BLOG TOUR - Her Dying Secret

   

DESCRIPTION:

She gently opens the woman’s tightly clenched fist, uncurling each finger to reveal a square of folded paper hidden in her palm. Scrawled in thick crayon, beside a child’s crooked drawing of a red flower, is one word that sends a shiver through the evening mist: HELP

It was supposed to be a routine road accident recovery, but the moment Detective Josie Quinn sees the passenger—pale and painfully thin, a sharp tool lodged in her stomach—it’s clear she was the victim of something far more sinister, and likely dead before the crash. Watching the driver taken away in an ambulance, questions spin through Josie’s mind. Where were these two women going? Was the driver trying to save a life, or hide a body? And—most heartbreaking of all—is there a child in danger, crying out for help with no reply?

Josie quickly identifies the crash survivor as Mira Summers, a singleton and animal-lover on her way home from nearby stables. Mira swears she doesn’t know who the woman in the car beside her is, or how she was injured. And when she’s diagnosed with concussion and memory loss, Josie is forced to back down.

But the discovery of Mira’s prints on the child’s drawing is all the proof Josie needs that Mira knows more than she’s letting on, and a witness saw Mira meeting with a man with a gnarled diamond-shaped tattoo at the stables. In a race against the clock to track down this elusive man, Josie faces danger from the most unexpected places. Pushed to her limit, can she stay alive long enough to catch the killer and save the life of an innocent child?

An absolutely gripping and truly unputdownable crime thriller that will have you racing through pages until the final jaw-dropping twist hits you like a train. From an Amazon, USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author, and perfect for fans of Angela Marsons, Robert Dugoni and Rachel Caine.

BUY LINKS:

Amazon: https://geni.us/B0CW99285Jsocial
Apple: https://ow.ly/z8sm50QLBRM
Kobo: https://ow.ly/paKk50QMhE5
Google: https://ow.ly/ALQU50QMhG8

Title:  Her Dying Secret

Author:  Lisa Regan

Series:  Detective Josie Quinn Book 20
Publisher:  Bookouture

Genre:   Mystery & Thrillers

Format:  Kindle ARC 

No. of Pages:  393

Date of Publication:  May 14, 2024

My Rating:   5 Stars

MY THOUGHTS:

Detective Josie Quinn has been enjoying some time off, especially as she and her husband Noah Fraley are in the process of preparing their home for something very special. However, she is called into work and heads to the site of a car crash. Upon arriving, Josie quickly realizes that this was no simple car accident. Josie can tell right away that the victim, Mira Summers, had been attacked. Fortunately, Mira is still alive, but evidence of the car accident and the attack soon tells Josie that much more is going on. 

Finding a note at the accident, despite Mira’s apparent loss of memory, or at least proof that she is holding back, tells Josie that far more is going on. Also, Mira was not alone in the car, and she claims no knowledge of the other female passenger. Josie wants answers and there is a killer afoot. When Josie’s immediate investigation reveals that the safety and life of an innocent child just might be up to her, she works feverishly hard.

What tension! From learning about Mira. From learning about the other woman that was in the car. From learning that there is a child that must be found. So many cards in play and so many players. Just about any one of the suspects that Josie interviews could indeed be guilty, and this kept me on my very toes. Meanwhile, Josie and her team are still reeling from the loss of one of their own, and with the new addition to their team, Turner, things are not going well. In fact, Turner upsets the apple cart more than once. As if getting adjusted to Turner is not only affecting Josie, she and Noah have that very important visit that Josie was called away from that weighs heavily on her mind. 

I can’t wait to see if Josie and Noah’s dreams will come true, as well as to see how the team continues to deal with their growing pains. I am sure that I am not the first one to say that it is absolutely unbelievable that Her Dying Secret is the twentieth book in an amazing series. This well-written series remains fresh and inviting. Josie and Noah are amazing characters and it should be interesting to see where things go next in this series.

