Me And My Books presents – My Best Reads of 2021 #TopReads #RecommendedReading2021 #booklove #MeAndMyBooks

Well, it is that time of year where I decide which of the many fabulous books have left an impression. This is always a difficult job to whittle down the 200+ books that I have read to just a small number.

I have once again read many, many fabulous books that have crossed the genres. I have been taken around the world and beyond, journeyed through history, time and space. I have been transported to different worlds, experienced different cultures and been shown amazing settings.

I have cried, I have laughed and I have been angry. But most of all I have enjoyed each and every book I have read. Here I have compiled a list of some exceptional reads this year…

There is one, or should I say a set of three books that I have read this year that have absolutely blown me away. In my opinion, these are important books to read as they highlight one of the worst periods in human history. The research for this trilogy has been meticulous. The author has used this research and combined a huge amount of skills to create such an addictive story. This is not a small trilogy, but my goodness did it deliver a punch. Powerful, emotional, visceral, challenging, hopeful and it is a trilogy I would absolutely and most highly recommend for those who like Historical Fiction.

The best book(s) I have read this year is

THE STURMTAUCHER TRILOGY by ALAN JONES

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

My Week IN Books (w/e 19th December 2021) #booklove #bookupdates #MeAndMyBooks

Welcome to another weekly wrap-up of books I have read over the past week. I have also finalised my Top Reads of 2021 and wow has it been a tough one. As much as I love sharing the books I love I also find it extremely difficult to whittle down the 200+ books that I have read, down to a handful that I have really loved and want to highlight. Keep an eye out on Wednesday for my list 🙂

What I’ve read this past week…

Even though I am not a huge fan of overly political books I was intrigued by The Whistle Blower by Robert Peston. This is a fictional debut for this author and it is set in the corridors of Parliament, has many dodgy characters, shady dealing and quite a few mysterious happenings going on. I really enjoyed this book and it was one that I think fans of political thrillers would also enjoy.

The Book of Sand by Theo Clare is penned by the late Mo Hayder. This is a fabulous story that is quite devious in the respect that the two seemingly disconnected storylines don’t actually come together until after the halfway point. Part dystopian, fantasy, mixed with present-day contemporary, loads of mystery and gradually one that darkens the further you get. It is a brilliant book that had me hooked. Ideal for those who are looking for a different, but it is dividing opinion!

Publication Date – 6th January 2022

Whether this author writes under Jules Wake or Julie Caplin, I know I am in for a treat. The Cosy Cottage in Ireland by Julie Caplin is the 8th in the Romantic Escapes series and was a lovely, gorgeous and mouthwatering delight. Each of the books in this series can be read as stand-alone. This is one for the romantics, foodies, those that like heartwarming tales and setting descriptions. Gorgeously told and definitely recommended.

For something different, I decided to read Put A Wet Paper Towel On It by Lee Parkinson and Adam Parkinson. Brothers who work in Education in their own right and have brought together their experiences of teaching. Hilarious at times and also quite an eye-opener at others as they tell their own story of joining the system and why. This is a fab non-fiction book and it was one I really enjoyed.

Well, that’s me done for another week.

Keep an eye out for my Top Reads List

Happy Reading, Stay Safe

Yvonne xx

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

Twinkl – Educational Resources @twinklresources #Promotion #education #bookreview #LucyMakesAWish

I am delighted to share a promotional post today for Twinkl. This is an educational resources site for Early Years through to 18 years old. They are an unlimited downloads and resources site that provides support to Parents, Home Educators, Child Minders and have a huge range to discover.

One of my reviews is featured along with some wonderful Book Bloggers reviews, check out the other Warm Wintery Reads HERE

ABOUT TWINKLE

We’re here to ‘help those who teach’. It’s what brings us to work every day.

We’re proud to create educational resources that can be used at each step of a child’s learning journey.

Our teacher-created resources provide entire schemes of work, lesson planning and assessments right through to online educational games, augmented reality and so much more.

