Book Synopsis:

Could your dream home be your worst nightmare?

After what happened in London, Kirsty needs a fresh start with her family.
And running a guesthouse in the Welsh mountains sounds idyllic.

But then their first guest arrives.
Selena is the last person Kirsty wants to see.  It’s seventeen years since she tore everything apart.

Why has she chosen now to walk back into Kirsty’s life?
Is Selena running from something too?
Or is there an even darker reason for her visit?

Because Kirsty knows that once you invite trouble into your home, it can be murder getting rid of it . . .

Do Not Disturb is available in ebook and paperback now, purchase your copy here.

My Review:

Claire Douglas has written another fantastic book which is really thrilling, deliciously creepy and utterly brilliant.

From the start I was drawn into the story with a fantastic opening chapter.  The general atmosphere in the book makes you think anything could happen at any time which kept me on my toes.  The pace is quite fast from the beginning and got faster throughout the book as the story progressed.

As I might have mentioned I love the idea of starting anew somewhere and running a B&B really appeals to me so I felt for Kirsty when her dreams started to go wrong.  The fact she tries hard to hold everything together and keep everyone happy made me warm to her as did her obvious love for her kids.  I found myself hoping for a good ending for her even though I had a feeling early on that this wouldn’t happen.

The book goes back and forth between time periods, gradually building up a picture of the characters and their history.  There were lots of twists and turns which definetly kept me on my toes as some were very unexpected.

This is the fifth book by this author and the fifth I’ve read.  I’m so excited that her stories keep getting better and better.

Huge thanks to Katie from Michael St Joseph for my copy of this book and for inviting me onto the blog tour. If you like fast paced, creepy thrillers you’ll love this book.

About The Author:

Claire Douglas has worked as a journalist for fifteen years writing features for women’s magazines and national newspapers, but she’s dreamed of being a novelist since the age of seven. She finally got her wish after winning the Marie Claire Debut Novel Award, with her first novel, The Sisters, which was followed by Local Girl Missing and Last Seen Alive, both Sunday Times bestsellers. She lives in Bath with her husband and two children.

Book Synopsis:
She stole the life she wanted. Now someone wants to steal it back . . . 

Alvie Knightly may be waking up in the Ritz, but her life is no bed of roses.

Firstly, she has the mother of all hangovers.

Secondly, her beautiful, spoiled twin sister Beth has just been found dead in Sicily – and the police want Alvie for questioning.

And thirdly, Alvie’s hot new boyfriend has vanished with every penny of the millions they stole from Beth.

But he picked the wrong girl to mess with.

Alvie will pursue her ex to Rome in a game of cat and mouse that only one of them can survive.

Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned . . .

But can Alvie get revenge before her crimes catch up with her?

Bad is also to buy now and you can purchase a copy here.

My Review:

Bad is another fabulous glimpse into the madcap life of Alvie.  If possible I enjoyed this book even more than the first as I was more aware of what the book was about and the style it was written in.

This is definitely one of those books that you have to just go with the flow as otherwise you could end up very confused.  The book is so fast paced and has a lot of a action in it that seems to happen all at once so it’s difficult to catch your breath at times.  It’s a huge whirlwind of sex, money and drugs which was higher enjoyable.

I didn’t particularly warm to Alvie in the first book but I actually warmed to her in this one which surprised me.  She comes across a lot more confident and seems to have found her ideal career as a hit women.  She’s also very funny and often had me in stitches with her witty remarks and fabulous descriptions.  Alvie calls a space a spade and I really loved her for it.  I actually found myself feeling a little sorry for her at times about losing the money and a guy she was really i to do found myself cheering her along on her journey to get it back, which was an huge whirlwind of an adventure!

Some of the content in the book is quite risque and the author doesn’t hold back from describing things as they are.  If you are easily offended this might not be the book for you.

This is the second book in the series but I do think that it could be read as a standalone as the first book is recapped quite well at the beginning.

Huge thanks to Katie from Michael St Joseph for inviting me onto the blog tour and for my copy of this book.  If you like fun, sexy and different books  then you’ll love this series.

About The Author:

Chloé Esposito is from Cheltenham and now lives in London. She has a BA and MA in English from Oxford University, where her dissertation focused on 19th-century feminist writers. She has been a senior management consultant, an English teacher at two of the UK’s top private schools and a fashion stylist at Condé Nast. She is a graduate of the Faber Academy and is now writing full-time.

Book Synopsis:

Two women from different generations brought together by another’s wrongdoing.

