Release date - 5th February 2020
Book length - 319 pages Publisher - Hera BUY LINKS: Worldwide - www.bookdepository.com UK - www.amazon.co.uk 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 via Netgalley. ABOUT THIS BOOK Two weddings and a baby…but who will get their happy ever after? Emily Prescott’s life isn’t going to plan. Her dreams of starting a family with fireman boyfriend Greg and opening up her own bakery in London feel like they will never come true. So when a wedding invite arrives from her oldest friend, Beth Williams, Emily is thrilled. Not only will she get to return to her childhood home in Scotland, but best of all – Beth wants her to bake the wedding cake! However, her excitement is cut short when she discovers that Greg has cheated on her. Devastated by his betrayal, Emily flees to Glendale Hall, Beth’s grand estate in the Highlands, and tries to distracts herself with helping with the wedding plans, but that’s not easy when Greg keeps hounding her to forgive him. Then she’s introduced to Glendale’s new young and handsome vicar Brodie, and things become even more complicated. When Emily discovers that Greg’s betrayal runs deeper than she imagined, she finds herself with a whole host of decisions to make, especially when she discovers her long awaited dream is finally being fulfilled – at exactly at the wrong time… MY REVIEW Oh, how I loved returning to Glendale! The warmth, the community, and the drama, of course, all combine to make NEW BEGINNINGS AT GLENDALE HALL by Victoria Walters a superb story with the perfect amount of heart. Beth is getting married and it's only natural that she would want her best friend, Emily, to bake the cake. And getting the invite to Glendale comes at the perfect time for Emily because her plans for her future suddenly seem to have hit rock bottom. Her dream bakery is never going to happen, and Greg, the man she wanted to have children with, has cheated on her and that's only the start of her troubles with him. Escaping for some time out in the Scottish countryside could be just what the doctor ordered but as we all know, life has a habit of following you around and soon Emily must deal with a handsome vicar and an ex who keeps chasing her for forgiveness. But Glendale is the perfect place to make some decisions, even the most difficult ones ... While this wonderful story is a sequel to Coming Home to Glendale Hall, it can easily be read as a standalone, but my advice is to buy both and have a great weekend! The characters and community spirit make the setting come alive as I have come to expect from Victoria Walter's excellent prose, and I think I may have fallen a little in love with the new vicar myself if I'm honest 🤣 There are weddings, misunderstandings, drama, and life-changing decisions to be made, and throughout it all, friendship and support that is invaluable. NEW BEGINNINGS AT GLENDALE HALL by Victoria Walters is a beautiful story about life and finding happiness, even when it doesn't always go as planned. A must-read for all fiction fans. AUTHOR BIO Victoria Walters writes up-lifting and inspiring stories. She’s the author of three novels, THE SECOND LOVE OF MY LIFE, SUMMER AT THE KINDNESS CAFÉ, and COMING HOME TO GLENDALE HALL. She has been chosen for WHSmith Fresh Talent and shortlisted for an RNA award. Victoria was also picked as an Amazon Rising Star, and her books have won wide reader acclaim. As well as being an author, Victoria also works as a Waterstones bookseller. She lives in Surrey with her cat Harry (named after Harry Potter), and loves books, clothes, music, going out for tea and cake, and posting photos on Instagram. For more information: Website - victoria-writes.com Twitter - twitter.com/Vicky_Walters Facebook - www.facebook.com/VictoriaWaltersAuthor/ Instagram - www.instagram.com/vickyjwalters/ DON'T FORGET TO CHECK OUT SOME OF THE OTHER STOPS ALONG THE WAY!!!
