Review: Law Maker

Law Maker by Susie Tate
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Clara Morris has a big secret. She tries to keep under the radar and has accepted a job as a teacher's assistant at the exclusive Molton Prep, even though with her qualifications she should be a teacher in her own right. She guards her privacy fiercely, and has it written into her employment contract that she doesn't have to meet any parents EVER. Her one indulgence is lusting after the impossibly handsome Lord Sterling when he comes to collect his sone Ozzie from school.

Unfortunately, Lord Rafe Sterling, criminal barrister and tipped to be the UK's youngest ever Judge, isn't good at taking no for an answer. Ozzie is dyslexic and spends his evenings lauding the wonderful Miss Clara to the skies, but Ozzie tells his father that Miss Clara said his brain works differently Rafe is on the warpath.

Although initial impressions aren't good, Rafe is surprised that this mousy young woman (who looks like a child) who barely spoke above a mumble becomes incredibly fierce when she thinks someone is labelling Ozzie as stupid. First Rafe is intrigued and then fascinated and, because he's from an aristocratic family used to bending others to his will, he soon makes Clara an offer she can't refuse to tutor/nanny Ozzie for a few hours every evening after school.

But Clara isn't hiding any old secrets, making the wrong move has landed her in the hospital more than once and what she is hiding could have massive repercussions for her, Rafe, and her beloved brother.

I love Susie Tate, she nearly always includes characters with real issues, and as a UK General Practitioner she knows first hand the problems, diagnoses, symptoms, and feelings that come with them. This book is no exception, in this case domestic violence - there are trigger warnings in the blurb so this isn't a spoiler. I thought she did this really well, not doing a Hollywood lite version of violence, this was shocking and frightening.

Rafe was a true alpha male, his breeding, education, money, and job make him authoritative, but strangely Clara finds it comforting and it makes her feel safe. Especially when she's behind electronic gates and driven to work in a bullet proof car by a close security officer.

If you fancy a romance between a bossy billionaire lawyer single dad and his son's teacher, laughs, tears, extreme bravery, and a lot of swearing - well you're in luck!

I received an ARC from the author via BookFunnel.

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Review: Fire Must Burn

Fire Must Burn by Allison Montclair
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Sparks and Bainbridge are inveigled into setting up an old friend of Sparks' with a planted girlfriend.

Back in the 1930s when Iris was at Cambridge University she met Tony Danforth, they were good friends for a while, even dated a little, but he joined the Socialists (and perhaps the Communist Party) and went off to fight in Spain, later he went to Singapore for the duration of the war. Apparently he's back working at the Foreign Office but MI5 has suspicions that he may be a spy for the Russians or the Chinese and want him vetted - which is where The Right Sort marriage agency comes in. Iris will 'accidentally' bump into him, get reacquainted and offer their services - Tony has already been advised that a married man is viewed more favourably than one who is single - they will then introduce him to an MI5 spy who will clear or condemn him.

Iris is torn, she hates lying to an old friend, but if he is a spy then she wants that uncovered.

Meanwhile, Gwen discovers from her boyfriend that Tony was involved in a scandal at Cambridge - something that may have precipitated his departure to Spain - could the past shed light on the present?

Yet another wonderful mystery featuring our redoubtable heroines, loved it.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley.

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Review: The High Tide Murder

The High Tide Murder by Emylia Hall
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Cat and Jayden are having a weekend alone in The High Tide hotel overlooking Trebaron Cove. But things aren’t going to plan. First Cat meets Summer, a girl she went to school with who is now a social media influencer, at the hotel to post some content with her surfer boyfriend and they agree to meet for drinks (and maybe dinner), instead of a romantic dinner at deux.

Then two couples arrive, Kathy and Drew Schofield and Steve Bradshaw with his girlfriend Mae. Ostensibly the couples have come to celebrate Drew’s retirement from the Police and their wedding anniversary, but there seem to be undercurrents between the two couples, Steve having been recently let go from the same police force. At dinner, the foursome are loud and obnoxious, resulting in the hotel owner, Elliott King having to intervene when they made a waitress cry.

Late that night during a storm there was a power cut and in the morning, Summer finds Drew’s dead body below his bedroom balcony. Was it a drunken accident or was it deliberate? Steve is convinced its murder, then Jayden notices that the Instagram post Summer made of the storm shows two men arguing on Drew’s balcony.

But there seems to be a plethora of suspects, let’s face it Drew was not liked in the police force (old-school copper seems to be the kindest epitaph). But as Ally and Jaden dig deeper it seems like Drew’s death may relate to something that happened many years ago, which may involve someone else who was at the hotel that night.

Another great yarn from the Shell House Detectives, although Gus is off-stage for most of the action.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley.

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Review: Happy Christmas: A Hilarious Holiday Marriage of Convenience Romance

Happy Christmas: A Hilarious Holiday Marriage of Convenience Romance by Kelsey Humphreys
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Janie Rowland is down on her luck. Her no-good brother has got in debt and she has literally had to liquidate all her savings, sell all her possessions, and move home to live in her granny's dilapidated house in Juniper Falls to try to get by, even now she's getting threatening emails and texts for the balance of the funds owed. She's a genius accountant (allegedly) and has taken a job working for a cutesy mayonnaise subsidiary of the global Clark Industries empire.

One day, while dressed as a hot dog at an expo in Vegas Janie is unlucky enough to run into Benedict Clark, a British trust fund fun-loving guy who she has met on numerous occasions at various family and friends' parties. Benedict is the sort of guy who is seen in gossip magazines with models and actresses hanging off his arm, he's a terrible flirt and a thrill-seeker.

Benedict pulls rank and gets Janie to spend the afternoon with him, life is becoming difficult, his father has laid down an ultimatum - get serious or he'll lose his trust fund and rumours will be spread that will make him unemployable.

Benedict comes up with a plan, they already know each other so its not impossible that they might have fallen in love. Get married before Christmas, attend a few events as a couple in the first year, then stay loosely married for another four years before getting divorced. In return, Benedict will pay Janie an obscene amount of money.

Janie has had terrible luck with men, her ex dumped her at their engagement party then got back with her, only to dump her again - in a small town that sort of thing is never forgotten.

Juniper Falls is one of those hokey towns that goes big for the Autumn/Winter holidays (it also brings in plenty of tourist dollars which helps the town stay afloat for the rest of the year) and Janie and Benedict agree to participate in a weekly event to give enough photo opportunities to give credence to their fake relationship.

Of course the chemistry is off the charts, but neither of them wants to be the first to say they've caught feels ... until the inevitable misunderstanding.

A lovely opposites attract, billionaire romance.

Free on Kindle Unlimited.

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Review: Let the Bells Ring Out

Let the Bells Ring Out by Milly Johnson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Three and a half stars.

Seven people on their way to 'celebrate' very different Christmases get stuck in a snow storm in Yorkshire.

Frank and Gracie, a middle-aged couple who run a pub, this Christmas was supposed to be his last chance to rescue their marriage but everything has gone wrong from the start.

Elizabeth, a young woman on her way to spend Christmas with her fiancé (who also happens to be a director in her father's business), his family, her father, and various relatives, being driven by Vincent.

Jane, a widowed octogenarian en route to spend Christmas with her stepson and his wife.

Roo, an orphan in a dead-end job, who was expecting to spend Christmas alone after her fiancé and best friend had an affair, got pregnant and are planning a Christmas wedding.

And finally Tim, a retired businessman who was going to play Father Christmas at a corporate event.

They all meet at a small train station, some of them awaiting a replacement train service, Tim because his car breaks down, and Elizabeth and Vincent because the snow is making driving conditions too difficult. When a train arrives to take them to the next main station where they can get connections it is not just a normal train. This is the Yorkshire Belle, an American millionaire's pet project en route to Scotland for him and his family to spend the holidays travelling in style - think the Orient Express but fancier. When the brakes seize up due to ice on the tracks the guard and driver go off to get the engineer, leaving the seven passengers on the train.

