The Girl in the Missing Poster by Barbara Copperthwaite **Book Review** @bookouture

Hello book people!

Are you looking for an addictive dark and twisty read? Then look no further!

My Thoughts

Twin sisters, 25 years, and an unsolved mystery. Barbara Copperthwaite has crafted another dark and twisted thriller. 25 years ago Stella‘s twin sister Leila left their father‘s birthday party in the pouring rain never to be seen again. Stella was never the same… faithfully spending every anniversary of her sisters disappearance papering the town with missing person posters. Now they are filming a documentary about Leila‘s disappearance and Stella is hopeful that this will bring her much needed answers. What Stella was not expecting was the killer to contact her directly. Coercing personal information from Stella in order for her to find out the truth about what happened 25 years ago. As Stella gets closer and closer to the killer an evil game of cat and mouse evolves.

This was a truly addictive read. The build up in the first half was a bit of a slow burn, but once things got going…. BAM! The story is told from the perspective of Stella, with snippets of the documentary and a peppering of flashbacks. There were plenty of twists and misdirections to keep me on my toes. The characters were all well drawn and the dogs were a nice added bonus. Another wonderful thriller from this stellar author.

*** Big thank you to Bookouture for my gifted copy of this book. All opinions are my own. ***

About the Book

24 June, 1994 – Nineteen-year-old Leila Hawkins runs from her father’s birthday party into the stormy night wearing her sister Stella’s long red coat. Some say she was crying, others swear they saw her get into a passing car. Nobody ever saw her again.

 

Present – This time every year, on the anniversary of that fateful night, Stella decorates the small seaside town she grew up in with pictures of her beautiful missing sister. But after twenty-five years, is it even worth hoping someone will come forward? Perhaps the upcoming documentary will spark people’s memories by reuniting all the guests who were there the night Leila went missing.

 

As old friends gather and long-buried secrets begin to surface, the last thing Stella ever expects is a direct response from someone claiming they took Leila. They want private details of Stella’s life in return for answers. But as the true events of the night of the party play out once again, who is lying? And who is next?

 

From the bestselling author of The Perfect Friend, this absolutely gripping psychological thriller will keep you up all night and leave you sleeping with the light on. If you loved Gone Girl, The Girl on the Train and The Wife Between Us this book is for you!

Author Bio: 

Barbara is the Amazon and USA Today bestselling author of psychological thrillers INVISIBLE, FLOWERS FOR THE DEAD, THE DARKEST LIES, and HER LAST SECRET. 

More importantly, she loves cakes, wildlife photography and, last but definitely not least, her two dogs, Scamp and Buddy (who force her to throw tennis balls for them for hours).

Having spent over twenty years as a national newspaper and magazine journalist, Barbara has interviewed the real victims of crime – and also those who have carried those crimes out. She is fascinated by creating realistic, complex characters, and taking them apart before the readers’ eyes in order to discover just how much it takes to push a person over a line.

When not writing feverishly, she is often found hiding behind a camera, taking wildlife photographs. 

 

Author Social Media Links: 

Facebook: www.facebook.com/AuthorBarbaraCopperthwaite

Twitter: https://twitter.com/BCopperthwait

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

Website: www.barbaracopperthwaite.com

 

 

Opposites Attract by Camilla Isley **Book Review** @rararesources

Happy Sunday all!

Super excited to share with you today my thoughts on this fantastically fun feel good romcom!

Opposites Attract

First law of magnetism: opposite poles attract.

Single mom Vivian has been burned by love once before, and her job as a divorce lawyer has presented enough evidence to convince her there are no good men left in New York City.

The worst offender is her new neighbor: Dr. Lucas Keller, a couple’s therapist whose piercing blue eyes and flawless dark hair are just as annoying as his bad temper. 

But when Luke starts poaching Vivian’s clients by saving their marriages, she makes it her mission to force him out of the building to save her practice. But it’s Luke who gives her the perfect opportunity when he proposes an unexpected bet. 

