Book Review - Motherfaker by Anna Brook-Mitchell - #HolidayReading Dom Rep

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Title: MotherFaker

Author: Anna Brook-Mitchell

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Macmillan

Publication Date: 26th February 2026

Rating: 5 Stars

Meet Barri Brown. Respected teacher. Upstanding citizen of Guernsey. Down for a bit of law-breaking . . .

Barri is preparing for a year’s paid maternity leave but there’s a catch:

She isn’t pregnant.

With seven foam bumps, a wardrobe full of smock dresses and a great pregnancy heist planned, all Barri has to do is blag it until she can disappear for good, without getting caught and being sent to prison for fraud. Child’s play.

But can she really get away with telling the mother of all lies?

This book was totally brilliant, slightly bonkers but definitely brilliant. 

Barri gives off main character energy in spades. Her opinions on everything are often the sorts of things you may think privately but never say.  She's a slightly prickly character, not helped by the fact that Sean has just broken up their marriage by text message 

And when she decides she would like to quit her job (with the most amazing resignation letter) and go travelling she discovers the depth of Sean's despicableness. 

So Barri decides instead to in the heat of the moment announce she is pregnant with the aim of at the end of it getting maternity pay and leave and be able to leave Guernsey for good. 

She's convinced she has no friends, and that her own family isn't keen on her, at least until the baby news gets out. 

Between a new friendship with a medical professional that is happy to sign off on this scheme, all of her newly purchased bumps, plus  a student who is getting under her skin you have the bones of this excellent story. 

And seeing how Barri tries to keep her lie sin place, while also starting to bond with her nephews a bit more is really quite heartening. 

You may not have met Barri before but I suspect you wont' forget her in a while. 

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

Book Review - The Island Retreat by Cathy Kelly

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Title: The Island Retreat

Author: Cathy Kelly

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: HarperCollins

Publication Date: 26th February 2026

Rating: 5 Stars

Six guests. One week to uncover their secrets.

Rose Talisman is pinning it all on a fresh start.

Five years after her career as a therapist ended in one catastrophic instant, she is opening a retreat in Corfu. The understated, luxurious Villa Artemis is surrounded by wild pines and sea views.

Just six guests. One week. Time for Rose to help them face their secrets – and move forwards.

But Rose has staked everything on the retreat. It has to work – or she loses it all. And people’s secrets have a way of revealing themselves in ways no one expected.

Nobody’s past is staying hidden for long…

Will that include Rose’s, too?

It's been a long while since I last read a Cathy Kelly novel, and having just finished The Island Retreat I have no idea why I left it so long. 

I was totally and utterly fascinated by The Island Retreat.  I loved Rose's approach to therapy and how she is trying to help the six guests on this debut retreat in Corfu. 

All the guests are all so different, but they definitely need help, whether they realise it or not, and some of their stories really did get under my skin. 

And I loved the setting of Corfu, and the nearby town of Xanthe (even if I initially kept reading it as Zante, which of course is another Greek Island).  Rose, Adriana and Christos have created a wonderful hotel and retreat and their yoga instructor is rather tasty! 

But at the same time it is clear that Rose is hiding something from her past, which has stopped her from having relationships, and that someone is now threatening to expose.  Some of the past secrets are really hard to read, but the author deals with difficult subjects with sensitively and it all felt authentic. 

I found that when I wasn't reading this, my mind was on the characters, and hoping they would all get the resolutions they deserved.  

Thoroughly enjoyed this story and I have made a mental note not to leave it so long between Cathy Kelly novels in future! 

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

Book Review - Murder at the Duomo by T. A. Williams

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Title: Murder at the Duomo

Author: T. A. Williams

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Boldwood Books

Publication Date: 2nd February 2026

Rating: 5 Stars

Even angels can have a dark side...

As the sticky heat of August settles over Florence, Dan Armstrong is ready for a well-earned break—sightseeing with fiancée Anna, daughter Tricia and her fiancé Shaun. But when a British man is found dead inside the city’s magnificent Duomo, Dan’s plans quickly change.

The victim, Tristan Angel, is a super-wealthy arms dealer with a saintly name and a devilish reputation. But what was he doing in the cathedral, and who decided to make it his final confession?

At Angel’s opulent villa in the hills of Fiesole, Dan and Commissario Virgilio encounter a colourful cast of suspects—each one hiding secrets and none too eager to talk. As tempers rise and the heat outside grows ever more intense, Dan and his four-legged sidekick, Oscar, must sniff out the truth before the killer strikes again.

