Two Heads Are Better Than One

A.T. Qureshi

Publication date: 28/8/25

Publisher: Avon

SYNOPSIS

Will it be a recipe for romance? Or a friendship up in flames? 

Lavinia has it all. A loving family (complete with adorable pet baby dragon). A place at university training to be a magical animal vet. And a part-time job at the enchanting Baby Dragon Cafe. The only thing she doesn’t have is her one true love: Theo.

Theo is the local baker and her best friend. On paper, they’re perfect: he’s funny, she’s witty. He’s sweet, and she’s a little salty. That’s why they’ve been friends for as long as they can remember. They’ve never been without one another – and it’s clear to everyone that they’re meant to be.

Everyone except Theo. Because when Lavinia finally makes her move, he pulls away.

Lavinia is devastated. Has this friendship gone up in smoke? Or will Theo finally realise that he wants them to be more than friends?

The perfect dual POV, friends-to-lovers cozy fantasy, with HEA guaranteed!

Tropes:

• Friends-to-lovers 💝
• Bakery romance 💝
• Small town 🍂
• Low spice ✨

MY REVIEW

I requested this having not read the first book in the series; The Baby Dragon Cafe. I had wanted to read TBDC but just hadn’t had chance.

I love a book set in and around a cafe and the idea of dragons really drew me in so I borrowed the first book from Prime to read before this one. Sadly, I didn’t enjoy it. I didn’t like the main characters or the lacklustre plot or the writing style. I did however like Lavinia and Theo so I was glad to see this second book was about them.

Having been friends for many years, they have now developed strong romantic feelings for each other but haven’t told each other. 

Lavinia is desperate for a long term relationship and has even set a deadline to match the ago her parents met which is getting very close. She starts seeing the lovely Calahan who works in the cafe she used to work in before beginning her veterinary course for dragons, griffins and phoenixes.

Sadly she can’t focus on Calahan and keeps getting drawn back to Theo who is having a difficult time watching the love of  his life in another relationship. Why can’t these two just talk?! I felt so sorry for Calahan.

So we have a friends to lovers trope which is a bumpy ride and I’ll not spoil the ending.

This book definitely had more to it in the way of plot line and things actually going on, but again the writing style came across as basic and immature although an improvement on the last one.

A good read though if you like a romance between characters who think they are not good enough for each other, and the odd baby dragon popping up now and again. 

Although I don’t love this series, I would still read the next one to read more about Genevieve who doesn’t appear much in the first two books but when she does she is quite a strong character.

Thank you to Avon books for my advance copy via NetGalley. 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

A. T. Qureshi is a Pakistani, Muslim American who adores words. She is the award-winning author of YA fantasy novel, The Lady or the Lion. Aamna grew up on Long Island, New York, in a very loud household, surrounded by English (for school), Urdu (for conversation), and Punjabi (for emotion). Much of her childhood was spent being grounded for reading past her bed-time, writing stories in the backs of her notebooks, and being scolded by teachers for passing chapters under the tables. Through her writing, she wishes to inspire a love for the beautiful country and rich culture that informed much of her identity. When she’s not writing, she loves to travel to new places where she can explore different cultures or to Pakistan where she can revitalize her roots. She also loves baking complicated desserts, drinking fancy teas and coffees, watching sappy rom-coms, and going for walks about the estate (her backyard). She currently lives in New York.

Graham Hurley

Publication Date: 19 June 2025

Publisher: Aries / Head of Zeus

SYNOPSIS

One man at the heart of American power must undertake a crucial wartime spy mission that will take him into enemy territory before he even leaves US soil.

Washington DC, 1941.

Quincy Kane, hero of the Boston Police Department and scourge of organised crime, is now a Secret Service agent. His meteoric rise means he’s trusted to guard the most important man in the country: President Roosevelt.

Then Imperial Japan attacks the US naval base at Pearl Harbor.

For Kane, American entry to World War II means the most crucial mission of his career: a complex scheme of bribery and subterfuge that will see him cross the Atlantic. He could change the course of the conflict and save thousands of Allied lives.

First, though, he will have to survive a return to the world of organised crime via the City of Angels itself: Los Angeles, where every gangster has Quincy Kane in their crosshairs.

MY REVIEW

This is the third Graham Hurley book I have read, all of them part of his ‘Spoils of War’ collection of novels written around the Second World War. All of this series can be read in any order or as stand alones.

In this gripping thriller, set against the backdrop of WWII, we meet Secret Service Agent Quincy Kane, ex cop and now President FJ Roosevelt’s bodyguard. 

As well as plenty of action going on throughout the book, we get to know Kane’s family and his current love who is a reporter and also a boxer. Quite a tough woman.

A surprise attack on Pearl Harbour by the Japanese means Kane is pulled away from his current duty and back to the world of organised crime in Hollywood. I enjoyed reading the storyline as it split into a plan to arrange a suitable forgery operation for 1000 dollar bills and also a gangland criminal who wants Kane dead. In fact, the book focuses more on the events in Hollywood than the war.

Plenty of edge of the seat action throughout and I found myself thinking about the storylines and characters when I wasn’t reading the book. Always the sign of a good read for me.

Superb characters, and as always from this author I have learned a few things because of his clever blend of fiction with real facts and people.

Thank you Sophie at Ransom PR for my spot on the blog tour.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Born November, 1946, Clacton-on-Sea, Essex. Seaside childhood punctuated by football, swimming, afternoons on the dodgems, run-ins with the police, multiple raids on the local library…plus near-total immersion in English post-war cinema classics including The Dam Busters, Ice Cold in Alex, The Wooden Horse, The Cockleshell Heroes and Reach For The Sky. War-crazy? Sort of…

Wins scholarship to a London boarding school and then onward to Cambridge University. Reads English, volunteers for Six-Day War (those films again!), and emerges three years later with five mercifully unpublished manuscripts, still intent on becoming a full-time novelist. Yet more rejection slips (plus hunger) compel a career rethink…

Becomes a promotion script-writer with Southern Television, then researcher, then director. Spends the next twenty years making ITV documentaries, many of them networked. Films seabed wrecks of the Titanic and the Bismarck (with American oceanographer Bob Ballard), profiles the Brighton Bomber, produces ITV’s account of Richard Branson’s near-fatal attempt to cross the Atlantic by balloon, wins a number of awards…but still dreams of getting into print.

An ITV commission for 6-part drama series Rules of Engagement is sucessfully finessed into a two-book contract with Pan-Macmillan. Two more novels, both dubbed “international thrillers” follow. Sacked after Television South loses the ITV franchise and embarks on new career as – at last – a full-time novelist.

To date, 25 novels, one biography, two books for challenged readers, plus Airshow, a fly-on-the-wall novel-length piece of reportage, and Backstory, a book-length account of how and why I embarked on crime fiction. Draws gleefully on home-town Portsmouth (“Pompey”) as the basis for an on-going crime series featuring D/I Joe Faraday and D/C Paul Winter. Contributes five years of personal columns to the Portsmouth News, pens a number of plays and dramatic monologues for local production (including the city’s millenium celebration, Willoughby and Son), then decamps to Devon for a more considered take on Pompey low-life.

The Faraday series comes to an end after 12 books. Healthy sales at home and abroad, plus an on-going (and immensely successful) series of French TV adaptations, tempt Orion to commission a spin-off series, set in the West Country, featuring D/S Jimmy Suttle.

First book in the series, Western Approaches, publishes 2012. Second title, Touching Distance, already in the bag.

Married to the delectable Lin. Has three grown-up sons (Tom, Jack and Woody). Plus recently-arrived grandson Dylan. A corker.

Lifetime ambition? To properly master colloquial French. Current passion? Coastal quad rowing with Lin and the rest of The Forty Niners (don’t ask). 

Favourite time of the day? Six’o’clock.

More on my website: http://www.grahamhurley.co.uk

Jane Johnson

Publication Date: 5/6/25

Publisher: Head of Zeus

Blog tour organiser: Ransom PR

SYNOPSIS

Time has forgotten this remote corner of West Cornwall, and left its many secrets undisturbed. Until now…

Ezra Curnow has lived in the little cottage on the Trengrose estate all his life. He was born there, as was his father, and his grandfather before that. It is his own little Cornish paradise. 

