Sunday 16 December 2018

Presumed Guilty by Jane Isaac





 Accident or murder?

The first victim – a prominent local councillor, killed in a hit and run ‒ could be either, but the next bodies leave no doubt. A twisted killer is at large. And he’s not finished yet.

DC Beth Chamberlain, Family Liaison Officer, has to support the victims’ families, but before she can solve the crimes in the present, Beth needs to uncover the secrets of the past.

Meanwhile, the killer has her in his sights...

‘Tense, dark and gritty: perfect combination.’ – Ian Patrick, author of Rubicon
The latest electrifying whodunnit from the bestselling author of After He's Gone. If you're a fan of Angela Marsons, Nicci French and Rachel Abbott, you won't want to miss Presumed Guilty.

Title: Presumed Guilty
Author: Jane Isaac
Links:  UK:   Amazon      US:   Amazon



Our Review

This is the second in the DC Beth Chamberlain series and just like the first book this races along with a gripping plot. 

I love a police procedural anyway but this has a slight edge as Beth Chamberlain is also a family liaison officer. So she is privy to the victim’s family’s innermost thoughts and gets to see first hand how they react after the crime is committed.

Beth is a very likeable character and she is also professional and works really well as part of a team. What I really enjoyed about this book was that it wasn’t just a straightforward serial killer thriller, there were lots of twists and turns and when we eventually find out who the killer is it’s still not over because there are more layers to peel back to get to the bottom of everything and this added further intrigue to the story.

I could really relate to Beth as she is still in pain over the death of her mother and her relationship with her sister was a bit like walking on eggshells at times. She takes on all the responsibility for her family as well as holding down a tough job which makes things really hard for her.

She was also going through lots of changes to her private life which were very exciting and hopefully mean she has lots to look forward to in the future..

I have loved all of Jane's books and can’t wait for the next book in this series as I have a feeling that Beth is going to have to look over her shoulder for some time to come.

A truly satisfying read. 

Sincerely 
Book Angel x


About the Author


Jane Isaac is married to a serving detective (very helpful for research!). They live in rural Northamptonshire, UK with their daughter, and dog, Bollo. Jane's debut novel, An Unfamiliar Murder, introduces DCI Helen Lavery and was nominated as best mystery in the 'eFestival of Words Best of the Independent eBook awards 2013.'

The Truth Will Out, the second in the DCI Helen Lavery series, was nominated as 'Thriller of the Month - April 2014' by E-thriller.com and winner of 'Noveltunity book club selection - May 2014'.

Jane' s sixth novel, After He's Gone, features Family Liaison Officer, DC Beth Chamberlain and will be released in June 2018. The second Beth Chamberlain novel will follow later in 2018.

Jane loves to hear from readers and writers. You can reach her via her website at www.janeisaac.co.uk

Sign up to her book club at http://eepurl.com/1a2uT for book recommendations and details of new releases, events and giveaways. 


Follow the blog tour here...

Thursday 6 December 2018

Last Lullaby by Carol Wyer


Charlotte’s baby is safe. But is she?

When the body of mother Charlotte Brannon is discovered by her husband Adam, in their bedroom, Detective Natalie Ward is first on the scene. The killer has left a chilling calling card: The word ‘Why?’ written on the wall in blood.

As Natalie begins to delve deeper into the couple’s lives, she discovers that Adam has a dark past he’s been hiding and she’s sure that the Brannon’s teenage babysitter Inge has secrets of her own.

Then another mother is murdered on her doorstep in front of her young son, the word ‘why’ scrawled on the wall next to her.

All the key suspects have alibis and with her own marriage hanging by a thread, Natalie is struggling to stay focused on cracking her toughest case yet.

When a young woman and her baby disappear, a member of Natalie’s own team is put in terrible danger. Can Natalie stop this twisted serial killer and save one of her own before more families are torn apart forever?


Title: Last Lullaby
Author: Carol Wyer
Published By: Bookouture
Publication Date: 7th December 2018
Links: UK: Amazon US: Amazon



Our Review


Last Lullaby is the second in the DI Natalie Ward series of books and just like the first one it is a heart racing, fast paced thriller. Natalie is under a lot of pressure to be a wife, a mother and a boss. But something has to give and unfortunately it's usually the time with her family that she has to give up as the murder investigations are more urgent than her daughter needing to be taken shopping for a new pair of jeans. 

She is a flawed character and feels guilt about not being able to be there for her family and also due to certain events that happened with one colleague in particular. 

When a young woman is found murdered in cold blood with her child only yards away, D I Natalie Ward is brought in to investigate. She and her team begin a race against time to solve the murder before anyone else is hurt and the pressure of the investigation takes it’s toll on Natalie’s already troubled marriage.

As this is the second book in the series it felt like I was getting to know the characters a bit more and was given an insight into their relationships. I like the way the team all work so well together and the glimpses we get to see into their private lives.

