Book Synopsis:

An island of secrets. A runaway. And a promise…

A rebellious daughter
1925. Among the ancient honey-coloured walls of the tiny island of Malta, strangers slip into the shadows and anyone can buy a new name. Rosalie Delacroix flees Paris for a dancer’s job in the bohemian clubs deep in its winding streets.

A sister with a secret
1944. Running from the brutality of war in France, Florence Baudin faces a new life. But her estranged mother makes a desperate request: to find her vanished sister, who went missing years before.

A rift over generations
Betrayals and secrets, lies and silence hang between the sisters. A faded last letter from Rosalie is Florence’s only clue, the war an immovable barrier – and time is running out…

My Review:

The Hidden Palace is a thoroughly absorbing, captivating book that I really enjoyed.

Firstly I really loved being back with Florence and Jack as it was great to continue their story with them. I also found it very intriguing to meet Florence’s absent mum and to learn more about Jack who was always a bit of a mystery in the previous books.

The author’s vivid descriptions of Wartime England and Malta were very vivid. I felt completely transported to both places almost like I was actually there watching everything unfold. I didn’t know much about Malta and it’s history so I really enjoyed learning more about it. It was quite poignant to realise what ordinary citizens went through and how much they suffered, particularly as I don’t think I’d have been able to do it.

Overall, as you can probably tell, I loved this book and look forward to reading the next book in the series. The two timelines complement each other nicely and there always seemed to be something happening to keep my interest. I didn’t actually have a favourite timeline which is unusual for me but I liked that as it meant I could relax and just be swept away by the story.

Huge thanks to Anne Cater for inviting me onto the blog tour and to Harper Collins for my copy of this book.

About The Author:

Dinah was born in Malaysia and moved to England at the age of nine.

As a teenager she missed the heat of Malaysia, which left her with a kind of restlessness that led to quite an unusual life. She studied Fashion Design and went to live in Tuscany where she worked as an au-pair for an Italian countess. There was even a time when Dinah lived with a rock band in a ‘hippie’ commune in Suffolk.

Although Dinah and her husband spent five wonderful years living in a small 16th Century village in Northern Andalusia, she’s happy to say they now live close to her family in Gloucestershire along with two crazy Maine Coon cats.

Good afternoon everyone I’m on the blog tour for the fantastic One Last Gift by Emily Stone today.

My review is below as well as details on how to take part in a treasure hunt to win a voucher for Dinner, Bed and Breakfast at Gravetye Manor – https://www.gravetyemanor.co.uk/. Which is a 4 star luxury country hotel in Sussex, and the restaurant is Michelin starred! It is the hotel which is featured in One Last Gift – I won’t say anything in case you haven’t read it, but if you have read it, hopefully you’ll know which hotel I mean – it’s a key moment for Cassie and Sam’s journey!

Book Synopsis:

For as long as Cassie can remember, it had been the three of them: Cassie, her big brother Tom, and Tom’s annoying best friend Sam.

Now, Tom is sorted, Sam is flying high, and Cassie thinks she’s figured it all out. Then tragedy happens and three become two.

For Cassie picking herself up seems unimaginable. Until she finds an envelope addressed to her, asking her to follow the trail to one last gift…

And suddenly what seems like an ending leads Cassie to something unexpected, beautiful and new…

Take an unforgettable journey from London to the Hamptons to the south of France…

My Review:

I absolutely loved Alway, In December so I’ve been impatiently waiting for her to release a new book. I was definitely not disappointed as One Last Gift was a beautiful, heartwarming and emotional read. One of the quotes in the book recommends water proof mascara and they are not joking!

Firstly I loved the amazing characters and really enjoyed getting to know them throughout the book. Tom the kind, protective big brother who always looks after his little sister and his sweet best friend Sam were such wonderful creations that I warmed to instantly. I found myself wishing I knew them or that I was their friend too. I enjoyed reading about their interactions with each other with all their banter and in jokes which often had me laughing out loud.

