For Better, For Worse - Jane Issac

Stuart Ingram was once a respected local councillor...

The first time the police knocked on Gina's door, they arrested her husband.

The second time, they accused him of child abuse.But he died a guilty man.This time, the police are here for Gina – to tell her that her husband is dead. Murdered, just two weeks before his trial.Gina always stood by her husband. Even when everyone else walked away. She believed the trial would clear his name. But now Stuart is dead.And his wife is the suspect.It's a race against time for DC Beth Chamberlain to uncover the truth – especially when a second man turns up dead.

Domestic noir meets police procedural in this pacy thriller from Jane Isaac, perfect for fans of Samantha Downing, Fiona Barton and K.L. Slater. Previously published as Presumed Guilty.

My Review:


The second book featuring DC Beth Chamberlain, as I hadn’t read the previous book I was going in blind. I didn’t know anything about who she was etc, but I don’t think it mattered that much really.

Disgraced ex-local councillor Stuart Ingram, is run over and murdered just before his case goes to trial. He was fighting to clear his name in child abuse allegations. The main suspect is his wife Gina, until another victim is discovered, and it is very clear someone more sinister is at work and needs stopping.


Admittedly I found it a little slow going at first – but I found once we got into the ‘action’ the pace picked up and I was fully on board.


I liked Beth’s character. She is hardworking, dedicated and genuine in her approach to apprehending the murderer although not always the one to ‘tow the line’, she is wanting the right result.


It’s an action packed read, I’m not necessarily one for police procedural type books but this one caught my attention. It is dramatic, has a few twists that leave us readers with a whole host of possible suspects that we must eliminate one by one as the story progresses.


There is a good balance between Baths having to solve these heinous crimes whilst also sorting out her own personal problems. I enjoyed getting to know this character and would welcome reading about her again in another book.


One to recommend for sure, with drama, crime and a host of complex characters, this is a brilliant book with realistic and understandable police investigation at its heart. With such fantastic writing by the author you will be hooked in and will not want to put it down until the case is solved.

Pre-order links:

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2GWY5IE

Kobo: https://bit.ly/2GSHMfT

iBooks: https://apple.co/2ucWb3Q

Google Play: https://bit.ly/382jhIP

About the author



Jane Isaac is married to a serving detective and they live in rural Northamptonshire, UK with

their daughter, and dog, Bollo. Jane loves to hear from readers and writers. You can reach her via her website at www.janeisaac.co.uk Sign up to her book club at http://eepurl.com/1a2uT for book recommendations and details of new releases, events and giveaways.

Follow Jane:

Facebook: @JaneIsaacAuthor

Twitter: @JaneIsaacAuthor

Website: www.janeisaac.co.uk

Lemon Drizzle Mondays at the Little Duck Pond Cafe - Rosie Green

Lemon Drizzle Mondays at the Little Duck Pond Café


Molly Hooper has a secret. It haunts her dreams and casts a dark shadow over life with her gorgeous three-year-old daughter, Eva. Arriving in Sunnybrook has given her a glimpse of sunshine. The Little Duck Pond Cafe crew seem so welcoming and there's even the chance of a new job. Baking delicious cakes has always taken Molly to a happy place, so the job - at the glorious Brambleberry Manor Cafe - might just be perfect for her. It would mean she and little Eva could finally put down some roots at last. But is Sunnybrook the sanctuary Molly is searching for? Or will the past come back to haunt her, wherever she hides?


Purchase Link - https://amzn.to/2slp10U

My Review:


Love this series. If you haven’t read any of the Little Duck Pond Café series then go treat yourself as they are little gems and this latest visit is just as wonderful.


Each book of the series focuses on someone within the community, or new additions to the community and we see a host of faces and friends and get updates on their stories too. Don’t worry if you haven’t read any before – they work lovely as standalones, you get little catch ups though so you won’t feel lost.


This time we meet Molly, single parent who we met very briefly last time around. She has lots going on, an awful landlord and is in need of some support. Whilst he is horrid you get the sweetest little girl Eva, who is just lovely and Molly’s absolute world.