We have over 525,000 resources and new content gets added every day. You’ll find we’ve normally got what you need before you even know you want it.

We’re all inspired to support teachers and learners, around the world.

Everything we do supports the global teaching community and we’re committed to transforming people’s lives through education.

We support and work with educators across the world, including primary and secondary teachers, childminders, nursery workers, home educators and parents.

All Twinkl resources are teacher-made and can be used by anyone, anywhere – making learning accessible to all.

We also tailor resources to a number of curriculums, including the UK National Curriculums. You can find a full list of those we cover right here.

Laura Millington, Contents Executive contacted me to see if I would like to have one of my reviews to be featured in their Christmas Campaign.

The book Laura wanted to include was one I had reviewed and posted on my Blog, Lucy Makes a Wish by Anne Booth, a fabulous book for children aged 6+

This review was featured on Twinkl as part of their Christmas campaign

If you would like to read my full review CLICK HERE

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

Her Previous Self by Anne Allen @AnneAllen21 #historicalfiction #bookreview

I am delighted to share my review today for Her Previous Self by Anne Allen. I was very fortunate to win a signed paperback copy of this book during Anne’s recent Blog Tour with Rachel’s Random Resources. Although I do own several copies from this series it is actually the first time I have read one! I will also add that it will not be the last time 🙂

Mary, miserable in her marriage to Thomas Carre, a merchant and privateer and living in the new family mansion in Georgian Guernsey.
Lucy, separated from her husband after a tragic loss and now acting as an unwilling sitter for her elderly grandfather, Gregory Carre, who has inherited the same mansion.
Lucy is haunted by Mary’s continued presence in the house and finds herself being pulled more and more back in time. How is it possible for her to live as Mary? To experience scenes from her tragic life? Lucy is forced to come to terms with Mary’s grief as well as her own.
The more enmeshed she becomes the more anxious Lucy is to discover the truth. Why is Mary still restless? What caused her mysterious disappearance two hundred years ago?

And can Lucy move on from her own loss to find happiness again?

MY REVIEW

This is the first time I have read a book by this author, although I do own 3 or 4 from the Guernsey series. This is book 8 in the series and from what I can see with this latest book, they can be read as stand-alone books.

This is a mix of present-day and historical fiction. The present-day is set with Lucy returning home to Guernsey and she keeps her Grandfather company while her parents take a break. Lucy is tired, feeling alone and is grieving. The house in which she returns is one that has been in the family for generations. One of those ancestors is Mary, there is a mystery surrounding her. There is a date of birth, a marriage date and then a blank as to when she died.

This is told in a timeslip format, and not quite the usual back and forth format. I have to say it worked really well for me and I don’t know which character I wanted to know more about each time. When I was reading about Lucy I needed to know more about Mary, and vice versa.

I did like the historical side of this story, set in a regency style it is one that has heartbreaking revelations. The characters in this era are a mix of really good and also downright wicked. In the present day, the characters are mainly good, although there is the odd one or two who did annoy me a very small amount due to their attitudes.

Overall a great story and one that I really enjoyed reading over a couple of days. One for fans of historical fiction and romance, with a historical fantasy streak to it. Very enjoyable reading and it is an author to who I will be returning and one I would happily recommend.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Anne Allen lives in Devon, by her beloved sea. She has three children and her daughter and two grandchildren live nearby. She was born in Rugby, to an English mother and Welsh father. As a result she spent many summers with her Welsh grandparents in Anglesey and learnt to love the sea. Her restless spirit has meant a number of moves which included Spain for a couple of years. The longest stay was in Guernsey for nearly fourteen years after falling in love with the island and the people. She contrived to leave one son behind to ensure a valid reason for frequent returns.
By profession Anne was a psychotherapist but has long had creative ‘itches’, learning to mosaic, paint furniture, interior design and sculpt. At the back of her mind the itch to write was always present but seemed too time-consuming for a single mum with a need to earn a living. Now retired from the ‘day job’, there’s more time to write.

