Tizi’s Book Review

Life isn’t a romance book…

Synopsis

Andi Glover loves nothing more than a good book.

Any book in fact because when you’re raised by unconventional parents who think school’s for squares, alongside a deeply conventional sister who escapes home as soon as she can, fiction is eminently preferable to reality.

The only problem is that fiction isn’t the best way to learn about the real world. When Andi starts her new live-in job at Templewood Hall for the eccentric Lady Dawe and her enigmatic son Hugo, it’s tempting to think she’s fallen into the pages of one of her favourite gothic novels.

But the plot twists at Templewood Hall are stranger than fiction and it’s not long before Andi questions if she’s living in a romance novel or a whodunnit. Bumps in the night, a missing heir, ghostly apparitions and secrets that have been kept for generations – the mysteries mount up. Then there’s the inscrutable gardener who seems to appear when needed – is Andi right to hope for a happily-ever-after end to her story?

My review

To say that Andi has had an unconventional childhood is an understatement. With her parents homeschooling her, and always on the road and a sister that couldn’t get away as fast as possible, Andi found her solace in books. But now Andi is paying the price for her upbringing, as finding a job without a degree and no experience isn’t easy at all. Yet when she lands on the job at Templewood Hall, she not only founds herself luckily, but she also is tempted to believe that she has landed in one of her favourite gothic novels. However, Andi quickly realizes that real life is nothing like life in the books she loves so much. Because not only is her job not exactly what she expected it to be, but also Lady Dawe is for excentric. And then we are not talking about the ghosts residing at the mansion, Lady Dowe’s son Hugo and that stranger cat called The Master…

I have read several books written by this author, and I have loved them all. Of course there are books that steal a bigger piece of your heart than others. But that doesn’t mean that I didn’t enjoy reading the latter. And I have to admit, that while I loved reading this book, perhaps it had some bits that were a bit pleasantly strange.

From the start, I have to admit that I felt sorry for Andi. While she may be an adult, it is clear that she isn’t ready for adulthood. And while in many stories it’s often that the main character is perhaps a spoilt brat, this for sure isn’t applicable for Andi. Because her upbringing for sure was peculiar, and her parents, to say it brutally, failed her.

And while in other occasions, it would bring siblings together. Unfortunately that isn’t the case with Andi and her sister. On the contrary, their upbringing caused a rift between them, as Andi’s managed to escape and Andi didn’t…

I don’t know if I would or could do the job Andi gets hired for. But I understood that beggars cannot be choosers, and without a degree or work experience, Andi does not really have another choice. On the other hand, as she loves books, getting to spend all her time surrounded by books, well, she could be having worse jobs too, right?

For a first real job, for sure many strange things are happening to and around Andi. Not only is there talk about ghosts haunting the mansion, but also the people living in and around the mansion aren’t acting like the most normal people. And let’s not forget that Lady Dawe has given Andi a secret mission.

At first I thought that Andi would be the strangest person in the book, as she hasn’t been hit by reality yet. But I quickly realized that Andi is perhaps one of the sanest people of the whole book. Because let me assure you that many characters will surprise, and not always on a good way, but let’s just say in a special way…

It was great to read how each chapter of this book has a link with one of the amazing classic gothic novels. And just like it entails, also the characters in this book go through a huge amount of growth. Andi starts as perhaps a gullible young woman, but with this live – in job she has, she starts to understand the real world and starts to have the understanding that she lacked at the start of this book.

But not only her, also the other characters evolve in this book. And secrets come out too. Secrets that may sound weird perhaps, yet also in these cases, Andi shows a matureness when she gets to know them.

I have to mention for a moment The Master. My first impression of him wasn’t a positive one, but slowly he started to grow on me, and he for  sure has his moments, even getting Andi out of some tricky situations.

Jane Lovering wrote once again a great, even funny story. Because let me assure you, there are moments that I was laughing out loud. But I enjoyed the most reading the growth each character goes through. Characters that initially may seem odd, but are just humans like you and me.

And there are moments that for sure made me remember those famous classis gothic stories,  but this wonderful author added a twist to them, creating a whole new genre that for sure entertained me a lot!

Well, I know for sure I want to read this book, don’t you?

Synopsis

Can Lucy find her second-chance romance in the glamour of the French Riviera?

When aspiring author Lucy attends a rich friend’s 50th birthday party in glamorous Monaco, she has no idea that her life is about to change forever.

Heartsore after a broken marriage, she is not looking for love so when she meets Elias, and he offers to take her sailing on his employer’s boat, she agrees only as research for the book she desperately wants to write. They bond over their adult children – who seem to want to clip their wings and force them into living like pensioners – and the chemistry is undeniable.

But is he all he seems? And is she ready to trust again?

An uplifting, later-in-life romance perfect for fans of Milly Johnson, Jo Thomas and Julie Caplin.

https://geni.us/Dr52

About the author

Helga Jensen is an award-winning British/Danish best selling author and journalist. Her debut novel was a winning entry in the 2017 Montegrappa First Fiction competition at Dubai’s Emirates Literary Festival. Her debut was also a contender for the coveted 2021 Joan HessayonAward for new writers. Helga’s best selling novel, Fly me to Paris, was a finalist for the 2024 Popular Romantic Fiction Award. 

