Book Synopsis:

Saskia is building a home for herself out of the ruins of an old castle. Surrounded by forest, hidden away from everyone and everything, the place is special – it’s the only connection she has left to her father and it’s a hard-won chance to escape from her difficult past and create a new future. She’s spent her whole life trying to find a way to make this project work and finding someone to help her realise her dream has been almost impossible.
 
When local builder Owen finally signs up to manage the construction, things get off to a very bad start. But forced to find a way to work together, both realise that first impressions aren’t always the right ones, and when Owen discovers the forest is hiding a secret that could bring work to a halt, he realises he’s much more invested in the project – and Saskia – than he thought . . .

My Review:

The Forest Hideaway is a beautiful, atmospheric read which I thoroughly enjoyed.

Firstly I really loved the fabulous characters of Saskia and Owen who were great fun to follow throughout the book. They both seemed so real which made it very easy to warm to them and get behind their efforts to restore Gair Castle. Saskia has over a lot of personal obstacles to get to where she is and I loved Owen’s sense of fairness even though I can understand why it was infuriating at times. The gorgeous doggie Brodie was another wonderful character who never failed to make me smile.

The forest setting was beautiful and I loved the author’s vivid descriptions that made me feel that I was actually there. I love walking in a forest as I always feel so at peace when I’m there and the author managed to make me feel like this as I read which I thought was really clever. There’s a history of magic and folklore in attached to the forest too which I found very intriguing.

Overall I really enjoyed this book and I will definitely be recommending it to others. It does start off a bit slowly as the author sets the scene but soon picks up to become a very absorbing read. It was fun watching the characters grow slowly closer together as well as unpicking the mystery surrounding the Forrest.

Huge thanks to Sara Jade from Simon and Schuster for inviting me onto the blog tour.

About The Author:

I’ve been writing since I was a teenager, which is now a distressingly long time ago! I started out as an entertainment journalist – actually, my earliest published work was as a reviewer of science fiction and fantasy books. I went on to become a staff writer and then an editor for print magazines, before beginning to write non-fiction making-of books tied in to film and television, such as The Art and Making of Penny Dreadful and Wonder Woman: The Art and Making of the Film.

I now write both children’s and adult fiction – my first novel was called The Diamond Thief, a Victorian-set steampunk adventure book for the middle grade age group. That won the Redbridge Children’s prize in 2014, and I went on to write two more books in the series before moving on to other adventure books including The Golden Butterfly, which was nominated for the Carnegie Award in 2017, The House of Hidden Wonders, and a YA horror called FIR, which was shortlisted for the Lancashire Book of the Year Award in 2018. My last children’s book (to date) is called The Extraordinary Voyage of Katy Willacott, and was published by Little Tiger in 2023.

My debut adult novel, The House Beneath the Cliffs, was published by Simon & Schuster in August 2021. Since then I’ve written three more: The Lighthouse Bookshop, The Forgotten Garden, and The Secret Orchard, which is out in September 2024. My adult fiction tends to centre on small communities – feel-good tales about how we find where we belong in life and what it means when we do. Although I have also published full-on adult horror stories, which are less about community and more about terror and mayhem…

I was born in Kent but now live in a very small house in an equally small village in northern Cumbria with my husband, who owns a bookshop in the nearby market town of Penrith.

Book Synopsis:

Phoebe Stone arrives at a grand beachside hotel in Rhode Island wearing her best dress and least comfortable shoes. Immediately she is mistaken for one of the wedding people – but she’s actually the only guest at the Cornwall Inn who isn’t here for the big event.

When the bride discovers her elaborate destination wedding could be ruined by a divorced and depressed stranger, she is furious. Lila has spent months accounting for every detail and every possible disaster – except for, well, Phoebe . . . Soon, both women find their best-laid plans derailed and an unlikely confidante in one another.

Hilarious and moving, The Wedding People is an irresistible novel about love, friendship, dysfunctional families, and the unexpected paths that lead to happiness.

My Review:

The Wedding People by Alison Espach

The Wedding People is a warm, uplifting read which manages to be hilarious and emotional at times. I picked up this book expecting a light read and was very pleasantly surprised!