The treasure hunt was truly beautiful and I loved following Cassie as she tried to solve it. It was great to see where it took her and I had to keep reading to find out where she went next. I found myself tearing up as I read and as I realised how much thought had been put into the hunt. The story didn’t go the way I was expecting and their were lots of surprising twists that took the story in an unexpected direction.

The Romance part of the book was very sweet to watch unravel, particularly as it seemed so realistic and didn’t come as easily as expected. Sam and Cassie are both grieving and it was very emotional to watch them go through this. The ending was brilliant, more so because it seemed hard won. I can’t wait to read more from this talented author.

Huge thanks to Anne Cater for inviting me onto the blog tour and to Headline for my copy of this book.

Treasure Hunt:

As mentioned above the author is running a treasure hunt as part of the blog tour to win a voucher for Dinner Bed and Breakfast at Gravetye Manor – https://www.gravetyemanor.co.uk/. It’s a 4 star luxury country hotel in Sussex, and the restaurant is Michelin starred! It is the hotel which is featured in One Last Gift – I won’t say anything in case you haven’t read it, but if you have read it, hopefully you’ll know which hotel I mean – it’s a key moment for Cassie and Sam’s journey!

Each day, there will be a clue to solve – that clue will lead to a word. So if you solve the clue on day one, you’ll end up with one word, day two, two words, etc. There are 11 words in total, for the 11 days of the blog tour  – so at the end, everyone who’s figured it out will have an 11-word sentence. 

To enter, after you’ve got the sentence from all the clues at the end of the blog tour, people should email publicity@headline.co.uk with the subject header ONE LAST GIFT TREASURE HUNT and the answer to the clue (the sentence) in the body of the email. The deadline to enter is the end of October. The winner will be chosen at random, and have the voucher emailed to them. If you have space to include details on how to enter on the post, that would be great. 

DAY ONE, CLUE ONE: Let’s start the hunt with a three-letter word, something you’ve no doubt often heard… 

About The Author:

Emily Stone lives and works in Chepstow and wrote her debut novel ALWAYS, IN DECEMBER (Headline 2021), in an old Victorian manor house with an impressive literary heritage. Her debut novel was partly inspired by the death of her mother, when Emily was seven, and wanting to write something that reflected the fact that you carry this grief into adulthood, long after you supposedly move on from the event itself. 

Book Synopsis:

Audrey is marrying Josh; steady, dependable Josh, the love of her life. They share a flat and a bank account, and it’s the only relationship that Audrey’s ever had that feels like something she can put her trust in. But romance should be full of fireworks, and as the big day approaches, Audrey’s found herself wondering if Josh really is ‘the one’.

So, when Josh’s sister Miranda arrives at their rehearsal dinner with Fred – Audrey’s ‘What If?’ guy, the man she met six years ago and had one amazing day with but never saw again – Audrey can’t help but see it as a sign.

Surely Fred’s appearance the night before Audrey is due to get married can’t be a coincidence. And when everything that could go wrong with the wedding starts to go wrong, Audrey has to wonder: could fate be trying to stop her from making a huge mistake?

My Review:

I’m a big fan of this author so I was very excited to be invited onto the blog tour for this her latest book. I absolutely loved this absorbing, sweet and feel good read.

Firstly I really felt for Audrey as I remember the stress of my wedding day plans and how hard it was to manage everyone’s expectations. That’s not to say I didn’t have a giggle at some of the mishaps that happen or the snide comments from her in-laws, as it’s always funnier when it’s not happening to you. I think these little details helped make the story seem more realistic and I felt more invested in the story wanting to keep reading to find out what happens.

The story is told in three timelines, the day before the wedding, four years before the wedding when she met Josh her husband to be and six years before the wedding when she met Fred the one who got away. The timelines are told in alternate chapters with each one clearly headed so the reader can’t get confused. I found it very interesting to see how each couple started and to note how different the two meetings were. I definitely has my favourite pairing though and enjoyed watching everything develop as the book went on.

