Lockdown by Peter May #book #review #bloggerbuybooks @authorpetermay

Lockdown by Peter May

Published by Riverrun

Publication Date: 30 April 2020

Genre: Dystopian, Thriller, Police Procedural

Book Description:

'They said that twenty-five percent of the population would catch the flu. Between seventy and eighty percent of them would die. He had been directly exposed to it, and the odds weren't good.'

A CITY IN QUARANTINE

London, the epicenter of a global pandemic, is a city in lockdown. Violence and civil disorder simmer. Martial law has been imposed. No-one is safe from the deadly virus that has already claimed thousands of victims. Health and emergency services are overwhelmed.

A MURDERED CHILD

At a building site for a temporary hospital, construction workers find a bag containing the rendered bones of a murdered child. A remorseless killer has been unleashed on the city; his mission is to take all measures necessary to prevent the bones from being identified.

A POWERFUL CONSPIRACY

D.I. Jack MacNeil, counting down the hours on his final day with the Met, is sent to investigate. His career is in ruins, his marriage over and his own family touched by the virus. Sinister forces are tracking his every move, prepared to kill again to conceal the truth. Which will stop him first - the virus or the killers?


Written over fifteen years ago, this prescient, suspenseful thriller is set against a backdrop of a capital city in quarantine, and explores human experience in the grip of a killer virus.

My Thoughts:

I put off buying this book at first when it published in the early days of the coronavirus pandemic. As an NHS worker the reality of dealing with the effects of a pandemic were more than enough to cope with without coming home and reading about a similar situation. But as the situation slowly came under control and the world adjusted to a new way of living my interest piqued and I decided to jump in.

It is amazing that Peter May wrote this with no experience of how life could be under lockdown, and I think he has represented that undercurrent of fear admirably.  Admittedly the circumstances in the book are (thankfully) far worse than we have experienced in reality but it is scarily possible how quickly things could change and we could find ourselves in exactly this position. The streets are under army control, there are strict curfews and anyone not authorised to be out after curfew are at risk of being shot - few questions asked. Which is why the police are so puzzled at how a holdall containing a child's bones came to be dumped in the newly dug foundations of an emergency hospital being constructed to try to cope with huge numbers of flu victims.

DI Jack MacNeil is the detective assigned to look into the case. World-weary, it's his final day on the force having seen the job take its toll on his marriage and personal life. He's had enough and the reality of the pandemic has made him look at his life and re-evaluate his priorities. It's not long before he has thrown himself into the investigation, calling in forensic odontologist and personal friend Amy to help work out the victim's identity. Wheelchair-bound after an incident at work, Amy uses her talents to recreate the young girl's features and becomes as obsessed with the case as Jack.

As the pair work together to find the person or people responsible it seems that they are getting close with their questions as both Jack and Amy's lives are put at risk. With help coming from an unexpected source their enquiries pay off, but not before shocking events can unfold which will have you gripped to the story and the edge of your seat.  

I would be amazed if this book isn't adapted for the screen imminently as it is relatable to international viewers with plenty of action and a personal side to the story which I haven't even touched on in this review as I don't think I can do it justice without giving spoilers. 

I didn't expect to enjoy this book as much as I did and had rattled through the whole thing in just over a day which I've not done in a very long time. Top marks to the author - especially as he wrote it 15 years prior to the current pandemic. Loved it!

About the Author:

Peter May had a successful career as a television writer, creator, and producer.

One of Scotland's most prolific television dramatists, he garnered more than 1000 credits in 15 years as scriptwriter and script editor on prime-time British television drama. He is the creator of three major television drama series and presided over two of the highest-rated serials in his homeland before quitting television to concentrate on his first love, writing novels.

Born and raised in Scotland he lives in France.

His breakthrough as a best-selling author came with The Lewis Trilogy. After being turned down by all the major UK publishers, the first of the The Lewis Trilogy - The Blackhouse - was published in France as L'Ile des Chasseurs d'Oiseaux where it was hailed as "a masterpiece" by the French national newspaper L'Humanité. His novels have a large following in France. The trilogy has won several French literature awards, including one of the world's largest adjudicated readers awards, the Prix Cezam.

The Blackhouse was published in English by the award-winning Quercus (a relatively young publishing house which did not exist when the book was first presented to British publishers). It went on to become an international best seller, and was shortlisted for both Barry Award and Macavity Award when it was published in the USA.

The Blackhouse won the US Barry Award for Best Mystery Novel at Bouchercon in Albany NY, in 2013.

The First Lie by AJ Park #book #review #NetGalley @orionbooks @AJParkauthor #TheFirstLie

The First Lie by AJ Park

Published by Orion Publishing

Publication Date 25th June 2020

Genre: Mystery & Thrillers

Book Description:

A freak accident. An impossible choice. But what was...

THE FIRST LIE

When Paul Reeve comes home to find his wife in the bathroom, bloodied and shaking, his survival instinct kicks in.

Alice never meant to kill the intruder. She was at home, alone, and terrified. She doesn't deserve to be blamed for it. Covering up the murder is their only option.

But the crime eats away at the couple and soon they can't trust anyone - even one another...

My Thoughts:

The First Lie. An interesting title. Paul Reeve, well-respected barrister and husband to Alice. He arrives home to find his house in darkness and half a dozen missed calls on his mobile from Alice. Both of those things set the alarm bells ringing. His front door is open and his gut instinct is that something bad has happened. That instinct is proven right as he finds Alice upstairs, covered in blood and a dead man in his bathroom. For some totally bizarre reason Paul decides not to call the police but to dispose of the body and cover up any sign that the  man was ever in the house: the first lie. Or is it?

This is a twisted psychological tale, portrayed from 3 points of view: the Reeves themselves and the detectives, Wright and Hillier, who are called in to investigate an apparent serial killer who it transpires graduated from the same law school as Reeve. Paul starts to sweat more than a little when the detectives come knocking at his door but is relieved to hear that they are not there for the reason he initially thought.
The pressures of what Paul and Alice did that night slowly eat away at both of them, with Alice appearing to suffer some kind of breakdown while Paul loses himself in a prestigious new job as the youngest ever Circuit Judge. They each begin to question how much they can trust one another and cracks start to show in their relationship - unsurprisingly given what a huge secret they are hiding.

I found some aspects of the story towards the end of the book a little far-fetched but as long as you keep in mind that this is not real life and just go with the flow, this is a nerve jangler of a psychological thriller.
The final chapters kept me turning the pages well past my bedtime and I found the whole book quite reminiscent of 'Gone Girl' - whether this is a good thing or not will depend entirely on your personal view.  I myself enjoyed it but wanted to strangle both of the Reeves at various points and for different reasons. I thought there could have been more character development with the detectives, however I don't know whether there is a follow up book planned which could explain why this is the case and if there is I would certainly sign up to read it.

About the Author:

A.J. Park is the author of The First Lie, published by Orion Fiction. The paperback was released on June 25th 2020. A second psychological thriller will arrive in July 2021. The translation rights to The First Lie have been sold to publishers in Germany, Slovakia and the Czech Republic.

A.J. Park's real name is Karl Vadaszffy. Karl Vadaszffy is the author of three novels: The Missing, which was twice a Kindle top ten bestseller in the UK, peaking at number 6, as well as a number one bestseller in Australia, Sins of the Father and Full of Sin. He is also a freelance journalist and the Head of English at a secondary school in Hertfordshire.

Social Media Links:

Website: www.karlvad.com

Follow him on Twitter: @AJParkauthor and @KarlVad
Facebook: KarlVadaszffy
Instagram: AJPark_author

I Know The Truth by MA Comley @BOTBSPublicity @ComleyMel #IKnowTheTruth

Happy Publication Day! The First Lie by AJ Park @orionbooks @annecater @AJParkauthor #TheFirstLie

The First Lie by AJ Park

OUT TODAY!!

Published by Orion Publishing

"Fast-moving, gripping, the ground shifting perpetually beneath your feet as you read... I read it in one sitting."
Alex Marwood

A husband and wife cover up a murder. But the lie eats away at the fabric of their relationship and things unravel till they can't trust anyone - even each other.

A freak accident. An impossible choice. But what was the first lie?

"A great thriller that will keep you turning the pages late into the night."
Luca Veste

When Paul Reeve comes home to find his wife in the bathroom, bloodied and shaking, his survival instinct kicks in.

Alice never meant to kill the intruder. She was at home, alone, and terrified. She doesn't deserve to be blamed for it. Covering up the murder is their only option.

But the crime eats away at the couple and soon they can't trust anyone - even one another...

But there is much more at stake than anyone realises - and many more people on their trail than they can possibly evade...