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Release date - 11th February 2020
Book length - 576 pages Publisher - Harlequin (Mira) BUY LINKS: Worldwide - www.bookdepository.com UK - www.amazon.co.uk US - www.amazon.com I want to thank Justine from www.harlequin.com 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 The Unwilling is the story of Judah, a foundling born with a special gift and raised inside Highfall castle along with Gavin, the son and heir to Lord Elban's vast empire. Judah and Gavin share an unnatural bond that is both the key to her survival...and possibly her undoing. As Gavin is groomed for his future role, Judah comes to realize that she has no real position within the kingdom, in fact, no hope at all of ever traveling beyond its castle walls. Elban--a lord as mighty as he is cruel--has his own plans for her, for all of them. She is a mere pawn to him, and he will stop at nothing to get what he wants. But outside the walls, in the starving, desperate city, a magus, a healer with his own secret power unlike anything Highfall has seen in years, is newly arrived from the provinces. He, too, has plans for the empire, and at the heart of those plans lies Judah... The girl who started life with no name and no history will soon uncover more to her story than she ever imagined. An epic tale of greed and ambition, cruelty and love, this deeply immersive novel is about bowing to traditions and burning them down. MY REVIEW THE UNWILLING by Kelly Braffet is a dark and twisted tale of abuse, power, and treachery set in a magical world. Judah and Gavin were born on the same night and have a connection that cannot be explained but they live very different lives. Lord Elban, Gavin's father, is a deeply cruel and vicious man who will stop at nothing to get what he wants, and Judah is the perfect pawn. Outside the castle walls, there is someone searching for Judah and the power that she does not know she has, as she is the centre of everything and could bring about change like no other. THE UNWILLING by Kelly Braffet was a lot darker and emotionally disturbing then I expected it to be and for that reason may not suit all readers as there are a lot of graphic moments throughout. It is a long book but that didn't bother me at all as I enjoyed getting to know most of the characters and getting a feel for the setting. There is a wonderful bond between some of the characters that felt real and pure and I enjoyed those moments that shone a light over the hardships that Judah and others endured regularly, and the ending was definitely unexpected. Overall, not what I expected but gripping in it's own way. AUTHOR BIO Kelly Braffet is the author of the novels Save Yourself, Josie and Jack and Last Seen Leaving. Her writing has been published in the New York Times and Vulture.com, as well as The Fairy Tale Review, Post Road, and several anthologies. She attended Sarah Lawrence College and Columbia University and currently lives in upstate New York. For more information: Website - www.kellybraffet.com Twitter - twitter.com/KellyBraffet Facebook - www.facebook.com/kellybraffetfiction/ Release date - 18th February 2020 (Ebook)
Book length - 366 pages Publisher - Penguin (Michael Joseph) BUY LINKS: Worldwide - www.bookdepository.com UK - www.amazon.co.uk US - www.amazon.com I want to thank Laura from Michael Joseph 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 The closer the couple, the bigger the lie . . . Romy and Michael have it all. Over 30 years of marriage, two grown-up sons, a beautiful London home as well as a weekend bolthole by the sea. If Romy's had to sacrifice some of her dreams along the way to support Michael's high-flying legal career, then it's been a price worth paying. Until the arrival of a letter changes everything. At first Romy can't believe what it is saying. That Michael - an upholder of the law, with an unwavering sense of right and wrong - could do something so terrible. But then other lies start to emerge and she starts to wonder who the man she's shared her heart, her bed, the best years of her life with, really is. Walking away should be the start of a new chapter for Romy. But an urgent telephone call brings her back into Michael's life - and propels her into the past and the allegations which ended their marriage. Innocent or guilty? Truth or lie? How well can you ever know those closest to you? MY REVIEW THE LIE by Hilary Boyd is an in-depth story of relationships and what can happen when something comes to the surface that changes your entire history and who you are as a person. Romy and Michael have been together forever, have raised two kids that are now grownup together, and