Between Us - Mhairi McFarlane

 

Description

‘Everything you want from a rom com and satisfyingly knotty with proper, recognisable characters. She just gets better and better’ JOJO MOYES

‘I LOVE her books PASSIONATELY and this is her best yet’ MARIAN KEYES

‘She’s so ridiculously talented . . . consider this recommendation my personal gift to you and your life’ EMILY HENRY

When Joe and Roisin join their group of friends for a weekend away, it’s a triple celebration – a birthday, an engagement and the launch of Joe’s new crime drama on TV.

But when Roisin sees secrets she shared with Joe play out on the TV screen, she knows that between us means nothing at all.

Roisin finds herself searching for clues to the truth – about her life, their history, and the man she thought she loved. And it’s then that Roisin finds the most unexpected plot twist of them all. Among those same old friends, there’s a surprising potential for new beginnings . . .

Review

This was nearly a DNF for me, and I have loved all of Mhairi's previous books. The first 20% of the book had too much scene setting for my liking.  I began to wonder what the overall point of the book was going to be. It was encapsulating the lifestyles of a group of 30 somethings, none of whom I really clicked with and that's all I could get from it.

Once Roisin left the weekend away and returned to her teaching role I began to get interested. It turns out that Roisin is really rather smart and sassy and I liked that a lot about her. Just a pity it took me a lot of the book before that totally shone through.  

Her Mum is also a part of the book and she was quite the comedian. I liked her character but maybe not all of her actions. It would give too much away to say anything about the other characters traits but I didn't really warm to any of them.

I've always said that Mhairi's books are not rom-com in the truest sense. I think this one is proably the closest to that description, and maybe why I didn't gel with it so much.

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

The Vanishing of Class 3 B - Jackie Kabler

Description

‘An ingenious plot, a captivating cast of character, and twists and turns that kept me guessing to the last page, loved it!’ Amanda Reynolds

From the bestselling author of The Perfect Couple, Am I Guilty?, The Happy Family and The Murder List, comes the most engrossing thriller of 2023.

One spring morning, a bus full of children and their teachers from a Cotswolds primary school head off on a much-anticipated day trip.

But as night falls and the well-heeled parents – one or two of them famous, as well as wealthy – wait at the school to collect their weary offspring, it soon becomes clear that something has gone very wrong.

The children and their teachers simply do not come back.

What’s happened doesn’t seem possible.

How can an entire class of children simply vanish?

Review

It kept me guessing.

This is a taut thriller from a favourite author of mine. As usual, she puts you right in the story, with everyday observational details that involve you with the characters. 

How could the class of 3B vanish? To be fair it is 10 children as the other half of the class wanted to go to the science museum for a day trip. But even so, how would it be possible? As the time for the children to be back at school after their day trip comes around the minutes keep ticking by and they don't come back, neither do their teachers. 

I had a few ideas of what I thought had happened, but with some twisty turns they were mainly undone. Clever writing keeps you thinking you are on the right track as I eagerly read on. We learn quite a bit about the parents and their lives and none of them are particularly endearing.  Secrets are exposed and lives become uncoiled.

I really enjoyed this read. I'm giving this book 4 out of 5 stars.

The Vanishing of Class 3B is published on 11 May. My thanks to negalley for the ARC to review.

The Cassandra Complex - Holly Smale

 

Description

'This book is a treasure ... Everyone should read it and everyone will love it' Lindsey Kelk
'Witty, touching and totally absorbing' Graeme Simsion
'Sharp, funny, quirky, insightful and so very, very relatable' Joanne Harris
'Deeply human, wildly original, and gut-warmingly funny' Emma Jane Unsworth
'A brilliantly clever, twisty story that dazzles with its wit whilst touching our hearts' Sarah Haywood
___________________

Cassandra Penelope Dankworth is a creature of habit.

She likes what she likes (museums, jumpsuits, her boyfriend Will) and strongly dislikes what she doesn't (mess, change, her boss drinking out of her mug). Her life runs in a pleasing, predictable order. Until now.

She's just been dumped.
She's just been fired.
Her local café has run out of banana muffins.

Then, something truly unexpected happens: Cassie discovers she can go back and change the past.

