Tag: fiction

Finding Hayes By Laura Pavlov

Finding Hayes By Laura Pavlov

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Savannah Abbott was my best friend growing up, and the reason I could be the best version of myself.

But then, without warning, she was gone. And my life began unravelling the day she left. My guard went up, and my ability to trust people disappeared.

But now, Savannah is back in Magnolia Falls, and she’s acting like I’m the enemy.

That is, until she needs a favour. A temporary husband …

I may fight flames for a living, but my new wife is the fire that’s been missing all along. None of this is real, we remind ourselves while we’re playing house.

But maybe, for her, I’m willing to bend the rules …

My Thoughts:

Laura is a new author to me, but because I enjoy Elsie Silver books I thought I would give this book a go. I liked how the book is easy to follow along with and I liked Laura’s writing style. This is the final book in The Magnolia Falls Series which I did not realise at the time but it is a perfect excuse to pick up the previous books in the series. This is about Hayes and Savannah and it is a good and heart warming read about friendship, enemies, lovers. I loved all the letters it just added something else to the story, with such a good ending. I do wish I had read the previous ones first as I would of got more of a back story but I really enjoyed it.

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

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From London with Love By Katie Fforde

From London with Love By Katie Fforde

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It’s 1968 and it’s cold when Felicity arrives in London to stay with her mother, improve her English, do a secretarial course – and meet a suitable man.

She is already missing her home in Provence and her father and his new wife and their extended family. But it’s only for a year she tells herself – and then she can go back to France and do what she really wants and become a painter.

And then she bumps into Oliver who is quite the most interesting young man she has ever met. He lives on a barge for one thing and has a collection of jobs, but his passion is looking for hidden treasures along the shores of the river Thames.

In a word, he’s a mudlarker – and before long Felicity is mudlarking too. She is also pursuing her dreams and painting scenery for Oliver’s actor friends.

But is Oliver a Suitable Man of whom her mother will approve? Felicity knows she will not …

My Thoughts:

I have not read many of Katie’s books but the ones I have read I have enjoyed. I liked the sound of the plot for this one, Felicity is living in France with her dad and his new wife when her mother decides it would be best if Felicity came to stay with her in London, there are great opportunities for Felicity in London. When she meets Oliver she is instantly taken with him and he is quirky but that is what she likes about him, but what will her family think of him? I liked how the story flowed, it was an easy and light read for me, I liked the way they both connected and how the story continued with them both. A story full of warmth and love.

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

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Now You See Her By Heidi Perks

Now You See Her By Heidi Perks

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Charlotte is looking after her best friend’s daughter the day she disappears. She thought the little girl was playing with her own children. She swears she only took her eyes off them for a second.

Now, Charlotte must do the unthinkable: tell her best friend Harriet that her only child is missing. The child she was meant to be watching.

Devastated, Harriet can no longer bear to see Charlotte. No one could expect her to trust her friend again.
Only now she needs to. Because two weeks later Harriet and Charlotte are both being questioned separately by the police. And secrets are about to surface.

Someone is hiding the truth.
So what really happened to Alice?

My Thoughts:

The story is about how a nice day out can change everything in an instant. When Charlotte takes out her best friends daughter out for the day she would never imagine how the day would unfold. Charlotte is devastated that the little girl goes missing on her watch but when she comes to tell her best friend what happened Harriet does not even want to look at Charlotte. But the police have done some digging and when they are questioned is there more to the story than meets the eye. I liked the idea of the story but for me it did not hold my attention. I found it slow and tough going. This is an author who I would not read again.

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Poppy’s Christmas Cracker By Leigh Russell

Poppy’s Christmas Cracker By Leigh Russell

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A French patisserie opens in the village of Ashton Mead in time for Christmas. Local residents are pleased but Hannah, owner of the Sunshine Tea Shoppe, feels threatened by the competition.

When the owner of the patisserie is killed, Hannah is suspected of murdering her business rival. Her friend, Emily, is determined to clear Hannah’s name. She seems to be facing an impossible task… until her little dog Poppy makes a surprising discovery.

My Thoughts:

This is book four in the A Poppy Mystery Tale series and every bit as good as the previous books. This time we catch up with Poppy the dog and Emily who finds that Emily’s friend is in a spot of bother and needs help to find out who the real killer is. It was a great short story that has a great bunch of characters. Poppy is just the cutest of dogs and I love the way she helps her owner Emily. But can they solve this mystery this time? I loved reading this story.

