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A Gathering Light by Jennifer Donnelly

A Gathering Light

by Jennifer Donnelly 

A Gathering Light had been lounging on my physical bookshelf for some time and I’m so glad I finally got a chance to read it. Jennifer Donnelly is a new-to-me author. This is the first book of hers I’ve read but I sincerely hope it won’t be the last.

The story is based on the real murder of a young woman in 1906, although this isn’t the sole focus of the book.

The main character, Mattie, is very likeable and will no doubt be relatable to many. Her biggest dream is to be a writer. She is absolutely obsessed with books, and words, which I love! She is the daughter of a widowed father though. A father working his fingers to the bone to manage a farm to provide for four daughters (with no mention of even considering a second wife, which I thought was quite unusual for the time). They all must muck in, and Mattie made a promise to her late mother which she feels unable to break, despite being offered a brilliant opportunity to move away and begin to realise her dreams. She has responsibilities though. Her father, and many others in their community, expect her to stay at home and do her bit for the family. I saw a review saying that she wished Mattie has stood up for herself more and had done what she wanted to no matter what anyone thought. I think that might be a valid point today but in the early nineteen hundreds!?? In my opinion this is a very authentic story. Certain things were expected back then, especially of women, whether we agree with it or not.

Mattie also has a secret. A secret connection with the murdered girl.

I really enjoyed Mattie’s story. My heart went out to her on more than one occasion, and I could totally understand her conflicting emotions.

This is a story of family love, loss, friendship, small community support, secrets, and never knowing what really goes on behind other people’s doors, as well as being a murder mystery. Ordinary people battling for a living and a life, whether it was the one they hoped for, or not. A brilliant cast of characters with a compelling tale to tell. I really enjoyed it and have added Jennifer Donnelly’s other books to my list.

An astounding novel about a girl’s coming-of-age interwoven with a real-life murder that rocked turn-of-the-century America. WINNER OF THE CARNEGIE MEDAL 2003.

‘A breathtakingly good novel’ Daily Mail

When Mattie Gokey is given a bundle of letters to burn by Grace Brown, she fully intends to do so. But when Grace is found drowned the next day, Mattie finds that it is not as easy to get rid of those letters as she had thought. And, as she reads, a riveting story emerges – not only revealing Grace’s secrets but also Mattie’s hopes and ambitions for the future and her relationships with her friends and family.

Published to widespread acclaim this part murder-mystery and part coming-of-age story is an astounding and accomplished novel.

Happy reading!

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A Party to Murder (The Bunch Courtney Investigations, Book 6) by Jan Edwards #ARC

A Party to Murder (The Bunch Courtney Investigations, Book 6)

by Jan Edwards 

I absolutely love this series! Bunch is such a brilliant character, and I was excited to discover what she might get up to in A Party to Murder.

I was not disappointed!

This book begins with a party. A party Bunch’s father has asked her to host in London in the hope of helping her to relax and ease back into social society. Even Winston Churchill is in attendance!

What could possibly go wrong….

Her father was hoping to keep Bunch away from her seemingly incessant need to join the police in investigating crimes but the murder of a Wren Officer, during the party, makes it so much more difficult for her to resist getting involved.

As always, she is determined to find the truth, and I thoroughly enjoyed joining her on her quest.

This is another highly entertaining edition to what is a highly entertaining series.

A brilliant plot full of intrigue and suspense, danger, tension, and humour. I love the setting, the fabulous characters, and wonderfully descriptive language.

I will always be happy to recommend this book, and every book in the series. If you haven’t read them yet and love historical crime mysteries, then you will love these books.

** Many thanks to Jan Edwards for my digital review copy **

A Party to Murder will be released on the 23rd of April 2026

When Rose Courtney’s father asks her to act as the hostess for a party at their London house he hopes it might distract her from the dangers of sleuthing and launch her back into society. He couldn’t be more wrong.
A Wren Officer is murdered that night. A valuable Faberge egg is stolen. And our erstwhile lady detective dives straight back into the fray, joining her old sparring partner DCI William Wright to find a missing witness before the murderer can silence her for good.

