Safe With Me by K L Slater

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Synopsis: Thirteen years ago someone did something very bad to Anna. Now it’s her turn to get even …

Anna lives a solitary existence, taking solace in order and routine. Her only friend is the lonely old lady next door. She doesn’t like to let people to get too close – she knows how much damage they can do.

Then one ordinary day Anna witnesses a devastating road accident and recognises the driver as Carla, the woman who ruined her life all those years ago. Now it’s Anna’s chance to set things straight but her revenge needs to be executed carefully …

First she needs to get to know Liam, the man injured in the accident. She needs to follow the police investigation. She needs to watch Carla from the shadows…

But as Anna’s obsession with Carla escalates, her own secrets start to unravel. Is Carla really dangerous or does Anna need to worry about someone far closer to home?

Kat’s Rating: 4/5

Kat’s Review: This is a strange book, in the sense that sometimes while I was reading it I wasn’t sure what was the truth and what was paranoia on behalf of the lead character Anna. Anna lives a very strange and solitary life. At the beginning of the book she witnesses a car accident and is even more shocked that she recognised the driver that had caused the collision. She makes it her mission to befriend Liam, the man injured in the accident so she can garner as much information about the driver Carla as possible.

I have read plenty of books where the lead character is slightly damaged and flawed but Anna seems to take this to a whole new level. At times her logic makes perfect sense, and at others my skin would be crawling with the lengths she was going to, to ensure she was part of Liam’s life. You garner snippets of her past as the story goes along but to say any more would ruin the story for others so I will leave it there. What I will say is that what you feel is obvious as a reader, turns out to be anything but.

Although there were times I felt a little uncomfortable reading this, it was quite a page turner and frankly had the weird and dangerous element to it which makes you want to continue reading. I was surprised where the story went which was welcome in all honesty and by the time I had finished the book I realised that I had thoroughly enjoyed it, albeit in a strangely dark way. I will certainly look forward to future books by K L Slater.

A Town Called Christmas by Holly Martin (Juniper Island #2)

Synopsis: Neve Whitaker loves managing the Stardust Lake hotel. She gets to work alongside her wonderful family and she’s spending Christmas on the most enchanting, snow-covered island in Scotland. So why is her heart so heavy this festive season?

It might have something to do with the gorgeous actor Oakley Rey, the man she finished with before he left for California and the man she loves more than anything. With Oakley’s career in Hollywood soaring, Neve is convinced she’d only hold him back. She had to end it with him – at least that’s what she keeps telling herself.

But now she has a secret she’s struggling to keep, and when Oakley arrives on Juniper Island determined to win her back, Neve is thrown off balance. Will Neve’s fear of having her heart broken again push Oakley away for good, or is it time for her to take a leap of faith?

 *If you plan on reading the first in this series entitled ‘Christmas Under a Cranberry Sky’ please do not read my review as it will inevitably contain spoilers*

Kat’s Rating: 5/5

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BLOG TOUR: The Girl’s Next Door by Mel Sherratt (Eden Berrisford #1)

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Synopsis: One warm spring evening, five teenagers meet in a local park. Only four will come out alive.

Six months after the stabbing of fifteen-year-old Deanna Miller, someone is coming after the teenagers of Stockleigh, as a spate of vicious assaults rocks this small community. Revenge for Deanna? Or something more? 

Detective Eden Berrisford is locked into a race against time to catch the twisted individual behind the attacks – but when her own niece, Jess Mount, goes missing, the case gets personal.

With the kidnapper threatening Jess’ life, can Eden bring back her niece to safety? Or will the people of Stockleigh be forced to mourn another daughter…?

Kat’s Rating: 4/5

Continue reading “BLOG TOUR: The Girl’s Next Door by Mel Sherratt (Eden Berrisford #1)”

CHRISTMAS AT THE LITTLE BEACH STREET BAKERY BY JENNY COLGAN

Synopsis: It’s Christmas in the Cornish coastal village of Mount Polbearne – a time for family, friends and feasting.

