Ready For It by Nicola Masters #NetGalley #ReadyforIt @AmazonPub @NicolaMasterss #earc #bookreview

 

Ready For It by Nicolas Masters

Published by Amazon Publishing UK, Lake Union Publishing

Publication Date 14th February 2023

My thanks to the publisher for the opportunity to read this title via NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Book Description:

They’ve been best friends forever. But sometimes life moves on—whether you’re ready or not.

Growing up in a small town on the Cornish coast, Natalie and Fiona have always been besties. Then roommates. But now, with thirty looming on the horizon, it all seems to be falling apart. Fiona’s decided it’s finally time to move in with her long-term boyfriend, leaving Natalie wondering how on earth to pay the rent.

Just as she’s on the brink of despair, Natalie somehow lands her dream job, and surviving solo suddenly doesn’t seem so bad. But Fiona had set her sights on that same role. With Natalie’s career gain being Fiona’s loss, and Fiona finding her supposedly loved-up life less than the domestic bliss she’d hoped for, tensions boil over into a massive—embarrassingly public—confrontation.

The crack that’s appeared between them is threatening to widen. But as life takes them in different directions, will they be able to adapt, or is it time to move on?

My Thoughts:

I read this shortly after watching the TV adaption of Beth O'Leary's The Flatshare and the two styles of writing felt very similar to me and I thoroughly enjoyed both. I've not read Nicola's previous book Happy Happy Happy so wasn't sure what to expect however I will be looking out for her on the library/bookshop shelves in future.

Natalie and Fiona have been friends for as long as they can remember but as it does, life is leading them off in different directions, especially since Fiona's boyfriend Matt has asked her to move in with him. Impulsive Fiona has jumped at the chance but once the packing boxes are all stacked up at the flat she's been sharing with Natalie, Fiona starts to get the wobbles. Is she doing the right thing? It's a heart versus head thing. Then when Natalie gets the job that Fiona also interviews for, things start heading spectacularly downhill. 

I loved how we get to hear the two sides of the story from each of the girl's perspectives and in some ways I could see where they were each coming from. It's how relationships work - there are always different ways of viewing the same situations. But when you've been friends since childhood the disagreements you have 20 years later can no longer be settled by a playground game and it's no longer appropriate to ask your mum to sort things out. Whose side will you take - if indeed we need to take sides at all? Even though this is quite a light-hearted tale I still found myself considering what I would do in the girls' positions. And is Matt right in his reaction to things too? 

I found this to be a nice easy read which was plenty of fun but with some points to ponder too. Certainly an author to watch as I think she has lots more stories to share with us.

About the Author:

Nicola Masters grew up on the outskirts of London and studied English and drama at Goldsmiths. She had several jobs before becoming a novelist, including as a receptionist, an HR adviser and an admin assistant. She now lives on the north coast of Cornwall, where she enjoys swimming in the sea and spending time at the beach. Her first novel, Happy Happy Happy, was published in 2021.

The Only Suspect by Louise Candlish #hardbackbook #bloggersbuybooks #bookreview @louise_candlish @simonschusterUK

 

The Only Suspect by Louise Candlish

Published by Simon & Schuster

Publication Date 2nd February 2023

Book Description:

Wrong time. Wrong place. Wrong man.
 
Alex lives a comfortable life with his wife Beth in the leafy suburb of Silver Vale. Fine, so he’s not the most sociable guy on the street, he prefers to keep himself to himself, but he’s a good husband and an easy-going neighbour.
 
That’s until Beth announces the creation of a nature trail on a local site that’s been disused for decades and suddenly Alex is a changed man. Now he’s always watching. Questioning. Struggling to hide his dread . . .
 
As the landscapers get to work, a secret threatens to surface from years ago, back in Alex’s twenties when he got entangled with a seductive young woman called Marina, who threw both their lives into turmoil.
 
And who sparked a police hunt for a murder suspect that was never quite what it seemed. It still isn’t.
 
No one else could have done it. Could they?

