Years ago, Juliet left a little piece of her heart in Paris – and now, separated from her husband and with her children flying the nest, it’s time to get it back!
So she puts on her best red lipstick, books a cosy attic apartment near Notre-Dame and takes the next train out of London.
Arriving at the Gare du Nord, the memories come flooding back: bustling street cafés, cheap wine in candlelit bars and a handsome boy with glittering eyes.
But Juliet has also been keeping a secret for over two decades – and she begins to realise it’s impossible to move forwards without first looking back.
Something tells her that the next thirty days might just change everything…
My Thoughts:
Reading this book I felt as though I was being whisked away to Paris too with Juliet. It was such a fun read and I loved all the descriptions of Paris, it is definitely on my bucket list. I got so caught up in the romanticism and culture and Juliet’s life, I felt as though I didn’t have time for anything else. But as always Juliet has a secret that she has been keeping to herself, is she ready to reveal it? I liked going on Juliet’s journey with her and experiencing everything with her. This book is full of love, Paris, secrets and memories. Such a perfect read.
I received an ARC copy of this book for an honest review.
Becky: a single mum who prides herself on her independence. She knows from experience that men are trouble. Louise: a loving husband, gorgeous kids. She ought to feel more grateful. Jameela: all she’s ever done is work hard, and try her best. Why won’t life give her the one thing she wants? Sheila: the nest is empty, she dreams of escaping to the sun, but her husband seems so distracted.
The inhabitants of the Inventor’s Housing Estate keep themselves to themselves. There are the friendly ‘Hellos’ when commutes coincide and the odd cheeky eye roll when the wine bottles clank in number 7’s wheelie bin, but it’s not exactly Ramsay Street.
The dilapidated community centre is no longer the beating heart of the estate that Becky remembers from her childhood. So the new pottery class she’s helped set up feels like a fresh start. And not just for her.
The assorted neighbours come together to try out a new skill, under the watchful eye of their charismatic teacher, Sasha. And as the soft unremarkable lumps of clay are hesitantly, lovingly moulded into delicate vases and majestic pots, so too are the lives of four women. Concealed passions and heartaches are uncovered, relationships shattered and formed, and the possibility for transformation is revealed.
My Thoughts:
This was such a lovely story about a community that needs to find a way to come together. We follow four very different women who all have things in their lives that people will be able to relate to. I really enjoyed all the different mix of characters and the fact it is a light heated read. The pottery class was such a great idea and it brought people from the community together. I really like Sara Cox so was looking forward to seeing how she writes and it is definitely a thumbs up from me. You definitely will be able to relax with this read.
Belle can’t wait to finally have her twins all to herself after their first term at university. But when Kit unexpectedly brings back her boyfriend Ivo, Belle has to welcome him into their home. Charming and confident, Ivo soon wins over the family, but Belle can’t shake a strange feeling. And when Ivo reveals he knows a lot more about Belle than he first let on, she realises his intrusion into their lives could destroy everything she has built. How far is Belle willing to go to protect her family and herself?
My Thoughts:
Wow this book was absolutely brilliant. After reading Jacqueline’s previous novel The Coffin Club I couldn’t wait to start reading this one and my oh my it was good. I felt as though I got swept up into the story and didn’t want to leave until the end. The story is all about Belle and her family. She has two daughters that are coming back from university but one of them brings her boyfriend back. He is a bit of a mystery and starts acting weird around Belle, does he know her secret? the story runs at a great pace that keeps you intrigued, I didn’t guess what would happen and I was completely in shock over the last few pages. I couldn’t predict the ending it was so good. This is an author that is going to be on my radar now.
I received an ARC copy of this book for an honest review.
She would never leave her husband and son by choice and Grace is beside herself with worry.
As Grace searches desperately for answers, everyone seems to have a different version of the truth.
Why won’t Anna’s husband call the police?
What secrets are the other mothers at the school gate hiding?
With each day that passes, Anna’s life is under increasing threat.
The pressure is mounting and it won’t be long before something cracks…
My Thoughts:
This is the story of two friends called Anna and Grace that had a very obsessive relationship when they were younger. When they reunite after several years will they be the same people? will they have the same bond? but when Anna goes missing no one seems to worried about her but why? there were loads of questions going on in my head and I was wondering where the story was going to lead. I like that we get to hear both sides of the story from Anna and Grace, it made the story more interesting. I did find the story a little slow and I felt as though it was a bit longer than it could of been. Watch out for the big twist too.
8 Ballo’s mother was certain he was going to be born a girl, but when he comes out a boy, she writes down simply the number 8, as he has seven older siblings. She meant to change it to a real name at some point but never got around to it.