Polly Waterford loves running the Little Beach Street Bakery. She’s at her happiest when she’s creating delicious, doughy treats and the festive season always inspires her to bake and knead something extra special for the village residents. In fact, the only thing she loves more than her bakery is curling up with her gorgeous boyfriend, Huckle. She’s determined that this Christmas is going to be their best one yet, but life doesn’t always work out as planned…

When Polly’s best friend Kerensa turns up with a secret that threatens the life Polly and Huckle have built together, the future begins to look uncertain. And then a face from Polly’s past reappears and things become even more complicated. Polly can usually find solace in baking but she has a feeling that’s not going to be enough this time. Can she get things back on track so that everyone has a merry Christmas?

Kat’s Rating: 5/5 Continue reading “CHRISTMAS AT THE LITTLE BEACH STREET BAKERY BY JENNY COLGAN”

The Christmas Cake Cafe by Sue Watson

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Synopsis: As the Prosecco chills and Bing Crosby croons, Jen Barker just knows that her long-term boyfriend is about to propose. But instead of a diamond ring nestled in her champagne flute, Jen finds cold flat rejection. Her once perfect life and dreams of a husband and family seem even further from reach.

A working holiday to the Swiss Alps with her younger sister Jody might not be the Christmas Jen had it mind, but it offers her the chance to recharge her batteries and recover from heartbreak.

When Jen meets handsome ski instructor Jon Zutter her hopes for a happy-ever-after seem within her grasp again. Jon is kind and gorgeous and as they bond over Sachetorte at the picturesque Cake Café, Jen thinks he might just be her perfect man. But a relationship with him comes with a catch – and there are some things even cake can’t fix.

As the snow falls and Christmas approaches, could this be the place that restores Jen Barker’s faith in love?

Kat’s Rating: 4/5

Kat’s Review: Thank goodness…another Sue Watson in her usual humorous style, it feels like forever since I have read one like this! I admit I am a bit of a Sue Watson fan, and always know that her books will cheer me up and make me laugh like a drain. Thankfully this book was no exception and once again it cheered me up immensely! However (yes there is a however) I did find the main character a bit annoying in the beginning (hence the 4 stars and not 5)!

So Jen Barker is the main character in this Christmas book and as she is planning her wedding in her mind, she had no idea she is about to be unceremoniously dumped. So a year after  her disastrous break up she finds herself facing another Christmas alone with just her cat (named Mrs Christmas) for company. Her half sister Jody decides enough is enough and manages to convince Jen to take a working holiday with her and her friends over Christmas at a Swiss Alps ski resort. 

In the beginning I didn’t instantly like Jen, in fact I would go as far as to say she was a bit of an annoying woman that thought her whole life was over and she was only 41!!! Thankfully as Jen embarks on a new chapter, her sister and new friends make sure she starts to change her ways. Thankfully the whingeing became less and finally she becomes a woman that starts to take some risks.  There are some extremely funny moments in the book which normally revolved around Jen’s choice of clothes, or comments from her new friends. 

Jen’s life seems to roll from one hilarious disaster to another when she is in Switzerland and with the addition of a rather handsome Ski Instructor named Jon things get so much better and I found myself laughing and hoping for the best for her. The last quarter of the book was fabulous, pure magic and a great end to the book. It certainly has all the right elements for a Christmas stocking filler and is a great feel-good read. For me I mark every book of Sue’s against her book ‘Love, Lies and Lemon Cakes’ which to this day is still one of the funniest books I have ever read. Thankfully Sue always delivers a feel good book with the humour thrown in so this was still a great read (but Sue, can we PLEASE have a less whingey woman next time)!

THE SUICIDE PLAN BY EMMA CLAPPERTON (PATRICK MCLAUGHLIN #3)

Synopsis: Standing up and welcoming everyone to the spiritualist church is something Patrick McLaughlin does most evenings. Most of the faces in the audience are familiar to him, except one. David Hopkirk walks into the West End Spiritualist church in Glasgow and slits his own throat in the middle of a demonstration. His reasoning? Patrick is only of use to him in death. In this novella, Patrick is once more catapulted into a world which sees the death of a ten year old boy, a failed court case and a family torn apart. He has most of the puzzle pieces in his possession, he just needs to fit them together. 

