Lies After Death

K J Dando

Synopsis

Five years ago, Tom Crane’s world was turned upside down when his wife was followed and killed in a tragic car accident. Despite a thorough investigation, her killer was never found, leaving Crane to live in the shadow of her death.

But now, Crane, who works as a fixer for the wealthy and powerful, begins receiving mysterious letters and phone calls from someone claiming to know the truth about his wife’s death. Can he trust these messages, or are they part of a larger conspiracy?

As Crane uncovers more and more lies and secrets, he finds himself pulled into a dangerous game of cat and mouse. But will the truth bring him closure, or will it plunge him even deeper into the darkness?

My Review

I have to confess that ever since connecting with Keith over on Twitter over a year ago, I have been eagerly awaiting the release of his debut novel, Lies After Death.

After reading the synopsis I knew this book would be right up my street and I was over the moon when I was accepted to receive an advanced review copy 😍

Eager to tuck into this book, I was soon drawn into the dark world of Cranes job as a fixer. From the first chapter I was hooked! and I just knew that Crane was one of the good ones when he refused to cover up a hit and run accident for the son of a person in shall we say a powerful position.

Crane’s character reminded somewhat of Liam Nelson’s character in the film Taken, Crane can certainly kick ass and he is defo someone I’d want to call on if I was ever in a tight spot. I will also admit that Crane has become my new book crush.

If you’ve read my previous book reviews then you will know that I’m not one for spoilers so I won’t be giving anything away here you’ll need to read the book for yourself.

What I will say is that this book is beautifully written and Keith’s attention to detail is second to non. I really felt like I was right there amongst the story with the characters. I totally did not see the twist on the story at all which is most unusual for me, so well done for keeping me guessing!

If you are looking for a kick ass crime thriller that will keep you on your toes then this is defo one to be added to your list.

About the author

Keith lives in Wales with his wife, two young daughters and a cockapoo that looks more like a teddy bear than a dog. Before he began writing thrillers, Keith served in the British Army and actively engaged in operational duties in Iraq, Kosovo and Bosnia. He then pursued careers in a multitude of industries until he finally decided to follow his true passion – writing.

Lies after Death will be published on 7th a October, you can purchase your copy here:

Amazon:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Lies-After-Death-K-J-Dando-ebook/dp/B0CF7Y7C37

Waterstones:

https://www.waterstones.com/book/9781915307057

You can follow Keith over on Twitter:

@kjdandoauthor

As always thank you so much for reading.

The Accidental Housemate

Sal Thomas

Synopsis

Cath Beckinsale is in a jam. She’s a single mum of three, with her 40th birthday in sight and a precarious hold on employment. And she can’t quite let go of her late husband Gaz, whose ashes are still in an urn on the kitchen table.

To make ends meet a student lodger seems like the perfect solution – after all, what’s one more child in the house? But when Dan flies in from the US with guitar and chest hair on display, it’s immediately clear that he’s no teenager, but someone who quickly sends life in an unexpected direction.

My Review

I thoroughly enjoyed this book by Sal Thomas. It was funny, entertaining, insightful and takes you on a journey which to be honest I didn’t want to end.

When Cath a widower with three children loses her job as a teaching assistant she is offered the opportunity to take in a student lodger from overseas to help with her finances. Little does she know that her new lodger is not only a very handsome Australian but is also a really nice guy that helps her see her life in a new prospective. Throw in some flirty banter and some hilarious scenes as our Cath is rather accident prone you have the grounding for the perfect story.

What I loved most about this book was Cath’s realisation at the end that she did in fact have it all, and that she had spent the last few years of her life thinking that she hadn’t accomplished anything and comparing herself to others when in fact they had been envious of her life. 

Did I dislike anything about this book? Absolutely not! Well other than the fact I didn’t want it to end! Thank you Sal Thomas for a fantastic read.

I would like to say a big thank you to Harpercollins, one more chapter and NetGalley for this free ARC in return for an honest review.

About the Author

Sal Thomas likes to string words together, hopefully in an amusing order. BBC comedy once described her as “that women who keeps sending us scripts”

She has performed as a stand-up, starred in an Edinburgh sketch show, tried her hand at film writing and sitcoms (all to zero financial acclaim) and finally settled on romcom novels as her genre of choice after releasing the world can never have enough of the mirth-filled mushy stuff.

She lives in Manchester, England, with her husband and sone – the two loves of her life. Her side hustle is managing rampant anxiety. She also works in marketing.

You can follow Sal over on twitter: @_iamsalt and on instagram @salthomasauthor

The 3am Shattered Mums Club

By Nina Manning

Book Synopsis

Meet Aisha, Sophy and Mel. Three new mums. All absolutely shattered.

