#BlogTour One by One by Helen Bridgett

Today it’s my turn on the BlogTour One by One by Helen Bridgett.

About the Author

Helen Bridgett lives in the North East of England. Outside of writing  feel good fiction, Helen loves the great outdoors and having a good laugh with friends over a glass of wine. Helen lives with her husband and their chocolate Labrador, Angus; al three can often be found walking the Northumberland coastline that inspired her romantic comedy, Summer at Serenity Bay.

Follow @Helen_Bridgett on Twitter, Buy One by One

About the book

When practising what you preach is easier said than done… Professor Maxie Reddick has her reasons for being sceptical of traditional policing methods, but, in between her criminology lecturing job and her Criminal Thoughts podcast, she stays firmly on the side lines of the crime solving world.

Then a young woman is brutally attacked, and suddenly it’s essential that Maxie turns her words into actions; this is no longer an academic exercise – this is somebody’s life.

But as she delves deeper, the case takes a sickening turn, which leads Maxie to the horrifying realisation that the attack might not have been a one off. It seems there’s a depraved individual out there seeking revenge, and they’ll stop at nothing to get it … little by little … one by one.

Review

I think it’s fair to say that her relentless pursuit of the criminal is what brings Maxie into the sights of said criminal. Maxie is like a dog with a very tasty bone. She is convinced that the plain old police are not up to the job and she will have to do the job for them. Yes, her sense of entitlement and lack of humility are part and parcel of what make her character so memorable.

Whilst committing to the job of catching a predator she neglects everything else, including her family and marriage. Given what happens one wonders whether Maxie just instinctively knows the truth about her personal feelings and throwing herself into the world of crime solving isn’t merely a way of distracting herself from confronting the truth.

The author has penned the kind of main character who manages to annoy and captivate at the same time. Maxie can think of nothing else other than apprehending a dangerous individual, but to the detriment of everything else. This obsession is the starting point and simultaneously also a firm nod in the direction of the police. If they are lacking when it comes to solving sex crimes and helping victims of said crimes then perhaps new eyes and someone who is actually invested in truth and justice will get better results. Making a fair point there.

I’m guessing this won’t be the last time readers see Maxie back in the arena of crime solvers are us. It’s a fast-paced crime read with the kind of character readers tend to remember.

Buy One by One at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher : Ruby Fiction; pub date 26 Jan. 2021 – £8.99 paperback £2.99 ebook. 

#BlogTour The House That Alice Built by Chris Penhall

Today it’s my turn on the BlogTour The House that Alice Built by Chris Penhall.About the Author

Chris Penhall is a freelance writer and radio producer. Her book, The House That Alice Built, won the Choc-Lit Search for a Star Competition 2019.

Born in South Wales, she has also lived near London and in Portugal, which is where The House That Alice Built is set. It was whilst living in Cascais near Lisbon that she began to dabble in writing fiction, but it was many years later that she was confident enough to start writing her first novel, and many years after that she finally finished it! She is now working on her second.

A lover of books, music and cats, she is also an enthusiastic salsa dancer, a keen cook, and loves to travel. She is never happier than when she is gazing at the sea. Chris has two grown up daughters and lives in the Essex countryside. Chris is a member of the Romantic Novelists Association.

Follow @ChrisPenhall on Twitter, on Facebook, on Goodreads, on Amazon,Visit chrispenhall.co.uk, Buy The House that Alice Built

About the book

Home is where the heart is …

Alice Dorothy Matthews is sensible. Whilst her best friend Kathy is living it up in Portugal and her insufferable ex Adam is travelling the world, Alice is working hard to pay for the beloved London house she has put her heart and soul into renovating.

But then a postcard from Buenos Aires turns Alice’s life upside down. One very unsensible decision later and she is in Cascais, Portugal, and so begins her lesson in ‘going with the flow’; a lesson that sees her cat-sitting, paddle boarding, dancing on top of bars and rediscovering her artistic talents.

