Two Heads Are Better Than One

Today is my stop on the Blog Tour, arranged by Rachel’s Random Resources

SYNOPSIS

Snuggle up under your favourite blanket and escape to the beautiful village of Pebblestow this winter, for one of
the most heartwarming stories of the season…
When Cara Mia Shaw makes a desperate wish one night, while riding on a carousel at a Christmas market, little does she know her small, but safe world is about to spin off its axis.
Befriending a fascinating returnee to the village, an elderly woman called Perdita with a jaunty pink beret and the wisdom of a life well lived, might set Cara on a different, albeit harder, course, if she’s brave enough to listen. Art was always her passion, after all, even if fate seemed to have other ideas.
And then there’s the new man in her life, who her friends think is perfect for her because they set her up with decent, reliable Greg in the first place. Cara’s been hurt enough times to know the difference between a good man and a feckless one. Until Wilfred comes along – moody, sarcastic, and scattered -just to complicate matters and meddle with Cara’s resolve, to the horror of almost 
everyone around her. But is either man ultimately meant for her, anyway? And will she self – sabotage as usual, or gamble everything this time, including her heart?
It might take the highs and lows of friendship, the risk of a forbidden romance, and a Pomeranian called Loki – not to mention some much – needed Christmas magic – before Cara finally realises the wish she made that night on the carousel might just be about to come true.

MY REVIEW

Firstly I would like to thank Rachel for my place on the tour.

This was my first Christmas read of the year and already I am feeling Christmassy! I love a Christmas romance.

What a heartfelt story of love and friendship with an ounce of magic thrown in to the mix. A ‘modern romance set around the festive season’ as Perdita would describe it.

Cara has been dragged along on a blind date to a Christmas market with her friends who have found the perfect new man for her. Unfortunately Cara is not really interested and wanders off and finds a beautiful carousel. She takes a ride and the carousel owner tells her to make a wish….

She returns later to find the carousel is no longer there. Already I had the magic feels.

I adored Perdita with her pink beret and scarf who Cara meets in the coffee shop where she works and they begin a lovely supportive friendship. Perdita has lots of pearls of wisdom to share about life and love and Cara finds herself opening her heart to this lady who is like the grandmother she never had.

I have to say Perdita was my favourite character in the book I just loved her out there personality and sense of fun.

Cara is taken advantage of by Jojo, her ex-employer who has Cara running around after the family and walking the dog, but Cara feels this is her payment for living rent free in her annexe so doesn’t complain. I found Jojo very difficult to work out, but a revelation later in the story helps.

Cara is a people pleaser who puts the needs and feelings of others before herself. When she meets a man she should absolutely not start a relationship with she must decide whether to go for it or listen to the advice of her caring but overbearing friends. 

I was rooting for Cara to find happiness and a way out of the rut she is in. I really couldn’t put the book down and read it in a day!

I will definitely be reading more from Lottie.

Purchase Link 
https://bit.ly/AChristmasWishOnACarousel

Author Bio 
Lottie Cardew was born during the Great Lockdown of early 2021, and writes uplifting, heartstring – tugging romcoms with no mention of anything remotely resembling a pandemic. 
She lives in North Wales, subdues the other members of Novelistas Ink if they misbehave – including the popular authors Trisha Ashley and Sophie Claire – and is a huge advocate of diversity and OwnVoices in fiction. Lottie has previously written as Valerie-Anne Baglietto, and is diagnosed 
autistic with suspected ADHD. Her home is currently overrun by husband, not – very – small children, and a ball of fluff masquerading as a Pomeranian, so Lottie often takes refuge at her pop-up desk in the bedroom.
Lottie guarantees her books will have a HEA ending, and some might possibly have a tiny hint of 
magic, too. They will always be warm, emotional, and witty (she hopes), and transport her readers 
to lovely places because everyone n
eeds somewhere safe to escape to at times.

Social Media Links –

Twitter:
https://twitter.com/MsLottieCardew

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

Newsletter sign up: 
https://bit.ly/LottieCardewSignUp

by Anne O’Brien

published in hardback by HQ 16 September 2021 and in paperback on 31 March 2022

SYNOPSIS

England, 1444. Three women challenge the course of history…

King Henry VI’s grip on the crown hangs by a thread as the Wars of the Roses starts to tear England apart. And from the ashes of war, the House of Paston begins its rise to power.

Led by three visionary women, the Pastons are a family from humble peasant beginnings who rely upon cunning, raw ambition, and good fortune in order to survive.

Their ability to plot and scheme sees them overcome imprisonment, violence and betrayal, to eventually secure for their family a castle and a place at the heart of the Yorkist Court. But success breeds jealousy and brings them dangerous enemies…

An inspirational story of courage and resilience, The Royal Game, charts the rise of three remarkable women from obscurity to the very heart of Court politics and intrigue.

MY REVIEW

Im very happy to be part of the blog tour organised by the publisher, HQ.

I have only read one of Anne’s books before this one – The Queens Rival – which I absolutely loved. I jumped at the chance of reading an advance copy of Anne’s new book and to be a part of the blog tour. 

Anne’s skill for writing historical fiction with characters you get to know in depth and places you feel you are part of is second to none. Again I was lost in the rich history of the time and living the lives with these people. It is clear Anne has a very in depth knowledge and interest of history and her love for writing shines through the pages.

In this novel we follow the Pastons. Just as Anne’s last book is mainly focussed on the strong female character of Cecily Neville this one has a strong main focus on Margaret Mautby Paston who has married into the Paston family following the usual arrangement by the two families which will benefit both sides. She becomes such a strong lady, having to deal with battles, wars, births and deaths, illness and the constant fight to hold on to the family property and assets for her place in society and her children’s inheritance.

These are the Middle Ages. In the years leading up to The Wars of The Roses. Families marry their children off for status and wealth. Perhaps love will blossom perhaps not, as this is not the reason to marry. Women are expected to produce heirs to the family estate. People have to be careful when discussing the Yorks and the Lancasters as they dare not be seen to be on the wrong side. 

There are two other ladies we follow in this novel. The second lady we hear from is Elizabeth Paston who has not had a suitable marriage arranged and worries about her future constantly as the years are passing along with her hope of finding a suitable husband.

The last ‘main’ character is Anne Haute who is also hoping for a suitable marriage and sets her hopes on marrying into the Paston family.

The Pastons were prolific letter writers and it is fortunate many of their letters have survived to this day to tell the first hand stories of life and all its troubles during the 1400’s. 

I am now looking forward to Anne’s next book where she will follow the Pastons.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Anne O’Brien was born in the West Riding of Yorkshire. After gaining a BA Honours degree in History at Manchester University and a Master’s in Education at Hull, she lived in the East Riding for many years as a teacher of history.

She now lives with her husband in an eighteenth-century timber-framed cottage in depths of the Welsh Marches in Herefordshire on the borders between England and Wales.

by Alice Feeney

SYNOPSIS

Ten years of marriage.

Ten years of secrets.

An anniversary they’ll never forget.

Adam and Amelia are spending the weekend in the Scottish Highlands. The remote location is perfect for what they have planned.

But when their romantic trip takes a dark turn, they both start to wonder – can they trust the one they’re with?

Because every couple tells little white lies. Only for Adam and Amelia, the truth is far more dangerous.

MY REVIEW

I’m very happy to be part of the blog tour for this gripping, edge of your seat, psychological thriller.

The book is written from the points of view of both Adam and Amelia in alternating chapters. I very much enjoy this way of writing as we get to know what the characters are thinking.

Dotted throughout the book there is an annual anniversary letter written to Adam from his wife, giving an insight into the state of their marriage. It is becoming more obvious they are beginning to grow apart as the years pass. These letters are written but will probably never be read by Adam.

We also have a third narrator, Robin, and we find out where she fits in to their lives towards the end of the book. I did not see that coming at all! 

