With Promises to Keep by Ellie Dean

With Promises to Keep by Ellie Dean
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - in and out over 3 days

Publisher - Penguin books

Pages - 383

Blurb from Goodreads

The year of 1947 is almost upon them, and the community of Cliffehaven is still reeling from the tragic loss of Gracie, who left behind two young orphans.

Polish refugee and nurse Danuta made Gracie a to love and cherish her children as her own. But with her husband’s health failing, can Danuta’s promise be fulfilled?

Then a bitter winter storm cuts the town off. Peggy Reilly and the rest of Cliffehaven must pull together to survive.


My Review


So first off this is book twenty one in a series, I did not know this lol but it is all good and after reading this I will be going back, buying book one and starting there. It is 1947, folk are still feeling the effects post war, we meet (or if you know the series, reacquaint) with Polish refugee nurse Danuta and her husband Stan. Danuta made a promise to Grace she would look after her two children, one being a baby. It is all a bit precarious, adoption has a lot of expectation an standards, Stan has health issues with his stumps (amputee), they both work and struggle to make ends meet. However a promise is a promise and they will do what they can to keep their word, plus Danuta has always wanted a family, after the tortures during the war she cannot have her own. It is an emotive multifaceted road Danuta is on, many struggles and hurdles facing her, can she get the family she always wanted despite the odds stacked against her.

So I am absolutely getting the other books, it is a small community, it has what you know in these wee towns, classism, snobbery, even when you are all a bit skint there are folks who will gossip and judge so we do see a bit of that. Danuta and Stan are so in love and clearly already been through so much, I reckon if you know the previous books things will pack a bit more of an emotive punch but I still liked it and got it despite this being my first foray into the series, 4/5 for me.

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The Winter Runaway by Katie Flynn Blog Tour

Today is my stop on the blog tour for newly released "The Winter Runaway" by Katie Flynn, for my stop I have my review, enjoy. The book is out to buy tomorrow 24th of October, Amazon UK link HERE.

The Winter Runaway by Katie Flynn
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 1 day

Pages - 401

Publisher - Penguin

Source - ARC

Blurb from Goodreads

*The first installment in the brand new Runaway's series from the Sunday Times bestselling author

Tammy and her mother, Grace, are desperate to escape Tammy’s violent bully of a father. But when an unforeseen tragedy strikes, mother and daughter must flee Scotland in the dead of night.

To survive the severest of penalties, they leave behind everything they know and love – including one another.

Under new identities, Tammy and Grace must start afresh. Tammy joins the services and there she meets a dashing officer who begins to break her guard down.

But can the course of true love ever run smooth with Tammy unable to reveal her true self?



My Review

First thing I need to say guys is this one opens with domestic violence (DV), violence within a family setting and the far reach of the consequences throughout the book. Tammy and her mum Grace have been terrorised by Tammy's dad, Grace's husband since as long as they can remember. Alcohol abuse, psychological and physical abuse, the man is an absolute disgrace of a human being. When one night things go to far the women flee toward Scotland, setting them on a separate path, trying to heal their wounds and constantly looking over their shoulders.

The book starts with the horrific scene of DV then flips to three months earlier and gives us a frank look into the ladies daily life. Then we go to the after, Grace and Tammy trying to get through the day whilst the war is going on mind you and the paths each has chosen. Tammy falls into hers and enlists to do her part for the war, Grace finally has some freedom and finds herself helping other woman escaping bad situations and embracing her talent. With the promise of meeting up again both Grace and Tammy do what they need to to survive.

The book bounces about a wee bit but it is done well enough that it isn't distracting and the stories flow well. Tammy ran leaving her love behind Rory so we hear from him and about Tammy's dads antics, the war happening around them. Grace finding her own feet and independence after being beaten down for so long and Tammy with a few white lies has found herself a new bestie and both volunteer to help in the war effort taking them both on new paths. Their lies and lives they have escaped have brought them together and the book very much takes us along actions/consequences, how far lasting/reaching they can be.

Relationships is hugely centric in this one, mother and daughter, husband and wife, first loves, friendship and the attitudes between ranking officers in the army which I thought was pretty interesting. That and how snotty some attitudes are also to women and how they treat them!

It is a really good read to just sink into and forget your own life for a wee bit, set in perilous times, war, poverty, danger from your own loved ones, personal growth and strength once you find the courage to leave (DV). Again this really struck a chord with me, I think it depends on your background, life experiences but this one did pack a bit of a punch and pull some emotionals from me, 4/5.

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Two Sisters by Alex Kane

Two Sisters by Alex Kane
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - in and out as able

Pages -

Publisher - Hera

Source - Bought/review copy

Blurb from Goodreads

Time taken to read - in and out as able over 5 days

Pages - 353

Publisher - Bookouture

Source - Bought

My Review

They tried to forget their past. Now it’s the only thing that can save them.

Ever since being adopted as babies, twins Sinead and Orla have been the only family they’ve ever known. But as adults, their lives have taken different paths. Orla’s got the big house in Glasgow, the supportive husband and teenage daughter, Molly Rose, while Sinead’s struggle with drugs and alcohol has taken her to some very dark places.

But all of that changes when Sinead receives a call from the woman who gave them up at birth. Their mother, Janey, is back in their lives. But she’s far from what they expected and when the siblings discover their mum is the head of a dangerous gangland firm, their lives are turned upside down.

In a firm like Janey’s, you have to watch your back. And when someone from her past targets her new found family, Sinead, Orla and Molly Rose find themselves pawns in a dangerous game, against someone who will stop at nothing to take his revenge on Janey. But when Molly Rose is kidnapped, it’s time for the sisters to show this family will do anything to protect one of their own.

