#BlogTour! #Review – The Secret Child by Kerry Fisher (@Kerryfswayne) @Bookouture

Day two of Kerry Fisher’s blog tour is here and the tour bus stops with me, TWG! As a huge fan of Kerry Fisher’s previous novels, I just knew that I had to read her latest book, ‘The Secret Child’, otherwise I would regret it! In my eyes, Kerry Fisher is an author who can do no wrong. What I got with ‘The Secret Child’ was something I never expected….

You can run from your past, but it will always catch up with you…
 
Susie was forced to do something she will always regret: giving her baby son up for adoption. Everything that led to this child, this choice, had to be buried and forgotten.

Her secret echoes down through the years, tainting everything it touches. Her husband wonders why his wife is so distant. Her daughters can’t understand their changeable mother. 

Susie knows her past is pushing her family apart, and the guilt is eating her up, but she can’t escape the longing for her lost son. No-one but Susie knows the whole story, and when her daughters discover a piece of the puzzle, she must face the question she has struggled with for most of her life:

Would the truth bring them back together, or break them?

What does TWG think?

Nothing could have prepared me for what I found when I began reading ‘The Secret Child’. It didn’t really matter that I was already a huge fan of Kerry Fisher’s work before this book, as ‘The Secret Child’ was in a completely different league of its own and couldn’t be compared to any of the authors previous novels. Well, in my eyes anyway.

The storyline is split into two parts, both narrated by two different characters as they go about their lives throughout various years. I can say that the first part of the book is told from Susie’s viewpoint as she has to make the most heart-breaking decision of her life. One that she would regret for many, many years. The other part of the book is told by another character who will become clear as the story progresses. ‘The Secret Child’ has such an intense and complex storyline where dropping spoilers would be exceptionally easy. But you won’t be getting any spoilers from me!

In all honesty, it took me a little while to get into the throws of the storyline as we were drip fed information, which meant that it took a little while for things to make sense. Even though I was eager to know the ins and outs of Susie’s life and what happened during those life-changing months all those years ago, I couldn’t help but be swept up in the raw emotion that seemed to make itself known on every single page.

My opinions of characters changed multiple times throughout the novel as going through different circumstances meant that I was able to see a completely different side of a character who had previously irked me, therefore changing my opinion incredibly. The characters in this novel aren’t the sort where you either like them or you don’t and that’s the end of it. Every single one is multi-dimensional with layers that shed when the opportunities arise, all written absolutely beautifully by the author. Kerry Fisher has crafted each character with incredible precision. To be able to do that for each and every character in her storyline is not only outstanding, it is also jaw-dropping. I can’t say that I have read many books where the characters are so well crafted like little wooden dolls for a doll’s house. Amazing.

‘The Secret Child’ took my breath away. I have always known that Kerry Fisher is an exceptional author but, to be honest, I never expected such a strong storyline like this. In my eyes, Kerry Fisher has gone from being a brilliant author, to then being a jaw-droppingly amazing author in the space of one novel.

‘The Secret Child’ is a magnificent, emotional, heart-warming, and stunning novel which has now put author, Kerry Fisher, in a whole new league. It’s beautiful, it’s written with absolute perfection and my goodness, it really is going to have a place in my heart for a long while to come.

Kerry Fisher, you have outdone yourself with this novel. I always knew you were a fantastic author, but with this book, you have shown strength and poignancy in ways I never could imagine.

And for that reason, this is why ‘The Secret Child’ is one of my most favourite books of all time.

Just….amazing. Truly.

Thanks Bookouture.

Buy now from Amazon UK
Buy now from Amazon US

About the author: 

Born in Peterborough, Kerry Fisher studied French and Italian at Bath University, followed by several years working as an English teacher in Corsica and Spain before topping the dizzying heights of holiday rep and grape picker in Tuscany. She eventually succumbed to ‘getting a proper job’ and returned to England to study Periodical Journalism at City University. After two years working in the features department at Essentials magazine in London, love carried her off to the wilds of the West Pennine moors near Bolton. She now lives in Surrey with her husband (of whisking off to Bolton fame), two teenagers and a very naughty lab/schnauzer called Poppy. Kerry can often be seen trailing across the Surrey Hills whistling and waving pieces of chicken while the dog practises her ‘talk to the tail’. In her third book, After The Lie, Kerry shamelessly exploits every embarrassing dog misdemeanour to create her fictional hound, Mabel.

Kerry has spent half her life talking about writing a novel, then several years at Candis magazine reviewing other people’s but it wasn’t until she took some online courses with the UCLA (University of California) that the dream started to morph into reality, culminating in the publishing of The Class Ceiling. The Avon imprint of HarperCollins picked it up and retitled it The School Gate Survival Guide, published summer 2014. Her second book, The Island Escape, came out in May 2015. It won first prize at the York Festival of Writing for the opening line: ‘I was wearing the wrong bra for sitting in a police cell’. Her latest book, After The Lie, the story of how small lies become more toxic as they pass down the generations, is out on 29 April 2016.

Best advice ever received: ‘This is fiction, we can skip the boring bits.’ Lynn Hightower, UCLA Writers’ Program. 

