Tuesday, August 31, 2021

BLOG TOUR - Lost Angels


DESCRIPTION:

On her hands and knees, Nikki moved to the other side of the body. She couldn’t stop her fingers from trembling as she brushed the dark hair off the victim’s face. She couldn’t look away. “I know her…”

When Special Agent Nikki Hunt is called to the Boundary Waters near Stillwater, Minnesota, it’s not just the cold that shocks her to her core: the body of a young woman has been found frozen beside a remote lake. Nikki is devastated to see the victim is her childhood friend Annmarie, and she recognizes the velvet ribbon tied in her hair as the hallmark of a serial killer who she has been hunting for years.

Desperate for justice, Nikki throws herself into the case. But she is shaken by what she finds at Annmarie’s home: a dead-bolt on her front door and a map in the spare room, with the locations of murdered women circled in thick, red marker. Did Annmarie know she was next? Then Nikki finds out that the killer has left a clue in Annmarie’s bedroom: a photo of Nikki’s mother that no one has ever seen. Has the murderer at large been in Nikki’s life since she was a child?

Nikki soon realizes that the key to unlocking this case is in her own family, but digging up the past could put her own daughter in danger. She has spent her whole life protecting the ones she loves, but to find this killer Nikki might have to risk everything…

Fans of Karin Slaughter, Lisa Gardner and Robert Dugoni will be completely addicted to this heart-pounding thriller. Once you start reading, the twists and turns will have you racing towards the end.

BUY LINK:
Amazon: https://geni.us/B08WRTVTWGCover
Apple: http://ow.ly/SpGv50DNBet
Kobo: http://ow.ly/jt1J50DNB7P
Google: http://ow.ly/Zmd150DNBgO

MY THOUGHTS:
 
Title
:   Lost Angels
Author:  Stacy Green
Series:  Nikki Hunt #3
Publisher:  Bookouture
Genre:   Mystery/Thrillers
Format:  Kindle ARC
No. of Pages:   236
Date of Publication:   August 27, 2021
My Rating:   4 Stars

Nikki Green’s nearly loses her composure at her latest crime scene. She is beyond devastated to discover that the victim was her childhood friend Annmarie  What is more is she knows exactly who the killer is, or at least who he calls himsself, Frost. However, he has been tantalizingly elusive. Nikki and her team have been searching for Frost for years.

As a Special Agent with the FBI, Nikki has pretty much seen it all. However, this was her friend. Clues immediate identify the slippery killer to be Frost. He has left his calling card. Nikki cannot help but wonder how her dear friend became the latest victim. Nikki is truly shaken to her core, espeically when another clue proves that the killer just might have his sights set on Nikki herself. 

Nikki has further cause for worry. She has a young daughter named Lacey, and is determined to protect her at all costs. Currently sharing custody with her ex, in fact, he is also an FBI agent, Nikki is getting serious about another man in her life, Rory. However, her personal life is forced to take a back seat while trying to track down the killer before there are any more victims. 

Nikki investigates as best she can, despite the hair-raising feelings she gets the deeper the search for the killer goes. This thrilling, fast-paced read was wrought with danger and filled with tension from the very first page. There were moments of intense sadness in this story, which led to an emotional conclusion. I am definitely anticipating the next read in this exciting series. 

Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Stacy Green is the bestselling author of more than 10 award-winning novels and nonfiction short stories. The ERIN PRINCE SERIES has been optioned for television by a major production team. ALL GOOD DEEDS (Lucy Kendall #1) won a bronze medal for mystery and thriller at the 2015 IPPY Awards. TIN GOD (Delta Crossroads #1) was runner-up for best mystery/thriller at the 2013 Kindle Book Awards. Stacy started her career in journalism before becoming a stay at home mother and rediscovering her love of writing.

Social Media

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/StacyGreenAuthor/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/stacygreen26
Website: stacygreenauthor.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authorstacygreen/

Sunday, August 29, 2021

BLOG TOUR - The Orphanage


DESCRIPTION
:

Shilling Grange Orphanage, England, 1948. She was their only hope. Now they are hers. A gritty, heartbreaking and unforgettable story of love and hope in the darkest of times.

