Two Heads Are Better Than One

Liz Fenwick

Publication date: 11 October 2023

Publisher: EMF Press

SYNOPSIS

All she wants for Christmas is peace and quiet, and to be alone…

Theo Pascoe is relieved she finally has her cottage back to herself, after her beloved son, wife, and grandson move out to their new home. Christmas is fast approaching and she’s fully booked doing the work she loves, preparing Christmas decorations for the local hotel, running wreath-making workshops, and dressing clients homes for the holidays.

However her family and friend think they know best – that she is suffering from empty-nest syndrome and what she really needs is some romance back in her life. But that’s the last thing Theo wants right now!

As Christmas Day approaches Theo is looking forward to spending the day quietly at home, with just her cat for company. But she has just one last home to decorate when a sudden cold snap catches everyone by surprise and she finds herself stranded in a remote house with a client. Theo just wanted to spend Christmas alone, but it seems fate has other plans?

MY REVIEW

If you want to read this gorgeous novella, I would highly recommend you read A River Between Us which is a wonderful dual timeline novel featuring Theo and her move to Boatman’s Cottage, and this novella takes place later.

A River Between Us is one of those books which has stayed with me. I thoroughly enjoyed coming back to visit Theo and her cat, Cat. Having had her son, his wife and new baby living with her during lockdown, she is looking forward to having the cottage back to herself and spending a quiet Christmas alone. Then Erik from Sweden comes into her life, having signed up for 4 of her wreath making classes.

Christmas feel good romances don’t get much better than this and it can be read in one cozy sitting!

Strong characters, a snowy setting and now I’ll be looking for a wreath making workshop!

Thank you Anne at Random Things Tours for my spot on the blog tour.

BLOG TOUR HOSTS

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Novelist, slave to two cats and dreamer turned doer….

Award winning author of The Cornish House, A Cornish Affair, A Cornish Stranger, Under A Cornish Sky, The Returning Tide, One Cornish Summer, The Path to the Sea, The River Between Us, The Secret Shore and the novella A Cornish Christmas Carol. She lives in Cornwall with her husband and spends her time wrangling two mad cats, plot walking, reading and procrastinating on social media.

The novella, Delivering Christmas, is out on 11 October 2023 and she’s writing her next novel.

Her books are available in Dutch, Germany, Portuguese, French, Estonia, Norwegian, Danish, Turkish, Swedish, Latvian, Serbian, Czech, Hungarian, Italian and Finnish

Jo Thomas

SYNOPSIS

Chloë can’t wait for Christmas . . . to be over!

Her son Ruben is staying with his dad this year and Chloe is planning to ignore the holidays all together. Her only nod to the season is the advent calendar Ruben left her, to help count down the days till he’s home again.

But then, a voicemail from Berry and Brandy, Heir Hunters, changes everything…

In Québec, Canada, there’s a plot of land Chloë may be entitled to. Surely, it’s a scam. Or could it be just the escape she needs right now? They’re offering to pay for her flights . . . and Ruben’s latest note in the advent calendar tells her to ‘say yes!’

So with 22 days until Christmas, Chloë finds herself on a plane to Canada

And suddenly, her new countdown to Christmas involves a log cabin in the middle of a snowy forest, a community that’s worried for its future, a gruff lumberjack who gives her butterflies and a lot of pancakes with maple syrup . . .

This Christmas is full of surprises!

MY REVIEW

This is my first Christmas read of the year, and oh my goodness, I just loved everything about it!

I am quite a softie and often have a tear at the end of a romance book but this is the first time I have full on cried in the first chapter!

Single mother Chloe’s 12 year old son Reuben is going to New York for a month to spend Christmas with his dad and his new family. Chloe is distraught but tries to hide it. That was my heart strings tugged to snapping point!

I just loved the setting of the little Canadian town Chloe travels to, to check out a potential inheritance of a piece of land from a distant relative. But it is such an important piece of land for the town how can she bring herself to sell; even though the money would mean so much for her and her son.

