Three Bags Full - Leonie Swann

On a hillside near the quaint Irish village of Glennkill, the flock gathers around the dead body of their shepherd, George, who lies pinned to the ground with a spade. George cared deeply for the sheep, reading to them daily, and as a result they are far smarter than your average flock.

Led by Miss Maple, the sharpest sheep in Glennkill (and possibly the world), they set out to find George's killer. With an assortment of woolly investigators on the case, there are furtive missions into the village and a collection of two-legged suspects to chew over.

Dazzingly original, Three Bags Full introduces a band of detectives who are a breed apart.

What did I think?

As soon as I heard that Hugh Jackman was starring in Three Bags Full, a movie about sheep detectives, I just had to read the book that the film is based on and it is every bit as fun and unique as I thought it would be.

I do love a cast of characters in a book and Three Bags Full starts with a 'dramatis oves' to introduce the reader to all of the sheep characters in the book.  I loved this - it adds an element of fun to the book but also reminds us that animals have their own quirks and characteristics too.

The flock love George their shepherd, who reads to them every night and has promised them a trip to Europe, so they are completely distraught to find him dead one day.  There are lots of clues for them to follow to identify the murderer, starting with the spade that has been stuck in him and the hoofprint on his chest.  When the villagers gather round, they don't realise that the sheep are listening...

Oh I did enjoy this book, it is so much fun and I loved all of the sheep characters.  The sheep don't think like humans so I did sometimes struggle with what on earth they were talking about and I still don't know what 'the thing' is but I've had fun trying to work it out.  The mystery of George's death is very well plotted and I would never have worked it out in a million years, so well played Leonie Swann, well played indeed.

Highly original and impossible to predict, Three Bags Full is an unusual, fun and surprising murder mystery.  If you love cosy mysteries and you're looking for something different to read then I would highly recommend Three Bags Full.  I can't wait to see the movie now, even though I know whodunnit.

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

My rating:

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The Survivors - Caroline Mitchell

A fatal car crash with only one witness—but is she telling the truth?

On a winding cliff edge on the wild Irish coast, two cars collide. In one is Maura Claffey’s niece, Finn, and her baby daughter. In the other, Kathryn with her own newborn—and her own secrets. Both women survive, but one of the girls does not.

In the aftermath, bruised and heavily medicated, both women struggle to come to terms with what happened that day. Recovering at Maura’s home, Finn’s confused thoughts continually return to her recently deceased mother, who left Ireland under mysterious circumstances, but Maura won’t be drawn into revealing anything. Meanwhile Kathryn, certain that she’s being lied to about the crash, goes in dogged pursuit of the truth.

Only Maura has the answer. Only she was watching that day. But she won’t let anyone get in the way of what she wants…

 

What did I think?

Wow Caroline Mitchell has written another absolute corker of a book!  This gripping and twisty book shocked and surprised me from start to finish and just when I thought I knew what was going on, Caroline Mitchell pulled the rug right from underneath me.

The story is told from three different point of views: Maura, Finn and Kathryn.  Finn is on the way to visit her Aunt Maura when she is involved in a road traffic accident with Kathryn.  Both Finn and Kathryn are driving with their baby daughters in the car and there is one devastating fatality.  Finn's Aunt Maura was first on the scene but she is a very unreliable witness as she is completely unhinged...and dangerous.

OMG!  I was on tenterhooks throughout the whole of this book during Finn's recovery and Kathryn's turmoil.  Honestly, Maura Claffey makes Annie Wilkes from Misery look like a sweet and caring aunty.  I just didn't know how many versions of Maura there were or which one was going to make an appearance today.  I did feel sorry for her though as growing up in the shadow of her twin left deep scars that will never heal.

It's the sign of a good psychological thriller when you feel like you have been blindfolded and spun around so you can't tell which way is up never mind what is going to happen next.  I loved that I was completely blindsided by every twist in this gripping tale and I was thrilled by every single reveal.  

Fast-paced, gripping and twisty, The Survivors is unpredictable and unputdownable.  A very highly recommended read and an easy five stars.