Adam is a screenwriter and has been trying to get his own novel, Rock, Paper, Scissors, made into a film for years. He has a little known condition called prosopagnosia, or face blindness, which means he is unable to recognise anyone‘s face not even his own face in the mirror. We join Adam, Amelia and Bob their Labrador as they are driving through heavy snow to get to a chapel in Scotland having ignored the weather warning. Amelia won a weekend away in a raffle where she works, Battersea dogs home, and they are both hoping a weekend away will help save their marriage. They are running out of petrol and it is like driving in a white out with the windscreen wipers on Amelia’s old Morris Minor struggling to cope. The chapel is locked when they eventually find it but having walked around it to try to find another entrance they return to find the doors unlocked. The description of the chapel is just as spooky as I’d hoped with locked doors hiding who knows what and a creepy damp dark crypt. Everywhere is covered in dust so it appears no one has stayed there in a long time. There is no mobile phone signal so they are stranded without being able to call for help. There is that little cottage down the road with smoke coming out of the chimney…

I will not go into the storyline any further but hope that little taster of my review makes you want to buy the book immediately.

Find out more about the author at:

alicefeeney.com

SYNOPSIS

With their long necks and matching buns and pink tights, Dara and Marie Durant have been dancers since they can remember. Growing up, they were trained by their glamorous mother, founder of the Durant School of Dance. After their parents’ death in a tragic accident nearly a dozen years ago, the sisters began running the school together, along with Charlie, Dara’s husband and once their mother’s prized student. The three have perfected a dance that keeps the studio thriving.

But when a suspicious accident occurs, just at the onset of the school’s annual performance of The Nutcracker-a season of competition, anxiety, and exhilaration-an interloper arrives and threatens their delicate balance.

MY REVIEW

This dark, disturbing but strangely addictive story takes us into the strange lives of sisters Dara and Marie and Dara’s husband, Charlie.

After their parents die, Dara and Marie take over their mother’s ballet school. They teach around 100 girls and a handful of boys and we join them as they are working towards their annual production of The Nutcracker. 

Ballet always appears to be such a magical world to the outsider but in this book we are given plenty of descriptions of the pain, the blackened toe nails, the injuries, the back stabbing, the pushy parents which play a part in this beautiful art. At the beginning there are a fair few references to ballet moves which, not being a dancer, I did not know but it didn’t spoil the story. I could always look them up! A ballet background would have been a benefit for me!

Dara, Marie and Charlie live a strange and disturbing life. They have lived in the same house together since the girls parents died. Charlie was brought into their small close knit family when he was a teenage student at the ballet school and has lived with them ever since. We what appears to be a happy family on the outside is not what it seems.

Following a fire at the dance school, Derek the contractor is hired to carry out the repairs and suggests improvements he could make to the school. Reluctantly he is hired. Dara has a feeling Derek is hiding something and unfortunately she is correct. Derek has some dark secrets and as he worms his way in,their lives become irreversibly changed in a way which will have devastating consequences. 

I felt this was a very well written book and delved into areas we are not always comfortable reading. It is dark and mysterious and yet a compelling read. I had to read it over a few days as it was quite heavy but I did very much enjoy it. I had not read any of the author’s previous books so did not know what to expect but I have since learned Megan is known for this type of book. 

Thank you to Grace Vincent at Little Brown for the gifted copy of the book and for my spot on the blog tour.

SYNOPSIS

London, 1940. Britain is gripped by the terror of the Blitz, forcing Nell Spelman to flee the capital with her young daughter – leaving behind her husband, Arthur, the clockmaker who keeps Big Ben chiming.

When Arthur disappears, Nell is desperate to find him. But her search will lead her into far darker places than she ever imagined…

New York, Present Day. When Ellie discovers a beautiful watch that had once belonged to a grandmother she never knew, she becomes determined to find out what happened to her. But as she pieces together the fragments of her grandmother’s life, she begins to wonder if the past is better left forgotten…

MY REVIEW

I have just finished reading this book this morning and I’m still trying to come down from the adrenaline high of the ending!

I love a dual timeline historical fiction, and fiction around the Second World War is something I haven’t read much of. I usually enjoy the historical part of dual time lines more than the present, but I found myself equally absorbed in both.

In the 1940 section, Nell is recently married to Arthur who is one of the three men responsible for the clocks at the Houses of Parliament, including Big Ben and it’s workings. When their home is bombed, Nell travels out of London with baby Alice to stay with her parents and the evacuee children they have taken in.
when she receives a frightening phone call from Arthur she returns to London alone to carry on an investigation Arthur has started which involves an attack on the very heart of London.
The author’s descriptions on London during the blitz were so atmospheric I could almost feel the heat of the fires and hear the bombs dropping.

In the present timeline, Ellie’s mother Alice has the beginnings of dementia. Ellie does not know much about her English family, as Alice moved to the US, or her grandmothers history. After finding a hat box full of her grandmothers memories tucked away under her mother’s bed she decides to travel back to London to find out about her grandmother, Nell.
She meets her father’s family from his second marriage, and with their help begins to uncover the story behind her mother’s life and early death.

What a page turner which I highly recommend. I look forward to reading more from this author.

Thanks to Ellie Pilcher at Avon books for having me on the tour and for my ARC via NetGalley.

SYNOPSIS

Ever since her sister disappeared eleven years ago, Serena Warren has been running from a ghost, haunted by what she can’t remember about that night.
When Caitlin’s body is discovered, Serena returns to her grandfather’s house, nestled beside the ruins of Minster Lovell Hall in Oxfordshire, determined to uncover the truth. But in returning to the place of her childhood summers, Serena stands poised at the brink of a startling discovery – one that will tie her family to a centuries-old secret…

Taking readers from the present day to the Wars of the Roses in the 1400s, and with an enthralling mystery at its heart, The Last Daughter is a spellbinding novel about family secrets, perfect for fans of Lucinda Riley, Barbara Erskine and Kate Morton.

MY REVIEW

Dual time line? Historical fiction? Count me in! And this is time slip historical fiction at its best. A mixture of history, mystery and a bit of magic. I can see this being one of my favourite reads of the year.

The story is written from two narrators, Serena in the present and Anne in the 15th century, during the wars of the roses.

Serena is on holiday in America staying with her auntie. She receives the phone call she has been both expecting and dreading for the past 10 years. The body of her twin sister, Caitlin, has been found. Serena rushes back to England and Minster Lovell, where her grandparents used to own a house and where her sister disappeared. The same place where her sister’s body has been found during an archeological dig, buried in a casket in the cemetery. The thing is, the body appears to have been buried hundreds of years ago but how can that be possible? Serena has dissociative amnesia but hopes to regain some memory of the night it happened.

The historical storyline begins in 1465 and 5 year old Anne is to marry 8 year old Francis, the King’s ward, who becomes close friends with Richard III.
They marry and grow up together. When King Edward IV dies suddenly, his young son Edward should be crowned king but instead his uncle, Richard of Gloucester becomes King Richard III, takes the throne and locks young Edward and his brother Richard in the tower. (They are known as the princes in the tower, and the mystery of what happened to them has never been resolved). Henry Tudor begins his battle to take the throne and Francis leaves home to fight for the Richard’s House of York. The Yorks lose the battle and soon after Francis, knowing his life is in danger, disappears to safety along with a young boy.

I found the whole premise of the story fascinating and cleverly written and was totally immersed in both storylines which were equally as gripping. The story just kept getting better the more I read. I was eager to find out what part the lodestone, a relic said to be magical, had played in the disappearance of Caitlin. And to find out more about Serena’s grandfather who has never properly spoken about his childhood. He has dementia now and when Serena visits him to tell him the news of Caitlin he gets distressed and says he should have protected her and the lodestone was to blame for Caitlin disappearing. Could this just be the ramblings of an old man losing his mind or is there some truth in what he said?

Clearly a lot of research has gone into this book and factual history is seamlessly weaved together with fiction. Nicola’s fictional explanation of what could have happened to the Princes in the Tower is so clever. I feel I have learned a lot about this very interesting period in history from the book and will definitely be reading more from Nicola.

Thank you to the publishers HQ and NetGalley for an advance copy of the book to review, and for having me on the blog tour..

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

USA Today bestselling author Nicola Cornick has written over thirty historical romances. She has been nominated twice for a RWA RITA Award and twice for the UK RNA Award. She works as a historian and guide in a seventeenth century house. In 2006 she was awarded a Masters degree with distinction from Ruskin College, Oxford, where she wrote her dissertation on heroes.

Nicola’s website is here: https://www.nicolacornick.co.uk

SYNOPSIS

Lorna’s world is small but safe. 

She loves her daughter, and the two of them is all that matters. But after nearly twenty years, she and Ella are suddenly leaving London for the Isle of Kip, the tiny remote Scottish island where Lorna grew up. 

