Tag: RATED 5/5

One Hot Summer by Kat French

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Synopsis: Being married to a celebrity isn’t all it’s cracked up to be, especially when that celebrity has a very public affair with his co-star…

Alice McBride is determined that the one thing she won’t lose in her marriage breakup is Borne Manor, her beloved home, but she gets more than she bargained for when she rents it out for the summer and a sexy cowboy comes to stay.

Country music star Robinson Duff has had his own share of heartbreak and needs somewhere quiet to hide out for the summer. Neither Alice nor Robinson are in any position for romance; the timing is terrible and they’re both rebounding like out of control frisbees.

Can a holiday romance help mend their broken hearts. Or will it just make things even worse when the long hot summer comes to its inevitable end?

Kat’s Rating: 6/5..oops sorry, I mean 5/5

Kat’s Review: Okay here’s a fact for you. I read a LOT of books, maybe not as much as some but certainly more than your average reader. Yes my preference is Crime, Thriller or Mystery but you need to break it up and I love nothing more than a good ol’ romantic fiction, especially if it’s funny. It’s why I’m a huge fan of people like Sue Watson. However, I admit when I started to read this and saw the cover I didn’t bother with the synopsis as I figured it would be ‘par for the course’ in this genre. Oh my, how wrong can one person be. Have you even been in a good old fashioned greasy spoon, and by the time you have finished your meal you are convinced it should be Michelin starred? Well, that’s kind of what happened to me with this book!

Alice McBride and her husband Brad start the opening chapters of this book and we see Alice sling Brad out of her beautiful marital home Borne Manor due to his wandering hands. So far so normal, except even at this point there was just something about the characters and the setting. It was so easy to read and Alice was just so normal and likeable. Seeing as her husband Brad is a reasonably well known Actor, her split is not easy and as she is recovering from it all she realises that she refuses to lose her home, so decides on a Summer Rental. 

Enter Robinson Duff, the country music star that’s had his own share of heartbreak and is getting away from it all. Now I know that so far it seems like your ordinary romantic comedy but believe me it is SO much more. The additional characters which make up the village cast had me howling at times. It contains naked painters, ex porn stars and practising witches are just the tip of the iceberg. Now don’t get me wrong it’s predictable to a point, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. Kat French has created the man of (I would have thought) every girl’s dream. I am convinced that if women created men and they were made like Robinson Duff, the world would be an easy place to live in!

If you want some fluffy, romantic, amazing writing and eye watering funny scenes then look no further. I haven’t enjoyed a book this much since I first discovered Sue Watson’s (in particular Love Lies and Lemon Cake). It is the perfect remedy to reading too much crime, a depressingly bleak British Summer and the drudge of every day life. Everything you could want and more in a book of this type and I think many will LOVE it. I know I certainly did and I will be eagerly scouring Amazon for when her next book is due. It’s official, I am now a Kat French Fan Girl!!!

Outside Looking In by Michael Wood (DCI Matilda Darke #2)

51-x44K35eL._SY346_ Synopsis: The second book in Michael Wood’s darkly compelling new crime series featuring DCI Matilda Darke. Perfect for fans of Stuart MacBride, Mark Billingham and Val McDermid.

When elderly George Rainsford goes to investigate a suspicious noise one night, the last thing he expects to find is a bloodbath. A man has been killed and a woman brutally beaten, left for dead.

The victims are Lois Craven and Kevin Hardaker – both married, but not to each other. Their spouses swear they knew nothing of the affair and, besides, they both have alibis for the attack. With nothing else to link the victims, the investigation hits a dead end.

The pressure is on for investigating officer, DCI Matilda Darke: there’s a violent killer on the loose, and it looks like her team members are the new targets. With no leads and no suspects, it’s going to take all Matilda’s wits to catch him, before he strikes again.

Kat’s Rating: 5/5 Continue reading “Outside Looking In by Michael Wood (DCI Matilda Darke #2)”

‘SUMMER AT OYSTER BAY’ BY JENNY HALE

Synopsis: They say falling in love is easy. But what if you know it’ll break your heart?