Clara Newton is the new Housemother of Shilling Grange Orphanage. Many of the children have been bombed out of their homes and left without families, their lives torn apart by the war, just like Clara’s. Devastated by the loss of her fiancĂ©, a brave American pilot, she is just looking for a place to start again.

But the orphans are in desperate need of her help. Funds are short, children cry out in the night, and tearful Rita tells Clara terrible stories about the nuns who previously ran Shilling Grange. Clara cannot bear to see them suffer, but what does she know about how to look after eight little ones?

Clara can’t get anything right, and then she accidentally ruins Rita’s only memento of her mother. Overwhelmed, she wonders if they’d be better off without her. But she’s not completely alone. Living next door is Ivor: ex-Shilling Grange resident, war hero, and handyman with deep brown eyes. He doesn’t trust Clara and she is fiercely independent, but he has a way with the children. And with his support and the help of other locals, Clara begins to find her way.

As she heals from her grief and adjusts to her new life, Clara wonders if she has finally found her home and family among the orphans. Can she find the strength to fight for them when nobody else will? And dare she open her heart to love again?

A heart-wrenching and totally gripping read. Fans of Before We Were Yours, Diney Costeloe and The Orphan Sisters won’t be able to put this book down.

BUY LINKS:
Amazon: https://geni.us/B093X27P2Wcover
Apple: http://ow.ly/7Nld50EEanR
Kobo: http://ow.ly/2ZFx50EEall
Google: http://ow.ly/ZF3150EEaqu
Audible:
UK: zpr.io/gwTQHV5t9LNA
US: zpr.io/NHKazyTf4LBR
https://soundcloud.com/bookouture/the-orphanage-by-lizzie-page-narrated-by-emily-barber

MY THOUGHTS:
 
Title
:   The Orphanage
Series:  Shilling Grange Children's Home #1
Author:  Lizzie Page
Publisher:  Bookouture
Genre:   Historical Fiction
Format:  Kindle ARC
No. of Pages:  365 
Date of Publication:   August 27, 2021
My Rating:   5 Stars

Shilling Grange Orphange had been a terrible place. The children were whipped, short on food and more. Clara Newton is now Housemother and her approach to the children that come through the doors is completely different from the nuns who once ran it. She shows a level of love and compassion to deal with children orphaned from the war. 

However, Clara did not start the job with an altruistic nature. She had lost her secretarial job and was very short on funds. She just needed employment, especially one with accomodations, thinking of this job as a place-saver, just something until she can train again for something else. However, from the smallest child to the oldest, Clara soon had a change of heart. There was little Rita, who continually asked about her mother. Then there was Alex, misunderstood by most, but a wonderful child nonetheless. Another child that touched my heart was Maureen, the oldest girl, and the issues that plagued her. And I just have to mention the adorable twins Billy and Barry.

This emotional story was not only about Clara and the children. There was next door neighbor Ivor and the nun who stayed on at the orphange, Eunice. I was also touched by the town's doctor and his assistant. All of these characters played pivotal roles in this touching read. Will this only be a temporary stop for Clara? While it proved extremely challenging, Clara did her best for the children. Problems faced the orphange more than once and I loved how Clara, with Ivor's help, fought to keep these children safe at such a difficult time in their lives. This touching book has a compelling story, rich with fabulous characterization, and ends with a wonderful conclusion. I love that it is the first book in a series and cannot wait to see what is next for Clara and her charges. 

Many thanks for Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Lizzie Page is the pseudonym of Sam Lierens, a mum of three, who (for some reason) got a puppy this year. Sam has lived and worked in Paris, Tokyo and London and loves combining her love of history with fiction.

