Saturday 17 November 2018

Blog Tour: The Barn of Buried Dreams by Chrissie Bradshaw




The Blurb
Erin and Heather Douglas are struggling. Their mother’s death has left a void in their family and everyday life has side-lined their dreams. 
Erin has buried herself away in the family home and left her stage career. By hiding away, she is evading the pain of returning to London and the acting world where her ex-fiancĂ© is enjoying success and a new relationship. When she meets charismatic Texan Jackson McGee, she wrestles with her feelings for him. Should she trust another man? 
Heather is juggling babies, work, a rocky marriage and running on wine. An overheard conversation makes her ask, would Mark cheat on her? 
Can the sisters help one another to face their fears, dust off and revive those dreams and find joy in life?
My Review

The Barn of Buried Dreams is a lovely heart-warming story, centred around a bereaved family. Erin and Heather have both put their dreams on hold in the face of responsibility. Erin has struggled to cope with first giving up her acting career in London to nurse her sick mother, to having to then sort out her mother's house - the Barn of the title - and effects. Her sister Heather has her own problems as a mother and a wife; she seems very self-centred at first, but there's more than meets the eye to her issues. And brother Fraser just isn't present enough.

It's a story of everyday people with everyday problems, but it's not an everyday book. It's written sympathetically, with warmth and love, and the characters are well-developed and relate-able. And there's a hunky Texan to (cowboy) boot!

I'm going to go and read the author's first novel, A Jarful of Moondreams!

The Author

Chrissie, 2016 winner of the Romantic Novelist's Elizabeth Goudge writing trophy, is a seasoned tea drinker and a tenacious trainer of her welsh terrier, Oscar. She has always loved match-making a book to a reader. Writing the kind of book she loves to read takes this a step further. When Chrissie is not writing or reading, you will find her walking Oscar on the beach, trying to avoid the gym and spending time with her family and friends. 

Her new release, THE BARN OF BURIED DREAMS - when will they see daylight?, is a contemporary story about two sisters who are struggling after the death of their mother. It starts in Dunleith, the same Northumbrian setting as her debut novel ‘A Jarful of Moondreams’, and some characters cross both books. Readers can enjoy either book as a stand alone 

Chrissie enjoys tweeting to readers on @ChrissieBeee
Her instagram account is chrissie_bradshaw_author
Her blog is newhenontheblog.com
and she has a Chrissie Bradshaw author page on Facebook.
She would love to hear from readers!



Monday 20 August 2018

Blog Tour: The Great Unexpected by Dan Mooney



I am delighted to be taking part in the Blog Tour for the second novel by Dan Mooney, The Great Unexpected, which is published by Legend Publishing. You can buy it here, and you can also read my review of Dan's first book, Me, Myself and Them, here.

The Blurb
“If you’re going to end it, you better make it big. No slipping off bridges, it’s undignified for men of our vintage. Go big or don’t bother.” 
Joel lives in a nursing home and he’s not one bit happy about it. He doesn’t like being told when to eat, when to sleep, when to take his pills. In fact, he doesn’t like living at all, and he’s decided he’s going to end his life on his terms.
When he tells retired soap-actor Frank about his dark plan, Frank urges him to go out with a bang. Together, they embark on a mission to find the perfect suicide, and along the way, discover the strength of friendship when you really feel alone.

My Review 

Well now, this is an absolutely amazing second novel.

Suicide is a very dark subject, and it is countered by light. Dan does this brilliantly, injecting a gentle, wry humour throughout Joel's story, which had me smiling when reading much of it.

Joel has been miserable since his beloved wife, Lucey, died. His routine is disrupted when the inimitable Frank moves into his room, and despite himself, he finds himself drawn to the irrepressible old actor.

The various escapades enjoyed by the two old men are hilarious and heartwarming, interspersed with poignant moments of heartbreak and sadness.

It highlights the plight of our elderly today, and how they are shipped off to die, out of the way, in a home. Obviously in some cases, that may be for the best, for them and their families, but to subject people like Joel and Frank to 'incarceration' should be criminal.

People need just that little bit of humanity and the encouragement to live.

About the Author

Dan Mooney is a writer, air traffic controller and amateur filmmaker, with one of his short films broadcast on national TV. Dan is also a fan of amateur dramatics, rugby and is a friend to many cats. He wrote his first piece of fiction for a child-operated local newspaper at age ten and has been writing ever since.

