Category: Blog

Blog Tour: Spring at Lavender Bay by Sarah Bennett @Sarahlou_writes @NeverlandBT

5 Comments

Goodreads|Amazon US|Amazon U.K.

Release date: February 2, 2018

Publisher: HQ Digital

Genre: Chick Lit

Blurb:

Blurb: A season for change…?

Beth Reynolds loved growing up close to Eleanor’s Emporium – a bric-a-brac shop full of wonders on Lavender Bay. Devastated to learn that Eleanor has died, she returns home from London immediately and is shocked to discover that the elderly lady has left the shop to her!

Vowing to restore it to its former glory, she only intends to stay until the end of the season. Although the longer she spends in the colourful seaside town, the more she falls back in love with everything she left behind…and quite possibly, with her best friend Eliza’s older brother, local chef Sam Barnes!

Why didn’t she notice he was quite this gorgeous before? And will their spring fling be enough to convince her to stay?

Don’t miss Spring at Lavender Bay, the first book in the enchanting Lavender Bay trilogy! Perfect for fans of Trisha Ashley, Rachael Lucas and Hilary Boyd.

Book 1:Spring at Lavender Bay

Book 2:Summer at Lavender Bay

Book 3:Snowflakes at Lavender Bay

I’m delighted to be one of the stops on the blog tour for Spring at Lavender Bay today!

Review:

I became a fan of Sarah Bennett last year when I jumped in part way in her Butterfly Cove series so I was so pleased to be able to start her new series at the first book. She has a lovely way with words and writes the sweetest romances with realistic and wholly relatable characters that you can’t help but fall in love with! Add in an idyllic, quaint setting and you have the perfect recipe for a charming read.

This book introduces us to three friends, Libby, Eliza and Beth and focuses primarily on Beth though it provides enough of an introduction to both the residents of Lavender Bay and the town itself that I’m eager to see what happens in the next two books. Beth was a sweet person and I loved her friendship with Libby and Eliza, they have a blast together and have genuine relationships. As much as this is a romance there is a heavy emphasis on the importance of female friendships and a strong sense of community spirit and goodwill as well making it a perfect read for those that don’t want a cheesy, over the top romance novel. There’s a bit of drama as well to keep things interesting and the dash of romance was a combination of sweet and spicy with a side of adorable. I can’t wait to read the next book this summer!

Spring at Lavender Bay in three words: Cute, Picturesque and Endearing.

About the Author:

Sarah Bennett has been reading for as long as she can remember. Raised in a family of bookworms, her love affair with books of all genres has culminated in the ultimate Happy Ever After – getting to write her own stories to share with others.

Born and raised in a military family, she is happily married to her own Officer (who is sometimes even A Gentleman). Home is wherever he lays his hat, and life has taught them both that the best family is the one you create from friends as well as relatives.

When not reading or writing, Sarah is a devotee of afternoon naps and sailing the high seas, but only on vessels large enough to accommodate a casino and a choice of restaurants.

Sarah is the author of the Butterfly Cove trilogy, published by HQ Digital UK.

Her new series is set in the beautiful seaside town of Lavender Bay, and will follow the lives of three best friends – Beth, Eliza and Libby.

Blog Tour: Sisters Like Us by Susan Mallery

7 Comments

Goodreads|Amazon

Release date: January 23, 2018

Publisher: MIRA

Genre: Women’s Fiction

Blurb:

The grass is always greener on your sister’s side of the fence…

Divorce left Harper Szymanski with a name no one can spell, a house she can’t afford and a teenage daughter who’s pulling away. With her fledgling virtual-assistant business, she’s scrambling to maintain her overbearing mother’s ridiculous Susie Homemaker standards and still pay the bills, thanks to clients like Lucas, the annoying playboy cop who claims he hangs around for Harper’s fresh-baked cookies.

Spending half her life in school hasn’t prepared Dr. Stacey Bloom for her most daunting challenge—motherhood. She didn’t inherit the nurturing gene like Harper and is in deep denial that a baby is coming. Worse, her mother will be horrified to learn that Stacey’s husband plans to be a stay-at-home dad…assuming Stacey can first find the courage to tell Mom she’s already six months pregnant.

Separately they may be a mess, but together Harper and Stacey can survive anything—their indomitable mother, overwhelming maternity stores and ex’s weddings. Sisters Like Us is a delightful look at sisters, mothers and daughters in today’s fast-paced world, told with Susan Mallery’s trademark warmth and humor.

Welcome to my stop on the blog tour for Sisters Like Us! Check out TLC Book Tours for the full schedule.

Review:

Being the rebel that I am I jumped into this series at book four. It looks like each book focuses on a new set of characters with cameos from past favorites which made it extremely easy to follow. Sisters Like Us is about, well, sisters Harper and Stacey as well as their mother Bunny and Harper’s daughter Becca. I never get tired of reading about sister and mother/daughter relationships and Mallery brought these women to life in a realistic and appealing way.

I really enjoyed the majority of the characters with the exception of Bunny, I couldn’t stand her. Harper was my favorite probably because our lives are the most similar. Stacey was quirky, a bit of an oddball but her mannerisms and outlook on life were endearing and made for great reading. Mallery’s books always provide me with a much needed escape and every time I glanced at the cover I thought about how pretty it was. There was a little romance that added some spice but it’s main focus was on the dynamics of the family and Mallery writes with an effortless ease that keeps you turning pages. A lovely story with gentle life lessons and tons of heart, recommended for fans of Kristan Higgins and Kristy Woodsen Harvey.

Sisters Like Us in three words: Lighthearted, humorous and sweet.

