Tag Blog Tour Review

The Place We Call Home by Faith Hogan @GerHogan @Aria_Fiction @BOTBSPublicity #BOTBSPublicity #bookreview

yvonnembee 2 Comments

Earlier this year I had the pleasure of reading The Place We Call Home by Faith Hogan and I am delighted to reshare my review of this wonderful book as part of the Blog Tour for the publication of the digital version.

Let me show you what the book is all about…

Welcome to Ballycove, the home of Corrigan Mills…

Set against the backdrop of the beautiful Irish countryside the famed mills have created the finest wool in all of Ireland. Run by the seemingly perfect Corrigan family, but every family has its secrets, and how the mills came to be the Corrigan’s is one of them…

Miranda and her husband were never meant to own the mills, until one fateful day catapults them into a life they never thought they’d lead.

Ada has forever lived her life in her sister’s shadow. Wanting only to please her mother and take her place as the new leader of the mill, Ada might just have to take a look at what her heart really wants.

Callie has a flourishing international career as a top designer and a man who loves her dearly, she appears to have it all. When a secret is revealed and she’s unceremoniously turfed out of the design world, Callie might just get what’s she’s been yearning for. The chance to go home.

Simon has always wanted more. More money, more fame, more notoriety. The problem child. Simon has made more enemies than friends over the years, and when one of his latest schemes falls foul he’ll have to return to the people who always believe in him.

Ballycove isn’t just a town in the Irish countryside. It isn’t just the base of the famous mills. It’s a place to call home.

Best-selling author, Faith Hogan returns with a family tale of love, loss, secrets and finding yourself.

Purchase from Amazon UK (this is an affiliate link, I earn a small commission at no cost to you)

Well I have to say that the imagery that this author has created in this book is exceptional, I loved reading the sections about the mills, the countryside and life that Miranda experienced as a child.

Then add the present-day settings as Miranda, the owner of Corrigan’s Mill, is starting to feel her years, her health is not as it once was. In the wings her three children try to work out what their mum is going to do with a lucrative business and also worry about her remaining years and their futures.

These timelines have been brilliantly woven to create such a wonderful stroll through the Irish countryside and community as I was transported into the Corrigan family through the years.

This is such a gentle read and it was an absolute pleasure to disappear between the pages and discover a life that has had it’s up’s and downs over the years. Miranda was a lovely character and I soon warmed to her in her childhood and admired her resilience in her adult years. She brought up three children who are very individual and very different characters.

Ada is the more serious one, Simon is always looking for the next big deal and Callie a big name in the fashion world. Each child has a good life and in theory, they should be happy, but each one seems to have a crisis and this is what finally brings them home and together again. It is only Ada who has remained at home over the years.

This is a family that should be strong together but are actually fractured. They have had opportunity and chances and yet can’t seem to see what they have. As hard as it is for Miranda to try and keep them all happy, and even with her health, they seem as distant with each other as ever.

This is such a wonderful story that opens old wounds and confronts new ones that are still raw, resentment and anger are as rife as frustrations and honesty start to make themselves shown. It is an emotional book and I did have the odd watery eye moment, but this is not what I would call a heartrendingly sad book. There are heartbreaking moments, but the story is also heartwarming as realisations are finally acknowledged.

This was a terrific read and one that I sat and read in one sitting. It was a story that drew me in and had me totally captivated with the gentle pacing and also the compelling storyline. This is a really good read and one I would definitely recommend.

13/04/2018 Author Faith Hogan with her dog Penny at her home in Ballina, Co. Mayo. Photo : Keith Heneghan

Faith Hogan is an Irish award-winning and bestselling author of five contemporary fiction novels. Her books have featured as Book Club Favorites, Net Galley Hot Reads and Summer Must Reads. She writes grown up women’s fiction which is unashamedly uplifting, feel good and inspiring.

Faith’s latest book, The Place We Call Home is published in January 2020.

She writes crime fiction as Geraldine Hogan – Her Sisters Bones is available now!

Faith gained an Honours Degree in English Literature and Psychology from Dublin City University and a Postgraduate Degree from University College, Galway.

She is currently working on her next novel. She lives in the west of Ireland with her husband, four children and a very busy Labrador named Penny. She’s a writer, reader, enthusiastic dog walker and reluctant jogger – except of course when it is raining!

