Mary O’Connor has been keeping a vigil for her first love for the past seven years.

Every evening without fail, Mary arrives at Ealing Broadway station and sets herself up among the commuters. In her hands Mary holds a sign which bears the words: ‘Come Home Jim.’

Call her mad, call her a nuisance, call her a drain on society – Mary isn’t going anywhere.

That is, until an unexpected call turns her world on its head. In spite of all her efforts, Mary can no longer find the strength to hold herself together. She must finally face what happened all those years ago, and answer the question – where on earth is Jim?

My Thoughts:

This was such a beautifully written story with so much empathy. The characters felt so real, I almost felt as though I knew them. Mary and Jim’s story shows the complex relationship of a marriage and will show how every emotion can be used for both partners. I found it such a moving read, one that wrapped itself around me, I didn’t want the story to end but when it did I felt satisfied. Marriage is only hard if the both of you don’t put 100% into it, otherwise what is the point.

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

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NOAH AND KATE WERE MEANT TO BE TOGETHER FOR EVER.

Married with two gorgeous sons, it looked like they’d got their happy ever after.

But marriage isn’t easy. And one day, Kate left, taking their two boys with her.

These days, Noah is a weekend dad – and it breaks his heart. He misses the chaotic mealtimes, the bedtime stories, the early mornings and the late homework.

Suddenly, he decides enough is enough – he has to win his family back. Starting with Kate.

The only problem?

IN SIX WEEKS’ TIME, KATE IS GETTING MARRIED TO SOMEONE ELSE . . .

My Thoughts:

I fell in love this story, I could not put it down. Noah is married to Kate and they have two sons, Noah thinks everything is fine until one day Kate ups and leaves with their boys, she has decided enough is enough and splits up with him. Life for Noah is not great, he works as a school teacher and hearing about his pupils did make me chuckle, he is not making the right life choices and Kate is pushing him away further which is not what he wants. Then Kate meets someone new and Noah decides he has to put on his big boy brave pants and win her back, but can he? and does she really want him back? It is a love story with a twist, it’s relatable to many people out there not just us women. I feel like I want to re-read it many times over. It is a feel good story.

I received an ARC copy of this book for an honest review. Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin for sending me a copy.

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A hilarious story of the ups and downs of a overtired and overworked mother, two needy children and an overbearing husband the perfect laugh-out-loud story.

My Thoughts:

I liked how this story is so relatable and it is a nice short read that is something a little different. It is an amusing story of a mum who has two kids and a husband, but she is always on the go and the kids let alone the husband don’t help her whatsoever. Parts were funny but I did feel a little sad for her, it was nice to see her journey throughout the story. The only thing I would say is that it does jump around a little too much for me, one minute they are having drinks and the next she is at the kitchen table with her husband, there is no break. But I did enjoy reading it and am interested in seeing what Donna the author writes about next time.

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

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So I thought I would do a little blog post on how I have been helping people during UK Lockdown, The libraries and shops were shut but they have since recently reopened but I have been doing giveaways and competitions on my twitter page so people can win books and other book related items. I do giveaways every month, I only post to the UK. If you want to follow me on twitter, be my guest I am @bookbloghannah on there.

Also what Lockdown taught me when your in your house 24/7 is to have a good sort out of everything. I have for the last few weeks been putting out all kinds of stuff outside my house for other people to have. If I am not going to use it why keep it, when it could do someone else a turn. I loved sorting out my bookshelves and letting other people read the books I have loved, especially when I can chat to them about it.

The books have been a great talking point with neighbours and also other people. I love to chat books. I have also been recommending books to people too. I have had people say to me thank you for doing this as they haven’t been able to go to the library and they can’t afford to buy the books so it has been a really big help to some people.

By the way I had lots more books that this that I put out but I forgot to get pictures. I put them out over a space of three weeks and everything has gone apart from a bag of books that I have saved for someone.

I have enjoyed doing this, and I feel as though it has helped people out and also helped myself as I have now got room for lots more books.

I hope you enjoyed reading this post.

‘The train doesn’t slow. We aren’t stopping. We are going to burn past, leaving her behind in a swirl of leaves and dust. I blink. And then men are there, two of them. They lift the squirming girl to her feet, haul her towards the van… and then we are past.’

