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All the Little Houses by May Cobb 

All the Little Houses

by May Cobb

May Cobb is a new to me author. I admit that All the Little Houses wasn’t on my radar until I won a copy via a giveaway.

Wow! It didn’t take me long to become addicted to this story.

I didn’t really know what to expect but I loved it. These people are (mostly) awful and not at all the type of folks you’d want as friends and/or neighbours, but they are highly entertaining to read about!

Nellie is a particularly nasty piece of work who always seems to get her own way as her parents are rich and influential in the community. Her mother, Charleigh, does whatever she can to make sure Nellie has ‘friends’ and a good social life. I’m not sure she’s really helping though and she seems to be perpetually terrified of what Nellie might be capable of.

None of the characters are particularly likeable, except for Jackson. I quite liked him and felt quite sorry for him a lot of the time. Jane too.

The others, oh my days! I’m quite disturbed by the fact that I’m sure there are real people like these lot out there in the real world. Their stories really do make for a captivating novel though.

Absolute escapism!

A story full of fascinating characters with ridiculous wealth and a sense of entitlement. Scandal, secrets, infidelity, jealousy. This story has it all. Full of intrigue and suspense. I look forward to reading more by this author.

** Many thanks to Noelle Holten for my paperback copy via her giveaway **

Adults can behave badly too…

It’s the mid-1980s in the tiny town of Longview, Texas. Nellie Anderson, the beautiful daughter of the Anderson family dynasty, has burst onto the scene. She always gets what she wants. What she can’t get for herself… well, that’s what her mother is for. Because Charleigh Andersen, blond, beautiful, and ruthlessly cunning, remembers all too well having to claw her way to the top. When she was coming of age on the poor side of East Texas, she was a loser, an outcast, humiliated, and shunned by the in-crowd, whose approval she’d so desperately thirsted for. When a prairie-kissed family moves to town, all trad wife, woodworking dad, wholesome daughter vibes, Charleigh’s entire self-made social empire threatens to crumble.

Who will be left standing when the dust settles?

From the author of The Hunting Wives comes a deliciously wicked new thriller about mean girls, mean moms, and the delicious secrets inside all the little houses.

Treat yourself….

Happy reading!

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The Edge by Lucy Goacher

The Edge

by Lucy Goacher

The Edge had been on my TBR for a while and I started it without even re-reading the blurb, so I had no idea what to expect.

What an emotional read!

Clementine is grieving the loss of her sister, Poppy. Poppy was found on the beach at the bottom of a cliff. This, along with other factors, lead the coroner to have no choice but to rule her death a suicide. Clementine can’t accept that her sister would do that and she lives with the added guilt of missing a call from her that night. I can’t even imagine how you would begin to move on from such a tragedy. My heart broke for Clementine and her parents.

I admired her need to channel her grief into helping other people by being on the end of the phone at a support call centre. When she speaks to a man whose sister died in similar circumstances, but claims to have proof she was murdered, she becomes determined to find evidence that someone pushed Poppy too.

I really felt for her when her parents dismiss her theory and make her feel responsible for not picking up the phone that night (whether consciously or not). I can understand their need for the comfort of closure though. It’s a parent’s worst nightmare.

As the story progresses, and Clementine’s evidence builds, I’m not surprised she becomes overwhelmed and suspicious of everyone. I was suspicious of everyone! I was absolutely gripped and could not wait to find out which direction the story was going to take. I was not at all prepared for the terrifying rollercoaster of emotion this story turned out to be.

Brilliant writing! I loved it!

** According to Amazon I purchased the kindle edition of The Edge on the 4th of October 2022. Small Secrets is now on my wishlist **

Sometimes it’s easier to believe the lie. But is the truth right in front of you?

Everyone says Poppy jumped. My beautiful, creative sister, with her paint-splattered dresses and sunshine smile, took her own life. And I think they’re right. Until the day I get a call from a man with a very similar story.

Everyone says his sister jumped too. But he has proof that she was pushed. And if she was, I have to ask myself: could the same thing have happened to Poppy? In the moments before she died, was she really calling me to say goodbye, or was she calling for my help? Was she really alone on that cliff edge?

