No One Left To Tell by Karen Rose (Baltimore #2)

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My Rating: 5/5

One thing I want to make clear is that this book along with all of Karen Rose books falls under the genre of Romantic Suspense. Now I am a fan of both romance and crime so the mix of the two doesn’t bother me at all. For those that want zero romance, you may want to look elsewhere. For those that, like me, quite like that element of the book then get yourselves out and get a copy of her latest release.

No One Left To Tell starts as it means to go on when we see Paige Holden make her way to a pro bono clients house. The story starts with a bang as Paige witnesses Elena Munoz gunned down and while Paige is trying to save her, Elena whispers in her ear and sets off the chain reaction that will turn her life upside down.

Paige as a character is very easy to like, a lady that has her own past and is trying to make a fresh start in a new city. When Elena Munoz dies, Paige is determined to get to the bottom of the secrets she was holding. We also meet Grayson Smith, who also has his own secrets but has made a success of himself as an attorney.

Paige meets Grayson and together they try to piece together the evidence they have and set about finding the killer for numerous murders. This book, even by Karen Rose standards was quite a long one but this one seemed more intricate in detail. The storyline keeps expanding with new possibilities and leads at every corner.

At just over the halfway mark I couldn’t put it down, and although it got more and more complicated and dangerous I just had to keep reading. The list of crimes that they uncover, seem get longer by the hour with murder, corruption and suicides to name a few.

As usual we also get to meet a whole host of other characters such as Grayson’s family along with some familiar faces. One of the things I love about Karen Rose books is that I have read them all so the feature of some characters is an added bonus for me. We get to see Detective Stevie Mazzetti, Investigator Clay Maynard and Dr Lucy Trask who all feature in other books.

The pace is kept up from start to finish and although the book is lengthy it kept my interest from the first page to the very last. This book is a fine example of Karen Rose’s brilliant writing. Once again, I will have to wait impatiently for the next instalment.

Me Before You by Jojo Moyes

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My Rating: 5/5

Well, having never read a Jo Jo Moyes book, I wasn’t sure what to expect and what I got was certainly not what I expected. The story is not one I that instantly attracts a reader as it subject matter could be looked upon as depressing. Will Traynor is larger than life until life deals him a bad hand and he is involved in an accident leaving him a quadriplegic. Will has all but given up on life until Lou Clark enters it.

Lou Clark is an adorable character from the very beginning. She is a young girl that has lost her job in the small village that she works in and is looking for a new one. When she is offered the job of being a carer, she isn’t sure that the job is for her but decides to give it a go anyway. The relationship between Will and Lou had me laughing out loud, and I must say I wasn’t expecting the humorous side to the story. However, Jo has managed to deal with the issue of Will’s disability with such sensitivity.

Lou is determined to make Will see that life is worth living no matter what your situation. This book was one that I couldn’t put down. I started it at lunchtime and by the end of the evening it was finished. The book was absolutely gripping. I was really part of Lou’s mission and fell in love with all of the characters (including Lou’s family). The ending wasn’t what I expected and the book had me both laughing and getting teary at the same time.

My first Jo Jo Moyes has set the bar and I cannot wait to read another one of her books. I would highly recommend this book but just make sure if you are of a weepy disposition you have the tissues at the ready.

Death Bed by Leigh Russell (Geraldine Steel #4)

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My Rating: 4/5

I have read each of the books in this series and was looking forward to this one which is book 4 of the series. However, with the relocation of Geraldine to London I found myself feeling like we were back at the beginning in a certain sense.

After finishing book 3 which I loved and rated a full 5 out of 5, I had high expectations and I think the new setting may have thrown me slightly. Geraldine is once again on uncertain ground as she tries to get to grips with her new role and new colleagues. I loved Ian Peterson, an ex-colleague of Geraldine’s but found myself being introduced to a new sergeant that she will be working with (who I am undecided about at the moment).

When Geraldine is assigned to work on a case, she doesn’t realise the potential media impact, as the case could have a racist element to it. The story itself was as usual a good one, and the descriptive gruesomeness of some scenes was brilliant. However, I think that after finishing this book there were some elements missing. I feel like just as I was getting to know characters and Geraldine’s setting, we are thrown in with new settings and characters which made me feel like it was harder work than it should have been.

