Stephanie Dagg's Blog, page 23
July 31, 2019
Buried Treasure by Gilli Allan: a complex, absorbing novel
Buried Treasure
Their backgrounds could hardly be further apart, their expectations in life more different. And there is nothing in the first meeting between the conference planner and the university lecturer which suggests they should expect or even want to connect again. But they have more in common than they could ever have imagined. Both have unresolved issues from the past which have marked them; both have an archaeological puzzle they want to solve. Their stories intertwine and they discover together that treasure isn’t always what it seems.
My review
This book centres around two main characters, Jane and Theo. Just as it real life, it takes a little while to get to know them and to understand what makes them tick. And when we do we can really enjoy this story about them, although it’s not all plain sailing for them.
It’s not a straightforward romance for a variety of reasons, and there’s so much more going on too. We get a good look into the worlds of academia and conference organising, both of which are very interesting, if competitive. We see how the need for continuous ‘improvements’ and ‘steps forward’ can be at loggerheads with respecting and conserving history. This historical facet concerns the buried treasure that is referred to in the book’s title.
There is an edginess to the novel. There are some dark skeletons lurking in cupboards that need to first be let loose and dealt with. They have a lot of issues to deal with to move on and at least try to find some happiness in their lives.
The mystery in the story is original and cleverly constructed. Several times I was sure I’d worked it out, but no, there was another ingenious twist and I was back to square one!
This is an enjoyable, slightly challenging read that gives you a tantalising mystery to solve and plenty to think about.
Purchase Links
UK – https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07SN5NWJ2
US – https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07SN5NWJ2
Author bio
Gilli Allan began to write in childhood – a hobby pursued throughout her teenage. Writing was only abandoned when she left home, and real life supplanted the fiction.
After a few false starts she worked longest and most happily as a commercial artist, and only began writing again when she became a mother.
Living in Gloucestershire with her husband Geoff, Gilli is still a keen artist. She draws and paints and has now moved into book illustration.
Currently published by Accent Press, each of her books, TORN, LIFE CLASS and FLY or FALL has won a ‘Chill with a Book’ award.
Following in the family tradition, her son, historian Thomas Williams, is also a writer. His most recent work, published by William Collins, is ‘Viking Britain’.
Social Media Links –
https://accentpressbooks.com/collections/gilli-allan
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Gilli-Allan/e/B004W7GG7I
http://twitter.com/gilliallan (@gilliallan)
https://www.facebook.com/GilliAllan.AUTHOR
http://gilliallan.blogspot.com
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1027644.Gilli_Allan
https://romanticnovelistsassociation.org/rna_author/gilli-allan/
July 28, 2019
The Summer House in Santorini by Samantha Parks: uplifting and summery
The Summer House in Santorini
One summer in Greece will change everything…
Anna’s running away. From a failed relationship, a dead-end career and a complicated family life.
On the island of Santorini, with its picturesque villas, blue-tiled roofs, and the turquoise waters of the Aegean lapping at the white sand beaches, Anna inherits a less-than-picturesque summer house from her estranged father. As she rebuilds the house, she rebuilds her life, uncovering family secrets along the way that change everything. She starts to fall for her little slice of paradise, as well as for gorgeous, charming Nikos.
Will Anna lose her heart in more ways than one?
My review
This is a summer breeze of a novel about difficult decisions and new beginnings, about discovery and rethinking. Our heroine Anna has a few unpleasant issues to face in the story and realisations to make. Whilst at the start she’s definitely in a bit of a rut the tone is always positive and the story becomes more uplifting as it progresses.
Anna is self-contained and strong, maybe a little entitled even, but not above needing the love and support of others. She manages alone, but she really shines in company and life is more rewarding. She comes to realise the world doesn’t owe her a living. She can and has to influence things herself. Niko and Elena provide the friendship and encouragement she needs to take a good look at where she is and where she wants to be. They give her the courage she requires to start anew.
