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After reading The Queen’s Dressmaker, which is definitely one of my favourite novels in this genre of the year so far, I was really excited to read Meghan’s latest book. I found the earlier book to be character-driven, gripping and charming and I had high hopes that I would enjoy this book just as much.

Blurb:

Paris, 1856. In a world ruled by men, one woman holds the fate of a nation in her hands.

When newly married Livia arrives in her husband’s grand, echoing mansion house in Paris, she longs to return to her home in Italy with its fragrant garden. A doctor’s daughter, her study of plants and poisons has always been her greatest obsession. But now she is the wife of a powerful diplomat and she has no use for her skills and knowledge. Except for thedeadly nightshadeshe keeps hidden under her dress… For a dark secret is hidden in her past, and Livia knows that she must protect herself and the life growing inside her…

Livia feels isolated, but soon she befriends Elisabetta, Napoleon III’s glamorous and controversial mistress. And she finds herself caught up in an exciting whirlwind of masked balls and intrigue in French high society. But enemies lurk in the shadows, and one night an assassination attempt is made on Napoleon outside Elisabetta’s house. Then Livia’s husband is arrested for treason…

With danger surrounding them, Livia must fight with Elisabetta to save their country and the lives of those they love. But can she really trust her new friend? And with a baby to protect, how far is she prepared to go?

A totally gripping, richly imagined historical novel about the power held by women in a world run by men. Fans of Lucinda Riley, Kate Morton and Marie Benedict will be absolutely hooked from the very first page until the final, breathtaking conclusion.

My thoughts:

Meghan is an excellent writer of historical fiction and I have thoroughly enjoyed this book.

Meghan provides a good balance between historical context and detail and a character-driven plot. The main character of Livia and her friendship with Elisabetta provides a unique and interesting insight into the life of women in mid-19th century France.

I found this to be a little bit slower paced than my previous read by this author but it was nevertheless compelling and engaging.

Once again, I have been transported by this author to a time and place very different to my current situation. Her writing is atmospheric and detailed. I look forward to reading more by this author and would recommend her work to fans of Ella Carey and Lucinda Riley.

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This author has been on my radar for quite some time and I listened to the audiobook of his previous book, In The Company of Strangers. I found that book to be atmospheric and compelling so I had high hopes for this one.

Blurb:

A young woman defies convention in a small Pakistani village, with devastating results for her and her family. A stunning, immense beautiful novel about courage, family and the meaning of love, when everything seems lost.

In sixteen-year-old Abida’s small Pakistani village, there are age-old rules to live by, and her family’s honour to protect. And, yet, her spirit is defiant and she yearns to make a home with the man she loves. 

When the unthinkable happens, Abida faces the same fate as other young girls who have chosen unacceptable alliances – certain, public death. Fired by a fierce determination to resist everything she knows to be wrong about the society into which she was born, and aided by her devoted father, Jamil, who puts his own life on the line to help her, she escapes to Lahore and then disappears.

Jamil goes to Lahore in search of Abida – a city where the prejudices that dominate their village take on a new and horrifying form – and father and daughter are caught in a world from which they may never escape.

Moving from the depths of rural Pakistan, riddled with poverty and religious fervour, to the dangerous streets of over-populated Lahore, No Honour is a story of family, of the indomitable spirit of love in its many forms … a story of courage and resilience, when all seems lost, and the inextinguishable fire that lights one young woman’s battle for change.

My thoughts:

This has been a powerful and eye-opening read. ‘Honour killings’ and the idea of ‘family honour’ are things that I have heard of, but ashamedly never really thought much about. However, it is clearly a big and on-going issue in some Mediterranean and Persian Gulf countries. This book inspired me to read around the subject and having learnt that Pakistan has the largest number of honour killings per capita in the world, it is not really surprising that someone like Awais chose to focus on this topic on this book.

