• Book Reviews

    And Then She Vanished: Review

    And Then She Vanished

    Hardcover: 350 Pages

    Publisher: Blackstone Publishing (February 2, 2021)

    He only looked away for a second.

    Still haunted by the disappearance of his little sister Amy over twenty years ago, Joseph Bridgeman’s life has fallen apart. When a friend talks him into seeing hypnotherapist Alexia Finch to help with his insomnia, Joseph accidentally discovers he can time travel. His first trip only takes him back a few minutes, but his new-found ability gives him something he hasn’t felt for the longest time: hope.

    Joseph sets out to travel back to the night Amy went missing and save her. But after several failed attempts, he discovers the farther back he travels, the less time he gets to stay there. And the clock is ticking.

    With the help of Alexia, Joseph embarks on a desperate race against the past to save his sister. Can he master his new skill and solve the mystery of Amy’s disappearance before it’s too late?

    Review

    I have always loved a good time travel plot! So, that combined with a solid mystery made this book completely captivating for me.

    This is the first book in the series and I’m so excited that there’s more to come. The characters were so well developed and there are so many directions that the next books can go.

    The writing was excellent – the grief Joe felt was palpable and his search for hope was compelling. I won’t spoil anything but I couldn’t put this book down. The twists were as unique as the premise – definitely not your typical missing person plot line.

    If you love mysteries, time travel, and creative plots then this book is for you! This was my first book by Nick Jones and it will not be my last.

    Purchase Links

    Amazon | Books-A-Million | Barnes & Noble

     

    About Nick Jones

    Nick Jones was born in Stratford-Upon-Avon, Warwickshire, and now lives in the Cotswolds, England. In a previous life, he ran his own media company and was a 2nd Dan black belt in Karate. These days he can be found in his writing room, working on his latest mind-bending ideas, surrounded by notes and scribbling on a large white board. He loves movies, kindness, gin, and vinyl.

    Connect with Nick

    Website


    Thanks to TLC Book Tours and Blackstone Publishing for the gifted copy in exchange for my honest review.

  • Book Reviews

    Until We Are Lost: Blog Tour & Review

    Until We Are Lost by Leslie Archer

    Publisher: Lake Union Publishing (February 2, 2021)

    Paperback: 413 pages

    Genre: Psychological Thriller

    Synopsis

    From the New York Times bestselling author of The Girl at the Border comes a haunting thriller about one woman’s journey into the painful truths threatening to destroy her.

    When Tara Peary’s twin sister Sophie goes missing, Tara dives into New York’s underbelly to find her. Sophie is the one person who’s ever truly understood her, and Tara knows her sister isn’t the only one who needs help.

    Tara is also on the run emotionally from her complicated childhood. Her memories are threatening to overwhelm her emotions and derail the hunt for Sophie. A psychotherapist keeps her afloat, but when Tara begins dating her therapist’s young tech-millionaire neighbor, she risks losing the only lifelines she has left.

    The more Tara uncovers about her sister’s disappearance and the dark side of the rich elite, the less certain of the truth she becomes. As Tara reaches the center of the mystery, spanning from her childhood home in Georgia to a Southern California beach, she has to decide whether the truth is a price she’s willing to pay.

    Review

    What’s your longest running favorite trope?

    I have loved books about twins since I was a kid and this book was no exception. The author did a great job of weaving the twin connection into the plot.

    Thrillers can be hit or miss with me and I really enjoyed this book. This was very much a psychological thriller with an emphasis on the psychological. Archer nailed all the small details and that’s what set this book apart from other thrillers that have fallen flat for me.

    The writing, character development, and plot lines kept me from wanting to put the book down. I lost track of the twists and I didn’t see several of them coming which made for a great read.

    One note, this book was both thrilling and DARK. It has pretty much any trigger warning you could imagine so please make sure you’re in a good mental space before reading.

    If you enjoyed And Then She Was Gone, one of my favorites from 2020, you will most likely enjoy this book. Available February 2nd from your favorite bookseller!

