My Review for The Existence of Amy by Lana Grace Riva

Told through the words of someone with severe OCD, anxiety and depression. This is an eye-opener.

First, my sincere apologies to the author who kindly gifted me a copy of her book back in 2023, and I'm ashamed to say it's taken me two years to read it. Over commitment is my only excuse, but I am trying to do better this year!

A short read, I found The Existence of Amy to be so informative, yet entertaining. None of us are fully aware of how another person is feeling, and if you are good at hiding the real you, quite often, no one will find out. This is how Amy has been living, but at some point, it's all going to get too much, and she won't be able to hide it any longer. 

I think we all have an element of OCD, but thankfully, the majority of us can go about our daily lives without it affecting us too much. I am pretty sure that this is based on the author's own experiences, and I loved how raw and honest this book was. All the way through I was rooting for Amy, her friends are amazing and two in particular really looked out for her and helped her when she needed it. 

If you enjoyed Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine, then I would definitely recommend this one. 

Thank you to Lana Grace Riva for the opportunity to read and review The Existence of Amy. 

About the Book

Amy has a normal life. That is, if you were to go by a definition of 'no obvious indicators of peculiarity', and you didn't know her very well. She has good friends, a good job, a nice enough home. This normality, however, is precariously plastered on top of a different life. A life that is Amy's real life. The only one her brain will let her lead.

What is it really like to live with mental illness?

An insight into the reality of obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), anxiety and depression.

About Lana

Lana Grace Riva has written two books, one nonfiction the other fiction, both based on her experiences of mental health. Her first book 'Happier Thinking' is a short collection of tips and exercises to maintain a healthy mind. Her second book 'The Existence Of Amy' is a fictional story based on the reality of life with OCD, depression and anxiety.

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My Review for How Do I Tell You? by Nicola May

Nicola May has been one of my go-to authors for a few years now, so when I got the opportunity to read her new novel, How Do I Tell You? I was straight in there to join the blog tour.

I rarely, if ever, read the synopsis of a book. I base my choices on author and/or book cover, and this was no exception. Suffice it to say I was surprised by the storyline, not in a bad way, it was just unexpected. Once I'd got my head around what was going on, I settled down and enjoyed the solidarity that Victoria, our female main character, found with her true friends and family who surrounded her, whilst she came to terms with the unexpected news she received.

There are some brilliant characters in Nicola's new book, I loved Jerico, Danny and Ray who all had Victoria's back, right from the start. They were supportive, encouraging and just downright awesome. Nicola deals with a difficult subject incredibly well, with sensitivity and, very obviously, a great deal of research. 

I would advise anyone wanting to read this book to check the trigger warnings first, but I have no hesitation in recommending it. Another bestseller from Nicola for sure.

Thank you to NetGalley, Storm Publishing and Rachel's Random Resources for the opportunity to read and review, How Do I Tell You? by Nicola May.

About the Book

How do you rebuild your life when it changes forever in an instant?

Thirty-five-year-old Victoria Sharpe has a decent job as an illustrator, a perfectly good if predictable relationship, and great friends. So why can’t she shake the feeling that something is missing?

Keen to let off steam, she sets off on a night out with her best friends. Next morning – one reckless decision later – she resolves to make some seriously overdue changes to achieve the fulfilment she craves.

Then she gets devastating news that shatters everything she ever wanted for her future.

Or so she thinks. Because as friends and family rally around to support her, and an unexpected new romance makes her heart skip a beat, Victoria discovers that sometimes in the deepest darkness the brightest light can shine through. But, after all she’s been through, can she let it in?

About Nicola

Nicola May is a bestselling author renowned for her heartwarming and humorous romantic comedies. With eighteen books to her name, her work has captured readers' hearts around the world, has been translated into fifteen languages and consistently ranks in the top 100 of Amazon's Kindle bestseller charts. As a self-published author, she achieved the remarkable feat of reaching number one on Amazon twice, and has been a strong advocate for indie authors, pushing for a dedicated chart for them in The Bookseller magazine. Now signed to Storm Publishing, Nicola continues to write heartfelt rom-coms with her signature blend of warmth and wit. 

When she’s not writing, she enjoys cream teas in her beloved Devon, hikes through nature, and occasionally places a bet on the horses.

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My Review for The Things I Should Have Told You by Carmel Harrington, Read by Aidan Kelly, Caroline Lennon and Emer O'Connor

Continuing with my Carmel Harrington binge, I grabbed myself an audiobook copy of The Things I Should Have Told You from Libby, popped my AirPods in and set about tidying the garden. Another story of Carmel’s which blew me away, with lovely characters, gorgeous settings and lots and lots of sentimental moments.

The storyline was delightful, if a little sad at times, and I was blown away with the whole ‘road trip in a camper van’ idea, even if camping isn’t my idea of a fun holiday! Pops, even after death, manages to travel along with the Guinness family as they wend their way through Europe, on the trip of a lifetime, not knowing which country they’ll be visiting next, let alone what surprises Pops had arranged for them once they arrived.

As with the previous Carmel Harrington books I’ve listened to, this also has underlying themes. This time we see a destructive case of school bullying, marriage difficulties and family illness. Carmel writes about all the issues sensitively and with empathy and I really enjoy that her books aren’t just a simple story, but that they’re written with so much more in mind. 

Thank you to Libby for providing the opportunity and the availability to bring books to life for so many people and thank you to Carmel Harrington for being such an incredible writer. Never stop writing!

About the Book

Every family has a story…

But for the Guinness family a happy ending looks out of reach. Olly and Mae's marriage is crumbling, their teenage daughter Evie is on a mission to self-destruct and their beloved Pops is dying of cancer. Their once strong family unit is slowly falling apart.