However, the style of this book ensures that it remains first, and foremost, a character-driven and fictional account of the brave and loving Abida, and her courageous and determined father, Jamil. I personally feel that this style of book, which brings to the fore a cultural and historical issue by bringing it to life through their characterisations and descriptions, is much more impactful than one that contains more factual information.

`Awais provides an interesting and shocking social commentary which highlights the role and treatment of women in Pakistan. It is clear that women have an underprivileged and unequal position in society, and are held to a different, much higher standard than men. This is of course completely unfair and it was compelling and gripping to follow Jamil and Abida’s fight against these traditions and expectations.

This is a book that has been dramatic and heart-breaking. There are so many twists and shocks in the plot. There are strong themes of love, hate, revenge, forgiveness, acceptance and resilience. The ending was well-rounded and well-pitched. I would definitely recommend this book and author to fans of raw and realistic fiction, and authors such as Kazuo Ishiguro and Khaled Hosseini.

Regular readers of this blog will know that I love memoirs and am always looking for ones that provide a new twist, possibly a unique experience or a new way of looking at things. In this engaging and thought-provoking book, Alexandra Shulman certainly does this.

Blurb:

In Clothes… and other things that matter, Alexandra Shulman delves into her own life to look at the emotions, ambitions, expectations and meanings behind the way we dress.

From the bra to the bikini, the trench coat to trainers, she explores their meaning in women’s lives and how our wardrobes intersect with the larger world – the career ladder, motherhood, romance, sexual identity, ambition, failure, body image and celebrity.

By turns funny, refreshingly self-deprecating and often very moving, this startlingly honest memoir from the ex-Editor of British Vogue will encourage women of all ages to consider what their own clothes mean to them, the life they live in them and the stories they tell.

My thoughts:

I’ll be honest when I say that I am not hot on fashion and was actually not familiar with this author’s long and successful career in the media/fashion industry as I have actually never read Vogue. However, this did not marr my enjoyment of the book one iota as I have always had a keen interest in how people dress, and what that says about them as people and the roles in their lives.

In this book, I fully expected some honest, touching and uplifting anecdotes about the author’s clothing choices and the role and impact such choices have had in their lives. The author definitely provides all of this and it ensures that this is a personal and entertaining read.

The structure is also unique and not linear, with each chapter/section being loosely based around a fashion “statement” or an item of clothing. This allowed me to reflect on my own clothing choices and how they project my identity. I was surprised to find this book to be so thought provoking in this sense.

This is also a book that makes a statement about how clothes relate to issues relating to history, gender, power, class, culture, religion and politics to mame but a few topics that are touched upon in this book. Again, this was thought-provoking and also informative. I feel like I have gained some new knowledge and a new perspective on the importance of clothes from reading this book.

Overall, this is a well-written, thoughtful book. It had a conversational style that was easy to get into. I would highly recommend this book to anyone with an interest in reading memoirs, fashion or social history. It is enlightening, uplifting and entertaining.

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I was interested in this book after I saw the author tweet about it. This is rare for a book to grab my attention in this way, but the sentiment in the title is strong and one I fully agree with. I am grateful to the author for sending me an advance copy of the book, which went on general release on 10th August 2021.

Blurb:

Mother Knows Best is a remarkable memoir of resilience, perseverance, and miracles. In 1994, The Wall Street Journal published an article called “Dying for Milk: Some Mother’s Trying in Vain to Breast-Feed, Starve Their Infants.” Chaz Floyd was one of those infants. He may not have died from insufficient milk syndrome, but it did take his life. His mother spent a lot of time arguing with and praying to God. What happened to Chaz was purely preventable, if only doctors and nurses had listened when the first-time mom said that she felt like “something was wrong,” and that she felt like “he wasn’t getting enough.“

My thoughts:

This has been a thought-provoking, poignant and informative read that has helped me to reflect on my own experiences as a mother.