The descriptions of the snowy town, the diner run by heavily pregnant Bea, the handsome owner of the hardware story, the turkey who likes to follow Jo! There is a wonderful community spirit and all the residents give her a warm welcome, and the feeling of belonging she is searching for. But she only has a few weeks before she must go back home for Reuben and leave this all behind.

I adored Reuben’s advent calendar which he personally made for his mother with little positive messages in each pouch. Simple things like ‘sing like no one is listening’. Such a lovely idea and as the weeks went on, many of the towns folk wanted to know what Reuben’s message of the day was!

Jo’s description of the maple trees and how special they were to the community, as they would harvest the sap to make maple syrup. That is something I have learned from this book. The people in this village love their maple syrup so much they include it in everything – both sweet and savoury recipes! There are a few recipes in the back of the book to try. You’re going to need maple syrup of course.

I absolutely loved Jo’s last book, Summer at the Ice Cream Cafe and didn’t think she could top that but I think she has. She is now an auto read author for me.

Huge thanks to Anne at Random Things Tours for my spot on the blog tour for this unforgettable book.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jo Thomas worked for many years as a reporter and producer, including time at Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour and Radio 2’s The Steve Wright Show.

Jo’s debut novel, The Oyster Catcher, was a runaway bestseller and won both the RNA Joan HessayonAward and the Festival of Romance Best eBook Award. Her recent book Escape to the French Farmhouse was a #1 bestselling eBook and in every one of her novels Jo loves to explore new countries and discover the food produced there, both of which she thoroughly enjoys researching.

 Jo lives in Pembrokeshire with her husband and three children, where cooking and gathering around the kitchen table are a hugely important and fun part of their family life.

Tim Powers

Publication date: 12/10/23

Publisher: Head of Zeus

SYNOPSIS

Howarth, 1846.

In a parsonage at the edge of the moors, a widowed rector lives with his family: three daughters and their dissolute brother, Bramwell.

Though the future will celebrate Charlotte, Emily and Anne, right now they are unknown, their genius concealed. In just a few short years they will all be dead, and it will be middle sister Emily’s chance encounter with a grievously wounded man on the moor that sets them on the path to their doom.

For there is an ancient pagan secret haunting the moors, a dark inheritance in the family bloodline and something terrible buried under an ogham-inscribed slab in the church. Not only are their lives at stake, but their very souls.

My Brother’s Keeper is an atmospheric gothic novel that mixes diabolical hatred and vengeance with the supreme power of love to conjure dark magic from the tragic fate of the Brontë sisters.

MY REVIEW

Well if you are expecting an historical fiction retelling of the Brontës, you will be half right!

This is a retelling with a heck of a difference. It involves ghosts and werewolves and more scary stuff!

It’s a gothic tale verging on a horror story.

I think this one is best read without much idea of the storyline so I’m not going to say too much. You need to go into it blind for the full enjoyable experience.

It features three of the sisters, their brother and father, and it includes a lot of known facts about the family. Their writing. Patrick, the father, being from Ireland and changing his surname when he arrived in England and eventually becoming a minister. He lived with his family lived in the parsonage next to his church in Haworth. But I’m not sure Emily ever met an injured man called Mr Curzon who was a werewolf hunter.

I loved the writing style which kept me glued and one particular thread had me on the edge of my seat. Definitely a great Halloween read!

Emily was a wonderful strong character but the hero of the story for me was her protective bullmastif, Keeper, who went everywhere with her.

Loved it! And that cover – what a talented designer.

Thank you Jade at Ad Astra Fiction / Head of Zeus for my proof copy and my spot on the tour. I absolutely need to buy the finished book as I am interested to read the author’s notes and why he chose the Brontë family to base this story on.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Tim Powers is the author of 17 science fiction and fantasy novels, including The Anubis Gates, Declare, and On Stranger Tides, which was the basis of the fourth, ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ movie. His work has won the World Fantasy Award, Philip K. Dick memorial award, and the Locus Poll award, and has been translated into more than a dozen languages. Along with K. W. Jeter and James Blaylock, Powers is considered one of the founders of steampunk. He lives in San Bernadino, with his wife of more than 40 years, Serena.

