The Street Party by Claire Seeber

 

The party was supposed to be the highlight of the summer. If only I’d known that night would destroy our lives… 

All the neighbours were laughing, drinking out of plastic glasses and getting along. I almost felt happy. Almost forgot about the terrible argument earlier and the sinister messages I’d been receiving from a strange address all week, threatening to expose the lies behind my perfect life. 

As we finished with the red and gold fireworks and welcomed everyone back to our house, I believed that everything would be okay. 

But I didn’t know who I was inviting in. 

I never could have imagined what would happen here, in our home, after I’d gone up to bed. 

Everyone saw something different. 

It’s my daughter’s word against the story the boy from down the road is telling. But how can I find out what really happened that night without everyone finding out the truth about me? 

An absolutely gripping story of the secrets you would do anything to keep hidden, with a twist you just won’t see coming. Perfect for fans of Gone Girl, Big Little Lies and The Girl on the Train.

What did I think.

Another author whose name I have been aware of for some time but have never actually read.

Love the cover - made me want to start reading.

In the blurb it said this book was perfect for fans of Big Little Lies and I would have to agree. A story from so many different perspectives and from very different ways of life. The story was slow to get going I thought - but in hindsight that might be a good thing as the second half really took off. Not sure I would want to live in that street!

It was an interesting read - I would describe it as a domestic thriller. Enjoyed the way all the lies came out bit by bit. Made me want to read more by this author.

Author Bio:

Claire Seeber is a Londoner who started professional life as a (bad) actress and became a documentary maker, a journalist and a writer of, so far, psychological thrillers. The Observer said of her first novel: 'a disturbing debut' whilst The Guardian called it 'powerful'...she keeps writing whilst also studying psychology and (trying to) to manage a home of slightly feral kids and animals. Luckily she's got a very nice partner to help too. 

Author Social Media Links: 

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/claireseeber

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/ClaireSeeberAuthor  

BUY LINKS:

 

Amazon: https://geni.us/B08Z5VMX7Qcover

Apple: http://ow.ly/QCBe50E1cAx

Kobo: http://ow.ly/9uCe50E1cxy

Google: http://ow.ly/IReQ50E2f9T 

The River Between Us by Liz Fenwick

 

Following the breakdown of her marriage, Theo has bought a tumbledown cottage on the banks of the river Tamar which divides Cornwall and Devon. The peace and tranquillity of Boatman’s Cottage, nestled by the water, is just what she needs to heal.

Yet soon after her arrival, Theo discovers a stash of hidden letters tied with a ribbon, untouched for more than a century. The letters – sent from the battlefields of France during WW1 – tell of a young servant from the nearby manor house, Abbotswood, and his love for a woman he was destined to lose.

As she begins to bring Boatman’s Cottage and its gardens back to life, Theo pieces together a story of star-crossed lovers played out against the river, while finding her own new path to happiness.

The River Between Us beautifully explores the mystery and secrets of a long-forgotten love affair, and will be loved by fans of Kate Morton.

What Did I Think.

This is my first book by this author although she has been on my radar for some time (mainly because my book loving friend Donna always gives 5 star reviews) so I knew I had to dive in at some point.

I got drawn into this story as soon as I started reading - with the main character, why she had bought such a run down property and the secrets behind the letter and her grandmothers ring.

This book has everything (but I don't want to give any of the plot away) - a compelling story of forbidden love, family secrets and of new beginnings all told over a dual timeline from 1914 and 2019

The book truly does transport you to Cornwall and the banks of the River Tamar - and I'm just a bit sad after living in North Devon for 6 years that we didn't explore further South.

I fell in love with this book and will certainly be going back to read some of her earlier novels - and I think I will be in for a real treat.

Biography

Writer, ex-pat expert, wife, mother of three, and dreamer turned doer....

Award winning author of The Cornish House, A Cornish Affair, A Cornish Stranger, Under A Cornish Sky, The Returning Tide, One Cornish Summer, The Path to the Sea and the novella A Cornish Christmas Carol. After ten international moves, I'm a bit of a global nomad. It's no wonder my heart remains in Cornwall.

The River Between Us out 10 June 2021 and I'm now writing the next book.

My books are available in Dutch, Germany, Portuguese, French, Estonia, Norwegian, Danish, Turkish, Swedish, Latvian, Serbian and Czech.

The Edelweiss Sisters by Kate Hewitt

 

1938, Salzburg. A powerful story of hope, forbidden love, and incredible courage, about three sisters who will risk everything—even their own lives—as part of the resistance movement in Nazi-occupied Austria.

Johanna, Birgit and Lotte Eder have always lived quiet lives, working in their father’s clockmaking shop and helping their mother in the house. But like many other Austrians, they find it impossible to ignore the changes in the world around them.

At first Johanna finds it hard to believe the Nazis pose a real threat. But then her father hires Franz to help in his shop. He’s kind and soulful, with dark eyes that twinkle with intelligence. But he’s Jewish, and as Johanna falls for him, she realizes that loving him puts them all in danger.

Then comes the Anschluss—the reunification of Austria and Germany under Nazi rule. The three sisters’ lives have become ever more separate with Lotte joining the convent at Nonnberg Abbey and Birgit’s secret involvement with the Resistance. But as Johanna realizes how mistaken she was about the level of danger, she begins to see that it may be down to her to protect the man she loves.

She knows that she can’t do it alone though. She will have to turn to the people she trusts the most: her sisters.

The three of them work together to try to get Franz to the safety of Switzerland, and they soon prove invaluable to the Resistance. But they’re risking everything. Can three women who would die for each other, also be prepared to die for what is right?

The sisters’ subsequent journey from Nazi-occupied Salzburg to the devastating concentration camps of Ravensbruck and Mauthausen will show the strength of human spirit like never before. As, out of the darkness, a tiny seed of hope flowers…

A totally heartbreaking and impossibly powerful story about love, tragedy, and the power of humanity. Perfect for fans of The Nightingale, The Lilac Girls and The Sound of Music.

What Did I Think.

I have read several of Kate's books previously but they were more romantic/chick lit (are we still allowed to say that after this weeks Twitter outburst??) than historical.

Although I did A level history at school many moons ago I cannot remember much and my WW2 history is sketchy to say the least. I have been reading more books set during this period and for me it really brings the history to life.

This was quite a heartbreaking story right from the start - when the Nazis enter Salzburg - and with that the 3 sisters (Joanna, Birgit and Lottie) all put their lives on the line.

I loved the 3 sisters - their different characters and strengths - they were so well written as were the descriptions of the city itself.

Overall I thought this was a brilliant well written book - perfect for anyone who like me enjoys a story set during the war. This I have to say is one of the best books of that era I have read - mainly because you get the stories from 3 different perspectives (one from each sister) 

I would highly recommend it.

Author Bio:

 

Kate Hewitt is the author of many romance and women’s fiction novels. A former New Yorker and now an American ex-pat, she lives in a small town on the Welsh border with her husband, five children, and their overly affectionate Golden Retriever. Whatever the genre, she enjoys telling stories that tackle real issues and touch people’s lives

https://www.kate-hewitt.com/

https://www.facebook.com/KateHewittAuthor/

https://twitter.com/author_kate

 

Buy Links:

Amazon: https://bit.ly/3yUGFWM

Apple: https://apple.co/2OSaq8y

Kobo: https://bit.ly/3vMJw2x

Google: https://bit.ly/3lDNQwg

It's Monday. What Are You Reading?

 It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? a place to meet up and share what you have been, and are about to be reading over the week. It’s a great post to organise yourself. It’s an opportunity to visit and comment and er… add to your groaning TBR pile! So welcome in everyone. This meme started on J Kaye’s blog and then was hosted by Sheila from Book Journey. Sheila then passed it on to Kathryn here at The Book Date.

What I Read Last Week.

What I'm Reading Now.

What I'm Reading Next.

Blog Tour - Victoria Jenkins, Jaimie Admans and Liz Fenwick

On Audio - Louise Sharland

For a readalong - Jodi Picoult nad Libby Page

The Forever Home by Sue Watson

 

You thought you’d always be safe there… you were wrong.

Carly had thought they’d always live there. The beautiful Cornish cliffside house they’d taken on as a wreck, that Mark had obsessively re-designed and renovated – a project that had made him famous. It was where they’d raised their children, where they’d sat cosily on the sofa watching storms raging over the sea below. It was where they’d promised to keep each other’s secrets…

Until now. Because Mark has fallen in love. With someone he definitely shouldn’t have. Someone who isn’t Carly. And suddenly their family home doesn’t feel like so much of a safe haven.

Carly thinks forever should mean forever though: it’s her home and she’ll stay there. Even the dark family secrets it contains feel like they belong to her. But someone disagrees. And, as threats start to arrive at her front door, it becomes clear, someone will stop at nothing. Because someone wants to demolish every last thing that makes Carly feel safe. Forever.

An utterly unputdownable psychological thriller about what lies are hidden in the most beautiful homes. Perfect for fans of Date Night, Gone Girl and The Woman in the Window.

What Did I Think:

Although I have been aware of this author for quite sometime when I checked my Goodreads it appears I have marked a majority of reads to be read - but this one is the first book of hers that I have. Shocking really!!

But what a book - a family psychological drame/thriller and one that I didn't want to stop reading. If other things (such as life hadn't got in the way) I think I could have read this book in one sitting it was that good.

Mark and Carly appear to have the perfect life - but then one night it all comes crashing down around them - goes to show you don't know what is going on behind closed doors. And the fallout from the revelations reach far and wide.

I am definitely going back to read some of Sues earlier titles - hopefully they are as good as this one.

Sue Watson was a journalist on national magazines and newspapers before becoming a TV producer with the BBC.

Now a USA Today bestselling author, Sue explores the darker side of life, writing psychological thrillers with big twists.

Originally from Manchester, she now lives with her family in leafy Worcestershire where much of her day is spent writing – and procrastinating. Her hobby is eating cake while watching diet and exercise programmes from the sofa, a skill she’s perfected after many years of practice.

 

http://www.suewatsonbooks.com/

https://www.facebook.com/sue.watson.39501

https://twitter.com/suewatsonwriter

 

Buy Links:

Amazon: https://bit.ly/2Sx7grW
Apple: https://apple.co/2Ogai2b

Kobo: https://bit.ly/3v7BtNk

Google: https://bit.ly/3qyYfdl

Summer in the Scottish Highlands by Donna Ashcroft

 

Escape to the gorgeous little village of Lockton in the Scottish Highlands, where you’ll discover sunshine, secrets and an unforgettable romance. It’s the perfect place to be this summer… 

Thirty-year-old Paige Dougall’s life is a mess. Only a year ago she was smashing all of her life goals: handsome husband, high-flying job, cute kid. But in just under twelve months everything has gone wrong. Nursing a broken heart, single mother Paige returns to her childhood home in a picture-perfect Scottish village to try and get her life together. 

Paige is too wrapped up in her worries to embrace the beautiful rolling hills and lavender-scented air of the highlands. That is until Johnny Becker, the infuriatingly cheerful chef, with his twinkling eyes and dimpled smile, steps onto the scene and provides Paige with some much-needed distraction… 

Johnny challenges Paige to step outside her comfort zone and focus on the things that really matter. From food tasting, to puppy training, to mountain climbing, in every moment she spends with Johnny, Paige finds herself remembering how to live again… will she be able to love again too? 

Across long sunshine-filled days, Paige and Johnny grow closer and she’s tempted to open her heart to him. But is happy-go-lucky Johnny hiding secrets of his own?

 And can Paige learn to let go of her past and find happiness in the highlands?

A gorgeous, moving summer romance novel about finding joy in the small things and discovering what 

What Did I Think

It would have been rude not to have read this book when the Highlands is literally on my doorstep a few miles up the road.

The gorgeous cover drew me in straight away and made me want to start reading.

Of course it goes without saying that I loved the setting and my dream at the moment is to travel the NC500 - although I will be leaving that a while till it quietens down a bit.

Fabulous cast of characters including Mack the pup.

I know I say this far too often about reading new authors when I sign up to these blog tours - but it is true. I cannot believe that I have never read any of Donna's books before. I am definately going to have to read more if this book is anything to go by.

Donna Ashcroft was born in London and grew up in Buckinghamshire. She went to university in Lancashire and, among other things, worked as a copywriter, buyer, waitress, secretary and marketing manager. 

Donna wrote novels for over ten years before being published. She is a member of the Romantic Novelists Association and was a joint winner of the Katie Fforde Bursary in 2017.
Donna loves a happy ending and is never happier than when she's escaping into a romance novel or movie. When she's not reading or writing she'll probably be found hoovering ... or negotiating with her teenagers about who is doing the washing up.

Author Social Media Links:

Website: www.donna-writes.co.uk

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DonnaAshcroftAuthor/

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/Donnashc

 

A Good Mother by Sam Hepburn

 

I see my son’s scooter lying in the undergrowth. Time stands still. Where is he? Deafened by my own heartbeat, I keep looking but I can’t see him. This is all my fault. My punishment for the things I did, and the things I should have done. 

All I ever wanted was to keep my son safe. I married the perfect husband, built the perfect home. I’ve tried to give Finn the life I never had. 

Everything was going so well. Until now. 

It’s just small things at first – a punctured tyre, an open gate that I'm sure I locked. But then I see the photograph of two young girls, and a night I’ve tried to forget. 

I know I have to stop pretending that nothing is happening. I can’t escape the truth.

 Someone knows my secret. But what do they want from me? 

A gripping and suspenseful thriller with a jaw-dropping twist, fans of Friend Request, The Wife Between Us and The Girl on the Train won’t be able to put this down.

What Did I Think

A new author to me but I can see she has written quite a few books and seems popular.

I would call this one a slow burn - the story gradually built up the more you read drawing you further and further in. I liked the way the main characters past came back into her seemingly perfect life to upset the applecart.

This book kept my interst all the way through but I could see how some of the issues covered could be a trigger for some readers. As my first book by this author I was impressed and I will go on to read more of her books in the future.

Sam Hepburn read modern languages at Cambridge University and, after a brief spell in advertising, joined the BBC as a General Trainee. She worked as a documentary maker for twenty years and was one of the commissioners for the launch of BBC Four. Since then, she has written several books, including psychological thrillers Gone Before and Her Perfect Life, and novels for young adults and children. She won the 2017 CWA Margery Allingham Short Story award and has been nominated for several other prestigious prizes, including the CILIP Carnegie Medal for her YA thrillers. 

Sam has worked and travelled widely in Africa and the Middle East, and is a trustee of the Kenyan’s children’s charity, I Afrika. She now lives in London with her husband and children. 

Author Social Media Links: 

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/Sam_Osman_Books

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/SamHepburnAuthor

Perfect Timing by Owen Nicholls

 

Jess is a comedian looking to make it, and Tom is in a band hoping for its big break. When they wind up at the same Edinburgh festival, they run into each other, literally. What begins as a chance encounter and a scraped knee turns into something more during a magical night exploring the city’s streets and best pubs. But things start to go awry, and when Jess hears from Tom’s best friend that there’s a girlfriend in the picture, she bolts. 

But this meet-cute just won’t quit. Through the bumpy beginnings of their creative careers, Tom and Jess can’t stop thinking about each other, whether it’s the right time or not. Their run-ins are disastrous, and yet neither can write the other off and out of their life altogether. If what’s meant to be will be, how many chances do you get? 

A rom-com for true romantics, Perfect Timing is love at first sight, disrupted—but never forgotten.

What Did I Think.

When Headline asked if I would like to be part of the blog I jumped at the chance. I have to admit I had not heard of Owen before but the synopsis sounded interesting.

I've never been to the Edinburgh Festival - mainly because it clashes with an event the other side of the Forth bridge that we attend every year.

I found this to be a heart warming story but it does have some darker undertones which I felt brought more reality to the romance. Not all the characters were particularly likable but that didn't detract from the overall story.