Molly works hard to turn things around for them and you cannot fault her commitment and determination. As always, we see the community and some of our favourite residents working together to show their support.


It’s a slightly more sombre story at times but there are wonderful moments of sweetness and light, with humour and of course, romance. It’s a great read, full of kindness and community and well as how we do all it takes for the ones we love.


Rosie Green has created this wonderful world for us to keep visiting, I’m never disappointed. This series grows and each instalment is as good as the previous one, I always look forward to reading the next one.


I cannot recommend this enough, one of my favourites and always my go -to reads.
About the Author:


Rosie has been scribbling stories ever since she was little. 

Back then, they were rip-roaring adventure tales with a young heroine in perilous danger of falling off a cliff or being tied up by 'the baddies'.

Thankfully, Rosie has moved on somewhat, and now much prefers to write romantic comedies that melt your heart and make you smile, with really not much perilous danger involved at all - unless you count the heroine losing her heart in love.

Rosie's series of novellas is centred around life in a village cafe. The latest, ‘A Winter Wedding at the Little Duck Pond Cafe', is out now.

Rosie has also written a full-length, standalone book, 'Snowflakes over Moondance Cottage', out now.

Follow Rosie on Twitter - https://twitter.com/Rosie_Green1988

Clover Cottage - Christie Barlow

A page-turning new cosy novel in the bestselling Love Heart Lane series – perfect for fans of Katie Fforde, Phillipa Ashley and Milly Johnson!

Love Heart Lane – where friends are there for you no matter what.

When Vet Rory Scott inherits ramshackle Clover Cottage in the quaint village of Heartcross, Allie MacDonald just knows this is their happy ever after. A place to call home with the man she loves – it’s her dream come true!

Until Rory drops a bombshell. He loves Allie but he has dreams of his own to follow – to live and work in Africa. Clover Cottage will have to wait just a little longer…

Allie can’t imagine life without Rory, but she loves him too much to hold him back. And as he embarks on his adventure, Allie begins to rethink her own plans. She loves Rory and knows she wants him in her life, but maybe she can follow her own dreams too?

And always there, nestled in the beautiful village of Heartcross, surrounded by the people she loves, will be the place that will always bring them back to each other. Their forever home, Clover Cottage.

My Review:


I absolutely love this book series. From the moment I first read about the wonderful Heartcross community I was hooked so it’s great to be back for another visit. A great chance to catch up with the familiar friends we have already read so much about.


This time we concentrate on Allie and Rory. Rory is a vet, working with his father and Allie works at her parents pub. Rory’s parents decide to sell the house he currently lives in and gift the couple Clover Cottage. This is the start of a very emotional journey that leaves Allie and Rory looking at the future in very different ways.


Christie has given us a community full of heart – it is one I would love to be part of. The characters are so well written, with strong personalities that leap from the page. I always get so absorbed by their lives, I feel their pain and hurt, I am sad when they are sad, and I celebrate their happiness and successes.


Clover Cottage is a story about working together, communicating and supporting those we love even if it hurts us to do so. It shows that a little bit of selflessness goes a long way and for the greater good, sometimes you need to just let go.


I cannot recommend this enough, romantic yet full of depth and emotion it is so much more than a fluffy rom-com or anything like that. You don’t have to start at the beginning but I highly recommend reading the other books too, you will love this community as much as we do.


Purchase Links

UK - https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07S7TBKP2/

US -  https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07S7TBKP2/


Author Bio: 

Christie Barlow is the international bestselling author of A Year in the Life of a Playground Mother, The Misadventures of a Playground Mother, Kitty's Countryside Dream, Lizzie's Christmas Escape, Evie's Year of Taking Chances, The Cosy Canal Boat Dream, A Home at Honeysuckle Farm, Love Heart Lane and Foxglove Farm. Her writing career came as somewhat a surprise when she decided to write a book to teach her children a valuable life lesson and show them that they are capable of achieving their dreams. The book she wrote to prove a point is now a #1 bestseller in the UK, USA, Canada & Australia.