Helga holds a BA Hons in English Literature and Creative Writing, along with a Creative Writing MA from Bath Spa University. She is currently finishing a PhD

When a nightmare isn’t really over…

Synopsis

I want to be ordinary. To fade into the shadows where no one notices me and live a quiet life. A normal life.

But I am not ordinary. Not anymore.

I’ve been keeping a secret. From my colleagues, my friends and most importantly, my husband – who knows nothing of my past life.

Twenty years ago, at college, a boy became obsessed with me. Craig Lane believed he could make me love him back if he just tried harder. When I rejected him, he did something so horrifying, it’s the stuff of nightmares. All my nightmares.

Now I’ve been informed by Victim Support Services, that boy – now a man – has been released from prison. The news terrifies me.

Am I safe? Or does Craig still carry the same obsession he did when we were seventeen? I don’t know. I’ve ignored every letter he’s ever sent me.

Now strange things have started to happen: flowers have been left on my doorstep, my cat keeps going missing. Someone is watching me. Knows where I live. I am sure.

Worse, something even more sinister could be stalking me from the shadows. Because I have another secret…

My past is coming to get me. One way or another.

My review

Twenty years ago, Soriah went through something terrible. Craig Lane suddenly became obsessed with her, not understanding her rejections. Even when he did something unthinkable, he didn’t understand that it was all oh so wrong.
Now Soriah is living a married life, with attempting to get pregnant. But even her husband does not know what happened to her all those years ago. Because all that Soriah wants, is to be ordinary and have a normal, quiet life.
But when Victim Support Services informs her that Craig will be released, Soriah is terrified. Terrified that he will find her again, as she does not believe that his obsession has gone. And when strange things begin to happen, Soriah knows that she is being watched…

Isn’t it terrifying, when you just want to have a quiet and calm life, and it turns out to be the complete opposite? Especially when you have already been through something horrible in the past, you just want to put everything behind you and move on…

At the start of this thriller, we don’t know what happened to Soriah, but it’s clear that it’s something terrible, something that truly scarred her, and those demons are still haunting her.
And while I could understand that Soriah wouldn’t proclaim to everyone what happened to her, I would at least think that she would have told her husband that.

Beside the fact that Soriah feels that she is being watched, and that the news of Craig’s release is haunting her, it’s clear that her life isn’t a happy one, even if she is married and trying to get pregnant. From the start, I saw several red flags, making me doubt the sincerity of not just her husband, but most people around Soriah.

Slowly, we get to understand what happened in Soriah’s past and what Craig actually did. Not only was I left flabbergasted that even my imagination didn’t go that far as what Soriah had to endure. But I was shocked to read the depth of deceit, betrayal and hurt she has been through. Saying I pitied her, is for sure an understatement…

When in the present Soriah, feels herself in danger again, it was easy to think in one direction. Yet there was something telling me that it wouldn’t be that straightforward. And once I knew all of her past, I already had a feeling what truly was going on. And my gut feeling proved me right.

It angered me reading that Soriah is being betrayed by several people that should be in her corner, fighting alongside her, and not against her. Only shows once again that in fact, can you ever trust someone for the full 100%?

Perhaps this thriller wasn’t the kind that had me sitting on the edge of my seat in fear, with the absolute need to know it all. But that doesn’t mean that I found myself easily putting this book away. Because the need for knowledge was still there. And when finished reading, the realization of how ugly and nasty people can be, and how deceitful, put me back in my place, as not everyone is the good kind of people…

Can I tempt you with this book? It for sure is unexpected!

Synopsis

READERS’ FAVORITE INTERNATIONAL BOOK AWARDS 2023 – SILVER MEDAL – FICTION – HUMOR/COMEDY

THE WISHING SHELF BOOK AWARDS 2023 – BRONZE MEDAL – FICTION

Quirky storylines, memorable characters, farcical situations, witty dialogue and plenty of sweet romance!

A Catholic priest seeks a wife. A betrayed woman needs an honest man. What could possibly go wrong?

When Father Thomas Sheridan encounters Faith in a dark cupboard, he believes he’s found his future wife. But Tom isn’t brave enough to reveal his true identity…

When Faith meets Tom in the office kitchenette, she can’t stand him. No matter, she’s fallen for the mysterious man she met in the cupboard and can’t wait to meet him again. Oh, and she’s got a new rule: one lie and he’s out. She’s not getting duped again!

But everyone loves Tom. Her best friend, her chronically ill sister—who’s on the lookout for a man herself. Even gay neighbours Luke and Gavin—who’ve fallen out over Luke wanting a baby. They urge Faith to give Tom a chance. But how can she have strong feelings for two men?

Even worse, how will she react when she discovers that Tom is the man in the cupboard—and, heaven forbid, a Catholic priest?

Love in the Cupboard: A charming, sweet, forbidden love story set in Bristol, UK.
Heat level: mild – sometimes described as ‘fade to black’ – and comedic.
Language: mild.