The first part of the book discusses Pamula’s challenges related to getting appropriate and personal infant feeding support. Though I thankfully didn’t have the scary outcomes she did, much of what she said resonated with me. I could recall quite clearly my eldest daughter screaming when she came near my breasts and how I took it as a personal insult. I was made to feel a failure and in truth, as Pamula advocates in this book, mother knows best and I followed the signs and  signals to ensure my baby was satisfied and having that output that medical professionals maintain is so important. Even now, 3 and half years later, I almost wrote a sentence justifying my choice not to breastfeed. Almost. But Pamula’s book has taught me that I don’t need to justify myself because – mother instinct is a thing and I don’t have to justify myself because I did what was best for myself and my daughter at that time.

The book then goes on to discuss the challenges and beautiful moments involved in raising a child with intense physical health needs. I really respected and was in awe of Pamula’s strength and determination to fight and advocate for Chaz, as well as her desire to gain as much knowledge as possible to ensure the best possible outcomes for him.

This is a well-written and eye-opening memoir about motherhood in all its stages. It reminds us of the importance of trusting our instincts, sometimes in a way that goes against the advice of those we are taught to trust. It is a book that I think mothers, paediatricians and anyone who works with children with additonal needs should read. I would recommend this to fans of this genre and particularly if you enjoyed books such as Cerebral Palsy: My Story and The Cracks That Let The Light In.

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I was drawn to this book by the title and cover. I think the cover image is striking, haunting and beautiful. Regulars to this blog know I am drawn to books that feature missing children as this ensures the book will be dramatic and emotionally charged.

Blurb:

You thought she was safe. You were wrong…

Alex knows her daughter would never wander off in a strange place. So when her three-year-old vanishes from an idyllic beach wedding, Alex immediately believes the worst.

The hunt for Lottie quickly becomes a world-wide search, but it’s not long before suspicion falls on her mother. Why wasn’t she watching Lottie? 

Alex knows she’s not perfect, but she loves her child. And with all eyes on her, Alex fears they’ll never uncover the truth unless she takes matters into her own hands.

Who took Lottie Martini? And will she ever come home?

A totally addictive thriller, with a twist you just won’t see coming. Fans of Lisa Jewell, Louise Candlish and T.M. Logan will be totally gripped from the very first page.

My thoughts:

This was my first read by this author and I was unsure what to expect. I would definitely describe this as a book of two halves as the first half, after the child’s disappearance, is a slow burner. The author seems to be trying to create the palpable tension as the days mount up  and reflect those whose lives are now in limbo following this sudden event.

The second half ensures that the action ramps up rather a lot as the search for the possible kidnapper continues. This provides lots of trails that go cold, and also some unexpected twists. The ending of the book is completely unpredictable and one that I didn’t see coming.

All of the characters in this book are, in my opinion, very easy to dislike. They are selfish characters who seem to put their own agendas above others in the majority of cases. There were times where I identified with Alex and felt sorry for her and other times where she infuriated me and I couldn’t fathom her choices at all.

Tess definitely uses classic elements of a psychological thriller for effect. I liked the short chapters and the fact that we get to hear from the perpetrator. However, I don’t feel like this added as much to the story as I’d have liked it to.

The ending is definitely explosive and I would have liked to see this extended a little as it felt a little rushed in places.

Overall, this has been a tense story that evolves in unexpected ways. I have been glad I stuck with this one to see the shocking and original outcome.

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I was drawn to this book by the beautiful cover. The tree has connotations of growth, family and roots. I got the impression that this would be a poignant book. Reading the blurb hooked me in also, as it sounded like a fine piece of domestic drama.

Blurb:

her most ambitious novel to date, New York Times bestselling author Joyce Maynard returns to the themes that are the hallmarks of her most acclaimed work in a mesmerizing story of a family—from the hopeful early days of young marriage to parenthood, divorce, and the costly aftermath that ripples through all their lives

Eleanor and Cam meet at a crafts fair in Vermont in the early 1970s. She’s an artist and writer, he makes wooden bowls. Within four years they are parents to three children, two daughters and a red-headed son who fills his pockets with rocks, plays the violin and talks to God. To Eleanor, their New Hampshire farm provides everything she always wanted—summer nights watching Cam’s softball games, snow days by the fire and the annual tradition of making paper boats and cork people to launch in the brook every spring. If Eleanor and Cam don’t make love as often as they used to, they have something that matters more. Their family.