In their own ways each of the passengers is feeling unhappy or unfulfilled, but spending a few days together, trapped on a train, with only the dulcet tones of Brian 'the real BBC' on the radio to keep them company, friendships develop and they may even make some life-changing decisions.

If you like a bit of fantasy with your cosy Christmas stories then this is the one for you. Although I could see the twist I still enjoyed it.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley.

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Review: Recipe for Trouble: A grumpy/sunshine queer MM romantic comedy

Recipe for Trouble: A grumpy/sunshine queer MM romantic comedy by Dylan Morrison
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Three and a half stars.

Ben Blumenthal is a video editor working in a fairly soul destroying job for a big corporate. He night have a lovely apartment, but his only friend is his eighty year old agoraphobic neighbour, even his cat doesn't seem to like him much, and she might only like him because he feeds her regularly. Ben's trouble is that he is cynical and people get offended at his snarkiness.

Then Vince, an acquaintance who works for a sister publication, the food magazine Gastronomic, asks Ben to edit a video for him. The powers that be want the magazine to publish video content on the website and have told one of the test chefs that he *MUST* make the videos. Vince freely acknowledges that the raw footage is absolute carnage but wants Ben to have a go and cobbling it together into something okay - the idea is to force management to rethink things and bring in professionals.

When Ben reviews the footage he can't believe it, this guy, Pete Bailey is a disaster. If he doesn't drop it he burns it, he forgets what he is saying, he says things wrong over and over. Full of indignant fury Ben edits the footage into a comedy montage with his own voice-over - along the lines of 'if this bozo can do it so could your pet hamster' and of course it is an instant hit, people love the slapstick humour and voiceovers. So management commission (aka command) a further series of videos leading up to Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Prepared to loath Pete, a good-looking guy with the job of his dreams, Ben is pleasantly surprised to discover that Pete not only enjoys Ben's humour, but off-camera he's an extremely competent chef - he seems to have an extreme version of camera shyness. As their friendship develops Ben comes to know Pete a bit better, but is there something he's not sharing?

TBH I was in two minds whether to request an ARC, I wasn't sure about the premise and I didn't love the cover art, but decided to give it a go. I'm glad I did, I rally enjoyed the developing relationship between Ben and Pete, the way in which they really 'saw' each other. What reduced the rating for me was the cause of the 'conflict', it felt unrealistic - like that would ever happen - and too mwah ha ha to be believable - yes it was clearly signalled from the beginning but that didn't make it any more realistic for me (maybe its different in the US).

Anyway, glad I took a chance on a new-to-me author and I would definitely read more.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley.

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Review: Christmas on Fifth Avenue

Christmas on Fifth Avenue by Julie Caplin
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Three and a half stars.

Evie Green has become a social media icon - but not in a good way. Despite being a financial journalist she fell for a scam offering a holiday in New York and used her flatmates' money to pay the deposit. Then when her boss finds out she gets suspended. The only upside is that the Plaza in New York has offered her a holiday in New York all expenses paid if she will post photos and videos of her time there. It was a dream of Evie's late mother to spend Christmas in New York, since her death Evie hasn't really celebrated Christmas so this trip will be a first.

Noah Sanderson is an American playing football in England, he got a bit of a bad boy reputation, which he was trying to clear up, until trying too hard he went in for a strong tackle which ended up breaking both his opponent's legs and potentially ending his career. His agent has banished him to New York until the fuss dies down with the instruction to stay away from controversy.

Of course they end up sitting next to each other on the plane and having adjoining rooms in the Plaza. The two of them are like chalk and cheese, Evie throws herself into things with abandon, but never gets too close whereas Noah plans everything carefully (one tackle aside) and is super close with his family.

When the inevitable happens and the hotel shares a video of Evie dressed up as an elf giving out candy canes to diners in the hotel's restaurant and teasing Noah about being a bad boy Noah's agent decides a fake wholesome romance is just the ticket to rehabilitate Noah's image. The video has the highest engagement of any of the posts to date so Evie agrees to the fake dating.

What follows is Noah and Evie ticking off every Hallmark New York experience, from ice-skating to Tiffany's, Bloomingdales, Christmas lights etc, etc. Along the way Evie discovers that Christmas might not be as bad as she thinks and Noah sees the virtue in a bit of spontaneity.

Then comes the inevitable conflict, TBH it felt manufactured and a trifle silly.

Overall, if you love a Hallmark Christmas movie I think you'll love this, its cute, cosy, and choc full of meet-cute experiences.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley.

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Review: Food Noise: How weight loss medications & smart nutrition can silence your cravings

Food Noise: How weight loss medications & smart nutrition can silence your cravings by Jack Mosley
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Three and a half stars.

I have long been a fan of the Fast 800 cookbooks, particularly the Easy (blue) and recipe (red) books which contain a lot of what I would call 'normal' dishes eg chicken curry, traybakes, tuna salad, etc. I did the Fast 800 diet and lost quite a lot of weight but once the initial 12 weeks ended I couldn't sustain the switch to 5:2 and slipped back into my old habits, albeit still often cooking/making recipes from the books because they are relatively simple and generally delicious.

In late May 2025 I started my GLP-1 journey with (realistically) six stones (38 kg) to lose. I had already bought this book, mainly for the recipes because I didn't even clock that it was about using weight loss medication LOL, but got put off because there are no pictures with the recipes - I tend to like the look of a dish and then decide to make it. Anyway, nearly four months later I decide to start reading the book and found a lot of the things Jack Mosley says make sense. Obviously if obesity leads to a myriad of other health problems then losing the weight will reduce the risk and/or stop you getting them in the first place. These weight loss jabs were originally designed to treat Type 2 diabetes after all. Yes there are side effects, although there is some evidence to suggest that they are worse if you eat junk food or UPF and don't drink enough water. Upping your protein, water, and fibre intake can relieve the side effects and is a good idea generally anyway. I finished the book thinking that it had confirmed (with science) what I had already heard from various other sources, that these jabs can be a real game changer BUT you also have to change your eating habits otherwise there is a danger that you will either have to stay on the jabs for life or risk regaining all the weight lost - and the real kicker is that you regain fat and the healthy muscle lost doesn't come back.

So overall, science is good and explained simply with cross-references to the sources if required. When I flicked through the recipes they didn't look too bad either.

My one gripe is the number of times he mentioned the Fast 800 diet - by the end it felt like I'd paid for an advertorial or he was trying to sell me a Timeshare. I don't recall him ever saying there were other ways to eat with a calorie deficit whilst also eating healthily - the Fast 800 was just plugged over and over again.

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Review: Hell to Pay

Hell to Pay by Rosalind James
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This follows on from Hell Bent but can totally be read as a standalone.

Marguerite and her granddaughter Alix, together with Alix's boyfriend Sebastian and Sebastian's nephew have travelled from the US to Germany. Marguerite is actually the daughter of the former King of Saxony who died during the bombing of Dresden in 1945 during WW2. Marguerite escaped Dresden as a sixteen year old with most of her mother's emerald parure (basically just a set of jewels meant to be worn together eg tiara, necklace, ring, bracelet etc) sewn into the sleeves of an old coat. However, she was forced to leave the tiara behind, hidden in a cellar, because it was too bulky to conceal. Now, over 90 years old, she wants to try to retrieve the tiara from the newly restored Dresden Castle because the parure has been passed down from mother to daughter for generations.

Told partially in present day and partially through Marguerite recounting the story to her family, and later a history vlogger, together with letters from Marguerite's late husband Joe to his father in the USA, and Marguerite's own journal we see how Marguerite led a relatively charmed life, even during WW2, with the family being supplied with food by a loyal farmer from outside Dresden, but her father's refusal to fly the Swastika or support the Nazis has not gone unnoticed and her comfortable way of life is drawing to a close.

