Month May 2020

Time Out by Emma Murray @murrayemma @rararesources #BookReview

yvonnembee 4 Comments

I am delighted to share my review today for Time Out by Emma Murray. I really enjoyed this book and I wish to thank Rachel at Rachel’s Random Resources for my spot on the Blog Tour and for arranging my e-copy of this book.

Let me show you what it’s about…

‘It’s just a phase,’ they said. ‘These are the happiest years of your life,’ they said…

Mother of one and professional writer Saoirse (pronounced Seersha, not Searcy – thanks a bunch Game of Thrones!) is still adjusting to the demands of motherhood, four years after the birth of her daughter, Anna.

Living in the claustrophobic London suburb of Woodvale, and being surrounded by passive-aggressive mum-wars, isn’t helping. Neither is her increasingly pent-up anger at her once-perfect husband. Her only comrade in arms, best friend Bea, is the one thing keeping her sane.

When Saoirse’s agent asks her to pitch for a book, she is horrified to discover the topic is motherhood. How can she possibly write a ‘warts and all’ account of being a mother without giving away what it’s really like?

Laugh-out-loud funny, painfully well-observed, but with an unmistakable warmth and unforgettable characters, this is the perfect antidote to all those parenting bibles that bear absolutely no relation to real life. The novel may or may not have been inspired by real life…

Purchase Link – Amazon

What a wonderfully honest book about motherhood and the stresses and strains it has on a relationship Time Out was to read. Saoirse has been a ghostwriter and is suddenly asked to pitch for a book about motherhood, this means she will finally get to put her name on the cover of a book. The catch is that it needs o be an honest look at motherhood.

Saoirse often looks at Facebook posts from other mums about how well their children are behaving, how the meals are always cooked from scratch and how they often appear to look down on any parent who deigns to give their child a sweet, white bread sandwich or a processed meal.

The social media brigade put additional pressure on new mums to fit in. It has turned into a competition as to who can be the best mother. Saoirse is finding the stress of her “little horror” very trying to say the least. Her marriage is stuck in a rut and she is given a reprieve with a break in Ireland to have a Time Out and concentrate on her writing.

While in Ireland it gives her the chance to look at her life, her marriage and how she feels like she is failing. She meets another Mum and they are able to let off steam. But it is the meeting with an old school friend and Saoirse’s Mum visiting that make her look at the bigger picture.

This is such a great book that does such a good job of looking at parenting in today’s society. It shines a light on the competitive nature of being seen to do the right thing. I really enjoyed how the author tackled the parenting insecurities with the stresses on a marriage and some of the inappropriate and unpredictable things that children can say or do.

A fabulous read that had me hooked and also made me feel glad that my children were born prior to the arrival of Facebook and social media. But a refreshing read and one I would definitely recommend.

Emma Murray is originally from Co. Dublin and moved to London in her early twenties. After a successful career as a ghostwriter, she felt it was high time she fulfilled her childhood dream to write fiction.

Sign up to Emma’s newsletter – Here

Follow Emma on – Website – Twitter – Facebook – Instagram – Bookbub

Check out the other stops on the Blog Tour…

Many thanks for reading my post, a like or share would be amazing 🙂 xx

Island of Secrets by Rachel Rhys @MsTamarCohen @annecater #randomthingstours #historicalfiction #bookreview

yvonnembee 10 Comments

I am absolutely delighted to share my review today for Island of Secrets by Rachel Rhys. My thanks to Anne at Random Things Tours for my spot on the Blog Tour and for arranging my e-copy of this fabulous book.

Let me show you what it is all about…

‘Say, wouldn’t it be a gas if all of us here are pretending to be something we’re not?’


1957: Iris Bailey is bored to death of working in the typing pool and living
with her parents in Hemel Hampstead. A gifted portraitist with a talent for
sketching guests at parties, she dreams of becoming an artist. So she can’t
believe her luck when wealthy socialite Nell Hardman invites her to
Havana to draw at the glittering wedding of her Hollywood director father.


