Sonia Bellhouse's Blog

Sadly, I’m not Wonder Woman and I placed too many expectations on myself in October. I continued to write, and I’m now at 100,000 words . I eschewed most tv in favour of reading. My book of the month is definitely Homecoming what a tour de force!

Homecoming by Kate Morton

Adelaide Hills, Christmas Eve, 1959: At the end of a scorching hot day, beside a creek on the grounds of the grand and mysterious mansion, a local delivery man makes a terrible discovery. A police investigation is called and the small town of Tambilla becomes embroiled in one of the most shocking and perplexing murder cases in the history of South Australia.

Sixty years later, Jess is a journalist in search of a story. Having lived and worked in London for almost twenty years, she now finds herself laid off from her full-time job and struggling to make ends meet. A phone call out of nowhere summons her back to Sydney, where her beloved grandmother, Nora, who raised Jess when her mother could not, has suffered a fall and been raced to the hospital.

Nora has always been a vibrant and strong presence: decisive, encouraging, young despite her years. When Jess visits her in the hospital, she is alarmed to find her grandmother frail and confused. It’s even more alarming to hear from Nora’s housekeeper that Nora had been distracted in the weeks before her accident and had fallen on the steps to the attic—the one place Jess was forbidden from playing in when she was small.

At loose ends in Nora’s house, Jess does some digging of her own. In Nora’s bedroom, she discovers a true crime book, chronicling the police investigation into a long-buried tragedy: the Turner Family Tragedy of Christmas Eve, 1959. It is only when Jess skims through the book that she finds a shocking connection between her own family and this once-infamous crime—a crime that has never been resolved satisfactorily. And for a journalist without a story, a cold case might be the best distraction she can find…

An epic novel that spans generations, Homecoming asks what we would do for those we love, and how we protect the lies we tell. It explores the power of motherhood, the corrosive effects of tightly held secrets, and the healing nature of truth. Above all, it is a beguiling and immensely satisfying novel from one of the finest writers working today,

547 pages, Hardcover

My Review.

This book surprised me and continued to surprise me, each time I’d figured something out, the parameters shifted. As an expat myself, I know the sense of dislocation and divided loyalties that can engender. Families are complicated and none more so than in this story. Loneliness and isolation, regrets, secrets and lies, motherhood, identity, jealousy. Some lyrical descriptions of the Australian bush, a continually shifting landscape, which is as much a character as anyone. A big book, but you will be swept along and keep reading. It is so worth reading.

The Postcard by Fern Britton

Penny Leighton, TV Producer and wife of the local vicar Simon Canter, is struggling to cope with motherhood. The couple have had their only child Jenna, while Penny is in her forties and it’s been a big shock to her system. When Simon engages the services of a nanny, Ella, as a way of helping Penny, it only serves to push her further away from him and from Jenna.
After Penny’s sister arrives in the village after the death of the woman Penny called her mother, it brings memories of her troubled childhood to the surface. As a distraction, she finds herself drawn to the village’s new Doctor, but he isn’t quite the charmer than he seems, as new arrival, Ella, is about to find out. But will all this be too late for Penny, who is about to risk everything?

This is the first Fern Britton book that I have read.  It wasn’t what I expected being quite depressing. Penny seems to have it all but is struggling with later in life motherhood. It was hard to like her, and I found myself reluctant to pick the book up. We all have our everyday problems and rather than being escapist fiction this plunged me into another person’s life and problems.

The Christmas Sisters by Sarah Morgan.

“The perfect gift for readers who relish heartwarming tales of sisters and love.” — Booklist on The Christmas Sisters

In the snowy Highlands of Scotland, Suzanne McBride is dreaming of the perfect cozy Christmas. Her three adopted daughters are coming home for the holidays and she can’t wait to see them. But tensions are running high…

Workaholic Hannah knows she can’t avoid spending the holidays with her family two years in a row. But it’s not the weight of their expectations that’s panicking her—it’s the life-changing secret she’s hiding. Stay-at-home mom Beth is having a personal crisis. All she wants for Christmas is time to decide if she’s ready to return to work—seeing everyone was supposed to help her stress levels, not increase them! Posy isn’t sure she’s living her best life, but with her parents depending on her, making a change seems risky. But not as risky as falling for gorgeous new neighbor Luke…
As Suzanne’s dreams of the perfect McBride Christmas unravel, she must rely on the magic of the season to bring her daughters together. But will this new togetherness teach the sisters that their close-knit bond is strong enough to withstand anything—including a family Christmas?

My Review.

Having previously enjoyed Sarah Morgan’s books I was looking forward to this one. Unfortunately, for me it didn’t deliver, perhaps because my reading time was fragmented. I was continually having to  remind myself who was who .If you can find some solid blocks of reading time, I’m sure its enjoyable

Mrs Spy by M.J Robotham

Get ready for a pulse-pounding, laugh-out-loud ride through 1960s London as Maggie Flynn, unexpected MI5 operative and single mum, unravels the intelligence agency’s most treacherous secrets.


Maggie Flynn isn’t your typical 1960s mum.

She’s a spy, an unsuspecting operative for MI5, stalking London’s streets in myriad disguises.

Widowed and balancing her clandestine career with raising a Beatles-mad teenage daughter, Maggie finds comfort and purpose in her profession – providing a connection to her late husband, whose own covert past only surfaced after his death.

But Maggie’s world spins out of control when a chance encounter with a mysterious Russian agent triggers a chilling he knew her husband. And what’s worse, the agent suspects someone on home soil betrayed him.

As Maggie searches for answers, she’ll question everyone – and everything – she thought she could trust. In the murky and perilous world of espionage, can she outsmart those determined to keep her silenced?

352 pages, Hardcover

My Review.

An interesting take on the spy genre, less glamour and more hard graft. Can an ordinary mum really find answers and if she does, who and what, does she endanger? Thought-provoking, but to me not quite believable.

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Will I ever finish this manuscript? It’s taken over two years of my life, but the end is in sight. I will miss it, but look forward to holding a real book in my hands instead of the many pages of notes and computer files. And the year end is approaching with a host of birthdays and Christmas festivities. I have another project once this memoir is finished an as yet untitled Viking romance already written and critiqued. But , that’s for next year.

September, we were hoping for spring weather in the Southern hemisphere, but it’s been wetter than usual. Time to curl up with a good book, or even time to try and write one! My reviewing philosophy is,if I didn’t finish a book, or disliked it, I don’t review it.Taste is personal and what appeals to me, may not appeal to you. That’s fine, well have differing expectations and experiences we bring to our reading.

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I’ve been industriously building my memoir.Like a spider’s web it has many strands.

I’m 92,000 words or so into the memoir and Im hoping to send it to my editor shortly. Briefly, it tells how when my marriage broke up, I started working as bus conductor in 1960 Britain

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If you look hard enough at old photographs, we’re there in the background: healers in the trenches; Suffragettes; Bletchley Park oracles; land girls and resistance fighters. Why is it we help in times of crisis? We have a gift. We are stronger than Mundanes, plain and simple.

At the dawn of their adolescence, on the eve of the summer solstice, four young girls–Helena, Leonie, Niamh and Elle–took the oath to join Her Majesty’s Royal Coven, established by Queen Elizabeth I as a covert government department. Now, decades later, the witch community is still reeling from a civil war and Helena is now the reigning High Priestess of the organization. Yet Helena is the only one of her friend group still enmeshed in the stale bureaucracy of HMRC. Elle is trying to pretend she’s a normal housewife, and Niamh has become a country vet, using her powers to heal sick animals. In what Helena perceives as the deepest betrayal, Leonie has defected to start her own more inclusive and intersectional coven, Diaspora. And now Helena has a bigger problem. A young warlock of extraordinary capabilities has been captured by authorities and seems to threaten the very existence of HMRC. With conflicting beliefs over the best course of action, the four friends must decide where their loyalties lie: with preserving tradition, or doing what is right.

Juno Dawson explores gender and the corrupting nature of power in a delightful and provocative story of magic and matriarchy, friendship and feminism. Dealing with all the aspects of contemporary womanhood, as well as being phenomenally powerful witches, Niamh, Helena, Leonie and Elle may have grown apart but they will always be bound by the sisterhood of the coven.

My Review

Initially I enjoyed reading  this and the concepts it explores .Women are so often simply  a foot note to history, marginalised or ignored. A story about women and not just women , but women with extraordinary powers was  appealing. The empathy Niamh shows was very relatable.  However, because  I was reading it over a few days I gradually got confused about  who each character was.

  The concept of a ‘cursed child’ is often the stuff of fantasy so that too was relatable. Gradually, I began to experience less enjoyment in reading, feeling  I was reading a polemic. I finished the book and  decided that although the story remained unfinished, I wouldn’t read  further volumes. It wasn’t for me; it may be for you.

