Book Review - First Dates at the Cat Cafe by Rachel Rowlands

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Title: First Dates at the Cat Cafe

Author: Rachel Rowlands

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Hodder & Stoghton

Publication Date: 28th May 2026

Rating: 4 Stars

Love is in the air at the cat café... Will everyone find their purr-fect match?

Grace adores her job as a barista at the café, but dreams of one day setting up her own matchmaking agency to help pet lovers find true love.

When Catpurrcino partners with a dating festival for the whole of August it seems like it is meant to be.

The last thing on Grace's mind is her own love life.

Until she is matched with musician Nathan, who is only at the festival so he can perform.

Grace knows from the very first moment that Nathan is not the man of her dreams.

But no one is going to take romantic advice from someone who can't even get through one successful date. So Grace and Nathan make a pact: they will pretend to be smitten with each other until the end of festival.

The more time Grace and Nathan spend playing the perfect couple, the more Grace wonders if her fake feelings are becoming real... Could Nathan ever feel the same?

Get ready for a summer of first dates, fake dates and stolen kisses under a blanket of stars - with your favourite feline friend on hand for emotional support at all times! This romantic read is perfect for fans of Laurie Gilmore, Lucy Jane Wood and Sarah Morgan.

I am really loving this Cat Cafe series, and it was good to catch up with some of our feline friends. 

And of course the human ones too, this time the focus is on Grace, who dreams of opening up her own matchmaking agency for pet lovers, and Nathan who is a musician who has barely been creative since a bad break up. 

Catpurrcino has the opportunity to sponsor a huge matchmaking festival run by Grace's idol, and she is encouraged to join it, and the documentary being made, in the hopes of raising her profile for her new business. Plus who trusts a matchmaker with an iffy love life. 

Whereas Nathan is encouraged by his family to join the festival as a performer, entrant and also to be part of the documentary in order to raise the profile of his music. 

Despite them rubbing each other up the wrong way at the start, it soon becomes apparent there is something between them, whether it's fake or not is another matter! 

I really disliked Grace's parents, and also Nathan's ex girlfriend, who just happens to be at this festival too.  But I enjoyed disliking these characters, while loving both Grace and Nathan themselves. 

After they are matched, there are put on a series of interesting dates, including decorating biscuits and a spa evening, and it was fun seeing just what they would have to do next. 

This was a highly enjoyable story of dating and trusting your instincts, with plenty of feline friends and delicious treats too.  I ha a great time with this book and already looking forward to reading the next book in this series. 

Thank you to Hodder and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily. 

Book Review - The Book Club Murders by Maggie Allswell

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Title: The Book Club Murders

Author: Maggie Allswell

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Bookouture

Publication Date: 22nd May 2026

Rating: 4 Stars

What Judy’s book club doesn’t know about murder mysteries isn’t worth writing about. Nothing beats cracking a fictional case over some wine and salt and vinegar crisps. But can they put their puzzle-solving skills to the test when the local librarian dies in a real-life murder?

For widower Judy, her murder book club is the highlight of the month: she gets to hear all the local gossip and even discuss a good fictitious poisoning or two. But when local librarian Wendy disappears, Judy follows in the footsteps of her fictional detective heroes only to find her dead in her home, clasping a copy of Romeo and Juliet…

The police rule it a tragic accident, but Judy knows that her friend hated Shakespeare, and suspects foul play. Gathering her fellow book lovers together, soon they discover that several townspeople had motive to want Wendy dead. Was it Nigel from the tavern, who may have been Wendy’s secret boyfriend? Or could it be Bryan, the local bookshop owner, tangled in a bitter rivalry with the library?

The plot thickens when more murders come to light. Can Judy and her book club take matters into their own hands in a twist no one will see coming? And as the lines between fiction and reality blur, can they catch the murderer with their own killer plot?

An utterly addictive and hilarious new cozy mystery series, perfect for fans of Richard Osman, Robert Thorogood and Faith Martin.

I was delighted when I learned that Tracy Bloom had a new book out and was excited to see how her change of genre, and pen name would unfold. 

Well I have to say she is as talented at cozy crime as she is with rom coms based on this book. 

Once I got to grips with the characters, and there are a fair few members of the Serial Killer's Book Club, I was engrossed in this mystery. 

