Play Dead (D.I. Stone book #4) by Angela Marsons

Play Dead (D.I. Stone Book #4) by Angela Marsons

Published: 20th May 2016

Publisher: Bookouture

Pages: 390

Available in Paperback and on Kindle

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Blurb

The dead don’t tell secrets… unless you listen. The girl’s smashed-in face stared unseeing up to the blue sky, soil spilling out of her mouth. A hundred flies hovered above the bloodied mess.

Westerley research facility is not for the faint-hearted. A ‘body farm’ investigating human decomposition, its inhabitants are corpses in various states of decay. But when Detective Kim Stone and her team discover the fresh body of a young woman, it seems a killer has discovered the perfect cover to bury their crime.

Then a second girl is attacked and left for dead, her body drugged and mouth filled with soil. It’s clear to Stone and the team that a serial killer is at work – but just how many bodies will they uncover? And who is next?

As local reporter, Tracy Frost, disappears, the stakes are raised. The past seems to hold the key to the killer’s secrets – but can Kim uncover the truth before a twisted, damaged mind claims another victim …?

Review

Play Dead is Angela Marsons fourth novel, yes fourth! Which is shocking when you think a little over a year ago no one had heard of DI Kim Stone and now she has built up a massive loyal following, which just goes to show what a talented writer Angela Marsons’ is. I was a little nervous when starting Play Dead as what if this one wasn’t as good as the others, well never fear, once again Angela Marsons’ has written a novel which sucks you in from the very first paragraph and hooks you until the very end.

This time a body is discovered quite by chance when Kim and her team are visiting a “body farm” which is researching various forms of decomposition. When a second victim is left for dead in a horrific state just days later, it’s up to the team to find this gruesome killer before they strike again.

Once again I have been blown away by  just how detailed these novels are, Angela Marsons really seems to know criminals and police procedure perfectly which makes for gripping and sometimes horrifying reading.  My favourite thing about these novels is how she gives both the killer and the victim a convincing voice, giving the reader a fuller understanding of motives and feelings.

This is this first novel by Angela Marsons where I have had suspicions about who the killer might be, I was right but not in the way I thought. This didn’t ruin the book for me at all as once again I wasn’t prepared for the number of twists and shocks which were given before the motive and killer are revealed.  I adored reading this adrenaline fuelled rollercoaster of a book and am sad it’s over and I have to wait months for the next ride.

I love how with each new novel we are learning more about Kim, her team and people who are becoming “regulars” in the D.I. Stone novels. In this novel Tracey Frost a news-reporter from the previous novel Lost Girls is brought back and Kim learns they have more in common than she would like to admit.  Another character who returns is Daniel Bate and there is a spark of chemistry between him and Kim but will she finally left someone in?

After reading this Angela Marsons has secured the top spot of my favourite crime writer and I know it will take something special to replace her. So please, please go and read Play Dead, it’s a fantastic novel and you won’t be disappointed.

Play Dead from Angela Marsons received 5 out 5 for me and is one of my favourite books of the year.  Thank you so much to the publishers Bookouture and NetGalley for the review copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

This Must Be The Place by Maggie O'Farrell

This Must Be The Place by Maggie O'Farrell

Published: 17th May 2016

Publisher: Tinder Press

Pages: 483

Available in Hardback and on Kindle

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Blurb

Meet Daniel Sullivan, a man with a complicated life. A New Yorker living in the wilds of Ireland, he has children he never sees in California, a father he loathes in Brooklyn and a wife, Claudette, who is a reclusive ex-film star given to shooting at anyone who ventures up their driveway.

He is also about to find out something about a woman he lost touch with twenty years ago, and this discovery will send him off-course, far away from wife and home. Will his love for Claudette be enough to bring him back?

Review

This Must Be The Place is Maggie O’Farrell seventh book but is actually my first. I know, where have I been! What drew me to this book initially was that at its core it’s a book about a marriage, simple right, but oh no it’s so much more than that.

Daniel Sullivan is a linguistics professor born in New York, who has been living in Ireland with his current wife Claudette, a reclusive ex-film star and their two children Marithe and Calvin. He also has two other children he hasn’t seen in ten years Niall and Phoebe who live in California with their mother.

At the beginning of the book Daniel is about to return to Brooklyn for his father’s 90^th birthday when he catches the end of a radio show playing an interview from a woman he knew twenty years ago. Filled with confusion and remorse Daniel embarks on a journey to find out what happened to the woman he once knew so well and in doing so he sets off a chain of events which will cause him to self-destruct and shatter his marriage with Claudette. Can Daniel pull himself back from the brink and fix everything that is broken.

The first thing that struck me about this novel is it has a very simple plotline but with Maggie O’Farrell’s marvellous writing skill it has becomes a complex and enthralling look at human character and how split decisions and misunderstandings can take us on a completely different course. Most of the novel is told from Daniels perspective in the first person as he takes us back in time to when he first met Claudette, when he knew his mystery woman through to the present where he rekindles his relationship with the children from his former marriage. Throughout the novel Daniels chapters are mixed with those from other characters which all vary in writing style and give more information about Daniels character and those around him. My favourite of these chapters was actually the extract from the auction house catalogue showing Claudette’s possessions, I thought this was a genius way of telling the story of Claudette’s film years.

This Must be The Place is a novel which skips around in both time frame and location. We are taken from 1986 up to 2016 but not in that order. As for location we are taken all over the world: London, New York, California, India, China, Bolivia, Paris and of course Ireland, where Danial and Claudette live in remotest Donegal. This does take some following and initially it did feel like a number a different short stories but eventually you can work out how they all fit together and why they’ve been included. If you’re not a fan of novels that do this then this book may not be for you, but I simply adored it for its genius.