slotted into their roles in their family easily. Even though Romy has not always felt completely content with her life, there was never any doubt that she and Michael would grow old together. Until she received the letter. The words on that page made her question everything she knew about the man she married and something stopped her from discarding them as lies. Growing apart with this huge doubt between them. Romy and Michael separate and as Romy settles down in her little cottage, she begins to discover who she really is, make new friendships, and even feel the first flutter of lust in a very long time. But when Michael gets ill, her kids beg her to help him and she finds herself drawn back into her old life. When the past and present collide in a very unexpected way, Romy is forced to confront the real reason she walked away from Michael and she is determined to get him to tell her everything. But will everyone be able to handle the truth? Compelling, engaging, and heartbreaking at times, THE LIE by Hilary Boyd is a superb story from beginning to end. Romy is a relatable character who doesn't want to believe what she has been told but something deep inside her won't let it go without question. The sensitive issues contained in this story are deftly and realistically handled which broke my heart in many ways, and it was great to see those who needed support and compassion find it eventually. THE LIE by Hilary Boyd is an excellent drama which begs the question, 'can you ever truly know someone inside and out?' and I recommend this book to fiction fans everywhere. AUTHOR BIO Hilary Boyd was a nurse, marriage counsellor and ran a small cancer charity before becoming an author. She has written eight books, including Thursdays in the Park, her debut novel which sold over half a million copies and was an international bestseller. The film rights have been acquired by Charles Dance, who will be directing and starring. For more information: Website - hilaryboyd.com Twitter - twitter.com/hilaryboyd DON'T FORGET TO CHECK OUT SOME OF THE OTHER STOPS ALONG THE WAY!!! Available Now
Book length - 335 pages Publisher - Poolbeg (Crimson) BUY LINKS: Worldwide - www.bookdepository.com UK - www.amazon.co.uk US - www.amazon.com Ireland - www.dubraybooks.ie I want to thank Paula from poolbeg.com for providing me with a copy of this book for review and to Andrea for signing it for me!!! ABOUT THIS BOOK ONE WINDOW, THREE LIES I step forward, breathing fast. Movement. I force myself to take another step. I think about all of it, all of the deaths and all of the accidents and all of the pain. And I know what I need to do. ONE WINDOW It’s March 2018, and the country is covered in snow. Roads are impassable, shops are running out of food, and official advice is to stay indoors. Marianne lives on her own and works from home, so this isn’t a problem. Until she wakes one morning in her house in the middle of nowhere and finds footprints trailing all across her garden. Half-asleep, she is at first curious. Then she realises the footprints stop at her bedroom window, and curiosity gives way to unease. Who was looking in at her, while she was asleep? THREE LIES As the big freeze worsens and the stalker begins to leave disturbing mementoes, Marianne’s thoughts go back two decades to the schoolyard outburst that tore her childhood apart. Old feuds resurface, and the mystery of her mother’s death is pulled back into focus. Marianne begins to see patterns – is there a link between her stalker and the true crime story she’s been obsessively researching, or does the answer lie closer to home? 24 DAYS In the end, 24 days is all it takes for everything to come crashing down. MY REVIEW This book blew my mind and is already topping my list for thriller of the year! Engaging characters and an addictive plot kept me hooked to the point that my whole morning passed in the blink of an eye and suddenly it was time for the school run. Marianne lives alone in her childhood home in rural Co. Wicklow where your closest neighbour lives a short drive away and solitude can be bliss. But when a snowstorm hits Ireland, this peaceful place takes on a very sinister edge when footprints appear in her garden and stop under her bedroom window. Who would want to watch her while she sleeps and why? As the footprints continue to appear and more threatening behaviours start to surface, could the answer lie in the past? Because tragedy struck Marianne's life early on when she was just a baby and her Danish mother was murdered while visiting her parents. Is there a serial killer on the loose, ready for his next victim? Or could it be a past relationship that went badly wrong causing problems for many? As Marianne knuckles down to discover who is threatening her, one thing is for sure, she is not going to take this lying down. THE SLEEPER LIES by Andrea Mara is her third book and my favourite so far. I have always loved it when we get heavy snow because it's rare in Ireland but after reading this book, it definitely won't have the same cosy feel!! The characters are well-drawn and I enjoyed how the story moved from past to present, opening up Marianne's life and her mother's life in ways that were very unexpected and compelling. Andrea Mara has a unique way of loading every page with a subtle tension that you feel slowly taking you over as you read until you are physically reacting to what is happening on the page - when Marianne's heart was pounding with fear, mine was too - and what a superb talent that is. THE SLEEPER LIES puts the thrill into thriller and I loved not knowing what was going to happen right up to the very end. Superb storytelling, excellent characters, and a fresh, exquisite plot that really shocked me to my core, THE SLEEPER LIES by Andrea Mara is everything you could want in a great book, so buy it now. AUTHOR BIO Andrea Mara is a crime novelist from Dublin, Ireland, where she lives with her husband and three young children. Her first book, The Other Side of the Wall, was shortlisted for the Kate O'Brien Award 2018, and her second book, One Click, was shortlisted for Irish Crime Novel of the Year at the 2018 An Post Irish Book Awards. Her third novel, The Sleeper Lies, will be published in February 2020. Andrea also runs multi-award-winning parent and lifestyle blog, OfficeMum.ie. For more information: Website - andreamara.ie Twitter - twitter.com/office_mum Facebook - www.facebook.com/OfficeMum/ Instagram - www.instagram.com/officemum/ Release date - 6th February 2020
Book length - 381 pages Publisher - Harper Collins BUY LINKS: Worldwide - www.bookdepository.com UK - www.amazon.co.uk US - www.amazon.com I want to thank Patricia from Harper Collins for providing me with a copy of this book for review. ABOUT THIS BOOK Missy Carmichael’s life has become small. Grieving for a family she has lost or lost touch with, she’s haunted by the echoes of her footsteps in her empty home; the sound of the radio in the dark; the tick-tick-tick of the watching clock. Spiky and defensive, Missy knows that her loneliness is all her own fault. She deserves no more than this; not after what she’s done. But a chance encounter in the park with two very different women opens the door to something new. Another life beckons for Missy, if only she can be brave enough to grasp the opportunity. But seventy-nine is too late for a second chance. Isn’t it? MY REVIEW I wasn't prepared for the emotions that this book brought to life in me but I am so glad that I got to experience this special story, and it truly is an experience. Meet Missy. She is seventy-nine years old and living in the large home which she used to share with her beloved husband, Leo, and her two children who are all grown up and gone now. Missy is used to being alone but it doesn't mean that she enjoys it. When she starts to walk in the local park, Missy encounters loud-mouthed but kind Angela and her adorable little son, and gentle Sylvie who softly introduces Missy to a new world of friendship and support. But it doesn't come without its challenges for Missy can be prickly and struggles to open up about her life and the secrets of her past. With new opportunities opening up, family and friendship within her grasp, can Missy let go of the guilt from all those years ago and let herself feel alive again? Loneliness is something that we all understand yet the way it is developed and portrayed in this book really hit home hard for me and made me stop and think about how long a minute can be when you have nobody to talk to, and I felt for Missy from the very beginning. She reminded me of my own Nana when she was alive - a little too blunt at times but all the more loveable for it - and I desperately wanted to know what she was hiding that made her feel she deserved this empty life. And when I did find out my heart broke even more for her. Angela is ballsy and strong but looks can be deceiving so very often, and Sylvie is compassionate, engaging, and a character that feels like a friend immediately, and the other characters involved add a great sense of community to the overall plot. While the story is mainly told in the present, we get glimpses of a young Missy who falls in love and struggles with who she is and what she wants her life to be like, and this worked well throughout the story. SAVING MISSY by Beth Morrey is the kind of story that you gently fall into and before you know it you have been reading for two hours and you just have to keep going to see how it all will end. I find it hard to write a review when I truly love a story because I'm sure I never convey properly how special that book is, and this is definitely one of those reviews, so I apologise! But please just buy this one and take the time to savour it and those that live among the pages, and when you're finished and out for a walk, maybe say hello to the old man sitting on the bench or the woman feeding the ducks, because you might just make their day. AUTHOR BIO Beth Morrey was inspired to write her debut novel, Saving Missy, while pushing a pram around her local park during maternity leave. Getting to know the community of dog owners, joggers, neighbours and families, she began to sow the seeds of a novel about a woman saved by the people around her, strangers who became friends. Previously Creative Director at RDF Television, Beth now writes full time. She was previously shortlisted for the Grazia-Orange First Chapter award, and had her work published in the Cambridge and Oxford May Anthologies while at university. Beth lives in London with her husband, two sons and a dog named Polly. For more information: Website - www.bethmorrey.co.uk Twitter - twitter.com/BethMorrey Facebook - www.facebook.com/BethMorreyWriter/ Instagram - www.instagram.com/bethmorrey/ Available Now
Book length - 368 pages Publisher - Troubador BUY LINKS: Worldwide - www.bookdepository.com UK - www.amazon.co.uk US - www.amazon.com I want to thank Eva for providing me with an e-copy of this book for review. ABOUT THIS BOOK Lizzie—exasperated Mother of Cassie, Connor and Stepdaughter Maisy—is the frustrated voice of reason to her daughters’ teenage angst. She gets by with good friends, cheap wine and talking to herself—out loud. 16-year-old Cassie—the Facebook-Tweeting, Selfie-Taking, Music and Mobile Phone obsessed teen—hates everything about her life. She longs for the perfect world of Chelsea Divine and her 'undivorced' parents—and Joe, of course. However, the discovery of a terrible betrayal and a brutal attack throws the whole household into disarray. Lizzie and Cassie are forced to reassess the important things in life as they embark upon separate journeys of self-discovery—accepting some less than flattering home truths along the way. MY REVIEW A story about a family in all of its ordinary, day-to-day struggles and mayhem, 183 TIMES A YEAR by Eva Jordan is the kind of book that everyone can relate to in some shape or form and therein lies its magic. Nobody ever said that family life would be easy but should it really be this hard? Lizzie is tired. Tired of chasing the kids around trying to get them to do more, to listen more, to want to be more, but she seems to be barking up the wrong tree. Well, at least she has wine! Cassie is a teenager who has enough on her plate, which her mother just cannot seem to understand, according to Cassie anyway. Why can't her life be more perfect and simple? Why doesn't anyone understand her? And as life is shown in all of its messiness, it is only when tragedy strikes, that these characters come together and recognise their mistakes and their strengths in this complicated thing known as family. It takes real talent to excellently portray two different generations but it is one that Eva Jordan possesses. I felt for the teenage Cassie who is trying to discover who she is and where she fits in the world, making mistakes and being selfish all being a part of the journey. And then there is Lizzie who wants to get through to her kids, be there for them, and wants them all to feel connected, but yet struggles with it all - as a parent, there is something for everyone in Lizzie. 183 TIMES A YEAR by Eva Jordan is an extraordinary story about ordinary life and I look forward to reading more. AUTHOR BIO Eva Jordan was born in Kent but has lived most of her life in a small Cambridgeshire town. She describes herself as a lover of words, books, travel and chocolate, and is also partial to the odd glass or two of wine. Eva is both a mum and step mum to four adult children, all of whom have, at times, inspired her writing and her family based novels. Her career has been varied including working for the library service and at a women's refuge. A member of the Romantic Novelists’ Association, Eva also writes a monthly column for a local magazine and says storytelling through the art of writing is her passion. 183 Times A Year is Eva's debut novel, followed by All The Colours In Between, and Time Will Tell. For more information: Website - evajordanwriter.com Twitter - twitter.com/EvaJordanWriter Facebook - www.facebook.com/EvaJordanWriter/ Instagram - www.instagram.com/evajordanwriter/ Available Now
