Review: Primrose Hill: A 1920s Historical Murder Mystery

Primrose Hill: A 1920s Historical Murder Mystery by G J Bellamy
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Sophie Burgoyne and her friends are asked to assist the Home Office, Foreign Office, and the police. A Russian communist cell has taken a house in Primrose Hill which the HO and FO have been observing, until one of the observers dropped his notebook in front of one the Russians. The HO/FO think that putting Sophie and her team in will allay the Russians' suspicions.

In addition, a man was recently murdered in the same square. The police have no clues other than an empty bag that once held dog treats which was found by the body. The dog treats are not available commercially, they are made and given away by another resident and therefore the police would like Sophie and her friends to befriend the numerous dog owners in the square and make subtle enquiries; they have lent the girls a police dog as cover.

When I started reading this I breathed such a sigh of relief, I've been reading some meh novels recently and to pick this up with its sprightly dialogue and interesting characters was a relief. However, all too soon I was bogged down in a quagmire of new characters, none of whom really seemed to have any distinguishing features/personalities other than the former Indian army general. Consequently, I couldn't keep track of who was a suspect, what they did, how old they were, what sort of dog they had, or their relationship with the deceased. If you have ever read the Dorothy l Sayers book The Five Red Herrings, which relies heavily on railway timetables you may have some indication of how flummoxed I was.

I also thought the ending was a bit of a cop out - the murderer decides to kill off another person in broad daylight - for reasons - and gets caught. Anyway, it looks like the next story will return to the women disguising themselves as servants at a country house party - hurrah!

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Review: Christmas Pie

Christmas Pie by Jodi Taylor
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

In this, Jodie's annual Christmas novella, the usual suspects (aka the Disaster Magnets) travel back in time to Restoration England in order to source authentic Christmas Pies (the origins of modern mince pies) so that Mrs Mack can reclaim her baking honour against the women of the Women's Institute.

However, no sooner have they landed than Miss Sykes gets abducted by person or persons unknown, Markham falls over his own feet, the Time Police get involved, and we discover why the London Stone is considerably smaller than it once was. Oh, and there are an awfully large number of pastry-related puns.

There was a very touching scene, however, my mid-range rating reflects the fact that throwing all the different factions into a short story and peppering it with pastry puns leaves very little room for plot. However, I will temper that criticism with an acknowledgement that I read this in dribs and drabs over Christmas Day so I may have missed some of the nuances.

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Review: Must Love Hockey

Must Love Hockey by Sarina Bowen
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Emily Chen is with her boyfriend Charles and his clients at a Brooklyn Bruisers' hockey game. Charles and his clients want to go on drinking after the game but Emily has to study and she isn't feeling well. After they go on without her it transpires that she is having an allergic reaction to something she ate.

James 'Jimbo' Carozza is the Bruisers' equipment guy, when he sees Emily staggering around at the back of the stadium he thinks she might be drunk but soon realises it is something more serious. James takes Emily to hospital and looks after her. James is really smitten by Emily and thinks Charles is a tool for leaving her when she wasn't well (he's not wrong) but he's content to play the friends card. Will Emily realise that her high school romance has expired and Charles is not the guy for her?

This was pleasant enough, reading some other reviews I see that this short story was serialised for free on the author's website and it does have that vibe. There wasn't really any dramatic tension; two people meet and form an instant connection, she's dating someone, he stays in the friend zone until she breaks up with the other guy, the end.

A Kindle freebie when I bought it.

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Review: Just for December

Just for December by Laura Jane Williams
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Evie Bird is a reclusive best-selling romance author with a terrible case of imposter syndrome which she manifests through reckless spending on material items that she doesn't want or need. Her spending is so out of control that she struggles to pay the nursing home fees for her mother, who has Alzheimer's. She's been let down, first by her father, and then by a series of boyfriends, which have left her feeling unlovable and as though her talent is ephemeral. One of her books is being made into a film, starring the world-famous British-born actor Duke Carlisle and she is contractually obligated to be on hand during the filming, which takes place in Germany during December.

Duke Carlisle might be world-famous, but he had a difficult childhood and is always seeking affirmation. After his last romance (with his co-star Daphne) imploded after she was exposed having an affair with their married Director Duke is feeling particularly unloved and rejected, but as a professional he will suck it up and work with Daphne and the producer to make this film, not least because the book it is based on was written by one of his favourite authors. Duke is so eager to meet Evie that he overdoes the charm offensive, coming across as fake. It doesn't help that Evie really doesn't want to be on-set, mixing with people, she avoids press conferences, interviews, and book signings for a reason and being forced to mingle and do publicity is a form of torture.

Given that Duke and Daphne's broken relationship has been splashed all over the tabloids, as has the Director's broken marriage, when the paparazzi catch Evie and Duke having what looks like a steaming row in the street, the investors get nervous and so 'someone' in their wisdom thinks a fauxmance between Evie and Duke will be just the thing to generate good publicity. Against their better judgement Evie and Duke agree to fake-date, just for December, until filming stops.

Hollywood actor, fake-dating, reclusive author, Christmas in picturesque Germany, what more could a romance reader want?

This started quite oddly, there were a couple of points where I wondered if a chunk of prose had been deleted accidentally as I couldn't really follow what was happening, there was a similar issue just as Evie and Duke kissed for the first time. But once I got going I was hooked.

I really enjoyed this and it was only 99p at the time of review.

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Review: The House Sitter: The only grumpy/sunshine romcom you need to escape with in 2024!

The House Sitter: The only grumpy/sunshine romcom you need to escape with in 2024! by Elizabeth Drummond
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Three and a half stars.

Pippa Munro has helped her long-term boyfriend Alex turn his family farm into a successful business, so when he says he wants to discuss something important with her she is expecting an engagement ring so that they can finally start the family she's been dreaming off at the heart of Hurt Bridge, the Yorkshire village in which she grew up. Unfortunately, what Alex wants to discuss is something very different. Now Pippa is single, homeless and jobless, sleeping on her cousin Frankie's sofa.

Pippa is informed that the current owner of Squires House, Wolfie Squires, needs a live-in caretaker urgently since his current caretaker needs to take care of his wife who is suffering from early onset dementia. Pippa remembers Wolfie and his sister from when she was a child and their grandfather hosted an annual Summer Fair which culminated in a series of Wheelbarrow Races. Woflie and his sister always held themselves aloof from the village kids and it seems nothing has changed, now he's some big city hotshot and rarely visits Squires House.

Despite having never lived or worked in a stately home, Pippa gets the job, but its only a short-term thing because Wolfie is in the process of selling the house; something Pippa can't understand, she thinks even in its slightly dilapidated state it is still an amazing home. However, despite their initial antipathy, there may just be a spark between Wolfie and Pippa if the two of them can let go of the past.

When the local school needs a new roof urgently Pippa and her friends decide the only way to raise the necessary £8,000 is to revive the Summer Fair, ticket sales and pitch fees should easily net them what they require.

I did enjoy this but I felt that Wolfie in particular seemed to be stuck in a bit of a loop of feeling that Pippa had rejected him/got back together with Alex - I mean once is okay but he seemed to default time and time again. Also, Wolfie's motives for selling Squires House seemed a bit muddled, two reasons were given and all I kept thinking about was his father's wine collection gathering dust in the cellars. On the positive side, there's a fabulous pig with a mind of her own :)

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley for an honest review.

