General Fiction – Page 20 – Best Crime Books and More

Fairytale Beginnings by Holly Martin

Synopsis: Love is an open door…except when it keeps slamming in your face Hopeless romantic Milly Rose has had her fair share of heartbreak. Obsessed with all things Disney, she refuses to give up on finding her Prince Charming – he’s out there somewhere, isn’t he? When Milly is given a job to investigate the origins of a historical building in the village of Clover’s Rest, she’s not sure what to expect. What she discovers takes her breath away – a beautiful real life Cinderella castle, complete with turrets, a magnificent drawbridge AND a very handsome owner…Cameron Heartstone. As Milly and Cameron begin to unearth the secrets of Clover Castle, they can’t ignore the intense chemistry building between them. But they’ve both been hurt badly before. Can they take a big leap of faith and find their own happily-ever-after? A deliciously enchanting read that will delight fans of Rachael Lucas, Lucy Diamond and Miranda Dickinson or anyone who has ever blubbed at a Disney movie. Who says real life can’t be a fairytale?

Kat’s Rating: 5/5 Continue reading “Fairytale Beginnings by Holly Martin”

Summer By The Sea by Jenny Hale

Synopsis: They say there’s always one summer that changes you… For Faith the one summer she can’t forget is when she fell in love as a teenager – only for her sister, Casey, to steal her man. Now, at the request of her beloved ninety-year-old grandmother, Faith has agreed to a family holiday – at their childhood beach house, where it all began. Faith hasn’t seen her sister in years but is finally ready to forgive and forget, enjoy the sunshine and relive happy memories. What she’s not ready for is meeting Jake Buchanan – the owner of the beach house – or the long-forgotten feelings he ignites in her. Can Faith overcome the hurt of the past, rekindle the close bond she had with Casey and make this summer THE ONE to remember?

Kat’s Rating: 4/5

Kat’s Review: I have only read one of Jenny Hale’s books but enjoyed it immensely so was looking forward to reading this latest release. Faith is at the centre of the story and we start off by seeing her make her way to the beach house that used to belong to her Grandmother. The intention is to gather her family which consists of her sister, niece, mother and Grandmother all together for a two week holiday. The first thing that struck me was the fabulous descriptions Jenny hale makes of this beautiful beach village. I didn’t necessarily warm to Faith as she seemed like she was almost stuck in a rut and it was clear from the early chapters that there was a long running feud between her and her sister Casey.

The story became a lot more interesting as we see her arrive at the beach house only to come face to face with Jake Buchanan the owner. Jake instantly captured my attention, as did the beach house. It truly sounds like somewhere I could visit myself. When Casey and Faith’s Grandmother and Mother join the story a lot more is revealed about both Faith and Casey and I became more and more embroiled in their tale.

There was certainly quite a lot going on regarding the whys and how’s of both women Faith and Casey arrived at the cottage in the situation they are both in. At times I felt like maybe the insight into their emotions dragged a little but nothing too much to upset the apple cart so to speak. If anything there was a certain inevitability about where the story would end but overall I thoroughly enjoyed it. I can also say in all honest that the Epilogue was nicely well rounded and gave me a certain feeling of satisfaction at the end of this book. This was certainly another solid read from Jenny Hale and I will look forward to her next one due out (I think) in time for Christmas!

The Great Village Show by Alex Brown (Tindledale #2)

Synopsis: Tindledale is in a tizzy . . .

The Village Show competition is coming around again and after last year’s spectacular failure, the villagers are determined to win. Meg, teacher at the local school, is keen to help and to impose some much-needed order.

After a terse encounter with a newcomer to the village, Meg discovers that it is celebrity chef and culinary bad boy, Dan Wright. Meg thinks he is arrogant and rude but rumour has it that Dan is opening a new restaurant in the village which could really put Tindledale on the map.

As things come together, villagers old and new all start to come out of the woodwork, including new arrival Jessie who seems to have it all. But first impressions can be deceptive and Meg discovers that when it comes to Tindledale – and Dan – nothing is ever quite as it seems . . .

Kat’s Rating: 5/5 Continue reading “The Great Village Show by Alex Brown (Tindledale #2)”

A Sister’s Promise by Renita D’Silva

download

Synopsis: Two sisters. Bound by blood. Torn apart by love. My sister – the glue that held our family together and the gatekeeper to the memories of our shared childhood. The girl I made a pact with – to protect each other for life. The woman who destroyed my family, my future. And the only one who can save my daughter. Set against the dramatic backdrop of India, A Sister’s Promise is a powerful, emotional tale of family secrets, love and the ties that bind sisters together.

Kat’s Rating: 5/5

Kat’s Review: Wow! I wasn’t sure what I expected when I knew I had the new Renita D’Silver book to read. I certainly enjoyed the first one I read, but the synopsis for this latest book didn’t seem very enticing. Now I have finished the book, I can understand why it is written in the way it is. I picked up this book and to be honest for the first few chapters was wondering if this was the same author. It seemed disjointed, who were all these people and what on earth was going on? It turns out that Renita was doing what she was clearly born to do. She was weaving her web in your subconscious, waiting for the moment maybe 5 or 6 chapters in when you just knew anything you had planned for the next few hours was NOT getting done.

Like I say by the time Renita had me in her clutches I wasn’t getting out of it that easily. My dinner, ironing and anything else remotely housework like was discarded because I just couldn’t stop reading. We meet two sisters Sharda and Puja, both completely different, but with good reason. It’s extremely difficult to explain anything about this storyline without giving away far too much. Half the love of this story was the finding out part.

What I can tell you is that the book took me on a journey, one that was filled with love, laughter and sadness all wrapped up into one. Renita has a magic ability to transport you in this case from London to India. I could almost smell the smells and see the sights. From the moment I was collared I didn’t put the book down until I was finished. I can truly say I finished this book and felt breathless it left such an impact. I love the fact that you are reading about a different culture to the one here in England and the writing and storytelling was truly magnificent. With just over half the year gone, I am convinced that this will be one of my top 3 books for 2015 in this genre. This was an exhilarating and emotional read that will leave you wanting more.

I truly can’t explain just how wonderful this book was. If you want to read something a little bit different I would urge you to give this a go. At first glance it may not seem your thing, but I think you will be pleasantly surprised by the story Renita has in store. Wonderful!

In addition to this maybe check out the Publisher Bookouture, these guys are giving the Big Boy Publishers a run for their money with the amount of cracking authors they have producing first class books lately.

Summer Flings and Dancing Dreams by Sue Watson

51OgsGxuaxL._SY346_

Synopsis: Laura Watkin’s heart isn’t broken, she’s just forgotten how to use it. After years on her own, the highlight of single mum Laura’s week is watching Strictly Come Dancing with a glass of Pinot Grigio and a large helping of imagination.

With her daughter Sophie going travelling, Laura knows the time is right to do something for herself for a change. One disastrous Zumba class later and Laura ends up at the feet (literally) of gorgeous dance instructor Tony Hernandez.

A natural dancer and inspiring teacher, Tony rekindles in Laura a passion she inherited from her ballroom dancer father – and with it comes a dream… to make him proud. But when Tony enters them to perform at the National Dance Festival, can Laura’s new-found confidence survive the test? And with a once-in-a-lifetime chance to learn Flamenco in Spain, could Laura truly learn to dance like nobody’s watching… and love like she’ll never get hurt?

Kat’s Rating: 4/5

Kat’s Review: I am a HUGE of Sue Watson and if you have a rather filthy sense of humour, and like a good giggle her books don’t fail to raise a smile. MAKE SURE you read the description of what type of book it is before you read it and then slate it…it clearly states it’s a funny and uplifting romantic comedy. Thankfully this does exactly what it says on the tin. Laura Watkins is your average divorcee who is working to make ends meet and is trying to ensure her daughter doesn’t go off the rails following a disastrous relationship. I know that quoting lines can be irritating for some people but I just knew that when I read the below lines within the first chapter that I would be laughing at quite a few lines in this latest book.

“I would be sending a very stiff email to ‘God.Com’ when all this was over, telling him and his staff to sort their s*it out. No wonder people were going to Supermarkets on a Sunday instead of going to Jesus”

When Laura’s daughter Sophie goes travelling and she realises her life consists of working and nights in front of Strictly Come Dancing, she is determined to make a few changes. And that is exactly what she does along with some wonderful characters. Enter Tony the Dance Instructor who is a hilarious character that has bucketful’s of attitude, glitter and stories to tell. He is determined to teach Laura to dance and for once do something for herself.

The journey they take from there on in is brilliant. The story is everything you want from this sort of book. I wanted Laura to become the person she could be and found myself wishing I could watch this in a film too! There is one particularly funny chapter entitled ‘Slut Dropping Zumba Queens and Someone Else’s Leggings’. Suffice to say it was a very amusing chapter that I’m pretty sure quite a few people can sympathise with.

By the time I finished this book I wanted to book myself on a trip to Grenada to see all the sexy Spanish men and women dancing Flamenco. This is a cracking book which had me smiling and laughing and it’s the perfect tonic for the everyday boring blues that most people experience. Some people may wonder why only 4 stars instead of 5, well Love, Lies and Lemon Cake was one of my favourite books of 2014 and Sue has to go some to top that. Another fantastic read and as usual I can’t wait to read the next one!

The Little Flower Shop by The Sea by Ali McNamara

51KvmKXrIIL._SY346_

Synopsis: The blossom is out in the little Cornish harbour town of St Felix. But Poppy Carmichael’s spirits aren’t lifted by the pretty West Country spring. Inheriting her grandmother’s flower shop has forced her to return to Cornwall, a place that holds too many memories.

Poppy is determined to do her best for the sake of her adored grandmother, but she struggles with the responsibility of the more-shabby-than-chic shop. And with the added complication of Jake, the gruff but gorgeous local flower grower, Poppy is very tempted to run away… The pretty little town has a few surprises in store for Poppy. With new friends to help her and romance blooming, it’s time for Poppy to open her heart to St Felix and to the special magic of a little flower shop by the sea!

Kat’s Rating: 5/5 Continue reading “The Little Flower Shop by The Sea by Ali McNamara”

Too Many Cooks by Dana Bate

51WBRGC3hoL._SY346_

Synopsis: Kelly Madigan seems to have it all: a fabulous boyfriend, a supportive – if eccentric – family, and a flourishing career as a cookbook ghost-writer. But after finding a letter from her recently-deceased mother, criticising her stable but unexciting life, Kelly knows she needs to make a change. When a mysterious new writing opportunity in London presents itself, she jumps at the chance to get away from it all.

Enter Natasha Spencer – Oscar-winning actress and health nut, not to mention a total nightmare. She’s working on a new cookbook and has asked for Kelly’s help. What Kelly didn’t factor in was meeting Natasha’s dishy MP husband, Hugh Ballantine. Away from her family, friends, and the life she knows – will this fish out of water ever get back in the swim?

Kat’s Rating: 4/5

Kat’s Review: Kelly Madigan is an easy character to like from the get go. With her eccentric family, her steady and likeable boyfriend seems to make her life perfect. However, when her Mum passes away she leaves Kelly a letter which tells her to get out there and cause some waves in her life and not to settle for the easy option. This sets Kelly off on a chain of events which see her take some drastic decisions including upping and moving to London to work as a ghost-writer for a celebrity writing her own cookbook.

Enter Natasha Spencer, the sort of celebrity fictional character I love to hate. She appears to have it all, looks, fame and money but seriously lacks in personality. Kelly is instantly dwarfed and overwhelmed by her new employee. In addition to Natasha she also has to put up with her ridiculous assistant Poppy who just adds to the hilarity of Natasha’s over inflated sense of self. Natasha, although everything people probably imagine some celebrities to be like, make the book so much more readable and there is nothing like a bit of backstabbing and bitchiness to liven up a book. I also loved some of the one liners that Kelly’s friend Meg came out with, it injected a real laugh out loud element to certain parts of the story.

When Kelly meets Natasha’s husband MP Hugh Ballantine things get even more crazy and before you know it Kelly feels a million miles away from home and incredibly lonely. The characters, the cooking and the general air of drama and humour around this book seems the perfect combination to me. I enjoyed Dana’s first book, but not as much as this one. Once I was into the story I didn’t want to put it down. A fantastic read which I thoroughly enjoyed and cannot wait to see what’s next for Dana Bate.

THE TIME OF OUR LIVES BY JANE COSTELLO

Kat’s Rating: 3/5

Synopsis: Imogen and her friends Meredith and Nicola have had their fill of budget holidays, cattle-class flights and 6 a.m. offensives for a space by the pool. So when Meredith wins a VIP holiday at Barcelona’s hippest new hotel, they plan to sip champagne with the jet set, party with the glitterati and switch off in unapologetic luxury. But when the worst crisis of her working life erupts back home, Imogen has to juggle her BlackBerry with a Manhattan, while soothing a hysterical boss and hunting down an AWOL assistant. Between a robbery, a run-in with hotel security staff and an encounter on a nudist beach that they’d all rather forget, the friends stumble from one disaster to the next. At least Imogen has a distraction in the form of the gorgeous guy who’s always in the right place at the very worst time. Until, that is, his motives start to arouse a few suspicions.

Kat’s Review: For some reason this Jane Costello book slipped through the net, so realising that I made a prompt start on this book. Imogen, Meredith and Nicola are three friends that have won themselves a VIP trip to Barcelona. In their minds they are well on their way to sipping champagne and cocktails amongst the jet setters. Sadly, from the very moment they get to the airport things are destined to go wrong. Now I am quite a Costello fan but found myself struggling to get into the first few chapters. I persevered but for some unknown reason the book felt like it was hard work.

I quite liked the characters but sometimes they grated on me, normally with a JC book I love the characters that she creates but just found I couldn’t gel with these three. Harry was a prominent male character and he was instantly likeable and easy to read about. I think overall Imogen irritated me the most and unfortunately for me if I don’t like the character there is less chance I will enjoy the book. Maybe this was just my mood, who know, but I just wanted to slap her round the head and destroy her phone! Meredith and Nicola were slightly easier to read, but with constant interruptions from Meredith it just lost its appeal.

It sounds like I am being un-necessarily harsh and I really am not. Jane Costello has a great writing style and her books are always so enjoyable. For some reason this one and I just didn’t quite gel. There were elements about it I loved, but as the characters were so annoying it lowered my enjoyment. This certainly isn’t a bad book, just one that wasn’t for me.

It’s Not Me, It’s You by Mhairi McFarlane

51P2wcEIdzL

My Rating: 5/5

Synopsis: Delia Moss isn’t quite sure where she went wrong. When she proposed and discovered her boyfriend was sleeping with someone else – she thought it was her fault. When she realised life would never be the same again – she thought it was her fault. And when he wanted her back like nothing had changed – Delia started to wonder if perhaps she was not to blame. From Newcastle to London and back again, with dodgy jobs, eccentric bosses and annoyingly handsome journalists thrown in, Delia must find out where her old self went – and if she can ever get her back.

My Review: I’ve read one other Mhairi McFarklane book and enjoyed it so was looking forward to reading this latest release. Delia Moss in the beginning seems a nice enough girl and living with her boyfriend Paul life seems to be reasonably good for her. However, when she proposes to her boyfriend she has no idea that it will lead to the discovery of his infidelity. From that very moment I was rooting for Delia to change her ways and tell him where to go. Thankfully we see Delia’s escape route and take the journey with her.

Her friend Emma lives in London and this is where Delia escapes to. What starts out as her taking some time out, becomes a whole lot more with some very funny moments along the way. In addition to Emma, Delia meets people such as Naan, Stephanie and Adam along with her new boss Kurt. All of the characters play their part and make for brilliantly compulsive reading.

Mhairi manages to capture the lovely ‘Geordie’ accent without overkill with some of Delia’s sayings, as well as making you feel like you are walking the streets of London with her. There were some moments where I wondered where the storyline was going, but when it all came together it was a fantastic read. I can honestly say having only read one of her previous books, that she may well be a somewhat under rated author. I know for a fact that I will be putting her straight on to my ‘definite to buy/read/follow’ list. A fantastic read, one which will make for a perfect summer holiday!

My Husband Next Door by Catherine Alliott

51QAaqj6YpL._SY346_

Synopsis: Separated in every way but distance, Sebastian resides in an outhouse across the lawn from his ex-wife Ella’s ramshackle farmhouse. With a home crowded by hostile teenaged children and gender-confused chickens, Ella finds comfort in the company of the very charming gardener, Ludo. Then Sebastian decides to move on, catching Ella horribly unawares.

How much longer can she hide from what really destroyed her marriage… and the secret she continues to keep?

Kat’s Rating: 3/5

Kat’s Review: I’ve been reading Catherine Alliott’s books for many years and was looking forward to starting this one. However, for some reason by the time I had finished the book I just thought it was okay, just that…okay. Ella and her artist husband Sebastian separated and the end result is now two lazy teenage children and Sebastian living in an outhouse on the farm. This means that Ella is left with holiday guests to look after, the children to wait on hand and foot, and to add to the mix her Mother comes to stay after herself experiencing marital difficulties.

Ella was a nice enough character and the storyline trundled along, but it was lacking that normal sparkle that her books have, such as ‘A Rural Affair’. We also meet Ginnie who is Ella’s sister and although her life looks to be perfect, it may just be that appearances are deceptive. On the whole the book is certainly readable, no doubt about that, but I just felt like I was waiting for something else to happen. It seemed to be middle of the road and the attempts at secrets and character changes just seemed stilted and forced.

I was disappointed but only because I have previously really enjoyed some of her books. It certainly wasn’t a bad read; it just wasn’t what I expected. I will look forward to the next one and hope that Catherine Alliott returns to that magic sparkle that her books normally have.