Book Synopsis:

The Journey Back is the blistering sequel to The Journey. Kalu is a doctor, who escaped an extremist revolution in Nigeria. He tried to get his family across the Sahara to look for passage to the safety of Europe but they were duped by ruthless people traffickers and his wife and two daughters were lost at sea. Fast forward twenty-years and his daughter, Kissie is in Ukraine when Russian tanks cross the border and his family are in terrible danger again. 

My Review:

I absolutely loved The Journey so was excited to read it’s sequel The Journey Back. Once again the author has written an interesting, thought provoking book that I couldn’t put down.

It was great to be back with the family and to see how they were getting on. This book gives the reader more of an insight into each of the characters which I really liked as it meant I got to know them better. I loved the way the author writes the story so that the reader gets to experience everything that is happening alongside the characters.

This book wasn’t quite as graphic as the first book, which isn’t a bad thing as some parts of the first book were hard to read at times. It was just as absorbing though and I soon found myself drawn into the story and unable to put the book down. I kept promising myself I’d read just one more chapter and then end up reading way to late. There are some great unexpected twists in the story which I thought was cleverly done and meant I couldn’t guess the ending to the story which I always enjoy. I’m hoping from the ending that there is another book in the works soon!

Huge thanks to Zoë from Zooloo blog tours for inviting me onto the blog tour and to the publishers for my copy of this book.

About The Author:

Conrad Jones spent 12 years working for the biggest quick service restaurant brand in the world.
On March 20th 1993 the IRA terrorist organization bombed the shopping center outside the restaurant he was managing that day. The experience fueled an interest in the root causes of extremist terrorists and the reasoning why its perpetrators feel justified in taking innocent lives. That incident sparked the story of ‘Soft Target’.

Book Synopsis:

From the bestselling author of The Lost Vintage, a rare and dazzling portrait of Jacqueline Bouvier’s college year abroad in postwar Paris, an intimate and electrifying story of love and betrayal, and the coming-of-age of an American icon – before the world knew her as Jackie.

In September 1949 Jacqueline Bouvier arrives in postwar Paris to begin her junior year abroad. She’s twenty years old, socially poised but financially precarious, and all too aware of her mother’s expectations that she make a brilliant match. Before relenting to family pressure, she has one year to herself far away from sleepy Vassar College and the rigid social circles of New York, a year to explore and absorb the luminous beauty of the City of Light. Jacqueline is immediately catapulted into an intoxicating new world of champagne and châteaux, art and avant-garde theater, cafés and jazz clubs. She strikes up a romance with a talented young writer who shares her love of literature and passion for culture – even though her mother would think him most unsuitable.

But beneath the glitter and rush, France is a fragile place still haunted by the Occupation. Jacqueline lives in a rambling apartment with a widowed countess and her daughters, all of whom suffered as part of the French Resistance just a few years before. In the aftermath of World War II, Paris has become a nest of spies, and suspicion, deception, and betrayal lurk around every corner. Jacqueline is stunned to watch the rise of communism – anathema in America, but an active movement in France – never guessing she is witnessing the beginning of the political environment that will shape the rest of her life—and that of her future husband.

Evocative, sensitive, and rich in historic detail, Jacqueline in Paris portrays the origin story of an American icon. Ann Mah brilliantly imagines the intellectual and aesthetic awakening of Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis, and illuminates how France would prove to be her one true love, and one of the greatest influences on her life. 

My Review:

Jacqueline In Paris is an absorbing, intriguing read about a fascinating period of history and a very famous women.

Firstly when I was originally asked to review this book I must admit I didn’t realise it was a story about Jackie Kennedy. The blurb on its own absolutely fascinated me but when I discovered it was based on the real life of an historical figure I was very excited indeed .

The author has a great way of drawing the reader into the story and into Paris so I felt like I was actually there experiencing everything alongside Jacqueline. I loved the intimate feeling of exploring the streets with the characters and all the fabulous descriptions of Paris which has made me want to visit again soon. It was very interesting to see what Paris was like after the war, to see the after effects and to realise how different Paris was to America at that time.

