Category: Book Review

Life Swap by Carol Wyer

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Synopsis: She wanted a new life and true love. But the grass isn’t always greener on the other side… 

All Polly has to her name is a string of failed relationships and a mountain of debt. She sees herself as a hopeless case and would do anything to change her luck. 

So when she’s given the opportunity to swap all she’s ever known for a life of luxury, Polly jumps at the chance. Soon, it’s all diamonds, spa days and celebrity parties. Now all that’s missing from her life is a bit of romance. Will hunky Matt be the man to heal her broken heart? 

But money can’t always buy you happiness. Can the life she’s always dreamed of get in the way of true love?

Kat’s Rating: 3/5

Kat’s Review: First off it may seem like I am being a little unfair with my rating but in the end I just couldn’t justify any more. This book left me frustrated in so many ways it was almost annoying with each page I turned. Lets start off with the massive pluses! I loved the writing style, I loved the characters and Carol Wyer clearly has an easy flowing style of writing that is joyous to read. However, the one sticking point was the thought and eventual outcome behind the plot.

This may sound like a slightly warped review but to say any more would constitute a spoiler. Basically the main two characters are Polly and Simon. Both of them have very different lives and the ultimate thread is that they are miserable and unhappy and are at the end of their tether. Would somebody else’s life be more appealing? The general thought process when you are reading this is that you maybe question would you swap with somebody else’s life if you had the opportunity?

Both Polly and Simon are likeable and readable characters, although at times both could come across as whingers. But you can’t help but root for them and hope that their dreams come true. At some points in the story I felt like I had walked into the Twiglight Zone and had a constant feeling like I was going a little bit barmy. When the final ending was revealed it all fell into place but by that stage I was just irritated and that left me feeling SO frustrated. I can see where the author was going with the story line and it was certainly something different but grated on me quite quickly so felt a little bit let down.

The most annoying thing is that if the story line was slightly more normal and not as irritating I would have loved this book. It’s a sure sign that I like Carol Wyer’s way of writing so I will certainly be looking out for more of hers.

We’ll Always Have Paris by Sue Watson

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Synopsis: When she was almost seventeen, Rosie Draper locked eyes with a charismatic student called Peter during their first week at art college, changing the course of her life forever. Now, on the cusp of sixty-five and recently widowed, Rosie is slowly coming to terms with a new future. And after a chance encounter with Peter, forty-seven years later, they both begin to wonder ‘what if’ . . .

Kat’s Rating: 5/5

Kat’s Review: I have to confess when I read the synopsis I was a little worried. Sue Watson has been a favourite author of mine for some time and her writing style is peppered with humour which normally has me crying with laughter. The synopsis with this latest book seemed a little less like her normal style so I wondered whether I would enjoy it as much? Thankfully this latest release shows that Sue Watson seems able to turn her hand to any style without any problems. 

Rosie Draper is the lead character in this book and being in her sixties means she falls outside the normal twenty or thirty something woman. Rosie is an absolutely brilliant character, but sadly the opening sees her struggling to come to terms with the loss of her husband after a long and happy marriage. Luckily she has her two adult children supporting her along with her granddaughters. Her two daughters run their flower shop and Rosie decides to return back to working with them in an effort to return her life to something approaching normalcy. 

She didn’t count on running into her first love Pete from when she was 17 whilst attending and preparing some wedding flowers. Peter and her slowly claw back their friendship as Rosie struggles to get the perfect balance between her family and her own personal happiness. This book was certainly a change from her normal work but a story that I just fell in love with. I adored the family, Peter and Rosie herself. The story is told with warmth and love and is a real hear string puller!

I can certainly say that this book was an absolute joy to read. Sue Watson has managed to create a wonderfully warm love story which focuses on a lady slightly older than most I read about. It pulls the heart strings, and feels like a big warm hug at the end of a hard working day. I can truly say I think this book will be hugely popular and I for one cannot wait to see what Sue comes up with next, it seems there isn’t a lot this lady can’t do!

Good at Games by Jill Mansell

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Synopsis: Suzy fell for Harry the moment she showed him her husband’s sperm sample. It didn’t really belong to her husband, though, because she wasn’t married. It wasn’t a sperm sample either, it was a drinks carton containing the dregs of her milkshake. But when you’re trying to get off a speeding charge you just have to improvise, don’t you? And it wasn’t actually love at first sight. Still, it was undeniably a healthy attack of lust. And it might just be the beginning of something special..

 Kat’s Rating: 4/5

Kat’s Review: I have been reading Jill Mansell since my late teens and have always loved her books. Reading this certainly took me back a bit as it was first released nearly 7 years ago. However, with any Jill Mansell book as soon as I started reading I just fell into the story and characters without a problem. Suzy Curtis is a feisty character who makes for incredibly easy reading. She is the ex-wife (number 2) of Rock Star Jaz, and along with him we meet Leo and his brother Harry.