The book follows Phoebe who is feeling suicidal after a tough few years and Lila a spoiled bride who meet when Phoebe choices the hotel Lila is getting married in to try and commit suicide. The pair form an unlikely friendship, each helping the other with the problems they are facing in their lives which was wonderful to read about. It was so nice to see them grow closer as the book progresses and their conversations often made me laugh out loud as they were always so funny together.

I thought the book had a good pace to it and there always seemed to be something happening to keep my interest. The book does discuss some serious topics but I felt they were sensitively handled. I loved to get to know the wedding people and to get a fly on the wall glimpse into the wedding as Phoebe finds herself drawn into the group. As you can probably guess nothing goes quite according to plan but it was great fun watching everything unravel and to see how everything turned out for everyone at the end.

About The Author:

Alison Espach is the author of the novels The Wedding People, Notes on Your Sudden Disappearance, an Indie Next Pick and Amazon Editors’ Pick for 2022, and The Adults, a New York Times Editor’s Choice and Barnes and Noble Discover pick. She has written for McSweeney’s, Vogue, Outside Magazine, Joyland and other places. She teaches creative writing at Providence College in Rhode Island.

Book Synopsis:

Lily Brown is ready to turn the page and see what adventure awaits . . .

Lily Brown prides herself on her organised, surprise-free life. Whether it’s charity yoga for polar bears or crafting a ninety-six-piece balloon arch, Lily always goes the extra mile. But when her adoptive father asks her to reconnect with her birth mother, Lola Starr – a legendary pop punk singer who vanished from fame – Lily decides to venture off the well-trodden path.

With her best friend Seb, Lily tracks Lola to her humble hotel on the beautiful Isle of Skye in Scotland, far from the glamorous life she imagined. Hiding the truth, Lily gets to know Lola and finds a kind, free-spirited woman. If life wasn’t complicated enough – she meets Noah, a charming travel writer on a quest to discover hidden gems.  

As Lily takes a chance and embraces new possibilities, she begins to question whether the safe rules she’s built her life around are what she really needs.

My Review:

The Next Chapter is a heartwarming, funny read which is perfect for reading in the sun or on the beach this summer.

Firstly I absolutely loved Lily who came across as a really lovely, relatable character who I wish I knew in real life. Watching her try to get to know her real mum and make new friends was hilarious to watch at times. I wished I could give her a cuddle and tell her to just be her self as she tried to fit in with her new friends. Her attempts to try to convince people she was an adventurous person while also worrying about health and safety made me laugh out loud as that’s something I think I’d do too.

I thought the book had a great pace to it and there always seemed to be something happening to keep me reading. Even in the quiet moments I was just happy hanging out with Lily and seeing what she would do next. The book does a great job of balancing some funny, light hearted moments with some more emotional ones which I thought were very clever.

I loved the ending and closed the book with a happy sigh though I was very sad to leave Lily behind.

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

About The Author:

Rebecca Ryan lives in Bradford with her husband

and three young children. Although she always

loved writing, it hadn’t really occurred to her that

she could do it professionally. She currently splits

her time between writing and working as a history

teacher at a large comprehensive school. She

enjoys walking in the countryside and takeaways

(if that counts as a hobby), which it probably doesn’t.

Book Synopsis:

Jemma has lived a thousand lives through books. The only life she isn’t living is her own.
That is, until the day she finds a note from a stranger in her favourite library book. When she replies, the pair begin a longhand conversation about their love of novels that sees Jemma finally coming out of her shell. Is she ready to fall in love for the first time – with someone she’s never met?
 
Clara has always run away from her problems, but this might finally be one she can’t escape.
Everyone wants to know what happened to Clara in America – but Clara isn’t talking. Instead she’s focusing all her energy obsessing over a hot new actor, starring in the TV adaptation of her twin Jemma’s favourite book. Soon, Clara is reading every interview, trawling his social media, and following him to showbiz parties in the hopes he’ll notice she’s The One.
 
As the sisters fall hard for two men they’ve never met, it’s time to ask the question: Can either relationship survive the real world?

My Review:

The Book Boyfriend is funny, romantic read that is just made for book lovers.