The story unfolds slowly but there always seemed to be something happening to keep my interest. Even in the slower moments I didn’t mind as I was too busy drinking in the exquisite details of life in Paris. It was definitely a time of great change both socially and politically and I found it very interesting to learn more about this. This was especially so as you realised how they could have influenced Jacqueline in the future and politics in general when she was first lady.

Huge thanks to Anne Cater for inviting me onto the blog tour and to Harper 360 for my copy of this book.

About The Author:

Ann Mah is an American food and travel writer based in Washington DC and Paris. She is of several books, including Jacqueline in Paris (coming soon in September 2022), and the USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestseller, The Lost Vintage. She contributes regularly to the New York Times Travel section and her articles have also appeared in the Washington Post, Condé Nast Traveler, The Best American Travel Writing, The New York Times Footsteps, Washingtonian magazine, Vogue.com, BonAppetit.com, Food52.com, TheKitchn.com, and other publications.

As the recipient of a James Beard Foundation culinary scholarship, Ann studied in Bologna, Italy. She also holds the Level 2 Award in Wine and Spirits with distinction from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust (WSET).

Book Synopsis:

CAT LADY [n.]
Single, independent, crazy, aloof, on-the-shelf, lives alone . . .

It’s safer for Mia to play the part that people expect. She’s a good wife to her husband Tristan, a doting stepmother, she slips on her suit for work each morning like a new skin.

But beneath the surface, there’s another woman just clawing to get out . . .

When a shocking event shatters the conventional life she’s been so careful to build, Mia is faced with a choice. Does she live for a society that’s all too quick to judge, or does she live for herself?

And if that’s as an independent woman with a cat, then the world better get ready . . .

Fresh, funny and for anyone who’s ever felt astray, CAT LADY will help you belong – because a woman always lands on her feet.

My Review:

Cat Lady is a funny, emotional story that was much more than I was expecting.

The book starts off a little slowly as the author sets the scene and we learn more about Mia. On the surface she seems to have a wonderful life but when we look deeper there’s a few things that she’s struggling with which resonated with me as I think this is the case for a lot of people. It did take me a while to warm to Mia though but I soon found myself firmly on her side wanting things to get better for her.

I’m not a big cat fan, due to a rather vicious cat I met in my childhood, but even I couldn’t fail to be moved by some of the scenarios in this book. Mia’s obvious love for her cat Pigeon (great name) was beautiful to read about and I found myself feeling glad that they had each other when everything was going wrong.

Overall I really enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more from this author in the future. The author’s writing style makes the book easy to read and there always seemed to be something happening to help keep my interest. There are some extremely funny moments in this book which had me laughing out loud – especially at some of the banter and ridiculous scenarios Mia finds herself in. It was lovely to go on this emotional journey with Mia and see how different she is from the start.

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:

DAWN O’PORTER lives in Los Angeles with her husband Chris, her two boys Art and Valentine, two cats Myrtle and Boo and two dogs; Puffin and Meatloaf.

Dawn is the bestselling author of The Cows and the Richard and Judy Book Club pick So Lucky, and her latest non-fiction title Life in Pieces was also a Sunday Times bestseller.

Dawn started out in TV production but quickly landed in front of the camera, making numerous documentaries that included immersive investigations of Polygamy, Size Zero, Childbirth, Free Love, Breast Cancer and the movie Dirty Dancing.

Dawn’s journalism has appeared in multiple publications and she was the monthly columnist for Glamour magazine. She is now a full-time writer of eight books, Co-Founder and Director of Choose Love Inc., designs dresses for Joanie Clothing, LOVES Instagram, and has a large following on her Patreon blog.

https://linktr.ee/DawnOPorter

@hotpatooties

/DawnOPorter

I’m a huge fan of Jill Mansell so I was very excited to get a copy of her new book Promise Me which is out on the 19th January 2023 just in time to cheer me up after Christmas is over! I can’t wait to snuggle up and read this soon.

What’s your favourite Jill Mansell book?

Book Synopsis:

One minute Lou is happily employed, with a perfect flat. The next, her home and job have gone. Suddenly she has to start over.

