Blog Tour - Am I Guilty? by Jackie Kabler

A mother’s job is to protect her child…but everyone makes mistakes.


I never thought it would happen to me…


One moment I had it all – a gorgeous husband, a beautiful home, a fulfilling career and two adorable children. The next, everything came crashing down around me.


 They said it was my fault. They said I’m the worst mother in the world. And even though I can’t remember what happened that day, they wouldn’t lie to me. These are my friends, my family, people I trust.


 But then why do I have this creeping sensation that something is wrong? Why do I feel like people are keeping secrets? Am I really as guilty as they say? And if I’m not, what will happen when the truth comes out…?

A mother's worst nightmare is the subject of Am I Guilty? Thea's life comes crashing down around her and the worst thing, she can't remember what happened on that awful day.

From the very start of Am I Guilty? I was engrossed, I am sure that mothers (and fathers) across the world will relate to the characters, with each telling the story from their own viewpoint, a style I really enjoy reading.

I began to piece together the events of the day where life changed for ever but the ending was a real surprise - I never saw it coming and it was a great ending that has left me wanting to read more of Jackie's back catalogue very soon.

The story is a great psychological thriller which builds in pace and leaves the reader engrossed.

Thank you to the publishers and to Rachel's Random Resources for inviting me to take part in the blog tour (apologies my post was late) and a copy of the book in return for an honest review.

Books on Tour - Summer at the Little French Cafe by Karen Clarke

In the beautiful village of Chamillon lies the Café Belle Vie, where you’ll always find croissants and friends when you need them the most – and where Elle is hoping to uncover the truth about her past…

Thirty-year-old Elle Matheson has decided it’s finally time to find the mother who gave her up as a baby. With a faded postcard from the Café Belle Vie in hand – one of the very few things she has from her mother – she heads straight to the Île de Ré to begin her search.

With only the postcard and the ivory shawl she was wrapped in as clues, finding her mum is like trying to find a needle in a haystack, even with the help of friendly – and gorgeous – café-owner Charlie. And since Elle hasn’t exactly told her younger sister what she’s up to, the little white lies about where she is are starting to add up…

But Elle is really starting to feel at home on the beautiful island. The locals are welcoming, the café is homely, and Charlie is always there with a helping hand, a listening ear, and a pain au chocolat.

Is Elle about to discover not just where she came from – but where she belongs?

A hilarious rom com perfect for reading in the sunshine! Fans of Debbie Johnson, Zara Stoneley and Debbie Macomber will love Karen Clarke!

'Summer at the Little French Cafe' is the second visit to Karen Clarke's Little French Café and I for one have been looking forward to revisiting Café Belle Vie. 

Karen Clarke writes fantastic novels which are usually part of a trilogy series. Karen creates a great cast of regular characters throughout the trilogy and then brings in a number of visitors to each book. I love to explore the location and by the end of the series I usually feel part of the community and can picture the locals and beautiful scenery. However saying that, each book can be read as a standalone novel which the reader will enjoy and, hopefully, will encourage them to read the others in the series.

'Summer at the Little French Cafe' introduces Elle, a young woman who wants to trace the mother who gave her up shortly after her birth. Armed with the ivory shawl she was wrapped in and an old postcard featuring Café Belle Vie, the reader could be excused for thinking this will be a story of sadness, upset and disappointment, however Karen Clarke has written a story of hope, investigation and new beginnings. 

I really  enjoy Karen's books, as I am confident that the story, although an easy read, will also feature lots of comedy moments, with a little romance spread throughout the book.

Thank you to Bookouture for inviting me to take part in the Books on Tour and for a copy of the book in return for an honest review.

Blog Tour - Something to Live For by Richard Roper

Sometimes you have to risk everything to find your something... 

Andrew works with death for a living. Searching for people's next of kin and attending the funerals if they don't have anyone, he's desperate to avoid the same fate for himself. Which is fine, because he has the perfect wife and 2.4 children waiting at home for him after a long day. At least, that's what he's told people.