Daniel was a tricky character for me to like or dislike. Some things he did I thought he was downright selfish and should think more of others, especially his children. But other times he seemed really caring as he just wanted to make everything alright.

Claudette was definitely my favourite character, I just adored her over the top quirkiness. My favourite scene with her had to at the beginning where she is walking round the perimeter of her garden wearing an oversized raincoat and pointing a gun at any passers-by. If this doesn’t make you think what on earth is going on with her and desperate to find out more I’m not sure what will. I loved her strong character and if she decided she wasn’t doing something then she could not be persuaded otherwise.

This Must Be The Place was a fantastic read and all I can really say is go and read this book for yourself and enjoy the superb writing of Maggie O’Farrell.

Thank you so much for the publishers for sending me a copy to review, you have found a new fan of Maggie O’Farrell . I give This Must Be The Place 5 out of 5 stars and think it’s definitely one of the must reads of 2016.

Bind Blog Tour: Review & "Hey Bestie! The Secret to Creating Heroines You Want as a Best Friend" by Sierra Cartwright

Bind by Sierra Cartwright

Published: 5th May 2016 (paperback)

Publisher: Totally Bond

Pages: 320

Available in Paperback and on Kindle

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Blurb

Only one man can help her. Is she willing to pay his price?
Faced with the potentially overwhelming loss of her family's fortune, Lara Bertrand turns to the one man who can help her, the gorgeous and powerful Connor Donovan.
She knows he's dangerous to her on every level. Only desperation would drive her to make such a risky proposition. After all, she knows all about his ruthless nature and relentless determination to succeed.
When the classy, elegant Lara walks into his office with an outrageous proposal, Connor is stunned and more than a little intrigued. Ever since he first met her, he's been attracted to the cool beauty, but she's more than kept her distance.
Connor is absolutely willing to help her out. For a price. He not only wants her hand in marriage, but also her total submissive surrender...

Review
Bind by Sierra Cartwright is the first novel in her new trilogy The Donovan Dynasty. This first book focuses on Conner Donovan, the CEO of Donavan Worldwide and his relationship with Lara Bertrand CFO of Bertrand Holdings Inc.

Lara is a woman who knows exactly what she wants and usually how to get it. In order to save her family business from financial ruin as her father’s business practices become more and more lack lustre Lara knows she needs a like-minded soul on the board of directors. Enter Conner Donovan, someone who has already shown an interest in parts of the business and Lara decides the man to help save her business.

As Lara makes her proposal to Conner, that they be married, in name only so he can join the board and help her out vote her father’s decisions she doesn’t expect the answer she gets. Yes he’ll marry her but in return Lara must surrender herself to him completely and in doing so she will experience things she’s never even dreamed of. Will Lara put her heart on the line and surrender to Conner to save the business or will she find another way?

As someone who doesn’t tend to read too many BDSM novels I wasn’t sure what to expect with Bind. I like my novels to have a believable plotline and relatable characters and not just sex scenes, something I’ve found lacking in other novels of this genre. In Bind I think Sierra Cartwright has balanced these two factors perfectly. I found the plotline convincing, the characters relatable and the chemistry between them sizzling which made for some scorching sex scenes.

I loved the dynamic between Conner and Lara, they’re both very intelligent, work well as a team and as a couple they are hot, hot, hot! I loved how connected they seemed to be. Conner had wanted a completely submissive partner in the bedroom but in the boardroom he seemed just as happy to let Lara take the lead.

I also loved their relationships with other people which I felt were very genuine. My favourite relationship was between Lara and Erin, Conner’s sister. These two savvy business women have known each other a long time and bounce business ideas off each other as well as relationship advice, so it was good when Erin didn’t instantly side with her brother when Lara mentions quarrels the two have and I just loved her phrase “chicks before dicks”.

I really enjoyed reading Bind, it had everything I wanted in an erotic fiction novel and has left me eager to continue on with this trilogy and find out what brothers Cade and Nathan have in store for us. I’d give Bind five out of five.

Thank you to the publishers for sending me a copy to review and for asking me to be part of the blog tour.

And now over to Sierra

Thanks for hosting me on your blog. I love your clean, inviting layout. 

Hey, Bestie! The Secret to Creating Heroines You Want as Your Best Friend

by Sierra Cartwright

There has never been a time in my life that I didn’t write. I penned my first book when I was nine, and my mum was my first editor. She corrected “babby” to baby and “haven” to heaven. I don’t know if my spelling improved, but from there, I moved onto longer works and handwrote a Star Trek fanfic at age thirteen. I also drank my first-ever pot of coffee on the night I stayed up until three a.m. to finish the first draft. Both are habits I’ve yet to break.

I wrote nine full-length novels before I eventually sold a book to Harlequin/Silhouette. Back then, there was massive competition for each slot, something like a thousand or two thousand
submissions for each that was accepted.

 The good thing about the years of rejection was the fact I honed my craft. I went to seminar after seminar, including one from Robert McKee and another from Donald Mass. I entered competitions, participated in critique groups that actually used red Sharpies to mark-up manuscripts, attended monthly writers’ meetings. I devoured all the books on writing that I could get my hands on. And I studied characterization.

Perhaps the most important lesson I learned was from my agent at the time, Irene Goodman. She was talking to me about heroines, and she said, “Think about the friend you’d like to have.The sassy one. The one who says outrageous things. The one who isn’t afraid to say the F- word.” (Irene, however, used the real word. It was unexpected and shocking.)

I came away from that conversation feeling as if I’d been gifted with The Secret about how to create my heroines, and I changed my approach. Rather than just looking at pictures for my character board, I began to consider the traits I want in my bestie.

