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Today I am on tour for The Best Wild Idea by Lily Parker, 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: 341

Synopsis:

❤️ Forced proximity
❤️ Enemies-to-lovers
❤️ Second-chance
❤️ Opposites attract
❤️ He falls first
❤️ Dual POV

She can’t forgive him. She can’t forget him.

Jules, Silas and Grant were once inseparable — until Jules and Grant got engaged, Silas inherited a billion-dollar empire, and everything fell apart.

Then the unthinkable happens. Grant is gone. And Jules is left reeling, her heart in pieces.

The last person she wants to see is Silas — the one man she swore to hate. The best friend she pushed away.

Silas has loved Jules since he first set eyes on her. But he lost her to his best friend. And now he’s lost his best friend to something his money couldn’t fix.

Then a letter arrives. Grant’s final request: Show Jules how to live again.

Silas must be the one to take Jules on the adventure she’s always dreamed of.

But it’s with the man she hates most in the world.

From golden Spanish sunsets to the sparkling coast of Amalfi and the magic of Parisian nights, Jules wants nothing to do with Silas. But there’s a thin line between love and hate . . .

And somewhere along the way, the man she left behind begins to look a lot like the one she can’t live without.

My Thoughts: oh my heart, this book. This might just be my favourite read of the year, the emotions this book made me feel it couldn’t possibly be anything less than 5 stars.. I’m not even joking when I tell you this book had me in tears by page 24, the depiction of grief in here was so spot on that took me right back to losing my dad 3 years ago.

I loved all of the main characters, Jules, Grant and Silas were all stand out in their own right, even after his death Grant was selfless and wanted nothing but the best for his wife and his best friend, he planned the trip right down to the tiniest detail, even knowing how each of them would react.. I know it’s fiction, but it genuinely felt like it was real, like I was a fly on a wall watching it all unfold in real time.

And don’t get me started on the letters.. honestly even just thinking about this book & putting my thoughts into words I’m fighting back the tears.

Jules and Silas were exactly what each other needed, that was obvious to us as readers even if they couldn’t work it out for themselves, they had me shaking my head, putting my head in my hands & wanting to just push them together myself.

I am broken into a million pieces in the best way possible, Lily you are a genius and have now official cemented yourself as an author whose books I will read no matter what.

If you trust any of my book recommendations make it this one!

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Today I am on the blogathon for Anything For Her by Jack Jordan, thank you to Tracy at Compulsive Readers Blog Tours for organising it and inviting me to take part and thank you to the author and the publisher for my copy.

Pages: 380

Synopsis: The unputdownable debut from bestselling author Jack Jordan.

Sometimes the past comes back to haunt you.

Louise Leighton’s life has fallen apart, all because of one fateful night. Her husband is an adulterer, her sister is his mistress, and soon, Louise will lose everything she owns. But she never imagined she would lose her daughter.

Eighteen-year-old Brooke Leighton is missing. It’s up to Louise and the Metropolitan Police to find her. Has Brooke run away? Or has she been taken against her will? And can Louise aid the investigation without mentioning the night where all of her troubles began?

If she mentions that night, she will incriminate her daughter for heinous crimes. But if she doesn’t, she may never find Brooke; and if she has been abducted, the person who took her may come for Louise, too.

Sometimes the past comes back to kill you.

My Thoughts: if I hadn’t read it in the synopsis I would never have knows this was Jacks debut novel.. I have been a massive fan of Jacks for years and have read a few of his books for previous tours.

He just has this incredible ability to write thrillers that are fast paced, full of action yet eerily realistic & full of characters that you either love or hate.

Anything for her was by far my favourite book of Jacks so far, the plot is just seamless & I found myself turning the pages so fast I almost could t keep up with myself.

This thriller was what the saying “just one more chapter” was made for.

I adored Brooke as a main character so the direction this book went in broke my heart but made me more determined to get to the bottom of it like it was solely my responsibility to do so.

A story full of twist, turns and a whole host of red herrings. I adored it and cannot recommend it highly enough.

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Today I am on the tour for The Stranger Inside by Ruth Harrow, thank you to Zoé at Zooloos Book Tours for organising it and inviting me to take part & thank you to the author and the publisher for my copy.

Pages: 341

Synopsis: She asked her to stay. Now she won’t leave.

Finally free of her abusive ex, Zoe is rebuilding her life.

Then, on a parenting forum, she meets Lisa who is going through the same thing Zoe escaped- psychological torture at the hands of a cold, controlling partner.

Zoe rescues Lisa from her evil husband, Greg, and offers her a place to stay. It’s supposed to be temporary, just until Lisa gets back on her feet.