About the author

Mari Jane Law lives in the UK and loves cats and chocolate – and books, TV series and films that make her laugh. Through her writing, she discovered she could make other people laugh too. 

Her Catholic upbringing gave her ideas for some great fictional characters in the Love & Mishaps Quirky Romantic Comedy Standalone Series. Although there is a new story in each book, the world in which the characters live remains the same and there are major sub-plots involving characters from previous books. So it is better – although not essential – to read them in order to maximise enjoyment.

She hopes those who buy or borrow her work have as much fun reading it as she had in writing it.

She is a member of the Romantic Novelists’ Association’s New Writers’ Scheme and The Society of Authors.

Not everyone that is single is ready to mingle…

Synopsis

Ruby may be young, free and single… but she’s absolutely not ready to mingle.

Ruby is happily sworn off men. There’s nothing she needs that can’t get from her friends, cat or, frankly, the wonders of modern technology. So when her flatmate tricks her into going on a singles cruise, she’s furious.

Thankfully, Ruby isn’t the only one onboard under false pretences. Cameron also had no idea what he was letting himself in for. So after Ruby and Cameron strike up conversation, they agree to platonically pair off, to protect each other from the flirtatious advances of the other guests – not to mention the matchmaking efforts of Barry, the enthusiastic host.

There’s just one problem. Cameron isn’t just in the same boat as Ruby – he’s also good looking, kind and fun. As they explore the picturesque towns of the Mediterranean, Ruby finds herself enjoying his company much more than she’d intended.

Can Ruby keep her heart safe, or will she be in too deep by the time the boat docks at its final destination?

My review

Ruby has been single for a while now, and she doesn’t mind at all. She enjoys her freedom, and loves living together with her best friend Sam and their lovely cat Samson. Going on  a cruise wasn’t exactly on top of her bucket – list, but to please Sam, Ruby decides to go anyway. But when she discovers that Sam tricked her, as the cruise is a single’s cruise, and there will be a lot of matchmaking taking place , Ruby is furious. It’s okay that Sam wants to finds someone, but why drag Ruby along too, knowing Ruby’s thoughts on finding a partner? When Ruby meets Cameron, and she hears that he was also tricked and just like her, isn’t looking to find a match, they come up with a plan. A plan that consists of have fallen for each other, escaping that way the matchmaking games of host Barry. However, keeping up the pretence also means spending time together. Time where the not – pair learn they have a lot in common, and where Ruby discovers that Cameron is great to hang out with. A friendship starts to form, yet can Ruby keep her heart also safe, as love is absolutely the last thing on her mind?

Normally, I am always very eager to Read the next great story of Phoebe MacLeod. But for this one, I was a bit wary. Not because I doubt this author’s talent, as she has proved already more than enough that she can write great stories.

But as the setting is a cruise ship, I thought that the storytelling would be very limited. Because how much can be happening on a ship? Then I realized, while reading, that of course the main characters would leave the ship at several occasions, for activities and discovering wonderful cities. Stupid me… 😊

As a serial – single myself, I could completely understand Ruby. Yes, doing things as a pair can be more fun, but being single isn’t bad at all. You can do what you want, whenever you want, without having to take in account someone else. And Ruby for sure has everything together, living with her best friend Sam, who drives Ruby crazy at times, and their lovely, amazing cat Samson.

I have to say, Ruby and Sam couldn’t be more opposite of each other when finding love concerns. While Ruby is happy with how things are now, Sam is desperately looking for her perfect match. And while sometimes I found her persistence a bit annoying, well, you can’t blame the girl for not giving up, even if her past relationships weren’t the best examples of what love should look like.

Ruby is not only a good friend, but also shows an amount of patience. Patience that perhaps I would not have, even if it’s my best friend testing it. Because Ruby agrees to be by Sam’s side after a few ideas Sam has got. Ideas that already from the start don’t seem that great ones, but also end up to be terrible ones! AS a reader of course it’s funny to read how Ruby and Sam get themselves in ‘trouble’.

It takes a while to read all the mischief Sam gets Ruby into, thus it also takes a while to finally get on the cruise ship. And knowing Sam better by know, I knew that something would be up, and that Ruby would even get angrier. Because when their adventure starts, we already know the pair of them so much better.

And of course Ruby is not agreeing on taking part of any of the matchmaking activities, no matter how much Barry The Host is trying to.

I was totally in her corner, because if you don’t want to find love, nobody should be forcing you, not even your best friend. Even if your best friend does not know all the reasons of your reluctancy.

I was happy for Ruby to find a kindred spirit in Cameron. And not just because I knew that he would be her love interest, but also because Ruby wouldn’t be on her own while escaping all the matchmaking.

Because Cameron is not looking for love either, for his own reasons. And finding himself on a single’s cruise is one thing, but a matchmaking one? Just like Ruby, he cannot wait to escape it all.

And just like a real romcom dictates, what better solution than faking to have fallen in love with each other?

But I liked reading how their first encounter is just the start of their real adventure. A real adventure that doesn’t just take place on the ship but also whenever the two of them get off the ship. And adventures they have!

