When Lauren and Ryan’s marriage reaches the breaking point, they come up with an unconventional plan. They decide to take a year off in the hopes of finding a way to fall in love again. One year apart, and only one rule: they cannot contact each other. Aside from that, anything goes.

Lauren embarks on a journey of self-discovery, quickly finding that her friends and family have their own ideas about the meaning of marriage. These influences, as well as her own healing process and the challenges of living apart from Ryan, begin to change Lauren’s ideas about monogamy and marriage. She starts to question: When you can have romance without loyalty and commitment without marriage, when love and lust are no longer tied together, what do you value? What are you willing to fight for?

My Thoughts:

I have read one of Taylor’s books before but it was a while ago and when I saw this book, I remembered how I liked the one before. I find her books thought provoking and engaging. This one is about Lauren and Ryan. They are married but going through issues and don’t like each other right now so Ryan decides something needs to be done about it and decides they both need a break from each other. Give it a year and see how how they feel about each other. There are rules that they both have to abide by. But Lauren struggles with some aspects of it, but finds comfort doing something that makes her feel closer to Ryan but will it have consequences. It is a story that you think what would you do in the same situation, I am sure there will be people that can relate to parts of this story. The ending surprised me but in a good way. I was not expecting the outcome but I loved it. I have now ordered more of Taylor’s books as I crave her writing and stories.

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She’s desperate to save her business. But will she end up losing her life?

Jenna Wyatt has finally achieved her dream. She loves baking cakes in her charming new café and relaxing in her perfect city flat. But as inflation soars and her shyster ex strikes, she worries everything she’s worked for will go up in flames.

Delighted when a customer offers to rent her spare rooms, she’s happy to tolerate his teenage daughter’s rudeness for a chance of financial security. But when she discovers her tenants are hiding secrets and a woman is found drowned in the canal, Jenna fears she’s been sharing her home with a killer.

Can she bring a murderer to justice without becoming the next victim?

My Thoughts:

Jenna has a decent life, she runs her cafe and bakes delicious sounding cakes in the city but money is tight and it is starting to rise more than she would like aside from starting to struggle she has her ex on her back and he is a no gooder. Help is in the form of a customer who decides to rent her spare room but with his daughter thrown into the mix who is rude, Jenna thinks everything might just be ok but is it? who is this man living in her spare room, he is more than meets the eye. I really enjoyed this thriller that transports you into the story where you just want to keep reading. I found it a good pace with some shocking twists which were unexpected. I felt tense for Jenna and thought about what I would do in her situation. I was thinking about this read whilst not reading it. It is the perfect read for a thriller fan.

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

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It was meant to be Caitlin’s perfect summer, but betrayed by her best friend and her boyfriend, she finds herself hitchhiking home alone, heartbroken, and penniless.

When a smiling family pulls up on the roadside to help her on her way, she’s relieved – they seem so friendly, safe. And when they offer her a warm bed in their isolated house for the night, she’s grateful not to have to travel back alone in the dark. In any case, she’s in no rush to get home, where a grave secret is lying in wait to blow her family apart.

One night soon turns into two, and then three. The increasingly spellbinding couple wants her to stay, and why shouldn’t she? Their children need a tutor, and the longer she can avoid home, the better. But then an older member of the household warns her to leave immediately. And when her phone suddenly goes missing, when she realises that this perfect family is a perfect lie, it might not be so easy for her to leave…

My Thoughts:

When Caitlin finds herself homeless and alone, she decides to leave her life behind. With only a rucksack she finds herself being let into a car with a family who seem decent enough especially to give her a life. But when she turns up at their house, she could never imagine what she is going to experience, is there any way out? I love how Jane sets the scene as soon as Caitlin got in the car I knew something was off, all the family creeped me out. I didn’t want to stop reading, it was such a great story that had my mind all over the places thinking about all the different scenarios of what could happen. You are in for a shock.

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

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The Marriage Portrait is a dazzling evocation of the Italian Renaissance in all its beauty and brutality.