Read more of her thoughts on life at http://www.kerryfisherauthor.com or follow her on twitter at @kerryfswayne

#CoverReveal! #BeforeILetYouGo by Kelly Rimmer (@KelRimmerWrites) @HeadlinePG

To be asked to help out with a cover reveal by one of your favourite publishers is majorly exciting. To be asked to help reveal the book cover for an author who gave you the biggest book hangover of your life with her previous novel, well, that is amazing. Thank you to Becky Hunter from Headline, for asking me to be involved in this. So excited!!

Let’s get this show on the road then, shall we?

I am so excited to be revealing the book cover for the incredible, Kelly Rimmer! Her new novel, ‘Before I Let You Go’, will be published in e-book in February 2018, with the paperback format coming in October 2018.

Here is the cover:

Your sister needs you. But her child needs you more…

The 2:00 a.m. call is the first time Lexie Vidler has heard her sister’s voice
in years. Annie is a drug addict, a thief, a liar-and in trouble, again. Lexie
has always bailed Annie out, given her money, a place to sleep, sent her to
every kind of rehab. But this time, she’s not just strung out-she’s pregnant
and in premature labor. If she goes to the hospital, she’ll lose custody of
her baby-maybe even go to prison. But the alternative is unthinkable.

As weeks unfold, Lexie finds herself caring for her fragile newborn niece
while her carefully ordered life is collapsing around her. She’s in danger of
losing her job, and her fiancé only has so much patience for Annie’s drama.
In court-ordered rehab, Annie attempts to halt her downward spiral by
confronting long-buried secrets from the sisters’ childhood, ghosts that
Lexie doesn’t want to face. But will the journey heal Annie, or lead her
down a darker path?

I have a feeling that this book is going to be incredibly, incredibly emotional and I for one, cannot wait to be put under Kelly Rimmer’s spell once again.

Make sure you follow Headline on Twitter to keep up to date with this book and any other upcoming releases.
Also, if you wish to follow Kelly Rimmer on Twitter so that you can find out book news as soon as it happens (including information about ‘Before I Let You Go’, you can follow her on Twitter here!

#BlogBlitz! #Review – The Liverpool Girls by Pam Howes (@PamHowes1) @Bookouture

Happy publication day Pam Howes! Whilst today is obviously a day for bookish celebration, it’s also a bittersweet day for readers who have been following Pam’s Liverpool saga series from the beginning. Why? Because, unfortunately, ‘The Liverpool Girls’ is the last book in the series! If, like me, you have read all three books in order, you’ll probably agree that us readers have been on one hell of a ride with each and every character. Some more memorable than others! I am honoured to be one of the blogs kicking off today’s blog blitz with my review. Huge congratulations Pam!

It’s 1966 and in Liverpool two sisters are about to have their lives turned upside down…

Sisters Carol and Jackie haven’t had the easiest of childhoods, but as they grow up and begin their own lives both hope for happier times ahead. Stylish Carol works in Lewis’s department store, while Jackie dreams of drama school, and a career on the stage.

But the sisters are heartbroken when they discover they have been dating the same man, and an unexpected pregnancy causes a rift between them. Parents Dora and Joe must overcome their past hurts and help their daughters, despite the meddling of Joe’s second wife Ivy.

As the sisters’ troubles spiral and difficult decisions must be made, can the family pull together – or will Jackie and Carol’s sisterly bond be destroyed forever?

What does TWG think?

We are back in Liverpool for the third and final time, as we catch up with Dora and her family in the last instalment of the Liverpool Trilogy. I cannot believe how quick this series has zoomed by, nor can I believe how much all of the characters have grown. Having read the series from book one, it’s been fun watching certain characters grow throughout the years, as if us readers were going through their highs and lows with them at the time. Quite surreal to be honest as some of the characters in this series have lived out their lives before our very eyes.

Dora is our main character once again as we find out what has happened since book two.  Put it this way – A LOT has happened since we left the family and, whilst I’m not surprised that certain situations have come to a head, I really was hoping that I was going to meet Ivy again. But I did. Even though I thought that Ivy’s character was going to rub me up the wrong way yet again, I actually found that another character took that particular crown away from her. Don’t worry though, Ivy was her usual, delightful (ahem) self and still bugged me, yet someone else bugged me even more.

Because I don’t want to give anything away, all I’m going to say is that ONE of Dora’s daughters got my back up on more than one occasion. Once you read the book for yourself, you may think the same, or you may think differently. Who knows! I’m intrigued to see how people fair with this particular character though, I have to say.

In regards to the overall storyline, I really did enjoy catching up with the characters again, but I did find some parts of the storyline to be a little slow burning and lacking in oomph. However, there were parts of the storyline, namely where Carol was concerned, where the pace was on point and the grit made it such an intense read. For me, the story seemed to to and fro between gritty and slow burning, as opposed to Pam Howes’ previous books of being pure intensity. Again, that is just a personal preference.

I am quite sad to see this series come to an end as I would loved to find out what happened to a couple of the characters later down the line. I did thoroughly enjoy the majority of ‘The Liverpool Girls’, especially as the author has made Dora go from strength to strength as a character. Dora really was the star of the show and I really do think that Pam Howes has done a phenomenal job in building her character, whilst also maintaining Dora’s personality across all three books.