What on earth can you say about a book when it's the fourteenth book in a series and every single one of them so far has been utterly brilliant. 

I am totally out of new words for T. A. Williams, and short of inventing some, which would make no sense to anyone else, I may need to sound repetitive. 

For this is another excellent addition to this series. 

Officer Oscar is certainly earning his honorary title, as once again his nose for locating key information is spot on and put to good use.  And this is all the more vital in an investigation that potentially has every international agency interested in the outcome. 

For its an arms dealer that has been murdered, in the Duomo in Florence, and to say it's not just the local police interested would be a possible understatement.  At least until there is a second murder at which point in theory the group of suspects lessens, but at the same time it gets even more complicated. 

There are many different theories and possible motives being suggested by Dan and the police,  but I had absolutely no inkling as to the truth. 

I enjoyed seeing how Dan and Virgilio and his team worked this case out, while also being astounded that given how often there seems to be murders involving English speakers in and around Florence, that the police haven't hired a proper translator by now! 

I'm also thinking that the area may not be that safe to travel to as an English national, given the regularity of dead people showing up! 

Another highly enjoyable addition to this series, which I am still loving as much as I did as the start of it. 

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

Book Review - How To Be Fabulous by Carmen Reid - #HolidayReading Dom Rep

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Title: How To Be Fabulous

Author: Carmen Reid

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Boldwood Books

Publication Date: 23rd January 2026

Rating: 5 Stars

Family, fashion, fiascos—this is how to be fabulous. 💃🏼

Busy mum. Fashion guru. Domestic disaster waiting to happen?

When Annie Valentine agrees to help her best friend Svetlana pull off a charity fashion show, she thinks it’ll be a breeze. After all, no one knows couture quite like Annie, so how hard can it be?

Answer: very. With no venue, no clothes, and definitely no showstopper, Annie’s in danger of her first ever fashion fail.

And just when the wardrobe rails are about to collapse, her family life does too. Daughter Lauren is home from New York with a broken heart, son Owen is off to university with an empty wallet, and Annie is hanging on by a thread.

But when a mystery donation arrives in to save the day—and Annie—it feels like she might just pull it all together. That is, until Owen goes AWOL and everything unravels.

Now Annie has to prove, once and for all, that she really does know How to be Fabulous—on the runway and at home.

Annie Valentine is back! That is always a reason for me to celebrate, given how much I love this series. 

And it's another joyously funny story in this series, with a fair few ups and downs. 

I am struggling to believe that Owen is now old enough to go to university, and it's sweet to see the twins are- starting nursery and how different their personalities already are.

In the centre of this book we have a giant charity fashion show and Annie is running out of time to organise that and do a million and one other things as the same time. 

It's great to catch up with so many old friends, while seeing Annie at her chaotic best. 

There's fashion, humour, friendship, a small mystery and a whole lot more between these pages, and I was devouring every word of it.  

It's another wonderful addition to this series and one I joyously read in an afternoon. 

And I already can't wait for hopefully another book in this series. 

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

Book Review - Letting Go Of Yesterday by Jo Bartlett - #HolidayReading Dom Rep

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Title: Letting Go Of Yesterday

Author: Jo Barlett

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Boldwood Books

Publication Date: 9th November 2025

Rating: 5 Stars

Sometimes the only way forward… is to go back.

When Rowan Bellamy’s marriage collapses in spectacular style, she retreats with her two children, Bella and Theo, to the last place she ever wanted to return—her windswept Cornish hometown of Port Agnes. Taking the headteacher role at the local primary school is the easy part. Facing village gossip, curious neighbours, and old flames? Not so much.

Especially when one of those flames turns out to be Nathan Lark — the boy who broke her heart and the man who now has a reputation as bruised as her own. With his young nephew Leo a pupil in Rowan’s school, she and Nathan are thrown into each other’s lives once more. And whether she likes it or not, the chemistry between them is impossible to ignore.

As salty sea air begins to soothe old wounds and Port Agnes slowly feels like home again, Rowan must decide if she’s brave enough to let go of the past and open her heart one more time.

A heartwarming, emotional story of second chances, seaside charm and the healing power of coming home. Let top ten bestseller Jo Bartlett sweep you away with an uplifting, emotional read —perfect for fans of Veronica Henry, Sarah Morgan and Cathy Bramley.

I believe I have probably said it before and I'm sure I will say again in the future, how much I love Jo Bartlett's Cornwall, especially the three ports area. 