A hard-hitting, action-packed Scottish gangland thriller that fans of Jacqui Rose, Kimberly Chambers and Mandasue Heller won’t be able to put down.



My Review

So apparently this is book two in a series, I didn't know and started here, I will be going back and buying the first book now though. That said you can absolutely read as a standalone, that's what I done and we have brief throwbacks to Janey when she was younger so I don't feel we missed out starting here.

Janey is top of her game in the criminal world and the book flips between Orla, Sinead and Millie Rose, Janey's estranged family. Orla and Sinead are twins, given up at birth and now grown women, Sinead is addicted to substances and does what she needs to on the streets to fund her habit. Orla couldn't be more different, mum to teenager Molly Rose, owner of legitimate businesses. Janey has reached out to Orla who shuns her however when Janey's past impacts on them and putting them in danger Orla has no choice but to let Janey in, they will all do what it takes to protect Molly Rose but is it too late?

Not for the faint hearted, it covers topics of abuse, addiction, prostitution, abandonment, SA, trafficking (is touched upon), family, drugs, secrets and more. Set in Glasgow, we see just how far ripples have from the past/decisions to present and consequences of those. Family is at the heart of this one but with the long reach/affects of skulduggery and shady dealings that go on from living "the life" even if you aren't a direct part of it, 4/5 from me and I will be getting book one and looking forward to the next!

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The Ice Cream Girls by Dorothy Koomson

The Ice Cream Girls by Dorothy Koomson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - as able over 4 days

Pages - 452

Publisher - Sphere

Source - Bought

Blurb from Goodreads

As teenagers Poppy Carlisle and Serena Gorringe were the only witnesses to a tragic event. Amid heated public debate, the two seemingly glamorous teens were dubbed ‘The Ice Cream Girls’ by the press and were dealt with by the courts.

Years later, having led very different lives, Poppy is keen to set the record straight about what really happened, while married mother-of-two Serena wants no one in her present to find out about her past. But some secrets will not stay buried – and if theirs is revealed, everything will become a living hell all over again...


My Review

Meet Poppy and Serena, Serena is married, kids and still dealing with demons of her past. Poppy is just being released from jail for a crime she says she didn't commit and now twenty years being jailed she is determined to get the guilty party to admit to what they did, that being Serena. Both were referred to as The Ice Cream Girls, both suspected in a murder, one went to jail, one went free.

We go back and forth between past and present, Serena and Poppy, teasing out the details of what happened, the before and build up whilst visiting the present and each of the ladies dealing with their now.

There are a fair few dark themes in this book, predatory teacher/teen pupil(s), self harm, death, ptsd, we visit prison life briefly and have quite long scenes with the abusive/pervert teacher. The gaslighting/manipulation of an adult to minors is shocking and it shows how easily he did it and delving into violence as well as the other abuse perpetrated on them . Themes of revenge, stalking, mistrust, lies, family dramas. The book has just about everything. Also whilst reading this people reached out saying it is a tv series/show too so I need to check that out.

Hard to put down, uncomfortable to read at times due to the content and knowing whilst this is fiction sadly these predators are out there ad very skilled in manipulating these children/teens. 4/5 for me, I have read a few Koomson books and plan to read many more, she is becoming a fave with us.

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Merrily Ever After by Cathy Bramley

Merrily Ever After by Cathy Bramley
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - in and out over 9 days (busy December)

Pages - 432

Publisher - Orion

Source - Bought

Blurb from Goodreads

In a picturesque town in Derbyshire, Merry has always wanted a family to spend Christmas with, and this year her dream comes true as she says 'I do' to father-of-two Cole. But as she juggles worries about her business, last-minute wedding planning and the two new children in her life, Merry is stretched to breaking point.

Meanwhile, only a few miles away, Emily is desperately waiting for the New Year to begin. Her father Ray's dementia is worsening, and she's struggling to care for him alone while holding down a job. When Ray moves into a residential home, she discovers a photograph in his belongings that has the potential to change everything .

As shocking secrets from Ray's past finally come to light, will this Christmas make or break Emily and Merry?


My Review

So this is marked as a standalone but Merry I am sure was in the other book I read by this author and her partner. We alternate between Merry and Emily. Merry's candle business is successful, in fact branching out so well she really needs to look to more staff but it is her baby and she is reluctant to let go. Everything is coming together great however planning a wedding, stretching herself thin with the business and concerns with her soon to be step children is causing Merry stress. Emily has a selfish boyfriend, I mean the guy is an absolute horror bag and her dad is getting more forgetful, confused and wandering more. Emily has the absolute guilt on what is best to do for her dad but with his condition worsening and the impact it is having on her job/personal life and health - stuck between a rock and a hard place.

We follow the two ladies as they navigate between their own personal issues, I really felt for Emily although with the boyfriend interactions I was near screaming at the book. Honestly a repugnant and vile individual. Emily's dad, the dementia/scenes are very emotive and heart breaking at some points.

The book is a cozy read with some emotive themes, friendship, blended families, wedding planning, stress, dementia, secrets, love & loss. It is a mixed bag, if you want to just escape from your own world for a wee bit this is a good shout. I need to look at her other books to see if these characters are in other despite being standalones, 4/5. I got this on a bargain buy special offer (I got a few copies for my blind dates with a book for my workies too).

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Home For Christmas by Jan Ruth

Home for Christmas by Jan Ruth
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - < 1 day

Pages - 112

Publisher -

Source - Bought (I think)

Blurb from Goodreads

An emotive trio of stories with festive themes.
Rudolph the Brown-Nosed Reindeer Rick isn't looking forward to his lonely corporate Christmas, but it's the season of goodwill and magic is in the air. An off-beat love story. It's time Rick wore his heart on his sleeve, or is it too late? Lessons in love from an unlikely source.
Jim's Christmas Carol Santa and Satan pay a visit. One brings presents, the other an unwelcome presence. Paranormal reality. Jim's played with fire it's time he got his comeuppance, but from who?
Home for Christmas Deck the halls with boughs of holly. Fa la-la la-la, la-la la-la. Tis the Season to be jolly... Romantic-comedy. Pip might accidentally find her true vocation, but the folly of her fibs are about to catch up with her.


My Review

The blurb says three emotive stories with festive themes, I didn't find emotive really in any of them, maybe it is just me. The characters aren't exactly the nicest people (not all of them to be fair). The first one a guy goes through the motions and copes with what his relationship was/is whilst away on a work trip over the festive. Alcohol, self explorations/what is important to them plus maybe a wee bit of personal growth.

Story two has infidelity (extra martial affair) the guy is not a very nice chap and mayhap a bit of Karma is on the cards, see what I did there lol. A spiritualist, family, festivities and maybe a bit of comeuppance once can but hope.

The third and final is Pip, returning home from the big city and not wanting to come clean to just about anything and trying to keep the face/imagine she projects. Of them all I think this may well be my "fave" of the trio.

I liked they have Christmas vibes/theme weaved, I liked the visuals the author creates, wasn't a huge fan of many of the characters (not very nice people), I am the first to admit though short stories aren't my first pic. This was my first dance with this author and I am sure I have actual novels of hers so looking forward to trying them but for me, this one was 3/5. So many folk loved them, I liked them so absolutely check them out for yourself.

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Daisy Darker by Alice Feeney

Daisy Darker by Alice Feeney
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read -

Pages - 352

Publisher -

Source - Bought

Blurb from Goodreads

The New York Times bestselling Queen of Twists returns…with a family reunion that leads to murder.

After years of avoiding each other, Daisy Darker’s entire family is assembling for Nana’s 80th birthday party in Nana’s crumbling gothic house on a tiny tidal island. Finally back together one last time, when the tide comes in, they will be cut off from the rest of the world for eight hours.

The family arrives, each of them harboring secrets. Then at the stroke of midnight, as a storm rages, Nana is found dead. And an hour later, the next family member follows…

Trapped on an island where someone is killing them one by one, the Darkers must reckon with their present mystery as well as their past secrets, before the tide comes in and all is revealed.

With a wicked wink to Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None, Daisy Darker’s unforgettable twists will leave readers reeling.



My Review

Meet Daisy, part of the dysfunctional family who are getting together for her Nana's 80th birthday. Nana had had a psychic reading done that predicted she would die when she was 80 and being a little unique Nana wants the family together. The house stands alone and when the tide comes in they will be stuck together. When Nana is found dead the family are trapped and no way to get the police. Everyone suspects the other, tensions are high and the killing has only just started!

Oooft talk about troubled family! They are all so different, LOVED nana she is quirky as is her house, her dinner ideas though, you know I am twitchy with foods so some of her concoctions lol just naw. The family members have their own secrets and when nana tells them what she plans to do with her fortune it isn't received well. Tempers/emotions are running high and that is before poor nana is bumped off.

Drawn in quickly, shocking, unlikeable characters (not all of them) but the ones you do like really shows up the bad ones for how shocking they are. Creepy, atmospheric, lies, relationships, family it is quite engaging, I love family dynamics like this and when you think you know where the story is going or working something out, Feeney switches it up and keeps you on your toes. I have read her before and will be looking for the rest of her work, 4/5 from us this time.

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Everyone Here Is Lying by Shari Lapena Blog Tour

Today is my turn on the blog tour (RandomThingsTours) for my stop I have my non spoiler review, enjoy.


About the author

Shari Lapena is one of the best-known thriller writers working today. Every one of her thrillers has been a Sunday Times and New York Times bestseller. She has spent a total of 76 weeks in the top 10 and has sold over 7 million copies across all titles and formats worldwide. Her debut, The Couple Next Door, was the overall bestselling fiction title in the UK in its year of publication and has been optioned for TV by Paramount. For more information about Shari and her books, you can visit Shari’s website here: https://sharilapena.com/.

Buy link for the book, OUT NOW, from Amazon UK.

Everyone Here Is Lying by Shari Lapena
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 1.5 days

Pages - 336

Publisher - Bantam books

Source - Arc

Blurb from Goodreads

Welcome to Stanhope! A safe neighborhood. A place for families.

William Wooler is a family man, on the surface. But he's been having an affair, an affair that ended horribly this afternoon at a motel up the road. So when he returns to his house, devastated and angry, to find his difficult nine-year-old daughter, Avery, unexpectedly home from school, William loses his temper.

Hours later, Avery's family declares her missing.

Suddenly Stanhope doesn't feel so safe. And William isn't the only one on his street who's hiding a lie. As witnesses come forward with information that may or may not be true, Avery's neighbors become increasingly unhinged.

Who took Avery Wooler?

Nothing will prepare you for the truth.



My Review


Ooft buckle in folks! Imagine your worst day, you are happily having an affair and out the blue it is ended, you are dumped. You are angry, upset, confused and head home early to try get your head around it but your kid is unexpectedly home too. You loose your temper, you leave furious and later your kid has gone missing. A bad day is about to get so much worse. And the thing is it isn't just the cheater(s), just about everyone in this book is going to have a bad day that gets worse!

A missing kid, affairs, shady neighbours, everyone is a suspect, tis like a modern day murder she wrote (for the hunners of suspects rather than muuuuuuurder), I was accusing everyone. This goes from bad to worse and just when you think ooft that person's day can't get any worse, it bloody does :D

I think the pull for these kind of books is how normal and relatable (ish ) well some of them lol, the characters are, mothers, fathers, sons, daughters, neighbours - every day people. And the impact some decisions/acts can have not just on themselves and the ripples of their behaviours.

