Missing by Shelley MacKenney

Missing by Shelley MacKenney
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 4 days

Pages - 304

Publisher - Penguin

Source - bought

Blurb from Goodreads

Missing is Shelley MacKenney's remarkable story of life as a 'missing person'. An inspirational tale of her journey through extreme personal crisis. "You can run, but you can't hide from yourself." Abandoned by her mother as a young child and with a father constantly on the run, Shelley's life was never normal. Her family's involvement with South London's criminal underworld left her isolated, vulnerable and lonely. Falling deeper and deeper into depression and despair - she snapped. Shelley got on the first coach out of London with only the clothes she stood up in and £30 in her pocket. She didn't care where she was going, as long as she could disappear completely from her oppressive life. For years, she lived anonymously in refuges, hostels and on the streets. It would take something remarkable to bring her back to the real world.



My Review

Shelley is very sheltered in a family who are constantly involved with the wrong side of the law. Shelley tends to be the exception to the family, she gets an education, she has a respectable job, she is escorted and shielded constantly by someone in the family, usually her nana. She wants to take care of them and before long finds herself getting into debt and pressuring herself to the point where she makes some decisions that have lasting impacts. With it all too much Shelley takes off and runs away. This is her story about the before, during and after, leaving behind the safety of her family and into a new life of never knowing where the next bed/meal is coming from and a constant stream of people looking to take advantage.

It is a gritty raw real telling of life on the streets, going from one help facility to another, trying to make ends meet and facing down all kinds of danger. The amount of people who look to take advantage of people down on their luck, struggling with money and or homeless is actually quite frightening. Even females coming from a place of "safety" males would hang around and threaten and or try their luck.

The thing in this one I would say is how let down Shelley was in regards to her mental health and so many opportunities for support to be provided and yet missed. As a result she ostracised herself from everything she knew, did some risky behaviours and actions and would fall into relationships/friendships that weren't healthy.

A stark look at what drives someone to going missing and a rare look at coming out the other side, a honest personal journey that examines cause and effect and trying to pick up the pieces, reconnect with family after a sudden enforced silence and X years gone by. She talked about her nana a lot, a lady who was tough as nails, in and out of trouble with the law and took no snash from anyone. She actually wrote a book too which is referenced a couple of times in this so of course I had to buy it, hopefully get to it soon, 3.5/5.

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The Spark by Holly Miller

The Spark by Holly Miller
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 1 day

Pages - 355

Publisher - Hodder & Stoughton

Source - BDWAB

Blurb from Goodreads

"People kept telling me it was impossible that, aged eighteen, I'd found the person I wanted to spend my life with. And yet, here we were." Childhood sweethearts Neve and Jamie are inseparable from the moment they meet. Everyone knows they'll be together forever - that is, until tragedy strikes, and Jamie is torn from Neve's life. One street away, Ash is hit by lightning. As he recovers, family members notice a drastic change in Ash, almost as though he is a different person. "My whole life, there's only been one other person who's looked at me like that." Years later, chance brings Neve and Ash together- and she is struck by his familiarity. He shares so many traits with Jamie, as if their souls are entwined. Neve must ask herself whether she can love for a second time in the face of her grief. Is she ready for what life has to offer? And can lightning really strike twice?



My Review

I LOVED the premise for this one. In love, committed, against odds and distance, love trumps all doesn't it? Well what happens when you lose your one true love and then meet someone who reminds you of them. It isn't just they remind you, they are so similar and then you find something out that makes you question, could this be the man you lost, somehow his soul in anothers body, like whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat!

So Neve and Jamie are THEN and NOW is present day and Neve meets Ash and by God does Ash remind her of Jamie, like eerily so. Their jobs/interests and as they get to know each other even things like touch, writing. It is crazy though, it can't be be they were forever right? And when Neve finds out Ash was hit with lightning and technically died the same night Jamie died, that and other details convinces her that Ash is somehow Jamie or Jamie's soul.

Some of this I loved so so much and others I wanted to scream at Neve gurl what are you doing! With the book jumping back and forth we learn more about Jamie and Neve's relationship and then present day we get to know Ash along with Neve and see the similarities and even goose bump raising stuff because it is eerie and spooky how similar they are. Then fling into that she bumps into her bestie Lara who she hasn't spoke to in years, since Jamie died. We don't know what happened and the reunion is very strained and tentative because Neve doesn't want to discuss "it" whatever happened. We slowly get the secrets as the book goes on, between the two timelines revealing deets as we go. Well I really wanted to know where it was going, how it all played out and what happened back them to not just Jamie but also her and bestie Lara. It was good and I did enjoy it but sometimes I wanted to share Neve and shout COME ON. So 3.5/5 for me, I did like the writing and premise and will look for more by this author as this was our first dance.

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The Day She Came Back by Amanda Prowse

The Day She Came Back by Amanda Prowse
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - in and out over 3 days

Pages - 317

Publisher - Lake Union

Source - Bought

Blurb from Goodreads

When her loving, free-spirited grandmother Primrose passes away, Victoria is bereft, yet resilient—she has survived tragedy before. But even her strength is tested when a mysterious woman attends Prim’s funeral and claims to be the mother Victoria thought was dead.

As the two women get to know each other and Victoria begins to learn more about her past, it becomes clear that her beloved grandmother had been keeping life-changing secrets from her. Desperate for answers, she still struggles to trust anyone to tell her the truth.


My Review

Victoria has lived with her grandma as long as she can remember, her mum died of a drug overdose when she was just a baby. Any time Victoria tried to ask about her mum the conversation was closed down quickly. When Primrose (granny) dies suddenly and a strange lady comes to the funeral and says she is Victoria's mum, Victoria finds her world turned upside down. Grieving, disbelieving, angry and the boy she has always liked seems to be the only shoulder available (she has had a fall out with her bestie) poor Victoria doesn't know whether she is coming or going!

Prowse has a way of creating characters that whether you love or hate them you are absolutely enthralled. I really liked Primrose when we met her, feisty, eccentric and fabulous but as the book goes on we realised that guuuuuurl had some secrets!!! Victoria, I cut some slack because she is a teenager, a bit naïve, grieving but some of the things she does I wanted to shake her!

The book kinda has two halves almost, the initial opening, sudden grief and trying to find her way through it and then the aftermath of the shock that actually her mum is alive and why had everyone lied to her. The book deals with difficult topics as always, grief, addiction, sudden loss, manipulative people, secrets, lies and personal growth which is always a huge part of the stories Prowse tells which is why I think so many people can relate regardless of what the topic(s) are, 4/5.