Poignant, thought-provoking and definitely memorable, ‘The Liverpool Girls’ is bound to take you on a rollercoaster ride of emotions as you follow Dora and Joe’s life during the late sixties. Full of brilliant history from the sixties, Pam Howes has written yet another touching novel.

Thanks Bookouture.

Buy now from Amazon UK
Buy now from Amazon US

About the author: 

Pam Howes was born in Cheshire. She is a retired Interior Designer who began writing seriously in the mid nineties. The idea for her first novel, set in the sixties, was inspired by her time as a teenager, working in a local record store and hanging around with musicians who frequented the business. That first novel evolved into a series set in the fictional town of Pickford, based on her home town of Stockport. Three Steps to Heaven; ‘Til I Kissed You; Always On My Mind; Not Fade Away, and That’ll Be The Day, follow the lives and loves through the decades of fictional Rock’n’Roll band The Raiders. Pam is a big fan of sixties music and it’s this love that compelled her to write the series. A stand-alone true-life romance, Fast Movin’ Train, set in the nineties, was published in early 2012. A new series of Fairground Romances, set in the sixties, begins with Cathy’s Clown, to be followed by Ruby Tuesday early 2016. Pam is mum to three adult daughters, grandma to seven assorted grandchildren, and roadie to one musician partner. She still lives in Cheshire and is currently involved in raising awareness of her home-town’s musical heritage with campaigns to have Blue Plaques erected on the walls of local clubs, The Manor Lounge and The Sinking Ship, where the likes of The Walker Brother’s, The Who and Jimi Hendrix played; now closed, but still firmly in the hearts of Stockport’s recycled teenagers.  

Pam recently signed a contract with the award winning publisher Bookouture and the first novel in her new trilogy, The Lost Daughter of Liverpool, will be on sale in February 2017

All books are available in Kindle format, paperback, and Fast Movin’ Train is also available as an audio book. 

Follow her on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Pam-Howes-Author/260328010709267 

And Twitter @PamHowes1

#BirthdayBlitz! #Review – Christmas at the Little Knitting Box by @HJRolfe @Rararesources

Happy book birthday to ‘Christmas at the Little Knitting Box’! A year ago today, Helen J Rolfe released this magical, memorable, and damn right fabulous Christmas treat. To help Helen celebrate, several bloggers are taking part in today’s ‘book birthday blitz’ where not only reviews will be shared, but also information about a giveaway AND information about the next book in the series. Squeal!! Originally posted on TWG this time last year, I am over the moon that I get to share my review of this book once again. So, if you remember reading it last year, don’t worry, I have meant to copy and paste it!

Christmas is coming and New York is in full swing for the snowy season. But at The Little Knitting Box in the West Village, things are about to change …

The Little Knitting Box has been in Cleo’s family for nearly four decades, and since she arrived fresh off the plane from the Cotswolds four years ago, Cleo has been doing a stellar job of running the store. But instead of an early Christmas card in the mail this year, she gets a letter that tips her world on its axis.
Dylan has had a tumultuous few years. His marriage broke down, his mother passed away and he’s been trying to pick up the pieces as a stay-at-home dad. All he wants this Christmas is to give his kids the home and stability they need. But when he meets Cleo at a party one night, he begins to see it’s not always so easy to move on and pick up the pieces, especially when his ex seems determined to win him back.

When the snow starts to fall in New York City, both Cleo and Dylan realise life is rarely so black and white and both of them have choices to make. Will Dylan follow his heart or his head? And will Cleo ever allow herself to be a part of another family when her own fell apart at the seams?

What does TWG think?

Have you ever fallen so in love with book that you feel a loss when it ends? Have you ever fallen so in love with a book that the entire thing just felt…right? I have. I was really excited to read Helen’s new book even before it was released (I will explain why shortly), so when I had the added bonus of falling in love with the storyline and the characters, I just knew I had to shout loud and proud about this one.

To Cleo, The Little Knitting Box is everything. It’s her safety net, her lifeline and the place where she can fill her heart with memories of her family as she works. Just as Cleo feels settled, something is about to threaten The Little Knitting Box’s livelihood..

One of the reasons why I was bouncing around like a lunatic before the book was released, was because Helen had created a character…with MY name! Oh yes folks, The Little Knitting Box has a character in it called Kaisha! Even though I knew my name would crop up, I still felt quite emotional seeing it in black and white. Absolutely surreal. I was already beginning to feel involved in Cleo’s life myself, then my character doppelgänger turned up and was also involved in Cleo’s life! Yes, the character has my name, but despite that, the way that she was written into the storyline with such feistiness and bolshiness, Kaisha quickly became one of my favourites.

As Helen was describing The Knitting Box interior with such attention to detail, I felt like I was walking around the shop myself. Every feature she described, I could see it. Every smell she described, I began to smell it. Everything. That may sound daft but it is true. Such beautiful descriptions of such memorable features; if this was an actual shop in my town, I would be living in it, mark my words!

The storyline goes between Cleo’s life, and Dylan’s life. Unfortunately, we meet Dylan at a very sad time in his life, and people around him seem to be using that to his advantage. His naivety was a little questionable at times, but it was a joy to see Dylan grow as a character throughout the book. By the end of the story, my opinion had changed as I had gotten to see a different side of him and get to know him much better. The only way that I can describe Dylan would be; ‘teddy bear’, you’ll see why in the story!