For her social media fans, influencer Sophy has the picture-perfect life. But why does she feel so lonely all the time?

Older mum Mel wasn’t planning on being a mum later in life. What does this all mean for the career that she loved? Can she ever go back?

And Aisha, whose much loved twin boys bring her so much joy, but have caused a rift in her own family that she isn’t sure she can ever fix.

Navigating this new world of motherhood is hard, and the only sanity these three friends have is their 3am mum’s club, where they can chat and support each other in the dark of the night as their babies, finally, finally sleep.

But in the still of the night, secrets are revealed that could turn all their lives upside down…more than they already are!

My Review

Wow! What can I say about this book other than you have to read it! Right now!

When I was offered this book as a freebie from Nina herself I was overjoyed, I hadn’t even read the blurb, I just knew from the title and the book cover that this book was right up my street and boy it didn’t disappoint.

I enjoyed this book so much that I read it in just two sittings.

As a mum of two, I remember the lonely night feeds, the pure exhaustion, stumbling your way to the kitchen to make up a bottle fast before you wake up the rest of the household. Feeling like you are the only person in the world that is awake and wondering if you’ll ever sleep again…

Mel was my favourite character, closely followed by Sophy but I loved them all and the way Nina writes is such a joy to read, I felt like I was on a journey with the girls.

There are some definite laugh out loud moments in this book and also some heartbreaking moments when Sophy realises her partner isn’t who she thought he was.

I’m never one to give too much away as I hate spoilers. All I will say is that if you’re looking for the perfect lighthearted funny beach read then this is defo the book for you.

Thank you Nina for writing something so spot on and a massive thank you once again for a free copy of this book.

About The Author

Nina studied psychology and was a restaurant-owner and private chef (including to members of the royal family) She is the founder and host of Sniffing The Pages, a book review podcast. She has previously published five psychological thrillers and also writes mum-lit.

To find out more about Nina you can check out her website: http://www.ninamanning.author.com

Thank you for reading.

Finding Family at Seabreeze Farm

`Jo Bartlett

Book Synopsis

Freya Halliwell is looking forward to marrying the man of her dreams and starting their new life together. After the death of both of her parents, Ollie, along with Freya’s aunt, are the only family she has, but all the family she needs.

Until Freya discovers a shocking secret that makes her question everything she thought she knew about her once happy family and especially the man she used to call dad. Devastated and feeling more alone than ever before, Freya needs time and space to come to terms with the news, but until then the wedding is off!

Seabreeze Farm is the perfect place for Freya to recover. But could this beautiful farm perched high on the cliffs, also hold the answer to Freya’s past and reunite her with the family she never even knew she’d been waiting for?

This book was previously published as Finding Dad.

My Review

I have to confess that what first drew me to this book was the front cover, it was giving off all the Christmas vibes and after reading the synopsis I knew I needed to delve further.

This is the second in the Seabreeze Farm series but, if like me you’re not familiar with the first one in the series then do not fear as this can easily be read as a stand alone book.

The prologue to this story starts with Freya’s family Christmas tradition which is so lovely and heartwarming and I couldn’t wait to read more. Freya is about to get married but whilst packing up her belongings ready to start her new life, she discovers that her late father isn’t her biological father. Freya is absolutely devastated and immediately decides to tell her finance, but when she finds him having an intimate dinner date with her best friend, Freya immediately sees red, she calls off the wedding, deletes all of her social media and decides to head to Seabreeze Farm in search of her real father.

This book is filled with family, friendship and some quirky farm animals which will make you chuckle. A festive Christmas read which by the end will warm the cockles of your heart.

About the author

Jo Bartlett is the bestselling author of over nineteen womens’s fiction titles. She fits her writing in between her two day jobs as an educational consultant and university lecturer and lives with her family and three dogs on the Kent coast. Her first title for Boldwood is The Cornish Midwife – part of a twelve book deal.

You can find Jo on the following:

Twitter: @J B Writer

Instagram: @jobartlett123

You can also sign up to her newsletter: https://bit.LY65/JoBartlettNews

Thank you for reading and if you’d like to purchase a copy of this book for yourself you can do here: https://amen.to/3E8Nc5j

Let’s Not Be Friends

By Phoebe Macleod

Book Synopsis

Perfect for fans of Jo Watson, Mhairi McFarlane and Portia Macintosh.

City girl Sophie has married the prince (or landed gentry – close enough), moved to his pile (which is more accurate a description than she’d anticipated) and is set to live happily ever after – until she finds the other half of her perfect life in the stables with the stable girl, and they’re definitely not grooming the horses.