Alice’s world is tiny but full.

She loves the community on Kip, her yoga classes drawing women across the tiny island together. Now Lorna’s arrival might help their family finally mend itself – even if forgiveness means returning to the past…

So with two decades, hundreds of miles and a lifetime’s worth of secrets between Lorna and the island, can coming home mean starting again? 

MY REVIEW

I loved The Lido by Libby so was very excited to read her new book and to take part in the blog tour (I also have The 24 hour cafe in my pile to read!) 

Firstly we have to take a minute to appreciate the gorgeous book cover, complete with shiny gold foil, which will in itself stand out and want you to pick it up from the shelf! 

The story is written in alternating chapters from the POV of two women; Lorna and Alice, which gives us a deep understanding of their thoughts and emotions.

Lorna’s is the main storyline but Alice’s story is just as interesting and deals with her moving to the island to marry Jack but also trying to come to terms with the fact she doesn’t feel that she has done as much in life as her two academic sisters and is always in their shadow.

Lorna is filled with trepidation as she heads back to the small island of Kip where she grew up but escaped from 20 years ago, cutting ties with everyone in her life. This will be the first time she has returned to the island; the first time she will have seen, or spoken to, her younger brother Jack since she left. 

She has been living in a flat in London with her 13 year old daughter Ella, living a fairly insular life with only one friend. She prefers it that way as she is not willing to open up her life or discuss her childhood for fear of being hurt again. She has worked her way up to a successful position as headteacher.

Ella has found she has a cousin, Molly, by searching online and they have been regularly chatting. It is Ella’s idea to visit the island and meet her family and also to attend the funeral of her grandparents.

The initial welcome from her brother Jack is frosty, but his wife Alice, who is unaware of the reason for Lorna leaving, is very supportive and quickly becomes a friend. It comes to light that Jack had no idea of the real reason Lorna left the island, having been fed lies by his parents.

We are taken into the runnings and lives of those who live on a small isolated island and to be honest I think I would enjoy the laid back life! I just need to train as a teacher as they appear to be in short supply! The descriptive writing is spot on and I could almost taste the salt in the air.

We eventually find the reason for Lorna leaving which is heartbreaking so have the tissues ready.

Another heartbreaking episode we have to deal with is Lorna’s parents have recently passed away and she is here for the funeral.

I loved the way most of the islanders embraced Lorna and Emma immediately as part of the community. Mallarchy in particular was an amazing character helping Lorna rediscover her love of art and helping her come out of her shell and begin to trust again.

I would definitely recommend this stunning, engrossing, emotional story of finding where you belong. 

Thank you so much to Orion Books for the gorgeous gifted hardback and for having me on the blog tour. 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

SYNOPSIS

MY REVIEW

This is an intriguing multi layer multi timeline novel. It initially feels like 3 separate stories but they eventually cleverly merge and it all comes together nicely.

The main character and storyline is Nadja. We meet her at a petrol station after ‘the event’ and en route to a weekend trip. She is extremely on edge and keeps checking if she is being followed. She has a panic attack and is helped by the shop owners.

Nadja is a lawyer, but as a teenager she was sent to prison in Poland for the murder of her abusive uncaring mother she was told to call Marta not mother. 

Now living in Berlin, and as a result of her past, she is socially awkward and naive and has no friends. The only friend she had, whom she hasn’t seen for years, is married to her boss and turns up out of the blue one day to ask for help with something very bad which she has done. Gullible Nadja who would do anything for Laura, falls hook, line and sinker into a plot to dispose of the evidence of Laura’s crime. And unbeknown to her she is to set up someone to take the blame. 

The second storyline involves a young girl, Nelly, who is having an affair with a married man. They arrange to meet one day at their usual motel but Nelly never appears. When her body is found not far away from the motel her married lover, Paul, is arrested for her murder.

The third storyline is a series of letters written by an initially unknown author to an unknown recipient but which appear to have never been sent. 

The timelines jump back and forth quite frequently making it rather difficult to keep track of what exactly is happening

It is worth persevering with the complicated plot to reach the end which ties everything together nicely. I would recommend having three sheets of paper to jot down notes from each storyline as you read in order to get it clear in your mind. I had to start the book twice but when I did this everything made sense.

