BLOG TOUR: Paper Over It - Ruth Gresty

Jennifer Jones is in control.

Jen is confident she has complete control over the things that are trying to control her. Until she isn’t. Until she hasn’t. Until she realises she has never been in control at all. She’s been papering over it for years.

It's the start of the year 2000. A new millennium has arrived. For Jen and her three friends, university life in Manchester is full of possibility and endless fun. Sassiness, spontaneity, marvellous mayhem and youthful optimism reign in the Manchester rain.

But beneath the sometimes brash bravado sometimes even the most resilient, carefree, fun-loving characters who, on the surface look like they are living their best lives, are perilously close to falling apart. Over the course of one unforgettable year, the young women confront their own realities and truths. Some make foolish mistakes and others life changing choices.

Sometimes heartwarming and other times heartbreaking, but always brutally honest. This is a story of friendship, mistakes, self-discovery and acceptance; identity, love and the messy reality of becoming an adult. It's about the masks we wear, the mistakes and choices we make, and the courage it takes to stop papering over it and face ourselves when everything feels like it's falling apart.

It’s real, raw, raunchy, sometimes random and frankly rude at times. Just like Jen and her friends.

 

What did I think?

Paper Over It is a year in the life of four friends at the start of the new millennium.  Jen met Em, Lou and Kate at university in Manchester and although they are from different parts of the country and different walks of life, they have remained firm friends.

The book almost has its own playlist as each chapter lists a song that is relevant to what we have just read.  I loved seeing the theme song of each chapter and I found myself singing along (in my head) to some cracking tunes.  There are also some lovely excerpts from Winnie the Pooh that really demonstrates the ethos of friendship.

Although I'm a little older than Jen and her friends, it really took me back to my own experiences of the millennium year and stepping foot into working life for the first time.  It was both fun and scary and I think Ruth Gresty perfectly portrays this with the things that happen to Jen over the year.  Yes she makes mistakes, but some things that happened weren't her fault and I was so angry (with the other party) when her naivety allowed her to be taken advantage of.  It was just one more thing to paper over and forget it ever happened...but I hope things would be different nowadays.

It's a fantastic debut novel that is incredibly well written and the characters are so well developed I felt as if they were my own friends.  There are some serious subjects covered but they are handled sensitively and lightened somewhat by Ruth Gresty's sparkling wit.  I could totally see Paper Over It being made into a sitcom or mini series and I would certainly be adding it to my watchlist.

Incredibly nostalgic, entertaining and amusing, Paper Over It is a sharp and witty novel that I wouldn't hesitate to recommend to readers of all genres.  It's a fabulous read and a stunning debut novel; Ruth Gresty is certainly one to watch and I'm looking forward to seeing what she writes next.

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

My rating:

Buy it from:

Amazon - paperback

Amazon - ebook

About the author: 

Ruth has worked in Marketing for twenty-seven years and has always loved writing and storytelling. Understanding people and their behaviour, creating stories that resonate and developing engaging and enduring narratives have all been key to success in her professional background.

From a personal perspective, Ruth is a Manchester born, bred and based menopausal mum of three boys (twelve, fifteen and twenty seven). She spends most of her weekends trying to manage the family mayhem with her partner Simon and watching their younger boys on the sideline of various sports pitches hunting for a loo (occasionally having to resort to a wild wee), a sausage sandwich and a brew while trying to keep warm in doubled-up big socks (mainly stolen from the males in her house) and multiple layers (having had it drilled into her since childhood that it is the number of layers that count, not the thickness of each layer - the complete opposite of friendships).

A nasty accident on Good (Bad) Friday in 2024 meant she spent several months sat on her arse with one leg having to be perpetually higher than said arse. As an energetic, self-confessed curator of chaos, she needed something to focus on and keep her from going frankly crazy. And keep her family from going crazy too. She found that you can’t do much when you're in acute pain with one leg in the air (including the jigsaws and ‘paint by numbers’ well-wishers had kindly gifted her). But you can read, reflect, think and you can definitely reminisce and daydream. And you can write. Which is what she did.

Her debut novel, Paper Over It, combines her sometimes over-enthusiastic imagination with insights gained from growing up in the 80s and becoming a young mum in the late 90s, her silent struggle with eating disorders in her earlier years, the power of some relationships and the destructive nature of others, and the joy of family, friendship, loyalty, hope and laughter.

