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The Island Love Song by Emma Cowell @EmmaCowellBooks #NetGalley

The Island Love Song

by Emma Cowell 

Wow! What can I say about The Island Love Song which would do it the justice it deserves!?

I could talk about it for hours to be honest with you, but I don’t want to spoil anything for anyone who hasn’t read it yet.

First, as I’ve said before, I’ve never been to Greece, but I honestly felt like I was in Greece whilst reading this novel. I felt the same when reading Emma Cowell’s previous novels. I would really, really love to go to Greece now and experience the beauty of the country Emma portrays so enticingly. The food sounds amazing also! I love that food plays its part throughout the story. I think I actually drooled at times. lol!

Anyway, this story is about sisters Ella and Georgia. They lost their Mum and are returning to Hydra to scatter her ashes in the sea. They have a rich history of happy memories with their mother there. As if that isn’t heart-wrenching enough, there has also been heartbreak for Ella and guilt for Georgia over secrets she’s carried for years.

The sisters are like chalk and cheese. Ella is very much a free spirit. Tied to nothing and no-one following an extremely traumatic experience. Georgia is the organised, dependable one, who’s life she has dedicated to her husband and bringing up their daughter, Phoenix. Neither of them is particularly happy though, nor have they had a close relationship, so coming together for two weeks on the Island of Hydra was never going to be straight forward.

I couldn’t wait to find out where their story would take me, and I was completely invested in the emotional journey I was taken on.

I liked Ella immediately and my heart broke for her as I learned what she had been through.

Georgia isn’t as easy to like, but I came to understand her more as the story progressed, and I did really feel for her in the end.

Phoenix is a beautiful character. Oh, to be so young and self-assured!

Harrison is a fascinating character and one I warmed to quickly despite his history with Ella.

There are other beautiful characters in this book too, all who add their own little something special.

This is a compelling tale about grieving sisters, the devastation secrets and lies can cause, the power of true love, and the true meaning of family.

I absolutely LOVED it! It’s just beautiful!

** A big thank you to the author and publisher for my review copy of The Island Love Song via NetGalley **

ICYMI….

https://chataboutbooks.blog/2022/03/18/one-last-letter-from-greece-the-new-sweeping-romantic-debut-novel-to-escape-with-in-summer-2022-by-emma-cowell-emmalloydcowell-avonbooksuk-bookreview/

https://chataboutbooks.blog/2023/05/30/the-house-in-the-olive-grove-by-emma-cowell-emmalloydcowell/

Escape to the beautiful Greek Island of Hydra with this moving novel, filled with family secrets and romance

Emma Cowell, author of THE HOUSE IN THE OLIVE GROVE, returns with her brand new, emotional and romantic novel set on an idyllic Greek Island.

Hydra, the picturesque Greek island, is a paradise for most, yet for sisters Ella and Georgia, it is a place where their darkest secrets dwell. And now the time has come for them to confront their past as they return to Greece to scatter their mother’s ashes.

Ella is haunted by a love song that was written for her by the man who broke her heart years earlier and she longs to find peace so she can move on with her life.

Georgia pretends everything in her life is perfect, but she is plagued with guilt. If what she’s kept hidden for decades was revealed, their family would never be the same again.

The island is urging the sisters to confront the truth, but can they build a future on the ruins of their past?

Buy it immediately!!!

Happy reading!

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The Long Way Home by Audrey Howard 

The Long Way Home

by Audrey Howard 

The Long Way Home is a beautifully written book. The first by this author for me but hopefully not the last.

Set in Liverpool in the early 1900s we meet Amy when she is just ten years old and doing a grand job of looking after her mother and her ten siblings whilst her father goes out to work. Her mother is ill, with tuberculosis, and is unable to leave her bed often. Can you even imagine living like that these days. Thirteen people to one bedroom! People seemed to just get on with things in those days, doing whatever they had to do to survive. No such thing as universal credit or such like back then. You worked whenever work was available, made the best of what you had, and older children helped to bring up the younger children. Everyone mucked in. Despite this they quite often came across as happier and closer as a family.

Unfortunately, Pa’s wealthy sister, Aunt Zillah is unable to carry a child to term so she decides she is adopting Amy and plans to bring her up as her own. With his wife now in hospital and him having to work to keep food on the table, Amy’s Pa allows it as Zillah has promised him money to move to better housing and support for the other ten children.

Amy is understandably traumatised by being dragged from the family she loves, to a massive unfamiliar house, by her aunt who blatantly doesn’t have a maternal bone in her body. My heart broke for her, and I prayed she might escape the claws of her aunt one way or another.