I must confess I was a tad sceptical about how this would work, after all we already know that Marguerite survived, married Joe and had a daughter and granddaughter - where's the suspense? I needn't have worried (or doubted Rosalind James), this was a cracking story with all the drama and suspense I could possibly ask for. I can't wait for the next one.

I received an ARC from the author.

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Review: Ice Blue

Ice Blue by Emma Jameson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Three and a half stars.

First in a series featuring the aristocratic police officer Chief Superintendent Anthony Hetheridge, ninth baron of Wellegrave and his dynamic duo Detective Sergeant Kate Wakefield and Detective Sergeant Deepal 'Paul' Bhar. They might face racial and sexual slurs from 'colleagues' and suspects but the urbane sixty-year old Anthony Hetheridge has taken them under his wing.

This series opener features the murder of an outspoken financier after a dinner party at his mansion in Belgravia where he managed to comprehensively insult practically every other person at the table. The victim, Malcolm Comfrey was married to an old flame of Anthony's which makes things even more complicated.

Pleasant enough police procedural with a May to September romance brewing.

Currently free on Kindle.

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Review: Ice Blue

Ice Blue by Emma Jameson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Three and a half stars.

First in a series featuring the aristocratic police officer Chief Superintendent Anthony Hetheridge, ninth baron of Wellegrave and his dynamic duo Detective Sergeant Kate Wakefield and Detective Sergeant Deepal 'Paul' Bhar. They might face racial and sexual slurs from 'colleagues' and suspects but the urbane sixty-year old Anthony Hetheridge has taken them under his wing.

This series opener features the murder of an outspoken financier after a dinner party at his mansion in Belgravia where he managed to comprehensively insult practically every other person at the table. The victim, Malcolm Comfrey was married to an old flame of Anthony's which makes things even more complicated.

Pleasant enough police procedural with a May to September romance brewing.

Currently free on Kindle.

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Review: The Lost Husband

The Lost Husband by Katherine Center
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Three and a half stars.

Libby Moran's husband Danny died in a car crash, picking their daughter up from school. After his death she discovers he has lost all their money on bad investments and she loses the house and is forced to move together with her two children back in with her narcissistic mother. Three years later she receives a letter out of the blue from her aunt Jean offering her a home on her farm in Texas - Libby has no recollection of ever meeting Jean, who her mother describes as a crazy hippy, but anything has to be better than living with her mother so she packs them up and leaves.

After Danny's death, Libby has become terrified of anything happening to her children, especially since her daughter was injured in the crash and still walks with a limp. But Jean and her farm hand O'Connor gradually teach her to relax and let the kids run free. TBH I found this a bit irritating, why is it always the city mom who is neurotic and the childless man and woman who know better?

But just as Libby and her children are beginning to find their feet there are bombshell surprises.

This was okay, but it was a very slow burn, and the surprises were a bit obvious. I am not surprised that this is an old book that has got a new cover.

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Review: Blue Murder

Blue Murder by Emma Jameson
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Two people are murdered at a Halloween party in fashionable Chelsea - both by an axe to the head. Scotland Yard sends in Chief Superintendent Anthony Hetheridge, AKA Lord Hetheridge, ninth baron of Wellegrave. Anthony is sixty years old, fabulously wealthy, and the cop they wheel in when anyone involved is wealthy and/or titled. His trusty side kicks are Detective Sergeant Kate Wakefield and Detective Sergeant Deepal “Paul” Bhar (can I just say that I really hate that people call him Paul Deepal isn't a hard word to pronounce FFS). Despite being half his age and well below his social and economic status, Kate and Anthony have a budding romance.

To add to the mix, the party took place in the mansion next door to Sir Duncan Godington, an acquitted suspect in the macabre murder of his father, brother, and devoted butler, something that hurts both Anthony and 'Paul' quite badly.

Deepal is a sharp dresser who lives with his devoted mother. Kate looks after her brother who has an intellectual disability and her nephew because her sister is in a mental health facility. They encounter sexism and racism from both other cops and people they interview.

This was okay, I hope (but doubt) that Sir Duncan is going to be a recurring theme as I find him a bit too cartoon villain (twirling moustache-type).

Anyway, I the murderer's identity was quite obvious, maybe I've read something quite similar before? So the fact that it took them half a book to find their identity was a bit tiresome.


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Review: The Odds of You: The irresistible new opposites attract rom-com from the Sunday Times bestselling author

The Odds of You: The irresistible new opposites attract rom-com from the Sunday Times bestselling author by Kate Dramis
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Sage Collins had a job as a data analyst until she wrote a best-selling fantasy novel. Now she's got a big enough advance on her next book to give up her job and pursue her dreams of being a writer. In fact, she's flying from LA to New York to Comic Con where she is signing books and taking part in a panel discussion.

Theo Sharpe is a British guy sitting across the aisle on the same flight to New York. He keeps striking up a conversation with Sage, which is fun and everything, but a bit odd. Then when they disembark the plane the paparazzi snap pictures of the two of them. Theo is an up-and-coming actor and his rabid fans jump on the pictures fuelling speculation and rumours - but mainly making ugly comments about Sage and accusing her of trying to hang on Theo's coattails.

The backlash fuels Sage's insecurities, she's lagging behind on writing the second book with a deadline looming, her parents both treat her writing as an aberration, and she's officially run out of ideas. So, when the vitriol sees no sign of abating she decides to book an Airbnb on the Scottish island of Skye, somewhere away from everything where she can just concentrate on writing.

What Sage has forgotten is that Theo was the one to mention Skye to her in the first place, his family has a holiday home on the island, and it isn't long before they run into each other. Love might blossom, but for how long, Theo lives in London and Sage lives in LA?

I did enjoy this but it was very angsty. If I tell you that Theo seemed well-balanced and calm yet he is the one who was mourning the deaths of his brother and mother, his father is his agent and is controlling his life, and he wants to take his career in a whole new direction I think you can get an idea of how much angst Sage carries around ... it felt a bit too much and a bit repetitive. Also the 'conflict' was pretty obvious.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley.

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Review: The Kennedy Rule: An addictive rivals-to-lovers MM hockey romance

The Kennedy Rule: An addictive rivals-to-lovers MM hockey romance by K.C. Carmichael
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Connor Kennedy is the golden boy of ice hockey, son of a living legend, Captain of his team, the Chicago Broad Wings (where his father, Connor Kennedy Sr is the general manager) his path has been cleared all the way and he's a natural shoe-in for the USA men's Olympic team.

Gavin Marshal has had a hard life, his local town in Alaska scrimped and saved to send him to hockey camp with second-hand equipment, but he's made something of himself as enforcer for the Buffalo Blizzards and he has helped his team to the playoffs, even if he does have the dubious honour of being dubbed king of penalty minutes as the player who has racked up the most time in the sin bin.

As opposing team members they should hate each other, but when they first met at that infamous training camp they could have been friends, if Connor's father hadn't tried to have Gavin thrown off the team.

As a surprise no-one saw coming Gavin and Connor have both been named for Team USA, and after Gavin's cool head gains the coach's eye, Connor is named captain and Gavin alternate captain.

Whilst the tension mounts they are going to have to make some tough decisions, because while they might be able to have a romance on the DL while at training camp and at the Olympics, when they go back to their teams they are mortal enemies.

I really enjoyed this, okay Connor Kennedy Sr was a bit of a cartoon villain but I loved Connor and Gavin and Bouchard and Gavin's dad and would happily read more in this series or by this author.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley.



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Review: It's Not Me, It's You

It's Not Me, It's You by Jo Lovett
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Three and a half stars.

