Book Review - Missing In Soho by Holly Stars

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Title: Missing In Soho

Author: Holly Stars

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Penguin 

Publication Date: 5th February 2026

Rating: 5 Stars

Photographer Jeremy Edmunds has vanished without a trace. Last known location? Soho.

As the owner of Lady’s Bar, no one knows the city – and its secrets – better than drag queen Misty Divine. So who better to help private detective Sylvester Green follow this missing man’s trail than the Queen of Soho herself?

But no sooner has one mystery landed, than another one takes Misty by surprise.

Because the next day, Sylvester is back. The difference? Yesterday, he was alive and safe. Today, he’s dripping blood onto her doorstep after narrowly escaping an attack on his life.

With danger drawing in, Misty must take Sylvester’s investigation into her perfectly manicured hands. Can she solve the case, and find the missing photographer?

Or will the next crime for Misty to solve be a murder?

How on earth did i totally miss Holly Stars debut novel, and the first book in the series. I spotted this one was available to review and given I know I have seen her in a few shows before including Death Drop, so the name was familiar and when I saw it was a book set in the world of drag too, I knew I had to read it. 

And I can safely say I will 100% be on the look out for book three, I raced through this book totally gripped.  It took a while to get to know the characters, especially since there are plenty of references to the events of the first book that I hadn't read, but I do believe this can definitely be read as a standalone. 

And I'm in awe of Misty Devine, or Joe out of drag.  They are determined to get the bottom of why a private investigator has asked her to find Jeremy and warned them they are in danger, having just been stabbed himself. 

What they didn't expect to uncover while digging is a whole bigger issue, and one that I believe will resonate with the queer community in real life too. There are though attitudes from the people that Misty and their friends and fellow drag artists encounter that a absolutely sickening to hear. I have no idea how much of these slurs and ideologies the author may have come across in her own life, to draw from, but it saddens me to know that there will be people out there that think that way.

I loved the amount of blatant lawbreaking in pursuit of truth that there was in this story.  And the last quarter or so where everything starts to ramp up, had my blood pumping and I was just willing Misty on.

And then that ending, well let's just say I'd really like to read the next book now please, or as soon as its written! 

I thoroughly enjoyed delving into the drag scene in Soho, seeing many familiar street names, while everything else is fictional. It felt familiar and I absolutely adored all the various pop culture references, most of which I was actually aware of! And I could picture the outfits very clearly too, as it wouldn't be drag without absolutely stunning outfits. 

Thoroughly enjoyed my time between the pages of this. What a great book. 

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

Book Review - Score to Settle by Bella North - #HolidayReading Dom Rep

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Title: Score to Settle

Author: Bella North

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Bookouture

Publication Date: 10th September 2025

Rating: 4 Stars

The plan was simple. Charm the hotshot city journalist and fix my reputation. But her deep brown eyes seem to see right through me, and I can’t get her out of my head. Maybe this time, getting the girl is the reputation I want...

On the field, I’m the player of my sponsors’ dreams. But off it, I’m in trouble. And apparently the only way to clean up my image is to put on a good show for a reporter so the world can see who I am at heart…

But I never cared about giving the world the real me, and I don’t want an outsider in my home. Especially one with high heels set to trample all over me, a knowing smirk and a temper I can’t help but poke…

She looks at me like she knows everything about me and she doesn’t like what she sees. So why do I find myself wanting to show her things I’ve never shared with anyone?

I never could resist a challenge. I’m meant to be clearing up my image, but suddenly the only thing I want to clear is the path to her heart.

She says it’s game on. I say it’s game over…

An enemies-to-lovers forced proximity sports and cowboy romance, Score to Settle is perfect for fans of Stephanie Archer, Liz Tomforde and Elsie Silver. The first in the Oakwood Ranch series, it can also be read as a standalone.

This maybe Bella North's debut novel, but I have read many other books from the person behind the pen name, and I'm impressed to see that spicy sports romance is yet another string to this author's bow. 

And if only it was almost any other sport, like one I actually enjoy or understand then I would have probably devoured this a lot quicker. 

As it was that book grew on me, I became more and more invested in it, to the extent that I am left wondering just how Jake's season ended... I need to know, although given this is the first book in the Oakwood Ranch series I suspect I will find out at some point. 

I loved the Denver ranch setting, of Tight End Jake and sports journalist Harper who is writing a profile on him, with round the clock access for five weeks. 

And if you are confused as to what a tight end is, then don't worry so is Harper and given her lack of NFL knowledge, we are given some explanations. 

And we also get a fair bit of NFL action, which is where I was wishing it was real football and not American football, as one I love, the other isn't for me! 

