BLOG TOUR: Ghosts - Dolly Alderton

Nina Dean has arrived at her early thirties as a successful food writer with loving friends and family, plus a new home and neighbourhood. When she meets Max, a beguiling romantic hero who tells her on date one that he's going to marry her, it feels like all is going to plan.

A new relationship couldn't have come at a better time - her thirties have not been the liberating, uncomplicated experience she was sold. Everywhere she turns, she is reminded of time passing and opportunities dwindling. Friendships are fading, ex-boyfriends are moving on and, worse, everyone's moving to the suburbs. There's no solace to be found in her family, with a mum who's caught in a baffling mid-life makeover and a beloved dad who is vanishing in slow-motion into dementia.

Dolly Alderton's debut novel is funny and tender, filled with whip-smart observations about relationships, family, memory, and how we live now.

What did I think?

I was looking for something light to read and decided on Ghosts by Dolly Alderton, expecting a light-hearted and funny dating style rom-com.  Whilst it is partly a rom-com, it's certainly much more than that and I found it surprisingly more poignant and heart-wrenching than funny.

Apart from her day job of food writer, Nina Dean has two main parts to play in Ghosts: girlfriend and daughter.  As (potential) girlfriend we see her negotiating through the tricky minefield of online dating then choosing a man who seems too good to be true.  As if new relationships weren't difficult enough, Nina's dad is showing the first signs of dementia and her mum is going through some kind of identity crisis.  Nina certainly has a lot of balls to juggle.

There are so many things that I liked about Nina; her size 11 size (having been an annoying size 13 in my past), her middle name of George (after George Michael) and her friendship with her ex-boyfriend Joe to name but a few.  I really liked how The Edge of Heaven by Wham was woven into the story and resulted in one or two surprises for the characters.  I defy anyone not to sing the opening 'Yeah yeah yeah' to themselves while reading Ghosts but I had absolutely no idea what the song was about until now.  Yikes!  

Nina's burgeoning relationship with Max made me want to reach into the book and tell Nina to run away very fast.  There must be something in our DNA that makes a woman go all weak in the knees when a man says he wants to marry her, even on a first date.  There would be scorch marks on the floor and a puff of smoke in his place if a woman said that to a man when they first met.  It's all part of the dating game, a game for two players but only one of them knows the rules.

Although it wasn't the laugh out loud book I was expecting, Ghosts is a very enjoyable read; it's honest, heartfelt and surprisingly poignant.

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:

UK.Bookshop.org

Amazon

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The Strangers We Know - Pip Drysdale

 

Imagine seeing your loving husband on a dating app. Now imagine that’s the best thing that happens to you all week …

 

When Charlie sees a man who is the spitting image of her husband Oliver on a dating app, her heart stops. Her first desperate instinct is to tell herself she must be mistaken – after all, she only caught a glimpse from a distance as her friends laughingly swiped through the men on offer.  But no matter how much she tries to push her fears aside, she can’t let it go. Because she took that photo. On their honeymoon.

 

Suddenly other signs of betrayal start to add up and so Charlie does the only thing she can think of to defend her position – she signs up to the app to catch Oliver in the act.

 

But Charlie soon discovers that infidelity is the least of her problems. Nothing is as it seems and nobody is who she thinks they are ...

What did I think?

I loved The Sunday Girl by Pip Drysdale so as soon as I heard about The Strangers We Know, I couldn't wait to read it.  I am delighted to say that I was not disappointed, in fact I was literally on the edge of my seat for the latter part of the book with my bum perched precariously on the edge of the sofa and my body hunched over the book like an Olympic skier, as if getting my eyes closer to the book would help me read faster!

The format of the book is set out like a TV show, with a 'Pilot' chapter followed by 8 episodes.  Charlie is an actress and it really feels like she is speaking to the reader so this format works brilliantly.  Charlie is out with her friends when her best friend Tess starts drunk swiping on a dating app.  Charlie's smugness at never having had to use dating apps doesn't last long when she catches a glimpse of a photo she took of her husband on their honeymoon.  What the hell is Oliver doing on a dating site?  Seeing Oliver on a dating app is only the tip of the iceberg and Charlie's life is about to get a whole lot worse.  