But perhaps the most important part of the lesson for Alice is that you don’t always need a house to be at home.

Review

On the surface Alice appears to have all her ducks in a row. She is organised and a meticulous planner, but the truth is that the Alice deep inside is one filled with anxiety, a lack of confidence and fear. Her partner left a few years ago to travel the world and discover himself, whilst Alice was left to hold down the fort.

Now he is on his way back and he wants the house, her house. The house she built, the house she restored bit by bit to turn it into a beautiful home.

The picture that emerges slowly but surely is the way Adam left Alice a long time ago. That it isn’t just an argument or battle about a house or money. It’s about a relationship, a one-sided relationship that both have been deluding themselves about. Adam, because he is that self-involved, and Alice because she believes it is the norm. The truth doesn’t dawn on her until she experiences something completely different in Portugal.

She suddenly comprehends the way he gaslights her, has ridiculed her dreams and dampened the person she used to be. The new setting and people help her to reassess her entire life.

Penhall pens a vulnerable and anxious main character, despite Alice being a career woman in control, which I think is the strength of this story. Admittedly I did find her quite annoyingly weak and well versed in denial and avoidance, however I think the author wants her readers to know that behind every apparently strong facade may lurk a vulnerable interior.

It’s a romcom, women’s fiction with an undertone of empowerment. I have to admit I snorted out loud at Ignacio and the phone scene. It is a blend of humour and the story of a woman on the search for herself.

Buy The House that Alice Built at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher: Ruby Fiction; pub date 20 Aug. 2019. Buy at Amazon com. Buy at Ruby Fiction. At Kobo. At Barnes & Noble. Google Play.

#BlogTour A Cornish Affair by Jo Lambert

Today it’s my turn on the BlogTour A Cornish Affair by Jo Lambert. It’s a contemporary read of romance, family strife and scandals galore.

About the Author

Jo Lambert lives on the eastern edge of Bath with her husband, one small grey feline called Mollie and a green MGB GT. She is a member of the Romantic Novelists Association and the Society of Authors.  She has been writing since 2008. Her first five books, a set of linked romantic sagas following the lives of several families in West Somerset, was followed in 2015 by Summer Moved On, a contemporary romance set in South Devon. A sequel, Watercolours in th Rain followed in 2017,

In June 2018 Jo signed to Choc Lit and her debut A Cornish Affair, set in North Cornwall, has just been published. Jo is currently working on another coastal romance, this time set in South Cornwall.

When she isn’t writing she reads and reviews. She also has an active blog.  Jo loves travel, red wine and rock music and she often takes the odd photograph or two.

Follow @Jolambertwriter on Twitter, on Facebook, Visit jolambertwriter.blog or jolambertbooks.com, Buy A Cornish Affair

About the book

In the close-knit community of Carrenporth in Cornwall everyone knows everyone else’s business. Luke Carrack is only too aware of this. He’s been away for two years but nothing has changed – from the town gossips who can’t see past the scandal of his childhood, to the cold way he is treated by some of his so-called family.

The only person who seems to understand is local hotelier’s daughter Cat Trevelyan, although even Luke’s new friendship with her could set tongues wagging.

But Carrenporth is about to experience far bigger scandals than the return of Luke Carrack – and the secrets unearthed in the process will shake the sleepy seaside town to its core …Review

It’s hard to say what this book doesn’t cover, because it has everything from romance to death, scandal and family drama. In fact I am quite glad I don’t live near any of them, because it sounds like a lot of hard work and heartbreak.

Luke is sort of like the illegitimate child that used to be kept hidden away. The dirty little secret everyone knows about and everyone treats with contempt. As a child it defines the way Luke thinks about family, especially considering the fact he has never felt part of one since the death of his mother.

It’s refreshing that Cat sees beyond the secrets, the shame and the malicious treatment he endures and has endured over the years. She sees the man he has become. The man who is willing to look beyond the hurt of the past to move forward as a happier and more content man.

I think Selina deserves a line or two, mainly because she sure does get her fair share of slut-shaming, victim blaming and character assassination from nearly every character. Pretty sure if the shoe was on the other foot, the foot of the opposite gender of course, then it wouldn’t be deemed of any importance. Poor Selina who dared to not be a virgin, to taste the occasional forbidden fruit. How dare she live with carefree abandonment and enjoy her life. Just saying.

It’s a contemporary read of romance, family strife and scandals galore. A story full of secrets, quirky characters and two people drawn together only to be pulled apart by circumstances.

Buy A Cornish Affair at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher: Ruby Fiction; pub date 18 Jun. 2019. Buy at Amazon com.

#BlogTour It’s My Birthday by Hannah Pearl

Today it’s my turn on the BlogTour It’s My Birthday by Hannah Pearl. It’s a romance, it’s women’s fiction and it’s contemporary. A tale of self-discovery, love and of taking charge of our own lives.About the Author

Hannah Pearl was born in East London. She is married with two children and now lives in Cambridge. She has previously worked as a Criminology researcher, as a Development Worker with various charities and even pulled a few pints in her time.

In 2015 she was struck down by Labrynthitis, which left her feeling dizzy and virtually housebound. She has since been diagnosed with ME. Reading has allowed Hannah to escape from the reality of feeling ill. She read upwards of three hundred books during the first year of her illness. When her burgeoning eReader addiction grew to be too expensive, she decided to have a go at writing. In 2017 she won Simon and Schuster’s Books and the City #heatseeker short story competition, in partnership with Heat magazine, for her short story The Last Good Day. Hannah is a member of the Romantic Novelists Association.

Follow @HannahPearl_1 @RubyFiction on Twitter, Visit dizzygirlwrites.wordpress.com

Buy It’s My Birthday

About the book

It’s My Birthday… I’ll cry if I want to.

Oh boy, another birthday …

Karen could be excused for crying on her birthday, especially as it’s the first one since her husband got on a plane to the States and never came back. Then there’s the fact that her workmates were practically bribed to attend her birthday meal. But when a restaurant double booking leads to her sharing a table with single dad Elliot and his daughter, things start looking up.

As Karen gets to know Elliot she experiences feelings she thought she’d never have again. But is it enough? Or will the thing that destroyed Karen’s previous relationship also ruin things with Elliot?Review

It can be scary when life as you know it crumbles and you have to start from scratch one day just because one person in your relationship has decided they want a different life for themselves. Karen isn’t really unhappy about becoming single again, but she is finding it difficult to adjust to certain aspects of life as a single woman.

Meeting Elliot and experiencing life as a carefree individual feels fresh and exciting. The awkwardness of sex with someone new after such a long time is quickly forgotten because Elliot is in a similar situation. The two of them become close and Karen inadvertently steps into the void in his life. She also bonds with his daughter.

This bond is what awakens deep feelings Karen thought she had buried successfully in her previous relationship. The type of feelings that change things between herself and Elliot, perhaps even destroy the tender beginnings of their love story.

This is a story about self-exploration and discovery. It’s all about how Karen not only identifies what she wants in life, from herself and others, it’s about how she goes out to try and get it. I think at the beginning she doesn’t even fully comprehend what is going on, but in essence that is what this story is all about. Her path to find her own recipe of happiness.

Although this is definitely a story about romance and love it isn’t really the core of the premise. How many couples, especially women in relationships, tend to shove their own needs and wants into a locked cupboard whilst being part of a duo. The needs and wishes of the other person become more important. The caregiver inside of women outranks the individualist that lives inside of them at the same time.

It’s a romance, it’s women’s fiction and it’s contemporary. A tale of self-discovery, love and of taking charge of our own lives.

Buy It’s My Birthday by Hannah Pearl on Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher: Ruby Fiction; pub date 19 Mar. 2019. Buy at Amazon com.