Author: Patricegotting

Today I am on the tour for Horrible Husbands by Jessica Huntley, thank you to Zoé at Zooloos Book Tours for organising it and inviting me to take part and thank you to the author and the publisher for my copy.

Pages: 285

Synopsis: Is your husband so horrible that you’d ask your best friend to kill him?

Penny: I know my husband has cheated on me. But I can’t believe what I just found in the bedside drawer. Are my children safe . . . ?

Lisa: The first time he did it was on our wedding anniversary. He broke down in tears afterwards. That’s the thing about Simon. He’s always sorry . . . until the next time.

Holly: My husband is useless. He just loafs around the house all day and spends my money. But now I think he’s done something far worse.

We’ve descended on Penny’s stunning country home for a rare girls’ weekend.

As the cocktails flow, it turns out we’re all keeping secrets. Bloody hell, we sure can pick them.

We clink our glasses. “Here’s to our horrible husbands. May they get what’s coming to them.”

Good friends will die for you. But only best friends will kill for you.

My Thoughts: now if you’ve been following my reviews for a while you’ll know that I don’t often give thrillers 5 stars.. this is the 5th book of Jessica’s that u have read in less than 2 months and 4 of them have had 5 stars!! – horrible husbands being the latest one, and this is definitely my favourite so far!

We’re following 3 best friends, Holly, Penny and Lisa, they live as far away as possible within the UK now & decide it’s time for a girls weekend! They haven’t been together for years & things have changed for all of them, they’re all keeping secrets from each other and all going through things in their lives.. so this weekend is the most perfect break.. right?

I honestly can’t put into words how much I loved this, it made me cry, it made me laugh and had me turning the pages so fast that at times I was having to go back just to make sure I’d read what I thought I had!

The writing was so easy going and relatable at times that I almost felt like part of The Bitches, I guess my boyfriend is lucky we’re not married because I became so invested 😂 I was here for it all and was totally behind them all!

Parts of this book had my heart beating so fast and holding my breath for so long that I’m half convinced that it should be classed as a health hazard.

Props to Jessica for completely pulling the rug from under my feet with the twist at the end, I still can’t believe she managed it, I read so many thrillers and didn’t see it coming at all!!

I can’t wait to see what her brilliant, crazy twisted mind comes up with next, but whatever it is I can promise you I will be reading it!

Genuinely think I may have found my favourite read of the year already…

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Today I am on the tour for Best Mistake Ever by Christy McKellen, thank you to Rachel at Rachel’s Random Resources for organising it and inviting me to take part and thank you to the author and the publisher for my copy.

Pages: 226

Synopsis: Some mistakes are worth making

Beatrice Donovan would do anything for her identical twin sister. Including stepping into her hotel management job temporarily and pretending to be her – she’s desperate. What could go wrong? A lot apparently! Because her sister Delilah has hugely understated her role – the hotel is at risk of closure and she’s promised she can turn it around. Now Bea has to find a way to fly under the radar, get the job done before anyone notices their switch up.

Sounds easy, all Bea has to do is avoid her temporary new boss Jonah. However, that’s a lot harder than she thought. Not only does he have impossibly high standards, he’s also out of this world gorgeous, an ex-rockstar with a chip on his shoulder and he’s watching her like a hawk! So Bea uses her charm to keep him focussed on the job and not her. But by trying to put up boundaries and keep things professional, Bea finds herself seeing the real man beneath the grumpy façade . Yet with so much at stake, she knows she shouldn’t fall for her sister’s boss…but then again, it may just be the best unintentional mistake she’s ever made!

My Thoughts: I do love a Christy McKellen book and this one was no different, it had a slightly different feel to it as it focused on twins, Beatrice and Dee, they swap places for a while because Dee has hurt her ankle, she’s in trouble at work already so asks Bea if she will be her stand in until her ankle is better..

Neither of them expect it to go as far as it does, it turns out that Bea loves the job & throws herself in with both feet using previous contacts to bring business to the hotel in the form of a festival, an event that sounded so fun that I would have loved to be part of it myself!

Not only is the job right up her street but her new boss Jonah is easy on the eye too, would have been perfect if she wasn’t pretending to be her twin sister!

As they start to get closer & things start to get exciting Bea realises she has to tell the truth, will everything fall apart, or can Jonah see past the lie?

This one was so much fun! – it was cute and so easy to get lost in the story and become invested in the lives in all of the characters!

This one wasn’t as spicy as some of the other books of Christy’s that I have read but when the spice appears it feels just right for the story.. I loved it!

