Book Review “The Ex Wife” By Amanda Ashby and Sally Rigby

BOOK REVIEW (BLOGTOUR) NO: 185

Psychological Thriller

Standalone

Length : 318 pages

Publisher : Boldwood Books

SYNOPSIS/BOOK BLURB & purchase links

My life was perfect until she came along. Norah.

Younger, prettier and about to marry my own ex-husband, they are a walking cliché.

I hate her. I hate them both.

She’s taken everything from me – my husband, my life, my home – but I refuse to allow her to take Cassie, my beautiful daughter. That’s a step too far.

Now I’ve discovered that Norah plans to have a baby of her own and that causes me no end of problems. She could destroy everything and reveal my deepest, darkest secrets.

That can never be allowed to happen.

No matter what it costs…

A brand new psychological thriller that will keep you guessing till the end! Perfect for fans of Sue Watson, Nina Manning, Shalini Boland

Purchase Link – https://amzn.to/3IaIhSM

REVIEW ~ NIKI PRESTON ~ 5 STARS

Wowsers what an utterly chilling and spine tingling thriller. Just epic, awesome and down right amazing! can you tell I loved it?

Anyway on to the book. These ladies are excellent writers and make the perfect thriller writing combo. They’ve created a superb plot that just flows at the right pace. One minute you’re reading about a family and all the usual ups and downs of divorce, new step parent, teenage angst and a bitter ex wife. Alice was blindsided by husband wanting, for her a sudden divorce and now here he is about to marry his much younger and beautiful cliché wife to be Norah. Then Alice finds out they are trying for IVF and Alice loses the plot and begins to act in a very odd manner. Why is Alice so flustered by the news?

Every single character is wonderfully crafted with good bits and bad bits, like us all, which really makes them all believable and you start to think, “crikey there by the grace of God go I” How easy it would be to get caught up in the dreadful situation Alice finds herself. The pace picks up steadily and boy by the end you’re left reeling from the final reveal! Its truly outstanding and you never see it coming. Brilliant book that I urge everyone to read.

Author Bio –

Amanda Ashby and Sally Rigby are a crime writing partnership. Both authors live in New Zealand, have been friends for eighteen years and agree about everything (except musicals). They decided to collaborate on a psychological thriller which they then entered into a competition, run by Boldwood, and which they won!

Social Media Links –  

Amanda: FB – https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100065224701706 IG: https://www.instagram.com/authoramandaashby/

Sally: FB – https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100062304114984 IG: https://www.instagram.com/sally.rigby.author/

Joint IG: https://www.instagram.com/amandarigbybooks/

With Thanks for the Advance Copy to ……………

Rachel Gilbey

Amanda Ashby and Sally Rigby

Boldwood Books

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Book Review “End Game” By Liz Mistry

BOOK REVIEW (BLOGTOUR) NO: 184

Police Procedural Thriller

Series, Book 6 Detective Nikki Parekh

Length : 363 pages

Publisher : HQ Digital

SYNOPSIS/BOOK BLURB & purchase links

End Game

Four dead bodies. One missing person. Let the game begin.

When an anonymous tip-off leads Detective Nikki Parekh and DS Sajid Malik to the sprawling Salinger estate, Nikki’s senses are on high alert. The brutal murder of all four members of the Salinger family has shocked the sleepy Bradford village to the core.

A mother, father, daughter, and son. . .  all killed in exactly the same way – whilst sat around the coffee table, playing a game of monopoly.

But Nikki notices that there are five pieces on the board. One of the players is missing… Did they manage to escape the killer, or was the killer part of the game?

Purchase Links

UK – https://www.amazon.co.uk/End-Game-absolutely-procedural-Detective-ebook/dp/B0BSWNHX66/

US – https://www.amazon.com/End-Game-absolutely-procedural-Detective-ebook/dp/B0BSWNHX66/

REVIEW ~ NIKI PRESTON ~ 4 STARS

If you love a great, gritty explosive Police Procedural thriller then absolutely give End Game a read. It’s set at a fabulous pace that keeps you involved from the off. This is book 6 in the Nikki Parekh series but I feel it worked well as a standalone too. Liz Mistry gives you enough back detail to work out the team and how they work together.

The initial murder scene is brutal, with the deaths of a whole family whilst playing monopoly. However there appears to have been a fifth guest that has disappeared. Are they the murderer? Have they managed to escape the attack? more importantly, who are they and where are they?

