The Ballynoon Friendship Circle - Pauline Morgan

 

I'm so happy to be on the blog tour today.

Book Blurb

After finding her dream cottage in a magazine whilst at the hairdressers, Edel Marston, a fifty-year-old retired teacher, makes the life-changing decision to relocate back to Northern Ireland after the death of her husband Ben. 

A rocky start with the neighbours and the knowledge of her past is a little too close for comfort, leaves Edel full of self-doubt. Her emotions have become a law unto themselves and she keeps wondering if she’s made the right decision.

After giving herself a good talking to, she decides to join a local over 50’s club, in a bid to embrace her new life. However, after meeting the friendly ladies of the self-proclaimed Stitch & Bitch group, she’s left with further feelings of uncertainty.

Realising quickly how gossipy these ladies can be, Edel finds herself keeping more and more secrets, especially when her relationship with one particular friend develops into something much more.

Ultimately, Edel has to decide whether to trust again and let all of these new people into her life, warts and all or go back to being lonely but safe and with her secrets intact.

Review

Do you want to escape to Ireland and live in a little gate house? - then this is the book for you.

Sometimes you just want a read that is down to earth and yet still a little bit of an escape from your everyday life, and this is what I got from this charming book. While it's not a chocolate box existence, the new life Edel is carving out for herself was one I found so intriguing and cosy. She's a crafter too so I loved reading about her projects.

Being a newcomer in a small village Edel is obviously ripe for the local gossips. When she joins the over 50s club she realises just how much gossip goes on and how hard she will have to work to avoid being the next one they talk about. I loved that this book was about a woman over 50 and also the banter that goes on between her and the other ladies.

There's a little romance too as Edel is not without her admirers in the new village. I really liked Edel, but she had so much self talk going on. At times I wanted to reach out to her and ask her to stop overthinking but also console her over the loss of her husband.

I don't do spoilers, but it so rare these days to read a book without some doom and gloom. There is one little bit of sadness, but all in all a nice read for these troubled times.

I'm giving this book 4 out of 5 stars. My thanks to ZooLoo's book tours for the ARC to review.

Author

The call to Pauline Morgan’s native Northern Ireland was too strong and, after a fascinating stint overseas, she recently relocated there. Pauline had some unique mystical experiences in various houses she lived in and, as a result, self-published the paranormal Special Houses. She has been a member of the Romantic Novelist Association and participated in their New Writers’ Scheme.  She attended a day course in Editing, tutored by author/mentor Morgen Bailey. 

Pauline is a member of Writers Ink, a multi-award winning www.writing.ie 

She has written short stories; published in Woman’s Way and Irelands Own iconic magazine. Pauline enjoyed entering Flash Fiction competitions and was long-listed at Kanturk Arts Festival. 

Her first poem Airborne, published on Pendemic.ie website March 2020 

Pauline has completed a women’s ‘fiction book called The Ballynoon Friendship Circle, her debut novel to be published by SpellBound Books in early 2021. Pauline is working on a standalone book Christmas novel. 

She engages with an extensive network of social writing groups on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.  

Pauline turns her incredible imagination into words to create beautiful stories in different genres. She has a relaxed style of writing, and her mentor describes it as heart-warming and cosy. Pauline never shies away from any given written tasks. 

Follow her at:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/paulinemorganachievingauthor/

Instagram: https://twitter.com/paulinemorgan56

Nearest Thing To Crazy - Elizabeth Forbes

 

So pleased to be on the Blog Tour today.

Description

Cassandra and a group of her friends enjoy Sunday lunch together on a perfect summer’s day. They’re pleased to welcome their glamorous new neighbour and novelist, Ellie, who has rented a house in the village to work on her book. She likes to place herself in the centre of her plots, she says, although it’s hard to see what she’ll find to write about in this quiet country backwater. As Ellie slots effortlessly into the village social scene, Cass begins to feel increasingly alienated from her friends and isolated from her family but, for the life of her, she can’t fathom out why . . .

Review

Scary doesn't really cover it...

The book begins with Cassandra and her friends from the village enjoying a Sunday lunch. Ellie arrives as the new person of interest in the village. Immediately drawing everyone in, from the way she dresses to the car she drives, she's no country bumpkin. Should the wives be worried she's after their husbands? Especially if they've strayed before.

