Book Review - One Step Behind by Lauren North

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Amazon UK

Title: One Step Behind

Author: Lauren North

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Transworld Digital

Publication Date: 16th July 2020

Rating: 5 Stars

Jenna is a wife, a mother, a doctor. She’s also the victim of a stalker.

Every time she leaves her house, she sees him. Disturbing gifts are left at her door. Cruel emails are sent to her colleagues. She has no idea who this man is but she feels powerless against him.

Until the day he is brought into her hospital after a serious accident, and Jenna is given the chance to find out once and for all why this man is tormenting her. Now, the power is all hers.

But how many lines is she willing to cross to take back control of her life?

What a cleverly plotted and written psychological thriller. 

Starts off simply enough with Jenna clearly being stalked.  Those descriptions from her point of view were troubling,  and unsettling to read.

Then we discover the man she is sure is the stalker is brought into her a&e department and she realises there is a potential power shift and will she potentially break the Hippocratic oath?

At the same time we get chapters focusing on Sophie, and her not overly healthy looking relationship with Nick.

All of the writing points you in a certain direction but how much can you trust an author to not have some surprises up her sleeve.

This may only be Lauren North's second psychological thriller but it is incredible.  I was hooked on the words and devoured it predominantly in one sitting in the garden one afternoon.

Disturbing, well written and the culmination of the story lines was brilliant. Definitely a book I'd recommend 

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

Book Review - You, Me and the Movies by Fiona Collins

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Amazon UK

Title: You, Me and the Movies

Author: Fiona Collins

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Corgi

Publication Date: 4th April 2019 

Rating: 3 Stars

Two people. Ten classic films. A love story you’ll never forget.
Arden has just started university when she meets Mac – and quickly falls head over heels for the handsome, charismatic film lecturer. Their love affair is dramatic, exciting and all-consuming; the sort of thing you only see in the movies.

It couldn’t last. But thirty years later, leading a very different life, Arden is visiting a friend in hospital when she suddenly comes across the man she never forgot. Badly injured in an accident, Mac can only make brief references to the classic films they once watched together: Casablanca, A Star is Born, Pretty Woman among others… and they make Arden remember everything.

The bittersweet memories of their relationship help Arden re-connect with the world in a way she no longer thought was possible. But will a movie-worthy love ever be hers again?

A romantic, moving and inspiring love story that readers of Jill Mansell, Hilary Boyd and Maeve Haran will adore.

Well this felt completely different to previous books from Fiona Collins - it was less humorous and more real life in feel. 

If you are a big classic movie buff you will probably love this story, however I hadn't seen most of the films discussed in depth, and found I was skimming the sections where Arden and Mac were analysing the films. I just like watching films for the story and without looking for hidden messages. 

Speaking of which I'm fairly sure there is a message within this book, it felt like that sort of story, but for the life of me I couldn't quite put my fingers on it. 

Alternating between present day life for Arden, and her great love affair with Mac, thirty years earlier, we see just how life has changed her, and Mac. I enjoyed seeing how the two timelines progressed, while at the Same time just felt slightly disconnected from the book and its characters. 

I had such high hopes for this book, given how much I have previously enjoyed the author, but it just fel short for me. In places it was enjoyable, and I was getting lost in the pages and at other times, I  just wasn't as convinced. 

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

Book Review - The Lemon Tree Cafe by Cathy Bramley - - Blog Tour - #AroundTheUKIn144Books,#Derbyshire

Amazon UK

Title: The Lemon Tree Cafe

Author: Cathy Bramley

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Corgi

Publication Date: 24th August 2017 

Rating: 5 Stars

When Rosie Featherstone finds herself unexpectedly jobless, the offer to help her beloved Italian grandmother out at the Lemon Tree Cafe – a little slice of Italy nestled in the rolling hills of Derbyshire – feels like the perfect way to keep busy.

Surrounded by the rich scent of espresso, delicious biscotti and juicy village gossip, Rosie soon finds herself falling for her new way of life. But she is haunted by a terrible secret, one that even the appearance of a handsome new face can't quite help her move on from. 

