When Nell’s father makes a deathbed declaration that hints at a long-held secret, it reignites feelings of isolation that have plagued her for years. Her suspicions about the family’s past only deepen when her mother, Annie, who is losing her memories to dementia, starts making cryptic comments of her own.

Thirty-five years earlier, Annie’s life was upended by a series of traumas―one shock after another that she buried deep in her heart. The decisions she made at the time were motivated by love, but she knew even then that nobody could ever understand―let alone forgive―what she did.

As the two women’s stories unravel, a generation apart, Nell finally discovers the devastating truth about her mother’s past, and her own.

My Thoughts:

This is the story of Nell and her family, whilst Nell’s father has not got too long left, he tells Nell something she never thought she would hear. Her mother is struggling with dementia and her two sisters are putting the blame amongst other things onto Nell. Nell doesn’t know what to do anymore. The story flits back to the past when Annie (who is Nell’s mother) goes on her journey of motherhood and what really happened back then gets revealed. I couldn’t believe it. Nell finds out about her past and it is a very sad one. This is such a raw and emotional story and I really found it hard to read in some parts. You will need several tissues to finish the story as I did . The story really touched my heart.

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

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She sees much more than you think . . .

Five years ago, Laurel Lovejoy had it all. The high-powered city job, the loving husband, the perfect daughter. Now, she is forty and alone, and working for a courier service. But she has discovered that being a delivery driver comes with a superpower: it makes her invisible. People accept her presence without question. They go about their lives, unaware of just how much she sees – how much she knows.

Laurel is particularly fascinated by the residents of Paradise Found, an exclusive gated cul-de-sac. She sometimes even finds her way there when she’s not working, using her days off to soak up as much information about the inhabitants and their lives as she can. Everyone needs a hobby.

Then one day Laurel sees something in one of the houses – something that blows her whole world apart, and will have devastating consequences for everyone involved . . .

My Thoughts:

I have never read a book before where the main character’s job is a courier. I was intrigued and excited to start the book, it was interesting to see the life behind the eyes of a courier and Laurel really intrigued me. I guessed she had a story and I was right, it makes for a very interesting read. The only downside for this book for me is I feel as though it is slightly related I didn’t enjoy the virus being brought up, I just feel as though the story didn’t need it. It let it down for me slightly. Anyway I did find it an enjoyable and original read. I will be interested to see what Holly the author writes about next.

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

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Is her whole life built on a lie?

Rose has always been close to her father. Her mother died soon after she was born, so it’s been just the two of them for as long as she can remember.

But a chance encounter days before she’s due to get married leaves Rose questioning everything she has ever known.

The man she trusts most in the world has been keeping a secret from her.

And the truth will leave her with an impossible choice…

My Thoughts:

I really enjoy reading books written by S. D. Robertson as they are always books that make you think what you would do if you were in the characters position and they always seem to stay with you after you have finished the story too. Rose lost her mum when she was very young and has been brought up by her dad, which has helped make their bond strong, but when something happens just before she is about to get married, she wonders if she really know the man who is suppose to be her father. The one that doesn’t keep secrets from her but what if he is keeping a big secret from her? what will happen when Rose find out? I liked how this book played out, it kept my attention and I wondered what I would do in Rose’s position. I liked the bond she had with her father it reminded me of how close my dad and I are. I found it a heartbreaking and emotional read but I could not put it down.

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

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Cora Bender killed a man on a sunny summer afternoon by the lake and in full view of her family and friends.
But why? What could have caused this quiet, lovable young mother to stab a stranger in the throat, again and again, until she was pulled off his body?

For the local police it was an open-and-shut case. Cora confessed; there was no shortage of witnesses. But Police Commissioner Rudolf Grovian refused to close the file and started his own maverick investigation. So begins the slow unravelling of Cora’s past, a harrowing descent into a woman’s private hell.

