The Day We Met: The perfect epic love story to read this Valentine’s Day by Roxie Cooper

The Day We Met: The perfect epic love story to read this Valentine’s Day by Roxie Cooper
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Stephanie doesn’t believe in fate, true love or living happily ever after. She’s content enough being engaged to Matt. But then she meets Jamie, who understands her more than anyone else ever has.

Jamie is happily married to his childhood sweetheart Helen and believes in everything Stephanie doesn’t. So why does he have such a strong connection with Stephanie?

When Stephanie and Jamie meet one fateful weekend in 2006 it will change everything...

Ten years. Two people. One epic love story.


Its been a long time since I really felt like I have been invested wholey in a book but this one I did just that. Sometimes I am put off with the length of a story, currently working full time it can be hard for me to really get into it and then it can spoil my enjoyment of the book. I didn't need to worry with this one though, I raced through the pages and even after a hard day, I was eager to pick the book up to continue with the story.

This story takes place over 10 years, Stephanie and Jamie meet by fate when Stephanie attends a course. The book then is told from both of their perspectives over the decade. Both of them are with other people, but over the years their relationship develops, they are meant to be together, soul mates, who unconsciously have been searching for each other, but it's too late now isn't it?

I really felt for Stephanie as I was reading the novel, to be what obviously feels like trapped in a relationship you don't want to be in must be awful, convincing herself that she loves her husband. One where you are going through the motions and keeping up with the Jones' just because you feel this is the right thing to do.

When every time Stephanie and Jamie met, you could almost feel their connection, you were routing for them to make it work, to have their happy ever after, but you just didn't know how it would end. No matter how hard they tried to stay away from each other they always were drawn back together.

This is a love story, a tangled mess of relationships but one that you cannot help but enjoy. After all, you can't help who you fall in love with, you just have to hope you have found the right one and that you both feel the same.

I really enjoyed this book, it is one that will stay with me for a very long time. The only part of the book I didn't particularly enjoy was the ending. It was cruel and heartbreaking, I can't say anymore as I don't want to spoil it for you, as this is one book you have to read this year.

I would like to thank the publisher for sending this in exchange for an honest review.

The Girlboss Workbook: An Interactive Journal for Winning at Life by Sophia Amoruso

The Girlboss Workbook: An Interactive Journal for Winning at Life by Sophia Amoruso
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Hot on the heels of the new Netflix show based on #GIRLBOSScomes Sophia Amoruso's workbook of tips, doodles, and fill-in-the-blanks that will help you become your best Girlboss yet.

A graphic and whimsical easy-to-carry life bible filled with to-do lists, timelines, exercises, illustrations and plenty of scribble room, The Girlboss Workbook is fit for both the dreamer and the doer. It invites you--hell, implores you--to get in there and mess it up a little. Write in the blank spaces and in between them.

#GIRLBOSS started as Sophia's story, but The Girlboss Workbook is your story. It includes the best advice from #GIRLBOSS, of course, and will remind readers of the story of the girl who got her start fumbling and failing hard, but now it is time to take her story and use it to help you write your own.

Use The Girlboss Workbook to design your own freak flag to your heart's content. Ask yourself (or your mom) what makes you special and then draw in your own special snowflake. Revisit #GIRLBOSS's sage career wisdom and then use it to draft your own dream cover letter and answer your own practice interview questions. Fill in the blanks with your turn-ons and turn-offs, your most badass accomplishments, your mistakes. Write your own lemonade recipe with your own personal lemons. Use this workbook as a diary, a mood board, a stress ball.

No need to handle this book with care and no need to live a typical, cookie-cutter life. Sophia's has been anything but.


When this fell on my door mat yesterday I thought it looked really fun. I hadn't read Girl Boss but I didn't think that mattered, after reading this I know that I am right.

This book is one of advise on getting a job and such things, there are also motivational pages and it is inspirational. It is great that it is interactive and you can document your thoughts and feelings throughout. There seems to be more information to begin with and it becomes more of a motivation journey you fill in towards the end.

It was a very quick read, but it is one of those books that you will go back to and pick up time and time again, flicking to the part that is relevant to you for that particular day.

This is a book that would be useful even if you are not the 'boss' or have your own business. You can still take elements from the interactive part of the book. You can also link it to your own life, for instance there is a part of debt and how to ensure you get out of it, this could apply to you even if you don't have a business.

I would like to thank the publisher for sending this to me in exchange for an honest review.

The Honeymoon by Tina Seskis

The Honeymoon by Tina Seskis
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

There's trouble in paradise . . .

For as long as she can remember, Jemma has been planning the perfect honeymoon. A fortnight's retreat to a five-star resort in the Maldives, complete with luxury villas, personal butlers and absolute privacy.

It should be paradise. But it's turned into a nightmare.

Because the man Jemma married a week ago has just disappeared from the island without a trace. And now her perfect new life is vanishing just as quickly before her eyes.

After everything they've been through together, how can this be happening? Is there anyone on the island who Jemma can trust? And above all - where has her husband gone?



When I read the blurb of this book I knew it would be one that I was going to enjoy. It sounded right up my street.

