At the age of sixty, and having lived with Parkinson’s disease for over ten years, Guy Deacon CBE set out on one last adventure: to drive solo from his home in the UK 18,000 miles and through twenty-five countries to Cape Town on the southern tip of Africa. This incredible journey, across Europe and down the full length of Africa, took the former British Army officer over twelve months. Along the way, he broke down five times, underwent one emergency evacuation, and took 3,650 prescription pills.

There are only a handful of vehicles each year which attempt this difficult journey; many never complete it. Ongoing conflicts in Libya, South Sudan, Mozambique and many other countries make any journey exceptionally dangerous. In central Africa, road conditions, particularly in the rainy season, often make the going treacherous. Further hazards include illegal checkpoints, extortion, contaminated fuel and a lack of services.

My Thoughts:

I fancied something a little different from my usual reads and came across this book. I have to say it is a must read. Guy has Parkinson’s but is not letting it take over from his life. In this incredible story he decides that for one last time he will do something that he knows he can achieve come hell or high water and that is to go on adventure by himself and drive all the way from his house to the end tip of Africa. There is a lot he goes through on his way and at times I thought would he give up and go home but he has pure determination and does not let anything stop him or get in his way. I am not sure why but I felt as though he was my dad and I was spurring him on in this lengthy journey of his. I felt super protective and proud of him. Guy is a true inspiration to everyone and I am so glad I got to go on his last adventure with him. I felt as though I learnt things about my person and how to deal with certain situations in the future. Thank you Guy for writing such an inspiring book.

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

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What is normal? There is so much beauty and identity to be found in being unique.

Projectile bodily fluids…

A strangely shaped baby coming into the world…

A stubborn patient and her cancerous ‘beauty spot’…

With a delightful blend of gentle humour, empathy, and refreshing honesty, Chloe delves into the highs and lows of the human experience – from the magical moments of birth to the heart-breaking farewells of death, from the courage displayed in the face of chronic illness to the unsettling selfishness witnessed in times of suffering.

In this memoir, Chloe invites you to join her on a path less travelled, offering a unique perspective on the wonders and fragilities of the human body, whilst navigating the complexities of her own life, as the truth behind her challenges are unveiled. Whether you’re a fan of medical dramas or simply captivated by life’s complexities, this charming and quirky exploration of Chloe’s life as a physician associate student is sure to evoke laughter, tears, and unwavering entertainment.

My Thoughts:

I found this a really interesting account of someone who works in the medical profession. Having been in and out of hospitals all my life because of my health I have always been fascinated with this type of topic so for me I really enjoyed reading all these stories and learning new things. There were some funny parts to this book but also some really deep and moving stories that really got to me. I really admire Chloe for writing this eye opening and insightful book and I really hope people enjoying reading it as I did.

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

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Mrs Quinn is the unlikely star of Britain’s favourite baking show, but could her newfound stardom cause her biggest secret to unravel?

Jennifer Quinn has a secret. Her love of baking has just won her a spot as a contestant on a primetime TV show. It’s only the second time in fifty-nine years that she’s kept something from her beloved husband Bernard.

She’s about to be whisked into an unfamiliar world of cameras, timed challenges and celebrity judges. She could be in with a chance of being crowned the best baker in Britain.

But, as Mrs Quinn’s quiet ambitions turn into unexpected stardom, the other secret she’s been keeping is in danger of resurfacing. It was supposed to stay hidden forever.

Will Mrs Quinn rise to the challenge? Or, will her success become a recipe for disaster?

My Thoughts:

As soon as I saw this book I knew I had to read it. I love a good comforting read especially when there are delicious sounding cakes involved. This was like heaven on a plate to me. It is about Mrs Quinn who has a quiet life with her husband but decides as she is not young anymore wants to do just one last thing for herself. She loves baking and applies for a baking TV show not expecting to get through but as she opens up to them she enters a different world when they choose her. The only thing is she decides to keep it a secret from her husband who has noticed she is acting strange, he is thinking she is not well. We see her go through the process of getting to the critical stages with her delicious sounding cakes but when something happens at home, she wonders where her priorities land, will she give up or will she keep rolling ahead? I absolutely loved this story, it is a comforting and uplifting read with some absolutely lovely characters including Mrs Quinn and her husband, bless them. It is a book I would treasure forever and want to keep on reading whenever I needed comfort.