    Rating: ✂️✂️✂️✂️/5

    Purchase Links

    Amazon | Books-A-Million | Barnes & Noble

    Connect with Leslie Archer

    Website 

    Thanks to TLC Book Tours and Lake Union Authors for the gifted copy in exchange for my honest review

     

  • ARC's,  Book Reviews

    Beauty Among Ruins: Review & Blog Tour

     

    Beauty Among Ruins

    Author: J’Nell Ciesielski

    Publisher: Thomas Nelson

    Genre: WWI Historical/Christian Romance

    Pages: 416

    In Ciesielski’s latest sweeping romance, an American heiress finds herself in Scotland amid the fallout of the Great War, and a wounded Scottish laird comes face-to-face with his past and a woman he never could have expected.

    Synopsis:

    American socialite Lily Durham is known for enjoying one moment to the next, with little regard for the consequences of her actions. But just as she is banished overseas to England as a “cure” for her frivolous ways, the Great War breaks out and wreaks havoc. She joins her cousin in nursing the wounded at a convalescent home deep in the wilds of Scotland at a crumbling castle where its laird is less than welcoming.

    Alec MacGregor has given his entire life to preserving his home of Kinclavoch Castle, but mounting debts force him to sell off his family history bit by bit. Labeled a coward for not joining his countrymen in the trenches due to an old injury, he opens his home to the Tommies to make recompense while he keeps to the shadows. But his preference for the shadows is shattered when a new American nurse comes streaming into the castle on a burst of light.

    Lily and Alec are thrown together when a series of mysterious events threatens to ruin the future of Kinclavoch. Can they put aside their differences to find the culprit before it’s too late, or will their greatest distraction be falling in love?

    Review:

    This book is sure to captivate a reader as a historical romance with a dash of Beauty and The Beast. The characters are lively and well-developed with backstories that made them equally interesting and endearing.

    I found myself rooting from Lily and Alec from the start and found both of them likeable – something I struggle within the romance genre. No brooding and troubled characters here which was a refreshing change.

    The Scottish countryside and crumbling castle were the perfect backdrop for this story and the author did an excellent job of capturing both the time period and the mysterious atmosphere of the castle.

    If you are looking for an escape read with a satisfying ending, Beauty Among Ruins fits that bill perfectly.

    Make this your next read:

    Purchase Links:

    Amazon | Books-A-Million | Barnes & Noble Thomas Nelson

     

    With a passion for heart-stopping adventure and sweeping love stories, J’nell Ciesielski weaves fresh takes into romances of times gone by. When not creating dashing heroes and daring heroines, she can be found dreaming of Scotland, indulging in chocolate of any kind, or watching old black and white movies. Winner of the INSPY and the Maggie Award, she is a Florida native who now lives in Virginia with her husband, daughter, and lazy beagle.

    Connect with J’nell

    Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

    Thank you to TLC Book Tours and Thomas Nelson for my gifted copy in exchange for my honest review.
  • ARC's,  Book Reviews

    Lies, Lies, Lies Review & Blog Tour

    Book Details:

    LIES LIES LIES

    Author: Adele Parks

    ISBN: 9780778360889

    Publication Date: August 4, 2020

    Publisher: MIRA Books

     

    Book Summary:

    LIES LIES LIES Centers on the story of Simon and Daisy Barnes. To the outside world, Simon and Daisy look like they have a perfect life. They have jobs they love, an angelic, talented daughter, a tight group of friends… and they have secrets too. Secrets that will find their way to the light, one way or the other.

    Daisy and Simon spent almost a decade hoping for the child that fate cruelly seemed to keep from them. It wasn’t until, with their marriage nearly in shambles and Daisy driven to desperation, little Millie was born. Perfect in every way, healing the Barnes family into a happy unit of three. Ever indulgent Simon hopes for one more miracle, one more baby. But his doctor’s visit shatters the illusion of the family he holds so dear.

    Now, Simon has turned to the bottle to deal with his revelation and Daisy is trying to keep both of their secrets from spilling outside of their home. But Daisy’s silence and Simon’s habit begin to build until they set off a catastrophic chain of events that will destroy life as they know it. 

    Review:

    This book follows a fairly typical formula for domestic thrillers. Secrets, lies, unreliable narration, and bombshell revelations.

    I enjoyed the book at the beginning. It was engaging and I was curious to see where it went. I like multi-POV plots and this one was done well. It allowed for good character development, even if they were flawed individuals.

