My Husband's Wife by Jane Corry

My Husband's Wife by Jane Corry
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

What if your life was built on a lie?

When lawyer Lily marries Ed, she's determined to make a fresh start. To leave the secrets of the past behind.

But when she takes on her first criminal case, she starts to find herself strangely drawn to her client. A man who's accused of murder. A man she will soon be willing to risk everything for.

But is he really innocent?

And who is she to judge?

An intriguing interesting tale about love, deception, lies and revenge. It centres around Lily and Ed who marry within weeks of meeting each other. Lily is a newly qualified solicitor and Ed works for an advertising company. Lily is thrown into her first criminal case defending Joe Thomas a known offender and Ed whilst hating his day time job, spends all his time drawing and dreaming of becoming a great artist.

Lily learns that Ed married her on the rebound only weeks after their honeymoon and this along with the reason why ( sorry no spoiler) set the wheels in motion for the secrets and lies that are to follow. With her marriage teetering on the edge of disaster they encounter their neighbour and her daughter Carla who they agree to look after while her mother works on Sundays.

The book is written in two halves the first is about Ed and Lily's early life then we go to 15 years later and how Carla turns up again in their lives and what happens from there. It is very tightly interwoven and a lot of good surprises along the way. I did guess most of them but some were a surprise. I did think the book was very long but really it needed to be so keep going to the end. Good levels of pace when needed with characters that were flawed but realistic however really I didn't like any of them but needed to know how it all panned out.

This one gets a well deserved 4.5 stars from me it would have had 5 if I could have connected more to the characters but they came across as cold and calculating I had the detachment of a 'rubber necker' - no emotional connection but a burning desire to find out more. Rounded up to 5* for Amazon and Goodreads.

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

Saving Grace by Jane Green

Saving Grace by Jane Green
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A perfect stranger wants her perfect life.

Grace Chapman has the perfect life, living comfortably with her husband, bestselling author Ted, in a picture-perfect farmhouse on the Hudson River in New York State.

Then Ted advertises for a new assistant, and Beth walks into their lives. Organized, passionate and eager to learn, Beth quickly makes herself indispensable to Ted and his family. But Grace soon begins to feel side-lined in her home - and her marriage - by this ambitious younger woman.

Is Grace just paranoid, as her husband tells her, or is there more to Beth than first thought?


On the whole I enjoyed this book; it was well written and had reasonable pace to keep the reader involved although the first quarter of the book was a bit boring and slow it did pick up pace. The main character Grace was, in my opinion, a bit weak and lack lustre, she had been married to Ted for 20 years and spent most of that time tip toeing around his ego and not really having a life of her own. Plagued by thoughts of mental health issues around the corner for herself (her mother had mental health issues) she seemed to live a half life with the overpowering, egotistical Ted.

When Ted's assistant has to leave and look after her sick mother, Grace realises just how much of a buffer she had been and her absence means that Grace has to manage Ted's moods and demands herself. Grace it seems could only cope with Ted when she had his assistant taking the strain and its' not long before she is pulling her hair out with having to cope with him.

Just as she thinks she will go mad she is introduced to the marvellous Beth at one of Ted's book launches events and is introduced by Clemmie Graces' daughter to Beth. They get chatting and Beth is looking for an assistant position, Grace is so relieved to think that she might not have to cope with Ted on her own any more she practically offers Beth the job on the spot.

Beth turns out to be rather more than Grace expected and soon she is regretting her decision. I won't say more - read the book.

It was cleverly woven albeit that Grace was a bit weak and gullible which didn't come across as real for me. I did enjoy the journey and some of the characters were likeable. I didn't like the recipes at the end of each chapter - why were they there? A bit pointless and annoying really. There were also some inconsistencies in the book where Green inferred that Grace and Ted had more than one child so I'm guessing this was just a mistake as I searched in case I had missed it but couldn't find another child.