You can find out more about Faith on her website Facebook Twitter Instagram

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

Summer Strawberries at Swallowtail Bay by Katie Ginger @KatieGAuthor @rararesources #summerfiction #romance #romcom #bookreview

yvonnembee 5 Comments

I am absolutely delighted to be one of the opening Book Bloggers to share my review today for Summer Strawberries at Swallowtail Cove by Katie Ginger. My huge thanks to Rachel at Rachel’s Random Resources for my spot on the Blog Tour and for arranging my e-copy of this gorgeous book.

Let me show you what it is all about…

Summer Strawberries at Swallowtail Bay

Grab your strawberries and cream and get ready to return to the beautiful Swallowtail Bay!


Summer is in full swing and the locals are getting excited for the launch of the Swallowtail Bay strawberry food festival. But will all run smoothly when festival organiser Hetty’s heart is torn between lord of the manor John Thornhill and successful bakery owner Ben?


Purchase Links – Amazon UK – US

I do enjoy books by this author and Summer Strawberries at Swallowtail Cove is the second book in this series, it can be read as a standalone.

The thing I really enjoy about Katie’s books are the wonderful descriptions of the setting and the scenery. She builds such a good vivid image that I can almost see the area from her words. The next thing I adore are the characters and the way they are woven in to create a wonderful sense of friendship and community.

The main character is Hetty, a local events organiser and she attends a business forum, a chance for local business owners to get together and discuss upcoming things. The mention of the Strawberry Festival, that has over time diminished and is a mere shadow of its former self gives Hetty the idea of bringing it back but on a much larger scale. The only place large enough is Thornhill Hall, and more specifically John Thornhill himself. The family are not particularly popular as they have become reclusive over the years.

I have to say I really liked Hetty, she is a go-getter who has a natural way about her and especially with people. After some needling she convinces John to let her use some of the fields for her festival. Somehow her ends up helping out more and she gets to see that there is more to this man than the stand-offish person she thought he was.

There is obviously a romantic theme with this story and it is not as straight-forward as it would first appear. So begins the will they won’t they scenario and it could have gone either way or not at all, and I wasn’t sure who with but I did hope!

The storyline of the Festival and the organisation along with family hiccups and the romance made for a fabulous read. It all felt nicely balanced and I was definitely hooked as things gradually played out. It had a very realistic feel to it especially the Festival that had gone into decline over the years. As well as the financial struggles associated with the upkeep of a large house.

I sat and read this book in one sitting and it was an ideal book for sitting out in the garden in the glorious sunshine to read. If you are a fan of romance, rom-com, heartwarming stories and having a right good read then I would definitely recommend this one, it was fabulous.

KATIE GINGER lives in the South East of England, by the sea, and she really wouldn’t want to be anywhere else. Summer Strawberries at Swallowtail Bay is her fifth novel. The first, Spring Tides at Swallowtail Bay is available now. Her debut novel The Little Theatre on the Seafront was shortlisted for the Katie Fforde Debut Novel of the Year award, and her stand- alone Christmas novel Snowflakes at Mistletoe Cottage was a US Amazon bestseller.
When she’s not writing, Katie spends her time drinking gin, or with her husband, trying to keep alive their two children, Ellie and Sam. And there’s also their adorable King Charles Spaniel, Wotsit (yes, he is named after the crisps!).


For more about Katie you can visit her website – find her on Facebook – or follow her on Twitter – Instagram

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

One Day in Summer by Shari Low @sharilow @rararesources #contemporaryfiction #bookreview

yvonnembee 2 Comments

I am delighted to share my review today for One Day in Summer by Shari Low. My huge thanks to Rachel at Rachel’s Random Resources for my spot on the Blog Tour and for arranging my e-copy of this brilliant book.

Let me show you what it’s all about…

One Day In Summer


Coming soon from #1 bestseller Shari Low, an emotional roller-coaster, that keeps you guessing…

One day in summer, three lives are about to change forever.

After two decades of looking after others, this is the day that Agnetha McMaster is reclaiming her life. It’s her turn, her time but will she have the courage to start again?

Ten years ago, Mitchell McMaster divorced Agnetha and married her best friend, Celeste. Now he suspects his second wife is having an affair. This is the day he’ll discover if karma has come back to bite him.

Thanks to a DNA test, this is the day that Hope McTeer will finally meet her biological father. But will the reunion bring Hope the answers that she’s looking for?

Three people. Twenty-four hours. A lifetime of secrets to unravel.