For Emily Tate, returning to her charming childhood home Oyster Bay is like coming up for air after the fast pace of her city life. At the farm her grandfather built, surrounded by sister Rachel’s chatter, Gram’s butter biscuits and the soft, white sand, Emily is reminded exactly who she is and what she holds most dear.

When Emily starts work at elegant Water’s Edge Inn, Charles Peterson, the handsome new owner, asks for her help. He wants to expand and needs Emily to teach him the local ways, so he can convince the planning commission. Emily vows to make him fall in love with her hometown, just the way it is.

At work, Charles is reserved and serious, yet once Emily has him kicking off his shoes in the sand and sailing across glistening Chesapeake Bay, she sees another side to him, and their easy rapport feels like the start of something big.

But when it becomes clear Charles’s plans for the inn involve bulldozing Oyster Bay, Emily is heartbroken. Will she lose her home and Charles all at once, or can she save Oyster Bay, and give true love a chance?

Kat’s Rating: 5/5

Kat’s Review: I have read three other Jenny Hale books which I really enjoyed so I was looking forward to reading this newest release. Thankfully Jenny has once again delivered a beautiful and heart-warming tale set in what sounds like somewhere I need to go! Emily Tate is returning to her home in Oyster Bay following 3 years living in the City. Luckily she is going to live with her Grandmother (Gram) at her childhood home and pretty soon gets to integrate herself back with family and friends. She is lucky to have secured a job at the elegant Inn at Water’s Edge and when she meets the new owner Charles Peterson the story takes a turn.

Emily is incredibly likeable, as are her Gram and sister Rachel, niece and Brother In Law Jeff. Jenny Hale has an incredibly talented way of making you feel like you are right alongside these characters in this beautiful yet small town place. Charlie Peterson is so likeable although at first he comes across as a little aloof. The other characters that feature such as Rachel, Emily’s sister also have their own story interwoven within the book which makes for another interesting take on the family.

Overall, this book has everything you could want. I found myself completely immersed and finding out more about Emily’s family really made for an absorbing and compelling read. I could see the way the story was going towards the end, but that’s exactly where I wanted it to go and I was so pleased that Jenny Hale finished the book as she did with a beautifully well fitted Epilogue. Overall I am finding Jenny Hale to be a ‘go-to’ author. One that you know you are guaranteed a great story. I cannot wait for her next book!

Little Boy Blue by M J Arlidge (Helen Grace #5)

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Synopsis: Detective Inspector Helen Grace is no stranger to tragedy. But when a body is found in a Southampton nightclub, the death cuts too close to the bone.

Hiding her personal connection to the victim – and a double-life which must remain secret at all costs – Helen becomes a woman possessed, working her team around the clock to chase down every lead.

As the killer strikes again, the investigation takes its toll not only on Helen but also her senior officers. Tempers flare, friendships fray and Helen faces an impossible choice.

Confess her sins and lose control of the case? Or keep living a lie, protecting her darkest secrets, and risk getting trapped in this tangled web?

But whatever she does, this killer will not stop until the truth is revealed: there are some fates worse than death . . .

KAT’S RATING: 5/5

KAT’S REVIEW: I have been reading the Helen Grace Series from the beginning and was so looking forward to the next installment. As soon as I started I was straight back into Helen’s world and was absorbed within a matter of a few chapters. One thing I will point out is that although you may well be able to read this as a standalone book, it is made so much better by the fact that I have been following the series. You have a real sense of the characters and their history and how each path has been crossed with other people. Helen is an outstanding character and as many readers will know she has her own secrets which will put her firmly in the firing line in this latest book.

A body is found to start us off, only this time it’s found at a Southampton nightclub which was hosting a fetish ball and as soon as Helen arrives she realises that she has her own personal connection to the murder. This alone makes for an outstanding read, but add in all the other factors such as the return of favourite characters and I knew this would be a full5 star read and I wasn’t even halfway.

