Emily has settled in the picturesque village of Ashton Mead, where she lives with her puppy, Poppy. Life is finally going well for Emily. She has a cottage of her own, a job she likes and friends. Then she stumbles on the body of a woman who apparently drowned in the river.

The other villagers suspect foul play and are quick to blame Richard, Emily’s next-door neighbour and a newcomer to the village. Emily finds it hard to believe her friendly neighbour could be a cold-hearted murderer. When she meets his attractive son, Adam, her feelings become more complicated. Determined to find out the truth behind the death in the village, Emily travels to London to track down the man with whom Richard’s wife was having an affair.

Unfortunately for Emily, her visit does not go as planned. Instead of helping clear Richard’s name, she finds her own life is in danger…

My Thoughts:

This is the second book in the Poppy Mystery Tale Series, it can be read as a standalone but I would recommend reading the first one as it is a really great read. Emily has settled into a lovely little village now with her dog Poppy, she is loving her life until she finds a dead body. So she decides with the help of Poppy to investigate further but will it be plain sailing? It was a good cosy crime story that will keep you entertained. I loved the idea of having Poppy by her side, she is such a sweet little dog. I loved the way the story builds and as the reader trying to work out what had happened. I enjoyed this story and look forward to the next instalment.

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

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Can her heart be mended too?

After losing her fiancé and her dream job in the same week, Garland Fairford’s life is turned upside down.

Having recently met a long-lost relative – Honey Fairford – through her work as a historical costumier, Garland is intrigued when Honey reveals she is opening a Wedding Dress museum in Lancashire. With nothing to lose, Garland accepts the offer of a job there.

What she doesn’t expect is to come face-to-face with a ghost from her past – her old friend, Thom, who mysteriously disappeared years ago.

As Garland begins reading the stories behind each of the beautiful wedding dresses, and sets about repairing both them and her relationship with Thom, could this finally be the chance for her own happy-ever-after?

My Thoughts:

I have not read one of Trisha’s books for ages but you can always rely on Trisha to write a fantastic book. Garland is the main character in this book, she is going through some stuff at the moment and needs something to occupy her mind so when she sees a wedding dress museum she jumps at the chance to work there, but it is not all plain sailing for her. I loved reading about the different wedding dresses. I felt as though it was a truly moving and magical experience reading this book. Trisha has done a great job of writing this book and the research that has gone into this story is absolutely brilliant. I found it such a comforting and warm read and I cannot wait to pick up my next Trisha Ashley read.

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

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Sarah never expected to be blackmailed, especially not by someone so close.

She hadn’t expected to be receiving criminal hush money either. As a respectable Exeter University Professor’s wife, neither were really the done thing, But super organised Sarah has it all under control. Or so she thinks.

With its frenetic pacing and confounding plot twists, the gripping family drama, Sarah Needs Saving is a captivating domestic thriller, certain to entertain you as Sarah’s life descends into chaos and surprise you with its final “hidden in plain sight” plot twist.

Set in rural north Devon, this family saga shines a light on “baby boomer” issues, the care of elder relatives, passing of wealth to the next generation, dementia, probate and inheritance
following multiple marriages.

A rollercoaster ride, or a cautionary tale?

My Thoughts:

Sarah is a wife to a professor at Exeter University where everyone respects them both, it isn’t until she gets caught up in something bad, she thinks she can sort it out by herself but I wasn’t so sure. It is all about a family drama and how the family tries to work their way out of it. It was an interesting concept but I did feel as though something was missing, however I liked the writing style and the characters all interested me. The major twist was good, it is a hidden in plain sight twist which I did see coming. Overall a solid read.

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

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Reeva Mehta is thriving. Consumed in her career as one of London’s top divorce lawyers, she doesn’t bat an eyelid when her mum calls to tell her that her dad is dead. Because he’s been dead since she was five . . . hasn’t he?

If finding out her dad was alive – until last week – wasn’t bad enough, his last request was for his daughters to spend fourteen days in mourning at his house. Which means Reeva must spend a fortnight stuck with the people who betrayed her when she needed them the most – her sisters.

Navigating her absent Bollywood megastar mother, newly dead father and scheming sisters with only a temperamental boyfriend – and even more temperamental cat – by her side, it’s no wonder Reeva’s hair is falling out. Could confronting the truth help the Mehtas put aside their differences, or will attending a funeral be the death of this family?

My Thoughts:

This was such a funny story, I was laughing out loud pretty much the whole way through. The main character is called Reeva who is a high flying divorce lawyer so when her mum rings and tells her some devastating news it doesn’t hit Reeva like it should because what she finds out is that her mum has been lying to her. When she goes back to the family home she must spend fourteen days with her family and they are a bunch of interesting characters. I feel like people will be able to relate to this story and I really found it funny and engaging. I would definitely recommend it. It is like sunshine on a cloudy day, it will lift your soul.

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

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Eve should never have married Don Hathaway. Yes, he gave her two beautiful children – Olly and Tabitha – but he is a bully.

Worse than that, he hurts her.

But, after one drunken rage too many, she has the courage to leave him. Eve is warned that it’s a difficult path, yet she needs to give her children hope for the future.

Don, however, is bitter. And getting away entirely from him proves impossible.

Until the day, Eve tries to teach him a lesson – and it all goes horribly wrong.

Eve loves her children but now she carries a terrible burden that she dares not share. Has she betrayed her and her children’s futures?