Overall rating: 4/5

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

About the Author:

Susan Mallery is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of books about the relationships that define women’s lives—romance, friendship, family. With compassion and humor, Susan keenly observes how people think and feel, in stories that take readers on an emotional journey. Sometimes heartbreaking, often funny, and always uplifting, Susan’s books have spent more than 200 weeks on the USA Today bestsellers list, thanks to her ever growing legions of fans.

Critics, too, have heaped praise on “the new queen of romantic fiction.” (Walmart) Booklist says, “Romance novels don’t get much better than Mallery’s expert blend of emotional nuance, humor, and superb storytelling,” and RT Book Reviews puts her “in a class by herself!”

Although Susan majored in Accounting, she never worked as an accountant because she was published straight out of college with two books the same month, January of 1992. Sixteen prolific years and seventy-four books later, she hit the New York Times bestsellers list for the first time with Accidentally Yours in 2008. She made many appearances in the Top 10 before (finally) hitting #1 in 2015 with Thrill Me, the twentieth book in her most popular series, the Fool’s Gold romances, and the fourth of five books released that year.

Susan lives in Seattle with her husband, two ragdoll cats, and a tattletale toy poodle. Her heart for animals has led Susan to become an active supporter of the Seattle Humane Society. Animals play a big role in her books, as well, as she believes they’re an integral component to a happy life.

Connect with Susan

Website | Facebook | Twitter

Review: Sunday Silence by Nicci French #SundaySilence

6 Comments

About Sunday Silence

Publisher:William Morrow Paperbacks (January 9, 2018)

It started with Monday. But it doesn’t end with Sunday.

Read Sunday Silence, the new novel in the series that LOUISE PENNY calls “fabulous, unsettling, and riveting” and brace yourself for the breathtaking series finale in summer 2018.

Lover of London, gifted psychologist, frequent police consultant Frieda Klein is many things. And now she’s a person of interest in a murder case. A body has been discovered in the most unlikely and horrifying of places: beneath the floorboards of Frieda’s house.

The corpse is only months old, but the chief suspect appears to have died more than seven years ago. Except as Frieda knows all too well, he’s alive and well and living in secret. And it seems he’s inspired a copycat…

As the days pass and the body count rises, Frieda finds herself caught in a fatal tug-of-war between two killers: one who won’t let her go, and another who can’t let her live.

Crackling with suspense, packed with emotion, Sunday Silence is a psychological thriller perfect for fans of Elizabeth George and Paula Hawkins.

Review:

I jumped into this series with this book, yes it’s the seventh book, but I have heard so many amazing things about it and I just know I’ll never have the time to start at the beginning so I figured this was the perfect opportunity to see what all the hype is about.

I can totally see why this is such a popular series, there is something unique and unconventional about Sunday Silence. I think it’s a combination of a few key ingredients, the main character is a psychologist and police consultant giving a fresh point of view and the pacing was unlike many other novels. Oftentimes thrillers/police procedurals are set over the course of just a few days, maybe a few weeks but this is spread out over a few months which made it seem so much more realistic to me. Just because the timeline was more stretched out doesn’t mean that the suspense is lacking, in fact it was very intense and the sense of danger was heavy throughout.

This was a calculating read, both in terms of the storyline and the killer. This was deftly plotted, the authors are skilled at creating an elaborate labyrinth that I never managed to work out on my own. The cast of characters is eccentric and interesting and I can see how long time readers of the series would have an emotional attachment to them. If you’re already a fan, I think you’re in for a treat! If you’re a newbie like me I would recommend giving this a shot!

Sunday Silence in three words: Cunning, Extraordinary and Shrewd.

Overall rating: 4.5/5

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

Purchase Links

HarperCollins | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

About Nicci French

Nicci French is the pseudonym of English wife-and-husband team Nicci Gerrard and Sean French. Their acclaimed novels of psychological suspense have sold more than 8 million copies around the world.

Follow them on Facebook and Twitter.

Blog Tour: Perfect Death by Helen Fields @Helen_Fields @AvonBooksUK

Leave a comment

Goodreads|Amazon US|Amazon UK

Release date: January 25, 2018

Publisher: Avon Books UK

Genre: Mystery/Thriller

Blurb:

There’s no easy way to die…

Unknown to DI Luc Callanach and the newly promoted DCI Ava Turner, a serial killer has Edinburgh firmly in his grip. The killer is taking his victims in the coldest, most calculating way possible – engineering slow and painful deaths by poison, with his victims entirely unaware of the drugs flooding their bloodstream until it’s too late.

But how do you catch a killer who hides in the shadows? A killer whose pleasure comes from watching pain from afar? Faced with their most difficult case yet, Callanach and Turner soon realise they face a seemingly impossible task…

Hey everyone! I’m so excited to be sharing an extract from Perfect Death today as part of the blog tour. This series has been on my TBR for far too long and 2018 will be the year I get on it.

Extract:

Extract Four: Chapter 23, p.156

He got up, brushing spiders from his head, pointing the torch back towards the rear of the hut. Pushing between a couple of old ale barrels, he tried not to breathe in the foul air, wishing he’d ignored Jones’ request and brought backup. As he avoided an old badger trap, his foot landed on something that managed to be both soft and crunchy at once. He shone the light downwards as he stepped back. The fingers on which he’d trodden curled inwards. Callanach knelt down, shining the light up and down the torso, knowing that it was too late. The bodies of the living didn’t generally smell like this. Jones has lost control of his bowels, bladder too from the looks of the floor. Laying down the torch and taking a knife from his pocket, he cut through the gaffer tape that had been sealed around Jones’ neck and removed a bag from the head.

