Release date: April 4, 2017

Publisher: Kindle Press

Genre: Women’s Fiction

It’s a piece of news Daphne never expected to hear: Her globe-trotting friend Skylar, who vowed never to get married, is engaged! Time to celebrate in Manhattan—Skylar’s treat, of course. After years scaling the corporate ladder, she can more than afford it.

Daphne arrives in NYC with news of her own—the novel she’s finally finished appears to be going nowhere but the trash bin of every publishing house around. She’s devastated but plans to keep her disappointment under wraps, something that becomes trickier when she sees Skylar’s spectacular apartment. Could her life have been like this if she’d chosen a different path?

What Daphne doesn’t know is she’s not the only one with a secret. Skylar and their friend KC are also holding something back, but what? As the trip unfolds, the truth about each woman emerges, along with tears.

And laughter. And love.

The fun-loving trio readers fell for in Wait for the Rain is together once more. Here’s to the power of friendship!

Review:

I’m joining in again with Throwback Thursday which was created by my good friend Renee at It’s Book Talk . She started this weekly feature as a way to highlight old favorites and read books that have already been published. I have so many older books on my TBR that get ignored in favor of review copies and I figure participating in Throwback Thursday will help me to read at a least one older title a week!

This is the second book in a series that follows three college friends, now in their forties but still with strong ties to each other. I fell in love with Daphne, Skylar and KC when I read Wait for the Rain, I just loved their unique bond and how authentic their friendship came through thanks to Murnane’s realistic writing style. It was awesome catching up with these ladies and seeing what they’ve been up to since the last book.

This follows them during one weekend in NYC to celebrate the fact that Skylar is engaged. Much as in the first book there was plenty of humor and heart. There’s a lot of inspiration to be found here, tons of female empowerment and as much as Daphne has grown since Wait for the Rain she’s still figuring out how to navigate through life as a single woman who’s daughter is about to head off to college. This was another light, breezy read that’s perfect to settle down with for an afternoon. I hope Murnane has plans for another book because I’m really enjoying seeing these characters learn and grow!

Overall rating: 4/5

Thanks to the author for my review copy.

Review: A Season to Lie by Emily Littlejohn

November 14, 2017November 14, 20175 Comments

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Release date: November 14, 2017

Publisher: Minotaur Books

Genre: Mystery/Thriller

Blurb:

Following her acclaimed debut Inherit the Bones, this is Emily Littlejohn’s next mesmerizing mystery featuring Colorado police officer Gemma Monroe.

In Emily Littlejohn’s follow-up to her acclaimed debut, Inherit the Bones, police officer Gemma Monroe has just returned to work from maternity leave. And what a first day back: a blizzard is blowing into her idyllic Colorado ski town, and while Gemma hopes for a quiet, warm evening in, she knows it will mean plenty of calls out for snow-related accidents. But when an anonymous caller reports seeing a lurker at the local high school, Gemma gets far more than she bargained for. Behind the school building, half covered in a drift of snow, lies the gruesomely murdered body of a world-famous author—whose presence in town was meant to be a secret.

Review:

Last year I had the pleasure of reading Littlejohn’s debut, Inherit the Bones and absolutely fell in love with Gemma and the town of Cedar Valley. There is something tragically poetic about the authors style then you combine that with a classic murder mystery feel and you have a wonderful juxtaposition that makes for a captivating read.

This picks up three months after Gemma has given birth to her daughter Grace, right as she’s about to head back to work. Her struggle to balance being a new mom and maintain a healthy separation between work and home is so very relatable and her and Brody’s relationship is far from perfect, especially as they adjust to parenthood. Naturally there is a murder the same day Gemma returns, there is no easing back into the job as she had hoped. Besides the murder investigation Gemma stumbles upon a horrific bully at the high school where the murder was committed. The tyrant goes by Grimm as in the brothers Grimm and doles out punishments based on fairy tales. Plenty going on here and the subplots added intrigue to an already interesting storyline.

This would be perfect to curl up with during the colder months, it’s the dead of winter in Cedar Valley and the setting is so well crafted that it’s practically a character of its own. A murder set against a series of blizzards makes a chilling combination and while it wasn’t twisty in the truest sense of the word, it still kept me on my toes and eager to follow Gemma in the future.