When Poppy’s friends tell me she had a serious boyfriend, I feel like I’m losing my grip on reality. If they were so madly in love, wouldn’t she have told me? Wouldn’t there be pictures of them together? And when I find the silver heart necklace he gave her, I feel sick. It’s the same silver heart another murdered girl was given in the weeks before she died.

This can’t be a coincidence. Either I’ve lost my mind, or the man my darling sister loved killed her. And if he could charm his way into her life so easily, what’s to say he’s not already in mine?

Happy reading!

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59 Minutes by Holly Seddon

59 Minutes

by Holly Seddon 

59 Minutes was chosen as our January Buddy Read Book Club read and coincidently, I was lucky enough to win a copy via a giveaway over Christmas, so I had no reason not to join in.

What a rollercoaster of a read!

Told from the point of view of three women of different ages, living different lives in different parts of the country but all suddenly faced with the same trauma of being away from their loved ones/homes when they receive an alert from the government warning system about a nuclear missile due to hit the south of England in 59 minutes.

I can’t even imagine! It must be terrifying!

As I followed each of the women through their journey back to their nearest and dearest I felt their increasing panic. The increasing panic of those around them. Some trying to be kind and helpful, others just trying to fend for themselves. Disaster does often bring out the best in some people and the absolute worst in others. It’s scary how quickly some people resort to looting and losing all sense of respect for their community, and their neighbours. Although, I can understand that they are facing nuclear fallout and would be unlikely to be thinking rationally. As I said, I can’t even imagine. I’m not sure I want to imagine. It doesn’t bare thinking about does it, even though it is a very real threat to us all realistically. I live in hope of those in charge having the sense not to start throwing nuclear missiles around!

I can understand these women recognising the grand scheme of things as things fall apart around them. We are all guilty of complaining about the most unimportant things. It’s just human nature but when catastrophic things happen in life they tend to put things into perspective. At the same time, we learn to appreciate the little things in life which we should all be doing always, but we often forget to.

None of us can know how we would deal with such trauma unless we had to face it, but it’s interesting to think about how we hope we would react. I’d like to hope I wouldn’t resort to stealing and throwing others under the bus so to speak, but who knows. I know I would be panicking if I was elsewhere, away from my husband and children. I would absolutely want us to be together if the end was imminent. I wouldn’t want any of my loved ones to face it alone.

This is such a thought-provoking story. One which I am sure will stay with me and one I will talk about often. I did not foresee where the story would lead and end. A truly compelling read. Fast-paced with very short chapters which helped to propel the story forward. I really enjoyed it and highly recommend.

Great choice @x_charlieeexbooks_x

Read along with –

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**Many thanks to Stu Cummins for my paperback copy via his giveaway**

If you knew you had fifty-nine minutes until everything and everyone you love would be lost forever, what would you do with that time?

It’s an ordinary evening. People are coming home from work, cooking dinner for their children, cuddling on sofas with their lovers. And then the message arrives, shattering everyone’s worlds:

Missiles are set to destroy England in fifty-nine minutes. Everyone should seek immediate shelter.

59 minutes follows the journey of three women trying to make it home to and protect their families. The journeys should be simple, but with a lost schoolchild seeking help, a teenage daughter suddenly going missing, and dangerous criminals on the prowl, there is peril at every corner.

Happy reading!

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Whatever It Takes by Mick Williams 

Whatever It Takes 

by Mick Williams 

Whatever It Takes had been on my TBR list for far too long so Mick Williams re-editing and re-releasing it was the kick up the bum I needed to bump it up my reading list!

Apologies to Mick for the late review. The Christmas chaos took over!

What a brilliant read! Not that I’m surprised as I’ve loved everything I’ve read by Mick Williams.

Cory Keller is a fabulous character. Finding himself in the wrong place at the wrong time leads to him being the target of some extremely undesirable people (to put it mildly). It takes him a little while to convince the local Sheriff of what he witnessed but it isn’t long before circumstances leave him in no doubt at all of what they’re up against. Luckily for Keller, he knows how to handle himself, but there isn’t only his own life at risk.

Talk about fast-paced and full of action! A compelling plot, brilliant characters, suspense, humour, and a bit of romance. I loved it! There are also many excellently choreographed fight scenes throughout this book which would look fantastic on the big screen.

Another easy five stars for me!

** Many thanks to Mick Williams for my epub review copy **

Watkins Forge is a typical small town. But when widower Cory Keller climbs into a deer stand one autumn morning, he sees something no outsider was meant to witness: a man executed in cold blood.