I also think that because of all of that, the actual crimes that were taking place seemed to take a bit of a back seat for me. Towards the end of the book the pace was picked up, but there was an element of it being wrapped up too neatly at the end for my liking.

Overall, I enjoyed the book and loved re-visiting a character I have grown to look forward to reading about. I just wish that I didn’t feel like we have gone back a few steps with the character, and can only hope that I grow to like Geraldine’s new colleagues as much as the old!

I Heart Vegas by Lindsey Kelk (I Heart #4)

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My Rating: 5/5

I just love Lindsey Kelk’s writing. She has a very funny way of putting characters across and Angela Clark is a perfect example of that. The I Heart series started with I Heart New York, followed by I Heart Hollywood and then I Heart Paris. Her latest release I Heart Vegas features Angel and her pals as she seems to get herself in a pickle.

The first I Heart Book I read I enjoyed but wasn’t overly in love with. Fast forward to today, the day I completed I Heart Vegas and you will find a woman that is slightly in love with Angela Clarke, and wants her very own Angela for Christmas!!!

For people who haven’t read previous books in the series, it doesn’t matter you could still pick this book up and read it no worries. But if like me you want to get to know the characters and the story behind Angela ending up in New York then start at the beginning of the series.

By this point in Angela’s life she is living in New York with her boyfriend Alex and things are going swimmingly. There is however one sticking point, and a rather major one at that. Angela’s visa has expired and as she’s no longer working it’s a bit of a problem. The first few chapters of the book were amusing but not rip roaringly funny, but it was fun to see Angela get herself into all sorts of trouble (as usual) while she tries desperately to appear as if everything is okay to Alex. When her friend Jenny decides that a weekend trip to Vegas is the way to cheer them up, she has no idea what will end up happening.

At this point in the book the humour goes from amusing, to cringe-worthy embarrassment but laugh out loud funny. Angela’s friend Jenny is a rude, brash and very outgoing sort of girl and the two of them together get themselves into some very awkward situations. The theme behinds the whole story makes for great reading and although Angela is a hopeless case you can’t help wishing that everything works out okay for her.

By the last part of the book I literally couldn’t put it down and just had to go right through to the end. This sort of read is classic chick lit. The mix of two girls on a crazy weekend in Vegas, especially with the stunts they manage to pull off as well as the romance behind the story made for a fabulous read and possibly the best in the I Heart series.

The only downside is that I have to wait impatiently for the next instalment some time next year entitled I Heart London.

Here Come The Girls by Milly Johnson

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My Rating: 5/5

Having read and enjoyed my first Milly Johnson Book An Autumn Crush, I was really looking forward to reading another. The front covers of her books manage to catch my attention because they are always nice and bright and look inviting. This one was no different, only this time I didn¡¦t realise I would enjoy the book even more than the last one!

In the beginning of the book we meet Ven, Olive and Roz. Three women that are complete opposites but are the best of friends. I immediately loved Olive and Ven but found myself disliking Roz. The story was so easy to pick up and I found myself immersed in the women¡¦s lives. Olive¡¦s lazy husband and hideous mother in law made for funny reading and Roz¡¦s husband Manus I adored, and immediately this made me dislike Roz even more.

When the Olive and Roz are surprised by Ven with a trip of a lifetime, both of them are pretty surprised. Their dream of taking a cruise before they hit forty seems to finally be a reality. When Olive and Roz both agree, they are in for a shock when they realise that the forth member of their original gang from school is on the boat too.

We meet Frankie later in the book but she was a brilliant character and it became apparent very early on that a lot of the issues were surrounding a past event. This made the book even more readable to have a major event affecting all the girls in different ways. By the end of the book, I loved all the women and the ending was absolute magic!

The book itself literally made me feel like I was in the ladies suitcase. Having never been on a cruise, by the end of the book I felt like I needed to immediately go and book myself on one. This book encompasses everything I want in a chick lit book with the added bonus of the writing being effortless making it a joy to read. There is lost of love, tears and laughter as you join the ladies on a cruise that will literally change their lives. There was only one negative to this book (I know this is ridiculous but¡K) every time I picked it up I couldn¡¦t stop humming that irritating theme tune from the advert on the TV !