What follows is the events that unfold told from the viewpoint of Ellie and Cassandra and also through the pages of Ellie's novel. All three are so believable, that how do you know what to believe? There is a saying that there are three versions of the truth.  Being mine, yours and the actual truth or in this case Cassandra, Ellie and the book Ellie is writing. The reader gets treated to all three concurrently within this book, and boy does it mess with your thinking.

My opinion of what was going on changed continually throughout the book. Cassandra is so down to earth and has a lovely house with a side line in gardening, but she holds a secret. Is Ellie her new friend? Or does Ellie want to take Cassandras place in the village life she loves? As we begin to see Ellie ingratiate herself with all her friends and take over her village roles? Is Cassandra dispensable to everyone she thought held her dear? I just had to get to the end to find out the truth, I hoped...

I'm giving this book 5 out of 5 stars. My thanks to the author and to Random Things Tours for the copy of the book to review.

The Summer Seekers - Sarah Morgan

 

Description

Kathleen is eighty years old. After a run-in with an intruder, her daughter wants her to move into a residential home. She’s not having any of it. What she craves – needs – is adventure.

Liza is drowning under the daily stress of family life. The last thing she needs is her mother jetting off on a wild holiday, making Liza dream of a solo break of her own.

Martha is having a quarter-life crisis. Unemployed, unloved and uninspired, she just can’t get her life together. But she knows something has to change.

When Martha sees Kathleen’s advert for a driver and companion to take an epic road trip across America, she decides this job might be the answer to her prayers. Travelling with a stranger? No problem. She's not the world's best driver, but it couldn’t be worse than living with her parents again. And anyway, how much trouble can one eighty-year-old woman be?

As these women embark on the journey of a lifetime, they all discover it’s never too late for adventure…

Review

I've read a few of Sarah Morgan's books and they never disappoint. 

The book begins with Kathleen, a mere 80 years old, tackling an intruder with a frying pan. What follows was very familiar to me, as her daughter Liza thinks she isn't safe living alone anymore and should look at moving. But, instead Kathleen decides she's going to travel on route 66 instead.

Kathleen is aware she won't be able to drive route 66 and so she enlists Martha to do the driving for her. Martha is a young divorcee who needs an excuse to get away and working for Kathleen is a golden opportunity.

What follows is the story of Kathleen and Martha on route 66 and the discoveries they make about each other and life along the way. Meanwhile Liza is back in England making a few discoveries herself and the book switches between the different storylines in an effortless and very readable way. There is much, much more to the story and of course a little romance, but I'll leave that for you to discover yourself.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and looked forward to diving into it's pages as the author took me away to both route 66 and Cornwall, it was wonderful. Kathleen is a force to be reckoned with, having a very acerbic wit to her, and Martha isn't far behind either. The dialogue was so well written and very believable. I think I need to store up some of Kathleen's one liners for later in life myself!

I'm giving this book 5 out of 5 stars and my thanks to netgalley for the ARC to review.

This book will be published on 27 May 2021.

Sew on the Go - A Maker's Journey - Mary Jane Baxter

 

Thrilled to be on the Blog Tour today...

Description

● Have you ever dreamed of quitting your job and setting off on the open road to pursue your creativity? In 2016, Mary Jane Baxter did exactly that. ● Sew on the Go is an inspiring road trip and a practical guide to crafting wherever you find yourself, and is packed with easy, step-by-step instructions for craft.


● From decorating your own budget conscious bolthole, to achievable projects including clothes and fashion accessories, beautiful gift ideas and child-friendly makes, this book is the ideal companion for those who dream of devoting more time to their craft.

In 2016, Mary Jane Baxter quit her job at the BBC, rented out her flat and headed for the hills. Her home for the next few months was an upcycled 1986 Bedford Bambi campervan with a top speed of 60mph. She raided skips for vintage wallpaper and scoured second-hand emporiums to source stylish vintage accessories, creating her own travelling craft studio, packed with everything necessary for crafting on the road. She then set off around Europe searching for inspiration, travelling from Belgium right down to the Cinque Terre in Italy then around France and up to Scotland. Armed with her trusty hand-cranked Singer, she spent a summer sewing on the go. Like creatives the world over, she decided to see where her travels would lead her and returned with a head full of new projects. Fortunately, there’s no need for you to give up your job, wave goodbye to your family and rent out your house in order to reignite your own creativity; Mary Jane has done all the hard work for you. Sew on the Go is her guide to carving out more creative space in your life.

Review

A travel book combined with instructions for beautiful and different makes - what's not to love!

