Missing Pieces - Heather Gudenkauf

Everyone has secrets…

Sarah Quinlan's husband, Jack, has been haunted for decades by the untimely death of his mother when he was just a teenager, her body found in the cellar of their family farm, the circumstances a mystery. The case rocked the town where Jack was raised, and for years Jack avoided returning home. But when his beloved aunt Julia is in an accident, hospitalised in a coma, Jack and Sarah are forced to confront the past that they have long evaded.

Sarah and Jack are welcomed by the family Jack left behind all those years ago—barely a trace of the wounds that had once devastated them all. But as facts about Julia’s accident begin to surface, Sarah realises that nothing about the Quinlans is what it seems. Caught in a flurry of unanswered questions, Sarah dives deep into the rabbit hole of Jack’s past, but the farther she climbs, the harder it is for her to get out. And soon she is faced with a hard reality she may not be prepared for.

What did I think?

I read the exceptional One Breath Away a number of years ago and knew that Heather Gudenkauf was an author I wanted to read more from.  I have purchased a few more of her books over the years but as usual there are so many books, so little time and I've not got around to reading them.

I didn't enjoy Missing Pieces as much as One Breath Away, but that's always going to happen when you have a yardstick by which other books shall be measured.  So deleting One Breath Away from my memory for the moment, let's see what I really thought about Missing Pieces.

Sarah and Jack return to Jack's hometown of Penny Gate when his Aunt Julia ends up in hospital following an apparent accident.  It quickly becomes clear that Julia's fall was not an accident and the police begin looking more closely at the family for a motive.  During the course of the investigation, Sarah finds out that Jack was once suspected of murdering his own mother, leading her to question whether she ever really knew her husband at all.  Why did he keep this a secret from her?  Who is the man that she married?  Sarah is now so disillusioned about Jack, that it is only due to the fact that they weren't in Penny Gate at the time, that she doesn't suspect him of Julia's accident.

Missing Pieces is an intense story of relationships and how far we go to protect the ones we love.  Just because we hide something from our loved ones, it doesn't necessarily mean that we have something to hide, we may do it to protect them.  Human nature is fascinating indeed and Heather Gudenkauf certainly knows how people tick.

A suspenseful small town mystery, perhaps not Heather Gudenkauf's best, but certainly one that kept the pages turning as the layers of family history were peeled back.

I received this e-book from the publisher, Harlequin, via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

My rating:

Buy it from Amazon

The Late Blossoming of Frankie Green - Laura Kemp

A laugh-out-loud, feel good, romantic comedy, which will take you on an enlightening emotional rollercoaster. Perfect for the fans of Sophie Kinsella and Jane Costello. 

Frankie Green’s happy ever after is put on hold when her childhood sweetheart husband complains things are boring in bed. 

When he asks for some space, she sets out to win him back by getting herself a sex education. 

Little does she know that her hilarious, tender and embarrassing journey of enlightenment is going to change everything... 

A story full of humour, heartache and happiness, of friendship, coming of age and overcoming insecurity.

What did I think?

Although I don't ever encourage people to judge a book by its cover, I knew I had to read this book as soon as I saw the absolutely stunning cover.  As spring seems to be reverting back to winter rather than summer this year in the UK, I rely on my books to put a smile on my face and warm my heart.  That's where The Late Blossoming of Frankie Green ticks all the boxes.  

Frankie is celebrating her 1st wedding anniversary with her husband, Jason, when he suddenly announces that she is boring in bed and he wants to separate.  Oh Jason, you selfish, selfish man.  As the bottom falls out of Frankie's world she turns to her friends, Em and Letty, and vows to win back Jason.  After a few drinks, Em's brother, Floyd, comes up with a wild plan to teach Frankie about sex so she can impress Jason and win back his heart and his (little) head.  Of course, it was obvious where the story would lead but it was so much fun getting there!

I think for me, the key to what was wrong with Frankie's relationship with Jason was summed up on the first page.  They were celebrating their first wedding anniversary but they had been together for 14 years.  He's a commitment-phobe!  Run, Frankie!  Run for the hills!  Frankie has wasted too much of her time on Jason, trying to keep him happy, but who's trying to make Frankie happy? Nobody, that's who.  As Frankie discovers what makes her happy, you really could see her blossoming before your very eyes.