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Today I am on the tour for Hidden In The Dark by H.K. Christie, thank you to Sarah at Bookouture for organising it and inviting me to take part and thank you to the author and the publisher for my copy.

Pages: 296

Synopsis: The table is set for family dinner; roast chicken, wine for them and juice for their darling boy, a vase of fresh daisies from the garden for decoration. But the food is cold, and the flowers are wilting. You might think they were sleeping in the next room, if it wasn’t for the blood dripping crimson onto the carpet… 

FBI Agent Val Costa is drawn out of retirement once again when the Cramer family are found dead in their home in Red Rose County. She falls to her knees in despair at the sight of little Michael Jr., curled up on the couch. What monster would take the life of an innocent child? Val vows to find justice for the mother, Stephanie Cramer, who survived the attack but is fighting for her life in hospital.

Interviewing neighbors uncovers no leads, but Val knows there’s a message in the way Mike Cramer’s body was left, tied to chair, stab wounds all over his body. It seems mother and son were collateral, and Mike was the real target. But why? Working in an auto shop between taking his boy to karate class, Michael was a perfect family man. There are no signs of a robbery, and all Val has to work with are small-town whispers about the age gap between him and his wife.

A break in the case comes when a secret phone is found hidden in Mike’s car and GPS reveals he’d been making late-night trips out of town for weeks before his family was attacked. Her team are quick to suspect an affair, but Val’s instincts tell her it’s something far more sinister.

As more cracks in the perfect Cramer family picture begin to show—arguments, money troubles—Val must work around the clock to stop this twisted individual in their tracks. But does she know someone is watching her every move? And when a dark secret in Mike’s past surfaces, can Val stay ahead of her stalker long enough to catch the killer before another precious life is taken?

My Thoughts: I love the Val Costa series, I’ve read all 3 and 100% believe they just get better and better, at first I thought it might be because the author got more confident, but then realised how many books H.K. Christie had in her backlist.

Reading this book made me realise it’s a purposely done move from the author as in Hidden In The Dark Val really found her feet & ran with her theories, she was absolutely in her element & I am already looking forward to the 4th book to see where this new found confidence takes her!

The detail in these books are amazing, the crimes are brutal and there’s definitely no holding back in the descriptions & the execution of it, several times this story made me wince.. but I really love that the book isn’t all about the crime, we get to see into the characters lives too.

Vals mum and her group of friends are my absolute favourite, because they’re not afraid to say it how it is or have a bit of fun, but their support for each other & Val is unending.

I honestly thoroughly enjoyed this, read in one sitting & was totally hooked from beginning to end.

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Today I am on the tour for The Vanilla Killer by Peter Boland, thank you to Zoé at Zooloos Book Tours for organising it and inviting me to take part and thank you to the author and the publisher for my copy.

Pages: 329

Synopsis: PUT THE KETTLE ON AND DISCOVER AN UTTERLY CHARMING MURDER MYSTERY SET IN A SLEEPY ENGLISH SEASIDE TOWN.

It’s a perfect summer’s day in Southbourne. And Partial Sue’s in one of her rare generous moods. She wants to treat all the ladies of the Dogs Need Nice Homes charity shop to supper.

But before the ladies can shut up shop and head to the chippie, the air is filled with the strains of ‘Greensleeves’. And a clapped-out old ice-cream van lurches into view. The gang can barely believe their eyes. Especially when they see who’s behind the wheel. Daisy’s daughter Bella.

Newly divorced Bella’s only just rid herself of her rotten husband. Now she’s landed herself in an even stickier situation. This banger may be stocked with sweet treats, but its freezer once held something much more sinister — the dead body of its former owner!

Everyone in the village knows the van’s sinister history. Except poor Bella. The culprit slipped away without a trace. But the village folk allsay it’s just a matter of time until the Vanilla Killer strikes again!

When Bella starts receiving poison pen letters, the ladies can’t help but worry. What if their beloved Bella’s next?

There’s only one thing for it, the ladies agree over a steaming pot of tea. They need to put the Vanilla Killer on ice . . . before anyone else dies.

My Thoughts: I’ll be honest, this is the first book in this series that I’ve read. It did work well as a standalone however I feel that because I missed some of the background in the previous books, that I probably didn’t appreciate some things as much as I could if I had started from the beginning, this was completely my error & didn’t take away from the overall enjoyment of the book.

I do love me a cosy mystery, even more so when it’s just a group of friends solving the mysteries alongside their everyday lives, I find that the people they talk to throughout the investigation are usually more open and honest and we get right into the nitty gritty!

