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…

My Review:

Firstly I’m a huge fan of this author so you can imagine how excited I was to be invited onto the blog tour for this her latest book. There’s something lovely about a new Jill Mansell book. You already know you’re going to love it so it means you can just relax and enjoy the story.

Firstly I absolutely loved the characters and enjoyed following them throughout the book. Lou was a very kind, caring lady and I loved watching her settle into her new village. Her relationship with the grumpy Edgar was hilarious to follow and it was great fun watching it develop.

The village setting in the book was lovely, especially the great community vibe it had. Everyone seemed to look out for each other and it was nice to see how quickly they included Lou into their community. There were a few moments in the book where everyone seemed to know each others business which made me laugh out loud.

Overall, as you can probably tell, I absolutely loved this book. The plot seemed to have a bit of everything in it, some drama, romance, emotional moments and some dodgy characters who I loved to hate. There were a surprising amount of twists that kept me guessing and meant I was unable to guess which way the story was going next.

The ending was great and, although I was sad to say goodbye to the characters, I loved the way it ended. I’m really hoping this isn’t the last we see of Lou and the lovely brothers.

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

About The Author:

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.

Eek it’s finally here! I’ve been so excited about this book ever since I heard it was coming out that it was an immediate pre-order for me. Janice has quickly become one of my favourite authors and as I’ve also been hearing lots of great things from my fellow bookstagrammer’s I can’t wait to read this soon!

Who are your favourite authors?

Book Synopsis:

Open the safe deposit box.
Inside you will find research material for a true crime book.
You must read the documents, then make a decision.
Will you destroy them? Or will you take them to the police?

Everyone knows the sad story of the Alperton Angels: the cult who brainwashed a teenage girl and convinced her that her newborn baby was the anti-Christ. Believing they had a divine mission to kill the infant, they were only stopped when the girl came to her senses and called the police. The Angels committed suicide rather than stand trial, while mother and baby disappeared into the care system.

Nearly two decades later, true-crime author Amanda Bailey is writing a book on the Angels. The Alperton baby has turned eighteen and can finally be interviewed; if Amanda can find them, it will be the true-crime scoop of the year, and will save her flagging career. But rival author Oliver Menzies is just as smart, better connected, and is also on the baby’s trail.

As Amanda and Oliver are forced to collaborate, they realise that what everyone thinks they know about the Angels is wrong. The truth is something much darker and stranger than they’d ever imagined. And the story of the Alperton Angels is far from over.

From the bestselling author of The Appeal and The Twyford Code comes a stunning new mystery for fans of Richard Osman and S.J. Bennett. The devil is in the detail…

About The Author:

Janice Hallett studied English at UCL, and spent several years as a magazine editor, winning two awards for journalism. After gaining an MA in Screenwriting at Royal Holloway, she co-wrote the feature film Retreat. The Appeal is inspired by her lifelong interest in amateur dramatics. Her second novel, The Twyford Code, will be published by Viper in 2022. When not indulging her passion for global adventure travel, she is based in West London.

Book Synopsis:

An unbelievably believable time travel escapade.

Casual antique dealer Jake Patch picks up an unusual object and can’t put it down. Literally. His find is a time travel device, and he hatches a bold plan to acquire objects from the past and sell them at modern day prices. But when the mysterious Infinity Glass leaves Patch stranded in a dangerous past, it falls to his teen daughter Cass to save him.

With hints of The Time Traveller’s Wife and Back to the Future and a smattering of Lovejoy, Patches through Time will send you spinning headlong into the past, then spit you back into the twenty-first century.

My review:

Patches Through Time is an entertaining, absorbing read that I really enjoyed.

The book drew me into the story from the first page and kept my interest throughout. It’s a fairly easy read but manages to pack a punch with some emotional moments as well as some very gripping ones as we see how Cass is going to complete her mission. It was interesting to follow her on her mission and see what she was willing to do for her family.

The author does a great job with her descriptions of the places Patch and Cass find themselves in so that I really felt I was there and able to picture them in my mind. The two main characters were fabulous creations who complement each other and seemed very real which made it easier to get behind them. The ending left lots of questions which I’m hoping means there’s a sequel on the way.

