Bena Roberts's Blog, page 7
July 15, 2018
An Oriental Murder by Jane Bastin
An Oriental Murder
The Pera Palas hotel in Istanbul, Turkey plays host to the Agatha Christie Writers��� Congress when real life imitates fiction. The bodies of the Prime Minister and his occasional mistress are found dead in one of the hotel���s locked rooms surrounded by bodyguards. Seemingly, no one could get in or out, and yet���
Inspector Sinan Kaya is convinced that foreign agents are culpable, and that the murders are linked to the recent spate of killings of Turkish government officials.
Within this complicated, crime riddled city, Sinan Kaya���s moral compass never falters. Not concerned with threats of dismissal from the force, he cuts his own path through the investigation, determined to uncover the truth.
An Oriental Murder is a tale of espionage and murder set against the backdrop of beautiful Istanbul, the ancient city where east and west meet.
Purchase Link - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Oriental-Murder-Jane-Bastin-ebook/dp/B07CKZW2WD/
Author Bio ��� Jane is a storyteller, writer, traveller and educator. Having lived and worked for over thirty years in Turkey, Jane has amassed a breadth of experiences that have led to the writing of the Sinan Kaya series of novels. Of course all characters and events are fictitious!
Fluent in both English and Turkish, Jane writes in both languages and has had a range of articles published in Turkish periodicals and magazines alongside British newspapers.
Jane now divides her time between rainy Devon and sunny Turkey,
Social Media Links ��� https://twitter.com/JaneJanebastin
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jane.bastin.9887
My Review An Oriental Murder
by Jane Bastin
#Agathafans will love the start and the concept!
The Good
The way this book started with the conference the awful mother the child with so many husbands and the sexy Sinan... rocked. Not forgetting the "needle."
The Bad
The twist at the end and coming back to the Prime Minister was genius. I can't say more on that -but I loved the start and the end of this book.
The Ugly
This was well written but the twist to the end took too long and too many paths. As a fiction fan, Agatha fan, Poirot and Marple fan - I wanted more of the conference aspect with lots of mystery/ fans and less of the detective in love or on a mission.
But not that much! I still really enjoyed this well-written book.
4 Stars
July 13, 2018
Blog Tour and Guest Post - Doctor Perry by Kirsten McKenzie
OMG what a fabulous cover! Do you trust your doctor? I am not sure, but head on below for a great article on the author Kirsten McKenzie about the book!
Actually, I really feel for the author and her issues with her child and the doctor. I have my own horror stories with doctors. After eight operations, cancer, chemo, radiation and two babies - I won't even begin to tell you the horror stories. I am definitely going to add this to my TBR list.
Doctor Perry
Under the Hippocratic Oath, a doctor swears to remember that warmth, sympathy, and understanding may outweigh the surgeon���s knife or the chemist���s drug.
Doctor Perry assures his elderly patients at the Rose Haven Retirement Home that he can offer warmth, sympathy, and understanding. Doctor Perry is a liar.
Hiding from a traumatic past, Elijah Cone wants nothing to do with the other residents at the Rose Haven, content to sit at his window waiting to die. He���s about to learn that under Doctor Perry death is the easy option...
Purchase Links ���
Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07C94LF8W
Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Doctor-Perry-Kirsten-McKenzie-ebook/dp/B07C94LF8W/
Author Bio ���
For many years Kirsten McKenzie worked in her family's antique store, where she went from being allowed to sell the 50c postcards as a child, to selling $5,000 Worcester vases and seventeenth century silverware, providing a unique insight into the world of antiques which touches every aspect of her writing.
Her historical fiction novels 'Fifteen Postcards' and it's sequel 'The Last Letter' have been described as 'Time Travellers Wife meets Far Pavilions', and 'Antiques Roadshow gone viral'. The third book in the series 'Telegram Home' will be released in November 2018 by Accent Press.
Her bestselling gothic horror novel 'Painted' was released in 2017, with her medical thriller 'Doctor Perry' following closely in April 2018.
She lives in New Zealand with her husband, her daughters, an SPCA rescue cat and a kitten found in the neighbour's shed, and can usually be found procrastinating on Twitter under the handle @kiwimrsmac.
Social Media Links ���
Facebook: www.facebook.com/kirstenmckenzieauthor
Twitter: www.twitter.com/kiwimrsmac
Instagram: www.instagram.com/kiwimrsmac
Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/kirstenmckenzieauthor
BookBub: www.bookbub.com/profile/kirsten-mckenzie
The Appeal of Medical Thrillers
Do you trust your doctor? That���s the hook on the cover of Doctor Perry. We are taught to trust the medical profession ��� they keep us alive and they patch us up. They generally stop us from dying of most curable illnesses ��� high blood pressure, septic ulcers and early stage cancers. But not all doctors are trustworthy.
