#BookReview Hard Deal by Stefanie London @Stefanie_London @HarlequinBooks #HarlequinDARE

categories: 9/10, Book Review, Contemporary Romance
#BookReview Hard Deal by Stefanie London @Stefanie_London @HarlequinBooks #HarlequinDARE Title: Hard Deal

Author: Stefanie London

Series: Melbourne After Dark #2

Published by: Harlequin Dare on Sep. 1, 2018

Genres: Contemporary Romance

Pages: 224

Format: eBook, ARC

Source: Harlequin Books, NetGalley, Stefanie London

Book Rating: 9/10

From USA TODAY bestselling author Stefanie London comes the second book in the Melbourne After Dark series! Imogen Hargrove is done with playboys—until a kiss from a masked stranger turns her world upside down…

For one night only, Imogen Hargrove is a sexy spy. She’s donned a mask for the Carmina Masquerade Ball, where she hopes to catch her sister’s cheating fiancé, Daniel, in the act. But she’s the one who gets rumbled when she strays too close to her target—only to realize she’s been tailing the wrong man. A searing kiss makes her forget her mission altogether, and the mysterious stranger awakens something inside her: a burning passion she hasn’t felt since the brutal breakup of her last relationship.

Imogen is mortified to discover that the man behind the mask is her colleague, notorious womanizer Caleb Allbrook. He’s the last person she wants to get close to, and she doesn’t need another playboy in her life. But that kiss has her curious—besides, Caleb knows her sister’s fiancé and could prove very useful in digging up dirt.

She makes a deal: she’ll go on a date with Caleb in exchange for information on Daniel’s affair. But Caleb’s irresistible charm turns a casual conversation into a night of sultry seduction. Imogen knows Caleb is bad news—yet he makes her feel sexier than any man ever has. Can she pull herself away from yet another toxic relationship, or will Caleb prove there’s more to him than just sex appeal?

Review:

Amusing, provocative, and witty!

Hard Deal is a charming, titillating tale about the hardworking, dependable Imogen who finds it hard to trust and has a past riddled with heartbreak, and the handsome, charismatic playboy, Caleb who’s determined to prove he’s capable of more than just having fun and looking good.

The writing is fluid and sultry. The characters are hesitant, supportive, and lovable. And the plot sweeps you away into a storyline filled with shameless flirting, tantalizing mishaps, steamy chemistry, undeniable attraction, friendship, family, light drama, romance, and love.

Overall, Hard Deal is a passionate, cheeky, absorbing novel that’s perfect for rom-com lovers everywhere. And even though it’s the second novel in the Melbourne After Dark series and runs concurrently with Unmasked (Melbourne After Dark #1), it can definitely be read and enjoyed as a standalone novel.

This book is available now.

Pick up a copy from your favourite retailer or from one of the following links.

                                           

 

 

Thank you to Harlequin Books, NetGalley, and Stefanie London for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Stefanie London

USA Today bestselling author of contemporary romance with humour, heat and heart. Also llamas.

Originally from Melbourne, Australia Stefanie now lives in Toronto, Canada with her wonderful husband. She loves to read, collect lipsticks, watch zombie movies and drink coffee.

Her bestselling book, Pretend It’s Love, is a 2016 Romantic Book of the Year finalist with the Romance Writers of Australia.

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#BlogTour #BookReview How We Remember by J.M. Monaco @jm_monaco2 @RedDoorBooks #HowWeRemember

categories: 7/10, Blog Tour, Book Review, General Fiction, Women's Fiction
#BlogTour #BookReview How We Remember by J.M. Monaco @jm_monaco2 @RedDoorBooks #HowWeRemember Title: How We Remember

Author: J.M. Monaco

Published by: RedDoor Publishing on Sep. 13, 2018

Genres: General Fiction, Women's Fiction

Pages: 304

Format: Paperback, ARC

Source: RedDoor Publishing

Book Rating: 7/10

When Jo returns home following her mother’s death, she is shocked to learn of an unexpected inheritance and her mother’s diary. Jo thought she could put to rest her darker past until an entry implies the messy aftermath of an uncle’s sexual advances towards her when she was fifteen. Like the diary, Jo’s memory of events is full of gaps, but one thing is certain – she will never regain what was lost. What is the full story of what happened between Jo and her uncle?