Then comes a terrible accident, caused by Cam’s negligence. Unable to forgive him, Eleanor is consumed by bitterness, losing herself in her life as a mother, while Cam finds solace with a new young partner. 

Over the decades that follow, the five members of this fractured family make surprising discoveries and decisions that occasionally bring them together, and often tear them apart. Tracing the course of their lives—through the gender transition of one child and another’s choice to completely break with her mother—Joyce Maynard captures a family forced to confront essential, painful truths of its past, and find redemption in its darkest hours.

A story of holding on and learning to let go, Count the Ways is an achingly beautiful, poignant, and deeply compassionate novel of home, parenthood, love, and forgiveness.

My thoughts:

I found this book completely immersive and I felt like I was there watching events unfold with Eleanor throughout much of the story. The realism in this book is so strong and you come to realise that some, maybe not all of them, but some of these tragic and/or life-changing events could occur in any family, including your own.

The characters are so well-drawn that they felt like real people. We hear the story and events unfold from Eleanor’s point of view which definitely made me feel sympathy for her situation as a mother and a wife. The fractured and difficult nature of her roles and relationships come across with a sucker punch in this book.

The structure of the story is really interesting and original as we are told quite early on about some of the key events, such as Al’s decision to identify as a male, and the fact that Cam and Eleanor’s relationship has at some point crumbled, but we are then taken back to find out how it all came to light and this causes the story to become quite gripping!

This has definitely been a poignant, beautiful, emotional roller-coaster of a read that explores important themes such as motherhood, gender change, forgiveness and new beginnings.

I have thoroughly enjoyed curling up with this one and found it be a book that I struggled to put down as I was pulled into the story and the characters’ lives quite completely. I will definitely check out more by this author and would recommend this book and author to fans of Jodi Picoult and Amanda Prowse.

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I was drawn to this book as the cover makes it seem like an emotional and dramatic read. I am also a huge fan of historical fiction and always keen to explore new authors and periods of history.

Blurb:

e kicked and struggled as his sister was carried out through the shallow water to one of the boats. The distance between them seemed to stretch out and out. There was nothing he could do. He cried out to her, his voice hoarse with tears, ‘I will find you! I promise!’

London, 1820: Nineteen-year-old Mercy, the orphaned daughter of an African prince, has come to live with the well-to-do Dr Stephens and his wife, Catherine, a passionate campaigner for the abolition of slavery.

Mercy throws herself into Catherine’s work, eager to help until – at an exhibition that has all of London talking – one particular painting makes a disturbing impression on her, conjuring vivid images of creaking wood and the screams of drowning people. Its effect on Dr Stephens is even stronger – a connection that seems almost personal.

Meanwhile, Mat, a young black sailor, scours the city in search of the men who kidnapped his sister many years before. When his path crosses with Mercy’s and he realises the girl he has been mourning is alive, it sets events in motion that will destroy everything Mercy thought was true about her old life – and her new one.

But as the names on Mat’s list are found dead, one after the other, the newly reunited siblings face a new danger. Someone is silencing all witnesses to the horrors of their past – and they could be next. But Mercy has had enough of secrets. She will have justice – no matter what the cost.

An utterly gripping and powerful novel about family, secrets, identity, and risking everything to be true to yourself. If you liked The Foundling, The Miniaturist or Amy Snow, you will love Daughter of the Shipwreck.

My thoughts:

Lora Davies writes historical fiction exactly how I think it should be written and this is a stunning debut novel.