I was surprised that this book was so good, and I don¡¦t mean that badly. I expected it to be good; I just didn¡¦t expect it to be brilliant. However, brilliant is the perfect word for it. An absolute must have for a beach read! Roll on with the next MJ book!

Happily Ever After by Harriet Evans

My Rating: 3/5

I read a book by Harriet Evans earlier in the year and thoroughly enjoyed it. I was looking forward to reading her latest book but wasn’t prepared for the bumper book that landed on my doorstep. At 420 pages it’s certainly a hefty book but that didn’t put me off at all.

The book starts off early in Elle’s life when she was a young girl and then quickly moves to her starting out her working life doing the one thing she loves; books! Elle is a character that if I am being honest I didn’t warm to straight away. Her life is made so complicate by her incessant need to worry about everything. She comes across as a very naïve girl trying to make her way amongst the other more glamorous women working in publishing.

Her boss Rory was also a character that I didn’t particularly like, although that didn’t change throughout the book. The story was interesting and Harriet Evans writing style is very easy to read. However, the first part of the book was set in 1997 and then there was a jump to a few years later as we literally see Elle grow up.

As each section of the book takes us to a point further in Elle’s life, I admit I liked her a little more, but her life itself left a lot to be desired. Some of the other characters in the book stuck around for longer than others but only one or two stuck out for me. Elle’s friend Tom was a nice guy, as was Sam her flatmate, but the rest just didn’t sit well with me.

The further into the book I got the more I enjoyed it, but towards the end which took place in 2008 over ten years later I felt like the story hadn’t quite taken the turn I expected. The story held interest for me, and I actually liked the fact that we see Elle grow up but by the time I finished I wasn’t quite sure how I felt. Did I enjoy it? Yes. Would I read more of Harriet Evans books? Yes, definitely? Well then why was I still unsure? That I don’t actually know, but can only say that maybe I felt something was missing. Overall a good read but certainly not a favourite for me.

Gone For Good by Harlan Coben

My Rating: 4/5

 I have read one of Harlan Coben’s stand alone novels, albeit some time ago, and am slowly working my way through his back catalogue. In this book we meet Will Klein and I found that it didn’t take long for me to like him. What also became apparent pretty quickly was that Will Klein is an ordinary bloke. He isn’t somebody who can ruthlessly take down bad guys and he isn’t a brooding lead character that has an issue with authority. In other words, a welcome change from the ordinary leading male cop type character!

The story itself is quite interesting and before long you realise that the disappearance of Will’s girlfriend is far from ordinary. There is also the added plot thread that includes the disappearance of Wills brother who is trhe main suspect in the murder of Julie Miller 11 years prior.

One of the things that really struck me with the Myron Bolitar series of books was the great characters, this book was no different. Will Klein’s friend Squares is a brilliant added character and I found that I would have like to have actually seen more of him in the book. Even with that as a negative this book was still an absolutely brilliant read.

Towards the end I found myself reading even quicker and I must say that the last few chapters had many twists and surprises in store which I absolutely loved. All in all it was another winner from Harlan Coben.

Prima Donna by Karen Swan

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My Rating: 5/5

Well, well, well. Just what a fool I have been, as this book has been on my to read pile for an age and I was silly to have not picked it up sooner. I don’t know why, it looks like quite a hefty read and if I’m honest, reading the synopsis, the world of the ballerina didn’t quite seem `me’. Well, I am certainly paying for that mistake now! I have already ordered Karen Swan’s other two books and am looking forward to reading them.

Karen Swan’s debut novel entitled Players was released in 2010 and her follow up Prima Donna in 2011. I think you could say her genre was more Bonkbuster than Chick Lit and her front cover of this book certainly didn’t do the book justice.

We meet Pia Soto who is a world class ballerina and the sort of character you just love to hate. She is spoiled, wealthy, and a complete pain to work with. Her assistant Sophie is the plain but talented Irish PA to the star and her polar opposite.

