Tag: RATED 5/5

Don’t Want To Miss A Thing by Jill Mansell

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My Rating: 5/5

Meet Molly Hayes who lives in the dreamy village of Briarwood in the Cotswolds. She works drawing a cartoon strip for a paper and helps out at her friend’s café in the Village. Her love life is something of a shambles and she always making the wrong decisions. Meanwhile Dexter Yates is a handsome bachelor who is living the party lifestyle in London. Surrounded by women who fall at his feet and partying with his friends his life is just as it should be. Overnight, Dexter’s life changes when his sister dies tragically in an accident. When he discovers that his sister has left him as the sole guardian of her 8 month old daughter Delphi he has no idea where to start.

It took me a mere three chapters to fall in love with the calm but bad decision maker Molly. Easy to like, she is the sort of girl that you instantly warm to. I also loved the village she lived in and the characters that made it up. Dexter was also an easy to love character which makes a book so much more enjoyable. One of the more interesting themes to the book was the childcare aspect of it. A young, free and single man attempting to look after a young child, is both sad and at time hilarious. Jill Mansell has a way with words which is why she is still writing such successful books 20 years on. The writing flows easily and you are drawn into the story and see both characters progress. There are certainly some serious moments in the book, but along side that is balanced nicely with some characters that are so colourful they made me chuckle to see what they get up to. In addition to Molly and Dexter, the reader meets lots of other villagers that are drawn into the story in one way or another. Each person added another layer to the book and although my focus was firmly on Molly and Dexter, I loved the sideline stories going on in the background.

I have been reading Jill Mansell books since my teenage years and don’t get me wrong I haven’t thought every book was 5 stars, but I have never felt let down with one of her books. This newest release was a wonderful read that had me absorbed from start to finish. Many will say that the storyline is predictable, but to be honest if the story didn’t have the predictability and threw me a horrible curveball, maybe I wouldn’t like it as much 🙂 This was an absolutely wonderful read and I think that Jill Mansell’s fans will as usual be thrilled with it. As usual, I will be waiting patiently for her next book and would highly recommend this one!

The One Plus One by Jojo Moyes

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My Rating: 5/5

Synopsis: One single mum

With two jobs and two children, Jess Thomas does her best day after day. But it’s hard on your own. And sometimes you take risks you shouldn’t. Because you have to . . .

One chaotic family

Jess’s gifted, quirky daughter Tanzie is brilliant with numbers, but without a helping hand she’ll never get the chance to shine. And Nicky, Jess’s teenage stepson, can’t fight the bullies alone. 

Sometimes Jess feels like they’re sinking . . .

One handsome stranger

Into their lives comes Ed Nicholls, a man whose life is in chaos, and who is running from a deeply uncertain future. But he has time on his hands. He knows what it’s like to be lonely. And he wants to help . . .

One unexpected love story

The One Plus One is a captivating and unconventional romance from Jojo Moyes about two lost souls meeting in the most unlikely circumstances

My Review: I have to say that I started reading this one lunchtime and by the end of my hour, had managed to plough through the first quarter of the book. I also finished it that very night and was left feeling like Jojo Moyes seems to be an author I really should be reading more of! Jess was a character that I instantly liked, and as a single Mum struggling to make ends meets it was a familiar story. Her two kids Tanzie and her Stepson Nicky were also instantly likeable. We read a few chapters from each persons perspective which really helped you understand what they were going through.

Tanzie was such a sweetheart and as a maths genius, when Jess gets the opportunity to give her a head start she decides to take a chance. At this point Jess life seems to unravel pretty quickly and before she knows it she is in deep water. On the other side of the coin we meet Ed Nicholls whose own life seems to be falling apart and as he battles to sort his own issues out, he and Jess have a chance meeting.

What follows this chance meeting is a brilliant story about this unusual foursome and the journey they take (to say any more would spoil it). We see various plot lines covered such as bullying and I really liked the way it was dealt with in the story (genius), unemployment, romance, chaos, and most of all what real life is all about! We see the highs and lows for both Jess and Ed and we see two kids with their own issues deal with them in their own way. What I will tell you is that I loved all the characters, loved the storyline, loved the writing and was so gutted when I finished the book. It had everything a book should have and kept me reading to the very last page. An absolute joy to read and a book I would highly recommend!