Charlie and Oliver's story is gradually revealed over 8 dramatic and captivating episodes.  The reflective nature of the prose is very compelling as Charlie knows how this story ends and she regularly throws little hand grenades of mystery and intrigue that kept me hooked like a greedy little fish.  Charlie's voice is so strong and clear, virtually projecting out of the book, and I felt as if she could have been one of my friends, so I was furious at Oliver but also mindful that there are two sides to every story...and what a story this is!

I do have one teeny tiny gripe that annoyed me a little, but didn't spoil my enjoyment of the book at all.  There's a bit of a mix up with English and American English.  I could forgive the use of Americanisms like sidewalk, faucet and eggplant if they were consistent throughout the book, however, words like postcode and taps are also used as the book is set in London.  At one point, Charlie turned on the faucets and turned off the taps...in the same paragraph!  It's a bit annoying but certainly not worth knocking a star off the rating of a fantastic book, that's for sure.

Sharply plotted and so very addictive, The Strangers We Know is an edge of your seat thriller (literally in my case) that is filled with shocks and surprises.  An excellent read and one I highly recommend.

Many thanks to Simon & Schuster for sending me an ARC to read and review; all opinions are my own.

My rating:

Buy it from:

UK.Bookshop.org

Amazon

Ghosts - Dolly Alderton

 

Nina Dean has arrived at her early thirties as a successful food writer with loving friends and family, plus a new home and neighbourhood. When she meets Max, a beguiling romantic hero who tells her on date one that he's going to marry her, it feels like all is going to plan.

A new relationship couldn't have come at a better time - her thirties have not been the liberating, uncomplicated experience she was sold. Everywhere she turns, she is reminded of time passing and opportunities dwindling. Friendships are fading, ex-boyfriends are moving on and, worse, everyone's moving to the suburbs. There's no solace to be found in her family, with a mum who's caught in a baffling mid-life makeover and a beloved dad who is vanishing in slow-motion into dementia.

Dolly Alderton's debut novel is funny and tender, filled with whip-smart observations about relationships, family, memory, and how we live now.

What did I think?

I was looking for something light to read and decided on Ghosts by Dolly Alderton, expecting a light-hearted and funny dating style rom-com.  Whilst it is partly a rom-com, it's certainly much more than that and I found it surprisingly more poignant and heart-wrenching than funny.

Apart from her day job of food writer, Nina Dean has two main parts to play in Ghosts: girlfriend and daughter.  As (potential) girlfriend we see her negotiating through the tricky minefield of online dating then choosing a man who seems too good to be true.  As if new relationships weren't difficult enough, Nina's dad is showing the first signs of dementia and her mum is going through some kind of identity crisis.  Nina certainly has a lot of balls to juggle.

There are so many things that I liked about Nina; her size 11 size (having been an annoying size 13 in my past), her middle name of George (after George Michael) and her friendship with her ex-boyfriend Joe to name but a few.  I really liked how The Edge of Heaven by Wham was woven into the story and resulted in one or two surprises for the characters.  I defy anyone not to sing the opening 'Yeah yeah yeah' to themselves while reading Ghosts but I had absolutely no idea what the song was about until now.  Yikes!  

Nina's burgeoning relationship with Max made me want to reach into the book and tell Nina to run away very fast.  There must be something in our DNA that makes a woman go all weak in the knees when a man says he wants to marry her, even on a first date.  There would be scorch marks on the floor and a puff of smoke in his place if a woman said that to a man when they first met.  It's all part of the dating game, a game for two players but only one of them knows the rules.

Although it wasn't the laugh out loud book I was expecting, Ghosts is a very enjoyable read; it's honest, heartfelt and surprisingly poignant.

Thank you to the publisher for providing an ebook via NetGalley for the purpose of review; this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

Buy it from:

UK.Bookshop.org

Amazon

BLOG TOUR: Unexpected Lessons in Love - Lucy Dillon

What happens when 'I do' turns into 'I don't know'?

Jeannie always wanted to fall in love, and now she’s finally got the whirlwind romance she dreamed of. Dan’s gorgeous, he’s a successful young vet, and he flew her to New York and proposed on Brooklyn Bridge. Jeannie has to remind herself this is actually her life. It seems too perfect, too magical, to be real. Yet it is.

But now she’s on her way to the wedding she can’t shake off the tight sensation crushing her chest. Is it just nerves . . . or is this all happening a bit too fast?

Jeannie has one last chance to shout, ‘Stop!’ But just as she grabs it, a twist of fate throws everything she knows into the air like confetti. What Jeannie learns about Dan, about her own heart, and about the power of love itself, will change her world for ever . . .