It’s not often I say this but I really would love to see this storyline carry on into another book. Whilst the ending wasn’t left unfinished, it still has been left with room to expand due to where the characters are in their lives at the end of the book. For me, the book just stopped. I wanted to know more and I am really hoping that Helen does make it into a series because it is such a beautiful book. Every single thing was…perfect. I felt like I was opening a present as I turned each page and read the magically words in front of me.

Christmas at The Little Knitting Box has gotten under my skin in ways I never thought were possible. I feel like have lost something due to finishing the book, crazy huh?
Helen Rolfe has written such a warm and cosy read, which will fill your heart with sheer joy from first page to the last. I ended the book feeling as though I had gained a lot of new friends, and there is no doubt in my mind that you will feel that too.

Beautiful, magical and incredibly moving; Christmas at The Little Knitting Box is a book that keeps on giving. Easily one of my favourite books, ever.

You too can buy a piece of Christmas magic from Amazon UK, enjoy!

Giveaway!!

If you fancy the chance of winning a paperback of ‘Christmas at the Little Knitting Box’ and a bag of chocolate, all you need to do is enter the giveaway via the link below. Good luck!

Enter the giveaway!!

Fancy knowing some hot of the press information? Of course you do! Read on 😉

Helen Rolfe has publicly announced the details of her long-awaited book number two in this series! I am so excited to read this one as I loved the first book SO much!

Snowflakes and Mistletoe at the Inglenook Inn (New York Ever After, Book 2)

It’s the most wonderful time of the year…but is it the time to fall in love? 
As the flames on the log fire flicker and the snowflakes swirl above the New York streets, maybe this Christmas could be the one that changes everything…

When Darcy returns to Manhattan, she’s put in charge of the Inglenook Inn, a cosy boutique hotel in the heart of Greenwich Village. The Inn needs a boost in bookings if it’s to survive the competition, so Darcy is convinced that hosting Christmas this year is the answer. What she doesn’t expect is to meet a face from the past, which can only spell trouble.

Myles left England behind and took a job in New York. It’s a step forwards in his career, and has the added bonus of being nowhere near his family. He’s also hoping to avoid Christmas, the worst time of the year. But when his company puts him up at the Inglenook Inn and he recognises Darcy, it isn’t long before they clash. 

When disaster strikes, can Myles and Darcy put their differences aside to make Christmas at the Inglenook Inn a success?

Publication Date – 12th December 2017

Pre-order Now! Amazon UK // Amazon US

I’ve just pre-ordered my copy, have you?!

Happy birthday ‘Christmas at the Little Knitting Box’!!

#BlogBlitz! #Review – Her Best Friend by Sarah Wray (@Sarah_Wray) @Bookouture

Happy publication day Sarah Wray! Sarah’s second novel, ‘Her Best Friend’ is published today by Bookouture and, to help celebrate the release of Sarah’s new novel, a host of bloggers are taking part in a blog blitz which kicks off today! I am rather honoured to be one of the four bloggers kicking off the blog blitz with my review. Huge thanks to Bookouture for the blitz invite, as well as the ARC of Sarah Wray’s novel. Here is my review:

You couldn’t have done anything to save her.
Or could you?

Sylvie Armstrong has been running from her past for twenty years – until her mother’s death forces her to return to her home town, along with her newborn daughter.

Overwhelmed by grief in her childhood home, Sylvie tries to block out the memories that surround her – but then someone leaves a gift on her doorstep: a gold necklace with a heart-shaped locket.

This locket belonged to Sylvie’s best friend, Victoria Preston – and she was wearing it the night she died. Now it’s back in Sylvie’s life…and it soon becomes clear that somebody knows what really happened to Victoria.

Sylvie has to know the truth. But is she in terrible danger?

What does TWG think?

What an intriguing storyline!

Sylvie is trying her hardest to forget her past, especially considering the fact that her past contains memories of her best friend, Victoria’s, death. Buried emotions are brought back to the surface when Victoria’s parents put their daughter’s death back into the media, hoping someone would finally own up for Victoria’s death. Seeing as twenty years has passed and nobody has come forward, the community aren’t holding out much hope for the killer to randomly come forward after all of this time…

The storyline of ‘Her Best Friends’ switches between the past and present. Whilst we do get to go back in time to the night of Victoria’s death, we only really catch a glimpse of what happened that night. Predominantly the emotion, naturally. Reading those ‘past’ parts of the book, it probably sounds ignorant of me to say, but I didn’t feel like there was anything untoward apart from the obvious. If you asked me to point a finger at one of the characters who I thought were responsible or knew something about Victoria’s death, I honestly wouldn’t have been able to. That said, when Victoria’s parents brought in Sam to help put the murder back into the media, I only began to suspect a character because of other character’s opinions and not because I managed to work it out. In all honesty, putting my faith into certain characters who decided to come out of the woodwork at the ‘right’ time, really was naive of me. However, due to the way in which the author had told the story, I was able to over think Victoria’s death big time which meant that when the story concluded, the truth had my jaw dropping by at least 6 foot.