Then disaster looms and the cafe’s fortunes are threatened . . . and Rosie discovers that her nonna has been hiding a dark past of her own. With surprises, betrayal and more than one secret brewing, can she find a way to save the Lemon Tree Cafe and help both herself and Nonna achieve the happy endings they deserve?

The Lemon Tree is Cathy Bramley at her magnificent best. From the first page where I was gasping and giggling at what turned out to be a double entendre (and not the only one in the early chapters), to the drama of the entirety of part 3 - Tea and Sympathy, to the huge community minded village events, plus a popular returning character from the Plumberry School of Comfort Food book, and all manner of other goodies inside! 

When Rosie took a stand in her social media marketing job, she goes back home to her Nonna's cafe and offers to work for a month as a favour to her grandmother, and secretly to perhaps organise the place a bit better, while trying to get a new job. 

I loved The Lemon Tree Cafe with its two great waitresses and of course Rosie's Nonna, Maria. Maria is a remarkably private person and I never guessed exactly what she was hiding until it was revealed. Neither did I fully guess just why Rosie doesn't trust men, and it was surprises like these that made this book so gripping. 

From about the 50% mark onwards the book was impossible to put down, as I was already engrossed with the characters, and the story just seemed to ramp up as it progressed. I was loving the warmth and vitality that the author brings to her characters, and just stepping into this novel felt like a comforting hug. 

And of course you can't have a book review, about a book focusing on an Italian cafe, without mentioning food, it sounded delicious. As a word of warning if you are a huge fan of pizza you will love certain aspects of this book without a doubt, and may have your fingers itching to reach and call for your local delivery service! 

The pacing of this book was just right, and conveniently for the purpose of it having been released in four parts, there were little intrigue or mini cliffhangers as you came to the end of each part, which added to the grippiness of this book, as I could just continue turning the pages to see what would happen next. 

I absolutely adored every second of The Lemon Tree Cafe, from its moments to make you laugh, to the deep secrets that shocked me, and the overwhelming sense of family and community I felt from the book. This is an addictive book, that is quick to read and will leave you craving your next Cathy Bramley fix. 

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

Please take a look at the blog tour for more The Lemon Tree Cafe goodness! 

Book Review - White Lies and Wishes by Cathy Bramley

Amazon UK

Title: White Lies and Wishes

Author: Cathy Bramley

Format reviewed: Paperback

Source: Publicist supplied review copy

Publisher: Corgi

Publication Date: 26th January 2017 

Rating: 4.5 Stars

What happens when what you wish for is only half the story...?

Flirtatious, straight-talking Jo Gold says she’s got no time for love; she’s determined to save her family’s failing footwear business. 

New mother Sarah Hudson has cut short her maternity leave to return to work. She says she’ll do whatever it takes to make partner at the accountancy firm. 

Bored, over-eating housewife Carrie Radley says she just wants to shift the pounds – she’d love to finally wear a bikini in public. 

The unlikely trio meet by chance one winter’s day, and in a moment of ‘Carpe Diem’ madness, embark on a mission to make their wishes come true by September. 

Easy. At least it would be, if they hadn’t been just the teensiest bit stingy with the truth…

With hidden issues, hidden talents, and hidden demons to overcome, new friends Jo, Carrie and Sarah must admit to what they really, really want, if they are ever to get their happy endings.

Three women meet for the first time, at the funeral of a mutual friend's husband, and very soon not only gel, but also decide that life is too short and they put together a wish list, which they will help each other with. This isn't like other bucket list books with loads of outlandish suggestions, all 3 of these wishes are certainly achievable by the women, but with a self imposed deadline of September that year, whether they will or not is another matter. 

So lets meet the stars of the book:

Jo Gold who runs a footwear business that is failing, and she is praying to be able to turn the business around before she needs to make long standing employees redundant. Her wish is to face her fear of heights. Jo is the sort of woman who isn't used to having female company so finds it hard sometimes that she is making new friends. 

Then there is Sarah Hudson, she has a young baby, but has already returned to work, leaving husband Dave as a house hubby. Her wish for their wishlist is to become a partner at the place she works, but as the story progresses I did have to wonder if that was the right thing for her. 

