Friday 21 August 2020

We Just Clicked by Anna Bell (2020)


Publisher's Information

A fabulously funny, feel-good novel that will make you laugh until you cry, for anyone who’s ever presented a perfectly-filtered life online to hide the unglamorous reality.

Izzy Brown has always dreamed of being an Instagram influencer. So when her colleague and fellow Instagrammer Luke suggests they ‘fake date’ to boost their profiles, Izzy says yes – against her better judgement.

Now Izzy’s profile tells the story of a confident, glamorous thirty-something with the perfect boyfriend, and her follower numbers are shooting upwards. So what if Izzy can’t stop bickering with Luke, his habit of checking his quiff in every single mirror is driving her insane, and behind the scenes, she’s hiding a secret heartache? Everyone tells a few fibs on social media, right?

But when Izzy runs into Aidan, the mysterious stranger who saved her the day her world fell apart two years ago, major sparks start to fly between them. Izzy’s sure she can have the online success she’s always dreamed of, whilst continuing to fall in love – and heal her heart – in real life. After all, Aidan doesn’t use social media… what could possibly go wrong?

If you loved Sophie Kinsella’s My Not-So-Perfect Life, Laura Jane Williams’ Our Stop or Sophie Ranald’s Sorry Not Sorry, you will fall head over heels for this touching and hilarious new novel from Anna Bell, the bestselling author of The Bucket List to Mend a Broken Heart.




I absolutely adored this book. Funny, romantic and with a tinge of sadness these characters had my full attention all the way through. As soon as Aidan appeared in the opening scenes I knew I was going to love this character as much as Izzy would. 

Grief and loss are always difficult to experience and navigate around but the author blended it so nicely with all the other moments of fun and humour which is so true to life as grief isn't an emotion experienced in isolation. The parts where Izzy talks about her brother Ben are quite sad and emotional but it really added depth and heart to the book.

This book also does female friendships really well. Izzy's friends and her other friends at work provided hilarity and many heartwarming scenes.

      A lovely romantic comedy that will have you laughing and crying!

                                               Amazon



Thursday 20 August 2020

The Unquiet Spirit by Penny Hampson (2020)

 




A new beginning. A house with a past. A man with secrets.

It was a dream come true…that turned into a nightmare.

Kate Wilson thinks moving back to Cornwall might be the answer to her prayers. But it isn’t long before she begins to have doubts. Is the house she inherited from her godmother haunted? Or is she going out of her mind? With a stalker, threats, and attempted break-ins, Kate’s troubles multiply.

Then there’s her enigmatic neighbour, the brooding Tom Carbis; a man with secrets he doesn’t wish to share. Can she trust him when he says he wants to help?

In her quest to unravel the mysteries surrounding her, will Kate uncover more than she bargains for?

Set in beautiful Cornwall, The Unquiet Spirit is a gripping suspense with paranormal and romantic elements. Fans of Barbara Erskine will enjoy this tale.
 


Atmospheric and haunting right from the beginning The Unquiet Spirit is a brilliant story with romance, mystery and a dash of paranormal. I enjoyed watching Kate and Tom develop their friendship especially as they didn't get along well in the beginning and this made it all the more interesting. I wasn't too sure about Tom in the beginning as he was so cranky! but he quickly became very likeable as he became more genial in his dealings with Kate and quite heroic on occasion.
I really loved the historical aspect where Kate was discovering the history of the house The creepy goings-on at Kate's newly inherited house had me engrossed and turning the pages. 
This was a really brilliant story and one that I enjoyed reading very much.

The Unquiet Spirit is out tomorrow 21st August.

                                  Amazon

Tuesday 11 August 2020

The Love Scam (Danger #2) by MaryJanice Davidson (2020)

 



A sweet and sassy contemporary romance from New York Times bestselling author MaryJanice Davidson.

Rake Tarbell is in trouble. When the fabulously wealthy and carefree bachelor wakes up horribly hungover in Venice, it’s not something that would normally be a problem...except he has no idea how he got there from California. Or who stole his wallet. Or who emptied his bank account of millions. Or who in the world is Lillith, the charming little girl claiming to be his long lost daughter. For the first time in his life, Rake is on his own and throwing Benjamins around aren’t going to solve his problem. Now if only the gorgeous, fun, and free-spirited woman who brought Lillith into his life was willing to help the situation…

Claire Delaney finds Rake’s problems hilarious and is not in the least bit sorry of adding to them by bringing Lillith into the mix. A pretty Midwestern girl with a streak for mischief, Rake is not the kind of man Claire hangs around with. Even if he is drop-dead handsome and charming as all get-out. Even if he needs help and she has all the answers. But if this helps Lillith, she will go out of her way. And with a guy like Rake, she’s willing to bend her rules a bit for some fun. But when adventure-filled days turn to romantic nights as they search for answers, and someone starts following them through the streets of Venice, Claire realizes she's playing more than just a game. And maybe, just maybe, she isn't willing to let go of Rake or Lillith just yet.


OMG! This was good! 
Rake is hungover and stranded in Venice after getting completely rat arsed on Vermouth and for the first 25% of the book I felt that I was as hungover and confused as he was. The timeline jumped a few times and we see snapshots of scenes of the night before in a mixed-up order and this is exactly how my mind works after a good (or bad) night out on the tiles.
It is such a fast read and the dialogue is quick and witty. The characters are fab. I loved how vulnerable Claire is when she sleepwalks and we get a glimpse into her childhood. Lillith is super cool and smart but a little bit freaky in how cool and collected she is. Rake is adorable and a total goof. It's a fabulous cast with a great mystery. I never felt that I knew exactly what was going on but I was enjoying every minute of it! A difficult book to put down, so funny and hugely entertaining.