#Bookouture

Her Deadly Touch by Lisa Regan **Book Review**

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Hello Book Friends!

Hope life is treating you well! Super excited to share my review for the latest book in one of my favorite series!🔎

My Thoughts

Another spectacular installment in the Josie Quinn series! Josie is still dealing with grief and guilt from the loss of her beloved grandmother in the previous book. The Grief and guilt are compounded by the fact that her first case back involves a murder. Two years ago there was a Dudley school bus crash that Killed six students and sent the bus driver to jail. Now it appears as though somebody is targeting the parents of these children. Why is somebody bringing even more grief into these family’s lives, what could the possible motivation be? Once again Josie and team are on the case. Josie was definitely struggling and it was nice to see everyone around her prop her up especially Noah.As in all Josie Quinn books I loved donning my detective hat and trying to puzzle the mystery together. This series is 12 books strong and keeps bedding better, can’t wait to see what’s next!

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

About the Book

The woman is kneeling at a gravestone, her hair blowing in the breeze, a bunch of wilting yellow daffodils on the grass beside her. Her eyes are fixed on the ground and her mouth is parted in a silent prayer. But the wax dripping from her cold blue lips means it’s already too late to save her…

On her first day back with the Denton PD after a major trauma, Detective Josie Quinn is on the hunt for a missing woman, Krystal Duncan, the mother of one of five children killed in a devastating school bus crash. Hours later, Josie finds Krystal’s body beside her daughter’s grave, her lips sealed together forever with wax.

Forensics match the wax to one of the candles lit in memory of the sweet little souls who died, giving Josie her first lead to a support group made up of the parents who lost children in the crash. Painstakingly dissecting the lives of these grieving couples, it’s clear to Josie that each of them is hiding something about the day of the accident—but whose secret is worth killing for?

The case takes an agonizing turn when the body of another young mother is found near the site of the bus crash. Someone connected to the accident is out for revenge. As the members of the support group are picked off one by one, every second counts for Josie to save the lives of these loving parents who have already suffered the loss of those they treasured most…

An absolutely gripping and totally unputdownable crime thriller from an Amazon, USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author. Be warned, this book will keep you up all night! Perfect for fans of Angela Marsons, Robert Dugoni and Rachel Caine.

Author BioLisa Regan is the USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of the Detective Josie Quinn series. Lisa is a member of Sisters In Crime, International Thriller Writers, and Mystery Writers of America. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in English and Master of Education Degree from Bloomsburg University. She lives near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in the U.S. with her husband, daughter, and Boston Terrier named Mr. Phillip.
Social MediaFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/LisaReganCrimeAuthor Twitter: https://twitter.com/LisalreganWebsite: https://lisaregan.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lisareganauthor/

Greece Actually by Sue Roberts **Book Review**

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Happy Friday!

If you’re looking for a fun escape of a book to read this weekend then look no further than this delightful tale!☀️

My Thoughts

Another fun escape of a book from Sue Roberts! Becky has just escaped an abusive relationship, completely uprooted her life and started over. When her uncle reaches out and asks her to housesit his Villa in Greece she jumps at the chance. Now can I just say I would love to have an uncle or any relative for that matter that would pay for me to housesit their villa on a Greek island. Anyways I digress… as in all of Sue Roberts books she really brought the essence of Greece to life in the pages of this book. The sun, the sand, the food. Part of the story Becky spends with her two BFFs Paige and Abby. Glorious days lounging on the beach, nights of delicious dining, and even an Abba boat cruise that sounded like a blast. Becky also meets A handsome local Kyros, Who just might convince her to prolong her stay. Becky was a sweet relatable character who I was definitely rooting for. Loved this gorgeous setting and all the outings with her girls. My only teeny tiny complaint is the romance I wish it was perhaps a little more developed. This was a perfect getaway for those of us that probably won’t be getting a tropical vacation this summer.

This book in emojis: 🏝 🍹 👙

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

About the Book

Take one sea-view villa, add two dates with a Greek God, a few glasses of wine, a dash of accidental nudity, and a heavy dose of sunshine. Recipe for a perfect getaway… or an absolute disaster?

Small, shy, safe. That’s how Becky lives ever since her last romantic calamity landed her in hospital. Her comfort zone is as confining as her tiny bank balance, and fiercely guarded by her totally over-the-top mum. But the news that her ex is back sniffing round is the final straw. In a very un-Becky move, she packs her bags for the Greek island of Skiathos. Maybe the setting of her favourite ABBA movie will be just the break from reality Becky needs…

Stepping aboard the Mamma Mia! boat tour, Becky leaves her fear in the port as she sings… out loud… in public, and cries Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! to everything the Greek life has to offer. She befriends locals young, old, and absolutely perfect (hello, sizzling hot restaurant-owner Kyros!), dines on freshly baked bread drizzled in golden olive oil on a starlit date, and walks barefoot along silky sandy beaches.

When Kyros asks her to stay longer, Becky is stunned. Could she really create a new life for herself here, and trust her heart with this smooth-talking charmer? But just as she’s thinking about putting down roots, her troublesome ex makes a dramatic return, begging for her back. Will she go back to playing it safe, or will she take a chance on Greece and embrace her true dancing queen?

An absolutely laugh-out-loud summer rom-com guaranteed to give you THAT holiday feeling! Perfect for fans of Carole Matthews, Jenny Colgan and Sophie Kinsella.

Author Bio:

Sue Roberts lives in Lancashire with her long term partner Derek and has had a lifelong love of writing, encouraged by winning a school writing competition at the age of 11.

She always assumed that ‘one day’ she would write a book, always having a busy household and a job, the idea remained firmly on the back burner but never forgotten.

The inspiration for her first novel came to her on a holiday to a Greek village. Her daughters had left home and suddenly the time had come to write that book!

https://www.instagram.com/suerobertsauthor/

https://twitter.com/suerobertsautho

Buy Links:Amazon: https://bit.ly/2TU8eQbApple: https://apple.co/2T44H10Kobo: https://bit.ly/2T2IkchGoogle: https://bit.ly/3yEkcwJ

The Moon Over Kilmore Quay **Book Review**

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Hello reading friends!

This book, you guys was so good! But be sure to have some Kleenex handy! 💔

My Thoughts

A beautifully told emotional story. This is my first book by Carmel Harrington but I can guarantee not my last! 2020 Bea is staying home on New Year’s Eve after a bad break up when she receives a time capsule letter from her younger self. This letter seems to have some kind of magical powers and leads to Bea doing some major self reflection. Reaching out to people in her past, righting some wrongs, and ultimately heading to Ireland for some much needed answers. 1992 Lucy and her sister Maeve have just graduated from University when they hear of an opportunity of a lottery to go to America. The sisters cannot believe their luck when they find that they have won the lottery. SO they pack their bags head to New York, leaving all they know and their loving parents behind. Love both these characters and was equally invested in both of the storylines. What I most loved is that both Bea and Lucy had amazing supportive friends. I also really love the magical mystery element of the letter and what a catalyst it was for Bea. This story took some unexpected twists and turns, I loved it from beginning to end. A stunning story that hit me in the heart and gave me all the feels!

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

About the Book

They say home is where the heart is, yet somehow my heart is split in two. New York, the city I live in and love, and Ireland, the home of my ancestors—somewhere I have lived only in my dreams. And now I have no choice but to go looking…

Brooklyn, New York: Broken-hearted and home alone on New Year’s Eve, Bea O’Connor finds a letter she wrote to herself nearly twenty years before…

In the letter, she’d wished for many things. To never lose touch with her two best friends. For her father to be happier. To one day go back to the picturesque Irish village of Kilmore Quay, so she could find out more about her mother who’d died when Bea was tiny. Bea had also dreamed that she’d one day find love—even if her heart is too fragile since losing Dan to think about that right now.

