Monday, April 21, 2025

My Review for Killing Jericho by William Hussey (Scott Jericho #1)

April 21, 2025  , , , ,  No comments


A fantastic start to a new series.

I had absolutely no idea what to expect when I began to read Killing Jericho, those of you who read my reviews regularly will know that I rarely read the synopsis, where would be the fun in that? 😂

Scott Jericho is a former police officer who is having trouble letting go of his detective roots, so when horrendous murders begin to occur, then who better to investigate them. I really enjoyed the weird way in which these victims had been murdered - that sounds wrong, doesn't it? Let's just say the story kept me entertained, 🙈 and I had absolutely no idea who the murderer was until the reveal - well played there to the author. I loved the side story of the fair, where Scott lived much of his childhood. It was fun and interesting to read about what happens behind the scenes in a fairground and the hard work that so obviously goes into moving sites and setting up regularly. I was briefly taken back to Mr Galliano's Circus by Enid Blyton, which I read as a kid, and listened to more recently. Jodie and Sal are awesome, and I was so glad that Scott had someone looking out for him, especially in his darker days. 

I've already read the next book in the series, Jericho's Dead, and my review for that one will be coming soon. 

Thank you to Zaffre Books for the gifted copy of Killing Jericho by William Hussey.

About the Book

Murder this twisted demands a new kind of detective

Fresh out of prison, former Detective Constable Scott Jericho is a desperate man.

Disgraced and penniless after his assault on a violent suspect, he is forced to seek refuge with the fairground family he once rejected. Now, troubled by his failure, Jericho’s brilliant mind stagnates.

That is until a series of bizarre murders reawaken his interest. Men and women with no obvious link to each other are being ritualistically slaughtered.

Slaughtered in ways that recall an old legend of the Jericho Travelling Fair.

Now, in a race against time, he must unpick the threads of a baffling mystery. But as his investigation unfolds and the corpses pile up, a shocking truth awaits him. A revelation that will test not only Jericho’s intellect but challenge the very core of his morality...

About William

William Hussey is the award-winning author of over a dozen novels, including the Crime Fest award-nominated Hideous Beauty and The Outrage. Born the son of a travelling showman, he has spent a lifetime absorbing the history, folklore and culture of fairground people, knowledge he has now put to work in his Scott Jericho thrillers.

William lives in the seaside town of Skegness with his faithful dog Bucky and a vivid imagination.




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Sunday, April 20, 2025

My Review for To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

April 20, 2025  , ,  No comments


"Shoot all the bluejays you want, if you can hit 'em, but remember it's a sin to kill a mockingbird."

I was pretty sure that I'd read To Kill a Mockingbird when I was younger, but when I started to read it for April's choice of the month for #classiclitbookclub. I'm not actually sure that I have. 

For me, it was very much a coming-of-age story, told through the eyes of Scout, an eight-year-old girl who lives alone with her father and older brother. Along with Scout and her brother Jem's perception of life in a small town in the 1930s, I enjoyed reading and learning more about the prejudice and discrimination that existed between black and white people, as well as richer and poorer.  Their Dad, Atticus, has incredibly high morals, treating everyone equally and attempting to teach his children to be the same. 

The story jumped from situation to situation and from person to person. It was an interesting read as one minute we are wondering just who Boo Radley is, and another moment we are in court with Atticus as he's defending a black man against a white woman. I particularly enjoyed the lighthearted moments as Scout, Jem and their friend Dill, were just kids, doing what kids do and having fun. 

I still have no idea whether I've read this before, but I will be reading - or maybe listening next time - again. 

About the Book

"Shoot all the bluejays you want, if you can hit 'em, but remember it's a sin to kill a mockingbird."

A lawyer's advice to his children as he defends the real mockingbird of Harper Lee's classic novel - a black man charged with the rape of a white girl. Through the young eyes of Scout and Jem Finch, Harper Lee explores with exuberant humour the irrationality of adult attitudes to race and class in the Deep South of the 1930s. The conscience of a town steeped in prejudice, violence and hypocrisy is pricked by the stamina of one man's struggle for justice. But the weight of history will only tolerate so much.