This book jumps from the past to present and gives the reader a picture of how Jemma ended up in a luxury resort in the Maldives. This is something that she has dreamed of for years and now it has finally arrived there seems to be trouble in paradise. One morning Jemma wakes up and Jamie (her husband) is missing, she chooses not to alert the authorities straight away but decides to confide in a woman she has just met.

When things start to become serious and it looks like Jamie isn't coming back the police begin to suspect Jemma. Is she really capable of killing her husband? What would be the point?

I did enjoy this, it was everything I enjoy in a book, mystery/thriller chick lit and set somewhere exotic, however I thought it took a long time to build and then the ending happened so quick. Almost you blink and you miss it, I also felt a little let down by the ending as I thought it was unbelievable. Saying this I would still recommend it to others as it would be a fab holiday read. Due to these reasons I have given this 3.5*, rounded up for Amazon and Goodreads.

I would like to thank the publisher for sending this in exchange for an honest review.

One Step Too Far by Tina Seskis

One Step Too Far by Tina Seskis
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Tina Seskis's stunning debut novel, One Step Too Far, is a gripping and haunting psychological thriller.

An apparently happy marriage. A beautiful son. A lovely home.
So what makes Emily Coleman get up one morning and walk right out of her life? How will she survive? And what is the date that looms, threatening to force her to confront her past?
No-one has ever guessed her secret. Will you?

This was well written and intriguing at the start - why would someone (Emma/Cat) who appears to have a perfect life suddenly decide one morning to plan to disappear? I liked the characters who were crafted well, the lovely Angel and the mixed bag of flawed flatmates that Emma/Cat finds herself living with.

Emma/Cat's somewhat meteoric rise in her new job was a bit of a stretch but the pace was steady through the novel and stayed just this side of believability.

For me this was not a page turner, it just didn't have the elements of suspense to elevate it to be one of the greats. There wasn't the suspense and clever intrigue to put this in the same class as Girl on a Train. It had good humour, albeit sometimes more dark than uplifting and allowing the reader to mistake Charlie for the son was quite inspirational. I didn't quite buy into the 'twist' which I almost felt was a panicky last minute invention where the writer felt 'Oh I need to add a twist' and came up with something which didn't really fit and was a bit lame.

This is a nice pleasant holiday read with no real fireworks, enjoyable but not particularly memorable - this gets 3 stars from me.

Mad by Chloe J. Esposito

Mad by Chloe J. Esposito
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

In this compulsively readable debut, set between London and Sicily over one blood-drenched week in the dead of summer, an identical twin reveals the crazy lies and twists she'll go through to not only steal her sister's perfect life, but to keep on living it.

Alvie Knightly is a trainwreck: aimless, haphazard, and pretty much constantly drunk. Alvie's existence is made even more futile in contrast to that of her identical and perfect twin sister, Beth. Alvie lives on social media, eats kebabs for breakfast, and gets stopped at security when the sex toy in her carry-on starts buzzing. Beth is married to a hot, rich Italian, dotes on her beautiful baby boy, and has always been their mother's favorite. The twins' days of having anything in common besides their looks are long gone.
When Beth sends Alvie a first-class plane ticket to visit her in Italy, Alvie is reluctant to go. But when she gets fired from the job she hates and her flatmates kick her out on the streets, a luxury villa in glitzy Taormina suddenly sounds more appealing. Beth asks Alvie to swap places with her for just a few hours so she can go out unnoticed by her husband. Alvie jumps at the chance to take over her sister's life--if only temporarily. But when the night ends with Beth dead at the bottom of the pool, Alvie realizes that this is her chance to change her life.
Alvie quickly discovers that living Beth's life is harder than she thought. What was her sister hiding from her husband? And why did Beth invite her to Italy at all? As Alvie digs deeper, she uncovers Mafia connections, secret lovers, attractive hitmen, and one extremely corrupt priest, all of whom are starting to catch on to her charade. Now Alvie has to rely on all the skills that made her unemployable--a turned-to-11 sex drive, a love of guns, lying to her mother--if she wants to keep her million-dollar prize. She is uncensored, unhinged, and unforgettable.


When this arrived unexpectedly I was really excited, looking at the front cover and reading the blurb I couldn't wait to get started, so I did, straight away! I read this book in 24 hours, as soon as I started I was hooked and needed to get to the next chapter.

This book is set over the period of a week and oh my word does a lot happen, I had to keep reminding myself that it was just a week, which when you read it will agree that that is insane!

'Mad' is such an easy book to get into, Chloe's writing is almost conversational and flows well, I guess this is because it is written in the first person, you feel you know the main character very well. Our main character is Alvina, a identical twin of a sister she hasn't seen in two years, who now lives in Sicily.

Alvina is the 'poorer' sister, the 'outcast' of the family, the one that no one loved and this is evident through flashbacks in the book. Her behaviour most of the time is unacceptable, but at times I was warming to her in the book, feeling sorry for her and starting to perhaps understand at times why she was the way she is, however this does wear off at I read further into the book. She is not particularly very likable and if you are looking for a lovely protagonist this book is not for you.