Helen’s superior Gardam made for such a good thread to the story I had no idea where the story would go with it until it smacked me around the face (I didn’t see that coming). We also see Helen’s juniors Sanderson and Brooks fighting for their position as Helen’s right hand woman. The murders continue to increase and every plot thread added to the tension and ratcheted up the nerve endings. By the time the last quarter of the book was upon me, all thoughts of dinner, washing and anything else remotely house related went straight out the window. The real kicker was the ending. It was a real OMG moment and I was FURIOUS that Arlidge has left us hanging. It was so good it was bad (if you know what I mean). All I can say is I am literally on tenterhooks waiting for the next book which is due for release on 8 September 2016. An absolutely brilliant book which I think is Arlidge’s best yet and I cannot recommend this series highly enough.

Those Summer Nights by Mandy Baggott

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Synopsis: Imogen Charlton is sorted. Dead-beat husband? History. Dream job? Application sent. But then her impulsive brother, Harry, spends every last penny on a Greek restaurant in Corfu, and is determined to run it himself. It’s up to Imogen to bring him to his senses. 

When sexy millionaire Panos Dimitriou offers to buy back his family taverna, Imogen wonders if all her prayers have been answered (and all her fantasies about to come true). But Harry won’t budge, and his enthusiasm is infectious. 

Bright pink bougainvillea tumbling over whitewashed walls, endless blue skies, the sparkling Mediterranean; it’s hard not to fall for Corfu. And that’s not all Imogen is falling for… 

As the sparks of passion fly between Imogen and Panos, is Imogen having second thoughts on selling the restaurant? And will she have to choose between love and a new dream? 

Kat’s Rating: 5/5

Kat’s Review: Mandy Baggott is a relatively new author to me. I know she has been writing and publishing since 2012 but I read my first book be her not that long ago and LOVED it. I was sincerely hoping it wasn’t a fluke and YAY it wasn’t. I have finished this and decided that Corfu is definitely somewhere I need to go back to.

Imogen (Immy) and her brother Harry are close, except that Harry doesn’t have a great history and when he announces he has brought a restaurant in Corfu Immy thinks he has finally lost his marbles. She decides that the only way to make Harry realise what a mistake he has made is to go to Corfu with him and see what she can do to get him to change his mind.

Harry and Immy are such adorable characters and it’s obvious from the outset how close they are. Harry is so loveable and although it seems like his choices are impulsive it soon becomes clear that his family are the reasons behind it. Mandy Baggott has such a wonderfully descriptive narrative that I almost felt like I was settled in one of the sun loungers right next to Harry’s restaurant.

I absolutely adored Elpida who is the lady who previously owned the restaurant. When her grandson Pano turns up things are shaken from the ground up. Pano is quite frankly everything you want on a Greek God and frankly I wanted to marry him myself within a few pages of meeting him. Pano is a developer and doesn’t take kindly to Harry and Immy trying to revive his Grandmothers restaurant.

With this book comes a whole host of loveable characters and a place that frankly should take centre stage in a luxury travel brochure. The story is another wonderful read, and one that transported me to a beach that frankly I wanted to spend weeks on. I loved the fact that although we see Greece, you also get a real flavour of the traditional Greece as opposed to the tourist traps. Once again I devoured this book and am annoyed I didn’t have the patience to wait and take it on holiday with me. My next question would be…”how long do I have to wait for the next book?”.

Perfect Weddings by Lynda Renham

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Synopsis: Every bride wants a perfect wedding and that includes Georgina Winters. Amy Perfect is the crème de la crème of wedding planners so who best to plan Georgina s wedding… except the man Georgina plans to marry is the same man who jilted Amy three years ago. Will her plan to give Georgina the most imperfect wedding backfire on her? Is this the chance for Amy to win back the love of her life, or will insufferable Ben Garret put a spanner in the works? Arab princes, spoilt brides and wedding catastrophes make Perfect Weddings a page-turning romantic comedy that will keep you guessing until the very last page.

KAT’S RATING: 5/5

KAT’S REVIEW: Okay first up if you have a filthy and stupid sense of humour (such as I do) you HAVE to get this book. I have read quite a few of Lynda Renham’s books and this is without a doubt hands down the best book of hers I have read. I was feeling a bit irritated and having one of those days when I started this on my morning commute yesterday. It was finished by the time I got home and was frankly the one thing that got me through the day!