Overall rating: 4/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? #imwayr

November 13, 201717 Comments

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? is a weekly post to share what you recently finished reading, what you’re currently reading, and what you plan on reading this week. It’s hosted by Kathryn at Bookdate.

What I Read Last Week:

The Good Samaritan was a dark, uncomfortable read I loved it!

Bad Sister was a highly entertaining, exciting read.

See What I Have Done was a really unique historical retelling.

Perfectly Undone would be perfect for a book club!

Hell to Pay is the latest in one of my favorite series, loved it!

The Secret Mother was a tangled, twisty tale.

Currently Reading:

Up Next:

Besides A Season to Lie I don’t know yet! I don’t have any firm commitments this week but I have plenty to choose from so stay tuned…

How was your week? Read anything amazing lately?

Blog Tour: The Wife Between Us by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen

November 13, 2017November 13, 201729 Comments

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Release date: January 9, 2018

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press

Genre: Psychological Thriller

A novel of suspense that explores the complexities of marriage and the dangerous truths we ignore in the name of love.

When you read this book, you will make many assumptions.

You will assume you are reading about a jealous wife and her obsession with her replacement.

You will assume you are reading about a woman about to enter a new marriage with the man she loves.

You will assume the first wife was a disaster and that the husband was well rid of her.

You will assume you know the motives, the history, the anatomy of the relationships.

Assume nothing.

Discover the next blockbuster novel of suspense, and get ready for the read of your life.

I’m thrilled to be a part of the blog tour for The Wife Between Us today!

Review:

Have you already been seeing the major buzz surrounding this book? I can’t imagine any active reader not seeing this somewhere, but in case you haven’t I’m here to ensure that you really need to add this to your must read list for 2018. The hype is real you guys, this book was SO fantastic, it’s fresh, exciting and I guarantee everyone will be raving about it in the new year AND it’s already been optioned as a movie!

There’s a reason that the blurb for this is so vague, I fear saying too much will ruin things, but I’ll do my best. Assume nothing is solid advice, this is not the book you think it is, it’s better and so much more than what it appears to be. It’s divided into three parts and the first part alternates between Nellie and Vanessa. Be patient here because the best is yet to come, I was by no means bored during this section, it was highly entertaining and addictive but when part two begins and things get flipped on their head I was beyond shocked. I’m talking jaw dropping stunned, this was so cleverly, sharply executed, it blew my mind! I had to reread several pages after some heart stopping twists just to make sure that I had indeed read correctly. I had and again, I was floored.

You know those special books that you want to immediately read again as soon as you finish because it was THAT amazing? This is that book. Even knowing what I now know wouldn’t take away from my enjoyment on a reread I don’t think, instead I think I would be more like, ahh ok I see what Hendricks and Pekkanen did here, look at this smart little breadcrumb! Outstanding characterization, an insanely twisty and complicated plot and a super addictive writing style will make this a huge book in 2018, preorder this one now and thank me later!

Overall rating: 5/5 (ALL THE STARS)

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

Review: The Secret Mother by Shalini Boland @Shaliniboland @bookouture

November 12, 2017November 10, 20173 Comments

Goodreads|Amazon US|Amazon UK
Release date: November 9, 2017

Publisher: Bookouture

Genre: Psychological Thriller

Blurb:

‘Are you my mummy?’

Tessa Markham returns home to find a child in her kitchen. He thinks she’s his mother. But Tessa doesn’t have any children.

Not anymore.

She doesn’t know who the little boy is or how he got there.

After contacting the police, Tessa is suspected of taking the mystery child. Her whole life is turned upside down. And then her husband reveals a secret of his own…

Tessa isn’t sure what to believe or who to trust. Because someone is lying. To find out who, she must confront her painful past. But is the truth more dangerous than Tessa realises?

I’m SO excited to be one of the stops on the blog tour for The Secret Mother today!