‘Louis?’ Callanach said, tapping his cheek lightly. Something felt wrong. Jones’ face, whilst warm, wasn’t moving the way he expected it to. The lower half was stiff and inflexible. Holding the torch in his mouth, Callanach got a better look. As he slid one hand beneath Jones’ head, his fingers plunged into a warm wet mess, stringy to touch with boney splinters in the mix. ‘Fuck!’ He pulled his hand back out, watching the grey red mixture slide off his fingertips. Louis Jones was dead, and no amount of resuscitation was going to make any difference. His brains were currently decorating a wide section of the floor, the entrance wound a neat black hole on his forehead. Flashing the light slightly downwards, Callanach took a closer look at Jones’ mouth. His bottom lip had been pulled upwards over the top lip and a nail gun had been used to send an industrial pin into his upper palate.

Oohh that’s so creepy!! Just my style haha.

Q & A with Vivien Brown author of Lily Alone @VivBrownAuthor

2 Comments

Goodreads|Amazon

Release date: January 30, 2018

Publisher: Harper

Blurb:

Lily, who is almost three years old, wakes up alone at home with only her cuddly toy for company. She is afraid of the dark, can’t use the phone, and has been told never to open the door to strangers.

But why is Lily alone and isn’t there anyone who can help her? What about the lonely old woman in the flat downstairs who wonders at the cries from the floor above? Or the grandmother who no longer sees Lily since her parents split up?

All the while a young woman lies in a coma in hospital – no one knows her name or who she is, but in her silent dreams, a little girl is crying for her mummy…

And for Lily, time is running out…

Happy US publication day to Vivien Brown, her novel Lily Alone is out today and to celebrate I have an interview to share.

Q & A

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

I gave up paid employment four years ago to concentrate on my writing, so I now have a choice about when to write instead of squeezing it all in late at night or at weekends. Ideally, I love to write in the afternoons, in a sunny garden with a cold drink and a bar of chocolate to hand, but London weather doesn’t offer many opportunities like that, so I use a bedroom turned into a study, overlooking the garden, with a small TV, all my books and writing stuff around me, and two goldfish for company.

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

I loved English lessons at school and started writing poems at about the age of 16. My first short story to appear in a UK women’s magazine while I was a stay-at-home mum of twins gave me such a thrill that I wrote more, and more, and have had around 140 published now under my former name of Vivien Hampshire. I have also had more than 250 articles published, largely about working and reading with kids. Novels crept up on me slowly. My first two were learning experiences, appearing as ebooks only under my old author name, but I now have a ‘real’ UK publishing contract as Vivien Brown and I’m being read in both ebook and paperback, so I couldn’t be happier!

Who are your favorite writers/inspirations?

I read a real mix of novels, about fifty a year – from romance and sagas to psychological thrillers, American and British, but almost always books written by women and with strong women as their main characters. Some of my favorites in recent years have been Clare Mackintosh, Milly Johnson, Jean Fullerton, Veronica Henry and Iona Grey.

Anything you can tell us about upcoming projects?

Launching Lily Alone to an American audience on 30 January is exciting but nerve-wracking, and I have been told the rights have been sold to a Turkish publisher too, so I am looking forward to seeing it in translation, even though I won’t understand a word! My next novel will be out in the UK later in 2018 and is currently at the editing stage. I haven’t even seen a cover for it yet, but it is called Five Unforgivable Things and will look at the five pivotal moments in a long marriage when mistakes were made and things just might have turned out differently if only…

Normally how do you develop plots/characters? Brief us on your process.

I write very much about the world I know. London-based contemporary relationship stories, with all the drama that arises when people meet, marry, have children, divorce or make life-changing decisions and mistakes. I worked in banking, and then with children under the age of five for a long time, so these regularly feature in my stories, as do lovable old ladies, based loosely on my own grandmother! A story for me starts with a character or an incident, and I rarely know exactly what is going to happen along the way until I actually write it.

Favorite character from one of your own novels?

I like most of my characters, but I do have a soft spot for Agnes, the elderly neighbour in Lily Alone, who is widowed and lonely, suffering from arthritis, living somewhere she really doesn’t want to be, but has a very good and loving heart. Of course, things will work out well for her by the end of the book. And her old cat Smudge, who plays an important part in the story. I love him too!

Preferred method for readers to contact you?

I use twitter, facebook, email, and have a blog (which I don’t add to very often), but any way is good for me. Hearing from readers is a lovely part of the job. Or write a review – always so much appreciated.

On average, how long does it take you to write a book?

 

Taking a year to think, plan, write and edit a book from idea to finished manuscript works for me. I’m sure it can be achieved more quickly, but I like to feel comfortable and unrushed, leaving me time to have a life away from writing too.

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

Probably still working with very young children. It was a dream job, introducing them and their families to the magic of books, reading stories and leading rhyme sessions to groups in libraries, organising picture book-related events, running training courses about reading to children, and giving away free books. I did it for 12 years, in an area of London where there were a lot of families from other countries and cultures, or with very little income, for whom reading had never been a large part of their lives. I only left because the urge to write was so strong.

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

When someone I have never met reads my novel and leaves a review telling me it was gripping or nail-biting and they couldn’t put it down. That’s the sort of writing I set out to achieve and it’s lovely to know I have managed it. I just hope that American readers will enjoy the book as much as British ones have.

Huge thanks to Vivien for joining me today, you can catch her on social media at the following links.

Amazon.co.uk link: http://amzn.to/2nF1iDC

Amazon.com link: http://amzn.to/2qFxdaN

Twitter: https://twitter.com/VivBrownAuthor

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/viv.hampshire

Website/Blog: https://vivienbrownauthor.wordpress.com/

Email: vivbrownauthor@btinternet.com

Blog Tour: The Chalk Man by C. J. Tudor @cjtudor

11 Comments

Goodreads|Amazon

Release date: January 9, 2018

Publisher: Crown

Genre: Mystery/Thriller

Blurb:

The must-read thriller of 2018, this riveting and relentlessly compelling psychological suspense debut weaves a mystery about a childhood game gone dangerously awry that will keep readers guessing right up to the shocking ending

In 1986, Eddie and his friends are just kids on the verge of adolescence. They spend their days biking around their sleepy little English village and looking for any taste of excitement they can get. The chalk men are their secret code; little chalk stick figures they leave for one another as messages only they can understand. But then a mysterious chalk man leads them right to a dismembered body, and nothing is ever the same.

