When seven-year-old Fran first met Will they knew instantly that they were made for each other. For eleven years they were inseparable, but then, at the age of eighteen, Will just upped and disappeared.
Twenty-five years later Will is back.
Is fate trying to give them a second chance?
Still nursing the heart break from all those years ago, Fran is reluctant to give Will the time of day. The price Will must pay is to tell the truth – the truth about why he left, the truth about why he’s back…
And Fran has her own secrets to hide. The time has come to decide what Fran and Will really want from life – before it’s too late.
Unashamedly romantic, Before We Grow Old is a book full of love, laughter and tears, and you’ll be rooting for Fran and Will from the moment you meet them. Let Clare Swatman whisk you away for the love story of the year. Perfect for fans of Sophie Cousens and Isabelle Broom.
Before We Grow Old us available in ebook and paperback now. You can purchase your copy using the links below.
Before We Grow Old is a beautiful, emotional story that was much more than the love story I was expecting. It’s going to be a hard book to review as I don’t want to give anything away.
The story is told from the point if view of Fran who I quickly warmed to and enjoyed following throughout the book. She was a very realistic character that I felt I could relate to and I’d be friends with in real life. It was so lovely to get to know her and her slightly dysfunctional family.
I thought this was a truly beautiful read that I found hard to put down as I soon found myself thoroughly absorbed in the character’s lives. Yes there is a beautiful love story but it’s also much more than that which I wasn’t expecting. There are some very emotional moments about some heartbreaking topics which I found hard to read at times and found myself crying as I read. There are lots of secrets being kept hidden and I enjoyed watching them all being revealed.
This is the first book I’ve read by this author and I’m now very excited to read more in future.
Huge thanks to Rachel from Rachel’s Random Resources for my copy of this book and for inviting me onto the blog tour.
About The Author:
Clare Swatman is the author of three women’s fiction novels, published byMacmillan, which have been translated into over 20 languages. She has been ajournalist for over twenty years, writing for Bella and Woman & Home amongstmany other magazines. She lives in Hertfordshire.
Would you murder your brothers to keep them from telling the truth about themselves? On a long, cold Icelandic night in March 1920, Gunnar, a hermit blacksmith, finds himself with an unwanted lodger – Sigurd, an injured stranger who offers a story from the past. But some stories, even those of an old man who can barely walk, are too dangerous to hear. They alter the listeners’ lives forever… by ending them.
Others are keen on changing Gunnar’s life as well. Depending on who gets to tell his story, it might lead towards an unwanted marriage, an intervention, rejoining the Church, letting the elf drive him insane, or succumbing to the demons in his mind. Will he manage to write his own last chapter?
Bjørn Larssen’s award-winning, Amazon #1 best selling novel is an otherworldly, emotive Icelandic saga – a story of love and loneliness, relief and suffering, hatred… and hope.
The Storytellers is available in ebook and paperback now. You can purchase your copy using the links below.
The Storyteller is a unique, absorbing read that I thoroughly enjoyed. Firstly I loved the location of this book which was so wonderfully described that I felt transported to the village able to feel the cold and see the beautiful aurora displays. The cold help add to the atmosphere in the village as it made the village seem more cut off somehow and more insular.
The main character, Gunnar, was a very interesting character and I enjoyed getting to know him throughout the book. It was interesting to learn more about his trade, lifestyle and especially his bond with his dog. When we first met him I thought he was quite happy in his life but as the story unfolds it becomes apparent this isn’t the case and he has a lot of demon’s he’s trying to fight. The supporting characters in this book are also brilliant and I liked how they all helped bring something different to the story. The two women who made up the Conservative Woman of Iceland party were definitely my favourites and helped bring some humour into the story.
The story unfolds at a steady pace which gives the reader plenty of time to get to know the characters more. I liked how the story seemed very simple to start with but gradually becomes much more complicated. It’s actually a story within a story which I wasn’t expecting and I loved how the author has included the Icelandic tradition of storytelling into the book. I thought the ending was brilliant and very surprising. I will look forward to reading more from him in the future.
