Rowntrees Factory, York 1936

The aroma of chocolate was as familiar to Molly Freeman as the nose on her face. Living and schooling on Haxby Road alongside the Rowntrees Chocolate Factory, Molly watched the daily trudge of women employed there in their white uniforms as she sat at her school desk.

When Molly secures a job on the production line at the factory, she’s excited to become one of these women. As she labours hard at the factory, she meets Connie. Quickly the two form a close friendship, and Molly begins to see the world differently.

Living their lives to the fullest, loving the wrong men, working long hours, and sharing tears of friendship and heartbreak but always being known and being proud to be called The Rowntrees Chocolate Box Girls Molly and Connie make the most of their lives.

My Thoughts:
This book is set in 1936 and is all about Molly, when she leaves school she goes to work at the biggest chocolate company Rowntrees. She cannot wait to start being involved and earning some money. She becomes friends with Connie and the two get on really well. They live their best life together. It was such a lovely easy read. I always find reading about this kind of subject fascinating and I am always craving more information about that kind of era. I liked reading about the factory and the chocolate but also following Molly along and to see how her life changes after she leaves school. A very good and enjoyable read. Now I am off to find some chocolate.

I received an ARC copy of this book for an honest review.

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Sometimes the truth kills…

Newlyweds Tricia and Ethan are searching for the house of their dreams. They think they’ve found it when they visit the remote manor that once belonged to Dr. Adrienne Hale, a renowned psychiatrist who vanished without a trace years ago. But when a violent winter storm traps them at the estate, the house begins to lose its appeal.

Stuck inside and growing restless, Tricia stumbles on a collection of audio transcripts from Dr. Hale’s sessions with patients. As Tricia listens to the cassette tapes, she learns about the terrifying chain of events leading up to the doctor’s mysterious disappearance.

With each tape, another shocking piece of the puzzle falls into place, and a web of lies slowly unravels. But by the time Tricia reaches the final cassette, the one that reveals the entire horrifying story, it will be too late…

My Thoughts:

Tricia and Ethan are searching for their new home, they visit a manor that has seen better days but is also very isolated from civilisation. They have not been together for that long and only recently got married, neither of them know much about each other really, both may be hiding deadly secrets. So when they get stuck out there, they have to fend for themselves but things start to come alight that neither of them is telling the truth but is this a game of cat and mouse or something more deadly? I did not enjoy this one as much as I thought I would, I felt the story line was a little slow and tedious. I did not feel much for the characters but the twists that come are huge, the chapters are different people so you can get a real sense of how everyone is feeling which I liked. It was ok.

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Lesson #1: trust no one

Eve has a good life. She gets up each day, gets a kiss from her husband Nate, and heads off to teach math at the local high school. All is as it should be. Except…

Last year, Caseham High was rocked by a scandal, with one student, Addie, at its center. And this year, Eve is dismayed to find the girl in her class.

Addie can’t be trusted. She lies. She hurts people. She destroys lives. At least, that’s what everyone says.

But nobody knows the real Addie. Nobody knows the secrets that could destroy her. And Addie will do anything to keep it quiet.

My Thoughts:

Addie is at secondary school when something really bad happened and a teacher had to leave his job because of her but she knows it is a misunderstanding or is it? No one trusts her and anyone that gets close to her she hurts. But she has a secret and no one knows it, who can be trusted? Eve is a teacher at Addie’s school and she has no time for Addie. But when Eve sees something she is beyond shocked that it could ever of happened. Will she be able to find out the why’s or is her life in danger? I liked this well rounded story, the twists keep coming. It did make me feel slightly uncomfortable in parts but the twists made up for it. Great characters, you almost think you have it nailed what is going to come next and then bam something completely out the blue happens to shake the story up completely. This is why I love Freida’s writing so much. Expect the unexpected.

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Spring 1919, and John Sawtelle’s imagination has got him into trouble…again. Now John and his newlywed wife, Mary, along with their two best friends and their three dogs, are setting off for Wisconsin’s north woods, where they hope to make a fresh start – and to live a life of meaning, purpose, and adventure. But the place they are headed for is far stranger and more perilous than they realize, and it will take all their ingenuity, along with a few new friends – human, animal, and otherworldly – to realise their dreams.

My Thoughts:

The story is set in 1919, and follows John and his family. They are going on an adventure to start a new life, but things are not as they seem, was it the right choice for them or should they just turn back around. They meet some unique characters along the way that make the story. Bearing in mind it is a hefty book, I was worried I would get bored but I did not. It is heartfelt and a powerful read that brings together friends and family and the kindness of strangers. A good all rounded read.

I received an ARC copy of this book for an honest review.

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Over a hundred husbands dead.
One prisoner. Countless secrets.
The most horrifying case of Kiara Fox’s career . . .

Kiara Fox leads a seemingly ordinary life as a highly respected fraud investigator. With a loving husband and twin daughters, her world seems perfect. But when a life insurance claim involving a wealthy man named Martin Powers lands on her desk, she senses something is off.

Forced by her employer to pay the claim, Kiara discovers that Martin Powers’ folder has vanished. In a shocking twist, she finds the missing folder hidden within another investigator’s files – Michael Hall from the Bristol office. It’s identical to her own case, sparking her determination to uncover the truth.

As innocent people begin to die, she realises there’s more behind this than first meets the eye. Torn between protecting her own family and uncovering whoever is behind the killings, Kiara faces an impossible choice.

My Thoughts:

Kiara has a lovely life with her husband and daughter. She is a fraud investigator and is highly regarded in this type of business. Kiara has to solve a claim from a wealthy man but to Kiara something smells fishy. She knows something is not right and she will do her work to find out what is going on. There is a twist throughout that changes the case completely, Kiara can see there is so much going on with this case that even she questions if she can solve. I felt as though it was a good solid story. I liked the pace and enjoyed reading about the characters. I found the fraud investigating side interesting and learnt a few things I did not know. The twist was a big one and shocked me. The ending was brilliant, definitely one to read.

I received an ARC copy of this book for an honest review.

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Eddie Winston is ninety years old. He has lived and he has loved, but he has never been kissed.

A true gentleman and incurable romantic, Eddie spends his days volunteering at a charity shop, where he sorts through the donations of the living and the dead, preserving letters and tokens of love along the way. It is here that he meets Bella, a troubled young woman who, aged twenty-four, has just lost the love of her life.

When Bella learns that Eddie is yet to have his first kiss, she resolves to help him finally find love, sparking an adventure that will take them to unexpected places and, they hope, bring Eddie to the moment he has waited for all his life.

My Thoughts:

I knew as soon as I started reading this book that I would love it. I absolutely adored Eddie, he reminds me of my grandad with his ways, so cute. He is a lovely man who volunteers at his local charity shop and sorts through other people’s belongings. When he meets Bella, she is going through a hard time and Eddie just wants to be there for her and help her but what he does not realise is that Bella can help him too, it is an unlikely friendship but one that works really well together. It is a sweet and caring story, I did shed a few tears for both of them but it is uplifting to know how much they care. A story I will cherish forever.

I received an ARC copy of this book for an honest review.

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Your cat rules your home and your heart. You bend over backwards to cater to their quirks. In fact, you would do anything for your pampered puss. So why is it that they sometimes choose to ignore you, push your most prized possessions off shelves, or use your furniture as a scratching post?

Luckily, this no-nonsense survival guide is on hand to help you navigate feline parenthood. Whether you need to learn not to take the cold shoulder personally, how to accept those little “gifts” with due gratitude, or simply to understand that there is never an acceptable excuse for an empty food bowl, these pearls of wisdom are sure to make you an elite cat parent in no time.

My Thoughts:
As a cat parent I always knew I would need a book like this in my life, it is a great survival guide to prepare you for becoming a cat parent. Boy oh boy does it. It is so funny and now relatable after having a cat for many years now. I love the designs on the pages and the illustrations are cute but funny. The little paw prints add a really nice touch too. A great gift for newbie Cat parents.

I received an ARC copy of this book for an honest review.