If this isn’t enough to grab you then there is also the fact that the Salinger family lost another daughter, Marnie, many years before the family are viciously murdered. There are many secrets lying within this family, their friends, businesses and love lives.

The relationship between Nikki and her trusty sidekick Saj is brilliantly crafted. They know each inside out and work superbly well together. They hold the whole together with a strength that just carries the whole plot to its accomplished end.

Author Bio –

Born in Scotland made in Bradford sums up LIZ MISTRY’s life. Over thirty-five years ago she moved from a small village in West Lothian to Yorkshire to get her teaching degree. Once here, Liz fell in love with three things: curries, the rich cultural diversity of the city… and her Indian husband (not necessarily in this order). Now thirty years, three children, Scumpy, the cat, and a huge extended family later, Liz uses her experiences of living and working in the inner city to flavour her writing. Her gritty crime fiction police procedural novels set in Bradford embrace the city she describes as ‘Warm, Rich and Fearless’, whilst exploring the darkness that lurks beneath.

Having struggled with severe clinical depression and anxiety for many years, Liz often includes mental health themes in her writing. She credits the MA in Creative Writing she took at Leeds Trinity University with helping her find a way of using her writing to navigate her ongoing mental health struggles. Liz’s PhD research contributes significantly to debates concerning issues of inclusion and diversity of representation within the most socially engaged genre of contemporary crime fiction Being a debut novelist in her fifties was something Liz had only dreamed of and she counts herself lucky, whilst pinching herself regularly to make sure it’s all real.

You can contact Liz via her website https://www.lizmistry.com/

Social Media Links –

Twitter @LizMistryAuthor https://twitter.com/LizMistryAuthor

Facebook @LizMistrybooks https://www.facebook.com/LizMistrybooks  

Website https://www.lizmistry.com

With Thanks for The Advance Copy to ………………………

Rachel Gilbey

Liz Mistry

HQ Digital

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Book Review “For My Sins” by S C Cunningham

BOOK REVIEW (BLOGTOUR) NO: 183

The David Trilogy

Series

Length : 421

Publisher : Independently published

SYNOPSIS/BOOK BLURB

For My Sins 

An addictive mix of ‘Lock Stock’, ‘RocknRolla’, ‘Killing Eve’, and ‘Line of Duty’.  

Knowing his days are numbered, a seasoned criminal finds his life calling, to expose and cull the sordid underbelly of the world’s elite. Delicious, charming, cunning, avenging, David Howard escapes prison and agrees to an MI6 deal, to close down a high-profile trafficking ring in exchange for his freedom – setting a thief to catch a thief. 
 
With a target on his back, he’s helped by a rogue police unit, working behind the scenes to right cases that fall through the courts’ fingers. In an unlikely coupling, they share a goal… and will risk everything to attain it. 
 
A page-turning, cheeky, thought-provoking, at times laugh-out-loud, contemporary psycho-thriller, that comes with a warning. 
 
CAUTION 
Adult language, sex, violence, triggers. 
 

REVIEW ~ NIKI PRESTON ~ 4 STARS

As this is a trilogy I feel you really do need to read the others first. Book 3 does work well as a standalone but to get the full experience I would recommend reading all of the series.

For my Sins is a darkly compelling read with a fast pace that is often quite funny alongside the twists and darkness. A great combo and very different, A book that you don’t realise you’re speeding through as it’s holding your attention intensely throughout.

Classed as a psycho thriller that does tackle some topics that some may find triggering so take note of the warnings. I however found it epic and wished I had known about the series before. There is violence and plenty of swearing but it absolutely does belong in a story of this nature. Dark, gruesome, intense, funny and most of all superbly engaging.

Having worked in the worlds of sport, music, celebrity management, and law enforcement (CID Crime Investigator, Major Crime Team Intel Analyst, Wanted & Absconder Unit), Cunningham creates psychological thrillers with a skilled mix of fuelled tension, dark humor, and pulsating passion, offering a fresh level of sincerity and authority, rare in fiction. 
 
THE DAVID TRILOGY 
The Penance List 
Unfinished Business 
For My Sins 

Social Media Links –  

https://linktr.ee/AuthorSCCunningham

With Thanks for The Advance Copy to ……………….

Rachel Gilbey

S C Cunningham

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Book Review “The Assistant” by Amanda Reynolds

BOOK REVIEW (BLOGTOUR) NO : 182

Psychological Thriller

Standalone

Length : 342 pages

Publisher : Boldwood Books

SYNOPSIS/BOOK BLURB & purchase links

The Assistant

I know many things about Larissa.