Overall I loved this book and think it’s actually my new favourite from her. The story goes along at a great pace and there always seemed to be something happening to keep my interest. There were some great plot twists that kept me guessing and the ending was very surprising and not at all how I expected it to end which I always love.

Huge thanks to Jenny Platt for inviting me onto the blog tour and to Hodder for my copy of this book. If you’re looking for a feel good, absorbing and romantic read I thoroughly recommend this one.

About The Author:

Sophie Cousens started her career in television, where she produced, among other things, The Graham Norton Show, Big Brother, Ant and Dec and Russell Howard’s Good News. Working in TV taught her three things;

1 – Wearing a lanyard makes you look as though you know what you are doing.

2 -The best phrase you can contribute in meetings is “let’s action that!”If you say it often enough, hopefully someone else will do your work for you.

3 – If in doubt, find someone wearing a lanyard – they’ll know what to do.

Sophie currently lives in Jersey where she now writes full time. She lives with her husband Tim and has two small children who keep her occupied with important questions such as ‘but did Cinderella have a toothbrush?’ and ‘do giraffe’s know they have really long necks?’ She yearns for a time when she will be able to add a miniature dachshund to the party.

Book Synopsis:

THE RULES

    1. Listen carefully
    2. Do your research
    3. Trust no one
    4. Run for your life
 
Harriet Reed is newly engaged to Edward Holbeck, the heir to an extremely powerful American family.
When Edward’s father hands her a tape of a book he’s been working on, she is desperate to listen.
But as she presses play, it’s clear that this isn’t a novel. It’s a confession to murder.
Feeling isolated and confused, Harriet must work out if this is all part of a plan to test her loyalty. Or something far darker.
Because this might be a game to the Holbeck family – but games can still be deadly.
 
READY OR NOT, HERE THEY COME . . .

My Review:

The Family Game is an exciting, original and absorbing read that was unlike anything I’ve read before. It’s going to be a difficult book to review as I don’t want to give anything away.

Firstly what a family the Holbecks are! I was simultaneously glad I didn’t know them but also quite sad that I didn’t. They are all larger than life, mad and thoroughly entertaining characters that I enjoyed getting to know throughout the book. They were quite unpredictable too which made it hard for the reader to guess what was going to happen next.

The story starts off a little slow as the author sets the scene and introduces us to the family but soon gathers pace becoming impossible to put down. The atmosphere and sense of dread seemed to increase with each chapter until it was almost unbearable. The author throws in lots of twists and red herrings so I had to keep changing my mind about what was going on which I always enjoy.

The ending was absolutely fantastic! It was very dramatic, exciting and completely over the top which was just how I wanted a book like this to end. If you are looking for a different, original read I highly recommend this one!

Huge thanks to Anne Cater for inviting me onto the blog tour and to Simon and Schuster for my copy of this book.

About The Author:

Catherine Steadman is an actress and author based in London. She has appeared in leading roles on British and American television but is perhaps best known for playing Mabel Lane Fox in the series Downton Abbey. As well as on screen she has also appeared in the West End where she has been nominated for a Laurence Olivier Award. Catherine lives in Hackney, North London.

Catherine’s first novel, Something in the Water, was a number one New York Times bestseller with rights sold in over 30 territories. Film rights were picked up Reese Witherspoon’s production company, Hello Sunshine, with Something in the Water becoming a Reeses’s book club pick in the US and a Richard and Judy Book club pick in the UK.

Mr Nobody, her second novel, was listed as one of Newsweek’s 20 Most Anticipated Books of 2020, and her third novel, The Disappearing Act, released in 2021, was number #1 in on the iTunes Audiobook chart.

Her fourth novel The Family Game will be out Sept 2022.