If like me you sew and also love to read about travelling, then you will be as entranced by this book as I was. When travelling is seen through the eyes of a creative person it tells a whole different tale and one that resonated with me. Whilst a market stall selling old odds and ends and materials may be just that to some, in the pages of this book the descriptive writing had me standing right there looking at all these treasures with envy. Then the suggestions and instruction for making them into something else entirely was just brilliant.

Then there's the milliner's workshop up for sale which the author gets an invite to go and see - reading about it was wonderful, being there must have been heaven. Interwoven into this is an insight into the author's former BBC career (which had nothing to do with crafting) which was so very interesting. The places described from polished floors to art deco features and the treasures found had me thinking all that was missing was to have Audrey Hepburn or Grace Kelly dressed fabulously there too.

The author undertook her journey through Europe in a wallpapered campervan.  Whilst a lot of the book is very idyllic and waxing lyrical over haberdashery and milliners items, she also lays bares some of the pitfalls of travelling alone and in an ill equipped camper van. No toilet, running water or air conditioning made for some discomfort at times. It's told in such a genial way that it felt like a catch up with an old friend.

The book is also accompanied by some beautiful photographs of the trip and the makes described in the pages of the book. If I had one tiny gripe it would be that I would have preferred them to be interspersed within the book rather than all at the end. Edited to say - I have now received a copy of the book and the photos are indeed within the pages rather than at the end as with the mobile version I reviewed

That doesn't stop me from giving this very unique book 5 out of 5 stars. My thanks to Random Things Tours for the ARC to review.

The book will be published on 27 May 2021.

About the Author 

Mary Jane Baxter used to work as a BBC news correspondent and producer. In 2016, she set off on a crafting adventure across Europe in a mobile studio. She is the author of Chic on a Shoestring and The Modern Girl’s Guide to Hatmaking, and has presented on fashion and craft for the BBC, most notably bartering her sewing skills for board and lodging in a series of films for Newsnight. She lives in London and is available for interview, events, and to write pieces on commission. @maryjanemakes

Hang On - Anniki Sommerville

 

Description

Praise for Anniki: ‘Makes me feel like I’m not the only one.’ Cherry Healey

Kate is not in a meaningful relationship. The last loving bond Kate had was with mother, who died a year ago.

Now Kate dreams of being a parent herself, and pouring all of her love into the tiny bundle of happiness that will her love unconditionally in return. Except without any partner to provide her with sperm, Kate takes matters into her own hands and decides upon a series of random encounters to get what she wants.

No one thinks this is a good idea; not her best friend, or her boss at the bookshop where she works ― not even June, one of her elderly customers. Because what they can see, and what Kate can’t, is that it isn’t a baby that she needs at all ― it’s something else entirely…

Review

At times this was a hard read, with a central character who has mental health issues.

I admit when I read that Kate worked in a bookshop, I thought I was going to love this book. Unfortunately Kate has fallen out of love with books and the bookshop she works in, so it wasn't the way I thought it was going to be at all.

Kate is desperate to have baby, but as she isn't in a relationship the tactics she resorted to in order to try and conceive were in themselves very desperate and worrying. We find that Kate has very deep anxiety issues and through the course of the book we see her thoughts written in her journal. They don't make for very uplifting reading and at times it was so sad.

When I thought there was going to be a little light at the end of the tunnel in the form of her elderly friend June, that was soon extinguished and left me feeling a little bereft on behalf of Kate. At times it borders on being funny except it's Kate's life and the depths she's sunk to.

I wasn't sure about the ending. I read it twice in case I had missed something, but I hadn't. It was disappointing from my point of view, but I suppose true to life.

I'm giving this book 3 out of 5 stars. My thanks to netgalley for the ARC to review.

Dial A for Aunties - Jesse Sutanto

 

Description

Your family would kill to see you happy

‘Whip-smart, original and so funny. I found it impossible to put down and lost count of the number of times I laughed out loud’ Beth O’Leary, Sunday Times bestselling author of The Switch

‘ARE YOU…DEAD?’
OH MY GOD. I THINK HE IS.
When Meddy Chan accidentally kills her blind date, she turns to her aunties for help. Their meddling set her up on the date so they kind of owe her.

WELL, THAT DIDN’T QUITE GO TO PLAN.
Although hiding this goddamn dead body is going to be harder than they thought especially when her family’s wedding business has THE biggest wedding of the year happening right now.