The Secrets of Latimer House by Jules Wake @OneMoreChapter_ #NetGalley #historicalfiction #bookreview

I am delighted to share my review today for The Secrets of Latimer House by Jules Wake. I requested this via NetGalley from the publisher One More Chapter, a division of Harper Collins.

I do like this author and have always enjoyed her books, she also writes under Julie Caplin.

In the war against Hitler every secret counts…

Society heiress Evelyn Brooke-Edwards is a skilled interrogator – her beauty making her a non-threat in the eyes of the prisoners.

Farm girl Betty Connors may not be able to type as she claimed, but her crack analytical skills soon find her unearthing covert connections.

German ex-pat Judith Stern never expected to find herself listening in to German POW’s whispered conversations, but the Nazis took her father from her so she will do whatever it takes to help the Allies end this war.

Billeted together in the attic of Latimer House – a place where secrets abound – Evelyn, Betty and Judith soon form a bond of friendship that carries them through the war. Because nothing is stronger than women united.

Tucked away in the Buckinghamshire countryside, Latimer House, a grand country estate, stands proudly – a witness to some of greatest secrets of WW2.

Used by the SOE to hold Nazi prisoners of war, this stunning historical novel is inspired by the untold story of the secret listeners of ‘M Room’ who worked day and night to help the Allies win the war. A must-read for fans of Dinah Jefferies, Fiona Valpy, Elaine Everest, Jean Fullerton and Deborah Burrowes.

MY REVIEW


What a fabulous story this was, it does have a mix of historical fact and fiction. This is the story of three women who come from very different backgrounds but have a valuable and important way of helping the war effort. These girls are listeners and secret gathers and what they discover help Churchill and his g3enerals plot and plan to bring down Hitler and end World War II.

Judith is a quiet woman, she isn’t outgoing, more mouselike. She is one of the survivors who made her way to England and is of Jewish descent. Betty is local to Latimer house as she grew up in the village nearby. She has a farming background. Evelyn is from a monied background, private education and believes it is more important to help out where she can rather than gallivant around in social circles.

The author provides a quick intro to each of the women and to what they have been doing up to this part of the war. Each of them has a specialism that is of benefit to the goings-on in Lattimer House. Whether it is the ability to speak German or have lived there or indeed having a memory that makes connections easier.

The author brings these three together and gradually as they begin to get to know each other it is easy for the reader to do the same. It wasn’t long before I could distinguish each character, their personality and their way of thinking. Each one brings sadness with them, this is war and life being life is always going to leave an impression.

The author really does a brilliant job with the characters, the main ones as well as the supporting ones. The story has a fabulous flow and I was able to see the women doing their job and realise what an impact this actually had on them mentally.

The author has included a piece at the end of the story as she describes the role of this large Buckinghamshire house and its part in the war. A place where captured crew and pilots were taken to prior to their transfer to Prisoner of War camps in other parts of the UK. It was interesting to follow up this story by having a browse through the internet to discover more.

I found this book to be addictive and a fabulous read apart from the last 15%, it is hard to read when you have tears in your eyes. This ending was very special and I loved how the author brought the story of the three women to a conclusion. It seemed very fitting and appropriate as well as keeping in with the story.

A wonderful story with fabulous characters and one for fans of historical romance and fiction. It is one I would definitely recommend

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jules Wake’s earliest known declaration that she planned to be a writer came at the age of ten. Along the way she was diverted by the glamorous world of PR and worked on many luxury brands, taking journalists on press trips to awful places like Turin, Milan, Geneva, Paris, Brussels and Amsterdam and occasionally losing the odd member of the press in an airport. It gave her the opportunity to eat amazing food, drink free alcohol as well as providing opportunities to hone her writing skills on press releases and to research European cities for her books.

