Book Synopsis:

A moving story of love, loss and friendship that breaks and uplifts your heart.

A life filled with loving. A house filled with secrets.

Netta Wilde has a task to complete. She’s agreed to go through the late Edith Pinsent’s diaries and possessions personally. The problem is, she’s been busy sorting out her own life. But she’s in a better place now. She’s free of her manipulative ex, has a new love in neighbour, Frank and has reunited with her kids.

What better time to begin Edie’s story? A story that begins with a wide-eyed young WAAF in wartime Britain and ends with an eccentric old spinster alone with her memories.

But the path to discovery is not easy.

There are missing diaries to contend with, hidden clues to uncover and revelations that turn everything on its head. Revelations that make Netta question if her own life really is sorted.

Delving deeper into Edith’s history, Netta is overtaken by a need to revisit her own past and put things right, but to do that she has to find the two people who once meant everything to her.

As her two challenges intertwine, Netta realises that Edith had a purpose for her. One that she must fulfil

Bit by bit, the house yields a lifetime of secrets and the real Edith Pinsent begins to emerge.But will it be the Edith everyone thought they knew?

Finding Edit Pinsent is available in ebook and paperback now.

My Review:

Finding Edith Pinsent is a bittersweet, magical and absorbing read that I really enjoyed. I love books that takes you through a person’s life so you feel you know them intimately and are living their life alongside them. This book has an interesting twist on the classic format as it starts on the last day of Edith’s life so the reader only gets to know her through the journal entries Netta reads.

The story is told in two timelines one following Netta and the other flashing back over the events of Edith’s life. I must admit I did enjoy Edith’s storyline a bit more as I found it fascinating to experience the events of the 20th century through her. Her diary entries about her war experiences were particularly fascinating and I enjoyed the different angle they provided. It was interesting to read about ordinary people’s war experiences and to learn how it was a great leveller as it affected everyone.

Overall i really enjoyed this beautiful book which will definitely be staying with me. The way the book is written made me feel like was actually there experiencing everything alongside the characters. I felt I really got to know them so felt everything that happened to them keenly like I was experiencing it too. I think I went through every emotion whilst reading and was sad to finish the book and leave Netta and Edith behind. This is the first book I’ve read by this author and I can’t wait to read more from her 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:

Hazel Ward was born in inner city Birmingham. By the time the city council packed her family off to the suburbs, she was already something of a feral child who loved adventures. Swapping derelict houses and bomb pecks for green fields and gardens was a bit of a culture shock but she rose to the occasion and grew up loving outdoor spaces and animals. Strangely, for someone who couldn’t sit still, she also developed a ferocious reading habit and a love of words. She wrote her first novel at fifteen, along with a lot of angsty poems, and was absolutely sure she wanted to be a writer. Sadly, it all came crashing down when her seventeen-year-old self walked out of school in a huff one day and was either too stubborn or too embarrassed to go back. It’s too long ago to remember which. Against all odds, she somehow managed to blag her way into a successful corporate career until finally giving it all up to do the thing she’d always wanted to do. Shortly after, she began to write her debut novel Being Netta Wilde. Hazel still lives in Birmingham and that’s where she does most of her writing, although she spends a lot of time in Shropshire or gadding about the country in an old motorhome. Not quite feral anymore but still up for adventures.

Book Synopsis:

IF HE NEVER LEFT THE WOODS, WHERE DID HE GO?

A young man disappears during a stag weekend in the woods. Years later, he’s still missing.

But his friends who were with him that day are still searching for him. Still hunting for answers.

They hike deep into the wilderness.

With them is missing person specialist Frankie Elkin.

What they don’t know is that they are putting their own lives in terrifying danger, and may not come back alive . . .

One Step Too Far is available in ebook and hardback on the 20th January 2022. You can preorder your copy using the links below.

My Review:

Lisa Gardener is one of my favourite authors so I’m always hugely excited, and a bit impatient, to start new books from her. One Step Too Far was another fantastic, gripping and exciting read from her. I’m going to find it difficult to review as I don’t want to give anything away.

It was great to be back with Frankie, solving a cold case alongside her. She has to be one of my favourite fictional characters as her bravery in new situations and her simple, but effective, approach to things is always impressive to read about. I liked the way she brought some humour into a terrifying situation which often made me laugh in tense situations helping to make the tension more bearable.