Jane Austen, the Secret Radical by Helena Kelly.

A brilliant, illuminating reassessment of the life and work of Jane Austen that makes clear how Austen has been misread for the past two centuries and that shows us how she intended her books to be read, revealing, as well, how subversive and daring–how truly radical–a writer she was.

In this fascinating, revelatory work, Helena Kelly–dazzling Jane Austen authority–looks past the grand houses, the pretty young women, past the demure drawing room dramas and witty commentary on the narrow social worlds of her time that became the hallmark of Austen’s work to bring to light the serious, ambitious, deeply subversive nature of this beloved writer. Kelly illuminates the radical subjects–slavery, poverty, feminism, the Church, evolution, among them–considered treasonous at the time, that Austen deftly explored in the six novels that have come to embody an age. The author reveals just how in the novels we find the real Jane Austen: a clever, clear-sighted woman “of information,” fully aware of what was going on in the world and sure about what she thought of it. We see a writer who understood that the novel–until then seen as mindless “trash”–could be a great art form and who, perhaps more than any other writer up to that time, imbued it with its particular greatness.

My Review.

Jane Austen subversive. Jane Austen deliberately employed the despised novel not just to entertain, but also to inform her readership ,about so much that was going on in her time. The idea of Jane,  a spinster, who hadn’t travelled far, as a country mouse is far from the truth. She had five brothers , men who were involved with the church, the military and the war. Doubtless she heard and understood plenty ,from the conversations around her and formed her own opinions. She had sisters in law whose pregnancies she observed, and she knew that this was a dangerous time for a woman as many died in childbirth. Of course her thinking permeated her novels-but she still wrote to tell an entertaining story, or who would buy her next book?

The Radio Hour: A Novel by Victoria Purman .

From the bestselling author of The Nurses’ War comes this charming, funny, pointed look at the golden years of radio broadcasting in post-war Australia, celebrating the extraordinary unseen women who wrote the radio plays that held a nation captive. For readers of Lessons in Chemistry.

Martha Berry is fifty years old, a spinster, and one of an army of polite and invisible women in 1956 Sydney who go to work each day and get things done without fuss, fanfare or reward.

Working at the country’s national broadcaster, she’s seen highly praised talent come and go over the years but when she is sent to work as a secretary on a brand-new radio serial, created to follow in the footsteps of Australia’s longest running show, Blue Hills, she finds herself at the mercy of an egotistical and erratic young producer without a clue, a conservative broadcaster frightened by the word ‘pregnant’ and a motley cast of actors with ideas of their own about their roles in the show.

When Martha is forced to step in to rescue the serial from impending cancellation, she ends up secretly ghost-writing scripts for As The Sun Sets, creating mayhem with management, and coming up with storylines that resonate with the serial’s growing and loyal audience of women listeners.

But she can’t keep her secret forever and when she’s threatened with exposure, Martha has to decide if she wants to remain in the shadows, or to finally step into the spotlight.

My Review .

I’ve just finished reading The Radio Hour,  I enjoyed it so much and  it really resonated with me. Maybe young women today will realise how far women have come and how easily those gains could be lost .

All this happened in my lifetime. It pains me to think how disparagingly women and girls were treated. Underappreciated, underpaid and the hard working glue that often held companies together. Casual sexism was a way of life.

The Vintage Village Bake Off by Judy Leigh .

Now in his seventies, Robert Parkin is stunned to find himself the unlikely sex symbol of the village gardening club.

Living in happy solitude with his cat Isaac Mewton in the Devon village of Millbrook, entertained by his mischievous chickens and goats, Robert has never figured out the rules of romance. But as the local ladies vie for his company, it soon becomes clear that Robert’s Victoria Sponge cake is the lure, and as his baking prowess grows, so does his confidence.

Cheesecakes, meringues, puddings, Robert can do it all, but his real masterpieces are his scones – ginger, rosemary, coconut, fruit, his recipes are inspired and soon come to the attention of the local media. Which county does the best cream tea – Devon or Cornwall? It’s time for an age-old debate to be settled with a competition.

Robert’s sisters Bunty and Hattie are both at crossroads in their lives, so news of their brother’s baking competition is the perfect excuse to bring them to Millbrook. And as the siblings relish each other’s company, and Robert relishes being at the heart of his community, a summer of scones may just light the way to long-lasting happiness for them all.

My Review.

I’m surprised the blurb for the book starts with Robert, as he only appears halfway through the story. Initially, we are introduced to Hattie, who is regaining her confidence after her controlling husband left her. It’s a delight to see her venture into new territory ,encouraged by her good  neighbour.Then Bunty arrives, having left her marriage and Hattie had to assert herself. Robert  lives in Devon and is a doyenne of the local gardening club. His sense of humour is revealed in the names of his  animals, but his romantic senses are lacking. The local ladies vie subtly and not so subtly for his attentions. The cookery competition between rival counties is a highlight. Mouthwatering concoctions are mentioned and it’s a shame the book didn’t include a recipe section.

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August wasn’t a happy or productive month for me. Winter often affects my mood and August is winter in Australia.This was our wettest winter in over thirty years. Additionally, there was a family bereavement , numerous and expensive vet visits for my diabetic cat and if that wasn’t, enough there were low temperatures as well as almost continuous rain.

Do you find that the weather influences your mood? I believe Seasonal Affective Disorder or SAD syndrome is real. The TV shows, mostly repeats held little appeal, so once again, I turned to books.

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“I love, love, love Lizzy Dent.”—Emily Henry, #1 New York Times bestselling author

Olive Stone is about to spend four weeks in Italy with the most beautiful man she’s ever hated.

When Olive Stone and her Italian pseudo-celebrity chef father fell out fourteen years ago, annoyingly handsome Leo Ricci slipped right in as his surrogate son and sous-chef. No one is more surprised than Olive when her father wills her his beloved (and now failing) restaurant. Or that his dying wish was for Olive and Leo to complete his cookbook…together.

She’s determined to sell the restaurant. Leo is determined to convince her not to. As they embark on four weeks in Italy, traveling from Sicily to Tuscany to Liguria, they’ll test each other as often as they test recipes. But the more time Olive and Leo spend together the more undeniable their attraction grows. Olive finds herself wondering whether selling the restaurant might be running away, and what it might be like to try Just One Taste of Leo Ricci. Because he isn’t who she expected, and this trip might reveal more about who Olive is than she’s ready for.

My Review.

If you enjoy a good “enemies to lovers’ “ story, then this will appeal. Add to that those  stunning descriptions of  regional Italy and the mouthwatering  food. For Olive the  trip is a necessity to fulfill her father’s wishes, it doesn’t mean she has to enjoy it, or to like Leo. However unwillingly she does start to appreciate Leo’s good qualities and feel a growing attraction between them.Maybe  just one taste of  Leo’s lovemaking will satisfy her curiosity?

The Stranger Times by C.K Mc Donnel l, Caimh Mc Donnell

Stranger Times 1

There are dark forces at work in our world (and in Manchester in particular), so thank God The Stranger Times is on hand to report them…

A weekly newspaper dedicated to the weird and the wonderful (but mostly the weird), it is the go-to publication for the unexplained and inexplicable. At least that’s their pitch. The reality is less auspicious. Their editor is a drunken, foul-tempered, and foul-mouthed husk of a man who thinks little of the publication he edits. His staff are a ragtag group of misfits. And as for the assistant editor… well, that job is a revolving door–and it has just revolved to reveal Hannah Willis, who’s got problems of her own.

When tragedy strikes in Hannah’s first week on the job, The Stranger Times is forced to do some serious investigating. What they discover leads to a shocking realisation: some of the stories they’d previously dismissed as nonsense are in fact terrifyingly real. Soon they come face-to-face with darker forces than they could ever have imagined.

432 pages, Paperback

My Review.

I have mixed feelings about this one. It is cleverly written and the premise that all those odd things reported in the wackier press are true, plays into our love of conspiracy theories. But it’s cold , all at one emotional pitch-which feels very much like newspaper reporting. Of course, this may have been a deliberate stylistic choice, but it doesn’t tempt me to continue with the series,

Foul Play at Seal Bay by Judy Leigh .

Morwenna Mutton Mystery 1

A brand-new series perfect for Richard Osman readers and all fans of a page-turning whodunnit.