My Thoughts:

I found the first half of this book absolutely brilliant and was intrigued how it was all going to wrap up in the end, however after the first half I found it was too slow for me and a bit samey, it could of been a brilliant ending but for me it let it down a bit. Cora has killed a man but why? when we unravel why Cora has done this we see her true personality come through. All the characters are written well and feel as though we see what they go through after such an unimaginable event. This book has been turned into a Netflix series so I will be intrigued to give it a try and see what that is like. There are some quite uncomfortable scenes in this book too that I found awkward.

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

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Inside the new book you’ll find an abundance of mouth-watering, delightfully easy to follow Indian restaurant recipes. These are all backed up with detailed and comprehensive informational chapters: everything you need to learn the art of curry cooking.

Curry Compendium contains all you need to create your own restaurant quality food at home in your kitchen. Start saving a fortune on takeaways!

• 99 recipes, fully detailed and explained, covering starters, mains, sides, rice, accompaniments, and traditional Indian & streetfood
• Video Tuition throughout. A QR code is included for most recipes which can be scanned with a smartphone to instantly open up the associated YouTube video
• A quick and easy base gravy recipe to cook in 30 minutes
• Scaling Up – a detailed but easy to follow chapter about cooking multiple curry portions at once
• Inside an Indian Restaurant kitchen – a chapter showing the workings of a busy kitchen
• Additional recipe photos crediting social media followers

My Thoughts:

I love a cookbook and this one is really good. I have only recently started getting into making my own curries so this book came at a perfect time. It is such a wonderful looking book, I like how at the beginning everything has been planned out for you, like storing ingredients, where to buy all the different ingredients and the essentials you will need. I like how each recipe has a picture so you know what yours should look like. Also in this book there is not only how to make different curries there is also how to make side dishes, rice and breads and other things, which to me makes it even more appealing. I cannot wait to start making some of these wonderful sounding curries, it makes my mouth water just looking at all the delicious pictures. For a novice like me I reckon I could pull of one of these curries no problem. And I really want to make naan bread as I thought they would be hard to make and a bit of a faff but it seems not. This is a perfect present for a Curry Lover.

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

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Welcome to the café that never sleeps.

Day and night, Stella’s Café opens its doors to the lonely and the lost, the morning people and the night owls. It’s a place where everyone is always welcome, where life can wait at the door.

Meet Hannah and Mona: best friends, waitresses, dreamers. They love working at Stella’s – the different people they meet, the small kindnesses exchanged. But is it time to step outside and make their own way in life?

Come inside and spend twenty-four hours at Stella’s Café, where one day might just be enough to change your life . . .

My Thoughts:

I needed a nice easy read and this was perfect, a lovely and uplifting story that also makes you think. I loved how the characters were relatable and really warmed to Hannah and Mona and the good that they do. The story is all centered around a café that sees an interesting mix of people come in through it’s doors. They all have their own stories to tell and the café is the place for these stories. It is a light read which for me started off a little slow but once I got more into it, it just got better and better. I look forward to reading more of Libby’s books.

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

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A devoted wife…
A year ago, Gemma met the love of her life, Danny. Since then, their relationship has been perfect. But one evening, Danny doesn’t return home.

A missing husband…
Gemma turns to the police. She is horrified by what she discovers – a serial killer is on the loose in Bristol. When she sees photos of the victims she is even more stunned…they all look just like Danny.

Who would you believe?
But the police are suspicious. Why has no one apart from Gemma heard from Danny in weeks? Why is there barely a trace of him in their flat? Is she telling them the truth, or is this marriage hiding some very dark secrets?

My Thoughts:

I really enjoyed this story, I didn’t want to put it down. When Gemma’s husband Danny goes missing she doesn’t know where he has gone, they were perfectly happy before this incident. But as Gemma starts looking into where her husband has gone, she realises she might not of known him at all. Then the police start getting suspicious of Gemma but can she prove it wasn’t her? It was a very interesting story and the path that leads on was captivating. The twists and turns in this story will shock you, they are unbelievable twists and the ending was suspenseful. The characters were all believable too.