This story combined two of my favourite things a tense murder mystery with a harsh , unpredictable terrain so I quickly settled into the book as I knew I would enjoy it. I found it very interesting learning more about mountain rescue and survival in harsh terrain. The use of a cadaver dog in the story was fascinating especially how they were trained and how they were used in such exhibitions.

Overall I really enjoyed this fast paced, thrilling book which I raced through in a few days. The chapters are fairly short and I found myself trying to fit in one more chapter throughout the day, often trying to hide away from the kids so I could read. The weird events in the book made me very intrigued and the tension slowly increases as the group go deeper into the woods. I had all sorts of theories in my head about what was going on and I think I suspected everyone as the story unfolded. The ending was brilliant and very unexpected which I always love. I can’t wait to read more from this talented author.

Huge thanks to Rachel from Century books for inviting me onto the blog tour and for my copy of this book.

About The Author:

Lisa Gardner started her writing career aged seventeen. Having caught her hair on fire while working in food service, crafting a novel seemed a safer bet. A mere ten years later she became an overnight success with the publication of her first thriller, The Perfect Husband.

Now an internationally bestselling author and winner of the International Thriller Writers Award for best suspense novel, Lisa lives in the mountains of New Hampshire with her family.

When not glued to her computer, she can be found hiking the mountains with her dogs and/or researching new and interesting ways to get away with murder.

Book Synopsis:

Germany, late summer 1945 – The war is over but the country is in ruins. Millions of refugees and holocaust survivors strive to rebuild their lives in displaced persons camps. Millions of German soldiers and SS men are held captive in primitive conditions in open-air detention centres. Everywhere, civilians are desperate for food and shelter. No one admits to having voted Nazi, yet many are unrepentant.

Adolf Hitler is said to have killed himself in his Berlin bunker. But no body was found – and many people believe he is alive. Newspapers are full of stories reporting sightings and theories. Even Stalin, whose own troops captured the bunker, has told President Truman he believes the former Führer is not dead. Day by day, American and British intelligence officers subject senior members of the Nazi regime to gruelling interrogation in their quest for their truth.

Enter Tom Wilde – the Cambridge professor and spy sent in to find out the truth…

Dramatic, intelligent, and brilliantly compelling, THE MAN IN THE BUNKER is Rory’s best WWII thriller yet – perfect for readers of Robert Harris, C J Sansom and Joseph Kanon.

My Review:

I’ve been a huge fan of this series since the start so I was very excited to get an early copy of this book to review. It was great to be back with Tom Wilde following him on another exciting investigation. This time he is joined by Mozes Heck a Jewish army lieutenant from the British army who is out for revenge on those who killed his family during the war. He is extremely trigger happy, which definitely keeps Tom on his toes. He helps add another exciting element to the book as you were never sure what he was going to do.

I’ve read a lot of books set during the war but not many describing what life was like after the war In Germany. I found it very interesting to learn more about this especially that the population seemed divided between deep shame over what happened and while some were still defiant in their loyalty to Hitler despite all he’d done. The author’s descriptions of ordinary people who had been displaced or were suffering because of events in the war were very poignant and helped add an emotional element to the thriller too.

Overall I really enjoyed this book which I thought was a fast paced and hugely exciting read. The book starts at a great pace and doesn’t really let up as there was always something happening to keep me turning the pages. The book follows Tom and Mozes through some very remote and harsh terrain which I found very interesting to explore with them. The ending was very unexpected and I’m hopeful will lead to more adventures with Tom in the future despite the war being over.

Huge thanks to Tracy Fenton for inviting me onto the blog tour and to Zaffre for my copy of this book via netgalley. If you’re a fan of historical thrillers, I highly recommend this series!

About The Author:

RORY CLEMENTS is a Sunday Times bestselling author. He won the CWA Ellis Peters Historical Award for his second novel, Revenger, and a TV series of the John Shakespeare novels is currently in development. His latest novel, Hitler’s Secret, is a Sunday Times bestseller.

Rory lives in Norfolk with his family. Find out more at http://www.roryclements.co.uk.

