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! xx

Here are my reviews from August 2023 + a link to previous August FBFs….

A Death At The Party by Amy Stuart #BookReview #NetGalley

The Stranger Beside Me by Caroline England @CazEngland #BlogTour #BookReview

Walking on Sunshine by Giovanna Fletcher 

Cuckoos on the Mersey by Conrad Jones @ConradJones

#FlashbackFriday August 2023

happy reading!

One Italian Summer

By Barry Lillie

Book two in The Abruzzo Series.

What happens when two damaged people find their emotions are starting to jangle?

Gabby has grown up feeling unloved, and Riccardo has trust issues.

Gabby works at top London magazine, Home and House, and after a stay at Le Stelle, the hotel in Sant’Andrea, her boss, Nolan agrees to let her stay and work remotely from the Italian town of Bomba. Her defences come down as she makes friends and after a chance meeting with Riccardo means she has to re-evaluate her feelings.

Riccardo, an Italian lawyer, has grown up with a family secret that rules his life, however his uncle knows the truth has never been revealed and a meeting he never thought would happen changes everything he has ever believed to be true

Is Alessio Narducci, the fashion designer and social media celebrity, the catalyst for change?

Will they both resolve their issues and allow love to flourish?

The only one way to find out is to spend One Italian Summer in Abruzzo.

UK link –

https://amzn.to/3xUmjBm

US link –

https://amzn.to/4eUW91V

New to the series?

Catch up now with Under Italian Stars: Escape to Italy where happiness comes from tragedy in this perfect uplifting beach read filled with friendship and romance (The Abruzzo Series Book 1)

Happy reading!

When You Were Mine

by Emma-Claire Wilson

Nicole and Victoria are leading very different lives. One in Scotland, one in Spain. They meet in hospital, having babies on the same day, and have stayed friends ever since. They haven’t been able to spend much physical time together, living in different countries and with having Covid restrictions in place for so long, but they both cherish their zoom catch ups and when Victoria announces she’s visiting Scotland again, with her twins, Nicole is over the moon.

I loved how these two ladies became friends and how they are such a support to each other despite having so many miles between them and a pandemic to contend with. They both have their struggles and very much look forward to catching up properly and seeing their children (now three years old) play together. However, when Nicole’s older son is taken ill their plans take an unexpected turn and little do they know just how much their lives are about to change forever.

This is such a heart-wrenching story. My heart broke for both ladies, and Nicole’s husband. (Victoria’s husband, not so much, he’s not quite as likeable.) I can’t even imagine how I would cope if I found myself in their situation. A parent’s absolute worst nightmare! I wondered however they would find a solution which is best for all concerned and I think they handled it perfectly in the end, considering how painful it must be.

I absolutely loved Emma-Claire Wilson’s first novel, This Child of Mine, and I have absolutely loved When You Were Mine. It’s so beautifully written, full of raw emotion, sadness and heartache, but also family, friendship, smiles, laughter, and hope. I can’t recommend it highly enough!

** Thank you to the author and publisher for my ARC via NetGalley **

OUT TOMORROW!

I.C.Y.M.I

This Child of Mine by Emma-Claire Wilson @ECWilsonWriter #BookReview #NetGalley

Happy reading!

Friday Nights at Rosa’s

by Misha M Herwin 

A heart-warming story of new beginnings.

Rosa’s Beauty Salon might be shabby and old fashioned, but it’s where women have always come for help and advice.

When Sylvie inherits the family business, she plans to bring the salon up to date.

But if she thinks she is in control, she’s wrong.

Her mother and grandmother might be gone but their voices are still clamouring to be heard.

Sylvie cannot free herself from the past until she faces up to who she truly is and accepts the gift that has been passed down through the generations.

Then her regulars set up Friday night sessions where they share wine and wisdom, solve problems and transform lives. Including Sylvie’s.

OUT NOW!

Misha Herwin is a writer of women’s fiction.

Ever since she had her hair cut short at the age of twelve, she has been looking for the right hairdresser. Not only has she found her, but has also been inspired to write, “Friday Nights at Rosa’s.”

When Misha is not working on her next book, or having her hair done, she likes to spend time with family and friends, read, do the garden, or bake. Scones with jam and cream are her speciality. 

The Time Traveler’s Wife

by Audrey Niffenegger 

I read The Time Traveler’s Wife for the first time about fifteen years ago and I have never forgotten it. It remains one of my most favourite books ever!
I thoroughly enjoyed listening to it on Audible and could quite happily listen to it again.

A most untraditional love story, this is the celebrated tale of Henry DeTamble, a dashing, adventuresome librarian who inadvertently travels through time, and Clare Abshire, an artist whose life takes a natural sequential course. Henry and Clare’s passionate affair endures across a sea of time and captures them in an impossibly romantic trap that tests the strength of fate and basks in the bonds of love. “Niffenegger’s inventive and poignant writing is well worth a trip”

Happy reading/listening!

Wedding Belles at Rosa’s

by Misha M Herwin

Wedding Belles at Rosa’s is a gorgeous little story. One I enjoyed over the last two evenings but could have happily read in one sitting had I not gone to bed too late the first night.

This story is full of brilliant characters. Some more lovable than others. Some more amusing than others. My heart went out to Jayne. No-one so young should have to deal with losing the love of their life. How do you even begin to move on from such a devastating loss? Her mother is determined she will, but you can’t force these things.

I loved the friendship dynamics in this story. I loved the family closeness and the sense of community centred around Irene and her beauty salon. I loved Irene’s honesty with Jayne and Jayne’s reaction to such honesty. I also loved the cat.

I’m very much looking forward to reading Friday Nights at Rosa’s. I have already pre-ordered it. It’s out on Monday 22^nd July. This is the perfect chance to read Wedding Belles at Rosa’s in the meantime. Enjoy!