"To Kill A Mockingbird" became both an instant bestseller and a critical success when it was first published in 1960. It went on to win the Pulitzer Prize in 1961 and was later made into an Academy Award-winning film.


About Harper

Harper Lee was born in 1926 in Monroeville, Alabama. She attended Huntingdon College and studied law at the University of Alabama. She is the author of the acclaimed To Kill a Mockingbird, and was awarded the Pulitzer Prize, the Presidential Medal of Freedom and numerous other literary awards and honours. She died on 19 February 2016.





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Thursday, April 17, 2025

My Review for The Enemy by Sarah Adams, read by Connie Shabshab and Will Damon

April 17, 2025  , , , ,  No comments


When feuding becomes loving.

I listened to The Enemy immediately after finishing The Match, and enjoyed it almost as much - if only there had been another dog! Evie and Charlie do make the odd appearance, but this one is all about the enemies to lovers story of June and Ryan. After their last meeting, twelve years ago, June is convinced that she hates Ryan, but of course, deep down, she wants the one kiss they experienced together to make another appearance - twelve years later!

The back-and-forth bickering between the two is a fun narrative, there were lots of laugh-out-loud moments, and many more when I just wanted to bang their heads together and lock them in a room! The narrators did a great job with the two main characters, I just love a dual narration, and of course we get our happily ever after - did you expect anything else?

Thank you to Dreamscape Media and Libro FM for the opportunity to listen to and review The Enemy by Sarah Adams.

About the Book

Enemies should never get a second chance. But this one might...

It’s been twelve years since I’ve seen him. Twelve years since he won our war of wits by outsmarting me with a tactic I didn’t even know was allowed. But tonight…I resurrect the battle.

Ryan Henderson is back in town for our best friends’ wedding, and I plan on showing him exactly how much I don’t care about him—or the almost kiss he ruthlessly dangled over me after graduation. A lot has changed since our feuding days. I'm a successful bakery owner now, and I plan to rub every delicious detail of my life in his ugly face. Just one problem: his face is gorgeous. He wasn’t supposed to look like this or pursue me like a sexy guided missile. I must stay strong until the wedding is over and Ryan scurries back into whatever alternate universe he escaped from. His interest in me is nothing but a continuation of the games we played in high school...right?

But the longer he stays, the more I wonder if I’m wrong and his tender smile and heated attentions are genuine. Maybe it’s not a game. Ha! Who am I kidding? This is Ryan we’re talking about. Of course it’s a game. A game called war. And this time, I will win.



About Sarah

Born and raised in Nashville TN, Sarah Adams loves her family, warm days, and making people smile. 

Sarah has dreamed of being a writer since she was a girl, but finally wrote her first novel when her daughters were napping and she no longer had any excuses to put it off. 

Sarah is a coffee addict, a British history nerd, a mom of two daughters, married to her best friend, and an indecisive introvert. Her hope is to always write stories that make you laugh, maybe even cry; but always leave you happier than when you started reading.





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Wednesday, April 16, 2025

My Review for How to Fix a Broken Heart by Nicola May

April 16, 2025  , , , ,  No comments

Loved, loved, loved this! 

As I turned the last page, I felt a warm glow, along with the Pretty Woman and Notting Hill vibes. 🥰 Once again I’ve fallen in love with a Nicola May book, and once again she’s blown me away with her sensitivity to a difficult subject. Gracie’s heartbreak is overwhelming at times, but I loved, that along with friends and family, she begins to comes to terms with what’s happened to her and finds away to help the local community with similar stories. 

Leo was awesome, I adored him, his kindness and generosity were just what Gracie needed at a time when her self-esteem was rock bottom and her feelings were all awry. 

There are some very heavy subjects covered in Nicola’s new book, so please, please check the trigger warnings. Personally, I felt that she managed to cover them in a lighthearted yet sympathetic and empathetic manner, whilst creating that hug in a book that the author is so good at. 

