Category: Blog Tour

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Books On Tour (Review): The Fallen Girls by Kathryn Casey

Hands down, one of the most unique settings for a crime thriller that I have ever read, this book had me enthralled from beginning to end.

Amazon: https://bit.ly/2zDKLbP Apple: https://apple.co/2AgcCic
Kobo: https://bit.ly/3c8HMWa Google: https://bit.ly/2THaEyb

I’m always excited to find a new crime series. Clara Jefferies is a detective to root for, not only because she is an intelligent investigator, but because she escaped a life that would have sent her in a completely different direction.

I thought the choice of a polygamist town was bold and fascinating. Making Elijah’s People a fundamentalist Mormon sect allowed the author to explore the nature of polygamy and all of the restrictions and rules that go along with it.

I found the perspective to be thought-provoking. On the one hand, there are aspects to that type of living that go against what is acceptable in society. On the other hand, there were times that they were quite sympathetic.

One such example is how the women and sister wives were left practically destitute when some of the men were arrested in previous years. It was a stark illustration not only of the rules they lived by but also how deep-rooted the beliefs were. Either the author has first-hand experience or did extensive research because the level of detail was incredible.

The author also did a great job of keeping the action moving even in times where not a lot was happening; the dialogue was crisp, and the interactions kept everything the investigation moving forward. I also thought that the chapters from Delilah’s point of view added to the mystery while also answering some questions.

I especially appreciated that the author kept me guessing until the very end. The clues weren’t exactly red herrings, but they were enough to keep me off-balance as to who the perpetrator was. Even beyond that, I liked how it ended. We have to wait for the next book to see what Clara’s final decision was, and I think that’s brilliant.

I look forward to reading Clara Jefferies’ investigations in many books to come!

Author Bio
A novelist and award-winning journalist, Kathryn Casey is the author of eleven highly acclaimed true crime books and the creator of the Sarah Armstrong mystery series. Library Journal picked THE KILLING STORM as one of the best mysteries of 2010. Her latest true crime, IN PLAIN SIGHT, investigates the Kaufman County prosecutor murders, a case that made worldwide headlines.

Casey has appeared on Oprah, 20/20, the Today Show, Good Morning America, the Biography Channel, Reelz, The Travel Network, Investigation Discovery, and many other venues. Ann Rule called Casey “one of the best in the true crime genre.”

Website: www.kathryncasey.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kathryn.casey.509
Twitter: @KathrynCasey
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Books On Tour (Review): Murder on a Mississippi Steamboat by Leighann Dobbs

I am a big fan of Agatha Christie. Her books are well-plotted, the characters are memorable, and the mysteries are unique. However, mysteries are tough to re-read. Honestly, once you know “whodunnit” you can only go back so many times to see what you missed before the story gets old.

I’m always looking for a new author who writes similar to Ms. Christie, and I couldn’t be happier than to have found Leighann Dobbs. I thoroughly enjoyed A Purr-fect Alibi and was excited for more to come. Her latest, Murder on a Mississippi Steamboat, does not disappoint. (I must point out, the two books are not in the same series. This new one is standalone).

I may have found a new favorite pair: Nora Marsh and her feisty great-aunt Julia are a fantastic duo.

Amazon: https://bit.ly/3gldcMd

Right off, I liked the setting. It reminded me of one of my favorite Christie’s Death On the Nile. The “single-set” of a steamboat allowed the author to be creative (there are only so many places to be on a ship). But that also helped keep the action tight; there were no rambling passages about travel.

I also like the era. Ms. Dobbs captured everything from the music to the lingo to the dress of the day. She created an atmosphere that just screamed “1920s” from head to toe.

As to the mystery itself, I wouldn’t be a good blogger if I gave it all away, would I? Suffice to say that the set-up is masterful because each of the characters is introduced naturally, and viewing them through the eyes of a murder novelist was unique. It felt like a “live” game of Clue.

It was also nice to be able to change it up and read a straightforward mystery instead of crime or psych one. To me, that change of pace is relaxing and feels like sitting down with a cat curled up next to me. I guess that’s why they are called “cozy mysteries,” though.

Fans of Agatha Christie, cozy mysteries, the 1920s, historical fiction (any or all of these!) will no doubt enjoy this book as much as I did.

