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Today I’m on the book tour for Tom Collins: a slightly crooked Novel by Douglas Viglotti, thank you to Kelly at Love Books Tours for organising it and inviting me to take part and thank you to the author and the publisher for my copy.

Synopsis: What if that person from the bar—you know, the one you just slept with—turns out to be your boss’s spouse?

When soul-searching Christian meets Liv, stars align and her green eyes burn a hole straight through him. Their playful attraction quickly escalates into something much more. But Liv has a little more to her story—one that will turn his life upside down and entangle him in a predicament for the ages. She’s married to his new boss.

With a dash of dark humor, the story ensues and things begin to heat up. A ball-busting buddy tries to save Christian from himself, but a work event places everyone together on a weekend trip to Golden Beach, FL. As tension builds, his work nemesis, knack for late-night partying, and (most importantly) Liv don’t make things any easier. Christian begins to question everything he thought he knew. It’s not until he stumbles upon a mysterious aging rockstar that he starts to see things a bit differently. And sometimes, the way you look at something can change everything.

Tom Collins is more than an edgy, sexy story of lust, attraction, and infidelity. It’s about how our lives come to be and what shapes us along the way.

About the Author: DOUGLAS VIGLIOTTI is a writer and storyteller who believes less is more and intention is everything. He has authored multiple nonfiction books, (most notably) The Gap, way too many articles, and one ebook, Pumpernickel & Peanut Butter: Why Weird Works, which is free at DouglasVigliotti.com. Tom Collins: A ‘Slightly Crooked’ Novel is his first work of fiction. He lives in New Haven, CT (where he’s currently working on his next novel.)

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Today I’m on the book tour for The Forgotten Gun by John Reid, thank you to Kelly at love books yours for organising it and inviting me to take part.

Synopsis: A Metropolitan Police detective about to be dismissed is given a second chance by his old boss, who is now a police commander. He’s given a new unit to run and two misfit detectives to assist him. All three know their status is temporary.

Their first case together is an impossible double murder. Each murder is identical. Both victims are expertly shot in the head from long range, but the post-mortems reveal no bullets were used in the shootings. The CSI teams calculate that in both cases there was no place for the marksman to have fired from, unless suspended over busy roads.

Although it’s a case apparently impossible to solve, DCI Steve Burt reluctantly agrees to investigate with his new team. Their enquires lead them into the murky world of greed, corruption, fraud and money laundering, but they are no nearer solving the murders. The team is stumped until the DCI meets a retired army major and a WW2 veteran who unwittingly hold the keys to solving these impossible murders

About the Author: John was born in Scotland and, after serving in the Army, embarked on a career in industry. He has worked in several different sectors in senior roles and was latterly CEO of a large international data capture company. He retired for the first time in 1995 to take on a consultancy designed to help new businesses become established. In 2018 he finally retired from business life to become a full-time author. John lives in Scotland and Portugal with his wife, and they have two grown-up sons.

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

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Today I’m on the blog tour for Monster Midwife by Lumen Reese, I have a spotlight for you where I tell you all about the book and the author.

Synopsis: Alanna Rhee believes that all mothers deserve to deliver safely, even the monsters of the world. As a human enslaved to the fairies of Aerin, she made a pact with the king when she was just a child. She signed in blood. After studying midwifery, and for ten years attending to the most dangerous births of other magical creatures -earning wealth and prestige for the kingdom- she would win her freedom. With three years left to serve, multiple fairy kingdoms are on the brink of war. Queen Esmera of the Westlands is hated, feared, and called a ‘classless woman’. Worse still, she carries a child with no father, conceived from a deal with an ‘Old God’. Not knowing what deformities the baby may show, only the most experienced midwife in the land will do.
Alanna is trusted by all. She is asked to attend to Esmera. She is also asked not to intervene in the difficult birth, and by her inaction, to cause death. Alanna must decide if even her freedom is worth the horror of allowing a woman to die in her most vulnerable moment.

About the Author: Lumen Reese is an author of diverse fantasy, sci-fi and speculative fiction from West Michigan. Her other books include ‘Trial of the Lovebird Butcher’ and ‘Claire Got Herself in Trouble’.

