Release date: January 25, 2018

Genre: Mystery/Thriller

Blurb:

A young schoolteacher falls for a man on Death Row whom she believes is falsely accused, only to begin wondering after their marriage – and his release.

Twenty years ago Dennis Danson was arrested for the brutal murder of Holly Michaels in Florida’s Red River County. Now he’s the subject of a Making a Murderer-style true crime documentary that’s taking the world by storm – the filmmakers are whipping up a frenzy of coverage to uncover the truth and free the victim of a gross miscarriage of justice.

Samantha may be thousands of miles away in Britain, but she is as invested in Dennis’s case as any of his lawyers. Perhaps even more so, as her letters to the convicted killer grow ever more intimate. Soon she is leaving her life behind to marry Danson and campaign, as his wife, for his release.

But when the campaign is successful, and Dennis is freed, events begin to suggest that he may not be so innocent after all. How many girls went missing in Red River, and what does Dennis really know?

I’m so delighted to welcome you to my stop on the blog tour for The Innocent Wife! I have a wonderful guest post from the author to share.

Guest Post:

My Top 5 True Crime Reads

This list does not include In Cold Blood by Truman Capote. We all know we’re supposed to read In Cold Blood and we totally will! No need to keep banging on about it here.

1. Killing For Company – Brian Masters

Brian Masters has written a few great true crime books but this was my personal favourite. It’s about Dennis Nilsen, a serial killer active in Britain in the late 70s and early 80s. Nilsen murdered young men and kept the bodies in his home, dressing them up and sitting them on the sofa for company. If that isn’t the darkest thing you can imagine then I am afraid of you.

Brian Masters shows an incredible amount of empathy towards Nilsen and a lot of people have been critical about the way in which he writes about him in the book. It’s a unique dynamic between writer and subject and offers a deep insight into the mind of a serial killer.

2. The Stranger Beside Me – Ann Rule

There will never be another true crime like this. Ann Rule was an established true crime author when one of her friends (a fellow volunteer on the crisis helpline she worked at a few nights a week) became a suspect in a series of local murders. Surely good-looking, mild-mannered Ted Bundy couldn’t be involved in anything like that?

How much Ann Rule suspected Bundy’s guilt and the ethical problems that arise from her continued friendship with him only makes this book more fascinating.

3. Columbine – Dave Cullen

The Columbine high school shooting was one of the most shocking crimes of my lifetime.

In an attempt to understand the horrific killings a narrative was quickly written to explain the motives of the teenage boys responsible. We were led to believe these were misfits, bullied relentlessly by their classmates, and taking revenge in the most brutal way imaginable. It was a fake narrative perpetuated by Bowling for Columbine and one that made me, as a teenager, believe that I had anything in common with Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold.

This book completely destroys that narrative and offers a well-researched account of what happened and what really motivated the killers.

4. The Adversary – Emmanuel Carrère

One day Jean-Claude Romand killed his entire family with a shot gun and set fire to their home in order to cover his tracks. Friends are shocked and confused. Jean-Claude can’t possibly have done this. He’s a loving father and husband, a doctor working with the World Health Organization, a perfectly happy and ordinary man.

The Adversary tells the story of a double-life and seeks to understand Jean-Claude on a deeper level. A bizarre and dark story handled with genuine class and sensitivity.

5. The Fourth State of Matter – Jo Ann Beard

The less I say about this, the better. It’s my favourite personal essay/short story of all time and you can read it on the New Yorker website.

Review: Family Tree by Susan Wiggs #FamilyTree

January 18, 2018January 18, 20186 Comments

Publisher:William Morrow Paperbacks; Reprint edition (January 9, 2018)

Blurb:

From the #1 New York Times bestselling author comes a powerful, emotionally complex story of love, loss, the pain of the past and the promise of the future.

Sometimes the greatest dream starts with the smallest element. A single cell, joining with another. And then dividing. And just like that, the world changes. Annie Harlow knows how lucky she is. The producer of a popular television cooking show, she loves her handsome husband and the beautiful Los Angeles home they share. And now, she’s pregnant with their first child. But in an instant, her life is shattered. And when Annie awakes from a yearlong coma, she discovers that time isn’t the only thing she’s lost.