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:
Bjørn Larssen is a Norse heathen made in Poland, but mostly located in a Dutch suburb, except for his heart which he lost in Iceland. Born in 1977, he self-published his first graphic novel at the age of seven in a limited edition of one, following this achievement several decades later with his first book containing multiple sentences and winning awards he didn’t design himself. His writing is described as ‘dark’ and ‘literary’, but he remains incapable of taking anything seriously for more than 60 seconds.Bjørn has a degree in mathematics and has worked as a graphic designer, a model, a bartender, and a blacksmith (not all at the same time). His hobbies include sitting by open fires, dressing like an extra from Vikings, installing operating systems, and dreaming about living in a log cabin in the north of Iceland. He owns one (1) husband and is owned by one (1) neighbourhood cat.Readers’ Favorite Gold Medal winner (‘Storytellers’)2020 Stabby Award Nominee (‘Children’)Find out more about Bjørn at http://www.bjornlarssen.com
THE NEW NOVEL IN THE MILLION-COPY SELLING DETECTIVE GERALDINE STEEL SERIES
An inoffensive man is murdered in a seemingly motiveless attack. Detective Inspector Geraldine Steel and her team are baffled, until DNA from an apparent stranger is discovered on the victim’s body.
Geraldine is not convinced the suspect is guilty. When a witness comes forward to offer the suspect an alibi, Geraldine lets him go. That night, a second murder is committed. The evidence points to the suspect who has just been released.
As Geraldine attempts to make sense of the suspect’s complex history, he goes on the run. Even his wife appears to condemn him. Only Geraldine still doubts that he is to blame for the murders, but is she prompted by her own guilt for having released him to kill again?
As the story races towards a breathtaking twist, Geraldine is tormented by self-doubt, and struggles to focus all her attention on the case. Someone is lying and the police must uncover the truth before anyone else is killed…
Guilt Edge is available in ebook and paperback now. You can purchase your copy using the links below.
I’m a huge fan of this series so I was very excited to discover there was a new book in the series. As always it was great to be back with the fantastic Geraldine solving a case alongside her and her team. One of the things that always stands out for me is the author’s ability to make the reader feel included in the team and the case so they feel everything that happens personally.
I always enjoy books that show all sides to a character and I have really liked getting to know Geraldine over the course of the series in both a professional and personal capacity. I feel showing both sides of the character has allowed me to understand her more so I truly get what makes her tick. This has also made me feel more protective of her and I found I really cared about what was going on in the story and what happened to her.
Overall I thought this was another fantastic addition to a series that just keeps getting better and better. The multiple points of view was very interesting and helped to give me an holistic view of what was going on. The many twists kept me guessing and I found the book hard to put down at times as I was so engrossed in the story.
Huge thanks to Anne Cater for inviting me onto the blog tour and to No Exit press for my copy of this book.
About The Author:
LEIGH RUSSELL (Location: Pinner, UK)Leigh Russell is the author of the internationally bestselling Geraldine Steel series: CutShort, Road Closed, Dead End, Death Bed, Stop Dead, Fatal Act, Killer Plan, MurderRing, Deadly Alibi, Class Murder, Death Rope, Rogue Killer, Deathly Affair, DeadlyRevenge, Evil Impulse, Deep Cover and the upcoming Guilt Edged. The series has soldover a million copies worldwide. Cut Short was shortlisted for the Crime Writers Association(CWA) John Creasey New Blood Dagger Award, and Leigh has been longlisted for theCWA Dagger in the Library Award. Her books have been #1 on Amazon Kindle and iTuneswith Stop Dead and Murder Ring selected as finalists for The People\’s Book Prize. Leigh ischair of the CWA\’s Debut Dagger Award judging panel and is a Royal Literary Fellow.Leigh studied at the University of Kent, gaining a Masters degree in English and AmericanLiterature. She is married with two daughters and a granddaughter, and lives in London.Perfect for fans of LJ Ross, Angela Marsons and Cara HunterThe first Geraldine Steel novel, Cut Short, was shortlisted for the CWA John Creasey Dagger, and Leigh has been longlisted for the CWA Dagger in the Library Foreign rights to the series have been sold in USA (HarperCollins), Germany (Bastei Lubbe) and Italy (Mondadori) plus France, Turkey & China
Good evening everyone and welcome to another Tunes For Tuesday. Today I’m featuring the lovely Vic Testa and her debut single Just Breathe.
