Dunhill heard him land hard on the other side, then made a small sign of the cross over his heart, climbed onto the crates, and hurled himself over the fence. He landed on the firm slate tiles with a jolt. They stood on the perimeter of a large courtyard dotted with elaborate marble sculptures and a fountain whose water sat motionless in a wide, striated basin. There were no lights to guide them, but moonlight cut through the heavy canopy of trees that towered overhead. A formidable, sturdy brick wall that was even taller than the fence they had just climbed surrounded them on two sides. Abbott had correctly chosen their entry point into the yard. A gust of wind sent small piles of leaves flying sideways from one corner of the courtyard to the next. The mansion was eerily dark except for the dull flicker of a light in a small window just underneath the sloping angle of the tiled roof. The enormous building looked cold and menacing and unforgiving. “She’s massive,” Abbott whispered. “I didn’t think she’d be this big. Must’ve cost them a king’s fortune to build it.” “It’s not empty,” Dunhill said, pointing at the lighted window. “I still say this isn’t a good idea. We’ve already proved our point. Let’s get the hell out of here while we still can.” Abbott pretended he hadn’t heard a word Dunhill said. He walked quietly across the courtyard toward a set of stairs that led to a large door with small panes and a brass doorknob that glistened under the moonlight’s glow. He cupped his face to the glass and looked inside. He turned and waved Dunhill over, but Dunhill remained motionless underneath the fence, still not believing they had actually gotten this far. Abbott unzipped the canvas bag, pulled out a couple of tools, and quickly went to work on the lock. That’s when Dunhill glimpsed a shadow moving across the courtyard. He looked up toward the lighted window and saw something that he would never forget. It was the ugliest, scariest, blackest face he had ever laid eyes on. His heart tightened in his chest, and his lungs constricted. He tried to scream but couldn’t get the air to move in his throat. He turned to Erasmus to warn him, but it was too late. The door was open, and he was already inside. Copyright © 2018 by Ian K. Smith in The Ancient Nine and reprinted with permission from St. Martin’s Press. AUTHOR BIO Ian K. Smith is the author of nine New York Times bestselling nonfiction books, several of them, including Shred and Super Shred, #1 bestsellers, as well as one previous work of fiction, The Blackbird Papers. He is a graduate of Harvard, Columbia, and the University of Chicago’s Pritzker School of Medicine. For more information: Website - doctoriansmith.com Twitter - twitter.com/driansmith Facebook - www.facebook.com/Dr.IanKSmith Instagram - www.instagram.com/doctoriansmith/ DON'T FORGET TO CHECK OUT ALL OF THE OTHER STOPS ALONG THE WAY!!!   Release date - 6th September 2018 Book length - 352 pages Publisher - Headline Review Worldwide - www.bookdepository.com Amazon UK - www.amazon.co.uk Amazon US - www.amazon.com I want to thank Anne from randomthingsthroughmyletterbox.blogspot.com for the opportunity to take part in this blog tour and for providing me with a copy of this book for review. ABOUT THIS BOOK 1939. Madeleine, an orphaned young woman, fears that life at her beautiful family home Summerhill will change for ever when her adored sister Georgina returns from London with a handsome and charming fiancé. Maddie fears that the man Georgina loves is not all he seems. And even idyllic Cornwall is falling under the shadow of war... Today. Chloe is newly pregnant. This should be a joyful time, but she is fearful for the future despite her husband's devotion. When her work takes her to Summerhill, she's drawn into the mystery of what happened there decades before. And the past reaches out to touch her in ways that could change everything... MY REVIEW SUMMER OF SECRETS by Nikola Scott is an excellent dual timeline story that beautifully expresses each time period with characters that will capture your heart. In 1939, Maddie has cocooned herself in the safety of Summerhill's grounds ever since the death of her father but she is content and has all she needs. Delighted that her beloved and often wild sister, Georgina, is returning home, Maddie knows that together the threat and fear of war won't harm them. But Georgina does not return alone and Maddie has a foreboding feeling that her future brother-in-law is a dangerous man. In the present day, Chloe appears to have the perfect life and now with her pregnancy, everything should be complete. But looks can be deceiving and beneath it all Chloe struggles with a controlling husband and worries over her very ill brother. When she finds herself in Summerhill, she is drawn to the history and mystery of the place, and will soon find a connection that could change her future in many ways. Compelling, descriptive, and very emotional, SUMMER OF SECRETS by Nikola Scott is everything you want in a story that blends past and present together. There are plenty of surprises along the way and I never felt that the detail was too drawn out or unnecessary. I loved both of the main characters and their time periods, but I did enjoy Chloe's parts of the book