How We Remember traces the effects of alcoholism, mental illness and abuse on one Irish-Italian-American, working-class family. As Jo’s first-person narrative weaves together past and present stories, she creates a portrait of her family’s life and her own as she faces new decisions amidst the tragic consequences of mismanaged grief.

Full of moments of light and dark, Monaco’s debut novel –set during a week that anyone would dread –provides a mesmeric narrative portraying the pain of grief, the tenuous nature of memory and the earth-shattering effect that the death of the ‘glue’ of a family can cause. How We Remember is an unforgettable novel that tackles issues every reader will be able to relate to on some level.It’ll capture hearts and capture imaginations.

Review:

Sobering, unsettling, and intense!

How We Remember is a hauntingly perceptive novel that takes us into the life of Jo O’Brien, a middle-aged woman struggling to come to grips with the loss of her mother, a past full of secrets and abuse, a debilitating illness, and familial relationships that are strained and fractured.

The prose is somber and raw. The characters are complex, tortured, and damaged. And the heart-wrenching plot uses a reflective past/present style to unravel all the personalities, motivations, and relationships within it.

How We Remember is ultimately a novel about family, life, loss, deception, manipulation, infidelity, abuse, forgiveness, and the long-lasting effects of a dysfunctional childhood. It’s well written, deeply emotional and does an exceptional job of reminding us that everyone that enters our lives impacts, shapes, and defines it.

 

This book is available September 13, 2018.

Pick up a copy from your favourite retailer or from the following link.

 

 

Thank you to RedDoor Publishing and J.M. Monaco for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About J.M. Monaco

My writing identity is JM Monaco. Friends here in the UK tell me the surname sounds unique and somewhat exotic. Outside this little island I know this isn’t the case.

I am a fiction writer with a particular soft spot for North American fiction, probably because my formative and university years took place in the USA. While England has been my home for well over twenty years now, there’s something about the birthplace where my extended family and some friends still reside that has a strong pull. If I could, I’d spend solitary blocks of time there in a quiet lake cottage in the northeast pondering my ambiguous relationship with that landscape. I’d write up a tumultuous storm that may eventually take the shape of a draft for a novel or multiple stories, then come back to the UK where I could clean it all up in edits with my husband and children surrounding me with love and endless offers of tea and healthy meals. As this can only happen in fantasy, here in the southwest of England, UK, is where I stay, holed up in a drafty north-facing study/writing room, often gazing out at the rain and rolling my eyes when I hear my daughter shout, ‘What’s for supper tonight?’ Reading, thinking, writing, are all interrupted with the demands of others, the good and bad, life’s routines, a bit of excitement here and there mixed with the mundane. This is where stories are born. Oh, but wouldn’t it be heaven to have that nice little place by the lake.

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For more information on Red Door Publishing visit them at:

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#BookReview The Exes’ Revenge by Jo Jakeman @JoJakemanWrites @PenguinRandomCA

categories: 7.5/10, Book Review, Mystery/Thriller
#BookReview The Exes’ Revenge by Jo Jakeman @JoJakemanWrites @PenguinRandomCA Title: The Exes' Revenge

Author: Jo Jakeman

Published by: Berkley Books on Sep. 11, 2018

Genres: Mystery/Thriller

Pages: 352

Format: Paperback, ARC

Source: Penguin Random House Canada

Book Rating: 7.5/10

Originally titled Sticks and Stones

A wickedly dark debut thriller about three women who’ve all been involved with the same man and realize the one thing they have in common is that they all want revenge against him…

Divorces are often messy, and Imogen’s is no exception. Phillip Rochester is controlling, abusive, and determined to make things as difficult as possible. When he shows up without warning demanding that Imogen move out of their house by the end of the month or he’ll sue for sole custody of their young son, Imogen is ready to snap.

In a moment of madness, Imogen does something unthinkable–something that puts her in control for the first time in years. She’s desperate to protect her son and to claim authority over her own life.

But she wasn’t expecting both Phillip’s ex-wife and new girlfriend to get tangled up in her plans. These three very different women–and unlikely allies–reluctantly team up to take revenge against a man who has wronged them all.