Book Synopsis:

When materials engineer Zoey Butler lands her dream job at Future State Energy, she believes her research in renewable energy will make headlines. Unfortunately for her, she’s right. Zoey is working on her latest experiment when FBI Special Agent Alexis Thompson and her K-9 partner, Waffle, raid Future State and arrest the head of the development for fraud. Zoey helps the FBI find answers in the aftermath, but she soon finds herself jobless and unemployable. Desperate and out of options, she reaches out to Alexis, the one person who knows Zoey was duped like everyone else.

Liam Graham is an FBI special agent and instructor at Riverbend K-9 Academy. When Alexis brings in a new recruit with an unusual background, Liam pairs her up with Tasha, a dog in need of a handler to stay in their competitive program. Zoey is thrilled to put her past behind her and give the mischievous rescue dog her own second chance. However, shortly after she arrives, the FBI realizes the Future State case is far from closed. And Zoey may be the key to solving it.

Zoey offers to go back to Future State to help the FBI end things once and for all. Only this time, she’ll have Liam and Tasha for backup. But, the problems at Future State are more explosive than any of them suspect.

Extract:

Zoë Butler tapped her pen against her palm and frowned at the battery on the lab bench. Future State’s flagship solid-state batteries had failed to hit the targets promised in all of the glossy Future State brochures by a mile. No matter how many times she ran the performance tests.

Zoey’s brain knew the answer, but her heart couldn’t quite believe it. Her tests were accurate. The only logical solution was that the batteries weren’t measuring up to Future State’s claims. Someone, somewhere, had made a huge mistake.

A rumble of voices and shouts coming from outside the lab snapped Zoey out of her panic for a moment. A group of men and women in navy FBI jackets rushed through the front door shouting instructions. Suddenly, all of the data that didn’t add up fell into place. She only had time to feel a few seconds of crushing disappointment before a women with a red Labrador retriever entered the lab and told Zoey to step away from the lab bench. Zoey placed her hands on her head while the dog searched the room, tale wagging despite the stress and noise filling the air. Dread settled in the pit of her stomach. Everything she’d been working towards had been a lie.

About The Author:

K.T. Lee is a writer, mom and engineer who grew up on a steady diet of books from a wide variety of genres. When K.T. began to write the kind of books she wanted to read, she mixed clever women and the sciences with elements from thrillers (and a dash of romance) to create The Calculated series.

Book Synopsis:

As war looms, can they keep the home fires burning?

Lady Joanna Harcourt and her daughter Sarah discover their life of luxury at Goodwill House is over. Because with Lord Harcourt away fighting, the Harcourt girls are facing financial ruin.

Lady Joanna is terrified of losing their home, but for Sarah, this means her dreams of becoming a doctor are over. Headstrong Sarah isn’t one to quit! War or not, she’s determined to find a way to save her home and follow her dreams– whatever it takes!

Dashing RAF officer Angus Trent might just save the day. The new RAF base at Manston will soon be full of young women all hoping to serve their country, and Goodwill House will make the perfect home for them. But can Sarah convince Lady Joanna to agree to her plan?

Angus has never met a woman quite like Sarah – courageous, brave, unwavering. She has a huge task ahead of her, but if anyone can do it, his war girl can.

Book 1 in the brand new Goodwill House series by bestselling author Fenella J. Miller

The Wargirls Of Goodwill House is available in ebook and paperback now. You can purchase your copy using the links below.

My Review:

The War Girls Of Goodwill House is an interesting, well researched read which is the first book in a promising new series.

Firstly I loved the descriptions of Goodwill House and how life changes for the residents in the war. Sarah & Joanna are fantastic main characters who are determined to help save their house and, in Sarah’s case, keep the hopes of her medical career alive. I admired their determination and tenacity in a difficult situation and enjoyed watching them flourish away from the controlling head of the house who’s away fighting in the war. I found I quickly warmed to them and I wanted to keep reading to find out what happens to them.

I thought this book was very well researched and I really felt like I had stepped back in time with the characters. It was interesting exploring the lifestyle and attitudes of the era more and I loved the fantastic descriptions of the tea parties and dances which must have been great fun to attend. The book also gives an insight into the workings of the WAAF during the war including what the women went through during the recruitment process and what they did during the war which I found very interesting.