The sheriff calls him crazy. And when the assassin returns to silence him, Keller realizes he isn’t just a witness—he’s now a target.

Cornered in a place he can’t escape, Keller does the one thing he knows: he fights back.

Hunted across backroads and deep woods, he turns the predator into prey. But every move reveals a deeper truth—the killer isn’t working alone.

Watkins Forge has been compromised.

His only ally is Ashley, a street-smart, feisty waitress who believes him when no one else will. But standing with Keller puts her in the crosshairs.

Outnumbered and outgunned, he’ll have to use every ounce of cunning and grit to survive.

Because in the town he’s grown to love, surrender isn’t an option.

NOTE: This is a new version of a previously released story.

Treat yourself….

Happy reading &

Happy New Year!

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Whiteout (Dark Iceland Book 4) by Ragnar Jónasson (Author), Quentin Bates (Translator) 

Whiteout (Dark Iceland Book 4) 

by Ragnar Jónasson (Author), Quentin Bates (Translator) 

Whiteout is book four in the brilliant Dark Iceland series. I have thoroughly enjoyed all the books in this series so far and I’ve already started book five!

In this book Ari Thor & Tomas find themselves investigating the suspicious death of a young woman, right before Christmas. It’s assumed she has committed suicide, but Ari Thor isn’t convinced and is determined to find out the truth despite likely having to sacrifice a proper Christmas with his very pregnant fiancé. Something isn’t quite adding up and the more he delves in to this case the more he becomes convinced she didn’t jump.

Another fast-paced crime thriller set in a dark, oppressive corner of Iceland. More fascinating characters and a plot that had me suspecting everyone and second guessing everything. As usual I was completely wrong and the story took a sharp turn in a direction I wasn’t expecting. Brilliant!

Looking forward to getting properly stuck in to book five now all the Christmas socialising is over….

Two days before Christmas, a young woman is found dead beneath the cliffs of the deserted village of Kálfshamarvík.

Did she jump, or did something more sinister take place beneath the lighthouse and the abandoned old house on the remote rocky outcrop?
With winter closing in and the snow falling relentlessly, Ari Thór Arason discovers that the victim’s mother and young sister also lost their lives in this same spot, twenty-five years earlier.

As the dark history and its secrets of the village are unveiled, and the death toll begins to rise, the Siglufjordur detectives must race against the clock to find the killer, before another tragedy takes place.

Dark, chilling and complex, Whiteout is a haunting, atmospheric and stunningly plotted thriller from one of Iceland’s bestselling crime writers.

I.C.Y.M.I

Snowblind (Dark Iceland Book 1) by Ragnar Jónasson (Author) Quentin Bates (Translator) @ragnarjo @OrendaBooks
Blackout (Dark Iceland Book 2) by Ragnar Jónasson (Author), Quentin Bates (Translator)
Rupture (Dark Iceland Book 3) by Ragnar Jónasson (Author) @ragnarjo Quentin Bates (Translator) @OrendaBooks

Happy reading!

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Behind Her Smile by Caroline England @CazEngland

Behind Her Smile

by Caroline England 

Behind Her Smile is an incredibly tense read. I could just feel that there was more than meets the eye to this story and that it was going to take a disturbing turn at some point. I couldn’t wait to find out how!

It’s a difficult book to review as I don’t want to give anything away, but I was absolutely gripped, as I expected to be with another one of Caroline’s books.

If you love a psychological crime thriller with intriguing characters, complicated relationships, both family and romantic, an extremely clever, twisty plot full of suspense, deceit, love, loss, heart-breaking sadness, and jaw dropping shocks then you will love this book!

I can’t recommend it highly enough.

An easy five stars for me!

**Many thanks to Caroline for my epub review copy**

Buried secrets are dangerous.
Unearthing them might be deadly …

Laurie Dunn has returned to her childhood attic bedroom and her old nightmares have come rushing back. Terrorised by a client-related mugging, her job as a criminal solicitor causes more problems than solutions.

Finn Ballentine yearns for a fresh start, but even the glossy façade of his new law firm can’t protect him from the past he’s running from.

After a disturbing remark by her confused father, Laurie joins forces with Finn to uncover dark truths. But the long-buried secrets they unearth are laced with danger for them both.

