Tag: Blog Tour

Blog Tour: Each Little Lie by Tom Bale

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Synopsis: Single mother Jen Cornish is just trying to hold things together for the sake of her seven-year-old son Charlie. Until the day when she does an impulsive good deed to help a neighbour, setting off a terrifying chain of events that quickly spirals out of control…

When she is arrested for a crime she didn’t commit, Jen quickly starts to wonder if someone is playing a cruel game with her – or is she losing her mind?

Desperate to clear her name with the police, she must first untangle a chilling web of lies. But someone is watching her every move – and it isn’t just Jen who is in danger.

They’re watching her child as well.

Kat’s Rating: 4/5

Kat’s Review: Jennifer Cornish is a normal single mother working a job and looking after her boy Charlie, until one day she makes a really stupid decision! What Jen thinks is a sensible a neighbourly thing to do, ends up being the thing that sets off a chain of events that puts her and her sons life in danger. The start of the book lets the reader dive straight in  and almost instantly I realised that one small mistake would not lead to anything good.

I liked Jen, even though I thought her decision was stupid. That said, I had no clue how the story would unfold and exactly what it all lead up to. Pretty soon when the police arrive at Jen’s door with all sorts of accusations things seem to spiral pretty quickly. The one element I loved about this latest was just how far the deciept went. Jen’s ex Johnny seems to be a pathetic and rather delusional character but written in a way that left me thinking he was just weak. HIs father Gerard however is a whole other ball game and a character that I think readers will love to hate.

Conspiracy and lies lay at the heart of this latest Bale book and although it has a slightly different edge to his others it was certainly no less enjoyable. His last book was a little more up my street as it seemed a lot more fast paced than this one. However, once I had reached the end I realised that this was just a different type of suspense and one that has the reader questioning every single character. Another enjoyable read and I will be interested to see what he comes up with next. Tom Bale has a rather clever edge with his writing in making it seem like the extraordinary could literally happen to the ordinary person!

Blog Tour: Curves, Kisses and Chocolate Ice Cream by Sue Watson

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Synopsis: Dani’s on a mission to get her life back on track by the end of the Summer. Running, rowing, aerobics and more, but perhaps all she needs are sweet treats and a second chance? 

Twenty years ago, Dani fled Appledore with a broken-heart and a suitcase full of shattered dreams. Only now is she brave enough to put her past behind her and return for a summer selling homemade ice-cream and getting fit by doing sit-ups by the sea. 

But the new-look cafe is filled with old memories of Jude, her teenage sweetheart-turned-sour. She thinks of him every time she swirls warm sauce onto a “chocolate-bockaglory” and even with the help of Chris, her gorgeous personal trainer, the urge to break her diet is everywhere she turns. 

When Jude makes an appearance at the cafe on the eve of Dani’s birthday party, history threatens to repeat itself. Is Dani strong enough to say no? And is the love she’s been longing for much closer than she thinks? 

Kat’s Rating: 4/5

Kat’s Review: We are back in the town of Appledore and this time we meet Dani. She left Appledore twenty years before with a broken heart and now she is back, overweight and desperate to become thinner and more fabulous in time for her fortieth birthday. Dani is a very likeable character and to be honest you just know that she is going to struggle on her weight loss challenge. The first quarter of the book really sets the scene and the reader really gets to see what Dani is up against including some very funny scenes when she attempts to go to the gym.

Once Dani is in her stride she is joined by Chris from the gym who is on a mission to help her with her plan to lose weight. It was also nice to see brief glimpses of characters from the first book set in the same town. Although these are all set around the town and the Ice Cream Cafe, each book can certainly be read as a standalone. As the story progresses you soon understand that this is the reader experiencing Dani’s journey with her, including all the pitfalls and funny moments too.

In one respect this was very different from her last book but actually that made no difference and it was nice to have such a departure. As usual Sue Watson has created a book that will lift your spirits and more importantly make you laugh. I am a huge fan, and although this may not be my favourite of hers, it’s a brilliant addition and one that I thoroughly loved. Be warned though, with the sheer descriptive deliciousness, don’t expect to NOT want to eat a number of summer deserts whilst reading. The perfect beach read that will have you laughing into your Cocktail!

BLOG TOUR: Two Sisters by Kerry Wilkinson

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Synopsis: They told us he had been missing for nearly two days, that he probably drowned. They told us a lie.

Megan was ten years old when her older brother, Zac, went missing among the cliffs, caves and beaches that surround the small seaside town of Whitecliff. 