Author Bio
USA Today bestselling author, Leighann Dobbs, discovered her passion for writing after a twenty year career as a software engineer. She lives in New Hampshire with her husband Bruce, their trusty Chihuahua mix Mojo and beautiful rescue cat, Kitty.

Her book “Dead Wrong” won the “Best Mystery Romance” award at the 2014 Indie Romance Convention.

Her book “Ghostly Paws” was the 2015 Chanticleer Mystery & Mayhem First Place category winner in the Animal Mystery category.

Website: http://www.leighanndobbs.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/leighanndobbsbooks
Twitter: https://twitter.com/leighanndobbs
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Books On Tour (Review): Water’s Edge by Gregg Olsen

I really enjoyed the introduction to Detective Megan Carpenter in Snow Creek, so I was looking forward to her next investigation. I am thrilled to report that I was NOT disappointed!

Amazon: https://geni.us/B0854143TDSocial Apple: https://apple.co/32qn3tz
Kobo: http://bit.ly/2Vmqn7O Google: http://bit.ly/3902iYb

Megan has a tortured (quite literally) past, and it rears its head during investigations. This time, the investigation brings back even more memories due to the similarities in the victims. I’m not going to go into a lot of details about the crimes, because I don’t want to give too much away.

I did like how the investigation sort of went in reverse, as instead of victims increasing in real-time, they made connections to past crimes. That’s indicative of real police work; to be able to connect the dots to past events to predict who or what patters to look for future crimes.  

Megan is one of my favorite female detectives (and there are a lot of them out there). Each of them is unique in their way, with diverse backstories that influence and motivate their decisions. But Megan takes the cake for a messed up early life and demons that continuously haunt her.

I particularly enjoy her one-line asides (an example is when she tells someone she is not lying, and then there is a line that is her thinking “I was lying”). This part of her personality comes through strongly. It also illustrates her sense of humor; as she states, dark humor is an officer’s way of releasing pressure when faced with pressure situations. This is 100% true and accurate to real life.

Her dark and sarcastic sense of humor is shaped by her past. We get that backstory via tapes of recordings made during counseling sessions when she was younger. Even though the background is detailed, it is a complicated past, and it drives Megan relentlessly, keeping her from feeling human. This is partly illustrated by her confused feelings toward Dan.

Even more so, we see it in her reluctance to work closely with Ronnie, a reserve deputy who is kind of thrown in as Megan’s partner. Megan works alone, and her comments about having to work with Ronnie are ascerbic…until she realizes that Ronnie is pretty darn good at the job.

I liked how Megan took a mentoring approach to work with Ronnie, encouraging her (even subconsciously) to be better and look closer at clues. I thought this was a good relationship that I hope continues.

The investigation kept me guessing right up until the big reveal (so kudos for that). There is still some unfinished business for Megan, and the arrival of an unexpected guest promises that there is still a long way for her to go. I can’t wait to see what happens next.

Author Bio

A #1 New York Times, Amazon Charts, Wall Street Journal and USA Today bestselling author, Olsen has written nine nonfiction books, seventeen novels, a novella, and contributed a short story to a collection edited by Lee Child.

The award-winning author has been a guest on dozens of national and local television shows, including educational programs for the History Channel, Learning Channel, and Discovery Channel.

The Deep Dark was named Idaho Book of the Year by the ILA and Starvation Heights was honored by Washington’s Secretary of State for the book’s contribution to Washington state history and culture.

Olsen, a Seattle native, lives in Olalla, Washington with his wife, twin daughters, three chickens, Milo (an obedience school dropout cocker) and Suri (a mini dachshund so spoiled she wears a sweater).

Website: https://www.greggolsen.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GreggOlsenAuthor/
Twitter:  https://twitter.com/Gregg_Olsen
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Blog Tour (Review): The Guest by Cathryn Grant.

Every so often, I come across a book that has a lot of promise that I am excited to read, especially if I enjoyed a previous book by the author. I liked The Good Mother, so I figured that The Guest would be of those books.

I liked how the author set the stage. A stranger with a tenuous friendship with a relative is invited to stay with the family. What could possibly go wrong?

Purchase Links: Amazon UK-https://tinyurl.com/TheGuest-AmazonUK Amazon US-https://tinyurl.com/TheGuest-AmazonUS

There are also character tensions galore: husband and wife, stepson and husband, stepson and schoolmates. Everybody seems to have an issue with at least one other character. Things take a turn early when the son is questioned about a missing classmate. And then things got weird.