With their offices at stake, Vivian and Luke play the field of love in a fierce battle of wits that quickly turns hot and personal, especially when Vivian’s daughter gets involved. Now, taking down Luke has become more than business for Vivian. It’s become a pleasure—and soon, Vivian and Luke will realize how pointless it is to fight the laws of attraction.

My Thoughts

A divorce lawyer and a marriage therapist walk into an elevator… Camilla Isley once again completely delighted me with this charming romcom. Divorce attorney Vivian and marriage therapist Lucas haves first cross when they are vying for the same office. It is dislike at first sight. Vivian is put off by Lucas‘s temper and Lucas is put off by Vivian‘s pushiness. But as we all know first impressions aren’t always right. The two of them soon find that they cannot get the other out of their minds and are doing everything possible to fight it. When they are both pier pressured into going to a matchmaker agency they decide to wager the coveted office. The bet… who will find love first?

This was just such a fun feel good uplifting story. Loved both Vivian and Lucas and I was just waiting for them to realize that they belong together. The story is told from both characters perspectives and I thought that made it even more entertaining. The dates that this matchmaker agency sent them on were quite humorous. I also really liked Vivian‘s daughter Teagan and the part she played in the story. And of course I cannot forget the cat and the dog! A lovely laugh out loud romcom!

This book in emojis 🐶 🐱 🍩 ☕️ ☯️

*** Big thank you to the author for my gifted copy of this book. All opinions are my own. ***

Purchase Links 

Opposites Attract is available for Free! 

https://smarturl.it/OppositesAttract143

https://books2read.com/u/mdnvYl

Author Bio – 

Camilla is an engineer turned writer after she quit her job to follow her husband on an adventure abroad.

She’s a cat lover, coffee addict, and shoe hoarder. Besides writing, she loves reading—duh!—cooking, watching bad TV, and going to the movies—popcorn, please. She’s a bit of a foodie, nothing too serious. A keen traveler, Camilla knows mosquitoes play a role in the ecosystem, and she doesn’t want to starve all those frog princes out there, but she could really live without them.

Social Media Links – 

Bookbub https://www.bookbub.com/authors/camilla-isley 

Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14135080.Camilla_Isley 

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/camillaisley 

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

Twitter https://twitter.com/camillaisley 

Giveaway to Win 3 x e-copies of the Beach Reads box set (Open Internationally)

*Terms and Conditions –Worldwide entries welcome.  Please enter using the Rafflecopter link below.  The winner will be selected at random via Rafflecopter from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then Rachel’s Random Resources reserves the right to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over.  Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. This will passed to the giveaway organiser and used only for fulfilment of the prize, after which time Rachel’s Random Resources will delete the data.  I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/33c69494410/?

A Chance Encounter by Rae Shaw **Cover Reveal** @rararesources

Happy weekend book people!

I’ve got another fabulous cover Reveal for you today for another book that looks fantastic!

A Chance Encounter

Julianna Baptiste, a feisty bodyguard, finds her new job tedious, that is until her boss, the evasive Jackson Haynes, spikes her curiosity. Who is behind the vicious threats to his beautiful wife and why is he interested in two estranged siblings?

Mark works for Haynes’s vast company. He’s hiding from ruthless money launderers.

His teenage sister Ellen has an online friend whom she has never met. Ellen guards a terrible secret.

For eight years their duplicitous father has languished in prison, claiming he is innocent of murder. The evidence against him is overwhelming, so why does Mark persist with an appeal?

Keen to prove her potential as an investigator, Julianna forces Mark to confront his mistakes. The consequences will put all their lives in danger.

Pre-order Link

UK – https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08X1PN4VH

US – https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08X1PN4VH

Publication Date: 24th March

Trailer – https://youtu.be/g2U11opEcqs

Author Bio –  

Rae Shaw is a pen name for the author Rachel Walkley.

 

Rachel is based in the North West of England. She read her first grown-up detective novel at the age of eleven, which proved to be a catalyst for filling many shelves with crime books, which still occupy her home and grow in number whenever she visits a book shop.

As well as crime, Rachel likes to unplug from the real world and writes mysteries that have a touch of magic woven into family secrets.