What did I think?

I was delighted to win an advance copy of Unexpected Lessons in Love on Twitter as I have wanted to read a Lucy Dillon book for some time.  What an amazing introduction to this fabulous author.  I have to say that I half expected an overdose of romantic hearts and flowers but I was pleasantly surprised by the lack of sloppy slushiness.

Jeannie and Dan appear to have the perfect relationship; they're a couple in love hurtling towards married life after Dan surprised Jeannie with a romantic proposal.  The only problem is they haven't known each other long enough to find out everything about each other.  Once they are engaged, their time is taken up with wedding preparations rather than learning everything they need to know about each other.  Jeannie learns her lesson the hard way as this fact finally hits her: how can she marry Dan when she doesn't even know him?  Good on her for being brave enough to trust her gut and voice her concern, although her timing could have been better.

The aftermath of the non-wedding is where I completely fell in love with the storyline, thanks to a handful of rescued dogs and puppies.  The dogs really stole the show (and my heart) as Lucy Dillon touches on the plight of dogs in puppy farms.  The effect on the dogs is horrific, especially when they are naturally social animals.  It is Jeannie's new friend, Rachel, who runs a charity to look after rescued dogs but Rachel is seriously lacking funds to take care of this new intake and she can't possibly turn them away.  Jeannie and Rachel, together with Natalie from the animal shelter, come up with an amazing fundraising idea and as donations come pouring in, the stories that accompany them really put a smile on my face.

Not that it ever disappeared completely (there's just too many books and not enough time), but Lucy Dillon has reawakened my love of romantic/women's fiction.  Unexpected Lessons in Love is a fabulously heartwarming book with a riveting storyline that takes the reader in a completely unexpected direction.  I absolutely loved it and, having been immersed in the crime and thriller genre for so long, I was surprised how much I enjoyed it.

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

My rating:

Buy it from Amazon




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BLOG TOUR: The EX-Girlfriend - Nicola Moriarty

SHE WANTS HIM BACK. SHE WANTS YOU GONE. 

Luke is the one. After everything she's been through, Georgia knows she deserves someone like him, to make her feel loved. Safe. 

The only problem is his ex-girlfriend. Luke says Cadence is having trouble accepting their break-up, but Georgia thinks there's more to the story. She has the feeling someone is watching her. 

So when everything starts to go wrong at work, at home, in her old friendships and her happy new relationship with Luke, Georgia starts to feel afraid. 

It's becoming clear Cadence wants what she has. But how far will she go to get it? 

What did I think?

I've been meaning to read a Nicola Moriarty book for a while and The EX-Girlfriend sounded so good that it jumped right to the top of my Nicola Moriarty queue.  It's fast paced and a really easy read that is impossible to put down so I found that I raced through it in two sittings; it would have been one sitting but, rather disappointingly, I had to put it down so I could go to sleep when I was 75% through.

The prologue is entitled 'The Elevator' and it sent shivers down my spine; there's nothing worse than being in an enclosed box with someone you don't want to be in close contact with.  It could be quite innocuous but there is just something so menacing about it and that's before we even get to know the characters of Georgia and Cadence.

I really liked the character of Georgia; the youngest and only girl in a family of boys.  Although she may have been taunted and teased by her brothers when they were all growing up, I had no doubt that they would look out for her and never more so than when she brings her new man, Luke, to her brother's wedding.  The way she met Luke was rather fortuitous as she had been stood up on a Tinder date.  Georgia was just about to leave the bar when she got hassled by some beefy blokes and Luke rode in on his white horse to come to her rescue.  Fate does seem to work in mysterious ways and Georgia happily exchanged numbers with Luke.  She later finds out that Luke comes with a lot of baggage, namely his ex-girlfriend Cadence.

By the end of Chapter Two my bullshit-o-meter was going absolutely haywire.  Maybe I'm just old and sceptical but, apart from his ex-girlfriend issue, Luke seemed too good to be true.  Meanwhile, Cadence sets out on a campaign to get Luke back by stalking Georgia.  This really was very frightening and it just shows how easy it actually is to stalk people these days thanks to Social Media.  I always cringe when people 'check in' to places, sharing every minutiae of their life and not realising that they're leaving themselves wide open and vulnerable.  Georgia didn't seem to be able to go anywhere without Cadence's eyes on her and I really started to worry about how far this would go when it seemed like Cadence not only wanted Luke back, but she wanted to ruin Georgia's life in the process.