When British backpacker, Isabel Stark happens across a car accident on a lonely stretch of road in the South Island of New Zealand her life changes forever. The sole passenger, Ginny Havelock asks her to make a promise before she passes away—to find Constance and to say she’s sorry.
Isabel’s a lost soul who’s been drifting through life unsure of where she fits, and the promise she made in New Zealand haunts her upon her return to the United Kingdom. Her only clue as to finding Constance lies within a conversation held at Ginny’s funeral. It takes her to the Isle of Wight.
In the 1940’s sixteen-year-old Constance’s life on her island is sheltered until the death of her brother; Ted brings the reality of war crashing down around her. He leaves behind his pregnant young widow Ginny. When Constance meets a handsome Canadian Airforce man, she’s eager to escape her grief and be swept up by first love. It’s a love which has ramifications she could never envisage.
When Isabel and Constance’s paths finally cross will Ginny’s last words be enough for Constance to make peace with her past? And in fulfilling her promise will Isabel find a place she can call home?

My Review:

The Promise is a beautifully written book about how one woman’s past can help another woman’s present.

It was lovely to read about the journey Isabel finds herself on discovering the tragic love story that happenned. I enjoyed reading about how the investigation into the past helped Isabel get better and helped her to sort through things.

It did take me a few chapter to get into this book mainly as the chapters are fairly short and the quick timeline switch took a little while to get into but after that I was hooked.  I discovered I really kijli the characters, especially Isabel and I wanted to keep reading to find out if she got the answers she wanted.

This is the first book by this author I have read and I’d definitely be interested in reading more from her.  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:

Michelle Vernal live’s in the garden city of Christchurch, New Zealand. She’s always written, but it was only after her first son was born that she decided to attend a creative writing course at Canterbury University. Oh the guilt dropping him at pre-school so she could learn the basics of story writing, but oh the joy of having conversation to contribute other than the price of nappies that week! The first piece she ever penned post course was published by a New Zealand parenting magazine. She went on to write humorous; opinion styled pieces of her take on parenting, but when the necessity for being politically correct got too much, she set myself the challenge of writing a novel. Six books later and a publishing deal with Harper Impulse here she is.

Book Synopsis:

Haven’t we all wanted to pretend everything is fine?

Jane doesn’t like confrontation. Given the choice, she’d prefer to focus on what’s going well, the good things in life.

But when her husband, Leon, is brutally attacked in the driveway of their home, in front of their two young children, Jane has to face reality. As he lies in a coma, Jane must open her eyes to the problems in her life, and the secrets that have been kept from her, if she’s to find out who hurt her husband – and why.

Maybe it’s time to face up to it all. Who knows what you might find . . .

Open Your Eyes by Paula Daly is available in all forms now and you can purchase your copy here.

My Review:

Ive been a huge fan of Paula Daly for a while and boy oh boy does she know how to write a good thriller!

The thing the most struck me about Open Your Eyes was how realistic it seemed.  This is a story that seemed like it could actually happen, to anyone at any time which was a little freaky to realise and will make me look over my shoulders when on my drive way in future! The little, everyday, disputes that the author includes at the beginning were a brilliantly addition to the narrative as they helped add to the tension and the aforementioned real feel of the book.  I’ve had these arguements with my husband and similar ones, regarding parking, with our neighbours.  It did make me chuckle to read about how Jane and Leon dealt with things.

I warmed to Jane from the start and she was my favourite character in the book.  She seemed to be a woman with a big heart who obvious loves her kids and tries to be nice to her neighbours.when possible.  The reader is privy to her personal thought in the book and they, along with her observations are often hilarious which helps bring some light relief to the book.

This was a gripping read for me which I couldn’t put down.  I found myself sneaking away from the kids, desperate to read a few more pages.  There are numerous twists and turns throughout the book which I didn’t guess and kept me on my toes.  The tantalising way everything is revealed is brilliantly done and I was on the edge of my seat trying to find out where the story was going to go.

Paula Daly is the author of six books and I’m proud to say I’ve read them all.  She is fast becoming one of my favourite authors as when you read one of her books you knowing you are going to get a fantastic read!

Huge thanks to Anne Cater for inviting me onto the blog tour and to Transworld books for my copy of this book.  If you like realistic, gripping thrillers that you can’t put fodo you’ll love this book.

About The Author:

Paula Daly is the critically acclaimed author of four novels. Her work has been sold in fifteen countries, shortlisted for the CWA Gold Dagger Crime Novel of the Year, and her books are currently being developed for television. She was born in Lancashire and lives in the Lake District with her husband, three children and whippet Skippy.