So I was delighted to see a whole host of familiar faces from her other series, appearing in this one, including some of the midwives, and of course Gwen. 

But this is new series and I believe it will be centring around  the local primary school, or at least this first one did. 

Rowan is the new headmistress of the school, but her own children aren't as happy to be in Cornwall as she is. 

Nathan is a very hands on uncle to Leo, who is the most adorable and kind hearted little boy. 

Rowan and Nathan used to have teen crushes on each other, and it's clear something is still there, but for a whole manner of reasons they need to be cautious. 

I adored every word of this book, and was impressed with how much depth there was.  

There is Rowan's soon to be ex-husband's story, the condition Leo is dealing with, Nathan's past, plus elements of blended families and resilience from children as just some of the themes in this book. 

A truly remarkable story that I loved every single second of.  And I can't wait to see what that next book will bring. 

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

Book Review - Golden Girls on the Run by Judy Leigh

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Amazon UK

Title: Golden Girls on the Run

Author: Judy Leigh

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Boldwood Books

Publication Date: 6th December 2025

Rating: 4 Stars

Age is just a number. Trouble is a lifestyle.

When octogenarian sisters-in-law Sadie and Bronagh find themselves at the centre of a scandalous (and slightly explosive) bake-off fiasco, there’s only one thing to do – steal Sadie’s grandson’s gleaming red Ferrari and make a run for it.

Sadie is the practical one, all cardigans and contingency plans. Bronagh treats rules as loose suggestions – especially if mischief or wine is involved.

What begins as a quick getaway across Ireland soon spirals into a wild, cross-country adventure filled with fake identities, unexpected friendships, and more than a few brushes with the law.

Sadie and Bronagh may be on the run, but what they find at the journey’s end might just be what they were missing all along…

A heartwarming, hilarious tale of rebellion, rediscovery, and the true meaning of family.

If you love cake, then you will love this. 

There is fair amount of cake and other food in this book, including various baking competitions! With at least one of which involved cheating, and a policeman ending up with his face planted in a cake!  

If you love road trips then you will love this 

Sally and Bronagh end up "borrowing" grandson Rory's Ferrari to make a getaway, after upsetting that policeman, and they drive off to Dublin to let tempers calm down.  Only one thing leads to another including dancing on a bar, and then Bronagh decides vising some relatives in Devon is an even better idea, and they head off to England. 

Only the rest of the family have no idea until they receive postcards, and the family member they are trying to visit is away himself. 

If you love animals then you will love this. 

The runaway octogenarians end up staying at an animal rescue and are enchanted by the horses, donkey and alpacas especially.  To the extent that Sadie is determined to help the rescue out and raise awareness of it.  Especially after  the rest of their family a few days behind them arrive in town, in a fabulous array of vehicles and become equally enchanted by the area.

What starts as an overnight in Dublin, turns into a fabulous holiday for the whole of the O'Connor clan! 

There are though rather a lot of characters, and trying to keep up with all the family members was slightly confusing at times. 

If you have read The Vintage Village Bake Off, then you will recognise the Devonshire setting and will become reacquainted with Robert, Tressie, Harriet and Bunty.  But if you haven't then don't worry as this totally works as a standalone novel. 

I absolutely love Judy Leigh's later in life characters and Sadie and Bronagh were a real joy to meet and love.  And I really loved most of the characters generally, in addition to all the foodie descriptions.  This is set in the run up to Christmas, but although there is a lovely festive feeling to all of this, it can easily be read at any time of year. 

Another totally loveable book from this author. 

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

Book Review - The Heat of the Moment by Camilla Isley

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Title: The Heat of the Moment

Author: Camilla Isley

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Boldwood Books

Publication Date: 16th February 2026

Rating: 5 Stars

When a slow-burn attraction finally catches fire...

Four years after losing her husband in the line of duty, ER nurse Lily Finnigan has one goal: raise her daughter and keep her heart safely locked away. Romance—even a simple fling—isn’t on the agenda. Until Josh Collins walks into her emergency room.

Gorgeous, charming, and infuriatingly kind, he is everything Lily doesn’t want—but can’t seem to stay away from. When her apartment floods, her new helpful neighbor turns out to be the sexy firefighter she’s been dreaming of. Now he’s everywhere—offering help, stealing smiles, and slowly breaking down her walls.

Lily insists they can only be friends. She swore she would never fall for another firefighter. But the more time she spends with Josh, the more impossible that promise becomes. And when Josh risks his life fighting a wildfire, Lily’s heart shatters with the truth she’s been avoiding: she’s already fallen. The moment he walks back through her door battered and bruised but safe, Lily’s instinct is to run from her past and her future… But Josh won’t let her go that easily.