Social Media
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lizzie.page.75
Twitter: https://twitter.com/lizziepagewrite
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17677783.Lizzie_Page
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lizziepagewriter/

Saturday, August 28, 2021

Series Review - Bromance Book Club


Bromance Book Club
Lyssa Kay Adams
Berkley
Romance

Title:  The Bromance Book Club
Format:  Kindle 
No. of Pages:   352
Date of Publication:   November 15, 2019
My Rating:   4 Stars
DESCRIPTION:

The first rule of book club: You don't talk about book club.

Nashville Legends second baseman Gavin Scott's marriage is in major league trouble. He’s recently discovered a humiliating secret: his wife Thea has always faked the Big O. When he loses his cool at the revelation, it’s the final straw on their already strained relationship. Thea asks for a divorce, and Gavin realizes he’s let his pride and fear get the better of him.

Welcome to the Bromance Book Club.

Distraught and desperate, Gavin finds help from an unlikely source: a secret romance book club made up of Nashville's top alpha men. With the help of their current read, a steamy Regency titled Courting the Countess, the guys coach Gavin on saving his marriage. But it'll take a lot more than flowery words and grand gestures for this hapless Romeo to find his inner hero and win back the trust of his wife.


MY THOUGHTS:

Gavin might be successful when on the baseball field, but with his wife, not so much. In fact, he discovers that their sex life is not what he thought it was and now that she has revealed a huge secret to him, the next step is accepting the fact that his wife Thea plans on filing for divorce. 

Gavin and his buddies come up with a rather unusual idea. They form a romance book club. They hope that if they read and anaylize various romance books those who are in relationships can fix them, and those looking for love will find it. The first book they choose is a rather raunch Regency that is called Courting the Countess. Can the words they read in this book be used by the guys so that Gavin can save his marriage?

Gavin is a family man and has beautiful twin daughters. But more than that, he truly loves Thea and would do anything to make her happy. I love this first book in the series. In fact, at the writing of this review, I have read and loved the other three titles, Undercover Bromance, Crazy Stupid Bromance and Isn't It Bromantic? 

I loved Gavin's story and this book, The Bromance Book Club, is the perfect book to jumpstart a thoroughly engaging series. 


* * * * *

Title:  Undercover Bromance
Format:  Kindle ARC
No. of Pages:   348
Date of Publication:   March 10, 2020
My Rating:   4 Stars
DESCRIPTION:

Braden Mack thinks reading romance novels makes him an expert in love, but he’ll soon discover that real life is better than fiction. 

Liv Papandreas has a dream job as a pastry chef at Nashville’s hottest restaurant. Too bad the celebrity chef owner is less than charming behind kitchen doors. After she catches him harassing a young hostess, she confronts him and gets fired. Liv vows revenge, but she’ll need assistance to take on the powerful chef.

Unfortunately, that means turning to Braden Mack. When Liv’s blackballed from the restaurant scene, the charismatic nightclub entrepreneur offers to help expose her ex-boss, but she is suspicious of his motives. He’ll need to call in reinforcements: the Bromance Book Club.

Inspired by the romantic suspense novel they’re reading, the book club assists Liv in setting up a sting operation to take down the chef. But they’re just as eager to help Mack figure out the way to Liv’s heart... even though she’s determined to squelch the sparks between them before she gets burned.


MY THOUGHTS:

Braden Mack and his friends have created the Bromance Book Club. Just recently, their first group read was instrumental in saving his buddy Gavin's marriage. Their next book, this time a romantic suspense, soon proves to be a useful tool when it comes to helping pastry chef Liv Papandreas when she witnesses sexual harrasment at the restaurant where she works by the celebrity chef owner. Trying to defend an innocent woman results in Liv being blackballed and now no restaurant will hire her.

Mack and his buddies hope that the book they are now reading and discussing will work as a guidebook of sorts to create a trap to expose Liv's ex-boss. Meanwhile, Liv and Mack definitely have a connection, an attraction that proves difficult to ignore. 

