In her twenties, Emma Blair marries her high school sweetheart, Jesse. They build a life for themselves, far away from the expectations of their parents and the people of their hometown in Massachusetts. They travel the world together, living life to the fullest and seizing every opportunity for adventure. On their first wedding anniversary, Jesse is on a helicopter over the Pacific when it goes missing. Just like that, Jesse is gone forever.
   
Emma quits her job and moves home in an effort to put her life back together. Years later, now in her thirties, Emma runs into an old friend, Sam, and finds herself falling in love again. When Emma and Sam get engaged, it feels like Emma’s second chance at happiness. That is, until Jesse is found. He’s alive, and he’s been trying all these years to come home to her. With a husband and a fiance, Emma has to now figure out who she is and what she wants while trying to protect the ones she loves. But who is her one true love? What does it mean to love truly?

My Thoughts:

I was excited to read this one as I had previously read one of Taylor’s books and enjoyed it, however this one just didn’t hit the spot for me. At a young age Emma marries Jesse and they have the perfect life together until one fateful day changes everything. How can Emma get through the grief and rebuild her future. She decides to move back home. When she meets someone she has not seen for a very long time, he helps her to see there is light at the end of the tunnel and maybe she could be happy again. Until her past comes back to haunt her and she finds out something that really shakes her world. But now she is in a dilemma and she doesn’t know what to do? I liked the start of this story, but as the story went on it seemed a bit silly and I started to despise Emma. I didn’t think she deserved to be with either man. It was a predictable story.

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NOTHING IS DEADLIER THAN TRUE LOVE…

Wes and Ivy are madly in love. It’s the kind of romance people write stories about. But what kind of story?

Because when it’s good, it’s very very good. But when it’s bad, it’s bad.

But their breakneck cycle of catastrophic vengeful break-ups and head-over-heels reconnections needs to end fast. Because suddenly, Wes and Ivy have a common enemy – and she’s a detective.

One wrong move will be fatal – so if Wes and Ivy can’t stick together, this break-up might just be their last.

My Thoughts:

This is a domestic thriller which tells of a toxic and horrible relationship between Ivy and Wes. Both of them find it hard to live with each other but also they both find it extremely hard to live without each other. The way the story goes, I didn’t particularly like either of them, they were both as bad as each other. But the twist that came made me a little more captivated with the story. It was a long one but don’t lose hope until the twist, then things start becoming good. I found it a dark read.

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

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When Jem Rosco – sailor, adventurer and local legend – blows into town in the middle of an autumn gale, the residents of Greystone, Devon, are delighted to have a celebrity in their midst. The residents think nothing of it when Rosco disappears again; that’s the sort of man he is.

Until the lifeboat is launched to a hoax call-out during a raging storm and his body is found in a dinghy, anchored off Scully Cove, a place with legends of its own.

This is an uncomfortable case for DI Matthew Venn. He came to the remote village as a child, its community populated by the Barum Brethren that he parted ways with, so when superstition and rumour mix and another body is found in the cove, Matthew soon finds his judgement clouded.

As the stormy winds howl and the village is cut off, Venn and his team start their investigation, little realizing their own lives might be in danger. . .

My Thoughts:

This is the second book in the Two Rivers Series and Detective Matthew Venn is back again. If you haven’t read one of Ann’s books, I would recommend them, this is my third book by her and I have really enjoyed them. Detective Matthew Venn is called out to a body in a dinghy but who it belongs to is a surprise to everyone in the village, can Matthew and his team piece together this unusual murder, but Matthew has his past to contend with too as he tries to work out the who, what and why for this murder. I found it a quick paced thriller that led me down the garden path then took me to an unexpected place I never thought I would end up in. Overall another great read by Ann.

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

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She’s faked her profile picture. He’s just a fake . . .

When happily divorced Joni finds Ant via a dating app, neither is entirely honest about who they are.

But when they meet in real life, they fall for each other. Soon they are a happy, steady item. Until Joni discovers Ant is still on the app, still dating other women . . .

Having secret rivals devastates Joni. So she decides to take revenge. But not on them.

Can she turn these rivals into allies to get back at the real enemy . . . Ant?

My Thoughts:

I have read a couple of Jane’s books now and I have to say this one sounded really good however I found it was not really for me. I found it a slow burner and very long and drawn out. Joni finds Ant on a dating app neither of them are telling the truth about some things. So after talking they decide to meet and like each other a lot. When in a steady relationship Joni realises something is a bit off with Ant and decides to find out… he is still dating other women, so she gets her own back on him and plots sweet revenge. It is a very predictable story.

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WELCOME TO YOUR DREAM HOME…
Salma Khatun is extremely hopeful about Blenheim, the safe suburban development to which she, her husband and their son have just moved. Their family is in desperate need of a fresh start, and Blenheim feels like the place to make that happen.

MEET YOUR NEW NEIGHBOURS…
Not long after they move in, Salma spots her neighbour, Tom Hutton, ripping out the anti-racist banner her son put in their front garden. She chooses not to confront Tom because she wants to fit in. It’s a small thing, really. No need to make a fuss. So Salma takes the banner inside and puts it in her window instead. But the next morning she wakes up to find her window smeared with paint.

AND PREPARE FOR THE NIGHTMARE TO BEGIN…
This time she does confront Tom, and the battle lines between the two families are drawn. As things begin to escalate and the stakes become higher, it’s clear that a reckoning is coming… And someone is going to get hurt.

My Thoughts:

I loved the sound of this story, it is all about Salma and her family. When they move to a suburban development they think they are finally safe but when their neighbour starts acting out of turn, they are torn between what is right to do. They could never imagined how their lives will change for the worst. It is a great story packed with twists and turns and intriguing characters. I really felt for the family and hated the neighbour, it is one of those books that you want to keep reading because you can’t believe what is going on. A terrific read.

