My enormous thanks to Karen at Orenda for a surprise copy of Dangerous by Essie Fox. Having so loved Essie Fox’s The Fascination, reviewed here I was thrilled to receive it. It’s my pleasure to share my review of Dangerous today. 

Dangerous was published by Orenda on 24th April 2025 and is available for purchase here. 

Dangerous

Fiction can be fatal…

 Living in exile in Venice, the disgraced Lord Byron revels in the freedoms of the city.

 SCANDAL

But when he is associated with the deaths of local women, found with wounds to their throats, and then a novel called The Vampyre is published under his name, rumours begin to spread that Byron may be the murderer…

MURDER

As events escalate and tensions rise – and his own life is endangered, as well as those he holds most dear – Byron is forced to play detective, to discover who is really behind these heinous crimes. Meanwhile, the scandals of his own infamous past come back to haunt him…

MYSTERY

Rich in gothic atmosphere and drawing on real events and characters from Byron’s life, Dangerous is a riveting, dazzling historical thriller, as decadent, dark and seductive as the poet himself…

My Review of Dangerous

The poet Byron finds himself accused of murder.

Dangerous is not a novel. It’s a complete work of art written by an author at the top of their game. I loved it. 

With both real and created characters, I can’t begin to imagine the time and effort that has gone into researching Dangerous. As well as being thoroughly entertained by the story, I discovered so much about which I had previously been ignorant so that this is a story that takes the reader back in time on a journey just as vividly as any time machine might manage .  

Of course Byron is the star. He is depicted as a multi-faceted, complex man who feels as dynamic and charismatic on paper as he obviously was alive. The aspects of the novel in the first person – letters, diary entries – give a fascinating insight into his personality. I found Essie Fox’s Byron completely mesmerising. Arrogant, a flawed womaniser, careless with the needs of others such as his sexual partners and his daughters, he is also shown to be vulnerable, sensitive and deserving of pity as well as admiration. With the narrative structure bookended by Reverend Barber, I confess I finished Dangerous shedding a brief tear over Byron. 

Byron aside, however, all the minor characters feel just as convincing. The reader will, of course, recognise some names, but fabricated others are woven in so skilfully that it’s impossible to separate fact and fiction. They all add depth and richness to the historical setting to this wonderful tapestry of a book. 

Speaking of setting, Dangerous is a sublime feast for the senses. Venice is a pulsating, living creature. The miasmas, the filth, the grandeur – think of any aspect of Venice and Essie Fox has illustrated it to perfection. There’s an opulence to the writing in a style that fits the era and yet it is completely accessible. I thought this was incredibly skilful writing.

The plot is so clever. With smatterings from Byron’s poetry framing the fast paced chapters, in Dangerous there is intrigue and drama so that I found myself swept up in the story.

If you are looking for beautifully wrought literary fiction, read Dangerous. Read Dangerous too if you love historical fiction, or gothic fiction, or murder mysteries or if you want to travel vicariously. If you want to be steeped in a sense of time and place through meticulous research and imaginative storytelling, Dangerous is equally the book for you. I thought it was astonishingly good and simply not to be missed. 

About Essie Fox

Essie Fox was raised in Herefordshire, on the borders of Wales. After studying English Literature at Sheffield University she worked in magazine and book publishing, before developing a career in commercial illustration. 

Always an avid reader, Essie now writes gothic novels. Her debut, The Somnambulist, was shortlisted for the 2012 National Book Awards, and featured on Channel 4’s TV Book Club. This was followed by Elijah’s Mermaid, and then The Goddess and the Thief. The Last Days of Leda Grey was selected as The Times Historical Book of the Month. The Fascination became an instant Sunday Times bestseller.

Just published in April 2025 is Dangerous – a dark mystery set in Venice and based on the life of Lord Byron. 

Essie has been a guest on UK radio stations, including Woman’s Hour. She has lectured at the Victoria & Albert Museum, and the National Gallery in London, as well as appearing at many literary festivals and events.

For further information, find Essie on Instagram and Facebook or visit her website and follow her on Bluesky and Twitter/X @essiefox.

My grateful thanks to Elizabeth Allen at Orion for sending me a surprise copy of Breasts: A Relatively Brief Relationship by Jean Hannah Edelstein. It’s my pleasure to share my review of Breasts today.

Breasts: A Relatively Brief Relationship was published by Orion imprint Phoenix on 3rd April 2025 and is available for purchase here. 

Breasts A Relatively Brief Relationship

In this short, striking memoir, Jean Hannah Edelstein charts the course of her unexpectedly brief relationship with breasts.

