The Bookshop of Second Chances by Jackie Fraser

 

Today the blog tour for The Bookshop Of Second Chances stops here on Rea Book Reviews and I am going to be sharing my thoughts on this debut novel by Jackie Fraser.

Synpsis

Thea’s having a bad month. Not only has she been made redundant, she’s also discovered her husband of nearly twenty years is sleeping with one of her friends. And he’s not sorry – he’s leaving.
 
Bewildered and lost, Thea doesn’t know what to do. But, when she learns the great-uncle she barely knew has died and left her his huge collection of second-hand books and a house in the Scottish Lowlands, she seems to have been offered a second chance.
 
Running away to a little town where no one knows her seems like exactly what Thea needs. But when she meets the aristocratic Maltravers brothers – grumpy bookshop owner Edward and his estranged brother Charles, Lord Hollinshaw – her new life quickly becomes just as complicated as the life she was running from...

Review

I am a sucker for any books that are set in a bookshop as this is my absolute dream job so The Bookshop of Second Chances sounded like just my kind of book to read on my staycation this year.

Thea has discovered that her husband has been having an affair with her friend, as begins to box up her belongings Thea has no idea what to do next with no job, no house and no relationship she is lost. A lifeline appears in news that her uncle has left his house in Scotland along with a valuable book collection to Thea and this provides her with a getaway to take time to heal and decide what she wants to do with her life next.

Thea is such a strong independent woman who picks herself up dusts herself off and is ready to start her next chapter and as she takes her time to decide what her next step is she takes a job in the local bookshop with a well known grumpy owner Edward.

This was a promising debut by Jackie Fraser, she keeps her storylines tight focusing on our two main characters rather than dancing off on various small sub plots which allows us to get to know both Thea and Andrew on a deeper level. They are down to earth flawed characters especially Andrew but they are still likeable none the less and although I had a feeling I knew where this storyline was going to take me I still enjoyed watching everything slot into places with the odd bump along the way.

My only thing I found that didn’t sit right with me was the random swearing, now I hold my hands up and say I have a filthy mouth but it took me aback each time they swore as it seemed to come from nowhere and didn’t feel like it was in context or that it was part of the characters traits.

The author does touch on the emotional vulnerabilities of dating again later in life after a long relationship breakdown, the nerves of being seen naked by someone new after so long and having to let your guard down and learn to trust and move forward again.

I loved that the bookshop really was incorporated into the storyline rather than just being a fleeting mention here and there. All in all I felt this was wonderful honest and entertaining debut and I would definitely read another book by this author.

Kindle                  Paperback

Frontline by Dr Hilary Jones

 

Grace is the daughter of landed gentry, volunteering as a nurse on the Western Front.

Will is the son of a dockworker, driven to enlist by patriotism and the thrill of adventure.

When their lives collide in a field hospital in France, an instant connection is forged admist the chaos and blood of the battlefront.

But as rumours of an armistice begin to circulate, so does a mysterious virus, carrying with it an unimaginable death toll across the globe...

When I read the synopsis for Frontline it really appealed to me, I do not often read books set during the war and yet every one I have read have all left a lasting impression on me so I was looking forward to reading the first book in Dr Hilary Jones new historical series.

The storyline is set during the World War I where Grace and Will have both volunteered and yet their lives couldn’t be further apart they both share the determination and drive to help those who have fought for their country putting themselves in harms way to try to save as many lives as possible.

When Grace and Will meet in a field hospital in France there is an instant spark between them but can love blossom in such treacherous conditions and after news of their friends and loved ones losing their life is there any hope of a life after the war?

This is the first book I have read that is set during the War but is told from the medical volunteers’ points of view, it captured the harrowing moments when they would put their lives in danger to remove those injured on the frontline, describes the vast amount of different injuries that were witnessed and treated reminding us all of what our ancestors went through for their country.

I did worry in the beginning if the explanations of wounds and treatments were going to be a little bit to heavy in this book as they were extremely well detailed and went over my head a little bit but I can understand why with the authors career meaning that his knowledge was going to be poured into this novel but as the book progressed the details became less indepth and was more in keeping with the storyline rather than feeling like a medical journal. It was eyeopening to see the kind of wounds and ailments that our troops were affected by and how much pressure was put on the medics with the limited capabilities they had to contend with.

This book was a good read but I do think it could have been a great read if the storyline had just been a little tighter and stripped back and focused more on just Will and Grace, at times it felt like the book was being written as a tv series in mind where it kept jumping around so many different less significant characters and I do not feel that we needed more characters introduced so late on in the book. Will and Grace’s storyline was strong enough to be the focus of this book, I found my attention wavering each time we veered off from our two main characters and I was desperate to get back to them and the situations they were dealing with and the relationship blossoming between them in such turbulent conditions. Will and Grace were both admirable characters with such caring natures and traditional values who everyone’s hearts will warm to reading this book.