Eventually the voices in her head persuaded her it was time to sit down and write the novel she’d always talked about. Her debut novel in 2014, was quickly followed by the bestselling From Italy With Love, published by One More Chapter, HarperCollins, which reached number 1 in the Amazon Kindle charts.

Jules’ book Covent Garden in the Snow was a Kindle Top 2 bestseller and the follow up book Notting Hill in the Snow was nominated for a Romantic Novel of the Year Award.

Her latest books The Saturday Morning Park Run came out in August 2020 and The Spark in December 2020. Her next book will be a complete departure as The Secrets of Latimer House is her first foray into historical fiction.

She also writes cosy romantic fiction as Julie Caplin and the seventh in her popular Romantic Escapes Series, The Little Swiss Ski Chalet was published in January 2021. The next in the series The Cosy Cottage in Ireland comes out in Autumn 2021.

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

Greece Actually by Sue Roberts @bookouture #romance #bookreview

I am delighted to share my review today for Greece Actually by Sue Roberts. I have read a few of Sue’s books before and enjoyed them very much, this one was no excpetion. I received my copy from Bookouture via NetGalley.

Small, shy, safe. That’s how Becky lives ever since her last romantic calamity landed her in hospital. Her comfort zone is as confining as her tiny bank balance, and fiercely guarded by her totally over-the-top mum. But the news that her ex is back sniffing round is the final straw. In a very un-Becky move, she packs her bags for the Greek island of Skiathos. Maybe the setting of her favourite ABBA movie will be just the break from reality Becky needs…

Stepping aboard the Mamma Mia! boat tour, Becky leaves her fear in the port as she sings… out loud… in public, and cries Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! to everything the Greek life has to offer. She befriends locals young, old, and absolutely perfect (hello, sizzling hot restaurant-owner Kyros!), dines on freshly baked bread drizzled in golden olive oil on a starlit date, and walks barefoot along silky sandy beaches.

When Kyros asks her to stay longer, Becky is stunned. Could she really create a new life for herself here, and trust her heart with this smooth-talking charmer? But just as she’s thinking about putting down roots, her troublesome ex makes a dramatic return, begging for her back. Will she go back to playing it safe, or will she take a chance on Greece and embrace her true dancing queen?

MY REVIEW


I have read quite a few of this authors books and I do like the ones set in Greece. Greece Actually is a wonderful book to read, especially during a chilly November afternoon.

Becky doesn’t have many friends, she doesn’t really go out. But the two friends she does have are supportive and together they have good fun. Becky has only lived in the area for three years, she runs her own shop. When she gets invited to stay at her Uncle’s villa in Greece she immediately thinks of how good it would be to spend some time with her two friends and get away from work and memories for a while.

Becky is a person who is someone who would rather remain hidden, it is only further in the story that I discovered why this was. It also explained the reason for her move to a Lancashire town. Starting her business and making her own stock does sound like hard work but it is also a way for Becky to keep busy. Having supportive and fun friends gives her the chance to live a little and have them go with her on holiday means she will go.

The author really does a fabulous job of describing the Greek Island of Skiathos and I did virtually visit on the internet, it looks amazing and very similar to how I imagined it to be. There is of course mentions of the local food, some history and sights to be seen. Then there is a certain Greek restauranteur by the name of Kyros.

The story is one that has its moments of sadness, but only a very small amount. It is more the story of Becky and how she is moving forward and gradually starting to believe in herself. She is very much in control, but it was so nice to see her gradually loosening up and enjoying herself. She is a character I liked and I wanted her to reach out and experience life.

This is a lovely story that was a one-sitting read, food, scenery, gorgeous beaches and the characters ticked all the boxes for me. Ideal for those who love to be whisked away to warmer climates for some romance reading. One I would definitely recommend.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Sue was born in Liverpool and moved to Lancashire as a teenager where she has lived ever since. She has written three books, the third ‘My Summer of love and limoncello.’ will be published on March 6th and she is busy working on a fourth book. When not busy writing, Sue spends her time with her ever growing family. She enjoys walking, cinema and travelling. Her first book ‘My Big Greek Summer.’ was inspired by frequent visits to the Island of Rhodes in Greece. All Sue’s books are available from Amazon in kindle and paperback format.

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

The Silence of Scheherazade by Defne Suman trns Betsy Göksel @HoZ_Books #NetGalley

I am delighted to share my review today for The Silence of Scheherazade by Defne Suman, translated by Betsy Göksel.

I had requested this book via NetGalley and the publisher Head of Zeus very kindly accepted my request to read this fabulous title.

Set in the ancient city of Smyrna, this powerful novel follows the intertwining fates of four families as their peaceful city is ripped apart by the dissolution of the Ottoman Empire.

On an orange-tinted evening in September 1905, Scheherazade is born to an opium-dazed mother in the ancient city of Smyrna. At the very same moment, a dashing Indian spy arrives in the harbour with a secret mission from the British Empire. He sails into golden-hued spires and minarets, scents of fig and sycamore, and the cries of street hawkers selling their wares. When he leaves, seventeen years later, it will be to the heavy smell of kerosene and smoke as the city, and its people, are engulfed in flames.

But let us not rush, for much will happen between then and now. Birth, death, romance and grief are all to come as these peaceful, cosmopolitan streets are used as bargaining chips in the wake of the First World War.

Told through the intertwining fates of a Levantine, a Greek, a Turkish and an Armenian family, this unforgettable novel reveals a city, and a culture, now lost to time. 

MY REVIEW

This is a book that is a mix of historical fiction with a definite lean towards the literary fiction genre. It is the story of four families, an Armenian, a Levantine, a Greek and a Turkish. Starting in 1905 in the Aegean port city of Smyrna.

This book took me quite a few chapters before I could get to grips with it, and I found myself turning to the synopsis a couple of times in the first few chapters to try to get a better understanding of it. There are four different families to get your head around and also the alternating timelines. These timelines flit back and forth with the different family members and at times I found myself stumped as to who was who. I am however really glad I stuck with this book as things gradually started to make sense and I could start to recognise the characters and also their roles within the story.

Even though I was struggling with the characters I did find the writing to be evocative and completely enthralling. I know this may sound odd, the writing style is definitely on the literary side and I found it to be very mesmerising.

The story of the families in Smyrna is one that is wound up in tradition and also of a changing world. I did have a wander onto the internet so I could learn more about this period of history, it is an area that I didn’t really know much about so I found it really interesting to find photos, maps and other information about this ancient city.

The story of the families is one that has skeletons, heartache, loss, love and deception. As I got to know the main players I was able to recognise them, I could sympathise with the situations they found themselves in. Having families from different ethnicities gave differing perspectives of the world and of the trouble coming to the city. I found myself warming to several of the characters and was eagerly awaiting their next appearance in the story.

While this is very much a historical fiction book I did love the more literary writing style, it gave a more romanticised feel to the writing, and I do think this may lead some readers not to fully engage with it. I am so glad I persevered with the book and I found a story that was not only engaging but also very addictive. It is one I would definitely recommend.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Defne Suman was born in Istanbul and grew up on Prinkipo Island. She gained a Masters in sociology from the Bosphorus University and then worked as a teacher in Thailand and Laos, where she studied Far Eastern philosophy and mystic disciplines. She later continued her studies in Oregon, USA and now lives in Athens with her husband. The Silence of Scheherazade was first published in Turkey and Greece in 2016 and is her English language debut.

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

My Week In Books (w/e 12th December 2021) #booklove #bookupdates #MeAndMyBooks

Welcome to my weekly round-up of books that I have read. It has been a pretty busy week for me with work and courses so I haven’t been able to share peoples posts as I normally would. I would like to say a big thank you to those of you that have kindly shared my posts xx

I would like to think this week coming will be slightly quieter, but with Christmas being close I still have a few bits left to do. Still got the tree to put up, cards to write, things to post. All the wrapping is done, so that’s one thing out of the way!

