Category: 5-Stars

Posted on

Book Review: When We Touch (The Heartbreak Brothers #5) by Carrie Elks  @CarrieElks

.

When We Touch
(The Heartbreak Brothers #5)
by Carrie Elks 

 

There’s a fine line between love and hate… and they’re about to cross it.

Becca Hartson should be used to moody men by now. She grew up with four overprotective older brothers, after all. But nothing could prepare her for the hostility she encounters from her new boss – the annoyingly gorgeous Daniel Carter.Sure, his first impression of her was bad. She was in the arms of his brother, crying into his shirt. But the whole situation was purely platonic and Daniel knows that.

It doesn’t stop him from scowling at her every time they work together. Or from sending her heart into a crazy spin.

But if she wants to keep this job, she’ll have to grin and bear it.

Coming back to work at his family’s distillery after six years away was a mistake. Daniel knows it from the moment his gaze clashes with Becca’s. With her tumbling waves and soft smile, he knows she’s trouble from the start.

Daniel doesn’t believe in love. And he definitely doesn’t believe in falling for his employees.

But when Becca looks at him with those sweet doe eyes, he keeps forgetting to hate her…

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

Even with its modern buildings and political life, Charleston was a slower way of life. Bloodlines were important, manners were everything. And backstabbing was practically an art form.

She’d always found tuxedos a little comical before. Grown men wearing little bow ties that made them look like the mouse from Tom and Jerry, tied up and presented like a Christmas gift.

Oh come on. I haven’t heard so much squealing since Logan and Courtney bred their prize boar.

The gossip had disappeared about a week after they went public. It was amazing how boring a good relationship was to people.

My Review:

 

This was an enjoyable and satisfying installment and an excellent finale for the series although I fervently wish the family had more members, as I had grown attached to them. The characters were endearing and lovable and the storylines were relatable and easy to follow regardless of whether you had read the previous installments, although you should if you haven’t. The romance was tender and deliciously steamy with a minimum of conflict, my favorite type!   Generous helpings of humor and family drama with vile relatives provided balance and flavor. In addition to being well entertained, I learned quite a bit about distilling whiskey as well as the complications and management of diabetes.

 

Carrie Elks writes contemporary romance with a sizzling edge. Her first book, Fix You, has been translated into eight languages and made a surprise appearance on Big Brother in Brazil. Luckily for her, it wasn’t voted out. Carrie lives with her husband, two lovely children, and a larger-than-life black pug called Plato. When she isn’t writing or reading, she can be found baking, drinking an occasional (!) glass of wine, or chatting on social media.

Posted on

Book Review: Daisy’s Dilemma by Debbie Viggiano  @DebbieViggiano @rararesources 

.

Daisy’s Dilemma
by Debbie Viggiano

Amazon  / BB

Florist Daisy is loved-up and blossoming. Boyfriend Dominic has proposed marriage!

However, Dominic isn’t in any rush to buy a ring, and meeting the parents is looong overdue. What is the problem? After all, Daisy’s mum has already bought her big hat and wants to know the wedding date!

Then careless words plant seeds of doubt and, like weed, Daisy’s concerns begin to multiply. Is Dominic hiding something?

Meanwhile, sexy ex Harry is back on the scene and begging Daisy for a reconciliation. He thought the grass was greener with HER but now says he made a mistake. Is Harry – for once – being genuine, or simply leading Daisy up the garden path?

New neighbor Seth seems like a fun guy, but a single throwaway comment has Daisy mimicking a species of Calla Lily – Red Alert! It’s time to do some digging. But even she never anticipated a mad car chase across London or unearthing a shocking secret that changes everything.

Sparks are set to fly in this gorgeous romantic comedy about love, trust, and new beginnings.

 

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

My husband went off with HER. I can’t name HER but to give you a clue she has knockers the size of sunflowers and butt cheeks bigger than a ball cactus.

 

Seth blasted us both with a smile that threatened to singe my eyelashes and had Becky behaving like my ex-mother-in-law’s dog when it had cornered a squirrel.