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

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In the Blink of an Eye By Jo Callaghan

In the Blink of an Eye By Jo Callaghan

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In the UK, someone is reported missing every 90 seconds.
Just gone. Vanished. In the blink of an eye. 

DCS Kat Frank knows all about loss. A widowed single mother, Kat is a cop who trusts her instincts. Picked to lead a pilot programme that has her paired with AIDE (Artificially Intelligent Detective Entity) Lock, Kat’s instincts come up against Lock’s logic. But when the two missing person’s cold cases they are reviewing suddenly become active, Lock is the only one who can help Kat when the case gets personal. 

AI versus human experience. 
Logic versus instinct.
With lives on the line can the pair work together before someone else becomes another statistic? 

My Thoughts:

I love a police procedural read, I always find that world very fascinating and eye opening. I found this read so much more than that though and really enjoyed reading about DCS Kat Frank and her world. DCS Kat is reviewing a case but whilst leading a new pilot programme things are not as easy as they seem. The case becomes a lot more than Kat could of realised. I was not sure what the AI part would be like but it captivated me seeing how AI is against a human being. It was a fascinating and insightful story that I could not put down. I cannot wait to read more of Jo’s books.

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

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https://www.amazon.co.uk/Blink-Eye-original-crime-novel/dp/1398511196/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1J5TR7L1ISSZQ&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.dRJwHRnSgodPx1d7f8_fcNjvI1Q4C4LuXHqO-Wy91pJPN8dhyiPbbY0bxA5DztGszBsUk2zOD5-D7MOReXFj7_SYRbhkZLScU6xVpb1t1PNqUKaN7iKGeUeVcP9Q19AeuuzSKwNIzv_xmeLW6uLzbd3tEcH5EBqCeEKQ6zkYqA_khqXp-8gvukLwAONKNG7WHV3WzcdZLl-cQxyxswdjCHKv6uDZGFMqtIh4H5mk_Lo.wxC-qH94rHemkpiYsQoWrTWQ07UB8nZ5HaHBqw-HxQQ&dib_tag=se&keywords=in+the+blink+of+an+eye+jo+callaghan&nsdOptOutParam=true&qid=1729246869&sprefix=in+the+blink+%2Caps%2C102&sr=8-1



Parklife by Lucy Nichol

Parklife by Lucy Nichol

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It’s 1996. Emma’s been rejected by the man she loves and sacked from the job she hates but desperately needs. Feeling like she’s hit a new low, she finds herself serving ice-cream and phoney smiles at the local park.

Best mate Dave’s loved up, and her dad’s finally emerging from years of unemployment and a deep depression. Everyone’s life is on the up while Emma’s plummeting towards rock bottom.

Every day she gives a free ‘99 to the lonely old man who sits on the park bench and reminds herself that life could be much worse.

But soon, even sprinkles and monkey’s blood can’t hide the truth. She’s in deep trouble and losing sight of the edge. Who will help her up when she falls?

My Thoughts:

This is the follow up to The Twenty Seven Club but can also be read as a standalone. It is the 90’s and Emma is not having the best of times, she has lost her man, her job and feels like giving up until she finds a job selling ice cream. Emma life is not how she expected to end up, she wants more for herself but can she shake of that feeling that something bad is going to happen? It was a good story to follow on from The Twenty seven club, full of great music and sensitive topics, Lucy the author has written this book well. And the ice cream part made me hungry.

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Someone To Blame By J.J. Green

Someone To Blame By J.J. Green

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Shay Dunne is a poison pen. Not that she wants to be one. But a recent tragedy in her life has left her hell-bent on dishing out some punishment to the two people she blames. Sending them a letter containing a vague accusation will do the trick.

Only the letters set in motion a series of unintended consequences, and Shay soon discovers that in the close-knit Irish village she calls home, a community still reeling from Covid, there are sinister secrets everywhere.

My Thoughts:

When the reading the blurb of this book, I thought it sounded good, I don’t think I have ever read a poison pen story. This one is centred around Shay who has gone through a lot and wants to punish the people that have left her in this mess. But when Shay sends the poison pen letters little does she realise how much it will blow up in her face and the backlash will be even worse. Was it really the right way to go about things? I felt as though it was a great story from the first chapter, it had me hooked on the journey Shay was going to take to get revenge. I didn’t personally agree with her writing the letters but I understand how she was feeling after everything that had gone on with her. The story builds up as you go through the book and then gently unpeels like an onion. There is depth to this story that goes deep, I found it a fascinating and powerful read that I would recommend.