So here is what I have read…

58181149. sy475
The Secrets of Latimer House by Jules Wake was a stunning book. Set during WWII is the story of three women who are stationed at Latimer House, a place where German prisoners of war are taken prior to being taken to camps around the UK. This is a gorgeous book to read and one that also led me on a search about the house and its role in WWII. A mix of fact and fiction that I adored. I will post a review soon.
58527033

Her Previous Self by Anne Allen is a mix of historical fiction and romance with a fantasy edge to it. This is a story that I really enjoyed as I joined the main character of Lucy as she discovers more about the history of the house she is living in, her ancestors and I liked the back and forth timeslip style of this story. Another that I will share my full review of soon.

I do love Helen Rolfe‘s books, so it was much embarrassment to discover I had completely missed the publication day blog Tour for A Winter Wedding at Mistletoe Gate Farm. I read this in one sitting, and to be honest this is something I do with most of this author’s books. Once again the author brought this close-knit coastal community spirit to life. My full review is HERE

I am hoping to get reviews that I have not shared yet done soon, as well as trying to sort out my Top Reads of the Year. Such a hard job every year as there are so many great books that I have read.

Have a great week ahead,

Stay Safe and Happy Reading

Yvonne xx

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

A Winter Wedding at Mistletoe Farm by Helen J Rolfe @HJRolfe @rararesources #romance #contemporaryfiction #bookreview

I am delighted to share my rather late review for A Winter Wedding at Mistletoe Farm by Helen J Rolfe. I adore this series and this makes it even more unforgivable that I hadn’t filled in my calendar correctly and missed the date.

My huge thanks to Rachel at Rachel’s Random Resources for arranging my e-copy and also the nudge to remind me that I hadn’t posted.

A Winter Wedding at Mistletoe Gate Farm


It’s almost Christmas in Heritage Cove – the village tree is all lit-up, the bakery is full of festive treats, the tea rooms and waffle shack are welcoming locals inside out of the cold, and for some of the residents of the Cove, snow might not be the only thing they’re wishing for this year…

Tilly is overjoyed when an estranged relative comes to Heritage Cove wanting to make amends. But as she lets him in to her life and Tilly’s Bits ‘n’ Pieces – the shop she owns and loves – her friends aren’t so sure whether everything is quite as it seems.

Benjamin’s parents run Mistletoe Gate Farm, selling Christmas trees, wreaths and mistletoe. Benjamin has always thought his family was as firmly rooted in the ground as the rows of Norway Spruce and Fraser Firs. But when he finds a letter that rocks his world he realises he may not be able to do anything to prevent the changes coming their way.

Benjamin and Tilly have been falling for one another since the summer but will family complications put an abrupt stop to what is looking like a burgeoning romance?

With festive cheer weaving its way through the Cove as two local favourites plan their wedding, there’s more than one relationship that could receive a little Christmas magic…
Purchase Links
Amazon UK
Amazon US

MY REVIEW

This is a favourite author of mine and I adore her books, I have read quite a few and they have been without exception, fabulous reads.

This latest book is the 4th book in the Heritage Cove series, and while you can read them all as stand-alone you will get a better understanding of the characters within this closeknit and supportive coastal community.

Heritage Cove is an amazing sounding place in the winter with local businesses gearing up for Christmas. Tilly runs one of the local shops an Aladdin’s cave of local crafts, furniture and whatever Tilly can squeeze into her beloved shop. Benjamin works at the Pub as the chef, helps out with the family business, a Christmas Tree Farm, so he is manically busy but still has the time to pop in and see Tilly.

These two are the main focus of this story, but other residents and regulars of the series also have their parts to play. The community spirit is something this authors manages to capture so well and when you have read a couple of books in the series you get a nice warm and welcoming feel.