Shocked and appalled, Sophie’s no happier to learn that she’s supposed to “just get on with it” After all, according to her mother in law, she got the title….they even overlooked her family’s new money status.

What a lovely family she’s married into! But what’s a girl to do when she’s still in love? Make it work or leg it as fast as she can? Either way, the mother in law will not be coming to tea!

My Review

Sophie gave up her life as an event planner in London to follow her Husband to Devon to help run the family farm. All is well (despite several aggravations with her aga and her clapped out land drover and being covered in mud 90% of the time) when Sophie discovers her Husband has been having an affair with one of the staff, she packs up her life and heads back to her parents house (who are self made millionaires by the way) With no money and no job, Sophie accepts a loan from her parents, contacts her old boss and has soon not only got her old job back but has found herself a flat to rent, and this is where she meets Elliott.

They become friends and we see Sophie set out on a journey to rebuild her life and divorce her cheating husband.

This is a story that will have you gripped from the start, I enjoyed the relationships that Sophie builds along the way and admire her ability to pick herself up, dust herself off and get her life back on track. I enjoyed seeing her relationship with Elliott develop and I have to admit I was rather shocked with the sudden ending as I’d love to know how there relationship progresses going further. Maybe there will be a sequel?

About the Author

Phoebe Macleod is the author of several popular laugh-out-loud romantic comedies. She mainly sets her books in her home county of Kent and her first new title for Boldwood will be published in this month. They will also be republishing her existing titles from August this year.

You can follow Phoebe on her social media:

https://www.facebook.com/PhoebeMacleodauthor

Twitter: https://twitter.com/macleod_phoebe

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/phoebemacleod21/

You can also sign up to her newsletter: https://www.bit.ly/PhoebeMacLeodNews

To purchase a copy: https://amen.to/3KelOne

Thank you so much for reading x

Cat Lady

By Dawn O’ Porter

Book Synopsis

It’s safer for Mia to play the part that people expect. She’s a good wife to her husband Tristan, a doting stepmother, slips on her suit for work each morning like a new skin.

But beneath the surface there’s another woman just clawing to get out. When a shocking event shatters the conventional life she’s been so careful to build. Mia is faced with a choice. Does she live for a society that’s all to quick to judge, or does she live for herself? And if that’s as an independent woman with a cat, then the world better get ready….

My Review

Having recently read So Lucky by Dawn O’ Porter I was delighted to be accepted for an ARC copy of Cat Lady.

Whilst this book wasn’t quite what I was expecting I still enjoyed it all the same.

In this story we meet Mia, she is married, has a stepson, a great job and most importantly her cat Pigeon who is the biggest and most important part of her life.

Mia doesn’t have any real friends and attends a weekly support group for people who have lost their family pets. Mia hasn’t told the group that her Cat is still very much alive and well,, she’s keeping that to herself, what she does enjoy is being with other like minded people in the group and who truly loved their pets. Mia feels like she finally has a place to belong.

Mia, is married to her husband but he won’t let her cat sleep on the bed or even in the same room with them, so Mia chooses to sleep separately in her own room with Pigeon as her companion. Every part of Mia’s life is controlled even to the amount of times a week and on what days she has sex with her husband, to her vegan diet and what she wears to work. Mia also shares her husband with his ex-wife Belinda who is constantly in the house visiting her Son and having online counselling session with her ex husband. Mia is oblivious to what’s really going on, but it soon starts to unravel for her.

This book will have you laughing out loud in parts, cringing at some of the scenes, and will also give you a feeling of great sadness as you delve more into Mia’s life and childhood. For me this story turned into quite a deep read at times and I really began to feel for Mia as her world slowly gets turned upside down.

I loved all of the characters in this story and I found it very easy to read. If you are a fan of Dawn’s books already then I would highly recommend this book. If you are a Cat Lady then this one is defo for you.

I would like to thank Harper Collins and NetGalley for the free copy of this book in return for an open and honest review.

Cat Lady is due to be published on 27th October 2022, you can pre order your copy now over on Amazon.

Thank you for reading.

Mistletoe and Mulled Wine at the Christmas Campervan

Caroline Roberts

Book Synopsis

Christmas feels like a real gift for Lucy this year. Her cosy coastal cottage is starting to feel like home, her new pizza business is getting the locals ‘All Fired Up’, and she can’t wait to spend it with her new flame Jack, the charismatic owner of the Cocktail Campervan.