Pre-order now….

I.C.Y.M.I

Winter Downs #BlogTour #BookReview @Jancoledwards @penkhullpress @BunchandDodo
In Her Defence (A Bunch Courtney Investigation) by Jan Edwards @Jancoledwards #BlogTour #BookReview
Listed Dead (A Bunch Courtney Investigation) by Jan Edwards @Jancoledwards @penkhullpress #BookReview
In Cases of Murder (A Bunch Courtney Investigation Book 4) by Jan Edwards @Jancoledwards #BookReview
Deadly Plot (A Bunch Courtney Investigation Book 5) by Jan Edwards @Jancoledwards

Happy reading!

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#FlashbackFriday April 2026

Hi, and welcome to my Flashback Friday feature!

On the first Friday of each month, I like to look back at the books I was reading the previous year during the same month.

Please do join in if you have the time, I’d love to see your posts 🙂

A big thank you to those who already join in regularly! x

Here are my reviews from April 2025 + a link to previous April FBFs….

Collateral Damage: A Disappearing Inc. thriller by Mick Williams

Under the Lemon Tree by Emma Cowell @EmmaCowellBooks #ARC #NetGalley

Keep Her Secret by Mark Edwards @mredwards

Mother’s Boy by Patrick Gale 

The Assassination of a Nobody (The Lisbon Novels Book 3) by Malcolm Havard @MalHavardWriter #PublicationDay #Promotion @BoBookPublicity
#FlashbackFriday April 2025

Happy reading!

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Deal Breaker (Myron Bolitar Book 1) by Harlan Coben 

Deal Breaker (Myron Bolitar Book 1) 

by Harlan Coben 

I have quite a few of Harlan Coben’s books on my bookshelves, as I’ve enjoyed all the Netflix series’ I’ve seen based on his books, but this is the first one I’ve had a chance to pick up. It is my first introduction to Myron Bolitar and I quite like him. He’s a bit cocky, but in an endearing way. He’s a sports talent agent, so he needs to have the gift of the gab.

Whilst focusing on his biggest client he discovers that a missing woman, presumed dead, might be alive after all. She is also the sister of his ex-partner!

He’s now faced with a race against time to discover if she is indeed alive and if so where she has been and who with.

A story full of intrigue and suspense, I was keen to find out how it was all going to pan out.

Interesting characters (some much more likeable than others!). Humorous at times considering the storyline, mainly when certain characters are together.

An entertaining read!

I have added book two to my list.

** I read my own paperback edition of Deal Breaker **

The first Myron Bolitar thriller from the Number 1. bestselling author and creator of the hit Netflix show Fool Me Once.

Talent agent Myron Bolitar is poised on the edge of the big time. So is Christian Steele, a footballer and Myron’s prized client. But when Christian gets a phone call from a former girlfriend-a woman who everyone, including the police, believes is dead-the deal goes dangerously wrong. Trying to unravel the truth about a family’s tragedy, a woman’s secret, and a man’s lies, Myron discovers the dark side of his business-where talent make you rich, but the truth can get you killed.

Happy reading!

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#LoveLane by Patrick Gale #BookLaunch @BookaBookshop

If you follow me on socials you might have already seen my posts about the fabulous evening I spent on Wednesday at Booka Bookshop in Oswestry celebrating the launch of Patrick Gale’s beautiful new novel, Love Lane, which was released on Thursday! 📚❤️📚

I was lucky enough to read an early digital copy via NetGalley so I can highly recommend it to you all! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Here’s my review, in case you missed it….

Love Lane by Patrick Gale 

I now have my very own signed hardcover copy 😍

I’m so chuffed to also have a photo with the man himself 😁

#DayMade

Have you been to any of Patrick Gale’s events, or have plans to over the next few days?

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Filthy Rich Redemption (Filthy Rich Billionaires Book 2) by Rachael Stewart @rach_b52 @BoldwoodBooks

Filthy Rich Redemption (Filthy Rich Billionaires Book 2)

by Rachael Stewart 

Oh, my heart.