The Late Blossoming of Frankie Green is a delightful story that reminds us that only by loving ourselves can we truly love another.  A lovely, warm witty tale that I thoroughly enjoyed from start to finish.

I received this e-book from the publisher, Aria, via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

My rating:

Buy it from Amazon

What Happened to Marilyn - Alexander Rigby

Marilyn Monroe wakes up inside the rust-colored brick walls of an extravagant mansion in Savannah, and is informed that it’s the year 2062. 

The young man who tells her this is Jeremiah Gold, whom Marilyn met just days ago in California, a century earlier. He quickly explains how he traveled back to 1962 in the time machine he invented, to save her from the death that would have otherwise overtaken her. At first Marilyn is unable to comprehend the truth, but as Jeremiah discovers that the news of her legendary demise is still mysteriously in place, she decides to align her trust in him. 

In time, the brazen blonde emerges out into the southern city, taking caution so that none of the citizens of Savannah recognize her. Marilyn knows it’s dangerous, but she can’t quench the urge she has to explore this futuristic world, regardless of the warnings Jeremiah gives her. 

What Happened to Marilyn is a time-bending novel that gives one of the most famous women in the world a shot at redemption. As she struggles to deal with her identity and her unfulfilled dreams, Marilyn wonders if she should stay with Jeremiah, or return to the past that will never let her go.

What did I think?

I openly admit to not being a science fiction fan, but when a book about Marilyn Monroe came up for review I just had to read it, time travel or not.  It was actually a really interesting story and made me wonder about time, events and what ifs.

With flying cars and time travel, it reminded me of Back to the Future but Jeremiah Gold is a lot smarter than Marty McFly.  It is clear that Jeremiah is different, he's a clever guy and is miles ahead of his compatriots in 2062.  When his mother dies he vows to fulfil her wish of going back in time to save Marilyn Monroe from her premature death.  Alexander Rigby has paid fantastic homage to Marilyn as she felt very true to life, not that I can confirm this having not met her of course.  It begged the question as to whether you could really go back and change events in history.  Could one small change have a cataclysmic effect?

Life in 2062, apart from the flying cars, seemed very similar to today; people have the same thoughts, feelings and insecurities.  I don't think I will be still alive in 2062 but I hope some of Alexander Rigby's ideas come true.  I loved the idea of going to a dance or disco and putting in earphones to listen to the music - I could completely visualise people swaying to a silent beat.  I'm not so sure about cloning yourself to cure your ills though, but if that did come to pass then maybe I will still be around in 2062!

What Happened to Marilyn is certainly something a little bit different.  Don't be put off by not reading sci-fi, there are no space ships or aliens in here!  It's a must read for any Marilyn Monroe fan and for anyone looking to read something a bit out of the ordinary.  I certainly enjoyed it.

I received this e-book from the author in exchange for an honest review.

My rating:

Buy it from Amazon

Wanderlust - Simon Foster

After 9/11, Aussie expat Luke Bales is determined to make a success of his New York bar, The Billabong.

But when a hot fashion student goes missing from the bar, Luke’s liquor license is threatened and his sidekick placed under suspicion.

To keep his dream alive, Luke follows a bloody trail through the city’s boroughs, soon realizing that evil can strike thousands of miles from home.

Or just around the corner. 

What did I think?

Well this was a little hidden gem of a book and I absolutely raced through it one rainy Saturday afternoon.  I knew I was going to love it from the very first page; not just because it was set in a bar (as many people know I'm a beer lover) but because of the easy going Aussie lingo that reminded me of happy days watching Home and Away and Neighbours.  Lingo that greeted me like an old friend, drawing me in and pulling out a seat with my name on it at this friendly bar in NYC named The Billabong.

The book is named after a beer cocktail served at The Billabong - beer cocktail, you say?  Yes, you heard me right.  I have got to try The Wanderlust, although I'm not sure if I'm brave enough to put a dash of Tabasco in my beer.  Anyway I digress enough about the beer, on to the book...