The stranger insinuates himself seamlessly into the lives of the family. Tensions between husband and wife continue; wife gets suspicious of the stranger even as she fights her attraction to him. There’s also bad news about the classmate. When it comes to light that the husband has been lying about something, all bets are off.  

I think that is a problem that I had with this book. There was just way too much going on, and it all lacked focus. There were also a lot of details in odd places. I thought the descriptions of food were strange but enjoyed the perspectives on art. I just kept hoping that the seemingly disparate storylines would converge, and all make sense together.

I can’t stress enough; I liked the premise, and the storylines could have been woven into an amazing psychological thriller. The pieces were there, and it could have been so good. But it ultimately needed editing to keep things tight and cohesive. As it was, by the time I got to the epilogue, I wasn’t that surprised by what should have been a shocking reveal.

I would still recommend it because there were some entertaining aspects. But in the end, it felt rushed; if a little more time had been taken, it could have been so much more.

About Cathryn Grant

Cathryn Grant writes psychological thrillers, psychological suspense, and ghost stories. She’s the author of twenty-three novels.

She’s loved crime fiction all her life and is endlessly fascinated by the twists and turns, and the dark corners of the human mind.

When she’s not writing, Cathryn reads fiction, eavesdrops, and tries to play golf without hitting her ball into the sand or the water. She lives on the Central California coast with her husband and two cats.

Cathryn is the author of The Good Neighbor and many other crime thrillers. THE GUEST will be her third novel published with Inkubator Books.

Twitter: https://twitter.com/CathrynGrant
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CathrynGrant.Writer/
Website: https://www.cathryngrant.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cathryngrant_fiction/
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Cathryn-Grant/e/B004G1I484?ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_3&qid=1566901527&sr=8-3
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Blog Tour (Review): Sister Dear by Hannah Mary McKinnon

This book had me running the gamut of emotions. I wasn’t sure who to trust at any given time, my loyalties to individual characters switched, and I was left feeling disturbed. But that’s not necessarily a bad thing.

Buy Links:  Harlequin  Barnes & Noble Amazon
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The author did an admirable job of creating sympathy for Eleanor in the beginning. She had been beaten down by life (literally and physically), and she was losing the one person she could rely on…until she couldn’t anymore. I related to her early on, because her feelings about her father brought back memories of my dad’s illness. I could feel her pain.

I was fortunate, however, to not have a vile mother like Sylvia. It was easy to see why Eleanor was as insecure as she was. Both her mother and sister, Amy, were horrible people in general and specifically to Eleanor.

Eleanor finds out a secret that she isn’t meant to know, and at that point, I thought the book took an odd turn. I understand the point that desperate people can be led to do desperate things, but it felt a little off. I’m not sure why, but because Eleanor got a little dark, I felt less sympathy for her.

I don’t want to give away the rest of the book, because it all flowed well after that, and I found myself going back and forth between disliking Eleanor for her duplicity and feeling sorry for her because she obviously had severe issues that compelled her decisions.

I also don’t want to give away anything, because there are a few twists that I did not see coming. There were also a few I thought would happen and didn’t. I like it when an author can balance the tension like that. I did think that the middle was drawn out, and then an awful lot happened in the last quarter of the book. Some of it was even just described instead of actually occurring within the plot. There were some surprises, but I think I would have enjoyed the action of them instead of a description. (hope that makes sense).

In the end, I was left feeling…I’m not sure of the word? Empty, maybe. A little angry or disappointed that people can be so evil to each other? Psychopathy is real, and it is certainly exhibited in spades in this book. Human nature can be the most harmful of all forces.

Kudos to the author for creating memorable characters that left me feeling disturbed and unsettled. And very glad that I don’t have a sister (to my knowledge).  

AUTHOR BIO

Hannah Mary McKinnon was born in the UK, grew up in Switzerland and moved to Canada in 2010. After a successful career in recruitment, she quit the corporate world in favor of writing, and is now the author of The Neighbors and Her Secret Son. She lives in Oakville, Ontario, with her husband and three sons, and is delighted by her twenty-second commute.

Social Links: Author Website Goodreads
Twitter: @HannahMMcKinnon
Instagram: @hannahmarymckinnon
Facebook: @HannahMaryMcKinnon
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Books On Tour (Review): Why She Died by J.G. Roberts

In my review of What He Did, the second book in the Detective Rachel Hart series, I said, “The subplot of Rachel’s personal life fit into the plot neatly, which isn’t always the case. Although, I do think that there is more to be revealed in future books if the ending is any clue.” I didn’t know the half of it!