He is the author of Me, Myself and Them (June 2017) and The Great Unexpected (2018).

Follow Dan on Twitter @danielmoonbags

Monday 6 August 2018

Book Review: Our House by Louise Candlish


Thank you to the publisher Simon & Schuster for the advanced reading copy. I'm a bit late to the party with my review on my blog, but if you haven't already read Our House, buy it now!

The Blurb
FOR BETTER, FOR WORSE.
When Fi Lawson arrives home to find strangers moving into her house, she is plunged into terror and confusion. She and her husband Bram have owned their home on Trinity Avenue for years and have no intention of selling. How can this other family possibly think the house is theirs? And why has Bram disappeared when she needs him most?
FOR RICHER, FOR POORER.
Bram has made a catastrophic mistake and now he is paying. Unable to see his wife, his children or his home, he has nothing left but to settle scores. As the nightmare takes grip, both Bram and Fi try to make sense of the events that led to a devastating crime. What has he hidden from her – and what has she hidden from him? And will either survive the chilling truth – that there are far worse things you can lose than your house?

TILL DEATH US DO PART.

My Review
Oh my good God! This is The Best Book Ever! I had just over half the book left to read, so I took into the bath with me, feeling very sleepy, meaning to read a few pages in peace and quiet. And the bathwater ended up cold. Not because I fell asleep, but because I ended up reading the rest of it. 

Nothing was going to tear me away from Fi and Bram's predicaments. It's honestly so good. Yes there are twists and turns, to keep wrong-footing the reader, like there should be in any good psychological thriller. But Our House is so much more than that. It's about family and relationships, including the relationship we each have with our own homes, which are so much more than bricks and mortar. And as for trust... wow. Just wow. How that can be undermined, albeit unintentionally... And the lies. How they all build up, snowballing into the biggest, baddest snowball of them all, which appears to have zero chance of melting into any semblance of a satisfactory resolution. 

I love the way this is written. Fi tells most of her story via a Podcast (I love the comments in it!); Bram's story is written in a letter; but there are also parts of the story told in 'real-time'. I'd love to see this as a film or TV drama. The writing, as ever from Candlish, is outstanding, and this with the clever plotting makes for an amazing book. After hearing the basic premise of the story, I wondered if I would particularly enjoy it. But I did - I'd even go so far as to say it is the most brilliant book I've ever had the pleasure of reading. Yes it's dark, but wow! If that wasn't enough, my ghast was well and truly flabbered by the very last page. 

WOW!

About the Author
Louise Candlish is the author of eleven previous novels, including The Sudden Departure of the Frasers, The Swimming Pool and the international bestseller Since I Don't Have You. Louise studied English at University College London and worked as an advertising copywriter and art book editor before writing fiction. She lives in South London with her husband and teenage daughter.

Tuesday 31 July 2018

Festivals for Free - Standon Calling

I'm exhausted but happy after an awesome weekend at Standon Calling Festival. I got to go for free in return for volunteering, doing 3 stints totalling 16(ish) hours selling programmes. 

Being local did mean that I wimped out and slept at home Friday - just before a storm hit!) instead of in the tent, but only cos I needed respite from the 33 C heat (and it was nice to use a proper toilet. I won't go into details!). Then Sunday I nipped back to change shorts for leggings to prevent frostbite and rust!

We didn't see Paloma Faith on Friday night after a busy and very hot 4 hour shift knackered us out  but we apparently didn't miss much - she allegedly mimed all but three songs. Which kind of defeats the objective of going to see someone perform live...

George Ezra was brilliant on Saturday
Standing there in the crowd of all ages, I felt that calm, happy peace that good music can bring. Yes it may sound hippyish, but there's a lot to be said for feeling happy (no drugs involved!).
night - local boy (Hertford) done good!

Sunday was fabulous if wet. Yeah, thanks everyone who had been praying for rain - we curse you! After striking camp and taking everything home, Hev had the forethought to bring back the chairs. And changed into entirely inappropriate clothing - shorts & flip flops. Senior moment... (Sorry Hev!)

Music-wise, Marmozets blew everyone away (saw them support Muse in Brighton on the Psycho Tour); The Horrors were cool as ****, then the ultimate in cool, Bryan Ferry finished off the weekend with more hits than I thought I knew, such as Slave to Love, Avalon, Lets Stick Together and the heart breaking Jealous Guy.
Thank God I booked today off work to recover!
Despite it's best efforts, Sunday's rain failed to remove my glitter.