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In a cosy corner of Paris, a delicious little patisserie is just waiting to be discovered. And romance might just be on the menu…

As the youngest of four, Nina Hadley has always had her big brothers telling her what to do. So, when she’s given the chance to move to Paris and help run a patisserie course, she can’t say au revoir quick enough!

There’s just one problem: high-flying chef Sebastian Finlay is the owner of the patisserie. He’s also her brother Nick’s best friend – and the man she has secretly been in love with since forever.

Amongst the mouth-wateringly delicious eclairs and delicate macaroons, Nina’s culinary creations aren’t the only tempting thing she’s working with…

My Thoughts:

This is book three in this Series of Romantic Escapes, and I would highly recommend eating before you start this book as the sound of the mouth watering patisseries sound incredible and made me feel very hungry. Nina is looking to break away from her over bearing family so when a job comes up with one of her brothers friends in Paris, she decides to go for it. But Sebastian is not the easiest to get on with and as her job is to help him run classes at his patisserie, she finds that this is what she wants to do in life. Maybe moving away from her family and becoming whatever she wants is a good idea. I felt a instant warmth for Nina and wanted more for her, there was something about this book that felt really comforting and I couldn’t wait to read more. I am excited to read more of the books in this series. All the cakes and wonderful goodies sounded delicious and made me crave something sweet. The outcome at the end was just what I wanted too.

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Two epic love stories. One impossible choice. The stunning new novel from Paige Toon.

Six summers ago

Liv and Finn meet working in a bar on the rugged Cornish coastline, their futures full of promise. When a night of passion ends in devastating tragedy they are bound together inextricably. But Finn’s life is in LA with his band, and Liv’s is in Cornwall with her family – so they make a promise. Finn will return every year, and if they are single they will spend the summer together.

This summer

Liv crosses paths with Tom – a mysterious new arrival in her hometown. As the wildflowers and heather come into bloom, they find themselves falling for one another. For the first time Liv can imagine a world where her heart isn’t broken every year.

Now Liv must make an impossible choice. And when she discovers the shocking reason that Tom has left home, she’ll need to trust her heart even more . . .

My Thoughts:

You literally cannot go wrong with a Paige Toon story, they always pull me in and I always am sad when I get to the end page. This story alternates between the past and the present and we see Liv when she was younger and with her whole life ahead of her and what she has planned for it to the present and what actually did happen. It is a epic love story full of life’s bumps in the road, how can a book be one minute full of lust and then the next minute full of dread. I felt as though I was on one hell of a ride but I did not want to make the mistake of getting off. It was a truly wonderful read, I always think can Paige top her last book and she always does.

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

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You can choose your home, but you can’t choose who lives next door . . .

Twenty-five-year-old Kat Bennett has never felt at home anywhere, especially not in crumbling Shelley House. The other residents think she’s prickly and unapproachable, but beneath her tough exterior, Kat is plagued by guilt from her past and looking for somewhere to belong.

Seventy-seven-year-old Dorothy Darling has lived in Shelley House for longer than anyone else, and if you believe the other tenants, she’s as cantankerous and vindictive as they come. Dorothy may spend her days spying on the neighbours, but she has a closely guarded secret herself – and a good reason for barely leaving her home.

When their building faces demolition, sworn enemies Kat and Dorothy become unlikely allies in their quest to save their historic home; and even less likely detectives when they suspect that foul play is coming from within Shelley House . . .

My Thoughts:

This is a story about the residents of Shelley House and how they all live their lives under one roof but they are all very different. However when needs must they pull together and show they are a tight knit community. The residents are true life characters that people will be able to relate too. I did not have a favourite person, my favourite was Reggie the dog, he was such a funny little dog. It is a warm hearted but sad story about how one lady wants to fight her demons but needs the other residents to help her get through it. I have never read any of Freya’s books before but this is one of my new favourite authors from now on. It was an easy read to relax with.

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

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What if your soulmate could only ever be the love of your afterlife?

The first time Emery’s heart stops, she is only five years old…

Emery is born with a heart condition that means her heart could quite literally stop at any moment. The people around her know what to do – if they act quickly enough there will be no lasting damage, and Emery’s heart can be restarted. But when this happens, she is briefly technically dead.

Each time Emery’s heart stops, she meets Nick. His purpose is to help people adjust to the fact that they are dead, to help them say goodbye, before they move on entirely. He does not usually meet people more than once – but with Emery, he is able to make a connection, and he finds himself drawn to her.

As Emery’s life progresses, and she goes through ups and downs, she finds that a part of her is longing for those moments when her heart will stop – so that she can see Nick again.

This is the story of two fated lovers who long for each other, but are destined never to share more than a few fleeting moments – because if they were to be together, it would mean the end of Emery’s life.

My Thoughts:

Emery is born with a heart problem which means her heart could stop at any given minute. Thankfully everyone around her knows what to do so that they can restart her heart for her if they are quick. When she is in this state she meets Nick and he helps people to understand that they are dead. But Emery starts to have feelings towards him and as she gets older she wants to see more of him but can they be together? It was a very interesting idea for a story that worked really well, I felt as though I went on a emotional rollercoaster and found it so moving. It is one of those stories that will stay with me forever. I laughed, I cried and I felt uplifted. Have those tissues at the ready. Another fantastic read.

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

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A powerful family. A luxury cruise. A killer on board.

You’re invited to join the infamous Scarmardo family on a five night voyage aboard their glamorous new ship. It’s a chance to see your best friend, Belle, newly married to Mattia Scarmardo. You haven’t seen her in years.

FIVE
On the first night, you’ll be wrapped up in the glamour of the ship.

FOUR
On the second night, you’ll wonder who is sending you threatening notes.

THREE
On the third night, someone will die.

TWO
On the fourth night, you’ll discover that someone knows the truth of what you did.

ONE
On the last night, you’ll be left for dead.

WILL YOU MAKE IT BACK TO SHORE ALIVE?

My Thoughts:

This is a story of money and power and these people will go to great lengths to get what they want and when they want. It is set on a luxury cruise invite only from the Scarmado family. You will be pleased at first that you have been invited but when things start to go wrong who do you trust now? it is not all plain sailing so to speak. It was a slow burner but I felt with this story that was good as there was a number of characters that I was trying to get my head around and it meant that I was uncovering the story slower than I usually would. There are a few twists along the way but I would never of expected the outcome the story finished with. It was a story that held my concentration the whole way through but when I came to the end, I was sad it had finished. This is an author I need to keep on my radar.

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

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It’s time we celebrated women in adventure

What does “toughness” mean to you? Perhaps it’s being physically fit and mentally resilient. Perhaps it’s doing something no one else has done before. Perhaps it’s breaking down boundaries and proving what you can do, in spite of the naysayers. Perhaps it’s travelling alone, immersing yourself in new cultures and meeting new people. Perhaps it’s running ultramarathons in the blistering heat and beating the competition. Perhaps it’s conquering your fears.

The badass adventurers in this collection are all fearless, intelligent, compassionate and curious about the world – and they all happen to be female. From endurance obstacle races to arctic expeditions, from mountain climbing to wingsuit flying, from horse trekking to swimming the English Channel, they have set the bar high for what women are capable of. Let yourself be inspired by their stories of grit, courage, determination, triumph and heartbreak – you never know, it might lead to something incredible!

My Thoughts:

What an incredible book with some very inspiring women in it. This is a great read for the adventure type, I could not believe what some of these incredible women got themselves involved doing. It blew my mind what you can achieve if you just put your mind to it. The determination and stamina that each story brings is unremarkable and these women are all my heroes, they are fantastic all in their very own way. I was so inspired by them all. You can really feel the determination and courage that they all bring to this awe inspiring and special read. You go Girls!

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

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Naples 1943
Luisa Giordano has faced many losses: her mother to a deadly illness, the man she loved to the Nazis when war came to Italy, and her unborn child at the hands of her own husband. All Luisa has left is her voice, and when she learns her husband is colluding with the enemy, she knows she must use it to fuel the women of Naples with fire.

Los Angeles 1962
Hollywood starlet Lola Hart has come a long way from the backstreets of Naples, the glamorous parties a way to dull the pain of the past. When she is offered the role of a lifetime portraying a heroine of the Italian resistance, she knows returning home means confronting old ghosts. But as she seeks out the story behind the film, she realises there are many in Naples with secrets, and that the woman she is to play held the greatest one of all…

My Thoughts:

The book is set in two different two eras and in two different countries. Luisa lives in Naples and feels like giving up, the people that she loved have died and she sees no way out of this terrible time. The war is on and she feels like the only way to come to terms with everything is do something for all the women that live in Naples to make herself be heard. In the other part of the story we see Lola who lives and breathes Hollywood and is an actress, she cannot believe when she is given a part that involves a women from Naples and what this women went through. It was a cleverly put together story about two women and how their lives intertwine. Lola is playing the part of Luisa and it was a really interesting concept seeing Luisa’s story from another pair of eyes. It was emotional but engaging story.

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

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