Purchase Link – Amazon

How gorgeous is that cover? 😍

This is the first time I have read a book by this author and I absolutely loved it. The story is set on one day though that particular day has several threads that are wonderfully woven to create such a compelling story.

The synopsis give a very good idea of the basic story line to this book, and within a few paragraphs I was already hooked and curious. The story flits between characters and also time and this gradually gives a fuller picture. There is a lot more to the story than meets the eye and the author has allowed the story to flow and felt like effortless reading.

Understanding events of the past helps to realise how things stand in the present, but even when you think you know everything do you? A betrayal, a twisted version of events, things coming full circle and having the support of family and loyal friends will help.

I found this was such a well paced story that kept my attention from start to finish. I has warmth, hope, dreams and definitely a few surprises. The author was crafty in the way she laid things out and it kept me on my toes and this again is another way of keeping my attention.

Once I began to see the threads being pulled together I could start to make connections, I started to understand the why’s of tensions and how the fear of missing out and wanting more can be twisted.

There are several characters I loved and I could definitively see myself getting on with if they were real, they added a dynamic and mixed set of traits and personalities. Though not everyone was likeable!

This is a fabulous story that I had a couple of teary eyed moments with, it was wonderful to sit and read this book literally in the course of One day and in the sunshine it definitely felt like summer. A fabulous read and one I would definitely recommend.

Shari Low is the #1 bestselling author of over 20 novels, including One Day In Winter and My One Month Marriage and a collection of parenthood memories called Because Mummy Said So. She lives near Glasgow.

Social Media Links – Website – Instagram – Facebook – Twitter – BookBub

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

The Beauty of Broken Things by Victoria Connelly @VictoriaDarcy @rararesources #rararesources #contemporaryfiction #bookreview

yvonnembee 2 Comments

I am absolutely delighted to share my review today for The Beauty of Broken THings by Victoria Connelly. My thanks to Rachel at Rachel’s Random Resources for my spot on the Blog Tour and for arranging my e-copy of this beautifully written book.

Let me show you what it is all about…

United by tragedy, can two broken souls make each other whole?

After the tragic loss of his wife, Helen, Luke Hansard is desperate to keep her memory alive. In an effort to stay close to her, he reaches out to an online friend Helen often mentioned: a reclusive photographer with a curious interest in beautiful but broken objects. But first he must find her—and she doesn’t want to be found.

Orla Kendrick lives alone in the ruins of a remote Suffolk castle, hiding from the haunting past that has left her physically and emotionally scarred. In her fortress, she can keep a safe distance from prying eyes, surrounded by her broken treasures and insulated from the world outside.

When Luke tracks Orla down, he is determined to help her in the way Helen wanted to: by encouraging her out of her isolation and back into the world. But Orla has never seen her refuge as a prison and, when painful secrets and dangerous threats begin to resurface, Luke’s good deed is turned on its head.

As they work through their grief for Helen in very different ways, will these two broken souls be able to heal?

Buy your copy from Amazon – UK – US – AUS

This was an amazing read full of emotion that was a mix of heartbreaking storylines but with a glimpse of something better in the future.

The main characters are Orla and Luke, they don’t know each other. It is only when Luke checks his wife’s phone that he discovers she was friends with someone called BB. Helen and BB had an online friendship and an interest in photography. It is through the photographs that Luke is able to track down BB and discover who BB is.

Orla is a recluse, she lives in a castle. She doesn’t speak to anyone, she wont answer the door and she only goes out to walk her dog on a close by beach. He withdrawal from people is a sad story and it explains why her only presence is online with her photography.

The link between the Orla and Luke is Helen, a woman who had wanted to live life through her photography but settles for a job that pays the bills. It is when she decides that her and Luke are secure enough for her to finally take the chance and change her career. This is when tragedy strikes and her life is cut short.

The story is sad and there where many times I had tears and was just able to keep them at bay. There was a simple line in the story that broke me though and it was such a simple and yet poignant one “She left the world with a smile,” at the end of chapter 6. It summed up how Helen saw the life.

The story that followed was about how Luke and Orla gradually become friends, one helping the other to overcome grief and pain. Challenging each other to take steps, but while one of them is taking steps forward the other is in denial and hides in the shadow of grief. It is a story about things happening when it is time for them and when you are ready to face them. Grief and tragedy cannot be measured and categorised into simple stages with a time limit on each stage.

