Hannah Swan is looking forward to Christmas for the first time in years. Her new job as an eco-consultant is taking her – and her geeky colleague, Noah – to the beautiful Cornish village of Porthgolow for the first time. They’re are helping the Crystal Waters Hotel to ramp up its green credentials, though after a bumpy journey, Hannah can’t shake off the feeling that Porthgolow is strangely familiar. Never able to resist a mystery, her interest is piqued when the hotel’s staff and customers report odd noises and sightings, believing the hotel to be haunted. When bad weather cuts off Porthgolow, Hannah and Noah are looking at a Cornish Christmas. It gives them plenty of time to work out what is really going on, but will their yuletide escape send shivers up their spines? Or will it be as warm and toasty as a glass of mulled wine?
The Cornish Cream Tea Christmas is available in ebook and paperback now. You can purchase your copy using the link below or through your local indie bookstore.
My Review:
The Cornish Cream Tea Christmas is a lovely, warm read which is perfect to read on the run up to Christmas.
I absolutely adored being back in Porthgolow and the wonderful tea bus. Throughout this wonderful series I feel like I have really gotten to know the characters so I loved being able to catch up with them and find out what they’ve been getting up to. In this book all of the old gang are back but there are also some wonderful new characters to get to know too. I enjoyed learning more about Hannah and it was very interesting to find out more about her past.
There was a lovely festive feel throughout the book which was lovely to read about. I liked that it wasn’t overdone to make the story too sweet. It seemed natural and made me feel all warm inside whilst I read. The community of Porthgolow seemed so lovely and it made me wish that I was a part of it as it’s such a loving place
Overall I really enjoyed this book and managed to read it in a couple of days, despite me promising myself I was going to ration it. The ending was beautiful and I now can’t wait to see how things pan out in the next book.
Huge thanks to Anne Cater for inviting me onto the blog tour and to Harper Collins for my copy of this book. If you are looking for a heart warming, festive read to curl up with then I definitely recommend this one!
About The Author:
Cressy was born in South East London surrounded by books and with a cat named after Lawrence of Arabia. She studied English at the University of East Anglia and now lives in Norwich with her husband David.
Cressy’s favourite things include terrifying ghost stories, lava lamps and romantic heroes, though not necessarily at the same time. She doesn’t (yet) have a dog of her own, but feeds her love vicariously through friends’ pets, and was once chased around a field by a soaking wet, very mischievous Border Collie called Wags.
When she isn’t writing, Cressy spends her spare time reading, returning to London or exploring the beautiful Norfolk coastline.
When Regi moves into her new house share, she’s ready for a clean slate. A new home. A new routine. A new identity… Desperate to escape the shadow of her past that follows her everywhere she goes, Regi finds the ideal distraction in the perfect lives of others on social media. But as innocent scrolling turns into an unhealthy obsession, Regi will soon learn that seeking perfection comes at a cost…
The Housemate is available in all formats, including audiobook now. You can purchase your copy using the link below or through your local indie bookstore.
My Review:
The Housemate was a very intriguing audio book which was great at distracting me whilst I did the housework. This was my first audiobook experience and I’ll definitely be trying more in the future – especially as I’ve discovered Alexa can read them out for you. I liked being able to multitask and the narrator had a very pleasant tone which made the book easy to listen to.
The chapters are divided into now and then with the text broken up by Instagram posts from Instagram influencer Mrs Clean. I was a bit sceptical whether this would work on an audio book but it really does. I liked this and felt that it gave the book a modern feel. It also got me thinking about the dangers of social media and how easy it is to get obsessed with following famous people on there. The book also shines a light on mental health, in particular OCD. It was interesting to find out more about the condition and how it affects people.
Remy was a very complex character who I enjoyed following throughout the book. Her relationship with her housemates was fascinating to explore and I liked learning a little about their past. I wasn’t overly sure I trusted Remy and found myself doubting some of what she said. Her obsession with Mrs Clean was uncomfortable to read about at times because it seemed so realistic and I often found myself cringing at some of the passages.
Overall I really enjoyed this book and would definitely like to listen to more audio books from this author, and narrator, in the future. The pace slowly increases until I found myself hovering over my Alexa, hanging onto every word as I wanted to know what was going to happen next. The ending, although slightly abrupt, was unexpected and I thought it was a great way to end the book.
Huge thanks to Rachel from Rachel’s Random Resources for inviting me onto the blog tour and to Boldwood books for my copy of this audio book.
About The Author:
Nina Manning studied psychology and was a restaurant-owner and private chef (including to members of the royal family). She is the founder and co-host of Sniffing The Pages, a book review podcast. The Daughter in Law is her debut psychological thriller. The Guilty Wife was published in March 2020. Her third thriller, The House Mate will be published in October 2020. She lives in Dorset in the UK.