Winter, 1561. Lucrezia, Duchess of Ferrara, is taken on an unexpected visit to a country villa by her husband, Alfonso. As they sit down to dinner it occurs to Lucrezia that Alfonso has a sinister purpose in bringing her here. He intends to kill her.

Lucrezia is sixteen years old, and has led a sheltered life locked away inside Florence’s grandest palazzo. Here, in this remote villa, she is entirely at the mercy of her increasingly erratic husband.

What is Lucrezia to do with this sudden knowledge? What chance does she have against Alfonso, ruler of a province, and a trained soldier? How can she ensure her survival.

My Thoughts:

I loved the sound of this blurb, it sounded right up my street. Lucrezia is on holiday with her husband Alfonso, whilst sitting down for dinner she knows why he has brought her here because he wants to kill her. It is a shame for me as this story didn’t live up to expectations, we get the before and now scenario which is good to get a little of the background. It is set in 1561 so I guess things were alot different back then. Maggie has clearly done her research into this book but I felt it lacked something, it was a little cringe and it made me wince a few times too. It made me feel uncomfortable that I jus wanted to finish it quickly. Not an author I would read again unfortunately.

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Following the unexpected death of her father, eighteen-year-old Layken becomes the rock for both her mother and younger brother. She appears resilient and tenacious, but inside, she’s losing hope. Then she meets her new neighbour Will, a handsome twenty-one-year-old whose mere presence leaves her flustered and whose passion for poetry slams thrills her.

Not long after a heart-stopping first date during which each recognizes something profound and familiar in the other, they are slammed to the core when a shocking discovery brings their new relationship to a sudden halt. Daily interactions become impossibly painful as they struggle to find a balance between the feelings that pull them together and the forces that tear them apart. Only through the poetry they share are they able to speak the truth that is in their hearts and imagine a future where love is cause for celebration, not regret.

My Thoughts:

This is book one in the Slammed Series and I have to say not my favourite, I still want to read the other two to see where the story goes. Layken and her family have had to move after a recent tragedy in the family, she doesn’t know what the future may hold for them. Then she meets Will her neighbour and everything changes, things are good but then they go bad and Layken doesn’t know what to do for the best. The story for me felt very strained and long. The pace was slow and I felt as though I didn’t interact with any of the characters. I am going to read the series just to see what happens and if they get any better. I really like reading Colleen’s books but they can be hit or miss for me.

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What happens when love, marriage and children don’t come in the expected order?

Fifteen years after the tragic death of their older brother splintered Josie and Meredith’s already fragile relationship, the two sisters are following very different paths.

Hardworking, reserved Meredith thought she’d done it all the right way round – married the perfect man, had the perfect daughter – but now she’s wondering if she got the love part wrong.

Impulsive and spirited Josie has been single for years. She wants a child so much that she’s preparing to head straight for the baby carriage all on her own.

As the anniversary of their tragedy looms and secrets from the past surface, Josie and Meredith must come to terms with their own choices. Perhaps they’ll find that they need each other more than they know…

My Thoughts:

Josie and Meredith are sisters, they are both completely different people these days. Many years ago there was a family bereavement that changed all of their lives forever. Now the anniversary is coming up can the sister reconcile what they use to have and work our a way to help and heal each other. I haven’t read one of Emily’s books before so was not sure what to expect. I found the story overall a good one, I felt as though I wanted to invest my time finding out how the sisters could or would reconcile. The characters were believable and it was all together a great read.

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An Australian expat in Berlin, Kim is jobless, rootless, and – as she’s slowly discovering – somewhat useless.
That is until a chance encounter with Matthew, a hotshot New York literary agent, gives Kim the direction she’s been craving. This year she will:

* Finally write her novel
* Decide what said novel is actually about
* Romantically pin down the increasingly flighty Matthew
* Be less jealous of best friend Bel’s baby
* Convince her therapist that the amount of artichokes she eats doesn’t classify as an eating disorder
* Stay sane in the process of achieving the above

Because Kim’s story will not become a sad girl novel.
Definitely not.