I want her to be courageous, in a way I wished I was, confident, in a way I aspire to. And she needs to be flawed. No one wants to be friends with someone who is absolutely perfect—how boring and intimidating. We want to hang-out with someone who is real, who makes us laugh, who we can share our secrets with. We want them to eat ice cream with us when we go through a breakup, sneak a latte into the hospital ward after surgery, or drink a little too much on girls’ night out. I endeavor to create heroines who are admirable as well as fun, interesting and have a huge heart. And by seeing her interact with her friends, we see what type of person she is. So, it’s a good bet that my heroines will all have some they can call, “Bestie.”

 On the surface, Lara Bertrand, the heroine of Bind, my latest mass-market release, has it all. She’s the daughter of a successful businessman, educated, intelligent, beautiful.

But she’s hiding a secret. Her family’s business is teetering on failure. And no matter what she suggests, her father won’t listen to her. Connor Donovan, the devastatingly handsome CEO of Donovan Worldwide, has made a play for part of her family’s business, and the businesswoman in her thinks they should agree.

Lara takes drastic measures. She approaches Connor and proposes. To her, the arrangement is logical. He’ll get a seat on the board, meaning he’ll be able to bypass her father and takeover certain divisions. The problem is, this means she will be betraying her beloved father.

Lara is speechless when Connor says he’ll help her, but only if it’s a real marriage. And he will expect her to be his sexual submissive.

Of course, it’s a post-Fifty Shades of Grey world, so Lara has an idea of what that might mean.But she has no idea what it means to her, especially when he obliterates all her expectations and gives her shattering orgasms. She’d assumed it meant one thing, and it turns out that his oh-so sexy attention feeds a hunger she hadn’t known existed.

She changes, evolves, becomes a different person because of her experiences with Connor. One thing doesn’t change, though. I would still like to go out for dinner and a glass of wine with Lara and her friend, Erin.

Oh, hey. Would you like to join us? I’m buying the first round.

The Last Days of Summer by Vanessa Ronan

The Last Days of Summer by Vanessa Ronan

Published: 5th May 2016

Publisher: Penguin Ireland

Pages: 373

Available in Paperback and on Kindle

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Blurb

She can forgive. They can't forget.

After ten years in the Huntsville State Penitentiary, Jasper Curtis returns home to live with his sister and her two daughters. Lizzie does not know who she's letting into her home: the brother she grew up loving or the monster he became.

Teenage Katie distrusts this strange man in their home but eleven-year-old Joanne is just intrigued by her new uncle.

Jasper says he's all done with trouble, but in a forgotten prairie town that knows no forgiveness, it does not take long for trouble to arrive at their door.

Review

The Last Days of Summer tells the tale of Jasper Curtis as he returns home to the prairie outback of western Texas after spending ten years in the Huntsville State Penitentiary. His sister Lizzie has agreed he can come home to live with her and her two daughters Katie and Joanne, but she is unsure who will walk through the door the brother she once loved or the monster he became. The rest of the town are unsettled by his return and it’s not long before Jasper has found himself in the middle of trouble once more.

I found the writing in The Last Days of Summer to be very descriptive and Vanessa Ronan has done an excellent job of building the scene for us and giving us an understanding of each of the characters. I did feel this added to the suspense and feeling of unease throughout the book as we are drip fed littles snippets of Jasper’s life before prison but are not initially told what he did. While reading this book I felt the certain uneasiness that something really bad was going to happen and this is conveyed beautifully in the writing style. I did feel that all the action happened a little too late in the book. It’s not until three quarters of the way through that we find what Jasper did and the consequences of his return to town. By this time I was a little bored with the story and didn’t enjoy as much as if it had perhaps been a little shorter or a little less character driven.

I did find this quite a hard book to follow as it’s told from four different perspectives. Jasper, his sister Lizzie’s and each of her daughters Katie and Joanne have their own voice. The majority of the story is told in one main chapter “July” with no distinctive separation when the author changes voices, so you didn’t instantly know which character you’re focusing on and at times this was confusing.

I didn’t like the two older main characters. I found Jasper someone who just gave me the creeps, Lizzie might believe he’s changed but it’s obvious from his thoughts and actions that he hasn’t and it’s only a matter of time before he evil thoughts lead him to cause trouble again. I felt Lizzie was too weak. I could understand that living out on the prairie alone with her husband gone she wants some adult company and someone to help carry the burden. I felt she should have not allowed Jasper back and thought more about protecting her daughters from danger but also from town gossip and hurtful rumours instead of hoping her childhood brother and friend had returned. The only character I liked was little Joanne, she seemed so sweet, innocent and far too trusting to just accept her Uncle Jasper as her friend. The scene with the play fort in the living room was one of my favourite in the book.

The Last Days of Summer is a novel which perfectly captures the uneasiness of being around a simmering pot of evil and waiting for it to boil over. It’s a novel about family, forgiveness and about revenge.  It’s a book which falls in the middle for me, some parts I enjoyed but overall it didn’t wow me.  I enjoyed the writing style and would be interested to see what Vanessa Ronan writes next.  I’d like to rate three out of five.

I would like to thank the publishers for this review copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

An Autumn Affair by Alice Ross

An Autumn Affair by Alice Ross

Published: 21st April 2016

Publisher: Carina UK

Pages: 384

Available on Kindle

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Blurb

Autumn is coming. Anything could happen…
Julia is contemplating an affair with ex-boyfriend Max after a chance meeting in the cereal aisle of the supermarket…and finding that he’s just as gorgeous as ever.
Miranda has got it all: expensive clothes, a huge house and her enormously wealthy husband, Doug. So why does she feel as if something is missing?
Faye is fed up of being treated like a child – she’s a teenager, and knows what she wants! She’s determined to escape her sleepy life at Primrose Cottage…
Three women, each with two options, needing to make one choice. When it comes to affairs of the heart, nothing is ever simple!
A perfect, feel-good read about love, life and family.

