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I am a big fan of Katie Gayle & really enjoyed her Epiphany Bloom series. I was so excited to hear she was releasing a new series.

Blurb:

Julia Bird has left London for a fresh start in a picturesque Cotswolds village, and the rustic charm and cosy fireplaces of her little cottage are everything she’d hoped for. But when she tears down the old garden shed to make way for a chicken coop, she unearths much more than she’d bargained for… the body of a young woman, apparently buried for decades, thrusting Julia into a baffling mystery.

With only one copper on the case in Berrywick, Julia decides to solve the who and whodunnit herself, taking her wayward puppy Jake along for the ride. And so begins a whirlwind tour of the village – from the dotty 90-year-old to the delightful doctor and the village gardener, it seems everyone has something to hide.

Soon, Julia is convinced she has discovered the killer’s identity, until Jake, a true Labrador, finds a new love of the local lake’s waterfowl and instead ends up catching her chief suspect… drowned. Back at square one, with potential culprits galore, Julia – newly nicknamed the Grim Reaper – despairs at ever solving the murders.

But as Julia ruffles feathers village-wide, the clock is ticking. There is someone in the village who has killed twice already. Will they be prepared to make it third time lucky to keep their secret safe?

This totally addictive page-turning cozy mystery is perfect for fans of M.C. Beaton, Faith Martin and Betty Rowlands.

My thoughts:

I enjoyed this book straight away. Katie Gayle has an easy style and creates likeable characters. Julia is a great character, who is entering a new phase in her life and looking to settle down into quiet village life. Unfortunately, she may have chosen the wrong village…

“The village life was rather fun, and sort of wholesome.”

When Julia first moves to the village, she enjoys some clichés like exploring the small high street, visiting the local independent cafe and deciding to live a more “wholesome” life by having a chicken coop built in her garden. It is when she decides this that things take a turn…

This is a twisty and fun tale. I completely identified with Julia’s desire to find her solution, as well as her enthusiasm of throwing herself into the investigation, as she struggles to accept the slower pace of retirement and village life.

I loved following Julia on this journey, and the way it got me trying to figure out the mystery along with her. It’s a great start to a new series. I also really warmed to the boisterous and unconventional Jake!

This book and author are perfect for fans of Verity Bright, K.T Lee and Helena Dixon. I’d also recommend it to anyone wanting to try this genre for the first time!

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I was drawn to this book by the title and the gorgeous, illustrated cover. I have never read a book by this author but I am always keen to try new authors, and I thought the start of a new series would be a great place to begin.

Blurb:

Holly Berry has it all; a good corporate career, a steady boyfriend, and enough savings that they will soon be able to buy a nice little house. But when she finds out her boyfriend has been cheating on her, she decides to retreat to the Cotswolds and a place full of far sweeter memories.

Quite literally.

However when Holly discovers the quaint village sweet shop that she worked in as a teenager is starting to crumble she decides that maybe the sensible life isn’t what she wants after all. Putting all her chocolate eggs in one basket, she says goodbye to the city, and sets her sights on Just One More.

After all, how hard can running a sweet shop be?

With charismatic Giles, ready to rescue her at every turn and the local bureaucrats breathing down her neck, it certainly isn’t the quiet life she expected. Can Holly really save the place from the the wicked developers, or will she be the reason Just One More closes its doors for good?

Full of laughter, sweet clean romance and cozy village life, The Sweet Shop of Second Chances will make you believe that the best things in life really are worth fighting for.

My thoughts:

I adored this book. I immediately identified with Holly and her need to ‘start over’. The way she felt about her relationship with Dan, and the time they spent together, struck a chord with me, so I was able to warm to Holly’s journey quickly.

I loved the descriptions of the sweetshop and through this, Hannah Lynn brought the setting to life. The sweetshop is obviously a place of nostalgia and childhood memories for many of us, and reading this definitely brought some back to me, though I’d even say the kind of sweetshop described was going out of fashion even in my childhood.

What appears like a great opportunity for a fresh start, quickly becomes a twisty and dramatic tale with elements of challenge, growth, romance and friendship.

Holly quickly finds a group of friends and with their help, she discovers that the challenges she faces aren’t as frightening or lonely as she first thought.

An absolutely gorgeous, heart-warming read that sets the scene nicely for the continuation of a series, which I cannot wait to read! Great for fans of Jaimie Admans, Rachel Dove & Holly Martin.

