Hot Gossip

The Kerry Series #2

by Susanne O'Leary

When Janine Marchand leaves her native France for a remote village on the Atlantic coast of Ireland, she hopes to let go of a painful past. She has changed her name and taken on a whole new identity But the locals are curious and soon tongues start wagging. To complicate matters, Janine gets involved with Mick O’Shea, a handsome man who harbours dark secrets of his own. She is drawn to him even though she knows the attraction might jeopardize the fresh start she is trying to build. When someone in the village alerts the press, Janine must make a decision: run away once more or stay to confront her past.

Genres: Romance, Chick Lit, Contemporary Romance, Ireland, Irish Literature, Collections, Fiction

214 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 26, 2013

About the author

Susanne O’Leary is the bestselling author of more than 30 novels, mainly romantic fiction set in Ireland. Her many books set in County Kerry have been hugely popular with readers all over the world. She shares her time between Dublin and Kerry, where she and her husband have a little cottage near the beach. The wild, beautiful landscape, the small villages and the friendly people of that county have inspired her to write her feel-good stories. She's been inspired to represent people of all ages and walks of life, with lots of romance, and more than a dash of humour.

When she is not writing or reading by the fire, Susanne loves heading for the great outdoors, walking on the beaches or scaling the green hills of her favourite county.

Reviews

[ReadAlongWithSue ★⋆. ࿐࿔catching up · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is Susanne O`learys latest book which I've had the greatest of pleasure in reading as an ARC.
Isn't the cover great!
I love this author as she's taken a different chance on this story, more intense and romantically raw in my opinion with things to hide that come out later as you read further on into the pages.

I liked this one as much as I loved her previous book Hot Property. This isn't a carry on from that, its a stand alone book in its own right.
Its taken me today to sit down and read this lovely enjoyable read.
Susanne never disappoints her readers, yet another thumbs up from me.

[Annk · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sweet series set on tbe cpast of Ireland. The titles are ridiculous and total click bait! The character development is good and I like hpw each book covers a minor character from a proceeding book

I am reading these books as a sort of virtual tpur pf Ireland. It ia wonderful for that although Sandy Cove series and Grainger’s mprw historical fiction is better.

This book had a bit of an action theme, which was fun.

[Jill · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book wasn't as good as the first in the series. The biggest problem is it was basically the same story as the first, just different characters. Recently divorced woman goes to isolated coastal area to recuperate and find herself.

[Trudy Fagan · Rating 5 out of 5]

International excursions, some mystery and lots of romance!

This was very interesting with all the drama and action of Janine’s past. I did not want to put it down. I love the Irish setting with the story unfolding and the characters I love from past books!!

[Erin B SC]

DNF

[Kathi Rutherford · Rating 5 out of 5]

A New Life

A famous woman goes into hiding,from her controlling and dangerous husband.She is keeping a low profile in a small Irish town,when her past catches up with her.

[Al · Rating 4 out of 5]

Early on it is clear that Janine, the heroine in Hot Gossip, has a dark past she’s trying to escape and is doing this by living a hermit’s existence in rural Ireland. As her past dribbles out the main story conflict comes into sharper focus as the reader starts to ask a few questions. Will she be able to avoid her ex-husband and his minions (putting that failed relationship behind her isn’t as easy as she’d like)? What happened to Jake, who Janine had fallen in love with before his death, and will she be able to move past her memory of her almost-too-good-to-believe memories of their romance to find love again? And if she does, will it be with Mick, the handsome single father with a dark past of his own, or Brian, the friend who would obviously be interested in more?

All of these questions and working toward the answers combine into a solid story. However, it is another storyline, Janine’s relationship with Mick’s daughter, Nelia, that I found the most interesting and, in many ways, their interactions drove the rest of the story.

**Originally written for "Books and Pals" book blog. May have received a free review copy. **

[Mary O'Leary · Rating 5 out of 5]

This title was offered as a free download to Kindle. It is the second in a series of three set in the Tralee area of County Kerry, Ireland. Janine is a former French model who has escaped her controlling shipping magnate husband and also escaped some dodgy Arabs with the help of Jake, a resourceful conman. (Yes, our Janine can pick 'em.) Janine later believes Jake to be dead, moves from Paris to London, then to County Kerry in Ireland to escape the paparazzi who still pursue her, even after her divorce from the magnate. She lives an unusually quiet life near Tralee(the locals are suspicious)until the paparazzi find her again, alerted by the daughter of the man she ends up with in the story. Daughter is very sorry afterwards - she says so on the top of a mountain where she has got stuck after running away from home. The courageous Mountain Rescue get a mention here. (Incidentally, Jake has reappeared, not dead at all, but is summarily sent on his way one dark and stormy night - thrown out into the winter cold and snow, poor thing). Great romantic comedy from our Susanne, wonderful descriptions of County Kerry.