My Thoughts:

This is my first book by Lesley and I really enjoyed it. Lesley is a great story teller and the story captured me from the get go. Eve is going through a tough with her husband apart from the fact they have two children together, they should never of got married. He is a horrible man that deserves his comeuppance. But when Eve tries to show him his error of his ways, it badly backfires on her. Can she ever be happy with her children again? it was a emotional read but Eve is such a strong character and a headstrong woman.

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

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Four dead bodies. One missing person. Let the game begin.

When an anonymous tip-off leads detectives Nikki Parekh and Sajid Malik to the sprawling Salinger estate, Nikki’s senses are on high alert. The brutal murder of all four members of the Salinger family has shocked the sleepy Bradford village to the core.A mother, father, daughter, and son. . . all killed in exactly the same way – whilst sat around the coffee table, playing a game of Monopoly.But Nikki notices that there are five pieces on the board. One of the players is missing. . . Did they manage to escape the killer, or was the killer part of the game?

My Thoughts:

This is book six of the Detective Nikki Parekh series and my first book by Liz. Here we see Nikki and her colleague heading to an estate where there has been a horrific murder of a family, but why would someone kill all of them? can Nikki and her team find out? I loved reading bout the police procedurals and found it interesting. There is a lot of drama and suspense which made me draw further into the book, I feel as though I now need to read Liz’s previous books to get to know Nikki more. A really great story.

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Tommy struggles with people, with communicating, preferring solitude, drifting off with nature. He is protected by his Tinker family who keep to old ways. A life of quiet seclusion under canvas is all that he knows. Charlotte cares for her sickly father. She meets Tommy by the riverside and an unexpected friendship develops. Over the years it becomes something more, something crucial to both of them. But when tragedy strikes each family they are torn apart. Charlotte is sent far away. Tommy might have done something very bad.

My Thoughts:

Charlotte and Tommy are two very different people but when a chance encounter leads to a friendship for the both of them it is not what either of them were expecting. But can they help each other out with what is going on in their lives. I liked learning more about each of their lives and the bond that they develop. But when something terrible happens they are forced apart can they find a way to be together or is that bond broken for good. It was a good read that I couldn’t put down, it was engaging and a powerful story.

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

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What is more important? Friendship, loyalty, or love?

Ridge and Sydney are thrilled to finally be together guilt-free. But as the two of them navigate this freedom, Warren and Bridgette’s relationship is as tumultuous as ever, and Maggie grapples with her illness.

When she comes across an old list of things she wanted to do “maybe one of these days,” Maggie decides to live life to the fullest and accomplish these dreams. Maggie keeps Ridge updated on her adventures, but he can’t help but worry, even as Sydney grows more and more suspicious about their friendship. But if she’s going to move past this jealousy, she’ll need to reconcile how she and Ridge came together with the fact that Maggie will always be in their lives somehow…or end up walking away from the man she loves so much.

My Thoughts:

This is the third book in the Maybe Someday Series and to enjoy it you really need to read the first two books to get to know the characters. It was nice to get reacquainted with Ridge, Sydney, Maggie and Warren, you feel as though you know them after reading all three books. This book is mainly Maggie’s story and about her life but it also continues with the other’s lives too. It was another nice easy read which I enjoyed. I loved the ending.

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Today, nothing is going right for Em. And it’s about to get much worse.
Heartbroken by a recent split, with her 30th birthday looming, she loses her job and her home in the same morning because of two swaggering, dishonest men – the boss who sexually harassed her and the flatmate sleeping with her behind his fiancée’s back. But all Em can think about is catching a flight to attend her sister’s wedding and see her dying mother.

With a record-breaking heatwave, and a serial killer making the streets unsafe, London is completely gridlocked. Em’s life has always been full of men getting their own way, and today the scorched city teems with them standing between her and home. As Em’s troubled past returns to haunt her, she refuses to let them win. Her defiance leads to shocking consequences that soon spiral wildly out of control.

In a world where men don’t listen, and girls have no voice, one woman can change everything.
Today, no one will be staying silent.

My Thoughts:

Em has a lot going on in her life right now and really needs a light at the end of the tunnel. London is going through a heatwave and all Em needs to do is get to the airport to catch a flight to her sister’s wedding, but everything is going wrong and she doesn’t know if she will catch her flight on time or if she will ever get to the airport. I did feel sorry for what she had to endure, everything was up the spout and with no end in sight. I enjoyed the story throughout and the parts that included twitter were fun to read, it broke up the story a little. I was engaged from the start and didn’t know where the story was going to go, but the twists shocked me and the ending was absolutely fantastic. This book is going to be a real hit when it comes out.

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

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In a university town in the American Midwest, a circle of lovers and friends navigate tangled webs of connection as they try to work out what they want, and who they are. Seamus, Fyodor, Ivan, Noah and Fatima are running out of time to decide on their futures, each of them faced with decisions that will complicate and compromise their visions of themselves.

As they test their own desires in a series of relationships they are confronted by volatile figures in town, from unruly, vulnerable young poets to a local landlord harbouring a lifetime of resentment. The friends ask themselves and each other: what is the right thing to stake a life on? work, love, money, dance, poetry? Is love possible without harm? and what does true connection look like in an age of precarity.

My Thoughts:

I loved reading about these friends and to see what the outcome of their lives would be. They all go through relatable and personal issues but they all come out the other side with each other by their sides. It will bring warmth and love to your heart after reading it. It is a raw and sympathetic story about friends, lovers and life and I really enjoyed reading it. I could see this being made into a film, that would be perfect.

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

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