BLOG TOUR: The Gin Sisters' Promise - Faith Hogan

Three estranged sisters. Six months to come back together.

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

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

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

 

What did I think?

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

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

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

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

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

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

My rating:

Buy it from Amazon

About the author:

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

Follow Faith

Twitter: @GerHogan

Instagram: @FaithHoganAuthor

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

Follow the tour:

BLOG TOUR: The Girls - Bella Osborne

In the 1970s, the girls were best friends sharing a house and good times: Zara, the famous diva actor; Val, the uptight solicitor; Jackie, the wild child and Pauline, the quirky introvert. Now they're in their twilight years, and Zara suggests that they live with her to support each other through old age. 

Initially, being housemates again is just as much fun as in their heyday. But then Zara reveals the real reason she asked them to move in with her, and suddenly things take a sinister turn. 

As the women confront their demons, they come under the spotlight of the press, the police and an angry parrot. With their lives spiralling out of control, can they save their friendships and each other?

 

What did I think?

The Girls, written by Bella Osborne and narrated by Julia Franklin, is a fabulous addition to the Isis Audio catalogue.  I was so deeply affected by the story of four old friends that I couldn't prevent tears rolling down my face at the end.  

It's such a refreshing change to have older characters, with this wonderful cast being in their 60s, 70s and 80s.  They have so much history, both together and individually, and I loved all of them, although I particularly wanted to reach out to introvert Pauline to give her a massive hug.  Jackie often made me laugh as she speaks before she thinks and Val is the sensible one who loves spreadsheets (like me).

Pauline, Val and Jackie all receive an invitation to their old friend Zara's surprise 80th birthday party.  Zara is a famous actress so the invitation is met with varied feelings: delight from Jackie so she can rub shoulders with the stars, indifference from Val as she is as cool as a cucumber, and horror from Pauline who doesn't feel like she fits in anywhere.  Also horror from Zara when she turns up as she doesn't want everyone to know her age!  The party, however, is set to change all of their lives.

The story is wonderful and it went in a direction that completely surprised me.  Listening to the characters interacting with each other is like putting on a comfy pair of old slippers as they all get on so well.  It's not all air kisses and compliments though as each character has some deep issues to work through, but a problem shared is a problem halved and there's nothing they won't do for each other...or is there?

The narration is stunning.  Julia Franklin brings each character to life with their own unique voice; I am so impressed as it sounds like each character is actually speaking and each voice is so consistent that I could recognise who was speaking.  Julia Franklin's talent is astonishing, although I have to say that her own voice is so soothing that I couldn't listen to the audiobook in bed as I kept dropping off to sleep before the chapter ended.

Bella Osborne is an author who is new to me but I'll definitely be looking out for more of her books.  There's an exquisite line in The Girls that describes the glinting light on the sea as being like paparazzi flashes and I just thought that was so beautiful and fitting for the story.

The Girls is poignant, heartwarming and surprisingly thought-provoking.  I'm going to miss the girls terribly, now that I have finished listening to the audiobook.

The Girls is narrated by Julia Franklin and is out on 1st May on Audible and other trade download platforms, on the digital library platform ulibrary, and on physical CD and MP3 both in libraries and from the website The Reading House: https://thereadinghouse.co.uk/

I chose to listen to an audiobook received from the publisher; this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

Buy it from:

The Reading House

Audible

Amazon

Follow the tour:

BLOG TOUR: Dirty Little Secret (Louise Miller Crime Series Book 1) - Jonathan Peace

March 1987

Ossett, West Yorkshire

A town of flower shows, Maypole parades and Sunday football games. Behind all the closed doors and drawn curtains live hidden truths and shameful lies.

A body is found

WDC Louise Miller’s first case as detective in her hometown is hampered by the sexism and misogyny of small-town policing. Her four years on the force in Manchester have prepared her for this. Along with ally WPC Elizabeth Hines, the pair work the case together.

What truths lie hidden?

As their inquiries deepen, the towns secrets reveal even darker truths that could lead to the identity of the killer. But when a second girl goes missing, Louise realises that some secrets should stay hidden.

What did I think?

Dirty Little Secret is the first book in a new police procedural series and what a brilliant start; thankfully, there's not a long wait for book two as I'm already looking forward to reading more.

Set in Yorkshire in 1987, when policing is still very much a man's job, WDC Louise Miller is first on the scene when the body of a young girl is found in a phone box.  Remember those red boxes?  Jonathan Peace has captured the era perfectly, not just in the setting but in the misogyny of the police force.  It's shocking to think that this wasn't that long ago but I love how Louise gives as good as she gets.

The characters are so well developed that I could easily picture them in my head and I was as hooked by the characters' interactions as I was by the plot.  Some of their interactions alternated between making me cringe and making me furious as it's quite unbelievable that people got away with saying such things in the not too distant past.  I mean, just that fact that they felt the need to identify a police officer as a woman is jawdropping, but we wouldn't have thought there was anything wrong with it in the 80s.  Thankfully, things have changed!

The police procedural element of the novel is brilliantly done and I really enjoyed seeing how the investigation progressed.  I had no idea what direction it would go in and the ending is fantastic - it has certainly made me even more keen to catch up with Louise and her sexist team again in the near future.

A great start to a new series, Dirty Little Secret perfectly encapsulates the area and the era whilst keeping the reader entertained and on the edge of their seat.  Recommended reading for fans of crime and police procedurals.

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

My rating:

Buy it from Amazon

Follow the tour:

BLOG TOUR: The Island - Adrian McKinty

IT WAS JUST SUPPOSED TO BE A FAMILY VACATION.

A TERRIBLE ACCIDENT CHANGED EVERYTHING.

YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE CAPABLE OF UNTIL THEY COME FOR YOUR FAMILY.

After moving from a small country town to Seattle, Heather Baxter marries Tom, a widowed doctor with a young son and teenage daughter. A working vacation overseas seems like the perfect way to bring the new family together, but once they're deep in the Australian outback, the jet-lagged and exhausted kids are so over their new mom.

When they discover a remote Dutch Island, off-limits to outside visitors, the family talks their way onto the ferry, taking a chance on an adventure far from the reach of iPhones and Instagram.

But as soon as they set foot on the island, which is run by a tightly knit clan of locals, everything feels wrong. Then a shocking accident propels the Baxters from an unsettling situation into an absolute nightmare.

When Heather and the kids are separated from Tom, they are forced to escape alone, seconds ahead of their pursuers.

Now it's up to Heather to save herself and the kids, even though they don't trust her, the harsh bushland is filled with danger, and the locals want her dead.

Heather has been underestimated her entire life, but she knows that only she can bring her family home again and become the mother the children desperately need, even if it means doing the unthinkable to keep them all alive.

SOON TO BE A HULU ORIGINAL SERIES

 

What did I think?

The Island is so tense and gripping that I couldn't put it down.  It's the first book by Adrian McKinty that I have read, although I do have The Chain in my bookcase so I'll be bumping that up the queue now.

Tom brings his family along on a trip to a medical conference in Australia.  Heather is his second wife and she has a strained relationship with Tom's children.  The children are grieving for their mother who died under tragic and mysterious circumstances.  Tom has moved on quickly and I didn't like him at all; he seems to treat his family as his possessions.  On a rare occasion where Tom agrees to do what the kids want, they find themselves trapped on an island with no escape.

From the minute they set foot on the ferry, there is a deep sense of unease.  The O'Neill family are the only people on the island and they don't like outsiders.  They are a scary bunch, none more so than the matriarch Ma, and you don't know what they will do  next as they're playing by their own rules.  They didn't bank on Heather stepping up to defend her family though.

I can totally see why this is being made into a series; it's a thrilling survival story and there's so much action that I couldn't tear my eyes away from the page.  The tension is palpable throughout and I really couldn't predict what was going to happen. 

The Island is a fantastic action-packed survival thriller that really keeps the reader on their toes.  It's an unpredictable rollercoaster of a read and one I'd definitely recommend.  I can't wait to see it brought to life on TV.

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

My rating:

Buy it from:

UK.Bookshop.org

Amazon

Follow the tour:

Songs in Ursa Major - Emma Brodie

To celebrate the paperback publication of Songs In Ursa Major today, I'm delighted to repost my review of this stunning novel.  You can buy a copy from Amazon, UK.Bookshop.org, Waterstones and many other retailers.  Make Songs of Ursa Major the soundtrack to your summer '22.

 

Behind every greatest hit, is an even greater love story.