The truth is, his life isn't exactly as people think and the little white lie he once told is about to catch up with him.

Because in all Andrew's efforts to fit in, he's forgotten one important thing: how to really live. And maybe, it's about time for him to start.

'Something to Live For' was a book that immediately caught my attention.The main character, Andrew, has a very unusual job - when a person passes away Andrew must search for any living relatives to attend the funeral and lay them to rest. I asked myself what sort of person would apply for this job - someone who was compassionate, knew the importance of family and wanting to ensure that everyone is laid to rest feeling loved and respected. However I am not sure that Andrew fits this description. A man who's father died when he was young, his mother withdrew into herself and her older sister bullied him and left him to bring himself up. 

The subject matter of the book should of meant that the story was a sad one, where Andrew is trying to find long lost relations or taking over the role when a person dies alone in the world and must sell their assets to repay the cost of their funeral however the book is actually filled with happiness and at times, funny moments.

I really liked the character of Peggy, a work colleague of Andrew's. This is where the humour evolved and gave him the support he didn't have from family and friends.

Something to Live For is a good read and one which I would recommend to others who wanted something different to read. I am not sure what category this would fit into or how I would describe it to others, but I for one, am very glad that I was offered this book to review and will be recommending to others.

Thank you to Compulisive Readers and Orion for inviting me to take part in the blog tour and for a copy of the book in return for an honest review. 

Blog Tour - Our Stop by Laura Jane Williams

What if you almost missed the love of your life?

Nadia gets the 7.30 train every morning without fail. Well, except if she oversleeps or wakes up at her friend Emma’s after too much wine.

Daniel really does get the 7.30 train every morning, which is easy because he hasn’t been able to sleep properly since his dad died.

One morning, Nadia’s eye catches sight of a post in the daily paper:

To the cute girl with the coffee stains on her dress. I’m the guy who’s always standing near the doors… Drink sometime?

So begins a not-quite-romance of near-misses, true love, and the power of the written word.

A wonderfully funny will-they-won’t-they romance told with real emotional honesty, perfect
for those who loved Dolly Alderton’s Everything I Know About Love as well as fans of Lucy Vine, Holly Bourne, Mhairi McFarlane and Beth O’Leary.

'Our Stop' is a funny story which is really a love story which starts at a busy train station, advertised on a newspaper notice board and then a will they, won't they meet and be attracted.It was a quick read which I loved and I think would make a great film that draws audiences in.

The characters were down to earth and likeable, people who readers are likely to see every day on the tube or bus and therefore realistic. 

Along with a number of other reviewers I did find the book to be a slow starter but it did increase in pace and the second two thirds of the book were very quick to read and I really enjoyed watching the relationship develop.

Our Stop is a fun love story which plays out as if in real life and will be loved by anyone who enjoys a real love story. 

Thank you to Avon Books for inviting me to take part in the blog tour and for a copy of the book in return for an honest review.

Blog Tour - One Last Greek Summer by Mandy Baggot

Beth Martin is 31, newly divorced and wondering just what life holds for her…

Best-friend, Heidi, is adamant that all the answers lie in Corfu – the island where the girls’ partied away their youth.  

So cue a trip to a sun-drenched Greek island, ouzo cocktails, a trip down memory lane…and Alex Hallas, the man Beth has never quite forgotten. 

As they dance under the stars, the sand beneath their toes, old feelings begin to resurface and Beth might just have a chance to take back her life. If they can learn to love the people they’ve become…




Today I am pleased to be taking part in Aria's blog tour to celebrate Mandy Baggot's new release, One Last Greek Summer.

Mandy Baggot is a great author, who takes the reader on a fantastic break away to a sunny and hot destination without leaving their chair. Her writing encomapasses her fantastic humour and leaves the reader laughing out loud throughout the book. 

I have never been to Corfu but through Mandy's writing I had a great whistle stop tour of the island, as the characters undertake their holiday and remember back to an earlier holiday on the island where Beth has the chance to rekindle an old fling.