Overall I really enjoyed this book which was from a new author for me. The story unravels at a good pace with enough going on to keep my interest but I found I didn’t mind the slower sections as I was really enjoying spending time in their world. I can’t wait to read the next book in the series.

Huge thanks to Rachel from Rachel’s Random Resources for my copy of this book and to Boldwood for my copy of this book via netgalley.

About The Author:

Fenella J. Miller is the bestselling writer of eighteen historical sagas. She also has a
passion for Regency romantic adventures and has published over fifty to great
acclaim. Her father was a Yorkshireman and her mother the daughter of a Rajah.
She lives in a small village in Essex with her British Shorthair cat.

Good evening everyone and welcome to another Tunes For Tuesday. Today I’m featuring the fantastic Silent Racket by Logan Matthew Barnes.

Logan (or Pikkle Socks on twitch) is a singer songwriter and multi instrumentalist that I first discovered on twitch through a raid. He has some amazing songs with some beautiful lyrics and quickly endeared himself to his viewers when he confessed to working on his nerves while performing. Logan was kind enough to answer some questions for me about his music, so if you would like to learn more about Logan from the man himself check out the interview below.

You can follow Logan on Instagram or twitch by clicking on the links below.

How To Listen:

Logan’s music is available on most of the major streaming platforms as linked below. His original music isn’t available on YouTube yet but I have included the videos of my favourite covers from him below.

Interview:

Tell us a little about yourself?

Hi there! My name is Logan Matthew Barnes and I’m a songwriter from Virginia Beach. I guess singer-songwriter is the full name or whatever, ooh, fancy. Anywho, I’ve been writing songs for the last three years and I have a lot of ideas I want to share with the world.

 What first got you into music?

Listening to video game soundtracks honestly. I used to solely listen to instrumentals before I got into more lyrical “real” bands. The Tekken 3 and Dark Cloud 2 OSTs stick out to me. The Beatles, The Beach Boys, and Elvis Presley are the big three who started the diversification of my music taste.

Who inspired you to make music?

In a weird way, myself. I want to leave a piece of me behind with something and doing that through song is not only therapeutic for me, I feel like it’s the best way for me to share my feelings.

How would you describe the music that you typically create?

I write various types of music from more acoustic (and sadboy) folk to alternative rock. I’d like to think I could write for most genres, but those two are where I feel the most comfortable. When I was younger, I would make instrumentals of tracks very much like Dark Cloud 2’s. 

What is your creative process like?

Sometimes I’ll sit down and focus on forming idea after idea, others it’s a lyric that pops into my head that I have to make work syllabically in context of the song. Typically I’ll make a chord progression and then mumble melodies until I write lyrics overtop those melodies. After that, it’s off to recording where I come up with more ideas and poorly beatbox the drum parts I have in mind to my friend who magically brings them to reality and how he deciphers them still amazes me to this day. Putting the polish on songs comes after making a scratch track with a single guitar and vocal. Then I find harmonies and just layer after layer add more instruments to make the song more interesting and just as I hear it in my head.

Who would you most like to collaborate with?

I’d love to collaborate with Charlie Puth, the way his ideas are always in his mind and his sporadic process of coming up with ideas on the spot is relatable to me. I would also love to collaborate with Dan Avidan, he seems so laid back and his crafting of harmonies is really inspiring. Harmonies and major 7 chords are a weakness of mine in music. So is having a diversity in song-type and Danny certainly has taken part in different types of projects.

If you could go open a show for any artist who would it be?

I feel like Catfish and the Bottlemen would be the best, they’re a British rock band and have had a pretty big influence on my sound. Foo Fighters would also be incredible to open up for, but they’re rock legends at this point, so it’d be a hard gig.

What is one message you would give to your fans?

I’m not the biggest fan of calling the people who listen to my music fans, but for the listeners or endurers; if you’ve got a passion, stick with it, don’t rush it, make it the best it can be and don’t lose hope in yourself or the possibility of creating something truly wonderful. Know there’s a beauty in simplicity as well.

What is the most useless talent you have?

Music… I’m kidding. I suppose my biology teacher wouldn’t like me calling this useless, but I remember the photosynthesis formula. That’s the only thing I can think of off of the top of my head.

Do you sing in the shower?

No, apparently I used to, but as soon as I heard my dad mentioned I did, I immediately cut that out of my life.

What would you be doing right now, if it wasn’t for your music career?

I’d be a little lost. Writing songs is kind of what keeps me going, I want to turn my experiences and feelings into something that I can hopefully be remembered by. Even if it’s just by one person.

Where have you performed?

Behind a camera in various rooms of my house. I suppose the fanciest venue I’ve played was The NorVA. The band I was in opened up for another friend’s band. I was quite nervous and probably didn’t show the most excitement, but I do love playing live.

What are your favourite and least favourite venues?

One of my favorite places is broadcasting live behind a camera. Not actually seeing faces gives me a lot of comfort and eases my performance anxiety quite a lot. 

Do you have any upcoming shows?

I’d love to get out there more, but for now I don’t really have the equipment required for gigging.

How do you feel the Internet has impacted the music business?

The internet gives me a platform to really be myself and I’ve made many friends including some who are incredibly talented as well. The internet has definitely allowed me to reach a wider audience than I would have otherwise and I’m really thankful for any and all support from everyone.

What is your favourite song to perform?

I can’t say I have a single favorite song to perform, but one of my favorite things to do is share a new original with my audience and get their feedback on it.

Which famous musicians do you admire?

Charlie Puth again, his ability to produce his own material and actually play his parts. Also all of the members of Wouter Hamel’s band. Vastly underrated jazz musician and a great songwriter. I recently watched his Live in Paradiso concert again and it blows me away every time. John Mayer also is a great talent, incredible songwriter, and phenomenal guitarist.

What is the most trouble you’ve ever gotten into?

I threw bread at someone’s open plumber crack one time and got sent to the principal’s office. Pull up your pants next time.

What is the best advice you’ve been given?

Be patient.

If you could change anything about the industry, what would it be?

Giving recognition to artists who actually love their craft and give their all into making something true instead of being in the industry for numbers and clicks. Narcissistic musicians are my worst enemy, I wish I could destroy them.

What’s next for you?

Write more tunes and hope people enjoy them as much as I had the fun bringing them to existence.

Thanks for answering my questions!

Playlists:

You can now listen to Logan and all previously featured artists on two special playlists I’ve created on Spotify.

Thanks for reading and happy listening!

Book Synopsis:

A captivating and page-turning romance perfect for fans of Christina Courtenay and Barbara Erskine!On a windswept British coastline the tide bestows an unexpected gift…It was the cry that she first noticed, the plaintive wail that called to her over the crash of winter waves. Wrapped only in a sealskin, the baby girl looks up at Effie and instantly captures her heart. Effie has always been an outcast in her village, the only granddaughter of a woman people whisper is a witch, so she’s used to a solitary existence. But when Midsummer arrives so too does a man claiming to be the child’s father. Effie is surprised when he asks her to continue looking after his daughter, mysteriously refusing to explain why. When he returns six months hence she pushes him for answers. And Lachlan tells a story she never anticipated … one of selkies, legend, and the power of the sea…

Daughter Of The Sea is available in ebook and paperback now. The ebook is currently only 99p. You can purchase your copy using the links below.

My Review:

Daughter of the sea is a wonderfully romantic, very absorbing and emotional book which is perfect for curling up with this winter.

Firstly I absolutely adored the main character Effie who’s a very independent woman who’s definitely ahead of her times. I loved that she didn’t conform to society rules choosing to shun the church, apart from at Christmas, and not caring about the local gossip surrounding her son’s father. I enjoyed getting to know her throughout the book and felt for her as she struggled with the realisation that she might have to give the little girl she’s been raising as her own back on day.

I thought this book was very well researched and I found it interesting to learn more about 1890’s Cornwall. There’s some folklore included in the story surrounding the legend of selkies which I found fascinating to learn more about. The rugged Cornwall coast provides the perfect background to the story and I recognised some of the places from holidays there which I really liked.

Overall I really enjoyed this book and I was quickly absorbed into its pages. There was always something happening to keep me interested and I soon found the book hard to put down as I had to discover what was going on. I must admit to feeling swept away with the romantic parts of the story one moment but then getting very emotional the next when it came to the uncertainty surrounding the baby.