Social Media Links – 

https://raeshawauthor.com/

https://twitter.com/RaeShawauthor  

Rae Shaw Facebook page

Rachel Walkley

The Greek Heart by Kate Frost **Book Spotlight** @rararesources

Happy Thursday all!

Excited to drop the book spotlight on what looks like a fabulous book today!

The Greek Heart

A broken heart, an island escape, a boy from the past. Will Lottie’s search lead to love?

When a special anniversary takes Lottie on a journey to find the little boy she once knew, it’s a chance to put heartache behind her.

Lottie’s search takes her to Greece and a family who have known about her for decades. A warm welcome gives her some much-needed time out and the chance to reflect. Yet an emotional revelation and two handsome but complicated brothers make her question her past decisions. 

Learning to love herself and be content on her own is the first step. But will Lottie be able to follow her heart and find lasting happiness?

Purchase Link – https://getbook.at/thegreekheart

Author Bio – 

Kate Frost is the author of character-driven women’s fiction (The Butterfly Storm series and Beneath the Apple Blossom), romantic escape novels (The Baobab Beach Retreat, A Starlit Summer, The Greek Heart and The Amsterdam Affair), and Time Shifters, a time travel adventure trilogy for children. She has a MA in Creative Writing from Bath Spa University, where she also taught lifewriting to creative writing undergraduates.

Kate lives in Bristol with her husband, young son, and their Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Frodo. She feels very lucky to spend her days writing, but when she’s not working on a novel, she’s the Director of Storytale Festival, a new city-wide children’s book festival that she co-founded in Bristol in 2019 with the ethos of making books accessible to all and encouraging children and teens to read, write and be creative.  

Social Media Links – 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/katefrostauthor

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/katefrostauthor

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVhcSLhVZrTwDq9OteyFmHA

Website: http://kate-frost.co.uk/

Her Dark Lies by J. T. Ellison **Excerpt** @tlcbooktours

Happy Tuesday afternoon!

Excited and delighted to share with you today an excerpt from this upcoming release from one of my favorite authors!👀

About the Book

Fast-paced and brilliantly unpredictable, J.T. Ellison’s breathtaking new novel invites you to a wedding none will forget—and some won’t survive.

Jutting from sparkling turquoise waters off the Italian coast, Isle Isola is an idyllic setting for a wedding. In the majestic cliff-top villa owned by the wealthy Compton family, up-and-coming artist Claire Hunter will marry handsome, charming Jack Compton, surrounded by close family, intimate friends…and a host of dark secrets.

From the moment Claire sets foot on the island, something seems amiss. Skeletal remains have just been found. There are other, newer disturbances, too. Menacing texts. A ruined wedding dress. And one troubling shadow hanging over Claire’s otherwise blissful relationship—the strange mystery surrounding Jack’s first wife.

Then a raging storm descends, the power goes out—and the real terror begins…

Purchase Links

MIRA | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Connect with J. T.

Website | Facebook | Twitter| Instagram

Excerpt

As if he can discern my thoughts, Jack gives me a tight squeeze, then turns me around and starts pointing out landmarks. “See that white building, halfway up the hill? That’s the entrance to the artists’ colony. I can’t wait for you to see all the sculpture. With luck, we’ll have enough time for you to set up a canvas and capture some of the cliffs. The labyrinth is just there, follow my finger, look straight. See the dark spot in between the trees? And above that is part of the original fortress, built by Julius Caesar. Dad says it will be fully restored in an other couple of years, enough for people to visit safely. It takes forever because of all the permits and conservation rules they must follow. But we’ll take a walk through it, naturally. And ahead, on the right, by the old houses? On the second floor of Villa la Scogliera? See the terrace?”

I do. It has the same cheery patina as the Villa’s coral stucco walls. A lemon grove pours over the wall, meeting the gaily striped ochre-and-tan umbrellas by the infinity pool below. On the terrace itself, on either side of the French doors, petunias spill from terra-cotta pots in bursts of aubergine and gold. It’s like a Condé Nast photo shoot for the perfect Italian retreat.

It had been in a Condé Nast spread, but that was years ago. I read the piece when Jack first suggested we have the wedding here. I’d cut it out and used it as the basis for a painting I’d called Scylla, it inspired me so. It sold for $40,000 to a couple in Nashville with an obsession with mythology.

