Kit is the most adorable character. I think I fell for him myself! He adds such charm to this story. He has had, and still has, his own struggles. You canât help but like him and want him to find happiness. Heâs obviously quite easy on the eye too, which never hurts đ
I loved the new friendships Rosie develops amongst her fellow business owners and her assistant. I loved the setting of this book too. It sounds like an amazing place to live and work.
I love the close relationship Rosie shares with her parents also.
I was happily swept away with Rosieâs story. Itâs an emotional one, but heart-warming and ultimately uplifting. I canât imagine anyone not loving it!
âI was completelyhooked by the end of the first pageand had it finished in a few hours! It is such a fabulous read that will pull on your heart strings and lighten your heart all in one go! Love, loved, LOVED it! Would definitely recommend!!â Stardust Book Reviews, âââââ
âThis has to be one of my favourite books by Tilly Tennant. It really got under my skin and into my heartâŠÂ A fabulous story of friendship, family and secrets with a great cast of charactersâŠÂ A real heartwarmer this one, it got me so emotional tooâŠÂ I LOVED it!!â StefLoz Book Blog, âââââ
âA brilliant rollercoaster of a rideâŠÂ I read this book in one sitting in less than a day and loved every minute of it. A canât-put-down book!⊠I read late into to the night because I just had to know what the ending was going to be.â Netgalley reviewer, âââââ
âWhat a beautifully written storyâŠÂ This is a âcanât go to sleep because I want to know what happens nextâ book and even after the last page Iâm still thinking about Rosie.â NetGalley reviewer, âââââ
âWhat an enchanting read! I felt like Iâd moved to Marigold Marina myselfâŠÂ A perfect book that kept me entertained all the way through.â Goodreads reviewer
âWhat a charming, feel-good sort of book! This was a lovely weekend read and certainly makes me want to read more by this author in the future. Recommended!â The Princess and the Pen
A new start can come from the most unexpected places…
It’s been years since Lizzie Lockhart spoke to her parents. But she was safe in the knowledge she knew everything about them. Once upon a time, they were as close as could be. Until they weren’t.
After receiving the earth-shattering news of their passing, Lizzie decides it’s time to unearth some family secrets and find out just who her parents really were… starting with Streamside Cottage. A cottage Lizzie never knew existed, in a place she’s never heard of: the beautiful English village of Leafton.
Leaving behind London, and the tattoo parlour she called home, Lizzie finds herself moving to the countryside. Faced with a tight-lipped community, who have secrets of their own, Lizzie is at a loss for what to do, until her rather handsome neighbour, Ben, steps in to help.
As Lizzie finally begins to piece together the puzzle of her family history she realises she has to confront the truth of the past in order to face her future.
Summer Secrets at Streamside Cottage is a brilliant read. I absolutely LOVED it!
Lizzie is an instantly likeable character who recently lost both of her parents in a tragic accident. They were estranged which makes things even more difficult to deal with. When she discovers her parents owned a property in the countryside, she leaves her home in London to see if she can find any real reason her once close relationship with them had broken down without any room for discussion. It canât just be because she had decided to train as a tattooist or because they didnât like her boyfriend at the time, surely. How come they never told her about this cottage in Leafton? What else did she not know about her parents?
I thoroughly enjoyed Lizzieâs story. I was drawn in from the very beginning and found myself as desperate as she was to find out the truth behind her parentâs overprotective behaviour and their odd reaction to her choice of profession.
I love how Lizzie instantly felt at home in the cottage. It does sound idyllic. I know Iâd prefer to live somewhere like that rather than in the middle of London.
I love how she has an instant connection with Ben, her neighbour and postie.
I love Taz!
I love how the community welcomes her but at the same time seem to be harbouring secrets of their own. Why will no one tell her what they know about this cottage and its history?
Itâs such an intriguing mystery. One that certainly kept me turning those pages. My heart truly went out to Lizzie when she finally finds out the truth.
Such a heart-wrenching tale with a heart-warming conclusion.
FROM THE #1 INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF HOLY ISLAND AND IMPOSTOR
THE ONE THAT GOT AWAY…
When a cantankerous old woman dies at her home in the sleepy, picturesque village of Bamburgh, DCI Ryan doesnât think much of itâexcept, that is, for the small matter of it having been his wife who happened to find her body. Then another body turns up amongst the sand dunes at the base of the mighty castle fortress, and he decides it canât be a coincidenceâŠ
Meanwhile, after a recent revelation about her sister, DC Melanie Yatesâ quest to avenge her death is becoming an obsessionâmuch to the concern of those around her. With a new DCS to contend with and hundreds of cold case files to sift through, the chances of uncovering a dormant killer seem unlikely. But as Melanie delves deeper into the secrets of the past to uncover the truth, she soon realises it lies much closer to homeâŠ
Murder and mystery are peppered with romance and humour in this fast-paced crime whodunnit, set amidst the spectacular Northumbrian landscape.