Finally there is Carrie Radley, who in some respects is a bit of an enigma. She is certainly overweight, and over eats. She appears to do not much with her days, and is married to a man, that no one can really get a read on to start with. It is clear she is unhappy, and her wish is to be able to wear a bikini in public. 

What none of the girls realise at the start, is they have all not been entirely truthful, and may just be hiding things, which is what I loved, as it meant there were plenty of surprises in the story, and kept my interest as I really wanted to get to know these three ladies, and just how their fortunes would change. 

I loved the shoe business that Jo runs, and some of the ideas for saving the company, reminded me a musical I saw a year or so ago, but they are also completely different, it was just a similar philosophy. Sarah's journey of trying to get back used to working while also loving being a parent, was enjoyable to see, and is one that a lot of parents will relate to. Equally Carrie's struggle to accept her own body is another storyline that many women will relate to. 

All of the characters have the sorts of qualities that you will recognise in people that you know, they are instantly human and likeable, and the sorts of women that you could imagine hanging around with yourself. The book as a whole is a pleasure to read, and as a fan of Cathy Bramley, it makes a change to read a story that hasn't been split into four parts. It is one complete story that flows incredibly well, and did I mention it has a gorgeous cover! 

Thank you so much to Becky Hunter at Transworld for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily. 

Book Review - The Night That Changed Everything by Laura Tait and Jimmy Rice

Amazon UK

Title: The Night That Changed Everything

Author: Laura Tait and Jimmy Rice

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Corgi

Publication Date: 24th March 2016 

Rating: 4 Stars

Rebecca is the only girl she knows who didn't cry at the end of Titanic. Ben is the only man he knows who did. Rebecca’s untidy but Ben doesn’t mind picking up her pieces. Ben is laid back by Rebecca keeps him on his toes. They're a perfect match.

Nothing can come between them. Or so they think.

When a throwaway comment reveals a secret from the past, their love story is rewritten.

Can they recover from the night that changed everything? And how do you forgive when you can’t forget?

My first impressions of this book, once I started reading it, was just how comfortable I felt reading it. There is something about the writing partnership of Laura Tait and Jimmy Rice, that just works, and with them telling the story in alternating chapters and view points, the book just works seamlessly. 

I wouldn't say its a spectacular story or anything, and in some respects from the first half the book it does feel familiar, but in the same way I was growing to love the characters and the way it was being told. 

Rebecca and Ben seem like the perfect couple, and initially it looks like they are, until one revelation leaves them reeling, and having to rethink everything. 

Over the course of the book, they both undergo various changes and the ending wasn't quite what I would have predicted, or hoped for, but it worked. 

This story felt like a bit coming home to a friend, I loved the friendship between Rebecca, Jaime, Ben and Daniella and its clear they all had a strong bond. At times I was feeling like I really knew them all very well and at time I was emotionally involved enough in the story to be affected, 

Thank you to Netgalley and Transworld for this review copy. This was my honest opinion. 

Book Review - Wickham Hall by Cathy Bramley

Amazon UK

Title: Wickham Hall

Author: Cathy Bramley

Format reviewed: Paperback

Source: Review copy supplied by author

Publisher: Corgi

Publication Date: 14th January 2016

Rating: 5 Stars

Wickham Hall was originally published as a four-part serial. This is the complete story in one package.

Holly Swift has just landed the job of her dreams: events co-ordinator at Wickham Hall, the beautiful manor home that sits proudly at the heart of the village where she grew up. Not only does she get to organise for a living and work in stunning surroundings, but it will also put a bit of distance between Holly and her problems at home.

As Holly falls in love with the busy world of Wickham Hall - from family weddings to summer festivals, firework displays and Christmas grottos - she also finds a place in her heart for her friendly (if unusual) colleagues.

But life isn’t as easily organised as an event at Wickham Hall (and even those have their complications…). Can Holly learn to let go and live in the moment? After all, that’s when the magic happens…

Every time I read a book by Cathy Bramley I am amazed, and with Wickham Hall I honestly think this is her best yet.  Due to it having started life as a four part serial, each part is a well put together novella, and the plot moves seamlessly from one part to another. With the mini cliff hangers at the ends of the first 3 parts, I was literally pausing for breathe, and moving straight onto the next section of the story. I couldn't wait to see what was going to happen next. 