Beth, Alvina's sister wants her to go and visit but Alvina cannot think of anything worse, that is until she loses her job, gets kicked out of her flat and has no money. She is then on the next flight to Sicily.

I won't go into too much detail from here as I don't want to spoil it for you. What I would stay is that I was very surprised about this. At times I was unsure what genre it was as there are elements from women's fiction, thriller, erotic fiction and even has humour in it. I think that is a major asset this book has as it could appeal to many audiences.

I really, really enjoyed the first half of the book and as I said I couldn't put it down, towards the end though and I suppose indicates how the book got it's title 'Mad' it got a bit far-fetched for me and perhaps loses reality. However, it did not spoil the enjoyment for me and I continued to whiz through the novel. This is not like any book I have read and I really enjoyed it for that reason, I hope to get my hands on the next in the series as I can't wait to find out what Alvina gets up to next one.

I would recommend this as a summer beach read, it is highly addictive and will have you racing through it.

I would like to thank the publisher for sending this in exchange for an honest review.

The Fifth Letter by Nicola Moriarty

The Fifth Letter by Nicola Moriarty
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Four friends. Five Letters. One Secret.

The scandalous breakthrough novel from Nicola Moriarty that will leave you asking, how well do I really know my friends?

Joni, Trina, Deb and Eden.

Best friends since the first day of school. Best friends, they liked to say, forever.

But now they are in their thirties and real life - husbands, children, work - has got in the way. So, resurrecting their annual trip away, Joni has an idea, something to help them reconnect.

Each woman will write an anonymous letter, sharing with their friends the things that are really going on in their lives.

But as the confessions come tumbling out, Joni starts to feel the certainty of their decades-long friendships slip from her fingers.

Anger. Accusations. Desires. Deceit.

And then she finds another letter. One that was never supposed to be read. A fifth letter. Containing a secret so big that its writer had tried to destroy it. And now Joni is starting to wonder, did she ever really know her friends at all?


After reading the blurb of this one I really thought this would be up my street, I haven't read a women's contemporary for a while and really wanted to get back into it. I choose to begin this today, I had a long trip at the hairdressers planned and wanted something good to read. Wow is all I can say, when I left I only had about 70 pages left to read. This was certainly one quick read and one that hooked me in from the start. The writing style is so easy to get into and you won't believe how much you have read in a short period of time, you just get swept along with all the drama in the story to notice.


Set in Australia we follow four friends, Joni, Trina, Deb and Eden. They have been friends since high school and every year since they were 21 they have taken an annual holiday. As the years have gone on, this has not always been easy for them to commit to a date with families and life getting in the way.

We are taken through the story through different points of view and discover their past and their relationships. I really loved that the story was broken up with the confession to the priest, this made it really enjoyable for me as I don't think I have ever read a story like this before. It made it different and interesting.

This year something about their annual holiday is different, yes Joni seemed to mess up when booking their holiday home but they have decided they have grown apart over the years and perhaps its time to rekindle their letter love. (They used to write notes to each other when they were at school.) After a few glasses of wine they all decide this is a good idea. However the night they are writing their letters one woman writes an extra letter, determine to destroy the original and put this in its place. What she doesn't do though is destroy the fifth letter immediately.

This book is full of twists and turns, to be honest I thought I had guessed who had written it half way though and it wasn't until I was about 30 pages from the end that I realised that I had been wrong. I did however guess a few of the smaller 'secrets' to spill.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I would definitely recommend this to others, I would also be keen to read other novels by this author. Overall I give this book 4.5* (rounded up to 5 for Goodreads and Amazon.) The only reason this is not a 5* book is down to the fact I had guessed some elements of this. Saying that, it did not affect my enjoyment of the book.

I would like to thank the publisher for sending this in exchange for an honest review.

The Last Days of Summer by Vanessa Ronan

The Last Days of Summer by Vanessa Ronan
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

She can forgive. They can't forget.

After ten years in the Huntsville State Penitentiary, Jasper Curtis returns home to live with his sister and her two daughters. Lizzie does not know who she's letting into her home: the brother she grew up loving or the monster he became.

Teenage Katie distrusts this strange man in their home but eleven-year-old Joanne is just intrigued by her new uncle.

Jasper says he's all done with trouble, but in a forgotten prairie town that knows no forgiveness, it does not take long for trouble to arrive at their door ...





Unfortunately I have found this book very hard to read and review.

This sounded just like something I would love to read, it is a slow burner, mystery and told from the perspective of 4 characters.

Jasper has been in prison and after a decade is being released, his sister Lizzie has two kids and lives on the outskirts of the town of her family, in her families house. Lizzies feels it is her duty to support Jasper, he has no one else. He could however now be a danger to her daughters, she reminds herself he is in the brother she used to know.

I had quite a few issues with this book, the first was the pace, it was so slow, I understand why this was the case, to help build tension. However when you work full time and only have half an hour here and there to get into a book it needs to have good pace, something that I feel this book was lacking.

Another gripe of mine is the fact this book had no chapters in, the points of view jumped around and we were reading from different characters perspectives but there were no chapters to break it up. This again made it hard for me to only read a few pages here and there, I also found when I picked the book up again I had to reread what I had already read, as there was no marker and I couldn't remember where I had got to.