In 2016, Eddie is fully grown, and thinks he’s put his past behind him. But then he gets a letter in the mail, containing a single chalk stick figure. When it turns out that his friends got the same message, they think it could be a prank . . . until one of them turns up dead.

That’s when Eddie realizes that saving himself means finally figuring out what really happened all those years ago.

Expertly alternating between flashbacks and the present day, The Chalk Man is the very best kind of suspense novel, one where every character is wonderfully fleshed out and compelling, where every mystery has a satisfying payoff, and where the twists will shock even the savviest reader.

Welcome to my stop on the blog tour for The Chalk Man! To follow along with the tour check out TLC Book Tours for the full schedule.

Review:

If you’re at all involved in the book world, especially on social media, I’m sure you haven’t missed the buzz surrounding The Chalk Man. It’s been on my radar for months and after reading it, I can definitely say that I believe the hype and am in awe of Tudor, how is this a debut?! This had that perfect blend of rich characterization, a riveting storyline and enough creepiness to make my blood run cold.

When dual timelines are well done there is something magical that happens for me, a read becomes captivating and Tudor hit that sweet spot for me. Most of the chapters ended on some sort of cliffhanger, then there was an immediate timeline switch which added an unbelievable amount of suspense, it had me on the edge of my seat.

This was so deftly plotted that there was no way I could predict what would happen next and that ending?! MIND BLOWN. I can see why it’s dividing readers but it worked SO well for me, it couldn’t have been more freaky and menacing. Part coming of age, part old school mystery I cannot recommend this one more!

The Chalk Man in three words: Complex, Sinister and Exceptional.

Overall rating: 5/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

About the Author:

C. J. TUDOR lives in Nottingham, England, with her partner and three-year-old daughter. Over the years she has worked as a copywriter, television presenter, voice-over, and dog walker. She is now thrilled to be able to write full-time, and doesn’t miss chasing wet dogs through muddy fields all that much. The Chalk Man is her first novel.

.

Connect with C. J.

Facebook | Twitter

Blog Tour: Appetite by Anita Cassidy @AnitaCassidy76 @RedDoorBooks

1 Comment

Goodreads|Amazon

Release date: January 11, 2018

Publisher: Red Door Books

Blurb:

Because everyone hungers for something…

Food and Sex: two appetites the modern world stimulates, but also the ones we are expected to keep under control. But what happens when we don’t?

Embarking on an affair, lonely wife and mother Naomi blossoms sexually in a false spring while David, the fattest boy at the local comprehensive and best friend of her son, struggles to overcome bullying and the apathy of his divorced mother.

David finally starts to learn about the mechanisms of appetite through a science project set by his intelligent but jaded teacher, Matthew. David’s brave efforts to change himself open Matthew’s eyes to his activist girlfriend’s dangerous plans to blow up VitSip, a local energy-drink company where Naomi works.

At the mercy of their appetites, this exciting debut novel shows that some hungers can never be satisfied…

Welcome to my stop on the blog tour for Appetite! I have an extract from the book to share today.

Chapter One Monday 7th January

David

Looking down, resting awkwardly against a lamp post, David kept out of sight of the school for a little longer. He always did this. And he always spent the time hoping, after each blink, that his eyes would open to find the buildings blown up or the pavement underneath him bathed in a strange, pale light before it fell away, his body being sucked up into a spaceship full of friendly, intelligent (female) aliens. But the bomb never fell, the UFO never came. With appalling consistency, it always got to 8.45, the bell always began to ring and he always had to walk over the road and through the gates.

Even while he had been enjoying the coloured lights and comforts of the recent Christmas holidays, this had been on the edge of his mind, causing the same lingering sense of unease as a receding nightmare. When he wasn’t imagining the destruction of the school or the convenient abduction of himself, he was watching. Watching grey trousers and grey jackets against grey concrete. A parade of uniform and uniformity marching steadily towards black gates holding black bags. And there, with blazers stretched across their backs, bunching up under the armpits and pulled taut across the hips, were the fat kids. Winter coats hung open loosely. They rarely fitted properly anyway, but after Christmas? Well, you could just forget about buttons then. They were, as always, bringing up the rear, looking only at the ground as they lumbered towards the looming metal gates, some of them quickly finishing chocolate bars and bags of crisps as they walked, the actual cause of and the imagined cure for their misery scrunched up and tossed on to the pavement before they entered the playground.

I hate fat kids, thought David. Everyone hates fat kids. Or pities them. Which is even worse.

Watching them as they went through the school gates was like watching a grinding-machine at work. Hard cogs relentlessly turning, breaking things down, chewing them up. Once he stepped inside he was trapped: as far from home and its comforts as he would ever be.

Today, he thought, should be a good day. Today, I am feeling unusually angry. These days, the days when he felt this rage, were the easy ones. It was the sad days he found the hardest to bear. Days when the sadness was there when he woke up in the morning and followed him until nightfall like a weary shadow. The sadness was viscous, a tar pool that pulled at him, wanting to drag him under.

But today he was angry, and the edge that gave him made what lay ahead seem more tolerable.

The bell rang.

Crossing the invisible line that traced across the tarmac, he felt his back go rigid.

‘Hey, fat fuck!’

‘Who ate all the mince pies? Pretty bloody obvious from here…’

‘I didn’t think it was possible for you to get fatter, but Jesus…’

And it wasn’t just the older kids. The younger ones taunted him too. Taunted and laughed.