Good evening everyone! I’m thrilled to be on the blog tour for this wonderful book tonight.  Huge thanks to the lovely Anne for understanding when I was unable to post earlier due to one child going on antibiotics, one having potential chicken pox and not being able to type due to a very painful hand with infected excema.  As someone said it never rains it pours.  I’m typing with one finger so apologies for any typos.

Book Synopsis:

Sam Holloway has survived the worst that life can throw at you. But he’s not really living. His meticulous routines keep everything nice and safe – with just one exception…

Three nights a week, Sam dons his superhero costume and patrols the streets. It makes him feel invincible – but his unlikely heroics are getting him into some sticky, and increasingly dangerous, situations.

Then a girl comes into his life, and his ordered world is thrown into chaos … and now Sam needs to decide whether he can be brave enough to finally take off the mask.

Both hilarious and heart-warming, this is a story about love, loneliness, grief, and the life-changing power of kindness.

The Unlikely Heroics Of Sam Holloway is available now in ebook and paperback, you can buy a copy of both here.

My Review:

Wow this was a gorgeous book.  It managed to be heartbreaking and heart warming at the same time.

Firstly it’s hard not to fall in love with Sam.  I knew I liked him from the first page and soon fell in love with his unique personality and his way of looking at things.  He’s such a sweet, geeky character that I just wanted to wrap him in cottonwool and give him a hug.  I loved his misguided attempts to be a superhero and how he ends up helping a few of them as I felt this really showed the type of person he was.  Throughout the book Sam shares some parts of his childhood with the reader which are heartbreaking to read about.  I was always the odd one out at school so I really felt for Sam at these moments.

This is just the perfect book to sink into and lose yourself in for a few hours.  Sam’s fairly organised and normal (superhero antics aside) life is rocked by a girl’s arrival.  It was fantastic to read about his journey into the unknown and his attempts to let his guard down.  This wasn’t a particularly fast paced book but it was a hugely enjoyable one that would make a great book club read as I think there will be lots to discuss.

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

About The Author:

Good morning everyone I’m pleased to be on the promo tour for One Endless Summer by Laurie Ellingham today.

The One Endless Summer ebook is at the fantastic price of 99p this summer, perfect for downloading and reading on the beach or by the sea!  You can put your copy of the ebook, or paperback, by clicking on the ‘buy’ link below.

To try and entice you further, here is a little bit about the book.

Book Synopsis:

Three best friends.
Three continents.
Three months to live.

How long can you keep a secret?

Three best friends are embarking on an all-expenses paid trip of their dreams. The only catch? Every moment will be documented on film.

Lizzie is finally ready to embrace adventure for the very first time. It’s their last three months together, but it is Lizzie’s time to finally start living!

Jaddi is known for her stunning looks, flirtatious attitude and many conquests. But Jaddi has a secret and on this last trip together she needs to decide whether her best friends will ever know the real her.

Samantha has always been the ‘grown up’ of the group, the one with a five year plan. What Lizzie and Jaddi don’t know is that Sam is trapped, and her perfect life isn’t quite what it seems…

As they trek across the globe Lizzie, Jaddi and Samantha must come to terms with loss, love and trusting one another. But will it all be too late…

‘Speechless at just how breathtaking this book really is.’
Rachel Gilbey

’Mind-blowing, enchanting, heart-breaking, moving, spell-binding and emotional.’
The Writing Garnet

’This is a remarkable book, incredibly uplifting. The perfect summer read.’ Brew and Books Review

About The Author:

Book Synopsis: 

A heartbreaking letter. A girl locked away. A mystery to be solved.

1956. When Ivy Jenkins falls pregnant she is sent in disgrace to St Margaret’s, a dark, brooding house for unmarried mothers. Her baby is adopted against her will. Ivy will never leave.

Present day. Samantha Harper is a journalist desperate for a break. When she stumbles on a letter from the past, the contents shock and move her. The letter is from a young mother, begging to be rescued from St Margaret’s. Before it is too late.
Sam is pulled into the tragic story and discovers a spate of unexplained deaths surrounding the woman and her child. With St Margaret’s set for demolition, Sam has only hours to piece together a sixty-year-old mystery before the truth, which lies disturbingly close to home, is lost for ever…

Read her letter. Remember her story…

The Girl In The Letter is available in ebook and paperback now, the ebook is currently the only 99p.  You can purchase a copy of both here.

My Review:

Wow this was a stunning read! I really can’t believe this was a debut novel, the book is so well written and paced perfectly that makes it very hard to put down.  I instantly felt involved in the characters lives and stories and wanted to know more about them.