As she comes of age, she learns that breasts are a source of both shame and power. In early motherhood, she sees her breasts transform into a source of sustenance and a locus of pain. And then, all too soon, she is faced with a diagnosis and forced to confront what it means to lose and rebuild an essential part of yourself.

Funny and moving, elegant and furious and full of heart, Breasts is an original and indispensable read. It is both an intimate account of one woman’s relationship with her own body and a universally relatable story for anyone who has ever had – or lost – breasts.

My Review of Breasts: A Relatively Brief Relationship

The story of one woman’s relationship with her breasts.

Let’s me be clear, I am not a mother, nor have I ever wanted to be and I’m not a great lover of memoir so a book that is a memoir with a third of its text related to breastfeeding was a book I was not expecting to engage with. It isn’t possible to stress how wrong I was. Breasts is a magnificent volume that ought to be compulsory reading for everyone. I thought it was astonishingly good.

I loved the structure and tone of Jean Hannah Edelstein’s writing. The three sections felt part of the dramatic tradition of a three act play and the build up to the author’s diagnosis of cancer follows that traditional narrative arc perfectly. But this isn’t fiction. It’s one woman’s experience of life in relation to her breasts told with honesty, humour, self-deprecating awareness and in a style that is accessible and gripping. I read this slim volume in one sitting because it held my attention so completely. The prose is sparse and yet all encompassing. The simple repetition of a phrase or a rhetorical question conveys profound meaning. This is a masterclass of understated writing and deeply affecting to read.

With the author’s first person voice ringing through the text it feels as if the reader is listening to a very dear friend relating aspects of their life. Jean Hannah Edelstein comes across as a kind of Everywoman. She represents compliance and subversion, rage and acceptance, fear and bravery. I thought not only was Breasts fantastic, but the author probably is too.

Reading Breasts ensures the reader contemplates just what is important in life, illustrating how a slight change of interpretation can completely invert how we might feel. It made me rage for the sexism and misogyny some women have encountered. It educated me about motherhood. It made me laugh and it made me shed a tear. Above all, it captivated me completely. Breasts is a book that, through one woman’s perspective, shines a light on the whole of society and our expectations in the western world.

It feels a privilege to have read Breasts and I’d urge anyone to read it. It’s fantastic.

About Jean Hannah Edelstein

Jean Hannah Edelstein is a British-American writer. Her memoir This Really Isn’t About You was published by Picador in 2018. Her journalism has been published in numerous UK and US outlets, including the Guardian, Elle and New York Magazine. 

For further information, visit Jean’s website or find Jean on Instagram and Bluesky. 

My enormous thanks to Sophie Ransom for sending me a copy of the thriller Sun Trap by Rachel Wolf. I’m delighted to share my review of Sun Trap today.

It’s a while since I read Rachel’s fantastic The Fall under her other persona of Rachel Blok which I reviewed here. 

Sun Trap was published by Bloomsbury imprint Head of Zeus on 8th May 2025 and is available for purchase through the publisher links here.

Sun Trap

BE CAREFUL

Ellie has wanted to be an actor since she was a child so, when a role in a blockbuster film presents itself, she grabs it.

WHAT YOU

On the plane to Abu Dhabi to begin filming, Ellie overhears something she shouldn’t – two people discussing plans for murder.

WISH FOR

Unsure if it’s a misunderstanding, and not wanting to ruin her big break, Ellie remains quiet. Then ten members of the cast become nine…

Ellie needs to be careful – it’s more than just her career on the line.

Because she isn’t who she says she is.

And liars are always the prime suspect.

My Review of Sun Trap

Ellie is chasing her big break.

Crikey! Sun Trap is one heck of a thrilling read. Yes, you’ll need willingly to suspend your disbelief as there is so much packed into the story, but I suggest you do so that you can enjoy this brilliant narrative as much as I did. I gulped it down in a couple of days because I found it so exciting and entertaining. 

Firstly, there’s a real sense of place in both New York and the luxury hotel in Abu Dhabi that transports the reader right into the settings. As a result of reading Sun Trap I can’t decide if I’m desperate to visit Abu Dhabi or determined to stay as far away as possible. The heat, the sand, the hotel ambience all feel perfectly drawn.

The plot is breathtakingly fast paced and there was a moment when I genuinely exclaimed ‘What?’ because I had been so taken in by the story. Its episodic nature means that it is impossible not to want to read on and I think it would make a fantastic television series or action film. 

The characters are exactly what we might expect from over-privileged famous actors, but that belies the complexity of inter-relationships between them and their fascinating hopes, fears, ambitions and desires. These are flawed, often equally repugnant and appealing, people that make the reader desperate to find out who is genuine, who’s a threat and what personal demons are driving them on. I had no idea what would happen next and who might do what – and to whom! 