Then the mistress of the estate, Eliza, dies without leaving a will, putting the cottage’s ownership into question. London financier Toby and his wife Minty are soon enticed by Trengrose’s charm and, worse still, see a lucrative rental opportunity in Ezra’s cottage.

But Ezra is prepared to battle to save his beloved home, and has a number of secret weapons in his armoury. What Ezra doesn’t know is that Eliza also took some secrets to her grave – and she doesn’t intend to rest quietly until they come to light…

A sumptuous Cornish tale packed with heart, relationships and mysteries from the past, from the bestselling author of The Sea Gate.

MY REVIEW

A beautiful story which is going to stay with me. Pretty sure it’s going to be my book of the year I loved it so much. The descriptions of Cornwall’s landscape had me remembering a lovely holiday spent there by the sea many years ago. The author’s love of the area really shone through the pages.

Ezra has been living in the little cottage in the grounds of a large estate, managing the plants and bees, just like his father and his grandfather before him. In fact he has lived in this cottage all of his life, initially with his family but now there is just him. And the cat who has chosen to live with him. And Merlin the jackdaw who visits for tasty treats, landing on Ezra’s shoulder. He happily potters around, tending to the land which mostly sustains him, and talking to the bees. 

When the owner of the estate dies without leaving a will and a new wealthy couple buy it, the ownership of his cottage comes into question. They want him out but Ezra is not budging. They have no idea what this old man is capable of and I was behind him the whole way! 

We are taken back to Ezra’s younger days, throughout the book as we learn more about his life. There is romance, there is heartbreak, and there are secrets. And I was not prepared for those secrets! They were secrets on a whole other level!

This really is such a special book to lose yourself in, and I could do nothing last Sunday until I read the whole book in just two sittings. The pages flew by as I was lost in Ezra’s world. It has a place on my forever bookshelf as I know I will want to read it again and again. I fell in love with this elderly gent, who was so contentedly living a peaceful and happy life. 

This is a must read. Please put it to the top of your reading list. 

I am so grateful to Sophie at Ransom PR for inviting me onto the blog tour or I may never have picked this wonderful book up.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR – IN HER OWN WORDS

Come find me on Twitter @JaneJohnsonBakr and on Facebook at Jane Johnson (Writer) 

My website is http://www.janejohnsonbooks.com and there you can find an email contact form: do write – I love to hear from my readers and always reply!

I update and blog regularly about writing, publishing and cooking Moroccan food (my husband is a Moroccan chef).

I am from Cornwall and I’ve worked in the book industry for 30 years as a bookseller, publisher and writer.

In 2005 I was in Morocco researching the story of a family member abducted from a Cornish church in 1625 by Barbary pirates and sold into slavery in North Africa (which formed the basis for THE TENTH GIFT), when a near-fatal climbing incident (which makes an appearance in THE SALT ROAD) made me rethink my future! (The whole story is told on my website.)

I went home, gave up my office job in London, sold my flat and shipped the contents to Morocco. In October of that year I married Abdellatif, my own ‘Berber pirate’, and now we split our time between Cornwall and a village in the Anti-Atlas Mountains.

I still work, remotely, as Fiction Publishing Director for HarperCollins and am the editor for (among others) George RR Martin (GAME OF THRONES), Dean Koontz, Robin Hobb, Mark Lawrence, SK Tremayne (aka Sean Thomas) and Raymond Feist. 

I was responsible for publishing the works of JRR Tolkien during the 1980s and 1990s and worked on Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings movie trilogy, spending many months in New Zealand with cast and crew. I have also written several books for children.

Emma Cowell

Publication date: 8/5/25

SYNOPSIS

Publisher: Avon

SYNOPSIS

Can one Greek summer heal the secrets of the past?

Could discovering a family secret encourage Kat to follow her heart?

Shattered by the sudden loss of her twin, Nik, Kat is lost in grief. The comfort of family feels both soothing and suffocating, but everything changes when she inherits a house on the breathtaking Greek island of Agistri from a mysterious uncle she’s never met.