Originally written in German, it has been translated into English extremely well and is a great twisty thriller but you will need to concentrate!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

welcome to my stop on the Blog Blitz!

SYNOPSIS

MY REVIEW

Annie was all set for her marriage to Alexander. The wedding had been painstakingly planned to cover every detail but one. Alexander has had cold feet and called the wedding off. Every bride’s nightmare. 

After turning 30, Annie still did not feel like a grown up. Her relationship was not moving forward and she just didn’t feel like she had found her place in the world. Her best friends from uni, making up the ‘core four’ all seemed to have their lives on track. She had to bring the subject of their future up with Alexander and that is when they decided to move in together and started to plan their wedding. Annie finally felt like she had found her place in the world. 

After she is jilted, Annie is taken back to the house she shares with Alexander, her family by her side to help her through the trauma. She misses him at first but after a few days of feeling sorry for herself she picks herself up and dives into a bootcamp. She is surprised to bump into Patrick, who recognises her from a drama group they attended when they were young teens. He remembered her as a strong go getter. What has happened to the girl she was? They meet up a few more times and have a great time together. Patrick has his own traumatic life changing back story but we don’t find out what is in his past for a while. 

Alexander’s parents are furious at their son and insist Annie goes on the no expense spared honeymoon which they have arranged and paid for. After Annie and Patrick spend a drunken afternoon in a pub Annie invites Patrick to go with her. As a friend. He jumps at the chance and even offers to pay his way. Patrick starts out as a real gentleman but it soon becomes obvious where their relationship is heading, especially in the carefree Australian sun! They have a whale of a time. And that spa scene had me laughing out loud! 

On their return, although they have decided their relationship will carry on and not be just a holiday romance, Annie takes a good look at her life and the reality she can now do whatever she wants with her future. Although they decide their relationship will not be any different when they return to London, Annie takes on board a comment her mother made to her and realises she has been set free and does she really want to jump straight into another relationship so quickly? Even though Patrick is perfect for her? 

Annie’s mum has always put her down but Annie has become stronger and more confident and begins to speak up for herself. The bond she has with Freddie her little sister is just perfect. Freddie is a very strong minded and very grown up 13 year old. 

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The author has dealt with some traumatic events considerately and the book is all about living your life to the full, being yourself and not worrying what others think.  YOLO! 

I particularly loved reading about their time in Sydney as it brought back some lovely memories of the time I went there on holiday years ago. 

A great summer feel good read with romance, and lots of laughs.

What a total edge of your seat action thriller this was!

Having loved their first book The President Is Missing (and also The First Lady by Patterson alone) I couldn’t wait to get started on the second book by Patterson and Clinton. And it was just as action packed as the first!

This is another stand alone – it is a different President to the first book.

In this book we follow ex Navy SEAL President Matthew Keating. We are introduced to his administration as he sanctions an attack to kill a terrorist. Unfortunately the terrorist is not is his house but his wife and three daughters are killed. The terrorist calmly plans his revenge on the President.

When his 19 year old daughter is kidnapped 2 years later, Matt the now ex POTUS is forced to take matters into his own hands as he is not getting the support he needs from the current president and sets off on a mission to rescue her.

I was drawn in to this book from the beginning and completely engrossed in the evolving story.

The main characters are, as you would expect from master storyteller James Patterson, very well developed, and written in first person which gives a deeper understanding of their personalities and motives. Matt is a very likeable character who has been stabbed in the back by those he trusted. His own VP is now President, she stood against him and won the election, a woman who has very little integrity when it comes to Matt whom she dislikes and thinks he never deserved to be President.

Mel, the daughter, is a strong willed and able girl who has dealt with her share of bullying because of her looks and saw her boyfriend shot dead right in front of her. She is written with just the right balance of grit and determination (having had gun training and a basic hostage training) but also the tears and frustration of someone who has been kidnapped.

Matt’s wife Samantha plays more of a back seat part in the book having moved away from her family to return to her love of archeology, but boy does she come up with the goods at just the right time!

A full 5 stars from me and I hope there will be a further book!

Thank you to Random House UK, Cornerstone and NetGalley for an advance copy of this book which is out now!