The Day we Disappeared by Lucy Robinson

Publication date: 9th April
Published by Penguin
Purchase from Amazon here


The Blurb: 

It's springtime in London and everything is about to change for Annie Mulholland. From the moment she meets Stephen Flint, things seem too good to be true as Annie abandons her customary cautiousness for a wild love affair. In Somerset, Kate Brady is starting a new job. Fresh air, new faces and good old fashioned hard work is just what she needs to put everything that happened in Dublin behind her. But what are these two old friends hiding, and for how long can they run from the secrets of their past before they come crashing into their futures? 

 My Review: 

Wow! How do I even begin to review this book? I simply don't think I am going to be able to do it justice! I have spent the last couple of days just staring at my computer trying to work out what to say about what is simply an amazing book. I just want you to rush out, buy it, read it and come back to me so I can gush about it without risking any spoilers. 

I am literally gobsmacked by Lucy's latest novel, and at one point had to scrape my jaw off the floor. I had read a couple of Lucy's earlier books and adored them, but this is on a different level. With The Day We Disappeared Lucy has become the ultimate master of twists. When I think of it now I am still blown away.

Ok, so what can I tell you? The book tells the story of Annie Mullholland and Kate Brady. Both live very different lives, but I soon realised that they both had something they were hiding. Kate is just starting a new job as a stable hand in Somerset after leaving a good job in Dublin very suddenly. She is very coy and secretive about her past but something just doesn't stack up. She is out of her depth and isn't sure how to carry on, but then she meets Mark. Mark owns the stables and is known as a harsh man, but with Kate a different side appears. Can Kate find happiness and put whatever mars her past behind her?

Annie works as a therapist in London. She also seems to have a secret, and deep rooted distrust of relationships. When Stephen comes in for a massage she is instantly drawn to him and before long she is working for his company and romance quickly blossoms. Will Stephen be the man who can unlock happiness for Annie?

But all is not as it seems for either Annie or Kate. They are both very closed books and something has obviously happened in their past which has had a catastrophic effect on them now. But what? Argh I am so desperate to tell you more! 

I am a big fan of Lucy and her writing style. She is just so down to earth and it comes across in the way she writes. The characters are also down to earth, gritty, funny and real. They jump off the page and come to life so easily that I feel like I am personally involved as I read. Her ability to create unique and realistic characters who are so believable and convey such a range of complex feelings and deep emotions is extraordinary. Not only that, her description and passion about her work made it so easy for me to tap into the situations and issues each character was experiencing. I felt like I was there in the scene with the characters rather than reading a book. They were so powerful, she had me gripped, hook, line and sinker, right until the last line. There are some very dark and difficult scenes in the book and I found myself holding my breath and unable to think of anything else. As the plot thickened it became impossible to put the book down. I lost count of how many timesI said to myself 'just one more chapter', only to look up and another hour had passed. I lost a whole nights sleep as it drew to a close as I literally couldnt tear myself away. I went through all the emotions. I really felt I could connect with the characters and what they were going through which made for a very powerful and intense read. Trust me, when you finish it you will be desperate to find someone to talk to about what you have read. My poor boyfriend didnt have a clue what to do as I warbled I at a million words a minute but I couldn't keep it all in! (Sorry Simon!!).

This book is mesmerising, and for me total perfection. I didn't want it to finish. I laughed, I cried, I was on the edge of my seat, and I was exhausted by the end. It is one hell of an emotional roller coaster ride that you won't want to get off. I don't know how Lucy will ever top this! It's going to be tough, but I can't wait to read her next book now. This is already my book of 2015 and it will take something pretty special to top it! 

This has to be a contender for the next Richard and Judy book club. I want everyone to read it and love it as much as I did!

Thanks to the publisher who kindly provided a copy in return for an honest review.

Cover reveal: Game of Scones by Samantha Tonge

Hi there

 I am so pleased to be able to share with you the cover for Samatha Tonge's forthcoming book, Game of Scones, which is being published on 20th April. It is absolutely beautiful, and I am really looking forward to reading it.