I received a gifted copy for the Tandem Collective readalong and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

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BLOG TOUR: The Bookshop Ladies - Faith Hogan

Bestselling Irish writer, Faith Hogan, has created another gripping saga of friendship, betrayal and secrets in this story of a widow in search of answers to a shocking confession by her dying husband.

Joy Blackwood has no idea why her French art dealer husband has left a valuable painting to a woman called Robyn Tessier in Ballycove, a small town on the west coast of Ireland, but she is determined to find out.

She arrives in Ballycove to find that Robyn runs a rather chaotic and unprofitable bookshop. She is shy, suffering from unrequited love for dashing Kian, and badly in need of advice on how to make the bookshop successful.

As Joy becomes entangled in the daily dramas of Ballycove, uncovering the secrets behind her husband's painting grows increasingly challenging. When she finally musters the courage to confront the truth, her revelation sends shockwaves through the tight-knit community she's grown to love.

 

What did I think?

Faith Hogan is one of my favourite authors and I didn't think I could love one of her Ballycove books more than I already do and then she goes and writes one set in a bookshop.  As well as books, it is of course filled with drama, secrets and the wonderful Ballycove community spirit.

I had tears in my eyes before I had even finished the dramatic prologue as Joy's life changed forever in the blink of an eye.  Not only does Joy have her own grief to deal with, she is rocked by a confession her husband made with his final breath.  Joy leaves her home in Paris and sets of to Ballycove in Ireland to hand deliver a painting that her husband has bequeathed in his will.

Joy is rightfully angry but her anger vanishes almost instantly the moment she steps inside the bookshop owned by Robyn Tessier.  Robyn assumes that Joy has come to volunteer for work and Joy is too polite (and a little shellshocked) to set Robyn straight.  It's not ideal to start a friendship with secrets and it gets harder to find the right time to be honest as time goes on, but I could tell that Joy's heart was in the right place and that Ballycove had a firm grip of Joy's heart.

The wonderful community of Ballycove once again plays a huge part in the story and it was lovely to see some old faces that I have come to know and love over the years.  The Bookshop Ladies is a standalone novel though, so you don't need to have read any of the other books to enjoy it.

A book set in a bookshop is a book lover's dream and The Bookshop Ladies is a wonderfully heartwarming and engaging read.  There are books aplenty to delight the bookworms among us but it's the characters who leave a lasting impression on the reader in this very highly recommended read.

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

My rating:

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BLOG TOUR: The Puppet Maker (Detective Alana Mack Book 1) - Jenny O'Brien

The scrap of paper looked as if it had been torn from a diary. The words written in faint pencil. The letters rounded, almost childlike: Please look after her. Her life and mine depend on you not trying to find me. 

 

When Detective Alana Mack arrives at Clonabee police station, in a small Irish seaside town on the outskirts of Dublin, she doesn't expect to find a distressed two-year-old girl sobbing on the floor. Abandoned in a local supermarket, the child tells them her name is Casey. All Alana and her team have to go on is a crumpled note begging for someone to look after her little girl. This mother doesn't want to be found. 

 

Still recovering from a terrible accident that has left Alana navigating a new life as a wheelchair user, Alana finds herself suddenly responsible for Casey while trying to track down the missing mother and solve another missing person's case… a retired newsagent who has seemingly vanished from his home.

 

Forced to ask her ex-husband and child psychiatrist Colm for help, through Forensic Art Therapy, Alana discovers that whatever darkness lies behind the black windows in Casey's crayon drawing, the little girl was terrified of the house she lived in. 

 

Then a bag of human remains is found in a bin, and a chilling link is made – the DNA matches Casey's. 

 

Alana and her team must find the body and make the connection with the missing newsagent fast if she is to prevent another life from being taken. But with someone in her department leaking confidential details of the investigation to the media, can Alana set aside her emotional involvement in this case and find Casey’s mother and the killer before it's too late? 

 

Heart-pounding and totally addictive, The Puppet Maker is the first in the Detective Alana Mack series that will have fans of Ann Cleeves, Angela Marsons and LJ Ross racing through the pages late into the night. 

 

What did I think?

Oh this book chilled me to the bone and I absolutely loved it.  The Puppet Maker is the first book in an exciting new police procedural series starring Detective Alana Mack and I can't wait to read more so I hope Jenny O'Brien is a fast writer.

Alana knows all about prejudice in the workplace as her boss is a blatant misogynist and not only is Alana female, she's also disabled.  Alana may have steel wheels but she also has a rod of steel for a backbone and she is a strong and inspirational team leader.  So you don't want to be in the shoes of the mole in Alana's team when she finds out who is leaking information to the press.

There's a lot going on in the story to keep the reader hooked and the police busy.  There's the heartbreaking story of a little girl abandoned in a supermarket, a gruesome discovery in a bin and a missing person.  All seemingly unrelated...or are they?

Just thinking about the 'puppet maker' makes my skin crawl but I also felt really sad as it just shows how things that happen in your childhood can leave very deep scars.  I liked the way that Jenny O'Brien showed different sides of the perpetrator, almost humanising them without excusing their heinous crimes.

The Puppet Maker is a chilling, heartbreaking and very gripping police procedural novel with characters that I can't wait to meet again.  This may be my first Jenny O'Brien book but it certainly won't be my last.   Very highly recommended.

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

My rating:

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About the author:

Born in Dublin, Jenny O'Brien moved to Wales and then Guernsey, where she tries to find time to write in between working as a nurse and ferrying around 3 teenagers. 

In her spare time she can be found frowning at her wonky cakes and even wonkier breads. You'll be pleased to note she won't be entering Bake-Off. She's also an all-year-round sea swimmer.

Jenny is represented by Nicola Barr of The Bent Agency and published by Storm Publishing and HQ Digital (Harper Collins).

Social Media Links:

Twitter: @ScribblerJB

Instagram: @scribblerjb 

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BLOG TOUR: The Trap - Catherine Ryan Howard

We are told, aren’t we, not to accept lifts from strangers?

And yet that is exactly what she does.

Not only once, but time and again.  And at night.

It's the nightmare scenario that every girl is warned about, and she knows the dangers all too well - but what other choice does she have?

As they drive, she alternates between fear and relief - one moment thinking he is just a good man doing a good thing, the next convinced he's a monster. But when he delivers her safely to her destination, she realizes her fears were unfounded.

And her heart sinks. Because a monster is what she's looking for, to discover what happened to her missing sister.

She will try again tomorrow night. But will the man who took her sister take the bait?

What did I think?

Just reading the blurb of The Trap is enough to give me goose bumps.  This book is brilliantly written with chapters told from different points of view so you get to see inside the mind of a monster and it gave me chills on top of my goose bumps.

If I had a sister and she went missing, I know I would do everything I could to find her but I can't get past the 'Stranger Danger' motto that I still adhere to, even now that I'm in my forties.  It's a very brave and probably stupid thing to do to try to set a trap to catch an abductor but it does make for heart-pounding reading.

The Trap is so very cleverly written and I had the rug pulled out from under me as everything I thought I knew about the missing sister turned out to be wrong.  Yay!  Reading books is one time I'm more than happy to be wrong though, as it means the author has played a blinder.  So, well played Catherine Ryan Howard!

It's really interesting to read Catherine Ryan Howard's inspiration for the story in the Author's Note as I had completely forgotten that I saw missing posters when I was a child in the 1970s and I can even remember the girl's name on it.  That sort of thing stays with you and it's really sad to think that nobody ever knew what happened to their missing family member.

Clever, creepy and chilling, The Trap is a disturbing and intriguing novel that held my interest throughout and I really enjoyed it.  Catherine Ryan Howard's intelligent and crafty plot gave my brain a little workout, especially at the end where my initial 'huh?' was transformed into an 'oh!'.

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

My rating:

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About the author:

CATHERINE RYAN HOWARD is an internationally bestselling author from Cork, Ireland. Her work has been shortlisted for the CWA's John Creasey New Blood and Ian Fleming Steel Dagger awards, and in 2019 her novel THE LIAR'S GIRL was a finalist for the Edgar Award for Best Novel. THE NOTHING MAN was a no. 1 bestseller in her native Ireland. She currently lives in Dublin, where she divides her time between the desk and the sofa.