Review:

I think it’s becoming more and more difficult to come up with a premise that instantly hooks the reader these days, especially in a psychological thriller but The Secret Mother instantaneously hooked me from the moment I finished the first chapter. Can you even imagine coming home one day to find a child that’s not yours just hanging out?! This is exactly what happens to Tessa and it’s all the more painful as her children have passed away, I swear this poor woman has been put through the wringer! I felt so awful for her, even when I wasn’t entirely sure if she was a totally reliable narrator…

I really don’t want to dive too deep into the plot because this is one hell of a tangled and twisted tale but I loved the way Boland created tension here, it was that awesome kind of mounting intensity and the scenes where Tessa was alone in her house while the press was waiting outside like a pack of vultures were so nailbitingly good! Tessa is relentless in her pursuit for the truth even when it seems like everyone around her thinks she’s crazy and clinging to the past and for the life of me I couldn’t decide if she was in fact sane or not. This was an excellent psychological thriller filled with uneasiness, doubt and a huge pack of lies, I loved it!

Overall rating: 4.5/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

About the Author:

About the author:

Shalini Boland lives in Dorset, England with her husband, two children and their cheeky terrier cross. Before kids, she was signed to Universal Music Publishing as a singer/songwriter, but now she spends her days writing psychological thrillers (in between school runs and hanging out endless baskets of laundry).
Shalini’s debut psychological thriller THE GIRL FROM THE SEA reached No 1 in the US Audible charts and No 7 in the UK Kindle charts. Her second thriller THE BEST FRIEND reached no 2 in the US Audible charts and No 10 in the Amazon UK Kindle charts. It also achieved number 1 in all its categories and was a Kindle All Star title for several months in a row. Shalini’s recent release THE MILLIONAIRE’S WIFE reached No 9 in the Kindle UK charts.
Be the first to hear about her new releases here: http://eepurl.com/b4vb45
Shalini is also the author of two bestselling Young Adult series as well as an atmospheric WWII novel with a time-travel twist.
http://www.facebook.com/ShaliniBolandAuthor

http://www.shaliniboland.co.uk

Tweets by ShaliniBoland

Blog Tour: Hell to Pay by Rachel Amphlett @RachelAmphlett

November 10, 2017November 10, 201712 Comments

Goodreads|Amazon
Release date: November 16, 2017

Publisher: Saxon Publishing

Genre: Mystery/Thriller

Blurb:

When a road traffic accident on a dark autumn night uncovers a disturbing conspiracy, Detective Sergeant Kay Hunter’s investigation exposes a ruthless serial killer exploiting vulnerable young women.

With her enemies unmasked and her career spiralling out of control, Kay’s determination to seek vengeance for the victims brings her dangerously close to those who want to silence her.

Undeterred, she uncovers the real reason behind a plot to destroy her career and sets in motion a terrifying chain of events.

Could Kay’s need for revenge be her undoing, or will she survive to see justice served?

I’m SO excited to be a stop on the blog tour for Hell to Pay today!

Review:

I’ve become a huge fan of this series over the past year, I loved Scared to Death, Will to Live and One to Watch and have been anxiously awaiting book four. That’s the thing with this series, each book may resolve a case but they always leave you wanting more! It’s also one of those series where the books get better with each installment and they all come highly recommended by me.

One of the things that sets these books apart from its counterparts is that Amphlett always manages to come up with a fresh premise for each book. This time, Kay and team are called to assist with a car accident, which seems odd to them until they realize that there was a dead woman in the trunk of the car. (See, unique!) There is the perfect balance between Kay’s work life and her personal life, per usual you receive some answers to long awaited questions but you wind up with additional questions as well. As much as this frustrates me it does so in the best possible way and just makes me all the more eager to get my hands on the next book.

Hell to Pay was another exciting read that gets your adrenaline going, the pacing is fast and furious and begins on page one and never ends. The chapters are short and flow together beautifully and before you know it you’re halfway through with no plans to stop until you’re done. Amphlett has most assuredly found her stride with this series and fans of dark, gritty police procedurals will love Kay, her team and the amazing writing.

Thanks to Emma Mitchell and the author for my review copy.