I first met Vic on Twitch where we mod together on Joshua Woo’s stream, who also produced this track. Vic is such a lovely, kind person and it’s always great to talk to her. She streams too, normally gaming at the moment but maybe she’ll start doing a few music streams soon.
Vic says about the song, “It started off as a poem, actually! Once I started my guitar lessons (taught by Josh) I started to play around with chords that I thought suited and then a melody followed! The song represents having anxiety and just needing a chance to take a step back from the chaotic world that surrounds you and just have a moment to yourself when it feels like it can get to be too much”.
You can follow Vic (aka plum frog Vic) on social media and Twitch by clicking on the links below.
Sadly Vic doesn’t have any music on YouTube yet but my understanding is there’s a music video for this song planned soon. It is available to listen to on Spotify or you can buy it from Bandcamp by clicking on the links below.
It’s August 1917 and WW1 continues to take a toll. The villagers of Dorcalon, a mining village in the Rhymney Valley, try to keep hope alive; but every day brings fresh tragedy as more of their sons and fathers are killed on foreign battlefields.
Elizabeth Meredith, daughter of mine manager Herbert, enjoys a privileged position in the village, but she longs to break free of society’s expectations.
Falling in love with miner, Gwilym Owen, brings more joy to her life than she’s ever known… until she’s forced to choose between her love and her disapproving family. Seeking an escape, Elizabeth signs up as a VAD nurse and is swiftly sent to help the troops in France, even as her heart breaks at leaving Gwilym behind.
Separated by society and the Great War, can Elizabeth and Gwilym find their way back together again? Or will their love become another casualty of war?
A romantic, emotional saga set in WW1 – fans of Katie Flynn and Sheila Newberry will adore this captivating read.
Hope In The Valleys is an emotional and gripping book which I found very hard to put down.
Firstly I have to admit that I didn’t realise this was the third book in the series when I started reading but I didn’t feel this was a huge problem as the author was good at catching the reader up with anything that needed to be explained.
I absolutely loved the main character Elizabeth and quickly warmed to her. She soon started to feel like an old friend and I felt quite protective of her as the story went on. I loved that she didn’t care much about class and it was both heartwarming and heartbreaking to watch her fall for Gwilym a local miner as her family really don’t approve with the relationship. I often wished I could step into the book so I could stand up for her against her opinionated mother.
I thought the book was well researched and it was great to learn more about what life was like in Wales at this time, particularly a little about what life was for miners as I hadn’t read much about that before. Elizabeth’s volunteer work as a VAD nurse was a real eye opener and I found it amazing to see what they went through at the front.
Overall I thought this was a beautifully written book that took me on a fantastic journey where I think I experienced every emotion possible. I kept sitting down to read a couple of chapters and look up to realise that I’d read half the book! I will definitely be going back to read the previous books in the series and hope this isn’t the last we’ll see of Elizabeth.
Hugs thanks to Rachel from Rachel’s Random Resources for inviting me onto the blog tour and to Hera for my copy of this book.
About The Author:
Francesca has enjoyed writing since she was a child, largely influenced by a Welsh mother who was good at improvised story telling. She is a member of the RNA and the Society of Women Writers and Journalists. Francesca currently lives in Kent with her family and a cat called Lando Calrissian.
He’s saved her life. He’s falling for her. But she’s a killer.
When FBI agent Mike Collins fishes an escaped murderess who claims to be suffering amnesia out of the sea, he is puzzled. A model prisoner, why did she escape when her parole hearing was so close? Who was the man who impersonated an assistant D.A. when he visited her in hospital?
Collins, a committed bachelor who mistrusts women, is nevertheless intrigued by this woman. He is torn between his duty and his strong attraction to this ‘supposedly’ uncaring murderess who rejected her newborn baby in the prison hospital. Can he find out the truth before it is too late?
If you like twisty mysteries and romantic suspense, you’ll adore this pulse-pounding thriller.
Innocence and deception is available in ebook and paperback now. You can purchase your copy using the link below.
I write historical romance/suspense novels under the name of Alexie Bolton and romantic suspense/crime novels under the name of Toni Bolton.
I am currently writing a medieval fantasy novel.
I studied history and later business and law. I lectured law in a university and left and tutored adults and children.