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BLOG TOUR: Winter People - Gráinne Murphy

The wild Atlantic coast of Ireland.

Three strangers.

One question: who are we without the people who love us?

Sis Cotter has lived her whole life in a small house by her beloved beach. Here, she grew up, reared her family, and buried her husband. Now her children are far away and, in three days, her house will be taken from her.

Next door, Lydia has withdrawn from her husband, her friends, her life. She watches the sea as her own private penance for a wrong she can never put right.

Peter’s best friend is dying, and his long-time foster mother is slowly forgetting who he is. Adrift without his two anchors, and struggling with the ethics of displacing people for a living, he looks for something to remind him of who he is and who he wants to be.

Winter People is a story of forgiveness, resilience, and the power of the sea to unlock what we are most afraid to say.

 

What did I think?

Winter People is a literary feast for the eyes; it's so beautifully written with calm, gentle and soothing prose that reminded me of small waves lapping the shore.  The cover itself perfectly encapsulates the keen sense of place that is evident throughout the novel and I could look at this gorgeous artwork for hours.

There are three characters: Sis, Lydia and Peter, and three parts to the book: Storm, Sea and Sky.  I loved the layout of the three parts that brought the coastal atmosphere to the front of my mind and the long chapters that allowed me to really get to know the characters.  Each character has their own demon to face and Gráinne Murphy explores this sensitively and exquisitely.

This novel may be described as a slow burn but that's the best way to fully appreciate the sublime writing.  The cover of the novel mentions three days, three strangers, one question but I have to say that I wouldn't have been able to tell you what the question was if it wasn't in the blurb.  I think perhaps it's there if you look for it but I was carried away with the rhythm of the prose and simply enjoyed the beautiful writing.

Beautifully written, Winter People is a wonderful literary novel that should be savoured rather than devoured.  Gráinne Murphy is an author to watch and Winter People has the feel of a classic novel that will be enjoyed for generations.

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

My rating:

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BLOG TOUR: Virgin & Child - Maggie Hamand

A genre-busting, gender-bending Vatican thriller. What happens when everything you know is thrown into doubt?

And you’re the Pope?

The recently elected Irish Pope Patrick has plans for his future Church. Then he is attacked in St Peter’s Square. Cardinals turn against him. Shocking revelations threaten his traditional status and his faith. In this novel where nothing is as it seems, Catholicism and modern morality are held in tension. Pope Patrick has to face challenges and make choices he could never have imagined.

 

What did I think?

I was so intrigued by the synopsis of this novel that I just had to read it and I am so pleased that I did as I have never read anything like it.

Patrick is set to make history as the first Irish pope but his tenure may be short-lived when he finds himself in an impossible predicament.  The church will not survive such a scandal but its position is clear so Patrick has quite a dilemma.  Does he go against the church and his own beliefs or does he bring down the church and papacy?

What a dilemma!  It's so easy for people in power to make and enforce rules when it doesn't apply to them, but as soon as it affects them they want to break the very same rules.  It feels like almost every action and thought is a sin in Catholicism, but hypocrisy is more of a sin than the original sin, in my opinion.  I'm being purposefully vague about the highly original plot as it's really one to be experienced for yourself.

Maggie Hamand's groundbreaking novel is beautifully written and completely enthralling.  Brave, bold, powerful and incredibly thought-provoking, Virgin & Child prompts so much debate that I have continued to talk about it long after turning the final page.

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

My rating:

Buy it from:

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About the author:

Maggie Hamand is a London-based novelist, journalist, and non-fiction author. She was the winner of the first World One-Day Novel cup and her novel, The Resurrection of the Body, has been optioned for film and television. Maggie followed a degree in Biochemistry and a Master’s in Theology with a PhD in Creative Writing, and lectures at the University of Hull.

Maggie has also taught at Morley College, Holloway Prison, and London University of the Arts. She pioneered creative writing teaching in London through The Complete Creative Writing Course at The Groucho Club, and is the author of the best-selling Creative Writing for Dummies and Creative Writing Exercises for Dummies. As a publisher, Maggie founded and ran the acclaimed independent The Maia Press. Maggie’s home is in Hackney, while Normandy provides a writing retreat. For more information visit: www.maggiehamand.com

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BLOG TOUR: My Heart Went Walking - Sally Hanan

 

The only man she's ever loved is seeing her sister.

And now they have to save her together.

Sally Hanan's sublime debut mixes the prose of Sue Monk Kidd with the dialogue of Maeve Binchy. With captivating warmth, she pulls us in to how it felt to live and love in Ireland's changing culture of the '80s, and how it often made a woman's decisions for her.

"I can't bear to keep walking. But you can't keep a secret in this town unless you leave with it."

Kept apart by their love for one man, two sisters embark on their own paths towards survival, love, and understanding, until all three finally meet again in the worst of circumstances. And the reality might break them all.

My Heart Went Walking is a heartbreakingly beautiful novel that sweeps from the small Irish town of Donegal to the "big smoke" of Dublin City; a book that celebrates the pull of family and the chance of redemption. It is a novel for everyone who feels connected to the Irish approach to life-that of grit and laughter-and also for everyone who loves an overriding message of hope and restoration in all things.

What did I think?

One of the best things about book blogging is finding new authors you may not have otherwise discovered and it would be a travesty to miss Sally Hanan's fabulous debut novel.  I simply adored it and I really didn't expect to love it as much as I did.

Una and Cullen are the best of friends and they tell each other everything...that is until Una has a secret that she can't share with him.  Una runs away from her family and a potential future with Cullen because staying in Donegal would break her heart.  Making a new life for herself in Dublin shows Una's strength of character and I can totally understand why she ran away but there are so many heartbreaking sliding door moments when her life could have changed.  

Sally Hanan's stunning fiction debut is so heartwarming and achingly poignant that I felt completely bereft when I turned the final page.  As with real life, there are so many 'what ifs' and 'if onlys' but what if everything turns out just the way it's supposed to.  Told from the points of view of Una, her sister Ellie and Cullen, the boy they both love, I devoured every single beautiful word in this delightful novel.

Filled with Irish charm and lyrical prose, My Heart Went Walking is a truly gorgeous novel of family life and unconditional love.  It's an absolute pleasure to read and a true hidden gem from the Emerald Isle.  I can't recommend it highly enough.

Many thanks to Hannah from Hargrave PR for sending me an ARC to read and review; this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

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BLOG TOUR: The Ghostlights - Gráinne Murphy

 

Can we ever truly escape our past?

The Ghostlights is the poignant story of a family of Irish women who are each looking for the real meaning of home. This is a novel about family, obligation, identity and small-town life, written with deftness and sensitivity by the author of Where the Edge Is.

When a stranger checks into a family B&B – in a small village in rural Ireland – no one takes too much notice... at least until his body is found in the lake four days later.

The identity of the unknown guest raises questions for polar opposite twin sisters Liv and Marianne and their mother Ethel, all of whom feel trapped by the choices they made earlier in life. They each find themselves forced to confront their past, their present and what they really want from their future.

The new novel from Gráinne Murphy, whose short fiction has been longlisted for 2021 Sunday Times Audible Short Story Award.

What did I think?

Gráinne Murphy's debut Where the Edge Is is a beautiful novel that has stayed in my mind since I turned the final page over a year ago, so I was eager to read her second novel, The Ghostlights.  Inspired by a true story, The Ghostlights captured me in its spell and my eyes refused to leave the page as I devoured every single beautifully written word in just two sittings.

I continue to be absolutely gobsmacked by Gráinne Murphy's stunning characterisation.  The characters are so well developed that they feel like real people and I felt as if I was peeking into their lives through a hidden camera.  Twins Liv and Marianne, their mother Ethel and Liv's son Shay are completely unforgettable as they were brought to life before my eyes.  They could certainly be described as a dysfunctional family as they all have a lot going on behind the scenes, but I won't spoil the plot by saying any more than that.