All in all an entertaining read but not a satisfactory ending in my view; I give this one 3.5 stars rounded up to 4* for Goodreads and Amazon.

More Than A Feeling by Cate Woods

Life isn't turning out quite how Annie expected. In her twenties, she had a dream job, an amazing social life and bags of confidence. Now, she's living with her boyfriend Luke and is a stay-at-home mum to their baby daughter. The promising career has petered out, and along with it, her confidence and creativity.And then Luke does the unforgivable. Annie will need the help of her group of loyal friends more than ever. Is old Annie gone forever, or could this finally be the chance to find herself once more?

Extract:

PROLOGUE 

Five years ago

 “Girl, I am gagging over your look tonight. That headscarf – I die! Total glamazon realness. Vintage Pucci?” “Oxfam discount bin,” I grin, striking a pose. When a drag queen compliments your accessories you can be pretty sure you’re doing something right. “Well that was 20p fabulously spent, Miss Annie-licious. Pussy is on fire!” She bends down to give me a theatrical air-kiss on both cheeks: in wig and heels, self-styled ‘door bitch’ Madame Kiki Beaverhousen must be pushing seven foot. She lifts the rope and I slip under, sensing the mass scowl from the line of people waiting round the block who’ve just watched me queue-jump.

 “See you inside,” I say, waving to Madame Kiki, and disappear into the darkness beyond the doorway. All the signs are there: tonight is going to be fun. As I make my way down the velvet-lined corridor, my step unconsciously falling in time with the music, excitement bubbles inside me. I pass a large gilt mirror and pause to check my reflection: total glamazon realness pouts back. It took me two hours to get ready, which I guess is pretty standard for a Thursday night; after all, Thursday is the new Sunday, which was once the new Saturday, which used to be the new Friday… or something like that. As well as the headscarf, I’m wearing a full-length pink kaftan with jewelled neckline, armfuls of bangles and a pair of gold platform sandals (it’s quite a casual club night, so I didn’t want to overdo it) plus my signature make-up look: winged eye-liner, strong brows, pale matte lips. 

Okay, I suppose it’s not my signature make-up look – I stole it from Barbra: the divine Ms Streisand – my style icon, role model and all-year-round girl crush. My wardrobe of vintage and charity shop finds is entirely inspired by her own from the Sixties and Seventies. (Not so much Eighties-era Barbra, though, as even she struggled to make a crispy-gelled poodle perm look good.) The woman is a goddess. My Streisand obsession started over ten years ago when I was in my early teens.

 I have been blessed with a magnificent megalith of a nose, an impressive slab of nasal architecture that I’m now rightly proud of – although try telling a self-conscious 14-year-old who just wants to look like Britney Spears that big noses can be beautiful. I’d come home from school in tears one day after yet another nose-based bullying, when my wonderful father sat me down and put on the film The Way We Were. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. There, on the screen, was MY nose, slap-bang in the middle of the face of the most beautiful woman I’d ever laid eyes on. My nose was getting to kiss Robert Redford! My nose was wearing the most fabulous pale-pink halter-neck jumpsuit! My nose – was a star! It was a life-changing moment, and it was then I decided that when I grew up I was going to be Barbra Streisand. And while I might not have her life – I’m yet to achieve the superstardom or multiple zeroes on my bank balance – I most certainly have her look. 