Winding along the snow-dusted Northumberland coast for a whirlwind of Christmas markets and celebrations, Lucy and Jack can’t resist stealing a few kisses under the mistletoe. But there’s a twist in their romantic tale when Lucy’s ex turns up in the village. As her past closes in, Jack becomes increasingly distant. And Lucy worries he’s holding back a few secrets of his own . . .

Will Christmas bring a cold spell for Lucy and Jack? Or could it really be the most wonderful time of the year?

My Review

They say never to judge a book by it’s cover, well I’m certainly guilty of that, because when I set eyes on this beautiful new book by Caroline Roberts I was totally drawn in, the cover is absolutely stunning and give me all of those warm Christmassy vibes and I immediately new I would love it.

This is the second book in the Cosy Campervan Series and whilst I haven’t read book one yet, it didn’t matter as this is a perfect stand alone book to read.

Everything is going well for Lucy, her new business venture is starting to take off, she has her very own cosy cottage where she lives with her beloved dog Daisy and then there’s Jack, Handsome, Charismatic Jack, the owner of “Ruby” the Cocktail Campervan.

Lucy is welcomed into the new community with open arms, but when she wakens one morning to find that her converted pizza horsebox has been vandalised and all of the tires have been slashed, it leaves her feeling rather unsettled and when she spots her ex-boyfriend Liam at the first wedding she has catered for, things start to take a turn for the worst.

I don’t want to give to much away as I hate spoilers and you really do need to give this book a read. It is a beautiful story full of Christmas Magic and true love reigns through in the end.

If you are a fan of Caroline’s books then this is a definite must read for you. This book is the perfect gift for anyone that likes to reads Christmas stories and get swept away.

So grab yourself a hot chocolate or mulled wine, curl up on the sofa and dive in, trust me, you won’t be disappointed.

I would like to say a big thank you to One More Chapter a division of Harper Collins and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an open and honest review.

I hope you have enjoyed this blog post, and as always I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Thanks for reading.

A Merry Little Meet Cute

By Julie Murphy & Sierra Simone

Brief Synopsis

When Bee Hobbes takes the lead in a squeaky-clean romantic Christmas movie, there are only three rules:

1. Don’t get involved with anyone on set. 
2. Don’t tell anyone what you do for a living. 
3. Definitely don’t get involved with anyone on set. 
3b. Seriously.

Now, she’s filming in Christmas Notch, a small town with Christmas trees and festive tunes all year round.

But Bee’s got a secret identity to hide, and it’s not family-friendly. And her co-star, Nolan Shaw, an ex-boyband member infamous for his own x-rated antics, not only knows it, but is secretly her biggest fan.

When things start to heat up on set, Bee and Nolan must keep this steamy affair under wraps, or risk ruining everything . . .

My Review

I absolutely throughly enjoyed this book, it is so well written and Christmas Notch just sounds like the perfect town to spend Christmas in. I’m all for the snow, ice skating and romance when it comes to christmas movies and books and this book not only gives you that but throws in some extra spice too.

I loved the two main characters Bee and Nolan, they were so well written and I enjoyed seeing their forbidden romance blossom whilst they were on set filming the Duke of Halls christmas movie.

Nolan is an ex-boyband star that began his music career in a reality show, he comes across in the media as a bad boy and has a very tarnished rep with the ladies. However things haven’t turned out so well for Nolan, the money for the band is all gone, he is working at a local community theatre to help pay the bills to support his mum who has a mental illness and also his sister who lives at home with him.

Bee is a well known porn actress who was considered “too fat” to be a proper actress which was her original dream, so she decided to to take her skills and made herself a full time career within the adult film industry. When she is offered the role to play the leading lady in a Christmas movie she has her doubts about being able to conceal her true identity but she is excited to be co-starring with Nolan who she has had a crush on since her teenage years.

Nolan is one of Bee’s biggest super fans and when they first meet on set he immediately recognises her but doesn’t let on to her that he knows her true identity.

This book is deliciously funny and the extra added spice really makes this an alternative christmas read. I couldn’t wait to finish it and I loved how the story pans out in the end, a true happily ever after romance.

If you are a fan of christmas themed books with added spice then this book is for you. However if explicit sexual scenes aren’t for you then I would definitely give this one a miss.

I would like to say a big thank you to Harpercollins UK and Harper Collins fiction and Netgalleyuk for free advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

A Merry Little Meet Cute will be published on 20th September 2022.

Thank you for taking the time to read this review and if you have any comments please leave them below.

We Were Never Here

Andrea Bartz

Brief Synopsis

A dream holiday has deadly consequences when two friends must cover up a murder. But when they arrive home, the nightmare really begins..