From Amazon bestseller Pam Howes comes a heartbreaking World War Two novel about a young woman trying to make the best of history’s darkest hour. Is a happy ever after impossible?
Liverpool, 1943. For Bella Rogers, life is looking up. She loves performing with The Bryant Sisters, the singing trio who have become the country’s sweethearts, putting a smile on the faces of the brave boys fighting the Nazis. But then tragedy strikes when a telegram arrives: Bella’s beloved father has been killed in France.
Unlike her poor Mam, Bella has someone to share her grief with. Her childhood love Bobby is home from the war. He lost a leg but she counts her blessings every day that he’s alive when so many young men haven’t made it back. Bella longs to give her heart to Bobby but she is hiding a secret that may change their lives forever. Will he still love her if she reveals the truth?
But when bombs screech down on Victory Street in the middle of the night, blowing houses apart, Bella may lose both the home she loves and the family who mean everything to her. With so much loss around her, will Bella be brave enough to snatch her chance of happiness? And when the war is finally over, will wedding bells ring out on Victory Street again?
An utterly unputdownable, heart-wrenching historical novel that will have you completely hooked from page one. You’ll lose yourself in this gorgeous wartime story of love, loss and family secrets. Perfect for fans of Wives of War, Nadine Dorries and Nancy Revell.
Wedding Bells On Victory Street is available in ebook and paperback now. You can purchase your copy using the link below or through your local indie bookstore.
My Review:
I’m a huge fan of this series so I couldn’t wait to read this book and be back with the Bryant sisters. Once again the author has written a beautiful, emotional book which I found very absorbing.
This book continues on where the last book left off and I soon found myself thrown back into the Bryant sisters lives. I don’t think I’ve read any books about singers during the war so I loved learning more about this world. The story line based in the farmhouse helped provide a great contrast to the sisters traveling life and I loved the change of pace there.
The relationship between Bella and Bobby was lovely to read about, I so enjoyed watching it develop throughout the book. It does face a few obstacles along the way, not least Bobby’s horrible wife who’d I’d gladly have climbed into the book and given a piece of my mind. Ooh I so detested her and kept hoping she’d come to a sticky end. I had to keep reading to find out what was going to happen and if they’d end up with each other.
Overall I really enjoyed this wonderful, heartwarming read. I’m so sad that this is the last book in the series and I won’t get to visit the Bryant sisters again. I will be recommending this book to everyone who likes a historical saga.
Huge thanks to Sarah from Bookouture for my copy of this book and to Bookouture for my copy via Netgalley.
About The Author:
Pam Howes was born in Cheshire. She is an ex Interior Designer who began writing seriously in the mid nineties. The idea for her first novel, set in the sixties, was inspired by her time as a teenager, working in a local record store and hanging around with musicians who frequented the business. That first novel evolved into a series set in the fictional town of Pickford, based on her home town of Stockport. Three Steps to Heaven; ‘Til I Kissed You; Always On My Mind; Not Fade Away, and That’ll Be The Day, follow the lives and loves through the decades of fictional Rock’n’Roll band The Raiders. Pam is a big fan of sixties music and it’s this love that compelled her to write the series. A stand-alone true-life romance, Fast Movin’ Train, set in the nineties, was published in early 2012. Pam is mum to three adult daughters, grandma to seven assorted grandchildren, and roadie to one musician partner. Pam recently signed a second contract with the award winning publisher Bookouture and the first novel in her new Lark Lane series, The Factory Girls of Lark Lane, will be published in July 2018. Her first series for Bookouture – The Mersey Trilogy – is available in E book, paperback and as audio books. The Lost Daughter of Liverpool The Forgotten Family of Liverpool The Liverpool Girls Follow her on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Pam-Howes-Books/260328010709267 And Twitter @PamHowes1
Good morning everyone and welcome to another Music Monday, started by Drew from The Tattooed Book Blog. Today I’m featuring the amazing Chris Miller and his new single Alcohol and Cigarettes.
I discovered Chris on twitch after Samuel Alexander (a previously featured Music Monday artist) recommended him. Chris is a fantastic artist with a wonderful voice and I always enjoy his energetic streams, which feature a wide variety of music. His streams are often a family affair with his wife often making appearances and his kids dancing in the background. If you’d like to watch his streams the link is below!
Chris has been releasing music since 2009 so he has quite an impressive back catalogue to listen to. Below I’ve included the videos for his latest single, Wicked Game which is a personal favourite if mine and his absolutely fantastic raid song from Twitch which are definitely worth a listen!