Review

An Autumn Affair is the first book in Alice Ross’s new countryside dreams series.  It follows the lives of three women, each one is facing difficult decisions as they come to realise they are not happy with their lives.

First we meet Julia, a woman who has been married to Paul for almost twenty years after finding out she was pregnant just after college. She believes she’s happy until a chance meeting in the cereal aisle of the local supermarket reminds her she’s never really gotten over her first love Max. So does Julia stay and play happy families with Paul and the twins or does she set out to follow her heart?

Next we meet Miranda, she’s married to wealthy business man Doug and has one daughter Josie. On the outside Miranda has the perfect life, she doesn’t have to work, she has the big house and she can go buy anything she wants. But with Doug away most of the time and nothing to occupy her Miranda makes one tiny mistake which could have massive consequences.

Finally we meet seventeen year old Faye, Julia’s daughter. She’s struggling with living in the shadow of her wonderful twin brother Leo and she’s just longing to grow up. When she decides to “be a grown up” and do what she wants it lands her in big trouble and she realises she’s maybe not ready to face a world away from her mum.

At first I wasn’t sure how this story would come together as one, Julia and Miranda’s stories initially felt very separate and I was waiting to see what would pull them together. When they did come together, the reason why was quite a shock, but I felt it worked really well. Although these two had very different background stories I felt they were very similar as all they both really wanted was to be appreciated and feel like they belonged.

I struggled with liking Faye, she seemed a typical whingey teenager who’s jealous of everybody else and wants what she can’t have. I’m glad that she learnt that being an adult isn’t as “fun” as it’s made out to be and began to appreciate her mum a lot more.

I really enjoyed reading An Autumn Affair, it was an easy and fairly quick read for me with plenty of humour and some heartfelt moments. It’s a story about acknowledging that everybody has a right to be happy and that we should all follow our dreams and be happy for ourselves and not just for other people.

I’m really looking forward to reading the second book in this series A Summer of Secrets which is out soon.

Thank you to Carina UK and Netgalley for this copy to review, I would like to rate An Autumn Affair by Alice Ross 4 out 5 stars.

When I Lost You by Kelly Rimmer

When I Lost You by Kelly Rimmer

Published: 21st April 2016

Publisher: Bookouture

Pages: 333

Available on Kindle

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Blurb

Do you ever wish you had the chance to meet someone again for the first time?

When Leo and Molly met and married, they believed they were invincible. Together they could take on the world. But Leo, a war correspondent, lives for life on the edge, and when he takes a step into the unknown, tragedy strikes and he loses his memory. Molly rushes to help him fill in the gaps and soon they start falling in love all over again.

The trouble is, Molly is hiding something. Something big. The devoted wife at Leo’s bedside is a sham; Leo and Molly’s marriage was on the rocks long before Leo’s accident.

The closer Molly gets to her husband the more scared she becomes that he will remember. As Leo’s memory begins to trickle back will Molly lose the man she loves for a second time?
An emotional, heartbreaking read that will restore your faith in the power of love.

Review

When I Lost You is the latest novel by Kelly Rimmer, it’s the first I’ve read which is very bad as I’m sure I have both of her previous novels on my kindle.

 When I Lost You tells the tale of Molly and Leo, two people who fell very deeply in love very quickly and are now dealing with a marriage on the verge of breaking up. Except now it’s not that simple, Leo has been in a car accident and has been left paralysed and has no recollection of the last four years. So Molly, his wife, the love of his life and the complete stranger next to him begins to tell Leo about their life together. As Leo begins to piece his past together we slowly start to see how close they once were and how they marriage slowly begin to fall apart. But given a second chance can Molly and Leo restart their marriage and find their happy ever after.

From the very start of this novel I was totally engrossed and committed to finding out the story of Molly and Leo and what had gone so badly wrong. From completely opposite sides of town it seemed unlikely that these two would get along. Molly’s a Torrington, one of the richest families in Sydney and has grown up never wanting for anything. Leo’s from Redfern, one of the poorest districts of Sydney and has had to work hard to get everything in his life. Their only connection Molly’s dead brother Declan  who was Leo’s best friend at university and as the two come together to grieve for the man they’ve lost they begin to fall for each other.

I loved how this story was written with alternating chapters between Molly and Leo. In the first part Molly’s story is told from present day in 2015 just after Leo’s accident and Leo’s story is told from the past in 2011 when the two first met years after Declan’s death. In part two the perspective is switched and we hear the present day from Leo’s point of view and the past from Molly’s. This allowed me as a reader to experience their relationship from both sides and be fully absorbed by their relationship and all its raw emotions.

This novel really highlights that to make a relationship work there needs to be communication and compromise from both sides, otherwise assumptions are made and things can go wrong. So can Molly and Leo manage to figure this out and make their marriage work?

I loved When I Lost You, it was full of deep raw emotion and had me hooked until the end. It’s a must read if you love want something which covers some of the more realistic aspects of a relationship and not all the sparkle and shine.

I’m rating When I Lost You five out of five, it was a brilliant real full of intense emotion and I can’t wait to read more books by Kelly Rimmer,

Thank you so much to Bookouture and Netgalley for this review copy.

Truth or Date by Portia MacIntosh

Truth or Date by Portia MacIntosh

Published: 11th April 2016

Publisher: Carina UK

Pages: 243

Available on Kindle

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Blurb

Falling for the man of her dreams… Ruby Wood is perfectly happy playing the dating game – until she has a red-hot dream about her very attractive flatmate, Nick. He might spend every day saving lives as a junior doctor, but he’s absolutely the last man on earth that fun-loving Ruby would ever date!
The solution? Focus on all of Nick’s bad points. And if that fails, up her dating antics and find herself a man! So what if she manages to make disapproving, goody two-shoes Nick jealous in the process…
Only, after a series of nightmare first dates, there’s still just one man on Ruby’s mind. Maybe it’s time to admit the truth and dare to ask Nick to be her next date?