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

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Roberta, Rosie, Sandra and Linda meet at college in the 70s and remain constant friends, despite life’s up and downs. The sudden death of one of the friends leads the others to suspect that a slimming drug she had been taking was perhaps to blame.

Was this a wonder drug or a threat to life?

The friends start to uncover long-held secrets and betrayals both personal and professional, but the pharmaceutical industry is not yet finished with them. Feeding the Gods is a thriller that addresses friendships, the different roles a woman must take on through life and the power of the drug giants

My Thoughts:

This is a big chunky book but don’t be put off as it is a superb read. I felt as though I learnt quite a bit about the drugs industry and what can happen when taking these so called tablets. It was a very eye opening read that follows four very good friends. The story is broken down into parts so we see what happened to all of them when they were at college and where their life has taken them to now. We see each of their stories and how the drugs industry affected them. They are real women who I am sure other women will be able to relate to. A really brilliant and eye opening thriller that you wonder what will happen in the next chapter.

I received an ARC copy for an honest review.

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With counterfeit drugs flooding the market, you could be in danger if you take the wrong one…

Raymond McNally is enjoying his new promotion at a major pharmaceutical company. He’s been enlisted to oversee the company’s newest product Erexat – a competitor of viagra – the world’s first and most successful treatment for male impotence. Raymond’s hopes are high for a successful and profitable future both professionally and personally. 

However, when reports of unexplained deaths and other serious side effects start to trickle into the firm’s medical department, alarm bells sound and Raymond quickly realises that the new drug’s future may be in doubt. Initially, the adverse effects are few and scattered globally, so the press and the national regulatory authorities haven’t been alerted… yet. 

As Raymond mounts an investigation, he teams up with a twenty-something computer nerd called Harry who hacks into retail sites as a hobby. As the tension rises, so do the stakes. Can they separate the tricks from the treats before it’s too late?

My Thoughts:

I read this book and gave up but then decided to read it again. I am glad I gave it another chance as it was not a bad read. It is all about counterfeit medicines that are being sold online and what the effect has on people. It is a very real problem in today’s society and it made me feel more aware of what these people are doing to scam people. Raymond has a new job at a big pharmaceutical company, he has been given the task to oversee a new product and he cannot believe his luck. But when deaths and serious side effects come to light of people taking this product Raymond is shocked and he knows his job is at risk, can he find a way to fix the problem or will it go global? I found it an eye opening read, not the best read but it was ok.

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

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When a teenage girl is found dead on a quiet suburban street, Detective Meredith Somerset is haunted by flashbacks to the day her little sister vanished—the day Meredith should have been watching her. But with a murder to solve, she doesn’t have time for painful memories to cloud her judgement.

The victim is shoeless, the only clue to her identity a small silver medallion hidden in her grass-stained sock. Did she run from her killer across the smooth lawns of Willow Lane? And if so, how did no one in the surrounding houses see or hear a thing?

Meredith needs answers, or she’ll never shake the image of her sister’s face begging her for help. But Willow Lane has more than one mystery behind its doors—and to find the killer, Meredith must venture into a community that’s determined to keep its secrets hidden at any cost…

My Thoughts:

This is a brilliant pulse racing thriller that I could not put down, it was brilliant and I cannot wait to read more from this author. From the very first page and from the story line I knew it would be a captivating story. Detective Meredith Somerset is called to a body that has been found on a quiet street, she has her own personal issues that she is dealing with at the same time, can she solve the murder before it is too late? I love working out from what the detective sees what might of happened to the victim. I found it a thought provoking read. There are twists that you will never see coming, the residents that all live on the street are all under suspicion. I like it how some of the chapters are left on a cliff hanger so you feel compelled to read another chapter. The ending was something I never in a million years would of guessed. It was just brilliant.

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

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