BLOG TOUR: A Family Affair - Joy Wood

Odele Gardia . . . married to wealthy businessman Howard, is the hard-nosed matriarch of the family and will stop at nothing to achieve her goals. She’s ruthless in the boardroom and not afraid to lean on adversaries. 

Sebastian Gardia . . . Odele’s brother and business partner. His wife, Freya, reveals that she is pregnant with their first child.

Elliot . . . the prodigal son, is returning from America with his girlfriend, intending to propose to her.

Business is booming, her brother is going to become a father, and her son is coming home – it’s surely a time to celebrate. But Odele is hiding a huge secret and is constantly looking over her shoulder. If the secret came out, it would destroy the family.

Jimmy Alder . . . booted out of the police force, has been paid to spy on the family. The discovery he makes could have catastrophic consequences for them all.

A dysfunctional family, protectors of their power, wealth and each other, have no warning of the revelations about to erupt and the cost to their dynasty.

 

What did I think?

Oh my word, what an absolute belter of a book this is.  I couldn't put it down and loved every single minute of it.  The Gardia family make the Ewings look like a functional family and J.R. Ewing is a teddy bear compared to Odele Gardia.

Talk about a dysfunctional family - the Gardias are toxic.  Odele and Seb run a business together and whilst their business might be successful, their personal lives are about to implode.  I felt really sorry for their partners, especially Seb's wife Freya who should be on cloud nine after discovering that she is finally pregnant but her short-lived happiness is about to take a nosedive.

What a tangled web of secrets and lies Joy Wood has skilfully weaved for her readers.  There are so many secrets and reveals that I couldn't turn the pages fast enough to discover them all.  A few I suspected but I was shocked and surprised by a lot of them.

Filled with secrets and lies, A Family Affair is a gripping, compelling and unputdownable novel.  It's the first book that I have read by Joy Wood and I will definitely be adding more of her books to my TBR based on the strength of A Family Affair.  Very highly recommended.

I received a gifted paperback from the author 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 UK

Amazon US

About the author:

Joy Wood has worked as a nurse most of her adult life and turned to writing to ‘see if she could.’ Her earlier work was adult romance and intrigue, but more recently she has switched genres to crime with a romance element which has paid off. In May of 2025, Joy was the fortunate recipient of the RNA award in the crime fiction category for her book Whatever It Takes. Joy lives in the small but charming seaside town of Cleethorpes in North East Lincolnshire and her writing ideas come from watching the tide turn daily, of course with the obligatory ice-cream – someone has to support the local economy!

Social Media Links – 

Facebook: www.facebook.com/joywoodauthor

Website: www.joywoodauthor.wordpress.com

Email: joymarywood@yahoo.co.uk

X: @joywoodauthor

Instagram: @joywoodauthor

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BLOG TOUR: The Self-Made Saint - Alexandra Addams

Judith Drainger has always played life by her own rules. But these days life seems to be playing her right back.

Divorced, orphaned and forcibly retired, 59-year-old Judith is determined to seize the opportunity to leave her broken home in London and move across the world to Australia. Here she reunites with her estranged adult daughter Cassandra - only to land smack bang in the emotional quagmire of her daughter's anger and abandonment issues. To make matters worse, Judith can see her new granddaughter Emily has a serious health issue, but her offers of help are ignored and rejected.

When an accident knocks her off her feet, Judith is swamped by the kindly care of her nosy new neighbors. Yet, when given a chance to become a part of their community, Judith shocks even herself by making a series of unforgivable blunders. Realizing if she's to have any hope of reuniting her family, this well-meaning but stubborn curmudgeon must learn the power of saying 'sorry' - and what it actually means to be a good person.

A tender and uplifting novel championing the complex realities of family, solidarity and friendship. 

What did I think?

I really enjoyed this fabulous debut novel from Alexandra Addams that has family, in its different guises, at its heart.

59 year old divorcée Judith Drainger has moved halfway around the world to be near her daughter Cassandra.  Cassandra now has a baby with 'That Andrew' but for the life of her, Judith can't remember her granddaughter's name.  So Judith isn't the type of person you immediately warm to but she definitely grew on me.

Judith may have moved from London to Australia but she can't escape her mother's vicious tongue, even though Marigold has passed away.  This constant sniping (in Judith's head) from her mother is what made me warm to Judith as it helps to explain why she is the way she is.  I thought Cassandra could have been a bit more welcoming but she has does have her hands full with baby Emily.

My favourite character was Judith's neighbour Martha, who you immediately think is incredibly nosy but she has a heart of gold.  I really enjoyed reading Martha's story and I loved the whole community spirit of Martha's circle of friends who welcome Judith with open arms.

With a focus on family, The Self-Made Saint is a very heartwarming and entertaining novel that I would highly recommend.

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

My rating:

Buy it from:

UK.Bookshop.org

Amazon

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Variation - Rebecca Yarros

From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Fourth Wing comes a new contemporary romance about the summer a celebrated dancer returns home and unearths years of family secrets and deep regrets with the Coast Guard rescue swimmer she never forgot.

Elite ballerina Allie Rousseau is no stranger to pressure. With her mother’s eyes always watching, perfection was expected, no matter the cost. But when an injury jeopardizes all she’s sacrificed for, Allie returns to her summer home to heal and recover. But the memories she’s tried to forget rush in and threaten to take her under.

As a Coast Guard rescue swimmer, Hudson Ellis knows that hesitation can mean the difference between life and death. He’s always prided himself on being in the right place at the right time, especially when it came to Allie Rousseau…until the night he left for basic. After the biggest regret of his life, the secrets he keeps mean he can never be with the one woman he wants more than his next breath.

When Hudson’s niece shows up on Allie’s doorstep, desperate to find her birth mother, Allie finds herself in an unimaginable position. Allie and Hudson’s past and present might be endlessly complicated. The thread that tied them to each other all those years ago may have unraveled, but the truth could pull them back together, or drive them apart forever.

 

What did I think?

I would have had to be living under a rock to have never heard of Rebecca Yarros but it's her contemporary romance rather than her fantasy novels that became my first Rebecca Yarros book.  Variation is a romance that is filled with family drama and a will they/won't they pair of main characters whose hearts tell them that they are destined to be together but their heads say the opposite.

Allie and Hudson are meant to be together and even though the tide may take them away from each other it always seems to bring them back to shore.  There are lots of reasons why ballerina Allie and rescue swimmer Hudson can't be together and most of that is geography but some of it is a deeply buried secret that if it comes out could tear them apart forever.

I absolutely adored the gorgeous love story that had me rooting for Allie and Hudson from the start.  There are a few steamy scenes to increase the reader's heartrate but I found Hudson's audible stamping of ownership on Allie to be a little annoying. 

At the heart of the story is a dysfunctional family of four sisters: Lina who died, Anne who became a lawyer and Allie and Eva who are following in their mother's footsteps as ballet dancers.  Lina is painted as the perfect sister, Allie is the guilty one who holds herself responsible for Lina's death,  Anne is the disappointment who didn't become a dancer and Eva is the spoilt envious one; it's like a series of Dallas or Dynasty set in the world of ballet.

Filled with cliffhangers, and told from different points of view, Variation is a veritable page turner as I couldn't read fast enough to continue where each character left off.   It felt so finely balanced as to whether they could ever become more than a fling and you will just have to read it to find out what happens in the end.  

I received a gifted copy to read as part of the Tandem Collective readalong and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

Buy it from:

UK.Bookshop.org

Amazon

BLOG TOUR: A Secret in the Family - Nancy Revell

1945, Sunderland. Ida Boulter makes the heart-wrenching decision to leave her five children behind as she escapes her husband and moves to London to start afresh with the love of her life.

1953, County Durham. Ida’s children have since built a new life in the beautiful home of Cuthford Manor – looked after by their eldest sibling Angie and her husband.

But their world is about to be rocked once again when their mother turns up out of the blue for the first time in eight years.

She has come back bearing a secret she can no longer keep from her family.

Will telling the truth cause more harm than good?

Only their love for one another will carry them through the turbulent times ahead.

 

What did I think?

It took me far too long to discover the books of local author Nancy Revell, but better late than never, and I have recently completed my Shipyard Girls collection after absolutely loving The Widow's Choice.  A Secret in the Family is the sequel to The Widow's Choice but it can definitely be read as a standalone, so don't be afraid to jump into the series if you're just discovering it now.

Young Ida dreams of a life on the stage but, like most working class women in Sunderland, she finds herself looking after a brood of children whilst her husband Fred spends his hard-earned wages from the pit down the pub.  It's no wonder that Ida's head is turned by Carl but when their affair is discovered she has a difficult choice to make: leave her children and start a new life or take the inevitable beating from Fred.  

Having read The Widow's Choice, I saw Ida in a bad light as I couldn't understand how she could leave her children but there are always two sides to every story and this is Ida's.  How my heart went out to her both in the past and the present and I was so pleased that she found happiness with Carl.

I really enjoyed catching up with Angie and her siblings again.  Angie has suffered her own heartbreak in the past but she has been given a second chance at love with Stanislaw, however, she is still not allowing herself to be truly happy.  When Ida returns, it's quite a shock for the siblings and some forgive her quicker than others.  There is so much emotion in this book that I couldn't hold back my tears at the end, so I would advise have a tissue handy when you're reading it.

Emotional, heartwarming and captivating, Nancy Revell brings the past to life in her wonderful new book, A Secret in the Family.  From County Durham to London, I felt like I was walking in the characters' shoes and experienced not just the sights and sounds but their emotions too.  I wouldn't hesitate to recommend A Secret in the Family and I adored every single beautifully written word.  An easy five stars!

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:

UK.Bookshop.org

Amazon

About the author:

Nancy Revell is the author of 12 titles in the bestselling Shipyard Girls series, which tells the story of a group of women who work in a Sunderland shipyard during WWII. Her books have sold more than half a million copies, across all editions, with the last book in the Shipyard Girl series a No.2 Sunday Times Bestseller. 

Before that, she was a journalist who worked for all the national newspapers, providing them with hard- hitting news stories and in-depth features. She also wrote inspirational true-life stories for just about every woman’s magazine in the country. 

Nancy was born and brought up in the North East of England and now lives in Oxfordshire with her husband, Paul.

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Never Forgive You - Hilly Barmby

A glamorous French wedding 

Arriving at the station with her boyfriend Davey MacGregor and his twin sisters, Ailsa and Juliette, Hetty, a thriller book addict, picks up on family tension. But that’s natural before a big wedding, isn’t it? Hetty feels out of her depth. The family are wealthy and well- educated, whereas she is a council house girl. Davey’s cousin Isabelle is to marry Jean- Jacques, a French right-wing politician, in the family chateau. 

A fairy-tale event 

Ailsa is hesitant about coming back to France. Eight years ago, something happened that nearly destroyed the family. But that was dealt with, wasn’t it? Hetty has secrets of her own that she doesn’t want known. Ailsa is drawn back into the past. What, exactly, did happen? The expensive wedding is everything it should be, except when the groom is taken ill. The revellers carry on, but something is seriously wrong. 

Then things start to unravel 

The relationships between the family members fracture and secrets from the past start coming to the surface, with murderous results… Who is telling the truth? Who is out for revenge?

 

What did I think?

As you can tell from the fabulous cover, Never Forgive You is a dark and disturbing novel and I thoroughly enjoyed it.  I loved the setting of a French wedding in a village where the MacGregors are clearly not welcome.  Something clearly happened in the past and I couldn't read fast enough to find out what it was.

It's evident from the start that this is one heck of a dysfunctional family but the true extent is not revealed until near the end.  I had my virtual running shoes on when I was reading and I read the book in two sittings as I couldn't put it down until I had discovered all of the secrets.

The family aren't terribly welcoming to Davey MacGregor's girlfriend Hetty and my blood was boiling as I read chapters from their point of view and found out what they really thought about Hetty.  Just who do they think they are?  With skeletons in their closet tapping on the door to get out, they really shouldn't be acting so aloof.

Compelling, dark and disturbing, Never Forgive You is a page-turning thriller that incensed and entertained me.  Revenge is indeed a dish that is best served cold.

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

My rating:

Buy it from:

Hobeck Books

Amazon

BLOG TOUR: All Good Things - Amanda Prowse

I'm delighted to be taking part in the Rachel's Random Resources blog tour for All Good Things by Amanda Prowse.  After reading my review, make sure you scroll to the bottom of my post for details of a fabulous giveaway that Amanda Prowse is running.

In this captivating story from the bestselling author of Picking up the Pieces, Daisy has always envied the perfect family next door. But will a weekend of unexpected drama prove that the grass isn’t always greener?

Daisy Harrop has always felt like she exists in the background, and since her mother stopped getting out of bed, her life has come to a complete standstill. Daisy would give anything to leave the shabbiest house on the street and be more like the golden Kelleways next door, with their perfectly raked driveway and flourishing rose garden…

Winnie Kelleway is proud of the beautiful family she’s built. They’ve had their ups and downs—hasn’t everyone? But this weekend, celebrating her golden wedding anniversary is truly proof of their happiness, a joyful gathering for all the neighbours to see.

But as the festivities get underway, are the cracks in the ‘perfect’ Kelleway life beginning to show? As one bombshell revelation leads to another and events start to spiral out of control, Daisy and Winnie are about to discover that things aren’t always what they seem.

 

What did I think?

I had a small moment of triumph when I finished reading All Good Things as it's the first time an Amanda Prowse book hasn't made me cry, but boy did it make me think.  In this day and age of seeing perfect posts on social media, it's sobering to remember that not everything is as perfect on the other side of the camera lens.

A pair of neighbours are put under the microscope in this captivating novel.  The Harrops on one side of the fence, with their house that has seen better days, and the Kelleways on the other with their perfectly pruned roses and expensive cars in the driveway.  Daisy Harrop dreams of becoming a Kelleway one day but this family isn't as perfect as they appear.

I felt like a nosy neighbour myself when I was reading this very addictive book and because they were fictional characters I got to experience some guilt-free schadenfreude at their expense.  The story is set over a weekend and there is an awful lot going on for each character to keep the reader entertained and invested in the story.

All of the characters and their individual voices are so beautifully written that I would have been able to tell whose point of view I was reading even if their name wasn't at the top of the page.  Amanda Prowse's characterisation is exceptional and her incredibly well-developed characters effortlessly drive this wonderful story.

Completely compelling and extremely thought-provoking, All Good Things is a timely and sobering reminder that, despite appearances, the grass isn't always greener on the other side.  There may be no tissues required for this one but it's another outstanding novel from Amanda Prowse and one I wouldn't hesitate to recommend.

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

My rating:

Purchase link: https://mybook.to/All_Good_Things

About the author:

Amanda Prowse is an International Bestselling author whose twenty-eight novels, two non-fiction titles and seven novellas have been published in dozens of languages around the world. Published by Lake Union, Amanda is the most prolific writer of bestselling contemporary fiction in the UK today; her titles also consistently score the highest online review approval ratings across several genres. Her books, including the chart-topping No.1 titles 'What Have I Done?', 'Perfect Daughter', 'My Husband's Wife', 'The Girl in the Corner' and ‘The Things I Know’ have sold millions of copies across the globe.

A popular TV and radio personality, Amanda has appeared on numerous shows where her views on family and social issues strike a chord with viewers. She also makes countless guest appearances on BBC national and independent Radio stations including LBC, Times Radio and Talk FM, where she is well known for her insightful observations and her infectious humour. Described by the Daily Mail as ‘The queen of family drama’ Amanda’s novel, 'A Mother's Story' won the coveted Sainsbury's eBook of the year Award and she has had two books selected as World Book Night titles; 'Perfect Daughter' in 2016 and 'The Boy Between' in 2022.

Amanda is a huge supporter of libraries and having become a proud ambassador for The Reading Agency, works tirelessly to promote reading, especially in disadvantaged areas. Amanda's ambition is to create stories that keep people from turning the bedside lamp off at night, great characters that ensure you take every step with them and tales that fill your head so you can't possibly read another book until the memory fades...

Social Media Links – 

Say hello on Twitter:  @MrsAmandaProwse

Friend me on Facebook:  www.facebook.com/AmandaProwseAuthor

Tag me on Instagram:  www.instagram.com/MrsAmandaProwse

Visit my Amazon Author Page:  Amanda Prowse Author  

Check out my website: www.amandaprowse.com

Giveaway:

Amanda Prowse would like to give a prize to the best review – any length, any star rating of a Fire Tablet.  Will ship it anywhere worldwide. 

The prize for the best review is a:

Fire HD 10 tablet | 10.1", 1080p Full HD, 32 GB, Black - Without Ads.

• Fast and responsive: powerful octa-core processor and 3 GB RAM. 50% more RAM than previous generation.
• Up to 12-hour battery life and 32 GB of internal storage. Add up to 1 TB with microSD (to be purchased separately).
• Brighter display: vivid 10.1" 1080p full HD display is 10% brighter than previous generation, with more than 2 million pixels.
• Enjoy your favourite apps like BBC iPlayer, Netflix, Now, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and more through Amazon’s Appstore (Google Play not supported, subscription fees may apply).
• Stay connected: download apps such as Zoom or ask Alexa to make video calls to friends and family.

Please ensure your review is posted by midnight on Sunday 17th September in order to be eligible.  Please tag Amanda Prowse on social media with a link to your review, wherever it is posted.  The winner will be selected and notified by Close of Play on Friday 22nd September.

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BLOG TOUR: The Daughter-in-Law - Fanny Blake

When Hope’s only son Paul met and married Edie, Hope was delighted that he had found love and was settling down to make his own family. Hope has loved bringing up her own child, and is happy to step in and help out now and again – but is always worried about overstepping the line between grandmother and mother.

 

Edie was hoping that having children with Paul would fulfil her as much as her busy job as a barrister has. But the reality is far from her dream. And with her mother-in-law Hope constantly poking her nose in where it’s not wanted, she finds herself frustrated and alone.

 

Both women could be each other’s greatest ally, but both have secrets that could ruin their relationship. Secrets neither wants Paul to uncover…

 

What did I think?

I love books about family secrets so The Daughter-in-Law really appealed to me and as an added bonus, it's written by Fanny Blake, who really knows how people tick. 

Going on holiday with your son's family and two small children is always going to be stressful and Hope can't seem to do anything right as far as her daughter-in-law Edie is concerned.  I disliked Edie immediately, she is so self-centred and she doesn't realise how lucky she is to have Hope on hand to help her out with the children.  I felt sorry for Paul being stuck in the middle between his mum and his wife.

Both Edie and Hope are keeping secrets from Paul and we all know that secrets never stay buried.  Their secrets are huge and I kept changing my mind about which one Paul should feel more betrayed by.  

Fanny Blake really gets under the skin of her characters and I loved discovering all their flaws and fears.  Every reader will pick a side at the beginning but as the story develops there'll be more swapping sides than the English Civil War.  

The Daughter-in-Law is hugely enjoyable and very compelling and I was completely absorbed by the family drama that was unfolding before my eyes.  This is classic Fanny Blake and I loved it.

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 Amazon

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BLOG TOUR: The House That Made Us - Alice Cavanagh

One Day meets Up: The House That Made Us is a love story – and a life story – told through a series of photographs and based on a true story

 

When Mac and Marie marry and find a home of their own, Mac takes a snap of themselves outside their newbuild bungalow, the garden bare and the paint on the front door still wet. It becomes a tradition, this snap, and slowly the photographs build into an album of a fifty-year partnership.

 

Every year they take a photo and though things change around them – the garden matures, the fashions change, they grow older – the one constant is their love. Every year, come rain, come shine, from the Seventies through the decades, every photo tells the story of their love.

 

Until the last photo, where the couple becomes one, and their story comes to an end…

 

What did I think?

Oh my goodness, I am a total blubbering mess after reading this outstanding book.  Knowing that it was based on a true story, I was reaching for my tissues just reading the dedication at the front, and that wasn't the only tear I shed.  Yes, it's heartbreaking but it is filled with so much love and I enjoyed every beautiful moment.

I simply adored Mac and Marie and how their story played out over a series of photographs in a treasured album.  It's an album that has found its way into new hands where each photo is discovered for the very first time.  It's a dual storyline of sorts, as the photo album is being looked at in the present day and each photo tells a story from the past.   

The characters are larger than life and Mac and Marie instantly found a way into my heart.  It's nostalgic at times as the decades pass and colour choices fade but Mac and Marie's love grows stronger.  Every anniversary they take a photo in front of their house and I couldn't read fast enough to discover their story, whilst simultaneously dreading the final chapter as I was so emotionally invested.

Emotional doesn't even begin to describe The House That Made Us and to say that Alice Cavanagh put me through the emotional wringer is an understatement, however, it's an emotional journey I feel privileged to have been on.

Beautifully written and filled with heart and soul, The House That Made Us is a stunning novel of a full and happy life, with inevitable tears at the end (and the beginning and everywhere in between).  Have your hankies at the ready as you discover Mac and Marie's story for yourself.  An easy five stars and more - completely unmissable and very highly recommended.

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:

UK.Bookshop.org

Amazon

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BLOG TOUR: The Gin Sisters' Promise - Faith Hogan

Three estranged sisters. Six months to come back together.

When Georgie, Iris and Nola's mother died and their father disappeared into his grief, the sisters made a pact: they would always be there for one another, no matter what.

Now, decades later, they haven't spoken for years and can barely stand to be in the same room. As his health declines, their father comes up with a plan to bring them back to one another. In his will, he states that before they can claim their inheritance, they must spend six months living together in their childhood home in the village of Ballycove, Ireland, and try to repair their broken relationships.

As the months progress, old resentments boil over, new secrets threaten to come out and each sister must decide what matters more: their pride, or their family. Can they overcome their past and find a way to love each other once more?

 

What did I think?

I absolutely love my virtual visits to Ballycove, courtesy of Faith Hogan, and The Gin Sisters' Promise is my third visit to this beautiful Irish village.  It's a gorgeous warm hug of a book and I really enjoyed it.

It's just heartbreaking to see the fractured relationships between the three sisters but as they say: "blood is thicker than water", so there's hope for them yet.  Georgie, Iris and Nola are so very different but they all have something in common: they lost their mother at a very young age and their father's dying wish is that they live together for six months in the family home in Ballycove.

Wow, these sisters sure do rub each other up the wrong way.  There are so many assumptions and misunderstandings as they snipe at each other instead of talking honestly.  Although each sister appears to have the perfect life, they are all hiding their own problems so there's really nothing to be envious about.  As the magic of Ballycove does its work, the cracks in their relationships are gradually filled and it's really heartwarming to see them become fiercely protective of one another.

I loved the mention of The Ladies' Midnight Swimming Club and also Corrigan Mills from The Place We Call Home - the previous two novels set in Ballycove.  All of the novels are standalone, the only link being the location, but it's like remembering an old friend when you have read all of them and see a reference or character that you recognise.  

The Gin Sisters' Promise is such a beautifully written novel; it's warm, poignant and uplifting.  It's a wonderful portrayal of often complicated sibling relationships and all the petty squabbles and jealousies that come with it.  An enjoyable, entertaining and recommended read.

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

My rating:

Buy it from Amazon

About the author:

Faith lives in the west of Ireland with her husband, four children and two very fussy cats. She has an Hons Degree in English Literature and Psychology, has worked as a fashion model and in the intellectual disability and mental health sector.

Follow Faith

Twitter: @GerHogan

Instagram: @FaithHoganAuthor

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/faithhoganauthor

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BLOG TOUR: The Better Brother - Simon Gravatt

 

Michael Merriweather's carefully planned life is blown off course when he receives a call to tell him that his father has cremated himself. Michael then learns from a small-town lawyer that he stands to inherit a small fortune he previously knew nothing about, but only if he sacrifices his accountancy career to take over the family funeral business with his brother, Jack, whom he despises.

Sucked back into the small provincial world and the family funeral firm he has rejected, Michael can no longer avoid his loathsome sibling. Jack Merriweather has no idea what he's done to deserve his brother's hostility, but he's about to suffer the consequences. Then, when his patience finally breaks, he will exact delicious revenge.

The Better Brother is a darkly comic tale of sibling rivalry laced with the power, passion, revenge and everyday friction of family business. It explores what happens when two warring brothers are forced to work together. Will Michael and Jack learn to love and respect each other? Or will their acrimony escalate? If so, who will come out on top? Who is the better brother?

What did I think?

That first line in the blurb about Michael's father cremating himself hooked me before I'd even picked up the book.  What an ingenious storyline!  It's sad but funny and sets off a chain of events that puts the Merriweather brothers in the same room when they haven't spoken to each other for years.  Expect sparks to fly!

The broken relationship between Michael and Jack is absolutely heartbreaking.  The hostility began when their mother died and their father was grieving so he didn't notice his sons growing further and further apart...which is something he plans to rectify from beyond the grave.  When the brothers inherit the Merriweather funeral business they either have to work together or lose their inheritance.  

Whilst Michael and Jack are brilliant main characters, my favourite character ended up being their father's long-standing employee, Royston.  Royston is hilarious, from his tattoos to his swearing he's such a colourful character that he virtually leapt out of the page.  I could read a whole book with him as the main character.

It is clear that Simon Gravatt has a background in business as the pressure of running a business is palpable throughout the book.  It was interesting to see how the brothers reacted to their inheritance; one changes for the better and one changes for the worse.  There are hard decisions to be made and back-stabbing aplenty as each brother vies to come out on top.

Very well-written, engaging and humorous, The Better Brother is a brilliant debut and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

I received an ARC to read and review for the blog tour; all opinions are my own.

My rating:

Buy it from:

UK.Bookhop.org

Amazon

About the author:

Simon Gravatt is a first-time novelist who lives in South London. He's drawn from personal experience as a brother and business owner to write his tale of sibling rivalry and the combustibility of small business. Simon is married with two adult children.

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BLOG TOUR: Behind Closed Doors - Catherine Alliott

 

When Lucy is unexpectedly widowed, she doesn't know where to turn.

She seeks refuge with her elderly parents in Oxfordshire, hoping for an escape from past memories - and from her overbearing sister-in-law.

But she gets much more than she bargained for when she returns home. Her parents' bungalow is falling apart, and their surprisingly busy social life throws her in the path of an old childhood friend she hasn't seen for decades.

Yet as Lucy begins to move on, others start to ask questions.

Is she running away from her grief? Or did she leave something far worse behind . . .

What did I think?

I haven't read as many Catherine Alliott books as I would like but reading Behind Closed Doors reminded me what a fabulous author she is.  Do not let the beautiful cover mislead you into thinking that this will be a slow-paced, gentle read as this compelling, thought-provoking family drama is incredibly difficult to put down.

Laced with humour from the start, I tittered and chortled most of my way through the book but make no mistake, there are some very serious elements to the storyline.  Lucy, unexpectedly finding herself widowed, moves back home to live with her elderly parents and finds that everything isn't as rosy as they have been painting it.  I think love for our family makes it very difficult to see what is going on right in front of us especially when our loved ones tend to put on a show to hide things from us.

I absolutely loved Lucy's parents; their whole day revolves around gin o'clock and it's no wonder these octogenarians are so sprightly as they're practically pickled.  The antics of them and their equally naughty friends provides endless entertainment and I could have read a whole novel just about them.  It makes a lovely contrast to Lucy's story which is cast in shadow following the loss of her husband.

Lucy's story is absolutely brilliant and makes the title of the book very apt.  Nobody really knows what goes on behind closed doors and it's frightening to think about what people may be hiding from their friends and family.  We may see things that we think are none of our business but it's made me think that it's perhaps better to be seen as an interfering busybody than to turn a blind eye.  

Hugely entertaining and completely compelling, Behind Closed Doors is a wonderfully warm and engaging novel with family at its heart.  I loved it and it's definitely made me want to read more Catherine Alliott books as soon as I can.

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

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