Social Media Links – 

https://www.facebook.com/ruth.gresty

www.linkedin.com/in/ruth-gresty-6a336b9

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BLOG TOUR: Language of Angels (Ella Blake Thrillers) - Olly Jarvis

 

Have we reached the tipping point when AI becomes the master? Who holds the key that will prevent this power shift and is the answer in our history?

Barrister Ella Blake accepts a simple brief to defend a teenage genius on a charge of burglary – stealing books from a Cambridge University library.

Distracted by her daughter Lizzie’s sudden illness, nothing is what it seems. The case soon draws Ella into her greatest challenge – to find the ultimate formula – for life itself.

Ella’s frantic search through the historical clues risks not only her own life, but that of everyone close to her. Who are the shadowy entities in pursuit, thwarting Ella at every turn?

Winning is the only way Ella can save Lizzie – and humanity – but at what cost?

Language of Angels is an epic and gripping thriller by the brilliant Olly Jarvis that asks a question that has been guiding humanity since time began – what is the theory of everything?

What did I think?

Language of Angels is the second book featuring barrister Ella Blake but it can definitely be read as a standalone.  Prepare to get your mind blown when you pick it up though and clear your schedule as you won't be able to put it down.

Ella Blake is being pulled in different directions; one way as a barrister and one way as a mum.  Her daughter Lizzie needs her right now but Ella can't just walk out of court so she really is trying to compromise.  As someone who used to put work before absolutely everything else, I felt for Ella trying to balance the two most important things in her life: her daughter and her career.

What perhaps starts out as a legal thriller, Language of Angels gathers genres like a snowball rolling down a hill.  It's hard to describe but if Dan Brown and John Grisham collaborated on a book, it might be almost as good as an Olly Jarvis thriller.

There are some real locations mentioned in the book and I had a look on satellite images because they were places I had never heard of.  Although they are vividly described, it brings the book to life when you can see the locations with your own eyes rather than just your imagination.

Language of Angels is another cracking thriller from Olly Jarvis.  It's very imaginative and original with intrigue and action on every page.  It blew my mind a little but I loved it and I really couldn't put it down until I'd read every single word.  Very highly recommended.

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

My rating:

Buy it from:

Hobeck Books

Amazon

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Outside - Charlotte Levin

She’s locked the door to the world.

Is love strong enough to open it?

Following a tragic incident, rising-star Beatrice is struggling. Having retreated from life entirely, she finds herself unable to leave the house. With her acting career now over, (Though don’t tell her agent), and discovering who her real friends aren’t, her world has shrunk—its only inhabitants, an elderly Polish neighbour, the world’s most boring postman, her therapist with issues of her own, and Piano Bitch from across the road. Thank God for Matisse, her beloved, foul-mouthed parakeet.

When she hires Irish gardener, Finn, to tame the overgrown garden that she cannot even enter, things take an unexpected turn. Their connection blossoms, and she’s no longer isolated and alone. But can a relationship survive the restrictions that control her, or will love enable Beatrice to confront her fears and step outside again?

Your next reading obsession, the poignant and darkly funny new novel from the bestselling author of If I Can’t Have You, perfect for fans of Sorrow and Bliss and Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine.

 

What did I think?

Oh my goodness, what an absolutely stunning book!  It's my first Charlotte Levin book but I will definitely be picking up her earlier novels after being completely blown away by Outside.

It's a dual timeline novel with 'Before' and 'Now' chapters that are separated into parts that correspond with the four seasons.  Whatever the weather outside, it doesn't affect Beatrice as she is cocooned from the world behind her locked door and closed curtains, with only her foul-mouthed parakeet for company.   

Beatrice is agoraphobic and being unable to see a physical ailment makes it hard for people to empathise with her.  Surely, you just need to open your door and walk outside?   Oh if only it was that easy.  You cannot help but take Beatrice into your heart as the reason behind her condition is revealed and I struggled to hold in my tears on more than one occasion.

It is quite a heavy subject but Charlotte Levin perfectly balances this darkness with a bright shining light in the form of parakeet Matisse and Irish gardener/love interest Finn.  Charlotte Levin writes from the heart, delving into her own experience with anxiety and agoraphobia, to give the reader a true, honest and raw insight into this debilitating disorder.

Candid, poignant and surprising uplifting, Outside is an incredibly emotional book with an unforgettable protagonist who I completely adored.  So beautifully written, this is an unmissable book that is going on my favourites shelf.  An easy five stars for this very highly recommended read. 

I received a gifted hardback for the Insta Books Tours readalong and tour and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

Buy it from:

UK.Bookshop.org

Amazon

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BOOKSTAGRAM TOUR: ASK HIM (The Sandbox Trilogy) - Julie Savanth

When thirteen-year-old Matt disappears on his way home from school, his mother Rachel refuses to believe he is simply gone. Everyone tells her to let go. The police have no answers. Her friends think she’s spiralling. Even her husband, Dom, seems to want her to stop asking questions. But Rachel won’t give up. As she begins to uncover links between Matt’s disappearance and a string of other missing children, a pattern begins to emerge. Then she finds the coded message Matt left behind, and everything changes. Because Matt saw something he was never meant to see. And the truth about where he went is more terrifying than Rachel could ever have imagined. ASK HIM is a chilling, thought-provoking thriller about grief, love, perception, and how far a mother will go to bring her child home.

 

What did I think?

ASK HIM is a fantastic debut novel from Julie Savanth that took me on a very intriguing and gripping journey as a mother searches for her missing son.  The cover gives an indication that something otherworldly might happen so prepare to expect the unexpected when you pick up this book.

It starts with one of the most jaw-dropping first sentences I have ever read.  I'm not going to share it and spoil it for others but that's what I call a massive hook.  Rachel and Dom's son Matt has been missing for 18 months and the police have no leads so Rachel does a bit of investigating herself and gets a lot closer to finding out what happened to Matt than the police ever will.

I think it's hard to categorise ASK HIM as it falls into several genres; it's primarily a mystery thriller with the missing child but it morphs into magical realism as the story progresses.  It is very well written and I was completely captivated by the beautiful writing and the mind-bending plot.

Highly original and incredibly imaginative, ASK HIM is a breathtaking, mesmerising and fascinating debut novel.  The ending is sheer perfection and even though it's not a cliffhanger as such, I am very excited to see what happens next in the trilogy.  

I received a gifted paperback for the Love Books tours bookstagram tour and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

Buy it from:

UK.Bookshop.org

Amazon

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Only Girls Bleed - Elaine Lawless

 

Abandoned by her husband, and with her daughter, Molly, suddenly unable to walk, Alice Campbell is barely holding her life together. No doctor can explain what's behind this – or why Molly is now tormented by night terrors. But when Alice uncovers the unthinkable truth behind her daughter's suffering, she flees, unsure whether the man responsible is dead or alive. Haunted by the past, and on the run from the law, Alice and Molly are trying to navigate a future neither one of them is prepared to face.

Taut, urgent, and deeply compassionate, this novel is a haunting portrait of maternal love, survival, and the devastating consequences of the overturning of Roe v. Wade in America.

What did I think?

I hadn't heard of the Roe v. Wade case, or its overturning, in America so I have had my eyes well and truly opened by Elaine Lawless after reading Only Girls Bleed and I read it in a constant state of fury.

Alice blames herself for missing the signs that led to her ten-year-old disabled daughter becoming pregnant.  Her absent husband blames Alice too, which ignited my fury further, and he's lucky he didn't end up in the same position as Molly's abuser.  You should never underestimate a mother protecting her child and as soon as Alice discovered what was going on she became a wanted woman. 

Although Only Girls Bleed is fiction, it reads like a true story and I can't even begin to imagine the number of people whose own stories are similar to that of Alice and Molly.  I didn't realise some states in America still ban abortion completely, even if the pregnancy resulted from sexual assault or incest.  WOW!  Not only do only girls bleed, the letter of the law leaves them literally holding the baby.  Have I stepped back in time to a period when the patriarchal church laid down the law?  

The title itself is incredibly powerful as it is women who have to live with the consequences of acts to which they have not consented.  I don't think it's unreasonable to say that if men were in the same position there wouldn't even be a debate about abortion and there would be no  ridiculous laws banning it.  Americans have the right to bear arms but they don't have the right to have something removed from their bodies that they didn't consent to being put there in the first place.  Is this 'the land of the free'?