But Pops has one final gift to offer his beloved family – a ray of hope to cling to. As his life's journey draws to a close, he sends his family on an adventure across Europe in a camper van, guided by his letters, his wisdom and his love.

Because Pops knows that all his family need is time to be together, to find their love for each other and to find their way back home…

About Carmel

International bestseller Carmel Harrington lives in Wexford with her family & rescue dog. Carmel writes domestic dramas filled with emotional reveals and twists. Her trademark is to write authentic, relatable characters that readers can root for, and has been described as a ‘storyteller with heart, hope and humour.’ (RTE Culture)

A confessed wearer-of-heart-on-her-sleeve, Carmel smiles a lot because life is good. She knowingly overuses the word lovely. Speaking of which, she calls it chasing the lovely when she writes. A few of her favourite things include rainbows, good coffee and gin, notions – all of them, lemon drizzle cake and books. Always books.

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My Review for That Night at the Beach by Kate Hewitt

Everyone should judge a Kate Hewitt book for themselves. I don’t read reviews because many of them contain spoilers and I’d always much rather go into a book without knowing what happens. That Night at the Beach is no different. You’ll be drawn in so much more if you do not know what is coming next....and I guarantee, you probably won’t have a clue what is coming next.

Full of anger, emotions, and teenage (and adult) hormones. That Night at the Beach will send you on a whirlwind of your own emotions as you try to comprehend what Rose, Cara, Finn, Henry, Bella and Elspeth are dealing with. Both families have been friends for years, but something happens ‘That Night at the Beach’ that changes everything for everyone - forever.

If you love Kate Hewitt, then go out and buy yourself a copy of her latest book. If this is your first time reading one, why not start with this one?

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the opportunity to read and review an ARC of That Night at the Beach by Kate Hewitt.

Book Description

As mothers, we never dare to delve into our worst-nightmare scenarios. What if… we might murmur to each other, and then shake our heads, telling ourselves it’ll never happen to us if we’re just good enough mothers. Yet here we are. And the steady beep of the heart monitor is the only evidence the child in front of us is alive…

It’s Labor Day weekend, so of course we went to the beach. Like we do every year. For a barbecue picnic with my best friend Rose. It’s the perfect tradition—drinks, games, burgers, music, laughter. Together with our husbands, my two teenage sons and her two daughters, we all arrived as the sun was still shimmering over the water, the whole evening ahead of us.

But nothing goes to plan. Old secrets emerge, and tempers flare. And so we parents decide to leave the beach, telling the teenagers to enjoy themselves, reassuring them someone will be back to collect them in an hour or two.

But when I return a little while later, I know something is really wrong. Our teens are slurring their words, stumbling to the car. It’s clear they have been drinking and I’m shocked. I never expected our kids to behave this way. I’m bracing myself to have firm words with them in the morning, but the next day my concerns fade to nothing when seventeen-year-old Bella claims my son Finn assaulted her.

Finn insists he would never do that. And I so want to believe him. Because I brought my son upright. Because a mother would know, wouldn’t she?

What I don’t know is that the answer to what happened that night on the beach may be a matter of life and death for one of our beloved children…

An absolutely heartbreaking story about friendship, parenting and betrayal. Perfect for fans of Jodi Picoult, Jojo Moyes and Susan Lewis.

Author Bio

Kate Hewitt is the author of many romance and women’s fiction novels. A former New Yorker and now an American ex-pat, she lives in a small town on the Welsh border with her husband, five children, and their overly affectionate Golden Retriever. Whatever the genre, she enjoys telling stories that tackle real issues and touch people’s lives.

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My Review for Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐This review is for Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman. Eleanor has been sitting on my 'to be read' shelf for a few months now, bought in the middle of Lockdown 1.0 after it was recommended by a million and one members of the various Facebook book groups that I belong to. I loved Eleanor, she is a bit scary, unhinged, friendless - at least at the beginning - and yes, ever so slightly weird. But she's addictive, I couldn't get enough of her!

Eleanor Oliphant has absolutely no social skills, her daily life follows a strict routine, from what she eats and drinks, and when, to how she conducts herself at work and heaven forbid if she actually needs to talk to anyone, other than her mother, who she speaks to on a Wednesday via telephone. During the course of the novel, Eleanor meets Raymond, a work colleague, and then Sammy, an elderly gentleman who she helps when he falls over in the street.  The story follows the three of them as their lives intertwine.

Gail Honeyman is adept at describing her characters and their lives. Every heartbeat and every tear we share with them. Through their pain and their suffering, we are involved and, equally, as love and happiness shine through, we find ourselves thankful for some positivity in their journey.

Eleanor Oliphant wasn't the book I was expecting. I have to admit I hadn't read the synopsis and I hadn't read any reviews, I just went on recommendations alone. I think I thought it would be a happy beach read - I have no idea why - but it was poignant and heartbreaking in places, Eleanor is just such a sad young lady and I'm sure many people will see parts of her in themselves. Whether the author intended for readers to feel that Eleanor has a form of autism, I'm not sure, but from the way Eleanor behaved and how she conducted herself, I think it was a distinct possibility. She certainly reminded me of people I know who are autistic.

I was pleased with the way that the author tied up all the loose ends in her story, rather than leaving it to the reader's imagination, particularly in regards to Eleanor's mother.   I would like to read more of Gail Honeyman's work, and I will definitely be looking out for more.

I would recommend this book to readers who enjoy something a little bit different. Eleanor is lonely, scared and frankly, mentally unwell. It will make you thankful for the good things in your life and sad if Eleanor's life slightly resembles your own. I loved it, I hope you do too.

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