Automatically and unconsciously, David’s shoulders hunched and his head went down. It was an attempt, no matter how futile, to minimise the space he filled. The rage, though it formed a hard carapace around his mind, was as ineffectual at protecting him from the verbal assault course he was enduring as the rounding of his shoulders was at disguising a simple fact. The simple fact that, of all the fat kids, he, David, was the fattest.

Blog Tour: Forget Her Name by Jane Holland #GuestPost @janeholland1 @rararesources

1 Comment

Goodreads|Amazon US|Amazon UK

Release date: January 25, 2018

Publisher: Thomas and Mercer

Genre: Mystery/Thriller

Blurb:

Rachel’s dead and she’s never coming back. Or is she?

As she prepares for her wedding to Dominic, Catherine has never been happier or more excited about her future. But when she receives an anonymous package—a familiar snow globe with a very grisly addition—that happiness is abruptly threatened by secrets from her past.

Her older sister, Rachel, died on a skiing holiday as a child. But Rachel was no angel: she was vicious and highly disturbed, and she made Catherine’s life a misery. Catherine has spent years trying to forget her dead sister’s cruel tricks. Now someone has sent her Rachel’s snow globe—the first in a series of ominous messages…

While Catherine struggles to focus on her new life with Dominic, someone out there seems intent on tormenting her. But who? And why now? The only alternative is what she fears most.

Is Rachel still alive?

I’m so excited to be one of the stops on the blog tour for Forget Her Name today! I have a fabulous guest post from the author to share.

Guest Post:

A Day in Your Life by Jane Holland

Although I do the same things most days, the order in which I do them is usually different, and that’s the way I like it. I enjoy the routine and discipline of daily writing. But I’m easily bored, and anything too same-old or rigid would drive me crazy. So though I write every day, for anything between one to five hours, it tends to happen in a different place and at a different time from day-to-day.

I get up early with the kids, two of whom go to school. My first hour after they’ve left is usually spent on answering emails, dealing with admin, and social media (a must these days for writers who want to find and keep a readership). I then either write during the day, or put it off until the evening, depending on daily circumstances.

Some days I go out to a café and write there, straight to my laptop. In spring and summer, I sit on my decking in the sunshine and write long-hand, much to the fascination of our two cats, who often come to see what I’m doing! I also rent a Cornish beach hut fifteen minutes away, with a stove to make coffee, where I can work all day, weather permitting.

Sometimes I sit up in bed to work. Sometimes I use my desk. Sometimes I stay up to write after everyone else is in bed, late into the night. Occasionally, I will dictate rather than type, to save my fingers!

I take numerous hotel breaks where I work flat-out over the kids’ half-term or a long weekend. I also rent a cottage twice a year for a week or two, and hunker down there on my own, achieving a great swathe of fast writing without interruption while my husband holds the fort.

After a year’s break, I’m currently home-schooling my youngest daughter again – I have five kids altogether – so that’s made work a little complicated. Luckily, Indigo also loves cafés and the beach hut! So we sit opposite each other, and I write my book for an hour or two while she does school work or perhaps some sketching. (Art is her favourite subject, and she’s very talented at it; she wants to be a professional artist when she grows up.) During school days, I tend to write later in the day, so I can spend more time teaching her. Then I catch up with my word count late at night or at weekends!

As you can see, my only constant is the fact that I get the writing done on a daily basis. Everything else is subject to change! My minimum daily word count is 1000 words, which is an industry standard, but I always hope for double that. On good days, or on retreat, I write nearer five thousand. I tend to edit as I go along, getting everything as perfect as possible, rather than write a ‘dirty fast’ draft. This is because I get bored with a book after it’s done, and hate rewrites!

In the afternoon, all my kids return to the house, and things get too rowdy for work. I usually cook the children their meal earlier than ours, so I spend at least an hour, sometimes more, in the kitchen most evenings. But that means I get to hear what everyone has done during the day, which I love, being a very hands-on mum. Often our conversations turn into an impromptu lesson about politics, history or science … a hang-over from the days when all my kids were home-schooled! But my teenage twin boys are autistic, and love accumulating facts, so they seem to enjoy the extra learning time.

Later, I eat a meal with my husband, and we watch the news, or a film or television show together. That’s an important time for us, to reconnect and share anecdotes about our day. We’re both screen fiends, so we’re often also online while watching a boxset or Netflix, sharing news developments or other internet stuff.

If I’m up against it with a deadline, I might then crack on with my novel or network on social media or write a blog post like this for a couple more hours after my husband’s gone to bed. (He has to get up much earlier than me!) Otherwise, I’ll go to bed and devour a couple of chapters of my current reading book until my eyelids close …

And that’s essentially a typical day for me as a novelist.

Love getting a peek into a typical day for Jane, thanks so much for sharing!

About the Author:

Jane Holland is a Gregory Award–winning poet and novelist who also writes commercial fiction under the pseudonyms Victoria Lamb, Elizabeth Moss, Beth Good and Hannah Coates. Her debut thriller, Girl Number One, hit #1 in the UK Kindle Store in December 2015. Jane lives with her husband and young family near the North Cornwall/Devon border. A homeschooler, her hobbies include photography and growing her own vegetables.