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Caller Unknown by Gillian McAllister

Caller Unknown by Gillian McAllister
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 1 day

Pages - 352

Publisher - MichaelJoseph

Source - Arc Netgalley

Blurb from Goodreads

How far would you go to rescue your child? A mother races against the clock—and finds herself on the wrong side of the law—in a desperate fight to save her teenage daughter in this pulse-pounding thriller from the author of Reese’s Book Club Pick and New York Times bestseller Wrong Place Wrong Time.

There is nothing that Simone won’t do for her daughter, Lucy. The two have always been close, and with Lucy about to leave home for university, they depart the UK for a vacation to Texas to spend some quality time together. But when Simone awakens on their first morning in the desert, Lucy is gone, missing from their rental cabin. In her place is a cell phone, and a voice on the other line issues a shocking ransom demand. Don’t tell the police. Come to this location. And be prepared to do a deal…

Though Simone’s husband urges her to bring in the authorities for help, she knows she can’t take any chances. The kidnappers might kill Lucy if she tells anyone. No mother would take that risk. Instead, that night, she drives to the isolated meet-up.

What she finds there changes everything. The mysterious kidnapper doesn’t want money. They want Simone to do something. The unthinkable.

A catastrophic chain of events is set in motion, with chilling consequences that extend beyond Simone and her family. What follows is a heart-pounding journey through the small towns and punishing deserts of remote Texas, in which Simone’s courage—and morality—is pushed to the brink as she discovers what it truly means to be a mother.



My Review


Mother and daughter are back together after Lucy (daughter) has been away to a wee retreat style and now mum and daughter are doing a cabin/camping trip together before she heads to university. The trip is in USA, Texas and they are from the UK, after travel they finally meet and get to the cabin have a snack and go to bed. When Simone wakes it doesn't take long to notice Lucy is missing and a phone starts ringing, it isn't hers, it isn't Lucy's and Simone's world falls apart. Someone has kidnapped Lucy and Simone will do whatever it takes to get her back and the kidnapper has indeed offered a way to get her daughter back.

Oooft - it kicks off quite quickly and Simone is just a normal mum, maybe a bit more distrust of authority due to her upbringing with an addict parent and social work involvement. Her husband wants to go to the police, he is a lawyer and fixer but Simone will take no chances with her daughters life and is going to do exactly what she is told.

The book is kinda in two halves, the kidnap and Simone trying to follow the kidnappers instructions and what happens when she gets to the "end game" and everything that follows thereafter. There are a few scenes that are really tense and you totally feel for Simone. Some of her behaviours/attitudes and Lucy's did irritate and or annoy me but it is a highly charged sleep deprived state and trauma responses so you need to give a bit of leeway but still.

It has tense moments, some moments you are like oh no why why why and others I was like really?!?!?!? It absolutely kept me engaged and I wanted to know how it was all going to play out, I read it in one day which considering how my readers block has been is no mean feat, 4/5.

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The Family Friend by Claire Douglas

The Family Friend by Claire Douglas
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 1 day

Pages - 400

Publisher - Michael Joseph books

Source - ARC

Blurb from Goodreads

When Imogen is told she’s inherited a country house near Bath, she thinks it must be a mistake. She last saw its owner, reclusive artist Dorothea Roe, sixteen years ago, during a tragic summer which changed her life for ever.
Now, with partner Josh in tow, it’s a chance for a fresh start.
But after discovering an old box with her name on it in Dorothea’s abandoned study, Imogen starts to believe the woman was trying to send her a secret message.
And when rumours begin to swirl that Dorothea was murdered, she starts to suspect that this gift might not be the life-line she thought it was.
Who would want to kill Dorothea?
Could it be tangled up in Imogen’s own dark family history?
And what if Imogen is now the one in danger?


My Review

The book flips between two characters, Dorothea, initially the incident that kicks everything off and then when we go to her chapters back through the years. And Imogen, Imogen met Dorothea years ago when her and her mum escaped DV from her father. Dorothea is an artist, eccentric, famous, rich and has more than a few secrets. Imogen's mum was a cleaner for Dorothea but they became friends and when they needed help, Dorothea offered her home. For four months a young Imogen flourishes and blooms but then her mum goes back to her dad and everything goes to pot. That was years ago, now Imogen has been left with everything and Dorothea's passing is looking like foul play. Is Imogen in danger and who is hanging around Dorothea's, well now Imogen's home.

There is so so much going on in this book! Like an onion, layers are revealed as we plough through, Dorothea has secrets, Imogen has a lot in her past and is off work pending investigation. Now out of the blue everything is changing, her journalist inquisitiveness is kicking off and Imogen thinks maybe that is why Dorothea done what she has done, she knew what Imogen would be like. So whilst Imogen is digging and exploring the house she has such fond memories of as a kid her boyfriend is along for the journey. The boyfriend!!!!! I didn't like him very quickly and as the book goes on oh my God I HATED him, he is such a tool and his behaviour and attitude I absolutely wanted Imogen to go full throtto on him. You know me I LOVE karma and people getting their comeuppance.

My last book before this I enjoyed but took me I think a week as I had a bit of readers block, this I read in less than 24 hours! Douglas has a way of drawing you in, one I am nosey so I wanted to know exactly what was going on, what happened, what was Dorothea hiding, what things does Imogine not like about her boyfriend, oh who is that, oh why did that happen, like there was so many twists and things thrown up! Hooked, absolutely hooked and more mysteries or secrets were coming and I love when a book does that. Sometimes when there is a fair few characters or a lot going on and or different timelines it can be really distracting especially when you have readers block but I was completely tuned in. That is always a testament to the authors writing, I have read this author before in the past but I absolutely need to check out her back catalogue. Thanks so much to the publisher for sending me an arc, helping me over my reading blip and reminding me how much I enjoy this authors writing, 4.5/5 for me. The book is out on the 12th of March but you can pre order now, its a belter!

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Shadow of Night by Deborah Harkness

Shadow of Night by Deborah Harkness
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - in and out over 8 days

Pages - 584

Publisher -

Source - Bought

Blurb from Goodreads

Picking up from A Discovery of Witches’ cliffhanger ending, Shadow of Night takes Diana and Matthew on a trip through time to Elizabethan London, where they are plunged into a world of spies, magic, and a coterie of Matthew’s old friends, the School of Night. As the search for Ashmole 782 deepens and Diana seeks out a witch to tutor her in magic, the net of Matthew’s past tightens around them, and they embark on a very different—and vastly more dangerous—journey.