Harold Shipman was one of the world���s worst serial killers, yet he looked and acted like your kindly local general practitioner, with a Santa-like beard and studious glasses. It was a crematorium employee who initially voiced their concerns which ultimately lead to his downfall.
An article from www.crimereads.com sums it up perfectly: ���And a physician possesses what seems to be an impenetrable font of knowledge in that regard and thus gains power from our trust.��� The Hippocratic Oath is so ingrained in western culture, and the juggernaut of the pharmaceutical industry is so mammoth and unquestionable, that when someone from that industry goes off the rails, we are astonished. It is such a gross breach of trust.
Infections are, for the most part, the one thing we have no control over. We generally cannot stop catching a cold off the stranger on the bus, or from the man in the queue next to us at the supermarket. And thanks to people like Stephen King, Robin Cook and Michael Crichton, the idea of a virulent virus wiping out great swathes of the population are more than believable. I have a suspicion that each of us consider ourselves immune to the next plague to strike the world, and so we watch from afar the outbreaks of Ebola and Avian Flu, knowing that we���ll we safe in our own little worlds.
Reading medical thrillers is, in a way, a method of preparing ourselves for the inevitable. Preparing ourselves for the next bubonic plague. We have been warned that antibiotic resistant infections are here already, and that it���s more when, not if, that we���re struck my something as virulent as the Spanish Flu.
Do we read these fatalistic novels as a form of preparation for the inevitable? Or do we read medical thrillers more for their voyeuristic tendencies ��� where we���re happiest when someone other than us or our loved ones are suffering? I believe it���s a bit of both.
A book is a safe haven. We can read about 90% of the world ending, but undoubtedly the protagonist survives with some of his closest friends ��� just like we would, with our friends. We are of course, too sensible to trust a quack. But can I tell you something? When our first daughter was born, we decided we���d enrol her with the doctor my husband went to. The first inkling that he was missing some of the sandwiches from his picnic, was when he told my husband to wish away the warts on his knee��� The last straw was when he made a passing comment that he believed Elvis was still alive. These are just two examples of eyebrow raising comments he made during my daughter���s first year of life. We changed doctors. I wonder if he���s recommended any of his new patients to wish away their skin cancers or troubling lumps.
Truth is always stranger than fiction. As authors we can write about murderous doctors, and killer viruses, and the unbelievable poison Amazonian plants contain, but real life is worse. So I believe that is why medical thrillers are a safe escapism from life. Because deep down we know it���s much safer to read about medical horrors, than to admit that real life is scarier and less predictable, and more infectious.
July 11, 2018
Blog Tour - Within The Walls by Dre Keeton
Within the Walls
by Dre Keeton
Genre: Paranormal Romance, Dystopian
Perfect opposites in a far from perfect world.
Jackson and Lenah are from two different worlds. Lenah is among the elite in Sundale City. Jackson, on the other hand, is broke, Psycho Infected and has a criminal record growing by the minute. It���s safe to say, in another life, the two would never have crossed paths.
But when Jackson is assigned to work for Lenah in an effort to use his PI abilities for something productive, things get complicated.
As their worlds collide, they realize how much they���ve both suffered and struggled with the darkness the infection brought the world.
But the closer they become, the more dangerous things get. It isn���t just that PI and human relationships are forbidden, but Lenah's powerful fianc�� has no intention of letting her go. And as people in the American Walled Cities start disappearing, Jackson and Lenah discover there's something even more sinister at play than her pending nuptials.
Goodreads * Amazon
Dre Keeton is the oldest of three children, a tequila enthusiast, and fueled by plants. One of her favorite things, aside from chatting with her dog, is creating fictional worlds that seem likely. Dre is an avid promoter of diversity in literature and seeks to mirror that in her own work.
Website * Facebook * Reader Group * Twitter * Instagram * Goodreads
Follow the tour HERE for exclusive content and a giveaway!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
July 10, 2018
Unfinished Business by S C Cunningham
Unfinished Business S C Cunningham
K9 - Dog Cock?
Foreskin Forster?
I wonder when I read these books how on earth I ever had children!
The Good
This is some seriously awful shit. I mean killing a man that way on the boat - just evil. I love the way the author wrote the "devil heard him." As at that bit - I knew I was in for a shock.
The Bad
Tara changing at the end doing bad things - I didn't want that and I didn't like it.
The Ugly
Rape, Catholic guilt, abuse the list could go on.
