Jeremy Lewis has just returned from a year in Europe, ready to start college in Alabama and pursue his dream career in the National Hockey League. Other than boring school work, he’s eager to play hockey, hang out with his new teammates and maybe even rekindle an old flame when Chelsea unexpectedly reappears in his life. Life is looking pretty darn peachy. But when his parents are brutally murdered in a mass shooting, merely surviving each day feels like an achievement. How can he get through college and keep his budding career on track when all he wants to do is drink and squander his parent’s fortune? Can he convince Chelsea he’s a changed man when he seems so intent on his own destruction?
Lasairiona McMaster writes sassy, classy and badassy women and strong, yet vulnerable men. She challenges reader’s expectations by openly dealing with mental health issues, often exploring tough-to-handle topics and ‘taboos’ and books with a whole lotta heart. She can either be found enjoying a gin and lemonade by the Irish sea, or baking sweet treats in her kitchen while singing at the top of her lungs. When she’s ‘home’ in Texas, and isn’t eating fresh-popped popcorn while buying things she has absolutely no need for in Target, she can be found at Chuys eating her body weight in chips and queso and washing it down with a margarita swirl.
I received a copy of this book from the author in return for an honest review.
My Thoughts…
Eternal Forever is a cosy mystery with contemporary themes. It explores the possibility of leaving a legacy of yourself online after death, which is a thought-provoking concept. It has lots of characters whose connections are not immediately apparent. Themes of cyberbullying, reality celebrity and social media influencing draw the cast of characters together and shine the spotlight on the dangers of this online world.
At its centre is a murder and an amateur sleuth couple who investigate this. The mystery is well-written, and the contemporary edge makes this a cosy mystery for a wide audience.
Most people know crazy cat ladies are a ‘thing’, but I’m a proud crazy guinea pig lady! I love fun in the sun and plenty of cocktails. My happy place is flip flops. I write stories to keep me company – my characters ensure I’m never lonely and always smiling (when I’m not tearing my hair out!)
The Lawrence’s were the perfect family; successful, beautiful, and happy until one night their whole world was ripped apart. Detective Sergeant Jenna Morgan is called to investigate the suspected arson attack and death of the Lawrence family at the charred remains of their stunning home, Kimble Hall. The case takes a sinister turn as the body count fails to tally. Suspecting that someone may have survived the inferno, DS Morgan and her team need to discover whether they have a witness, or someone far more dangerous. Who set the fire? Who wanted this family extinguished beyond recognition? As the case progresses, DS Morgan realises she has a calculating, cold-blooded killer on her hands, and the race is on to track them down before they kill again.
I received a copy of this book from Boldwood Books via NetGalley in return for an honest review.
My Thoughts…
Another gripping blend of investigation and psychological suspense. There a dramatic beginning, and then the painstaking police procedural begins. The ending is fast-paced and adrenaline-inducing as DS Morgan tries to stop the killer.
This is an authentic detective thriller, and the pacing is part of this, slower where the investigation is struggling. The level of menace is high, and the psychological suspense keeps you guessing and on tenterhooks.
Jenna is a complex character, and we learn more about her as the series progresses. The police team dynamic is well-researched and believable.
Diane Saxon
Diane Saxon previously wrote romantic fiction for the US market but has now turned to writing psychological crime. Find Her Alive was her first novel in this genre and introduced series character DS Jemma Morgan. She is married to a retired policeman and lives in Shropshire.
The book that started it all! A classic retro romcom from #1 bestselling author Shari Low.
1999. Carly Cooper is 30, single, and after coming close to saying ‘I Do’ to six different men, she’s wondering if she accidentally said ‘goodbye’ to Mr Right. But there is a problem. Her ex-boyfriends are scattered all over the world and Carly lives in 1999; an era before Facebook, Google, smartphones, 4G and Broadband, when it was impossible to track people down with a few clicks of a mouse. On a mission to discover if she walked away from her ‘happy ever after’, Carly quits her job, her flat, her whole life and sets off on a quest to track down all the men she has ever loved. Her Mr Right is out there, but can she find him? And what if he’s moved on from the ex-girlfriend who said goodbye?
I received a copy of this book from Boldwood Books via NetGalley in return for an honest review.
My Thoughts…
With this book, you get the chance to revisit the nineties and eighties briefly and enjoy the first magic novel from this author. Carly on the eve of the millennium is wondering if she’s made the best of her life. Has she missed out on the one?