Iris is thrilled to escape to a faraway city by the sea. But she soon realizes
that the cocktails, tropical scents and azure skies mask a darker reality. As
Cuba teeters on the edge of revolution and Iris’s heart melts for troubled
photographer Joe, she discovers that someone in the charismatic Hardman
family is hiding a terrible secret. Can she uncover the ugly truth behind the
glamour and the dazzle before all their lives are torn apart?


‘Rachel Rhys should be on everyone’s summer reading lists’
CLARE MACKINTOSH

Puchase link – Amazon UK

Oh my goodness I absolutely adored this book. The title suggests that there are secrets, but trying to work out what they are and who they are about is something else. The setting of Cuba in the mid 1950’s is wonderful for this story and it has a glamorous feel to it as I followed Iris, an artist from England, as she is hired to draw people who will be attending the wedding of Hugo and Lana.

I liked Iris a lot and I think she is the only character who I felt was honest, the others all seemed to have something to hide. For me, Iris was a naive woman but also one who was curious. She is a character who yes appears honest but she has something that she is holding back on, by this I mean that she is not being completely honest with herself. This trip will either make or break her as she works out what she wants with her life.

As the setting is Cuba and it is the 50’s, there are the obvious mentions of Castro and Guevara, there are political tensions and it is not exactly the idyllic island paradise. While the house that all the guests are staying at is perfectly safe, there are mentions of politics, and of rebels in the mountains. I liked how these were mentioned but not dwelt on too much.

Now as for the secrets, well there are so many and as I said trying to work out who was completely honest was something else. But not once did I feel confused, the author has set the story out perfectly and it made for effortless reading. The reveals as and when they came were good and they caught me out several times.

The story is about a family and an extended family, they are privileged, have property and status. But beneath the beautiful and shiny exterior there is something not so pretty.

I loved this story and I was completely captivated by it. I think it is a wonderful historical fiction and I would definitely recommend it.

Rachel Rhys is the pen-name of a much-loved psychological suspense author. She is the author of the Richard and Judy bookclub pick, Dangerous Crossing and the bestselling A Fatal Inheritance. Rachel Rhys lives in North London with her family.

Check out the other stops on the Blog Tour…

Many thanks for reading my post, a like or share would be amazing 🙂 xx

20 Books of Summer 2020 – #20BooksofSummer

yvonnembee 27 Comments

It is once again that time of year when the 20 Books of Summer Reading Challenge is due. I just managed last years challenge with a couple of hours to spare!

So what is it about…

  • Sign up to the 20 Books of Summer Reading Challenge on Cathy Page @746books
  • Choose 10, 15 or 20 books that you have had on your TBR (To Be Read) list
  • The challenge is to read your chosen books between 1st June to 1st September
  • Yes you can swap a book out
  • Yes you can change your list
  • Yes the rules are pretty slack so there is no pressure.

So this year rather than choosing the full 20 I have decided to choose 15 as I do still have Blog Tour Books to read and review as well. I have chosen some from my physical books, some from my kindle and some from my Netgalley shelf…

So that is my 15 books a nice mix as I do like genre hopping. Choosing 15 also gives me the option of adding another 5 if I have time 🙂

Many thanks for reading my post, alike or share would be amazing 🙂 xx

The Doll Factory by Elizabeth Macneal @esmacneal #histfic #bookreview

yvonnembee 7 Comments

I am delighted to share my review for The Doll Factory by Elizabeth Macneal, I have had this book on my TBR since it came out last year and I read it last month. Let me show you what is is all about…

The Doll Factory, the debut novel by Elizabeth Macneal, is an intoxicating story of art, obsession and possession.

London. 1850. The Great Exhibition is being erected in Hyde Park and among the crowd watching the spectacle two people meet. For Iris, an aspiring artist, it is the encounter of a moment – forgotten seconds later, but for Silas, a collector entranced by the strange and beautiful, that meeting marks a new beginning. 

When Iris is asked to model for pre-Raphaelite artist Louis Frost, she agrees on the condition that he will also teach her to paint. Suddenly her world begins to expand, to become a place of art and love.

But Silas has only thought of one thing since their meeting, and his obsession is darkening . . . 