As horrible as this probably sounds, when I was reading the parts where Victoria was alive, I found myself disliking her almost straight away. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying that I thought Victoria deserved to die – that would be nasty, but there was something about her character which really, really bugged me. Not that it matters, obviously, as she only appeared in the book for a short amount of time!

‘Her Best Friend’ is such an addictive read. This isn’t the sort of book where you can think ‘just one more chapter then I’ll go to bed’. Not at all. It’s the type of book which is extremely likely to get under your skin, with an even higher chance of removing any sign of logical thinking when it comes to pausing the book. It would not surprise me if most of the readers who picked up Sarah Wray’s novel, turned round and said that they finished it in one sitting.

Even though most of my thoughts of this book are extremely positive, there were a couple of chapters where I felt like the storyline had slowed down far too much, which meant that I was left waiting for everything to pick back up again. Personally I feel that the storyline would have flowed a bit better if the pace was a bit faster. However, I still enjoyed the book nonetheless.

I began this book with no expectations, but I ended the book with my jaw on the floor and the words, ‘what the f…..’ spilling out of my mouth before I could even stop them. What a fantastic, unexpected conclusion which, in my eyes, was the star of the show tenfold.

Thanks Bookouture.

Buy now from Amazon UK
Buy now from Amazon US

Author Bio:

Sarah Wray is originally from Yorkshire but now lives in Newcastle-upon-Tyne where she works as a technology writer and editor. She won a Northern Writers’ Award (Arvon Award) in 2015 for an early version of her first novel.

 Author Social Media Links:

Facebook // Twitter // Website

#CoverReveal! The Little Wedding Island-Jaimie Admans @Be_the_spark @HQDigitalUK @NeverlandBT

-hyperventilates-
I have been waiting YEARS* for news of Jaimie Admans new book, and now it’s here! The news, not the book.
*I may have SLIGHTLY exaggerated there….only a little bit.

Anyway. I am SO, SO, SO, SO excited to be revealing the book cover of Jaimie Admans upcoming novel, ‘The Little Wedding Island’, which is due to be published by HQDigitalUK in March 2018. I know, I know. I cried at the release date too. Sniff. Unfortunately I sat on my magic wand so it’s no longer working, I am unable to make the time fast forward to said publication date.
HOWEVER, what I can do instead is tease you a bit by showing you the cover, AND let you know a bit more about the book. Oh, and of course giving you the all important pre-order links, obviously!

Are you ready for this?!

SQUEAL.

*Please note that this blurb is unofficial and could change at any time*

Bonnie Haskett loves love. She’s a hopeless romantic who’s always daydreaming of the day she’ll finally get married and live happily ever after. She hasn’t found Mr Right yet, but she’s sure he’s out there somewhere… For now, she consoles herself by writing about beautiful weddings for a bridal magazine, watching brides and grooms so hopelessly in love that it’s enough to melt even the harshest cynic’s heart.

Rohan Carter is love’s harshest cynic and nothing about a wedding will melt his heart, thank you very much. He writes a monthly column for a men’s magazine in which he advises men never to get married and gives advice on how to protect themselves from love.

These two rival journalists find themselves stuck together on Edelweiss Island, an island off the south coast of Britain that has become known as ‘the little wedding island’. There’s a rumour that no marriage performed in the church there has ever ended in divorce, and Bonnie and Rohan are both sent to investigate it.

However, they quickly find the locals are unwelcoming and untalkative, and no one is going to tell them anything about this ‘church of no divorces’ if they aren’t there to get married in it. There’s only one thing for it – team up and pretend to be engaged to each other to gain access to the church and find out what’s really going on there. They might not be friends, but their only chance to get the inside scoop on the mysterious island that everyone’s talking about is each other. It would be a win for both of them and all it would take is one little white lie. Just one…

Does this book sound and look fabulous, or does this book sound and look fabulous!!! I really cannot wait to get my hands on Jaimie’s new novel, especially after reading her previous novel ‘The Chateau of Happily Ever Afters’.

Whilst ‘The Little Wedding Island’ is available to pre-order now from Amazon UK, Amazon US, and Kobo (e-book is available to pre-order from other e-book retailers also, not just the ones listed so make sure you check if your usual one isn’t listed!), Jaimie’s previous book ‘The Chateau of Happily Ever Afters’ is available to buy and read now from Amazon UK, if you fancied reading it whilst you wait for her new book to land!
(You can find out what TWG thought about Jaimie’s previous book right here – #Tour! Chateau of Happily Ever Afters – Jaimie Admans @be_the_spark @NeverlandBT @HQDigitalUK).

Author bio:

Jaimie is a 32-year-old English-sounding Welsh girl with an awkward-to-spell name. She
lives in South Wales and enjoys writing, gardening, watching horror movies, and drinking tea, although she’s seriously considering marrying her coffee machine. She loves autumn and winter, and singing songs from musicals despite the fact she’s got the voice of a dying hyena. She hates spiders, hot weather, and cheese & onion crisps. She spends far too much time on Twitter and owns too many pairs of boots.

She will never have time to read all the books she wants to read.
She is the author of chick-lit romantic comedies The Chateau of Happily Ever Afters and Kismetology, and she has also written young-adult romantic comedies Afterlife Academy, Not Pretty Enough, and North Pole Reform School.