 

Sometimes, if there was a lull at work, Becky and I played the “what if” game. What if the human population was extinct save for four people. Yours truly and Becky, and you had to populate Earth with the next two men who came into the shop. The rule was you had to choose one of them. On one occasion Becky and I had argued fiercely over who was bagging eighty-year-old Mr Harris against ninety-two-year-old Mr Payne who never wore dentures. The game had become quite heated… We’d eventually admitted defeat and agreed that, on this occasion, planet Earth would fail to be repopulated.

 

‘Well it wasn’t tiddlywinks we were playing last night, Daisy,’ she chortled. ‘And he definitely doesn’t have a tiddly wink.’

 

‘None of the other whatsits I’ve ever dated have been like Alfie.’ She paused to consider. ‘They were like the tide. Went out and never came back.’

My Review:

 

I giggle-snorted, chortled, and laughed aloud as I perused this cleverly amusing missive featuring the adorable, gentle, and rather hapless Daisy. Daisy had niggles about her fiancé and although she wanted to live in the land of denial, her waspish inner voice kept harping at her for being such a jellyfish. The snark was as humorous as it was insightfully keen. I wanted to give Daisy a few good bumps with my elbow to dislodge her cranium from her colon but she finally snapped to and being a gentle soul, took only a mild form of revenge. Being of the Lorena Bobbitt philosophy of vengeance myself, I was a bit outraged by her choice to desecrate innocent cheesecake, but that is neither here nor there.

 

About the Author

Prior to turning her attention to writing, Debbie Viggiano was, for more years than she cares to remember, a legal secretary. She lives with her Italian husband, a rescued pooch from Crete, and a very disgruntled cat. Occasionally her adult children return home bringing her much joy… apart from when they want to raid the fridge or eat her secret stash of chocolate. Tweet @DebbieViggiano or follow her on Facebook!

Social Media Links

TWITTER: @DebbieViggiano

FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/debbie.viggiano.5/

INSTAGRAM: debbieviggiano

WEBSITE: www.debbieviggiano.co.uk

 

 

Posted on

Book Review: The Secretary by Catherine Hokin @cathokin @Bookouture

The Secretary
by Catherine Hokin 

Amazon  / B&N / Apple / GP / BB

The Tower House. Down a secluded path, hidden by overgrown vines, the crumbling villa echoes with memories. Of the family who laughed and sang there, until the Nazis tore them from their home. And of the next woman to walk its empty rooms, whose courage in the face of evil could alter the course of history…

Germany 1940. As secretary to the leader of the SS, Magda spends her days sending party invitations to high-ranking Nazis, and her evenings distributing pamphlets for the resistance. But Magda is leading a dangerous double life, smuggling secrets out of the office. It’s a deadly game, and eventual exposure is a certainty, but Magda is driven by a need to keep the man she secretly loves safe as he fights against the Nazis…

Forty years later. Nina’s heart pounds as she steps into an uncertain future carrying a forged passport, a few banknotes, and a scribbled address for The Tower House taken from an intricate drawing she found hidden in her grandmother’s wardrobe. Separated from her family and betrayed by her country, Nina’s last hope is to trace her family’s history in the ruins of the past her grandmother ran from. But, when she finally finds the abandoned house, she opens the door to a forgotten story, and to secrets that will change everything: past, present, and future…

A poignant and gripping novel about bravery, loss, and redemption during the Second World War. An unputdownable read for fans of The Tattooist of Auschwitz, We Were the Lucky Ones, and The Alice Network.

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

Magda was shouting. She never shouted. Her eyes were black and hard, as if someone else was using them.

 

It’s come at a price, believe me – being with men whose values are as twisted as Himmler’s corrodes a little piece of your soul. But if it means I can help decent men keep their jobs and old friends get to safety, close is where I have to be.

 

He was of medium height and medium build and his hair was thinning. He had the kind of pasty complexion that suggested long hours in dark rooms. He was so completely unremarkable, he didn’t seem real.

 

That’s the worst of these things, Nina; that’s what I never wanted you to have to learn. There’s always a choice that isn’t a choice. It’s always impossible to save everyone.

 

There has been talk of a memorial on the platform the death trains went out of, but… Every time a plaque is installed there, it gets stolen. Sometimes I wonder what kind of people are still living here.