Overall rating: 5/5

About the Author:

Rachel Amphlett is the bestselling author of the Dan Taylor espionage novels and the new Detective Kay Hunter crime thriller series, as well as a number of standalone crime thrillers.
Originally from the UK and currently based in Brisbane, Australia, Rachel’s novels appeal to a worldwide audience, and have been compared to Robert Ludlum, Lee Child and Michael Crichton.
She is a member of International Thriller Writers and the Crime Writers Association, with the Italian foreign rights for her debut novel, White Gold, being sold to Fanucci Editore’s TIMECrime imprint in 2014.
An advocate for knowledge within the publishing industry, Rachel is always happy to share her experiences to a wider audience through her blogging and speaking engagements.
Website|Facebook|Twitter

Review: Perfectly Undone by Jamie Raintree

November 9, 2017November 9, 20175 Comments

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Release date: October 3, 2017

Publisher: Graydon House

Genre: Women’s Fiction

Blurb:

Yes is such a little word…

Dr. Dylan Michels has worked hard for a perfect life, so when her longtime boyfriend, Cooper, gets down on one knee, it should be the most perfect moment of all. Then why does she say no?

For too many years, Dylan’s been living for her sister, who never got the chance to grow up. But her attempt to be the perfect daughter, perfect partner and perfect doctor hasn’t been enough to silence the haunting guilt Dylan feels over her sister’s death–and the role no one knows she played in it.

Now Dylan must face her past if she and Cooper stand a chance at a future together. But when Cooper makes a startling confession of his own, can Dylan find the courage to define her own happiness before her life becomes perfectly undone?

Set among the breezy days of a sultry Portland summer, Perfectly Undone is a deeply moving novel of family secrets, forgiveness and finding yourself in the most surprising of places.

Review:

This was such a simple, easy read exactly the type of book I was craving as a break from several dark thrillers in a row. Though it was undemanding it still had plenty of meat, it explored some below the surface things like the constant balance many women struggling with between having a successful career AND a personal life and how important forgiveness can be, especially when we let ourselves off the hook. It also dealt with fidelity, trust and guilt and just how much these issues can effect a person.

There was a strong feeling of authenticity to this book, both in the authors writing style and the characters she created. Dylan was really easy to relate to, her struggles were common even if the circumstances she experienced were unique. It was one of those debuts where you think, no way is this their first book, the writing is so solid! Raintree is definitely an author I’ll follow closely, she has a keen ability to craft excellent characters that you grow to care about.

This would be a fantastic choice for a book club as there are definitely many things that could be explored and discussed. As an added bonus there are some really awesome questions in the readers guide at the back of the book too! This was honest, heartfelt and touching, definitely an emotional journey that I really enjoyed.

Overall rating: 4/5

Thanks to Booksparks for my review copy.

Blog Tour: See What I Have Done by Sarah Schmidt @ikillnovel @TinderPress

November 8, 2017November 8, 20179 Comments

Goodreads|Amazon
Release date: November 2, 2017

Publisher: Tinder Press

Genre: Fiction, Historical Fiction

Blurb:

In this riveting debut novel, See What I Have Done, Sarah Schmidt recasts one of the most fascinating murder cases of all time into an intimate story of a volatile household and a family devoid of love.

On the morning of August 4, 1892, Lizzie Borden calls out to her maid: Someone’s killed Father. The brutal ax-murder of Andrew and Abby Borden in their home in Fall River, Massachusetts, leaves little evidence and many unanswered questions. While neighbors struggle to understand why anyone would want to harm the respected Bordens, those close to the family have a different tale to tell–of a father with an explosive temper; a spiteful stepmother; and two spinster sisters, with a bond even stronger than blood, desperate for their independence.

As the police search for clues, Emma comforts an increasingly distraught Lizzie whose memories of that morning flash in scattered fragments. Had she been in the barn or the pear arbor to escape the stifling heat of the house? When did she last speak to her stepmother? Were they really gone and would everything be better now? Shifting among the perspectives of the unreliable Lizzie, her older sister Emma, the housemaid Bridget, and the enigmatic stranger Benjamin, the events of that fateful day are slowly revealed through a high-wire feat of storytelling.

Welcome to my stop on the blog tour for See What I Have Done!

Review:

I think most everyone is at least somewhat familiar with Lizzie Borden, we’ve all heard the rhyme about what she allegedly did but I for one didn’t know much beyond that. When the opportunity to read See What I Have Done came to me I couldn’t resist, I love the idea of a historical retelling with added embellishments and Schmidt told the story of the Borden family in a haunting and unforgettable manner.