Twitter // Website

#BlogTour! #Review – East of Hounslow by @KhurrumRahman @HQStories

Apologies for my late in the day post, I have been laid up in bed for most of it! However, I’m here now and I am delighted to welcome author, Khurrum Rahman, and his debut novel ‘East of Hounslow’ which will be released in e-book on the 30th November. Huge thanks to HQStories for inviting me to take part in the blog tour, as well as an ARC of the book. Here is my review:

Meet Jay.
Small-time dealer.
Accidental jihadist.
The one man who can save us all?

Javid – call him Jay – is a dope dealer living in West London. He goes to mosque on Friday, and he’s just bought his pride and joy – a BMW. He lives with his mum, and life seems sweet.

But his world is about to turn upside-down. Because MI5 have been watching him, and they think he’s just the man they need for a delicate mission.

One thing’s for sure: now he’s a long way East of Hounslow, Jay’s life will never be the same again.

With the edgy humour of Four Lions and the pulse-racing tension of Nomad, East of Hounslow is the first in a series of thriller starring Jay Qasim.

What does TWG think?

For a debut novel by a debut author, ‘East of Hounslow’ certainly packs a punch!

Jay is a drug dealer who has, unfortunately, landed himself in a bit of a difficult situation which means his life is about to take on a teensy bit of turbulence. From losing things that weren’t really ‘his’, to then playing a modern version of ‘I Spy’, Jay realises that he has to up his maturity level extremely quickly. Gone are the days where his mum will bail him out…

I really didn’t know what to make of this book at first as I found myself laughing at situations which, if happened in reality, wouldn’t make anyone laugh. The author has managed to take his deep and meaningful theme and stripped it back, before sitting down to tell his ‘friends’ a story.

Some parts of the book were a little bit slow burning, but due to the humour and refreshing storytelling from Khurrum Rahman, ‘East of Hounslow’ really is a book worth sticking with. In amongst all of the humour and slapstick anecdotes, the author has also written in some quite eye-opening and emotive scenes where Jay is concerned. Before anyone says anything, I wasn’t sitting here with tears running down my face with sadness, but I could feel the emotion making itself known in each and every word as the author told his realistic and poignant story.

Truthfully, I still don’t know what to make of this book. The storyline seemed to have a little bit of everything, even if I did find myself feeling a little bit guilty for laughing so much. Because the author has generously given us a story with so many additions (such as humour, thriller, religion, drugs etc), I found myself getting a bit overwhelmed by it all.

That said, ‘East of Hounslow’ kept me thoroughly entertained from start to finish. I am in awe at the way the author has written this book and I am looking forward to seeing what he comes up with next.

Thanks HQStories.

Pre-order now from Amazon UK

#BlogBlitz! #Review – Now You See Me by Kierney Scott (@Kierney_S) @Bookouture

Happy publication day to Kierney Scott and ‘Now You See Me’! Very excited to be one of many bloggers on today’s blog blitz. Huge thanks to Bookouture for the ARC. Here is my review:

As she saw his face for the first time, she knew he was going to kill her. She just
didn’t know when.

When the dismembered body of Lydia Steiner is found washed up in the waters of a
blisteringly hot Louisiana swamp, Detective Jess Bishop knows for certain this isn’t the murderer’s first kill.

Three other dismembered bodies have been found, all bearing the same marks. Marks that strike fear into Jess’s heart. They are identical to those from a case she’s spent her entire career trying to forget.

As Jess and her team try to link the victims, another body is discovered and they fear the serial killer is taunting them. They know it’s only a matter of time before he kills again.

As the body count rises, and the hunt goes cold, Jess knows she has to confront her past in order to catch the killer, even if that means making herself the bait…

What does TWG think?

First of all, let me make something clear – this book is not for the faint hearted. Trust me. As an ex-wimp when it came to crime/psychological thrillers, I would have read this book through my fingers. Now that I can read this genre without acting like a complete and utter wuss, I was able to rub my hands together with glee the more descriptive this book got. And by golly did this book get descriptive!

We start off learning about a body and a conscientious detective who goes by the name of Bishop. Jess Bishop (sorry, always wanted to do that). As far as Detective Bishop is concerned, their killer is a dab hand at what he does. Who knows, maybe the killer might even blow his own trumpet and believe that too. I mean, they are dismembered bodies….

At first I really liked Jess. Her professionalism was on point and she didn’t seem to be one of those detectives who is unable to take anything seriously. Bishop did things by the book. But, as the storyline progressed, something about her started to grate on me. I know that the case was starting to hit a raw nerve, but at that point in the book, I didn’t know the ins and outs, yet I still took that into consideration. It seemed like her guard was starting to come down big time, which revealed a completely different side to Jess. It almost was as though it was a brand new character. Unfortunately I found it quite difficult to put the two sides of Jess back together, which meant that my opinion changed of Jess changed drastically as there was no seamless difference between work Jess and personal Jess.

As for the storyline itself, I found the groundwork really clever. It was very clear that a lot of thought and research had gone into creating an authentic and stone clad base for the authors story. Two words – vapour rub. Who knew! Ingenious!