I would be interested to read the next book in the series to see where Will and Graces journey takes them next.

 

Kindle                             Hardback

The Seaside Cocktail Campervan by Caroline Roberts

 

When Lucy isn’t in her cosy cottage by the sea, she’s winding through the Northumberland coast with her loveable Dachsund Daisy, cooking up a storm at the local village celebrations. Inspired by her Italian Poppa, Lucy’s chasing a new dream with her pizza van business. And at one particular party she meets Jack, the brooding but gorgeous owner of the Cocktail Campervan.

Wary of repeating mistakes of the past, Lucy and Jack keep it strictly business. But as the summer drifts by in a swirl of garden parties, fun and fizz, laughs and celebrations, and as the cocktail campervan creates the community they so desperately need, romance starts to blossom – one stop at a time…

After reading a lot of deep and thrilling storylines recently, I was struggling to settle in to any of the books I picked up to read. I decided to try something a little more Summery and light reading which is when I cam across The Seaside Cocktail Campervan by Caroline Roberts, an author whose books I have enjoyed previously.

This was the perfect book at just the right time, a light and uplifting romance that slowly lured me in and introduced me to our two main characters Jack and Lucy who both have quirky catering event businesses in the form of a cocktail campervan and a pizzeria horsebox. They find themselves continually bumping into each other at the same events and before long a little sparkle of attraction begins to twinkle but should they mix business with pleasure or will hearts get broken?

Romance is always my go to books to read especially when I am in need of complete escapism and that is what this book provided me with. Although the storyline was quite a simple flowing one that may not leave a lasting memory on me it was still none the less a very enjoyable read which was helped by the fact that I adore books that feature a new business venture that shows the difficulties in starting up and becoming established which was what we see Lucy trying to do as she found her feet with her pizza business, her passion for her work was shining through but she needed the bookings to increase if she was going to be able to make this business work.

I loved how the storyline alternated between both characters so we could get a true feel for each of them rather than just getting an insight through one’s eyes and the little chapters that started with the invitations to which ever event they were booked into next was also a great little touch too.

The romance was a little predictable but the ups and downs along the way still made this romance exciting to watch blossom. I think this is a wonderful light summery romance which is perfect reading to keep you company on your staycation this year. The authors easy flowing writing style will keep you intrigued the whole way through making this a fast paced novel that you will read in no time at all.

Kindle 

The Heights by Louise Candlish

He thinks he’s safe up there. But he’ll never be safe from you. 
 
The Heights is a tall, slender apartment building among the warehouses of Tower Bridge, its roof terrace so discreet you wouldn’t know it existed if you weren't standing at the window of the flat directly opposite. But you are. And that’s when you see a man up there – a man you’d recognize anywhere. He’s older now and his appearance has subtly changed, but it’s definitely him. 

Which makes no sense at all since you know he has been dead for over two years.  You know this for a fact.  

Because you’re the one who killed him.  It’s time to confess what we did up there.
 

Louise Candlish is back with her new novel The Heights and I wasted no time in jumping straight excited to see what the author was going to have hidden up her sleeve for us this time around.

 

The book is split up into 4 parts and is told from two of our main characters Viv and Ellen’s points of view which is a very clever way to write this novel as we get to build a picture of the situation and just as we think we have sussed everything out the storyline then turns to the other characters point of view and gives a different perspective which makes us question everything that we have learnt so far! Each of the characters were well developed and Ellen sure is a devoted mum, no one can question that but how far is too far when it comes to having your children’s backs? My opinion on Vic chopped and changed throughout the book depending on if we were seeing his actions through Ellen's eyes or hearing Vic's thoughts on things which all kept me on y toes.

This one was a little more of a slow burner compared to the authors previous novels but the unexpected revelations we have come to expect and love from her I am pleased to say are hiding within this storyline. I do love a book that is set around areas where I grew up so this book captured my interest early on as places like Crystal Palace, Beckenham and Bromley were all visited in this novel it makes me feel more familiar and connected with the storyline.

This wicked thriller is full of hatred, betrayal and revenge.

Kindle                            Hardback 

A Cosy Christmas at Bridget's Bicycle Bakery Cover Reveal

 It is no secret that I am a crazy Alex Brown fan so you can imagine my excitement to not only hear we are being treated to another book by this super talented lady but also that it is a return to the Carrington's series

AND

it's a Christmas book!

If all this hasn't got you fizzing with excitement then check out the video below

 

Now tell me you are eager for the snow to come and the hot chocolate to be steaming so you can cosy up with this little beauty!

A Cosy Christmas at Bridget's Bicycle Bakery is due for release 

Kindle - 14th October

Paperback - 25th November

So I would suggest pre-ordering both now! A Kindle copy for you because lets face it we all know we won't have the willpower to wait until November to read it and then a paperback copy for a friend to kick off your Christmas shopping already!

All you knead is love this Christmas … and plenty of baked goods!

Finding yourself without a home in the weeks before Christmas would break most people, but for Bridget Carrington it’s a chance to start again. Mulberry-On-Sea has always been her happy place and she’s hoping it can work its magic this festive season and heal her family after a difficult year.

Now, as the community wraps Bridget and her children – six-year-old Freya and fourteen-year-old twins, Oscar and Olly – in their warm embrace, she starts to feel like herself again. With a new business, kids who are starting to smile, and the promise of a second chance at love, Bridget’s holiday season might just be a happy ever after…

Kindle             Paperback

The Perfect Life by Nuala Ellwood

 

Today it is Rea's Book Reviews stop on the blog tour for The Perfect Life by Nuala Ellwood. This was my first book by this author so I had no preconception as to what to expect so check out my review to see what my thoughts were.

Vanessa has always found it easy to pretend to be somebody different, somebody better. When things get tough in her real life, all she has to do is throw on some nicer clothes, adopt a new accent and she can escape.

That's how it started: looking round houses she couldn't possibly afford. Harmless fun really. Until it wasn't.

Nuala Ellwood is a new author to me and after reading the synopsis for her new release The Perfect Life I was instantly intrigued as I have always loved viewing houses and seeing the lives that are lived behind closed doors so I knew I had to read this book.

Our main character is Vanessa and she is a rather cold character, not one that I would say I connected to or warmed to but none the less she pulled me in and made me want to follow her story. Vanessa come across as a lone ranger who has never quite found her place in the world and has never quite fit in socially which gives off a vulnerable and somewhat naivety about her so when she meets Connor she falls hook line and sinker for him as he seems to be on the same page as her and she finally feels like she fits.

As cracks begin to show through the storyline my mind started going into overdrive trying to figure out where the plot was heading and who I should be on alert for and although I could say that elements involving Connor were a little predictable the rest of the ending I don’t think anyone could read this book and predict! I was a little dumbfounded at the unexpected turn of events but even still I found myself eagerly turning the pages to see what was going to happen next.

The novel does jump back and forth in time between Then and Now which took a while for me to get into the swing of this but I soon fell in sync with the flow of the book and became absorbed in the storyline. I loved Vanessa’s sister Georgie she was a very supportive kind hearted rock to her and I also loved her best friend Lottie who I was disappointed didn’t feature much in the book although her lack of appearance was understandable.

This novel held my attention and was a great introduction to this authors writing.

Kindle                Paperback 

That Night by Gillian McAllister

 

Today the That Night blog tour is stopping here at Rea's Book Reviews on its second to last spot on the tour and I am going to share with you my thoughts on Gillian McAllister's latest release that had me utterly absorbed and not able to put this book down as I waited to see which sibling was going to crack first under the pressure!

What would you do to protect your family?

ANYTHING.

During a family holiday in Italy, you get an urgent call from your sister.

There's been an accident: she hit a man with her car and he's dead. She asks for your help.

She'd cover for you, so will you do the same for her?

But when the police come calling, the lies start . . .

And you each begin to doubt one another.

What really happened that night?

Who is lying to who?

AND WHO WILL BE THE FIRST TO CRACK?

Psychological Thrillers are not typically my go to genre but I have a set few authors who write in this genre whose books always grip me and Gillian McAllister is one of them. Her new release That Night is a pacy, gripping and tense read that certainly managed to pull the wool over my eyes which is a rarity in a book now for me.

When an accident happens on a family holiday after Frannie hits a man with her car she immediately calls her sister Cathy and brother Joe in desperation to help her. When they both arrive, it is clear the man is dead but they cannot face their little sister going to jail leaving their only nephew without a parent. But how far will they go to help protect their family?

I found myself completely gripped by this storyline and flew through the pages thanks to its short sharp chapters which are each told by one of the three siblings points of views. I kept telling myself just one more chapter but I couldn’t put it down as little seeds of suspicion were planted here and there throughout the storyline.

It really does raise the question as to how far you would go to protect your family and highlights that no matter what the crime is it is near on impossible to keep it a secret as the pressure soon begins to pile on and cracks begin to show.

The storyline has that sense of something not quite ringing true, like something bubbling beneath the surface but my suspicions as to who this would involve or what this would be fizzled away until something was revealed like an unexpected slap in the face and I couldn’t believe what I had read as there was no way I was expecting that revelation so well done to Gillian McAllister for pulling the wool well and truly over my eyes!

This is a book I would definitely recommend this Summer if your looking for something fast paced and tense that will leave you stuck to that sunbed completely absorbed in this family’s twisted dilemma.

 Kindle                Paperback