Alcohol & Cigarettes
Wicked Game
Raid Song
How To Listen:
Chris’s music is available to listen to on all the main streaming platforms including:
Becoming Alfie is the first of a quartet of books about a character called Alfie Norrington. Alfie was born just minutes into the twentieth century to an impoverished east end family that was squashed into a 2 roomed tenement in Mile End. His father Bernie was a violent alcoholic, his mother worked fourteen hours each day to cobble together enough to feed her brood. His siblings are Jack who is eight, Fred six and twin girls Rosie and Lily two, when Alfie was born. From an early age Alfie fought to survive in London’s East End. He became a proficient thief and an excellent pick pocket with most of his earnings supplementing the family’s meagre finances. Alfie attended school and was considered a bright student and a formidable boxer. WW1 began with Alfie volunteering to fight for King and Country by faking his age at sixteen. He left for the trenches of Ypres directly after his training. Alfie was severely injured by a trench bomb soon after his arrival and shipped back to hospital in England where he fought for his life. Whilst in hospital Alfie met an Australian soldier called Trevor, and a pretty nurse, Louisa. A short time later Trevor lost his fight to stay alive and on his deathbed, Alfie promised his friend that he would sail to Australia. There he would deliver to Trevor’s mother, both a letter and a biscuit tin of mementos from her dead son. Alfie fell deeply in love with Nurse Louisa, a love that was cut short by the prejudices of the British class system, his heart was shattered. Alfie was discharged in April 1917 and leads a life full of exciting adventures, both legal and illegal, overcoming the odds and growing into a decent person, with a strong moral compass to drive him.
Finding Alfie is available in ebook and paperback now. You can purchase your copy using the link below.
My Review:
Becoming Alfie is a thoroughly absorbing, poignant story which I really enjoyed.
Firstly I absolutely fell in love with the main characters Alfie and enjoyed following him through the years. He definitely doesn’t have an easy life and I felt very sorry for him when things didn’t go his way. His ability to pick himself up again was lovely to read about and helped ensure he found a permanent place in my heart. He’s an incredibly charismatic person and I loved his humour as well as his determination.
The author has clearly done his research and his vivid descriptions helps to bring each period to life so I always felt like I was right there alongside Alfie. I loved all the small details the author included which made it easy to visualise what was happening. The book seemed quite realistic too with all the events happening in a natural way so it never felt like the author was just including them for the sake of it. I’ve always been fascinated by the East End so I especially enjoyed learning more about what life was like there and all the little dramas that happened.
Overall I thought this was a well written, gripping read as there was always something happening to ensure it was very hard to put down. I now can’t wait to read more from in this series.
Huge thanks to Rachel from Rachel’s Random Resources for inviting me onto the blog tour and for my copy of this book.
About The Author:
Born in South Essex close to the River Thames and directly East of London, my childhood was peppered with memories of the mighty river itself.
We would swim, fish and discover hidden treasure in the tidal mudflats with the fragments of clay pipes we found taking us back to another era. It was here that my inspiration for writing was born. I began to keep a diary of my observations from life and documented my feelings and thoughts.
My wife was twenty two and I was twenty four when we migrated to Australia with a glorious expectation. The sun was shining, the people were friendly and Sydney Harbour simply magnificent. Together we were committed to making the most of this opportunity beginning the next step in our lives. Everything was new which gave me endless writing opportunities that I recorded in my diary which had spilled over into a number of books. We travelled around this incredible country meeting people from all walks of life and from many nationalities. We lived and worked in a variety of capital cities enjoying each and every experience. All this was tremendous fodder for my writing.
I began to write short stories and poetry, none of which I sought to publish. By my fifty second birthday I was able to finish working and focus full time on my writing, the results so far are The Alfie Norrington Series with Becoming Alfie the first in the series of four. I hope that you enjoy reading Becoming Alfie as much as I did writing it.
Widely regarded as a modern classic, The Stone Diaries is the story of one woman’s life; that of Daisy Goodwill Flett, a seemingly ordinary woman born in Canada in 1905. Beautifully written and deeply compassionate, it follows Daisy’s life through marriage, widowhood, motherhood, and old age, as she charts her own path alongside that of an unsettled century. A subtle but affective portrait of an everywoman reflecting on an unconventional life, this multi-award winning story deals with everyday issues of existence with an extraordinary vibrancy and irresistible flair.
The Stone Diaries is available in all formats now. You can purchase your copy using the link below or through your local indie bookstore.
My Review:
The Stone Diaries is a book I’ve heard a lot about do I was excited to be given the opportunity to read it. I thought it was fascinating, entertaining read which gives the reader a personal glimpse into a person’s life.
There is something very interesting in follow a person through their life, especially if you are given access to every part of that life. I found it fascinating to follow Daisy through every moment, the highs, the lows and all the normal bits in between. There’s something quite comforting from reading about normal events as you realise that bad stuff can happen to everyone. This intimate look into Daisy’s life helped me understand what made her tick so I felt close to her and felt everything that happened to her quite deeply, as if it was happening to a friend.