Kat’s Rating: 5/5 

Kat’s Review: This novella by Emma Clapperton forms part of the series featuring Patrick McLaughlin. Now firstly this series is a paranormal series which I know isn’t for everybody, and normally I would include myself in that list. However, there are exceptions to my rule and certain authors manage to hook me with this genre and Emma Clapperton is one of them. Patrick and Jodie McLaughlin are both mediums and Patrick uses his gift to try and pass along messages to people who have lost loved ones. One evening in the spiritualist church where Patrick and Jodie work a man named David Hopkirk arrives and slits his own throat in front of everybody, asking Patrick to help him before he commits this terrible suicide!

Yep, sounds crazy I know but in a weird way although it’s a grisly and violent opening it has the wow factor and you  can’t help but wonder what it is that this man needs help with. Patrick then goes on to delve into the world of David and find out what was driving him so hard to commit suicide and help him. Although this is only 78 pages and a novella/short story (which I normally don’t enjoy) this one hit the spot nicely.

It re-introduces you to Patrick and Jodie and where they are with their lives, whilst delivering a fast paced and enthralling story. All in all this was a cracking book and only made me want to read the next full length book in the series….yesterday! A great book for this genre and a series I will continue to follow.

BLOG TOUR: THE KILLING GAME BY JS CAROL

This new release by JS Carol is also the one and only James Carol who writes the series of books featuring Jefferson Winter which I LOVE. This new book is a fast paced thriller which I promise…you won’t want to put down.

Synopsis: Imagine you are having lunch at an exclusive restaurant, filled with Hollywood’s hottest stars.

 And a masked gunman walks in and takes everyone hostage. 

You must bargain for your life against a twisted individual who knows everything about you.

 He also has a bomb set to detonate if his heart rate changes. 

If he dies. You die.

You have four hours to stay alive.

What would you do? 

Kat’s Rating: 5/5

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I Know Your Secret by Graham Smith

Synopsis: What would you do if your most intimate secrets got into the wrong hands?”

Set in modern day Cumbria, I Know Your Secret is a police thriller in which a priest is found crucified to the stone floor of his church. Fearing more attacks on the clergy, DI John Campbell and his team of misfits race to find the killer before he strikes again.

Meanwhile, DI Harry Evans, spends his days attending the trial of his wife’s rapist and his nights interfering in the investigation. 

Can they catch the killer before he strikes again?

Kat’s Rating: 5/5

Kat’s Review: I read the latest in this series with the short story ‘Matching The Evidence’. Although it’s not necessary to read it, I enjoyed having that as a buffer prior to this book as you get a feel for where the team are in terms of work etc. DI Harry Evans runs the Major Crimes Team but at the beginning of the book its clear that he is preparing to hand the reins over to DI John Campbell. Harry is also going through the harrowing task of attending the trial of his wife’s rapist and the man who he believes led to her death and the death of his child.  There are straight away two clear threads and although vastly different each had their place and kept me turning pages. 

I like DI John Campbell and he was easy to read but there is always a question mark over whether he really is okay or not (if you know what I mean). He is trying to lead a new team, with the shadow of Harry as in the teams eyes there will only ever be one leader! With the crucifixion of a Priest being the tip of the Iceberg things just keep falling upon the team which makes each job that little bit harder. On top of that you have Harry trying to to keep his calm whilst attending court, as well as involve himself in the current case the team are working on the plot threads keep coming fast and furiously. Add in the model who cries rape, along with a bunch of detectives on the team who all have their own quirks and you have an extremely complex and entertaining story.

The book picks up pace towards the second half of the book and to be honest with you I think I finished that section in one go it was so enthralling! There was nothing I could find to criticise at all and thoroughly loved this. I also noticed that on the odd rare occasion that black sense of humour belonging to Mr Smith shines through which I absolutely adored! A great story with numerous plot threads, plenty of twists and fabulously flawed characters. You couldn’t really ask for more!