These books are hilarious. Of course, they do touch on difficult and sensitive issues, but watching these brawny men being turned to mush by reading romance books is simply hilarious. The characters are great, and my favorite just has to be the Russian. Poor guy - everything seems wrong with him (wait! because book four .... well, go read it!). 

Conflict is everything in romance books. Without conflict there isn't much of a story. The guys are learning that by the books they choose, but in these delightful stories by Lyssa Kay Adams, each book in this series has that required conflict, but they have so much more. There are fabulous characters, enjoyable stories, the requisite HEA and more. 

Many thanks to Berkley  and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.



* * * * *
Title:  Crazy Stupid Bromance
Format:  Kindle ARC
No. of Pages:   342
Date of Publication:   October 27, 2020
My Rating:   4 Stars
DESCRIPTION:

Alexis Carlisle and her cat cafĂ©, ToeBeans, have shot to fame after she came forward as a victim of a celebrity chef’s sexual harassment. When a new customer approaches to confide in her, the last thing Alexis expects is for the woman to claim they’re sisters. Unsure what to do, Alexis turns to the only man she trusts—her best friend, Noah Logan.

Computer genius Noah left his rebellious teenage hacker past behind to become a computer security expert. Now he only uses his old skills for the right cause. But Noah’s got a secret: He’s madly in love with Alexis. When she asks for his help, he wonders if the timing will ever be right to confess his crush.

Noah’s pals in The Bromance Book Club are more than willing to share their beloved “manuals” to help him go from bud to boyfriend. But he must decide if telling the truth is worth risking the best friendship he’s ever had.

A hacktivist and a cat café owner decode the friend zone in this romantic comedy from the author of Undercover Bromance


MY THOUGHTS:

In the second book of the Bromance Book Club series, Undercover Bromance, Alexis was the victim of sexual harrassment at the restaurant where she worked. Due to the case of #metoo as her ex-boss was a celebrity chef, her life hasn't been the same since. Now Alexis has started a successful cat cafĂ©, in part due to the fact that she is now a household name. One of her newest customers approaches her and tells her that they are sisters. Alexis cannot believe that this is true so she asks her best friend and computer security expert, Noah Logan, to find out if this is at all possible.

This is just perfect for Noah. He loves Alexis. Of course he does, as they are best friends. But, for Noah it is far more. He is desperately in love with her. With the extra time they will be spending together researching the claim the woman made to Alexis, Noah hopes he can find a way to tell her how he feels. Noah does have an ace up his sleeve. He and his buddies are part of a book club where they make life lessons out of the romance books they read. Noah is hopeful that their current book will offer him the tools he needs to get Alexis to see his true feelings.

This book was just as enjoyable as the first two. I loved Noah and Alexis, the drama surrounding Alexis, the friends-to-lovers trope and Noah's friends and their interpretations of the books that they read. 

Many thanks to Berkley  and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

* * * * *

Title:  Isn't It Bromantic
Format:  Audiobook
Narrator:  Andrew Eiden
No. of Pages:   350
Date of Publication:   July 20, 2021
My Rating:   5 Stars
DESCRIPTION:

With his passion for romance novels, it was only a matter of time before Vlad wrote one.

Elena Konnikova has lived her entire adult life in the shadows. As the daughter of a Russian journalist who mysteriously disappeared, she escaped danger the only way she knew how: She married her childhood friend, Vladimir, and moved to the United States, where he is a professional hockey player in Nashville.

Vlad, aka the Russian, thought he could be content with his marriage of convenience. But it’s become too difficult to continue in a one-sided relationship. He joined the Bromance Book Club to learn how to make his wife love him, but all he’s learned is that he deserves more. He’s ready to create his own sweeping romance—both on and off the page.

The bros are unwilling to let Vlad forgo true love—and this time they’re not operating solo. They join forces with Vlad’s neighbors, a group of meddling widows who call themselves the Loners. But just when things finally look promising, Elena’s past life intrudes and their happily ever after is cast into doubt.