IT’S PRETTY BAD TIMING REALLY.
It turns out the wedding venue just happens to be managed by Meddy’s ex, aka the one who got away. It’s the worst time to see him again, or…is it? Can Meddy finally find love and make her overbearing family happy?

Review

This book had me laughing out loud - so funny and clever.

Meddy Chan has an Indo/Chinese heritage and with that comes a tight family network of Aunts. Sometimes they interfere and sometimes they are there to help, like when she's just murdered her blind date!

If you think of a farce featuring a dead body and the disposal of it by an everyday family of women who have no idea what they are doing, then this is the outline of the book. What I was not expecting was the layers to the story and the twists that came with them. Brilliantly written and playing on the age divide between Meddy and her family with regard to social media etiquette was so much fun to read.

Then there is the rom com aspect. We get flashbacks to when Meddy dated Nathan years ago, and now just when she's trying to dispose of a dead body he turns up. She's not over him and he's just as good as she remembers him, expect now he's got the wrong idea of her.

As you might imagine the Aunts and Meddy's Mother are the stars of this book, their dialogue amongst themselves and the infighting is hilarious. If you are looking for a good read, with some laughs and surprises, then this is the book for you. Any age will enjoy the book as you have the whole age range covered by this intriguing family.

I felt all through reading the book that this would make such a wonderful film. So no surprise to find it is being made into one by Netflix - I'll definitely be watching it.

I'm giving this book 5 out of 5 stars. My thanks to netgalley for the ARC to review.

Don't Ask - Paul Carroll

 

I'm so pleased to be on the Blog Tour for this book today.

Description

A DNA ancestry test opens up a Pandora’s Box of secrets.

When Elsa Watson uses a DNA ancestry test kit out of idle curiosity, she little imagines the devastating consequences she is about to unleash.

Two families become reluctantly entwined as inconvenient truths and long suppressed memories resurface.

A whodunnit with a difference, Don’t Ask visits the glam rock Seventies, Britpop, Operation Yewtree and #metoo within its alternating past and present chapter structure.

Don’t Ask explores the true meaning of family and the wisdom of raking up the past.

Thinking of taking an ancestry test?   Be careful what you wish for.  

Review

Even before I began to read the book I was attracted to the fabulous artwork on the cover, it really made me want to pick up the book.

This is such a contemporary storyline based upon the use of a DNA ancestry test kit. To describe the action as opening a Pandora's box is just perfect, and the reader gets to see what's inside that box. 

The chapters alternate between the present day and the past. That's not immediately obvious but becomes so.  We see the unfolding of the consequences of the DNA test and what actually happened all those years ago. The consequences of youth, mental health issues, family values it's all laid bare.  It's a look at the past with the modern eyes of the #metoo movement and operation Yewtree. Whilst not comfortable reading in places the subjects are treated with sensitivity in the writing.

I loved the women characters in this book, they all had great voices, the author gave them original thoughts and believable lines. The writing is succinct and very readable and well researched.  Many references in the past were familiar to me, even down to the TV programmes, Jackie magazine and buying cards from Athena. It's little touches like that which gave an authenticity to the past timeline in the story. The present day timeline is also littered with modern and relevant recognisable references. 

It's certainly a thought provoking read and a brilliant subject for a book plot. At times I couldn't turn the pages fast enough as there were so many contra indications, but realising this was not going to be a fast fix I learnt to pace myself!

I'm giving this book 4 out of 5 stars. My thanks to Random Things Tours and the author for a copy of this book to review.

PAUL CARROLL – BIO

Paul Carroll has been drawn to ink and the written word since launching a rock fanzine in his late teens.

Born and bred in Leeds, Paul crossed the Pennines in the mid-70s to study English Language and English Literature at the University of Manchester. 

Chasing a job in journalism he stumbled into the world of PR and ten years after starting his career set up his own PR consultancy, Communique PR, in Manchester.

There he worked on many well-known brands including Boddingtons, Heineken, Thorntons Chocolate, Chicago Town Pizza, Big D peanuts, Co-op Funerals and Manchester Airport.

These days, Paul concentrates on his writing.

Paul’s books are full of dark humour and satirical takes.  His writing has been compared to that of Ben Elton, Nick Hornby and Jonathan Coe in tackling serious contemporary issues in a highly engaging and entertaining way.

Don’t Ask (Matador 2021) is Paul Carroll’s fourth novel, following A Matter of Life and Death (Matador, 2012), Written Off (Matador, 2016), and Trouble Brewing (Matador, 2017).