The crimes that take place in the book are totally tragic and I was kept guessing until very near the end. I kept on changing my mind as to who the killer was.

I’m beginning to think that Carol Wyer is actually an undercover detective because the investigations she writes about are so realistic and cleverly crafted. My heart was racing as the story tore along and the tension built to a crescendo. The endings are always satisfying and I simply can’t wait for the next book.

I am also a huge fan of Carol’s other series about D I Robyn Carter and would highly recommend those too.

Sincerely
Book Angel x

About the Author


Carol E. Wyer, who also writes as Carol Wyer, is an award-winning author and stand up comedian who writes feel-good comedies and gripping thrillers.
Her book, Grumpy Old Menopause won The People's Book Prize Award for non-fiction 2015.
The DI Robyn Carter series has earned her acclaim as a crime writer and the first book in the series, Little Girl Lost, shot to the #2 best-selling spot on Kindle #9 best-selling audiobook on Audible, and was also a USA Today top 150 best-seller.
Carol has been interviewed on numerous radio shows discussing ''Irritable Male Syndrome' and 'Ageing Disgracefully' and on BBC Breakfast television. She has had articles published in national magazines 'Woman's Weekly' featured in 'Take A Break', 'Choice', 'Yours' and 'Woman's Own' magazines and the Huffington Post.

To learn more about Carol, go to www.carolwyer.co.uk or follow Carol on Twitter: @carolewyer.
Carol also blogs at www.carolwyer.com

Saturday 1 December 2018

Mistletoe and Mystery by Daisy James




Welcome to the Cotswolds Festive Feast cookery course...

Fresh off the successful opening of the Paradise Cookery School in St Lucia, Millie Harper is headed to the Cotswolds for Christmas!

Co-presenting Claudia Croft’s famous Festive Feast cookery course at Stonelea Manor is a dream come true for Millie…as is reuniting with gorgeous estate manager Zach Barker.

But arriving in a winter wonderland Millie learns the manor is under a mysterious threat. It’ll take a holiday miracle, but Millie is determined to save the school and get Zach under the mistletoe to finally finish what they started in the Caribbean!

Cosy up with this fun, festive visit to the Cotswolds premier cookery school! Perfect for fans of Jenny Oliver and Sarah Morgan

If you loved Mistletoe & Mystery, why not read the first two stories in The Paradise Cookery School series? Sunshine & Secrets and Confetti & Confusions are both available now!


Title: Mistletoe and Mystery
Author: Daisy James
Published By: Canelo
Publication Date: 10th September 2018
Links to Book:

Amazon (UK)

Kobo (UK)

Google Books (UK)




Extract from Mistletoe and Mystery


“Tim, if we don’t leave now we’ll miss the show!” sighed Claudia as she watched her husband slot yet another screwdriver into the already jam-packed rucksack he had insisted on bringing with him to the tree-lighting ceremony ‘just in case’.

“It always pays to be prepared, darling,” replied Tim, his forehead creased in thought. “Remember last year when George Stanton blew up the kettle and everyone was forced to drink mulled wine and Christmas punch instead of tea and coffee? The whole evening descended into an absolutely riot!”

“And it was the best Christmas party the village has ever had!” laughed Claudia, leaning forward to deposit a kiss on Tim’s cheek before linking his arm and steering him towards the front door. “Come on.”

“Do you think I should take a spare roll of gaffer tape?”

“No!”

“What do you think, Millie? Isn’t it better to be over-prepared than risk the regret of a forgotten gadget?”

“Erm, I’m not sure,” she hedged, uncertain how to answer such a loaded question. It was the first time she’d met Tim and she liked him on the spot, her heart flooding with empathy for her fellow clutter-collector, especially when she saw the pleading expression scrawled across his handsome face. “Maybe.”

“I’ll take that as a yes then!”

And before anyone could stop him, he’d cantered off back to his workshop to collect even more essential tools, leaving the two women rolling their eyes and giggling on the doorstep until he reappeared, stooped under the weight of his over-laden rucksack like a DIY-obsessed Father Christmas.

It was clear to Millie that Tim belonged to the eccentric part of the people spectrum. Dressed in a hand-knitted sweater, incongruously depicting only the rear end of a reindeer, he was as far from Millie’s image of a high-flying City architect as it was possible to get. However, his silver eyes held a sharp intelligence that reflected an avid interest in everything around him and he exuded energy, almost as if he was getting ready to embark on a sprint. His hair, more salt than pepper, was thick and luxuriant and cut into a trendy style by the local French hairdresser, and the fine lines around his mouth spoke of regular laughter. Time spent with Tim Croft would be the highlight of anyone’s day.

He insisted on driving them to Berryford in his Range Rover which made short work of the snow-covered roads. Thankfully, the temperature had climbed during the day to hover just above freezing. The covering of snow remained, but rivulets of water were trickling in the gutters and the absence of a breeze made the night air much more appealing.

