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After reading Daisy’s Dilemma, I have fallen in love with Debbie’s books. I was so excited to pick this one up and I had an inkling from the cover that I might be escaping to one of the most inspiring and beautiful cities in the world, Dubai. Beware that below my review contains a reference to a spoiler of an entirely different story, but not this one!

Blurb:

Annie’s big birthday is looming. Sixty! She feels half that age, even if the mirror tells her otherwise. Hubby Keith promises her a birthday to remember, and doesn’t let her down, but packing his suitcase to shack up with a forty-something isn’t quite the memory Annie wants to make. Suddenly she’s single and – as an empty nester – very, very alone. The Bucket List she and Keith had promised to work their way through is but a dream, until besties Bella and Caz rally around Annie and whisk her away for a trip that will be remembered for ever. Dubai. But it’s not all skyscrapers, bling, sand dunes and sheikhs. As the sun sinks over the horizon of Jumeirah Beach… might there also be love?

A totally gorgeous romantic comedy with a twist!

My thoughts:

I loved this book from the very beginning. The opening is extremely dramatic and it actually reminded me of Lamb to the Slaughter by Roald Dahl with the quickly rising tension and some of the dialogue that is included in it. My only wish is that Annie had actually gone full Mrs Maloney and smacked Keith over the head with a leg of lamb.

As the story continues, my dislike of Keith does not lessen. However, although I had initial sympathy for her, I did grow to love Annie and was rooting for her happiness. She is a woman who has worked hard to ensure her marriage kept going, her parents are cared for despite the challenge of her mum’s dementia, and her daughter is loved and supported through pregnancy. She is a loving, fun and wonderful woman who I have loved getting to know.

I particularly enjoyed following Annie to sparkling, beautiful Dubai. I was unsurprised to discover that Debbie herself had visited there as many of the descriptions are vivid and lively. Through the trip to Dubai, Debbie explores themes of friendship, taking risks and growing old gracefully.

Once again, Debbie has produced a book that is full of warmth, comfort and laughter. There are some very touching moments involving family, friends and romance, and some intriguing and unexpected twists. All of these things combine, of course with some artistic license to bring the romance forward, to make a wonderfully enjoyable book which I have no hesitation in giving five stars to. I need more from this author!

I have never read anything by this author before but he has been on my radar for a while, and has been recommended by a few bookish friends, especially this series. Despite this being book four in the series, I was hopeful that I could get into it quickly as it sounded like a very exciting and gripping read.

Blurb:

When Private Investigator Charlie Cameron agrees to take on a cold case, he is drawn back into Glasgow’s dark underworld…
Glasgow PI Charlie Cameron knew Kim Rafferty was bad news the moment they met. Desperate people always spelled trouble in his experience, and Mrs Rafferty was as desperate as they come. What she was asking for was insane. If he agreed to help the wife of the notorious East-End gangster, the consequences for them both could be fatal.

Twenty-four hours later, another betrayed woman with a hopeless case is pleading for Charlie’s help. The PI is her only chance to keep an innocent man from serving a second prison sentence for murders he didn’t commit.

Dennis Boyd is on the run, and as Charlie fights against the clock to keep him out of jail, he crosses a line that puts him on the wrong side of the law and pits him against his old friend and ally, DS Andrew Geddes.

As the body count grows, and the defence for his client falls apart bit by bit, Charlie refuses to accept the inevitable. But everyone has their limits – even the infamous Charlie Cameron. Will he be forced to admit that this case may be the one to beat him…

My thoughts:

I was drawn to this book by the author’s name. I have previously read her cosy mysteries and I thought this one might have a different feel to it due to the title and cover. I loved the pun in the title and was looking forward to escaping to Paris!

Blurb:

Unofficially. From his perch atop a gargoyle on Notre Dame cathedral, he surveys his kingdom. He sees Sylvie Cloutier, art lover and ex-antiques dealer, making dinner for her bullying husband Henri, trapped in their loveless marriage like a bird in a gilded cage. He sees security guard, hopeless romantic and bookworm Philippe Moreau cycling through the streets of Paris in his crumpled uniform, late (again) for his night shift at the museum.