Impulsively she starts writing new little wishes in the margins of the letter. But as the moon goes down over New York City and another year begins, a little magic seems to be in the air. And, as shocking family secrets come to light and Bea finds herself having to travel to Kilmore Quay at last, some of those wishes start to feel like they really could come true.

Even if fate has one last twist in store…

An absolutely gripping and powerful story that will break your heart into thousands of tiny pieces, perfect for fans of Jojo Moyes, Maeve Binchy and Jean Grainger.

About Carmel:

Carmel Harrington is from Co. Wexford, where she lives with her husband Roger, children Amelia and Nate and their beloved rescue dog, George Bailey. An international bestseller and regular panellist on Irish radio and TV, her warm and emotional storytelling has captured the hearts of readers worldwide, translated into nine languages. Carmel’s trademark is to write warm, uplifting stories with humour, heart and hope. She loves to write about family, friendships, love and life within complex, twisting plots. Carmel’s novels have been shortlisted for an Irish Book Award in 2016 & 2017 and her debut won Kindle Book of the Year and Romantic eBook of the Year in 2013.
https://twitter.com/HappyMrsHhttps://www.facebook.com/happymrshhttps://www.instagram.com/happymrshwww.carmelharrington.com

The Little Orchard on the Lane by Tilly Tennant **Book Review** @bookouture

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Happy happy Monday!

This was such a sweet feel-good story! A fun book filled with fabulous characters and a lovely setting!🍎🍇🍏

My Thoughts

A fabulous feel-good story filled with family, heart, and hope. Tilly Tennant always gives me the warm fuzzies with her uplifting storytelling. First of all I think the blurb to this story is a bit misleading, I was expecting a enemies to lovers Romance and this book is more Focus on the family drama with the romance in the background. Luckily I didn’t read the blurb until just now so I really had no expectations while reading the story, I just don’t want you to expect a romance filled with banter when you are going to get more of a heartwarming family tale. Posy is quite shocked to hear she is part of an inheritance from her biological family. Posy and her adopted mother Carmel head to the tiny countryside village to meet Posy’s Uncles. At first her uncles are a little suspicious of Posy thinking she might possibly be a Golddigger. But soon enough their suspicions are squashed and they start really liking their new niece. But New family is not the only thing Posy discovered in the small town. She also has a very awkward meet cute with local Vineyard owner Lachlan. Lachlan is less than friendly and has his guard up big time, will Posy be able to break down his walls?

Loved spending time in this town with these lovely people. Posy was a great character and I loved seeing her relationship between her uncles develop. Also really love the sense of community the story had to it, how everyone was so there for one another. The romance was sweet, But in all honesty I would’ve liked maybe a little teeny bit more focus on Posy and Lachlan. Some parts of the romance seemed a bit rushed, and I don’t think they were we just didn’t see all the interactions. Having said that though I really really enjoyed how focus the story was on family. A lovely feel-good story that put a BIG smile on my face!

This book in emojis 🍏 🪜 🍇 ✉️ 🍎 🏡

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

About the Book

Feel the sun on your face on a Somerset terrace overlooking golden fields and wild meadowland, and watch as romance beckons and long-hidden secrets are revealed…

 

When twenty-seven-year-old Posy arrives at picture-perfect Oleander House in the Somerset village of Astercombe, she is enchanted. Adopted when she was just a baby, Posy is excited to re-connect with her birth family and help out on the family cider farm with its old stone walls and bees buzzing in the hedgerows.

 

There’s just one tiny problem – her new next-door neighbour, haughty, handsome vineyard-owner Lachlan. Lachlan has taken an instant dislike to Posy, and after a furious argument when she ventures on his land, she’s pretty certain there’s not a heart of gold beneath his frosty exterior.

