Category: Book tour

Q & A with Joy Norstrom author of Out of Play @norstrom_joy

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Goodreads|Amazon
Release date: October 27, 2016

Publisher: Crooked Cat

Genre: Chick Lit

Blurb:

Gillian Campbell is out of patience. 


Her husband is choosing his hobby over her. And the hobby in question? Live Action Role-Play, or ‘larp’. Larp involves dressing up as a character (be it medieval knight, banshee or centaur) and participating in imaginary battles for entire weekends. 


Gillian is not impressed. She seeks professional advice and is surprised when her therapist encourages her to try larp. Who knows? It may make you smile. It may make you laugh. It may even improve your sex life. How terrible could it be?


The advice seems super sketch to Gillian, but she decides to don a costume and give it a go. If larp doesn’t work a marital miracle, Gillian will be able to walk away knowing she tried absolutely everything before giving up.


Will going on her own role-play adventure heal Gillian’s marriage, or will the game shed light on everything that is wrong? 

Hey everyone, I hope your weekend is off to a fantastic start! I have an interview with Joy Norstrom to share today.


Q & A
 

Hello Amy! Thank you for hosting me on your Saturday Shout Out. I’m celebrating the one year anniversary of my book baby, Out of Play, and it seems a great time to think about my writing journey. What questions do you have for me?

 

Q: What’s a typical writing day for you look like? Describe your perfect writing environment.

 

A: My typical writing day is a few stolen hours when the kids are in bed or in swim practice or watching a movie. I think that’s a similar reality for writers who are trying to balance day jobs and young families with their creative processes.

 

The big exception are Mondays—my favourite day of the week! I don’t work on Mondays, the kids are at school and so that leaves just me and my lap top…and twitter and facebook and insta. Lol, there are still a lot of distractions but at least it’s quiet. Silence is definitely my preferred writing state. I know. I don’t sound fun at all, do I?

 

I also enjoy a warm beverage or two when I write. Coffee with cream in the morning. Bengal Spice tea in the afternoon. I’m also inspired by nature and like to write by a window with a view.

 

Q: How did you get started writing? Was it something you’ve always loved?

 

A: I’ve always been a storyteller. That’s probably a nice way to say ‘chatty.’ I grew up in a house of readers and most of us happened to be oral storytellers too (picture a group of chatty readers and you’ve got it). I was on my second maternity leave and my mom suggested I should write a children’s book. I was very quick to dismiss the idea. I didn’t think it was possible to get published and I doubted whether anyone would be interested in what I might come up with. And yet the seed was planted. I wasn’t able to shake the idea and I spent most of my thirties working on my writing craft.

 

What I love about storytelling is seeing an emotional reaction and I think that happens when readers (or listeners) feel a connection with the main character. How great is it to know you’ve helped people to feel something powerful? My two favourite reactions are laughter or empathy. Don’t you agree that life is better when there’s humour and a connection to other people’s lived experience?

 

Q: If writing wasn’t your career what would you be doing?

 

A: Writing is somewhere on the spectrum between ‘hobby’ and ‘career’ for me. It requires more time, energy and skill than an average pastime, and yet it’s not quite an occupation either. I work part-time as a registered social worker in community development. I actually love my job because I am passionate about social inclusion and get to have an integral role in building a more just society. Storytelling is also a powerful tool for building empathy and understanding, and so I find splitting my time between these two roles is a great way to keep my creative and grounded.

 

Q: What’s the best compliment you’ve received about your work?

 

A: When I receive a review where the reader says they both laughed and cried, I know I was able to reach my goal of writing a story that matters.

 

Q: Who are your favorite writers/inspirations?

 

A: I’ve been deeply inspired by two Canadian authors:

 

Miriam Toews. Can anyone not recommend Miriam Toews? Her voice is beautiful. She writes a great mix of humour and heartbreak and I basically think she’s amazing. The Flying Troutmans is one of my favourite books. It’s one of those books you keep sneaking back into your room to read, because you’ve got to find out how it ends.

 

Susin Nielsen. If you haven’t heard of her you should look her up. She writes younger YA but doesn’t shy away from tough topics. My ten year old likes her books and so do I. That’s like a (mumble, thirty, mumble) year audience span so quite impressive that Susin can engage such a wide span in audiences. My favourite Susin Nielsen book is The Reluctant Journal of Henry K. Larsen but perhaps a better title for a younger reader would be Dear George Clooney, Please Marry My Mother.

 

Both of these authors successfully weave humour and tragedy into their stories. I find it inspiring because it’s what I want to do with my own writing.

 

Q. Anything you can tell us about upcoming projects?

 

A. My current project is about a single mom who lives in a small sawmill town. Her son doesn’t fit into the fairly rigid gender norms in their community. With little income (and few choices) she crosses paths with a group of older women who want her to teach them about dating in the twenty-first century.  

 

I’m currently interviewing parents with children who identify outside mainstream gender norms as a way to better understand my character. If you’re reading this and are interested in sharing your experience with me, I would love to hear from you.  

