‘Her Mother’s Lies’ by Lisa Timoney ~ @AvonBooksUK @LTimoneyWrites #BookReview

‘Her Mother’s Lies’ is Lisa Timoney’s second novel. It was published in paperback, eBook and audiobook on the 19th January 2023 by Avon Books. My thanks go to the publisher for sending me a copy of this book to review.

Book Synopsis

You can run from a lie, but you can’t hide from the truth…

Bonnie has been running from her tragic past for far too long. Now, years after the events that changed her life for ever, the time has come to face it. Her search for answers takes her to the idyllic town of Hamblin, where she is determined to start over.

Alice’s perfect life is slipping through her fingers. Drowning in debt, she struggles on, working long days alongside her daughter Laura, ever more desperate to hold on to what little remains.

Laura had her future as an artist snatched from her when she had to return home to care for her sickly father. Whilst she tries hard to be content with her life, each day her resentment grows.

When their worlds collide, Laura and Bonnie form an instant bond. But as they grow closer, Alice begins to grow suspicious of Bonnie’s intentions. Why is she so interested in Alice’s daughter? And what devastating truth is she hiding?

My Review

This was such a good read.  I thoroughly enjoyed the book from start to finish.  I thought the story was beautifully written, and the words literally leapt off the pages.  I liked that there were some really short chapters.  They worked well in adding to the excitement.  Even though there were quite a few days when I just did not get a chance to read, I found it very easy to get back into the story which I think is a sign of a good book.

I found this story both gripping and intriguing.  It is narrated by Bonnie and Alice and switches between their past and present lives.  Like Alice, I could not help but be a bit suspicious of Bonnie either.  She seemed to have a rather unhealthy obsession with Laura.

There were some fantastic characters.  I loved Jim and Polly.  Jim was an absolute sweetheart.  I have to say I found it quite hard to warm to Alice at first.  She was like a block of ice that needed to be thawed out before you could really begin to understand her.  I admired her though for how she wanted to protect her family.  She had to be the strong one.

‘Her Mother’s Lies’ is a family drama with all the right ingredients.  There is happiness and sadness in equal measures.

I can picture ‘Her Mother’s Lies’ being made into a television drama and hope that one day soon it does appear on our screens.

I highly recommend this book and will be reading more by Lisa Timoney.  She is an author to keep an eye on.  I am so glad that I invested my time in this book.  It will definitely be on my list of favourites this year, there is no doubt about that.  Lisa, thank you for a great read.

‘Her Mother’s Lies’ is available to purchase from Amazon UK – https://bit.ly/3JItqjI

About the Author

Lisa started her career teaching English and Drama, and when she had her family, combined all three to write novels about family drama. Originally from Yorkshire, she now lives in a London suburb with her husband and two teenage daughters, so expects there’s plenty more drama to come.Her Mother’s Lies is Lisa’s second novel.

Blog Tour – ‘The Storm’ by Amanda Jennings ~ @HQstories @MandaJJennings

‘The Storm’, Amanda Jennings brand new book, is being published on the 23rd July 2020 by HQ.  It will be available in paperback, eBook and Audiobook.

I am absolutely delighted to be participating in this blog tour along with a number of fellow book bloggers.  I would like to thank the publisher for the invitation to take part and for my review copy which I got from NetGalley.

You will find out in a minute what I thought about ‘The Storm’.  Let’s have a look at the book blurb first though.

 

Book Blurb

Doesn’t every marriage have a dark side?

‘Beautifully written, chilling and absorbing’ Adele Parks, Sunday Times No. 1 bestselling author of Lies Lies Lies and Just My Luck

‘Her best novel yet… Twisty, malevolent and gripping’ Lisa Jewell, No. 1 bestselling author of The Family Upstairs

To the outside world Hannah married the perfect man. Behind the closed doors of their imposing home it’s a very different story. Nathan controls everything Hannah does. He chooses her clothes, checks her receipts, and keeps her passport locked away. But why does she let him?

Years before, in the midst of a relentless storm, the tragic events of one night changed everything. And Hannah has been living with the consequences ever since. Keeping Nathan happy. Doing as she’s told.

But the past is about to catch up with them.

Set against the unforgiving backdrop of a Cornish fishing port in the ‘90s, this is a devastating exploration of the power of coercive control in a marriage where nothing is quite as it seems…

 

My Review

‘The Storm’ is a beautifully crafted book with a prologue which entices you to read on.  I absolutely loved the style in which this book was written.  It was well presented and very descriptive.

A family drama set in Cornwall, this story is narrated mostly by Hannah and occasionally by her husband, Nathan.  As the story starts to unfold the reader learns about Hannah’s past and the terrible tragedy which would change hers and others lives forever.  Although this was not a fast-paced story it was full of suspense and it had me trying to work out what had happened.

Appearances can be deceptive, and this was definitely the case for Hannah.  To the outside world she appeared to have the perfect marriage with a doting husband who provided for her and who was a pillar of the community.  Their marriage was in fact claustrophobic.

I really did not like Nathan at all.  He was a horrible character, almost sadistic.  Having said that I do believe that in his own way he loved Hannah even though he had a very strange way of showing it.  As the man of the house he liked to feel that he was in charge.  He was very controlling and the way he treated Hannah and their son was verging on mental abuse.  I was shocked at the way Nathan demanded to see all the receipts.

As I read on, I could see in a way why Nathan behaved how he did.  There was a lot more to things and I think they affected him more than was thought.  What he did still was not right though.  There really was no excuse.

I was most interested in the storm glasses which were used to predict the weather. They sounded so beautiful and delicate.

‘The Storm’ is a gripping, tense and chilling read.  It is a story about love and what sacrifices you would make to save someone even if it means virtually giving up the life you wanted for yourself.

This is without doubt one of my favourite books of the year so far.  I highly recommend it.  I really think that this would make a good television drama.

 

‘The Storm’ can be pre-ordered / purchased from:-

Amazon UK – https://www.amazon.co.uk/Storm-Amanda-Jennings/dp/0008287066/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1595068555&sr=8-1

Waterstones – https://www.waterstones.com/book/the-storm/amanda-jennings/9780008287061

Blackwell’s – https://blackwells.co.uk/bookshop/product/9780008287061

Foyles – https://www.foyles.co.uk/all?term=9780008287061

hive.co.uk – https://www.hive.co.uk/Product/Amanda-Jennings/The-Storm/24235250

 

About Amanda Jennings

Amanda Jennings was born in London in 1973, and her family moved to a village in rural Berkshire when she was young. She accepted a place to read architecture at Cambridge University, but it soon became clear it wasn’t for her and after a year she changed course to History of Art. After she finished university she set up a company with a friend writing copy for a variety of small businesses and then a year or so later was offered a job as a researcher at the BBC. But when she had her first child she found it hard to juggle home life with working, and could no longer ignore her yearning to write. When she became pregnant with her second child, and encouraged by the success of a shortlisted sitcom script in a BBC writing competition, she took the opportunity to be at home with her children, and grabbed every spare moment she could find to write.

Sworn Secret, her first novel, was published in the UK in August 2012. On kindle it was #4 bestseller in the UK, a Top 100 bestseller in the US, and reached the #1 spot in Italy in translation. It was also published in Taiwan in translation. Her second book, The Judas Scar, was published in May 2014, and shortly after was optioned by a film and television production company. In Her Wake, her third, was a WHSmith Fresh Talent pick and will be published in Germany, Sweden, Turkey and Italy. The Cliff House is published by HQ, an imprint of HarperCollins, in hardback, audio, ebook, and paperback, as well as internationally. HQ are publishing The Storm in July.

Amanda enjoys appearing at events, is a regular guest on BBC Berkshire’s Book Club, and is a judge for the annual Henley Youth Festival writing competition. She has been involved in the WoMentoring Project, which offers mentoring support for talented female writers with women who work in the literary world, and run writers’ workshops.

Amanda lives just outside Henley-on-Thames and has three daughters and a varied menagerie. She is currently writing her sixth book, which will be set on Bodmin Moor. When she isn’t writing she can generally be found walking the dog or dreaming of mountains or the sea.

 

Links

Website – https://www.amandajennings.co.uk/

Twitter – https://twitter.com/MandaJJennings

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/amandajenningsauthor

Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/amanda_jennings1/

Blog Tour – ‘The Home’ by Sarah Stovell ~ @annecater @OrendaBooks @sarahlovescrime

‘The Home’ by Sarah Stovell was published in paperback on the 23rd January 2020 by Orenda Books and is also available as an eBook and Audiobook.  It is a real pleasure to be taking part in this blog tour today along with a fellow book blogger.

I would like to thank Anne Cater of Random Things Tours for inviting me to participate in this tour and the publisher for my review copy.

You will find out what I thought about this book after the blurb.

 

Book Blurb

A dark and emotive thriller which shines a light on the troubling issue of children in care, The Home marks the return of Sarah Stovell, author of the 2017 international bestseller Exquisite.

When the body of pregnant, fifteen-year-old Hope Lacey is discovered in a churchyard on Christmas morning, the community is shocked, but unsurprised. For Hope lived in The Home, the residence of three young girls, whose violent and disturbing pasts have seen them cloistered away.

As a police investigation gets underway, the lives of Hope, Lara and Annie are examined, and the staff who work at the home are interviewed, leading to shocking and distressing revelations … and clear evidence that someone is seeking revenge.

A dark and devastating psychological thriller, The Home is also a heartbreaking and insightful portrayal of the underbelly of society, where children learn what they live … if they are allowed to live at all.

 

My Review

I really enjoyed reading ‘The Home’. I was hooked from the very start not wanting to put the book down for too long. I loved the short chapters and the way they drew me in. I was literally left with bated breath needing to know then and there what was going to happen next. Beautifully written, I found this story to be chilling, shocking and heart-breaking. I liked the author’s descriptions of the mountains, the tarn and the woodland. Very atmospheric but at the same time rather bleak sounding.

This story is split into five parts. It goes back and forth between the past and present right from when Hope is found dead to events leading up to her death. In between we learn about all three children’s childhoods and how they eventually ended up in the home. I really liked how the author keeps the reader waiting to find out exactly what happened to Hope.

Those poor young children. Each story was just as heartbreakingly tragic and didn’t make for very easy reading at all. No child should have to endure what Hope, Annie and Lara went through. Sadly, it’s a fact of life that these things happen. Sometimes it’s the parents and other times it’s various addictions like drugs and alcohol which as we all know can ruin lives.

Out of all the characters I really liked Helen, the manager of the children’s home. She came across as very caring. Apart from her and the children I didn’t really warm to any of the other characters.

‘The Home’ deals with a number of issues including relationships, mental health, alcohol, drugs, sex and death. If you like psychological thrillers, then I really recommend that you read this book.

I look forward to more from this author.

