prdgreads

This is the first review I’ve written since losing my grandad last month and I feel like I’ve forgotten how to be a book reviewer so please bare with me 😅

Pages: 394

Synopsis: MADDY
I cultivate my shamelessness.

I wore it as a badge of honour at my convent school, and I’ve been turning it into an art form at Alchemy, the club whose social media I manage.

My boss, though? He’s the most proper person I’ve ever met. No one would peg him as the Finance Director of a sex club.

(I mean, no one’s pegging him at all, which is probably his problem. #justsayin)

I get it. He’s a widower who’s single-parenting two little girls while holding down a massive job. He needs an outlet. Something just for him.

Besides, I’ve seen the looks he gives me. Equal parts disapproval and desire. Looks that compel me to bring him back to life.

Which is why I proposition him to do unspeakable things to me.

Use my body to find some light in his darkness.

After all, he has an entire sex club at his disposal. Surely it’s rude not to indulge?


ZACH
This woman will be the death of me.

It’s deeply unfortunate that my soul only finds peace when my hands are on her body.

I’m beginning to understand that the basest pleasures of the flesh can overrule the most elevated emotions of the heart.

She looks like the embodiment of sin.

But God, she feels like salvation.

My Rating: 🐧🐧🐧🐧🐧

My Thoughts: oh wow this book.. I thought unfurl couldn’t be beaten, but I was totally wrong.

Undulate was on another level, we have Maddy alchemy’s new social media manager, who loves to take advantage of the perks of the job and Zach the finance guy and co-owner of Alchemy after losing his wife to cancer and becoming a single dad to his 2 young girls, He is aware of what happens but doesn’t partake in any of it.

But could Maddy change all of that? She’s very switched on and takes in more than you think, so when she approaches him and tells him to use her to fulfil his needs will he take her up on her offer?

This story deals so well with the grief side of things and opened up conversations that you wouldn’t necessarily expect from a super steamy romance novel.

The story made me laugh, it made me saw ‘awww’ out loud more than once, but them also made me sob real tears to the point I had to put the book down because I couldn’t see the words anymore 🥺

And oh my the spice is off the scale, I don’t understand how you get into the headspace to write scenes like that, but I am here for it all!

I can’t wait to see what’s next for the team at Alchemy but I’ll be honest, this one will take some beating!

Undulate can be bought here and will be available on Kindle Unlimited from 19th April 2023!

🐧❤️

Today I’m on the tour for The School Trip by Miranda Smith and I have an extract for you, thank you to Sarah at Bookouture for organising it and inviting me to take part.

Pages: 280

Synopsis: They should have been watching. But my little girl is gone…

On this crisp October day, the class of six-year-old children are wrapped up warm in gloves and coats for their trip to a local farm. They giggle as they stroke the animals and search for the perfect Halloween pumpkin, and as I watch my daughter Claire race off with her friends, the pink ribbon in her hair bouncing, I breathe a sigh of relief. It’s been so hard since my husband died and my sweet little girl deserves to be happy.

But as the sun sets and the teachers gather the children, Claire is nowhere to be seen.

We call the police and frantically scour the fields and playgrounds, my heart breaking as I cry out Claire’s name. And then a detective shows me a video: my daughter, skipping away from the farm, holding hands with an adult in a bulky coat, their cap pulled down low.

My blood turns to ice. Claire would never leave with a stranger. Whoever took her must be someone I know.

But who could want to punish me this badly? Is it linked to the night I refuse to think about—the terrible night my husband died?

Did my mistakes put my baby girl in danger?
Can I save her by finally facing the past?
Or will I lose her forever when the truth comes out?

Extract: Chapter One

I have a plan. Dr. Meade says you can’t go through life without a plan, and she’s been in school twice as long as I ever was. She’s still learning. I know because she writes papers and when they’re good enough, she gets to go talk about them at fancy schools. She even wrote one about me. Anyway, Dr. Meade knows her stuff, and she says everyone who wants to live a productive life must have a plan. Five-year. Month-long. Even a daily schedule can help. It’s helped me. For so long, I kept thinking about my life as a series of wins and losses. Dr. Meade says that isn’t healthy. Sometimes I think she just says that because my losses are so overwhelming. If I kept thinking about them, I’d hurt myself again… There’s a lot about my past I wish I could change. A lot about me I wish I could change. For the plan to work, I first had to admit the truth about myself. Then, I had to come to terms with what I really needed. The last part—let me tell you, this one is a doozy to get right— was figuring out how to make it happen.

All of it has led me to this point, to today’s Step One: Take the girl..