The Twentieth Century was quite an unsettled period full of some very interesting events. I liked the way the author subtly weaves these events into the story not as a main storyline but instead as a backdrop to it. I enjoyed seeing how Daisy reacted to these events and how the effected her personally. It really made me think about how ordinary people would have been effected by them which isn’t normally covered in history books.
Overall I really enjoyed this absorbing and insightful read. There are some wonderful characters in this book who I really enjoyed getting to know. The writing has a great flow to it which makes it easy to read and there is lots of hidden messages among the story. Some of these went over my head and I only became aware of them through talking to people after reading but that did detract from me enjoying this wonderful book.
Huge thanks to Anne Cater for inviting me onto the blog tour and to World Wide Editions for my copy of this book.
About The Author:
Carol Shields’s novels include ‘Larry’s Party’ (1997), winner of the 1998 Orange Prize; ‘The Republic of Love’ (1992); ‘Happenstance’ (1991) and ‘Mary Swann’ (1990). ‘Dressing Up for the Carnival’, a bestselling collection of short stories, was published in 2000, and a previous collection, ‘Various Miracles’, was published in 1994. Born and brought up in Chicago, Carol Shields lived in Canada until her death in 2003. She was the Chancellor of the University of Winnipeg.
‘I want you to remember something, Nat. You’re small on the outside. But inside you’re as big as everyone else. You show people that and you won’t go far wrong in life.’
A compelling story perfect for fans of The Doll Factory, The Illumination of Ursula Flight and The Familiars.
My name is Nat Davy. Perhaps you’ve heard of me? There was a time when people up and down the land knew my name, though they only ever knew half the story.
The year of 1625, it was, when a single shilling changed my life. That shilling got me taken off to London, where they hid me in a pie, of all things, so I could be given as a gift to the new queen of England.
They called me the queen’s dwarf, but I was more than that. I was her friend, when she had no one else, and later on, when the people of England turned against their king, it was me who saved her life. When they turned the world upside down, I was there, right at the heart of it, and this is my story.
Inspired by a true story, and spanning two decades that changed England for ever, The Smallest Man is a heartwarming tale about being different, but not letting it hold you back. About being brave enough to take a chance, even if the odds aren’t good. And about how, when everything else is falling apart, true friendship holds people together.
The Smallest Man is published in hardback and ebook on the 7th January 2021. You can pre-order your copy using the link below or through your local indie bookstore.
My Review:
The Smallest Man is a very absorbing, gripping piece of historical fiction set in a fascinating period of English history.
Firstly Nat Davy, the books narrator, is a wonderful character that I grew very fond of during the story. It was heart warming to see his brave attempts to try and be like the other boys his age, though heartbreaking to see the constant set back he suffers. I often wished I could reach into the book and give him a hug or stand up for him in some way. His bravery and the way he stood up for the queen was wonderful to read about and ensured that I continued thinking about him long after I’d finished reading.
This book is set in a turbulent time in English history which I didn’t know much about before reading this. It was fascinating to learn more about the build up to the Civil war and to see events from an insider point of view. I liked getting a tour of some of the famous buildings whilst the story unfolded and learning more about what it was like living in them.
Overall I really enjoyed this gripping read which I flew through in a few days. The author’s vivid descriptions make it easy to imagine things as they unfold so that I often felt like I was there actually watching everything unfold. This made me feel closer to the characters and helped ensure that I kept reading as I cared about what happened to them. I’ll be recommending this book to everyone and can’t wait to read more from this author in the future.
Huge thanks to Anne Cater for inviting me onto the blog tour and to Jess Barrett from Simon and Schuster for my copy of this book.
About The Author:
Frances Quinn read English at Cambridge, and is a journalist and copy-editor. She completed the Curtis Brown Creative Course in 2015. The Smallest Man is her debut novel.
I’m incredibly excited to be able to show you some of the fantastic books Simon & Schuster have coming out in 2021. I was lucky enough to get invited to the zoom meeting for this showcase although I was unfortunately unable to attend due to my kids being unsettled.
So without further ado here are the books to look out for next year!
The Long Way Home by Fanny Blake
A family secret, a mysterious legacy, and a journey that will change everything…
When Isla, a 65-year-old grandmother, is left nothing but an old painting in her mother’s will, while her sisters and aunt inherit the estate, she is devastated. Close to retirement, getting ready to live on her own terms, the last thing she expects at this time of her life is such turmoil. So, to find an explanation for her mother’s rejection, she embarks on a road-trip.
But, right at the last moment, she’s forced to take her sullen – and, in her view, impossible – 14-year-old granddaughter Charlie with her. Cramped together in Isla’s car with her smelly old dog, these ill-assorted travelling companions set off to uncover some shattering and life-changing family truths at the same time as learning to love each other…
The Long Way Home is set in the UK and 1950s Paris where the story really begins, spanning four generations of women and the secrets that get passed down through them.
The Long Way Home is published in ebook and hardback on the 7th of January 2021. You can pre-order it using the link below or through your local indie bookstore.