This is deeply darker and more psychological with so much more manipulation that the first book. I read it, I went with it but I struggled with the brutal honesty and sort of realistic-believable way it was written.
There really are nutters and manipulators out there and David is no exception. I hated Helen too - but felt sympathy strangely at the same time.
4 Stars from me - only because a real thriller lover would adore this. I am a fuddy-duddy or mummy and the emails/ dog chat/ still having feelings for someone that kidnapped you--- just out of my comfort zone!!
Review - If you Love Me, I'm Yours by Lizzie Chantree
If you love me, I���m yours.
���If you love me, I���m yours������
Maud didn���t mind being boring, not really. She had a sensible job, clothes, and love life��� if you counted an overbearing ex who had thanked her, rolled over and was snoring before she even realised he���d begun! She could tolerate not fulfilling her dreams, if her parents would pay her one compliment about the only thing she was passionate about in life: her art.
Dot should have fit in with her flamboyant and slightly eccentric family of talented artists, but somehow, she was an anomaly who couldn���t paint. She tried hard to be part of their world by becoming an art agent extraordinaire, but she dreamed of finding her own voice.
Dot���s brother Nate, a smoulderingly sexy and famous artist, was adored by everyone. His creative talent left them in awe of his ability to capture such passion on canvas. Women worshipped him, and even Dot���s friend Maud flushed and bumped into things when he walked into a room, but a tragic event in his past had left him emotionally and physically scarred, and reluctant to face the world again.
Someone was leaving exquisite little paintings on park benches, with a tag saying, ���If you love me, I���m yours���. The art was so fresh and cutting-edge, that it generated a media frenzy and a scramble to discover where the mystery artist could be hiding. The revelation of who the prodigious artist was interlinked Maud, Dot and Nate���s lives forever, but their worlds came crashing down.
Were bonds of friendship, love and loyalty strong enough to withstand fame, success and scandal?
Purchase Link - viewbook.at/IfYouLoveMe-ImYours
Author Bio ���
Award-winning inventor and author, Lizzie Chantree, started her own business at the age of 18 and became one of Fair Play London and The Patent Office���s British Female Inventors of the Year in 2000. She discovered her love of writing fiction when her children were little and now runs networking hours on social media, where creative businesses, writers, photographers and designers can offer advice and support to each other. She lives with her family on the coast in Essex.
Social Media Links ���
Website: www.lizziechantree.com
Author page: viewAuthor.at/LizzieChantree
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Lizzie_Chantree
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lizzie.chantree.3
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lizzie_chantree/
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.co.uk/LizzieChantree/pins/
Giveaway ��� Win signed copies of If You Love Me, I���m Yours and Ninja School Mum (Open Internationally)
*Terms and Conditions ���Worldwide entries welcome. Please enter using the Rafflecopter box below. The winner will be selected at random via Rafflecopter from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then I reserve the right to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over. Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners��� information. This will passed to the giveaway organiser and used only for fulfilment of the prize, after which time I will delete the data. I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.
My Review If You Love Me, I'm Yours
by Lizzie Chantree
This is romance laced with vodka and tonic. One minute I loved Maud, the next Dot. Then I hated both of them and wanted to hit Maud over the head with a dead fish.
The Good
Classic, fun rom-com mixed with Banksy and a Shakespear Tragedy.
The Bad
The start of the book and Maud - frustrated me. She was so pathetic! I also draw like a baby holding a banana and the art world fascinates me! So, even though there was a pull of interest in the story - pathetic Maud at the start killed it... but not for long.
The Ugly
Watching Maud grow, was great. What happened with Tom was terrible and I wish that was played on a bit more. Also Dot, she was - hmmm I don't know. There were so many times I hated this book and the characters but then the next minute I loved them. I felt like I was having hot flushes through this book and I am not sure why and I really don't know how it could evoke so many positive and negative emotions.
I think Nate and me falling in love with him and the magic ending were worth the wait the suffering that this book caused me!
4.5 Stars - who said that Rom Com couldn't make you think and scream or kick! I certainly did.
I read this as part of a blog tour.
July 9, 2018
Review - Riding Shotgun and Other American Cruelties by Andy Rausch
Riding Shotgun: And Other American Cruelties
RIDING SHOTGUN AND OTHER AMERICAN CRUELTIES is a unique collection of quirky, Tarantinoesque crime novellas, representing three very different sub-genres. In the first story, "Easy-Peezy," a band of elderly Old West bank robbers return to their wicked ways robbing banks in the 1930s John Dillinger era. The second story, "Riding Shotgun," is a bitter tale about a man pushed to the limits of human endurance and forced to take up arms to protect those he loves. The third tale, "$crilla," is an urban crime fantasy in which a fledgling hip-hop group kidnaps a record mogul in the hopes of finally making the kind of loot they've always dreamed of.