Hidden away on the western edge of Italy in the southwest of the Tyrrhenian Sea, out of sight from the mainland and the more popular islands of Capri and Anicapri to its north, lies the isolated Isle Isola. Originally a remote, hard-to-reach private armory of Julius Caesar, it is sometimes thought to be the island from which Homer’s Scylla perched in the cliffs, waiting for unsuspecting questing sailors like Odysseus, who had to choose between sailing closer to the six-headed beast or sinking into the gaping maw of Charybdis’s whirlpool. It is also said the island houses an oracle, but no documentation has been found to prove this claim. There have been a disturbing number of shipwrecks in the waters of the bay, surprise waves driving ships against the rocks at the base of the cliffs, and storms are known to arise without warning.

A more speculative fiction surrounds it; like any remote area, rumors abound about the island’s many hauntings over the years, including a famed Gray Lady who lingers about the fortress, supposedly the ghost of the daughter of one of the island’s many generals, who was sacrificed, given to an enemy who brought a mighty navy to attack the island. When he came ashore to parlay, the young woman was given to the man in good faith and disappeared that very night in a terrible storm. The storm raged for weeks, and the invading navy was driven away.

Sea monsters and unverifiable history aside, Isola’s occupation dates to Roman times, and is home to the stunning Villa la Scogliera, the house on the cliff, currently home to famed cinematographer Will Compton. The Villa, a former monastery, perches on the hillside and ties into the abandoned Roman fortress. While the Villa itself is of this century, and has been modernized with electricity and water, the fortress, abandoned for centuries, is undergoing a full renovation, sponsored in part by the Italian antiquities committee and the Compton Foundation.

In addition to grapes and olives, the island is known for its lemon groves. It also houses a natural rookery, home to the many birds who fly off course, find themselves lost in the straights and unable to return to land.

How romantic, how very Gothic and creepy, and how very Compton to choose an island in the middle of nowhere surrounded by sea monsters and exhausted birds to call their own.

“I see it. It’s lovely. Say the name again?”

“Villa la Scogliera.”

I try to mimic the way the R rolls off his tongue and bungle it massively, which makes Jack laugh.

“I’ve been studying the tapes and everything. I swear it.”

“Say it slowly, like this. Sko-lee-AIR-a. It means cliffside.”

“Skola-air-a.”

“Close. Emphasis on the third syllable, and roll your R,” he says, planting a soft kiss on my cheek. “Chef Boy-ARRR-dee. Sko-lee-AIRRR-a. You can just call it the Villa, you know. No one will mind.”

“I need to learn Italian properly.”

“And you will. But let’s focus on one thing at a time, shall we? We have our whole lives ahead for me to teach you.”

Our whole lives. Lives that can be changed in an instant.

Stop it, Claire.

“The terrace is lovely. Is it special? Historically important? Did Medusa stand there or something?”

He rolls his eyes. “Not Medusa. Venus, maybe. The whole island is loaded with odes to Venus. No, my dear, it’s special because that’s where you will spend your first night as Mrs. Compton. Just you, and me—”

“And thirty of our nearest and dearest.”

He laughs. “Well, they won’t be watching what we get up to in there. Besides, I’ve been told the bed is magic.”

THE WOLF AND THE WOODSMAN By Ava Reid’s **Cover Reveal** @harpervoyagerus @avasreid

Happy Tuesday book friends!

It’s always a good day for a cover reveal and what a beauty this cover is!👀

Publishing June 8, 2021

“Ava Reid paints a rich and complex picture of a kingdom steeped in ancient magic, straining along seams of religious and cultural tension. From the first page to the last, every facet and detail is beautifully wrought. Rooted in history and myth, The Wolf and the Woodsman is a stunning debut – a powerful and haunting tale of a young woman’s will to live, of love flowering in defiance of tyranny. It will twine like a dark forest around your heart.”