I adored all of the characters, they’re all very different with their own strengths (and weaknesses) wish allows them to work well together as a team without too much arguing or stepping on each others toes.

Can they get to the bottom of who’s causing all this havoc and unease within the ice cream selling community before Daisy’s daughter Bella pays the ultimate price?!

The story was a lot of fun & I found myself totally swept up in it all, it definitely left me craving an ice cream though despite it being December & 3°c 😂

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Today I am on the tour for Ty by Brian Montgomery, thank you to Zoé at Zooloos Book Tours for organising it and inviting me to take part and thank you to the author and the publisher for my copy.

Pages: 236

Synopsis: In a city gripped by fear and ruled by the iron fist of Albanian kingpin Kajan Marnesh (K.M.), fourteen-year-old Tyrone Lewis’ (Ty) life is a relentless battle for survival. Hardened by neglect and violence, Ty’s world is turned upside down when he and his friend Asha discover an abandoned baby beside its dead young mother in an alleyway. This unexpected responsibility ignites a new purpose within him.

However, their journey through the gritty streets of London and the struggle to protect the baby lands Ty in jail, which is a harsh reality for a boy already burdened by life’s cruelties. But even behind bars, Ty’s resolve only strengthens. Upon his release, he is more determined than ever to change.

Ty forms the Hay Patrollers, a gang with a difference. Alongside Asha and other like-minded youths, they become the guardians of their community, providing support and safety where needed most. From encouraging the youth to return to school, running errands for the elderly, wiping out racism and knife crime, to standing up against the oppressive forces that haunt their streets, the Hay Patrollers are a beacon of hope in a dark world.

This gripping story follows Ty’s transformation from a victim of circumstance to a leader of change. His journey is one of resilience, bravery, and the unyielding belief that even the most unlikely heroes can make a difference.

My Thoughts: now we all know I’m a pretty quick reader, but this is one that I had to read over a few days, I didn’t want to rush it because although it was a harsh brutal story it was also raw and honest, I wanted to appreciate the book as a whole, take it all in and understand the message at the end.

My heart broke for Asha, what she went through just doesn’t bear thinking about, she knew that she wouldn’t be believed when she told her family & chose a life on the streets instead of having to deal with the shame and disappointment she felt emanating from them.

Ty has always had a hard life, he prefers to be on the streets instead of at home with his junkie of a mum, but that means that he has street smarts, he’s well known and well respected by all on the streets so is the perfect person to help Asha.

What I don’t think either of them realised is how important they would become to each other in the years that followed, we see them through all of it.

It breaks your heart to begin with, but as the story goes on you start to see little cracks of light throughout.

I feel like this is a really important read, the story may be fiction but the truth is that it’s a reality for a lot of youngsters.

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Today I am taking part in the blogathon for Redemption by Jack Jordan, thank you to Tracy at Compulsive Readers for organising it and inviting me to take part and thank you to the author and the publisher for my copy.

Pages: 384

Synopsis: Aaron Alexander has just been released from jail after serving eleven years for causing the death of Joshua Moore in a hit-and-run. Now a free man, all he wants to do is stay on the straight and narrow and leave his troubled past behind him.
But for Joshua’s mother Evelyn, eleven years in jail isn’t nearly enough. Consumed by grief and rage, she has been waiting for Aaron’s release, counting down the days until she can exact the revenge he deserves. And now that time has come.
But as Evelyn and her husband Tobias embark on a road trip to track Aaron down, they find themselves caught on two different sides of a gripping game of cat-and-mouse. Because Tobias knows what Evelyn is planning, and he will do anything to save her from herself.
Even if it means protecting the man who killed their son.

Locked in a collision course set in motion eleven years ago, Aaron, Evelyn and Tobias are about to find out whether the road they have chosen leads to redemption . . . or to retribution.

My Thoughts: well this one is a wild ride. Honestly had me twisted in knots and second guessing myself throughout.

We’re following Evelyn and Tobias, who on the surface seem like a couple who have lost their way, but as we get further into the story we learn that it goes so much deeper than that, they’re both grieving the loss of their little boy Joshua who was killed in a hit and run.

Tobias craves Evelyn’s attention, he wants his wife back, whereas Evelyn has been working on herself and a secret plan, one that will come to fruition soon if she has her way.

We also have the perspective of Aaron, who’s just been released from prison which added a whole new level to the story!

There’s so much going on that you’re never really quite sure who’s side to be on because you kind of got it from all perspectives, they all had valid reasons for their feelings and their ‘goals’ for lack of a better word 🤣

It’s shocking, it’s brutal and it honestly just doesn’t let up at all.