Gripping, chilling and scarily believable, The EX-Girlfriend is a firecracker of a read; I couldn't put it down.  Even if I had worked some of it out (and I'm not saying whether I had or not), it didn't spoil my enjoyment one bit and I was immensely satisfied at the girl-power ending.  Nicola Moriarty has definitely earned the full five stars for this The EX-Girlfriend and I'm even more excited to read her other books now.

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

My rating:

Buy it from Amazon




About the author:

Nicola Moriarty is a novelist, copywriter and mum to two small (but remarkably strong-willed) daughters. In between various career changes, becoming a mum and studying at university, she began to write. Now, she can't seem to stop. The Fifth Letter was her UK debut novel, followed by Those Other Women. 

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BLOG TOUR: Too Far - Jason Starr

One night. One date. What have you got to lose?

Jack Harper isn’t a bad man, but he’s stuck in a loveless marriage with a mediocre job just trying to keep sober. The only good thing in his life is his son. When an old college friend introduces him to a new extramarital dating website, he tentatively reaches out to find a distraction from his misery. But when he goes to meet up with his steamy online date, he quickly realises it was a dire choice.

Soon, Jack finds himself desperately trying to prove his innocence for crimes he did not commit, and the life he once had – unhappy as it was – is nothing but a dream. Now, he’s living his worst nightmare. . .

Gripping and packed with shocking twists and turns, this intense psychological thriller plays with a basic anxiety we all harbour: What if one reckless decision could ruin your life forever?

What did I think?

I wasn't sure that I was going to like Too Far from the opening pages, as the world of real estate is not something that interests me, but I'm so pleased that it didn't put me off as there's an absolutely gripping story to discover within the pages of this thrilling book.  I absolutely raced through it and, although I had some suspicions, I loved the way the story played out.  The writing is so visual that I wouldn't be surprised to see this story on our tv screens at some point.

I actually really liked the character of Jack; I felt as if he was just going through the motions of life.  Doing a job in real estate that he hates and with a marriage that is barely holding together, I don't know how he managed to stay sober.  When he meets up with an old friend whose life seems illicit and exciting, Jack doesn't see the harm in logging on to an website for married people to hook up.  He doesn't plan to register but when he gets a message from a woman who seems to be made for him, he can't resist.  The moment he inputs his credit card details, wheels are set in motion that could see him lose everything he ever held dear and there's nothing as dangerous as a man who has nothing left to lose.

I'm sure many of us have dabbled in online dating (for singles though, not married people), there really is nothing as exciting as making that connection with someone who feels just right for you.  Then you hear the horror stories of catfishing, where people pretend to be somebody they're not, and you wonder if the person you are connecting with really is too good to be true.  It's a real minefield, as Jack found out in this book, and I really loved the way the author showed the two sides of the online dating coin.

Too Far is a very current thriller in this day and age of online dating; it's a gripping, fast-paced page-turner that I thoroughly enjoyed.

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

My rating:

Buy it from Amazon



About the author:

Jason Starr is the international bestselling author of many crime novels and thrillers and his books have been published in over a dozen languages. Many of his books are in development for film and TV. Starr's bestselling crime novels include Cold Caller, Nothing Personal, Fake ID, Hard Feelings, Tough Luck and Twisted City, followed by Lights Out, The Follower, Panic Attack, Savage Lane and his latest novel, Too Far. He is one of only a handful of authors who have won the Anthony Award for mystery fiction multiple times. He was born in Brooklyn and lives in Manhattan.

Links:

www.noexit.co.uk

https://twitter.com/noexitpress

https://twitter.com/JasonStarrBooks

http://jasonstarr.com/

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BLOG TOUR: The Promise - Katerina Diamond

No one can protect you from your past…

When a young woman is found strangled in her own bedroom, DS Imogen Grey and DS Adrian Miles are plunged into an investigation to find a twisted serial killer who likes to date his victims before he kills them.

Determined to stop the horrific deaths, Imogen is forced to act as bait – but will she get caught in her own trap? As the search for the killer ramps up, attention falls on the strange new boy in town. Why does he watch his neighbours through the windows? And could the truth be closer to home than any of them realise?

What did I think?

I absolutely loved Katarina Diamond's first book in the DS Grey and DS Miles series, The Teacher, but I am guilty of reading The Promise which is book 4 before books 2 and 3.  It definitely reads well as a standalone because there are references to earlier events that made me want to find out more, rather than feel as if I had missed something crucial.

