Book Review - Second Chance Summer by Jill Shalvis

 

Second Chance Summer ( Cedar Ridge #1) by Jill Shalvis

Published: 30th July 2015

Publisher: Headline Eternal

Pages: 368

Available in Paperback and on Kindle

Order now from Amazon

 

Blurb

Lily's been back in Cedar Ridge for less than ten minutes when she bumps into Aidan, the former love of her life. So much for sneaking back into town unnoticed. And thanks to frizzy hair and armfuls of junk food, she's turning his head for all the wrong reasons.

No one knows why Lily is home after ten years, and she's determined to stay no longer than the summer. But Cedar Ridge and Aidan have other ideas. As they set about persuading Lily to give them a second chance, she finds herself falling under the spell of the Colorado mountains ... and the one man she could never forget.

 

Review

Second Chance Summer is the second novel I’ve read by Jill Shalvis and initially I was a little disappointed as it seemed to mirror the other Jill Shalvis book I have read which was Simply Irresistible. In both of these books the main heroine returns to her hometown after many years away, they then bump into an old boyfriend/ very hot guy and become overcome with lust. Luckily after a few chapters Second Chance Summer became its own story and one which I began to really enjoy.

Lily Danville has returned to Cedar Ridge her childhood home after ten years away. She’s not happy about having to return but an incident with her old job as a celebrity stylist means she’s been blacklisted almost everywhere, until her old friend Jonathon gives her a job at the Cedar Ridge resort salon. The resort is owned by the Kincaid family, one of which Lily had a huge crush on in her younger days and is now desperate to avoid. So who is the first person Lily runs into…literally...yes you’ve guessed it Mr Heartthrob himself Aidan Kincaid and almost instantly the sparks begin to fly.

All Lily wants is to hide away and battle with her guilt from her past but the more she sees Aidan the more obvious that there is some major chemistry between these two. Eventually she gives in but will she be able to conquer her feelings of guilt and will Lily and Aidan get the happy ever after that we are all hoping they will?

I loved the chemistry between the characters in this book. Lily and Aidan obviously had loads of chemistry sizzling between them and it was lovely to see Lily begin to loosen up let Aidan into her heart. I also loved the chemistry of other characters in the book, my favourites having to be the silly antic between the Kincaid brothers, I just loved the scenes with the fancy pants they made each other wear. I also enjoyed the friendly banter between Lily and Jonathon and was lovely to read about two friends so comfortable in each other’s company, even after ten years apart.

Although this is predominantly a romance novel I really enjoyed the background story that was being created around Cedar Ridge and its residents, which has left us with many questions for future books, what has happened to Jacob Kincaid? Will the Kincaid family keep their resort? What is Kenna’s background story? All of these I’m sure will be answered in future books in the series, which I am really looking forward to reading.

Second Chance Summer is a lovely romantic novel sizzling with chemistry and funny moments. It’s a story of romance, friendship, family loyalty and most of all being able to let go of the past and living for today.

I really enjoyed reading this novel and am eagerly awaiting the next Cedar Ridge book My Kind of Wonderful which is released at the end of this year.  I would rate the book 4 out of 5.

Thank you to Headline Eternal for sending me a copy to review.

Book Review -The Secrets of Midwives by Sally Hepworth

 

The Secrets of Midwives by Sally Hepworth

Published: 27th September 2015

Publisher: Pan

Pages: 336

Available in Paperback and on Kindle

Order now from Amazon

 

Blurb

What if those you cherish harboured a secret that could break you?

Neva Bradley, a young midwife, has just learned that she is expecting. She's been present at the magical stages of many women's lives but she is determined to keep the details surrounding her own pregnancy hidden. And the weight of Neva's secret is beginning to bear down on everyone around her . . .

Neva's mother Grace finds it impossible to let the subject rest. But the more Grace presses Neva about the identity of the baby's father, the more withdrawn she becomes.