Now, Cassie should be able to find a way to fix the life she accidentally obliterated. And with time on her side, how hard can it be...?

The hotly anticipated adult novel from the multi-million-copy bestselling author of Geek Girl, Holly Smale.

Review

A slow start, but turns into a beautiful gem of a book.

I love time travel books. When this book began it was more in the vein of GroundHog Day, of which I am less of a fan. It's been done before and it gets tedious re reading the same day over. Except it turned out that it didn't happen like that in this book at all.

The main character Cassandra does what a lot of people would like to do, and tells it like it is, literally to everyone. She's just been dumped and fired, so by going back in time she can change that, and make sure there are banana muffins. The book also references a lot of Greek mythology in relation to the plot line, which I found really interesting.

 

Then came the butterfly effect. Do the things she changes when she goes back in time affect the future time line. Considering at times she goes back every few minutes it certainly gets confusing for her. How can she remember what happened the first, second or third time she altered the past? Maybe she should just channel her Greek namesake and let everyone know the future that awaits them?

I love it when a book becomes so good you just can't put it down, and that's exactly what happened with this one. Cassandra is a joy but a little sad at times. As I finished the book I realised just how thought provoking it was and that Cassandra will stay with me for a very long time.

I'm giving this book 5 out of 5 stars.

The Cassandra Complex is published on 11 May. My thanks to negalley for the ARC to review.

Games and Rituals - Katherine Heiny

 

Description

The beloved author of Standard Deviation and Early Morning Riser brings us eleven glittering stories of love – friendships formed at the airport bar, ex-husbands with benefits, mothers of suspiciously sweet teenagers, ill-advised trysts – in all its forms, both ridiculous and sublime.

The games and rituals performed by Katherine Heiny’s characters range from mischievous to tender. In ‘Bridesmaid, Revisited,’ Marilee, suffering from a laundry and life crisis, wears a massive bridesmaid’s dress to work. In ‘Twist and Shout,’ Ericka’s elderly father mistakes his four-thousand-dollar hearing aid for a cashew and eats it. In ‘Turn Back, Turn Back,’ a bedtime story coupled with a receipt for a Starbucks babyccino reveal a struggling actor’s deception. And in ‘561,’ Charlene pays the true price of infidelity and is forced to help her husband’s ex-wife move out of the family home.

Katherine Heiny, our bard of waking up in the wrong bed, wearing the wrong shoes, running late for the wrong job, but loved by the right people, has delivered a work of glorious humour and immense kindness.

Review

Not the biggest fan of short stories - but these hit the mark every time.

Having absolutely loved the author's two previous books I felt sure her short stories wouldn't let me down - and they didn't. Just as witty, funny and observant as her previous writing these stories might be short but they pack a lot in and don't leave you hanging.

One of my favourite stories is one where the wife begins to reorganise using the Marie Kondo book and her husbands reactions are sublime. It was just genius, as all the stories are. So many smart one liners that I wish I could remember, but I am sure I will be re reading this book.

Each of the stories are totally different, but written with the fantastic observant prose I've come to expect from this author. I'm just disappointed there are none left to read!

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

The Lost Wife - Georgina Lees

 

I've really enjoyed the readalong with @onemorechapter for this book.

Description

The brand new edge-of-your-seat thriller from the bestselling author of The Girl Upstairs

You always underestimated me and I always overestimated you.
Maybe that was our problem.

A woman and a child arrive at a cottage in the Peak District in the dead of night.

Alone. Desperate. Hunted.

She knows they’re coming for her. It’s only a matter of time.

Because her husband kept a secret from her. Until he was ready to destroy her.

Now, it’s her turn.

Review

This soon became a real page turner.

She's on the run from the bad people - what is going to happen if they catch up with her?  The book is told in the past and present. We learn in the past that Lea is getting married, but with each flashback to episodes before the wedding, it seems that the relationship she has with Harry is not the right one for marriage.

One of the tasks that the @onemorechapter readalong set, was to predict the ending. I was way off on this! I did figure out part of a clue as to what was happening, but I mis-read into it. 

I wasn't too keen on the character Lea, she seemed a little insipid. So many things were happening to her and she just seemed to go along with it all despite having friends and family to fall back on. Later on I thought I saw a very different side to her. 