As soon as Claudia emerged from the passenger seat, she was mobbed by friends and neighbours and dragged off to inspect the Christmas tree and pronounce her delight at the villagers’ foodie offerings. Tim shrugged his shoulders in familiar resignation, relieved her of her platters of gingerbread and accompanied Millie into the village hall where he too was summonsed for his opinion on the generator that was being used to power the lights.

Left alone, Millie experienced a spasm of awkwardness, but it didn’t last long. No one was allowed to feel like an outsider in Berryford, especially during the festivities. She set down the platter of dark chocolate roulades on an old wallpaper table alongside the most elegantly dressed Christmas cake she had ever seen. A Calypso-style version of Jingle Bells blared out from a pair of huge loudspeakers on the stage at the far end of the room next to an eclectically decorated silver tinsel tree. The whole room smelled of cloves, cinnamon and happy times, with just the faintest hint of bleach, and was clearly a beacon of light in the heart of the village.

“Hi, Millie. Looks like you and Claudia have been busy today. There’s enough food here to feed a whole battalion of Christmas elves!” declared Zach as he carefully lowered a keg of beer from his shoulder on to the makeshift bar that was crammed with a kaleidoscope of spirits ranging from the standard whisky and gin to the more exotic like the thick green liquor that Millie thought must be Crème de Menthe – something she had last seen in her French grandmother’s drinks cabinet when she was a child!

“We have! And you’re right – there’s a mountain of goodies on offer, but we had to use up so many ingredients in the larder because four of the Festive Feast guests have had to cancel at the last minute. Only two couples are enrolled on the Christmas cookery course this time. Look, over there next to the piano; that’s Leo Groves and his wife, Gina, and his business partner, Mike Sanderson and his wife, Marianne.”

Zach followed the direction of Millie’s eyes to where Gina and Marianne were sampling the mulled wine, their mouths stretching into a grimace when the high alcohol content hit the back of their throats. Mike rolled his eyes at his friends and took a sip too, then promptly descended into a coughing fit, his tortoise-shell glasses slipping from his face and blonde quiff quivering in the onslaught as Marianne gamely patted his back whilst trying to hold back a bout of giggles.

Leo, clearly the more sensible of the group, shook his head when Gina offered him her glass and instead selected a bottle of beer which he clutched to his chest as if his life depended on it. He certainly fit his name perfectly, thought Millie, as she took in his broad, rugby-honed shoulders, the tight auburn curls and the bump on the bridge of his nose to indicate he had been in the wars – albeit on a sports pitch. He radiated self-assurance and Millie knew she would have no qualms choosing Leo Groves to act on her behalf should she ever find herself in the unfortunate position of having to instruct a solicitor.

“Hey, you two! What are you doing loitering in here?” called Tim through the doorway. “The ceremony is about to start!

A huge thanks to Daisy for sharing this extract with us, here are the details for the rest of the blog tour..

Sincerely
Book Angel x 

About the Author: 


Daisy James is a Yorkshire girl transplanted to the north east of England. She loves writing stories with strong heroines and swift-flowing plotlines. When not scribbling away in her summerhouse, she spends her time sifting flour and sprinkling sugar and edible glitter. She loves gossiping with friends over a glass of something pink and fizzy or indulging in a spot of afternoon tea – china plates and teacups are a must.

Tuesday 27 November 2018

A Gift from Woolworths by Elaine Everest



Will the war be over by Christmas?
As the war moves into 1945 the lives of the women of Woolworths continue. When store manager, Betty Billington, announces she is expecting Douglas’s baby her future life is about to change more than she expects.

Freda has fallen in love with the handsome Scottish engineer but will it end happily?

Maisie loves being a mother and also caring for her two nieces although she still has her own dreams. When her brother appears on the scene he brings unexpected danger to the family.

Meanwhile Sarah dreams of her husband’s return and a cottage with roses around the door but Woolworths beckons.

Will our girls sail into times of peace, or will they experience more heartache and sorrow? With a wedding on the horizon, surely only happiness lies ahead – or does it?

A Gift from Woolworths is the next installment in Elaine Everest's much-loved Woolworths series.


Title: A Gift from Woolworths
Author: Elaine Everest
Published By: Pan Macmillan
Publication Date: 1st November 2018
Links UK: Amazon      US: Amazon



Our Review

This is the fifth book in the Woolworths series and it gave me the same lovely warm cosy feeling as the others did.

The war is coming to an end and the three friends Sarah, Maisie and Freda go through tumultuous times trying to deal with everything that’s thrown at them and they have some really difficult situations to get through.

However they don’t have to struggle on their own as they have the support of Sarah’s nan Ruby Caselton who is the head of the family and has taken all the girls under her wing and firmly into her heart. Ruby is definitely someone you would be glad to have on your side as she has a heart of gold but also someone that you would never want to cross as she doesn’t suffer fools.

Betty Billington is the girls’ boss and the relationships she has with them are very sincere and protective.

It is so interesting reading books like this because I learn so much from them, for instance I didn’t know that Winston Churchill hadn’t been re-elected after the war and find that quite puzzling seeing as he is so often praised for his war effort.

It’s also interesting to see the effect the war had on the women of that time who had all started working and then were reluctant to give their jobs back to the men and seemed to stand up for themselves more. This affected the relationships with their husbands too.

The characters take the reader through lots of emotions with their various ups and downs but the overall feeling that I came away with was one of hope for their future.

The next instalment from Elaine is called The Teashop Girls and I’m really looking forward to that. Also Elaine hasn’t ruled out a follow up to the Woolworths series which would be fab. 

Sincerely 
Book Angel x

About the Author


Elaine Everest, author of Bestselling novel The Woolworths Girls and The Butlins Girls was born and brought up in North West Kent, where many of her books are set. She has been a freelance writer for twenty years and has written widely for women's magazines and national newspapers, with both short stories and features. Her non-fiction books for dog owners have been very popular and led to broadcasting on radio about our four legged friends. Elaine has been heard discussing many topics on radio from canine subjects to living with a husband under her feet when redundancy loomed.

When she isn't writing, Elaine runs The Write Place creative writing school at The Howard Venue in Hextable, Kent and has a long list of published students.

Elaine lives with her husband, Michael, and their Polish Lowland Sheepdog, Henry, in Swanley, Kent and is a member of the Romantic Novelists’ Association, Crime Writers Association, The Society of Women Writers & Journalists and The Society of Authors as well as Slimming World where she can be seen sitting in the naughty corner.

Follow me:

Facebook: Elaine Everest Author page

Twitter: @elaineeverest

My writing school: www.thewriteplace.org.uk

Thursday 15 November 2018

The Mother of all Christmases by Milly Johnson



THE MOST PERFECT CHRISTMAS FEEL-GOOD READ!
'Every time you discover a new Milly book, it’s like finding a pot of gold' Heat

Eve Glace - co-owner of the theme park Winterworld - is having a baby and her due date is a perfectly timed 25th December. And she’s decided that she and her husband Jacques should renew their wedding vows with all the pomp that was missing the first time. But growing problems at Winterworld keep distracting them …

Annie Pandoro and her husband Joe own a small Christmas cracker factory, are well set up and happy together despite life never blessing them with a much-wanted child. But when Annie finds that the changes happening to her body aren’t typical of the menopause but pregnancy, her joy is uncontainable.

Palma Collins has agreed to act as a surrogate, hoping the money will get her out of the gutter in which she finds herself. But when the couple she is helping split up, is she going to be left carrying a baby she never intended to keep?

Annie, Palma and Eve all meet at the ‘Christmas Pudding Club’, a new directive started by a forward-thinking young doctor to help mums-to-be mingle and share their pregnancy journeys. Will this group help each other to find love, contentment and peace as Christmas approaches?

The brand new novel from the Sunday Times bestselling author of The Perfectly Imperfect Woman; a gorgeous read full of love, life, laughter - and crackers! 


Title: The Mother of all Christmases
Author: Milly Johnson
Published By: Simon & Schuster
Publication Date: 15th November
Links:- UK:  Amazon     US: Amazon
WHSmith:   Paperback    ebook    


Our Review



Heartbreaking with a beautiful silver lining.
Firstly I would just like to point out that this is not a shmaltzy fairy tale kind of Christmas book and is quite a lot darker than Milly’s other books but it is a cracker of a read that I guarantee will break your heart.

Although it does have its own Winter Wonderland with fake snow and reindeer, this is a hard hitting novel describing the grittiness of life for one of the characters called Palma who has hit her rock bottom and is trying to climb back up into a decent life.

When she becomes pregnant she joins the Christmas Pudding club which has been set up by her doctor to allow mums-to-be to meet up and who can then support each other through their pregnancies.

Through this club she meets Annie who’s the owner of a Christmas cracker factory and Annie and the other employees provide the light hearted and fun element of the story through their hilarious banter, especially Iris and Gill. I loved the parts were Gill was FaceTiming from Spain because it’s such a real thing we do in this age of technology we can still very much stay in contact with our friends and loved ones.

Palma is a very flawed character but mostly born out of survival skills that she had to develop to see her through the rough patch that was her life. Whilst it’s easy to judge Palma for some of the actions she took, at the time she just thought it was the right thing to do and I found I understood her reasoning and quickly warmed to her.

Although she often felt very much the outsider in the group the others all clucked around her like mummy ducks protecting their young and I think this was special for Palma because she had never had any self worth.

There is a heartbreaking tragedy which puts everything into perspective for many of the characters but the lovely thing that shines through from this story, apart from the strong bonds of friendship between women which Milly's books are renowned for, is the love that grows between a mother and her unborn child and the same with the man that she chooses to be a father to that child.