As a group of people that love a whodunnit, they soon found themselves in one of their own making.  At least when Judy comes across a dead body (that was unrelated to her funeral director work), she is adamant that poor Wendy was murdered and not as the police think, a suicide. 

And she and her friends decide they would like to find out more about Wendy and see if they can solve it. But things take some unexpected turns, and two storylines are connected in a way I wouldn't have guessed.  

I really enjoyed getting to know Judy, Sarah, Helen Kerry, Jack and Talisha, and seeing Judy whizz about on her mobility scooter was great fun.  As was deciphering her text messages! 

It was a gripping mystery, I was interested in seeing just what would happen, and there were moments when I laughed out loud. 

And the ending took me a bit by surprise too. I'm already keen to read the next book in this series. 

Thank you to Bookouture and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily. 

Book Review - Blue Skies Ahead by Jessica Redland

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Title: Blue Skies Ahead

Author: Jessica Redland

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Boldwood Books

Publication Date: 27th July 2026

Rating: 5 Stars

Leaving behind everything she thought she knew, Grace arrives at Hazelwick Farm with her teenage daughter, Maddie, and her mother, Frances, ready to build a new life together.

Grace has dreamt of fresh air, open skies and days filled with taking care of the animals while building a family business together. But starting over isn’t as simple as she hoped.

Maddie has barely spoken to her since the divorce from her father and Grace doesn’t know how to fix what she doesn’t fully understand. Between strained silences at home, and the demands of getting the farm ready to open for business, Grace begins to wonder if she’s made a mistake.

Yet life at Hazelwick Farm has its surprises. Grace keeps crossing paths with handsome tenant, Caleb, whether she means to or not. Could this unexpected connection be the start of something she never saw coming?

Escape to the countryside with a heartwarming, uplifting multigenerational story of family, fresh starts and finding love when you least expect it from multi-million copy bestseller Jessica Redland.

If like me you have never heard of the term cuddle cow, then you will certainly be familiar with it by the end of this book and almost certainly wanting to experience cuddling cows for yourself. 

This is a joyous first book in yet another brand new series from Jessica Redland (I've lost track how many series she is currently writing at the moment).  Thankfully to spare confusion between them, this one is set in a new location too, Hazelwick Farm in Northumberland. 

And as you should be now come to expect from this author, it packs a fair punch in terms of emotions and impactful storylines, while bundled up in between a lot of wonderful sounding animals. 

We have Maddie who has barely spoken civilly to her mother Grace in two years and seems to resent the move to this new farm.  But Grace and her mother Frances both need new starts for various reasons and have always been  more farm girls than city folk. 

Grace is still wondering why husband Laurie left her, as he hasn't given a reason, but she is determined to throw herself into this new life. It's clear she loves her animals, and although I've mentioned cuddle cows, which are w new experience she hopes to add to the farm, there are also pygmy goats, and heavies horses (big tall breeds), which she can use for equine therapy.  

And Frances is a keen baker and is revitalising the cafe on the farm too, so it's all the women in the family ,as they get to know the local area, and experience a fair few ups and downs. 

The location is picturesque, and I would love to also play with the guinea pigs, dogs and the cat, there are a lot of animals, which is hardly a surprise for fans of this author.  It's obvious she loves nature and animals and  I loved seeing how this story would pan out. 

There's emotional growth and development for all characters, secrets to come out, and some heart wrenching ones at that. 

I adored this book and think it's a brilliant start to what should be another fantastic series, from an author at the top of her game. 

Thank you to Boldwood Books and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily. 

Book Review - Secrets of the Italian Guesthouse by Sue Moorcroft - #HolidayReading Tunisia

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Title: Secrets of the Italian Guesthouse

Author: Sue Moorcroft

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Renegade Books

Publication Date: 2nd July 2026

Rating: 5 Stars

Two sisters she's never met

A first love who's impossible to forget...

For Jade, life in Lake Como is la dolce vita. Until her beloved grandmother passes, leaving Jade not just the family's bustling guesthouse to run, but two life-changing secrets to confront...

The pensione hasn't just been left to Jade, it's also been inherited by her sisters - who she had no idea existed. As Erin and Rosalie arrive in Italy, Jade is forced to face the heart-wrenching prospect of sharing her last remaining tie to the woman who raised her.