 

‘The Home’ is available to purchase from Amazon UK:-

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Home-Sarah-Stovell/dp/1912374730/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1580152996&sr=8-1

 

About Sarah Stovell

Sarah Stovell was born in 1977 and spent most of her life in the Home Counties before a season working in a remote North Yorkshire youth hostel made her realise she was a northerner at heart. She now lives in Northumberland with her partner and two children and is a lecturer in Creative Writing at Lincoln University. Her debut psychological thriller, Exquisite, was called ‘the book of the summer’ by Sunday Times.

 

Links

Twitter – https://twitter.com/sarahlovescrime

Goodreads – https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1030004.Sarah_Stovell

 

Blog Tour – ‘Three Hours’ by Rosamund Lupton ~ @VikingBooksUK @RosamundLupton

I am thrilled to be taking part in this blog tour today.  ‘Three Hours’ is Rosamund Lupton’s brand new book.  It was published in hardback on the 9th January 2020 by Viking and is also available as an eBook and Audiobook.  It will be released in paperback on the 1st October 2020.

I would like to thank the publisher for inviting me to participate and for my review copy of ‘Three Hours’.  You will find out my thoughts on this book in a minute, after the book blurb.

 

Book Blurb

Three hours is 180 minutes or 10,800 seconds.

It is a morning’s lessons, a dress rehearsal of Macbeth, a snowy trek through the woods.

It is an eternity waiting for news. Or a countdown to something terrible.

It is 180 minutes to discover who you will die for and what men will kill for.

In rural Somerset in the middle of a blizzard, the unthinkable happens: a school is under siege. From the wounded headmaster in the library, unable to help his trapped pupils and staff, to teenage Hannah in love for the first time, to the parents gathering desperate for news, to the 16 year old Syrian refugee trying to rescue his little brother, to the police psychologist who must identify the gunmen, to the students taking refuge in the school theatre, all experience the most intense hours of their lives, where evil and terror are met by courage, love and redemption.

 

My Review

Wow! All I can is what a book. This was an extremely tense, mesmerising and powerful read and is one I won’t forget for a very long time. I thought ‘Three Hours’ was beautifully written with the scene perfectly set. I loved how the chapters were arranged and the way they continued to add to the tension right to the very end.

I found it hard to put the book down, but at the same time I wanted to put it down purely because of the subject matter. It made for quite disturbing reading at times. There you are just getting on with your life not imagining that anything will happen and then in the blink of any eye all hell can break loose. Scary!

The students were absolutely amazing, as were the teachers. They were so courageous and tried to keep positive in their own way despite what was happening. They were literally staring death in the face. The character who really stood out for me was Hannah and the way she did her best to help the headmaster who was badly wounded.

I found Rafi and Basi’s story heart-breaking. They had already been through so much together. They deserved to live a proper life without fear.

I liked Detective Inspector Rose Polstein and admired the way she dealt with things together with the rest of the team. Their theories when trying to work out who the gunmen were and what they would do next were really interesting

The thought about what would happen to those young children just didn’t bear thinking about. It’s enough to make you shiver. Good thinking on the teacher’s part, that’s all I can say.

‘Three Hours’ is a very relevant and thought-provoking book. It will have you asking yourself a number of questions and it will make you realise how precious life is.

This is definitely a must-read.

 

‘Three Hours’ is available to purchase from Amazon UK:-

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Three-Hours-Rosamund-Lupton/dp/0241374499/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1579543239&sr=8-1

 

About Rosamund Lupton

 

Rosamund Lupton’s new novel “Three Hours’ is out in hardback and ebook.

Her debut novel ‘Sister’, was a BBC Radio 4 “Book at Bedtime”, a Sunday Times and New York Times bestseller, winner of the Strand Magazine critics award and the Richard and Judy Bookclub Readers’ Choice Award. Her next two books ‘Afterwards’ and ‘The Quality of Silence’ were Sunday Times bestsellers. Her books have been published in over thirty languages.

 

Links

Twitter – https://twitter.com/Rosamundlupton

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/RosamundLuptonAuthor

Goodreads – https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3953740.Rosamund_Lupton

 

 

Blog Tour – ‘The Orphan Thief’ by Glynis Peters ~ @annecater @0neMoreChapter_ @_GlynisPeters_

‘The Orphan Thief’ by Glynis Peters is being published in paperback on the 23rd January 2020 by One More Chapter and is also available as an eBook and Audiobook.  It is a pleasure to be taking part in this blog tour today together with a number of fellow book bloggers.

I would like to thank Anne Cater of Random Things Tours for inviting me to participate.

Carry on reading to find out more about ‘The Orphan Thief’.

 

Book Blurb

From the international bestselling author of The Secret Orphan

When all seems lost…

As Hitler’s bombs rain down on a battered and beleaguered Britain, Ruby Shadwell is dealt the most devastating blow – her entire family lost during the Coventry Blitz.

Hope still survives…

Alone and with the city in chaos, Ruby is determined to survive this war and rebuild her life.  And a chance encounter with street urchin Tommy gives Ruby just the chance she needs…

And love will overcome.

Because Tommy brings with him Canadian Sergeant Jean-Paul Clayton.  Jean-Paul is drawn to Ruby and wants to help her, but Ruby cannot bear another loss.

Can love bloom amidst the ruins?  Or will the war take Ruby’s last chance at happiness too?

 

Doesn’t it sound great?  ‘The Orphan Thief’ can be pre-ordered from Amazon UK:-

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Orphan-Thief-Glynis-Peters/dp/0008384908

 

About Glynis Peters

Glynis Peters, lives in Dovercourt, Essex, England.

She married her school sweetheart in 1979, and they have three children. They also have three grandchildren, with another due in the spring of 2019, the year of their ruby wedding Anniversary.

In 2014, Glynis was short-listed for the Festival of Romantic Fiction New Talent Award.

In 2018, HarperCollins/HarperImpulse published her novel, The Secret Orphan. The novel rose to several bestseller positions within a few months of release.

When Glynis is not writing she enjoys fishing with her husband, making greetings cards, cross stitch and the company of her granddaughters.

Her grandson lives in Canada, and it is for that reason she  introduced a Canadian pilot into The Secret Orphan.

 

Links

Website: http://www.glynispeterauthor.co.uk/

Twitter : @_GlynisPeters_

Author Page on Facebook

Instagram @glynispetersauthor

Blog Tour – ‘Mix Tape’ by Jane Sanderson ~ @annecater @TransworldBooks @SandersonJane

It is a real pleasure to be taking part in this blog tour today.  ‘Mix Tape’ is being published in hardback and as an eBook on the 23rd January 2020 by Bantam Press and will also be available in audiobook.

I would like to thank Anne Cater of Random Things Tours for inviting me to participate in this blog tour.  Thanks also to the publisher for my review copy.

I will tell you all in a minute what I thought about this book.  First though here’s the book blurb.

 

Book Blurb

We all remember the soundtrack to our first love. 

Daniel was the first boy to make Alison a mix tape. But that was years ago and Ali hasn’t thought about him in a very long time. Even if she had, she might not have called him ‘the one that got away’; she’d been the one to run away, after all.

Then Dan’s name pops up on her phone, with a link to a song from their shared past. For two blissful minutes, Alison is no longer an adult in Adelaide with temperamental daughters; she is sixteen in Sheffield, dancing in her too-tight jeans. She cannot help but respond in kind. And so begins a new mix tape.

Ali and Dan exchange songs across oceans and time zones, across a lifetime of different experiences, until one of them breaks the rules and sends a message that will change everything…

Full of heartache and promises, joy and disappointment, Mix Tape asks the biggest question of them all: what if ‘what could have been’ is still to come?

Packed with music – some old, some new –  and featuring playlists of songs you’ll want to discover for yourself.

 

My Review

I first want to mention the cover which I really like. It’s so cleverly designed with the tape from the cassette tape forming a man and woman. It instantly made me think of a music video I sometimes see on television.

I found ‘Mix Tape’ to be a very enjoyable read and I thought it to be beautifully written. It was really quite hard to put this book down. I was lost within the pages and didn’t want to find my way back. Music played a huge part in this story and I would say that’s what made it work.

Set in the past and present, this story takes you from Sheffield where Ali and Dan lived as children to Edinburgh, Adelaide and London. I loved reading about Australia and the wildlife there, especially the cockatoos. They are such lovely birds.

There were some really interesting characters in this story. I absolutely adored Sheila and Dora and thought they were such fun. They are the sort of people I wouldn’t mind spending time with.

Ali’s story was heart-breaking. Things could have been so very different for her, but circumstances meant she had to decide what to do quickly even if it meant leaving the people she loved behind. As it goes, she didn’t really have any choice in the matter.

It’s amazing to think that years later the mix tape Dan made still meant something to Ali. I loved how music brought them together once again together with the amazing power of Social Media.

‘Mix Tape’ is a story about love, loss, joy, grief and heartache. I think a number of people will be able to relate to it in one way or the other. You are sure to be left feeling nostalgic.

I look forward to more from this author.

 

‘Mix Tape’ can be pre-ordered from Amazon UK:-

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Mix-Tape-Jane-Sanderson-ebook/dp/B07YBGMB2Y/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=mixtape+by+jane+sanderson&qid=1578847232&sr=8-1

The paperback version will be out on the 9th July 2020.

 

About Jane Sanderson

Jane Sanderson is a writer and journalist. She has worked as a producer for BBC Radio 4, first on the World at One, and then on Woman’s Hour. She lives with her husband and children in rural Herefordshire.

Jane has poured much her own story into this book; from the boyfriend who gifted her a mix tape introducing her to the likes of Van Morrison, to the carefully curated playlist (featured in the book) which includes songs that have helped to shape her life and pay homage to her own youth.

 

Links

Website – http://janesanderson.com/

Twitter – https://twitter.com/SandersonJane

Goodreads – https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4909104.Jane_Sanderson

 

 

Book Promotion – ‘When Stars Will Shine: Helping our Heroes One Page at a Time’ by Various Authors and Compiled by Emma Mitchell ~ @emmamitchellfpr

‘When Stars Will Shine’ is an anthology of short stories compiled by the lovely Emma Mitchell of Creating Perfection.  It is out on the 9th December 2019 as an eBook and will also be available in paperback.  This is a project which Emma spent hours putting together with the help of various authors and I think they should all be so very proud of themselves.

Here is more information about the book.

 

Book Blurb

When Stars Will Shine is a collection of short stories from your favourite authors who have come together to deliver you a Christmas read with a twist.

With true war tales that will break your heart, gritty Christmas crimes that will shake you to your core, and heart-warming tales of love lost and found, this anthology has something for everyone. And, with every penny made being sent to support our troops, you can rest assured that you’re helping our heroes, one page at a time.

