It’s always the husband, isn’t it? 

One weekend, while Andrew Mason was on a fishing trip, his wife, Brie, vanished without a trace. Most people assumed Andy had got away with murder, but the police couldn’t build a strong case against him. For a while, Andy hit rock bottom – he drank too much, was abandoned by his friends, nearly lost his business and became a pariah in the place he had once called home.

Now, six years later, Andy has put his life back together. He’s sold the house he shared with Brie and moved away for a fresh start. When he hears his old house has been bulldozed and a new house built in its place, he’s not bothered. He’s settled with a new partner, Jayne, and life is good.

But Andy’s peaceful world is about to shatter. One day, a woman shows up at his old address, screaming, ‘Where’s my house? What’s happened to my house?’ And then, just as suddenly as she appeared, the woman – who bears a striking resemblance to Brie – is gone. The police are notified and old questions – and dark suspicions – resurface.

Could Brie really be alive after all these years? If so, where has she been? It soon becomes clear that Andy’s future, and the lives of those closest to him, depends on discovering what the hell is going on. The trick will be whether he can stay alive long enough to unearth the answers…

My thoughts:

What a fantastic story, I was on tenterhooks the whole way through. It was an action packed, fast paced thriller that will not disappoint. I loved the how the plot line really got under my skin, I wanted to know if it was Brie who was still alive and if so what happened back then? There were so many questions I had going round my head when reading this book, Linwood does a great job of leaving the reader wanting more after a chapter has finished, I just kept on reading until the early hours of the morning. I tried to guess what would happen but I couldn’t, the twists made it harder to work out. The ending was perfect and I felt bereft that the story had ended.

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

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A novel of love, homelessness, and learning to be fearless

In the garden, there were three flamingos. Not real flamingos, but real emblems, real gateways to a time when life was impossibly good. They were mascots, symbols of hope. Something for a boy to confide in.

First, there were the flamingos. And then there were two families. Sherry and Leslie and their daughters, Rae and Pauline – and Eve and her son Daniel.

Sherry loves her husband, Leslie. She also loves Eve. It couldn’t have been a happier summer. But then Eve left and everything went grey. Now Daniel is all grown-up and broken. And when he turns up at Sherry’s door, it’s almost as if they’ve all come home again. But there’s still one missing. Where is Eve? And what, exactly, is her story?

My Thoughts:

I loved this book so much, it made my heart sing and is all about love, kindness and being around people that accept you for who you are. We see the chapters flit back and forth from the 80’s up to 2018 where the book is set. It is such an enchanting and charming read and the way it has been written was beautiful. It was a story that really got to me, and even after I had finished it I was still thinking about the characters. I think it is a relatable story that people may find comfort in, a tender story that in time will heal.

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

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Whir, beep, click, breath. Whir, beep, click, breath.

Pippa Gallagher is rushed in to hospital following a traffic accident.

As Pippa lies unconscious, she is aware of fragments. The day she met Steve Gallagher, her best friend and the man who would become the love of her life. The heartbreak she felt tonight as she got into her car, her eyes blurry from tears.

Meanwhile Steve sits at her bedside, his eyes fixed on her pale, still face. He has no idea where his wife was going when she crashed. No clue as to why she became distracted behind the wheel. All he knows is that she is his world. And that he wasn’t there when she needed him most.

For the next twelve hours, Steve tells Pippa all the reasons he loves her.

But is it too late? Can Pippa find her way back to him?

My Thoughts:

I loved the way this book has been written by not one author but by two. Not only do we experience the woman’s perspective but also the man’s perspective on a love story. It is such a clever concept and it really did work. We also as readers get to hear Pippa and Steve’s story from when they first met and what happens after. Then we flit to the present day and find Pippa has been in a car accident, Steve had no idea where she was going, but will she be ok? they both have a lot of history and they both managed to find each other again but will it be a second time lucky? The story had me gripped the whole way through, some parts of the book I couldn’t believe what I was reading. There are parts that are funny but some parts I did shed a few tears. I was just hoping Pippa would be ok. The last few pages I raced through as I just had to know, I think I was holding my breath incase. A book I will truly not forget in a long time. It is such a moving story. An excellent read, the authors have done a sterling job writing this one.

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

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Gareth Steel wants you to understand vets in a way you never could have before.

How it feels to watch a healed dog bound into their owner’s arms. The joy of breathing life into the fluid-filled lungs of a newborn calf after a difficult labour. The satisfaction of rescuing a distressed sheep from the high-tide line.

What it’s like to work 100-hour weeks for less than the minimum wage. How it can scar your soul to euthanize a beloved puppy with its grieving family beside you. The pressure of having to know such a diverse range of medicine, that one hour you can be protecting yourself from a dangerously distressed horse and the next you can be performing delicate surgery on a tiny mouse. How all these pressures have built up to the extent that vets have four times the national suicide rate, and why.

Gareth Steel has been a vet for nearly twenty years and has worked all over the UK, across both rural and city practices, dealing with all manner of household pets and farm animals. This is his fascinating raw account of just how involved the job is and the toll the extreme emotions that come with it can take, but it also a heart-warming and often humorous story of the desperate lengths we go to for the love of animals.

My Thoughts:

I am a big animal lover so I was excited to read this book. I use to work on a farm a long time ago and I felt as though I was reliving it kind of through this book. I loved the way the book was written, it made it a comforting read to me. Gareth has been a vet for a long time and these are his stories about what it is like day to day to be a vet, and all the animals that he meets. I found it extremely interesting and felt like I learnt a few things along the way. There are some really funny parts but also some sad parts that made me shed a few tears. I really enjoyed this book and I want to say Thank you to Gareth for opening up and sharing his stories with us.

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

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A collection of poems touching on the brevity of life, and the ever-present figure of Old Father Time. Also, sprinkled throughout are a number of humorous verses, some of which may remind the reader of Edward Lear.

My Thoughts:

I love it when Kevin Morris brings out another poem book, I always feel as though I can relate to his poems, they bring a sense of calmness to me when reading them. There is a great selection of poems in this book, all Kevin’s poems are beautifully written and I feel as though they really resonate with the reader. I liked snow, Ivy on a Churchyard Tree and Autumn’s Dead Leaves to name but a few. I would highly recommend reading this book as it is full of some fantastic poems, to bring a sense of calm in ones life.

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

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THREE MURDERS. ONE MISSING BOY. THE GAME IS JUST BEGINNING…

When a body is found at the edge of Chellow Dene reservoir Detective Nikki Parekh and DC Sajid Malik are quick to arrive.
 
This is the third murder in the space of a few weeks. Each murder has a completely different MO, but there is one common theme… all the victims are teenagers. The dead boy reminds Nikki of her nephew, and she feels more helpless than ever.
 
But then another boy goes missing. And this time his parents have been sent a threatening package too. The pattern is different again – is the killer just playing a game?

Can Nikki find the strength to uncover the shocking truth before the killer strikes again?

My Thoughts:

I enjoyed this book, I was enthralled the whole way through. I felt as though I was trying to solve the murders with Detective Nikki Parekh and DC Sajid Malik. It was an interesting story to follow about a few murders that have happened recently, they are completely different but then they are teenagers so are they all related? I couldn’t work out who the killer was and why, I found it such a compulsive and dark read and I cannot wait to read more by Liz Mistry.

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

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DEATH IS NOT THE END. FOR GRACE McGILL IT IS ONLY THE BEGINNING.

When people die alone and undiscovered, it’s her job to clean up what’s left behind – whether it’s clutter, bodily remains or dark secrets.

When an old man lies undetected in his flat for months, it seems an unremarkable life and an unnoticed death. But Grace knows that everyone has a story and that all deaths mean something more.