Jade is desperately trying to hold on to the past, but there's one person she would prefer to leave firmly behind: her first love, Leo. He's back in the city that is filled with the memories they once made together. But as Jade fights to take control of her future and her heart, why do all cobbled roads lead back to Leo?

Lose yourself in the first, utterly romantic novel in a brand-new trilogy, filled with new beginnings and second chances. Perfect for fans of Sarah Morgan and Milly Johnson.

A brilliant start to a new series from Sue Moorcroft. 

This book is full to the brim of secrets and it sends Jade on a topsy-turvy ride about family, friendship, and trust.

The author really puts Jade through the wringer in this story, as it seems just as she is adjusting to one life change, another one is hot on its heels. 

This was compelling reading at its finest. I was hooked from the first few pages, and was still astounded by the end. 

I loved getting to know Jade and Leo, who are both really lovely people. 

There is a lot going on, and I was totally there for every second of it 

I am already very eager to read the rest of this trilogy. Bring it on!

Thank you to Renegade Books and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily. 

Book Review - Growing Old Disgracefully by Karen King

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Title: Growing Old Disgracefully

Author: Karen King

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source Netgalley 

Publisher: Boldwood Books

Publication Date: 20th April 2026

Rating: 5 Stars

When Nancy’s husband disappears to ‘find himself’ on a worldwide tour, just before he’s due to retire, she’s devastated to find he’s left her penniless.

She has the house though… and so she does the only thing she can. She finds lodgers. Her sister Val thinks it’s a mad idea, but Nancy’s sure it’ll be fine, as long as she doesn’t have anyone young and chaotic, so she selects three lodgers of similar age to her.

But she soon realises that life model Jackie, fortune teller Phyllis, and ageing rocker Marvin might be a more crazy group than teenagers would be. What’s more… they’re determined to help Nancy find her own wild side!

Don’t miss this hilarious, uplifting story about how it’s never too late to find the fun in life

This is feel good fiction at its finest. 

Nancy is devastated when she reads a note from her husband saying he has left her, cleaned out the savings, and gone off to travel, but that she can keep the house.  But that it's still got a mortgage has husband is awful with finance. 

Realising she needs to do something so that she can keep paying off the debt, she decides to take in lodgers on a temporary basis, ideally those over a certain age, as she assumes they will be nice boring peaceful people to share her house with. 

What she actually gets is exhibitionist Jackie, tea leaf reading Phyllis (and she might have an adorable pet), and Slate who is in a rock band! 

Suddenly her preconceptions turn upside down, but she is also starting to be open to new ideas and opportunities and I loved seeing Nancy start to properly thrive. 

And I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know her new house mates as they all start to bond. 

There are antics galore in this, in what is an amusing and simply brilliant story, showing you should never write anyone off just because they are approaching pensionable age! 

Thank you to Boldwood Books and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily. 

Book Review - Storm Clouds Ahead for the Village Midwife by Tilly Tennant

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Title: Storm Clouds Ahead for the Village Midwife

Author: Tilly Tennant

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Bookouture

Publication Date: 15th June 2026

Rating: 4 Stars

As the sun crests the indigo Lake District hills and blossom froths in the trees, midwife Zoe Padbury reaches for her boyfriend’s hand. Her life, at this moment, feels perfect. She has no idea of the storm clouds that lie ahead…

The villagers of Thimblebury know that midwife Zoe Padbury loves babies and now that she’s settled at Hilltop Farm with her boyfriend Alex, they can’t resist wondering when she’s going to start a family of her own. Yet it doesn’t feel like quite the right time. Alex is so busy and Zoe has her hands full with all her new mums to look after. Still, she has hopes for the future…

But what she doesn’t expect is to walk into her cosy kitchen and find Alex’s glamorous ex-girlfriend sitting at the scrubbed pine kitchen table. Virginia claims to be helping Alex with work but as she looks Zoe up and down and offers her a perfectly manicured hand to shake, Zoe can’t ignore a shiver of foreboding. What will this mean for her and Alex?

Zoe tries to quash the pangs of jealousy that wash over her, but with Virginia around what feels like all hours of the day, she and Alex end up in a devastating argument. And when she receives some news that changes everything, she doesn’t know if she can share her troubles… Can they find their way back to each other? Or will these storm clouds break their bond forever?