Jake needs to clean up his image, and Harper has her own agenda, which means sparks will and do fly! 

I loved getting to know the whole of Jake's family,  and am already looking forward to more books set on the ranch. 

But wow the chemistry between them is electric and I was really enjoying the more intimate scenes. 

Highly enjoyable first book of 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 - You Rock My World by Camilla Isley - #HolidayReading Dom Rep

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Title: You Rock My World

Author: Camilla Isley

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Boldwood Books

Publication Date: 11th September 2025

Rating: 4 Stars

She was supposed to fix his image, not fall for the man behind the fame. Can their love hit all the right notes? 🎵

When Josie gets trapped overnight in an elevator with Rian Phoenix—global rock legend—she figures it’ll be a funny story to tell, not a plot twist with heartache written all over it. Only, the real Rian isn’t the bad boy the headlines describe. He is witty, kind, and unexpectedly swoon-worthy. By morning, they’ve shared snacks, secrets, and sparked a dangerously real connection. Then the elevator doors open. Reality crashes in, and Josie becomes a stranger he’s not supposed to remember. She walks away with a bruised heart and a vow to steer clear of rockstars forever.

A year later, Josie’s steady again—until she’s reassigned as Rian’s PR manager. Back in his orbit, she must keep things professional to protect her job—and avoid falling for him all over again. But Rian hasn’t forgotten her. Too bad picking up where they left off could cost her everything. With the world watching, Josie has to decide whether to guard her heart and her career… or press play on a love story that finally hits all the right notes.

Rock My World is a heartfelt, light-hearted romantic comedy perfect for fans of Sarah Adams, Abby Jimenez and Ashley Poston! ✨💞

I really enjoyed Josie and Dorian's story, from their initially meeting in a rather long encounter in a broken down elevator, to them having to work together and perhaps try dating in secret. 

Although Dorian's ex-wife could be throwing major spanners into the works. 

Josie is a family girl, terrific auntie really is trying not to lose her heart to rockstar Rian. 

Rian on the other hand is determined to woo her, and gives her some wonderful experiences as a reult. 

I loved their dynamics and communication, and all their flirting etc.. was really hot. 

If I couldn't have Rian for myself, then I was glad that Josie had a shot! 

This was a rock star romance with the sparks flying. There is clear chemistry at play, but in a forbidden love kind of a way. 

It's a highly enjoyable book from an author I always love reading. 

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

Book Review - The Lottery Winner Widows Club by Elly Vine

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Title: The Lottery Winner Widows Club

Author: Elly Vine

Format reviewed: Epub 

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Wildfire

Publication Date: 26th March 2026

Rating: 5 Stars

Meet The Lottery Winner Widows Club - a fabulous, filthy-rich sisterhood whose husbands all hit the jackpot . . . and then mysteriously dropped dead.

Paula is having a surreal week. Having just lost her husband, John, in a freak car accident, she's utterly gobsmacked when, two days later, she wins the lottery - with the ticket he bought.

Just as she thinks things can't get crazier, Paula is approached by a tight-knit trio of glamorous women - also jackpot winners - with dead husbands, suspiciously large bank accounts . . . and a very specific interest in Paula.

They tell her that they've been where she is now. That grief looks good on her. That freedom does, too. There's just one problem: Paula didn't kill her husband. She loved him, of course.

But something about their world - lavish, secretive, thrilling - is hard to resist. And when word of Paula's jackpot win spreads and others come sniffing around for a share, she's faced with the ultimate choice: hold onto her old life, or accept help from her new friends, whose methods are a little more . . . unconventional.

Twisty, mischievous, and deliciously dark, The Lottery Winner Widows Club is a story of luck, lies, and the dangerous appeal of starting over, from a fresh new voice in the crime world.

I had a great time reading this book. In fact reading may not be accurate, I devoured it.  I was enjoying it so much I wasn't aware of time passing, I just needed to keep knowing what would happen next. 

It also raises the question of if you were to win big on the lottery and were in a less than ideal marriage, would you get rid of your husband in a permanent manner?

As that is the premise of the group of new friends Paula finds herself making, only she is adamant that she didn't kill John, she is grieving him, she is helpless without him  But yet the others have offed their husbands, and are all rather rich too. 

And with that you have a fledgling friendship, where Paula starts to discover who she is without John.  Her adult children seem to have pre-conceived ideas as to what she should do, and there are relatives and all manner of people asking her for money, after word of the Lottery win gets out. 

Some of them far more sinister than others! 