But Lisa has no plans to leave.

Meanwhile, Greg is furious Zoe interfered in his marriage and is determined to destroy her life. He charms her coworkers, twists the truth, and turns everyone against her.

When the home she worked so hard to buy goes up in flames, Zoe knows she needs to fight back. She’s handled abusive men before and Greg has no idea who he’s dealing with…

But Lisa has a secret too. And when it’s finally revealed, Zoe realizes she may be trapped in her own private hell.

My Thoughts: I love Ruth’s writing and this one was no exception, it had me hooked from the beginning.

I loved Zoe, she just wanted to help in whatever way she could which left her finding her inner strength when she realises whilst part of an online forum that there is a local woman who is going through exactly what she has just escaped… can she convince her to leave and save another life?

Just getting Lisa to leave had my heart beating so fast that I was slightly worried about what the rest of the book would do to me. 😅

Not being around Greg doesn’t keep Lisa safe though, messages start coming in, for both her and Zoe there’s a car parked outside the house that just keeps disappearing and Lisa thinks she’s being watched.

This book almost felt too real at times, I’ve had friends that have been in abusive relationships, but it left me unable to stop turning the pages so fast because I needed to know that everyone would be ok!

Just when you think everything is being tied up that’s when the twists come and they literally had my jaw on the floor.

Thoroughly enjoyed & can’t wait to read more from Ruth.

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Today I am on the tour for Behind Closed doors by Rowen Chambers, thank you to Zoé at Zooloos Book Tours for organising it and inviting me to take part & thank you to the author and the publisher for my copy.

Pages: 293

Synopsis: I thought he was the man of my dreams. He may just be my worst nightmare.

After years of struggling, I never expected someone like Evan Sinclair to walk into my life.

Confident, charming, and well-dressed, I couldn’t believe it when he asked me — a waitress at a diner — to go out with him.

He swept me off my feet, offering me a life I never imagined — a luxurious apartment, new clothes, a world beyond my wildest dreams. For the first time in years, I thought I was finally happy.

But as our relationship deepens, things start to change. Evan’s love comes with strings attached: unspoken rules, decisions made for me, and a creeping sense of control. The more I try to hold on to this perfect life, the more I feel like I’m losing myself.

Evan won’t talk about his past. His temper flares if I even ask about it. And when I find out the reason why, I wonder if I’ve made a terrible mistake.

I thought this new life was everything I wanted. Now, I’m scared I won’t be able to get out before it’s too late.

My Thoughts: oh my god this book made me angry, like shaking my head, shouting at the book and almost throwing my kindle across the room angry.

But that means it was really well written, for a fictional character to make me that irate is a testament to the authors skill.

Evan was a horrible man & I just wanted to shake Grace & make her see sense!

I found myself nodding along and agreeing with everything Jenna was saying & willing both her and Martin to just dig a little deeper..

I thought things were maybe a little repetitive at times, but turns out that just added to the eeriness of the story.

Lots of secrets, lots of lies, characters with hidden agendas and a story line that will stick in your head.

I love a good psychological thriller and this one didn’t disappoint.

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Today I am on the tour for The Break-Up Before Christmas by Charlotte Barnes, 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: 297

Synopsis: This holiday season, love is going off-script.

Celebrated advice columnist ‘Dear Dotty’ Ellison has made a name for herself by solving everyone else’s problems.

But she derails her seemingly perfect life when she unknowingly advises her girlfriend of ten years to break up with her. Through her own advice column.

Suddenly single, Dotty realises her life behind the picture-perfect brand isn’t as flawless as she thought. Determined to rediscover who she really is, she decides it’s time to learn how to take her own advice. She begins writing letters to herself through her column.

But when Dotty meets a gorgeous stranger at a cooking class, everything she thought she’d learned through her journey of self-discovery is thrown into question.

Now, with Christmas approaching, will Dotty discover that love and life aren’t something you can write, edit or schedule?

My Thoughts: this one made me feel all warm and happy by the end, it made me smile so much.

This book isn’t about the romance, it’s about finding yourself again after all your plans for the future have fallen apart.

It’s about realising the value of true friendship and the beauty of it too, knowing that you have people in your life that will drop everything to help, that are a positive force but are also not afraid to tell you when they think you’re wrong.

& that is exactly what Dotty has, her girls and her mum are fiercely protective yet brutally honest & that was actually quite refreshing.

When Dotty started writing letters to herself and came to all the realisations that she did it made me emotional but also made me want to pump my fist because I was so proud of her.