About the Author

Miranda Smith writes psychological and domestic suspense. She is drawn to stories about ordinary people in extraordinary situations. Before completing her first novel, she worked as a newspaper staff writer and a secondary English teacher. She lives in East Tennessee with her husband and three young children.

If this sounds like something you’d enjoy it can be bought here! And is also available on Kindle Unlimited.

🐧❤️

Today I’m on the tour for The Assistant by Amanda Reynolds and I have a spotlight for you, thank you to Rachel at Rachel’s Random Resources for organising it and inviting me to take part.

Pages: 342

Synopsis: I know many things about Larissa.
I know what she eats, which must-have brands she applies to her face, and the price of each carefully selected ‘piece’ in her multi-million-pound home in Belgravia.

Because Ris, as she is known to her many followers, likes to share.

And now I’m here, in her home, watching her every move.

Entrusted with her secrets and running her diary from the bijou basement flat, I’m on hand to fulfil Ris’ every need. Her right-hand woman. But what she doesn’t know is why I’m really here.

I’ve put a lot on the line to get this job, and now my plan can begin.

I’ve waited long enough.

About The Author:

Amanda Reynolds’ is a best selling author of psychological thrillers. Her debut novel, Close To Me, published in 2017 by Headline, was adapted by NENT Studios UK as a major six-part TV series starring Connie Nielsen and Christopher Eccleston. The series aired in 2021, on Channel 4 in the UK and on Sundance AMC in the US, as well as many other countries worldwide.

She is the author of three further psychological suspense novels, Lying To You and The Hidden Wife with Headline, and The Assistant, publishing with Boldwood Books in 2023 and a further psychological thriller to follow.

Amanda Reynolds lives in the Cotswolds with her husband and their dog.

If you like the sound of this it can be bought here! And is also available on Kindle Unlimited!

🐧❤️

Today I’m on the tour for Summer Nights at the Starfish Café by Jessica Redland and I have a spotlight for you, thank you to Rachel at Rachel’s Random Resources for organising it and inviting me to take part.

Pages: 408

Synopsis Welcome back to The Starfish Café for a glorious summer, but with a few dark clouds on the horizon…

A new beginning…

As her summer wedding to Jake approaches, Hollie is excited for their new beginning as a family. But when some unexpected news threatens the future she and Jake had hoped for, Hollie will need to find the strength to overcome heartache once more.

A fragile heart….

Single mum, Kerry, loves her job at The Starfish Café, but behind the brave smiles and laughter with customers there is a sadness deep within. So when someone from her past re-appears in her life, Kerry can either hide away or face her demons and try to finally move on from her heartbreak.

A summer to remember…

For Hollie and Kerry it promises to be an emotional rollercoaster of a summer, but the community at The Starfish Café will always be there to help them through – after all, with courage nothing is impossible…

About the Author:

A warm welcome to my author page! Thank you for visiting.

I live in Scarborough on the stunning North Yorkshire Coast in the UK. My home inspired the creation of the fictional seaside town of Whitsborough Bay where I set some of my books. The Hedgehog Hollow series takes readers to a gorgeous countryside setting on the Yorkshire Wolds. 

I live with my husband, our teenage daughter and sprocker spaniel, Ella. I’m a stationery addict with a notepad obsession who loves chocolate (although it doesn’t love me), hedgehogs, 80s music, collectible teddy bears and lighthouses.

My career has mainly been in HR as a trainer and recruiter. I had a brief detour into retail to set up and manage my own specialist teddy bear shop and started writing my debut novel on quiet days in the shop.

In June 2020, I became a full-time author. I’m so very grateful to anyone who has bought or borrowed my books in whatever format, helping me fulfil a long-held dream of writing full-time. I still can’t believe I get to spend every day chatting to my fictional friends and making stuff up.

If you like the sound of this it can be bought here!

🐧❤️

Today I’m on the tour for My Stepmother’s Secret by Emma Robinson and I have an extract for you, thank you to Sarah from Bookouture for organising it and inviting me to take part.

Before I post my extract, let me tell you a bit about the book and the author!

Pages: 318

Synopsis: It’s in that moment, I realise – I have nowhere to turn. If my precious daughters and I are going to have a roof over our heads, we have to return to my childhood home. The one I’ve not felt welcome in since my father died. The one where the woman who destroyed our family still lives…

Today marks the end of my life as I know it. I have absolutely nowhere to go, no-one to turn to. My husband’s lies have ruined our family and wrecked our marriage. And now he’s disappeared, leaving just a promise to make it all right.

My daughters, Olivia and Alice, need me like never before. I will do whatever it takes to stay strong, to keep them safe and loved. So I turn to the one place I hoped never to return to. When my dad died, he left me his house, with one proviso. His second wife, my stepmother, was to be allowed to live there for as long as she wanted. She hasn’t welcomed me there, or shown a single sign of leaving, since.