Nicola May

Publication date: 4/10/23

Publisher: Nowell Publishing

SYNOPSIS

When soap actor Sabrina Swift loses her way due to a public scandal, she packs up her life, heads to Cornwall and randomly finds herself running a Christmas gift shop in the quaint and quirky Ferry Lane Market.
Changing her looks and identity to keep her anonymity, the newcomer starts to make friends and enemies as she walks a frosty path in the established community.
And as rumours start circling that the outside market is going to be shut down, Sabrina is not only ensconced in an unexpected love triangle but is also faced with a difficult decision that could alter both her life and those of the inhabitants of Hartmouth forever.
Charming characters and a beautifully written setting make for a delightful and uplifting tale that explores themes of self-discovery, belonging and the importance of following your heart.

Purchase Links
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Holiday-Romance-Ferry-Lane-Market-ebook/dp/B0CC342XY6
https://www.amazon.com/Holiday-Romance-Ferry-Lane-Market-ebook/dp/B0CC342XY6

MY REVIEW

It has been a while since I read the wonderful Ferry Lane Market series but I knew I would be immersed again in the wonderful atmosphere and the friendly banter of the market traders and I absolutely was! It felt like I was revisiting a favourite holiday resort and meeting up with old friends.

When Jilly finds her fiancé has been cheating, she runs away to the holiday cottage they had rented for their honeymoon. Using a different name and changing her appearance, as she is well known, she begins to find her place with new friends who accept her just for herself and not as a famous actress. In a very unplanned decision, she opens a temporary Christmas and gifts shop on the main street alongside all the other shops we know well from the rest of the series.

But as a reporter starts sniffing around will her cover be blown, and what will her new friends think of her deception?

A gorgeous story about finding where you belong, and realising when you need to let go.

I hope Nicola decides to carry on writing more of the Ferry Lane series, as I will never tire of reading them.

Thank you Rachel at Rachel’s Random Resources for my spot on the blog tour.

BLOG TOUR HOSTS

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Nicola May is a rom-com superstar. She is the author of sixteen romantic comedies, all of which have appeared in the Kindle bestseller charts. Two of them won awards at the Festival of Romance, and another was named ebook of the week in The Sun. The Corner Shop in Cockleberry Bay became the
best-selling Kindle book in the UK, across all genres, in January 2019, and was Amazon’s third-bestselling novel in that year.

Social Media Links –
http://www.nicolamay.com
W: http://www.nicolamay.com
Nicola May – Home | Facebook
i: https://www.instagram.com/author_nicola/

Tom Mead

Publication date: 12/10/23

Publisher: Head of Zeus

SYNOPSIS

Illusionist turned sleuth Joseph Spector investigates a sinister conundrum at a 1930s theatre in this thrilling new mystery novel from Tom Mead, author of Death and the Conjuror, one of Publishers Weekly’s Mysteries of the Year 2022.

1938, London. Young lawyer Edmund Ibbs has a new client: a woman accused of shooting her husband in the already infamous ‘Ferris Wheel Murder’ case.

The case proves to be a web of conspiracy, and Ibbs himself is accused when a second suspicious death occurs, during a magic act at the crowded Pomegranate Theatre.

Also present at the theatre is Joseph Spector, illusionist turned highly respected sleuth. Spector begins to investigate the mystery, but when anotherbody is discovered later that same night, all evidence points to Ibbs being guilty.

With time against him, and a host of hangers-on all having something to hide, can Spector uncover the guilty party, or will he and Inspector Flint of Scotland Yard conclude that Ibbs is the culprit after all?

MY REVIEW

Amateur magician Edmund Ibbs is looking forward to reading his new book, written by an unknown author and spilling the secrets of magic tricks.

Unfortunately he has to put it to one side as he has a job as a lawyer, currently on the defence team of a woman in prison for murdering her husband in the ‘ferris wheel’ murder case. She is adamant she is innocent.

Was her husband an inside man for the robbery at the bank he worked at which resulted in the murder of the security guard?

When he finishes work, Ibbs then visits a theatre to watch Paolini, a famous magician. Only now he is at the centre of more murders at the theatre, which initially appear to be impossible to solve. Are they linked to the ferris wheel murder?

It felt like I was reading a Sherlock Holmes novel. However Joseph Spector, a retired magician, is the Holmes character in this novel, and in this series of novels, helping the police with cases which appear to involve some kind of magic or illusion. For me, Ibbs was more the main character in this one. Doing his best to defend a woman in what the police think is an open and shut case.

An enjoyable read. Very cleverly plotted. Impossible to work out! I will be going back and reading the first in this series.

Thank you Poppy and Sophie at Ransom PR for my stop on the tour and copy of the book.

BLOG TOUR HOSTS

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Tom Mead is a UK crime fiction author specialising in locked-room mysteries. He is a member of the Crime Writers’ Association and the International Thriller Writers’ Organization. His debut novel is DEATH AND THE CONJUROR, featuring magician-detective Joseph Spector.

Catherine Cooper

Publication date: 12/10/23

Publisher: Harper Collins

SYNOPSIS

The perfect escape, or the perfect trap?

When a select group of influencers and journalists receive an exclusive invitation to a luxury resort in the Maldives, it seems like the ultimate press trip.

But when the island is cut off during a storm and people start dying, it looks like someone has murder in mind.

Are the guests really who they seem to be, or does each one of them have a secret to hide?

Something they would kill for?

Lose yourself in the latest twisty page-turner from the queen of glamorous crime, Catherine Cooper.

MY REVIEW

I’m a big fan of Catherine’s writing and have now read all four of her novels, and all have been 5 star reads for me.

I enjoyed the dual timeline element of this one. The first revealing the circumstances leading to the death of a 17 year old girl at a party in 1990. The second timeline being in the present, and set in a holiday resort in the Maldives, where a handful of reporters and social media influencers have been invited prior to the official opening. The owners are hoping they will write great reviews about the resort, and the turtle rescue centre the owners have set up.

The holiday is not quite as expected when accidents begin to happen, and then one of the group is found dead.

Obviously the two timelines are somehow connected, but I had no idea how or who could be responsible.

There are a few short chapters along the way, written by the murderer, which give a few clues, but I still hadn’t figured it out before the very clever reveal.

Absolutely loved the descriptions of the luxurious holiday resort set on a remote island in the Maldives, with attentive staff and Michelin star chefs. Shame about the deaths!

Highly recommended.

Many thanks to Anne at Random Things Tours for my spot on the tour and my copy of the book.

BLOG TOUR HOSTS

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

CATHERINE COOPER is a freelance journalist writing for many national newspapers and magazines, specialising in travel. She also makes regular appearances as a talking head on daytime TV. She lives in France with her husband and two teenage children.
Her debut thriller THE CHALET was a top five Sunday Times bestseller and spent three weeks in the Kindle top 100. THE ISLAND is her fourth novel.

Rob Gittins

Publication date: 10/10/23

Publisher: Hobeck Books

SYNOPSIS

Twenty years ago, his daughter vanished.
He was the last person to see her.

Twenty years to the day, a second girl vanishes.
He’s the last person to see her too.

Axel Petersen’s life implodes as his teenage daughter disappears. For twenty years, there’s no clue as to where she is, or what’s happened to her.

Exactly twenty years later, Axel meets a girl of around the same age his daughter was on the day she disappeared on a train. On jointly alighting at the final stop on the small rural line, he offers her a lift to her holiday cottage. Then that girl disappears too.

Axel plunges into the search for this second missing girl. Along the way he becomes increasingly convinced there’s a strong connection between the present-day disappearance and the twenty-year-old mystery – and he’s right, although in ways he can hardly begin to imagine.

MY REVIEW

Mr Gittins is the master of misdirection. Oh my gosh what a ride this one was! I was suspecting nearly everyone of a crime. I didn’t even know if a crime had been committed!