Arriving on Agistri, Kat is mesmerized by its crystalline waters, lush pine forests, and the citrus-scented air. Among the white-washed houses and warm, welcoming locals, she begins to feel her heart heal. The island offers more than solace, sparking courage in Kat to face her loss ― and maybe even embrace the spark of unexpected love…

But as she unearths her family’s buried past, Kat must also confront her own fears of belonging, forgiveness ― and the possibility of rediscovering happiness in the shadow of heartbreak…

This soul-stirring novel from Emma Cowell, perfect for fans of Victoria Hislop, Carol Kirkwood and Karen Swan, offers an unforgettable journey of healing, heritage, and the hope that blooms under the Grecian sun.

MY REVIEW

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

Grab a box of tissues and get ready for a heartbreaking but ultimately uplifting read.

Kat loses her twin brother as they are travelling together in a car crash and doesn’t know how she is going to carry on without him. As she physically heals following the crash, she is given some news of a property on a beautiful Greek island she has inherited from an uncle she hardly knew.

This is a bit of a lifeline for Kat as she throws herself into life on the island of Agistri whilst renovating the house and writing about her journey through grief and her joy in decorating.

There is, of course, some romance involved by way of a gorgeous next door neighbour.

Can Kat begin to mend her heart, and uncover family secrets along the way, with the help of her family and friends?

This is the first book I have read by Emma and oh it was something special. It read as truly authentic to Greek life, and after reading the acknowledgments I find it really is authentic. There was much talk about Greek food which all sounded delicious and I really must try. There is a recipe in the back for Lemonopita, one of the special dishes mentioned in the book, which I am going to try making. 

It was a beautifully crafted story about love and loss, the importance of forgiving, of family and friends. And the setting was gorgeous, and now I don’t feel as if I have missed out on a holiday as I feel I was there!

Huge thanks to Avon books for kindly sending me an advance copy.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Emma lives in Cornwall with her husband, Tony who is also a writer. A former actress and BBC presenter, segueing from being paid to talk for a living into writing was a natural progression, since story telling has been at the heart of her career to date. Outside of work, Emma is a keen angler and is attempting to learn Greek to maintain her love affair with the country where she has set her novels. She is yet to achieve a level of proficiency outside of tavernas and bakeries.

Visit her emmacowell . com

Dean Koontz

Publication Date: 20th May 2025

Publisher: Thomas & Mercer

SYNOPSIS

When hometown horrors come back to haunt, friendship is salvation in a novel about childhood fears and buried secrets by #1 New York Timesbestselling master of suspense Dean Koontz.

As kids, outcasts Rebecca, Bobby, Spencer, and Ernie were inseparable friends in the idyllic town of Maple Grove. Three left to pursue lofty dreams―and achieved them. Only Ernie never left. When he falls into a coma, his three amigos feel an urgent need to return home. Don’t they remember people lapsing into comas back then? And those people always awoke…didn’t they?

After two decades, not a lot has changed in Maple Grove, especially Ernie’s obnoxious, scary mother. But Rebecca, Bobby, and Spencer begin to remember a hulking, murderous figure and weirdness piled on mystery that they were made to forget. As Ernie sinks deeper into darkness, something strange awaits any friend who tries to save him.

For Rebecca, Bobby, and Spencer, time is running out to remember the terrors of the past in a perfect town where nothing is what it seems. For Maple Grove, it’s a chance to have the “four amigos,” as they once called themselves, back in its grasp.

MY REVIEW

This is the story of four nerdy and unloved kids who came together in a friendship group and called themselves The Amigos. Almost two decades ago, three of them escaped from their home town and forged successful careers, but now they are back. 

The Amigo who stayed behind is in a coma and isn’t expected to live long, which is the reason the other three amigos travel back to their hometown. Maple Grove. A picturesque American town with no crime and a police force of 4, who help old ladies with their shopping bags and search for lost dogs as they have nothing juicier to do. But why do the residents act so strangely?

The three Amigos who are not in a coma realise a chunk of their memories are missing. They think they know lots of people who have been in comas and recovered – but can’t actually name any. And what was the local vicar doing that night with those *can’t say as would be a spoiler* in the church basement?

A cast of colourful and strange characters. An eerie setting. A dead body which might not actually be dead. 