Amazon: https://bit.ly/2z8Hph1 Apple: https://apple.co/2LOHYze
Kobo: https://bit.ly/2TrLeVl Google: https://bit.ly/3cSCkYL

The book starts with a perfectly normal, albeit sad, investigation, and it doesn’t take long before Rachel and her coworkers are chasing down clues trying to find a murderer. The investigation is well-plotted and takes turns that are to be expected (i.e., suspects of interest). The author did a good job of making some of the characters’ motivations questionable so it wasn’t easy to figure who was telling the truth and who had something to hide.

As with the last book, Rachel’s personal life is intertwined with this case. In fact, it seemed like there was almost more focus on Rachel’s state of mind concerning her sister, which led to some scenes that seemed unprofessional and out of character for Rachel. I suppose they were necessary, given how it all turned out, though.

I did like how she seemed to be mentoring the younger members of her unit, reminding them not to assume things and coaching them on how to react to the behaviors of others. It’s all advice she could have taken herself as well. I also liked how Graham stepped up and took control. I hope to see more of that as Rachel sorts herself out.

And boy, does she have to do that. Even though everything seemed relatively routine, about ¾ of the way through, it all just kicks off. The last part of the book just flew by with revelations, confessions, and reveals that left my jaw on the floor. It took a turn and went gonzo (but in a really good way).

I’m not saying any more than that; you’ll have to read it for yourself. You really should check out this series while it’s still near the beginning. At this point, it is better to read the previous books so you have the full backstory. I think that’s going to be necessary going forward.

Oh, and (by the way), the title is awesome, because the answer is not exactly straightforward 😉

Author Bio:
Having signed with Bookouture in late 2018, my first book with them, Little Girl Missing, was published in June 2019 followed by the second in the Detective Rachel Hart series in October of the same year. The third book in the series, my seventh novel overall, is called Why She Died and is on pre-order prior to publication in May 2020.

I’m originally from Nottingham, where I have based a couple of my novels, but I am now resident in Berkshire and have used Reading and the surrounding area as the location for the DCI Rachel Hart series. From the age of ten I had wanted to write fiction but left it until I was fifty-seven before self-publishing my first novel, Life’s a Beach and Then, proving it’s never too late to start something new.

When I’m not writing, I am a full-time presenter on QVC, the UK’s most successful shopping channel where I have worked for over twenty-six years. I also enjoy cooking, watching football, in particular my team Crystal Palace, gardening, and Pilates which is helping with my rehabilitation following recent ankle surgery. I’m an animal lover and a committed vegetarian for the past thirty-five years.

@JuliaRobertsTV
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Books On Tour (Review): Buried Angels by Patricia Gibney

Lottie Parker just keeps getting better. After some big revelations in book 7, I was wondering what could happen next.

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Kobo: https://bit.ly/2Xgk0C6 Google: https://bit.ly/2ZniMYG

Suffice to say that this is one of the most convoluted investigations that Lottie and her team has faced. There are old crimes, new crimes, a virtual spiderweb of characters…and somehow it all works as a cohesive and page-turning story.

One of the things this author excels at it introducing characters who seem to have no connection to each other and disparate lives or plot arcs. However, during the investigation, links are found. Sometimes the characters know about them and sometimes they’re surprised as well. And nobody is every superfluous, even seemingly secondary characters.

Ms. Gibney also does a fine job of plotting the suspense so that it ebbs and flows. Some crime novels build until a big reveal, and that’s just fine too. But Lottie’s investigations always seem to have more than a few “big” moments, and then the action continues until the next moment. I like that push and pull in a book because it keeps it from potentially being monotonous.

I will say that this plot had a few aspects that might be troubling to some readers. Aside from child victims, there’s also domestic abuse and neglect. Nothing is overly graphic but seemed natural to the characters. I thought they were vital to the story and, therefore, did not bother me, but more sensitive readers may have a different view.

As I said at the outset, at this point, the plots are more intricate, and Lottie still stays on top. I can’t wait to see what’s in store next.

Author Bio:
Patricia is the million-copy bestselling author of the DI Lottie Parker series. She yearned to be a writer after reading Enid Blyton and Carolyn Keene and even wanted to be Nancy Drew when she grew up. She has now grown up (she thinks) but the closest she’s come to Nancy Drew is writing crime!