Incredibly powerful and extremely thought-provoking, Only Girls Bleed is a timely and important novel that is unflinching in its candour.  Unmissable and unforgettable - I'll be recommending this one for a very long time.

I received a gifted paperback from the publisher and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

Buy it from:

UK.Bookshop.org

Amazon

Three Days Grace - Jeremy Bradley-Silverio Donato

Explore the complexities of love and loss through an LGBTQ+ lens in this emotionally layered novel about family, identity, and long-suppressed truths.

On the eve of their trip to South Africa, Lynne and her wife, Susan, await three guests in a Paris hotel: Nick, Lynne's distant son; Laslo, Susan's effusive friend; and Marc, a former professor living on borrowed glamour.

What begins as a bon voyage soon becomes a clash of old wounds and fresh resentments. As night falls, long-buried secrets surface, threatening to dismantle the facades each has built.

Through the winding corridors of Paris and the tangled landscapes of memory, five people must confront the truths they've spent decades avoiding. At the heart lies the tragic story of two brothers-one present, one absent-and the lingering trauma that continues to shape their lives.

Set over three days, this unflinching exploration of family, betrayal, and silence asks whether we can ever truly escape our past-and what it takes to finally face the truths we've spent a lifetime running from.

 

What did I think?

Three Days Grace is quite a short book with 200 pages and it may be small but it sure is mighty.  The turbulent emotions of the main character are still reverberating through me, long after turning the final page.

Nick is haunted by his past and as much as he might try to bury it, it all comes bursting to the surface during a dinner party with his mother and her wife.  Nick's past is a dark and disturbing subject but Jeremy Bradley-Silverio Donato writes with such sensitivity and eloquence that I didn't feel uncomfortable at all; I was just furious for Nick and the many others like him who have suffered in silence.

I had a lump in my throat as the story is gradually revealed and my heart was virtually aching when I learned what had happened to Nick's brother.  Your childhood should be the happiest time of your life, before you realise how bad the world can be, and I feel both sad and angry that this is often not the case for a lot of children.

Powerful, raw and poignant, Three Days Grace is an incredibly heart-wrenching and thought-provoking novel that evokes myriad emotions in the reader.  It's beautifully written but it is disturbing at times and could be distressing for sensitive readers.

I received a gifted paperback for the Love Books Tours readalong and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

Buy it from:

Waterstones

Amazon

BOOKSTAGRAM TOUR: A Fatal Austen Affair (The FitzMorris Family Mysteries Book 4) - Anna A Armstrong

Spring has come to Bath, bringing romance, revelry… and a whisper of danger. When Dee FitzMorris’s beloved vicar falls for a mysterious online suitor, Dee isn’t convinced it’s a fairytale—and she’s determined to uncover the truth behind the romance.

Following Virginia to Bath, with Zara in tow, Dee soon discovers that beneath the elegance of ballgowns and sunlit promenades, something far darker is unfolding. Women are disappearing, all without a trace, and Detective Inspector Nicholas Corman is already on the case. As suspicion grows, so too do matters of the heart: Zara and Nicholas struggle with their feelings, complicated by the return of his formidable ex-wife, while Amelia and the ever-charming Josh circle a romance neither will quite admit.

But when danger strikes closer to home, the FitzMorris family can no longer remain on the sidelines. With time running out and emotions running high, Dee must untangle deception from desire before another woman vanishes… perhaps for good.

 

What did I think?

I didn't realise A Fatal Austen Affair was book four in a series when I first picked it up but, although it is evident that there was some history between the characters, it does read perfectly well as a standalone.

I was completely drawn into the story and felt as if I was walking through the streets of Bath in Regency dress, although it's a dangerous time to be wearing such an outfit when women are going missing.  Dee and Zara find themselves investigating the disappearances when their vicar heads to Bath to meet her very own Mr Darcy.

What a wonderful cast of characters!  Even though Dee, Zara and Nicholas are clearly already acquainted and well-developed, I really enjoyed getting to know them for the first time.  It has certainly made me eager to read the earlier books in the series and I'll have a keen eye out for more.

A Fatal Austen Affair is a fun, entertaining and intriguing cosy crime novel that is filled with charm, mystery and a sprinkling of romance.  A very enjoyable read.