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Review: A Villa with a View

A Villa with a View by Julie Caplin
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Lia Bathurst is a successful textile artist. A DNA taken for a friend as part of a project they are undertaking uncovers the fact that she is 50% Italian, when she confronts her mother with the results she discovers that the man she has always called her father is not her biological father, that is in fact a world-famous Italian actor. However, her attempts to contact her biological father are thwarted by his English business manager, Raphael Knight. When Lia's designs for a swanky Italian restaurant about to open in London are rejected, she feels like this is the last straw and decides on a whim to travel to Italy, for inspiration for the restaurant and in hopes of meeting her father at his Italian country villa on the Amalfi coast. When she is turned away by her father's housekeeper, Lia is helped by a young Englishman, Leo, who offers her a lift back to town and takes her swimming.

Raph(ael) Knight had to look after his mother Aurelia and little brother Leo after his father left. Even though Aurelia has since married the famous Italian actor Ernesto Salvatore, Raph still finds himself sorting out problems for them. Lia is just the latest in a long line of women who claim to be Ernesto's long-lost lovechild and his isn't going to bother his stepfather with this one, even if her striking good looks have preyed on his mind ever since their meeting. When he spots Lia in Italy, cosying up to his younger brother, Raph is sure Lia is just trying to get closer to his step-father and is determined to keep the gold-digger away from his family.

Lia and Raph might be enemies, but the sparks between them are scorching.

This was a sweet romance, set against the beauty of the Amalfi coast, what with the delectable views and the mouth-watering food it will make you want to book a trip to Italy.

I was invited to read this book by the publisher via NetGalley for an honest review.

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Review: Fool Me Once

Fool Me Once by Ashley Winstead
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Lee Stone has been burnt by heartbreak and as a consequence refuses to believe in love, preferring meaningless hook-ups instead. By day she's the ultra-professional Comms Director for an electric car company working hard to persuade the new Texas Governor to replace all state vehicles with electric alternatives. However, by night she's a hard-drinking, drug-taking, one-night stand, party girl.

The Governor has finally appointed a policy expert, the one obstacle to him putting the clean energy bill to the house, unfortunately his policy expert Ben Laderman is Lee's ex. The fourth heartbreak, something that was entirely Lee's fault. Of course the Governor proposes that Lee and Ben work together to get the bill approved! Lee and Ben will do anything to get the three swing votes across the line, but with a strong competitive tension between them are they enemies or soon to be reunited?

I really enjoyed The Boyfriend Candidate and so when I saw this ARC available on NetGalley I jumped at the chance. Some of my disenchantment with this book is that I kept thinking the Governor in this book was Logan Arthur from that book (in my defence he was running for Texas Governor) and so it created a bit of confusion. However, I think most of my dissatisfaction is that I found Lee to be both unbelievable and unlikable. I now realise that this book pre-dates The Boyfriend Candidate, which may explain why it doesn't feel as polished or as plausible.

Overall, I enjoyed it, but not as much as The Boyfriend Candidate.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley for an honest review.

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Review: To Swoon and to Spar

To Swoon and to Spar by Martha Waters
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Peter Bourne, Viscount Penvale inherited his title at the age of ten when his parents died, thereafter he and his younger sister Diana were brought up by relatives while Trethwick Abbey, their family home in Cornwall, went to his father's brother. Ever since attaining his majority Penvale has been trying to buy back the abbey from his uncle without success, so imagine his surprise when his uncle voluntarily offers to sell him the abbey, providing he agrees to marry his ward, Jane Spencer.

Although unwilling to marry a woman against her will, Penvale knows he must marry and produce an heir, so if his uncle's ward is willing, he would not be averse to marrying her. Jane has no great desire to marry, but as a penniless orphan she has little choice and her few short years living at Trethwick have instilled in her a great love for the abbey, and anything has got to be better than Penvale's uncle. She vaguely assumes that Penvale will spend most of his time in London, gambling and drinking (she has some fixed ideas about how he spends his time) while she lives alone in Cornwall.

And so ensues a marriage of convenience. Unfortunately, Penvale is not the dissolute aristocrat Jane imagined, and he is determined to act as a responsible land owner to his tenants and she finds it harder and harder to dislike him. For his part, although Jane appears to be cold and abrasive, Penvale realises this is just because she is shy.

This was a fun, sweet romance. Although it is the fourth in a series the previous couples are integrated well into the story and it didn't feel like a never-ending retelling of previous stories.

I will definitely be reading the previous books in the series.

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Review: Future Proof

Future Proof by David Atkinson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I'm a sucker for a time travel novel (unless it involves kilts) so when I saw this on Kindle Unlimited I was intrigued.

Sam Harris has probably reached the lowest point in his life. Over forty, overweight, being evicted from his grotty flat, single, unemployed. His social worker however has got him a place on a six week in-house experimental mental health treatment. During the treatment the doctors will attempt to reset his genome through drug therapy combined with the more traditional therapy therapy (for want of a better description). However, when Sam is given the injections they take him back in time to traumatic incidents from his past, looking at events from the point of view of a forty-year old man gives him better coping mechanisms/the tools to change things - so on his first 'journey' he stands up to three little boys who bullied and humiliated him, he was able to articulate the bullying to the head teacher and point out the fallacy in one father's argument when he attempted to claim it wasn't bullying but a game/accident. When Sam awakes only three hours have elapsed in the present, but he is miraculously seven stone lighter. No one else sees any difference in Sam's appearance, his actions in the past have changed the future.

Each treatment addresses a different event from Sam's past, a trauma, or a deep regret and the treatment allows him to fix his mistakes, confront the bully, invest in tech stocks, etc.

This has elements of the film The Butterfly Effect, it also sort of reminded me of the film About Time - probably now I think about it, because both involve time travelling within the individual's own lifetime rather than back to Victorian times or the Dark Ages.

Anyway, it was different, and funny, and clever, and a love story and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

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Review: I Remember Paris: the captivating new novel from the author of Anything Could Happen

I Remember Paris: the captivating new novel from the author of Anything Could Happen by Lucy Diamond
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Three and a half stars.

This is kind of two stories in one.

Jess Bright is a recently divorced mother of three teenage girls. A journalist, her writing tends to be of the agony aunt/humorous blog about her family life which was always dismissed by her ex-husband (a sports' writer) as frivolous. So when she gets approached to write the biography of famous artist Adelaide Fox, who now lives in Paris, she jumps at the chance, she briefly lived and worked in Paris before she was married and has fond memories of the city.

Adelaide Fox was a ground-breaker, a rebel, an enfant terrible. Now old, her former husband dead for over twenty years and what appears to be impending Parkinson's disease, her life has become smaller and she has become less tolerant.

There are mysteries in both Jess and Adelaide's pasts. Did Adelaide's stalker really commit suicide, and in such a bizarre fashion, or was there something more sinister? Why did Adelaide fall out with her best friend and why have never spoken again? What happened to Jess' best friend in Paris, Pascale who disappeared one day and was never heard from again?