MY THOUGHTS:

The Russian gets his story! Yes, this is Vlad's story. Vlad is a famous hockey player who is waylaid by an injury during a game. Meanwhile, Vlad has been waxing poetic when it comes to how he feels about his wife Elena. She is the daughter of a Russian journalist who has been missing for years. They have an unconventional marriage. Vlad lives in Nashville. She lives and goes to school in Chicago. He wants to make the marriage real and last forever. She wants a divorce. 

It is in this book, Isn't It Bromantic, readers discover Vlad's true reason for being a part of the Bromantic Book Club. Vlad's best friends are in the club and they are as close as brothers. In previous books, Vlad was very much the butt of many jokes. In this installment, we get to see the real Vlad and what he really wants out of life.

Elena comes to Nashville when Vlad is injured and decides to stay with him to help him recover. This is perfect for Vlad as this might finally give him the opportunity he has been waiting for - to address his heartfelt feelings for Elena. Meanwhile, Elena has a lot going on when it comes to the search for answers about her father. With regard to Vlad, it is clear that Elena is a very nice person who only wants the best for him, but will being nice be enough to sustain this unusual marriage?

This was my favorite book of the series! It was engaging, entertaining and exceptional. I loved Vlad and Elena as well as Vlad's friends and their wives. Vlad's neighbors, The Loners, were a real hoot. I got it via Audible and listened to it in one sitting. The narration was flawless, and when moments of levity occurred in the story, the narrator hit it spot on. 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Lyssa Kay Adams read her first romance novel in eighth grade after swiping one from her grandmother’s book shelf and was hooked forever. After a nearly 20-year career as a journalist, her dreams of writing and publishing her own HEAs came true in 2015 with the release of her first novel, Seventh Inning Heat, followed by the RITA-nominated novella, Wild in Rio. Today, she writes full-time from her home in Michigan with a pesky, fluffy K9 assistant named Domino who spends most of his day snoring on her desk (that is, when he’s not burying things around the house). 

Review - Rocky Mountain Revenge

Title:  Rocky Moumtain High
Author Rhonda Starnes
Publisher:  Love Inspired Suspense
Genre:   Insipirational Romantic Suspense
Format:  Kindle ARC
No. of Pages:   224
Date of Publication:   July 7, 2020
My Rating:   4 Stars
DESCRIPTION:

To survive her deadly homecoming

she'll need to trust a man from her past...

Temporarily home to help at her family's vet clinic, Grace Porter has no intentions of staying--but someone's determined she won't live long enough to leave. With both Grace and her sister in the crosshairs, her ex-boyfriend, Police Chief Evan Bradshaw, must protect them. But can the single dad lawman uncover the truth about why a killer's out for vengeance before time runs out? 


MY THOUGHTS:

Trust proves to be a difficult commodity to trade for veterinarian Grace Porter in this thrilling story. Grace is on a Facetime call with her sister Choe when she stops to get gas. Chloe is now divorced and Grace is headed her way to help out at the family vet clinic. She also intends to offer Chloe any emotional support that she might need. The phone call ends rather abruptly with the screen going black, Grace hearing Chloe's screen, and a man wearing a ski mask suddenly filling the screen.

Imgaine Grace's terror for Chloe. Fortunately, Grace was almost at Chloe's house when her car ran out of gas, so she gets to the house rather quickly. What happens next is incredibly chilling. She comes face-to-face with Chloe's intruder. Before he flees, he delivers an ominous message to her. In rapid succession, Grace discovers Chloe is still alive, although injured. The police show up thanks to the quick 9-1-1 call Grace made, and the cop in charge is none other than her ex-boyfriend Police Chief Evan Bradshaw.

Grace's head is spinning. Who attacked Chloe? Why does it seem that Grace is also in danger? And will Grace be able to trust Evan to assist them and possibly play a role in keeping them safe? As he is a single father, Evan has a lot at stake if he involves himself in Grace and Chloe's plight. Drama, family, suspense and the possibility for a second chance each play a role in this quick read by Rhonda Starnes. 

Many thanks to Love Inspired Suspense and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

We have two beautiful children, a son and a daughter. Both grown and married with families of their own. They have each blessed us with beautiful grandchildren, whom we love to the moon and back.

I worked as a seventh and eight grade ELA teacher for twenty-three years, and I tried to instill in my students a love of reading and writing. Above all else, my goal was to help them realize their dreams.

I write inspirational romantic suspense with spunky heroines and strong heroes who love God and family and fight to overcome evil villains.


Review - Someone to Cherish

Title:  Someone to Cherish
Author:  Mary Balogh
Series:  Westcott #9

Genre:  Historical Romance
Publisher:  Berkley Books
Format:  Kindle ARC
No. of Pages:   400

Date of Publication:   June 29, 2021
My Rating:   4 Stars

DESCRIPTION:

Is love worth the loss of one's freedom and independence? This is what Mrs. Tavernor must decide in the new novel in the Westcott series from New York Times bestselling author Mary Balogh.

When Harry Westcott lost the title Earl of Riverdale after the discovery of his father's bigamy, he shipped off to fight in the Napoleonic Wars, where he was near-fatally wounded. After a harrowing recovery, the once cheery, light-hearted boy has become a reclusive, somber man. Though Harry insists he enjoys the solitude, he does wonder sometimes if he is lonely.

Lydia Tavernor, recently widowed, dreams of taking a lover. Her marriage to Reverend Isaiah Tavernor was one of service and obedience, and she has secretly enjoyed her freedom since his death. She doesn't want to shackle herself to another man in marriage, but sometimes, she wonders if she is lonely.

Both are unwilling to face the truth until they find themselves alone together one night, and Lydia surprises even herself with a simple question: "Are you ever lonely?" Harry's answer leads them down a path neither could ever have imagined... 


MY THOUGHTS:

I have been thoroughly enjoying this series since the very first book, Someone to Love. Oh how I have wanted Harry's story and now here it is!  He lost the title of Earl of Rivendale when it was discovered that his deceased father had a bigamdddddddddddddddddous marriage, thus nullifying Harry's title. Harry went off to fight in the war and got seriously wounded. Mostly recovered, the easygoing young man is now a gruff former soldier, dealing with the after effects of war. Of course, we know it to be PTSD in our day. 

Harry's siblings have found their HEAs. He is an uncle several times over. But, he is alone and it seems he might remain that way. However, Harry soon finds himself in the company of the late Reverend's widow Lydia and he is rather drawn to her. Even a bit enchanted by Harry, Lydia is of firm resolve never to marry again as her marriage was less than pleasant. Lydia feels she is better off alone.

With Harry needing healing after the war, and Lydia's unhappiness when she was married, the two just might make the perfect pair. Lydia seemed timid to many, but when she spends time with Harry she slowly comes out of her shell. Harry just might have found the perfect woman, a woman he could indeed cherish.

Each book in this series is complete in and of itself. However, reading each book in the series brings a sense of continuity, if not completeness, when viewing the Westcotts as a whole. I love the relationships in these stories as each books is like a wonderful piece of a huge pie. When I read this book back in April, I thought it was the last in the series. However, I just received my review copy of Someone Perfect, due for release this November. 

Many thanks to Berkley Books and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

The previous titles and their review links are listed here:

Series list:
*Someone to Love (2016)
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

I grew up in post-war Wales as Mary Jenkins. It was in many ways an idyllic childhood even though Swansea, my home town, had been heavily bombed during the war, rationing was still on, and material possessions were few. If anyone knew how to stretch a penny to do the work of two, it was my mother.