Review:

Ominous, relentless, and intense!

The Exes’ Revenge is a character-driven, domestic thriller that delves into how much relationships define us and reminds us that hell hath no fury as a woman scorned.

The prose is gritty and taut. The characters, including the sinister, despicable villain are consumed, ruthless, complex, and vulnerable. And the plot, using a back-and-forth, past/present style does a nice job of building tension and unease as it subtly intertwines and unravels an intricate web of lies, secrets, abuse, control, desperation, vengeance, violence, and manipulation.

Overall, The Exes’ Revenge is an unnerving, relentless, satisfying read and even though I felt the plot was slightly unrealistic at times it is still a compelling, entertaining debut for Jakeman, and I can’t wait to read what she comes up with next.

 

This book is available now.

Pick up a copy from your favourite retailer or from one of the following links.

                                        

 

 

Thank you to Penguin Random House Canada for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Jo Jakeman

Jo Jakeman was the winner of the Friday Night Live competition at the York Festival of Writing in 2016. Born in Cyprus, she worked for many years in London before moving to the countryside with her husband and twin boys. The Exes' Revenge is her debut thriller.

Photo by Ollie Grove.

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It’s Monday (September 10, 2018)! What Are You Reading! #IMWAYR #Books #Reading #TBRList

categories: #IMWAYR, General Blog Posts, Noteworthy Book Releases

 

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? hosted by Kathryn at Bookdate is a weekly post to share what you’ve recently finished reading, what you’re currently reading, and what you plan on reading this upcoming week.

 

So here is what I just read, am reading, and what I plan to read next:

 

What I Read Last Week:

 

Title: The Christmas Sisters

Authors: Sarah Morgan

Immediate Thoughts: Captivating, warm, and uplifting!

Rating: 10/10

Publication Date: September 25, 2018

 

 

Title: Sea Prayer

Authors: Khaled Hosseini

Immediate Thoughts: Powerful, short, and beautifully depicted!

Rating: 9/10

Publication Date: September 18, 2018

 

 

Title: Playing Hurt

Author: Kelly Jamieson

Immediate Thoughts: Sexy, playful, and fun!

Rating: 8/10

Publication Date: July 17, 2018

 

 

Title: The Exes’ Revenge

Author: Jo Jakeman

Immediate Thoughts: Ominous, relentless, and intense!

Rating: 7.5/10

Publication Date: September 11, 2018

 

 

Title: The Missing Girl

Author: Jenny Quintana

Immediate Thoughts: Atmospheric, dramatic, and intriguing!

Rating: 8/10

Publication Date: October 2, 2018

 

 

What I’m Currently Reading:

 

In a most improbable friendship, she found love. In a world where women were silenced, she found her voice.

From New York Times bestselling author Patti Callahan comes an exquisite novel of Joy Davidman, the woman C. S. Lewis called “my whole world.” When poet and writer Joy Davidman began writing letters to C. S. Lewis—known as Jack—she was looking for spiritual answers, not love. Love, after all, wasn’t holding together her crumbling marriage. Everything about New Yorker Joy seemed ill-matched for an Oxford don and the beloved writer of Narnia, yet their minds bonded over their letters. Embarking on the adventure of her life, Joy traveled from America to England and back again, facing heartbreak and poverty, discovering friendship and faith, and against all odds, finding a love that even the threat of death couldn’t destroy.

In this masterful exploration of one of the greatest love stories of modern times, we meet a brilliant writer, a fiercely independent mother, and a passionate woman who changed the life of this respected author and inspired books that still enchant us and change us. Joy lived at a time when women weren’t meant to have a voice—and yet her love for Jack gave them both voices they didn’t know they had.

At once a fascinating historical novel and a glimpse into a writer’s life, Becoming Mrs. Lewis is above all a love story—a love of literature and ideas and a love between a husband and wife that, in the end, was not impossible at all.

 

What I’m Reading Next:

 

Jane Campbell avoids confrontation at any costs. Given the choice, she’ll always let her husband, Leon–a bestselling crime writer–take the lead, while she focuses on her two precious young children and her job as a creative writing teacher. After she receives another rejection for her novel, Leon urges Jane to put her hobby to rest. And why shouldn’t she, when through Jane’s rose-tinted glasses, they appear to have the perfect house and the perfect life?

But then Leon is brutally attacked in their driveway while their children wait quietly in the car, and suddenly, their perfect life becomes the stuff of nightmares. Who would commit such a hateful offense in broad daylight? With her husband in a coma, Jane must open her eyes to the problems in her life, as well as the secrets that have been kept from her. Although she might not like what she sees, if she’s committed to discovering who hurt her husband–and why–Jane must take matters into her own hands.

A surprising and gripping thriller of pride, ambition, and envy, Open Your Eyes is an unsettling whodunit about the illusions of a perfect marriage that confirms Paula Daly as a writer at the forefront of domestic suspense.                    

 

Have you read any of my upcoming reads? What do you have coming up? How are your stats?

Happy Reading!

#BlogTour #BookReview Flirting with Forever by Kendall Ryan @KendallRyan1 @InkSlingerPR

categories: 10/10, Blog Tour, Book Review, Contemporary Romance

#BlogTour #BookReview Flirting with Forever by Kendall Ryan @KendallRyan1 @InkSlingerPR

#BlogTour #BookReview Flirting with Forever by Kendall Ryan @KendallRyan1 @InkSlingerPR Title: Flirting with Forever

Author: Kendall Ryan

Published by: Dream Press on Sep. 3, 2018

Genres: Contemporary Romance

Pages: 288

Format: eBook, ARC

Source: InkSlingerPR

Book Rating: 10/10

I’ve waited years for the perfect girl, yet she was right in front of me all along.

My best friend, Natalie, has been by my side through everything. Leaning on my shoulder, borrowing my sweatshirts…and making my pants too tight when she flashes me that sassy smile that drives me crazy.

But she has no idea about that last part. She doesn’t have a clue I’ve felt this way about her for years. 

Until one night after too many cocktails, we fall into bed together.

I’m flirting with my forever…she just doesn’t know it yet. 

This book is a sexy, slow-burning best-friends-to-lovers romance with a guaranteed HEA and no cheating. Dive in, and get ready to melt for Cam!

Review:

Sexy, smart, and charmingly entertaining!

Flirting with Forever is a witty, engaging friends-to-more romance that features the sinfully delicious, swoon-worthy Cam whose finding it harder and harder to keep his attraction for his best friend a secret, and the intelligent and focused Natalie who may finally realize that everything she’s ever wanted or needed has always been standing right in front of her.

The writing is lighthearted and fun. The characters, including all the supporting characters, are generous, kind, and affable. And the alluring plot is the perfect blend of heart, humour, heat, drama, sassy dialogue, exquisite chemistry, steamy tension, unconditional friendship, and true love. 

I would have to say that Flirting with Forever is one of my favourite reads of the year. I loved the characters, I loved the chemistry, and I loved the story. It has everything you look for in a rom-com and more!

This book is available now.

Pick up a copy from your favourite retailer or from one of the following links.

         

 

 

 

About Kendall Ryan

A New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling author of more than two dozen titles, Kendall Ryan has sold over 1.5 million books and her books have been translated into several languages in countries around the world. She’s a traditionally published author with Simon & Schuster and Harper Collins UK, as well as an independently published author. Since she first began self-publishing in 2012, she’s appeared at #1 on Barnes & Noble and iBooks charts around the world. Her books have also appeared on the New York Times and USA Today bestseller lists more than three dozen times. Ryan has been featured in such publications as USA Today, Newsweek, and InTouch Magazine.

Website | Facebook | Goodreads | Amazon | Pinterest | Newsletter

 

 

Thank you to InkSlingerPR and Kendall Ryan for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

 

#BookReview Daughters of Castle Deverill by Santa Montefiore @SantaMontefiore @SimonSchusterCA

categories: 9/10, Book Review, Historical Fiction
#BookReview Daughters of Castle Deverill by Santa Montefiore @SantaMontefiore @SimonSchusterCA Title: Daughters of Castle Deverill

Author: Santa Montefiore

Series: Deverill Chronicles #2

Published by: Simon & Schuster UK on Sep. 4, 2018

Genres: Historical Fiction

Pages: 592

Format: Paperback, ARC

Source: Simon & Schuster Canada

Book Rating: 9/10

The second book in the #1 international bestselling series about the powerful ties between three women and their determination to return home.

The war is over. But life will never be the same…

It is 1925 and Castle Deverill has burned to the ground. War and deception have divided the daughters of Ireland, but Celia vows to return her ancestral home to its former glory. Kitty raises a young family but longs for something more, and Bridie flourishes as a New York socialite consumed by revenge. Celia works to reunite her childhood friends and restore the place they once called home, but soon everything she knows is cast into doubt as the Great Depression looms.

In the second installment of Santa Montefiore’s sweeping generational epic, Celia, Kitty, and Bridie must once again face the dark shadows of history. Daughters of Castle Deverill is an unforgettable story of enduring friendship and the inner strength needed to start again.

Previously published in the US as The Daughters of Ireland.

Review:

Epic, intriguing, and mesmeric!

Daughters of Castle Deverill is a meticulous, fascinating tale that picks up where Songs of Love and War left off, taking us back to south-east Ireland during 1925 where Kitty is raising her father’s illegitimate child, Birdie has returned wealthy and intent on claiming her son, and Celia is determined to restore Castle Deverill to a more luxurious version no matter the cost.

The prose is polished and rich. The characters are flawed, driven, eccentric, and alluring. And the exceptionally compelling, well-paced plot is filled with familial dynamics, drama, emotion, self-discovery, secrets, revelations, love, loss, heartbreak, courage, duty, and passion all surrounded by authentic historical events of the time.

Once again with Daughters of Castle Deverill (Deverill Chronicles #2), Montefiore has written a novel that showcases her extraordinary talent as a writer and her passion for history in a tale that sweeps you away to another time and place and leaves you yearning for more. It’s a beautifully written, romantic, heartwarming tale that grabs you from the very first page and leaves you eagerly awaiting the final novel in the series, The Last Secret of the Deverills, due to be published in Canada in January 2019.

This novel is available now.

Pick up a copy from your favourite retailer or from one of the following links.

                                            

 

 

Thank you to Simon & Schuster Canada for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Santa Montefiore

Santa Montefiore’s books have been translated into twenty languages and have sold more than four million copies in England and Europe. She is married to writer Simon Sebag Montefiore. They live with their two children, Lily and Sasha, in London.

Photograph by Santa Montefiore

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#BookReview Us Against You by Fredrik Backman @Backmanland @SimonSchusterCA

categories: 10/10, Book Review, General Fiction
#BookReview Us Against You by Fredrik Backman @Backmanland @SimonSchusterCA Title: Us Against You

Author: Fredrik Backman

Series: Beartown #2

Published by: Simon & Schuster Canada on Sep. 4, 2018

Genres: General Fiction

Pages: 448

Format: Paperback

Source: Simon & Schuster Canada

Book Rating: 10/10

After everything that the citizens of Beartown have gone through, they are struck yet another blow when they hear that their beloved local hockey team will soon be disbanded. What makes it worse is the obvious satisfaction that all the former Beartown players, who now play for a rival team in Hed, take in that fact. Amidst the mounting tension between the two rivals, a surprising newcomer is handpicked to be Beartown’s new hockey coach.

Soon a new team starts to take shape around Amat, the fastest player you’ll ever see; Benji, the intense lone wolf; and Vidar, a born-to-be-bad troublemaker. But bringing this team together proves to be a challenge as old bonds are broken, new ones are formed, and the enmity with Hed grows more and more acute.

As the big match approaches, the not-so-innocent pranks and incidents between the communities pile up and their mutual contempt grows deeper. By the time the last game is finally played, a resident of Beartown will be dead, and the people of both towns will be forced to wonder if, after all they’ve been through, the game they love can ever return to something simple and innocent.

Review:

Beautifully written, brilliantly plotted, and undeniably affecting!

Us Against You takes us back to the small-town of Beartown where the fate of the Bears is now looking grim, a scheming politician has a hidden agenda, families are still struggling to recover from the violence that shattered their sense of security, and residents are still reeling from the sex scandal that tore their community apart and took down their shining star.

The prose is vivid, lyrical, and eloquent. The characters are fragile, tormented, and raw. And the absorbing, astute plot takes us on a heart-wrenching rollercoaster ride of love, loss, friendship, family, rivalry, fear, hope, loyalty, resilience, economic uncertainty, political ambition, violence, hockey, and the weight of responsibility.

Us Against You is a poetic, gritty, philosophical tale that reminds us just how delicate the line between love and hate and right and wrong can truly be. It’s dark, poignant, and touching and with the incredible depth, authenticity, superb character development, and exceptional insight into human frailty we’ve come to expect from Backman it’s not just a good novel it’s great!

This novel is available now.

Pick up a copy from your favourite retailer or from one of the following links.

                                            

 

 

 

Thank you to Simon & Schuster Canada for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Fredrik Backman

Fredrik Backman is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of A Man Called Ove (soon to be a major motion picture starring Tom Hanks), My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She’s Sorry, Britt-Marie Was Here, Beartown, Us Against You, as well as two novellas, And Every Morning the Way Home Gets Longer and Longer and The Deal of a Lifetime. His books are published in more than forty countries. He lives in Stockholm, Sweden, with his wife and two children.

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It’s Monday (September 3, 2018)! What Are You Reading! #IMWAYR #Books #Reading #TBRList

categories: #IMWAYR, General Blog Posts, Noteworthy Book Releases

 

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? hosted by Kathryn at Bookdate is a weekly post to share what you’ve recently finished reading, what you’re currently reading, and what you plan on reading this upcoming week.

 

So here is what I just read, am reading, and what I plan to read next:

 

What I Read Last Week:

 

               

 

      

 

What I’m Currently Reading:

 

       

 

What I’m Reading Next:

 

                    

 

#20BooksofSummer Wrapup:

 

 

# of Books Read in the #20BooksofSummer Challenge: 16/20 ☹️

So I’m a little disappointed that I didn’t quite finish all 20 books (that weren’t ARCs) I was hoping to read and I did end up substituting some of the books I originally chose to read, but all-in-all I beat the 13/20 I read the last time I tried this challenge, so I’ll just keep working at it and hopefully next year I’ll manage all 20.

However, to put it into perspective I read a total of 75 books (59 ARCS) between June 1 – September 4, but only 16 books that I own (which was not a requisite of the challenge but a personal one), and here they are:

 
Thank you so much to Cathy at Cathy746 for creating and hosting this challenge once again this year. It’s truly appreciated!

 

How did you do on the challenge?

Have you read any of my upcoming reads? What do you have coming up? How are your stats?

Happy Reading!

#GuestPost What’s Left Unsaid by Deborah Stone @DeborahStone_ @matadorbooks #Lovebooksgrouptours

categories: Guest Post, Mystery/Thriller, Noteworthy Book Releases, Women's Fiction
#GuestPost What’s Left Unsaid by Deborah Stone @DeborahStone_ @matadorbooks #Lovebooksgrouptours Title: What's Left Unsaid

Author: Deborah Stone

Published by: Matador on Jul. 19, 2018

Genres: Mystery/Thriller, Women's Fiction

Pages: 208

Sasha is just about managing to hold her life together. She is raising her teenage son Zac, coping with an absent husband and caring for her ageing, temperamental and alcoholic mother, as well as holding down her own job. But when Zac begins to suspect that he has a secret sibling, Sasha realises that she must relive the events of a devastating night which she has done her best to forget for the past nineteen years.

Sasha’s mother, Annie, is old and finds it difficult to distinguish between past and present and between truth and lies. As Annie sinks deeper back into her past, she revisits the key events in her life which have shaped her emotionally. Through it all, she remains convinced that her dead husband Joe is watching and waiting for her. But there’s one thing she never told him, and as painful as it is for her to admit the truth, Annie is determined to go to Joe with a guilt-free conscience.

As the plot unfurls, traumas are revealed and lies uncovered, revealing long-buried secrets which are at the root of Annie and Sasha’s fractious relationship.

 

 

And now Deborah Stone with:

 

Why I Wrote What’s Left Unsaid Now

I’ve always wanted to write a novel, but I’ve left it late-ish in life, partly because I was doing other things, like working and bringing up my children and partly because I just couldn’t decide what I wanted to write about. Whilst I still work as a consultant, my boys are men now (well, most of the time!) and I decided that if I was ever going to write my novel, I had better get on with it.

The plus side of writing when you’re that bit older is that you have more life experience to draw on…you’ve met more people, loved, lost, understood real happiness and profound sadness and heard a lot of stories. It took me a long time to get inspired and to develop the themes I wanted to explore, but slowly I realised that I wanted to investigate the impact of trauma on people as children and how it shapes their later behaviour as adults. Annie, the grandmother in my novel, is evacuated at the age of five and stays with a woman who mistreats her. On her return, she suffers a nervous breakdown. This actually happened to my mother. Although my own mother has never spoken to me about her trauma in detail, the image of such a small child away from her parents, frightened and utterly alone has always haunted me, especially once I had had my own children. I piled further trauma on Annie in the novel -which isn’t grounded in truth – but helped me to explore why she might reject her own child later on and what other behavioural problems she might develop in order to manage her demons. In turn, this allowed me to move onto the next generation and explore the impact that Annie’s behaviour has on her daughter, Sasha, who is forced to cope unsupported with many other trials of her own.

 

 

 

This novel is available now.

Pick up a copy of this novel from your favourite retailer or from the following link!

 

 

 

About Deborah Stone

Deborah Stone read English Literature at Durham University. She lives in North London with her husband, two sons and her dog.

Website | Facebook

 

Thank you to Deborah Stone for being featured on my blog today!

 

#BookReview Under Control by Shannon Stacey @shannonstacey @HarlequinBooks

categories: 8/10, Book Review, Contemporary Romance
#BookReview Under Control by Shannon Stacey @shannonstacey @HarlequinBooks Title: Under Control

Author: Shannon Stacey

Series: Boston Fire #5

Published by: Carina Press on Aug. 28, 2018

Genres: Contemporary Romance

Pages: 384

Format: Paperback

Source: Harlequin Books

Book Rating: 8/10

When faced with the opportunity to change shifts while staying in the same house, veteran firefighter Derek Gilman jumps at the chance. His new schedule means not working Saturdays, which means more time to spend with his two kids. His divorce may have been amicable, but being a firefighter and a single dad is a lot to juggle. And when fate brings a gorgeous, wealthy woman into his life, he’s pretty sure he can’t handle more than he already is.

Olivia McGovern loves plans. She planned to start her own business and planned its growth. It’s earning her seven figures now, but her personal life simply doesn’t exist. Getting trapped in a broken elevator figures in exactly nowhere, and freaking out in front of a sexy firefighter definitely isn’t on the agenda. Especially not one with two kids and an ex.

What would have been a random incident with an attractive stranger becomes something more when a charity event brings them back together. They’re from different sides of the tracks, literally—with friends, family and careers to consider. But as Derek and Olivia are discovering, chemistry doesn’t allow for plans, and love doesn’t bother with logistics.

Review:

Amusing, sweet, and romantic!

Under Control is a lighthearted, engaging tale that features the organized, driven Olivia and the rugged, devoted, divorced father of two, Derek as they discover that even though they come from different backgrounds and have different goals they might just be perfect for one another. 

The writing is fluid and effortless. The characters are charming, quirky, and authentic. And the plot is an enticing, delightful mix of instant attraction, steamy chemistry, friendship, community, tender moments, unconditional love, and real-life relationship struggles.

Overall, Under Control is a passionate, heartwarming novel with a captivating storyline and endearing characters that reminds us that life never goes to plan and sometimes true love is worth all the hard work, communication, and compromise.

 

This novel is available now.

Pick up a copy from your favourite retailer or from one of the following links.

                                        

 

 

Thank you to Harlequin Books for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Shannon Stacey

New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author Shannon Stacey lives with her husband and two sons in New England, where her two favorite activities are writing stories of happily ever after and driving her RZR. From May to November, the Stacey family spends their weekends off-road, making loads of muddy laundry to keep Shannon busy when she’s not at her computer. She prefers writing to laundry, however, and considers herself lucky she got to be an author when she grew up.

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