The last thing Lou wants is to move to a tiny Cotswolds village. She certainly doesn’t intend to work for curmudgeonly eighty-year-old Edgar Allsopp. But Edgar is about to make her the kind of promise nobody could ignore. In return, she secretly vows to help him fall in love with life again.

Foxwell is also home to Remy, whose charm and charisma are proving hard to ignore. But Lou hasn’t recovered from the last time she fell for a charmer. She needs a distraction – and luckily one’s about to turn up.

Secrets never stay hidden for long in Foxwell, nor are promises always kept. And no one could guess what lies ahead…

About The Author:

‘The queen of witty, heart-warming, feel-good love stories’ Red

Jill Mansell’s books are full of love, life and friendship and have been bringing joy to readers for twenty-five years. She started writing fiction while working in the NHS, after joining a local creative writing class. She has since written over twenty Sunday Times bestsellers, including MAYBE THIS TIME, THIS COULD CHANGE EVERYTHING and YOU AND ME, ALWAYS, and her books have sold over 11 million copies around the world.

Jill’s hobbies include buying stationery, particularly magical new colours of ink for the fountain pen she uses to write all her books – Jill is one of the few authors who still write their books by hand. Jill also loves people-watching and finding new characters to put in her novels. So when you’re out, make sure to always be on your best behaviour. And beware of beady-eyed authors carrying notebooks . . .

Jill keeps in touch with her readers on Twitter – @JillMansell – and Facebook – /OfficialJillMansell.

Book Synopsis:

Remember, remember, the fifth of November…

1605: Anne Catesby fears for her family. Her son, the darkly charismatic Robert, is secretly plotting to kill the King, placing his wife and child in grave danger. Anne must make a terrible choice: betray her only child, or risk her family’s future.

Present day: When her dreams of becoming a musician are shattered, Lucy takes refuge in her family’s ancestral home in Oxfordshire. Everyone knows it was originally home to Robert Catesby, the gunpowder plotter. As Lucy spends more time in the beautiful winter garden that Robert had made, she starts to have strange visions of a woman in Tudor dress, terrified and facing a heartbreaking dilemma.

As Lucy and Anne’s stories converge, a shared secret that has echoed through the centuries separating them, will change Lucy’s life forever…

Sweeping generations from the 1600s to the present day, with the enthralling Gunpowder Plot at its heart, Nicola Cornick’s utterly enchanting new timeslip novel will sweep you off your feet. Perfect for fans of Lucinda Riley, Barbara Erskine and Kate Morton.

My Review:

I’m a huge fan of this author and always immediately preorder her books when I find out she has a new one out. I absolutely loved this absorbing, intriguing read which I will be recommending to everyone.

The story is told in two timelines one following events that lead up to The Gunpowder Plot and the other in the present day following an archaeological dig to try and uncover a lost Tudor garden. I remember doing The Gunpowder Plot at school but don’t remember much of it so I absolutely loved learning more about the period and the events that lead up to it. The author perfectly blends fact with fiction to make for a really intriguing read which lead to lots of googling sessions to find out more. I also really loved the present day storyline as I always love following archeological digs (huge Time Team fan here). The supernatural elements helped add a special touch to this book and helped create some of the intrigue in this book as you wonder why it’s happening. Unusually for me I actually loved both timelines equally and enjoyed watching them both unfold.

I quickly found myself absorbed into the story and into the lives of the characters. There always seemed to be something happening to keep my interest and even when there wasn’t I was so involved in the story and interested in the historical details that I couldn’t put it down. It’s a book that helped keep me sane this half term and had me hiding away from the kids as I had to read just one more page, chapter anything I could! The two storylines gradually merge together and I loved the natural, unforced way this happens. I can’t wait to read more from this author!

Huge thanks to HQ stories for inviting me onto the blog tour and for my copy of this book. Highly recommended by me!

About The Author:

USA Today bestselling author Nicola Cornick has written over thirty historical romances for Harlequin and HQN Books. She has been nominated twice for a RWA RITA Award and twice for the UK RNA Award. She works as a historian and guide in a seventeenth century house. In 2006 she was awarded a Masters degree with distinction from Ruskin College, Oxford, where she wrote her dissertation on heroes.