Carly is a likeable character, funny and self-deprecating and you empathise with her. She revisits old relationships (six) and then decides to find her former lovers to see if she made a mistake. This has hilarious, poignant and romantic results and is an entertaining read.
It’s a lovely book to explore the late twentieth century and escape this one for a little while.
What If? Shari Low – An Extract
Chapter 1
March 1999
Millennium – Robbie Williams
Oh, b**locks.
I love that word. It has a ‘don’t mess with me, I’m a hormonal lethal weapon’ ring to it. I’ve been muttering it dementedly since I got out of bed this morning, because I can’t think of a single thing that’s right with the world today.
I reach over to refill the kettle, dropping the arm of my dressing gown in last night’s dishwater and knocking over my ashtray in the process. It’s not going to be one of my better days. Before you start reaching for the telephone to summon a counselling service to my kitchen, can I just say that I’m having a midlife crisis. I look and feel like Liam Gallagher after a night on the tiles and I can tell you in years, months, days and minutes how long it is since my last sexual experience. But, according to every reputable (trashy) women’s magazine, this behaviour is typical of a single female of my age. One who’s having a midlife crisis, that is.
Do you ever think, ‘What if this is all there is to life?’ Do you ever contemplate your lot and wonder why you’re not a supermodel in Milan? Or the director of a multinational corporation? What about married to an international business tycoon with homes in seven countries? For the purposes of this ponderance, I’m going to ignore that I’ve got forty pounds on any supermodel, I have no cheekbones, zero entrepreneurial skills, I’m a hopeless commitment-phobe and I couldn’t handle seven houses because I get irritated having to run the Hoover round my tiny flat.
But all that aside, look at me now. I’m sitting at my breakfast table alone, having called in sick to work with an ever more ridiculous reason (‘I stubbed my toe in the garden’ isn’t a bad excuse, except that I live in a third floor flat), with absolutely nothing to look forward to except a chocolate croissant and a long linger over the latest edition of Hello! magazine.I can’t help thinking, ‘What if this is it?’ What if this is the way my life is going to be until I’m having Zimmer races up and down the corridor of my retirement home, flirting with old men and cheating at bingo?
I suppose I owe you an explanation for this sudden outpouring of self-pity.
My name is Carly Cooper. I’m careering towards my thirties at terrifying speed, and I pay an obscene portion of my monthly salary to live in a studio-cum-cupboard in the desirable area of Richmond, near London. I arrived here from my native Glasgow via a multitude of countries, adventures and disasters (mostly due to Mr Rights who inevitably turned out to be Mr Couldn’t Be More Wrongs). I’m 5’8”, with long blonde hair (extensions), blue eyes (coloured contact lenses) and ample curves (in many of the non-supermodel places).
I earn a great salary doing a job I detest and therefore spend every penny of it doing things I enjoy to take my mind off work. I am officially a National Accounts Manager for one of the world’s largest manufacturers of tissue-paper products. Translated, this means that I persuade buyers of large multinational companies to sign annual contracts for the supply of their toilet rolls. Don’t laugh. There’s a future in toilet rolls. They’ll be here long after all this modern technology like CDs and carphones are on a scrap heap somewhere.
I’m officially enjoying the single life with no significant other to answer to. Believe me, to paraphrase Jerry Maguire, I absolutely know that I don’t need a man to complete me. I should just be content being a single, cosmopolitan woman of the world. But unofficially, off the record, and with apologies to my fellow singletons everywhere, I’m bored, fed up and itching to be in a couple again.
Shari Low
Shari Low is the #1 bestselling author of over 25 novels, including One Day In Summer and My One Month Marriage and a collection of parenthood memories called Because Mummy Said So. She lives near Glasgow.
Thirty-year-old Chastity (Chase) Morgan has always dreamed of her fairytale life—the perfect career, wedding, marriage, family, and on and on.
A structural engineer, Chase is brilliant in her line of work, but keeping to her moniker, she is as chaste as they come. Although she doesn’t know the first thing about love and dating, everything changes when she meets Grant Stevens. Wedding bells appear to be right around the corner until he unceremoniously abandons her for another.
Derailed but determined, Chase has to find a way to move on. Little does she know that sinister plans are at work to squash her hopes and dreams.
While a psychic medium comes to her aide, it’s uncertain whether or not Chastity will follow the clairvoyant’s advice. Only time will tell if she’ll choose between throwing away her virginity and diving full force into the dating world, or clinging to her fairytale life plan.
I received a copy of this book from the author in return for an honest review.
My Thoughts…
This is a quirky romantic comedy with larger than life characters, humorous incidents and romance. Chase or Chastity is looking forward to getting married. She’s glad she is still a virgin until her fiance cools off and she finds he’s already married to a man. Now what? Keep looking for the one? Or follow her cousin’s mantra and chase hot men and have lots of sex?
Chase and her family take a bit of getting used to, but they bring the story to life and keep you turning the pages. This is a long book, but it is well-paced, and the detail helps the reader get the know Chastity and why she does what she does.
It has a good balance of romance and humour with a smattering of poignancy. It’s original and full of visual imagery that makes the comic scenes and the romance easy to imagine.
Author Holly Brandon breaks free from her analytical side to produce Life in the Chastity Zone. Holding a Ph.D., M.S., and B.S. in Civil Engineering, Holly is best known for her published works in the Journal of Earthquakes, Earthquake Engineering, and Engineering Vibrations and Earthquake Science. Unbelievable as it may appear, many of the scenes in Life in the Chastity Zone are based on true-life experiences. Holly invites readers to follow Chastity on her crazy and hilarious adventures in her search for love and happiness. With more to come, Life in the Chastity Zone is the first in an unforgettable, brand new Chastity Zone series.
Humanity will be extinguished in less than seven days.
Wing Commander Jude Styles is a Starfighter Pilot trying to get pregnant before the world ends. Her wingman, Hamid Ashkami, just wants to block the spam messages he is receiving from someone claiming to be his dead ex-husband.
Instead, they are locked in a media tour, shown off as the heroes that stopped the alien invasion by destroying the massive mothership known as the “Dead Moon”, persuading the masses that all will be fine if they keep calm and carry on.
Trapped telling the same lies, driven over the edge by post-traumatic stress and the constant flow of alcohol, it is only a matter of time before Jude and Hamid break down – and the fragments of the Dead Moon have already begun to fall from the sky.
The Ferals had downgraded from vans to pickup trucks, which were about as appropriate to Yorkshire weather as Bermuda shorts and nice pink snorkels. The figures in the back were wrapped up in as many layers they could manage, looking miserable under hoods that didn’t keep out the rains, and failing to protect their weapons from the drizzle. Still, it wasn’t accuracy of fire that would kill Jude and Hamid. Mere weight would do.
—It’s okay. Just our Feral friends. I’ll go deal with them.
—Jude, please don’t kill anybody.
I’m going to hell anyway. I fought in the Indies. I helped nuke Mars. I’ve killed a lot of people. I mean, if there is a God in heaven, then there’s no forgiveness for people like me.
—I don’t think killing Ferals counts, Jude said out loud. —They’re hardly alive to begin with.
—Nice, Jude, stay classy. Get me time! Oh, and maybe, while you’re at it, take one alive.
—Why would I…? No. No way.
—Come on, Hamid said with a grin. —Desperate times call for desperate measures.
—That’s low, even for you. I’m not going to kidnap and rape a Feral.
—Technically it’s not…
—Quiet time now, Hamid. I thought you were supposed to be concentrating.
The last pickup pulled up. A man in a white parka climbed out through the passenger window to stand on the roof of the van. To Jude’s mind, he may as well have had a target on his chest. He was carrying a shotgun, the same sort of weapon that had killed the two soldiers, and a loudspeaker.
—Attention, intruders! Give us the one of you who killed John-lad, and the rest of you can go free.
—How the f**k are we supposed to know which one was John-lad? Jude muttered. The boy with the dreadlocks? One of the idiots who had tried to ambush them in the layby? Clearly, amongst their recent casualties was someone the w**ker with a loudspeaker cared about enough to round up a posse. How thoroughly un-British, she thought, with a tinge of damaged national pride.
—Hamid, if they notice your speeder, they’ll shoot it up.
—We’ll take another.
—We are not losing your dream speeder to these pricks.
Hamid came swiftly away from the screen, glanced out of the window, counted the Ferals in a flash, then went straight back to the computer.
—Okay. We can’t risk any shots coming up here and damaging the equipment. I need you to create us a nice big distraction so I can get the data and we can get out of here.
—What data… no, doesn’t matter. Nice big distraction coming up.
There was a sudden rattle of gunfire from outside. One of the Ferals had spotted Hamid in the window, gotten overexcited, and managed to put half a magazine through the side of his pickup. Another Feral was beating the first’s head in with the butt of his rifle. The Feral leader, still trying to sound like he was in control, quickly covered.
—That was just a warning. You’ve got five minutes to come out or I’m blowing up the whole damned building.
—With what, harsh language? Jude glanced through the corner of the window. It was all well and good saying she would make a distraction, but that meant she had to come up with one.
The Feral leader opened a case in the back of his pickup and took out a shoulder-mounted Rocket Propelled Grenade launcher.
—Oh shit, Jude said.
The Feral squeezed the trigger.
Keith Crawford
Dr Keith Crawford is a retired naval officer, disabled veteran and qualified barrister with a PhD in Law and Economics. After years of crazy adventures, from speedboats and aircraft to theatre and lecturing at Sciences Po, my French wife and I decided it was time to properly settle in Paris and have babies. Being the good feminist I try to be, I quit my job to look after the kids, support my wife’s career and write books. Each time I get offered a job my wife says “stop looking at jobs and get back to writing books.” Which shows, with marriage as with everything else, it is better to be lucky than good! Dead Moon is my second novel. The first, Vile, a science-fantasy about toxic-patriarchy, the evils of aristocracy and swordfights, is available on Amazon.
When the estranged daughter of Scotland’s premier art dealer goes missing, Private Investigator Hanlon is hired to find out where Aurora is.
But what she thinks will be a relatively straightforward job, soon turns dangerous. The missing girl has a troubled past but what made Aurora suddenly pack her bags and disappear?
Hanlon has her work cut out for her. The stakes are rising and she needs to get to the bottom of the case before someone else is attacked.
And is Aurora still alive, or is she missing for good?
A gripping new case for feisty female Private Investigator, Hanlon.
I received a copy of this book from Boldwood Books via NetGalley in return for an honest review.
My Thoughts…
The second book in the Hanlon series, now a private investigator she takes on her first case, not the simple missing person’s case its first seems. Aurora has secrets and is hiding from her art dealer father who also is not the upstanding businessman he portrays. The story darkens as it progresses, as Hanlon comes up against drug dealers, gangs and people with secrets that they will kill to keep hidden.
Hanlon continues to have anger issues and remains a closed book to most her relationship with her dog shows her lighter side. She is an enigma but excellent at her role. This gritty, graphic ganglit but Hanlon isn’t afraid of danger given her background at the Met and is determined to find out the truth.
If you like your crime fiction hard-boiled this will suit you.
Alex Coombs
Alex Coombs studied Arabic at Oxford and Edinburgh Universities and went on to work in adult education and then retrained to be a chef. He has written four well reviewed crime novels as Alex Howard.
Shortlisted for Choc Lit’s 2019 Search for a Star competition
Perdita Riley is facing the greatest dilemma of her life. Why had she taken Violet Freestone’s advice on how to make herself look more alluring? It led her into the arms of a womaniser. And now Perdita has to deal with a huge setback. Actually, Setback Number One isn’t huge yet, but it won’t be long before it is.
To cheer herself up, Perdita goes shopping, where an extraordinary encounter deposits her, literally, into the lap of Saul Hadley. She would like to stay there, but Setback Number One is going to get in the way.
Will she find a way to deal with what has happened? Can she manage the complications of her growing attraction to Saul?
This hilarious situational romantic comedy will keep you gripped until the very end.
I received a copy of this book from the author in return for an honest review.
My Thoughts…
Perdita is naive, a state explained by her unusual upbringing. Consequently, she struggles with romantic entanglements, the results of which are both hilarious and poignant. She is a likeable character but also frustrating still, this adds to the story’s authenticity. Like all romantic comedy, the humour depends on the female lead’s personality, and Perdita makes a worthy rom-com protagonist.
This is unique and uncharted and will appeal to those looking for a different take on romantic comedy.
Mari Jane Law lives in the UK. She loves books, TV series and films that make her laugh and, through her writing, discovered she could make other people laugh as well. She hopes those who buy or borrow her work have as much fun reading it as she had in writing it!