Review
Truth or Date by Portia MacIntosh is a book which just screams fun to me, I adored the cover and after reading the blurb knew I had to read this book and it did not disappoint it was full to the brim with funny scenarios but also had some lovely heartfelt moments.

Ruby Wood has been perfectly happy dating a different man every week, content to keep looking for her ideal man rather than settle down and focus on a relationship. Until she begins to have rather erotic dreams about her flatmate Nick. Nick who is the total opposite to Ruby, he’s tidy, gets up early and is very focused on his career as a junior doctor. Nick who Ruby can’t stand as he mocks her fun lifestyle. Nick who is happy with long term girlfriend Heather. After confiding in best friend Millsy Ruby knows the only way to get Nick out of her head is to increase her dating antics, but when this just leads to a series of disasters should Ruby just admit the truth and ask Nick for a date?

Ruby was a character that I instantly warmed to. She may be untidy, late, a little dramatic and only really interested in a having a goodtime but she does seem loyal to those she does care about. Having a male best friend has made her harder and less willing to admit that what she really wants is someone to care about her and something to give her some direction in life. This really comes across when she begins to realise she has feelings for Nick and also begins to admire his work ethic rather than scoffing at it as she previously had.  I loved that she was confident in her own body, she is not worried what anyone thinks of her and carries off her curves and pink tinged hair brilliantly.

I loved all the comical moments in this book as Ruby attempts to win Nick’s heart, poor Ruby she seems destined for disaster. Some of my favourite moments were, stalking weird Ian, going clubbing dressed in drag and the selfie in the stars wars bedroom. Its book which will definitely make you laugh and I think it would make an excellent film.

I loved reading Truth or Date and will definitely be reading more books from Portia. Truth or Date is a light hearted read which is flirty and fun and a guaranteed pick me up, I think everyone should read this.

I give Truth or Date a rating of five out of five and would like to thank Carina UK and Netgalley for my review copy.

The Second Chance Shoe Shop by Marcie Steele

The Second Chance Shoe Sop by Marcie Steele

Published: 8th March 2016

Publisher: Bookouture

Pages:232

Available in Paperback and on Kindle

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Blurb

All Riley Flynn wants is to meet someone who makes her happy. But attracting the right kind of man is not easy, and with her heart still hurting from her last break-up, Riley believes she’ll never find love again.

A year ago, Sadie Stewart’s whole world was shattered when her husband, Ross, died. She has struggled to keep herself together for the sake of their young daughter, but with the anniversary of his death approaching, Sadie finds herself overwhelmed by grief.

Sadie and Riley work at Chandlers shoe shop, in the charming town of Hedworth. But when Chandlers is threatened with closure, the friends are confronted with the loss of not only their jobs, but also their support network - the glue that holds them together when they are close to breaking.

As they put together a plan to save their beloved shop, Sadie realises that she might just be learning to live again. Could it be that new beginnings are just round the corner? The campaign also finds Riley unexpectedly crossing paths with charming photographer, Ethan. Maybe her second chance at love is right under her feet …

Review

The Second Chance Shoe Sop is the third book by Mel Sherratt writing as Marcie Steele and I think it’s her best yet. She’s developed a lovely writing style which is easy to immerse yourself in with characters which you genuinely begin to care about.

Riley has been the manager of Chandler’s shoe shop for the past eight years and she loves her job.  She loves working with friends Sadie and Dan and loves finding exactly the right shoe for people, more recently she has been longing to bring the shop more up to date and stock more fashionable and affordable shoes instead of the expensive sensible shoes Chandler’s is known for. Despite giving owner Suzanne many news ideas for stock and marketing Riley is unable to convince her boss to change and sales remain stagnant.

When Suzanne pits Riley against her two work colleagues in a competition to drum up sales Riley knows it’s time to take things into her own hands before the shop is gone forever.  So Riley sets out to use her social media knowledge to drum up some slightly unconventional publicity for the shop, but will it be enough to save Chandlers?

Riley is a character who I instantly adored. She’s so loyal to the shop and to her friends that she will do anything to help them, even if this sometimes lands her in trouble. She’s wary of starting a new relationship after she had her heartbroken by horrible Nigel, but can’t seem to resist the charms of news photographer Ethan. Is he the one to mend Riley’s broken heart?

Sadie and Dan were also great characters, each dealing with their own heartbreak. Together with Riley they make an excellent team and this stands out throughout the book as they are tested by Suzanne. The other characters Ash, Cooper and Ester all add to this group of friends and provide comfort and support for each other throughout the book.

I loved that Marcie has once again based her novel in the fictional town of Hedwoth where her previous novel That’s What Friends Are For was set, this time focusing on the high street rather than the indoor market.  A couple of characters from that book pop up here and it was good to check back in with them. I’m hoping we may see Hedworth again in another novel…please.

Despite this being a novel about shoes don’t fear you will love it, I’m a girl who lives in either slippers or wellies and this book has made me want to go out and buy a new pair of shoes, so read it and bring on the shoe love!

This is a novel about friendship, love, loss and loyalty, about knowing who to trust, and knowing that when things are bad they will always work out in the end. I really enjoyed The Second Chance Shoe Shop and am hoping Marcie writes another one soon as she’s becoming one of my favourite writers.

Thank you so much to Bookouture and Netgalley for the review copy, I’d like to rate The second Chance Shoe Shop five out of five, I loved It!