Book Synopsis:

The heart breaking story of a family, driven from their home by war. Like millions of others, they attempt the treacherous journey across a war-torn continent, trying to reach the safety of Europe. The sad truth is, Europe doesn’t want them and thousands of them are dying every month. This story is fast-paced and Conrad Jones will drag you from the first page to the last, at one-hundred miles an hour. It will make you laugh, it will make you cry, but most of all, it will make you think. What would you do if it was you?

My Review:

The Journey is a fast paced, twisty and utterly absorbing thriller from a talented writer.

I was immediate drawn into the story and into the nightmare Beb’s family find themselves in. I didn’t know much about the war in Africa that forces them to leave their home so I found it very interesting to learn more about it. The author’s writing is so vivid I felt that I was actually there alongside the family, experiencing everything alongside them. I think I went through every emotion whilst reading and have a much greater sympathy for any refugees.

The author writes honestly about the war which can lead to some extremely harrowing moments. This book is definitely not for the faint hearted and I often found myself getting very emotional about everything that happens. My tension in the book never eases off and I soon found myself unable to put the book down as I had to find out if the family make it to safety.

Huge thanks to Zooloo Blog Tours for inviting me onto the blog tour and to the author for my copy of this book. This is a very important book that I feel everyone should read.

About The Author:

Conrad Jones spent 12 years working for the biggest quick service restaurant brand in the world.On March 20th 1993 the IRA terrorist organization bombed the shopping center outside the restaurant he was managing that day. The experience fueled an interest in the root causes of extremist terrorists and the reasoning why its perpetrators feel justified in taking innocent lives. That incident sparked the story of ‘Soft Target’.

Book Synopsis:

Could a sprinkling of magic save Christmas this year?Amid the salt marshes and rolling fields of Periwinkle Bay, Magda Conway is enjoying her retirement in ivy-clad Mistletoe Cottage.Yet with three weeks to go until Christmas, as the fairy lights twinkle and the trees go up around the village, her peace is disrupted when she’s left in sole charge of her two mischievous grandchildren.Before long, she’s at her wit’s end – but high on a kitchen shelf lies her mother’s handwritten recipe book. And as she turns to it for advice, she finds more than just recipes between its tattered covers: there’s a pinch of magic too, and maybe even a sprinkling of love . . .

Mistletoe Cottage is out in ebook and paperback on the 27th October 2022. You can pre-order you copy using the links below.

My Review:

Coming Home To Mistletoe Cottage is a heartwarming, festive and magical read that will be perfect for cuddling up with this Christmas.

Firstly I had mixed feelings about the main character Magda at first as she came across as being very self absorbed though I did sympathise with her a bit as it can be hard to deal with other people’s grief when you’re grieving yourself. She slowly grew on me however as the book went on and as the reader learns more about her life as a single mum. It was quite poignant to see how much she had given up but quite lovely to see how many people had rallied to help her. My favourite characters were actually the twins who’s exploits I loved to read about (it’s always funnier when it’s not your own children). Their behaviour lead to some of the funnier moments in the books and I often found myself laughing out loud at their antics, though it was sad to see how affected they were by their parent’s absence.

The discovery of the cookery book was a wonderful touch and lead to some of my favourite moments in the book. It was truly heartwarming to see Magda slowly learning to cook and to heal throughout the book, almost like her dear mum was trying to help her like she wanted. I had tears in my eyes during some of these moments as I thought they were so beautiful.

Overall I loved this book and will be re-reading it nearer to Christmas. The book is very absorbing and I soon found myself drawn into Magda’s life. There was always something happening to keep my interest and I loved soaking up the community feel in the village, where I’d love to live myself. I closed the book with a happy sigh at having read a great story but also with a hint of sadness at having to leave Magda and her family behind

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

About The Author:

Previously a teacher and assistant head, Celia Anderson now writes full time and is an enthusiastic member of the Romantic Novelists Association, having graduated from their wonderful New Writers’ Scheme. She writes stories with a strong flavour of magical realism and her fourth such novel with Harper Collins, Coming Home to Mistletoe Cottage, will be published in October 2022.Celia loves flower arranging but tries to avoid gardening, plays the piano very badly and is a jigsaw addict. She is a doting grandma to Ida and Levi and has tried several times to learn to knit them jumpers without much success (or joy). Some hobbies are probably best left alone.Currently living as far away from any beaches as you can possibly get in mainland UK, Celia has always dreamt of living by the sea, and that dream will hopefully soon become a reality. She loves walking, reading, having large bubbly baths, eating, and drinking wine. Over the years, she has found that all of these activities bar the first may be done simultaneously, although this can be messy…

I treat myself to an Orenda subscription from Bert’s Books every month and I’m always very excited to see what fabulous looking book I’m going to get. Each book comes wrapped up.in a colourful ribbon which my daughter also loves using in her hair so win win.

If you are interested in getting an Orenda subscription please visit Bert Books website linked below. You can get 20% off your first month using code ORENDA20.

Book Synopsis:

When entrepreneur Flosi arrives home for dinner one night, he discovers that his house has been ransacked, and his wife Gudrun missing. A letter on the kitchen table confirms that she has been kidnapped. If Flosi doesn’t agree to pay an enormous ransom, Gudrun will be killed. 

Forbidden from contacting the police, he gets in touch with Áróra, who specialises in finding hidden assets, and she, alongside her detective friend Daniel, try to get to the bottom of the case without anyone catching on.

Meanwhile, Áróra and Daniel continue the puzzling, devastating search for Áróra’s sister Ísafold, who disappeared without trace. As fog descends, in a cold and rainy Icelandic autumn, the investigation becomes increasingly dangerous, and confusing. 

Chilling, twisty and unbearably tense, Red as Blood is the second instalment in the riveting, addictive An Áróra Investigation series, and everything is at stake…

About The Author:

Icelandic crime-writer Lilja Sigurdardóttir was born in the town of Akranesin 1972 and raised in Mexico, Sweden, Spain and Iceland. An award-winning playwright, Lilja has written four crime novels, with Snare, the first in a new series and Lilja’s English debut shortlisting for the CWA International Dagger and hitting bestseller lists worldwide. Trap soon followed suit, with the third in the trilogy Cage winning the Best Icelandic Crime Novel of the Year, and was a Guardian Book of the Year. Lilja’s standalone Betrayal, was shortlisted for the Glass Key Award for Best Nordic Crime Novel. In 2021, Cold as Hell, the first in the An Áróra Investigation series was published, with Red as Blood to follow in 2022. The film rights have been bought by Palomar Pictures in California. Lilja is also an award-winning screenwriter in her native Iceland. She lives in Reykjavík with her partner.

About The Translator:

Quentin Bates escaped English suburbia as a teenager, jumping at the chance of a gap year working in Iceland. For a variety of reasons, the gap year stretched to become a gap decade, during which time he went native in the north of Iceland, acquiring a new language a new profession as a seaman and a family, before decamping en masse for England. He worked as a truck driver, teacher, netmaker and trawlerman at various times before falling into journalism, largely by accident. He is the author of a series of crime novels set in present-day Iceland (Frozen Out, Cold Steal, Chilled to the Bone, Winterlude, Cold Comfort and Thin Ice which have been published worldwide. He has translated all of Ragnar Jónasson’s Dark Iceland series.

Book Synopsis:

From Colleen Hoover, the #1 Sunday Times bestselling author of It Ends with Us, a heart-wrenching love story that proves attraction at first sight can be messy.

When Tate Collins meets airline pilot Miles Archer, she doesn’t think it’s love at first sight. They wouldn’t even go so far as to consider themselves friends. The only thing Tate and Miles have in common is an undeniable mutual attraction. Once their desires are out in the open, they realise they have the perfect set-up. He doesn’t want love, she doesn’t have time for love, so that just leaves the sex. Their arrangement could be surprisingly seamless, as long as Tate can stick to the only two rules Miles has for her.

Never ask about the past.
Don’t expect a future.

They think they can handle it, but realise almost immediately they can’t handle it at all.

Hearts get infiltrated.
Promises get broken.
Rules get shattered.
Love gets ugly.
 

My Review:

Ugly Love is only the second Colleen Hoover book I’ve read but she’s quickly becoming one of my favourite authors. When I first started reading her someone warned me her books were very addictive and they were definitely right.

