BOOKSTAGRAM TOUR: Bad Winner - Frankie Chase

An epic, unsettling and darkly comic adventure thriller set between a stifling England and the wilds of Colombia.

Black sheep Bea craves freedom as much as her populist dad craves power. Intent on estranging her bigoted family, Bea’s embroiled herself in debt working a dead-end job planning competition prizes, gambling and drinking to forget. She whiles away the hours daydreaming, sparring with sociopathic brother Jonathan, a luxury masculine lifestyle blogger, and winning petty rebellions against boyfriend ‘Gray Ham’, a finance man with all Daddy’s aspirations but none of his charisma.

As the general election looms larger, pressure begins to mount, because Bea’s family rely on her silence to keep ruinous secrets buried. So when a particularly strong dose of escapism catapults her to Colombia, she crash-lands in real danger, Jonathan hot on her heels. Sobering up alongside stranger and partner-in-crime Marcel, she’s dragged kicking and screaming across the bumpy terrain of self-discovery. The body count rises as her battle for freedom becomes a bloody fight for survival, then a furious race for revenge.

 

What did I think?

The crazy cover might give you some indication how feral this book is so be prepared for a wild and very bumpy ride when you pick up Frankie Chase's debut novel Bad Winner.

I felt dizzy reading about Bea's antics and I have to admit it sometimes felt like I'd put my brain through a blender trying to keep up with her!  I can definitely say that I had no idea what would happen next but I really enjoyed finding out.

Whilst Bea is travelling through Colombia (and leaving a trail of destruction in her wake) there are some intriguing flashback chapters that show just how dysfunctional her family really are.  It's pretty dark at times but I raced through the final chapters as it looked like Bea was about to get her revenge.

Surreal and a bit trippy, Bad Winner is a book that is filled with danger, drama and a lot of rage.  Expect the unexpected when you read it and you'll still be wrong!  I felt like I'd just woken up from a fever dream when I turned the final page and Bea is such a strong and feisty character that she will be impossible to forget.  I'm not sure what genre the books falls into but much like Bea herself, it would refuse to be put into a box anyway.

What a ride!  Thanks to Love Books Tours for sending me a digital copy to read and review for the bookstagram tour; this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

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UK.Bookshop.org

Amazon

BOOKSTAGRAM TOUR: The Truro-Bound Coach and Four - Mark Butterworth

In the shimmering heat of summer, 1795, Kit and Samuel Cade are returning to Cornwall, taking the coach and four from London to Truro. Their travelling companions each have their own challenges and stories, and they are thrown together as they face the perils of stormy weather and the dangers of the road.

Lieutenant Edward Pascoe, badly wounded in a naval battle with the French, is heading home to begin a new life in Cornwall. He finds himself captivated by the beautiful Bethany Strange, yet she holds a secret that brings him further pain. Will Kit ever be able to see the shy governess, Alice, again?

The wealthy and sophisticated Mrs Meredith Darling has inherited a Cornish estate that she is uncertain she wants. Turning to Samuel Cade for guidance, she forms an unexpected friendship with him, but can they overcome the difference in their ages?

Will the stagecoach reach Cornwall safely, free from attack by highwaymen, and will love blossom during the week-long journey?

 

What did I think?

I enjoyed The Truro-Bound Coach and Four; it's a very charming story that made me feel very grateful about how easily we can travel from A to B these days.

There's a map at the start of the book showing the journey from London to Truro which is roughly 280 miles and would take around 5 hours by car today.  Back in 1795 though, travellers took a coach and four that stopped off at various locations so the horses could rest.  What a long and arduous journey this must have been!  

Anyone who could afford to travel by coach and four, especially with the luxury of an inside seat, would very likely encounter highwaymen along the way.  The coach and four journey is beautifully described by Mark Butterworth and I love how he balances the danger and mundanity of travel with a hint of romance.  The travellers may have started as strangers but they finish as friends due to the shared experience of the journey.

It's a very gently paced book but I rather enjoyed the change of pace.  I was completely invested in the characters and wanted them to reach their destination safely.  The story and the style of writing has the feel of a modern classic and I absolutely loved how it ended.  It's an atmospheric and enchanting historical fiction novel that is well worth a read.

I received a gifted paperback for the Novel Tours bookstagram tour and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

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Waterstones

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BLOG TOUR: The Reckoning (Glasgow Southside Crime Series Book 5) - Maureen Myant

When a successful businessman is left for dead in a tenement close, police in Glasgow are flummoxed. Who could want him dead? His wife has a strong financial motive but the decoding of a mysterious inscription on his forehead points to a motive of revenge.