The story starts as Luke and his assistant, Anchor, are setting up his bar one Monday afternoon for what will surely be another busy evening, when in walk two NYPD detectives.  They are investigating a case of a missing Australian girl who was last seen at The Billabong on Friday night.  Luke recognises her from her photograph but can't say who she was with or when she left the bar as it was so busy, so the detectives want to speak to Anchor, who conveniently made a sharp exit as they entered the bar.  When body parts start turning up, it's not long before Anchor's shady past is revealed and he is collared for the crime.  Luke is convinced of his innocence but the detectives are happy they have got their man.  Case closed.  The case is far from closed for Luke who follows a trail around New York, getting into scrapes along the way and using his Aussie charm to talk himself out of trouble.  

Luke is a great character with some cracking lines; there are too many to mention here and by doing so would spoil the book anyway. Needless to say I was crying with laughter at times despite the sometimes serious storyline.  Any character that says, 'Don't be a galah' to an impending fight scene is a winner for me! 

Wanderlust will appeal to all crime fiction fans and the added humour and laid back Aussie style make it something that little bit different; I'm sure Wanderlust is destined for great things and I know without a doubt that it will be one of my top reads of 2016.  It is so addictive that you can't put it down and as usual I didn't get the whodunnit right.  Either I'm really bad at picking up clues or the author is really clever...I'm going to go with the latter!  If you're looking for something a bit different, you won't go wrong with Wanderlust.

An absolutely cracking (or should I say bonzer?) debut from author Simon Foster and I do hope that Simon lets us catch up with Luke and The Billabong again.

I received this e-book from the author, via Books Go Social, in exchange for an honest review.

My rating:

Buy it from Amazon

Book Birthday Blog Tour - Bride Without a Groom

I read Bride Without a Groom in September 2015, after picking it up from Amazon.  It is an absolutely hilarious laugh-out-loud romantic comedy that I remember with fond affection, almost as if Rebecca was an old friend.  You can read my review here.

I am really excited to be part of the Book Birthday Blog Tour and I have an extract from Bride Without a Groom to share with you.

The Priest in the Living Room

Our conversation is cut short. There’s someone at the door. The bell rings again and Barry stands.

‘Whoever it is,’ I bark, ‘tell them to kindly shove off!’

‘Father Maguire!’ Barry cannot hide his surprise. The conversation at the front door is muffled, and I’m ear-wigging like my life depends on it.

‘Won’t you please come in?’

Oh no!

The miniature priest is standing in our living room. I’m feeling decidedly queasy.

‘Ah, Rebecca. Thank you for your email last week. I was just passing, so I thought I’d pop in quickly. Hope it’s not a bad time?

‘Eh…’

How’s your mother?’

‘I… eh… she’s… please have a seat.’ I scooch Jess from the couch and he hisses at me.

I’m staring at the priest blankly and Barry is making a puzzled face behind him. The penny drops. My email! Last week!

‘Thank you,’ the priest receives the tea that Barry has brought in on a tray.

‘Biscuit?’ Barry offers.

‘Yes, please. Well, now. First of all, congratulations.’

Sweet mothering divine Jesus H Christ our Lord and Saviour.

I pray that the ground will open up and swallow me. God declines my request. I have lied. To an actual priest! I’ve told porkies right into his sweet innocent Catholic face. I’ll surely burn for all eternity. Barry’s eyebrows are raised and his eyes are piercing mine, but I stay silent.

‘So. You were requesting dates for the church.’ Father Maguire flicks through his black pocket diary.

‘Well, I…we…’ I’m unable to form the words.

‘Aha. Yes. You’re in luck. Now, it’s usually booked well in advance. Especially the Saturdays. But we do have a cancellation for February. What date were you thinking?’

I’ve never seen that particular shade of purple on Barry’s face before. The power of speech has eluded me. I’ve been caught red handed, it seems. Lock me up and throw away the key.

‘Pencil us in for June,’ Barry’s face is like thunder.

