It Starts With Us by Colleen Hoover

 

Lily and her ex-husband, Ryle, have just settled into a civil co-parenting rhythm when she suddenly bumps into her first love, Atlas, again. After nearly two years separated, she is elated that for once, time is on their side, and she immediately says yes when Atlas asks her on a date.

But her excitement is quickly hampered by the knowledge that, though they are no longer married, Ryle is still very much a part of her life—and Atlas Corrigan is the one man he will hate being in his ex-wife and daughter’s life.

After reading It Ends With Us by Colleen Hoover which I thoroughly enjoyed I don’t know why I waited so long to pick up a copy of It Starts With Us but I settled down to read it last night and before I knew it I only had three chapters remaining which I finished before work this morning. Safe to say I was swept away by this book and wished I had picked it up sooner.

We are reunited with our main characters from the first book and this book carries on where the last left off with Lily now a mum but divorced from Ryle even though they are co-parenting. Atlas is ready to shower Lily with love but Lily has reservations because she doesn’t want to jeopardise things with Ryle and the set up they have but is it time for her to finally move on and feel happiness, security and contentment?

I wasn’t quite sure what I was expecting from this book but it is quite different from the first. It is a more gentle book rather than the deep explosive storyline that we had in book one this one is more full of hope and healing and feels a lot lighter and happier with a rekindled romance.

We are introduced to a new character too called Josh and he brings something new to the storyline to keep things fresh and intriguing. He becomes a key character in this book alongside Lily and Atlas but Ryle feels like he begins to fade away in this novel.

In a way this book is predictable, you could see how the romance was going to end up but it didn’t effect my enjoyment of the book sometimes it is just nice to read a hopeful romantic read without all the dramatic twists and turns and especially after all we see Lily go through in the previous book, she has had more than her fair share of trauma so all I wanted as a reader was for her to get her happy ever after that she deserved.

Personally I wouldn't recommend reading this book without having read the first book because you build such a bond and learn so much about the history between Lucy and Atlas in the first book so if you read It Started with Us on its own it will probably feel a little bit of a fluffy and forgettable read.

I think it is safe to say that the author has finished this book off perfectly and that the characters have come to their natural end now so I can honestly say despite seeing many different opinions on this duology I actually really found myself invested in these two books and I would definitely recommend them to other readers.

Every Move You Make by C.L Taylor

 

Keep your friends close and your enemies closer…

Alexandra, Lucy, Bridget, River and Natalie. Five friends who wish they’d never met. Because the one thing they have in common is the worst thing in their lives: they are all being stalked.

When one of their group is murdered, days after their stalker is released from prison, time stands still for them all. They know their lives could end just as brutally at any moment – all it takes is for the people they fear the most to catch up with them.

When the group receive a threat that one of them will die in ten days’ time, the terror that stalks their daily lives becomes all-consuming. But they know they don’t want to be victims anymore – it’s time to turn the tables and finally get their revenge.

Because the only way to stop a stalker is to become one yourself…

C.L Taylor is one of my go to authors when I want a unpredictable and gripping psychological thriller so I was eager to dive into her new release Every Move You Make which takes us into the world of Stalking.

The book gets off to a gripping start wasting no time in getting gritty with a murder so I was already finding myself falling into this storyline with intrigue. We get to know four main characters River, Alex, Lucy and Bridget who are all victims of stalking and have formed their own little support network via whatsapp to help each other seen as they all find themselves frightened for their lives but things take a turn when they are at a funeral and receive a wreath stating that one of them will die in 10 days time, question is which one of them is the target?

I have to say though I did struggle a little with this book, for some reason I kept losing my way with whose stalker was who and I continuously found myself getting mixed up between Alex and Bridgets characters now I don’t know if this was just me or if this was actually done on purpose to cause confusion because I found where I was concentrating on trying to follow who was who I took my eye off the ball and wasn’t trying to look for clues to see who could be trusted or if there were cracks in anyone’s stories which would allow me to see if anyone had an ulterior motive.