The setting is glorious. A Greek island in summer must be many people’s dream, and you can see why in the pages of this book. The colours and scents are described, as well as the atmosphere of this place, so very different from the greyness of home, which seeps into the story.
A delightful read for the summer.
Purchase links:
UK – https://www.amazon.co.uk/Summer-House-Santorini-Samantha-Parks-ebook/dp/B07JHLMQFV
US – https://www.amazon.com/Summer-House-Santorini-Samantha-Parks-ebook/dp/B07JHLMQFV
Author bio
Samantha Parks is the pen name of Sam Gale. Her pen name comes from her late grandmother Velma Hobbs nee Parks, who was one of Sam’s greatest role models. Sam was born in North Carolina but now resides in Bournemouth, UK with her husband Alex. She owns a successful marketing company and is enjoying her slow descent into “crazy plant lady” status.
Social media links
Twitter: https://twitter.com/samanthajgale
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/searchingforsamantha/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/samanthaparksauthor
Website/blog: https://www.samanthaparks.com/
July 26, 2019
Baby Daddy Mystery by Daisy Pettles: just brilliant!
Synopsis
It’s Spring in Pawpaw County, Indiana. Everybody has a bad case of hanky-panky pants. Senior sleuths Ruby Jane Waskom and Veenie Goens are on the run, chasing down cheating heart Jezebels and shaking child support out of deadbeat baby daddies.
Everybody in the small town of Knobby Waters knows Avonelle Ollis, cantankerous President of the First National Bank. After Avonelle’s husband, esteemed dentist William Apple, passes away, she receives a child support letter from a self-proclaimed mistress. Suspicious, she hires Ruby Jane and Veenie, of the Shady Hoosier Detective Agency, to determine if her late husband was a philandering baby daddy.
The case seems simple until Avonelle’s son, Bromley, heir to his father’s dental empire, and well-known king of the Pawpaw County Hanky Panky Husbands Club, pops up dead in a scarecrow costume. No sooner does the crime-cracking duo get sucked into solving Bromley’s death than Fussy Jones, Commander of the White River Boat and Gun Club, is found with a gig in his chest, literally dead in the water.
When a mysterious new Romeo rolls into town and begins seducing the ladies out at Leisure Hills Retirement Village Veenie’s father, Pappy Sneed, calls for help to retain his reputation as an oldster stud puppy. Ruby Jane bemoans that no one in Pawpaw County can keep their pants on or their skirts down as her own grown daughter, Joyce, begs for help chasing down her philandering husband.
The mounting romantic mysteries come to a surprise head as the senior sleuths outrun shotgun showers to close in on the answers at the Moon Glow Motor Lodge, the Original Home of Hillbilly Hanky Panky. Veenie and Ruby Jane have to buy an extra case of Ben Gay and a buttload of BBs just to keep up with the romantic excitement in this humorous crime classic.
My review
Well, this book is an absolute hoot. It’s brilliant, packed full of wit, comedy and delightfully eccentric characters.
Ruby Jane and Veenie are private investigators working for Harry Shades, whose inability to resist women means he’s temporarily had to leave town. The two mature ladies therefore take on a case concerning the Apple family – or rather, cases. They throw themselves into their duties with energy and determination, and whilst their means might be a little unconventional they’re certainly effective.
The plot bubbles with cleverness, with just the right amount of craziness, and as I’ve mentioned the people we meet in the pages of this novel are wonderful, whether it’s wonderfully awful or wonderfully genuine. The humour dances off the pages and it’s impossible not to chuckle as you absorb this madcap, exciting and entertaining story.
Published by Hot Pants Press, priced from €2.99 (Kindle)
July 25, 2019
A Right Royal Face-Off by Simon Edge: a masterpiece!
A Right Royal Face-Off
It is 1777, and England’s second-greatest portrait artist, Thomas Gainsborough, has a thriving practice a stone’s thrown from London’s royal palaces, while the press talks up his rivalry with Sir Joshua Reynolds, the pedantic theoretician who is the top dog of British portraiture.
