The Mother of all Christmases - Milly Johnson

Description

Eve Glace - co-owner of the theme park Winterworld - is having a baby and her due date is a perfectly timed 25th December. And she’s decided that she and her husband Jacques should renew their wedding vows with all the pomp that was missing the first time.  But growing problems at Winterworld keep distracting them …

Annie Pandoro and her husband Joe own a small Christmas cracker factory, are well set up and happy together despite life never blessing them with a much-wanted child.  But when Annie finds that the changes happening to her body aren’t typical of the menopause but pregnancy, her joy is uncontainable.

Palma Collins has agreed to act as a surrogate, hoping the money will get her out of the gutter in which she finds herself.  But when the couple she is helping split up, is she going to be left carrying a baby she never intended to keep?

Annie, Palma and Eve all meet at the ‘Christmas Pudding Club’, a new directive started by a forward-thinking young doctor to help mums-to-be mingle and share their pregnancy journeys. Will this group help each other to find love, contentment and peace as Christmas approaches?

Review

What can I say? - this is another great read from Milly Johnson. It was really nice when reading the book and as characters were introduced I was thinking - I know her!  I haven't yet read all Milly's back catalogue but I did recognise some of the characters from other books. I felt right at home amongst everyone. It can absolutely be read as a standalone novel, it was just fun to know the back story of some of the characters.

Milly has had a varied life and this shows in her writing; and what she doesn't know about she researches, like the cracker factory some of the girls in the book work at. It was all so realistic and down to earth and I felt like I knew people like this in real life.

As is the norm for her books there is a lot of humour, but there are also some sad and poignant parts which did bring a tear to my eye. The other thing is the excerpts from the "Daily Trumpet" the local paper that cannot report a story correctly to save its life! I even read some of these out loud to my partner as you didn't have to be reading the book to enjoy them. Right at the end of the book are loads and loads of Christmas cracker jokes - and I hadn't heard most of them either - very funny.

Although this is a Christmas book not all the story is set at Christmas and it would be a good read any time of the year. The main thing that pulls the story lines together is the pregnant ladies and their membership of the Christmas Pudding Club. 

My only reservation is the title - if it hadn't been by Milly it would not have been on my radar. She does explain at the end of the book that it was going to be called The Christmas Pudding Club at one point as she had a previous novel The Yorkshire Pudding Club which was written from her own pregnancy diaries.

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

Then She Was Gone - Lisa Jewell

Description

She was fifteen, her mother's golden girl. 
She had her whole life ahead of her. 
And then, in the blink of an eye, Ellie was gone.

Ten years on, Laurel has never given up hope of finding Ellie. And then she meets a charming and charismatic stranger who sweeps her off her feet.

But what really takes her breath away is when she meets his nine-year-old daughter.

Because his daughter is the image of Ellie.

Now all those unanswered questions that have haunted Laurel come flooding back.

What really happened to Ellie? And who still has secrets to hide?

Review

This is one of those books that when you finish reading it you keep thinking about it and wanting to read more, but then recalling that you finished it lol! I raced through this book, desperate for time to get to read it, wondering when I would be able to fit in some more pages, it really was that good.

The book begins with Laurel narrating - she has arrived at her daughters flat with no sign of her having been home. Her mind begins racing and we find that 10 years before her other daughter disappeared and has never been found.

We then get Ellie narrating the time line before she went missing - her life, what she was up to as a teenage girl. The book then continues with a flip flop of the story mainly from Laurel's viewpoint in the present day,  and her first foray into a romance since Ellie disappeared.

Her romantic encounter introduces her to the man's daughter, a young girl who looks like Ellie. After this point I began to feel like I had in my hand one of those magic squares with a tile missing. Somehow I felt I should know the answer to what was happening, but it was just out of my grasp, however what followed was a real roller coaster I needed to stay on until I got to the end.

A couple of other characters narrate the story towards the end and so you get a feel of the story from different perspectives which I found really interesting. There are a few loose ends which are maybe too neatly tied off at the end of the book, but I could live with that. The very end of the book is rather moving and not what I was expecting.

I loved the accessible writing - so easy to read and felt so real and earthy. I'm giving this book 5 out of 5 stars. I have never read a Lisa Jewell book before but I think I need to read more now.

My thanks to Netgalley for a ARC to review.

Moonlight Over Manhattan - Sarah Morgan

Description

Determined to conquer a lifetime of shyness, Harriet Knight challenges herself to do one thing a day in December that scares her, including celebrating Christmas without her family. But when dog-walker Harriet meets her newest client, exuberant spaniel Madi, she adds an extra challenge to her list – dealing with Madi's temporary dog-sitter, gruff doctor Ethan Black, and their very unexpected chemistry.

Ethan thought he was used to chaos, until he met Madi – how can one tiny dog cause such mayhem? To Ethan, the solution is simple – he will pay Harriet to share his New York apartment and provide 24-hour care. But there's nothing simple about how Harriet makes him feel.