—Samantha Shannon, New York Times bestselling author of The Priory of the Orange Tree

 

 In the vein of Naomi Novik’s New York Times bestseller Spinning Silver and Katherine Arden’s national bestseller The Bear and the Nightingale, this unforgettable debut— inspired by Hungarian history and Jewish mythology—follows a young pagan woman with hidden powers and a one-eyed captain of the Woodsmen as they form an unlikely alliance to thwart a tyrant. 

 

About the Book

Taken from the myths and legends of her Jewish and Hungarian heritage, and weaving that with diverse cultural magic, THE WOLF AND THE WOODSMANsets Évike and Gáspár on a dark, powerful journey that is full of tradition and yet feels entirely unique.  When soldiers arrive from the Holy Order of Woodsmen to claim a girl to sacrifice to the king, Évike is betrayed by her fellow villagers and surrendered. But when Évike and the Woodsman’s captain are attacked en route, they form a tenuous pact, forcing them both to decide whose side they are on, and what they are willing to give up for a nation that never cared for them at all. From the truly vicious magic to the sizzling heat between Évike and Gáspár, the twists and turns of this stand-alone will delight and surprise readers as they fall in love with Évike and connect with her struggles and triumphs.

 

Preorder Your Book Now!

ADVANCE PRAISE FOR THE WOLF AND THE WOODSMAN

 

“Reid’s fast-paced debut examines religious freedom through the lens of myth and magic. … The convincing enemies-to-lovers romance, fascinating religion-based magic system, and thoughtful examination of zealotry make this a notable debut.” – Publishers Weekly

 

“Gorgeously written and grimly real, The Wolf and the Woodsman is both a myth and a mirror, a bloody fable about two people caught in the jaws of history. It quite literally took my breath away. It has the unsettling-but-compelling gore of Henderson’s The Year of the Witching, the folkloric lilt of The Bear and the Nightingale, and the moral complexity of Seeing Like a State. I’m obsessed.”–Alix E Harrow, Hugo-award winning author of The Ten Thousand Doors of January

 

“THE WOLF AND THE WOODSMAN is a book that made me remember how beautiful and gut wrenching historical fantasy can be. It’s a fundamentally Jewish tale, one that gripped me from beginning to end. A riveting debut that will keep you up all night, desperately chasing the heart-pounding conclusion.”–Victoria Lee, author of The Fever King

 

“THE WOLF AND THE WOODSMAN, beautifully written and expertly told, is a darkly magical tale from beginning to end. I was equal parts terrified and delighted, somehow swept away and grounded in a world as beautiful as it is deadly.”–Isabel Ibañez, author of Woven in Moonlight

 

“Évike may be the only one in her village without ‘powers,’ but that doesn’t stop her from being an in-your-face heroine who stands up for the things she believes in and never backs down. Reid has crafted a story that is not only relevant for our times, but has timelessness about it that truly makes it shine. The Wolf and the Woodsman is not a book I will soon forget.”– Genevieve Gornichec, author of The Witch’s Heart

 

“Combining religion, magic, and evocative language, Ava Reid has created a daring fantasy world full of imagination and fierce heroics.”–Luanne G. Smith, bestselling author of The Vine Witch

Second Chances in Chianti by T. A. Williams **Book Review** @rararesources

Happy Monday book friends!

Looking for a book to escape into? Then look no further!

Second Chances in Chianti

Alice thought her future was set in stone, until her past came knocking…

Alice Butler starred in a successful US sitcom until tensions in the cast and crew caused the show to be cancelled. Now, five years later and working towards her dream job in art history, she’s called back for a revival of the show. It can only end in disaster, surely?

Flown to a villa in Chianti to meet with the rest of the cast, Alice must decide where her future lies – with her boyfriend, David, who laps up the Hollywood company, or with the mysterious Matt, who shies away from public attention?

My Thoughts

The perfect escape! This book was the perfect example of how we can travel through the pages of our books even during covid times. The Italian setting and the story dripped from the pages. The sights, the sounds, the smells, the food, The sun. The authors passion and knowledge of this part of Italy really shown through. Once upon a time Alice was a sitcom star. But after the popular sitcom self-destructed Alice returns home to finish her studies in art history. It is now years later Alice has just received her PhD and there appears to be a potential revival of the sitcom. In order to discuss and persuade the cast members gather at the producers villa in Tuscany. Alice’s life is at a true crossroads both professionally and romantically. What will Alice do? How can she follow her heart when her heart is pulling her in so many directions?