From authors such as Louise Jensen, Graham Smith, Malcolm Hollingdrake, Lucy Cameron, Val Portelli, and Alex Kane, you are in for one heck of a ride!

When Stars Will Shine is the perfect Christmas gift for the bookworms in your life!

 

A Note from Emma Mitchell:

As the blurb tells us, When Stars Will Shine is a multi-genre collection of Christmas-themed short stories compiled to raise money for our armed forces and every penny made from the sales of both the digital and paperback copies will be donated to the charity.

Working closely with Kate Noble at Noble Owl Proofreading and Amanda Ni Odhrain from Let’s Get Booked, I’ve been able to pick the best of the submissions to bring you a thrilling book which is perfect for dipping into at lunchtime or snuggling up with on a cold winter’s night. I have been completely blown away by the support we’ve received from the writing and blogging community, especially the authors who submitted stories and Shell Baker from Baker’s Not So Secret Blog, who has organised the cover reveal and blog tour.

There isn’t a person in the country who hasn’t benefited from the sacrifices our troops, past and present, have made for us and they all deserve our thanks.

It has been an honour working on these stories, and I hope you enjoy reading them as much as I have.

 

Full contents:

Fredrick Snellgrove, Private 23208 by Rob Ashman
Four Seasons by Robert Scragg
The Close Encounter by Gordon Bickerstaff
Believe by Mark Brownless
What Can Possibly Go Wrong? by Lucy Cameron
Mountain Dew by Paul T. Campbell
The Art of War and Peace by John Carson
A Gift for Christmas by Kris Egleton
Free Time by Stewart Giles
Died of Wounds by Malcolm Hollingdrake
The Christmas Killer by Louise Jensen
The Village Hotel by Alex Kane
A Present of Presence by HR Kemp
The Invitation by Billy McLaughlin
Brothers Forever by Paul Moore
Girl in a Red Dress by Owen Mullen
Pivotal Moments by Anna Osborne
Uncle Christmas by Val Portelli
Time for a Barbeque by Carmen Radtke
Christmas Present by Lexi Rees
Inside Out by KA Richardson
Penance by Jane Risdon
New Year’s Resolution by Robert Scragg
Family Time by Graham Smith

 

When Stars Will Shine is available to pre-order now and will be released in digital and paperback formats on 9 December 2019.

Amazon UK – https://www.amazon.co.uk/When-Stars-Will-Shine-Helping-ebook/dp/B08234131P/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=when+stars+will+shine+-+kindle&qid=1575718094&sr=8-1

Amazon US – https://www.amazon.com/When-Stars-Will-Shine-Helping-ebook/dp/B08234131P/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=when+stars+will+shine&qid=1575722888&sr=8-1

For more information, please contact Emma Mitchell: emmamitchellfpr@gmail.com

 

I’m off now to pre-order my copy.  Make this the one thing you do this weekend.  It’s worth every penny! 🙂

 

Blog Tour – ‘Rewrite the Stars’ by Emma Heatherington ~ @fictionpubteam @emmalou13

I am delighted to be taking part in this blog tour.  ‘Rewrite the Stars’ is Emma Heatherington’s new book and it was published in paperback on the 17th October 2019 by HarperCollins.  It is also available as an eBook and in audiobook.

I would like to thank the publisher for inviting me to participate in this tour and for my review copy along with the other treats.  You will find out in a minute what I thought about ‘Rewrite the Stars’.  First though here is the book blurb.

 

Book Blurb

From the moment they meet one December day there’s something between Charlotte Taylor and her brother’s best friend, Tom Farley. But Tom’s already taken and Charlie has to let him go…

It’s another five years before their paths cross again only a secret from the past forces Charlie to make a choice. She promises herself she’ll never look back…

The years pass and Charlie moves on with her life but she can never forget Tom. He’s always there whispering ‘What if?’.

Can Charlie leave the life she has built for one last chance with Tom?  Or is the one that got away not really the one at all…?

 

My Review

I can’t tell you just how much I loved ‘Rewrite the Stars’. It was a book I found extremely hard to put down, the sort where you are just tempted to stay on the sofa all day and forget about real life. If only I could! I thought the writing was absolutely exquisite. I really liked the author’s note at the beginning of the book, and I got the feeling from that that I would enjoy the story.

You would be forgiven for looking at the gorgeous cover and thinking that this is nothing more than a love story. In fact, ‘Rewrite the Stars’ is so much more than that. It has a lot of meaning to it and is very thought provoking. There’s definitely a message or two in there.

There were some truly unforgettable characters in this story who will stay with me for quite a long while. I absolutely loved Charlotte and was eager to see what path she decided to take. I found myself routing for her all the way and at one point I really wanted to cheer her on. I thought what she did was great, and I can’t say I blame her for doing it either. I also really liked Charlie’s family and the way they were all there for each other, a proper support network. Jack was lovely too and I think he brought out the best in Charlie. He was very encouraging.

I really liked how music played a big part throughout the story. I can’t play any musical instruments or anything like that, but music itself is very important to me and I just couldn’t imagine a life without it.

‘Rewrite the Stars’ is a must read. It looks at a number of issues including mental health, sexuality, family and love. I am look forward to more from this author.

 

‘Rewrite the Stars’ can be purchased from Amazon UK:-

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Rewrite-Stars-Emma-Heatherington/dp/0008355630/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1571765883&sr=8-1

 

About Emma Heatherington

Emma Heatherington is a bestselling author from Donaghmore, County Tyrone.

Her novels include the Amazon UK Top 10 bestseller and Amazon US hit, The Legacy of Lucy Harte, and A Part of Me and You, which reached the USA Kindle Top 100 and the UK Top 40.

Her latest novel, A Miracle on Hope Street is a heartwarming Christmas themed story of love, kindness and friendship.

As well as novels, Emma has written scripts for over 70 educational short films and plays and was ghostwriter for country legend Philomena Begley on her autobiography, My Life My Music My Memories (The O’Brien Press, 2017) and Nathan Carter’s life story, Born For The Road (Penguin Ireland) which was shortlisted for the An Póst Irish Book Awards 2018.

She also regularly contributes to the Belfast Telegraph and Sunday Life newspapers and has appeared on chat shows on RTE, TV3 and UTV.

Emma is a mum of five, aged from 23 to 4 years old and her partner is Irish artist and singer/songwriter Jim McKee.

 

Links

Twitter – https://twitter.com/emmalou13

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/emmaheatheringtonwriter/

Goodreads – https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1245032.Emma_Heatherington

Blog Tour – ‘Home Truths’ by Susan Lewis ~ @fictionpubteam @susanlewisbooks

I am delighted to be taking part in this blog tour today.  ‘Home Truths’ was published in hardback, as an eBook and audiobook on the 22nd August 2019 by HarperCollins.  It will also be out in paperback on the 9th January 2020.

I would like to thank the publisher for my review copy of this book which I received via NetGalley.  You will find out what I thought about ‘Home Truths’ in a minute after the book blurb.

 

Book Blurb

Angie Watts used to have everything. A new home. A beloved husband. Three adored children.

But Angie’s happy life is shattered when her son Liam falls in with the wrong crowd. And after her son’s bad choices lead to the murder of her husband, it’s up to Angie to hold what’s left of her family together.

Her son is missing. Her daughter is looking for help in dangerous places. And Angie is fighting just to keep a roof over their heads.

But Angie is a mother. And a mother does anything to protect her children – even when the world is falling apart…

If home is where the heart is, what happens when it breaks?

 

My Review

‘Home Truths’ is the first book I have read by this author and I have to say I am seriously impressed. Susan Lewis has written a truly wonderful and genuine story which I think will touch the hearts of many readers. I found myself getting heavily involved in it and the characters and I felt really quite sad when I finished the book.

Out of all the characters I thought Angie was just the loveliest person going. She certainly didn’t deserve to go through what she did. There she was working as hard as she could to bring more money in and doing the best for her children and things just seemed to get worse and worse for her. My heart literally broke for Angie and all the time I found myself wishing that something good would happen.

Despite what Angie was going through she never stopped trying to help people who were also badly or worse off. I had nothing but admiration for her. I also loved her family. Hard times brought them even closer together and it was nice to see them all bonding.

There were a number of unsavoury characters throughout the story too, the type who preyed on the innocent and vulnerable. Not people I would ever want to meet.

‘Home Truths’ is a beautifully written story which I highly recommend. It deals with a number of issues including debt, gangs, drugs, love and loss. There are some very important messages throughout.

I am looking forward to more from Susan Lewis.

 

‘Home Truths’ is available to buy from Amazon UK:-

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Susan-Lewis-Untitled-Book-2/dp/0008286787/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1566928587&sr=1-1-spons

 

About Susan Lewis

Susan Lewis is the bestselling author of over forty books across the genres of family drama, thriller, suspense and crime. She is also the author of Just One More Day and One Day at a Time, the moving memoirs of her childhood in Bristol during the 1960s. Following periods of living in Los Angeles and the South of France, she currently lives in Gloucestershire with her husband James, stepsons Michael and Luke, and mischievous dogs Coco and Lulu.

 

Links

Website – http://www.susanlewis.com

Twitter – https://twitter.com/susanlewisbooks

Facebook – http://www.facebook.com/SusanLewisBooks

Goodreads – https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7142.Susan_Lewis

 

Book Review – ‘A Summer to Remember’ by Sue Moorcroft ~ @SueMoorcroft @AvonBooksUK

Following on from my post this morning promoting ‘A Summer to Remember’ by Sue Moorcroft, I am back reviewing this book.  I would like to thank Sue and Avon Books for sending me a review copy.

Before I tell you all what I thought about ‘A Summer to Remember’, here’s the book blurb again.

 

Book Blurb

COME AND SPEND SUMMER BY THE SEA!

WANTED! A caretaker for Roundhouse Row holiday cottages.

WHERE? Nelson’s Bar is the perfect little village. Nestled away on the Norfolk coast we can offer you no signal, no Wi-Fi and – most importantly – no problems!

WHO? The ideal candidate will be looking for an escape from their cheating scumbag ex-fiancé, a diversion from their entitled cousin, and a break from their traitorous friends.

WHAT YOU’LL GET! Accommodation in a chocolate-box cottage, plus a summer filled with blue skies and beachside walks. Oh, and a reunion with the man of your dreams.

PLEASE NOTE: We take no responsibility for any of the above scumbags, passengers and/or traitors walking back into your life…

GET IN TOUCH NOW TO MAKE THIS A SUMMER TO REMEMBER!

 

My Review

I thoroughly enjoyed ‘A Summer to Remember’. No, actually I loved it. It was everything I expected it to be and so much more besides. From the very first page I knew this book was for me. Sue Moorcroft’s descriptions of Nelson’s Bar and the surrounding areas were simply breath-taking, and I could picture the village in colour in my head. It sounded like the ideal place to escape to away from the hustle and bustle of daily life and technology.