Then a second body is found, horribly mutilated, also bearing a message. DS Mark Nicholson and DCI Alex Scrimgeour fear they may have a potential serial killer on their hands. Their fears are realised when two more murders turn out to be connected.

Can Mark keep his mind on the job for long enough to work out how exactly these deaths are related to each other? He has enough worries of his own, what with juggling work, being a single parent to two-year-old Gus and now his boss Alex is edgy and distracted. He’s hiding something, but what?

With the help of DC Megan Webster, Mark vows to catch the twisted killer before they strike again but are they on the right path? Is the killer hiding in plain sight after all?

The gripping fifth book in the Glasgow Southside crime series by CWA shortlisted author Maureen Myant is perfect for fans of JD KIRK and SIMON MCCLEAVE, blending Scottish police procedural with dramatic domestic noir, and a peppering of dark humour.

 

What did I think?

Maureen Myant is an author whose books I read without reading the blurb as I love her books and I know it'll be a good one.  I absolutely love the Glasgow Southside Crime Series and although The Reckoning is book five you can definitely read it as a standalone.

I have read the series from the start so the police characters aren't new to me and I loved catching up with them to find out what's been going on in their eventful lives.  The crime in this instalment is a real page-turner as it's about revenge and it really is a dish that is best served cold.

It's actually heartbreaking to read the perpetrator's story as it shows how the social care system can fail at times and leave already vulnerable people with lasting scars.  The police really have a puzzler on their hands to untangle this one as the bodies start to mount up and they are struggling to work out the identity of the killer.

I simply couldn't read The Reckoning fast enough and read it in two sittings. I loved the crime storyline and also the personal stories of the main characters that kept me invested in the story and eager to read more.

Fast-paced, gripping and thrilling, The Reckoning is a perfectly plotted page-turner that kept me on the edge of my seat from start to finish.  I love this series and can't get enough of it!  It's an easy five stars for this unmissable book.

I received a gifted paperback for the Hobeck Books blog tour and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

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Hobeck Books

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BOOKSTAGRAM TOUR: The Burial Club - Claire Bamford

1864

Even though death is the greatest equaliser, only some can afford a luxurious send-off. Some can manage nothing but a hole in the ground, and some get only what they deserve.

Marianne Walker is nearly twenty-three, with no suitors and a dislike for impractical skirts. She sees and feels things before they happen, just like her mother, but it’s not always clear what her visions are trying to show her. She has to figure that out for herself.

But now she is seeing bloodied hands, and, for the first time, Marianne is scared – her visions always come to pass.

When one of the custodians of the local Friendly Society is found dead, the residents of Hazelbirch are in uproar amid rumours of fraud and dishonesty. With the help of the undertaker’s sister, Marianne begins to realise that not all is as it should be with the society known by the townsfolk as The Burial Club.

Marianne knows only she has been given all the clues to work out what is really going on and find out who has blood on their hands. But can she reveal everybody’s secrets without sacrificing everyone she holds dear?

 

What did I think?

Having loved Claire Bamford's debut novel, The Messenger, I was very excited to read her new book, The Burial Club, and I was not disappointed.  It's a very intriguing mystery with a wonderful paranormal element and a fantastic main character. 

I loved Marianne from the start.  Her mother died when she was young but Marianne is more like her than she realises as her visions can tell the future, she's just not sure how to interpret them.  Marianne knows someone is going to die but she doesn't know who, when or where.

The other mystery is what is happening to the funds that people are paying into 'The Burial Club'?  It's certainly a one-way street with people regularly paying in but not being able to withdraw anything when they need to arrange a funeral.  It's both intriguing and maddening as this is 1864 when people didn't have two pennies to rub together, yet someone is still managing to steal what little they have. 

There is so much mystery and intrigue that I couldn't put the book down and I wasn't going to bed until I had devoured every single word.  Beautifully written, mesmerising and captivating, The Burial Club is a stunning multi-genre novel that will appeal to all readers.  Claire Bamford is certainly one to watch and I'm looking forward to reading whatever she writes next.

I received a gifted ARC for the Novel Tours bookstagram tour and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

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Waterstones

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BLOG TOUR: Christmas at Honeycombe Bay - Lilac Mills

An uplifting, heartwarming seasonal romance set in a quintessential seaside village in Devon, perfect for fans of Holly Martin and Sarah Morgan.