What a treat! So many wonderful characters and such a warm feeling to the story. Alice sure had a lot to contemplate. Should she stay with a boyfriend? Rekindle with her old flame? Or stay in Italy for the mysterious mat? The sitcom’s cast of characters was terrific so vividly drawn. But the true star of the show was Guinness Matt’s black lab. A sensational story that made me want to pack my bags and head to Italy.

*** Big thank you to Canello for my gifted copy of this book. All opinions are my own. ***

Purchase Link – mybook.to/SecondChancesChianti

Author Bio – I’m a man. And a pretty old man as well. I did languages at university a long time ago and then lived and worked in France and Switzerland before going to Italy for seven years as a teacher of English. My Italian wife and I then came back to the UK with our little daughter (now long-since grown up) where I ran a big English language school for many years. We now live in a sleepy little village in Devonshire. I’ve been writing almost all my life but it was only seven years ago that I finally managed to find a publisher who liked my work enough to offer me my first contract.

The fact that I am now writing romantic comedy is something I still find hard to explain. My early books were thrillers and historical novels. Maybe it’s because there are so many horrible things happening in the world today that I feel I need to do my best to provide something to cheer my readers up. My books provide escapism to some gorgeous locations, even if travel to them is currently difficult.

Social Media Links – 

Website: www.tawilliamsbooks.com

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/tawilliamsbooks

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TrevorWilliamsBooks/

The Nature of Fragile Things by Susan Meisner **Book Review** @berkleypub

Happy happy Sunday!

Excited to share with you today my review for what might be my favorite book so far in 2021! And it’s historical fiction, who am I?💐

My Thoughts

ALL. THE. STARS. Susan Meissner completely swept me up with her exceptional storytelling, transporting me to San Francisco 1906 and into the lives of these characters. Sophie is an Irish immigrant who travels to San Francisco as a mail order bride. When Sophie meets Martin she is attracted to his luxe but not certain about his personality. His daughter Cat however completely captures Sophie‘s heart. As the bond between Sophie and Cat grows martin becomes more and more shady. Then one night a young pregnant woman shows up at Sophie‘s door and confirms Sophie‘s suspicions that she doesn’t know the man she married at all. The next day the earthquake strikes and the women find their lives even more deeply intwined. What follows is such a captivating tale of survival, family, Secrets, and love.

This is a historical fiction book that will appeal to absolutely everyone. It was the perfect blend of historical fiction, mystery, and family drama. I absolutely fell in love with all these characters and was sad to say goodbye to them at the end of the story. The earthquake was so vividly described I almost thought I felt the earth shake. As a Californian I was surprised at how little I really knew about this historical Quake. It also made me realize how much better our infrastructure is now than it was then. I truly cannot say enough good things about this book! I strongly encourage everyone to read it!

This book in emojis 🚂 💍 👩‍👧 ⛺️ 🍑

*** Big thank you to Berkley for my gifted copy of this book. All opinions are my own. ***

About the Book

April 18, 1906: A massive earthquake rocks San Francisco just before daybreak, igniting a devouring inferno. Lives are lost, lives are shattered, but some rise from the ashes forever changed. Sophie Whalen is a young Irish immigrant so desperate to get out of a New York tenement that she answers a mail-order bride ad and agrees to marry a man she knows nothing about. San Francisco widower Martin Hocking proves to be as aloof as he is mesmerizingly handsome. Sophie quickly develops deep affection for Kat, Martin’s silent five-year-old daughter, but Martin’s odd behavior leaves her with the uneasy feeling that something about her newfound situation isn’t right. Then one early-spring evening, a stranger at the door sets in motion a transforming chain of events. Sophie discovers hidden ties to two other women. The first, pretty and pregnant, is standing on her doorstep. The second is hundreds of miles away in the American Southwest, grieving the loss of everything she once loved. The fates of these three women intertwine on the eve of the devastating earthquake, thrusting them onto a perilous journey that will test their resiliency and resolve and, ultimately, their belief that love can overcome fear. From the acclaimed author of The Last Year of the War and As Bright as Heaven comes a gripping novel about the bonds of friendship and mother love, and the power of female solidarity.