I was engrossed in her story as she grows into a beautiful young lady who never gives up hope of finding her family again. I love how her relationship with Joe grows as they grow. However, Zillah has other ideas and what she puts Amy through at only sixteen years old is horrific.

Zillah’s husband, Caleb, is a much more likeable character. I’m so glad Amy has him to help protect her from his heartless wife. Whatever he saw in Zillah I’ll never know, but quite often in those days people of wealth married for money and the hope of suitable heirs rather than for love didn’t they. I can’t even imagine.

Amy’s story is one of true resilience. With her aunt, an abusive husband, and a war to contend with it seems as though happiness is impossible, but true love always wins.

There are so many beautiful characters throughout this book, including some of the staff at the Seymour home (which reminded me of Downton Abbey). It’s such a rollercoaster of emotion and is so full of love. Love for family, love between friends, and fighting for the love of your life. I absolutely loved it!

** I read the paperback edition of The Long Way Home. I have no idea where I bought it from though. It’s been on my bookshelf for years. Published in 2008, I assume I bought it from a book sale some time ago **

Amy Pearson’s family is desperately poor – even by the standards of Edwardian Liverpool – but they have each other. Until Amy is torn from her home by her rich aunt, a woman obsessed by religion and snobbery who wants a girl she can mould as she wishes. Clever and pretty, ten-year-old Amy is perfect for her purposes. It is the beginning of a long journey for Amy, as she desperately searches for the family she lost, and a home where she can be free at last from her aunt’s possessive tyranny. But she will have to endure a forced marriage and a tragic war before she can at last find what she seeks.

Happy reading!

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The Reckoning (Secrets of Redemption Book 5) by Michele PW (Pariza Wacek)

The Reckoning (Secrets of Redemption Book 5)

by Michele PW (Pariza Wacek)

The Reckoning is another excellent read in the Secrets of Redemption series. It is the second book centred around Charlie’s story and it answers a lot of questions!

Another book full of suspense and tension. I can’t seem to get enough of this series. I’m already reading book 6! I look forward to picking my kindle back up each evening to see what might happen next.

It’s a long time since I read a series of books one after the other, but I am really invested in these characters and their stories.

I.C.Y.M.I

https://chataboutbooks.blog/2024/04/11/it-began-with-a-lie-secrets-of-redemption-book-1-by-michele-pw-pariza-wacek-michelepw/

https://chataboutbooks.blog/2024/04/11/this-happened-to-jessica-a-psychological-suspense-mystery-secrets-of-redemption-book-2-by-michele-pw-pariza-wacek-michelepw/

https://chataboutbooks.blog/2024/05/01/the-evil-that-was-done-secrets-of-redemption-book-3-by-michele-pw-pariza-wacek-michelepw/

https://chataboutbooks.blog/2024/05/08/the-summoning-secrets-of-redemption-book-4-by-michele-pw-pariza-wacek/

Happy reading!

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This Happened to Jessica: A psychological suspense mystery (Secrets of Redemption Book 2) by Michele PW (Pariza Wacek) @MichelePW

This Happened to Jessica: A psychological suspense mystery (Secrets of Redemption Book 2)

by Michele PW (Pariza Wacek)

 I purchased This Happened to Jessica as soon as I finished book one, It Began With A Lie, as I had to find out if Becca would remember what happened the night Jessica disappeared.

Becca is doing her best to move on from all that has happened since she moved back to Redemption. It isn’t easy though when she still doesn’t remember what happened to Jessica. When further trauma hits the town, some residents blame Becca and her ‘weird’ aunt and she starts to believe she might be better off moving back to New York after all. She is determined to unlock her memories though.

I raced through this book. I’m really enjoying this series. I feel totally invested in the characters and their stories. I have purchased book three and will be starting it tonight.

** I purchased the Kindle edition on 1st April 2024 **

Happy reading!

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The Crossing (Detective Louise Blackwell Book 1) by Matt Brolly @MattBrollyUK

The Crossing (Detective Louise Blackwell Book 1)

by Matt Brolly 

The Crossing is an excellent start to a new series.

Detective Louise Blackwell has recently been transferred and her first case is a brutal one. The first victim is an elderly lady who volunteers at the local church. What possible motive could there be for such an attack?

This killer isn’t done either and it soon becomes apparent that they might be seeking revenge. But, for what.

This is a fast-paced police procedural and I thoroughly enjoyed joining Blackwell and her team as they race against time to solve this case before anyone else dies.