Happy reading!

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The Winter Job by Antti Tuomainen (Author), David Hackston (Translator) 

The Winter Job

by Antti Tuomainen (Author), David Hackston (Translator) 

I had absolutely no idea what to expect when I started reading The Winter Job, but I really enjoyed it!

Antii Tuomainen is a new-to-me author, and I like his writing style.

Ilmari Nieminen takes on a one-off job to deliver a sofa to earn enough money to buy his daughter the piano he has promised her for Christmas. What could possibly go wrong!?

Ilmari is a likable character, and his journey turns out to be far more eventful than he could have possibly imagined. He doesn’t expect to bump into an old friend who ends up tagging along and he certainly doesn’t expect to find himself being followed. Turns out there’s more to this sofa than meets the eye and there are others who want it too. He is determined to deliver it to the destination he has been given though otherwise he won’t get paid and his daughter won’t get her piano. He’s a recently divorced father who wants to fulfil his promise to his daughter. Woe betide anyone who tries to get in his way.

Set in Finland in 1982 this is a brilliant story, full of suspense, and peppered with dark humour. I was rooting for Ilamari the whole way through. The ending really made me smile.

** Many thanks to Orenda Books for my digital review copy **

Sofas, secrets and a snowbound road to trouble…

Helsinki, 1982. Recently divorced postal worker Ilmari Nieminen has promised his daughter a piano for Christmas, but with six days to go – and no money – he’s desperate.

A last-minute job offers a solution: transport a valuable antique sofa to Kilpisjärvi, the northernmost town in Finland.

With the sofa secured in the back of his van, Ilmari stops at a gas station, and an old friend turns up, offering to fix his faulty wipers, on the condition that he tags along. Soon after, a persistent Saab 96 appears in the rearview mirror. And then a bright-yellow Lada.

That’s when Ilmari realises that he is transporting something truly special.

And that’s when Ilmari realises he might be in serious trouble…

A darkly funny and unexpectedly moving thriller about friendship, love and death – The Winter Job tears through the frozen landscape of northern Finland in a beat-up van with bad steering, worse timing, and everything to lose…

Treat yourself

Happy reading!

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

Filthy Rich Temptation (Filthy Rich Billionaires Book 1)

by Rachael Stewart 

WOW! What a story this is!

It’s probably a good job my husband doesn’t read my book reviews because I think I love Theo. I fell in love with him in chapter one. He’s just the most delicious character. I defy anyone to resist his charms!

Theo is a self-made billionaire, but this is far from the focus of this story. It’s barely mentioned really, although there are obvious nods to it such as him living in a London penthouse apartment overlooking the Thames, and owning a beach house in Pembrokeshire with a live-in housekeeper. He’s a modest character though, and he’s trying his best to support his best friend by helping her younger sister and her three-year-old daughter after fleeing an abusive relationship. The problem is, he has been attracted to Sadie for longer than he cares to admit. How is he supposed to live in such close proximity to her and keep his feelings under control!?

Sadie has always carried a torch for Theo and eventually makes her feelings quite clear, making her so much more difficult for Theo to resist….

The way Theo is with Sadie reminds me very much of how my husband is with me, which is why I think I am completely besotted with him. The chemistry between these two is off the charts! I hope they’re still the same 26 years later as we are.

With scorching scenes (hot is an understatement!) as well as heart-meltingly romantic ones I absolutely loved Theo’s and Sadie’s story. They have their stumbling blocks along the way, of course, but they get there in the end and that’s the most important thing. Who doesn’t love a happy ending!?

I adored this book and will have no problem recommending to anyone and everyone.

** I won a paperback copy of Filthy Rich Temptation in a recent giveaway. Thank you to Rachael Stewart and Boldwood Books **

Theo

Making my first billion? Easy. Surviving Sadie — and her three-year-old — moving in? Pure torture. She’s my best friend’s little sister, the one girl I should never touch. Especially after that reckless kiss seven years ago…the kiss that ruined everything.

Now she’s here, under my roof, in every corner of my thoughts. Vulnerable. Off-limits. And so beautiful it hurts. I promised myself I’d protect her, keep my distance. But every laugh, every accidental touch, makes it harder to remember why I ever said no.

Sadie

I ran to Theo for safety, but the moment I walked through his door, I knew I wasn’t just in danger from my ex—I was in danger of falling again. He thinks he’s protecting me, keeping his distance. But every smouldering look says otherwise.

And every night, I wonder: what if I kissed him again? He thinks he’s just helping. But he doesn’t see how he’s rewiring my heart—how my daughter already adores him. I’m supposed to be surviving, not falling. But I know what I want…him. His hands. His mouth. His body. Even if it’s the one thing he swore I couldn’t have…

Treat yourself

Happy reading!

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Atticus Arnott’s Great Adventure by Caroline James @CarolineJames12

Atticus Arnott’s Great Adventure

by Caroline James 

What a fabulous, feel-good story this is! I absolutely loved it!

I love Atticus. My heart went out to him at the start. He doesn’t find much joy in life since he lost the love of his life. His son has taken over his farm and turned it into a thriving business, but Arnott just isn’t interested in it much. He takes himself off for walks with his dog, Ness, and generally just tries to stay out of everyone’s way. So sad.

One day though his grandson convinces him to renovate his old campervan, giving it a new lease of life. Atticus decides to bite the bullet and drive it to Spain. I’m not sure I’d be that brave at my age, let along 70. Little did he know just how much this was going to change the rest of his life.

His daughter welcomes the change in him and supports his sense of adventure.

His son, not so much. He’s not the most likable of characters although I can understand how some children, however old they are, find it difficult to accept a parent moving on after the death of the other. Brother and sister couldn’t be any different to each other.

I loved joining Atticus on his travels, meeting his new friends, letting his hair down, and learning to embrace life again. I would absolutely follow his Instagram account!

A beautifully written, heart-warming read which left me with a smile and happy tear.

** Many thanks to Caroline James for my gifted Kindle copy **

When seventy-year-old Atticus Arnott drives his beloved campervan from the rainy hills of Cumbria to the golden coast of Spain, his village is left reeling. With only his loyal collie, Ness, by his side, Atticus sets out in search of sunshine and serenity—but his journey of travel and self-discovery in Spain soon brings surprises he never imagined.

Back in Ireland, Atticus’s daughter Mary is facing a crisis of her own. As her picture-perfect life starts to crumble, she must find the courage to put herself first for once and rediscover the dreams she set aside long ago.

From a later in life romance to an uplifting women’s fiction story about family, Atticus Arnott’s Great Adventure is a heartwarming travel romance story perfect for fans of escapist holiday read fiction. Proof that it’s never too late to start over, this delightful romcom will inspire readers to embrace the unknown with open arms.

Happy reading!

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Cinderella’s Fling With The Billionaire (Sun, Sea and Swept Away Book 2) by Rachael Stewart @rach_b52

Cinderella’s Fling With The Billionaire (Sun, Sea and Swept Away Book 2) 

by Rachael Stewart 

Oh, my goodness! What a gorgeous read this is! I can always trust Rachael Stewart to make me smile and warm my heart. She writes such beautiful characters, often with difficult pasts, who manage to find happiness with each other despite the odds. I love it!

Maria is a single mother of an eighteen-year-old daughter. It has been just the two of them for a long time after Maria’s painful split from her daughter’s father. She is determined not to be answerable to any man again.

Then in walks Tim. Obviously easy on the eye, Maria can’t resist a night of fun. One night only. No strings attached.

Fate has other ideas though and I loved how their story unfolds.

Tim is just gorgeous. I think in Maria’s situation I might snatch him up without a second thought, but I understand her reluctance. Having good looks and being a billionaire is not enough to convince her to surrender her heart again in a hurry. Her daughter will always be her priority. Tim’s daughter is his priority too, but after devastating loss he isn’t ready to give up on the first woman who has made him feel the way he hasn’t for a long time.

I loved it! The characters, the yacht, the sunsets, the angst, the romance, the happy ending. I loved it all!

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

In this Sun, Sea and Swept Away story, single mum Maria has fought to reclaim her world from her controlling ex. Romance is the last thing on her mind—until billionaire widower Tim walks into her bar, igniting a passion she thought she’d buried. A brief fling was meant to be enough, until they find themselves unexpectedly reunited on a luxury superyacht. Working as a stewardess, Maria is mortified to be serving the man she shared a bed with. Worse still, their attraction is stronger than ever…

Happy reading!