I received a gifted paperback to read and review for the Love Books Tours bookstagram tour and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

Buy it from:

Waterstones

Amazon

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BOOKSTAGRAM TOUR: A is for Amy - Steven Crandell

A is for Amy is a new kind of romance. It's a quick read with a big heart.

Amy Dellaconta Franklin is an independent mother of 3 kids under 5. Her life is often exhausting and isolating. Then, one day, love comes knocking at her front door.

Amy is a sassy, charming, yet lonely young widow who unexpectedly finds herself on the path of finding love again. Surprises overturn expectations at nearly every turn in this novella, which tells the story of how a life that seemed trapped in the too-hard basket became a voyage of romantic discovery.

A is for Amy tells it fast, straight and funny. From negativity to bliss. With no fluff and no wasted words.

Do you like reading but never seem to have enough space to start (or finish) a book? Each chapter in this romance can be enjoyed in the time it takes to drink a good cup of coffee.

This is a great gift for parents or parents-to-be. It looks like an alphabet book for children. But inside, it's a romantic adventure for grown-ups with a surprise ending that will touch your heart. 

What did I think?

A is for Amy is a very quick read with 100 pages and 26 chapters from A to Z.  I love that is designed to resemble a children's book and the chapters are short enough for busy parents to read when they get a spare 5 minutes.  I read it cover to cover and thoroughly enjoyed it.

It's a lot funnier than I expected and I frequently laughed out loud.  It's very clever the way that it is written to focus on each letter of the alphabet.  Although the alphabet and chosen focus words are on the cover, they don't always make an appearance in that letter's chapter.  For example, the N chapter doesn't mention Nutella (on Wheat Thins) and you have to wait until the Q chapter to find them. I was paying too much attention to the words on the cover rather than enjoying the story so I often thought I'd missed something and had to flick back a few pages.

The romance story is very sweet and heartwarming, especially as I felt like I'd got to know Amy over the course of the book.  She hasn't had the easiest life and she deserves to catch a break so I was really rooting for her to get her happily every after.

A is for Amy is a very amusing and entertaining book that I will definitely be reading again.  It made me laugh and smile so it's a very good pick-me-up type of book that can work its magic in a short space of time.  It's perfect for parents and all readers who enjoy romcoms.

I received a gifted hardback to read and review for the Love Books Tours bookstagram tour and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

Buy it from:

UK.Bookshop.org

Amazon

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Erased - Miha Mazzini

She Doesn't Exist.

Neither Does Her Baby.

Now What?

When a “software error” erases Zala from the system, she discovers that officially, she and her newborn don’t exist.

As Zala fights desperately to prove her existence, and save her child from adoption, she uncovers the Kafkaesque reality of Slovenia’s system — one that erased 25,671 citizens on February 26, 1992.

A chilling thriller about bureaucracy as violence, and one mother’s battle against the state. 

What did I think?

Oh my word, Erased by Miha Mazzini is an emotional and heartrending book that is astonishingly based on real events.  It just blew my mind that this could happen but also reminded me how easy it is to press the delete button on a keyboard.  I thought identity theft was scary but deletion of identity is even worse!  This isn't an imaginative dystopian novel; this deletion actually happened in Slovenia in 1992. Wow!

Zala is about to give birth to her first child so she attends her local hospital, only to be told that she doesn't exist on the computer system.  She is accused of being an illegal immigrant and presented with a bill for her hospital stay, oh and the hospital is keeping her baby.  I can only imagine what Zala felt like and I had feelings of shock, outrage and devastation as I followed every step of her journey as she fights for her baby and her identity.

It's an incredibly emotional read as I really felt for Zala as she is on her own.  She is a very strong character though and there's nothing more powerful than a mother fighting for her child.  Miha Mazzini's evocative writing brings Zala to life so the reader can't help but take her to their heart.  I actually forgot that it was a translated novel when I was reading it so I have to give a shout out to the impeccable translation by Gregor Timothy Čeh.

Shocking, disturbing and harrowing, Erased is a poignant and thought-provoking novel that really makes you think about your own electronic identity and how easily it could be erased.  I would highly recommend this outstanding book to readers of all genres.

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

My rating:

Buy it from:

Fly on the Wall Press (use code BOOKMAGNET10 for 10% off)

UK.Bookshop.org

Amazon

BLOG TOUR: The Lost Detective - Elspeth Latimer

On a summer's day, a baby vanishes. The mystery is never solved, leaving a young mother lost in grief.