The story follows twins Clara and Jenna who couldn’t be more different if they tried.  Jenna is the responsible daughter who stuck around, has a steady job and loves to spend her time reading.  Whereas Clara is the happy go lucky twin who doesn’t take anything seriously and is very happy spending her time day dreaming about her favourite actors.  Out of the two girls I much preferred Jenna who I feel most book lovers will completely relate to.  Her attitude towards books and how you should treat them made me warm to her instantly, as did her hatred of film adaptions which I also share.  Clara on the other hand came across as a bit of a brat, not caring about how her actions might hurt others and just wanting to have fun.  I think she’d make a nightmare housemate and I felt very glad that it wasn’t me having to share with her.

I thought the book had a great pace to it and there always seems to be something happening to keep me reading.  The author has created some absolutely fabulous characters who I just enjoyed hanging out throughout the book.  They seem to have a lot of fun together and it was great to follow their antics.  As a book lover I loved the idea of a romance starting through notes left in my favourite book.  I felt completely invested in the budding relationship from the start and very intrigued to find out who they might be.  There were lots of red herrings that kept me guessing and meant that ultimately I was unable to guess who they were before the reveal which I always love. 

About The Author:

Lucy Vine is a writer, editor and columnist. She’s the best selling author of Hot Mess (2017), What Fresh Hell (2018), Are We Nearly There Yet? (2019), Bad Choices (2021), Seven Exes (2023) and Date With Destiny (2024)

Book Synopsis:

Inspired by an infamous real-life case, The Mourning Necklace is the unforgettable feminist historical novel from the Women’s Prize-longlisted author of The Maiden, Kate Foster.

They said I would swing for the crime, and I did . . .

1724. In a tavern just outside Edinburgh, Maggie Dickson’s family drown their sorrows, mourning her death yet relieved she is gone. Shame haunts them. Hanged for the murder of her newborn child, passers-by avert their eyes from her cheap coffin on its rickety cart.

But as her family pray her soul rests in peace, a figure appears at the door.

It is Maggie. She is alive.

Bruised and dazed, Maggie has little time for her family’s questions. All that matters to her is answering this one: will they hang her twice?

Book Review:

The Mourning Necklace is a gripping, absorbing and poignant read which I really enjoyed.

The story follows the real life events of Maggie Dickson, a fish hawker who lived in the early 18th century and managed to survive being hung. Maggie is a very sympathetic character who I enjoyed learning more about. She works hard to overcome the problems she faces purely by being a woman. I loved her strength in the face of diversity and that she tried to do the right thing even when facing death.

The author does a great job setting the scene so that the reader feels transported to the time as if they are watching events unfold. It was very poignant learning more about how powerless the law made women which meant they didn’t even have control over their own bodies. I really felt for Maggie and all she goes through, particularly as I’ve lost a baby myself so I could relate to all she must have been feeling.

Overall I really enjoyed this fabulous read which I’ll definitely be recommending to others. The story has a great pace to it and there always seemed to be something happening to keep me reading. The dual timeline aspect of before and after the hanging was very intriguing as it allowed the reader to learn more about Maggie’s life. This helps the reader build an emotional attachment to Maggie which makes the later events harder to deal with.

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

If you’re a fan of absorbing historical fiction featuring historical characters you might not have known about them I highly recommend this book.

About The Author:

Kate Foster worked as a national newspaper journalist for more than twenty years before becoming an author. Growing up in Edinburgh, she became fascinated by its history and often uses it as inspiration for her stories. Her previous novels include The Maiden, which won the Bloody Scotland Crime Debut of the Year and was longlisted for the Women’s Prize for Fiction, and The King’s Witches. The Mourning Necklace is her third novel. She lives in Edinburgh with her two children.

Eek I was incredibly excited to receive a copy of The Society Of The Objects by Gareth Brown today. I was a huge fan of his debut novel, The Book Of Doors, so I can’t wait to read this one soon.

Huge thanks to the amazing Ollie Martin for sending this to me it’s really appreciated.

Out August 2025.

Find out more about the book below ⬇️

Book Synopsis:

The world of unknowable objects – magical items that most people have no idea possess powers – has been quiet for decades . . .

