A devastating eruption in Pompeii, a majestic building in Rome and a slave and her master…

Synopsis

They called it the Flavian Amphitheatre. We call it the Colosseum. Let the Games begin. 

Rome, 80AD. A gigantic new amphitheatre is being built. The Emperor has plans for gladiatorial Games on a scale no-one has ever seen before. But the Games don’t just happen by themselves. They must be made. And Marcus, the man in charge of creating them, has just lost everything he held dear when Pompeii disappeared under the searing wrath of Vesuvius.

Now it will fall to Althea, the slave woman who serves as his scribe, to ensure the Colosseum is inaugurated on time – and that Marcus makes his way out of the darkness that calls to him.

Can a motley crew comprising a retired centurion, slaves, a prostitute and an ex Vestal Virgin pull off the greatest gladiatorial Games ever seen? Or will they fail and find themselves in the arena as punishment? Time is running out to deliver an unforgettable spectacle.

From the Ashes is the first, fast-paced novel in the gripping new Colosseum series. Follow the quick-witted and fiercely loyal backstage team of the Colosseum through the devastation of Pompeii, plague and fire. This is historical fiction at its most captivating: both action-packed and tender.

Take a front row seat at the Colosseum’s inaugural gladiatorial Games. Buy From the Ashes today.

My review

Althea is a Greek woman, now a slave working for her domina in Pompeii. But as often with slaves, her dominus sells her to a man in charge of creating the most amazing gladiatorial Games in a new amphitheatre that is being built in Rome.
As Althea is able to read and write, she is an asset to Marcus, her new dominus.
But while they are in Rome, news arrive that Pompeii has disappeared and that everyone and everything they cared for are no longer…
How can Marcus, after losing his wife and child, fulfil the Emperor’s wishes? With not only Althea by his side, but also a prostitute yet loyal friend, and an ex Vestal Virgin, it’s a race again not only time to let the Games begin… 

We have all learnt about the devastation the Vesuvius brought in 80AD at school. And I think it’s safe to say we all have watched or read movies, series, books about Ancient Rome, the fights in the amphitheatre and how life was supposed to be. And some things could be for sure extravagant, as we can also read in the first few chapters of this book. 

Despite everything we know from the eruption of the volcano, it’s not easy to have an emotional link to what happened. Of course it was horrible, but we cannot really say that we know someone that has a far member of the family who has lost someone, can we?
So reading about Marcus’ loss, feeling his pain, made it possible for me to feel that utter despair that people who have seen it all and lost it all, had.
But also the somehow injustice of it all, because many innocent lives were lost at the hand of ‘just’ nature… 

It’s clear from the start that Marcus is one of the good guys, treating his ‘staff’ correctly and not taking advantage of his status. Being a former centurion, he now wants nothing more to live in peace with his wife and son, buying back land. He doesn’t like his job necessarily, but he will do what it takes to make his dream come true.
He is also the kind of person who looks at you for who you are, and not what you are. So he does not see Althea and his other loyal servants as such, but he sees their potential and allow them to rise up. 

Althea may be perhaps a slave, but she is also a smart woman, with great insights but she is also very perceptive and understanding.
When it’s clear that Marcus has lost everything, she feels his pain and understand his grief. But she also understands that he cannot allow himself to jeopardize the job in Rome, and protects him to fall into a deeper downward spiral. 

This book is a race against time, as the amphitheatre must be ready for its inauguration, while our main characters are facing several severe setbacks that come at a price.
Both Marcus and Althea are in an alliance together, to make things happen. Yet seeing this particular alliance, purely based on mutual respect and nothing more, showed me that not everything can be bought or comes with a price. 

A story that takes its reader way back into Ancient Rome, showing its brutalities, not only of the eruption but also the brutalities of the fights in the amphitheatre, but also the honest yet unlikely friendship between a centurion and a slave.

Can a lighthouse bring light in more than just one aspect?

Synopsis

A perfect new start in Cornwall…

Meredith’s life is at a standstill. She’s stuck in a dead-end job, approaching fifty, and her dating life is a string of disasters. But one evening, while browsing the internet, she sees an ad for a lighthouse, and in a moment of impulsiveness, she makes a ridiculous bid for it.

With the help of local handyman Clem, she sets about renovating. And as they work together, a bond begins to form. But when Meredith finds out that Clem is keeping a secret from her, it changes everything. Will they find a way to build something more meaningful together?

A delightful story about community, friendship and having the courage to start over, perfect for fans of Carole Matthews, Milly Johnson and Lucy Dillon

My review

Even if her life is rather dull, Meredith never does something spontaneous. She’s stuck at her job, she is nearly fifty and het love life is non – existing.
Obviously, surfing the internet with a bottle of wine is never a good idea, especially when Meredith realizes the next morning that she has bought an actual lighthouse in Cornwall.
Even if the locals aren’t welcoming her with open arms, she is determined to turn the lighthouse into a home, despite it needing more fixing up than expected.
With the help of local handyman Clem, she starts to turn the place for the better. And it’s not only the house itself that is starting to make Meredith more at home.
But when Clem’s secret is out, will their bond be already strong enough?  

I have not read all the books this author has written, but what I have read always put a smile on my face. So when I started to read this new story, I was both anxiously curious to see if this one would have the same effect on my mood. 

At first I wasn’t that sure, as our lovely main character Meredith is a bit older than myself and we didn’t have that much in common.
However, me of little faith! It’s not because a character doesn’t have a lot in common that I cannot enjoy getting to know her better! 

I felt sorry for Meredith on several levels. Her job wasn’t the most exciting one, her mother won’t ever win any awards for her parenting.
However, even if Meredith may not have an exhilarating life, she has a best friend that supports her in every way, even if their relationship is one that you need to get used to at the start 😊. 

Not being a big drinker myself (I can hardly digest two glasses of wine, so that you get an idea of my drinking abilities), I was a bit flabbergasted to read that Meredith managed to buy not just a house, but an actual lighthouse after an evening of drinking!
Yet I also admired her as she didn’t pull back, but saw it more as some kind of sign to take that step and start all over again. 

However, what I liked the most about Meredith is her actual behaviour. Yes yes, rather quickly she clashes with a local over a parking spot. But after this episode we see how she keeps on keeping her head high. No matter how obnoxious or even rude people are, she is killing them all with kindness! And that for sure put several smiles on my face, reading how those unkind people didn’t know how to respond! Even at moments where I wouldn’t be able to keep my calm, she keeps on giving the benefit of the doubt, even if she feels that things don’t match up. 

It truly warmed my heart to see how Meredith makes efforts all around, to people she has barely met, just out of the kindness of her heart (even if she claims it’s also for her own benefit).
And reading how she and Clem, despite their initial clashing, slowly and unintentionally are growing closer, was one of the sweetest things!
Seeing the both of them together, at ease with each other, trusting each other gave me many ‘aaaaw’ moments. 

Obviously there has to be some kind of struggle somewhere in this story, and while many things point into a certain direction, I knew immediately, without any doubt that things would turn out to be completely different than the author wants to make us believe for a moment. 

This book for sure was easy and truly enjoyable to read. The author shows us that not only it’s never to start all over again, but also that we can find a place to call home in the weirdest places, even in a lighthouse.
We also see that kindness will get rewarded, and that it will be the thing that will make people like you and allow you into their close community.
And that love doesn’t look at age or at age difference, but at who is right for you. And you can have an inkling at who that is, by seeing the efforts they are ready to put while moving into a lighthouse!

Looking for answers in Venice, finding so much more

Synopsis

A bundle of mysterious letters. A trip to Venice. A journey she’ll never forget.

When Luna loses her beloved mother, she’s bereft: her mother was her only family, and without her Luna feels rootless. Then the chance discovery of a collection of letters in her mother’s belongings sends her on an unexpected journey.

Following a clue in the letters, Luna packs her bags and heads to Venice, to a gorgeous but faded bookshop overlooking the canals, hoping to uncover the truth about her mother’s mysterious past.

Will Luna find the answers she’s looking for – and finally find the place she belongs?

My review

Luna and her mother have always been very close. They explored the world together, following their wanderlust.
So when Luna loses her mother, it’s obvious that she is at loss without her rock.
However, when Luna is going through her mother’s belongings, she finds a collection of letters, revealing a past of her mother Luna didn’t know about.
Those letters lead her to Venice, where a little bookshop is located and where Luna hopes to find an answer to all her questions. And perhaps Luna will find more than that… 

Obviously, I am always a bit prejudiced when a story takes place in Italy. Obviously it’s going to be an amazing story!
However, a story taking place in Venice… I have been in Venice several times and it’s just not my favourite city…
I understand the allure but it’s not just my cup of tea. Yet the premise of this story sounded very good, thus I put my own feelings towards the city aside and started to read about Luna’s journey. 

While the story itself was a good one, a young woman who just lost her mother makes some discoveries and it adamant to get answers to all her questions, I found it a bit difficult to feel really connected with Luna.
Was it because her own background differed so much from my own? Or because she seems to be the kind of woman who puts all her belief in her gut or reading the cards?
I cannot put my finger on what it exactly was, but throughout the whole book, I felt a small emotional distance between us. 

But that doesn’t take away that I truly did enjoy reading this book! Yes, there is the cliché of the Italian male population, but I didn’t mind it at all, on the contrary, Sebastiano’s behaviour was so over the top that it even became hilarious!
While even being an Italian, I wasn’t sorry to see Sebastiano leave the stage, and be replaced by a much better fit for Luna, being Oscar. 

The first encounter between Luna and Oscar is one by sheer coincidence, and at first I didn’t pay that much attention to it. So I was very delighted to read how Oscar would become a character of big importance. Not only for the development of the story itself, but also for Luna.  

I loved discovering together with Luna the bookshop, and finding not only Giancarlo but all the cats with their own features. And I admired how Luna, even not knowing if she could stay working at the place, had several great ideas to turn the bookshop into an alluring place to visit.
And seeing how Luna could always rely on her best friend Gigi to stand by her side, or as the people of her community were, are, and always will be only a phone call away, was really sweet.  

Of course Luna is there to find out more about her mother’s past. And while I could follow her reasoning, as a reader you know things won’t be as easy or simple as they may seem.
Once the truth was out, it saddened me to read what happened so many years ago. Yet it also made me happy to realize that perhaps Luna didn’t find what she thought she would, but it turned out to be exactly what she needed to find. 

After finishing this story, I was glad I kept an open mind about it. Just because something doesn’t seem to be my cup of tea, doesn’t mean I cannot enjoy it.
Luna’s journey was one where we learn that we don’t always know everything of those who we love the most. But also that we can find that missing link in our lives, even if it’s not the exact link we were looking for.

When your passion takes you to the world, but home calls you back…

Synopsis

Sometimes life is full of surprises, especially when you least expect them…

Born into the Scottish Clan MacBain and the 17th century ancestral home, Drumblair Castle, Liv MacBain has always dreamed of leaving the ancient homestead and becoming her own person in the world of fashion.

From a young age, she worshipped the trailblazing designs of the haute couture glitterati, hoping one day to join them.

With older brother Kerr, the rightful heir, Liv has been free to spread her wings.

Fast forward. Liv, is now 28 years old, working at a high-end fashion house and living her dream life in New York. She’s never been happier.

Until everything changes with one devastating phone call from her brother, Kerr, that brings her rushing back to Scotland.

Old friends and adversaries resurface and Liv faces a difficult decision that could mean her dream future can no longer be a reality.

Or can you have your castle and your career?

My review

Even if Liv Macbain’s family goes way back until the 17th century and have all been living in Drumblair Castle, Liv always dreamt of a career in the world of fashion. And with her brother Kerr being the rightful heir, she has been able to follow her passion and made it become a reality.
At the age of 28, she is truly enjoying her life in New York, working for a famous fashion house. But it takes only one call from her brother with devastating news to take her back to Scotland. Yet the loss of her beloved mother is not the only shocking news, because now Liv finds herself inheriting what was supposed to go to Kerr…
Liv knows the importance of the Castle, but is she ready to give up her own dreams for the sake of her family’s legacy? 

I have always been in love with stories set in the Highlands, contemporary stories or even those set in the past. And visiting these places is for sure very high on my bucket list, hoping I can thick if of very quickly. Meanwhile I will enjoy using my imagination and reading wonderful stories. And having this author having written a story in the Highlands, of course I couldn’t resist temptation! 

Being a ‘normal’ person myself, without any fancy title (although, Lady Tiziana, it has a nice ring, doesn’t it 😊), it’s not easy to grasp the rules for families who go way back.
So reading how Liv’s brother Kerr will be inheriting everything according those rules, well, in my eyes it doesn’t seem 100% right, but who am I ?
Yet having Kerr inheriting it all, made it also possible for Liv to chase her own dreams, not having any big worry about her legacy. 

Even if Liv is living the dream, it was still sweet to see how close she still was with her mother, despite the distance and time difference.
Yet it also made it more heart – breaking to read about that one phone call from her brother.  And of course Liv doesn’t hesitate to fly back home. 

Once back home although, things does not go as expected for her, yet as a reader we may already know that things will get shaken up rather quickly.  

While some may find it annoying how Liv is doubting herself all the time, not knowing what to do, I could also understand her doubts. If I were in her position, having found my place and having a blooming career, I wouldn’t know what to do either. And I would doubt every move I made too.
Liv understands the legacy of her family, and she wants to protect it. But does that mean that she should give up her own passion for the sake of the family?  

And then there is Kerr… while I would assume that in the most difficult moments, siblings would find each other even if they don’t really get along, seeing Kerr and his antics, made it impossible to be in my good book. Kerr does everything that is possible to be disliked.
Even if towards the end it seems he is turning for the better, I don’t know if things could get forgiven so easily in real life. 

Of course while Liv is attempting to do the right thing not only herself but also the place and everyone who has something at stake, there may or may not be a love interest too.
A love interest that may not be as straightforward and while it is a heart – breaking revelation in the end, I also admired the courage of Lisa Hobman to turn the tables, showing us that the roles of victims and perpetrator can also be switched, even if we too often don’t hear about it in real life. 

While reading, it’s obvious that the romance isn’t the main topic. But it’s about trying to figure out where the future will take us, about finding a way to make things work. It’s about doing what you should be doing, but without losing yourself and give up your own passions.
We see how hard Liv is trying to find the correct balance, wanting to make her family proud of her, but not wanting to lose that what makes her happy.
And while Liv is the one who has to make all the decisions, she has to cut the cord at some point, we also see that surrounding yourself with kindness, love and friendship, those decisions are easier to make with their input. 

This was a lovely book to read, even if there were some sad moments in it. But those sad moments were thwarted by funny, sweet moments with kind, generous and loveable characters, human and not, supporting a main character that is standing at a crossroads but deserves to have the best of both worlds.

Does sunshine always truly comes after rain?

Synopsis

Welcome back to The Starfish Café for a glorious summer, but with a few dark clouds on the horizon…

A new beginning…

As her summer wedding to Jake approaches, Hollie is excited for their new beginning as a family. But when some unexpected news threatens the future she and Jake had hoped for, Hollie will need to find the strength to overcome heartache once more.

A fragile heart….

Single mum, Kerry, loves her job at The Starfish Café, but behind the brave smiles and laughter with customers there is a sadness deep within. So when someone from her past re-appears in her life, Kerry can either hide away or face her demons and try to finally move on from her heartbreak.

A summer to remember…

For Hollie and Kerry it promises to be an emotional rollercoaster of a summer, but the community at The Starfish Café will always be there to help them through – after all, with courage nothing is impossible…

Join top 10 bestseller Jessica Redland for a wonderful summer at the seaside, full of love, friendship and community spirit.

My review

Hollie cannot wait to finally marry her Jake. After they both have been through, in the past and even recently, they are ready to start their lives officially together, filled with happiness and love.
However, they both realize that their happily ever after won’t be so easy to have, as once again they have to face some news that turn everything into heartbreak once again…
Luckily, Hollie has an amazing team at the Starfish Café, who not only look after the place with all the possible care and love, but they are also all a shoulder to cry on.
That even includes Kerry, a single mother of four, who loves working at the Café. But Kerry has her own demons to face…
She has always put her children before everything, putting her own (love) life on hold. But just when perhaps she is ready to dip her toe again into those waters, someone from her past resurfaces in her life to mess things up even more… 

Okay, I have made a decision and I am going to need every little bit of courage and determination to follow through…
I have decided to stop reading any of Jessica’s book, because my poor heart just cannot take it anymore! (Joking around here, for those who don’t know my attempts of being somehow funny 😊) 

There are people in the world (the fictional one and the real one) who just deserve all the best and all the happiness and joy and love. And Hollie and Jake for sure are such people.
After everything they have been through, which we all know about, it brought me to tears when they were *finally* able to get married.
And there were several other moments with this lovely couples that made me cry out of joy.  

However – and for that I do love you a little bit less Jessica – I also had several cries of sadness…
Because unfortunately this amazing author keeps on finding ways to break our characters’ hearts and mine too!
Both Hollie and Jake have to face again a few setbacks, and just like they say themselves, haven’t they have been through enough already? 

Despite everything dark on their paths (again!), it also brought me to tears to see how this couple is just perfect for each other. They understand each other without words, they know how to comfort each other. They know when to speak out, or when to keep quiet.
That is the kind of love that I now need to find myself. I will not settle for anything less! Because even if their love may seem corny, it’s just perfect in every possible way. 

I also loved reading Kerry’s story, even if that one too brought me to tears!
As a reader, we already know that her life is a hectic one, as she is being a single mother of four kids. Yet I didn’t expect that her tale would be so heart – breaking. With some flashbacks, we get to know how she ended up being single. And with those flashbacks, we see what a loving person she truly was and still is.
Her ex for sure didn’t score any points in my book, all the things he did to our lovely Kerry and thinks he can still get things his way with a sudden reappearance after many years of radio silence. 

Kerry is amazing as a person, but also a wonderful, marvellous mother. Despite her own feelings, she does what’s best for her children. And everything she does, is done for her children. I loved seeing her in mum – modus, being kind and gentle when needed, but also firm and strict when the children would act out.
And she isn’t afraid to act all firm and strict towards her ex, when his behaviour is risking to get her children all messed up. 

Kerry is the kind of person that would put her own happiness aside for her children. So while perhaps there may be or not may be someone for her, her main focus is and will always be her children. With so many changes in their young lives, Kerry cannot give any of her time to love.
And luckily for us, Artie is the most understanding person in the world. He knows that Kerry’s children will always be Nr. 1 on her list.  

This was again a wonderful story, bringing me laughter but also many tears. Sometimes it were the small bits making me cry, but also the bigger events made me sob…
Jessica Redland shows again with this book that life has its ups and downs. Everyone experiences heartbreak at more moments in life.
Yet Jessica also shows us that there are many rainbows and lovely summer nights making all the wrong things right again.
When you have your people, even the worst things cannot bring you down. With all their support and love, you will find the motivation, the courage and the will to move on.  

Now Jessica, can you please write a story which won’t turn me into a mess with a tear – streaked face, unable to talk to people for a long while after closing your book??? 😊

Love over several decades…

Synopsis

1939 – American heiress Vivi Miles falls for naval officer Nathan as soon as she arrives in England. And, under the threat of war, they marry in a whirlwind before he leaves to join his ship.

When Nathan returns from Dunkirk injured, he is distant, aloof, and no longer the man Vivi fell in love with. But it’s not just because of his brutal experiences of war. Nathan has a secret and Vivi suspects it’s linked to the mysterious evacuee at the secluded house in the woods on his Kent estate.

As war continues to rage, Vivi battles her own grief and loneliness, and tries to find out the truth of the girl’s identity, uncovering a scandal from the past.

Is her love for Nathan strong enough to survive?

My review

Vivi Miles moves in 1939 from America to England. Little did she know that she would fall in love so quickly with naval officer Nathan. With the threat of war, they decide to get married before Nathan leaves to join his ship.
Vivi is waiting anxiously for his return, but Nathan is not the same after being in Dunkirk and got injured. Vivi does her best to find the man back she fell in love with, but it’s not easy, especially as she suspects that Nathan is keeping secrets from her.
With the war still going on, and even when the war is definitely over, Vivi is surrounded by grief, loneliness, and even heart – break as she discovers scandals and secrets not only from a faraway past, but also a more recent one, affecting her more than she would think… 

A story taking place during war always intrigues. I want to know how the characters experience those hard times and how they try to keep on moving on, despite all the terrible things happening around them.
And then there is this story, which contains all the above, but also shows us what happens several years later. 

When Vivi arrived in England, I was curious to see how this American girl would adapt in a whole different world and with a looming war around the corner.
So when she meets Nathan, I was somehow happy to see how she could envision her future in England with a man she has fallen in love with.
Yet I have to admit that it happened all rather quickly for me. They met, they write letters and then they marry. But that is maybe also an effect of the war, wanting to catch the moment, and enjoy those happy moments whenever you can. 

However, it appears that Vivi wasn’t meant to have many happy moments… she quickly had to face several tragedies on her own, not having someone close to confide in…
Yet these tragedies also shows the readers what a surprisingly strong character Vivi is.
Obviously, each tragedy Vivi needed her time to process it all, yet each time she manged to get up again and move on from it. 

It saddened me to read how Nathan changed with thank to the war, and how cold he was around Vivi. Of course he has seen terrible things and he is literally scarred by the war, yet I found it not always easy to like him. And living his life or just living next to him cannot have been easy, as it wasn’t in real life. 

The secret he had wasn’t really a great shock, but perhaps I would have liked to see more of the run – up and more depth? Also, with that prologue I expected more from Elise’s character, while now she was more on the background, while her presence in the book for sure had important consequences. And while the focus was on Vivi, I also felt that Elise deserved her own spotlight, even if Fate didn’t treat her that well. 

However, despite everything our main characters went through, it is clear that people would do anything for love, and are ready to face the consequences of their choices. I admired Vivi’s strength and kind heart, doing the impossible after a betrayal. But I also understood Nathan’s limbo and scars and also saw and comprehended Elise’s feelings, courage and strength. 

This was a story filled with sadness, hardships, pain and betrayal, but love, compassion and care stood above all those negative feelings. And even during the thirty years’ time span, it shows that wonderful things can come from things that hurt us the most.

Fan mail isn’t always what it seems to be…

Synopsis

A barrage of threatening letters, a car bomb, and a heart attack rip apart what was once a close-knit family of adopted brothers. Randy and Bobby, along with fellow band member and best friend, Danny, receive fan mail that turns menacing. They ignore it, but to their detriment. The sender turns up the heat. Violence upends their world. It rocks the relationship between the boys and ripples through their family, nearly killing their dad. As these boys turn on each other, adopted brother Brian flashes back to that event in Arizona where he nearly lost his life saving his brothers. The scars on his face and arms healed, but not his heart. Would he once again have to put himself in harm’s way to save them? And if faced with that choice, will he?

Guest Post

Guest Post by Joseph Lewis, Author of Fan Mail

Recently, I was interviewed on The Author’s Spot Podcast and you can find it at: https://podcast.theauthorsspot.com/1973858/12365749

The interview touched on my life and my writing, and of course, my newest book, Fan Mail. I hope you take a listen. The interviewer, K. E. Robinson, was prepared beyond belief. He knew my books and my writing, and it made speaking with him not only easy but also enjoyable.

When I write, I write about an idea that came to me, and honestly, my ideas sometimes come in the strangest of ways. For instance, when I got the idea for Caught in a Web, which was published in 2018, I was sitting at my kitchen table reading the local newspaper. On the front page was an article about the rise of fentanyl and heroin deaths in our area, especially amongadolescents. About two or three pages after, there was an article about a violent and vicious gang, MS-13, and their rise and spread into Northern and Central Virginia, my home area. The idea for my book, which won three awards and was named “One of the Best Crime Fiction Books of 2018” by BestThrillers, was born. 

When I got the idea for Spiral Into Darkness, I was an administrator at the time, and I was talking to my psychology teacher. My background is psychology and counseling, and we were having a discussion on nature vs nurture: are we the way we are based upon genetics, or are we the way we are based upon our situational life experiences? An age old question that is still debated. That evening, I watched an episode of Criminal Minds about a serial killer. The idea popped into my head: is a serial killer born a serial killer, or is there a trigger that causes one to become a serial killer?

I think I can speak for most writers when I say that this is the norm. Ideas happen, and theysometimes happen in the strangest of ways.

I think the major gift or need a writer has at his or her disposal is to be aware. To be aware of lifehappening around them. Conversations. Mannerisms. Modes of dress. Colors. Buildings. Events as they happen. Books one reads, TV shows and movies one watches, and music one listens to. All of this is potential fodder for, and the guts of, a story. 

Honestly, I’ve been blessed. As a guy who has spent the last 47 years in education as a teacher, coach, counselor, and administrator, I’ve watched and listened to kids and the adults they interact with. Kids walked past me in the hallways. I monitored the cafeteria where they ate, or where they visited with friends, worked, and sometimes took a nap. I chaperoned dances and officiated commencement. I owe a great deal to the kids and the staff I worked with. It is their voices, their actions, their events that take place between the covers of my books.

I think because of my work, my main characters are adolescents. Specifically, a patchwork family of seven adopted brothers who carry baggage- some big and ugly, some small and ugly, but they all have baggage. Of course, because I write thriller-crime-mystery fiction, I have a trio of three detectives who appear in each of my books. 

In my newest book, Fan Mail, the baggage the boys carry gets the better of them. A car bomb begins the action. This is followed by a barrage of fan mail sent to two of the brothers and a close friend who gained a modicum of celebrity in a local band. These letters become more threatening as it is ignored. The car bomb and the letters cause an inordinate amount of stress that brings about their father’s heart attack. All of this threatens to tear apart this close-knit and loving family. The boys turn on each other. Trust is lost and friendships are tested. And the three detectives race to find who is behind the car bomb and the letters before anyone gets hurt or dies.

The idea behind Fan Mail? An article I read about how celebrity kids handle, or sometimes, didn’t handle life in the spotlight, and how this affected their lives and the lives around them.Again, an idea that came to me in a strange way. Had I not been paying attention, Fan Mailwouldn’t have been written.

When the past is forgotten for real, yet remains a hurtful memory…

Synopsis

Sometimes when you can’t see the way forwards, the best thing to do is to look back…

When Jessie left home at eighteen, she swore she’d never go back. But when life takes a turn for the complicated, she’s forced to move in with her twin, Isaac, and his two best friends. To her dismay, one of these is Elliot, the boy Jessie once loved, until his life was changed forever by a terrible accident that Jessie still blames herself for.

Cohabiting with three alarmingly unhouse-trained males was not in Jessie’s life plan so when Isaac, Elliot and Arthur offer her a generous rent discount if she’ll help them with their ‘Boys to Men Project’, designed to end years of disastrous dating, she reluctantly accepts the challenge.

As Jessie embraces the comfort of being home, revelling in her new job at her parents’ day centre full of people determined to grow old disgracefully, she realises her housemates aren’t the only ones needing to make some changes. And maybe, if she can finally forgive herself for Elliot’s accident, she can start to look forward to a future, with or without him by her side.

My review

Jessie left her home at eighteen, with the intention of never ging back. However, now she has no other option than moving in with her twin brother Isaac.
But she couldn’t be more shocked realizing that she would not only be living with Isaac, but also with his two best friends. Normally it wouldn’t be such a great deal, if it weren’t that it would mean living together with Elliot, Jessie’s first love. A first love that never took off, as Elliot’s life changed dramatically after a terrible accident that Jessie blames herself for.
Yet Jessie finds herself helping the three men with their ‘Boys To Men Project’, with the purpose of finding love, and show people Isaac, Arthur and Elliot can be real adults.
Being back home means for Jessie to find back a lost comfort, making people’s day while working at her parents’ day centre and perhaps even find a way to forgive herself for Elliot’s accident and finally have the chance to move on? 

Reading a story written by Beth Moran is not always easy. Not because she is a terrible writer, on the contrary! But it’s just that she writes stories where her characters had gone or have to go through terrible things…
Yet I also know that every tear will be worth as in the end, I will have read a beautiful, hopeful and heart – warming tale 

At the beginning, I found it hard to understand how Jessie would be able to stay away from her family, and especially her twin and also best friend Isaac. Even knowing that something terrible had happened in the past, and she is still blaming herself for it, I couldn’t do what she did as I am also very close to my brother and my parents. 

And not knowing what had happened, or what the consequences were of that accident, had my mind going in overdrive. I NEEDED to know what exactly happened, and how it had affected everyone. So meeting Elliot for the first time was somehow a shock to me, as he appeared to be rather unscratched.
But it’s only after getting to know him better and having Jessie’s flashbacks that I truly understood what the accident did to Elliot. 

While the focus was mainly on Jessie and her feelings of guilt and feeling at loss, I found that this story went much deeper than just a woman going back hope and meeting her first love again.
Yes, absolutely, it was great to read how Jessie finds her home again, and even excelled at her job. Yet it felt also like a lesson somehow. Because starting all over again, like Jessie, but also like Elliot, is not easy. Especially as you are not the person who you were before, or the person people expect you to be. 

It broke my heart to see how Elliot is still struggling with just life in general. But on the other hand it also melted my heart to see how he keeps on trying to be an example to children, by showing that different doesn’t mean not good enough.
I for sure could comprehend Elliot’s anger when there was some wrong – doing and I cannot say I would have been able to keep my calm either!. 

This story is filled with wonderful, marvellous but also hilarious moments! Especially Arthur deserves his own credit as his behaviour was often odd, yet it made me smile if not laugh every time he entered the scene! 

Beth Moran showed again with this book how wrong we sometimes can be in our own head, and like in Jessie’s case, even sabotage ourselves in a way, because of our guilt.
But she also shows us that sometimes life goes as it goes, and we cannot keep on carrying that guilt around. Because not always that guilt is justified.
And that perhaps a second chance can be found.  

While reading, I managed to keep my tears where they belonged, yet those last few chapters, with an amazing revelation that perhaps didn’t come as a total surprise, I found myself crying of joy. And when a book can bring you to express such emotions, you knew you read something amazing!

Can a marriage of convenience turn into something more?

Synopsis

Wed to a stranger

Awakened by his touch

As the new wife of stoic knight Benedictus Monceaux, innocent Adela finds herself in a whole new world… Their union is one of convenience and power, but her feelings for the warrior unsettle and excite her. Hiding an inner strength, Adela knows she can be a strong ally to her husband but first she must walk a fine line between duty and desire, both in court and in the bedchamber.

My review

Adela has not seen much of the real worlds, as her parents always made sure that she was being kept pure and innocent, for her arranged marriage with Knight Benedict Monceaux. Her own family paid more attention to the prestige of being linked to a well – known name than looking and loving Adela like normal families would.
Benedict Monceaux was never looking forwards to getting married and kept postponing any further preparations. That is until his cause and his duty towards the King require more funds.
Adela could not be happier to marry Benedict, not because she loves him, but she sees it as an escape from her own personal prison. And Benedict cannot wait to use the dowry to help his King, and is ready to leave his fresh bride with her family.
But Adela won’t let her freedom slip through her fingers and stands her ground to go with Benedict to Windsor.
And Benedict may perhaps realize that Adela can be a strong ally, not only what concerns his duty as a Knight, but also the duty of a married couple… 

Having read all the previous parts of this series, it’s easy to say that Benedict was the most enigmatic, closed and even coldest of all the Knights. And that made me very curious to see what kind of woman would make us show a human, warmer side of this Knight.
But be reassured, even if you haven’t read the previous parts, you can easily catch up while reading this amazing book, that somehow even turned out to be one of the funniest of the series! 

Of all the kinds of women Benedict could be ‘ending up’ with, Adela would be the last of my thoughts, especially when we first meet her.
At the start, she seemed like a really meek, otherworldly young woman. Yes, it isn’t her fault she never left her own room, and this fact made me pity her a lot.
I felt even more sorry realizing that her own family used her for their own benefits, but also Benedict somehow used her, marrying only for her dowry. And add to the equation that Benedict was ready to leave her with her terrible family after the wedding, well I can say with a clear conscience that he wasn’t scoring any points in his favour! 

So did I love it when Adela started to stand her ground? Absolutely! Did I love it when Benedict didn’t know what to do? Absolutely! 

The best part of this book was reading how Benedict is this strong, even terrifying knight, and yet he is at total loss whenever Adela is around. And on the other hand we have this vulnerable Adela, growing stronger on each page.
Somehow the roles were reversed and that added on the charm of this story! 

Of course, if Benedict would change his character suddenly, that wouldn’t seem realistic at all. So I liked how Ella Matthews managed to keep Benedict stoic, non – expressive, yet also showing us his tender side, without changing overnight.
And seeing this side of Benedict, the gentle manners in a Benedict – way towards Adela, and seeing this unlikely couple getting closer, well, it made my reading sessions! 

But also reading about his real feelings, his fears and sense of having lost everything and everyone he cares about, well, it made me understand his character even better. And even if I didn’t always agree with his behaviour or reasoning, I could understand where he was coming from.

Seeing Adela blossoming, adjusting to a new place, learning to get to know new people, learning to see through hypocrisy and see when someone is really sincere, like a character we already can count in our circle of friends, but also finding herself, was truly sweet to read.
Even at moments where everything seemed to be lost, I admired Adela for keeping her found strength. 

If there is one thing that will stay with me after reading this wonderful story, is that we should never judge a book by its cover, literally and figuratively speaking. It’s not being someone looks like a brute, that he is. It’s not because someone doesn’t express himself very well, that he doesn’t feel deeply. And it’s not because someone hasn’t seen much of the real world, that she cannot of inestimable value and be an asset. Or if you haven’t been in love before, you will never feel that deep connection with someone.
Oh, and seeing Benedict being teased around by Theo for sure added an extra value! 😊

Come on, aren’t you even a bit curious to read this book?

Synopsis

A tale of two husbands, two wives, and the woman in between.

It is a June day and the rain is lashing down as Emma and Andrew move into the house of their dreams in an affluent London suburb. Two doors away, dejected Darren and Kelly are downsizing into their new home.

It doesn’t take long for the women to hit it off despite being opposites in many ways. Meanwhile Andrew, a teacher and poet, and Darren, an alarm systems installer, are at loggerheads from the word go. 

When Emma and Kelly decide to take breaks away together – to a spa, a countryside retreat, the Scottish Highlands – their men feel abandoned. Their animosity grows and the loyalty to their wives is tested when Mrs Hall moves in as their in-between neighbour. But who exactly is this woman and what game is she playing? 

The wives return from a stay in Scotland to discover that a lot has changed. Will their marriages be robust enough to survive?

Purchase Links

UK – https://www.amazon.co.uk/Darren-Andrew-Mrs-Hall-relationships-ebook/dp/B0BW9NDRYG

US – https://www.amazon.com/Darren-Andrew-Mrs-Hall-relationships-ebook/dp/B0BW9NDRYG

About the author

R J Gould writes contemporary fiction about relationships using a mix of wry humour and pathos to describe the tragi-comic life journeys of his protagonists. Darren, Andrew and Mrs Hall is his eighth novel and follows The Engagement Party, Jack and Jill Went Downhill, Mid-life follies, The bench by Cromer beach, Nothing Man, Dream Café and Then and now. He has been published by Headline Accent and Lume Books and also self-publishes. Before becoming a full-time author he worked in the education and charity sectors. In addition to his addiction to telling stories, he has somewhat milder addictions to playing tennis, watching film noir cinema, completing Wordle and eating dried mango slices. He is a member of Cambridge Writers and the Romantic Novelists’ Association UK and lives in Cambridge, England.