When Sylvie begs her husband to let her go to work, he gets her a job as an evening cleaner at the Louvre. He thinks such a menial position will dispel any ideas about independence she might have, but his plan backfires when she falls in love with kind, gentle Philippe. They decide to run away together, but there’s a major problem: neither of them has any money.

One stormy night in the Louvre, the answer to their prayers falls into their lap… But is it really the solution, or just another, even bigger problem?

What follows is a romantic, wistful but madcap adventure through (and under) the city of lights, involving a stolen painting, an art heist in reverse, and Eric Cantona. Will love find a way?

My thoughts:

I absolutely loved this book and the main character, Sylvie, from the beginning. I respected her for her maturity, her desire for independence, and her clear creative and intelligent streak. I despised the way her husband treated her and wished for her happiness.

I have definitely felt like I’ve escaped drab and cold Newport and gone on a jaunt and an adventure to Paris. The descriptions of the inside of the Louvre were at times beautiful and romantic, sometimes humorous, and sometimes had a hint of darkness.

I have loved how this author has made a hybrid of two seemingly very different genres and managed to make a success of it with her flawless writing and her trademark style. The cosy mystery elements kept me just as hooked as the romance in this one.

Overall, this has been heart-warming, gripping, fun and original and I cannot wait to read more from this author.

If you like the sound of this one come back on Tuesday 5th to see an exclusive cover reveal for this author’s next book!

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I was drawn to this book as I love historical fiction and I am especially moved and fascinated by stories based around the Holocaust. This was a new to me author so I was intrigued to find out how I got on with reading it. The cover is also absolutely stunning, evoking a sense of desperation and separation but also a degree of hope and beauty with the symbolism of the butterfly.

Blurb:

1944, Amersfoort Concentration Camp, Holland. Based on a true story, the unforgettable tale of two young lovers who risked everything to keep hope alive in the very depths of hell.

The scrap of folded paper weighed heavy in Saskia’s pocket. The Nazi guards were patrolling the streets in ever-increasing numbers and every time she passed one on her bicycle she felt herself tense. The note she held told a story of unbelievable courage. The Nazis wanted the prisoners to give up hope inside the camp but Saskia was smuggling letters to them from their loved ones, giving them a reason to survive.

But with every letter Saskia delivers she is put in even more danger. Though she and her boyfriend Frans are more careful than ever they know their lives are at risk.

And one day when Saskia is caught, she is marched into the camp and forced to wear a yellow star.

Everyone says it’s impossible to escape across the wire fence: there is no one left to ferry messages, and as the war progresses the Nazi guards inside the camp become even more dangerous. Together Saskia and Frans have given strangers something to believe in in the darkest of times. Now that Saskia is alone, will her love for Frans give her the hope she needs to survive?

A gripping story of love, betrayal and courage. Readers of The Tattooist of Auschwitz, The Nightingale and anything by Fiona Valpy will never forget this heartbreakingly beautiful novel and the great sacrifices Saskia and Frans made to change the fate of the world.

My thoughts:

I was really interested to read a Holocaust story based outside of Germany or Poland, as I genuinely don’t think I have. Prior to reading, I had very little understanding of the huge role Holland played in the war and I had never heard of the Amersfoort concentration camp.

In this book, Imogen creates and describes a wide variety of characters who each have an important story to tell. There are those who are captured, those who had an active role in ensuring their demise and those who worked hard and put their lives at risk to bring a little hope or help to those who were suffering in the camp.

It takes some time for you to fully see the relevance of the title to the story, but the story itself is emotionally charged, moving and dramatic from the introduction of Theo.

There are a lot of ups and downs in the story and I loved the fact that Imogen was inspired to write based on a true story. I can only imagine how it must have felt to receive communication from a loved one in a place full of hate, hostility and loneliness.

This is definitely a tale of bravery on all sides. It has been a wonderful read and I would definitely recommend this book and author to fans of Ellie Midwood and Heather Morris.