When Freya meets Jake back stage at a breakfast TV show sparks flow - but not in a good way. She's a romance writer who doesn't believe in a happy ever after for herself, he's a divorce lawyer who still believes in true love but thinks romances should be banned. When they start arguing on national TV social media goes wild and the tv host sees a quick way to make hay while the sun shines. She forces Freya and Jake to agree to arrange a series of dates for each other, each of them trying to prove themselves right. Neither of them can afford the backlash if they back out so with ill grace they agree.

What follows are a series of dates, then the tv production company decides it is more amusing if the pair double date, and the dates get sillier as the tv show chooses the activities.

I did enjoy this, but it requires the reader to suspend disbelief ... at a certain point I would have just said no, sod being a good sport about things.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley.

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Review: The Monday Night Heartbreak Club: A BRAND NEW heart‑warming novel of heartbreak, friendship & second chances from Jane Lovering

The Monday Night Heartbreak Club: A BRAND NEW heart‑warming novel of heartbreak, friendship & second chances from Jane Lovering by Jane Lovering
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Three and a half stars.

Phoebe (Fee) is drowning her sorrows in her local wine bar after her loser boyfriend left her (again) when she spots a flyer for a club for those disappointed by Valentine's Day. She pitches up the next Monday to meet Margot, a frighteningly efficient lawyer whose husband has filed for divorce, Annie who thinks her husband of forty years is having an affair, and Wren who has left her partner because they didn't pay her enough attention. Fee feels a bit embarrassed that she is the only one glad that her relationship has ended ... she wants the club to help her from caving in and taking him back. The a late-comer to the club, Fraser a pretty gormless young man whose friend told him it would be a great place to meet women.

What started out as a bit of a moaning session becomes a group of found friends and after one session Fee messages Margot and suggests the club tail Annie's husband to find out if he is having an affair.

This was peak Jo Lovett, funny, sad, touching, surprising, full of normal people being ordinary but special at the same time.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley.

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Review: How to Write a Love Story

How to Write a Love Story by Catherine Walsh
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Three and a half stars.

Sam Avery is a hot-shot New York book editor with ambitions to run the agency one day. He first got into editing (and books) through the novels of Frank Sheridan (think high fantasy David Eddings/G.R.R Martin), which his firm publishes. He was the original fan-boy, even has a tattoo on his arm like the hero. One day his boss calls him into the office, following Frank's death fans thought the series would never be completed but Frank's daughter Ciara has agreed to write the final novel but she is having a wobbly and his boss wants Sam to travel to Ireland and coax her through the process.

Ciara Sheridan is living in the house immortalised by her father, complete with secret doors and various iconic settings from his books. Grief has paralysed her, the incessant intrusions by fans who leave cards, flowers, and gifts and try to get into the house have made her a recluse. The backlash she received when the fans discovered that she had written three books under a pseudonym has made her wary of fans altogether. She just can't get herself into writing this book, the expectations of fans worldwide is stopping her from writing. All of this is why she's insisted on total secrecy about the book, no mentions that it is being written, and definitely no hints that she is the author.

Although they clash at first, particularly because Ciara is wary of fans, eventually they find a way to work together and the book starts to take shape, and as they bring together the hero and heroine could these two find their own HEA?

I was really enjoying this book until maybe three-quarters of the way through, when there was a series of plot devices designed to cause tension, just piled on one after the other, it was completely at odds with the sleepy small-town Summer vibes of the rest of the book and required both Ciara and Sam to do things which (to me) didn't feel authentic. I felt the ending was rushed and resolved by another plot device. Would have been a four star review otherwise.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley.


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Review: Clown Town

Clown Town by Mick Herron
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Three and a half stars.

Separately. first River Cartwright is recovering from Novichok poisoning, he hopes to be allowed back into Regents Park, little does he know First Desk Diana Taverner intends to have him kicked out of the service completely. Second, someone is trying to blackmail Diana with proof that the then government and First Desk aided and abetted a known sociopath during the Troubles in Ireland, and then gave him a large pension when peace was brokered. Third, someone has lodged a complaint with HR about Diana's behaviour. Fourth, Roddy Ho has got a tattoo. Fifth, the curator has discovered that a book from River's grandfather's library, which he donated to the Spooks College at Oxford, is missing ... not only that it isn't a real book. Diana Taverner tries to play chess on a global scale and things don't go well.

We are out of the COVID era and there is a new government. Peter Judd is as oily and obnoxious as (I actually mistyped ass but it did seem appropriate) ever, despite having no ostensible power, and his (and his paymasters') grip on Diana is tightening.

This didn't seem to have the humour and bite of the previous novels. It is difficult to distinguish the Slow Horses when they get murdered with such monotonous regularity, I didn't even remember that there was a new girl in the last book. The farting has abated, but sadly it has been replaced by a bad case of (deliberate) malapropisms which feels weak.

Maybe its me. I was super excited to see an ARC on NetGalley and 'wished for it', was stoked to get my wish granted and then ... nada, couldn't bring myself to start the book. Don't get me wrong, I started reading it last night and finished this afternoon, its a good read, but it doesn't have the vicious caricatures of the earlier books where Mick Herron skewered political figures, all we get are some side swipes at Liz Truss (who?) and Nigel Far(ight)age.

After the gut-wrencher that was The Secret Hours, probably my favourite book so far, Jackson Lamb felt less like a prize-winning racehorse hiding his talents and more like a blunt instrument.

Still love the series.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley.

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Review: A Moment's Shadow

A Moment's Shadow by Anna Lee Huber
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Verity and Sidney are still pursuing the stolen phosgene cylinders that Lord Ardmore had stolen three years ago. They are also still in Dublin as hostilities between the Black and Tans and the IRA continue to escalate with murders, beatings, and retaliations.

Verity and Sidney are in a precarious situation, she is working unofficially for the secret service, whilst concealing the fact that their friend Alec Xavier has gone to work for Michael Collins. Ardmore and his minions are everywhere and could easily spot them together and have her arrested (or worse).

At one of the parties they attend they discover that there has been a series of jewellery robberies, which the victims are refusing to report to the police because their insurance companies believe they have a chance of recovering the jewellery themselves. The establishment ask Verity and Sidney to investigate the robberies. convinced the IRA are using the jewellery to fund their rebellion, although Verity isn't so sure.

Whilst I didn't feel like this was a a lot of historical research being regurgitated (as I complained about for the last book) this did feel very history-heavy, totally overshadowing the jewellery thefts

TBH Lord Ardmore has been Verity's sworn adversary for so long I've totally forgotten why he stole the phosgene in the first place and what is motivation is.

I know I say this every time I review one of these books, but I think this may be the last for me - what I loved was the little historical details not the big picture political stuff and that seems to have been overwhelmed in the most recent books. However, if you are looking for an easy-to-read explanation of the events as they unfolded then this could be a good place to start.

Also, I was surprised (because her use of British English is usually very good) to see Verity frequently referring to 'circling the block', or being a 'few blocks' away from something.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley.

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Review: The Weight's Over - Take Back Control: Break free from dieting, transform your mindset and change your life. The Top 5 Sunday Times Bestseller 2025

The Weight's Over - Take Back Control: Break free from dieting, transform your mindset and change your life. The Top 5 Sunday Times Bestseller 2025 by Sandra Roycroft-Davis
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

It was one of those Facebook adverts (yes I know), I was looking for a way to lose weight (yet again) and was put off by the high prices charged by things like Noom and Zoe - when I saw that Slimpod was much cheaper and had a ten day trial period I decided to give it a go. Its like no other weight loss journey (because you are not on a diet) and so when I heard that Sandra had written a book I thought I would buy it.

First, the content is very similar to the coaching videos that you get if you subscribe so it is reinforcing those messages for me rather than new ideas. However, you do get a personal story from someone who has used the techniques to reclaim their health, happiness and/or weight at the end of practically every chapter which is nice (and they aren't all twenty-somethings who wanted to lose seven pounds).