Game of Scones

A story of icing and flour…and how love doesn’t always go to plan!

Growing up, Pippa Pattinson’s summers were spent in the idyllic Greek island fishing village of Taxos. There she spent many long hazy days determinedly ignoring thoughts of the life her parents had mapped out for her (a dreary-but-secure accounting job and obligatory sensible husband!) Instead she daydreamed of running her own tea shop – serving the perfect scones –with mocha-eyed childhood friend Niko by her side…

Arriving back in Taxos for the first time in years, with suave boyfriend Henrik, Pippa barely recognises the tired little town – but is relieved to catch glimpses of the quaint, charming village she’s always loved. Together Niko and Pippa put together a proposal to save Taxos from tourist-tastic ruin, and at the heart of their plan is Pippa’s dream project - The Tastiest Little Tea Shop in Taxos. It’s time for Pippa to leave her London life behind and dust off her scone recipe that’s guaranteed to win over both locals and visitors. And amidst the rolling pins and raisins, it seems romance is blossoming where she’s least expecting it…

If you’re a fan of Lindsay Kelk or Lucy Diamond then don’t hesitate to step into Samantha Tonge’s truly delightful tea shop.

Author Bio:

Samantha lives in Cheshire with her lovely family and two cats who think they are dogs. Along with writing, her days are spent cycling, willing cakes to rise and avoiding housework. A love of fiction developed as a child, when she was known for reading Enid Blyton books in the bath. A desire to write bubbled away in the background whilst she pursued other careers, including a fun stint working at Disneyland Paris. Formally trained as a linguist, Samantha now likes nothing more than holing herself up in the spare room, in front of the keyboard. Writing romantic comedy novels and short stories is her passion.

Samantha has sold over 80 short stories to mainstream women's magazines. Her debut romantic comedy novel from CarinaUK Harlequin, bestselling "Doubting Abbey", was shortlisted for the Festival of Romantic Fiction best Ebook award, 2014. Its fun sequel is From Paris With Love. Mistletoe Mansion is a fun standalone Christmas novel.

http://samanthatonge.co.uk/

http://doubtingabbey.blogspot.co.uk/

https://twitter.com/SamTongeWriter

https://www.facebook.com/SamanthaTongeAuthor

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Game-Scones-deliciously-summery-read-ebook/dp/B00ULP98BQ/ref=la_B00FB6KDNC_1_4?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1427385329&sr=1-4

http://www.amazon.com/Game-Scones-deliciously-summery-read-ebook/dp/B00ULP98BQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1427385827&sr=8-1&keywords=game+of+scones

Blog Tour: Ivy Lane by Cathy Bramley

Happy Monday. It has been so beautiful and sunny in London this weekend, and a real spring feel about. The perfect time to get a copy of Ivy Lane and follow Tilly and her friends. I cannot tell you how much I loved this book. It has everything in it. I laughed, cried and felt part of a great community.

I am very pleased to be part of the Ivy Lane blog tour and bring you my review of the book. 

Transworld have also very kindly given me three copies of Ivy Lane to give away. If you would like to be in with a chance to get your hands on a copy please enter my rafflecopter giveaway. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

P.S. Part one of Cathy's new series Appleby Farm is out now, and is excellent. You can also see my review here. 

Publication date: 12 February 2015

Published by Transworld
Purchase from Amazon here


The Blurb:

From spring to summer, autumn to winter, a lot can happen in a single year...

Tilly Parker needs a fresh start, fresh air and a fresh attitude if she is ever to leave the past behind and move on with her life. As she seeks out peace and quiet in a new town, taking on a plot at Ivy Lane allotments seems like the perfect solution.

But the friendly Ivy Lane community has other ideas and gradually draw Tilly in to their cosy, comforting world of planting seedlings, organizing bake sales and planning seasonal parties.

As the seasons pass, will Tilly learn to stop hiding amongst the sweetpeas and let people back into her life – and her heart?

A charming and romantic story certain to make you smile - perfect for fans of Carole Matthews, Trisha Ashley and Katie Fforde.

My Review:

Oh Ivy Lane is perfection! It is one of the best books I have read this year. I simply love it......

Tilly Parker is the main character and is simply wonderful. We meet her as she just moves into the local area and gets an allotment on Ivy Lane. There is alot of intrigue and mystery for the reader as to what has happened to Tilly to make her up sticks and move here. We know that something awful has happened to James, but we are very skilfully left in suspense as to what this might be. I found myself trying to second guess what it was and trying to be a detective to piece it all together.

The book is told in four parts, one for each season. I love this concept and think it worked brilliantly in telling the story of Ivy Lane. Just like our surroundings change with each season, as readers we were able to follow the lives of the community over the year and see how things change in their life. Some lives and relationships begin to grow and blossom, whilst others head towards the autumn of their years.

The story begins in spring and Tilly cuts a lonely figure trying to find her way in life again. I felt immediately drawn to her as an incredibly sad person who seemed totally lost. I wanted to reach into the book and wrap my arms around her. When she starts at the allotment it is clear that she is a total novice and knows nothing. However she isn't alone for long. We meet Charlie, a fellow allotment holder who begins to show her the ropes and could also have a more romantic interest in Tilly! We also meet other characters such as Alf and Gemma. All of them begin to give Tilly some confidence and I started to feel I could see glimmers of hope for her.

During summer a tv crew descends on the allotment and Tilly unwittingly becomes quite the centre of attention. With the crew also comes the producer called Aidan. I conjure up an image of a handsome man when I think of him, and it seems he is quite a hit. We also see more of Gemma and her rebellious teenage daughter which provide some very funny as well as touching moments.

Autumn really packed a punch for me and was my favourite season of the book. So much is happening and there is some really sad moments. There is also a massive cliffhanger which had me almost tearing at the page in desperation to find out what happens. We see the return if Aidan. Will romance finally be blossoming for Tilly or will drama get in the way?

The story all comes together in winter. Another season with lots happening but for me it had the ahh factor about it. Preparing for Christmas we see Tilly totally at home in Lane and a key member of the community. Organising a baking competition and the Christmas party sees her come into her element as a strong woman, with passion, heart and love.

The book flows perfectly with lots of action, drama and laughs. I fell in love with all the characters in their own way and felt like part of the community. Tilly is far and away my favourite and I was willing her to be happy from the first page. I felt like a proud Mum watching her grow and blossom throughout. There are some very moving moments in the book and I admit I was reaching for the tissues. Tilly is a strong woman who has overcome tragedy and is learning to live and laugh again. She is passionate and caring with a heart of gold, and always sees the best in people. She is a great role model.

Cathy Bramley is a fantastic writer. She has a gift at bringing characters to life and portraying them in a way that brings them to life off the page. I could really empathise with their situations and got lost in my reading magically transporting myself into Ivy Lane.

Cathy is also queen of suspense. Each season is action packed, but builds up to a climax with a gigantic cliffhanger. I just had to turn the page and keep reading straight away. I found the whole book hard to put down and was totally hooked throughout. The balance of laughter, sadness and hope was perfect.

I cannot recommend this book highly enough. It will take you on an emotional roller coaster of a ride, but one that you will love. Tilly Parker could be my inspiration and her friends would just be so great to know.

Ivy Lane has also bought out the inner gardener in me. I never thought I would be planting seeds or looking at what veg I could grow for myself. I am even on the lookout for my very own local allotment, just like Ivy Lane.

Just incase you didn't realise it by now, I am a massive Ivy Lane fan and would urge you to give it a read too. I am going to miss catching up with them and have a massive book hangover.

Its my blogging birthday - so time for a giveaway!!

I cannot believe that its been a year since I came up with the idea to create a book blog. What an amazing year it has been. I feel so lucky to have come to know so many wonderful bloggers, authors, publishers, and people who like me, just love to read a great book.

I wanted to do something to mark my first anniversary, and to say thank you for all your support and laughs!

It seemed apt to do a giveaway of some of the books that made me want to scream about their brilliance so much that I set this up.

So, if you would like to win one of these prizes please click on the Rafflecopter link and enter.

A five pound Amazon Voucher

a Rafflecopter giveaway

A copy of Beyond Grace's Rainbow by Carmel Harrington

a Rafflecopter giveaway


A copy of The Memory Book by Rowan Coleman

a Rafflecopter giveaway

A copy of Take A Look At Me Now by Miranda Dickinson

a Rafflecopter giveaway


A copy of The Dead Wife's Handbook by Hannah Beckerman

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The giveaway will run until 6th March.

Please do enter and I wish you the very best of luck and a massive thank you for making my world a happier place. I cant wait to see what great books we have ahead of us again this year.

Keep smiling

Jill

The Two of Us by Andy Jones

Out Now
Published by Simon and Schuster
Purchase from Amazon here



The Blurb:

If you loved One Day and The Rosie Project, you will fall head-over-heels for The Two of Us.

Falling in love is the easy part. What matters most is what happens next...

Fisher and Ivy have been an item for a whole nineteen days. And they just know they are meant to be together. The fact that they know little else about each other is a minor detail. Over the course of twelve months, in which their lives will change forever, Fisher and Ivy discover that falling in love is one thing, but staying there is an entirely different story.

The Two of Us is a charming, honest and heart-breaking novel about life, love, and the importance of taking neither one for granted.


My Review:

Welcome to the world of Fisher. Be prepared to enter a world of love, loss, family and friendship. I loved this book and it bought out many emotions in me. I laughed, I got frustrated and angry at times, and I cried (buckets).

The Two of Us is a fantastic book which focuses on the relationship between Fisher and his new girlfriend Ivy. They have only been together nineteen days, and when we meet them they are full on in those feelings of early relationship lust and thinking that the person they are with is just perfect and 'the one'. Quite quickly things change when Ivy discovers she is pregnant. The world and relationship changes quite dramatically from then onwards.  Do they know eachother well enough? Are they as perfectly suited as they thought they were? Is their love bullet proof and real? Does Ivy love Fisher or has he fallen foul of a trap?

As well as the relationship between Fisher and Ivy we also see into the world of his close friendship with El. El has a degenerative disease that is stealing his life from him. As his condition deteriorates he changes from a young man into someone who is totally reliant on others to do everything for him. He knows he is dying and wants to remain in control of the time he has left, and the timing of his demise. This friendship is pure, and beautiful, and very moving. Even though I knew nothing of them and their friendship before picking up the book, and even thought is a sub plot rather than the main story line, it drew me in. I felt emotionally attached to the characters and hated seeing the decline in El's health. I loved the way those around him still treated El as a grown man, and respected his dignity. And I loved the true friendship between them. It was at times very emotional reading, but handled beautifully by the author.

The whole book really tells the story through the eyes and perspective of Fisher, so I was naturally drawn to take his side and view on what happens. This caused me some internal debate and frustration as the book progressed. I grew to like Fisher and found myself get frustrated and angry with Ivy and her treatment of him. By the middle of the book I grew to dislike Ivy and couldn't fathom out why he was still with her and was almost leaping into the book to tell him what I thought. I wondered how I would handle the situation if this was really happening to one of my friends.

But then, as the second half of the book started everything began to change and so did my outlook. I can't even hint at events as to do so would definitely ruin the book for you, but I definitely warmed to Ivy and desperately wished to find a happy ending. The way the story is written is just beautiful and I could feel all the emotions jump out of the page as I absorbed them. The style of writing is wonderful and the pace of the book was just right. I felt I had enough time to get to know them and some of their characteristics well enough to appreciate the more emotional aspects that the second half of the book brings us.

The book was also clever in helping me challenge myself. I thought I had it all nailed. That I had summed up the characters and had my mind set on what I thought each person was like and what should happen. Then, bam...it changes and I have to admit that my preconceptions and judgements were wrong.

I absolutely loved this book. So much so that I found it hard to put down, and ended up cancelling my planned day of cleaning to sit down and be totally absorbed in it (ok, cleaning isn't glamorous or exciting, but this book gave me the perfect reason to avoid it).

The emotion of the book really grabbed me and I spent the last third of the book with tissues close at hand. It will move you to tears, I almost guarantee. But there is also lots of love, fun and warmth in the story that will also leave you feeling uplifted and in love with life. I am so pleased to have had to the chance to read and fall in love with the world of Fisher. I would highly recommend this book.  if anyone has loved Me Before You, One Day, Beyond Graces Rainbow or PS. I Love You, this book might just be perfect for you too.

Thank you for Simon & Schuster and Books and the City who provided a copy in return for an honest review.


 

Blog Tour: When Shadows Fall by Bruce Blake

Blurb: 

A hundred times a hundred seasons have turned since the Goddess banished the Small Gods to the sky, leaving the land to mankind alone.

For Prince Teryk, life behind the castle walls is boring and uneventful until he stumbles upon an arcane scroll in a long-forgotten chamber. The parchment speaks of Small Gods, the fall of man, and the kingdom's savior—the firstborn child of the rightful king. It's his opportunity to prove himself to his father, the king, and assure his place in history. All he needs to do is find the man from across the sea—a man who can't possibly exist—and save mankind.

But ancient magic has been put in motion by a mysterious cult determined to see the Small Gods reborn. Powerful forces clash, uncaring for the lives of mortals in their struggle to prevent the return of the banished ones, or aid in their rebirth.

Named in a prophecy or not, what chance does a cocky prince who barely understands the task laid before him stand in a battle with the gods?

Links:

Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00SR1DFCE

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18453373

Interview with Bruce Blake

Tell us a little about your new book, When Shadows Fall.

This is the first book in a new epic fantasy series called 'The Small Gods', and it's easily my most ambitious work to date. The main story line revolves around a prophecy found by Prince Teryk and his sister, Danya. It speaks of the rise of the Small Gods—who were banished by the Goddess a long time ago—and the fall of mankind. The story follows the siblings, who think Teryk is the saviour of mankind named in the prophecy, as well as following a priestess of the Goddess, a sailor who hates the sea, and a little gray fellow named Thorn. There's a lot going on.

A prophecy? Hasn't that been done to death? What makes your book any different from all the others?

I like to do what I can to take typical fantasy tropes and turn them on their ear a bit. In this case, there are some doubts about the prophecy. Does it actually refer to Teryk? Exactly who are the Small Gods? There are a bunch of other things mentioned in the scroll that don't even make sense. Trust me when I tell you I've got a few surprises up my sleeve.

I heard that it only took a couple of weeks for you to write the first draft of When Shadows Fall. Is that true?

Yes. If you include writing a prologue after I'd done the editing on the rest, there were fifteen days of first draft manuscript writing in all.

How did you write it so quickly?

Firstly, I was writing full-time when I wrote it, so I put in 5-7 hours every day, but even then there's more to it. I attribute the speediness of the first draft to two things: planning and planning. Not only did I spend a month developing the world and the story while I was finishing up some other things, I also spent five to ten minutes planning at the beginning of each writing day when I first sat down. It's amazing how much more can be accomplished when you have that kind of clarity. If I finished what I planned and still had time, I took another five or ten minutes and planned some more.

What are you working on now?

The second book of the Small Gods, The Darkness Comes, is out on February the 16th, so I'm busy working on book three (I have the title, but it's currently a secret...stay tuned).  The third book is going to bring together some of the story lines from the previous books, split some up, and add in some others. I'm having a great time writing it with some interesting voices and challenging points of view.

How long will the Small Gods series be?

I can't say for sure, but I'm expecting six books, possibly with a side adventure or two thrown in for good measure.

I've always been curious about longer series: have you already planned everything that will happen?

Hahahahahahahahaha!!!!! Not even close. I have some highlights and ideas that I know I want to hit, and I have some thoughts about the climax, but it will be as much of a surprise to me as it is to everyone else, at this point. The problem with planning something that's going to run long is that it changes on you...those darn characters tend to take over and go running off to do things you never expected. Teryk in particular is doing that to me right now.

Any final words to new writers out there?

Two, really. The first is to work on your craft...always. Do it by reading books you love and analyzing them to figure out what it is you like so much. Do it by reading books you don't love, and figure out why that's the case. Take classes if you can, go to conferences, read books on craft—lots of them—and learn from other authors you come in contact with.

The second is never quit. You're not really a writer if you don't finish, you're just someone who writes.

Author bio:

Bruce Blake lives on Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada. When pressing issues like shovelling snow and building igloos don't take up his spare time, Bruce can be found taking the dog sled to the nearest coffee shop to work on his short stories and novels.

Actually, Victoria, B.C. is only a couple hours north of Seattle, Wash., where more rain is seen than snow. Since snow isn't really a pressing issue, Bruce spends more time trying to remember to leave the "u" out of words like "colour" and "neighbour" than he does shovelling (and watch out for those pesky double l's). The father of two, Bruce is also the trophy husband of a burlesque diva.

Bruce's first short story, "Another Man's Shoes" was published in the Winter 2008 edition of Cemetery Moon. Another short, "Yardwork," was made into a podcast in Oct., 2011 by Pseudopod. Bruce's first Icarus Fell novel, "On Unfaithful Wings", was published in Dec., 2011 while the follow up, "All Who Wander Are Lost", came out in July, 2012. The third in the series, "Secrets of the Hanged Man", came out in July, 2013. The first part of his Khirro's Journey epic fantasy trilogy, "Blood of the King", was released Sept., 2012, book 2, "Spirit of the King," in Dec., 2012, and book 3, "Heart of the King," in Feb., 2013.

The two books in the Small Gods series, "When Shadows Fall" and "The Darkness Comes", were released in 2013, after which Bruce took a year out to concentrate on his family and career. Book three in the Small Gods series is Bruce Blake's current project.

Blog Tour: Silent Scream by Angela Marsons

Today I am so pleased to be joined by Angela Marsons, author of Silent Scream which has just been published. There are amazing reviews of the book out and it comes highly recommended by lots of book reviewers. I am half way through the book and absolutely gripped. I cannot wait to share my review with you. 

In the meantime Angela has kindly written about creating Kim Stone who is lead detective in her book. 

Published on 20 February 2015

Published by Bookouture

Purchase from Amazon here

Building Kim Stone

I have always been driven to write from a female point of view.  I am particularly drawn to characters that are in some ways damaged.

My earlier novels were character focussed stories that centred on the reasons why these characters were broken and the repercussions of these events and the journey towards healing.

The main character in Silent Scream is Detective Inspector Kim Stone who is no less haunted by the past than my other characters but with one key difference.  No-one knows what will happen if she ever tries to let it go. 

When the character of Kim began to build in my mind I didn't want a protaganist striving to examine the pain or explore her inner demons.  I wanted someone perfectly content to keep it buried within.  Despite the opinions and concern of the people around her, she knows the anger and hurt from the past is the glue that keeps her together.

I knew that with such a horrific past she could never be well rounded, balanced and sweet.  So we settled for driven, passionate, rude and rebellious.  She is not always a likeable character but I think that her defiance is understandable.  She is tenacious and determined to get to the truth.

Her refusal to follow instructions has extended even to me.  There is a scene in Silent Scream where Kim climbs a fence and gains entry into a building.  This was not my initial plan but when writing the scene I just knew it was what Kim would do.

And yet, while not always obvious, there is a warm heart beating in there somewhere.  She is drawn to people with spirit; to individuals that refuse to give up.

In Silent Scream Kim and I have started our journey and even I can't wait to see where that leads.