So what did happen to Cara 20 years ago when, aged just 18, she didn’t come home and lied to her parents about her whereabouts. Was she abducted? Murdered? Did she run away? Or did something else happen to her?

Now, 20 years later, her father thinks he sees her on a train but quickly realises his mistake. Then this girl disappears too and he was the last person to see her. Axel is questioned by the police, abducted at knife point, and drawn into a web of lies and deceit, desperately trying to work out the truth of what happened to the girl on the train, and to his own daughter.

Told him vet a dual timeline, we have a host of suspicious characters from her father, an antiquarian book dealer, to an illegal immigrant and an uncle in the army. Even one of the police officers had my suspicions raised!

Easy to read with very short, sharp chapters which made me want to read just one more chapter and then one more.

Superbly written, as I had expected from such an experienced writer. This was the second book I have read by this author and I have enjoyed both. I look forward to more.

BLOG TOUR HOSTS

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Rob Gittins is a screenwriter and novelist. Rob’s written for almost all the top-rated network TV dramas from the last thirty years, including Casualty, EastEnders, The Bill, Heartbeat and Vera, as well as over thirty original radio plays for BBC Radio 4. 

 

He’s previously had six novels published by Y Lolfa to high critical acclaim. Rob’s first novel for Hobeck, I’m Not There, is a crime thriller and the first of a new series set on the idyllic, if occasionally sinister and disturbing, Isle of Wight.

​Rob’s second book with Hobeck, a psychological thriller, The Devil’s Bridge Affair, published in October 2022. Rob’s third Hobeck book, Can I Trust You?, is publishing in October 2023.

Chris Merritt

Publication date: 12/10/23

Publisher: Wildfire

SYNOPSIS

Former CIA undercover operative Ellen McGinley is battling to overcome PTSD when she stumbles upon a domestic terror plot. The deadly attack is due to take place in six days and will strike at the very heart of her homeland.

For Ellen, it’s a chance to find redemption for her greatest mistake – one she will never allow herself to forget.

But no sooner than she alerts the authorities, she finds herself diagnosed as delusional and locked in a psychiatric ward. No one believes her story.

She’s the only one who thinks the danger is real, which means she’s the only one who can stop it.

Ellen must draw on all her old skills to escape, stay alive, protect her family, and find those responsible – before all hell breaks loose.

Committed is the propulsive thriller you won’t want to miss this summer. Perfect for fans of Lee Child, David Baldacci, JB Turner and Robert Dugoni.

MY REVIEW

This is the first of Chris’s books I have read and wow, what a fast paced and totally gripping thriller!

The author has been a psychologist specialising in PTSD, and his expert knowledge was put to very good use. I found it interesting to read about coping mechanisms.

Ellen is ex-CIA. She is strong and fearless and a believable character who I enjoyed getting to know. After blaming herself for failing to prevent a terror attack some years ago, she will absolutely stop the one she has just overheard being planned. The thing is, no one will believe her.

She is put into a psych unit to stop her, but this woman is unstoppable! I like the way the author makes her very human by mentioning her trying to hold back tears on a number of occasions, and how being a mum and keeping her young son safe is more important to her than anything else.

I was annoyed at her husband who didn’t seem to be giving her as much support as he should, but she was such a strong character she just got on with it.

With her CIA training she manages to foil a number of attempts on her life, and I enjoyed reading how she had been trained to act in various situations. She makes a taser from everyday objects (who would think a disposable camera could be so useful?).

As well as Ellen, we also hear from Peter, or Pee Wee as he is called, the others tending to think he is weak. But he has a conscience and doesn’t want to go through with the attack. Can he stop what is already planned?

Really well written characters who jumped off the page. Couldn’t put it down!

Thank you Rosie at Headline for my early copy of the book and my spot on the blog tour.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Hello! I’m a British author whose crime thrillers combine psychology, suspense, and characters you care about.

All my novels are set in London, where I live. My first trilogy starred Zac Boateng and Kat Jones, two detectives motivated by family, who tackle organised crime and police corruption. LAST WITNESS, the second Boateng and Jones book, reached #13 in the UK Kindle chart in 2019.

My second series features detective Dan Lockhart – an ex-soldier with a missing wife – and psychologist Dr Lexi Green, an American living in London. These novels are darker, more psychological serial-killer cases, with romantic relationships as a central theme.

I began writing fiction in 2014, after previous careers as a diplomat, based in Iraq and Jerusalem, and later as a psychologist working with victims and perpetrators of crime. I specialised in treating Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), which sparked my interest in telling stories about how people cope when faced with extreme adversity.

Now, I spend most of my time writing novels and drinking coffee while *thinking* about writing novels. When I’m not writing, I love climbing and playing basketball.

You can find out more about my work at http://www.cjmerritt.co.uk or follow me on Twitter @DrCJMerritt

Cassandra Clare

Publication date: 10/10/23

Publisher: Tor

SYNOPSIS

Two outcasts find themselves at the centre of world-altering change in Sword Catcher, the start of a riveting epic fantasy series from the internationally bestselling author of The Shadowhunter Chronicles.

‘Everything I look for in fantasy’ – George R. R. Martin, New York Times bestselling author of Game of Thrones

One was raised to rule. One was trained to die. Welcome to the Chronicles of Castellane.

In the vibrant city-state of Castellane, a young orphan named Kel is stolen from his old life to enter a new one of luxury and peril. He’s to become Prince Conor Aurelian’s body-double, shielding the Prince from all dangers. As his ‘Sword Catcher,’ he and Conor become close as brothers – yet Kel lives for one purpose: to die for Conor.

Lin Caster is an Ashkar physician, part of a community ostracised for its rare magical abilities. But events pull her and Kel together and into the web of the mysterious Ragpicker King who rules Castellane’s criminal underworld.

Together, they’ll discover an extraordinary conspiracy. But can forbidden love bring down a kingdom? And will their discoveries plunge their nation into war and the world into chaos?

Lose yourself in a vibrant world of power, intrigue and magic in this spellbinding epic from an internationally bestselling sensation.

MY REVIEW

We are big Cassandra Clare fans in our house. A new release from Cassie always means great excitement, and a guaranteed pre-order. I have to say, this cover is spectacular! One of my favourite ever covers. So excited to get my hardback version when I go to see her at an event in a few weeks!

This is the first book in a new series. I was completely lost in this phenomenal new world Cassie has created. Even when I wasn’t reading it I was thinking about it! I can’t wait for the next book in the series as there are so many threads to be continued. It is a long book of around 600 pages, but what a joy to read. I made it last 5 days. It is a ‘fantasy’ book, but I would say even if fantasy is not usually your genre give it a try as it is easy to follow and you may just find a new favourite author and series.

Everything is so beautifully described. The palace, the clothing, wall hangings and furniture, the food. The metaphors and similes are so unique. I even picked out a few lines of songs, but that was probably coincidental!

The story is told mainly from the POV of two characters. Kel and Lin. Both orphans and neither quite fit in.

Kel has been living in the palace since he was taken from an orphanage when he was 10 to serve as Prince Conor’s body double, sworn to protect him with his life. He is fully committed to his role.

Lin is Ashkari and she is a physician, despite it being almost unheard of for a woman to carry out this role. She is a strong and brave character. Her close friend has an illness which Lin makes it her purpose in life to heal, although she has tried just about everything. She has been given a stone by a trader she knows well which appears to have magic properties, if only she could find out how to use it.

Magic, and all magic animals, have been taken from the world, leaving only the Ashkari people with their basic ancestral magic of simple talismans.

There are many characters to get to know, including the elusive Ragpicker King, who travels in a black carriage with blood red wheels and is feared in the town. His path crosses with both Kel and Lyn.

I enjoyed how, in between each chapter of the story, there was an excerpt from ‘The Tales of the Sorcerer Kings’ which explained the lore of what had happened many years ago when the Goddess ruled over her people, and how magic had been taken from the world, save the small talismans and spells of the Ashkari people.

This book ticks so many boxes! A Goddess who legend says will come back to her people as an ordinary woman, Royalty, politics, magic, healing, friendship, a bit of romance and so much more!