But I have no choice. I need to ask for her help.

Little do I know that everything I thought I knew about the woman who destroyed my life when I was a child is about to come crashing down. Living together now, the secrets that have kept us apart for all these years are finally revealing themselves. Will our fragile bond break completely, or could it be the only thing that saves me and my daughters…?

An emotional story about family secrets and lies, and the lengths a parent will go to, to protect their children. Perfect for fans of Jodi Picoult, Jojo Moyes and Kate Hewitt.

About The Author:

Emma Robinson is the author of several women’s fiction novels. She also blogs about the funny side of parenting and has contributed to podcasts such as Funny Women. Whilst her early novels are humorous, her recent work focuses on emotional themes and these novels are both heart-breaking and life affirming. Emma enjoys writing stories which explore the power of family and friendship in the most challenging circumstances.

Extract: All roads lead to home. Despite the rain slapping against the windscreen, Gabbie could almost hear her father’s words. Every time he left to catch a plane, she – wrapped around his legs, her head barely reaching his waist – begged him not to go. He’d laugh, gently extricating her fingers, lifting her into her mother’s arms. ‘If I don’t go now, I won’t be able to come home again.’ Those were the days of picnics and playdates and trips to the park. When they were still les trois mousquetairesand life was simple and good. The days before she was the one who’d had to leave. Years of living in London – and of Liam’s preference for being in the driving seat – had left her out of practice for motorway driving. In her late teens, she’d had no issues negotiating the A12 late at night, thinking nothing of its lengthy unlit sections and frequent changes in speed limit. Now she jumped every time a juggernaut roared past her, sending a tsunami in its wake. It wasn’t as if she was even looking forward to arriving at the house. Because her father wouldn’t be there to greet her this time. Nor her mother.

If you like the sound of this it can be bought here! And is available on Kindle Unlimited.

🐧❤️

Today I’m on the tour for Love In The Cupboard by Mari Jane Law, and I have a spotlight for you, thank you to Hannah at Hygge Book Tours for organising it and inviting me to take part.

Pages: 388

Synopsis: A Catholic priest seeks a wife. A betrayed woman needs an honest man. What could possibly go wrong?

When Father Thomas Sheridan encounters Faith in a dark cupboard, he believes he’s found his future wife. But Tom isn’t brave enough to tell her the truth…

When Faith meets Tom in the office kitchenette, she can’t stand him. No matter, she’s fallen for the mysterious man she met in the cupboard and can’t wait to meet him again. Oh, and she’s got a new rule: one lie and he’s out. She’s not getting duped again.

But everyone loves Tom. From Perdita, Faith’s friend, to Hope, her chronically ill sister—who’s on the lookout for a man herself. And neighbours Luke and Gavin—who’ve fallen out over Luke wanting a baby. They urge Faith to give Tom a chance. But how can she have strong feelings for two men? And even worse, how will she react when she discovers that Tom is the man in the cupboard—and, heaven forbid, a Catholic priest?

About The Author:

Mari Jane Law lives in the UK and loves cats and chocolate. She also loves books, TV series and films that make her laugh and, through her writing, discovered that she could make other people laugh as well. She hopes those who buy or borrow her work have as much fun reading it as she had in writing it.

Her Catholic upbringing has given her ideas for some great fictional characters in the Love & Mishaps quirky romantic comedy series.

Mari Jane Law is a member of the Romantic Novelists’ Association’s New Writers’ Scheme and The Society of Authors.

If you like the sound of this it can be bought here! and is also available on Kindle Unlimited

🐧❤️

Today I’m on the tour for Chasing Greek Dreams by Francesca Catlow and I have a spotlight for you, thank you to Anne at Random Things Tours for organising it and inviting me to take part.

Pages: 274

Synopsis: On the lush green island of Corfu, Melodie’s new husband, Anton, is missing. With no clues to his whereabouts, Melodie and her step daughter Gaia are broken from the fear that they may never see him again. When Anton’s car is found by the side of the road, Gaia fixates on the idea that Melodie’s malicious half-sister is somehow involved.

Will Melodie ever find out what has happened to Anton, the love of her life? Can Melodie accept the final piece of her lost past when she is faced with so much confusion? Can she get back her life in Corfu, or will she have to give up on chasing dreams and return to England?

It’s time to return to Corfu in the third book in the Little Blue Door series. Read Chasing Greek Dreams now to find out the final part of Melodie’s story.