 

Q: Preferred method for readers to contact you?

 

A: It’s great to chat on social media and I can also be contacted via my website.

Twitter: https://twitter.com/norstrom_joy

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joynorstrom/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/joy.norstromauthor

Website: http://www.joynorstrom.ca

 

Review: Lilac Lane by Sherryl Woods 

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Goodreads|Amazon
Release date: October 17, 2017

Publisher: MIRA

Genre: Contemporary Romance 

Blurb: 

No one writes about friends, family and home better than Sherryl Woods. Told with warmth and humor, Lilac Lane is a brand-new story in her beloved Chesapeake Shores series, one readers all over the world have waited two years to read!


At the heart of Lilac Lane is Keira Malone, who raised her three children alone after her first marriage broke apart, and who, after years of guarding her heart, finally finds love again. But that love is short-lived when her fiancé suffers a fatal heart attack. Grieving and unsure of what’s next, Keira agrees to move from Dublin to Chesapeake Shores, Maryland, to spend time with her daughter, Moira, and her new granddaughter, Kate, as well as to help her son-in-law, Luke, with his Irish pub, O’Briens


Not wanting to live underfoot, she rents a charming cottage on Lilac Lane, replete with views of the ocean and her neighbor’s thriving garden–not to mention views of the neighbor himself. The neighbor is none other than Bryan Laramie, the brusque and moody chef at the pub, with whom Keira is constantly butting heads. But things get real when Bryan’s long-lost daughter, whom he hasn’t seen since she was a baby, shows up out of the blue. As Bryan and Keira each delve into their pasts, reopening wounds, the rest of the town is gearing up for the Fall Festival Irish Stew cook-off, and making no bones about whose side they’re on. It’s Kitchen Wars meets This is Your Life–a recipe for disaster…or a new take on love?


You won’t want to miss this epic return to Chesapeake Shores, a place we’re betting you’ll want to stay forever. 

Welcome to my stop on the blog tour for Lilac Lane. You can see the full schedule on TLC Book Tours.

Review: 

Right before I started reading this I realized that it’s the fourteenth book in a series so to say I was little apprehensive is fitting. That is a LONG history and I feared I would have trouble connecting with the characters or that I would be lost due to long running backstories. Thankfully, I had absolutely no issues at all and found myself immediately swept away to Chesapeake Shores and totally charmed by this quaint little town and it’s residents.

It looks like every book in this series follows a new couple, reminiscent of RaeAnne Thayne’s long running Haven Point series, and that made it extremely easy to follow along. Keira comes to town from Ireland at the urging of her daughter and helps out in the kitchen at Moira and Luke’s pub. Bryan is the head chef and him and Keira immediately have a love/hate relationship (mostly hate) but I love that cliched trope in a romance, the chemistry and the sparks flying is always hugely entertaining to me!

This was a sweet, clean romance heavy on the importance of strong family bonds and ties to a community. Slightly predictable but truly adorable I loved my time spent in Chesapeake Shores and I just realized there’s a TV series based on the books so guess what I’ll be bingeing ASAP?! If you like Nora Roberts or Fern Michaels you would love Woods. 

Overall rating: 4/5

Thanks to TLC Book Tours for my review copy.

About the Author: 


With her roots firmly planted in the South, Sherryl Woods has written many of her more than 100 books in that distinctive setting, whether in her home state of Virginia, her adopted state, Florida, or her much-adored South Carolina. Sherryl is best known for her ability to creating endearing small town communities and families. She is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of over 75 romances for Silhouette Desire and Special Edition.

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Review: Murder Game by Caroline Mitchell @caroline_writes @bookouture

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Goodreads|Amazon US|Amazon UK
Release date: October 31, 2017

Publisher: Bookouture 

Genre: Mystery/Thriller

Blurb:

A serial killer is playing a terrifying game of life or death with his victims. After he captures them, a countdown begins. He marks the time by sending clues to the whereabouts of the women he has taken in three disturbing images: alive, tortured, dead. 


In a race against the clock, East London Detective Ruby Preston must play the twisted killer’s terrifying murder game and decipher the clues before more women die… 


But this isn’t the first time the police have seen such a sickening crime. The notorious Lonely Hearts Killer, Mason Gatley, was put behind bars ten years ago for murdering six women in exactly the same chilling way. Desperate for more information, Ruby persuades her boyfriend, Nathan Crosby, to use his criminal connections to set up a dangerous meeting. Because to catch this killer, she needs to think like one… 


But the closer Ruby grows to the dark and charming Mason Gatley, the more worried her team become. Is Mason really helping her catch the killer? Or is he lining Ruby up to be his next victim?


Fans of Angela Marsons, Rachel Abbott and Peter James will be hooked by this dark and utterly disturbing thriller, packed with twists until the final page. 

I’m ecstatic to be one of the stops on the blog blitz for Murder Game today!


