#BlogBlitz Frankie: The Woman Who Saved Millions From Thalidomide by James Essinger & Sandra Koutzenko @JamesEssinger @TheHistoryPress @rararesources #Frankie #Thalidomide #JamesEssinger #SandraKoutzenko

Book Synopsis:

Thalidomide: patented in Germany as a non-toxic cure-all for sleeplessness and morning sickness. A wonder drug with no side effects.
We know differently now.
Today, thalidomide is a byword for tragedy and drug reform – a sign of what happens when things aren’t done ‘the right way’. But when it was released in the 1950s, it was the best thing since penicillin – something that doctors were encouraged to prescribe to all of their patients. Nobody could anticipate what it actually did: induce sleeping, prevent morning sickness, and drastically harm unborn children.
But, whilst thalidomide rampaged and ravaged throughout most of the West, it never reached the United States. It landed on the desk of Dr Frances Kelsey, and there it stayed as she battled bureaucracy, patriarchy, and the Establishment in an effort to prove that it was dangerous.
Frankie is her story.

Frankie is available in ebook and paperback now using the link below. Please note I use Amazon just for ease but it will also be available from other bookstores.

My Review:

I found this to be a truly fascinating story about a remarkable woman that I sadly hadn’t heard about before.

Thalidomide is something I remember hearing about from my mum when I was quite young as I think the fallout from it was still being felt in the 80s. It’s quite shocking to learn more about how it came onto the market and how long it took for them to realise the effect it was having on unborn babies. The greed from the drugs companies to try and profit from this drug above patients health was awful to read about and quite poignant as i don’t think much has changed in that regard.

Frankie comes across as a strong, clever and remarkable woman who fights against extreme pressure to stop Thalidomide going into the American market. It’s very lucky that the drug ended up on Frankie’s desk and that her boss has faith in her so were happy to back her up. What’s even more remarkable about this is that woman were still considered the weaker sex in the 50’s and therefore Frankie must have had an even bigger fight on her hands.

The author cleverly uses lots of different sources to back up her narrative which makes for fascinating reading. The letters to and from the FDA, interviews after the tragedy and parts of her own memoir help tell the story and show the story from different angles.

I think this would be a great book for teenagers to read, especially girls, as Frankie is a great role model, who might encourage more to go into jobs like hers. It’s a huge shame that more people don’t know about her story.

Huge thanks to Rachel from Rachel’s Random resources for my copy of this book and for inviting me onto the blog tour.

About The Author:

JAMES ESSINGER is an established author of narrative non-fiction books focusing on STEM subjects and personalities. These include Ada’s Algorithm: How Lord Byron’s Daughter Launched the Digital Age Through the Poetry of Numbers. He lives in Canterbury.

SANDRA KOUTZENKO is a bilingual writer whose work spans a variety of categories and topics, ranging from French poetry to English non-fiction, focusing on human nature and the conflict between its potential for greatness and its propensity for destruction.

#BlogTour: Nothing Important Happened Today by Will Carver @will_carver @OrendaBooks @annecater #NothingImportantHappenedToday #OrendaBooks #WillCarver #RandomThingsTours #5Stars

Book Synopsis:

Nine suicides
One Cult
No leader

Nine people arrive one night on Chelsea Bridge. They’ve never met. But at the same time, they run, and leap to their deaths. Each of them received a letter in the post that morning, a pre-written suicide note, and a page containing only four words: Nothing important happened today.

That is how they knew they had been chosen to become a part of the People Of Choice: A mysterious suicide cult whose members have no knowledge of one another.

Thirty-two people on that train witness the event. Two of them will be next. By the morning, People Of Choice are appearing around the globe; it becomes a movement. A social media page that has lain dormant for four years suddenly has thousands of followers. The police are under pressure to find a link between the cult members, to locate a leader that does not seem to exist.

How do you stop a cult when nobody knows they are a member?

A shocking, mesmerisingly original and pitch-black thriller, Nothing Important Happened Today confirms Will Carver as one of the most extraordinary, exciting authors in crime fiction.

Nothing Important Happened Today is available in ebook and paperback now. You can purchase your copy using the link below.

My Review:

Wow what an incredible, unique read this was. I always think it’s difficult to stand out in a popular genre but this author manages it!