Purchase Links:
https://www.amazon.com/Riding-Shotgun-Other-American-Cruelties-ebook/dp/B073RT1353/
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Riding-Shotgun-Other-American-Cruelties-ebook/dp/B073RT1353/
Author Bio ��� Andy Rausch is a a freelance film journalist, author, and celebrity interviewer. He has published more than twenty books on the subject of popular culture, including The Films of Martin Scorsese and Robert De Niro, Making Movies with Orson Welles (with Gary Graver), and The Cinematic Misadventures of Ed Wood (with Charles E. Pratt, Jr.). His work has appeared in Shock Cinema, both Screem and Scream magazines, Senses of Cinema, Diabolique, Creative Screenwriting, Film Threat, Bright Lights Film Journal, and Images: A Journal of Film and Popular Culture. He has written several works of fiction including Mad World, Elvis Presley: CIA Assassin, Riding Shotgun and Other American Cruelties, and the short story collection Death Rattles. He has also worked as a screenwriter, producer, and actor on numerous straight-to-video horror films.
Twitter - https://twitter.com/writerrausch1
My Review - Riding Shotgun: And Other American Cruelties
by Andy Rausch
This is without a doubt fiction for MEN. I mean real men! The whiskey drinking, cowboy boot wearing, man and not the diet coke man!
The Good
I am going to focus this review on the first story as that was by far my favorite. Also, any story that calls Public Enemy obnoxious (number 2) is going to be ignored - even if I enjoyed it!
The Bad
I used to be a tomboy. I went to the races with my dad and on Sundays we watched Westerns. I loved them. Clint/ Wayne - Spaghetti or Dirty ... my dad was a huge huge fan. That is the reason I enjoyed the first story so much...
Older men hustling, getting guns ... I draw the line at robbery better than women though.
The Ugly
Old men, wheelchairs, and viagra! OK. I made up the viagra bit.
There was no real ugly apart from the deaths and killing at the robberies. I know they needed to be there to add to the weight of robbery - but maybe I am just not tomboy enough.
All in all - I enjoyed all of the stories in this book. If you are male, leaning on the A-Type, enjoy Mafia or Western books then this is for you. My dad would have bloody loved it!
4.5 Stars - A True Grit type of read!
I read this as part of a blog tour.
An Artisan Lovestyle by Kiltie Jackson
I am so excited to bring you this book on my blog tour! An Artisan Lovestyle by Kiltie Jackson. We already featured the cover reveal - which we love. Now, we are sharing content with other bloggers to make this blog tour rock!
Below - you can scroll down to read about Harry one of the Musteteers. You can also read about characters Sukie and Elsa on other blog tours - see the links below! ENJOY!!
The Three Musketeers
Sukie McClaren and Elsa Clairmont are best friends who first appear in ���A Rock ���n��� Roll Lovestyle���.
Elsa is a young widow and we pick up with her story in ���An Artisan Lovetyle���.
Harry was her childhood sweetheart.
This small, three-part series / prequel, is the story of how they first met and how they became friends.
Sukie can be read on Jennifer Gilmour on 9th July - https://jennifergilmour.com/blog/
Harry can be read on Six Tinder Weeks on 10th July - www.sixtinderweeks.com
Elsa can be read on Ali ��� The Dragon Slayer on 15th July - http://cancersuckscouk.ipage.com/
An Artisan Lovestyle
Are you ���living��� your life or just living your life?
Elsa Clairmont was widowed barely five years after marrying her childhood sweetheart. She has struggled to come to terms with the loss and, six years later, has almost ceased to live herself. She does just enough to get by.
Danny Delaney is the ultimate ���Mr Nice Guy���. He���s kind, caring and sweet. A talented artist in his teens, his abusive mother ruined his career in art and he turned his back on his exceptional gift. Now, he does just enough to get by.
On New Year���s Eve, both Danny and Elsa die in unrelated accidents.
Thanks to some poker playing shenanigans, Elsa���s husband Harry, and Danny���s old Art teacher, William, manage to orchestrate a deal with Death that allows Danny and Elsa to live for one more year on the condition they both agree
to complete three tasks.
They have until the last chime of Big Ben on the 31st December to fulfil their quests.
If they succeed, they stay in the world of the living.
If they should fail however���
���An Artisan Lovestyle��� is a story of personal growth and self-discovery as two people find themselves forced to make overdue changes in their lives, changes in other people���s lives, and all with the added challenge of
finding true love before their time runs out.
