Looking for something to read? Here’s a few books that I’ve read and loved over the past couple of months. You might enjoy them too!
A Skye Full of Stars by Sue Moorcroft
Under the winter stars, anything is possible…
Ezzie Wynter can’t wait for Christmas on the beautiful Isle of Skye. Her island home sparkles at this time of year thanks to the snow-capped mountains and frosty winter walks, topped off with family gatherings with those she loves the most.
But her peaceful Christmas idyll is upended when she hears that the Larson family – the owners of Rothach Hall – are flying in from Sweden for the festivities. As Manager of their grand Scottish manor house, Ezzie suddenly has decorations to hang, food to source and itineraries to organise.
Life only becomes more difficult when Mats Larson turns up. The owners’ handsome, self-assured son is used to doing things his own way – and he is only another headache to add to her overflowing list.
Yet when unexpected visitors arrive looking for Ezzie, nothing else matters as she is left questioning everything she ever knew about herself. But amidst the Christmas chaos, she might also discover that, when all is lost, it’s sometimes those we least expect who come to our aid…
This is the second book in Sue’s stunning Skye sisters trilogy, and will be published on 7 November, but is available for preorder now:
My Review
Another must read by the incredible Sue Moorcroft. I adore this series of the three Wynter sisters – Thea, Ezzie and Valentina – set on the gorgeous Isle of Skye. Each book is centred around one of the sisters adoptive story and the theme of adoption is very skilfully handled with credible and realistic reactions. The first story was Thea’s, this one is Ezzie’s, the stories are all entwined, and follow on seamlessly but can be read as a stand-alone. The setting is described so well you feel that you’re actually there and the characters are so relatable. Ezzie’s story is heartwarming and realistic, I like the slow burning romance between her and Mats, the gorgeous details of a Swedish Christmas and Matt’s two children are adorable. I can’t wait for the final one in the series.
The Beforelife of Eliza Valentine by Laura Pearson
What if there is life before we are born?
There are four of us: Samuel, Lucy, Thomas, and me – Eliza. And – if you’ve heard of the afterlife… well, we live in the beforelife.
We came into being the day Becca Valentine was born. We’ve been by her side ever since. What she doesn’t know yet, is that one day she might become our mother.
Then two men come into her life. Both seeking her heart. And then we realise: everything rests on Becca’s love story. Because one of the men is Lucy and Thomas’s father. And the other is mine and Samuel’s. And there’s simply no way we can all be born.
We all want her to make the right choice. We all want to be born. To hold her hand one day. To feel her stroke our hair. To call her our mother.
Then we discover there is something we can do. We can change Fate. But we only have a single chance each. How would you make sure you were born? And what if doing that isn’t what’s best for the person you already love the most in the world – your mother?
My Review
This book deserves five stars for sheer originality. I’ve read – and written – books about the afterlife, but never one about the ‘beforelife’. It’s an intriguing concept. The ‘almosts’ Samuel, Thomas, Eliza and Lucy, come into being as soon as their mother, Becca Valentine, is born and are constantly with her. Their devotion to their mother and each other is uplifting, as they all hope that they will be born. They are possible children though, and their conception isn´t guaranteed. It’s a riveting read of love, hope, mistakes and sacrifice told mainly from Eliza´s POV. Absolutely captivating.
‘Tis the (damn) Season by Fiona Gibson
This year, their families can deck the bloody halls themselves…
Old friends Shelley, Lena and Pearl have reached their limit with the festive preparation that has always fallen to them, and five days before Christmas, they’ve booked a mini break… without their families. Up until Christmas Eve, they’ll be sipping prosecco in the Highlands while their kids wrap bacon around 100 chipolatas and their partners brave the supermarkets.
It’s exactly what they need… until they’re snowed in. Facing the prospect of Christmas 500 miles from home, each woman is forced to confront her real reasons for needing to escape: the fiance with the obnoxious family; the son’s new girlfriend who is taking over their home; the family who take their mother for granted all year round…
Will the friends make it home before Christmas day? And if they do, can they really go back to their old lives?
My Review
A fabulous cheery, heartwarming novel that had me laughing out loud. Loved the characters and the banter. A festive read with a difference.
All My Fault by Emma Robinson
There’s a knock at the door. It’s every mother’s worst nightmare: the police are here. They tell me my beautiful daughter Charlotte has been hurt. They’ll take me to the hospital, there’s no time to lose… and I know this must be all my fault.
Charlotte and I argued so badly the last time we spoke. I was just worried about her, but she refused to hear me out. And now she’s lying pale, still and silent in a hospital bed. I’m convinced this was no accident: the police should be questioning her boyfriend, Freddie.
I never thought he was good enough for her, but did he hurt my daughter? Guilt floods through me again and again. If we hadn’t argued, she wouldn’t have been with him today. If we hadn’t argued, I could have been there for her. But I didn’t listen and instead, she pushed me away. I didn’t even know my darling girl was pregnant.
And now she’s lost forever. The doctors say she will never wake up: the only part of her they can save is her unborn child…
There’s only one thing I can do. He may be my grandchild’s father, but I know Freddie is dangerous. I’ll fight with everything I have to prove he’s guilty.
I failed to protect Charlotte, but how far will I have to go to keep her baby safe? And will what’s left of my family ever survive: or will my part in my daughter’s death tear us all apart?
My Review
A beautifully written story that will resonate with many mothers. Don’t we all want what’s best for our children, convinced that we know better than them? When Joanne’s daughter Charlotte is attacked barely a year after her husband died, it’s too much too bear. Joanne is sure Charlotte’s unsuitable boyfriend, Freddie, is to blame. Then she discovers that Charlotte is pregnant. Grief stricken, Joanne is determined to get justice for her daughter and custody of her grandchild, but so is Freddie’s mother, Emma portrays the characters so realistically and skilfully weaves an emotional tale of hearbreak, secrets and love with a few red herrings along the way.
My Sister’s Boyfriend by Nicola Marsh
rooke’s face lights up and the corners of her eyes crinkle as she smiles brightly at her new boyfriend. He gently pulls her in, nestling her cheek on his chest. But when he turns his head towards me, my blood runs cold. I know my sister’s life is in danger…
I would recognize that face anywhere. Handsome and chiseled. The perfect mask. I prayed I would never see Noel Harwood again, but here he is, sneering at me over Brooke’s shoulder.
I want to protect her, but I remember the last time I saw her. Voice dripping with venom, she said she would never forgive my betrayal. I want to scream at her to run and tell her that Noel has done terrible things, but the words die in my throat. I’ve lied too often for her to believe me over her knight-in-shining-armor.
I need to be smart if I want to save my sister. Noel might think he’s one step ahead, but he has no idea what I’m capable of. He could never imagine the darkness that lurks in our family. Or the truth about what happened on the jagged clifftop, all those years ago.
I nearly lost Brooke once, and I’ll never let that happen again. I’ll do whatever it takes to protect her…
My Review
I enjoyed this intriguing psychological thriller, Lizzie´s works with newly released prisoners and firmly believes in giving everyone a second chance. But something about Noel makes her skin prick, although no one else has a bad word to say about him. Lizzie takes notice of her instincts though and is sure that something isn´t right about Noel. Then she discovers that her sister Brooke is dating him. and is determined to get to the truth. A fast paced story about family secrets and betrayals.
The Couple on the Train by Claire Cooper
I look at where the woman was sitting. There’s a scrap of paper tucked into the gap between the seats. With shaking hands, I pick it up. The note reads: Help me.
At first glance, the couple on the train look normal. She’s dressed smartly, a floral patterned bag on her lap. But her hands are clenched, her fingers white. The man with her has his arm looped through hers, but not in a comforting way. He’s holding her too tightly.
She catches my eye and I see desperation there. I’m opening my mouth to speak when the train grinds to a halt and the man stands, hauling her away. She looks at me again, then at the seat behind her, her face pale.
I find the message she left behind. Help me.
When I call the police, there’s no sign of the couple on CCTV. The kind detective gently suggests that it’s not surprising, with my history, that I am imagining things. Wanting to save someone.
I know what I saw. If no one will believe me, I’ll find her myself.
But as I search, what I find seems personal. Little things that remind me of what happened ten years ago. And I think I’m being followed, that someone broke into my flat.
The hunt for the woman on the train is leading me somewhere I should never go. Can I save her, or will I be next?
My Review
This one caught me hook, line and sinker and kept me dangling all the way to the end. I didn’t foresee that twist! Brilliant plot perfectly executed. It would make a good TV drama
His Secret Child by Cole Baxter
I stand at my father’s funeral, tears rolling down my cheeks. Someone puts a hand on my shoulder, pulling me into a hug. As I look into the face of a woman I’ve never seen before, she whispers something that shatters my world. “He was my father too.”
Staring into the woman’s glassy gray eyes, I pray that she’s lying. I can’t believe that my steady, dependable father could do this to me. But a hush falls over my family as my ‘new sister’ Ava spills secrets about his hidden affairs and how he bought her silence. Now she’s finally free, she wants to be a part of the family.
But as my relatives welcome her with open arms, I’m certain something isn’t right. Details of her childhood keep changing. And I catch the way she looks at my fiancé, batting her long lashes and touching his well-toned arm. Can this woman be trusted? Does anyone else share my fears? Then, with a snide smile, away from the eyes of my family, she tells me that she knows my own dark secret.
My Review
I was hooked from the beginning and the questions kept coming. Was Ava really Rose’s father’s secret daughter? Did her father die or was he murdered? The mystery deepens when Rose’s brother also ends up in hospital. Rose is sure Ava isn’t to be trusted but the rest of the family, including her fiancé Adrian, seen to adore her – preferring her to Rose who has never really felt like she belonged. Is Rose paranoid as they all think? A twisty thriller that makes you ask just what will people do for money.
Karen King 