I lived in a canal cruiser whilst studying at university. It was cold and damp but I was surrounded by wildlife. I live near a canal in a cottage that was once a pub. My husband and I restored the cottage. I wanted to be an interior designer when I was a teenager so I enjoyed renovating the cottage and I am now designing the interior decorations. I ran my house as a guesthouse until COVID arrived. I met many interesting people some of whom became fictional characters in my novels.
My family are psychic and I know sometimes if something is going to happen the next day. When the phone rings I often know who is calling even if I haven’t heard from them in years. I once felt the room go cold when I was in a pub and had to leave. We heard someone had been hung in the pub.
I love animals and have two furry vandals (Birmans) called Angel and Lucifer (Louie for short). I used to have tabby cats who were gentle but mischievous.
My crime and romantic suspense books are often inspired by cases I studied at university or programmes I watch on TV. Escape from fear was inspired by the murder of one of my colleagues on her doorstep. Her friends said she had been stalked by a man before her death.
My historical novels were inspired by the Regency novels written by Georgette Heyer that I devoured when I was a teenager.
I like going to the gym and enjoy Zumba, Yoga and swimming.
I enjoy travelling and my romantic suspense/ crime book, Saving Grace, was inspired by my holiday in the beautiful Mammoth Mountain.
I enjoy art and drawing. I am making cards and a calendar of animal drawings for selling on behalf of a charity in the future.
About The Author:
Dawn Bolton taught law and economics in Higher Education. After leaving formal education she started a tutorial agency. She still tutors adults and children in English, Maths, Creative Writing and French. Recently she has started writing stories and novels. She writes historical romances under the name of Alexie Bolton and romances/suspense/crime under the name of Toni Bolton. She is an enthusiastic artist and illustrates her own children’s stories. She enjoys renovating houses and has renovated a pub which she now runs as a guesthouse. She enjoys skiing, yoga and going to the gym. She shares the house with her husband and her cats Angel and Louie.
SIX COUPLES. ONE LUXURY RESORT. AND THE PERFECT MURDER . . .
You’re on your honeymoon at an exclusive couples-only resort.
You receive a note warning you to ‘Beware of the couple at the table nearest to yours’. At dinner that night, five other couples are present, and none of their tables is any nearer or further away than any of the others. It’s as if someone has set the scene in order to make the warning note meaningless – but why would anyone do that?
You have no idea.
You also don’t know that you’re about to be murdered, or that once you’re dead, all the evidence will suggest that no one there that night could possibly have committed the crime.
So who might be trying to warn you? And who might be about to commit the perfect murder?
I’m a huge fan of this author so waited until the weekend when I knew I’d have more reading time. I definitely wasn’t disappointed as this was another brilliant, twisty and addictive read that I thoroughly enjoyed.
Firstly i thought it was great fun getting to know all the characters and finding out more about their lives. They are definitely an interesting bunch with lots of secrets to hide and I found it very intriguing to discover more about them as the story unfolded. The story is told from multiple points of views which was a little tricky to start with buit I soon got used it.
The murder mystery was a fascinating one that I think Agatha Christie herself would be very proud of it. I started off thinking it was completely implausible but as the story continued and I learned more about everything I began to see it differently. I found it impossible to figure out and kept changing my opinion on who the murder was was which I always enjoy. I often found myself thinking about the book when I was unable to read, trying to figure everything out.
The ending was brilliant! Hugely satisfying and impossible to predict. I can’t wait to see what this author comes up with next.
Huge thanks to Jenny Platt from Hodder for inviting me onto the blog tour and for my copy of this book.
About The Author:
Sophie Hannah is an internationally bestselling crime fiction writer. Her psychological thriller The Carrier won the Specsavers National Book Award for Crime Thriller of the Year in 2013. Sophie is the author of the bestselling Poirot continuation mysteries. The Point of Rescue and The Other Half Lives have been adapted for television as Case Sensitive, starring Olivia Williams and Darren Boyd. Sophie is also a bestselling poet who has been shortlisted for the TS Eliot award. Her poetry is studied at GCSE and A-level. Sophie is an Honorary Fellow of Lucy Cavendish College, Cambridge. She lives in Cambridge with her family.
Good morning everyone and happy Friday! I hope you have had a great week. It’s been a bit of a hectic week this week with lots of kids drama and clubs back that have meant I haven’t been able to post my update sooner. Here’s a bit of a update of what I’ve been reading and what I’m hoping to read next.