I know what she eats, which must-have brands she applies to her face, and the price of each carefully selected ‘piece’ in her multi-million-pound home in Belgravia.

Because Ris, as she is known to her many followers, likes to share.

And now I’m here, in her home, watching her every move.

Entrusted with her secrets and running her diary from the bijou basement flat, I’m on hand to fulfil Ris’ every need. Her right-hand woman. But what she doesn’t know is why I’m really here.

I’ve put a lot on the line to get this job, and now my plan can begin.

I’ve waited long enough.

Purchase Link – https://amzn.to/3Wa9SY2

REVIEW ~ NIKI PRESTON ~ 3.5 STARS

The Assistant holds plenty of intrigue with the format being a set of interviews told my the main protagonist, Gail. We get a look inside the lives of the rich and bored. A self important woman, Ris who feels she needs a PA to run her life although her life revolves around, nails, hair and any other number of pampering. She broke up a marriage and is now the wife of a millionaire and laps up the lifestyle.

The characters are strongly written, especially Gail. I did take me a bit of time to get into the book but once I found my way around the interview concept it certainly held my attention. I wanted to know exactly what Gail was after. What was it about Ris that pushed Gail on to try and bring her down. The tension at times is palpable and I found Amanda Reynolds has created a great read that makes you jump between disliking Gail or really seeing everything from her point of view. Once you figure out who is saying what in the interviews you can settle in for a great read.

Author Bio –

Amanda Reynolds is the bestselling psychological suspense author whose debut novel, Close To Me, was adapted as a major six-part TV series for Channel 4 in 2021. Previously published by Headline, her books have been translated into multiple languages. Amanda lives near Cheltenham.

Social Media Links

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AmandaReynoldsAuthor 

Twitter https://twitter.com/amandareynoldsj

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/ajreynolds2/

Bookbub profile: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/amanda-reynolds 

With Thanks for the Advance Copy to ……….

Rachel Gilbey

Amanda Reynolds

Boldwood Books

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Book Review “The Officer’s Wife ” by Catherine Law

BOOK REVIEW (BLOGTOUR) NO: 181

Historical WW2 Drama

Standalone

Length : 321 pages

Publisher : Boldwood Books

SYNOPSIS/BOOK BLURB & purchase links

The Officer’s Wife

1939 – American heiress Vivi Miles falls for naval officer Nathan as soon as she arrives in England. And, under the threat of war, they marry in a whirlwind before he leaves to join his ship.

When Nathan returns from Dunkirk injured, he is distant, aloof, and no longer the man Vivi fell in love with. But it’s not just because of his brutal experiences of war. Nathan has a secret and Vivi suspects it’s linked to the mysterious evacuee at the secluded house in the woods on his Kent estate.

As war continues to rage, Vivi battles her own grief and loneliness, and tries to find out the truth of the girl’s identity, uncovering a scandal from the past.

Is her love for Nathan strong enough to survive?

Purchase Link – https://amzn.to/3QgqLiu 

REVIEW ~ NIKI PRESTON ~ 4 STARS

First things first, Wow what a gorgeous cover. It definitely catches your eye and you just want to dive in. I don’t often mention the Cover but this one really stands out.

Anyway back to the book. Set in WW2 and based around the rather stunning American heiress Vivi Miles as she moves the the UK and we follow how her life changes far beyond anything Vivi could have imagined; and just what is going on in the cottage with the woods? Intrigue aplenty. I was quickly immersed in this story of friendship, love and family. The characters are written superbly well and are all realistic in the trials and tribulations they have to endure at this terrible time.

The history and it’s accuracy only serves to add to the drama unfolding. Ever the Lady in every sense, Vivi conducts herself in the only way she knows, with honesty and integrity. Nobody knows when love will strike, when strong bonds will be formed and whether forgiveness with be forthcoming. I can not explain further without there being huge spoilers so I heartily recommend you go and grab a copy of this beautiful book and immerse yourself in the drama of WW2 and beyond. Find out how it all turns out for Vivi, her husband, her friends, her family, her future.

Author Bio – 

Catherine Law lives in Kent, 10 minutes from the sea, having grown up in Harrow. And ever since she was a child, she has loved to create stories. She writes romantic novels set in the first half of the 20th century, in and around the First and Second World Wars. Her books are inspired by the tales our mothers, grandmothers and great-grandmothers tell us, and the secrets they keep. 