And this new group of women, they are a breath of fresh air, various ages, but they don't just want to stop with their own husbands, they would ideally like to rid the world of other horrific men.  But well things aren't always as they seem, and it turns out cold heartedly plotting something is easier said than done! 

There are multiple twists and turns, and plenty of reveals that I certainly didn't see coming at all.  There is a total and utter mastermind to the group, who is utterly brilliant too. 

I absolutely loved my time spent with Audrey, Teddy, Ivy and both Paulas (one is in dog form).  I loved the various extravagant purchases mentioned, as well as Paula now trying to adjust to the fact that she can afford to spend money. 

I'm also incredibly impressed that an author I know more as a rom-com author, under another name, is now writing fabulous comic crime.  I think she may have found a new niche and long may it continue. 

This is a lot of fun, and I was incredibly satisfied with the ending. I just really hope this isn't the last we see of these wonderful women. 

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

Book Review - Family Ties for the Village Midwife by Tilly Tennant

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Title: Family Ties For The Village Midwife

Author: Tilly Tennant

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley 

Publisher: Bookouture

Publication Date: 9th March 2026

Rating: 5 Stars

As the clouds chase the sun across the Lake District hills, and the warm breeze hints at spring on the way, midwife Zoe Padbury is counting her blessings. Until a surprise arrival changes everything…

Zoe Padbury is a big believer in second chances. She’s been so happy since she started over in the village of Thimblebury. Especially now she’s moved into Hilltop Farm with her boyfriend Alex and can be on hand to help his daughter when her baby arrives.

All that changes when Zoe’s father arrives, arm in arm with his newly pregnant fiancée Chantal. Chantal is bowled over by Thimblebury’s picture-perfect charm, and before Zoe’s had a chance to draw breath, they’ve made plans to get married in the old stone church, make Zoe their future baby’s midwife and move into the cottage next door.

Worried about her mum’s broken heart and how Alex feels about having her family so close by, at first Zoe doesn’t notice that Chantal’s brother has also moved in and is determined to make trouble, ruining the lives of the people who have made her feel so welcome. With the villagers up in arms about his behaviour, Zoe is torn in two. Can she protect her new life and love without losing her family?

Fans of Jessica Redland and Shari Low will adore this funny and romantic page-turning read about family, trusting your heart and seizing that second chance.

I am absolutely loving this series, and from the second I started reading this, i felt wrapped up in Zoe's life again as though I had never been away. 

It was so good to be back in Thimblebury, amongst Zoe and her friends and all the expectant mums.  And also the latest dramas in the surgery she is attached to. 

But what really brings the drama this time, isn't all the births (although one of them was rather problematic and scared me), but rather Zoe's family.  Her mother isn't coping with the fact that Zoe's father is moving on and now has a pregnant girlfriend, soon to be wife.  Add in Zoe's dad wanting to get married in her local church, and then decides to move into the village and things start to get dramatic. 

Especially with Chantal's brother on the scene.  I really didn't take to him at all and for good reason.   

Although this could probably be read as a standalone, I definitely felt the benefits of having read the previous books of the series, as I felt so much more immersed in this world of Tilly Tennant's.  I am loving this village so much, and was very happy to see how Billie's pregnancy was progressing. 

And there is a new expectant mother who was in a tricky situation, and I enjoyed seeing how Zoe was trying to help her. 

I'm completely invested in the lives of so many of these side characters now, that I am already looking forward to the next book in the series. For there has to be a next book, as the ending of this one didn't give me anywhere enough sense of the stories being completely told!  I can't wait for more. 

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

Book Review - I Know How This Ends by Holly Smale

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Title: I Know How This Ends

Author: Holly Smale

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Penguin

Publication Date: 14th August 2025

Rating: 5 Stars

If you could see your future, how would you live now?

Margot Wayward is in manically gleeful self-destruct mode. Following the implosion of a ten-year relationship, she’s wilfully derailing her successful career, joyfully taking down men on dating apps, and living in total chaos.

Until one day, when Margot has a vision of herself with a man she’s never met before. She doesn’t believe in fate. But when Margot meets single-dad Henry, the vision comes true: exactly as she’d foreseen it.

As her future continues to reveal itself, a glimpse at a time, Margot realises she knows exactly what’s going to happen, and when. And there’s nothing she can do to change any of it.

So Margot has to decide how to live, how to love again, and how to be herself… Because if you can’t change your destiny, how on earth do you live your present?

What a unique idea this is.  I absolutely loved it.  I was very happy to suspend reality while Margot starts having visions of what appear to be her future. 

And then as a result of these visions, she starts making decisions to try to get this to become a reality. Although she's unsure whether things would happen regardless.  