The opening of the book is very funny as we see Suzy get herself in a ridiculous situation that quickly spirals and ends up with her being in a situation she maybe shouldn’t be. As the book progresses we see a story line surround numerous characters and this just adds to the enjoyment of the book. Reading this book some 16 years after it was published certainly made me realise that Jill Mansell’s books have seemingly got better with each year that passes. I felt like this slightly failed to hit the marks if you compare it to her recent releases.

That aside, this really was a typically enjoyable read by Jill Mansell. Funny and lighthearted and very readable. I always find that her books are easy reads and normally a perfect book to take when you go on holiday. Although this wasn’t quite as good as her newer stuff, it was still great and I will as always look out for any new releases she has coming out.  

BLOG TOUR: Play Dead by Angie Marsons (Kim Stone #4)

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Synopsis: The girl’s smashed-in face stared unseeing up to the blue sky, soil spilling out of her mouth. A hundred flies hovered above the bloodied mess.

Westerley research facility is not for the faint-hearted. A ‘body farm’ investigating human decomposition, its inhabitants are corpses in various states of decay. But when Detective Kim Stone and her team discover the fresh body of a young woman, it seems a killer has discovered the perfect cover to bury their crime.

Then a second girl is attacked and left for dead, her body drugged and mouth filled with soil. It’s clear to Stone and the team that a serial killer is at work – but just how many bodies will they uncover? And who is next?

 As local reporter, Tracy Frost, disappears, the stakes are raised. The past seems to hold the key to the killer’s secrets – but can Kim uncover the truth before a twisted, damaged mind claims another victim …? Continue reading “BLOG TOUR: Play Dead by Angie Marsons (Kim Stone #4)”

Murder Ring by Leigh Russell (Geraldine Steel #8)

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Synopsis: ‘Hearing footsteps pounding along the street behind him he glanced back, fleetingly worried, then laughed because the street was deserted. All the same, he felt uneasy. Everything looked different in the dark. 

Then he heard more footsteps approaching, and a hoarse voice called out. Turning his head, he made out a figure hovering in the shadows and as it raised one arm, the barrel of a gun glinted in the moonlight…’ 

The dead body of unassuming David Lester is discovered in a dark side-street, and DI Geraldine Steel is plunged into another murder investigation. The clues mount up along with the suspects, but with the death of another man in inexplicable circumstances, the case becomes increasingly complex. As Geraldine investigates the seemingly unrelated crimes, she makes a shocking discovery about her birth mother.

KAT’S RATING: 4/5

KAT’S REVIEW: First off, although this is book 8 in a series featuring Geraldine Steel, this book could certainly be read as a stand alone. I love this series and Leigh Russell has written a believable and likeable character with Geraldine. However, I have some niggles with the last and current book in that I feel like I am waiting for something to happen on her personal life front. A lot has happened with Geraldine over the last few books and currently it feels like she is in a little bit of a rut. Hopefully the next book will see a change in that. One of the reasons is that Geraldine has been searching for her Birth Mother for some time. This issue is addressed in this latest installment, however by the end of the book there are also additional threads opening up so hopefully this will show us a whole new element to Geraldine in the next installment.

That aside, Geraldine is thrown into a new murder case following the discovery of David Lester’s body. When he is found in a side alley it initially seems that it was a mugging gone wrong, however soon becomes apparent that it was no simple robbery. Geraldine’s colleague Sam returns as does a new DCI who is looking to solve this case quickly to prove he is the right man for the job. The plot is well paced and as the story progresses we see multiple suspects emerge from the woodwork.

The book is certainly an easy read and the series is still one I thoroughly enjoy. I hope that in future books we get to see a balance between work and personal life as at the moment this is the only element of this book that doesn’t feel right. I would also love to see additional characters help add to the team that Geraldine works with. I would definitely recommend this series as I think Gerladine is an interesting and very readable character. I always look forward to what comes next in the series and the same applies now.

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)”

Tainted Love by Kimberley Chambers (Butlers #4)

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Synopsis: Three Butlers.

Two weddings.

One funeral.

Times are changing in the East End, from bad to worse . . .Despite the love they share, Bella’s and Michael’s lives seem to be continually throwing grenades in their path to true happiness. Bella’s dark secret is threatening to spiral out of control – and has the power to destroy the Butler brothers’ bond once and for all . . .Meanwhile, Little Vinny has truly turned over a new leaf and is doing everything he can to be a good husband and father. He doesn’t want to follow in his old man’s footsteps, but the apple never falls far from the tree, and despite everything he’s done to wipe the slate clean, his past is about to catch up with him.Everyone knows the Butler family’s reputation – you don’t mess with them unless you’ve got a death wish. But there’s someone out there doing the unthinkable – and they are aiming for the heart of the family.It feels like the end of a golden era – could it finally be the end of the Butlers?

Kat’s Rating: 5/5 Continue reading “Tainted Love by Kimberley Chambers (Butlers #4)”

Rough Cut by Anna Smith (Rosie Gilmour #6)

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Synopsis: When a young Pakistani bride falls to her death from a window, Rosie has to navigate the story with care, trying not to upset the girl’s devastated family or the local Pakistani community. After talking to the family, however, Rosie becomes convinced that there is more to the story than a tragic accident, and that something is being kept from her and the police. Meanwhile, on the other side of Glasgow, Nikki and Julie, two prostitutes, find themselves in trouble when a client dies during an assignment and it looks like one of them is to blame. Their problems become far worse though, when a briefcase they steal from the dead man turns out to contain some very valuable rough diamonds and several fake passports. It’s clear it belonged to some serious criminals, and now they have much more to worry about than a dead body. Investigating the Pakistani girl’s death, Rosie has been talking to Laila, another young girl from the community, who has voiced her fears of being forced into marrying a much older man in Pakistan. When Laila disappears, Rosie is sure her fears have been realised. Then Nikki contacts her asking for help, and Rosie senses a parallel with her current case. Sure enough, as Rosie flies to Pakistan to try and rescue Laila, it becomes clear that the ‘accidental’ death, Laila’s disappearance and the briefcase are all linked – and once back in Glasgow, she, Julie and Nikki discover just how much danger they are in…

Kat’s Rating: 5/5 Continue reading “Rough Cut by Anna Smith (Rosie Gilmour #6)”

Black List by Will Jordan

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Synopsis: With no money, no prospects and a long list of computer crimes against his name, Alex Yates’s life is going nowhere until he is given a lucrative but dangerous offer – £100,000 to hack into the Central Intelligence Agency’s network and recover a file known only as the Black List. At first reluctant to get involved, the disappearance of an old friend leaves Alex with no choice but to return to a world he’d sworn to leave behind. But before he can unlock the secrets contained within the file, he suddenly finds himself the target of a nationwide manhunt. Someone wants him out of the picture fast.

Now plunged into a deadly race against time to recover the Black List, and hunted by police, intelligence operatives and a ruthless covert unit dispatched to take him down, Alex is left with no choice but to accept help from the violent and unpredictable woman who hired him. For in the Black List may lie his salvation, or his death…

My Rating: 4/5

My Review: I have never read any Will Jordan but have to admit the synopsis sounded interesting. I got stuck into this and quickly found it’s one of those books you don’t really want to put down. It’s a bit like one of those films, where you are worried to put the kettle on in case you miss the best bit! The only criticism I have after reading the book and looking at the other books is that the book says on Amazon that it’s a ‘Ryan Drake’ book. It seems that Will Jordan has written 3 books in the Ryan Drake series and allegedly this is the forth. I have to disagree and say that is a total ploy. Ryan Drake does not feature in the book AT ALL, and is mentioned in the final chapter only. This is a major ‘no-no’ in my book, as if I was following a series and read this book I would feel a little cheated. Okay that negative out the way on to the book itself.

Alex Yates is the lead character and he is so ordinary it’s ridiculous. He works in a dead end job and doesn’t have a lot to show for himself. However, as you read on it soon becomes clear that Alex has paid a high price for his skill…’hacking’. After a year in prison, he is made an offer of £100k to hack into the CIA’s systems to retrieve the ‘Black List’. This all happens within the first few chapters and I have to say it certainly draws you in. This has a high octane feel to it and as soon as you realise Alex has no choice but to take the offer things get even more frenetic.

What follows is Alex being helped by Anya, the woman who hired him. Anya is an interesting character, but it’s clear from the outset that she is a ruthless and violent soldier. The story picks up pace until the very last page and to be honest, although the ending may have been what I expected, the journey there was very exciting to read. There is loads of action and things take place that are far from Alex normal and mundane life. Don’t get me wrong, this borders on the far side of the believable, but frankly I don’t care. Simon Kernick writes in a similar way and I always enjoy those books.

What I will say is although it may be a tad unbelievable and a little predictable it’s a solid and fast paced thriller which will keep you highly entertained from start to finish. I would certainly read more by this author and may well look into the Ryan Drake books now. This would make a great holiday read and I would definitely recommend it!

The Secret By The Lake by Louise Douglas

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Synopsis: A FAMILY TRAGEDY

Amy’s always felt like something’s been missing in her life. When a tragedy forces the family she works for as a nanny to retreat to a small lakeside cottage, she realises she cannot leave them now.

A SISTER’S SECRET

But Amy finds something unsettling about the cottage by the lake. This is where the children’s mother spent her childhood – and the place where her sister disappeared mysteriously at just seventeen.

A WEB OF LIES

Soon Amy becomes tangled in the missing sister’s story as dark truths begin rising to the surface. But can Amy unlock the secrets of the past before they repeat themselves?

Kat’s Rating: 5/5 Continue reading “The Secret By The Lake by Louise Douglas”