The characters are front and centre of the historical context and the social commentary in this book. The characters are well-developed and jump off the page, and despite the obvious differences in their life when compared to my own, the empathetic style of writing, I definitely felt a connection to the characters, especially Mercy.

The author provides a lot of useful social commentary and historical context through the dialogue and relationships we see in the novel. We learn a lot about the role of women and the treatment of people of colour. As a black woman in early 19th century Britain, Mercy unfortunately realises her place but I still admired her bravery, strength and resilience. However, her close proximity to white women teaches her about possibilities for the future: “She had never realised that women could do so much”.

There is a beautiful balance in this book. There are times when it will make you so sad and angry, you may want to scream at the injustice of it all. However, there are moments that are filled with so much love, loyalty and hope, you’ll feel a warmth like you’ve just sat by a cosy fire.

This has been a beautifully written fictional exploration of the slave trade and what it meant to be a black woman living in 19th century Britain. I cannot wait to read more by this author!

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I was drawn to this book by the bright cover. The title enticed me too, as I love reading about book clubs and the words “beach reads” alongside the cover image suggested that this book would be a light and escapist read.

Blurb:

Welcome to the Beach Reads Book Club. Where love is just a page away…

When Lottie Watt is unceremoniously booted out of her uptight book club for not following the rules, she decides to throw the rulebook out the window and start her own club – one where conversation, gin and cake take precedent over actually having read the book!

The Beach Reads Book Club soon finds a home for its meetings at Books by the Bay, a charming bookshop and café owned by gorgeous, brooding Matthew Steele, and as the book club picks heat up, so too does the attraction between Matt and Lottie.

If there’s anything Lottie has learned from the romances she’s been reading, it’s that the greatest loves are the ones hardest earned.

My thoughts:

I’m a little sorry and ashamed to say that this has been my first read by this author. There is a lot of fun and warmth packed into this book, and I have thoroughly enjoyed it.

After reading, I definitely want to be a part of, or set up a book club like the one Lottie creates. It is more than a book club, and becomes a safe and supportive space for Lottie and the wonderful mix of background characters that we also meet here.

Despite much of the conversation and action being light and fun, there is a depth to this book in the way the characters, their backgrounds and the romance elements are all well-developed.

The structure of the book is also really original and provides an extra layer of meaning for the reader by linking the events to other books which the reader may or may not have read.

This book has been an entertaining and uplifting read with what I thought was an important message about individuality and going for what makes you happy. I am looking forward to reading more books by this author author and highly recommend this as a great “beach read” for 2021.

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I love Nicole’s books and she is now a “must read” author for me. Therefore I was very excited to pick this one up and see what it had to offer. The mystery and suspense is palpable from the cover alone…

Blurb:

Sometimes, the most perfect families are hiding the most terrible secrets. How well do you know the people next door?

Everybody wants to live on Hogarth Street, the pretty, tree-lined avenue with its white houses. The new family, The Wests, are a perfect fit. Katherine and John seem so in love and their gorgeous five-year-old twins race screeching around their beautiful emerald-green lawn.

But soon people start to notice: why don’t they join backyard barbecues? Why do they brush away offers to babysit? Why, when you knock at the door, do they shut you out, rather than inviting you in?

Every family has secrets, and on the hottest day of the year, the truth is about to come out. As a tragedy unfolds behind closed doors, the dawn chorus is split by the wail of sirens. And one by one the families who tried so hard to welcome the Wests begin to realise: Hogarth Street will never be the same again.

A completely gripping, twist-packed psychological thriller, perfect for fans of Liane Moriarty and Lisa Jewell.

My thoughts:

I am loving seeing how this writer’s work is evolving and, in my opinion, just gets better and better each time.  For me, this had a slightly different feel to the other books I’ve read by this author but I honestly think it just meant that she has gone up another notch in my estimation.

This was a gripping read that was literally impossible to put down. I fell asleep reading after staying up far too late to read about 75% in one sitting, and was really looking forward to getting back into it the next day.