There were some truly wonderful characters in this story including Dilys and Ernie. They literally couldn’t live with each other but at the same time they couldn’t live without each other. It was quite sweet in a way.

Clancy was such a warm and lovely person and I found myself liking her instantly. Circumstances left her with no other option but to start afresh somewhere else which didn’t seem at all fair at first, especially when what happened was hardly her fault. Nevertheless, she got on with life as best as she could. I really liked Clancy’s spirt and how she was always there for others.

And of course, how could I forget Nelson the dog. He was just so adorable. I think it’s so nice when there’s a pet included in the story. That’s very important as they are characters in their own right.

Relationships and break-ups played a key part in this story. It took a lot to confront the truth and realise that sometimes things just weren’t meant to be. Hearts broke and life didn’t feel worth living but at some point, something or someone better was bound to come along as Clancy was about to discover.

I really recommend reading ‘A Summer to Remember’. I guarantee that it’s a story you won’t forget in a hurry.

Sue Moorcroft is now on my list of favourite authors. She is an amazing writer and her books are magical.

 

‘A Summer to Remember’ is available to buy from:- 

Apple iBook: buy
Amazon UK: buy
Kobo: buy

Don’t forget that the eBook is currently 99p.

 

Cover Reveal – ‘A Question of Us’ by Mary Jayne Baker ~ @Aria_Fiction @MaryJayneBaker

Today is a very exciting day indeed.  You see Mary Jayne Baker has a brand new book coming out.

Yes, you read right!  It’s called ‘A Question of Us’ and it is being published as an eBook on the 5th September 2019 by Aria Fiction.

Together with a number of fellow book bloggers I am helping to reveal the cover of this book.  I can tell you now that you are definitely in for a treat.

So, are you ready to see the cover?  Was that a no??

Only teasing!!  Feast your eyes on this………….

 

Isn’t this cover lovely?  I like that the title of the cover is in purple, my favourite colour.  Now, you’ll be wanting to know what the book is about won’t you.  Here is the blurb.

 

Book Blurb

Two best friends. Eight pub quizzes. One shot at love…

There are some people who seem like they have all the answers in life. Clarrie Midwinter isn’t one of them.

At the age of 26, tomboy Clarrie is still struggling to become a ‘proper’ grown-up. She’s eternally strapped for cash, she hasn’t had a date in nearly a year and her attempts to quit smoking tend to take a nosedive after the second pint. Most annoyingly of all, her ladykiller best friend Simon just won’t stop asking her out. The only thing keeping her sane is her pub quiz team, the Mighty Morphin Flower Arrangers.

But when Simon bets her a date their team will win the quiz league, Clarrie is forced to confront what she really wants out of life – and love. Is it finally time for her to grow up?

Gloriously irreverent, badly behaved romantic comedy from the author of Meet Me at the Lighthouse.

 

‘A Question of Us’ can be pre-ordered from:-

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2XleC3A
iBooks: https://apple.co/2RQnN62
Kobo: https://bit.ly/2RSU2Bv
Google Play: https://bit.ly/2ROC4QC

 

About Mary Jayne Baker

Mary Jayne Baker is a romance author from Yorkshire, UK. She is represented by Laura Longrigg at MBA Literary Agents. Mary Jayne Baker grew up in rural West Yorkshire, right in the heart of Brontë country… and she’s still there. After graduating from Durham University with a degree in English Literature, she dallied with living in cities including London, Nottingham and Cambridge, but eventually came back with her own romantic hero in tow to her beloved Dales, where she first started telling stories about heroines with flaws and the men who love them. Mary Jayne Baker is a pen name for an international woman of mystery…

 

Links

Twitter: @MaryJayneBaker
Facebook: @MaryJayneWrites

Follow Aria

Website: www.ariafiction.com
Twitter: @aria_fiction
Facebook: @ariafiction
Instagram: @ariafiction

 

Blog Tour – ‘The Abandoned Daughter’ by Mary Wood ~ @panmacmillan @Authormary

It is a real pleasure to be taking part in the blog tour for ‘The Abandoned Daughter’, which was published yesterday the 16th May 2019 in paperback and as an eBook by Pan Books. This is the second book in The Girls Who Went to War trilogy. I would like to thank Mary Wood for inviting me to participate in this tour and the publisher for sending me my review copy.

I will tell you soon what I thought about this book. First though, here’s the blurb.

 

 

Book Blurb

Voluntary nurse Ella is haunted by the soldiers’ cries she hears on the battlefields of Dieppe. But that’s not the only thing that haunts her. When her dear friend Jim breaks her trust, Ella is left bruised and heartbroken. Over the years, her friendships have been pulled apart at the seams by the effects of war. Now, more than ever, she feels so alone.

At a military hospital in France, Ella befriends Connie and Paddy. Slowly she begins to heal, and finds comfort in the arms of a French officer called Paulo – could he be her salvation?

With the end of the war on the horizon, surely things have to get better? Ella grew up not knowing her real family but a clue leads her in their direction. What did happen to Ella’s parents, and why is she so desperate to find out?

 

My Review

I thoroughly enjoyed ‘The Abandoned Daughter’. I haven’t read the first book in the series yet unfortunately. This book can be read as a standalone, though personally I would say start at the beginning as there is so much you will find you want to know, as I have found out.

Mary Wood is such a talented author. She has penned another great story and she doesn’t hold back at all. ‘The Abandoned Daughter’ was everything I expected it to be and much more besides. I found it so hard to put down. It made for addictive and gritty reading and at times I was shocked.

Split into six parts, the author has done a great job of portraying what happened during the First World War and the aftermath. Those poor soldiers and their families. It’s devastating to think that so many were homeless and had no choice but to live on the streets and beg.

There were a mixture of characters, some really lovely and some downright unsavoury. My heart literally broke for Ella. She was such a lovely person, an angel. She really didn’t deserve all that what was thrown at her. Just as things seemed to be improving something else would happen. I enjoyed meeting Ella’s friends. I really liked Rowena. She came along at the right time I would say. She was a real lifesaver who was there for Ella and did all she could to help her in her time of need.

I am falling more and more in love with Mary Wood’s books and I feel like I could read them forever. I am really looking forward to the third book in this series and hopefully I will get to read ‘The Forgotten Daughter’ as well soon.

~~~~~

‘The Abandoned Daughter’ is available to buy from Amazon UK:-

https://amzn.to/2YCyfQX

 

About Mary Wood

Born the thirteenth child of fifteen to a middle-class mother and an East End barrow boy, Mary Wood’s family were poor, but rich in love. Over time, she developed a natural empathy with the less fortunate and is fascinated by social history. Mary raised four children and has numerous grandchildren, step-grandchildren and great-grandchildren. An avid reader, she first put pen to paper in 1989, and is now a full-time novelist.

 

Links

Website – https://www.authormarywood.com/

Facebook – http://www.facebook.com/HistoricalNovels

Twitter – https://twitter.com/Authormary

Blog Tour – ‘Blackpool’s Daughter’ by Maggie Mason ~ @LittleBrownUK @Authormary

‘Blackpool’s Daughter’ was published on the 18th April 2019 in paperback by Sphere and is also available as an eBook and in hardback.  I was thrilled to be invited by the author to take part in this blog tour and would like to thank the publisher for my review copy of this book.

You will find out in a minute what I thought of this book.  First though, here’s the blurb.

 

 

Book Blurb

The perfect read for fans of Mary Wood, Kitty Neale, Val Wood and Nadine Dorries
***PREVIOUSLY CALLED BLACKPOOL EVACUEE***

Clara is forced to flee her home as the Nazis invade the beautiful island of Guernsey

Separated from her mother, far away from anything familiar, she is at the mercy of a cruel shopkeeper. Clara is worked like a dog, but the warmth of her Blackpool friendships will go far to save her.

Julia just wants to find her beloved daughter – but the trials of war will keep them far apart.

They will meet again – but the war will change everything for mother and daughter…

 

My Review

As you probably know by now I love family sagas and historical fiction. I was really looking forward to reading ‘Blackpool’s Daughter’ and I can tell you that it was well worth the wait. I truly loved this story and was totally hooked all the way through. Maggie Mason is such a wonderful writer and tells it how it would have been in the 1940s. It is obvious that a lot of research and care and attention has gone into writing this book.

Set during the Second World War, this is the story of Julia and her young daughter Clara. The Nazis could invade Guernsey at anytime and Julia has no other option but to put her daughter’s safety before her own, even though that means they will be separated from each other. Clara is about to embark on a journey and doesn’t know where she will end up. When she finds out that she is being sent to Blackpool her spirits lift a little.

Clara’s life is far from easy and she has to do a lot of growing up quickly. Along the way she makes some good friends and they keep her going, even with things as unbearable as they are.

There were lots of characters in this story, many with their own tragic tale to tell. But whatever happened they kept going one way or the other. Then there were the unsavoury characters, i.e. the gangsters. The brutality Clara and others like her faced was appalling and at times there didn’t seem to be much hope for them, so it was nice to see that they could have a bit of fun together sometimes. Both Clara and Julia went through a lot and their lives changed so much over the years.

‘Blackpool’s Daughter’ is absolutely outstanding and is definitely one of my favourite books of the year. With unforgettable characters this is a story that will stay in my heart for ages. I hope Maggie Mason writes lots more books.

If like me you love family sagas then I recommend that you buy yourself a copy. You won’t be disappointed and will be wanting more.

~~~~~

‘Blackpool’s Daughter’ is available to buy from Amazon UK:-

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Blackpool-Evacuee-Maggie-Mason/dp/0751573191/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1555612146&sr=1-1-fkmrnull

 

About Maggie Mason

Maggie Mason is a pseudonym of author Mary Wood. Mary began her career by self-publishing on kindle where many of her sagas reached number one in genre. She was spotted by Pan Macmillan and to date has written many books for them under her own name, with more to come. Mary continues to be proud to write for Pan Macmillan, but is now equally proud and thrilled to take up a second career with Sphere under the name of Maggie Mason. A Blackpool Lass is her first in a planned series of standalone books and trilogies set in her home town of Blackpool.

Mary retired from working for the National Probation Service in 2009, when she took up full time writing, something she’d always dreamed of doing. She follows in the footsteps of her great-grandmother, Dora Langlois, who was an acclaimed author, playwright and actress in the late nineteenth – early twentieth century.

It was her work with the Probation Service that gives Mary’s writing its grittiness, her need to tell it how it is, which takes her readers on an emotional journey to the heart of issues.