I have had this book on my tbr since it first came out last year. I have wanted to read it but kept putting it off until now. I have to say I wasn’t sure what I was expecting and I didn’t read the synopsis until after I had finished the book! To be fair though, even if I had read the synopsis prior to reading I think I would still have been surprised by how dark this book turned.

Let me backtrack, and start with the cover and say that now I have read the book how amazing and so appropriate this cover is, that glass dome encompasses the story perfectly and has a lot of things in it relevent to the story of Iris.

Iris and her sister Rose have been working in a rather depressing and soul destroying business making dolls. When there is a chance for Iris to leave and have the nerve to join an artist as his model, she takes it. Rose isn’t impressed and neither is Silas.

Silas is besotted with Iris, but she doesn’t see him as he thinks she does. He watches her, hoping that she will take him up the various offers her proposes. She however has no time for him, she has her own life and a chance to be something.

Now I did mention this book takes a dark turn, and well to be honest I am not going to tell you why or how even though I am bursting to. The author takes a route that leads its way to this dark thread that is part of the story. It has been done so well, it starts off quite subtly and then worsens over the course of the story. It seems to fit well with the setting.

Now the setting is London, wealth is evident as The Great Exhibition opens so showcase the industry and culture, a place where the who’s who would have been seen. But balanced against that are the slums, side-streets and squalid alleyways where the poor live. This contrast between living conditions, social class and opinions seem to share the ideals behind the various characters. Some wanting to move up, others reluctantly making the most of their lot in life and others just wanting to be accepted.

This is a book that I am so glad I have finally got around to reading, it is a beautifully written book about life in 1850’s London, about life, love, betrayal, art and yes as the synopsis states “obsession and possession”. A fabulous read and one I would definitely recommend.

Elizabeth Macneal was born in Edinburgh and now lives in East London. She is a writer and potter and works from a small studio at the bottom of her garden. She read English Literature at Oxford University, before working in the City for several years. In 2017, she completed the Creative Writing MA at UEA in 2017 where she was awarded the Malcolm Bradbury scholarship. 

The Doll Factory, Elizabeth’s debut novel, won the Caledonia Noel Award 2018. It will be published in twenty-eight languages and TV rights have sold to Buccaneer Media. 

Follow the author on Twitter

Many thanks for reading my post, a like or share would be amazing:) xx

When All Is Said by Anne Griffin @AnneGriffin_ #fiction #bookreview

yvonnembee 4 Comments

I am delighted to share my review for When All Is Said by Anne Griffin. I read this a few weeks ago and I absolutely loved it. Let me show you what it is all about…

A tale of a single night. The story of a lifetime.

If you had to pick five people to sum up your life, who would they be? If you were to raise a glass to each of them, what would you say? And what would you learn about yourself, when all is said and done?

This is the story of Maurice Hannigan, who, over the course of a Saturday night in June, orders five different drinks at the Rainford House Hotel. With each he toasts a person vital to him: his doomed older brother, his troubled sister-in-law, his daughter of fifteen minutes, his son far off in America, and his late, lamented wife. And through these people, the ones who left him behind, he tells the story of his own life, with all its regrets and feuds, loves and triumphs.

Purchase Link – Amazon UK

As I sit and prepare to write up a review for this book I am a little at a loss to try and find the right words to be able to do this book the justice it deserves.

The reader joins Maurice Hannigan as he sits at a bar in Ireland. Over the course of the night he drinks 5 toasts to the 5 people who have meant the most to him in his life.

Each drink is for a special person and the story of his relationship with each of them is gradually told. It serves not only as a way of getting to know Maurice but also fills in his history from a child to the 84-year-old man he is now.

The author has done such a wonderful and poignant job of creating a character and a family and in a style that is so absorbing to a reader. It was like being led on a gentle amble through the life, love, and loss of Maurice. It was a journey through the good, the bad and all that fell in between.

This was a wonderful and easy story to read. It is so beautifully written and also emotional, I didn’t shed tears and this quite surprised me. But the story was one about a life lived.

A gentle and slower paced story that completely wrapped me up in its covers, transported me to rural Ireland and into the life of Maurice. A gorgeous and beautiful read that readers who love stories about family, family history and life over the years will thoroughly enjoy. I know I did and I would definitely recommend it.

Image taken from Goodreads

Anne Griffin is an Irish novelist. She was educated at University College Dublin where she received her MA in Creative Writing

Anne was awarded the John McGahern Award for Literature, recognising previous and current works. Amongst others, she has been shortlisted for the Hennessy New Irish Writing Award and the Sunday Business Post Short Story Award.

Anne’s debut novel ‘When All Is Said’ will be published by Sceptre in the UK and Ireland on 24th January, 2019 and by Thomas Dunne Books in the US and Canada on the 5th March, 2019. It will also be published by Rowohlt Verlag in Germany, Delcourt in France, by Harper Collins Holland in the Netherlands, by Wydawnictwo Czarna in Poland, and by Tyto Alba in Lithuania .

Author links – Website – Twitter

Many thanks for reading my post, a like or share would be amazing 🙂 xx

My Week In Books (w/e 24th May) #bookupdates #booknews #MeAndMyBooks

yvonnembee 6 Comments

Usually I post this on a Monday, but as I have a Blog Tour review tomorrow I thought I would bring it forward a day. In doing this I am going to confuse myself and possibly one or two others 😂

This week has been very random as far as the weather goes, from shorts and t-shirts to leggings and woolly jumpers in the matter of a couple of days, but then I guess it is a Bank Holiday this weekend (UK) so I shouldn’t really be surprised.

So down to what I have read this week…

This is the first time I have read anything by Kerry Kaya and I have to say I will be reading more of her books as I do have some on my kindle. The Price is a gangland thriller that focused more on brothers Fletch and Spence, well actually more Fletch but as he does look out for his brother he is also a large part of the story. A brilliantly addictive read.

I absolutely adored Rainy Days for the Harpers Girls by Rosie Clarke, this is the third book in the series and I wish I had read the the previous books, but it does work very well as a stand alone. Set in the run up to WWII, this is a story of family, friendship and loyalty and it is a gorgeous read.

I loved That Holiday In France by Rhoda Baxter, a light read that see’s Ellie standing up for herself and not being a doormat to her boyfriend. I loved how Ellie changed from so-and-so’s girlfriend to being her own person and how she was challenged to find her self. Another fabulous read and one that you can easily read in an afternoon.

How amazing is this book, well take it from me it is amazing. The Little Teashop in Tokyo by Julie Caplin is gorgeous. The author combined an addictive storyline with a cultural emersion into Japanese life, showing the contrasts between the modern and the traditional and I loved it. It is a romance that is very addictive and then there is so much more as well with references to food, tradition, art, tourism and food and a Tea Ceremony and food and well I think you get that I may have liked this one a lot.

I am a big fan of Mary Wood and this is The Brave Daughters and it is the 4th book in The Girls Who Went to War series, I am loving it and will probably finish it later on in the afternoon.

What I listened to…

I have finished The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy narrated by Stephen Fry. I read the book several years ago and loved the quirky humour to this bizarre sci-fi classic. The narration added a whole other dimension to the book and he really brought it to life for me. It is well worth the Audible Credit if you are a member, if not I think it is around £10 and so still worth it.

Before I go I am leaving you with some photographs of some of my foxgloves because… well just because 😁

Well that is it for me for another week. So I wish you all the best in the coming week.

Yvonne xx

I Made A Mistake by Jane Corry @JaneCorryAuthor VikingBooksUK @EllieeHud #Thriller #IMadeAMistake #Bookreview

yvonnembee 6 Comments

I am delighted to share my review today for I Made a Mistake by Jane Corry. This is another favourite author of mine and I have enjoyed all of her books and her latest one is an absolute corker.

Let me show you whats it is all about…

YOU DIDN’T MEAN TO DO IT.
IT WAS ONLY ONCE.
BUT NOW HE’S DEAD, AND SOMEONE HAS TO PAY . . . 

The darkly addictive new novel from the Sunday Times bestselling author of I Looked Away, Blood Sisters and My Husband’s Wife. 
In Poppy Page’s mind, there are two types of women in this world: those who are faithful to their husbands, and those who are not. Until now, Poppy has never questioned which she was.

But when handsome, charming Matthew Gordon walks back into her life after almost two decades, that changes. Poppy makes a single mistake – and that mistake will be far more dangerous than she could imagine.

Someone is going to pay for it with their life . . .

Purchase Link – Amazon UK

Right from the off I am going to say that I loved this one a lot. The author has woven a story about a family that consists of a married couple Stuart and Poppy, their two children Melissa and Daisy and his mother-in-law Betty. Stuart is a dentist, Poppy runs a film extra’s agency, the two girls are at school and the Betty lives with them now she alone after the death of her husband.

This is a very busy family, Poppy and Stuart are reliant on Betty to help keep the family organised. Poppy and Stuart both work long hours and they often seem like ships in the night as they pass.

The author has done such a fantastic job of creating a story that is told over several timelines and the flow between them all is flawless and so easy to follow. I loved how the author went back into Betty’s life as well as filling in the present. It gave a lot of depth to the story and made it so much easier to get to understand the characters.

Poppy is taken aback when she bumps into an old flame at a conference. Matthew had dumped Poppy before she met Stuart, she was hurt but had moved on. It appears that Matthew hasn’t and Poppy then makes a mistake, she does not realise the full impact until it is too late.

The author has created yet another story that had me completely hooked from the Prologue, I loved this short but to the point and extremely intriguing couple of pages. From that point on I found the story such a compelling read, I discovered more about Betty, I thought this was such a wonderful character. I also discovered more about Poppy, her father and her family. The author created a family scenario that made me wanting to keep reading and discovering more.

This is such an intriguing story and the synopsis was spot on in my opinion for giving the tiniest glimpse of the drama and suspense that was to follow. In some ways this is a story that is about a family, but it is also a story a family being threatened and it is this darker side that plays out so well.

I am a big fan of this author and I have really enjoyed all of her books, and this book is my favourite to date and is another fabulous read that I would absolutely recommend.

Jane Corry is a writer and journalist (Daily Telegraph and women’s magazines) who worked for three years as the writer in residence of a high security male prison. This experience helped inspire her Sunday Times Penguin bestsellers ‘My Husband’s Wife’, ‘Blood Sisters’, ‘The Dead Ex’,
‘I Looked Away’ and ‘I Made A Mistake’. She has now sold over a million copies of her books word-wide.

Jane also writes short stories as well as a weekly digital column about being a granny for My Weekly. As well as this, she speaks at literary festivals all over the world. Many of her ideas strike during morning dog-jogs along the beach followed by a dip in the sea – no matter how cold it is!

Jane’s brand-new thriller ‘I Made A Mistake’ is being published on May 28 2020 by Penguin Viking and is available for pre-order.

Check out the other stops on the Blog Tour…

Many thanks for reading my post, a like or share would be amazing 🙂 xx

Twinkle Twinkle Little Lies by Rob Ashman @RobAshmanAuthor @sarahhardy681 #BOTBSPublicity #Twinkle #crime #thriller #Bookreview

yvonnembee 2 Comments

I am delighted to share my review for the second book in the DS Malice series. Twinkle Twinkle Little Lies by Rob Ashman is a fabulous read, its dark twisted and very devious. My huge thanks to Sarah at Book On The Bright Side Publicity for my spot on the Blog Tour and for arranging my e-copy of this book…

Let’s see what it’s about…

Twinkle twinkle, little lies,

How I see them in your eyes …

DS Khenan Malice believes his troubles are behind him. But it’s never that simple. This time … it’s personal. 

Detective Kelly Pietersen has decided anti-corruption is not for her. But her previous life hunts her down, sending her world spiralling out of control.

Twinkle is a pillar of the community and an ambassador for the church. She is also a woman for whom lying is a way of life, wrapping those around her in a complex web of deceit. To her it’s a deadly game.

Their paths cross when a decomposed body is discovered.

The past and the present collide with shattering consequences, leaving the three of them fighting for survival.  

Purchase link – Amazon UK

DS Malice and Detective Kelly Pieterson are back and this time they are looking into a cold case that has just been unearthed. A body is discovered that has been buried for 10 years, no ID just a key card. Trying to discover who this body is no easy task.

Twinkle, is a wonderful pillar of the the local church. She helps run the Outreach Program helping young men to avoid getting trapped in the world of drugs. Her husband is not a well man and requires 24 hour care.

As Malice and Kelly start working on the case there is a stranger lurking. The past has just taken a step into the present, and it threatens to do some serious damage unless it can be contained.

This is a story that has various threads and once again the author has worked his magic to create a riveting read. I really like the combo of Malice and Kelly. They have a camaraderie that comes with working together, there is some snapping and joking, but there is a nice connection between the two as they look out for each other.

Now what to say about the “bad guy!” Yes they are bad, they are a criminal, they have done really bad things, but you know what? I really liked this person. Vague I know, but it is a person who is calculated, looks several steps ahead, not afraid to get stuck in, but oh so devious, deliberate and absolutely full of deceit.

This is another cracking read in the DS Malice Series, I know this is only the second book but I am already hooked. Not quite as brutal or dark as the first book, Killing Pretties, but just as good, and still twisted with a brilliant psychological edge to it. If you are a fan of crime, thriller reads then this is one you need to add to your collection. It was a fabulous read and one I would definitely recommend.

Rob is married to Karen with two grown up daughters. He is originally from South Wales and after moving around with work settled in North Lincolnshire where he’s spent the last twenty-two years.

Like all good welsh valley boys Rob worked for the National Coal Board after leaving school at sixteen and went to University at the tender age of twenty-three when the pit closures began to bite. Since then he’s worked in a variety of manufacturing and consulting roles both in the UK and abroad.

It took Rob twenty-four years to write his first book. He only became serious about writing it when his dad got cancer. It was an aggressive illness and Rob gave up work for three months to look after him and his mum. Writing Those That Remain became his coping mechanism. After he wrote the book his family encouraged him to continue, so not being one for half measures, Rob got himself made redundant, went self-employed so he could devote more time to writing and four years later the Mechanic Trilogy was the result. 

Rob published Those That Remain, In Your Name and Pay the Penance with Bloodhound Books and has since written the DI Rosalind Kray series. These are Faceless, This Little Piggy, Suspended Retribution and Jaded which are also published by Bloodhound.

His latest work sees the introduction of a new set of characters – DS Khenan Malice and DC Kelly Pietersen. The first book in the series is titled Killing Pretties and the second is Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Lies. Both books will be published this year.

When he is not writing, Rob is a frustrated chef with a liking for beer and prosecco, and is known for occasional outbreaks of dancing.

Follow Rob on Twitter – Facebook – Website

Check out the other stops on the Blog Tour…

Many thanks for reading my post, a like or share would be amazing 🙂 xx

As Greek As It Gets by Sue Roberts #SueRobertsautho @bookouture #BOTBSPublicity #romcom #bookreview

yvonnembee 3 Comments

I am delighted to share my review for As Greek As It Gets by Sue Roberts. This is the first time I have read a book by this author and I thoroughly enjoyed it. My huge thanks to Sarah at Book on the Bright Side Publicity for my spot on the Blog TOur and for arranging my e-copy of the book.

Let’s see what it’s all about…

Let the hot Greek sun melt all your troubles away… A laugh-out-loud read full of warmth, joy and summer feeling!

Alice Clark is delighted when her boyfriend Max proposes. From her dead-end job to her straight-up-dead houseplants, her life hasn’t exactly turned out how she imagined, so she can’t wait to start some wedding planning.

But the intimate affair she imagined soon grows wildly out of control, along with Alice’s doubts. Just as things reach breaking point between the couple, Alice’s best friend whisks her away for an escape to a sun-kissed Greek island.

Sandy beaches, crystal clear waters and a cocktail – or three – and Alice soon finds herself letting loose and relaxing into the Greek way of life. When she visits a gorgeous village nestled in the hilltops overlooking the sea, and meets a friendly local woman with a very special business – and a very handsome son – Alice is surprised by how drawn she feels to these people and this life.

As the sun sets on her Greek holiday, Alice knows she has some big decisions to make. Will finding herself mean losing the life she had planned? Or could it be the start of something else entirely?

A feel-good read perfect for fans of Carole Matthews, Jenny Colgan and Sophie Kinsella.

Purchase Links – Amazon – Apple – Kobo – Google

Alice and Max seem to be the perfect couple. He has a very successful business but Alice thinks he is a bit too quick to spend his money. Her reasons for her save not spend become known as the story develops.

Alice and her friends are off for a break in Greece, the gorgeous setting provides a lovely backdrop for the story. While away, Alice finds that she is looking at her life back at home, is it wedding jitters or something more.

Now right from the off, I liked Alice, Max I wasn’t so sure about. I felt he was a bit too flashy and it did give me an uneasy feeling about him. He seems to have taken the wedding planning to some rather grand levels, with more cash and lavishness being spent.

Wedding nerves aside, Alice seems to gradually come into her own, gaining a little confidence along the way. It isn’t a huge transformation, but it felt right.

This is a nice light, easy read that is ideal for a lazy afternoon. A lovely story that I happily disappeared into, a light rom-com with some a lovely Greek backdrop and ending that I didn’t expect, but that I really liked. Ideal for readers of romance and rom-coms who like a relaxing, escapism read. It is one I would recommend.

I live in Lancashire with my long term partner Derek and have had a lifelong love of writing, encouraged by winning a school writing competition at the age of 11.

I always assumed that ‘one day’ I would write a book, always having a busy household and a job, the idea remained firmly on the back burner but never forgotten.

The inspiration for my first novel came to me on a holiday to a Greek village. My daughters had left home and suddenly the time had come to write that book! 

Follow the Author on Twitter

Check out the other stops on the Blog Tour…

Many thanks for reading my post, a like or share would be amazing 🙂 xx

My Week In Books (w/e 17th May) #bookupdates #BooksRead #MeAndMyBooks

yvonnembee 6 Comments

Well what a nice week this week has been. I’ve finally managed to get my runner beans and peas planted out in the garden. The flower side of the garden is starting to come into its own with Lupins, rose, irises, granny’s bonnet and crab apple blossom making a pretty sight to see. My garden is a tranquil place and I take regular breaks to sit and read a chapter or more and having a coffee.

So let me show you what I have read this week…

I am a big fan of Jane Corry and her latest book I Made a Mistake is one hell of a read. This is the story of one mistake that had very dangerous consequences, it is a brilliant read and has a few really good twists that completely caught me out. Excellent read for fans of thrillers that have a domestic and psychological angles.

Rachel Rhys took me to 1950’s Cuba in her new book Island of Secrets and it was a fabulous read. It is a historical fiction read that I adored and everything felt so right as I read it. The back drop of Cuba and the unrest was a really good contrast to the celebrity world that is the main focus of the story. A wonderful story for historical fiction readers.

Emma Murray created a wonderful story about being a first time Mum in todays fast paced world and the pitfalls of social media in Time Out. Saoirse (pronounced Seersha) is struggling to come to terms with the demands of motherhood and how her relationship has changed. This is a bit of a no holds barred story that I found amusing at times but also that I could sympathise with as she found that other mums use social media like a competition, adding extra pressure to be the perfect mum of a perfect child! A very enjoyable read that has a message behind it.

I enjoyed this murder mystery and it is the first book I have read by Leighann Dobbs. Murder on a Mississippi Steamboat is set in the 1920’s and is a very enjoyable read and has a feel of Agatha Christie mixed with Jessica Fletcher (Murder She Wrote) feel to it. Flamboyant guests, intriguing storyline and a Murder writer and her niece make this a good book for fans of cosy mystery reads. I definitely enjoyed it and I look forward to reading more by this author as she has loads of books already published.

I am still currently listening to The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy read by Stephen Fry, to be honest I have spent more time outside in the garden so have not really listened to much of it but I am about 1/3 of the way through.

Well that’s it for me this week. I wish you all the very best for the week ahead

Yvonne xx

Many thanks for reading my post, a like or share would be amazing 🙂 xx