This is a quirky, mind boggling novel. Part crime, part horror, part sci-fi, part found family, and full on laugh out loud moments. The author frequently breaks the fourth wall to ‘speak’ to the readers, to explain situations, to discuss the length of the chapters and to make his thoughts and writing decisions known. This is a whole different experience in reading!

I can’t say much more about the plot as this is one you really have to read and make up your own mind about. All I will say is if you want to read something very different, go in with an open mind, and be prepared for anything! 

Many thanks to Katrina at FMcM Associates for my spot on the blog tour 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Dean Koontz, the author of many #1 New York Times bestsellers, lives in Southern California with his wife, Gerda, their golden retriever, Elsa, and the enduring spirits of their goldens, Trixie and Anna.

THE LITTLE COTTAGE BY THE CORNISH SEA

by Nancy Barone

Publication date: 3rd July 2025

SYNOPSIS

Life doesn’t always go to plan . . .

After a messy breakup and a nightmare boss, Kate swaps the chaos of London for the calm of Starry Cove—the charming seaside village she loved as a child. She arrives hoping for peace and a fresh start. But life has other plans: Kate soon discovers she’s going to be a mother.

As she navigates small-town life (and morning sickness), Kate finds friendship in the ‘coastal girls’—a warm, welcoming group who help her land a job with Piers, the reclusive owner of the local manor. He’s guarded, grumpy and impossible to read… but there’s more to him than meets the eye.

As feelings grow and secrets slowly come to light, Kate must decide if s he’s ready to open her heart again—and whether Starry Cove could be the home she’s been searching for all along.

Pre-order Link – https://amzn.eu/d/3Mm4HLx

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Nancy Barone grew up in Canada, but at the age of 12 her family moved to Italy. Catapulted into a world where her only contact with the English language was her old Judy Blume books, Nancy became an avid reader and a die-hard romantic. Nancy stayed in Italy and, despite being surrounded by handsome Italian men, she married an even more handsome Brit. They now live in Sicily where she teaches English.

Nancy is a member of the RWA and a keen supporter of the Women’s Fiction Festival at Matera where she meets up once a year with writing friends from all over the globe.

Social Media Link – https://x.com/nancynbw

The Little Duck Pond Cafe #39

By Rosie Green

Publication Date: 4th April 2025

SYNOPSIS

Ever the entrepreneur, Ellie is planning to bring cakes to the people with her Travelling Cake Van! But as she’s ‘expecting’ to make a rather more personal delivery of her own very soon, will Katja be the one to get behind the wheel of this fabulously mouth-watering journey into the countryside?

MY REVIEW

I just don’t know how Rosie constantly delivers these fabulous novellas with characters I would love to have as my friends, and storylines which have me completely immersed. Every time!

This time we spend time with Katja, as with some trepidation she flies to America to spend some time with her boyfriend who is working there. Unfortunately the trip does not go quite as planned. Back in Sunnybrook, she joins Ellie on her new venture to cut down on waste from the cafe by selling excess cakes from the back of a van! A pretty van with a cupcake on the top. 

It wouldn’t be a Little Duck Pond Cafe story without a bit of romance, and this time there are a handful of potential romances on the cards and I was keeping my fingers crossed they would all bloom! There are a few new characters in this story who become regular customers at the van as it travels around its regular stops every Wednesday. The balance of the characters we already know and the new ones who begin as customers and end as friends is spot on. 

No more details about the plot, but it is another must read. I say this every time, but I just can’t get enough of The Little Duck Pond series! 

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

Purchase Links:

Coming Soon:

Look out for DAYDREAMS & DOUGHNUT CAKE, out in June 2025, and TEACAKES AND TANGOS, which will be published in August 2025!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Rosie Green burst onto the writing scene at the age of nine, anonymously penning a weekly magazine for her five-year-old brother (mysteriously titled the ‘Willy’ comic) and fooling him completely by posting it through the letterbox every Thursday.

Rosie’s continuing love of writing saw her study English at Dundee University and spend her twenties working on various teenage magazines, including Jackie and Blue Jeans, and meeting pop stars. Then she got serious and worked as a newspaper sub-editor at the Dundee Courier before moving to Surrey and setting up an organic veg box delivery business. 

