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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