Of course it is Ellie we learn about most, and what I found so intriguing is that, even at her most dislikeable, she is compelling and appealing. I didn’t always approve of what she did, but it didn’t stop me wanting her to succeed. That’s very clever writing.

With its modern day Christiesque locked room (or resort) feel and being packed with intrigue, twists and turns, I thought Sun Trap was terrific. I could not have been more entertained or have enjoyed it more. It’s definitely a book to take on holiday – but perhaps not to Abu Dhabi! 

About Rachel Wolf 

Rachel Wolf grew up in the North of England and studied at Durham University. Before turning to writing, she worked for a holiday company and travelled widely. Her thrillers take inspiration from some of those travels.

For further information, follow Rachel on Twitter/X @RachelWolfWritr, and Instagram and Bluesky.

My enormous thanks to Georgia Hester at Harper Collins for sending me a surprise copy of Only in New York by Melissa Hill. It’s my pleasure to share my review today. 

Only in New York is published by HQ on 22nd May 2025 and is available for pre-order through the publisher links here. 

Only in New York

LA Publicist Hannah is ready to put her broken heart behind her and start afresh. So when a celebrity client offers to lend her a luxury penthouse apartment in New York City, Hannah jumps at the chance.

But it turns out that balancing a new job and new neighbours is harder than Hannah imagined. With a troublesome – yet undeniably attractive – client making headlines for all the wrong reasons, and the secretive curmudgeon next door seemingly on a mission to get her out, Hannah has her hands full.

It’s going to take all her best PR tricks to win over each of these cynics. But it isn’t only their walls that begin breaking down. And as Hannah starts to open her own heart to all the possibilities the city has to offer, a chance at love might be closer than she thinks.

This is New York, after all.

My Review of Only in New York

Leaving a broken relationship behind, publicist Hannah is making a fresh start in New York.

Only in New York is a smashing read, just right for packing in your suitcase and I thoroughly enjoyed it. It’s romantic, pacy, witty and engrossing.

Of course Only in New York has romance as one of its themes, and throughout I was desperate for Hannah and her new client Wildcat Ward McKenzie to fall in love, but what Melissa Hill illustrates with such aplomb is that love is not a straightforward emotion and external events and pressures can impinge and affect it. I thought the balance of Hannah and Ward’s roles in this theme was sheer perfection, especially as we get to know them so intimately and possibly better than they know themselves. It’s rare in romantic fiction to get such an insight into both male and female roles. 

The plot is brilliant. It speeds along, and I thought the way the reader has insight into the identity of P-1 (read the book) whereas Hannah does not, gave an added frisson of enjoyment and engagement. 

But as well as being an enormously satisfying enemies to lovers narrative, Only in New York has other really interesting elements too. I found the insight into the world of public relations fascinating as Hannah attempts to rehabilitate Ward into both his ice hockey team and public opinion. The pressures of high powered jobs, being in the public eye and of the challenges faced by elite sports people are integral to the story and thoroughly engaging.

The New York setting is just perfect. Whilst the city doesn’t over dominate, there is an authentic sense of place that means the reader can experience some of it without leaving home. Equally important is the way Hannah makes assumptions about the person living in the apartment next door to her. Melissa Hill shows we shouldn’t judge others and that we never really know quite what is happening behind someone else’s front door. 

Although Hannah does jump to conclusions and can be quick tempered, I thought these flaws in her personality made her incredibly realistic, so that the story feels as if it is about a real person even though her job in public relations for the rich and famous is beyond the experience of many readers.  

I so enjoyed Only in New York. It felt like the perfect summer read, being completely absorbing. It’s packed with believable people despite their celebrity status. It’s entertaining, romantic and engaging. What could be better than that? I suggest you escape to New York with Hannah immediately…

About Melissa Hill

USA Today and Irish Times #1 bestselling author living in Wicklow, Ireland. Her contemporary novels of family, friendship and romance are published worldwide and translated into twenty-six languages. A Hollywood adaptation of her international bestseller Something From Tiffany’s, produced by Reese Witherspoon’s Hello Sunshine in association with Amazon Studios, is streaming now on Prime Video.

Adaptations of A Gift To Remember and The Charm Bracelet were also brought to screen by Crown Media Productions USA, with multiple other film/TV projects based on her work currently in development.

Melissa’s brand new novel Only in New York is coming soon!

For further information about Melissa, visit her website or find her on Facebook and Instagram. 