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Regulars to this blog will know I love sharing my love of reading with my 2 children. I have 2 girls under the age of 4 and they both really enjoy reading stories about animals. My youngest daughter in particular loves bunnies, so this fun sounding book seemed like a great one to read as a family.

Blurb:

An illustrated picture book, beautifully illustrated by Becky Stout.

Grandad is up to something. When Bella wakes up to find him gone, she heads to the surface to look for him – but the world looks different.

Can Bella conquer her fear of the unknown to find out what is going on? And where is Grandad?

For bunny lovers everywhere.

My thoughts:

This was such a heart-warming and fun read. Grandad’s whisker twitching mystery evoked a sense of fun as it is something rabbits are said to do when they’re excited. It was also great fun for my girls to discuss and try to guess what was going on.

The descriptions of the snowy scene were just beautiful, again evoking that sense of family time and bringing to the fore all the fun and positivity of the winter season. In this book, the author certainly brings winter to life through a child’s eyes as there is an excitement and rejuvenation felt as the snow falls.

The beautiful and crisp illustrations also add something extra to the story and bring it to life. My children pour over the illustrations in any story and you can really see from their feedback how it helps them to understand the story, especially certain subtleties that may not mentioned in the book itself, such as how the characters are feeling.

This is our first read by this author but based our enjoyment on it and the fact I’ve just found other books by this author which look just as wonderful and are also based around animals, I highly doubt it will be our last.

Three main things attracted me to this book. First, the author’s name. I’ve read a couple of books by this author now, the most recent being Borrow a Bookshop Holiday, and I just absolutely love her style of writing. I also love an illustrated landscape scene, and the fact that this book is set in Scotland, where I have so many happy holiday memories, just adds a little extra. Finally, the word ‘matchmaking’ suggested that this was going to be a fun and romantic read!

Blurb:

Beatrice found love at Port Willow – now she’s helping others

Since arriving in the Scottish Highlands village of Port Willow six months ago while nursing a broken heart, Beatrice Halliday has turned her life around.

Now she’s running The Princess and the Pea Inn, madly in love with gorgeous boyfriend Atholl Fergusson, and welcoming visitors from around the globe.

Life couldn’t be sweeter – until a surprise discovery threatens to turn her life upside down. Trying to distract herself, eternal romantic Beatrice sets her sights on rekindling the romance between an empty-nester couple holidaying at the Inn, while also trying to bring together city girl Nina, who’s hiding her pain behind a tough exterior, and Atholl’s handsome, easygoing cousin, Mutt.

But as Beatrice is about to learn, sometimes the magic of Port Willow doesn’t work on everyone…

A gorgeously uplifting read all about finding love and friendship, set in the beautiful Scottish countryside – fans of Jenny Colgan and Trisha Ashley will love this heartwarming, totally romantic read.

My thoughts:

I haven’t read the first book in this series, though I really don’t feel like that mattered. The opening of the book ensures that we are transported to the beautiful and unusual setting of Port Willow.

We are then taken away from there to New York City, where we meet Nina. Nina has been dealt a tough hand but she also comes across as someone who has lived a very privileged life and she hides behind a tough exterior. I did find myself warming more to her character by the end of the book.

I loved watching the romance unfold in this one and I found the romance plot very believable and enjoyable. It was also great to meet such a vibrant cast of characters.

Kiley Dunbar has certainly established herself as a must-read author and I have loved how this book has given me all the feels. There is some dramatic twists and turns, moments of joy and fun, and well-developed characters. I hope there will be more to come in this series as I’d definitely like to visit Port Willow again!

I was very eager to be involved in this blog tour after I read and loved Gemma’s previous book, Bad Girls, earlier this year. That book established Gemma as a ‘must-read’ author as it was just breath-takingly brilliant, and thrilling. I was very excited then to discover that her next book would be out so soon, but also that it would feature one of my favourite tropes in fiction: a missing child.