My sister, Moira, two years older than I, was my constant playmate and soul-mate. We both have a hard time convincing people who did not know us then that we were almost inseparable yet never quarrelled. Our few dolls became our family. They had names, personalities, histories. We used to lie awake in bed at night–until our mother would call up, promising dire consequences if we did not stop talking–inventing stories about our dolls’ antics. On summer days Mam would construct a tent out of blankets, string and clothes pegs attached to the clothesline and the garden fence, and we would play “house” all day. The neighbours must have cringed when we took our dolls for walks in the strollers Dad made for us, complete with solid–and excruciatingly noisy–wooden wheels.
Moira and I both used to fill notebooks with stories. We read voraciously–especially every book of Enid Blyton’s we could get our hands on when we were younger, the classics when we were a little older. We both used to say that we wanted to be authors when we grew up, though the word we used then was authoress. We both fulfilled our dream, though we both financed it with careers as high school English teachers.

Much more about this talented author can be found on her website at: http://www.marybalogh.com.  


BLOG TOUR - The Vanishing Child


DESCRIPTION
:

It’s funny how one innocent decision can ruin your life. For me it was letting my son pedal away on his bike that hot summer day. He’d been so excited to go out by himself—like a big boy. And though I was usually so protective, I let him…

When Carla returns to her father’s house to care for him in his final days, she feels lost and heartbroken. So she’s glad when she meets a kindly older woman named CeCe, and they develop a warm, natural friendship. CeCe understands loss too. Because nearly forty years before her only son disappeared without trace, from this same small town.

Then, sorting through her father’s house, Carla discovers a box of diaries and newspaper clippings from the year CeCe’s son went missing. Her father was barely more than a child himself at the time, but it’s clear the disappearance affected him strongly.

The whole town is haunted by the memory of that summer: of the boy who was never found. But as Carla delves further into her father’s past she realises he may actually have known more than he has ever said—and that perhaps the answers CeCe so desperately seeks have been hidden here in this house all along.

With her father now too ill to tell his story himself, will Carla be able to discover the truth about what happened to the child who vanished—and give CeCe the answers she’s been seeking for forty years?

A heart-wrenching and emotionally charged novel about small-town secrets and the price of facing up to the truth. Fans of Liane Moriarty, Nicole Trope and The Silent Daughter will be gripped from the very first page until the final, heart-stopping twist.

BUY LINKS:
Amazon: https://geni.us/B097HJF5PMcover
Apple: http://ow.ly/hA4v50FfEzF
Kobo: http://ow.ly/RMlq50FfEsM
Google: http://ow.ly/uqwH50FfEBe

MY THOUGHTS:
 
Title
:   The Vanishing Child
Author:  Jennifer Harvey
Publisher:  Bookouture 
Genre:   Mystery/Thrillers
Format:  Kindle ARC
No. of Pages:   272
Date of Publication:   August 26, 2021
My Rating:   4 Stars

Carla has been estranged from her father Rob for years and she has been thinking about the terrible abuse she, her sister and her mother underwent at his hand. Now that he is in hospice care, will she be able to move into his home and start her life over again? especially since she recently split up from her boyfriend. 

One day while rummaging around, Carla discovers a box that sends her into a whirlwind. Combine that with when Carla visits her father in his barely lucid state, he mentions a boy named Johnny. In fact, years previously three boys went mising and two of their bodies were found. Due to what Carla finds in the box and her brief visits with her father, Carla becomes bound and determined to find out what happened to those children, especially as the cases remained unsolved through the decades. 

In this hair-raising book by Jennifer Harvey, Carla doggedly pursues whatever information she can glean to find out the truth - truth laden with secrets. In fact, Carla meets resistance at every turn. I felt like I was right beside Carla while she duggedly searched for answers, even sensing the sheer terror for what happened to those unfortunate boys. The Vanishing Child will grip you from the very first page and won't let you go until the very last word. 

Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Jennifer Harvey is a Scottish writer now living in Amsterdam.

Her short fiction has appeared in various publications in the US, Canada, and the UK and she has been shortlisted for the Bristol Prize, the Bridport Prize and placed third in the University of Sunderland Short Story Award. Her novels have been longlisted for the Bath Novel Award and her radio dramas have also won prizes and commendations from the BBC World Service.