I think this might just be my favourite book of Jacks yet!

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Today I am on the tour for Under Her Skin by Jessica Huntley, thank you to Zoé at Zooloos Book Tours for organising it and inviting me to take part and thank you to the author and the publisher for my copy.

Pages: 273

Synopsis: She invited a stranger into her home. Now he won’t leave.

When her teenage son gets into trouble with some very dangerous people, Natasha knows they need to flee the city. But where can they go?

Out of the blue, she receives an inheritance that seems the answer to her prayers. A distant relative has left her a house, deep in the countryside.

It needs a lot of work, but to Natasha it feels heaven-sent – the perfect place to keep her son safe and soothe her crushing anxiety.

Soon after they arrive, local builder Henry offers his services. Natasha’s happy to hire him, but quickly realises there’s something odd about Henry – he doesn’t respect boundaries and acts like he’s one of the family.

Natasha is tempted to get rid of him, but then discovers that her idyllic home harbours a terrible secret. A secret which threatens to destroy her new life.

The increasingly sinister Henry is willing to help her keep that secret. But he does want something in return…

My Thoughts: I absolutely ate this one up, it was a bit of a slow start, but boy was it worth it!

We’re following Natasha, she works 2 jobs just to try and make ends meet, she feels like she can’t catch a break, made worse when she realises her son is hiding things and staying out all hours.. then one day he comes home covered in blood and tells his mum he owes someone a lot of money.

Then a way out of everything falls into her lap.. the only problem is when things seem too good to be true they normally are.

Henry was creepy, just an absolute no from me!

The book read like a film, and the way Jessica writes her descriptions I could see it all unfolding with ease, I was literally wound so tight throughout because I didn’t know which way the story would go or what would happen next, I was almost scared to turn the page at times!

The chapters were longer than your typical thriller, but I think it was needed and it worked really well.

Jessica has definitely become an auto-read author for me and I’m am looking forward to throwing myself into her back list at some point in the future.

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Today I am the tour for Winter Magic in Port Berry by K.T. Dady, thank you to Hannah at Hygge Book Tours for organising it and inviting me to take part and thank n you to the author and the publisher for my copy.

Pages: 263

Synopsis: Welcome to Port Berry, where love and festive magic are just around the corner.

As Christmas approaches, Ginny Dean is happily running Port Berry’s only café and dreaming of opening her own tearoom. But the sudden arrival of gorgeous and enigmatic Will Pendleton disrupts her quiet life.

Will has returned to Port Berry looking for answers about his family. He doesn’t expect to immediately bump into a beautiful and feisty woman, causing sparks to fly. Nor for their chemistry to bubble over at the annual holiday party.

But any chance of romance is shattered when Will announces plans to open a tearoom next to Ginny’s café. In one moment, Ginny sees her future plans melt as quickly as the winter snow.

Despite the tension between them, Ginny and Will can’t keep away from each other. And when they find themselves stranded in the snow, they discover that neither can deny their true feelings.

With Christmas approaching, both Will and Ginny must learn to face their own fears if they are to take a chance on happiness.

And perhaps they need a little winter magic to help . . .

This festive, uplifting, opposites-attract romance is perfect for fans of Sue Moorcroft, Milly Johnson, Holly Martin, Sarah Bennett, Jessica Redland and Jo Bartlett.

My Thoughts: I really enjoyed this one, mainly because it wasn’t just about the romance, the book opens with Will meeting his grandmother, she’s in a care home with dementia, but he finally feels like he had some idea of where he came from so he promised to be there for her for whatever she needs.

And then we’re following Ginny, who’s mum resents her because in her eyes Ginny ruined her life, she never had a nice word to say and is just plain nasty, I really hated her, because Ginny was always there and it was just never appreciated!

The pair get thrown together & feel an instant connection, but after the initial spark the romance becomes a slow burn and it’s an absolute joy to watch them begin to trust each other 🥰

The book is filled with hope and happiness, and really shows how a community can come together when support is needed.

There are some sad bits and parts that make you angry as a reader, because you really start to feel for the characters, you just want to jump into the story and make things right.

This is my first dive into K.T. Dady’s work (I think) but it won’t be the last, I thoroughly enjoyed it.

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Today I am on the tour for Death By The Book by Lucy Connelly, my review is very late so I can only apologise! but thank you to Sarah at Bookouture for organising it and inviting me to take part and thank you to the author and the publisher for my copy.

Pages: 253

Synopsis: Irish scones, shamrock shortbread, a local literary festival… and a rather dead author? Join Mercy McCarthy on her next case! 

Mercy and Lizzie McCarthy are settling in to the charming seaside village of Shamrock Cove on the west coast of Ireland. Lizzie throws herself into organizing a book festival and mystery writer Mercy even agrees to come out of her bookish hidey-hole to get involved. But then the event’s star author is found dead. James Brandt was killed by a falling bookshelf in his own cottage… 

The local detective is not convinced by Mercy’s suspicion of murder but when someone else turns up dead, the police cannot ignore it. There’s just one problem: Mercy and Lizzie’s beloved dog Mr. Poe sniffs out the second body in the storeroom of their own bookstore. And now all the gossips seem determined to pin the murder on Mercy!

Convinced the police are focusing on a red herring in this real-life case, Mercy needs to act fast to clear her name. A meddling mayor, a cheerful chef and a bashful botanist make her suspect list, but it’s not until Mercy discovers a tatty old photograph in the local library archive that she is onto the killer’s trail.

With the police keen to shut her out of the murder investigation, can Mercy play this case by the book, or will she be the next to fall off the shelf…? 

A totally gripping and twisty cozy crime novel, perfect for readers who love Agatha Christie, Carlene O’Connor or Faith Martin! This incredibly fast-paced and fun murder mystery will whisk you off to Ireland and won’t let you go until the final page!

My Thoughts: it was nice to be back in Shamrock Cove with Lizzie and Mercy, but I do think the girls are cursed, either that or trouble just follows them! – they always seem to stumble upon something.. this time an author (coincidentally one that sees Mercy as less than him) turns up dead when they are sent to pick him up!

There’s just something about a cosy mystery that I adore, I don’t know if it’s because it’s never too gruesome so acts as a good palette cleaner between the thrillers that I love to read or wether it’s the feel of community within them that pulls you in and makes you feel like part of the family, but whatever it is Lucy had done a fantastic job!

The story is so easy to get lost in, it’s easy reading whilst also being gripping with enough twists & red herrings to keep you hooked & unable to stop turning the pages!

Mercy can be a force to be reckoned with, she tries her best to stay between the lines and behave, but her curiosity and need for information always seems to get the better of her, much to the dismay of her sister 🤣

This one had me laughing and shaking my head at some of the situations she seemed to get herself into & I absolutely cannot wait for the next instalment!

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Today I am on the tour for The Breakdown by Robert W Kirby, thank you to Zoé at Zooloos Book Tours for organising it and inviting me to take part and thank you to the author and the publisher for my copy.

Pages: 296

Synopsis: A breakdown-A secret-A trip that will change everything.

Two years after suffering from a stress-induced breakdown, defence lawyer Beth Gunning is struggling to cope with life. When her husband, Rory, suggests they join Beth’s sister and partner on a wild camping trip in a remote part of Montana, she decides that the freedom and tranquillity of a place far away from London might be what she needs. A chance to repair, relax, and get her head together.

Rory’s brother, Elliott, invites himself and his two teenage kids along for the trip. So it’s set to be a wild adventure of a lifetime. Provided that Rory and Elliot can set aside their sibling rivalries, that is.

Apart from some quarrelling and physical struggles, the trip seems to be going well. The Bob Marshall Wilderness is a stunning place, and everybody is embracing the fabulous experience.

But after a GPS malfunction and one wrong turn that leads them off course, cracks quickly form within the group. As some clash and others struggle with their dire predicament, the situation goes from bad to worse.

But Beth’s dark past is about to come back to haunt her and rock the very foundations of her world. Because it appears that someone in their hiking group has an ulterior motive for joining this trip.

Something extremely sinister that could ruin everything.

And out here in the vast, untamed wilderness, Beth knows she can no longer run from her bleak past and must finally face her dire demons…

But at what cost?

My Thoughts: I’ve read a fair few of Robert’s books so I was fairly confident of what to expect, but this one exceeded all my expectations and left me shook!

I won’t go into the story because the synopsis tells you most of what you need to know, but this was dark!

A remote location, with people that you should be able to trust, but there’s secrets and a whole lot of them.

I’ve never had a interest in camping and this book cemented for me that this is definitely the right decision 🤣

People go missing, people get lost and there’s the constant fear/threat of bears, this was absolutely a one sitting read for me, I couldn’t put it down incase doing something else took me out of the story and I lost the edge of my seat, heart in my throat anxiety feeling 🫣

And let me tell you, the story doesn’t end when the camping trip does, this book has layers upon layers.. I need more!

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