BLOG TOUR: House Party - Chloe Ford

A slow-burn romance fifteen years in the making...

Hattie has spent half her life secretly crushing on Freddie - her best friend Sam's irresistibly gorgeous older brother. But Freddie? He's barely spared a glance for Hattie, the girl Sam befriended one fateful New Years' Eve when they discovered they were birthday twins.

Fast-forward to now: Hattie finds herself single for the first time in years - just before the holidays. Enter Sam, who, in classic best-friend fashion, whisks her away to a remote cabin in the Forest of Dean to cheer her up. Snowy woodland views? Check. A crackling fire and a steamy hot tub? Check. Zero cell service, ravenous wild boars, and an incoming snowstorm of apocalyptic proportions? Also check.

And to make matters even more intense, Freddie joins them, unexpectedly. Still infuriatingly gorgeous, and still ridiculously off-limits. Except this time, he's actually noticing Hattie. But then again, maybe he's been noticing her all along.

Fifteen years of longing. One night to change everything. This New Year's Eve, they're playing with fire.

 

What did I think?

The romance may be slow-burn in House Party but it's a binge-worthy book that is impossible to put down.  If you loved Friends (and who didn't?) then you will love House Party as the flashback chapters entitled 'The one where...' reminded me of my favourite TV show.  It also reminded me of the feelings I had after watching Four Weddings and a Funeral, leaving me with a warm glow and a smile on my face.

Hattie and her best friend Sam sort of share a birthday; Sam is 31st December and Hattie is 1st January so they have a triple celebration when they bring in each New Year.  Hattie met Sam on his 14th birthday and they have been inseparable ever since.  Sam sets a condition of their friendship: his older brother Freddie is off limits.  That's fine when Hattie is 13 years old and not that interested in boys but the heart wants what the heart wants and she can't escape Freddie's orbit.

Sam, Hattie and their friends book a lodge in the countryside to celebrate their 29th birthdays and Freddie invites himself along.  When the snow starts to fall the temperature starts to rise and the sexual tension between Freddie and Hattie is so sizzling I'm surprised they didn't turn the snow into a raging flood.

Incredibly romantic and completely addictive, I absolutely loved House Party.  It's a fabulous slow-burn romance that is sure to warm your heart on a cold night.  You'll not need to curl up under a blanket with this book as it will get your pulse racing and your temperature rising on its own merit.  Very highly recommended.

I received a gifted paperback to read and review for the Instagram Tour and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

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The Party - Lisa Hall

It was just a party. But it turned into a nightmare.

When Rachel wakes up in a strange room, the morning after a neighbour’s party, she has no memory of what happened the night before. Why did her husband leave her alone at the party? Did they row? Why are Rachel’s arms so bruised? And why are her neighbours and friends so vague about what really happened?

Little by little, Rachel pieces together the devastating events that took place in a friend’s house, at a party where she should have been safe. Everyone remembers what happened that night differently, and everyone has something to hide. But someone knows the truth about what happened to Rachel. And she’s determined to find them.

What did I think?

In my experience, I have found you can always guarantee shocks and surprises galore in a Lisa Hall book and The Party is no different.  The opening chapter guarantees that you will race through this book with your heart in your mouth as Rachel tries to piece together the events from the night before.

Rachel and her husband are invited to a New Year's Eve party at a neighbours house but Rachel wakes up on New Year's Day in a strange bed without her husband and a very bad feeling that something terrible has happened, only she has very little memory of the party.  As the days pass, Rachel asks questions of everyone who was there but none of her friends and neighbours have anything to say that will help her and some of them don't even believe her, but Rachel won't stop until she finds out the truth of what happened to her at the party.

I loved the character of Rachel; she is so determined and despite all of the knock-backs she won't give up on her quest for the truth.  I think I suspected virtually every single character at one time or another as Lisa Hall has cleverly laid out so many red herrings in the reader's path.  

The Party is a Like a game of Cluedo; all of the suspects are laid out in front of you with clues scattered around for you to gather but yet again, I was foiled by Lisa Hall (I bet she is unbeatable at Cluedo).

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

My rating:

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