The book starts out with the worst possible scenario for a woman, in this case Amy who gets jilted at the alter. Almost immediately the characters that surround Amy are hilarious and Amy herself is a character that had me giggling from the get go. The book skips forward a few years and we meet Amy when she is finally where she wants to be. Instead of being the slightly overweight mortician who got jilted at the alter she is now a successful wedding planner who has the body to match.

Unfortunately Amy’s life goes into a full on spin when Georgina asks Amy to be her wedding planner. The only snag is that Georgina is marrying the same man who left Amy at the alter. Of course the sensible option is to turn it down, but Amy just can’t help herself. What comes next is a hillarious story of Amy trying to conceal who she is and in turn manages to involve other Brides, strange Sheikh Princes as well as her friend Rosie and on occasion her shockingly honest family.

This book truly was a joy to read. It gave me the same feeling of joy I get when I watch Bridget Jones (if you see what I mean).  There are moments in this book which literally had me belly laughing and although there will no doubt be people that criticise the author for these ‘ridiculous and unrealistic moments’, I certainly wont be one of them.  These situations Amy manages to get herself into are funny, outrageous and sometimes stupid. What made them all the more enjoyable is how normal Amy is. As a character I felt like Amy was a real ‘no holds barred’ kind of woman and the comments, quirks and scenarios we see her in felt perfect.

Not only does Amy make this a delight to read, but the other characters within it do too. Bride Chardonnay and Georgie’s friend Patsy were just two of the characters I loved. In fact there were none that I disliked. I can only cross my fingers and hope that maybe Amy, or some of the secondary characters may make an appearance in future books, and there are plenty of great characters to choose from.

Is this a book you can look back on and discuss at a book club about the hidden and wonderful meaning and morals within? Not in my opinion no. Is this a book that will make you laugh your a*se off and cheer you up no end? Yes! I will be passing this book on to all my family and friends as a MUST READ. Bravo  Lynda Renham, this is by far the best book of yours I have read and one that had me smiling right the way through…until I finished it and then felt like I had read too fast! AN absolute MUST for your to read list.

A Mother’s Secret by Renita D’Silva

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Synopsis: What if you discovered that everything you knew about yourself was a lie?

When pregnant Jaya loses her mother, then her baby son Arun in a tragic cot death, her world crashes down. Overcome by grief and guilt, she begins to search for answers – to the enigma of her lonely, distant mother, and her mysterious past in India. 

Looking through her mother’s belongings, she finds two diaries and old photographs, carrying the smoky aroma of fire. A young boy smiles out at Jaya from every photograph – and in one, a family stand proudly in front of a sprawling mansion. Who is this child? And why did her mother treasure this memento of a regal family lost to the past? 

As Jaya starts to read the diaries, their secrets lead her back to India, to the ruin of a once grand house on a hill. There, Kali, a mad old lady, will unlock the story of a devastating lie and a fire that tore a family apart. Nothing though will prepare Jaya for the house’s final revelation, which will change everything Jaya knew about herself. 

KAT’S RATING: 5/5

KAT’S REVIEW: Renita’s last book blew me away and if I’m honest I figured it may just have been that particular story. However, having devoured this latest book I now know for sure it’s the author and not just the story that makes you fall in love with a book. Durga, Kali and Jaya are all the focus of this intricately weaved story and one that I just fell in love with.

Durga is a young girl who has been sent to stay with her Grandmother who lives in a once grand house on a hill. Durga is a delightful character, a young girl who is labelled as naughty and is struggling to come to terms with her new home. However, upon arrival at her new home she sees that an older lady Kali is living there and being looked after by her grandmother. Kali is the other main character that is slowly introduced to the story. In addition we see Jaya living in London and dealing with the aftermath and emotional effects of losing her mother and newborn son.