I really enjoyed this book and it will make a great read for anyone stuck in rain drenched England over the summer period, or as a pool side read. It is easy to read and a great introduction to Mandy's books.

Thank you to Aria for inviting me to take part in the blog tour and a copy of the book in return for an honest review.

Blog Tour - The Last Widow by Karin Slaughter

It begins with an abduction.

The routine of a family

shopping trip is shattered

when Michelle Spivey is snatched as she leaves the mall with her young

daughter.

The police search for her, her

partner pleads for her release, but in the

end...they find nothing. It’s as if she disappeared into thin air.

A month later, on a sleepy Sunday afternoon

,

medical examiner Sara Linton is

at lunch with her boyfriend Will Trent, an agent with the Georgia Burea

u of

Investigation. But the serenity of the summer’s day is broken by the wail of sirens.

Sara and Will are trained to help in an emergenc
Karin Slaughter has decided that it is time for her readers
to again meet up with her popular characters Sara Linton and Will Trent and I,
for one, am very excited to see what they have been up to in the three years
they have been away from our bookshelves. Blog Readers, I am pleased to let you
know that it has been well worth the wait. The Last Widow is a brilliant read
and Linton and Trent are on fine form and Karin has written another best
seller!


I really enjoyed reading The Last Widow. It had a different
subject matter and style to previous books with the theme being very current
with a bank being blown up and a far right, extremist group at the heart of the
trouble. It has been very well researched and I really enjoyed reading about
the group and their history, although it was very disturbing to learn about how
the dependents are brain washed from a very young age.


There are a number of hard hitting topics dealt with in this
book, including gun crime, violence, rape, paedophilia and, as previously
mentioned, far right extremists, but they are all dealt with in a sensitive and
relevant manner and they all work together to create a brilliant read.


Although The Last Widow is part of the Trent and Linton
series of books, The Last Widow can be read as a standalone book, and I urge
all my blog readers to pick this up and be introduced to these fantastic
characters.


Thank you to Harper Collins for inviting me to take part in
the blog tour and for a copy of the book in return for an honest review.

Karuib y

Karin.

Their jobs

–

their vocations

–

mean that they run

towards

a crisis, not away from it. But on this one terrible day

that instinct betrays them both. Within hours the situation has spiralled out of

control; Sara is taken prisoner; Will is forced undercover. And the fallout will lead

Karin Slaughter has decided that it is time for her re aders
to again meet up with her popular characters Sara Linton and Will Trent and I,
for one, am very excited to see what they have been up to in the three years
they have been away from our bookshelves. Blog Readers, I am pleased to let you
know that it has been well worth the wait. The Last Widow is a brilliant read
and Linton and Trent are on fine form and Karin has written another best
seller!
I really enjoyed reading The Last Widow. It had a different
subject matter and style to previous books with the theme being very current
with a bank being blown up and a far right, extremist group at the heart of the
trouble. It has been very well researched and I really enjoyed reading about
the group and their history, although it was very disturbing to learn about how
the dependents are brain washed from a very young age.
There are a number of hard hitting topics dealt with in this
book, including gun crime, violence, rape, paedophilia and, as previously
mentioned, far right extremists, but they are all dealt with in a sensitive and
relevant manner and they all work together to create a brilliant read.
Although The Last Widow is part of the Trent and Linton
series of books, The Last Widow can be read as a standalone book, and I urge
all my blog readers to pick this up and be introduced to these fantastic
characters.
Thank you to Harper Collins for inviting me to take part in
the blog tour and for a copy of the book in return for an honest review.
them into the Appalachian mountains, to the terrible truth about what really

happened to

Michelle, and

to a remote compound where a r

adical group has

murder in mind.

Today I am really excited to be taking part in Harper Collins' blog tour to celebrate the publication of Karin Slaughter's latest hardback release, The Last Widow.

Karin Slaughter has decided that it is time for her readers to again meet up with her popular characters Sara Linton and Will Trent and I, for one, am very excited to see what they have been up to in the three years they have been away from our bookshelves. Blog Readers, I am pleased to let you know that it has been well worth the wait. The Last Widow is a brilliant read and Linton and Trent are on fine form and Karin has written another best seller!