Christie is an ambassador for @ZuriProject raising money/awareness and engaging with impoverished people in Uganda through organisations to improve their well-being.


Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/christie_barlow/?hl=en

Website www.christiebarlow.com 

Twitter @ChristieJBarlow 

Facebook page Christie Barlow author

Away with the Penguins - Hazel Prior

Veronica McCreedy lives in a mansion by the sea. She loves a nice cup of Darjeeling tea whilst watching a good wildlife documentary.  And she’s never seen without her ruby-red lipstick, although these days Veronica is rarely seen by anyone because, at 85, her days are spent mostly at home, alone.


She can be found either collecting litter from the beach (‘people who litter the countryside should be shot’), trying to locate her glasses (‘someone must have moved them’) or shouting instructions to her assistant, Eileen (‘Eileen, door!’). Veronica doesn’t have family or friends nearby. Not that she knows about, anyway . . .  And she has no idea where she’s going to leave her considerable wealth when she dies.


But today . . . today Veronica is going to make a decision that will change all of this. She is going on an intrepid journey - to save the penguins.

My Review:


A delightful read that will tug on heart strings. I didn’t know what to expect at all but I was surprised by how emotional the book made me.


We are presented with such an interesting and completely unique character in Veronica. It took me a little while to get accustomed to her eccentricity; she is your typical cantankerous old woman who is determined and won’t let anything get in the way. Everything starts with the rediscovery of old diaries, from this we learn the sentimental, special story of Veronica and learn what made her become the stoic lady she is.


We learn of the losses she has endured, the hard times that she has lived through and was hardened by. I think this really cements our love for her and makes her journey to discovering friends and family even better.


Veronica stumbles upon a TV programme about penguins, and after learning about those who want to save them she starts to look at her own life and the lack of relationships within it. Veronica discovers a grandson, Patrick, who at first meeting is not interested in her and she most definitely is not impressed by him especially after he learns of her wealth.


When we meet Patrick he doesn’t have much going for him, he doesn’t like people and doesn’t seem bothered by that. I admit I was not at all fond of him at all. His boring life trundles on as we see Veronica’s head in a very interesting direction.


Veronica decides that she will leave her money to those researchers looking out for the penguins but first she will be going to stay with them, and of course this isn’t a request.

I loved the penguins. I’ve always quite liked them but now I think I’m a bit in love. How clever of this author to raise awareness through her work. This book is so well written, very engaging and I read this very quickly because I felt so involved with their adventures.

A very charming read that I recommend wholeheartedly.



HAZEL PRIOR lives on Exmoor. 

As well as writing, she works as a freelance harpist.

The Prized Girl - Amy K. Green

From debut author Amy K. Green comes a devastating tale of psychological suspense: a teen pageant queen is found murdered in a small New England town, and her sister’s search for answers unearths more than she bargained for.

Days after a young teenager named Jenny is found murdered, her small town grieves the loss alongside her picture-perfect parents. At first glance, Jenny’s tragic death appears clear-cut for investigators. In the murder of a former pageant queen from a safe and loving family, the most obvious suspect is a fan who got too close for comfort. But Jenny’s sarcastic, older half-sister Virginia isn’t so sure of his guilt and takes matters into her own hands to find the killer.

But for Jenny’s case and and Virginia’s investigation, there’s more to the story. Virginia, still living in town and haunted by her own troubled teenage years, suspects that a similar darkness lay beneath the sparkling veneer of Jenny’s life. Alternating between Jenny’s final days and Virginia’s determined search for the truth, the sisters’ dual narratives follow a harrowing trail of suspects, with surprising turns that race toward a shocking finale.From debut author Amy K. Green comes a devastating tale of psychological suspense: a teen pageant queen is found murdered in a small New England town, and her sister’s search for answers unearths more than she bargained for.