My Thoughts:

I loved the sound of the story and couldn’t wait to get straight in. It is a unique and funny story about Kim. She is not exactly living her best life as of yet and is going through a bad patch until she meets Matthew who could be the answer to all her prayers. The story is about friendship, love and mental health, and I really felt as though I was rooting for her, I really wanted the best for Kim. There are parts that made me laugh out loud and are feel good but there is a great message behind it all, if you want something, go out and get it. I loved it. I think it would be great if it was made into a film.

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

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Jane is unhappy. She’s a struggling writer trapped in an underwhelming marriage with husband Ted, scraping by to pay for a mortgage for a house and a life that she’s never really wanted.

There’s only ever been one person she cared about, one person who truly understood her: Thalia. Jane’s best and only friend nearly a decade ago during their time together at Oxford. But then the night of the formal which should have bound them together for good, drove them apart. Until now.

Because after years of searching, Thalia is everywhere as she tops the New York Times bestseller list. And now Jane has found Thalia after all these years, she won’t let her go…

My Thoughts:

Jane’s life is not going how she planned it too, everything seems to be going wrong at the same time. But when she starts searching for her best friend back in the day she is intrigued and envy of Thalia’s life, but what broke down their relationship years ago? Jane is not going to let Thalia forget her. I liked this thriller, it was dark and I liked how the pace was slow to start with and then built up. The story is about friendship and envy and obsession. I didn’t know what to expect and I could never imagined the outcome at the end. The perfect Summer read.

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

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EVEN ON AN ISLAND PARADISE, DANGER STILL LURKS.

Called in to examine what is left of a body struck by lightning, Tempe traces an unusual tattoo to its source and is soon embroiled in a much larger case. Young men – tourists – have been disappearing on the islands of Turks and Caicos for years. Seven years ago, the first victim was found with both hands cut off; the other visitors vanished without a trace. But recently, tantalizing leads have emerged and only Tempe can unravel them.

Maddeningly, the victims seem to have nothing in common – other than the unusual locations where their bodies are eventually found, and the fact that the young men all seem to be the least likely to be involved in foul play. Do these attacks have something to do with the islands’ seething culture of gang violence? Tempe isn’t so sure. And then she turns up disturbing clues that what’s at stake may actually have global significance.

It isn’t long before the sound of a ticking clock grows menacingly loud, and then Tempe herself becomes a target.

My Thoughts:

Tempe is a forensic anthropologist and in this book has to work out what happened when a body is brought in which has been struck by lightening but it is not all as it seems and when Tempe delves deeper she finds some clues as what may have happened. But Tempe is in danger herself now that she knows. This is my first book by Kathy and I cannot wait to read more, it gripped me from the first chapter and I was hooked. I liked meeting Tempe and cannot wait to get to know her more, I feel as though she is a strong and trusting woman but I could not do the job she does. I literally felt scared for her life and was worried when I had to turn a page incase something happened to her. Such a fascinating and intriguing read. I loved it.

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

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THE STORY…

The first chapter of a manuscript arrives on Publisher Marina’s desk. She assumes it’s just another novel by another aspiring writer…

THE SECRET…

As the chapters arrive one by one, Marina is convinced they are about her past. There’s only one person who can know everything about the scandal, the trial, and the trauma that nearly broke her.

THE SILENCE…

This is one story that should never be told, and Marina is so desperate she will do anything to stop it getting out.

My Thoughts:

Marina is a publisher who has had a manuscript delivered to her, she has read many so why should this one be any different. But it is much different from previous ones she has read because she thinks this one is about her life. The chapters are arriving one after another and Marina is starting to feel uncomfortable about it all especially as it is to do with her past and she doesn’t want all of it dug up again. But how can she keep her past under wraps and for it to stop all coming out. It was another brilliant read from Susan. I love how Susan’s books are like an onion each chapter you are peeling off another layer and you get more drawn into the story. I like how the story was about a story it was very clever and unique. As always Susan’s books are my go to and I love them. I love the intensity and wonder of what the outcome will be.

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

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