Both Tilly and Benjamin have had relationships in the past, it has left them wary of thinking about anything apart from friendship. As the two have become friends they have built up a trust and understanding, each like the other but is a little reluctant to go any further because of the great friendship they have. Tilly has very little family, while Benjamin lives with his, so when a relative arrives alarm bells sound for Benjamin, but Tilly is delighted. She is one for seeing the best in people and so she is more vulnerable.

With the main stories between Tilly, Benjamin and their lives there are also more other things going on. There is a wedding, as the title obviously suggests, this wedding is something close to the hearts of several characters and once again the community is all in for helping out.

This series is a wonderful one, each visit is like coming back to a favourite literary holiday destination. Catching up with old friends and meeting new ones. I do like how the author incorporates little things into this story such as storm damage, especially as we have already had two winter storms already. It gives this story a feeling that what happens could be something that has been very recent.

Another fabulous addition to the Heritage Cove series and is one for those who adore lovely heart-warming, romance and contemporary fiction novels. It is one I would definitely recommend.

Helen J Rolfe writes contemporary women’s fiction and enjoys weaving stories about family, friendship, secrets, and community. Characters often face challenges and must fight to overcome them, but above all, Helen’s stories always have a happy ending.
Location is a big part of the adventure in Helen’s books and she enjoys setting stories in different cities and countries around the world. So far, locations have included Melbourne, Sydney, New York, Connecticut, Bath and the Cotswolds.

Social Media Links – FacebookTwitter Website Instagram Bookbub

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

The Silent Friend by Diane Jaffrey #TheSilentFriend @dianefjeffrey @HQstories #Paperback #PublicationDay #bookreview

I am delighted to be re-sharing my review today for The Silent Friend by Diane Jeffrey, this was a book I read as part of the Blog Tour with the lovely Emma at damppebbles blog tours. Today is the Paperback Publication of this fab book and it is one I would definitely recommend.

Tragedy brought them together. The truth will tear them apart.

It’s supposed to be Laura’s dream holiday: a trip to France with a group of friends to see their favourite band play live. But the holiday quickly turns to disaster, and Laura is left haunted by terrifying images from the worst night of her life.

When Laura finds an online support group for victims like her, she’s not convinced it will help. But then Sandrine replies to her message, and she seems to understand what Laura’s going through, in a way that no one else can.

Soon, Laura and Sandrine are sharing their deepest thoughts and feelings with each other. But one of them has a terrible secret – she isn’t who she says she is. And once the twisted truth is revealed, there’s no going back…

MY REVIEW

I love it when you get a book that gives very little away in the synopsis. It’s like going in blind and for The Silent Friend, this was perfect. I got a story that pulled me in very quickly and led me on a journey that I didn’t expect at all.

Given the slim synopsis, my review will also be a bit on the vague side. The story is told from two perspectives. One from a woman who has lost two of her friends and the other from a mother. The two characters share their experiences of an event that happens in France. Both are victims. Both are suffering. Both feel guilty.

The story is told over a timeline that is shown over the course of a few months before the event, the event itself and then onwards. It gives the thoughts and feeling of both women and of those who are in immediate contact with them. This keeps the character list small and gives a more intimate account.

There is a psychological aspect to this, but not the usual crime thriller one. Yes, a crime was committed, but it is the psychological impact that the women deal with that becomes the major thread of the story for me. The author very craftily draws the reader into the lives of the women and then delivers some wonderful heart-stopping moments. Things suddenly linked and left me shocked as I didn’t really see them coming.

This was such an addictive read. From initially not really knowing what story was going to unfold I soon found myself flying through this. The author wove a story that is full of intrigue but from different perspectives. It gives an idea of what people go through after a traumatic event and how they cope with living afterwards.

I loved this story so much. It had me with my heart in my mouth at times and also with the odd tear in my eye as the full picture was brought out. This is one for readers who like a crime mystery read and it is one I would definitely recommend. 

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