About the Author:

Hi! Thank you for taking an interest in my books. I write passionate love stories featuring flawed and sometimes broken characters as they face a crossroads in their life. Sometimes these issues can be resolved, but what if they can’t? What if things outside of their control take root? I like to explore heart breaking themes and, at times, thrilling and dangerous narratives loaded with tension and suspense, all interlaced with meaningful and passionate love stories. Human emotions are always at the centre of my novels whilst also being whisked off to beautiful locations. To date, all of my published books are set on the lush Greek island of Corfu.

Escapism is key, I like my readers to get caught up in the unpredictable lives of my protagonists, as though you are catching up with a best friend whose life has hit a messy point. Not everything can be happily-ever-after, but there is beauty and love in all of my stories. I hope you enjoy them!

If you like the sound of this it can be bought here! It’s available on Kindle Unlimited, but remember it’s book 3 in a series

🐧❤️

Today I’m on the tour for Jailbait by Shauna Richmond and I have a spotlight for you, thank you to Hannah at Hygge Book Tours for organising it and inviting me to take part.

Pages: 207

Synopsis: I didn’t do it!

It took five years, two failed hits and several trips to the infirmary later for Joe to finally listen to me.

Now I’m sitting in protective custody, staring at a murder board, wondering whose time I’m serving.

I’m prepared to fight.
Hell I’m even prepared to die, it beats going back to prison.

What I’m not prepared for, is the truth.

About The Author: I’m a stay-at-home mother/ carer for my autistic son. I start writing after a breakdown in 2016. My usual genre is fantasy, but I’ve branched out in the last year. I have a degree in forensic profiling and crime scene investigation as well as criminology and social studies. I intended for Jailbait to be a more serious book but then my personality burst through the scenes, and it’s loaded with dark humour.

If you like the sound of this it can be bought here! It’s also available on Kindle Unlimited

🐧❤️

Today I’m on the tour for Justinians Daughters by Nigel Stewart and I have a spotlight for you, thank you to Hannah at Hygge Book Tours for organising it and inviting me to take part 🙂

Pages: 381

Synopsis:

After arriving for a holiday near the tiny city of St David’s, comedian Benjamin Budd is consumed by the beauty and mysticism all around him. A seemingly chance encounter with an unnerving stranger called Erin quickly changes his life and he becomes trapped; embroiled in a fatalistic tale of inheritance and bloodlines. He learns of strong women, seeking retribution through generations, proving historic actions have present day consequences.

A sinister, enigmatic tale of vengeance that leaves the reader wondering where good ends and evil begins…

About The Author: Nigel Stewart joined Provoco in August 2022. He writes lit- erary fiction and has published three novels since 2019. His fourth, Justinian’s Daughters, will be his debut for Provoco and marks a distinct change of style.
Born in Northumberland, Nigel grew up in Hereford where he was a cathedral chorister. He lives in Lancashire, for now, and his children, Alana and Jacob, are presently finishing their degrees at Birkbeck College and Newcastle University.
A full-time dreamer since his teens, Nigel enjoys a beer if of- fered and likes nothing more than not completing things on his to-do list. He’s also a keen musician and songwriter.
He’s recently completed a fifth novel and is working concur- rently on two new projects – some short stories and a sixth novel.

If you like the sound of this it can be bought here! It is released on the 30th March and will be available on Kindle Unlimited.

🐧❤️

Today I’m on the tour for Maybe It’s About Time by Neil Boss and I have a spotlight for you, thank you to Hannah at Hygge Book Tours for organising it and inviting me to take part.

Pages: 552

Synopsis: Two people trapped in their different worlds. One by wealth and one by poverty. Twenty years working for The Firm has given Marcus Barlow everything he wants but has taken his soul in return. Finding a way to leave has become an obsession.

Claire Halford’s life hits rock bottom when she is caught stealing food from Tesco Express. Left alone by her husband with two small children and an STI, her suicide music is starting to play louder in her head.

A chance meeting brings them together. As a mystery virus from China starts to run riot across the country, their world’s collide and they find they have more in common than they knew.

Set in the early months of 2020, Maybe It’s About Timeis a story about the difficulty of changing lives for the better. Starting as a funny and satirical view of the egocentric world of professional services, it gives way to a heart-warming story of an unlikely friendship that rejuvenates Marcus and Claire, giving them both hope for a better future.

About The Author:

Neil Boss retired as a Partner at Deloitte LLP, in November 2019 having spent a successful career as a business consultant in the boardrooms of UK plc. His retirement plan was to write something he could really be proud of, this book. He enjoys travel, cooking and fly fishing, lives in Hertfordshire, UK.

If you like the sound of this it can be bought here!

🐧❤️