Book Synopsis:

While the world is still counting the cost of the Second World War and the Iron Curtain has descended, young Roland Baines’s life is turned upside down. Stranded at boarding school, his vulnerability attracts his piano teacher, Miriam Cornell, leaving scars as well as a memory of love that will never fade.

Twenty-five years later, as the radiation from the Chernobyl disaster spreads across Europe, Roland’s wife mysteriously vanishes and he is forced to confront the reality of his rootless existence and look for answers in his family history.

From the fall of the Berlin Wall to the Covid pandemic and climate change, Roland sometimes rides with the tide of history but more often struggles against it. Haunted by lost opportunities, he seeks solace through every possible means ­- literature, travel, friendship, drugs, politics, sex and love.

His journey raises important questions. Can we take full charge of the course of our lives without damage to others? How do global events beyond our control shape us and our memories? What role do chance and contingency play in our existence? And what can we learn from the traumas of the past?

My Review:

The Lessons is a clever, emotional story that is part coming of age story and part memoir. Throughout the book we follow Roland from childhood school experiences to adulthood where he finds himself a single father. It was very interesting to follow him through these experiences and see how they shaped him.

This book covers a lot of history which I found fascinating, especially as it covered some areas I didn’t know much about. Some of these events occurred in the author’s life time and it was interesting to see his slant on things.

Overall I really enjoyed this book and will definitely be recommending it to others. It’s not a quick read as there’s lots to think about and take in but it is a beautiful read with some wonderful descriptions that have stayed with me. I think this would make a great book club read as there would be lots to discuss.

Huge thanks to Anne Cater for inviting me onto the blog tour and to Vintage for my copy of this book.

About The Author:

Ian McEwan is a critically acclaimed author of short stories and novels for adults, as well as The Daydreamer, a children’s novel illustrated by Anthony Browne. His first published work, a collection of short stories, First Love, Last Rites, won the Somerset Maugham Award. His other award-winning novels are The Child in Time, which won the 1987 Whitbread Novel of the Year Award, and Amsterdam, which won the 1998 Booker Prize.

Book Synopsis:

Three women
Three eras
One extraordinary mystery…

1899, Belle Époque Paris. Lucienne’s two daughters are believed dead when her mansion burns to the ground, but she is certain that her girls are still alive and embarks on a journey into the depths of the spiritualist community to find them.

1949, Post-War Québec. Teenager Lina’s father has died in the French Resistance, and as she struggles to fit in at school, her mother introduces her to an elderly woman at the asylum where she works, changing Lina’s life in the darkest way imaginable.

2002, Quebec. A former schoolteacher is accused of brutally stabbing her husband – a famous university professor – to death. Detective Maxine Grant, who has recently lost her own husband and is parenting a teenager and a new baby single-handedly, takes on the investigation.

Under enormous personal pressure, Maxine makes a series of macabre discoveries that link directly to historical cases involving black magic and murder, secret societies and spiritism … and women at breaking point, who will stop at nothing to protect the ones they love…

My Review:

The Bleeding is an intriguing, dark book that manages to be both historical fiction and gothic thriller.

Firstly i must admit I was a little nervous about there being three different time lines to follow but the author does such a great job of describing the setting that I never felt muddled between them. All three were vividly described so that I felt I was actually there experiencing everything alongside the characters.

The multi layered plot was very intriguing with moments of great excitement but also some quieter, reflective moments which I thought was clever. There were some very chilling, disturbing scenes in the book which made my hair stand on end and the supernatural elements made it unpredictable as you never knew which way the story was going to go. What first appears to be a simple murder case soon turns into something much more darker and chilling which made the book very hard to put down. I would think that I’d finally worked things out and then something would happen to move the story in a completely different direction.

The last third of the book the atmosphere and tension really increases with lots of twists that made me read faster and faster until the final brilliant reveal. If you like dark historical thrillers I really recommend this one!

