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Blog Tour: The Flood by Steven Scaffardi

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I came across Steven Scaffardi back in 2011 and his novel The Drought. This book has had a massively lasting impact on me and was (and still is) one of the funniest books I had read in a long time. It’s a book that seems suited to most people and I think fits the bill in terms of women and men and I know that it was a massive success among my own circle of friends. Since then I have stayed in touch with Steven and been constantly hassling him as to when book 2 was out. It seemed

that Steven’s real life took precedence (how dare he) but now he has got around to releasing book 2 and it was definitely worth the wait. If you haven’t read him before do yourself a favour and buy Book The Flood as well as the follow up, his latest release, The Flood (Book 2).

Synopsis: One bet, four girls, eight weeks, multiple dates. What could possibly go wrong?

Following his traumatic eight month dry spell, Dan Hilles is back in the driving seat and ready to put his dating disasters behind him.

But if only it were that simple.

After a drunken afternoon in the pub, fuelled by the confidence of alcohol, Dan makes a bet with his three best pals that will complicate his love-life more than ever when he brazenly declares that he could juggle multiple women all at the same time.

With just eight weeks to prove his point, Dan is about to find out how hard it is to date a flood of women without them all finding out about each other, especially when they come in the shape of an ex-girlfriend, a stalker, the office ice queen and the one that got away.

The Flood is the hilarious follow-up to The Drought by lad lit author Steven Scaffardi, chronicling the adventures of unlucky-in-love Dan Hilles.

KAT’S RATING: 4/5

KAT’S REVIEW: So finally I could delve back into the life of Dan Hiles and his equally crazy friends. Dan Hiles is again allowing himself to be led into stupid bets, and book 2 proves that when he takes a bet. Four girls, eight weeks and multiple dates. Dan’s friends Jack, Rob and Ollie are largely responsible for the booze fuelled night where Dan accepts the bet but these three characters are also a must have staple for these books. Although Dan takes centre stage as we see his ridiculous attempts to complete the bet, his friends are there for the journey which makes the book even more funny.

MANY people reading this will be able to empathise with friends like Dan’s. As we travel along with Dan things seem to take a more and more ridiculous turn with every bad decision he makes. For me the fact that Dan is a walking disaster makes the book even funnier. Now for some they may read the synopsis and think it’s not up to much. The truth is, if you have a wicked sense of humour I cannot see anything you would find as a negative with this book.

It covers all types of situations, the sexist, the ridiculous and the outlandish. However add to that mix a bunch of brilliantly written characters both male and female, along with some excellent scenes that will have you belly laughing and you’re on to a winner. Some people may wonder why I am praising this the hilt and then only give it 4 stars? Well the truth is the first book was SO funny that I accidentally spat my tea out while laughing really hard and managed to annoy the commuter in front of me. For me that initial book will always be my favourite and this one didn’t quite match it. Other than that, there is nothing negative I can say about this book. I’m astounded a publisher doesn’t demand to sign a deal with him as he has all the skill and talent of other Published male authors such as Mike Gayle and Matt Dunn.

If you want a book to make your eyes water, make your stomach hurt and cheer you up immensely you can’t go far wrong with this one. I for one am waiting with baited breath for the next instalment which I have a sneaking suspicion will be even better!

THE LITTLE FRENCH GUESTHOUSE BY HELEN POLLARD

Synopsis: When Emmy Jamieson arrives at La Cour des Roses, a beautiful guesthouse in the French countryside, she can’t wait to spend two weeks relaxing with boyfriend Nathan. Their relationship needs a little TLC and Emmy is certain this holiday will do the trick. But they’ve barely unpacked before he scarpers with Gloria, the guesthouse owner’s cougar wife.

Rupert, the ailing guesthouse owner, is shell-shocked. Feeling somewhat responsible, and rather generous after a bottle (or so) of wine, heartbroken Emmy offers to help. Changing sheets in the gîtes will help keep her mind off her misery.

Thrust into the heart of the local community, Emmy suddenly finds herself surrounded by new friends. And with sizzling hot gardener Ryan and the infuriating (if gorgeous) accountant Alain providing welcome distractions, Nathan is fast becoming a distant memory.

Fresh coffee and croissants for breakfast, feeding the hens in the warm evening light; Emmy starts to feel quite at home. But it would be madness to walk away from her friends, family, and everything she’s ever worked for, to take a chance on a place she fell for on holiday – wouldn’t it?

KAT’S RATING: 5/5

KAT’S REVIEW: This is my first, but most definitely not my last Helen Pollard book. Being totally honest when I read the synopsis I was a little bit ‘meh’. Been there, read that, you know what I mean. A somebody who reads over 100 books a year things can get a little ‘samey’. However, as any reader knows, it’s not the story but the characters that bring a book to life. This is where Helen Pollard’s talent lies and I just fell in love with everybody in this book.

Emmy Jamieson is on holiday with her boyfriend Nathan. They have decided to visit La Cour des Roses, a little guesthouse in the French countryside. They are literally just unpacked and settled when Emmy realises that Nathan is at it with the Guesthouse owners wife Gloria. Before you know it both Nathan and Gloria have done a runner and Emmy is left feeling guilt ridden as Gloria’s husband Rupert is left both shell shocked and on his own to run his guesthouse. I have to be honest and wondered where the story could go with such drama happening in the first few chapters, however the beauty of this book is that this episode was just the beginning.

Emmy is a little downtrodden but rolls up her sleeves and before long, its clear her way of coping is getting stuck in and helping Rupert for the remainder of her holiday. Other than that I’m not mentioning anything else to the story line, just read it and hopefully fall in love with it just as I did. The storyline almost seems secondary to the wonderful host of characters my absolute favourite (aside from Emmy) being Rupert. In addition to Rupert we meet so many characters that add to the flavour of this story, it made me want to visit a place just like this and find friends such as Emmy does.

I truly loved everything about this book and am already wondering when the sequel is out (YAY a sequel). What I am hoping is that we get to see ALL of the amazing people in the next book as they all brought a little something to this story. This truly was a feel good read which is an absolute must read, and in my opinion the perfect accompaniment to a sun lounger and a large cocktail…what more could a girl want? Bravo Bookouture, it seems that before long you are going to snag all the best authors and take over the Publishing world!

The House on Cold Hill by Peter James

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Synopsis: The House on Cold Hill is a chilling and suspenseful ghost story from the multi-million copy bestselling author of Dead Simple, Peter James.

Moving from the heart of Brighton and Hove to the Sussex countryside is a big undertaking for Ollie and Caro Harcourt and their twelve-year-old daughter Jade. But when they view Cold Hill House – a huge, dilapidated Georgian mansion – Ollie is filled with excitement. Despite the financial strain of the move, he has dreamed of living in the country since he was a child, and he sees Cold Hill House as a paradise for his animal-loving daughter, the perfect base for his web-design business and a terrific long-term investment. Caro is less certain, and Jade is grumpy about being separated from her friends.

Within days of moving in, it becomes apparent that the Harcourt family aren’t the only residents of the house. A friend of Jade’s is the first to see the spectral woman, standing behind her as the girls talk on FaceTime. Then there are more sightings, as well as increasingly disturbing occurrences in the house. As the haunting becomes more malevolent and the house itself begins to turn on the Harcourts, the terrified family discover Cold Hill House’s dark history, and the horrible truth of what it could mean for them . . .

KAT’S RATING: 3/5

KAT’S REVIEW: I am most definitely what I would call a Peter James fan, however after reading this I was left feeling not so enamoured. Peter James has written a brilliant series featuring Roy Grace, and in my opinion his stand alone book Perfect People was GENIUS! However, this latest effort didn’t really make an impression on me. I admit I am not the biggest fan of ‘ghost stories’ but am open minded enough to try them.

This story centres on Ollie and Caro Harcourt and their twelve-year-old daughter Jade and their move to Cold Hill House. The opening of the book sets the scene pretty well and there is a heavy sense of foreboding (which of course is justified). The family are in for a nasty turn of events and these seem to spiral quite rapidly.

There was certainly nothing specific that I disliked with the book, but I just didn’t feel like there was any real substance behind the tale. Maybe I am just too adjusted to expecting a ‘Roy Grace’ type of book this didn’t suit me. I read the book to the end but in all honesty I felt like it was a bit of a struggle. I would admit I prefer to stick to crime and thrillers, however just recently discovered Caroline Mitchell who writes Supernatural and I love that series.

I guess I felt that this was missing something, but I just couldn’t put my finger on what. I’m aware that I am probably with the minority on the review of this book, but think in future I will stick to my Roy Grace or standalone crime novels by Mr James.

Perfect Weddings by Lynda Renham

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Synopsis: Every bride wants a perfect wedding and that includes Georgina Winters. Amy Perfect is the crème de la crème of wedding planners so who best to plan Georgina s wedding… except the man Georgina plans to marry is the same man who jilted Amy three years ago. Will her plan to give Georgina the most imperfect wedding backfire on her? Is this the chance for Amy to win back the love of her life, or will insufferable Ben Garret put a spanner in the works? Arab princes, spoilt brides and wedding catastrophes make Perfect Weddings a page-turning romantic comedy that will keep you guessing until the very last page.

KAT’S RATING: 5/5

KAT’S REVIEW: Okay first up if you have a filthy and stupid sense of humour (such as I do) you HAVE to get this book. I have read quite a few of Lynda Renham’s books and this is without a doubt hands down the best book of hers I have read. I was feeling a bit irritated and having one of those days when I started this on my morning commute yesterday. It was finished by the time I got home and was frankly the one thing that got me through the day!

The book starts out with the worst possible scenario for a woman, in this case Amy who gets jilted at the alter. Almost immediately the characters that surround Amy are hilarious and Amy herself is a character that had me giggling from the get go. The book skips forward a few years and we meet Amy when she is finally where she wants to be. Instead of being the slightly overweight mortician who got jilted at the alter she is now a successful wedding planner who has the body to match.

Unfortunately Amy’s life goes into a full on spin when Georgina asks Amy to be her wedding planner. The only snag is that Georgina is marrying the same man who left Amy at the alter. Of course the sensible option is to turn it down, but Amy just can’t help herself. What comes next is a hillarious story of Amy trying to conceal who she is and in turn manages to involve other Brides, strange Sheikh Princes as well as her friend Rosie and on occasion her shockingly honest family.

This book truly was a joy to read. It gave me the same feeling of joy I get when I watch Bridget Jones (if you see what I mean). There are moments in this book which literally had me belly laughing and although there will no doubt be people that criticise the author for these ‘ridiculous and unrealistic moments’, I certainly wont be one of them. These situations Amy manages to get herself into are funny, outrageous and sometimes stupid. What made them all the more enjoyable is how normal Amy is. As a character I felt like Amy was a real ‘no holds barred’ kind of woman and the comments, quirks and scenarios we see her in felt perfect.

Not only does Amy make this a delight to read, but the other characters within it do too. Bride Chardonnay and Georgie’s friend Patsy were just two of the characters I loved. In fact there were none that I disliked. I can only cross my fingers and hope that maybe Amy, or some of the secondary characters may make an appearance in future books, and there are plenty of great characters to choose from.

Is this a book you can look back on and discuss at a book club about the hidden and wonderful meaning and morals within? Not in my opinion no. Is this a book that will make you laugh your a*se off and cheer you up no end? Yes! I will be passing this book on to all my family and friends as a MUST READ. Bravo Lynda Renham, this is by far the best book of yours I have read and one that had me smiling right the way through…until I finished it and then felt like I had read too fast! AN absolute MUST for your to read list.

The Silent Twin by Caroline Mitchell (Jennifer Knight #3)

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Synopsis: Nine-year-old twins Abigail and Olivia vow never to be parted. But when Abigail goes missing from Blackwater Farm, DC Jennifer Knight must find her before it’s too late.

Twin sister Olivia has been mute since Abigail’s disappearance. But when she whispers in Jennifer’s ear, Jennifer realises it is Abigail’s voice pleading to be found.

A damp and decaying house set in acres of desolate scrubland, the farm is a place of secrets, old and new – and Jennifer must unravel them all in order to find the lost girl. But could Olivia’s bond with her twin hold the key to finding Abigail? And can Jennifer break through her silence in time to save her sister’s life?

KAT’S RATING: 4/5 Continue reading “The Silent Twin by Caroline Mitchell (Jennifer Knight #3)”

A Mother’s Secret by Renita D’Silva

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Synopsis: What if you discovered that everything you knew about yourself was a lie?

When pregnant Jaya loses her mother, then her baby son Arun in a tragic cot death, her world crashes down. Overcome by grief and guilt, she begins to search for answers – to the enigma of her lonely, distant mother, and her mysterious past in India.

Looking through her mother’s belongings, she finds two diaries and old photographs, carrying the smoky aroma of fire. A young boy smiles out at Jaya from every photograph – and in one, a family stand proudly in front of a sprawling mansion. Who is this child? And why did her mother treasure this memento of a regal family lost to the past?

As Jaya starts to read the diaries, their secrets lead her back to India, to the ruin of a once grand house on a hill. There, Kali, a mad old lady, will unlock the story of a devastating lie and a fire that tore a family apart. Nothing though will prepare Jaya for the house’s final revelation, which will change everything Jaya knew about herself.

KAT’S RATING: 5/5

KAT’S REVIEW: Renita’s last book blew me away and if I’m honest I figured it may just have been that particular story. However, having devoured this latest book I now know for sure it’s the author and not just the story that makes you fall in love with a book. Durga, Kali and Jaya are all the focus of this intricately weaved story and one that I just fell in love with.

Durga is a young girl who has been sent to stay with her Grandmother who lives in a once grand house on a hill. Durga is a delightful character, a young girl who is labelled as naughty and is struggling to come to terms with her new home. However, upon arrival at her new home she sees that an older lady Kali is living there and being looked after by her grandmother. Kali is the other main character that is slowly introduced to the story. In addition we see Jaya living in London and dealing with the aftermath and emotional effects of losing her mother and newborn son.

Jaya’s story was in interesting one and as each story is unfolded at times I wondered what I was missing. I knew there were connections but just couldn’t see them. Once I was a quarter of the way in I knew I was hooked and there was no way I was putting this book down. Renita D’Silva has a way with words and as a reader you feel like she can physically transport you to that small village in India. You can see the sights, smell the spices and imagine you are right there alongside the characters.

As the story progresses I became more and more lost in this story and the connections became more and more revealed and the story just sweeps you along. The story is packed full of hope, despair, tragedy, loss and a whole host of other emotions. This is the second of Renita’s books that have literally knocked my socks off. They have such a different feel to them and I always feel that ridiculous sense of loss when the story is finished. I will hold my hands up and admit that seeing the cover and even reading the synopsis of her last book, I still thought “this isn’t for me”. Maybe that ridiculous pre-judgement makes me even more happy as the story took me by surprise. Truly a delight to read and a loss when finished. This is definitely a book I would highly recommend and I would urge you to give it a try even if it’s not your normal type of book, as it may just surprise you.

The Second Chance Shoe Shop by Marcie Steel

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Synopsis: All Riley Flynn wants is to meet someone who makes her happy. But attracting the right kind of man is not easy, and with her heart still hurting from her last break-up, Riley believes she’ll never find love again.

A year ago, Sadie Stewart’s whole world was shattered when her husband, Ross, died. She has struggled to keep herself together for the sake of their young daughter, but with the anniversary of his death approaching, Sadie finds herself overwhelmed by grief.

Sadie and Riley work at Chandlers shoe shop, in the charming town of Hedworth. But when Chandlers is threatened with closure, the friends are confronted with the loss of not only their jobs, but also their support network – the glue that holds them together when they are close to breaking.

As they put together a plan to save their beloved shop, Sadie realises that she might just be learning to live again. Could it be that new beginnings are just round the corner? The campaign also finds Riley unexpectedly crossing paths with charming photographer, Ethan. Maybe her second chance at love is right under her feet …

KAT’S RATING: 4/5

KAT’S REVIEW: When I read my first Marcie Steele I admit I was worried. Marcie Steel is none other than the crime writer Mel Sherratt. Could she possibly have one foot in each genre successfully? It turns out she can! I really enjoyed the other MS books and was looking forward to reading the latest one. With this one out main character is Riley Flynn. She works in Chandlers Show shop and has done for many years. Alongside her, the other two characters appearing in this story are Sadie and Dan.

Riley is an immediately likeable character and you get an idea very soon on that her friends including Sadie and Dan are like one big family. The shoe shop boss Suzanne soon makes an appearance and threatens to close the shop they have all worked at for years. Between them they decide there is nothing left to do but plan something to save the shop. We see Riley’s love life slowly unfold including some suspect ex-boyfriends. On the other side of the fence Sadie is struggling to get her life back on track following the death of her husband Ross. The friendship between everybody shines through and makes this a real feel good read.

The story was a little slow in the beginning but soon picked up when they are pitched against each other and their antics start. It’s a very light hearted read and certainly enjoyable although I still think her last book holds the edge. I certainly think Mel Sherratt is proving its more than possible to straddle two genres.

Tastes Like Fear by Sarah Hilary (Marnie Rome #3)

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Synopsis: The young girl who causes the fatal car crash disappears from the scene. A runaway who doesn’t want to be found, she only wants to go home. To the one man who understands her. Gives her shelter. Just as he gives shelter to the other lost girls who live in his house. He’s the head of her new family. He’s Harm.

D.I. Marnie Rome has faced many dangerous criminals but she has never come up against a man like Harm. She thinks that she knows families, their secrets and their fault lines. But as she begins investigating the girl’s disappearance nothing can prepare her for what she’s about to face. Because when Harm’s family is threatened, everything tastes like fear…

KAT’S RATING: 4/5

KAT’S REVIEW: I was looking forward to book 3 in this new series and thankfully wasn’t too disappointed. For some reason I seem to be way off the mark in terms of what I thought. It seems to have accumulated a number of 5 star reviews already, however for me it was lacking something. That’s not to say I didn’t enjoy it, because I did, but there seemed to be something missing for me. I think because of that I didn’t feel it was the full 5 stars but almost. The story itself was plotted well and layers appeared making the story all the more intriguing. However this time around it was the characters that didn’t quite feel right.

I have read the other 2 books in this series and really enjoyed them. When I started reading this latest installment I felt a little confused at times. It seemed like Marnie took somewhat of a back seat, and Noah seemed to take charge more often than not. Something about that set up just didn’t ring true for me. I actually really like Noah and think he is a strong character who certainly belongs in this series alongside Marnie. The story itself was a little slow in the beginning and then picked up pace considerably and the last half was absolutely brilliant.

I certainly had no clue where the story would go and felt so relieved that the ending and plot line that was revealed was a complete surprise. There are also two additional plot threads which are slowly building interest in the background. Marnie’s family tie to Stephen and Noah’s brother Sol, both which I think will make amazing future books. By the end I realised that I had thoroughly enjoyed the book, however there were a few times when the characters just felt different. Whether that is part of future planning I have no idea, but it kind of put me off my stride a little bit. That small thing aside it was once again a great read, and a series that I think I will be waiting impatiently each time I have finished one.

The Theseus Paradox by David Videcette

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Synopsis: 7 July 2005: in the midst of Operation Theseus, the largest police investigation that the UK has ever known, Detective Inspector Jake Flannagan begins to ask difficult questions that lead to the mysterious disappearance of his girlfriend and his sudden suspension from the Metropolitan Police.

Who masterminded London’s summer of terror?

Why can’t Flannagan make headway in the sprawling investigation?

Is Jake’s absent girlfriend really who she claims to be?

While hunting for the answers to the most complex case in British history,

one man will uncover the greatest criminal deception of our time.

KAT’S RATING: 5/5 Continue reading “The Theseus Paradox by David Videcette”

The Birds and The Bees by Milly Johnson

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Synopsis: Romance writer and single mum Stevie Honeywell has only weeks to go to her wedding when her fiancé Matthew runs off with her glamorous new friend Jo MacLean. It feels like history repeating itself for Stevie, but this time she is determined to win back her man. She isn’t going to act as he might expect. She isn’t going to wail and dig her heels in, she is simply going to pretend to let him go whilst she pursues a mad course of dieting, exercising and self-improvement.

And it feels like history is repeating itself for Adam MacLean too, who is also determined to win his lady, Jo, back with the same basic psychological tactics. Then he is going to initiate his master plan: Getting together with Stevie to drive Jo wild with jealousy.

So, like the Scottish country jig ‘The Birds and the Bees’, the couples all change partners and learn some revealing truths about each other along the way. But what happens when Adam’s master plan actually starts to work? And just who will Stevie be dancing with when the music stops?

KAT’S RATING: 5/5

KAT’S REVIEW: Oh my. Milly Johnson recently got me out of a little reading funk with her release The Teashop On The Corner. When I realised that I still had a couple of books of hers I hadn’t read I was so pleased that I immediately bumped it up my to be read list, and thank goodness I did. Stevie Honeywell is an adorable character that you cannot help from the outset. She is a writer who is just weeks away from her wedding to fiance Matthew. However, she certainly wasn’t expecting Matthew to run off with the much skinnier and more glamorous Jo Maclean.

Her friend Catherine along with her husband Eddie and their brood of children make for excellent secondary characters and we see them chivvy Stevie along so that she can move on from Matthew. However, that was before Stevie met Adam Mac Lean, Jo’s ex-partner. Adam is a really funny character to read about, with his gruff Scottish drawl and brittle exterior,, he really is a lovable bloke. With Stevie experiencing so many setbacks, her and Adam are hellbent on showing they don’t need their exes, with the sole purpose of attracting them back.

As with any Milly Johnson book it takes little to settle in and the characters you instantly like and want to know more about. Every time I read a Milly Johnson book it cheers me up and I just want to keep reading. I find myself in that horrible position of only having one of her books left to read so shall save that for my next book funk moment. This is a warm-hearted and wonderful read that will cheer you up no end.