I really, really wanted to love this book, from the blurb it had me hooked but unfortunately it didn't deliver for me. It took me weeks to get only half way through the book, there were pockets within the novel that I was really interested in, but not enough to make me want to race through it.

The book did pick up in the last quarter of it, but for me it was too late, I had been bored, I couldn't connect with the characters and by then I wasn't bothered what happened.

This is not a book that I would recommend, unless you have a large amount of time to get into it initially. Perhaps I would have felt differently about the book if I had that time to begin with.

I would like to thank the publisher for sending this in exchange for an honest review.

The Tea Planter's Wife by Dinah Jefferies

The Tea Planter's Wife by Dinah Jefferies
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Dinah Jefferies' unforgettable new novel, The Tea Planter's Wife is a haunting, tender portrait of a woman forced to choose between her duty as a wife and her instinct as a mother...

Nineteen-year-old Gwendolyn Hooper steps off a steamer in Ceylon full of optimism, eager to join her new husband. But the man who greets her at the tea plantation is not the same one she fell in love with in London.

Distant and brooding, Laurence spends long days wrapped up in his work, leaving his young bride to explore the plantation alone. It's a place filled with clues to the past - locked doors, a yellowed wedding dress in a dusty trunk, an overgrown grave hidden in the grounds, far too small for an adult...

Gwen soon falls pregnant and her husband is overjoyed, but she has little time to celebrate. In the delivery room the new mother is faced with a terrible choice, one she knows no one in her upper class set will understand - least of all Laurence. Forced to bury a secret at the heart of her marriage, Gwen is more isolated than ever. When the time comes, how will her husband ever understand what she has done?

The Tea Planter's Wife is a story of guilt, betrayal and untold secrets vividly and entrancingly set in colonial era Ceylon.


I really enjoyed reading this novel, right from the start I knew I was going to like it and it didn't disappoint. Beautiful descriptive writing evoking images of a an exotic Ceylon and the tensions between two castes the Sinhalese and the minority group Tamils which form the backdrop of this sensitively written story.

The story begins with the arrival of 19 year old Gwen Hooper in Ceylon eager to join her new husband Laurence and start her life as a married woman and mistress of his tea plantation. Full of excitement and anticipation, very much in love with her husband, Gwen soon realises that Laurence is not the same person she married in England. He appears secretive, distant and constantly working he does not spend much time with her at all. With all the pressures of running the household, language and custom barriers Gwen feels lonely and abandoned in this strange new land. She constantly gets herself into trouble when, because of ignorance of customs and behaviours, she reacts to things that happen around her. Gwen follows her heart rather than what is socially acceptable and this causes problems in the household. She is also jealous of one of Laurence's American female friends Caroline; believing that there is a chemistry between them Gwen convinces herself they are having an affair. This obsession carries itself through the story and Gwen makes some very silly mistakes because of it.

When Gwen falls pregnant and gives birth to twins she has to make a terrible choice to give up her daughter to save her marriage which almost costs her sanity as a result. Racked with guilt she has to try and carry on for her son Hugh in the hope that she can keep her secret safe.

There's little point in my going any further as it would reveal too much but suffice it to say that it covers family secrets, deceit, grief, racial tension and violence which all makes for a gripping read. I did guess some of the secrets but still enjoyed how the author wove these into the novel leading to the climax.

Good characterisation in this novel; the vivacious Fran Gwen's cousin, the mysterious Savi the Indian artist, the spoilt petulant Verity Laurences' sister, Christina the object of Gwens' jealousy, Naveena the ayah who was Laurences' nanny, and references to Caroline Laurences' first wife. As the story unfolds these characters come to life and their own personalities and stories come out to intertwine with Gwens' and set the plot on its' pacy course.

I thoroughly enjoyed this novel and would give it 4 stars, not a 5 only because I did guess the ending.

I would like to thank the publisher for sending this in exchange for an honest review.

Anti Bullying Week with Giveaway!

From the 17th - 21st November it is anti-bullying week. 

Penguin at Random House has teamed up with The Anti-Bullying Alliance to launch a nationwide anti-bullying campaign inspired by the internationally bestselling novel Wonder by R.J Palacio.


Earlier this year Penguin launched the Choose Kind campaign earlier this year and so far have had over 700 schools in the UK sign up to take part. They are encouraging teachers and pupils to read Wonder, promote kindness in their schools and show us how they did this during Anti-Bullying Week this November. The Anti-Bullying Alliance found that nearly a quarter of 5-18 year olds have been bullied at school and 45% of parents state that they are concerned about their child being bullied.

This isn’t just a campaign for schools, through Wonder we’d like to inspire all people to be a little bit kinder to each other.

So about Wonder:

WONDER has sold over 1.5 million copies worldwide since its publication in February 2012, winning both the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize 5 – 12 fiction category and the Independent Booksellers’ Book Award. It was a #1 on The New York Times Best Seller list and the UK’s biggest children’s debut hardback of 2012.