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It’s a truth universally acknowledged that cats are some of the funniest animals on the planet. From contorting themselves into strange shapes, to pulling bizarre expressions, to cramming themselves into tiny cardboard boxes, wherever there’s a cat there’s always something weird and wonderful to be seen.

Funny Cats is here to chronicle these important moments of absurdity. Within its pages, you’ll find:

– A selection of ridiculous cats in high-quality photo form
– Witty captions to make you laugh out loud
– Priceless expressions and relatable memes for all the moments you thought you were the only one (but realized you weren’t)
There is simply no end to the nonsense that cats are capable of – and this book is here to celebrate, honour and cherish that fact.

My Thoughts:
As soon as I saw this book I knew it was for me. The pictures and the captions are just so funny, they are all just so good. It really put a smile on my face. A great gift for a cat lover or just for yourself. I would highly recommend if you have a cat or you just need a good laugh. A great book.

I received an ARC copy of this book for an honest review.

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Two women. An office filled with secrets. One terrible crime that can’t be taken back.

Dawn Schiff is strange.

At least, everyone thinks so at Vixed, the nutritional supplement company where Dawn works as an accountant. She never says the right thing. She has no friends. And she is always at her desk at precisely 8:45 a.m.

So when Dawn doesn’t show up to the office one morning, her coworker Natalie Farrell―beautiful, popular, top sales rep five years running―is surprised. Then she receives an unsettling, anonymous phone call that changes everything…

It turns out Dawn wasn’t just an awkward outsider―she was being targeted by someone close. And now Natalie is irrevocably tied to Dawn as she finds herself caught in a twisted game of cat and mouse that leaves her wondering: who’s the real victim?

But one thing is incredibly clear: somebody hated Dawn Schiff. Enough to kill.

My Thoughts:

I have read a few of Freida’s books now and loved them so was excited to pick this one up about a Coworker. Dawn is always in work at a precise time every day but when she does not show Natalie is concerned, when Natalie starts receiving weird phone calls she knows something is not right but what is going on and where is Dawn? this started off good and I thought I knew what had happened but wow the twist that comes up shocked me, there are a few other twists after that I could not believe either. Freida has a way to pull the reader in so that you feel part of the story which has a great pace to it. Some of the chapters are short which makes you want to keep reading. I was left shell shocked at the end and still cannot believe what happened. I cannot wait to read my next book by Freida.

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When Carol’s world suddenly unravels, leaving her single and jobless, she stumbles upon an unexpected opportunity: leading a ragtag team of countryside conservation volunteers. At first glance, the prospect of nurturing Britain’s diverse wildlife in the great outdoors seems like a dream come true. However, reality paints a different picture: her office is a ramshackle porta-cabin overrun with mice and plagued by leaky ceilings, and the volunteers are far from impressed with her lack of practical skills.

Despite this rocky beginning, Carol gradually earns the respect of her eclectic group of volunteers, forging a tight-knit community that will grow to become essential to each member. This diverse group spans generations, from twenty-somethings to septuagenarians, with each of them looking to get something different out of volunteering, whether it’s a sense of purpose, a fresh start in life or a tick on their community service form. They also bring their unique quirks and life experiences to the mix.

Volunteer days soon evolve into the highlight of Carol’s week, as they bond over their love of nature, mental health battles, and the desire for companionship. As they work together outdoors, the team discover a simple yet powerful recipe for self-confidence, improved well-being and a newfound perspective on life’s challenges. This journey not only brings solace and new joys to Carol’s weeks, but eventually it helps her move on with her life, too.

My Thoughts:

This is a true story of how one woman managed to get her life back on track after losing her job. Carol becomes a leader, a leader who is in charge of a group of volunteers that help to conserve nature. But there are some hurdles that she must jump through. The volunteers are all different ages and have come from different backgrounds so to see them volunteer is a great opportunity for Carol and for them to better their lives. It was lovely to see how they all changed for the better. I think volunteering is a great thing to do as it gives you great satisfaction about helping others or nature in this case and it gets people outdoors and talking to other people. I found this a calming and steady paced read. A good read.

I received an ARC copy of this book for an honest review.

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