Fonder of the low life than high society, Gainsborough loathes pandering to grand sitters, but he changes his tune when he is commissioned to paint King George III and his large family. In their final, most bitter competition, who will be chosen as court painter, Tom or Sir Joshua?
Meanwhile, two and a half centuries later, a badly damaged painting turns up on a downmarket antiques TV show being filmed in Suffolk. Could the monstrosity really be, as its eccentric owner claims, a Gainsborough? If so, who is the sitter? And why does he have donkey’s ears?
Mixing ancient and modern as he did in his acclaimed debut The Hopkins Conundrum, Simon Edge takes aim at fakery and pretension in this highly original celebration of one of our greatest artists.
My review
This is a tremendously enjoyable dual-timeline story centred on a painting by Thomas Gainsborough. We jump from Georgian times where the artist is undertaking a particular commission, and the present day where we meet Gemma who’s working, not to her delight, on Britain’s Got Treasures. A painting turns up on the programme that causes quite a stir.
There’s plenty of action and humour in both time periods. The historical elements come over as well researched and clearly depicted, and also imaginatively embroidered. There’s no doubt the author’s writing puts life and relevancy into the historical period and events he portrays. He’s equally good at contemporary settings and has a sharp, satiric eye for detail. He introduces us to a fine array of characters, modern and less so, and each one is fascinating.
Fact and fiction rub along very happily in this spirited novel. The whole book is energetic and lively, and it’s one you can’t put down. Absolutely to recommend.
Purchase Links
Readers can order the book from the Lightning Books website at 50% off (with free UK p&p) if you enter this code at checkout – BLOGTOURFACE
http://eye-books.com/books/a-right-royal-face-off
Amazon US – https://www.amazon.com/Right-Royal-Face-Off-Entertainment-Gainsborough-ebook/dp/B07SZ1GXT4
Amazon UK – https://www.amazon.co.uk/Right-Royal-Face-Off-Entertainment-Gainsborough-ebook/dp/B07SZ1GXT4
Author bio
Simon Edge was born in Chester and read philosophy at Cambridge University.
He was editor of the pioneering London paper Capital Gay before becoming a gossip columnist on the Evening Standard and then a feature writer on the Daily Express, where he was also a theatre critic for many years.
He has an MA in Creative Writing from City University, London. His first novel, The Hopkins Conundrum, was longlisted for the Waverton Good Read Award. He lives in Suffolk.
Read more about Simon and his work at www.simon-edge.com.
Social Media Links –
Twitter: @simonjedge
Instagram: @simonjedge
Giveaway to Win 5 x PB copies of A Right Royal Face-Off (UK Only)
*Terms and Conditions –UK 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 Rachel’s Random Resources reserves 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 Rachel’s Random Resources will delete the data. I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.
http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/33c69494259/
July 22, 2019
Secret Wishes and Summer Kisses on Lily Pond Lane by Emily Harvale
Secret Wishes and Summer Kisses on Lily Pond Lane: synopsis
Everyone’s got a secret wish in Little Pondale this summer.
Mia’s been exceptionally lucky since moving to Lily Pond Lane. But even on her honeymoon with the man of her dreams, she still has one remaining wish.
Ella wishes Gill would propose. But since Mia’s wedding something’s changed in their relationship. Now he’s spending time with newcomer, Tabbie Talbaine, Ella wishes Tabbie will leave as quickly as she arrived.
Tabbie wishes she hadn’t driven her car into a pond. But it could be the best thing that’s ever happened to her. When she discovers Hollywood heartthrob, Justin Lake’s staying in the village, getting an interview for her popular blog isn’t her only wish.
Bree was told she couldn’t have a baby. Now she’s expecting twins and is simply wishing it all goes well.
And as for Hettie … she wishes she could get her hands on an old map of the village. Because there’s something hidden in Little Pondale that Hettie Turner really wants to find.
My review
Here we are at the last book in this very enjoyable series. This last instalment is every bit as good as we’d expect from this super author, and it’s a very fitting conclusion to the series. It’s another entertaining, rich and cleverly crafted story, with a little bit of edge. There’s always something a little unexpected going on in Lily Pond Lane.
We meet again many of the characters we’ve grown to know and love in previous books, and encounter some new ones. They’re as interesting as all the others with their own unique stories to tell.
There are several plot strands in this novel. Old secrets come to life and new romance shyly puts in an appearance. Loads to savour in this excellent, slightly bittersweet and summery novella.
Purchase Links
UK – https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07SSP9KY5
US – https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07SSP9KY5
Interactive Map of Little Pondale – https://www.emilyharvale.com/map/little-pondale.html
About the author
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
Giveaway to Win signed paperback of Secret Wishes and Summer Kisses, a pen, novelty sticky notes and a bookmark (Open INT)
*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 Rachel’s Random Resources reserves 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 Rachel’s Random Resources will delete the data. I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.
http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/33c69494253/
July 21, 2019
The Unfinished Garden by Barbara Claypole White: quietly powerful
The Unfinished Garden
A love story about grief, OCD, and dirt
Tilly Silverberg is rebuilding her life with her young son, Isaac, one potted-up plant at a time. Since her husband’s death, gardening has become her livelihood and her salvation. Hiding out in the North Carolina forest, she wants only to be left alone with Isaac and her greenhouse.
New to the area, successful software developer James Nealy needs a garden. On a solitary mission to reclaim his life from irrational obsessions and relentless compulsions, he has a plan: to conquer his greatest fear. Dirt. One glimpse—or two—of Tilly’s garden, and he knows she holds the key. But when he asks her to take him on as a client, she refuses.
After a family emergency pulls Tilly and Isaac back to her native England, she’s quietly happy, because nothing has changed in her childhood village. Or has it? Her first love is unexpectedly single, her mother is scheming, and her best friend is keeping secrets. Then James appears on her doorstep.
Tenuous at first, but gradually taking root, James and Tilly forge an unlikely bond. As they work together to rescue a garden choked by neglect, they unearth each other’s secrets, each other’s fears, each other’s hopes—and maybe, a shared second chance.
“Claypole White does not merely write about people with mental illness—she inhabits them.” Lee Smith, New York Times bestseller author
“Claypole White’s gift is her ability to put us into the troubled minds of her characters in a way that helps us not only understand them but fall in love with them as well. We discover that while their minds may be different from ours, their hearts are the same.” Diane Chamberlain, New York Times bestselling author
“A fabulous debut novel, The Unfinished Garden easily earns Romance Junkies’ highest rating of five blue ribbons and a recommended read status for its unpredictable originality! So good!” Romance Junkies
“The Unfinished Garden is a powerful story of friendship and courage in the midst of frightening circumstances … I highly recommend this wonderful love story.” Bergers’ Book Reviews ?
“Claypole White … conveys the condition of OCD, and how it creates havoc in one’s life and the lives of loved ones, with style and grace, never underplaying the seriousness of the disorder.” Romantic Times
My review
This is a delightful, moving story that is beautifully narrated. It touches on difficult issues but handles them in a very approachable way so that once can appreciate how serious they are but is not overwhelmed.
Our two main characters are flawed but genuine, and are both courageous in attempting to tackling the things that trip them up. They both discover that gardening is therapeutic for them, but will it be enough to help them deal with their demons enough to move forwards together.
If you enjoy gardening you’ll love all the references to it in the novel, and even if you’re not. It’s lovely to see nature play a part in the story.
This is quietly powerful novel that you’ll thoroughly enjoy from start to finish.
Purchase Links
UK – https://www.audible.co.uk/pd/The-Unfinished-Garden-Audiobook/1094056715
US – https://www.audible.com/pd/The-Unfinished-Garden-Audiobook/1094056715?
Author Bio – Bestselling author Barbara Claypole White writes hopeful family drama with a healthy dose of mental illness. Born in England, she works and gardens in the forests of North Carolina, where she lives with her family. Her novels include: The Unfinished Garden, which won the Golden Quill for Best First Book; The In-Between Hour, a SIBA Okra Pick; The Perfect Son, a Goodreads Choice Awards Semi-finalist; Echoes of Family, a WFWA Star Award Finalist; and The Promise Between Us, a 2018 Nautilus Award Winner.
Barbara is an OCD advocate for the nonprofit A2A Alliance, which promotes advocacy over adversity. To connect with her, please visit www.barbaraclaypolewhite.com
Social Media Links –
https://www.facebook.com/BarbaraClaypoleWhite
https://www.bookbub.com/profile/barbara-claypole-white
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5778132.Barbara_Claypole_White
https://twitter.com/bclaypolewhite
https://www.instagram.com/bclaypolewhite/?hl=en
July 18, 2019
The Kompromat Kill by Michael Jenkins: an energetic and exciting novel
Synopsis
They were preparing for decades – now it’s time to take them down.
When a British Diplomat is kidnapped in the heart of London, followed by a brutal double-assassination in Chelsea, MI5 braces for the threat of deep sleeper cells coming alive.
Hiding overseas with a price on his head, Sean Richardson is tasked to lead a deniable operation to hunt down and recruit an international model and spy. Moving across Asia Minor and Europe, Sean embarks on a dangerous journey tracking an Iranian spy ring who hold the keys to a set of consequences the British Intelligence Services would rather not entertain.
As Sean investigates deeper, he uncovers dark secrets from his past and a complex web of espionage spun from the hand of a global master spy. As he inches closer to the truth, the rules of the game change – and the nerve-wracking fate of many lives sits in his hands…….……..
Tense, absorbing, and insightful, The Kompromat Kill is a gripping thriller leaving
you breathless at the pace of intrigue, cleverly unravelled in a dramatic finale.
My review
‘Energetic’ is the best term for this book. It’s full of action and life from the first page to the last. And death, of course, since it’s a thriller set in the brutal word of international espionage where anyone inconvenient is efficiently wiped out. Any violence, however, is somewhat matter-of-factly delivered, which is in keeping with the book’s genre, rather than being gratuitous and sensationalised.
Our hero is Sean Richardson, a man loyal to his country and colleagues, and prepared to do what needs doing, but who is also endowed with a sense of morals that weigh him down at times. He’s thoughtful and contemplative, but acts instinctively when necessary too.
All the characters we meet are convincing. Everything from their names to their actions conveys their personality and their role in this thriller.
The action takes us to all kinds of places, which are all described in enough detail so that we can picture the scene perfectly without becoming bogged down in minutiae.
The Kompromat Kill follows on from The Failsafe Query but works perfectly as a standalone. It’s an exciting, escapist read but it leaves you with a few things to think about after you’ve finished it. Absolutely one to read.
Purchase Links
UK – https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07QFSF44F
US – https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07QFSF44F
About the author
I started climbing at 13, survived being lost in Snowdonia at 14, nearly drowned at 15, and then joined the Army at 16. Risk and adventure was built into my DNA and I feel very fortunate to have served the majority of my working career as an intelligence officer within Defence Intelligence, and as an explosive ordnance disposal officer and military surveyor within the Corps of Royal Engineers.
I was privileged to serve for twenty-eight years in the British Army as a soldier and officer, rising through the ranks to complete my service as a major. I served across the globe on numerous military operations as well as extensive travel and adventure on many major mountaineering and exploration expeditions that I led or was involved in.
I was awarded the Geographic Medal by the Royal Geographical Society for mountain exploration in 2003 and served on the screening committee of the Mount Everest Foundation charity for many years. It was humbling after so many years of service when I was awarded the MBE for services to counter-terrorism in 2007.
The Failsafe Query was my first novel, with The Kompromat Kill as my second.
Social Media Links –
https://twitter.com/FailsafeQuery
https://www.facebook.com/thefailsafethrillers/
Giveaway to Win 5 copies of The Kompromat Kill (Open INT)
*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 Rachel’s Random Resources reserves 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 Rachel’s Random Resources will delete the data. I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.
http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/33c69494254/
July 17, 2019
Smile of the Stowaway by Tony Bassett: edgy and exciting
Smile Of The Stowaway
A married couple, a stranger from far away and a murder that rocks their lives. Desperate to reach England, a bedraggled immigrant clings precariously beneath a couple’s motor home as they cross the Channel. Once holidaymakers Bob and Anne overcome their shock at his discovery and their initial reservations, they welcome the friendly stranger into their home in defiance of the law. But their trust is stretched to the limit when the police accuse the smiling twenty-three-year-old of a gruesome murder. Could this man from six thousand miles away be guilty? Or is the real killer still out there? Former national newspaper journalist Tony Bassett tells how Anne turns detective, battling against a mountain of circumstantial evidence and police bungling to discover the truth. This gripping first novel concerning a death in a remote Kentish country cottage is packed with mystery, suspense and occasional touches of humour.
My review
This is a modern, tingling psychological thriller that begins with the book’s title. At once you’re slightly on edge, wondering exactly what sort of smile that stowaway is smiling. A relieved one? A smug one? Triumphant, nervous, malicious?
The challenges to your possible preconceptions regarding immigration, keeping secrets and how far one should go to help a stranger continue in the story, which is fast-paced and gripping. The author has a spare, punchy way of writing that doesn’t bog you down with more than you need to know. It also gives you more to guess about.
The book doesn’t just make you sit up and think a bit more seriously about modern issues. There’s a crime to solve too, and the plot is tightly constructed and exciting. There’s some lighter relief along the way so it’s not a white-knuckle ride all the time. The author handles tone and tension very well.
There’s a lot packed into this novel which you really should discover for yourselves.
Purchase Links
UK – https://www.amazon.co.uk/Smile-Stowaway-Tony-Bassett/dp/1911546457
US – https://www.amazon.com/Smile-Stowaway-Tony-Bassett/dp/1911546457
Author bio
Tony Bassett, who was born in West Kent, grew up wanting to be a writer from the age of nine when he edited a school magazine. After attending Hull University where he won a `Time-Life’ magazine student journalism award, he spent six years working as a journalist in Sidcup, Worcester and Cardiff before moving to Fleet Street. Tony spent 37 years working for the national press, mainly for the `Sunday People’ where he worked both for the newsdesk and the investigations department. He helped cover the Jeremy Thorpe trial for the `Evening Standard’, broke the news in the `Sun’ of Bill Wyman’s plans to marry Mandy Smith and found evidence for the `Sunday People’ of Rod Stewart’s secret love child. On one occasion, while working for `The People’, he took an escaped gangster back to prison. His first book, `Smile Of The Stowaway’, is one of four crime novels Tony has written over the past three years. He has five grown-up children and eleven grandchildren. He lives in South East London with his partner, Lin.
Social Media Links –
https://www.facebook.com/tonybassettauthor/
Twitter: @tonybassett1
Tony’s author website
And do enter this fantastic giveaway!
Giveaway to Win 6 x PB copies of Smile of the Stowaway (Open INT)
*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 Rachel’s Random Resources reserves 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 Rachel’s Random Resources will delete the data. I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.
http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/33c69494252/
July 15, 2019
I Will Follow Him by Holly Tierney-Bedord: a lively summer novella
I Will Follow Him
A bachelor party on a cruise ship. What could go wrong?
When private detective Francie is hired to spy on a groom-to-be as he and his bachelor party set sail for the Caribbean, she thinks she’s landed herself a week of paid vacation. Between lounging in the sun and sipping margaritas, she just needs to–best case scenario–report back that he’s on the up and up, or–the unfortunate, more likely scenario–snap a few photos of her target in compromising positions, buy a box of sympathy chocolates for her client, and then collect her pay along with a nice golden suntan.
Blame it on the island breezes or the alcohol, but within hours of setting sail, Francie’s leisurely vacation gets complicated when she starts making careless mistakes. Like accidentally becoming friends with the groom and falling for his best man.
Can she get herself and her mission back on track, or has she blown her cover and possibly even her career?
My review
This is a lovely, lively, summery read. Actually, you could read it anytime but summer is when we think travelling in general, and more exciting things like cruises in particular.
This novella is part of a series but you don’t need to have read the other books to enjoy this one.
The characters are all great – and we get the full range from awful to awesome. They’re all believable, intriguing people and it’s great fun to get to know them all a bit better. Our heroine Francie is perfect. She’s motivated, well-intentioned, loyal and caring, but has her flaws and they only serve to make her even more likeable.
The plot is fresh and entertaining, and definitely clever. All in all a thoroughly enjoyable story. It has a super, eye-catching cover and is very well presented.
Purchase Link:
UK – https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07QVB2XS7/
US – https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07QVB2XS7\
Author bio: Holly Tierney-Bedord is the author of over twenty books including Kindle Unlimited All-Star winner Sweet Hollow Women.
Links:
FB https://www.facebook.com/HollyRecommends/
Twitter https://twitter.com/HollyTierney
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/authorhollytierneybedord
Bookbub https://www.bookbub.com/authors/holly-tierney-bedord
Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6433388.Holly_Tierney_Bedord
Website www.hollytierneybedord.com
Follow on Amazon https://www.amazon.com/Holly-Tierney-Bedord/e/B00M3C9W3E
Oceanic Dreams Series
Set sail for love and laughs aboard the Oceanic Aphrodite.
This series of stand-alone romantic comedy novellas releases throughout the summer of 2019.
To learn about the contributing authors and each book, watch our trailer, here: https://oceanicdreamsbooks.com/series-trailer/ and visit our website, here: https://oceanicdreamsbooks.com/
The Oceanic Dreams series is a collection of romantic comedy novellas by eight award-
winning, bestselling, and critically acclaimed authors from around the globe.
Meet Holly Kerr, author of I Saw Him Standing There.
Meet Laura Heffernan, author of Time of My Life.
Meet Tracy Krimmer, author of Circle in the Sand.
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July 12, 2019
Testament by Alis Hawkins
Synopsis
What secrets lie hidden in the Medieval college of Kineton and Dacre…?
Salster, 1385
Master mason Simon of Kineton is building his magnum opus: a great college to rival any in England.
But the Bishop of Salster, hostile to free education, is determined to sabotage Simon’s project.
When rumours spread that the mason’s son is cursed, the bishop sees an opportunity to undermine both Simon and the college.
And everything Simon has worked so hard for could end up crumbling down around him…
Salster, 2019
Damia Miller has been employed to promote penniless Kineton and Dacre college.
Delving into the college’s history, she becomes captivated by the vast grotesque painting that has recently been uncovered during renovations.
It soon becomes clear to Damia that the painting holds the key to the past – a past which could reveal exactly what she’s been searching for…
My review
This is a fresh, clever book. We have two timelines – 1385 and 2019. Although six and a half centuries separate them, there is so much that’s similar: rivalry, the importance of education, strong personalities, families that are a little different from normal, intolerance and commitment. These elements and the apparently separate plots link begin to entwine firmly as the story progresses and the mystery of that painting is slowly solved.
Simon and Damia are the lead characters, one in each timeline. It is they who hold the action together in their sections of the book, but Damia is the overall lynchpin. It’s she who brings everything to fulfilment. She’s a very interesting heroine. Like Simon she’s unconventional in her outlook, opinionated and dedicated. We become very interested in seeing her at work and watching how her character develops.
The background to the historical element of the book has clearly been very carefully researched and we get a convincing sense of the period and the beliefs and politics of the time. The modern era is just as vibrantly and realistically portrayed.
The author has a clear, direct style that is easy and enjoyable to read. The plot is interesting and well constructed. All in all this is an absorbing and satisfying book.