that little bit more but I don't really know why as the entire narrative is expertly written and gripping at all times. SUMMER OF SECRETS by Nikola Scott is an exceptional book and I look forward to reading more from this wonderful author. AUTHOR BIO Nikola Scott was born and raised in Germany and studied at university there. Having been obsessed with books from a young age, Nikola moved to New York City after her Master's degree to begin her first job in book publishing, a career in which she could fully indulge her love of fiction! She spent ten years working in publishing in New York and then in London, editing other people's books, before she decided to take the leap into becoming a full-time writer herself. She now lives in Frankfurt with her husband and two sons. For more information: Website - nikolascott.com Twitter - twitter.com/nikola_scott Facebook - www.facebook.com/NikolaScottAuthor/ Instagram - www.instagram.com/nikolascottauthor/ DON'T FORGET TO CHECK OUT ALL OF THE OTHER STOPS ALONG THE WAY!!   Available now in e-book Paperback Release date - 20th September 2018 Book Length - 276 pages Publisher - Orenda Books Worldwide - www.bookdepository.com Amazon UK - www.amazon.co.uk Amazon US - www.amazon.com I want to thank Anne from randomthingsthroughmyletterbox.blogspot.com for the opportunity to take part in this blog tour and for providing me with a copy of this book for review. ABOUT THIS BOOK You need to know who your husband really was… When Paula Gadd’s husband of almost thirty years dies, just days away from the seventh anniversary of their son, Christopher’s death, her world falls apart. Grieving and bereft, she is stunned when a young woman approaches her at the funeral service, and slips something into her pocket. A note suggesting that Paula’s husband was not all that he seemed… When the two women eventually meet, a series of revelations challenges everything Paula thought they knew, and it becomes immediately clear that both women’s lives are in very real danger. Both a dark, twisty slice of domestic noir and taut, explosive psychological thriller, After He Died is also a chilling reminder that the people we trust the most can harbour the deadliest secrets… MY REVIEW This was my first time reading anything written by Michael J Malone, I know, where in God's name have I been living? But I can safely say that after finishing AFTER HE DIED I am happily buying everything this man has ever written. Yes, this book is that good! Paula Gadd had the perfect life - a son that she adored and a husband that made her feel cherished and wanted. After they lost their son to a hit and run accident, Paula and Thomas drifted apart a little but Paula never gave up hope that they would find their way back to each other again. But when a heart attack suddenly takes him away too, Paula is completely broken. As grief weighs her down, Paula finds a note suggesting that Paula didn't know her husband as well as she thought and as Paula begins to delve into the events leading up to her husband's death, it will spark a chain of events that is even more horrifying than she could ever imagine ... Absorbing, disturbing, and utterly unputdownable, AFTER HE DIED by Michael J Malone tackles the tough issues of grief, poverty, drugs, and betrayal while keeping the reader hooked from start to finish. My heart definitely went out to Paula throughout this book but it was Cara who really stood out for me - a character that took the crappy hand that life dealt her and decided to help those around her, to fight for justice, and to be who she needs and wants to be regardless of everyone else. There is a haunting tension that settles over you when you read this book and the pace is perfect, never bogging you down in unnecessary descriptions. There is so much more that I would love to say about AFTER HE DIED by Michael J Malone but I really don't want to give too much away and suffice it to say you really should read it yourself as quickly as possible. AFTER HE DIED by Michael J Malone is an engrossing story that is certainly making my top ten list for books to read this year - at this rate they will all be Orenda Books!! AUTHOR BIO Michael Malone is a prize-winning poet and author who was born and brought up in the heart of Burns' country. He has published over 200 poems in literary magazines throughout the UK, including New Writing Scotland, Poetry Scotland and Markings. Blood Tears, his bestselling debut novel won the Pitlochry Prize from the Scottish Association of Writers. Other published work includes: Carnegie's Call; A Taste for Malice; The Guillotine Choice; Beyond the Rage; The Bad Samaritan and Dog Fight. His psychological thriller, A Suitable Lie, was a number-one bestseller, and the critically acclaimed House of Spines soon followed suit. A former Regional Sales Manager (Faber & Faber) has has also worked as an IFA and a bookseller. For more information: Website - www.mjm-ink.com Twitter - twitter.com/michaelJmalone1 Facebook - www.facebook.com/themichaeljmalonepage/ DON'T FORGET TO CHECK OUT ALL OF THE OTHER STOPS ALONG THE WAY!!!  |
WelcomeHi fellow bookworms. My name is Linda and I'm a reviewer & blogger, wife & mother who loves all things books! 
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