BOOK REVIEW UNDERNEATH THE CHRISTMAS TREE BY HEIDI SWAIN

Wynter’s Trees is the home of Christmas. For the people of Wynmouth it’s where they get their family Christmas tree, and where Christmas truly comes to life.

But for Liza Wynter, it’s a millstone around her neck. It was her father’s pride and joy but now he’s gone, she can’t have anything to do with it. Until her father’s business partner decides to retire and she must go back to handle the transition to his son Ned.

When Liza arrives, she discovers a much-loved business that’s flourishing under Ned’s stewardship. And she’s happy to stay and help for the Christmas season, but then she has other plans. But will the place where she grew up make her change her mind? And can it weave its Christmas cheer around her heart…?

Firstly a big thank you to the publishers for my copy to review on netgalley. Heidi is a fantastic writer especially with cozy Christmas stories .

I raced through this, much needed boost of festive cheer.

Heartwarming and uplifting which lets face it ….we all need . Beautifully written against a backdrop of Christmas trees

Full of love ,hope and family.

Romance, friendship and new challenges aplenty in these pages of this beautiful covered book.

Published 28th October

BOOK REVIEW DO NO HARM BY JACK JORDAN

My child has been taken. And I’ve been given a choice…
Kill a patient on the operating table. Or never see my son again.

The man lies on the table in front of me.
As a surgeon, it’s my job to save him.
As a mother, I know I must kill him.
You might think that I’m a monster.
But there really is only one choice.
I must get away with murder.
Or I will never see my son again.

I’VE SAVED MANY LIVES.
WOULD YOU TRUST ME WITH YOURS?

DON’T MISS THE HEART-STOPPING THRILLER OF 2022
#DONOHARM

Firstly a big thank you to the publishers for my copy to review . I discovered Jack’s books last year and it’s been a treat to see a hype about this release even pre publication.

Tense, haunting and a situation you really couldn’t imagine yourself in. As a parent this is terrifying and also mind-blowing.

Scary , thought provoking and absolutely questions your morals.

Fast paced and plotted this book takes no prisoners from page 1.

You go on a real journey as the race to get her son back is on with horrifying consequences . Packed with tension and leaving you holding your breath .

This is a chilling concept and executed perfectly. Look out for one of 2022s best thrillers .

Published May 26th

BOOK REVIEW REPUTATION BY SARAH VAUGHAN

Emma Webster is a respectable MP.
 
Emma Webster is a devoted mother.
 
Emma Webster is innocent of the murder of a tabloid journalist.
 
Emma Webster is a liar.
 
#Reputation: The story you tell about yourself. And the lies others choose to believe…

Firstly a big thank you to the publishers for my copy to review on netgalley.

Im a big fan of her books and am so excited for the Netflix adaption of anatomy of a scandal. So I was very excited to read this which I was hearing a lot of good things about .

I raced through this thought provoking and cleverly written thriller.

Complex and accurate in today’s society, I’m sure every reader can nod their head in agreement at some point or another.

It’s hard hitting, relatable and real.. these are issues happening right now. Sarah writes about them sensitivity but not shying away from the difficult topics.

The mother daughter relationship is explored here in regards to boundaries and with communicating with your kids.

This is gripping ,addictive and will get under your skin . It asks the question what would you do?

Another fantastic book from this author .

Published 2nd March

BOOK REVIEW FIRST BORN BY WILL DEAN

THE LAST THING A TWIN EXPECTS IS TO BE ALONE …

Molly lives a quiet, contained life in London. Naturally risk averse, she gains comfort from security and structure. Every day the same.

Her identical twin Katie is her exact opposite: gregarious and spontaneous. They used to be inseparable, until Katie moved to New York a year ago. Molly still speaks to her daily without fail.

But when Molly learns that Katie has died suddenly in New York, she is thrown into unfamiliar territory. Katie is part of her DNA. As terrifying as it is, she must go there and find out what happened. As she tracks her twin’s last movements, cracks begin to emerge. Nothing is what it seems. And a web of deceit is closing around her.

Firstly a big thank you to the publishers for my copy to review on netgalley . Will is a fantastic writer within the crime community.