"This is a real page-turner. I finished it in one go!"
Martina Cole

"A. J. Park is a master of suspense who knows how to keep readers hovering tensely over the edges of their seats." 
Sophie Hannah

Available as a paperback, ebook and audio book.

Buy your copy here:

Waterstones Paperback: http://tidd.ly/553cdf07

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2KNl4rt

Sunny Days and Sea Breezes by Carole Matthews @carolematthews #SunnyDaysandSeaBreezes #NetGalley

Sunny Days and Sea Breezes

Published by Little, Brown Book Group UK (Sphere)

Publication Date: 25 June 2020

Womens Fiction

My huge and most sincere thanks to the publisher for approving my Netgalley request to review this book ahead of publication. 

Book Description:

Jodie Jackson is all at sea, in every sense.

On a ferry bound for the Isle of Wight, she's leaving her London life, her career, and her husband behind. She'd like a chance to turn back the clocks, but she'll settle for some peace and quiet on her brother Bill's beautifully renovated houseboat: Summer Days.

But from the moment Jodie steps aboard her new home, it's clear she'll struggle to keep herself to herself. If it isn't Marilyn, who does for Bill and is under strict instructions to look after Jodie, then it's Ned, the noisy sculptor on the next-door houseboat. Ned's wood carving is hard on the ears, but it's made up for by the fact that he's rather easy on the eyes.

Bustled out of the boat by Marilyn and encouraged to explore with Ned, Jodie soon delights in her newfound freedom. But out of mind isn't out of sight, and when her old life comes knocking Jodie is forced to face reality. Will she answer the call or choose a life filled with Summer Days and Sea Breezes?

My Thoughts:

Once again Carole Matthews proves why she tops the bestseller charts so often.

My favourite books of Carole's are those set by the coast, somehow I just feel she captures the atmosphere of a stroll along a beach no matter what the weather. I could almost smell the sea as I soaked up the storyline between the residents of Cockleshell Bay.

Jodie has clearly been through the wars as she sets off across the channel on a cold, blustery ferry. I liked that we had no preconceived ideas of what those traumas might be at the start of the book and were introduced to them gradually, as were the other residents of the Isle of Wight town. It's almost as though Jodie couldn't bring herself to tell us until she was ready which I felt was really clever writing - it would have been so easy to just blurt it all out at the start, but this way I felt far more like one of the cast of characters getting to know Jodie as she rebuilt her confidence. After her initial desire to lock herself away and lick her wounds had begun to wear off, the beauty of the setting soon pulled Jodie out of her slump and she slowly began to get curious about the place she's staying. The descriptions of the area are absolutely gorgeous and had me yearning to travel to the coast - a feeling even more tormenting than usual as we are currently in lockdown.

My favourite character of all -even more than sexy Ned, surprisingly - was the wonderful Marilyn; loud, bright, in your face and take her as you find her I reckon everyone should have a friend like Marilyn. With her mixed metaphors and general quirkiness it wasn't long before Jodie couldn't help but thaw her initial frosty reception towards the cleaner that Jodie's brother Will had employed to keep an eye on the houseboat (and Jodie, unbeknown to him when he took her on).

The story flowed easily as Jodie took Marilyn's advice (can you do anything otherwise?!) and ventured out for a stroll on the beach, meeting locals who would eventually turn out to be just the people she needed around her. Ned's so laid back he's beyond horizontal and his easy manner lulled Jodie into his confidence, building their relationship on the trusting foundation she was desperate for. Local café owner Ida was a different story and the friction between the two took longer to thaw - with the help of living statue gorgeous George.

The story was perhaps a little predictable, but all the positives cancelled this way out. The humour Carole always manages to inject into her storytelling is there once again, and I almost fist pumped the air with pride at the way Jodie dealt with one of the issues which had caused her to run away. The other issue I felt was handled with respect and suitable sympathy, and was equally well written. Huge respect to a writer who can cover all these bases - and all in one book! 

About the Author:

Carole Matthews is the Sunday Times bestselling author of thirty-two novels, including the Top Ten bestsellers Let's Meet on Platform 8, A Whiff of Scandal, For Better, For Worse, A Minor Indiscretion, With or Without You, The Cake Shop in the Garden, Paper Hearts and Summer Kisses, A Cottage by the Sea, The Chocolate Lovers' Club, The Chocolate Lovers' Christmas, The Chocolate Lovers' Wedding, Million Love Songs and her current novel, Christmas Cakes & Mistletoe Nights. Carole has also been awarded the RNA Outstanding Achievement Award. Her novels dazzle and delight readers all over the world.

For all the latest news from Carole, visit www.carolematthews.com, follow Carole on Twitter (@carolematthews) and Instagram (matthews.carole) or join the thousands of readers who have become Carole's friend on Facebook (carolematthewsbooks).

Can I Give My Husband Back? By Kristen Bailey #netgalley #book #review @bookouture @mrsbaileywrites

Can I Give My Husband Back? by Kristen Bailey

Published by Bookouture

Publication Date: 19th June 2020

Genre: Womens Fiction/Humour

Book Description:

It’s normal to prefer getting a filling at the dentist’s to spending time with your husband, right?

I thought I was sorted on the life front. I was a heart surgeon with a loving partner and two gorgeous little girls. Except my husband’s version of ‘loving’ is lying, cheating and sleeping his way around London. Which means I definitely deserve a refund.

Unfortunately, moving on isn’t that simple. Just because I know how to operate on a heart doesn’t mean I know how to fix my broken one. Plus, I lost the receipt for him years ago so I’m definitely getting short changed.

But now I’m single, am I ready to mingle? There are a few minor issues:

1) The last time I went on a date double denim was in fashion and my eyebrows were horrendously overplucked.
2) Men wear stupidly skinny jeans now.
3) I don’t know how to use dating apps but at least I don’t have to get changed out of my pyjamas.
4) Sometimes the most promising thing you have in common with a guy is a shared love of prawns.
5) I don’t know whether to open a date with ‘hi’ or ‘hello’ or ‘hey’ and once I ended up saying ‘howdy’.

Everything happens for a reason, they say. There’s plenty more fish in the sea. But what happens when everything falls apart and you haven’t got a clue how to go fishing?

My Thoughts:

I didn't realise until after I had requested this book from Netgalley that there is another book 'before' it although it isn't exactly a series. The main characters of each book are sisters - they are a fierce bunch and I was going to say I pity any man marrying into the family, but the way Simon Chadwick has treated Emma soon put paid to any sympathy. 

We are introduced to Emma as she tries out the world of internet dating, guided by the more worldly of her sisters, Lucy. The text exchange we are privy to is hilarious but sadly the date is little short of a disaster, leaving Emma wondering whether she really is ready to return to the search for a partner.

Luckily for her, a close work colleague has other ideas and sets her up with someone she believes would be a good match, an anaesthetist named Jag.

 Alongside Emma's search for a love life, we also get the story of her ex husband and serial philanderer Simon. He really is unbelievably arrogant and the perfect representation of a sleazeball. Most people who have been through the process of divorce will be able to relate to the 'game' that he is playing and will love the scenes when karma comes calling to make him face his misdemeanours. His true colours are well and truly on display for all to see and this time there is no veneer of sleaze he can hide behind. He gets to feel the wrath of the Callaghan women good and proper and even his own mother questions his morals.

The sisters personalities are extremely diverse and perfectly drawn - I would love to have a cohort of loving siblings like these in my life. The storyline is relatable and its ups and downs will have you crying with laughter, feeling all warm and fuzzy with affection or angry enough to join Lucy in her personal crusade against Simon.

A fun look at the world of divorce and how to make a new life in the world of singledom.

About the Author:

Mother-of-four, gin-drinker, binge-watcher, receipt hoarder, enthusiastic but terrible cook. Kristen also writes. She has had short fiction published in several publications including Mslexia & Riptide. Her first two novels, Souper Mum and Second Helpings were published in 2016. In 2019, she was long listed in the Comedy Women in Print Prize and has since joined the Bookouture family. She hopes her novels have fresh and funny things to say about modern life, love and family.

You can find out more about her at her website: www.kristenbaileywrites.com.
You can also find her on Twitter (@mrsbaileywrites), Instagram (@kristenbaileywrites) and Facebook

River Rats by Andy Griffee @annecater @AndyGriffee #BlogTour #book #review #RiverRats #randomthingstours @OrphansPublish

River Rats by Andy Griffee

Published by Orphan Press

Publication Date June 2020

My thanks to Anne Cater at Random Things Tours for the opportunity to be part of the tour for Andy Griffee's second instalment of his canal-based thriller series.

Book Description:

Book two in the Johnson & Wilde series, featuring journalist Jack Johnson set in the city of Bath, where a war is raging between narrowboat dwellers and property moguls

Jack Johnson has a talent for trouble - wherever he goes on his narrowboat, it seems to follow him. Moored up on the River Avon in the beautiful Georgian surroundings of Bath, he's working at the local paper when a prominent magistrate and heritage campaigner is attacked and drowned. Could it be a serial killer copying the Canal Pusher? Or a biker gang who swore revenge on the magistrate? Against his wishes, Jack is pulled into the investigation by his ambitious editor who wants the scoop. Jack and his friend, the war widow, Nina, have also been drawn into another struggle. The moorings of a small settled boating community sit alongside a huge former industrial site that property developers want to fill with luxury housing. Nearby residents are enlisted to petition against the boat people, and as the campaign spirals out of control, lives are threatened. Who is helping their enemies? Another gripping tale of corruption and intrigue from the riverbank, full of dark waters and deadly secrets.

My Thoughts:

The second of the Johnson & Wilde mystery crime series has been eagerly awaited in my home since reading Canal Pushers earlier this year. I was due to see the author alongside fellow crime writer Stephen Booth at an event at my local library in May which has sadly been rescheduled like many things due to the coronavirus. The new date is firmly fixed in my diary - 7th October at The Hive in Worcester if you would be so kind as to come along and support two excellent Midlands authors.

My initial thoughts when I received the book were to wonder what the title signified. The hero of the first book Jack Johnson has settled in to a new mooring on the waterways in the beautiful city of Bath. His partner in crime Nina Wilde is still deflecting any hope Jack has of a closer relationship with her but the two of them remain firm friends. Jack's finances are looking steadier than they have for a while as he writes a column for the Bath Chronicle newspaper on a regular basis - this together with income from the book he wrote based on his very close encounter with the serial killer branded by the media as the Canal Pusher see him able to afford a nice mooring spot for his boat 'Jumping Jack Flash' and ease the financial pressures which introduced him to life on the water in the first place. It is Jack's editor at the newspaper, Ben Mockett, who is responsible for his involvement in the story which leads him onto a dangerous path. Local magistrate Rufus Powell has been found dead in the river following a meeting at Bath's Georgian Fellowship, a group which campaigns for the preservation of the city's outstanding architecture. Ben immediately jumps to the conclusion that Bath has its own version of the Canal Pusher and avidly sets Jack to work looking out for evidence that he is right. Jack is less than enthusiastic, but during his own research on the subject of Mr Powell's untimely death uncovers another newsworthy story: the redevelopment of a former industrial site alongside the river. It's not long before Jack is considering the possibility that the two stories are linked when some of the facts appear to overlap.

Jack befriends the owners of a small group of boats which have moorings near the entrance to the former Tiller & Brown site, discovering that they bought the permanent moorings from the site owners around the time the business closed. Not all of them are keen to interact with him at first - they are wary of strangers due to the fact the group is the target of property developers who want them to move on - but once they realise Jack is on their side and wanting to make their voice heard in the local newspaper, they soon take him to their hearts. Jack is soon making enemies on the other side of the fence though: the new owners of the site who have influential Russian ancestry, the local police, councillors and ultimately his boss at the Chronicle amongst them. I have to say that when things took a more dangerous turn I did begin to wonder whether Jack, Nina and the boat people would even survive the developers' campaign let alone manage to stay on at their moorings. 

This is a wonderful tale of journalistic persistence, corruption in high places and the value of friendship. The characters are as diverse as you can imagine, from a single mum trying to do her best for her children to a retired academic who has turned his narrowboat into a floating library of literary treasures. Throw the local Hell's Angels Chapter into the mix and this really is a varied cast. The support of another fabulous character, a resident in one of the nearby blocks of apartments, proves invaluable in terms of both friendship and in the fight against the developers.  A cameo appearance from Jack's best friend and thespian Will Simpson is always welcome and very amusing too. The thread of this book which really made me take it to my heart was that of comradeship among the boat community; how no matter how different the individual lifestyles of those living aboard the boats, the care and support they show one another is admirable. Nobody is judging anyone, they all live companionably alongside one another. 

I can wholeheartedly recommend this series to just about everyone - you have a fairly gritty crime as a good basis to the book, a nice mystery to keep you scratching your head and a cosy friendship group looking out for one another to give the whole tale a balanced feel. A really nice all-rounder with nothing too gory to put anyone off.

Book three looks to move along the waterways to a new base in Oxford and I can't wait to find out what awaits Jumping Jack Flash and its crew next.