Could be my book of the year.

Huge thanks to Black Crow PR for my stunning proof and my spot on the blog tour.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Cassandra Clare is the author of the #1 New York Times, USA TODAY, Wall Street Journal, and Publishers Weekly bestselling Mortal Instruments series and the Infernal Devices trilogy, and coauthor of the Bane Chronicles with Sarah Rees Brennan and Maureen Johnson. She also wrote The Shadowhunter’s Codex with her husband, Joshua Lewis. Her books have more than 36 million copies in print worldwide and have been translated into more than thirty-five languages. Cassandra lives in western Massachusetts. Visit her at CassandraClare.com. Learn more about the world of the Shadowhunters at Shadowhunters.com.

Matt Cain

Publication date: 18/1/24

Publisher: Headline Review

SYNOPSIS

2002

Danny arrives at Manchester University determined not to hide from the world any longer. This is the year his life will begin.

He locks eyes with a handsome stranger across the hall at the Fresher’s Fair. It starts with a wink and soon Danny and Guy are best friends.

2022

Now, both single for the first time in years, Danny and Guy return to the confetti-covered streets of the Gay Village for Manchester Pride.

After years of shared adventures and lost dreams, Danny finally plans to share the secret he has been keeping for two decades. He has always been in love with Guy.

Could this weekend be the end of a twenty-year friendship . . . or the start of something new and even more beautiful?

MY REVIEW

Another absolute corker from the super talented Matt Cain.

I adored Albert and Ted. Now I have met Danny and I love him too. Matt’s stories are incredibly gorgeously special and life affirming. I am always left with a fuzzy happy feeling when I have read one. You just can’t help but fall in love with Matt’s characters. Full of life, but often hiding a sadness behind the smiles.

The overwhelming message I have always got from reading Matt’s books is to be yourself and love yourself for who you are. Such an important message for everyone.

This is a story of unrequited love. Of a special friendship between Danny and Guy, teetering on the edge of something more. Maybe. At least Danny hopes so. And he has hoped so for 20 years.

Danny is an incredibly likeable character. He went through school being bullied for being gay, but has always had the support of his loving mother. He is unhappy with his looks, his out of shape body and his bald patch. How could anyone decent love him? So he plays the fool. Getting drunk and making people laugh. Meeting men for one night stands. Hiding his feelings.

We hear some of the story from Guy’s point of view. I felt so sorry for him at the beginning as having finally come out as gay to his peers when he starts university, he was terrified of coming out to his parents. He felt he was never good enough in their eyes, and being gay is another way they will think he has failed them.

Written across two timelines beginning in 2002 and also in the present, we follow Danny and Guy through the ups and downs of 20 years of their lives from the time they meet at university to the time they rekindle their friendship at Manchester Pride following Guy’s divorce. I loved Matt’s description of the Pride celebrations. What a party!

The two timelines highlight how difficult it was when Danny was young compared to now. I’m sure there is still a way to go but we are moving in the right direction.

I enjoyed every page and I’m already looking forward to Matt’s next book.

Huge thanks to the publisher, Headline Review, and to Matt for my proof copy which will be treasured along with Albert and Ted.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Matt Cain is a writer, broadcaster, and a leading commentator on LGBT+ issues. 

He was Channel 4’s first Culture Editor, Editor-In-Chief of Attitude magazine, has written for all the major national newspapers, and is a regular presenter on Virgin Radio Pride. He’s also an ambassador for Manchester Pride and the Albert Kennedy Trust, plus a patron of LGBT+ History Month. 

Matt’s first two novels, Shot Through the Heart and Nothing But Trouble, were published by Pan Macmillan. His third, The Madonna Of Bolton, became Unbound’s fastest crowdfunded novel ever. In 2021, The Secret Life of Albert Entwistle was published by Headline Review and Becoming Ted followed in 2023. 

Born in Bury and brought up in Bolton, Matt now lives in London with his husband, Harry, and their cat, Nelly. 

For more information, please visit http://www.mattcainwriter.com.