Between You and Me by Lisa Hall

Between You and Me by Lisa Hall

Published: 17th March 2016

Publisher: Carina UK

Available on Kindle

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Blurb

They say every marriage has its secrets.
But no one sees what happens behind closed doors.
And sometimes those doors should never be opened …

Sal and Charlie are married. They love each other. But they aren’t happy. Sal cannot leave, no matter what Charlie does – no matter how much it hurts.

Review

Wow, what a read! Between You and Me by Lisa Hall is an absolutely brilliant read and even more shocking is it’s her debut novel.

This is an incredibly hard review to write without giving away all the genius of this book.  Sal and Charlie are married. Sal stays home and looks after their young daughter Maggie while Charlie goes out to work as a corporate lawyer. On the outside they have the perfect marriage, on the inside not so much as Charlie has a need to control everything which is just downright scary. Eventually somethings got to give…

This book is hugely compelling, so much so I read it within a couple of hours in one sitting. The bullying portrayed is harsh, violent and soul-destroying and is described with such intensity it’s hard to believe this is just a story.

Throughout this book the thing that sticks out the most to me is how Sal and Charlie justify their behaviour towards each other to themselves, trying to shift the blame of events from one to the other. As the novel reaches its climax we are hit with the most spectacular twist that will leave you thinking did I just read that right! It was utterly brilliant and so completely unexpected I just loved it!

I can’t recommend this book enough, please go and read it, you will not regret it. I’m so impressed with Lisa’s writing and am so looking forward to seeing what she writes next. I’m rating this book 5 out of 5.

Thank you so much to Netgalley and Carina UK for the review copy of Between You and Me.

Blog Tour Review - The Song Collector by Natasha Solomons

The Song Collector by Natasha Solomons

Published: 24th March 2016

Publisher: Sceptre

Pages: 400

Available in Hardback, Paperback and on Kindle

Order now from Amazon

Blurb

After his beloved wife's death, the composer Harry Fox-Talbot is unable to write a single note, until the day he discovers his troublesome young grandson is a piano prodigy.

As the music returns, Fox is compelled to re-engage with life - and, ultimately, to confront an old and bitter rift. One with its roots in 1946, when he gave up his dreams of a musical career to help save the family home from ruin; and when he fell for his brother's girlfriend, the celebrated wartime singer, Edie Rose.

This is the entrancing tale of a man whose passion for music, an elusive women and the English landscapes of his youth are inextricably intertwined. A man who finds joy in the wake of grief, and learns its never too late to seek forgiveness.

Review

The Song Collector is the first novel I have read by Natasha Solomons but I’m sure it won’t be my last, her writing is of that style that just makes you want to keep reading and become totally lost in the story.

The story focuses on Harry Fox-Talbot, the youngest of three Fox-Talbot brothers and affectionately known as “Fox” among family and friends. They story spans two time periods 1946 – 1959 and 2001 – 2007. In the earlier set chapters we meet Fox in his twenties returning home to his beloved Hartgrove Hall after the war. Left in a dire state by the war officials the Fox-Talbot brothers agree to bring Hartgrove back to its former glory and Fox has to give up his beloved music career. All goes well until the eve of 1947 when brother Jack brings home Edie Rose, a wartime singer. Fox falls instantly in love with her. He spends the next few years being tormented by his two great loves music and Edie.

Fast-forward almost fifty years and composer Fox is grieving for his beloved Edie and is unable to play a single note. That is until he spends some time with grandson Robin who slowly brings the music back into the rooms of Hartgrove and finally help him to ease the guilt he’s felt for so long.

I’m a huge fan of novels with a dual time-spans, done well they can make the best kind of story and Natasha Solomons has managed to do this beautifully. I felt each section of the story flowed seamlessly into the next, despite the time difference making this a beautiful novel to read. It’s one of those books that you start off reading and soon find you’re totally engrossed and when it ends your sad because you’re not quite ready to let it go. This is exactly how this book made me feel, especially the last couple of chapters which really tugged at my heart.

Throughout the novel Fox comes across as a much tormented soul. He has three great loves in his life Edie, the English countryside of his home and his music, without all of them he never seems fully complete. After Edie is gone he seems lost as she was the only one that really understood his love of music and his need to collect the old folk songs of the countryside. When he sees Robin shares his love of music he slowly begins to find joy in his life once more.

This is a lovely enchanting novel about all aspects of love, about dealing with loss and betrayal and above all learning to embrace the music which is all around us. It’s a beautiful novel which was a joy to read, so thank you to the publishers for sending me a copy to review. I give The Song Collector a rating of 4 out 5.

Since writing The Song Collector Natasha Solomons has begun her own song collecting project to map as many songs of Britain as she can. To find out more about this inspiring project visit www.songmap.co.uk

Beneath the Surface by Heidi Perks

Beneath the Surface by Heidi Perks

Published: 24th March 2016

Publisher: Red Door Publishing

Pages: 333

Available in Paperback and on Kindle

Order now from Amazon

Blurb

I don't know where you are...

I don't know what I've done...

Teenager Abigail Ryder is devastated when she gets home from school to find her family gone. Nothing makes sense. Things are missing from the house and her stepsisters' room is completely empty. But the police think she's trouble, and when grandmother Eleanor tells her to forget them all and move on, there's no choice other than face the future - alone.

Fourteen years on, Abi and Adam are a happy couple on the verge of parenthood. But when the past comes back to haunt Abi, the only way forward is to go back and uncover the truth - and reveal the dreadful secrets a mother has been hiding all these years.