Don't miss this uplifting second chance romance from Camilla Isley which will make you laugh and cry!

I think I'm in love.

Josh is a total dreamboat of a man, and is utterly perfect. 

He has to be the best book boyfriend I've read about for a long time. 

And if Lily isn't sure whether she wants him or not, then I'll happily take her place! 

For Josh is a fireman, and Lily is adamant that she can't risk her heart to another fireman, after she and her young daughter Penny were widowed.  (She was married to a fireman). 

Lily is trying her hardest not to let Josh in, she feels an instant attraction to him, but is still not ready to move on, but agrees to be friends.  It's just Josh lives in her building, happens to be rather handy and totally charms Penny too. 

This is a romance that creeps up on Lily, at least the depth of her feelings.  While we also get chapters from Josh's point of view, and there are certain hair raising adrenalin pumping scenes especially relating to his job.

I can't over state just how amazing Josh is, he is definitely my new favourite character that I've read about so far this year.  And I was totally hooked on the will they won't they aspect of the book.  

I devoured this story so quickly and loved every second of it.  Emotional in places, hot in others, it's another truly fabulous book from Camilla Isley. 

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

Book Review - The Arctic Cruise by Caroline James

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Amazon UK

Title: The Arctic Cruise

Author: Caroline James

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Avon

Publication Date: 15th January 2026

Rating: 5 Stars

Will the Arctic wonderland work its magic this winter?

Joy never imagined stepping aboard a cruise ship without her husband, Tom. Now widowed, Joy wonders what her voyage on the Emerald Dream will hold – and as it glides through breathtaking Norwegian fjords, she longs to believe in happiness again. However, she carries a secret that could unravel her fragile hopes if it ever came to light…

Elsewhere on deck, as the sun dips below the horizon and the polar night sets in, Henry, a lifelong bachelor, is living his dream of seeing the Northern Lights. Having long since given up on love, he now dedicates himself to his passion for photography. But when he meets Joy, is it more than the aurora borealis that catches his eye?

As they embark on a snow-dusted adventure which takes them from bustling ports to reindeer-drawn sleigh rides, will Joy and Henry find the courage to embrace love again? Or will hidden truths sink the possibility of a new beginning?

A heartwarming, feel-good voyage of self-discovery, romance and second chances, perfect for fans of Sarah Morgan and Judy Leigh.

As I believe I may have said before Caroline James and Cruising is a great combination.  And Caroline James and Christmas is a great combination.  And I've always wanted to cruise at Christmas so this was clearly the sort of book I was always going to love. 

And love it I definitely did! 

Absolutely wonderful to be back on board the Emerald Dream, and with some vaguely familiar faces from previous books back, and a whole raft of new guests, this was another book that I totally and utterly adored. 

What a totally amazing assortment of characters.  From the over privileged Barbara and Kenneth who I couldn't help but laugh at most of the time, to Lady Eleanor who is a remarkable and dignified woman. 

Although this is loosely connected to the previous books involving cruises by this author, this can easily be read as a standalone story, even with a few familiar faces. 

Then there is Joy who is one of our main characters, who should have been on this cruise with husband Tom, for their wedding anniversary, but he is no longer alive, and Joy is just starting to recover from his death.  It's clear things weren't as they seemed in the marriage, and I loved seeing Joy really start to find her way back to herself and grow in confidence as the story progresses. 

We also have Henry, who is the other solo traveller at the table Joy is dining at in the main dining room, and he is a fascinating man. I was, like Joy not totally sure what his feelings towards the Audrey he kept mentioning where, but I did have an inkling as to the truth.  He is also a passionate photographer and fascinated by the Northern Lights.  

I absolutely loved the descriptions of the ports of call, and the various trips that Joy and her new friends were taking at each of them.  I especially loved the sound of the reindeer experience, which is definitely something I will need to do eventually (if I ever decide to brave a proper cold weather holiday). 

There was so much for me to love about this book, and I enjoyed every single moment of it.  It was a joy to read, and I devoured the pages and couldn't get enough of it.  And I'm already excited for Caroline James' next cruise book. 

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

Book Review - Love Ahoy! by Jo Lyons

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Title: Love Ahoy! 

Author: Jo Lyons

Format reviewed: Ebook 

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Boldwood Books

Publication Date: 14th February 2026

Rating: 5 Stars

Maddie Summers has never been the impulsive type. So taking a new job as a holiday rep in Turkey is way out of her comfort zone. Will embarking on a boat trip with a host of demanding passengers see her all at sea - literally?