Grieving and wounded, Annie retreats to her old family home in Switchback, Vermont, a maple farm generations old. There, surrounded by her free-spirited brother, their divorced mother, and four young nieces and nephews, Annie slowly emerges into a world she left behind years ago: the town where she grew up, the people she knew before, the high-school boyfriend turned judge. And with the discovery of a cookbook her grandmother wrote in the distant past, Annie unearths an age-old mystery that might prove the salvation of the family farm.

Family Tree is the story of one woman’s triumph over betrayal, and how she eventually comes to terms with her past. It is the story of joys unrealized and opportunities regained. Complex, clear-eyed and big-hearted, funny, sad, and wise, it is a novel to cherish and to remember.

Review:

How was this my first Susan Wiggs book?! No seriously, she’s written more than fifty novels so the fact that I haven’t read any of her books before is blowing my mind. Family Tree had everything I look for in women’s fiction; a wonderful lead character who you can root for, a story that weaves between the past and present, some mouth watering descriptions of food and a cozy setting in the forests of Vermont. What more could you want?! A dash of romance maybe? No worries, there’s that as well and it’s not the cliched, overdone type of love story, it’s raw and extremely true to life. Can you tell yet that I really liked this book?

When Annie wakes up after being in a coma for a year there are some huge gaps in her memory and she has a long road to recovery. I adored her, she was upbeat and positive but also sarcastic and snarky which is exactly how I would expect someone in her shoes to behave. This is split pretty equally between Annie’s life as a teenager and in the present and I liked both timelines equally. I was totally invested in Annie and couldn’t wait to see what choices she made and how she moved forward and began anew.

This would be a great choice for a book club, the discussion possibilities are endless. I would start with the food but that’s just me. All joking aside there is a strong emotional component to this book that raises many questions about family, love, loss, life and chasing dreams. This was a really easy book to escape into and one that made me a new fan of Wiggs.

Family Tree in three words: Emotive, Delicious, and Genuine.

Overall rating: 4/5

Thanks to the publisher and TLC Book Tours for my review copy.

Purchase Links

HarperCollins | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Life at Six Knots Photography

About Susan Wiggs

Susan Wiggs is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of more than fifty novels, including the beloved Lakeshore Chronicles series and her most recent novel, the instant New York Times bestseller Family Tree. Her award-winning books have been translated into two dozen languages. A native of a small town in upstate New York, she now lives with her husband at the waters edge on an island in Puget Sound, and in good weather can commute to her writers group in a twenty-one-foot motorboat. A former teacher and graduate of the University of Texas and Harvard, Susan is also an avid hiker, an amateur photographer, a good skier, and a cautious mountain biker yet her favorite form of exercise is curling up with a good book.

Find out more about Susan at her website, and connect with her on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Blog Tour: Disposal by David Evans @DavidEwriter

January 18, 2018January 18, 2018Leave a comment

Goodreads|Amazon US|Amazon U.K.

Release date: January 16, 2018

Publisher: Orchard View Publications

Genre: Crime Fiction

Blurb:

August 1976 and it seems as though the long hot summer will never end. Early morning at Clacton on the north Essex coast, a light aircraft takes off from the airstrip but struggles for height and crashes into the sea. First on the scene, Sergeant Cyril Claydon pulls the pilot’s body from the wreckage. But something else catches his eye. A bulky package wrapped in black plastic is on the passenger seat. Returning to investigate, he makes a grim discovery – another body. And so begins a series of events that puts him and others in danger as he is drawn into the investigation, having to work alongside DI ‘Dick’ Barton, a man with totally alien attitudes. Can they work together?

I’m so pleased to be a stop on the blog tour for Disposal today! I have a fantastic interview with the author to share.

Q & A:

Q Why did you write a book?

I enjoyed reading and have always had creative thoughts. Years ago, I joined a Creative Writing Nightclass and, after a few terms of writing various exercises, I realised a couple of those were linked in some way. After that, it was a small step to see if I could write more on the same theme that would eventually form a book. And so the first draft of what became Trophies was born.

Q Do you write every day?

When I have an active project, I tend to write every day but sometimes, I take a break for a short while – recharge batteries and provide valuable thinking time.

Q Do you work to a plot or do you prefer to see where the idea takes you?

Initially, I need a plot – that is vital. For instance, for the last 3 projects, once I have the ideas, I will write around 10,000 words and pause. At that point, I am able to judge if it ‘has legs’. Then I’ll look to draft a loose synopsis. Once I have something I think will work, I carry on writing. Every now and then, I’ll go back to the synopsis and tweak it to line up with what has been written. I use the synopsis as a guide but don’t allow it to dictate rigidly if my characters or plot take me ‘off message’. That way creativity isn’t stifled. Also, when the first draft is complete, it is a matter of one last tweak to have a completed synopsis – one of the hardest tasks to perform when writing.