 

Yet as she falls in love with the flower-filled hedgerows and apple-green fields of her new life, she discovers more about her grumpy neighbour. Even though he acts like the world is out to get him, she can’t ignore the sad expression in his dark eyes.

 

And when Posy discovers the heartbreaking secret that is tearing Lachlan apart, she understands why he has shut the door on the world and vows to help him, as well as the vineyard, which has fallen on hard times. Yet just as Lachlan lets Posy in, a terrible night threatens to destroy everything she has begun to care about and puts someone she loves at risk. Will her dream life in the country come at an awful price?

 

If you love Nicola May, Debbie Macomber and Milly Johnson, then you will adore The Little Orchard on the Lane. An enchanting summer romance about new beginnings, second chances and trusting your heart.

 

Author Bio: 

 

Tilly Tennant was born in Dorset, the oldest of four children, but now lives in Staffordshire with a family of her own. After years of dismal and disastrous jobs, including paper plate stacking, shop girl, newspaper promotions and waitressing (she never could carry a bowl of soup without spilling a bit), she decided to indulge her passion for the written word by embarking on a degree in English and creative writing. She wrote a novel in 2007 during her first summer break at university and has not stopped writing since. She also works as a freelance fiction editor, and considers herself very lucky that this enables her to read many wonderful books before the rest of the world gets them.

Hopelessly Devoted to Holden Finn was her debut novel; published in 2014 it was an Amazon bestseller in both the UK and Australia. In 2016 she signed to the hugely successful Bookouture and is currently working on her next Tilly Tennant novel. She also writes as Sharon Sant, where she explores the darker side of life, and Poppy Galbraith, where things get a little crazier.

 

 

Author Social Media Links

 

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/TillyTennant/

TWITTER: https://twitter.com/TillyTenWriter

WEBSITE: www.tillytennant.com

Small Town Secrets by Alys Murray **Book Review** @bookouture

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Happy Thursday all!

Nothing warms my heart quite like a book set in a small town! If you are in the mood for an emotional pick me up story then this is the perfect read!🌻

My Thoughts

women needed for the Fortune Springs Town Improvement Initiative. One year’s room and board provided.”

Any takers? Virginia is desperate to escape her life so when she sees this ad for A small town needing more women she jumped at the chance. Hops on a Greyhound. with everything she owns in her backpack. When she first reaches the town she runs into firefighter Owen who is less than pleased about this ad campaign drawing women to the town. Lucky for Virginia not all the town feels this way and she is welcomed with open arms by Calla Who is in charge of the women during their first year in town. What follows is a sweet occasionally emotional romance with a hint of mystery.

This was such a sweet somewhat predictable story that made me smile. Virginia was a great character and I really wanted her to find her forever home and her happily ever after. Cala was a great character and I loved the relationship that grew between Virginia and her as well as the relationship between Virginia and Willow. Now Owen was quite frustrating at times although just as he did Virginia he grew on me throughout the course of the story. When you’re in the mood for a delightful story to escape into this is the perfect read.

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

About the Book

“Young women needed for the Fortune Springs Town Improvement Initiative. One year’s room and board provided.”

I should have known it was too good to be true when I first saw the ad. It turns out that Fortune Springs, Colorado isn’t just a one-horse town, it’s a two-woman one, and this is their attempt to keep the community alive. I want to say the scheme is ridiculous, totally outdated, but I’m carrying everything I own in my canvas backpack and the greyhound I stepped off this morning is long gone. If this is my chance at a fresh start, I’d better grab it with both hands.

I know I should feel guilty about pretending to be a lonely heart willing to help repopulate this rural logging town, but all I feel is relief at having escaped the apartment in Savannah. And after all, what’s one more secret to add to the pile? I only hope I’ve hidden my tracks well enough, and that the kind Fortune Springs locals who’ve opened their doors to me will never find out what made me run away in the first place…

An emotional, gripping story full of family drama. Fans of Carolyn Brown, Robyn Carr and Debbie Macomber will be hooked.