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I was drawn to this book mostly by the title. I have a bit of a fascination with serial killers and how they impact those around them. Although this is a fiction book, this definitely made this book sound appealing and exciting.

Blurb:

Does a killer’s blood run in the family?

Lexi Jakes thought she could run from her past…she was wrong.

Because when her biological mother is found dead, with all the same hallmarks of her own serial killer father, Lexi knows someone is out for revenge, and that she and her small daughter, Isla, could be next.

Determined to protect Isla, Lexi travels back to Lindisfarne, the small remote island where she grew up. There, cut off from the mainland, Lexi hopes they’ll both be safe.

But as the tide comes in and the causeway slowly closes, Lexi’s greatest fear comes true: now they are trapped with no way out.

Lexi will do anything to save her daughter…she is the serial killer’s girl after all.

My thoughts:

I thought the beginning of this book was very gripping and engaging. Not only do we hear of the death of Lexi’s biological mother, but there is a huge hint that Lexi is in danger as the culprit, or what we assume to be the culprit, targets something very close to Lexi’s heart.

At this point, Lexi understandably flees and this is definitely a heart-in-mouth moment in the book, though to be honest there are quite few of those! I was completely rooting for Lexi and Isla’s safety at this point, and as a mother of a 2 year old girl myself I was almost able to put myself in her shoes. I could definitely understand and identify with her sheer determination to keep Isla safe, even to the detriment of some other relationships and people in her life.

The book’s pace slows a little here, but the danger is always on the periphery, and it makes the ending even more shocking and exciting.

This is a new to me author and I was very impressed by this book. I found it gripping and exciting. I would recommend this book and author to fans of Shari Lapena, Miranda Smith and Arianne Richmonde.

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I was drawn to this book by the unusual and intriguing cover. The pink stands out, and I loved the traditional portrait images of the three women. I am a big fan of historical fiction and enjoy trying out new authors and dipping into different time periods.

Blurb:

A romance inspired by real events…

Maria, Georgy and Harriet navigate their first throes of passion, scandal, and love in the heady pre-war atmosphere of Brussels in 1815.

Little do they know they will soon be waltzing their way to the battle of the century at a small village called Waterloo.

As the fight for Europe rages outside the city walls, Maria seeks to find herself – will she also find a husband along the way?

My thoughts:

This book depicts a time and place in history that I know very little about, so this has been a great read for helping me understand both social and cultural aspects of this time. I feel like everyone has heard of the “Battle of Waterloo”, but as for what led up to it, what happened and why, I really had no idea prior to reading this book.

At the beginning of the book, the girls move from London to Belgium with their family and this really helped me to understand events from an outsider’s point of view, as they too felt like outsiders.

This is an engaging, as well as educational and eye opening read. Each of the three main female characters are brought vividly to life, and I found them very believable. The romance elements, and quest for a suitor, added another, softer element of intrigue to the book.

Overall, a compelling read with a great family at the centre, that enables Alice to bring history to life and puts a new spin on a famous moment in history.

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I’m quite fussy with audio books but I know when it’s an Isis Audio production, it’s going to be good. For me, it’s a mark of good quality audio production and suitable narration. I also love Bella Osborne’s books, so I was very excited by this!

Blurb:

Four old friends. Thrown back together after forty years apart. What could possibly go wrong?

In the 1970s, The Girls were best friends sharing a house and good times: Zara the famous diva actor, Val the uptight solicitor, Jackie the wild child and Pauline the quirky introvert. Now they’re in their twilight years, and Zara suggests that they live with her to support each other through old age.

Initially, being housemates again is just as much fun as in their heyday. But then Zara reveals the real reason she asked them to move in with her, and suddenly things take a sinister turn.

As the women confront their demons they come under the spotlight of the press, the police and an angry parrot. With their lives spiralling out of control can they save their friendships and each other?

My thoughts:

I personally love the bright cover and the simple title of this one. If I wasn’t already a Bella Osborne fan, this would have definitely caught my eye whilst out book shopping.

This is a lovely, gorgeous read and one we can all relate to. I expect that all female readers will have, or have had, a good group of friends that they fondly described to others as “the girls”. It’s a mark of closeness and equality.

I loved meeting this friendship group and learning about their life stories. I loved that their different personalities shone through, and this definitely helped me to build a connection with each of them. I probably identified the most with Val, but I liked that each section meant that we heard more from each of the four women.