What I’ve just Finished:
The Couple At The Table by Sophie Hannah
I’m a huge fan of this author so any new book from her is always cause for great excitement. I loved this book which I flew through in a couple of days as I couldn’t put it down. Full review coming as part of the blog tour this Sunday.
Book Synopsis:
SIX COUPLES. ONE LUXURY RESORT. AND THE PERFECT MURDER . . .You’re on your honeymoon at an exclusive couples-only resort.You receive a note warning you to ‘Beware of the couple at the table nearest to yours’. At dinner that night, five other couples are present, and none of their tables is any nearer or further away than any of the others. It’s as if someone has set the scene in order to make the warning note meaningless – but why would anyone do that?You have no idea.You also don’t know that you’re about to be murdered, or that once you’re dead, all the evidence will suggest that no one there that night could possibly have committed the crime.So who might be trying to warn you? And who might be about to commit the perfect murder?
The Couple At The Table is out in hardback and ebook on the 27th January 2022. You can pre-order your copy using the links below.
I’ve been hearing lots about this book and it sounded just up my street as I love books set in the roaring twenties. I ordered this from my local library and, although only a few chapters in I’m really enjoying it so far!
Book Synopsis:
A heady historical drama about a British family who open an upper-class hotel on the magical Italian Riviera during the ‘Roaring 20s’.
Hotel Portofino has been open for only a few weeks, but already the problems are mounting for its owner Bella Ainsworth. Her high-class guests are demanding and hard to please. And she’s being targeted by a scheming and corrupt local politician, who threatens to drag her into the red-hot cauldron of Mussolini’s Italy.
To make matters worse, her marriage is in trouble, and her children are still struggling to recover from the repercussions of the Great War. All eyes are on the arrival of a potential love match for her son Lucian, but events don’t go to plan, which will have far reaching consequences for the whole family.
Set in the breathtakingly beautiful Italian Riviera, Hotel Portofino is a story of personal awakening at a time of global upheaval and of the liberating influence of Italy’s enchanting culture, climate and cuisine on British ‘innocents abroad’, perfect for fans of Downton Abbey and The Crown.
After hearing lots of amazing things about this book from fellow book bloggers I decided to treat myself to this beautiful special edition from Waterstones. It’s truly a thing of beauty and I’ve had it perched up on my shelf all week so I can admire it. I’m very much looking forward to reading this next.
Book Synopsis:
I am your maid.I know about your secrets. Your dirty laundry.But what do you know about me?Molly the maid is all alone in the world. A nobody. She’s used to being invisible in her job at the Regency Grand Hotel, plumping pillows and wiping away the grime, dust and secrets of the guests passing through. She’s just a maid – why should anyone take notice? But Molly is thrown into the spotlight when she discovers an infamous guest, Mr Black, very dead in his bed. This isn’t a mess that can be easily cleaned up. And as Molly becomes embroiled in the hunt for the truth, following the clues whispering in the hallways of the Regency Grand, she discovers a power she never knew was there. She’s just a maid – but what can she see that others overlook?Escapist, charming and introducing a truly original heroine, The Maid is a story about how the truth isn’t always black and white – it’s found in the dirtier, grey areas in between . . .
You know, things of the heart, they are uniquely human. But fate plays a part too! I think that once two people fall in love, there is no one, no other human being, who can stop them from acting on the longing they feel for each other.
**
I wished Mark hadn’t known me in the past. I wished we could start with some general, universal dating patterns that bring surprise. A painstakingly slow update of what no longer was valid and
what I no longer preferred pushed me backwards, reminding me of my rotten past I wanted to keep firmly shut.
**
It made me think that love is like a magnet. With three rotating magnets we can create electricity and sometimes couples need the third magnet to generate new energy. Sometimes it’s a new child,
sometimes a new job, a new illness, sometimes a new partner.
**
Dear Aron, in writing to you, my memories and dreams come together, they are sheltered, they are understood, they are at home. I used to write my thoughts into various notebooks and on scraps of paper, but now I have them all in one place, for no one but you and me to see. It makes me vulnerable and it makes me happy. The anticipation that you will pick my thoughts up when you log in, and hold in your mind the small tokens of my love for you.