This is told from four different viewpoints and flashes back from the day of the murders to different, critical time periods as well. Lizzie, her sister Emma, Bridget the maid and Benjamin an unknown stranger all lend their voice to the story and I loved the birds eye type view this gave the book. Each character has a wholly unique and strong voice, from Lizzie with her childlike singsong behavior to Bridget the frustrated Irish maid, they all had their own version of events and were all equally captivating to me.

I honestly cannot believe that this is a debut, Schmidt’s writing style is SO gorgeous. That may seem strange given the subject matter of the book, but it really is beautiful, her descriptions are so vivid and yes, at times macabre but really well written. It was incredibly easy to conjure up a vision due to her prose, she truly brought this strange family to life in a dark, gloomy and unique way.

Overall rating: 4/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

Blog Tour: Bad Sister by Sam Carrington @sam_carrington1 @AvonBooksUK

November 7, 2017November 7, 20175 Comments

Goodreads|Amazon US|Amazon UK
Release date: October 5, 2017

Publisher: Avon

Genre: Psychological Thriller

Blurb:
The gripping new thriller from the bestselling author of Saving Sophie.

Then

When flames rip through their family home, only teenager Stephanie and her younger brother escape unhurt. Brett always liked to play with fire, but now their dad is dead and someone has to pay the price.

Now

Psychologist Connie Summers wants to help Stephanie rebuild her life. She has a new name, a young son and everything to live for. But when Stephanie receives a letter from someone she’d hoped would never find her, Connie is forced to question what really happened that night. But some truths are better left alone . . .

Gripping, tense and impossible to put down, Bad Sister will have fans of Sue Fortin, B.A. Paris and Linda Green hooked until the final page.

I’m thrilled to be the stop on the blog tour for Bad Sister today!

Review:

I loved the premise and structure for Bad Sister, alternating timelines always appeal to me and multiple narrators that are done well are fun and Carrington nailed both aspects. This was an extremely fast paced and edge of your seat type of read from an author I’ll definitely be keeping my eye on.

This is told from the perspectives of Connie, DI Wade and an unknown narrator from the past. The blend of these three narratives made this read part police procedural and part psychological thriller with a dash of something sinister as well, I loved the merging of genres and it was executed seamlessly. DI Wade first made her appearance in Carrington’s debut, Saving Sophie and it was fantastic learning a bit more about her this time around. Connie was the type of character that you’re not quite sure about, her history is sketchy and I often wondered exactly how reliable she was which really kept me on my toes.

The pacing was fast and furious and almost every chapter ended on a mini cliffhanger making it downright impossible to put it down. There were twists and turns galore and more shocking moments and surprises than I can count but at no point did I have anything figured out, I always had more questions than answers. When things all came together in the end I was ultimately satisfied, this was a highly entertaining and exciting read!

Overall rating: 4/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

About the Author:

Sam Carrington lives in Devon with her husband and three children. She worked for the NHS for fifteen years, during which time she qualified as a nurse. Following the completion of a psychology degree she went to work for the prison service as an Offending Behaviour Programme Facilitator. Her experiences within this field inspired her writing. She left the service to spend time with her family and to follow her dream of being a novelist. SAVING SOPHIE, her debut psychological thriller, published in September 2016. It became a Kindle eBook bestseller, with the paperback hitting The Bookseller Heatseeker chart at #8. Sam was named an Amazon Rising Star of 2016. Her next psychological thriller, BAD SISTER, publishes in October 2017 in ebook and December in paperback.

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? #imwayr

November 6, 2017November 6, 20174 Comments

What I Read Last Week:

Winter Solstice was the final book in a series that I just loved!

Murder Game was also the final book in a series and I really like Mitchell’s style.

Lilac Lane was a sweet, clean romance.

My TBT pick was Beartown, what an amazing, powerful book.

Christmas at the Falling-Down Guesthouse was a delightful holiday read.

The Boyfriend Swap was a hilarious and fun rom com.

Whiteout was another amazing addition to the Dark Iceland series.
Currently Reading: