Cross Her Heart by Sarah Pinborough #Review #NetGalley

Cross Her Heart by Sarah Pinborough

Publication Date 17th May 2018

Published by HarperCollins UK

400 pages

Mystery/Thrillers

Book Description:

‘Cross my heart and hope to die…’
Promises only last if you trust each other, but what if one of you is hiding something?
A secret no one could ever guess.
Someone is living a lie.
Is it Lisa?
Maybe it’s her daughter, Ava.
Or could it be her best friend, Marilyn?

The explosive new thriller from Sarah Pinborough, author of the Sunday Times Bestselling novel BEHIND HER EYES.

My Review:

Having read the marmite book which was Sarah Pinborough's Behind Her Eyes, with the #WTF ending, I really was interested to know how she was going to follow it up.  Would it be as divisive with readers or would it be more mainstream? I dived in to find out...
The book is divided into 3 parts: Before, Now and After - but we start off, interestingly, with After. 
"Don't come after me. Don't try and find me. Don't try and find us."
This made me want to find out who, why and where had they gone. 
We then move on to the Now, where Lisa and her daughter Ava have a seemingly normal single parent - child relationship. Ava is 16 and pushing the boundaries of what her mum will allow her to do and where she can go; Lisa knows she has to let go of the apron strings but is too wary of what might happen.  She knows Ava has a small, close group of friends from her swimming club and they are unlikely to do anything too outlandish as they need to train hard and keep fit for their swimming events.  Apart from a couple of paranoid niggles all seems to be going well, as far as Lisa is concerned, until Ava is suddenly pushed into the media spotlight after diving into the river and saving a toddler from drowning. Then the world tips on its axis when the police arrive at the door.
At this point, we find out that the majority of the main characters in the story have secrets. Nobody seems to be who we have thought.  A huge bombshell reveals that Lisa is in fact Charlotte, and there are shocking reasons as to her change of identity.  Ava also has a former identity, and the facts behind this even shock her to her core. 
Fortunately Lisa has made a close friend, Marilyn, and has started a new relationship with one of her new clients in her career, Simon.  Both of them are sufficiently committed to her to be able to help her through some of her darkest days in recent years.
There are more shocking secrets to come out as the story unfolds. Sarah Pinborough manages to keep us turning pages at an ever increasing rate as the facts come tumbling out of the closet but I have to admit I had my suspicions regarding one of the characters at around the halfway point but I really hadn't joined up the dots sufficiently to work out exactly what their role was.
Brilliant writing from start to finish kept me invested in the story - definitely not as "weird" as the author's previous novel, there were a couple of coincidences and scenarios which tested credibility but nothing too questionable this time.
I will definitely be looking out for Sarah's next novel.

About the Author:

Sunday Times No.1 bestseller SARAH PINBOROUGH is the critically acclaimed and award-winning, adult and YA author. Her previous novel, Behind Her Eyes, has sold in 25 territories, been shortlisted for the Crime and Thriller Book of the Year at the British Book Awards and was a Sunday Times No.1 bestseller in hardback and paperback. She is also a screenwriter who has written for the BBC and has several original television projects in development.

You can follow her on Twitter @sarahpinborough

My Husband's Lies by Caroline England #NetGalley #Review @CazEngland

My Husband's Lies by Caroline England

Publication Date 17th May 2018

Published by Avon Books UK

384 pages

Adult Fiction

Book Description:

Do you really know your friends?

On the afternoon of Nick and Lisa’s wedding, their close friend is found poised on a hotel window ledge, ready to jump.

As the shock hits their friendship group, they soon realise that none of them are being as honest with themselves – or with each other – as they think.

And there are secrets lurking that could destroy everything.
Tense, disturbing and clever, My Husband’s Lies is a breath-taking read, perfect for fans of Lucy Clarke and Erin Kelly.

My Review:

The opening scene of the book is one of panic as one of the female guests at their friends' wedding reception steps up on the balcony of their room dressed only in her underwear, seemingly intent on stepping over the edge. 
We then move to a point earlier in the day as the guests and major players in the ceremony are arriving at the church; Best Man Dan Maloney and heavily pregnant wife Geri are just getting out of the car when the other Best Man Will Taylor and his wife Penny screech to a halt next to them in a flashy car. Apparently groom Nick Quinn couldn't decide which of his oldest school friends was most deserving of the position of Best Man so elected to have both of them.  Sorting the characters and their associated other halves took some getting into my head at first and I have to admit that I needed to write myself a cast of characters in order to work out the relationships - something I regularly referred to as the book went along, as this is a tale with lots of overlapping strands of story from each individual.
It quickly becomes clear that the group has a lot of history between them as they have been close friends since schooldays.  It also becomes clear that there are lots of secrets between the various friends, some known between certain friends and others which are kept very close to the character's chest and only come flooding out later on. 
I am finding it really difficult to review this book without giving away key points of the plot, but suffice to say that I had very mixed feelings about some of the secrets being kept by at least 2 of the main friendship group.  And then to discover that one of the others in the group had actually had their suspicions for many years and had said nothing also had me mulling over whether they were right to keep schtum. 
There are some serious issues lurking in the background of this novel - some relating to recent revelations regarding Catholic church officials which have hit national news headlines, others concerning mental health issues and how they are handled by both professionals and within the patient's friendship/family groups.
The whole novel overall raised the question in my mind of just how well we actually know anyone despite them being either a family member or a friend of many years standing.  Sometimes people just don't feel able to share their inner most feelings with anyone and the effects of this can be devastating unless confronted.
A short way into this book I did wonder if I was going to enjoy it but the author really did manage to keep me intrigued with attention grabbing nuggets of information trickling into the mix at perfectly timed intervals so that by the end I was very impressed with her ability to write a truly satisfying tale with lots of layers to the plot.
I would definitely recommend this to anyone wanting a very good book to get completely gripped by.

My thanks to NetGalley and Avon Books for the opportunity to read and review this book.

About the Author:

Born Yorkshire lass, Caroline studied Law at the University of Manchester and stayed over the border. Caroline became a partner in a Solicitors' practice and started writing when she deserted the law to bring up her three lovely daughters. In addition to the publication of her short story collection, Watching Horsepats Feed the Roses by ACHUKAbooks, Caroline has had short stories and poems published in a variety of literary magazines and anthologies. Her debut novel, Beneath the Skin, was published by Avon HarperCollins on 5 October 2017.

Website: https://www.facebook.com/CazEngland1/

Twitter handle: @CazEngland

#BlogTour The Purrfect Petsitter by Carol Thomas @rararesources #NetGalley

The Purrfect Pet Sitter by Carol Thomas

Ruby Fiction

Publication Date 24th April 2018

286 pages

After having reviewed a fair few creepy, twisty crime/psychological thrillers recently I was pleased to see an invitation to review a much lighter read from Rachel Gilbey of Rachel's Random Resources. This title looked like a light-hearted, straightforward read but checking the description I saw that the book has an intriguing, more complicated back story which was just what I needed, so I signed up to find out more.

Book Description:

Introducing Lisa Blake, the purrfect pet sitter!

When Lisa Blake’s life in London falls apart, she returns to her hometown rebranding herself as ‘the purrfect pet sitter’ – which may or may not be false advertising as she has a rather unfortunate habit of (temporarily) losing dogs!

But being back where she grew up, Lisa can’t escape her past. There’s her estranged best friend Flick who she bumps into in an embarrassing encounter in a local supermarket. And her first love, Nathan Baker, who, considering their history, is sure to be even more surprised by her drunken Facebook friend request than Lisa is.

As she becomes involved in the lives of her old friends Lisa must confront the hurt she has caused, discover the truth about her mysterious leather-clad admirer, and learn how to move forward when the things she wants most are affected by the decisions of her past.

My thoughts:

My very first impression of this book from its cover was that it was going to be an extremely light, almost fluffy read that might have been too much of a contrast to the gritty thriller genre which I seem to have become entrenched in due to the huge number of those books which are flooding the shelves so far this year.  I am delighted to say that there is so much more than that to this book.  Yes it has an easy to read, flowing writing style but there is a depth to the storyline which doesn't come across through the cover - that will teach me to listen to the old adage of not judging a book by its cover (which I admit is one of my failings: I do love a well designed cover, and the beach huts on the front of this book kinda sold it to me).

Lisa Blake has moved on from her teenage life in her hometown and spent recent years building a new exciting life in London with her boyfriend, abandoning both her best friend Felicity and her family who have always been there for her.  All this crumbles when she sees a side of her boyfriend that she really does not want to spend the rest of her life tolerating and she returns to her parents' house where the ghosts of her past start to filter back into her everyday life.

Lisa's new career as a pet sitter is rather eventful, but among the rabbits, cats and a cross-eyed dog she finds a new friendship with one owner in particular Winnie, with whom she enjoys sharing tea and biscuits and chats in which they put the world to rights.  

I enjoyed seeing the relationship between the two generations build and as Lisa faces the issues which have built up during her time in London, Winnie passes on the wisdom only age can bring.  This wisdom helps Lisa build bridges with old friends where maybe otherwise a great void may have remained. 

Things between Lisa and an old flame however are not quite as straightforward to repair and despite several meetings, some planned others accidental, the messages between Lisa and Nathan continue to be mixed and misconstrued. It's not until they decide to attend the Bonfire Night parade purely for old times sake that they finally manage to untangle what each other wants from life.

This is a great story of friendships lost and found which demonstrates just how much we should communicate clearly with one another so that misunderstandings from the past don't continue to influence our future. A few basic conversations can make such a huge difference to our happiness if only we are open and honest with one another - a lesson which is relayed in a non-judgmental, heart warming way.

This is the first time I have read work by this author and if you are a fan of Carole Matthews, Jill Mansell and other well-established names from the women's fiction world as I am myself, you will definitely be wanting to add Carol Thomas to your list of go-to authors.

About the Author:

Carol Thomas lives on the south coast of England with her husband, four children and lively Labrador. She has been a playgroup supervisor and taught in primary schools for over fifteen years, before dedicating more of her time to writing. Carol is a regular volunteer for Cancer Research UK. She has a passion for reading, writing and people watching and can often be found loitering in local cafes working on her next book.

Carol writes for both adults and children: Her contemporary romance novels, have relatable heroines whose stories are layered with emotion, sprinkled with laughter and topped with irresistible male leads; while her children's books have irresistibly cute, generally furry characters young children can relate to.

#BlogTour The Wedding Date by Zara Stoneley @rararesources @zarastoneley

Publication Date 20th April 2018

HarperImpulse & Killer Reads

Women's fiction

Book Description:

When Samantha Jenkins is asked to be the maid of honour at her best friend’s wedding, she couldn’t be happier. There are just three problems…

1) Sam’s ex-boyfriend, Liam, will be the best man.
2) His new girlfriend is pregnant.
3) Sam might have told people she has a new man when she doesn’t (see points 1 and 2 above)

So, Sam does the only sensible thing available to her… and hires a professional to do the job.

Actor Jake Porter is perfect for the role: single, gorgeous and cheap! Sam is certain it’s the perfect solution: no strings, no heartbreak and hopefully no chance of being found out.

But spending a week in the Scottish Highlands with Jake is harder than she imagined. He is the perfect boyfriend, charming, sexy and the hottest thing in a kilt since Outlander! And his dog Harry is quite possibly the cutest things Sam has ever seen!

As the wedding draws closer, Jake plays his part to perfection and everyone believes he is madly in love with Sam. The problem is, Sam’s not sure if Jake is acting anymore…

My thoughts:

Sam works in her friend Sarah's aunt's travel agency. She is settled in her job and her relationship with Liam until he unceremoniously dumps her to shack up with local petrol station cashier Stella.  As is the norm, Sam goes through the usual post-dumping ritual of going out partying a little too hard with Sarah in order to prove that she is still young, attractive and doesn't need a man anyway.  Until she finds out that Liam's brother Dan is marrying her best friend since childhood Jess - and Liam is going to be Best Man with new girlfriend Stella as his plus one (plus large pregnancy bump). The realisation that she needs not to be single by then kicks starts Operation rent-a-guy, which is the brain child of Sam's hairdresser who happens to know just the person for the gig: very dishy but "currently-between-jobs" actor Jake.
From the moment the plan is set in place I found myself either chuckling gently or properly laughing out loud at the situations Sam and her fellow characters found themselves in.  Having arranged to meet up in a neutral venue, the local dog rescue, Jake's first sighting of Sam is of her being paired up with the most uncontrollable but loveable pooch named Tank courtesy of a rather jealous rescue centre worker.  I won't spoil things by going into detail but suffice to say Sam doesn't end up looking her best when she gets to introduce herself.  Despite this, Sam and Jake seem to rub along okay and Jake agrees to go to Scotland with Sam, posing as her new love interest - on the understanding that this is purely a business agreement.
I did find the story to be fairly typical of its genre by being a quite predictable storyline but this is totally forgivable with the quality of the writing and sheer quantity of comedy moments throughout, some of which left me quite literally crying with laughter.
The run up to the wedding provides plenty of opportunities for Jake to meet with Sam and Liam's families and friends which in turn throw up the question as to whether people believe them to be a genuine couple, with Sam worrying about lying to her best friend and being tempted to reveal the truth on more than one occasion. Jake's acting skills seem to be sufficient to have everyone convinced - including Sam - although I as a reader became rather irritated by his habit of winking so much that he appeared to have a nervous twitch at one point. But why should he be nervous? He's an actor so playing the role shouldn't be an issue, but what is it that is making Jake send Sam mixed messages when they are alone together? This guy clearly has hidden depths and Sam has a gut feeling that he has issues in his life which he is trying to avoid - but why should he confide in her when theirs is only a business arrangement?
With yet another comedy canine in the mix and unexpected events at the church threatening to spoil The Big Day there's plenty going on to distract people's attention away from Sam and Jake's relationship - or should that be non-relationship? Is Sam reading more into things than she should as she spends more time with Jake or is he just a better actor than she thinks?
This is an easy to read, extremely fun novel which I would definitely recommend - after all, who can resist a cute pooch with a cheeky personality and a drop dead gorgeous owner who looks great in a kilt?  I haven't read any of Zara Stoneley's previous work but will certainly be considering her when I am next looking for a good comedy read.

My thanks to Netgalley, the publisher HarperImpulse and Rachel Gilbey of Rachel's Random Resources for the opportunity to read this book ahead of publication day and to be part of the promotional tour. My review is a reflection of my genuine thoughts of the book and is in no way influenced by having been provided as an advance review copy.

About the Author:

Zara Stoneley was born in a small village in Staffordshire and wanted to be James Herriot when she grew up. After completing an IT degree, working as a consultant, running a dog grooming business, teaching, and working at a veterinary practice she decided she had more than enough material to write several books even if she would never qualify as a vet!

She lives in Cheshire with her family and a very bossy cat, and loves spending time in sunny Barcelona.

Social Media Links:

Website

http://www.zarastoneley.com

Twitter

zarastoneley

Dead If You Don't by Peter James #Review #NetGalley @peterjamesuk @panmacmillan

Dead If You Don't by Peter James

Publication Date: 17th May 2018

Publisher: PanMacMillan

Genre: crime, adult fiction

400 pages

Book Description:

Shortly after Kipp Brown and his teenage son, Mungo, arrive at the Amex stadium for their team's biggest-ever football game, Mungo disappears. A short while later Kipp receives a text with a ransom demand and a warning not to go to the police if he and his wife want to see their son alive again. But as a massive, covert manhunt for the boy and his kidnappers begins, Detective Superintendent Roy Grace starts to realize that not all is what it seems.

My Thoughts:

It's a good few years since I stumbled across the first in Peter James brilliant 'Dead' series Dead Simple, in my local bookshop. I was hooked on the series for a long while however got to the point where I couldn't keep up with the regular instalments being published due to the way my reading habits had changed - my fault entirely and definitely no reflection on the quality of the author's work. When I saw 'Dead If You Don't' available for request on Netgalley I decided it was time to dive back into the murky world of Brighton's crime scene. 
Straightaway I was whisked into Peter James' flowing writing style.  He is so easy to read and despite there being an ongoing back story to the series I didn't feel as if I was missing anything too major in reading this latest novel as a standalone.  The regular characters are still there with their individual personalities still coming through strongly especially the wonderfully politically incorrect Norman Potting with his inappropriate brand of humour and sometimes cringe-worthy remarks, and the quirky Home Office Pathologist Frazer Theobold who is described as the slowest and most pedantic man in the job.  Roy Grace's ongoing relationship with his boss Cassian Pewe continues to be an issue which many readers will be able to relate to as  no matter how much Grace goes above and beyond the call of duty he only seems to garner criticism and threats of suspension from the senior officer.
We have lots of threads of story in the first half of the book: a young girl in search of a better life in foreign lands; a bomb threat at Brighton's biggest football stadium and the kidnap of a teenager at the same location which seems too much of a coincidence to not be connected; a successful local businessman with a gambling problem and a streak of bad luck which seems neverending; the Mr Big of the Albanian community in the area with a penchant for torturing anyone who upsets him.  How all these things could possibly be linked seems pretty incredible early on in the book but bit by bit the author cleverly weaves the threads of the plot tighter and tighter until you are left thinking how you could possibly have missed the clues which were staring you in the face all along.  The sense of time running out is palpable as the book draws to a close and I felt myself edging closer to the edge of my seat as I read - the description of Potting's erratic driving adds to the adrenalin fuelled events which come to a very satisfying conclusion which I felt brought together all the loose ends and tied them off very neatly.
Peter James continues to be one of the UK's top crime writers in my opinion. His ability to write a series which is as good in book 14 as it was in the book 1 is worthy of the highest praise, and I am excited to hear that he has signed up to provide us with further cases from the Brighton and Hove crime team - I can't wait!!!

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher PanMacMillan for the opportunity to read and review this excellent book ahead of publication date.

About the Author:

Peter James is the international bestselling author of many award-winning novels. His Detective Superintendent Roy Grace series, set in Brighton, has been translated into thirty-seven languages with worldwide sales of over eighteen million copies, and has given him eleven consecutive Sunday Times number ones. In 2015 WHSmith customers publicly voted him the Greatest Crime Author of All Time and in 2016 he became the recipient of the coveted CWA Diamond Dagger lifetime achievement award for sustained excellence. Peter has also written a short story collection, A Twist of the Knife, and his standalone titles include Perfect People and The House on Cold Hill. He has also co-written a non-fiction account of Brighton’s toughest cases with former detective Graham Bartlett entitled Death Comes Knocking. The Perfect Murder, Dead Simple and Not Dead Enough have all been turned into smash-hit stage plays. All his novels reflect his deep interest in the world of the police. Three of his novels have been filmed and before becoming a full-time author he produced numerous films, including The Merchant of Venice, starring Al Pacino and Jeremy Irons. He divides his time between his homes in Notting Hill, London and near Brighton in Sussex.

Social media links:

Website

http://www.peterjames.com

Twitter

peterjamesuk ‏

The Things We Need To Say @bookish_yogi @HQstoriesDigitalUK @rararesources #PublicationDay

Woo hoo! It's publication day for Rachel Burton's new novel The Things We Need To Say: An emotional, uplifting story of grief and hope.

The Things We Need to Say by Rachel Burton

384 pages

Genre: Womens Fiction

Book Description:

Sometimes the things we never say are the most important.

Fran loves Will with all her heart. They had a whirlwind romance, a perfect marriage and a wonderful life. Until everything changed. Now Fran needs to find her way again and teaching a yoga retreat in Spain offers her just that. Leaving behind a broken marriage she has some very important decisions to make.

Will needs his wife, he needs her to open up to him if they’re to ever return to the ways things once were. But he may have damaged any possibility he had of mending their relationship and now Fran is in Spain and Will is alone.

As both Fran and Will begin to let go of a life that could have been, fate may just find a way of bringing them back together.

 Perfect for fans of Katie Marsh, Amanda Prowse and Sheila O’Flanagan

Purchase on Amazon UK - http://amzn.to/2kLqSYL

About the Author:

Rachel Burton has been making up stories since she first learned to talk. After many false starts she finally made one up that was worth writing down.

After graduating with a degree in Classics and another in English, she didn't really know what to do when she grew up. She has worked as a waitress, a paralegal and a yoga teacher.

She has spent most of her life between Cambridge and London but now lives in Leeds with her boyfriend and three cats. The main loves of her life are The Beatles and very tall romantic heroes.

Her debut, The Many Colours of Us, was an Amazon Kindle bestseller. Her second novel, The Things We Need to to Say, is released on 11 May 2018. She is currently working on her third novel in which the heroine follows the love of her life to live in a city in northern England. It has no autobiographical elements at all.....maybe.

Find her on Twitter & Instagram as @bookish_yogi or search Facebook for Rachel Burton Author. She is always happy to talk books, writing, music, cats and how the weather in Yorkshire is rubbish. She is mostly dreaming of her next holiday....

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/rachelburtonauthor/

Twitter - https://twitter.com/bookish_yogi

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/bookish_yogi/

One Summer In Rome by Samantha Tonge #BlogTour #Review @rararesources @HQDigitalUK

One Summer in Rome by Samantha Tonge

HQ Digital

Genre: Romance, women's fiction

**Publication Date: 9th May 2018**

Book Description: 

To Rome...with love?

Mary Smith is turning her very ordinary life upside-down! She’s bought herself a one-way ticket to Rome and is ready for a summer she’ll never forget.

Men might be off the cards for waitress Mary, but within hours of arriving at the utterly charming family-run La Dolce Vita pizzeria, she’s already fallen in love with the bustling capital!

Only Dante Rossi, the mysterious (and drop-dead gorgeous) chef seems displeased with her arrival. And in the heat of the kitchen, it doesn’t take long for long-buried secrets to surface and sparks to fly…

A deliciously heartwarming romance to have you dreaming of summer. Perfect for fans of Debbie Johnson and Caroline Roberts.

My Thoughts:

Mary has been disappointed in love and has decided to be brave and move to Rome for the summer.  She has arranged a job, courtesy of her friend Sarah who has been working there for the previous few months in a pizzeria. It's a live-in position so she has no worries about accommodation and she knows the background of the position and the family who she will be working for from Sarah.  It's a huge step for Mary but one she feels she needs to take in order to take charge of her life.
Things don't go as smoothly as she hopes though when she is greeted by the glowering figures of the owner's son Dante and waiter Rocco, neither of whom seem happy to have her on board. The rest of the family especially young Lucia, her mum Nathalie and her granddad Alfonso more than make up for the disappointment and welcome her into the fold of the Dolce Vita pizzeria.
Before long Mary realises that all is not happy within the walls of the restaurant and finds out that a rival restaurant owner is doing her best to topple the Dolce Vita from the local Top Ten list of places to eat and essentially threaten the very existence of the Dolce Vita.  Mary puts her plan to be an accepted member of the team into action and sets to the task of saving Dolce Vita and the Rosso family from the spite of the rival owner. Although she knows there are facts surrounding the Rosso family being kept secret from her, Mary works to get the restaurant noticed for all the right reasons. One by one the skeletons tumble from the closet and Mary gains the confidence and trust of each of the people she has been struggling to befriend.
I love the way Mary uses the disappointment of her life back in England to make new resolutions for a better life for herself and her new found substitute family. 
The author creates a beautiful setting for the restaurant and the characters all have a degree of mystery about them to make what could have been a very shallow read into something with far more substance which makes this a thoroughly enjoyable read which still manages to keep an air of escapism within its pages.
The descriptions of the food, the picturesque setting and the ability of the writer to portray the feeling of the heat of the sun on your back make you yearn for a trip to Rome in order to meet the typically Italian Rosso family. When's my flight...?

Purchase from Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/2rrwXfT

About the Author:

Samantha Tonge lives in Cheshire with her lovely family and a cat who thinks it’s a dog. When not writing she spends her days cycling, willing cakes to rise and avoiding housework. She has sold over 80 short stories to women’s magazines. Her bestselling debut novel, Doubting Abbey, was shortlisted for the Festival of Romantic Fiction best Ebook award in 2014. Game of Scones hit #5 in the UK Kindle chart and won the Best Romantic Ebook category at the 2015 Love Stories Awards.

Social Media Links

Twitter: https://twitter.com/SamTongeWriter

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SamanthaTongeAuthor

Website: http://samanthatonge.co.uk/