Two Scrooges come together for a festive-free holiday season by the sea and find all their anti-Christmas plans going up in smoke when they decide to play Santa for a single mom and her child.

Eloise Garrett thinks Christmas is overpriced, overhyped, and overrated, and without any family to share it with, she feels sad, lonely and isolated. The “season for giving” is just a constant reminder that she's single, sixty(ish), and staring down retirement. But not this Christmas. Determined to avoid the most magical time of the year, Eloise decides to spend Christmas in Honeycombe Bay. Surely a seaside village in the middle of winter won't be too festive?

Ever since his wife passed away, Bartholomew Knott hasn't felt up to welcoming visitors to his guest house. With the prospect of another long, lonely winter, and having become more Scrooge than Santa over the years, Bart is dreading Christmas. However, when he's contacted by someone who dislikes decking the halls just as much as he does, Bart has the brilliant idea of opening the guest house to people who want to escape all things festive.

Christmas isn't easy to ignore, though, not even in off-season Honeycombe Bay. So when fate forces Bart to give shelter to a single mother and child whose holiday has been devastated by a terrible fire, Eloise finds herself playing Mrs. Claus to Bart's Santa-dragging the house's other guest, a heartbroken teacher looking for a break during the holidays, into the action as well. But holiday cheer isn't the only thing sparking under the mistletoe. Will the guests at Honeycombe Bay realize that, sometimes, the best way to escape Christmas is to let it into your heart?

PERFECT FOR FANS OF

- Small-town Christmas vibes

- Later-in-life romance

- Forced proximity

- Grumpy x sunshine

 

What did I think?

It's a little early for me to read something festive but when I saw that Lilac Mills had a new book out I just had to read it and I absolutely loved Christmas at Honeycombe Bay.

Enjoyment of Christmas is a bit of a bone of contention for me as there could be very good reasons why someone doesn't enjoy the festivities.  That's the case for Eloise who has no family to celebrate with so she decides to escape to the seaside village of Honeycombe Bay on its off-season.

Eloise has to persuade Guest house owner Bart to let her stay over Christmas as running the guest house.on his own after his wife died just isn't the same.  There's no messing with Eloise once she gets an idea into her head though as we sure find out throughout the book.  It's unusual to find an older protagonist in a book and I loved that Eloise and Bart are in their sixties but they still have a lot of living to do. 

As a few more rooms become occupied we are introduced to some unforgettable characters who worked their way into my heart and certainly defrosted Eloise's heart.  It is just so lovely to see friendships blossoming and an eclectic group of people becoming a family.  Consider my heart well and truly warmed!

Charming, heartwarming and uplifting, Christmas at Honeycombe Bay is an absolute delight to read.  I think it's perfect for both festive and pre-festive reading as it's obviously not too Christmassy at first with the characters wanting to avoid Christmas.  Put this one on your Christmas list!  A highly recommended read and an easy five stars.

I received a digital ARC to read and review for the Rachel's Random Resources blog tour and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

Buy it from:

Amazon US

Amazon UK

About the author:

Lilac Mills lives on a Welsh mountain with her very patient husband and incredibly sweet dog, where she grows veggies (if the slugs don't get them), bakes (badly) and loves making things out of glitter and glue (a mess, usually). She's been an avid reader ever since she got her hands on a copy of Noddy Goes to Toytown when she was five, and she once tried to read everything in her local library starting with A and working her way through the alphabet. She loves long, hot summer days in the garden, and cold winter ones snuggled in front of the fire, but whatever the weather she's usually writing or thinking about writing, with heartwarming romance and happy-ever-afters always on her mind.

Lilac also writes under the pseudonyms Liz Davies and Etti Summers

Social Media Links – 

Instagram 

Website 

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BLOG TOUR: The Chase - Felix Francis

RACING IS AN ART WORTH KILLING FOR . . .

The brand new 2026 novel from the master of the racing thriller - now available in hardback and ebook.

Fabian Tulley is only trying to run his own art gallery in London's Mayfair in peace - but someone is determined to ruin his life.

Accused of selling a fake Sir Alfred Munnings painting, he is unable to prove his innocence because the police are holding the piece as evidence.

While running a retail stand at Cheltenham Racecourse, some of his other paintings are vandalised. Then, two men try to run him down in the racecourse car park.

To make matters even worse, his regular clients are threatening to keep away from his gallery and his landlords are trying to terminate his lease. Everything is against him, but with someone trying to destroy his life's work, Fabian resolves not to cave under the pressure.