For Neva's grandmother, Floss, a retired midwife, Neva's predicament eerily mirrors events from her own past. She now must decide whether she is ready to confront a memory she's managed to supress for over fifty years.

As Neva's bump grows, it becomes harder to conceal the truth. Will each of the women reveal what has been buried for so long, or are some secrets best kept hidden?

Review

When Sally’s Hepworth’s debut novel The Secrets of Midwives popped through my letter box I was very excited, this is exactly the sort of story I love to get lost in and discovering new authors is always exciting. After the first couple of chapters I was completely engrossed in the story of these three women and well I lost the rest of the day while I finished it.

The Secrets of Midwives tells us the story of Neva, Grace and Floss who are three generations of a family of midwives. Neva Bradley the daughter is pregnant and at thirty weeks is desperately trying to hide the pregnancy from her family to avoid all the questions and fuss as the baby has no father. Grace, the mother is determined to find out the father of her daughters baby and doesn’t see how her questions are causing rifts between the family members. For Floss the grandmother, Neva’s situation is forcing her to face her past, something she is not certain she is ready to do.

The Secrets of Midwives is told in alternative chapters between these three women as they battle with the secrets they are hiding. I loved that each voice was easily distinguishable, something which I feel was very clever given that the three women are related and are all midwives (or retired midwives) and they do lead similar lives.

I really enjoyed all three of these women and as their secrets came out, some which are expected and some which are not I felt a bond with all three of them. I loved reading about when Floss was younger and the events which led her to keep a secret for almost sixty years…now that takes willpower.

The author obviously knows lot about midwifery and particularly childbirth as there are a couple of scenes which are very detailed, a little too much maybe for the squeamish among us. She has also managed to capture with her beautiful writing just how magical the moments after childbirth are when you finally get to gaze on your little ones face and are filled with love instantly.

I loved everything about this book, the characters are lovely and the descriptions of places and events are very realistic, making me feel like I was there too. I loved that all the way through the book there are questions that need answering such as who is the father of Neva’s baby? And what exactly is Floss hiding? Both which I felt were answered very well right at the end of the book in a brilliant ending to a fabulous book.  I have adored Sally’s writing style and am eagerly going to be awaiting her next novel Things We Keep which will be out in 2016.

Thank you so much to Pan for sending me a copy to review, a well-deserved 5 out 5!

 

Book Review - Stirred With Love by Marcie Steele

 

Stirred With Love by Marcie Steele

Published: 3rd September 2015

Publisher: Bookouture

Pages:300

Available in Paperback and on Kindle

Order now from Amazon

 

Blurb

Sometimes the best friends can be found where you least expect them …

Still grieving after the loss of her beloved husband, Lily Mortimer is determined to do something with the time she has left.

After the end of her fairytale marriage, thirty-something Kate is trying hard to mend her broken heart.

Chloe, a young woman with the world at her feet, is struggling to know what to do with her life.

When Lily embarks on a new venture in the picturesque town of Somerley, the three women come together to open The Coffee Stop, the most charming café for miles around.

But opening a coffee shop is never as simple as it seems, especially when you add neighbouring competition, local heart throbs and heartbreak to the mix.

When tragedy strikes, can the three women pull together to make the new business fly, or will Lily’s last chance disappear down the drain along with yesterday’s coffee grinds?

 

Review

 

Stirred With Love by Marcie Steele (aka Mel Sherratt of crime fiction fame) is the story of three very different women coming together at crucial points in their lives, and reopening a coffee shop.

 Lily the shop owner has just lost her husband and is looking to revamp her coffee shop for a newer market so advertises for staff to help her run the place, with the promise of good prospects for the right candidate. First comes Kate, a thirty-two year old who’s just split up with her husband and looking for a fresh start in a new town. Then there is Chloe an eighteen year old diva looking for some fun before her A-level results come out and she finally has to decide what to do about her future. This unlikely trio soon find they have formed a strong bond both with each other but also with The Coffee Stop itself, which soon becomes home for them all.