Have a gorgeous day! XOXO Berit 💕

The Secret at the Last House Before the Sea by Liz Eeles **Book Review** @bookouture

Happy weekend y’all!

Hope you guys are all doing well! I’ve had construction going on in my house for the past three weeks and it is finally done! 😌

My Thoughts

Sunshine and secrets. Liz Eeles whisked me away to small town Devin with her vivid and gorgeous storytelling. Rosie returns home from Spain after her mom passes away. Less than pleased to be back in the village where she grew up Rosie is determined to make this a quick turnaround. That is until she is informed that she needs to get her moms belongings out of the house stat. Reeling from the fact that her family home doesn’t belong to her family Rosie stumbles across even more secrets with bigger implications. What follows is an engaging story filled with family secrets, a gorgeous setting and a sprinkling of romance.

First of all there was such an amazing sense of place in this book. The setting usually is the last thing I focus on in a story but the descriptive writing painted such a stunning picture. The exceptional writing also brought the characters to life. I really liked Rosie and wanted the romance between Liam and her to work out. The secondary characters were wonderful and added so much color to the story. Looking forward to what Liz has in store for her next book in this delightful series.

*** Big thank you to Bookouture for my gifted copy of this book. All opinions are my own. ***

About the Book

Description: 

 

From the attic of Driftwood House there are stunning views of the deep green sea and sapphire sky. But Rosie can’t tear her eyes away from the faded photograph in her hands, and the words written on the back that will change everything…

 

Back in the tiny seaside village of Heaven’s Cove after the death of her mother, all Rosie Merchant wants is to hide her tears, rent out her childhood home, and get back to her ‘real’ life, away from the gossiping villagers and wild Devon weather she escaped from years ago.

 

She’s surprised to find a smiling man in hiking boots – local farmer Liam – waiting on the stone doorstep. His kind offer to help clear crumbling, isolated Driftwood House is hard to refuse, and despite Rosie’s determination not to let anyone get close, soon they’re walking and laughing together along the clifftops. As clouds scud across the endless sky and green waves crash against the shore, Rosie is reminded that nowhere is more beautiful than home.

 

Then, up in the attic of Driftwood House, Rosie stumbles across a photo which exposes the heart-stopping truth about how her mother came to live at Driftwood House years ago… and Liam only seems concerned about the implications for his own nearby farm. Did he know this painful secret all along, and should she run from Heaven’s Cove for good? Or will facing up to her devastating family history mean Rosie can finally put down roots in this beautiful place?

 

Get whisked away to the rugged, sweeping Devon coastline in this gripping story about old secrets, learning how to trust, and finding where home is. Fans of Debbie Macomber, Barbara O’Neal and Mary Alice Monroe will adore this gorgeous and uplifting read.

 

Author Bio: 

Liz began her writing career as a journalist and press officer before deciding that she’d rather have the freedom of making things up as a novelist. 

Being short-listed in the Corvus ‘Love at First Write’ competition and the Novelicious search for a new women’s fiction star gave Liz the push she needed to keep putting pen to paper …. and ‘Annie’s Holiday by the Sea’ (her first published novel) is the result. 

Liz lives on the South Coast with her family and, when she’s not writing, likes to spend time walking by the sea, and trying to meditate. Her ambition is to be serene one day …. she’s still got a long way to go.

Author Social Media Links: 

Facebook: www.facebook.com/lizeelesauthor

Twitter: https://twitter.com/lizeelesauthor

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

Website: N/A

 

Gone Too Soon by Dani Atkins **Book Review** @bookouture

Happy Friday y’all!