Thank you to Storm Publishing and Rachel’s Random Resources for the opportunity to read and review How to Fix a Broken Heart by Nicola May.

About the Book

Gracie Davies is at an all-time low. After a devastating loss, the last thing she needs is a colleague hinting over coffee that it’s time to lose her baby weight. Then her boyfriend betrays her, and her world totally falls apart.

Rebuilding her life from scratch – with the support of her free-spirited sister, an unorthodox therapist, and a feisty new friend – Gracie finally begins to get her mojo back. Add in a passionate fling with handsome landscaper Ed, a fairytale encounter with a Hollywood film star and the persistence of her adulterous ex, and life is anything but predictable…

Soon she finds that community, purpose, and perhaps even new love might be the perfect prescription for a broken heart.

But can a heart that’s been so utterly shattered ever trust again?

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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Tuesday, April 15, 2025

My Review for The Match by Sarah Adams, read by Rusty Mewha and Leanne Woodward

April 15, 2025  , , , , , ,  No comments


Gorgeous dogs and hot, single men!

I adored this book from beginning to end. Evie and Charlie together, wrapped me up in a big warm hug and then Sam and Daisy did it all over again. I loved that Evie was helping to train service dogs and to help others be able to keep their independence. 

It very definitely isn't love at first sight for Evie and Jacob, but slowly and surely they wear each other down, and with a little bit of cajoling from Sam, of course we get our happy ever after.

The audiobook narration was brilliant. Rusty Mewha and Leanne Woodward complemented each other well and an audiobook with great narrators makes for an even better story.

Thank you to Dreamscape Media and Libro FM for the opportunity to listen to and review The Match by Sarah Adams.

About the Book

Sometimes love finds you when you least expect it.

Evie Jones has dedicated her life and very limited funds working for Southern Service Paws, the company that matched her with the love of her life: Charlie, a service dog trained to assist with her epilepsy. But it’s no secret that the company has been struggling to make ends meet. It’s up to her and her longtime mentor and boss to throw the fundraiser of the century to keep the doors open.

Then, Evie meets Jacob Broaden at a client consultation meeting. There are instant sparks—but not the good kind, because Jacob’s daughter set up the meeting without his knowledge. Ten-year-old Sam has been recently diagnosed with epilepsy and has wanted a service animal ever since. While he has hesitations at first, it doesn’t take long for Jacob to be convinced that a service dog and possibly Evie, with her magical, woodland-green eyes, might just be the best thing for him and his daughter.

As Evie spends more time with Jacob and helps Sam find her perfect match with a lovable golden retriever named Daisy, she starts longing for something she’s never had before—a loving family. For Jacob, falling in love with Evie is the last thing he should be doing, but love has a way of finding those who need it most.


About Sarah

Born and raised in Nashville TN, Sarah Adams loves her family, warm days, and making people smile. 

Sarah has dreamed of being a writer since she was a girl, but finally wrote her first novel when her daughters were napping and she no longer had any excuses to put it off. 

Sarah is a coffee addict, a British history nerd, a mom of two daughters, married to her best friend, and an indecisive introvert. Her hope is to always write stories that make you laugh, maybe even cry; but always leave you happier than when you started reading.




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Monday, April 14, 2025

My Review for Deep End by Ali Hazelwood read by Therese Plummer and Ben Holtzmuller

April 14, 2025  , , , ,  No comments


Another first and another winner.

Once again, I'm late to the party and this is my first Ali Hazelwood book. Listening on a beautiful spring day, whilst pottering in the garden, I had no idea what to expect. I never read the blurb, I had no idea what level of spice 🌶 to expect, I just knew that lots of people love Ali Hazelwood and here was my opportunity to join them. 

I loved the diving side story, I'm in awe of watching divers on TV, they have so much skill, it's incredible. Listening to how Scarlett overcame her injury and her blocker on the dive that caused it had me hooked. Lukas was a very welcome addition to Scarlett's life and as she gradually opens up to him, and him to her, the whole relationship made me all gooey inside! 

