In the shadowy streets of Lisbon during World War II, secrets are currency and trust is a luxury few can afford. Dinis Lopes, a man with a past as murky as the city’s fog, finds himself entangled in a web of espionage, betrayal, and unexpected alliances. As he navigates the treacherous waters of wartime intrigue, Lopes must confront his own demons and make choices that could alter the course of history. “The assassination of a nobody” is an exciting story full of suspense. Every choice matters, and each character has secrets.
Mother’s Boy is another beautifully written novel by Patrick Gale. I was absolutely blown away by A Place Called Winter which was my first experience of this author. I have since added all his books to my TBR list.
Mother’s Boy is based on the true story of poet, Charles Causley. I hadn’t heard of Charles Causley previously (I have now added one of his poetry collections to my Wishlist), but I found his story fascinating. He is an interesting character. One I found quite difficult to warm to initially though, if I’m honest. He’s quite standoffish which seems like an odd thing to say, but I can understand why he is why he is. He lived in a time when he couldn’t be free to be who he really was, without fear of arrest.
After the untimely death of his father at such a young age, it is just him and his mother, Laura. Laura is a very warm character. Resilient, and hardworking, doing whatever she needs to do to provide for her son. I really liked Laura, and my heart went out to her. Charles is desperate to escape Launceston at his first opportunity, which I found sad for Laura, but understandable from the young Charles’ perspective. When another world war looks imminent, he signs up with the Navy as a coder. He’s an intelligent boy with much to offer. Away from his mother and his hometown he feels more able to explore who he really is. This isn’t without caution though. Charles grew on me more as his story progressed and I felt so sad for him in the end.
This is an inspiring character driven story full of love, loss, and sacrifice. A beautiful portrait of a mother and son relationship. A bond unbroken and one which endures.
** I bought the paperback edition of Mother’s Boy on Publication Day, 13th May 2022 **
Laura, a laundress, meets her young husband when they are both placed in service in Teignmouth in 1914. They have a baby, Charles, but his father returns home from the trenches a damaged man, already ill with the tuberculosis that will soon leave Laura a widow.
As a new war looms, Charles signs up for the navy as a coder. His escape from the tight, gossipy confines of Launceston to a more colourful life in action sees him blossom, as he experiences the possibility of death, and the excitement – even terror – of a love that is as clandestine as his work.
I thoroughly enjoyed Keep Her Secret, despite wanting to knock some sense into Matthew. I really liked him. I have no idea what he sees in Helena (apart from her looks). I really didn’t warm to her at all. When she confesses her secret to him, I was willing him to run away as fast and as far from her as he could. That wouldn’t make for a very exciting story though, would it!
Some people seem to do some crazy things for love, whilst those of us on the outside are looking in thinking what on earth are you thinking! Helena seems to hold some kind of spell over Matthew. So much so his common sense seems to evade him.
Helena made me nervous throughout the story. I couldn’t make my mind up if I believed anything she said. Who knows what trauma and abuse can do to a person though. She is certainly more than a little unhinged.
There are a few characters throughout this story who make some extremely questionable decisions too. There are many “you have got to be kidding me” moments. They make this a highly entertaining read in my opinion.
Fast paced, with short chapters, it kept me intrigued to the end. An unnerving conclusion kind of makes me want to know what becomes of Matthew and Helena. I hope he came to his senses, but I’m thinking probably not! Lol!
Mark Edwards is, and will remain, one of my favourite authors.
** This was our Bookstagram April Buddy Read. It was my choice on this occasion. Thank you to Lucie, Zoe, Leanne, Lee, and Lou for joining in with my month’s read **
After twenty years apart, Matthew and Helena have rekindled their college romance and are away in Iceland on their first holiday together. Swept up in the romance on a mountain hike, one moment they are taking the perfect photo, the next Helena is hanging from the cliff edge…
Terrified, Matthew almost misses Helena’s sudden and shocking confession—but what he hears chills him to the bone. And when Helena reveals the full truth Matthew is horrified, not only by what she’s done, but why she did it. Does he really know her at all?
