Month: May 2020

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Blog Tour (Review): Family for Beginners by Sarah Morgan

Based on the first chapter, I thought that the book was going to go in a completely different direction. I was expecting flashbacks to how Clare and Becca got to that starting point. I could not have been more pleasantly surprised when the action instead jumped to Flora, with seemingly no connection.

Shortly, however, the connection became apparent, and that is when the book really took flight. The author has a special knack for creating whole scenes that make it feel like you’re watching the action instead of reading it. I was fully immersed.

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I liked the way that the author split the narration between Flora, Izzy, and (later) Clare. Reading the story from the three different perspectives allowed me to compare their personality traits and try to get to the underlying issues that were causing the conflict.

What was most interesting to me was that each of them was ultimately more like the others than they could have imagined. Being able to connect the dots and see each woman’s strengths and weaknesses gave added depth to the story.

I appreciated that the author gave some realism to the males in the story. For the most part, they are relatively tangential characters (even though Jack is a catalyst for it all), but their interactions with the women were natural and not forced. They were typical men, but admitted it and tried to improve where necessary. There weren’t any male-bashing or shallow stereotypes. They were just real.

Ultimately, it is a book about family and all of the ugly stuff that goes with it. Families are never perfect, and they don’t necessarily only connect by blood. They also are not always what you think they might be. The importance of communication is another theme. If the characters had talked with each other, to begin with, a lot of misunderstandings would have been avoided. Of course, then there wouldn’t have been a plot. And it wouldn’t have been as realistic, because those missteps are part of human nature and we have all made them.

This book was emotional but not manipulative, and I could not put it down. Watching each of the characters navigate through the trickiness of death and new relationships was ultimately heartwarming, and I highly recommend it.

Author Bio: USA Today bestselling author Sarah Morgan writes lively, sexy contemporary stories for Harlequin.

Romantic Times has described her as ‘a magician with words’ and nominated her books for their Reviewer’s Choice Awards and their ‘Top Pick’ slot. In 2012 Sarah received the prestigious RITA® Award from the Romance Writers of America. She lives near London with her family. Find out more at www.sararahmorgan.com.

Social Links:
Author Website
Twitter: @SarahMorgan_
Facebook: @AuthorSarahMorgan 
Instagram: @SarahMorganWrites
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Books on Tour (Review): The Happy Couple by Samantha Hayes

It started slowly, but boy did this one take a few turns and end on a completely different note from what it started. Let’s unpack it, shall we?

Amazon: https://bit.ly/2W75hcd
Apple Books: https://apple.co/2W6WjMa
Kobo: https://bit.ly/2UtEHJi
Google Play: https://bit.ly/2UFj7lc

Jo was an interesting main character. She began as a very sad figure, trying to keep her life going even as she approached a year since her husband had disappeared. Through the first third of the book, I got the sense that Jo was pretty much just going through the motions (totally understandable given the circumstances).

She decides to take her best friend’s advice and ends up house-sitting in a village near the ocean. I’m not giving away plot points (you know how I dislike that), but there are particular reasons for Jo to pick the house that she does.

And that’s where the fun really starts.

I thought the way the author plotted the story was interesting. I could tell that there was more going on with Jo and that she was hiding secrets. I also didn’t know whether or not to trust Simon at times. I like it when I am kept off-balance like that. But all of the characters’ actions seemed realistic.

I thought the use of red herrings was also effective. There were just enough thrown in that made me question other character’s motives and whether or not Jo was losing it or the only sane one in the story. A few twists were less successful, as they felt a tad forced, and a few I figured out. But I did like the resolutions for all – justice was definitely served. I also liked Suzanne’s character arc. She was the most surprising.

This book twisted in places where I didn’t expect it, which I loved. Just know that there is more than what is going on than what meets the eye. And I enjoyed every minute.

Author Bio
Samantha Hayes grew up in Warwickshire, left school at sixteen, avoided university and took jobs ranging from private detective to barmaid to fruit picker and factory worker. She lived on a kibbutz, and spent time living in Australia and the USA, before finally becoming a crime-writer.

Her writing career began when she won a short story competition in 2003 and her sixteenth novel, THE HAPPY COUPLE is out 6th May. Her novels are family-based psychological thrillers, with the emphasis being on ‘real life fiction’. She focuses on current issues and sets out to make her readers ask, ‘What if this happened to me or my family?’ And you’ll always find a BIG twist at the end of her novels!