Author Bio:
Alys Murray is an author who writes for the romantic in all of us. Though she graduated with a degree in Drama from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts and a Master’s in Film Studies from King’s College London, her irrepressible love of romance led her to a career as an author, and she couldn’t be happier to write these stories! Currently splitting time between her home state of Louisiana and London, she enjoys kissing books, Star Wars, and creating original pie recipes for all of her books. Tobey Maguire is her Spider-Man.

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The Choice I Made by Cynthia Ellingsen **Book Review** @bookouture

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Hello book friends!

This was such a wonderful story with a great setting and a boat full of secrets!🛶

My Thoughts

A compelling family drama with a gorgeous setting and a boat full of secrets. Julie returns home to Wood Violet (a resort in Wisconsin), after her mother has a stroke. Julie and husband Tristan are only planning on being there for four days, they both have high power jobs back in Chicago. Julie feels so rejuvenated being home in the Wisconsin fresh air, she also realizes that her family needs her more than they’ve lead on. Her husband Tristan is not pleased with this decision, but Julie needs to do this for her family and herself. Julie’s summer is filled with family secrets, old friends, reconnections, and second chances.

This was such a beautiful and emotional story. The setting was stunning and peaceful. The characters were engaging and real. I just really loved the journey that the story took me on. It completely captured my heart and my sense of adventure. I wanted to be out in the fresh air of Wisconsin with these characters canoeing, sitting by the campfire, hiking, and even dancing. A lovely feel good story with a couple twist and turns.

This book in emojis 🛶 🎸 ✉️ 🧬 🔥 🐿

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

About the Book

We all make hard decisions for love. Ones that can tear our heart out and leave us begging for answers. The most painful choice I’ve ever made, my darling child, was to say goodbye to you…

When Julie’s mother falls ill, she has no choice but to return to her parents’ Wisconsin resort, Wood Violet, for the summer. Away from the pressures of city life, Julie also hopes the trip will give her and husband Tristan the chance to heal after the heartbreak of another miscarriage.

Back home, surrounded by nature and old friends, Julie starts to feel a sense of calm she’d thought she’d lost forever. But her fragile peace is shattered when she stumbles upon an eighteen-year-old girl hiding out in an abandoned cabin. The girl, Margaret, seems lost in the world and Julie wants to help her—but when she finds letters in the girl’s backpack, Julie realizes Margaret isn’t telling the whole truth about why she’s here.

If Margaret finds what she’s looking for, it could expose a long-buried secret that could destroy the resort’s reputation and tear Julie’s family apart. And as the summer draws to a close, Julie must make a choice: will she return to Chicago with the man she married, or stay and fight for her parents and the home she loves?

Lose yourself in a life-affirming tale about love, betrayal and finding your true home, from the bestselling author of The Lighthouse Keeper. Fans of Mary Ellen Taylor, Barbara O’Neal and This is Not How it Ends will adore Cynthia Ellingsen’s captivating novel.

Author Bio:

Cynthia Ellingsen is an Amazon Charts bestselling author of contemporary women’s fiction. Her books feature heartwarming characters and strong family connections, often with a touch of mystery. The Starlight Cove series, her best-known work, is available on audio and has been translated into several languages.

Cynthia began her writing career as a screenwriter in Los Angeles and now lives in Kentucky with her family.

https://www.cynthiaellingsen.com/

https://www.facebook.com/cynthiaellingsen

https://twitter.com/CynEllingsen

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The Wedding by Ruth Heald **Book Review** @bookouture

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Happy Tuesday y’all! This was such a twisted story that will make you never want to get married, well at least not have a wedding!👰🏻‍♀️

My Thoughts

I would suggest you do not read this book if you’re in the middle of planning your wedding. Talk about a wedding gone wrong. Lauren and Adam have been together for 18 years and are finally going to get married. Now personally I think if you’ve been together this long you might not need a huge wedding and if they had not had a huge wedding then none of this would’ve happened. Anyways Lauren is happily planning her wedding when she receives a card with the words “he does not love you“ written on it. There is also a creepy doll that resembles Lauren with a slashed up wedding dress. This is followed up by missing phones, miscommunications, doubts, and secrets. Not only was I questioning if Lauren and Adam would ever say “I do“, I was questioning if they should.