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

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Lisa Regan is the USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of the Detective Josie Quinn series. Lisa is a member of Sisters In Crime, International Thriller Writers, and Mystery Writers of America. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in English and Master of Education Degree from Bloomsburg University. She lives near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in the U.S. with her husband, daughter, and Boston Terrier named Mr. Phillip. Find out more at her website: www.lisaregan.com

 

Author Social Media Links:

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/Lisa-Regan-189735444395923/

TWITTER: https://twitter.com/Lisalregan

WEBSITE: www.lisaregan.com

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6443334.Lisa_Regan

Bookouture Email Sign Up: https://www.bookouture.com/lisa-regan 

BLOG TOUR - Her Last Goodbye

DESCRIPTION:

Her small hands tremble and tears run down her cheeks. Shivering in the dark, damp storeroom, the little girl clutches her favourite toy dog. She cries out for help, but nobody answers. Her mother went missing last night and, as dawn breaks, there is still no sign of her.

Four-year-old Cleo shakes with fear as she tells the police that her mother, Darcie, was taken by a man on their way home last night. Darcie told Cleo to run and hide, and the last thing she saw was Darcie being pushed into the back of a car.

When police look into Darcie’s life, they discover a drunken argument with her best friend hours before she went missing, a dark figure seen loitering near where Cleo was found, and a recent assault allegation against a customer at Darcie’s work.

It seems like everyone around the young mother was keeping secrets, but Darcie had a dark secret of her own – one she hasn’t dared tell a soul.

Did Darcie’s deadly past finally catch up with her? And will she find the strength to fight for her life and keep her promise to return for her beloved daughter?

If you enjoy reading Angela Marsons, J M Dalgliesh and Mark Edwards then you’ll absolutely love this addictive page-turner.

BUY LINKS: 

Amazon: https://geni.us/B0CW1HT8J5social

Apple: https://ow.ly/9J2N50QHSEn

Kobo: https://ow.ly/ns0s50QHSJz

Google: https://ow.ly/eare50QHSL6

Title:   Her Last Goodbye

Author:  Carla Kovach 

Series:  Gina Harte #15

Publisher:  Bookouture 

Genre:   Mystery & Thrillers

Format:  Kindle ARC 

No. of Pages:   378

Date of Publication:  May 17, 2024

My Rating:   5 Stars

MY THOUGHTS:

Somehow four-year-old Cleo must articulate to the police that, not only was her mother taken and pushed into a van, her mother was able to tell her to get away. Detective Gina Harte and her team begin a desperate search for Cleo’s mother, Darcie. This search quickly leads to a heated argument that had taken place betweenn Darcie and her best friend. What is more is that an assault allegation just might be behind Darcie’s disappearance. 

The clues that Gina is finding also leads to secrets, thus making finding Darcie alive and well all that more difficult. But, what Gina wants more than anything, is for Cleo and Darcie to be reunited. No doubt little Cleo is terrified, but Gina proves that she is more than skilled when it comes to finding answers and she is certain that she will find Cleo’s mother.

When you pick up a Gina Harte book by Carla Kovach, you know that you are in for a good story. An excellent one. in fact. Gina has always proved to be more than intrepid and her strength shines through again and again. This fifteenth book in this series was just as compelling and readable as the previous titles that I have read. As always, it was very easy to be drawn into the story and to feel for the characters and their drama. Kovach keeps her readers on their toes and, in my case, really kept me guessing. I am definitely looking forward to book sixteen in this amazing series.

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

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Carla Kovach is a USA Today bestselling author from the UK and is published by Bookouture, Sphere and Boekerij. Her DI Gina Harte series has been translated into Dutch.

As well as novels, she has also written stage and screenplays.