I was immediately drawn into the story with it’s rather unusual start and quickly fell in love with Tate and Miles. Theirs is an interesting relationship and it was fun to follow them as they try to explore what they actually mean to each other. The story is told from Tate’s point of view in the present day and flashes back to Miles’s past. Through this the reader starts to understand him better and realise there’s a reason behind his behaviour.

The story has a great pace to it and quickly becomes very addictive. I quickly found I couldn’t put the book down as I wanted to find out what was going to happen with them both and raced through the book in a couple of days. This being a Colleen Hoover book there are some rather steamy moments but also some very emotional ones which left me in tears by the end.

The ending was beautiful and I closed the book very sad that it had ended. I’m hoping there might be a sequel in the future as I’d love to read more about Tate, Miles and the lovely Cap! If you haven’t read anything by this author yet I strongly recommend you pick one up soon.

About The Author:

Colleen Hoover is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of more than twenty-three novels, including It Ends with Us, All Your Perfects, Ugly Love, and Verity. In 2015, Colleen and her family founded a non-profit called The Bookworm Box, a bookstore and monthly book-subscription service that has donated over $1,000,000 to various charities to date. Colleen lives in Texas with her husband and their three boys. For more information, please visit ColleenHoover.com.

Good morning everyone I’m on the blog tour for The Visitors by Owen Kinght today. As part of the tour I have a special feature to share with you where Owen tells us 10 Things About Him.

You can find the feature below but first a little bit about the book.

Book Synopsis:

Fourteen years ago, Peter saved the world. Now, his sister Emily and two strangers receive coded invitations to return to the hidden village of Templewood, where Peter faces a new, terrifying threat.

Templewood is home to the Sect, a secretive organisation intent on global power. They have infiltrated many Governments and are collaborating with the Visitors: alien invaders who have brought gifts of advanced scientific and genetic discoveries. These gifts will potentially provide enormous benefits for humanity and facilitate the Sect’s bid for power.

But at what cost and what is the Visitors’ motive? Why are they taking, then retuning, increasing numbers of the local population? Peter, Emily, and their friends must uncover the truth before their worst fears are confirmed.

10 Things About Me by Owen W Knight

1. The Visitors is my fifth published novel. I am two-thirds through writing the sixth.

2. The first three comprised a YA trilogy. The fourth, Another Life, is speculative fiction, combining the Green Man legend with a quest and cutting-edge science. The Visitors is grounded science fiction; my next book is in the contemporary horror genre. I am gradually progressing through the entire speculative fiction genre.

3. The Visitors examines the use and abuse of power and the moral choices that individuals and governments make. It questions our place and role in the universe.

4. While my stories deal with fantastic themes, nothing happens that could not be true in real life.

5. I believe the best ideas often come from identifying two unrelated themes and creating unexpected links between them.

6. Myths and legends are an excellent source of material for new stories. Some are firmly embedded in our psyche. Their deep roots stretch into the history and shared experience of our forebears. They have much to teach us today.

7. I like to set my books in hidden locations that don’t appear on maps. This creates the possibility of societies whose rules are different from the norm.

8. I write slowly, typically taking a year to research, write, revise and edit each book. My aim is to write one new book a year.

9. Last year, to my surprise, a record producer brought out an album of songs I recorded with a group of friends as a demo disc fifty years ago. He also bought one of four surviving copies of the original from me for £1,000. It’s a shame now that, thirty years ago, I threw away several copies.

10. I have visited several countries some people have not heard of, including Timor Leste, Djibouti and Vanuatu.

About The Author:

Owen W Knight writes contemporary and speculative fiction. He creates worlds based on documented myths, with elements of dystopia, mystery and science fiction, highlighting the use and abuse of power and the conflicts associated with maintaining ethical values.His previous books include Another Life, subtitled ‘It’s a Wonderful Life for the 21st Century’ and The Invisible College Trilogy, an apocalyptic, dystopian, conspiracy tale for young adults, described as ‘1984 Meets the Book of Revelation’.Owen lives in Essex, England, close to the countryside that inspires his writing.