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

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Stranded on a dark road in the middle of the night, a young woman accepts a lift from a passing stranger. It’s the nightmare scenario that every girl is warned about, and she knows the dangers all too well – but what other choice does she have?

As they drive, she alternates between fear and relief – one moment thinking he is just a good man doing a good thing, the next convinced he’s a monster. But when he delivers her safely to her destination, she realizes her fears were unfounded.

And her heart sinks. Because a monster is what she’s looking for.

She’ll try again tomorrow night. But will the man who took her sister take the bait?

My Thoughts:

This is such a cleverly done thriller about a woman who accepts a lift from a stranger, its late at night and she is fearful for life, who is this man and why did he offer her a lift? does he have an ulterior motive? but once she gets to a place of safety everything is fine. She realises he is not the man who took her sister and she will do everything she can to find that man and make him pay for what he did. I loved the sound of this story and it was really good. A crazy good story that makes you think what would you do in that situation. It is a twisty story so don’t assume you know what is going to happen. You won’t want to read this creepy and thrilling read. I could never of imagined the outcome. Superb.

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

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Norah Day lives in temporary accommodation, relies on foodbanks for dinner, and doesn’t have a mum. But she’s happy enough with her dad and a mini zoo of rescued wildlife to care for. Adam Sinclair lives with his parents in a nice house with a private tutor and everything he could ever want. But his life isn’t perfect-far from it. He’s stuck at home recovering from cancer with an overprotective mum and no friends.

When a nest of baby birds brings them together as an animal rescue team, Adam and Norah discover they’re not so different after all. Can they solve the mystery of Norah’s missing mother together? And can their teamwork save their zoo of rescued animals from the rising flood?

My Thoughts:

I loved this book so much, even though it is a children’s book it really resonated with me. Norah’s life is completely different to Adam but when a nest of baby birds bring them together, what they don’t realise is that both of them help each other out. It kind of reminded me of a series I use to read as a child called Animal Ark. I felt for both kids and hoped that them being friends would help both their situations. It was a lovely feel good read that will shows kindness and friendship can help you feel as though you belong. It is a perfect read for animal lovers which I am and I loved reading that side of the story too.

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

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It’s New Year and Iceland is still reeling from the effects of the financial crash when a notorious financer is found beaten to death after a high-profile reception at the President’s residence. The Police are certain they have a killer – or do they? Determined to get to the truth, maverick lawyer Stella Blomkvist isn’t so sure. A stripper disappears from one of City’s seediest nightspots, and nobody but Stella seems interested in finding her. A drug mule cooling his heels in a prison cell refuses to speak to anyone but Stella – although she’s never heard of him. An old man makes a deathbed request for Stella to find the family he lost long ago. With a sharp tongue and a moral compass all of her own, Stella Blomkvist has a talent for attracting trouble and she’s as at home in the corridors of power as in the dark corners of Reykjavik’s underworld.

My Thoughts:

This book is set in Iceland and the whole story is about Stella Blomkvist, she is a maverick lawyer and is determined to find out the truth about a man who is found dead but things are not all as they seem, there are all these different cases that Stella wants to solve but can she solve them by herself? also will she end up getting into major trouble herself? I liked this short story, it had a great pace to it, it kept me engaged. Even though there are quite a few different characters in the story, I did feel as though I could keep up and remember who everyone was. The book has been translated and I think they have done a great job at that. It was intense, quirky and full of drama. I wonder what Stella Blomkvist will be getting up to next.

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

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A bonfire burns on a Cornish beach in the middle of the night.

Nearby, a young woman waits for morning, and for the estate agent to arrive with the keys to her new life in the peaceful fishing village.

She carries with her no trace of her previous life or the past she has left behind.

Quickly she becomes an object of fascination among the locals; one in particular finds that he is falling in love with her.

But can anyone really have a new life?
What happened to this woman’s old life?
And what price did she pay to escape it?

When secrets long buried explode into the light, they will change the lives of everyone around her.

My Thoughts:

I loved the sound of this book, it sounded like my type of it. I think I have read one of Tony’s books in the past and enjoyed it so was looking forward to reading this one. It is set in a fishing village where everyone knows everyone else’s business. I would say it is a slow burner but makes up for it by all the twists and turns that pop up throughout the book. The story is a very intriguing one, when a woman turns up in this fishing village, she becomes an mysterious person to all living there, but why is she there and what secrets has she been hiding. Mystery, intriguing and full of suspense about who this woman is. A great story to get stuck into. I love Tony’s style of writing.

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

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“Don’t forget about the subtle magic that is happening all around you every day”

Meet the little frog! With its mushroom cap and endless collection of fabulous footwear, this adorable amphibian is here to be your new best friend. Whether you need an emotional boost, some friendly encouragement or an honest view on the world, the little frog will be your guide.

Created by the California-based artist Maybell Eequay, this book is a perfect compassionate gift for yourself or others. Inside you will find:
– Over 40 hand-drawn illustrations of the little frog
– Beautiful life lessons and empowering reminders that it’s okay to be gentle with yourself and to feel your feelings
– A humorous, no-nonsense approach to positivity

These illustrations will fill your heart with love for yourself and others, and remind you that it’s brave and wonderful of you to exist!

My Thoughts:

What a wonderful little book. Even the frog on the front made me smile. It is such a uplifting and sweet read. The illustrations are fantastic and really make the book special. The pages are filled with the beautiful illustrations but also positivity and life affirmations, it is a great little book that you can take anywhere and can flick to a page and read and feel the positivity. If you know anyone struggling, this would make a great gift to them. Even the illustrations make me smile so much so it is doing good just with them. A great little book with a cute frog.

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

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