Days after a young teenager named Jenny is found murdered, her small town grieves the loss alongside her picture-perfect parents. At first glance, Jenny’s tragic death appears clear-cut for investigators. In the murder of a former pageant queen from a safe and loving family, the most obvious suspect is a fan who got too close for comfort. But Jenny’s sarcastic, older half-sister Virginia isn’t so sure of his guilt and takes matters into her own hands to find the killer.

But for Jenny’s case and and Virginia’s investigation, there’s more to the story. Virginia, still living in town and haunted by her own troubled teenage years, suspects that a similar darkness lay beneath the sparkling veneer of Jenny’s life. Alternating between Jenny’s final days and Virginia’s determined search for the truth, the sisters’ dual narratives follow a harrowing trail of suspects, with surprising turns that race toward a shocking finale.
From debut author Amy K. Green comes a devastating tale of psychological suspense: a teen pageant queen is found murdered in a small New England town, and her sister’s search for answers unearths more than she bargained for.

Days after a young teenager named Jenny is found murdered, her small town grieves the loss alongside her picture-perfect parents. At first glance, Jenny’s tragic death appears clear-cut for investigators. In the murder of a former pageant queen from a safe and loving family, the most obvious suspect is a fan who got too close for comfort. But Jenny’s sarcastic, older half-sister Virginia isn’t so sure of his guilt and takes matters into her own hands to find the killer.

But for Jenny’s case and Virginia’s investigation, there’s more to the story. Virginia, still living in town and haunted by her own troubled teenage years, suspects that a similar darkness lay beneath the sparkling veneer of Jenny’s life. Alternating between Jenny’s final days and Virginia’s determined search for the truth, the sisters’ dual narratives follow a harrowing trail of suspects, with surprising turns that race toward a shocking finale.

My Review:


A fantastic debut from Amy K. Green, I thoroughly enjoyed this tense, thrilling drama. I will look forward to what comes next from Green.


With the whole town morning local beauty queen, 16-year-old Jenny, we read on as her sister, haunted by her own childhood issues, seeks the truth about what happened.


 The story is told from both Jenny’s point of view and that of her much older sister, Virginia. We see that Jenny isn’t the happy, sweet and innocent girl people think she is whilst Virginia isn’t the selfish, loner we may have initially thought. The different perspectives help the story unfold in a brilliant way, and as we got further into the book, I realised there would be more twists and turns more than I thought would. 


The characters are not the most ‘likeable’ but I didn’t mind that at all with this book, in fact in was interesting to see the flaws or issues with each one. I did sympathise for some of them and it was clear to see they were only the way they were because of the actions and treatment from others. 


It is a real, interwoven, dark story that kept me gripped. It was very well written and paced nicely, not much given away too soon but just enough to keep me interested throughout.

The ending – oh the ending! Not at all what I expected, and if I’m honest still not entirely sure what I think but it was different. Also left me wondering if we would be seeing some more from this set of characters.


A book I will happily recommend to others. 


Thank you to HQ for a copy of this book to read and review honestly.  

The Treadstone Resurrection - Joshua Hood

The first novel in an explosive new series inspired by Robert Ludlum's Bourne universe, The Treadstone Resurrection introduces an unforgettable hero and the shadowy world that forged him...

Treadstone made Jason Bourne an unstoppable force, but he's not the only one.

Operation Treadstone has nearly ruined Adam Hayes. The top-secret CIA Black Ops program trained him to be an all but invincible assassin, but it also cost him his family and any chance at a normal life. Which is why he was determined to get out. Working as a carpenter in rural Washington state, Adam thinks he has left Treadstone in the past, until he receives a mysterious email from a former colleague, and soon after is attacked by an unknown hit team at his job site.

Adam must regain the skills that Treadstone taught him--lightning reflexes and a cold conscience--in order to discover who the would-be killers are and why they have come after him now. Are his pursuers enemies from a long-ago mission? Rival intelligence agents? Or, perhaps, forces inside Treadstone? His search will unearth secrets in the highest levels of government and pull him back into the shadowy world he worked so hard to forget.