Saving his business will prove to be the fight of his life - or his death . . .

 

What did I think?

The Chase is my first Felix Francis book and it won't be my last; I absolutely LOVED IT!  I wouldn't normally read a book set in the horse racing world. and I only chose to read it as my Nanna used to read Dick Francis novels, but I'm so glad that I gave it a try.

I really liked Fabian Tully; he's the son of a horse trainer and rather than follow in his father's father's footsteps he's made a name for himself as a reputable art dealer.  That is until he is accused of selling a fake painting and his art gallery starts to resemble a ghost town.

The plot is intricate but easy to follow and it is filled with shocks and surprises.  I learnt a lot about horse racing and art while I was reading and, despite not being subjects I've ever been drawn to, found it incredibly enjoyable. It's very easy to read and difficult to put down once you pick it up.  In fact, I only put it down once and read it in two sittings.

Combining art with horse racing, The Chase is an unputdownable, fast-paced thriller that entertained me from start to finish.  I will definitely be looking to read more books by Felix Francis on the strength of this one.  Very highly recommended.

I received a gifted ARC to read and review for the blog tour and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

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UK.Bookshop.org

Amazon

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BLOG TOUR: You Too (The Millingham Series book 3) - Katharine Light

Anna has finally got what she longed for.

After years of focusing on her career—ignoring the quiet, insistent need for a child—a chance encounter with Rob led to an arrangement that changed everything.

Now she’s pregnant.

But nothing about what comes next is simple. This was never meant to be a relationship. As her pregnancy becomes more difficult, Anna retreats, unwilling to face Rob, or the feelings she can no longer ignore.

Because wanting a baby was one thing. Letting someone in is something else entirely.

Rob always knew their arrangement had limits. He didn’t expect Anna would quickly become the one person he can’t walk away from.

Now, both must decide what they’re willing to fight for. Can they overcome the complications of their own backgrounds and truly build a family together?

Or was their connection never meant to last?

 

What did I think?

You Too is book three in the Millingham series but it can definitely be read as a standalone.  I read book one, Like Me and seem to have missed book two, Me Too but I didn't feel disadvantaged at all as each book focusses on a particular pair of characters.  This is Anna and Rob's story.

Anna has always longed to be a mother but events in her past have caused Anna to protect her frozen heart by not fully committing to relationships.  It might be a problem to get pregnant then!  Enter old schoolfriend Rob, who has always had a thing for Anna, and he agrees to grant Anna's wish.

You hear of women blooming when pregnant but Anna is an older mum and her morning sickness is vicious.  I really liked how Katharine Light wrote about Anna's condition as I think morning sickness isn't treated as anything other than a mild inconvenience so it's good for women to watch out for any warning signs that things might not be quite right.  It's not a spoiler about anything going wrong with Anna's pregnancy, but rather a reminder that women shouldn't suffer in silence.

At the heart of the story is a lovely romance between Anna and Rob.  Rob knew what he signed up for at the beginning but he wants more now and Anna is playing her cards very close to her chest; she doesn't want that frozen heart to melt, after all.  It just shows that you do need to take a risk sometimes and you can never really know what someone is thinking or feeling until you ask them.

Warm, poignant and heartwarming, You Too is a gentle read with thought-provoking issues that are very true to life.  It's easy to read and well worth picking up.

I received a gifted paperback for the Rachel's Random Resources blog tour and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

Purchase link: Amazon

About the author:

Katharine Light was born in Glasgow and lived there until her family moved to Manchester when she was ten. While in her teens, she began writing stories for her younger sister Emma. These mostly centred around a naïve heroine and a 1980s pop star (some would say the hero was modelled on John Taylor of Duran Duran).

She did a degree in psychology at University College London, and after a year travelling, worked in corporate film production for several years, before taking a break to raise her children. 

For many years she wrote mainly during the holidays, around her busy work for a local church.

Her first novel Like Me, published in 2023, was shortlisted for The Selfies Book Awards 2024. Her short story My arms are empty which is based on an episode from her second novel Me Too recently won the City University competition City Writes. 

She is a director of the Romantic Novelists’ Association, with responsibility for organising their conferences, gatherings and awards ceremonies. 

Katharine lives in London with her husband and quite often at least one of their adult children. She loves singing, walking, painting, looking at art, and going to the theatre.

Social Media Links – 

Instagram/Threads – katharinelightwrites1 

Facebook – Katharinelightwrites 

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