‘Right. So, there’s Saturday the twentieth? Two o’clock?’ his pencil hovers over the date.

‘Fine.’ Barry refuses to look at me.

‘OK, then…’ the priest is unable to understand. He has missed the punch line of the sick joke.

‘Please excuse me, Father. I’m off on a business trip this evening, so I need to get packing. Thanks for stopping by.’

Barry shakes his hand and leaves the room without glancing in my direction.

‘Eh, more tea?’ There is a tremor in my voice and the teapot lid is rattling.

‘Thank you, Rebecca, but no.’

Father Maguire is on his feet and moving in the direction of the front door.

‘Must be off. I’m on my way to see another parishioner. Just recovering from a stroke, poor dear. God bless. I’ll be in touch.’

My hands are glued over my mouth and nose as Barry returns to the room.

‘Listen, I can explain…’

Happy Book Birthday!

ABOUT THE BOOK

Single, coupled-up or married, this laugh-out-loud summer read is the perfect anecdote for the wedding season!

Rebecca has chosen the most luscious, five tiered, wedding cake. The engagement ring that she has selected is celebrity inspired. The wedding singer is on speed dial. He doesn’t usually do Michael Bolton, but as it’s for a first dance he’ll make an exception. Father Maguire is checking dates for the parish church as we speak. The deposit on the white sand honeymoon is paid for in full on Barry’s card. She has fallen for an ivory lace couture gown that is to die for. The down payment may require her to sell a left kidney, but it will be worth it. Isn’t that why you have two?

There’s one teeny tiny problem. It’s nothing, really. No need to panic! It’s just that Barry has yet to propose. Says he’s not ready! He can be a bit of a kill joy that way. In fact, he's gone away on a business trip and says that he needs some space. Meanwhile, Barry's tie loosens, the Tiger beer is flowing, and his colleague Shelley is providing more than a shoulder to cry on. Back in Dublin, Rebecca worries, putting Operation Win Back Barry into action. But who is the mysterious dark haired woman that is so keen to talk to her, and what is it that Barry wants to get off his chest? 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Amy Lynch is an Irish author of humorous romantic women’s fiction, but not always with fairy tale endings! She has been working in the charity sector for many years, is married and has two young children. When she is not writing, she can be found juggling school runs, packing lunch boxes, tackling the laundry mountain and walking two large rescue dogs who stare at her until she walks them. Talk about multi-tasking!

Her debut novel ‘Bride Without a Groom’ is a laugh out loud Bridezilla comedy, was published by Avon, Harper Collins in May 2015. 

Follow the tour:

BLOG TOUR: The Girl Who Lied - Sue Fortin

I'm really excited to be taking part in my first HarperImpulse blog tour and you can read my review of The Girl Who Lied here.  For the blog tour I have a special blog post from Sue Fortin with a clever writing tip that she used when writing The Girl Who Lied.

Blog Post – Upping The Stakes

I’ve been on some fabulous courses over the years, run by some very inspiring writers, such as, Sarah Duncan, Sue Moorcroft and Julie Cohen. I’ve come away with great advice from each of them.

One particular exercise at Sarah Duncan’s course always comes to mind when I’m plotting and, indeed, throughout the whole process of writing a novel and that is to ‘up the stakes.’

The exercise we went through was to first think of an incident that was illegal or dangerous. 

We said shoplifting.

We were then asked to up the stakes. Our response was a friend was shoplifting.

We then had to again up the stakes

The friend was caught by the security guard.

Up the stakes…

The security guard knew the woman.

Up the stakes…

The security guard was the woman’s husband.

So now, the stakes are so much higher, there’s much more conflict and tension to be had in the storyline.

As I say, I find this such a useful piece of advice and when I wrote The Girl Who Lied, I used this throughout. Without giving away the plot, I had to push my characters to their limits which I did by upping the stakes the whole time. It was great fun to see just how far they would go and to see the story develop into something with so much more exciting than the initial idea.

About Sue Fortin:

Published by Harper Collins' imprint Harper Impulse, Sue Fortin writes romance, mystery and suspense. 