It's sad to think that the story of the stranger checking into the B&B before committing suicide is based on a true story but it really makes you wonder how frequently this sort of thing occurs.  I'm sure a lot more than I can even imagine.  As to what lures people to their deaths, could it be the mysterious ghostlights of folklore?  

I loved the references to the changelings and ghostlights of Irish folklore as Gráinne Murphy reminds us that 'real' fairies are nothing like the Disney version.  I also couldn't help smiling at the story about the swaying Virgin Mary statue, mainly because I remembered the hilarious episode from Father Ted, but I didn't realise that the famous reports of moving statues in Ireland all occurred during the summer of 1985.  Of course, I was off googling for hours after this!

Beautifully written with subtle notes of Irish humour, The Ghostlights is a mesmerising and immersive novel.  It's a 4.5 rounded up to 5 stars from me and I'm sure it will be another Gráinne Murphy that I will never forget.

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

My rating:

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BLOG TOUR: Waiting for the Miracle - Anna McPartlin

 

2010

Caroline has hit rock bottom. After years of trying, it's clear she can't have children, and the pain has driven her and her husband apart. She isn't pregnant, her husband is gone, and her beloved dog is dead.

The other women at her infertility support group have their own problems, too. Natalie's girlfriend is much less excited about having children than her. Janet's husband might be having an affair. And then there's Ronnie, intriguing, mysterious Ronnie, who won't tell anyone her story.

1976

Catherine is sixteen and pregnant. Her boyfriend wants nothing to do with her, and her parents are ashamed. When she's sent away to a convent for pregnant girls, she is desperate not to be separated from her child. But she knows she might risk losing the baby forever.

What did I think?

I know it might be hard to believe but I hadn't read an Anna McPartlin book before picking up her new book Waiting for the Miracle, but what a wonderful book it is to introduce me to this fabulous author.  Although I love reading paperbacks, for once I was glad to be reading on kindle as my pages would have been well soggy with all the tears I shed.

Caroline's story starts with a bang when she loses everything in one day.  I was absolutely furious with her husband and his terrible timing but I was more upset about the dog.  The author's ability to produce such emotions in the reader at such an early point in the book is astonishing.  I knew I was in for a ride on the emotional rollercoaster from the very start and what a ride it is.

The addition of Catherine's story in a dual timeline that takes the reader back to 1976 Ireland is completely heartrending, it's a disturbing time where young pregnant girls were sent away to give birth in convents.  It's a true story we hear often with babies being separated from mothers and searching for them many years later, only to be hit with a brick wall as the church closes ranks.  Catherine's treatment in the convent is disturbing and shocking, especially when she gives birth.  I don't know how nuns such as these managed to live with themselves, all the while believing they are doing a forgiving God's work.

Caroline is part of an infertility group and I loved all of the women in the group.  Newcomer Ronnie seems to be holding back so my desire to uncover her story was immense.  I was also incredibly intrigued to find out how Catherine's story was going to fit into the storyline and I had an idea but of course I was wrong.  Reading books is one time when I love being wrong; it means that the author has successfully misdirected me and given me a wonderful surprise.

Heart-shatteringly breathtaking, I read Waiting for the Miracle with a lump in my throat and I was left in bits at the end.  I lived and breathed these women's lives with them, fully experiencing every moment of joy and sadness that rendered me powerless to stop the tears from falling.  

A stunning and very highly recommended novel but make sure you have a packet of tissues handy while you're reading.

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

My rating:

Buy it from:

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About the author:

Anna McPartlin is a novelist and scriptwriter from Dublin, who has written for TV serial dramas featured on BBC UK, RTE Ireland and A&E America. She has been writing adult fiction for over ten years, and also writes for children under the name Bannie McPartlin. She lives with her husband Donal and their four dogs.

To learn more about Waiting for the Miracle follow Anna on Twitter at: @annamcpartlin & Instagram: @mcpartlin.anna

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BLOG TOUR: The Ladies' Midnight Swimming Club - Faith Hogan

 

Three women. Three different stages of life. United by one thing: the chance to start again.