Social Media

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CarlaKovachAuthor/
Twitter:  https://twitter.com/ckovachauthor?lang=en
Website:  https://griffbuck.wordpress.com/
Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/carla_kovach/
Bookouture Email Sign Up: https://www.bookouture.com/carla-kovach

BLOG TOUR - Secrets in the Little Irish Village

DESCRIPTION:

Grace Kelly can’t escape the draws of Emerald Bay; the sweeping cliffs, the sparkling sea… and her gorgeous new flatmate. The problem is, she has to keep him a secret from her family. And she isn’t the only one in the village with something to hide this summer…

Grace really needs someone to help cover the rent for her London flat, but Christopher Dorrance? Everyone in the little Irish village of Emerald Bay knows about the feud between their families, though no one knows how it started. But, both being in a tight spot, they try and make it work, swearing to tell no one back home. Until a mutual friend and her son in the bay are left homeless after a storm. Grace and Christopher must head back to Ireland to help… together.

As they flesh out their idea to raise money for their friend with a village charity concert, Chris’s blue eyes light up. Even though they have to hide out for every planning session, and after all her father has said about the Dorrances, Grace can’t believe how kind he is. Soon sparks are flying as they laugh together, chasing dairy cows from a field to set up the stage. Could Chris be more than just a flatmate?

But their hopes that a good cause will soften the hostility between their dads are dashed. The two men still argue constantly. And with a happy future for their friend depending on the concert running smoothly, the truth behind the feud threatens to come out and destroy everything…

Could the events of the past destroy any chance of a future for Chris and Grace? Or, if Grace follows her heart, could she finally heal the rift between their families?

You’ll love Michelle Vernal’s stunning new book set in the Little Irish Village. This gorgeous and unputdownable Irish small-town romance is perfect for fans of Nicola May, Trisha Ashley and Debbie Macomber.

 

BUY LINK

https://geni.us/B0CVYKMMM9social

Title:  Secrets in the Little Irish Village 

Author:  Michelle Vernal

Series:  The Little Irish Village #4

Publisher:  Bookouture 

Genre:   Romance, Women’s Fiction 

Format:  Kindle ARC

No. of Pages:   315

Date of Publication:   May 15, 2024

My Rating:  4 Stars

MY THOUGHTS: 

Grace Kelly has always felt drawn to Emerald Bay. One person she is renewing an acquaintance with is Christopher Dorrance. They were childhood friends and haven’t seen each other for years. They are about to become flatmates and Grace is not sure how that will go, especially with their families. One touching and not surprising thing about this story is that Grace had always been called by her nickname, “Princess Grace”.

When another childhood friend, Clara Casey, has just lost her home due to torrential rain, Chris and Grace come up with a plan to fundraise by means of a music festival to help Clara and her son, as well as the school in Emerald Bay,

Clara’s son Alfie has leukemia. Grace is worried about the loss Clara and Alfie have experienced all while worrying about Alfie’s treatment. As Chris is the front man for a group called The Shamrockers, they will be the basis of the festival that should be able to help Clara and her son.

This flatmate situation and the upcoming festival are things that Grace feels impelled to keep from her family, especially her father due to a longstanding family feud that seems like it could go on forever. However, sparks begin to fly between Grace and Chris so they definitely have some hurdles to overcome. Will their fathers be able to bury the hatchet for the good of the families, but especially for Grace and Chris? After all their friendship in the past has definitely not lost its spark.

Although this is the fourth book in a series, and having not read the previous books, I was still really drawn into Grace and Chris’s story. Finding out what caused the family feud in the first place, as well as watching their romance bloom despite the feud, kept me riveted to the story from beginning to end. In fact, I inhaled this book in one siting.  While Michelle Vernal might be a new name for me, I won’t be so quick to let her books pass by me in the future. 

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

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Michelle Vernal is a New Zealand author who writes stories that will take you onto the page with her characters and make you feel part of their lives. She writes with humour and warmth, and her readers describe her books as unputdownable, feel good and funny. Her writing has been likened to Maeve Binchy but with a modern-day vernacular. In 2015 she was shortlisted for the Love Stories Award. In 2020 she won the Reader's Favorite Gold Medal Award for Chick lit, and in 2021 was shortlisted for the Page Turner Book Awards.