Alongside writing, she is a Resident Reader for Carve Magazine, an editor for Carve Critiques, and serves as a member of the Editorial Board for Ellipsis Magazine. When not writing, she can be found sauntering along the Amsterdam canals, dreaming up new stories.

Social Media
Twitter: https://twitter.com/JenAnneHarvey1
Website: https://www.jenharvey.net/

Review - The Little Orchard On the Lane

T
itle:   The Little Orchard On the Lane
Author:  Tilly Tennant
Genre:   Romance; Women's Fiction
Publisher:  Bookouture
Format:  Kindle ARC
No. of Pages:   367
Date of Publication:  April 16, 2021
My Rating:  4 Stars

DESCRIPTION:

Feel the sun on your face on a Somerset terrace overlooking golden fields and wild meadowland, and watch as romance beckons and long-hidden secrets are revealed…

When twenty-seven-year-old Posy arrives at picture-perfect Oleander House in the Somerset village of Astercombe, she is enchanted. Adopted when she was just a baby, Posy is excited to re-connect with her birth family and help out on the family cider farm with its old stone walls and bees buzzing in the hedgerows.

There’s just one tiny problem – her new next-door neighbour, haughty, handsome vineyard-owner Lachlan. Lachlan has taken an instant dislike to Posy, and after a furious argument when she ventures on his land, she’s pretty certain there’s not a heart of gold beneath his frosty exterior.

Yet as she falls in love with the flower-filled hedgerows and apple-green fields of her new life, she discovers more about her grumpy neighbour. Even though he acts like the world is out to get him, she can’t ignore the sad expression in his dark eyes.

And when Posy discovers the heartbreaking secret that is tearing Lachlan apart, she understands why he has shut the door on the world and vows to help him, as well as the vineyard, which has fallen on hard times. Yet just as Lachlan lets Posy in, a terrible night threatens to destroy everything she has begun to care about and puts someone she loves at risk. Will her dream life in the country come at an awful price?

If you love Nicola May, Debbie Macomber and Milly Johnson, then you will adore The Little Orchard on the Lane. An enchanting summer romance about new beginnings, second chances and trusting your heart. 


MY THOUGHTS:

The stories Tilly Tennant writes are always in picturesque villages. That is certainly the case with this book, with the village of Astercombe. So, when Posy arrives there, she is enchanted, drawn in by the beautiful area. However, that is not her only draw. Posy wants to reconnect with her past. She wants to filling in some missing pieces of her life. Posy is looking for her birth family and she thinks the answers lie there in Astercombe.

Agreeing to help working on a cider farm affords Posy the opportunity to meet a lot of different people, and she is not afraid to ask questions that might pertain to her bith family. Everyone is nice, kind and helpful with the exception of her new next-door neighbor Lachlan. He just might be the only one not as excited as Posy to unravel the past. In fact, he makes his disdain for Posy and her many, many questions perfectly clear. In fact, this phrase comes to mind: bubbly Posy and broody Lachlan.

With likable characters (Lachlan has to come around, doesn't he?), an engaging plot, a lovely setting and a touching ending all play together to make this an enjoyable read. 

Many thanks to Bookoture and to NetGalley for this ARC to review. This is my honest opinion.


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Tilly Tennant was born in Dorset, the oldest of four children, but now lives in Staffordshire with a family of her own. After years of dismal and disastrous jobs, including paper plate stacking, shop girl, newspaper promotions and waitressing (she never could carry a bowl of soup without spilling a bit), she decided to indulge her passion for the written word by embarking on a degree in English and creative writing. She wrote a novel in 2007 during her first summer break at university and has not stopped writing since. She also works as a freelance fiction editor, and considers herself very lucky that this enables her to read many wonderful books before the rest of the world gets them.

Hopelessly Devoted to Holden Finn was her debut novel; published in 2014 it was an Amazon bestseller in both the UK and Australia. In 2016 she signed to the hugely successful Bookouture and is currently working on her next Tilly Tennant novel. She also writes as Sharon Sant, where she explores the darker side of life, and Poppy Galbraith, where things get a little crazier.