Can’t Take My Eyes Off You by Clare Dowling
Clara’s been away for too long. So, after ten years in London, and with her boyfriend Matthew in tow, she arrives home in Castlemoy, a town with nineteen pubs and a shiny new motorway to civilisation. Her family welcome them with open arms but Jason, her long-ago ex, seems to have old scores to settle and it’s not long before Clara finds herself being watched, followed and manipulated from afar.
As her dreams of happily-ever-after begin to shatter, Clara decides it’s time to wrestle her life back before it’s too late….
My Thoughts:
Love, love, love it! Clare Dowling never seems to disappoint. I found myself really rooting for Clara to stand up for herself and not take what was happening to her lying down. Clare Dowling takes on some serious issues in this book, health issues, unplanned pregnancy and stalking, this would normally be seen as a bit of a depressing read but Clare has managed to add a few touches of humour to make it light hearted and lighten the mood. Clare Dowling’s writing is incredible, I personally would recommend this book and will be looking forward to her next book. 5/5.
Happily Ever After by Harriet Evans
You can’t escape the ties that bind – the past catches up with you no matter how far you try to run….
This is the story of a girl who doesn’t believe in happy endings. Or happy families. It’s the story of Eleanor Bee, a shy book-loving girl who vows to turn herself into someone bright, shiny and confident, someone sophisticated. Someone who knows how life works.
But life has a funny way of catching us unawares. Turns out that Elle doesn’t know everything about love. Or life. Or how to keep the ones we love safe…
My Thoughts:
Harriet Evans is a fabulous writer, I did manage to finish the novel but found it a bit of a slog. This book is quite big, but it feels as though someone has taken chunks out of this book to avoid more pages, which is disappointing as it leaves you feeling like you have missed out on something. I liked the fact Harriet Evans wrote a book about books, this I found was intriguing as it’s quite rare for an author to do that. The main character Elle was a bit annoying at times as she tried to please everyone , but didn’t think things through logically. A nice enough read still want to read her latest book ‘Not without you’. This book certainly hasn’t put me off.
A hundred pieces of me by Lucy Dillon
Letters from the only man she’s ever truly loved.
A keepsake of the father she never really knew.
A blue glass vase that catches the light on a grey day.
Gina Bellamy is starting again, after a few years she’d rather forget. But the belongings she’s treasured for so long don’t seem to fit who she is now. So Gina makes a resolution. She’ll keep just a hundred special items – the rest can go. Bu
t that means coming to terms with her past and learning to embrace the future, whatever it might bring……
My Thoughts:
I absolutely loved this book. Lucy Dillon makes you feel drawn to her characters in a way no author has ever made me feel. I’ve read all of Lucy Dillon’s books and I pretty much go through every emotion whilst reading her books, this book was no exception.
I loved the relationship between Gina and the greyhound Buzz, it was clear they both needed someone to love and they found it in each other. This story is an emotional roller-coaster especially for women that have been through what Gina had gone through and families that have been through or going through personal experiences such as this one in the book.
There are authors that write about personal experiences but Lucy Dillon has really sympathised with her wordings and it personally made me feel like she gave Gina justice. It made me think how grateful I am for life and living and I appreciate you have to make the best out of each day.
Now waiting for Lucy Dillon’s next book, hopefully it won’t be too long await.
Last Friends by Jane Gardam
Old Filth and The Man in the Wooden Hat told with bristling tenderness and black humour the stories of that Titan of the Hong Kong law courts, Old Filth QC, and his clever, misunderstood wife Betty. Last Friends, the final volume of this trilogy, picks up with Terence Veneering, Filth’s great rival in work and – though it was never spoken of – in love.
Veneering, Filth and their friends tell a tale of love, friendship, grace, the bitter sweet experiences of a now – forgotten Empire and the disappointments and consolations of age.
My Thoughts:
Last Friends is the third and final novel in the Old Filth Trilogy. I would recommend starting off by reading Old Filth then the man in the wooden hat and then last friends as the characters are featured throughout this trilogy. I would have to say the other two books were a delight to read and this novel wasn’t bad either, the characters are interesting and Jane bought it all to a lovely conclusion, but at times it was confusing and I couldn’t work out what was going on.
I’ve done it again! Check out my review
Just a quick one to say another one of my reviews has been posted on Dizzy C’s book blog. I am very grateful for Carol for publishing this review on her blog.