Jaya’s story was in interesting one and as each story is unfolded at times I wondered what I was missing. I knew there were connections but just couldn’t see them. Once I was a quarter of the way in I knew I was hooked and there was no way I was putting this book down. Renita D’Silva has a way with words and as a reader you feel like she can physically transport you to that small village in India. You can see the sights, smell the spices and imagine you are right there alongside the characters.

As the story progresses I became more and more lost in this story and the connections became more and more revealed and the story just sweeps you along. The story is packed full of hope, despair, tragedy, loss and a whole host of other emotions. This is the second of Renita’s books that have literally knocked my socks off. They have such a different feel to them and I always feel that ridiculous sense of loss when the story is finished. I will hold my hands up and admit that seeing the cover and even reading the synopsis of her last book, I still thought “this isn’t for me”. Maybe that ridiculous pre-judgement makes me even more happy as the story took me by surprise. Truly a delight to read and a loss when finished. This is definitely a book I would highly recommend and I would urge you to give it a try even if it’s not your normal type of book, as it may just surprise you.

The Birds and The Bees by Milly Johnson

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Synopsis: Romance writer and single mum Stevie Honeywell has only weeks to go to her wedding when her fiancé Matthew runs off with her glamorous new friend Jo MacLean. It feels like history repeating itself for Stevie, but this time she is determined to win back her man. She isn’t going to act as he might expect. She isn’t going to wail and dig her heels in, she is simply going to pretend to let him go whilst she pursues a mad course of dieting, exercising and self-improvement.

And it feels like history is repeating itself for Adam MacLean too, who is also determined to win his lady, Jo, back with the same basic psychological tactics. Then he is going to initiate his master plan: Getting together with Stevie to drive Jo wild with jealousy.

So, like the Scottish country jig ‘The Birds and the Bees’, the couples all change partners and learn some revealing truths about each other along the way. But what happens when Adam’s master plan actually starts to work? And just who will Stevie be dancing with when the music stops?

KAT’S RATING: 5/5

KAT’S REVIEW: Oh my. Milly Johnson recently got me out of a little reading funk with her release The Teashop On The Corner. When I realised that I still had a couple of books of hers I hadn’t read I was so pleased that I immediately bumped it up my to be read list, and thank goodness I did. Stevie Honeywell is an adorable character that you cannot help from the outset. She is a writer who is just weeks away from her wedding to fiance Matthew. However, she certainly wasn’t expecting Matthew to run off with the much skinnier and more glamorous Jo Maclean.

Her friend Catherine along with her husband Eddie and their brood of children make for excellent secondary characters and we see them chivvy Stevie along so that she can move on from Matthew. However, that was before Stevie met Adam Mac Lean, Jo’s ex-partner. Adam is a really funny character to read about, with his gruff Scottish drawl and brittle exterior,, he really is a lovable bloke. With Stevie experiencing so many setbacks, her and Adam are hellbent on showing they don’t need their exes, with the sole purpose of attracting them back.

As with any Milly Johnson book it takes little to settle in and the characters you instantly like and want to know more about. Every time I read a Milly Johnson book it cheers me up and I just want to keep reading. I find myself in that horrible position of only having one of her books left to read so shall save that for my next book funk moment. This is a warm-hearted and wonderful read that will cheer you up no end.

The Teashop On The Corner by Milly Johnson

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Synopsis:  Life is full of second chances…if only you keep your heart open for them. 

Spring Hill Square is a pretty sanctuary away from the bustle of everyday life. And at its centre is Leni Merryman’s Teashop on the Corner, specialising in cake, bookish stationery and compassion. And for three people, all in need of a little TLC, it is somewhere to find a friend to lean on. 

Carla Pride has just discovered that her late husband Martin was not who she thought he was. And now she must learn to put her marriage behind her and move forward. 

Molly Jones’s ex-husband Harvey has reappeared in her life after many years, wanting to put right the wrongs of the past before it is too late. 

And Will Linton’s business has gone bust and his wife has left him to pick up the pieces. Now he needs to gather the strength to start again. 

Can all three find the comfort they are looking for in The Teashop on the Corner? And as their hearts are slowly mended by Leni, can they return the favour when she needs it most…? 