With many of us singletons turning to online dating these days, The Promise is very relevant and a little scary.  It is very well written and clearly well researched as it is always a fear of mine that the person you are talking to online is somebody entirely different in real life...aka a catfish.  This is what is happening to the women in The Promise as they are chosen and groomed into meeting their perfect man who kills them on the first date.  DS Imogen Grey is so determined to catch the killer that she puts herself on a dating site as bait...but will hers or the killer's trap be sprung first?

There's also a dual storyline about a teenage boy, Connor.  Connor is a very troubled teen and he has moved to the UK from America with his Dad who beats him.  Under times of stress, Connor has seizures and you can't help but feel for this young man.  He has been written with a huge heart underneath his cool exterior and I loved how he was drawn to his neighbour, Selina, who isn't one of the popular girls at school.  It was so sad to see how his character has evolved due to his family history and it's scary to think how events in our past can shape us.

Fast-paced, current and gripping, The Promise is another fabulous page turner from Katerina Diamond that has me frantically back peddling to fill in the gaps between The Promise and The Teacher.

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

My rating:

Buy it from Amazon


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BLOG BLITZ: The M Word - Eileen Wharton

Roberta Gallbreath is middle aged and menopausal. She dislikes her children, detests her ex-husband and despises her colleagues.

When her mother dies, Roberta is left with a pile of letters and a mystery surrounding her son. The letters reveal Roberta’s heritage is not what it seems and she is soon on a mission to become a better person.

Told with humour and emotion, The M Word is the tale of one woman’s journey to find out where she came from. As she looks to the past for answers, more questions are raised. Will Roberta discover who she really is?

What did I think?

It is rare to find a book so difficult to put down outside of the thriller genre but I had no difficulty at all in reading this cracking little book in one sitting.  It is so funny that I couldn't contain my laughter and I felt as if I was completely attuned to Eileen Wharton's prosecco-style humour (sparkling and dry, get it?).  

In fact, I felt as if Eileen Wharton knew me personally as I recognised so much of myself in the book; does the 'M' in The M Word perhaps stand for Michelle? I couldn't believe that both Roberta and I have an office bitch mug and anyone who knows me will have heard me referring to 'meat' sausages as being made of hooves and @rseholes, which is pretty much how hotdogs are described in this book.  So it was with tears of laughter streaming down my cheeks that I read most of The M Word, but life isn't always a comedy so Roberta also has many of the ups and downs of every day life to deal with.

Roberta is such a fabulous character; she is so honest and outspoken that you can't help but immediately love her.  It's quite sad at the beginning when Roberta finds out that her mother, Alice, is dying but when she visits her for the final time it is clear from their constant sniping at each other that they don't have a traditional mother/daughter relationship.  With her dying breath, Alice drops a bombshell and tells Roberta that the letters will explain everything.  As we read these heartbreaking letters with Roberta, we learn a lot more about Alice and why she was never able to show Roberta how much she loved her.

When her husband, Andy aka Knobhead, ran off with Terri-Ann from Thomas Cook, Roberta is encouraged by her hilarious friend, Tammy, to try internet dating.  This had my kindle shaking with laughter as Roberta went on one disastrous date after another in her attempt to show her boss, Mick the dick, that she could get a hot date for the company ball.  Roberta has no idea that when Mick asked her if she was taking a date to the ball, he was hoping she'd say no so he could go with her.  Awwwwww.  I had my fingers crossed for those two as Mick is completely smitten with Roberta but she's too insecure to see it.

I could write so much more about this book as I think it's brilliant; it is perfectly balanced with seriousness and humour and also contains a variant of my favourite Geordie word ever: claggy (meaning sticky).  I loved the witty hashtags sprinkled throughout, like #sickasachip and #datingdisaster which you could imagine Roberta using on social media if she's one of those people who document every minutiae of their lives online #asifanyoneisinterested.  I will also never look at a bottle stopper in the same way ever again...and again it reminded me of a funny day in my life when one of my colleagues in a design business asked me if I though his sculpture looked like a 'bottle stopper'.  He didn't say bottle stopper, but if you read The M Word you'll know what I mean!  I didn't even know what it was!  #shelteredlife

I abso-blooming-lutely recommend The M Word: it's fresh, honest and filled to the brim with sparkling dry humour.  It's so good I definitely want to read it again!