    Now for the things that were not my favorite – first being the portrayal of Simon’s alcoholism. He had a severe problem and the author probably could have done a bit more research on the subject. When written well, addiction can draw a reader even further into the story. Here, it became a distraction to me. And Daisy – she ultimately came off weak which was disappointing when she started off as a strong character with a sense of humor and a solid identity.

    There were some good twists in this plot but after a few, they felt implausible and over the top. This of course is just my opinion – for die hard domestic thriller lovers, I suspect they will enjoy chain of events in this book.

    This was not my favorite Adele Parks book but this won’t stop me from reading her next book. We can’t love all the books and again, there will be plenty who do enjoy this book. It’s a quick read and a nice summer escape.

    About the Author:

    Adele Parks was born in Teesside, North-East England. Her first novel, Playing Away, was published in 2000 and since then she’s had seventeen international bestsellers, translated into twenty-six languages, including I Invited Her In. She’s been an Ambassador for The Reading Agency and a judge for the Costa. She’s lived in Italy, Botswana and London, and is now settled in Guildford, Surrey, with her husband, teenage son and cat.

    Social Links:

    Social Links:

    Author Website

    Twitter: @AdeleParks

    Instagram: @adele_parks

    Facebook: @OfficialAdeleParks

    Goodreads

    Purchase:

    Buy Links: 

    Harlequin 

    Barnes & Noble

    Amazon

    Books-A-Million

    Powell’s

    Thank you to MIRA and NetGalley for the gifted eBook in exchange for my honest review. This book is available for purchase tomorrow, August 4th.

     

     

  • ARC's,  Book Reviews

    The Black Swan of Paris: blog tour and excerpt

    THE BLACK SWAN OF PARIS

    Author: Karen Robards

    Publication Date: June 30, 2020

    Publisher: MIRA

    BOOK SUMMARY: 

    For fans of The Alice Network and The Lost Girls of Paris comes a thrilling standalone by New York Times bestselling author Karen Robards about a celebrated singer in WWII occupied France who joins the Resistance to save her estranged family from being killed in a German prison.

    In Occupied France, the Resistance trembles on the brink of destruction. Its operatives, its secrets, its plans, all will be revealed. One of its leaders, wealthy aristocrat Baron Paul de Rocheford, has been killed in a raid and the surviving members of his cell, including his wife the elegant Baronness Lillian de Rocheford, have been arrested and transported to Germany for interrogation and, inevitably, execution.

    Captain Max Ryan, British SOE, is given the job of penetrating the impregnable German prison where the Baroness and the remnants of the cell are being held and tortured. If they can’t be rescued he must kill them before they can give up their secrets.

    Max is in Paris, currently living under a cover identity as a show business impresario whose star attraction is Genevieve Dumont. Young, beautiful Genevieve is the toast of Europe, an icon of the glittering entertainment world that the Nazis celebrate so that the arts can be seen to be thriving in the occupied territories under their rule.

    What no one knows about Genevieve is that she is Lillian and Paul de Rocheford’s younger daughter. Her feelings toward her family are bitter since they were estranged twelve years ago. But when she finds out from Max just what his new assignment entails, old, long-buried feelings are rekindled and she knows that no matter what she can’t allow her mother to be killed, not by the Nazis and not by Max. She secretly establishes contact with those in the Resistance who can help her. Through them she is able to contact her sister Emmy, and the sisters put aside their estrangement to work together to rescue their mother.

    It all hinges on a command performance that Genevieve is to give for a Gestapo General in the Bavarian town where her mother and the others are imprisoned. While Genevieve sings and the show goes on, a daring rescue is underway that involves terrible danger, heartbreaking choices, and the realization that some ties, like the love between a mother and her daughters and between sisters, are forever.

    EXCERPT:

    CHAPTER ONE

    May 15, 1944

    When the worst thing that could ever happen to you had already happened, nothing that came after really mattered. The resultant state of apathy was almost pleasant, as long as she didn’t allow herself to think about it—any of it—too much.

    She was Genevieve Dumont, a singer, a star. Her latest sold-out performance at one of Paris’s great theaters had ended in a five-minute standing ovation less than an hour before. She was acclaimed, admired, celebrated wherever she went. The Nazis loved her.