A Family Reunion by Patricia Scanlan
THE NUMBER ONE BESTSELLER One explosive family reunion. A lifetime of secrets revealed.
When four feisty women from the same family, get together at a family reunion, anything can happen…
Marie-Claire, betrayed by her partner Marc plans her revenge to teach him a lesson he will never forget. She travels from Toronto, home to Ireland, to the house of the Four Winds, for her great aunt Reverend Mother Brigid’s eightieth birthday celebrations. It will be a long-awaited reunion for three generations of family, bringing together her mother, Keelin and grandmother, Imelda – who have never quite got along
And then all hell breaks loose.
Bitter, jealous Imelda makes a shocking revelation that forces them all to confront their pasts, admit mistakes, and face the truths that have shaped their lives. With four fierce, opinionated women in one family, will they ever be able to forgive the past and share a future?
And what of Marc?
It’s never too late to make amends…or is it?
Spanning generations and covering seismic shifts in the lives of women, A Family Reunion is a compelling, thought-provoking, important and highly emotional novel from a trailblazing author in women’s fiction.
A Family Reunion is available in ebook and hardback on the 4th March 2021. You can pre-order your copy using the link below or through your local indie bookstore.
Home by Penny Parkes
A gripping and heartfelt story about overcoming the past and finding where you belong.
Anna Wilson travels the world as a professional housesitter – stepping into other people’s lives – caring for their homes, pets and sometimes even neighbours. Living vicariously.
But all Anna has ever really wanted is a home of her own – a proper one, filled with family and love and happy memories. If only she knew where to start.
Growing up in foster care, she always envied her friends their secure and carefree lives, their certainty and confidence. And, while those same friends may have become her family of choice, Anna is still stuck in that nomadic cycle, looking for answers, trying to find the courage to put down roots and find a place to call home.
Compelling, rich and evocative, Home is Anna’s journey to discovering that it isn’t where you settle down that matters, but the people you have around you when you do.
Home is published in ebook and hardback on the 8th July 2021. You can pre-order your copy using the link below or through your local indie bookstore.
The World At My Feet by Catherine Issac
The dazzling new novel from Richard & Judy book club author Catherine Isaac, The World at my Feet is a story about the transforming power of love, as one woman journeys to uncover the past and reshape her future.
The secrets that bind us can also tear us apart…
1990. Harriet is a journalist. Her job takes her to dangerous places, where she asks questions and tries to make a difference. But when she is sent to Romania, to the state orphanages the world is only just learning about, she is forced to rethink her most important rule.
2018. Ellie is a gardener. Her garden is her sanctuary, her pride and joy. But, though she spends long days outdoors, she hasn’t set foot beyond her gate for far too long. Now someone enters her life who could finally be the reason she needs to overcome her fears.
The World At My Feet is published in ebook and hardback on the 14th March 2021. You can pre-order your copy using the link below or through your local indie bookstore.
Space Hopper by Helen Fisher
This is a story about taking a leap of faith And believing the unbelievable
They say those we love never truly leave us, and I’ve found that to be true. But not in the way you might expect. In fact, none of this is what you’d expect.
I’ve been visiting my mother who died when I was eight. And I’m talking about flesh and blood, tea-and-biscuits-on-the-table visiting here.
Right now, you probably think I’m going mad. Let me explain…
Although Faye is happy with her life, the loss of her mother as a child weighs on her mind even more now that she is a mother herself. So she is amazed when, in an extraordinary turn of events, she finds herself back in her childhood home in the 1970s. Faced with the chance to finally seek answers to her questions – but away from her own family – how much is she willing to give up for another moment with her mother?
Space Hopper is an original and poignant story about mothers, memories and moments that shape life.
Space Hopper us published in ebook and hardback on the 4th February 2021. You can pre-order your copy using the link below or through your local indie bookstore.
A Beautiful Spy by Rachel Hore
Minnie Gray is an ordinary young woman. She is also a spy for the British government.
It all began in the summer of 1928…
Minnie is supposed to find a nice man, get married and have children. The problem is it doesn’t appeal to her at all. She is working as a secretary, but longs to make a difference.
Then, one day, she gets her chance. She is recruited by the British government as a spy. Under strict instructions not to tell anyone, not even her family, she moves to London and begins her mission – to infiltrate the Communist movement.
She soon gains the trust of important leaders. But as she grows more and more entangled in the workings of the movement, her job becomes increasingly dangerous. Leading a double life is starting to take its toll on her relationships and, feeling more isolated than ever, she starts to wonder how this is all going to end. The Russians are notorious for ruthlessly disposing of people given the slightest suspicion.
What if they find out?
Full of suspense, courage and love, A Beautiful Spy is a stunningly written story about resisting the norm and following your dreams, even if they come with sacrifices.