Love & Pollination is the first in a series of whacky romantic comedy novels she is working on. Her characters appeal so strongly to her that she is unable to let them go – hence the series. She enjoys their humorous behaviour, quirky personalities and sharp, witty dialogue.
She was very pleased to have been shortlisted for Choc Lit’s 2019 Search for a Star competition.
University professor Nina is at a turning point. Her work seems increasingly irrelevant, her doctor husband is never home, relations with her adult daughter Ingeborg are strained, and their beautiful house is scheduled for demolition.
When Ingeborg decides to move into another house they own, things take a very dark turn. The young woman who rents it disappears, leaving behind her son, the day after Nina and Ingeborg pay her a visit.
With few clues, the police enquiry soon grinds to a halt, but Nina has an inexplicable sense of guilt. Unable to rest, she begins her own investigation, but as she pulls on the threads of the case, it seems her discoveries may have very grave consequences for her and her family.
A dark, powerful and deeply disturbing psychological thriller about family, secrets and dangerous curiosity…
I received a copy of this book from Orenda Books in return for an honest review.
My Thoughts…
This is an atmospheric, chilling Nordic noir story, which holds your attention from its ordinary beginning to its fast-paced, tragic conclusion.
Nina is facing the loss of her childhood home to the developers, and this crystallises the sense of unease and loss of identity she faces in her life. Her marriage is sedate and her relationship with her daughter difficult.
When her daughter needs to move house, they visit their rental property and bully their way inside, leaving the tenant unsettled. Nina regrets going along with her daughter’s actions and is guilt-ridden when she discovers the tenant is missing without trace days later.
Nina takes on an amateur investigative role as she realises the tenant’s true identity and finds tentative connections with her parents. What she discovers is increasingly sinister, as it appears Nina’s disappearance may not be voluntary, and everyone has a reason to remove her.
The folklore and literary references add authenticity and depth to this emotional family drama. It has relatable salient characters and a compelling investigation, which reveals a poignant web of deceit, obsession and saving face.
Agnes Ravatn
Agnes Ravatn (b. 1983) is a Norwegian author and columnist. She made her literary début with the novel Week 53 (Veke 53) in 2007. Since then she has written three critically acclaimed and award-winning essay collections: Standing still (Stillstand), 2011, Popular Reading (Folkelesnad), 2011, and Operation self-discipline (Operasjon sjøldisiplin), 2014.
In these works, Ravatn revealed a unique, witty voice and sharp eye for human fallibility. Her second novel, The Bird Tribunal (Fugletribuanlet), was an international bestseller translated into fifteen languages, winning an English PEN Award, shortlisting for the Dublin Literary Award, a WHSmith Fresh Talent pick and a BBC Book at Bedtime. It was also made into a successful play, which premiered in Oslo in 2015.
Agnes lives with her family in the Norwegian countryside.
I received a copy of this book from the author in return for an honest review.
My Thoughts…
We currently live in a world dominated by COVID 19 and children whatever their age are aware something is wrong but how do you introduce the idea of a virus into a conversation with your child in an unthreatening way? This bright and bold picture book in rhyming style is a fun way to get the message across without scaring them.
Ben finds a new friend at the park a bug. Only Ben can see him, but before long others are feeling his effects. Each page gives helpful hints on what virus are and how to combat them. Mum, a doctor/scientist, saves the day. She shows Ben ways of keeping safe and stopping the spread of the virus and eventually by developing a vaccine.
At the end of the book is a glossary for older children to read or for parents to discuss with younger kids. The book is user-friendly, helps children to understand the importance of hygiene and that superheroes are sometimes the people you take for granted.
Natalie Reeves Billing is a Liverpool lass with a dark sense of humour, which often spills onto the page. She loves to write spooky, fantastical stories for young audiences, and dabbles in poetry, contemporary fiction. Natalie spent most of her early career in the music industry as a performer and professional songwriter. This lead, almost inevitably, to storytelling.
Natalie is an Arvon Foundation friend and is a student of the Golden Egg Academy. She is mentored under the Lloyds Bank SSE program, with her Bubs Literacy project. She is published in several anthologies with her poetry and flash fiction, including the Writing on the Wall, Read Now, Write Now, and is involved in several collaborations with fellow writers across poetry, song, and scriptwriting. Her new book, My Mummy is a Monster (part of the Monstrous Me collection) will be available in March 2020 and Carry Love in June 2020