In 2009, after her husband died, she retired from her job and started writing seriously. Fascinated by people and their quirky characteristics, she always carries a notebook to scribble down observations.

Patricia also loves to paint in watercolour and lives in the Irish midlands with her children. 

Website: http://patriciagibney.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/trisha460/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/trisha460
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What Only We Know by Catherine Hokin

Captivating. Compelling. Creative. Crushing.

Truly unforgettable.

This one will stay with me for a very long time.

I know that it is sort of backward to say that at the beginning of the review, but I can’t begin to explain how impactful this book was. The author has woven an incredible story that covers not one but two significant historical periods, and it is told with compassion and a deep understanding of humanity.

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Kobo: https://bit.ly/2zWwXZK Google: https://bit.ly/36f8RWt

Right from the start in the prologue, set in 1971, it is apparent that there is a detailed story to be told. We then jump to Berlin, 1936. Anyone who knows even a little bit about history knows why this year is important, especially as it relates to WWII. The setting for Leise and Michael to have their first notable argument was also appropriate because it clearly outlined their perspectives.

I loved the unique setting of the fashion house, or salon, for the first part of the book. By utilizing a very international business, the author was able to highlight just how far-reaching the sanctions in Germany became, and how quickly they changed. I particularly liked the details, such as Paul urging Leise to identify the scents in the air. It was a moment of joy and beauty that belied the horrors growing in the city.

Once we meet Karen in the more contemporary timeline of 1971, the reader can start to draw some connections. However, the author does an admirable job of building Karen’s identity. I don’t want to give away plot points, but her experiences as an 11-year-old shape her reactions all the way to the very last pages.

It is difficult to put into words how well the author weaves both the WWII storyline and the 1970s storyline together. Suffice to say that in other books with dual storylines, I often find myself wanting to get back to one or the other. In this book, I was equally eager for both, especially later, when Karen was older.

Side note: her first entry into Berlin brought back strong memories. My parents and I went to Germany in 1983, and our experience going through Checkpoint Charlie was very similar to Karen’s. We were on a tour bus with a class of high school students, and their teachers had to reprimand them, reminding them of the rules for when the soldiers came on to check passports. It is a trip I will never forget, and Karen’s experience brought it all back.

But now, back to the review. By the time Kristallnacht occurs, Liese’s life turns upside down, inside out, and sideways. She is a formidable character, even as a teenager. I think that is what makes her character arc so compelling because, through her, we see how very simple it was for the Nazis to break even the strongest of people.

I appreciated that the author didn’t feel the need to wrap up people’s stories. Sometimes they just…disappeared. It was another stark reminder of how life was at that time. People came and went, and some were never to be seen again.

I’m starting to ramble now, and I’m not even halfway through the book! I will leave it that Liese’s life goes from bad to worse, and her actions suddenly become much more understandable. Karen also “grows up” when she finally realizes the truth of her mother’s story.

And that whole truth is about as gut-wrenching as anything I have ever read.

The reveal and reconciliation take place in the shadow of the Berlin Wall and stretches into 1989. Again, if you know anything about history, you see the significance. And this section of reconciliation was almost as powerful and moving as Liese’s story from WWII.

It’s a tremendous balancing act that the author accomplishes with aplomb. Straight to the top of my list for this year. I cannot recommend it highly enough.

Author Bio
Catherine Hokin is a Glasgow-based author writing both long and short fiction. Her short stories have been placed in competition (including first prize in the 2019 Fiction 500 Short Story Competition) and published by iScot, Writers Forum and Myslexia. She blogs on the 22nd of each month as part of The History Girls collective. 

Website: https://www.catherinehokin.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cathokin/?ref=aymt_homepage_panel
Twitter: https://twitter.com/cathokin
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Books On Tour (Review): Her Darkest Hour by Sharon Maas

I’ve mentioned several times that I enjoy historical novels for a few reasons. One, I’m just a big history buff; and two, I like learning new things. Even if I know the overall theme, there’s usually some nugget of previously unknown information to be found.

Amazon: https://bit.ly/2X1lW1l Apple Books: https://apple.co/35ZGKdA
Kobo: https://bit.ly/2zEYnU5 Google Play: https://bit.ly/361JE1q

In the case of Her Darkest Hour, I knew that the Germans had invaded France and had taken control of most regions, but I did not remember (based on previous studies) the extent to which they turned everything German. And I did not know that they actually built a camp in France. That was very revealing and educational (and I love that).

