"Good brides promise to obey. Bad brides wouldn't dream of it…
Milly Gamble is an up-and-coming actress, and the perfect English flower child. At 23, she's always been cast as the innocent heroine. But looks can deceive. Calculating and fiercely ambitious, Milly is determined to be the most famous star in England. And how better to achieve her goal than by dating Tarquin Ormond, lead singer of the biggest folk band of the moment? Tarquin is madly in love with Milly; Milly is only in love with herself.
Brianna Jade is an all-American pageant girl. The daughter of Tamra Maloney, a stunning billionairess, Brianna is a sweet, pretty girl who is more than happy to go along with her mother's ambitious plans for her. Now Tamra's brought her to the UK and hooked her up with an Earl. He has a crumbling stately home and needs a rich wife to help restore it to its former glory. Tamra is as ambitious and determined as Brianna is sweet and innocent - is this more a case of mother-in-law-zilla than bridezilla?
Both Milly and Brianna's upcoming weddings will be huge, lavish events that garner national press. But with the cover of the biggest magazine in the country to be won, things are about to get very dirty… "
Rating: 4/5
You can buy Bad Brides as a paperback or an eBook now.
Rebecca Chance is such a fabulous author - she's definitely not afraid of giving her readers a saucy, sexy read that leaves you a bit shocked by the time you've reached the end! I've read all of Rebecca's books so far and so when I was lucky enough to receive a review copy of her latest book Bad Brides, I was over the moon! I was fully expecting one of Rebecca's saucy reads but this book took it to another level for me - it was her naughtiest book yet, and believe me, if you've read her other books, that's definitely saying something! Here's why I think Bad Brides is a must-read this summer!
The book focuses on 2 wedding - Brianna Jade, an American pageant girl is marrying into British aristocracy. Then there's Milly, a young British actress who is marrying the hottest British musician of the moment. Both women want the wedding of their dreams, but how far will they go to get it? Brianna Jade's mother Tamra is determined that her daughter's wedding to Edmund, a British Earl will grace the cover of magazine 'Style Bride', and is willing to throw however much money it requires at the situation to get her there. Milly, too, is determined to win that same cover, but is willing to trample on anyone necessary to win that cover, even when her fiancé Tarquin isn't overly keen either, just wanting to keep Milly happy. Which bride will win out in the war of the cover brides?!
As I mentioned, you know what you're getting into when you pick up one of Rebecca's books. However, I felt this book was in another league when it came to the sex scenes! There was nothing in this book that wasn't covered, and the scenes with Tamra in particular were amazingly eye-opening, I couldn't quite believe what I was reading at times! If you're of a nervous disposition, this might be a bit of a shock for you but these scenes are a must in Rebecca's books, they certainly make an already brilliant story that bit more entertaining, it's something no other author I know can get away with in their books, and do so well too!
The characters in this book were really great to read about, as they always are in Rebecca's books. I know she did a book about Royals previously in 'Killer Queens', but this book is a different look at life living with a British Earl, one whose house is falling apart a bit, certainly not what people would expect. His fiancée Brianna Jade, or BJ(?!?!) as she's affectionately nicknamed doesn't mind about the lack of money - after all, her mother's money is more than enough to keep the pair for several lifetimes. I loved Brianna Jade, she had a good heart, although she was definitely more than a bit led by her outgoing mother. She seemed to make everyone happy, regardless of what she seemed to want, and was certainly a more shy and retiring character than the awful Milly.
Milly, I could not stand at all. She seemed to want to get married for all the wrong reasons - getting on a magazine cover seemed more important to her than marrying for true love. She treated her fiancé and her best friend in particular like rubbish, and I just didn't like her for it. She's a typical social climber, and was definitely the character to hate in the book. So, the war between the brides, or rather Milly and Brianna Jade's mother hots up, with each of the women willing to stoop to dirty tactics to win the favour of Jodie, editor of Style Bride (we met her and her editor Victoria Glossop in Killer Heels) for that all important magazine cover. The bitching is brilliant, together with the naughty bits thrown in as well, it makes for a fantastic read that you really won't want to put down!
As well as the naughty bits and the characters, another thing I love about Rebecca's books are the brilliant descriptions. Everything from the fashion that Milly wears, and her jewellery in particular, to Edmund and Brianna Jade's stately home are so beautifully described, you can easily imagine them come to life in your head as you're reading. Add this to larger than life characters, and an eye-popping story and you've got a serious recipe for success. As ever, Rebecca Chance hits the mark with this book and I loved every page of it! If you've loved Rebecca's previous books, you will really love this one too, and if you haven't yet Rebecca's work... where have you been?!? Start with Bad Brides and you can't go far wrong! Fabulous!
Review copy received from Simon & Schuster UK in exchange for an honest review.
31 May 2014
Book Review: Bad Brides by Rebecca Chance
28 May 2014
Book Review: The Broken by Tamar Cohen
"Best friends tell you everything; about their kitchen renovation; about their little girl's schooling. How one of them is leaving the other for a younger model.
Best friends don't tell lies. They don't take up residence on your couch for weeks. They don't call lawyers. They don't make you choose sides
Best friends don't keep secrets about their past. They don't put you in danger.
Best friends don't always stay best friends."
Rating: 4/5
You can buy The Broken as a hardback or an eBook now.
I am a huge fan of Tamar Cohen's books - in fact, I have read everything she has written and had published to date Her books are not fluffy chick lit - quite the opposite in fact. They're dark, sinister and always have a bit of a thriller element to them, you never know what her characters are going to do next! The synopsis for her new book The Broken sounded like it was going to be another corker - and I wondered where Tamar would be able to take this one, and how she could hook me in this time! Of course, she didn't fail to do so and I was hooked until I turned the final page... here's why!
Dan and Sasha, Josh and Hannah are 2 sets of couples and also best friends. They have daughters that are the same age, live relatively near each other in London, and know the ins and outs of each others lives, always there when the other needs a hand. But when Dan shockingly confesses late one to Josh that he is leaving his wife, Josh and Hannah don't quite know what to do. Sasha turns up on their doorstep late one night, sobbing, and they're torn - which friend do they side with after all this time? Dan expects them to understand that Sasha is high-maintenance and he can't take it anymore, but Sasha wants their support for being abandoned when she saw nothing wrong in their marriage. Josh and Hannah struggle to choose sides, and it ends up with them in conflict too, perhaps exposing sides of their own marriage they'd rather not explore - will these best friends be able to stay best friends when all is said and done?
Goodness me, I did love this book! The subject of splitting up is one often covered in chick lit, but Tamar Cohen has put a real twist in it with this book. It examines the darker and more sinister side of a marriage break up, and how it can drive us to actions we wouldn't normally consider, but also how it affects our friendships and leaves those closer to us in a difficult position too. The book opens with the revelation of Dan leaving his wife, so we don't get to see anything of Sasha and Dan as a couple, leaving you to make your own mind up about what they are like together, and if they could make their marriage work for the sake of themselves, or for their daughter. You're left wondering throughout the book whether they will make it, what Sasha will do next, and whether Dan will decide he has made the wrong decision, and I loved that I wasn't ever sure it was all over.
The characters were brilliantly written, each very flawed and exposed as people. Sasha was entirely unhinged, the more psychotic one of the group who is really struggling with the end of her marriage, understandly so of course. However, she does become somewhat crazed, and I was left on tenterhooks wondering what crazy stunt she'd pull next, she was brilliantly crazy. Dan was a bit of a slimeball at first, someone I struggled to warm to but as the story went on, I did feel sorry for him when Sasha started going after him, he seemed like he was the victim even though he had walked away from the marriage. Josh is hiding a secret throughout the book, something that isn't revealed until the end and I thought it was well-handled by Cohen, a delicate issue that can happen all too easily these days and I felt Josh was written so well in dealing with the stress of it. Hannah was another I struggled to warm to, I felt she sided too easily with Sasha despite her actions and how her friend was with her, I felt she needed to grow a bit of a backbone and stand up for her own opinion and not be led by Sasha.
What intrigued me most was the little diary-like entries in between chapters of the book by another character. These were really intriguing because we have no idea who this person is, and what they are going on about, quite frankly. When it was revealed at the end, I was really shocked and struggled to get my head around it exactly, it was a bit confusing. It certainly throws the whole story on its head and makes you think again about all the opinions you've formed all the way through the book, it was very clever.
The book was a superb read, with lots of tension and darkness throughout, leaving you wondering which of the couples, if any would make it through this troubled time. I felt like I was supposed to feel sorry for Sasha in parts, you sense that her childhood wasn't idyllic and she craves affection and attention from those around her to substitute for something, but I just couldn't, she wasn't very likeable for me. The emotional scenes are so well written, from grief to out and out hysterics from some, and just genuine shock comes across so well on the page, you're inevitably hooked in and emotionally connected to the characters. It's a very realistic book, a situation that so many of us could find ourselves in and you can't help but wonder what you would do if you were put in the impossible situation that Josh and Hannah found themselves in. It's a brilliant psychological thriller of a novel, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. If you like a story that's gritty, with lots of suspense and a dark side to it, then you should certainly read a copy of The Broken soon!
Best friends don't tell lies. They don't take up residence on your couch for weeks. They don't call lawyers. They don't make you choose sides
Best friends don't keep secrets about their past. They don't put you in danger.
Best friends don't always stay best friends."
Rating: 4/5
You can buy The Broken as a hardback or an eBook now.
I am a huge fan of Tamar Cohen's books - in fact, I have read everything she has written and had published to date Her books are not fluffy chick lit - quite the opposite in fact. They're dark, sinister and always have a bit of a thriller element to them, you never know what her characters are going to do next! The synopsis for her new book The Broken sounded like it was going to be another corker - and I wondered where Tamar would be able to take this one, and how she could hook me in this time! Of course, she didn't fail to do so and I was hooked until I turned the final page... here's why!
Dan and Sasha, Josh and Hannah are 2 sets of couples and also best friends. They have daughters that are the same age, live relatively near each other in London, and know the ins and outs of each others lives, always there when the other needs a hand. But when Dan shockingly confesses late one to Josh that he is leaving his wife, Josh and Hannah don't quite know what to do. Sasha turns up on their doorstep late one night, sobbing, and they're torn - which friend do they side with after all this time? Dan expects them to understand that Sasha is high-maintenance and he can't take it anymore, but Sasha wants their support for being abandoned when she saw nothing wrong in their marriage. Josh and Hannah struggle to choose sides, and it ends up with them in conflict too, perhaps exposing sides of their own marriage they'd rather not explore - will these best friends be able to stay best friends when all is said and done?
Goodness me, I did love this book! The subject of splitting up is one often covered in chick lit, but Tamar Cohen has put a real twist in it with this book. It examines the darker and more sinister side of a marriage break up, and how it can drive us to actions we wouldn't normally consider, but also how it affects our friendships and leaves those closer to us in a difficult position too. The book opens with the revelation of Dan leaving his wife, so we don't get to see anything of Sasha and Dan as a couple, leaving you to make your own mind up about what they are like together, and if they could make their marriage work for the sake of themselves, or for their daughter. You're left wondering throughout the book whether they will make it, what Sasha will do next, and whether Dan will decide he has made the wrong decision, and I loved that I wasn't ever sure it was all over.
The characters were brilliantly written, each very flawed and exposed as people. Sasha was entirely unhinged, the more psychotic one of the group who is really struggling with the end of her marriage, understandly so of course. However, she does become somewhat crazed, and I was left on tenterhooks wondering what crazy stunt she'd pull next, she was brilliantly crazy. Dan was a bit of a slimeball at first, someone I struggled to warm to but as the story went on, I did feel sorry for him when Sasha started going after him, he seemed like he was the victim even though he had walked away from the marriage. Josh is hiding a secret throughout the book, something that isn't revealed until the end and I thought it was well-handled by Cohen, a delicate issue that can happen all too easily these days and I felt Josh was written so well in dealing with the stress of it. Hannah was another I struggled to warm to, I felt she sided too easily with Sasha despite her actions and how her friend was with her, I felt she needed to grow a bit of a backbone and stand up for her own opinion and not be led by Sasha.
What intrigued me most was the little diary-like entries in between chapters of the book by another character. These were really intriguing because we have no idea who this person is, and what they are going on about, quite frankly. When it was revealed at the end, I was really shocked and struggled to get my head around it exactly, it was a bit confusing. It certainly throws the whole story on its head and makes you think again about all the opinions you've formed all the way through the book, it was very clever.
The book was a superb read, with lots of tension and darkness throughout, leaving you wondering which of the couples, if any would make it through this troubled time. I felt like I was supposed to feel sorry for Sasha in parts, you sense that her childhood wasn't idyllic and she craves affection and attention from those around her to substitute for something, but I just couldn't, she wasn't very likeable for me. The emotional scenes are so well written, from grief to out and out hysterics from some, and just genuine shock comes across so well on the page, you're inevitably hooked in and emotionally connected to the characters. It's a very realistic book, a situation that so many of us could find ourselves in and you can't help but wonder what you would do if you were put in the impossible situation that Josh and Hannah found themselves in. It's a brilliant psychological thriller of a novel, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. If you like a story that's gritty, with lots of suspense and a dark side to it, then you should certainly read a copy of The Broken soon!
Blog Tour: Author Interview: Tamar Cohen
Today, I am really pleased to welcome the lovely Tamar Cohen to my blog for an author interview! Tamar's new book The Broken is a thrilling read that I thoroughly enjoyed, and you can read my review on that later today. Tamar was kind enough to answer some of my questions as part of the blog tour for her new book, so please enjoy!
You can buy The Broken as a hardback or an eBook now.
Q1. Please tell us about your new book The Broken.
Hi Chloe. Well, The Broken is a psychological thriller about two couples – Hannah and Josh and Sasha and Dan - who are best friends, and whose young daughters are also best friends but whose friendship is threatened when Dan announces he’s leaving Sasha. Hannah and Josh vow they won’t take sides, but as Sasha and Dan’s break up becomes increasingly bitter, they can’t help getting sucked into their friends’ war of attrition, with catastrophic consequences for them all.
Q2. This book looks at the darker side of a marriage breakdown, and how it affects friendships when sides have to be chosen. Is this something you've had experience of yourself? If not, where did you get the idea?
A couple of times in my life I have found myself getting drawn into friends’ break-ups and it’s really unsettling. You start off determined to stay neutral and not take sides but it ends up being almost impossible. When people are going through an acrimonious split, they’re not rational. It’s a hugely emotional time and they are hurting which often makes them regress to their most childish selves with that kind of black and white ‘my enemy’s friend is my enemy’ mentality. They can’t see how you could spend time with this person who is causing them such intolerable pain. Sometimes you wind up becoming some kind of unwilling mediator or messenger, other times you end up feeling like a spy coming back to report from the enemy camp. A divorce can be like a war, where there are no neutral parties, only collaborators and traitors.
Q3. I felt sorry for Sasha, yet also deeply disliked her at the same time. I also wished that Hannah would grow a bit of a backbone as the book went on! Do you find it easy to write these more tricky characters, ones where you could quite easily hate them but have to also empathise with their situation somewhat for the sake of the story?
All my books feature characters who are deeply flawed. I’m not interested in perfect people. To me there’s nothing to say about them. Plus my characters are always in situations of great crisis. In The Mistress’s Revenge, Sally was in freefall following the sudden end of her five-year affair, Selina and Lottie in The War of the Wives had just found out they’d been having a relationship with the same man, and Fran from Someone Else’s Wedding was at a complete midlife crossroads, unsure which way to go. People in crisis are generally raw and self-absorbed and thin-skinned and probably not their nicest selves, But that doesn’t mean you can’t empathise or care about what happens to them.
Q3. Have you ever wanted to write something light and a bit happier, or are you more drawn to something a bit more sinister and dark?
Other writers do light so much better than I ever could. It’s the Dark Side all the way for me.
Q4. Have you always wanted to be an author? How did you get your first book 'The Mistresses Revenge' published?
Yes, I always wanted to write. I think most authors feel like that. It would be pretty weird if your burning ambition was to be an accountant or a brain surgeon and you had no interest in writing, then suddenly decided to knock out a book. Writing a book is a huge investment of time and energy. You’ve got to want it pretty badly. I was lucky with The Mistress’s Revenge. I wrote it in four months while I was going through a fallow period as a journalist and had time on my hands. I got an agent straight away and a book deal within weeks – which all sounds like a fairytale if you conveniently ignore the fact that I was 47 at the time, and had already put in a quarter century of writing practice!
Q5. How did it feel for your book 'Someone Else's Wedding' to be a Good Housekeeping Reader Recommended Book?! (Well deserved I have to say!)
I was thrilled when my editor told me Someone Else’s Wedding had been selected as a Good Housekeeping Recommended Book. It’s such a respected institution. I think people really trust their judgement. Plus I got to have a sticker on the front cover of one of my books which is something I’ve always wanted! Well, it’s not technically a sticker because it doesn’t peel off, but it’s close enough.
Q6. What are you reading at the moment? Is there any particular genre you enjoy more than others?
At the moment I’m reading a book called The Book of You by Claire Kendal, which is a chilling, very tightly written novel about stalking and obsession. I’m really enjoying it so far, but have to keep breaking off because it’s just so intense. I’m reading a lot of psychological crime at the moment because that’s the area I’m moving into.
Q7. Is there a book you've read which makes you think 'I wish I had written that myself!'?
I’m CONSTANTLY reading books I wish I’d written. I read one the other week called We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves by Karen Joy Fowler which I absolutely loved. It’s deep and yet incredibly sharp and funny with a twist that blows your socks off!
Q8. Are you working on your next book yet? Can you tell us anything about it?
My next book will be out later this year and is very definitely crime. It’s a total departure for me as it involves a proper ‘baddie’ and a heroine who is put into a situation of danger. Up until now, my characters have been much more morally ambiguous and any danger they encounter comes from their own psyches rather than an external force. And it’s DARK. Very dark. You have been warned!
You can buy The Broken as a hardback or an eBook now.
Q1. Please tell us about your new book The Broken.
Hi Chloe. Well, The Broken is a psychological thriller about two couples – Hannah and Josh and Sasha and Dan - who are best friends, and whose young daughters are also best friends but whose friendship is threatened when Dan announces he’s leaving Sasha. Hannah and Josh vow they won’t take sides, but as Sasha and Dan’s break up becomes increasingly bitter, they can’t help getting sucked into their friends’ war of attrition, with catastrophic consequences for them all.
Q2. This book looks at the darker side of a marriage breakdown, and how it affects friendships when sides have to be chosen. Is this something you've had experience of yourself? If not, where did you get the idea?
A couple of times in my life I have found myself getting drawn into friends’ break-ups and it’s really unsettling. You start off determined to stay neutral and not take sides but it ends up being almost impossible. When people are going through an acrimonious split, they’re not rational. It’s a hugely emotional time and they are hurting which often makes them regress to their most childish selves with that kind of black and white ‘my enemy’s friend is my enemy’ mentality. They can’t see how you could spend time with this person who is causing them such intolerable pain. Sometimes you wind up becoming some kind of unwilling mediator or messenger, other times you end up feeling like a spy coming back to report from the enemy camp. A divorce can be like a war, where there are no neutral parties, only collaborators and traitors.
Q3. I felt sorry for Sasha, yet also deeply disliked her at the same time. I also wished that Hannah would grow a bit of a backbone as the book went on! Do you find it easy to write these more tricky characters, ones where you could quite easily hate them but have to also empathise with their situation somewhat for the sake of the story?
All my books feature characters who are deeply flawed. I’m not interested in perfect people. To me there’s nothing to say about them. Plus my characters are always in situations of great crisis. In The Mistress’s Revenge, Sally was in freefall following the sudden end of her five-year affair, Selina and Lottie in The War of the Wives had just found out they’d been having a relationship with the same man, and Fran from Someone Else’s Wedding was at a complete midlife crossroads, unsure which way to go. People in crisis are generally raw and self-absorbed and thin-skinned and probably not their nicest selves, But that doesn’t mean you can’t empathise or care about what happens to them.
Q3. Have you ever wanted to write something light and a bit happier, or are you more drawn to something a bit more sinister and dark?
Other writers do light so much better than I ever could. It’s the Dark Side all the way for me.
Q4. Have you always wanted to be an author? How did you get your first book 'The Mistresses Revenge' published?
Yes, I always wanted to write. I think most authors feel like that. It would be pretty weird if your burning ambition was to be an accountant or a brain surgeon and you had no interest in writing, then suddenly decided to knock out a book. Writing a book is a huge investment of time and energy. You’ve got to want it pretty badly. I was lucky with The Mistress’s Revenge. I wrote it in four months while I was going through a fallow period as a journalist and had time on my hands. I got an agent straight away and a book deal within weeks – which all sounds like a fairytale if you conveniently ignore the fact that I was 47 at the time, and had already put in a quarter century of writing practice!
Q5. How did it feel for your book 'Someone Else's Wedding' to be a Good Housekeeping Reader Recommended Book?! (Well deserved I have to say!)
I was thrilled when my editor told me Someone Else’s Wedding had been selected as a Good Housekeeping Recommended Book. It’s such a respected institution. I think people really trust their judgement. Plus I got to have a sticker on the front cover of one of my books which is something I’ve always wanted! Well, it’s not technically a sticker because it doesn’t peel off, but it’s close enough.
Q6. What are you reading at the moment? Is there any particular genre you enjoy more than others?
At the moment I’m reading a book called The Book of You by Claire Kendal, which is a chilling, very tightly written novel about stalking and obsession. I’m really enjoying it so far, but have to keep breaking off because it’s just so intense. I’m reading a lot of psychological crime at the moment because that’s the area I’m moving into.
Q7. Is there a book you've read which makes you think 'I wish I had written that myself!'?
I’m CONSTANTLY reading books I wish I’d written. I read one the other week called We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves by Karen Joy Fowler which I absolutely loved. It’s deep and yet incredibly sharp and funny with a twist that blows your socks off!
Q8. Are you working on your next book yet? Can you tell us anything about it?
My next book will be out later this year and is very definitely crime. It’s a total departure for me as it involves a proper ‘baddie’ and a heroine who is put into a situation of danger. Up until now, my characters have been much more morally ambiguous and any danger they encounter comes from their own psyches rather than an external force. And it’s DARK. Very dark. You have been warned!
Thanks so much, Tamar!
27 May 2014
Book News: Love Like The Movies by Victoria Van Tiem
Pan Macmillan are publishing an exciting debut novel this summer, and it looks right up my street! Victoria Van Tiem's Love Like The Movies is out on June 19th, and I have to say how beautiful that cover is, I absolutely love it. The book sounds brilliant too, I'm really looking forward to it.
You can pre-order Love Like The Movies as a paperback or an eBook now.
"When it comes to finding her leading man, will it be Love, Actually or a Runaway Bride?
Kenzi Shaw has her life scripted out down to the last line - the career she's building as an up-and-coming marketing exec, the gorgeous fiancé (Bradley) she'll marry in a fairytale wedding, the children they'll raise in her dream home. But when heart-breaking ex Shane comes back into her life, life starts going off the script...
Shane tries to win Kenzi over by re-enacting all the rom com movies they used to watch together - Sleepless in Seattle, Bridget Jones' Diary, Pretty Woman and Dirty Dancing to name a few. He's just a guy, standing in front of a girl, asking her to trust him again.
But has he really changed? Not only is her head in a spin over Shane, but now her job is on the line. And with her perfect sister in law showing up every tiny thing Kenzi does wrong, she feels like she's permanently in the corner.
Should she risk her sensible life for the chance of a Happy Ever After? One thing's for sure, when Shane meets Kenzi (again), she's suddenly not so sure just who her leading man is . . ."
You can pre-order Love Like The Movies as a paperback or an eBook now.
"When it comes to finding her leading man, will it be Love, Actually or a Runaway Bride?
Kenzi Shaw has her life scripted out down to the last line - the career she's building as an up-and-coming marketing exec, the gorgeous fiancé (Bradley) she'll marry in a fairytale wedding, the children they'll raise in her dream home. But when heart-breaking ex Shane comes back into her life, life starts going off the script...
Shane tries to win Kenzi over by re-enacting all the rom com movies they used to watch together - Sleepless in Seattle, Bridget Jones' Diary, Pretty Woman and Dirty Dancing to name a few. He's just a guy, standing in front of a girl, asking her to trust him again.
But has he really changed? Not only is her head in a spin over Shane, but now her job is on the line. And with her perfect sister in law showing up every tiny thing Kenzi does wrong, she feels like she's permanently in the corner.
Should she risk her sensible life for the chance of a Happy Ever After? One thing's for sure, when Shane meets Kenzi (again), she's suddenly not so sure just who her leading man is . . ."
26 May 2014
eBook Review: Escape for the Summer by Ruth Saberton
"Can Andi Evans find the strength to start again?
Betrayed and broken-hearted, Andi's redundancy is one shock too many. Suddenly single and in debt, a summer working in the pretty Cornish town of Rock seems the perfect solution.Determined never to trust again, will a chance meeting with a stranger change her mind?
Andi's sister, Angel, is determined to find a man who can keep her in style. Heading to Rock, summer playground of the rich and famous, seems an inspired idea until a misunderstanding threatens to end a romance that has started to mean more to her than she ever expected...
Actress Gemma is no stranger to diets and disappointments. As the future of her career hangs in the balance, Gemma hopes a summer in Cornwall solves her problems. With a reality TV show being filmed in the seaside town surely she can avoid the pasty shops and win herself a role.
Arriving in idyllic Cornwall, all three girls are hoping for a holiday to remember. But will this be for the right reasons? Or, as emotions run higher than the tide, will the summer escape turn their lives upside down? "
Rating: 5/5
You can buy Escape for the Summer as an eBook now.
I've read a few of Ruth Saberton's short eBook novels, as well as a few of her book under different pen-names and enjoyed them all. When Ruth asked me to review her new book Escape for the Summer, I have to say I was really keen because it sounded just the sort of book that I would really enjoy! I think the cover is gorgeous too, very summery and although it was black and white on my Kindle (which is such a shame!), I loved it. I have to confess the book was longer than I anticipated, it would definitely make a big, chunky book if it were made into one but I thoroughly enjoyed the whole thing!
When Andi's relationship suddenly ends, she's shocked and a bit heartbroken too. But when she also gets made redundant and has her bank account emptied within the space of a few hours, she doesn't know where to turn. Her sister, Angel, is a beautician but can't help from opening her mouth to the wrong clients. She too finds herself without a job, and the sisters, together with their actress friend Gemma decide to move to the seaside town of Rock in Cornwall for the summer to get away for a while. Angel is determined to bag herself a rich man, but already seems to act like she has an unlimited bank account. Andi wants to work her way out of debt as quickly as possible, so is thrilled when the perfect job opportunity comes her way. Gemma wants nothing more than to meet ex-footballer Cal and star in his reality show, but is the reality going to be harsher than what she has read about him in the papers? Rock certainly has a charm for the three women, but are they going to find that their escape for the summer has led to a lot more...?
What I really enjoyed about this book was how it focussed around 3 women throughout the whole book. They're friends, but this didn't mean they were always together, they were often off doing their own things and it allowed the reader to get to know each of the women as individuals and see how different they actually are. I have to say I liked all of them, it took me a while to warm to Angel and Gemma but as the story got going, and we got to know more about the women's stories I started to like them more. Andi was certainly my favourite, although I did hope for her to grow a backbone regarding her horrendous boyfriend far more quickly than she did! She's the more sensible of the two sisters, seeing herself as the mother figure for Angel, and is certainly a lot more responsible than her sister. Her relationship with Jonty, a man she meets by chance in the local shop was delightful to read
Angel was a lot more flighty, determined to bag a rich man so she could live a life of luxury even though she's got a good set of brains on her! Angel likes the finer things in life and this is explored more in the book too. However, my favourite scene with Angel was towards the end of the book, very emotional and shows a totally fresh side to this character. Finally, there's Gemma, a wannabe actress with a weight problem. She's sure she won't get any roles until she loses weight, but Gemma loves cake too much for that. I really enjoyed Gemma getting to know ex-footballer and reality show star Cal as the book went on, and it was clear the pair certainly have a love of food in common! I was hoping Gemma would have her happy ending, but also get more confident about herself, I hated how she put herself down and thought she couldn't be anything until she lost weight.
The setting of Rock was wonderful. I haven't visited Cornwall although after reading this book, I certainly want to go! Everything from the beach to the sea to the shops are so well written, you can clearly picture it in your mind and I loved exploring the place with Angel, Andi and Gemma. What made the book so enjoyable for me was Saberton's writing - her dialogue with the characters was fantastic to read, witty and sharp and often funny, really making the women individuals but holding the story together too. There's a lot of humour in the book, I was often laughing along as I read, but it is full of warmth too, with the relationships each of the women have and with each other also. There are some more serious things woven in with the story of the book, and I enjoyed the way these were handled. It's definitely a book that deserves wide recognition, and is perfect for taking on holiday this summer for a fun and thoroughly enjoyable read. It had everything I wanted in a great summer read - a beautiful setting, fun characters, and a story that will keep you hooked to the very last page. I loved it!
Betrayed and broken-hearted, Andi's redundancy is one shock too many. Suddenly single and in debt, a summer working in the pretty Cornish town of Rock seems the perfect solution.Determined never to trust again, will a chance meeting with a stranger change her mind?
Andi's sister, Angel, is determined to find a man who can keep her in style. Heading to Rock, summer playground of the rich and famous, seems an inspired idea until a misunderstanding threatens to end a romance that has started to mean more to her than she ever expected...
Actress Gemma is no stranger to diets and disappointments. As the future of her career hangs in the balance, Gemma hopes a summer in Cornwall solves her problems. With a reality TV show being filmed in the seaside town surely she can avoid the pasty shops and win herself a role.
Arriving in idyllic Cornwall, all three girls are hoping for a holiday to remember. But will this be for the right reasons? Or, as emotions run higher than the tide, will the summer escape turn their lives upside down? "
Rating: 5/5
You can buy Escape for the Summer as an eBook now.
I've read a few of Ruth Saberton's short eBook novels, as well as a few of her book under different pen-names and enjoyed them all. When Ruth asked me to review her new book Escape for the Summer, I have to say I was really keen because it sounded just the sort of book that I would really enjoy! I think the cover is gorgeous too, very summery and although it was black and white on my Kindle (which is such a shame!), I loved it. I have to confess the book was longer than I anticipated, it would definitely make a big, chunky book if it were made into one but I thoroughly enjoyed the whole thing!
When Andi's relationship suddenly ends, she's shocked and a bit heartbroken too. But when she also gets made redundant and has her bank account emptied within the space of a few hours, she doesn't know where to turn. Her sister, Angel, is a beautician but can't help from opening her mouth to the wrong clients. She too finds herself without a job, and the sisters, together with their actress friend Gemma decide to move to the seaside town of Rock in Cornwall for the summer to get away for a while. Angel is determined to bag herself a rich man, but already seems to act like she has an unlimited bank account. Andi wants to work her way out of debt as quickly as possible, so is thrilled when the perfect job opportunity comes her way. Gemma wants nothing more than to meet ex-footballer Cal and star in his reality show, but is the reality going to be harsher than what she has read about him in the papers? Rock certainly has a charm for the three women, but are they going to find that their escape for the summer has led to a lot more...?
What I really enjoyed about this book was how it focussed around 3 women throughout the whole book. They're friends, but this didn't mean they were always together, they were often off doing their own things and it allowed the reader to get to know each of the women as individuals and see how different they actually are. I have to say I liked all of them, it took me a while to warm to Angel and Gemma but as the story got going, and we got to know more about the women's stories I started to like them more. Andi was certainly my favourite, although I did hope for her to grow a backbone regarding her horrendous boyfriend far more quickly than she did! She's the more sensible of the two sisters, seeing herself as the mother figure for Angel, and is certainly a lot more responsible than her sister. Her relationship with Jonty, a man she meets by chance in the local shop was delightful to read
Angel was a lot more flighty, determined to bag a rich man so she could live a life of luxury even though she's got a good set of brains on her! Angel likes the finer things in life and this is explored more in the book too. However, my favourite scene with Angel was towards the end of the book, very emotional and shows a totally fresh side to this character. Finally, there's Gemma, a wannabe actress with a weight problem. She's sure she won't get any roles until she loses weight, but Gemma loves cake too much for that. I really enjoyed Gemma getting to know ex-footballer and reality show star Cal as the book went on, and it was clear the pair certainly have a love of food in common! I was hoping Gemma would have her happy ending, but also get more confident about herself, I hated how she put herself down and thought she couldn't be anything until she lost weight.
The setting of Rock was wonderful. I haven't visited Cornwall although after reading this book, I certainly want to go! Everything from the beach to the sea to the shops are so well written, you can clearly picture it in your mind and I loved exploring the place with Angel, Andi and Gemma. What made the book so enjoyable for me was Saberton's writing - her dialogue with the characters was fantastic to read, witty and sharp and often funny, really making the women individuals but holding the story together too. There's a lot of humour in the book, I was often laughing along as I read, but it is full of warmth too, with the relationships each of the women have and with each other also. There are some more serious things woven in with the story of the book, and I enjoyed the way these were handled. It's definitely a book that deserves wide recognition, and is perfect for taking on holiday this summer for a fun and thoroughly enjoyable read. It had everything I wanted in a great summer read - a beautiful setting, fun characters, and a story that will keep you hooked to the very last page. I loved it!
Blog Tour: Escape for the Summer by Ruth Saberton - Author Article
Today, I am delighted to be part of the blog tour for Ruth Saberton's fab new novel Escape for the Summer. I will be reviewing it later on today, and I have to say it's definitely a great read for the summer. As part of the blog tour, Ruth was kind enough to write me an article about the book and story behind it, please enjoy!
You can buy Escape for the Summer as an eBook now.
"Escape for the Summer is the story of three young women who head to Cornwall for the holiday season. Each girl is very different yet there are parts of me in all of them, and I had the time of my life playing with the multiple narrative structure. This is the book I’ve been longing to tackle for a very long time – a big fat beach read full of sunshine and adventure and with a huge cast of colourful characters – and I loved every minute of writing it.
Escape for the Summer is about friendship, new and old, and how it is often when things seem to be at their very darkest that life carries you away to new and wonderful adventures. I started writing the novel after quite a bleak time, and soon my own life started to imitate the story. I won’t give too much away, but I now live in the Caribbean and have a whole new chapter of my own to explore, but like my characters, I had to let go of everything I knew first. Have I met gorgeous guys, multi-millionaires and footballers? Now that would be telling!
I do miss Cornwall very much, but writing this book really helped me to cope with being homesick. That probably sounds crazy when I can see the Caribbean Sea from my sofa, but there really is no place like home. While I was writing the novel, I felt like I was back in Cornwall, and I adored being able to write about the places I know so well. I hope my love for the county shines through.
There’s a great story behind this book! It was summer 2011, and I was on the River Fowey when I noticed a hire boat driven by twenty-something girls shrieking with excitement. I instantly wondered who they were and why they were in Cornwall. I took a few snaps on my iPhone and began to make some notes. Soon, Escape for the Summer was taking shape. Once the novel was written, I really wanted to trace these girls, who in my mind had become Andi, Angel, and Gemma from the book, and thank them for being the inspiration. I had the picture I’d taken so I posted this onto my website. A few weeks later, I was thrilled to receive an email from one of the girls who filled me in on their real identities. They were Uni friends, and every summer they meet up for a reunion holiday. This is a story in itself, and I’m very tempted to ask them for some more info!
I’m now working on my Christmas novella, which is going to feature characters from Escape for the Summer. It’s a new experience trying to get into the Christmas spirit when the temperatures exceed thirty degrees, and the sun is like a blast furnace. I close the blinds, crank the air con down, and play carols on my iPod, which works a treat until I put my head out the door.
Maybe I need to send Andi, Angel, and Gemma off for a Caribbean Christmas? Now there’s a thought! Excuse me while I go and write it down…"
Thanks so much, Ruth!
You can buy Escape for the Summer as an eBook now.
"Escape for the Summer is the story of three young women who head to Cornwall for the holiday season. Each girl is very different yet there are parts of me in all of them, and I had the time of my life playing with the multiple narrative structure. This is the book I’ve been longing to tackle for a very long time – a big fat beach read full of sunshine and adventure and with a huge cast of colourful characters – and I loved every minute of writing it.
Escape for the Summer is about friendship, new and old, and how it is often when things seem to be at their very darkest that life carries you away to new and wonderful adventures. I started writing the novel after quite a bleak time, and soon my own life started to imitate the story. I won’t give too much away, but I now live in the Caribbean and have a whole new chapter of my own to explore, but like my characters, I had to let go of everything I knew first. Have I met gorgeous guys, multi-millionaires and footballers? Now that would be telling!
I do miss Cornwall very much, but writing this book really helped me to cope with being homesick. That probably sounds crazy when I can see the Caribbean Sea from my sofa, but there really is no place like home. While I was writing the novel, I felt like I was back in Cornwall, and I adored being able to write about the places I know so well. I hope my love for the county shines through.
There’s a great story behind this book! It was summer 2011, and I was on the River Fowey when I noticed a hire boat driven by twenty-something girls shrieking with excitement. I instantly wondered who they were and why they were in Cornwall. I took a few snaps on my iPhone and began to make some notes. Soon, Escape for the Summer was taking shape. Once the novel was written, I really wanted to trace these girls, who in my mind had become Andi, Angel, and Gemma from the book, and thank them for being the inspiration. I had the picture I’d taken so I posted this onto my website. A few weeks later, I was thrilled to receive an email from one of the girls who filled me in on their real identities. They were Uni friends, and every summer they meet up for a reunion holiday. This is a story in itself, and I’m very tempted to ask them for some more info!
I’m now working on my Christmas novella, which is going to feature characters from Escape for the Summer. It’s a new experience trying to get into the Christmas spirit when the temperatures exceed thirty degrees, and the sun is like a blast furnace. I close the blinds, crank the air con down, and play carols on my iPod, which works a treat until I put my head out the door.
Maybe I need to send Andi, Angel, and Gemma off for a Caribbean Christmas? Now there’s a thought! Excuse me while I go and write it down…"
Thanks so much, Ruth!
25 May 2014
Book News: Taking Hollywood by Shari King
One blockbuster novel I'm looking forward to this year is Taking Hollywood by Shari King! The name is a mix of it's authors - chick lit author Shari Low, and Hollywood reporter Ross King. The pair have teamed up for this novel, and it sounds like it's going to be an absolute corker! I have to say I love the Jackie Collins-esque cover too! It's out on 14th August.
You can pre-order Taking Hollywood as a paperback or an eBook now.
"One fateful night. A lifetime of lies. The ultimate scandal . . .
1993
In front of a galaxy of stars, three young film makers accept their Oscar for Best Original Screenplay.
Davie Johnston, Zander Leith and Mirren McLean, childhood friends from a rough housing estate in Glasgow, have taken Hollywood by storm.
Only they know what they did to get there. . .
2013
Twenty years later Davie Johnston is the top host and reality show producer in town. Mirren McLean is a respected writer and movie director and Zander Leith is box office gold. But they haven't spoken to each other in twenty years, their relationships devastated by one horrific secret.
Thousands of miles away, a young ambitious journalist discovers a tantalizing story from the past. Tinsel Town beckons.
And in a town where nothing is as it seems, she is determined to expose the kind of scandalous drama that usually only happens in the movies."
You can pre-order Taking Hollywood as a paperback or an eBook now.
"One fateful night. A lifetime of lies. The ultimate scandal . . .
1993
In front of a galaxy of stars, three young film makers accept their Oscar for Best Original Screenplay.
Davie Johnston, Zander Leith and Mirren McLean, childhood friends from a rough housing estate in Glasgow, have taken Hollywood by storm.
Only they know what they did to get there. . .
2013
Twenty years later Davie Johnston is the top host and reality show producer in town. Mirren McLean is a respected writer and movie director and Zander Leith is box office gold. But they haven't spoken to each other in twenty years, their relationships devastated by one horrific secret.
Thousands of miles away, a young ambitious journalist discovers a tantalizing story from the past. Tinsel Town beckons.
And in a town where nothing is as it seems, she is determined to expose the kind of scandalous drama that usually only happens in the movies."
24 May 2014
eBook Review: How To Get A (Love) Life by Rosie Blake
"Some people book last-minute holidays, walk barefoot in the grass or party on a week night. Not Nicola Brown. Nicola is the kind of girl who double-locks the front door, leaves the plastic covering on new furniture, sticks to a super-strict diet and definitely, absolutely Does Not Date.
Her colleague Caroline – loopy, warm and exasperated by her, knows that Nicola's reluctance to lose control means she's living only half a life. And so she lays down the gauntlet: Nicola must cast aside her hang ups and go on as many dates as it takes to find true love in time for Valentine's Day.
The pick of local men is, quite frankly, a bit rubbish. And there are only three months until February 14th. Surely it's an impossible task? But, as Nicola is about to find out on her dodgy dates, letting go isn't quite as scary as she imagined. In fact, it's rather a lot of fun.."
Rating: 4/5
You can buy How To Get A (Love) Life as an eBook now.
Rosie Blake's debut novel is one that has been on my radar for a long time now, but for some reason, I just haven't gotten around to reading it. Flicking through my Kindle library one night, I saw the book sitting there unread and decided that I had to give it a go. I love the colourful and bright cover (although it's just black and white on my Kindle!), and it sounded like it was going to be a really funny read too. I follow Rosie on Twitter too and find her tweets funny, so hoped that her book would be just as good and a very fun read.
Nicola is determined to find her Mr Right. Well, not exactly. Her colleague and friend Caroline desperately wants her to loosen up and find her Mr Right, but Nicola really isn't bothered. In fact, she quite enjoys her home to herself, doing what she wants and having everything in a nice, neat order. It makes her happy. But when Caroline challenges her to find her true love before Valentine's Day, Nicola accepts, perhaps more to shut Caroline up than anything else. Nicola soon finds that many of the local men just aren't her cup of tea, and it's slim pickings out there for a fussy woman like herself. But with a countdown clock ticking, and Nicola not wanting to lose the bet, she'd better start taking her hunt for Mr Right more seriously...
I found the book really easy to get into, and I felt the story flowed well. The character of Nicola was brilliant. She's quite strait-laced, likes making sure the front door is double locked, and has a set menu for each day of the week so she knows exactly what she's eating and when - there's no room for changes either. So finding a man who can suit her lifestyle isn't easy, but she's determined to do it. I liked that she wasn't hugely keen on the idea, but realised that she needed to brighten up her life a little bit, that perhaps being alone isn't always the best thing. Her colleague Caroline was the instigator of the whole thing, and I liked the contrast between their lives - Caroline's married and a mother to young children with a somewhat hectic life, compared to Nicola's calmer and more lonely one.
Nicola goes on a few horrible dates, which do create a few laughs, although you do have to feel sorry for Nicola having to sit through some of them! It's quite clear she isn't a good match for any of the men, especially the sports surfer, sounded like my idea of a nightmare to be honest! It certainly made for some rather funny moments. The inclusion of Nicola's brother was a good addition to the story, he and Nicola have a wonderfully close relationship and he was the source of a lot of funny moments too, pretty much treating his sister's place like his own home too! In terms of Nicola finding her Mr Right, I did set my heart of one particular person in the book, and I felt that this was where the story was going, and luckily for me I was right and I got the ending that I wanted- I love it when that happens!
Rosie Blake's debut novel is a really fun read, it's a fun and easy way to spend an evening reading, and with lots of likeable characters, especially the leading lady, there's lot to keep you reading. I have to confess that in terms of Nicola hitting her target of Valentine's Day to find true love, I did find it hard to work out how long she had left to do so because there wasn't much talk of time passing and therefore it wasn't clear how close she was to actually winning her bet with Caroline, but it's a minor point that I feel can be over-looked because of how enjoyable the rest of the book was. I loved Nicola, and loved her little quirks, she was certainly a unique individual! I really enjoyed the book, and look forward to more from Rosie Blake.
Her colleague Caroline – loopy, warm and exasperated by her, knows that Nicola's reluctance to lose control means she's living only half a life. And so she lays down the gauntlet: Nicola must cast aside her hang ups and go on as many dates as it takes to find true love in time for Valentine's Day.
The pick of local men is, quite frankly, a bit rubbish. And there are only three months until February 14th. Surely it's an impossible task? But, as Nicola is about to find out on her dodgy dates, letting go isn't quite as scary as she imagined. In fact, it's rather a lot of fun.."
Rating: 4/5
You can buy How To Get A (Love) Life as an eBook now.
Rosie Blake's debut novel is one that has been on my radar for a long time now, but for some reason, I just haven't gotten around to reading it. Flicking through my Kindle library one night, I saw the book sitting there unread and decided that I had to give it a go. I love the colourful and bright cover (although it's just black and white on my Kindle!), and it sounded like it was going to be a really funny read too. I follow Rosie on Twitter too and find her tweets funny, so hoped that her book would be just as good and a very fun read.
Nicola is determined to find her Mr Right. Well, not exactly. Her colleague and friend Caroline desperately wants her to loosen up and find her Mr Right, but Nicola really isn't bothered. In fact, she quite enjoys her home to herself, doing what she wants and having everything in a nice, neat order. It makes her happy. But when Caroline challenges her to find her true love before Valentine's Day, Nicola accepts, perhaps more to shut Caroline up than anything else. Nicola soon finds that many of the local men just aren't her cup of tea, and it's slim pickings out there for a fussy woman like herself. But with a countdown clock ticking, and Nicola not wanting to lose the bet, she'd better start taking her hunt for Mr Right more seriously...
I found the book really easy to get into, and I felt the story flowed well. The character of Nicola was brilliant. She's quite strait-laced, likes making sure the front door is double locked, and has a set menu for each day of the week so she knows exactly what she's eating and when - there's no room for changes either. So finding a man who can suit her lifestyle isn't easy, but she's determined to do it. I liked that she wasn't hugely keen on the idea, but realised that she needed to brighten up her life a little bit, that perhaps being alone isn't always the best thing. Her colleague Caroline was the instigator of the whole thing, and I liked the contrast between their lives - Caroline's married and a mother to young children with a somewhat hectic life, compared to Nicola's calmer and more lonely one.
