The Second Wife by Sheryl Browne #Book #Review @bookouture #Netgalley @SherylBrowne

The Second Wife by Sheryl Browne

Published by Bookouture

Publication Date: 29 January 2019

Genre: Psychological Thriller

349 pages

Book Description:

She made her bed. You’ll lie in it.Rebecca only wanted to help out – to be kind. Richard seemed so alone after his wife, Nicole, died, and Rebecca wanted to make sure he knew he had someone to rely on.

But now she’s in Nicole’s immaculate house. Drinking from her favourite crystal wine glass. Keeping shoes in her orderly closet. Comforting her sweet and grieving step-daughter. It feels like Rebecca is living another woman’s life.

And as she gets to know the neighbours, Rebecca hears stories that make her wonder: was free-spirited Nicole happy in this perfect life, or did she feel trapped? Did she feel, as Rebecca is beginning to, that something wasn’t quite right?

The book everyone’s talking about! If you loved The Girl on the Train, The Wife Between Us and The Girl Before, you’ll be totally gripped and unable to put down this twisty page-turning psychological thriller.

My Review:

From the description of this book, I really wasn't sure whether I would like it or not.  It is compared to The Girl on the Train - which I didn't enjoy - and The Girl Before - which I absolutely loved.  For me, fortunately this book falls more in the category of the latter and it totally pulled me in and didn't let go until it spat me out at the end, feeling emotionally ravaged!
Told from several different points of view, the chapters are headed with which character is narrating and when, which keeps things nicely in order. There are also different time frames and all of this may put some people off, however there was never a point where I felt confused or needed to double check who was relating their part of the story as each of the characters is completely different.
It's certainly a rollercoaster of a book which switches pace from a whirlwind romance to hell on earth at the flick of a page. We have gaslighting, deceit, projection - you name the abusive behaviour, it's all in here - all topped off with a bit of sexual manipulation. What more could you possibly fit into a psychological thriller??
The whole book felt like a wardrobe stuffed to capacity, the latch of which only needed one slight nudge for all the secrets which had been straining to get out to all come tumbling down, one shock revelation after another.
I would highly recommend this book to the majority of readers, however there are lots of trigger subjects in here which maybe those who are sensitive to situations such as those mentioned earlier would be mindful to consider before they get started.
I feel this will definitely be one of my top 5 reads for the year.

Buy Your Copy of The Second Wife here from Amazon UK

About The Author:

Bestselling Author, Sheryl Browne, brings you powerful psychological thriller and contemporary fiction. Sheryl’s latest psychological thriller THE AFFAIR – the second of a three-book deal – comes to you from fabulous BOOKOUTURE. A member of the Crime Writers’ Association and the Romantic Novelists’ Association, and previously writing for award winning Choc Lit, Sheryl has several books published and two short stories in Birmingham City University anthologies, where she completed her MA in Creative Writing.

Social Media Links:

Website: www.sherylbrowne.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/SherylBrowne.Author/

Twitter: @SherylBrowne

BLOG TOUR ALERT! #Tainted by David Evans #BlogTour 7-12 Feb

Following on from the blog tour reviews featured on Sandie's Book Shelves back in November for the first 3 books in the series David Evans' latest novel, Tainted, featuring DI Colin Strong and his oldest friend Bob Souter is published later this week. Here's the book description as a taster ready for the blog tour which starts on publication day:

A botched attempt to extort money has tragic consequences.
An embarrassing DNA match to an unsolved rape and murder twenty years before means DI Colin Strong has to use his best diplomatic tactics.
Simultaneously, journalist Bob Souter is tasked with writing about that same case to re-focus public attention. Will the newspaper’s actions help or hinder the police?
Meanwhile, Strong’s team has two separate murder enquiries to run.
With their friendship under duress, will Souter and Strong be able to work together?

The Wakefield Series:

BLOG TOUR ALERT: Gallowstree Lane by Kate London @annecater @kate_katelondon @CorvusBooks

Find out what the early thoughts are on Kate London's contemporary crime novel Gallowstree Lane.

Follow the tour:

BLOG TOUR ALERT: Dead Pretty @CrimeCandy @annecater

Follow the tour from tomorrow for Candy Denman's Dead Pretty, the first in the Jocasta Hughes crime series:

Did I Mention I Was Getting Married? by Julie Butterfield @rararesources #Book #Review #BlogTour @juliebeewriter

Did I Mention I was Getting Married? by Julie Butterfield

Published 10 December 2018

313 pages

Genre: Humour, Romance

Book Description:

Two years ago Rebecca Miles won the lottery and ended her marriage to her overbearing and unpleasant husband Daniel. She had every intention of putting the past behind her and starting again, but it turned out to be so much more difficult than she had imagined. Then Daniel announces he is getting married again and as Rebecca broods over how he has found it so easy to move on her daughter phones with good news - she’s getting married too! Determined not to be left behind Rebecca throws caution to the wind and finally meets someone who can give her the new start she so desperately wants. Now her ex-husband is back in her life, the future Mrs Miles wants to be her best friend, she has her daughter’s wedding to plan and a ramshackle old wedding venue to renovate to its former perfection in just a few months, if only she can find a builder who will take on the job. There are challenges, surprises, love and heartbreak ahead but at the end of a long, hot summer, will there be any weddings?

Purchase link  - Did I Mention I Was Getting Married?

My Review:

Having thoroughly enjoyed the prequel to this book, Did I Mention I Won the Lottery? I was really keen to lose myself in the pages of this book. As I expected I quickly became engrossed in the storyline; it was like coming home to members of my family, familiar and welcoming with the occasional character who rubs you up the wrong way. 

I found this second book to have much more humour involved than the first instalment, as if the author has grown in confidence with this side of her writing.  When ex-husband Daniel phones to announce he is getting remarried, Rebecca has mixed feelings.  While she is pleased that he has moved on and has found a new partner she reflects on her own singleton status which up to now has not really been an issue for her.  Then daughter Sarah rings with an almost identical announcement it strikes her that everyone around her is moving on with their lives while she has happily 

been treading water.

With Daniel's prospective new wife determined that they are all to be one big happy extended family, she and Daniel invite themselves to stay at Rebecca's house.  Rebecca assumes this is Daniel's usual insensitive side wanting to show off his former lifestyle, which in fact he only shared for a matter of weeks before their decision to split but once they arrive it becomes clear that Annabelle is made from very much the same mould as Daniel and she wants to share in Rebecca's wealth too.

With two weddings to plan, the three women go wedding venue hunting and it soon becomes apparent that Sarah has fallen in love with one of the properties they view, as indeed has Rebecca.  In desperate need of TLC, Rebecca's business brain takes over and she seeks advice as to the viability of the property as a potential business opportunity. Then it's full speed ahead to get the place ready for Sarah's wedding, and the first task is to find a reliable and capable builder.

With all the pressure involved in renovating a sizeable property in a short timescale, the last thing Rebecca needs is distractions.  Unfortunately for her distractions seem to be lining up to ambush her at every turn, with friends attempting to set her up on dates, builders requiring decisions on materials, fixtures and fittings and to top it all her ex husband and his fiancée are more difficult to get rid of than any of the lingering aromas of damp in the old building.  With hilarious bridezilla moments, suspicions of crushes among her staff and the ever present ticking of the clock Rebecca wonders if she has bitten off more than she can chew this time.

Will they get the venue ready in time? Will Annabelle get her way (if she can actually make up her mind what she wants)? And what are Daniel's thoughts about it all? Will Rebecca be willing to pay the price for everyone to be happy, including herself?

This is definitely a book I would recommend if you want something light to escape into which will give you some giggles along the way.

About the Author:

Julie Butterfield belongs to the rather large group of 'always wanted to write' authors who finally found the time to sit down and put pen to paper - or rather fingers to keyboard and wrote Did I Mention I Won the Lottery? It should be pointed out this is a complete work of fiction and she did not in fact receive millions in her bank account and forget to mention it her husband - even though he still asks her every day if she has anything to tell him!
Her second book was Google Your Husband Back and the latest addition is Did I Mention I Was Getting Married? - which revisits Rebecca a few years after the lottery win which changed her life.

Juliebutterfield.co.uk  - website

@juliebeewriter twitter

Follow the Tour:

Did I Mention I Won The Lottery? by Julie Butterfield #Book #Review #BlogTour @rararesources @juliebeewriter

Did I Mention I Won The Lottery? by Julie Butterfield

Published 16 August 2018

Genre: Humour, Romance

244 pages

Book Description:

Rebecca Miles has won the lottery and is now living a millionaire lifestyle. The only problem is – she hasn’t told her husband. So at weekends she’s a dutiful wife in Darlington, working at the local deli and making shepherd’s pie for dinner, but during the week she’s living in her new mansion in Leeds spending her days shopping whilst her husband thinks she’s looking after her sick mother. Will she get the courage to tell him before he finds out for himself? And can several million pounds in your bank account save a failing marriage?

Purchase link – Did I Mention I Won The Lottery?

My Review:

When I first read the description of this book, I didn't imagine for one moment that I would like Rebecca's character.  In my mind I pictured a woman who was a bit of a gold-digger, perhaps a greedy woman who wanted to keep all her winnings to herself and move on from a marriage which would 'do for now' until something better came along. How wrong was I?? Right from the first chapter I could see straightaway why Rebecca would want out from her marriage to the obnoxious, loud, selfish being that was her husband Daniel.  My hackles rose the instant he walked into their home after work one evening with zero care for anyone or anything but himself. How on earth had someone as lovely as Rebecca ever fallen in love with this nasty man? 

I really enjoyed reading about how Rebecca slowly but surely started to believe that there was more to life than the existence she had as Daniel's wife.  Even her mum and best friends suggest that she deserves more than he has to offer - and this is before she has claimed her winnings, let alone told anyone that she is a multi-millionaire. Her work colleagues at the deli don't like him and the best friends from her old life back in Leeds who she has kept in touch with (against Daniel's wishes) seem twitchy whenever his name is mentioned.  

The scenes where Rebecca nervously phones the lottery claimline and her initial meetings with her bank manager are all so well-written; the emotions she goes through are described perfectly at each stage as she doesn't wholly accept the reality of being the owner of the ticket with all six winning numbers on - until she sees the numbers on her bank statement in black and white.  

As the weeks ticked by and Rebecca still hadn't told her husband (or anyone else for that matter) I really started to take her to my heart.  The little treats she indulged herself with to begin with are quite amusing when you think about just how many zeroes she had on her bank balance - in front of the decimal point - then suddenly she makes a huge decision on what her first really big purchase will be.  A big, gorgeous house. Chosen entirely by her. Not influenced in any way by Daniel for the first time in years.  From thereon spending money suddenly gets easier, unlike the task of telling her husband.

Eventually the announcement has to be made, and I felt rather proud of Rebecca in the way she handled her husband once the news of her win was out, but it seems that Daniel has news of his own which he is equally reluctant to share. Secrets which have been hidden for far longer than just the few weeks Rebecca has been living her double life.  Maybe her gut instinct to protect herself financially were well-founded after all.

There are some great characters in this easy to read, amusing, yet touching tale. Rebecca's mum and children are all lovely, sensible souls and the slightly less significant Mr Dickinson, her bank manager and Mrs Wendover, the manager of her mum's care home are both nicely rounded characters in the story about whom we know just enough information to fit their roles nicely as the story moves along.

This is a wonderful, feel-good story which will leave you feeling all warm and fuzzy by the time you reach its final pages, and I was delighted to know that the sequel to the story 'Did I Mention I was Getting Married' was sitting waiting on my kindle for me to dive straight into.

Follow the tour:

About the Author:

Julie Butterfield belongs to the rather large group of 'always wanted to write' authors who finally found the time to sit down and put pen to paper - or rather fingers to keyboard and wrote Did I Mention I Won the Lottery? It should be pointed out this is a complete work of fiction and she did not in fact receive millions in her bank account and forget to mention it her husband - even though he still asks her every day if she has anything to tell him!
Her second book was Google Your Husband Back and the latest addition is Did I Mention I Was Getting Married? - which revisits Rebecca a few years after the lottery win which changed her life.

#TheCouple - Exciting new blog tour coming soon. @bookouture