**
That urge to tear apart what is supposed to be held together, where does it come from? Does it start in the womb and set out with the cut of the umbilical cord? Is the child’s separation from the mother the reason why humans are so obsessed with divisions, divorces and differences?
**
‘I was just thinking about what you said. You know, whether the urge to bind and separate is what makes us human … whether that is what love is all about. You know like the black-and-white
keys create music. So love is created through the pulsating space between belonging and liberty.’
**
I kept on asking those questions over and over. I was used to asking complex questions at work, big complicated questions that can go unanswered. The kinds of philosophical questions that expand the human mind. The questions I was asking about Aron shrank the valley of possibilities into howling tunnels that demanded immediate answers. The questions blurred my mind, reshaped it from an ingrained curiosity to a girdling circle.
**
‘Don’t be so harsh on yourself. There are no exams in love. So there are no mistakes either. It is all about how you play it.’
**
Aron killed my ability to move on to other men. It was impossible to unsee that pink shirt worn by another man, to unsmell Aron’s cologne on the underground. Other men could try to infect me with their love virus, but my cells were locked.
**
Lionel toyed with the keys, it sounded like a bird trilling in the woods. He had his eyes closed, I knew his mind was where Chopin’s was when he composed that piece. Not in a busy city, not in a crammed flat with an ill girl. His mind was running its own algorithm, serving him images away from London, with the mellow sound reflecting dew drops falling on birds’ feathers. Darkness had no power to disrupt that sequence. Lionel played and played, driving my thoughts in a carriage propelled by hundreds of notes bound together in a collective voice of our ancestors. We both had our eyes closed because it was a journey to light and its radiation was blinding us.
**
Maybe the algorithm knew more about love than either of us. Everything looked so pristine on the platform. There were no signs of hurt. Maybe the algorithm created a place where hearts do not get broken but are created anew.
About The Author:
Eleni Cay is a Slovakian-born poet living in England and Norway, and writing in English, Slovak, French, Norwegian and Spanish.. Her award-winning first collection ‘A Butterfly’s Trembling in the Digital Age’ was published by Cakanka in Slovakia, Parthian Books in the UK and Hein Verlag in Germany. Her poems appeared in many journals, including Acumen, Atticus Review, The Cardiff Review, Glasgow Review of Books, Envoi or Poetry Ireland Review. Eleni is known for her filmpoems, dancepoems and multimedia poetry, which have been screened at international festivals and featured on Button Poetry. Eleni’s debut novel ‘The Love Virus’ was published in spring 2020. In 2021, Poetry Space published Eleni’s chapbook ‘Celestial Heteroglossia’ and Black Spring Press her second collection ‘Love Algorithm’. Eleni is currently working on a sequel to her first novel.
Good morning everyone and welcome to another Tunes For Tuesday, on a Wednesday cos life got a bit hectic yesterday!
Today I’m featuring one of my favourite artists Joshua Woo and his new single 10-2-1. The thing that I most like about Josh’s music is how he combines catchy tunes with some deep, meaningful lyrics. 10-2-1 is no different with the tune drawing you in before you realise the meaning behind his words. In 10-2-1 Josh tells the fictional story of the final person left on earth to try and make the earth habitable again after everyone else has evacuated due to climate change. It also has themes of loneliness, isolation and regret running through it.
The song was made using a variety of synthesisers and real instruments with additional synth work being provided by fellow twitch musician Delta Crabb. It’s one of my favourite songs to request on stream, I definitely recommend having a listen!
If you’d like to follow Josh on twitch or social media you can do so by clicking on the links below.
They’re lifting off countdown ten to one But someone’s got to stay here and get the job done Hanging on the line in case you try to get through What have we done to you baby blue?
I walk on the surface alone
I wonder if they’ll come back I wonder where they went Can they be forgiven where they’ve been sent? I guess I’ve got a lot of time to kill I’m perfecting making mountains out of molehills I walk on the surface alone Look at it now I walk on the surface alone
How To Listen:
Josh’s music is available to listen to on all major streaming platforms via the links below. I have included the live performance of 10-2-1 as well as a rock mash up to show off Josh’s amazing guitar skills and a fantastic duet with his brother Nathaniel for you to enjoy!
Over The Rainbow Blog 