Social Media Links –

https://twitter.com/janeholland1

https://www.facebook.com/jane.holland.1253

Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/JaneHollandAuthor/

Blog Tour: The Social Affair by Britney King @britneyking_

3 Comments
Title: The Social Affair
Author: Britney King
Genre: Psychological Thriller
Release Date: January 18, 2018 
In the tradition of Gone Girl and Behind Closed Doors comes a gripping, twisted, furiously clever read that demands your attention, and keeps you guessing until the very end. For fans of the anti-heroine and stories told in unorthodox ways, The Social Affair delivers us the perfect dark and provocative villain. The only question—who is it?
A timeless, perfect couple waltzes into the small coffee shop where Izzy Lewis works. Instantly enamored, she does what she always does in situations like these: she searches them out on social media. 
Just like that—with the tap of a screen— she’s given a front row seat to the Dunns’ picturesque life. This time, she’s certain she’s found what she’s been searching for. This time, she’ll go to whatever lengths it takes to ensure she gets it right—even if this means doing the unthinkable.
Intense and original, The Social Affair is a disturbing psychological thriller that explores what can happen when privacy is traded for convenience.

Review:

Well hello Britney King, where have you been all of my life?! I love nothing more than supporting an indie author and when I find one that writes exactly the type of books I like it’s like unearthing a buried treasure. Britney King is that type of author for me now, The Social Affair was an intoxicating read, I wasn’t sure what to expect exactly having never read the author before and what I received was unexpected in the best possible way.

I’m sure you guys are getting a little tired of seeing me say that I don’t want to discuss the plot of a book or to go in blind, I’m sorry in advance but my solid advice stands. Not knowing which direction a story will head from minute to minute is one of my favorite parts about reading and I promise you that if you like the description of this one, I bet you’ll like it even more than you think.

Here’s what I will say, this had a hip, edgy and current vibe that felt fresh and bold. It revolves around social media and the appeal and dangers it can hold and it was so relevant for me. If you’ve read The Marriage Pact and enjoyed it, grab this one because it was vaguely reminiscent but I liked this one more, it wasn’t as odd as that one but had the same great cult like vibes.

The Social Affair in three words: Slick, Disturbing and Shocking.

Overall rating: 4.5/5

Thanks to the author for my review copy.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Britney King lives in Austin, Texas with her husband, children, two dogs, one ridiculous cat, and a partridge in a pear tree.

When she’s not wrangling the things mentioned above, she writes psychological, domestic and romantic thrillers set in suburbia.

Currently, she’s writing three series and several standalone novels.

The Bedrock Series features an unlikely heroine who should have known better. Turns out, she didn’t. Thus she finds herself tangled in a messy, dangerous, forbidden love story and face-to-face with a madman hell-bent on revenge. The series has been compared to Fatal Attraction, Single White Female, and Basic Instinct.

The Water Series follows the shady love story of an unconventional married couple—he’s an assassin—she kills for fun. It has been compared to a crazier book version of Mr. and Mrs. Smith. Also, Dexter.

Around The Bend is a heart-pounding standalone, which traces the journey of a well-to-do suburban housewife, and her life as it unravels, thanks to the secrets she keeps. If she were the only one with things she wanted to keep hidden, then maybe it wouldn’t have turned out so bad. But she wasn’t.

The With You Series at its core is a deep love story about unlikely friends who travel the world; trying to find themselves, together and apart. Packed with drama and adventure along with a heavy dose of suspense, it has been compared to The Secret Life of Walter Mitty and Love, Rosie.

The Social Affair is an intense standalone about a timeless couple who find themselves with a secret admirer they hadn’t bargained for. For fans of the anti-heroine and stories told in unorthodox ways, the novel explores what can happen when privacy is traded for convenience. It is reminiscent of films such as One Hour Photo and Play Misty For Me. 

Without a doubt, connecting with readers is the best part of this gig. You can find Britney online here: 

To get more– grab two books for free, by subscribing to her mailing list at britneyking.com or just copy and paste bit.ly/britneykingweb into your browser. 
Happy reading.


HOSTED BY:

Review: The Perfect Roommate by Minka Kent

14 Comments

She’s my roommate.

I know how she takes her tea, how she organizes her closet.

I know when she goes to bed each night, what she eats for breakfast, the passcode on her phone.

I know she calls her mother on Mondays, takes barre on Thursdays, and meets her friends for drinks on Fridays.

But more important than any of that … I know what she did.

Review:

Last year I devoured Kent’s debut, The Memory Watcher and was totally blown away. The Perfect Roommate had all the same elements that I loved and once again I read this in one holding my breath sitting.

This opens with Meadow heading to check out a new place and meeting her potential new roommate, Lauren. Lauren is everything that Meadow isn’t, she’s wealthy, stylish and sophisticated and Meadow is in awe. The sense of uneasiness is palpable right from the beginning, you just know that this won’t end well but at no point did I have things figured out. It’s a twisty, entertaining and fast paced ride that I highly recommend for fans of this genre.

Kent has a writing style that is so smooth and consistent in its intensity, you can’t keep yourself from flying through it desperate to know what in the world is going on! By the time I reached the end I was once again blown away and amazed by Kent’s plotting, bravo!

The Perfect Roommate in three words: Entertaining, Compulsive and Disquieting.

Overall rating: 4.5/5

Thanks to the author for my review copy.