A completely heartwarming read about trusting the one you love when times get tough. Fans of Jo Bartlett and Jessica Redland will laugh, cry and root for Zoe in Storm Clouds Ahead for the Village Midwife.

It was a welcome delight to be back in Thimblebury, and back with Zoe and her expectant mothers. 

With this being the fourth book I've now read in this series, I felt totally at home instantly with all the characters, and it's probably for that reason I was getting frustrated with Zoe during this book. 

She has her own health issue and she is putting her head in the sand a bit, and then not really being honest and it was just driving me a bit bonkers.  Although equally I could relate as I tend to have ostrich syndrome when it comes to a lot of things too! 

Alex and Zoe are really shaky in this book, both with their own things going on.  Billie on the other hand is really starting to find her feet, and seems to be growing in some confidence as a young mum.  And Maisie I love more with each book, her mother less so. 

It's great to catch up with all the recent births we have seen before, and it was good to see Simon in a new light too. 

I am very glad though that I'm already aware that there is another book coming out in this series, as to me this felt like a book that was setting up for another book.  I wasn't that keen on the way it ended, and it's made me all the more keen to get my hands on the next book so that I can see what will happen next. 

It's another really enjoyable instalment in this series and I can't wait for more. 

Thank you to Bookouture and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily. 

Book Review - The Daisy Chain Flower Shop by Laurie Gilmore

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Title: The Daisy Chain Flower Shop

Author: Laurie Gilmore

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: One More Chapter

Publication Date: 5th May 2026

Rating: 4 Stars

The greatest love is the one you never expected to find

Daisy is fed up with being unlucky in love. And since Mayor Kelly declared her beloved flower shop cursed in one of his infamous visions, business has been slow.

Dream Harbor newcomer Elliot has been adjusting to small-town life following his own relationship turmoil. And until now he’s avoided the flower shop at all costs. If the mayor is correct, he doesn’t need any more bad luck in his life.

When he finds himself walking through the door of the Daisy Chain Flower Shop, he doesn’t expect it to be a life-changing moment. But as the petals blossom in the sunlight, might the unluckiest woman in Dream Harbor finally find that love comes when you’re least expecting it?

It's always good to be back in Dream Harbor, and this time we are catching up with two characters who were present in the previous book, had possibly even noticed each other, at least Elliot definitely had eyes for Daisy, and yet by the time this book starts, they are still relative strangers. 

The entire town is convinced Daisy is cursed in romance and as a result are no longer trusting her and her flower shop to do the flowers for weddings. As a result the shop is struggling, and Daisy after finding herself faced with an ex, ropes Elliott in as a fake boyfriend. 

Oh I do love fake dating, and Elliott has watched enough rom coms to know how this could turn out, also know what he already feels towards Daisy but still agrees to the arrangement, after all it could get his concerned family members off his back for a bit. 

What I really loved is when an old photo from the past surfaces and has Daisy and Elliott digging into their family histories, and Daisy learning all about a relative she suddenly feels very close to.

Once again I thoroughly enjoyed the speed gossip is spread around Dream Harbour, and just how involved the community is with each others lives.  I enjoyed catching up with all of the previous lead characters from the series, and by now I feel totally as though I'm a local myself. 

I fear this could be the last in the series, which would be a shame, but it's a wonderful series, with plenty of spice, and some really wonderful characters. 

Thank you to One More Chapter and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily. 

Book Review - A French Fling for the Golden Gals by Judy Leigh

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Title: A French Fling For The Golden Gals

Author: Judy Leigh

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Boldwood Books

Publication Date: 8th May 2026

Rating: 4 Stars

Sixty-one-year-old Maxine Sweet has a new life stretching in front of her.

Her longed-for retirement is finally here and she’s ready to enjoy it with partner Russell. Ready that is, until she gets home early to find Russell in flagrante delicto with a female friend.

With her best laid plans in tatters, Max has a choice to make – mope at home or spread her wings. And when a chance comes to bask in the French sun for a glorious month, there’s only one thing for it. Suitcase packed, Max heads off to the Brittany town of Plouvannec-Sur-Mer – home of tempting boulangeries, breath-taking beaches, not to mention some rather fine looking men of the perfect vintage.