This is a clever twisty unpredictable standalone and one I was excited to read after loving his debut standalone .

Dark and haunting from the very Start as we discover Katie twin to Molly has died . Its all systems go to get to the states and try and find the truth…how and why is she dead….

As truths are unravelled so is the relationship between these twin sisters…how can they be so different and living different lives .

Twins are fascinating so I enjoyed them being the focus point in a crime thriller. Will also encapsulated the setting of new york with all of its quirky ways .

Packed with twists and turns this won’t dissapoint .

Highly recommend if you’re a fan of his previous books or a newbie.

Published 14th April.

BOOK REVIEW THE WOMAN IN THE MIDDLE BY MILLY JOHNSON

Sandwich generation
[noun]
A generation of people, typically in their thirties or forties, responsible both for bringing up their own children and for the care of their ageing parents.
 
Shay Bastable is the woman in the middle. She is part of the sandwich generation – caring for her parents and her children, supporting her husband Bruce, holding them all together and caring for them as best she can.
 
Then the arrival of a large orange skip on her mother’s estate sets in motion a cataclysmic series of events which leads to the collapse of Shay’s world. She is forced to put herself first for a change.
 
But in order to move forward with her present, Shay needs to make sense of her past. And so she returns to the little village she grew up in, to uncover the truth about what happened to her when she was younger. And in doing so, she discovers that sometimes you have to hit rock bottom to find the only way is up.

The perfect novel to curl up with, or to buy for the woman in the middle in your life. 

Firstly a big thank you to the publishers for my copy to review on netgalley. Its always such a treat to dig into a new Milly Johnson book. You can feel how much warmth and love she pours into her words.

This is a story about a woman who literally is in the middle making everything run smoothly. I can guarantee we all can relate to this concept.

Perfect escapism especially with the world as it is,books are such a lifeline .

I absolutely loved it and the characters.

Heartwarming and life affirming ,but also reminding you life is short and look out for yourself too!

We meet characters af different points in their lives and we observe their character and strength grow .

Love,loss ,friendships , family and new beginnings.

You can see why Milly is a bestseller author as she continues to write much needed stories that remind us of the magic of words.

BOOK REVIEW NASTY LITTLE CUTS BY TINA BAKER

WHO WILL SURVIVE THE NIGHT?

A nightmare jolts Debs awake. She leaves the kids tucked up in their beds and goes downstairs. There’s a man in her kitchen, holding a knife. But it’s not an intruder. This is her husband Marc, the father of her children. A man she no longer recognises.

Once their differences were what drew them together, what turned them on. Him, the ex-army officer from a good family. Her, the fitness instructor who grew up over a pub. But now these differences grate to the point of drawing blood. Marc screams in his sleep. And Debs hardly knows the person she’s become, or why she lets him hurt her.

Neither of them is completely innocent. Neither is totally guilty. Marc is taller, stronger, and more vicious, haunted by a war he can’t forget. But he has no idea what Debs is capable of when her children’s lives are at stake…

Firstly a big thank you to the publishers for my copy to review on netgalley,  I loved her debut so was thrilled to read this.

Tina always comes across very smiley bit don’t be fooled because her writers mind is dark !

This is an intoxicating exploration of a married couple and what has happened to get them to where they are in the book.

Revenge  ,lies,secrets and addiction to name just a few keypoints to this marriage.

Powerfully emotive and raw. I’ve been in a abusive relationship and it was captured spot on.

The tension , the harrowing sense of foreboding tension.  Chilling and reels you in from the start.

Written in alternate narratives and timeliness so a very fast paced book. Cleverly written and plotted and I highly recommend.

Published 24th February

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BOOK REVIEW ONE OF THE GIRLS BY LUCY CLARKE

One of us is a liar.
One of us is a stranger.
One of us is a cheater.

But who could be a killer?

The six of us arrived on the beautiful, sunbaked island of Aegos to leave it all behind, our suitcases packed with flip flops and beach towels, our heads full of dreams for the perfect weekend away with friends…

On the first night, we laughed and danced under the stars.

On the second night we went skinny dipping in the warm, summer sea.

On the third night the wine loosened our tongues, the lies spilling and the masks starting to slip.

And on the final night it all ignited as we celebrated around the beach fire – for someone, the holiday in Greece would be their last…

Firstly a big thank you to the publishers for my copy to review on netgalley. I discovered Lucy’s writing years before I was a book reviewer and I have loved each book! So it was very exciting to read a early copy.

I devoured this ,so no change to her previous books! Everything and more we have come to love and expect from a Lucy Clarke book.

What can possibly go wrong on a hen weekend set on a gorgeous location?? You’re with your nearest and dearest after all…

Old friends and new come together to celebrate one thing..a brides impending wedding

Haunting and gripping this will have you hooked from start to finish and reading into the early hours .

Secrets, lies and the past threaten to be exposed .

Gripping , atmospheric and thrilling with one guarantee this weekend will be one no one ever forgets

Published 28th April

BOOK REVIEW THE COUPLE ON MAPLE DRIVE BY SAM CARRINGTON

You think you’d know a killer if you met one?Think again.

When Isla McKenzie is brutally mugged, it’s her boyfriend Zach who’s there for her, who moves in to look after her when she can barely bring herself to leave the house.

But then something else happens, right on their doorstep. And it’s almost like someone’s out to get her…

Can Isla and Zach find out the truth before it’s too late? …Or at least before the secrets they’re hiding from each other surface?

Because those may be even deadlier…

Firstly a big thank you to the publishers for my copy to review on netgalley. I have read all of Sams books so couldn’t wait to get stuck in .

I raced through this eager to find the truth…

This is a tense thriller and one that captivates your attention straight away .

Who attacked her? What is her boyfriend hiding ? Who can she trust anf will things ever be the same?

Claustrophobic and fast paced this makes for a gripping psychological thriller.

Published 9th December

BOOK REVIEW THE IMPERFECT ART OF CARING BY JESSICA RYN

One small act can make a big difference

Violet Strong is strong by name but not by nature, or so she thinks. She listens but never talks about herself. She’s friendly but doesn’t have many real friends. She’s become good at keeping people at a distance ever since she left home at eighteen and never looked back.

But when Violet is forced to return home to care for her estranged mother, Glenys, she quickly finds out that life as a carer isn’t easy. Feeling overwhelmed, she’s forced to turn to the other local carers, including childhood friend, Adam, for help.

Although returning home still feels like a mistake, maybe it will help Violet right some wrongs. After all, she can’t keep running from her past forever, and in learning to look after others, perhaps Violet can start to finally love herself…

Firstly a big thank you to the publishers for my copy to review on netgalley and apologies in my delay to reading.

I lived in Dover during my teens so it’s always a pleasure to connect with a author in that way.

This is a life affirming story of love ,loss forgiveness and caring .

A great mix of characters who each bring something to the story

I have 2 children with autism so I know all about caring and the struggles and challenges often presented. Jessica captures this effortlessly.

Relatable ,life affirming and warming.

Friendships ,family , new chances love are the main aspects of this uplifting story. I highly recommend.

Published 25th November

BOOK REVIEW THE MERRY CHRISTMAS PROJECT BY CATHY BRAMLEY

Christmas has always meant something special to Merry – even without a family of her own. This year, her heart might be broken but her new candle business is booming. The last thing she needs is another project – but when her hometown’s annual event needs some fresh festive inspiration, Merry can’t resist.

Cole loves a project too – though it’s usually of the bricks and mortar variety. As a single dad, his Christmas wish is to see his kids again, so getting the new house finished for when they’re all together is the perfect distraction.

But this Christmas, magic is in the air for these two strangers. Will it bring them all the joy they planned for . . . and take their hearts by surprise too?

After all, anything can happen at Christmas. . .

I am a huge fan of Cathy’s books and had this preordered , how exciting her first Christmas story! This was my first festive read of the year and what a way to begin December.

I just finished this with a big smile on my face and thinking aww I wouldn’t mind some of that.

This is a feel good,heartwarming and life affirming book . Your heart will be filled with festive joy.

Great characters but Merry I related to a lot, I too was in care and have my own little family now with Christmas traditions . She was determined,passionate and headstrong .

Packed with romance , friendship, mishaps and scented candles.

Highly recommend if you want a magical escape .

Published 14th October.