Her originally self-published debut novel was awarded the INDIE Brag Medallion and later when published by HarperImpulse was short-listed for the Joan Hessayon Award (2014). Sue was also short-listed for the Festival of Romance, New Talent Award (2013). Her second novel, Closing In, reached number one in the Romantic Suspense Kobo chart at the end of 2014. Sue blogs regularly with the on-line writing group The Romaniacs (www.theromaniacs.co.uk).

Lover of cake, Dragonflies and France. Hater of calories, maths and snakes. Sue was born in Hertfordshire but had a nomadic childhood, moving often with her family, before eventually settling in West Sussex.

Sue is married with four children, all of whom patiently give her time to write but, when not behind the keyboard, she likes to spend her time with them, enjoying both the coast and the South Downs, between which they are nestled.

Sue is represented by Kate Nash Literary Agency.

You can catch up with Sue at

Facebook Sue Fortin Author

Twitter @suefortin1

Website & Blog www.suefortin.com

HarperImpulse Author Page

Amazon Author Page

The Lad Lit Blog Tour

Well this is something a bit different.  I have to admit that I wasn't aware of the existence of Lad Lit, so many thanks to Steven Scaffardi and his laugh out loud books, The Drought and The Flood, for introducing me to the genre.  The Lad Lit Blog Tour is a gargantuan tour with no fewer than 39 stops, and I am delighted to be one of them.

There are so many great characters in the book but my favourite has to be Ollie as he's so innocent in his hilarious observations.  I asked Steven Scaffardi if he wouldn't mind putting a few questions to Ollie, so read on for some cracking answers.

So Ollie, tell us a little about yourself.

Hi Michelle, thanks for having me! I don’t normally get to do these public speaking thingy’s. Jack always tells me I don’t have the vocadbury to have a proper conversation. I don’t know why he always laughs at me and offers me a Dairy Milk chocolate bar when I say that, but there are a lot of things Jack does that I don’t really understand. Anyway, back to me! What can I tell you about myself? Well, I’m a postman and I recently joined LinkedIn so I could connect with all of my clients. Only two have accepted so far, but that’s pretty good. When I’m not delivering the post, you can normally find me in the pub.

You're a really close knit group of 4 guys who seem to get on really well; can you briefly describe your 3 friends?

Rob is like the leader of our little gang. He’s a bloody good looking bloke, and he’s brilliant to have around when you’re trying to chat up the ladies. I normally send him in first and then take whatever is left. Jack is my best friend. We’ve known each other since Primary School. He’s quite cocky though. I am allowed to say cocky, right? Oh that’s good. And then you have Dan. He’s a great guy. Shit with the ladies, but a great guy.

How do you think the group dynamic changed with the introduction of firstly Ieuan and then the girls, Steph and Shaila, from Dan's work?

I really like Ieuan, and since he has come along, it’s taken the heat off me a little as Jack now has two people to take the piss out of. It used to just be me. And he even takes the piss for no reason. You know that documentary about the old American President that came out a few years ago? You know, the one about the guy with the beard who fought all those monsters? Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter! That one. Well, Jack is always laughing at me for liking that documentary, but at least I know my history!

And the night I met Steph and Shaila was really special. I really like Steph. She’s super smart, and we’re always talking about things like religion and politics. Talking of which, you know that programme Question Time? Jack told me there would be nudity in that programme, but I haven’t seen any yet. I’ll keep watching though because you never know.

You often seem to be the butt of your friends' jokes – what part do you think you play in the group?

What are you talking about? I’m not the butt of their jokes. I’m no one’s butt. I’m more of the silent thinker type. But I’m also the one who can down 10 pints and still walk straight for the rest of the evening. Pretty cool eh?

Who is your ideal woman and what would be your best chat up line when you meet her?

I don’t really do chat-up lines – that is more a Jack thing. But I have to say that when I go back to a girl’s house for the night, there are two things I insist on – a cooked breakfast in the morning and a lift home. My ideal women would probably be Dawn French. Bigger women are always more appreciative and put in a bit more effort.

Who do you get on best within the group and why?