I enjoyed the dynamic between the team and the back story behind Blackwell’s transfer. She does well to maintain professionalism considering.

The perpetrator is an interesting character. Not the type you imagine carrying out such horrendous crimes. As we get to know more about him though, things start to fall into place. He gave me a chill down my spine.

This book has everything you would expect from a good murder mystery. I look forward to catching up with Detective Louise Blackwell in book 2. It’s on my wishlist.

Happy reading!

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It Began With a Lie (Secrets of Redemption Book 1) by Michele PW (Pariza Wacek) @MichelePW

It Began With a Lie (Secrets of Redemption Book 1)

by Michele PW (Pariza Wacek) 

It Began With A Lie had waited patiently in my kindle library for a while but I am so glad I finally got to reading it. I was completely gripped from the very beginning.

When we meet Becca, she is moving into her aunt’s old house (which she has inherited) in Redemption, Wisconsin, with her husband and sixteen-year-old stepdaughter, Chrissy. It’s a temporary move whilst her husband sorts out his business, then the plan is to sell the house and move back to New York to continue with the life they know and love.

Rarely in this life though do things go that smoothly to plan.

There is an underlying tension throughout this book from the very beginning and it made me feel uneasy as I read it. I found myself thinking about it during the day when I wasn’t reading it and couldn’t wait to see where the story might lead. Becca is a likeable character, but I did wonder why she put up with so much from her husband. He came across as controlling and undermining and I didn’t like him at all. His daughter wasn’t much better to start with. A typical teenage girl/stepmother relationship though it seemed. When she starts to sleepwalk though…. I found these scenes really creepy.

And what happened fifteen years previously that Becca has been unable to remember since?

This was such an intriguing story, full of tension and suspense. The characters are brilliantly written, and I love the supernatural aspects of the story. I’m not sure I’d be brave enough to stay in that house after the first unexplainable incident. Becca is a tough nut though. She must be with everything she goes through.

I enjoyed this book so much that I bought book two and started it straight away. I rarely do that.

** I purchased the Kindle edition of this book on 16th July 2019 **

Happy reading!

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The Man Who Died Twice: (The Thursday Murder Club 2) by Richard Osman @richardosman

The Man Who Died Twice: (The Thursday Murder Club 2) 

by Richard Osman 

I absolutely loved this book!

I listened to book 1, The Thursday Murder Club, on Audible a few months ago and I really enjoyed it, but I think I enjoyed The Man Who Died Twice even more. It kept me guessing all the way through, providing more than one surprise along the way. It has the most wonderful cast of characters who you can’t help but love (for the most part). Joyce is my absolute favourite! I enjoyed her POV being told in the form of diary entries. I think this added something a little different and she amuses me, a lot! I love her.

This book ticks all the boxes for me as far as murder mysteries go. It has an intriguing plot, is full of suspense, and has awesome characters. There are sad times, but also plenty of humour. A highly entertaining read! I’m looking forward to book 3.

** Many thanks to my Bookstagram friends for the buddy read. I read the hardcover edition. **

Happy reading!

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Mission Black by Mick Williams @mickwilliamsau2

Mission Black

by Mick Williams

OH. MY. GOODNESS!!

If you’re looking to get your teeth in to a new crime thriller series, full of action, and clever plot lines, then look no further!

Mission Black is the first in a new series by Mick Williams and it is quite simply awesome!

I love Fr. Black. He’s a fabulous character and one I can’t wait to catch up with again in book 2. He’s ex-military turned priest which I find an interesting change of career for a start. He’s a charismatic character and obviously still has a certain appeal with the ladies. Maybe more so because he’s off limits, but he sounds quite easy on the eye too.

This book has two kickass female characters, Lyndsey, and Emmy.

Lyndsey is also ex-military but now devotes her time to Fr. Black’s church as his treasurer, amongst other things. As a church treasurer myself I could relate to her from a church finance perspective but that’s pretty much where our similarities end. Lol! I certainly wouldn’t argue with her. I love the professional relationship and friendship that they obviously share.

Emmy is a truly inspiring character. When Fr. Black finds himself working alongside Emmy it’s easy to see how she might test his faith. He’s true to his vows, but they do grow to be quite fond of each other within a short timeframe. They are thrown into a volatile and dangerous situation together but make a great team. I’d want them on my team. The banter between them is hilarious at times too. I hope to see more of Emmy in book 2.

The humour throughout this book is typical of Mick Williams’ writing and I love it!

I’m so excited that this is the first of a brand-new series. I can’t recommend it highly enough.

(Review written 12th July 2022)

Happy reading!