When a tragedy occurs neither of them realise the extent their lives will change. Enter Will Silk, the smooth and very manipulative man who is determined to win over the famous Pia Soto. Will Silk was also another character I loved to loathe but these people were so absorbing that I literally couldn’t put the book down.

The story itself moves along at a brilliant pace with lots of drama and many other characters coming into play. The story is also taken to different parts of the world as each character deals with their own situation. At around the halfway mark things really start to hot up and I found that I read the second half of the book in one sitting.

The added bonus for me was the rather big plot twist towards the end (which I didn’t see coming) and the fact that I really did grow to like Pia by the end of the story. All in all I was shocked by just how absorbing this book was and I cannot recommend it highly enough. First class read!

I’m Watching You by Karen Rose (Chicago #2)

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My Rating: 3/5

One thing that tends to irritate me is people that read a book and then complain about the content, it’s either too romantic, or doesn’t have enough. Karen Rose writes romantic suspense, the giveaway is in the description! Having read most of Karen’s books, there are still a couple I haven’t got around to reading and this was one of them.

It doesn’t take long to get down to the nitty gritty of the crux of the story. We are introduced to Kristen Mayhew who has a chance meeting with Abe Reagan in a car park and discovers a gruesome find in the boot of her car. It becomes apparent pretty early on that this killer is intent of proving himself and Kristen is right in the middle of it.

The characters are easy to get to grips with and Kristen, although pretty tightly sprung was quite vulnerable and likeable early on. Abe Reagan was another matter, but after another few chapters I began to understand his background and warmed to him too.

The story was quite gripping and we see the killers’ perspective as he plots his next murder. However, having read most of her newer stuff, coming back to her second published book there was a marked difference. Karen Rose most definitely has some serious talent. However, I realised at the halfway point that my interest was leaning more towards the romantic side of the book; certainly not what I am used to when reading this sort of thing. I think that on reflection, in the early days the balance wasn’t quite there and in more recent books the balance is just right.

Having said all of that the book was definitely a page turner and kept me reading until the very end. I liked the fact that were a few plot twists and to be perfectly honest I thought the romantic side was brilliant (just not everybody’s cup of tea). The additional characters such as Mia (Abe’s partner) and the Reagan family added some much needed interest to the story as we see the interactions with everybody change. I especially liked the progression of Mia and Abe as partners and thought she was a great supporting character. This certainly wasn’t Karen Rose’s best work, but is definitely still a page turner and an enjoyable read. 

Bad Moon Rising by Sheila Quigley (Seahills #2)

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My Rating: 3/5

Sheila Quigley is still a relatively new author to me and I only recently finished her first book in the series featuring Detective Inspector Lorraine Hunt. In the first book we meet Lorraine as well as some of her colleagues she works with such as Carter, Luke and Sara. We also see featured some of the Lumsdon family who were in the first book.

The one thing I liked about reading book two is that I already have a feel for the area and the characters and how they interact with each other. I know Lorraine’s feelings on certain people which makes me feel like I know the characters that little bit more. Having said that, it certainly isn’t necessary to read the first book as this book gives you adequate background.

The story itself sees Lorraine and her team tackling a series of murders at a time when the town is preparing for an annual event called Feast Week. There is also an interesting second thread concerning a missing young girl which made for an interesting take on all the things happening in the town.

The book, as with the first one, was very easy to read and there was plenty going on. However, this one was not as good as the first on, although I can tell you I will certainly be buying book 3! The one thing that irritated me in this book was Lorraine trying to deal with her feelings for a certain fella’. This is a woman who has numerous jobs to juggle and murders to solve, yet when it comes to a man, she seems to become a simpering wreck? That aside, the story was great and the writing style good enough to keep me turning the pages.

One thing that readers should know is that the book and characters are from the north of England, so Sheila Quigley has written the narrative exactly as the dialect is spoken. It certainly doesn’t bother me and I think adds to the realism of the people; however some may find it a little hard work. Although I didn’t think the story was as good as the first, Sheila Quigley has me hooked on these characters and I am looking forward to the third book in the series.