Review

Beneath the Surface by Heidi Perks has one of those blurbs that just make you need to read the book because you just have to know what happened, it poses so many questions that need answers. What kind of mother leaves a child behind? How did this affect Abi? Did it affect the twins growing up? What kind of grandmother tells you to forget your own family? My head was spinning with questions and the more I read of this book the more complex and utterly brilliant it becomes as the answers begin to be revealed the more I just had to keep reading.

The story begins in 2001 when seventeen year old Abi arrives home one day to find her mother and stepsisters and all their belongings have vanished. Where have they gone and why? Abi is devastated when her grandmother tells her it would be best for her to move on and forget them, but how can you do that? Fourteen years later and Abi needs some answers as the only way forward is to embrace the past and work out the truth.

What I loved most about this book was that we get to hear about events from a number of perspectives as we have narrative from Kathryn, Hannah, Lauren and Abi with snippets from Peter and Eleanor. Abi’s narrative is particularly moving as it’s told through letters to her husband Adam and it’s very emotional and its obvious Abi has not had an easy life, even before her mother’s disappearance. Despite being so many characters and point of view they all fitted together to form a cohesive story with had me gripped until the very end.

Each of the characters had their own personalities to distinguish them, making them feel very real. Some of them I liked, some I didn’t. Eleanor was very controlling and driven, showing no real emotion towards any member of her family and I just didn’t like her. Kathryn I found to be weak and I so wanted her to be strong and make her own decisions. Abi was just longing to belong and find some love from somewhere. The twins Hannah and Lauren couldn’t be more different, Hannah longs to escape the clutches of her family and experience the world away from the bay, whereas Lauren is happy to plod along following the rules and trying to keep the peace between her mother and Lauren.

Beneath the Surface is a novel full of secrets, with more being unravelled in every chapter, it’s full of twists and unexpected surprises which had me completely hooked. I loved everything about this book the complex characters, the secrets, the way everything came together at the end.

I want to thank Heidi and her publishers for sending me a copy to review, I loved this book and think Heidi has done a fantastic job writing her debut novel, I really hope there’s more to come. I’d like to rate Beneath the Surface 5 out of 5, it was just brilliant!

Release Day Round-Up #23

I've been looking forward to today for a long time, firstly because its the start of our Easter holidays so I (fingers crossed) might get a little lie in one morning and secondly its a bumper release day with loads of fabulous new books to go and buy. Here are three of my favourites for this week:

Beneath the Surface by Heidi Perks

Published: 24th March 2016

Publisher: Red Door Publishing

Pages: 333

Available in Paperback and on Kindle

I don't know where you are...

I don't know what I've done...

Teenager Abigail Ryder is devastated when she gets home from school to find her family gone. Nothing makes sense. Things are missing from the house and her stepsisters' room is completely empty. But the police think she's trouble, and when grandmother Eleanor tells her to forget them all and move on, there's no choice other than face the future - alone.

Fourteen years on, Abi and Adam are a happy couple on the verge of parenthood. But when the past comes back to haunt Abi, the only way forward is to go back and uncover the truth - and reveal the dreadful secrets a mother has been hiding all these years.

This is an incredible read full of complex characters and many secrets for a full review pop back later today when my review is up.

The Night that Changed Everything by Laura Tait and Jimmy Rice

Published: 24th March 2016

Publisher: Corgi

Pages: 416

Available in Paperback and on Kindle

Order now from Amazon

Rebecca is the only girl she knows who didn't cry at the end of Titanic. Ben is the only man he knows who did. Rebecca’s untidy but Ben doesn’t mind picking up her pieces. Ben is laid back by Rebecca keeps him on his toes. They're a perfect match.

Nothing can come between them. Or so they think.

When a throwaway comment reveals a secret from the past, their love story is rewritten.

Can they recover from the night that changed everything? And how do you forgive when you can’t forget?

I've just started reading this and already I know I'm going to love it, the writing style just flows so easily and Ben and Rebecca are characters that I need to know more about. Come back next week for a review of this book.

Summer Nights at the Moonlight Hotel by Jane Costello

Published: 24th March 2016

Publisher: Simon & Schuster UK

Pages: 464

Available in Paperback and on Kindle

Order now from Amazon

'LEARN TO SALSA DANCE,' the card in the shop window read. 'Experience the red-hot vibes of Latin America right here in the Lake District. Beginners and singles welcome.'

Lauren Scott lives in 'The most romantic place in Britain', but her love life is about as successful as her mountain climbing skills. The man she's obsessed over for two years has proposed to someone else - and her only solution is to save up for six months to go travelling, so she never has to set eyes on him again.

But when her friends sign her up for a dance class - in the same historic hotel where her beloved dad worked and her most precious childhood memories were formed - Lauren makes a horrifying discovery. It's been sold to a faceless budget chain, which has depressing plans in store. Worse, the entrepreneur behind it all turns out to be among a group of guys her friend Cate roped in to join the very same salsa class they've signed up for....

I'm about a third of the way through this book and loving it, its full of Jane's lovely characters and the romance is just starting to blossom. Hoping to finish this soon so check back next week for a full review.

So that's my top three for this week, there are plenty more which can be found in my releases page above. Check back tomorrow when its my stop on The Song Collector blog tour, another fabulous book being published today.

Secrets of the Sewing Bee by Kate Thompson

Secrets of the Sewing Bee by Kate Thompson

Published: 10th March 2016

Publisher: Pan Macmillan

Pages: 352

Available in Paperback and on Kindle

Order now from Amazon

Blurb

Orphan Flossy Brown arrives at Trout's garment factory in Bethnal Green amidst the uncertainty of the Second World War. Flossy is embraced by the colourful characters working at Trout's, who have turned their sewing expertise to vital war work. They fast become the family that Flossy has always longed for. Dolly Doolaney, darling of the East End, and infamous tea lady, helps Flossy settle into wartime life. Peggy Piper, another new recruit at the factory, is used to the high life working as a nippie in the West End, and is not best pleased to find herself bent over a sewing machine. But war has the ability to break down all sorts of class barriers and soon Peggy finds the generosity and spirit of her fellow workers difficult to resist. Dolly sets up a sewing circle and the ladies at Trout's play their part in defending the frontline as they arm themselves with their needles and set about stitching their way to victory. But as the full force of the Blitz hits London, the sewing bee are forced to shelter in the underground tube stations. In such close quarters, can Dolly manage to contain the secret that binds them all? And how will Peggy and Flossy cope as their lives are shaped and moved by forces outside of their control? 