But three current members of a secret society have remained watchful, meeting every six months in the basement of a bookshop in London. They are pledged to protect their archive of magical items hidden away, safe from the outside world – and keep the world safe from them. But when Frank Simpson, the longest-standing member of the Society of Unknowable Objects, hears of a new artefact coming to light in Hong Kong, he sends the Society’s newest member, author Magda Sparks, to investigate.

Within hours of arriving in Hong Kong, Magda is facing death and danger, confronted by a professional killer who seems to know all about unknowable objects, specifically one that was stolen from him a decade before. Magda is forced to flee, using an artefact that not even the rest of the Society knows about.

Returning to London, Magda learns hers is not the only secret being kept from the other two members. And that the most pernicious secret is about the nature of the Society’s mission. Her discoveries will lead her on a perilous journey, across the Atlantic to the deep south of the United States – not in pursuit of an unknowable object, but an unknowable person: the killer she first faced in Hong Kong. In doing so, Magda begins to understand that there are even more in the world who are chasing these magical items, and that her own family’s legacy is tied up in keeping all these secrets under wraps.

Magic has always been too powerful to reveal to the world. But Magda will learn there might be something even more powerful: the truth.

About The Author:

Gareth Brown wanted to be a writer from a very young age, and he completed his first novel as a teenager. That novel wasn’t very good and he’s been working on his writing ever since. For the last twenty years he has worked in the UK Civil Service and the NHS while writing in his spare time.

When not working or writing, Gareth loves travelling, especially the whirlwind first few hours in a new city and long road trips through beautiful landscapes. He enjoys barbecues, patisseries, playing pool, and falling asleep in front of the television like an old man.

Gareth lives with his wife and two excitable Skye terriers near Edinburgh in Scotland.

Good morning everyone and happy Thursday. I saw this on the lovely @mynextreads page and knew I had to join in!

🗣️A Book I’m Desperate To Get To
📓 Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid
I’ve been hearing lots of great things about this one so I’m excited to read it soon. I love books set in space so the idea of a lovely story set in space intrigued me.

🗣️A Book I Have High Hopes For
📓 Human Remains by Jo Callaghan
I’ve been a huge fan of this series so I can’t wait to read the next installment. I’m waiting until I have a free day with the kids back at school as I don’t think I’ll want to put it down.

🗣️A Book From My Favourite Genre
📓The Eight by Joanna Miller
I’m a huge fan of historical fiction and I think I’m going to love this one. I love books about periods of history I’ve not heard about before and which feature strong women so this book ticks both of those boxes.

🗣️A Book I’ve Been Putting Off
📓The Maid’s Secret by Nita Prose
I’ve been a huge fan of this series and I’m very sad this is going to be the last book. I’ve been putting it off as I want to wait for a moment where I can really savour it.

🗣️A Book Recommended To Me By A Bookstagrammer
📓The Nesting by Roisin O’Donnell
I’ve had a few people recommend this book to me! I’m worried it’s going to be too sad for me but I’m excited to try it

🗣️A Book That’s Been On My Tbr for Too Long.
📓The Artist by Lucy Steeds
I’ve been trying to read this since it came out in January and it was nominated for a few book awards. I’m determined to try and read it soon as everyone keeps saying it’s brilliant!

🗣️A Book I Want To Take My Time With
📓Babel by RF Kuang
This is another book that has been on my tbr for ages. I know I’m going to love it and I’m not sure why it’s taken me so long to get to. I’ll hopefully read this soon or on holiday in the summer at least 🤣

I’ve tagged a few people who might want to take part but, as always, no pressure!

Good evening everyone and happy Thursday. Today was my last day at work for four days so I’m excited to have some time off. I was lucky enough to receive a copy of Ruth Wares new book The Woman In Suite 11 this week.

I’m a huge fan of Ruth’s and I’ve loved all of her previous books so I’m very excited that she has a new book coming out. This is actually a sequel to The Woman In Cabin 10 which is one of my favourite books by her so I can’t wait to read it.

Huge thanks to the lovely Rhys from Simon and schuster for sending this to me it’s really appreciated.

The Woman In Suite 11 is out on the 17th July 2025 and you can find out more about the book below ⬇️

Is this book on your radar?

Book Synopsis:

In this gripping follow-up to bestselling author Ruth Ware’s multi-million-copy mega-hit The Woman in Cabin 10 – coming soon to Netflix, starring Keira Knightley – Lo Blacklock returns to attend the opening of a luxury hotel, only to find herself in a white-knuckled race across Europe.
 
When the invitation to attend the press opening of a luxury Swiss hotel – owned by reclusive billionaire Marcus Leidmann – arrives, it’s like the answer to a prayer. Three years after the birth of her youngest child, Lo Blacklock is ready to re-establish her journalism career, but post-pandemic travel journalism is a very different landscape from the one she left ten years ago. 
 
The chateau on the shores of Lake Geneva is everything Lo’s ever dreamed of, and she hopes she can snag an interview with Marcus. Unfortunately, he proves to be even more difficult to pin down than his reputation suggests. When Lo gets a late-night call asking her to come to Marcus’s hotel room, she agrees despite her own misgivings. She’s greeted, however, by a woman claiming to be Marcus’s mistress, and in life-or-death jeopardy.  
 
What follows is a thrilling cat-and-mouse pursuit across Europe, forcing Lo to ask herself just how much she’s willing to sacrifice to save this woman…and if she can even trust her?

About The Author:

Ruth Ware is an international number one bestseller. Her thrillers In a Dark, Dark Wood, The Woman in Cabin 10, The Lying Game, The Death of Mrs Westaway, The Turn of the Key, One by One and The It Girl have appeared on bestseller lists around the world, including the Sunday Times and New York Times, and she is published in more than 40 languages. She lives on the south coast of England, with her family.

Visit http://www.ruthware.com to find out more, or find her on facebook or twitter as @RuthWareWriter

Book Synopsis:

Fiction can be fatal…
 
Living in exile in Venice, the disgraced Lord Byron revels in the freedoms of the city
But when he is associated with the deaths of local women, found with wounds to their throats, and then a novel called The Vampyre is published under his name, rumours begin to spread that Byron may be the murderer…
 
As events escalate and tensions rise – and his own life is endangered, as well as those he holds most dear – Byron is forced to play detective, to discover who is really behind these heinous crimes. Meanwhile, the scandals of his own infamous past come back to haunt him…
 
Rich in gothic atmosphere and drawing on real events and characters from Byron’s life, Dangerous is a riveting, dazzling historical thriller, as decadent, dark and seductive as the poet himself…

My Review:

Fearless is an engrossing, twisty gothic delight from one of my favourite writers.

Firstly I loved the way this book is written which helps draw the reader into the story and transport them to 19th Century Venice. The author’s descriptions were incredibly vivid and I often felt like I was actually there walking the streets alongside Lord Byron. I especially loved that the author included difference in the lives between the rich and poor in the city as it helped give me a more holistic view of Venice at that time.

The author perfectly blends fact with fiction to help bring a historical figure to life. Lord Byron is someone I’ve heard of before but I didn’t know much about before reading this book. I always enjoy books where you can Google the characters and find out more about them.

I thought that the mystery elements of this story were really well done and I loved the gradual increase in tension as the story continues. There seemed to be a constant feeling of danger which made the book very gripping so I quickly found it hard to put down. There were lots of twists that kept me guessing and a few characters that surprised me which I always love.

Huge thanks to Anne from Random Things Tours for inviting me onto the blog tour and to Orenda books for my copy of this book. If you love gripping historical fiction then I highly recommend this one.

About The Author:

Essie Fox was raised in Herefordshire, on the borders of Wales. After studying English Literature at Sheffield University she worked in magazine and book publishing, before developing a career in commercial illustration.

Always an avid reader, Essie now writes gothic novels. Her debut, The Somnambulist, was shortlisted for the 2012 National Book Awards, and featured on Channel 4’s TV Book Club. This was followed by Elijah’s Mermaid, and then The Goddess and the Thief. The Last Days of Leda Grey was selected as The Times Historical Book of the Month.The Fascination became an instant Sunday Times bestseller.

Coming in April 2025 is Dangerous – a dark mystery set in Venice and based on the life of Lord Byron.

Essie has been a guest on UK radio stations, including Woman’s Hour. She has lectured at the Victoria & Albert Museum, and the National Gallery in London, as well as appearing at many literary festivals and events.