The corridor opens out into the bar and I spot a group of work friends. This club is currently a favourite with the fashion crowd: even if I turn up on my own, I know there’ll be plenty of familiar faces here. I start working my way through the throng towards them.“Annie! Hey, how are you gorgeous?” Tomo, a male model I’ve known for a few years – and who you probably know too from countless ad campaigns – looms out of the crowd and wraps me in a bear hug that goes on for longer than you’d expect in the circumstances. “I’m just going to say hi to Riva, Delphine and the others,” I say, gesturing to the group by the bar when he pulls away. “Okay, but first I’ve got a little proposition for you.” Tomo reaches for my hand. “Come with me…” Models, male and female, tend to fall into two camps: they are either fetishised for their weirdness (these are the ones who look more alien than human – fashion simply adores a freak) or worshipped for their flawless beauty. With his achingly handsome face and gym-worked body, Tomo sits firmly in the latter category. He’d be a nightmare to have as a boyfriend because he gets hit on constantly (by both men and women) but he’s a great mate, plus we often end up in bed together anyway – and tonight, as he steers me towards a quiet corner of the bar, I’m guessing he has mischief on his mind. “So I was thinking,” says Tomo, stroking a strand of hair off my face, “how about my favourite photographic assistant and I give this place a miss, and head straight back to mine? I look up at him, eyebrows raised; I guess when you’re this good-looking you can afford to be blatant. “But I haven’t even had a drink yet,” I say. “Well, I’ve got vodka in the freezer, champagne in the fridge and if madame would like anything else I will call my agent and get her to courier it over to the flat.” He reaches round my waist and pulls me closer. “How about it, Annie? I promise I’ll make it worth your while.” I chew my lip, thinking over this undeniably tempting offer. “I really shouldn’t T, I’ve got an early start in the morning – Jay’s shooting Nadia for Harpers. Besides,” I add, my armfuls of bracelets clanking in corroboration, “I think I’m a bit over-dressed for a private party at your place.” 

Tomo leans towards me, until his perfectly symmetrical face is so close to mine I can feel the warmth of his breath, and murmurs: “That’s exactly what I was thinking, too…” Looking into Tomo’s dark eyes and at his full-lipped mouth that I know from experience is highly proficient at kissing (and other orally-related pursuits) I’m this close to giving in – but it’s already gone midnight, and I’ve got to be in the studio tomorrow for an 8 o’clock start. “Next time,” I manage eventually with an apologetic smile. Tomo fixes me with his trademark sex-look for a second longer, then shrugs. “You’re no fun anymore, Taylor,” he grumbles – but there’s a smile in his voice, and as we weave our way back towards the bar he loops his arm through mine. “So how’s work?” “Brilliant and shit in equal measure.” “I don’t know how you hack working for Jay. I heard he was doing a shoot for Vogue the other day and he had a massive fit about the model being fat. She was, like, 16 or something, and he was screaming at the editor while this kid was sitting right in front of him!” “Yep, I was there.” I shake my head, thinking about my charmless boss. “And people let him get away with it because he’s an ‘artist’. He’s just brought in this new rule that his female assistants have to wear nail varnish, because someone told him that’s what Mario Testino does. I’m having to paint my nails every night because as soon as I start lugging the camera equipment and lighting around they get chipped.” “Well, look at it this way, once you’ve worked with Jay Patterson your photography career will be sorted for life. That’s got to be worth a nightly manicure, right?” 

Later that night I’m standing at the bar waiting to order a round of drinks. It’s been a brilliant night – my face is aching from laughing – but I can’t be late for work, this job is far too important, so I’ve told myself that I’m allowed one more vodka, a quick dance with Tomo (possibly also a kiss if I promise to behave) and then I really do have to go home. I’ve completely lost track of time, so I pull out my phone to check how late it is, and when I look at the screen my hand flies to my mouth in shock. Oh my god. It’s nearly 3am, which means I need to be up again in four hours – but the really disturbing thing is the 17 missed calls from my sister Tabitha. 

When I left our flat earlier this evening she was already on her way to bed. What the hell has happened? “Right, what can I get you?” asks the barman. But I’m already turning away, fighting through the crowd so I can get outside to phone her back, panic flooding through me as I elbow my way towards the door. I try to think of a reason my little sister might need to get hold of me so urgently, but none of the possibilities I can come up with are reassuring. After the heat of the club, the chill November air slams into me like a physical force. 