My Review:

Fans of the Jason Bourne series will love The Treadstone Resurrection, an action packed, heart racing, adrenaline filled spy novel. Our hero this time around is Adam, a former CIA agent.

Wanting a quiet life, he soon realises he needs to go back to the work he thought he had left behind. He is a likeable character when we know his back story. A real good hero figure.

This is admittedly not my usual type of book, but I will admit I fully enjoyed it from beginning to end. It took me on quite the journey, it really kept me on my toes so to speak and didn’t disappoint.

Well written and fast paced with many twists and turns that were totally unexpected; this combined with how the tension builds through to a really gripping conclusion.

I will be really quite interested to see where this goes and follow more from the author. If I can find this exciting, enjoyable and a book I couldn’t put down I am sure it will surprise many other readers. Worth broadening your horizons and trying something new I say.

I definitely recommend this one.. 

Available to purchase

The Other Mrs - Mary Kubica

Propulsive and addictive, The Other Mrs. is the twisty new psychological thriller from Mary Kubica, the New York Times bestselling author of The Good Girl

She tried to run, but she can’t escape the other Mrs.

Sadie and Will Foust have only just moved their family from bustling Chicago to small-town Maine when their neighbour Morgan Baines is found dead in her home. The murder rocks their tiny coastal island, but no one is more shaken than Sadie.
But it’s not just Morgan’s death that has Sadie on edge. And as the eyes of suspicion turn toward the new family in town, Sadie is drawn deeper into the mystery of what really happened that dark and deadly night. But Sadie must be careful, for the more she discovers about Mrs. Baines, the more she begins to realize just how much she has to lose if the truth ever comes to light.

My Review:

A dark, atmospheric mood which is emphasised by the writer’s description of their location. The reminder of how isolated they are just adding to the tension throughout.

I have not had the pleasure of reading anything from this author before, I didn’t know what to expect but I can’t wait to read more.

The Other Wife teases with the gradual release of information, teasers that at first read may seem of no relevance but at the end make total sense, nothing feels too rushed and this adds to the drama.

We are taken through the story from various points of view by Sadie, Camille, who had the affair with Will, and a young girl called Mouse. It is unclear at first who the Mouse character is and I was confused trying to figure things out. I wanted to know, and this is what had me reading on with such enthusiasm.

I think the action really takes place in the second half of the book, the more I read the more I wanted to find out. I was on the edge of my seat and loved the twists thrown in as it neared its conclusion.

I enjoyed the characters, they are well written and interesting, I wouldn’t say they are likeable although my alliances changed throughout.

Dealing with some deep issues; death, grief, suicide – The Other Mrs is quite the roller coaster and I recommend this read for thriller fans.  

Available to purchase - here!

From Thailand with Love - Camilla Isley

About the book: 

All Logan has to do is to get the gold and get the girl. Easy, right?

Travel photographer Winter Knowles and archeology professor Logan Spencer dislike each other at first sight. Stuck together on a wild island, these two unwilling teammates will bicker and banter their way through a laugh-packed treasure hunt.

After years of searching, a new mapping technology has given Logan a clue to the location of the legendary Lost City of Gold. A discovery that could make his career. So the last thing he needs on this life-changing expedition is for his team to get distracted by a pair of long legs.

When Winter accepted the assignment on a tropical island she didn’t sign up for a brooding team leader who’d clearly prefer to run a boys-only club. Never one to back down from a challenge, Winter is ready to show him she’s no damsel in distress.

But when a treasure like no other is uncovered and ruthless enemies will want to keep it for themselves, it’ll be up to the two of them to save the day. Left alone to fight in the jungle, they will soon discover their lives might not be the only thing at stake—their hearts could be too.

Get ready for the adventure of a lifetime.

A fun read packed with danger, action, romance, and comedy.

From Thailand with Love is part of a series of interconnected romantic comedies but can be read as a standalone novel as all the other books in the First Comes Love series.

My Review:

Who doesn’t love an enemy to lover storyline? This one was full of everything you need to laugh out loud, gasp with surprise and nervously nibble your lip as you follow the ups and downs of Logan and Winter’s adventure.