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:

I am a UK author based in East Sussex and am a long-standing member of Shorelink Writers. My first two novels were historical fiction stories, but I now write magical realism/speculative fiction (contemporary novels with a paranormal/supernatural element).

Book Synopsis:

The Sunday Times bestselling book of comfort and timeless wisdom from former forest monk, Björn Natthiko Lindeblad

We like to think we can determine the path our life takes, but events rarely unfold the way we plan for or expect. In this international bestseller, former forest monk Björn Natthiko Lindeblad draws on his humbling journey towards navigating uncertainty – helping you, with kindness and good humour, to:

– Let go of the small stuff
– Accept the things you cannot control
– Manage difficult emotions
– Find stillness at busy times
– Face yourself – and others – without judgment

Infusing the everyday with heart and grace, this is a wise and soothing handbook for dealing with life’s challenges.

My Review::

Wow this book! I don’t think I’ve ever read such a powerful, inspiring and thought provoking book before.

Firstly I loved all the wonderful details describing Björn’s life as a forest monk. I’ve always been intrigued by this lifestyle and found it fascinating to discover what their daily routine was in the monastery. I loved that it wasn’t just focused on the religious aspects but there was also time put aside to develop your own skills and to get involved in the local community too. Björn moves between monasteries throughout his life as a monk and it was interesting to see how they were all so different.

Interspersed with his descriptions of his life as a monk, Björn shares the wisdoms that he has learned. I found all of these so inspiring and very thought provoking. Maybe I just read this book at a low moment when I needed it but I often felt that the book was talking directly at me, helping me with areas that I was struggling with. I’ve never felt particularly compelled to annotate books but I found myself highlighting lots of passages in this book so I could refer to them later.

The last part of this book was very emotional and I liked how honest Björn was about his struggles with returning to ‘normal’ life. I was also sad to discover that Björn had died last year as he’s definitely someone I would have liked to read more from. This is a book I’ll be recommending to everyone as it’s been such an outstanding, inspiring read for me. I also plan to buy this as a present to a few friends.

Huge thanks to Tandem Collective for letting me join your read-along and all the lovely fellow blogger’s for all the great discussions.

About The Author:

Björn Natthiko Lindeblad (1961-2022) was a Swedish public speaker, meditation teacher and former Buddhist monk. In his mid-twenties Björn swapped his career as a business executive for life as a forest monk in the jungles of Thailand. There he was given the name Natthiko, meaning ‘one who grows in wisdom’. After seventeen years as a monk he returned to Swedish society and, in 2018, was diagnosed with the incurable disease ALS. I May Be Wrong was an instant Sunday Times bestseller and a number one bestseller in Sweden. It is being translated into twenty-nine languages.

Book Synopsis:

One Day meets Up: The House That Made Us is a love story – and a life story – told through a series of photographs and inspired by a true story
 
When Mac and Marie marry and find a home of their own, Mac takes a snap of them outside their newbuild bungalow, the garden bare and the paint on the front door still wet. It becomes a tradition, this snap, and slowly the photographs build into an album of a fifty-year relationship.
 
Every year they take a photo and though things change around them – the garden matures, the fashions change, they grow older – the one constant is their love. Every year, come rain, come shine, from the Seventies through the decades, every photo tells the story of their love. But life never travels the path you expect it to, though they know that a life with love is a life lived to the full.

Now, in the present day, the photo album belongs to someone who doesn’t know the people in its pages. As they watch the lives from the past unfold, will the truth of their love story be told…?
 
A heart-breaking story about life and love for readers who love Holly Miller, Jojo Moyes and Hazel Prior.

My Review:

The House That Made Us is a beautiful, heartwarming read about love and life throughout the years.

The story is told from two points of view; one following an elderly lady in a nursing home who has found a photo album showing a couple posing in front of their house every year and one telling the story of Mac and Marie, the couple behind the photograph. Mac & Marie’s part is longer and I found it really intriguing to follow them throughout the years. The author gives the reader a fly on the wall glimpse into their lives and I felt very involved in all that happens to them. I liked that the story seemed realistic with the author describing sad events alongside the lighter, happier occasions. The later storyline, following the lady who had found the photo album, was intriguing as I was interested to see how it tied with Mac & Marie’s story.