But then there’s Jackson, the sexy Australian rep who she’s falling for, hook, line and sinker. Though any chance of romance is complicated by Maddie’s gift for chaos, the powerful family onboard ship (including their light-fingered five-year-old), and a supervisor with secrets he’ll do anything to keep hidden.

Amid the rough waves of jealous crewmates, missing jewellery and even a potential man overboard, Maddie must be brave and throw logic to the wind. Can she take a risk and set a course for love?

This funny, hot, spicy rom-com is perfect for fans of Sophie Kinsella, Portia MacIntosh and Abby Jimenez.

Jo Lyons is fast becoming one of my favourite authors, especially after reading Love Ahoy! which was totally and utterly entertaining. 

Set in the mid 90's so before the internet was widely available, let alone smart tech etc.. but as package holidays were going from strength to strength, this was a wonderfully nostalgic book for me. 

Not just for the 90s, but also because I spent a few seasons as a children's rep for TUI and thus could relate to Maddie a lot, especially in not overly feeling like she belongs.  Although in my case it's because I'm not a huge drinker and was generally a bit older than the rest of the reps.  Whereas Maddie believes she has been hired to work in accounts at head office in Bodrum, but in fact is made to be a rep with the not overly professional Bodrum South team, and to spend a week on a Gulet, hosting a rather rich and powerful family. 

Maddie has never flown before, and so her opening chapters, leaving for the airport, her mother's worry, and then the reminder that back in the 90s you could smoke on planes and that airport security wasn't like it is now.  I even enjoyed that she was flying on a Thomson plane (who would of course years later in real life become TUI).   

Maddie's first encounter with the LoveIt Holidays reps is in the coach park of the airport, when she implies she can do their job better than they can, and it leads to a nightmare of a situation.  Having had to deal with airport transfers myself in Mallorca, I could picture everything so so clearly 

Her encounters with Jackson and her first night in resort, were surreal, and totally in line with the sorts of antics you would potentially expect.  

And the boat trip itself, well the rest of the team are iffy, some more so than others, and add in a kleptomaniac 5 year old boy who is utterly adorable and incredibly smart and observant, and the lot of horny young people, getting up to stuff in any semi private space possible and you have the ingredients for a hilarious book 

This whole story just felt so familiar to me (Ok maybe not one of the latter storylines, I definitely didn't experience the bits I can't spoil for anyone), and I devoured it over the course of an afternoon (when I possibly should have been working, but didn't want to leave the book).

Loved every single word of this.  Bring on the next book from this author! 

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

Book Review - Hooked On You by Ada Barumé

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Amazon UK

Title: Hooked On You

Author: Ada Barumé

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Avon

Publication Date: 10th April 2025

Rating: 3 Stars

This job is about to hook, line and sink her…

Ore has (almost) landed her dream job as an investigative reporter for the New Yorker. There’s only one catch – they’ll only give her the job if she can get the scoop on working for the elusive billionaire Chuck Regas To write the article, she’s got to spend two weeks on his luxury yacht off the coast of Australia, and convince the crew to spill the beans.

Daniel has (almost) landed his dream job as captain of a super yacht down under. There’s only one catch – he has to take one last job, chartering a yacht for an eccentric billionaire, and making sure an unfairly beautiful journalist doesn’t distract his crew from their work.

But making sure Ore doesn’t sink his chances of staying on course by sea-ducing his crew turns into a much harder job than Daniel expected. Ore’s also finding her assignment more difficult than she ever thought, thanks to the crew’s loyalty to Captain Daniel, but also, the waves of attraction towards him that keep crashing over her.

This was an enjoyable book, but I just felt as though I wanted more from it.  

I wasn't totally convinced by the chemistry between Ore and Daniel, and for a book set on a super yacht, I was hoping perhaps from a bit more of the places that were being visited, especially when it's on a trip around New Caledonia, so nice and exotic for this reader!  

That being said I loved the investigative journalistic instincts that Ore has, as she was sent to write a puff profile piece on the billionaire Chuck, but then feels that there is far more to the story than she first thinks.  

I though struggled to take to most of the characters, some by design, and although I was happy enough reading this book, and on paper it should have been something that I would have devoured and been raving about - it just fell a bit flat for me.

I think I just had too high expectations for this book that stood no chance in reality.  I enjoyed the author's writing style though and would be interested in perhaps reading another in the future from from her. 

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