And even before that we have Margot attempting to self destruct, as we get to know her recent dating history, and how badly she was treated by her ex. There are so many decisions that seem to be really bad from Margot, it makes a great change when she  starts trying to trust these visions. 

Margot is a meteorologist, and is used to forecasting the weather, but her career starts to take some rather interesting turns. There is also a message in this to all influencers to check the validity of a product and company before you start promoting it. 

I loved the way Margot thinks, and was amused by her at the same time. I also enjoyed getting to know Henry. 

I found this was an absorbing book to read that I kept needing to pick up and that I read it incredibly quickly. I was just enjoying it so much 

Once again another fabulous book from Holly Smale.

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

Book Review - The Lake by Catherine Cooper - #HolidayReading Dom Rep

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Amazon UK

Title: The Lake

Author: Catherine Cooper

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: HarperCollins

Publication Date: 6th November 2025

Rating: 5 Stars

Still waters hide dark secrets …

A remote Scottish lake

The guests arriving at Creaglie Castle are expecting discreet luxury, panoramic views, and perhaps a glimpse of one of its infamous ghosts.

No means of escape

When a violent storm severs all contact with the mainland, it’s not the spirits they need to fear…

Trust no one

As the past resurfaces and trust vanishes, it's clear that not everyone will be leaving Creaglie Castle alive.

Will The Lake give up its secrets, before somebody else dies?

Atmospheric, claustrophobically creepy, addictive, compulsive and brilliant are just some of the adjectives that spring to mind about The Lake. 

It's definitely another triumph for Catherine Cooper and this is a book I read over the course of an evening. 

It is also a book that I was so engrossed in that I jumped when someone wanted to talk to me,, at which point I noticed the weather outside was matching the book, and then I jumped again when something near me went bang. 

Turns out books filled with ghosts and raging storms, will make this reader extra jumpy and unsettled.... not sure  I want to go to sleep, as I suspect this book could infiltrate my dreams too. 

Creaglie Castle is steeped in history and also a large number of unfortunate deaths, and thus tends to be considered rather haunted. 

Amongst the view points we get the most intriguing ones of all, some of the stories of the women who were married to the current Laird, Alistair.  To say I was not a fan of this Laird would be an understatement. 

And during the launch weekend of a new ghost hunting enterprise, there are multiple deaths while the castle is totally cut off, and I certainly hadn't figured out who was going around murdering others. 

A completely addictive read, and I'm already curious as to what delights the author will have for us in her next book! 

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

Book Review - Totally Fine by Nick Spalding - #HolidayReading Dom Rep

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Title: Totally Fine

Author: Nick Spalding

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Lake Union Publishing

Publication Date: 15th October 2025

Rating: 5 Stars

He’s fine. Totally fine. Panic attacks? Insomnia? Just stress. Probably. Maybe. He’s…totally fine!

Meet Charlie King. He’s doing great! Honestly. A fantastic job, two solid best mates and a girlfriend who might just be The One. Life is good. Perfect, even.

So why is he waking up in a cold sweat? Why does his heart keep trying to punch its way out of his chest? Charlie should probably see a doctor. That’s what everyone keeps telling him. But it’s not that bad. He just needs a decent night’s sleep. Other than that, he’s Totally Fine.

Except for that car crash a few months ago—the one he barely remembers. The one he hasn’t thought about at all.

Not even once. Not until now…

Can Charlie fix himself—and his two equally deluded best friends—before his job, love life and future unravel completely? Or will his relentless insistence that he’s Totally Fine be the very thing that breaks him?

A wonderful look into male mental health and why men are adamant they don't need a doctor and that they are totally fine, when the rest of the world can see them spiral. 

Even with that as the main theme for this book, it is still a story filled with Nick Spalding's typical humour and some of the situations Charlie and his friends find themselves in are hilarious. 

I was practically laughing out loud at their attempt to use a very small amount of magic mushrooms! 

And some of the descriptions early on of the events that Charlie is planning are brilliant and so vivid I could see everything unfold. 

While at the same time we gradually start to understand what is causing Charlies' health decline, which is revealed slowly, all the while he is adamant that he is totally fine. 

And his girlfriend Annie is a stand up comedian and especially the one set we are treated to was intentionally very funny. 

I feel like the characters although perhaps a bit over the top in what they do, are definitely relatable to. 

This is another fabulous book from an auto read, don't even look at the blurb author for me! 

Thank you to Lake Union Publishing and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily. 

Book Review - How Simi Got Her Groom Back by Sonali Dev

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Title: How Simi Got Her Groom Back

Author: Sonali Dev

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Lake Union Publishing

Publication Date: 3rd March 2026

Rating: 5 Stars

Two sisters. One fake marriage. Zero chance of keeping the truth hidden.

The Naik sisters escaped their traumatic past in Mumbai to come to the States, but their journeys have been vastly different. Simi is working toward a bright future as a pediatric nurse in a small town in Kentucky when Rupi shows up at her door in distress, on the run, and as always, dragging trouble in her wake.

With Rupi’s safety in jeopardy, the sisters hatch a desperate plan to keep her in the country: Rupi must get married—and fast—even if it means Simi recruiting the man she’s been secretly dating as her sister’s groom. A perfect plan? Not quite. But there aren’t many alternatives.

As the big day inches closer, Simi and Rupi face a storm of wedding shenanigans and romantic surprises, not to mention sisterly jealousies. As the stakes and tensions rise, will their secrets tear them apart or will they find a way to risk everything for love?

I'm always a big fan of fake dating, so equally enjoy the idea of a fake marriage. But these are circumstances that I could never have dreamed of, but yet it's a sign of just how strong the love between Simi and Rupi really is.

For Simi is allowing her boyfriend Prem to marry Rupi, in order for her sister to get a green card, and Simi's own green card application is having a few issues itself. 

This is an eye opening story about the realities of immigration in America, and about how hard it must be for people to come to a new country, while fearing for their lives, or freedom back in their own country, 

It's a story of family love, even more so than romance, both from the sisters, but also of Prem's family the Guptas, who embrace Rupi as their own.  And Rupi who has never known these sorts of feelings has no idea how to cope with anything. 

There is plenty of arguing between the siblings, but at the same time, when you learn about their upbringing, and then just what Rupi has been subjected to since arriving two years ago in America, well my heart had to go out to them. 

It's no wonder the only way they believe they can keep each other safe is with this scheme, as what is clear is they dare not return to India.   Simi though struggles with her decision. 

I loved literally all the members of the Gupta clan, from the adorable baby triplets, to N&N, to Baba and especially Prem's mum too.  They are all just wonderful people and although some of the story felt a tad confusing at times, mainly in terms of who knows what, and who is meant to know what element of the truth etc...  it is absolutely wonderful. 

I was hooked on this story, This is the first book I have read from this author but I'm fairly confident it won't be my last. I think many people would certainly benefit from the messages  and sentiment of this story. 

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

Book Review - The French Guesthouse by Isabelle Broom

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Title: The French Guesthouse

Author: Isabelle Broom

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton

Publication Date: 6th November 2025

Rating: 4 Stars

Sometimes the only way to rebuild is to face the past you tried to escape...

On the night Fliss loses everything - her beloved hotel ravaged by fire and fiancé exposed as a cheat - she receives devastating news: her estranged mother has died. They hadn't spoken in fifteen years and Fliss has stayed away for her own self-preservation.

Summoned to a dilapidated guesthouse in France for the reading of the will, Fliss is stunned to discover she has been left all her mother's possessions. But the inheritance comes at a price - both literal and emotional. Sharing the house is Etienne, her mother's grief-stricken, wine-soaked partner, and his guarded yet magnetic nephew, Benoit.

As Fliss begins restoring the guesthouse, she unearths long-buried secrets about her mother, their past and the true cost of her long absence. But to move forward, cure her guilt and claim the love and happiness she's never thought she deserves, Fliss must first reckon with the hardest question of all: can she forgive?

I really felt for Fliss, what an opening to the book she has.  Her hotel being set alight, discovering the cause of that involves her fiancée cheating, and then hearing that her mother has died all at the same time. 

Now Fliss hasn't been in contact with her mother for many years with good reason, as you discover when you learns more about her,  but regardless as per instructions she sets off to France for the will reading, and discovers she has inherited a property. 

Just that she has to share it with Benoit, and Benoit's uncle is a sitting tenant. Etienne is heartbroken over the death of Fliss's mum, and Fliss initially struggled with Etienne, and the idea she may need to stay in France for a while to get this property saleable. 

What follows is a story of Fliss learning more than she ever knew about her mother, which included the heart breaking truths of just why Lilah was like she was.  And Fliss needs to learn to come to terms with so much, all the while fighting attraction for Benoit, while she is still engaged to a scumbag (not that she quite sees it like that). 

I really enjoyed getting to know all of these characters and their back stories so much.  I did at times struggle with Fliss, but ultimately did like her in the end.  I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know the town in France, in addition to the people that are helping on the house. 

There are some lovely characters, and this was a highly enjoyable book. 

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