My Thoughts:

I think I chose to read this book approximately one week too soon - I would have loved to have sat and read it in one sitting to completely immerse myself in the emotions of the characters as part of my week off work. Unfortunately, that wasn't the case so I had to chip away at the story either during my commute and in snatched sections throughout my working week which watered things down a tad, so if you get the opportunity to get settled in for a longer reading session this is the ideal book.

There are two timelines running throughout the book; there are the present-day chapters where Alex and his wife Beth are living comfortably together, albeit with the appearance of Beth's new best friend Zara casting a shadow over Alex's homelife, then there are the chapters from the summer of 1995 where a young guy named Rick is just starting to enjoy his freedom with his own flat (even if he does need a lodger to help pay the bills), a steady job and on the lookout for a longer term love interest. How the two timelines converge is a bit of a head-scratcher but things gradually become clearer as the facts are cleverly drip-fed to the reader. 

Don't expect any "big reveal" moments in this one though. You will think you know all about Rick and Alex, their histories and personalities as the chapters tick easily along, but Louise Candlish has kept us well and truly in the dark for a good part of the story and the eyebrow raising, jaw dropping moments keep on coming long after you think you've got things all figured out. There are some good-sized red herrings woven in which could potentially lead you off track and they aren't necessarily where you expect them to be placed. As a regular reader of this genre, I was well and truly tripped up by the clever plotting.

The characters are nicely drawn, with sufficient depth to make them believable - a couple of them you will get totally invested and be shouting at the pages as they make some decidedly dodgy decisions. Others are less likeable but will also have your frustration levels rising due to their questionable actions. 

This would be a terrific book for either a buddy-read or book club choice as there are so many topics for conversation and opinions to be had. One I most definitely recommend, so add it to your TBR list!

About the Author:

Louise Candlish is the Sunday Times bestselling author of fourteen novels. Our House, a #1 bestseller, won the Crime & Thriller Book of the Year at the 2019 British Book Awards, was longlisted for the 2019 Theakston Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year, and was shortlisted for the Goldsboro Books Glass Bell Award. It has been adapted into a major ITV drama made by Death in Paradise producers Red Planet Pictures. Louise lives in London with her husband and daughter. Visit her at LouiseCandlish.com or connect with her on Twitter @Louise_Candlish

Hold My Girl by Charlene Carr #NetGalley #e-arc #HoldMyGirl #bookreview @welbeckpublish @charcarr1

 Hold My Girl by Charlene Carr

Published by Welbeck Publishing UK

Publication Date 2nd February 2023

My thanks to the publisher for the opportunity to read this title in exchange for my honest opinion

Book Description:

TWO WOMEN. ONE BABY. A FIGHT LIKE NO OTHER.

Katherine has everything under control.

After years of struggling to conceive with her partner, Patrick, she finally gives birth to Rose, her IVF miracle child. But she's afraid that Rose may not be her daughter, her pale skin not matching Katherine's own.

Tess never got her happy ending.

Just like Katherine, she was also a hopeful IVF mother, but her daughter, Hanna, was stillborn. Now divorced, broke and stuck in a dead-end job, she's beginning to lose all hope.

But when Rose is ten months old, both women get a call from the fertility clinic. There was a mistake: their eggs were switched.

It will take a custody battle like no other to decide who will get to be Rose's mother – a battle that will push them both to the brink...

This is a story about what it means to be a mother, and the lengths we go to for the people we love.

My Thoughts:

This is a really tricky book to review without sounding in any way judgmental. Katherine and Tess are from completely different social standings, not through any fault of their own - it's just how life pans out. Both women have needed IVF support to conceive a child, but their outcomes are poles apart. 

To be in the position these families find themselves in when news of the switch becomes known is incomprehensible and I also felt strongly for the dad involved. In one way he is the only winner but to then have to support his wife, knowing that the baby she has carried and nurtured is still his but not hers must be tortuous. Our initial instinct is for the mums involved but what an awful position he also finds himself in.

The author covers the press intrusion and natural curiosity of close friends of the two women very well however I did feel that the whole story just skims the surface of what could potentially been a much deeper delve into everyone's reactions. There isn't much in the way of looking at the person who was responsible for the whole situation happening in the first place, that aspect feels very sketchy, and I feel the story could have gone deeper down that route to make the story more solid and maybe even more emotional if that could be possible. 

Without giving spoilers, the conclusion of the book was pleasing, and I feel any alternative would have been very disappointing. I admire the author for tackling such a sensitive issue but personally I think it could have had more potential with a few more tweaks.

About the Author:

Charlene Carr is the youngest of four children and the only girl. Living in a house full of boys taught her to fight for what she wants and to always reach higher (you have to when everyone in your family towers above you).

She spent much of her childhood creating elaborate, multi-faceted storylines for her dolls and reading under the blankets with a flashlight when she was supposed to be asleep.

A bit of a nomad, she’s lived in four countries and seven Canadian provinces. After travelling the globe for several years and working an array of mostly writing related jobs, she decided the time had come to focus exclusively on her true love—crafting stories.

Charlene is a novelist and stay-at-home mom: her two dream jobs. She lives in Nova Scotia, Canada and loves exploring the coastline of her harbour town with her husband and young daughter.

The Holiday Home by Daniel Hurst #NetGalley #TheHolidayHome #arc @bookouture @dhurstbooks

 

The Holiday Home by Daniel Hurst

Published by Bookouture

Publication Date 1st March 2023

Book Description:

The perfect holiday or the perfect nightmare…

I sit sipping champagne in the warm water, bubbles frothing around me as I admire the breath-taking view of gorgeous blue skies and mountains. I can’t believe I’m here, at this stunning holiday home. It’s to die for…

My best friend and her husband have invited me and my family to their lakeside property for the weekend, to experience their luxury lifestyle. I’m not envious of their wealth, although I know my husband Ryan is. All I want is to escape from our recent troubles and get my marriage back on track.

Then I overhear Ryan having a whispered conversation late one evening, and he says something that sends a shiver down my spine. In this beautiful paradise my whole world is turned upside down.

Just when I think things can’t get any worse, I discover a second secret. The truth is even more shocking than I imagine, and now I have no idea who to trust.

This was meant to be the perfect holiday, but someone isn’t going to survive it…

My Thoughts:

Kim and Nicola have been friends since their schooldays. Unfortunately, their partners don't rub along quite so well. Kim's husband Lewis is a successful business owner which brings with it a whole host of wonderful luxuries such as the woodland retreat in Scotland where the foursome are taking their children for a long weekend break. Nicola is looking forward to a nice relaxing break with her bestie, while Ryan is just hoping to get through the trip without thumping the arrogant Lewis on the jaw. The whole atmosphere changes though when an overheard conversation drops the biggest bombshell possible on the group - but who knows what, and is anyone going to act on the knowledge they have? 

The chapters are quite short and punchy, my only criticism was the "suspenseful cliffhanger" written at the end of the majority of these chapters I found to be quite annoying and unnecessary. There was sufficient information given without being spoon-fed how I was expected to be thinking.

Overall, the book was an easy read, maybe a little unbelievable in parts but I enjoyed trying to predict how the different players would react as the facts gradually became known to them. I felt sorry for the younger members of the families as their parents made some questionable decisions, but the author could have opted for worse outcomes for them, so I was content with how things concluded.

 If you've not read Daniel's work before this is a great example of his writing style and his back catalogue should keep you busy for some time!

About the Author:

Daniel Hurst was born in the northwest of England, a part of the world famous for its comedians, pasties and terrible weather. He has been employed in several glamorous roles in his lifetime, including bartending, shelf stacking and procurement administration, all while based in some of the most exotic places on the planet, like Bolton, Preston and South London.

Since following his lifelong passion for writing in 2020, he has amassed a loyal and devoted set of readers, and regularly has several books in the top 100 of the Psychological Thriller Charts on Amazon. His title The Passenger became the #1 selling psychological thriller in the UK in October 2021.