I’ve always had a bit of a fascination with cults and how they can get people to follow them the way they do, so this book instantly appealed to me. The dramatic openers instantly gripped me and gives the reader an idea about what this book is going to be like. It’s a very dark, shocking and frightening read with some of the descriptions being quite vivid which makes for uncomfortable reading at times. It is however uniquely gripping ( in a can’t look away from a car crash kind of way) which makes the reader want to keep reading as I wanted to find out what was happening but also to stop for a minute as I wasn’t sure if I wanted to know!

This book is very cleverly written as the author manages to keep the reader in the dark about who is narrating the story and who is behind the cult. It’s very fast paced with lots happening in it which makes the book hard to put down. The way that people only find out they are in a cult when they receive a note is very chilling and made me wonder what was going on. The truth is slowly revealed and the way that the cult manages to control people is actually frightening in its simplicity and plausibility which made a shiver run down my spine!

The ending was absolutely brilliant and I was very satisfied with how it all panned out. This is a very thought provoking book especially with the way the author includes people’s use of social media and I’m certain I will be thinking about it for ages to come.

Huge thanks to Anne Cater for inviting me onto the blog tour and to Karen from Orenda Books for my copy of this book. If you are looking for a unique, thriller writer than you need to try this author!

About The Author:

Will Carver is the international bestselling author of the January David series. He spent his early years in Germany, but returned to the UK at age eleven, when his sporting career took off. He turned down a professional rugby contract to study theatre and television at King Alfred’s, Winchester, where he set up a successful theatre company. He currently runs his own fitness and nutrition company, and lives in Reading with his two children. Good Samaritans was book of the year in Guardian, Telegraph and Daily Express, and hit number one on the ebook charts.

#BlogTour: Things Can Only Get Better by David M. Barnett @davidmbarnett @TrapezeBooks @alexxlayt #ThingsCanOnlyGetBetter #5Stars #mustread

Book Synopsis:

For elderly churchwarden Arthur Calderbank, there’s no place like home. His home just so happens to be a graveyard.

He keeps himself to himself, gets on with his job, and visits his wife everyday for a chat. When one day he finds someone else has been to see his wife – and has left flowers on her grave – he is determined to solve the mystery of who and why. He receives unlikely help from a group of teenage girls as he searches for answers, and soon learns that there is more to life than being surrounded by death.

Set during the 90s, when we were all just common people believing things could only get better, this is an uplifting story about the power of a little kindness, friendship and community.

For readers who enjoy Sue Townsend, Ruth Hogan and Joanna Cannon.

Things Can Only Get Better is available in ebook and paperback now. You can purchase your copy using the link below.

My Review:

I’m a big fan of this author’s books as they are always fantastic, unique reads that are hugely enjoyable.

The things I most liked about this book was how realistic it seemed which made me get very engrossed and involved in the story. Set in the 90’s in an old miner town where jobs and opportunities are limited it features some absolutely wonderful characters that are easy to warm to and a few that I loved to hate. The story alternates between Kelly, a girl who wants more from life that what is expected of her, and a grieving widower Author who is trying to stop getting evicted from him chapel home in the graveyard. I loved getting to know the unlikely band of friends and seeing what made them tick. I especially enjoyed watching them all become friends and protectors to each other as they had always been shunned by others.

The author paints a bleak picture of the town the children live in and it was heartbreaking to see what they had to deal with at times. Most of the children weren’t given any opportunities and had been pretty much written off by society. It definitely made me think about how some groups are treated by others just because of where and how they live. Even though it’s based in the 90s the attitudes some people have about immigrants is still on show today which was sad to see. I liked how the author managed to humanise them and subtly show their side of the story.

I thought this story was very absorbing and surprising gripping as I grew very attached to the characters and wanted to keep reading to find out what happens to them. It’s a very poignant and emotional story which had me shedding a tear alongside the characters and then cheering them on when something good happens to them (I think I actually said ‘yes’ out loud at a particular high point). As a 90s kid I loved all the culture references in the book and the music mentioned has had me listening to stuff I haven’t heard in years. There is actually a playlist for the book too which I thought was a great touch.

This is the author’s third book and I’m very excited to read more from him in the future. If you like absorbing reads about unlikely heros then you’ll love this book!

Huge thanks to Alex from Trapeze publishers for my copy of this book and for inviting me onto the blog tour.

About The Author:

David Barnett is an award-winning journalist and author based in West Yorkshire. He was born in Wigan, Lancashire, in 1970 and has worked in regional newspapers since 1989. He is the author of the Gideon Smith alternate history series from Tor Books, beginning in 2013 with Gideon Smith and the Mechanical Girl. David is also the author of Hinterland (2005, reprinted 2008), Angelglass (2007) and The Janus House and Other Two-Faced Tales (2009), all published by Immanion Press, as well as popCULT!, published in 2011 from Pendragon Press. His work has been translated into Czech, Russian and German. He is represented by the literary agent John Jarrold. David is married to Claire, also an award-winning journalist, and they have two children, Charlie and Alice.

#BlogTour: The Vanished Bride by Bella Ellis @brontemysteries @HodderBooks @Stevie_Coops #TheVanishedBride #5stars #historicalmystery #BellaEllis #BrontëSisters

Book Synopsis:

From the Sunday Times-bestselling author of The Memory Book, Rowan Coleman, comes a special new series featuring the Brontë sisters, written under the name Bella Ellis

Yorkshire, 1845

A young woman has gone missing from her home, Chester Grange, leaving no trace, save a large pool of blood in her bedroom and a slew of dark rumours about her marriage. A few miles away across the moors, the daughters of a humble parson, Charlotte, Emily, and Anne Brontë are horrified, yet intrigued.

Desperate to find out more, the sisters visit Chester Grange, where they notice several unsettling details about the crime scene: not least the absence of an investigation. Together, the young women realise that their resourcefulness, energy and boundless imaginations could help solve the mystery – and that if they don’t attempt to find out what happened to Elizabeth Chester, no one else will.

The path to the truth is not an easy one, especially in a society which believes a woman’s place to be in the home, not wandering the countryside looking for clues. But nothing will stop the sisters from discovering what happened to the vanished bride, even as they find their own lives are in great peril…

The Vanished Bride is available in ebook and hardback now. You can purchase your copy using the link below.

My Review:

I always love stories that re-imagine famous stories or involve real people so I was very intrigued by this book and the idea of the Brontë sister’s as detectives!

Firstly the author does a great job of setting the scene so that the reader feels completely transported to the 1800s and into the Brontë’s lives. I loved the little details the author includes from how women were expected to dress and spend their time to how people expected them to behave, which I found very interesting. It made it very easy to picture the Brontë’s in that life and to warm to them as characters.

The story is told from the point of view of each of the sisters which I thought was a nice touch as it gives the reader a chance to get to know them all individually. They are three very different women who each have different skills to bring to the investigation. My favourite was Emily who often made me laugh with her witty outbursts and actions but I enjoyed learning more about each of them. The banter and arguements between them were very amusing and made them feel much more realistic. They started to feel like old friends as the story progressed and I was quite sad to finish the book and leave them behind.

The mystery part of the story was well plotted and I enjoyed watching it all develop. It’s surprisingly gripping and the sense of anticipation of what might happen had me simultaneously wanting to read on to find out what happens but also not wanting to as I wasn’t sure I wanted to know. The author has cleverly included little hints about the stories the sisters would write into the story which I thought was a nice touch and, as a huge Brontë fan, gave me great pleasure. I really hope there are more books to come.

Huge thanks to Steven Cooper from Hodder Books for my copy of this book and for inviting me onto the blog tour. If you are a fan of historical mysteries then I think you will enjoy this book.

About The Author:

Bella Ellis is the Brontë inspired pen name for the award winning, Sunday Times bestselling author Rowan Coleman. 

A Brontë devotee for most of her life, Rowan is the author of fourteen novels including The Memory Book , The Summer of Impossible Things and The Girl at the Window, as well as the co-author of Mirror, Mirror, the debut novel by actor and model Cara Delevingne. 

Bella Ellis lives in Hertfordshire with her husband and five children.

Twitter @brontemysteries

#BlogTour: Break The Silence by D. K. Good @DKHood_Author @bookouture @nholten40 #BreakTheSilence #KaneAndAlton #DKHood #bookouturebooksontour

Book Synopsis:

Her head throbbed as she stumbled up the stairs. Music vibrating and the sound of partygoers fill her head as she walks into one of the dark, empty rooms. As she sits on the bed, she hears the unmistakable sound of the door locking behind her. She is not alone.

The body of college student Chrissie Lowe lies curled into a ball – long red cuts along her arms suggesting how she had met her death. Detective Jenna Alton is called in to investigate.

Purplish bruising on Chrissie’s upper arms and thighs make Jenna believe there is more to Chrissie’s death than others suspected, and she soon finds herself following the trail of the student’s last few moments, leading her to the scene of a party that had ended just hours before Chrissie’s body was found.

When Jenna hears reports that Chrissie was seen going into the bedroom of a college football star, she knows that finding out what went on behind that closed door could be the key to finding out how Chrissie ended up dead. But then another partygoer dies in an apparent accident at the campus gym just hours later, and Jenna is convinced the deaths are connected.

Facing a wall of silence from the student population, Jenna has to act fast to find the killer, but soon another student is found dead on the campus. As Jenna sends in one of her deputies undercover, she prays that she hasn’t just sealed his fate. Can she find the killer before any more lives are taken?

Fans of Lisa Regan, Karin Slaughter and Rachel Abbott will love this totally gripping page-turner from bestselling crime author D.K. Hood. You won’t be able to put it down!

Break The Silence is available in ebook and paperback now. You can purchase your copy using the link below.

My Review:

I’m a huge fan of this fantastic series, so I’m always very excited to learn that there is a new book coming out. This is especially true if they feature my two favourite detectives Jane and Alton who I always enjoy following on their investigations. Their strong partnership and, the banter between them helps the reader warm to them, making it more fun to follow them.

This time the story is based on an American University Campus, featuring some interesting members of the football team similar to the stereotypical ones featured in a lot of films. I thought this made the book feel a bit more real, giving it a sinister edge. I’d like to think that such things didn’t happen, but sadly think it does.

The story is told from multiple points of view which was very interesting and meant that the reader often found out information before Jenna does. I loved following the story and trying to work out what was going on, though I ultimately failed as the author was very good at keeping the reader guessing as to who the culprit was.

The middle bit was a bit slower than the start and finish but this helped to show the reader how thankless and difficult police work can be. It also gives a fascinating insight into how the police conduct their investigations and how they look at the evidence to piece everything together.

Overall I thought this was an addictive, fast paced thriller with a very intriguing plot to keep the reader thoroughly gripped. There were lots of twists which I didn’t see coming and I was kept guessing until the end which I always enjoy. The ending was brilliant and took me completely by surprise. It was slightly sadder and more poignant than previous books but I admire the author trying something new.

Huge thanks to Noelle from Bookouture for inviting me onto the blog tour and for my copy of this book via Netgalley.

About The Author:

THE WALL STREET JOURNAL, USA TODAY and #1 Amazon Bestselling Author. Active member of International Thriller Writers.

Writing crime thrillers for Bookouture (Hachette) is a dream come true for me. I really love writing the Kane and Alton Series.

My debut crime thriller, Don’t Tell a Soul hit 32 in the Top 100 Bestseller list on Amazon USA, followed by Bring Me Flowers and Follow Me Home enjoying the same success. The Crying Season went into the USA TODAY Bestseller list followed by Where Angels Fear. Whisper in the Night went into the USA TODAY and THE WALL STREET JOURNAL Bestsellers lists in the same week and was the #1 Bestseller in Australia on Friday 13th !!!!!

It’s been great to “meet” so many wonderful readers from all over the world through my Facebook pages. Their support and friendship is inspirational.
I’m currently writing more books in the series. Book 7 will be published on 3 November 2019. Kane and Alton book 8 is underway.

I love writing about the rugged beauty of Montana and my interest in the development of forensic science to solve crime goes back many years. It was one subject I enjoyed studying and with the constant advances, it never gets boring.

With many stories, waiting for me to write, I’ll look forward to sharing more exciting crime thrillers with you.

Join me for a chat:
Twitter
@DKHood_Author
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/dkhoodauthor
Web:
http://www.dkhood.com

The Last Voyage Of Mrs Henry Parker by Joanna Nell @Jo_nell_writer @HodderBooks #LastVoyageOfMrsHenryParker #5Stars

Book Synopsis:

A poignant ode to love and the memories that make a well-lived life, from the author of THE SINGLE LADIES OF JACARANDA RETIREMENT VILLAGE

As the wife of retired ship’s doctor Dr Henry Parker, Evelyn is living out her twilight years aboard the Golden Sunset. Every night she dresses for dinner – gown, tiara, runners – and regales her fellow passengers with stories of a glamorous life travelling the world in luxury, as well as showing off her superior knowledge of everything from ships’ customs to biographical details of her heroine, Florence Nightingale. The crew treat her with deference. And forbearance.

But when Henry goes missing, Evelyn sets off to search every part of the grand ocean liner to find him, casino, nightclub and off-limits areas included.

Misadventures are had, new friends are made, scandalous behaviour noted – all news to Evelyn. If only she could remember the events of the night before as clearly as she can recall the first time she met Henry on a passage from England to Australia in 1953 and fell in love, abandoning her dreams to become a midwife to be a wife instead – and the long-ago painful events that left Evelyn all at sea.

Why is it so hard to forget some things and so hard to remember others? And where is Henry?

The Last Voyage Of Mrs Henry Parker is available in ebook and hardback now. You can purchase your copy using the link below.

My Review:

The Last Voyage Of Mrs Henry Parker is a heartwarming though poignant glimpse of sea travel in years gone by and a beautiful love story.

The wonderful descriptions of life on board a ship were really interesting and I enjoyed seeing how they changed over the years. There is a lot more to do then I thought there was, with something suitable for everyone which was nice to see. The visits to the different countries in such a short time must be fascinating. It was great fun to live precariously through the characters and visit the sights through them. I’d definitely like to go on a cruise now at some point as it seem like great fun!

The main character Evelyn was brilliant. I warmed to her instantly and so enjoyed following her on her last voyage. She is the type of person that I wish I knew in real life as she has lots of fascinating stories to tell, whether you want her to or not. Some of her observations and mishaps in her search for Henry had me laughing out loud as they were very funny. There is a slightly poignant side to her story as it’s obvious that her memory isn’t what it used to be and it’s heartbreaking to see how confused she gets at time. I wished I could climb into the book and give her a big hug.

At the heart of this story ist wonderful, heartwarming love story between Henry and Evelyn which was truly beautiful to read about. They have certainly had their ups and down on their journeys across the ocean, seeing many different things that I found very interesting to read about. I enjoyed being a spectator to their relationship and watching it change and develop throughout the years. It was very sad to see how lost Eveyln seems without Henry as they had come to rely on each other so much.

Overall I thought this was a beautiful, absorbing story that I loved curling up with after a hard day. I could happily get lost in Eveyln’s world and all her adventures on the seas. I did guess some parts of the story but I think I was meant to as the story is less about the mystery of Henry but more about Evelyn’s life and their love together. It didn’t detract from my enjoyment of the book as I was so enjoying the story and learning more about Eveyln. I thought this book was similar to The unexpected Pilgrimage Of Harold Fry so if you liked that book I think you will enjoy this one too.

Huge thanks to Hodder Books for my copy of this book via Netgalley.

About The Author:

Joanna Nell was born in the Midlands and graduated from Oxford University with a medical degree in 1991.
In 2003 she moved to Australia where she now works as a GP with a passion for women’s health and care of the elderly.
Joanna writes character-driven stories of self-discovery for women of a certain age, creating young-at-heart characters who break the rules and defy society’s expectations.
She lives on Sydney’s Northern Beaches with her husband and two children. THE SINGLE LADIES OF JACARANDA VILLAGE is her first novel.

A Single Thread by Tracy Chevalier @Tracy_Chevalier @BoroughPress @HarperCollinsUK #ASingleThread #historicalfiction #5stars #mustread

Book Synopsis:

It is 1932, and the losses of the First World War are still keenly felt.

Violet Speedwell, mourning for both her fiancé and her brother and regarded by society as a ‘surplus woman’ unlikely to marry, resolves to escape her suffocating mother and strike out alone.

A new life awaits her in Winchester. Yes, it is one of draughty boarding-houses and sidelong glances at her naked ring finger from younger colleagues; but it is also a life gleaming with independence and opportunity. Violet falls in with the broderers, a disparate group of women charged with embroidering kneelers for the Cathedral, and is soon entwined in their lives and their secrets. As the almost unthinkable threat of a second Great War appears on the horizon Violet collects a few secrets of her own that could just change everything…

Warm, vivid and beautifully orchestrated, A Single Thread reveals one of our finest modern writers at the peak of her powers.

A Single Thread is available in ebook and hardback now. You can purchase your copy using the link below.

My Review:

I absolutely love this author! She’s one of my go to author’s for historical fiction as you know you’re going to get a fantastic read. A Single Thread is no exception and I so enjoyed this compelling, absorbing read that I will be recommending to everyone.

Firstly the historical detail in this book is brilliant, especially as it contained information I didn’t know that much about. I was lucky enough to hear this author speak at The Cheltenham Literature Festival and it was fascinating to learn how she did research for her books. The subject of so called ‘excess woman’ was an interesting one which I hadn’t heard of before but which obviously makes sense after the war. Societies attitude toward them and the options available to them, apart from marriage, was quite shocking as it was hardly their fault. The author also includes the Winchester broderers which was a real group! I really enjoyed learning more about them and the wonderful sounding embroidery they did for the cathedral, some of which is still used.

I loved the main character Violet and enjoyed following her story in her quest for independence. She’s one of the excess women I mentioned previously as her fiancé was sadly killed in the war but she is unwilling to settle for the spinster life society expects her to have. Instead of staying home to look after her mother, she moves away and starts a new life. I quickly warmed to Violet in the first few pages of the book when we learn about her overbearing mother so was completely on her side. She is an incredibly brave, strong woman who is unwilling to give up despite society being against her at times. It was lovely to follow her on her journey and to witness her starting her new life and making new friends.

Overall I thought this was a compelling, absorbing read which I found hard to put down as I was so involved in the story. There is always something happening in Violet’s world to keep the reader thoroughly intrigued. The story is beautifully plotted going between funny moments to poignant ones which made me want to keep reading as I had to know what would happen next.

I thought the ending was perfect and a fabulous way to end the book. I had tears in my eyes as I read the last few pages and I felt very sad to have left Violet and her world behind. I can’t wait to read more from this talented author!

Huge thanks to Borough Press for my copy of this book via Netgalley. Though I did great myself to a hardback copy so I could get Tracy to sign it at Cheltenham! 😍

About The Author:

Tracy is the author of 10 novels, including the international bestseller GIRL WITH A PEARL EARRING, which has sold over 5 million copies and been made into an Oscar-nominated film starring Scarlett Johansson and Colin Firth. American by birth, British by geography, she lives in London with her husband and son. Her latest novel, A SINGLE THREAD, is set in and around Winchester Cathedral in the 1930s, and involves embroidery, bellringing, and an adventurous heroine. Her website http://www.tchevalier.com will tell you more about her and her books.

Photo: Jonathan Drori

#BlogTour: The Ex Girlfriend by Nicola Moriarty @NikkiM3 @sriya__v @MichaelJBooks #TheExGirlfriend #NicolaMoriarty

Book Synopsis:

SHE WANTS HIM BACK. SHE WANTS YOU GONE.

Finally, Georgia has found the one. Luke is kind, handsome, and makes her feel safe – which is what she needs after everything she’s been through.

The only problem is his ex-girlfriend.

Luke says Cadence just can’t accept the breakup, and that explains the texts, the emails, the notes…

But then things start to go very wrong – will Cadence really do whatever it takes to get what she wants?

Fans of Lisa Jewell, Rachel Abbott and Adele Parks will love this gripping and twisty psychological suspense.

The Ex-Girlfriend is available in ebook and paperback now. You can purchase your copy using the link below.

My Review:

Nicola Moriarty is fast becoming one of my favourite authors, I’ve read all her books and think she just gets better and better. The Ex-Girlfriend is a fantastic, twisty read which deals with some serious themes. It’s going to be a hard book to review as I don’t want to give anything away.

The reader is told from the start about Luke’s interesting Ex-Girlfriend but things don’t really become interesting until Georgia and Luke move in together and strange things start to happen. The tension in the book slowly increases until the book becomes incredibly gripping. I did guess some of the twists but this didn’t decrease my enjoyment as I was really enjoying the story and getting to know the characters more.

There are some fabulous characters in this book which I thought were developed well. I didn’t initially like Georgia as I thought she came across as a bit desperate and ditzy. However as I got to know her better I realised she was actually quite a strong woman who doesn’t let small things get to her. Her hippy, unconventional parents were some of the best characters in the book and I loved the scenes with them. They brought some humour into the story and had me laughing out loud at times.

The ending was brilliant and took me completely by surprise which I always love. The pace really ramps up and it changes to quite a sinister story which ensured I couldn’t put it down.

Huge thanks to Sriya from Michael St Joseph’s for inviting me onto the blog tour and for my copy of this book. If you like satisfying thrillers you can relax into then you’ll love this book!

About The Author:

Nicola Moriarty is a Sydney-based novelist, copywriter and mum to two small (but remarkably strong willed) daughters. In between various career changes, becoming a mum and completing her BA, she began to write. Now, she can’t seem to stop. Her published works include the novels Free-Falling, Paper Chains and The Fifth Letter plus the novella Captivation as well as contributions to two UK anthologies. She is also the younger sister of best-selling and award-winning authors, Liane Moriarty and Jaclyn Moriarty.

Nicola has been awarded the Fred Rush Convocation prize from Macquarie University, along with ‘Best Australian Debut’ from Chicklit Club. She has been published in Australia, The United States and The United Kingdom and her books have been translated into German, Dutch and Hungarian.

The Fifth Letter was a Top Ten Bestseller in Australia with Australian Women’s Weekly calling it ‘a pacey, circle-of-friends thriller, which accelerates in its intensity and sheer originality with every page”; while the UK’s Sun on Sunday said, “With secrets and intrigue, this is a compulsive read.” It was The Librarian’s Choice top pick for March 2017 and was featured in Popsugar’s Best Books for Fireside Reading plus their Favourite Books for the Year (so far)!

Nicola’s next book, THEM AND US is due out in Australia, the US and the UK in 2018.

Visit Nicola at her website or through one of her social media pages below.

http://www.nicolamoriarty.com.au
http://www.facebook.com/NicolaMoriartyAuthor
https://twitter.com/NikkiM3
https://www.instagram.com/nicmoriarty/
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5347787.Nicola_Moriarty
Email: nicola@nicolamoriarty.com

#BlogTour: Until We Meet Again by Rose Goodacre @RoseGoodacre @HeraBooks @rararesources #UntilWeMeetAgain #ww1 #saga #99pebook

Book Synopsis:

The Great War drove them apart – but love kept them together

Summer 1914: Shy young woman, Amy Fletcher, lives a quiet life in Sussex. An office worker, she lives at home, along with her parents and spirited younger brother, Bertie. But her life is transformed when she meets handsome young man, Edmond Derwent, son of one of the wealthiest families in the small town of Larchbury, and student at Cambridge University.

The couple are falling deeply in love when war breaks out and, eager to do his duty for England, Edmond signs up as an officer. The couple plan to be wed, eager to start a new life together – but their happiness is short-lived when Edmond is sent to Flanders to lead his men into battle. Amy trains as a VAD nurse and is soon sent to France, where she sees the true horror of war inflicted on the brave young men sent to fight.

Separated by war, Edmond and Amy share their feelings through emotional letters sent from the front line. But when Edmond is critically wounded at Ypres, their love faces the biggest test of all – can their love stay strong while the world around them is crumbling?

A romantic, emotional saga set in WW1 – readers of Rosie Goodwin, Katie Flynn and Val Wood will be captivated by this story of love.

Until We Meet Again is available in ebook now. You can purchase your copy using the link below.

My Review:

Until We Meet Again is a highly emotional, captivating story of love and loss set in ww1.

Firstly I loved the main character Amy who comes across as a brave woman who fights for what she believes in. It was so interesting to read about her work for the suffragettes and her time as a VAD nurse in France. I thought she showed great courage in her work there even though conditions were horrendous. Some of the things she had to witness brought a lump to my throat and a tear to my eye as I read. The war scenes were vividly described and allows the reader to picture the scenes in their mind. I felt at times like I was actually there watching everything unfold which made me feel more involved in the story.

The historical detail in this book was brilliant and I felt helped capture the attitudes of the time. It’s hard to believe how things like class mattered back then, but they did and caused no end of heart ache I’m sure. Class is one of the obstacles standing in the way of Any and Edmund and I wanted to keep reading to find out if they would have the happy ending I felt they deserved. The scenes between them at the beginning were very tender ones showing how much the pair cared about each other, which made the war scenes even more emotional when contrasted against them.

This is the author’s debut novel and I’m very excited to read more from her in the future. Huge thanks to Rachel from Rachel’s Random resources for inviting me onto the blog tour and for my copy of this book.

About The Author:

Rosemary Goodacre is thrilled to have a three book deal with Hera Books. Her World War I romance Until We Meet Again will be released on 31/10/19. Her heroine, Amy, faces many challenges as she works as a nurse and struggles to spend time with Edmond, her sweetheart.
Previously Rosemary has had a novella published, entitled A Fortnight is not Enough, and a science fiction story in the anthology Telescoping Time.
Rosemary has always loved languages and travel, mainly in Europe. In her spare time she enjoys country walking, bridge and classical music. She lives in Kent, England.

#BlogTour: Christmas At Ladywell by Nicola Slade @nicolasladeuk @rararesources @crookedcatbooks #ChristmasAtLadywell #festiveread

Book Synopsis:

A time for spilling secrets…

Having refurbished her inherited house and upcycled her whole life in the process, Freya – now happily married to Patrick, and with a small child – has to transform her tiny stone barn into a romantic hideaway for a mystery guest who is also looking for change. With Christmas only a week away, things don’t go according to plan…

In the past, old uncertainties are resolved when a woman seeks the truth of a legend on Christmas Eve and confesses to a deception; a Tudor wife listens to a story that must never be repeated and is given a precious relic that must never be displayed; and in the early nineteenth century, an old woman tells a younger one the story of the hares at Ladywell.

Past and present are only a whisper apart when Freya learns of an astonishing discovery that will make Ladywell famous, but meanwhile her house is full of unexpected visitors, she has a turkey to cook – and a very special secret of her own that must be told.

Christmas At Ladywell is available in ebook now. You can purchase your copy using the link below.

My Review:

Christmas At Ladywell is a gorgeous Christmassy book which is perfect to read in the run up to Christmas. It does feature some of the characters from a previous book The House At Ladywell but has been written as a standalone novella.

The story follows Freya as she tries to get the house ready for Christmas and all the stress that entails. Interspersed with her story are flash backs through the years of previous occupants of the house and how they spent the festive period. I found it very interesting to see the different ways Christmas was celebrated, especially as some of the stories included real historical events which I always love.

This book is a fantastic mix of history, myths and folklore through the years which was fascinating to learn about. I especially loved the descriptions of the hares in the garden and the significance of them which bought a magical feel to the book.

This is a fairly short read but it’s a very warm, compelling one which I loved snuggling up with. There isn’t an awful lot of action but the story is so gorgeous that you get wrapped up in the wonderful Ladywell world anyway. If you are looking for a festive read them you’ll enjoy this one!

Huge thanks to Rachel from Rachel’s Random resources for inviting me onto the blog tour and for my copy of this book.

About The Author:

Nicola Slade is an award-winning, bestselling author of historical and contemporary mysteries and romantic fiction, all set in and around Winchester and Romsey in Hampshire – which is where she lives. The House at Ladywell – a contemporary romantic novel with historical echoes – won the Chatelaine Grand Prize for Romantic Fiction at the CIBA awards in April 2019.

She is the author of the mid-Victorian Charlotte Richmond mysteries and the contemporary Harriet Quigley mysteries and The Convalescent Corpse, published November 2018, is the first in a new series, The Fyttleton Mysteries, set in 1918.

Media Links – Website – Blog – Twitter – Facebook – Pintrest

Giveaway:

As part of this blog tour, the author is running a competition to win an ebook copy of her novel The Convalescent Corpse. I read this book earlier this year and absolutely loved it!

*Terms and Conditions –Worldwide entries welcome.  Please enter using the Rafflecopter box below.  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 Rachel’s Random Resources reserves 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 Rachel’s Random Resources will delete the data.  I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.

ENTER HERE – Good Luck