Gathering my kaftan tighter around me, I dial Tabitha’s number and she answers immediately. “Annie! Oh, thank god.” Her voice is squeaky and breathless, as if she’s on the edge of hysteria. “Tabby? What’s wrong? Where are you?” “I’m at home. Annie, the… the police are here. I…” She breaks off, collapsing into tears, sobbing uncontrollably. “Tabitha, talk to me! Please! Tabby?” But there’s no reply, just the heart-breaking sound of her crying, and after a few moments an unfamiliar male voice comes on the line. “Is this Ann Taylor?” “Yes – who is this?” My heart is racing now, and I reach for the wall to keep myself upright. “What’s happened to my sister, is she hurt? Please, what’s going on?” “This is Sergeant Clive Ellis.” His tone is grave. “And I’m afraid I’m going to need you to come home right away…

Strictly Between Us by Jane Fallon

Strictly Between Us by Jane Fallon
My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Tamsin and her best friend Michelle have been inseparable since they were teenagers. Even now they spend all their time together, along with Patrick, Michelle's handsome husband.

So when Tamsin hears a rumour that Patrick is having an affair, she is furious. Unwilling to ignore it, Tamsin plots a scheme to catch Patrick in the act, using her assistant Bea as live-bait. It should be fool proof.
After all, Tamsin can trust Bea with anything. From her daily coffee order to fetching her dry-cleaning, writing reports and doing all the filing - Bea does everything with a smile on her face.

Except Tamsin never considered Bea might have her own agenda.

And if she does, then Tamsin really needs to watch her back . . .

Really enjoyed this clever, funny, entertaining chick lit by Jane Fallon. The characters were beautifully drawn with all their faults and insecurities that allow the reader an insight into their relationships and friendships. Peppered with lies, cheating, dishonesty and a sprinkling of revenge and jealousy this was a great read.

Told initially in the POV of Tamsin we learn initially all about her and develop an understanding of why (in part) she feels compelled to involve herself in her best friends marriage and expose cheating, lying Patrick, and the hazards of doing so. Part two of the novel you hear other characters 'speak' which allows the 'penny to drop' but also gives the reader choices of who to side with. This change of 'voice' in part two then pivots the pace to race towards the (not entirely expected) ending.

Hugely entertaining, great believable relatable characters, revenge and jealousy with a little romance thrown in for good measure, what's not to like? Intriguing and well woven plots, plenty of little surprises it has to get 5 stars - Jane Fallon is up there with the best in Chick lit writers.

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

Mile High by Rebecca Chance

Mile High by Rebecca Chance
My rating: 3 of 5 stars


First class can be murder . . .

Pure Air's new LuxeLiner is flying from London to LA – its inaugural journey – with a first-class cabin packed with A-list celebrities. As the feuding crew compete to impress their famous passengers, the handsome pilot tries to win the attention of a pretty young stewardess.

But one VIP singer is battling something seriously sinister: watching her every step is a very determined stalker, someone who will go to any lengths to get the star to satisfy their desires. At thirty thousand feet there is nowhere to run, and nowhere to hide . . .

If you like Jackie Collins or Jilly Cooper bonkbuster thrillers then you will probably like this one, it's unusual in that it's set mainly on Pure Air's maiden flight LuxeLiner travelling from the UK to LA overnight carrying 388 people and some selected VIP's on their way to the Oscars. There are several sub stories going on but the main one is that of a pop star who is being stalked. This aircraft is pure luxury with VIP's having their own 'pods' on board in which to relax on the long 10 hour journey that is timed to arrive exactly at midnight in LA.

The chapters were very long and wordy, so much information meant that there was not a lot of dialogue in this novel. It could have been easily cut by half in my opinion as the pace was slow and laborious, I found myself skim reading in order to wade through it. It provided good insight into the world of cabin crew and some humour kept it going, I liked Karl but that was about it. All the characters lacked depth for me, Catarina the pop star came across as naïve and whingey, totally pathetic and needy. The bodyguard was not given enough background to make him viable, the background on the stalker was non existent and almost all the other characters seemed to be bitchy and two faced so not easily likeable.

