The Other Half of my Heart - Stephanie Butland

About the book… 

“It smelled bittersweetly of sourdough, and there was the trace of hot, fresh bread in the air. She took a deep breath and unlocked the door”

Fifteen years ago Bettina May’s life’s veered off course in one disastrous night. Still reeling from the shock of losing everything she thought was hers, Bettina opens a bakery in a village and throws herself into the comfort of bread-making.

She spends her days kneading dough and measuring ingredients. She meets someone. She begins to heal.

Until someone who knows what happens that night walks into Bettina's bakery. In the pause of a heartbeat, fifteen years disappear and Bettina remembers a time she thought was lost for ever.

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About the author… 

Stephanie Butland's first two books were about her dance with cancer. She then turned to fiction, and Letters to My Husband is the first of two novels set in a small English town.

Stephanie lives with her family near the sea in the North east of England. She writes in a studio at the bottom of her garden, and when she's not writing, she trains people to think more creatively. For fun, she reads, knits, sews, bakes, and spins.

How I Said Bah! To Cancer: A Guide to Thinking, Laughing, Living and Dancing Your Way Through is Stephanie's story of how she learned to dance with cancer: through thinking strategies, a proactive approach to treatment, determination to keep the rest of her life going, and keeping her sense of humour (mostly) to hand. It was published by Hay House in 2011. Her second book Thrive: The Bah! Guide to Wellness After Cancer, was published in September 2012.

Stephanie's debut novel Letters to My Husband was published by Transworld in 2014.

Contact Links: 

Follow Stephanie on Twitter: @under_blue_sky 

or her website www.stephaniebutland.com

My thoughts…

My expectations of this book were high.  I had read Stephanie's debut, Letters to My Husband when it was known as Surrounded by Water and have been tapping my fingers waiting for a second novel from her ever since.  As I closed the last page I had to sit quietly, taking in all that I had read.  I must have felt every emotion possible reading this book, from helplessness and sadness to happiness and elation. 

The Other Half of My Heart was intense and it was clear pretty early on that the main character Bettina May was a workaholic.  Absorbed in building up her new business, a bakery, filling every minute of the day working on and in it, leaving little time for anything or anyone else.  She did form a tentative relationship, more of a friendship really with her neighbour Rufus and at first it was difficult to see why she held him at arms length. Before too long though it became apparent she was living the life she was as a way of coping and blocking out the past.  Her story unfolds with the past revealed bit by bit by the author who split the chapters between the present day and fifteen years previous when life for Tina, as she was known then, was pretty much perfect.  Spending almost all her time at the stables where she worked, that were owned by the parents of her boyfriend Roddy.  She had everything going for her until one dreadful night when a tragic turn of events shattered the lives of herself and those closest to her.

Stephanie created characters that really got under my skin and made me question what I would have done in the same circumstances.  Sometimes life throws us a curve ball and how we react depends upon the people and characters we were to begin with.  This is a heart breaking story that demonstrates all too clearly how a tragic accident can send ripples way beyond the point of impact.  A truly desperate set of circumstances shattered the lives of two families, everyone coping with the fallout in different ways until the past comes back to meet the present and Bettina and those she was closest too must re-visit Tina's past.

This for me was a compulsive read that was at times quite harrowing but also very uplifting - a story that demonstrates quite strongly that nothing is unsurmountable when faced with true love.  Trust and communication play a huge part in this novel and prove that it's best to face your fears head on.  Time is a great healer and distance and space are sometimes needed to see clearly but it's sometimes best to face your demons head on.

All in all a beautiful story told in such a way I felt genuine empathy for all the characters. When it ended I was left with a warm glow, whilst quietly cheering and clapping - I genuinely cared for the characters as I would any close friends. Stephanie has without doubt got the knack of getting under my skin.  An author who seems to understand that when life falls apart and is full of tragedy, grief and guilt the power of love, trust and friendship can bind it all back together again.

This novel delivered exactly what I expected and more - providing escapism with more than a touch of realism.  I highly recommend both this book but more importantly this author, a lady with huge talent.

The Other Child - Lucy Atkins

About the book...

Sometimes a lie seems kinder than the truth ... but what happens when that lie destroys everything you love? 

When Tess is sent to photograph Greg, a high profile paediatric heart surgeon, she sees something troubled in his face, and feels instantly drawn to him. Their relationship quickly deepens, but then Tess, single mother to nine-year-old Joe, falls pregnant, and Greg is offered the job of a lifetime back in his hometown of Boston. Before she knows it, Tess is married, and relocating to the States. But life in an affluent American suburb proves anything but straightforward. 

Unsettling things keep happening in the large rented house. Joe is distressed, the next-door neighbours are in crisis, and Tess is sure that someone is watching her. Greg's work is all-consuming and, as the baby's birth looms, he grows more and more unreachable. Something is very wrong, Tess knows it, and then she makes a jaw-dropping discovery... 

About the author...

Lucy Atkins is an award-winning author, book critic and journalist. Her latest psychological suspense novel, The Other Child (Quercus, 2015), is about a photographer and single mother, Tess, who falls in love with a paediatric heart surgeon and moves with him and her young son to Boston USA, where things begin to unravel. Her debut novel, The Missing One, is about a woman's search for her mother's hidden past. 

Lucy lives with her family in Oxford, UK but has lived in the USA three times: in Philadelphia, Seattle, and Boston. As well as writing novels, she is a book critic for The Sunday Times, and has written features for newspapers such as The Guardian, The Times,The Telegraph and magazines such as Red, Woman and Home, Psychologies and Grazia. Lucy has also written, co-written or ghost-written six health-related books, including First-Time Parent (Collins, 2008) 

My thoughts...

I follow Lucy on twitter and when she asked if I would be interested in hosting her for part of the blog tour for The Other Child I jumped at the chance.  I love reading contemporary novels and thrillers, especially psychological ones and The Other Child sounded right up my street.  I was just about to go off on holiday so I headed to Amazon to download an ecopy of the book as I couldn't wait for the review copy to arrive in the post.

There was no softly, softly introduction to this novel. Lucy dragged me straight into this edgy, psychological thriller, that had me looking behind doors and talking out loud to Tess on more than one occasion, willing her not to say or do something for my fear of the consequences.  I felt uneasy from almost the first page.  Tess and her situation just didn't sit right with me.  

The story begins when Tess and her son Joe arrive outside their new home in a Boston suburb that Greg, Tess's husband had rented for them. He had lived in the UK for 15 years but had applied and got his dream job back in his home country, America.  As a result, he quickly proposed to Tess, not wanting to leave her behind. A whirlwind wedding and Tess found herself emigrating to begin married life with her new husband in another country at a time when her life was already in turmoil.  Pregnant with Greg's child, despite him making it clear to Tess he never wanted to be a father. He was so good with Joe she was sure things would be ok once the baby was born.  Everything should be hearts and flowers but tension and stress oozes out of the pages.  

Lucy's descriptive skills are brilliant, she got inside my head with both the characters and the physical descriptions of places, with the intricacies of what at first appeared a simple story.  A story that got right under my skin.  Half answered questions, situations that couldn't quite be explained, neighbours that blew hot and cold, an elusive husband who was vague and evasive yet at the same time loving and caring.  Each of these saw me turning the pages faster and faster - wanting to calm my racing heartbeat. At the same time, holding my breathe - willing Tess not to do or say something for fear of the consequences.  

Time and time again I thought this would make such a good film - a jumpy, edge of the seat one - I held my breathe, untangled the story, decided what was happening and why only to change my mind again with the next chapter.  Some things just can't be explained. I would recommend this book to anyone who like me, likes that heart pounding, clammy hand feeling that gets the adrenaline pumping.  I loved this book so much and don't think I've ever read a book that had me contradicting my own thoughts so many times.  Over and over again I veered from not believing a word that was written on the page to believing every one of the same words - I was so convinced by the story. 

Lucy you had me hook, line and sinker.  So very rarely does a book leave me so drained.  I, unlike Tess can't blame pregnancy hormones, absence of close family and friends or worry over an unhappy child to explain my state of mind - I blame you! This rib crushing, adrenaline inducing story held my attention, I never for a minute had to suspend believe as every scenario and character was so very plausible.  Thank you so much for inviting me to be part of the blog tour for this amazing book.

The One Saving Grace - Julie Houston

About the book… 

Lowering her voice so that the three police officers couldn’t hear, Grace whispered, ‘Harriet, could you just moan a bit more confusion, perilously clinging on as the chain of events threatens not only their comfortable, ordinary lives but also their very existence…

The One Saving Grace continues the story of Grace, Harriet and Amanda begun in Goodness, Grace and Me which reached #1 in Amazon’s Top 100 for Humour in 2014.

Buy Links: 

About the author… 

Julie Houston is Yorkshire born and bred. She lives in Huddersfield where her novels are set and her only claims to fame are that she taught at ‘Bridget Jones’ author Helen Fielding’s old school, her neighbour is ‘Chocolat’ author Joanne Harris and her friend is about to marry Tracy Emin’s cousin! Oh, and she was rescued by Frank Bough when, many years ago, she was ‘working as a waitress in a cocktail bar’ at the Kensington Hilton in London.

After University, where she studied Education and English Literature, she taught for many years as a junior school teacher. As a newly qualified teacher, broke and paying off her first mortgage, she would spend every long summer holiday working on different Kibbutzim in Israel. After teaching for a few years she decided to go to New Zealand to work and taught in Auckland for a year before coming back to this country.

She now teaches part time, and still loves the buzz of teaching junior-aged children. She has been a magistrate for the last thirteen years, and, when not distracted by ebay, genealogy (so time consuming but so interesting - she recently discovered her husband is descended from the poet Shelley and the Duke of Milan!!) and crosswords, she spends much of her time writing.

Julie is married, has a nineteen-year-old son and sixteen-year-old daughter and a mad cockapoo called Lincoln. She runs and swims because she’s been told it’s good for her, but would really prefer a glass of wine, a sun lounger and a jolly good book.

Contact Links: 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/JulieHouston2

My thoughts…

I have to confess straight off, I am a 'cover tart' and I absolutely love the cover for this and Julie's last novel Goodness, Grace & Me - they make you want to pick them up to start with.

This book gets off to a hilarious start that had me laughing and cringing in equal measures - never again will I be able to visit Harvey Nicks without a detour to the mens 'smalls dept' for a giggle.  Harriet, the lead female in this novel and her best friend Grace are  both expecting, due within weeks of each other.  They are on a little shopping trip when Harriet goes into premature labour - she's not due for another two months!  What ensues is nothing short of 'Comedy Gold'.  The two women spark off each other with an ease that is only seen with long term friends - add to the mix a drop dead, gorgeous, hunk of a knight in shining armour and a couple of scrapes with the law, as the girls try to execute an escape back to Yorkshire from Manchester wanting the babies (she's expecting twins) to be born on home turf, was like a scene from 'Thelma and Louise'.  If I tell you I sat grinning like a slightly insane person, laughing out loud regularly and you've got the measure of this book from the off.

The story really begins to split into two once the babies for both women are born.  Harriet's twins make five children for her with Grace giving birth to her first.  Julie describes with ease, two very different reactions to pregnancy and birth, one had no real plans, was very laid back and the other had the pregnancy, birth and post labour organised down to the last detail.  Suffice to say life isn't easy for either of the women, Grace's plans go by the wayside and Harriet needs an extra 12 hours in every day just to stay on top of day to day life - they begin to drift apart without realising it, their friendship stretched beyond recognition in the end.

It's clear to the reader that Grace is suffering from Post Natal Depression, something that best friend Harriet doesn't even realise for a long time because she literally doesn't have a minute left in her day for anything other than grabbing a few minutes sleep.  Such a serious topic could so easily have dragged the mood down but Julie deals with it in a sensitive but realistic way, balancing it with snippets of humour usually caused by Harriet's chaotic household.

What I wasn't prepared for, was the other storyline.  Harriet and Nick live happily with their brood of five, they clearly adore each other but neither has any time - Nick is always travelling with work, trying to build his business as security for his family and poor Harriet is worked to the bone.  As one day ends, the next instantly begins - the clock ticking faster than she'd like, there are simply not enough hours in the day.  The scene has been set so when Harriet finds herself locking eyes with the hunk from Harvey Nicks, in her living room of all places, she goes into a melt-down. Such was Julie's description I could literally feel the attraction fizzing off the page.

Julie introduced a supporting cast of family, friends and relations that read like a page from Ancestry.Com - everyone was seemingly connected or related to each other in some way - so and so's brother's, sister's, mother's, uncle that married .... You get the picture?  I thought I'd never keep up but it all slotted together, surprisingly quickly I'm glad to say and there wasn't a single one that I thought was un-necessary to the plot.  Some I liked more than others, but that's real life isn't it?  

There are many twists and turns, things don't always happen as you'd expect and some things were definitely not as clear cut as I initially thought.  It's this and the pacing that kept me turning the pages - wanting to see if my guesses were right (they mainly weren't). Both women reached rock bottom before they could climb back up and re-build their lives - many relationships were shattered along the way some irretrievably and it was difficult at times to see how there could be any positive outcomes at all. I thought Julie bravely, but sensitively dealt with both the post natal depression and the infidelity in such a way that the reader is left in no uncertain terms as to the wider ripples caused by both.  I was left thinking and analysing long after the final page.  This wasn't your classic happy ever after chick lit, girl meets boy, falls in love, runs off into the sunset.  It was a million times better than that - because it was about real life and real life isn't all hearts and roses every day.  We get up in a morning and don't know what curve balls are coming our way.  One thing Julie demonstrated particularly well, is that the grass isn't always greener on the other side and time is a great healer.  We cannot force issues, people heal and build themselves back up at their pace and in their own time and only they know if they can move forward or need to take a different path.  But , true love runs deep and if you love someone you have to let them go - if it's meant to be, they'll come back.

This book is the authors second novel but can easily be read as a stand alone.  I loved it, even if I did get a bit confused at times ;D - there are some truly hilarious moments amongst the serious bits, Julie has brilliant comic timing and some of her terminology was hilarious.  I'd love to know who her characters were based on and how much of herself is in this book.

Silent Scream - Angela Marsons

About the book… 

When a headmistress is found brutally strangled, the death marks the beginning of a spate of gruesome murders that shock the Black Country. 

But as human remains are discovered at a former children’s home, disturbing secrets are also unearthed. D.I. Kim
Stone fast realises she’s on the hunt for a twisted individual whose killing spree spans decades. 

As the body count rises, Kim needs to stop the murderer before they strike again. But to catch the killer, can Kim confront the demons of her own past – before it’s too late?

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About the author… 

Angela Marsons was born and raised in the Black Country and still lives there, along with her long-term partner, as well as a bouncy Labrador and a potty-mouthed African Grey parrot. Although she has been writing since her early teens, Silent Scream is her first novel.

Contact Links: 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/WriteAngie

Bookouture: http://bookouture.com

My thoughts…

The day has finally come when I can share my review of this amazing book with you all. I was given an ecopy from Bookouture, Angela Marsons publishers in exchange for an honest review which I'm more than happy to do.

There are rare times when you pick up a book, by an author you've never heard of and are blown away - this was one of those times. When I heard Bookouture had signed a thriller writer I was beyond excited - my expectations were high and Bookouture and Angela Marsons surpassed each and every one of them.

The story begins ten years back in time with five people stood around a grave that had just been dug, the assumption from the text is that the grave is that of a child - they make a pact to keep the truth to themselves and then we are fast forwarded to the present day and before we are 1% into the book we're witness to a murder that had my heart pounding - it was like a scene from 'Sleeping With The Enemy'. With my heart pounding, I felt the same as I did when I watched the film - desperate to read on, but almost too scared to do so.

Enter D. I. Kim Stone - a woman with more facets than a diamond - first impressions are a brash, matter of fact, hard nosed Inspector hell bent on solving a crime - she really takes no prisoners, with suspects, colleagues or superiors. Yet, it is clear from the off that her team have her back - despite the gruelling regime she expects them to work under. I get the impression they see her character clearer than she does herself. Though, even from the beginning there are hints for the reader to a softer character hidden beneath the hard exterior she's built around herself. She clearly has a history that has shaped her into the person she's become and as the novel progresses and her 'story' unfolds along with mounting crimes we, the reader, begin to understand a little of the reasoning behind her drive and determination.  

The book is set in the Black Country and the story revolves around a now closed children home, bones have been found in a shallow grave in what used to be the grounds. So now there is a historic death to solve - are the bones that of a child if so is there a link to the death that occurred in the first chapter? I was totally gripped, the pace of Silent Scream was just at the heart pounding stage - a list of people to question was composed and just before, or just after they are questioned by D. I. Stone and her team they meet an unfortunate end! How many murders will there be before the crimes are solved and are the modern day murders linked to the bones found and or the children home.

The hints and insinuations that the bones unearthed are children bones and found within the grounds of a children's home focuses the mind in only one direction, some kind of child abuse. A very disturbing and brave subject for an author to pursue in a first novel - there has been so much historic abuse brought to the fore in recent years. D. I. Stone does an incredible job, driving the narrative, pushing her team forward - her instructions are un-negotiable. Yet, every now and again her true character, buried so deep it's impossible to see, comes to the fore and she displays a sensitive side - putting her own head on the block whilst protecting her team - fully prepared to take the wrap because her drive to solve the crime goes deeper than anyone could possibly imagine.

I like to second guess 'who dun-nit as I'm reading a crime novel and all too often authors can be so embroiled in blood and gore they leave the plot and culprits out to dry for anyone to see, not so in this case. I had no idea who, what or why until almost the end. Even then getting it wrong. At one point I thought I had it solved crying NOOOOO it can't be ........, I was gutted, only for the story to pitch again. There are so many twists and turns - chapters that are seemingly unrelated, characters that show themselves but are so 'holier than thou' they don't even touch the radar. It was a breathe of fresh air to read about complex characters not drowned in blood - so unnecessary to a story in my opinion - only resulting in detracting from the story and putting me off!

For an author to spin such a complex tale, that kept my heart beating at an increased rate but didn't scare me to death is, in my humble opinion, truly brilliant. Angela gave just enough detail to satisfy the curiosity, leaving me wanting more - I can't tell you how excited I was to realise there will be a series based around D I Stone - something that I'd totally missed until way after I d finished the book. I look forward to digging deeper into her character. She is a character at odds with herself - she has such a high profile job - happy to go out and shout her mouth off in the line of duty but preferring to blend into the background on a personal level, not wanting any accolades or acknowledgements for herself personally.

I really can't tell you how brilliant this book was, I turned the pages at a rate of knots desperate to read just one more chapter - willing myself to get to the end of the book and solve all the crimes. Disappointed and sorry when I did. Not because the book was disappointing, but because I felt bereft. I didn't really know what to do with myself when I finished Silent Scream. The outcome was traumatic, yet at the same time uplifting I'll be shouting about this book and author for a long time to come and drumming my fingers repeatedly until book 2 is released.

I was fortunate enough to interview Angela Marsons and you can read my interview HERE.

Interview with the author of Silent Scream = Angela Marson

An Interview with Angela Marsons...

Welcome to Crooks on Books Angela.

Hi Dawn, thank you for inviting me.

• Tell us a little bit about yourself?

I live in the heart of the black country with my partner Julie, our Labrador named Kizzy and our African Grey parrot called Nelson.  I’ve spent most of my working life in the security industry and am currently a control room supervisor.

• How and why did you get into writing?

From a very young age I loved to play with words.  I marveled at the power they had over me when I read a book.  When I was in my early teens I wrote a short piece on the relationship between the coastline and the sea.  My English teacher loved it and brought in some books that were above my reading level and which focused on the complexities of human relationships.  After reading those books I realized that I wanted to create such stories and take the reader on a journey.

• If you wasn’t a writer what would your dream job be?

I think it would have to be some type of Counsellor.  I love to listen to people and unravel their stories.  I’m also very nosey and quite free with my advice.

• Describe a typical day in the life of Angela Marsons the author.

On a writing day I love to rise early and sit at the dining table writing while it’s still dark outside.  As the day comes alive I join the rest of the world and succumb to Facebook and Twitter and emails.  Normality inevitably intrudes and prompts me to cook and clean but I like to be back at my writing table as the world goes back to sleep.

• Do you read and write in the same genre?

Yes, I am an avid reader of Karin Slaughter, Val McDermid, Lynda La Plante.  The list goes on.

• Tell us a little bit about about your current book Silent Scream.

Silent Scream is a crime novel set in the Black Country and centres on the brash, sometimes rude, Detective Inspector Kim Stone.  While investigating a series of current murders she must uncover some secrets from the past.

• Silent Scream is  not just about solving murders, both current and historical, it’s about child abuse, serious ill health , trust and the evolution of DI Kim Stone a character with a history that shows she is clearly not comfortable in her own skin. Where did you get your inspiration for this story-line?

I’ve always wanted to write about a character that was less than perfect.  She is not always likeable but her integrity and passion for the underdog is always present.  The story was inspired by a bus journey I would take as a teenager.  The route passed by a local children’s home.  I always found myself curious about the residents and the air of mystery that surrounded the facility.

• How much research into the locations and the psychology of the story lines was required to give realism to the novel?

Luckily I know the area very well as it is where I have always lived.  The psychology of the storylines came from the image that I wanted to portray.  I wanted to show Kim’s vulnerable side by giving her a bond with a girl who although is limited and challenged is a fighter.  I wanted to demonstrate her humour by giving her a colleague with whom she could banter.  I also wanted Kim to have an affinity with the victims so I chose girls to whose emotions she could easily relate.

• For me the story was compulsive and I developed an obsession of sorts, staying up half the night to read it.  The story and characters stayed with me long after the end of the book.  How easy was it for you to detach yourself once the book was finished?

I didn’t want to finish writing the story but I had to let it end.  There was a period of mourning initially where I felt that I would never discover this story again.  So, I did the only thing I could think of.  I went ahead and got started on another.

• If Silent Scream was to be made into a film would you want to be on the casting couch and if so who would you put into the key roles? 

Oh, I would love to be on the casting couch.  If I had my way Kate Beckinsale would be cast as Kim Stone.  I would choose Bradley Walsh to play Bryant.

• Is there a message for your readers in your book and what do you hope they take from them?

The only message I’d like a reader to take from the book is the fact that no-one is invisible.  The victims from the children’s home had painful, tragic histories but they all had problems and feelings and deserved a voice. 

• Describe the feeling when you held your first finished novel in your hands.

Pure unadulterated joy.  Seeing and holding my thoughts as a real life book was probably the proudest moment of my life. It is a moment you dream of but the reality is so much more.

• Do all of your friends now expect free copies of your book and was having a novel published a bit like winning the lottery all your friends and acquaintances suddenly wanting to become your best friend?

No, luckily my friends and family all want to buy it which is good because I don’t think I can let any of my printed copies go.  It would be like giving away a family member

• What can we expect from you in the future?

The next story for Kim Stone is called Evil Games where Kim must enter into a game of cat and mouse with a female psychiatrist who uses her patients for experimental purposes.

Now for a little bit of fun, a glimpse at 

the real Angela Marson:-

What’s your favourite tipple? 

Sparkling wine

Do you prefer savoury or sweet things? 

Savoury

Friends coming round  - cook or get a take-away? 

Take-away

Do you prefer hot or cold climates? 

Cold

Do you prefer a beach holiday or city break? 

Beach holiday

Which would you prefer luxury cruise or fly long haul first class? 

Luxury cruise

Do you prefer to go to the cinema or theatre? 

Theatre

Which do you prefer comedy or true stories when watching a film? 

True Stories

Do you have any pets? 

A dog and a parrot

Tell us something we don’t know about you? 

I drove a moped until I was forty years old.

Thanks for visiting my blog Angela :)

Thank you for inviting me.  It’s very nice here ☺

Valentine's on Primrose Hill - Nikki Moore

About the book… 

For Georgiana Dunn, life changed forever in the devastating moment that the lorry hit her car.
Scarred and scared, she's not left the house properly in months. Then her mum buys her a puppy, forcing her to face the world again, walking on London's beautiful Primrose Hill. But that doesn't mean she's looking forward to Valentine's Day.

Leo devotes himself to working with children with special educational needs. In fact, he does very little else, and his friends are always telling him to get a (love) life. So when they challenge him to find a date for Valentine's Day, and he meets a lovely but lost girl who looks like she could use a friend, he thinks he's found the perfect solution.

But life has a way of being less than perfect … Will he be left standing on his own on the most romantic day of the year?

About the author....

Nikki Moore lives in beautiful Dorset and writes short stories and touching, sexy romantic fiction. She's thrilled to be published by Harper Impulse, the digital first romance imprint of Harper Collins.

Be My Valentine, a collection of poignant short stories by Nikki and other Harper Impulse authors was published on 13 February 2014 and has received four and five star reviews. Her debut novel Crazy, Undercover, Love was published by Harper Impulse on 24th April 2014 and will be available in paperback on 25th September but can be pre-ordered via Amazon now.

On 21 February 2014 her short story 'A Night to Remember' was published in digital and print editions of the Mills & Boon / RNA anthology Truly, Madly, Deeply, edited by author Sue Moorcroft. Best-selling authors including Carole Matthews, Katie Fforde and Adele Parks feature. Nikki's short story in that anthology has been bundled with stories by Katie Fforde and Heidi Rice in a shortened ebook available from 1st April.

Nikki's was a finalist in several writing competitions from 2010 onwards, including Novelicious Undiscovered 2012. A member of the Romantic Novelists' Association, she has contributed to their magazine 'Romance Matters,' has far too much fun attending the annual conferences and has also chaired a panel and taken part in a workshop at the Festival of Romance.

She posts about three of her favourite things - Writing, Work and Wine - on her blog and believes in supporting other writers as part of a friendly, talented and diverse community so she often features other authors and new releases on her blog.

Contact Links: 

Twitter: @NikkiMoore_Auth 

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/NikkiMooreWrites

My thoughts…

Valentine's on Primrose Hill is the third book in the #LoveLondon series by Nikki Moore, having read the previous two stories I couldn't wait to read this one.

Georgina and Leo, the two main characters in this book are easy to like, Georgina has turned into a recluse, hiding behind the curtains watching life pass her by having been involved in a horrific accident, leaving her with life changing injuries. Despite being at a really low ebb, there are hints of her true character underneath and I fully invested in her story, willing her from almost the first page to get up, raise her chin and start to live again. Leo, is the floppy haired hero of the book - almost too good to be true working as a teacher with special needs children and then through a chance meeting with Georgina sets out to prove that Georgina could and should start living a full life again. He comes across as a laid back, easy going guy, with his kind and gentle nature easy to see.

The pair are brought together by Button's a puppy bought by Georgina's well intentioned mother as a way to lure her out of the house. Because of him Georgina nearly breaks her neck and is saved by Leo. A situation causing her more stress than she ever thought possible.

This was such a beautiful read, a book that has friendship and trust way up in the pecking order, the foundations that give love the best chance. Georgina, sapped of all confidence, is terrified of her own shadow and can't envisage ever leading a normal life because of her physical injuries. Nikki took us on a journey demonstrating through Leo that it is the inner person that is beautiful and not the outer packaging. Leo is used to dealing with the problems and torments of children with special needs on a daily basis and genuinely seems to see straight into Georgina's soul.  A tentative friendship begins and confidences are shared on both parts.

Nikki prods beneath the surface demonstrating time and time again that what you see isn't always what you get, Relationships built on friendship first are usually the strongest. But, just when I was headed to the shops for a hat a secret is cruelly revealed and life comes crumbling back down for the pair of them.

This book was uplifting and at the same time thought provoking too.  Was the bond and friendship Georgina and Leo forged be strong enough to lift Georgina out of the hole into which she's fallen or was Leo really shallow and the lies told actually true?  You'll have to read and work it out for yourselves, remember - this is Valentine's Day and we all love a happy ending :) I guarantee you'll be hitting that button on Amazon to order the fourth book in the #LoveLondon series as soon as you've finished this one.

The Girl On The Train - Paula Hawkins

About the book....

A debut psychological thriller that will forever change the way you look at other people's lives.

Rachel takes the same commuter train every morning. Every day she rattles down the track, flashes past a stretch of cozy suburban homes, and stops at the signal that allows her to daily watch the same couple breakfasting on their deck. She’s even started to feel like she knows them. “Jess and Jason,” she calls them. Their life—as she sees it—is perfect. Not unlike the life she recently lost.

And then she sees something shocking. It’s only a minute until the train moves on, but it’s enough. Now everything’s changed. Unable to keep it to herself, Rachel offers what she knows to the police, and becomes inextricably entwined in what happens next, as well as in the lives of everyone involved. Has she done more harm than good?

A compulsively readable, emotionally immersive, Hitchcockian thriller that draws comparisons to Gone Girl, The Silent Wife, or Before I Go to Sleep, this is an electrifying debut embraced by readers across markets and categories.

About the author....

Paula Hawkins worked as a journalist for fifteen years before turning her hand to fiction.

Born and brought up in Zimbabwe, Paula moved to London in 1989 and has lived there ever since. The Girl on the Train is her first thriller.

Buy links... 

My thoughts...

I was given a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review by Alison Barrow at Transworld in exchange for an honest review which I'm more than happy to give.

There was a quite a buzz going on in anticipation of this book, the proof copies had brilliant covers, a true marketing genius - I just knew I had to get my hands on one and read it before its launch on January 15th 2015. Although, I usually find that a book doesn't entirely live up to all the hype, falling short in some small way - too long, too short, not liking the characters or the plot too easy to unravel - not in this case! The Girl On The Train has to be one of the most brilliant books I've read in a long time - I started it one evening, had visitors and was just willing them to go so I could carry on reading - eventually finishing it at gone half past two in the morning.  I literally could not put it down. Then I couldn't go to sleep, my mind was buzzing, going back over the plot, trying to pick out the clues I'd missed - one small problem, I was on a days first aid course at 9.30 the next day and after very little sleep turned up five minutes late and knackered

The story is told from three peoples perspectives, Rachel, Megan and Anna.  Each chapter told by one of the women, some chapters written in the present others going back in time.  Rachel is the lead character, who commutes to London on the same train, day and night, with the train always stopping for signals at the same place each day - allowing her to glimpse into the houses that back onto the train line.  Each chapter is like a series of polaroid pictures that have been jumbled up, some don't even belong in the pack.

Paula uses the voices of the women to narrate a story that is packed so full of twists and turns it is unclear what is fact or fiction or what really is meant to throw us off the scent until the final few pages.  Reading this book was like trying to look through the clouds, every time they appeared to be clearing and I thought I had a handle on the plot another storm brewed and it was like a hurricane had landed.  Time to sift through the debris again.

Nothing, including the three women is what it seems, their lives are intrinsically woven together by a common denominator - but how?  Dreams, perceptions, reality and  memories are melded together with everyday issues such as infidelity, marriage, death, divorce, infertility, alcoholism and ultimately murder.  Add to that the neurosis and trauma that comes with each of them - yet these sub stories aren't what the story is about, but they do impact upon and influence the story.  It really is no wonder my mind wouldn't switch off! The same story told by different people also adds to the cauldron of life as Rachel knows it.

The pacing of the book for me was just perfect, a bit like a train, slowing to allow the clues to be given and speeding back up so as not to give me quite long enough time to decipher them, Paula created characters that evoked many emotions and feelings, that changed throughout the book - nobody and nothing was what they seemed, three perfect examples of putting a face on for the world - once the guards went down the true characters emerging.    I went full circle with the lead character Rachel many times, from ambivalent, to strong dislike then pity and round we went again and again until I understood her and her story. I didn't really feel anything for Megan for most of the book and initially strongly disliked Anna, thinking her as arrogant and manipulative.  Behind every one of the women, there are other characters that impact upon their behaviour and characteristics - nurture or nature is a question I've asked myself many times as over a week after reading this book I am still trying to make peace with the story.

This book is quite simply a work of art, the longer you study it, the more emerges from the story - it's impossible to believe this is a debut novel and I cannot wait for book 2.  Paula Hawkins I'm sure will be an author I'm reading for many years to come.  I highly recommend you order this book now - don't be the one person amongst your friends who hasn't read.