Q How long does it take you to write a book?

As I’ve written more, I’ve found that the time to write each book has shortened. The first draft of Trophies took me over 2 years, but that was coping with a full-time job. It has also gone through 8 further drafts. Torment took about 2 years on and off (again with a full-time job) but has required less re-drafts. Talisman was about 18 months in the drafting whilst Disposal took about 16 months. However, other writing matters had been prioritised during the writing of Disposal – like achieving a publication deal for the Wakefield Series. I also like to have 2 or 3 threads running through the books and that takes time and concentration to meld them together.

Q What’s the worst thing about writing a book?

Getting it out there, all the marketing and promotional work that has to be done. Like most writers, I’d rather just think about the next one and create.

Q What’s the best thing about writing a book?

When your characters take over. For instance, when I was writing Disposal, I had my two main characters, Cyril and Barton in the front seats of a car. As they drove, it was as if I was in the back seat listening to their conversation. When we set off, I didn’t have a clue what they were going to say, but they obviously did. That was so satisfying.

Q Why did you choose your particular genre?

Because crime fiction is what I enjoy reading. I think if you don’t enjoy what you’re writing that will become apparent in the finished work.

Q If you had to write in a different genre, which would you choose?

Possibly some non-fiction historical work might interest me.

Q Which book character do you wish you had written?

It would have to be John Rebus, the brilliant creation of Ian Rankin.

Q What do you think are the best and the worst things about social media?

The best would probably be the instantaneous feedback and contact it allows. The worst has to be the ability of it to run away with time – possibly our most precious commodity.

A few questions, just for fun:

Q If you could be invisible for a day, what would you do?

That would be difficult. The danger with that would be coming across conversations others may be having about you which it might be best not to learn. A better option would be the ability to go back in time as an invisible person to soak up the experiences and atmosphere of earlier times.

Q If I joined you on your perfect day, what would we be doing?

It would be on a warm summer’s day, a visit to a preserved railway to experience the sights sounds and smells of what I consider to be the art in motion of a steam locomotive. The aromatic mix of steam and hot oil is something difficult to describe. We’d have lunch at a pub followed by taking a well-behaved dog for a walk and allow our thoughts to drift to the latest writing project. Finally, we’d spend the evening with friends, back in the pub to catch up on what everyone had been doing.

Q What’s your signature dish?

Chilli con carne or Paella, both of which I seem to have mastered pretty well (so people tell me).

Q If you could be anyone for the day, who would you be?

I’m quite comfortable in my own skin and with my own company. However, for the benefit of this question, I’d like to be a contestant on The Apprentice. I’m not bothered about the prospect of winning, I’d just enjoy being alongside some of the dopy people who take part. Finally, in the boardroom, after all the other sycophants have tugged their forelocks and referred to the man as ‘Lord Sugar’, I’d take great delight in telling him to take his job and shove it before walking out!

About the Author:

David Evans is a Scots-born writer who found his true love as well as his inspiration for his detective series, set primarily in Wakefield. Having written all his life, in 2012 he decided to go for it – successfully as the next year, in 2013, he was shortlisted for the CWA Debut Dagger Award.

The Wakefield Series became an International Bestseller in June 2017 with success in Canada and Australia as well as the UK. But now, whilst the Wakefield Series awaits the next instalment, David Evans has written Disposal, the first in the Tendring Series, a completely new detective series set in north Essex in the 1970s.

David Evans on Social Media

Author Website: http://www.davidevanswriter.co.uk/
Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/davidevanswriter/
Twitter: @DavidEwriter

Blog Tour: The Confession by Jo Spain #TheConfession @SpainJoanne

January 17, 2018January 17, 20189 Comments

Goodreads|Amazon

Release date: January 25, 2018

Publisher: Quercus

Genre: Psychological Thriller

Blurb:

Late one night a man walks into the luxurious home of disgraced banker Harry McNamara and his wife Julie. The man launches an unspeakably brutal attack on Harry as a horror-struck Julie watches, frozen by fear.

Just an hour later the attacker, JP Carney, has handed himself in to the police. He confesses to beating Harry to death, but JP claims that the assault was not premeditated and that he didn’t know the identity of his victim. With a man as notorious as Harry McNamara, the detectives cannot help wondering, was this really a random act of violence or is it linked to one of Harry’s many sins: corruption, greed, betrayal?

This gripping psychological thriller will have you questioning, who – of Harry, Julie and JP – is really the guilty one? And is Carney’s surrender driven by a guilty conscience or is his confession a calculated move in a deadly game?

I’m so pleased to be one of the stops on the blog tour for The Confession today!

Review:

It’s getting harder and harder to find a book with something original, a uniqueness that sets it apart from its counterparts, but I had a feeling after reading the description of The Confession that this would provide something new. Holy smokes was I right!!

Right from the first page you understand that you’re reading something exciting, a brutal crime has been committed and the perpetrator is no secret, so where’s the mystery? In the why, the actions that led up to this brutal attack and Spain reveals the truth in a slow, meticulous unraveling that left me reeling by the end. You hear from Julie, the wife of the victim, JP the perpetrator and Alice the police officer working the case. It also flips back and forth between present day and both Julie and JP’s histories. Of the three Alice was my clear favorite, she was a fantastic character and I would love to see her again!

This was my first time reading a Spain book and it will not be my last, she has a real way with words, a piercing writing style that grips you all the way through. The pacing was spot on and the characterization was superb, I can’t recommend this one enough.

The Confession in three words: Remarkable, Engrossing and Finely Honed.

Overall rating: 5/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

Blog Tour: Games With the Dead by James Nally @AvonBooksUK

January 14, 2018January 13, 20181 Comment

Goodreads|Amazon US|Amazon UK

Release date: December 28, 2017

Publisher: Avon Books

Genre: Mystery/Thriller

Blurb:

Irish runaway. Insomniac. Functioning alcoholic.

Life is about to get complicated for DC Donal Lynch.

When a young woman is kidnapped, Donal is brought in to deliver the ransom money. But the tightly-planned drop off goes wrong, Julie Draper is discovered dead, and Donal finds his job on the line – a scapegoat for the officers in charge.

But when Donal is delivered a cryptic message in the night, he learns that Julie was killed long before the botched rescue mission. As he digs further into the murder in a bid to clear his own name, dark revelations make one thing certain: the police are chasing the wrong man, and the killer has far more blood on his hands than they could even imagine.

I’m so pleased to be one of the stops on the blog tour for Games With the Dead today! I have an extract from the book to share.

Extract:

Extract Seven: Chapter 7, pp.49-50

‘There were two obvious fracture injuries to the back of her skull, both about a week-old and caused by a blunt instrument. I’ll be suggesting these were inflicted nine days ago when she was first abducted.

‘I found chain-like marks around her right ankle; she had been forced to wear some sort of restraint or leg iron. The redness of the injury shows it was caused before death. I found no chafing marks around her wrists though, which seems odd as this is universally the preferred method of restraint.

‘I found another ligature mark running along the back of her neck. Her tongue was protruding through clenched teeth which you normally find in people who’ve hanged themselves. She must have been throttled very violently at the end.

‘Her fingernails were undamaged and there were no marks on her forearms, the sort of defensive injuries that you’d expect if a victim had fought for her life. In other words, when the time came, she must have been restrained and strangled from behind, quickly and cleanly, which will provide some small comfort to her family.

We both need a drink after that. But Edwina’s not finished.

‘Now here’s an odd thing. The changes to Julie’s flesh show she’s been dead for about two days. That makes it impossible for me to determine if she’d been raped or sexually assaulted. But the insects in her body suggest she’s been exposed to air for a lot less time, I’d say between twelve and twenty-four hours.

‘There was also something really striking and bizarre about her appearance.’

She squints at her drink, as if still trying to make sense of it herself.

‘She was completely bald.’

Oohh I’m definitely intrigued!!

Review: Hydra by Matt Wesolowski @ConcreteKraken @OrendaBooks

January 14, 2018January 14, 20189 Comments

Goodreads|Amazon US|Amazon UK

Release date: December 24, 2017

Publisher: Orenda Books

Genre: Mystery/Thriller

Blurb:

One cold November night in 2014, in a small town in the north west of England, 26-year-old Arla Macleod bludgeoned her mother, father and younger sister to death with a hammer, in an unprovoked attack known as the “Macleod Massacre.” Now incarcerated at a medium-security mental-health institution, Arla will speak to no one but Scott King, an investigative journalist, whose Six Stories podcasts have become an internet sensation. King finds himself immersed in an increasingly complex case, interviewing five witnesses and Arla herself, as he questions whether Arla’s responsibility for the massacre was a diminished as her legal team made out. As he unpicks the stories, he finds himself thrust into a world of deadly forbidden “games,” online trolls, and the mysterious Black-eyed Children, whose presence extends far beyond the delusions of a murderess.