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

My rating:

Buy it from Amazon



About the author:

Eileen Wharton is not the naughty great-grandaughter of Edith Wharton. She is currently employed by MI5 but has had various jobs including: wigmaker to Donald Trump, Megan Fox’s stunt double and Ann Summers ‘toy’ tester. She also tells lies for a living.

She currently has five ‘lively’ offspring ranging from thirty to ten years of age and has no plans to procreate further much to the relief of the local schools and police force.

Her first novel, ‘Shit Happens’ was published in 2011 to worldwide critical acclaim. She’s also won awards for exaggeration. It did top the Amazon humour chart so she’s officially a best-selling author.

Her first children’s picture book, ‘The Shmoogly Boo’ was published in the same year and another is in the pipeline entitled, ‘My Dad’s Better than Your Dad.’

Her first crime novel, ‘Blanket of Blood’ was launched as a paperback on Friday 28^th November 2016. She is now working on the sequel ‘Blood’s Thicker.’

 She teaches English to teenagers and lives on a council estate in Bishop Auckland. She has never eaten kangaroo testicles, is allergic to cats and has a phobia of tinned tuna.

Author links

https://www.facebook.com/eileen.whartonwriter

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Eileen-Wharton/e/B00QQT2IKE/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1525777837&sr=8-1

http://eileenwhartonwrite.wixsite.com/eileenwharton




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BLOG BLITZ: Deception Wears Many Faces - Maggie James

When Lyddie takes her sister to Devon to recover after a recent suicide attempt, it starts a train of events that will put their lives in grave danger.

Ellie has been the victim of a professional con artist, one who stole her savings, then disappeared from her life. Driven by her own history of failed relationships, Lyddie vows revenge on the man who broke her sister’s heart.

Soon she assumes a false identity and begins her hunt for a man she knows to be cold, calculating and ruthless. But who is fooling whom? And can Lyddie find the justice she seeks and heal her damaged sister? 

What did I think?

I thought I had this one all worked out...then I didn't...then I did again...then I didn't...but such is the amazing talent of Maggie James to drop in more red herrings than the fish quay at North Shields.  So I gave up trying to work it out, and just went along for the ride!

Ellie and Lyddie are really close sisters, more so after Ellie attempted suicide on multiple occasions.  Lyddie is understandably overprotective of Ellie so when Ellie is duped by a con-artist into giving him all of her inheritance, Lyddie vows revenge.  Lyddie sets up a fake profile on some dating websites to lure the con-man into her web so she can get her revenge but he always seems to be one step ahead of her...  Then Lyddie unexpectedly finds the man of her dreams but she worries that she will lose him when she comes clean about her fake dating profile.  Lyddie might just have to choose between finding love for herself or getting revenge for her sister.

I loved how Maggie James so cleverly led me in one direction then blindfolded me, spun me around and sent me back to square one.  I also think it's good to remind people about the dangerous predators lurking online.  I've dabbled in online dating in the past but I can't bear dishonesty and there's always that fear that the person you are corresponding with is somebody else entirely.  I'm sure that there are some honest people out there but I've never found one in the world of online dating.

Ellie's mental health is also a big part of the story and very topical at the moment as we are encouraged to be aware of mental health.  I did feel that Lyddie mollycoddled her a bit and I wondered what Ellie's failed suicide attempts were really all about when she clearly has a family who love her.  Maggie James is never one for leaving loose ends so all of this becomes clear as the story progresses and it's all beautifully wrapped up in a big bow at the end.

Deception Wears Many Faces is a fabulously entertaining, gripping and totally addictive book from the dark and twisty mind of the wonderful Maggie James.  It's definitely a read-in-a-day kind of book as I couldn't bear to put it down once I'd picked it up; Maggie James has this amazing ability to tie your brain in knots so you know you're going to get a top-notch thrilling read when you pick up one of her books.  There's a bit of a pattern forming here on The Book Magnet as Maggie James scoops another huge 5 stars from me.

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

My rating:

Buy it from Amazon



About the author:

Before turning her hand to writing, Maggie worked mainly as an accountant, with a diversion into practising as a nutritional therapist. Diet and health remain high on her list of interests, along with travel. Accountancy does not, but then it never did. The urge to pack a bag and go off travelling is always lurking in the background! When not writing, going to the gym, practising yoga or travelling, Maggie can be found seeking new four-legged friends to pet; animals are a lifelong love! 