There were some very touching scenes involving a lovely man called Tommy which truly brought a tear to my eye. His story was so uplifting and just shows that when someone really believes in you then you can achieve anything you put your mind to and the fact that he wanted to provide that chance for other children was inspiring.

The book although quite dark at times has a beautiful silver lining and ends with a really lovely positive glow.

Many of the wide range of characters from Milly’s previous books feature in this one, including Cariad and Effin from The Barn on Half Moon Hill which Milly wrote to raise money for her friend who lost her sons in the most horrendous way. All proceeds from that novella go to the Care for Claire charity which is such a worthy cause.
To buy please click here. Their stories were all very cleverly intertwined and it was lovely to see how they were doing and especially lovely to visit the Sunflower Cafe once again.

I cried again when reading the acknowledgments because Milly talks about her own rollercoaster of a ride with motherhood which I can totally relate to as our children are approaching University age and it becomes obvious right there how much love and passion has gone into writing this book.

I've loved all of Milly's books and devour them whole, I really can't wait for the next one.

Sincerely
Book Angel x

About the Author




Milly Johnson was born, raised and still lives in Barnsley, South Yorkshire. As well as being an author of 15 published novels, 2 short story books and 2 novellas, she is also a copywriter for the greetings card industry, a joke-writer, a columnist, after dinner speaker, poet, BBC newspaper reviewer, and a sometimes BBC radio presenter.

She won the RoNA for Best Romantic Comedy Novel of 2014 and 2016 and the Yorkshire Society award for Arts and Culture 2015.


She writes about love, life, friendships and that little bit of the magic that sometimes crops up in real life. She likes owls, cats, meringues, handbags and literary gifts - but hates marzipan. She is very short.


Milly's website is www.millyjohnson.co.uk. She is on Twitter @millyjohnson and has a Facebook page (just google Book Page of Milly Johnson). She also has a monthly newsletter www.millyjohnson.co.uk/newsletter with exclusive, news, offers and competitions.

Dreaming of Christmas by T.A Williams


It’s the dream Christmas: snow, mountains… and, er, an ex-boyfriend. But can Zoe still find love in the Alps?
Dumped on Christmas Eve by her long-term boyfriend, it's been a rough year for Zoe Lumsley. But then she gets an invitation she can’t refuse: an all expenses paid skiing holiday with old university friends.

The bad news: her ex, Grant, will be there with his new girlfriend. But so will her former flatmate Billy, the organiser, and in the meantime he’s done rather well for himself. As Christmas in the Alps approaches, it'll be great to see the old gang. Some more than others...

Title:  Dreaming of Christmas
Author:  T.A Williams
Published By: Canelo Escape
Publication Day: 27th August 2018
Links:  UK: Amazon    US: Amazon 


Guest Post 

Welcome to T.A. (Trevor) Williams, author of Dreaming of Christmas, who gives us an insight into what Christmas is like for him.


Dreaming of Christmas is set in a quaint old ski resort in the Austrian Alps. You know what they say – write about what you know. So that’s why it’s set there. Back when our daughter was a teenager, we went to Austria at Christmas on a number of occasions and loved it. Hopefully my love of the place shines through in the book. We only stopped going there after two successive years when the pistes were green, rather than white. That’s the trouble with Austria; the ski stations aren’t very high up and snow isn’t always guaranteed. For the purposes of Dreaming of Christmas, however, I chose to bestow the heaviest December snowfall for many years upon my fictitious village of Bad Bergstein. The snow in the book is distinctly deep and crisp and even.

One year we had a problem with our pre-booked accommodation and ended up moving to a very posh hotel. This has formed the basis for the luxury hotel in the book. One of the things we loved about Austria and this particular hotel was how spotlessly clean it was and how comfortable the rooms were with triple glazed windows or even two sets of windows to keep out the cold and a glorious thick feather duvet on the bed. The place made a great impression on me and that’s why I chose to put it in Dreaming of Christmas.

Since then, Christmas has mostly been spent at home, except for one memorable Christmas spent with my wife’s family in northern Italy. This was most enjoyable, but very different from a normal Christmas back here in the UK for lots of reasons, principally snow. As they live in the foothills of the Alps, there was a lot of snow. Now don’t get me wrong, I like snow. But only in its place. And the proper place for snow is on a ski slope, not on the road. The only serious road accident I have ever had was on snow – an insurance company nightmare of a British-registered car, insured in Italy (I was working there at the time), being written off by an uninsured Algerian driving a French-registered car in Switzerland. No wonder the Swiss police laughed – and why my opinion of Swiss police (and Algerians) has never recovered.

Back here, Christmas alternates between our place or my brother’s place. Our daughter, now married, alternates between us one year and her husband’s family the next. This year everybody (13 or 14 people) will be with us and I’m going to do my traditional Christmas barbecue. Barbecuing for 14 is a challenge, especially for somebody old-fashioned like me who insists upon using real charcoal, not bottle gas. Last time I did it, I got all of it right apart from the little chorizo sausages. I now know that they cook very quickly and catch fire even quicker. I almost lost my eyebrows that time. This year I’m using my new double barbecue so the chances for disaster will be doubled.