Looking for a weekend read that is emotional and packed with hope? Then look no further than this lovely story. 💗

My Thoughts

A beautifully told emotional tale. Dani Atkins definitely tugged on my heartstrings with this evocative story. The story begins with Alex saying goodbye to his beautiful wife for what turns out to be the last time. Lisa a devoted wife and mother with a passion for astronomy who was gone too soon. As Alex begins the process of grief he is informed that Lisa signed up to be an organ donor. Knowing his wife would always want to help out those in need Alex agrees to this. Lisa‘s organs save/improve the lives of four random people. And Alex is left picking up the pieces not knowing how he’s going to manage this, much less his six-year-old son Connor. Driven by his grief and need to understand Alex connects with the four people who benefited from Lisa’s organ donation. What follows is a lovely story filled with hope, encouragement, strength, grief, and second chances.

The story is told from the alternating perspectives of Alex and Molly. Molly is a 32-year-old elementary teacher who received leases heart. I really liked Molly she had such a kind spirit about her. Alex was a good guy who was so shattered, my heart broke for both him and his young son. What I loved most about this book was the found family that these organ beneficiaries found with one another as well as Alex. It’s kind of funny that there was so much feel goodness in this book about grief.

Now on a personal note I need to address something about the book that did not sit well with me. I myself suffer from a degenerative I disease like one of the characters in the story who received a cornea transplant. First of all I want to point out that you cannot get an eye transplant or a retina transplant, so most people who are blind would not benefit at this point in time from any kind of transplant. And as much as I liked this particular character in the story, I really wish he was not included. The thing is getting a cornea transplant is not life-saving it is life enhancing. Being blind is not a death sentence it is a disability that many people live with daily. It was unfortunate and truthfully a little hurtful every time it was mentioned that this man’s life was pretty much over with because of his disease that caused his blindness. I don’t believe that this was the intent of the book or the author and I debated whether or not to mention it in my review. I decided that I needed to be true to myself and I needed to say something. And I need to mention one more thing, I really don’t mean to nitpick, but… blind people are more tactile than sighted people, however they don’t actually invade peoples personal space and touch them “as seen on TV“. Now this is not an indictment of this book that I will reiterate was very good it is just a little reminder for all of us to be a little more mindful.

This book in emojis 🌕 🫀 🪐 🫁 💫

*** Big thank you to Bookouture for my gifted copy of this book. All opinions are my own. ***

About the Book

Alex crossed to the bed, where the only woman he had ever loved lay immobile. There was an ugly dark bruise along her jaw, but far more shocking was the plastic breathing tube protruding from between the lips he’d kissed only hours earlier. Despair and fear rose in Alex’s throat. ‘We have a little boy. His name is Connor. He still needs his mother… We both do.’

When Lisa married Alex, she gave his life meaning. She was a professional astronomer: a stargazer. And when she gazed at Alex, she saw that behind his tough exterior was a man she could love.

Alex, Lisa and their young son Connor made a happy little universe. But then Lisa dies in a train crash, and their perfect world is destroyed. Alex is shattered by loss, and overwhelmed by the difficulties of being a single father to a six-year-old. How can he and Connor carry on without Lisa lighting up their lives?

But throughout her life Lisa touched the hearts of more people than just her family. And as those people whose fates were changed come forward after her tragic death, Alex hears their stories and begins to realise the world may not be as cruel and senseless as it seems. If you can find the strength to start over, there are new beginnings in even our most heartbreaking moments…

Million-copy bestselling author Dani Atkins returns for this gripping, powerful and emotional page turner that fans of Jodi Picoult, Diane Chamberlain and Kate Hewitt will find completely unputdownable.

Author Bio:

Dani Atkins is an award-winning novelist. Her 2013 debut THEN AND ALWAYS (published as FRACTURED in the UK) has been translated into seventeen languages and has sold more than half a million copies globally.

Dani is the author of five other bestselling novels (THE STORY OF US, OUR SONG, THIS LOVE, WHILE I WAS SLEEPING and A MILLION DREAMS) and PERFECT STRANGERS, a standalone eBook novella. In 2018, THIS LOVE won the Romantic Novel of the Year Award at the RNA awards in London.

Dani lives in a small village in the English countryside, in a 300 year old cottage, with her husband, one Siamese cat and a very soppy Border Collie.

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Buy Link:

Amazon: https://bit.ly/2YSF7fb