Links:

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/mjamesfiction

LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/pub/maggie-james/64/381/727

Google+ : https://plus.google.com/101511690389687930651

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/828751.Maggie_James

Pinterest:  http://www.pinterest.com/maggiejamesfict/

Amazon: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Maggie-James/e/B00BS9LVMI

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/maggie-james

Authorgraph: https://www.authorgraph.com/authors/mjamesfiction



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BLOG TOUR: The One - John Marrs

How far would you go to find THE ONE?

One simple mouth swab is all it takes. 

One tiny DNA test to find your perfect partner - the one you're genetically made for. 

A decade after scientists discover everyone has a gene they share with just one person, millions have taken the test, desperate to find true love. 

Now, five more people take the test. But even soul mates have secrets. And some are more shocking - and deadlier - than others...

A psychological thriller with a difference, this is a truly unique novel which is guaranteed to keep you on the edge of your seat.

What did I think?

Many people have turned to online dating to find their other half, but in The One, John Marrs takes online dating to the next level.  A gene responsible for love at first sight has been identified and through a website called 'Match Your DNA' you can take a test to discover your perfect match.  What if a simple DNA test could match you with the person you are meant to be with, The One?  Would you take the test?  The characters in The One have all taken the test and as we follow them on their journey it quickly becomes clear that not everyone is destined for a happy ever after.

Each chapter is based on one of the 5 main characters and their matches.  At first I thought it would be confusing, but the chapters are so short that you quickly come back to each character and you get to know them all very quickly.

Mandy can't believe her luck when she is matched with Richard and she can't stop looking at his handsome photos on Facebook.  But why has he not responded to her email?  As Mandy digs a bit further into Richard's private life she discovers the reason for his lack of response but she still has a chance at happiness.

Christopher has just murdered a woman when he gets the results of his Match Your DNA test.  Can a psychopath ever feel love and how long can he keep his secret killing spree hidden from his match, Amy?  Especially when Amy is a policewoman...

We then meet Jade who is living with her parents in Sunderland and is matched with Kevin, also living with his parents but in Australia. Do the pair have a future together, living so far apart?  When Jade decides to take a spontaneous trip to Australia she is shocked to find that Kevin doesn't want to meet her.  She won't take no for an answer so turns up at his front door to discover the devastating secret that Kevin has been hiding from her.

Nick is happily engaged to Sally but, after pressure from their friends, they decide to take the test to make sure that they are meant for each other.  Of course, the test comes back with a match for Nick and it's not Sally...it's not even a woman.  Can their relationship survive now that they know they aren't matched?  What would happen if Nick decided to meet his match?  Nick can't resist the temptation to meet Alex just to prove that he's not gay, but he could never have imagined the burst of feelings that he'd get when their eyes met.

Ellie is a successful businesswoman who only ever comes into contact with rich, shallow men.  When her match comes through and it's nice, normal Timothy, Ellie shrugs off her rich, successful persona and decides to take a chance on Tim.  Ellie is surprised when she doesn't feel sparks flying but Tim feels an immediate connection and wears his heart on his sleeve.  As they spend more time together, Ellie's feelings for Tim grow but is it because of the match gene or is she falling in love the traditional way?

Put on your virtual running shoes as you will absolutely race through The One.  I couldn't put it down and it really gets you thinking about how we approach love and relationships.  In this 21st Century world, where people have little time to meet their partner, it is no surprise that online dating is big business.  As you can be anybody you want to be in the virtual online world, there are perhaps more sharks than fish in the sea.  I started The One thinking, 'Yes, I'd take the test'.  It would certainly save some time wading through the fake facades that people wear.  As I read on and the pitfalls and dangers of the DNA test became clear, and knowing my luck I'd be matched with a psychopath in Australia, I would definitely leave meeting my 'one' up to chance and risk being crazy lonely old book lady.

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

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About the Author

John Marrs is a freelance journalist based in London, England, who has spent the last 20 years interviewing celebrities from the world of television, film and music for national newspapers and magazines.

He has written for publications including The Guardian's Guide and Guardian Online; OK! Magazine; Total Film; Empire; Q; GT; The Independent; Star; Reveal; Company; Daily Star and News of the World's Sunday Magazine.

His debut novel The Wronged Sons, was released in 2013 and in May 2015, he released his second book, Welcome To Wherever You Are.

In July 2016 came his third novel A Thousand Small Explosions.