His shock turns to horror when, back in England, they discover that someone not only overheard Helena’s confession but plans to blackmail her. Now Matthew must decide whether to go to the police or help Helena keep her secret—and as events spiral out of control, how far is Matthew willing to go to protect his ‘perfect’ girlfriend?
Under the Lemon Treeis another gorgeous read by the very lovely Emma Cowell. I have loved every one of her books and, as always, this one is so beautifully written you can’t help but love the perfectly imperfect characters and fall in love with Greece all over again.
When we first meet Kat, she hasn’t long lost her twin brother, Nik. I can’t even begin to imagine that kind of devastating loss. My heart went out to her and her parents.
When she discovers she has inherited a house, on a Greek island, from an uncle she had never met she is naturally shocked and intrigued. As was I!
I loved following Kat on her journey to Agistri. It sounds like such a beautiful place. I could totally envisage her renovations of her new home and could quite happily live there myself.
I was not prepared for the secrets she discovers about her uncle, her brother, and her mother. Kat’s pain was almost palpable, and my heart ached for her at times throughout this story.
This is such a rollercoaster of an emotional read, set in a stunning location. A heart-warming tale of family dynamics, love, grief, friendship, personal growth, ambition, hope, achievement, romance, true love, and delicious Greek food. I was completely captivated!
** Many thanks to the author and publisher for my review copy via NetGalley **
Can one Greek summer heal the secrets of the past?
Could discovering a family secret encourage Kat to follow her heart?
Shattered by the sudden loss of her twin, Nik, Kat is lost in grief. The comfort of family feels both soothing and suffocating, but everything changes when she inherits a house on the breathtaking Greek island of Agistri from a mysterious uncle she’s never met.
Arriving on Agistri, Kat is mesmerized by its crystalline waters, lush pine forests, and the citrus-scented air. Among the white-washed houses and warm, welcoming locals, she begins to feel her heart heal. The island offers more than solace, sparking courage in Kat to face her loss — and maybe even embrace the spark of unexpected love…
But as she unearths her family’s buried past, Kat must also confront her own fears of belonging, forgiveness — and the possibility of rediscovering happiness in the shadow of heartbreak…
Mick Williams has done it again! How he keeps coming up with such great story ideas I’ll never know. He’s one of the most versatile writers I know. Everything I have read of his has been brilliant so I knew this would be too.
This book begins with Jason, hiring Katy (along with her sister, and colleague, Marsha) to find his sister. I’m not sure I’d be as quick to hand over a chunk of money to a company I’d never heard of before, but he’s obviously desperate. When they start looking into this sister though it’s soon obvious that this isn’t a straightforward missing person’s case. Far from it! And Jason isn’t who he first appears to be.
There’s not much else I can say without spoiling it for you lovely people who haven’t had the pleasure of reading it yet, but I can tell you that this story has some kick@ss female characters!! Katy and Marsha are instantly likable. Ambra grew on me. Others not so much.
There are a few other interesting characters, maybe not so likeable, but interesting all the same and integral to the plot. A plot which is full of action, intrigue, fantastically choreographed fight scenes, and an explosive conclusion!
** Many thanks to Mick Williams for my advance review copy **
“Disappearing Inc. – do you want them lost or found?”
When private investigator Katy King agrees to help Jason Cooper locate his missing sister, the case seems simple—at first. But as dead ends pile up and Jason’s story unravels, Katy realizes she’s been pulled into a web of lies far darker than she imagined.
With no time to retreat, Katy finds herself hunted on two fronts: the head of an Albanian kill squad seeking revenge from a previous meeting, and a ruthless assassin determined to fulfill her deadly mission.
As these forces converge, Katy must unravel the truth behind Jason’s secrets while staying one step ahead of killers who won’t stop until she’s dead.
Elizabeth Zott is the most fabulous character! I thoroughly enjoyed her story.