My favourite Christmas anecdote concerns Merlin, our wonderful black Labrador, now immortalised in my books. He was an abused child and we had only just got him. He had been starved and you could count his ribs. As result, he was even hungrier than usual for a Lab. As we were sitting down to Christmas lunch, there was a crash. Merlin had nicked a long French baguette from the kitchen worktop and had tried to make his getaway with the swag through the dog flap set in the back door. We found him standing, looking dazed, with a third of the loaf in his mouth and two neat pieces lying either side of the dog door. Clearly, the canine brain hadn’t worked out the width of the dog door.

Christmas is the time for family and friends so that’s why I made Dreaming of Christmas the story of a bunch of old university friends meeting up for a reunion. Christmas for them is in the lap of luxury and I hope you enjoy reading about it. I wish you all a very happy Christmas and no burnt sausages.

Thanks for joining us today Trevor and good luck with the book.

About the Author


I write under the androgynous name T A Williams because 65% of books are read by women. In my first book, "Dirty Minds" one of the (female) characters suggests the imbalance is due to the fact that men spend too much time getting drunk and watching football. I couldn't possibly comment. Ask my wife...
I've written all sorts: thrillers, historical novels, short stories and now I'm enjoying myself hugely writing humour and romance. Romantic comedies are what we all need from time to time. Life isn’t always very fair. It isn’t always a lot of fun, but when it is, we need to embrace it. If my books can put a smile on your face and maybe give your heartstrings a tug, then I know I’ve done my job.
I‘ve lived all over Europe, but now I live in a little village in sleepy Devon, tucked away in south west England. I love the place. That’s why you’ll find leafy lanes and thatched cottages in most of my books. Oh, yes, and a black Labrador.
I've been writing since I was 14 and that is half a century ago. However, underneath this bald, wrinkly exterior, there beats the heart of a youngster. My wife is convinced I will never grow up. I hope she's right

Follow the blog tour for Dreaming of Christmas here...



Sincerely
Book Angel x




Wednesday 7 November 2018

Snowflakes & Cinnamon Swirls at the Winter Wonderland




After calling off her engagement, Hayley, the Wynthorpe Hall housekeeper, wants nothing more than to return to her no-strings fun-loving self, avoiding any chance of future heartbreak. Little does she know, Wynbridge’s latest arrival is about to throw her plan entirely off course . . .

Moving into Wynthorpe Hall to escape the town’s gossip, Hayley finds herself immersed in the eccentric Connelly family’s festive activities as they plan to host their first ever Winter Wonderland. But Hayley isn’t the only new resident at the hall. Gabe, a friend of the Connelly’s son Jamie, has also taken up residence, moving into Gatekeeper’s Cottage, and he quickly makes an impression on Wynbridge’s reformed good-girl.

As preparations commence for the biggest event of the season, the pair find themselves drawn ever closer to one another, but unbeknownst to Hayley, Gabe, too, has a reason for turning his back on love, one that seems intent on keeping them apart.

Under the starry winter skies, will Gabe convince Hayley to open her heart again once more? And in doing so, will he convince himself? ~*~

Snowflakes and Cinnamon Swirls at the Winter Wonderland is the perfect read this Christmas, promising snowfall, warm fires and breath-taking seasonal romance. Perfect for fans of Milly Johnson, Carole Matthews and Cathy Bramley.


Title: Snowflakes & Cinnamon Swirls at the Winter Wonderland
Author: Heidi Swain
Published By: Simon & Schuster
Publication Date: 1st November 2018
Links: UK:  Amazon       US: Amazon



Our Review


This has to be Heidi’s best book yet. A beautiful setting in Wynthorpe Hall, an array of lovely warm friendly characters and two main characters Hayley and Gabe both wounded by their pasts and in Hayley’s case wonderfully flawed.
I also loved the visits to the cherry tree cafe and mentions of skylark farm and cuckoo cottage.

Hayley is tossed through every emotion imaginable in this book as she has family problems and a bit of a dark past. She lived her life as she thought she deserved it, pretty much settling for second best but when she has a rude awakening it gives her a chance to expect more for herself. It was lovely accompanying her on her journey to a better life.
Gabe is very sexy and hunky but he has problems moving forward with his life after events that have happened in his past. 

I really enjoyed being totally absorbed in this story, It was filled with hope and a sense of being able to become the person you want to be and not the person you were and that the past is in the past and shouldn't hinder a wonderful future. Hayley had made mistakes but was able to move forward into such a lovely direction, supported by people who loved her.
Heidi has created a wonderful village in Wynbridge and it is such a pleasure to visit there again with each new book. The winter wonderland sounded amazing and I loved reading about the planning stages and especially the craft that Gabe came up with. It all sounded so perfect.