Bryan Ferry. He may be in his 70s, but I still would.

Friday 27 July 2018

Book Review: Five Unforgivable Things by Vivien Brown


I am pleased to review Vivien Brown's second novel, Five Unforgivable Things. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher, HarperImpulse for the review copy.

You can buy your copy here (other retailers are available!).

The Blurb
Almost thirty years ago, Kate’s dream came true. After years of struggling, she was finally pregnant following pioneering IVF. But the dream came at a cost. Neither Kate nor her husband Dan could have known the price they would have to pay to fulfil their cherished wish of having their own family.
Now, years later, their daughter Natalie is getting married and is fulfilling her own dream of marrying her childhood sweetheart. Natalie knows she won’t be like most brides as she travels down the aisle in her wheelchair, but it’s the fact her father won’t be there to walk beside her that breaks her heart.
Her siblings, Ollie, Beth and Jenny, gather around Natalie, but it isn’t just their father who is missing from their lives… as the secrets that have fractured the family rise to the surface, can they learn to forgive each other before it’s too late?
My Review
Having read the author's first novel, Lily Alone (which, incidently, is a great debut), I jumped at the chance to review Five Unforgivable Things.

The story is told from Kate's point of view, going back to the early days of her marriage to Dan, and then the present day in third person as we go through the preparations for Natalie's wedding, supported by her siblings. 

Throughout the book we learn of the secrets which have had devastating effects on the family. It is very emotive and heartbreaking in parts, as we learn of Kate and Dan's struggle to have a family through IVF back when it was in its infancy. 

The relationship between all four siblings is lovely - they are very close and protective of each other. But there are secrets even between them. 

I love the way Vivien Brown has written the characters. Kate grows from a timid kitten, unsure of herself, into a tiger, fiercely protective of her children.Natalie is not defined by her wheelchair. She is a lovely, warm character without any bitterness, and a determination to succeed in whatever she does - just like any other strong woman. In fact, brother Ollie is perhaps the most fragile of them all.

Five Unforgivable Things is a heartbreaking but ultimately heartwarming tale of secrets and forgiveness, and love and family. I loved it.

About the Author
Vivien Brown lives in Uxbridge, Middlesex, with her husband and two cats. For most of her life she has immersed herself in words - as an avid reader, writer, poet, library outreach worker, storyteller, gifter of Bookstart packs to babies and toddlers, creative writing tutor and crossword fanatic. She enjoys dipping into dictionaries and exploring the meaning of words, and watching and/or taking part in TV quiz shows. In the evenings she loves nothing more than losing herself in a good book, a compelling TV drama or her regular supply of women's magazine short stories - which all help to provide inspiration and ideas for her own fiction. 'Lily Alone' is her debut novel, with 'Five Unforgivable Things' being published on 26 July 2018 by HarperImpulse. 





Friday 27 April 2018

Blog Tour: Those Other Women by Nicola Moriarty


It's my absolute pleasure to take part in the blog tour for Nicola Moriarty's (The Fifth Letter) new book, Those Other Women. Thank you to Sam Deacon at Michael Joseph for the advanced reading copy. You can buy your copy here.

The Blurb


Poppy never thought she wanted to be a mother - until her husband got her best friend pregnant.

Now everywhere she goes, mothers are reminding her of his betrayal . . .

So Poppy creates an innocent Facebook group to vent just a little about 'smug mummies'.

Except those 'other women' are already heartily sick of being judged by non-mums and stay-at-home mums alike. Two can play at Poppy's game.

Which is when the anger spills into the real world.

Cafés become battlegrounds, playgrounds become warzones and offices have never been so divided between the have children and have lives . . .

A rivalry that was once harmless fun is suddenly spiralling out of Poppy's control.

She started this - but can she end it?

From the author of the eBook sensation The Fifth Letter comes another darkly comic, controversial and compulsive read that you're going to want to talk about with everyone you know.

My Review


Being a mother of four, you'd think I would never be able to understand why some women just do not want children. But if I say I do understand, that does not mean I wish I had never had any. I just know that for some, the maternal instinct just isn't there. And that's fine. each to their own. As far as I am concerned, every woman is entitled to her own opinion, on her own decision to have, or not to have children. 