I read Wickham Hall in one sitting, and in some respects I am gutted that I did, as it meant I couldn't prolong the pleasure of reading this fantastic story. 

Cathy Bramley has once again put together a delightful cast of characters, and put them in a setting where I felt right at home instantly. And Ben, the heir to Wickham Hall is such a sweetheart, I would happily marry him if I could (and perhaps he was real!). 

Holly starts working in the events planning department of Wickham Hall, a manor house, that earns its keep by having all sorts of events open to the public throughout the year, from Summer Fairs, to fireworks nights, to Christmas, and all manner of other things in between. 

Holly has always felt she has had a connection with Wickham Hall, and she and her mum spent many a day visiting when Holly was younger. And now she discovers just why she the Hall has always had such a special place in their hearts.

I loved reading about the various staff members at Wickham Hall, including the chef Jenny (who I have a sneaking suspicion may be the star of the next set of stories by Cathy), to the gardener, Jim the security guard and Lord and Lady Fortescue who own the hall. 

We also meet Holly's mother, and something that has been source of misery for both of them, is slowly sorted out during the story, with a storyline I wouldn't have necessarily guessed but definitely held me interest.

Wickham Hall was a very easy to read, and high enjoyable story. There were moments that had me laughing out loud (one particular euphemism for sex comes to mind), and others that just had me smiling regardless.  A brilliant book to start your reading with in 2016, I just can't wait for more, from the "queen of the serialised novel". 

Thank you so much to Cathy Bramley for this review copy. This was my honest opinion. 

Happy Publication day to Cathy Bramley, Wickham Hall is out now. 

Guest Post - What Cathy Bramley wants in her stocking this year! - Blog Tour

Having read Conditional Love a few years ago, when it was a previously self-published book (and loved it), I was delighted when Transworld got in touch with me to be a part of this blog tour for the newly published paperback version of Conditional Love, for which Cathy Bramley has supplied this lovely guest post.

Santa Baby, Slip A Sable Under The Tree…

Now not everyone may share this feeling, but I love going shopping at Christmas. My usual routine is to do as much online shopping as I can and then enjoy myself mooching round the shops for the few final bits and pieces. It’s usually at this point that I realise what I should have put on my own Christmas list and surreptitious try and edit the list I’ve already given to my husband without him noticing. I’m totally rubbish at knowing what I want myself until I see it! 

So in the spirit of being more organised this Christmas, here’s what I’d like to find in my stocking this year… 

James McAvoy, Daniel Craig, Jude Law… Just kidding! They’d never all fit, obviously. 

And if I can’t have any of them, here’s my more realistic list… 

• A Fitbit. I’m sure owning a Fitbit will make me walk around loads just to watch my daily steps clock up. 
• Some new wellies. The last ones I bought are blue and white striped and my dog-walking buddy says they hurt his eyes early in the morning. 
• Cath Kidston mugs. I love her brightly coloured mugs and drinking coffee from one of those on a dark winter’s morning always starts my day with a smile. 
• A bookcase. Not likely to fit in my stocking, or even under the tree, but I could really do with a new bookcase. This year not only have I had three paperbacks published, but I have received some amazing books to review and I can’t bear to part with any of them. 
• And lastly – more books of course! Because you can never, ever have too many books!

I must say I'm with you Cathy, can I also have a selection box of dreamy men in my stocking this year please? Thank you so much for this lovely post. 

About Cathy Bramley

Cathy Bramley started out in the world of corporate marketing (working on high-powered projects such as testing the firing range of SuperSoaker water guns and perfecting the weeing action of Tiny Tears dolls), before she setup her own marketing agency in 1995. Nowadays Cathy lives in a Nottinghamshire village with her husband, two daughters and a dog called Pearl. 

You can find her at: www.cathybramley.co.uk or on twitter @CathyBramley 

Conditional Love

Amazon UK

What surprises might life have in store for you?