A Beautiful Spy is published in ebook and hardback on the 18th February 2021. You can pre-order your copy using the link below or through your local indie bookstore.
The Other Daughter by Caroline Bishop
You only get one life – but what if it isn’t the one you were meant to live?
‘When it finally arrived I was shocked to see it; to read the words Mum wrote about these women fighting for rights I know I take for granted. Mum was here. And while she was, something happened that changed the entire course of my life. Perhaps, if I can summon the courage, the next eight weeks will help me finally figure out what that was . . .’
When Jessica discovers a shocking secret about her birth, she leaves her London home and travels to Switzerland in search of answers. She knows her journalist mother spent time in the country forty years earlier, reporting on the Swiss women’s liberation movement, but what she doesn’t know is what happened to her while she was there. Can Jess summon the courage to face the truth about her family, or will her search only hurt herself and those around her even more?
Set across a stunning Swiss backdrop, The Other Daughter follows one woman in her search for the truth about her birth, and another desperately trying to succeed in a man’s world. Perfect for fans of Tracy Rees, Elizabeth Noble and Kathryn Hughes.
The Other Daughter is published in ebook and hardback on the 18th February 2021. You can pre-order your copy using the link below.
Married At First Sight by Claire Frost
The new novel from the author of acclaimed debut LIVING MY BEST LIFE. Perfect for fans of Helly Acton, Mhairi McFarlane and Laura Jane Williams.
Hannah lives life on the edge. Never one to pass up on a new adventure, she has truly been living her best life. But once the adrenaline wears off, she wishes she had someone to spend the quieter moments with too. Learning that her best friend’s online dating business has taken a hit, she comes up with an idea that just might solve both of their problems…
Jess has been with her husband for twenty years. They have a stable marriage, great kids and run their own businesses. But what looks like a perfect life from the outside has its own problems within, and with her business on the brink Jess can’t help but wonder where the spark has gone in her life, and whether settling down is all it’s cracked up to be.
When Hannah embarks upon her latest scheme: finding a man using Jess’s dating app and meeting him for the first time at the altar, both women start to realise the grass isn’t always greener. Can Hannah help her friend save her failing business or will Jess stop her from making what could be the biggest mistake of her life?
In the modern tech-fuelled world of dating, is it possible to find true love?
Love At First Swipe is published in ebook and paperback on the 4th February 2021. You can pre-order your copy using the link below or through your local indie bookstore.
The Beginners Guide To Loneliness by Laura Bambrey
The perfect feel-good read from an exciting new voice in women’s fiction, for fans of Heidi Swain, Cathy Bramley and Jenny Colgan.
Tori Williamson is alone. After a tragic event left her isolated from her loved ones, she’s been struggling to find her way back to, well – herself. That’s why she set up her blog, The Beginner’s Guide to Loneliness, as a way of – anonymously – connecting with the outside world and reaching others who just need a little help sometimes.
When she’s offered a free spot on a wellbeing retreat in exchange for a review on her blog, Tori is anxious about opening herself up to new surroundings. But after her three closest friends – who she talks to online but has never actually met – convince her it’ll do her some good, she reluctantly agrees and heads off for three weeks in the wild (well, a farm in Wales).
From the moment she arrives, Tori is sceptical and quickly finds herself drawn to fellow sceptic Than, the retreat’s dark and mysterious latecomer. But as the beauty of The Farm slowly comes to light she realizes that opening herself up might not be the worst thing. And sharing a yurt with fellow retreater Bay definitely isn’t. Will the retreat be able to fix Tori? Or will she finally learn that being lonely doesn’t mean she’s broken . . .
Welcome to The Beginner’s Guide to Loneliness! Where you can learn to move mountains by picking up the smallest of stones…
The Beginners Guide To Loneliness is available in ebook now. You can purchase your copy using the link below.
A Taste From Home by Heidi Swain
The delicious new novel from Sunday Times bestseller Heidi Swain:
Fliss Brown has grown up living with her mother on the Rossi family’s Italian fruit farm. But when her mother dies, Fliss finds out she has a family of her own, and heads back to England with Nonna Rossi’s recipe for cherry and almond tart and a piece of advice: connect with your family before it is too late…
Fliss discovers that her estranged grandfather owns a fruit farm himself, on the outskirts of Wynbridge, and she arrives to find a farm that has fallen into disrepair. Using her knowledge gleaned from working on the Rossi farm and her desire to find out more about her past, Fliss rolls her sleeves up and gets stuck in. But what will she discover, and can she resurrect the farm’s glory days and find a taste of home…?
A Taste Of Home is published in ebook and paperback on the 29th April 2021. You can pre-order your copy using the link below or through your local indie bookstore.
The House Beneath The Cliffs by Sharon Cosling
A remote yet beautiful village. A tiny kitchen lunch club. The perfect place to start again.