 

Author social media: 

 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/MichelleVernal

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/michellevernalnovelist/

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

Website: https://www.michellevernalbooks.com/

Newsletter sign up: https://www.bookouture.com/michelle-vernal

 

BLOG TOUR - The Girl in the Cottage By the Sea

DESCRIPTION:

Amber gazes towards the sparkling turquoise sea from the doorway of Beehive Cottage, clutching an old book in her hands. The yellowing pages tell the tale of another woman who lost everything but found hope and healing here. Will broken-hearted Amber find a second chance at the cottage too?

Devastated when her wedding is called off, Amber escapes to her family’s seaside home on a beautiful windswept island. The charming cottage, up a steep lane from the cobbled quay, is falling apart. Grateful for the distraction, Amber throws herself into the renovation with the help of surly red-haired builder Ben. The old building hides many secrets and, behind a cupboard that was sealed decades ago, Amber finds piles of curled documents that send her deep into the past.

As she pours over the smudged ink, Amber is drawn into the wartime world of Georgina, a widow whose life was shattered before she came to the island. It was in this very cottage that Georgina found the courage to start again with her two young children. Inspired by Georgina’s bravery, Amber begins to reinvent herself as she works with Ben to bring Beehive Cottage back to life. Together they unravel the secrets of the cottage, finding fragments of history behind its walls. And, even though her heart is still fragile, she finds herself growing close to handsome and thoughtful Ben as they spend hours talking over warming coffees by the ocean.

But when the islanders’ protectiveness over Ben because of a past hurt makes her question their relationship, and a devastating fire threatens to destroy Beehive Cottage, will Amber lose Ben and her future on Morwen island? Or, when Amber discovers Georgina’s memoir and learns of a wartime romance that blossomed against the odds, will she find the strength to fight for her own love story?

This book can be enjoyed as a standalone.

 

BUY LINK:

https://geni.us/B0CS71DFNLsocial

Title:  The Girl in the Cottage by the Sea

Author:  Rebecca Alexander

Series:   Cottage by their Sera #4

Publisher:  Bookouture

Genre:   Women’s Fiction

Format:  Kindle ARC

No. of Pages:   333

Date of Publication:   May 7, 2024

My Rating:   4 Stars

MY THOUGHTS:

Suffering from a broken heart, Amber needs a new beginning. She finds just that at Beehive Cottage, in a lovely village near the sea, and it is her family’s home. As much as Amber is happy to be back home, she is disconcerted by the fact that the cottage is falling apart. Not only will being there help Amber to deal with her recent breakup, it doesn’t take her long to find fulfillment in all of the renovation that the cottage will need to bring it back to its former glory.

As Amber gets to work she discovers some documents. These documents are quite old and they actually contain secrets from the decades that have passed. Amber is worried that learning about those family secrets will put a damper on the good feelings that she had being back at the cottage. This is a story of second chances and this heartwarming story by Rebecca Alexander was absolutely wonderful. I did not realize that this was the fourth book in a series, but the story did remarkably well as a standalone novel. I had no problem connecting to Amber and her journey, as well has she found the road to true love. 

As we read Amber’s story there was so much to be gained, especially when it came to the real second chances that Amber had in her life. When you think of how the story began with Amber when she was coming from a place of vulnerability and pain, it was wonderful to see her find joy and fulfillment in life. 

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

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Rebecca Alexander was born in Malta and grew up on the south coast of England, becoming a psychologist. She escaped parenting six children to study writing in 2011, and the Secrets series of novels was published in 2013. A Baby’s Bones and sequel followed. Rebecca lives in a haunted 300-year-old cottage in Devon where she grows fruit, paints, and bakes. She reads and writes all sorts of genres, from women’s fiction to fantasy to crime. She is married with four chickens, two grandchildren and a cat. 

Author social media:

 

Twitter: www.twitter.com/rebalexander1

Email sign up: https://www.bookouture.com/rebecca-alexander/

BLOG TOUR - Courage for the Home Front Girls

DESCRIPTION:

Manchester, 1940. The Blitz is threatening to destroy everything they love. These girls will never stop trying to help their country – and each other. But will it be enough when disaster looms?

By day, Betty works cheerfully with her best friend Sally, now the manager of the salvage depot. By night, they both do their bit for the war effort as Auxiliary Fire Service girls. But Betty wishes she could do more.

So when Samuel, a kind and gentle young bookseller, needs help sorting out novels to entertain the boys overseas, Betty volunteers. Anything for the troops! There might be a flashy, handsome stranger who keeps seeking her out at the depot, but she can’t help enjoying Samuel’s quiet humour as they work together during the blackouts.

But when the worst night-time air raid they’ve ever seen strikes, Sally’s home is destroyed. Even worse, any of Sally’s treasured possessions that did survive the blast are stolen by looters. Desperate to help her friend, Betty could never have expected the guilt when she uncovers what really happened… Was it all her fault?

Despite Samuel’s best efforts, Betty can’t forgive herself. Determined to set things right, Betty sets off to catch the thief, leaving Samuel in the dark. And then the sirens begin, warning of another bombing raid. Can Betty find the strength to finish what she started, despite the threat to everything she holds dear? Or will the smoke clear on heartbreak for the home front girls?

An utterly gripping and heart-wrenching saga that will transport readers back in time. With a guaranteed happy ending, this is perfect for fans of Fenella J Miller, Rosie Clarke and Nadine Dorries.

BUY LINK:

https://geni.us/B0CW84TPJQsocial

MY THOUGHTS:

Title:  Courage for the Home Front Girls

Author:  Susanna Bavin

Publisher:  Bookouture

Series:  The Home Front Girls #2

Genre:   Historical Fiction

Format:  Kindle ARC

No. of Pages:   

Date of Publication:   April 16, 2024

My Rating:   5 Stars 

Sally, who was featured in the first book of this series, is newly married to Andrew. She has just been made manager of the salvage depot where she works. This new promotion makes Sally proud, but she must contend with the overbearing Mrs. Lockwood, who thinks she should have been given the job.

Sally also works alongside with Betty, and the two of them are also voluntary fire-watchers. Indeed, World War II is raging. Air-raid sirens increase the already palpable tension. Then there is Lorna, a socialite who now works at the salvage yard, and due to drama and difficulties where she lived in London, she has had no choice to be working there, and works on an uneasy friendship with Sally and Betty.

Betty splits her time at the salvage depot to help a rather shy young man named Samual Atkinson, and they organize books donated for those needing a distraction from the war. In fact, Samuel said to Betty: “Films are an important part of c-culture. People need stories.” The same was true of books, especially for soldiers overseas. Samuel’s job running a bookshop was very important work at that time. As much as Betty enjoys her time at the bookshop, her head is turned by a young man with a “Clark Gable mustache”. 

As in the first book of the series, The Home Front Girls, the tragedy and fear the war created unsurprising tension, but there is also drama that Sally, Betty and Lorna face as they each go about their daily routine.

While this second book would do well as a standalone novel, the connection that the girls share builds a fine foundation by reading the first book as well. In this second book, I love how Sally and Betty’s friendship has grown, and with Lorna now there with them, that too was something worth watching grow. I also continually enjoy some important parts of history that authors like Susanna Bavin brings to our attention, especially as more and more generations pass. I definitely can see a third book in this series, and I do look forward to reading it.

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

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

 Susanna Bavin has written 4 standalone sagas and her new WW2 trilogy, The Home Front Girls, will be published by Bookouture in 2024. She also writes as Polly Heron (The Surplus Girls 1920s saga series) and Maisie Thomas (The Railway Girls WW2 saga series)

Susanna lives on the beautiful North Wales coast with her husband and their two rescue cats. She is originally from Chorlton-cum-Hardy in Manchester, where her family has lived for several generations and which provides the setting for her family sagas.

Author social media

 

Website: www.susannabavin.co.uk

 

Facebook: www.facebook.com/MaisieThomasAuthor

 

Newsletter: https://bookouture.com/subscribe/susanna-bavin/