“An exciting new crime series, with an intriguing setting and a central character who drew me right into his world from the start”  Stephen Booth, author of the acclaimed Cooper & Fry series.

About the Author:

Andy Griffee is a former BBC journalist and media consultant with a fascination for stories. He began his journalism career at the Bath Evening Chronicle, and then spent twenty-five years at the BBC, culminating in his role as Editorial Director of the redevelopment of Broadcasting House. Andy lives in Worcestershire and, when he isn’t writing, rears rare breed pigs, struggles to keep a 1964 Triumph Spitfire on the road and enjoys hiring narrowboats with his wife Helen.

Social Media Links:

Instagram: @andygriffee

Twitter: @AndyGriffee

The Little Shop In Cornwall by Helen Pollard #NetGalley #book #review #TheLittleShopinCornwall @helenpollard147 @bookouture

The Little Shop In Cornwall by Helen Pollard

Published by Bookouture

Publication Date 15th June 2020

Genre: Womens Fiction

Book Description:

Come and spend the summer in a charming village by the sea. Breathe in the crisp, salty air, slip off your shoes and feel the golden sand beneath your feet…

Claudia has never regretted leaving her corporate city life behind and escaping to this piece of coastal paradise. With her cheeky cat Pudding by her side, she has built a community of loyal friends who feel more like family. Her shop at the end of the beach road is full of things that bring joy to locals and visitors alike. Life has finally settled into a perfect, comfortable rhythm.

That is until widower Jason moves to town with his teenage daughter Millie, looking for a new start for both of them. Millie is instantly drawn to the delights of Claudia’s shop and her free-spirited way of life. However, practical architect Jason is less than thrilled about his daughter’s new interests. He doesn’t shy away from telling Claudia exactly what he thinks and sparks fly every time they meet.

But Jason and Millie aren’t the only newcomers this summer and life in the harbour, especially Claudia’s, is about to change in more ways than one. As circumstances throw Claudia into Jason’s path in increasingly unexpected ways, she begins to glimpse what lies beneath his fiery temper and sharp tongue. Claudia was sure her life was complete, but could something have been missing after all?

The only book you need in your beach bag this summer. Fans of Sarah Morgan, Cathy Bramley and Phillipa Ashley will be charmed by this seaside romance filled with warmth, humour and heart.

My Thoughts:

When you need to stop the world and get off for a while, what can be better than a nice easy read set at the coast in one of the most beautiful counties of England?  This book was just what the doctor ordered and I could almost smell the sea air as Helen Pollard described Claudia, lead character, taking a stroll along the beach having decided that the life she had in London was not what she had signed up for when she got married. She gathered everything she owned and set up shop (literally) in a little harbour town in south east Cornwall having divorced Lee and moved south to start afresh.

Healing Waves is her new age shop, a chilled out Aladdin's cave of wind chimes, healing crystals and oracle cards. Nestled next door to Sarah & Evelyn's bookshop 'The Porthsteren Page Turner' Claudia has settled in to her new life and is embracing her inner peace. Trade is picking up and she's beginning to feel confident that she made the right decision to move here. That is until new arrivals 14 year old Millie and her dad come crashing into her world.

Millie adores Claudia's shop, but dad Jason is extremely sceptical about the messages it is sending his vulnerable teenage daughter who has recently lost her mum. He thinks Claudia is trying to influence Millie, unsure of the nature of the items available to her in Healing Waves. The two adults clash on more than one occasion with Millie stuck in between the warring parties. Hostilities run hot and cold but it isn't until a rival shop opens up in competition with Claudia that Jason realises how innocent and well-meaning Claudia's intentions are - and just how much he would miss her if she were forced out of Porthsteren. Small town gossip threatens to ruin Claudia's dream but is it too late to patch up Jason and Claudia's fiery fall-outs?

This is a lovely feel-good novel, perfect to lift the mood which seems to have cast a cloud over many of us during the dreaded lockdown we have had to endure this year. The characters are very well drawn and with many myths about new age healing dispelled amongst the pages I found this to be an informative and enjoyable read.

About the Author:

As a child, Helen had a vivid imagination fuelled by her love of reading, so she started to create her own stories in a notebook.

She still prefers fictional worlds to real life, believes characterisation is the key to a successful book, and enjoys infusing her writing with humor and heart.

Helen is a member of the Romantic Novelists' Association and The Society of Authors.

You can find her online at:

http://facebook.com/HelenPollardWrites
http://twitter.com/helenpollard147