At first Jess and Adelaide have quite an antagonistic relationship, Adelaide wants to use the biography to settle old scores with everyone who has ever wronged her and doesn't appreciate Jess' questions about other things, or her suggestions that Adelaide should talk about happier events in her life as well. Nevertheless, as they work together Adelaide finds she sees the past with new eyes.

Although there is a romance, this is very much women's' fiction, two women revisiting their pasts and learning things about each other. I did enjoy it, and Lucy Diamond's writing is always excellent, but in some ways I felt having both Adelaide and Jess' stories somewhat diluted events. There were lots of little side episodes which didn't really go anywhere (like Jess' extremely irritating daughter who seemed to be a plot device), I wanted Jess to be an almost invisible presence, teasing Adelaide's life story out of her, and I just didn't feel we got enough of Adelaide's life.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley for an honest review.

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Review: The Gentle Art of Fortune Hunting

The Gentle Art of Fortune Hunting by K.J. Charles
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

When Robin and Marianne Loxsleigh arrive in London from Nottingham (it took me way too long to cotton on that these were not their real names), the beautiful brother and sister take society by storm, despite having neither noble birth nor fortune to recommend them. When Robin's attentions to Sir John 'Hart' Hartlebury's niece Alice Hart and his sister's suspicions are aroused. While Alice is a delightful girl, she is not pretty and is not sociable, without being unkind, Hart can only assume the reason that Robin is pursuing her because of her £20,000 fortune, although he had hoped that they had kept that a secret. For his part, Robin is not actually attracted to women, but he would make Alice a kind husband if she accepted his proposal.

Hart is a big, brutish-looking man. He has had to provide for himself and his older sister since he was just fifteen years old and he now runs his sister's brewery. He has few social graces and fewer friends, especially after his mother's cousin poisoned society with lies about how he and his sister had mistreated their mother. He finds it difficult to find lovers, given his appearance and lack of grace, particularly since homosexuality is illegal.

Hart's interactions with Robin confirm his suspicions that Robin is nothing more than a fortune hunter and a card sharp. He strong-arms Robin into playing cards for high stakes under the careful scrutiny of the club's proprietor where Robin loses £4,000 - a sum he has no chance of paying. When Robin goes to Hart to throw himself on his mercy, Hart intends to forgive the debt in return for Robin agreeing not to offer for Alice. But things take a strange turn and Robin offers a slightly different bargain - to be John's lover for one month in return for Forgiving the debt, Robin promising not to offer for Alice, and Hart not interfering in Marianne's marital prospects. Hart should be shocked at the offer, but he can't deny that he has thought long and often about Robin. As the month progresses the two men share more than just a bed, but there are soooo many secrets that could blow things apart, can these two find their way to love?

I have only just 'discovered' KJ Charles and I have to say I am loving their writing, their characters, and their plots. This is no exception, although I see it seems to be a re-issue of something that was published a few years ago.

I have literally just finished writing a review of another historical romance, m/f this time, which dragged and was frankly unbelievable. What a joy then to devour this book with great characters, a believable plot, it was fast-paced and I loved it.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley for an honest review.

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Review: A Scandalous Match

A Scandalous Match by Jane Dunn
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Lord Charles Latimer has fallen in love with Angelica Leigh, an actress who has found acclaim portraying Ophelia in a current production of Hamlet, in which she 'drowns' realistically in a river of real water on stage. His mama is scandalised and asks her brother The Honourable Ivor Asprey to intervene and try to buy her off. Ivor is a reforming politician, a widower with a young daughter, he is reluctant to interfere in his nephew's affairs, particularly when Charles will soon be deemed capable of making his own decisions. Nevertheless, he agrees and visits her backstage where he makes a complete hash of the whole thing and only succeeds in antagonising Angelica who honestly had no intention/expectation of marrying Charles in the first place.

Angelica and her mother lived hand-to-mouth for many years until her mother found a kindly protector who set them up in a lovely house in Mayfair and continues to lavish them with gifts and money .Angelica's mother wants Her to find a rich husband, but Angelica is more interested in her career as an actress, even if it does leave her open to bawdy comments and invitations to be the mistress of wealthy men. Well spoken and educated, Angelica knows the reputation actresses have but she is determined to live her own life.

So far, this seemed very similar to the beloved Georgette Heyer novel Faro's Daughter (although in that case the heroine ran a gaming hell). Unfortunately for me that is where the similarities ended. I happily confess that I am not a historian but I find it very hard to believe that a member of the aristocracy would allow his only daughter to associate with an actress, particularly one who had murky parentage. Similarly, given the licentiousness of the theatre audiences of the time, I don't believe an aristocrat would take his young daughter to the theatre. In addition, Angelica' befriends the daughter of a nobleman who lost his fortune gambling and then committed suicide, once her inheritance is restored and she is once more an eligible marriage prospect she still consorts with Angelica - something I can't believe her stepmother would ever have countenance.

Added to the unbelievability of the plot, this just seemed to drag, with side plots involving Angelica's missing father, a romance between Ivor's man of business and his daughter's governess, rehearsals for a new play, a one-dimensional villain, Ivor's political concerns, and his daughter's match-making.

Loved the cover.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

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Review: Spellmaker

Spellmaker by Charlie N. Holmberg
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

At the end of the first book Elsie and Bacchus have identified who is behind the murders of wizards and thefts of their opuses, they have even freed Ogden of her influence. But they can't expose her without also exposing the fact that Elsie is an unlicensed spellbreaker and Ogden is a power unlicensed master rational aspector.

Unfortunately, Master Merton strikes first and denounces Elsie as a rogue spellbreaker, she is arrested and thrown in prison. Only Bacchus' quick wits and tongue manage to save, with the romantic plot twist that he can vouch for Elsie because they are engaged to be married! Now Elsie must pretend to be a novice and undergo training as a spellbreaker in order to become legitimised.

With the mysterious American, a fake engagement, a shock betrayal, family reunions, kidnapping, and spells, spells, spells this is just as fast-paced and fun as the first book.

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Review: Spellbreaker

Spellbreaker by Charlie N. Holmberg
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Enter a wonderful new world of magic where wizards don't create new spells, merely pay for old spells to be written on their bodies and absorbed. When wizards die all the spells they accumulated over their lifetime are somehow downloaded into a spellbook which their bodies leave behind.

Elsie Camden was abandoned by her family when she was only seven. Brought up in the workhouse, she then became employed as a maid and then a general assistant to the stonemason Ogden.

Elsie has a secret, she is an unregistered spellbreaker, she can sense spells and break them (she sees them as intricate knots which she can unravel). She has been working secretly for a group she calls the Cowls (because the only one she met hid their face under a cowl), breaking spells which oppress working people. The mysterious Cowls communicate with Elsie by leaving letters for her with instruction as to which spells to break.

However, when Elsie travels to Seven Oaks in Kent to break a spell which the Duke of Kent has placed on the servants' quarters to prevent them from escaping, she is caught by one of the Duke's guests, a powerful wizard called Bacchus Kelsey, visiting London from his home in Barbados to receive his master status from the academy and hopefully receive a spell. Bacchus agrees not to report Elsie if she agrees to help him both break old, weak spells around the Duke's home so that he can replace them with stronger spells, and also lift a curse which has affected the crops in the surrounding fields.

Meanwhile, there has been a spate of murders of wizards and thefts of their spellbooks. While Elsie can't help feeling that these are rich people problems, when Ogden is attacked in their home she worries that no-one is safe. But who is doing this ... and why?

Loved this and can't wait to read the next one.

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Review: The Harbour Lights Mystery

The Harbour Lights Mystery by Emylia Hall
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Three and a half stars.

Christmas is approaching and Gus and Ally have gone to Mousehole to see the Christmas lights when the cheer is disturbed by screams - JP Sharpe, the chef at a local upmarket eatery, has been found murdered, his body hidden in one of the fishing boats. The murder is one for the police to investigate, even though Ally overhears someone suggesting that a waitress at the restaurant would be happy to hear the news.

Then the local PC lets slip to Saffron that the dead man had a letter in his coat pocket addressed to her, the letter is from her biological father. Although Saffron had been perfectly happy never knowing who her father was, once presented with evidence that he was trying to get in touch with her and is now dead she is conflicted.

Meanwhile, despite their best efforts to leave the detecting to the Police, Ally and Jayden are drawn into investigating JP's murder. But it seems there is a long list of people he upset who could have wanted him dead - can they uncover the real killer before it's too late?

I enjoyed this, but not as much as the first book, it seemed to drag a bit as the story flitted from one potential suspect to another and included copious amounts of personal stuff for Saffron, Ally, and Jayden. Nevertheless, I do like the characters and the way the reader is kept guessing as to the murderer's identity.

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Review: Island in the Sun

Island in the Sun by Katie Fforde
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Cass is a sheltered youngest child of a gifted photographer. When her father invites her to visit him on his remote Scottish island home she is excited, but also apprehensive because she doesn't know how to tell him that she doesn't want to be a teacher and that her passion is sketching rather than photography. However, she doesn't get a chance to tell him before he asks her to visit the island of Dominica to deliver an old map to the son of a friend. The map will hopefully allow him to find some ancient stone carvings alleged to have been seen on the island.

However, before Cass can begin her journey the island is hit by a severe hurricane, now her mission is to render assistance (if she can) and hand over the map. Her father ropes in his neighbour and journalist Ranulph, some ten years her senior, who has been to Dominica before and can help Cass.

Although everyone treats Cass as if she is eighteen instead of in her mid-twenties, she has hidden talents such as having taken a first aid course and an off-road driving course - both of which prove to be invaluable when they get to Dominica.

For some reason Cass has fallen in love with Ranulph despite having had very few conversations with him as far as I can tell, unfortunately they run into one of his older, glamorous ex-girlfriends on the island and the two of them seem to be cosying up. In addition, the map which Cass is carrying could help her father's friend's son win an archaeology competition with a large cash prize, something which is being hotly contested by one of his more obnoxious guests.

Despite the unusual setting, this is 100% Katie Fforde, she has tried to mix it up by not making her heroine a blushing virgin but all the trademark signs are there: artistic, quiet, overlooked heroine with older, wiser hero, bullying by other characters and mild threats of violence. Thing is, I love me a bit of that romance, its like catnip for me :)

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley for an honest review.

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Review: Plot Twist

Plot Twist by Breea Keenan
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

When Becca Taylor's world implodes she jumps at the opportunity to visit her writing friend Riley in Ireland for a few weeks of writing therapy. Unfortunately, Becca is under the impression that Riley is a single mother, and not a single father. Nevertheless, after an initial shock Becca and Riley think they can still help each other.

Riley has published a romance but is struggling to complete his second novel, Becca wants to write a children's book. Together through speed writing, and other challenges they hope to overcome writer's block.

But as Riley and Becca become closer there are other forces determined to pull them apart.

This was a sweet romance, I have to say I've not heard of Riley as a girl's name so the misunderstanding seemed a bit contrived - but otherwise this was an enjoyable read.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley for an honest review.

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Review: The Shell House Detectives

The Shell House Detectives by Emylia Hall
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Ally Bright is a widow living alone in the small town of Porthpella in Cornwall. Following her husband Bill's death a year ago she has retreated into her shell and is contemplating moving to Australia to be closer to her daughter and her family. One night she is disturbed by a young man banging on her door, looking for Bill. He has just been released from prison and is disorientated, whilst he was in prison his only remaining relative, grandmother, sold her bungalow and newcomers have built a glass mansion in its place. In addition, his grandmother has recently died and no-one informed him. Too scared to help him, Ally turns him away.

The next morning, former PC Jayden Weston, who left the police and moved from Leeds to Cornwall after his partner was stabbed and killed in a street brawl, is attempting to surf when he hears a commotion and rushes over to find that a fellow surfer has discovered the body of a young man at the bottom of the cliff. When Ally walks her dog early that morning she comes across the scene and realises that the young man is none other than her visitor the previous night. The local police are sure it is an attempted suicide, especially since the young man's father committed suicide at the same spot over twenty years ago. But Ally and Jayden aren't convinced. Then when the wife of the man who built the mansion on the site of the boy's grandmother's house goes missing the plot thickens.

This was an interesting detective story, things didn't turn out the way I thought they were going and there was enough personal interest to find the characters interesting. I've already downloaded the next book in the series.

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Review: Assistant to the Villain

Assistant to the Villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrer
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Evie Sage has lost her job after her previous boss the Blacksmith tried to suggest her job involved more than just admin duties. She is desperate for work because she must support her younger sister and her ailing father.

One day she is wandering in the forest when she comes across and young handsome man being chased and attacked by the King's men. The victim turns out to be none other than the notorious The Villain, although the wanted posters depict him as an old, extremely ugly, man. Despite her initial fear, Evie is desperate enough to agree to work for The Villain as his personal assistant - this girl can put a positive spin on anything!

Once she gets started, Evie finds she really enjoys working for The Villain, even if there is a lot of blood and gore and she has to get used to severed heads suspended from the ceiling! But it soon transpires that there is a spy in their midst, betraying them to the King - can Evie and The Villain expose the traitor?

This was a fun, easy read - imagine Pollyanna assisting an evil (but hot) villain and you can imagine the shenanigans.

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Review: Clash of wills

Clash of wills by Audrey Flynn
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

After Ruby Silver's restaurant in Cleveland burns down she's lost everything, until her uncle dies and leaves his mansion in South Africa to her and her siblings. Since both her siblings are already wealthy they agree to let Ruby go out and try to restore Jacaranda Mansion to make it into a restaurant. Unfortunately, when Ruby gets to the small town of Marulaspruit, on the edge of the Kruger Game Reserve, it appears that her eccentric uncle left more than one will, and local builder Sam Duvenage, who was raised by Ruby's uncle after his own father left, also claims a legal right to the mansion.

But while Sam and Ruby are bickering over whose will takes precedence and who should therefore be the owner, other forces are circling, determined to buy the mansion for their own nefarious purposes.

This book felt like it suffered from not really knowing what it wanted to be, not really a forced-proximity romance, not really a suspense romance, just kind of somewhere in between. And there was a lot of not sharing pertinent information then running straight into danger on both sides.

Overall, it was pleasant enough.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley for an honest review.

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Review: This Christmas: The most romantic love story since The Holiday

This Christmas: The most romantic love story since The Holiday by Emma Heatherington
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Rose loved Christmas until her boyfriend Michael was killed in a car accident on Christmas Eve, now she can't bear to celebrate and hides away from friends and family. This year, on a whim, she asks her uncle if she can stay in his AirBNB Seaview Cottage in Donegal, even though it technically isn't available at Christmas.

Charlie is spending his first Christmas without his beloved six year-old daughter Rebecca, who has moved to Spain with his ex-wife and her new husband. Unable to face a Christmas without his daughter, his accountant has pulled some strings to get him Seaview Cottage, because he and his wife know the owner.

Of course no-one knows what has happened until Rose and Charlie arrive at the one-bedroom cottage together. Eventually they agree to share the cottage, alternating the bedroom, with their two dogs. Charlie suggests since they both wanted to be alone that they only converse via text message and/or the whiteboard in the kitchen.

Despite their bah humbug attitudes the season gradually wins them over, but can they get over their feelings and get together? And can they put the past behind them?

This both dragged and seemed to be a case of instalurve in a few days. There was some needless attempts at suspense and some strange to-and-fro at the end which left me wondering exactly where Charlie was at any one time.

Anyway, I should know better than to buy any book that has a colon followed by some hi-falutin' claims in the title - the only thing that guarantees is that the statement after the colon is 100% not true.

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Review: Sex Ed

Sex Ed by Kristen Bailey
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Mia and Ed started work at the same secondary school at the same time and have been work buddies ever since, even though they are the antithesis of each other. Ed is controlled, organised, neat and tidy, whereas Mia is perpetually late, disorganised, and a slob.

Imagine Mia's surprise when Ed confesses after a drunken night out (tequila was involved), that he is a twenty-eight year-old virgin. Although by no means promiscuous, Mia has had her fair share of partners (twenty if you are interested) and offers to give Ed lessons so that he doesn't embarrass himself in front of the new maths teacher, on who he has a major crush. Ed, ever the good student has been watching porn films and taking notes to discuss with Mia.

This is quite funny, but maybe not as funny as Kristen Bailey thinks it is, and maybe (and I can't believe I'm saying this) there was too much before and after and not enough of the actual sex lessons?

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Review: Rebel Magic

Rebel Magic by Alex Fox
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Rebel is a native American bounty-hunter with the ability to speak to ghosts, because of her older brother's addiction problems she is 100% engaged by Kai Warcloud's Texas casino to bring in non-payers, something she wants to ditch. Just when she thinks she has finally cleared her brother's debt, Rebel discovers he had run up thousands more dollars of debt gambling and drinking, but Kai offers her a one-off trade - find a New Orleans businessman and he will expunge her brother's debt.

But when Rebel gets to New Orleans she discovers that all the supernatural stories are a leetle too true for comfort, her mark is a vampire with supernatural powers which she cannot match. In addition, he appears to have put Kai's little sister in some kind of thrall, she might even be dead.

Brokering a deal between the Vampire king of New Orleans, the Shifter leader and Kai will take all of her abilities.

So look, this had nothing new, Patricia Briggs and C.E. Murphy to name but two have written series with a similar premise. In addition, there is definitely. potential love-quadrangle because all three male characters are super-hot. But it was a good read and I will be interested to see where the next book takes us.

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Review: The Separation

The Separation by K.D. Edwards
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A super short freebie from the author which tells a tale from Rune and Brand's childhood.

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Review: Amnesia

Amnesia by K.D. Edwards
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Four page short story, free from author, about an attempt to gas-light Rune.

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Review: Scenes from the Holidays

Scenes from the Holidays by K.D. Edwards
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Loved it - short snippets from Sun Estate during the Equinox celebration.

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Review: The Great Atlantean Battle Royalchemy

The Great Atlantean Battle Royalchemy by K.D. Edwards
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Rune, Brand, and Max as they investigate a threat to peace among the ruling Arcana, all while Rune serves as a celebrity judge for an Atlantean alchemy competition.

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Review: Not My Kind of Hero

Not My Kind of Hero by Pippa Grant
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Maisey's life imploded when she divorced her cheating husband. Her job as his ditzy assistant on his b-list DIY show ended, and she lost the house to him and his new girlfriend. Added to which, Maisey's mother has been convicted of HOA fraud and sentenced to prison, which meant she missed her uncle's funeral.

Maisey and her daughter Juniper (WTAF were they thinking?) move to the hobby farm that her uncle left her in Hell's Bells Wyoming hoping for a fresh start. Unfortunately their nearest neighbour (and technically tenant) Flint has a chip on his shoulder, doesn't think Maisey should have inherited when she never visited her uncle. Oh, and Flint is also the school principal and the soccer coach - a team that Juniper is desperate to join.

This was pleasant enough, I liked that Flint was the one who had to do a lot of rethinking of his position (normally it is always the woman who turns out to be wrong), but it didn't really have any umph.

Read on my Kindle Unlimited subscription.

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Review: Falling into Forever

Falling into Forever by Delancey Stewart
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

When Addison's BF dumps her via post-it note she may have lost it a little bit which results in her coming home to Singletree for a few weeks R&R. A random kind deed for an elderly lady who falls over results in Addison and her fellow good-deeder Michael inheriting the local haunted house, with strings, they must each live in the house for six months before they can sell. The only problem is, Addison and Michael's families have been at loggerheads for years.

Neither Addison nor Michael can afford to turn down such an amazing gift, nor can they wait a year for them to live in the house consecutively before they sell it, so the only option is to co-habit whilst restoring the house to its former glory.

This was a cute, small-town, forced-proximity, romance featuring a single dad and a city girl who can't wait to get back to the bright lights.

A Kindle freebie at the time of review.

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Review: Iron Flame

Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The series continues. Violet and her friends (what is left of them) are second years at Basgiath War College, Xaden has graduated and has been sent to one of the farthest, and most dangerous, garrisons to guard. The new vice commandant is a personal appointee of Violet and Xaden's nemesis and he is doing everything in his power to keep them apart.

With the leadership seemingly oblivious (or deliberately ignoring) to the threat posed by the Wyvern, and leaving those outside the wards to their mercy, Violet and Xaden must make some momentous decisions.

The second book in a series is always difficult, the search for a new hook, the character development, the continuation of the overreaching story arc. By and large I think Rebecca Yarros nailed it. However, there was a bit of rinse and repeat between Violet and Xaden with her (rightly) being indignant that he had kept secrets from her and him saying he would answer any questions (but not saying what were the key questions to ask - eg who would think to say is my dead brother really alive and hiding under a false identity?). In fact, I'd go so far as to say that Xaden does a bit of gas-lighting of Violet. That aside however, the plot develops strongly and leads to great battles, great discoveries, and yet another exciting climax.

Loved it.

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Review: Hopeless

Hopeless by Elsie Silver
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Beau is the thirty-five year old feted war hero, former special forces soldier who rescued a hostage and spent eight days in a cave with little/no food and water. Now he's back home in Chestnut Springs with his family hovering over him and townsfolk fawning all over him. Trouble is, Beau has recurring nightmares about his experiences and is suffering from a form of PTSD where nothing seems to matter.

On the other hand, twenty-two year old Bailey's family are infamous for being work-shy, criminals, and general wronguns. Unfortunately, Bailey, who has never done anything wrong in her life, is tarred with the same brush. Her dreams of escaping Chestnut Springs and her toxic family are being thwarted, because none of the townsfolk will give her a job, other than the local bar.

Bailey and Beau begin a strange sort of friendship, at first he just gets drunk at the bar where she works. Then, when he discovers that she closes the bar every night on her own, he stays with her until closing to make sure she is safe. When Bailey tells Beau that he has life easy, being Chestnut Springs royalty, while she can't get a job even when it's vacant because of her last name he offers her a bet - they'll be fake engaged to see if that opens doorways for her.

Throw into the mix that Bailey is a curious virgin with no filter and you have yourself a romantic comedy.

Read on my Kindle Unlimited subscription.



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Review: The Sunken Mall

The Sunken Mall by K.D. Edwards
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Rune realises that Max still feels like an outsider rather than a member of the family, so egged on by seer Quinn, the gang take Max to a sunken mall which was translocated (badly natch) from the 1980s. Inevitably things go wrong, but more importantly it has created a new swearword, a mug saying/logo, and is the first time Rune suspects that Ciaran is more than just a Principality.

To say this is a free novella is to do this book an injustice, its full of vim, character development, new species and joy.

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Review: Christmas with the Lords

Christmas with the Lords by Hannah Langdon
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Three and a half stars.

After her boyfriend of ten years dumps her on 1 December, because he doesn't want her to get her hopes up for a Christmas proposal again, Penny decides she is going to do something radical with her life, as part of which she agrees to be a 'mother's helper' to Bunny Lord over the Christmas holidays at her brother-in-law's house in Devon while her husband Ben is stuck in town on business.

On arrival, Penny is met by said BiL, Lando, who turns out to be a very grumpy, antisocial carpenter who apparently hosts his entire family for Christmas on sufferance. Meanwhile, Bunny turns out to be an slightly ineffectual artist on commission deadline with two very precocious four-year old twins (I think two was redundant in that sentence). Add in Bunny's suave (some might say sleazy) brother Anders, Lando's charming if somewhat ouche father William, and Pilar the Spanish chef and there's a lot of people.

As Penny develops a bond with the twins, and friendship with Pilar and Bunny, she discovers that Lando was once a fun-loving, high-flyer in the City but suffered a breakdown, lost his high-maintenance girlfriend and chose to move to Devon and carve instead.

Despite his grumpiness Penny and Lando develop a sort of bond, but with his plans to relocate to Greece and hers to move to India to be with her parents is there any kind of future? Throw in both their exs and this could be a Christmas to remember.

This was a charming, funny, idealised Christmas romance. I thoroughly enjoyed it, although I question Lando's comment that he wakes up really early when the sunshine comes through his studio windows (when its December). In fact I have google-checked it and sunrise on 23 December 2023 will be 08:05 in the UK - hardly earth-shatteringly early.

I was invited to read this book by the publisher Storm for an honest review.

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Review: The Hourglass Throne

The Hourglass Throne by K.D. Edwards
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

No sooner have Rune and his scooby gang defeated The Hanged Man than a new evil comes to town. A rejuvenation clinic has been attacked and nobody can get in or out, apparently a mysterious client in the Jade treatment room was apparently unhappy that her rejuvenation treatment had no effect and went on the rampage.

The woman, or so it turns out to be, has an old Atlantean accent and seems to possess stronger powers than any of the current Arcana lords. Who is she, what is her plan and how can Rune thwart her? Although TBH I think the title could be a clue :)

This series goes from strength to strength. In each book Rune discovers more about his powers, gathers more people into his fold, and bolsters his House's fortunes, enough to start renovating/rebuilding the Sun compound.

I am absolutely gutted that I am only three days into a fourteen day holiday and there are no more books left to read in this series, although I have downloaded the short stories which will keep me amused for a short time. I'm loving this, the overarching storyline, the character development, the humour.



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Review: Murder at the Matterhorn

Murder at the Matterhorn by T.A. Williams
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Three and a half stars.

Dan Armstrong and his trusty canine companion Oscar are asked by an old friend in Scotland Yard to assist his sister, she's been attending a two-week Ufologists camp near to Matterhorn looking for evidence of extraterrestrials but a fellow camp mate has died in suspicious circumstances and she thinks there is something weird going on. Dan agrees to pretend to have an interest in UFOs and at the same time offers his services to translate for the local police force as a bilingual native English speaker with the ufologists who are all British/American.

I thoroughly enjoyed this, I had my suspicions about the murderer almost from the start (well maybe midway through) but it came together well.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley for an honest review.

Available on Kindle Unlimited.

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Review: Temptation Street

Temptation Street by Shari Low
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Two brothers and their wives, best friends and business partners. Karl and Joe run their family's construction company, Suze has a beauty salon next door to Mel's wedding shop. They meet for dinner every week and the boys go the gym and the pub as a regular thing.

But things haven't been right between Suze and Karl for several months, she's convinced he's having an affair and has hired a honey trap agency to investigate. Meanwhile, Joe and Mel, a more down-to-earth couple, are trying for a baby. But when the results of the honey trap are revealed it tears apart both couples.

Forced to reassess everything they knew about each other and their relationships is there any going back?

Threaded through this story are snippets of rendezvous between an unknown couple, clearly having an affair - but who are they? I have to say, the revelation of who this couple were was a surprise that kind of spoilt the book for me. Yes I never guessed, but it made some of the characters' actions seem strange and left me with the feeling that none of them were actually very nice people, except maybe one.

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Review: Born to Sin

Born to Sin by Rosalind James
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Four and a half stars.

Quinn Jeffries is a former OLympic swimmer turned lawyer and local judge. She has a reputation to maintain and some could consider her standoffish, a bit aloof, or maybe a bit odd. However, one of her running friends has decided she must start dating and has devised a six week programme, one date a week, to find her the perfect man. The trouble is, Quinn is a highly motivated, take-charge kind of woman and most men find that off-putting.

Single dad, Beckett Hughes has recently moved from Australia to small-town Sinful, Montana to manage a construction site for his boos, but also to get away from the memories of his late wife which beset him at home. His relationship with Quin gets off to a bad start when he appears in her traffic court after trying to outrun a train to get his two children to school on time for their first day. After that they seem to keep running into each other, she teaches swimming classes for the nervous, he takes the kids to the park and witnesses the disintegration of her date, etc, etc.

Just when it seems as though Beckett could be the man Quinn has been looking for, his old life comes beckoning.

This was an absolute blast of 100% full-on Rosalind James at her best. Funny, sweet, romantic, clever, witty dialogue, cute moppets, brilliant characters that just jump off the page.

Loved it.

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Review: Reckless

Reckless by Elsie Silver
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

And finally it's Winter's turn.

Winter is the doctor half-sister of Summer from the first book whose husband treated Summer and then essentially groomed her until she was eighteen, then started a relationship with her on the downlow, until he met and married Winter.

The book opens with Winter finally physically leaving her husband, after choosing to work at the small hospital in Chestnut Springs instead of the large hospital where both he and her estranged mother work.

As she drives she calls Summer and asks to meet, ever-forgiving Summer invites her to the ranch where the family are gathering for dinner. Little does Winter know that the obnoxious cowboy driving too close in the icy conditions is non-other than Summer's fiancee Rhett's protegee Theo, fledgling bull-rider. The two of them have a battle of words, but nothing Winter says can wipe the smile off Theo's face.

One thing leads to another, there's a one-night stand, and Winter becomes pregnant (despite undergoing fertility treatment with her ex Doctor Douche to try to get pregnant). Winter tries to get hold of Theo to tell him but he brushes her off, only to move into the house next to hers after he is
injured by a bull.

This opposites attract, one-night stand, secret baby romance was fast-paced and I rocketed through it. Now give me Rhett's brother's book NOW.

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Review: The Perfectly Simple Complicated Life of Maggie Halloran

The Perfectly Simple Complicated Life of Maggie Halloran by Trish Morey
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Maggie Halloran is a divorced, recently retired woman who has moved to Cornwall to be close (but not too close) to her mother who is in an assisted living apartment. Enjoying life in her terraced two bedroom cottage, with her Sudoku puzzles and her friend-with-benefits Nigel, her life is thrown into chaos when her mother announces she is getting married and wants Maggie to help (ie do everything). Then at the wedding, Maggie's daughter announces that she is pregnant, has quit her job and wants to move in with Maggie with her puppy while she starts up her blog.

Soon Maggie's cottage is bursting at the seams with her daughter (and her furniture), a dog, her mother (and her furniture), her ex-husband who has relocated to Cornwall to be near their daughter, and Nigel. And everyone expects Maggie to do everything for them.

Earlier this year I received an ARC of the second book in this series which I very much enjoyed, I liked the references to the characters in this book so when I saw it was on offer at 99p I jumped at the chance to buy it.

Although I enjoyed this I didn't like it as much as the second book. Maggie's family were just so obnoxious and self-absorbed that the HEA felt forced/fake. Also there was a bit of a woo-woo bit near the end which seemed pointless.

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Review: Must Love Books: The perfect uplifting debut novel for book lovers

Must Love Books: The perfect uplifting debut novel for book lovers by Shauna Robinson
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Nora has worked at Parsons Press for five years. Originally she was bright eyed and bushy tailed (metaphorically speaking), eager to progress and become a fully-fledged editor. Now her dreams are in tatters, her San Francisco division deals mainly in non-fiction, self-help style books, the editorial staff has been cut numerous times so that she is doing the job of three people for no extra pay, and to cap it all she has now been told that Head Office have decreed a 15% pay cut. Already struggling to make rent on her dingy flatshare, Nora is desperate to find another job. However, the only thing she is offered is a freelance position with a rival publisher for six months, with potential to become permanent. Since she can't live on either 'salary' Nora decides the easiest option would be to do both jobs, she thinks she can fit in the freelance work around her work at Parsons Press.

One of Parsons Press' few rising stars is Andrew Santos, who co-authored the umpteenth edition of an old stalwart and made it fresh and vibrant. After the original author died, Andrew wil author all future editions and Parsons is eager to get him to sign a new contract for future books. After initially almost sending Andrew into anaphylactic shock by getting his food order wrong, Nora runs into him again at a conference where he is hte keynote speaker and she is selling books in the lobby. Andrew and Nora strike up a connection, but Nora is conflicted. Her boss at Parsons has told her that if she can help land Santos' contract there is a strong probability of a promotion and a payrise. However, Nora is also aware that if she could introduce Andrew to the rival, much smaller, publisher it would greatly enhance her chances of securing a permanent position.

Watch as Nora tries to juggle two jobs, balance her conflicting professional desires with her burgeoning relationship with Andrew, and battle her own depression/suicidal thoughts.

Can I say I liked it, but I didn't love it? Much is made of the fact that Nora and Andrew are both people of colour in the blurb but honestly aside from a couple of minor references I didn't get that feeling, I guess what I'm trying to say is that those references could have been to Nora coming from Wyoming or Australia, I didn't really feel that sense of 'other' in a predominantly white world/industry. Nora's issues seems more of her generation and the decline in the print industry than of her ethnicity.

Also, I had the feeling that Nora (and this may be linked to what I have diagnosed as her depression) wasn't a very good friend. It seemed as though the people she deemed friends were always there for her, always inviting her to places/things but she only reciprocated when she wanted something, eg her flatmate often asked if she wanted to binge-watch their favourite baking show together but Nora brushed her off, for no good reason as far as I can tell.

So, drum-roll, I liked it, but I didn't love it.

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Review: The Hanged Man

The Hanged Man by K.D. Edwards
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Book 2 of this series does not disappoint. It also comes with a great prologue which gives some good world building detail about how New Atlantis came to be, timeframes, etc. Basically, Atlantis was ruled by the Arcana, a group of twenty-two individuals which humans have sort of warped into the tarot cards. Each Arcana is the head of a house, and nobility of that house are called Scions.

We found out in the first book that Max, Rune's (Lord Sun) ward (for want of a better description) was pledged by his grandmother (Lady Hearts) to The Hanged Man. The Hanged Man is determined to marry Max, against his will and Rune must do everything to stop him. Since The Hanged Man is doing everything according to protocol, in order to move against him Rune needs a plausible excuse, which Brand finds for him. A former member of Rune's father's Sun Court has petitioned Rune for assistance in finding her adoptive son Layne, who she believes has run away/been enticed away by The Hanged Man.

This was brilliant, Rune is slowly acquiring a family/court, he's building alliances, learning about his gifts. Argh, its 4am and I'm trying to recall another urban fantasy series where the hero did something similar, coming from nothing but building strength through alliances/favours.

Anyway, this novel leads us into dens of iniquity and depravity, we see lots of unusual creatures, and board a WW2 destroyer full of ghosts.

Loving this series.

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Review: The Christmas Tree Murders

The Christmas Tree Murders by Andrea Hicks
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

DNF at 9%.

I know, I know, how can I DNF at 9%? I'm sorry but this is supposed to be the first book in a series but it harks back to a previous investigation. By page 29 we have been told TWICE that Camille's husband Henry is known as Harry. The book screams anachronisms, for example Camille, the former Lady Divine, lends her servant clothes and takes her to the theatre with her daughter FFS. The characters are caricatures. Camille says she loved Harry until he dumped her for his mistress, but frankly he seems to be a chauvinist pig (even for the unenlightened 1920s) so it is difficult to understand what she ever saw in him.

Anyway, I didn't like the writing style, I didn't warm to the characters so I DNF.

Available on Kindle Unlimited.

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Review: The Last Sun

The Last Sun by K.D. Edwards
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Wow!

Imagine if you will a modern-day America, however part of it contains a New Atlantis, created by magic after the original was destroyed in a war. Aristocratic houses based on the tarot deck rule, and wield magic imbued sigils, often in the shape of jewellery. Rune only has a handful of sigils, rescued from his father's property over the last twenty years. Scions of the Arcane houses can have many sigils, each of which is worth upwards of $100,000.

Rune was the scion of the Sun family, until forces unknown came in and massacred everyone. As the sole survivor and victim of a terrible assault, Rune is a cautionary tale for other scions of the great houses. Rune and his companion (think bonded servant/bodyguard) Brand make a living investigating and dealing with problems (think blowing up or killing) for The Tower, one of the Arcane leaders of New Atlantis.

The Tower has engaged Rune to find his godson Addam, he has a tendency to wander off to go to music festivals or travel without telling anyone where he is going. Although his business colleagues and family aren't concerned The Tower thinks there is something else going on.

Impressive world-building, magic, magical creatures, tarot there's just so much to love about this new series. I can't wait to see where it goes - can I wait until my upcoming twelve hour flight to start reading the next in the series?


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Review: Hop Scot

Hop Scot by Catriona McPherson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Lexy and the residents of the Last Ditch motel go to Dundee to celebrate Christmas with her parents, but no sooner have they landed than Lexy's parents drop bombshell after bombshell on the group and Lexy finds a skeleton walled up behind the storeroom in her parents' new home.

This is a funny series in both meanings of the word. There is a lot of humour derived from the differences in language between Brits/Scots and Americans which can become grating. I received an ARC of the fourth book, really enjoyed and went back and read the first two books, then kind of overdosed on the humour and found the ending a bit confusing. Then I seem to have totally missed the fifth book but saw this on NetGalley and requested it. Then it sat on my TBR pile for six weeks because I remembered the humour.

Anyway, this was a laugh-riot. There was still a lot of humour derived from the different vocabularies of the Americans and the Scots but it felt gentler, less manic. I understood the ending as well.

If the thought of two gay doctors, a germophobe, a family with an extremely loud baby, twitchers (as in bird fanciers), a mistletoe thief, a small Scottish village, and a big Tesco shop on Christmas Eve eve sounds like your idea of fun then this could be the book for you.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley for an honest review.

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Review: Woke Up Like This

Woke Up Like This by Amy Lea
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Three and a half stars.

Charlotte Wu is a planner and an obsessive list-writer. She's created a 17 page PowerPoint presentation of her ideas for the prom theme, but her ideas are shot down by the senior class president, her nemesis JT Renner who seems to go out of his way to thwart her, eg by running for president when he knew she wanted the role.

When Charlotte and JT are decorating the gym early one morning she falls off the ladder and lands on him, but when she comes to its to find that she has been transported 13 years into the future and apparently she and JT are engaged. JT is similarly perplexed and its fun to see these two high school teens trying to adult whilst also trying to recreate the accident which catapulted them into the future.

This is a sweet riff on that Jennifer Garner film 13 going on 30, except this time two characters go forward in time.

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Review: The Merchant's Daughter: An enchanting historical mystery from the author of THE HOUSE OF LOST WIVES

The Merchant's Daughter: An enchanting historical mystery from the author of THE HOUSE OF LOST WIVES by Rebecca Hardy
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Jenny's life is irreparably altered when her beloved father dies suddenly. When his will is read she discovers that his import/export business partnership contract stipulates his shares revert to his business partners unless Jenny's husband chooses to join the business. Accordingly, she and her mother will be practically penniless unless she can convince his business partners that she is getting married and find a willing patsy within a week.

Enter Erasmus Black, a handsome charming merchant with a roguish twinkle in his eye. But Erasmus is not what he seems and he has his own reasons for wanting to get close to Jenny's father's business partners.

This had a lot going for it, but maybe too much. Pirates, murder, brothels, attempted rape, slavery, the Ottoman Empire, kidnapping, an uncanny ability to detect lies - it felt like there was so much going on that nothing really got developed properly and some things were unnecessary. With all these things going on we really don't get much of a feel for who Erasmus really is under all the pretence. I understand that Jenny is a character from one of the author's previous novels, which may explain why there is some extraneous detail that really isn't needed for the plot.

Overall, I liked it but I didn't love it.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

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Review: Heartless

Heartless by Elsie Silver
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Three and a half stars.

Cade is the oldest Eaton boy. He had to step up to the plate when his mother died and his father fell apart, raising his siblings, cooking dinner, etc. He takes on responsibility for everything and has a permanent frown on his face. He is a single father to five-year-old Luke and runs the family farm. When the regular nanny declares she's too old to run around after Luke anymore, he knows he needs to find a new live-in nanny, the trouble is everyone who applies seems to be auditioning to become Mrs Cade Eaton the second.

After sitting through several fruitless interviews with Cade, Summer takes it upon herself to appoint her BFF Willa as the new nanny. She might not have any childcare experience but after managing rowdy guys at her brother's bar she can handle a small child.

So this is an older (38) man, younger woman (25) romance. Allegedly Cade got drunk and succumbed to the lures of a small-town seductress who then got pregnant. Being the noble self-sacrificing man he is Cade married her, only for her to leave him when Luke was still very small. Now maybe I skim-read this too quickly, but Cade would have been thirty-two (ish) when he was seduced, so not exactly a naïve young man, also did they only sleep together once?

I enjoyed the romance with this one, grumpy single dad and fun-loving younger woman but I have to say I wasn't as keen on the mildly domineering smexy times and the bit with her panties (bleurgh).

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Review: Flawless

Flawless by Elsie Silver
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Summer is interning for her father, a sports agent. One of her father's clients, Rhett, is a bull rider who has made some poor choices, bad-mouthing one of the sponsor's products and hitting a journalist. As a consequence, and as damage control, Summer's father has decided Rhett needs a baby-sitter to keep him out of mischief until the championships in Vegas.

Summer's family life is very complicated, but basically she doesn't have anyone other than her dad. Rhett on the other hand has two older brothers and a little sister, but his family don't support his bull-riding. They want him to return to the family farm in Chestnut Springs.

This is your typical city girl meets cowboy, enemies to love, forced proximity romance. I really enjoyed it and it reminded me strongly of the American Extreme Bull Riders Tour series in a good way.

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Review: Secrets of Starshine Cove

Secrets of Starshine Cove by Debbie Johnson
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Cally is a divorced single mother of one teenager. A hairdresser in Liverpool, she basically looked after her mother ever since her father (Cally's father) died when Cally was just a child herself. Now, having looked after her son and her mother for all these years her son is on the brink of going to university and her mother has fallen in love and is moving to Scotland.

Feeling alone, and a bit lonely, after the ceiling at the shop where she works collapses, Cally has a few too many glasses of Baileys and decides to spend Christmas somewhere else, and where better than the seaside village she vaguely remembers from the last family holiday before her father got sick. After following her mother's rather cryptic directions Cally and her son Sam arrive at Starshine Cove and are enthusiastically welcomed by the locals.

I felt that the first book in this series leaned a bit too heavily on the woo-woo factor (the fact that Starshine Cove isn't on any maps and you can only find it by accident, like Brigadoon). This book toned down the woo-woo but I was left feeling a bit like nothing much happened. Cally didn't have a strong enough personality to be the lead character in the novel for me.

I received an ARC from the publisher Storm Publishing via NetGalley for an honest review.

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