Category Archives: Book Review

Review of Helen Christmas’ Visions

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Visions by Helen J. Christmas

The Blurb

Visions is a psychological thriller mystery set in rural England. The year is 1985. It’s been 12 years since Eleanor escaped London, discarding the fragments of her tragic past to discover a new life. She is hiding in a remote country village, a place where she truly believes she will be safe.

Her neighbour, James Barton-Wells is desperate to save his beautiful historic country house from ruin; but this has attracted the attention of a wealthy property developer from London whose seemingly altruistic offer to bankroll the restoration masks a sinister game plan. Jarred by suspicion, Eleanor consults her friend, Charles Bailey. Charlie has his own story – fearful that Perry Hampton is the man who undoubtedly ruined his future.

Against all odds, the characters are drawn together in a battle to save Westbourne House, oblivious to the menace that surrounds them. Yet it is not until Eleanor comes face to face with a deadly adversary, she finally understands the dangers that threatens those she loves.

Can Eleanor unravel the clues that conceal an evil crime from the 70s? This book will draw you into a world of suspense with shocking psychological twists you will never see coming…

Visions is book 2 of the ‘Same Face Different Place’ series. 

Genre: Thriller / Suspense / Psychological
Publisher: Chichester Publishing

Guest review by Amelia Thomas:

Visions’ is part two of the series, ‘Same Face Different Place’. I had enjoyed the first in the series, Beginnings that was set in the 1970s, and so I was looking forward to this, and discovering what happened next to Eleanor.

Time had moved on to the 1980s. It took me a while to get into the story once more as I got to grips with the time shift and how Eleanor had moved forward with her son, Elijah.

While some of the story is slower and more descriptive, it still had dramatic elements that gripped me and made me read on. The ending particularly picks up pace. With scenes of sex, crime, violence, and assault the novel can be graphic at times, but this is in the context of the action of the gangland criminals, of the time. I enjoyed the historical aspect of this novel and the references to the decade, which Helen Christmas adds in through the action of the story.

Click to buy the book.

Same Face Different Place, the series: Beginnings | Visions | Pleasures | Retribution Phase One | Retribution End Game (See my review of Beginnings here.)

About the author:

Helen J. Christmas lives on the south coast of Sussex with her husband. With a love of writing since childhood, she started her decade spanning thriller series Same Face Different Place in 2011. Her first book Beginnings, set in 1970s London, combines romantic suspense with a hard-hitting conspiracy thriller. Writing is something she juggles around family and social life.

Helen is self employed and enjoys running the web design company, she and her husband set up from home. They have no children but enjoy the company of a faithful border collie and a fluffy white cat. Helen confesses to have got most of her ideas for writing, whilst walking Barney along the beach.

Discover more about Helen J. Christmas and the Same Face Different Place Series here: website | blog | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Instagram

Helen is also a member of the Chindi Authors group known for celebrating and helping independent authors.

Thank you, Helen!

Amelia’s review has been added to Amazon Uk x

An interview with Caroline James.

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Today, I am delighted to welcome fellow Ruby Fiction author Caroline James.

Thank you for agreeing to join me on my blog Caroline and for answering my questions, aimed at discovering more about you and your novel, The Best Boomerville Hotel.

An absolute pleasure and many congratulations on the publication of your fabulous book, The Purrfect Pet Sitter, I loved it!

That’s very kind of you, and I am so pleased you enjoyed it. Congratulations to you too on recently getting your ‘Best Seller’ badge for the Best Boomerville Hotel. For those who haven’t yet encountered your fabulous novel, give us your elevator pitch:

Thank you for the lovely compliment. I’m not good at elevator pitches – my elevator always heads the wrong way. But here it is:

Let the shenanigans begin at the Boomerville hotel …

Jo Docherty and Hattie Contaldo have a vision – a holiday retreat in the heart of the Lake District exclusively for guests of ‘a certain age’ wishing to stimulate both mind and body with new creative experiences. One hotel refurbishment later and the Best Boomerville Hotel is open for business!With an array of colourful guests there’s bound to be laughs aplenty, but could there be tears and heartbreak too and will the residents get more than they bargained for at Boomerville?

Your characters are all a touch eccentric, can I cheekily ask which you most identify with, and why?