Adventures that bring them even closer together, adventures that take them out of their comfort zone and even let them do something they wouldn’t never think of doing. Adventures that make them maybe see that even the most unexpected can happen, if you allow it to happen, and if you just dare.

Yes, this is a romance, but it also felt a story of growth. Because no matter how much Ruby tries to fight against her own feelings, she finds herself suddenly longing for what she resisted to hard. But not only that, Ruby also finally faces her past, and is able to finally open up and admit the pain she had to endure.

So while just maybe I had some hesitations towards this book, because of its setting, in the end I was happy that my belief in this author proved me right. This story shows us not only that love can be found in unexpected places, and even with unexpected people. But also that the past can hold you back, but that you have to find the courage to put it behind you. And even if I didn’t talk about it in this review, being you is more than enough, there is no need to pretend being someone else, someone ‘better’. The right person will appreciate you as you are.

And maybe, just maybe, I may start looking for single’s cruises myself? Because you never know what may happen? 😊

When what you truly want, is what you cannot have…

Synopsis

✨ Tropes & Themes ✨ ✧ Holiday Romance 🔥 ✧ Matchmaking💖 ✧ Forced Proximity 💗✧Age gap (she’s older, he’s younger) 💋 ✧Destination Romance 💋 ✧ Opposites attract 😍 ✧ He falls first 😬 ✧ Only One Bed 💕 ✧ All the spice 🌶️✧😍 Friends to lovers

What happens in paradise… stays in paradise!

Hotel guest relations manager Jasmine, also known as a Love Alchemist, adores her job at the exclusive Spanish Love Hotel. She prides herself on helping guests meet their perfect match. But matchmaking is absolutely forbidden between staff. And so Jasmine must resist the attraction she feels every time she’s around delectable sous-chef, Alejandro. The problem is, she knows the feeling is mutual. But she cannot jeopardise her job or break the rules.

Because all her hard work is about to be recognized when she’s asked to set up the new branch of the hotel in Jamaica. With an ocean between her and temptation, Jasmine is ecstatic. This is just the distance she needs to keep her feelings under control. But there is one kink in her plan… Alejandro has been asked to join her. For two whole weeks!

Under the sultry Jamaican sun, keeping it strictly professional becomes impossible when romance is literally all around them! So they agree a (secret) holiday fling may help satisfy their desires and then they can move on. After all, what happens in paradise stays in paradise… right?

My review

Jasmine is working as a Love Alchemist at the Spanish Love Hotel. Which in fact just is a fancier name for being a hotel guest relations manager. The end of her marriage learned her to only trust herself and to never believe in love again. But she cannot ignore that she is attracted to the sous – chef of the hotel, Alejandro. Even if relations between staff were allowed, Jasmine still wouldn’t be giving in, as Alejandro is several years younger than her. And she is working hard to get that much desired promotion.
A promotion that can become reality rather quickly, as she is asked to set up the new branch of the hotel in Jamaica. And being away from Alejandro is perhaps the perfect chance to get over her infatuation.
Until she realizes that Alejandro is going to join her, for the whole two weeks!
With the purpose of finding romantic activities for the guests, Jasmine and Alejandro find it nearly impossible to ignore their feelings…

There are authors that write books of which you know before reading even one word, you know you are going to love. And yes, Olivia Spring is one of those! 😊

Of course it was a delight to return to the Love Hotel, and see Jasmine again. As a part of a series, Jasmine isn’t a complete stranger, but even if this is the first book of the series you read, you can read it without any worries. This book is a perfect standalone, but do you really want to mis out on all the fun? 😊

Even if it’s strict forbidden by her boss, I could understand how Jasmine wasn’t all that eager to give in to her feelings towards Alejandro. Starting something with a colleague is always a bit tricky. Because not only there is the expected gossip of other people, but also what if things end badly? And let’s also be honest, sometimes you also need to offload and talk about your partner with colleagues. And when your partner IS a colleague, you just cannot do that, right?

But there is a difference in having a fling or giving in to the physical attraction, and act upon them on the work floor, or having genuine feelings and when given in, acting in a respectful way. And while I understand that there are some strict rules applicable in the Love Hotel, I also found them a bit too strict, as the repercussions didn’t match the level of offense. 

How can you not immediately like Jasmine in this book? Okay, even if her resisting Alejandro for such a long time is for sure frustrating as a reader, I could understand her reason of thought. There is so much at stake for her, and being burnt in the past already, she doesn’t want to risk it all.
But we also see such a lovely, soft side of Jasmine. When she lets you in, you are in her circle, no matter if you are just a customer staying at the hotel or someone else. Jasmine likes people for who they are. She doesn’t let her walls down easily, but once again, when you’re in, you’re in.

But it also saddened me to read how her past made her hold back. She doesn’t want to risk to have her heart broken again. And she perhaps also has some outdated thoughts about love and partnership. Because now more than ever, does age difference truly matters? There are people that are older that are perhaps more immature than someone way younger.
Matureness doesn’t come with age, it comes from life experience.

And Alejandro for sure has plenty of that! Yes, perhaps I was initially objectifying him too, but can you blame me? but rather quickly we get to know the real Alejandro. The Alejandro that knows what he wants,  and doesn’t easily give up. But we also see a Alejandro that carries a lot of responsibilities towards his family, as he would do anything for his sisters.

Yet don’t be fooled by his easiness in life, because Alejandro also has been hurt in the past. He hasn’t had an easy time, and it took him a long time to finally feel something for someone else. Even if that someone else is someone he cannot possibly have.

As a reader, I could not wait for the two of them taking of to Jamaica. Because that’s where the fun truly begins! 🙂 

I have never been in Jamaica myself, but I can imagine how it feels like paradise. After reading this story, it for sure stole a peace of my heart. And yes, Bob and his weird Jamaican antics too, even if it took me a while to understand what he was actually saying 🙂.

I think we all have an idea what Jamaica is like, but it was great to discover the place together with Jasmine and Alejandro in even a slightly different way. In a way that brings the pair close, until a point resisting is impossible. And when that happened, I actually squealed! Because FINALLY! 🙂

Of course things aren’t going all that straightforward, as there is not only the issue of ‘what when they are back home?’ but also about their own feelings. Not that they doubt about what they feel, but more about what the other feels. And the fear of discovering it. And the obvious doubts of being enough or not…

Devouring this book is an understatement, as I couldn’t possibly read any faster. Faster but also slower at the same time, because I didn’t want to reach the end! I loved reading the complexity of the characters, but also the heart of the characters, bruised but slowly healing. 

Olivia Spring wrote a wonderful story, set in a special place with amazing characters. Characters that made me feel hungry too, as food also is involved! And rest assured, that I could get my hands on the recipe of that cake that Alejandro and Jasmine made together, I will try it for myself, even if I don’t have a partner to assist me 🙂 

When you lose the person you love, can you find comfort?

Synopsis

Recently-widowed father of one Luke is desperate for a sign.

Since his beloved wife Helen passed, Luke and six-year-old Amy are just about keeping the show on the road, but he’d do anything to have Helen near him again.

Connie’s much-missed mum was everything to her daughter. A friend, a cheer-leader, a comfort, and the best housemate Connie ever had. What she wouldn’t give to speak to her one more time…

Teenage twins Alex and Lucy both miss their dad desperately but neither have the words to put it right.

In the heart of Dublin, a quiet community is forming, drawn together by the loved ones they have lost, but kept together by friendship and laughter. As Luke, Connie, Alex, Lucy and the other patrons of the Leesom Street Café learn to smile again, none of them are quite ready for meeting the person who may be able to make all their dreams come true.

Because if you love and listen hard enough, goodbye might not be the end.

Heartbreaking and heartwarming, uplifting and utterly unforgettable, Claudia Carroll’s latest novel is perfect for all fans of Ruth Jones, Jojo Moyes, Cecilia Ahern and Shari Low.

My review

Ever since losing his beloved wife Helen, Luke is struggling. Not only is he raising their daughter on his own, but his job as an architect is very time – demanding. He finds it difficult to find the perfect balance, and he would do anything to have Helen back. Connie knows what it feels to lose a beloved one, as she is also still trying to cope after losing her mother. Connie’s mother was more than just her mum, she was Connie’s best friend. And now Connie is on her own, with a brother living on the other side of the world, eagerly wanting to sell the home Connie has been living in. Twins Alex and Lucy may be teenagers, but losing their father for sure scarred them. The sisters couldn’t be more different one from another, yet their grief is the same. While one more reluctant than another, these people all meet together at a bereavement café, talking, listening or even being there by force, trying to cope with their pain. But  when one day a famous author enters the scene, perhaps now they all have the chance to talk again to the person they love and need the most…

I have said it in other reviews, I am not the kind of person that believes in anything supernatural. And that also applies on ghosts, seances, appearances etc. Now, if that is something you believe in, that is your prerogative, just like it’s mine in not believing.

But there  is something in grief, in hurt, that made me pick up this book, even if there happens to be something mystical.

I also have to admit, I haven’t been faced with a great grief  myself yet. I know that that will come one day, but I perhaps was too young when losing my grandparents, not understanding grief completely. So for now, I have been saved from that heartbreaking feeling. But many people have been through this, and are still going through it, and I always do my best to be the supportive person for my friends and those around me that are facing grief.

My heart truly went out to Luke. He is still in pain since losing Helen, and it’ easy to see the struggles he is having. He wants to be the best dad possible for his little girl, but he had a demanding job. And with a young team, it’s not easy making everyone understand what he is going through.