The book really picks up in the last quarter and I found myself flicking greedily through the pages as things were beginning to come to light and things were taking a darker turn. I can hold my hands up and say I was completely in the dark with the revelation, I hadn’t had an inkling at all so the storyline was completely unpredictable for me which I loved. The author was able to bring the emotions of fear, suffocation and desperation to her characters because she knows firsthand what it is like to have a stalker and her experiences, she has used to bring insight and depth into the subject matter of this book.

Available to buy HERE

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Seven Summers by Paige Toon

 

Six summers ago

Liv and Finn meet working in a bar on the rugged Cornish coastline, their futures full of promise. When a night of passion ends in devastating tragedy they are bound together inextricably. But Finn's life is in LA with his band, and Liv's is in Cornwall with her family - so they make a promise. Finn will return every year, and if they are single they will spend the summer together.


This summer

Liv crosses paths with Tom - a mysterious new arrival in her hometown. As the wildflowers and heather come into bloom, they find themselves falling for one another. For the first time Liv can imagine a world where her heart isn't broken every year.

Now Liv must make an impossible choice. And when she discovers the shocking reason that Tom has left home, she'll need to trust her heart even more . . .

Seven Summers was a breathtaking read that was packed full of emotion which pulled at my heart strings. Set in my personal happy place in Cornwall it has a wonderful Summer setting on the glorious sandy beaches and the buzzing bar of Seaglass where our characters come together.

Our FMC is Liv who I loved from the start, she has a pure passion for sculpting but her life path is put off balance after a heart-breaking loss and she feels her duty is to look after her brother Michael who is a favourite character of mine as he brings a touch of lightness and humour to the storyline at times.

Her passion isn’t the only thing effected though so is her heart which belongs to the gorgeous Finn but their love can only be for the Summer each year but their love is put to the test.

This is a storyline that feels so real and so pure which is why each heart-breaking moment that Liv faces brought a lump to my throat. Her resilience through each one is admirable and I longed for her to finally find her happy place in life, doing what she enjoys with the person she loves.

What I loved with this book was the constant will they won’t they feeling. One minute feeling like it was so predictable what the out come would be to then being thrown off guard and doubting how things would go but one thing I can hand on heart say, I never in my dreams imagined what actually did happen in the last part of this book but I was broken that little bit more.

This book tackles loss and grief with such delicate care and it shines a light on how loss can shape your life for years to come. The storyline also focuses on love and how for some in life there is room in your heart for more than one person but you can love in different ways but ultimately your heart knows what is right.

This was another beautiful read from Paige Toon. She has always been a favourite author of mine and her last few books she really has poured her heart and soul into them and have broken my heart in each of them but I wouldn’t want it any other way, she has a pure gift.

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Meet Me When my Heart Stops by Becky Hunter

 

The first time Emery's heart stops, she is only five years old...

Emery is born with a heart condition that means her heart could quite literally stop at any moment. The people around her know what to do - if they act quickly enough there will be no lasting damage, and Emery's heart can be restarted. But when this happens, she is briefly technically dead.

Each time Emery's heart stops, she meets Nick. His purpose is to help people adjust to the fact that they are dead, to help them say goodbye, before they move on entirely. He does not usually meet people more than once - but with Emery, he is able to make a connection, and he finds himself drawn to her.

As Emery's life progresses, and she goes through ups and downs, she finds that a part of her is longing for those moments when her heart will stop - so that she can see Nick again.

This is the story of two fated lovers who long for each other, but are destined never to share more than a few fleeting moments - because if they were to be together, it would mean the end of Emery's life.

Meet Me When My Heart Stops by Becky Hunter is quite unlike anything I have read before, she has such a wonderful imagination and she pours this into this endearing storyline.

The storyline is centred around the life of Emery who we first meet when she is only five years old, we quickly learn that she has a heart condition that causes her heart to stop meaning that for a short time she dies. But each time she dies she meets Nick who is there to help her come to terms with her passing however this is a first for him too as he has not had anyone return before.

As we follow Emery through her life and the continuous deaths we see how she lives a somewhat double life not allowing herself to fully embrace life but also having this pull to see Nick again.

This is an unrealistic storyline and yet it was such a beautiful one that actually really touched my heart and Emery pulled me into this storyline and didn’t let me go until she had really pulled at my heart strings. There were some really tender moments especially at the end of this book and I was choked.

The unlikely romance is at the core of the storyline but we also explore friendships and life challenges too, it was poignant and very honest to see the effect of Emery’s illness on her family dynamics as well as seeing how it altered decisions that Emery made along the way never quite letting herself live a fulfilling life when really she was protecting those around her.

It shows you that you never know how long you have in life, you could be the healthiest person and suddenly lose your life young or you could be living with ill health and live a long life so the only thing to do is live life to the fullest and make each day count like it is your last.

This was a unique and emotive read that I highly recommend, I quite honestly couldn’t put the book down.

Available to buy here.

The Saturday Place by Alice Peterson

 

Three perfect strangers who help each other to believe in love again

Holly's husband died, and she’s lonely. She needs to do something to save herself, quickly. Next thing she knows she’s interviewing for a voluntary cooking job, surprised to be ambushed by a scruffy man who looks like he has a past.

Angus has messed up. He’s lost the respect of his family and has none for himself. If it weren’t for his brother and friend who run the café, he’d be sleeping on the streets. Angus is about ready to give up – until he meets Holly, who sparks something in him.

Then Lauren arrives from the homeless shelter. She came to London with nothing but an old train ticket, a teddy bear, and the clothes on her back. With no family, no home, no friends, she doesn’t know what love is. People scare her. She’s terrified of Angus and Holly. At first.

Each of them finds themselves in the Saturday café at a time when they need something to grab hold of. It might have to be each other…

I knew 2024 was going to be a great year for books when I saw the news that one of my favourite authors Alice Peterson was back with a new book. The Saturday Place invites us to a café that provides more than a hearty meal, it’s a place of support, socialising as well as a sanctuary to fill your belly with food that would have otherwise gone to waste.

The storyline has three central characters Holly, Angus and Lauren who all find themselves in the café as volunteers but little did they know that by volunteering and helping others they themselves find that they are benefiting from this little community hub too. Each of our main characters are living a difficult chapter in their lives but with each other for comfort and support they form an unlikely bond and begin to see that with time and small gradual changes which may feel like hurdles at times that life that has taken a dark turn can be full of light once again.

This storyline is so simple yet so emotive and pure, tackling challenges that many of us have come across either personally or to those close to us. There are no dramatic twists and turns or big secrets to uncover it is an insightful and touching novel that will touch your heart and capture your attention the whole way through.

I personally felt so connected to this book especially to the lovely Holly having also lost my husband I found I could relate to so many thoughts, feelings and emotions that she had most strongly the loneliness that engulfs you. The way the author writes about living with grief after the loss of your partner was so tenderly done and honest. I longed for a happy ever after for her not necessarily to find another partner but just to feel happy, loved and fulfilled.

Lauren’s story was another delicate one too and I loved watching her blossom as a person as she learned to trust and to accept help. The who book though focusing on touching topics still felt hopeful and uplifting.

I was quite sad to leave these characters behind but I loved every moment of this book.

Available to buy here CLICK HERE

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The Hidden Years by Rachel Hore

 

When talented musician Gray Robinson persuades Belle to abandon her university studies and follow him to Silverwood, home to an artistic community on the Cornish coast, Belle happily agrees even though they’ve only just met. She knows she is falling in love, and the thought of spending a carefree summer with Gray is all she can think about.
 
But being with Gray isn’t the only reason Belle agrees to accompany him to Silverwood.
 
Why does the name Silverwood sound so familiar?
What is its connection to a photo of her as a baby, taken on a nearby beach?
And who is Imogen Lockhart, a wartime nurse who lived at Silverwood many years ago?
 