Anna moves to Crovie, a tiny fishing village on the Moray Firth, for a fresh start. But when she arrives, she realises her new home is really no more than a shed, and the village itself sits beneath a cliff right on the edge of the sea, in constant danger of storms and landslides. Has she made a terrible mistake?
Yet as she begins to learn about the Scottish coast and its people, something she thought she’d lost reawakens in her. She rediscovers her love of cooking, and turns her kitchen into a pop-up lunch club. But not all the locals are delighted about her arrival, and some are keen to see her plans fail.
Will Anna really be able to put down roots in this remote and wild village? Or will her fragile new beginning start to crumble with the cliffs . . . ?
Beautiful, moving and utterly absorbing, The House Beneath the Cliffs is a novel of friendship and food, storms and secrets, and the beauty of second chances.
The House Beneath The Cliffs is available in paperback on the 29th April 2021. You can pre-order your copy using the link below or through your local indie bookstore
Lives Like Mine by
Mother. To three small children, their heritage dual like hers.
Daughter. To a mother who immigrated to make a better life but has been rejected by her chosen country.
Wife. To a man who loves her but who will not defend her to his intolerant family.
Woman… Whose roles now define her and trap her in a life she no longer recognises…
Meet Monica, the flawed heroine at the heart of LIVES LIKE MINE.
With her three children in school, Monica finds herself wondering if this is all there is. Despite all the effort and the smiles, in the mirror she sees a woman hollowed out from putting everyone else first, tolerating her in-laws’ intolerance, and wondering if she has a right to complain when she’s living the life that she has created for herself.
Then along comes Joe, a catalyst for change in the guise of a flirtatious parent on the school run. Though the sudden spark of their affair is hedonistic and oh so cathartic, Joe soon offers a friendship that shows Monica how to resurrect and honour the parts of her identity that she has long suppressed. He is able to do for Monica what Dan has never managed to, enabling her both to face up to a past of guilty secrets and family estrangements, and to redefine her future.
Lives Like Mine is published in ebook and hardback in the 10th June 2021. Pre-order your copy using the link below or through your local indie bookstore.
Three’s A Crowd by
A hilariously laugh out loud, romantic comedy, perfect for fans of Something to Live For (Richard Roper), Love, Unscripted (Owen Nicholls), The Love Square (Laura Jane Williams), and Us (David Nicholls).
Out-of-work actor Harriet is recuperating from a crash-and-burn affair with Damian – aka ‘Cockweasel’ – and making ends meet as a barista when she meets two rather lovely men. Tom is a regular at the café, and seems like such a nice guy. Smooth-talking DJ Richard is older, but in great shape – a real silver fox.
Deciding to take a chance on both of them, Harriet doesn’t realise at first that she is actually dating father and son. Tom and Richard aren’t on speaking terms, and don’t share a last name – so how was she to know? By the time everyone finds out, both Tom and Richard are truly madly deeply in love with Harriet, and she’s faced with an impossible choice.
But as the battle for her affections intensifies, ‘Cockweasel’ makes an unexpected reappearance and begs her to give him another chance…
There’s A Crowd is available in ebook on the 24th August 2021. You can pre-order your copy using the link below.
The Bookshop Of Second Chances by Jackie Fraser
Set in a charming little Scottish town, The Bookshop of Second Chances is the most uplifting story you’ll read this Winter, by a hugely talented debut author.
Thea’s having a bad month. Not only has she been made redundant, she’s also discovered her husband of nearly twenty years is sleeping with one of her friends. And he’s not sorry – he’s leaving.
Bewildered and lost, Thea doesn’t know what to do. But, when she learns the great-uncle she barely knew has died and left her his huge collection of second-hand books and a house in the Scottish Lowlands, she seems to have been offered a second chance.
Running away to a little town where no one knows her seems like exactly what Thea needs. But when she meets the aristocratic Maltravers brothers – grumpy bookshop owner Edward and his estranged brother Charles, Lord Hollinshaw – her new life quickly becomes just as complicated as the life she was running from…
An enchanting story of Scottish lords, second-hand books, new beginnings and second chances perfect for fans of Cressida McLaughlin, Veronica Henry, Rachael Lucas and Jenny Colgan.
The Bookshop Of Second Chances is available in ebook now. You can purchase your copy using the link below.
Wow done absolutely amazing books there, I’ve definitely pre-ordered a few. Which ones will you be reading? Do comment below with your thoughts and happy reading!
Good morning everyone and welcome to another Music Monday. Today I’m featuring Lewis Watson and his amazing new album, The Love That You Want. I discovered Lewis through Twitch when I followed a friend onto his stream. I was soon blown away by his beautiful songs and unique voice that combine to make a fantastic listening experience! His streams are always great fun as not only do you get to listen to some amazing music but Lewis himself is a delight to spend time with as his cheeky, happy personality just shines through.