Happy reading!

Take Down (Father Black series, book three)

by Mick Williams 

This series just gets better and better!

Father Black is the most brilliant character. Talk about going from one extreme to the other with his career choices. I love it!

Take Down sees him being blackmailed by the Honos Group. No-one knows who is running the show though, so he’s left with no choice but to return to where it all started and find out for himself. I can only imagine how conflicted he must feel when making some of the decisions he is faced with in this situation.

This book is full of action and exceptional characters who you can’t help but love but would most definitely not want to get on the wrong side of. It’s full of suspense and tension. Each chapter ensures you need to read the next one.

Considering the level of violence involved in this story it has its fair share of humour too.

I love Emmy and her relationship with Father Black. Or lack of, much to her disappointment. She amuses me in her persistence, and I admire his ability to resist.

It’s just brilliant writing!

I can’t recommend it highly enough.

Selfishly I hope this isn’t the end of Father Black’s adventures, although for him I hope he gets some peace for a while at least 😉

• Many thanks to Mick Williams for my review copy

A hunted priest turns hunter.

To get back his former life, Father Black must return to where it all started.

Blackmailed by the mysterious Honos Group, the only way for him to break free is to track them down, starting with the surviving members of his original Iraqi unit…all tied to Honos. Surely, one of them can shed some light on the group.

But do they want to be found? And is he prepared to kill to discover a decade old secret?

As the hunt begins, a series of unexplained power outages cripple parts of the United States and, as the net tightens, his personal mission becomes a desperate race to save the entire country.

If you’re new to this series, I highly recommend that you read book one first….

I.C.Y.M.I

Mission Black by Mick Williams @mickwilliamsau2

Happy reading!

Unexpected Family For The Rebel Tycoon (Mills & Boon True Love)

by Rachael Stewart 

Rachael Stewart has really outdone herself with Matteo De Luca!! She’s an expert at creating men with difficult pasts who are determined to live a free and single life, and women who rock their world.

Porsha isn’t looking for love any more than Matteo is. She has her young nephew to raise after the devastating loss of her sister. Recently retired footballer, Matteo, is her neighbour. They don’t know each other (their first encounter is quite amusing); However, it soon becomes apparent that he’s her only hope of help with her football mad nephew as she tries to balance a fulltime job with the school summer holidays.

I loved this story! I loved sharing the summer with Porscha, Fin, and Matteo. Oh, how the other half live!

I love how it’s far from a straightforward romance, but with undeniable chemistry. I love how obvious it is to everyone else before themselves. I love how Fin is always the priority. I love how obvious it is that money truly doesn’t buy you real happiness. I loved the family history aspect of the story, and I loved Porsha’s well intended interference. I loved it all, but especially the ending which I could barely read through happy tears.

Just gorgeous!

All the stars from me 😊

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

Everyone’s heard of Matteo De Luca: tycoon, footballer and international thrill-seeker. Until an injury sees him permanently benched—and bored! So bored that when his neighbour’s kid drives off another nanny Matteo volunteers to step in, adding ‘manny’ to his CV. After unexpectedly becoming her nephew’s guardian, it’s clear Porsha’s defences are high. But as Matteo gets to know the woman beneath, a startlingly intense connection emerges… Could this be his biggest adventure yet?

Happy reading!

A Window Breaks

by C. M. Ewan 

A Window Breaks is an enjoyable read.

A lot happens over a very short time!

Tom, his wife, Rachel, their thirteen-year-old daughter, Holly, and their dog travel to Scotland for much needed rest and re-connection. They are all struggling with grief after the loss of Tom and Rachel’s sixteen-year-old son a few months previous, so Tom’s boss, Lionel, insists they use his remote lodge for a few days to relax. On arrival it all looks like the ideal place for just that. That is until there is a break-in in the middle of the night on the first night they’re there.

An absolute nightmare!

Is it a random attack or have they been targeted?

From this moment on I had no idea what to think! I had my theories as the story progressed, but there was many a curveball along the way. I found it to be quite a tense read. The tension builds slowly, but it kept me intrigued. The flashbacks provided little glimpses towards the truth along the way, but also threw up new questions at times.

I thought Tom was quite a believable character. Most ‘normal’ blokes wouldn’t be equipped to deal with the sort of attack they are faced with. My husband is ex-military so I’m sure he’d be great in an emergency such as this, but Tom is a lawyer. I’m assuming they don’t tend to have the same training! 😉

Rachel was an intriguing character. She was obviously hiding something from the start, so I was itching to find out what. I couldn’t warm to her the same, although I did understand her better by the end.

I thought Holly coped well with the whole situation, especially given her age. She’s a little trooper.

It certainly kept me guessing and I was shocked by the end!

I buddy read this with some Instagram friends, and I think I enjoyed it more than some of the other ladies. I understand how the repetitive use of certain words/phrases grated on them, and I agree it could possibly have been condensed a little bit. I personally think the ending justified the build-up though. I think it would make a good film. Some of the repetitive descriptions used wouldn’t be necessary on screen. I think, done well, it would keep viewers on the edge of their seats.

I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a tense, psychological thriller which confuses the cr*p out of you for the most part, but all wraps up nicely at the end.

** I purchased the paperback edition of this book purposely to join in with this month’s buddy read chosen by @readswithdanii **

It’s 2 a.m. in a remote Scottish lodge.

You are asleep when a noise wakes you.

You stir, unsure why, and turn to your partner.

Then you hear it.

Glass. Crunching underfoot.

Your worst fears are about to be realized.

Someone is downstairs, intent on causing your family harm.

You will do whatever it takes to protect them.

But with only each other to rely on, can you escape?

Happy reading!