Such clever writing with so many red herrings, twists and turns that it really did have me turning the pages faster and faster. I have mixed views once I reached the ending, but one to remember it certainly will be. I kept replaying the events of the book over in my mind to come to terms with it all.

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

The Cuban Heiress - Chanel Cleeton

 

Description

In 1934, a luxury cruise becomes a fight for survival as two women’s pasts collide on a round-trip voyage from New York to Havana in New York Times bestselling author Chanel Cleeton's page-turning new novel inspired by the true story of the SS Morro Castle.

New York heiress Catherine Dohan seemingly has it all. There’s only one problem. It’s a lie. As soon as the Morro Castle leaves port, Catherine’s past returns with a vengeance and threatens her life. Joining forces with a charismatic jewel thief, Catherine must discover who wants her dead—and why.

Elena Palacio is a dead woman. Or so everyone thinks. After a devastating betrayal left her penniless and on the run, Elena’s journey on the Morro Castle is her last hope. Steeped in secrecy and a burning desire for revenge, her return to Havana is a chance to right the wrong that has been done to her—and her prey is on the ship.

As danger swirls aboard the Morro Castle and their fates intertwine, Elena and Catherine must risk everything to see justice served once and for all.

Review

Set on a cruise ship between New York and Havana this was a thrilling read.

I hadn't heard of the SS Morro Castle and at the end of the book there is a little info about it. I would refrain from looking into the ship until you finish the book as it could be a bit of spoiler. Despite the limited location so much happened in this book to keep me on the edge of my seat.

The book flips between the story of the two women Catherine and Elena. Each on the ship and each encountering their own obstacles to what they want to achieve. The strong female characters make for great reading and they aren't afraid to face up to whatever awaits them. We don't know the full story of either woman, but we learn as the story develops. Then as everything begins to slide into place I came to realise what a brilliantly told story this was.

There is romance in the book, but the thriller aspect was stronger. Without giving too much away the writing is very atmospheric and a few harrowing scenes told well.

I'm giving this book 4 out of 5 stars. My thanks to netgalley for the ARC to review. The book is published on 13 April 2023.

Romantic Comedy - Curtis Sittenfeld

 

Description

Life is (not)* a Romantic Comedy...

With a series of heartbreaks under her belt, Sally Milz - successful script writer for a legendary late-night TV comedy show - has long abandoned the search for love.

But when her friend and fellow writer begins to date a glamorous actress, he joins the growing club of interesting but average-looking men who get romantically involved with accomplished, beautiful women. Sally channels her annoyance into a sketch, poking fun at this 'social rule'. The reverse never happens for a woman.

Then Sally meets Noah, a pop idol with a reputation for dating models. But this isn't a romantic comedy - it's real life. Would someone like him ever date someone like her?

Skewering all our certainties about why we fall in love, ROMANTIC COMEDY is a witty and probing tale of how the heart will follow itself, no matter what anyone says. It is Curtis Sittenfeld at her most sharp, daring and compassionate best.

Review

Not too keen on this one until the last 25%!

I wanted to read this book based solely on the fact that it was written by Curtis Sittenfeld, as I loved Rodham. Unfortunately I found the first half of the book far too detailed to be enjoyable. The minutia of the off air production team for a comedy show at TNS was not appealing to me. We got to go through the writing, then the run through, then the show - too much. Unless you want to live vicariously through the book and experience real life comedy writing for live TV.

I wasn't really engaged with any of the main characters at this point. I did like the female friendships and some of the slick comedy lines, but I was struggling with it. I read advance reviews that said to stick with it as the second half was so much better. So I did.

Then came into the storyline Covid, so if you are uncomfortable about revisiting that time this might not be the book for you. I was ok with it but not with the dialogue being through emails. I am not a fan of this style of writing so the next 25% wasn't too good for me either but fared better than the first 50%.

Finally the last 25% of the book was pure genius and I loved it. I felt that I finally got the characters and was really engaged with the story. The writing is certainly intelligent and observational. I'm pleased I didn't stop reading, but I think a lot of readers may not get to that last 25% as the first half is so bogged down in detail.

I'm giving this book 3 out of 5 stars.

The book is published on 6 April 2023. My thanks to netgalley for the ARC to review.