Twenty-one years later, ex-police detective Dan Hennessy is struggling with his own tragic loss, and when a neighbour disappears and a body turns up at the solar farm, he is desperate for answers.

The haunted landscape is keeping secrets, and there are dangers lurking in the Brecks.

Dan must find the truth.

Can he offer hope to the grieving mother, and also save himself? 

What did I think?

Wow!  The Lost Detective is one of the best debut novels I have ever read.  Do not miss this book, crime fiction fans!  

I had to double check that The Lost Detective is Elspeth Latimer's debut as her writing is so accomplished and the plot is so compelling that I read all but the last few chapters of this fantastic book in one sitting.  I only put it down to go to sleep and I couldn't wait to pick it up the next morning to read the stunning conclusion.

The prologue is haunting and heartbreaking; it is every mother's nightmare to lose their child and Alice has had to live for 21 years without knowing what happened to her six-week-old baby Felix. Dan Hennessy knows all about loss as his fiancée was tragically killed by one of his police colleagues and he lost his future as well as his career that day. 

There's a lot of mystery and intrigue as we read about various events and different characters but they all tie together perfectly into a satisfying and incredibly emotional conclusion.  I may have had something in my eye at the end...

Poignant, evocative and captivating, The Lost Detective is a breathtaking debut novel that is unpredictable and unmissable.  Elspeth Latimer is certainly one to watch based on the strength of this very highly recommended read.

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

My rating:

Purchase link: https://mybook.to/lostdetective-zbt

About the author:

Elspeth Latimer is an associate tutor on the prestigious University of East Anglia MA in Creative Writing Crime Fiction, and also the author of Writing the Detectives, an academic study of the protagonist in the contemporary crime fiction series, published by Cambridge University Press.

Connect with Elspeth:

Facebook: elspeth.latimer.7

Instagram: elspethlatimer16

Threads: @elspethlatimer16

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Sleep No More (The Shakespeare Murders Book 4) - Guy Hale

Act IV: The Way To Dusty Death

Sir Morris Oxford lies critically wounded in Stratford Hospital. Oliver Lawrence, whose cunning plan put him there, thought his revenge was complete but it takes a lot to kill a King

Boundless ambition collides headlong with the cold fury of revenge as we enter the final scene of this tragedy. There can be no hiding place for those that harbour secrets. As Toby Marlowe and Fred Williams try desperately to catch their killer, a huge storm surges into Stratford and drowns all hope of a happy resolution.

On the dark streets of Stratford, something wicked this way comes! 

What did I think?

After the huge cliffhanger in Act III of The Shakespeare Murders I couldn't wait for Act IV and it not only did not disappoint, it completely exceeded my expectations.  Sleep No More is possibly the last book in the series and what a thrilling ending to a fabulous series.

Oliver Lawrence is still eluding the police as he takes revenge on the people he sees as responsible for ruining his acting career.  He is picking them off one by one as he re-enacts his own versions of Shakespeare's famous plays.  Sleep No More is Oliver's version of Macbeth and we all know you've got to watch out for Lady Macbeth.  I'm saying no more about the plot as it would spoil it, but it is absolutely breathtaking.

It's impossible to put this book down once you pick it up and it just gets more gripping as the story progresses.  The weather even plays a big part and my heart was pounding as the storm raged overhead, which just goes to show the talent of Guy Hale for evoking such a response from his carefully crafted words.

Whilst I'm sad that this may be the last book in the series, I am actually looking forward to reading all of the books again.  Sleep No More is without doubt a five star read in a five star series.  Very highly recommended and completely unmissable.

I received a gifted paperback for the Love Books Tours readalong and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

Buy it from:

Amazon

The Ten Year Affair - Erin Somers

Two parents. Happily married. Just not to each other.

When Cora meets Sam at a baby group in their small town, the chemistry between them is instant and undeniable. But both are happily married, and neither is the type to cheat. So as their lives intertwine and the romantic tension between them heightens, Cora turns to her imagination: in her head, she and Sam pursue their feelings; in reality, they resist.

Yet as the fantasy affair grows ever more intoxicating, it can't help but cast Cora's everyday life - the mushroom problem in the bathroom, her daughter's new fascination with the afterlife, her husband's obsession with podcasts about the history of rope - in a new light. And when the boundaries grow increasingly blurred, she must decide what truly matters.