'Uplifting, emotional and brimming with warmth and humour' – Cathy Bramley

When Elizabeth's husband dies, leaving her with crippling debt, the only person she can turn to is her friend, Jo. Soon Jo has called in her daughter, Lucy, to help save Elizabeth from bankruptcy. Leaving her old life behind, Lucy is determined to make the most of her fresh start.

As life slowly begins to return to normal, these three women, thrown together by circumstance, become fast friends. But then Jo's world is turned upside down when she receives some shocking news.

In search of solace, Jo and Elizabeth find themselves enjoying midnight dips in the freezing Irish Sea. Here they can laugh, cry and wash away all their fears. As well as conjure a fundraising plan for the local hospice that will bring the whole community together...

From bestselling Irish writer Faith Hogan, The Ladies' Midnight Swimming Club is an emotional story about finding new friends and living life to the fullest, that will appeal to fans of Sheila O'Flanagan, Heidi Swain and Liz Fenwick.

What did I think?

Faith Hogan has done it again!  Her latest novel, The Ladies' Midnight Swimming Club is an absolutely beautiful book; once again Faith Hogan writes from the heart and will warm the heart of every single reader who picks up this book.

We return to Ballycove (the setting of The Place We Call Home) on the west coast of Ireland to meet three fabulous ladies: Elizabeth, Jo and Lucy.  Although it's my second visit to Ballycove, The Ladies' Midnight Swimming Club is a standalone novel with only a brief mention of the Corrigans who featured in Faith Hogan's earlier book.  I felt like I was waving to old friends when they were mentioned; that's how deep Faith Hogan's novels bury themselves into your heart, however, nothing could have prepared me for the impact of The Ladies' Midnight Swimming Club.

Elizabeth has just discovered the extent of her husband's debt following his death and can't see how she can keep her home, never mind keep the doctor's surgery running when she needs to find a new GP.  Jo suggests that her daughter Lucy might be willing to help Elizabeth; Lucy is a doctor in a Dublin hospital and welcomes the change of pace a move back home will bring, besides she can keep a closer eye on Jo as we all know how much our loved ones like to tell us that everything is ok in the brief time we spend with them.

In a story that is a cross between The Calendar Girls and Philomena, the women of the town all come together to take a midnight dip for charity and a stranger arrives in search of answers in the abandoned old convent.  I laughed and cried but mainly smiled my way through The Ladies' Midnight Swimming Club.  Faith Hogan's writing is so uplifting that even the sad bits are heartwarmingly beautiful.  This is a truly gorgeous novel that I will never forget and it's one I most definitely want to read again.

The Ladies' Midnight Swimming Club is Faith Hogan's best novel yet (and her others are pretty amazing); I really didn't want my visit to Ballycove to end.  This breathtaking novel is so full of life that it beats in time with your own heart and burrows its way in to ensure you will never forget it.  Heartwarming, beautiful and filled with emotion, The Ladies' Midnight Swimming Club is an outstanding novel that I really can't recommend highly enough.

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

My rating:

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Amazon: https://amzn.to/2PtPN2C

Kobo: https://bit.ly/2Pv0K3X

Google Play: https://bit.ly/3vrHN1y

Apple: https://apple.co/3sX4XuP

Bookshop.org: https://bit.ly/3aNtmwL

Waterstones: https://bit.ly/32SOgWP

Easons (Ireland only): https://bit.ly/3sUxpNX

About the author:

Faith Hogan is an Irish award-winning and bestselling author of five contemporary fiction novels. Her books have featured as Book Club Favorites, Net Galley Hot Reads and Summer Must Reads. She writes grown up women's fiction which is unashamedly ulifting, feel good and inspiring.

She is currently working on her next novel. She lives in the west of Ireland with her husband, four children and a very busy Labrador named Penny. She's a writer, reader, enthusiastic dog walker and reluctant jogger - except of course when it is raining!

Follow Faith:

Facebook: @faithhoganauthor

Twitter: @gerhogan

Website: www.Facebook/FaithHogan.com

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