BLOG TOUR: The Mother - T.M. Logan

Framed for murder. Now she's free . . .

A woman attends a funeral, standing in the shadows and watching in agony as her sons grieve. But she is unable to comfort them - or reveal her secret.

A decade earlier, Heather gets her children ready for bed and awaits the return of her husband Liam, little realising that this is the last night they will spend together as a family. Because tomorrow she will be accused of Liam's murder.

Ten years ago Heather lost everything. Now she will stop at nothing to clear her name - and to get her children back . . .

 

What did I think?

You're always guaranteed a good read with a T.M. Logan book and The Mother is no exception - I simply couldn't put it down!  Clear your diary for a few hours when you pick this one up as it will be stuck to your hands until you've devoured every single word.

Talk about hooked from the start: reading about Heather attending her own funeral ensured that I put on my virtual running shoes and raced through this book.  In a double whammy of mystery and intrigue, I just had to know why and how Heather faked her own death and whether or not she had murdered her husband.

I really liked Heather, even though I wasn't sure whether or not she was a murderer.  Although I don't have children, I felt her pain at being separated from her two boys.  Even when she was released on licence she was prevented from being in contact with them and I could have cried for her.  It gives her motivation to fight for her freedom though and she claims she didn't kill her husband so she needs to find out who did in order to clear her name.

With plenty of shocks and surprises in store for the reader, The Mother is fast-paced, gripping and very addictive.  T.M. Logan isn't referred to as the master of the up-all-night thriller for no reason - once you pick this book up, you won't be able to put it down.  If The Mother isn't picked up for TV, I will eat my hat.  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 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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The Coincidence (The Trial Trilogy) - David B. Lyons

How wide can a coincidence stretch your beliefs?

Joy Stapleton is Ireland’s most infamous prisoner.

She was incarcerated for two life sentences, after the bodies of her two young sons were found buried in a shallow grave in the Dublin mountains.

But she has always maintained her innocence, and argues the only reason she was ever arrested in the first place comes down to mere coincidence.

But it’s a coincidence that didn’t convince detectives.

A coincidence that didn’t convince a jury.

And a coincidence that hasn’t impressed the inmates of Mountjoy Prison.

That is until eight years into her sentence, when new evidence emerges, and everybody — including Joy’s long-suffering husband Shay — is forced into a rethink.

Take your seat in the courtroom for the retrial of the century… and see just how wide you’re willing to allow a coincidence stretch your beliefs…

What did I think?

I absolutely love books set in the courtroom for their high drama and edge of your seat thrills and David. B. Lyons delivers drama and thrills in abundance in The Coincidence, the third book in The Trial Trilogy.  It's such very compulsive reading and once you pick it up, it's impossible to put down.  David B. Lyons’ writing is so vivid and immersive I actually felt as if I was sitting in the courtroom; in fact it felt like I was in the judge's seat as the reader is privy to judge Delia's thought processes.

The case in this book is a retrial so the defendant, Joy Stapleton, is already in prison serving two life sentences for the murder of her sons.  Joy was convicted after being caught on CCTV near to the burial site, however, Joy claims it wasn't her in the video and the image isn't clear enough to confirm this.  New evidence is brought before the court to cast doubt on the person's identity in the video and a retrial is granted.

David B. Lyons paints such a vivid picture of life behind bars that my kindle virtually hummed with the underlying tension and the threat of violence.  An extra layer of suspense is added by the reader first meeting Joy 3,000 days ago when she is brought to Mountjoy Prison and the days count down to the verdict.  As if there wasn't enough tension already, the countdown clock made me put on my literary running shoes so I could race to the end of this very cleverly crafted and completely addictive book.

I had to take a few moments at the end of the book to gather my thoughts as I had so many questions flying around my head.  Some of these questions could have been answered along the way if I'd read a bit slower, but once I sat down and thought it over I fully appreciated the brilliantly clever plot.

The Coincidence is so gripping and fast paced, I couldn’t put it down; you’d think it was made out of chocolate the way I completely devoured it.  With clues to collect along the way, there’s so much to absorb and discuss which makes The Coincidence the perfect read for book groups.  A fantastic book and highly recommended.

Thank you to David B. Lyons for sending me an ARC to read; this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

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BLOG TOUR: Reach for a Star - Kathryn Freeman

It's a Rachel's Random Resources Blog Tour today so that means there's a fabulous giveaway!  After reading my review of Reach for a Star, you can enter to win a paperback copy of Oh Crumbs by Kathryn Freeman and this is a book I absolutely loved so do make sure you enter!  Good Luck!

What if your dreams were so close you could reach out and touch them? 

How could anyone resist Michael Tennant, with his hypnotic blue eyes and voice like molten chocolate? Jessie Simmons certainly can’t. But Jessie’s a single mum who can’t sing to save her life – there’s no way she’ll ever cross paths with the star tenor. 

At least that’s what she thinks until she’s unexpectedly invited to take part in a new reality TV show. The premise? Professional singers teach hopeless amateurs how to sing. The surprise? Jessie’s partner is none other than Michael Tennant!

As she becomes better acquainted with the man behind the voice, will Jessie find out the hard way that you should never meet your idols? Or will she get more than she bargained for?

What did I think?

My reading tastes have changed over the years and I rarely read romantic fiction or chick-lit these days, however, I always make an exception for certain authors and Kathryn Freeman is one of them.  It's nice to have a change of pace from psychological thrillers and bloodthirsty crime and with her comforting, heartwarming romantic fiction Kathryn Freeman certainly fits the bill.

In Reach for a Star, pharmacist and divorcee, Jessie, is secretly entered into a TV singing competition by her two sons; not because she is a good singer, but because she can't sing at all.  The TV show teams members of the public with professional singers from various music genres in an attempt to teach them to sing.  With only one week to do it, it seems like an impossible task so it's not the best but the most improved singer who will win.  Jessie can't believe her luck when she is partnered with her idol, Michael Tennant, but their meeting doesn't go as perfectly as she imagined as Michael is at his most snappy with trying to squeeze this reality show in right before an upcoming world tour.

As you would expect after spending a lot of time with somebody over an intense week, Michael's shell begins to crack and he starts to fall for Jessie.  Michael has had his heart broken once before and he's worried that Jessie is more in love with Michael Tennant the tenor than Michael the man.  With so many insecurities, misunderstandings and prior commitments getting in the way, not to mention a PA who has her own sights set on Michael, the pair have to survive being apart during Michael's world tour.  If it's meant to be, they'll find a way.

Kathryn Freeman writes a prescription for pure unadulterated escapism in Reach for a Star.  Side effects are a warm heart, damp eyes, inability to prevent your mouth from smiling and an overall feeling of happiness.  Seriously, I wish you could bottle this stuff!  For any girl who has ever fallen in love with her idol (and let's face it, who hasn't?), Reach for a Star brings that dream to life; this sparkling, utterly fabulous book will not just warm your heart, it will warm your soul.  

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

My rating:

Buy it from:
Amazon UK
Amazon US



About the author:

A former pharmacist, I’m now a medical writer who also writes romance. Some days a racing heart is a medical condition, others it’s the reaction to a hunky hero.

With two teenage boys and a husband who asks every Valentine’s Day whether he has to buy a card (yes, he does), any romance is all in my head. Then again, his unstinting support of my career change proves love isn't always about hearts and flowers - and heroes come in many disguises.

Social Media Links –

Website:  http://kathrynfreeman.co.uk

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

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/KathrynFreeman1

GIVEAWAY!!!

Giveaway to Win a PB copy of Oh Crumbs by Kathryn Freeman (Open INT)

*Terms and Conditions –Worldwide entries welcome.  Please enter using the Rafflecopter box below.  The winner will be selected at random via Rafflecopter from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then Rachel’s Random Resources reserves the right to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over.  Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. This will passed to the giveaway organiser and used only for fulfilment of the prize, after which time Rachel’s Random Resources will delete the data.  I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.

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