KAT’S RATING: 5/5

KAT’S REVIEW:  Prior to starting this latest Milly Johnson I was in something of a ‘book funk’. Reading on average 3-4 books a week, I suddenly found everything I picked up didn’t hold my interest. I just couldn’t get in to anything and was wondering whether I should take a few days break. However, luckily for me I persevered. Well actually what that meant was closing my eyes and tapping a page on my Kindle for a ‘Lucky Dip’. That ‘Lucky Dip’ happened to be this one by Milly Johnson and what a treat it ended up being!

Carla Pride is in a position many women may empathise with. She has been married for ten years and her husband dutifully goes off to work, while she sits at home keeping the place spic and span whilst trying to find a new job. When her husband dies suddenly she becomes much more than just a grieving widow. Finding herself in a position where she needs to start afresh she is not only nervous but apprehensive about what is in store for her.

The Teashop on The Corner is owned by Leni Merryman and soon becomes the centre stage for this story. This book doesn’t just follow one lead character but a few and its done magnificently! Will Linton has lost everything and is starting again, Molly Jones has to deal with the re-appearance of an ex-husband and all together the Teashop becomes their sanctuary. In addition characters pop up such as Sean , Ryan and Mr Singh. It doesn’t feel like you are reading about any one of them, but all of them as a whole.

I fell in love with the teashop as well as the characters in the book. Milly Johnson has always been a fantastic author who I have loved reading but I must say this book had that extra something and I couldn’t even tell you what that ‘something’ was…it was just there! Read in one day, this book not only got me out of my book funk, but transported me to a town I actually wanted to be a part of. BY the end of this book I wanted to know what happened to them after that, a girl can hope right? A truly magical read which had me smiling, crying and laughing. A highly recommended read!

For Reasons Unknown by Michael Wood (DCI Matilda Darke #1)

51YzLiJmaqL Synopsis: Two murders. Twenty years. Now the killer is back for more…

DCI Matilda Darke has returned to work after a nine month absence. A shadow of her former self, she is tasked with re-opening a cold case: the terrifyingly brutal murders of Miranda and Stefan Harkness. The only witness was their eleven-year-old son, Jonathan, who was too deeply traumatized to speak a word.

Then a dead body is discovered, and the investigation leads back to Matilda’s case. Suddenly the past and present converge, and it seems a killer may have come back for more…

Kats Rating: 5/5

My Review:

My, NOW I see what everybody was going on about! I’ve been seeing so much hype around this book but have literally been swamped with books and just haven’t had the chance. I finally got around to this and am so pleased I did. For a debut novel this was an absolute corker of a read and one that I can totally see why everybody would recommend (me included). DCI Matilda Darke isn’t just your both standard copper that has scars; it seems she is on the brink of destruction. We meet her upon her return to work. That in itself is a hardship and although the reader doesn’t quite know why, it’s very clear from the outset it won’t be an easy return to work for her.

Although Matilda has returned she is assigned with the cold case of the murders of Miranda and Stefan Harkness. A number of Matilda’s colleagues make appearances and they all seem to have their place within the story, especially DC Rory Fleming and DS Sian Mills. Her nemesis and acting DCI in her absence is Ben Hales. He makes for a loathsome character but an interesting one. As Matilda’s cold case starts to be worked on, DCI Hales catches a new investigation involving murder.

The two cases eventually collide which although easy to spot early on, made for extremely interesting reading. The plot was so well thought out and the characters just fitted right in. This book certainly doesn’t have the feel of a debut novel, more like a seasoned professional who has launched a new series. The flow, pace and depth of the story was all absolutely spot on and there was little to find fault with.

I certainly didn’t see the ending coming and although I wasn’t surprised by the turn of events it made for a compelling read. I devoured this book in just 2 sittings and certainly think I will be following this series. There is plenty of scope with characters and storylines, not just for Matilda although I admit she makes a cracking lead. I was certainly impressed by this debut and think most people if reading it with no knowledge would assume it’s from a longer standing author. This is most certainly a book I would highly recommend