This was the first book I’ve read by this author and I’ll definitely be reading more from her in the future.

Huge thanks to Rachel from Rachel’s Random Resources for inviting me onto the blog tour and to One Chapter for my copy of this book via netgalley.

About The Author:

Elisabeth’s writing career began when she finished third in Harlequin’s So You Think You Can Write contest in 2013 and hasn’t looked back. She teaches Primary school but would rather write full time because unlike five year olds her characters generally do what she tells them. She spends most of her spare time reading and is a pro at cooking one-handed while holding a book.

She lives in Cheshire because the car broke down there in 1999 and she never left.

Just Finished:

The Woman Who Came Back To Life by Beth Miller

I just finished this book and really enjoyed it. I thought it was beautifully written, emotional and very poignant. Read my full review via the link below.

Currently Reading:

Hostage by Claire Mackintosh

I know I said I was reading this last week but sadly life got in the way and I was only able to start it at the weekend. I’m about a quarter of the way through and am finding it very interesting. I’ll hopefully have my review of this book up soon!

Reading Next:

The Turn Of The Key by Beth Underwood

I’m so excited to read this book as I loved her first book, plus I’ve been hearing lots of good things from other bloggers. I’m hoping to start reading this by the end of the week.

Book Synopsis:

‘I still dream, every night, of Polneath on fire…’

By day, Ivy Boscawen mourns the loss of her son Tim in the Great War. But by night she mourns another boy – one whose death decades ago haunts her still.

For Ivy is sure that there is more to what happened all those years ago: the fire at the Great House, and the terrible events that came after. A truth she must uncover, if she is ever to be free.

From the award-winning author of The Witchfinder’s Sister comes a captivating story of burning secrets and buried shame, and of the loyalty and love that rises from the ashes.

The Last House On The Street by Diane Chamberlain

This is another highly anticipated book for me as I’m a huge fan of this author. I really want to get to this book as soon as possible!

Book Synopsis:

1965. A young white female student becomes involved in the fight for civil rights in North Carolina, falling in love with one of her fellow activists, a Black man, in a time and place where an interracial relationship must be hidden from family, friends and especially the reemerging Ku Klux Klan. As tensions rise in the town, she realises not everyone is who they appear to be.

2010. A recently widowed architect moves into the home she and her late husband designed, heartbroken that he will never cross the threshold. But when disturbing things begin to happen, it’s clear that someone is sending her a warning. Who is trying to frighten her away, and why?

Decades later, past and present are set to collide in the last house on the street…

The Couple At The Table by Sophie Hannah

Im on the blog tour for this in a few weeks time and I’m so excited to start it!

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?

So these are the books next on my list! Have you read any of these? What are you reading at the moment? Let me know in the comments below!

Book Synopsis:

It’s never too late for a second chance at happiness…

Pearl Flowers has been hiding away for so long that she has forgotten what real life is like. Her quiet routine in a woodland cottage in France is a sanctuary, far away from her past life running a beauty salon. But even when she is sitting at the foot of a beech tree with her drawing pad, surrounded by birdsong, her mind is never still. If she keeps herself distracted and far away, her past can’t hurt her… can it?

But then an unexpected phone call throws her calm world into chaos. Back in the UK, her estranged father Francis is dying. She hasn’t seen him for decades since he pushed her away and destroyed their family. And on his death-bed, Francis leaves her a gift – a diary, written in a code that only Pearl can understand.

As she begins to read her father’s diary, Pearl discovers that for forty years he had been thinking of her almost every day. And as she reads on, secrets begin to emerge from the pages causing her to question everything she thought she knew.

Reeling from the diary’s revelations, Pearl realises that the only way to heal and find true happiness is to face the past. But is she ready to confront her deepest secret, the one she’s been running from all this time?

This utterly tear-jerking and heartwarming novel is for anyone who knows it’s never too late to find happiness. Fans of Matt Haig,Mike GayleandCamille Pagán will fall in love with this beautiful, feel-good story.

My Review:

The Woman Who Came Back To Life is a lovely story of love, loss and hope that I found very absorbing.