My Review:

 

This was an intense and tragic read yet Ms. Hokin’s writing was extraordinarily poignant, well-crafted, and thrummed with a taut and anxious tone throughout due to the constant peril her characters faced in both timelines. The storylines were rife with family drama, intrigue, subterfuge, and the constant danger of discovery. I was quite taken by the quality of the characters’ development as the individuals were realistically flawed and believable human beings who made serious errors yet were well-intentioned and endearing, even though I often wanted to give them a pinch or two.

About the Author

Catherine Hokin is the author of two World War Two-inspired novels set in Berlin, her favorite city. Following a History degree at Manchester University she worked in teaching, marketing and politics while waiting for a chance to do what she really wanted which was to write full time. Her short stories have been published by iScot, Writers Forum, and Myslexia magazines and she was the winner of the 2019 Fiction 500 Short Story Competition. She is a lover of strong female leads and a quest.

Catherine now lives in Glasgow with her American husband. She has two grown-up children – one of whom lives, very conveniently, in Berlin – and a lifelong addiction to very loud music.

https://www.catherinehokin.com/

https://www.facebook.com/cathokin/?ref=aymt_homepage_panel

https://twitter.com/cathokin

 

Posted on

Book Review: The Ladies’ Midnight Swimming Club The Ladies’ Midnight Swimming Club by Faith Hogan @GerHogan  @Aria_Fiction

The Ladies’ Midnight Swimming Club 
byFaith Hogan 

Amazon  / B&N / Apple / GP

 

Three women. Three different stages of life. United by one thing: the chance to start again.

‘Uplifting, emotional and brimming with warmth and humour’ – Cathy Bramley

When Elizabeth’s husband dies, leaving her with crippling debt, the only person she can turn to is her friend, Jo. Soon Jo has called in her daughter, Lucy, to help save Elizabeth from bankruptcy. Leaving her old life behind, Lucy is determined to make the most of her fresh start.

As life slowly begins to return to normal, these three women, thrown together by circumstance, become fast friends. But then Jo’s world is turned upside down when she receives some shocking news.

In search of solace, Jo and Elizabeth find themselves enjoying midnight dips in the freezing Irish Sea. Here they can laugh, cry and wash away all their fears. As well as conjure a fundraising plan for the local hospice that will bring the whole community together…

From bestselling Irish writer Faith Hogan, The Ladies’ Midnight Swimming Club is an emotional story about finding new friends and living life to the fullest, that will appeal to fans of Sheila O’Flanagan, Heidi Swain, and Liz Fenwick.

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

To be honest, I think we were all a little in awe of your extensive vocabulary when it came to telling her where to go. The parish priest had to run into the pantry to hide his smirk.

 

The walls held charts that looked as if they could belong in a museum. The blinds that had stuck closed many years earlier had a tatty, neglected air about them. Even the doors creaked onerously as they were opened; it seemed they too were ready to hand notice in.

 

I’m sorry, Lucy, but consider yourself stepping into the TARDIS and re-emerging somewhere in the early 1970s.

 

‘It should be in the nip. A dip in the nip! That’s what I’d enjoy most, thinking of all of you, down here, in the altogether and jumping into the water… Think about it, Elizabeth, even old crabby boots O’Neill… herself.’ And they all began to laugh at the notion of Eric’s former receptionist pulling off her interlocking knickers before diving into the cold Atlantic.

 

What’s she thinking? The sight of her in the buff will be enough to frighten every fish from the bay.

 

‘I’ll strategically add in a pink ribbon to cover everyone’s jiggly bits at the end,’ she intoned to the startled Elizabeth as she began to unpack a fairly complex-looking camera.

 

My Review:

 

I adore Faith Hogan and her latest missive was yet another one to savor. I read it slowly and enjoyed every storyline while keeping my fingers crossed for a happy ending that tied them all together, and of course, she delivered in spades. I am enamored with Ms. Hogan’s agile craft and nimble word skills, she has her own unique brand of insightfully written and poignant storytelling that pulls in just the right amount of wry humor to balance out the drama and tension. I have never been to Ireland and every time I read one of her tales it ignites my desire to see the land of leprechauns and distant ancestors. I have enjoyed every book of hers I’ve had the luck to pick up and I covet the ones I don’t have. She has mad skills and a lifelong fangirl in me.