This was an addictive fast paced story. The narrative bounced between past and present. Lauren is a very likable character and you really want her to have her big day. Adam on the other hand, I still am not quite sure about him. There was a large cast of secondary characters and I was seriously suspicious of all of them at one point or another. But I do have to say at about 75% I was pretty certain of the culprit. Even though I knew the who I wasn’t quite sure why until it was revealed. I’m still not sure how I feel about the end it was slightly over the top. A fun read with some pretty wild twists.

This book in emojis 👰🏻‍♀️ 🩺 📱 🖼 🌊

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

About the Book

Just four words were printed in the card. He doesn’t love you.

I’ve been dreaming about this day – marrying Adam, my childhood sweetheart, who I’ve loved for eighteen years.

I didn’t realise the perfect day would turn into the perfect nightmare.

I was so excited to send out the wedding invitations, carefully writing everyone’s names on thick cream paper in beautiful cursive script.

I had no idea I was inviting someone to destroy our marriage.

I couldn’t wait to say ‘I do’ surrounded by loved ones clinking champagne glasses.

I couldn’t imagine that one of them would try to hurt me.

It was meant to be the first day of the rest of our lives.

I never thought it would be the end of my life as I knew it.

We were meant to share our vows, to toast our future. But when the truth comes out, shocking the onlooking guests and ripping my heart out, is a happy ever after possible?

A completely gripping and totally addictive read that will get your blood pressure rising and send shivers down your spine. Fans of Date Night, The Sister-in-Law and The Girl on the Train will devour this twisty, dark and gasp-worthy page-turner in one swift gulp!

Author Bio:

Ruth Heald is a psychological thriller writer from a suburban Buckinghamshire town. She studied Economics at Oxford and then worked in an eclectic mix of sectors from nuclear decommissioning to management consulting.

Seeking a more creative environment, she found a role at the BBC and worked there for nine years before leaving to write full time. Ruth is fascinated by psychology and finding out what drives people to violence, destruction and revenge. She’s married with one daughter and her novels explore our greatest fears in otherwise ordinary, domestic lives.

https://twitter.com/RJ_Heald

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BENEATH HER SKIN and DYING TO BE HER by Greg Olsen **Cover Reveal** @bookouture

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Happy Tuesday all!

You know I’m always up for a good cover reveal – these books both look SO GOOD!💫

About the Books

BENEATH HER SKIN 

The girl was slumped over the edge of the old clawfoot tub, her eyes tiny shards of broken glass, her expression void of anything. Her long, wet hair dripped onto the floor. She was dead. 

 

When the body of troubled teen Katelyn Berkley is found dead in her bathtub, the close-knit community of Port Gamble, Washington is shaken to its core. All signs point to a suicide but what makes her death even more tragic is that Katelyn survived a horrific bus crash ten years ago which took the lives of several young girls and has scarred the town ever since.

 

Hayley and Taylor Ryan are identical twins who grew up with Katelyn and have spent the last 10 years getting over the crash. Ever since that fateful night the twins have shared a secret: they can hear the dead and it soon becomes clear that Katelyn is communicating with them. Whilst the town believes it was a tragic accident, something much darker lies behind Katelyn’s death.

 

And all the time, someone is watching Port Gamble, someone who doesn’t want old secrets to surface…  

 

From the #1 New York Times bestselling author comes a compulsive thriller about two girls’ search to uncover the truth behind their friend’s death, with a touch of supernatural help. Perfect for fans of Melinda Leigh, Robert Dugoni and James Patterson.