Now, in his mid-thirties, 8 is a college educated man, a veteran of the Great War, jilted in love, and has his own private investigator business. He enjoys his friends, a good book, jazz music, and a very simple life. When he is hired to find the young flapper daughter of a German businessman, life suddenly becomes much more complicated.
My Thoughts:
8 is the main character in this book and he is now in his thirties, and lots of things have gone on in his life. He runs his own private investigator business now and when he is called upon to find a business man’s daughter he goes in there great guns. I found 8 a very unique character and the era the story is set in was an interesting one to read about. The only thing I would advise is the sexual and violence descriptions are quite vivid. Matt has really done well with the descriptions but I did feel as though it was a little bit too much for me. I enjoyed learning about the private investigator business too.
I received an ARC copy of this book for an honest review.
Then you spot him: he’s with someone. And – you can’t believe what you see – your funny, happy teenage boy stabs this stranger.
You don’t know who. You don’t know why. You only know your son is charged with murder. His future is lost.
That night you fall asleep in despair. But when you wake . . . it is yesterday. The day before the murder.
Somewhere in the past lie the answers – a reason for this crime.
And your only chance to stop it . . .
My Thoughts:
This is my first book by Gillian and I felt as though it was a brilliant idea and one that worked really well. It was a fascinating and mesmerising read that makes you think what you would do in that situation. Even as I finished the first chapter, I was wondering how the ending would work out. It pulls you in and I felt drawn into the story, I don’t normally like stories that time travel but this was an exception and I am glad I gave it a go. Jen is waiting up for her son Todd when she looks out the window she sees him stab a man, there are so many questions going round her head but what must she do? when she wakes in the morning it is the day before and the day before the murder, but what is going on and why is this happening to Jen? can she piece it all together? I really enjoyed this one and look forward to more of Gillian’s books.
After a betrayal that sent their marriage into freefall, Hannah and Sam are desperate for a fresh start with their eight-year-old daughter Lily—and where better than picture-perfect Owl Cottage in beautiful Cornwall. But something about the holiday home stirs dark memories for Hannah…
When she finds dead creatures on the doorstep and hears mysterious knocks at the door, Hannah can’t help wondering whether someone is messing with her—or whether the past she’s been running from has finally claimed her sanity.
As the disturbing events at Owl Cottage seep out into the local community and the police become involved, Hannah turns to Sam for help, but when he dismisses her worries, she wonders if she was wrong to ever trust him. Are the memories making her paranoid, or is this something more sinister than she dares imagine?
My Thoughts:
The story is based in Cornwall and it centres around Hannah, her husband Sam and their daughter Lily. They are staying in Owl Cottage in Cornwall and strange and sinister things start to happen, Hannah doesn’t know how to cope with it all, is it to do with her past? as a reader we get the back story about Hannah’s past and things become more clear as we read on. Then something truly tragic happens and the police get involved but who can Hannah trust? I liked how each chapter we peeled off a another layer and it was great the anticipation of what the outcome would be. I never guessed where the story would lead and I doubt anyone will. I really enjoyed this chilling read that is packed full of tension, suspicion, intrigue and more importantly lies. I cannot wait to read more of Teresa’s books.
I received an ARC copy of this book for an honest review.
Edie finds the world around her increasingly difficult to comprehend. Words are no longer at her beck and call, old friends won’t mind their own business and workmen have appeared in the neighbouring fields, preparing to obliterate the landscape she has known all her life. Rattling around in an old farmhouse on the cliffs, she’s beginning to run out of excuses to stop do-gooders interfering when one day she finds an uninvited guest in the barn and is thrown back into the past. Jonah has finally made it to England – where everything, he’s been told, will be better.
But the journey was fraught with danger, and many of his fellow travellers didn’t make it. Sights firmly set on London, but unsure which way to turn, he is unprepared for what happens when he breaks into Edie’s barn. Haunted by the prospect of being locked away and unable to trust anyone else, the elderly woman stubbornly battling dementia and the traumatised illegal immigrant find solace in an unlikely companionship that helps them make sense of their worlds even as they struggle to understand each other.
My Thoughts:
This was such a beautiful read about two very different people and what happens when their worlds collide. Edie is not getting any younger and her age is creeping up on her more than she would like. She has started to forget things but she can remember so many things from her past. When she meets Jonah I wondered if he would be able to help her but can she also help him? It was interesting to see these two people come together when they needed someone the most. This is a sad story and it was heart breaking to see Edie deteriorating, you will know what I mean if you have been through it with someone. But this is such a thought provoking book that is told really well. I wanted to help Edie and I was hoping for the best for her.
I received an ARC copy of this book for an honest review.
t is an ordinary Thursday and things should finally be returning to normal.