On holiday in Chile, with her best friend Kristen, Emily is having the time of her life. Until, one night, she finds their hotel suit covered in blood. Kristen claimed the backpacker attacked her. She shouted, but no one heard. She struggled, but he was too strong.

She had no option but to kill him and with no evidence of the assault, Emily must help her hide the body.

Emily tries to move on, but before long, the walls start to close in on their cover-up and Emily asks herself: can she really trust her closest friend?

My Review

This thriller begins by easing you in slowly, we meet Emily and Kirsten who are on their second to last night on holiday in Chile. We learn a bit about the girls friendship together and about an attack that happened a few years back with Emily and a backpacker they met whilst in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.

I’m not one for spoilers so I won’t go into full detail about what happened but let’s just say that this part of the story sets the seed for what happens next….

Kirsten mets a guy on the last night and decides to take him back to the suite, Emily agrees to stay behind in the bar to give them some time alone, but when Emily returns to the suite she finds Kirsten in a heap on the floor, with blood smeared across her face and hands and the guy is laid on the floor in a pool of blood not moving. Kirsten claims it to be self defence, but instead of going to the police and reporting what’s happened they decide that no one will believe them and their only option is to hide the body….

I love a good thriller and this story did not disappoint! there are so many plot twists and as you go deeper into the story you begin to realise that there’s something not quite right about Kirsten and her strange obsession with Emily.

I literally couldn’t put this book down! It had me hooked from the start. This is the perfect read for any thriller fans.

I gave this a huge five star rating and would like to thank Kallie Townsend and Penguin Michael Joseph books for having me on the buddy read and providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for a free and honest review.

We Were Never There is out now to purchase in paperback.

The Hub

By Nicola May

Brief Synopsis

When jilted crime writer August Sanders returns from London to her roots in rural Wiltshire, she feels lost and lacking in inspiration. Determined to reignite her writing mojo, she responds to an advert for a shared workspace in a converted barn.

At the Hub, with it’s ill-equipped gym, inedible catering and motley array of fellow users, including a matchmaker more interested in her own conquests and a Tik Toker with a dodgy nocturnal sideline, August is confronted with a real-life mystery to solve.

Why is Max Ronson, the handsome but volatile owner of the Hub, so evasive about his past? and who or what is he hiding on the premises? she is determined to find out – but will her curiosity snuff out the spark of romance?

My Review

What do you do when you’ve been cheated on and dumped by your famous soap actor fiancé ? you’ve had to move back to your home town and are renting the cottage from your sister and her husband who live next door with their two children?

When we first meet August she is nursing a broken heart, she is in a total writing slum and spending her days in her dressing gown at home with her cat. Her sister Ellie is determined to help pull her through her heartache and when she spots an advert for a shared local working space she encourages August to go and check it out.

Futtingbrook farm is a Turkey Farm based in the countryside a twenty minute drive from where she is currently based. August decides to check it out, she has a deadline to meet with her latest book and this just may be the thing she needs to get her writing mojo back again.

After her initial visit, August soon becomes acquainted with the hub owner Max and the other hub workers. She soon starts to feel like she’s starting to get her life back on track, but there is something about the mysterious Max, What’s he hiding and despite him telling her to not get involved, the thriller writer in her cannot help but delve a little deeper to uncover his secrets….

We are introduced to several characters in this book and I loved them all, two of my favourites being Cat the matchmaker and Jonah who suffers hearing loss and wears hearing aids, I loved that Nicola had thought to include someone like this as people with hearing loss tend to get very overlooked and as someone who herself wears hearing aids I do agree that we turn them down when we need some peace.

I really enjoyed August’s close relationship with her Sister and love how they look out for each other and have that true sibling bond.

Was there anything that I disliked about the book? not at all really, I did find August’s nosiness abit frustrating at times especially when she was snooping about in Max’s apartment but I guess thats the inquisitive mind of a crime writer!

I have been a huge fan of Nicola May’s work since I read the Cockleberry Bay series last year. I love her writing style, this book has humour, heartwarming and heartbreaking bits which keep you hooked throughout.

I give this book a five star rating and would like to take this opportunity to thank the author for the free copy in exchange for an honest review.

About the Author

Nicola May is a rom-com superstar, she is the author of sixteen romantic comedies, all of which have appeared in the Kindle bestseller charts. The Corner Shop in Cockleberry Bay became the best selling kindle book in the uk across all genres in January 2019. Nicola is now published in 14 languages.

The Hub is now available to purchase in Paperback and on kindle over on Amazon.

You can follow Nicola over on her twitter account: @nicolamay1

You can also check out her website at: http://www.nicolamay.com

Thank you so much for reading.