 

Links

Website – https://www.authormarywood.com/

Facebook – http://www.facebook.com/HistoricalNovels

Twitter – https://twitter.com/Authormary

 

Blog Tour – ‘The House at Greenacres’ by Darcie Boleyn ~ @canelo_co @DarcieBoleyn

‘The House at Greenacres’ by Darcie Boleyn was published as an eBook on the 25th March 2019 by Canelo.  I am thrilled to be taking part in the blog tour for this book and would like to thank Ellie Pilcher of Canelo for inviting me to participate and for my review copy.

You will find out exactly what I thought about this book in a minute.  First though, here’s the blurb.

 

Book Blurb

All roads lead home…

When Holly Dryden fled Penhallow Sands nearly a year ago she was determined to put the past – and Rich Turner – behind her. But now an unexpected loss and financial trouble has led her back to the family vineyard and it’s time to tell Rich the truth – he’s a father.

Surrounded by the memories of what they once shared Holly’s anger fades in the glow of Rich’s undeniable love for their son and the way he selflessly steps in to help the vineyard out of trouble. As Holly watches Rich flourish in his new role as father to baby Luke, she realises that though they can’t change the past, the future is still theirs to write…

An uplifting, emotional romance set in Cornwall perfect for fans of Holly Martin and Phillipa Ashley

 

My Review

This book was full of gorgeousness; from the cover which reminded me of a lovely summer’s day to the story itself. I absolutely loved Darcie Boleyn’s style of writing and I really did not want to have to put my kindle down. This was such a relaxing and uplifting read and it ticked all the right boxes for me.

The author’s descriptions of Greenacres were simply divine. I wanted to be there exploring the house, the vineyard and the fields and drinking plenty of wine.

I thought that the characters were wonderful. There wasn’t one that I didn’t like. At times I almost felt as if I was with them. Some of the things Holly’s granny came out with were just hilarious. I thought she coped extremely well after losing her husband. Holly’s granny was such a lovely soul.

Whether Holly decided to stay at Greenacres or return to Exeter, she had to talk to Rich, her ex-boyfriend. He needed to know the truth, that he was a father. Where they would go from there though she really didn’t know. As the days and weeks went by Holly found herself enjoying life at Penhalllow Sands. She had lots of love and support from her family, plus Rich took to fatherhood really well. He absolutely doted on Luke which was nice to see.

Financial troubles at the vineyard helped Holly to make an important decision. She would inherit Greenacres one day and she didn’t want to see its demise. There surely had to be a way to make the vineyard viable.

I don’t want to tell you how the story ended, but suffice to say it was what I wished for and more.

‘The House at Greenacres’ has all the right ingredients. It really is the ideal book to read if you’ve had a bad day. Darcie Boleyn is a wonderful writer and I will definitely be reading more of her books.

~~~~~

‘The House at Greenacres’ is available to purchase from:-

Amazon (UK)

Kobo (UK)

Google Books (UK)

Apple Books (UK)

 

About Darcie Boleyn

Darcie Boleyn has a huge heart and is a real softy. She never fails to cry at books and movies, whether the ending is happy or not. Darcie is in possession of an overactive imagination that often keeps her awake at night. Her childhood dream was to become a Jedi but she hasn’t yet found suitable transport to take her to a galaxy far, far away. She also has reservations about how she’d look in a gold bikini, as she rather enjoys red wine, cheese and loves anything with ginger or cherries in it – especially chocolate. Darcie fell in love in New York, got married in the snow, rescues uncoordinated greyhounds and can usually be found reading or typing away on her laptop.

 

Links

Twitter – https://twitter.com/DarcieBoleyn

 

Blog Tour – ‘A Ration Book Christmas’ by Jean Fullerton ~ @rararesources @CorvusBooks @JeanFullerton_

‘A Ration Book Christmas’ was published in paperback and as an eBook by Corvus on the 11th October 2018.  I am beyond thrilled to be taking part in this blog tour and would like to thank the lovely Rachel Gilbey of Rachel’s Random Resources for inviting me to participate.  I would also like to thank the publisher and author for my review copy of the book.

I will tell you what I thought about ‘A Ration Book Christmas’ in a minute.  First though, the important bit.

 

Book Blurb

With Christmas approaching, the Brogan family of London’s East End are braving the horrors of the Blitz. With the men away fighting for King and Country and the ever-present dangers of the German Luftwaffe’s nightly reign of death and destruction, the family must do all they can to keep a stiff upper lip.

For Jo, the youngest of the Brogan sisters, the perils of war also offer a new-found freedom. Jo falls in love with Tommy, a man known for his dangerous reputation as much as his charm. But as the falling bombs devastate their neighbourhood and rationing begins to bite, will the Brogans manage to pull together a traditional family Christmas? And will Jo find the love and security she seeks in a time of such grave peril?

 

My Review

This is the very first book by Jean Fullerton that I have read and I thoroughly enjoyed it. It was absolutely superb. I love sagas so this story was right up my street and I found that I didn’t want to put it down.

Set in 1940 during the Second World War, the author described in great detail the horrors of the Blitz and the people who lost their homes and/or businesses due to the bombing. The number of casualties kept growing on a daily basis and it didn’t look as if anything would improve anytime soon. So good were the author’s descriptions that I could virtually see the scenes in my head; the fires, the rubble from buildings which had been destroyed and the general mayhem.

I really enjoyed getting to know the Brogan family. Out of all of them my favourites were Jo and her grandmother, Queenie, who I thought was just hilarious at times. The war seemed to offer Jo a new-found freedom. She learnt quite a few useful skills along the way which meant she could do her bit. It was also when she fell in love, but as she was soon to find things weren’t as simple as she thought they could be. She fought for what she wanted thought. I thought Ida was lovely too, working hard and then going out in search of food for her family each day.

I really like how Jean Fullerton has added a couple of Ida Brogan’s Christmas recipes at the back of the book after the story. A nice finishing touch I thought.

I am so happy to have discovered another author whose work is new to me and I really hope to read Jean Fulllerton’s previous books when I get the chance.

~~~~~

‘A Ration Book Christmas’ is available to buy from Amazon UK:-

https://goo.gl/eZ4TD5

 

About Jean Fullerton

Jean Fullerton is the author of eleven novels all set in East London where she was born. She is also a retired district nurse and university lecturer. She won the Harry Bowling prise in 2006 and after initially signing for two East London historical series with Orion she moved to Corvus, part of Atlantic Publishing and is half way through her WW2 East London series featuring the Brogan family.

 

Social Media Links

Website: http://jeanfullerton.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Jean-Fullerton-202631736433230/?ref=bookmarks

Twitter: https://twitter.com/JeanFullerton_

Blog Tour – ‘Peas, Carrots and an Aston Martin’ by Hannah Lynn ~ @HMLynnauthor

‘Peas, Carrots and an Aston Martin’ by Hannah Lynn, the first in the Peas and Carrots series, was self-published in paperback and as an eBook on the 18th October 2018.  I would like to thank Hannah for inviting me to take part in this blog tour and for my review copy.

I will tell you all in a minute what I thought of this book.  First though, here’s what ‘Peas, Carrots and an Aston Martin’ is about.

 

Book Blurb

“A coming of age story for the mid-life crisis generation.”

When George Sibley dies, his only son, Eric, has no idea that his inheritance will come with conditions. Now, if Eric is to ever get his hands on his father’s treasured Aston Martin, he must somehow juggle his hectic career and family life in the city, with regular visits to the small riverside town of Burlam. Life for Eric quickly becomes a chaotic kaleidoscope of grumpy pensioners, wellington boots and vintage auto-mobiles, fraught with heavy machinery mishaps, missed deadlines and drug raids, the result of which leave his marriage, job and sanity hanging in the balance.

Peas, Carrots and an Aston Martin is a light-hearted and humorous tale of a man who reluctantly goes digging amongst the weeds in order to discover his roots.

 

My Review

I somehow knew from the very start that I was going to enjoy this book. I thought the title to be very apt and fun sounding and I really liked the cover too. Hannah Lynn writes beautifully and with such confidence.

After his father died, Eric discovered that what he had inherited came with certain conditions. In order to keep the Aston Martin he had to maintain his father’s allotment on a weekly basis. Poor Eric had no choice but to keep travelling from London to Burlam whilst juggling his important job and family all at the same time. Personally, that would be enough to make me want to hibernate in bed for a year! It did all seem really unfair, but there surely had to be a reason why Eric’s dad had set out these terms.

Norman, who owned the next plot along didn’t exactly make things very easy for Eric at first and things really didn’t look good, but in the end they sorted out their differences and became friends. I grew very fond of Norman. There was much more to him than I thought and I loved his rather wicked sense of humour. He really had Eric going at times.

I think the allotment was a good thing as Eric and his family not only forged some friendships, but they also quite enjoyed the experience of growing vegetables and learnt lots of things along the way. It also gave Eric a chance to discover his roots and find out why his dad did what he did.

‘Peas, Carrots and an Aston Martin’ is a charming, bittersweet and humourous story. I am so happy that this is the start of a series and I am really looking forward to reading the next book.

 

Giveaway

There is a competition being run to coincide with this blog tour.  One lucky person has the chance to win an Amazon gift card.  To enter just click on the link – Rafflecopter Giveaway.

 

About Hannah Lynn

Hannah Lynn is an award-winning, genre-defying novelist. Publishing her first book, Amendments – a dark, dystopian speculative fiction novel, in 2015, she has since gone on to write The Afterlife of Walter Augustus – a contemporary fiction novel with a supernatural twist – which won the 2018 Kindle Storyteller Award and the delightfully funny and poignant Peas and Carrots series.

While she freely moves between genres, her novels are recognisable for their character driven stories and wonderfully vivid description.

She is currently working on a YA Vampire series and a reimaging of a classic Greek myth.

Born in 1984, Hannah grew up in the Cotswolds, UK. After graduating from university, she spent ten years as a teacher of physics, first in the UK and then around Asia. It was during this time, inspired by the imaginations of the young people she taught, she began writing short stories for children, and later adult fiction Now as a teacher, writer, wife and mother, she is currently living in the Austrian Alps.

For up-to-date news and access to exclusive promotions follow her on

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/HannahLynnAuthor/

Twitter – https://twitter.com/HMLynnauthor

Goodreads – https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/13830772.Hannah_M_Lynn

Bookbub – https://www.bookbub.com/profile/hannah-lynn

 

Books

Amazon.co.uk – Amendments

Amazon.com – Amendments

Amazon.co.uk – The Afterlife of Walter Augustus

Amazon.com – The Afterlife of Walter Augustus

Amazon.co.uk – Peas, Carrots and an Aston Martin

Amazon.com – Peas, Carrots and an Aston Martin

 

Blog Tour – ‘A Christmas Gift’ by Sue Moorcroft ~ @AvonBooksUK @SueMoorcroft

‘A Christmas Gift’ was published by Avon as an eBook on the 4th October 2018 and will be out in hardback from the beginning of next month.  I was thrilled to be invited along to participate in this blog tour and would like to say thank you to Sabah Khan and also for my review copy which I got from NetGalley.  I have since received a copy in the post and I can tell you now that the hardback really is lovely.  As you can see from the poster above there are lots of bloggers taking part in this tour, so do check their posts out.

I can’t wait to tell you my own thoughts on ‘A Christmas Gift’.  First though, here’s what its about.

 

Book Blurb

Georgine loves Christmas. The festive season always brings the little village of Middledip to life. But since her ex-boyfriend walked out, leaving her with crippling debts, Georgine’s struggled to make ends meet.

To keep her mind off her worries, she throws herself into organising the Christmas show at the local school. And when handsome Joe Blackthorn becomes her assistant, Georgine’s grateful for the help. But there’s something about Joe she can’t quite put her finger on. Could there be more to him than meets the eye?

Georgine’s past is going to catch up with her in ways she never expected. But can the help of friends new and old make this a Christmas to remember after all?

Curl up with the gorgeous new book from the Sunday Times bestseller, perfect for fans of Carole Matthews and Trisha Ashley.

 

My Review

I thoroughly enjoyed reading ‘A Christmas Gift’ and absolutely loved Sue Moorcroft’s style of writing. I liked the opening of the first chapter and thought it to be very different. I soon found myself getting really involved in the story and the lives of the characters.

I warmed to Georgine straight away. I really liked her personality and her attitude in general. She put so much passion into her work and did a great job with organising the Christmas show. Left with a big financial mess to sort out which wasn’t even her own doing, Georgine got on with things as best as she could. She was just so lovely. I also really liked Joe. He didn’t have a very easy childhood and it was heartbreaking reading about what he went through. I’m so glad that his fairy godfather, so to speak, took him in and gave him a life he deserved, thus helping him to grow up into a responsible and caring adult.

I loved reading about the Christmas show and the rehearsals. It all sounded like so much fun as well as lots of hard work. But for Georgine, Joe, the rest of the staff and the students it was well worth it.

There were certainly a few shocks and revelations along the way. I bet Georgine wouldn’t have expected to find out what she did in a million years. I think her and Joe were a great help to each other as in they could finally face up to things that happened in the past.

‘A Christmas Gift’ deals with a number of serious issues such as debt, illness and alcoholism, but there is also lots of happiness thrown in together with a lovely magical ending. I really liked how Christmas seemed to bring people together.

I think it would be really nice if there could be a follow up to this book. I would love to know what happens with Georgine and Joe several years down the line.

~~~~~

‘A Christmas Gift’ is available to buy in eBook from Amazon UK:-

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Christmas-Gift-bestseller-returns-romance-ebook/dp/B07C217BV1/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1540027915&sr=1-1

You can also pre-order it in hardback:-

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Christmas-Gift-Sue-Moorcroft/dp/0008260079/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1540027915&sr=1-1

 

About Sue Moorcroft

Sue Moorcroft is a Sunday Times bestselling author, an international bestselling author and has held the #1 spot in the UK Kindle chart. She writes contemporary fiction with sometimes unexpected themes.

Sue has won a Best Romantic Read Award, received two nominations at the Romantic Novel of the Year Awards and is a Katie Fforde Bursary winner. Her short stories, serials, articles, columns, courses and writing ‘how to’ have sold around the world.

An army child, Sue was born in Germany then lived in Cyprus, Malta and the UK. She’s worked in a bank, as a bookkeeper (probably a mistake), as a copytaker for Motor Cycle News and for a digital prepress. She’s pleased to have now wriggled out of all ‘proper jobs’.

 

Links

Website – www.suemoorcroft.com

Twitter – https://twitter.com/SueMoorcroft

Facebook – facebook.com/SueMoorcroftAuthor

Instagram – suemoorcroftauthor

Book Review – ‘Gift Horse’ by Jan Ruth ~ @JanRuthAuthor

‘Gift Horse’ is Jan Ruth’s latest novel.  It was published on the 29th September 2018 as an eBook.  Jan asked me if I would be interested in reviewing her book.

I will tell you what I thought about ‘Gift Horse’ in a minute.  First though, here’s what its about.

 

Book Blurb

Imagine living eighteen years of your life around a mistake…

Caroline Walker’s daughter suffers a horrific riding accident. Her distraught parents wonder if she’ll ever walk again, let alone ride. And when Mollie’s blood group is discovered as rare, her husband offers to donate blood. Except Ian is not a match. In fact, it’s unlikely he’s Mollie’s father.

Eighteen years previously, Caroline had a one-night stand with Irish rock star, Rory O’Connor. Caroline fell pregnant. Deeply flawed boyfriend, Ian, was overjoyed. And Caroline’s parents were simply grateful that their daughter was to marry into the rich, influential Walker family.

Caroline turns to Rory’s friend Connor; and although his almost spiritual connection with his horses appears to be the balm she needs, Caroline cannot forget Rory, or her youth – both lost to a man she never loved.

Eighteen years on and after surviving cancer Rory lives as a virtual recluse in the Welsh mountains. Through his well-meaning but interfering sister, he is shocked to discover he has a teenage daughter. Or does he? As the truth begins to unravel, Caroline finds herself faced with a complex trail of moral dilemma.

Someone has made a terrible mistake… someone is going to get hurt…

 

My Review

I felt honoured when Jan Ruth asked me if I would review ‘Gift Horse’, especially as I have only read and reviewed a couple of her previous books. I really liked the sound of this book and it appealed to me straightaway. I also thought the cover was gorgeous.

This story is set in the present but goes back to the year 2000, giving readers a very good insight into how Caroline knew Niamh and how she met Irish rock star, Rory O’Connor. I loved Jan Ruth’s style of writing and I found myself totally mesmerised by the story. Her descriptions of Wales and Bryn Teg were just wonderful and I almost felt as I was there at times.

Most of the characters were genuine, some more flawed than others. It was really quite unfortunate how things worked out and I couldn’t help but feel for Caroline. The sad thing was that events wouldn’t necessarily have gone the way they did if it hadn’t been for a rather careless mistake being made. Poor Mollie was in hospital recovering from a riding accident and needed lots of support rather than her parents falling out. I actually think that Ian meant well but at the end of the day he couldn’t really give Caroline exactly what she needed.

Rory’s music sounded wonderful and I wish I could have heard it for real. I quite liked Niamh but I did feel that she interfered rather a lot, making things a hundred times worse for Caroline. So much heartache could surely have been avoided. In its own strange way though it was as if all that happened was meant to be. Caroline deserved true happiness.

The ending was just so beautiful and tender and it made me want to cry.

‘Gift Horse’ has got to be my most favourite of this author’s books so far. Jan Ruth is a truly gifted writer and I hope to be reading her novels in many years to come.

Thank you for a wonderful read, Jan.

~~~~~

‘Gift Horse’ is available to buy from Amazon UK:-

http://mybook.to/GiftHorseJANRUTH

 

About Jan Ruth

Jan Ruth lives in Snowdonia, a mountainous area of North Wales, UK. Jan writes contemporary fiction about the darker side of the family dynamic, often blending life in rural Wales with a touch of city business. Her style is best described as fast-paced and realistic, with a sprinkling of dry humour.

The real story began at school, with prizes for short stories and poetry. She failed all things mathematical and scientific, and to this day struggles to make sense of anything numerical.

Her first novel – written in 1986 – attracted the attention of an agent who was trying to set up her own company, Love Stories Ltd. It was a project aiming to champion those books of substance which contained a romantic element but were perhaps directed towards the more mature reader and consistently fell through the net in traditional publishing. Sadly, the project failed to get the right financial backing.

Many years later Jan’s second novel, Wild Water, was taken on by Jane Judd, literary agent. Judd was a huge inspiration, but the book failed to find the right niche with a publisher. And then Amazon changed the face of the industry with the advent of self-publishing. Jan went on to successfully publish several works of fiction under her own imprint, Celtic Connections.

After a brief partnership with Accent Press in 2015, Jan chose to return to the freedom of independent publishing.

Jan’s books are available globally via Amazon in paperback and for Kindle; and locally, you’ll find them in North Wales libraries and Hinton’s bookshop of Conwy.

 

Links

Website – http://janruth.com/

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/JanRuthAuthor/

Twitter – https://twitter.com/JanRuthAuthor

Goodreads – https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/42090387-gift-horse

 

Guest Post by Julie Shackman ~ @G13Julie @AllenAndUnwin

It gives me great pleasure to welcome the lovely Julie Shackman back to my blog.  Her new book ‘A Room at the Manor’ was published in paperback and as an eBook on the 27th June 2018 by Allen & Unwin.  I remember when Julie first revealed the cover of her new book on social media.  I fell in love with it instantly.  It is absolutely gorgeous and I could literally sit and admire it all day long.

Julie has written a guest post for my blog all about the cover.  First though, let’s take a look at what ‘A Room at the Manor’ is all about.

 

Book Blurb

When her Maltese love affair turns sour, Lara McDonald returns to her quiet Scottish hometown of Fairview heartbroken, yet determined – instead of looking for another PR position, she decides to follow her dream of baking. She impulsively takes the first job offered and finds herself working for local dragon Kitty Walker in her tea room, True Brew.

Lara’s life is full of surprises, however, not the least being an unlikely friendship forged with one of Kitty’s elderly customers, the former laird Hugo Carmichael. The Carmichael family has lived at the beautiful Glenlovatt Manor for almost three hundred years and, although in need of renovation, Hugo, his son and grandson currently make it their home.

There’s something about Lara that Hugo likes, and when Hugo suddenly passes away, Lara is stunned to discover she is mentioned in his will. But not everyone is happy with the old Laird’s faith in Lara.

A story of love, family, hope and trust, A Room at the Manor will delight every reader keen to find their place in the world.

 

Guest Post

“Cover Story” – Julie Shackman

Seeing the cover of your latest book for the first time is a moment you never forget.

My first two novels were published digitally and each time, this was a lovely experience.

But with A Room at the Manor, this is my first traditionally published book and I think this has made the whole journey an extra special one.

The last year has been a whirlwind of being signed by my wonderful agent Selwa, followed by my novel being accepted for publication by Allen & Unwin.

Several rounds of editing and polishing followed, as well as invaluable and constructive advice and editorial guidance from Selwa, Annette at Allen & Unwin and my very patient and understanding (!) editor Bec.

Then came the day my cover popped into my Inbox.

I remember sitting for a few moments, gazing at the bright colours; the tangle of thistles and the swirls of type face, announcing the title.

It almost didn’t seem real.

When I saw the tea cup and further thistle detail on the back cover – all those finishing little touches – couldn’t have made me more grateful to Romana and the art department at my publishers for their beautiful work.

It amazed me how like my fictional Glenlovatt Manor the house on the cover is, with its buttery stone and grand windows.

A Room at the Manor tells the story of what can be achieved if someone believes in you and how determined Lara is, to make a success of things.

The same can be said for all us writers.

All it takes is for one person to have faith in you and your writing and to say that magic word “Yes.”

Remember – A published writer is an unpublished writer who never gave up.

 

Julie X

 

(A Room at the Manor is released in paperback and Kindle on 27 June. It is available in the UK online at this link https://www.bookdepository.com/Room-at-the-Manor-Julie-Shackman/9781760632861

In Australia & New Zealand, it is also available on-line, as well as in all good bookshops.)

 

About Julie Shackman

Julie had her first two books published digitally by Not So Noble Books. A,Room at the Manor is her first traditionally published novel.

When not reading or writing, Julie loves going for long walks; music; travelling and watching films.

She is married with two teenage sons and lives in Scotland.

 

Links

Twitter – https://twitter.com/G13Julie

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/julie.shackman

Blog – http://julieshackman.wordpress.com/

 

Blog Blitz – ‘One Summer in Rome’ by Samantha Tonge

Huge congratulations to Samantha Tonge whose new book, ‘One Summer in Rome’ is out today as an eBook, published by HQ Digital.  I took part in the cover reveal back in January and today I am absolutely delighted to be one of a number of book bloggers taking part in this blog blitz, which was organised by Rachel Gilbey of Rachel’s Random Resources.  I would like to thank both Rachel and the publisher for my review copy.

You will find out in a little while what I thought of ‘One Summer in Rome’, but first here’s a reminder of what it’s about.

 

Book Blurb

To Rome…with love?

Mary Smith is turning her very ordinary life upside-down! She’s bought herself a one-way ticket to Rome and is ready for a summer she’ll never forget.

Men might be off the cards for waitress Mary, but within hours of arriving at the utterly charming family-run La Dolce Vita pizzeria, she’s already fallen in love with the bustling capital!

Only Dante Rossi, the mysterious (and drop-dead gorgeous) chef seems displeased with her arrival. And in the heat of the kitchen, it doesn’t take long for long-buried secrets to surface and sparks to fly…

A deliciously heartwarming romance to have you dreaming of summer. Perfect for fans of Debbie Johnson and Caroline Roberts.

 

My Review

Until now, I had never read any of Samantha Tonge’s books. So what is my verdict now that I have finished ‘One Summer in Rome’? Well, I could literally kick myself for not having done so. I absolutely loved this author’s style of writing and the descriptions of Rome, the restaurant and the piazza. It really is true when they say that you can travel all over the world without leaving your chair.

I warmed to Mary straightaway and thought that it was very brave of her to start a new life in Rome. It actually did her a lot of good. The Rossi family were just lovely and they welcomed Mary with open arms, although it did take Dante a little while to thaw out.  I wasn’t too sure about Rocco at first. All became apparent later on though.

Reading about the pizzas made my mouth water. How I would have loved to watch Dante creating them. In fact, he can come and make me a pizza anytime. I certainly wouldn’t turn him away.

‘One Summer in Rome’ is a wonderful story. It deals with a number of issues; things which can affect us all. What some of the characters had been through was heart-breaking. It’s not all doom and gloom though. This story will also warm your heart and make you smile on a number of occasions.

I really do hope to read some of Samantha Tonge’s previous books when I get the chance and I am already looking forward to her next one.

Thank you for the many hours of pleasure.

I give this book 5 out of 5.

~~~~

Has my review whet your appetite?  It is available to buy from Amazon UK – http://amzn.to/2rrwXfT

 

About Samantha Tonge

Samantha Tonge lives in Cheshire with her lovely family and a cat who thinks it’s a dog. When not writing she spends her days cycling, willing cakes to rise and avoiding housework. She has sold over 80 short stories to women’s magazines. Her bestselling debut novel, Doubting Abbey, was shortlisted for the Festival of Romantic Fiction best Ebook award in 2014. Game of Scones hit #5 in the UK Kindle chart and won the Best Romantic Ebook category at the 2015 Love Stories Awards.

 

Links

Website – http://samanthatonge.co.uk/

Twitter – https://twitter.com/SamTongeWriter

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/SamanthaTongeAuthor

Blog Tour – ‘Cards From Khloe’s Flower Shop’ by Isabella Louise Anderson

‘Cards From Khloe’s Flower Shop’ was published in paperback and as an eBook by Chick Lit Goddess, LLC last year. I was invited by Jenny Marston of Neverland Blog Tours to take part in this tour and I would like to thank both Jenny and the author for my review copy of the book.

The owner of a thriving florist shop, Khloe Harper trusts her instincts. She has a strong bond with her family and her best friend, Sharon. However, after being betrayed by her last love she’s kept away from men and romance. But she doesn’t know what is about to hit her when the handsome Derek Thomas walks into her store.

Gabby Lewis, recently widowed, isn’t about to give up on life and love just yet. She just needs to release herself from survivor’s guilt, thus allowing herself to take a chance on finding happiness and companionship again. After signing up to an online dating site for senior citizens, much to her surprise she is matched with Harry, an energetic and loving man who quickly eases himself into her heart.

Frumpy Connie Albright has a faux fascination with an imaginary man called Walt. By sending herself flowers from him she feels less out of place at work amongst the “mean girls” she works with. She soon comes face to face with her possible prince charming, but will she have a happy ending?

As each woman’s story develops through flowers and cards sent from Khloe’s shop during the Fall months, they begin to learn that love can only truly blossom when you trust your heart.

I firstly want to mention the cover which I think is gorgeous. I was really looking forward to this book especially as it had a floral theme. I adore flowers and was delighted to read about the bouquets being made up and the beautiful colours. I wish I could have visited Khloe’s shop and had a chat with her about flowers. I’m not surprised her business was doing so well.

Narrated by Khloe Harper, Gabriella Lewis and Connie Albright who are the main characters, I read their stories with great interest. Out of all of them Gabby was my most favourite. She took a second chance and her life changed for good. I loved reading about her and Harry and his family. Little Andrew was just so adorable too.

I felt sorry for Connie and I could see why she did what she did. Her colleagues at work weren’t exactly nice to her for a start off. Connie was lacking in confidence and was lonely. She really deserved some happiness.

I was a bit disappointed at the end as I presumed the epilogue would give an update not just on Khloe, but Gabby and Connie too. I would really have liked to know how Gabby and Connie were getting on as well. Also, the editing could have been that much better.

Thank you for a lovely read. I might have to buy myself some flowers now.

I give this book 4 out of 5.

~~~~~

‘Flowers From Khloe’s Flower Shop’ can be purchased from Amazon UK – https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/search/ref=x_gr_w_bb?keywords=9780991416721&index=books&linkCode=qs&tag=x_gr_w_bb_uk-21

 

Giveaway

To coincide with this blog tour there is a competition being run.  The winner can choose from an eBook copy of either; “The Right Design,” “Cards From Khloe’s Flower Shop,” or “The Hollywood Setup.” by Isabella Louise Anderson.

To enter just click on this link Rafflecopter Giveaway.  This competition is open internationally.

 

About Isabella Anderson

Isabella Louise grew up with a book in her hand, and to this day nothing has changed. Aside from writing, she focuses her time on featuring other authors on her blog, Chick Lit Goddess, along with sharing book reviews. Isabella Louise is also a member of the Romance Writers of America.

She lives in Dallas with her husband, enjoys spicy Indian and Mexican food, margaritas, and red and white wines. She loves spending time with family and friends, and cheering on the Texas Rangers. When Isabella Louise isn’t working on her next release, her attention is also on her Scentsy business, where she’s a consultant.

 

Links

Website – http://www.isabellalouiseanderson.com/

Twitter – http://www.twitter.com/ChickLitGodess

Goodreads – https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/29923543-cards-from-khloe-s-flower-shop?ac=1&from_search=true

 

‘The Fragile Thread of Hope’ by Pankaj Giri

‘The Fragile Thread of Hope’ was self-published as an eBook by Pankaj Giri last November. Pankaj contacted me a while back to ask if I would review his novel. I would like to thank him both for sending me a copy of his book and for being really patient with me. I meant to review it much earlier but things got in the way.

It’s the autumn of 2012 and two people are about to find their lives totally turned upside down.

Still haunted by losing his brother at a young age, Soham has managed to establish a promising career in IT for himself in Bangalore. Fiona, after having had a difficult childhood, finds her life is finally taking a turn for the better. She has married her beloved and things are wonderful.

But when tragedy strikes them both yet again, their fundamentally fragile lives threaten to fall apart. Can Fiona and Soham overcome their grief and find some normality again?

I absolutely adored this book from start to finish. I found myself really wanting to savour it and so I took my time reading it. The writing was simply exquisite and the descriptions were just wonderful. Pankaj Giri has clearly given a lot of thought to this story.

The chapters are narrated by Sharon (Fiona’s mother), Fiona and Soham. The reader is given a good insight into their lives leading up to the individual tragedies. I warmed to the main characters instantly. I felt really bad for Soham who put himself through hell for years after his brother’s death.

It was really interesting learning about the different traditions; i.e. the festivals and what happens at funerals. I loved the description of the birch tree, how it loses all of its leaves year after year and yet it continues to stand there patiently. It waits for new leaves to grow and doesn’t give up hope. If only we could all be that patient and positive. This book really got me thinking and made me realise how short life really is and how you should make use of it. Material things are of course nice but loved ones are all the more important.

‘The Fragile Thread of Hope’ is a thought-provoking and emotional story about love and loss and how there can still be hope even in the darkest of moments. It gives a very strong message not to give up no matter what.

I really hope that Pankaj Giri writes more books. To not do so would surely be torture for his readers. I don’t normally compare authors with others, but I would say if you like Renita D’Silva’s books then you will hopefully enjoy this one.

I give this book 5 out of 5.

~~~~~

‘The Fragile Thread of Hope’ can be purchased from:-

Amazon UK – https://www.amazon.co.uk/Fragile-Thread-Hope-emotional-inspirational-ebook/dp/B076ZGGNH8/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8

Amazon US – https://www.amazon.com/dp/B076ZGGNH8

 

Author Links

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/PankajGiriAuthor/

Twitter – https://twitter.com/_PankajGiri

 

Blog Tour – ‘Brighter Days Ahead’ by Mary Wood

‘Brighter Days Ahead’ was published in paperback and as an eBook by Pan Books on the 30th November 2017. Mary Wood was looking for people to take part in a blog tour for this book and as I liked the sound of it I was delighted to participate. I would like to thank the lovely Kate Green at Pan Macmillan for my review copy.

This story is set during the Second World War from 1940 onwards. Molly lives with her repugnant father who has betrayed her on many occasions. From a young age, living on the streets of London’s East End, she has seen how harsh life can be. When Molly is kidnapped by gangsters and forced into their underworld her future seems bleak.

Flo spent her early years living in an orphanage. Years later and she is about to turn her hand to teacher training. When a kindly teacher at her school approaches her about a job at Bletchley Park, it could turn out to be the best move she makes.

It’s been absolutely ages since I’ve read a saga so I was really looking forward to ‘Brighter Days Ahead’. This is the first book I have read by Mary Wood and I am so glad to have come across yet another author. I somehow had the feeling I would enjoy this book and I wasn’t wrong. I loved the cover and thought it was beautiful. I also liked Mary Wood’s style of writing and the way the chapters were set out. The editing was excellent too and it was obvious that a lot of research had been undertaken.

The story is narrated by a few characters, but mostly by Molly and Flo. Through them the reader gets to follow their lives during the war, meeting a number of other characters along the way. I was so into the story that I actually felt at times as if I was there with Molly and Flo. My heart almost broke when reading about Molly and the abuse she went through. I kept hoping that she would have a happy ending. I absolutely adored Flo. She was such a loving and kind person who gave a lot of her time to people who were in desperate need of help. Even when things were tough for her she still carried on as best she could. Such a strong and charismatic person was Flo. I loved her northern accent too and the way she said ‘Eeh, it’d be grand’ quite often.

As well as the war, this story dealt with a number of other issues including homosexuality which was in those days a crime. I personally thought it was such a shame that people were imprisoned simply for being in love with a person of the same sex.

If you enjoy sagas then I definitely recommend reading ‘Brighter Days Ahead’. Though there is quite a lot of doom and gloom in the story, there is also a real sense of the community coming together during hard times.

I will be waiting patiently for Mary Wood’s next book, but in the meantime I can at least check out her backlist.

I give this book 5 out of 5.

 

About Mary Wood

Born in Maidstone, Kent, in 1945, the thirteenth child of fifteen children, Mary’s family settled in Leicestershire after the war ended.

Mary married young and now, after 54 years of happy marriage, four children, 12 grandchildren and many great-grandchildren, Mary and her husband live in Blackpool during the summer and Spain during the winter – a place that Mary calls, ‘her writing retreat’.

After many jobs from cleaning to catering, all chosen to fit in with bringing up her family, and boost the family money-pot, Mary ended her 9 – 5 working days as a Probation Service Officer, a job that showed her another side to life, and which influences her writing, bringing a realism and grittiness to her novels

Mary first put pen to paper, in 1989, but it wasn’t until 2010 that she finally found some success by self-publishing on kindle.

Being spotted by an editor at Pan Macmillan in 2013, finally saw Mary reach her publishing dream.

When not writing, Mary enjoys family time, reading, eating out, and gardening. One of her favourite pastimes is interacting with her readers.

 

Links

‘Brighter Days Ahead’ is available to buy from Amazon UK:-

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Brighter-Days-Ahead-Mary-Wood/dp/1509811184/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1512496621&sr=1-1

Website – https://www.authormarywood.com/

Facebook – http://www.facebook.com/HistoricalNovels

Twitter – https://twitter.com/Authormary

 

Cover Reveal – ‘Pot Love: Books 1 and 2’ by Sylvia Ashby

I’m thrilled to be taking part in this cover reveal.  Today I have not just one but two covers to share, both of which are absolutely gorgeous.  Here’s more information about ‘Pot Love’.

 

Book Blurb

Ashley Burkе is your average next-door girl. She lives with her boyfriend, loves her work and secretly fancies her boss.

When Ashley loses it all through no fault of her own, well, apart from snogging her boss and getting caught by his fiancée, she needs to act fast to find a new job. A lucrative vacancy comes her way – a spot on a popular day-time TV – but there is a catch. It’s a cookery spot and Ashley can’t cook to save her life.

 

PRAISES FOR POT LOVE

“I feel like exploding with how much I love this book. I almost didn’t want to read the last few chapters because I wasn’t ready for it to be over. I feel like I made a new best friend and visited England, without ever leaving my house.

If this book were a movie, it would be the biggest romantic comedy of the next five years, and I’d be first in line to pay my $10 for a ticket and $20 worth of popcorn and soda.”

BestChickLit.com
“Like a late night, post-pub cheeseboard or the final few drops of Rosé, it will prove mighty hard to resist.”

“Great characters, interesting plot line and wonderful writing bringing it all together! Well worth the read. Kind of hoping for a sequel.”

 

‘Pot Love’ is available to buy from Amazon.com – https://www.amazon.com/Pot-Love-Sylvia-Ashby-ebook/dp/B00DJB79EW

 

Feast your eyes on the second cover.  Those cupcakes look delicious don’t they!

 

Book Blurb

Ashley has a YouTube channel, The Sinking Chef. It’s filmed right in her kitchen, so she doesn’t go out much. When James calls with an offer to take her to lunch – the same James that got her fired from her dream job three years ago – she accepts. Against her better judgement, of course.

Now Ashley has all kinds of secrets and things are only going to get worse.

The Sinking Chef (Pot Love 2) is a light, enjoyable and easy to read romantic comedy. With Sylvia Ashby’s gift of humour there is plenty to laugh and smile about, but the book does have its serious moments.

 

PRAISES FOR POT LOVE

“Oh wow – what a fabulous ending!  I actually had tears pricking my eyes.  I’m so happy for Ashley.  After all she’s been through in the course of the book, all the problems and insecurities… the ending was just perfect.”

Heather Belleguelle

“Captivating read!! I found myself charmed by Ashley- all her flaws and insecurities kept me reading page after page.”

Celeste Rogers

 

‘Pot Love 2: The Sinking Chef’ is available from Amazon.com – https://www.amazon.com/Sinking-Chef-Pot-Love-Book-ebook/dp/B06ZYGMPLB

 

About Sylvia Ashby

Three random facts about me

I graduated university with a Graphic Design degree and spent my twenties working in advertising. Never did it occur to me that my degree would come in handy when I start publishing books.

In my early thirties, I was a shop owner. I owned four shops, one of which was in St. Christopher’s Place London W1. I was doing everything from buying the collections to submitting monthly PAYS. It was madness. I’m so glad the economy crashed in 2008 and I had to give up retail.

Then I started writing. It felt like the first conscious decision I’ve ever made in my life. I felt a sense of belonging. The thought “I could be doing this for the rest of my life” didn’t scare me half to death. Four years and four books later I still feel the same way. This is love, home and vocation wrapped in one.

My first book, Pot Love, was about food and love. My second, The Treachery of Trains, is about finding love in unlikely places. The third book I wrote is actually Pot Love‘s second instalment. It’s called The Sinking Chef (Pot Love Book 2) and in it my eponymous heroine Ashley is in even bigger trouble then she was in Pot Love. The two books are standalone and you don’t have to read them in order. My fourth is The Official Pot Love Series Cookbook and you can get it completely FREE.

Currently, I live in Leuven, Belgium with my family.

 

Links

Twitter @bysylvia_a

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/sylviaashbywriter/

Amazon author page https://www.amazon.co.uk/Sylvia-Ashby/e/B00DK8M2NM

 

Interview with Daniel Gothard

I can’t believe this is the very last day of my Urbane Blog Event.  Where has the time gone?  Today I have for you an interview with Daniel Gothard and then later on there will be reviews of both of his books.

 

You have so far had two novels published by Urbane Publications. For the benefit of my readers can you tell me a bit about them please?

“Simon says” is a book about youth, love and the value of great friends – classic tenets of a lot of romantic comedy. I think what sets the novel apart, or so I’ve been told by various readers, is this type of story being from a male point-of-view – heartbreak, starting over, strong friendship … A few people have referred to the novel as “male chick-lit”.

“Reunited” is set in 1992 and 2012 – the story is told in a first-person narrative by Ben Tallis (aged 16 in ’92, at school, dealing with the death of his dad, and being in secret love with one of his best friends. And then in ’12, at 36, a journalist, going to a 20 year school reunion). The chapters go between the 2 time frames and seem to have worked well – reviews have been very positive (to date!)

 

What led you to write them?

I’ve written in various genres – even a 16,000 word 2nd person Dystopian short story! – and I’ve always loved rom-coms: “When Harry Met Sally”, “Four Weddings And A Funeral”, et al. I had the ideas in quick succession and had a really good time writing the books. Writing can be genuinely hard work, but these were a pleasure and I found myself smiling and laughing at my own references and comedic scenes. It was a bit pathetic!?

 

Where did you get your ideas from?

Ah, the BIG question. Probably watching too much TV, too many films and listening to too much music in the 1970s and 1980s! My head is full of useless cultural markers – but they come in handy sometimes. The actual moment of inception, when the idea happens – for me – is just something I can create. That reads as a bit arrogant, but it’s just a thing I’ve done since childhood.

 

Would you like to see either of your books made into a film or TV programme?

Oh yeah! Money, money, money!! And for a wider audience. Artistically, of course, most books don’t translate that well on to the screen. But I love film and TV, and there are some brilliant actors and directors around these days. It would be fantastic

 

What would you do if a character from one of your books knocked on your door?

Pretend I wasn’t home! I mean that wholeheartedly … They are nice enough people, I’m the misanthrope.

 

Can we look forward to more books from you?

Yep. I’ve got 2 books out with literary agents and publishers, but the difficulty with success in the creative arts is always about ‘shifting product’. Quality naturally counts, but a publisher and/or a literary agent has to be VERY sure of you to take the financial risks. I’ve been hugely fortunate. YouGov found, in 2015, over 60% of the UK had writing as their dream-job. 98% of submissions are rejected – and there are, literally, thousands of submissions each week.

 

How easy was it to get published?

Not easy at all. 2013-present has been very busy and my publication rate looks very good. But I started learning the craft in 2000, got married, had a day job and have 3 kids. It’s been a very long process. You have to REALLY want to write, act, make music, etc. to succeed. And there are absolutely no guarantees.

 

Have you got any pearls of wisdom for anyone wanting to write a book?

Look at my answer from the last question. Keep writing, read great, ‘difficult’ books, learn from the best, take chances. Don’t give up. As one of my bosses used to say, “You’re a long time dead. So get on with getting on.” Morbid but true!

 

Has social media been of much benefit to you?

Undoubtedly. I wouldn’t have met Matthew Smith – MD of Urbane Publications – without it. I wrote, as an arts correspondent, for After Nyne Magazine and met the editor, Claire Meadows (another Urbane Publications author) through Twitter. It has changed everything for me.

 

What do you like to do in your spare time?

Watch great TV/films. Read those ‘difficult’ novels.

 

Describe your writing journey in three words.

Long. Tough. Fulfilling.

 

If you could do all this again, would you?

Absolutely!

 

Links

Twitter – @bookslifelove and @GOTHARDDANIEL