A takeaway, TV and tea with two sugars is about as exciting as it gets for thirty-something Sophie Stone. Sophie’s life is safe and predictable, which is just the way she likes it, thank you very much.

But when a mysterious benefactor leaves her an inheritance, Sophie has to accept that change is afoot. There is one big catch: in order to inherit, Sophie must agree to meet the father she has never seen.

Saying ‘yes’ means the chance to build her own dream home, but she’ll also have to face the past and hear some uncomfortable truths…

With interference from an evil boss, warring parents, an unreliable boyfriend and an architect who puts his foot in it every time he opens his mouth, will Sophie be able to build a future on her own terms - and maybe even find love along the way?

And don't forget to check out the rest of the blog tour!

Book Review - Appleby Farm by Cathy Bramley

Amazon UK

Title: Appleby Farm

Author: Cathy Bramley

Format reviewed: Paperback

Source: Purchased

Publisher: Corgi

Publication Date: 13th August 2015 

Rating: 5 Stars

Freya Moorcroft has wild red hair, mischievous green eyes, a warm smile and a heart of gold. She’s been happy working at the café round the corner from Ivy Lane allotments and her romance with her new boyfriend is going well, she thinks, but a part of her still misses the beautiful rolling hills of her Cumbrian childhood home: Appleby Farm.

Then a phone call out of the blue and a desperate plea for help change everything…

The farm is in financial trouble, and it’s taking its toll on the aunt and uncle who raised Freya. Heading home to lend a hand, Freya quickly learns that things are worse than she first thought. As she summons up all her creativity and determination to turn things around, Freya is surprised as her own dreams for the future begin to take shape.

Love makes the world go round, according to Freya. Not money. But will saving Appleby Farm and following her heart come at a price?

Appleby Farm was originally released as 4 separate parts in ebook format, however I decided I wanted to hold off so I could it read it all in one go. I prayed that it would be released as a fully combined book, and my wishes were granted. And I am so glad I had my eye on this release as its a fantastic book, it is heart warming and utterly lovely. 

Freya has always had itchy feet, and moved from job to job at fairly regular intervals. When we meet her she is working in a cafe near the Ivy Lane allotments (featured in Cathy Bramleys previous book Ivy Lane, and this does feature some recurring characters), and she seems happy enough. Until Freya receives a phone call from her Aunt Sue, informing her, that her uncle has had an accident. 

Freya races up to the Lake District, and is reminded of how beautiful her childhood home Appleby Farm is, and just how much work it is. She decides to help her aunt and uncle to try and turn the farm's fortunes around. 

There is a great feeling about of trying to triumph over adversity, and saving a failing farm from ruin and developers. It was fascinating to hear about modern farming practices, and the ideas Freya has for saving Appleby Farm, and trying to ensure her relatives can retire too, are innovative and I found myself willing Freya to succeed. 

Freya's love life is present in places, and the early scenes with Charlie and Ollie are loveable, and I found myself hoping they would be together forever. Until Freya returns to Appleby Farm, and sees her childhood best friend is still working on the farm next door...

I can understand why this was released in four parts, as the book is separated into four very distinctive sections, each with a different focus in the journey.

I loved watching Freya slowly grow in cofidence at the farm and start to have belief that her plans will work. She makes new friends, both animal and human, and also attempts to mend some of her own cracked family relationships. 

This was a wonderful book to read at a weekend, and made me long to live a simpler life myself, and to get together with the great outdoors. There are even a whole bunch of recipes at the back of the book, for added content. 

This is a brilliant story, which left me smiling, and I can't wait for Cathy Bramley's next combined book release in January, Wickham Hall. 

Book Review - Keep Your Friends Close by Paula Daly - Paperback Summer

Amazon UK

Title: Keep Your Friends Close

Author: Paula Daly

Format reviewed: Paperback

Source: Competition Win

Publisher: Corgi

Publication Date: 21st May 2015 

Rating: 5 Stars

Your best friend isn’t who you think she is.

You’ve been friends since university, when you became the people you are today.

You don’t see each other enough but when you do it’s as if you’ve never been apart.

She’s one of the family. You would trust her with your life, your children, your husband.

And when your daughter is rushed to hospital, you’re grateful that she’s stepping in at home, looking after things.

But your best friend isn’t who you think she is. You’re about to find out just how wrong you were.

What can you do when you discover your best friend isn't who you thought she was? What can you do when your best friend not only seduces your husband but also seemingly takes over your life, while making you appear paranoid in the mean time? Hopefully this will never happen to you, but it did happen to Natty. 

While Natty urgently goes to France, to help nurse her younger daughter in hospital, after she falls ill on a school trip, and tells her husband to stay at home to run the business, and look after their other daughter. Eve, Natty's best friend from university just happens to be visiting from the States and plays to all the weaknesses in the marriage when she offers to stay and help Sean. 

By the time Natty and Felicity return from France, Eve has got Sean wrapped around her finger, and both of their lives start to unravel.

There are a lot of twists and turns to this book, and I wasn't expecting any of them. Equally I was unable to put the book down for the entire second half at least, and read Keep Your Friends Close in next to no time at all. I was in so much shock by the end that the book fell from my hands, and my mum who was watching me at that point, asked me what the problem was - to which my only reply was - "I ran out of book, I want more pages"!

You get to see mainly Natty's point of view and you really do have to feel quite sorry for her, and also small amounts of Eve's perspective, as well as a detective's whose story is quite interesting too. All I can say is Eve is not what she seems, and I'm so glad she isn't my best friend. With friends like her, you definitely don't need enemies.

Keep Your Friends is compulsive reading, as you always want to know who will react next and how. 

This was the first book I have read by Paula Daly, but I know it won't be the last. 

My review of Paula's new book The Mistake I Made will be here a bit later today. 

Book Review - Untouchable by Ava Marsh

Amazon UK

Title: Untouchable

Author: Ava Marsh

Format reviewed: Ebook 

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Corgi

Publication Date: 13th August 2015 

Rating: 5 Stars

‘If you start feeling anything for a client – and it does happen – count the money. That always brings you back down to earth.’

Stella is an escort, immersed in a world of desire, betrayal and secrets. It’s exactly where she wants to be. Stella used to be someone else: respectable, loved, safe. But one mistake changed all that.

When a fellow call girl is murdered, Stella has a choice: forget what she’s seen, or risk everything to get justice for her friend. In her line of work, she’s never far from the edge, but pursuing the truth could take her past the point of no return.

Nothing is off limits. Not for her – and not for them.

But no one is truly untouchable.

If  I'd have had the time, I would have easily sat and read this in one sitting. It was enjoyable and addictive reading. Beware though if you are easily offended by a large variety of sex acts, you may need to either skip parts of this book, or not read it. The sex is described explicitly without flowery romantic language, due to the nature of Stella's work. 

Stella is an escort, or high class call girl, if you prefer the term. At the base of it she sells sex for money, but she has a website instead of standing on a street corner, and she and her fellow call girls take every precaution possible to keep themselves safe from their clients. 

For the first third of the book, we learn about Stella and her escort work, as well as get a small hint as to other work she does, and there are hints to her past, which made Stella decide to become a call girl. It is interesting, but what really gets the book going is when a fellow call girl that Stella has worked with recently is murdered. 

Stella just can't trust that the police will take it seriously so starts doing some digging of her own, at which point the whole story takes on a life of its own, and it becomes completely addictive. This is a fairly exciting thriller, with certain aspects I was definitely not expecting. 

There is a good amount of depth to the plot, even though I didn't feel an emotional connection to Stella in the way I do to some characters normally, I still loved her character and how she refused to give in to various situations. 

Although the sex is explicit, I felt it was very well written, and very accurate as to how the women must have been feeling at times. The "anything goes" party was eye opening. and featured at least one act that would be some peoples complete fantasy, and others will identify with Stella in it and possibly wince!

I loved this book a lot, and couldn't believe how easy it was to read, and how fast the pages seemed to go by, as I was enjoying it so much. From the prologue up until the ending I was hooked, and think this was fabulous debut thriller from Ava Marsh. I will definitely be keeping my eyes open for future releases. 

Thanks so much to Random House and Netgalley for this review copy. This was my honest review.