My Review

This is book two in the book series "A Discovery of Witches" - I often read books out of sequence or as standalones but I would advise reading book one. This picks up where book one left off, it was a long gap between reading that and this one. Diana and Matthew have fled to the past to try and find the Ashmole 782 which may help solve all their problems. You know, he is a vamp, she is a witch, the two aren't allowed to "fraternise" and these two have fallen in love and causing all manners of threats and death to be brought upon them. Convinced the Ashmole 782 will end all their and their species issues and may finally bring peace.

I would say the majority of the book is set back in the past, we do have wee tiny trips back to the present but to be honest not a whole lot happens in those chapters it is all the stuff set in the past. Jumping from the danger of present day and going back in time to when witches are being hunted, burnt, persecuted, Diana has trouble in abundance. Whilst Diana navigates the very different life and times of the time period they are also trying to find someone who can help Diana with her magic or lack of it. She is experiencing little flutters and sparks but is it just the magic of travelling back in time or could it be her powers are finally starting to come to the fort?

The book looks at the difficulties of their relationship, the fact they haven't consummated, how their relationship is, the dangers just being together has brought and even how dangerous it is being themselves where they have landed.

Meeting Mathews family and friends brings its own trials and tribulations, the time period, the literal witch hunts, love, loss, betrayal, magic - it is a mixed bag, 3.5/5. I did like it and enjoyed seeing more of their story, I also have book three to read but I did find it a wee bit slow in places.

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Taming 7 by Chloe Walsh

Taming 7 by Chloe Walsh
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 3 days

Pages - 464

Publisher - Piatkus

Source - Bought

Blurb from Goodreads

My Review

Taming 7 is an epic and unforgettable love story in the international bestselling and TikTok-phenomenon The Boys of Tommen series, from Chloe Walsh.

She's the quintessential sunshine girl. He's the lovable class clown. But storm clouds are rolling in, and this Tommen boy is about to get serious.

Tommen's cheekiest lad, Gerard 'Gibsie' Gibson, has always been a comedian, but most people don't see what lurks beneath the surface. He is haunted by events of the past and he uses humor to cope, hiding his true self from the world.

Claire Biggs, the epitome of sunshine, has always loved Gibsie, her brother's friend and her favorite neighbor. She has always seen a side to him that no one else seems to notice. She becomes determined to tame her wild-at-heart childhood best friend.

When lines are crossed, it becomes unclear whether Gibsie and Claire's friendship will survive. Will it blossom into something more, or will they lose themselves in the wild?

Following characters that readers have grown to adore, Taming 7 will only expand your love for the Boys of Tommen universe.


My Review

This is book 5 in the boys of Tommen series, this book focuses centrally around Gibsie and Claire, Gibsie has been a big character since the series started. He is fiercely loyal, big mouth, a womaniser however he has always had a soft spot for Claire and Claire has always loved Gibsie. She see's Gerard, the soft kind thoughtful sensitive boy under all the filth, banter and nonsense. Claire's brother is teammate and pals with Gibsie but absolutely doesn't want him near his wee sister, understandably so. The book we get to see more of Gerard and the build up and turn in the friendship/relationship between Claire and Gibsie.

So these books have always been YA and the main characters teens but I felt books 1-4 were always more mature and depth, like the characters just seemed older. Probably because of the issues they were dealing with and how mature they were and had to be. This one absolutely had more of the YA feel, the teen angst, the attraction between the two that was acknowledged but never crossing the line. Lizzie, Claire's pal absolutely hates and I mean HATES Gibsie and whilst she is and has always been barbed and cutting this book she really got worse. As the book goes on and reveals it's secrets you get more of an understanding of why Gibsie takes so much of her crap and why Lizzie is so emotionally damaged and as Claire says, hurt people hurt people. I found Lizzie really difficult to stomach at times, her behaviour and Claire was so doormat at times and I get it it is how she is and she does get pushed to a limit but I would have snapped. Conversations would have been had and I did think oh Claire nooooo don't do that a fair few times but then need to remember that these ARE young adults, emotions and hormones are high and they don't always do the sensible thing.

I am looking forward to the next book, much as I am not a fan of Lizzie's at all I think we will hopefully get more depth into her and her behaviours. The books are mostly around the same(ish) time so I would read the previous books before this one, if nothing else they are so good and you get a better understanding for the characters/dynamics.

There is humour, daftness, annoyances, romance, teen exploration and dark dark themes, Walsh does give trigger warnings so check yours. I did enjoy this book but it just wasn't the same level as the previous four for me, so for that it is 3.5/5 for me this time. Very much looking forward to the next and I am sure we have more to come from the author.

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A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K Le Guin

A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K. Le Guin
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 1 day

Pages - 183

Publisher - Puffin

Source - I honestly can't remember (been on the shelve for years)

Blurb from Goodreads

Ged, the greatest sorcerer in all Earthsea, was called Sparrowhawk in his reckless youth.

Hungry for power and knowledge, Sparrowhawk tampered with long-held secrets and loosed a terrible shadow upon the world. This is the tale of his testing, how he mastered the mighty words of power, tamed an ancient dragon, and crossed death's threshold to restore the balance.



My Review

So this is my first time reading this author and I can't actually remember where I got the book but I finally picked it up. Ged, this is his story, apparently the best sorcerer ever (in Earthsea) so the book takes us across his lifetime. As a kid, learning magic and seemingly having a clear talent, he outgrows his initial teacher and gets an opportunity to train so of course he takes it (that part gave me a hint of Harry Potter style vibes). Whilst there is no denying he has a talent he also has pride and anger which gets him into scrapes and one particular blow up will follow him and danger is always afoot.

I LOVED the wee creature that befriended him, I liked that he had opportunities to train and develop but I think because the book is so thin we do go quickly past things that could have done with more depth.

There is jealousy (power rather than romantic, there isn't any romanceyness in this) its all magic, power and male pride. There is death and animal casualty which ALWAYS ruins a part of enjoyment of any story. Not graphic but it doesn't matter.

I did find it interesting but I would have liked more depth, it has hints of Lord of the Rings with a smidge of Harry Potterish but on a far lesser level. This is book one so it will be interesting to see what the other(s) do/cover, I won't be rushing out to buy them but I will read them if I come across them. A bit on the fence so a 3/5 for me this time.

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Five Years From Now by Paige Toon

Five Years From Now by Paige Toon
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - < 1 day

Pages -

Publisher -

Source -

Blurb from Goodreads

'Tender, heartbreaking and magical . . . I went from feeling warm and fuzzy to shock, delight before, finally, well – you'll just have to read it!'
GIOVANNA FLETCHER

What if you met the right person at the wrong time?

Nell and Van meet as children when their parents fall in love, but soon they are forced worlds apart.

Five years later, they find each other. Their bond is rekindled and new feelings take hold, but once again they must separate.

For the next two decades, fate brings Nell and Van together every five years, as life and circumstance continue to divide them. Will they ever find true happiness? And will it be together?

‘One day, maybe five years from now, you’ll look back and understand why this happened…’



My Review

Forty is present day (the chapters are labelled with the age of our main character Nell), we open at forty (prologue) and then head to the past Five. This is when Nell first meets her soon to be step brother, Van, sitting on her bed, how rude. We then jump in blocks of five years (the whole theme going by her dads old you might look back five years from now and see things differently etc. In between the five year jumps we sometimes come back to "forty" which is present day and Nell's current life.

We see from the moment Nell and Van meet, reluctant but stuck together and eventually becoming friends and growing up until tragedy hits the family and everything changes. Over the years, pretty much every five years Nell and Van are brought together and unresolved issues and feelings flare.

The book goes through and explores themes of blended families, love, loss, friendship, attraction and a love that burns so brightly and deeply but fate and circumstances keeping them apart. I do enjoy Toon's books and even if I have a bit of a reader block I tend to find I can sink into these books, 4/5 for me this time, I have to bump my others up the tbrm!

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Adrift by Will Dean

Adrift by Will Dean
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - less than a day

Pages - 352

Publisher -

Source - ARC copy

Blurb from Goodreads

Peggy and Drew, both aspiring writers, move to an isolated canal boat with their fourteen-year-old son. Peggy is the glue that holds their family together, even as their son is bullied relentlessly for his physique and his family’s lack of money. But when Drew becomes frustrated by his wife’s sudden writing success, he moves their boat further and further from civilization.

With their increasing isolation, personal challenges become harder to ignore, even as they desperately try to break toxic generational patterns. But when Drew’s gaslighting becomes too much for Peggy to take, it sets off a catastrophic series of events.



My Review

Oooft prepare yourselves to be sucked into a tense, impending doom, claustrophobic and almost struggling to breathe and times, buckled up dudes. Living on a boat, a relatively small boat considering a family of three are living in it. Drew - husband, Peggy - wife and their son who is a teenager Samson are pretty cramped quarters. Drew is a bully, he rules with tone, threats, coercion, gaslighting, abuse honestly he is abhorrent. Peggy is the one that holds them all together, the peacekeeper, the glue, she brings a wee bit of money in through her library job. Drew and her both write, Drew once got an award and now (for years) has been focusing on his next big brilliant wordy masterpiece, Peggy keeps her writing relatively quiet because she knows how it would be met. And wee Samson, typical teen but because money is tight the wean doesn't have the best of gear and gets bullied horrifically at school (as well as at home) for everything from his red hair, clothes, how he walks, where he lives.

Peggy would love to leave but she knows she can't, not just because of Samson but she knows exactly what Drew is capable of, we the reader feel the threat of danger but Peggy knows exactly how deadly Drew is because he told her. I felt a knot of tension in my chest a lot reading certain passages/chapters - Drew is a master manipulator, he controls all the money, he controls the noise allowed in the house, nothing is done without his ok. Peggy and even Samson to begin with are walking on egg shells, something happens and mental health becomes a big theme within the book, yet another sword for Drew to wield and manipulate with.

I think even if you come from a background without any of this stuff you will still feel the weight of it all and threats. If you have ever had a Drew in your life it packs a pretty hefty punch, even thinking back to the story whilst doing this review I feel a stone in the put of my stomach. He is such a vile character and it is done so so well because his abuse hasn't come from his fist, he has utmost control over every aspect of his wife and kids life by having the threat there or other punishments. It is hard to describe too much without spoilers and we don't do spoilers but it is written so well and you are screaming for Peggy and Samson to get out but totally get why they can't.

It is not an easy read, not because it isn't good it absolutely is but because we have a person who is a horror, a bully, a manipulator, vile and it is done in such confined space and with people he is meant to love and protect. I struggled to put it down, I just wanted more comeuppance for all the bad things done and the horrible people which as we know isn't always how it goes in real life but we love a bit of karma and or accountability, 4.5/5 for me.

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His and Hers by Alice Feeney

His & Hers by Alice Feeney
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 2 days

Pages - 304

Publisher -

Source - Bought

Blurb from Goodreads

There are two sides to every story: yours and mine, ours and theirs, His & Hers. Which means someone is always lying.

When a woman is murdered in Blackdown, a quintessentially British village, newsreader Anna Andrews is reluctant to cover the case. Detective Jack Harper is suspicious of her involvement, until he becomes a suspect in his own murder investigation. Someone isn’t telling the truth, and some secrets are worth killing to keep.

His & Hers is a twisty, smart, psychological thriller. A gripping tale of suspense, told by expertly-drawn narrators that will keep readers guessing until the very end.


My Review

So this is a show on Netflix, I figured I would grab the book before we check it out. The chapters alternate between his pov (Jack, detective, ex husband of Anna) her pov (Anna, reporter, ex wife oh Jack) and the pov of the killer. A dead body if found in the small town Anna left where Jack still lives, it is a muuuuuuurder and when Anna loses her regular main presenting feature she has to come back to the wee town to cover it. Anna has many reasons for not wanting to go back and when she realises she knows the victim things get weirder and it is only just beginning.

So apart from the different pov's we also go back in time to when Anna was young, her relationship with the dead girl, her past with her now ex husband. It is an intricate dodgy woven web and the bodies keep coming.

There are a lot of themes within the book, murder obvs, relationships breakdown, secrets, lies, bullying, there is mention of animal harm so fyi, child death, dementia, ill health, coercion, manipulation and that is just scratching the surface.

I was convinced I knew who the baddy was about ten times, I never do, honestly at this point I am just constantly Jon Snow and I know nothing. I could have screamed at some of the cops choices like Jack COME ON what are you doing ya mad man that isn't going to end well lol.

It is shocking, shady and I didn't want to put it down to see well who the baddy is and also where it is going, I have I think one or two more of her books to catch up on, other than checking your triggers (as with most books), I recommend and will be watching the tv show, 4/5 for us!

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Road Trip with a Vampire by Jenna Levine

Road Trip With a Vampire by Jenna Levine
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - in and out as able over 4 days

Pages - 384

Publisher -

Source - Bought

Blurb from Goodreads

A vampire who can’t remember his past and a witch with secrets of her own hit the road in this zany, cross-country romantic comedy from beloved author Jenna Levine.

Reformed bad witch Grizelda “Zelda” Watson had hoped to never see another vampire again when she slipped away to sunny California for a fresh start. She'd grown tired of them and their nonsense ages ago. But when a vampire with amnesia unexpectedly shows up on her doorstep with a letter from her old friend Reggie, and asks for her help, she can’t say no. Of course, it doesn’t hurt that Peter Elliott is tall and gorgeous, looks great in yoga shorts, and has the kind of dark hair and surly expression Zelda’s been a sucker for for hundreds of years.

Peter isn’t completely harmless—he is fanged, after all—but he’s harmless enough, and soon becomes the only person in Zelda’s new life who knows the truth about what she is. If she can help him decipher the cryptic notes in his journal, the only clues to his lost memories, she might as well try before sending him on his way.

But when an alarming message from Peter's past coincides with a clear sign that Zelda can't keep running from her own, they embark on a cross-country road trip for answers—only to find what they're looking for in each other.


My Review

This is book three of the vampire series but they absolutely can be read as standalones because each book focuses on the individuals involved own story. Zelda is a super powerful witch with a shady past, she really lived it up over her hundreds of years however after some bad things happened she toned it down and disappeared. She hasn't spoken to her old vamp pal for a decade and now had a wee yoga retreat and rarely practices magic now which brings its own perils. Now a vampire (Peter), WITH AMNESIA no less has rocked up to her quiet wee life, sent by her auld pal as he thinks she can help. Zelda has been helped in her time of need so she kinda feels like she needs to but also Mr memory loss vamp is also hot, like HOT so agrees she does and they both head off on a road trip with just a book of his memories and a building sizzling attraction, oh my!

We get glimpses of both their pasts, Peter's brings us up to present day and the fall out. In between trying to unravel his memories, Zelda trying to deal with her magic issues and doing controlled experiments allowing for controlled bursts of magic, Peter they both try to unravel his mystery between his diary, how people seem to react to him and threatening notes from ?who.

It is an attraction slow burn romance that sparks fire, some mystery for both of them, we learn as we go and the threat from an outside party who want something from Peter but neither he nor us know. Magic, sass, amnesia, vampire, witch, road trip and building attraction with some spicey scenes, I am sad this is the last book because they are all great characters, 4/5.

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Reckless by Elsie Silvers

Reckless by Elsie Silver
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 1 day

Pages - 448

Publisher -

Source - Bought

Blurb from Goodreads

He's scorching-hot trouble wrapped up in a drool-worthy package. And he's looking at her like she might be his next meal.

Theo Silva. Rowdy bull rider. Notorious ladies' man. Winter Hamilton knows exactly what it means when he eyes her like that. But she's almost free of her toxic marriage and has sworn off men entirely. So all she sees when she looks back at Theo is temptation served up with a heaping side of heartbreak. The man is hard to trust--but, it turns out, even harder to resist.

Make that impossible. Because Theo is persistent. And no matter how hard Winter tries to freeze him out, he melts her icy exterior and pulls apart all her defenses. Over a drink in a small-town bar, she finds herself blurting out her deepest, darkest secrets. Then, she spends the singular hottest night of her life with the man she never thought she'd say yes to.

He worships her body. He makes her blush. She comes alive beneath his hands. Then she tells him to forget it ever happened. She wants simple, and with him it all feels complicated.

It was supposed to be a one-time thing. A secret.

But that little plus sign is going to make this secret impossible to keep.



My Review

This is book four in the Chestnut Springs, if you haven't read the previous books please do, whilst you can absolutely read this as a standalone I think you get more from knowing the back characters. Winter has moved to Chestnut Springs after a huge upheaval in her own life, her mother and soon to be Ex husband are absolute horrors, they are so controlling and cold it is no wonder Winter is "the Ice Queen". The moment Theo claps eyes on her (chance encounter at a gas station) he knows she is different from any women who came before her. He is known as a playboy, she is known for causing her sister Summer a lot of heartache over the years. He doesn't know they are about to meet again and sparks will fly. Following one hot steamy night they agree to never talk about Winter is left with a reminder whilst Theo swans off pursuing his career or so it seems.

Ahhhh you guys, gotta admit I wasn't a huge Winter fan from previous books but man I want to give that girl a hug. She has been shunned, never picked first, never given affection by her family, pitted against Siummer as a wean, primed for following her mothers footsteps in being a doctor and then doctor Douche her icky husband. Honestly that poor woman, overcoming everything she did and now coming to terms with a community that welcomes her with open arms, physical affection, acceptance, her sister and now Theo is back and has some explaining to do. Her walls are up but her heart has never truly frozen him out but how do you forgive someone for hurting you so badly?

There is a lot of themes in this one, child loss, infertility, cheating, family issues, personal issues, learning to love, HUNNERS of spicy scenes, friendship, love and learning to love both yourself and another. As usual I always want karma for the badness and there is one more book after this so who knows. I really liked this one, I had a two hour bath completely zoned out reading this, 4.5/5 for me, defo a fave of the series!

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Guilty by Martina Cole and Jacqui Rose

Guilty: the brand new novel by the legendary author by Martina Cole
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 2 days

Pages - 432

Publisher -

Source - Bought

Blurb from Amazon

It's time to confess their sins.

Steph Barker can't forget her past. A single mother, Steph runs a women's shelter for local prostitutes while coming to terms with a tragic loss. And it's people like Joseph Potter, battling with his own grief, who keep her going.

When Hennie, one of her friends from the shelter, goes missing, Steph's convinced Hennie's violent pimp Artie Rogers has something to do with it. Steph and Artie go way back, but his reign of terror throughout the Medway towns is out of control and even she can't do anything to stop him. Then another prostitute disappears and it's time to find out who's guilty.

Everyone has their secrets - but one of them is getting away with murder.



My Review

If you have read Martina Cole you know what you are getting, this one is particularly dark. Steph runs a shelter for prostitutes, she got out of that life and knows just how hard it can be. She has her ex who is just a piece of work but he is the father of her daughter so he will always be around. Her current partner is on support after a hit and run that left him unresponsive and killed her wee baby. His brother runs the girls and rules with an iron fist, drugs and his partner who is a complete deviant with muscles. As some of the girls disappear Steph realises that something much darker than their pimp may well be on the prowl and no one is safe.

The book has some really dark themes, issues, sa, child abuse, murder, coercion, dv, manipulation, absolute deviants they would give you the absolute boke. We see families pushed to the brink and having to make choices so they can survive, threats of violence, being put in unimaginable positions. Prostitution features heavily throughout the book and all the perils that come with it, shady punters, predators, substance issues and a stalker/murderer.

When I finished this I needed to genre switch, a lot of the worst sides of humanity feature in this one as well as strength, love, friendship and family. There is child endangerment and some hard scenes and threats featuring them so be warned, 3.5/5 for me this time.

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The Magician by Michael Scott

The Magician by Michael Scott
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - in and out over 1 week (as able)

Pages - 464

Publisher -

Source - Bought

Blurb from Goodreads

After fleeing Ojai, Nicholas, Sophie, Josh, and Scatty emerge in Paris, the City of Lights. Home for Nicholas Flamel. Only this homecoming is anything but sweet. Perenelle is still locked up back in Alcatraz and Paris is teeming with enemies. Niccolo Machiavelli, immortal author and celebrated art collector, is working for Dee. He’s after them, and time is running out for Nicholas and Perenelle. For every day spent without the Book of Abraham the Mage, they age one year-their magic becoming weaker and their bodies more frail. For Flamel, the Prophecy is becoming more and more clear.

It’s time for Sophie to learn the second elemental magic: Fire Magic. And there’s only one man who can teach it to her: Flamel’s old student, the Comte de Saint-Germain-alchemist, magician, and rock star. Josh and Sophie Newman are the world’s only hope-if they don’t turn on each other first.


My Review

I read book one in 2018 so it had been a while but it was easy enough to pick back up where I was and it gives you info of what had passed. So the twins Sophie and Josh are on the run from some baddies, magical baddies. Nicholas Flamel is with them and a warrior vampire, Nicholas's wife has been kidnapped and held against her will. Sophie's power has been awakened but needs honed and training, Josh hasn't has his awakened, their parents have no idea of everything that has transpired. Get ready for a magical barney, old powers, legends, magic oh my.

So Nicholas has a nemesis, well probably many, this one is someone he taught everything he knows but has turned against him. They all know about the twins prophecy and suspect the teenage twins are those from the books.

Relationships, new characters, threats of all manners - warriors, monsters, magical creatures and powerful elders. You can tell Josh is a bit put out that all this is happening to his sister and he is still "normal" and with distrust of Flamel he is prime for manipulation.

I don't think everyone will love this one, I enjoyed it, all the mystical beings, magic, fights (both physical and for power). Josh is a bit annoying at times but he is just a teen and it must be hard watching his sister getting power(s) whilst he is still "normal".

I have the next two books to read so it will be interesting to see where the story takes us, character progression and there is a big war type building so it will be interesting to see how that plays out. The head (well one of cos even he has a boss) bad guy has so many allies and monsters/powerful creatures under his control whereas our wee group aren't that many and Nicholas is getting older and weaker and doesn't have his wife at his side, the odds aren't looking great. It is tres exciting, well the build up and seeing how it is going to play out, 4 stars for me!

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February competition

February is here!

Happy February guys, a wee themed competition. UK only, just the cost of post is wild the now!

So what is up for grabs?

As pictured, x1 pink love heart keyring, when you open it it has a little heart mirror and a wee section to put lip gloss or lip balm (NOT included). Click HERE this is my one, you use the wee spoon to transfer your chosen lip product.

X1 lovve heart lollipop as shown, I will pop a picture of the back up so you can see ingredients as it is as seen.

And x1 love heart book corner book mark, the winner picks one from the colours shown.

This is what they look like on

Good luck, to enter, use Gleam below (Rafflecopter is sadly no more but Gleam seems to be ok and the publishers often use it for their competitions.

February love themed comp

Cat Lady by Dawn O'Porter

Cat Lady by Dawn O'Porter
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 1 day

Pages - 400

Publisher - Harper Collins

Source - RAK

Blurb from Goodreads

Single, independent, crazy, aloof, on-the-shelf, lives alone...

It’s safer for Mia to play the part that people expect. She’s a good wife to her husband Tristan, a doting stepmother, she slips on her suit for work each morning like a new skin.

But beneath the surface, there’s another woman just clawing to get out...

When a shocking event shatters the conventional life she’s been so careful to build, Mia is faced with a choice. Does she live for a society that’s all too quick to judge, or does she live for herself?

And if that’s as an independent woman with a cat, then the world better get ready...

Fresh, funny and for anyone who’s ever felt astray, Cat Lady will help you belong – because a woman always lands on her feet.


My Review

Meet Mia, happily married, step mom and her and hubby have separate bedrooms - purely because he doesn't like her cat in the bed/bedroom and she won't lock her out. They also have his annoying ex wife who spends a ridiculous amount of time at their house making snide comments about Mia and her wee cat Pigeon. Mia also secretly goes to a pet grief support group and makes friends but her cat is alive, older but alive. Pigeon was there for Mia in one of the worst times and she will make sure she is always first. When something happens and shakes Mia's carefully constructed life she goes a bit off the rails, buckle in.

So I LOVED the first 3 quarters of this book, she made me laugh and obviously the poor folk grieving their wee animals, we know how heartbreaking that can be. It is good, well rounded and has chaos and drama, the shady bitchy ex, the husband and the unique individuals she works with. Los of lols and dramas and then the book has something happen and it always impacts my enjoyment of any story. I didn't see it coming and normally friends give me a heads up so I can prepare but I was totally blind and upset and even raging lol.

The book covers a range of themes and humour is infused so I really did enjoy it. Relationship issues, horrible snakey ex partners, bitchy work colleague, animal loss, grief, grief support group, stress, reactions to stress and grief, friendship, family and processing past family traumas. Many people will love this one and I did really like it, laughed and oh my God at a few scenes but the thing that I wasn't expecting really impacted my enjoyment. I have read her before and will read her again but animal lovers go in prepared, 3.5/5 for me.

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This Book Made Me Think of You by Libby Page

Happy publication day, the book is available to buy NOW, from Amazon hardback, ebook and audio I think.

This Book Made Me Think of You by Libby Page
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 3 days (in and out as able)

Pages - 416

Publisher - Penguin Viking

Source - ARC

Blurb from Goodreads

Twelve stories. Twelve months. Once chance to heal her heart...

When Tilly Nightingale receives a call telling her there’s a birthday gift from her fiancé waiting for her at her local bookshop, it couldn’t come as more of a shock. Partly because she can’t remember the last time she read a book for pleasure. Mainly because Joe died five months ago…
The gift is simple – twelve carefully-chosen books from Joe, one for each month, to help her turn the page on her first year without him.
Tilly sets out on a series of reading-inspired adventures that take her around the world. But as she begins to vlog her journey, her story becomes more than her own. With help from Alfie, the bookshop owner, her budding new following and her friends and family, can Tilly’s year of books show her how to love again?


My Review

Tilly is navigating life without her husband Joe, after a sudden illness robbed their future Tilly is doing what she needs to to get through an hour, a day, a week. Very much still in the throes of grief she gets a call from a small local book shop owner, a book for her. She naturally says there must be a mistake, she hasn't ordered anything then her world turns on its axis, it is from Joe. Once she gets over the shock, Tilly discovers that Joe has left her the most thoughtful gift, a book every month with a note from him. Each book is chosen by Joe to challenge her, make her take new adventures, push herself and start living again. When she thought her life and new memories with Joe was over he had planned ahead and every month (for 12 months) she gets a little gift in the form of a book and love to help her in the hardest time of her life.

AHHHHHHHH you guys! This very much gave me echoes of P.S I Love You, offt. Losing a loved one is one of the hardest things but losing your husband before you really get a chance to do the things you planned. And we are all book lovers so this is just *chef's kiss* of an idea. The book store owner, Alfie, is a wee bit awkward but so so nice and I love his work colleagues, guys there is a cat in the shop like WHAAAAAAAT, love love love it.

So without giving spoilers cos we don't do that here, Joe spent a lot of time and thought into the books and gifts. Picking things that would push Tilly out her comfort zone, challenge her, make her enjoy new experiences and of course all whilst dealing with raw grief.

We learn about their relationship, how they met, Tilly being a total bookworm and a wee bit unique and the slow building friendship between her and Alfie. Whilst we mostly follow Tilly and her months leading up to and following the new book surprise we also get to met Alfie, his history, work colleagues and why the shop means so much and what he is hiding and trying to protect his workies from.

Emotive, sweet, navigating grief, work and Tilly's journey of personal growth and healing as she tries to get through every day of life without Joe. The book idea is just so lovely because well hello books, you know I LOVE LOVE LOVE books but picking out of her comfort zone, why, the accompanying letters and how he is helping her heal from beyond the grave. This was my first book of Page's it won't be my last, 4/5.

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Inside The Mind of John Wayne Gacy by Brad Hunter

Inside the Mind of John Wayne Gacy: The Real-Life Killer Clown by Brad Hunter
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 2 days

Pages -

Publisher -

Source -

Blurb from Goodreads

Brad Hunter has spent over thirty years writing about some of America’s most horrific crimes. In this new book he enters the mind of John Wayne Gacy, the real-life ‘Killer Clown’, often said to be the inspiration for Stephen King’s evil Pennywise in It.

Gacy lured victims to his home with the promise of work or a warm bed and then duped them into putting on handcuffs, claiming he wanted to show them a magic trick. He would then rape and torture his victims before killing them by suffocating or strangling them. Twenty-six were buried in the crawl space beneath his home; others were buried elsewhere on his property, while a handful were dumped in the Des Plaines River.

Gacy was executed for his crimes in 1994, but many questions remain unanswered. How many victims were there? Did Gacy act alone? And what drove John Wayne Gacy to murder? What caused the seemingly normal Gacy to sexually assault, torture and murder at least thirty-three young men and boys? local Democratic Party circles?

Drawing on his many years’ experience investigating and interviewing perpetrators of terrible crimes, Hunter seeks to understand what drove Gacy to unleash a reign of terror in suburban Chicago.


My Review

True crime about John Wayne Gacy, a pillar in his community, friends in high places, a construction company giving jobs to young men who often were down on their luck. When stirrings of trouble arise, when Gacy's name is mentioned again and again still nothing seems to be done nor connected because he couldn't be involved in young boys going missing. The book goes into who John Gacy was, the things he did, his marriage, his façade.

I have read a lot of true crime and whilst they always focus on the bad guy, the book is about him of course it does actually cover the victims, who they were. There has clearly been a lot of research done into this one, we get snippets from Gacy's own written words/accounts.

People who knew Gacy, the way the police worked at the time, how had the police actually taken seriously what was in front of them there would not have been as many victims. It is scary how some of these deviants are seemingly so normal until they are in front of his victims. It is scary how despite having such a shady red flags background and criminal charges he still went unchallenged for so long.

The book goes from Gacy's childhood up until after he is arrested and his debt to society is "paid" - with his last meal and even last words. For a short book it packs a lot, he is an evil man who was allowed to kill and harm unchecked for far too long, 4/5.

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Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins

Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 1 day

Pages - 387

Publisher -

Source - Bought

Blurb from Goodreads

The phenomenal fifth book in the Hunger Games series!
When you've been set up to lose everything you love, what is there left to fight for?

As the day dawns on the fiftieth annual Hunger Games, fear grips the districts of Panem. This year, in honor of the Quarter Quell, twice as many tributes will be taken from their homes.

Back in District 12, Haymitch Abernathy is trying not to think too hard about his chances. All he cares about is making it through the day and being with the girl he loves.

When Haymitch's name is called, he can feel all his dreams break. He's torn from his family and his love, shuttled to the Capitol with the three other District 12 tributes: a young friend who's nearly a sister to him, a compulsive oddsmaker, and the most stuck-up girl in town. As the Games begin, Haymitch understands he's been set up to fail. But there's something in him that wants to fight . . . and have that fight reverberate far beyond the deadly arena.



My Review

If you have seen or read The Hunger Games you know how Haymitch is, if you don't, don't worry you can start here because this is his story. We know Haymitch as being the drunk mentor to Katniss and Peeta, he seems a good guy but troubled and addicted booze. We know he won his hunger games hence mentor but we don't know anything else. Now we do. Its his birthday the same day as the tributes are picked for the games. He does what he can to keep him and his wee family afloat, his mum, brother and he has a girlfriend who is part of the Covey. Now Haymitch's worst fears are coming true and it takes everything he has to survive, the odds are against him at every turn, he is on Snow's radar and everyone is counting on him.