My Thoughts:

I loved the sound of this book, it sounded such a fresh and intriguing idea. It is all about Grace and her job, she is a lonely death cleaner, who is paid to remove, disinfect, soak, decontaminate and dispose after a body has lain undiscovered for a long time. That could be weeks, months or even years. I found Grace’s occupation unusual and I have never read a book where that is part of the story, so this story intrigued me even more especially why Grace does it. We get to know Grace more through out the story, it was interesting to learn about something that I am sure many people would never even think about, I could not work out where this story was going to lead, I had my suspicions but none of them were right. I found the ending was enthralling.

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

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Amber, Lachlan and Raffaele met as teenagers in the seaside home of kind-hearted foster parents. Arriving in glorious Cornwall was the best thing that ever happened to them – and now, as adults, their bond is stronger than ever.

But Amber has a secret. She’s in love with Lachlan. She can’t confess her feelings because that would never work. Restless Lachlan dates a lot and definitely isn’t the settling-down type. Surely it’s better to keep him as a friend than to risk losing him for good?

Raffaele has his own dilemma. He had the dream girlfriend in Vee, until it all went horribly wrong . . . and he still can’t understand why. Is Vee hiding something from him?

Now their widowed foster dad Teddy thinks he’s found love again. Younger, charming and strikingly beautiful, is Olga as perfect as she seems? Or will she end up breaking Teddy’s heart?

Against a backdrop of sparkling seas and sunny skies, the unexpected is always just around the corner. Welcome to Lanrock!

My Thoughts:

I loved this story and want to re-read it straight away. It was the perfect story to escape with and it did me good to get away from everything that is going on in the world. I love that the story is set in Cornwall, it really makes me want to go and visit. I loved the characters and how relatable they were, there are quite a few characters in this story but don’t be put off as it is easy to remember who is who. I would love to visit Lanrock and meet the residents as it always seem busy and full of life, I felt as though I had stepped in to the story and was wishing everyone a happy ending. Love, family and friendship make this story what it is and whether we can find all those things to be happy. I have loved all of Jill’s books so far but this one was my favourite so far and I look forward to reading the next one.

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

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When Megan discovers photographs of her estranged identical twin sister on her husband’s phone, she wants answers.

Leah already has everything Megan has ever wanted. Fame, fortune, freedom to do what she wants. And when Megan confronts Leah, an argument turns to murder.

The only way Megan can get away with killing her twin is to become her.

But then lockdown hits. How can she continue living two lives? And what happens if someone else knows her secret too?

My Thoughts:

First off I have to say for a debut novel this was brilliant. I felt as though it was a little bit different to other thrillers but in a good way. It grabbed me from the first page and I didn’t want to put it down. Megan has a twin sister that she has not seen for a long time, we discover later into the story why. When she finds a picture of her sister on her husband’s phone she wants to know why. After an argument someone comes worse off and how can you get away with killing your sister is to be her. How can she be two people and live a life? it was an interesting mix of what was going to happen, there are many twists and turns that are unexpected and some expected. It was a very cleverly written story and the ending was dramatic. This is an author I will be looking out for in the future. For a debut novel this was a spectacular read.

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

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1965. A young white female student becomes involved in the fight for civil rights in North Carolina, falling in love with one of her fellow activists, a Black man, in a time and place where an interracial relationship must be hidden from family, friends and especially the reemerging Ku Klux Klan. As tensions rise in the town, she realises not everyone is who they appear to be.

2010. A recently widowed architect moves into the home she and her late husband designed, heartbroken that he will never cross the threshold. But when disturbing things begin to happen, it’s clear that someone is sending her a warning. Who is trying to frighten her away, and why?

Decades later, past and present are set to collide in the last house on the street…

My Thoughts:

This is my first book by Diane and I found it was an ok read, it explores racism and the power of human kind. I liked the story but it didn’t blow me away. I was intrigued with the first half about where the story was going but after that I found it a little slow. I read until the end only because I wanted to find out about the last house on the street. I liked how past and present intertwined with each other through out the story, but I felt as though it lacked something.

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

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