Book length - 447 pages Publisher - Fusion Press BUY LINKS: UK - www.amazon.co.uk US - www.amazon.com I want to thank Emma from damppebbles.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 Heiresses, Evelyn, Georgia and Olivia Belle, nicknamed The Southern Belles by the tabloid press, have everything they’ve ever wanted. Then, suddenly, on Evelyn’s 30th birthday, their father dies in a tragic road traffic accident, leaving a massive hole in his business’ finances. With the world’s media, and the National Crime Agency looking on, their family home, cars and all other assets are sold at auction, leaving the sisters penniless, homeless and jobless. Shunned by their celebrity friends, the Belle sisters must learn to fend for themselves for the first time in their lives. Evelyn, the eldest, knows how dire their situation is, and asks their father’s solicitor, who has kindly paid for their first two months’ rent on a rat-infested bedsit in Brighton, to look into their Father’s case, while they hunt for jobs to make ends meet, which inadvertently leads to them meeting new guys, falling in love, and learning along the way that the world doesn’t owe them a favour, and that money doesn’t buy you happiness. MY REVIEW We all know the storyline from rags to riches, but what happens when the opposite is true? Welcome to the world of 'The Southern Belles' where three privileged sisters suddenly find themselves in dire straits when their father is killed in an accident and his billion-pound empire crumbles at their feet. Suddenly living in a grotty flat with no money and no job skills, Evelyn, Georgia, and Olivia have the eyes of the world on them as they struggle to make ends meet, and most people are relishing their fall from grace. As they enter the world of barista, data-entry clerk, and pot-washer, these three women are determined to change their fortune and with the support of each other and some new friendships, they might just make it. But someone from the past is determined to ruin them completely, and when the sisters uncover their father's secret it may just change everything for them forever. Entertaining, witty, and with plenty of drama to sink your teeth into, THE SOUTHERN BELLES by Katie Simpkins is an enjoyable read. Evelyn is the controlled sister, the one who looks after them all and thinks of the little details but as she works hard to make something for herself and her sisters, it was great to see her open up and find something for herself too. Georgia is a great character who often acts before she thinks, but I loved her loyalty and determination to protect her family and wanted her to find her own happily-ever-after. And then there is Olivia, the sweetest, kindest sister who grows up more than any other character and discovers her own strength in going after what she wants. Together, these characters realise that in having each other, they have the chance to be happy and carve a new life, which isn't always possible for so many who find themselves one paycheck away from losing everything, and the issue of homelessness and loss is sensitively handled throughout. There were a couple of little things that niggled me in this novel but overall I found THE SOUTHERN BELLES by Katie Simpkins well worth reading, and I look forward to more from this author. AUTHOR BIO Katie Simpkins is the pseudonym for 42 year old dental technician Duncan Brockwell, from a town near Brighton, called Burgess Hill. Duncan works at Elite Dental Studios in his hometown during the day, and writes in his spare time. He is the author of The Southern Belles, his debut novel. Since writing The Belles, he has completed a further four novels, the first sequel to the Belles, The Varndean Vixens, two crime dramas, Blood Bunker and Blood Lust, a horror novel, Hellingly, set in an abandoned mental asylum, and is currently writing his first action / adventure called Trailblazer, set in the American Midwest in 1976, about an aging country singer who is being pursued by the mob, the FBI and a nutty sheriff, while on tour with his band and getting to know his estranged daughter, Nancy. He is also attempting to write a comedy TV series script for The Southern Belles for a producer at Voyage Media. For more information: Twitter: https://twitter.com/FusionPress1 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dcbrockwellauthor/ Website: https://www.fusionpress.co.uk/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dcbrockwell/ DON'T FORGET TO CHECK OUT SOME OF THE OTHER STOPS ALONG THE WAY!!! |
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