Will they do it?
Can they do it?
After all, it���s a matter of Life or Death���
Purchase Link - https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07D23TM38
AUTHOR BIO
Kiltie grew up in Glasgow in Scotland,
This is a very unique city with a very unique way of looking at life.
When she was old enough to do so, she moved to London and then,
after several years of obtaining interesting experiences -which are
finding their way into her writing - she moved up to the Midlands.
Kiltie currently lives in Staffordshire with five cats and one grumpy husband.
Her little home is known as Moggy Towers, even though despite having
plenty of moggies, there are no towers!
The cats kindly allow her and Mr Mogs to share their house on the
condition they keep paying the mortgage!
She loves reading, watching movies, and visiting old castles.
She really dislikes going to the gym!
Her biggest desire is that one day she can give up the day job
and write her stories for a living.
Kiltie's debut novel, 'A Rock 'n' Roll Lovestyle', was released in September 2017 and won
a "Chill With A Book - Reader Award" in December 2017.
She first began writing her debut novel eleven years before it was released but shelved
it as she didn't think it was very good.
In November 2016 when, having read more on a best-selling author who had begun
her own career as a self-published author, she was inspired to revisit the unfinished
manuscript and finally finish what she had started.
Since beginning to write again, the ideas have not stopped flowing.
'An Artisan Lovestyle' is the second book in the Lovestyle Series.
Work is due to begin on book three (not yet titled but also part of the Lovestyle Series)
in the Summer of 2018.
She currently has a further ten plots and ideas stored in her file (it's costing a
fortune in USB drives as each story has its own memory stick!) and
the ideas still keep on coming.
Kiltie now lives her life around the following three quotes:
"I love having weird dreams, they're great fodder for book plots!"
"Why wait for your ship to come in when you can swim out to meet it?"
"Old enough to know better, young enough not to care!"
Website www.kiltiejackson.com
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/kiltiejackson
Twitter - https://twitter.com/KiltieJackson
Giveaway ��� Win a ��40 / $40 Amazon Voucher (Open Internationally)
*Terms and Conditions ���Worldwide entries welcome. Please enter using the Rafflecopter box below. The winner will be selected at random via Rafflecopter from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then I reserve the right to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over. Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners��� information. This will passed to the giveaway organiser and used only for fulfilment of the prize, after which time I will delete the data. I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.
EXTRACT from An Artisan Lovestyle by Kiltie Jackson - This really made me laugh especially OAF! I love the word oaf!!
Harry
Harry Clairmont was walking along the road with his mates. Today was their first day at senior school and he was dreading it. He���d heard stories about how the big boys bullied the new kids and shoved their heads down the toilet and things like that. His mates weren���t worried but they were all big, solid lads. He was slim built and not very tall. He just knew he would be the perfect target for them to pick on. Unconsciously, he began to slow down as they got closer to the school gates and he was soon lagging behind.
���Hey Harry, get a move on or all the good seats will be gone. Do you want to be the teacher���s pet and sit at the front?���
Harry held on tightly to his rucksack and ran to catch up. He had to push through a gaggle of other pupils and, in doing so, bashed a couple with his bag.
���Oi, you stupid oaf, watch where you���re going!���
He turned his head to apologise and saw two girls glaring at him. The taller one, with brown hair, was giving him the verbal while her blonde friend had bent down to pick up the bag which had fallen from her hand. When she looked up at him again, Harry felt his whole world stop and spin on its axis. He was looking into the biggest, darkest blue eyes he had ever seen and they were sitting in the face of an angel.
He walked back to the girls, his friends now forgotten. ���I am so sorry. Are you okay?��� He looked at the blonde girl as he spoke.
Her taller, darker friend replied, ���Yeah, but no thanks to you. Try looking where you���re going in future.���
Harry managed to tear his eyes away from the cute blonde and looked at her gobby friend.
���I will,��� he said, ���I���m really sorry.��� With one last, lingering, look at the angel in front of him, he turned and rushed off to find his mates.
That lunchtime, he sat on the wall watching his mates playing football. He longed to join them but it had been declared a long time ago that he was utterly rubbish and too much of a hindrance, so he spent more time watching from the sidelines. In this new environment, he was feeling a bit lonely and wished he was better at sports. He looked away and saw the two girls he���d bumped into that morning sitting down at one of the picnic tables. He picked up his rucksack and hurried over to them.
���Hi there,��� he said, as he approached the table, ���I was hoping to bump into you again.���
���Not literally I hope, once was quite enough, thank you!��� replied the dark-haired one.
