No Regret by Martina Cole and Jacqui Rose

No Regret: the gripping Sunday Times bestselling thriller from the iconic queen of crime by Martina Cole
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 3 days

Pages - 404

Publisher - Headline

Source from Goodreads

Soho 1962.

When Rory Sheehan decides he wants Maggie Riley as his own, her fate is sealed.

Luca Romano knows all too well that what Rory wants, Rory gets. And the violence that erupts between their rival gangs is just the start of it.

Thomas Johnson owes Rory big time, and he must deny his feelings for Maggie to protect her. Faced with no alternative, Maggie throws herself on Rory's mercy, unaware of the brutality that she will face.

But Maggie Riley is a survivor. And the secret she's hiding could be her best weapon . . .


My Review

Oooft talk about dark! This is the third I think I have read of these two authors together. Maggie has it rough, her mother is a cold fish, her father is a drunk and abusive, her friendship with Thomas faces resistance because racism is high where they are. It is also set in the 1960s in England so it is brutal both in its attitudes to anyone not white English male. When Maggie attracts the eye of not just one but two very bad men she is essentially jumping from the frying pan and into the fire.

You know Cole's books always feature bad people, bad actions, the worst of humanity, drugs, selling people, murder, racism, abuse, sa, dv, ca, violence, drug addiction, prostitution honestly it is dark dark stuff and hardly a redeeming person in the whole thing.

Actions, consequences, death, betrayal, murder, you name it it is in it. Short chapters which we love, page turning because you want to see where it is going and if we are going to get retribution. 3.5/5 stars for me this time, I need a genre switch and something lighter because dear lord this was a dark yin, prepare yourselves!

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Loyalty by Martina Cole and Jacqui Rose

Loyalty: The brand new novel from the bestselling author by Jacqui Rose
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 4 days

Pages - 624

Publisher -

Source - Bought

Blurb from Amazon

Dara Tailor and Grace Perry couldn't be more different. But both had to grow up fast when their circumstances led them to Holly Brookes Children's Home.

There, the two girls unite in the face of horrific abuse and form an unbreakable bond.

But when their loyalty is put to the ultimate test, can they rely on each other to do the right thing?

Friendship - it's all about trust.


Don't miss the explosive new novel from the queen of crime Martina Cole.


My Review

Guys this is a really dark book, perverts attacking, abusing kids, like they have like minded pals some in very high positions so they have access to vulnerable kids so warning warning warning. Cole's books often take us to the darkest sides of humanity, abusers, murder, low to no morales, depravity and really unsettling at times.

Dara and Grace come together in a childrens home, Dara has grown up with her mothers addiction, neglect, trying to provide for her siblings but she is a wean herself. Grace is different, lost her dad and now it is just her and her mum, she is loved, cared for and very innocent. When fate gives a heartbreaking blow Grace finds herself in the children's home and Dara and her have an unlikely friendship.

The book takes place over X time, we meet Dara and Grace as innocent children who are subjected to some of the most horrific abuse/treatment. It takes us up until adulthood, reconnections and more drama and heartache. There are other characters involved, vile baddies, perverts one of which has a wife and her behaviours, the things she does to protect her husband will make you want to scream, zero morality. Substances, abuse, betrayal, depravity, CA, SA, domestic violence, toxic family, toxic relationships, survival, strength of character, ooft it is a mixed bag, 4/5 but approach with caution it is a dark dark book.

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Fatal by Jacqui Rose Blog Tour

Today is my turn on the blog tour for Fatal by Jacqui Rose, please check out the other stops as we all offer different content and if you haven't checked out this author and enjoy crime, get clicking.






Fatal: Be gripped in the new year by the latest crime thriller from the best selling author by Jacqui Rose
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - in and out over 2 days

Pages - 384

Publisher - Avon

Source - ARC

Blurb from Goodreads


An eye for an eye.
Cabhan Morton wants to leave the Russo crime family for good and live in peace with his daughter, Alice Rose. But the Russos won’t let him walk away without a fight.


A tooth for a tooth.
Franny Doyle would do anything for Cabhan and Alice, but helping them escape the vindictive Russo brothers won’t be easy. The only place they’ll be safe is back in Essex with Alfie Jennings.


A daughter for a daughter…
Franny knows she won’t be welcomed by Alfie with open arms – but she doesn’t have a choice. The Russos are out for blood and they won’t stop until Alice is dead…


My Review

The Russo's are a bad lot and not people you want to cross, Cabhan Doyle was warned to stay but Cabhan went to work for them anyway. Now the warning has proven true and not only is Cabhan in trouble, his precious and innocent daughter Alice Rose is caught up in it all and the Russo's will stop at nothing and let no one get in the way of revenge!

I have read Rose before but this is the first time I have came across these characters, we open with a horrendous insight into the brutality of the Russo brothers, violence, rape, aggression. Now Cabhan finds himself on the wrong side of the brothers and their wrath is deadly. After a freak accident and a lose lose choice Cabhan needs to reach out to save not only himself but his daughter.