I’m absolutely thrilled to be one of the stops on the blog tour for Hydra today!

Review:

I spent much of my time last year raving about Six Stories which is Wesolowski’s debut. This book truly blew me away, it was unlike anything I’ve ever read before so to say Hydra was one of my most anticipated reads of 2018 is an understatement. Once again, this book knocked me out and just proves that Wesolowski is a powerhouse and one of the strongest, most unique voices in crime fiction today.

While Hydra is technically the second book in a series you don’t have to read SS first, but you would be missing out if you didn’t. Both books feature Scott King the host of a podcast and each book tackles a new case. The format of these books is one of the best parts, they’re delivered podcast style, broken up into six sections with a new interviewee each time. If you’re a fan of crime podcasts like Serial this is a must read. There’s something so current and timely about the structure that makes this series a real standout.

One of my favorite things about SS was how creepily atmospheric it was and Wesolowski takes things to the next level here. I am not a wimp, I read some pretty disturbing books but this scared the daylights out of me! I was at about the halfway point late one night and had no intention of stopping until I finished but I did have to pause a few times because I was so scared!! His writing is that good, there is no escaping the menace that is lurking between the pages and the setting is so immersive you are absolutely consumed by it.

The plotting is meticulous, every section is laying the groundwork for what’s ahead and with each gasp worthy reveal I was shocked. This doesn’t hinge on one massive twist but rather has several moments of surprise that will astound you and make you applaud the author for his craftiness, I still can’t get over the resolution, bravo Mr. Wesolowski, bravo.

Overall rating: 5/5 (ALL THE STARS!!)

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

Review: The Start of Something Wonderful by Jane Lambert @janelambert22 @HQDigitalUK

January 13, 2018January 12, 20182 Comments

Goodreads|Amazon

Release date: January 5, 2018

Publisher: HQ Digital

Genre: Women’s Fiction

Blurb:

Previously published as Learning to Fly

It’s never too late to follow your dreams…

Forty-year-old air stewardess, Emily Forsyth, thought she had everything a woman could wish for: a glamorous, jet-set lifestyle, a designer wardrobe and a dishy pilot boyfriend. Until he breaks up with her…

Catapulted into a mid-life crisis she wishes she’d had earlier, she decides to turn her life upside-down, quitting her job and instead beginning to chase her long-held dreams of becoming an actress!

Leaving the skies behind her, Emily heads for the bright lights of London’s West End – but is it too late to reach for the stars?

Don’t miss this heartwarming and uplifting debut, perfect for fans of Colleen Coleman and Cate Woods!

Welcome to my stop on the blog tour for The Start of Something Wonderful!

Review:

This was such a refreshing read, maybe because the heroine isn’t your typical twenty something chick lit lead or maybe it was Lambert’s easy, flowy writing style, but whatever it is I wholeheartedly enjoyed this one and found it to be uplifting, inspiring and full of heart.

Emily is a forty year woman who decides it’s never too late to follow your dreams so she flips her life upside down to pursue an acting career. I really liked Em, she’s bright and bubbly and is willing to take risks, a quality I always admire in a person as I am not the risk taking type. There is a colorful and entertaining cast of characters that add humor cheer to the story and I genuinely laughed out loud several times while reading this delightful book.

You can tell Lambert has a personal connection to the story, it shines through and is heartfelt and honest. I loved the overall message of hope and encouragement that it really is never too late to start over, it’s a lovely thought and quite meaningful for such a fun loving book.

Overall rating: 4/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

Blog Tour: Deep Blue Trouble by Steph Broadribb @crimethrillgirl @OrendaBooks

January 7, 2018January 7, 20186 Comments

Goodreads|Amazon US|Amazon UK

Release date: November 15, 2017

Publisher: Orenda Books

Genre: Thriller

Blurb:

Single-mother Florida bounty hunter Lori Anderson’s got an ocean of trouble on her hands. Her daughter Dakota is safe, but her cancer is threatening a comeback, and Lori needs JT—Dakota’s daddy and the man who taught Lori everything—alive and kicking. Problem is, he’s behind bars, and heading for death row. Desperate to save him, Lori does a deal, taking on off-the-books job from shady FBI agent Alex Monroe. Bring back on-the-run felon, Gibson “The Fish” Fletcher, and JT walks free. Following Fletcher from Florida to California, Lori teams up with local bounty hunter Dez McGregor and his team. But Dez works very differently to Lori, and the tension between them threatens to put the whole job in danger. With Monroe pressuring Lori for results, the clock ticking on JT’s life, and nothing about the Fletcher case adding up, Lori’s hitting walls at every turn. But this is one job she’s got to get right, or she’ll lose everything.

I’m absolutely thrilled to be one of the stops on the blog tour for Deep Blue Trouble today!

Review:

Early last year I read the first book in this series, Deep Down Dead and was totally blown away, it was a gritty, action packed read and I’ve been dying to read this book ever since. I am so excited to share that DBT surpassed any of my expectations and I loved this one just as much as the first.

Broadribb weaves a story that is relentlessly paced right from the very first page. If I were asked to describe this book briefly I would say it’s that rare read that truly gets your heart pounding with the type of intensity that makes you anxious, a real nail biter. Add in the most kick ass female lead I’ve ever had the pleasure of reading about and you’re in for an epic adventure alongside a fast talking, sharp and wily mother with a heart of gold.

You would think a story full of action would be lacking in character development but then maybe you’ve never read a Broadribb book, because somehow she still manages to craft characters that are totally well rounded and intriguing to boot. We get a deeper look into J. T. and Lori’s relationship this time around and a peek at their history which just made me so eager to dive even deeper in the future, I’m really rooting for these two!

I honestly could ramble about this one for a whole lot longer than I already have, but I’ll finish by saying that if you’re a thriller fan and you haven’t read this series you seriously HAVE to. They’re not your run of the mill police procedurals, you have a bounty hunter, mama bear who takes no prisoners with an extremely messy past AND the type of action that leaves you breathless. Honestly, what more could you want? If you’re me, a movie version of this book, this is seriously begging to be brought to life.

Overall rating: 5/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

Blog Tour: The Wrong Side of Twenty Five by Kate Armitage @itskatearmitage @HelloChickLit

January 2, 20187 Comments

Goodreads|Amazon

Release date: December 28, 2017

Publisher: Crooked Cat Books

Genre: Women’s Fiction

Blurb:

With newsfeeds full of perfect pouts, hot-dog legs and the self-proclaimed hashtag-blessed, it’s hard not to feel inadequate. How has everyone figured out how to live their best life except you?

That’s what Kylie wants to know. She thought she would spend her twenty-fifth birthday having a mini-break not a mini-breakdown. After an evening of finger-food and snide remarks, Kylie decides that things must change. Naturally, Alexa disagrees. She doesn’t think anything needs to change and is quite happy plodding on with her best friend by her side. So, when everything changes for the better for Alexa, while it’s going from bad to worse for Kylie; will it tear them apart?

Hey guys, I hope the New Year is treating everyone right so far! I have a fabulous guest post from the author to share today.

Guest Post:

Girl-Meets-Girl

The Wrong Side of Twenty-Five is a love story. It might not be obvious looking at the title, front cover or blurb, but it is. It’s a love story, but not a romance. It’s not a romance and it’s not a boy-meets-girl. In fact, it’s a girl-meets-girl. It’s a girl-meets-girl-and-they-become-lifelong-friends kind of non-romantic love story. Wait, did I just create a new genre?

When I started writing this story, I knew I didn’t want it to be a romance. There’s nothing wrong with romance or stories about romance, but I just knew instinctively that this story wasn’t destined to be one. Maybe it’s because I’m not particularly romantic myself. I don’t care much for flowers and outlandish displays of affection. But love is different. Love isn’t only demonstrated by valentine’s day cards and romantic getaways. I don’t believe that the love you might have with a friend or family member is any less valid than one with a romantic partner.

In The Wrong Side of Twenty-Five, Kylie and Alexa are best friends. They have a kind of friendship where they know each other inside out. It’s a kind of friendship I’ve never experienced, which is possibly why I chose to write about it. I imagined a kind of best-friendship between Kylie and Alexa that was all-consuming and comforting. I imagined them talking all day, and knowing what the other is thinking and doing at any given time. It’s an intimate relationship without a sexual aspect.

As both Kylie and Alexa are single, they turn to each other as their primary source of love and reassurance and happiness. They like to consult one another on life choices and seek approval of the other in everything they do. This is normal, but not always healthy. When Alexa gets a promotion at work, she can’t wait to tell Kylie her news. That is, until Kylie finds herself fired. Alexa doesn’t see how she can tell Kylie given her new circumstances. The same happens soon after when Alexa starts seeing Shaun, just as Kylie is dumped. Although uncomfortable and awkward, Alexa should find a tactful way to break her news to Kylie. But instead, she feels so responsible for Kylie’s happiness that she instead decides to lead a double life: One where she is devoted entirely to Kylie and one where she is Kylie’s friend but also has an independent life. What could go wrong?

When Kylie inevitably finds out, she’s hurt, which is understandable. But she isn’t an appropriate amount of hurt, she’s lay-in-bed-eating-emergency-nutella devastated. She feels cheated and betrayed. A woman scorned, she confronts Alexa and like an atom splitting in to two, they blow up. After a huge fight, they separate, and their worlds change forever. So, actually, it’s a love story and a break-up story. It’s a girl-meets-girl-and-they-become-lifelong-friends-and-then-fall-out kind of non-romance love story. Catchy!

About the Author:

uthor: Kate Armitage

Author Bio: Kate Armitage is a writer from England who has three cats, two children and one husband. She lives an alarmingly conventional life which surprises everyone who speaks to her for more than five minutes. She spends her days knee-deep in play-doh and spends her nights elbow deep in manuscripts. Sometimes she lets the children also use the play-doh but only if they promise not to mix the colours.

You can find Kate on social media under @itskatearmitage or through her website www.katearmitageauthor.com.

Guest Post: Counting Down The Days Until Christmas? by B.J. Daniels

December 20, 20172 Comments

Hey everyone! I have an extra special treat today, author B. J. Daniels has written a guest post as part of a really fun tour called Winter Holiday Traditions and Reads with Harlequin. There are some amazing authors participating so be sure and check out the other stops, the schedule can be found on TLC Book Tours.

Daniels latest book is called Cowboy’s Legacy, here’s some more information about that before the guest post.

Amazon

Blurb:

Nothing will stop a Cahill cowboy from protecting what’s his

After a rocky marriage and even rockier divorce, Sheriff Flint Cahill finally has something good in his life again. Maggie Thompson’s down-to-earth charm and beautiful smile hooked him from the start. When she disappears on the day they plan to start their lives together, all signs point to abduction—and his ex-wife.

Functioning on adrenaline and instinct, Flint must call on his every resource to bring Maggie home before it’s too late. His past and future are blurred. Maggie’s only chance at surviving her abductor and a raging winter storm depends on an old vendetta that could destroy it all. But the Cahills don’t give up easily, and Flint’s love will have to be strong enough to conquer anything, including the unimaginable.

Guest Post:

Counting down the days until Christmas? You and a lot of children.

My stepdaughter had an inexpensive way to make counting down the days more fun. She took construction paper in red, green and white and cut the paper horizontally into inch and a half strips.

Next, she got the children to help put the strips together in loops to form a chain – like we used to do as kindergarteners to make garland for the tree.

If there were 30 days until Christmas, she had the children make thirty loops out of the strips, connecting them with either tape or staples.

Once done, the chain is hung up. Each day, the kids get to take turns ripping off one of the loops as Christmas approaches.

She said she’d tried other things involving candy and little presents but found they were unnecessary. Also she has eight children.

Her “Countdown to Christmas” was so popular that other mothers liked the idea and so did they children because they got to make the chains.

And when Christmas arrives, the last loop of paper goes in the trash. There is nothing to store.

I too am counting down the days until the holidays. We will be going up into the mountains to get a tree. Decorating the tree is something my husband and I do together. Our ornaments have been collected during our 25 years together so there are a lot memories attached to each.

I will also be baking. The holidays are a perfect time to try all those recipes I’ve been saving.

Mostly I will be counting down the days at my computer writing my next book. Like Santa, this is a busy time of the year for me. My latest book, COWBOY’S LEGACY (HQN) is on the shelves already, but with the New Year there is the need for more books.

Hope you all have a wonderful holiday filled with love, laughter, good food and of course, something fun to read curled up in front of the fire waiting for the big day to finally get here.

What a fun way to countdown, I’ll have to try that with my kids next year!

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