When Rachel Healey got in touch about her highly pertinent historical novel, I was so disappointed not to be able to fit in reading it. However, I couldn’t resist asking Rachel to stay in with me to chat about it as I thought it sounded fantastic.

When you read what Rachel told me I think you’ll agree! Let’s find out more:

Staying in with Rachel Healey

Welcome to Linda’s Book Bag Rachel and thank you for agreeing to stay in with me.

Tell me, which of your books have you brought along to share this evening and why have you chosen it?

This evening, I’ve brought along my historical fiction novel, Our Silent Footsteps. It’s inspired by real events in the life of Mary Goued whom I had the privilege of meeting several years ago. The story follows her life and that of her husband, Jozef Bekerwhom she met under extraordinary circumstances in Alexandria, Egypt during the Second World War. This year marks the 80th anniversary of the end of the war making this novel’s rich historical context even more significant.

It most certainly does. What can we expect from an evening in with Our Silent Footsteps?

An emotional roller coaster ride. One reader once told me she felt as if the story had ripped her heart out and repeatedly banged it against a table before finishing, in the closing chapters, with a much-needed hug.

That’s quite a response!

It’s so difficult to stay true to a real-life story as life doesn’t always work out in the way we’d like it to. There’s sadness in the book, frustration at the unfairness of the world and disbelief at how human beings behave towards each other but, in the most part, I’ve written what Mary recounted to me and tried to stay true to that fact. Mary had a fascinating background, born and raised in Egypt in the 1920s. Without the Second World War, she and her husband, Jozef Beker would never have met but, at the same time, the War destroyed Jozef’s past and created difficulties in his health which possibly led to his early death.

That’s fascinating. Given Our Silent Footsteps is based in real people and events, it must have affected you as a writer.

What resonated with me is that, on the one hand we live in an era of social media when everybody’s lives are available to view at the touch of a button but, back when Mary met Jozef, she truly knew nothing about him. She didn’t know of his pre-war life in his native Poland, she knew nothing of the young family he’d had to leave behind, nor even how many siblings he had. None of that mattered to her. When I asked her why she didn’t know the answers to these questions, she merely said that she’d never thought to ask. I don’t think we can say the same when we view our relationships today – we want to know everything! Does that mean we have to know someone completely before truly loving them? Mary clearly adored Jozef and was still clearly grieving him when I met her, 40 years after his untimely death.

As someone who met her husband, moved in with him in a week and got married ten months later some 42 years ago Rachel, I don’t think we do need to know everything about a person before loving them!

What else have you brought along and why have you brought it?

I’ve cheated and brought two things – I hope you don’t mind!

Not at all!

The first is a 1950s style belt for two reasons. Mary’s Egyptian childhood was fairly traumatic. Her father died young leaving the family effectively penniless. Her mother was left to bring up three children by herself in a very misogynistic world. As the eldest, Mary bore the brunt of her mother’s frustration and the belt symbolises this. On a more positive note, the belt also reminds me of Mary and Jozef’s business which they set up in London in the 1950s. Setting up home in a foreign country must have been incredibly difficult. All they wanted to do was fit in. With the business they made in making belts, they had at last settled down. So, the belt to me represents both the difficult times and the more successful times in their lives.

I’m sure it does. But what’s that second item you’re holding?

The second item is an onion (bear with me!). Food features heavily in the book. I always think that food is a big eye-opener to different cultures. In Our Silent Footsteps the reader travels from Egypt to Poland to Siberia and then to the UK. The book covers a lot of ground to say the least! The onion is particularly poignant to me as, whilst researching Jozef’s story, some of his past remained a blank. He was captured by the Russians in the early 1940s and ended up in a workcamp in Siberia. When the Russians switched sides, the Polish prisoners were simply released with no help. One of the few records we have of this time in Jozef’s life is his recollection of making his way from Siberia to Uzbekistan (mostly on foot) in a terrible state. Half-starving he found a morsal of stale bread in the snow and, to his joy, a half-frozen onion.

And what is so terrifying Rachel, is that history is still repeating itself. Thank you so much for staying in with me to chat about Our Silent Footsteps. I’m even more certain that I would adore it and I hope I can fit in a read before too long.

Our Silent Footsteps

They say that to really know a person you need to understand their past. If that is true, then Mary Beker did not know her husband, Jozef, at all…

Warsaw, 2005. An elderly Mary is searching for clues regarding her late husband’s pre-war life: the first wife and children he had to leave behind; the siblings who vanished. There’s a danger the answers she finds could ruin the memory of the man she adored, memories of their time together. When unravelling his past causes her to revisit uncomfortable memories of her own, Mary must reach a new understanding of the events that brought them together.