These days, she lives with her family in the beautiful county of Northumberland and has finally realised a life-long dream of becoming a published author. She currently writes the Little Duck Pond Cafe series of novellas, which is centred around life in a village cafe. Each book can be read as a stand-alone story.

Rosie has also written books under the name Catherine Ferguson. 

New for 2025: The Pop-Up Cake Shop, out in April; Daydreams & Doughnut Cake, out in June; and Teacakes & Tangos, which will be published in August.

Follow Rosie on Twitter – https://twitter.com/Rosie_Green88

Lizzy Barber

Publication Date 13/5/25

Publisher: Datura Books

SYNOPSIS

Once, Beth was a different person, convinced she was living her dream life with the enigmatic wellness group, Elixir. But when that dream became a nightmare, she had no choice but to run, no matter what – or who – stood in her way. 

Ten years later, exhausted and struggling with the pressures of motherhood, she receives a mysterious letter bearing only the infinity symbol, and knows immediately it is from them.

The past she’d run from has finally caught up with her, and the secrets she’s tried so hard to hide will soon be uncovered. Can she finally escape them for good, or will her freedom pay the ultimate price? 

If wellness is the new religion, what happens when it’s taken too far?

MY REVIEW

I love a book about a cult I find them scarily fascinating, wondering just how people can be sucked in. Sadly it is usually people who are desperate for help and somewhere to feel they belong.

We find exactly how Beth was sucked in to Elixir, a wellness and self improvement group fronted by the enigmatic Tate who is extremely vocal in stating Elixir is not a cult and anyone who says it is will feel the weight of a hefty lawsuit. So yup that’s a cult then. 

Having moved to San Francisco, Beth bumps into Marissa, a glamorous and together woman, just how Beth would love to be. Initially Marissa convinces Beth to join a few wellness classes, but Beth soon becomes addicted to Elixir and the costly lifestyle.

Jump forward 10 years and Beth is now living in London with her husband and their baby. She has escaped the cult but is constantly looking over her shoulder in case they find her. She is befriended by Mia, another new mum but can she trust her? Can she trust anyone? Then she receives an invitation to an Elixir event and her world collapses.

This is truly an addictive rollercoaster of a page turner. It seamlessly moves between past and present as we find exactly how Beth was taken in, and how she saw Elixir and Tate for exactly who they are and escaped.

I felt so sorry for Beth being taken in by these people, and then again as a mother with all of a new mother’s insecurities and worries alongside the worry of being found. Her husband knows nothing of her past life and she wants to keep it that way, but the past is catching up with her.

Excellent book I had to finish in just a few sittings!

Huge thanks to Datura books for sending me an advance copy.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Lizzy Barber studied English at Corpus Christ College, Cambridge University. After ‘previous lives’ acting and working in film development, she is now the Head of Brand and Marketing for a restaurant group, working with her brother, a restaurateur. 

Her debut novel, MY NAME IS ANNA / A GIRL NAMED ANNA (US), is the winner of the Daily Mail First Novel Competition. OUT OF HER DEPTH was published in the UK and US in 2022 and was a Richard and Judy Book Club pick. TV & Film Rights have been optioned. NANNY WANTED was published in August 2023. BE MINE will be released in May 2025!

Lizzy lives in London with her husband, George, food writer and strategy consultant, their son, Marlowe and daughter, Juniper. 

Follow her on Instagram, Twitter/X and TikTok @bylizzybarber

Love Forever Lindisfarne

By Kimberley Adams

Publication Date: 26th June 2025

SYNOPSIS

Take a summer break to stunning Northumberland via the pages of this feel-good romantic comedy by award winning writer Kimberley Adams. Full of love and laughter, it will leave you yearning to visit this iconic location in person!

When a stranger appears in the middle of a very important celebration, no one can foresee the island connections that will later come to light. Kittiwake Penaluna is drawn to the island at a sad time in her life; she’s broken, but it doesn’t take long for the islanders to rally round and take her under their wing.

Ellie and Zen are busier than they’ve ever been, jumping from task to task with little time for themselves. Will they ever find a moment together away from all the drama that constantly follows them around the island?

The forthcoming arrival of nine new mini animals puts even more pressure on the islanders, but Bert is resolute, and it’s all hands to the pump to prepare for their arrival. The Mini-Fest fundraiser gets off to a great start, until a despised face from the past appears and throws everything into chaos.