This is an incredibly poignant and emotional story made even more so because it is true.  The events in this book actually happened, unmarried women were treated this way and their babies were taken from that which is truly heartbreaking to read about.  The mind boggles as to how these people got away with this awful treatment of so many young women and worse how their loved ones let it happen.  The author has clearly done her research into these homes and doesn’t sugar coat anything for the reader,  which might be a bit if a trigger for some people.  J certainly found myself crying at parts.  I thought, niavely, that such stuff only happened in Ireland so I was shocked to learn it was common in England too.

This story is very gripping and their were lots of twists which surprised me and made me keep reading long into the night.  Sam’s investigation was well described and I really enjoyed reading about her emotional journey.  Sam handled the situation with great sensitivity but didn’t allow herself to be put off the story which I really admired about her.

As mentioned above, this unbelievably is Emily’s debut novel and I really look forward to reading more from her.  I will definitely be recommending this book to everyone as I think it is a very important book for everyone to read.

Huge thanks to Anne Cater for inviting me onto the blog tour and to Headline for my copy of this book via Netgalley.  If you like gripping, emotional reads about a harrowing part of Britain’s history then you’ll love this book.

About The Author:

(Biography taken from Amazon author page)

Good morning I’m very excited to be kicking off the blog tour for Sunset Over The Cherry Orchard by Jo Thomas.

Sunset Over The Cherry Orchard will be published on the 9th August in ebook and paperback.  You can pre-order your copy here.

Book Synopsis:

It’s time for Beti Winter to dance to her own beat.

After three failed engagements Beti is in desperate need of a fresh start. What better place than the sun-drenched hills of southern Spain?

But it’s not all sangria and siestas. Beti finds work on an old Andalusian cherry farm where there are cherries to be picked, trees to be watered and her fiery boss, Antonio, to win over.

As the sun toasts her skin, Beti finds herself warming to the Spanish way of life. Embracing the art of flamenco, she discovers there is much to learn from the dance of passion. She just has to let loose and listen to the rhythm of her heart.

My Review

Sunset Over The Cherry Orchard is a book of wonderful escapism which was a great summer read for me.

As I might have mentioned before, moving away and starting anew has always appealed to me, so I really enjoyed following Beti’s journey as she tries to start a new life in Spain.  The author has a fabulous way of describing the scene so I can really imagine it in your mind.  I loved the descriptions of sunny Spain and the beautiful sounding Cherry Orchard.  It sounds like a great place to live and work and I found myself a little jealous of Beti getting to be there.

I really liked Beti, she was definitely a character that it’s easy to get behind.  At the beginning I felt for her as it must have been very hard to see your dreams go up in smoke, especially when it’s because of someone close to you.  I felt she was very brave picking herself up and starting again in a new place.  I especially loved the descriptions of her learning flamenco dancing as it’s something that I’ve always been a little fascinated by and I’d love to try.

This is a fantastic book to just relax and fully lose yourself in.  I quickly warmed to Beti and I wanted to keep reading to find out what happens to her.  As mentioned above I also loved the setting and wanted to drink in as much of Cherry Orchard Farm as I could.

This is the first book by this author that I have read and it definitely won’t be my last as I really enjoyed reading it.

Huge thanks to Anne Cater for inviting me onto the blog tour and to Headline for sending me a copy of this book.  If you like books that offer pure escapism with some wonderful descriptions and brilliant characters then you’ll love this book.

About The Author:

Jo Thomas worked for many years as a reporter and producer, first for BBC Radio 5, before moving on to Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour and Radio 2’s The Steve Wright Show. In 2013 Jo won the RNA Katie Fforde Bursary. Her debut novel, The Oyster Catcher, was a runaway bestseller in ebook and was awarded the 2014 RNA Joan Hessayon Award and the 2014 Festival of Romance Best Ebook Award. Jo lives in the Vale of Glamorgan with her husband and three children.

I’m delighted to finally be able to share with you my review for the fan The Stranger Within today.  I was meant to be on the blog tour for this Friday but I was away on holiday and had very dodgy WiFi so was unable to post.  Huge thanks to Sarah Hardy for being so nice about everything.

The Strange Within is available now in ebook and paperback, the ebook is currently only 99p.  You can purchase a copy of both here.

Book Synopsis:

Torn away from his family life, DI Denis Hamilton is urgently called into a briefing in the early hours of his weekend off. He must unravel an investigation he thought had long closed.

Putting his personal worries to one side, Hamilton and his Murder Investigation Team come up against a patient with a mental disorder hell-bent on revenge.

Comparing the present day with memories of his tragic past, can Hamilton open his mind to the difficulties of mental illness in order to catch a murderer?

