Year: 2017

I Heart Forever by Lindsey Kelk (I Heart #7)

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Synopsis: Winter in Manhattan…and someone’s keeping a secret.

The day her husband Alex picks up a backpack and goes travelling, Angela Clark promises to stay out of trouble and keep both Louboutins on the ground.

So when her best friend’s boyfriend confides in her, it can’t hurt to help him pick out a ring at Tiffany’s surely?

And when her fashion magazine announces major changes, being terminally late and arguing with your boss isn’t that bad, is it?

Then suddenly there’s another big secret Angela’s got to keep – and the man she loves is still thousands of miles away. As the wedding of the year looms, and Manhattan switches on its Christmas lights, Angela is going to need her friends by her side as her old life looks set to change forever.

Kat’s Rating: 5/5

Kat’s Review: It’s been far too long since I read a book in this series but it took me no time at all to get back into the swing of it with the loveable Angela Clarke. Angela is settled in New York and seems to have it all now, but as loyal readers will know everything Angela does is NEVER easy. This time around her husband Alex is on travels to Asia and Angela is left in New York which would be fine…until she discovers a secret. I know as one of those loyal readers that secrets and Angela don’t mix very well. IN fact is almost always a recipe for disaster and this latest book is no different.

What makes this series so special is not only Angela herself but the characters we have met along her journey such as Jenny Lopez her best friend. These two are a match made in heaven and some of the things they get up to had me roaring with laughter. In addition Angela has issues at work where she is Editor of Gloss magazine. With Alex away travelling we don’t actually see too much of him but in all honesty this book was all about Angela and Jenny and it just worked. 

I’m fearful of saying anything else about the storyline, because it really will be a spoiler for those that haven’t read it yet. Suffice to say that I absolutely loved this book and feel like I have severely missed out having not read any Kelk books for some time! I have seen other readers and reviewers say this may be the end of the series. I can’t say I have seen that anywhere but will be truly gutted if that’s the case. Besides the ending is left open for a corker of a next book if that’s not the case. This truly was a joy to read and I will be moving my unread Kelk stand alone books firmly up my to read list.

Ladies Who Launch by Milly Johnson (Short Story)

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Kat’s Rating: 3/5

Kat’s Review: So the follow up from the Short Story Here Come The Boys is this one and it’s a perfect continuation and wrap up of both Angie and Selina’s story. Angie and Selina are now firm friends following their years of not speaking after their school days. Their last trip resulted in Seina making the brave decision to leave her husband and it made Angie see what she had waiting for her at home!

This book seemed a little shorter than the last and I literaly read it in about 10 minutes. I think this would have been better being added on to the last short story. Unfortunately about 40% of this was the short story and the rest is extracts from another MJ book. Couldn’t helpp being a little bit dissapointed but am hoping we return with a full length book at some point to see how Angie and Selina are getting on.

Here Come The Boys by Milly Johnson (Short Story)

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Synopsis: Angie Silverton and her husband are taking a much-needed holiday on the cruise ship Mermaidia, so the last person she hopes to bump into is her one-time best friend Selina who stole the love of her life and married him twenty years ago. 

And what she needs even less is to be marooned in Malaga with Selina when both of them manage to miss boarding the ship in port. 

It will take three days for them to travel across Europe to catch up with the ship again in Croatia. And in the company of each other twenty-four/seven, a lot of old baggage is going to be unloaded. 

Kat’s Rating: 4/5

Kat’s Review: Considering I don’t read short stories this is the second of Milly Johnson’s I’ve read in the same amount of weeks:-) Angie and her very loveable husband Gil are taking their very first trip aboard a cruise ship. From the moment they start their journey on the coach they realise this will be very different to what they are used to. No sooner have they arrived do they start to meet some onboard friends all of whom had their own part to play in this story.

Both Angie and Gil are such likeable charaters however when Gill is suffering from sea sickness when they dock in Malaga, Angie decides to do some shopping on her own. What she didn’t bank of was not making the ship in time and being stranded. Not only that she ends up being stranded with her ex-best friend who went off and married the man she was supposed to end up with.

This story was a delight to read and as soon as I had finished I checked out whether there was a continuation of sorts andd sure enough the short story named ‘Ladies Who Launch’ appeared and hey Presto, my next Milly Johnson arrived on my Kindle. It’s been far too long since I read this lady’s books it certainly put me back in that zone! A great short read… 

Blog Tour: A Cosy Candelit Christmas by Tilly Tennant

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Synopsis: It’s the week before Christmas and Isla McCoy has just received an unexpected gift: a letter announcing she is due a life-changing inheritance, but only if she’s willing to make amends with the father who abandoned her.

She has absolutely no intention of forgiving him, but who could resist an all-expenses-paid trip to the French resort of St Martin-de-Belleville?

There she meets smooth-talking Justin and nerdy glaciologist Sebastian; two very different men, with two very different agendas. Torn between her head and her heart, Isla finds herself utterly lost in a winter wonderland of her own feelings.

Surrounded by twinkling candles and roaring log-fires, Isla’s resolve finally begins to melt. But will she learn how to reconnect, not only with a whole new family, but with herself and her heart?

Kat’s Rating: 5/5

Kat’s Review: I really enjoyed the last book by Tilly featuring Isla’s friend Dodie. However I wanted to get stuck in with this book as I was curious about her best friend Isla. This book moves on to the same time period as Dodie, but we get to catch up with what Isla has done. Isla has had a strange phone call saying that her Grandmother she never knew has left her something in her will. However, that means visiting the French resort of St Martin-de-Belleville and seeing the Father who walked out on her and her Mum when she was a girl. <blog_break>

As Isla arrives in the resort she has no idea but upon meeting Dahlia the owner of the place she is staying, and geeky but loveable Glaciologist Sebastian things seem to take a turn for the better. I absolutely adored Sebastian and although Isla is quite prickly and defensive you could tell that she was thawing to both him and the lovely Dahlia that owns the hotel. Tilly does a cracking job describing this beautiful place and it was easy to fall in love with it all as you read.

There are certainly some hairy moments as Isla faces her fears and meets not only the Father she doesn’t know but the new step mother and half siblings. There are a couple of curveballs going on and you get the feeling that all is not as it seems on the surface. However, Isla doesn’t suffer fools gladly and you can see her battling to do the right thing. What I did love was that the process wasn’t shown to be easy. If she would have met her Dad and everything was instantly wonderful it wouldn’t have had the same impact.

I read this book in just two sittings and absolutely loved it. As much as I enjoyed reading about Dodie in book 1, geeky Seb and stern Isla stole the show and this book was definitely my favourite of the 2. A wonderful book and a perfect Christmas present!

No One Ever Has Sex on Christmas Day by Tracy Bloom

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Synopsis: Katy’s been stuck in the office away from her family so she wants it all: snow (fake or real), the Michael Bublé Christmas album, whatever it takes. 

There’s only one thing missing as far as her husband Ben is concerned: another baby to complete their family. But Katy isn’t so sure she’s ready yet…

Ben may be playing the role of Master Elf in the pre-school nativity but he is struggling to master his own family life. With romantically-challenged friends, an ex who refuses to go away and Katy’s mum’s 64-year-old toy boy thrown into the mix, Christmas looks like it could be going off the rails… Never mind family planning, can Katy and Ben even plan to make it to the end of Christmas Day? 

Kat’s Rating: 4/5

Kat’s Review: I have really enjoyed some of Tracy Bloom’s books and especially since I read the previous book featuring Katy and Ben I was keen to see what had happened to them. Even if you haven’t read that book you can certainly read this as a stand alone, but I found it so much more enjoyable to go back and see where they had got to.

Following on from the last books debacle, Katy is now living in her little house with Ben and their daughter Milly. All Ben seems to want is another baby to complete their little family, however Katy doesn’t know what she wasnts. To add to her woes, when her Mum skypes her to tell her that she had left Katy’s father and found herself a toyboy AND that she was bringing him over for Christmas she doesn’t know what to think. We also see a lot of Braindead who is Ben’s closest pal and as the name suggests not the brightest spark at times.

The other characters are Matthew and Allison who are expecting baby number four. Matthew is Katy’s ex which makes for a more complicated story than usual. Allison seems to have an ovedoes of hormones making her slight dillusional at times but to be fair also make for some amusing elements of the story. 

This story had some very funny moments in it, and also some slightly chatoic crazy moments in it, but overall was another fantastic read. Tracy Bloom has certainly written a very amusing and entertaining story with characters that you can’t help but laugh at. It may not be everybody’s cup of tea but it certainly put a smile on my face. I would definitely recommend this as an easy to read book that will certainly make you laugh. Can’t wait for the next TB book.

BLOG TOUR: When A Killer Strikes by R C Bridgestock (DI Jack Dylan #8)

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Synopsis: “Boss, we’ve got a body”.

Hardly what Detective Inspector Jack Dylan needs to hear on his day off, especially as he’s in the middle of house-hunting with his wife Jen.

Detective Sergeant Vicky Hardacre greets him at the scene, but what awaits them behind the blood red door of Colonial House is undoubtedly a murder. The approach identifies several prime suspects. But who is telling the truth; and who is lying?

Before the killer can be caught, another body is discovered, this time in a putrefying mixture of mud and slime, lain among the remnants of decaying food within a waste-bin shelter. Now it’s the task of the man in charge to make the call. 

Are the two murders connected? 

There’s only one way to find out, and that’s by working long hours, within strict budgets, and the usual pressure from above to obtain quick results. 

However, Dylan is distracted by personal matters, with Jen being keen to seal the deal on a renovation project. He suggests they delay finalising the purchase; until he discovers the significance of the house, and that it’s about to be demolished.

In his absence, Jen’s pleas for help from his estranged siblings are answered, resulting in hidden secrets coming to light, as Dylan continues, through a twisting and turning plot, to ensure justice is done in respect of the murder victims, whose bright hopes for the future were cruelly snatched away.

Kat’s Rating: 4/5 Continue reading “BLOG TOUR: When A Killer Strikes by R C Bridgestock (DI Jack Dylan #8)”

The Barn on Half Moon Hill by Milly Johnson (Short Story)

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Synopsis: Cariad Williams has been writing to Franco Mezzaluna since they were kids. But he has never written back. And now he has become a famous film star. What’s more, he is due to visit Winterworld, the Christmas theme park where Cariad works. The only problem is that she has boasted to her friends that he is her boyfriend and now everyone will find out about her lie…
An exclusive short story from Milly Johnson to raise funds for the Care for Claire charity.

Kat’s Rating: 4/5

Kat’s Review: I’m not that much of a fan of short stories as no sooner have I got into the story it’s finishing. However with this book being part of a charity to raise funds for the Car for Claire Charity I figured it was a good enough reason to read it.

As usual Milly Johnson manages to createe characters I like instantly and Cariad is no different. A lady that spent years writing to Franco Mezzaluna her childhood friend. The only problem is he has never written back and has now become a famous film star.

With the imminent arrival of Franco to the town where Cariad lives her tension mounts and she has no idea what to expect. A lovely short story with a lovely ending albeit a story I could have continued reading about as I would have loved to have known what happened next for all the characters involved. Although short stories aren’t really my thing this was for a great cause and Milly’s writing does just the thing and this 80 page treat was perfect to cheer me up one lunch break!

When The Killing Starts by R C Bridgestock (Jack Dylan #7)

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Synopsis: Crime is a way of life for the Devlin brothers. Groomed at an early age and trained as criminals by local gangsters, the Devlin brothers get their thrill out of creating fear among their victims. They have a macabre pact; not to be arrested or caged. Brutality hits the town of Harrowfield when the scourge of the community is found dead, his companion slaughtered. The locals react with praise for the killers. The same day firefighters respond to a fire but lose the fight to save Merton Manor. Among the debris two bodies are discovered; executed. As Dylan struggles to cope with the pressure, armed officers await his judgement call. Can he remain professional or will he release his anger?

Kat’s Rating: 4/5

Kat’s Review: I came to the party late with this series and as such the first book in the series I read was the last one which was book 6. I struggled with it a little but only due to the fact that I had no history with these characters (proof enough of why I like to start a series at the beginning). Going in to book 7 I was instantly drawn to the story from the very first page. It was incredibly graphic and violent very early on in the book, and yes I know many people may not like that but I was truly gripped and horrified in equeal measure and for me that’s a winning formula. 

I don’t want to delve too much into the storyline as I fear it would spoil the book for somebody new to the book or series. However it results in DI Jack Dylan looking for the person responsible for the murders that occur in the rather grand home that was once Merton Manor. In addition to that Jack and his team are dealing with the death of a local hooligan and although the community aren’t sorry the bloke is dead Jack needs to ensure this crime is solved too. There is certainly a lot going on in Jack’s career and the book holds a lot of pace very early on. Jack and his team are all incredubly readable and there is a real sense of cameraderie between them. The storyline has plenty of action and a has a true police procedural feel to it. 

What I loved about this book was the depth we see Jack and his wife Jen’s personal situation develop. Although a truly terrible time that Jack and Jen are having, the situations the book touches on are done with sensitivity and I felt incredibly drawn to them as characters. I have to be honest and say I was a little blown away with this book. The reason being I just wasn’t expecting it to be as good as this (meant in a non-rude way). Where I struggled to connect in the last (and my first) book in the series this book made up for all of that and some more on top!

The fact that both the writers (RC Bridgestock are a husband and wife writing team) have 50 years experince between them on the Force is blatantly obvious. The book is done incredibly well with the finer details looked at when it comes to Police work and less of the dramatic and flair we sometimes see in fiction (nowt wrong with that either just pointing out what I see). I can truly say I was thrilled with this book and even more so because I stupidly made the assumption I would struggle with it. This is now a series I would love to keep up with! Luckily for me book 8 is ready to go and for the rest of you book 8 is due for release Thursday 19th October 2017!

Snowflakes, Iced Cakes and Second Chances by Sue Watson

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Synopsis: Escape to the cosy little village of Appledore for hot chocolate with extra marshmallows and a second chance at love. Will this Christmas prove that miracles really can happen?

A year after she separated from her husband, Gianni, on Christmas day, Chloe’s heart is finally on the mend as she unpacks the decorations for her first ever festive holiday alone. That is, until the phone rings…

It’s the manager of Gianni’s new seaside restaurant in Appledore, begging for Chloe’s help. Equally famous for his gold-leaf Christmas puddings and his explosive temper, Gianni has been really stirring up a sensation with the locals – and not in a good way! It’s the last thing she wants to do, but Chloe knows she is the only one that can help.

As pans fly and the temperature in the kitchen rises, Chloe’s calming influence and magic touch might just get critics back on side in time to save the restaurant from sinking like a sad soufflé. But as Chloe’s eyes meet Gianni’s as they tussle over a plate of turkey tartlets, could there also be a chance for new romance on the menu? 

Kat’s Rating: 5/5

Kat’s Review: I am as many of you know a huge Sue Watson fan, but that’s not to say I adore every one of her books…but this one I ABSOLUTELY do! This book is Christmas wrapped up in a toe tinglingly festive read, that needs to be accompanied preferably with an open fire and a mug of hot chocolate. Sue has written a few books set in Appledore, and although they are all standalone books they all feature some recurring characters. Appledore is a quaint little place near the sea and it’s where Chloe’s estranged husband Gianni has gone to open his latest restaurant. 

Chloe and Gianni are separated and as the story begins we take a walk down memory ane with Chloe and she describes their past and how they have reached the place they are both at now. With Gianni retreating to Appledore to open a restaurant after turning his back on the glitz and almost celebrity status he had in London, his fiery italian temper has got him in to hot water. With signs of his restaurant dying before it’s even begun Gianni’s Manager asks for Chloe’s help. Chloe who has spent a year building her career in events decides that rather than spend Christmas alone she will help Gianni try and salvage his restaurant (and reputation) and maybe they will become friends..

I instantly loved both these lead characters and they are extremely funny. Gianni with his ridiculous interpretation of the English language leads to some funny moments when he is explaining his thoughts on the beach! I can’t say that this is the most original storyline but it’s positively packed to the brim with Christmas spirit and a good old-fashioned romance. What made the story so enjoyable for me was the characters and the place itself. Having read all the other books set in Appledore I was thrilled to see the return (albeit fleetingly) of some familiar places such as Roberta, Dani and Sue.

We see Chloe and Gianni battle both on a personal front as well as a business one. Although the majority of the storyline is constantly peppered with humour there are more serious issues meaning both characters have their own chinks in their armour and makes them all the more likeable  The character Marco (who again featured in previous books) was a perfect fit into this story too! I read this in one sitting and loved every single page. If you are looking for a festive read that will make you smile then this here is the answer. One word of warning though, don’t read it if yu are hungry as you may find yourself reaching for food! This would be the perfect stocking filler and is highly recommended!

The Hit by Anna Smith (Rosie Gilmour #9)

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Synopsis: Rosie Gilmour is hot on the trail of a ring of baby-sellers and people-traffickers. The problem is, her main suspect is a dead man. Or is he?

A money-laundering accountant disappears in Romania. The hitman hired to disappear him is found dead in a Glasgow flat. And the owner of the flat, the accountant’s widow, claims she knows nothing about it.

Crime reporter Rosie Gilmour isn’t convinced by Helen Lewis’s innocent facade – she is convinced Helen was the one who ordered the hit on her husband, and she’s going to prove it. But when she discovers that Helen’s husband worked for a ring of gangsters selling babies from Romanian orphanages, her focus shifts. Now she has two sets of criminals to bring to justice – she’d better pray they don’t catch up with her first.

Kat’s Rating: 4/5

Kat’s Review: I am a huge fan of Anna Smith and love the Rosie Gilmour series. I was pleased to get stuck into book 9 although wan’t entirely sure what to expect. This book felt like it had 2 clear parts and elements to the story even though they are intertwined. Rosie ends up making her usual hair raising type of trip this time to Romania on the hunt for the people responsible for stealing babies from Orphanages and then selling them on to unsuspecting buyers. 

The other layer of the book deals with Helen Lewis who is on the run. As usual Rosie is in the thick of all of it. Not content with just ‘getting the story’ she manages to become part of it. For some reason the first half of the book was slower than Anna Smith’s usual offerings but once the second half started it picked up the pace and was back on top form. There is plenty of action, chills and thrills and for some this may be seen as the end of an era for Rosie. I on the other hand think the ending was absolutely perfect. 

I for one am thrilled at the ending solely because of Rosie’s personal life and maybe things will work out and we may see Rosie in the future, just not quite in the same light. This was a cracking read, not my favourite of the series but another solid read. Anna Smith is a fantastic wriiter and I am thrilled she has a new ‘Gangland style’ thriller book out in March next year. This series has been one of my favourites and has cemented Smith as one of my favourite Authors. Fingers crossed I love her next book as much as I’ve loved this series. If you haven’t read these books do yourself a favour and settle in with book 1, I promise you won’t regret it!