It is a fast paced book, we open with a brutal scene and it kicks off from there and keeps pace, you wonder why anyone would mix with these guys. Alice Rose is a sweet character and it is nice to have a bit of innocence in the mix of so much badness, violence and terror. I did find some of her choices very frustrating but also that of many of the characters, the old WHY?!?!?! and Nooooo don't do that oh for god-sake but even being frustrated at parts it pulls you right into the story and investing in where it is going next, what is going to happen. A lot of not very nice characters in this one and some you feel heart sorry for and rooting for them along the way. Not sure if this is going to have more coming but I would like to hear about more of these characters and see what is in store for them. I do enjoy this authors writing, think I have read two previous books and after reading this one I will be looking to see which I have missed from the back catalogue, 3.5/5 for me this time!

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Disboey by Jacqui Rose

Disobey by Jacqui Rose
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 1 day

Publisher - Avon

Pages - 368

Blurb from Goodreads

Bad things are going down in Soho. Someone’s going to have to pay the price…

Alfie Jenkins breaks a lot of rules. When he sets up an illegal casino in Soho there’s bad will all round and soon Alfie and those closest to him become embroiled in an all-out war with a dangerous gang.

Unfortunately this gang is a deadly enemy to have. When Alfie’s teenage niece Chloe is kidnapped and there are rumours she’s been enslaved in a sex gang it becomes a terrifying race against time to save her. Will Alfie be able to right wrongs, build bridges and protect his family, whatever the cost?


My Review

There are a few main characters within this tale to be honest, Alfie Jenkins is just one of them and the catalyst to all the terror that follows. Alfie has been known to break the rules, behave selfishly and care about number one only, this time his actions will touch everyone he cares about. When he disobeys the rules he brings down the rein of terror of the Chinese Triads and soon the people of Soho and those closest to Alfie will pay.

This is a dark and gritty story of how one person can break a respected pact between "The Faces" of Soho and the Triads. A girl looking for acceptance and love after being rejected for years by her family, comes to her last hope, her uncle Alfie looking for acceptance. However Chloe-Jane tends to have trouble follow her and soon gets herself caught up in her own problems as well as uncle Alfies. The bond between family and friendships will be pushed to the limit, can Alfie redeem himself or will he prove to the selfish, lying and dangerous individual he has proven to be thus far.

A story filled with bad language, treachery, friendship, prostitution, violence, anger, murder and mayhem to name but a few of the issues covered in this book. There is a lot of testosterone, name calling and questionable actions of some of the key players in this story. Despite that it is an engaging and gritty story that draws you in and leaves each chapter hard to put down as you want to know what happens next to each of the characters. Whilst there are many dark elements to it, there is also some light and happiness, that even in the midst of hardship and horror, bravery and good can still be found. 3/5 for me this time, thanks to Netgalley for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review. I have read this author before and met some of the characters, I would advise reading those before picking this one up. You can read this as a stand alone however I think knowing the background of some of the characters will add to your enjoyment.

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ARC - Betrayed by Jacqui Rose

Betrayed by Jacqui Rose
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 1 day

Puslisher - AVON

Pages - 339 (this is an ARC copy and may change to the published version)

Blurb from Goodreads

A gripping story of gangs, drugs, girls and unbreakable bonds. Perfect for fans of Martina Cole and Mandasue Heller.

She trusted the man she loved. It was the most dangerous things she had ever done …

No one can touch Del Williams – the hardest gangster in Soho. He’s got the monopoly on the drugs, the clubs and the girls – it’d be a mistake to underestimate him. The one person he’d take a bullet for is tough, beautiful Bunny Barker, mother of their daughter Star.

Bunny is determined to shield Star from ‘life’ but Del has a lot of enemies. When a familiar face appears from their past, their family is put into terrible danger. Can Bunny protect Star from the demons of her own past, and her very worst nightmare?


My Review

The book opens in 1990 London, a young girl is looking for her sister in the woods. A horrific event takes place and we see a glimpse of the events that follow. We skip forward to present day, still London and the story picks up from there, seemingly unrelated to the previous chapter however it is all related and linked which becomes clear as the story unfolds. Bunny Barker is our main character, she is a prostitute with her own rules. Her daughter is her number one concern and nothing, not even the man she loves, Del Williams will tell her what she can do. Del is a big face in London, involved in drugs and is a dangerous man. When a young girl goes missing and a body turns up Bunny is forced to look to her past and remember things she would rather have forgotten forever.

This book is a hard read, not because it is badly written in actual fact it is the opposite, it is really well done and pulls you in even though the content is hard to read. Young girls being abused and murdered is always hard to read and when there are pedophiles chucked in to the mix it can make for a tough subject. There of course is the usual mix of violence, deception, sex, drugs, prostitution, secrets, adultery and lies to name just some of the themes within the book.

After the first few chapters, I couldn't put it down. I wanted to know what happened to the little girl at the beginning of the book. Then as more characters are introduced and brought in, you want to see where their storyline goes and the character development. It reminded me of, I believe it was, Martina Cole's the graft that covered pedophilia themes and this one does too although the whole story isn't about that although it is central to the plot.

The writer creates a very murky dark world, people doing what they have to do to survive and thrive within it. If you like a good crime story and can cope with some of the horrific issues, child murder, prostitution and pedophilia, then you will really like this author. She has her own style but I would certainly group her with the likes of Kimberley Chambers, Martina Cole and Mandasue Heller. I don't think I had read this author before, if I had it was a long time ago however I would read her again and may seek out her other works, 4/5 for me this time. Thanks to Avon publishers and Alexandra Crisp for sending me an ARC copy of this book. Betrayed will be available from all good retailers from the 27th of March, 2014.

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