Category Archives: Uncategorized

Strangers in the Night by Heather Webb I love old Hollywood glamour and many of my favourite film stars are ones from the 1950s and 1960s, so I was intrigued to read this novel based on Frank Sinatra and Ava Gardner. At the beginning of the novel, in the prologue, Frank Sinatra meets Ava Gardner,Continue reading “Strangers in the Night by Heather Webb”

The book begins at the start of 1940. We meet Ruby Randolph, who has been performing on stage since she was four years old. With her elder brother Johnny, they had been top of the bill at Grimsby’s Palace Theatre, but now Ruby is ill. We also meet Johnny’s ex-girlfriend Frances O’Leary as Johnny discoversContinue reading “A New Year for the Seaside Girls by Tracy Baines”

I first discovered Hazel Prior’s books when I read Away with the Penguins a few years ago, which remains one of my all-time favourite books. Her fourth novel is coming out later this year. Hazel kindly took the time to answer my interview questions, which I hope you enjoy. Which childhood books and authors wereContinue reading “Interview with Hazel Prior”

As regular readers of my blog will know, I’m a big fan of Jessica Redland’s books and I’m always excited to read her new novels. Summer Nights at the Starfish Café is Book 3 in the Starfish Café Series. In the second book, we followed Hollie and Tori. This third book continues to tell Hollie’sContinue reading “Summer Nights at the Starfish Café by Jessica Redland”

Meredith Robinson is nearly fifty years old and has just bought a lighthouse. She’s been living with her best friend Gabby for the past year, but moves three hundred miles away from the Midlands into her new property which is in Driftwood Bay, Cornwall. But while Driftwood Bay Lighthouse maybe isn’t quite how Meredith expectedContinue reading “Hopeful Hearts at the Cornish Cove by Kim Nash”

We begin the story by meeting our heroine Freya Harris and discovering she has unexpectedly failed her Master’s Degree in Art. She is twenty-seven years old and lives in London with her boyfriend Matt, though when she gets back and tells him her result, he finishes their relationship. He was horrible anyway, she’s better offContinue reading “The Cornish Hideaway by Jennifer Bibby”

The Translator by Harriet Crawley Having studied Russian and Soviet Studies at University, I have always been fascinated by the country and its politics. These days with Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, we are talking about Russia on a daily basis, with everyone wondering what could happen next. So I was fascinated by the premise ofContinue reading “The Translator by Harriet Crawley”

I love Abigail Yardimci’s writing. Her Life Is Yours trilogy is such a beautiful and uplifting read, that I was really looking forward to her fourth novel – My Little Ramadan. This does follow on from the trilogy, but can easily be read as a standalone. I am also interested in learning about different culturesContinue reading “My Little Ramadan by Abigail Yardimci”

The book begins in April 2019 with the first few chapters written from Anna’s viewpoint. Later on, we read chapters from the viewpoints of Margot and Rachel. These are the three main characters in the story – all strong women and all survivors. Dr Anna Jones is a cardiothoracic surgeon. She lives with her eight-year-oldContinue reading “Do No Harm by Jack Jordan”

(An Iris Woodmore Mystery, Book 2 in the series, but easily read as a standalone.) The story starts in Walden, Hampshire in 1921. It is written in the first person, from the view of Iris Woodmore, who is a reporter at The Walden Herald. The lake, Waldenmere, is under threat from developers, but Mill PondsContinue reading “Murder at Waldenmere Lake by Michelle Salter”