About the Author


Faith Hogan is an Irish award-winning and bestselling author of five contemporary fiction novels. Her books have featured as Book Club Favorites, Net Galley Hot Reads, and Summer Must Reads. She writes grown-up women’s fiction which is unashamedly uplifting, feel-good, and inspiring.

She is currently working on her next novel. She lives in the west of Ireland with her husband, four children, and a very busy Labrador named Penny. She’s a writer, reader, enthusiastic dog walker, and reluctant jogger – except of course when it is raining!

.
Posted on

Book Review:  The Complete Stars Duet by Amie Knight

.

The Complete Stars Duet
by Amie Knight

Download your copy today or read FREE in Kindle Unlimited! 

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3tEEHG1

Amazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/completestars

The Stars Duet Boxed Set, including the complete The Stars Series including the bonus story Christmas Beneath the Stars from Amie Knight, is available now! 

 

Beneath His Stars

I met Adam Nova under the twinkling lights of a nighttime sky.

He was hiding, but that gorgeous boy didn’t belong in the dark.

Nevertheless, it was where he lived; a different world than mine.

I was Livingston Montgomery, Southern debutante.

With the world at my fingertips, I was well on my way to being another spoiled socialite.  

But I didn’t want money.  

I didn’t want social status.  

I wanted him; tattoos, sarcastic smirk, bad boy reputation and all.  

It didn’t matter that he was from the wrong side of the tracks.  

It didn’t matter that my family forbade me from seeing him.  

I just wanted to be Beneath His Stars.    

 

In Her Space

I was reunited with Livingston Montgomery in the broad sunshine of a Carolina morning, right where she belonged; in the light.   

It’d been too long since I’d seen her face.

She had changed, but so had I.  

I was Adam Nova, reformed bad boy.  Now, successful businessman.  

I had it all, except for the one person I’d always wanted, and now I was back to claim her.  

She was living in the shadows, just a shell of the former girl I knew.   

But it didn’t matter that she tried to hide from me in the dark.

I’d follow her into the deepest depths of hell.

I just wanted to be In Her Space.

My Rating:

 

Favorite Quotes:

He was covered in tattoos. They didn’t just peek out of the sleeves of his shirt. No, this man wore his tattoos like clothes. They blanketed his arms and came out of the top of his shirt and onto his neck.

My finger brushed the paper and I felt a spark of something. Something that felt bigger than me… It was like coming alive. It was electric and it lit me up from the inside until I felt like all of the stars above my head were suddenly all living inside of me.

He was one big contradiction I couldn’t get enough of. His tattoos and attitude screamed bad boy, but his mind? It screamed nerd. I loved it.

I don’t just love you to that moon and back, baby. I love you to Pluto and back even if it would take me nineteen years to get there and back.

“Man, if I knew all it took was coffee to get a proclamation of love, I would have started with that sooner.” She took the coffee from my hand while holding up the blanket with the other and shot me a sassy look. “This isn’t just coffee, Adam. This is nectar of the gods.”

My Review:

 

Sizzle and snap, this was smokin’ hot and fever-inducing. While the first installment was angsty YA, the second half was adult-rated with breath-stealing sensuality and angsty adulting. Oddly, I didn’t seem to mind despite my abhorrence of constant contrived conflict. The characters were sympathetic and endearingly appealing while struggling with relevant issues, although I did want to give them each a few smacks to the back of the head from time to time. I adored Adam, he was such a romantic. The storylines were angsty yet intriguing and taut with flinch-inducing family drama and tensions that remained tautly held throughout. I had trouble putting my Kindle down. Amie Knight has mad skills.

 

About  Amie

Amie Knight has been a reader for as long as she could remember and a romance lover since she could get her hands on her momma’s books. A dedicated wife and mother with a love of music and makeup, she won’t ever be seen leaving the house without her eyebrows and eyelashes done just right. When she isn’t reading and writing, you can catch her jamming out in the car with her two kids to ’90s R&B, country, and show tunes. Amie draws inspiration from her childhood in Columbia, South Carolina, and can’t imagine living anywhere other than the South.

 

Connect with Amie

Facebook: https://bit.ly/2UtTe85

Twitter: https://bit.ly/33HQ8l0

Instagram: https://bit.ly/3aekE8H

Goodreads: https://bit.ly/39aPvkZ

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2IOzy8z

Join Amie’s reader group: https://bit.ly/2Jg0xL7

Stay up to date with Amie by joining her mailing list: https://bit.ly/3dltdjQ

Website: https://www.authoramieknight.com

Posted on

Book Review: Italy Ever After by Leonie Mack @LeonieMAuthor @rararesources  @BoldwoodBooks

.

Italy Ever After
by Leonie Mack

Amazon  / B&N /  GP

Escape to the sun and head off to Italy, with the wonderfully warm and ever-so-page-turning Leonie Mack!

TV journalist Lou feels battered and bruised after her divorce from Phil, the father of her daughter Edie. Her confidence and sense of fun have steadily been drained away, and she isn’t sure who she is anymore.

When the opportunity arises to accompany Edie to a music camp in Italy for a month in the summer, Lou jumps at the chance for new adventures, new horizons, and new friends. The hazy warmth of the summer sun, shining brightly over the stunning Lake Garda, slowly brings Lou back to life.

Nick Romano, Edie’s music teacher, loves being home in Italy, but coaching his students for their concert in Milan, is bringing back difficult memories. His blossoming friendship with Lou is the perfect distraction, although a summer fling would be easier to conduct without the scrutiny of his mother Greta, not to mention the interference of his extended Italian family.

As the summer passes, full of sunshine and breath-taking scenery, gelato, and delicious feasts, Lou and Nick get ever closer. But as the time for farewell creeps up on them, will they be able to say goodbye and leave their memories behind in the Italian sun, or can a summer romance last a lifetime?

Leonie Mack is back with a sizzling, sun-baked love story, perfect for all fans of Mandy Baggot, Jo Thomas, and Carole Matthews.

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

She always looked as though she were hurtling through life straddling a hydrogen bomb.

 

She was finally letting go of her identity as Phil’s wife and latching on to the first man who came into range. Urgh, it made her sound like a sniper peering through her scope.

 

Watching Lou suppress a moan at the mushroom ravioli was like accidentally catching a glimpse of someone in the shower.

 

He knew it hadn’t been easy for her, but she didn’t just accept life’s lemons, she grabbed them off the tree and made silly faces with them.

My Review:

 

I adored every word of this cleverly amusing and delightfully engaging tale. It was my first chance to read this witty and talented author and I found her work pleasantly entertaining as well as insightful and deliciously textured with humor, lush descriptions, and keen observations.

A newly divorced mom finds she is crushing on teacher – her daughter’s teacher – but it is a huge crush and she can’t stop looking at his delectable backside while he conducts her young daughter’s music group. And that could be a problem as she is to chaperone her daughter’s class of preteens to a musical retreat with the hot teacher at his family’s farm in Italy. And be still my heart, the hot man blushes, a lot.

The struggling characters were fun to unravel and endearingly appealing, except for the heinous ex-husband, he was a waste of good skin. The premise was inviting while the writing craftily took us on an exploratory adventure of the heart and soul as well as exposure to a new country. Sigh. I seem to have an intense craving for pasta with some gelato for dessert. There goes my diet…

 

About the Author

Leonie Mack is a debut novelist whose first book My Christmas Number One was published by Boldwood in September 2020. Having lived in London for many years her home is now in Germany with her husband and three children. Leonie loves train travel, medieval towns, hiking, and happy endings!

Social Media Links

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LeonieJMack

Twitter: https://twitter.com/LeonieMAuthor

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leoniejmack/

Newsletter Sign Up Link: https://bit.ly/LeonieMackNewsletter

Bookbub profile: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/leonie-mack

.

Posted on

Book Review: Her Last Holiday by C.L. Taylor  @callytaylor @TLCBookTours

Her Last Holiday
by C.L. Taylor 

Amazon  / B&N / HarperCollins / GP/ Apple / BookBub

 

You come to Soul Shrink to be healed. You don’t expect to die.


Two years ago, Fran’s sister Jenna disappeared on a wellness retreat in Gozo that went terribly wrong.

Tom Wade, the now infamous man behind Soul Shrink Retreats, has just been released from prison after serving his sentence for the deaths of two people. But he has never let on what happened to the third suspected victim: Jenna.

Determined to find out the truth, Fran books herself onto his upcoming retreat – the first since his release – and finds herself face to face with the man who might hold the key to her sister’s disappearance. The only question is, will she escape the retreat alive? Or does someone out there want Jenna’s secrets to stay hidden?

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

To men like that we’re either sluts or lesbians. Limited vocabulary. Tiny brains that match their tiny penii.

 

… she’s been reprimanded several times at work for saying something tactless to another member of staff.   She doesn’t mean the words to come out the way they do but she can’t always stop herself. She does try though. Yes, Frances. She hears her mother’s voice in her head. You are very trying.

 

It’s a conundrum she can’t solve – how she can be such a great teacher but such a terrible conversationalist.   She can command a classroom like no one else… but when it comes to social interaction with anyone over eighteen she either manages to insult them, misunderstand them or else she finds herself in such an awkward conversation that he only recourse is to feign a coughing fit and swiftly leave the room.

My Review:

 

I lost sleep over this one as I couldn’t seem to put it down until my eyes refused to stay open, and as I was so deeply engaged and entrenched in their tale, I continued on with the characters in my sleep. The multi-layered storylines were cunningly textured and maddeningly paced while fraught with danger and taut with tension as more issues, twists, and concerns continued to be unearthed rather than solving the mystery we started with.

 

I was sucked into an oddly disconcerting vortex as I’ve never been so enthralled by such an overwhelmingly toxic and obnoxious group of characters who were unfailingly annoying and capricious yet also bizarrely intriguing. There wasn’t a one I would choose to share air with yet I couldn’t wait to learn their secrets. Multiple theories were devised and cast aside as I perused this twisty tale but I never came close to guessing the outcome. C.L. Taylor has mad skills and devilishly strong word voodoo as well as a new fangirl for her bookish cult. I have added her entire listing to my TBR.

I was provided with a review copy of this riveting missive by TLC Book Tours and HarperCollins.

 

About the Author

C.L. Taylor is a Sunday Times bestselling author. Her psychological thrillers have sold over a million copies in the UK alone, been translated into over twenty languages, and optioned for television. Her 2019 novel, Sleep, was a Richard and Judy pick. C.L. Taylor lives in Bristol with her partner and son.

Find out more about her at her website, and follow her on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube.

Posted on

Book Review: Life’s A Beach by Portia MacIntosh @PortiaMacIntosh @rararesources  @BoldwoodBooks

Life’s A Beach
by Portia MacIntosh

 

 

Sun, sea, and inescapable exes…

Peach is excited to hear that her sister, Di, is getting married. Of course, she would have preferred her little sister to be engaged to someone she’s known longer than a week – and the fact that his name is Charles doesn’t bode well – but who is she to judge?! Afterall, her own love life is non-existent, and who doesn’t love a destination wedding…?

Whisked away to the gorgeous Italian coast, Peach assumes her role as chief bridesmaid and, despite her reservations about the groom, she tries to ensure everything goes to plan.

But weddings are never straightforward affairs… throw in some unexpected guests in the form of ex-boyfriends and one-night stands, and soon enough there is more drama than a reality tv show.

Can Peach keep the show on the road, or might she end up in a whirlwind romance of her own…?

Escape to the stunning Italian coast with bestseller Portia MacIntosh. Perfect for fans of Sophie Ranald and Mhairi MacFarlane.

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

My dad somehow thought he was sparing me by explaining the inner workings of Naked Wednesday to me so that I could find somewhere else to be moving forward, and when he started trying to explain what was special about Friday nights, I stopped him. I told him that once we were all back from the wedding, no explanation necessary, he just needed to tell me when he wanted me to make myself scarce. No details required. Please, God, spare me details.

She isn’t twenty-eight at all, she’s thirty-one, the same as me. It seems almost silly, to lie about just three years, but I think Van might be playing the long game with that one. I get the feeling she’s going to be twenty-eight for a long time – for as long as people will believe her or medical advancements will allow.

I had a big birthday last year, and Van lives in LA, so she couldn’t come. She sent a stripper in her place. They called him Magic Spike. He was a Viking themed stripper, because of course they exist. He had a terrifying weapon – in more ways than one.

I must have checked my room four times when I was packing to make sure I didn’t leave anything behind, but I don’t feel like anyone has truly invented a suitcase that can safely transport a holiday romance back to reality.

My Review:

 

I doubt anyone could claim to have solved or foreseen the well-contrived secrets to this enjoyable and amusing tale, as there were several clever twists and blind alleys to navigate. And I delighted in them all as I smirked my way through this fun and wittily penned dance of exes. The premise was bright and shiny as were the wily plotting and wry humor. The characters were an enticing yet not totally likable bunch from the outside looking in, but things were not always as they seemed as several participants of a lavish destination-wedding holiday were walking a crooked path of denials, half-truths, and hidden agendas. There were frequent surprises and some will they/won’t they tease and tension to keep us guessing.

About the Author

 

Portia MacIntosh is a bestselling romantic comedy author of over 15 novels, including My Great Ex-Scape and Honeymoon For One. Previously a music journalist, Portia writes hilarious stories, drawing on her real-life experiences.

Social Media Links –

Newsletter sign up: http://bit.ly/PortiaMacIntoshNewsletter

https://portiamacintosh.com/

https://www.facebook.com/macintoshportia

https://twitter.com/PortiaMacIntosh

http://instagram.com/portiamacintoshauthor

http://bookbub.com/authors/portia-macintosh

Posted on

Book Review: Silenced For Good by Alex Coombs @AlexCoombsCrime

Silenced For Good
by Alex Coombs

Amazon  / B&N / Apple / GP

 

Detective Hanlon is addicted to violence. She likes the rush, the danger, the losing control…

When Hanlon is suspended from the force for assaulting a suspect, she escapes to the remote Scottish island of Jura, home to the mysterious Corryvreckan whirlpool.

But wherever Hanlon goes, violence is sure to follow.

As soon as she checks into The Mackinnon Arms, Hanlon senses something isn’t quite right about the staff at her home for the week.

Sure enough, within days of arriving, the body of a member of staff is found floating in the sea. While police believe she was claimed by the local whirlpool, Hanlon isn’t so sure.

As she pieces together the evidence, dark secrets begin to unravel. Can Hanlon work out what is going on before another floating body is found…?

The start of a gripping new crime series, perfect for fans of Angela Marsons, Robert Bryndza, and Lisa Regan.

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

She wasn’t exactly friendless in the Metropolitan Police, but it surely felt that way. She was like a wounded lioness in a pack; the others had smelled her weakness and were moving away from her. Hyenas were circling in the distance.

 

About twenty or so people were sitting, in various stages of undress, watching a widescreen TV with rapt attention. There was a lot of wrinkled flesh on offer. The baby boomers were not going gentle into that good night. She stared at what was going on in horrified disgust… The Mackinnon Arms hotel was obviously the centre for some sort of ageing island swingers group.

 

It stood on a street corner as a tired old prostitute might, soliciting trade, and not doing very well. Its sign was peeling; a chalkboard advertised ‘Exotic Dancers’ on Saturday afternoons. A poster said, ‘Food available’. In the Rob Roy that sounded more like a warning than a promise.

 

She watched his face redden; it happened from the base of his neck upwards like mercury rising in a thermometer. His normally pale face was flushed and she didn’t think it was from exertion.

 

The flat was sparsely furnished with cheap furniture. As well as the smell of the cannabis, there was a strong smell of poverty. The carpet was threadbare, the sofa had been fixed with duct tape. The armchairs were of the sort that old people were sometimes discovered dead in.

My Review:

 

This crafty wordsmith is flawless. I am totally enamored with and ensnared by his impressive word voodoo. The man has mad skills! His use of metaphors and descriptions was cleverly creative, vivid, and easily pulled keen visuals to mind. Plus, I cannot get enough of his complex and enigmatic kickass chick character of DCI Hanlon. I know it was mentioned in an earlier book but I honestly don’t recall her first name, everyone just calls her Hanlon, as does she when she introduces herself. She is deeply flawed and tough as steel-toed boots, yet still human and able to feel the occasional prickles of unease at how others relish her misfortunes and are enjoying her downfall, although she is surprisingly comfortable in her own skin. I will most likely always be striving for her level of self-acceptance. I adore her but wouldn’t want to have her laser focus honing in on me.

About the Author

Alex Coombs studied Arabic at Oxford and Edinburgh Universities and went on to work in adult education and then retrained to be a chef. He is the author of the highly acclaimed DCI Hanlon series.

Social Media Links –

Newsletter sign up: http://bit.ly/AlexCoombsNewsletter

Website – http://www.alexcoombs.co.uk/

Twitter https://twitter.com/AlexCoombsCrime

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/AlexCoombsCrime

.

Posted on

Book Review: The Borrow-A-Bookshop Holiday by Kiley Dunbar @KileyDunbar  @rararesources 

The Borrow-A-Bookshop Holiday
by Kiley Dunbar

Amazon  / Apple / GP/ Kobo

The Fully Booked Bookshop Café invites literature lovers to run their very own bookshop … for a fortnight.

Spend your days talking books with customers in your own charming bookshop and serving up delicious cream teas in the cozy café.

Bookworms, what are you waiting for? Your holiday is going to be LIT(erary).

Apply to: The Fully Booked Bookshop, Down-a-long, Clove Lore, Devon.

Jude Crawley should be on top of the world. She’s just graduated as a mature student, so can finally go public about her relationship with Philosophy professor, Mack.

Until she sees Mack kissing another girl, and her dreams crumble. And worse, their dream holiday – running a tiny bookshop in the harbor village of Clove Lore for two weeks – is non-refundable.

Throwing caution to the winds, Jude heads down to Devon, eager to immerse herself in literature and heal her broken heart.

But there’s one problem – six-foot-tall, brooding (but gorgeous) Elliot, who’s also reserved the bookshop holiday for two weeks…

As Jude and Elliot put their differences aside to run the bookshop, it seems that Jude might be falling in love with more than just words. Until she discovers what Elliot is running from – and why he’s hiding out in Clove Lore.

Can Jude find her own happy ending in a tiny, tumbledown bookshop? Or is she about to find out that her bookish holiday might have an unexpected twist in the tale…

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

Mack looked legit, like a young Indiana Jones, only more anaemic and homely, you know? Who’d have thought under all that gabardine and paleness there’d beat the heart of a scumbag?

 

Just knowing he’s next to me helps me switch off my brain which has been delivering a long lecture with PowerPoint slides all evening, entitled, ‘An illustrated history of all the completely obvious ways gullible, naive Jude was manipulated by Dr Mack the snake’…

 

I’ve never been anywhere apart from here… Except for in books; I’ve been twice around the globe and halfway across the galaxy in books.

My Review:

 

This was a light and fun tale that was cast with a bevy of oddly enticing and eccentric small village characters that kept me grinning and fully engaged as I read their descriptions and interactions. This was only my second time reading this talented scribe and I easily fell into her words and enjoyed her storytelling, dialogs, and the endearing main character Jude’s inner musings. Oh, how I adored Jude!

 

The storylines and writing style were evocative, cleverly amusing, shrewdly paced, and easy to follow while laced with relevant real-world problems. The narrative was unpredictable and scrolled smoothly and believably and dealt with several rather serious issues while remaining unfailingly entertaining due to Ms. Dunbar’s adroit word skills. I will be chasing this author until the day I die for more of her clever arrangements of words.

 

And, score! I picked up a new entry to my Brit word list with cutpurse, which the omnipotent Mr. Google informed me, is a pickpocket.

About the Author

 Kiley Dunbar writes heart-warming, escapist, romantic fiction set in beautiful places.

Kiley also works as a senior lecturer, teaching creative writing at the Manchester Writing School. One Winter’s Night is shortlisted for the RNA Romantic Comedy Novel Award 2021.

‘Kiley Dunbar Author Book Page’ on Facebook
website and newsletter: http://www.kileydunbar.co.uk/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCI8wM4Fmkbyg4S_XGSnfUCA

https://twitter.com/kileydunbar

https://www.facebook.com/KileyDunbarAuthor/