Mac & Marie were wonderful characters that I just fell in love with. I loved how different the two of them were but how they managed to compliment each other, helping each other when they needed it. Marie is as strong as Mac is sensitive and this makes them such a wonderful couple to follow. I was absolutely cheering in some of the moments when Marie stands up for her or Mac’s dreams but crying with them at some of the emotional parts of the story too. Marie’s big, Irish family were also a joy to read about and I loved the madcap moments when they were all together. I especially liked the wonderful relationship Mac and his father in law had which often had me laughing out loud as they tried to stand up to their strong wives. They all started to seem like old friends and I was very sad to close the book and leave them behind.

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

About The Author:

Alice Cavanagh was born in Fulham and still lives in London. She writes under a variety of names, including her real name, Bernadette Strachan, and as Juliet Ashton.

Book Synopsis:

The start of BRAND NEW SERIES from bestselling author of ‘The Tobacco Girls’ Lizzie Lane

Bristol 1936
Jenny Crawford has resigned herself to a loveless marriage living hand to mouth with their two children. Like many others, husband Roy struggles to find work at the docks but a chance encounter turns the family’s fortunes around.
Not only does he get regular work but they are also allocated a council house on Coronation Close on the outskirts of the city. Jenny and the children are overjoyed, this is the fresh start she could only ever dream of.
But trouble feels never too far away. With Roy spending more time with Sir Oswald Molsey bullying black shirts, Jenny is left to her own devices and eager to fit in begins to make new friends.
Thankful of peace, Jenny has her head turned firstly by an old love and then by her knight in shining armour.
Does she allow herself to glimpse a chance of happiness?
Whatever happens the consequences could be dire if Roy ever finds out.

My Review:

I am a huge fan of The Tobacco Girls series so I was excited to learn that the author had a new series coming out. Once again the author has written a fantastic, powerful and emotional story that I really enjoyed.

Firstly the author does a great job of setting the scene and I loved the fabulous descriptions of what Britain was like before the Second World War. I didn’t know much about the ‘slums’ so I enjoyed learning more about them and what it was like living in them. I found it really heartbreaking to see how some people used to live but it was lovely to see the closeness of this tight knit community and how they shared the little that they had.

The characters are all wonderful creations that I enjoyed getting to know throughout the book. There were some characters that I loved and some I loved to hate, especially the horrible Roy who’s wife I felt very sorry for. I liked that they all brought different things to the story and it was intriguing to discover the secrets they all were keeping hidden.

Overall I really enjoyed this book and can’t wait to read more from this series. There was always lots of things happening which kept me reading and the emotional moments helped drawn me into the story, making me feel closer to the characters. There are lots of interesting historical references which I loved and some very interesting historical information especially regarding the feared black shirts which I didn’t realise were active in Britain. If you’re a fan of historical fiction or historical sagas then I highly recommend this book.

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

About The Author:

Lizzie Lane has written over fifty books a number of which have appeared in the top thirty best selling paperbacks and the Heatseekers charts. Her pet interest is WW2, how little people carried on regardless against the biggest upheaval the world had ever known. She mentions at one stage about how it seemed Britain was sinking beneath the weight of weaponry and allied soldiers from all over the world.

Born and raised in Bristol, a number of her family were involved in the tobacco industry which at one time employed 13,000 people in the city. This is the inspiration behind her latest series, The Tobacco Girls which is set against those five years of war and follows their lives and loves, their hope for survival and better times to come.

Good morning everyone I thought I’d do a little Last, Now, Next reading update today!

⭐Last: The Witches Of Vardø by Anya Bergman

Absolutely loved this powerful, absorbing and chilling book which I rated 5 Stars. Review on a previous post!

⭐Now: I May Be Wrong by Björn Natthiko Lindeblad.

Reading this as part of the Tandem Collective read-along but so enjoying it. This book has honestly helped me in so many ways and I’ve highlighted huge parts of it so I can reference them when needed. Review coming soon!

⭐The House That Made Us by Alice Cavanagh

What’s your Last, Now, Next?