I'm sure lots of people will read the book and feel empowered without needing to subscribe to the pods. However, for me it was an add-on to the subscription (and the lovely pods from our Trevor). It helps you think about why you 'fall off the wagon' on diets, why you binge eat, why you are drawn to sweet foods, alcohol, and chocolate instead of (say) a carrot and the impact of all those failed diets on your subconscious.

Very easy to read with x-refs to the technical studies.

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Review: Hell Bent

Hell Bent by Rosalind James
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Anastasia Alexandra Glucksburg-Thompkins (Alix) is a descendant of royalty, an ersatz princess as she describes it, her grandmother was a princess and she is distantly related (and named after) members of the Russian royal family. Living and working in the Bay Area as an intern financial adviser for a P/E firm while studying for a degree at Stanford, engaged to the CFO of a tech company.

Sebastian Robillard is (probably) the oldest rookie in American football, After starting his career playing soccer in England, he is now a kicker in American football and has just been traded to the Portland Devils - starting over once more.

Sebastian and Alix first meet at a swanky restaurant where Alix's fiancé Ned's boss creates a scene, gets drunk and tries to drive his girlfriend home. Sebastian offers to get her an Uber, and after she slips and sprains an ankle he offers to take her to a pharmacy to get bandages.

The second time they meet is ten miles outside Portland in a convenience store. Alix has just walked out of her wedding, her internship, and Stanford. She's got a job as an electrician in Portland where she'll be living in a caravan (her own, which is called a Fifth Wheel?) and she is buying food whilst dressed in her reception dress. Sebastian is driving to his new accommodation but has rescued a dog that its owner just abandoned at a petrol station.

The third time they meet Sebastian is accompanying his new teammate (our old friend Harlan) to inspect a data centre (which Alix is helping to build) in which he has invested. Deciding this is fate, Sebastian asks Alix out, but they don't even get to go on a first date before life throws a spanner in the works, Sebastian's sister is dying and she has asked Sebastian to take on her teenage son Ben so he doesn't have to nurse her while she's dying.

Between them Alix and Sebastian have more baggage than Louis Vuitton but at heart they are good people. They weather family issues, work issues, and health issues stronger than ever.

Loved this so much I went back and re-read the first three books in the series.

Available on Kindle Unlimited.

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Review: Allen Carr's Easy Way to Control Alcohol

Allen Carr's Easy Way to Control Alcohol by Allen Carr
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I read Allen Carr's How to Stop Smoking over 20 years ago - and did. So when I wanted to cut back on my alcohol I thought this would be the ideal book.

Unfortunately, I came to the conclusion that just repeating something in a domineering tone of voice does not make it true. I fundamentally disagreed with some of the things that were said which meant I didn't 'get' the message - and my only recourse is to keep rereading the book until I agree :(

Given this is not a new book I think I am safe to say the central premise of the book is that alcohol is poison. No-one in the history of the world has ever liked the taste of alcohol at first but we force ourselves to get used to it because 90% of people drink alcohol (which I am not sure is a valid statistic, but whatever). Either you are on the slippery slope to addiction and losing everything or you are only drinking to fit in with society (gran who only has a sherry at Christmas). AA is wrong to say you are an alcoholic for life but in fact everyone is addicted and we are just lying to ourselves - again the argument is that saying things like 'I can take it or leave it' means you are addicted because why wouldn't you leave it seems like a fallacy - I can take or leave fillet steak, my husband loves it so we eat it more often that I would choose but I don't hate it and on a rare occasion I do fancy a fillet steak and will order it/cook it. That doesn't mean I am addicted to fillet steak.

Also saying that we have to dilute the taste of neat alcohol to make it more palatable (because its poison) is like saying diluting anything concentrate is wrong.

Then he says that no-one can tell the difference between cheap and expensive alcohol (and we are all just pretending/snobs) fundamentally misses the point and suggests his taste buds are seriously deficient - like it or loathe it different wines/spirits taste different and can change again when paired with food. I think if you substitute the word pepper (or maybe chilli) for alcohol in this book you would see that many of his arguments would apply equally.

He seems to argue that if you don't drink all the time (eg when driving) then why would you drink at all - it must be because you are actually an alcoholic you just don't know it. Now I don't ascribe to the belief that alcoholics have something different in their make-up to so-called 'normal' people which makes them addicts and others not, but this argument seems equally as odd.

Finally, he seems to say this can completely cure you of ever wanting to drink alcohol again, immediately, you will no longer be an addict, no cravings (or if there are you are fooling yourself), yet you must never have another drink. Allen Carr references the tale of The Emperor's New Clothes in this book and for me this felt like a similar thing - if you don't believe then you are fooling yourself like the Emperor.

Overall, not convinced.

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Review: Allen Carr's Easy Way to Control Alcohol

Allen Carr's Easy Way to Control Alcohol by Allen Carr
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I read Allen Carr's How to Stop Smoking over 20 years ago - and did. So when I wanted to cut back on my alcohol I thought this would be the ideal book.

Unfortunately, I came to the conclusion that just repeating something in a domineering tone of voice does not make it true. I fundamentally disagreed with some of the things that were said which meant I didn't 'get' the message - and my only recourse is to keep rereading the book until I agree :(

Given this is not a new book I think I am safe to say the central premise of the book is that alcohol is poison. No-one in the history of the world has ever liked the taste of alcohol at first but we force ourselves to get used to it because 90% of people drink alcohol (which I am not sure is a valid statistic, but whatever). Either you are on the slippery slope to addiction and losing everything or you are only drinking to fit in with society (gran who only has a sherry at Christmas). AA is wrong to say you are an alcoholic for life but in fact everyone is addicted and we are just lying to ourselves - again the argument is that saying things like 'I can take it or leave it' means you are addicted because why wouldn't you leave it seems like a fallacy - I can take or leave fillet steak, my husband loves it so we eat it more often that I would choose but I don't hate it and on a rare occasion I do fancy a fillet steak and will order it/cook it. That doesn't mean I am addicted to fillet steak.

Also saying that we have to dilute the taste of neat alcohol to make it more palatable (because its poison) is like saying diluting anything concentrate is wrong.

Then he says that no-one can tell the difference between cheap and expensive alcohol (and we are all just pretending/snobs) fundamentally misses the point and suggests his taste buds are seriously deficient - like it or loathe it different wines/spirits taste different and can change again when paired with food. I think if you substitute the word pepper (or maybe chilli) for alcohol in this book you would see that many of his arguments would apply equally.

He seems to argue that if you don't drink all the time (eg when driving) then why would you drink at all - it must be because you are actually an alcoholic you just don't know it. Now I don't ascribe to the belief that alcoholics have something different in their make-up to so-called 'normal' people which makes them addicts and others not, but this argument seems equally as odd.

Finally, he seems to say this can completely cure you of ever wanting to drink alcohol again, immediately, you will no longer be an addict, no cravings (or if there are you are fooling yourself), yet you must never have another drink. Allen Carr references the tale of The Emperor's New Clothes in this book and for me this felt like a similar thing - if you don't believe then you are fooling yourself like the Emperor.

Overall, not convinced.

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Review: The Graham Effect

The Graham Effect by Elle Kennedy
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Pretty formulaic college sports romance with all the YA/NA cliches.

Luke Ryder is the sexy handsome taciturn ice hockey player who gets the girl without even trying, his former college Eastwood has gone bust and the team has been transferred wholesale to their biggest rival Briar - now he and his teammates are fighting their rivals for their positions. To make things worse, his teammates have nominated him cocaptain just because he's their strongest player and he has no desire to lead. Even worse, he's late for his first day of official practice, in front of Garrett Graham, because his one-night stand switched off his alarm clock! Now everyone thinks he's a slacker when normally he's the first on the ice.

Gigi Graham is the daughter of former Briar legend Garrett Graham and she is determined to get a place on the Women's USA hockey team and play at the Olympics - its the only thing her dad hasn't done! But when she discovers that the new Team USA coach is the father of a girl who has gone scorched earth on her she knows it's going to be an uphill battle, especially when he cites her 'issues' behind the goal as being her weak spot.

Ryder and Gigi clashed a few years back, he thought she was a figure skater and ordered her off the ice (of the rink her father funded), when they meet up again she seems to be the only woman immune to his charms, especially when he points out that she's weak behind goal. But maybe the two of them can help each other out; he can coach Gigi on her weak spot and she can put in a good word for Ryder with her dad?

Throw in a few cliches like a cheating boyfriend (yep, the other cocaptain) who her father adores, a secret family, rich girl/poor boy, a reputation for a bad temper that isn't deserved, in-team aggro, and exhibitionist behaviour and you have a steamy YA/NA romance.

Could have done with more hockey TBH.

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Review: Out of Time

Out of Time by Jodi Taylor
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The book opens with a terrible crime, one that has been covered up for years ... until now!

Meanwhile, a (recently) dead dinosaur has been found washed up beside a river in Wales and the Time Police have been sent to investigate, and a routine St Mary's expedition to discover what really happened to Romulus (founder of Rome) uncovers a kidnapping by a member of the Time Police. Throw in rogue AI, some bad-ass librarians, the Princes in the Tower, an evil villain and Team Weird and this is yet another fabulous Time Police romp featuring all our favourite characters.

I only wish I was disciplined enough to reread the previous books so I could remember all the details.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley.

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Review: The Ordeals

The Ordeals by Rachel Greenlaw
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Sophia DeWinter wants to escape her blood oath to her cruel uncle The Collector and reasons the only way to do so is to be accepted into Killmarth, an elite academy for magic users, entry to which severs any other magical ties.

Entry into the academy requires passing a brutal entrance Ordeal, followed by a series of equally harrowing challenges to narrow down the field before final acceptance. In addition, someone is clearly trying to improve their odds by brutally murdering other hopefuls.

Pitted against third or fourth generation hopefuls, some of whose families founded Killmarth, Sophia will need all the cunning she learned on the streets to even the odds.

Can Sophia survive the Ordeals?

This is The Hunger Games meets Harry Potter meets Fourth Wing. I loved it, devoured it in a day. Yes, it's pretty obvious where this is heading almost from the start, but what a ride!

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley.

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Review: All of Us Murderers

All of Us Murderers by K.J. Charles
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Zeb Wyckham is persuaded by his cousin Wynn to visit him at his country estate Lackaday House on Dartmoor, hoping that this cousin will be less horrible than the rest of his relatives. But on arrival the stately home looks like a gothic nightmare, the staff are surly, Zeb's ex Gideon (who loathes him) is Cousin Wynn's assistant, and the icing on the cake is that Zeb's obnoxious older brother Bram and his supercilious wife Elise, and his tiresome cousin Hawley are also guests.

Then cousin Wynn drops a bombshell, he has discovered a hitherto unknown cousin, Jessamine, an unfortunate girl who was the culmination of several girls having illegitimate babies, and he is determined to do right by her, by giving his home and fortune to the Wyckham cousin she marries [cue duh, duh, duh music].

Trapped with a group of people he detests, first by a promise to his cousin, and then by the treacherous Dartmoor mists, Zeb is increasingly bewildered by the talk of a curse on the Wyckham men and claims of mysterious monks roaming the corridors. None of his relatives will believe him when he says he has no intention of marrying Jessamine and greed is making everyone paranoid.

When people start disappearing and dying can Zeb escape alive?

This was wonderful, totally OTT and evocative of all those gothic romances with crypts and dungeons and hooded faceless spooks gliding around. Loved every page of it.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley.

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Review: The Life She Could Have Lived: A heartwarming, life-affirming love story about fate, friendship and the power of one little word – perfect for fans of One Day and Taylor Jenkins Reid

The Life She Could Have Lived: A heartwarming, life-affirming love story about fate, friendship and the power of one little word – perfect for fans of One Day and Taylor Jenkins Reid by Laura Pearson
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Anna goes on a wonderful date with a guy called James, then never hears from him again. On 5 June 1992, her best friend Mia takes her to a fortune teller who tells Mia she will have one love and one child, and Anna that she will be with a man whose name begins with J who works in the food industry.

Fast forward eight years, it's Anna's first wedding anniversary to Edward, an investment banker and he suggests they have a baby. This is where Anna's life splits, in one universe she agrees, in the other she says no. We catch up with each version of Anna on her anniversary each year to see how her life changes based on that one decision. But not just hers, those around her too.

This is billed as One Day meets Sliding Doors, which it totally is. The downside is that so many things happen from year to year that you don't see, marriages, deaths, divorces, affairs, and because you are seeing two Annas it feels like you are skimming the surface, never really connecting properly.

Trying not to be spoilery, I don't know what the message was supposed to be, that your one true love might just be a matter of the time and the circumstances?

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley.

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Review: Christmas at Hollybush Farm

Christmas at Hollybush Farm by Jo Thomas
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Jemima Jones works for a chain of hotels, planning events and holiday celebrations alongside her boyfriend Matthew who manages one of the hotels. The two of them have been given the opportunity to open and run the latest hotel in Seattle, so they have popped home to see Jemima's father on his farm to celebrate an early Christmas before the season kicks in properly. But when they arrive Jemima's father has had some sort of episode and the farm is in dire straits. Jemima has no choice but to pull on her (pink) wellies and muck in, she might have left the farm behind but she loves it too much to let it go.

But it's not just Hollybush Farm, the entire community is struggling, local shops have closed, people are on zero hours contracts, or unemployed. Jemima's father has been supplying potatoes from the farm cash-in-hand to the local café, which does a black-market trade in jacket potatoes rather than the microwave burgers and fries the new owner has put on the menu.

Frustrated that her family could have to give up the farm, or at least sell the land to developers for solar panels, and horrified that she was guilty of perpetuating the cheap food at any cost ethos, Jemima vents her frustration with a reel on social media. Soon she has accumulated a following, they call her the Social Shepherdess, and when the landlord closes the local café because he has sold it to a chain only a few weeks before Christmas the community comes together in protest.

This was sweet, heart-warming, and a perfect cosy Christmas small-town story. Very Jo Thomas. I must admit cynical me did wonder how someone could afford to run a generator but not be able to pay for a jacket potato for lunch, and wonder who was buying the ingredients for all the fillings, but that's a minor point.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley.

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Review: Revolve

Revolve by Bal Khabra
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Two and a half stars.

Sierra Romanova is an Olympic hopeful whose figure skating dreams were crushed after a lift went wrong and left her in a coma, with scarring, and PTSD. She's trying to get back on the ice but she keeps getting flashbacks, added to which her boyfriend/skating partner not only dropped her literally but also figuratively personally AND professionally. Also, this late in the season there are no male skaters available to partner with.

Dylan Donovan is the good-looking party frat boy of the hockey team, but a weak moment after he hears some family news has led to a failed drugs test which gets him kicked off the team and puts his career in the NHL in jeopardy. A little known fact about Dylan is that he and his little sister Ada used to compete in figure skating, until they realised the person they were trying to impress never bothered to show up.

A deal is done, Dylan can skate ... if he agrees to partner Sierra.

This is a riff on the 1990s classic film The Cutting Edge and subsequent spin-offs. Its an opposites attract, enemies from the get-go, YA/NA romance. There was nothing wrong with the story, although I'm guessing this is part of a series as there seemed to be a lot of things that happened 'off stage', presumably in previous books, other than a lack of skating.

However, as the book went on I became more disturbed by the intimate scenes. I 'get' that possessiveness and being unable to keep your hands off someone is meant to be attractive but it just screamed red flag to me. Dylan tells her what to wear (and what not), not to answer her phone, he talks about breaking through anything to get to her, ruining her pussy (ouch), he slaps her thighs, pulling her fistful of her hair and yanking her back, saying she fucks like a porn star, and talks about stuffing her full of his cock - and a lot of this happens in just one scene! I 100% accept I am not the target demographic for this novel but this sort of thing worries me because it excuses abusive and controlling behaviour as 'love' and places unrealistic expectations on women.

So what would have been a pleasant enough three and a half stars got downgraded to two and a half stars because of the red flags and also because there was too much angst. She's got PTSD and doesn't think anyone would like her if they knew what she was really like. His parents are in an abusive relationship and he doesn't feel that anyone would like him unless he plays the class clown.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley.

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Review: Revolve

Revolve by Bal Khabra
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Two and a half stars.

Sierra Romanova is an Olympic hopeful whose figure skating dreams were crushed after a lift went wrong and left her in a coma, with scarring, and PTSD. She's trying to get back on the ice but she keeps getting flashbacks, added to which her boyfriend/skating partner not only dropped her literally but also figuratively personally AND professionally. Also, this late in the season there are no male skaters available to partner with.

Dylan Donovan is the good-looking party frat boy of the hockey team, but a weak moment after he hears some family news has led to a failed drugs test which gets him kicked off the team and puts his career in the NHL in jeopardy. A little known fact about Dylan is that he and his little sister Ada used to compete in figure skating, until they realised the person they were trying to impress never bothered to show up.

A deal is done, Dylan can skate ... if he agrees to partner Sierra.

This is a riff on the 1990s classic film The Cutting Edge and subsequent spin-offs. Its an opposites attract, enemies from the get-go, YA/NA romance. There was nothing wrong with the story, although I'm guessing this is part of a series as there seemed to be a lot of things that happened 'off stage', presumably in previous books, other than a lack of skating.

However, as the book went on I became more disturbed by the intimate scenes. I 'get' that possessiveness and being unable to keep your hands off someone is meant to be attractive but it just screamed red flag to me. Dylan tells her what to wear (and what not), not to answer her phone, he talks about breaking through anything to get to her, ruining her pussy (ouch), he slaps her thighs, pulling her fistful of her hair and yanking her back, saying she fucks like a porn star, and talks about stuffing her full of his cock - and a lot of this happens in just one scene! I 100% accept I am not the target demographic for this novel but this sort of thing worries me because it excuses abusive and controlling behaviour as 'love' and places unrealistic expectations on women.

So what would have been a pleasant enough three and a half stars got downgraded to two and a half stars because of the red flags and also because there was too much angst. She's got PTSD and doesn't think anyone would like her if they knew what she was really like. His parents are in an abusive relationship and he doesn't feel that anyone would like him unless he plays the class clown.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley.

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Review: A Very Merry Murder

A Very Merry Murder by Kate Wells
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Jude Gray runs Malvern Farm, she has rented out her land for a beloved tv show (think Countryfile meets Richard and Judy) to do a live broadcast over a week just before Christmas. However charming the husband and wife who present the show may seem on the small screen, in real life they seem to be at odds with each other, and he may be having an affair with one of the camera operators. The director is a sleaze who tries to take advantage of women on the crew, the assistant director is a bully, and there is clearly tension between the wife in the presenting couple and the rest of the crew.

While Jude is being interviewed live on the first day one of the presenters nearly dies from anaphylactic shock after being given a cup of coffee which contains peanuts. Days later the camerawoman is dead. Was the death a tragic accident? Was she the intended victim, or was she mistaken for the female lead whose caravan she was using?

This is the sixth book in the series, but the first one I have read. It was the epitome of a cosy read, with Jude working hand-in-glove with two local detectives to solve the case whilst also taking her nephew sledging in the snow and helping her sister plan her Boxing Day wedding. I'd say I guessed the murderer but TBH everyone came under suspicion one way or another so there was an open field.

Pleasant, cosy, small town murder mystery.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley.

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Review: Beattie Cavendish and the White Pearl Club: The compelling mystery series set at the dawn of the Cold War

Beattie Cavendish and the White Pearl Club: The compelling mystery series set at the dawn of the Cold War by Mary-Jane Riley
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Its 1948. After a war spent in the Resistance with the Secret Operations Executive, Beattie Cavendish has joined GCHQ and her first mission is to cosy up to Ashley Bowen, son of the Conservative politician and cabinet minister Ralph Bowen, because Ralph is suspected of being a communist sympathiser and could be passing secrets to Moscow.

When looking for clues in the Bowen's London house, Beattie stumbles across the body of the Bowen's young housekeeper Sofia in the study, with her throat cut.

Patrick Corrigan was special forces in the war and has the scars, a missing eye, and a limp to prove it. Now, an Irishman living in London, he's scratching a living as a private detective, following errant husbands and the like. Edwina Bowen hired Patrick to follow her husband Ralph for several nights, where he was seen to enter a club (The White Pearl Club) owned by a pair of Russians and known for prostitutes and homosexuals, then Edwina calls off the case, she no longer wants Ralph followed, turning up at the Bowen's mansion for an explanation Corrigan is narrowly stopped from being a convenient scapegoat for a detective who clearly wants to clear this up as quietly as possible.

In their own ways Beattie and Corrigan are incensed that a powerful family can just hush-up the death of an employee and are determined to uncover who killed this young Jewish woman who had escaped Nazi Germany with her younger brother while only a child herself and was trying to build a new life in England.

This started slow for me, nut it picked up speed and I enjoyed the to and fro as Beattie and Corrigan tried to understand how Sofia and the White Pearl club are connected, who is trying to hush things up, and who is trying to put them off the scent.

I would definitely be interested in reading more if this were a series.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley.


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Review: Stranger in the Village

Stranger in the Village by H.L. Marsay
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

At the end of the first book (view spoiler)[the body of Lucy's husband Rupert has been found in a cave, and the local MP had been arrested for stalking and threatening Lucy. Former London detective Jo, who is desperate to get back to the Big Smoke has evidence that Lucy hit Rupert with a spade on the night he disappeared, but she and Rachel swear he was alive when she left him, he was certainly gone when Rachel went back to retrieve the spade (hide spoiler)].

Meera and Rob return from their holiday in Scotland more loved up than ever, until Meera hears that a strange man has been hanging around the school asking about her son. Meera has an unexpected visitor.

Lucy seems to be making headway with booking weddings and filming at the Hall, until she finds out about the Inheritance Tax due following Rupert's official death, and gets a nasty surprise about their expenditure and also has an unexpected visitor.

Rachel is over her crush on Lucy and is loved up with the archaeologist Sarah, unfortunately Sarah has gone to Peru for the summer on a dig, but Rachel can't leave her mother, who seems to be getting increasingly forgetful.

Jo and Jack, the local publican, are getting friendly, he definitely wants more but he is just so nice (not her usual type) and she doesn't plan to stay in Hartwell so she is keeping him at arm's length, until an unexpected visitor makes her reassess her decisions.

This is the second book in a trilogy but so much happens you don't really notice its progressing lots of stories but not necessarily resolving any of them. Almost everyone has an unexpected visitor (aka stranger), some good, some not so much, but all of which are a catalyst for change.

Very enjoyable, might have to reread the third book to find out what happens - especially the secret behind Jo's necklace.

I received an ARC from the publisher via Bookfunnel.

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Review: One More Time

One More Time by Emily S. Morris
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Lucy is a professor at a small town university, on track for tenure. She is in Las Vegas for her daughter's week-long wedding extravaganza. Lucy's first ex-husband (yep, there are three) is a hedge fund millionaire who has bankrolled the entire wedding - hence why Lucy and her daughter (and most of the guests) are staying in a super high-end Vegas hotel in the sort of suite usually only for the mega rich. Despite the money being thrown at the party and the hiring of a wedding planner, Lucy is juggling willy toys and trying to find her room key when she literally bumps into Nicky Broome, lead singer of global rock band Super, who also happens to be her high school crush, who ghosted her after one incredible night together. Despite it being 28 years since they last spoke, and there is a 'thing' about that, Nicky and Lucy immediately recognise each other and are just as madly in love/lust as they were when they were teenagers.

Cue lots of flashbacks to discover how Lucy and Nicky broke up and the big secret they are keeping. There is some good stuff about the 1990s (mixtapes and the like) and also a lot of references to music/musicians - which may or may not appeal to readers.

Lucy has a sassy straight-talking BFF (since high school) who likes to give her advice at every opportunity, and her daughter isn't averse to putting Lucy into awkward situations eg inviting all three ex-husbands to be at the wedding!

Nicky didn't really get any character, he was a bit of a cardboard cut-out and because of that, of course he can't have any personal growth or change of heart it all has to come from Lucy. There is a reason why Lucy has three ex-husbands but it gave me the ick. Overall, I think there were lots of things that only seemed to be in the book to make a scene/plot device work rather than being integral to the plot (eg Lucy's ex-husband being so rich).

I found my biggest bugbear with this book was it wasn't really sure what it wanted to be. The cover gave off Annabel Monaghan vibes, but Lucy wasn't like one of her heroines. It sort of went down a 1990s music nostalgia route, like Nick Hornby, then dropped it. It wasn't spicy or sweet enough to fall into one category or another. There was a lot of personality dissection as if it were women's fiction, but then it had the rockstar romance in Vegas rom-com vibe.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley.

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Review: One More Time

One More Time by Emily S. Morris
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Lucy is a professor at a small town university, on track for tenure. She is in Las Vegas for her daughter's week-long wedding extravaganza. Lucy's first ex-husband (yep, there are three) is a hedge fund millionaire who has bankrolled the entire wedding - hence why Lucy and her daughter (and most of the guests) are staying in a super high-end Vegas hotel in the sort of suite usually only for the mega rich. Despite the money being thrown at the party and the hiring of a wedding planner, Lucy is juggling willy toys and trying to find her room key when she literally bumps into Nicky Broome, lead singer of global rock band Super, who also happens to be her high school crush, who ghosted her after one incredible night together. Despite it being 28 years since they last spoke, and there is a 'thing' about that, Nicky and Lucy immediately recognise each other and are just as madly in love/lust as they were when they were teenagers.

Cue lots of flashbacks to discover how Lucy and Nicky broke up and the big secret they are keeping. There is some good stuff about the 1990s (mixtapes and the like) and also a lot of references to music/musicians - which may or may not appeal to readers.

Lucy has a sassy straight-talking BFF (since high school) who likes to give her advice at every opportunity, and her daughter isn't averse to putting Lucy into awkward situations eg inviting all three ex-husbands to be at the wedding!

Nicky didn't really get any character, he was a bit of a cardboard cut-out and because of that, of course he can't have any personal growth or change of heart it all has to come from Lucy. There is a reason why Lucy has three ex-husbands but it gave me the ick. Overall, I think there were lots of things that only seemed to be in the book to make a scene/plot device work rather than being integral to the plot (eg Lucy's ex-husband being so rich).

I found my biggest bugbear with this book was it wasn't really sure what it wanted to be. The cover gave off Annabel Monaghan vibes, but Lucy wasn't like one of her heroines. It sort of went down a 1990s music nostalgia route, like Nick Hornby, then dropped it. It wasn't spicy or sweet enough to fall into one category or another. There was a lot of personality dissection as if it were women's fiction, but then it had the rockstar romance in Vegas rom-com vibe.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley.

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Review: The Inheritance

The Inheritance by Ilona Andrews
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Where to start?

In a universe very similar to this one, a decade ago Earth suddenly starting spouting interdimensional breaches from which fantastical alien creatures were let loose creating havoc and killing indiscriminately. At the same time, in some kind of symbiotic yin yang situation, humans started developing new talents. They discovered that the breaches could be entered and mined for exotic minerals and plants to use against the creatures, they could also close the breach by destroying the thing which locked onto the earth.

Adaline is one of those new talented people, her marriage broke down after the first breach, her husband couldn't hack it and left her with two small children, now she works for the government, her new Talent' is that she can identify substances like metals and plants which are of use to Earth - she is one of the most valuable people who enters a breach.

But on what should have been a routine mission everything goes wrong, and the 'Tank' who was supposed to protect her with his life traps her in the breach in his haste to escape vicious creatures that kill the other team members. Alone, with only a German Shepherd puppy as company, Ada must find a way to leave the breach and get home to her children.

Meanwhile, the head of the Guild which was awarded the breach by the government must investigate how all but two team members were killed and how to recover the bodies of the other team members. They also need to understand how the Tank could have left behind the most important member of the team.

This started as a free serial on Ilona Andrews' webpage, but like everything else they do it snowballed and became a whole book, and the start of a series LOL. If you read the weekly instalments as I did then there is very little new here, but I can't wait for the next book - bet this turns into a six book series!

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Review: The Best of All

The Best of All by Karla Sorensen
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Zoe Valentine is an accountant, after divorcing her narcissistic lawyer husband she bought a house next door to her best friend Amie and her husband Chris. Chris and Amie have recently died in a car crash and she is looking after their two-year old daughter Mira.

Liam Davies is an Englishman playing American football. Little does he know that his best friend Chris has awarded him joint custody of Mira with Zoe in his will. Liam has never wanted a family, he hated his own father, who played football (or soccer) for a Premier League club, and hates that he looks the spitting image of his father. I notice that in this and the previous book both men have Daddy issues BTW. At first Liam refuses to have anything to do with Mira, he just wants to write Zoe a check, but eventually he agrees to help and moves into Chris and Amie's spare room.

Liam and Zoe met over a decade ago at Chris and Amie's house, Liam was instantly smitten but pulled away the minute he saw her engagement ring, then when he met her fiancé he instantly realised the guy was a tool and made some very rude comments to Zoe which he couldn't walk back. Since then whenever they meet it has been antagonistic, even after her divorce, because Liam still has feelings for her.

Another belter, with a cute moppet thrown in for good measure.

Read on my Kindle Unlimited subscription.

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Review: The Best Laid Plans

The Best Laid Plans by Karla Sorensen
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Burke Barrett was a football player for Dallas until his knee blew out. He really only played to keep his father happy and is secretly relieved that his father's death and his own injury have meant he can stop living someone else's dream. He intends to move to Florida, where he's just bought his sister and her twins a house, and figure out what to do with the rest of his life.

Then life deals him a bitter blow. His best friend, possibly his only friend, Chris and his wife Amie die in a car accident and he discovers that they have left him a dilapidated house in Michigan. The house belonged to Chris's grandparents, Burke even visited it once with Chris for his grandfather's funeral, and it had been a lifelong wish that he could buy it back for the family. Chris and his wife had embarked on a long project of renovating the house prior to their deaths.

Burke can't believe that his best friend would put him in this position, Chris knew how much Burke hated living someone else's dreams and now he is forcing Burke to put off his own plans and take on Chris' plans for the house.

Charlotte Cunningham is an expert in managing the restoration of old houses, but after Chris and Amie's deaths the money dried up and her contractor went to another job. When she hears that Burke has inherited the house she is desperate to get him on board with her passion project.

Burke might delight in pushing Charlotte's buttons at every opportunity but he can't deny the sparks that fly between them - maybe a fling with an expiry date is in order?

Loved it. Sassy romance, just the right amount of smoulder to plot balance, love a tortured man and a woman who knows what she wants.

Read on my Kindle Unlimited subscription.

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