Review:

This is the third and final book in the Ruby Preston series, I absolutely loved both Death Note and Sleep Tight and I highly recommend this series. Mitchell has the unique ability to create wholly believable characters and well plotted scenarios that are guaranteed to keep you engaged and on the edge of your seat the entire time.

I love that this case follows a copycat killer and this forced Ruby to visit the original killer, Mason in prison to see if he could be of any help in the investigation. The scenes between these two were chilling and utterly creepy, very Silence of the Lambs and so well done. Mitchell crafts the best serial killers and as a reader with a sick fascination with them, she’s one of the best. 

Fast paced and relentless, this is totally a one sitting type of read. I won’t say much about the plot itself except it’s twisty and per usual I had no idea who the killer was, Mitchell always keeps me on my toes. If you like police procedurals and haven’t read this series you should, they have such an authenticity to them and they’re entertaining and exciting, what more could you want?! 

Overall rating: 5/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

About the Author:


USA Today Bestselling Thriller Author.


Originally from Ireland, Caroline lives with her family, parrot and two dogs in a pretty village on the coast of Essex. A former police detective, Caroline has worked in CID and specialised in roles dealing with vulnerable victims, high-risk victims of domestic abuse, and serious sexual offences. Published by Bookouture and Thomas & Mercer, she now writes full time and all her books have become number 1 best sellers in their categories.


Her fast-paced DC Jennifer Knight thrillers carry a hint of the supernatural and are weaved from Caroline’s personal experiences in the police and paranormal.


Set in Shoreditch, London, her DS Ruby Preston series is described as “terrifying, addictive serial killer thrillers”. 


 


Caroline also writes psychological thrillers, the most recent, Witness, has been described as “thrilling, tense, exciting, dark and twisted in the best possible way”.

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Blog Tour: My Girlfriend’s Perfect Ex Boyfriend by Peter Jones @peterjonesauth @rararesources

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Goodreads|Amazon
Release date: October 10, 2017

Publisher: Soundhaven Books

Genre: Romantic Comedy

Blurb: 

Adrian Turner, Mountaineer, Secret Agent, Fireman… Ade would dearly like to be any of these things, though he’d trade them all to win the heart of feisty Public Relations Executive, Paige.

Instead, he’s a disillusioned school teacher, on suspension, after an unfortunate incident with a heavy piece of computer equipment. And somebody’s foot. And Paige? Despite being his girlfriend for the past eighteen months, she still seems to have one foot out of the door and hasn’t quite committed to leaving a toothbrush in the bathroom.

​

Of course, it doesn’t help that she’s working with her ex-boyfriend, Sebastian. A man who in almost every way imaginable is better, taller, wealthier, hairier, and infinitely more successful than Ade.

​

Is Paige still in love with Sebastian? Why then did she suggest they get away for a few days? Some place romantic…

​

But when Adrian finds himself in Slovenia – with Sebastian in the room down the hall – he realises there’s serious possibility that he’s in danger of losing his job, his mind, and the woman he loves…

​

From best-selling author Peter Jones comes this hilarious romp about love, and the things people do to keep it from getting away.

Welcome to my stop on the blog tour for My Girlfriend’s Perfect Ex Boyfriend! I have an excerpt from the book to share today. 


Excerpt: 

I’ve had plenty of massages over the years. Most left me feeling a little… uncomfortable… which was the inspiration for this scene. We join Ade and Paige in their ‘spa hotel’ bedroom.

The toilet flushes for the third time since Paige made her early morning dash to the bathroom. And judging by some of the other sounds coming from that room, I’m guessing the Rakija is still punishing her for excesses on Sunday night. At least I hope that’s all it is. The last thing we need as a couple, on top of me losing my job, and Sebastian’s unwelcome attendance at the wedding, is a serious illness.

Paige staggers back into the room and crawls back into bed.

“You okay?” I ask.

“Peachy,” says Paige into the pillow.

“I can go down to reception and see if they can call a doctor?”

“It’s just a hangover,” she groans.

“A two day hangover!” I add. “How about we go down to breakfast? Give your body something more substantial to work with?”

“Food? Ugh.”

“It really is very good. They’ve got everything. I’m pretty sure I saw pancakes and maple syrup.”

“You go. I’m staying here.” I fold my arms. Grumpily. Well, as much as it’s humanly possible to express an emotion with the simple act of arm folding.

“How about another walk around the lake? That might make you feel better. You can build up an appetite. And there was that restaurant you liked the look of on the other side.”

“I really don’t think I can move,” groans Paige.

“You can’t stay here all day,” I reason.

“Just watch me,” she says.

“But this is our only free day! Tomorrow is the wedding!”

“Okay, okay,” she says. “How about a massage?”

“What?”

“A spa treatment,” she says. “This is a spa hotel.” I screw up my nose, and shake my head.

“Nah, I think that just means they have a pool and a steam room, I don’t think they offer anything in the way of ‘treatments’.” Which is of course, total rubbish. I know exactly what treatments they offer, as well as where they offer them. I found all that out and more whilst Paige was sleeping yesterday. Paige props herself up with pillows.

“No – I remember seeing it on the website,” she says. “They do all manner of therapeutic treatments. And they do couples. Don’t you think that would be nice?”

“Hang on,” I say, suddenly realising I don’t have to fake ignorance after all. “Wasn’t there a sign in the lobby when we checked in? Something about not being about to offer massages due to staff sickness?”

“They’re back on again,” she says, “according to the note by the door.” I frown, get out of bed, and sure enough, there on the floor, is a note, scribbled on a small sheet of hotel note paper.

Couple massages now available!

I pick it up, my frown still firmly in place.

“Where did this come from?” I ask, coming back into the room.

“Someone must have pushed it under the door,” she says.

“Why did you leave it on the floor?”

“Well, forgive me for just wanting to get back into bed! When did you suddenly become so concerned about tidiness?” She has a point. “So are we getting a massage or not?” she asks.

“Hey!” I say brightly, “I could give you massage – how about that?” Her eyes narrow.

“What’s your problem with massages?”

“Problem? I don’t have a problem.”

“Like hell you don’t.”

“I just… I just don’t like them. Very much.”

“You never seem to complain when I give you a massage.”

“Yes well, that’s different. It’s you. You’re naked. And other stuff usually happens. As well as the massage. There’s nothing… weird.”

“Weird?”

“Yeah.”

“What do you mean by weird?”

“You know.”

“Er, no. That’s why I’m asking.”

“You don’t… wrap me in seaweed… or rub me down with an octopus, or spray me with squid ink… or something.”

Paige laughs. “What kind of massage places are you going to!?”

“Seriously! They’re all at it. I saw an advert on the internet the other day offering ‘rock massage’.”

“Rock? As in music?”

“As in pebbles! They heat them up to about a hundred degrees and then lay them along your spine. I mean… what’s that all about!?”

“Hot stone massage. It’s meant to be very nice.”

“It’s barking mad is what it is! I honestly believe there are gangs of therapists trying to outdo each other by inventing ‘new and exciting therapies’. If you told me that you could pay someone to beat you senseless with a pleasantly scented bamboo sitar I wouldn’t be the slightest bit surprised.”

Paige yawns.

“Please yourself,” she says, laying back down again. “No massage. Though it’s a shame. I rather like a good sitar beating.” She says nothing for a second or two, then adds: “You know, Sebastian actually has a qualification in massage.”

“What?” I say, after a pause so pregnant an ultrasound would identify at least ten more pauses all waiting to pop out.

“It’s true,” says Paige through a yawn. “He took some course or something, few years ago, when he was travelling round India on one of his trips.”

“Well, of course he bloody did,” I grumble under my breath. “Is there anything that man hasn’t done?”

“I bet he’s nowhere near as good as the masseuses here though,” murmurs Paige. “Not that I’ll ever know.” And with that I get out of bed, and pull on my jeans and a sweater as quickly as I can. “Where are you going?” she asks.

“To get a leaflet,” I say. “Back in a tick.”

 About the Author:


Peter Jones started professional life as a particularly rubbish graphic designer, followed by a stint as a mediocre petrol pump attendant. After that he got embroiled in the murky world of credit card banking. Fun times.

​

Nowadays, Peter spends his days writing, or talking about writing. He’s written three novels; a Rom-Com (Romantic Comedy), A Crim-Com (Crime Comedy), and a Rom-Com-Ding-Dong (a sort-of Romantic-ish Comedy, with attitude). He’s currently working on his fourth novel, which – if it’s a musical – he’ll no doubt describe as a Rom-Com-Sing-Song. (Spoiler: It isn’t).

​

He is also the author of three and a half popular self-help books on the subjects of happiness, staying slim and dating. If you’re overweight, lonely, or unhappy – he’s your guy.

​

Peter doesn’t own a large departmental store and probably isn’t the same guy you’ve seen on the TV show Dragons’ Den.

​

Follow Peter Jones

Website http://www.peterjonesauthor.com

Amazon http://amzn.to/2h17Tav

Twitter: https://twitter.com/peterjonesauth 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/peterjonesauthor

 

Review: The Bitches of Suburbia by Jane Owen @janeowenauthor @rararesources

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Goodreads|Amazon
Release date: April 9, 2017

Genre: Literary, Humor

Blurb: 

Nothing much ever happened on Horseshoe Lane – why should it? It was, after all, just a normal suburban backwater with the usual cross section of growing families, ageing pensioners, the occasional singleton and a brace of curtain twitchers. The arrival of celebrity couple, Heavenly and Travis, however, changes all that. This glamorous pair bring about a summer of competitive party throwing and ambitious home improvement projects that will have disastrous and completely unforeseen consequences.  

 

Neighbours who’ve got by for years with just the occasional chat over a garden fence about the unseasonable amount of rain or the state of next door’s garden are slowly united by suspicion as a husband goes missing, a much loved cat turns up dead on a doorstep and Enid from Number Seven is found badly injured at the foot of the cliff.   

 

Could one person be responsible for all of this? Could that person be the strange and unlikeable Hilary Jones from Number Nine? There was only going to be one way to find out and it was going to involve a lot of whiskey….

 

In this her wonderful follow up to ‘The Rock Star Known as Horse’, Owen’s riveting new story finds a murky side to the suburbs, a side where petty jealousies and neighbourly rivalries can escalate out of all control with calamitous results, all intricately observed with her usual dark humour firmly to the fore.  

I’m delighted to be one of the stops on the blog tour for The Bitches of Suburbia today!


Review:

I know some people will probably be put off by the title of this one but it’s actually what first caught my attention and made me think, now that sounds like the type of book I would like to read! I figured an author who was bold enough to use the word bitches in the title would have the type of sarcastic sense of humor that I love and boy was I right. This book was darkly humorous, sassy and a whole hell of a lot of fun.

Right from the start I got a Desperate Housewives vibe, there’s that same feisty spirit and campy, gossipy fun on Horseshoe Lane that there was on Wisteria Lane. The neighborhood is full of unique characters, some are pretty average and boring and others are downright scandalous, there’s even a married couple that are swingers!! So this is a little bit sexy, but not gratuitous but there are plenty of outrageous moments and naughty behavior. Out of all the residents I think Gertrude was my favorite, she’s a ninety something whisky drinking bad girl, what’s not to love?!

While there is some death and murder this read more like a cozy mystery with bite, it’s definitely not as cutesy as a cozy, it’s sharper and more cunning. A totally fun  read written in an easy style, I would definitely read another one of Owen’s books.

Overall rating: 4/5

Thanks to the author and Rachel Gilbey for my review copy. 

About the Author:


Jane’s first novel, Camden Girls, was published by Penguin twenty years ago and quickly became an international cult bestseller published in many languages including Japanese, Spanish,German, Hebrew, Italian and Dutch. She’d already spent many years working in the film business working alongside stars such as Christophe Lambert, Andi McDowell, Daryl Hannah and James Remar before switching to the music business and working for bands such as The Who, Robert Plant, ZZTop and many more. Eventually, even that got boring and that’s when she wrote Camden Girls.  

 

After publication, life became interrupted by an unfortunate traffic accident and Jane moved out of London to Sussex and slowly returned to writing. Her novels don’t fit into any specific category and, frustrated by endless rejections along the lines of ‘You write beautifully but we don’t know how to sell this book’ she started self publishing. Rave reviews gave her the confidence to keep going and believe in what she was writing.

 

She’s still in Sussex, sharing her life with her musician partner, three horses and a dog and divides her day between writing and riding.  

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Review: The Lost Child by Patricia Gibney @trisha460 @bookouture

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Goodreads|Amazon US|Amazon UK
Release date: October 27, 2017

Publisher: Bookouture 

Genre: Mystery/Thriller 

Blurb:

They placed me in here and threw away the key. I look down at the gown they’ve put on me. I want my own clothes. I don’t know how long I’ve been here.


An elderly woman is found murdered in her own home, and Detective Lottie Parker and her partner Detective Boyd are called in to investigate. When they discover that the victim’s daughter is missing as well, they start to fear for the safety of the whole family…


Two days later as a nearby house is set on fire and with the body count rising, Lottie and her team begin to unpick a web of secrets and lies, as the murders seem to link back to a case investigated by Lottie’s father before he took his own life. 


With little knowledge of what really happened to her father, Lottie knows this is a case that could give her some answers. But how much does she want to know? And how far is Lottie prepared to dig to uncover the truth?


The Lost Child is a thrilling page-turner from the bestselling author of The Missing Ones and The Stolen Girls that will have you guessing right to the very last page. Perfect for fans of Rachel Abbott, Angela Marsons and Robert Dugoni.

I’m so thrilled to be helping to kick off the blog tour for The Lost Child today!


Review:

This is the third book in a series that follows Lottie Parker, I absolutely loved The Missing Ones and The Stolen Girls and was eagerly awaiting the latest installment. I don’t recommend jumping in at this point in the series because the character development is SO great and each book reveals a little bit more about Lottie and her other team members. Also, it’s an awesome series so if you’re a fan of police procedurals and haven’t read this you are definitely missing out!

Lottie is still a lovable mess, she constantly has way too many plates spinning but she just cannot help herself, she thrives on chaos. Her kids are doing a bit better after the events of the last book but their house is still crazy and Lottie is struggling to maintain a balance between work and family life. Speaking of work, her caseload is bigger than ever, true to form there is a lot going on in this book and several interesting sub plots/cases are being investigated, there is always action and excitement in a Gibney book. Boyd is still around, much to my relief and once again, his and Lottie’s chemistry is amazing. 

This is told mainly in the present but there are several chapters from The Child, a nameless person who appears to have been raised primarily in an asylum under horrific circumstances. I wondered so many times how this could possibly relate to any of the investigations and when things all came together I was definitely surprised. 

Gibney has certainly found her stride with this series, she does a fantastic job weaving together an intricate plot with red herrings galore and excitement and tension to boot. It’s dark, gritty and intense with shocking developments and well executed twists. This case turns deeply personal for Lottie and provided more questions than answers in the end and I really cannot wait to see what happens next! 

Overall rating: 4/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy. 

About the Author:


Patricia lives in the midlands of Ireland. She is an avid crime reader so naturally she found herself writing in the crime genre. 



A life changing experience in 2009, with the death of her 49 year old husband, meant she had to give up her career, and over the following few years, she rekindled her love of art and writing. 



Initially Patricia wrote and illustrated a children’s book, but her real ambition was to write a novel. And she did!



In January 2016, she joined with Ger Nichol of The Book Bureau Literary Agency. In July 2016, Patricia signed with Bookouture for four DI Lottie Parker crime novels. 



The Missing Ones (Book 1) published in March 2017 and to date has reached a high of number 2 in Amazon UK Kindle charts and number 6 in the US. It also achieved number 1 in all its categories. It is a bestseller in UK, US, Canada and Australia.



Book 2 in the series, The Stolen Girls, published on July 6th, 2017.



Book 3, The Lost Child, is on pre-order and is published on October 27th, 2017.

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Review: No-One Ever Has Sex on Christmas Day by Tracy Bloom @TracyBBloom @bookouture

4 Comments


Goodreads|Amazon US|Amazon UK
Release date: October 24, 2017

Publisher: Bookouture

Genre: Romantic Comedy 

Blurb: 

A dream family Christmas or a total nightmare? Katy and Ben are about to find out…


Katy’s been stuck in the office away from her family so she wants it all: snow (fake or real), the Michael Bublé Christmas album, whatever it takes. 


There’s only one thing missing as far as her husband Ben is concerned: another baby to complete their family. But Katy isn’t so sure she’s ready yet…


Ben may be playing the role of Master Elf in the pre-school nativity but he is struggling to master his own family life. With romantically-challenged friends, an ex who refuses to go away and Katy’s mum’s 64-year-old toy boy thrown into the mix, Christmas looks like it could be going off the rails… Never mind family planning, can Katy and Ben even plan to make it to the end of Christmas Day? 


From the no. 1 bestselling author of No-one Ever Has Sex on a Tuesday, this book will make you cry with laughter, and then book your flights abroad for the festive season. Perfect for fans of Marian Keyes, Sophie Kinsella and Milly Johnson. 

I’m absolutely delighted to be one of the stops on the blog blitz for No-One Ever Has Sex on Christmas Day today!


Review:

This was one of the funniest books I’ve read in awhile, there was some seriously hilarious moments that had me dying! Think slap happy in terms of style and over the top comedy and that’s the type of read this was. If you’re looking for a different kind of Christmas book, this would be absolutely perfect, while the humor was my favorite part there are still some heartwarming scenes and a little romance as well. 

This is the third book in a series but I started with this one and had absolutely no problem catching up quickly. It seems Katy and Ben have had their fair share of issues in the past but they’ve managed to stick together and are happily married with a daughter, Millie. After being introduced to their circle of friends and family I can see why they’ve found themselves in some awkward situations, but man do they make for some amazingly fun scenes. Katy’s mom really cracked me up as did Ben’s best friend, Braindead. Yes, Braindead but it is a nickname but one that everyone uses freely and if you’ve read any of these books you’ll understand why! This was full of an eccentric, quirky cast that just completely stole my heart. 

This had a sassy edge that I loved, tons of sarcasm and slightly inappropriate humor that really made me giggle. I know I’ve said this probably too many times already but this really was a hysterical read, I doubt anyone could read it and NOT find it funny! 

Overall rating: 4/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

About the Author:


Tracy started writing when her cruel, heartless husband ripped her away from her dream job shopping for rollercoasters for the UK’s leading theme parks, to live in America with a brand new baby and no mates. In a cunning plan to avoid domestic duties and people who didn’t understand her Derbyshire accent, she wrote her romantic comedy, NO-ONE EVER HAS SEX ON A TUESDAY. This debut novel went on to be successfully published internationally and became a #1 Best Seller.
Back in the UK she has continued her writing career and has just launched her sixth book.

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Blog Tour: The Fallen Agent by Oliver Tidy @Olivertidy @carolinebookbit

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Goodreads|Amazon US|Amazon UK

Release date: October 10, 2017 

Genre: Thriller

Blurb: 

Jess Albion has recently started a new life on the other side of the world with a new identity. She used to be MI5. Then a job went bad, someone died and she was made an example of in the British courts. But MI5 look after their own. Or they did until rumours of a planned Al Qaeda biological terror attack on London started circulating. Now someone in the British security services is giving agents up in return for information. No price, it seems, is too high to save London from the ultimate threat.

When Jess’s fresh start is compromised she has a choice to make: run and hide and spend the rest of her life looking over her shoulder or go looking for the threat and snuff it out. On her own, she’d run, but she has Nick on her side.

The Fallen Agent is a story of love and hate, of loyalty and betrayal, of revenge and all that goes with it.

Welcome to my stop on the blog tour for The Fallen Angel! I have a character spotlight to share today. 

 | Who is Jess?
Jess is an ex MI5 officer. She is in her late twenties. She was in the job only a handful of years before finding herself at the centre of a show trial for causing the death of a civilian. She went to prison. Now she is trying to start a new life somewhere far away from all that.
 
| The Inspiration for Jess’s Character
The Fallen Agent was inspired by that finest of BBC TV dramas: Spooks, in particular Season 3 Episode 6. In Spooks, Zoe, an MI5 officer is convicted in a British court of the unlawful killing of someone unpleasant. She is sentenced to gaol time. I finished watching the episode thinking, now, what if this happened.
 
| The Creation of Jess Albion
Seeing as Jess is based on the character Zoe from Spooks, played by Keeley Hawes, I could not help but see that person every time I thought of Jess. I found it a help to have a ‘ready made’ character waiting to be manipulated.
 
| About Jess’s Character
Jess displays many of the character traits one would expect to see in a seasoned spook. She is tough, pragmatic, intelligent, capable, no nonsense, determined and resourceful, for example. But she also retains some humanity. She still cares. She can be affected emotionally by events. She has not become completely hardened to life.
 
| Does she have any similarities with anyone ‘real’?
About as close to anyone real as Jess gets is Keeley Hawes, or rather the character Zoe she played in Spooks. (Am I beginning to sound obsessed?)
 
 
 
| What do you like most about Jess?
Her strength and dedication. That she looks like Keeley Hawes. (I am obsessed!)
 
| What do you dislike about your protagonist’s character?
I can’t readily think of anything that I dislike about Keeley Hawes. Sorry, I mean Jess, of course.
 
| Would you and Jess be friends ‘in real life’?
In real life I fear that Jess (and Keeley Hawes) would both dismiss me as a bit of a dimwit, undeserving of their attention. Sad but true.
 
| What’s Next?
I am going to write another Jess Albion. But before that I need to pen the fourth installment in the Booker & Cash series.

About the Author: 


Crime writing author Oliver Tidy has had a life-long love affair with books. He dreams of one day writing something that he could find in a beautifully-jacketed hard-cover or paperback copy on a shelf in a book shop. He’d even be happy with something taking up space in the remainder bin, on a pavement, in the rain, outside The Works.

He found the time and opportunity to finally indulge his writing ambition after moving abroad to teach English as a foreign language to young learners eight years ago.  

Impatient for success and an income that would enable him to stay at home all day in his pyjamas he discovered self-publishing. He gave it go. By and large readers have been kind to him. Very kind. Kind enough that two years ago he was able to give up the day job and write full-time. Mostly in his pyjamas.

Oliver Tidy has fourteen books in three series, a couple of stand-alone novels and a couple of short story collections. All available through Amazon (clickable link to Am Author Page). Among his books are The Romney and Marsh Files (British police procedurals set in Dover) and the Booker & Cash novels, a series of private detective tales set in the south of England and published by Bloodhound Books.

Oliver is back living on Romney Marsh in the UK. His home. He still wakes in the night from time to time shouting about seeing his books on a shelf in Waterstones.

For more on Oliver Tidy and his books, check out his website: https://olivertidy.com/

Or follow him on:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/olivertidy

FB Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/Oliver-Tidy-467297426793288/

 

Blog Tour: The Little Village Christmas by Sue Moorcroft @SueMoorcroft @AvonBooksUK

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Goodreads|Amazon
Release date: October 17, 2017

Publisher: Avon

Genre: Women’s Fiction

Blurb:

Alexia Kennedy – interior decorator extraordinaire – has been tasked with giving the little village of Middledip the community café it’s always dreamed of.


After months of fundraising, the villagers can’t wait to see work get started – but disaster strikes when every last penny is stolen. With Middledip up in arms at how this could have happened, Alexia feels ready to admit defeat.


But help comes in an unlikely form when woodsman, Ben Hardaker and his rescue owl Barney, arrive on the scene. Another lost soul who’s hit rock bottom, Ben and Alexia make an unlikely partnership.


However, they soon realise that a little sprinkling of Christmas magic might just help to bring this village – and their lives – together again…


Settle down with a mince pie and a glass of mulled wine as you devour this irresistibly festive Christmas tale. The perfect read for fans of Carole Matthews and Trisha Ashley.

I’m so delighted to welcome you to my stop on the blog tour for The Little Village Christmas today!


Review: 

What an enchanting, heartwarming read this one was! I’ve heard so many great things about Sue Moorcroft’s books from many of my blogger buddies and when I heard she was not only releasing a new book, but a Christmas one I knew this would be the perfect opportunity to try one of her novels. Delightfully fun and touching, this is the perfect read for those days where you want to cuddle up and read something that’ll make you feel warm and fuzzy. 

Alexia and Ben were both the type of characters that you form an immediate connection with, they’re both extremely likable and realistic. Both of them are at a sort of crossroads in their lives, Ben has recently separated from his wife and there’s a mystery surrounding that whole situation that intrigued me right up until the end and Alexia has plans to move out of the village and start a new life in the city. Besides being realistic Ben was also adorably quirky, he has a soft spot for animals and is helping an injured owl, there’s some really swoon worthy moments with him and the romance was tender and sweet.

The location is fabulous, I adore a quaint little English village as a setting and Middledip surely provides that. There is a strong sense of community spirit when the residents rally around Alexia and Gabe after disaster strikes and they’re conned, it had some great feel good parts that made me sigh with happiness. The bulk of the story takes place in the weeks leading up to Christmas so it’s not all mistletoe and carols, you could indulge in the one at any time of the year! 

Overall rating: 4/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy. 

About the Author: 


Award winning author Sue Moorcroft writes contemporary women’s fiction with occasionally unexpected themes. The Wedding Proposal, Dream a Little Dream and Is This Love? were all nominated for Readers’ Best Romantic Read Awards. Love & Freedom won the Best Romantic Read Award 2011 and Dream a Little Dream was nominated for a RoNA in 2013. Sue’s a Katie Fforde Bursary Award winner, a past vice chair of the RNA and editor of its two anthologies.

The Christmas Promise was a Kindle No.1 Best Seller and held the No.1 slot at Christmas!

Sue also writes short stories, serials, articles, writing ‘how to’ and is a creative writing tutor.

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Review: Her Last Secret by Barbara Copperthwaite @BCopperthwait @bookouture

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Goodreads|Amazon US|Amazon UK
Release date: October 13, 2017

Publisher: Bookouture 

Genre: Psychological Thriller

Blurb:

There are some secrets you can never tell.


The last thing to go through Dominique Thomas’s head was the image of her teenage daughter’s face and her heart lifted. Then the shot rang out.


They were the perfect family. Successful businessman Ben Thomas and his wife Dominique live an enviable life, along with their beautiful children; teenager Ruby and quirky younger daughter, Mouse. 


But on Christmas Day the police are called to their London home, only to discover a horrific scene; the entire family lying lifeless, victims of an unknown assailant. 


But when Ruby’s diary is discovered, revealing her rage at the world around her, police are forced to look closer to home for the key to this tragedy.


Each family member harboured their own dark truths – but has keeping their secrets pushed Ruby to the edge of sanity? Or are there darker forces at work?


This dark, gripping psychological thriller will have you holding your breath until the very last page. Fans of Behind Closed Doors, Sometimes I Lie, and The Girl on the Train will be captivated. 

 I’m so excited to be one of the stops on the blog blitz for Her Last Secret today!


Review:

Right from the start of this one you already know something horrific has happened, but you don’t know the details, just that the Thomas family is shattered, and on Christmas Day of all days. This is told mostly through flashbacks starting about a week before Christmas, then there are a handful of chapters told from a police officers point of view when he arrives at the families home after tragedy strikes. Every single family member gets to tell their version of events and while most of them were pretty unlikable, I was still highly invested in their lives, and I did have a huge soft spot for Mouse, the youngest member of the family. She was such a dear, quirky little girl and I really wanted to take her away from the craziness of her family and keep her safe. 

This seemingly picture perfect family is anything but and they all have secrets they’re desperate to keep which made me suspicious and unsure of what exactly was going on. All of the characters are really well drawn and I really liked that Copperthwaite took the time to not only make these people come to life, but she gave them various problems and issues that were believable and really relevant today. 

This was a not one of those action packed, tense psychological thrillers but rather one that was character driven and relied on a simmering, more subtle tension that increased as you get closer to the end. The conclusion was shocking especially since you’re already acutely aware that something awful happened but there were still plenty of surprises that were unpredictable and I really couldn’t have guessed what truly happened in the end. 

Overall rating: 4/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy. 
About the Author:


What people say about Barbara’s books:

“Will have you looking over your shoulder and under your bed… Original, gripping, with a deep psychological impact,” Sunday Mirror 

“Enthralling, tense and moving,” Real People magazine 

“Totally gripping, and scarily believable,” Bella magazine


Barbara is the author of psychological thrillers INVISIBLE and FLOWERS FOR THE DEAD. Both have been Amazon best sellers. She is also the author of THE DARKEST LIES, and her latest book HER LAST SECRET is out on 13 October.


Much of her success is thanks to her twenty-odd years’ experience as a national newspaper and magazine journalist. She’s interviewed the real victims of crime – and also those who have carried those crimes out. Thanks to people sharing their stories with her, she knows a lot about the emotional impact of violence and wrong-doing. That’s why her novels are dark, realistic and tackle not just the crime but its repercussions.


When not writing feverishly, she is often found hiding behind a camera, taking wildlife photographs.