Except trouble is never far away where the Thursday Murder Club are concerned. A decade-old cold case leads them to a local news legend and a murder with no body and no answers.
Then a new foe pays Elizabeth a visit. Her mission? Kill…or be killed.
As the cold case turns white hot, Elizabeth wrestles with her conscience (and a gun), while Joyce, Ron and Ibrahim chase down clues with help from old friends and new. But can the gang solve the mystery and save Elizabeth before the murderer strikes again?
My Thoughts:
This is the third book in the Thursday Murder Club Series and even though you can read them as standalone, I would recommend reading them in order. We catch up with the members of the Thursday Murder Club and I was excited to see what case they were going to solve this time. This time it is a very very old case that was a murder but with no body and the trail went cold very quickly. Can they work out what happened all those years ago? I like how we see the perspective for each of the members of the group, the main characters are well written and you just feel as though you want to make friends with them, they seem such a lovely bunch. Richard has done a superb job of putting in some very smart twists that literally blew my mind. I was expecting one thing and got another which was a lot better than I could ever of imagined. It was such a good easy read, though I did prefer book two more. It is a great little series to get your teeth into and I would definitely recommend.
Last weekend I decided to venture to Hemel Hempstead to a Book Warehouse and I wanted to share my experiences of my time there. So 66 Book Club is a place which is open to the public once a month, it is a huge warehouse that stocks over 15,000 titles and is 70% off all books. If your buying for a school it is 80% off ( you need to let them know this). Also you need to pay £2 for membership but that gets you the discount and that includes your household. You can only buy membership at one of the weekends, the book club is closed during other times. Opening times are 9am – 6 pm, I wouldn’t advise going after 5pm because you will need time to peruse and look at the vast selection of books.
I have posted the dates that they are open each month, please don’t turn up on any other day and you will not be able to enter. Check the website for any other information.
So, my experience of the place, we got there at dead on 9am and there was a queue already to get in, they do have a car park and we did get the last spot thankfully. Before I forget the do have toilets as I needed to go whilst waiting in said queue, it is through the black door on your right. They are plenty of staff members who will show you where they are. There is a staff member that keeps a check on the queue and anything else you may need. We waited in the queue for an hour, which I don’t think was too bad, I was expecting a shorter queue to be honest but it was not too bad. They were letting 180 people in at a time and everyone seemed to be fine with it. When you get in, we were met by a friendly staff member who told us to take a basket. When you walk up the stairs, I was like yes this is my kind of place, some people can feel overwhelmed with the sheer size of the place, it is a warehouse and spans over two floors and it is packed. It was like a dream come true. The aisles are quite narrow but it was easy to look, I had the idea of just scanning the shelves for authors I wanted not particularly hovering for two long, everyone was really polite and I felt at ease. A little tip is look high and low as books at the top and bottom shelves always seem to get missed and they are usually the best ones. There is no real structure to the place, the books are just as you find them. So don’t expect it to be easy to find a specific book. The books are mainly older books, so none of the latest releases but there is a wide selection of genres. I also found that the majority of hardbacks, I did see paperbacks for them in other places. The basket I found tricky to manoeuvre as you have people coming from both ways and then you have this basket that just keeps getting in the way. But I made it work. It was also interesting for me to see what books other people were looking at or had in their baskets, Book people are just the best kind of people on the whole. We spent just over an hour and I picked up 7 books including one for my husband.
If you get to the queue to pay and suddenly realise you didn’t want a book, you have to go back and put it where you found it, as otherwise when the place closes the staff have to go around and put all the books back.
We waited in a 10 minute queue to pay and had to sign up to the membership where you just fill out a form and they give you a membership card for next time. The staff were all really friendly and helpful, my total came to £69.99 which made my heart drop until I realised she had not taken the 70% off. I paid £22.95 with the £2 membership included in the price. I think it was a really good price. When leaving the building at about 11 am, the queue was snaking it’s way outside of the warehouse carpark and into the road. It is a very popular place.
Would I go back?
Yes I would, probably not every month but I am already planning to go back next year. It overall is worth the trip and I would highly recommend going, especially as book prices are going up (as is everything in this world) and it is more affordable for people. It was a nice morning out. I didn’t expect it to be so popular but I can now see why as it is such a brilliant. The staff were all wonderful and do a sterling job, they run it really well and I cannot wait to go back.
If you require any other assistance have a look at their website which is listed above.
66 Books Ltd
Unit 2 Eastman Way,
Hemel Hempstead
HP2 7DU
With Next and the recycling centre on your left look out for the sign on your left. They are at the end of the cul-de-sac.
Echoes In An Empty Room 