Blurb:

It’s every mother’s worst nightmare…All NEW from Gemma Rogers

Ali and Christopher Tolfrey’s one year old daughter Eden is abducted whilst in the care of Ali’s best-friend.

Snatched in broad daylight from Bushy Park on a trip to the swings, Eden disappears without a trace.

Brooke Simmons, regains consciousness, dazed from a blow to the head, to find Eden, her best friend’s child is missing.

Someone has taken Eden and Brooke knows who.

But it’s a secret she can’t share with Ali or the Police without revealing the web of deceit she’s spun.

Can Brooke get Eden home before her lies come back to haunt her? Or is the net closing in on her?

My thoughts:

Wow, this has been another fabulous crime thriller from this author. You are not left waiting for the story to get going as it kick starts immediately. I love this in a book and even when the pace slows down a little further on in the book, it doesn’t matter as I was already hooked.

I love the fact that the story is told from 3 different characters’ viewpoints. This ensured good character development and it also throws up a lot of questions about people’s actions, motives and choices. I was unsure what to make of the characters for a lot of the story but that unsettled feeling is one I really enjoy in a crime thriller.

The story took me on an unexpected journey with plenty of twists and turns, which is part and parcel of Gemma’s typical brilliance.

This is an emotive, dramatic and thrilling story from a brilliant fresh voice in this genre. I look forward to reading more from this author in the future!

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So in marketing and producing this book, Rod and his team have immediately sold this book to me by facing me with three of my favourite surface features of any book. Firstly, a haunting, stunning and unusual front cover image. Secondly, a blurb that gives so little away about the book that you are literally left begging for more. Finally, the introduction to another female lead detective. I was so excited to start this book!

Blurb:

Don’t trust ANYONE…

When a young woman makes a distressing middle-of-the-night call to 911, apparently running for her life in a quiet, exclusive beachside neighbourhood, miles from her home, everything suggests a domestic incident.

Except no one has seen her since, and something doesn’t sit right with the officers at Hampstead County PD. With multiple suspects and witnesses throwing up startling inconsistencies, and interference from the top threatening the integrity of the investigation, lead detective Casey Wray is thrust into an increasingly puzzling case that looks like it’s going to have only one ending…

And then the first body appears…

My thoughts:

This book certainly did not disappoint and my only regret is that it has taken me until now to read a book by this author. This is not a slow-burn in any description, which suits me perfectly. You are thrown immediately into the action and intrigue of the missing person and you immediately try mirroring the detective work in order to try and work out what has happened. The missing person appears to be someone who has quite a few friends and family that care about her, but other strands of the narrative development reveal that all is not what it seems when it comes to this character and she could have some mysteries and secrets that some people know nothing about.

This book took me a little outside my comfort zone, as being branded as ‘American noir’, this is not a genre I have read much of before. However, I immediately felt transported into the community and the setting, and I loved the darkness and thrills that this book encapsulates.

Casey is a wonderful main character and I straight away developed a respect for her. I could identify with her driven and focused work ethic, but it was also lovely to see her more human and friendly side being developed through the camaraderie with her colleagues. You also see a more vulnerable side to her at times and this definitely made for a well-developed character and the Amazon information suggests that this will be part of a series, which I am very excited by.

Overall, this has been a thrilling book that I found difficult to put down. I dearly hope it is part of a series and if so, I look forward to reading more books featuring Detective Casey Wray. In the mean-time, I think I need to check out this author’s back catalogue as I have thoroughly enjoyed this book!

Regulars to this blog will know that I thoroughly enjoy sharing my love of books and reading with my two small children. I am always keen to read new and different books with them, especially if these books contain a strong personal or community message. Therefore, I jumped at the chance to read and review this book. I love the alliteration in the title, and the bright and positive cover image.

Blurb:

Come and join Fantastic Fin as he grows his courage by embodying various inspiring characters and animals to face his fears!

Teachers, Parents and Carers can access the free Fantastic Fin Teaching Resource Pack available from the author’s website.