One Christmas In Paris by Mandy Baggott

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Synopsis: Ava and her best friend Debs arrive in Paris just as the snow starts to fall. The Eiffel Tower glitters gold, but all Ava can think about is Leo, her no-good, cheating ex.

Debs is on a mission to make Ava smile again, and as they tour the Christmas markets, and eat their body weight in pain-au-chocolat, Ava remembers there’s more to life than men… Until they cross paths with sizzling hot, oh-so-mysterious photographer Julien, with his French accent and hazelnut eyes that seem to see right inside her.

Ava can’t ignore the intense chemistry between them, but she can’t help but feel he’s hiding something. Her fingers have been burned before and she can’t forget it, especially when her ex, Leo, starts texting again. Can Ava really trust Julien – and what exactly is his secret? 

Will Ava go home with a broken heart, or will she find true love in Paris? 

Join Ava and Julien in the most romantic city in the world this Christmas, as they discover the importance of being true to themselves, and learn how to follow their hearts.

Kat’s Rating: 5/5

Kat’s Review: Ahhhh Mandy Baggot I have become a 100 percent fan girl and your books have become the equivalent of a snuggle blanket!!! When I am feeling rubbish, or am just thoroughly fed up of the dreary Wintry mornings, I pick up one of her books and can be transported into a magical world where anything is possible. Ava is such a great character and one that is clearly beautiful but is being bullied by her crazy high maintenance mother who wants her to continue modelling which is something she loathes. When her best friend Debs decides to take a trip to Paris Ava makes a decision to go with her and completely ignore her Mother’s requests for her to take on a new assignment.

Her crazy friend Deb has her own issues, mainly her Step Dad Gary and although she is in Paris ‘working’ that doesn’t stop her dragging Ava along to investigate being single in the City. Enter Julien and his friend Didier. Julien is a fabulous character and has his own harrowing past and is currently in a dark place which he is scrabbling to get out of. When they meet somehow Julien manages to rub Ava completely up the wrong way and they have a strange few hours getting to know each other.

As Julien is trying to move on, Ava also seems to be trying to make changes to her life and it seems their meeting is the catalyst for a whole host of things that go on while Deb and Ava are in Paris. As usual Mandy Baggot has created a book packed full of lovable and laughable characters. Ava’s Mother was brilliant and I wish we had seen more of her. Debs with her crazy dress sense and use of the word ‘totes’ was also a favourite of mine. You get a real feel for the city of Paris ewhilst you are reading this and I couldn’t help but be swept along with their time there.

There are people that may say this is predictable and yes maybe it is but I absolutely loved it. Had Mandy Baggot gone against the grain and done something ridiculous like had a sad ending or killed off a lead character I would have been furious…so for me predictability isn’t always a bad thing. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, as I have all her previous ones and I cannot wait to read her next one to escape the monotony of real life!

BLOG TOUR – The Taken by Casey Kelleher

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Synopsis: Saskia Frost’s world is blown apart when her dad dies. Without any family, she’s on her own now and up to her eyeballs in her father’s debts. He owed a lot of money to some very dangerous men – Joshua and Vincent Harper. Before long, aspiring ballerina Saskia finds herself lap-dancing in a London club to survive. A club run by the infamous Harper brothers. Saskia is now their property and they’re going to make her pay every penny back. 

Teenager Lena Cona has fled a cruel and controlling marriage. She arrives in England with her newborn daughter, desperately relying on strangers for help. But she soon learns that not everyone can be trusted as she finds herself caught in the clutches of Colin Jefferies, a twisted individual obsessed by his own sinister secrets. As the sickening truth is revealed, Lena is forced to fight for her life – and her baby’s. 

When their worlds collide, Lena and Saskia form an unlikely friendship. But with the terrifying Harper brothers on their tail, as well as Lena’s vengeful and violent husband, can they escape with their lives? 

Kat’s Rating: 5/5

Continue reading “BLOG TOUR – The Taken by Casey Kelleher”