How 1 man on his death bed is the start of everything.

Synopsis

How long can you get away with murder?

In an idyllic Sussex town, Mr Quinn whispers a secret on his death bed. Hours later the person who cared for Quinn is killed.

Mr Quinn’s secret sets off events unlike anything Detective Grant and Psychologist Ruby Silver have ever seen.

A series of deaths follow as a killer tries to cover their twenty-year trail of murder by drowning.

Grant, Silver and the team must track a killer who has been getting away with murder for years. But when treachery, corruption and secrets from the past are used against Sergeant Tom Delaney, the killer turns their attention to one of Grant’s own…

Detective David Grant and Psychologist Ruby Silver are back in this unmissable new crime thriller. It can be read as the sequel to Deadly Motives or as a brilliant stand-alone. It’s the perfect read for fans of authors like Angela Marsons, Robert Bryndza and Helen H. Durrant.

My review

Mr. Quinn finds himself in the hospital, feeling his end is near. He tries to tell his secret to the only person looking out for him at that moment, nurse Michelle Dixon.

When later that day Michelle is found dead, DCI David Grant and his team are called to the scene. What seems initially a random killing, soon becomes the work of a killer who got away with it years ago.

How deep does the police have to dig to find out the truth? And what secret did Mr. Quinn try to tell, what happened in the past? And what to do when the killer is targeting the team too?

Sometimes you read a book about people being murdered, and ok, you feel kind of sad of that death, but it doesn’t disturb you that much.
Yet with this book, every killing was for me just terrible! The people murdered weren’t evil, ‘deserving’ a cruel death.
When Michelle was brutally murdered, I was hoping all the time someone would come for her rescue. And even with the other murders, it was devastating me…

When we got glimpses of the thoughts of the killer, it showed just how evil the killer was. Describing saving was possible but just enjoying the final moments, gave me chills all over.

Throughout the whole story, I had no certainty of who the killer was. Yes, I had my suspicions, but I wasn’t ever 100% sure. Each time I thought I had it all figured out, something happens crushing all my ideas.
Only at the very end I had a suspicion that appeared to be correct! And I apologise for my family when they heard me scream: “I KNEW IT!!!”.

When the truth came out, about the past and the present, I could finally put all the characters in the right list: good people/ victims, bad people/ culprits.
Without giving anything away, it’s not all just black and white for most of them. That’s why I had to read the whole story in 1 length, because I needed to understand everyone.

The team of DCI David Grant are truly committed to their job. And even when it becomes personal for some, the need to find out the truth and find the assailant remains the main task.
Even if sometimes not the whole team was happy with each other, the respect remained, and eventually each and every one of the police department proofed their value in the search.

This thriller gave me the chills, yet I found myself unable to put it away. The development of the story, the fact that the characters were so real, made this not just a good thriller, but a great thriller. If I wouldn’t be a nail biter for ages, this story would have me started with it!

There is more than sees the eye…

Synopsis

Bologna: city of secrets, suspicion . . . and murder

A dark and atmospheric crime thriller set in the beautiful Italian city of Bologna, perfect for fans of Donna Leon, Michael Dibdin and Philip Gwynne Jones.

When the body of a radical protestor is found floating in one of Bologna’s underground canals, it seems that most of the city is ready to blame the usual suspects: the police.

But when private investigator Daniel Leicester, son-in-law to a former chief of police, receives a call from the dead man’s lover, he follows a trail that begins in the 1970s and leads all the way to the rotten heart of the present-day political establishment.

Beneath the beauty of the city, Bologna has a dark underside, and English detective Daniel must unravel a web of secrets, deceit and corruption – before he is caught in it himself.

Tom Benjamin’s gripping debut transports you to the ancient and mysterious Italian city less travelled: Bologna.

My review

Private investigator Daniel Leicester lives with his daughter in Bologna.
One day he receives a call to investigate the death of a leading anarchist. Everybody assumes the police is involved, but the dead man’s lover thinks there is more going on.

Not often Bologna is a setting for a book. But for this book, the location was perfect.
Bologna is a city with a long history. Good history but also a bad one. This of course is for Italy in totally… good things happened, but also nasty ones.

Daniel is a private investigator trying to figure out what truly happened to the victim. Was it truly the police?
As the story evolves, it’s clear that the dark past of the anarchist and his accomplices are part of this murder.
It’s fascinating how Daniel and those around him are finding conspiracies all around.
During the reading, I had no idea who was being truly honest or who was the bad guy.

What I liked was how the author took Italy’s history and took that as inspiration for this story. That history was an ugly one, but through the whole story, you have no judgement from the author himself. The real facts are stated, and the story and characters are very dark and even if it’s fiction, you see the consequences of being part of an ugly history.

The story is about a murder, yet it was clear that in the end, nobody can be trusted to be 100% honest. And that corruption is something that can be found everywhere, anytime.
Yet the star of this book was Bologna itself… the way the city is described made me love the city even more, despite the past.

A good thriller in a beautiful setting!

Forced into marriage by the King!

Synopsis

She must marry the knight

By order of the king!

Widow Eleanor of Tallany Castle knows her people are broken by the taxes demanded by King John. So when she’s ordered to marry Hugh de Villiers, a knight loyal to the king, she’s furious—even if he is handsome! As gallant Hugh begins to heal the scars of Eleanor’s abusive first marriage, she’s even more determined to keep her secret: she is the outlaw the king wants to send to the gallows!

My review

Widow Eleanor of Tallany Castle is rather happy with her life. She is not attached to a man, and does her best to help her people who are paying taxes demanded by King John.
But when that same King forces her to marry Hugh de Villiers, a knight loyal to the King, she makes it clear she will not just kneel for her husband.
She got away from a first abusive husband and will not allow a second one to do the same!
Hugh is also on a mission: to find the outlaw the King wants to send to the gallows.
This means that Eleanor must keep her secret at any cost, as she is that outlaw!

I love stories where women are not just ‘weak’, jumping at every word said by a man.
So I enjoyed reading this story!

Eleanor is a strong woman, not letting anyone dictate her life. Even when she is forced to marry Hugh, she complies, but that’s how far she will go. Having already had an abusive husband, she will not just allow another stranger to do the same thing all over again.
She keeps Hugh at a distance, letting him clearly know how she feels about this arrangement. And she will not give up her life for him!
She is also a rebel, being the outlaw the King is looking for. Even if it’s against the law, this shows how deeply Eleanor cares about the wellbeing of her people.
She will go very far to do the right thing.

And Hugh.. he truly surprised me. Being a knight, I imagined he would be a real Alpha. His word is law and his wife will listen to him, and as often, the wife will embrace the life of a kind of submissive. Well, that were my expectations, but Hugh was totally the opposite!

Through the story we get to know him as a caring man. He respects Eleanor and her boundaries. Yet he makes it clear that he will woo her, even if they are already married.
A man willing to seduce his wife, even if it wouldn’t be necessary, as they are already married, well, it’s truly swoon – material!
Also the fact that he won’t push her to “consummate” their wedding, shows what an amazing man he is!

While they are getting closer, I was curious to see what the reaction would be once the secret was out. And here Hugh again showed what a man he is.

This story is about doing the right thing, opening your heart, and also admitting that you were wrong. But also about protecting the ones you care about, being the people of your village, your servants and even the person you married!

How 1 random encounter can change your whole world.

Synopsis

Can love really be found when you stop looking for it…?

As Samantha Wishaw watches the love of her life marry another woman, she’s ready to give up hope of finding her happy ever after.

But when a chance encounter leads Sam to find friendship in Thomas – a lonely, grumpy elderly widower living at derelict Hedgehog Hollow – her life is about to change forever.

Glad to have a distraction from family feuds and match-making, Sam vows to fulfill Thomas and his wife, Gwendoline’s, dreams of restoring Hedgehog Hollow to its former glory, and to open a hedgehog rescue centre.

Throwing herself into the task at hand, little does Sam realise that the keys to love and happiness may also be found at Hedgehog Hollow, when she least expects it…

Escape to Hedgehog Hollow this summer with top 10 bestseller Jessica Redland for the perfect uplifting, feel-good read.

My review

Samantha Wishaw is heartbroken. The man she loves with all her heart, is marrying her niece. She gives up hope of finding her happily after.
When on the day of the wedding she gets lost and meets Thomas, it means her whole life will change.
Thomas is an elderly widower, living at Hedgehog Hollow. He doesn’t want to have Samantha around, but he needs helps and if Sam is ready to help around, he gives her permission to stick around.

When Sam gets to know more about Thomas, his late wife Gwendoline and their dreams, she finds a purpose in life again.

Talking about a story that broke my heart! And not because Sam is seeing the love of her life getting married with someone else, but because of awful she is being treated!
The way her whole family treats her, with the exception of her father, it left me flabbergasted! I couldn’t believe that people could be so horrendous towards a member of your own family. And if it was right, I could somehow understand it. But Sam is a real victim… she does whatever she can to please people but it’s just never good enough.
I admired her stubbornness to find a way to make everything right, but whatever she does, gets twisted around making her feel bad all over again.

So when she meets Thomas, and I saw how she was treated again, I almost wanted to tell her to get as far as possible away from Thomas too, because she deserves so much better in life.
Yet when she is resolute to help Thomas, and when Thomas is letting her in his life, I truly understood Sam.
She is a real good person, always putting someone else before her, trying to make everyone happy even if it costs her a lot.

I was so happy for her when little by little she is becoming happy again, together with Thomas and having a purpose again.
The length she goes for fulfilling Thomas’ and Gwendoline’s dreams is amazing. Here she shows how determined she can be, and even if the future of Hedgehog Hollow is at risk, she is not giving up, but fighting for the dream.

There is so much happening in this story, and even when I said “OK, this is the last chapter of today”, something happened and it was several chapters later that I found the courage to put the book away.

A special remark for the hedgehogs, even if their participation is not a huge one… I didn’t know that much about hedgehogs and what they would need. But thanks to this book, I started to love them just a little more!

A lovely book, about finding a purpose in life and never giving up. It’s also mainly about love. But not only love between a man and a woman, also about love of a family (or the lack of it…), love for a dear friend, love for animals and ok yes, also love between a man and a woman 😂

Perfect to dream away!

Synopsis

Kat swore off dating many years ago, after her marriage ended in a catastrophic mess. Having moved to the Canary Islands for a fresh start, she has never had much time for romance, channelling all her energy into managing all-male dance troupe – the Heavenly Hunks.

With golden beaches, sparkling blue water and relaxing after work with a glass of sangria – or three – for Kat, it’s summer all year round. But despite life being postcard perfect, Kat can’t help but wonder if she is missing out on the most important thing of all… love.

The dancers are all well-known for their flirtatious antics and aren’t looking for anything serious… except Jay. Sitting by the pool, watching the sun reflecting in the water, Kat feels like she can tell him anything.

Handsome, caring and a good listener, he ignites a fire in Kat’s heart that scares her witless. But her relationship with Jay should stay strictly professional… right? There is absolutely no way that she can be his boss and his date.

As the temperature rises, will Kat be able to take the plunge, let go of her past and find romance in paradise?

My review

After a terrible marriage, Kat started over again in the Canary Islands. She doesn’t need another man in her life, she has enough by managing the Heavenly Hunks. And yes, the Heavenly Hunks are totally what you expect by its name… they are an all – male dance troupe!
They are all flirty, and aren’t all looking for something serious. Exception is latest addition Jay.
He is different than the others and Kat finds herself suddenly attracted to one of her boys.

Can and should she keep it all professional?

This story was just what I needed, summer not yet here, and not being able to go anywhere (Thank you COVID – 19!).

I found myself imaging strolling together with Kat and the boys.

The boys have a reputation, being exotic dancers, and flirt with many women. Yet, they are close friends, trust each other with their lives. And even if Kat is their manager, they look after her. And they don’t feel hurt in their pride, being bossed around by a woman.

When we first meet Kat, she seems a strong woman, knowing what she wants. Only when we get to know her better, I understood she is also a scared woman, afraid to truly trust a man again. Yes, she trusts her boys, but giving her heart away to a man, well, she won’t just do that again.
But she is also very protective, she truly cares about her boys, and wants the best for them. Even if that means stepping aside.
When she meets Jay, initially he’s just one of the boys. Yet somehow he becomes more than that. But her past fears don’t allow her to trust him completely.