This wasn't as spicy as I was expecting, after I'd listened to the disclaimer at the beginning, but it fitted into the story nicely, as both Scarlett and Lukas began to trust and support each other as time went on - both in and out of the bedroom.

I love an audiobook with different narrators for the male and female main characters, and both Therese and Ben did an awesome job with Scarlett and Lukas. I will definitely be adding more of Ali's book to my TBR, and any recommendations are welcome. 

Thank you to PRH Audio and Libro FM for the opportunity to listen to and review Deep End by Ali Hazelwood.


About the Book

Scarlett Vandermeer is swimming upstream. A Junior at Stanford and a student-athlete who specializes in platform diving, Scarlett prefers to keep her head down, concentrating on getting into med school and on recovering from the injury that almost ended her career. She has no time for relationships—at least, that’s what she tells herself.

Swim captain, world champion, all-around aquatics golden boy, Lukas Blomqvist thrives on discipline. It’s how he wins gold medals and breaks records: complete focus, with every stroke. On the surface, Lukas and Scarlett have nothing in common. Until a well-guarded secret slips out, and everything changes.

So they start an arrangement. And as the pressure leading to the Olympics heats up, so does their relationship. It was supposed to be just a temporary, mutually satisfying fling. But when staying away from Lukas becomes impossible, Scarlett realizes that her heart might be treading into dangerous water.


About Ali - by Ali

I’m originally from Italy, lived in Japan and Germany, and eventually moved to the US to pursue a Ph.D. in Neuroscience. I was a professor for about three years, but in 2022 I quit to write full time. When I’m not writing you can find me prowling around AO3, binge-watching shows with my three feline overlords (and my almost equally feline husband), crocheting, or eating candy.

(The name of the dog in the picture is Chica; she is not mine, but I wish she were. Love to Chandra Wicke for the photo, and to Barbara for introducing me to my new bestie.)








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Wednesday, April 9, 2025

My Review for Truly, Madly, Magically by Hazel Beck, read by Natalie Duke

April 09, 2025  , , , ,  No comments

Who doesn't love a witchy book!

How did I not know until I came to write this review - ashamedly I listened to this at the end of September 2024, and I am only now just getting around to the review 🙈 - that it is number three in a series?! Never mind though, I think it can definitely be read as a standalone. I guess you would get the backstory of some of the other characters if you'd read the others, but it didn't take away my enjoyment of the story.

Ellowyn and Xander are the witches who are gonna kick ass, and whether they want to or not, overturning the Joywood coven is next on the list. I loved these two. I loved that they were sworn enemies for 364 days a year, but on just the one day, they get together to scratch the itch! 

This is full of witchy vibes, magic, and great characters. I am adding the others to my TBR right now and checking when the fourth book is out.

Thank you to Harlequin Audio and Libro FM for the opportunity to listen to and review Truly, Madly, Magically by Hazel Beck.


About the Book

A witch cursed to tell the truth, and the man who won’t let her lie to herself anymore… 

Cursed by her own mother to always tell the truth and one of the only half-witches around, Ellowyn Good has never considered herself an equal part of the Riverwood coven. But when the evil ruling coven of the witching world targets her directly, she begins to wonder why they want her gone. 

She’ll need to work with her newly formed coven to survive, which includes dealing with her first love, past wreckage and a whole new complication she didn’t see coming. With their fates in the balance, Ellowyn will have to learn to trust Zander again—or be doomed to repeat the mistakes of the past. Assuming they all survive the Joywood’s latest bid for absolute power over the witching world…


About Hazel

Hazel Beck is the USA TODAY bestselling magical partnership of a river witch and an earth witch. Together they have collected two husbands, three familiars, two children, five degrees, and written around 250 books. As one, their books will delight with breathtaking magic, emotional romance, and stories of witches you won’t soon forget.





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