Even though he always takes the mickey out of me, Jack is my best friend. We’re a bit like Arnold Schwarzenegger and Danny DeVito from that film Twins. Jack hates it when I compare him to Danny DeVito, but it always gets a good laugh from everyone else. I like all the boys, but I’ve known Jack the longest and he’ll be my best man if Steph ever decides to break up with her boyfriend and get with me.

What was your favourite subject at school?

I really enjoyed maths, but that was mainly because there was a really fit foreign exchange student in our class from Turkey. Her name was Kama Sutra. I’m not sure if I am saying that correct because the boys always laugh at me when I mention her name.

You're currently pursuing a career as a postman; if you could do any job what would it be?

Steph’s boyfriend is a banker, so maybe something smart like that. Steph is really smart too, and I won’t hear a bad word said against her. A few weeks ago Jack said that he had met goats with more brains than Steph. That was a stupid thing to say for two reasons: 1. Where do you even go to meet goats? And 2. It made me so angry that I threw a stress ball at his head and nearly knocked him out.

If you were a superhero, who would you be?

Probably Duffman from The Simpsons because he gets to drink beer all day.

Which Dan did you prefer and which is the real Dan Hilles? Dan in The Drought – the woman repellent or Dan in The Flood – the babe magnet?

The babe magnet?! I’m not sure he’s ever been or ever will be a babe magnet! To me he was the same old Dan in both books. Yes, in The Flood he had a bit more luck, but at what cost? He was dating a stalker, his crazy ex-girlfriend, the office ice queen, and a girl who he has struck out with twice already!

I like to call Dan sexual Kryptonite such is his rubbish performances with the ladies. Don’t get fooled by The Flood – it is the same old Dan. The problem with Dan is that he is just too nice to juggle multiple girls at the same time. I tried to warn him but he wouldn’t listen. As I said to him then – there is nothing wrong with being a nice guy. In fact, some girls like the missionary position all night.

Many thanks to Ollie for answering my questions in his own unique way!

A  little bit about the author:

Steven Scaffardi was born in Tooting, south London. A former journalist, The Drought was his first novel and received praise from television personalities and journalists alike, as well as being shortlisted for the Shirley You Jest Book Awards.

In 2011 he spent 12 months on the London open mic stand-up comedy circuit, finishing runner-up in the Golden Jester stand-up comedy competition for his brand of comedy that combined witty observation with self-deprecating humour; incorporating tales of relationships, dealing with life in his 30s, and the situations he encounters as a man.

In March 2016 he created the #LadLitSunday hashtag to promote news about lad lit, before embarking on a 30-date blog tour in April 2016 to raise awareness of the genre.

His second novel, The Flood, is the next instalment in the Sex, Love and Dating Disasters series due for eBook publication on April 30 and paperback release on May 19.

Praise for Steven’s books

“Steven Scaffardi’s first novel is absolutely hilarious and will leave every reader, male or female, laughing out loud.” Chick Lit Plus

“A pleasantly darker alternative to the offerings of Mike Gayle. All hail the arrival of Steven Scaffardi.” Ortis Deley | Television & Radio Presenter

“I laughed so hard I spat my tea out! An absolutely cracking debut novel. Highly recommended!” BestBooksToRead.co.uk

“WARNING - This book will make you cry... with laughter! The perfect gift for the lad in your life!” BCF Book Review

“Witty, well -written, and pulls no punches. Scaffardi has an imaginative mind that needs to be unleashed!” Angellica Bell | Television & Radio Presenter

Useful links

• Author bio from his blog: http://stevenscaffardi.blogspot.co.uk/p/about-steven-scaffardi.html
• Stand-up comedy bio: http://stevenscaffardi.blogspot.co.uk/p/stand-up-comedy.html
• Goodreads profile: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5162103.Steven_Scaffardi
• Amazon profile: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Steven-Scaffardi/e/B006XWRD8Q/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/SteveScaffardi
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/StevenScaffardiAuthorAndComedian/
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/Scaff7
• Google+: https://plus.google.com/+StevenScaffardi

Download The Drought from Amazon here and The Flood here for the bargain price of only 99p each.