I really enjoyed reading about each of the women’s journeys as they each experienced some highs and lows. I did feel that some of the relationships with Jake and Will particularly were a little rushed and I would have liked a little bit more time to digest what was happening. My favourite character was Lily as she seemed the consistent with her views. Kate was initially wanting to leave her husband and then became upset when he left her which I didn’t understand. Chloe wanted to be treated like a grown up but I felt she showed her immaturity on many occasions.

I did feel that although Stirred With Love has some moments which made me laugh and cry, which I enjoyed, it was just another coffee shop story which I have read many times before and nothing stood out to make this different.

Stirred With Love is an easy read and one which I read over a couple of evenings, it’s a story of friendships, new beginnings and having the confidence to believe you can do what you want.

I would like to thank Bookouture and Netgalley for my review copy and I rate this book 3 out of 5 stars.

 

Book Review - The Tea Planter's Wife by Dinah Jefferies

 

The Tea Planter's Wife by Dinah Jeffries

Published: 3rd September 2015

Publisher: Penguin UK

Pages: 418

Available in Paperback and on Kindle

Order now from Amazon

 

Blurb

Two newlyweds: practically strangers, deeply in love, and each hiding a secret from the other...

 

Nineteen-year-old Gwendolyn Hooper steps off a steamship in Ceylon eager to begin her new life as a married woman. But the husband who greets her is distant, secretive and brooding. Laurence is forever away working, leaving his young English bride to explore the vast tea plantation alone. Wandering into forbidden places, Gwen finds locked doors, trunks filled with dusty dresses, a tiny overgrown grave - clues to a hidden, unspeakable past.

 

Gwen soon falls pregnant and her husband is overjoyed, but in the delivery room she is faced with a terrible choice - one she must hide from Laurence at all costs. When the time comes to reveal the truth, how will he ever forgive what she has done?

 

Review

The Tea Planter’s Wife follows the story of Laurence and Gwen Hooper as they return to Ceylon to begin married life.  As soon I began reading this book I knew it was going to be special, the descriptive language used in the first chapter instantly transported me onto the boat arriving in Columbo alongside Gwen. The author has captured the true essence of Ceylon perfectly right down to the cinnamon and jasmine in the air masking the underlying smell of the sewage, which made me feel like I was living the story.

As the newly- weds begin their married life, Laurence becomes distant as Gwen begins to feel uncertain of her future, especially as she discovers things which begin to make her question Laurence’s past – hidden graves, locked rooms, things hinted but left unsaid by her maid and sister in law Verity. Soon Gwen finds herself pregnant and Laurence is overjoyed but on the night she gives birth Gwen gets a terrible shock and is faced with a difficult decision, one which will alter their lives forever.

This book is so much more than just a marital saga it deals with jealously, conflict, prejudices, tragedy and secrets. I particularly loved the way the author has captured the historical elements of the period including the workers unrest on the tea plantations, the prejudices of mixed race marriages and the impact of the 1929 stock market collapse, it really added to the realism of the story.

It’s also a book which affected me with all the emotions in it, Gwen and Laurence are lovely characters and so in love with each other and so eager to keep each other happy that they don’t completely reveal everything to each other, this leads to tragedy that could so easily be avoided if they’d just opened up a little more. I felt my heart breaking along with Gwen’s as she has to decide what to do and so many times I was longing for her to tell Lawrence.

This is exactly the type of book that I adore, it full of romance, with a historical element and elements of mystery all bound together by brilliant writing. The Tea Planter’s Wife is definitely one of my favourite books of 2015 and I cannot wait to read more from this wonderful writer.

Thank you so much to Penguin UK for sending me a copy to review, I loved everything about his book and give it a very well deserved 5/5!

 

 

Blog Tour - The Waiting Game by Jessica Thompson

 

The Waiting Game by Jessica Thompson

Published: 13th August 2015

Publisher: Coronet

Pages: 326

Available now from Amazon

 

Today I'm excited to be part of The Waiting Game blog tour and firstly I have an exclusive extract from the book, followed my review of this wonderful book.