As the summer months unfold, Belle begins to learn the truth – about secrets from the past that have been kept hidden, but also about the person she wants to be.

I love finding new authors to read and I have found a little gem in Rachel Hore having  finished her recent release The Hidden Years with a story that is set in my happy place, Cornwall.

This is a dual time frame novel that tells us Imogen’s story starting back in 1939 and then alternates to 1966 with the lovely Belle and I found I was interested in both of these characters stories but was pulled more to Imogen’s in all honesty. As the story moves along it is clear that there is some connection that connects the two character but it isn’t clear what until some time along and even if you do have your suspicions there was still another revelation that I didn’t work out. 

I loved the plot setting with Silverwood almost becoming a character in itself it is a home that holds many memories and history within its walls and has also been a protective refuge and a community helping. The characters were also extremely well developed and it was easy to form bonds with them  especially Imogen. I enjoyed watching her find her career path and it was also insightful to see how things differed in those times when it came to women working once married. 

I found the group Belle joined in her time in Silverwood very bizarre, I am all for free spirits but it seemed more like they had become lazy and lost their way and Belle clearly didn’t fit into this group! 

The story of an event that unfolds really was moving and unexpected and the way it was told was pure and honest and for me wrapped the ending of the book up perfectly.

This was a slow pace gentle read that I think I picked up and the right time for me and I look forward to reading more from this author. If you love authors like Liz Fenwick and Erica James then I think you would love Rachel Hore.

Available to purchase by clicking here

The Long and Winding Road by Lesley Pearse

 

Born during the Second World War, Lesley’s innocence came to an abrupt end when a neighbour found her, aged 3, coatless in the snow. The mother she’d been unable to wake had been dead for days. Sent to an orphanage, Lesley soon learned adults couldn’t always be trusted.

As a teenager in the swinging sixties, she took herself to London. Here, the second great tragedy of her life occurred. Falling pregnant, she was sent to a mother and baby home, and watched helplessly as her newborn was taken from her.

But like so many of her generation, Lesley had to carry on. She was, after all, a true survivor. Marriage and children followed – and all the while she nurtured a dream: to be a writer. Yet it wasn’t until at the age of 48 that her stories – of women struggling in a difficult world – found a publisher, and the bestseller lists beckoned.

As heartbreaking as it is heartwarming, Lesley’s story really is A Long and Winding Road with surprises and uplifting hope around every corner . . .

This is certainly a first for me as I have probably only read 4 autobiographies in my lifetime but none of them were the lives of an author so The Long and Winding Road by Lesley Pearse was going to be a new insight for me.

I have loved all of the fictional books I have read by Lesley Pearse and having now read of her colourful and eventful life it is quite easy to see where she gets some of the ideas and inspiration behind her characters and the storylines she creates. She tells us how she was always making up stories as a child some would call it lies few would see it as storytelling.

I fell into this storyline with ease because I am currently living in Chatham and with the early years of Lesley’s childhood she was raised around Chatham and Rochester so a lot of the places she mentioned in her book I have discovered or heard of myself so it made me feel more connected to the storyline. One thing that really shocked me was how often Lesley moved home and not just home different areas too, I actually lost count of how many homes she has had but one thing that shines through is her determination because no matter what the reason for her next move she never seemed to sit and wallow she would storm forward and find her next home and job with defiance she really was quite admirable in this way.

Lesley is also very honest when it came to her relationships, children and drug taking which was all very unexpected and insightful and again where a lot of people may have crumbled Lesley seemed to have a decisive mind and fire in her belly to forge forward in her own way.

There wasn’t a lot about her writing or her publishing journey which I was kind of hoping to have a little more of a glimpse into but that aside I still found myself completely hooked on her every word and actually enjoyed this a lot more than I was expecting. It is quite something to now feel like you know the author behind the book in more light and I was quite fascinated by her and admired her determination.

Available to buy HERE!

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