 It was meant to be the start of quiet season in the sleepy Cornish village of Seal Bay, but not for sexagenarian librarian and wild swimming enthusiast Morwenna Mutton. Because when a local businessman is found on the beach with a bread knife is his back, bungling police officer DI Rick Tremayne is soon out of his depth. Morwenna knows it’s going to be down to her to crack the case.
The list of people the victim upset is long, the evidence is slight, and an arrest illusive. Morwenna has plenty to occupy her time what with ghostly goings-on at the library and skulduggery at her granddaughter’s school, but she could never resist a challenge. And even the most ruthless of murderers should quake at the sight of this amateur sleuth getting on her bike to track them down.
If you love Miss Marple and The Thursday Murder Club, then you’ll love The Morwenna Mutton mysteries.

My Review,

The start of a new series by popular author Judy Leigh, so of course, there is quite a lot of “set up” involved. It’s easy reading, although at times it feels a bit repetitive. Heavy footed detective  DI Rick Tremayne is almost a cartoon cop. I guessed the solution and was proved right.

Second Act at Appleton Green: An absolutely heartwarming and uplifting romance about family, love and starting over by Kate Forster.

When the curtains close, a new beginning waits in the wings

After losing her voice before the audition of a lifetime, West End hopeful Lily Baxter flees to the one place that’s always felt like her grandmother Violet’s cosy cottage in the heart of Appleton Green.

Violet is overjoyed to have Lily back under her roof, even if it’s not under the happiest of circumstances. As Lily muddles through lost dreams and what-ifs, Violet is quietly nursing her own worries-and hoping this unexpected visit might help them both them heal.

When charming local nurse Nick encourages Lily to join the village’s amateur dramatics group, she reluctantly agrees – and soon finds herself swept up in script readings, prop-painting parties, and something that feels a lot like falling in love.

As opening night draws near, Lily must decide where her heart truly back in the bright lights of London, or centre stage in Appleton Green.

My Review,

Lily seems to be living her dream, getting call backs to audition for roles she wants. When her voice deserts her ,so does her confidence. She needs comfort and sanctuary and finds it with her perceptive grandmother Violet in Appleton Green. The two have always shared a deep bond of understanding.
It’s time for Lily to decide what her future holds, what she wants. The village has ( mostly) taken her to their heart. And there is local nurse Nick, who supports and encourages her. Yet, even in the village there is rivalry and jealousy. Does Lily want a lead role on stage, or something different in her life? Time to choose.
I enjoyed this book for the lovely relationship between Lily and her grandmother, Violet. Her relationship with her mother struck a chord and of course, I felt just a little bit in love with Nick!

Thanks to Net galley for an advance copy.I read this  earlier in the year. I couldn’t release my review until now.

The Duke’s Runaway Bride by Jenni Fletcher.

Regency Belles of Bath  3

When Beatrix, Duchess of Howden, writes to her estranged husband offering a divorce, she’s stunned when he arrives on her doorstep with a different proposition: a six-week marriage trial! Quinton Roxbury seems cold and inscrutable, but Beatrix gradually realizes his rough exterior hides a heavy burden. As their connection deepens, dare she trust him with her own scandalous past and risk the marriage she never knew she wanted?

My Review.

An easy-to-read enemies to lovers with enough hesitancy make it interesting.

The Return of Her Long-Lost Husband by Joanna Johnson

A husband’s redemption…
A second chance at love?

Nathaniel Honeywell returns from being presumed dead expecting to be welcomed home with open arms. He’s shocked when his wife, Hester, isn’t pleased to see him! But Nathaniel can’t blame Hester for believing he abandoned her when she needed him most… During their marriage, he foolishly valued money over his wife. Now his experiences have left him a changed man, and as the simmering attraction between them grows, Nathaniel is determined to prove it!

My Review.

Couldn’t help but feel for Hester over the return  of her thick-headed husband. Then, her happiness in discovering him a changed man.  Hints of his past suffering…and why his character changed. All good .Then, I lost patience with Nathaniel ..

Starting September with a more optimistic frame of mind , a cat to cuddle and of course, a heap of new books to enjoy. Do you read more in winter?

It’s been a rainy July here in Perth, Australia, with only a few bright and sunshiny days. But, that has meant that it’s been  the perfect weather for reading and I’ve enjoyed the books listed here.

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The title alone captivated me, so I had to read Assistant to the Villain. Another intriguing tile was The Bad Bridesmaid, by West Australian Author Rachael Johns. A friend recommended The Fragments to me and I’m so glad that she did.

A summer snap of my boy!

Domestically my cat stopped eating which resulted in a very anxious time for me, a bit of indignity for him and a hefty vet bill. Luckily, he’s on the mend now.

As I’m writing this the rain is still pouring down. Trees are bowed with the weight of rain and my cat has decided he is firmly an indoor cat.

Assistant to the Villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrer.

Once Upon a Time meets The Office in Hannah Maehrer’s laugh-out-loud viral TikTok series turned novel, about the sunshine assistant to an Evil Villain…and their unexpected romance.
ASSISTANT WANTED: Notorious, high-ranking villain seeks loyal, level-headed assistant for unspecified office duties, supporting staff for random mayhem and terror, and other Dark Things In General. Discretion a must. Excellent benefits.

With ailing family to support, Evie Sage’s employment status isn’t just important, it’s vital. So, when a mishap with Rennedawn’s most infamous Villain results in a job offer―naturally, she says yes. No job is perfect, of course, but even less so when you develop a teeny crush on your terrifying, temperamental, and undeniably hot boss. Don’t find evil so attractive, Evie.

But just when she’s getting used to severed heads suspended from the ceiling and the odd squish of an errant eyeball beneath her heel, Evie suspects this dungeon has a huge rat…and not just the literal kind. Because something rotten is growing in the kingdom of Rennedawn, and someone wants to take the Villain―and his entire nefarious empire―out.

Now Evie must not only resist drooling over her boss but also figure out exactly who is sabotaging his work…and ensure he makes them pay.

After all, a good job is hard to find.

My Review.

Late to the party, but I’d heard so much about this book that I wanted to read it. It’s a  fast-paced  romp that had me laughing out loud. I could totally understand Evie’s attraction to The Villain. Its grumpy/ sunshine, but Evie is no fool and predicts the Villain’s temperament and moods better than most. While he’s getting under her skin, is she also getting under his?

I cursed at the “to be continued ending” and went looking for book two.That is the problem , we readers can read in a day or two, books that have taken months or even years to write.

Widows Waive the Rules: Age is Just A Number! by Julia Jarman

The BRAND NEW laugh-out-loud novel page-turner bestselling author Julia Jarman Perfect for fans of Maddie Please, Judy Leigh, and anyone who thinks age is just a number! The Widows Wine Club of Viv, Janet and Zelda have navigated choppy waters before. Having supported each other through the first shaky years of widowhood, the future was starting to look brighter. But when Janet is dealt another blow, it’s all hands on deck for the firm friends.

Deciding what Janet needs is a change of scenery, Viv and Zelda book a luxury cruise on the Queen Mary 2, heading for the bright lights of New York. And once on board, the women are entranced. A floating pleasure palace, the Queen Mary is just what the doctor ordered. From tai chi to dance lessons, cocktails to crafting, there’s nothing they can’t do to while away the miles at sea.

But when they are joined at their first supper by fellow widow Primrose Carmichael, the holiday takes an unexpected turn. Because not only does Primrose share Janet’s surname, but their late husbands were both called Mal… As the similarities between the two women stack up, so do Viv and Zelda’s suspicions. Determined to get to the bottom of the mystery before they’re in sight of the Statue of Liberty, the friends are ready to waive a few rules…

Julia Jarman’s warm, wise and witty novels are perfect for everyone who believes age is just a number. Perfect for fans of Caroline James, Judy Leigh and Maddie Please.

My Review.

I picked this because I wanted a light and easy read and that’s exactly what I got, with a bit of intrigue thrown in. This is entertaining light reading. It’s part of a series, but it didn’t matter that I hadn’t read the earlier books. Part travelogue for the Queen Mary Two( you will want to travel on her) and part mystery ,the book straddles both genres with ease.Female friendships and burgeoning romance add to the mix.

Apprentice to the Villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrer.

NOTICE TO STAFF: There has been a disturbing increase in cheeriness, sprightly behavior, and overall optimism of late. Please resume your former dark, ominous terrors at your earliest convenience. ―Mgmt

Evie Sage has never been happier to be the assistant to The Villain. Who would have thought that working for an outrageously handsome (shhh, bad for his brand) evil overlord would be so rewarding? Still, the business of being bad is demanding, the forces of good are annoyingly persistent, and said forbidding boss is somewhat…er, out-of-evil-office. But Rennedawn is in grave trouble, and all signs―Kingsley’s included―point to catastrophe. Something peculiar is happening with the kingdom’s magic, and it’s made The Villain’s manor vulnerable to their enemies…including their nemesis, the king. Now it’s time for Evie to face her greatest challenge: protecting The Villain’s lair, all of his nefarious works, and maybe (provided no one finds out) the entire kingdom. No pressure, Evie.

It’s time to step out of her comfort zone and learn new skills. Like treason. Dagger work. Conspiring with the enemy. It’s all so…so…delightfully fun.

 

My Review.
 Yes, it is all, so…delightfully fun.  Again, there is a “ to be continued.” which I expected and I’m prepared to wait. The dynamic  shifts and shifts again. And we all love a  bad boy ripe for reform, don’t we? Or, is Evie changing?

The Bad Bridesmaid by Rachael Johns

When serial dater Winifred Darling – Fred – is asked to be the maid of honour at her mother’s sixth wedding, she’s determined to do everything in her power to stop it. As the author of a forthcoming book called 21 Rules for Not Catching Feelings, she knows better than most about the perils of falling in love.

On arrival at the island wedding destination, Fred is delighted to discover that the groom’s hot muso son Leo is just as set against the wedding as she is. Together, they come up with ‘Operation Break-Up’ to prevent their parents from making what they believe will be a catastrophic mistake.

But as Fred and Leo get to know each other better, their unexpected feelings for each other create further complications, and Fred is forced to rethink her own rigid rules about romance and family. Maybe not every relationship has to play by the book, and could Fred become the star in a romcom of her own?

A heart-warming friends-to-lovers romance about the magic and mayhem of weddings – and what happens when everything you thought you knew about love is turned upside down.

My Review.

Rachael Johns just keeps getting better. This is a fun and relevant story with the growing popularity of hook ups and online dating. Fred is a veteran of the dating scene and quite cynical. This contrasts with her ever- romantic mum, who Fred fears is heading for yet another failure. Hot Leo is in complete agreement that the wedding shouldn’t take place .Spending time together is only to stop the disastrous wedding, isn’t it?

The Fragments by Toni Jordan

INGA Karlson died in a fire in New York in the 1930s, leaving behind three things: a phenomenally successful first novel, the scorched fragments of a second book— and a mystery that has captivated generations of readers.

Nearly fifty years later, Brisbane bookseller Caddie Walker is waiting in line to see a Karlson exhibition featuring the famous fragments when she meets a charismatic older woman.

The woman quotes a phrase from the Karlson fragments that Caddie knows does not exist—and yet to Caddie, who knows Inga Karlson’s work like she knows her name, it feels genuine.

Caddie is electrified. Jolted her from her sleepy, no-worries life in torpid 1980s Brisbane, she is driven to investigate: to find the clues that will unlock the greatest literary mystery of the twentieth century.

My Review.

A friend recommended this dual timeline book and I’m pleased that she did.It concerns a historical literary mystery. One that has puzzled fans and researchers for decades.  How can an unknown Brisbane bookseller know so much about it, be involved, and convinced she  has the answers the world had  waited for? I enjoyed finding out.

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Suddenly, it’s August and here in Western Australia, we are counting the days until Spring. Blue skies and warmer days would be very welcome.Spring was my favourite season in the Uk, it is here as well. My scented narcissi and grape hyacinth bulbs have braved the cold and wet and are flowering.Promising sunnier days ahead.

Patiently waiting for Spring!

Here in the Southern hemisphere, its winter and time to get cosy. What is cosier than a purring cat, a warm drink, tea or coffee, your choice and a good book to read? This month I’ve read a few books, as well as starting to learn watercolour painting and attending two other art classes.

Reminder: As an expat Brit living in Australia I use British spelling

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to get cosy. Same Time Next Week by Milly Johnson

      Welcome to Spring Hill, home to a square of independent shops and cafes, a thriving local community and nearby the newest  venture, Ray’s Diner. Here a group of women meet once a week  over a cup of something warming.
 
      Amanda is primary carer to her elderly mother and one of the only women in a  male-dominated company. Used to being second-best all her life, is this her time to finally break ranks and shine?
       
      Sky works at the repair shop, patching up old teddy bears, and their owners’ hearts. But her heart beats for the one man who is strictly off-limits.
 
  Mel has been a loyal and loving wife to Steve for thirty years. Then when he   goes to his old school reunion, life as she knows it will never be the same again.
 
      Erin is trying to get over a traumatic loss where her guilt weighs more than her grief. Can she find the first step to healing lies in sharing an hour with strangers   once a week? 
 
   Astrid is feeling in need of a change and a challenge. But when a fantastic    opportunity presents itself, who is around to convince her she is worthy enough to take the risk?
 
   Can these women find the answers to their worries, acceptance, courage,         support here? Join them at the same time next week to find out…
 

My Review. There is something so recognisable about the trials and tribulations that these women face. Unrequited love, sexism, tokenism, infidelity, loyalty. And where do they find support? From other women. A couple touched me more than others, downtrodden Amanda who can never please her deluded mother and Mel, shaken to the core by her husband’s actions. If you’re like me, you will be cheering them on from the sidelines. Milly Johnson’s writing  has the warmth to be compared to Maeve Binchy’s work.

Second Act at Appleton Green by Kate Forster .

After losing her voice before the audition of a lifetime, West End hopeful Lily Baxter flees to the one place that’s always felt like home: her grandmother Violet’s cosy cottage in the heart of Appleton Green.
    Violet is overjoyed to have Lily back under her roof, even if it’s not under the happiest of circumstances. As Lily muddles through lost dreams and what-ifs, Violet is quietly nursing her own worries-and hoping this unexpected visit might help them both them heal.
    When charming local nurse Nick encourages Lily to join the village’s amateur dramatics group, she reluctantly agrees – and soon finds herself swept up in script readings, prop-painting parties, and something that feels a lot like falling in love.As opening night draws near, Lily must decide where her heart truly lies: back in the bright lights of London, or centre stage in Appleton Green.

My Review.

I was fortunate to get a pre-release copy through Net Galley. It’s out in October.

Lily seems to be living her dream, getting call backs to audition for roles she wants. When her voice deserts her ,so does her confidence. She needs comfort and sanctuary and finds it with her perceptive grandmother Violet in Appleton Green. The two have always shared a deep bond of understanding.

It’s time for Lily to  decide what her future holds, what she wants. The village has ( mostly) taken her to their heart. And there is local nurse  Nick, who supports and encourages her. Yet even in the village there is rivalry and jealousy. Does Lily want a lead role on stage, or something different in her life? She has to choose. I enjoyed this book for the lovely relationship between Lily and her grandmother, Violet. Her relationship with her mother struck a chord and of course, I felt just a little bit in love with Nick! 

Murder Takes Root by Rosie Sandler .

Steph is excited to get her hands stuck into her latest gardening project. This time, she’s been commissioned by Lady Clara of Ashford Manor to restore the stately gardens to their former glory.
      But the estate is suddenly thrown into chaos when a dead body is discovered in one of the rooms. The police rule it as suicide, though Steph’s convinced they’re barking up the wrong tree. Because she knows the deceased better than they do and it could only be one thing: murder. And if the police won’t listen to her, then Steph will have to get to the bottom of the case herself.
      As Steph starts digging for the truth, it seems the staff are hiding are more than it seems. But one thing is for sure, she’s not going to let the killer lead her up the garden path…

My Review.

This is the second book in the series, but not having read the first didn’t spoil my enjoyment of this book .Steph, a garden consultant, is accompanied by her large dog called Mouse. They make an engaging pair of sleuths, while of course garden matters are highlighted, there is also a suspected murder .It seems the police are happy to accept the death as suicide , but Steph isn’t convinced. A relatable cosy mystery that will appeal especially to gardeners.

The Mysterious Bakery on Rue de Paris By Evie Woods

Edie is … not in Paris?

Edie Lane left everything behind in Ireland for a once-in-a-lifetime job at a bakery in Paris. Except, thanks to a mistranslation, the bakery is not in Paris, and neither is Edie.
      The tiny town of Compiègne, complete with its local bakery on the Rue de Paris, holds many secrets. This might not be where Edie intended to be but it’s not long before she realises it’s exactly where she needs to be…

My Review.

      An adventure, Edie has finally braved fulfilling her dreams and is setting off for Paris. But by some twist of fate her destination isn’t Paris at all. I found  the story engaging and enjoyed it. Although at times there was so much factual information it read a bit like lecture notes. It was necessary to understand parts of the story but perhaps could have been better conveyed. Evie is a relatable heroine, and I  learned a lot.

The Last Will And Testament Of Daphné Le Marche By Kate Forster .

        Paris, 1956. Eighteen-year-old Daphné may be from a tiny French village, but   she knows she’s destined for more. Stepping off a bus into bustling Paris with a suitcase full of her home-made beauty products, she’s ready to do whatever it takes to claim her stake in the world.

      London, 2016. Scandalous love affairs and an iconic cosmetics brand have    kept Daphné Le Marche in spotlight – but her darkest secrets have never         come to light. Now, in her London penthouse, enveloped in her rich signature scent, the Grande Dame of glamour has died.
  But not even those closest to her could have been prepared for what came     next.
      The Last Will and Testament of Daphne Le Marche is a sweeping story of    heartbreak, scandal and the importance of keeping it in all the family…

My Review.

Reminded me of the sex and shopping sagas of the 1980s. It has all the ingredients to make  a tv mini-series. Beauty, youth, rivalry ,love affairs, scandals and power dynamics. The world knew Daphne Le Marche as the enigmatic head of a cosmetics empire; they didn’t know how that began, and what her success has cost her. Now her heirs are about to find out far more than they expected. Kept me guessing!

The Riviera House Swap by Gillian Harvey

Would you swap houses with a stranger? Nina has always played it safe. But when her divorce papers come through on her fortieth birthday she decides enough is enough.

She’s always chosen the sensible route, staying in her stable job and marrying her rather boring ex. In fact – she realises – she’s chosen security over excitement for years. Ever since she refused to elope with her first beautiful, poetic, thoughtful Pierre, the man she met aged 17, on her French exchange. The only man who ever made her heart race.

Maybe it’s time to take a few risks?

Impulsively she goes online and finds another kind of French exchange… a house-swap. She can’t imagine what French businessman Jean-Luc wants with her terraced home in rural England, but she can’t wait to stay in his beautiful, spacious, bougainvillea-strewn villa on the French riviera.

She’s not just there for the house though. She’s decided to find the love she missed all those years ago. But will Pierre still be the man of her dreams after all this time?

As two lives collide, will love bloom on the French riviera? A gorgeously escapist story for fans of The Holiday, from the bestselling author of A Year at the French Farmhouse.

My Review.

Easy reading escapist fiction. A whim results in a house swop and  life reappraisal. I guessed several plot points, but it was easy and undemanding reading, that not to say it is easy to write like this, it isn’t. Great for those times when you simply want to escape your mundane life.

What next?

I’m still working on my memoir, as I have for almost two years. It’s slowly taking shape and I think the end is in sight.That is both exciting and a little scary!

Unexpectedly, I’ve been asked to run a few writing workshops.It’s always good to connect with other creative people.

My cat’s diabetes has returned, so we are back to him getting twice daily injections .He’s very good about it.

I have another stack of book to read for next month, hope to see you then!

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It’s getting chillier and wetter in the Southern Hemisphere,  so it’s  ideal weather to curl up by the fire with a good book. Here  is what I read in May. I’ve read part of more books, but I choose not to review any book I haven’t finish as that seems unfair .

I’m British expat living in Australia and as such I use British spellings.

I’ve also been working on my memoir, which at times has brought up some uncomfortable emotions. But it’s a little bit of social history, and also the story of my unexpected short term career as a bus conductor Many people have been generous with their time to help me reconstruct the past.

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In Love Life, relationship coach and expert Matthew Hussey explores the most important and foundational relationship of all—the one we have with ourselves.

More than a book about navigating our love lives, Hussey’s new book is about the deeper issues our love lives reveal. Love isn’t the answer to our problems, Hussey explains. It’s a doorway to them; not a way out, but a way in. Like most of us, Hussey has gone through major changes over the past decade, and he shares some of those experiences, vulnerabilities, and mistakes.

What happens when we date, fall in love, or when we are faced with loneliness? What decisions do we make that cause us more pain and send us further adrift from what we want? Who hasn’t shied away from taking risks because they feared rejection? Who hasn’t put up with the wrong behavior because they’re afraid of losing someone or of expressing what they really need? Who hasn’t lived with the fear and anxiety of not being good enough for their partner? Or knowing their partner isn’t good for them, but stay in a bad relationship that is ultimately self-harming? In Love Life Hussey addresses these questions and more.

Our love lives hold the uncanny power to elevate or eradicate all the adjacent joy in our lives. The deeper purpose of Love Life is to ensure your love for your life will never be dependent on your relationship status. It’s about finding your love for life even while still on the journey to finding your person

      My  Review.

I was expecting something more from this much hyped book. More insight, suggestions and actual practical advice. Instead, the book veers through personal reminiscences and excerpts of advice. Organisation of the topics could have been clearer and better.

The Philosophy of Love by Rebecca Ryan.

What is love? Is it something spiritual or wholly physical? Can our feelings be explained and quantified? Or are we all actually two halves of a whole?

Ask Alice and Luke and you’d receive vastly different answers.

Despite her world having been recently dismantled by a messy break-up, Alice would tell you that love is the most important – albeit ineffable – human experiences. But when she once again crosses paths with her old school nemesis, Luke, he challenges this. Luke is a scientist and he’s certain love can be measured and explained – just like everything else.

So the two decide to make a  bet they’ll each venture back into dating and if one of them falls in love, Alice wins, if not, then Luke does.

But can anyone win when you’re playing with emotions?

 My Review

I enjoyed this quirky tale of love laced with philosophy. Do we plan to fall in love, can we plan it, or resist it? What if the person we are meant to be with isn’t the person we expect? Luke takes the objective scientific approach to life and to love. Alice leads with her heart as they discuss philosophy and love.

The Paris Bookshop for the Broken-Hearted by Rebecca Raisin.

Can you ever swear off love, in the city of love? Coco is having a hell of a month. She’s lost her boyfriend and her business, been forced to uproot her daughter to move back in with her parents in Paris, and now an infuriatingly handsome stranger is yelling at her for acting like a tourist… Right underneath the Eiffel Tower.

Storming away from him – and swearing off men for life – she decides she’s going to take the first job that comes her way.

Then, as if fate hears her, later that day she stumbles into a little bookshop – but not any old bookshop. This one comes complete with a café, cocktail bar, reading room and secret tunnel of books, and just a little hint of magic in the air. So when Coco’s offered a job selling books there, it feels like the perfect fit.

There’s only one problem… propping up the bar in the bookshop is none other than the grumpy, gorgeous stranger she’d met earlier that day…

A totally romantic, bookish and gorgeously escapist romantic novel, set in Paris in Springtime. Perfect for fans of Emily Henry, Abby Jimenez, and Sarah Morgan.

My Review.

Rebecca Raisin knows the delights of Paris well and allows her characters to explore them in this gorgeous book. You will feel as if you are propping up the bar and meeting all the characters in this starting over romance. Relationships and friendships, parental relationships and romantic ones all devolve around the bookshop.

Witch You Well by Collen Cross

Westwick Witches 1

A Westwick Witches Cozy Mystery Novel Cendrine “Cen” West has an intriguing secret. . . Cen is a journalist descended from a long line of powerful witches who have inhabited the small town of Westwick Corners for generations. Except, Cenis a witch who craves an ordinary life, and as the family black sheep, she doesn’t even want to dabble in the craft. . . much to her troublemaking Aunt Pearl’s dismay.

Then days before Cen’s wedding to a “normal” guy, a visiting billionaire is murdered at her family’s cozy inn–and now all evidence points to her eccentric Aunt Pearl. If Cen hopes to prove her aunt’s innocence, she will have to embrace her own magic and do a little sleuthing. Yet her investigation only uncovers more questions than answers after she discovers a supernatural connection to the murder, a strange vortex beneath the town, and a disturbing secret about her gorgeous fiancée.

For help she turns to the town’s sexy new sheriff, Tyler Gates. But working with him only adds more complications to her already harried life once Cen starts feeling an overwhelming attraction to the no-nonsense man.

But are her feelings for Tyler real, or just the result of pre-wedding jitters? Cen will have to find out! And will the two of them be able to get past their personal baggage to solve the case in time to save her aunt?

My Review.

This really sounded promising but unfortunately for me it fell a bit flat. It has all the ingredients for a cosy witchy mystery,small town, family, secrets, hot guy , so you may feel differently.

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As I’m writing more, I’m not reading as much, but I will always have a book or three on the go. Other people’s word entertain me and inspire my own.

April always makes me think nostalgically of bluebells. A strong childhood memory is of entering a bluebell wood, and feeling I was in the presence of magic. The stillness, the shade with the carpet of blue flowers all around me. The subtle scent of the massed flowers. Of course, I’d pick some, although I knew I wasn’t taking the magic home with me. Clutched in my hot little hand they would wilt almost as soon as we left the wood.

Now here in Australia I can still get nostalgic, remembering my childhood. This month reinforcing my nostalgia, I’ve been reading about London and Ireland

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‘Dating in your 60s? This is what you need to know.’ The Telegraph

At sixty, Sophia Stone outdoes Bridget Jones in this deliciously daring romcom!
Sophia is determined to grow old disgracefully and refuses to be invisible. She craves fiery passion and steamy romance, not targeted ads for funeral plans. After a heart-shattering breakup, she ditches love to date a new man each week for a year.
As she flirts, fumbles and sips fizz through an array of encounters, from an opera buff in a cape to an orgasm whisperer, she discovers it’s never too late to rewrite your own love story, even if it’s not the one you expected…

My Review .

As someone who has dipped her toe into the online dating pool, I found this interesting, but a tad unrealistic. But of course, London, England, is totally different from Australia. At first, I thought it was an amusing concept but inevitably it became a bit repetitive.  Her goal to meet a new man each week is pretty well unachievable as you get older. So, it’s good for light reading, but don’t take it too seriously!

The Guest House By The Sea by Faith Hogan

    People come to the guest house for fresh air and views across the Atlantic.      But if they’re lucky, they might just leave with the second chance they didn’t know they needed…
      Esme has run the guest house for as long as anyone in Ballycove can remember. But in her declining years, her sight is failing, and when she has a fall on the eve of the summer season, she is forced to take a back seat for the first time in her life.
      From her chair in the entry hall, not much passes Esme by. There’s Cora, the wife visiting indefinitely… without her husband; Niamh, the city professional       with a life-changing decision to make; and Phyllie, the grandmother whose family is slipping away from her.
      Esme’s guests provide the colour that helps her keep her grip on the world. All of them have something they want to escape – or to hold on to. But can Esme help them find their way before the summer is over?

    My Review

    Reading this it almost felt as if I was staying there with the guests but with the added bonus of being privy to everyone’s thoughts and feelings. Each woman is facing some crisis or personal dilemma. Even Esmee who is incapacitated and forced to direct operations from her chair in the entry hall.  Many women will relate to Cora who has finally realised how lack lustre her marriage is. Can it be redeemed or should she start again? Niamh is seeking both emotional distance and clarity. While Phyllie wishes things could just stay the same. As with many Irish writers’ this book is filled with ‘heart and empathy.

Case Histories by Kate Atkinson

   In #1 of series, Jackson Brodie PI follows three 30-years cold, unconnected Cambridge family cases:
      1 A little girl disappears in the night.
      2 A beautiful young office worker falls to a maniac’s attack.
      3 A new mother is overwhelmed by demands from her baby and husband – until  a fit of rage creates a grisly, bloody escape.
Result : Startling connections and discoveries emerge. . . .

389 pages, Paperback First published September 1, 2004

My Review.

In many ways an unsettling book. Events happen seemingly at random, and I kept reading through interest and wanting to discern a pattern. Can events from thirty years ago still resonate? They can, they do. If you want things neatly solved and explained this isn’t the book for you.

The Girl I Used to Know by Faith Hogan

A beautiful, emotive and spell-binding story of two women who find friendship and second chances when they least expect it. Perfect for the fans of Patricia Scanlan.

Amanda King and Tess Cuffe are strangers who share the same Georgian house, but their lives couldn’t be more different.

Amanda seems to have it all, absolute perfection. She projects all the accoutrements of a lady who lunches. Sadly, the reality is a soulless home, an unfaithful husband and a very lonely heart.

By comparison, in the basement flat, unwanted tenant Tess has spent a lifetime hiding and shutting her heart to love.

It takes a bossy doctor, a handsome gardener, a pushy teenager and an abandoned cat to show these two women that sometimes letting go is the first step to moving forward and new friendships can come from the most unlikely situations.

My Review.

For me , it was a more emotional read than the previous Faith Hogan book. I read The Guest House by the Sea. And enjoyed it. Perhaps because there were only two major characters in The Girl I Used to Know , that  enabled me to feel more closely connected to them

 It was easy to relate to Amanda,  gradually aware that the surface perfection of her marriage is a façade.

Tess, alone, a bit bitter and lonely with spiky energy. Long held in hurt can hide in anger, I loved how her heart softened first towards the cat, then young Robyn, and gradually other people. Recommended.

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I’ve not managed as much reading as I would have liked this April. I was midway through another book which I will post about next month. I have been continuing working on my memoir and the end is in sight. It has taken me about two years and I find it intriguing how one memory can spark another. Some of my memories are painful and it’s given me a deeper understanding and allowed me to let them go.

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How can it be March ? It was Christmas a moment ago. Here in Perth Western Australia, it’s been hot. The air-conditioning has been running night and day, and our gardens have wilted under the heat. We move at a slower pace. Since my skin cancer scare and surgery, if I am outside, I automatically seek the shade. The surgeon did a brilliant job, but I don’t want a repeat performance. So,I’m using a Factor 50 sunblock.

I’m STILL writing the memoir and have approximately 65,000 words. I’ve typed so much I gave myself RSI (Repetitive Strain Injury). I’ve been typing mainly left-handed.  At times it’s hard to continue but I believe my story is worthwhile  and deserves to be told. It’s a human story and a piece of social history.In 1960s northern England, work was scarce and I took a job as bus conductor, learning so much after a very sheltered upbringing. The finish line is close, I just need to find a title. Ones I like have been used hundreds of times and I’ve not come up with something clever…..yet!

The Frozen People by Elly Griffiths

Cold cases are a lot easier to solve when you can travel back in time to find new evidence—unless, that is, you get stuck in the nineteenth century.

Ali Dawson and her cold case team investigate crimes so old they’re frozen—or so their inside joke goes. Ali’s work seems like a safe desk job, but what her friends—and even her beloved son—don’t know is that her team has a secret: They can travel back in time to look for evidence.

So far Ali has made trips only to the recent past, so she’s surprised when she’s asked to investigate a murder that took place in 1850. The killing has been pinned on an aristocratic patron of the arts and antiquities, a member of a sinister group called “The Collectors.” She arrives in the Victorian era during a mini-ice age to find another dead woman at her feet and far too many unanswered questions. But when her son is arrested, Ali attempts to return home only to find herself trapped in 1850.

SOME MURDERS CAN’T BE SOLVED IN JUST ONE LIFETIME.

Ali Dawson is a police officer working on crimes so old, the joke goes, that they are not only cold but frozen. What most people don’t know is that the team travels back in time to complete their research. The process has been pioneered by the mysterious Italian physicist, Serafina Pelligrini, known to the team as Jones.

So far, the team has only ventured a few years back but Ali’s boss has a new assignment for her. He wants her to step back to 1850, the heart of the Victorian Age, to clear the name of Cain Templeton, the eccentric great-grandfather of Tory MP Isaac Templeton.

To prepare for the challenge ahead, Ali researches the Victorian era. She learns that Cain Templeton was part of a sinister group called The Collectors, the rumour being that you had to kill a woman to become a member. Ali also researches fashions, behaviour and habits. Duly prepared, she arrives in London in January 1850, at the peak of the so-called mini ice age. She finds herself in a house used by artists, with a dead woman at her feet.

Soon she finds herself in extreme danger. Even worse – she appears to be stuck, unable to make her way back to the present and her son, Finn.

My Review.

An intriguing start to what promises to be a fascinating series .Past and present collide as events in one era seem connected to the other. Ali is a relatable heroine, her colleagues a mixed bunch.Then there is the enigmatic Jones .One case closes ,but there are still more questions than answers .I’m  looking forward to book 2

Thoroughly Disenchanted By Alexandra Almond

A weekend away that has lasted a century. True love’s kiss can’t break this spell … A cosy, romantic fantasy mystery for all fans of Rebecca Ross, Legends and Lattes and Assistant to the Villain.

A hundred years ago, Genevieve and Oliver spent an amazing weekend together in Riverswood manor. They wished they could stay there forever … and then their wish come true.

Blessed with immortality but trapped for eternity, the two former lovers are now thoroughly tired of one another’s company. Then, one dark and stormy night, a stranger called Ella arrives with a cheery disposition and a secret that could be the key to their salvation. With the help of Ella and the return of their best friend, Fionn, Genevieve and Oliver learn more about Riverwood’s tangled history.

If they can come to terms with their own feelings, and the truth that has kept them locked away, they might stand a chance at breaking this curse. True love certainly hasn’t worked.

 My Review.

 A book that is hard to categorise, part mystery, part fantasy, it’s thoroughly readable and enjoyable.  Living side by side for almost a century  Genevieve and Oliver’s’ life has become predictable, broken only with occasional visits from Fionn. The arrival of Ella is a catalyst for change, and as usual change comes at a price.

The Confession of a Lady by Darcy McGuire.

A BRAND NEW spicy upstairs/downstairs historical romance featuring the Queen’s Deadly Damsels! Dare she risk her secrets?

In the world of upstairs/downstairs, Housemaid Penny Smith anticipates her employer’s needs and blends into the background making her the perfect spy for the prime minister against a suspected member of the Devil’s Sons. There’s only one problem. When she meets the guilty marquess, his actions don’t match the evidence against him. Lord William Renquist defies her every expectation and sets her traitorous heart racing.

Lord William Renquist, Marquess of Stoneway and secret spy to Queen Victoria, must infiltrate the Devil’s Sons, tearing the brotherhood apart from the inside. His mission – to bring evil men to justice while atoning for the sins of his family, proving honour is stronger than tainted blood. There’s only one problem. A canny maid who is always in the right place at the wrong time and who deliciously challenges his every order. Liam and Penny are unknowingly playing a dangerous game from opposite sides of justice. And at a masked ball, forbidden attraction burns into something far more complex as their secrets spin into daring confessions. This battle against their enemy will only be won if Penny and Liam can work together. But can a maid from downstairs ever trust an upstairs marquess?

My Review.

Almost a Cinderella story, but Cinderella was never so sharp tongued, or quick witted. Growing up with nothing Penny has survived on her wits and  she cant let a growing attraction to her employer get in her way. But he continually surprises her in word and deed. She’s losing her heart but can she trust it?

This Isn’t Working for Me: A Practical Guide for Making Every Relationship in Your Life More Fulfilling, Authentic, and Intentional by Ilene S. Cohen ,Edrica D.Richardson.

We all want to avoid drama and pain in our relationships, yet we remain stuck in never-ending cycles of misunderstandings, hurt feelings, and triggering interactions. Sometimes it just seems easier to decide we are “done” with people rather than continue trying over and over again. Even our best and closest relationships―with our partners, friends, family, and colleagues―can feel unduly challenging.

In this straightforward guide, expert relationship therapists Edrica Richardson and Ilene Cohen get to the heart of what it means to really be in fulfilling relationships and why connecting with the ones you love can feel so hard. You’ll learn how “doing the work” encourages healing and growth within yourself and within your relationships.

Filled with activities, quizzes, and prompts that offer support in every step of the process, This Isn’t Working for Me will help you go deeper in your relationships by exploring:
• Six steps to creating the relationships you want―Discover the foundational elements that will help you build (or build back) strong, sustainable connections.
• Self-empowerment―Learn how a willingness to focus on yourself helps cultivate resilience, trust, and a stronger sense of self.
• The science of relationships―Understand what happens in the brain and body when you are upset and angry, and learn the benefits of turning impulsive reactions into responses that you choose.

Creating and maintaining strong, fulfilling relationships doesn’t mean disregarding your own boundaries or letting go of what you want for the sake of “keeping the peace” in your home, family, friend group, or workplace. Instead, it means being more yourself! By moving into the fullness of who you are, you can claim freedom and agency in your own life, learn how to release blame, and cultivate happier and healthier relationships with those you love.

My Review.

This book was recommended to me by a friend, who is a relationship counsellor. Because of its relatively higher price I bought the Kindle version, and I regret that, as the hard copy would be more useful.  It’s basically  a workbook that you can refer to again and again, with quizzes and spaces to write down insights/feelings.

The Secret Book Club  by Shauna Robinson

Maggie Banks loves books. And running a bookstore sounds like the best job in the world. Except in Bell River, a place that refuses to let her sell anything written this century. But in Maggie’s world, book rules are made to be broken. And what better way to break tradition than by starting an underground book club?
But keeping her new club quiet, selling forbidden books and dodging the strict literary society is proving harder than it seems. Especially when Maggie unearths a secret that could upend everything…

My Review.

The book description says Maggie loves book, but she doesn’t, she’s a reluctant reader.( How disappointing!) She’s at the bookstore to help a friend ,after drifting through  various jobs. Bell River is stuck in time warp as far as fiction goes. Only books pre 1935  are allowed to be sold .The Store is a homage to the town’s one author, Edward Bell. It displays his desk, stocks his book and is firmly stuck in the past. The Historical society makes the rules and enforces them, and the store is losing money. Unless  Maggie can turn its fortunes around, her best friend Rochelle will have nothing to return to.

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I haven’t read as much as I hoped to this month, or even written as much as I hoped to. But I’ve attended three art classes a week. Pastels, life drawing and casual drawing. As well as sharing a weekly coffee and chat catch up with one or two girlfriends. Progressing on the memoir and obtaining permission to use some photographs. Managing my cat’s diabetes( currently in remission) with measure meals, and monitoring his water intake. He’s taken to sitting on my desk as I type and negligently adding a sentence or two. Usually along the lines of 9999999999999999999. The weather is cooling down and soon it will be autumn, maybe I will have more time to cosy up with a good book. What do you like to read? Do you read only one genre or across genres? If you read crime is it cosy crime, or more edgy novels? Romance, historical or contemporary ?Do you have a favourite author?

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February was a hot month here in Australia  providing plenty of reading time in air-conditioned comfort. After a skin cancer scare  and couple of  skin cancer removals, I was not keen to be out in the sun. Even if I was slathered in Factor 50 sunblock. Reading was escapism at its best! I’d also signed up for an online writing course and had weekly writing related Zoom meetings. I also got enthralled in reality TV’s Married at First Sight. It all meant that I read far less than usual this past month.

The Runaway Heiress by Emma Orchard.

The Second Lady Silverwood

London, 1815. Cassandra Hazeldon is on the run.

Under duress to marry a repellent friend of her uncle, Cassandra has made her escape, but now she is very much alone. With luck and quick thinking, she finds a refuge in a grand mansion in Mayfair, and a protector in Lord Irlam, or Hal to his friends.

Posing as a friend of Hal’s sister, Cassandra is swept up into the social whirl of a Brighton summer. But the attraction between her and Hal is starting to scorch, and when jealousy is added to the mix, things are set to reach boiling point.

Dear Reader, this wonderfully romantic story has passionate and steamy scenes, enjoy …

My Review.

This is an entertaining and lighthearted romance, although it does tackle serious issues such as the forced marriages many young women endured. Cassandra shows her spirit by escaping and hiding from her uncle and the proposed repellent match.

Luck is with her, and Lord Irlam not only believes in her, but he also assists in her entry into society. No longer friendless Cass learns about friendship, love and duty

The Bookshop Ladies by Faith Hogan

Joy Blackwood has no idea why her French art dealer husband has left a valuable painting to a woman called Robyn Tessier in Ballycove, a small town on the west coast of Ireland, but she is determined to find out.

She arrives in Ballycove to find that Robyn runs a rather chaotic and unprofitable bookshop. She is shy, suffering from unrequited love for dashing Kian, and badly in need of advice on how to make the bookshop successful.

As Joy becomes entangled in the daily dramas of Ballycove, uncovering the secrets behind her husband’s painting grows increasingly challenging. When she finally musters the courage to confront the truth, her revelation sends shockwaves through the tight-knit community she’s grown to love.

My Review.

A delight of a book, reminiscent of Maeve Binchy’s warmth and characterization. You will cheer with shy Robyn as she struggles with the bookshop. Loving books isn’t enough, she has to make a living. The village wonders why American Joy is staying in a quiet Irish village. Joy begins to forge friendships and relationships, but the secrets she’s keeping gnaw at her conscience.  I loved it!

From New York Times bestselling author Jenna McKinlay comes the Museum of Literature RomCom Omnibus.
For the first time all three novellas are in one volume.

Royal Valentine

The Attraction Distraction

It Happened One Christmas Eve

Come join the fun with a secret identity and a trip to England, a second chance romance while in search of an ancient literary artifact in Greece, and a holiday caper starting with a hijacked sleigh! As the intrepid librarians and archivists of the Museum of Literature travel the world for the love of books, curating their own happily ever afters along the way. What more could any romcom adoring book lover want?

  My Review.

Each story is complete and satisfying and it’s hard to pick a favourite. All convey a special attraction that deepens into love. Great banter, and fun filled stories. Royal Valentine,they so obviously were meant to be together.The Attraction Distraction, attraction, a quest and rivalry. It Happened One Christmas Eve, don’t we all just love a feisty heroine, especially when she is escaping from a predictably boring marriage ?

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Yes it’s still warm,a mild 27C (80F) today but a 37C (96F) forecast for later this week. We are slowly easing into Autumn, but there are many hot days ahead of us yet. I’ve few books downloaded that I’m excited about, as well as some physical books. What about you? Do you have a reading preference?

Christmas came and went in a blur , a few end of year events and then spending time at home. It was an ideal time for reading as here in Australia we aren’t battling cold and ice, but heat and sizzling temperatures. So,I enjoyed reading about snowy landscapes and the kind of Christmases that I remember.

New Year passed quietly and suddenly it was 2025. January was an unexpectedly challenging month for me. It marked the end of a twenty- five association with a community group. Sadly a long-standing friendship also ended. So ,I’ve joined two online author groups and still continue with the art classes I attend. My much loved cat, Alexei( aged 14) had yet another vet visit and we now have dental wipes and water additives to add to his daily routine.He’s not enthusiastic about either .

He knows he shouldn’t be on the car! Four Weddings and a Christmas by Phillipa Ashley.

Don’t miss the new Christmas novel from Sunday Times Bestselling author Phillipa Ashley! Can the spirit of Christmas reignite an old flame? With her thriving business Cottage Angels, Freya Bolton prepares the Lake District’s holiday homes for Christmas visitors. It’s her job to think of everything, from cinnamon-scented candles to tasteful decorations and hampers of seasonal treats. If only her love life were such a success… After being burned by past relationships, she’s now determined to steer clear of love for good. So when she bumps into gorgeous – and single – ex-boyfriend Travis, a no-strings festive fling seems perfect. But when her feelings for him begin to develop, is she on track for another romantic calamity? Or could this Christmas give her the gift of true love? This gorgeous Christmas romance from Sunday Times bestseller Phillipa Ashley will take you to the Lake District with a story of second chance love as heartwarming as a cup of mulled wine. Perfect for fans of Sarah Morgan, Karen Swan and Heidi Swain I adored this from beginning to end. Phillipa Ashley never disappoints, her books are a warm hug on a cold day .’

My Review.

Perfect escapist holiday reading! Delivers on all counts, a believably flawed heroine, and an ex-boyfriend who still sets her pulses racing The push and pull of family dynamics and relationships. With just enough uncertainty to say the end result isn’t a foregone conclusion.

I read this over Christmas in a boilingly hot Australian summer but mentally I was snowbound in the Lakes and enjoying it!

My Hygge Home: How to Make Home Your Happy Place by Meik Wiking

The author of the New York Times bestseller The Little Book of Hygge, helps you turn your home into your happy, cozy safe place.

The urge to nest and control our close environments has never been stronger. We spend more time in our homes than anywhere else—but the way in which our homes impact how we feel has remained relatively unexplored until now.

Backed with Danish design principles, years of research, case studies and a sprinkle of hygge, Meik Wiking has created the ultimate guide to turning your home, office, or wherever you may be, into your happy place.

The Hygge Home will teach us all how to create a much-needed cozy safe space in our homes into which we can retreat to escape the tough things going on in the outside world. Meik will explore the size of our spaces, the way we decorate our homes, the amount of natural light coming in, how much access to green space we have and how we can extend these design principles from inside our homes to our neighbourhoods and beyond.

Meik is guaranteed to help you create a home and safe space where you can both live and thrive.

272 pages, Hardcover

My Review.

I enjoyed reading this with its reflections on home, and how we use our personal space. There are some thought provoking ideas and concepts.I found the study of hospital patients and recovery particularly interesting.The illustrations add to its charm. and I looked at my home with new eyes and concepts of spatial awareness.

New Beginnings at the Cosy Cat Café by Julie Haworth

New Beginnings at The Cosy Cat Café tells the story of Tori who, after being dumped and left stranded by her long-term boyfriend Ryan on a trip of a lifetime to Asia, returns home to the sleepy Sussex village of Blossom Heath with her tail between her legs and her dreams shattered. Donning her frilly apron to help her Mum, Joyce, behind the counter at The Cosy Cup Café, Tori starts to believe – with the help of a hunky fireman and a clowder of rescue cats – that perhaps the secret to her future happiness might lie closer to home than she ever thought possible.   If you love your romance with a side order of cake, cats and cosy community dynamics, this is the purrfect uplifting, feel-good read from the winner of the RNA Katie Fforde Debut Novel of the Year 2023.

My Review.

An enjoyable read that has that  ‘feel good’ factor, especially if you are a cat lover. The café sounded delightful, and Tori had a dilemma choosing between the two men vying for her attention. I appreciated the attention to detail as to how cats were treated, the differing cat personalities and the strict rules for cat adoptions. The additional reference to a real cat cafe was a bonus.

We’ll Prescribe You a Cat by You Ishida,E.Madison Shimoda( Translator ).

A cat a day keeps the doctor away….

Discover this utterly charming, vibrant celebration of the healing power of cats in the award-winning, bestselling Japanese novel that has become an international sensation.

Tucked away on the fifth floor of an old building at the end of a narrow alley in Kyoto, the Nakagyō Kokoro Clinic for the Soul can be found only by people who are struggling in their lives and who genuinely need help. The mysterious clinic offers a unique treatment to those who find their way there: it prescribes cats as medication. Patients are often puzzled by this unconventional prescription, but when they “take” their cat for the recommended duration, they witness profound transformations in their lives, guided by the playful, empathetic, and occasionally challenging yet endearing cats.

Throughout these pages, the power of the human-animal bond is revealed as a disheartened businessman finds unexpected joy in physical labor, a middle-aged man struggles to stay relevant at work and home, a young girl navigates the complexities of elementary school cliques, a hardened handbag designer seeks emotional balance, and a geisha learns to move on from the memory of her lost cat. As the clinic’s patients grapple with their inner turmoil and seek resolution, their feline companions lead them toward healing, self-discovery, and newfound hope.

297 pages, Hardcover First published March 8, 2023

Original title 猫を処方いたします。

My Review.

I didn’t know what to expect from this book with its whimsical cat decorations on almost every page. My advice? Suspend disbelief and  follow where the story leads .Is it a fable? A fairytale? For me , it was an unexpected delight.

Chocolate Wishes by Trisha Ashley

Life is sweet for chocolate maker Chloe Lyon! In the picture-perfect Lancashire village of Sticklepond, Confectioner Chloe dispenses inspirational sweet treats containing a prediction for each customer. If only her own life was as easy to forecast – perhaps Chloe could have foreseen being jilted at the altar! But when a new Vicar arrives in the village, the rumour mill goes into overdrive. Not only is Raffy Sinclair the charismatic ex-front man of rock band ‘Mortal Ruin’, he’s also Chloe’s first love and the man who broke her heart. Try as she might, Chloe can’t ignore this blast from her past. Could now be the time for her to make a wish – and dare to believe it can come true? A charming novel for chocoholics everywhere, perfect for fans of Katie Fforde, Jill Mansell and Carole Matthews.

376 pages, Paperback First published January 1, 2010

My Review.

Just as predictable and delicious as I anticipated. Trisha Ashley’s books often have a touch of magic or whimsy about them, and it’s always relatable. Missed opportunities, lost love and  a feel-good factor. Perfect escapist reading .

Love at First Book by Jenn Mc Kinley

When a librarian moves to a quaint Irish village where her favorite novelist lives, the last thing she expects is to fall for the author’s prickly son… until their story becomes one for the books, from the New York Times bestselling author of Summer Reading .

Emily Allen, a librarian on Martha’s Vineyard, has always dreamed of a life of travel and adventure. So when her favorite author, Siobhan Riordan, offers her a job in the Emerald Isle, Emily jumps at the opportunity. After all, Siobhan’s novels got Em through some of the darkest days of her existence.

Helping Siobhan write the final book in her acclaimed series—after a ten-year hiatus due to a scorching case of writer’s block—is a dream come true for Emily. If only she didn’t have to deal with Siobhan’s son, Kieran Murphy. He manages Siobhan’s bookstore, and the grouchy bookworm clearly doesn’t want Em around.

When Siobhan’s health takes a bad turn, she’s more determined than ever to finish her novel, while Kieran tries every trick in the book to get his mother to rest. Thrown into the role of peacemaker, Emily begins to see that Kieran’s heart is in the right place. Torn between helping Siobhan find closure with her series and her own growing feelings for the mercurial Irishman, Emily will have to decide if she’s truly ready to turn a new page and figure out what lies in the next chapter.

330 pages, Paperback First published May 14, 2024

My Review.

I loved this book! The bookish theme, the characters and the witty banter. My imagination took flight and I was with Emily every step of the way in her transformation from downtrodden Emily to the feisty and  witty “Red.” Kieran had enough bite to spark rebellion in Emily and also an attraction.I really fell for these two and was sad when the story ended.Of all the books this month, this was my favourite.

Of course, I have found another book by this author, more about that next month.

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I’m isolating in my writing cave and putting the finishing touches to my memoir.The development editor is booked and the cover designer. No one really does this alone, nor should they. We can’t see our own mistakes or tell what isn’t working. My first book, I loved the cover, but I hadn’t considered what worked for the readers.This time I will let the professionals decide.

Currently the book is around 55,000 words. Who am I writing it for? Firstly, for me to release my memories and for my children.They may have heard one side of the story and now they get to hear the other. I think it should also appeal to double decker bus enthusiasts. It covers the years I worked as a bus conductor when being a female and doing that job was quite unusual.