This is a stunning read and one that I read in one sitting. It is emotional as the author takes the reader into the lives of two people that have had two very different things happen to them. Even though these events are different they still have to go through similar processes of acceptance. While reading the story I was willing the two main characters forward, but I also knew that there would be setbacks.

A fabulous story that I thoroughly enjoyed, heartwarming and emotional as well as one of hope. The title is just perfect and it fits so wonderfully with the story. I would definitely recommend The Beauty of Broken Things.

Victoria Connelly studied English Literature at Worcester University, got married in a medieval castle in the Yorkshire Dales and now lives in rural Suffolk with her artist husband, a young springer spaniel and a flock of ex-battery hens. She is the million-selling author of two bestselling series, Austen Addicts and The Book Lovers, as well as many other novels and novellas. Her first published novel, Flights of Angels, was made into a film in 2008 by Ziegler Films in Germany. The Runaway Actress was shortlisted for the Romantic Novelists’ Association’s Romantic Comedy Novel award.

Victoria loves books, films, walking, historic buildings and animals. If she isn’t at her keyboard writing, she can usually be found in her garden either with a trowel in her hand or a hen on her lap.

Follow Victoria on – Twitter – Website – Instagram – Facebook

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

Up Close and Personal by Kathryn Freeman @KathrynFreeman1 @rararesources #rararesources #romcom #bookreview

yvonnembee 2 Comments

I am delighted to share my review for one of my favourite authors today. Up Close and Personal by Kathryn Freeman is a fabulous read. My thnaks to Rachel at Rachel’s Random Resources for my spot on the Blog TOur and for arranging my e-copy of this brilliant escapism read.

Let me show you what it is all about…

British actor Zac Edwards is the latest heartthrob to hit the red carpets. Hot, talented and rich, he sends women wild…all except one.

Close protection officer Kat Parker hasn’t got time to play celebrity games.  She has one job: to protect Zac from the stalker that seems to be dogging his every move.

Zac might get her hot under her very starched collar, but Kat’s a professional – and sleeping with Zac is no way part of her remit…

Buy a copy from Amazon UK – US

I do look forward to curling up with a Kathryn Freeman book and Up Close and Personal was an excellent read. The story is about a film-star being stalked and having a bodyguard assigned to him. One has impeccable manners, is well spoken and always punctual. The other says what they think, is a bit messy and is often running late. Meet the film-star Zac Edwards and his body guard Kat Parker.

Their first meeting was a bit of a disaster, their second didn’t inspire confidence but there is a hint of a spark between them, some flirting and innuendo. Kat is a professional and she cannot afford the distraction of falling for handsome and tasty Zac.

The plot of the story has more to it than first meets the eye, both characters have a dark past that they are not willing to share. This in part is why some of their quirks are as they are, their past have, in some ways shaped the way they look at he futures.

I loved that instant connection between these two characters, they are the focus of the story, though there are others that have a part to play. The reading was so effortless as I disappeared into the world the author created. There is chemistry, humour and also more serious stuff, but all nicely balanced to keep the flow of the story moving along at just the right pace.

This is very much a will they or won’t they style of story, and I wasn’t sure exactly how it was going to end as there could have been many scenarios that could have made the conclusion.

This is a wonderful read that I loved from start to finish. I was completely hooked and found it the perfect book to read sat in the garden on a sunny afternoon. Ideal for fans of rom-coms and romance and one I would definitely recommend.

A former pharmacist, I’m now a medical writer who also writes romance. Some days a racing heart is a medical condition, others it’s the reaction to a hunky hero.

I’ve two sons and a husband who asks every Valentine’s Day whether he has to buy a card (yes, he does), so any romance is all in my head. Then again, his unstinting support of my career change proves love isn’t always about hearts and flowers – and heroes come in many disguises.

Social Media Links – Website – Twitter – Facebook

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

The Little Teashop in Tokyo by Julie Caplin @JulieCaplin @rararesources #Bookreview

yvonnembee 3 Comments

I am absolutely delighted to share my review for The Little Teashop in Tokyo by Julie Caplin. I absolutely adored this book and wish to thank Rachel at Rachel’s Random Resources 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…

The Little Teashop in Tokyo

Grab your passport and escape to a land of dazzling skycrapers, steaming bowls of comforting noodles, and a page-turning love story that will make you swoon!

For travel blogger Fiona, Japan has always been top of her bucket list so when she wins an all-expenses paid trip, it looks like her dreams are coming true.