Website: www.samanthahayes.co.uk
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SamanthaHayesAuthor
Twitter: @samhayes
Instagram: samanthahayes.author
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Blog Tour (Review): The Secrets of Love Story Bridge by Phaedra Patrick

After quite a few psych thrillers, I was in the mood for a change of pace, and this book fit the bill nicely. It took a little while to get into, but once I did, I couldn’t put it down.

Buy Links:  Harlequin  Barnes & Noble Amazon Books-A-Million Powell’s

I had a difficult time understanding Mitchell at first, as he was a little bit of an enigma. I couldn’t get a grasp on his character, because at times he seemed old and doddery, but I knew from the description (and his daughter) that he wasn’t as old as he came across. As his backstory became clear, so did his character. I loved the symbolism of how he enjoyed his job cutting locks (and how that related to his own broken heart).

I enjoyed the way the plot unfolded. A few different things were going on, but they all sort of related to each other, or at least influenced other events. It was an effective way to illustrate how easy it is to touch others’ lives and how one small event can set off a ripple effect for many people.

Back to Mitchell for a minute – I was satisfied to see his character grow throughout the story as he learned the importance of personal connections. It would have been easy to keep him uptight, but showing him reawaken was heartfelt and moving.

I also liked the secondary characters and how Yvette’s part of the action wove them all into the story. I was drawn in by Mitchell’s heroics, captivated by the letters he received, and eager to unravel the mystery that connected it all.

Do yourself a favor, take some time, and read this uplifting book about second chances.

Phaedra Patrick is the author of The Library of Lost and Found, Rise and Shine, Benedict Stone and The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper, which has been published in over twenty countries around the world. She studied art and marketing, and has worked as a stained-glass artist, film festival organizer and communications manager. An award-winning short story writer, she now writes full-time. She lives in Saddleworth, UK, with her husband and son.

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Blog Tour (Review): The Wave by Virginia Moffat

I don’t think I have ever read a book that felt so claustrophobic, which is ironic because a beach is one of the most open places imaginable. The ominous, titular wave is what causes the tense foreboding feeling, and it is the perfect counterpoint to the characters’ journeys.

The story unfolds through the points of view of seven characters, as well as comments from social media and Facebook posts. The rhythm set by this constant rotation invoked waves to me. After the first iteration, I knew how the rise and fall of the action would proceed. It was a great technique that helped create the mood of the story.

I liked how the author related the same events in each wave (section) of the story, but from each person’s point of view. It gave the reader more depth of character and a better understanding of the overall picture. I also think that the looming disaster was a compelling catalyst for the characters to make amends, however they could. Each of them had their secrets or struggles that they felt needed to be resolved, and following each through the other characters’ actions was fascinating.

I did think that a few of the moments seemed forced and overdone, but then again, these people were on a beach, basically having made their decisions to die on their terms. So, maybe they were entitled to over-react and have a few dramatic moments. With that said, I am not sure that I really connected to any of them.

I thought Poppy’s backstory was the most interesting. However, it felt incomplete as most of it was in a thought-dump towards the end. I suppose I related to Margaret most, only because of her age. And I would have actually liked to have more of Shelley’s journey because I think she had the farthest to travel (but I’m glad she got there).

It is worth noting that I also was unsure if the wave was going to hit at the end. There were a few times where I felt that these people were having their last confessionals and making decisions and that the wave wasn’t going to hit, leaving them to face the decisions of the night.

I’m not going to tell you if I was right about that or not.

Ultimately a thought-provoking look at what’s important in the face of impending doom, I rode this wave to the end and would highly recommend it.

About Virginia Moffatt

Virginia Moffatt was born in London, one of eight children, several of whom are writers. ‘The Wave’ is her second novel. Her previous publications are ‘Echo Hall’ (Unbound) and ‘Rapture and what comes after’ (Flash fiction collection published by Gumbo Press). She also writes non-fiction. Virginia is married to Chris Cole, Director of Drone Wars UK. They have two daughters at University and a son still living with them in Oxford.

Twitter: https://twitter.com/aroomofmyown1
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/virginiamoffattauthor/
Website: https://virginiamoffattwriter.wordpress.com/
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Books On Tour (Review): The Sister-In-Law by Sue Watson

I must be lucky because this is the second book I have read in less than a week set in a villa on the Amalfi Coast. Picture it, a beautiful villa with a pool and terrace, overlooking the ocean, with a little town nearby to shop and eat delicious food. It’s the perfect vacation getaway.

Until it isn’t.

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Apple Books: https://apple.co/354bWrv
Kobo: https://bit.ly/2KwUAKw
Google Play: https://bit.ly/2xJYVaF

Clare hopes that this family vacation will help put her family back on track, but the arrival of her brother-in-law with his new wife puts a screeching halt to that. The whole family has secrets and someone is bent on exposing them, with Clare as a particular target.