Huge thanks to Anne Cater for inviting me onto the blog tour and to Orenda for my copy of this book.

About The Author:

Born in Marseille, France, and with a degree in Political Science, Johana Gustawsson has worked as a journalist for the French and Spanish press and television. Her critically acclaimed Roy & Castells series (Block 46, Keeper and Blood Song) has won the Plume d’Argent, Balai de la découverte, Balai d’Or and Prix Marseillais du Polar awards, and is now published in twenty-three countries. The third in the series, Blood Song, was longlisted for the CWA International Dagger. A TV adaptation is currently underway in a French, Swedish and UK co-production. Johana lives in London with her Swedish husband, and three young sons, and is currently working on the book four in the Roy & Castells series. Follow Johana on Twitter @JoGustawsson.

Book Synopsis:

In search of a new life, seventeen-year-old Adriana Clark’s family moves to the ancient, ocean-battered Isle of Mull, far off the coast of Scotland. Then she goes missing. Faced with hostile locals and indifferent police, her desperate parents turn to private investigator Sadie Levesque.

Sadie is the best at what she does. But when she finds Adriana’s body in a cliffside cave, a seaweed crown carefully arranged on her head, she knows she’s dealing with something she’s never encountered before.

The deeper she digs into the island’s secrets, the closer danger creeps – and the more urgent her quest to find the killer grows. Because what if Adriana is not the last girl to die?

Beautifully haunting with twists and turns you’ll never see coming, The Last Girl to Die is your next obsession waiting to happen. Perfect for fans of Stuart MacBride and L.J. Ross.

My Review:

The Last Girl To Die is an atmospheric, creepy read that is perfect for snuggling up with this Autumn.

Firstly I loved the island setting of this book and the closed room scenario it created. I felt there was something not quite right about the island from the beginning, especially as the residents seemed so wary about strangers and unwilling to accept Sadie’s help to try to solve the murder of one of their own. The history of the island with its myths and legends helped add to the mysterious atmosphere with the reader constantly guessing what was happening.

The characters were all interesting creations, though all flawed in some way so I don’t think I actually warmed to any of them. Sadie is definitely a brave lady, willing to stand up for herself and put herself is some awkward situations. I felt like screaming at her sometimes for her actions and felt frustrated with her at times for hiding evidence from the police. I was also constantly frustrated by the lack of support from the police on the island and their unwillingness to accept that one of the islanders could be the murderer. It made me mistrust them and wonder what they were trying to hide.

Overall I thought this was an exciting, gripping read that I really enjoyed. The story gripped me from the start and the fast pace of the story made the book hard to put down as there always seemed to be something happening to keep my interest. I found it hard to guess who the murder was as there seemed to be so many suspects! The ending was brilliant and very surprising which I always enjoy. I especially liked how the author kept the story going after the big reveal so the reader could find out what happened to all the characters.

Huge thanks to Avon and Mida publicity for my copy of this book.

About The Author:

An international and Amazon #1 best-selling author, Helen is a former criminal and family law barrister. Every book in the Callanach series has claimed an Amazon #1 bestseller flag. The last book in the series, ‘Perfect Kill’ was longlisted for the Crime Writers Association Ian Fleming Steel Dagger in 2020, and others have been longlisted for the McIlvanney Prize, Scottish crime novel of the year. Helen also writes as HS Chandler, and has released legal thriller ‘Degrees of Guilt’. Her audio book ‘Perfect Crime’ knocked Michelle Obama off the #1 spot. In 2020 Perfect Remains was shortlisted for the Bronze Bat, Dutch debut crime novel of the year. Now translated into 16 languages, and also selling in the USA, Canada & Australasia, Helen’s books have won global recognition. Her historical thriller ‘These Lost & Broken Things’ came out in May 2020. Her first standalone thriller – The Shadow Man – from HarperColllins will be published on February 4, 2021. She currently commutes between West Sussex, Scotland and California. She lives with her husband and three children. Helen can be found on Twitter @Helen_Fields for up to date news and information or at http://www.helenfields.co.uk.

