Book Review - Going Green by Nick Spalding

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Amazon UK

Title: Going Green

Author: Nick Spalding

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Lake Union Publishing

Publication Date: 8th December 2020

Rating: 4.5 Stars

From the bestselling author of Dumped, Actually comes a laugh-out-loud story about saving your job…and maybe saving the planet in the process.

Meet Ellie Cooke. When it comes to all things environmental she’s, well, a bit ‘green’. It’s not that she doesn’t care about things like climate change and plastic pollution, it’s just that life has always got in the way of that sort of thing.

But when the PR firm Ellie works for is taken over by keen environmentalist Nolan Reece, it’s clear that if she wants to save her job, she’s going to have to get serious about being green—or face being recycled.

Going green is no walk in the park, though. It involves a lot of big changes, tough choices…and at least one case of accidentally showing your knickers off to your boss.

Can Ellie do enough to save her job, and maybe do her bit to help save the planet while she’s at it? And what will Nolan think of her, now that she can’t stop thinking about him…?

Ellie is one great character, she acts well before she engages her brains and that lands her in all manner of situations.  Some of them were hilarious, others just amusing, but the whole time you are willing her on, and wanting good things for her. 

I'll admit straight up that I didn't laugh anywhere near as much as I normally do with a Nick Spalding book, I'm not sure whether it was due to the subject matter, my frame of mind, or whether I was missing a trick but I didn't find it as funny.

That being said there were for me a few snort out loud moments which the author always seems to make me manage, and it certainly is humorous, so I'm guessing the issue was my sense of humour went partially on holiday while I was reading this! 

It's thought a really good story, with some certainly memorable moments such as the plastic bottle costume and the narwhal, the hunt for the composting system and Ellie's first encounters with Nolan. Oh and the meal with the birds that was brilliant! Actually thinking back although the scene with hemp underwear didn't make me laugh as I was too busy wincing in sympathy, it was certainly memorable too!

Ok... there may have been a great chapter involving fabulous descriptions of a bike ride too, a character who seemed obsessed with leeks and a very specific species of moth, and the various train journeys were of note too! I'm purposely leaving out the details so as not to spoil the reasons while all of those were memorable for me, but definitely some of the highlights of the book! 

And well I didn't see that outcome to the book coming in a million years, I wouldn't have guessed that. It was fantastic, so fitting and really unexpected! 

Then there is Ellie's inner voice that is continually reminding her of reality, of what she should possibly be admitting to, as she's doing everything she can initially to keep her job when the PR company becomes environmentally friendly,  not being completely invested in the cause, well until she has an epiphany at which point well you can find out for yourself. 

There is a clear message with this book about considering the environmental impact of everything you do, and whether you can or should be attempting to be greener yourself. 

Although not my favourite book by the author it is still another highly enjoyable read that I loved reading. 

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

Book Review - All My Lies Are True by Dorothy Koomson

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Amazon UK

Title: All My Lies Are True

Author: Dorothy Koomson

Format reviewed: Paperback

Source: EDPR

Publisher: Headline Review

Publication Date: 21st January 2021

Rating: 5 Stars

Verity is telling lies...

And that's why she's about to be arrested for attempted murder.

Serena has been lying for years. . .

And that may have driven her daughter, Verity, to do something unthinkable...

Poppy's lies have come back to haunt her . . .

So will her quest for the truth hurt everyone she loves?

Everyone lies.

But whose lies are going to end in tragedy?

Mind is blown. 

What on earth have I just read?

Feel like I've been on a rollercoaster, just so much ooomph packed into this book. 

Completely unexpected revelations. 

Just wow. 

This is absorbing, enthralling reading that grabs you by the scruff of your neck and just won't let you go.   It took about 100 pages for me to full get into the book at which point the world could have ended and I may not have noticed. 

I was just drawn into the lives of Poppy, Serena, Verity, Logan and their families.  The viewpoint changes with almost every chapter and its always rather clear. 