Until she arrives in vibrant, bustling Tokyo and comes face-to-face with the man who broke her heart ten years ago, gorgeous photographer Gabe.

Fiona can’t help but remember the heartache of their last meeting but amidst the temples and clouds of soft pink cherry blossoms, can Fiona and Gabe start to see life – and each other – differently?

Purchase Links – Amazon UK – Amazon US

Oh my goodness I absolutely loved this story. I was swept away with Fiona as she nervously steps off her flight to Japan. Her visit is her competition win and she will spend time with a Japanese photographer, unfortunately he is not able to mentor but instead sends Gabe. Gabe is a famous photographer and he doesn’t realise that they have met before.

The author completely immersed me in this story and I soon got to know Fiona and the family she is staying with while she is in Japan. This family, well they are fabulous and they live above their teashop. I loved the mix of traditional culture and also the modern setting.

The author, for me, made this story with the mentions of food, art, tradition, ceremony and little explanations along the way. I felt that the author has a love for Japan and also has an understanding of not only the country but also the people.

I loved the contrast between the old and the new. Another contrast is between Fiona and Gabe, she a wide-eyed, naive and no that confident compared to the swagger, arrogance and smug of Gabe. This is a romance that has tension simmering around the edges that gradually rolls to the boil.

Nothing is straightforward or predictable in this romance and I was eagerly turning the pages to discover if they would or wouldn’t get together.

I loved the setting, the characters and… well I loved absolutely everything about this story and I would definitely recommend it.

Jules Wake announced at the age of ten that she planned to be a writer. 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. This proved fabulous training for writing novels as it provided her with the opportunity to eat amazing food, drink free alcohol, hone her writing skills on press releases and to research European cities for her books.

She writes best-selling warm-hearted contemporary fiction for HarperImpulse.

Under her pen name, Julie Caplin, her thirteenth novel, The Little Teashop in Tokyo will be published in ebook and paperback this June.

Social Media Links – Twitter – Website – Facebook

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

Coming Home to Heritage Cove by Helen J Rolfe @hjrolfe @rararesources #Bookreview

yvonnembee

I am delighted to finally share my review for Coming home to Heritage Cove by Helen J Rolfe. This review should have been posted already but my diary entries let me down so I missed my spot and it was why I posted a promo post for the book yesterday. Helen is an author who I do adore, her books are fabulous so it didn’t take me long before I was totally immersed in her latest story.

My thanks to Rachel at Rachel’s Random Resources for my spot on the Blog Tour and for arranging my e-copy of this brilliant book. Let me show you what it is all about…

Welcome to Heritage Cove, the little village by the sea brimming with character, community and friendship, and the perfect place to fall in love this summer…

Melissa rushes back to Heritage Cove when Barney, the man who’s been like a father figure to her since she was a little girl, ends up in hospital. After an absence of five years, her return isn’t going to be easy, especially when she bumps into Harvey, the love of her life and the man she’s never been able to forget.

For reasons he couldn’t explain at the time, Harvey changed his mind about going with Melissa to start afresh as they’d planned, and life moved on for the both of them. But with Melissa back in the village and determined to stick around to help Barney, they can’t avoid each other forever. Melissa knows she let so many people down by staying away for so long, but she and Harvey blame each other for what happened and neither of them is willing to admit to being in the wrong.

When Barney insists on cancelling the Wedding Dress Ball, the charity fundraiser he holds every year in the stunning barn on his property, Melissa and Harvey realise they’re going to have to pull together. Otherwise the man they once knew might be gone forever. And when they unearth a secret Barney has never shared with anyone, they go in search of answers to not only ensure the ball runs this summer, but to bring back the Barney they know and love.

Back in the cove after all this time, Melissa gets to see the life she left behind and it’s time to deal with what it was that drove her away in the first place.

Beneath the summer sunshine in Heritage Cove, the sea sparkles, the heat rises and new love, reconciliations and the answers to an old love story could bring changes for everyone.

Purchase Links – Amazon UK – US

First up, I love the cover for Helen’s latest book and the synopsis does such a good job of giving an idea of what you are in for. Helen is an author who’s books I always enjoy, she brings such a wonderful storyline and creates lovely characters, but things are never quite as what they seem.