This incredible story was called ‘rich and memorable’ by The New York Times Book Review, and heralded as ‘the breakout publishing sensation of 2012, destined to go the way of Mark Haddon’s The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time and then some’ by The Times.

More praise for WONDER:

‘What a gem of a story. Moving and heart-warming. This book made me laugh, made me angry, made me cry’ - Malorie Blackman, Children’s Laureate

‘A beautiful, thought-provoking and very poignant story’ - Mel Giedroyc, presenter & broadcaster

‘Incredibly charming, brutal and brilliant’ - Laura Dockrill, children’s author

‘The breakout publishing sensation of 2012’ - The Times

‘Incredibly charming, brutal and brilliant’ - The Observer

‘Wreaks emotional havoc’ - The Independent

‘In its assured simplicity and boldness it also has the power to move hearts and change minds’ - The Guardian

‘August Pullman is one of the most engaging and lovable [characters] in recent fiction’ - The Telegraph

‘It’s one of those rare books with almost universal appeal: it will make you laugh, cry and break your heart’ - The Bookseller

The Blurb:

'My name is August. I won't describe what I look like. Whatever you're thinking, it's probably worse.'

Auggie wants to be an ordinary ten-year-old. He does ordinary things - eating ice cream, playing on his Xbox. He feels ordinary - inside. But ordinary kids don’t make other ordinary kids run away screaming in playgrounds. Ordinary kids aren’t stared at wherever they go.

Born with a facial anomoly, Auggie has been home-schooled by his parents his whole life. Now, for the first time, he’s being sent to a real school - and he’s dreading it. All he wants is to be accepted - but can he convince his new classmates that he’s just like them, underneath it all?

WONDER is a funny, frank, astonishingly moving debut to read in one sitting, pass on to others, and remember long after the final page.

I have been really luck to be able to offer a giveaway of this great book plus a copy of  365 days of Wonder. All you have to do is enter via the rafflecopter below. Good Luck! 

WONDER

Just one act of kindness can make an impact.

Read the book. Be inspired. Pass it on.

And always #choosekind.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Herbalist - Niamh Boyce

The Herbalist by Niamh Boyce
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

'The Herbalist is the electrifying first novel from Niamh Boyce, winner of the 2012 Hennesssy XO Award for New Irish Writing. A beautiful and gripping story from 1930s rural Ireland, a time when women paid a terrible price for unmarried pregnancy, The Herbalist will appeal to fans of The Midwife's Daughter and The Outcast.

When the herbalist appears out of nowhere and sets out his stall in the market square he brings excitement to Emily's dull midlands town. The teenager is enchanted - the glamorous visitor can be a Clark Gable to her Jean Harlow, a Fred to her Ginger, a man to make her forget her lowly status in this place where respectability is everything.

However, Emily has competition for the herbalist's attentions. The women of the town - the women from the big houses and their maids, the shopkeepers and their serving girls, those of easy virtue and their pious sisters - all seem mesmerised by this visitor who, they say, can perform miracles.

But when Emily discovers the dark side of the man who has infatuated her all summer, once again her world turns upside down. She may be a dreamer, but she has a fierce sense of right and wrong. And with the herbalist's fate lying in her hands she must make the biggest decision of her young life. To make him pay for his sins against the women of the town? Or let him escape to cast his spell on another town?

The Herbalist is a riveting story about the shadow side of Irish life - the snobbery, the fear of sex, the tragedy of women destroyed by social convention and the bravery of those who defied it. It is an unforgettable story from a rare new talent.

In addition to winning the 2012 Hennessy New Writing Award, Niamh Boyce has been shortlisted for the 2011 Francis McManus Short Story competition, the 2010 Hennessy Literary Awards, the 2010 Molly Keane Award and the 2010 WOW Award.'

The Herbalist is a book that was sent to me unsolicited; sometimes it’s nice to receive a surprise in the post, however other times I feel it can be tricky as it may not be a genre I necessary like to read. So when this happens I try to be fair about the book and talk more generally about it.

This is a story set in a rural town in Ireland during one hot summer in the 1930’s. Historical fiction is not normally a love of mine as I find it difficult to connect with and have little interest in this genre. This story however portrays this particular time beautifully and the story has been written very well.

During the book we learn about four different women. These four women narrate the story through separate chapters each. The way these voices were written seemed to change, some of the chapters were written in first person narratives and others were third, however they were all of equal importance to the story. I did find it a little difficult to follow, especially for the first part of the book.

I felt that this is a book that you need to be able to dedicate quite a bit of time to initially, in order to get your head round the narration and which character was which to begin with. Once you have settled into the book, it was a lot easier to follow and became for me more enjoyable.

Unfortunately this book didn’t do anything for me, I didn’t feel I connected to any of the characters and although reading about 1930’s Ireland was interesting; I don’t think I would have chosen this book to read. I think if you are interested in Ireland in the 1930’s or have a connection with the place you will enjoy the book. As I previously said this is very well written and a great debut book for this author, it just wasn’t my cup of tea in the plot.

I would like to thank the publishers for sending this in exchange for an honest review.

Little Lies - Liane Moriarty

Little Lies by Liane Moriarty
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Top ten bestselling author Liane Moriarty returns with another gripping read.

She could hear men and women shouting. Angry hollers crashed through the soft humid salty summer night. It was somehow hurtful for Mrs Ponder to hear, as if all that rage was directed at her . . . then she heard the wail of a siren in the distance, at the same time as a woman still inside the building began to scream and scream . . .

When a harmless quiz night ends with an act of shocking violence, the parents of Pirriwee Public School can't seem to stop their secrets from finally spilling out. Rumours ripple through the small town, as truth and lies blur to muddy the story of what really happened on that fateful night . . .



After reading The Husband's Secret last year by Moriarty I couldn't wait for more. I loved her writing style and quickly got carried away in the book.

When I was sent a copy of Little Lies, I could not wait to begin it. At almost 500 pages, this is a large book; do not let this put you off though as I found I read it quicker than I thought I would, once I got into it.

This is a book I feel you need to give 100% on, I don't think that it would be possible to read alongside another as there are many characters in the book and it is important you know who is who, as they all have a relevant reason for being in the story. I can see that it could become quite confusing if you are juggling two books together. Also I would recommend allowing yourself to be immersed by this book and have a good few hours where you can get into it. For the same reason, at times I was a little confused as to who was who; once I got into it, it was a very smooth read and flowed very well.

Jane has moved into the area, she is young and is a single mother to Ziggy. It quickly becomes apparent that Jane is very different to the other women in the area and at the school that Ziggy attends. Very quickly on Jane meets Madeline and forms a firm friendship with her. Things begin to go wrong for Jane after an incident in the school playground with Ziggy and everyone begins to turn on her.

This is a story about developing tension, as you make your way through the book, you know something is going to happen but can't quite put your finger on what. Right from the beginning we know that whatever it is that is going to happen will feature around the school Trivia Night and we are just making our way towards it. It is such a cleverly written book, as you know there is something and you are trying to look out for what it could possibly be. Personally I had no idea what was going to happen in the story, we know that a murder has taken place but we don't know who is dead or why.

I loved the angle covered with the three main female characters and thought they complimented each other brilliantly. Each one of them has their own story going on and their story lines are well developed, just as the characters are. I loved how Moriarty bought all the characters together and that they seem to have a link in some way.

This is a gripping story, it has you hooked from the first few chapters and it engages you all the way to the end. This is a book that you just have to finish. I love the way Moriarty writes and from what I have now read she just seems to be getting better and better. There are many shocking revelations in the book that you will not be expecting and keep you wanting more.

I would love to read more of Moriarty; I cannot seem to get enough! This is definitely one to be adding to your reading list this year.

I would like to thank the publisher for sending me this in exchange for an honest review.

Check out this trailer for the book, if the blurb doesn't make you want to read it, this will!

The Unfinished Symphony of You and Me - Lucy Robinson

The Unfinished Symphony of You and Me by Lucy Robinson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Sally is an incredible singer but she sings only in her wardrobe where nobody can hear her. She'd rather join a nudist colony than sing in public.

That is until she ventures to New York where a wild and heady summer of love and loss changes her forever. No longer able to hide in the shadows, Sally must return home to London to fulfill a promise she cannot break - to share her voice.

But just as she's about to embark on her new life, a beautiful man turns up on Sally's doorstep bearing a sheepish smile and a mysterious hand-written message.

How did he find her? Why is he here? Does he hold the truth to what happened back in New York? And, with him back on the scene, will she still have the courage to step into the spotlight?


The Unfinished Symphony of You and Me is Robinson’s third book. This is about a girl called Sally, she loves to sing opera; however she has a fear of singing in public and so takes refuge in her wardrobe where she knows no one can see or hear her, or so she thinks.

When I began reading this book, I was unsure if it was going to be for me. I have little interest in opera and it seemed that this was the key theme in the story; however I couldn’t have been more wrong.

The story jumps from present and the past to retell where Sally is at now; to begin with I found this very challenging to read, however once I got into the story it began to flow and I quickly got immersed in it and was enjoying it greatly.

I particularly enjoyed reading about Sally, Fiona and friends in New York, I felt I really got into this part of the story and could have been there with them. I liked reading about Sally meeting Julian, I could vividly see this happening, and the dialogue the characters shared was humorous and sweet.

Sally is a timid and shy character; I enjoyed seeing her develop through the story to come out of her shell more. Her cousin who is like a sister to her, Fiona is completely different, she is more outgoing and confident. Fiona wants to be a ballet dancer, her aunt; Sally’s mum is against performance and tries to keep Sally away from it.

I really liked Barry in the story, I thought he bought a fun element to it and humour. I did feel that some characters I didn’t really get to know very well, Bea being one of them and as I read further into the story I found out why this was necessary, but I do feel I would have liked to have gotten to ‘know’ her better.

Jan also bought fun and humour, his one liners really made me chuckle, especially when he went to visit Sally’s mum.

I did not find the story predictable at all, just over half way through the book I had a huge shock, which I was not expecting. This kept my interest alive for the book and I wanted to find out more.

Overall I did enjoy the story; my only negative is that I felt it was a little long. About 100 pages from the end I thought it was drawing to a close and it could have done. The extra was nice; however I felt there had been closure at this point.

I would like to thank the publisher for sending me this to review in exchange for an honest review.

Mad about You - Sinead Moriarty

Mad About You by Sinéad Moriarty
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

'Emma and James Hamilton have weathered lots of storms in their ten-year marriage. From the heartbreak of infertility, to the craziness of then becoming parents to two babies in one year, to coping with James losing his job, somehow they have always worked as a team.

However, the pressure of moving from Dublin to London for James's new job - away from familiar surroundings and the family Emma loves - puts them under stress like never before. So when James starts getting texts from a stranger - texts that show startling insights into their lives - Emma is not sure what to think. She is far from home, isolated and before long finds herself questioning everything about their relationship.

Maybe those texts are telling her the truth and the life she believed to be solid and secure is just a mirage. Somehow she has to get a grip, but how can she do that when a stranger is set on driving Emma out of her home and her marriage?'



This was the first book I have read by Sinead Moriarty and I cannot believe this is her ninth book! Where have I been?

Once I started reading this book I realised that it was from a series of four, this being the latest book. This however did not take away my enjoyment of the book, and if there was going to be another story in this series I would like to read it.

This is a story about Emma and James, they have two small children and move from Ireland to London for James' job. He is the coach of the London Irish Rugby club and has been head hunted from Ireland to help bring the level of the club up. Emma reluctantly agrees to go, she knows she will miss Ireland immensely but understands that in a marriage you need to compromise and give up things for your husband.

Once in London James' cracks on with going to work, leaving Emma to sort out the kids and figure things out. Luckily Emma's sister Bab's lives in London, only round the corner and regularly spends time with her, helping her settle in. Bab's encourages Emma to go back to work and helps her by offering her a job. Emma has to hire a nanny to look after the children in order to take the job, but Emma likes to work and feels this will help her settle in.

After a few weeks Jame's begins to receive sextexts on his phone, who thinks its some of the lads at work having a laugh. Emma then begins to receive some too from the same person and then presents start arriving at her house.

I really, really enjoyed this book, I think the way that Moriarty writes is brilliant. The language flows so well and the book was such a quick read as I really got into it. The only down side of the book and the reason I have given 4 stars instead of 5 is because I guessed just a little under half way through the book. Because of the way the book was written and I was enjoying it so much I continued to like the book.

All the characters were written extremely well, I particularly loved Imogen, Emma's sister in law, who is stuck up and thinks she is perfect. I loved the banter that goes on between her and Lara, the daughter and Bab's.

Bab's is another character I loved and actually at times I preferred her story that was going on in the story. I really felt that I could connect to her, I feel if I was an auntie I would be like ha ha!


I feel that this is not your usual chick lit and offers something a little bit different. I only wish I had read the others in the series before this one and I would have liked to have read them in order. This book however does not need to be read in a series, just I enjoyed her writing style so much that I would have liked more.

I was really pleased I had the opportunity to read this story and I do hope I can read more from Moriarty in the future.

I would like to thank the publisher for supplying me with a copy in exchange for a honest review.

The Second Time I saw You - Pippa Croft Blog Tour

Publishing 22nd May 2014

Published by Penguin

Blurb:

It's the beginning of a new term at Wyckham College, Oxford, and a fresh start for Lauren Cusack. Her fingers were badly burnt when a whirlwind romance with gorgeous English aristocrat, Alexander Hunt, became too hot to handle - and now she's determined to keep her distance.

Her resolve is shaken when Alexander appears on her doorstep - he's been completely torn apart by some devastating news. Lauren knows that she should stay away, but their chemistry is undeniable and she soon finds herself back in Alexander's arms.

Can Lauren handle the drama that comes with Alexander Hunt? Or will she have to sacrifice the most exhilarating passion she's ever known . . .

(The Second Time I saw you is the 2nd book in the Oxford Blue Series.)

Author:

Pippa Croft is the pen name of an award-winning romantic novelist. After studying English at Oxford, she worked as a copywriter and journalist before writing her debut novel, which won the RNA's New Writers' award and was later made into a TV movie. She lives in a village in the heart of England with her husband and daughter.

The First Time We Met 

Currently out

(The first in the series)

The First Time We Met is the first novel in the sizzling new Oxford Blue romance series from Pippa Croft.

When US Senator’s daughter Lauren Cusack arrives at the enchanting Wyckham College of Oxford University, she hopes to mend her broken heart by throwing herself into her studies.

But then English aristocrat Alexander Hunt walks into her life and everything changes. Handsome, brooding, and with his own dark past to escape, Alexander is exactly what Lauren doesn’t need – but she finds herself helplessly drawn towards him.

Both Alexander and Lauren know that they should stay away from each other . . . but sometimes desire is so powerful that it conquers all else.

You're The One That I Want - Giovanna Fletcher (Wedding Venue Exclusive!)

Enter the charming world of Giovanna Fletcher

You're The One That I want by Giovanna Fletcher

Published: 22nd May 2014 paperback and Ebook

Published by - Penguin

THE SECOND NOVEL FROM THE AUTHOR OF BILLY AND ME

One groom. One best man. What do you do if you are in love with both?

Making the impossible choice could ruin their friendship.

Blurb:

Maddy, Ben and Robert have been inseparable since they met in the school playground. They’ve stuck together through thick and thin, feeling safe in the knowledge that they have each other.

So when Ben falls hopelessly in love with Maddy, he decides to keep it quiet for the sake of their friendship. Until Robert swoops in and kisses Maddy – irrevocable fracturing things between the three of them, as a kiss turns to love.

But when Robert and Maddy’s love turns sour, can Ben continue to say nothing? And can Maddy choose between her two best friends?

Wedding Venue (Exclusive Content):

Maddy would choose to have her wedding ceremony in the local church in Peaswood. It's the one they would've visited many times as youngsters and would've had many fond memories of... being dragged there on a Sunday morning (even though they'd have rather stayed in bed or been outside playing), donating a box of nearly off food each harvest (her mum always forgetting it was required- but apparently it was fine as tinned sliced pineapple was just what the starving yearned for) and of singing Christmas hymns there each winter (something that never gets old and boring!). It would've been odd for them to get married anywhere but there. 

Once married, everyone would drive ten minutes away to Oak Hill - a local boutique hotel that was even further out in the sticks, super luxurious and surrounded by towering oak trees. Having chosen a winter wedding, it would get dark early - allowing the hundreds of candles that had been scattered on the lawn majestically twinkle in the cold night breeze. The romantic woodland theme would continue throughout the inside of the venue - echoing the huge trees of their childhood and their joint love of the great outdoors.

About the Author:

You’re The One That I Want is the second novel from Giovanna Fletcher, and she is married to Tom Fletcher from McFly. She grew up in Essex with her Italian dad Mario, mum Kim, big sister Giorgina and little brother Mario, and spent most of her childhood talking to herself or reading books. Her debut novel, Billy and Me, is also published by Penguin. 

Giovanna has burst on to the scene with all the emotional impact of Jojo Moyes and the lightness of touch of Jenny Colgan. Welcome to the world of Mrs Giovanna Fletcher, a place that will fill you with joy and make you smile.

To see what makes Giovanna smile, view her blog at www.giovannasworld.com or her Twitter page @mrsgifletcher where she has 174K followers.

Giovanna also writes a blog for Hello magazine: www.blog.hellomagazine.com/giovannafletcher

The Husband's Secret - Liane Moriarty

The Husband's Secret by Liane Moriarty
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

'From the author of the critically acclaimed What Alice Forgot comes a breakout new novel about the secrets husbands and wives keep from each other.

My Darling Cecilia
If you're reading this, then I've died . . .

Imagine your husband wrote you a letter, to be opened after his death. Imagine, too, that the letter contains his deepest, darkest secret - something so terrible it would destroy not just the life you built together, but the lives of others too. Imagine, then, that you stumble across that letter while your husband is still very much alive . . .


Cecilia Fitzpatrick achieved it all - she's an incredibly successful business woman, a pillar of her small community and a devoted wife and mother. Her life is as orderly and spotless as her home. But that letter is about to change everything, and not just for her: Rachel and Tess barely know Cecilia - or each other - but they too are about to feel the earth-shattering repercussions of her husband's devastating secret.'




During the book we follow the lives of three different women, to begin with I found this a bit tricky to keep up with as there are many characters introduced within a short period of time. Make sure you don’t give up though as it quickly slips into place and once it does, you will not be able to put it down.

Cecilia Fitzpatrick and her husband have been married many years and she thinks she knows him inside and out. When she is in the loft one day looking for part of the Berlin wall (for her daughter) she discovers something she is not sure she was meant to find. It is a letter that is addressed to her in case of her husband’s death. Cecilia knows she shouldn’t open the letter as her husband is very much alive, but she just cannot keep it to herself. But what could it possibly say? Why is it only to be opened in the event of his death?

We are left with this to ponder over while we meet Tess, she has a son with her husband, he however has fallen in love with someone else. She cannot take it and flies to stay with her mum in Sydney, along with her son.

Finally we meet Rachel, she is a school secretary and is still grieving over the loss of her daughter many years before. She now puts all her energy into her grandson, her son and daughter in law have been offered a job in America and are planning on taking him with them. This is something that Rachel feels would kill her as she would have nothing left.

Liane Moriarty is an author who I had not come across before, however on the strength of this book I would read others. The story is written very well and during the novel we begin to find out about Janie Rachel’s daughter, this is the back story that is going on. I found I enjoyed this and found it necessary to understand some of the actions Rachel takes.


The Husband’s Secret is a story that takes you on a journey to question how well you know people that you care about and friends. You are also left with the realisation of the consequences keeping secrets can have. I would recommend this book to everyone I know, it took me on a journey with the characters and my feeling for them regularly changed. I found it a quick read but one that will last with you a long time. I loved the ‘who done it’ aspect of the book and the twists and turns in the plot.

I would like to thank the publisher for sending me this copy to review.