People who know me say I am a ‘Jo’ – the owner of the hotel who likes to people please and make everyone happy. But I think there is a touch of ‘Hattie’ in me too. She is the hotel manager, larger than life and extremely naughty.

The Boomerville Hotel encourages its residents to be open-minded and try new things. What three things have you tried in life that you would recommend to others?

Trekking the Inca Trail for days then climbing, exhausted, on my knees up a steep incline to the Dawn Gate to watch the sun rise over the hidden city of Machu Pichu. Magical, spiritual and quite simply amazing.

Zip-wiring across a damn in China. Seriously dangerous, as the harness appeared to consist of a leather belt belonging to the elderly Chinese gentleman who hooked me onto the wire. A once-in-a-lifetime thrill – the thrill being that I was still alive and breathing as I hurtled head first into the water at the other end.

Sushi. I always hated it until I was taken to a lovely restaurant in Barbados, to a table by the water’s edge and as the Caribbean Sea rolled over soft white sands the chef made the most delicious platter of fresh seafood sushi and I was completely and totally hooked. Like a love story in my mouth.

I adored Bunty, and know she was based on your own dog. Tell us a little about her:

Many years ago, a partner gave me a chocolate brown Labrador puppy called Meg. He disappeared not long after, proving the point that a partner is not for life nor just for Christmas. But Meg became my new love and we were inseparable. I decided to breed her and eight gorgeous puppies arrived. Meg was a terrible mother and I had a real job on my hands. As the puppies were rehomed there was one who stayed glued to my side. Bunty was the naughtiest of the bunch and always causing mischief. I fell head over heels for Bunty and she stayed with me and Meg. Thirteen years on, two years after we lost Meg, we said our final goodbyes and I vowed I’d never have a dog again. It was just too painful.

Adorable Bunty!

Cumbria makes a beautiful setting, was there a reason for choosing it as the home for the Boomerville Hotel and as a foodie, have you visited L’Enclume?

I used to own a country house hotel in Cumbria and this was the setting for my fictional hotel, Boomerville. I loved that hotel and spent some of the happiest years of my life there. Writing about it is easy, stories soon come. A hotel is a revolving door and there are always multiple scenarios that trigger the imagination. L’Enclume is a lovely restaurant and I have been fortunate to dine there. Such a talented chef and imaginative food.

I saw on your recent blog post that you are working on a sequel – how exciting! Was Boomerville always going to be part of a series and what can we expect from the next instalment?

I am very fortunate to have received some cracking reviews for The Best Boomerville Hotel and readers who contact me say they want more of the same. I am currently writing another ‘Boomerville’ and this time we travel to Southern Ireland where Jo has bought a new property to create an Irish Boomerville. Expect lots of Irish craic and shenanigans as the guests get on board. I never intended this to be a series but if something works, why change it?

Five for fun:

1) Tea or coffee? Coffee, strong and black.
2) Cinema or theatre? Theatre, I love a live show.
3) Paperback or Ereader? Ereader – I like reading in bed with all the lights out.
4) High heels or pumps? High heels, Carol, we girls must strut our stuff!
5) Starter or desert? Tricky, I’ve changed my eating habits drastically in the last six months and after a lifetime of sugar addiction now astonish myself by saying, ‘Starter please’.

I recently had the pleasure of reading The Best Boomerville Hotel; here is my review:

Light, easy reading with likeable characters, and laughs along the way!

Set in the beautiful countryside of Cumbria, the newly refurbished Best Boomerville Hotel is the ideal location for this eccentric cast of fifty-somethings looking to revitalise their lives. And with courses ranging from life drawing to sessions with the Shaman, there is never a dull moment.

It took me a few chapters to get to know the characters, but as their individual (and often quirky) personalities became established I had no problem distinguishing who was who. I loved Hattie, who was a formidable woman with a big heart and a close eye on the action at the hotel. She certainly added to the fun and provided many laugh out loud moments. Bunty was an absolute bonus, I have a soft spot for chocolate Labradors, and she sounded Labradorable (pardon the pun)!

By the end of the novel, the characters felt like old friends, and I was willing them towards their happy-ever-after. The Best Boomerville Hotel is a story of friendship, drama, love and laughter, it was my first Caroline James read, but it won’t be my last.

Links to buy The Best Boomerville Hotel: Kobo | Ibooks/Google | Itunes | Amazon

About the author:

Caroline James has owned and run businesses encompassing all aspects of the hospitality industry, a subject that features in her novels. She is based in the UK but has a great fondness for travel and escapes whenever she can. A public speaker, consultant and food writer, Caroline is a member of the Romantic Novelist’s Association and writes articles and short stories and contributes to many publications. In her spare time, Caroline can be found trekking up a mountain or relaxing with her head in a book and hand in a box of chocolates.

Find out more about Caroline James and her novels here: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Blog

Thank you so much for joining me, Caroline. I loved reading your answers and hearing about the amazing adventures you’ve had. Your words about Bunty were very moving, and reminded me of my gorgeous boy, Benson. Your sequel sounds like lots of fun, I look forward to reading it.

My reviews are posted on Amazon and Goodreads x

 

Review of Sarah Morgan’s Summer Kisses

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Summer Kisses by Sarah Morgan

The Blurb:

This summer the sun has gone to everyone’s heads…

Flora and Jenna should be working busy shifts but something more fun has come up! Two new arrivals have blown into Glenmore and life at the hospital could get tricky. So it’s time to set some rules.

Flora’s summer is simple: Avoid kissing Conner MacNeil. (He may be gorgeous, back in town and single… but he snogged everyone except you at school, remember?!)

Jenna’s summer ‘Why I shouldn’t fall in love with Dr Ryan McKinley’ list is a little more complex…

I’ve been divorced less than a year?
I’m ordinary and he is a sex god?
I have my daughter to think of?
He might break my heart…

It’s so difficult to be good with temptation on the doorstep. But rules are rules. Summer is sunshine. And, just maybe, a wish is a kiss that might just come true!

Includes: The Rebel Doctor’s Bride and Dare She Date the Dreamy Doc?

Genre: Contemporary Romance
Publisher: Mills & Boon

My review:

Light, easy reading with likeable characters. I always enjoy Sarah Morgan’s books and while I must admit I hadn’t realised this was two stories in one book before I read it, I enjoyed the brief bit of escapism each offered. Both set on the island of Glenmore and each based on doctors working at the same practice, the stories occur a couple of years apart. The island of Glenmore reminded me of other lovely Sarah Morgan settings where she introduces you to an idyllic community inhabited by people who all know each others’ business and readily rally around looking out for each other. With this one, however, there were a few more dramas and casualties so that the lovely doctors of Glenmore could come into their own. And why not being as they did it so very well. Each made a wonderful hero offering plenty of swoon appeal and the perfect match for their female counterparts. The stories were different enough to make each interesting and the second included a Labrador which is always a plus for me! Two lovely Sarah Morgan reads with the all-important happy ever after moments – ideal for a holiday read.

Click to buy the book.

About the author:

 

USA Today bestselling author Sarah Morgan writes hot, happy contemporary romance. Her trademark humour and sensuality have gained her fans across the globe and two RITA® Awards from the Romance Writers of America. Sarah lives near London with her family.

Discover more about Sarah Morgan here: website | Twitter

Review of Helen J. Christmas’ Beginnings

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Beginnings by Helen J. Christmas

The Blurb

Beginnings is a romantic thriller set in the criminal underworld of 1970s London. Eleanor Chapman is 16. She has no idea her father is employed in a world of organised crime until the day he is forced to go on the run, leaving her at the mercy of dangerous people.

Her life is spiralling out of control yet on the night she plans to escape, she stumbles across a mysterious prisoner. His name is Jake, a rock musician from Holland and he has a contract on his life.

Their daring escape across London eventually draws them into a place of hiding before Jake’s chilling story begins to unfold. He was the one vital witness to a sinister scene leading up to the death of a British MP and now those responsible want him silenced. As two young people, thrown together by fate they develop intense feelings for each other. It does not take long for Eleanor to realise that she will do anything possible to keep Jake alive.

Their tender love bond keeps you turning the pages as they live on a knife edge, desperate to escape London. Will they outrun the deadly enemies who stalk them? Or are the people at the top more powerful than they think?

Beginnings: Book 1 of the series “Same Face Different Place” a romantic British thriller through the decades.

Genre: Thriller / Romantic Thriller / YA

Publisher: Chichester Publishing

My review:

As you may have noticed, I generally read contemporary romances and romantic comedies so this romantic thriller was a departure from the norm for me and I have to say I really enjoyed it. The story was edgy, at times shocking, gave an intriguing insight into the criminal underworld of London in the 1970s and yet remained a romantic tale of two people desperate to survive their circumstances and be together.

All characters are portrayed well giving clear mental images of what each is like as the story unfolds like a film displayed before you; I willed Eleanor and Jake, the main characters, to find their escape and I recoiled from the particularly nasty villain Theakston (who by the end of the book becomes more complex than he first appears). And I liked the fact that amongst all the drama Eleanor finds support from characters whose warmth and kindness are evident.

The end of the book, for me, felt like a pause in the action, there is a shift in direction, mood and atmosphere, opposed to closure, which left me temporarily content with where the main characters were at, but wanting to know more. This must surely be the mark of a good opening novel to a series. I look forward to reading Visions, the next story in the Same Face Different Place series!

YA guest review by Amelia Thomas:

Beginnings was full of action and insight into a world I previously knew little about. I was interested to learn more about the gangs and violence in London during the 1970s – it was intriguing and at times horrifying. Theakston, the criminal, was a well written nasty character, with horrible ideas about how to hurt or murder people.

I was interested to see how, like today, newspapers could report incidents one way while the “reality” was more dramatic and far reaching. I liked Eleanor and Jake, the main characters. Eleanor, particularly, was strong and determined, I hope she continues to be as the series continues.

Click to buy the book.

About the author:

Helen J. Christmas lives on the south coast of England with her husband. She has a passion for gripping stories with strong characters. With a love of writing since childhood, she started her own series of books ‘Same Face Different Place’. Her first book ‘Beginnings’ is set in the 1970s: a London thriller entwined with romantic suspense. Helen finished her 2nd book, ‘Visions,’ in 2013: a 1980s psychological thriller set in the counties of London and Kent. Her 3rd book, ‘Pleasures’ was published in 2015 and new for 2017 comes the final instalment ‘Retribution’ in 2 parts.

Writing is something she juggles around her family and social life as well as running a web design company, she and her husband set up from home.

Discover more about Helen J. Christmas and the Same Face Different Place Series here: website | blog | Facebook | Twitter

Helen J. Christmas is also a member of the Chindi Authors group known for celebrating and helping independent authors.

Thank you for the great read Helen!

My reviews are added to Amazon UK and Goodreads x

Review of Lucy-Anne Holmes’ Unlike a Virgin

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Unlike a Virgin by Lucy-Anne Holmes

The Blurb

Is Gracie in love for the very first time?

You know that bit in The X Factor, when the singer tells everyone about the rocky road they travelled to pursue their dream? Well, that’s Gracie Flowers’ story.

Gracie is very focused for a woman of almost twenty-six. Her favourite book is ‘The 5-Year Plan: Making the Most of Your Life’. And her five-year plan is going very well. That is, until she is usurped from her big promotion by a handsome, posh idiot; she is dumped by her boyfriend; and discovers her loopy mother is facing bankruptcy.

Hormones awry and ice cream over-ordered, a dream Gracie thought she’d buried ten years ago starts to resurface. A dream that reminds her of the girl she used to be and everything she wanted to become.

Genre: Contemporary

Publisher: Sphere, Digital original edition (2011)

My review:

I don’t often read books written in the first person as I find them harder to get into, however, this was an exception. I really enjoyed it, and read it in just over a day. I liked Gracie Flowers (her full name gets mentioned a lot) and the lovely relationship she had with her dad and music. Her character is interesting and quirky, and the banter she shares with others (her friend Wendy, Bob the builder, and posh boy John) is great at reflecting the different relationships she shares with them. The story frequently made me smile, and I had to stop myself from crying as I read one part while sitting in a cafe! The supporting characters are likeable, and the story moves along at a good pace with you willing more than just the main characters towards their happy ever after moment. The ending has a lovely romcom montage feel. It is overall, a good fun, quick read.

Click to buy the book.

About the author:

Lucy-Anne Holmes is a writer, actress and campaigner living in Sussex. She is the author of three novels – 50 Ways to Find a Lover, The (Im)perfect Girlfriend (both of which I have also read and enjoyed) and Unlike a Virgin. Lucy is also the founder of the No More Page 3 campaign.

To find out more about Lucy follow her on Twitter.

 

 

My reviews are added to Amazon UK and Goodreads x