This is the first book in a series supporting children’s mental health by well-being author and psychotherapist Jessica Bowers. Ideal for children age 4-7.

My thoughts:

This book arrived in our house and family at the perfect time. I definitely think this is a book that supports children’s mental health and wellbeing. When this book arrived at our house, my eldest daughter was preparing to start school. Obviously, it was me doing most of the preparation but she is a switched on kid, she knew what was happening and I think she also fed off my nerves. My children have always attended a childminder setting with usually only one or two other children for company. It has felt a home away from home for my eldest daughter for the best part of three years. So to send her off into the unknown in a class of 40 children, especially during a pandemic, well it definitely made me anxious.

However, this book allowed us to open up about our anxieties and discuss how to deal with them in a way she could understand. She told me that she felt nervous about school because she wouldn’t know anyone and we talked about strategies that Fin uses in the book that she could also use.

After two weeks, she is settling well, making friends and this book is still providing almost daily entertainment and comfort to us as a family. Fin is a wonderful character, just as ‘fantastic’ as he claims to be, showcasing the desirable qualities of bravery, kindness, imagination and innovation.

I would definitely recommend this book to anyone with young children, especially if you feel they are struggling to process some sort of fear or anxiety. I really hope to see more similar books from this author as this book provides practical help and entertainment for young children and their families.

I was drawn to this book because I am a big fan of historical mysteries and I am always keen to expand the time periods which I read about, as well as the authors I read in this genre. This is the second in the ‘Thomas Tallant Mystery’ series but I unfortunately, due to illness, did not get time to read the first book as well. This, however, did not dampen or disrupt my enjoyment of this book which can be easily read as a stand-alone.

Blurb:

‘A cracking adventure! Treads the turbulent streets of pre-civil war London.’ Mark Turnbull, author of The King’s Spy

1641.

London.

The poisonous dispute pushing King Charles and Parliament towards Civil War is reaching the point of no return.

Law and order in the city are collapsing as Puritan radicals demand more concessions from the King. Bishops and lords are attacked in the streets as the Apprentice Boys run amok. Criminal gangs use the disorder to mask their activities while the people of London lock their doors and pray for deliverance.

No one is immune from the contagion. Two Jesuit priests are discovered in hiding and brutally executed – and soon the family of spice merchant Thomas Tallant is drawn into the spiral of violence. Tallant’s home is ransacked, his warehouse raided and his sister seized by kidnappers.

Thomas struggles to discover who is responsible, aided by the enigmatic Elizabeth Seymour, a devotee of science, maths and tobacco in equal measure. Together they enter a murky world of court politics, street violence, secret codes and poisoned letters, and confront a vicious gang leader who will stop at nothing to satisfy his greed.

Can Elizabeth use her skills to unpick the mass of contradictory evidence before the Tallants are ruined – both as a business and a family?

And as the fight for London between King and Parliament hurtles to its dramatic conclusion, can the Tallants survive the personal and political maelstrom?

My thoughts:

“I feel a wrecking storm coming. And there’ll be no sailing around it.”

There were so many elements of this story that I enjoyed. The political and historical backdrop is central to this story, yet this is a story that is ultimately driven by an exciting and dramatic narrative and a cast of intriguing and vibrant characters. This is certainly my preference when reading this sort of book in this genre, as you learn about the historical and political circumstances almost by osmosis, rather than the author feeling that they have to provide a detailed explanation at every turn.

The challenging and tense atmosphere is apparent right from the beginning and this, along with a number of other clever elements, ensured that this was a pacey and gripping read. I particularly enjoyed the huge number of short chapters and/or cliff-hangers, as this provided a sense of intrigue and a desire to read on.

I particularly loved exploring and witnessing the relationship between Thomas and Elizabeth. Elizabeth herself is a very intriguing character as she appears to me to act a little ahead of her time in terms of her attitude.

Overall, this is a twisty read from an author that somehow manages the very difficult taste of balancing a chaotic and anarchic setting, with an easy to read story and a somewhat lyrical style. I would definitely recommend this book and author to historical fiction fans.