All in all this book filled me with joy and hit me in the feels with the twists and turns of Gabe and Hayley’s lives. I loved it.
I really hope that the Gavin mug becomes a reality as I really want one. 

Sincerely
Book Angel x



About the Author


Heidi Swain is the Sunday Times bestselling author of five novels. She lives in Norfolk with her husband, two allegedly grown-up children and a mischievous black cat called Storm. She is passionate about gardening, the countryside and collects vintage paraphernalia. To find out more, follow Heidi on twitter @Heidi_Swain or visit her website: heidiswain.co.uk.


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Thursday 1 November 2018

The House of Christmas Secrets by Lynda Stacey




This year we’re just going to have a nice, normal Christmas…
Last year’s Christmas at Wrea Head Hall didn’t quite go to plan which is why Jess Croft is determined this festive season will be the one to remember, for the right reasons. And she has plenty of reasons to be hopeful, she’s going to marry the man of her dreams, Jack Stone, seven days after New Year’s Eve.

However, as family secrets are revealed in hidden letters and two unexpected guests turn up on the doorstep, Jess is left wondering whether her life will ever be the same again.

Can Jess and Jack still experience a peaceful festive season that they had imagined or are there some problems that even Christmas can’t fix?

Title: The House of Christmas Secrets
Author: Lynda Stacey
Published By: Choc Lit
Publication Date: 5th December 2017
Links: UK: Amazon       US: Amazon

Our Review

This book is not just for Christmas, it can be read all year round as it is a thriller/gritty crime novel rather than a gentle Christmas story.
This is the sequel to House of Secrets which is again set in the beautiful Wrea Head Hall where we find out more about Madeleine's sister Jess and what happens a year later.

Fast paced and gripping it kept me wanting to find out what would happen next throughout the whole book.
Two strangers come looking for Jess at Wrea Head Hall and danger is not far behind them. What follows plunges her and her family into a living nightmare. I was totally on edge whilst reading this part as it was so gritty with lots of tense moments.

This could be read as a stand alone as we are told what happens in the first book, however I'm glad I read the House of Secrets first to have the in depth details of Maddie's story.

The plot is exciting and scary and it unfolds at the same time as more secrets about the original family at Wrea Head Hall are revealed. This added such an interesting thread to the main story with a really satisfactory ending.

Sincerely
Book Angel x

About the Author


Lynda grew up in the mining village of Bentley, Doncaster, in South Yorkshire and went to both Bentley New Village School, and Don Valley High School.

She is currently the Sales Director of a stationery, office supplies and office furniture company in Doncaster, where she has worked for the past 25 years. Prior to this she’d also been a nurse, a model, an emergency first response instructor and a PADI Scuba Diving Instructor … and yes, she was crazy enough to dive in the sea with sharks, without a cage.

Following a car accident in 2008, Lynda was left with limited mobility in her right arm. Unable to dive or teach anymore, she turned to her love of writing, a hobby she’d followed avidly since being a teenager.

Her own life story, along with varied career choices helps Lynda to create stories of romantic suspense, with challenging and unpredictable plots, along with (as in all romances) very happy endings.

Lynda joined the Romantic Novelist Association in 2014 under the umbrella of the New Writers Scheme and in 2015, her debut novel House of Secrets won the Choc Lit Search for a Star competition.

She lives in a small rural hamlet near Doncaster, with her ‘hero at home husband’, Haydn, whom she’s been happily married to for over 20 years.

Come and find me at www.lyndastacey.co.uk to hear my latest news. You could follow me on Facebook at www.facebook.com/lyndastaceyauthor or watch out for my tweets @Lyndastacey
Come say hello. I'd love to hear from you. Oh and if you love the book, I'd be really grateful if you'd take the time to leave me a review.

Thursday 18 October 2018

Jess Castle and the Eyeballs of Death by M.B Vincent


Welcome to Castle Kidbury - a pretty town in a green West Country valley. It's home to all sorts of people, with all the stresses and joys of modern life, but with a town square and a proper butcher's. It also has, for our purposes, a rash of gory murders ...
***Fast-paced and funny, this is a must-read for all fans of a classic murder mystery - think The Vicar of Dibley meets Midsomer Murders ***

Jess Castle is running away. Again. This time she's running back home, like she swore she never would.

Castle Kidbury, like all small towns, hums with gossip but now it's plagued with murder of the most gruesome kind. Jess instinctively believes that the hippyish cult camped out on the edge of town are not responsible for the spate of crucifixions that blights the pretty landscape. Her father, a respected judge, despairs of Jess as she infiltrates the cult and manages, not for the first time, to get herself arrested.

Rupert Lawson, a schooldays crush who's now a barrister, bails her out. Jess ropes in a reluctant Rupert as she gatecrashes the murder investigation of DS Eden. A by-the-book copper, Eden has to admit that intuitive, eccentric Jess has the nose of a detective.

As the gory murders pile up, there’s nothing to connect the victims. And yet, the clues are there if you look hard enough.

Perfect for fans of MC Beaton, this is cosy crime at its most entertaining and enthralling.

Title: Jess Castle and the Eyeballs of Death
Author: M.B Vincent
Published By: Simon & Schuster
Publication Date: 18th October 2018
Links:  UK: Amazon        US: Amazon


Our Review


If I could start with a quote from Miranda Hart’s mum to describe this book I would say, “Such fun!’

It really was a hoot, Jess Castle is a young woman who is from a very privileged background and as much as she’s made a success of her studies she still feels a bit of a failure, mainly because she runs away from everything in her life.

When she returns to Castle Kidbury it’s because she has run away from something else. She is tortured by a horrible dream that stems from a traumatic event that happened when she was little and still haunts her. She is a very likeable person and quite awkward in her relationships with other people.

When a murder happens in the village she becomes involved in the investigation because of her extensive knowledge of paganism and the use of symbols.

The murders are quite gory and not for the faint hearted but there are also lots of laughs as the authors’ sense of humour shines through the pages.

This is such a fun and exciting Cosy crime mystery, very tongue in cheek like Midsummer murders and Rosemary and Thyme but a bit more sweary. It has just the right amount of tension and pace to make you not want to put the book down.

I am so excited for the rest of the books in the series and think they would be great to watch on tv. 


Sincerely
Book Angel x

About the Author

M.B Vincent is a married couple. She writes romantic fiction, he writes songs and TV theme tunes. They've even written musicals together. They work at opposite ends of the house and meet in the middle to write about Jess Castle and Castle Kidbury, the West Country's goriest market town.

Wednesday 10 October 2018

Our Little Lies by Sue Watson



Marianne has a life others dream of. A beautiful townhouse on the best street in the neighbourhood. Three bright children who are her pride and joy.

Sometimes her past still hurts: losing her mother, growing up in foster care. But her husband Simon is always there. A successful surgeon, he’s the envy of every woman they’ve ever met. Flowers, gifts, trips to France – nothing is too good for his family.

Then Simon says another woman’s name. The way he lingers on it, Caroline, gives Marianne a shudder of suspicion, but she knows she can’t entertain this flash of paranoia.

In the old days, she’d have distracted herself at work, but Marianne left her glamorous career behind when she got married. She’d speak to a friend, but she’s too busy with her children and besides, Simon doesn’t approve of the few she has left.

It’s almost by accident that Marianne begins to learn more about Caroline. But once she starts, she can’t stop. Because what she finds makes her wonder whether the question she should be asking is not ‘should she be jealous’, but... ‘should she be scared’?


Title: Our Little Lies
Author: Sue Watson
Published By: Bookouture
Publication Date: 11th October 2018
Links: UK: Amazon   US: Amazon



Our Review

Omg what a ride that was.

This amazing breath-holding, heart-stopping psychological thriller was told completely from Marianne Wilson’s point of view. We are in her head the whole time and are privy to her innermost thoughts and that gives a strong feeling of intimacy with the main character.

Marianne has many flaws and is on medication for various reasons. From the outside her life looks perfect but it soon becomes apparent that it’s just a facade and is crumbling behind closed doors.

Her mental state is called into question throughout the book but it’s a guessing game as to whether it’s all in her head or she’s right to feel paranoid.

The tension builds up really quickly at the start of the book and continues to race until the end. I felt so on edge reading this and I felt like I was holding my breath as some parts made me furious.

As we delved into what had happened to cause Marianne to act and feel the way she did my heart bled for her and I felt as though I was going through every step of this journey with her and at some points felt so angry at what was happening to her. But then another twist would raise my suspicions as to whether her view of the situation was a genuine one.

This was such a realistic and genuine portrayal of someone being subjected to mental torture that to me it felt like a memoir rather than a work of fiction. The sense of helplessness that Marianne feels really comes across so strongly.

It reminded me of Big Little Lies crossed with Girl on the Train and Gone Girl.

I've really enjoyed Sue’s romance books and would like to say a huge congratulations to her for this debut psychological thriller and I look forward to reading more from her in either genre.

Sincerely
Book Angel x

About the Author

Sue Watson was a journalist then TV Producer at the BBC until she wrote her first book and was hooked.

She's now written thirteen novels - many involving cake - and her books have been translated into Italian, German and Portuguese. Originally from Manchester, Sue now lives with her husband and teenage daughter in Worcestershire where much of her day is spent procrastinating while eating cake (for research purposes), and watching 'My 600lb Life,' on the sofa.

Sue explored the darker side of life for her latest book 'Our Little Lies,' a dark, psychological thriller completely devoid of cake. She's hoping this change in direction will be reflected on the weighing scales.

For more info visit Sue's website; http://www.suewatsonbooks.com/

Sue would love to meet you on FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/suewatsonbooks

Follow Sue on Twitter @suewatsonwriter