The author did a great job of wratcheting the tension, and I enjoyed the juxtaposition of the beautiful, serene setting and the family’s infighting. There were a lot of foreboding moments, and hints of darkness to come, as the story is told as a memory. So, there were more than a few “had I known” statements, but they were dropped casually and were never jarring.

I also thought that the characters were an interesting mix of personalities. Each of them was realistic. They also each had a few moments where their actions surprised the other characters, proving that even family members are not always who one thinks they are. I thought that Clare was the most interesting. Because of her own family history, she is insecure and longs for the stability of a family. This makes her an easy target (and boy, did she pick the wrong family).

Once the battle lines were established, it seemed as if the story dragged a bit (through the middle). However, I think that was due more to my impatience that I had established theories and I wanted to get to the good stuff to see if I was right. I understand that the author needed to make character motivations crystal clear. It was deliciously unnerving to read a few such moments, only because the character was so disturbing. I could feel the viciousness and knew there was a lot going on.

I hope that all makes sense.

I liked this book so much that I read it pretty much in one sitting while I was supposed to be doing other things. I don’t feel guilty about that at all.

Author Bio

Sue Watson was a TV Producer at the BBC until she wrote her first book and was hooked.Now a USA Today bestselling author, Sue has written fifteen novels – many involving cake – which have been translated into several languages and involved tough ‘cake research.’ Sue is now exploring the darker side of life with her thrillers OUR LITTLE LIES, THE WOMAN NEXT DOOR, THE EMPTY NEST and THE SISTER-IN-LAW. Writing in this new genre doesn’t involve the deep research of baked goods and Sue’s hoping the change in direction will be reflected on the weighing scales.

Originally from Manchester, Sue now lives with her husband and teenage daughter in Worcestershire where much of her day is spent writing – okay, procrastinating, eating and watching ‘My 600lb Life,’ on the sofa.

Website; http://www.suewatsonbooks.com/
FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/suewatsonbooks
Twitter @suewatsonwriter
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Books On Tour (Review): The Spare Bedroom by Elizabeth Neep

Let’s get one thing straight right away: this is not your typical romantic comedy. All of the usual elements are there, but most of them are stood on their ear. It made for a unique and entertaining read.

Amazon: https://bit.ly/3aErBir
Apple books: https://apple.co/3aIB08X
Kobo: https://bit.ly/2Scsg4j
Google Play: https://bit.ly/2Y7r5qM

I thought the set-up was great. Jess and her ex, Sam, meet cute (or should I say, reunite cute) in Australia, half a world away from where they last saw each other. He is in a good space. She is not. Through a few misunderstandings and unfinished comments, she ends up in the guest room (the spare bedroom) in his apartment.

But there are many surprises to come. (You won’t find spoilers here though).

It’s difficult to put my finger on this one. I came into it expecting a romantic comedy, and as I mentioned, the aspects were there, but it wasn’t a typical one, which left me puzzled for a bit. As I thought about it, however, I realized it was much deeper than a RomCom. It was more about the journey that Jess had to take to growing up.

Let’s be honest, she spends a lot of the book being fairly unlikable. She only thinks of herself and how other things affect her. She’s immature, and frankly sometimes annoying. She misreads situations, lies, and takes people for granted. Not exactly somebody to root for.

Until she hits rock bottom. And she does it in pretty spectacular fashion. (Again, no spoilers).

She at first seemed spoiled and self-centered.  She doesn’t know when enough is enough when it comes to Sam. After her biggest mistake, she slowly starts to realize how wrong she was about so much, and that is where her growth truly begins. She actually reminded me of Rachel from the television show “Friends.”

Once I realized that this was Jess’ trajectory, I was able to look back at the rest of the book and cut her a little bit of slack. To me, that’s the mark of a good author; it’s not easy to change a reader’s mind about a main character like that.

I also liked that the author was unapologetic about Sam and Jamie. It was nice to see faith treated in a respectful way instead of as a disease.

I went into this book thinking one thing, thought something else throughout most of the book, and then ended thinking something completely different. That’s quite a journey for a “light” read.

Author Bio

Elizabeth Neep was born in 1990 in Derbyshire and now lives in London Bridge. After studying Law at the University of Nottingham and the University of New South Wales, she worked in magazine journalism, most noticeably writing for Dazed and Confused and PETRIe. Elizabeth now works as a non-fiction Senior Commissioning Editor and writes and paints in her spare time.

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