It’s a pretty little house with an ugly little address.
47 Magpie Drive.
What should have been an ordinary Sunday kicked off with an eviction notice on my door and ended with my belongings shoved into wrinkled grocery sacks and the neighbor’s stolen WiFi on my computer. With just minutes to spare, I managed to find the perfect place—one that didn’t require credit checks, a huge deposit, or a long lease.
With clammy palms stuck to the peeling steering wheel of my ’97 Civic, I stare through my cracked windshield at an adorable white-washed brick ranch nestled in the heart of a family-friendly neighborhood south of Meyer State’s picturesque campus.
I find it difficult to believe that a college student lives here, but her ad was posted on the Tiger Paw Portal and a quick reverse search of her email address in the student directory revealed her name to be Lauren Wiedenfeld, senior in English Lit.
Just like me.
In fact, I recognized her photo immediately, having taken a good handful of classes with her over the years. Shiny ash blonde hair. Dimpled smile. Crystalline eyes accented by thick, curled lashes. I couldn’t count how many times I’d seen her stare past me like I was invisible.
Just like everyone else.
Sniffing my shirt, I’m relieved to drag the scent of dollar store fabric softener into my lungs. I was in such a hurry on my way out, I wasn’t sure if the clothes I’d grabbed were from the clean basket or not.
I need this girl to like me. If she doesn’t? I’m not sure where I’ll go. Apartments in this town come at a premium, and if it weren’t for the fact that my car needed new tires and a new transmission this winter, I might still be holed up in my studio right now. Un-homeless.
Killing my engine, I shove the keys in my purse and check my reflection in the rearview.
At least I got to shower today. My hair is clean, my teeth are brushed, and my pits are slicked with two layers of store-brand deodorant. Plus, I don’t reek of stale alcohol—which is more than most students around here can say on the weekends.
My hands threaten to tremble as I climb out of my car, and I try not to slam the door—I don’t want to seem careless. The ground wobbles beneath my feet. If I were a super hero, social awkwardness would be my power. My entire life, I’ve struggled to get out of my head, constantly overanalyzing every little word or movement or shift of a gaze. I’ve learned it’s easier to sit back and shut up. I find I don’t make as much of a fool out of myself that way. Quietude has become the law of my land, with silence being my official language.
But I don’t have a choice today.
If I want Lauren to welcome me with open arms as her shiny new roommate, I have to plaster a smile on my face, see her bubbly personality, and raise her one of my own.
After rapping on the front door a moment later, I wait with my arms straight at my sides. Signature awkwardness. My heart knocks in my chest before whooshing in my ears, and warmth blooms in my cheeks.
I haven’t officially met her and already I’m blushing.
Shit.
Inhaling a breath of frosty February air, I soften my expression, loosen my shoulders, and wrap my right hand around the worn leather strap of my purse. I’m not sure if this is what casual and confident looks like, but the sound of the door latch tells me I don’t have another second to try and figure it out.
“You must be Meadow?” I’m not sure what I was expecting, but Lauren is all smiles as she gets the door—as if she’s happy to see me. “Come in!”
The scent of soft gardenia emanates off a flickering boutique candle centered on her glass coffee table, and in the corner, the glow of diffused lamplight paints the room in a welcoming ambience. Her phone is docked on a set of speakers next to her TV, playing the kind of chill music I’d expect to hear in some upscale Manhattan bar.
“Have a seat wherever you’d like,” she says, lowering herself into a rattan chair covered in a faux fur throw. Lauren tucks her mile-long legs beneath her and adjusts her sweatshirt so it hangs just so, revealing a hint of her left shoulder. Her hair is piled on top of her head, and I’m convinced she’s one of only ten people on the planet who can make a messy mane look chic.
Glancing around before I settle in the middle of her gray linen sofa, I have to remind myself to talk. “Love your place. So cute.”
I can do this. I can be friendly even if I have to fake it. People like her don’t understand people like me—the quiet type. They think we’re weird. And no one wants to live with a weirdo.
Lauren’s face lights and she shrugs, almost as if the flattery makes her uncomfortable. “Thanks.”
“Is that your major? Interior design?” No way in hell I’m going to tell her I did a little research on her before I came here.
She shakes her head. “English lit. What about you?”
“Same.” I exhale, sinking into the cushions. She’s easier to talk to than I assumed she’d be. “I think we might have some classes together? I swear I’ve seen you in World Lit.”
Lauren laughs, rolling her eyes. “No kidding? I’m so oblivious most of the time.”
Of course.
That’s why she looked through me all those times …
I’m still not sure if I’m buying this cutesy, friendly shtick of hers because girls like her can be sickeningly fake when they want to be, but I’m willing to give her a shot if she’s willing to take a chance on me.
Besides, it’s not like I have any other options to fall back on.
“People probably think I’m some snob.” She waves her hand, endearing almost. “But I’m just in my own little world most of the time.”
I pride myself on my keen observational skills, something I’ve honed and polished to sheer perfection over the years … but I may have been wrong about this one.
Maybe.
“You thirsty?” Lauren rises from her chair, straightening her shirt and eyeing the doorway to her kitchen. Since she’s already up, I can’t exactly say no. “Fiji water? San Pellegrino? Tea? I’d offer you a glass of wine, but it’s only ten o’clock in the morning.”
I chuckle out of politeness, not because I think she’s funny. “Tap water is fine.”
Her expression falls, as if she’s unable to comprehend that my broke college student taste buds haven’t yet acquired the taste of artisanal water. “Meadow, the lead levels in the water here are off the charts. Haven’t you been following the news? It’s all they’re talking about anymore. And the city’s broke. No plans to do anything about it. I’m telling you, Bonnet Creek is going to be the next Flint, Michigan.”
She disappears around the corner before I get the chance to tell her that between working twenty-four, sometimes thirty hours a week cleaning houses and taking sixteen credits, I don’t exactly have time for late-breaking local news stories.
Lauren returns a moment later, a square bottle of luxury water in one hand and a floral printed paper napkin in the other. She places them before me, like a proper hostess, and I can’t help but wonder if she’ll always be this formal once we live together.