This may be a sequel to The Ice Cream Girls, which I know I read and loved when it first came out 10 years ago, but honestly couldn't remember the details of, so in part this was as much a standalone in my mind and it worked so so well. 

The way this story unfolded, the way you see it happening from many perspectives, but at the same time you are never are sure who is telling the truth, what is being twisted, and well the title my feel like a contradiction but it is also entirely correct - and it will become apparent as you read. 

There is no way in a million years that I can do this book justice with a mere review, you are best reading it for yourself if it even remotely appeals as you won't be disappointed. 

Just Wow! 

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

Book Review - Shot of Silence by M A Comley

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Amazon UK

Title: Shot of Silence

Author: M A Comley

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Author supplied copy

Publisher: Jeamel Publishing Limited

Publication Date: 21st January 2021

Rating: 5 Stars

He has them in his sight...

One squeeze of the trigger will end their lives in an instant.

When two business executives are killed within hours of each other, DI Katy Foster and her partner, DC Charlie Simpkins, realise they have a tough case on their hands, especially when the killer targets one of them.

When tragedy strikes, DC Charlie Simpkins is on her own to track down the sniper causing mayhem on the streets of London. Will the young detective prove to be a competent replacement for Katy, or will the sniper claim her as his next victim?

A crime thriller full of twists and turns.

I think this is the book I've been waiting for in this new Justice Again series.  For its the one for reasons you may not expect that DC Charlie Simpkins has to take on a slightly larger role, and it was great to see. 

It's what I've been wanting and I'm going to be even more curious as to how Charlie's dynamics with the rest of the team develop as she continues in her development.

Oh and there is a serial killer with a sniper gun on the loose, who we very early on get the hint that they want to play games with the police or at least keep them on their toes, and you know things will escalate rather quickly with that sort of intent. 

I almost have to admire this killer for just how ballsy they are - and then I remember they are a murderer and thus should only be despising them. 

It's a rather tricky case for Katy and Charlie to solve and not for the first time, have I thought how glad I am that I'm not in the police, as I would never be able to think the way they do, and work out even the basics of where to start, let alone come up with a plan of action. 

I've said it before but I'll say it again, I'm out of superlatives for M A Comley, such is not only her skill at writing these books but the speed of them too,  which all adds up to one impressive author. 

Thank you the author for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily. 

Book Review - Daughter of Wild Rose Bay by Susanne O'Leary - #HolidayReading Malta

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Amazon UK

Title: Daughters of Wild Rose Bay

Author: Susanne O'Leary

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Bookouture

Publication Date: 8th April 2020

Rating: 5 Stars

A heart-warming page-turner set on the Irish coast, where secrets hide, romance is waiting and there is every chance to make a new beginning…

Jasmine Delon feels completely lost: having just broken up with the man she thought was the love of her life, all she knows is that she can’t face living alone in her empty apartment in Paris.

When she turns up at her mother’s curiosity shop, nestled in Sandy Cove in Ireland, she hopes time with Sally will help heal her broken heart. Walks along the rugged coastline and nights under endless stars immediately make her feel at peace, and then she meets Aiden, a handsome chef in town, and sparks fly between them.

But a lot has changed since Jasmine last saw her mother. Sally is happier than ever with a charming new man in her life and Jasmine’s not sure where she fits in. Then she’s told about the ruins of an old village in a place nearby called Wild Rose Bay. The locals say it holds secrets about her mother’s side of the family…

Is delving into their history the thing that can bring Jasmine and Sally back together or will it drive them further apart? And is Jasmine brave enough to give in to the call of the Irish sea for another chance at love?

Daughters of Wild Rose Bay is a warm, feel-good novel set on Ireland’s gorgeous Atlantic coast. For fans of Sheila O’Flanagan, Debbie Macomber, Mary Alice Monroe and anyone who loves a story about second chances.

This is Susanne O'Leary back to her best with this latest instalment in the Sandy Cove series. 

It can easily be read as a standalone, as this is a whole new main character, although the previous mains, plus others in the village are all present again. 

I loved Jasmine's story, the way she reconnects with her mum, and makes new friends in Sandy Cove. 

I could understand why she had run from Paris. and her ex sounds like a nightmare. 

I found I was caught up in the story really quickly and that the pages just seemed to turn so quickly.  I read this in two sittings in a few short hours, and really enjoyed every moment of it. 

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

Book Review - American Royals 2: Majesty by Katharine McGee - #HolidayReading Malta

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Amazon UK

Title: American Royals 2: Majesty

Author: Katharine McGee

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Penguin

Publication Date: 3rd September 2020

Rating: 5 Stars

The New York Times bestselling series returns! Your favourite royal family are back for another thrilling instalment of gossip, drama and romance . . .

Beatrice Washington now rules America as its first ever queen, but her family are more concerned about rushing through her arranged marriage to a man she barely knows. No one can know that her heart really belongs to her bodyguard - but even their love is under threat.

Meanwhile, Princess Samantha is under more scrutiny than ever before - and she still longs to be with her sister's fiancee. But with no sign of Bea's wedding being called off, she's surprised to find someone else catching her eye.

Nina Gonzalez is also tangled up with someone she never expected to be. She and Ethan are both nursing broken hearts, and it's not long before they find themselves pulled irresistibly together.

Luckily for Daphne Deighton, Prince Jeff's grief for his father makes him a prime target for her attentions. She's the closest she's been in years to getting what she wants . . . so why can't she let the idea of her and Ethan go?

What none of these four young women know is that a secret bigger than all of them is about to be revealed. One that will change the face of America forever . . .

From the moment I put down the first book I knew I had to read the sequel, even if there was the best part of a year to wait for it!

I was worried in that time I would forget, but within pages I was once again catapulted into American royalty, picking up just after where the previous book left off. 

I can't really comment as to whether it works as a standalone, as I was too busy devouring the latest in the lives of Beatrice, Sam, Nina and Daphne. 

And what a tangled web they all lead, I apart from Daphne who I despise, I was willing them all to find happy endings with ideally their own men. 

I loved seeing how Beatrice has to come to terms with being America's first Queen, how Samantha has to step up suddenly from the "spare" to the heir and what that may mean for her. 

And Nina, is in a new relationship, but how will the Royals react when they discover who she is now with. 

I am just loving this author's world so much, I can see its loosely based on elements of the British Royal family while at the same time being vastly different. 

I have no clue if there are plans for a third book, but I certainly would be curious to see how things would continue for my favourite characters. 

I just loved every second of it, from the chapters being from the different ladies viewpoints, to the character development and ultimately I was cheering on some of Beatrice's biggest decisions. 

Another stand out book and whatever the author writes next i will have my eyes out for!

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

Book Review - Grown Ups by Marian Keyes - #HolidayReading Malta

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Amazon UK

Title: Grown Ups

Author: Marian Keyes

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Michael Joseph

Publication Date: 4th February 2021

Rating: 4 Stars

MEET JESSIE, CARA AND NELL.

Married to brothers Johnny, Ed and Liam Casey.

Three very different women tied to three very different men.

Every family occasion is a party - until the day the secrets spill out.

PLAYTIME IS OVER.

BUT WHERE ARE THE GROWN-UPS?

It has been a while since I last read a Marian Keyes book, and I'm not entirely sure why as I do tend to enjoy them. 

The prologue had me intrigued all these secrets suddenly being revealed, but then we instantly go back 6 months and most of the book is leading up to the prologue. 

From it we get a good look at Jessie and her family and just how complex the dynamics between them are. 

It took me while to just work out the basics of who is related to who and how. 

I loved all 5 of Jessie's children, especially the middle one who sounds more like an adult than a child  TJ is rather cool, and it touches on something very important. 

Equally Ferdia is misunderstood at first, but I loved seeing how he matured over the course of the book. 

Then there is Cara, Ed's wife, (Ed and Liam are brothers to Johnny who is married to Jessie), and we see large portions of the book through her eyes. 

I believe her key storyline was dealt with with enough emotion and sensitivity to be rather real. 

And then there is Nell, Liam's wife, who has some great personal values and tries to live by her beliefs. 

It took a while to get going but once I was happy with the basics of the characters, I really got into the story and enjoyed seeing what would happen next. 

A really enjoyable way for me to spend a day of my holiday poolside, and reading Grown Ups. 

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

Book Review - The Secrets of Sunshine by Phaedra Patrick

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Amazon UK

Title: The Secrets of Sunshine

Author: Phaedra Patrick

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: HQ

Publication Date: 14th May 2020

Rating: 5 Stars

A lonely single father gets an unexpected second chance at love in the heart-warming new novel from the bestselling author of The Library of Lost and Found.

Only his daughter Poppy knows that behind his prickly exterior, Mitchell Fisher is deeply lonely. He may have sworn off romance, relishing his job cutting off the padlocks that couples fasten to his hometown’s famous ‘love story’ bridge… but underneath it all, he’s still grieving the loss of Poppy’s mum.

Then one hot summer’s day, everything changes when Mitchell bravely rescues a woman who falls from the bridge into the river. He’s surprised to feel an unexpected connection to her, but then she disappears. Desperate to find the mysterious woman, Mitchell teams up with her spirited sister Liza to see if she’s left any clues behind. There’s just one – a secret message on the padlock she left on love story bridge…

Brimming with Phaedra Patrick’s signature charm and a sparkling cast of characters, The Secrets of Sunshine follows one man’s journey to unlock his heart and discover new beginnings in the unlikeliest places.

Everything I have come to expect from a Phaedra Patrick novel - this has taken me on a journey, secrets have been uncovered and leaves me with a smile on my face. 

There is an action sequence early on which sets up the rest of the book, and makes a reluctant hero from Mitchell, who is just trying to do his job of cutting padlocks off the towns bridges, while being a single parent to Poppy.  He is rather regimented and likes schedules, targets, spreadsheets etc... 

He rescues a mystery women from the river, and then a few days later discovers he is the only person to have seen her in a year.  Thus starts the search into just where she is now, and just why she disappeared a year ago. 

There are also a lot of good old fashioned letters, mainly written to Mitchell after his heroics on the bridge and some of them are just lovely, and you can see he is starting to be affected by them, whether he wants to be or not. 

I really loved the variety of characters especially Mitchell's best friend Graham and his girlfriend Rosie. We don't see much of them but I really did enjoy their character. 

I was hooked on this book and just wanted to keep on reading the entire time.  It was very absorbing and I loved all the various plot lines.  Another really fabulous book from this talented author. 

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

Book Review - That Holiday In France by Rhoda Baxter

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Amazon UK

Title: That Holiday in France

Author: Rhoda Baxter

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Author supplied copy

Publisher: Self published

Publication Date: 1st June 2020

Rating: 5 Stars

When Ellie’s boyfriend forbids her from going to France to attend her best friend’s wedding, she decides she’s had enough. She dumps him and goes to France by herself. But travelling alone is scary and Ellie realises how reliant she’d become on the men in her life.

On holiday, she learns to trust her own judgement and grows in confidence. Just when she decides she doesn’t need a man to complete her, she meets Ash, who is everything her ex wasn’t.

But is Ellie willing to give up her new found independence and link herself to another man?

• Friends to lovers
• Heroine asserting her independence
• Summer in France
• Tiny puddings

That Holiday In France is a standalone story set in the little Yorkshire village of Trewton Royd (and France). Ideal for fans of Mhairi McFarlane or Sophie Kinsella.

I love Rhoda Baxter's Trewton Royd Romances and it was good to be back in the Yorkshire village and also in France on this occasion.

Although if you didn't know the title of the book, you would be wondering whether Ellie is even going to get to Sophie's wedding, you see the reactions of her boyfriend, Luke and father to the thought of her daring to want to go abroad. 

To say they are xenophobic racists, and control freaks would be an understatement, and its amazing that Ellie as lovely as she is given the influences in her life.

Yet its once she does get to France, along with Ash who she sort of knows but not know, she has life changing realisations. I loved the France section of the story, and would have loved to have been to Sophie's wedding too, even if camping in a tent isn't quite for me! 

I can't believe how quickly I read this, it was one sitting in about 90 mins from cover to cover, I was enjoying it so much and I had time to just keep reading. It was an entertaining summery read that warmed me up on a cold winters night, and had me smiling. 

Another incredibly enjoyable book from Rhoda Baxter, and already looking forward to whatever she releases next. 

Thank you to the author for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily,

Cover Reveal - Moonlight Over Muddleford Cove by Kim Nash

It's been a long while I feel since I last brought you all a cover reveal, but given I'm a huge fan of Kim Nash's books and when I saw how absolutely stunning this cover is, well I couldn't resist! 

See what I mean this is absolutely gorgeous and will be published on 30th March. 

And is available for pre-order now from Amazon UK

Oh and if you need more than just a beautiful cover and a cute dog to make your mind up as to whether this is a book for you, then here is the blurb! 

When thirty-four-year-old Nellie Wagstaff loses her job and discovers her fiancé is a cheating scumbag in a single day, she feels like the world has come crashing down. And that’s before the solicitor’s letter, along with a request to visit a place she hasn’t thought about for a very long time.

Heartbroken, Nellie escapes to the beautiful seaside town of Muddleford in Dorset, where she discovers she’s inherited more than she ever bargained for. Nellie never knew why her mother stopped talking to her sister, but now childhood memories of Muddleford come flooding back: long hot summers, the sea glistening beyond the sandy cove... and a stolen kiss with a boy called Jack.

Jack, now a devilishly handsome vet, has the local pet owners swooning over him, and as Nellie and he become close once more, and she gets used to gossiping with the locals and sipping wine at her beach hut with sand between her toes, she’s sure she can feel sparks flying once more. But just as she thinks she might be able to open her heart again, her newest frenemy, the glamourous Natalia, tells her a secret about Jack that changes everything.

Nellie will never know why her mother and aunt parted ways. She’ll sell the house, forget about Jack, and get back to real life. Because there’s nothing for her in Muddleford... is there?

An utterly uplifting and completely hilarious summer read about learning to trust yourself and of finding love and friendship in the least expected places for fans of Jessica Redland, Heidi Swain and Holly Martin. 

So what do you think? Are you as excited as I am for this book?  Would love to know. 

Book Review - The Search Party by Simon Lelic - #HolidayReading Malta

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Amazon UK

Title: The Search Party

Author: Simon Lelic

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Penguin

Publication Date: 14th August 2020

Rating: 5 Stars

16-year-old Sadie Saunders is missing.

Five friends set out into the woods to find her.

But they're not just friends...

THEY'RE SUSPECTS.

You see, this was never a search party.

It's a witch hunt.

And not everyone will make it home alive...

Suddenly at 75% of the way through I had a flash of genius as to who may be behind some of what was going on, and I'm utterly shocked to say I was correct. 

Leading up to that point, even before the police were sure, I had no clue at all and even then I wasn't expecting to have guessed, and I was completely out on the motivations!

This is a story that will keep you guessing throughout, was we hear the various teen's accounts of what happened in the forest, when they formed their own search party for Sadie. 

Through the police interviews and repeated questions it becomes clear that nothing is quite what it seems but whether you can guess who may be covering for what is another matter. 

It's a story that shows how things can spiral out of control and why honesty is often the best policy 

It's another gripping story from Simon Lelic, an author I'm really enjoying reading and seeing what twisted scenarios he may come up with next. 

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