I really enjoyed reading The Last Widow. It had a different subject matter and style to previous books with the theme being very current with a bank being blown up and a far right, extremist group at the heart of the trouble. It has been very well researched and I really enjoyed reading about the group and their history, although it was very disturbing to learn about how the dependents are brain washed from a very young age.

There are a number of hard hitting topics dealt with in this book, including gun crime, violence, rape, paedophilia and, as previously mentioned, far right extremists, but they are all dealt with in a sensitive and relevant manner and they all work together to create a brilliant read.

Although The Last Widow is part of the Trent and Linton series of books, The Last Widow can be read as a standalone book, and I urge all my blog readers to pick this up and be introduced to these fantastic characters.

Thank you to Harper Collins for inviting me to take part in the blog tour and for a copy of the book in return for an honest review.

It begins with an abduction. The routine of a family shopping trip is shattered when Michelle Spivey is snatched as she leaves the mall with her young daughter. The police search for her, her partner pleads for her release, but in the end…they find nothing. It’s as if she disappeared into thin air. A month later, on a sleepy Sunday afternoon, medical examiner Sara Linton is at lunch with her boyfriend Will Trent, an agent with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. But the serenity of the summer’s day is broken by the wail of sirens. Sara and Will are trained to help in an emergency. Their jobs – their vocations – mean that they run towards a crisis, not away from it. But on this one terrible day that instinct betrays them both. Within hours the situation has spiralled out of control; Sara is taken prisoner; Will is forced undercover. And the fallout will lead them into the Appalachian mountains, to the terrible truth about what really happened to Michelle, and to a remote compound where a radical group has murder in mind.

Blog Tour - The Gift of Friends by Emma Hannigan

Kingfisher Road - a leafy, peaceful street in the town of Vayhill. But there are whispers behind closed doors. Who is moving into Number 10?


Engaged to handsome, wealthy Justin Johnston, Danielle appears to her new neighbours to have the perfect, glossy life. But not everything is as it seems...


In fact, each of the other four women who live close by has a secret, and each is nursing their own private heartache.

But could a gift be waiting on their doorsteps? And, by opening their front doors, and their hearts, to each other, could the women of Kingfisher Road discover all the help they need?


This thirteenth and final novel from the beloved and inspiring Emma Hannigan is a life-affirming, uplifting story that celebrates the strength and joys of female friendship.


Emma Hannigan was the No. 1 bestselling author of eleven novels including Letters to Daughters, The Wedding Promise, The Perfect Gift, and The Summer Guest, as well as a memoir, All to Live For, which was about surviving an eleven year battle with cancer - facing cancer 10 separate times over the course of those years - and remaining strong, positive and warm. Very sadly, we have now lost Emma in the fight against cancer - she passed away at the end of February 2018.


The Gift of Friends went straight to number one on the bestseller lists in Ireland and has remained there ever since.
The Gift of Friends is Emma Hannigan's last novel before her death and it is a brilliant read which should be a celebration of her amazing writing and a lasting memory of a brilliant author.

I really enjoyed The Gift of Friends. it is a celebration of friendship but also a bird's eye view of a the life on Kingfisher Road, an exclusive road with houses behind locked gates and as a new neighbour moves in, it is up to the other residents to find out more about their new occupants, and in turn, more about themselves and their friendships. Each woman have their own secrets and tales to tell and I enjoyed learning more about each woman, they were fantastic stories. 

The Gift of Friends is a great read and I would love to recommend it to all my blog readers. It is one of those books that can allow the reader to get lost in another world, where the characters are all fantastic and real, I was able to identify recognisable traits in some of my own friends. I would love to visit Kingfisher Road, although I am unsure that I would want to live there, it could feel like living in a goldfish bowl with everyone knowing each others business. 
















Thank you to Headline Books for inviting me to take part in the blog tour and for a copy of the book in return for an honest review.