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Thursday 14 March 2024

The Saturday Place by Alice Peterson

 



Three perfect strangers who help each other to believe in love again

Holly's husband died, and she’s lonely. She needs to do something to save herself, quickly. Next thing she knows she’s interviewing for a voluntary cooking job, surprised to be ambushed by a scruffy man who looks like he has a past.

Angus has messed up. He’s lost the respect of his family and has none for himself. If it weren’t for his brother and friend who run the café, he’d be sleeping on the streets. Angus is about ready to give up – until he meets Holly, who sparks something in him.

Then Lauren arrives from the homeless shelter. She came to London with nothing but an old train ticket, a teddy bear, and the clothes on her back. With no family, no home, no friends, she doesn’t know what love is. People scare her. She’s terrified of Angus and Holly. At first.

Each of them finds themselves in the Saturday café at a time when they need something to grab hold of. It might have to be each other…



I knew 2024 was going to be a great year for books when I saw the news that one of my favourite authors Alice Peterson was back with a new book. The Saturday Place invites us to a café that provides more than a hearty meal, it’s a place of support, socialising as well as a sanctuary to fill your belly with food that would have otherwise gone to waste.

The storyline has three central characters Holly, Angus and Lauren who all find themselves in the café as volunteers but little did they know that by volunteering and helping others they themselves find that they are benefiting from this little community hub too. Each of our main characters are living a difficult chapter in their lives but with each other for comfort and support they form an unlikely bond and begin to see that with time and small gradual changes which may feel like hurdles at times that life that has taken a dark turn can be full of light once again.

This storyline is so simple yet so emotive and pure, tackling challenges that many of us have come across either personally or to those close to us. There are no dramatic twists and turns or big secrets to uncover it is an insightful and touching novel that will touch your heart and capture your attention the whole way through.

I personally felt so connected to this book especially to the lovely Holly having also lost my husband I found I could relate to so many thoughts, feelings and emotions that she had most strongly the loneliness that engulfs you. The way the author writes about living with grief after the loss of your partner was so tenderly done and honest. I longed for a happy ever after for her not necessarily to find another partner but just to feel happy, loved and fulfilled.

Lauren’s story was another delicate one too and I loved watching her blossom as a person as she learned to trust and to accept help. The who book though focusing on touching topics still felt hopeful and uplifting.

I was quite sad to leave these characters behind but I loved every moment of this book.


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Sunday 10 March 2024

The Hidden Years by Rachel Hore

 




When talented musician Gray Robinson persuades Belle to abandon her university studies and follow him to Silverwood, home to an artistic community on the Cornish coast, Belle happily agrees even though they’ve only just met. She knows she is falling in love, and the thought of spending a carefree summer with Gray is all she can think about.
 
But being with Gray isn’t the only reason Belle agrees to accompany him to Silverwood.
 
Why does the name Silverwood sound so familiar?
What is its connection to a photo of her as a baby, taken on a nearby beach?
And who is Imogen Lockhart, a wartime nurse who lived at Silverwood many years ago?
 
As the summer months unfold, Belle begins to learn the truth – about secrets from the past that have been kept hidden, but also about the person she wants to be.


I love finding new authors to read and I have found a little gem in Rachel Hore having  finished her recent release The Hidden Years with a story that is set in my happy place, Cornwall.


This is a dual time frame novel that tells us Imogen’s story starting back in 1939 and then alternates to 1966 with the lovely Belle and I found I was interested in both of these characters stories but was pulled more to Imogen’s in all honesty. As the story moves along it is clear that there is some connection that connects the two character but it isn’t clear what until some time along and even if you do have your suspicions there was still another revelation that I didn’t work out. 


I loved the plot setting with Silverwood almost becoming a character in itself it is a home that holds many memories and history within its walls and has also been a protective refuge and a community helping. The characters were also extremely well developed and it was easy to form bonds with them  especially Imogen. I enjoyed watching her find her career path and it was also insightful to see how things differed in those times when it came to women working once married. 


I found the group Belle joined in her time in Silverwood very bizarre, I am all for free spirits but it seemed more like they had become lazy and lost their way and Belle clearly didn’t fit into this group! 


The story of an event that unfolds really was moving and unexpected and the way it was told was pure and honest and for me wrapped the ending of the book up perfectly.


This was a slow pace gentle read that I think I picked up and the right time for me and I look forward to reading more from this author. If you love authors like Liz Fenwick and Erica James then I think you would love Rachel Hore.


Available to purchase by clicking here

Thursday 29 February 2024

The Long and Winding Road by Lesley Pearse

 



Born during the Second World War, Lesley’s innocence came to an abrupt end when a neighbour found her, aged 3, coatless in the snow. The mother she’d been unable to wake had been dead for days. Sent to an orphanage, Lesley soon learned adults couldn’t always be trusted.

As a teenager in the swinging sixties, she took herself to London. Here, the second great tragedy of her life occurred. Falling pregnant, she was sent to a mother and baby home, and watched helplessly as her newborn was taken from her.

But like so many of her generation, Lesley had to carry on. She was, after all, a true survivor. Marriage and children followed – and all the while she nurtured a dream: to be a writer. Yet it wasn’t until at the age of 48 that her stories – of women struggling in a difficult world – found a publisher, and the bestseller lists beckoned.

As heartbreaking as it is heartwarming, Lesley’s story really is A Long and Winding Road with surprises and uplifting hope around every corner . . .


This is certainly a first for me as I have probably only read 4 autobiographies in my lifetime but none of them were the lives of an author so The Long and Winding Road by Lesley Pearse was going to be a new insight for me.

I have loved all of the fictional books I have read by Lesley Pearse and having now read of her colourful and eventful life it is quite easy to see where she gets some of the ideas and inspiration behind her characters and the storylines she creates. She tells us how she was always making up stories as a child some would call it lies few would see it as storytelling.

I fell into this storyline with ease because I am currently living in Chatham and with the early years of Lesley’s childhood she was raised around Chatham and Rochester so a lot of the places she mentioned in her book I have discovered or heard of myself so it made me feel more connected to the storyline. One thing that really shocked me was how often Lesley moved home and not just home different areas too, I actually lost count of how many homes she has had but one thing that shines through is her determination because no matter what the reason for her next move she never seemed to sit and wallow she would storm forward and find her next home and job with defiance she really was quite admirable in this way.

Lesley is also very honest when it came to her relationships, children and drug taking which was all very unexpected and insightful and again where a lot of people may have crumbled Lesley seemed to have a decisive mind and fire in her belly to forge forward in her own way.

There wasn’t a lot about her writing or her publishing journey which I was kind of hoping to have a little more of a glimpse into but that aside I still found myself completely hooked on her every word and actually enjoyed this a lot more than I was expecting. It is quite something to now feel like you know the author behind the book in more light and I was quite fascinated by her and admired her determination.


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Sunday 18 February 2024

Homecoming by Kate Morton

 



Adelaide Hills, 1959. At the end of a scorching hot day, in the grounds of a grand country house, a local man makes a terrible discovery. Police are called, and the small town of Tambilla becomes embroiled in one of the most mystifying murder investigations in the history of Australia.

London, 2018. Jess is a journalist in search of a story. Having lived and worked in London for nearly two decades, a phone call summons her back to Sydney, where her beloved grandmother, Nora, has suffered a fall and is seriously ill in hospital.

Seeking comfort in her past, Jess discovers a true crime book at Nora’s house chronicling a long-buried police case: the Turner Family Tragedy of 1959. And within its pages she finds a shocking personal connection to this notorious event – a crime that has never truly been solved.


Whilst visiting Padstow I stumbled upon a gorgeous independent book shop that had wonderful displays of new releases and Signed Independent Bookshop editions and the one that immediately caught my eye was Homecoming by Kate Morton, an author I had never read before but with its stunning cover and exquisite detailed sprayed edges I took a look at the blurb and realised this was a mystery I wanted to uncover.

The first thing I noticed with this book was the authors beautiful detailed writing style that effortlessly brought everything to my mind so vividly from the picturesque setting to the full-bodied characters along with their thoughts, feelings and emotions. It was so easy to get lost in this story and feel a part of the answer to solving the mystery surrounding the deaths of Isabel and her children.

The storyline is told in dual time frame which works perfectly with this book despite being something I am not usually a fan of. Current day we meet Jess whose Grandmother Nora is critically ill in hospital and seems to be disturbed by something in her past which leads Jess on a path of discovery as she unearths her family’s hidden tragedy, a tragedy that has never really been solved.

We are taken to the time of the discovery of the bodies and hear the statements of those in the community and as the storyline moves along and more pieces of the jigsaw are found my own spider senses kicked in and I did actually solve one part to the story fairly early on ( I won’t say anymore as I hat to give spoilers) this didn’t ruin my reading of this book though because there was still other pieces surrounding the story and more shocking elements revealed that I hadn’t picked up on so I still had my interest piqued the whole way through.

I do feel like the book was a little longer than it needed to be but just as I got to the point where I felt like my attention was wavering, I was immediately pulled back into the storyline. This was a delicate and winding storyline that uncovers secrets and their long lasting effects they have on peoples lives who are effected even in years to come. I loved this authors storytelling and think fans of Erica James and Dinah Jefferies will love this author too. I can’t wait to read another novel by this author.

This book is also now available in paperback.

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Thursday 15 February 2024

The Happiest Ever After by Milly Johnson

 



Polly Potter is surviving, not thriving. She used to love her job – until her mentor died and her new boss decided to make her life hell. She used to love her partner Chris – until he cheated on her, and now she can’t forget. The only place where her life is working is on the pages of the novel she is writing – there she can create a feistier, bolder, more successful version of herself – as the ­fictional Sabrina Anderson.

But what if it was possible to start over again? To leave everything behind, forget all that went before, and live the life you’d always dreamed of?

After a set of unforeseen circumstances, Polly ends up believing she really IS Sabrina, living at the heart of a noisy Italian family restaurant by the sea. Run by Teddy, the son of her new landlady Marielle, it’s a much-loved place, facing threat of closure as a rival restaurant moves in next door. Sabrina can’t remember her life as Polly, but she knows she is living a different life from the one she used to have.

But what if this new life could belong to her after all?


The Happiest Ever After has Milly Johnson’s wit and warmth spilling through the pages of her latest book. In this novel we meet Polly Potter who is far from happy with every aspect of her life from her relationship with partner Chris where she is taken for granted and feels no love loss, to her job that she used to love and thrive from only now to be underappreciated and treated appallingly. Not wanting to simply function anymore she is determined to take matters into her own hands and make a new start for herself but what unfolds was not part of her plan at all.

The opening chapters feature the terrible news reports from The Daily Trumpet that make me chuckle each time they feature in Milly’s books, they never get old and provide a touch of humour to each of her books. There are such a vast number of characters in this book that really help to make this book an enjoyable read, from the likes of Jeremy, Chris and Cilla who made my blood boil to the big hearts of Teddy, Flick and Marielle who provide love and support showing what true community spirit is and how a friendship can blossom when you help people in their time of need. As ever there are always more quirky characters in Milly’s novels too and that was found in the likes of Orrible the most idiotic goon.

I thoroughly enjoyed watching Polly’s journey and although parts of the book were predictable it didn’t have a negative effect on my reading, I still enjoyed watching the pieces fall into place.

Milly Johnson is an author who you can always rely on to deliver a corker of a read and this book is no exception. This was an uplifting read that held my attention the whole way through there was a bubbling romance, blossoming friendships and a bucket of karma too.


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Friday 9 February 2024

Things we Never Got Over by Lucy Score

 



Escaping her seemingly perfect wedding, Naomi Witt arrives in rough-around-the-edges Knockemout, Virginia, running to the rescue of her estranged twin, Tina.

Too bad for Naomi her evil twin hasn't changed at all. After helping herself to Naomi's car and cash, Tina leaves her with something unexpected: the 11-year-old niece she didn't know she had. Now she's stuck in town with no job, no plan, no home and a whole lot of extra responsibility.

There's a reason local barber Knox doesn't do complications or high-maintenance women, especially not the romantic ones. But since Naomi's life imploded right in front of him, the least he can do is help her out of her jam. And just as soon as she stops getting into trouble, he can leave her alone and get back to his peaceful, solitary life.

At least that's the plan, until their lives begin to entwine in ways they never imagined . . 


Things we Never Got Over by Lucy Score has been staring at me in every bookshop I go in and then I received a copy for Christmas so I think the universe was telling me I needed to read this book!

This is book holds so many wonderful characters who each play a perfect part in this book and they were all really well developed so I never confused one character for another which can often happen with books like this with so may characters.

The opening of the book kicked off to a quick start pulling me into a surprising and intriguing start so I knew this was going to be a book too keep me entertained and it sure did. Set in a small town called Knockemount there is an incredibly tight knit community so everyone knows your business before you do sometimes but the support they all show our newcomer Naomi is great especially her girls in Honky Tonk.

Waylay who is Naomi’s niece was one of my favourite characters, I loved to see her blossom as she began to settle down which isn’t something she has had in life so far, structure, nurturing and support. She provided a few laughs along the way too.

On the surface this book follows the path of Naomi in her new start in life, an unexpected one with Waylay and there is also the burning romance with Knox who is the core of the town but underneath there is a deeper issue as we begin to peel back the layers of Knox and uncover his demons that have held him back in life.

Knox is a complex character, on the one hand he is every woman’s dream, protective, confident, loving and caring oh and incredibly good in bed! On the other hand he has the biggest barrier up that as soon as it begins to drop and he then ruins everything and makes that barrier even higher. I found his character so unpredictable and he even had me feeling the way Naomi probably felt in that he was letting me in and then dropping me out. There was only one thing, yes just one, that I loathed about this book and that was Knox and his love of using the word Baby all the time! That word makes me physically cringe in a book when referring to a woman but hey this is probably just my own gripe.

This book is spicy with a CAPITAL S so if you are not one that feels comfortable with detailed sex scenes then be prepared to have to skim read over a few pages here and there in this book but don’t let it put you off reading because it isn’t all the storyline is about.

This was a really entertaining read and I am off into town today to go and get the next book in the series.


Available to buy here!

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Saturday 20 January 2024

Ruthless Vows by Rebecca Ross

 



Two weeks have passed since Iris returned home bruised and heartbroken from the front, but the war is far from over.

Roman is missing, lost behind enemy lines, with no memory of his past, or Iris. Hoping his memories return, he begins to write again – but this time for the enemy.

When a strange letter arrives through his wardrobe door, he strikes up a correspondence with a penpal who seems at once mysterious… and strangely familiar.

As their connection deepens, the two of them will risk their very hearts and futures to change the tides of the war.



After flying through Divine Rivals I wasted no time in downloading the second book in this duology, Ruthless Vows. In my opinion this isn’t a book you can read as a standalone you really need to have read Divine Rivals and met Iris and Roman to fully enjoy this book.

We pick right back up where the previous book left off. Iris is heartbroken and beside herself not knowing what happened to Roman after the battle. Roman however has been healed by the God Dacre but in doing so all his memories have gone. The book alternates between Roman and Iris’s points of views and this works well as we get to see the anticipation that those who are not following Dacre face and also get to see the plans as they unfold from Romans side.

What both of the books have in common is that they always have something going on and there are no low or slow parts in the book. We never quite know what is going to happen next and this is what kept me hooked as the story progressed.

This book was really enjoyable but didn’t quite have the exciting spark as the first book had. I loved the communication between Iris and Roman through the letters in book one and although the author tried to recreate this in book two it kind of feel short. This book was finished off perfectly and worked really well as a duology.


Available to buy here!

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