Review

Secrets of the Sewing Bee by Kate Thompson is set in 1940s Bethnal Green in London and follows three girls working at Trout’s garment factory, Dolly, Flossy and Peggy. Each girl is hiding secrets about their past, as the war draws these girls closer will they be able to confide and comfort each other?

Dolly Doolaney is the factory’s tea-lady and was just brimming with love for all her girls. She was the perfect mother hen figure helping many of the girls out with various problems. She seemed to be the eternal optimist even in the middle of the bombing blitz she tried her hardest to look on the bright side. She’s determined that her life is going to mean something so sets up the sewing bee so she can do as much as possible to help her country. Flossy was the youngest main character and she was probably my favourite character as I loved how much she changed throughout the book. When we first meet her she’s timid, shy and a devout rule-follower after being brought up in an orphanage. As the war progresses she becomes braver and stronger and begins to break free of some rules and fight for what she believes in. Peggy was the final main character and initially I wasn’t too keen on her she seemed to be above joining in with the girls believing she was better than them as she came from the West End of London. After a few months she realises the war is not going to end so soon and her old life is gone. When she joins the rest of the girls in the sewing bee she became a much nicer person.

I found the Secrets of the Sewing Bee to be a very enjoyable read. Kate Thompson has done her research well and this book felt very real. It portrayed the east end as rough, dirty and perhaps a forgotten part of London during the war. Despite the area being pretty dismal the spirit of the people that lived there comes across brilliantly. I loved reading about the comradery among the women in the factory and those living in Bethnal Green. They stick together, look out for each other and never seem to give in, even when they’ve lost everything. It’s a spirit to be very much admired given the circumstances.

Secrets of the Sewing Bee is a novel of friendship, family, tragedy, hope, loss, fighting spirit and never giving up. It’s a novel which had me laughing, gasping and crying as I got caught up in the lives of Dolly, Flossy and Peggy.

 I’d like to rate this novel 4 out 5 stars and I would also like to thank the publishers for sending me a copy to review in exchange for my honest opinions.

The Bucket List to Mend a Broken Heart by Anna Bell

The Bucket List to Mend a Broken Heart by Anna Bell

Published: 10th March 2016

Publisher: Zaffre

Pages: 432

Available in Paperback and on Kindle

Pre-Order now from Amazon

Blurb

Abi's barely left her bed since Joseph, the love of her life, dumped her, saying they were incompatible. When Joseph leaves a box of her possessions on her doorstep, she finds a bucket list of ten things she never knew he wanted to do. What better way to win him back than by completing the list, and proving they're a perfect match? But there's just one problem - or rather, ten. Abi's not exactly the outdoorsy type, and she's absolutely terrified of heights - not ideal for a list that includes climbing a mountain, cycling around the Isle of Wight and, last but not least, abseiling down the tallest building in town ...Completing the list is going to need all Abi's courage - and a lot of help from her friends. But as she heals her broken heart one task at a time, the newly confident Abi might just have a surprise in store ...

Review

Anna Bell has been an author on my must try list for a long time so when her publisher contacted me and asked if I would review her new book  The Bucket List to Mend a Broken Heart I jumped at the chance, so thank you Zaffre. The book itself is gorgeous, with metallic pink letters and confetti sprinkled all over the cover what is not to love, it’s definitely one which catches your eye.

Anyway onto the story, Abi’s just been dumped by the love of her life Joseph and is completely heartbroken. She’s hoping he’ll come back realising he’s made a terrible mistake but after two weeks when he conveniently leaves a box of her stuff on the doorstep while she’s out Abi realises she’s going to have to do something drastic to get Joseph back. While looking through the box Abi discovers something which might just help her get her man back….a copy of Joseph’s bucket list. Deciding to prove to Joseph their perfect Abi sets out to complete the list despite there only being a couple of things she might enjoy doing. What follows is three months of Abi attempting the list along with support from friends Sian and Giles and new friend Ben. But dos Abi manage to win back the man she loves?

At first I didn’t warm to Abi as she moped about over Joseph for a long time and I really wanted her to pull herself together and find someone new as Joseph didn’t sound the nicest of people anyway. As she begun the list I began to like her as her determination to succeed comes and out and she doesn’t give in, even if the more adventurous things on the list are a struggle for her. This leads to some quite comical moments which I really enjoyed. I was longing for her to see what was right under her nose and make the right decision.

I found the idea of completing someone else’s bucket list an original and very interesting. My favourite part of this novel was reading about how Abi changed as she went from a virtual couch potatoes to climbing up mountains. As someone who is complete couch potato herself I found Abi’s journey quite inspirational and just wonder if I would have as much courage as she did to complete the list

 Anna’s writing style flows easily and is full of humour making this a lovely read to fully immerse yourself in for an afternoon. I loved how real her characters felt each with their individual personalities shining through. My favourite I think was Giles, I loved how he becomes softer and more loved up whenever he was around wife Laura.

I have really enjoyed my first Anna Bell novel and know it won’t be my last. I’d rate The Bucket List to Mend a Broken Heart 5 out 5 as its chick lit at its best. Thank you to the publishers for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review.