Funny Story by Emily Henry

 

Daphne always loved the way Peter told their story.

That is until it became the prologue to his actual love story with his childhood bestie, Petra.

Which is how Daphne ends up rooming with her total opposite and the only person who could possibly understand her predicament: Petra's ex, Miles.

As expected, it’s not a match made in heaven – that is until one night, while tossing back tequilas, they form a plan.

And if it involves posting deliberately misleading photos of their adventures together, well, who could blame them?

But it’s all just for show, of course, because there’s no way Daphne would actually start her new chapter by falling in love with her ex-fiancé’s new fiancée’s ex . . . right?

One of my 2025 reading goals I set myself this year was to try books by three authors one of those being Emily Henry. I didn't have a clue which one to start with so I walked in the bookshop and picked up the first one I saw which happened to be Funny Story. 

Having just finished this book I can now see why so many people are rating these books so highly because Emily Henry has such an easy reading writing style that picks you up and sweeps you away in a storyline full of friendships and romance.

Daphne and Miles are in the most awful situation with their ex's dumping them for each other and now with nowhere else to go Daphne moves in with Miles and ok there is a predictable feeling as to what the outcome was going to be but this didn't dampen the enjoyment of the storyline. 

Daphne was such a relatable character and what I loved more than anything was watching this woman who feels like she has lost everything actually realise she has never had anything because she has always lived for other people and now with the help of Miles and her new friend Ashleigh she begins to actually blossom and learn what it is that she really wants to enrich her life. So often in these sorts of books it is always the woman that has struggles but it was nice to see in this book that Miles has his demons too which has shaped who he is and this just made me love his character even more. The romance that slowly burns is a great addition too and I was routing for a happy ending.

Alongside the new friendships made and romance crackling there is also discovery, healing and cutting off toxic people that have a negative effect. It's not all deep and depressing though there are also plenty of humorous moments and a light spice too.

I loved this book and will certainly be picking up another book by Emily Henry in the near future.

Available to buy here

The Crash by Freida McFadden

 

The nightmare she’s running from is nothing compared to where she’s headed…

Tegan is eight months pregnant, alone, and desperately wants to put her crumbling life in the rearview mirror. So she hits the road, planning to stay with her brother until she can figure out her next move. But she doesn’t realise she’s heading straight into a blizzard.

She never arrives at her destination.

Stranded in rural Maine with a dead car and broken ankle, Tegan worries she’s made a terrible mistake. Then a miracle occurs: she is rescued by a couple who offers her a room in their warm cabin until the snow clears.

But something isn’t right. Tegan believed she was waiting out the storm, but as time ticks by, she comes to realise she is in grave danger. This safe haven isn’t what she thought it was, and staying here may have been her most deadly mistake yet.

And now she must do whatever it takes to save herself – and her unborn child.

This is only my second book by Freida McFadden I was drawn in by the cover and when I read the synopsis it had me gripped so I instantly picked it up to take home with me and start reading straight away whilst it was still relatively new so had no spoilers floating around the socials to ruin it for me.

This author has such a speedy writing style that picks you up and pulls you along for a ride that you can't get off making it a book that is easy to read in one sitting so if you want a thriller to get lost in on that plane journey this is the book for you!

This was a thrilling storyline and one that I thought at first was looking a little predictable when it was told from Tegan's point of view but only for that to be flipped on its head when the books suddenly switches to Polly's point of view then everything I thought I had worked took a different turn and I thought this was really clever way of writing and it just drew my attention in even more.

Where the book is predictable in parts there are also other parts with one in particular that I didn't predict coming from a mile off and I loved having the wool pulled over my eyes.

I can't tell you any other thriller authors who manage to create so much drama in such a fast paced storyline I am so used to thrillers being a slow burn as they try and create an air of mystery but half the time my attention drifts and I become bored rather than absorbing the suspense they are trying to create whereas this author gives a feeling of urgency which keeps me on my toes more trying to work out clues and solutions quickly before something else happens and I am all for this.

I think this book is a great one to start your thrilling reading journey on because it isn't challenging but it is fast paced and action packed.

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…

Milly Johnson is back with a refreshing novel full of community spirit and a new solid supportive friendship group I am in awe of.

We are introduced to a host of wonderful women who are all at a mid point in their lives where big changes are being faced and decisions need to be made and at such a daunting time they have each other to lean on and be a listening ear. 

There isn’t a single character who takes centre stage in this book each of them take a big chunk of the focus and this worked really well because it kept the pace of the storyline moving because there was always a new step forward or at times backwards for each of the women and I was so invested in them all and I was eager to jump in the pages and be a part of their group as they help each other navigate, health, relationships, loss and career battles.

I thoroughly enjoyed this story and found it relatable in some respects and uplifting in others.

We All Live Here by Jojo Moyes

Welcome to the Kennedy household:

Lila wrote a bestseller about keeping your marriage alive, before discovering her ex was playing happy families with another woman. A woman she sees everyday at school pick-up.

Bill, her stepdad, moved in after Lila’s mum died. He’s kind, old-fashioned and driving her absolutely nuts.

Celie, Lila’s eldest, hates school. Hates it so much she’s stopped going. Her mother’s fine with that – because she doesn’t know yet.

Violet is nine and sings age-inappropriate rap songs, laughs at fart jokes and Lila dearly hopes she’ll never, ever change.

And Truant the dog, who has just bitten the American actor who’s suddenly landed on the Kennedys' doorstep.

This is Gene – Lila’s estranged father, and no one’s idea of a role model. He walked out on Lila and her mum years ago – and wherever he goes domestic discord follows.

Because Gene’s presence changes things in unexpected ways. Soon the girls discover a kindred spirit in a man always chasing life’s joy. Bill even loosens up. And Lila finds herself, astonishingly, dating.

Jojo Moyes is the author of my favourite book Me Before You and I have read all of her books and loved them all they all are so well researched and have such depth to the storylines so I do not hesitate to read each new release of hers.

We All Live Here is her new release and this one is very different from her previous books it was just the kind of light easy read that I needed after reading so many heavily detailed books recently. 

This book centres around the Kennedy family as Lila is on the start of navigating life after her recent separation from her husband but there is no chance of her being lonely at home because the house is bedlam with a mix of family members all bringing humour, dramatics, heartache and challenges to the household. Jojo Moyes always excels in character development and this is what shines through in this book as she takes each character and really brings their struggles to the heart of the storyline and skilfully weaves them all together in this chaotic household. 

Mistakes are made and feelings are hurt but at the same time lessons are learnt and relationships are made stronger, this is a realistic storyline that doesn't gloss over the actions and emotions after separation and this is dealt with in a brutally honest way which at times you sympathise with and at other points have you chuckling away and fully backing her ruthlessness!

I really enjoyed this book and it was the perfect book at the perfect time, I don't think this one will leave a lasting impression on me like all of her other books not because it wasn't good but because it was just a nice simple read but it didn't have a storyline that I feel will be memorable as it didn't have an impact on me.

Hardback and Kindle editions available here

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The Kill List by Nadine Matheson

 

He will come for them, one by one…

Five shocking murders

Twenty-five years ago, DCI Harry Rhimes arrested Andrew Streeter for the brutal murders of five young people. Streeter’s ‘kill list’ of victims was found in his home, and he was convicted of all five crimes.

A legacy under threat

Now, Streeter’s convictions are being overturned, as new evidence implies the original investigation was corrupt. No one is more shocked that DI Henley. Because this case is personal; Rhimes was her old boss, and he’s no longer alive to defend himself. But when the killings start up again, Henley must face the truth: Rhimes got it wrong twenty-five years ago.

A hunt for a killer

Henley and her team reopen the original murder cases, but they must put their personal feelings to one side. Because the real killer is still out there, and he’s working his way through a new kill list …

The Kill List is my first book by Nadine Matheson which now I realise is a little silly of me as this book was Book 3 in the series! However I have managed to read this as a standalone and I only feel like I was missing out on something that has been bubbling between DI Henley and Pellacia.

I originally tried to read this book last year but I had to DNF as I couldn't settle into the storyline but it turns out this was definitely a case of the right book at the wrong time because I picked it up again to read last night and have now finished it today and I was gripped the whole way through thanks to the unpredictability of the storyline.

This is an action packed book that is bursting at the seams with characters, lies and murders. I was so intrigued by this storyline the fact that it looks like Andrew Streeter has wrongly spent years in prison convicted of 5 murders but now his convictions are being overturned and the guessing game begins as to who is the real murderer or Burier as he is known. I love to try and look for clues along the way and try and solve the mystery before all is revealed but this was impossible for me in this book but that is what I loved the most about it was the unknown which just made me speed through the pages so quickly eager to discover the truth.