As to the plot in general, it was somewhat unique among many WWII historical fiction novels in that there was one time period; there wasn’t a contemporary and flashback. That made it easier to follow each of the girls’ stories.

I liked that the families in question were established wine-makers. Their standing in the town made the decisions of the individual members more intriguing. I was a little confused by the family relations at the beginning, but I got them straightened out. I felt a little better about that later in the book when I found out just why everything seemed confusing.

I thought the author did a pretty good job of embodying the spirits of the French people during the Occupation by giving each of the girls (Juliette, Victoire, and Marie-Claire) different perspectives and attitudes. I do wish there had been more of Juliette; I thought that the novel would be more between the three girls. But her story just sort of disappeared for quite a while.

There was certainly plenty else to focus on, and I found Marie-Claire’s story to be indicative of what many women had to deal with when it came to the Germans who took over. I thought that Jacques’ evaluation of her to be accurate, as she never quite reached her potential and made some poor choices that seemed to be based on trying to make herself feel better. She did not seem to be very deep and ended up reaping what she had sown. I can’t say I’m too sorry about that, honestly.

I did think that the build-up took up most of the book, and then a LOT of events happened in the last quarter of the story. Characters came and went, secrets were revealed, and time sped up. Once the story reached early 1942, events went by at rocket speed, with some only receiving a quick mention.

I understand the importance of laying the background, but I wish that it had been a bit more balanced. The events at the end were quite exciting, as were the actions of the girls, and I would have liked more detail of those.  I also felt that a few of the stories were left unfinished or up in the air. It was almost like the author had to wrap it up quickly.

But that didn’t detract from what I learned about the depth of German infiltration into French society (Mein Kampf and German names?!?). It also confirmed that their brand of tyranny and power should never again be allowed to see the light of day.

Post Script: I wasn’t going to add this, but I strongly feel that it needs to be mentioned. It concerns the scene where the Nazis arrived at the chateau and informed Margaux that her livestock, property, and anything she produced belonged to the state. I read that section late at night.

The next morning I woke up to a headline in the news. A legislator in Illinois had proposed legislation that would give the governor the power to confiscate livestock, food, property, clothing, etc. For no other reason except for that he could do so.

I cried.

It was a stark reminder that this type of history should NEVER be repeated. No. Matter. What.

Author Bio
Sharon Maas was born in Georgetown, Guyana, in 1951 and educated in Guyana and England. After leaving school she worked as a staff journalist at the Guyana Graphic and the Sunday Chronicle in Georgetown.

Sharon has always had a great sense of adventure and curiosity about the world we live in, and Guyana could not hold her for long. In 1971 she set off on a year-long backpacking trip around South America. In 1973 she travelled overland to India through Europe, Turkey, Iran, Afghanistan and Pakistan, and spent two years in an Ashram in South India. 

Website: https://www.sharonmaas.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/sharon_maas  
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Blog Tour (Review): The Best Man by A.S. Kelly

Everybody has favorite authors and look forward to their series, but sometimes it’s fun to find new authors and new places to explore. This is the case with Connemara in The Best Man.

The action starts with a bang as Alex interrupts his best friend’s wedding for, shall we say, personal reasons. From there, we get a long and winding story as Alex and Ellie try to find their way to each other as the pressures of their choices complicate things.

The story does is not rushed. There are a lot of internal monologues and even more angst on both parts. These are interspersed with scenes that could only be set in Ireland. I almost enjoyed the secondary characters more than the main ones, especially Ellie’s brothers.

I liked the setting. I could picture the towns and townspeople; the author made Ireland come alive. I also thought the business that Alex and Ellie worked in was creative – who doesn’t like a good Irish whiskey?

I did think that there were passages that seemed to go on a bit too long. It was almost like the author was trying to meet a word count instead of just getting to the point. However, when I looked at the front of the book, I saw that it was a translation; the wordiness makes a lot more sense in that context.

I do wish that I had seen that before I started reading because it certainly would have changed my mindset. That’s totally my fault. But now I know that for the next book. I am looking forward to it because it was a neat little place to visit. It was also pleasant to take time with a book instead of being rushed through it.

♡ Connect with A. S. Kelly ♡

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