And that angered me, because grief is something personal, and in these moments, a job, a career, work, is the last of someone’s worries. And not seeing that understanding from his boss, and his colleagues just left me flabbergasted. And there is one person paying the price, and that is Luke’s little girl, Amy…

Being a parent being part of a couple is already not an easy task, imagine doing it all on your own. Amy needs her father more than ever, even if she for sure is a bubbly character, very resilient despite her young age. Yet a little girl just needs her father, no matter how much she may enjoy playing with her cousins…

Luke is torn, he wants to be with Amy, but losing his job isn’t an option either… And then he is being reprimanded by someone unexpected, and also received the ‘gentle’ suggestion to participate at the bereavement café…

While Luke’s story broke my heart, I have to say that Connie’s story terrified me a little bit…

Now, don’t worry, Connie is also a lovely character, and she is truly at loss after losing her mother. As I am rather close to my mother too, I could easily comprehend Connie’s pain and struggles. And it saddened me that she couldn’t find comfort and solace with her brother, because I truly believe that something like this, losing a parent, would bring my brother and I even closer.

So why terrifying you may think? Well, because Connie starts to receive some strange calls. Calls not on her regular phone, but a phone that shouldn’t be even working anymore.

Calls even at the most inappropriate moments, letting Connie get some ugly looks from bystanders.

And I could understand how Connie could not talk to anyone about what she is going through, because wouldn’t you also believe that she has gone truly crazy?

You may think from all the above that this is a depressing story, but don’t be fooled. Because the presence of famous author Lucasta is for sure a ray of light! And yes, I was sceptical about her gift, and it for sure is something peculiar.

But Lucasta may be excentric, but she is also a wonderful person. She may not be up to date with everything that is going on in the world, and sometimes she should better think twice about what she says, but there isn’t an inch of a doubt that whatever she does or says comes from the heart.

And she helps not only Luke and Connie, but also others in a way that no one else possibly could! Not only to get over their grief, but also giving opportunities.

I was a bit afraid that the focus in this book would be a little too much on the special gift, bit I was happy to read that yes, it is an important asset of the book, but that it’s mainly about coming to terms with loss.

Because we see Luke, Connie, Alex, Lucy, Stella and other people understanding that coming together, talking about their pain, truly does help. And even if you don’t want to talk about it, even reminiscing can slowly heal the heart.

I didn’t expect to like this book as much as I eventually did. Yet it managed to touch my heart, feel the pain of the characters, but also feel the relief and the calmness that came on a later stage. And just perhaps, I was a bit disappointed about the epilogue, as something *finally* takes place, a something that I thought would have happened way sooner 😊. But perhaps also this was something that fitted the story perfectly, as you can’t rush things!

When the start of a great hen weekend turns into a real nightmare.

Synopsis

One hen, one stag, one uninvited guest… who won’t make it to the wedding?

Megan Lewis is ready for her big day, but when an unexpected guest crashes her hen weekend, her perfectly curated world unravels.

Beth, claiming to be Jamie’s cousin, quickly charms the group. But when she gets close to bridesmaid Lauren, things take a dark turn, and a game of truth or dare exposes secrets from Megan’s past, shaking her world.

As the wedding nears, Megan realises Beth isn’t who she says she is — but she may be her only ally.

When you can’t trust anyone, not even your fiancé, who can you turn to?

An unputdownable novel full of suspense and secrets, perfect for fans of Shari Lapena, Alice Feeney and Lisa Jewell.

My review

Megan Lewis cannot wait to marry her fiancé, Jamie. They are a little happy family, with their little girl, but their wedding will be the cherry on top of the cake.
Even if it breaks Megan’s heart to leave her daughter with her parents, she heads off with her friends for a hen weekend.
When Beth arrives at the hen weekend, Megan is a bit flabbergasted, because she doesn’t know Beth at all. But as Beth explains that she is Jamie’s cousin, Megan agrees that she can enjoy the weekend, as they will be soon family after all.
But the hen weekend quickly turns into a real nightmare, as a wicked game of Truth Or Dare reveals a dark secret that Megan has been keeping. And that is not the only event that risks to ruin everything, as Megan finds herself doubting the loyalty of her friends, and even fiancé. And after this horrendous weekend, will there still a wedding be taking place?

Getting married should be one of the happiest moments in life. And it for sure applies for Megan, as she cannot wait to marry the love of her life. And even if I am a happy single, I was happy for her. Because everyone deserves their happily ever after.

So I was rather shocked to read how things start to take a bad turn, even before the hen weekend actually takes off. I cannot imagine how Megan and her parents must feel to make that discovery. While as a reader we know that things will only get worse, to be on the receiving end of such a surprise… creepy is an understatement!

It is understandable that Megan isn’t all too thrilled to have her weekend after the discovery. But as everyone tells her to forget the incident, and just enjoy her weekend, it’s also understandable that Megan decides to just go, as it’s also something that has been planned for a long time.

Now, I have to say that I don’t if I were in Megan’s shoes, I would have acted the same way, especially towards Beth’s presence. A hen weekend, at least in my mind, is something to be shared with my closest friends, so I don’t think I would appreciate a stranger’s presence, even if she claims to be related to my husband – to – be. And maybe Megan’s acceptance made me think of her of a little bit gullible. But maybe I am also a bit too paranoid, and I am too suspicious of new people. And seeing how Megan finds herself telling her darkest secrets to a complete stranger, well, I wasn’t sure it was that best of ideas…

But I also need to add, that also Megan’s friends aren’t really the kind of friends that I would have myself. I am saying they are all bad people, or are doing their best to ruin Megan’s weekend and more, but their behaviour for sure is questionable… Because each friend does something, says something, acts in a way, that made Megan and also me believe that the culprit was found.

The culprit, because a lot of scary, even terrible things are happening during what was supposed to be a happy time. The Truth Or Dare Game in that aspect is may be most innocent of things happening, as it only gets worse the more the weekend evolves…

The more is happening with Megan, the more I also found myself sitting on the edge of my seat. Because nobody in this book is who you think he/she is. There are several shocking revelations that made me truly wonder who all these people, and how their characters didn’t fit with the imagine I had of them in my mind.

This for sure isn’t the kind of book you want to read when you’re ready to get married yourself, as it will leave you scared and scarred… The author wrote a gripping, even terrifying psychological thriller, showing the twisted minds of some people. But we also see that no matter how happy someone may look on the outside, you never know what happens behind closed doors. And you never know with 100% certainty that there are no dark secrets hidden, ready to submerge…

When a glimpse of your future lets you dictate the present…

Synopsis

Suddenly Maddy is right there… in her very own future. And it’s all wrong, yet again.

It happens to her every time. When the kisses lead to the bedroom, just when she thinks she might have found the one… Just for a split second, Maddy disappears, and she finds that she’s living her own life. But ten years into the future.

She’s only there for a little while. But each time, it’s long enough to know that she doesn’t want to be any of those future versions of Maddy. Because every man she falls for seems to lead her to a future that is just… wrong.

Until she meets Oliver. And the vision of their future is happy. Beautiful even. A little girl runs around, her braids flying behind her, giggling about how she wants sausages for dinner. She has eyes just like Oliver’s.

There’s just one catch. If Maddy wants the family she’s seeing in her future with Oliver, she realizes she has to break his heart now…

Would you destroy your present if there’s a chance that it could give you the perfect future?

Perfect for fans of David Nicholls, Matt Haig, and The Husbands by Holly Gramazio. The most unmissable ‘what if?’ love story of the year!

My review

Maddy Hart hasn’t ever been in a real relationship. Not because she is afraid of the commitment, but because she has a special kind of gift. Whenever she ends with someone in bed, in the heat of the moment, she finds herself in the future. She lives for a moment her life in ten years, with the man she is spending the night with in the present. And seeing that future, made her decide that she doesn’t want to be the version she sees of herself. But then she meets Oliver. What seemingly looks like a just crossing – paths – moment, somehow turns in them becoming roommates. And then feelings start to grow. The moment that Maddy sees her future with Oliver, and with a little young girl that immediately steals her heart, she knows that she is in. But slowly, as the relationship with Oliver in the present evolves, and Maddy sees more of her future with Oliver, she learns that the future she sees is not that easy to gain as she would want…Because it means that somehow, somewhere, there is a heartbreak in the cards…

When I started reading this book, I knew that I need to keep an open mind. Because if you don’t accept all the things that are taking place in this book, you won’t enjoy reading it at all. On the contrary, not believing will ruin this book for you.

I have to say though, that even with my open mind, I still had and still have many questions about Maddy’s gift. It also sounds very intriguing, having the ability to see the future with the person you are with at the present. On the other hand, I don’t know if I would want to know how my future would look like. Because life is a journey, where you grow, but also where you fail and make mistakes.

And while reading, it felt like Maddy wasn’t living her life at the fullest, as she let those visions hold her back. I believe that Maddy sees the future at those specific moments, but I also think that perhaps there would have been a way to change the outset future? And with that open mind of mine, I also believed that perhaps Maddy could change the future, and not let the future go in the direction she saw the glimpses.

But of course, if Maddy wouldn’t act in the way she did, we wouldn’t have this specific story and she wouldn’t cross paths with Oliver 😊.

Even if this would be the story of Maddy and Oliver without her gift, it would still be a great story. Because we see how a woman and a man meet, by sheer coincidence. And somehow, their paths cross again. They even end up living together, as roommates.

it was sweet, lovely and just amazing seeing Maddy and Oliver together. First as just roommates, than as friends and then even something more important.

Both Maddy and Oliver are the kind of people have been through a lot, and they both are still hurt somehow of their past.

Yet they are exactly what they both need, who they needed to find in their lives, for a happy life.

I have to admit, that the blurb already states that in order for Maddy to have the future with Oliver she sees in her visions, there has to be some kind of heartbreak. And I honestly believed that the heartbreak would take place earlier in the book. But that heartbreak takes place rather late in the book, as the focus is more about Maddy and Oliver finding each other, and their journey together, while at the same time Maddy tries to figure out how exactly that future came to fruition.

As Maddy is trying to link all the dots of her future, we also see the futures of the people around her. How her family and friends are doing in the future. Family and friends that with each appearance I cared more and more about. Not only there is Maddy’s best friend Priya, but also Maddy’s parents and brother.

Not only with Maddy’s story, but also the stories of those around her, we see that life isn’t always easy, on the contrary. It can be a real hardship, as life can throw serious lemons. But no matter how many lemons there are being thrown, we see that sometimes we need just a different view on things, in order to have a positive turn.

I absolutely enjoyed reading this book, as we see that sometimes a present pain and hurt is necessary to have the future of our dreams. But it is also a story about taking a deep dive into the unknown, and find the courage to make choices. Whether that choice is to open up our hearts, or the choice to pursue what we want from the future.

The author truly wrote a great story, putting a lot of emotion in her words. And even the additional of something mystical in a way, something that is not exactly my cup of tea, added a little extra in it, that made me love this book even more!  

Only time can tell…

Synopsis

Three generations; Two families; One secret.

After another relationship disaster Alice Littleton returns home to spend summer in Dublin’s Sandycove with her Mum, Ciara and beloved grandmother Eva at their family deli and grocers.

As Alice settles back into her old life with best friend Becca and her new boyfriend Conal Blake, she begins to fall in love with the comings and goings of their family shop and once more enjoying the rhythms of Irish life.

Meanwhile her mother Ciara, is consumed with running the family deli. Single and with mid-life looming, she feels life is passing her by until best friend Mary-Marg suggests they restart the disco they used to run as teenagers. Could this be what Sandycove’s millennials need or will there be murder on the dancefloor?

But it seems that all small-towns have their fair share of secrets and the past will always catch up with you.

Why does Conal’s grandmother insist on meeting Alice and what happened between her and Eva?

And why hasn’t Ciara spoken to Conal’s father, Paddy, for thirty years?

Is it time for the truth to be told so they can change their future?

My review

Alice Littleton decides to return back home for the summer after the end of her relationship. At a younger age, she couldn’t wait to leave Sandycove and even move to Australia. But now what she needs, is the comfort of her home. Her mother Ciara and her grandmother Eva couldn’t be more happier with the return of Alice, as they have obviously missed her dearly. Quickly Alice adapts back to her old life, and rekindles old friendships and meets new people. Seeing her best friend Becca again is lovely, and Alice couldn’t be happier to meet Becca’s new boyfriend Conal. And with helping Ciara in the family shop, Alice finds the peace and calmness she much needed to heal her broken heart. Ciara herself meanwhile is struggling, as she feels that her life is passing by too quickly and she isn’t living it at the fullest. So when her own best friend Mary – Marg suggests to reopen the disco they used to tun as teenagers, perhaps this is the fire Ciara needed to have back in her life. Meanwhile Alice tries to figure out from Eva why Conal’s own grandmother is so persistent on meeting her. Could it be that there is a secret that has been being kept for years? But what is it exactly and is that part of the reason that Ciara isn’t talking to Conal’s father Paddy for over thirty years?

I have visited Sandycove a few times by reading this author’s books. And each time I enjoy my time there, as I feel so much love and warmth while reading the stories.

And I have said it before, I always like reading stories where the main character returns home for one reason or another.

While often in books, it’s as the main character does not have another choice, and is forced to return to the place he/she wanted to escape, I loved how for Alice it wasn’t the case.

Because yes, her relationship ended, but she could have easily stayed in Australia. But no, she needed the comfort, love and support from home. And I could understand that, as something you need to be surrounded by your loved ones.

It was sweet to read how easily Alice adapts back to the life she once left behind. That for sure is proof that home will always be home, no matter how far you went and for how long. But it was also great to see how with age comes wisdom, and Alice has some great ideas to  turn the family shop into a bigger success, to attract even more customers.

Customers that are obviously all part of the wonderful community that Sandycove is, customers and thus people that are welcoming Alice back with open arms, not resenting her for a tiny bit for leaving them. Friends that are just happy to see Alice again. And the new people Alice meets in Sandycove that also have a lasting impact on Alice.

Initially I was wondering why the focus was so much, also in the blurb, on the friendship with Becca and Becca’s boyfriend Conal. Why was Conal so important for the storyline? But without giving anything away, let me tell you that Conal very much is part of the bigger picture in this book.

A bigger picture that involves also Alice’s mother Ciara and grandmother Eva. Both of them are strong women, that also have been through a lot, and that maybe now need to face the music.

Not that Ciara and Eva have some dark secrets, but there is something… Something that will be revealed in time, also leaving me a bit shocked, but that something also came at the right time, after the pair of them also have been through some growth.

And that was another beautiful thing in this book, because we see even people in a further stage in their lives, still growing a lot, still evolving a lot.

In Ciara’s case, we also see how she feels like stuck in a rut. And even if she has every reason to be happy and content with her life, there is just something missing.

So I was both happy and curious to see when the idea came to fruition to restart the disco once again. And I found it that Claire (and also and perhaps even especially Mary – Marg) show that age is just a number and that you are never too old for anything!

And with Eva, we see how it’s never too late to lay the past to rest.

I absolutely loved reading this book, as it shows real people with real struggles and real situations. Life isn’t always a walk in the park, and there are indeed issues and troubles, but it is also about taking life back in own hands, and try to make change.

And sometimes, going back home is exactly what your heart needs to heal and to feel alive again.

Oh, and yes, I still have that Cher song now stuck in my head! 🤣