Of course there are sadly many, many women who desperately want to be mothers, but for various reasons cannot - it took me 22 months of heartbreak and desperation to fall for my first, so I can empathise.

So when I was asked if I'd like to take part in the blog tour for this novel, and I read the blurb, I thought 'Wow - this is a very emotive subject' and dove straight in.

And emotive it is. I had wondered if it would be a case of the author siding with one side over another - them and us, the haves and have-nots (of offspring), but of course it is much more complex than that. This book proves nothing is ever black and white.

In this world, where the battle for women's equality grows stronger each day, it is sad to see so much in-fighting among the ranks. What makes one woman better than another? There are strong arguments for having children, but those who choose not to have children have strong arguments too.

Not that they should have to argue at all - somewhere, in the lives of the women in this book, they forget a person's right as an individual. Poppy, wounded by her husband having a child with her best friend, forms a new Facebook group for women who don't want children when she is barred from joining an online 'Mummies' group. We meet characters from both groups, each of them written sympathetically and could easily be you or someone you know. These women, divided into two main camps, start a vicious campaign against each other when the Facebook group is infiltrated by someone from the enemy camp, and all war breaks out over a posted comment. After all, it's too easy to vent on social media and it may well not be the most sensible thing to do (hands up, I confess I have done it myself). It leads to misunderstanding, and a pack mentality.

I did not mean for this review to turn into a discussion on motherhood, but that is what this book does - it makes you question! It's brilliant! Nicola Moriarty has written an evocative, exciting story filled with a dark humour, where you may go in on one side, then find yourself switching sides then back again. She also reminds of the important point that a woman is allowed to change her mind!

I thoroughly recommend Those Other Women. A five star read!

Sunday 8 April 2018

Blog Tour: A Home at Honeysuckle Farm by Christie Barlow



I'm delighted to be part of the blog tour today for Christie Barlow's new novel, A Home at Honeysuckle Farm, published by HarperImpulse on 6th April 2018. Click here for your copy!

The Blurb


A family secret

One shocking argument and ten-year-old Alice Parker’s world was turned upside down. Her peaceful life at Honeysuckle Farm in the quiet rural village of Brook Bridge swapped for the bustling metropolis of New York City. Alice’s life was changed forever…

A second chance


Now, thirteen years later, Alice’s American dream is over. With her life in tatters, there is only one place Alice wants to be… home at Honeysuckle Farm. So, when Alice learns her beloved Grandie is ill, she knows this is her last chance to heal the family rift.

A forever home?

But secrets still swirl in Brook Bridge, and Alice is no closer to discovering the truth. And for some reason her new friendship with local heartthrob Sam Reid seems to be making the locals tense.

Sick of the lies Alice knows it’s time to lay the past to rest once and for all. But could the truth ruin her hopes of ever calling Honeysuckle Farm home again?

My Review

I love Christie Barlow's books. They are light-hearted without being fluffy, featuring strong women who don't take any nonsense from anyone, and who inspire those whose lives they enter, and of course, there is always at least one gorgeous man ready to win our heroine's heart (and our own!).

Alice Parker is no exception. Having stayed in New York to please her mother, she is drawn back to her childhood home of Honeysuckle Farm when she hears her beloved Grandie is ill. Estranged from him as a young child for reasons unknown, Alice is desperate to reconnect with her grandfather.

She is welcomed back into the village, which has a real sense of community - until it comes to Sam Reid. His family has been ostracised for years; but no one will tell Alice why. She ignores the animosity towards Sam, as she finds herself more and more attracted to him.

Unearthing old memories and secrets, Alice realises she is exposing old wounds, but sometimes these wounds have to be debrided in order to heal properly. Although Alice arrived full of embarrassment at her failure to succeed in New York, she finds she does have a lot to offer here at her true home. 

Honeysuckle Farm is full of warmth and emotion, and the author brings her characters to life in such a wonderful way, I felt as if I knew them all personally. I'd quite like to live there myself!

About the Author


Christie Barlow is the author of A Year in the Life of a Playground Mother, The Misadventures of a Playground Mother, Kitty's Countryside Dream, Lizzie's Christmas Escape, Evie's Year of Taking Chances, The Cosy Canal Boat Dream and A Home at Honeysuckle Farm. Her writing career came as somewhat a surprise when she decided to write a book to teach her children a valuable life lesson and show them that they are capable of achieving their dreams. The book she wrote to prove a point is now a #1 bestseller in the UK, USA & Australia. 