I don’t want to give anything away.. I went into this one completely blind & I think that’s the best way to do it. It’ll make you laugh, possibly make you cry but it will also make you proud to be a female (if you are)

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Today I am on the tour for The Motel by Nancy Savage, 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: 287

Synopsis: Pearl just checked in. To her own personal nightmare.

Things aren’t going well for Pearl Fuller. Reeling from a breakup and struggling to make ends meet, she’s sleeping on her ex’s couch and working nights at The Driftwood Motel.

The same motel that years ago was the scene of the legendary Berkman murder. They say that room 52 has been empty ever since that night. But if that’s true why can Pearl see someone moving around in there? And why is she the only one who can hear that eerie voice?

No one else seems concerned, but they don’t have to spend every night sitting alone at the front desk, certain that someone is hiding out there in the darkness, watching.

The only bright spot in Pearl’s life is Noah, a guy she recently met who has drawn her in with his charm and good looks. But it’s beginning to feel as though Noah isn’t who he says he is, and soon Pearl suspects he knows a lot more about room 52 than he’s letting on.

Will Pearl discover the truth before it’s too late? Or is she about to open the door to a nightmare so twisted that her worst fears will pale in comparison?

My Thoughts: I really enjoyed this one, it almost didn’t read like a thriller to begin with but as the story goes on you do find yourself being slowly pulled in until your left reeling, but knowing which way is up and who you can trust.

Pearl is a rather unlikeable character to begin with, I found her really whiny, yeah she found herself in situations that weren’t ideal, but she didn’t seem to want to do anything to make it better.

Until her colleague encouraged her to put her details on a job website..

What seems like the perfect job comes up for her, it’s only for a week, puts a roof over her head gives her a bed to sleep in and it involves animals.. what could possibly go wrong?!

I didn’t know wether Pearl was safer at the motel or at the house she was looking after because once things started doing wrong she just couldn’t catch a break.

The book has a whole cast of characters & all of them could have been guilty.. I even started wondering if Edsel was involved.. he just always seemed to be there when things kicked off at work.

I found myself unable to put the book down once the action kicked in, I needed to know how it ended.

I would really recommend this one if you enjoy a slow burn thriller.

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Today I am on the tour for Chasing A Dream by Alison J Barley, thank you to Hannah at Hygge Book Tours for organising it and inviting me to take part and thank you to the author and the publisher for my copy.

Pages: 353

Synopsis:Kilburn, Derbyshire 1950. Stella has her heart set on becoming a writer. However, living in a small mining village with an aggressive father somewhat limits her aspirations.
After the death of her grandpa – the only person to recognise and encourage her ability, Stella is lost and about to give up on her dream altogether. Then Stella meets Will, and they soon become very close. He is very supportive and keen to help her succeed in her quest. 
When Stella’s teacher, Miss Hutton, offers to be her mentor, Stella’s dreams of becoming an author seem to be within her grasp. But then a cruel twist of fate, once again, shatters her ambition.
Thankfully she can rely on Will’s support, that is until they find that their relationship has suddenly become the centre of a long-since uncovered secret.
Can their relationship survive, and will Stella find enough strength to triumph above the constant setbacks she faces?

Chasing the Dream is a story of heartbreak, love and tragedy. It follows the journey of a young girl’s determination to overcome life’s challenges to achieve her goal.

My Thoughts: I wasn’t sure what I’d think to this one as I really struggle to read books that deal with grief as a main topic since losing my dad in 2022 but I found myself totally engrossed and swept up in the story!

I wanted nothing but the best for Stella but didn’t have the highest hopes with everything that she had to deal with, the parts that featured her dad made me so angry I wanted to cry, no one deserves a parent like that.

I did panic when her little hiding place got found out but it turned out Will was a shining light in her life and made my heart happy.

A story that will play with all your emotions, give you the warm and fuzzies, break your heart & repeat the cycle over and over again.

I thoroughly enjoyed it & will look out for more from Alison in the future!

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

Pages: 297

Synopsis: Two rivals. One bet. First to fall in love wins . . .

For Nat Lane love is predictable. Controlled. Scientific. As the founder of a high-profile dating app, she is far more comfortable working on the data behind the dates than finding love herself.

Until her infuriating, but charming, business rival, Rami, publicly challenges her data.

To prove him wrong, Nat makes a bet: she’ll find her perfect match using her own app. Rami must find a date the old-fashioned way.

First to find ‘the one’ wins.

But as the competition heats up, so does their chemistry. Until the lines between rivalry and romance begin to blur.