I didn't really enjoy this book, having to skim read made it a bit disjointed for me but to wade my way through endless narrative looking to spot the point of it all was very tiresome. Maybe it jut wasn't for me, I wouldn't say don't read it but if you do don't expect too much. Not really memorable or exciting enough for me to award it any more than 3 stars.

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

The Wife Between Us by Greer Hendricks

The Wife Between Us by Greer Hendricks
My rating: 4 of 5 stars



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

It’s about a jealous wife, obsessed with her replacement.

It’s about a younger woman set to marry the man she loves.

The first wife seems like a disaster; her replacement is the perfect woman.

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

You will be wrong.


It was a little slow to start with, lots of character building and although it was a bit tedious it was essential to the story. Having been unceremoniously dumped for a younger model, Vanessa Richards first wife is forced to live with her aunt and take a sales job in a department store to earn a living. Having had all the trappings of a wealthy lifestyle with Richard, Vanessa struggles to get her life back together.

Trying to cope with being passed over for a younger woman and desperately struggling with her new circumstances Vanessa tries to cope with her grief and turns to the bottle then becomes obsessed with Richards new love Nellie. She finds out Richard is about to marry Nellie and things spiral out of control, she is hell bent on stopping the wedding and confronting Nellie face on.

Nellie is not what she seems; young and fragile she also has a few secrets in her past that she wouldn't want anyone finding out about least of all Richard. Richard is obsessive and manipulative and frankly a little bit psychotic to my mind.

There are a few surprises and although not immediately obvious what was going on I did guess the outcome but not until over half way through the book. The ending was a good twist and not entirely expected.

It was a good entertaining thriller, not the best I've read but certainly not the worst and I give this one 3.5 stars, rounded up to 4 stars for Amazon and Goodreads.

How to Stop Time by Matt Haig

How to Stop Time by Matt Haig
My rating: 4 of 5 stars



HOW MANY LIFETIMES DOES IT TAKE TO LEARN HOW TO LIVE?

Tom Hazard has a dangerous secret. He may look like an ordinary 41-year-old history teacher, but he's been alive for centuries. From Elizabethan England to Jazz-Age Paris, from New York to the South Seas, Tom has seen it all. As long as he keeps changing his identity he can keep one step ahead of his past - and stay alive. The only thing he must not do is fall in love . .


Not really sure about this one - its my first book by this reader so maybe it was not his best. Its a really good idea on the face of it, I was intrigued to find out about Tom Hazard and his condition that makes him age slower than most people - he's over five hundred years old so that has to be worth a read right? Wrong - there was a lot going on but no real cohesion to the story, I found it slow in parts and dare I say it boring in others.

He spends most of this time bemoaning the fact that he has been alive so long and the conditions he must adhere to by the albatross society whose members are like him. I liked the flashbacks to the 1600's and life with Rose who he later marries, he has to leave her and his daughter Marion to protect them from those who notice he is not ageing. Rose dies very young when Tom has gone away and he loses touch with their daughter Marion. He spends most of the book trying to find Marion and brokering deals with Hendrich who is the leader of the Albatross society to try and find her. I didn't particularly like Marion and at the end wondered why Haig made her so abrasive and cold.

I liked parts of the book and you have to 'buy into' the idea to appreciate the story but I felt it jumped around a lot and stretched credibility with his meetings with Shakespeare and the likes of F Scott Fitzgerald in the leap to the 1920's. It was a little too much jumping and celebrity name dropping for me where I had to constantly remind myself which era I was in and try and piece them all together.

It was unusual and I stayed with it to the end but really could only give this one 3.5 stars for the concept they style and story execution didn't live up to my expectations. This has been rounded up to 4* for Amazon and Goodreads.


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