I finished this book late last night/early hours of this morning because there was no way I could go to sleep until I had. I cried throughout the last few chapters, but thankfully I was smiling again by the end.

What a rollercoaster of emotions!

Back to the beginning, this story starts with a bang (in more ways than one!). WOW! Hot is insufficient a word. If you’re not a fan of an erotic scene this book might not be for you. You’d be missing out on such a gorgeous love story though!  

Filthy Rich Redemption pretty much starts where book one finishes, but at Christmastime with Theo, Sadie, and Lottie as they begin their new lives together. I loved their story and it was so good to catch up with them again. I’m so happy that Axel and Taylor get to share their stories on this occasion though, as heart-wrenching as it is at times.

Axel had the most horrendous childhood with parents who don’t deserve to be called that. As a result, he feels like he’s damaged goods. Someone no-one would want to be with other than for the night. He doesn’t feel worthy of anything more. He couldn’t be more wrong though. He might be big and hard looking on the outside, but he’s definitely more than meets the eye! (How he is with three-year-old Lottie is just so cute).

He’s been best friends with Theo and Taylor since they were teens, they’re as thick as thieves and their friendships are solid. Axel has been in love with Taylor the whole time though and she has no idea! Imagine keeping such strong feelings to yourself for more than twenty years, especially for someone you see all the time. It must be agony.

When Taylor asks him if he’ll father her a baby, no strings attached, she has no idea what she’s asking for, and where such a request will lead them. She knows she can trust him with her life though, so there’s no-one better.

Axel being Axel agrees but insists on doing things ‘the old-fashioned way’. Taylor is wary at first, not wanting to ruin their friendship, but let’s just say Axel proves to be quite persuasive!

The chemistry between these two is off the charts!!

My heart went out to Axel. He’s so wants to give Taylor everything she desires, but he tries his best not to betray his true feelings to her. His pain is almost palpable, and he was breaking my heart. Taylor soon realises there is far more to this than a business arrangement though. I’m not at all surprised that she falls for him. They are absolutely meant to be together, and I was panicking when I thought things might not work out the way I had hoped for them both. As I said, the last few chapters…. I haven’t cried so much reading a book for ages.

I don’t know how you do it, Rachael, but you create characters I can’t help but fall in love with. I’m not sure who I love more now, Theo or Axel! 😉

I was so looking forward to this story, and I have absolutely LOVED it!

I can’t wait for book three!

** Many thanks to Rachael Stewart for my advance kindle copy for review **

Taylor

I wanted a baby — no strings, no messy emotions. Just a donor I could trust — my best friend. He didn’t hesitate or ask why. He said yes… with one condition: no clinics, no cold procedures. Just him — his bed, his way. I should have said no. But I wanted this. And I didn’t realise how much I wanted him. I told myself I could handle it — keep my heart locked tight. But the moment he touched me, all those lies fell apart. Now I’m falling — for a man who never promised me anything but his body. And my deepest desire risks becoming my darkest downfall. But now there’s no turning back.

Axel

She asked me to give her a baby. No love. No future. Just a piece of me. I’m not a good man. I’m not the kind you build a life with. But this… this was my one chance to touch heaven and pretend it wouldn’t burn me alive. So I took her. Over and over. Knowing she’ll never be mine. But now I’m addicted. Possessive. I don’t want just her body — I want her soul. Her future. Her everything. And when she walks away — like we both know she will — it’ll break me. Because I’d give her the world… But I’ll never be worthy of it.

Treat yourself….

OUT 4TH APRIL 2026

I.C.Y.M.I

Filthy Rich Temptation (Filthy Rich Billionaires Book 1) by Rachael Stewart @rach_b52 @BoldwoodBooks

Happy reading!

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How to Get Away with Murder by Rebecca Philipson @BeccaPhilipson @TransworldBooks #HowToGetAwayWithMurder

How to Get Away with Murder

by Rebecca Philipson 

Clever! Very clever!

The title of this book intrigued me. Not that I’m an aspiring serial killer, of course, but I was interested to discover how such a premise would play out. What a brilliant idea for a serial killer thriller!

Denver Brady is a killer and is so confident in his abilities that he’s published a book, a manual of sorts, to help those who are his way inclined to avoid capture and prosecution, basically by learning from the mistakes made by those who came before him, but who ultimately slipped up at one point or another. An arrogant character, full of his own self-importance, convinced he’s doing the world a favour by imparting his wisdom.

When this book is found at a murder scene it is initially assumed that Denver Brady must be responsible. DI Samantha Hansen believes otherwise but is struggling to prove it. She’s freshly back from sick leave and is supposed to be on light/part-time duties only. I could feel her rising frustration, throughout this investigation, with her superiors who just seem to be happy with the most convenient conclusion to the case, happy to wrap things up and close the case without considering her theories, using her recent issues against her. It makes for an extremely tense read. I couldn’t wait to find out which side of the team would turn out to have been right all along.

I was hooked. A difficult book to put down and one I couldn’t wait to get back to every chance I got and OH. MY. DAYS! What a jaw dropping conclusion!!

Just brilliant!

I can’t wait to see what Rebecca Philipson writes next.

** Many thanks to Laura & Maximus @whiskers_andwords for my signed paperback proof copy via their giveaway. I can’t recommend it highly enough! **

How To Get Away with Murder will be released on the 12th of March 2026.

Denver Brady claims to be the most successful serial killer of our time – and that’s precisely why you’ve never heard of him.

But with the publication of How to Get Away With Murder, his manual for aspiring serial killers, that’s about to change.

When a copy of Denver’s book is found at a crime scene, DI Samantha Hansen is given the job of tracking down the elusive author.

As Denver and Sam’s stories unfold and converge, it becomes clear that there’s more to both than meets the eye.

And once Denver’s book goes viral, the pressure to find and bring him to justice brings Sam to breaking point.

But in this dark and twisted tale, who is hunting whom?

Happy reading!

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Love Lane by Patrick Gale 

Love Lane

by Patrick Gale

I had missed Harry Cane. I hadn’t realised quite how much until now.

I can’t tell you how excited I was to learn that Patrick Gale was releasing Love Lane! I was absolutely blown away by A Place Called Winter when I read it back in February 2021. I could not resist requesting an advance copy via NetGalley. I was SO happy when the publisher approved my request and I can confirm that I have absolutely loved this book!

It was so lovely to catch up with Harry, and Paul, again at the beginning of this story. My heart did break for Harry when their relationship ends abruptly. Reasons being understandable for the time though. It’s awful to think how many people were unable to live their lives as their absolute true selves back then.

This is far from the end of the heartbreak for Harry too, and I found myself really disliking certain characters when Harry has no choice but to give in to blackmail which results in him sacrificing everything he’s built for himself.

It does however leave him free to finally make the journey back to England to see his long-lost daughter who had been in touch more recently, and other family he had yet to meet. Their reunion is awkward, as expected, at first. They are essentially strangers and are very much used to their lives as they are. They’re not quite sure how to integrate this old man into their daily lives.

You can’t help but be drawn to these characters. I felt for them all for different reasons. Set in a time when there was less tolerance, certain expectations of women and of men to take a wife. To have families and lead ‘normal’ lives. No mobile phones and/or video calling to help with staying in touch wherever one is in the world. It must have made things impossible to maintain relationships with anyone not living in the same town as yourself.

The fact that this story is based on real people makes it even more moving. It’s such a captivating story, beautifully written as I’ve come to expect from Patrick Gale. His books are so difficult to review because I always feel like nothing I can say will ever do it the justice it deserves. He’s just so eloquent.

The ending is devastatingly inevitable.

An unforgettable tale.

Harry Cane will always have a special place in my heart.

** Many thanks to the publisher for my ARC via NetGalley **

Love Lane will be released on the 26th of March 2026.