Ooft guys, twice the amount of tributes as the normal hunger games cos it's the fiftieth anniversary, it is bloody, it is murder, it is brutal, honestly the Capital and Snow are horrific. He isn't hugely seen in this one but he is the wizard behind the curtain, everything is through him, the cruelty, the brutality, ugh he is just a horror.

I felt so so much for Haymitch and I now want to go back and watch The Hunger Games but with my focus being on Haymitch now I know his back story. Love, family, loss, cruelty and you know the Hunger Games are very Gladiator like but with kids instead and the rich community betting on them surviving and Snow's game keepers manipulating things as and when they see fit.

Emotive, I didn't cry but I did feel heart sorry for Haymitch and knowing how Snow's story ends I think he got off lightly. An evil evil man causing terror, horror and cruelty, ugh! Some new characters to meet, like, hate and scream over, 4/5 for me.

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Good Spirits by B K Borison

Good Spirits by B.K. Borison
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 1 day

Pages - 384

Publisher - HQ

Source - Bought

Blurb from Goodreads

He’s the Ghost of Christmas Past. She’s not exactly Scrooge.

Ghost of Christmas Past Nolan Callahan intends to spend this holiday haunting like every other—get in, get out, return to his otherwise aimless existence as a ghost awaiting the afterlife. But when he’s faced with Harriet York, the sweetest assignment he’s ever had, he suddenly finds himself wishing for a future.

Harriet York has no idea why she’s being haunted. She’s a good person—or, at least, she tries to be. A people pleaser to her core, she always does what’s expected of her. But as she and Nolan begin to examine her past, they discover there are threads that bind them together— and realize there might be more to moving on than expected.

With the deadline of Christmas Eve fast approaching, will they find the key to their futures in each other’s pasts? Or will they stay firmly in the present, indulging in their unexpected, spirited connection?

Filled with magic, mayhem, and cozy holiday charm


My Review

Duo character point of view, meet Harriet, people pleaser living a very quiet life and always doing what it takes to keep the peace even if it means she misses out. The last person you would expect to be getting a visit from the ghost of Christmas past, enter Nolan. Nolan also isn't what you would expect for a ghost from the Christmas past. Easy on the eye, bit grumpy, it is his job to take Harriet back to her past and get her to the stage she needs for the next ghost. And scene!

So this is a very different take on a Christmas carol, how do you even get a job as a ghost (with head offices and everything) let alone as the festive spook! As the two spend time together, navigating Harriet's memories, trying to figure out why she has been selected and what these memories mean they find themselves drawn to each. Feelings growing, times getting closer to Nolan having to get the goal of his haunting of Harriet and Harriet trying to understand and navigate Nolan, her memories, why her and her life/choices.

This is a cutesy festive read, I liked Harriet, she is a total people pleaser bless her and as we explore her life and past we understand how she is the way she is. She loves Christmas, candy canes, old beautiful things (she works in an antique shop) and the absolute opposite of who you would expect the ghost of Christmas past targeting.

I liked the way she reacted to him, I absolutely could see that being me, how do I know you are real you could be some mad burglar, she cracks me up. Nolan is a bit of a mystery I think we all enjoyed unravelling and finding more about him. As well as the wee work visits like an actual job as a ghost/Christmas past, love it and woulda liked to see more snippets from there.

Lil bit of romance, pinch of spice, lots of festiveness - first time reading this author and I would absolutely read her again. I did this as a buddy read with Niamh (tiktok) and would absolutely do another buddy read for sure. 4/5 for me this time, if you just want a read that has a wee bit of everything and Christmas centred and ghosty, this one is for you!

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Powerless by Elsie Silver

Powerless by Elsie Silver
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 1 days

Pages - 464

Publisher -

Source - Bought

Blurb from Goodreads

Two childhood friends. Two broken hearts. One impromptu road trip to get away from everything. That’s all this was supposed to be. Afterall, I’ve been living in the friend zone for years now.

But hockey heartthrob Jasper Gervais isn’t looking at me like a friend anymore. And he isn’t touching me like one either.

To his fans, he’s the handsome, talented athlete on TV. But to me he’s still the lost boy with sad eyes and a heart of gold.

The man I’ve loved in secret for years.

So when my life falls apart on my wedding day, it only makes sense that he’s the one to swoop in and save me. And when his world comes crashing down around him, I’m there to return the favor.

But the more time we spend alone, the more Jasper doesn’t feel like a friend at all. He feels like everything I’ve ever wanted and thought I could never have.

Our feelings aren’t straight forward though. They twist and turn around the pain of his past and the reality of my present.

Jasper Gervais acts like he wants me.

But after years of turning me away, he’s going to need to prove it.


My Review

I have read the other two Chestnut Springs books and to be honest you can absolutely read this as a stand alone. Sloan has always had eyes for Jasper since he came into the family and her life. HE knew she had a crush but there is a wee bit of an age gap, like she wanted him to go to prom with her and he was like college or just started his hockey career so it isn't much at all but it does sound bad. Now she is getting married and somewhere along the years Jasper's friend Sloan became a grown beautiful woman and is marrying an absolute creep.

So we get a current day, the wedding is looming, her fiance is just a horrible dude, her father really wants this marriage because it will be good for business. Sloan just wants everyone to be happy and has long since given up hope for her and Jasper. Jasper is nailing it in his hockey career, he is a net minder, he has beautiful women on his arm at all the big events, their paths are set. However on Sloan's wedding day things blow up and Jasper is there for her. After events transpire the two find themselves together on a trip and the attraction is electric, will Sloan finally get her man? Will Jasper finally allow his feelings for his bestie to surface?

So I liked this but I didn't love it, there is spice (I did find some a wee bit cringe but I know hundreds LOVED them), drama, throwbacks to how their friendship came to be. Family expectations and that recently dropped fiancé, ugh I wanted revenge and consequences. I was left lacking in a few parts. I LOVE the wee snippets from Cade, Willa and Harvey I have two books left in the series and not sure who gets these stories. Hoping for Harvey for sure and the very small snippets of Sloan's mum I liked. I think maybe because I enjoyed the first two of these books I just wanted a bit more. Like I liked it, it was absolutely making me want to read and not put it down but I just didn't love it, 3/5 from me this time. Looking forward to book four and five and I have one other of hers, I do enjoy her writing.

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