So when Barney has a fall Melissa feels she must return home to the village she left. She is not sure of her welcome at her return, will people feel angry at her, or will they welcome her back? Granted not everyone welcomes her with open arms, because when she left she hurt two people, one is Barney the other is her childhood friend and boyfriend Harvey.

Coming back home brings the past back for Melissa, it means she has to face why she left in the first place. It is all well and good saying that she wanted to move to get a job and see more of the world, but those that knew her knew she was actually running away. It is often the case that you need to go to find out whats important. But Melissa had gone and reinvented herself, while this has worked well for her, the return to the Cove brings her past right back.

The main characters are Melissa, Harvey and Barney. Barney is like a father figure to the two. He is an integral part of the community and often chats with people, so it is a shock when he decides that his yearly fundraising event is now too much for him.

As the story gets further in, I found there are more to these three characters than first meets the eye. All three have had a trouble or two happen to them and it is these events that for me, link them, the way they have not really talked about things and as such never really dealt with them properly. It definitely makes for compulsive reading.

The sense of community and friendship is something that this author really does excel at. She manages to hook me with every single one of her stories. This one has that same sense of community spirit and the feeling that people care. It makes for such a heartwarming read.

Coming Home to Heritage Cove is a gorgeous story about life, love and loss, also about family, friends and support. A book I would definitely recommend.

Helen J Rolfe writes romantic fiction and contemporary women’s fiction and enjoys weaving stories about family, friendship, secrets, and community.

Location is a big part of the adventure in Helen’s books and she enjoys setting stories in different cities and countries where she thinks her readers might like to escape to.

Helen J Rolfe also writes for Orion Books under the name Helen Rolfe.

Born and raised in the UK, Helen graduated from University with a business degree and began working in I.T. This job took her over to Australia and it was there that she finally turned to what she loved and studied writing and journalism. She spent a while freelancing for women’s health and fitness magazines, volunteered with the PR department of a children’s hospital where she wrote articles and media releases, and eventually began writing fiction in 2011. And now, she thinks she may just have found her dream job.

Helen currently lives in Hertfordshire, UK, with her husband and their children.

Follow Helen on – Website – Twitter – Facebook – Instagram

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

The Price by Kerry Kaya @KerryKayaWriter @BOTBSPublicity #BOTBSPublicity #thriller #crime #BookReview

yvonnembee 2 Comments

I am delighted to share my review today for The Price by Kerry Kaya. This is my first time reading this author and it will definitely not be the last time! I would like to thank Sarah at Book On The Bright Side Publicity for my spot on the Blog Tour and for arranging my e-copy of this brilliant book.

Let me show you what it is all about…

For most of his life Fletch has looked out for his younger brother Spencer and he will do anything and everything he can to protect him. Together they work for notorious East End gangster Billy King. Across the water in South London is Billy’s rival George Bannerman and the two firms are locked in a bitter turf war.


Amid murder, drug deals, and rival firms, Fletch is harbouring his own secrets and it’s only a matter of time until those secrets are revealed, and when you break the rules you have to pay the price.  

This is the first time I have read a book by this author and I absolutely loved it. The author starts her story in the past in the first chapter, it sets the scene for what is to follow. What followed was an addictive one sitting read for me as I followed the brothers of Fletch and Spence, they work for local gangland boss Billy.

I really liked how the author focused on the relationship of the brothers rather than violence in this story, although the main focus is Fletch. He has a bit more savvy and has more front to him. Although there are mentions of violence, it wasn’t that brutal in the reading.

The brothers are loyal to each other and their Mum, things in the past were tough and it is now that things seem to be working out. Only thing with being part of a gang is that there is always another gang that wants to make a move.

The story took various turns that I found really intriguing, not just a straight forward rival gangs read, but something with much more heart and human interest to it. Getting to know the brothers through the story was a good way to make a reader kind of connect to them, but even though I really liked them there was always that air of danger about them.

I have to say that I thoroughly enjoyed this story, a brilliant read that wasn’t what I expected and I found it really hard to put down. I think this book would suit various readers, especially those that want a crime read that has a slightly different angle top it. I am looking forward to reading some of the previous books by this author, and as for this book, well I would definitely recommend it.

Kerry Kaya is a British gangland crime Author, born and raised on the outskirts of East London.

She is an avid reader and has a passion for books. From an early age she began writing stories, and in her later years those stories went on to become full length novels and novellas. 

Kerry lives with her partner and Daughter.

Follow Kerry on Twitter – Facebook – Instagram

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

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.

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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.

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