Full of heart, Love Forever Lindisfarne is a story steeped in love and community. You’ll reunite with beloved characters who feel like old friends and meet a few lively newcomers with big personalities! Each page will pull you deeper into island life and leave you with a wide smile and a warm glow!

 

Praise for Kimberley Adams taken from Amazon reviews:

‘Kimberley’s books often feel more like a chat between friends than reading a book, she has the knack of making the reader feel they are part of the action and at the heart of the story.’ Ginger Book Geek Reviewer.

‘The characters just jump off the page and charm you and are so well drawn you can almost see them.’ Amazon customer.

‘I want to visit Lindisfarne even more after reading Kim’s books.’ June, Australia.

‘Thank you for writing such a beautiful love letter to Northumberland.’ Kindle Customer.

‘Witty, great storytelling and a wonderful mix of characters that keep you engaged and invested.’ Orapps.

 

Pre-order Links

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0F8MQM8VP

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0F8MQM8VP

Author Bio

Kim writes heartwarming romantic comedies which are set in glorious Northumberland on the iconic Holy Island of Lindisfarne. Kim is an award-winning writer and her books are amongst the highest rated romcoms on Amazon. Kim’s beautiful book covers are bespoke artwork by a Northumbrian artist and a representation of a scene within the book!

FACEBOOK Kimberley Adams-Writer or Love Lindisfarne

X     kim_adamsWriter

INSTAGRAM  love_lindisfarne

 

Eleni Kyriacou

Publication Date: 8/5/25

Publisher: Aries / Head of Zeus

SYNOPSIS

PLAY THEIR GAME
Hollywood, 1953. Young actress Ginny Watkins is turning heads. Even the legendary – and married – actor Max Whitman can’t resist the allure of the hottest new starlet. He promises Ginny the world, in return for the right favour.

DO WHAT THEY SAY
London, 1954. Stella Hope, once the most famous actress in Hollywood, has been ousted to Ealing Studios after her divorce from the powerful Max. Just as she accepts her fate, she receives a letter, blackmailing her for a mistake she made many years ago.

OR THEY’LL BURY YOU
Two women on either side of stardom find themselves in the orbit of the same beguiling man. And one night, in the shadows of a glamorous Oscars afterparty, their lives are changed forever.

A Beautiful Way to Die delves into the decadence and depravity of the early film industry from Hollywood to London. Perfect for fans of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, and films like Once Upon a Time in Hollywood and Babylon.

REVIEW

When insecure but beloved ageing Hollywood actress Stella Hope, half of Hollywood’s Golden Couple, is sent to England on loan to star in a film she begins to receive blackmail letters. Devastated, she finds an unlikely friend and support in Maggie, her makeup artist. The two become inseparable but Maggie has a heartbreaking reason for befriending Stella.

A warts and all dive into life as a Hollywood actress. We see the glamour and the draw of Hollywood from the eyes of a young girl, Ginny, but also the dark underbelly of the movie industry in the 1950’s she is sucked into. Drugs just to function under the pressure, unwanted attention from men and an affair with a married actor. 

Well known names such as Marilyn Monroe and Audrey Hepburn pop up, and much of the story is based on true events and places which actually exist. We all know about the ‘casting couch’ and the antics of Harvey Weinstein. This book goes further and reveals the cover ups undertaken by ‘fixers’ in order to maintain the careers of the top talent, the favours and even murder.

There is an unknown narrator who pops up throughout the book. All we know is it is a woman who is locked up in a sanitarium. This could be any of the main characters and I had my money on nearly every one of them at some point. 

The author has undertaken plenty of research for this novel about the dark side of Hollywood and the dubious characters involved in the film business. 

I was completely drawn in to Stella and Ginny’s world and found myself reading well past my bedtime, it was so difficult to put down. 

Thank you Andrew at Head of Zeus for my spot on the tour and my stunning proof copy. 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Eleni is the daughter of Greek Cypriot parents who travelled separately to the UK in the 1950s and met and married here. Today she is an award-winning journalist and editor and has always been fascinated by highlighting untold stories and exploring the tales of those who feel they don’t belong.