If I hadn't been working I would have probably got through this in one sitting, it is no secret we are big Lapena fans in here. Not everyone can write flawed/dodgy characters that doesn't turn a reader off or just annoy them, Lapena creates ones that whilst they can be unsavoury/shady you absolutely keep riveted, glued to the page and either root for them and or their demise. Already looking forward to the next one, this book is out to buy now, 4.5/5.

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If You Could See Me Now by Cecilia Ahern

If You Could See Me Now by Cecelia Ahern
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 1 day

Pages - 306

Publisher - Hachette Books

Source - Think a book pal gave me it (was on my tbrm for years)

Blurb from Goodreads

From the bestselling author of P.S. I Love You and Love, Rosie, Cecelia Ahern, comes an enchanting novel that leads you to wonder if Not Seeing is believing!

Readers and critics alike adore Cecelia Ahern for her lighthearted yet insightful stories about modern women and their often unusual situations. In If You Could See Me Now, she takes that theme a step further, offering us a heroine who is entirely believable, and the new man in her life who is, well, slightly less so.

Elizabeth Egan's life runs on order: Both her home and her emotions are arranged just so, with little room for spontaneity. It's how she counteracts the chaos of her family—an alcoholic mother who left when she was young, an emotionally distant father, and a free-spirited sister, who seems to be following in their mother's footsteps, leaving her own six-year-old son, Luke, in Elizabeth's care.

When Ivan, Luke's mysterious new grown-up friend, enters the picture, Elizabeth doesnt know quite what to make of him. With his penchant for adventure and colorful take on things large and small, Ivan opens Elizabeth's eyes to a whole new way of living. But is it for real? Is Ivan for real?

If You Could See Me Now is a love story with heart—and just a touch of magic.



My Review

When you think fantasy its all magic, dragons, space type stuff but for me I would consider this a wee bit in a fantasy type role. Ivan is an adult and what we would call an imaginary friend although he is very much real just not visible to adults/non believers. He goes from one kid to another as they need him. When he becomes friends with Luke he thinks it is Luke he is there for, Luke is looked after by his aunt Elizabeth, a no nonsense woman who has had a pretty rough hand dealt. Her mum was a free spirit and left her and her sister behind with their dad, her sister became a "free spirit" just like her mum and left Luke in Elizabeth's sensible care, only flitting back and forth between dramas and need for money. Her father is also getting on so she is looking after him and working full time and looking after Luke. When it seems maybe Elizabeth can hear Ivan and ivan realises maybe it is Elizabeth he is here for and both may have bigger impacts on the other that they could never have forseen.

Most of us had an invisible friend but imagine that friend was actually real, flitting between people and works for an agency all about befriending/helping those who need him most. It is a very different type of book, it has tragedy, sadness, neglect, family truths/secrets and Elizabeth is so strict/stern and even a bit cold but as the story goes on we understand why she is the way she is. As Ivan becomes more real (and complicated) to her we see her find herself a bit more and the impact she has on Ivan.

I read this on holiday when I was fighting off temps/sickness and feeling rough, it allowed me a little indulgence and thinking back to when I was a wean. If you want something a wee bit out there, different from the normal books you read, bittersweet, personal growth, love, sadness with some magical bits thrown in (not wizard magic, imaginary friend who is real style magic) then this is one for you, I liked it, 3.5/5 for me this time.

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A Broken Family by Kitty Neale

A Broken Family: An emotional, gripping saga from the Sunday Times bestseller by Kitty Neale
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 8 hours (one sitting)

Pages - 401

Publisher - Avon books

Source - Bought

Blurb from Goodreads

A gritty tale of family and a love that holds no bounds, from the best-selling author of Nobody’s Girl and A Father’s Revenge

Celia Frost has always thought herself a cut above the other residents of Lark Rise in Battersea. When her beloved son, Thomas, starts seeing Amy Miller, a girl from the bottom of the Rise, Celia disapproves, thinking her common.

When Celia's husband leaves her and Thomas announces he is to marry Amy, she is more determined than ever to split them up.Celia needs an ally, so she writes to her elder son, Jeremy, asking him to come home.

Jeremy’s arrival unleashes a tide of jealously and hate. He wants everything that belongs to Thomas – especially Amy. As Jeremy’s dangerous obsession for his brother’s wife grows, Amy must fight for her marriage, and her baby.

The heartbreaking new novel from the bestselling author of A Father’s Revenge and Nobody’s Girl.



My Review

I have only read one Kitty Neale book before this one and I want to say it was a blog tour that brought her to my attention, I forgot how much I enjoyed it and will be adding more of hers to my wishlist. Set in Battersea, South London, 1956 we head to a small community with different social standings. For example Amy Millar comes from a working class family, scrimping by, her dad in a low paid job with his post war injury, her mum working double jobs but they are loved and happy. Amy's boyfriend Thomas Frost comes from a different type of family, his dad owns his own business, his mother Celia is a keeping up with the Joneses and feels Amy is far too common for her precious son, her marriage is not an overly happy one. We have wee characters in between, old Winnie next door, Amy's mum looks out for, even missing out on stuff to ensure Winnie does not. Mabel, Amy's mums friend and town busybody who reveals in dramas and gets herself in hot water sometimes. It is quite the small community but the dramas are huge and a plenty.

So guys these types of books often carry some trauma and sexual assault is featured, not in graphic detail but it is mentioned and more than once so heads up. Classism, relationships, friendships, alcohol abuse, poverty and manipulation so there is never really a dull moment.

Amy's family are lovely, despite not having a lot to go around they care for their wee neighbour and absolutely neighbourly whereas Celia Frost has plenty and is just a horrible individual. Overbearing mother, can't let go of the apron strings and I had a hard time feeling any kind of sympathy for her at all she is just a horror. I sank it in one sitting and whilst this was only my second book by this author it will not be my last 4/5 for me this time.

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Together Again by Milly Johnson

Together, Again by Milly Johnson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 1 day

Pages -

Publisher - Simon & Schuster

Source - Bought

Blurb from Goodreads

Sisters, Jolene, Marsha and Annis have convened at their childhood home the huge and beautiful Fox House following the death of their mother, the cold and impenetrable Eleanor Vamplew, to arrange the funeral and sell up. Born seven years apart, the women have never bonded and are more strangers than sisters.

Jolene, the eldest, is a successful romantic novelist who writes templates of beautiful relationships even though her marriage to the handsome and charming Warren is a barren wasteland.

Marsha, the neglected middle child has put every bit of her energy into her work hoping money would plug up the massive gap in her life left by the man who broke her young heart, only to find it never has. And now he has been forced back into her life.

Annis is the renegade, who left home aged sixteen and never returned, not even for the death of their beloved father Julian, until now. It is therefore a surprise to all of them to discover that Eleanor recently changed her will to leave everything to the daughter she considered a wretched accident.

Together, Again is the story of truths uncovered and lies exposed, of secrets told - and kept. It is a novel about sister helping sister to heal from childhood scars, and of finding, in each other, the love they have all been deprived of. Together, Again is about vulnerability and strength, acceptance and family.




My Review


A family of sisters brought together by the death of their mum. One sister has been awol for a while and isn't how they remember her. Jolene is a well known author with her own problems, Marsha is your classic middle child syndrome and Annis the runaway aloof youngest who has changed so much and surrounded in mystery. Their mother was cold, aloof, keeping up appearances and everything was about her love for her husband. As the girls try to work their way through sorting mothers affairs as well as their own unexpecting feelings/issues.

Families, they can be rough as, there is no doubting the siblings all have their own form of issues from how they were treated and raised. The mother is a cold fish and whilst her passing is what kick starts the novel we do hear from her a little and get some insight as the book goes on.

Johnson creates characters you love, characters you hate, characters you pity and or want to hear more about. The book delves into secrets, lies, relationships, personal growth, love and trying to overcome the long reaches the past has on you. Whilst she looks at relationships of different varieties she touches on some darker and shocking themes, coercive control, gaslighting, manipulation, abuse but also brighter and happier aspects too. Using many of the true issues and hardships and or battles some of us face in real life so evokes emotional responses from the reader or just grasps them whilst she creates her characters worlds and draws you in.

It is no surprise I loved this, I am a big fan of Johnson's books, having a slump - read a Johnson, want to lose yourself in dramas that isn't your own, Johnson! 5/5 for me, I have read most of her books but do need to check Goodreads and Fantasticfiction to see what all I have missed.

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The Mother by Alex Kane

The Mother by Alex Kane
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 2 days

Pages -

Publisher - Hera Books

Source - Netgalley

Blurb from Goodreads

Being head of a family is what she knows best
A decade ago, Cara Fraser, wife to one of Glasgow’s most notorious gangsters, was left a widow after Kyle Fraser was slain on the city streets.

The intervening years haven’t been easy – not least as Kyle’s murder left her to bring up little Ryan and Sean alone.

Now, Ryan and Sean are adults, and honouring their father’s memory by rising up to become the top gangsters on the dark streets of Glasgow.

Cara’s kept her head down, but has spent the last few years vowing to take vengeance on the crime family who killed her beloved husband and left her children without a father.

Glasgow gangland is about to discover that a mother will do anything for her family… even murder.



My Review

The blurb focuses a lot on Cara Fraser and her sons, Ryan and Sean and whilst the latter part of the book they do come more to the front it is the Bryson's who feature as the main runners at the start. Angie Bryson & her husband Dale have their fingers in a lot of pies and Cara's husband Kyle and brother Ian work for the Brysons, distributing drugs primarily. Angie and Cara don't get on and Kyle and Ian have put their plans in motion to become the top dogs. The timeline splits between then and now when the Frasers have decided, again the time is right, the time is now.

There is a lot of rivalry, competitiveness as often there is in gangland type books, fights for power, actions and consequences, shady underhanded behaviour and of course some people will go to any levels for what they feel is due them. Revenge, pride, business, drugs, rivalry, family, murder and is it even a gangster stle book if we don't have betrayal.

There are quite a few relationship dynamics, some you are shaking your head at antics/choices and behaviours but in this lifestyle it is a different world. One characters behavior though I was almost screaming NOOOOOOOO what are you doing?!?!?!

I have read a few of Kane's books and have another couple on my tbrm, when you pick up the books you can get lost in a different world or chaos and danger just waiting for some consequence to their actions. Bad behaviour, shady choices and the old secrets can never remain in the past dun dun dun, 4/5 for me, a wee bit of build up setting the scene and then you are plunged right in! This is a standalone, if you like gangster/ganglands then this is for you - oh and it is set in Glasgow.

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Meredith Alone by Claire Alexander

Meredith, Alone by Claire Alexander
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 1.5 days

Pages - 368

Publisher - Michael Joseph

Source - Review copy

Blurb from Goodreads

She has a full-time remote job and her rescue cat Fred. Her best friend Sadie visits with her two children. There's her online support group, her jigsaw puzzles and favorite recipes, her beloved Emily Dickinson, the internet, the grocery delivery man. Also keeping her company are treacherous memories of an unstable childhood, the estrangement from her sister, and a traumatic event that had sent her reeling.

But something's about to change. Whether Meredith likes it or not, the world is coming to her door. Does she have the courage to overcome what's been keeping her inside all this time?



My Review

Meet Meredith, she has been a prisoner in her own home for over 1214 days, she has a phobia of going outside but it hasn't always been this way. We meet Meredith on the morning it kicks off, ready to leave for work before being overcome and thereon in, effectively a prisoner of her home. However she has a full life, she has her wee companion Fred the cat, she is a dab hand at jigsaws, has online friends and support, her bestie comes round with the kids and she can make beautiful cakes. She has routine, her house is sparkling clean and now she has a "companion" coming, Tom, she doesn't expect much, he is paid to be there. However she finds herself opening up a little between Tom, her new online friend Celeste and one of the local kids who is cheekily charming. Meredith isn't speaking to her family and as the story unfolds we start to learn all about Meredith, her family and her condition and what brought her to how her life is now.

I really like this book, it brought me out of my reading slump and in some ways found myself relating to Meredith. I have withdrawn a bit from everything I love/do normally whilst trying to deal with grief/loss so finding some of Meredith's routines brought a bit of comfort. Set in Glasgow, who doesn't love a book with a location you know and or can relate to and whilst we predominantly are in Merediths life and house it is still nice.

The book has humour, hard themes, loss/grief (also of self), friendship, recovery, mental health, abuse, secrets, family, coping mechanisms as we go through life with Meredith not as a self help type. The book packs a lot in and whilst some scenes gave you a chuckle some made you just want to hug her. I think depending on your own experiences will depend on how much impact the book has on you but regardless of that I think just about everyone would enjoy it. It covers a wide range of issues through Meredith's personal accounts/experiences and gives the reader a chance for empathy rather than preaching or teaching but I think it carries an important message within. This is a great debut, 4.5/5 for me.

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Wrong Place Wrong Time by Gillian McAllister

Wrong Place Wrong Time by Gillian McAllister
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 4 days

Pages - 374

Publisher - Michael Joseph

Source - Review copy

Blurb from Goodreads

Can you stop a murder after it's already happened?


It's every parent's nightmare.

Your happy, funny, innocent son commits a terrible crime: murdering a complete stranger.

You don't know who. You don't know why. You only know your teenage boy is in custody and his future lost.

That night you fall asleep in despair. Until you wake . . .

. . . and it is yesterday.

Every morning you wake up a day earlier, another day before the murder. Another chance to stop it.

Somewhere in the past lie the answers, and you don't have a choice but to find them . . .

My Review

Imagine watching your loved one involved in an incident that will ruin all of your lives, your child, a murder, the police, arrest and everything you have dreamed of for your child, young adult, now gone. Imagine waking up and the day has been resent, you know what is coming, what do you do to change things?

Thing Groundhog day with Bill Murray but sinister, welcome to Jen's world. Not only do you try to comprehend what is happening but when you go to sleep you reset and not to the day before, you go back another day, then another. How can Jen figure out what is happening, the relevance and most importantly, why and what can she do to save her family.

So there are so many things I quite like about this. A crime has happened, a murder no less but it isn't just about that, that is the event that kicks everything off. Jen ends up going back in time and each time she finds out more and more about her loved ones that she couldn't have forseen. Imagine reliving your time over, you can ignore your work or normal responsibilities because everything scrubs when the day is over. She never knows where she will wake, what she is meant to do or see. One thing for me was waking up in one of her old houses, things she had forgotten like the bed she slept in. For me, nostalgia and details like that add a truth or realistic vein to a story. You do forget things about your past as years go by, houses that have changed and it would be a big thing to wake up in an older poorer home back before you had X career or child or partner. It isn't a huge thing at all in relation to the storyline but for me it gave great weight to the feel of realism.

I felt for Jen because as she goes further back and relives days and events it is like the rug being pulled out from under her. It is really clever writing, the days going back took me a wee bit to settle to as I thought it would be the same day over and over but it isn't so keeps you interested as different things are revealed/lived through.

Time travel but not overly geeky/sci fi type it just helps to assist the story & we meet other characters, not just Jen although she is the main. There is always something happening and you can't help but think what would I do, who would I reach out to, would you be tempted to do XYZ. I think this is my first by McAllister but I have others on my tbrm. A crime/investigation style with a difference, certainly unique which isn't easy with the plethora of books in the crime genre, 4/5 for me this time.

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Grown Ups by Marian Keyes

Grown Ups by Marian Keyes
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - in and out over 4 days

Pages - 656

Publisher - Michael Joseph

Source - bought

Blurb from Goodreads

Johnny Casey, his two brothers Ed and Liam, their beautiful, talented wives and all their kids spend a lot of time together - birthday parties, anniversary celebrations, weekends away. And they're a happy family. Johnny's wife, Jessie - who has the most money - insists on it.

Under the surface, though, conditions are murkier. While some people clash, other people like each other far too much . . .

Everything stays under control until Ed's wife Cara, gets concussion and can't keep her thoughts to herself. One careless remark at Johnny's birthday party, with the entire family present, starts Cara spilling out all their secrets.

In the subsequent unravelling, every one of the adults finds themselves wondering if it's time - finally - to grow up?


My Review

I do love Keyes books you get to leave your own life and woes behind and jump into someone elses and Keyes does give us some class characters/dramas. Ed, Liam and Johnny are brothers and couldn't be more different. We follow their relationships, family gatherings and everything in between.

The book opens with a family gathering and Cara, Ed's wife, tells some home truths after a knock to the head and some shocks to the family. We then flip to six months before the event and get to know the characters.

Some we love, some misunderstood and we get more depth as we go on. Dysfunctional relationships at it's best. I am struggling to read with a lot going on at home, lack of sleep etc however despite this being a chunky monkey over 600 pages I got through it in 4 days.

There are a lot of issues these folk are experiencing, some will be very hard hitting with some people. Second marriages and the fall out, mental health issues, relationship issues, families, wealth, popularity, money issues - it has a whole bag. Some characters you will love, some not so much and all you want to know what is coming next. This isn't my first Keyes, it won't be my last, 4/5 for me this time.

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Black Cake by Charmaine Wilkerson

Black Cake by Charmaine Wilkerson
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 6 days

Pages - 400

Publisher - Michael Joseph Books

Source - Review copy

Blurb from Goodreads

We can't choose what we inherit. But can we choose who we become?

In present-day California, Eleanor Bennett's death leaves behind a puzzling inheritance for her two children, Byron and Benny: a traditional Caribbean black cake, made from a family recipe with a long history, and a voice recording. In her message, Eleanor shares a tumultuous story about a headstrong young swimmer who escapes her island home under suspicion of murder. The heartbreaking tale Eleanor unfolds, the secrets she still holds back, and the mystery of a long-lost child, challenge everything the siblings thought they knew about their lineage, and themselves.

Can Byron and Benny reclaim their once-close relationship, piece together Eleanor's true history, and fulfill her final request to "share the black cake when the time is right"? Will their mother's revelations bring them back together or leave them feeling more lost than ever?

Charmaine Wilkerson's debut novel is a story of how the inheritance of betrayals, secrets, memories, and even names, can shape relationships and history. Deeply evocative and beautifully written, Black Cake is an extraordinary journey through the life of a family changed forever by the choices of its matriarch.


My Review

When Eleanor dies she leaves her children, Byron and Benny, a recording that plays about eight hours long. Her son and daughter haven't spoken in years but come together, as she knew they would, after she passes. Eleanor was a unique lady and her children are about to find out just how strong, resilient and secretive she was!

The book bounces around a fair bit, then and now, between different characters, not just Eleanor but many people who played or influenced largely in her life. It is a strong debut novel that examines how unfair life can be but how survival, strength, friendship and love can get you through.

The characters have their own woes and things that have happened or happening in their lives that shape who they are or their journeys. We learn about the Black Cake, culture, heritage and how important identity is and the cost some people face to survive and what they lose in the process.

There is a lot of hurt, love, loss, lies, secrets and large centering around decisions and the reach/impact they have not only on the person making them but those left behind. The book chews off a lot and I think the author does well dealing with many of them, I enjoyed a lot about this book but I got a bit lost in the shifts between people, places and time. I could follow it but it was a lot so it took a bit to get through as I had to keep checking xyz, 3.5/5 for me. I liked it though so will keep an eye out for the authors next offering!

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It Could Happen As You by Isla Dewar

It Could Happen to You by Isla Dewar
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 1 day

Pages -

Publisher - Headline Review

Source - Bought

Blurb from Goodreads

Rowan has always cherished an ambition to travel. She didn't just leave the small Scottish town where she grew up; she fled from it as fast as she could. Now she's become expert at metropolitan living; she could walk by a million faces and not notice any of them. And her dream is almost within her grasp.

When Rowan does start packing her bags, she has to find room for one very unexpected item. And she's headed not for exotic distant shores but back to Scotland. There, she feels at first like nothing more than a source of good gossip. But as she discovers that no one is quite who she thought they were, Rowan begins to see that home could be where she'll find what she was looking for after all...



My Review

Rowan is a wee bit socially awkward and innocent, she wanted nothing more than to get away from her wee town. Living in the city and working for a publishing she is swept up with her flat mate, Eileen, who is wild, outgoing and a total party animal. Rowan is saving her wages to travel the world and all set to go but her flat mates actions forces Rowan to take a very different turn.

The book centers around friendship, family, personal growth and a small town. Eileen is a character who you want to slap, as the story continues her behaviour becomes even more shocking, some scenes are uncomfortable. The story feels like it is split in two, naive city girl and then when she returns home - her personal growth, the impact on the small town.

This is my first time reading this author, it is very character centered, predominately Rowan and those around her. I enjoyed her homecoming, she has the fear many has when one returns, judgement, fear or not accomplishing our goals. We all know how small towns can be but this one isn't so bad. I actually enjoyed being back in the small town more, learning its secrets, getting to know the characters. I actually would enjoy this being a series and getting a book on each of the more interesting characters. The old man whose journal Rowan finds, the cinema owner - she is a wee doll and I think her life would have many many interesting life stories. Eileen! Much as I disliked her as a person and we do get a bit of her backstory, to follow her actual life in comparison to her telling's. The way Alexander McCall Smith does for the 44 Scotland street characters I think this author could do it but within the small town, 3.5/5 for me this time.

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The Game by Luca Veste

The Game by Luca Veste
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 1 day

Pages - 400

Publisher - Simon & Schuster

Source - Bought

Blurb from Goodreads

An edge-of-your-seat thriller that merges the twists of a psychological-mystery with the investigative layers of a procedural . . .

THEY KNOW WHAT YOU DID
You receive a call, an email, a text – someone knows your secret and they want to ruin you.

AND THEY’RE OUT FOR BLOOD
If you don’t do what they say, they’ll tell everyone what you’ve been hiding.
They will come after you, destroy you, and they aren’t afraid to kill.

IT’S TIME TO PLAY THE GAME



My Review

We open with a police interview, someone is admitting to murders and we get inside glimpse into his mind. Who is he, what is the game and what is his motive? We then flip to before and the players, the people involved in a game, what is the game, why are they playing and why are they dying? Fling into that a police investigation, a missing person, a dead body and pow we have the beginnings of the book.

This is one of those books you are pulled into but have absolutely no idea what is going on. Lots of characters, lots of action and of course the investigation of missing person, Emily Burns. DC Mark Flynn is head of the case, chatting to Emily's family, a shady uncle known to the cops, a reluctant family to give up information. Why would Emily go missing? what kind of person was she? As Mark digs he finds the case isn't as straight forward as it seems and everybody has something to hide.

Page turner because you want to know what is happening, who is the body, what happened to X, what is the game, why are they playing? So many questions, it is busy, it keeps your interest and like an onion it gives you layers! 4/5 for me this time, read Veste before will read him again, this is a standalone guys.

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Sonny and Me by Ross Sayers

Sonny and Me by Ross Sayers
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 2 days

Pages - 300

Publisher - Cranachan Publishing

Source - Review copy

Blurb from Goodreads

FOURTH YEAR. TWO PALS. ONE MURDER. WELCOME TO BATTLEFIELD HIGH…

‘Whoever said yer school days are the best days ae yer life was at the absolute wind up. I hink maist adults dinnae mind whit it was really like. Wait til yeese hear whit Sonny and me got detention for…’

Daughter and Sonny are two best friends just trying to get through fourth year at high school. But when their favourite teacher leaves unexpectedly, and no one will say why, the boys decide to start their own investigation.

As they dig deeper into the staff at Battlefield High, they discover a dark secret which one person will kill to protect… Will they uncover the truth without being expelled? Can their friendship survive when personal secrets are revealed? And will they manage to skive off double English?


My Review

Daughter and Sonny are two Scottish teens trying to make it through fourth year and life in general. They have all the struggles teen face, family issues, fancying folk, school, local yobs and then one of their favourite teachers abruptly leaves. No one wants to answer their questions and the boys know something is right but digging will get them into trouble and some people will do anything to protect their secrets.

Aw guys I loved the amount of memories this wee book conjured up for me. The dialect is thick Scottish so if you aren't familiar with our slang, terms and local terminology you may struggle a wee bit. Sonny and Daughter have a tight friendship and that is pretty apparent from the get go, Sonny is a bit of a wee soul which brings out the protective side in Daughter. Daughters relationship with his family and sister mirror quite a few of our own but instead of being rivals they have a nice relationship.

There is a lot of humour laced into the book and I found myself laughing out loud a few times, this will always get you some looks when in public! The way Sayers writes absolutely transports you back to your own school days, the teacher you liked, the daft antics you found yourself getting caught up in.

There are some serious tones in the book but nothing to make it dark or unsettling, just makes it a good all rounder. Young adult isn't a genre I normally go to but I am so glad I read this, funny, sentimental, some good strong bonds of loyalty and family with a healthy dose of hilarious. This isn't my first book by this author and it won't be my last. Actively watching out for what Sayers will bring to the table next, 4.5/5 for me!

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A Random Act of Kindness by Sophie Jenkins Blog Tour

Today is my turn on the blog tour for A Random Act of Kindness by Sophie Jenkins, please check out the other stops as we all offer different content.





A Random Act of Kindness by Sophie Jenkins
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 2 days

Pages -400

Publisher - Avon

Source - Arc copy

Blurb from Goodreads

It only takes a moment, to change a life for ever…

Fern is too busy making sure other people feel good about themselves to give much thought to her own happiness. But somehow, without her noticing, life has run away from her.

Suddenly, Fern realises her vintage clothes business is struggling, and the casual relationship she’d always thought she was happy in doesn’t look so appealing.

But sometimes, karma really does come through. And when Fern goes out of her way to help 85-year-old Dinah, little does she realise their new friendship will change her life.

Dinah may have troubles in her past, but she’s lived and loved to the full. Can Dinah show Fern that even the smallest acts of kindness can make the world a better place?

If you liked Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine or How to Be Happy, you'll love A Random Act of Kindness.



My Review

I had never read this author before but I was drawn by the books title, who doesn't like a RAK (Random Act of Kindness). Fern is our main character, she is a bit of a wee chop, nice enough girl just trying to do her own thing and selling clothes she loves, vintage, to people and making them happy. Fern has always been a disappointment to her controlling mother, Fern is too short to be a model and using her fashion knowledge to grab bargains and sell them on her wee stall, embracing her love of all things fashion. Fern isn't about money she genuinely loves helping people and getting them into clothes just right for them. When her RAK brings her again into contact with 85 year old Dinah a friendship commences that will have big changes ahead for both of them.

I didn't think I was going to love this to be honest, each chapter starts with a garment being described and there is a lot centered around outfits, clothing, fashion. I am not into stuff like that but it is written in a way and woven into the story that I really enjoyed reading/visualizing the garments. Fern is selling her vintage clothes in a wee market stall, next to David, there is something about him that Fern can't help but notice. That said she has a casual boy friend type who plays in a band on the go and David happens to be with someone she was friends with. Drama all round, you have the actress neighbour, the mother we would all dread to have and all the daughterly hangups that come with it. The dad who takes a back seat and her eccentric friend she gains from a chance encounter.

I loved the older characters in this book, not her mum, Kim and his pals who don't make a huge appearance but when they do I did smile. The book tackles a few subjects, friendship, relationships (both boyfriend type and family) and Fern carving her own place in the world through her love of clothing and just trying to do Fern!

I would love to read more of these characters to be honest, it was nice to dip into a world I normally wouldn't be anywhere near. It also made me want to look into vintage garments and a bit more of the history of some of the biggest named designers, who even am I!?!?! Whilst this was my first dance with Jenkins it won't be my last, 4/5 for me this time. Easy reading

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