Lock and Load by Sean Black (Ryan Lock Short Story)

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Fresh from a stint undercover in Pelican Bay Supermax prison in Northern California, close protection operative Ryan Lock and his business partner, Ty Johnson, are in Los Angeles, tasked with protecting a young Hollywood actress from an abusive movie star boyfriend who refuses to accept that their relationship is over. But as Lock knows only too well, and Ty is about to learn, keeping someone safe from harm can be harder than it looks, and damage can come in unexpected forms.

My Rating: 5/5

Kat’s Review: People who have read my previous reviews will know that I have a bit of a character crush with Ryan Lock the man featured in the series of books written by Sean Black. I discovered his books from the first release and have not been let down once since then. His series of books featuring Ryan Lock and his partner Ty are absolutely brilliant. Sean Black has managed to integrate himself with the other major Crime players out there such as Coben, Lee Child etc. When I realised that he had released a short story in the Lock series I immediately downloaded it onto my Kindle.

Yesterday lunchtime I settled with my lunch and began to read. It took me less than a chapter to be thrown back with Lock and Ty. This short story features them protecting a young Hollywood actress from her rather violent and abusive Movie star boyfriend. As usual Lock and Ty fall into their usual banter and it was like seeing old friends again. This book does however (I am almost positive) go back in time a little bit to just before Gridlock. People who have been reading the series will probably have noticed this too. Don’t get me wrong it didn’t make the story any less enjoyable, it just threw me slightly!

The only problem I had with this, and it’s a major problem for me, is that it was finished by the time my lunch break came to an end! For this reason alone I was not a happy bunny. I do believe Sean that you are a bit of a tease! How dare you flaunt my favourite lead male character and then whip him away again!?!? All I can do is console myself with the fact that a new book in the series should be due next year. For all those Lock fans this is a little teaser, and people that haven’t read the series, a cheaper way to try before you buy if you like. I don’t think you will be disappointed! <sighs heavily> I guess I will wait with baited breath until the next release before I get too excited again.

Losing You by Susan Lewis

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My Rating: 5/5

I have read the majority of Susan Lewis’ books and there aren’t many that I don’t enjoy. She varies the topic but generally isn’t frightened of dealing with sensitive topics. This book is no different and I knew from the synopsis that this may well be a sad story. This story introduces us to Lauren Scott who is a bright and talented young girl with the world at her feet, and her mother Emma who is very close with her daughter. The beginning of the book is a bit of a slow burner as we learn about Emma and Lauren’s lives in more detail. It turns out that Lauren is musically talented and is a well behaved and thoughtful daughter. Susan Lewis writing style is very easy to get along with although I must say even I began to wonder when the story was going to start moving along at the early stage of the book.

Thankfully, as soon as the story slipped up a gear it engaged me right until the very end. On the other side of this story we meet Oliver Lomax and his brother and father, each of whom are struggling with various aspects of their life mainly brought about by Oliver’s mother who is an alcoholic. The story builds up to a point where both families are brought together following a tragic accident. At this point I don’t think I stopped reading until I was finished. Lauren initially seems like the perfect daughter and it was easy reading seeing how much Emma trusted her. However, before long the reader begins to realise that all is not as it seems. Oliver and his family are also very easy to read about and I couldn’t help feeling such empathy for a family that have to deal with the day to day troubles of alcoholism. Susan Lewis tackles this subject with startling clarity but also sensitivity.

The second half of the book was outstanding and was a real testament to why Susan Lewis is so successful. I am not a particularly emotional person but must say that I can see why some people will find this book to be a bit of a tear jerker. The events that go on I think are just a drop in the ocean compared to the amount of times this sort of thing happens in real life I would imagine. I think this was what made it such a compelling read. I certainly think Susan Lewis fans won’t be disappointed, but be warned please don’t give up on this book. Give it a chance, because once it gets going it’s a brilliant book!

The Follow by Paul Grzegorzek (Gareth Bell #1)

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My Rating: 5/5

This latest book was a self-published book by Paul G (the surname is too long to keep typing!) and had been in my `to read’ list for months and months. I finally got around to it recently and at only a few chapters in I was regretting not having read it sooner. The first thing that struck me is how similar it was to Peter James books. Not in a bad way, but that great feeling you get when you start a James book knowing it’s going to be good!

Gareth Bell is a copper in Brighton and is working with the Drug Squad. The job is run of the mill for him until his partner gets stabbed by the psychopathic dealer Quentin Davey. The case then becomes personal for him. Added to the fact his partner was stabbed, Davey walks away from court without so much as a slap on the wrist. Gareth decides then and there to take matters into his own hands.

Gareth is an incredibly likeable character, and although he’s a copper he’s pretty ‘normal’. Don’t get me wrong he can handle himself but he’s not a walking talking killing machine like many other characters you can read about! It made a refreshing change to see a character that is a bog standard copper doing what I think many coppers would love to do, but wouldn’t risk their career for!

The story itself had me hooked in and the writing style was easy to get sucked into and I found myself irritated that not only had I not read it sooner, but that he doesn’t yet have a second book out (very disappointed)! The one thing that was maybe a little different with this book to others is the sheer detail at what police have to endure. You can tell that Paul speaks from experience and it makes the reading experience that little bit better. It was almost like I did a bit of work experience with Brighton police.

This book is an absolute bargain at just over a nicker and a half (£1.50 for those that will no doubt ask) on Amazon for the Kindle. If you are a Peter James fan you will love this book. My only disappointment is that a Publisher has not snapped him up and demanded he write a follow up immediately if not sooner. First class debut!

Fat Girls and Fairy Cakes by Sue Watson

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My Rating: 5/5

As many of you already know I read a LOT of books. Sadly, there are many writers out there who are great, but just don’t get the chance as the competition is fierce and us readers can be a critical bunch! Every now and then the same author’s debut novels keep popping up and somewhere along the line Sue Watson’s name came up to the point I clicked on the author page. When I read her paragraph on her author page, it kind of made my mind up that I really wanted to give her book a go.

Overweight TV Producer Stella is currently working on a gardening programme and that’s how Sue’s book starts. In the first two or three chapters I realised that I absolutely loved Sue Watson’s humour. Her characters just radiated brilliance and I fell in love with the `not quite perfect’ Stella. Stella is trying desperately to manage a career, a disgruntled husband and a young daughter. Stella’s boss MJ is determined to make her life hell and some of the scenes you read concerning MJ are hilarious. It’s difficult to say too much without plot spoiling, but I will say that we see Stella do her best to ensure MJ never humiliates her again!

When Stella makes huge changes to her career, she has the support of her two friends Lizzie and Al. I must just say that Al deserves a lead of his own in another book as he was just brilliant in this one. Although the storyline may be a little clichéd, the writing and comedy value made it a winner in my eyes. I read the book in a day and am really looking forward to her second book. I’m just crossing my fingers and hoping that she creates a book that is just as funny as the first.

Did You Miss Me by Karen Rose (Baltimore #3)

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My Rating 5/5

I have read nearly all of Karen’s books and rarely read one that I don’t love. When her newest book landed on my doorstep a few days ahead of publication (thanks to the Publishers) I was excited as I ripped open the package. However, my excitement was replaced with shock as even by Karen Rose standards this book was a humdinger at 544 pages. With the synopsis read in seconds I poured myself a brew and immediately got stuck in.

For this that maybe haven’t read any Karen Rose books this book, along with any other can be picked up and read in any order as a stand alone book. For those that have previously read Karen’s books, you will see familiar faces from previous books. IN Karen’s last book PI Paige Holden is the main character along with State Attorney Grayson Smith. Both Paige and Grayson return in this book but as the background characters to both State Attorney Daphne Montgomery and FBI Agent Joseph Carter.

What I loved about starting this book was not only being introduced to Daphne and Joseph, but seeing what other characters were up to in their lives. Daphne’s son Ford Elkhart is actually the main focus of this book and he is kidnapped and only recalls what happened when he wakes up on a cold dark floor and realises he is tied up and being held. The book takes an immediate dive into the kidnapping and we see many chapters start to form threads. I was totally and utterly engrossed and found myself being drawn back to the book every time I attempted to put it down.

There are numerous threads and people to keep track of and at the halfway mark I had to take a breather as I realised I needed to get it all straight in my head?!? I had block read at least 250 pages and felt like I had overdosed on crime! Luckily a good nights’ sleep sorted that out and the next day I resumed reading the rollercoaster ride of a book! The characters Daphne and Joseph each have their own demons and skeletons and as the story progresses we see the layers of their pasts slowly peeled back. I liked the suspense you are kept in, even though I am the most impatient person. As usual the actual crime scenes are written vividly leaving a somewhat sour taste in my mouth at times, but by no means put me off!

Joseph and Daphne are both characters I really liked but the two that really pulled at me were Clay and Stevie. They were only in the book for small periods of time but I SO want to find out what happens there (I just know I’m going to have to wait on that front!). The plot itself had plenty of twists and turns and kept me guessing until the very end of the book. The one thing that stood out this time round was the sex! Yep, that’s right people I did say sex! Karen Rose is a great crime writer, but her genre (if people care to check) is romantic suspense. It irritates me when people grumble about this in her books because it’s what she does, and believe me when I say it’s what she does best. Karen Rose surprised me this time round and at times I wondered if I had inadvertently picked up a Jackie Collins (not a bad thing in my book!).

All in all, this book, although long even by her standards, was an absolute cracker. Karen Rose is first class at these sorts of books and this one didn’t disappoint. As usual, you are in for a bumpy ride which will have you reading from morning until night. Highly recommended.

Friends and Rivals by Tilly Bagshawe

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My Rating: 5/5

I am a huge Tilly Bagshawe fan and loved her last two books so was looking forward to the newest release. Friends and Rival does exactly what it says on the tin. It’s a totally self-indulgent, glamorous and escapist read (which is right up my street). I’m not looking for anything high on the morality scale right now so this suited me down to the ground. I was also lucky enough to receive an early edition which has a beautiful cover, which made me want to get started even more. I settled down on my commute home and before I knew it was 4 or 5 chapters in and irritated that I had made it home in record time!

Catriona (Kat) has been married to Ivan for more than twenty years. On the surface with their two kids and Ivan’s successful career in the music industry things look great, however Ivan is a pathological liar and cheat. When he leaves her for a younger woman her life feels like it has come to a complete halt. On the other side of the fence there is Kendall who is a superstar singer that is used to getting what she wants. Ivan’s partner who heads up the US business Jack is the person who looks after Kendall and he certainly has his hands full. From the minute I got involved with this book there was no stopping me.

It took me straight into the worlds of the main characters which appeared to be Ivan and Kat and Kendall and Jack. All four of them had intriguing personalities. I despised Ivan from the word go and to be honest I love it when characters get my back up, it makes the book that little bit more enjoyable. This sort of book is exactly why I love reading. The music business was brought to me with characters that wouldn’t seem out of place on Dynasty! There was a lot of threads to the story and other characters introduced which although not as central as the others, were just as readable. I literally couldn’t put this down and was disappointed once I had finished. This book is escapism at its best and one that I would highly recommend!

The Vanishing Point by Val McDermid

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My Review: 5/5

I was very excited when I received an early copy of Val McDermid’s new book from the Publisher, especially since the cover looks so inviting! When you read the synopsis I was even more drawn to the story and hearing that Stephanie Harker travels through security in the USA only to watch her boy get snatched from under her nose had me itching to start.

The first couple of chapters are usually slow burners with a majority of books as the authors go about explaining the characters or settings. None of that happens with this book and it takes a mere few pages for us to meet Stephanie and the five year old Jimmy as they go through security at the airport. With Stephanie watching Jimmy go through the metal detector she follows him and promptly gets stopped. She has no idea that as she gets stopped her life will change forever and she watches in disbelief as somebody in uniform comes along and leads young Jimmy straight out of the door. Within the first couple of chapters I was already at the edge of my seat and reading in disbelief as things go wrong very quickly for Steph.

As Stephanie gets led away be airport security to be questioned the story starts its real journey. It becomes clear pretty quickly that Stephanie is innocent and she is trying to explain to airport authorities that Jimmy has been snatched and they need to act immediately. As the FBI get involved and start to question her Stephanie sits back and tells the story of `how it all began’. We are taken back to the beginning by Stephanie herself as in small bursts we see her history and how she meets Jimmy’s mum who is a famous TV reality star.

As Steph tells the story of how she came to meet Scarlett Higgins things start to make a little more sense. Scarlett is only famous for being famous and with a very strange upbringing she is determined to make a successful career out of her short reality TV stint. She then contracts cancer and begins her battle to keep her public image up, raise her son and generally gets the most out of life. As we fast forward to Steph trying to help the FBI to track down who may have taken Jimmy Higgins, and then back to the time before she had him you begin to question what everybody in Steph’s life is up to, and whether they have an ulterior motive.

The layout and way the story is told certainly rings a few bells and had some ring of truth to it, especially in regards to a famous reality TV star who fought cancer in this country! But that aside, the way the story was told and the fact that each time we revisit Steph during her interview with the FBI you feel the tension rise. I literally couldn’t put this book down. Towards the end I thought I had it all figured out and was irritated to see there was still quite a bit left, what more could there be? Turns out I was completely wrong and the ending threw me sideways, I certainly didn’t see that one coming! All in all a book I couldn’t put down and thoroughly enjoyed. Highly recommended!

NAMELESS BY KESSIE KEANE (RUBY DARKE #1)

My Review: 5/5

 *Sighs and scuffs feet* Why? Every time I buy a Jessie Keane I promise myself I will take my time. But no, who am I kidding? I do what I always do, get thoroughly engrossed and then race through the book only to feel disappointed that I have again finished a JK book and now have the long wait until the next one! When I realised that Jessie Keane was introducing a new character I was pretty excited. Having said that, I wasn’t sure whether they would live up to the fantastic characters that feature in the Annie Carter series

In this book we meet Ruby Darke who is a mixed race girl being brought up in War torn London by her abusive father and two elder brothers. While her two elder brothers get involved in the criminal underworld, Daisy works in the family shop and tries her best to keep everybody happy. When she is encouraged to lead a secret life she goes along not knowing that she will be swept off her feet by the dashing aristocrat Cornelius Bray. When she finds herself pregnant and gives birth to twins she is forced into giving them away. What happens next is that the book tells us Ruby’s life story. We see her become a success in business but forgo love because of her desperate desire to never be hurt again.

I was truly engrossed from the very first few pages. Ruby Darke is a young girl with real spirit and you really get a feel for how she is treated in the 40’s for being mixed race. Her family are nothing short of awful but it made me feel like I had to keep willing her on in my mind because she was such a likeable girl. Every few chapters there would be a slight time change and the years start to progress and we see how each passing year changes things for her.

We see some absolutely blinding characters emerge and they all form part of the story in different ways. Michael Ward is a pretty central character and I really liked him from the get go, along with many other characters that just add to the authenticity of the story. Jessie Keane has an uncanny knack of taking you back to that time and really making me feel like I could grasp a little more what the street s of London were like around the war. As the years progress I got more and more caught up in the story and as more shock twists were thrown in I wondered what on earth else could happen. One particular part of the ending shocked me (not impressed) but the other part had me shrieking towards the ending as I wanted to see what happens next.

All I can say is that Jessie Keane is a force to be reckoned with in the crime genre now. Not only has she produced a great series (Annie Carter) she has also written some absolutely blinding stand alones. With this latest addition, Jessie Keane is quickly proving herself to be un-stoppable. Nameless has only made me want to read more (I sincerely hope this is going to have a follow up!) and as usual Jessie Keane does not disappoint. BLINDING!!!