Lewis streams three times a week on Monday, Wednesday and Fridays on twitch. If you’d like to watch him please click on the link below.
The Love That You Want was originally released in May of this year but Lewis has also released an acoustic version for his fans to enjoy last month. I’m a big fan of all of these songs but below are some of my particular favourites.
Castles Of Time by Lewis Watson
Because Of You by Lewis Watson
Spark by Lewis Watson
How To Listen:
You can listen to The Love That You Want on all of the normal streaming platforms which are linked below.
You can now listen to Lewis Watson and all the previous artists featured on Music Monday on the special playlist I have created on Spotify. If you like what you hear why not give it a like and help the playlist grow!
blizzard is approaching Siglufjörður, and that can only mean one thing
When the body of a nineteen-year-old girl is found on the main street of Siglufjörður, Police Inspector Ari Thór battles a violent Icelandic storm in an increasingly dangerous hunt for her killer The chilling, claustrophobic finale to the international bestselling Dark Iceland series.
Easter weekend is approaching, and snow is gently falling in Siglufjörður, the northernmost town in Iceland, as crowds of tourists arrive to visit the majestic ski slopes.
Ari Thór Arason is now a police inspector, but he’s separated from his girlfriend, who lives in Sweden with their three-year-old son. A family reunion is planned for the holiday, but a violent blizzard is threatening and there is an unsettling chill in the air.
Three days before Easter, a nineteen-year-old local girl falls to her death from the balcony of a house on the main street. A perplexing entry in her diary suggests that this may not be an accident, and when an old man in a local nursing home writes ‘She was murdered’ again and again on the wall of his room, there is every suggestion that something more sinister lies at the heart of her death
As the extreme weather closes in, cutting the power and access to Siglufjörður, Ari Thór must piece together the puzzle to reveal a horrible truth one that will leave no one unscathed.
Chilling, claustrophobic and disturbing, Winterkill is a startling addition to the multi-million-copy bestselling Dark Iceland series and cements Ragnar Jónasson as one of the most exciting and acclaimed authors in crime fiction.
Winterkill will be published in hardback and ebook in the 10th December 2020. The paperback version will be available on the 21st January 2021. You can pre-order your copy using the link below or through your local indie bookstore.
My Review:
Frequent readers of my blog will know that I’m a huge fan of this author and I am always very excited to read new books from him. Winterkill is another fantastic, well plotted book which is a great way to finish the Dark Iceland series.
As always the author uses the frozen, remote setting to stunning effect with the weather seeming to be a malicious character on its own sometimes. The feeling of isolation that the snow causes helps create a lot of the atmosphere in the book and definitely gives a claustrophobic feel to the story.
The author has created some brilliant characters who I enjoyed following throughout the book. I liked that the reader gets to see a little of their personal life, outside of the investigation as I felt it helped me get to know the characters better. The problems that they face in their personal lives are quite relatable which made it easier for me to warm to them as I felt I understood what they were going through.
Overall I thought this was a well plotted gripping read which was hard to put down. The investigation was actually really complicated which I always enjoy as it’s impossible to tell which way it is going. I found myself constantly changing my mind about what was going to happen right until the end.
Huge thanks to Anne Cater for inviting me onto the blog tour and to Orenda for my copy of this book.
About The Author:
Icelandic crime writer Ragnar Jónasson was born in Reykjavík, and currently works as a lawyer, while teaching copyright law at the Reykjavík University Law School. In the past, he’s worked in TV and radio, including as a news reporter for the Icelandic National Broadcasting Service. Before embarking on a writing career, Ragnar translated fourteen Agatha Christie novels into Icelandic, and has had several short stories published in German, English and Icelandic literary magazines. Ragnar set up the first overseas chapter of the CWA (Crime Writers’ Association) in Reykjavík, and is co-founder of the International crime-writing festival Iceland Noir. Ragnar’s debut thriller, Snowblind became an almost instant bestseller when it was published in June 2015 with Nightblind (winner of the Dead Good Reads Most Captivating Crime in Translation Award) and then Blackout and Rupture following soon after. To date, Ragnar Jónasson has written five novels in the Dark Iceland series, which has been optioned for TV by On the Corner. He lives in Reykjavík with his wife and two daughters. Visit him on Twitter @ragnarjo or at ragnarjonasson.com
David Warner translates from French and nurtures a healthy passion for Franco, Nordic and British crime fiction. Growing up in deepest Yorkshire, he developed incurable Francophilia at an early age. Emerging from Oxford with a Modern Languages degree he narrowly escaped the graduate rat race by hopping on a plane to Canada – and never looked back. More than a decade into a high-powered commercial translation career, he listened to his heart and turned his hand to the delicate art of literary translation. David has lived in France and Quebec, and now calls beautiful British Columbia home. Follow David on Twitter @givemeawave and on his website wtranslation.ca
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