Christie is an ambassador for @ZuriProject raising money/awareness and engaging with impoverished people in Uganda through organisations to improve their well-being as well as Literary Editor for www.mamalifemagazine.co.uk bringing you all the latest news and reviews from the book world. 

She loves to hear from her readers and you can get in touch via her website www.christiebarlow.com Twitter @ChristieJBarlow and Facebook page Christie Barlow author

Follow Christie on the rest of the blog tour!







Monday 19 February 2018

Book Review: The Sunday Lunch Club by Juliet Ashton



Thank you to Sara Jade Virtue and everyone at Books and the City, Simon & Schuster for the advanced copy. The Sunday Lunch Club will be available to buy on 19th April. 

The Blurb
The first rule of Sunday Lunch Club is … don't make any afternoon plans.
Every few Sundays, Anna and her extended family and friends get together for lunch. They talk, they laugh, they bicker, they eat too much. Sometimes the important stuff is left unsaid, other times it's said in the wrong way. 
Sitting between her ex-husband and her new lover, Anna is coming to terms with an unexpected pregnancy at the age of forty. Also at the table are her ageing grandmother, her promiscuous sister, her flamboyantly gay brother and a memory too terrible to contemplate.
Until, that is, a letter arrives from the person Anna scarred all those years ago. Can Anna reconcile her painful past with her uncertain future?
Juliet Ashton weaves a story of love, friendship and community that will move you to laughter and to tears. Think Cold Feet meets David Nicholls, with a dash of the joy of Jill Mansell added for good measure.

My Review

Ah, Sunday lunch. The bringing together of family and friends. That one meal where we all get to catch up; where the news can be as varied as the menu.

They are not quite the traditional meat, roasties and two veg type of family. There are other ingredients, more exotic influences which make the meal much more appealing. On the whole, the Pipers are a close family; with the exception of the absent parents, an intriguing rift in the  family dynamics. Everyone else gets along, even the ex-husband and wife, who get on even better now than when they were married. 

The characterisation is perfect. I loved Anna, slow-cooking her own special recipe, who along with with elder brother Neil (whose husband is delicious - I think he might just be the most perfect man alive...) takes care of the two younger siblings; Maeve, a spicy, heady mix, and the delicate Josh. Not forgetting the Granny Dinkie, the basic robust ingredient no dish can do without.

And the delectable, perfect Italian, Luca... bellisimo!

The secret ingredient, common in each menu, is love and warmth, whatever happens. Subtle secrets flavour the main course throughout with a hint of the unexpected, but never spoil the meal.

The literary equivalent of a glorious roast you haven't had to cook yourself. With dessert. And lashing of lovely warm custard. If only every Sunday Lunch was this good.


You can read my reviews of other books by Juliet - The Woman at Number 24 and These Days of Ours.

About the Author

I enjoy writing almost as much as I love reading. Books are constant friends; no fall-outs about borrowed shoes, no lusting after the same man. The books I write are about love in all its colours. Romantic love, of course - it makes the world go round, after all - but also family love, the way we feel about our friends and children and colleagues and the woman we see every day on the bus but never say 'hello' to.

There's no end of inspiration. Most authors are baffled by that commonly asked question, "Where do you get your ideas from?" The answer is simple: YOU. People are inspiring, with all their niggling faults and shimmering virtues. The tangles we get ourselves into, and the ludicrous ways we attempt to untangle ourselves, are a never ending source of material. In fact, most authors daren't use too much real life in their books because it would sound too much like fiction.

I've just remembered that this is supposed to be a biog, so here's some info about me. I live just outside London with my daughter, Niamh, who's 12, and my husband, Matthew, who's considerably older than that. The house hums with creativity, as I scribble downstairs and Matthew composes music for theatre and TV upstairs. We have two dogs, one of whom is wildly energetic, one of whom was born an old lady and prefers to sleep all day.

Hmm, what else? I'm Irish, but you wouldn't know that from my accent. I can't sing. My favourite crisp flavour is Roast Chicken, but I reserve the right to change that at short notice.
I hope you enjoy my books. They are the way I speak to the world.


Monday 12 February 2018

Book Review: Faking Friends by Jane Fallon


Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher, Penguin UK - Michael Joseph for the ARC.

You can buy Faking Friends now here.

The Blurb
Your best friend stole your fiancé. Do you run away and hide, or start planning your revenge?
THE TOP 5 SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER 
'A deftly plotted, witty tale of revenge. It's a romcom with attitude' Mail on Sunday
Best friend, soulmate, confidante . . . backstabber.
Amy thought she knew everything there was to know about her best friend Melissa. Then again, Amy also thought she was on the verge of the wedding of her dreams to her long-distance fiancé.
Until she pays a surprise trip home to London. Jack is out, but it's clear another woman has been making herself at home in their flat.
There's something about her stuff that feels oddly familiar . . . and then it hits Amy. The Other Woman is Melissa.
Amy has lost her home, her fiancé and her best friend in one disastrous weekend - but instead of falling apart, she's determined to get her own back.
Piecing her life back together won't be half as fun as dismantling theirs, after all.
My Review

Jane Fallon is fast becoming a favourite author of mine; she writes with humour and warmth with an underlying layer of grit which can make you feel quite uncomfortable. See my earlier reviews of My Sweet Revenge and Strictly Between Us.

Faking Friends is a tale of betrayal, revenge and toxic friendships. When trust is smashed to pieces, how do we cope with it? Do we crumble, beaten into submission? Or do we quietly scheme to destroy those who would purport to destroy our lives?

Of course Amy does not allow herself to be a meek victim. She is, like all of Fallon's characters, feisty and determined. 

Fallon has the knack of showing both sides of the story. The heroine is never perfect, and it is refreshing to see the other person's version of events, and sometimes there is no distinguishing between the hero or the villain - they can be just as bad as each other. And the plot isn't simple or obvious - with each new chapter comes another revelation, entangling the reader in the glorious web of lies and deceit.

Sickly sweet this book is not; it's punchy and gritty and ooh, how I loved it!

About the Author

Jane Fallon is the multi-award-winning television producer behind shows such as This Life, Teachers and 20 Things to Do before You're 30. Her debut novel "Getting Rid of Matthew' was published in 2007 and became a Sunday Times Top Ten Bestseller as have her subsequent books 'Got You Back', 'Foursome', 'The Ugly Sister', 'Skeletons', 'Strictly Between Us' and 'My Sweet Revenge"
Her 8th novel Faking Friends is available now to pre order in both paperback and for Kindle.
Join Jane on Twitter - @janefallon or at her website www.janefallon.co.uk

Book Review: It Started with a Tweet by Anna Bell


The Blurb
Could YOU survive a digital detox? 
Perfect for fans of Lucy Diamond and Sophie Kinsella, It Started With A Tweet is the hilarious new romantic comedy from the author of The Bucket List to Mend a Broken Heart.
'Had me smiling from start to finish. It was a joy to read; smart, witty and completely fresh' Cathy Bramley.
Daisy Hobson lives her whole life online. But when her social media obsession causes her to make a catastrophic mistake at work, Daisy finds her life going into free-fall . . .  
Her sister Rosie thinks she has the answer to all of Daisy's problems - a digital detox in a remote cottage in Cumbria. Soon, too, Daisy meets a welcome distraction there in Jack, the rugged man-next-door.
But can Daisy, a London girl, ever really settle into life in a tiny, isolated village? 
And, more importantly, can she survive without her phone? 
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher Bonnier Zaffre for the advanced reading copy.

You can buy It Started with a Tweet here.

My Review

I don't know about you, but when my phone bricked and I had to wait three whole days for a new one, I thought my life was over (albeit temporarily). I felt isolated, lost, had a serious case of FOMO - yet I still had internet access on my computer so I wasn't actually in any real danger of losing touch with the world.

Poor Daisy agrees to go cold turkey after a teeny tiny error in posting something to her work Twitter  instead of her private account. She goes into virtual - and real - hiding, led by her rather bossy sister.

Daisy's struggle with her addiction is very real, and I think many of us would feel the same panic in the same situation; leaving yourself wide open for abuse is a very real risk.

The book is hilarious - with several LOL moments, and I was swept up into Daisy's life, feeling her indignation and frustration as she battles against her sister's strict rules. Who hasn't sneaked out of somewhere to make that call. 

It does make you think, as Daisy learns that actually, being without the internet and not being immediately contactable is not the Most Terrible Thing in the World. It can be quite liberating, like walking out of a cave for the first time, blinking in the sunlight and hearing the birds singing. Like, you know, real living life! 

Of course this is a rom com, not a lecture about the perils of Social Media; so of course we have the obligatory hot men who cannot possibly be considered as a potential partner as they are grumpy argumentative pricks... until we get to know them and ultimately love them. 

I loved this book - it's a great laugh and a perfect escape from technology. OK, so I read it on a Kindle... shh!

Time to add another author to My Authors to be Added to my TBR pile...

About the Author

Anna lives in the South of France with her young family and energetic labrador. When not chained to her laptop, Anna can be found basking in the sun in the summer, heading to the ski slopes in the winter (to drink hot chocolate and watch - she can't ski) or having a sneaky treat from the patisserie - all year round! 

You can find our more about Anna on her website - www.annabellwrites.com or follow her on Twitter @annabell_writes.

Wednesday 31 January 2018

Blog Tour: Forget Her Name by Jane Holland



I'm delighted to be on the blog tour run by @rararesources for Jane Holland's new novel, Forget Her Name.

Buy the Book


The Blurb
Rachel’s dead and she’s never coming back. Or is she?
As she prepares for her wedding to Dominic, Catherine has never been happier or more excited about her future. But when she receives an anonymous package—a familiar snow globe with a very grisly addition—that happiness is abruptly threatened by secrets from her past. 
Her older sister, Rachel, died on a skiing holiday as a child. But Rachel was no angel: she was vicious and highly disturbed, and she made Catherine’s life a misery. Catherine has spent years trying to forget her dead sister’s cruel tricks. Now someone has sent her Rachel’s snow globe—the first in a series of ominous messages… 
While Catherine struggles to focus on her new life with Dominic, someone out there seems intent on tormenting her. But who? And why now? The only alternative is what she fears most.
Is Rachel still alive?

My Review

Forget Her Name? Not a chance... there’s no way I’m going to forget this book in a hurry! It’s dark, full of secrets, questions and I found it deeply unsettling, perhaps because I can relate to it in a way.

Catherine – Cat - can’t remember much about the death of her sister Rachel, after all, she was only 12 years old at the time. She does remember they were on a family holiday in Switzerland, and remember her father telling her that her sister was gone.

No one in Cat's family ever talks about Rachel, which made me curious. Cat had told her fiancĂ©, Dominic, that her sister died, but didn’t go into detail. Secretly Catherine feels guilty for feeling relieved that Rachel is no longer around – she made everyone’s life miserable.

Cat's relationship with her parents is strained; they are well-off and cannot understand why Cat would refuse their financial help and live in a grotty flat, volunteering at a good bank. But Cat is happy with her life; she has a gorgeous fiancé and cannot wait to marry him.

Then strange, truly disturbing things start happening and Cat needs answers. But with her family’s reluctance to even mention Rachel’s name, she sets out to find out the truth for herself.

Initially it’s hard to believe anyone could be as horrible and twisted as Cat remembers Rachel to be, but the writer soon draws the reader in. I did guess some of it early on, but I was still shocked in places.

The author plants suggestions in the reader's mind, and then leaves you reeling. Forget Her Name is a thoroughly engrossing and disconcerting psychological thriller.

About the Author

Jane Holland is a Gregory Award–winning poet and novelist who also writes commercial fiction under the pseudonyms Victoria Lamb, Elizabeth Moss, Beth Good and Hannah Coates. Her debut thriller, Girl Number One, hit #1 in the UK Kindle Store in December 2015. Jane lives with her husband and young family near the North Cornwall/Devon border. A homeschooler, her hobbies include photography and growing her own vegetables.


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Tuesday 23 January 2018

Book Review: Anatomy of a Scandal by Sarah Vaughan




I'm delighted to review Anatomy of a Scandal by Sarah Vaughan, which was published by Simon & Schuster on 11th January. I was lucky to receive an advance copy from Netgalley and the publisher.

The Blurb
A high-profile marriage thrust into the spotlight. A wife, determined to keep her family safe, must face a prosecutor who believes justice has been a long time coming. A scandal that will rock Westminster. And the women caught at the heart of it. 
Anatomy of a Scandal centres on a high-profile marriage that begins to unravel when the husband is accused of a terrible crime. Sophie is sure her husband, James, is innocent and desperately hopes to protect her precious family from the lies which might ruin them. Kate is the barrister who will prosecute the case – she is equally certain that James is guilty and determined he will pay for his crimes.
My Review

Wow - what a book! And what timing, too, with all the grimy truths being unearthed in Westminster.