As the irresistible French joie de vivre takes over and new friends welcome her, Max realises that perhaps it’s not too late for a whole new life. A new future full of adventure and maybe even some romance is just one brave decision away…

Fans of Celia Anderson, Kate Galley and Maddie Please will love Judy Leigh’s warm-hearted and fun-filled stories of seizing the moment - at every stage of life.

Another really enjoyable book from Judy Leigh and I was loving the return to Plouvannec-Sur-Mer, which is a setting I instantly felt at home in. 

It was great getting to know Maxine, and seeing how she slowly integrates into the town, during the month she is staying there. 

JF was a very interesting character, whereas I really disliked Russell. 

And the various ladies of the town so welcoming and friendly, and I never guessed the real truth about Bea, so that definitely took me by surprise. I also suspected what Max was thinking initially. 

This was a lovely holiday read and I definitely felt transported to Brittany, and loved the occasional use of Breton words too. 

Thank you to Boldwood Books and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily. 

Book Review - The Serial Killer Support Network by D B Stephens

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Title: The Serial Killer Support Network

Author: D B Stephens

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: One More Chapter

Publication Date: 24th April 2026

Rating: 5 Stars

Therapy was just the beginning…

For six months someone known only as The Caretaker has been committing crimes against those who have wronged.

Now, women across the country have been inspired to take control of their own lives and seek revenge on the people who hurt them.

The Caretaker is more than just a killer, he’s become a movement. And the serial killer support group have found themselves at the heart of it…

**

See what readers are saying about The Serial Killer Support Network

WTF as that ending! I have to assume that there will be another book in this series and I need to read it now (I appreciate there is a chance it may not exist yet!). 

I loved this second book just as brilliant as the first one 

I never had a clue what would happen next, so full of twists and turns. 

And I loved the concept and execution once again of "The Caretaker" and what he stands for.   The victims of this serial killer are all totally horrible men that need to be made an example of. 

If you are triggered by stories involving any form of abuse, then  this might not be the best book for you,

This was incredibly gripping and I was completely and utterly hooked on this book.  Just fabulous. 

Thank you to One More Chapter and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily. 

Book Review - A Murder in Eight Cocktails by Kelly Mullen

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Title: A Murder in Eight Cocktails

Author: Kelly Mullen

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Penguin

Publication Date: 26th March 2026

Rating: 4 Stars

Mix one old flame with a splash of suspicion for the perfect. . . murder.

In the seaside haven of Carmel-by-the-Sea, Willa Keane’s marriage is in a rut. As a retired interior-designer-turned-influencer, she’s sure life begins at fifty-five, whereas her husband, Marty, is more interested in watching his beloved birds.

So when Willa is invited to the opening of the chicest new cocktail bar in town, she hopes the evening will rekindle their flame. But arriving at the party, Willa is shaken to discover it’s being hosted by her charming ex-husband, Paul.

The night is thrown into even deeper chaos when the bar’s enigmatic owner is found dead on the rocks below. A suicide message suggests there’s no foul play, but Willa’s heightened senses aren’t so sure. Now she must solve the mystery together with her husband…and her ex-husband.

I really enjoyed this cosy crime novel set in the world of cocktails, to the extent that I couldn't resist ordering a cocktail from the hotel bar while I was reading it. 

Although mine was a regular pina colada and the eight featured in the opening of the new cocktail bar that Willa has been invited to are all with an Aquavit base to them. 

Willa and husband Marty, were not though expecting to see Willa's ex husband Paul there. Nor were they anticipating coming across a dead body before the evening ends. 

However although the police are insisting its suicide, Willa is convinced something more sinister is in play, and with the help of Paul, and reluctant help of Marty starts trying to detect things herself. 

We learn a lot about cocktails in this, and about Aquavit and also time.  In addition to ASMR for Willa makes ASMR Cocktail making videos for her online audience. 

Willa and Marty to my eyes looked as though there were growing apart as they ease into early retirement, but this new interest of Willa's could change everything for them. 

I loved their attempts at detecting, and although subtle at times, seemed fairly effective and seeing Willa's various theories was also fun.   Marty's jealousy about them spending time with Paul was also fun to see. 

A highly enjoyable book and the first I have read from this author,  If this urns into a series I will certainly be keen to read more. 

Thank you to Penguin and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.