My Girl - Jack Jordan

About the book...

Paige Dawson: the mother of a murdered child and wife to a dead man.  She has nothing left to live for… until she finds her husband’s handgun hidden in their house. Why did Ryan need a gun? What did he know about their daughter’s death? 

Desperate for the truth, Paige begins to unearth her husband’s secrets. But she has no idea who she is up against, or that her life isn’t hers to gamble – she belongs to me. 

From the bestselling author of Anything for Her, Jack Jordan's My Girl is the new chilling thriller that you won't want to miss.

About the author...
Jack Jordan lives in East Anglia, England. He describes himself as an introvert disguised as an extrovert, an intelligent person who can say very unintelligent things, and a self-confessed bibliomaniac with more books than sense. 

Author of Anything for Her and My Girl.

I love connecting with other readers, so don't hesitate to add me as a friend. Let's talk books! :-)

My thoughts...
I was given an ecopy of this book by the author in exchange for an honest review, something which I am more than happy to do.

Where to begin? This is a shocking tale of a woman, Paige who thinks life can't get any worse - her daughter was murdered at fourteen identified by her fingers found in a river but with no body to bury, the case still unsolved and a husband who committed suicide in the bath. Paige is lurching from day to day in a drunken stupor, surviving on wine, fags and prescription drugs. For what reason she doesn't know - her life really is not worth living.

I read this book in an afternoon at sea, a relaxing holiday read it was not but, I was literally glued to the pages. There were times when I wanted to put the book down but that was never going to happen - My Girl was intensely gripping. 

Jack's descriptions of both people and scenario's was superb.  The characters complex and haunting.  Paige a shell of a person, nothing left of her but a bleeding heart, needing something/someone to drag her out of the abyss. To her mother-in-law with her brittle, biting her lip calm like manner unable to reach Paige and feeling her own pain which she was holding in check - just. Then there was Paige's homely, but emotionally crushed father.  I could have wrapped my arms around him, I visualised his sad, woeful eyes knowing he was as crushed as Paige but not able to shake her out of slump. Maxim her older brother, sitting quietly on the sidelines, bailing her out when necessary, reading her the riot act and retreating until the next time. Their mannerisms and actions played like a cinema reel across my eyes as I read.  

There are twists and turns in this book that are shockingly graphic and highly emotive with the major twist causing a jaw dropping OHHHHHHHH.  I literally never saw that coming and didn't want to deal with it when it did.  If you think Paige is living in hell at the beginning of the book by Part II you'll despair, my stomach literally dropped.  

Jack Jordan hooked me with his synopsis and reeled me in with the story - he is definitely an author to look out for. I'm still reeling now a month after reading it and can honestly say nothing I've read recently has come close to this.  I highly recommend Jack Jordan and My Girl - utterly brilliant and powerfully shocking.  What's next Jack?

How to Find Love in a Bookshop - Veronica Henry

About the book...

Nightingale Books, nestled on the high street in the idyllic Cotswold town of Peasebrook, is a dream come true for booklovers. But owner Emilia Nightingale is struggling to keep the shop open. The temptation to sell up is proving enormous - but what about the promise she made to her father? Not to mention the loyalty she owes to her customers. 

Sarah Basildon, owner of stately home Peasebrook Manor, has used the bookshop as an escape from all her problems in the past few years. But is there more to her visits than meets the eye? Since messing up his marriage, Jackson asks Emilia for advice on books to read to the son he misses so much. But Jackson has a secret, and is not all he seems... 

And there’s Tomasina, painfully shy, who runs a pop-up restaurant from her tiny cottage. She has a huge crush on a man she met and then lost in the cookery section, somewhere between Auguste Escoffier and Marco Pierre White. Can she find the courage to admit her true feelings? 

How to Find Love in a Bookshop is the delightful story of Emilia’s fight to keep her bookshop alive, the customers whose lives she has touched - and the books they all love. 

Published in Hardback by Orion Books 16th June 2016, £12.99. Also available in ebook and audio. 

About the author...

Veronica Henry has worked as a scriptwriter for THE ARCHERS, HEARTBEAT and HOLBY CITY amongst many others, before turning to fiction. She won the 2014 RNA NOVEL OF THE YEAR AWARD for A NIGHT ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS. Veronica lives on the coast in North Devon with her sons. 

For more information on Veronica Henry 

Visit her website www.veronicahenry.co.uk

Follow Veronica on Twitter @veronica_henry

See Veronica’s Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/veronica- henry author 

My thoughts...

I was offered a copy of How to Find Love In a Bookshop in exchange for an honest review by Elaine Egan, Publicity Manager at Orion Books, something which I am more than happy to do.

This was a touching book that was a pleasure to read.  Emilia, finds herself alone with big decisions to make.  Her father, Julius was a single parent to Emilia and his love of books and their ability to soothe and enlighten was a gift which he passed onto his daughter. Sadly, How to Find Love In a Bookshop begins with the death of Julius and the reality that Nightingale Books is now Emilia's responsibility, bringing with it problems and the one person who she always leant on and sought advice from - gone.

Nightingale Books is a responsibility that she wants to take up but when the reality of the challenge facing her is presented in black and white it becomes a challenge that may be that step too far.

Veronica sensitively conveys Emilia's feelings and her grief, that was at times all consuming.   I really felt for Emilia as she dealt with the huge tug of love that was Nightingale Books.  She realises the bookshop is struggling financially but initially not quite how bad. Grief is a terrible thing that effects us all differently and for Emilia the yo-yoing between decisions is made harder when she arranges a memorial service for her father and practically the whole community wants to take part. The emotional strain of dealing with the desire to keep the bookshop open for her fathers sake, but realising it appears to be a hopeless case so she should sell up is all too evident.  

Emilia slowly begins to realise that perhaps she isn't all alone.  The love and genuine support given and received by Julius and subsequently Emilia was evident with each and every character introduced to us.   Nightingale Books really was at the heart of Peasebrook and to close it down would be like ripping the heart out of the community.   I felt strongly that Emilia should keep it open and willed her on with each chapter.  Every time I thought she had made a positive decision to stay open something would happen to change her mind and I genuinely felt saddened by this.  

I loved this story, at times it was sad and I felt quite emotional but at others found it to be an uplifting read that made me smile and wish for the chance to walk through the doors of Nightingale Books. The descriptions were so vivid I could smell the books and see myself stroking the spines as I chose my next read, wanting to be a part of a community that has a bookshop playing a pivotal part in the community.   Thank you so much for this beautiful read.

House of Dreams - Fanny. Blake

About the book...

It's only a long weekend - what could possibly go wrong?

'House of Dreams is a heart-warming tale of secrets slowly revealed and family tensions in a beautiful Spanish setting. A compelling and delightful read' - Santa Montefiore

In the hilltop villa with its spectacular views across rolling countryside to the straits of Gibraltar, Lucy anxiously awaits the arrival of her brother and sister.

They’re spending the weekend together to say farewell to Casa de Sueños, the house in the mountains of southern Spain where they grew up.

Her sister, Jo, landing at the airport with her fractious four year old, dreads the prospect of this time with her family which will fulfil their mother’s last instructions that they celebrate her birthday together. Only this time their mother won’t be there.

Tom, their brother, remembers the chaos of his bohemian upbringing and wants nothing more than for their stay to go off without a hitch. Then a beautiful face from his past appears at the villa . . .

Over one long, hot week weekend, past secrets will spill out, making the siblings question themselves, the choices they’ve made and where their future lies in this gorgeous new novel from Fanny Blake.

About the author...

Fanny Blake was a publisher for many years, editing fiction and general non-fiction before becoming a freelance journalist and writer. She has written several bestsellers and acted as ghost writer for a number of celebrities. She is also Books Editor of Woman and Home magazine. Her novels include The Secrets Women Keep (Orion) and With a Friend Like You (Orion).

My thoughts...

I was sent a copy of House of Dreams by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.  Something that I,m more than happy to do. Jo, Tom and Lucy, siblings, are heading to their family villa -  a place of happy memories for one last holiday in remembrance and at the express wish of their recently deceased mother.

This is such a lovely book, a story that explores the dynamics of family life. The stereotypical dynamics of sibling rivalry - it never ends but is taken mostly as banter and not personal.  Three children, now adults - three very different characters who don't realise that deep down they actually beat from the same heart and share the same values.  

This was a beautiful story, woven around a setting that from the cover of the book alone just oozed warmth, lazy days, sunshine and smiles - a happy book despite the reason for the visit.  Jo, Tom and Lucy come together to have one last holiday in a house that holds so many happy memories - they are to scatter their mother's ashes, party one last time in her memory - unsure exactly who will turn up and then divide the contents and move on. Something that each of them was dreading.

I loved how Fanny created so many stories within the story and managed to tie them all up nicely over the course of just one long week-end. Each of the siblings at stages in their lives where decisions needed to be made, three very different characters who don't always share the same opinion nor strength of character.  Tom who seems to let his wife and family ride rough shod over him.  Jo, madcap and funny but devoted in her role as single mother to daughter Ivy and lastly, Lucy, the swan - gliding gracefully on the surface taking everything in her stride and paddling like mad underneath.  I simply loved how each thought they couldn't cope or move on without their mother to guide them - little realising that the quality time spent together would unearth some secrets and change opinions not just about each other but themselves too and from this gain the strength to help each other.

I was so looking forward to this book and Fanny Blake delivered ten fold - if you like reading about the intricacies and dynamics of family life and everyday real life situations then you'll love House of Dreams.  It's not all candy floss and gloss, it delves into real life situations and I can guarantee you'll form opinions on each and every one of the characters and for most you'll change that opinion.  First impressions are not always what they seem because the family, very much like most of us, puts on an outward face. Using it like armour to portray a positive image and to protect.  Fanny taps away at the chinks until the real characters with their vulnerabilities are uncovered.  Each of them giving and receiving the love and support of each other, strengthening them individually and as a trio.  Ultimately the memories of their mother, the secrets they uncover brings questions and answers that give them the strength to carry on - the passion to look to the future instead of dwelling on the past. It really was such a good read. I highly recommend this book to everyone as a light read that delves quite a bit deeper than you'd probably expect.