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52 Weeks: An uplifting read about not letting cancer defeat you by Barry Lillie @BarryLillie1

52 Weeks: An uplifting read about not letting cancer defeat you.

by Barry Lillie

52 Weeks is a wonderful story. Having read 4 months: An introduction to 52 Weeks, which is hilarious, I was very much looking forward to catching up with the characters again.

It’s set in Stoke-on-Trent which I love. These people, as many often did at the time, met their spouses, and formed close friendships whilst working in the pot banks and these relationships have stood the test of time.

I loved Beryl immediately and my heart went out to her when she receives her terminal diagnosis. She is so determined not to let it dominate the rest of her life though. She will live each day, maintain as much normality as possible, and maybe try a few new things along the way. I love her acceptance of her son and her tolerance of her daughter who doesn’t cope very well with the news, understandably.

It seems so weird to say that a book about one lady’s battle with cancer is funny, but it really is. I read this at bedtime, and I had to stop myself from laughing out loud SO many times because my husband was already asleep next to me. Honestly, it’s just brilliant!

I LOVE Beryl’s husband, Len. He is hilarious! My favourite line of his being the one about him having no friends in Jamaica. LOL! I love that he tries to appreciate Beryl’s need to maintain a sense of normality, whilst also looking after her the best way he knows how.

I love Vera. She cracks me up!

I love that the group of friends are summoned when one of them has a new carpet or bathroom fitted. I can just imagine that’s how groups of friends used to be back in the day, in and out of each other’s houses all the time for cups of tea, and cake, and random chat. It’s a shame it’s not generally like that these days.

There are a few hospital scenes throughout the story where Beryl visits her consultant and there are references to her pain and other symptoms, but her illness is by no means the focus of this story.

Beryl is a special character who finds joy in everything, whether it be something she has never done before or just the small things that make her happy like coffee and cake with her friend of a morning whilst catching up on the gossip or sitting in front of the telly with her husband of an evening once she’s done the washing up after tea. Her love for her family and friends is palpable and her zest for life inspirational.

** Many thanks to Barry Lillie for my review copy **

52 Weeks: An uplifting story of survival.

When the twelve month life expectancy forecast comes as a bombshell, Beryl refuses to surrender to cancer’s ticking clock. She is determined to embrace each day and leave a record for those she’ll leave behind.

Supported by her family and best pal Vera, known for her eccentric approach to life, Beryl lives life to its fullest, finding humour in the mundane and happiness in the simplest of situations.

Everything, from a hen night to an out-of-date library ticket and a pregnant Bedlington terrier to being a life model, is a new adventure to be savoured. Yet it is befriending, Kate, who has the same prognosis, that becomes the most fulfilling.
52 Weeks is a heartwarming tale filled with moments of humour and flashes of heartache as Beryl discovers how love and friendship can make the act of living the most important part of every day.

Join Beryl’s journey today and be prepared to smile, laugh and perhaps even shed a tear.

Happy reading!

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Deadly Plot (A Bunch Courtney Investigation Book 5) by Jan Edwards @Jancoledwards

I have loved every single one of the Bunch Courtney Investigation books, so I was very much looking forward to reading Deadly Plot. I knew I was in for a treat, and I wasn’t wrong.

In this book a body is found buried in a local allotment and Rose ‘Bunch’ Courtney is hired to help with the investigations, alongside her many other duties and responsibilities.

Bunch is a fabulous character. She’s determined she will not become a typical housewife and to be honest I doubt she’d even find the time. She very much needs to be busy. She is still grieving and trying to accept her own limitations whilst doing everything she can to support the war effort and help solve this most recent murder. I love how curious and intuitive she is. She is an asset to the team.

I love the relationship she has with her family and her colleagues. I do find her quite amusing at times. Her dedication to everything she does is admirable, especially considering the potential risks to her own life.

I love the language throughout this book and the setting. Obviously, I wasn’t alive during the war, and I’ve never been to Sussex, but this book transported me to that time and place. I was immersed in the story. There is such a diverse and fascinating cast of characters. I loved it!

If you love a good murder mystery, historical fiction, and/or books set during the war then look no further. If you’re new to the series though, start with book one, Winter Downs.

**Many thanks to Jan Edwards for my advance kindle copy for review**

When the body of Nario Costa is dug up in Wyncombe’s Victory Gardens, Bunch Courtney’s investigations unearth far more than an escaped POW!

What at first appears to be a cold case takes a darker turn as she uncovers links far beyond her Sussex home — and the body count begins to rise!

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

Happy reading!