I am the girl on the platform.
When new mother Bridget catches her train home from London, she witnesses something terrible: a young girl is taken from the platform, right before her eyes. 
No one knows where I am.
But no one is reported missing and with Bridget the only witness, she is written off as an attention seeker. Nobody believes her – not even her own husband.
Can you find me? 
But Bridget knows what she saw, and becomes consumed with finding the little girl. Only she can save the child’s life… but could delving into the mystery cost Bridget her own?

My Thoughts:

This is a great read if you like something dark and intense. Bridget witnesses a child being kidnapped on her way home, no one else sees it happening or do they? Bridget knows what she saw but why wont anyone believe her? so she goes on a quest to find out who the little was and why she was taken from the platform. We also delve more into Bridget’s background which unearths some very interesting things. I feel as though we really get into Bridget’s head on how she is feeling and what she is really thinking. I really enjoyed this read and I reckon it would be great if it was made into a film.

I received an ARC copy of this book for an honest review. Thank you Netgalley and Avon for sending me a copy.

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Helen has it all…

Daniel is the perfect husband.
Rory is the perfect brother.
Serena is the perfect sister-in-law.

And Rachel? Rachel is the perfect nightmare.

When Helen, finally pregnant after years of tragedy, attends her first antenatal class, she is expecting her loving architect husband to arrive soon after, along with her confident, charming brother Rory and his pregnant wife, the effortlessly beautiful Serena. What she is not expecting is Rachel.

Extroverted, brash, unsettling single mother-to-be Rachel, who just wants to be Helen’s friend. Who just wants to get know Helen and her friends and her family. Who just wants to know everything about them. Every little secret.

My Thoughts:

I found this a very dark read, you never know what is around the corner. It is full of twists and the characters are all believable, but what really happened to Rachel, I feel as though this book is going to be a huge hit. A psychological thriller at it’s best. The ending was sublime.

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

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In the form of several journeys, beginning in January 2019, Neil Ansell returns for solitary walks to the New Forest in Hampshire, close to where he was born. With beautiful sightings and observations of birds, trees, butterflies, insects and landscape, this is also a reflective memoir on childhood, on the history of one of the most ancient and important natural habitats in the United Kingdom, and on the Gypsies who lived there for centuries – and were subsequently expelled to neighbouring cities. It is also part polemic on our collective and individual responsibility for the land and world in which we live, and how we care for it.

My Thoughts:

What a delightful read, and the cover of this book is simply stunning. Neil Ansell is an award winning television journalist with the BBC and a long standing newspaper journalist. He has written a couple of other books that I want to read next. This book is all about his walks to the New Forest. The New Forest has a special place in my heart as I use to go there alot when I was younger. I love driving through the New Forest too as you get to see all different wildlife. It made me feel calm when reading this book, hearing about all the different wildlife and birds and also the landscape gave me a fresh perspective on what you might be able to see if you go there. Neil is a great naturalist who is inquisitive and sensible and describes such a precious place in such great detail, one could almost imagine walking in his footsteps. I look forward to reading more of Neil’s books in the future.

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

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Baking fanatic, Charlie Quilter, inherits a vintage bus in her late uncle’s will and is keen to give it a new lease of life. Charlie thinks it will be the perfect mobile café for afternoon tea, so she heads to the picturesque Cornish village of Porthgolow, hoping for a new start. However, Daniel Harper, the owner of the posh spa up on the hill isn’t very pleased that her bus is parked outside his lovely hotel. Has Charlie’s Cornish dream developed a soggy bottom? Or can she convince Daniel that her bus could take them somewhere wonderful?

My Thoughts:

I love a book that is set in one of my favourite places Cornwall. It just makes me want to go there. This is the first book in the series and I look forward to read the others and following Charlie’s story. She inherits a bus and to give it a new lease of life decides to make it in to a mobile café to serve afternoon teas. After deciding that a little village in Cornwall would be the perfect spot, she heads off there but only to discover people that live there may not be keen on her pulling up and taking their business. Can she win them around or will she have to move on and shatter her dreams? It is a fun read, though don’t read on an empty stomach as the sounds of all the culinary delights will leave you feeling rather hungry. There is quite a lot going on in this book with lots of unique characters. There is always going to be a romance but you have to expect that. I loved it.

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