This really is a gripping story about two women; one convinced of a man's guilt, the other desperate to believe in him.

Although it seems slow to start with, this builds the story as we meet the prosecutor, the accused and his wife. Later we are taken back in time, where we learn how the accused has always been cushioned by his place in society, along with his peers, protected by unspoken codes around unspeakable actions which allow these people to believe they are invincible.

I felt sympathy for both women. I was eager to see if justice would be done, but then I felt sympathy for Sophie too. Who could believe their beloved to be guilty of such a crime? Emphasis is on how the family is affected by such an accusation.

How do you prove if a crime has been committed? How do you convince a jury it was just a misunderstanding? How do you convince a jury that it wasn't? With so much in the press at the moment about miscarriages of justice, how do we know who to believe?

Anatomy of a Scandal is one book which stands up to the hype.

Click to buy now either as ebook or hardback, or pre-order the paperback.

About the Author


Anatomy of a Scandal combines Sarah Vaughan's experiences as a news reporter and political correspondent on the Guardian with her time as a student reading English at Brasenose College, Oxford, in the Nineties. Published in the UK, US, Australia, NZ, Canada and South Africa, it will be translated into 17 languages throughout 2018 and 2019. 
Anatomy of a Scandal is her third novel, her first courtroom drama/psychological thriller and her first book for Simon & Schuster. Married with two children, she lives just outside Cambridge and is currently finishing her fourth novel.

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Monday 22 January 2018

An Apology...



I have an apology to make. I probably owe a lot of apologies to a lot of people, but this one is to all the authors and publishers whose books I've read but not yet reviewed. I've been quiet on the Blogging front for the last couple of months, what with the Chaos of Christmas, and a tumultuous (there's a big word for a Monday in January!) family life taking priority, I've been guilty of taking advantage of relative peace and quiet and reading book after book after book... Also binge-watching two seasons of Stranger Things became a Family Thing, so obviously that had to take priority too... 

So I have some catching up to do!

I haven't done a blog on my favourite books of 2017, because there were too many! Isabelle Broom, Joanna Cannon, Mandy Baggot, Catherine Miller, Angela Clarke, Juliet Ashton to name but a few authors who delighted me with their wonderful words last year. 

But if pressed to find an ultimate favourite for last year, it would have to be Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman, though Me, Myself and Them by Dan Mooney is a close second as it gave me an insight into Mental Health I never thought I would need. 

As for my own writing - I finished my first draft of my novel just by the skin of my teeth for the deadline for submitting to the Romantic Novelists' Association's excellent New Writer's Scheme. It had taken me two years to get to this point, as Life had thrown us a few disconcerting curve-balls. To my delight, the feedback I got from my reader was overwhelmingly positive, with lots of constructive suggestions for edits.

I've not joined the NWS scheme again for 2018 - it's the first time in three years I'm not a member, but I will still enjoy the Chapter meetings, and I am fully intending to attend the annual Conference this year (finance permitted - maybe I should set up a GoFundMe page - I'm joking.).This year I want to concentrate on the edits of my book, and then will begin the agonising search for an agent and publisher. I feel - and hope - I've learned a lot since I first self-published 5 years ago.

January is traditionally a very dark month for many people, and in the past for me, especially so. But this year, I feel full of hope and positivity, with a healthy dose of realistic expectations. No, it's not that I'm doing Dry January - thanks to Catherine Miller and the wonderful Olive, I've discovered a brave new world of Gin! Warner Edwards' Victoria Rhubarb Gin is a particular favourite; after all, it has my name on it! 

I'm beginning to realise, thanks to Ed Anthony and his Inside Out Understanding, that we can be in control of our stress levels and that it is possible to be only one thought away from calm. I've learned to be more patient (though that may not seem obvious to many), and that slow steps are key. I've also learned to accept that which I cannot change. And that I can change? Well, instead of moaning about it, I'm going to do my best. After all, that's all any of us can do.

So Happy New Year, people (yeah I know it's late), and may 2018 bring us more fantastic new books, good health and happiness. 

And a puppy wouldn't go amiss...