Urbane Advent Calendar: COVER REVEAL

Thanks for following over the last few days as I opened the doors on my Urbane Advent Calendar to reveal what so many crime fiction fans have been waiting for: the new Simon Michael book!  

If you have been following my blog for a while, you will know that I am a HUGE fan of Simon Michael's Charles Holborne series.  I am absolutely delighted to announce that the fourth book in the series, Corrupted, is due to be published by Urbane Publications in June 2018 and I have been given the honour of revealing the fabulous cover.  

I asked Matthew Smith of Urbane Publications to tell us a little bit about Corrupted:

Urbane Publications is delighted to announce the signing of Corrupted, bestselling crime author Simon Michael’s fourth novel in the popular Charles Holborne thriller series. 

Set in London during the swinging Sixties, Corrupted follows the further adventures of barrister Charles Holborne - East End boy made good. Following the events of The Lighterman, Charles is building his reputation as a brilliant murder trial lawyer and living the good life with partner Sally. But he can’t escape the influences – and dangers – of the past, and finds himself drawn once more into the orbit of the notorious Kray twins. It’s not long before Charles is courting scandal – and threats to his very life – when investigating a sex ring that involves not just the Krays and the Mafia, but goes to the very echelons of the country’s power. From East End boxing clubs to sleazy gay sex parties, Corrupted presents Charles with his most dangerous and challenging case yet, one that could destroy not just his career but everything he holds dear.

Well, I simply CAN'T WAIT for June to continue Charlie Holborne's story.  If you've not discovered this series yet, catch up now by clicking the below links for each book to read my reviews and buy your own copies.  You won't regret it - this is Britcrime at its very best!

THE BRIEF: my review / buy from Amazon / buy from Urbane

AN HONEST MAN: my review / buy from Amazon / buy from Urbane

THE LIGHTERMAN: my review / buy from Amazon / buy from Urbane

BLOG TOUR: Only One Woman - Christina Jones & Jane Risdon

Two women, one love story. June 1968. Renza falls head over heels for heartthrob guitarist Scott. But after a romantic summer together they are torn apart when Renza’s family moves away. December 1968. On the night she believes to be her last, Stella meets Scott at a local dance. He’s the most beautiful boy she’s ever seen and if this one night is all they have, she’ll take it. As the final colourful year of the sixties dawns, the question is: can there be only one woman for Scott?

What did I think?

Well, before reading Only One Woman I thought almost 500 pages for chicklit was FAR too long, but in this case it was definitely not long enough!  Oh, how I wanted to continue the story of Renza, Stella and Scott, even though I had already read 500 pages of their story;  I was left begging and thirsty for more!

I admit to feeling a little bit daunted that this book was so huge on my kindle, but once I started it I really didn't want it to end.  The story of Renza falling in love with guitarist, Scott, was so sweet and heartrending that I fell in love with the couple myself.  So when Renza moved to Germany and Stella came on the scene to threaten the perfect life we had built for Renza and Scott, I felt my heckles rise and I SO wanted to hate her, but I didn't.  I felt like Scott; how could I love two women when only one can ever win?

This was SO very cleverly written in the form of diary entries.  We are introduced to teenager, Renza, falling in love for the first time with band-member Scott.  She is so sweet and innocent, but when she moves to Germany it isn't long before Scott's roving eye finds another target.  Don't get me wrong, Scott isn't looking to replace Renza but there's something so very special about Stella, which is why I couldn't hate her!  I really defy anyone to pin their colours to any one mast - Renza and Stella are both so very special and, through the marvellous writing of Christina Jones and Jane Risdon, we get to know them as if they are part of ourselves.

I absolutely adore the sixties vibe that was so cleverly woven throughout this book.  I found myself humming the tunes that were mentioned and felt as if I had been transported to the colourful sixties era.  The insecurities of new love were laid out in full view via diary entries from Renza and Stella, and I felt as if I was there reading the pages over their shoulder.  Oh, how I longed for one or the other to conquer Scott's heart but, at the same time, I didn't want the other to lose.  I don't think I can ever successfully describe the conflict going on in my head as I raced through this epic swinging sixties novel.  When there are two people you love and one of them has to lose, how on earth can you choose?

What a glorious technicolour ride this was: Only One Woman manages to make the reader fall in love with two women and I really felt as if I should be able to choose between them, but I simply couldn't!  I honestly believe that every reader will want both women to get their man, so to which mast will you pin your colours?  Renza or Stella?  YOU DECIDE!

I chose to read an ARC and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

Buy it from Amazon


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