Spanning continents, cultures and time, Our Silent Footsteps is based on the true story of Mary, an Egyptian Copt and Jozef, a Polish Jew. A love story transcending the trauma of war.

Published by Troubador on 24th February 2024, Our Silent Footsteps is available for purchase here.

About Rachel Healey

Rachel is a history enthusiast with a captivating background, having worked at both the iconic Windsor Castle and then English Heritage. She now lives in the county of Berkshire in the UK where she feels spoilt by the beautiful countryside on her doorstep. When she is not weaving tales of historical fiction Rachel is on a mission to tire out her spirited dog and two lively children, embracing the joys and challenges of family life.

GFor further information about Rachel, visit her website and follow her on Twitter/X: @RachelHealey20.

Regular visitors to Linda’s Book Bag will know I very rarely reblog about a book, but as HQ are rereleasing my lovely friend Jane Lambert’s The Start of Something Wonderful – a book I loved – I simply had to shout about it today. 

The Start of Something Wonderful was released by HQ on 8th May 2025 and is available for purchase through the publisher links here. 

The Start of Something Wonderful

It’s never too late to follow your dreams…

Emily Forsyth is on cloud nine…

She has a high-flying job (literally), a hunky boyfriend (soon to be fiancé?) and a life of luxury. But then, out of the blue, her boyfriend dumps her for a younger woman, and Emily comes crashing down to earth.

Suddenly, she’s single and homeless, and the prospect of staying in the same job as her cheating ex is unbearable. So, at forty years not-so-young, she quits steady employment and decides to chase her lifelong dream of becoming an actress.

But with eccentric acting teachers, unreliable agents, and some decidedly unglamorous roles on offer, has she made a huge mistake? Or is this the start of something wonderful?

My Review of The Start of Something Wonderful

Nursing a broken heart and a desire to become an actress, Emily throws in her cabin crew career for a life of drama – in more ways than one.

The Start of Something Wonderful had been on my TBR for such a long time that I was almost afraid to read it. What if I didn’t like it? I needn’t have worried as I really, really enjoyed this uplifting and charming book.

The Start of Something Wonderful is a delightfully effortless read because Jane Lambert’s style is so fluid and natural that it makes reading a pleasure. I loved the realism conveyed through the sprinkling of foreign words and phrases as well as the references to the arts and literature and the quotations from Shakespeare that weave seamlessly into the narrative, yet serve to add depth and flavour. And speaking of flavour, Jane Lambert manages to appeal to all the senses so that The Start of Something Wonderful is vivid, engaging and stimulating.

I loved meeting Emily. She is the perfect embodiment of a real woman of a certain age. Her anxieties, her doubts, her challenges and triumphs are told with emotion and brilliant humour and they are exactly the elements that all women can relate to. I frequently laughed aloud, smiled and nodded as I read because I understood completely how she was feeling as Jane Lambert places the reader very firmly inside Emily’s head. Emily feels like a friend rather than a character in a book. 

I adored the storyline. I learnt  a great deal about the life of a jobbing actor. I’m sure much of the novel is autobiographical, as, alongside the humour and despair there’s a realism and considerable depth that I thoroughly appreciated. Whilst The Start of Something Wonderful is a rom-com if that’s how you want to define it, it is also a book about being true to yourself, about not relying simply on a man and about making the most of every moment we have. This makes the narrative feel mature and relatable.

The Start of Something Wonderful is a glorious, escapist read with romance, drama (in more ways than one), humour and a cracking story that I loved. It’s just right for a summer read.

About Jane Lambert

Jane studied French and German at Stirling University, taught English in Vienna then travelled the world as air crew before making the life-changing decision to become an actor.

She has appeared in “Witness for the Prosecution”, “True West”, “Calendar Girls”, “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time”, “Watch on the Rhein” and “Deathtrap” in London’s West End .

For further information about Jane, find her on Facebook follow her on Twitter/X @JaneLambert22 or find jane on Instagram. 

I’m a huge fan of Sweet Cherry books for children, having reviewed several here on Linda’s Book Bag. Consequently, when a surprise copy of The Agency for All Things Spectral: The Case of Dr Dust by Samuel J. Halpin arrived with illustrations by Laura Borio, I simply had to dive straight in! My grateful thanks to Morgan for sending it to me. I’m delighted to share my review today. 

And what could be a better date to share my review than when Sweet Cherry launch Sweet Cherry Every Cherry Day – a brand-new, nationwide celebration of accessible books and inclusive reading for all children.