The premise of the plot itself had me a little nervous as it is quite surprising and is also similar to something else I’ve read in the past, which I didn’t enjoy. However, Bella definitely pulls it off by bringing a great balance of drama and comedy, whilst exploring themes of growth, family and friendship.

Overall, this is a wonderful, escapist and entertaining read that has some very emotional scenes and descriptions. The audio narration brings the story to life, often in a more vivid way.

Bella is a talented author in this genre and is becoming a fave of mine. I’d recommend her books to fans of Heidi Swain, Caroline James, Milly Johnson and Rachel Dove.

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I love a short story collection, especially if they are on a romance/comedy theme. I was so looking forward to reading this one. I loved the title and the cover; this definitely helped entice me into the book.

Blurb:

Twelve moving short stories inspired by the everyday lives of women.

• A single woman on a once-in-a-lifetime trip to the Italian lakes still dreams of adventure. Can she find it closer to home?
• A grieving widow finds comfort in the company of a stray cat that bears striking similarities to her dead husband.
• An estranged daughter confronts an unspeakable tragedy from her past as she attempts to reconcile with her long-lost family.

Geraldine Ryan is a prolific short-story writer whose work has appeared in Woman’s Weekly and Take a Break’s Fiction Feast magazines. The women in this, her first published anthology, may be at different stages of life but all of them are experiencing the ground shifting beneath their feet. Their tales of love, longing and redemption will touch your heart and bring a smile to your face.

My thoughts:

I loved these short stories and the fact they are all written by one author showcases her ability and talent. She is able to easily shift through, and maintain, slightly different styles and very different narrative voices.

I thought the opening story of Riding Pillion with George Clooney was great. It was funny and entertaining. However, it wasn’t my favourite and my favourites were definitely  Our Solemn Promise and Danny Run Home.

Both of these stories were highly emotional, with Our Solemn Promise covering issues of friendship and grief, while Danny Run Home looked at marital strength, family and addiction. They were both really touching and took me on quite an emotional journey for such a short story. They also had satisfying endings, which didn’t make them feel rushed or unfinished!

Overall, this collection, despite being full of short stories doesn’t shy away from some of the big issues, such as marital breakdown, death, health decline, addiction to name a few.

I would recommend this book to romantic and dramatic fiction fans, especially those who have never tried a short story collection as I feel this is a great place to start!

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I initially thought I’d never read anything by this author until I discovered that she also writes as Julie Caplin, which explains part of the reason why I fell into the style of it quite quickly, as I really enjoyed the two of those I have read. I also love the title of this book. It sounds so original and exciting. The cover is cute and inviting.

Blurb:

For fans of The Saturday Morning Park Run! Take the plunge and discover a gorgeous new read full of friendship, love and the healing power of community!

Ettie is trying to figure out her future.

Dominic’s just trying to forget his past.

But with the help of some unlikely friends, young and old, a secret lake hidden in the grounds of a beautiful estate and a scruffy dog, a new community is formed – right when they all need each other the most.

My thoughts:

Although the 2nd in a series, this is the perfect feel good standalone read. I immediately connected with the characters, especially Ettie and the way she was trying her best to lay foundations and make a plan for her future. I could identify with her feelings of being lost and uncertain.

I loved all the descriptions of the village, especially the lake and the swimming. It really reminded me of all of the physical and mental benefits of swimming, but as the community is formed it also brings to light the social & community impact of sport and recreation.

It is a lovely little gem of a book with an easy style, interesting plot and uplifting and feel.

I would recommend this book and author to fans of Kathryn Freeman, Holly Martin and Heidi Swain.

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This author has been on my radar for such a long time, and I still have some of her previous books on my TBR, but back in March I finally picked up one of her books and I am officially a huge fan already.

Blurb:

Escape with a feel-good romance that will warm your heart this summer!

Emily Hendrickson is tired of being the wedding guest and never the bride. Working at her local paper as a wedding columnist, she can’t wait to write her own happy-ever-after.

When she bumps into her childhood sweetheart Calvin Albright, her world is knocked off balance. Calvin has returned to the quiet town of Hebblestone desperate for a fresh start. After his wife tragically died two years ago, he wants nothing more than to find a new home and settle down with his son, Isaac.

Isaac can see how lonely his dad is – he’s determined to help him find love again and complete their family…

Uploading a video to his blog in search of a new girlfriend for his dad, he convinces Emily to use the local paper to make the video viral and sift through the potential candidates.