 

This book was originally published as ENVY. This new edition has been re-edited since its publication in 2011.


DYING TO BE HER 

Just as the lightning bolt of memory passed, a pair of hands grabbed Olivia’s shoulders and shoved her body backwards against the wooden floor. I’m not going to die here, am I?she thought, though the answer seemed all too clear. Am I?

 

Port Gamble, Washington: When the body of English exchange student Olivia Grant is found at the palatial home of local schoolgirl, Brianna Connors, the town assumes that it was a Halloween prank gone wrong. But when Brianna and her boyfriend Drew are spotted casually shopping the next day, people start to talk: how could they be so unaffected by Olivia’s death? 

 

Twins Hayley and Taylor Ryan have received signs from beyond the grave for as long as they can remember. As the local police piece together the mystery, the girls begin to receive messages suggesting that something darker was at play that night. The killer had a target and they’re not done yet. 

 

When the prime suspects disappear, the twins know that time is running out. But to get to the killer, they will first need to confront a close family member who has harboured a long-held secret and committed the ultimate act of betrayal.

 

From the #1 New York Times bestselling author comes an unputdownable thriller about two girls’ hunt to find a killer on the run, with a touch of supernatural help. Perfect for fans of Melinda Leigh, Robert Dugoni and James Patterson.

 

This book was originally published as BETRAYAL. This new edition has been re-edited since its publication in 2012.

About the Author

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

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

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

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

Have a great day! XOXO Berit

The Bluebell Girls by Barbara Josselsohn **Book Review** @bookouture

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Hello book friends!

Hope you had a fantastic weekend! My sleeping schedule has been all over the place. I think with so much going on in the world I am more stressed out than I’m willing to admit to therefore haven’t been able to sleep much, but that’s a good thing for my reading!🌼

My Thoughts

A sweet, small town, second chance romance. Barbara Josselsohn has written a delightful heartwarming story. This is the second book in the Lake Summers series, but it can absolutely be red as a standalone. The books contain A complete story with the only constant in the series being location and the smoothie guys. Jenna has returned home to Lake Summers with her daughter Sophie to care for her aging mother, Sweet. It always feels good to come back home, but it is also complicated. Jenna is concerned with her mothers health, doesn’t know if it’s better thooo have her stay home or move to a home. And then there’s Troy, the boy next-door who Jenna really never had closure with. To top it all off Suite has Sophie on a wild goose chase searching down an old love who may or may not exist.

Loved the small town feel of the story. The relationships between Jenna her mother Sweet and her daughter Sophie were so authentic and heartwarming. I thought the story was the perfect balance of family drama and second chance romance. Troy was a great love interest, such a good guy you really wanted him to find his happily ever after, even if it wasn’t with Jenna. The mysterious movie star love interest added a whimsical layer to the story. This was just an uplifting feel-good story filled with heart, hope, and nostalgia.

This book in emojis 🐶 ☔️ 🛠 🖼

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

About the Book

Three generations. One summer that will change everything.

Growing up in Lake Summers, Jenna and her mother Sweet were known as the bluebell girls. Jenna was carefree, always running barefoot through their wildflower garden, and no one expected her to live in their little lake house in the Adirondack Mountains forever. But when Sweet’s health declines Jenna must return from her life near New York, and with her own daughter Sophie in tow, their family home comes to life again.

Away from the stress of her recent divorce, Jenna finds comfort in lazy afternoons along the water and long nights watching Sweet tell Sophie stories about her long-lost loves. And when she meets Sweet’s new next-door neighbour Troy, she recognizes him instantly as the boy with whom she shared her first kiss.

