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. 

Book Review: The Idea of You by Amanda Prowse

With her fortieth birthday approaching, Lucy Carpenter thinks she finally has it all: a wonderful new husband, Jonah, a successful career and the chance of a precious baby of her own. Life couldn’t be more perfect.

But becoming parents proves much harder to achieve than Lucy and Jonah imagined, and when Jonah’s teenage daughter Camille comes to stay with them, she becomes a constant reminder of what Lucy doesn’t have. Jonah’s love and support are unquestioning, but Lucy’s struggles with work and her own failing dreams begin to take their toll. With Camille’s presence straining the bonds of Lucy’s marriage even further, Lucy suddenly feels herself close to losing everything…

This heart-wrenchingly poignant family drama from bestselling author Amanda Prowse asks the question: in today’s hectic world, what does it mean to be a mother?

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher, Lake Union Publishing, and the author, Amanda Prowse for the review copy.

The desperation of one woman to have a baby is the overriding theme of this heartbreaking story. Lucy has the perfect life; a wonderful husband, Jonah, a cosy home, and a great career. The only thing missing is a baby.

Unfortunately Lucy seems to be unable to carry a baby to term; and we feel her sheer heartbreak when she miscarries. Miscarriages are fairly common, we are told, but the grief and despair felt by would-be parents can be all-consuming. The author writes with a great deal of sensitivity, with no mawkishness or huge drama, depicting Lucy as a strong, capable woman who has to suffer what so many women go through.

Her life is further complicated when Jonah's daughter. Camille, comes to stay with them. Lucy struggles to bond with the girl, who is so dismissive of her stepmother, but of course Jonah cannot see how cruel and rude his daughter is, alienating Lucy and making her feel even more useless in her ability to be a mother.

Her relationship with her own mother is a complicated one too, and their story shows how much families need to communicate.

The author has created a great character in Lucy; I just wanted to give her a hug! Jonah and Camille are both great in their supporting roles, the latter being wholly understandable as a stroppy teenager. It is undeniably an emotional read, but heartwarming too.

Motherhood can be so important to a woman, sometimes the very essence of being female, and when that is held back from you, it's hard not to feel inadequate. But there are other ways to realise your potential, even if it's not quite what you had mapped out.

You can buy The Idea of You from Amazon or other retailers.

Amanda Prowse is an International Bestselling author who has published sixteen novels in dozens of languages. Her recent chart topping No.1 titles ‘What Have I Done?’, ‘Perfect Daughter’ and ‘My Husband’s Wife’ have sold millions of copies around the world.

Other novels by Amanda Prowse include ‘A Mother’s Story’ which won the coveted Sainsbury’s eBook of the year Award and ‘Perfect Daughter’ that was selected as a World Book Night title in 2016. Amanda’s latest book ‘The Food of Love’ went straight to No.1 in Literary Fiction when it was launched in the USA and she has been described by the Daily Mail as ‘The Queen of Drama’ for her ability to make the reader feel as if they were actually in the story. 

Now published by Lake Union, Amanda Prowse is the most prolific writer of contemporary fiction in the UK today; her titles also score the highest online review approval ratings for several genres.

A popular TV and radio personality, Amanda Prowse is a regular panellist on the Channel 5 show ‘The Wright Stuff’ and numerous daytime ITV programmes. She makes countless guest appearances on BBC and independent Radio stations where she is well known for her insightful observations of human nature and her infectious observational humour. 

Become friends with Amanda on Facebook: AmandaProwseAuthor and follow her on Twitter: @MrsAmandaProwse or Instagram: MrsAmandaProwse. For more information on her books, lifestyle and inspirational advice see www.amandaprowse.com

Amanda's ambition is to create stories that keep people from turning the bedside lamp off at night, great characters that ensure you take every step with them and tales that fill your head so you can't possibly read another book until the memory fades...

Book Review: The Cows by Dawn O'Porter

COW [n.]
/kaʊ/
A piece of meat; born to breed; past its sell-by-date; one of the herd.

Women don’t have to fall into a stereotype.

Tara, Cam and Stella are strangers living their own lives as best they can – though when society’s screaming you should live life one way, it can be hard to like what you see in the mirror.

When an extraordinary event ties invisible bonds of friendship between them, one woman’s catastrophe becomes another’s inspiration, and a life lesson to all.
Sometimes it’s ok not to follow the herd.

The Cows is a powerful novel about three women – judging each other, but also themselves. In all the noise of modern life, they need to find their own voice.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher, HarperCollins, for the ARC. All opinions are my own - I don't follow the herd.

The three women in this novel are very different to each other; Tara is a single mother, determined to balance caring for her child with carving an outstanding role within a male-dominated industry; Cam is a successful blogger, who finds herself vigorously defending a woman's right not to have a child; and Stella, who has always lived in the shadow of her twin and cannot escape it even after her death.

It's a sassy, sharply, written novel with predicaments every woman can probably identify with in some way or another. OK so most women wouldn't dream of doing what poor Tara is caught doing, but the repercussions should fill everyone with fear and dread that social media has such power in our lives.

Stella is grieving for her sister and mother, who died within months of each other from ovarian cancer and breast cancer. Stella needs a hysterectomy and mastectomy after discovering she has the same deviant genes. Her eggs, and therefore her chances of becoming a mother, are on borrowed time.

Cam is the opposite - she rejects the very idea of motherhood and relationships, but her views aren't popular with everyone.

These three women are brought together under the strangest of circumstances in a story which will have you laughing, crying, and raising your fist and yelling 'Hell Yes!' Or maybe that's just me...

The Cows was published on 6th April and can be bought from Amazon or other retailers.

Dawn O'Porter is a broadcaster, novelist and print journalist who lives in London with her husband Chris, cat Lilu and dog Potato. She has made thirteen documentaries about all sorts of things including polygamy, childbirth, geishas, body image, breast cancer and even the movie DIRTY DANCING.

Dawn has written for various UK newspapers and magazines including GRAZIA and STYLIST. Her first novel PAPER AEROPLANES was published by Hot Key Books in 2013. Although Dawn lives in London she spends a lot of time in LA and travels a lot. You may have seen her dragging two huge pink suitcases with broken wheels and a Siamese cat (Lilu) in a box through international airports. At some point she plans to get new suitcases - the cat, however, has a few years left in her yet. Follow Dawn at www.dawnoporter.co.uk or on Twitter: @hotpatooties

Book Review: How Not to Fall in Love, Actually by Catherine Bennetto

The Blurb

A hilarious debut for all fans of Mhairi McFarlane and Lisa Owens. The perfect antidote for Valentine's Day! 

Life is 10% planning, 10% design and 80% totally winging it... 

Join Emma as she guides you through How Not to become accidentally knocked up at the age of 27, How Not to unceremoniously dump the father of your child, and then How Not to lose the job that (even though you hate it) is the only thing between you and being homeless...

Hilarious and heart-warming, How Not to Fall in Love, Actually will make you laugh, make you cry, and will reassure you that perhaps your life is not that bad, actually...

My Review

Thank you to the publishers Simon & Schuster for the review copy.

Emma's life isn't great. At the beginning, she has a job she hates but needs in order to support herself and her daydreamer boyfriend, Ned, who is full of wonderful ideas for the next best thing, but is actually pretty useless when it comes to working/housework/being a great boyfriend. Then she discovers she is pregnant, which is the catalyst for changing ...

She dumps Ned, walks out on her job and invites a random guy who turns up drunk on her doorstep to stay the night.

The book has a wonderful supporting cast. A self-obssessed mother, a sister doing charity work in faraway lands, one friend who eats men for breakfast and another who betrays Emma. Not to mention a psycho chaperone working on zombie-bra movies and the stranger who finds himself embroiled in Emma's chaotic world.

It's a genuinely funny book that had me spitting my tea out and laughing out loud. Emma is a hugely likeable character, and I was able to sympathise with her all the way through. None of the characters are annoying; even the 'villains' are so well written I relished their bad behaviour. 

It's a light-hearted read, despite the main character's predicament; any chance for self-pitying wallowing is blown out of the water by the crazy people and events going on around her.

It's a perfect rom-com and a highly enjoyable read. I think I have found a new author to love.

You can buy How Not to Fall in Love, Actually here.

The Author

Catherine Bennetto has worked as an Assistant Director in the film and television industry, working on shows such as The Bill, Coronation Street and Death in Paradise. She can generally be found travelling the world and spends her time reading healthy cookbooks (not necessarily cooking from them) or at the beach. How Not to Fall in Love, Actually is her first novel.

Follow Catherine on Twitter @cathbennetto.

Book Review: All That is Left of Us by Catherine Miller

Thank you to the author, publisher and Netgalley for the Advanced Reading Copy.

The Blurb:

Dawn loves being a mother. No matter how Archie came into her life, or the fact he's a little different from other children, he is precious and loved. He is hers, after all. Especially because she’s never told anyone who the father of her son is.

So when Dawn’s twin brother David and his wife Rebekah are struggling to have their own child, Dawn agrees to become their surrogate, as it is the one thing she can do to help.

However, creating the perfect family doesn’t always go to plan and when Dawn realises just how much her nephew needs his mother, she begins to wonder if the time has finally come to confront the past she has kept secret for so long.

From the author of Waiting for You comes a story of friendship, motherhood and hope.

My Review:

A very well deserved 5 out of 5 stars for this stunning second novel from Catherine Miller.

I loved her first book, Waiting for You, and Catherine has smashed aside that 'difficult second book' syndrome.

The author's love of being a mother shines through in her writing. Actually that sounds a bit lame - absolute love, devotion and selflessness is more like it.

Surrogacy is probably one of the most amazing things a woman can do for someone else; to carry a baby to full term and then hand that baby over must be heartbreaking. Catherine writes with raw emotion, without falling into the trap of being of being twee or overly dramatic, creating a strong main character in Dawn.

The character of Archie is wonderfully written with sensitivity and empathy, giving us a great insight to someone who is slightly 'different'. His relationship with Joel is beautiful; everything about this book is beautiful!

Even Rebekah's behaviour in the story is wholly believable; even if I did want to shake her. But the emotions felt by everyone involved in the story are true and captured here with great skill, drawing the reader into the lives of Dawn and her family.

Thank you Catherine, for a truly mesmerising read.

You can buy All That is Left of Us here and at other retailers

About the Author:

When Catherine Miller became a mum to twins, she decided her hands weren't full enough so wrote a novel with every spare moment she managed to find. By the time the twins were two, Catherine had a two-book deal with Carina UK. There is a possibility she has aged remarkably in that time. 

Catherine was a NHS physiotherapist, but for health reasons (Uveitis and Sarcoidosis) she retired early from this career. As she loved her physiotherapy job, she decided if she couldn't do that she would pursue her writing dream. It took a few years and a couple of babies, but in 2015 she won the Katie Fforde bursary, was a finalist in the London Book Fair Write Stuff Competition and highly commended in Woman magazine's writing competition. Soon afterwards she signed with Carina. Soon after that, she collapsed in a heap and was eventually revived by chocolate.

Book Review - Waiting for You by Catherine Miller

Waiting for You is an emotional and gripping debut novel you won’t be able to put down…

You’d never guess that Fliss Chapron doesn’t have it all. 

All Fliss wants is to see two blue lines telling her she is pregnant with her much longed for second baby. But as the negative tests stack up, dreams of completing her perfect family feel more hopeless every day.

After years of disappointment, Fliss’s husband Ben is spending more time at the office than in their marital bed, and Fliss finds herself wondering who could be responsible for their inability to conceive another child. Yet, where do you lay the blame when it comes to having a child – and can anyone really be at fault…

As Ben becomes increasingly distant, Fliss begins to question whether her desire for a baby is just a sticking plaster to save her marriage. Because in the end, how well can you ever know another person…even the man you’re married to?

I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I started reading this with some trepidation, as my baby-making days are most definitely over (four is plenty thank you very much!), and I felt I had kind of moved on from stories about pregnancy etc. And to start with, I sighed thinking it was going to be the story of a woman’s desperation to have another baby. Which believe me, I can sympathise with, having been in that situation myself, but as I said, I was over it.

But Waiting for You is so much more.

Yes, Fliss wants another baby, and at the beginning, that is the only thing that will make her happy. But her husband (who is a selfish prick) doesn’t share her hopes and dreams, for reasons revealed later on (don’t worry, I don’t do spoilers.)

I soon warmed to Fliss’s character, learning there was so much more to her than her desperation. I loved the way she is plagued by guilt over feelings she knows she shouldn’t be having, but despite this going against the grain for some romance novelists, it is handled with delicacy.

The secondary characters are very well written; the lovely Ange, who is in a similar predicament to Fliss, the lovely Leon (is it normal to want to rip a fictional book character’s clothes off??) and the husband Ben. (Husbands tend not to fare well in fiction, do they? Poor Ben. The W*nker). Oh and the despicable, thoroughly dislikeable Carrie.

The interaction between the characters is believable and engaging. Only a few pages in, and I couldn’t stop reading, having found myself involved in Fliss’s story and eager to find out what happened next. And that was despite having to read it on my phone (my poor, poor Kindle died recently). That’s how good it is.