Sweet Cherry say ‘Every Cherry Day is about more than just books. It’s about ensuring that every child, regardless of their ability, can experience the joy of reading. We want to bring together schools, libraries, bookshops and organisations to champion accessible stories and shine a spotlight on why inclusive books matter.’

You Van read more about this brand new initiative here.

Published by Sweet Cherry on 17th April 2025, The Case of Dr Dust is available for purchase through the publisher links here.

The Case of Dr Dust

A brilliantly fun and spooky middle grade adventure!

Billy is having a miserable summer. She’s fallen out with her best friend. Her mums might have to sell their antique shop. And she’s just accidentally killed her gold fish. When Billy comes across some unusual spectacles through which she can not only see ghosts – things take a spooky turn.

My Review of The Case of Dr Dust

Billy is not having a good summer.

What a fabulous book! The Case of Dr Dust is packed with adventure and excitement and I thought it was excellent.

The plot is fast paced and thrilling as Billy discovers that she can see and hear ghosts who are themselves having a few difficulties! There’s loads of action, Laura Borio’s fantastic illustrations and the perfect balance of text to white space and pictures so that The Case of Dr Dust is brilliant for young readers moving on to chapter books and independent reading, for use in schools or as a shared text at home. This is one of those books I wish I’d had access to as a child.

The language is just right for the age of the intended audience. Some vocabulary will be unfamiliar, but the context affords the opportunity to learn new words and I thought it was wonderful that children are not patronised by dumbing down the language. The use of upper case letters for emphasis, naturalistic dialogue and judicious ellipsis are all superb teaching tools too as they model just the kind of writing we’d like youngsters to emulate. 

I loved the inclusion woven into the story. Billy has two Mums and no Dad. Her new friend Dorothy is incredibly tall, so that she is frequently teased about her height. Billy is often involved in distracting behaviour at school and gets into trouble – trouble that is at the heart of her falling out with her best friend Dev. These are aspects children can relate to easily. 

That falling out is just one of the themes that will resonate with children as they enjoy the story. I loved the way the relationship between Billy and Dev is portrayed. Billy truly learns and develops through it; and thinking about how our actions impinge on others is handled with incredible dexterity by Samuel J. Halpin. 

But whilst The Case of Dr Dust might be a cracking book for middle grade classroom use, its real strength lies in being a captivating, entertaining and gripping tale of ghosts, dastardly deeds and bravery that readers of all ages will love. I thought it was a belter and not to be missed!

About Samuel J. Halpin

Born in Tasmania with Irish roots, Samuel J. Halpin writes daily. Having studied journalism at the University of New South Wales, Samuel went on to take cinematography at AFTRS, the national Australian film school in Sydney before moving to London and working in comedy TV production. His children’s books are his answer to a childhood raised on a hodgepodge of fairy tales, crowded bookshelves and cups of hot chocolate.

For further information, visit Samuel’s website, find him on Twitter/X @samueljhalpin and on Instagram. 

About Laura Borio

As soon as her parents put pencils in her hands, Laura decided to try them on the kitchen walls. Now she no longer draws on walls but on any other surface, in fact, in addition to digital she loves to draw and paint on wood and paper. In 2008 Laura attended a comic book course and in 2023 she attended a Master in Digital Illustration. Most of her days are full of drawings, but she also likes watching fantasy movies, reading children’s books, practicing Tai Chi, eating pancakes with friends and annoying her cat.

You can find Laura on Instagram.

I so enjoyed Charlotte Butterfield’s The Second Chance (reviewed here) that I was thrilled when her latest novel The Sister Switch turned up in surprise book mail. My huge thanks to Becky Hunter for sending it to me. 

It was my pleasure to record a podcast with Charlotte that you can listen to here and I was even more delighted when I found Linda’s Book Bag mentioned in Charlotte’s acknowledgements at the end of The Sister Switch. 

The Sister Switch is published by Avon on 8th May 2925 and is available for purchase through the publisher links here.  

The Sister Switch

Two sisters. One Bet. 

And a lifetime of secrets uncovered…

Morning TV’s favourite twin sisters, Alice and Edie, may share the screen, but that’s where their similarities end. Their viewpoints are far from identical, and whilst their on-air clashes keep viewers hooked, off-camera, their relationship is far from picture-perfect.

After a heated argument on live television threatens their jobs, the fiery duo make a bet: neither could last a week in the other’s shoes. Determined to prove each other wrong, they secretly swap lives ― without telling a soul.

What starts as a battle of wills quickly spirals into chaos, as each sister discovers that the other’s life is far more complicated than it seems. Between dodging awkward work situations, marital issues, and meddling in each other’s families, Alice and Edie’s rivalry turns from a competitive bet into an opportunity to help change each other’s lives for the better.

But will their relationship survive?

My Review of The Sister Switch

Twins Alice and Edie couldn’t be more different…

What a fabulous summer read! I so enjoyed The Sister Switch because it can be read on multiple levels, is hugely entertaining and is a complete diversion from the cares of life.

Firstly there is the funny, fast-paced plot that twists and turns along, as identical twins Alice and Edie swap homes, lives and families in an attempt to win a bet. There are so many moments when I laughed aloud because the story is incredibly funny with many a potentially awkward moment. 

More engaging, however, is what the two sisters learn not just about one another’s lives, but about themselves during the swap. The Sister Swap illustrates to perfection the adage ‘never judge another until you’ve walked in their shoes’ – literally in this case! Alicia and Edie are polar opposites, but the more they live each other’s lives, the more they understand and appreciate why their twin behaves as she does and how much more they actually have in common. 

I found my initial preference for the more freely behaving Edie changed the more I read about Alice. Both women have flaws and foibles, and it was both fascinating and ironic that the more bohemian Edie was actually more selfish than the rigid, self-righteous Alice. I confess it was somewhat disturbing to discover so many of their less appealing traits feature in my own personality! They are incredibly relatable characters.

I’m not usually a big fan of children in stories, but here the characterisation was magnificent, adeptly illustrating the role of nurture in development. Whilst I loathed Alice’s husband with a passion, by the end of the book I did have some sympathy for him too. However, it was Seb who held my heart so completely, because, despite being the most accommodating and supportive character, he is the one who probably suffers the most as a result of the swap. And I think that is the true strength of Charlotte Butterfield’s writing. Whilst the reader is being engaged by a funny romp of a story, they are also being subtly educated about real people too. Indeed, Through wit and entertainment, Charlotte Butterfield examines the nature of human understanding, of empathy and of the impact of behaviour on others, so that the reader learns from The Sister Switch every bit as much as the characters. 

I thought The Sister Switch was fabulous. It made me grateful for my own life. It made me think about others with greater empathy and it entertained me completely. It’s a super read. 

About Charlotte Butterfield

A former magazine editor, Charlotte Butterfield was born in Bristol, England and studied English Literature at the University of London, and a Masters in Gender and Women’s Studies at Birmingham. She moved to Dubai by herself on a one-way ticket with one suitcase in 2005 and left for Rome twelve years later with a husband, three children and a 40ft shipping container. After four years in Italy working as a freelance journalist, living the dolce vita and eating tiramisu with every meal, she now lives in the Cotswolds teaching and writing.

Her first novel won a Montegrappa award at the 2016 Emirates Festival of Literature, and she went on to publish three romantic comedies before pivoting to high-concept women’s fiction with heart. Her second novel in this space, The Family Fix (previously You Get That From Me) was The Times Book of the Month upon publication, and later one of The Times Popular Fiction Books of the Year in 2023. She currently publishes with Avon at Harper Collins UK. Her latest novel, The Second Chance, has been optioned for film by a major Hollywood studio, and her next book, The Sister Switch (aka grown-up Parent Trap) is forthcoming in May 2025.

You’ll find Charlotte on Facebook and Instagram.

As someone who would probably have been a very different person had I actually turned out to be the expected boy who would be called Christopher, I have always been fascinated by the link between names and personality. Consequently, when I was sent The Names by Florence Knapp, I was delighted. My grateful thanks to Sian Baldwin at Orion. It’s my pleasure to share my review of The Names today.

The Names is published by Orion imprint Phoenix on 6th May and is available for purchase through the links here. 

The Names

Tomorrow – if morning comes, if the storm stops raging – Cora will register the name of her son. Or perhaps, and this is her real concern, she’ll formalise who he will become.

It is 1987, and in the aftermath of a great storm, Cora sets out with her nine-year-old daughter to register the birth of her son. Her husband intends for her to follow a long-standing family tradition and call the baby after him. But when faced with the decision, Cora hesitates. Going against his wishes is a risk that will have consequences, but is it right for her child to inherit his name from generations of domineering men? The choice she makes in this moment will shape the course of their lives.

Seven years later, her son is Bear, a name chosen by his sister, and one that will prove as cataclysmic as the storm from which it emerged. Or he is Julian, the name his mother set her heart on, believing it will enable him to become his own person. Or he is Gordon, named after his father and raised in his cruel image – but is there still a chance to break the mould?

Powerfully moving and full of hope, this is the story of three names, three versions of a life, and the infinite possibilities that a single decision can spark. It is the story of one family, and love’s endless capacity to endure, no matter what fate has in store.

My Review of The Names

Cora needs to register her baby son’s name.

If you are not absolutely prepared to have your heart and soul rent asunder when reading, choose a different book to The Names. This is not so much a book to read as one that will change the very fibre of your being. 

I’m not entirely certain how to approach reviewing The Names. There are plots rather than a plot, but each is inextricably linked to the others and represents possibility through a twist of fate, as well as actuality. Florence Knapp includes both the dramatic and the relatably mundane in a beautiful oscillating text that is mesmerising and absorbing. This is more a book to experience than to read. It feels like a narrative about the perceived surface of life. Give that surface a small scratch and there are multiple aspects below that reverberate with endless permutations and Florence Knapp provides an insight into that deeper life. 

It’s no spoiler to say that Cora is tasked by her husband Gordon with registering the new baby, but what follows is a glimpse of how a simple name can impinge on a life, how a personality can be shaped by a moniker and how destiny can unspool differently because of what we are called, our pasts and upbringing, or what we believe. This book is a beautiful, profound and emotional exploration of nature and nurture, with destiny and self-determinism that suffuses the narrative, making the reader feel its message physically.

The characters of Bear, Julian and young Gordon are completely different, equally compelling and believable and yet they are the same person. Each broke my heart, either because of how they behaved and affected Cora, how they were affected by their violent and abusive father, or because of the events that befell them beyond, as well as because of, their father’s impact in their life. 

The themes of The Names are stunningly handled. Cora and Gordon’s marriage is the one constant. Gordan’s abusive control of Cora remains whilst the other aspects of the plot go through kaleidoscopic shifts. The concepts of marriage and family, trust, compassion, sexuality, public personas versus private behaviours and so, so, much more underpin the narrative. The Names is layered, textured and completely absorbing. 

At its heart, for me The Names is about how we shatter as humans and how we survive. It is filled with coercion and control, sadness and hatred, love, loss and hope and it is totally, totally magnificent. I am aware this  isn’t really a satisfactory review but I think each reader needs to experience The Names for themselves in order to understand my inability to articulate a coherent assessment. Don’t miss it because I cannot recommend it highly enough. 

About Florence Knapp

Florence Knapp has previously written a non-fiction book about a centuries-old method of quilt making, as well as contributing to a book for the V&A Museum. She lives just outside London with her husband and their dog. Their two children have now flown the nest. The Names is Florence’s debut novel and will be translated into more than twenty languages.

For further information, visit Florence’s website, or find Florence on Instagram  and Bluesky.

I’m delighted to share details today of my latest My Weekly online review. This time it is of Graffiti Girls by Elissa Soave. My huge thanks to Isabel Williams for originally sending me a copy of Graffiti Girls. My enormous apologies to Elissa and HQ for the extraneous ‘The’ that has crept into my review! Life was rather challenging at the time and my brain upped and left!

I previously reviewed Elissa’s Ginger and Me in a post you’ll find here. 

Published by HQ on 13th March 2025, Graffiti Girls is available for purchase through the publisher links here. 

The Graffiti Girls

Amy, Carole, Lenore and Susan have been best friends since school. Back then they couldn’t wait for the future, for the amazing lives they’d have.

But things haven’t worked out how they expected. Now in their forties, they’re fed up with being taken for granted by their families, being passed over for promotions at work and being told that they’re past their best. And they’re not going to go quietly anymore.

Fuelled by female rage and their charismatic leader Amy, the four embark on a campaign of graffiti in their hometown of Hamilton, scrawling feminist slogans on the walls of local buildings.

But is Hamilton ready for the feminist revolution the Graffiti Girls have in store?

My Review of Graffiti Girls

My full review of Graffiti Girls can be found on the My Weekly website here.

However, here I can say that Graffiti Girls is a fast paced, entertaining triumph of a book that questions the patriarchy and might just have you reaching for your spray can. I thoroughly enjoyed it and found myself egging on the girls throughout.

Do visit the My Weekly website to read my full review here. 

About Elissa Soave

Elissa Soave won the inaugural Primadonna Prize in 2019. She was also a Bloody Scotland Pitch Perfect finalist 2019 and has had work published in various journals and anthologies, including New Writing Scotland, Gutter, and the Glasgow Review of Books. Her first novel, Ginger and Me, was published by HQ, HarperCollins in July 2022, and was shortlisted for the Saltire Society Scottish First Book Award 2023. Her second novel, Graffiti Girls, was published by HQ in March 2025, with her third, The Allotments, coming out in March 2026. Elissa was a judge on the Primadonna Prize 2022 and the Curae Prize 2023 and 2025. She currently lives in South Lanarkshire.