Nat set out to prove love is a science. But with Rami, it might just be something far more unpredictable . . .

My Thoughts: I really enjoyed this one, it has all the elements of a typical romcom that we all love but it was executed in a way that I’d never read before & I just ate it up!

I loved Nat and Rami as main characters equally, they were fantastic separately but together their banter was off the charts and at times laugh out loud funny.

I’ll be honest, I was all for Nats way of finding love as that’s how I found my boyfriend and I’m far too awkward to meet someone off the cuff in a public setting 😅 that being said though I did enjoy reading about Ramis experiences, you could feel the awkwardness through the page and at times it made me cringe.

Being honest I just wanted them both to sack it off and get together & I wasn’t convinced we’d ever get there.

I would definitely recommend this one & can’t want to read more from Paula in the future.

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Today I am on the tour for Crime In The Garden by Catherine Moloney, thank you to Zoé at Zooloos Book Tours for organising it and inviting me to take part.

Pages: 265

Synopsis: Two brutal murders. One glass house with a sinister past. And a ruthless killer who’s ready to throw the first stone . . .

To step into Hollingrove Palm House is to step into another world, filled with tropical blooms, lush foliage and six ancient stones. Flash tycoon Tony Pardoe, the house’s owner, doesn’t believe the old wives’ tales that swirl around these stones. A mistake he won’t live to regret.

Pardoe’s body is found, sprawled across the stones like a sacrificial offering. Now it’s up to Detective Markham and his team to solve the twisted puzzle of Pardoe’s killing.

The only clue? Another mysterious death, under the same roof. Thirty years ago, little Mary Priddy suffered a fatal fall among the stones. Markham doesn’t believe in that kind of coincidence.

But the roots of these murders are buried deeper than he could ever imagine . . .

While Markham’s grappling with his own, more personal demons, a third body falls.

Can he unravel the mystery — more tangled than the palm house foliage — before the killer escapes into the shadows a second time?

About the Author:

Catherine Moloney is a Liverpool writer of Irish-American heritage. After graduating in Jurisprudence from Jesus College (University of Oxford), she was called to the Bar at Gray’s Inn. Despite qualifying as a barrister, her first love was English; this led to a PhD in English Literature at Birkbeck College (University of London). 

In her academic career, she lectured and published widely on the subject of tuberculosis and nineteenth-century literature, but somehow managed to avoid contracting galloping hypochondria and turned her attention to crime fiction.

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

It is also available on Kindle Unlimited along with the other books in the series!

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Today I am on the tour for Things We Need To Say by Linda Middleton, 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: 338

Synopsis: Don’t let The One become The One Who Got Away.

Emma thought she had her life figured out — the career, the love, the future.

But her career feels like it’s going nowhere, and her once-perfect relationship with Jay is beginning to unravel. The life she’s always envisioned feels like it’s slipping away.

Jay has always dreamed of running his own restaurant.

But he never imagined that in chasing success, each step forward would pull him further away from Emma.

As cracks in their relationship deepen, Emma and Jay realise that their love story wasn’t as perfect as they once believed.

They must learn that finding where your heart truly lies means letting go of everything you thought you knew about love . . . and yourself.

My Thoughts: ahh I loved this one, I loved all of the characters.

This is book 2 in the Second Chance Love Stories series and although it would read as a standalone it has overlapping characters from book one so I would highly recommend reading Things They Never Said first, I promise it will add a lot of feeling to the experience.

This isn’t your typical romance as the characters are already in a relationship so you miss the initial getting to know each other stage, but I appreciated that it felt like an insight into what happens after & the relationship in this one wasn’t perfect which gave it a more realistic feel!

We’re following Jay who is currently a partner in a catering business although he has aspirations to open his own restaurant! & Emma who is enrolled in a management training role learning the hospitality industry, both very full on jobs with crazy hours so they’re not getting to spend the time together that they used to so obviously the cracks begin to show.

As I said earlier I adored both characters, I found Jay was quite selfish at times though, it’s like he was walking round with blinkers on and couldn’t see past his aims and goals, I know this was probably on purpose so we could appreciate the redemption arc more when it came, but I found myself shaking my head at him & swearing under my breath regularly. 😂

Emma was just lovely, a little too insecure at times & her inner monologue sometimes read like a teenager rather than a lady in her 20’s but I guess with a partner like Jay who was making her feel unwanted at times we can’t blame her.

This story made my heart happy in the end, thoroughly enjoyable but with a lot of layers that stopped the story from being predictable.

I’m now left wondering if there will be more books in this series either way I can’t wait to read more from Linda in the future.

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