This is the first crime novel I have read in a long time that I thoroughly enjoyed and I do feel like this has been left ready for a book 4 not so much for the same crime but something that was left up in the air and I for one will be eagerly awaiting news on the next book and will definitely be picking it up.

Available to purchase here

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An Almost Perfect Summer by Jill Mansell

 

Nick is the most intriguing man Nella has met in a while. He's a 9 in the looks department (no one gets a 10), he makes her laugh, and he keeps her company when she ends up in A&E. But they live hundreds of miles apart.

Then Nella loses her job. There's a perfect role on offer at a Cotswolds holiday retreat. The catch is that her boss would be Nick. And that makes Nick the one man she can't risk falling in love with.

While Nella struggles with her feelings, a Hollywood star has found a haven at the retreat. Lizzie's sworn off people - especially men - until her friendly new neighbours entice her out of her shell. Maybe she needs a flirtation - with gorgeous Nick, perhaps? Not with taciturn local Matthew, though, who definitely isn't a member of her fan club. Then an astonishing secret revealed changes everything . . .

It has been a couple of years since I have dived into a Jill Mansell novel but by the time I had finished the first chapter of her latest book An Almost Perfect Summer it felt like I was back home in my happy place because her writing is so easy to get wrapped up in as she envelopes you in a whole new group of characters with various woes and whose stories all begin to merge together.

Set in the Cotswolds in a village called Starbourne where a range of high end holiday cottages are let we spend the Summer with a wide range of characters from the glam side of actors and painters to the more basic side of life to the cleaners and runners but it just goes to show no matter how much money you have or don't have in your pocket one thing remains the same we all have our problems and a heart that just wants to love and be loved!

The main storyline follows Nella as she moves to Starbourne to begin work there after an unfortunate accident and some would say a touch of fate lead to her meeting the gorgeous Nick who is the owner of the luxury cottage rentals. We also have a strong storyline that follows Lizzie who is a well known actress who has hit burn out and needs time to get her head straight whilst also working on her book and so gradually more characters are then weaved into these threads to open up more stories along side so there is always someone new to meet or something new going on. Jill Mansell has such a skill when building her characters because they are all so well developed and I never find myself muddled between who is who.

With so many characters comes so many troubles and emotions but also a lot of new beginnings and romance too which is just the kind of story I want to read in January when we all reset and recharge and have an air of positivity to start a fresh. This is a great feel good read by Jill Mansell and a great book to start the year.

Available to purchase here on Kindle or Hardback

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A Merry Little Christmas by Cathy Bramley

 

In the snowy market town of Wetherly, Merry is about to take on her biggest project yet - the arrival of a new baby. She has always dreamed of being a mother, since losing her mum at a young age. Everyone is so excited, so why is Merry feeling terrified? And why is she struggling to open up to business partner and best friend Nell, whose help she needs at their thriving candle shop more than ever?

What Nell desperately wants for Christmas is a baby with husband Olek. But when she uncovers a shocking truth about Olek's past, dreams of a family are turned upside down. Nell feels she has no-one to turn to, as Merry is wrapped up in her own plans for the new baby.

Tensions run high as Christmas approaches, and Merry and Nell's friendship reaches breaking point. As long-held secrets finally come to light, can Nell and Merry save the most precious gift of all - their friendship?

I am on a roll with my Christmas books this year and one I was super excited about was A Merry Little Christmas by Cathy Bramley. This book reunites us with Merry and Nell who you would have met if you have read her previous books The Merry Christmas Project and Merrily Ever After, now I have only read the first book so I was a little unsure if I would be able to follow the storyline having missed the middle book but I decided to go ahead and treat myself and give it a try .anyway. I need not have worried as I found myself swept along by the storyline from start to finish without feeling like I had missed anything.

Well this was certainly a book that was determined to leave a lasting impression on me. By the half way mark I was in tears! This really is such a poignant read that is going to stay in my heart forever. 

There were a number of sensitive issues that were tackled in this book and the author really did delve into each situation with care but also with raw and real emotions rather than sugar coating anything and I think this was why it was so emotive because it all just felt so real and with friends of mine currently in a similar situation it actually opened my eyes up even more to the pain and anguish they constantly feel.

Friendships and relationships were really put to the test and in all honesty I never quite new if the book would live up to the title and give us a Merry Little Christmas.

I would definitely recommend this book but be sure to have a box of tissues to hand.

Available on Amazon here

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