#BlogTour Probably the Best Kiss in the World by Pernille Hughes

Today it’s a pleasure to take part in the BlogTour Probably the Best Kiss in the World by Pernille Hughes. It’s a romantic comedy with compelling characters and an interesting premise.About the Author

Pernille Hughes is a RomCom author and mum, whose debut novel was Sweatpants at Tiffanies, soon to be followed by Probably the Best Kiss in the World (April 2019). Previously her writing has been printed in The Sunday Times and the fabulous Sunlounger summer anthologies. Find out about her new books at www.pernillehughes.com.

Pernille (pronounced Pernilla) studied Film & Literature at uni and took her first job in advertising, having been lured by the temptation of freebies, but left when Status Quo tickets was as good as it got. After a brief spell marketing Natural History films, she switched to working in Children’s television which for a time meant living in actual Teletubbyland, sharing a photocopier with Laa-Laa.

Now, she lives in actual Buckinghamshire, sharing a photocopier with her husband and their four spawn. While the kids are at school she scoffs cake and writes RomCom stories in order to maintain a shred of sanity.

Follow @pernillehughes on Twitter, on Amazon, on Goodreads, on Facebook, Pinterest, on Instagram, on Bookbub,

Buy Probably the Best Kiss in the World

About the book

Jen Attison likes her life Just So. But being fished out of a canal in Copenhagen by her knickers is definitely NOT on her to do list. From cinnamon swirls to a spontaneous night of laughter and fireworks, Jen’s city break with the girls takes a turn for the unexpected because of her gorgeous, mystery rescuer.

Back home, Jen faces a choice. A surprise proposal from her boyfriend, ‘boring’ Robert has offered Jen the safety net she always thought she wanted. But with the memories of her Danish adventure proving hard to forget, maybe it’s time for Jen to stop listening to her head and start following her heart…

Review

I don’t drink beer. I don’t really enjoy the taste, but after reading the way Hughes describes the process and passion of brewing, I think I would be persuaded to try a craft beer or two. That’s how convincing her main character is. Darn it, she managed to make me feel passionate about beer and I don’t even touch the stuff.

Jen is a planner, a writer of lists. There is no room for spontaneity or reckless abandonment, because she had to become an adult far too soon. When her parents were killed, and her younger sister became an amputee as a result of the same accident. Since then she has felt responsible for the well-being of her sister. To the point of control and being worried to the point of being oppressive.

Her responsibilities are more important than having fun or following her dreams, which is how she ends up engaged to boring chauvinist Robert. Mr ‘hey babe it’s time to be barefoot and pregnant, you know you really want to’ treats her like a secondary human with no opinion.

So it’s no surprise when Jen finds herself drawn to a handsome stranger who shares an interest in her real passion – brewing craft beer. It is the one thing that brings her closer to her father, and she just loves beer. It’s a win win passion. A passion that others, mainly men, tend to belittle because she is a woman.

Hughes balances the romance, comedy and the more serious elements of the story really well. The end product is a really entertaining and cheek blushing read. Blushing in a sweet first throes of love kind of way, as opposed to a horizontal tango kind of blush.

I enjoyed the way the author has this fun aspect of the story and then slides the more serious issues by in a subtle way. The guilt and responsibility Jen is burdened by, the way she tries to control her sister because of her disability, albeit for the right reasons, and of course the issue of gender inequality and chauvinistic attitudes in relationships and society.

It’s a romantic comedy with compelling characters and an interesting premise.

Buy Probably the Best Kiss in the World at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher: HarperImpulse; Paperback edition pub date 27 Jun. 2019, Ecopy 12 April 2019. Buy at Amazon com.

#BlogTour Bridesmaids by Zara Stoneley

First of all there should be some sort of ban on tour banners that make you want to binge on sugar! Just Saying. Aside from that it is my pleasure to take part in the BlogTour Bridesmaids by Zara Stoneley. She writes with a fresh voice, stories full of drama and adds a layer of snarky humour to the mix.

About the Author

Zara Stoneley is the USA Today bestselling author of The Wedding Date.

Born in a small village in the UK, she wanted to be a female James Herriot, a spy, or an author when she grew up. After many (many) years, and many different jobs, her dream of writing a bestseller came true.

She writes about friendship, dreams, love, and happy ever afters, and hopes that her tales make you laugh a lot, cry a little, and occasionally say ‘ahhh’.

Zara now lives in a Cheshire village with her family, a lively cockapoo called Harry, and a very bossy (and slightly evil) cat called Saffron.

Zara’s bestselling novels include ‘No One Cancels Christmas’, ‘The Wedding Date’, ‘The Holiday Swap’, ‘Summer with the Country Village Vet’, ‘Blackberry Picking at Jasmine Cottage’ and the popular Tippermere series – ‘Stable Mates’, ‘Country Affairs’ and ‘Country Rivals’.

Follow @ZaraStoneley @HarperImpulse on Twitter, on Pinterest, on YouTube, on Facebook, on Instagram, Visit zarastoneley.com

Buy BridesmaidsAbout the book

Meet Rachel, the beautiful bride with BIG plans for the perfect day! The venue is a castle and the dress is designer.  It’s just a shame her husband is a rat.

Maddie and Sally have only one thing in common – they both love the same man! Beth is a newly single mum with a mystery baby daddy.  Surely the father isn’t someone the girls all know?

And then there’s Jane, the glue holding them all together, but being dumped doesn’t make her the happiest bridesmaid…especially with gorgeous flatmate Freddie complicating things.

Will the bride say, ‘I Do!’?  Or will her bridesmaids save the day…and find love along the way?

Review

It’s quite the dilemma isn’t it? When you are privy to the kind of information that can make or break a relationship. Your best friend is marrying a man who likes to play plug the hole with every female in his vicinity. Then you have to make a choice, do you tell your friend or keep your mouth shut and let them discover the truth for themselves?

It’s even harder when people think you are bitter and scarred from your own failed relationships, hence more likely to want to see other relationships fail. That’s not actually true when it comes to Jane, she just wants her friend Rachel to be with a man she can trust, but nobody is going to believe she doesn’t have an ulterior motive. So, mouth zipped, soldier on, and pretend as if everything is hunky-dory.

Jane finds herself in the midst of what appears to be some sort of hidden camera episode of Cluedo for romance, backstabbing, betrayal and love, instead she is a bridesmaid and part of a bridal party for her best friend. Everyone has a secret to hide or a secret to tell, and for some reason everyone keeps revealing them all to Jane. Which is fine, except she can’t keep them all straight in her head, so it leads to a romcomesque tragedy of errors and misconceptions.

I think everyone will get Jane, however towards the end I felt as if she needed to take a step back and ask herself why she feels the need to tell Rachel. To save her friend from certain misery? It’s not the dark ages, there are other fish in the sea.The truth is, the messenger always gets blamed, shot, drawn and quartered. It’s easier to do that than to confront the person doing the actual harm.

I can see why Stoneley is so popular, she writes with a fresh voice, stories full of drama and adds a layer of snarky humour to the mix. She reminds me of Sarah Morgan with the occasional Ruby Wax moment thrown in for good measure. It’s a romcom written with the tartness of champagne bubbles and the wit of modern woman.

Buy Bridesmaids at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher: HarperImpulse: pub date 26 April 2019. Buy at Amazon com. on iTunes, Waterstones.

Read my review of No One Cancels Christmas by Zara Stoneley.

#BlogTour All Wrapped Up in You by Sun Chara

Today it’s my turn on the BlogTour All Wrapped Up in You by Sun Chara. She puts a modern twist on an age-old recipe for racing hearts and romantic interludes.

Enter the Giveaway below to – Win a $20 Amazon Gift card and an e-copy of All Wrapped Up In You (Open Internationally) 

All about the Author

Sun Chara, an Amazon top 100 bestseller, writes sexy, hip ‘n fun contemporary romance, and romantic comedies w/a divine twist for HarperImpulse. She makes her home in southern California, and has appeared on stage/film to rave reviews in How the Other Half Loves, General Hospital, and McGee and Me. She has a Masters Degree in Education and membership in SAG/AFTRA and Romance Writers of America. Sipping Frappuccinos topped with whipped cream/sprinkles, and dancing on the beach make everyday a celebration!

Follow @sunchara3 and @HarperImpulse on Twitter, Or connect with suncharaauthorpage on Facebook

Buy All Wrapped Up in You

About the book

Their marriage hangs in the balance, but on this wind battered Christmas Eve, a miracle is born…

When Ellie hooked up with world renowned neurosurgeon, Peter Medeci, aka ‘Prince Charming’, she thought her dreams had come true. But the demands of being the model wife to his career triggers a mutiny within her and she decides to ditch the ‘royal’ life until he sees her as more than his bedroom playmate.

Review

This is a novella length romantic story. A tidbit of spicy love just in time for the holidays.

Ellie has decided to spend time finding herself after losing any sight of her old persona in the midst of her marriage to Peter. She can no longer see beyond the wealthy lifestyle, the charade of said lifestyle comes with so much pressure, and the two of them seem to be two ships passing each other in the night.

Where is the love they once shared? Not the breathtaking erotic moments of thrill or the lust that fills her from top to bottom when she sees Peter. No, where is the compassion and friendship they once shared. Ellie is willing to live like a matchstick girl until she gets the answers she needs.

What I will say is that it is always worth picking up a full-length novel by Chara. This short interlude does not give her creativity, storytelling and ability to create the kind of bodice-ripping characters a lot of readers enjoy, any justice at all. It is too short to be able to give Ellie, Peter or their relationship they depth the deserve.

Chara, and her writing, always remind me of the popular romance novels of the 80s and early 90s. Her style, the plots and her characters all have this vibe the readers used to hunger for, which is why the books were so popular at the time. She puts a modern twist on an age-old recipe for racing hearts and romantic interludes.

Buy All Wrapped Up In You at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. All Wrapped Up in You at Amazon com

Read my review of Greek Millionaire, Unruly Wife by Sun Chara

Enter the Giveaway below to – Win a $20 Amazon Gift card and an e-copy of All Wrapped Up In You (Open Internationally) 

a Rafflecopter giveaway *Terms and Conditions –Worldwide entries welcome.  Please enter using the Rafflecopter box above. The winner will be selected at random via Rafflecopter from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then I reserve the right to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over.  Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. This will passed to the giveaway organiser and used only for fulfilment of the prize, after which time I will delete the data.  I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.*

#PublicationDay #BlogTour No One Cancels Christmas by Zara Stoneley

It’s Publication Day for No One Cancels Christmas by Zara Stoneley. A funny and loving story about a young woman who rediscovers her love of Christmas and finds someone to share this love with.

About the Author

Born in a small village in Staffordshire, I wanted to be a female James Herriot, a spy, or an author when I grew up. After many years, and many different jobs, my dream of writing a bestseller came true.

I write about friendship, dreams, love, and happy ever afters, and hope that my tales make you cry a little, laugh a lot, and occasionally say ‘ahhh’.

I now live in a Cheshire village with my family, a lively cockapoo called Harry, and a very bossy (and slightly evil) cat called Saffron.

Follow @ZaraStoneley @HarperImpulse on Twitter, on Facebook on Instagram

Visit zarastoneley.com

Buy No One Cancels Christmas

About the book

It’s the most magical time of the year, and for travel agent Sarah it’s also the busiest! But this year one man threatens to ruin Christmas for Sarah’s customers – Mr Grinch, Will Armstrong.

The Shooting Star Mountain resort is a magical place, and Sarah has fond memories of Christmas here as a little girl – visits to Father Christmas, husky rides in the snow and hot chocolate by a roaring fire. But as the resorts new owner, Will refuses to play snowball or to deck the halls with anything remotely resembling tinsel!

With customers complaining their Christmas is ruined, Sarah decides it’s up to her to convince Scroogey Will just how magical Christmas can be….

But getting Will into the Christmas spirit is hopeless – he is Bah Humbug personified! But as Sarah gets to know him better, she realises that underneath all the gloom is a man struggling with a pain of his own.

With the big day approaching, Sarah realises that the magic and sparkle can wait. This year, she’s going to spend Christmas day with someone special her very own Mr Scrooge…

Review

Sarah runs a travel agency with her aunt and has to deal with dissatisfied customers and holiday resorts who refuse to uphold their end of the bargain. The owner of The Shooting Star is snarky, unhelpful and completely unwilling to tow the line or Sarah’s line.

Returning to The Shooting Star Mountain resort isn’t an easy feat for Sarah. It’s where she lost her parents or rather the place she remembers being the end of one life and the beginning of another. It isn’t the warm, cosy place she has in her head. Instead she finds the resort lacking a caring hand and a loving touch.

The owners are two handsome brothers, one of them a carefree playboy and the other is competing to win the title of Scrooge of the century. Bah Humbug doesn’t even come close to Will’s attitude towards Christmas.

It’s a funny and loving story about a young woman who rediscovers her love of Christmas and finds someone to share this love with. It’s about moving on from a traumatic past and finding comfort and peace in the future.

Stoneley reminds me of Sarah Morgan. She has a great sense of humour, which she combines with emotional scenarios and memorable characters. The result is the kind of romcom everyone talks about and recommends to their friends. Sassy chat and impulsive passionate encounters is what makes this an addictive read. Add a little joy to the world and Xmas cheer and you have the perfect Christmas read.

Buy No One Cancels Christmas at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer.

Buy No One Cancels Christmas at Amazon com

#BlogTour The Poppy Field by Deborah Carr

I missed the Publication Day Push (12th October 2018) for The Poppy Field by Deborah Carr, so I am just going to sneak myself onto the end of the BlogTour instead.

About the Author

Deborah Carr lives on the island of Jersey in the Channel Islands with her husband, two children and three rescue dogs. She became interested in books set in WW1 when researching her great-grandfather’s time as a cavalryman in the 17th 21st Lancers.

She is part of ‘The Blonde Plotters’ writing group and was Deputy Editor on the online review site, Novelicious.com for seven years. Her debut historical romance, Broken Faces, is set in WW1 and was runner-up in the 2012 Good Housekeeping Novel Writing Competition and given a ‘special commendation’ in the Harry Bowling Prize that year. The Poppy Field is her second historical novel.

Follow @DebsCarr @HarperImpulse on Twitter

on Facebook on Instagram on Pinterest

Visit deborahcarr.org

Buy The Poppy Field

About the book

This year marks the 100th anniversary of the end of the First World War.

Young nurse, Gemma, is struggling with the traumas she has witnessed through her job in the NHS. Needing to escape from it all, Gemma agrees to help renovate a rundown farmhouse in Doullens, France, a town near the Somme. There, in a boarded-up cupboard, wrapped in old newspapers, is a tin that reveals the secret letters and heartache of Alice Le Breton, a young volunteer nurse who worked in a casualty clearing station near the front line.

Set in the present day and during the horrifying years of the war, both woman discover deep down the strength and courage to carry on in even the most difficult of times. Through Alice’s words and her unfailing love for her sweetheart at the front, Gemma learns to truly live again.

This is a beautifully written epic historical novel that will take your breath away.

Review

This is a story about a woman finding herself via the medium of a voice from the past. A stranger’s love story helps Gemma to acknowledge that she needs to take what she wants with both hands and to live life with no regrets.

Gemma finds a metal box full of letters from Alice, a VAD during WW1, written to her paramour. My great-grandmother was a VAD in France in the Great War, and now and again she would speak of a Canadian love she met and lost there, so the read had sentimental value for me. The love letters become a path of discovery and make Gemma more aware of her own needs and desires.

The connection to the farmhouse, the area, and a very handsome contractor, make Gemma feel even more as if she has found a place to call home. Instead of seeing the content of the letters as Gemma reads them the reader is taken into the past to WW1 and the life of Alice Le Breton. There are parallels between the lives of the two women, which is what fascinates Gemma, despite the many years that separates them.

I have to give Carr her dues for combining fact with fiction, especially when it comes to the more harsh realities of WW1. Facts such as; the short life expectancy of a pilot, the flimsy material the planes were made out of and the fact the pilots couldn’t see where they were going or flying, and the vicious use of gas as a weapon. How frightened the soldiers were by the noise, the brutality and hopelessness of the situation, and how limited the medical professionals were when it came to saving lives.

Carr reminds us how brave both the volunteers and the enlisted were, and how many lives both in the UK and abroad were devastated by the Great War.

It’s an emotional combination of historical fact and fiction with romance and love at the very core of both tales.

Buy The Poppy Field at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer.

Publisher: HarperImpulse  Pub. date 12 Oct. 2018

The Map of Us by Jules Preston

In my humble opinion this is sat in and has been published under the wrong genre. It is not chick-lit, and that is not meant in a derogatory way in regards to that particular genre, but this isn’t just your normal romcom, romancey and happy-go-lucky read.

Perhaps the publisher struggled to define it and put it into a definitive category. Credit should be given where credit is due though, because this is an extraordinary read.

What is Map of Us about? In a way it is the story of the roots of a family told in the form of short, really short – often only a paragraph, chapters by each character. It’s as if the narrator is making a diary entry about each one of them.

The seedling of the family tree is Violet, and her roots and family, both blood and non-blood, begin with a man without a name and a dog named Dog.

It’s quirky, memorable and in a way a small work of art. Hopefully one day more people will recognise that. I would not only put it in the bracket of women’s fiction, I would also put it in literary fiction.

For me personally the best moment and quote from the story, aside from the Compatibility Index of course, is ‘nice toast’ courtesy of Abby. So much more than just a throwaway comment, it’s a point of connection and affirmation of feeling comfort and possibly even trust for the very first time.

What I take away from this story is that sometimes blood doesn’t bond and bind us and it’s ok to walk away from toxicity. Family isn’t necessarily who we are related to, it’s the people we connect with and become part of our inner circle. Simultaneously at some moments in time family can be the protective cocoon we yearn for and need.

It’s a remarkable read and there will probably be real requests for the fictional Compatibility Index. It will definitely be going on my exceptional reads of the year list.

Buy The Map of Us at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer.

Follow @jules_preston_ @HarperImpulse

Publisher: HarperImpulse Pub date. 4 May 2018

#BlogTour Greek Millionaire, Unruly Wife by Sun Chara

This BlogTour offers emotional turmoil and a fight to keep a child as part of the story of Greek Millionaire, Unruly Wife by Sun Chara. A couple fighting against their real feelings and focusing on their pain and anger instead. Don’t forget to enter the Giveaway below to Win an e-copy of Greek Millionaire, Unruly Wife and a Greek style bracelet (Open Internationally)

About the Author

Sun Chara, an Amazon top 100 bestseller, writes sexy, hip ‘n fun contemporary romance for HarperImpulse. JABBIC winner, Manhattan Millionaire’s Cinderella launched her writing career, spinning the ‘global millionaires’ series’. She makes her home in southern California, and has appeared on stage/film to rave reviews in How the Other Half Loves, General Hospital, and McGee and Me. With a Masters Degree in Education, and membership in SAG/AFTRA and Romance Writers of America, she enjoys sipping Frappuccinos topped with whipped cream/sprinkles, and dancing on the beach…making everyday a celebration!

Follow @sunchara3 and @HarperImpulse on Twitter

Or connect with suncharaauthorpage on Facebook

Buy Greek Millionaire, Unruly Wife

About the book

A tempestuous fling…a marriage…a betrayal?

When Michalis Leonadis’ bride jumps ship at the first sign of rough waters, he’s annoyed. When she costs him a marriage and a billion-dollar deal, he’s furious; but when he discovers she ditched him whilst harboring a secret…he’s out for revenge.

Ex-model, Julia Armstrong gave up everything for Michalis but when she catches him with another woman, crushed, she jets out of his life. The proud Greek blasts back into her world seeking retribution—in exchange for a divorce, he demands she relinquish the one thing she cannot. Her daughter. Only one other bargaining chip remains…Julia herself.

Review

Julia and Michalis seem to be the perfect couple on the surface, but that image crumbles when she catches him with his mistress. In response she takes herself and her secret, and hightails it out of town. Over a year later her husband turns up supposedly wanting to settle their divorce.

Instead he is determined to take their child, the secret she has been coveting and taking care of by herself. Every instinct she has is telling her to run and hide, if it wasn’t for that pesky physical attraction she has to him. The two of them are drawn to each other like magnets.

The character of Michalis has a whiff of romanticised misogyny, which is perfectly normal in this genre and type of story. Come with me now and do anything I want you to do for thirty days or I will take from you what you love the most. Caveman tactics and blackmail to convince the woman you subconsciously love, but openly despise to ‘help’ her to make the right decision.

The focus of the story is a series of misunderstandings, which lead to a heartbreaking crevice in the relationship of a couple who love and lust for each other, and yet are afraid to admit it.

Chara brings back the passion and whirlwind of emotions of 80’s bodice-rippers, but in a modern day setting. It’s perfect for readers looking for a little romance mixed with titillating sexual attraction, and a tug-of-war of emotions.

Buy Greek Millionaire, Unruly Wife at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher: Harper Impulse

Enter the Giveaway below to – Win an e-copy of Greek Millionaire, Unruly Wife and a Greek style bracelet (Open Internationally – The design of bracelet will vary depending on where in the world you live.) 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

(*Terms and Conditions –Worldwide entries welcome.  Please enter using the Rafflecopter box above.  The winner will be selected at random via Rafflecopter from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then I reserve the right to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over.  Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. This will passed to the giveaway organiser and used only for fulfilment of the prize, after which time I will delete the data.  I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.*)

#BlogTour The Birthday Girl by Sue Fortin

The Blog-Tour for The Birthday Girl by Sue Fortin has been a whirlwind so far and I am stoked to be a part of it. It is a an excellent read with a spectacular plot. Fortin has a wicked imagination with an eye for the unusual and the courage to put it to good use.

About the Author

Published by Harper Collins’ imprint Harper Impulse, Sue Fortin writes mystery, suspense and romance. Sue is a member of both the Crime Writers’ Association and The Romantic Novelists’ Association.

Sue is a USA Today and an Amazon UK #1 best selling author, with The Girl Who Lied and Sister Sister both reaching #1 in the Amazon UK Kindle chart in 2016 and 2017 respectively. Translation rights for both novels have been sold worldwide.

Lover of cake, Dragonflies and France. Hater of calories, maths and snakes. Sue was born in Hertfordshire but had a nomadic childhood, moving often with her family, before eventually settling in West Sussex.

Sue is married with four children, all of whom patiently give her time to write but, when not behind the keyboard, she likes to spend her time with them, enjoying both the coast and the South Downs, between which they are nestled.

Follow @suefortin1 @HarperImpulse @HarperCollinsUK

Follow SueFortinauthor on Facebook

Visit suefortin.com

About the book

Dear Carys, Zoe and Andrea,

Come and join me for my fortieth birthday adventure weekend, full of mysteries and surprises the like of which you can’t imagine.

When Joanne’s friends reluctantly accept an invitation to her birthday party, it quickly becomes clear that there is more to this weekend than they are expecting. One of them is hiding a secret. And Joanne is planning to reveal it…

A weekend away in a cottage in the woods sounds like fun – until no one can hear your cries for help.

Four friends.

A party to die for. 

Who will survive?

Q&A

Can you please tell us a bit about The Birthday Girl? The Birthday Girl is about four women who have been friends for some time, but recently things have been strained between them for one reason and another. One of the women, Joanne, decides to throw a surprise birthday weekend away for the four of them but it soon becomes apparent that clearing the air is not on the birthday wish list. In fact, Joanne has something rather more unsettling planned.

The Birthday Girl is gripping, and also quite scary at times, despite being set in an idyllic cottage in the country. What do you think it is about the countryside that creates such a sense of fear? Town and city life is very much man-made, the infrastructure has been thought out carefully so people can benefit the most, it’s organised and there are lots of rules. In the countryside this is much less apparent, especially somewhere like the Scottish countryside where nature is the dominant force and outside our control.

The Birthday Girl also deals with secrets and the effect they have on friendship, what made you want to exploit those themes? Friendships are complicated and have many, many layers to them. My family moved around quite a lot as I was growing up, so every 3 years or so, I had establish new friendships. As I got older and hit my teens, I found this to be quite a challenge. As an adult and since having children, I’ve found that friendships come in tranches, depending on your circumstances, what you’re doing, what your priority is at that particular time. Some are quite transient whilst others can be lasting. Some friendships are rock solid and others, when you scratch the surface, have underlying tensions. It’s a totally fascinating theme to explore.

What’s currently on your reading list? Hundreds! I wish I could read faster. I’m actually reading a proof copy of ‘White Bodies’ by Jane Robins at the moment. I’m only a few chapters in but it’s got my attention already. Then I’ve promised myself ‘A Stranger’s House’ by Clare Chase and then ‘The Dry’ by Jane Harper. After that it will be around Christmas time, so I’ll treat myself to a few Christmas feel-good reads, Sue Moorcroft’s ‘The Little Village Christmas’ being one of them.

What would be your ideal birthday party? Going to someone else’s! I can honestly say, I’ve never had a birthday party of my own in my life and the thought of being the centre of attention makes me shudder. So, I suppose, my ideal party would be just my husband and children at home or in our cottage in France.

Review

My first thought when I finished this book was oh wow that’s so messed up, but in a this author has a knack for the twisted psychological fast-paced compelling read I really enjoy way.

Carys, Zoe and Andrea are invited by their friend Joanne to celebrate her birthday. Nothing strange about that until you take a closer look. The truth is each one of the invited girls seems to have some underlying issues with Joanne, so the invitation is a bit of a surprise. Her behaviour has been passive-aggressive and her running commentary quite snarky. The kind of snarky that makes you wonder if the woman is having a laugh or having a go.

One of them is hiding a secret from the others and Joanne plans to reveal it in a way they will least expect it. Perhaps Joanne has underestimated the lengths some people will go to, to keep their secrets hidden from the rest of the world. She feels like the cat that got the cream and is acting as if she has the power to do anything she wants, especially in the bizarre location she has chosen to celebrate her birthday.

Needless to say the best laid plans go completely awry and set a sequence of events in motion that are both bizarre and often inexplicable. Behind every door hides a different danger and behind each supposedly friendly face a potential threat.

Within the plot there is a focus on Carys and her personal story. It takes a peculiar and menacing turn a la being chased by an inner madness, and hearing whispers on par with the devil himself sitting on top of her shoulder. What is she hiding and why?

If there is anything you can expect from The Birthday Girl then it is to expect the unexpected. It has a subtle sinister feel to it. Just when you think you have it figured out Fortin throws a wrench in the middle of your theory. There is an intentional or perhaps completely unintentional clue smack bang in the middle of the book, which points towards the guilty party, but hey my lips are sealed.

It’s a compelling rule-breaker of a story. Fortin will make you question every detail you think you know and leave you with more unanswered questions than you started with. If you’re looking for a rollercoaster read then you have picked the right book, just keep in mind that it might send you full throttle into a cloud of doubt. Exactly the way I like it, I might add.

Buy The Birthday Girl at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer.

Blog-Tour: I’m Keeping You by Jane Lark

My turn today on the Blog-Tour of I’m Keeping You by Jane Lark. A provocative mixture of romance and mental health issues.

About the Author

Jane is a writer of authentic, passionate and emotional Historical and New Adult romance and author of a No.1 bestselling Historical Novel,’The Illicit Love of a Courtesan’, as well as a Kindle overall top 25, bestselling author in the United States of America.

She began her first historical novel at sixteen, but a life full of adversity derailed her as she lives with the restrictions of Ankylosing Spondylitis.

When she finally completed a novel it was because she was determined not to reach forty still saying, I want to write.

Now Jane is writing a Regency series as well as contemporary, new adult, stories and she is thrilled to be giving her characters life in others’ imaginations at last.

You might think that Jane was inspired to write by Jane Austen, especially as she lives near Bath in the United Kingdom, but you would be wrong. Jane’s favourite author is Anya Seton, and the book which drew her into the bliss of falling into historical imagination was ‘Katherine’ a story crafted from reality.

Jane has drawn on this inspiration to discover other real-life love stories, reading memoirs and letters to capture elements of the past, and she uses these to create more realistic plots.

‘Basically I love history and I am sucker for a love story. I love the feeling of falling in love; it’s wonderful being able to do it time and time again in fiction.’

Jane is also a Chartered Member of the Institute of Personnel and Development in the United Kingdom, and uses this specialist understanding of people to bring her characters to life.

Below Jane talks about the use of music in her books and the New Adult genre.

Stories, music and my New Adults?

I love committing a cardinal author’s sin, putting current music in books. We really aren’t meant to. It sets the book in a time slot and makes it harder to sell later. So what, I say. I like to be a rebel and music goes so well with the New Adult genre. Maybe that is part of why I like the genre as I also love current music. So you’ll discover it sometimes glaringly obvious in the books of the Starting Out Series, but in other ways a little hidden, like in ringtones, (she coughs, Just You) and then the occasional book will have an album soundtrack (she coughs again, Free Me). I’ll let you discover and work out what’s what in the books. But the thing about music is that it is frequently written by young people in the midst of their New Adult years and so the angst and emotion this generation churns through pours into the songs they create and the songs then become such a brilliant inspiration.

Two of my current loves as far music goes are The Weekend, his songs did not appear in I’m Keeping You and yet the emotion behind his song In the night was a strong focus, there is a real darkness inside Rachel when she looks back at her past in I’m Keeping You and this song seemed to represent that, and the emotion within the song helped me focus on the character. It is generally the songs the I’ve gathered emotion and ideas from that end up in the books though.

So look out for this other current musical love of mine, ideas are already forming from this one, DNCE, Cake by the ocean, I think it’s the licking frosting from her fingers that has generated ideas 😉 Although basically there’s a whole story in there…

Connect with Jane at janelark.co.uk, Facebook, Goodreads or follow @JaneLnabooks and @HarperImpulse

About the Book

The sequel to the US bestselling NA romance, I Found You.

The sun was warm on my hair and face. The river looked cool and inviting. I felt superhuman. I was the best mom in the world…

I’ve faced many demons in my life, but my bipolar brain is the enemy inside me. Even my fairytale knight in shining armour, my husband, Jason, cannot always be there to save me from myself – and since the day I walked into a river with our precious baby son, Saint, our relationship has changed, no matter what he tells me.

Now we risk losing our innocent boy again, but this time to his biological father, my sleazy ex, Declan. So I’m going to New York to fight for my family, but I’m scared because I have to fight myself too. I ran away from my life in New York it feels like going back could ruin everything but if I don’t go we might lose Saint. I can’t lose Saint…or Jason…

Review

Rachel faces an inner battle every day, actually make that two battles. Being bipolar is like riding an emotional roller-coaster. Ups and downs, from manic episodes to deep dark pits of depression.

The other daily fight is choosing between being medicated and feeling like a walking zombie, and not taking the meds and feeling like her normal self.

Her euphoric self nearly kills her son, which triggers concerns about her capabilities as a mother. Her ex raises his ugly egotistical head and threatens the happy family life Rachel has with Jason.

As is often the case Declan the ex is more interested in revenge rather than the welfare of the child.

Jason is an interesting character, he has this strange kind of co-dependant relationship with Rachel. He likes the zany, the crazy and the impetuous side of Rachel, aka her manic episodes. On one hand he wants her on the medication, and on the other he really misses the other non-medicated Rachel. This has got to send out mixed signals to the poor woman.

I’m Keeping You is the fourth in the Starting Out series. It is a mixture of romance, steamy bedroom antics and mental health issues.

Buy I’m Keeping You at Amazon UK or go to Goodreads for any other retailer.

To follow the Blog-Tour and read what my fellow bloggers have to say about I’m Keeping You:

Cosmochicklitan 5th May

Harper Impulse 7th May

Ali the Dragon Slayer 8th May

Jane Hunt Writer 9th May

Charlotte McFall 10th May