I think the most stood out about this story was the fabulous characters the author has created. They seemed very realistic and I enjoyed getting to know them slowly as the book progresses. Each character had different things to unwrap and secrets they were hiding and I found it very intriguing to discover these. I loved the first person narrative which made me feel more connected to the characters so I started to really care about them.

The story unfolds at a steady pace and there always seemed to be something happening to keep my interest. The story is set in both France and England and I enjoyed exploring all the different places alongside the characters. I particularly liked the fantastic descriptions of Paris which has made me want to visit there again. There was a great blend of emotional and poignant moments as well as some funny moments which stopped the story becoming too sad. I particularly liked Benji for this as his opinions and ideas on things often made me laugh out loud.

The ending was beautiful and I felt made the story seem very real. This is definitely a story that has stayed with me not least because it has made me reflect on my own lost opportunities.

Huge thanks to Bookouture for my copy of this book via Netgalley and to Sarah Harding for inviting me onto the blog tour. I’ve just bought a copy of this book as it’s a book I desperately want to share with others, definitely recommend!

About The Author:

I have been told that I write like a tall blonde, so that’s how I’d like you to picture me.I’ve published five novels. The most recent, ‘Starstruck’, came out in August 2021. The previous one, ‘The Missing Letters of Mrs Bright’, was a top twenty Kindle bestseller. I’ve also published two non-fiction books. I work as a book coach and creative writing tutor.Before writing books, I did a lot of different jobs. I worked in schools, shops, offices, hospitals, students’ unions, basements, from home, in my car, and up a tree. OK, not up a tree. I’ve been a sexual health trainer, a journalist, a psychology lecturer, a PhD student, a lousy alcohol counsellor, and an inept audio-typist. I sold pens, bread, and condoms. Not in the same shop. I taught parents how to tell if their teenagers are taking drugs (clue: they act like teenagers), and taught teenagers how to put on condoms (clue: there won’t really be a cucumber). I taught rabbis how to tell if their teenagers are druggedly putting condoms on cucumbers.Throughout this, I always wrote, and always drank a lot of tea. I’m now pretty much unbeatable at drinking tea.Connect with Beth:Website: https://www.bethmiller.co.uk/Facebook: Beth Miller AuthorTwitter: @drbethmillerInstagram: @beth_miller_author

Book Synopsis:

Some love stories change us for ever.For the last seven years, Mary O’Connor has waited for her first love. Every evening she arrives at Ealing Broadway station and stands with a sign which simply says: ‘Come Home Jim’.Commuters might pass her by without a second thought, but Mary isn’t going anywhere. Until an unexpected call turns her world on its head.It will take the help of a young journalist called Alice, and a journey across the country for Mary to face what happened all those years ago, and to finally answer the question: where on earth is Jim?

My Review:

I absolutely loved this author’s debut novel, The Silent Treatment so have eagerly been waiting for more from her. I was definitely not disappointed as I thought this was a beautiful, poignant and heart warming read that will be staying with me. I raced few it in a couple a days which is no mean feat when you have three kids.

The story follows Mary in two time lines one in 2005 as she starts a love affair with the charming Jim and one in 2018 as she struggles to cope with Jim’s disappearance. I quickly warmed to Mary and felt a lot of sympathy towards her, especially with other people’s reactions to her station vigil. I often wished I could reach into the book and give her a hug while simultaneously wanting to slap Jim for doing this to her. I felt very protective of her and wanted to keep reading to see what happened next.

There were lots of different plot lines running through the book and I soon found myself utterly absorbed in the story. The story isn’t particularly fast paced but there was always enough going on to keep my interest and I soon found myself very involved in the story. It seemed very realistic as if this scenario could happen in real life, to people I might know which I thought was very clever.

The ending was very interesting, not at all how I was expecting it to end and I thought it very brave of the author to end it this way. I can’t wait to read more from this talented author.

Huge thanks to Laura from Century publishing for inviting me onto the blog tour and for my copy of this book.

About The Author:

Abbie Greaves studied at Cambridge University before working in a literary agency for a number of years. She was inspired to write her first novel, The Silent Treatment, after reading a newspaper article about a boy in Japan who had never seen his parents speak to one another before.Abbie lives in Brighton with her boyfriend.