She is a chemist, living and working in a male dominated world in the 1960s. The attitudes of some men towards women in the workplace during this time is quite revolting, although not entirely shocking. Elizabeth doesn’t suffer fools gladly though. As a result, her approach to life and work is often misunderstood, and is certainly not tolerated, by some. Her soulmate gets her though and their relationship is heart-warming. My heart broke for her when her life starts collapsing around her.
There are some other great characters throughout this story too. Six-Thirty is a favourite of mine, and I thought Harriet was hilarious. Mad is a little genius.
Lessons in Chemistry is a completely captivating story. It’s clever, funny, thought-provoking, heart-wrenching, and inspiring. I loved it!
Your ability to change everything – including yourself – starts here
Chemist Elizabeth Zott is not your average woman. In fact, she would be the first to point out that there is no such thing.
But it’s the early 1960s and her all-male team at Hastings Research Institute take a very unscientific view of equality.
Forced to leave her job at the institute, she soon finds herself the reluctant star of America’s most beloved cooking show, Supper at Six.
But as her following grows, not everyone is happy. Because as it turns out, Elizabeth Zott isn’t just teaching women to cook.
She’s daring them to change the status quo. One molecule at a time. __________
A Book of the Year for: Guardian, Times, SundayTimes, NewYorkTimes, GoodHousekeeping, Woman & Home, Stylist, TLSOprah Daily, Newsweek, Mail on Sunday, Entertainment Weekly, NPR, India Knight, Hay Festival, Waterstones, Amazon, Books are My Bag and many more!
Author of the Year at the British Book Awards Winner of the Goodreads Choice Best Debut Novel Award Winner of the Books are My Bag Reader’s Choice Award Winner of the Books are My Bag Breakthrough Author Award Shortlisted for the HWA Crown Award
Praise for Lessons in Chemistry:
‘Full of humour, heartbreak and characters who feel like real people’ Red Magazine
‘Thought-provoking and stylish‘ Guardian
‘Laugh-out-loud funny and brimming with life, generosity and courage’ Rachel Joyce, author of The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry
‘I loved Lessons in Chemistry and am devastated to have finished it!’ Nigella Lawson
‘A novel that sparks joy with every page’ Elizabeth Day, author of Magpie
‘Witty and sometimes hilarious … the Catch-22 of early feminism’ Stephen King
‘A beautiful, sharp, funny and dark modern classic. I adored it’ Chris Whitaker, author of We Begin at the End
Daisy is a very likeable character who is desperate to do her bit for the war effort, along with everyone else, so she finds herself a job in the NAAFI. It’s hard work, but she loves it (apart from her suspicions that someone might thieving from the stores).
Her childhood sweetheart, boy next door, Bob has been sent abroad, and she fears she may never see him again. She has promised to wait for him though, so when Lofty strolls into her life she tries her hardest to resist him. She is so determined to be true to her Bob and I thought that was so sweet. We can’t help who we fall for though and I really felt for her as she wrestled with her conflicted feelings. Bob and Lofty are both lovely characters too.
I can’t imagine living through a world war with air raid threats, rationing, and your whole life being turned upside down. I know how it feels to be left behind whilst someone you love is in a war zone for months at a time though as my husband was in the Army for 22 years. Even though he was never front line there was always that niggle of worry that each time he went away might be the last time I saw him alive. It’s difficult getting up each day and just carrying on as ‘normal’ but there was nothing else I could do. Especially with two small children. I found Daisy’s worry for the uncertainty of her future very relatable.
Daisy’s family and friends are a good bunch of characters too. Each adding their own depth to the story. I really enjoyed it and hope to read book two in the series before too long. I would have jumped straight into it, but I have other reading commitments right now.
If you love a historical romance, I think you’ll love this book.
** According to Amazon I purchased the kindle edition of this book on the 10th of July 2021 **
Daisy’s War is a historical romance set on the Isle of Sheppey in Kent during World War Two. Daisy is too young to join the WAAFs like her glamorous sister Sylvia and opts instead to work in the NAAFI which serves the sailors and soldiers stationed in the dockyard and garrison with snacks, cigarettes and toiletries. She has vowed to stay true to Bob, her childhood sweetheart. But Bob is serving overseas and she fears he will not return. Enter tall handsome soldier Christopher, known to his friends as Lofty.