Seeing Troy reminds Jenna of just how reckless she once was, but as their feelings resurface, so do the secrets they hide about a tragedy in their past. And with Sweet and Sophie closer than ever before, Jenna is forced to make a choice: will she flee again, or is she finally brave enough to be honest with Troy and settle down in Lake Summers forever?

An unforgettable romance that will whisk you away to the sunny shores of Lake Summers. Perfect for fans of Carolyn Brown, Debbie Macomber, Mary Alice Monroe and anyone who’s ever dreamed of rekindling a long-lost love.

About the Author

Barbara Josselsohn is an award-winning journalist and novelist who loves crafting stories about strong protagonists facing a fork in the road. Her novels center around second chances, family relationships and, of course, romance. She is the author of the Lake Summers series set in the fictional town of Lake Summers, nestled in the Adirondacks Mountains, which includes the books The Lilac House and The Bluebell Girls. Before joining with Bookouture, she published The Last Dreamer, a women’s-fiction novel from Lake Union Publishing, along with hundreds of articles and essays in major and regional publications about family, home and relationships. She lives just north of New York City and enjoys escaping to the beach or the mountains whenever she can. Other than writing, her biggest passion is her family: husband, her three kids, and her indefatigable shih-poo! 
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Never Say No by Elizabeth Neep **Book Review** @bookouture

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Happy weekend all!

Well it is HOT here! Yesterday it was 116°F and it is supposed to be hotter tomorrow? It’s enough already! When is it going to be 2021?🐶🙃

My Thoughts

An engaging story with a Devil Wears Prada vibe. Elizabeth Neep once again completely entertained me with her fabulous storytelling. Hailey has just made a major life move. She is starting a new job at a top law firm with the only and first female partner at the firm, Vivian. Wanting to make a good impression Hailey is willing to do everything and anything, even if that includes a whole lot of nothing except fetching coffee. Then one day Hailey finds her boss in a compromising position and soon thereafter she is Vivian‘s right hand woman. But success at work leads to sacrifice of her personal life. Her long time boyfriend Dom and best friend Sophie are patient and supportive. BUT hailey starts to push things a little too far as she begins to wonder if she wants more out of life? But is the grass really greener on the other side of the boardroom?

What a treat this book was! Loved Hailey and loved hating Vivian. Hailey was so conflicted about what she wanted out of life, so trapped by the need to please everyone. Dom and Sophie were great characters so supportive. It was interesting watching Hailey’s inner conflict between the shiny and new and the old and comfortable. My only small complaint with the book is I wish Dom were better developed as a character. I really got that he was a good guy and cared for Hailey but I would’ve liked to have seen a little more depth to his personality. This wasn’t the story I was anticipating when I started this book, what I got was so much more!

This book in emojis 👩🏻‍💼 ☕️ 🍾 👠 💍

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

About the Book

It’s always been yes. Yes, I’ll be your friend. Yes, I’ll be your girlfriend. Yes, I’ll move in with you. Yes, yes, yes. I can’t just change my mind now. Can I?

Hailey has always been told she can have it all. And saying yes to every opportunity that comes her way seems like the obvious way to make sure she gets it.

When she finds an engagement ring hidden in her boyfriend Dom’s closet, she knows she’ll say yes.

Her best friend Sophie suggests they run a marathon together and although Hailey hasn’t done more than sprint for a bus in years, she says yes.

And every time her new boss, the infamous Vivian Jones, asks her to stay late (again) at her dream job, the answer is always yes.

But somewhere between saying ‘yes’ to Vivian’s latest demands and still trying to make it home on time for boxsets and burritos on the sofa with Dom, Hailey has lost sight of what she really wanted in the first place.

Far from winning at life, Hailey feels like she is fighting to juggle two very different worlds. When those worlds finally collide, could having it all actually mean losing everything?

Fans of Mhairi McFarlane, Holly Bourne and The Devil Wears Prada will adore this funny, heart-felt and honest look at navigating those moments in life where you reach a crossroads and have to decide who and what it is you want to be.  

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