Razor-sharp, exhilaratingly honest and salted with an irresistible acerbic wit, The Ten Year Affair explores family life, fidelity and the roads not taken, and ultimately asks: do we really want our fantasies to come true?

 

What did I think?

The Ten Year Affair isn't perhaps the type of book I would usually pick up but I rather enjoyed it.  It's brutally honest and surprisingly witty so I found myself laughing out loud on a number of occasions but it has a serious subject at its heart: infidelity.

Although I didn't particularly like any of the characters I think I could understand them.  Cora escapes her mundane life as a wife and mother to a fantasy world where she's having an affair with Sam, a father she met at baby group.  It really made me think about what cheating is.  Are thoughts as bad as actions?

As the story progresses the affair doesn't just continue in Cora's head, it happens in real life but Cora finds that reality isn't a patch on fantasy.  You have to apportion some of the blame to Cora's husband Eliot, who pays very little attention to Cora, and Sam's wife Jules, who is having an affair of her own.  Both couples seem to conveniently forget that they have children though.

I did struggle at times with the 'in the fantasy world' and 'in reality' storyline as I couldn't remember what was happening in each one and it seemed to flick back and forth frequently.  I enjoyed the chapters set during the Covid-19 pandemic as it really highlighted the challenges people faced while forced to spend time with each other.  It is funny reading about people getting used to working from home and I'm sure a lot of people have many funny Zoom stories.

Witty, honest and thought-provoking, The Ten Year Affair is an interesting and entertaining read that is well worth picking up, even if it's just to feel smug about your own relationship.

 

I received a gifted hardback for the Adventures With Words readalong and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

Buy it from:

UK.Bookshop.org

Amazon

BLOG TOUR: The Ice Angels - Caroline Mitchell

Ten years ago, in the depths of the Finnish winter, Detective Elea Baker’s daughter was taken—and never found.

Now, in the quiet streets of Lincoln, girls are disappearing again. When one is found on the cathedral steps, clutching a chilling clue linked to the decade-old abduction, there’s only one person who can solve the case: Elea.

Dragged back into her nightmare, she’s determined to bring her daughter home this time—no matter the cost.

But is she chasing a ghost, or on the verge of uncovering a truth that will shatter everything?

 

What did I think?

I always set aside some dedicated reading time when it comes to Caroline Mitchell's books as they are impossible to put down and The Ice Angels is no exception.  The cover must be coated in virtual super glue as this fantastic book wasn't leaving my hands until I'd read every word.

It's the first book in the Detective Elea Baker series and what an absolute belter it is.  It has a dual timeline and a dual setting following Elea's daughter Liisa's abduction 10 years ago in Finland and the current police investigation into a spate of similar abductions in Lincoln, UK. 

Elea is linked in many ways to both cases, not just through her daughter's abduction but also through her estranged husband Richard Swann who is investigating the disappearances in Lincoln and invites Elea to consult on the case.  Oooh I loved the tangled, messy history between this pair that added an extra layer of intrigue to the already gripping storyline.

Caroline Mitchell's history in CID makes the storyline authentic and realistic and her talent as an author creates a razor-sharp and blisteringly fast-paced plot filled with drama, tension and suspense.  I am so excited to read more in this series and will definitely keep my eyes open for more. 

Unpredictable, incredibly gripping and completely unmissable, The Ice Angels is an exceptional police procedural and a outstanding start to an exciting new series.  An easy five stars and a very highly recommended read.

I received a gifted paperback 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:

Caroline Mitchell is a New York Times, USA Today, Washington Post and international #No. 1 bestselling author who has sold over 2 million books . She originates from Ireland and now lives in a woodland village outside the city of Lincoln. A former police detective, she has worked in CID and specialised in roles dealing with vulnerable victims, high-risk victims of domestic abuse, and serious sexual offences. She now writes full time.

Her books have won first place as ‘Best Psychological Thriller’ in the US Reader’s’ Favourite Award Contest, been shortlisted for the International Thriller Writer Awards in New York and been shortlisted for ‘Best Procedural’ in the Killer Nashville awards and the Audie awards. Her crime thriller, Truth And Lies is a No.1 New York Times bestseller and has been optioned for TV.

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