âLJ Ross keeps company with the best mystery writersâ â The Times
Bamburgh is another excellent read in the DCI Ryan series. Honestly, these books just get better and better. I love catching up with Ryan, Frank, and the team. They are such a lovable bunch. I know Iâve said it many times before, but I do talk about them like they are real people. I have recently got my Mum-in-law addicted to these books also and she feels the same. We chat about them together now. My husband thinks weâre a bit nuts. Lol!
It is my mission to convert everyone (who isnât already) into Ryan fans!
This book ticks all the boxes for me.
I love the police procedural aspect.
I love the mystery, the tension, the suspense.
I love how invested I am in these characters. My heart truly went out to DC Melanie Yates, and I was terrified for her.
A certain other character made my skin crawl.
I love the setting of this book, and the series as a whole.
I love how Dr Gregory features in this book.
I love the romance and the humour. Frank always makes me giggle. I love the banter between him and Ryan.
If you havenât read this yet you are in for a real treat and if you havenât read any of the series yet, then you really should. Treat yourself!
Another easy five stars for me. I highly recommend!
Issy Randall can bake. No, more than that – Issy can create stunning, mouth-wateringly divine cakes. After a childhood spent in her beloved Grampa Joe’s bakery, she has undoubtedly inherited his talent.
It is the first book Iâve read by Jenny Colgan, but it certainly wonât be the last!
Issy is a lovely character. I liked her from the very start. What she sees in Graeme I will never know! Heâs infuriating. Issy deserves so much better than him.
I love how Issy turns her passion into a successful business. I so admire her bravery.
I love how she fights when her livelihood is threatened by greed, and how all those around her fight with her.
I love the friendships she develops with her staff.
I love her friendship with Helena.
I love the close relationship Issy shares with her Grandad and my heart broke for her as she comes to terms with him not getting any better. I know how devastating that is.
I love the romance, which again is far from straight forward.
This is such an uplifting story, which warmed my heart and left me with a huge smile on my face.
I loved every page!
I also love that there are delicious cake recipes throughout this book. Such a sweet tale, in every sense.
I highly recommend and I will be adding Jenny Colganâs other books to my TBR list.
Constance Anderson is a scriptwriter… without a script. But this isn’t a problem until, by random stroke of fate the Hollywood diva Jennifer Roberts announces on American primetime television that Constance is writing her next movie.
This is news to Constance; how the hell did that happen? She is jettisoned to fame overnight and faces a race against time to write the script. With the help of an unscrupulous ‘agent’ and a hostile ghost writer, Constance battles her way to Hollywood through the onslaught of social media, trolls, a philandering boyfriend, and leaked naked photographs…
Social media paves the way for an unknown scriptwriter in a comedy of misunderstandings and miscreants, and finally an ounce of good luck.
Anti-Social Media has been waiting ever so patiently on my kindle since I purchased it in 2016! Iâm glad I finally got the chance to read it as it was good fun.
It tells the tale of Constance, a wannabe script writer, who finds herself suddenly famous when actress Jennifer Roberts, who has millions of followers on Twitter but follows no-one herself accidentally follows Constance back leaving the world to wonder what is so special about her. To make matters worse, to save face in an interview, Jennifer confesses to being a huge fan of Constance and reveals she has read her screenplay and canât wait to star in her film!
Hilarious!
Jennifer is the true definition of Diva and not at all likeable to be honest. I wouldnât be working for her for long!
I canât make my mind up if I liked Constance or not. It must have been quite overwhelming to suddenly be thrust into the public eye though. I loved the dynamic of her quickly formed professional relationships with her âagentâ and ghost writer, Jill.
Laugh out loud funny at times. I really enjoyed it!
The Watcher is a psychological thriller that will keep you hooked from the first page until the lastâŠ
What the reviewers are saying about The Watcher:
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If youâre looking for something to keep you gripped, read this.
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I have never read a book by this author, but I will definitely read more.
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Such an intense, chilling, and spooky novel.
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The plotline is superb, and the characters are brilliant and really help carry the story forward.
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It had me captivated until the end. An easy, fast-paced read.
Harmony House has a voyeur. Someone with hidden cameras throughout the building. The residents are unaware theyâre being watched, especially the ones up to no good.
I spy with my little eye; someone is going to dieâŠ
Lisa Sell is a thriller, crime, and mystery author. She is an avid reader with a to-be-read tower rather than a pile.
Music rocks Lisaâs world too, particularly a good eighties tune. If lost, youâll find her in a DeLorean, headed for her favourite decade.
Lisaâs cats try to help her write but often fail. The furry pests demand attention and desk space. Lisa is currently applying for cat wrangling to be recognised as an Olympic sport.
Find out more about Lisa and her books in the following places:
Hi, and welcome to my Flashback Friday feature đ
On the first Friday of each month I like to have a look back at the books I was reading during the same month in previous years, since starting my blog.
Please do join in if you have the time. I’d love to see your posts!
Here are my reviews from April 2021, plus a link to previous FBFs….
crime fiction blog featuring reviews, author guest posts and other fabulous booky things (with the odd psychological thriller and horror novel making an appearance!)