If we live together.
This has to be an act.
People aren’t actually this formal, are they? At least the ones back home, the ones I grew up around, weren’t. I’ve never heard of anyone needing a coaster to go with their bottled water.
Then again, this coffee table looks pricy with its reclaimed wooden legs and crystal-clear glass top.
“Thanks.” I take the water from her, unscrewing the cap and ensuring I don’t so much as spill a drop.
This place is much too nice of a dwelling for a typical Meyer State student. Her family clearly comes from money.
I’ll try not to resent her for that.
“So, tell me about yourself.” Lauren settles into her chair again, resting her elbow on her knee and her chin on her hand, leaning toward me. My Intro to Psychology professor taught us years ago that when someone leans in to you, they’re interested, genuinely interested in what you have to say. “What’s your schedule like? Who’s your ideal roommate? Do you smoke? Throw parties?”
Brows lifted, I let her questions marinate, unsure of where to begin. “Oh. Um. I don’t smoke or drink. I don’t party. So nothing to worry about there. I work. Part-time. And when I’m not working, I’m home. Usually studying. I don’t make a lot of noise. Basically, I’m a clean-freak, studious homebody.”
My cheeks flush and I feel myself growing flustered, but the fact that she isn’t staring at me like I’m some kind of social reject is somewhat reassuring. I suppose I’ve never stopped to examine my uneventful existence, but I’ve always been content to keep to myself.
It’s better if I don’t know what I’m missing out on.
Lauren’s face is lit as I ramble on, like I’m telling her everything she wants to hear.
“Okay, so what do you do for fun?” she asks.
I was hoping I could avoid that question. Pretty sure to someone like Lauren, I’m a shining example of a boring bookworm. Not the kind of person she’d be caught dead with.
“I like to see plays,” I lie. I don’t have money for a theater membership. Not even with the gracious 50% student discount. “And I see movies.”
At the dollar theater. Maybe once every three months.
“Do you ever do Friday After Class at Wellman’s?” she asks. “They have dollar wells from four to six.”
Beer. Pass.
“Sometimes,” I lie. Again.
Lauren sinks back, eyes still glued on me. “That place is always crazy packed. I bet we’ve been there at the same time and never even noticed.”
Taking a sip of water, I nod. “I’m sure.”
My tone echoes hers, something I do when I’m nervous. It’s like second nature, adopting her body language, her intonations, the cadence of her words.
“Where do you work?” she asks.
I push a breath through my nostrils and roll my eyes. “Sparkle Shine Cleaning Co.”
I hate that fucking name.
And the Minion-yellow car I’m forced to drive from client to client, the one that matches the Minion-yellow uniform I’m forced to clothe myself with.
But the pay is decent.
And it sure as hell beats working in food service. Food service means interacting with people all day long, being yelled at by customers when the kitchen screwed up their order or their fork has a water spot on it or I’m not refilling their third glass of Diet Coke fast enough.
No thanks.
“Never heard of it,” Lauren says. “Do you like it?”
What kind of question is that? And what does she expect me to say? That I love scrubbing people’s shit-stained toilets? Don’t even get me started on some of the bathrooms I’ve had the pleasure of bleaching from floor to ceiling. Rich people—or people rich enough to pay someone to clean their house for them—aren’t always as clean as one might expect.
I shrug and offer a tepid smile. “It’s a job. What about you? Do you work?”
Lauren bites her lip and scrunches her face, hesitating for a second. “I don’t.”
Of course not.
“My parents want me to focus on my studies,” she says, as if that makes up for her good fortune. “They said school should be my full-time job, so I get a monthly stipend as long as I keep my grades up. They did the same for my brother. They actually own this house. My brother lived here when he went to Meyer State and my younger sister will live here next year when she’s a freshman. My parents didn’t want to throw money away on rent, I guess. That’s their excuse anyway. If you ask me, I think it’s just a way for them to control their adult children.”
She huffs. I huff.
“Anyway.” Lauren shrugs, studying me, perhaps silently waiting for me to judge her. I keep a poker face.
“So what happened to the roommate before me?” I ask.
“I’ve never had one.”
“Okay. So, why now?”
Exhaling, Lauren says, “So that stipend? It’s based on my GPA. Last semester, I kind of got a little … distracted … and I failed a class. First time in my life. It was a seven AM on the north side of campus on Friday mornings. Anyway. It’s no excuse. I failed it. GPA plunged. Parents were livid. Chopped my stipend in half—essentially barring me from having fun. Their way of punishing their twenty-three-year-old daughter.”
“Oh.” Nice to know I’m scrubbing toilets so she can get wasted with her friends.
This explains everything. The lack of a deposit, the lack of a lease or a background check. She’s desperate for some supplemental income, willing to take in a stranger to maintain her cushy little life.
“Just to let you know … my parents won’t know you’re living here,” she’s quick to add. “And you’ll only be able to stay through May. Maybe July. Depends on how quickly I land a job after graduation. I hope that works?”
So, she likes me.
She’s choosing me.
Just like that.
“That’s perfect actually,” I say. “I’m graduating too. Hoping to get the hell out of here.”
I wear a smile that matches hers and we bask in a moment of mutual understanding for a single, endless second. Our desire to leave Bonnet Creek might be the only thing we have in common, but I’ll take it.
“You want me to show you around?” Lauren rises from her seat and straightens the hem of her top.
Returning my water to its floral napkin resting place, I stand. “Sure.”



Minka Kent has been crafting stories since before she could scribble her name. With a love of the literary dark and twisted, Minka cut her teeth on Goosebumps and Fear Street, graduated to Stephen King as a teenager, and now counts Gillian Flynn, Chevy Stevens, and Caroline Kepnes amongst her favorite authors and biggest influences. Minka has always been curious about good people who do bad things and loves to explore what happens when larger-than-life characters are placed in fascinating situations.

In her non-writing life, Minka is a thirty-something wife and mother who equally enjoys sunny and rainy days, loves freshly cut hydrangeas, hides behind oversized sunglasses, travels to warmer climates every chance she gets, and bakes sweet treats when the mood strikes (spoiler alert: it’s often).

Want to hear about sales and new releases? Sign up for her non-spammy newsletter here: http://eepurl.com/cwOMSD