Book Synopsis:

How much is the smile from the person you love worth to you?
 
Brooke’s life has derailed. Her social life and career have evaporated, her daughter is desperately unhappy and being bullied at school, and, for a 43-year-old, she probably spends way too many weekends at her parent’s. But the reason for all this is no mystery. A year and a half ago, Brooke’s husband died.
 
But Brooke does have one secret. Her husband’s death, the worst thing that has ever happened to her, has made her unbelievably rich.
 
Despite her despair, Brooke suddenly realises she has the power to make her daughter’s life, and the world a little brighter.

My Review:

The Reason is a brilliant, uplifting read that manages to be heartwarming but also heartbreaking at times.

Firstly I absolutely loved the wonderful characters in this story and enjoyed following them throughout the book. I really felt for Brooke who is definitely going through a lot at the moment. As a mother I know how difficult it is trying to help your kids with their friendship problems and my heart went out to her as I read. I loved how real Brooke was and how imperfect as it made me want to be on her side. The supporting characters of Brooke’s friends and family were brilliant too. I loved the fabulous description of their time together and wanted to join in with chaos.

The story drew me in quickly and I soon felt very connected to everything that was happening as if I was watching everything unfold myself. I loved all the ways Brooke helps make her daughter, and others, smile. It was truly wonderful watching some of them unfold and see how happy they make people. Someone needs to try the #noreason campaign in real life as I think it would help lift a lot of people’s spirits. There were some very funny moments that made me laugh out loud including a few memorable conversations that have stayed with me long after reading and still make me laugh even now.

Huge thanks to Sara-Jade from Simon and Schuster for inviting me onto the blog tour and for my copy of this book. I’ll be recommending this book to everybody!

About The Author:

Catherine Bennetto was born in New Zealand to a British father and Kiwi mother. She studied a variety of things at University, including Design and Biomedical Science, before settling on a career in television production.

Catherine, her husband and their two young boys have spent the past few years being permanent residents of nowhere – going where the work takes them. They’ve lived in Australia, England, the Caribbean, Hungary, Malaysia and South Africa, and have learnt some useful tricks for entertaining children along the way. Catherine is particularly proud of her ‘Sausage Man in Cucumber Row Boat on Sea of Peas’ dinner art (see high quality, semi-professional image below).

In 2013 she gained a place on Curtis Brown Creative’s inaugural online novel writing course. She is currently working on book 3!

​(Taken from author’s website)

Good morning everyone I’m on the blog tour for Dark Observations by Catherine Cavendish today and I have another great UK giveaway for one lucky person win a paperback copy of the book.

Details on how to win can be found below but first here’s a bit about the book.

Book Synopsis:

Eligos is waiting…fulfil your destiny

1941. In the dark days of war-torn London, Violet works in Churchill’s subterranean top secret Cabinet War Rooms, where key decisions that will dictate Britain’s conduct of the war are made. Above, the people of London go about their daily business as best they can, unaware of the life that teems beneath their feet.

Night after night the bombs rain down, yet Violet has far more to fear than air raids. A mysterious man, a room only she can see, memories she can no longer trust, and a best friend who denies their shared past… Something or someone – is targeting her.

UK Paperback Giveaway:

As mentioned above I’m excited to have a paperback copy of Dark Observations by Catherine Cavendish to give away. This giveaway is UK only and will be running on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

All you have to do to enter is like and share the post (if possible) then comment on the post tagging a friend you think would like to enter too.

Giveaway closes 9am on Monday 19th September 2022.

Good luck!

About The Author:

Following a varied career in sales, advertising and career guidance, Cat is now the full-time author of a number of paranormal, ghostly and Gothic horror novels and novellas. She lives with her long-suffering husband and black cat in a 260 year old haunted apartment in North Wales.