‘Now You See Me’ has such an addictive and gripping storyline – it didn’t take me long to find myself under Kierney Scott’s spell with this book, that’s for sure. The author took me down so many different paths as a reader, my mind started to play tricks on me and I no longer knew who I could trust. How crazy is that?! Clever of course, but what a head funk! Even my nerves were starting to fray in the lead up to the conclusion! I have to be honest though, I did have a slight inkling but I dismissed it straight away due to how this particular came across in the book. Obviously I’m not going to tell you who that is, but I can’t wait to read other reviews to see if anyone else thought the same!

Whilst ‘Now You See Me’ had me on the edge of my seat with goosebumps the size of Mount Everest, the concluding chapters didn’t seem as clean-cut and believable as the rest of the book. Don’t get me wrong, I was still entertained by it, but I couldn’t help but think that it was a teeny bit rushed. That is my own personal opinion of course – nothing to do with the style of the authors writing at all. I mean come on, Kierney Scott can write – look how she got me liking a character to then disliking her! This author allowed me to become rather invested in her complex and out there storyline, igniting multiple reactions throughout the duration of the book.

Due to the intense and graphic details within the book, I really would love to know what goes through this authors mind to be able to write a storyline so detailed that they’re able to put you slap bang in the middle of the action. Plus, I would really love to know what goes through the author’s mind as in a ‘how on earth do you come up with this sort of stuff!’. Impressively mind-boggling!

Addictive from the get go, memorable for the future, and fantastically gruesome for the entire duration. Roll on book two!

Thanks Bookouture.

Buy now from Amazon UK
Buy now from Amazon US

Author Bio:

Originally from California, Kierney Scott lives in Edinburgh, Scotland with her husband
and their daughter.

In her spare time she likes to read and invent new recipes. Her stuffed peppers are
particularly popular with her family, as are her grain-free chocolate chip cookies. In an
effort to convert her family to the joys of pumpkin, she created the Great Pumpkin
Challenge. For the ten weeks before Thanksgiving, they tried a new pumpkin recipe
every week. Pumpkin arancini and pumpkin queso were a big hit. She has promised her
daughter to never again roast pumpkin and call them chips. 

She loves hearing from readers. If you would like to get in touch, you can email her at
KierneyScott@gmail.com or follow her on twitter @Kierney_S

Author Social Media Links:

Facebook // Instagram // Twitter

#BlogTour! #Review – A Little Christmas Faith by @KathrynFreeman1 @Rararesources @ChocLitUK

I am SO excited to be kicking off a brand new week with a review for one of my all-time favourite authors, Kathryn Freeman. Back with yet another outstanding novel in the name of ‘A Little Christmas Faith’, Kathryn Freeman has once again blew me away. I am delighted to be one of the stops on her blog tour today. Here is my review:

Is it time to love Christmas again?

Faith Watkins loves Christmas, which is why she’s thrilled that her new hotel in the Lake District will be open in time for the festive season. And Faith has gone all out; huge Christmas tree, fairy lights, an entire family of decorative reindeer. Now all she needs are the guests … 

But what she didn’t bank on was her first paying customer being someone like Adam Hunter. Rugged, powerfully built and with a deep sadness in his eyes, Adam is a man that Faith is immediately drawn to – but unfortunately he also has an intense hatred of all things Christmassy.

As the countdown to the big day begins, Faith can’t seem to keep away from her mysterious guest, but still finds herself with more questions than answers: just what happened to Adam Hunter? And why does he hate Christmas?

What does TWG think?

I’m just going to get straight to the point with this review; there really is no other way to do it….

OHMYGOSH WHAT A BOOK!!!!

‘A Little Christmas Faith’ ticked every single box of mine. It has romance, albeit a very rushed one which did make me go a ‘hmmmm’ to begin with, but it’s there. If you’re a true romantic then you’ll be reading this book with heart shapes in your eyes like a lovesick puppy. But, if you’re like me (severely unromantic), then there is a chance that you’ll be going through the whole range of emojis’s before finally giving in and reaching the one with the heart-shaped eyes. For me to believe a romance between characters, I need to feel it. I need the author to write with such tender yet powerful words, enough to be able to get through the ice exterior around my heart. Being totally honest with you, it can take a lot. However for Kathryn Freeman, she is the type of author who can turn me from Queen Elsa into Cinderella as though it’s the most natural thing in the world. You’ve got to admit, that is pretty genius.

Not only does this book have romance, it also, in my eyes, contains enough laugh out loud moments to give Peter Kay’s upcoming tour a run for its money. I think I snlaughed several times. Wait, no. I KNOW I snlaughed several times. It’s great when a book can make you laugh, but by golly the author has got something if they can make you snlaugh. Obviously it won’t win an swipes on Tinder, but who cares when you’re snlaughing!!

Romance and humour – two perfect combinations, agreed? Well, ‘A Little Christmas Faith’ doesn’t just contain those two. Nope. It also contains a jaw dropping ‘oh where the Christmas pudding did that come from?!?’ moment. No joke. It’s not often I’m speechless yet a certain part of this storyline made me that way. I am in awe at how this author has managed to create a storyline with not one, not two, but three strong elements within her storyline which not only caught me off guard, they also made me stop and think. Of course when a storyline contains a multitude of thought-provoking themes, there is a higher chance of emotion being brought to the surface – Kathryn Freeman’s novel certainly has one of those types of storylines.

Personally, I find tearless emotion a lot stronger than emotion which allows the tears to fall. It’s a type of emotion which is often unexplainable due to the strength surrounding it. It’s like being surrounded by an emotional orb with the only explanation being: ‘read this book then you’ll know’. And you know what? ‘A Little Christmas Faith’ brought out that tearless emotion like a rollercoaster ride at a theme park. How could anyone even begin to explain that? Kathryn Freeman really is a literary goddess.

‘A Little Christmas Faith’ had everything I could have wanted within a book, and then some. A storyline so jam-packed that Faith Watkins’ Christmas trees would look like miniature figurines. A storyline which contained some of the most fiery, strong and memorable characters I have ever come across in a Christmas book. A storyline which is likely to put fiery in your belly, love in your heart, and a huge smile on your face.

Thanks so much ChocLitUK.

Buy now from Amazon.

Author bio.

I was born in Wallingford but have spent most of my life living in a village outside Windsor. A former pharmacist, I’m now a medical writer who also loves to write romance. Some days a racing heart is a medical condition, others it’s the reaction to a hunky hero…

I’ve two teenage boys and a husband who asks every Valentine’s Day whether he has to bother buying a card again this year (yes, he does) so the romance in my life is all in my head. Then again, my husband’s unstinting support of my career change goes to prove that love isn’t always about hearts and flowers – and heroes can come in many disguises.

Social Media Links –

Website // Facebook // Twitter

#BlogTour! #GuestPost by Paul Mathews @QuiteFunnyGuy @EmmaMitchellFPR

Something different on the blog today – a character guest post by the author of ‘We Have Lost Chihuahuas’, Paul Mathews. I haven’t managed to read this book yet but I have to say that I am extremely intrigued. After all, it’s not every day someone admits that they have lost the chihuahuas!! Before I point you in the direction of the authors guest post, here is a little bit more about the book itself and where you can get your copy from:

London, 2046. The British Republic has a new First Lady. She’s Californian, ‘in-your- face, for sure’ and she’s got big plans for a Buckingham Palace refurb. When her three Chihuahuas go missing, one man is determined to avoid getting dragged into it all. His name is Pond. Howie Pond – presidential spokesperson, retired secret agent and cat lover.

Meanwhile, Howie’s wife Britt is handed her first assignment as a National Security and Intelligence Service rookie – to solve the mystery of the missing canine trio.
Will Howie manage to slope off to the pub before he can be roped into help?

Will Britt unmask the dognapper and grab the glory? Find out, in the latest, crazy comedy-thriller from dog-loving British author Paul Mathews.

‘We Have Lost the Chihuahuas’ by Paul Mathews will be available to buy from the 28th November. To pre-order your copy click here!

You ready for the character guest post? Paul Mathews was given a prompt for writing his guest post which was this:

Write about anything you want. It doesn’t have to be about books, writing or
publishing.
But, and this is the fun part, I want you to write it from the point of view of a character from your book.
Give your character a subject and see how they get on.
Maybe you have a secondary character who wants a voice?
Does your villain want to view his thoughts?
Maybe your main character has a strong opinion on a subject?
It can be funny, angry, controversial or sad, whatever your character wants to get off
their chest and share with the world.

Without further ado, here is the hilarious, laugh out loud character guest post from Indie-Day. This is an absolute belter!!

Indie-Day – Howie’s Cat

Greetings, human. I only have limited time, so forgive me if I don’t wrap myself
around your legs or rub my head against your outstretched hand. I have a very
hectic napping schedule today, so let’s press on with this blog post.
Firstly, let me make clear – I do not have any dialogue in any of Paul Mathews’
novels. That’s because I’m a cat, and for me to start talking would transport his
literary genre from the realms of comedy thriller to paranormal comedy. And,
according to Mr Mathews, there’s not much money in paranormal comedies, so I’m
under strict instructions to say nothing in his books – other than the occasional bout
of purring.

You will be aware, of course, that Mr Mathews’ latest novel has a canine, rather than
a feline, theme. While I’m not overly enthused by it all, it does make sense. That’s
because cats never get lost. They simply choose to be somewhere else. Dogs, on
the other hand, are generally pretty dumb and easily led. Don’t believe me? Try
taking a cat for a walk. Or asking a cat to fetch a tennis ball that you’ve been stupid
enough to throw fifty metres for no apparent reason. Or telling a cat to stop chasing a
blue bottle who’s flown into the kitchen because you left the window open. Go, on –
try it. You see? I was right.

I’m hoping that, in future novels, my humans might move somewhere slightly more
spacious. The Battersea pod in which we all live is only forty square metres and this
means I have a limited choice of napping locations. On hot days, I have been known
to take forty winks in the bathroom wash basin, though I have been disturbed on a
couple of occasions by a dripping tap. Why humans can’t get their water from bowls
like cats do, I really don’t know.

Anyway, my next nap is fast approaching and a laptop keyboard isn’t the easiest
thing for a feline to master, so I’m going to sign off now. I hope you enjoy the book
about missing dogs. I, for one, hope they stay missing.

Feline best wishes,
Indie-Day

Huge thanks to Paul Mathews for the brilliant guest post. Don’t forget that ‘We Lost the Chihuahuas’ is available to pre-order now from Amazon UK.