 

 

Extract

The ground seemed to speed up beneath Nessa’s feet. Grass, straw and soil rushed beneath her, faster and faster . . .

She looked up occasionally, terrified she might turn her ankle on a molehill, or a clod of mud. She wasn’t sure if she’d feel it even if she did hurt herself. Adrenaline’s natural painkilling qualities coursed through her limbs.

Nessa had never run this fast in her life. She hadn’t even known she was capable of it. Her breathing had regulated, so she was able to propel her legs forwards, launching herself over obstacles. She bounded forwards, her calves and thighs working like pistons. Faster, faster. She wasn’t sure she’d be able to stop now, even if she tried.

Is this madness? Is this how it feels?

The field looked as if it might go on forever. The forest was seemingly moving backwards in the distance rather than getting closer, as if it were a cut-out paper prop controlled by a child, gleefully moving the goalposts. Nessa came to a low gate. She didn’t have time to fiddle with it to get it open and then close it behind her again, so she put one hand down on the rough warm wood and launched her legs over it. She landed, surprisingly hard, on some damp soil on the other side. The shock from the landing reverberated up her body so that her teeth smacked against each other, catching the tip of her tongue. It hurt so much it brought tears to her eyes. She could taste the metallic, iron flavour of blood in her mouth, but she didn’t care. She had to keep going. A small group of cows in a nearby field watched on casually, chewing slowly and moving their mass from hoof to hoof, the occasional shake of a tail to bat the flies away.

Eventually, Nessa reached the opening of the forest. She kept running; her feet landed on dried-out twigs and branches that crackled and crunched beneath her feet. The sunshine pierced through the canopy of trees that provided a roof of broken shelter over the forest. The light glittered, shimmering on the ground. She didn’t really know where she was going anymore. She just had to keep going. Where had the tiny figure disappeared to?

‘Jake!’ she yelled, the word booming from her chest. She imagined each letter of his precious name growing wings, rising up and getting tangled in the trees, each singing their own desperate song of a woman who had, quite literally, lost a man.

‘Jake!’ she cried again, louder this time, her eyes still watering with the pain in her mouth. More blood.

‘Jake!’ she cried, as if her life depended on it.

‘JAKE!!’ she yelled again, furiously this time. She hoped that if he might somehow be able to hear her, he would know how livid she was with him.

 

The forest seemed to reduce itself towards a small, dark archway created by a particularly thick group of trees that bent towards each other at an angle. There were two other pathways, to the right and left of this rabbit hole, but she decided to take the central route. She slowed down, but kept running, stooping as low as she could to get into the tunnel. The sunshine barely penetrated this place, and she was plunged into near darkness.

Nessa slowed down, suddenly feeling exhausted, slinking into a fast walk, her breath rattling in her chest. The running and adrenaline had caught up with her. She felt more tired than she ever had.

And then suddenly, as if from nowhere, someone grabbed her from behind, their arms clamped so tightly around her waist, it felt as if they might break her lower ribs. Her feet were swept off the ground, effortlessly.

 

Blurb

Ness Bruce had waited for her husband to return home from Afghanistan for what felt like forever. Now the moment was finally here.

But Jake Bruce didn't come home.

Nessa's life - and that of her rebellious daughter Poppy  - is turned upside downin an instant. What has happened to the elusive man at the centre of their world? They hold onto the hope that he is still out there somewhere, alive...but as time passes by, Nessa is forced to look at her life, at the decisions she has mad and the secrets se has kept. For maybe somewhere within it all lies the answer to the question -  where is the man she loves?

Review

The first thing that drew me to The Waiting Game was its cover. That green metallic is even more gorgeous in real life making this cover one of my favourites from the year so far. I’ve not read anything by Jessica Thompson but have heard great things about her writing I was very excited to review this book for the tour. This book more than lived up to my expectations, it was heart aching beautiful in the way it captures emotion is such a raw way. I simply loved it.

Nessa Bruce has been waiting for her husband Jake to return from armed forces for months and she’s beginning to really struggle with holding it all together. Fourteen year daughter Poppy is pushing her mother to the limits with teenage rebellion, sister Kat is wanting answers from their childhood that Nessa has kept hidden and her mother in law Betsy is needing more emotional support as her husband Mike stoops deeper into the depths of dementia. Nessa is counting down the days until Jake’s return, but then then the unthinkable happens and Jake doesn’t come home. Nessa’s world is rocked to the core as she has to learn to cope on her own.

Initially I wasn’t sure how much I was going to enjoy this book as the plotline seemed very straight forward, however I was unprepared for the wonderful way in  which Jessica’s writing drew me in, so I felt like I was on Nessa’s emotional rollercoaster alongside her. Nessa’s pain got into my heart and I was just longing for Jake to come back and put his arms round her and make it better in the way we know only the one you love can do.

There were some parts of the story which I found to be predictable but then there were also twists which I was unprepared for, one of which felt like my heart had landed in my stomach and had me crying out. Jessica’s writing is very powerful and I can guarantee it will move you emotionally. It is a book which deals with love, loss and finding your inner strength when you’re totally at rock bottom.

I adored this book and cannot wait to read more of Jessica’s books. If you only read one book this summer, make sure it this one as it’s very special.

Thank you to Coronet for inviting me on this tour and sending me a review copy, I rate this book 5/5.

 

Book Review - Crash and Burn by Lisa Gardner

 

Crash and Burn by Lisa Gardner

Published: 16th July 2015

Publisher: Headline

Pages: 343

Available in Paperback and on Kindle

Order now from Amazon

 

Blurb

My name is Nicky Frank.
I'm in hospital, afraid. All I can think about is Vero. I have to save her but I can't find her. She's just a little girl.
The man by my bed tells me we're married and there is no Vero. He says that six months ago I suffered a brain injury, that I have dramatic mood swings and large gaps in my memory. I get angry and I drink. All of which explains the car crash that put me here.
Now a Sergeant Wyatt Foster has questions about the accident. He has concerns about my husband. And he's worried about a missing girl.
He would like to know what happened to me. So would I.
This is my life. Watch me crash and burn.

Review
Now I have to start this review by saying until I requested Crash and Burn off bookbridgr I had not heard of Lisa Gardner, shame on me as this woman can write a great crime thriller. What started out as a very simple car accident involving Nicky Franks becomes deeper and more complex and utterly gripping, I couldn’t put this down until I’d finished the very last page.

Sergeant Wyatt Foster is given the case of what initially appears to be a drunk driving charge, however its uncovered that driver Nicole Franks was under the legal limit and also be assumes there was a child (Vero) in the car with her, who now appears to be missing. As Wyatt delves deeper into the case he learns that Nicole is suffering from concussion and has suffered two further “accidents” in the past six months and everything in her home life it not quite as it seems. What starts off as a simple open and shut case soon becomes a very complex and goes deeper than the Sergeant ever expected.

Crash and Burn is a very complex crime thriller with so many twists I wasn’t sure what else could actually happen. The plot flows really well despite the many twists and had me totally hooked all the way through. There are some chapters which are flashbacks in Nicole’s memory which won’t be to every reader’s liking but personally I love this style of narrative and felt this was how the story began to make sense and I was able to work out what had happened, or so I thought!

I really liked all the characters I really felt for Nicole and the vulnerability she showed when she couldn’t remember events happening. He husband Thomas left me feeling a little on edge as I was sure he was hiding something from Nicole and the police and I didn’t want her to trust him completely. My favourite character was Sergeant Wyatt, he seemed a genuinely nice guy as seemed to want to protect Nicole from anymore “accidents”. I also liked the way he was trying really hard to build a relationship with private investigator Tessa and her daughter Sophie. Hopefully some of her other novels will feature him as he’s a character I’d like to read more about.

Crash and Burn is a novel which will keep you gripped from the very first line “I died once” to the very last page. All the way through you will be questioning how is Nicole Franks? Who is Vero? Where is Vero? Were those “accidents” really accidents? It is a novel which focuses of hidden identities, brain injuries, child abduction, drug abuse and many, many secrets. I absolutely loved the way I was totally absorbed by this gripping thriller. I cannot wait to read more by this author it was just brilliant.

Thank you so much to bookbridgr and Headline for sending me a review copy. I give this book a well-deserved five out of five.

 

 

 

 

Book Review - The Betrayal by Laura Elliot

 

The Betrayal by Laura Elliot

Published:  14th August 2015

Publisher: Bookouture

Pages: 376

Available on Kindle and in Paperback

Order from Amazon

 

Blurb

A perfect divorce. A new flame. And a deadly obsession.

Nadine and Jake Saunders were married as teens. Tied to one another by a night of passion that resulted in a pregnancy neither could turn away from.

Now, years later, their children have all flown the nest and the pact they made as teenagers – to give one another the freedom to pursue their own dreams – has resurfaced.

But freedom comes at a price …

While Nadine and Jake begin to untangle their lives from one another, Jake embarks on a passionate affair with a beautiful woman, Karin Moylan. What he doesn’t know is the dark history Karin shares with Nadine.

As lust spirals into dangerous obsession, Jake must break free from Karin. But he must also ask himself how well he ever really knew Nadine. What secret is she hiding? The truth, when it is revealed, could destroy them all.

 

Review

The Betrayal is the second book by Laura Elliot that I have read, Fragile Lies was brilliant so I was really looking forward to reading her next book. The Betrayal is a book which fills you with intrigue from the very first paragraph when Nadine catches a glimpse of Karin Moylan and this sets off a chain of events which are just scary.

Jake and Nadine have been married since they were seventeen, a marriage based more on the circumstance of an unplanned pregnancy rather than love, four children and twenty years later they are still together but both feel slightly tied down and long for the missed freedom of their youth. At Nadine’s request they agree to a “perfect divorce” where they will remain friends and united for their children. However a chance meeting brings Karin Moylan back into their lives, Nadine’s childhood best friend who she would rather never set eyes on again. As Jake begins a passionate affair with the tempting seductress he doesn’t realise just how much he is putting his family at risk as this woman will do anything to keep her man.

I loved that this was written from the dual aspects of Jake and Nadine in alternating chapters as I felt it really added to build up the tension and suspense in this book as each begins to realise just how dangerous Karin can be and how scared they are for each other.

The whole basis of this novel was why did Nadine and Karin fall out all those years ago? Eventually we learn the truth through Nadine’s memories but it was totally not what I expected at all! I think I changed my mind a few times as to what the reason was but was wrong…so wrong which is exactly what I want to be when reading a psychological thriller.

The character of Karin was really quite scary in the way she was able to manipulate events and family members to get exactly what she wanted, I would not like to be in her firing line! I think it will take me quite a while to look at kingfisher blue, Karin’s signature colour and not feel a little uneasy.

Jake and Nadine were both very likable characters and all the way through I was so hoping that they would forget this silly “perfect divorce” thing and stay married as they seemed so right for each other. I was so angry with Jake that he could hurt Nadine the way he did, although I don’t really think he stood a chance against Karin. I loved that they both had a really strong sense of family and would go rushing to various members whenever they needed help.

The Betrayal is a novel based full on intrigue, suspense, lust and tragedy and most of all obsession. It was a little bit of a roller-coaster for me as at some points I was a little bored, mostly with the Alaska trip and Eleanor’s party politics but then at other points like the historical memories and the crash I was hooked. I did enjoy this book  and will definitely reading this author’s other works, but please think of some better names next time, Sam and Samantha for twins and Daryl and Carol Farrell, sorry but I didn’t like them!

Thank you to Bookouture and Netgalley for my review copy, overall I really enjoyed this book and look forward to her next one, I’d give this book a rating of 4 out of 5.