‘Miraculous, mischievous and quietly devastating‘ Rachel Joyce

‘A tender, delicately devastating novel’ Sarah Waters

‘ An engulfing, deeply humane novel about the triumphs and failures of human connection’ Marina Kemp

A journey. A reunion. A longing for a place called home…
When veteran Canadian wheat farmer, Harry Cane sails home to an England transformed by two world wars, his arrival triggers unwelcome self-examination for the family he abandoned.

His daughter feels duty bound to take him in but is ambushed by a long buried anger she has never before expressed. Harry’s effect on the next generation is less predictable, and enables his granddaughter to deal with an unspeakable trauma, while her gentle husband feels seen for who he truly is.

Can Harry stay and make a new life before it’s too late, or will he find himself cast out again, punished for having witnessed and understood too much?

‘ There is no judgement here, only humanity. A joy and a lesson for our time‘ Ann Cleeves

‘An involving story of reconciliation, secrets and compromises, rich in emotional truth and evocative historical detail’ Clare Chambers

‘It has the feel of a small-scale epic, filtered through distinct voices, about family and memory, estrangement and homecoming’ James Cahill

‘He makes you care about the characters – a deep, moving novel’ Georgina Moore

I.C.Y.M.I

A Place Called Winter: Costa Shortlisted 2015 by Patrick Gale #bookreview

Happy reading!

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#FlashbackFriday March 2026

Hi, and welcome to my Flashback Friday feature!

On the first Friday of each month I like to look back at the books I was reading the previous year during the same month.

Please do join in if you have the time, I’d love to see your posts 🙂

A big thank you to those who already join in regularly! x

Here are my reviews from March 2025 + a link to previous March FBFs….

In a Dark, Dark Wood by Ruth Ware @RuthWareWriter

The Wasp Trap by Mark Edwards @mredwards @MichaelJBooks

Daisy’s War (A Family at War Book 1) by Roberta Grieve 

Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus 
#FlashbackFriday March 2025

Happy reading!

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A Perfectly Good Man by Patrick Gale 

A Perfectly Good Man

by Patrick Gale 

A Perfectly Good Man is another beautifully written novel by an author who is fast becoming one of my favourites. I loved A Place Called Winter and Mother’s Boy, so I was very much looking forward to getting stuck into this novel and, of course, I was not disappointed.

I can’t really put into words how absorbing Patrick Gale’s books are. This one is no exception. I soon found myself captivated by the setting, the characters, and their stories and was happily swept along to the very last satisfying page.

Each chapter is told from the point of view of a different leading character, at different points in their lives, and not in chronological order. Far from being confusing though I really enjoyed this layout and found it to be a very clever way of developing the story and maintaining intrigue.

Father Barnaby Johnson is the main character. A priest, a husband, and a father. He has his own secrets and struggles with his faith at times, as well as with his relationships. A likable, and real, character though. I felt completely compelled by his story and my heart went out to him often although I couldn’t necessarily condone some of his actions. First and foremost, he is human.

This whole story highlights the fragility of human life. Our strengths and weaknesses. Who and what shapes us into the adults we become. Some things not always for the better.

A fascinating cast of characters, with compelling tales to tell, set in beautiful Cornwall. Heart-wrenching at times but thought provoking and incredibly moving. I loved it!

** I read my own paperback copy of A Perfectly Good Man **

I am also currently enjoying Love Lane via NetGalley (on Kindle) and I’m very much looking forward to seeing Patrick Gale is Oswestry, as part of his book tour, towards the end of the month.

On a clear, crisp summer’s day in Cornwall, a young man carefully prepares to take his own life, and asks family friend, Barnaby Johnson, to pray with him.

Barnaby is a priest, a husband and father, and has always tried to do good, though life hasn’t always been either straightforward or rosy. Lenny’s request poses problems, not just for Barnaby, but for his wife and family, and the wider community, as the secrets of the past push themselves forcefully into the present for all to see.

I.C.Y.M.I

A Place Called Winter: Costa Shortlisted 2015 by Patrick Gale #bookreview
Mother’s Boy by Patrick Gale 

hAPPY READING!