THE SUMMER OF 1969

From the moment Jane Quinn steps barefoot onto the main stage at Island Folk festival, her golden hair glinting, her voice soaring into the summer dusk, a star is born – and so is a passionate love story.

Jane’s band hits the road with none other than Jesse Reid, the musician whose bright blue eyes are setting hearts alight everywhere. And as the summer streaks by in a haze of crowds, wild nights and magenta sunsets, Jane is pulled into the orbit of Jesse’s star.

 

But Jesse’s rise could mean Jane’s fall. And when she discovers a dark secret beneath his music, she picks up her guitar and writes her heartache into the album that could make or break her: Songs in Ursa Major.

Set against the heady haze of the 70s and alive with music, sex and sun-soaked hedonism, SONGS IN URSA MAJOR is an unforgettable debut and the soundtrack to a love story like no other.

What did I think?

Wow!  What a debut!  I simply couldn't put it down.  I loved Songs in Ursa Major from the start and not just because it starts in the Summer, the Summer of '69 - oh yeah!  (I just had to get a bit of Bryan Adams in there).  Partly inspired by the life of Joni Mitchell and James Taylor, Songs in Ursa Major is set in the cutthroat music industry and filled with drama and beautiful music.  It actually reminded me a little of the tv show Nashville, although Jane Quinn is a LOT nicer than Juliette Barnes, and it really is the perfect cure for fans of the show who are suffering from a Nashville hangover.

I adored the main character of Jane Quinn and enjoyed reading about her warm and loving family along with an intriguing mystery about her mother's whereabouts.  Jane has such amazing natural talent but the music industry is definitely a man's world in the 60s and 70s.  Jane is thrust into the limelight by a twist of fate that results in her band going on tour with huge folk star Jesse Reid.  It feels like Jane and Jesse are made for each other as the pair get closer but Jane has a difficult decision to make as becoming Jesse's girlfriend will eclipse her musical career.  

Emma Brodie's writing feels incredibly authentic as the music industry is laid bare, warts and all.  There are tantrums and power struggles as well as some beautiful songwriting.  The whole book virtually vibrates to the beat of the incredible music within and I found myself composing my own melodies in my mind to match the wonderful lyrics.  Being both visual and audible is something I've never experienced in a book before, showing what an amazing writing talent Emma Brodie has.

An absolutely stunning debut, Songs in Ursa Major is a compelling and entertaining novel.  I felt rather emotional at the end but I know it's not the last I'll see of Jane Quinn as I plan to read Songs in Ursa Major again.  Songs in Ursa Major is definitely the soundtrack to my Summer of '21 - make sure to make it the soundtrack to your Summer of '22.  Highly recommended to all readers and one not to be missed by music fans.

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

My rating:

Buy it from:

UK.Bookshop.org

Amazon

Waterstones

BLOG TOUR: Do No Harm - Jack Jordan

My son has been taken. And I’ve been given a choice…

Kill a patient on the operating table. Or never see him again.

The man lies on the table in front of me.

As a surgeon, it’s my job to save him.

As a mother, I know I must kill him.

You might think that I’m a monster.

But there really is only one choice.

I must get away with murder.

Or I will never see my son again.

Could you kill another person to save your own child?

When heart surgeon Dr Anna Jones returns home to find her son kidnapped, she is forced to make an impossible choice. Kill a high-profile patient on the operating table, or never see her son again.

Told from the perspectives of Anna, her scrub nurse, Margot, who has her own secrets to protect and DI Rachel Conaty, Anna must first make the impossible decision…

I’VE SAVED MANY LIVES.

WOULD YOU TRUST ME WITH YOURS?

 

What did I think?

This is THE book that everyone is talking about in 2022 and rightly so as it's BRILLIANT!!  I've been a fan of Jack Jordan since I started my blog in 2015, the same year he wrote his stunning debut, Anything for Her and I have been itching to get my hands on a copy of Do No Harm.  It wasn't in my hands long though as I couldn't put it down.

The characters, the plot, and the writing are all exceptional.  This is the definition of a heart-pounding thriller as the writing is so vivid that I felt like I was in the operating theatre myself.  The different character perspectives add depth to the already gripping story as each character struggles with their own demons.