Harry realised what he���d said and felt his cheeks grow hot and red. ���Er��� No, not literally. I wanted to apologise again for that and I got you both these to say sorry properly.��� In his hand, he held out two Mars bars which he���d bought from the tuck shop during morning break.
���Well, Elsa, what do you think? Are we in a forgiving mood today? Can we be bribed with chocolate and caramel confectionary?���
���Damn right we can!��� Elsa smiled at Harry and took one of the bars from his hand. Sukie leant over and took the other.
���Thank you. You didn���t have to do that,��� said Elsa, as she shuffled along the bench. ���Would you like to join us? I���m Elsa and this mouthy mare is Suzie.���
���I would like that��� If it���s alright with you of course?��� He looked at Suzie for her approval. She was clearly the leader in this little twosome.
���Of course I am. You���ve just fed me chocolate, you���re allowed to stay.��� For the first time since they���d met, she smiled at him and Harry saw the mischief in her eyes.
���Thank you. I���m Harry.���
Suzie stuck her hand across the table. ���Lovely to meet you Harry, tell us all about you!���
���Oh my goodness, you are NOT going to believe it! Darren McAlister has just asked me out!��� Elsa rushed over to join Suzie and Harry who were sitting at their regular picnic bench.
���No way! What did you say?��� Suzie put her sandwich back down on the table.
���Why ���yes��� of course. He���s gorgeous! I���m so lucky ��� half the girls in our year fancy him.���
���He���s the lucky one, Elsa. You���re also gorgeous and far too good for the likes of him!��� Harry tried to keep the bitterness out of his voice. The feeling of jealousy was rampaging through him and he was trying his best not to let the girls see. Although, judging by the look Suzie had just given him, she���d sussed him out.
He���d never actually put how he felt about Elsa into words but Suzie was very astute and he reckoned she had worked it out ��� probably the last time Elsa had been asked out on a date, a few months prior. Thankfully, that hadn���t worked out but here he was, back in the same predicament again and feeling exactly the same emotions as he had then.
���Anyway, I can���t stop, I need to go and see Mr Easton about some English homework I���m struggling with. I just came over to tell you the news. I���ll see you both after school.���
Elsa skipped away, unaware of how wretched Harry was now feeling.
Suzie looked at him. ���You have to say something Harry, before you lose her for good.���
���So you do know then.���
���Of course I know! I���m not blind! I���ve known since the day we first met, over three years ago. It was a bit obvious.���
���Does Elsa know?���
���No, and she never will if you don���t find the bottle to tell her.���
���I���m scared of losing her friendship. What if the idea disgusts her and she stops talking to me? Do you know how she feels about me?���
Suzie looked at him. ���I don���t know Harry. I���ve never mentioned it because I didn���t want to risk putting a spanner in the works. But you need to do something and you need to do it soon!��� She stood up and gathered her things together. ���Elsa is not only beautiful on the inside, Harry, she���s also beautiful on the outside and the other boys are beginning to notice. Don���t leave it too late my friend.���
With a small smile, she walked off towards the main school building and left Harry to ponder over what he needed to do next.
���Wow, Harry! This place is really expensive. Are you sure about this?���
���Of course I���m sure.���
Harry held the door open to the very exclusive restaurant and let Elsa walk in first. She didn���t need to know that the owners were good friends of his parents and he���d promised to wash dishes there for the next month if they would give him a good discount on the meal tonight. He had one chance to make an impression otherwise he would lose Elsa for ever. He���d taken Suzie���s advice, found some courage and had asked Elsa out for, what he���d called, a ���proper��� date. He���d been totally taken aback when she���d said yes and was very grateful to his mum for sorting this out for him.
The hostess showed them to their seat and, for the next two hours, he and Elsa talked like they had never talked before.
At the end of the night, he walked her home and they stood chatting outside for about half an hour before she said she had to go in.
���I���ve had a wonderful night Harry, thank you. I would really like to do this again.���
���You would? Are you sure?���
Elsa looked at him with her big sapphire-blue eyes. ���Oh yes, Harry. I���m very sure.���
She leaned in and placed a soft, gentle kiss on his lips. After a few seconds, she pulled away, opened the front door, walked in and, with a smile and a wave, she closed it behind her.
Harry stood staring at where she���d been standing for a few more seconds before turning away.
It was official!
He loved Elsa Benton and he was going to love her for the rest of his life!
July 8, 2018
Review - The Cottage on Lily Pond Lane - Part Two by Emily Harvale
#LilyPondLane
The Cottage on Lily Pond Lane
Summer Secrets
Escape to the seaside village of Little Pondale with Part Two of this heart-warming and romantic, four-part serial.