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading "Hot Gossip" by Susanne O'Leary. This is the second book I read by this author. This book is a follow up to "Hot Property" but can be read as a stand alone book.

The story takes place in a remote village on the Atlantic coast of Ireland. The story is about Janine Marchand who left her native France to start over in a new place. She mets Mick O'Shea who is handsome and she knows she shouldn't get involved with him if she wants to keep her past a secret. Janine is afraid that once people know about her past people will judge her. Will Janine be able to keep her past a secret? Will someone in the village alert the press? Will her true identity be revealed?

I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. I look forward to reading more books written by this author. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes a quick and easy read. The book was well written, held my interest, and the cover was what made me want to read the book.

[Lindsay]

I had the privilege of being asked to read Hot Gossip as an arc and I am truly delighted that I did. I have read a number of Susanne O'Leary's books and I always come away from them happy and with a warm glow inside.

Hot Gossip is a beautifully written, easy to read, feel good female fiction novel. The story and characters are complex enough to seem realistic yet the narration is delightfully straightforward allowing you to enjoy this novel in a few sittings.

Hot Gossip is the second part of a collection of stories in which Hot Property is the first. Each book is stand alone however set around the same village and mostly the same characters. I find this a refreshing take on a series and allows the reader to engage with a different character and to see the same locations and characters from different perspectives and in different situations, giving the reader a multifaceted image of the village and its residents.

[Claire Cresswell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had this book gifted to me in return for an honest review .. I was looking forward to reading this one as I loved hot property!!!
Janine is trying to start a new life in a remote part of Ireland away from prying eyes ,, she hasn't had the best of lives and when she meets nelia you could tell they were going to have a good relationship . I really thought jake was going to come back on the scene and sweep her off her feet , then mick came along and that changed everything !!!! .. Her ex husband what a horrible man!!!! . The story kept me guessing the whole way through I couldn't put it down a real page turner I would definitely recommend this book to anyone ... Thank you for the opportunity to read :)

[Connie McElfresh · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was gifted this book for a fair and honest review. This is the second book in the series and I believe it can be read as a stand alone and one would not feel as they are missing half the story. Janine is trying to leave her old life behind and start a new one in the Irish countryside, there was quite a bit of intrigue in Janine's old life and the way the author has described it made me feel as if I was right there. You read about some of the same characters that are in the first book, but they are really more of the back story. I was able to dive right into this book, I love a book that I can do that with.

[Kat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quick enjoyable read - I started and finished the book in one evening. The story was engaging, the flash backs informative, and so I couldn't put it down (even though I was trying to watch the Olympics). Also a great intro scene where you get introduced to 2 main characters.

The only thing it lacked was the filling out of many characters including the hero...at the end I just didn't feel like I had a good "picture" of him.

This was the 2nd free book from O'Leary that I got off Amazon and read...not sure why there are low ratings/reviews on this author...she seems like a unknown gem to me.

[Nicola · Rating 3 out of 5]

A quick and quirky read. while some of the story was a bit confusing and a bit unbelieveable it was a fun read. It would have satisfied my curiosity to have had a bit more closure with the Greek tycoon - Steve. He seemed to be such a big impetus for the entire story, yet insignificant in the end (which I suppose, may have truly been the point!)

[Julia A. McDonald · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sort of predictable.

I love Ireland and this should have been delighted with the setting ......however I found this to be a bit predictable. You know from the start who is going to get together with who. The description of the Irish countryside was right on and accurate, but not enough to.save this. Book.was.just ok.

[Sue · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was the second book in this series...and I liked it, but liked the first one more. Took awhile to really get into this one - and the different character that was the main person in the story. Not sorry I read it, just didn't appreciate it as much as the first one.

[Mary Ann Zimmerly · Rating 5 out of 5]

I would recommend this book and author to all who enjoy excellent story telling with real characters you can relate to

Without having to endure blood and guts and explicit sexuality. It is refreshing and clean entertainment with a mortality to uplift your soul.

[Anita Mayland · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another good book, and a good story although i didn't find it has gripping as the first book Hot Property, still worth reading

[V.M. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book about Jeanine. She is a woman with a secret past that she wants to hide away from. But her life has other plans for her.

[susan elkins]

Loved the series x

[Georgina Perfect · Rating 3 out of 5]

.

[Mercedes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good romance story.