Any story with a moral dilemma begs the question: "What would you do?" and it's a question that I asked myself over and over again as I was reading.  I think it would be a quick and easy decision for anyone who is a mother but I found that I was able to look at it more objectively.  Anna's not exactly the nicest character so that adds another element into the equation. 

Do No Harm is unputdownable and unmissable - it is definitely the book that everyone should read this year.  I would be very surprised if it's not picked up for TV or film as it's such an edge-of-your-seat rollercoaster of a thriller that is so entertaining, gripping and fast-paced from start to finish.

Jack Jordan's star continues to rise and Do No Harm is easily his best novel yet (and I've absolutely LOVED all of his others).  I don't know how he will follow it, but I'm looking forward to seeing him try.  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

Waterstones

Amazon

About the author:

Jack Jordan is the global bestselling author of Anything for Her, My Girl, A Woman Scorned, Before Her Eyes, and Night by Night and an Amazon No.1 bestseller in the UK, Canada, and Australia. After selling at auction in the UK and numerous foreign territories, Do No Harm is set to be the thriller of the summer in 2022. The idea for Do No Harm came to Jack after undergoing a minor medical procedure where he had to be sedated and trust strangers with his welfare. After the anaesthesia wore off, Jack began scribbling his notes, wondering to himself just how iron-clad a surgeon’s oath is, and what it would take to break it…

Follow Jack on social media:

Twitter: @JackJordanBooks

Instagram: @jackjordan_author

Facebook: @JackJordanOfficial

Follow the tour:

BLOG TOUR: The Italian Job - Kathryn Freeman

I'm a huge Kathryn Freeman fan so I'm delighted to be one of the bloggers opening the Rachels' Random Resources blog tour for The Italian Job.  After you've found out more about the book and read my review below, keep on scrolling for a fab giveaway to win a paperback copy of The Italian Job.

Dream job. Dream house. Fake fiancé.

A year in a gorgeous Italian castle…

When Anna Roberts’ life implodes, an online search leads her to an ad for the ultimate dream job – management of a gorgeous castle on the shores of Lake Como, accommodation included. The only catch? Anna can’t do it alone…

…With the last man on earth she’d choose!

The castle owners will only accept a couple as caretakers, which means Anna needs a man on her arm at the interview. Enter her neighbour, Jake Tucker. Though Anna and Jake have never seen eye-to-eye, Jake’s had a rough few years and an escape to Italy sounds ideal. Yet, when they get the job and jet off, Anna and Jake face an unexpected challenge. Pretending to be a couple is difficult … but pretending the tension simmering between them doesn’t exist is quickly proving impossible!

What did I think?

It always makes me happy when a new Kathryn Freeman book drops on my kindle and I read most of The Italian Job with a huge smile on my face.  It's a little more raunchy than usual, as the sexual tension between the two characters sizzles throughout, but there's no graphic sex scenes.

I just loved the characters of Anna and Jake - they're not your typical girl next door and boy next door as they have always been at loggerheads.  Jake is a bad boy and Anna is a saint, or at least that's how they've always seen each other.  Jake happens to be in the right place at the right time when Anna finds the perfect job to escape her life (and her ex) and the pair find themselves running a castle in Italy.  

Jake would have been the last person I would have asked to help out if I was Anna but she's hardly a big fan of men at the moment so I can see why she'd pick Jake as he can't disappoint her when she doesn't expect anything from him.  He just needs to pretend to be her boyfriend, which isn't as easy as it sounds when they can't stand each other!  Of course, there's no surprises where their storyline goes but I enjoyed it as there are a colourful cast of characters to meet along the way.

Former pharmacist Kathryn should prescribe her novels as a drug-free pick me up; they never fail to put a smile on my face and The Italian Job is no exception.  I enjoyed every minute of my virtual trip to Italy - thank you, Kathryn!

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

My rating:

Buy it from:

Amazon UK

Amazon US

About the author:

For as long as I can remember, I’ve always wanted to write a book. It may have had something to do with my obsession with reading romance. Real life interfered and I headed off in a different direction – into the world of science, becoming a pharmacist before joining the pharmaceutical industry. I did end up writing, but it was about disease and medicines. Decades later, I’m finally doing what I always wanted to do.

With a husband who asks every Valentine's Day whether he has to buy a card (yes, he does), all the romance in my life is 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 to Win a PB copy of The Italian Job 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.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Follow the tour: