Book Synopsis:

Everything is about to change…

1789. Pierre and Catherine Aubert, the Comte and Comtesse de Verais, have fled the palace of Versailles for their château, deep in the French Alps. But as revolution spreads through the country, even hidden away the Auberts will not be safe forever. Soon they must make a terrible decision in order to protect themselves, and their children, from harm.

Present day. When Lu’s mother dies leaving her heartbroken, the chance to move to a château in the south of France with her husband and best friends seems an opportunity for a new beginning. But Lu can’t resist digging into their new home’s history, and when she stumbles across the unexplained disappearance of Catherine Aubert, the château begins to reveal its secrets – and a mystery unsolved for centuries is uncovered…

Unlock the secret of the château today. Perfect for fans of Kate Morton, Fiona Valpy and The Forgotten Village!

The Secrets Of The Château is available in ebook now for the bargain price of £2.99 and in paperback on the 23rd July 2020. You can purchase or pre-order your copy using the link below.

My Review:

This was another wonderful dual timeline story from one of my favourite authors.

The story is told in two timelines, switching in alternate chapters from present day France and France at the time of the revolution. I actually enjoyed both timelines and found them both to be very easy to follow with no confusion between the two when they switched. This made for easy reading and meant that I raced through the book in a couple of days.

There is lots of fantastic historical detail in this book about what life was like in Versailles during Louis XVI reign. I’ve always been fascinated by this period of history so found it very interesting to learn more about that time. The great gap that existed between ordinary people and the aristocracy was huge and made it quite a harrowing time to live through. It’s unbelievable to think of the conditions that some people lived in now.

Overall I thought this was a fast paced absorbing read which I really enjoyed. I did guess what the secret was but that didn’t stop me really enjoying the story. I can’t wait to read more from this author in the future.

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

About The Author:

Kathleen McGurl lives in Bournemouth, UK, with her husband. She has two sons who have both now left home. She always wanted to write, and for many years was waiting until she had the time. Eventually she came to the bitter realisation that no one would pay her for a year off work to write a book, so she sat down and started to write one anyway. Since then she has published several novels with HQ and self-published another. She has also sold dozens of short stories to women’s magazines, and written three How To books for writers. After a long career in the IT industry she became a full time writer in 2019. When she’s not writing, she’s often out running, slowly. Website: kathleenmcgurl.com Twitter: @KathMcGurl

Book Synopsis:

A moving and emotional family drama set between France and Britain from bestselling author, Mary Wood.

They would fight for their country, at all costs . . .

When Sibbie and Marjie arrive at RAF Digby, they are about to take on roles of national importance. It’s a cause of great excitement for everyone around them. Perhaps they will become code-breakers, spies even? Soon the pair embark on a rigorous training regime, but nothing can prepare them for what they’re about to face . . .

Amid the vineyards of rural France, Flora and Ella can’t bear the thought of another war. But as the thunderclouds grow darker, hanging over Europe, a sense of deep foreboding sets in, not just for their safety but for the fate of their families . . . With danger looming, as the threat of war becomes real, Flora and Ella are forced to leave their idyllic home and flee. Can they make it to safety, or will the war have further horrors in store for them?

The Brave Daughters is the fourth book in the Girls Who Went to War series by Mary Wood.

The Brave Daughter is available in ebook and paperback now. You can purchase your copy using the link below.

My Review:

As I might have mentioned once or twice I’m a huge fan of this author and I have thoroughly enjoyed this series. This was a fantastic way to end this series even though I’m sad that’s it’s ending.

It was great to catch up with Flora, Ella, Mags and their children as they take on new challenges in the second world war. I can only imagine what it must have felt like to be dropped behind enemy lines but thanks to the author’s vivid descriptions I felt I was able to live some of the experience through the characters.

As a parent myself I can well imagine how hard it is letting your children go off to help in a war when you have experience of it. As we have come to expect from this author she doesn’t hold back in describing the gritty, harrowing reality of war which does make for difficult reading at times. It’s hard to imagine that ordinary people put themselves through so much and it helps the reader to understand what a brave thing they did for their country.

Overall I thought this was a fast paced absorbing read that I flew through in a few days. This is the final book in the series but the author does include updates from previous books so you could maybe read it as a standalone – though it’s best to read from the beginning in my opinion. I’m very sad to have finished the series and left behind all the fabulous characters. I can’t wait to see what Mary comes up with next.

Huge thanks to Ellis from Pan Macmillan for inviting me onto the blog tour and for my copy of this book.

About The Author:

Born in Maidstone, Kent, in 1945, the thirteenth child of fifteen children, Mary’s family settled in Leicestershire after the war ended. Mary married young and now, after 54 years of happy marriage, four children, 12 grandchildren and many great-grandchildren, Mary and her husband live in Blackpool, United Kingdom during the summer and Spain during the winter – a place that Mary calls, ‘her writing retreat’. After many jobs from cleaning to catering, all chosen to fit in with bringing up her family, and boost the family money-pot, Mary ended her 9 – 5 working days as a Probation Service Officer, a job that showed her another side to life, and which influences her writing, bringing a realism and grittiness to her novels Mary first put pen to paper, in 1989, but it wasn’t until 2010 that she finally found some success by self-publishing on kindle. Being spotted by an editor at Pan Macmillan in 2013, finally saw Mary reach her publishing dream. When not writing, Mary enjoys family time, reading, eating out, and gardening. One of her favourite pastimes is interacting with her readers on her Facebook page. http://www.facebook.com/HistoricalNovels And on her web page: http://www.authormarywood.com She is also on Twitter: @Authormary Mary welcomes all contact with her readers and feedback on her work.

Book Synopsis:

A gorgeous new romantic comedy about taking chances and realising your dreams.

Libby Quinn is sick and tired of being sensible.

After years of slogging her guts out for nothing at a PR company, she finds herself redundant and about to plough every last penny of her savings into refurbishing a ramshackle shop and making her dream of owning her own bookshop become a reality.

She hopes opening ‘Once Upon A Book’ on Ivy Lane will be the perfect tribute to her beloved grandfather who instilled a love of reading and books in her from an early age.

When her love life and friendships become even more complicated – will Libby have the courage to follow her dreams? Or has she bitten off more than she can chew?

The Hopes And Dreams Of Libby Quinn is available in ebook and paperback. You can purchase your copy of both using the link below.

My Review:

This was a wonderful, absorbing story about love, friendship and chasing your dreams which was hugely enjoyable. It was just the book I needed to distract me from normal life.

One of my biggest day dreams is opening a book shop of my own so I must admit to being a little bit jealous of her. It was great fun however to live precariously through her and be able to experience exactly what running a book shop would be like. It’s perhaps a little more difficult then I anticipated and I started to feel a little protective of Libby when things started to go wrong as I had grown quite fond of her. I found I had to keep reading to find out how things would work out for her.

Overall I thought this was a really compelling, well written book which drew me in from the start. The characters were really realistic and I felt a great connection to them which made me feel quite involved in the story. I’m a big fan of this author’s psychological thrillers and I’m now a huge fan of these books too. I can’t wait to read more!

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

About The Author:

Freya Kennedy is the pen name of Derry based author Claire Allan – who is perhaps best known for her psychological thrillers!
However, before turning a life of crime, Claire wrote women’s fiction for Irish publisher Poolbeg Press, her reinvention as Freya Kennedy will see her bring some love, laughter and heart-warming happiness to readers.
A true Derry girl, Freya Kennedy has lived all her life in the north of Ireland. She worked for 18 years as a journalist and has been writing full time since 2016.
She is a huge fan of all kinds of books, from Marian Keyes (she cried the first time she met Marian), to Rowan Coleman, to Jane Fallon, to Jojo Moyes.
She also enjoys a good murder!
She continues to live in Derry with her husband, her two children, two cats and the best dog in the world.

Book Synopsis:

Whispers in the courtroom.
Only one juror hears them.
Can Laura expose the truth before the trial ends?

In an old courtroom, a hissing voice distracts reluctant juror, Laura, and at night recurring nightmares transport her to a Victorian gaol and the company of a wretched woman. Although burdened by her own secret guilt, and struggling to form meaningful relationships, Laura isn’t one to give up easily when faced with an extraordinary situation.

The child-like whispers lead Laura to an old prison graveyard, where she teams up with enthusiastic museum curator, Sean. He believes a missing manuscript is the key to understanding her haunting dreams. But nobody knows if it actually exists.

Laura is confronted with the fate of two people – the man in the dock accused of defrauding a charity for the blind, and the restless spirit of a woman hanged over a century ago for murder. If Sean is the companion she needs in her life, will he believe her when she realises that the two mysteries are converging around a long-forgotten child who only Laura can hear?

Ordinary women.
Extraordinary experiences.

Beyond The Yew Tree is available in ebook and paperback now. You can purchase your copy using the link below.

My Review:

I so enjoyed this book which is part historical, part ghost story with a little bit of crime thrown in. I’m a big fan of dual timeline stories so this book really appealed to me.

This story goes between a modern day juror called Laura and her investigation into the weird dreams she’s been having since joining Jury service and a woman from the Victorian era who is in jail for murder which was an interesting mix. Unusually for me I enjoyed following both timelines equally so I felt I could relax and just enjoy the story. It was really interesting to follow Laura on her investigation especially as she visits some real historical buildings which were fun to look up on the internet. The descriptions of the Victorian jail were really vivid and allowed me to understand what it would have been like being incarcerated there. It was definitely a bleak, hopelessly place and I was very glad that it wasn’t me!