Check it out:
http://dizzycslittlebookblog.blogspot.co.uk/2014/05/guest-review-masterful-mr-montague-by.html
The Masterful Mr Montague by Stephanie Laurens
Heathcote Montague has devoted his life to managing his life to wealth of London’s elite, but at a huge cost: a family of his own. Then the enticing Miss Violet Matcham seeks his help, and in the puzzle she presents him, he finds an intriguing new challenge professionally… and personally.
Violet, devoted lady-companion to the ageing Lady Halstead, turns to Montague to reassure her ladyship that her affairs are in order. But the famous Montague is not at all what she’d expected – this man is compelling, decisive, supportive and strong – everything Violet needs in a champion; a position to which Montague rapidly lays claim.
But then Lady Halstead is murdered and Violet and Montague, aided by Barnaby Adair, race to expose a cunning and cold-blooded killer… who stalks closer and closer. Will Montague and Violet learn the shocking truth too late to seize their chance at enduring love?
My Thoughts:
I have never read any of Stephanie Lauren’s book before, if your interested in reading about a mystery with a love story on the side this is the book for you. The story did hold my attention as I wanted to find out who the murderer was and it took me back to the regency period which Stephanie captured brilliant. Personally I want to read Stephanie’s previous novels as she did keep referring to characters from them but it was a good read one I would recommend if your into historical fiction.
Wedding Night by Sophie Kinsella
What do you do when you think your sister’s about to marry the wrong man?
It’s all gone wrong with the man Lottie thought was Mr Right. Then out of the blue she gets a call from her first love. She decides it must be fate, and rushes off to marry him and rekindle their sizzling Greek island romance. Lottie’s older sister can’t believe she’s doing something so crazy. No more Ms Nice Sister, she’s stopping this marriage. Right away! And she’ll go to any lengths to do so…
My Thoughts:
I love Sophie Kinsella books they never fail to cheer me up, this one was no exception. I got into this book straight away and couldn’t put it down, there are quite a few funny moments in this book and it had me in fits of laughter so much so I did get quite a few looks from people. If you need cheering up this is the book for you. Sophie Kinsella uses both sister’s to narrate this book. It was nice having two female leads. Some of the situations are far fetched but I’m not reading for reality I’m reading for entertainment.
The Disgrace of Kitty Grey by Mary Hooper
Bridgeford Hall 1813.
Kitty has a comfortable life as a country milkmaid. She is well looked after by the family who live up at the great house, and she enjoys being courted by Will Villiers, the handsome river man.
Then, one day, Will vanishes. Kitty is heartbroken, and when she is sent to London on an errand, she is determined to track down Will. But, alone and vulnerable in the vast city, Kitty’s fate is snatched out of her hands and she is plunged into a dizzying spiral of despair….
My Thoughts:
I don’t normally read historical fiction but I was drawn to the cover and the blurb on the back just as something different from my normal reads. I managed to read this book in a day, the chapters were quite short and the writing large so took no time at all. This book gave me a frightening account of what an unforgiving place the 19th century London was. I found it very interesting historically and enjoyed the last couple of pages where there are some historical notes which I found fascinating. A good little read when you want something a little bit different.
Life, Death and Vanilla Slices by Jenny Eclair
Jean Collins had two daughters. But she only loved one of them. She knew it was wrong, but she just couldn’t help herself. Jess was a little sweetheart – everyone said so. Anne was awkward and serious and not much fun, to be frank.
But now the years have passed. Jess is missing – run off long ago, no one knows where or why. So when Jean is left in a coma after a road accident, it’s Anne who travels back up north to sit with her mother. And she wonders – why did Jean dash out into the road
without looking? And why was she carrying a box of vanilla slices, the cream cakes she only ever bought for extra special occasions? Meanwhile there are secrets waiting for Anne and Jean, back at the old family home. Secrets that were buried a long time ago……
My Thoughts:
Jenny Eclair is a new author to me, I found this book a real page turner I managed to read it over two days and didn’t want it to end. The unfolding stories of Anne and Jean’s were real and it made me really care about the characters and what happened to them. I found the ending quite emotional as this is a book about honest family relationships, consequences of choices and the ways in which dreams in both their collapse or their fulfilment may change the course of our lives. And who doesn’t like a vanilla slice?!
Echoes In An Empty Room 