A decade later and a car crash has claimed the lives of her parents.

Megan and her younger sister Chloe return to Whitecliff one summer for the first time since their brother’s disappearance. Megan says it’s to get her parents’ affairs in order. There are boxes to pack, junk to clear, a rundown cottage to sell. But that’s not the real reason. 

Megan has come to confront her family’s past after receiving a postcard on the day of her parents’ funeral. It had a photograph of Whitecliff on the front and a single letter on the back.

Kat’s Rating: 4/5

Kat’s Review: The opening of this book introduces us to Chloe and Megan as they return to their family home in the area of Whitecliff. Following the death of their parents, Megan suggests that the reason for their visit is to sort out their parents affairs. It becomes clear pretty quickly that the real reason is linked to the disappearance of her brother Zac when Megan was just ten years old. I have only read one other Kerry Wilkinson and enjoyed it so was looking forward to reading a standalone. The opening of the book was interesting enough but it was a little slow to get into.

Once I had settled and got over my initial niggle the story started to take some curious turns and I was a lot more engaged. The one thing that I thought was incredibly well done was the descriptive and creepy feel that Wilkinson gives to the town. That undeniable feeling that all may look okay on the surface but underneath there is a lot more bubbling away. Initially I wasn’t overly keen on Megan but as the story progressed I found her sheer determination warmed how I felt about her. Wilkinson also tackles the subject of Megans eating disorder incredibly well.

The story captured me more in the second half and I would certainly say this fits the bill as a creepy psychological thriller. By the time I got to the end I was surprised at how quickly I had read the second half of the book. This reminded me that I really must take a look at the incredibly popular series that Kerry Wilkinson writes featuring Jesssica Daniel. A thoroughly enjoyable read with plenty of grit and creep thrown in!

BLOG TOUR: THE SUMMER HOUSE BY JENNY HALE

Synopsis: Callie Weaver and best friend Olivia Dixon have finally done it: put their life savings into the beach house they admired through childhood summers, on the dazzling white sand of North Carolina’s Outer Banks. They’re going to buff the salt from its windows, paint its sun-bleached sidings, and open it as a bed and breakfast.

Callie’s too busy to think about her love life, but when she catches the attention of local heartthrob Luke Sullivan, his blue eyes and easy smile make it hard to say no. He’s heir to his father’s property empire, and the papers say he’s just another playboy, but as they laugh in the ocean waves, Callie realizes there’s more to this man than money and good looks.

Just when true happiness seems within reach, Callie and Olivia find a diary full of secrets… secrets that stretch across the island, and have the power to turn lives upside down. As Callie reads, she unravels a mystery that makes her heart drop through the floor.

Will Callie and Luke be pulled apart by the storm it unleashes, or can true love save them?

Kat’s Rating: 4/5

Kat’s Review: That picture on the front of this book, well it sums up this story perfectly. Callie Weaver has invested everything she has into the Beach house in the Outer Banks. I’m a fan of Jenny Hale and I must say that this latest book was just what the doctor ordered for me. Jenny Hale manages to do a wonderful job of describing this quaint town with it’s stunning white beaches and I could almost picture the house that Callie is renovating. Her and her childhood friend Olivia want to reopen the house as a Bed and Breakfast. Olivia’s Grandmother Glady’s lives across the way and with her help and support they start the arduous task of getting it all ready for the end of the Summer.

Callie was a reserved character but one that I liked. Her tentative attitude towards people she doesn’t know that well is endearing and as a reader it’s nice to share her journey while she takes some chances with her career as well as her personal life. Callie runs into a guy whilst out shopping and circumstances throw them together. She has no idea at first that there is more to Luke Sullivan that the press make out. To the press he is just a Playboy and a man who seemingly does little more than flaunt his wealth. At first I have to be honest and say I wasn’t overly enamoured with Luke, but as the story progresses you soon see there is a lot more to him than meets the eye.

Callie’s story also sees her stumble across something that could tear people’s lives apart and she doubts what she should do. I loved reading about Callie and Olivia’s friendship and although Callie was the lead character it was nice to see Olivia’s life changing too in the background. The story progresses and eventually Callie realises that she needs to take a huge chance and just wonders whether in doing so she will jeopardise everything she has worked for.

Overall this was a hugely enjoyable book and would make a perfect beach read. Jenny Hale has managed to capture my attention with every book she has written and manages to take me away from it all, so much so I could almost imagine standing on that beach. Her last book remains my all time favourite but this was still a great read and an author I would highly recommend.

BLOG TOUR: Her Last Breath by Robert Bryndza (Erika Foster #4)

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Synopsis: When the tortured body of a young woman is found in a dumpster, her eyes swollen shut and her clothes soaked with blood, Detective Erika Foster is one of the first at the crime scene. The trouble is, this time, it’s not her case. 

While she fights to secure her place on the investigation team, Erika can’t help but get involved and quickly finds a link to the unsolved murder of a woman four months earlier. Dumped in a similar location, both women have identical wounds – a fatal incision to their femoral artery. 

Stalking his victims online, the killer is preying on young pretty women using a fake identity. How will Erika catch a murderer who doesn’t seem to exist? 

Then another girl is abducted while waiting for a date. Erika and her team must get to her before she becomes another dead victim, and, come face to face with a terrifyingly sadistic individual.

Kat’s Rating: 4/5

Continue reading “BLOG TOUR: Her Last Breath by Robert Bryndza (Erika Foster #4)”

Blog Tour: A Wedding In Italy by Tilly Tennant

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Synopsis: Kate is living the dream with her gorgeous boyfriend Alessandro in his native city, but the reality is sometimes a little less romantic than she’d hoped. Every day in her new home is a fight against leaking pipes, her cantankerous landlord and her less-than-perfect grasp of the Italian lingo. 

All around her there is talk of weddings, but when a secret from her past is thrust out into the open, Kate must fight to prove to Alessandro’s Mamma – and the rest of his formidable family – that she truly is Italian marriage material. 

With the women in Alessandro’s life on a mission to break them apart, the cracks begin to show and Kate starts to question if Alessandro really is the man of her dreams. Can love and the city of romance conquer all, or is that just a fairy-tale?

Kat’s Rating: 4/5

Kat’s Review: I was SO thrilled there was another Tilly Tennant book out but almost passed out in excitement when I realised this was a follow up to ‘Rome Is Where The Heart Is’. I dived right in and instantly fell in love all over again with the characters. Kate is now living the dream in Rome and her boyfriend Alessandro is there to support her all the way. However, it’s pretty clear that things haven’t quite gone as swimmingly as she had hoped and it isn’t long before you start to see Kate’s normally positive outlook start to diminish.

Kate was hoping that her dressmaking business would have taken off, however somehow she mas managed to get lumbered making dresses for her Landlords wife for less than she is meant to. On top of that she still hasn’t grasped the Italian language enough, she has a hard time trying to please all of the family and to top it all off she now has worries about some of the non family female members that seem to spend a lot of time with Alessandro.

Although things aren’t quite what she thought you cannot help but fall in love with Kate, she is so sunny and upbeat and there is an inate kindness about her. What adds to the story are Alessandro’s family who all have their own ways but undoubtedly make the story line so much richer. Lucetta (Alessandro’s sister) get’s married which means not only does Kate get to experience an Italian family wedding first hand, but she gets to meet Alessandro’s extended family too. We also in this latest story get to meet up with Jamie who was instrumental in book 1 and I was so pleased to see him back, albeit not for long!

This story was SO enjoyable because in true style Tilly takes you into the heart of the Conti family and you almost feel part of the furniture. Kate and Alessandro along with the family make for such a warm and inviting book that I hope we get to see them again as they are SO much fun.

BLOG TOUR: Don’t Look Behind You by Mel Sherratt (Eden Berrisford #2_

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Synopsis: She got into bed but sleep didn’t come easily. Every creak in the house made her alert. She was waiting for him to come and get her.

The small city of Stockleigh is in shock as three women are brutally attacked within days of each other. Are they random acts of violence or is there a link between the victims? For Detective Eden Berrisford, it’s her most chilling case yet. 

The investigation leads Eden to cross paths with Carla, a woman trying to rebuild her life after her marriage to a cruel and abusive man ended in unimaginable tragedy. Her husband Ryan was imprisoned for his crimes but, now he’s out and coming for her. 

As Eden starts to close in on the attacker, she also puts herself in grave danger. Can she stop him before he strikes again? And can Carla, terrified for her life, save herself – before the past wreaks a terrible revenge? 

Kat’s Rating: 4/5

Kat’s Review: We are finally back for the second installment featuring Eden Berrisford, and thankfully we didn’t have that long to wait! I really enjoyed the first in this series and was looking forward to seeing where Eden was at now. The one thing that struck me with the first book was that I didn’t really thing I got that much of an insight into Eden’s personal life. Sure we got the overview, but by the end of the first book I still wasn’t entirely sure what I thought of her, and I certainly wasn’t sure what sort or character she would turn out to be. It felt like we had only scratched the surface. Again this book takes back another layer, but I am still at the end of this book keen to know more about the lady herself. I have come to the conclusion though, that I am massively biased as my favourite character of Mel Sherratt’s has always been Allie Shenton!

This latest book brings you some uncomfortable reading material, but one that makes for a compelling read. There are a few stand out characters, and Carla is one such character. A woman who is trying to rebuild her life following the breakdown of her marriage to a violent and abusive man. That is just the tip of the iceberg for Carla and as event unfold in the book, events in Carla’s past also unfold bringing about an understanding as to why she has got to the situation she currently finds herself in.

Eden and her team are meanwhile trying to catch the perpetrator if some vicious attacks on the women in the area. Each attach becomes more brutal and violent and Eden and the team are left trying to work out what attacks are linked, if any and if they are then the need to find the person responsible. Eden’s team consist of a good bunch but actually the addition of the old school and almost neanderthal colleague Phil was actually a character that by the end, I was hoping would make a repeat appearance. However the characters within Eden’s team are all written in such a way it seems they are all meant to be together, so I look forward to seeing them all in the next installment,

There is a lot of violence surrounding domestic abuse and obviously the attacks on women add to that general theme of the book so sometimes it doesn’t make for light reading that’s for sure, but it certainly has the desired effect of putting an edge to every element of the story. This latest book was a thoroughly enjoyable read and I especially loved seeing a bit more about Eden’s home life, however I have a sneaking suspicion that with all that has gone on in this book, the next one will reveal even more. Another great series buy Mel Sheratt, although I have to confess it still doesn’t quite live up to the Allie Shenton books for me.

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)”

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

Continue reading “BLOG TOUR: THE KILLING GAME BY JS CAROL”

Blog Tour: All Fall Down by Tom Bale

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Synopsis: It should have been an idyllic day for the Turner family – until a dying man, beaten beyond all recognition, arrives at their home, uttering the words, HELP ME. 

Rob and Wendy Turner and their children try to explain away the horrific scene as being in the wrong place at the wrong time, but in the days that follow their lives are threatened in ways they could never imagine. 

The family is unaware that they are being watched by someone with their own terrifying agenda, who will stop at nothing to fulfil their own twisted desires. 

But when hidden secrets come rushing to the surface, it’s clear not everything is as it seems in this happy family. Are the Turners a victim of circumstance – or does the key to their fate lie closer to home? 

Forced to fight for everything they hold dear, can they save themselves before time runs out – or will their act of compassion see them paying the ultimate price…? 

Kat’s Rating: 4/5

Kat’s Review: I thoroughly enjoyed Tom Bales last book and was looking forward to this one after reading the synopsis. It took me a few chapters to get into the story but thankfully the pace notched from 0 to 100 in a matter of pages and pretty much stayed there the whole time. A normal family having a BBQ, and all it took was for a man to stumble through their back gate, beaten and dying and that was the beginning of the end for the Turner family.

Rob and Wendy along with their three children  become the targets in a bizarre and terrifying twist of fate, or is it? There’s something intricately clever with Bale’s writing and he managed to pack in plenty of heart in mouth moments. The story races along and gains even more momentum as the family starts to crumble under the pressure of their situation. The family know they are being watched, and little by little their own secrets are revealed.

Just when I wondered why the story was slowing, I realised it was just a reprieve before the author plunges you into new depths of horror for this relatively normal family. The second half of the book is pretty heart pounding and the terror jumps up another notch for the Turner family. I think I managed to read the second half of the book in one sitting and my heart was definitely pounding.

I think Tom Bale has a definite strength with turning the ordinary into somebody’s worst nightmare. This latest instalment had everything the last book had and certainly kept me turning the pages. Why the 4 stars and not the 5 then? Well in all honesty the only thing that didn’t sit right with me was the ending. Somehow, it didn’t fit as well as what I had expected it to and I felt like I didn’t get the closure you normally get with the end of these sorts of books. Maybe that was his intention, but it put a bit of a dampener on it for me. Aside from that I can see Tom Bale rising in popularity and gaining a whole new army of fans with this latest release, He is certainly a ‘go-to’ author for me now and I can’t wait to see what he produces next.