Mia Ward was amazed to inherit her great-aunt Matilda���s thatched cottage in the tiny seaside village of Little Pondale ��� especially as Mia didn���t know she had a great-aunt Matilda. She was even more astonished to discover she���d only inherit the place if she lives there for a year.
Now Mia and her friends, Ella and Garrick are embracing village life. Garrick���s also embracing someone in The Frog and Lily, so Mia turns her attention to one or two of her sexy, single neighbours. But great-aunt Matilda remains an enigma and Mia���s still determined to discover who she was.
When Mia���s mum, Lori arrives, she���s eager to see what the summer has to offer. There���s the Kite Festival, the F��te, the Frog Hill Run, but what really appeals to Lori, much to Mia���s horror, is the Midsummer Night���s naked bathing in the pond at Frog���s Hollow.
As sweltering days surrender to sultry nights, love is definitely in the air. And when an incident means Mia has to face her greatest fear, help arrives from a surprising source. But one thing is clear... someone is trying to make sure Mia doesn���t stay in Little Pondale...
Purchase link: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07DDL5KCR
Author Bio ���
Having lived and worked in London for several years, Emily returned to her home town of Hastings where she now spends her days writing... and chatting on social media. Emily is a Member of the SoA, a PAN member of the RWA and a Pro Member of ALLi. She's an Amazon bestseller and a Kindle All Star. Emily loves writing and her stories are sure to bring a smile to your face and a warmth to your heart.
Emily says, "I write about friendship, family and falling in love. I believe in happing endings." When she isn't writing, she can be found enjoying the stunning East Sussex coast and countryside, or in a wine bar with friends, discussing life, love and the latest TV shows. Chocolate cake is often eaten. She dislikes housework almost as much as she dislikes anchovies - and will do anything to avoid both.
Social Media Links ��� https://www.facebook.com/emilyharvalewriter
https://www.twitter.com/emilyharvale
https://www.instagram.com/emilyharvale
My Review - The Cottage on Lily Pond Lane-Part Two
by Emily Harvale
I loved part one of this book. Part two turned all romance and there were a lot of different men. The mystery of the house etc. got put on the back burner. Which was a shame as that is what I preferred. Also, this was not as funny as part one.
Despite that, I really am looking forward to reading part 3.
3 Stars - I read this as part of a blog tour
PART 3 is coming soon!!
Purchase Link - http://newbook.at/LilyPondAutumn
Escape to the seaside village of Little Pondale with Part Three of this heart-warming and romantic, four-part serial.
Mia Ward was amazed to inherit her great-aunt Matilda���s thatched cottage in the tiny seaside village of Little Pondale ��� especially as Mia didn���t know she had a great-aunt Matilda. She was equally astonished to discover she���d only inherit the place if she lives there for a year.
But it didn���t take long for Mia and her friends, Ella and Garrick to settle in. Now Mia���s mum, Lori has joined them, and they���re all enjoying village life. Mia���s keen to overcome her fear of water and with Garrick by her side, she���s confident about the future.
Until a fortune teller���s predictions give everyone cause for concern. Now Mia���s not so sure of anything, except that someone still wants her to leave. That makes her more determined to learn all she can about Matilda ��� and the codicil.
But as the mists roll in over the sea, are autumn winds making passions cool? And when more than one unexpected visitor gives Mia a shocking surprise, is everything about to change?
July 4, 2018
Review - Greek Millionaire, Unruly Wife by Sun Chara
Greek Millionaire, Unruly Wife
A tempestuous fling���a marriage���a betrayal?
When Michalis Leonadis��� bride jumps ship at the first sign of rough waters, he���s annoyed. When she costs him a marriage and a billion-dollar deal, he���s furious; but when he discovers she ditched him whilst harboring a secret���he���s out for revenge.
Ex-model, Julia Armstrong gave up everything for Michalis but when she catches him with another woman, crushed, she jets out of his life. The proud Greek blasts back into her world seeking retribution���in exchange for a divorce, he demands she relinquish the one thing she cannot. Her daughter. Only one other bargaining chip remains���Julia herself.
Purchase Link - http://hyperurl.co/a5rm8c
Author Bio ��� Sun Chara, an Amazon top 100 bestseller, writes sexy, hip ���n fun contemporary romance for HarperImpulse. JABBIC winner, Manhattan Millionaire's Cinderella launched her writing career, spinning the 'global millionaires��� series'. She makes her home in southern California, and has appeared on stage/film to rave reviews in How the Other Half Loves, General Hospital, and McGee and Me. With a Masters Degree in Education, and membership in SAG/AFTRA and Romance Writers of America, she enjoys sipping Frappuccinos topped with whipped cream/sprinkles, and dancing on the beach���making everyday a celebration!
Social Media Links ���
https://facebook.com/suncharaauthorpage
https://twitter.com/sunchara3
Giveaway ��� Win an e-copy of Greek Millionaire, Unruly Wife and a Greek style bracelet (Open Internationally)
The design of bracelet will vary depending on where in the world you live.
*Terms and Conditions ���Worldwide entries welcome. Please enter using the Rafflecopter box below. The winner will be selected at random via Rafflecopter from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then I reserve the right to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over. Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners��� information. This will passed to the giveaway organiser and used only for fulfilment of the prize, after which time I will delete the data. I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.
Review Greek Millionaire, Unruly Wife - by Sun Chara
Everyone, I have a secret. I love Greek men! I love love love love them!
The Good
This is the second novel I have read by the author and this was by far my favorite. I bloody loved it and kept on reading it where ever I could! It wasn't the longest book so it was finished quickly and just the fix of hot romance I needed.
The Bad
When she was describing the naked Greek God naked in the ocean....
The Ugly
How long it took for our heroine to give in? I mean come on? I was gone long before the diamond!!
5 Stars - Girly and lovely... we can all dream!
I read this as part of a blog tour.
July 2, 2018
Review - The Red Hand of Fury by R. N. Morris
The Red Hand of Fury
London, June 1914. A young man is mauled to death at London Zoo after deliberately climbing into the bear pit. Shortly afterwards, another young man leaps to his death from the notorious Suicide Bridge. Two seemingly unconnected deaths ��� and yet there are similarities.
Following a third attempted suicide, Detective Inspector Silas Quinn knows he must uncover the link between the three men if he is to discover what caused them to take their own lives. The one tangible piece of evidence is a card found in each of the victims��� possession, depicting a crudely-drawn red hand. What does it signify? To find the answers, Quinn must revisit his own dark past. But can he keep his sanity in the process ���?
Purchase Links:
UK amazon (kindle) https://www.amazon.co.uk/Red-Hand-Fury-pre-World-historical-ebook/dp/B07CWWQLLR/
US amazon (kindle) - https://www.amazon.com/Red-Hand-Fury-pre-World-historical-ebook/dp/B07CWWQLLR/
Author Bio ���
R. N. Morris is the author of eight historical crime novels. His first, A Gentle Axe, was published by Faber and Faber in 2007. Set in St Petersburg in the nineteenth century, it features Porfiry Petrovich, the investigating magistrate from Dostoevsky���s great novel, Crime and Punishment. The book was published in many countries, including Russia. He followed that up with A Vengeful Longing, which was shortlisted for the CWA Gold Dagger. A Razor Wrapped in Silk came next, followed by The Cleansing Flames, which was nominated for the Ellis Peters Historical Novel Dagger. The Silas Quinn series of novels, set in London in 1914, began with Summon Up The Blood, followed by The Mannequin House, The Dark Palace and now The Red Hand of Fury, published on 31 March, 2018.
Taking Comfort is a standalone contemporary novel, written as Roger Morris. He also wrote the libretto to the opera When The Flame Dies, composed by Ed Hughes.
Social Media Links ���
Twitter: @rnmorris
Facebook page for Red Hand of Fury: https://www.facebook.com/The-Red-Hand-of-Fury-217617635460794/
Website: rogernmorris.co.uk
Giveaway ��� Win a hardback copy of The Red Hand of Fury (Open Internationally)
*Terms and Conditions ���Worldwide entries welcome. Please enter using the Rafflecopter box below. The winner will be selected at random via Rafflecopter from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then I reserve the right to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over. Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners��� information. This will passed to the giveaway organiser and used only for fulfilment of the prize, after which time I will delete the data. I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.
My Review
The Red Hand of Fury by R. N. Morris
I wasn't sure what to expect when I started this. After I read the first chapter I was convinced it was going to be horror!
The Good
It wasn't a horror and after the first Stanley chapter there are a lot of clues and twists. Clever detective fans will really enjoy this!
Chapters jump from timelines and it keeps you on your toes. This is an active read that all hobby detectives will love.
The Bad
It is a bit creepy. I swear I felt a bit uneasy thinking about insane people and trying to understand how someone who worked there could think those things. Also mind games and mind control has always fascinated me.
The Ugly
FURY is a great word for this book. It is furious. It was a little bit dark for me and that doesn't mean I didn't like it. I did but I felt as though I read it like I was watching Silence of the Lambs, with one hand over one eye.
4 Stars - I read this as part of a blog tour.