And when a colleague’s life is threatened, can Hamilton unlock the truth of the stranger within before it’s too late?

My Review:

Wow I loved this book.  It gripped me from the start with it’s unusual opening and the fast paced action ensured I didn’t put it down. It was one of those books I carried around with me in the, usual vain, hope that I’d get a second to read it.

The murderer in this book was one of the most unique I’ve read as, I felt sorry for her as she’d clearly had a traumatic past.  Yes she was cruel, calculated and quite violent but once you read a bit of the book you realise why she is doing it.

This book helps to shine the spotlight on mental health problems and how they dealt with in the UK.  It was interesting to learn how a psychiatric hospital for criminals work and to hear of the views towards this kind of care.  I was a bit on the fence as to what side I was on to be honest.

The action in this book is non stop and there is always something happening that makes it a very thrilling and addictive read.  The book is told from multiple points of view, the police, the kidnapped victim and the murderer which really added to my enjoyment of the book and lets you learn more about each of the characters.

This is the first book by this author I have read and I have already bought all the previous books in this series to enjoy.  This book can be read as a standalone like I did as anything necessary is mentioned but I do feel I’d have had an even better (if possible) reading experience if I had read the others first.

Huge thanks to Bloodhounds books for my copy of this book via Netgalley and to Sarah Hardy for inviting me onto the blog tour.  If you like addictive, gripping reads with a fantastic plot you’ll love this book.  It would also make a fabulous beach read as it is almost impossible to put down!

About The Author:

Tara is a crime/psychological thriller author from London, UK. Turning 30 in 2015 propelled her to fulfil her lifelong dream of becoming a writer. In the Shadows is Tara’s debut solo novel published in March 2016. She co-wrote The Caller and Web of Deceit: A DI Sally Parker novella with New York Times bestselling author, M.A Comley.

In August 2016 Tara signed a two-book contract with Bloodhound Books. The third book in the DI Hamilton series, Deadly Friendship, was published in July 2017 and the fourth is due later this year.

When she’s not writing, Tara can be found at a local Wacky Warehouse stuck in the ball-pit with her young, energetic son.

Sign up to Tara’s monthly newsletter for exclusive news, previews and giveaways: http://eepurl.com/bN2KoH

Find out more about the author and follow her writing journey:
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Follow The Blog Tour:

The blog tour for The Stranger Within has now finished but please go back and find out what these other fabulous bloggers said about this book .

Book Synopsis:

What if keeping your loved ones safe meant never seeing them again? 

Canada, present day 

When Martha’s beloved father dies, he leaves her two things: a mysterious stash of letters to an English woman called ‘Catkins’ and directions to a beach hut in the English seaside town of Wells-Next-The-Sea. Martha is at a painful crossroads in her own life, and seizes this chance for a trip to England – to discover more about her family’s past, and the identity of her father’s secret correspondent.

Norfolk, 1940

Sylvia’s husband Howard has gone off to war, and she is struggling to raise her two children alone. Her only solace is her beach hut in Wells, and her friendship with Connie, a woman she meets on the beach. The two women form a bond that will last a lifetime, and Sylvia tells Connie something that no-one else knows: about a secret lover… and a child.

But the tragedy of war brings heartbreaking choices. And a promise made between the two women will echo down the years, and could change everything for Martha…

The Lost Letters is available to buy now in ebook and paperback.  The ebook is currently only 99p.  You can purchase a copy of both here.

My Review:

I’ve always been a big fan of dual timeline books, especially if it is set in WW2 so I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

The author has a great way of setting the scene, especially in the past timeline, so the reader really feels that they are there experiencing everything alongside the characters.  I especially loved Sylvie.  She seemed such a warm hearted person and I enjoyed watching their friendship develop.  It was quite poignant to read about Sylvie and Connie’s daily life and everything they had to deal with.  There were some very difficult decisions that the two of them had to make which were quite heartbreaking to read about.  Their emotions were almost palpable at these times and I definitely felt myself welling up at times reading the story.

This book is a bit if a slow start but keep reading as it soon develops into a beautiful, gripping story that I couldn’t put down.  I did prefer the past story more but Martha’s story was also very interesting and I liked following her journey into her father’s past.  The connections and discoveries seemed to be revealed at a pace that seemed quite natural.  There were no huge coincidences or sudden connections which was great for me as these tend to annoy me!

This is Sarah’s debut novel and I really look forward to reading more from her.  If you like fabulous, emotional dual timeline mysteries then you’ll love this book.

Huge thanks to Bookouture for my copy of this book via Netgalley and for inviting me onto the blog tour for this fantastic book.

About The Author: