Never Have I Ever by Joshilyn Jackson

Synopsis

It starts as a game at a book group one night. Never Have I Ever... done something I shouldn't.

But Amy Whey has done something she shouldn't. And Roux, the glamorous newcomer to Amy's suburban neighbourhood, knows exactly what that is.

Roux promises she will go away. She will take herself and her son, who is already growing dangerously close to Amy's teenage stepdaughter, and she will go. If Amy plays by her rules.

But Amy isn't prepared to lose everything she's built. She's going to fight back, and in this escalating game of cat and mouse, there can be only one winner.

Author: Joshilyn Jackson

Publication Date: 8 August 2019

Publisher:  Bloomsbury Publsihing Plc (UK & ANZ)

                 Raven Books

My Review

I will be honest and say that I read chapter one and I did wonder if this book was for me.  It all seemed a little fluffy and a little bit missing something.  I didn't grip me.  I considered not carrying one however I rarely not finish a book and therefore cracked on with chapter two.  I am so glad I did as I was plunged into the darkening web of the story and was hooked.

The game never have I ever, which I have to say, my children love to play leads to a lot of secrets being unearthed and the twists just start coming thick and fast.

When a stranger gate crashes what should be a quiet book club meeting Amy is instantly on edge.  As the alcohol begins to flow the atmosphere begins to change.

I don't want to give away the plot on this one but deep buried secrets are about to be revealed.

Reading this book was almost like watching a high action movie and once it had me hooked I was lost in it.

Despite the slow start once the action started it did so in abundance and I was left flipping the pages as quickly as I could.

Home Truths by Susan Lewis

Synopsis

How far would you go to keep your family safe?

Angie Watt's used to have everything. A new home. A beloved husband. Three adorable children.

But Angie's happy life is shattered when her son Liam falls in with the wrong crowd. And after son's bad choices lead to the murder of her husband, it's up to Angie to hold what's left of her family together. 

Her son is missing. Her daughter is looking for help in dangerous places. And Angie is fighting just to keep a roof over their heads. 

But Angie is a mother. And a mother does anything to protect her children - even when the world is falling apart...

If home is where the heart is, what happens when it breaks?

Author: Susan Lewis
Publication Date: 22 August 2019
Publisher: Harper Collins

My Review

I have read a lot of Susan's previous books and knew I was in for a treat.  As with some books from other authors I have previously enjoyed, I have sometimes been left a little disappointed, but thankfully I have never been let down by this author. I saved this as a holiday read and loved, loved, loved it.

The book really struck a chord as being a single parent myself living on the edge of a council estate I know how easy it can be to make ends meet.  I thank god that my situation is no where near as bad as the character, Angie.

The thing I love about Susan's writing is that the characters are true to life.  I could almost imagine myself chatting to Angie at the school gates.  These are characters that are put into real life situations and manage to find the light at the end of the tunnel. The book covers a lot of hard hitting issue including gangs, drugs and on line grooming.  Sadly all issues that are now to much apart of life.

We start the story with Steve finding his five year old son playing with a syringe he's found in the living room.  He storms off onto the estate in the hunt for his older son Liam. A short time later his battered body is found, leaving Angie a widow and having to rely on benefits. It's not long before her debts are spiralling out of control. Not only has she lost her husband Steve, but her eldest son, Liam has gone on the run.  In a fit of rage she told him she was dead to him.

Angie's job at Hill House is to support vulnerable people, people who have mental health issues, people who have found them selves living on the streets.  Everybody loves her.  She's always there to help whenever she can but soon Angie will need more help then she ever imagined. She is still grieving for her husband and trying to find Liam but Angie's life is spiralling out of control and she is losing the house from over her head.

Angie's daughter, thirteen year old Grace is desperate to help her mum financially so when she advertises on the Internet for part time work she is unaware of the danger that she's placing herself in. Liam had been sucked into a gang on the estate. Could Grace be about to find herself going down a slippery slope?

Angie finds herself at her lowest when the kids go to live with her sister and she has to sleep in her van.  Everything she has worked and lived for has gone. She has no where left to turn.  Then a chance meeting with Steve's old friend starts to turn her life around.

I couldn't read this book quickly enough and flew through the pages.  It was hard hitting and so close to reality. Just the type of story that I love to read with lots of flawed characters.  I hear stories similar to these at the school gates and always pray for the happy after.

Although these are fictional characters it's a sad fact that the situation they find themselves in is so true to life. More and more I am hearing about people that are unable to feed their family through no fault of their own.  This book revealed to me that although I sometimes find money a stretch some months, I thank god that I am not in the situation of Angie and the situation that so many other people find them selves in. I am one of the lucky ones.

The story line was a little predictable but that is the one thing that I love about this author.  Life is also predictable. All I can say is I loved it from page one until the very end.

The food of Love by Amanda Prowse

Synopsis

A loving mother.  A perfect family.  A shock wave that could shatter everything.

Freya Braithwaite knows she is lucky.  Nineteen years of marriage to a man who still warms her soul and two beautiful teenage daughters to show for it: confident Charlotte and thoughtful Lexi.  Her home is filled with love and laughter.

But when Lexi's struggles with weight take control of her life, everything Freya once took for granted falls apart, leaving the whole family with a sense of helplessness that can only be confronted with understanding, unity and , above all, love.

In this compelling and heart-wrenching work by best selling author Amanda Prowse, one ordinary family tackles unexpected difficulties and discovers that love can find it's way through life's darkest moments.

Author: Amanda Prowse

Publication Date: 1st December 2016

Publisher: Lake Union Publishing

I bought me own copy of he book to read and review

My Review

I wanted to read a book that I knew I would pick up and love from page one.  I have read a number of Amanda's previous and current books and this one has been sitting in my to be read pile for quite some time so I knew that this would be a good read.

As predicted this gripped me page one and I was instantly drawn into Freya's world and family.  Their busy chaotic family home is filled with love, laughter and warmth.  Freya spends her days writing about food and cooking up fabulous dishes for her family and her husband Lockie is a photographer but before long the cracks start to appear as Freya is called into the school. A teacher is concerned about her daughter Lexi.  Lexi had fainted at school and with the lack of food in her body and the extra exercise she was undertaking she was becoming worryingly thin but hiding this under piles of baggy clothes.

As the extent of the situation is revealed things start to spiral out of control.  Freya blames herself for not noticing the signs but is determined that she can fix things.  She is Lexi's mother and mothers can always fix things but it soon becomes clear this situation is bigger then she can handle.

Lexi becomes withdrawn and more and more secretive and conniving in finding ways to starve and purge herself.  so much so that even with Freya's attempts to help the pounds increase this is creating the opposite in Lexi and the weight is still dropping to a dangerous level.

When Lexi becomes seriously ill she has to be admitted to feeding clinic where a feeding tube has to be inserted.  After six weeks she is released home but she has yet to hit rock bottom.  Only on the verge of death does a serious decision have to be made for Lexi.

This story was heart breaking to read but at the same time I struggled to put the book down. Amanda does not create characters she creates people and offers us readers their struggles which are all to vivid.  As much as my heart went out to Lexi who was starving herself my heart reached out further to Freya who was living a mother's worst nightmare.  

A mother's love is like no other and as a mother you believe that you will always keep your children safe but what if you can't?  Some things are too big for us mother's to resolve on our own much as we want to.  The decision to bring in the outside help is one of he hardest to make especially when everything around you is falling apart.

I could write about this fabulous book all day but all I can say is just read it. 

The Dream House by Jess Ryder

Synopsis

When I first set eyes of Westhill House with it's perfect-taking views of the sea I knew it was the perfect place for a fresh start.

The place may be falling apart, but it can be fixed with some tender loving care.  And as Jack and I work to repair this beautiful building, maybe we can repair our relationship too.  Maybe we can make Westhill House a refuge from all the tragedies that came before.

Lori has come to Westhill House for shelter too.  She says it used to be a place where women went for safety. How can I turn her away, when violence waits for her outside these high walls?

But the longer Lori stays, the more time Jack spends away.  And the more time she helps me restore the house, the more secrets start to be revealed.

Like the children's drawings under the wallpaper in the back bedroom.

The hidden pages underneath the floor boards in the turret room.

But why does Lori know so much about Westhill House, if she's never been here before?

What does she really need protection from?

And now I've invited her into my dream house, is there any escape for either of us?

Author: Jess Ryder
Publisher: Bookouture
Publication Date: 21st June 2019

I purchased a cope of this book to read and review.

My Review

This book deals with the tough subject of domestic violence but it was dealt with in a very understanding and clear manner.  There were violent aspects of the book but these needed to be there for the sake of the story but the violence was not just put there to add drama to the story line.

The first chapter of the book really gripped me and I needed to find out who the solitary woman was wandering around the secluded garden in the middle of the night alone on bonfire night.

We then meet Stella. Her and her boyfriend Jack have recently bought the dilapidated Westhill House with the view of renovating it into her Dream House but with only a solitary builder undertaking her huge project things are not going according to plan. I really loved the beautiful descriptions of this old and worn out house and I could picture exactly what the character was seeing and had fallen in love with. Although this wouldn't be my dream house I could easily see why Stella had fallen in love with the place and especially the views.

To be honest I then got a little lost as we met Kay.  It took me a while to clearly understand that Kay escaped to the house back in the 70's when the house was a refuge for women.  The chapter headings didn't make this clear and it took a few more chapters to fully see that this story was being told from two time lines.  Kay in the 70's and Stella in the present day.  It would have been helpful if the chapters had had a date rather then just staring Then and Now.

When Lori knocks on the door in the middle of the night, battered and bleeding, Stella tries to explain that the house in no longer a refuge but hasn't the heart to turn away someone that is in need so invites her to stay for the night.  One night leads to two, which leads to weeks.

There is so much going on in this book that once I'd settled into the two time frames I flew through the chapters intrigued as to what would happen next and became totally immersed in the characters lives.

Each of the characters are fighting their own demons and this is a brilliant story of heart break, friendship and broken families.  I really enjoyed this book and will be looking to read more from this author.

The flower girls by Alice Clark-Platts

Synopsis

Three Children went out to play. Only two came back.

The flower girls.  Laurel and Primrose.

One convicted of murder, the other given a new identity.

Now, nineteen years later, another child has gone missing.

And the flower girls are about to hit all over again.

Author: Alice Clark-Platts
Publisher: Raven Books
Publication Date: 24th January 2019

I bought my own copy of this book to read and review.

My Review

This was a dark and disturbing read which kept me intrigued from page one until the very end.

Laurel aged just 10 was convicted of the brutal killing of a toddler. Her sister Primrose aged just 6 was allowed to walk away and start a new life.  As Laurel is abandoned by her parents and swept into the prison system, she makes appeals to review her sentence but no to avail.  

Her sister Primrose changes her name and begins living her life as Hazel.  She is a misfit in society and prefers to keep herself away from other people until she meets Jonny.  He takes her under his wing and before long and despite knowing her history he asks her to marry him.

On a weekend break a child goes missing and the eyes of blame are thrown onto Hazel. This sets off a roller-coaster and Hazel is urged to tell her side of the story of what happened on that fateful day. As memories start to come back to Hazel all is not quite as it seems.

This book made me think an awful lot about the way that we see people.  Mud can stick and if we are told a version of events enough times it must be true, mustn't it?  The waters are soon muddied in this story and it's difficult to know who to believe.  

This was a very cleverly told story as we flitted back and forth from the day of the Murder, to the current missing child, back to Laurels version of events and then to Hazels before the story is sort of tied up together at the end.  I am still non the wiser as to who actually committed the murder but this is the perfect end to the story.

I really enjoyed this book even though the ending left me with lots of unanswered questions about what the future has in store for all of the characters.  With some books I do find this quite irksome but with this one it was quite fulfilling to not really have all the answers and still not know the complete truth about the sisters.

Swallowtail Summer by Erica James

Synopsis

They thought they were friends for life - until one summer, everything changed . . . 

Linston End on the Norfolk Broads has been the holiday home to three families for many years. The memories of their time there are ingrained in their hearts: picnics on the river, gin and tonics in the pavilion at dusk, hours spent seeking out the local swallowtail butterflies. Everyone together.

But widower Alastair has been faced with a few of life's surprises recently. Now, he is about to shock his circle of friends with the decisions he has made - and the changes it will mean for them all. For some, it feels like the end. For others, it might just be the beginning . . .

My Review

I am a big fan of this author so I jumped at the chance of an ARC of this book.

It wasn't what I was fully expected but from page one this book got under my skin. Once I'd started reading I was hooked.  The main character Alistair is in his 60's and I did wonder if maybe this book wouldn't be for me but it most certainly was.

I loved the way that the book portrayed the emotions from all angles. This was full of the twists and turns of family, love and friendship. We had Alistair who had recently lost his wife and left his life behind to go on a new adventure.  Little did his friends know that he would return with a new lady in his life, who of course all his friends hate at first sight. We flip to the younger generation of the circle who in their 30's are all still single but could love be on the cards?

This is a truly unique group of friends, Alistair and late wife Orla, Sorrel and Simon with their grown up children Rachel and Callum and Danny and Frankie with their daughter Jenna.  The group have always, apart from one, spent their summers at Linston End but now with the house going up for sale the whole dynamic of the group is about to change.

The last get together is one that will see secrets being told and hearts being broken.

I am not going to give away any spoilers of this story but Alistair, Danny and Simon have been friends since school and their love lives are more linked then they'd ever imagined when the truth is out this leads to tragic consequences.  With the added mix of Valentina and her two step children this leads to a explosive combination of emotions and the fireworks are set to go off.

Set on the idyllic Norfolk Broads this book hooked me in and left me wanting more.  I love each character and their in depth personality traits that just tied the whole book together.  This was a really heartwarming and enjoyable read.

The Unlucky Ones by Kerry Wilkinson

Synopsis

A man who survived being drowned ends up in Manchester’s canal. Someone who was hit by a car is shoved in front of DC Archie Davey’s patrol vehicle.

Killers generally aren’t a happy bunch but this particular one seems to have a problem with second chances.

Luckily for DI Jessica Daniel, things are looking up. She’s been assigned to work on the most crime-free estate in the city and she’s back living with her best friend.

Things could not be hunky-dorier.

That is unless there’s a sinister reason why the estate is so free of trouble...

My Review

I have read some of the previous books in the Jessica Daniels series and wow book 14 is no disappointment.  It is probably not my favourite to date but it was another fast paced rip roaring read.  I devoured the book in two days and didn't want it to end. I really like this writers style it is so easy to follow and really draws you into the story.

The book is another fast paced thriller of a read.  We meet Jessica as she is leaving the Lees Estate.  An estate in Manchester that has worryingly low crime statistics.  Not even the hint of a stolen push bike has been reported.  This should be good news for the police but the surrounding estates have seen an increase in reported crime.

Bang, we are straight into the action when leaving the estate, DC Archie Davey, her colleague fails to spot a pedestrian and he is flipped over the car and killed.  This is just the start of a number of deaths in the book.  Each victim has already been through a similar accident and survived first time around but the outcome of the second repeat incident always results in death.

The book flips seamlessly from the investigation as to why it is so quiet on the estate to the hunting down of the killer of numerous innocent people.

As always this is not just a police procedural as we slip into Jessica's home life.  The relationship between Jessica and her friend Caroline will change forever when Jessica is faced with an unexpected situation.  I loved this section of the story but don't want to give too much away.

I loved the mix of characters in the book from the old gent Roly, to the mysterious Jefferson Cass to the eccentric Francine.  They really brought the book to life and living on an estate myself I could easily relate these to the people I see on a daily basis.

Although this book is part of a series you can easily read as a standalone.  I can't wait for the next instalment and would definitely recommend if you are a fan of crime fiction and thrillers.

The unlucky ones