    She was not quite twenty-five years old. Beautiful when, like now, she was dolled up in all her after-show finery. Not in want, not unhappy.

    In this time of fear and mass starvation, of worldwide deaths on a scale never seen before in the whole course of human history, that made her lucky. She knew it. 

    Whom she had been before, what had almost destroyed her—that life belonged to someone else. Most of the time, she didn’t even remember it herself.

    She refused to remember it.

    A siren screamed to life just meters behind the car she was traveling in. Startled, she sat upright in the back seat, heart lurching as she looked around.

    Do they know? Are they after us?

    A small knot of fans had been waiting outside the stage door as she’d left. One of them had thrust a program at her, requesting an autograph for Francoise. She’d signed—May your heart always sing, Genevieve Dumont—as previously instructed. What it meant she didn’t know. What she did know was that it meant something: it was a prearranged encounter, and the coded message she’d scribbled down was intended for the Resistance.

    And now, mere minutes later, here were the Milice, the despised French police who had long since thrown in their lot with the Nazis, on their tail.

    Even as icy jets of fear spurted through her, a pair of police cars followed by a military truck flew by. Running without lights, they appeared as no more than hulking black shapes whose passage rattled the big Citroën that up until then had been alone on the road. A split second later, her driver—his name was Otto Cordier; he worked for Max, her manager—slammed on the brakes. The car jerked to a stop.

    “Sacre bleu!” Flying forward, she barely stopped herself from smacking into the back of the front seat by throwing her arms out in front of her. “What’s happening?”

    “A raid, I think.” Peering out through the windshield, Otto clutched the steering wheel with both hands. He was an old man, short and wiry with white hair. She could read tension in every line of his body. In front of the car, washed by the pale moonlight that painted the scene in ghostly shades of gray, the cavalcade that had passed them was now blocking the road. A screech of brakes and the throwing of a shadow across the nearest building had her casting a quick look over her shoulder. Another military truck shuddered to a halt, filling the road behind them, stopping it up like a cork in a bottle. Men—German soldiers along with officers of the Milice—spilled out of the stopped vehicles. The ones behind swarmed past the Citroën, and all rushed toward what Genevieve tentatively identified as an apartment building. Six stories tall, it squatted, dark and silent, in its own walled garden.

    “Oh, no,” she said. Her fear for herself and Otto subsided, but sympathy for the targets of the raid made her chest feel tight. People who were taken away by the Nazis in the middle of the night seldom came back.

    The officers banged on the front door. “Open up! Police!”

    It was just after 10:00 p.m. Until the siren had ripped it apart, the silence blanketing the city had been close to absolute. Thanks to the strictly enforced blackout, the streets were as dark and mysterious as the nearby Seine. It had rained earlier in the day, and before the siren the big Citroën had been the noisiest thing around, splashing through puddles as they headed back to the Ritz, where she was staying for the duration of her Paris run.

    “If they keep arresting people, soon there will be no one left.” Genevieve’s gaze locked on a contingent of soldiers spreading out around the building, apparently looking for another way in—or for exits they could block. One rattled a gate of tall iron spikes that led into the brick-walled garden. It didn’t open, and he moved on, disappearing around the side of the building. She was able to follow the soldiers’ movements by the torches they carried. Fitted with slotted covers intended to direct their light downward so as to make them invisible to the Allied air-raid pilots whose increasingly frequent forays over Paris aroused both joy and dread in the city’s war-weary citizens, the torches’ bobbing looked like the erratic flitting of fireflies in the dark.

    Excerpted from The Black Swan of Paris by Karen Robards, Copyright © 2020 by Karen Robards. Published by MIRA Books.

    BIO: 

    Karen Robards is the New York Times, USA TODAY and Publishers Weekly bestselling author of more than fifty novels and one novella. She is the winner of six Silver Pen awards and numerous other awards.

    SOCIAL:

    Author Website: http://karenrobards.com/

    TWITTER: @TheKarenRobards

    FB: @AuthorKarenRobards

     

    BUY LINKS:

    Harlequin 

    Indiebound

    Amazon

    Barnes & Noble 

    Books-A-Million

    Thank you to MIRA and NetGalley for an eCopy of this book in exchange for my promotion and forthcoming review.

     

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