I loved hearing from the multiple perspectives, especially the armed man. I also loved hearing Logan’s voice. He represents a voice and an identity in our society that we typically don’t hear about. We all see the images of the men who are convicted yet again – where are the news headlines about ex-criminal men and women who put their past behind them and start to do good for their community?

This is just one example of the important social commentary explored in this book. Other themes explored include: dysfunctional families, the meaning of community, the pressures of policing and the idea of appearances vs reality – do we ever really know what goes on behind closed doors?

The characters in this book are all believable and well developed. Gladys fits the wonderful “nosey parker” stereotype, and Katherine comes across as a mixed up lady who is trying to do right by her children.

I have always found Nicole’s books to be emotional, gripping and original but for me this takes it up a level in terms of the tension and psychological elements. The palpable tension runs throughout the book and was reminiscent for me of reading Three Hours by Rosamund Lupton.

Nicole is clearly a multi-talented author and is a rising star of the domestic suspense and psychological thriller genres. I personally believe she is an up and coming queen of these genres! This book absolutely should be a best seller and I think it is absolutely fair to compare this book to the likes of Lisa Jewell, Rosamund Lupton and Shari Lapena. If I could give this book more than 5 stars, I would. It is gripping from start to finish, thought provoking and effectively structured. I cannot find fault with it at all.

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I absolutely love Daisy James’ books. They are fun, feel good, escapist reads and the beautiful covers are always so enticing. I am very excited and honoured to be on another blog tour for one of her books ♥️

Blurb:

Welcome to the Hummingbird Hotel!

When florist-to-the-stars Abbie Coleman catches a glimpse of her boyfriend through the window of Tiffany’s, she couldn’t be more excited. Keen to share her happiness, she organises a huge surprise party for all their family and friends… except things don’t quite work out as she expected, and instead of planning a flower-filled wedding, she finds herself single, and fired from a job she loves.

Desperate to escape her heartbreak, she jets off to her aunt’s quirky Hummingbird Hotel on the gorgeous island of Corfu. Little did she know that instead of spending her time lounging by the pool, drinking cocktails, and soaking up the sun, she’d be stepping into the role of the island’s newest hotelier.

The arrival of unexpected guests sends Abbie into a tailspin of panic, and she’s forced to turn to snippy, but charismatic, vineyard owner-turned-chef, Nikos Angelopoulos, for help. Why does the kitchen fill with smoke whenever she makes coffee? Why is there a naked man swimming in the pool? And why do the hotel’s toiletries turn their guests’ hair pink?

Despite all the chaos, the Hummingbird Hotel works its magic on Abbie, and she finds herself with a decision to make. Will she return home to the drizzly grey skies of London? Or will she take a leap of faith and embrace the new opportunities that little corner of paradise has to offer, and maybe, just maybe, discover a sprinkle of romance along the way?

Let Daisy James whisk you away to gorgeous Corfu with a feel-good summer read filled with sun, sea and a sprinkle of romance. Perfect for fans of Mandy Baggot, Sue Roberts & Sandy Barker.

My thoughts:

I have loved reading the first installment to another promising and wonderful series from this brilliant author. I immediately liked and respected Abbie and had bad feelings about Dan.

I have loved following Abbie’s journey to Corfu. The descriptions in the book are just gorgeous and they really make sure you feel like you have escaped reality and travelled to the beautiful Ropa Valley in Corfu (which just happens to be my favourite Greek island!)

The premise of the story is not really original in that I have read similar story openings before, where a character is thrown into a new situation due to a inheritance from an unexpected relative. However, Daisy’s style and structure ensures that the story itself develops in original ways, and the story itself is still wonderfully entertaining and fabulous.

I found this book difficult to put down and I am already looking forward to reading the next in the series, which I was relieved to see is already available. Yay! I would recommend this book and author to fans of Lucy Coleman, T A Williams and Sue Moorcroft.

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