Airside by James Swallow @jmswallow #Airside #paperbackbooks #bookreview #bloggersbuybooks @welbeckpublish

 Airside by James Swallow

Published by Welbeck

Publication Date 8th December 2022

Book Description:

Stranded by a storm in the airside zone of a remote municipal airport, beleaguered businessman Kevin Tyler stumbles upon a bag of money that could be the solution to all his woes. There's just one problem – the money is part of a conspiracy of blackmail and murder, and those involved are willing to do anything to keep it...

My Thoughts:

This book is one I picked up in a local supermarket on impulse, and it is certainly not my usual type of read. It felt much more a book aimed at the male thriller market, more testosterone fuelled with gun-toting bad guys threatening to spoil our main character's already bad day. That said, my heart was racing as I followed Kevin's attempts to escape to a whole different life to that which his original plan had been.

We meet Kevin at the airport after a miserable, failed attempt at expanding his business into the European market; things get progressively worse as a storm comes in and restricts all flights in and out of the small German airport. We sit with him as he mulls over the change in fortunes his life has taken during the day. All his options seem to have disappeared over the horizon with the last flight back to the UK. But a trip to the restroom potentially changes everything if he can just stay under the radar until the next morning...

This is a story with great plotting which will have your adrenaline pumping as Kevin attempts to call in favours from his limited contacts at the airport. He's up against corruption and dodgy politics, not to mention those who are purely concerned with saving their own skins and his chances really don't look good. Is anyone on his side? Maybe not, but his enemies seem to have their own issues going on too which can only give Kevin a fighting chance, right?

I can't believe I have never heard of this author before. His writing achievements are impressive with BAFTA award nominations and numerous novels to his name. Airside has pinged James Swallow onto my radar of authors to watch and with a back catalogue of thrillers ready to read I think I'm going to be busy!!

About the Author:

James Swallow is a New York Times, Sunday Times and Amazon bestselling author, a British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) nominee, a former journalist and the award-winning writer of over fifty books, along with numerous scripts for video games, radio and television.

His Marc Dane novels are fast-paced action thrillers featuring a former MI6 field officer turned private security operative: NOMAD and EXILE.

The Family Game by Catherine Steadman @CatSteadman #TheFamilyGame #paperbackbooks #bookreview #booktwitter @simonschusterUK

 

The Family Game by Catherine Steadman

Published by Simon & Schuster

Publication Date: 29th September 2022

Book Description:

THE RULES

    1. Listen carefully
    2. Do your research
    3. Trust no one
    4. Run for your life
 
Harriet Reed is newly engaged to Edward Holbeck, the heir to an extremely powerful American family.
When Edward’s father hands her a tape of a book he’s been working on, she is desperate to listen.
But as she presses play, it’s clear that this isn’t a novel. It’s a confession to murder.
Feeling isolated and confused, Harriet must work out if this is all part of a plan to test her loyalty. Or something far darker.
Because this might be a game to the Holbeck family - but games can still be deadly.
 
READY OR NOT, HERE THEY COME . . .

My Thoughts:

I know they say you don't just marry your partner but also their family, but Catherine Steadman has taken this concept well and truly to the extreme in this novel. Thriller novelist Harriet has moved to the US to be with the love of her life Ed, who does seem just a little too good to be true to be honest. Call me old and cynical if you will but I don't believe anyone can be that perfect a partner - an opinion which comes into sharp focus when he introduces Harriet to his family. Straightaway the red flags are flying strongly when Ed's family rearrange Harriet's work diary to suit their request to meet her - I would have been out of there faster than Lewis Hamilton if faced with that scenario!

Then, having reluctantly agreed to go ahead with the meeting she has effectively been manipulated into, the events which Harriet is subjected to at the family pile (it's way beyond being called a home) leave her feeling traumatised. Does she walk away? No. Because Ed's father has dangled a big juicy carrot of a mystery in front of her; one which the thriller writer within her cannot resist trying to solve.

This is the point where I had to suspend reality while reading as I cannot believe anyone would get involved with Ed's family as deeply as Harriet willingly allowed herself to be. Every member of the family - and everyone who had ever been connected to them - has their own level of weirdness, but to tell you any more than this will just spoil the book. That's not to say I didn't enjoy the story, but it is rather a little too far-fetched for my liking. I didn't click with any of the characters, but I get the feeling that was the author's intention. While I kind of sympathised with Harriet to begin with, I ended up just wanting to shake her back into the real world by the end of the book.

If you're happy to go with the flow - in the way you would when the group in a horror film predictably decides to split up to look for clues/a way out/whatever - then this one will work for you. If not, you will end up throwing the book across the room in frustration! Not a book I would willingly subject myself to reading a second time, but it achieved what it set out to overall.

 

About the Author:

Catherine Steadman is an actress and author based in London. She has appeared in leading roles on British and American television but is perhaps best known for playing Mabel Lane Fox in the series Downton Abbey. As well as on screen she has also appeared in the West End where she has been nominated for a Laurence Olivier Award. Catherine lives in Hackney, North London.

Catherine's first novel, Something in the Water, was a number one New York Times bestseller with rights sold in over 30 territories. Film rights were picked up Reese Witherspoon's production company, Hello Sunshine, with Something in the Water becoming a Reeses's book club pick in the US and a Richard and Judy Book club pick in the UK.

Mr Nobody, her second novel, was listed as one of Newsweek's 20 Most Anticipated Books of 2020, and her third novel, The Disappearing Act, released in 2021, was number #1 in on the iTunes Audiobook chart.

The Mother by Yvette Edwards #paperback #bookreview #bloggersbuybooks @panmacmillan #TheMother

 

The Mother by Yvette Edwards

First Published by Mantle April 2016

This edition released 3rd March 2022 by Pan

Book Description:

Marcia Williams thought she knew her son. She thought he was safe. She was wrong . . .

Today, Marcia is heading to the Old Bailey. She's going there to do something no mother should ever have to do: to attend the trial of the boy accused of her son's murder.

She's not meant to be that woman; Ryan, her son, wasn't that kind of boy. But Tyson Manley is that kind of a boy and, as his trial unfolds, it becomes clear that it's his girlfriend Sweetie who has the answers Marcia so badly needs and who can – perhaps – offer Marcia some kind of hope for the future. But Sweetie is as scared of Tyson as Ryan should have been and, as Marcia's learned the hard way, nothing's certain. Not anymore.

My Thoughts:

What an emotional read! With knife crime an ever-present threat to our society this is a book I think everyone should read. It's the story of one family's battle to deal with the loss of a son through the selfish, mindless actions of a young man with little to lose.

Told from mum Marcie's point of view throughout we meet her as she attends court for the first day of the trial of the young man accused of killing her son Ryan. Her main desire is to find out one thing: why Ryan? Was it a targeted act or was Ryan just unfortunate to be in the wrong place at the wrong time?

We read of the devastating effect the crime has had on Ryan's close-knit family: there was only his mum, dad and his aunt. A small family group full of love and kindness. His mum now suffers from alopecia due to the stress of trying to cope, his dad is no longer able to work and lives in his own little world, struggling to even converse with his wife while going through the motions of getting up in the morning and making her a cup of tea which she can't face.

I felt every emotion with Marcie as I read: the anger, the attempt to make heartfelt excuses for the boy in the dock, the confusion when some of the evidence presented didn't even sound like they were describing Ryan. They didn't know him like she did - or did she even really know the young man he was growing in to?

This was a book which will stay with me for a long time, and despite being a work of fiction I'm sad when I realise that it must be the reality for so many families across the UK.

Excellent work from a writer with a superb talent.

About the Author:

Yvvette Edwards is a British author of Montserratian origin. Her debut novel, A Cupboard Full of Coats, was nominated for a number of literary awards including the Man Booker prize. Her second novel, The Mother, was published in 2016. She loves travel, dazzling autumn landscapes and carrot cake. She currently resides in London with her family.