The pace of the story does start off quite slowly as the author sets the scene but it soon picks up and I found myself totally absorbed. The different timelines weave together nicely and it was very satisfying to see how everything is connected at the end. This was the first book I’ve read by this author and I’ll definitely be interested in reading 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:

Born in the Midlands, I grew up in East Anglia and am now firmly lodged in the North West of England. My first writing achievement was my Brownie badge and after that I’ve never let go of the dream of becoming of an author. Once a librarian and caretaker of books, I’m now a teller of tales and want to share with you the secrets that hide in the pages of my books. Please stop by my website – rachelwalkley.com and find out more about my books in the making.

Good morning everyone I’m pleased to be on the cover reveal for the fabulous JP Delaney’s new book, Playing Nice. I’m a huge fan of this author’s clever thrillers and can’t wait to read this one. I really like the simplicity of this cover as it doesn’t give much away which makes me very intrigued!

Playing Nice is published in ebook on the 28th July 2020 and in hardback on the 6th August 2020. You can pre-order your copy using the link below.

Book Synopsis:

Pete Riley answers the door one morning to a parent’s worst nightmare. On his doorstep is Miles Lambert, who breaks the devastating news that Pete’s two-year-old, Theo, isn’t Pete’s real son – their babies got mixed up at birth.

The two families – Pete, his partner Maddie, and Miles and his wife Lucy – agree that, rather than swap the boys back, they’ll try to find a more flexible way to share their children’s lives. But a plan to sue the hospital triggers an investigation that unearths disturbing questions about just what happened the day the babies were switched.

And when Theo is thrown out of nursery for hitting other children, Maddie and Pete have to ask themselves: how far do they want this arrangement to go? What secrets lie hidden behind the Lamberts’ smart front door? How much can they trust the real parents of their child – or even each other?

An addictive psychological thriller, perfect for fans of The Silent Patient and Shari Lapena’s The Couple Next Door.

Early Praise:

See what everyone is saying about JP Delaney, the hottest name in psychological thrillers:

‘DAZZLING’ – Lee Child
‘ADDICTIVE’ – Daily Express
‘DEVASTATING’ – Daily Mail
‘INGENIOUS’ – New York Times
‘COMPULSIVE’ – Glamour Magazine
‘ELEGANT’ – Peter James
‘SEXY’ – Mail on Sunday
‘ENTHRALLING’ – Woman and Home
‘ORIGINAL’ – The Times
‘RIVETING’ – Lisa Gardner
‘CREEPY’ – Heat
‘SATISFYING’ – Reader’s Digest
‘SUPERIOR’ – The Bookseller
‘MORE THAN A MATCH FOR PAULA HAWKINS’ – Sunday Times

About The Author:

JP Delaney is a pseudonym for a British writer of psychological suspense who has previously written best-selling fiction under other names. THE GIRL BEFORE was an instant New York Times and Sunday Times bestseller and was published in over 40 countries. The follow-up, BELIEVE ME, was also an international bestseller. THE PERFECT WIFE will be published summer 2019. For more information, go to http://www.jpdelaney.co.uk or follow @jpdelaneywriter on Facebook.

Book Synopsis:

Girl. Mother. Assassin.

How dangerous is a woman with nothing left to lose?

The year is 1905. London is a playground for the rich and a death trap for the poor. When Sofia Logan’s husband dies unexpectedly, leaving her penniless with two young children, she knows she will do anything to keep them from the workhouse. But can she bring herself to murder? Even if she has done it before…

Emmet Vinsant, wealthy industrialist, offers Sofia a job in one of his gaming houses. He knows more about Sofia’s past than he has revealed. Brought up as part of a travelling fair, she’s an expert at counting cards and spotting cheats, and Vinsant puts her talents to good use. His demands on her grow until she finds herself with blood on her hands.

Set against the backdrop of the Suffragette protests, with industry changing the face of the city but disease still rampant, and poverty the greatest threat of all, every decision you make is life or death. Either yours or someone else’s. 

Read the first explosive historical thriller from best-selling crime writer of the DI Callanach series, Helen Fields.

These Lost And Broken Things is available in ebook and paperback now. You can pre-order your copy using the link below.

My Review:

I’m a huge fan of this author’s other books so I was very intrigued to learn she had written an historical book. Once again the author has managed to write a compelling, addictive read which was hard to put down.

Firstly I loved the main character Sophia who seemed a very strong, brave woman who is determined to survive everything life throws at her. The storyline switches between her adult life and her childhood which enables the reader to learn more about her and what makes her tick. Through this we learn about the darker side of her which was quite unexpected and makes the story very interesting.

I found this to be quite fast paced read which kept me firmly gripped to the page. It’s a book where I often had no idea what was happening which made the book hard to put down as I had to keep reading to find out how everything ended. There is a gritty edge to the book as the author doesn’t hold back in telling things exactly as they were so I found some parts of the book quite harrowing to read.

The ending was absolutely brilliant and the final twist took me completely by surprise as I really wasn’t expecting it. I can’t wait to read more historical fiction from this author.

Huge thanks to Kelly from Love Books Tours for my copy of this book and for inviting me onto the blog tour.

About The Author:

Helen Fields lives in Hampshire with her husband, three children and two dogs. Originally having studied law at UEA, Helen spent thirteen years working as a criminal and family law barrister. She co-owns and runs a media company – Wailing Banshee – with her husband David. Her debut crime novel, Perfect Remains, was released in January 2017 and quickly became an Amazon bestseller. This is a Scottish set detective series, the second book ‘Perfect Prey’ coming out on 27 July 2017. The third book will be released in 2018. Previously Helen had self-published cross-over fantasy books, The Immolation of Eve and The Vengeance of Legion, just to flew her newly forming writing muscles. She enjoyed the process so much that she decided to take it to the net step. As a result she is now represented by Caroline Hardman at the Hardman & Swainson agency, and is published by the Avon imprint of HarperCollins. Helen can be reached via Twitter if you have any questions or comments, on @Helen_Fields. If you really like her, send her liquorice!

Book Synopsis:

Three Friends. Two Secrets. One Hidden Life.

Disastrous choices and heartbreaking consequences, but a love that endures a lifetime.

Growing up around Winston Churchill’s country estate in Kent, Frank, Florence and Hilda are inseparable, but when Frank marries Hilda for duty rather than love, the three friends’ lives fragment.

As WW2 begins to cast its menacing shadow Frank goes on to make other catastrophic choices – the repercussions of which will leave a tragic legacy.

For over fifty years Florence has been the keeper of Frank’s secrets, but soon after his death in 2002 she writes to his grandson, Richard, hinting at his family’s troubled past. Richard digs further and unearths disturbing secrets that not only haunted his grandad, but will impact on him too.

When a pivotal encounter between Frank and Churchill during WW2 is revealed and a mystery relative in a psychiatric hospital discovered, how much more does Florence dare disclose about her and Frank?  And is Richard ready to hear?

Spanning three generations comes a multi-layered and sumptuously atmospheric story showing how – sometimes – the only way forward is through the past.

The Walls We Build is available in ebook and paperback now. You can purchase your copy using the link below.

My Review:

As i might have mentioned once or twice I’m a huge fan of dual timeline, historical fiction so I was very excited to be invited onto the blog tour for The Walls We Build which is by a new author for me.

I was immediately drawn into the story and felt transported back in time to the war years. I know little apart from the basics about Winston Churchill and had never heard of Chartwell House so I really enjoyed learning more about the two. All of the characters were wonderful creations that felt very real as they are all given great backstories which gives the reader a better insight into who they are. I found I really enjoyed learning more about them and following their journey throughout the book.

The slow unraveling of the story and the revealing of all the secrets was cleverly done, with the author managing to keep the intrigue until the end. Just when I thought I had figured out what was happening something would happen to send the story in a new direction. The tension and heartache that the characters go through was well described and seemed to reflect what many people actually went through adding to the realistic feel in the book. I’m normally sceptical when I see author’s compared to Kate Morton but in this case I feel it’s justified and I’m surprised this author isn’t better known as she deserves to be!

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

About The Author:

Jules Hayes lives in Berkshire, UK with her husband, daughter and dog. Jules has been writing for 10 years and The Walls We Build is her debut historical novel, which she began working on whilst attending the Novel Writing course at the Faber Academy in London in 2017. “A compelling story of friendship and the secrets we keep for generations. The poignant and moving narrative had me enthralled.” Critically acclaimed author, Sarah Ward. Jules has a degree in modern history and is fascinated with events from the first half of the 20th century, which is the time period her historical fiction is set. She is currently working on her 2nd historical novel, set in civil war and 1970s Spain, as well as England. You can find more out about Jules at her website: jules-hayes.com Hop over to her website and sign up to her newsletter list, which will give you an exclusive read of a short story, Cliché. See image on the right! Jules’ work has been longlisted in the Mslexia Novel Competiton, and shortlisted in the prestigious Bridport Short Story Competition. You can find her on Twitter: https://twitter.com/JulesHayes6 And her Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/JulesHayesAuthor Jules Hayes is a pseudonym for JA Corrigan: http://www.jacorrigan.com