I was delighted to be offered the chance to read ‘Merry Mistletoe’ by the author, Emma Davies, via Netgalley. I have seen so many positive comments about Emma’s writing since I started blogging but hadn’t got round to reading any of her work so I was intrigued as to what style I might find.

Freya’s four year relationship with Gareth is breaking down and her life long home is under threat as she can no longer afford to live there following the death of her father, so the only person she can rely on is the enigmatic and itinerant Amos. When neighbours put in a bid to buy her home, Freya’s past is about to catch up with her and her heart is in danger of being broken again.

I really enjoyed this novella. Emma Davies’ writing style is easy and fluent so that the story develops beautifully and is easy to read. She captures a scene very effectively, using the senses evocatively to create a truly Christmassy atmosphere.

Whilst this is a traditional feel good Christmas story, there is also an underlying mystery that is only gradually revealed, adding even more layers of enjoyment. I also liked the way plot devices worked naturally without the awkward contrivance of some women’s fiction so that every action was believable. As the story progressed I really wanted Freya to have a happy ever after ending.

‘Merry Mistletoe’ is a super story to get readers in the mood for a romantic Christmas and I heartily recommend it.

I am indebted to Lydia Gittings at Titan books for providing a copy of Deanna Raybourn’s ‘A Curious Beginning’ in return for an honest review. It was published in paperback on October 2nd 2015.

Having just buried her last remaining relative, her Aunt Nell, Veronica Speedwell returns to the cottage they had shared to find it being ransacked by a villain who attempts to abduct her. Rescued by the mysterious Baron Maximilian von Stauffenbach, Veronica’s adventures begin in England 1887.

I absolutely loved this story. Deanna Raybourne writes sparkling, witty prose that entertains from the first word to the last. There is often great humour amongst the peril, especially in the highly natural dialogue.

The plot races along, twisting and turning along the way, assisted admirably by the lively first person narrative. I thought the way Deanna Raybourne gradually uncovered information about both Veronica and Stoker was masterful. The reader becomes as much involved in the story as they do and it is exciting to find out a little bit more at the same time as the characters.

I loved both Veronica and Stoker. Veronica Speedwell is instantly likeable and realistic, despite not conforming to the stereotypes expected for the Victorian era in which the novel is set. She is a woman any reader would like to meet in real life, being feisty and intelligent and, as Stoker says of her at one point, ‘She is entirely her own woman’. Stoker too is brilliantly portrayed. The story crackles with sexual tension between these two main characters and their sparky repartee is utterly engaging for the reader.

As ‘A Curious Beginning’ is the first in what is to be a new Victorian crime series, I honestly can’t wait to read the next. This story would make a fabulous television drama series. Historically accurate and authentic, ‘A Curious Beginning’ is for readers who like a strong female protagonist, excellently depicted relationships and a strong romp of a book. I thought it was wonderful.

Having met the author, Laurie Ellingham, at a book event, Laurie agreed to provide a guest post for my blog which can be read here. She also kindly provided a copy of her book, ‘The Reluctant Celebrity’, which was published by Austin Macauley on 29th May 2015, in return for an honest review. It is available in both paperback and ebook.

Heartbroken by the actions of her ex-boyfriend, the now famous Guy Rawson, Juliet Stewart reinvents herself as Jules and spends five years avoiding relationships and running away from the past. Unscrupulous media reports mean that her past is about to catch up with her and not necessarily how she wants.

I really enjoyed ‘The Reluctant Celebrity’ – so much so that I found myself thinking about what might happen to the characters when I wasn’t actually reading the book.

I found the writing eloquent, fresh and modern, but with the elements I’d expect of female romance literature so that it is a thoroughly entertaining and absorbing read. The plot speeds along, whilst having sufficient detail to enable the reader to participate fully in events. Once or twice I even had a tear in my eye. There’s a great balance in the third person narrative so that we understand both Jules and Guy’s perspectives brilliantly. The direct speech is so natural that it feels as if real people are talking. That takees real skill.

I loved all the characters from the taciturn Stan to the rather gorgeous Rich in the pub. I’m hoping Laurie Ellingham will write a sequel to ‘The Reluctant Celebrity’ that picks up the lives of some of these characters later.

Whilst being a light and entertaining read, there were some thought provoking elements too; the way the media can twist words and manipulate the unsuspecting, how we judge others without really knowing them and how our choices can affect not just us. These themes provided real substance to the storytelling and contributed to a totally satisfying read.

I’m sure many readers won’t have heard of Laurie Ellingham yet, but I think once they have, they are in for a real treat.

‘Harlot at the Homestead’ is the second book in the Duggans of Montana series by Molly Ann Wishlade published by Totally Bound and I was lucky enough to receive a copy from the author herself in return for an honest review.

I was delighted to read this book as I had previously read the second in the series ‘A Rancher for Rosie’ and thoroughly enjoyed it. You can read my review of that book here. I wanted to know the back story of the Duggans and especially to find out what had happened to Catherine.

Catherine turns up on the Duggan doorstep two years having been allegedly abducted and killed by Red Indians. Her fiance Kenan Duggan is desperate to know the truth of what has happened to her.

I was slightly wary that I might not enjoy this book as much as I had ‘A Rancher for Rosie’, being concerned that the author’s style might have developed for ‘Harlot at the Homestead’ and the first in the series might disappoint or that I might find it too similar. Neither was true.

There is a poetic style to Molly Ann Wishlade’s writing that conjures the sights, smells and sounds of Montana beautifully. The attention to detail paints a vivid picture for the reader and all the senses are catered for. Highly effectively executed metaphors contribute to complex themes of revenge and retribution, love and loyalty as well as the expected sensual elements from erotic fiction. There is a real sense of passion in the story.

Along with a great plot that races along, ‘Harlot at the Homestead’ has authentic social, geographical and historical contexts giving a depth to the reading that surprised me. I also really loved the balance of male and female perspectives so that we get a true understanding of events from both Catherine and Kenan’s point of view.

If, like me, you’re somewhat reluctant to read erotic fiction as insufficiently ‘literary’, I think Molly Ann Wishlade’s The Duggans of Montana might just be the series to make you re-evaluate your views. These stories are well constructed, interesting, entertaining and above all, extremely well written. I’ll be reading book three, ‘Her Montana Cowboy’ just as soon as I can.

I am delighted to bring you the cover release of T A Williams’ latest book ‘What Happens at Christmas‘ in association with Bliss Book Promotions. I’m sure you’ll agree it’s absolutely gorgeous and so evocative of a lovely Christmas read.

Book Information

Title: What Happens at Christmas…

Author: T.A. Williams

Release Date: October 22, 2015

Genres: Chick Lit

Publisher: Carina UK

Summary

For the perfect Christmas…

When career-girl Holly Brice learns that her estranged father has died, she decides to take a trip down memory lane and find out about the man she never knew. Arriving in the sleepy little Dartmoor village, she’s shocked to discover that she’s inherited the cosy little cottage she remembers so fondly, a whole load of money –and her father’s adorable dog, too!

Head to snow-covered Devon!

And as the first snowflakes begin to fall and Holly bumps into her gorgeous neighbour, Jack Nelson, life gets even more complicated! Men have always been off the cards for high-flying Holly, but there’s something about mysterious writer Jack that has her re-thinking her three-date rule…

A fabulous, feel-good festive read, perfect for fans of Debbie Johnson and Carole Matthews.

Author Biography

Firstly, my name isn’t T A. It’s Trevor. I write under the androgynous name T A Williams because 65% of books are read by women. In my first book, “Dirty Minds” one of the (female) characters suggests the imbalance is due to the fact that men spend too much time getting drunk and watching football. I couldn’t possibly comment. Ask my wife…

I’ve written all sorts: thrillers, historical novels, short stories and now I’m enjoying myself hugely writing humour and romance. Romantic comedies are what we all need from time to time. Life isn’t always very fair. It isn’t always a lot of fun, but when it is, we need to embrace it. If my books can put a smile on your face and maybe give your heartstrings a tug, then I know I’ve done my job.

I‘ve lived all over Europe, but now I live in a little village in sleepy Devon, tucked away in south west England. I love the place. That’s why you’ll find leafy lanes and thatched cottages in most of my books. Oh, yes, and a black Labrador.

I’ve been writing since I was 14 and that is half a century ago. However, underneath this bald, wrinkly exterior, there beats the heart of a youngster. My wife is convinced I will never grow up. I hope she’s right.

Social Networking Links

Website: http://www.tawilliamsbooks.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TrevorWilliamsBooks

Twitter: https://twitter.com/TAWilliamsBooks

Goodreads: http://bit.ly/GRTAWilliams

Amazon Author: http://www.amazon.com/T-A-Williams/e/B00FDVNVMA/

‘The Parisian Christmas Bake Off’ by Jenny Oliver was published by Carina in November 2014. It is available in both ebook and paperback.

When primary school teacher Rachel finds her friends have booked her into a baking competition in Paris during the Christmas holidays she is not best pleased. However, with her mother dead, an uncommunicative father and a n’er do well sort of boyfriend, she agrees to give it a try and so begins a competition that might just help her find herself again.

For the first few pages of this book I thought I would find it formulaic and uninspiring. I was wrong. Admittedly, the plot has the elements one would expect, with a couple of love interests, some difficulties and a best friend for telling the protagonist a few home truths, but this predictability is also its strength. Readers of this genre want a book they feel familiar with, that is fun and that fulfills their reading preferences. Jenny Oliver does this brilliantly. We want snow and romance at Christmas and reading this book with its Parisian setting is what we get.

‘The Parisian Christmas Bake Off’ is a lovely story. As the time frame for the setting is tight, there is excellent pace so the story zips along. Jenny Oliver uses the senses so well when she writes that I could see, smell, taste, touch and hear Christmas. The descriptions are so vivid I found myself incredibly hungry reading about all the baking and I actually felt quite Christmassy reading it in blazing sunshine in September.

The characters all felt like real people and I thoroughly appreciated the way in which a range of individuals was presented. Of course, I preferred Philippe to Ben and I wanted Marcel to get his comeuppance! The full range of emotions is present from petty jealousies to hope and love so that readers can identify with what happens all the more easily.

If you like watching The Great British Bake Off on television, you’ll adore Jenny Oliver’s ‘The Parisian Christmas Bake Off’. I know I did.

I was delighted to receive an unsolicited copy of Marco Missiroli’s novel ‘The Sense of an Elephant’ from Katie Green at Macmillan. Translated from the Italian by Stephen Twilley, it was published in paperback by Picador on 10th September 2015.

Ex-priest Pietro moves to Milan to become the concierge in an apartment block where he encounters an eclectic and interdependent range of inhabitants, each with their own secrets and lies.

It took me a while to attune to the rhythm of this fascinating novel, because it is often veiled with secrecy in the writing as well as in the characters. This becomes the strength and fascination of reading ‘The Sense of an Elephant’. Just when I thought I had the measure of the narrative, an extra event, phrase or piece of dialogue gave me a jolt and revealed another layer of truth. I actually found myself exclaiming aloud at times when a further secret was uncovered. The iterative image of elephants – and especially to ‘take care of the herd without regard to kinship’ – becomes clearer as the story progresses and does so in a natural and subtle manner.

Pietro’s memories are gradually revealed, intriguing the reader with links made between the present and the past until the final, surprising and satisfying conclusion. A lot of the story is told by inference, by what isn’t written in this pared down prose and I loved the way direct speech usually didn’t have the label of ‘said’ to qualify it so that it felt like natural conversation.

There are dark themes at the centre of ‘The Sense of an Elephant’. The line between humanity and murder is blurred and readers will find themselves questioning their own perceptions and prejudices. That said, this is not a depressing book, but one which deserves careful reading and consideration. I also thought it interesting how men were so frequently referred to by profession, suggesting we never really get to understand the real person.

This is a book about lost faith, death and humanity and how we build our lives. I loved the concept that ‘All you need to survive is one decent memory’ and after wondering if I would enjoy the read at the beginning I found it ultimately poignant, emotional and moving. I am now convinced that everyone needs a little tap dancing in their past.

I thoroughly recommend ‘The Sense of an Elephant’ as a thought provoking and intelligent read.

I am incredibly grateful to Matthew at Urbane Publications for a copy of Tess Rosa Ruiz’s ‘Freefall Into Us’ in return for an honest review. It was published on September 1st 2015.

I normally begin a blog post by setting the opening scene of a book but it is impossible to do so with ‘Feefall Into Us’ as it is a collection of poems and short stories that defy categorisation. The book actually opens with a drawing of a naked woman with a Picasso type face. The more I read, the more appropriate this image became. There is utter honesty in the writing in the same way a naked body can’t hide its secrets under clothes. Whilst the features are present on the face, they are fragmented in the same way life as it is described in ‘Freefall Into Us’ is also broken and shattered.

I was stunned by this book. The poetry is so simply written but is raw with emotion.That violent anger a loved one might feel as another dies from cancer, for example, thrums on the page. Not a word is wasted and not a word misses a beat in these incredible pieces. When you read the book, look out for the repetition of ‘Maybe’ in Put On Charlie Parker for example.

From the opening story the reader is aware that Tess Rosa Ruiz is no ordinary writer as the character Ruby describes her father at her own funeral. I intended to dip in to this book over several days, but wasn’t able to leave it alone, so strong is the emotional pull of the writing.

Tess Rosa Ruiz uses expletives liberally and usually I find this irritating with authors deliberately trying to shock. I did not feel this with these stories and poems. I simply understood the depth of feeling and the honesty of portrayal the writer provides.

Whilst some might feel offended by the strong language and the difficult themes of relationships, love, lust, prostitution, sexuality and death, I would defy any reader not to find an emotion or situation with which they can identify completely. Tess Rosa Ruiz knows exactly what it is to be human and to love and she know how to show the reader that humanity too. This is perfect writing.

My very great thanks to Janne at Black and White Publishing for providing an advanced reader copy of Tony Black’s ‘A Taste of Ashes’ in return for an honest review. It is published on 24th September 2015 in ebook and paperback.

Although ‘A Taste of Ashes’ is the second in the DI Bob Valentine books after ‘Artefacts of the Dead’, it stands alone as perfectly well and not having read the first did nothing to diminish my enjoyment of this fantastic crime thriller.

Returning to work after almost losing his life in a previous case, DI Bob Valentine is struggling to balance work and family as a local murder in Ayr and missing school girl are just the start of events that overtake his every hour.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, because the plot was entirely believable even where there are almost supernatural elements involved as Bob Valentine’s mental state is tested as much as his physical health whilst he strives to solve the case.

Bob Valentine’s character is really well rounded and easy to empathise with. Tony Black manages this highly skilfully without padding out the story by constant reference to Bob’s home life. There is just enough detail to enable the reader to understand fully how Bob Valentine is as he is. Perfect writing.

The story opens in dramatic style and maintains its pace throughout with none of the contrived elements I sometimes find in this genre. The narrative races along and keeps breathless reader interest. The twists and turns, with frequent jolts and bombshells, make for a truly thrilling read. I was kept guessing throughout.

Alongside what is a great read are universal themes of modern society with which we can all identify. Corruption, decaying towns, violence and budget cuts are a convincing background to ‘A Taste of Ashes’ and add layers of interest to an already absorbing story.

I didn’t know Tony Black’s writing before reading this book, but I am an immediate fan and thoroughly recommend ‘A Taste of Ashes’.

My grateful thanks to Katie Green at Pan MacMillan for a copy of Vanessa Diffenbaugh’s ‘We Never Asked For Wings’ in exchange for an honest review. It was published in hardback by Mantle on 10th September 2015.

Having had two children, but with no partner, Letty has always shied away from parenthood, relying on her mother Maria Elena to bring up 15 year old Alex and 6 year old Luna. Instead, Letty has created an unsatisfactory lifestyle of no-hope jobs, irresponsibility and alcohol so that when her parents return to Mexico she is suddenly faced with parenting after all.

A couple of elements initially reduced my engagement with the writing and I didn’t think I was going to finish reading the story. I found it hard to accept that, at 33, Letty couldn’t do the most basic household chores such as getting a simple meal. I’m also not keen on children and found Luna irritating. However, I think this says something about the excellent quality of the writing that Luna is as annoying to the reader as she is Letty!

I found that ‘We Never Asked For Wings’ appealed to me increasingly the more I read and as the characters developed and they became more three dimensional. It wasn’t long before I was totally engaged with the story and desperate for life to treat all the characters better. I ended up thoroughly enjoying it and actually quite moved by the outcomes. I think, as an ex-teacher, it was the life chances that are so shaped by the vagaries of education that Vanessa Diffenbaugh explores so well that hooked me. I found I wanted to rail against the unfairness of some people’s lives.

‘We Never Asked For Wings’ is a really interesting read, dealing as it does with some highly complex themes such as family, parenthood, belonging, identity and immigration. Many of the characters are striving to deal with their own identity – not least Alex who is at an age when knowing who his father is has deep emotional significance, and Letty who finally has to learn to be a parent.

I think ‘We Never Asked For Wings’ is a novel that takes a while to engage, but when it does, it does so completely.