Jay is in my opinion just perfect… He opens Kat’s eyes, is there in time of need. But he’s also respectful towards her. He respects her decisions, even if it breaks his heart. And he is not afraid to show his emotions! A sexy man, being Alpha when required, but being vulnerable at the right time. Can I get one for me too???

This story was amazing with the locations, the shows, and hot men. But it’s also about opening your heart again and trusting the right people. And somehow putting your own interest aside for the bigger picture. And love in all its aspects, loving your friends, the right person and not being afraid to show your real emotions!

A perfect book to dream away, and forget everything around you, and even forget about Magic Mike, because we have the Heavenly Hunks!

Who would you choose?

Synopsis

How far would you go in the name of love?

Sarah Parsons has a choice ahead of her. After the trip of a lifetime she’s somehow returned home with TWO handsome men wanting to whisk her away into the sunset.

Pulled in two directions across the globe, it’s making life trickier than it sounds. Her gorgeous American, Josh, wants to meet Sarah in Hawaii for a holiday to remember. Meanwhile silver fox, James, plans to wine and dine her in London.

It’s a lot to handle for this Aussie girl, who had totally sworn off men!

Join Sarah after her adventure in One Summer in Santorini, for the heart-warming and uplifting third novel in The Holiday Romance series.

My review

After spending her summer in Santorini, Sarah has two men longing for her.
first we have American Josh… he’s a bit younger than Sarah, but she feels so at ease with him. Yet he is not looking for a relationship, and he refers to Sarah as his ‘buddy’… can there be anything worse???

And then we have silver fox James. He is a bit older than Sarah. He is a wealthy man, and uses all his charms to make Sarah his.

Sarah does not know who “the one” is for her, so she decides to spend time with both of them and then make up her mind. But will it be easy to “pick” the right man?

First of all, reading the first part of Sarah’s story is not necessary but it will make a lot of things clear, and it’s also a nice book to read!

I surely wouldn’t want to be in Sarah’s shoes! Despite having sworn of men, she finds herself attracted to two men! And both have their perks but also downsides…

Josh is younger, but also afraid to show his true emotions. And how can they manage to even have a future together, she being an Aussie and he living in the States? And also the fact he clearly states more often than not, that he is not looking for a relationship…
Yet it’s obvious there is real attraction between the two, and they feel so at ease with each other!

And James, that intriguing silver fox! Being older and have made his own fortune. He treats Sarah like a real princess! But can Sarah manage to fit in his world? And does age really matter?

I understand the dilemma Sarah is in, but I have the perfect solution: just melt Josh and James together and have the best of them both! J If only it would be so easy…
While Sarah is trying to figure out what her heart truly wants, she finds herself and even if it will break someone’s heart, I completely understand her choice. And honestly, I think I would have made the decision!

The story is made into 3 parts, a part where Sarah is with Josh, and we get to see how that world would look like. Surely it would be fun, but it’s hard to know where you stand if the other part cannot express himself.
The second part is Sarah spending with James. A world of luxury, having no worries in the world and just do what you want. Who wouldn’t want that future!
But how compatible are Sarah and James really? 

And the third part is the apotheosis! It all comes together and a decision is made.

What I loved about this story is that while Sarah has no idea what she truly wants, she gets to know herself better. She knows that she has to make a decision, but which choice wouldn’t devastate her? It’s a story about finding love, but meanwhile also finding yourself.

I enjoyed devouring this book and even if we’re having a ‘staycation’ this summer, I enjoyed being on a vacation with Sarah and her suitors!

Choosing the lesser of two evils.

Synopsis

Marriage…To the highest bidder

Lady Lydia Barton cannot seem to avoid Owen Wolfe since he returned after being wrongly transported for stealing her family’s jewels! But Lydia has more pressing problems―like her impending arranged marriage. Until Owen makes her father a counter-offer for her hand. Is Owen purely after her society connections? Or does Lydia dare hope that the charming stable boy she once loved is still within her ruthless, wealthy new husband?

My review

Lady Lydia Barton finds herself part of a bidding. Due her father’s bad finances, he sees no other option than offering his daughter to the highest bidder.
When the highest bidder at the moment is just a nasty man, Lady Lydia is truly disgusted.
But when suddenly Owen Wolfe is also a contender, she has to choose which one will be the better choice.
Because Owen Wolfe is part of her past, and they did not separate on good terms…

Will Lady Lydia and Owen find a way to put the past behind them?

Oooh, Virginia Heath did it again!!! She wrote a story that I found hard to put away!
She wrote not only a story about lost loves, broken hearts trying to be mended, but also about family dynamics, and how ugly it was in that period!

I totally loathed Lydia’s father! I honestly cannot comprehend how a man can be so heartless… The only thing he cares about is money, his own wellbeing and maybe a little bit his son. But Lydia is nothing to him, just a pawn in his game to stay in his wealth.
And even when Lydia did everything in her powers to satisfy her father, even then he turned away from her and didn’t care about her!
Whenever he appeared in the story, I just wanted to slap him in de face!

I don’t understand how Lydia is the total opposite, thinking about how she grew up… She is a kind young woman, wanting to do whatever she can to help her family, even if that means to marry the man she despises… Yet she tries to make the best of her situation. And she has a sense of righteousness.

Owen may sound like a scumbag, but from the very start I liked him. Despite being accused of theft, and being convicted, he wants to make something of his life, and he is managing it with his friend. Even if he denies it in every way, and makes up excuses for his behaviour, he still cares about Lydia.

The way Lydia and Owen act towards each other made me laugh, as I felt that the attraction of the past was still there, no matter how hard they denied it!
And how Randolph is there with his banter, just hilarious! He just speaks out what everyone is thinking! And yet he is a caring husband towards Gertie!

Again a masterpiece added to the list of books I love by Virginia Heath! A story about lost love, trusting your heart, and how true love always finds his way back, even if it starts with a forced marriage!

A magic lamp + a genie = not always Aladdin

Synopsis

What if wishes really could come true? 

When Jinnie Cooper is dumped by her fiancé, and exiled to a job in an antiques shop in a sleepy Scottish village, little does she know a battered old lamp is about to shake up her life. 

Genie Dhassim grants wishes. But he also wants a few of his own to come true. Letting him explore the outside world proves nerve-wracking as Dhassim has an uncanny knack of putting his pointy-slippered foot in it. 

As Jinnie grows closer to her employer Sam, Dhassim discovers his time on earth is running out. 

Can both Jinnie and Dhassim find true happiness? Or are those wishes that cannot be granted?

My review

After being dumped by her fiancé, Jinnie decides to move to a new town and get a new job. It may seem as an extreme action, but her fiancé was her boss AND they were leaving together…

Trying to get her life back on track, she starts working part-time at an antique shop for Sam. There she finds a lamp that somehow she’s attracted to.
When suddenly a real genie appears from the lamp, ready to fulfil her wishes, her world turns upside down!

This story gave me two main emotions: happiness and compassion.

Happiness, because there were moments I laughed really loud (sorry family, you know me!). the situations with Dhassim are so hilarious! The genie is does not understand how to keep low profile, causing embarrassing moments for Jinnie.
And the moments with Wilma, Jinnie’s grandmother were just wonderful to read!

And compassion, because there are some other characters you cannot feel anything else but sorry… It shows how unfair sometimes the world can be…

Jinnie in this story is an insecure woman, after a relationship with a man who thought he was better than Jinnie. But being out of that toxic relationship, she becomes more independent. Yet she remains a bit insecure.
Because when she finds herself attracted to two men, she believes she’s not good enough for either of them!
While when we get to know her better, we know she’s just an amazing person. And proof is the wishes she makes. She doesn’t make wishes just for her own benefit, but wishes also things for the people around her, as she wants them to be happy.
And when she makes 1 wish truly for her own benefit, well, the result was so sweet!

Dhassim will of course not make you forget the most famous genie of the world, but he’s a good second place! He is also heart – broken yet he tries to be the best genie he can be for Jinnie!

All the other characters, no matter how tragic they are, add to the magic of this story. If you would remove just one person from it, it would still be a good story, but not a complete one…

This story was about starting all over, finding yourself and accept yourself just the way you are. And that yes, there are some nasty people on the world, but there are so many good people, ready to take you in and help you wherever they can. This small community was perfect for Jinnie, making Jinnie feel home.

And that when you have your heart at the right place, love always pays you back!