Ethan's kisses make Harriet shine brighter than the stars over moonlit Manhattan. But when his dog-sitting duties are over, and Harriet returns to her own home, will she dare to take the biggest challenge of all – letting Ethan know he has her heart for life, not just for Christmas?

Review

I've had this book on my TBR pile for a while but I was waiting for the right time of year to read it - just me - you could read it at any time of the year, but I really wanted to imagine being in NY at Christmas time and it did just that for me.

I felt like the characters had walked into this book rather than being written, they came to life with all their back story so easily and effortlessly that I was immediately drawn into the story. Yes, it's a romance and really if you aren't looking for that - pick up another book instead!

Harriet has set herself challenges and we meet her at the beginning of the book part way through her challenge of online dating. Although it's a light hearted book there is a back story of why Harriet feels she needs challenges and it was a little sad.  I just loved how Harriet's confidence built through the book and loved her character and her empathy with dogs. A really witty supporting character Susan was very amusing too.This is apparently part of a series of books which I hadn't realised. Although Harriet and her sister have appeared in previous books I easily read this as a standalone book.

So if you are looking for a nice feel good seasonal read - this is the book for you. As one of the characters says "like a hug in a mug", but in this case it's in the book.

I'm giving this book five out of five stars. My thanks to Netgalley for a ARC to review.

The Single Ladies of Jacaranda Retirement Village - Joanna Nell

Description

It's never too late to grow old disgracefully...

The life of 79-year-old pensioner Peggy Smart is as beige as the décor in her retirement village. Her week revolves around aqua aerobics and appointments with her doctor. The highlight of Peggy's day is watching her neighbour Brian head out for his morning swim.

Peggy dreams of inviting the handsome widower - treasurer of the Residents' Committee and one of the few eligible men in the village - to an intimate dinner. But why would an educated man like Brian, a chartered accountant no less, look twice at Peggy? As a woman of a certain age, she fears she has become invisible, even to men in their eighties.

But a chance encounter with an old school friend she hasn't seen in five decades - the glamorous fashionista Angie Valentine - sets Peggy on an unexpected journey of self-discovery.

Can she channel her 'inner Helen Mirren' and find love and friendship in her twilight years?

Review

Due to the title, I began this book thinking it was going to be set in South America, one of the native regions for the plant. As I began to read and references were made to Woolworths - I thought it was in the UK. Not until I was a good way through did it become apparent that it was in fact set in Australia! I now know that Coles is a famous Australian department store - but I thought it was a made up name for the book!

Anyway, it just goes to show the similarities between the UK and life down under in retirement villages and peoples perceptions - I did think they were brave going to the seaside lol! It also turns out that the author is a GP who grew up in the UK and now lives in Australia. This probably accounts for the sympathetic Dr who takes over at the retirement village and finally Peggy can reveal her hidden secret.

This was such a gentle, funny book and I couldn't wait to get back to it each time to read some more. Peggy has a great turn of phrase and her internal dialogue had be chuckling along. Peggy is maybe getting a little confused in her later years but only as much as could be expected. However, her children have other ideas and she dreads the day when they take her for the "car ride" from which she never returns to her little unit. Peggy has after all seen it happen all too many times before to other residents. 

The rivalry between everyone (well the ladies) at the Retirement village for the eligible men was very entertaining. With a "will they won't they" theme running through the book, as Peggy wonders if it's all worth it anymore at her age. Then there is Angie Valentine the glamorous old school friend, Peggy finds she has moved into the village after not seeing her for many years. Is she a new rival?

There is some back story throughout to times when Peggy and Angie were school girls and then at their first job working together. Peggy always thought she was the underdog in their friendship - will that be still true all these years later, especially when Angie decides to take her in hand and give her a makeover.

A delightful read, I loved every second of it. I'm giving the book 5 out of 5 stars. My thanks to Netgalley for a ARC to review.

Everything is Lies - Helen Callaghan

Description

**THE NEW NOVEL FROM THE AUTHOR OF SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLING PSYCHOLOGICAL THRILLER DEAR AMY **

No-one is who you think they are

Sophia's parents lead quiet, unremarkable lives. At least that is what she's always believed.

Everyone has secrets

Until the day she arrives at her childhood home to find a house ringing with silence. Her mother is hanging from a tree. Her father is lying in a pool of his own blood, near to death.

Especially those closest to you

The police are convinced it is an attempted murder-suicide. But Sophia is sure that the woman who brought her up isn't a killer. As her father is too ill to talk it is up to Sophia to clear her mother's name.

And to do this she needs to delve deep into her family's past - a past full of dark secrets she never suspected were there . . .

What if your parents had been lying to you since the day you were born?

Review

I enjoyed the previous book by Helen "Dear Amy" so I was keen to read this one and I enjoyed it every bit as much as her last book.

The title is certainly true! When you read "what if your parents had been lying to you since the day you were born" you may think you could second guess what will happen in the book - but believe me you won't.

The book begins with Sophia and the background of her working and living in London, not wanting to return to her Suffolk roots, despite her Mother being very needy. Sophia is then informed that her parents have been involved in an incident. Her mother has committed suicide but not before attacking her father who was left for dead. 

The book then begins a flip flop to the past of the mother. What follows is very unnerving reading.  

With flips back to present day the plot became like an MI5 novel with Sophia being followed and a knife attack of her own. 

Towards the end of the book I found the events very chilling and was inwardly screaming at Sophia not to follow a request she receives. Such an usual subject for a book - I will not spoil it by going into any details. 

Although I thought I had guessed some of what was going to be found out, the very final twist I never saw coming.  There are a few loose ends in the book - I wonder if a follow on book is planned? 

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

The Last One - Alexandra Oliva

Description

She wanted an adventure. She never imagined it would go this far.TWELVE CONTESTANTS
When Zoo agrees to take part in a new reality TV show, In The Dark, she knows that she will be tested to the limits of her endurance. Beating eleven competitors in a series of survival tasks deep in the forest will be the ultimate challenge before she returns home to start a family.

A GAME WITH NO END
As the contestants are overcome by hunger, injury and psychological breakdown, the mind games to which Zoo is subjected grow dark beyond belief. This isn't what she signed up for: the deserted towns and gruesome props. Is this a game with no end? alone and disoriented, Zoo must summon all her survival skills - and learn new ones as she goes . . .

Review

The idea of this book really appealed to me, however, I struggled to read it. It's only 350 pages but it's taken me far longer to read than a book of that length would normally take me. 

Imagine all that happens on a reality show, and every word of it written down, plus all the stuff you don't see that happens off camera - it makes for a very long 350 pages. I understand that if you commit to writing about a reality tv show you have to be in it for the long haul - it just wasn't for me. It felt a little groundhog day.

There is also the mechanism of the flip flop story telling. To begin with this confused me as I thought I had missed something. The action goes from the reality tv show as it begins and progresses to the reality tv show much later on. Once I realised that it was ok, but I couldn't understand the need for it. 

Towards the end there is a twist which I can see maybe necessitates the flip flop approach, except by then I had worked out what was happening anyway and just waited for the character to catch up. I thought it was a little far fetched but can see that the way the character has to cope without a vital piece of her everyday life could just about mean that she is slow on the uptake.

This is YA fiction - however I think the YA audience are just as smart if not smarter than some of the older generation. I personally feel they may get bored with the book before the ending. 

I did enjoy the parts of the book which related what was happening and what the TV editor would be broadcasting - very interesting and will make me rethink some of what I see on TV.

I'm giving this book 3 out of 5 stars. My thanks to Netgalley for an ARC copy to review.

Midnight at the Bright Ideas Bookstore - Matthew Sullivan

Description

When a bookshop patron commits suicide, it’s his favorite store clerk who must unravel the puzzle he left behind in this fiendishly clever debut novel.

Lydia Smith lives her life hiding in plain sight. A clerk at the Bright Ideas Bookstore, she keeps a meticulously crafted existence among her beloved books, eccentric colleagues, and the BookFrogs—the lost and lonely regulars who spend every day marauding the store’s overwhelmed shelves.

But when Joey Molina, a young, beguiling BookFrog, kills himself in the bookstore, Lydia’s life comes unglued. Always Joey’s favorite bookseller, Lydia has inherited his meager worldly possessions. Trinkets and books; the detritus of a lonely man. But when Lydia flips through his books she finds them defaced in ways both disturbing and inexplicable. They reveal the psyche of a young man on the verge of an emotional reckoning. And they seem to contain a hidden message. What did Joey know? And what does it have to do with Lydia?

As Lydia untangles the mystery of Joey’s suicide, she unearths a long-buried memory from her own violent childhood. Details from that one bloody night begin to circle back. Her distant father returns to the fold, along with an obsessive local cop, and the Hammerman, a murderer who came into Lydia’s life long ago and, as she soon discovers, never completely left. Bedazzling, addictive and wildly clever, Midnight at the Bright Ideas Bookstore is a heart-pounding mystery that perfectly captures the intellect and eccentricity of the bookstore milieu.

Review

From the cover I thought this was going to be a bit of a magical type of book, how wrong I was and how so much better it was too. It's been on my TBR for a while and the thing about just seeing the title is that I had forgotten what the book was going to be about.

The words "Bookstore" had enticed me in yet again but I was not disappointed on what I found inside this book. A really unusual story that was so beautifully told and also so gripping that I read most of the book in one day. I just couldn't put it down.

When Lydia is left a pile of books by a customer at the Bookstore and finds they contain snippets cut from the pages in a random pattern a mystery ensues.  I loved this part of the book the most, so fascinating to follow the clues. The mystery is intriguing what follows begins a trail that leads Lydia to an answer she nor the reader ever expects.

At the heart of the book is a tragedy but the humour and easily readable style means that you don't really ever feel threatened by it, just drawn into the book completely. Great characters vividly drawn means that the book just never gets boring.

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