I have been a fan of Mark Edwards for a good while, so I know I’m in for a treat when I get to read another one of his books. I think he’s outdone himself with this one.
The Wasp Trap is about a group of ex-colleagues/friends who meet up for a dinner party twenty-five years after they all worked together on a project which aimed to change the online dating world forever. That project ended in tragedy, and they all parted ways, apart from two of the friends who married. It’s their big posh house the others have been invited to. Would I have gone along after such a long time? I’m not sure. Maybe curiosity would get the better of me. After reading this book, probably not! Lol!
Will is an instantly likeable character. He feels like something isn’t right on arrival, but others think he’s being paranoid. They soon find out that his instincts are spot on!
OH. MY. GOODNESS!
I could never have imagined the direction this story takes.
It’s an extremely fast-paced story, which kept me gripped throughout. It flits between the dinner party night and back in 1999, building on their history together. Someone is keeping a secret from back then, and someone wants them to confess. The suspense and intrigue kept me turning the pages. I was desperate to find out what was going on, who had what secrets to tell, and how it was all going to turn out if whoever was hiding something didn’t own up, and I found myself panicking along side these people.
Just when I thought I might have it sussed…. nope, another curve in the road!
The ending really shocked me, and the epilogue made my blood run cold.
Such a brilliantly written, highly entertaining read, with a very clever character driven plot. I LOVED it!
I loved the hint of romance too.
An easy five stars for me.
** Many thanks to the publisher for sending me an ARC **
Summer 1999. Will joins five other idealistic graduates working for an eccentric psychology professor. They’re going to launch a website to change online dating forever.
No-one expects it to end in tragedy.
Twenty-five years later, Will gets an invitation: a dinner party. A chance to see the old gang again.
But as soon as he arrives, something doesn’t seem right.
There’s an unexpected guest. The hosts are clearly keeping a secret. And on the way in, Will is sure he heard crying.
Everyone has something to hide about what really happened that summer.
But only one of them is willing to kill to find the truth…
Pre-order now and brace yourself for what is sure to be your favourite read of the summer….
Wow! This is quite a story!! It grabbed my attention from the very beginning and kept me intrigued throughout. I’m not sure I would have made the same decision as Nora; to go the hen weekend of a friend I hadn’t spoken to for ten years. Then again, I can see how curiosity might get the better of you and I understand her desire to make amends, especially as they were best friends back in the day. Also, she had the back up of another mutual friend who had been invited, so what could possibly go wrong!
OH. MY. GOODNESS!
As the story progressed, I really felt for Nora. I didn’t warm to Clare at all. She grated on me. There was something about her that I couldn’t quite put my finger on. The more I learned about her, the more I understood why. She is not a nice person. She didn’t deserve Nora’s friendship back in their school days, but I can understand why Nora was drawn to her.
Nina is an odd character too. I couldn’t make my mind up about her. I still can’t.
They’re an odd bunch of friends.
This is a fast-paced psychological thriller with short, sharp chapters, interesting if not entirely likeable characters, and an intriguing plot which kept me invested. It’s one of those books that I was thinking about when I wasn’t reading it and couldn’t wait to find out which direction it would go in. It made me question everything and everyone. It made me question what I would do in the same situation. I’m pretty sure my decisions would be quite different to those of these characters, but I’m quite boring. The drama that evolves throughout this book made for extremely tense, sad, shocking, and highly entertaining reading.
** I purchased a paperback copy of this book for the purposes of a buddy read with some of my lovely Bookstagram friends. Great choice, @_shannonslibrary_ **
Nora hasn’t seen Clare for ten years. Not since the day Nora walked out of her old life and never looked back.
Until, out of the blue, an invitation to Clare’s hen party arrives. A weekend in a remote cottage – the perfect opportunity for Nora to reconnect with her best friend, to put the past behind her.
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