I really enjoyed this latest offering from Camilla Isley; this series of fantastic romantic stories is one to catch up on but not needed as this is a perfect standalone book.


This is an adrenaline filled read that kept me on the edge of my seat. Logan and Winter started off very badly and I didn’t hold much hope for any romance between them. They seemed hell bent on annoying each other as much as they could.


Logan is your typical handsome, fit male lead; he is strong, masculine and a really gruff, abrupt kind of guy. Winter is kick ass really, although a lot of time is spent emphasising her gorgeous looks, she is a force to be reckoned with and don’t they all find that out.

Camilla has given us another fantastic location with funny, interesting characters and action in spades. I am already looking forward to what the next book has to offer.


I definitely recommend this action packed romance!
About the Author:

Camilla is an engineer turned writer after she quit her job to follow her husband on an adventure abroad.
She’s a cat lover, coffee addict, and shoe hoarder. Besides writing, she loves reading—duh!—cooking, watching bad TV, and going to the movies—popcorn, please. She’s a bit of a foodie, nothing too serious. A keen traveler, Camilla knows mosquitoes play a role in the ecosystem, and she doesn’t want to starve all those frog princes out there, but she could really live without them.
Social Media Links –
https://www.facebook.com/camillaisley/
https://twitter.com/camillaisley
https://www.instagram.com/camillaisley/
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14135080.Camilla_Isley
https://www.bookbub.com/authors/camilla-isley
https://www.pinterest.com/camillaisley/

Giveaway to Win a From Thailand With Love Tote Bag (Open Internationally)

*Terms and Conditions –Worldwide entries welcome.  Please enter using the Rafflecopter box below.  The winner will be selected at random via Rafflecopter from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then Rachel’s Random Resources reserves the right to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over.  Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. This will passed to the giveaway organiser and used only for fulfilment of the prize, after which time Rachel’s Random Resources will delete the data.  I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.

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A Country Dilemma - Sasha Morgan

 About the book: 

For Christie Newbury, moving to the Cotswolds as the new owner of The Templar, a quaint countryside inn, was supposed to be a dream come true. But then her husband drops a bombshell that turns her life upside down.

Architect Daniel James has just one month to find the perfect home. When his search takes him to the village of Treweham, his instant attraction to the Templar's beautiful – and newly single – owner is a distraction he can't afford.

Christie needs an expert's eye. Daniel needs a place to stay. It's only a business deal – but it has never been more tempting to mix business with pleasure...

Welcome back to Treweham, a village of scandal and secrets.

Perfect for fans of Holly Martin and Debbie Johnson.

Buy links:

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2IHupTl

Kobo: http://bit.ly/2XkEOrk

iBooks: https://apple.co/2VpgliH

Google Play: http://bit.ly/2T33HJz

My Review: 


A delightful read, I didn't realise it was part of a series, but I don’t think it matters really as I enjoyed it as a standalone novel. This is a lovely, light-hearted read – perfect for those cosy Sunday afternoons when you want something fun to read.


Christie and her husband decide to relocate to Trewham in the heart of the Cotswolds. They are going to buy the village pub, The Templar when, at the last minute, her husband reveals he no longer is interested Christie decides to go for it alone.


Daniel is looking for somewhere to bring up his little girl Emily, being in a custody battle with his ex-wife he wants a place to settle down and show the judge he is the better parent.

Christie and Daniel become great friends; she uses his design skills when renovating The Templar.


This book gives us one of those lovely village romance books that are a little predictable but enjoyable anyway. We have a lovely set of characters in a charming setting with romance in the air. It is well written and very easy to read, with likeable characters which I think really draw you into the story.


About the Author:
 

 Sasha lives in a rural, coastal village in Lancashire with her husband and Labrador dog. She has always written stories from a very young age and finds her fictional world so much more exciting than the real one.


Follow Sasha:



Twitter: @SashaMorgan_
Facebook: @SashaMorganAuthor