Nicola goes on a few horrible dates, which do create a few laughs, although you do have to feel sorry for Nicola having to sit through some of them! It's quite clear she isn't a good match for any of the men, especially the sports surfer, sounded like my idea of a nightmare to be honest! It certainly made for some rather funny moments. The inclusion of Nicola's brother was a good addition to the story, he and Nicola have a wonderfully close relationship and he was the source of a lot of funny moments too, pretty much treating his sister's place like his own home too! In terms of Nicola finding her Mr Right, I did set my heart of one particular person in the book, and I felt that this was where the story was going, and luckily for me I was right and I got the ending that I wanted- I love it when that happens!
Rosie Blake's debut novel is a really fun read, it's a fun and easy way to spend an evening reading, and with lots of likeable characters, especially the leading lady, there's lot to keep you reading. I have to confess that in terms of Nicola hitting her target of Valentine's Day to find true love, I did find it hard to work out how long she had left to do so because there wasn't much talk of time passing and therefore it wasn't clear how close she was to actually winning her bet with Caroline, but it's a minor point that I feel can be over-looked because of how enjoyable the rest of the book was. I loved Nicola, and loved her little quirks, she was certainly a unique individual! I really enjoyed the book, and look forward to more from Rosie Blake.
21 May 2014
Book Review: A Husband's Confession by Zoe Miller
"A deserted laneway.
A hit and run accident.
Two families will never be the same . . .
Max and Ali Kennedy own a renowned artisan bakery in Dublin's creative quarter. Max has given Ali everything she ever wanted - marriage, children and security. Now, her biggest fear is that her precious family will be taken away from her.
Across the city, Finn and Jo Kennedy live a life of responsibility and success - far removed from the carefree couple they were when they first met in Australia twenty years ago. But in the best of marriages, appearances can be deceiving.
When a tragic accident befalls one of the families, a long-buried secret between the Kennedy brothers comes to the surface and a house of lies comes tumbling down.
As the couples discover life-changing truths about their marriages, they must make a decision - to forgive, to forget or to move on?"
Rating: 5/5
You can buy A Husband's Confession as a paperback or an eBook now.
Zoe Miller is an Irish author who I have really come to love, and I eagerly await her books because I know I'm guaranteed a really good read! Zoe's latest book A Husband's Confession is no exception to this rule - I was gripped from the beginning and was left wondering what on earth was going on, and what secrets were going to be revealed next! If you haven't read any of Zoe's books yet, then you can't go far wrong than by starting with this book.
Max and Ali own a successful bakery together, with Max being the baker and Ali handling the paperwork side of the business. They're happily married, with 2 children and a lovely home. Ali finally feels like she's settled in a family, but when a tragic accident occurs, everything that Ali holds dear is suddenly at horrible risk. Finn, Max's brother, is married to Jo, and has a successful television career although all is no quite as it seems behind the closed doors of Finn and Jo's home. They met in Australia twenty years ago on a whirlwind romance, but are things still as loving as they were then? As the Kennedy families struggle to get past the shock accident, secrets are revealed, things that people would rather forget...
I don't really want to spoil too much about this book because part of the brilliance of it for me was discovering things as they come along, and that includes the accident, and what happened after that. However, the two Kennedy families are the main part of the book and they are definitely riveting in their own ways! I really loved Max and Ali, they seemed to have a really loving marriage and enjoyed working together too, something some couples can't balance easily! However, they bounce off each other well, and I found that Miller wrote their relationship perfectly, they were still clearly in love with each other and I felt they juggled their work life with their home life and parenting really well, I liked both of them.
Finn and Jo were a different kettle of fish, and Miller makes the differences quite blatant. You certainly feel that Finn and Jo's relationship isn't as loving as it was - this is shown cleverly through flashbacks to them meeting in Australia all those years ago, their quick romance and subsequent marriage too. We also get hints of Jo's troubled home life - I really enjoyed reading about these two, and the scenes in Australia were really fun to read. As well as these main characters, we meet a few others, including staff in the bakery but it is mainly these four who the story focusses around, and I felt the book worked well with a small cast of characters. The scenes within the bakery were fun too, giving the feeling of a bustling family run bakery frequented by the locals due to the scrumptious things on sale, and I loved that it was a small business doing hugely well too!
What I really enjoyed about this book was the mystery element. For a long time, we have no idea how or why the accident occurs, or the secrets that the couples are hiding from each other too. Quite often when I read books, I can guess things before they come up, but I really didn't see them in this case. I loved the Miller was able to keep it from her readers, leading us up the garden path for a few things, and subtly hinting at others, I tried to have a guess at a few but was way off the mark! The drama is definite pronounced throughout the book, I found the pace was slow enough to really drag out the mystery elements as much as was needed, but there was enough going on that I was never bored or wanting to put the book down - quite the opposite! Miller is a fantastic storyteller, with great characters, settings and plots, I always finish her books with a smile on my face having really enjoyed what I have just read. A Husband's Confession was a fantastic book, and definitely one I can recommend.
A hit and run accident.
Two families will never be the same . . .
Max and Ali Kennedy own a renowned artisan bakery in Dublin's creative quarter. Max has given Ali everything she ever wanted - marriage, children and security. Now, her biggest fear is that her precious family will be taken away from her.
Across the city, Finn and Jo Kennedy live a life of responsibility and success - far removed from the carefree couple they were when they first met in Australia twenty years ago. But in the best of marriages, appearances can be deceiving.
When a tragic accident befalls one of the families, a long-buried secret between the Kennedy brothers comes to the surface and a house of lies comes tumbling down.
As the couples discover life-changing truths about their marriages, they must make a decision - to forgive, to forget or to move on?"
Rating: 5/5
You can buy A Husband's Confession as a paperback or an eBook now.
Zoe Miller is an Irish author who I have really come to love, and I eagerly await her books because I know I'm guaranteed a really good read! Zoe's latest book A Husband's Confession is no exception to this rule - I was gripped from the beginning and was left wondering what on earth was going on, and what secrets were going to be revealed next! If you haven't read any of Zoe's books yet, then you can't go far wrong than by starting with this book.
Max and Ali own a successful bakery together, with Max being the baker and Ali handling the paperwork side of the business. They're happily married, with 2 children and a lovely home. Ali finally feels like she's settled in a family, but when a tragic accident occurs, everything that Ali holds dear is suddenly at horrible risk. Finn, Max's brother, is married to Jo, and has a successful television career although all is no quite as it seems behind the closed doors of Finn and Jo's home. They met in Australia twenty years ago on a whirlwind romance, but are things still as loving as they were then? As the Kennedy families struggle to get past the shock accident, secrets are revealed, things that people would rather forget...
I don't really want to spoil too much about this book because part of the brilliance of it for me was discovering things as they come along, and that includes the accident, and what happened after that. However, the two Kennedy families are the main part of the book and they are definitely riveting in their own ways! I really loved Max and Ali, they seemed to have a really loving marriage and enjoyed working together too, something some couples can't balance easily! However, they bounce off each other well, and I found that Miller wrote their relationship perfectly, they were still clearly in love with each other and I felt they juggled their work life with their home life and parenting really well, I liked both of them.
Finn and Jo were a different kettle of fish, and Miller makes the differences quite blatant. You certainly feel that Finn and Jo's relationship isn't as loving as it was - this is shown cleverly through flashbacks to them meeting in Australia all those years ago, their quick romance and subsequent marriage too. We also get hints of Jo's troubled home life - I really enjoyed reading about these two, and the scenes in Australia were really fun to read. As well as these main characters, we meet a few others, including staff in the bakery but it is mainly these four who the story focusses around, and I felt the book worked well with a small cast of characters. The scenes within the bakery were fun too, giving the feeling of a bustling family run bakery frequented by the locals due to the scrumptious things on sale, and I loved that it was a small business doing hugely well too!
What I really enjoyed about this book was the mystery element. For a long time, we have no idea how or why the accident occurs, or the secrets that the couples are hiding from each other too. Quite often when I read books, I can guess things before they come up, but I really didn't see them in this case. I loved the Miller was able to keep it from her readers, leading us up the garden path for a few things, and subtly hinting at others, I tried to have a guess at a few but was way off the mark! The drama is definite pronounced throughout the book, I found the pace was slow enough to really drag out the mystery elements as much as was needed, but there was enough going on that I was never bored or wanting to put the book down - quite the opposite! Miller is a fantastic storyteller, with great characters, settings and plots, I always finish her books with a smile on my face having really enjoyed what I have just read. A Husband's Confession was a fantastic book, and definitely one I can recommend.
14 May 2014
Book Review: A Seaside Affair by Fern Britton
"When the residents of the Cornish seaside town of Trevay discover that their ramshackle but much-loved theatre is about to be taken over by a global coffee chain, Café au Lait, they are up in arms.
It is up to Penny Leighton, hotshot Producer and now happily married Cornish resident, to come up with a plan to save it. Armed with her only her mobile phone and her enviable contacts book, she starts to pull in some serious favours. Trevay soon finds itself at the centre of the universe when more A-listers than you can shake a stick at arrive to take part in a charity season at the theatre.
The play throws out a chance to Jess Tate, girlfriend to TV heartthrob Ryan Roberts. His career is on the rise while hers remains resolutely in the doldrums. But when opportunity comes calling, it isn’t just her career prospects that are about to change.
Tevay is about to put on the show of its life – but can the villagers, and Jess, hold on to the thing they love the most?"
Rating: 4/5
You can buy A Seaside Affair as a hardback or an eBook now.
Fern Britton seems to be one of those celebrities who have made the transition to being a successful published author. She's released not just one book but several, in fact A Seaside Affair is Fern's 4th novel. Whilst it is a stand-alone novel, it features the characters featured in Fern's second novel Hidden Treasures. I haven't read this book, but had no trouble following the story of this one, it works perfectly as a separate story too. It's set in sunny Cornwall, somewhere I haven't actually visited myself, but Fern writes it so beautifully you feel like you are there with Penny, Helen and Brooke!
Helen is happily settled in the town of Trevay, living not far from her best friend Penny Leighton, a well known producer, and their respective partners. When the residents of Trevay find out their small theatre is about to be taken over by a huge coffee chain, they decide to rally together and try to save their theatre. When Penny starts to dial the famous members of her address book, Hollywood names descend on Trevay determined to help save the historical building. The theatre project catches the attention of actress Jess, girlfriend of big TVstar Ryan, who is sure she's a bit washed up these days, especially compared to Ryan. The project seems like the perfect thing for her, and she decides to step out on her own and try to revive her career. Will Trevay and it's new-found stars be able to save the theatre before its too late?
One thing I really liked about this book was the characters in it. I did find that there was more characters than I expected in the book, and it took a while for me to settle with them all and work out who was who, who was with who and where they were! The main characters are Helen and Penny, best friends living in Cornwall and determined to save their precious theatre, even though their partners aren't overly keen on the idea. There's Brooke, a young actress hired to be the face of the coffee giant wanting to take over the theatre, but as things take a dark turn for Brooke, she has to decide which side she is going to take and what she will do for her career. Finally, there's acting couple Jess and Ryan. These two are the ones we see the least of probably, but I really liked Jess, and thought Ryan was a pig! I can definitely imagine quite a few male celebrities to be like him, and that's not a good thing!
Helen and Penny were good characters, but Helen faded into the background for me, I didn't really think much of her. Penny was more of a star, mainly due to her job and contacts, but again wasn't a huge part of it. I think this was because they were part of Hidden Treasures so didn't need to feature heavily here, but I would have liked to see more of them. For me, my favourite character was Brooke, the young actress who is struggling with her career. Brooke is very naive, but also strong in some ways, determined to do what's right for her career. She was just very likeable, and I enjoyed reading her parts of the story, especially once she arrived in Trevay and made herself at home there. I loved the descriptions of the theatre, although it was a bit ramshackle and falling down, you can see why the residents want to save it, especially when more of its history is revealed as the story progresses. I love what the characters attempt to do to save the building as well, recreating a bit of history, and Britton writes it so beautifully you can't help but want them to be a success!
The setting of Cornwall is beautiful, and I really enjoyed reading about it. As I said, I haven't been there but it really comes to life when you're reading about it. Parts of the book are set in London too which are enjoyable, but I far preferred those parts set in Cornwall. The story was really enjoyable, moving at a pace that kept me hooked and wanting to read chapter after chapter! I really did care about the residents of Trevay saving their theatre against the odds, and especially against the council who seem to just want the money for it rather than the historical value of the building, far too realistic these days I fear. Britton's writing was very easy to read, describing both the settings and characters really well, and I have to admit I enjoyed this a lot more than Britton's first novel that I read a few years ago now. I really did like this book, and I'm looking forward to reading more from Fern Britton after this!
It is up to Penny Leighton, hotshot Producer and now happily married Cornish resident, to come up with a plan to save it. Armed with her only her mobile phone and her enviable contacts book, she starts to pull in some serious favours. Trevay soon finds itself at the centre of the universe when more A-listers than you can shake a stick at arrive to take part in a charity season at the theatre.
The play throws out a chance to Jess Tate, girlfriend to TV heartthrob Ryan Roberts. His career is on the rise while hers remains resolutely in the doldrums. But when opportunity comes calling, it isn’t just her career prospects that are about to change.
Tevay is about to put on the show of its life – but can the villagers, and Jess, hold on to the thing they love the most?"
Rating: 4/5
You can buy A Seaside Affair as a hardback or an eBook now.
Fern Britton seems to be one of those celebrities who have made the transition to being a successful published author. She's released not just one book but several, in fact A Seaside Affair is Fern's 4th novel. Whilst it is a stand-alone novel, it features the characters featured in Fern's second novel Hidden Treasures. I haven't read this book, but had no trouble following the story of this one, it works perfectly as a separate story too. It's set in sunny Cornwall, somewhere I haven't actually visited myself, but Fern writes it so beautifully you feel like you are there with Penny, Helen and Brooke!
Helen is happily settled in the town of Trevay, living not far from her best friend Penny Leighton, a well known producer, and their respective partners. When the residents of Trevay find out their small theatre is about to be taken over by a huge coffee chain, they decide to rally together and try to save their theatre. When Penny starts to dial the famous members of her address book, Hollywood names descend on Trevay determined to help save the historical building. The theatre project catches the attention of actress Jess, girlfriend of big TVstar Ryan, who is sure she's a bit washed up these days, especially compared to Ryan. The project seems like the perfect thing for her, and she decides to step out on her own and try to revive her career. Will Trevay and it's new-found stars be able to save the theatre before its too late?
One thing I really liked about this book was the characters in it. I did find that there was more characters than I expected in the book, and it took a while for me to settle with them all and work out who was who, who was with who and where they were! The main characters are Helen and Penny, best friends living in Cornwall and determined to save their precious theatre, even though their partners aren't overly keen on the idea. There's Brooke, a young actress hired to be the face of the coffee giant wanting to take over the theatre, but as things take a dark turn for Brooke, she has to decide which side she is going to take and what she will do for her career. Finally, there's acting couple Jess and Ryan. These two are the ones we see the least of probably, but I really liked Jess, and thought Ryan was a pig! I can definitely imagine quite a few male celebrities to be like him, and that's not a good thing!
Helen and Penny were good characters, but Helen faded into the background for me, I didn't really think much of her. Penny was more of a star, mainly due to her job and contacts, but again wasn't a huge part of it. I think this was because they were part of Hidden Treasures so didn't need to feature heavily here, but I would have liked to see more of them. For me, my favourite character was Brooke, the young actress who is struggling with her career. Brooke is very naive, but also strong in some ways, determined to do what's right for her career. She was just very likeable, and I enjoyed reading her parts of the story, especially once she arrived in Trevay and made herself at home there. I loved the descriptions of the theatre, although it was a bit ramshackle and falling down, you can see why the residents want to save it, especially when more of its history is revealed as the story progresses. I love what the characters attempt to do to save the building as well, recreating a bit of history, and Britton writes it so beautifully you can't help but want them to be a success!
The setting of Cornwall is beautiful, and I really enjoyed reading about it. As I said, I haven't been there but it really comes to life when you're reading about it. Parts of the book are set in London too which are enjoyable, but I far preferred those parts set in Cornwall. The story was really enjoyable, moving at a pace that kept me hooked and wanting to read chapter after chapter! I really did care about the residents of Trevay saving their theatre against the odds, and especially against the council who seem to just want the money for it rather than the historical value of the building, far too realistic these days I fear. Britton's writing was very easy to read, describing both the settings and characters really well, and I have to admit I enjoyed this a lot more than Britton's first novel that I read a few years ago now. I really did like this book, and I'm looking forward to reading more from Fern Britton after this!
13 May 2014
Book News: Paper Swans by Jessica Thompson
I have become a huge fan of Jessica Thompson's books because her first two stories were so brilliant, you couldn't help but love them. She's back this summer with a brand new book called Paper Swans. It's out on 31st July, and I am so excited to read this one. The cover is stunning, and the story sounds just wonderful.
You can pre-order Paper Swans as a paperback or an eBook now.
"Ben Lawrence seems to have it all – the hot job, the flashy car, the luxurious apartment. But one tragic day in his past mars his future.
Since the events of that day he hasn’t truly got close to anyone.
He made a promise that love was the price he would pay for his mistakes.
When Effy Jones – a bright, ambitious charity founder – walks into the PR firm where Ben works, neither realise that their lives are about to be turned upside down.
Paper Swans tells of how love can conquer all, and how when everything is broken one person can help to put the pieces together…"
You can pre-order Paper Swans as a paperback or an eBook now.
"Ben Lawrence seems to have it all – the hot job, the flashy car, the luxurious apartment. But one tragic day in his past mars his future.
Since the events of that day he hasn’t truly got close to anyone.
He made a promise that love was the price he would pay for his mistakes.
When Effy Jones – a bright, ambitious charity founder – walks into the PR firm where Ben works, neither realise that their lives are about to be turned upside down.
Paper Swans tells of how love can conquer all, and how when everything is broken one person can help to put the pieces together…"
12 May 2014
Book Review: Beautiful Day by Kate Anthony
"Rachel is looking for her beautiful day. She's worried about everything: being a good mother, money and starting a new job.
Philip is a lost soul in the world and he could do with a friend.
They are just about to meet and when they do everything will change. Rachel and Philip don't know it yet, but they each have what the other needs. They can save one another, and not in the way you might expect.
This is a story about finding happiness and love in all their forms. And how sometimes you can find them in the most unlikely of places."
Rating: 4/5
You can buy Beautiful Day as a paperback or an eBook now.
Occasionally I am asked to review books which have never been on my radar before I have received the email about them. Kate Anthony's debut novel Beautiful Day was one such book. I hadn't heard anything about it, read anything but somehow the story sounded like something I might enjoy, and was a bit of a different read for me. I decided to give it a try - the cover was stunning, and the story sounded quite emotive too, and as you know I do enjoy finding debut authors to rave about!
Rachel is a single mother, trying to get over her marriage break-up as best as she can. She's managed to find herself a job working in a residential home for adults with learning difficulties, some of them quite severe. Her relationship with her children is somewhat strained now, and her ex-husband is happily shacked up with his much younger woman. Whilst at work, Rachel meets Philip, a bit of a lost soul at the centre. She sees something in Philip and realises that the pair can help each other, and can be friends. Rachel might be able to help Philip in his life, but perhaps there is something that quiet man can do for her too. Will Philip or Rachel be able to find their beautiful day?
Whilst I had anticipated the book being a bit of a romance, I couldn't have been more wrong. This story is about human relationships, and the connections that we have with each other that can affect us deeply. Philip and Rachel's slowly building friendship is touching, and a joy to read. Philip is really quite helpless after the death of his mother, unable to look after himself with the basics of life such as washing and brushing his own teeth. Rachel is assigned to be his key worker, and here we see the two begin to interact, learn about each other and also to trust each other, especially Philip allowing Rachel to help him in his life. While her relationships at home are floundering, her ones at work are growing stronger, and it makes Rachel a brighter, and bolder person.
The relationship she has with her ex-husband Dom is strained. He's very rude to her, patronising and clearly doesn't have a clue about exactly what it is she has to do day in, day out. She tries to get along with him for the sake of their children, but it's clear the pair cannot get on, and I'm sure many women will be able to relate to their relationship, I know I can. However, her bond with her boss Rob is sweet, I was hoping for a bit of happiness for Rachel there as he seemed a nice guy and the pair got along so well. He also encouraged Rachel to stand up for herself more, and when a serious situation arose at the care home, the two really came into their own and it was nice to see them both have a bit of fire in their bellies about something! I can't Rachel is hugely likeable, she shouts at her young kids a lot, she seems very miserable a lot of the time, but that's of course due to her circumstances.
The book shows us the brutal breakdown of a marriage - how it affects not just the separated adults but the children being torn between their two parents as well. The storyline involving Rachel and Dom's son was just heart-breaking, and I did struggle to read that at times, it's a harsh reality of how difficult children can find divorce. The book also touches on some tricky scenarios at the care home, showing how careful the staff have to be in that line of work, and the pressures that they are under too. It's a very real book, full of hard hitting stories and emotion, and one that I very much enjoyed reading. Yes, Rachel isn't hugely likeable but you can't help but empathise with her, and her situation, and she doesn't shy away from telling us how much she is struggling. Anthony's writing is a joy to read, written in the first person from Rachel's point of view, it works perfectly with this narrator as we really get to know Rachel's innermost thoughts and turmoils. A very poignant and realistic story, with a lot of warmth and love at its heart - a strong debut novel, and I look forward to more from Kate Anthony.
Thanks to Penguin for the review copy.
Philip is a lost soul in the world and he could do with a friend.
They are just about to meet and when they do everything will change. Rachel and Philip don't know it yet, but they each have what the other needs. They can save one another, and not in the way you might expect.
This is a story about finding happiness and love in all their forms. And how sometimes you can find them in the most unlikely of places."
Rating: 4/5
You can buy Beautiful Day as a paperback or an eBook now.
Occasionally I am asked to review books which have never been on my radar before I have received the email about them. Kate Anthony's debut novel Beautiful Day was one such book. I hadn't heard anything about it, read anything but somehow the story sounded like something I might enjoy, and was a bit of a different read for me. I decided to give it a try - the cover was stunning, and the story sounded quite emotive too, and as you know I do enjoy finding debut authors to rave about!
Rachel is a single mother, trying to get over her marriage break-up as best as she can. She's managed to find herself a job working in a residential home for adults with learning difficulties, some of them quite severe. Her relationship with her children is somewhat strained now, and her ex-husband is happily shacked up with his much younger woman. Whilst at work, Rachel meets Philip, a bit of a lost soul at the centre. She sees something in Philip and realises that the pair can help each other, and can be friends. Rachel might be able to help Philip in his life, but perhaps there is something that quiet man can do for her too. Will Philip or Rachel be able to find their beautiful day?
Whilst I had anticipated the book being a bit of a romance, I couldn't have been more wrong. This story is about human relationships, and the connections that we have with each other that can affect us deeply. Philip and Rachel's slowly building friendship is touching, and a joy to read. Philip is really quite helpless after the death of his mother, unable to look after himself with the basics of life such as washing and brushing his own teeth. Rachel is assigned to be his key worker, and here we see the two begin to interact, learn about each other and also to trust each other, especially Philip allowing Rachel to help him in his life. While her relationships at home are floundering, her ones at work are growing stronger, and it makes Rachel a brighter, and bolder person.
The relationship she has with her ex-husband Dom is strained. He's very rude to her, patronising and clearly doesn't have a clue about exactly what it is she has to do day in, day out. She tries to get along with him for the sake of their children, but it's clear the pair cannot get on, and I'm sure many women will be able to relate to their relationship, I know I can. However, her bond with her boss Rob is sweet, I was hoping for a bit of happiness for Rachel there as he seemed a nice guy and the pair got along so well. He also encouraged Rachel to stand up for herself more, and when a serious situation arose at the care home, the two really came into their own and it was nice to see them both have a bit of fire in their bellies about something! I can't Rachel is hugely likeable, she shouts at her young kids a lot, she seems very miserable a lot of the time, but that's of course due to her circumstances.
The book shows us the brutal breakdown of a marriage - how it affects not just the separated adults but the children being torn between their two parents as well. The storyline involving Rachel and Dom's son was just heart-breaking, and I did struggle to read that at times, it's a harsh reality of how difficult children can find divorce. The book also touches on some tricky scenarios at the care home, showing how careful the staff have to be in that line of work, and the pressures that they are under too. It's a very real book, full of hard hitting stories and emotion, and one that I very much enjoyed reading. Yes, Rachel isn't hugely likeable but you can't help but empathise with her, and her situation, and she doesn't shy away from telling us how much she is struggling. Anthony's writing is a joy to read, written in the first person from Rachel's point of view, it works perfectly with this narrator as we really get to know Rachel's innermost thoughts and turmoils. A very poignant and realistic story, with a lot of warmth and love at its heart - a strong debut novel, and I look forward to more from Kate Anthony.
Thanks to Penguin for the review copy.
10 May 2014
Book Review: If I Could Turn Back Time by Nicola Doherty
"What if you found The One, then lost him again?
Or not so much lost him as became the neurotic, needy girlfriend from hell. The girl who tried to make him choose between her and his job, and got seriously paranoid about his relationship with his female best friend..
Zoë Kennedy knows she doesn't deserve another chance with David Fitzgerald. But if there's the tiniest possibility of making things right, she'll snatch it. Even if it means breaking the laws of physics to do so..."
Rating: 4.5/5
You can buy If I Could Turn Back Time as an eBook or a paperback now!
I read Nicola Doherty's debut novel a few years ago now, and really enjoyed it. When I was invited to be part of the blog tour for the paperback release of her new book If I Could Turn Back Time, I jumped at the chance because the book sounded brilliant! I was curious about this, I have to admit, because I don't usually like books with a magical element to them - I prefer something more realistic, but having read nothing but good things about this book, I was determined to bear with it and give it a go! I'm so pleased I did because it was a joy to read, and I really loved it.
Zoe Kennedy is heartbroken when her relationship with long term boyfriend David ends. She's left working at her job in a department store, sure she is going to get nowhere in her job because her boss doesn't like her, and that she will end up regretting losing David. But whilst preparing for Christmas at the store, Zoe encounters an old lady who tells her that the window displays are magic. Zoe takes it with a pinch of salt, but when she wakes up in the middle of summer, and still with David, she's sure that something magical has happened for sure. With a second chance at love, will Zoe be able to right the wrongs she had with David before, and find her happy ever after?
When the book began, I really liked Zoe. She seemed like your normal girl, trying to get over a relationship, and generally wondering about the direction her life was going in. It was all fairly normal, and I liked that. But suddenly, she wakes up about 5 months before where the book started, with there being no real explanation of how she got there. In fact, nothing about that is really ever revealed, and as someone who likes things tied up neatly for me in a book, this didn't sit too well with me! However, this is probably the only thing I didn't like in the book, so it's something I can look past if I don't dwell on it too much! Zoe, as I said, was a great character, and although there were a few times she was a bit arrogant about her situation and how she used it, I generally liked her and hoped she would be happy in the end as she deserved to be. Zoe's job at the department story was very well written too, from the designer name-dropping to descriptions of clothes, and her colleagues too, it was a enjoyable part of the book.
There were quite a few characters in this book. There's David, who is a well-respected surgeon, and you can see why Zoe would struggle with the commitments of his job. There's his parents who we meet briefly, and his best friend, the hideous Jenny. Doherty writes that character for the simple reason of being someone to hate in the book, and goodness me did I hate her! Her new flatmate Max is a great character too, a bit of a strange guy but seemed like such a nice guy! All of these characters were so well written, jumping out of the page at me, and I thoroughly enjoyed all of them being part of the story. We learn lots about Zoe's relationship with all these characters, but especially David, and I was hoping that Zoe would realise she didn't have to change to be with David, he should love her just as she was, no matter what anyone thought.
Zoe uses some of her knowledge from her time-travelling to get ahead in her life in parts, and while I didn't especially like these bits as I didn't think it would all end well for Zoe, it does make for some funny circumstances! The time travel bit as I said did seem a bit odd and unexplained, but that's part of the fun of the book. I read another book along the same vein last year by Ali McNamara and I have to say that I enjoyed this one a lot more, it was incredibly well written and enjoyable to read. You really get invested in the character of Zoe and her finding happiness in the end, along with things that happen along the way too. Yes, the ending felt a bit hurried and strange to me, but it didn't detract too much from my enjoyment of the book as a whole. Doherty has written a brilliant book here, and it makes me very excited to read more by this author!
Or not so much lost him as became the neurotic, needy girlfriend from hell. The girl who tried to make him choose between her and his job, and got seriously paranoid about his relationship with his female best friend..
Zoë Kennedy knows she doesn't deserve another chance with David Fitzgerald. But if there's the tiniest possibility of making things right, she'll snatch it. Even if it means breaking the laws of physics to do so..."
Rating: 4.5/5
You can buy If I Could Turn Back Time as an eBook or a paperback now!
I read Nicola Doherty's debut novel a few years ago now, and really enjoyed it. When I was invited to be part of the blog tour for the paperback release of her new book If I Could Turn Back Time, I jumped at the chance because the book sounded brilliant! I was curious about this, I have to admit, because I don't usually like books with a magical element to them - I prefer something more realistic, but having read nothing but good things about this book, I was determined to bear with it and give it a go! I'm so pleased I did because it was a joy to read, and I really loved it.
Zoe Kennedy is heartbroken when her relationship with long term boyfriend David ends. She's left working at her job in a department store, sure she is going to get nowhere in her job because her boss doesn't like her, and that she will end up regretting losing David. But whilst preparing for Christmas at the store, Zoe encounters an old lady who tells her that the window displays are magic. Zoe takes it with a pinch of salt, but when she wakes up in the middle of summer, and still with David, she's sure that something magical has happened for sure. With a second chance at love, will Zoe be able to right the wrongs she had with David before, and find her happy ever after?
When the book began, I really liked Zoe. She seemed like your normal girl, trying to get over a relationship, and generally wondering about the direction her life was going in. It was all fairly normal, and I liked that. But suddenly, she wakes up about 5 months before where the book started, with there being no real explanation of how she got there. In fact, nothing about that is really ever revealed, and as someone who likes things tied up neatly for me in a book, this didn't sit too well with me! However, this is probably the only thing I didn't like in the book, so it's something I can look past if I don't dwell on it too much! Zoe, as I said, was a great character, and although there were a few times she was a bit arrogant about her situation and how she used it, I generally liked her and hoped she would be happy in the end as she deserved to be. Zoe's job at the department story was very well written too, from the designer name-dropping to descriptions of clothes, and her colleagues too, it was a enjoyable part of the book.
There were quite a few characters in this book. There's David, who is a well-respected surgeon, and you can see why Zoe would struggle with the commitments of his job. There's his parents who we meet briefly, and his best friend, the hideous Jenny. Doherty writes that character for the simple reason of being someone to hate in the book, and goodness me did I hate her! Her new flatmate Max is a great character too, a bit of a strange guy but seemed like such a nice guy! All of these characters were so well written, jumping out of the page at me, and I thoroughly enjoyed all of them being part of the story. We learn lots about Zoe's relationship with all these characters, but especially David, and I was hoping that Zoe would realise she didn't have to change to be with David, he should love her just as she was, no matter what anyone thought.
Zoe uses some of her knowledge from her time-travelling to get ahead in her life in parts, and while I didn't especially like these bits as I didn't think it would all end well for Zoe, it does make for some funny circumstances! The time travel bit as I said did seem a bit odd and unexplained, but that's part of the fun of the book. I read another book along the same vein last year by Ali McNamara and I have to say that I enjoyed this one a lot more, it was incredibly well written and enjoyable to read. You really get invested in the character of Zoe and her finding happiness in the end, along with things that happen along the way too. Yes, the ending felt a bit hurried and strange to me, but it didn't detract too much from my enjoyment of the book as a whole. Doherty has written a brilliant book here, and it makes me very excited to read more by this author!
6 May 2014
eBook News: Escape for the Summer by Ruth Saberton
Although it's already been released, I really wanted to flag up author Ruth Saberton's latest eBook! Escape for the Summer looks like the perfect summer read, making us look forward to the summer that I hope is inevitable... I need some sunshine! Ruth writes brilliant stories that I always enjoy, and I'm sure this one will be just the same!
You can buy Escape for the Summer as an eBook now.
"Can Andi Evans find the strength to start again?
Betrayed and broken-hearted, Andi's redundancy is one shock too many. Suddenly single and in debt, a summer working in the pretty Cornish town of Rock seems the perfect solution.Determined never to trust again, will a chance meeting with a stranger change her mind?
Andi's sister, Angel, is determined to find a man who can keep her in style. Heading to Rock, summer playground of the rich and famous, seems an inspired idea until a misunderstanding threatens to end a romance that has started to mean more to her than she ever expected...
Actress Gemma is no stranger to diets and disappointments. As the future of her career hangs in the balance, Gemma hopes a summer in Cornwall solves her problems. With a reality TV show being filmed in the seaside town surely she can avoid the pasty shops and win herself a role.
Arriving in idyllic Cornwall, all three girls are hoping for a holiday to remember. But will this be for the right reasons? Or, as emotions run higher than the tide, will the summer escape turn their lives upside down? "
You can buy Escape for the Summer as an eBook now.
"Can Andi Evans find the strength to start again?
Betrayed and broken-hearted, Andi's redundancy is one shock too many. Suddenly single and in debt, a summer working in the pretty Cornish town of Rock seems the perfect solution.Determined never to trust again, will a chance meeting with a stranger change her mind?
Andi's sister, Angel, is determined to find a man who can keep her in style. Heading to Rock, summer playground of the rich and famous, seems an inspired idea until a misunderstanding threatens to end a romance that has started to mean more to her than she ever expected...
Actress Gemma is no stranger to diets and disappointments. As the future of her career hangs in the balance, Gemma hopes a summer in Cornwall solves her problems. With a reality TV show being filmed in the seaside town surely she can avoid the pasty shops and win herself a role.
Arriving in idyllic Cornwall, all three girls are hoping for a holiday to remember. But will this be for the right reasons? Or, as emotions run higher than the tide, will the summer escape turn their lives upside down? "
5 May 2014
Book Review: The Time of Our Lives by Jane Costello
"Three best friends. One five-star hotel. Will it be the holiday of a lifetime ...?
Imogen and her friends Meredith and Nicola have had their fill of budget holidays, cattle-class flights and 6 a.m. offensives for a space by the pool. So when Meredith wins a VIP holiday at Barcelona's hippest new hotel, they plan to sip champagne with the jet set, party with the glitterati and switch off in unapologetic luxury.
But when the worst crisis of her working life erupts back home, Imogen has to juggle her BlackBerry with a Manhattan, while soothing a hysterical boss and hunting down an AWOL assistant. Between a robbery, a run-in with hotel security staff and an encounter on a nudist beach that they'd all rather forget, the friends stumble from one disaster to the next.
At least Imogen has a distraction in the form of the gorgeous guy who's always in the right place at the very worst time. Until, that is, his motives start to arouse a few suspicions .."
Rating: 5/5
You can buy The Time of Our Lives as a paperback or an eBook now.
Jane Costello's books are always a reading staple for me - they're funny, well written and really enjoyable books that I look forward to each year! I was really excited to receive a review copy of her latest book, The Time of Our Lives, from Jane's publishers Simon&Schuster, and eagerly got stuck in. The book sounded like it was going to be really fun - a girly holiday that goes somewhat wrong... just what I need in the evenings, something nice and light-hearted to read! Now I've finished, I can safely say this is a perfect summer read, and one of my favourite of Jane's books to date!
Imogen's life is quite full, what with being a single mum to her young daughter, and working full time as a PA as well - she doesn't seem to get any time to herself. However, when her friend Meredith wins a luxury holiday, she's insistent on taking both Imogen and their friend Nicola to enjoy some much needed R&R in sunny Barcelona. Unfortunately for Imogen though, things don't quite go to plan. She collides with a handsome stranger called Harry in the airport, and he seems to be making his presence known around them once the ladies land and get to their hotel as well. They seem to go from one bit of bad luck to another despite the sunshine and promise of a great holiday, and soon Imogen is all but ready to go home. Are any of the girls going to ever find this holiday to be the time of their lives?!
First of all, I want to say how much I loved the characters in this book. I especially loved the two main women in the story, Meredith and Imogen. Not only were they believable as real people that you could have as your own friends, but they were just nice people too! Imogen was a character I warmed to a lot - she's a single mum like me, and is struggling to get a good work/life balance, something else I know quite well. You feel for her in feeling guilty at leaving her daughter behind, but you can also see how much she needs the break too, so I was pleased Meredith and Nicola managed to talk her into it. But goodness me, what a clumsy and accident prone person Imogen was! She was constantly finding herself in trouble, whether it's with her phone, or her limbs, or her possessions, it did seem a little crazy at times!
However, while there were some rather ridiculous moments, they were outweighed by how much I enjoyed the whole story. Harry, as the leading man in the book, was everything you want in the book's hero - handsome, kind, and a gentleman, it's just a shame that there wasn't more of him in the book as I really did love him. Meredith was just hilarious, heavily pregnant but totally in denial of her shape, her impending motherhood and just how much her life is going to change, I loved her! Nicola was the one we saw the least, so I didn't really think too much about her, she seemed a bit forgettable to me. There were also characters from Imogen's work, especially her boss who seems to be struggling with a spot of trouble the company has gotten itself into, and he didn't seem to mind interrupting her holiday for it - I think I'd have gone mad long before Imogen did with it all!
This was a really well written and enjoyable story, and I loved the setting of Barcelona. We mainly get to see the hotel as this is where the women seem to spend most of their holiday, but occasionally they venture out and Costello writes the city beautifully, everything is easy to imagine. One thing I thoroughly in the book was the flashbacks to Imogen's relationship with her daughter Florence's father, Roberto. It's touchingly written, and while it's puzzling for a while as we don't know what happened, when it is revealed I was shocked and really moved by how well it was written. Costello's writing is as brilliant as ever, delivering with the wit and emotion of the book with ease, and her cast of incredibly likeable characters makes you want to keep reading until you've reached the end! Yes, I found myself getting frustrated with Imogen at times, wishing she'd turn her flipping phone off, but of course then the novel wouldn't be half as funny would it?! Brilliant, and definitely a worthy summer read :)
Imogen and her friends Meredith and Nicola have had their fill of budget holidays, cattle-class flights and 6 a.m. offensives for a space by the pool. So when Meredith wins a VIP holiday at Barcelona's hippest new hotel, they plan to sip champagne with the jet set, party with the glitterati and switch off in unapologetic luxury.
But when the worst crisis of her working life erupts back home, Imogen has to juggle her BlackBerry with a Manhattan, while soothing a hysterical boss and hunting down an AWOL assistant. Between a robbery, a run-in with hotel security staff and an encounter on a nudist beach that they'd all rather forget, the friends stumble from one disaster to the next.
At least Imogen has a distraction in the form of the gorgeous guy who's always in the right place at the very worst time. Until, that is, his motives start to arouse a few suspicions .."
Rating: 5/5
You can buy The Time of Our Lives as a paperback or an eBook now.
Jane Costello's books are always a reading staple for me - they're funny, well written and really enjoyable books that I look forward to each year! I was really excited to receive a review copy of her latest book, The Time of Our Lives, from Jane's publishers Simon&Schuster, and eagerly got stuck in. The book sounded like it was going to be really fun - a girly holiday that goes somewhat wrong... just what I need in the evenings, something nice and light-hearted to read! Now I've finished, I can safely say this is a perfect summer read, and one of my favourite of Jane's books to date!
Imogen's life is quite full, what with being a single mum to her young daughter, and working full time as a PA as well - she doesn't seem to get any time to herself. However, when her friend Meredith wins a luxury holiday, she's insistent on taking both Imogen and their friend Nicola to enjoy some much needed R&R in sunny Barcelona. Unfortunately for Imogen though, things don't quite go to plan. She collides with a handsome stranger called Harry in the airport, and he seems to be making his presence known around them once the ladies land and get to their hotel as well. They seem to go from one bit of bad luck to another despite the sunshine and promise of a great holiday, and soon Imogen is all but ready to go home. Are any of the girls going to ever find this holiday to be the time of their lives?!
First of all, I want to say how much I loved the characters in this book. I especially loved the two main women in the story, Meredith and Imogen. Not only were they believable as real people that you could have as your own friends, but they were just nice people too! Imogen was a character I warmed to a lot - she's a single mum like me, and is struggling to get a good work/life balance, something else I know quite well. You feel for her in feeling guilty at leaving her daughter behind, but you can also see how much she needs the break too, so I was pleased Meredith and Nicola managed to talk her into it. But goodness me, what a clumsy and accident prone person Imogen was! She was constantly finding herself in trouble, whether it's with her phone, or her limbs, or her possessions, it did seem a little crazy at times!
However, while there were some rather ridiculous moments, they were outweighed by how much I enjoyed the whole story. Harry, as the leading man in the book, was everything you want in the book's hero - handsome, kind, and a gentleman, it's just a shame that there wasn't more of him in the book as I really did love him. Meredith was just hilarious, heavily pregnant but totally in denial of her shape, her impending motherhood and just how much her life is going to change, I loved her! Nicola was the one we saw the least, so I didn't really think too much about her, she seemed a bit forgettable to me. There were also characters from Imogen's work, especially her boss who seems to be struggling with a spot of trouble the company has gotten itself into, and he didn't seem to mind interrupting her holiday for it - I think I'd have gone mad long before Imogen did with it all!
This was a really well written and enjoyable story, and I loved the setting of Barcelona. We mainly get to see the hotel as this is where the women seem to spend most of their holiday, but occasionally they venture out and Costello writes the city beautifully, everything is easy to imagine. One thing I thoroughly in the book was the flashbacks to Imogen's relationship with her daughter Florence's father, Roberto. It's touchingly written, and while it's puzzling for a while as we don't know what happened, when it is revealed I was shocked and really moved by how well it was written. Costello's writing is as brilliant as ever, delivering with the wit and emotion of the book with ease, and her cast of incredibly likeable characters makes you want to keep reading until you've reached the end! Yes, I found myself getting frustrated with Imogen at times, wishing she'd turn her flipping phone off, but of course then the novel wouldn't be half as funny would it?! Brilliant, and definitely a worthy summer read :)
2 May 2014
Book News: The Teashop on the Corner by Milly Johnson
Milly Johnson is one of my favourite chick lit authors ever, so I am super-excited that she has a new book out this summer! The Teashop on the Corner is due out on 19th June 2014 and sounds like it's going to be another brilliant read. Milly's books always draw me due to their wonderfully written stories of friends and families, this sounds like another must-read!
You can pre-order The Teashop on the Corner as a paperback or an eBook now.
"At her beloved husband's funeral, Carla Pride discovers that Martin never divorced his first wife and has been living a double life with her. And his other wife, Julie Pride, is determined to take everything from Carla - her home, her money, and her memories.
When Will Linton's business goes bust he at least thinks that with the support of his trophy wife Nicole he will rise to the top again. But Nicole isn't going to stick around with 'a loser' and Will finds himself at rock bottom.
Molly Jones is being bullied into going into a retirement home by her 'concerned' daughter-in-law Sherry and son Gram. Then the love of Molly's life walks in through her door - a man who broke Molly's heart into little pieces many years ago. But he says he is dying and wants to spend the time he has left with her.
All people in need of a little love and compassion which they find by chance in the stationery and teashop on the corner run by the ever-cheerful Leni, a woman that site developer Shaun McCarthy finds annoying beyond annoying for her ability to remain unrealistically upbeat about everything.
But is the world of Leni Merryman as full of rainbows and sparkles as everyone thinks? Or is her smile papering over many cracks in her heart that will soon be shattered unwittingly by her new friends?"
You can pre-order The Teashop on the Corner as a paperback or an eBook now.
"At her beloved husband's funeral, Carla Pride discovers that Martin never divorced his first wife and has been living a double life with her. And his other wife, Julie Pride, is determined to take everything from Carla - her home, her money, and her memories.
When Will Linton's business goes bust he at least thinks that with the support of his trophy wife Nicole he will rise to the top again. But Nicole isn't going to stick around with 'a loser' and Will finds himself at rock bottom.
Molly Jones is being bullied into going into a retirement home by her 'concerned' daughter-in-law Sherry and son Gram. Then the love of Molly's life walks in through her door - a man who broke Molly's heart into little pieces many years ago. But he says he is dying and wants to spend the time he has left with her.
All people in need of a little love and compassion which they find by chance in the stationery and teashop on the corner run by the ever-cheerful Leni, a woman that site developer Shaun McCarthy finds annoying beyond annoying for her ability to remain unrealistically upbeat about everything.
But is the world of Leni Merryman as full of rainbows and sparkles as everyone thinks? Or is her smile papering over many cracks in her heart that will soon be shattered unwittingly by her new friends?"
1 May 2014
Book News: The Travelling Tea Shop by Belinda Jones
One book I am really looking forward to this spring is the new release from Belinda Jones! Belinda's books are always a joy to read, and this book sounds right up my street! The Travelling Tea Shop is due out on May 22nd, so not too long to wait now - what a gorgeous cover for the book as well!
"A delectable tale of love, friendship and cake...
Laurie loves a challenge. Especially if it involves tea-time and travel. So when British baking treasure Pamela Lambert-Leigh needs a guide on a research trip for her new cookbook, she jumps at the chance.
The brief:
Laurie and Pamela - along with Pamela's sassy mother and stroppy daughter - will board a vintage London bus for a deliciously unusual tour of the USA's East Coast, cruising from New York to Vermont.
Their mission:
To trade recipes for home-grown classics like Victoria Sponge and Battenburg for American favourites like Red Velvet Cake and Whoopie Pie.
All the women have their secrets and heartaches to heal. As well cupcakes galore, there's also the chance for romance...
But will making Whoopie lead to love?"
"A delectable tale of love, friendship and cake...
Laurie loves a challenge. Especially if it involves tea-time and travel. So when British baking treasure Pamela Lambert-Leigh needs a guide on a research trip for her new cookbook, she jumps at the chance.
The brief:
Laurie and Pamela - along with Pamela's sassy mother and stroppy daughter - will board a vintage London bus for a deliciously unusual tour of the USA's East Coast, cruising from New York to Vermont.
Their mission:
To trade recipes for home-grown classics like Victoria Sponge and Battenburg for American favourites like Red Velvet Cake and Whoopie Pie.
All the women have their secrets and heartaches to heal. As well cupcakes galore, there's also the chance for romance...
But will making Whoopie lead to love?"
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