But as the letters to Calvin begin to flood in, could the promise of love be closer to home than they think?

My thoughts:

I absolutely adored this book. I’m so ashamed that it took me this long to pick up onr of her books.

The story itself is just gorgeous. It’s about old flames, new beginnings, family relationships and all of these traditional themes are explored through a really modern twist: the use of modern media to try and help someone find love.

I loved the setting and thought it was absolutely gorgeous, giving the book an escapist feel but also providing that strong, community warmth and connection we all associate with the best of British.

I loved the character of Isaac. I felt like Rachel was able to get quite cleverly into the mind and motivations of a modern teenage boy, and I liked that he had such an important role. Teens often get a bad rep everywhere, so it was great to see them portrayed in a way that boasts positivity and selflessness.

Overall, a heart-warming and comforting read about love, loyalty and what it means to build, and maintain, a forever home. Perfect for fans of Heidi Swain, Cressida McLaughlin and Jessica Redland.

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I am a big fan of Miranda Smith’s books and think she is one of the best thriller writers around. I realise that that’s quite a pedestal to put an author on in such a saturated market. Would this book live up to my high expectations?

Blurb:

We should never have kept our father’s secret.

Before, my sisters and I were close. Now, a year after our father’s funeral, we barely speak to each other. Molly won’t accept the truth. Rachel can’t forgive him. And I spend all my time digging through his life, trying to understand.

Then we hear the news. A woman has been found by the docks, her wedding ring stolen. The reporter says it appears the local serial killer has returned…

But I know that can’t be right, because I know who the killer was.

Henry Martin. Our father.

Someone is sending us a message. Someone knows we lied.

An absolutely gripping suspense thriller that will have you flying through the pages and gasping at the twist. Fans of Lisa Jewell, Gillian Flynn and Ruth Ware will love The Killer’s Family.

My thoughts:

I was absolutely addicted to this book from start to finish. The premise is so clever and original, and the execution is brilliant.

I loved hearing about how each of the three sisters responded to the revelation about their father. These multiple perspectives gave a unique insight into each of their personalities, thoughts and worries. It helped me to build a picture of them as a family, and they became almost real to me.

This made the story and its event all the more creepy and haunting, as well as exciting. They seek to uncover the truth and this takes them down some pretty dark but also unexpected paths.

It also digs into your own psychology and psyche, as it makes you consider what you would do if you had been subject to such a dark and dramatic revelation. Would this change how you feel about someone you’ve always looked up to and admired?

Obviously, when the killings continue that provides a huge twist in the tale and I have to say that if you aren’t hooked by this point, you definitely will be after this. I found mysel struggling to put it down right from the start.

Emerging as a favourite author of mine in this genre, I am a huge fan of Miranda Smith, and would recommend her books to fans of Lisa Jewell, Shari Lapena and Shalini Boland.

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This is a new to me author so I have to say what drew me to the book initially was quite superficial. I love a poolscape, but the fact the image is empty of people and has some dark shadows gives the image an eerie feel. I was also intrigued as to what would make this holiday far from ‘perfect.’

Blurb:

Olivia and Julian are enjoying lazy days in their Spanish villa, a well deserved break from their busy lives. Especially for Julian, who after a lifetime as a carer was thrust into the public eye following the tragic murder of his first wife.

The languid heat and peace of the villa is broken only by clifftop walks, sun drenched lunches and cooling swims. Until a chance encounter with Gabriel – an attractive man, many years their junior – changes everything.

Soon their idyllic break turns into a dangerous, high-stakes game of cat-and-mouse. Will any of them get out alive?

My thoughts:

I loved the opening to this book. There are immediately two events that raise suspicion, although at the beginning I had no reason to suspect wrongdoing from the main characters. There is the murder of Julian’s first wife, and the hint that the ‘perfect holiday’ is far from perfect.

There is a complex timeline that is handled with sophistication, though there is one “lull” in proceedings (a solo respite caravan holiday) which at first left me wondering why the author had included it. Until we find out that Julian is not alone on his caravan holiday, and may never be fully relaxed and alone again…

This is a twisty tale, that sends your head spinning. You are definitely left considering and questioning the characters’ motives, choices and relationships. It’s an unpredictable read!

Overall, an exciting and engaging read with some creepy characters and some idyllic settings which the author manages to cleverly subvert! I’d recommend this book and author to fans of T M Logan, Shalini Boland and Daniel Hurst.

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