I personally think this sounds AMAZING and I cannot wait to read it!

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I’m really sorry to let you all down, especially all the authors and publishers who I have agreed to do blog tours for over the next few months.

I’ve had some devastating news over the weekend and I just can’t get my head around anything let alone pick up a book and give it enough of my attention to write the review you all deserve.

There will be a few spotlights over the next couple of weeks, but that is it for now.

I will be back, I just don’t know when. It definitely won’t be in 2021.

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Today I’m on the blog tour for Sometimes When I Sleep by Helen Salsbury, thank you to Anne at Random Things Tours for organising it and inviting me to take part and thank you to he author and the publisher for my copy.

Pages: 437

Synopsis: For Harriet, Eden university is a chance to escape the shadows of a family tragedy and reinvent herself, even though she doesn’t know exactly who she is or where she belongs. She’s grown up hiding from curious eyes, and seeking refuge in the music of Dark Island, who appear to be the only ones who have words for her hidden traumas. She’s escaped into hockey and being an A* student, found companionship and adventure in role-playing games, but somehow she’s never been able to run far enough to avoid the night-time terrors which haunt her. Spurred by a promise from Dark Island that she’s leaving the shadows, Harriet is convinced that university will be the place where all this changes. And yet, finding where she belongs is not easy. Hockey is dominated by the arrogant Mark Collier, and relationships prove as difficult here as at home.

As the structures which have kept Harriet safe start to crumble, she is drawn somewhat against her will towards the cold, mysterious and compelling Iquis. It’s a tumultuous relationship – full of conflict and misunderstandings. And yet, as Harriet starts to recognise a matching brokenness in Iquis, she becomes convinced that their paths are entwined, and that only by rescuing Iquis from what binds her can she, Harriet, ever find freedom from the chains of her own past. But as the girls’ journeys take them across the night-time landscapes of Cumbria, and then deeper into the frozen north, the questions arise: how much of what the girls fear comes from inside and how much from outside, and what is the price of redemption?

My Rating: 🐧🐧🐧🐧.5

My Thoughts: This story was compelling, intriguing and subtly dark, although not in the way I was expecting!

The writing was almost lyrical and it gripped me on a way I can’t even explain, the story was quite a slow burn but yet I still found myself reading the book fairly quickly because I just needed to get to the bottom of what was going on!

We’re following Harriet as she’s travelling to university with her dad, once she arrives she meets Jenna, Marcia, Mark & Iquis. Harriet is instantly drawn to Iquis but she’s not sure why there’s just something about her that leave Harriet feeling like she needs to get to know her better.

We soon learn that not everything at Eden University isn’t as it seems & everyone is keeping secrets!

Just when you think you’ve worked out what’s going on another layer is added to the story, I LOVED getting to the bottom of everything.

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Today I’m on the blog tour for The Country Village Winter Wedding by Cathy Lake, thank you to Tracy at Compulsive Readers for organising it and inviting me to take part & thank you to the author and the publisher for my copy.

Pages: 432

Synopsis: Clare Greene and Sam Wilson are getting married and everyone in Little Bramble is excited for the event of the year. But Clare and Sam are busy people and have left organising their wedding to the last minute.

Luckily, wedding planner Hazel Campbell has recently moved to the village. She had what she thought was a wonderful life in Edinburgh with a successful business, a loving fiance and her own wedding coming up. But when she caught her groom-to-be in bed with her best friend she fled, leaving everyone and everything behind.

Little Bramble seems like the ideal place for Hazel to start over. As she throws herself into planning the perfect country village winter wedding, she starts to find herself again. And soon she realises that a second chance at happiness might just be on the cards . . .

My Rating: 🐧🐧🐧🐧

My Thoughts: ohh it was so nice to be back in the village of Little Bramble! – although I haven’t read all 3 books, I read The Country Village Summer Fete back in June, so reading this one almost felt like I was coming back home❤️

In this one we’re following Hazel who after her life has fallen apart in Scotland she’s uprooted her life and moved to Little Bramble, she remembers going there for a holiday as a young girl and it was a really happy time for her, will returning there bring back the happiness she’s craving?

We’re also following Jack, who after losing his wife in one of the worst ways possible he’s struggled to rebuild his life, in comes his pushy sister Beth, who keeps pestering him until he agrees to move to Little Bramble so she can help him.

Whilst they’re both healing from their past hurt, they’re paths cross more than once and they become really good friends!

With the help of Jacks niece Bobby (who is never afraid to say what everyone else is thinking, Aster the greyhound puppy and Santa with a little bit of Christmas magic, can they each be what the other one needs to heal and move on?

This was such a heartwarming read with laugh out loud moments that deals with some pretty tough topics.

It gave me all the romantic Christmassy feelings and I kind of wish I could go back and read it again for the first time.

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Today I’m on the tour for The Second Marriage by Jess Ryder, thank you to Sarah at Bookouture for organising it and inviting me to take part and thank you to the author for my copy.

Pages: 342

Synopsis: They’re lying,’ my little stepson whispers, his blue eyes shining with tears as I tuck him into bed for the first time. ‘They think I’ve forgotten, but I remember everything. I know my mummy is still alive.’

My best friend warned me that it was too soon to marry Edward, a widower with an adorable but troubled little boy. She said we were moving too fast. But all I could see was a kind, loving man, struggling with grief, who needed my help.

Yet as storm clouds gather above our small wedding ceremony, my hopes and dreams fall apart. None of my husband’s family turn up to support us. Instead of a honeymoon, we have a quiet night in. My wedding bouquet is placed on his first wife’s grave. And then my new stepson tells me he’s sure his mother is still alive.

What does Noah remember and why is his father trying to make him forget? Have I been completely wrong about my husband? What happened to the woman who came before me, and how far will he go to stop me finding out the truth?

My Rating: 🐧🐧🐧🐧🐧

My Thoughts: it can sometimes put me off when a tag line for a book says it’s “Utterly Gripping” because it kind of makes me want to roll my eyes because that’s what any psychological thriller is supposed to be right?

But this one really didn’t let me down! – sooo many twists and turns that I just didn’t know where it was going.

What is Edward hiding & why?

Is Noah telling the truth, or is he creating a reality that he wants to believe in? & How far is Lily willing to go to find out?

There were some really strong characters in this book and my favourite was Marsha, she stood up for what she thought was right and even after Lily asked her to back off she kept digging behind the scenes because she really strongly believed that something was off.

When the truth starts being unravelled who should Lily believe? The friend who has always been there for her or the husband that has promised her that it’s all a big misunderstanding?

Turns out the lies go deeper than anyone could’ve ever imagined and involved so many people.

I definitely didn’t work out the ending & didn’t expect half the twists that happened!

I cannot recommend this one enough

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Today I’m on the tour for Double Pursuit by Alison Morton, 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: 320

Synopsis: She’s hunting arms smugglers. But who is hunting her?

One dead body, two badly injured operatives and five crates of hijacked rifles.
In Rome, former French special forces intelligence analyst Mélisende des Pittones is frustrated by obnoxious local cops and ruthless thugs. Despite the backing of the powerful European Investigation and Regulation Service, her case is going nowhere. Then an unknown woman tries to blow her head off.

As Mel and fellow investigator Jeff McCracken attempt to get a grip on the criminal network as well as on their own unpredictable relationship, all roads point to the place she dreads – the arid and remote African Sahel – where she was once betrayed and nearly died. Can Mel conquer her fear as she races to smash the network and save her colleague’s life?

My Rating: 🐧🐧🐧🐧🐧

My Thoughts: this is the second book in the Mèlisende Thrillers series, so if you haven’t read the first one Double Identity then go and pick that one up first!

Book 2 is still following the same story line as the first one Mel is still trying to get to the bottom of the arms smuggling network they encountered, they stopped one part of it but they are more than aware that it goes a hell of a lot deeper!

It’s fast paced and exciting, Mel tries her hardest to leave no stone unturned but anyone that comes forward with info seems to end up dead before they can pass it on!

Who’s doing this and what exactly are they hiding to make it worth killing for?

The size of her team is dwindling as they all seem to get caught in the crossfire!

This story takes place in many different locations as they travel to follow the leads. But how far will Mel have to travel to get to the bottom of it, and how much is she willing to risk when she realises that an old friend is involved?

I loved this so so much and cannot wait for the next one!

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Today I’m on the blog tour for Forgotten Heroes of Comedy by Robert Ross, thank you to Anne at Random Things Tours for organising it and inviting me to take part and thank you to the author and the publisher for my copy.

Pages: 608

Synopsis: In this long overdue and affectionate salute, celebrated comedy historian Robert Ross pays tribute to some of the finest, funniest and most fascinating names in comedy from both sides of the Atlantic.

Delving into the careers of the beguiling Avril Angers, the Clitheroe Kid himself, the forgotten Stooge Shemp Howard, Hollywood golden girl Thelma Todd, Italian film-maker Mario Zampi and many more between, Ross honours these legends of humour who, for a variety of reasons, didn’t quite reach the heady heights of stardom – or, once they did, they couldn’t cope with the pressures.

Whether it is a favourite from the distant smoke and ale-stained world of the Music Hall like the great George Robey, or the downbeat poetry of Hovis Presley, who dropped disenchanted bombs on the late 1990s, the Forgotten Heroes of Comedy will finally elevate them to the Hall of Fame where they belong. Forgotten, no longer.

My Thoughts: firstly you’ll notice that I haven’t put a rating for this book, purely because it feels wrong, I’d feel like I was judging the lives of the comedians who have been forever encapsulated in this book.. who am I to judge wether their lives were interesting? 🤣

The book itself was very well thought out and very well put together, I appreciated the fact that throughout the pages of people’s lives there were photos thrown in which really helped to envisage the people we were reading about!

I don’t often read non fiction because it doesn’t tend to grip me in the way that fiction does, but I actually found this really interesting, learning about how these forgotten heroes of comedy started out, what they achieved within their personal lives and their working lives.

I will be totally honest here and say I haven’t actually finished the book yet as I want to take the time to read it properly and take in all the information, but I’ve read about half of it & will be carrying on even after my stop.

I was born in 1991 so so far haven’t really known any of the comedians mentioned although there have been a few faces I’ve recognised. It’s really struck up conversations within my family as I’ve been asking my dad and stepmum if they know them.

The little bits of info at the end of each part telling you where you can still find work associated with the comedians was a nice touch and I will be looking a few of them up in the future when I get the chance!

I recommend this book to all fans of comedy new or old, well done Robert for ensuring that these ‘Forgotten Heroes’ will never truly be forgotten.

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Today I’m on the book tour for The Broken Pane by Charlie Roy, thank you to Kelly at Love Books Tours for organising it and inviting me to take part and thank you to the author and the publisher for my copy.

Pages: 325

Synopsis: The Broken Pane is about loss and family, when families are broken. Finding yourself in the pieces of memory. About a young woman and her search for answers.

In her early twenties, Tam rushes to her childhood flat only to be confronted by a tragic discovery. Anchored by the weight of family lore, she struggles to come to terms with her loss. As her life spirals, she sets off to find the one person who may hold the answers: her mother.

Tam’s travels take her far from a home which was more broken than she had ever realised.

Walking the line between reliable memory and unreliable narrator, Charlie Roy’s debut novel invites you to consider whether you are shaped by your past ― or if you shape your past yourself?

My Rating: 🐧🐧🐧🐧🐧

My Thoughts: now I’ve read some pretty fantastic books this year, but this one just hit different, it has to be in my top 3 if not my favourite.

There are some pretty heavy themes so please consider these as trigger warnings suicide, self harm, child abuse/neglect.

This book gave me all the feelings, I laughed, I cried, I reminisced on past events and even got a little lost in my own head for a while.

There was a particular line that resonated with me very deeply..

“Tam, some people are meant to burn bright. They don’t burn for long.”

I have lost people in my life to suicide, one of them many years ago when we were only 15 and the impact he left on all of us, is still with us now 15 years later.

So thank you Charlie, for showing the impact on families/friends that suicide can have but also that life does carry on for those of us left behind.

This isn’t my longest review and I apologise for that, but please please if you are able to deal with the difficult subjects mentions pick it up and give it a go.

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