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

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The Christmas Cottage By Sarah Morgan

The Christmas Cottage By Sarah Morgan

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Will this Christmas finally bring comfort and joy?

A PAINFUL SECRET

Imogen loves her job as an events organiser, and her colleagues are in awe of her. But Imogen isn’t the person she pretends to be, and she’s hiding painful truths about her past. But as long as she can keep on top of her work, Imogen can put everything else to one side.

AN ACT OF KINDNESS

And then Imogen makes a catastrophic mistake at work, and finally realises it’s time to reset. When her favourite client, Dorothy, invites her to spend Christmas with her and her family, in her cottage in the Cotswolds, it sounds like the perfect way for Imogen to take stock.

FINDING HAPPINESS AT CHRISTMAS

Imogen soon settles into idyllic cottage life, especially with the prospect of a new romance on the horizon … but when long-buried secrets and unwanted faces from the past resurface, Imogen’s new peace is threatened. Will Imogen end up alone this Christmas, or can she find it in her heart to forgive and move on?

My Thoughts:

I do love a Sarah Morgan read, especially a Christmas one. There is just something so magical when Sarah whisks you away with another one of her fabulous stories. This was no exception and a brilliant read to get me into the festive mood. Imogen is in a right old mess, she loves her job but she has been telling a few white lies to her colleagues but only to make herself look better and not as boring as she thinks everyone would think she is. When something really bad happens at work, Imogen needs to get away and what more is the perfect place than a cottage in the Cotswolds. How she comes to staying there, you will need to read it but it is such a lovely festive read, I liked Imogen from the start and I really felt for her and was hoping good things were to come from her. When everything comes crashing down has Imogen got the strength to get back up. Such a cosy and warming read.

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

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The Boyfriend By Freida McFadden

The Boyfriend By Freida McFadden

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She’s looking for the perfect man. He’s looking for the perfect victim.

Sydney Shaw, like every single woman in New York, has terrible luck with dating. She’s seen it all: men who lie in their dating profiles, men who stick her with the dinner bill, and worst of all, men who can’t shut up about their mothers. Until she meets Tom.

Tom is utterly perfect. He’s charming, handsome, and works as a doctor at a local hospital. Sydney is swept off her feet.

Then the brutal murder of a young woman? the latest in a string of deaths across the coast? confounds police. The primary suspect? A mystery man who dates his victims before he kills them.

Sydney should feel safe. After all, she has Tom, the man of her dreams. But she can’t shake her own suspicions that the perfect man may not be as perfect as he seems. Because someone is watching her every move, and if she doesn’t get to the truth, she’ll be the killer’s next victim…

My Thoughts:

When I saw this book was out I couldn’t wait to read it. I really enjoy Freida’s books, they can be hit and miss but mainly they are all really good. This one is about Sydney who is a dating fiend and has tried every thing to try to bag herself a man but with no luck. Then a guy called Tom comes along and he seems to be the one but what is he hiding and what secrets will Sydney uncover. Then bad things in her area start happening to woman and Sydney starts to worry and question Tom. When reading I thought I had worked it out but I could never of imagined the amount of twists and turns you will experience whilst reading this book. It goes on a completely different turn through the last part of the book. It was so good and I cannot wait to read her next one.

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The Witch’s Daughter By Imogen Edwards -Jones

The Witch’s Daughter By Imogen Edwards -Jones

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A city burning. A revolution raging. A woman on the run.

Nadezhda has never wanted to be a witch. But the occult is in her blood. Her mother, Militza, conjured Rasputin and introduced him into the Romanov court, releasing the devil himself. Now he is dead, but Militza still dreams of him – stalking her sleep and haunting her waking hours.

As Petrograd burns and the Russian Empire crumbles, Nadezhda escapes through the capital, concealing a book of generational magic. But as danger grows closer, she may be forced to embrace her heritage to save what she loves most…

My Thoughts:

This being a sequel to Imogen’s previous book The Witches of St Petersburg I was assuming I would of needed to read that book first but you can read this as a standalone. The main character is called Nadezhda and living in Russia where she has become a witch, which she never wanted anyway. Bad things are happening and Nadezhda has to find a way to escape and protect her family. I found it a little overwhelming, there is a lot going on and lots of information to keep up with. Needless to say the information that I did discover was interesting. Imogen as the author has done a good job of researching this era and Russian history. I liked the story though but I did feel it was a little heavy going.

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

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