Social Media Links

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/catherinelawbooks  Twitter: https://twitter.com/AuthorCathLaw 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/catherinelawauthor/  

Newsletter Sign Up: https://bit.ly/CatherineLawNews

Bookbub profile: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/catherine-law

With Thanks for the Advance Copy to ………

Rachal Gilbey

Catherine Law

Boldwood Books

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Book Review “Summer Nights at the Starfish Café” by Jessica Redland

BOOK REVIEW (BLOGTOUR) NO: 180

Starfish Café series Book 3

Series, Romance

Length : 408 pages

Publisher: Boldwood Books

SYNOPSIS/BOOK BLURB & purchase links

Welcome back to The Starfish Café for a glorious summer, but with a few dark clouds on the horizon…

A new beginning…

As her summer wedding to Jake approaches, Hollie is excited for their new beginning as a family. But when some unexpected news threatens the future she and Jake had hoped for, Hollie will need to find the strength to overcome heartache once more.

A fragile heart….

Single mum, Kerry, loves her job at The Starfish Café, but behind the brave smiles and laughter with customers there is a sadness deep within. So when someone from her past re-appears in her life, Kerry can either hide away or face her demons and try to finally move on from her heartbreak.

A summer to remember…

For Hollie and Kerry it promises to be an emotional rollercoaster of a summer, but the community at The Starfish Café will always be there to help them through – after all, with courage nothing is impossible…

Join top 10 bestseller Jessica Redland for a wonderful summer at the seaside, full of love, friendship and community spirit.

Purchase Link – https://amzn.to/3GxA5dk

REVIEW ~ NIKI PRESTON ~ 5 STARS PLUS

I know that I have said it before but I am going to say it again, Jessica Redland takes the Romance genre and smashes it out of the park every single time. The first book in this series, Snowflakes over the Starfish Café is one of my all favourites in this genre and I really didn’t think I could love a book more until now! Jessica knows how to move her readers from laughter to tears and back again. I was an emotional wreck, in a good way by the time I had finished. My favourite analogy referring to a Rubik Cube returns in this book, I am not going to say what it is about but it really is the perfect analogy for life and all the ups and downs we go through to get to the better bits. It made me cry in book one and I was at it again in book three. Trust me you are going to need a huge box of tissues for this one. Tears of joy and tears of utter heartbreak but of course ending on a huge high, more tissues.

The main characters, Jake and Holly are just superbly written, understated yet truly believable people. A perfect couple who deserve happiness. You find yourself rooting for them every step of the way. especially when Jake’s totally off the chart nuts estranged sister makes a return and creates more hurt for Jake. I just wanted to take her away, give her a good talking to and tell her to stay away!.

Every character in Summer Nights at the Starfish café has a purpose. They all add their own special something to the story. Jessica creates a beautiful world around the main scene of the Café. love, loss, life and happiness all revolve around this wonderful place. Honestly this is a series that does not let you down. If you need a story that has fabulous life lessons, epic friendships and enduring love then this is the one for you. Go Jessica, you are my Romance Heroine.

Author Bio –

Jessica Redland writes emotional but uplifting stories of love, friendship, family and community. Her Whitsborough Bay books transport readers to the stunning North Yorkshire Coast where she lives with her husband, daughter and sprocker spaniel. Her Hedgehog Hollow series, set in a hedgehog rescue centre, takes readers into the beautiful rolling countryside of the Yorkshire Wolds.

Social Media Links

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100004465368404

Twitter: https://twitter.com/JessicaRedland

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jessicaredlandauthor/

Newsletter Sign Up: https://bit.ly/JessicaRedlandNews

Bookbub profile: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/jessica-redland

With Thanks for The Advance Copy to ……….

Rachel Gilbey

Jessica Redland

Boldwood Books

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Book Review “Hopeful hearts at the Cornish Cove” by Kim Nash

BOOK REVIEW (BLOGTOUR) NO: 179

Romance

Standalone

Length : 270 pages

Publisher : Boldwood Books

SYNOPSIS/BOOK BLURB & purchase Links

A perfect new start in Cornwall…

Meredith’s life is at a standstill. She’s stuck in a dead-end job, approaching fifty, and her dating life is a string of disasters. But one evening, while browsing the internet, she sees an ad for a lighthouse, and in a moment of impulsiveness, she makes a ridiculous bid for it.

With the help of local handyman Clem, she sets about renovating. And as they work together, a bond begins to form. But when Meredith finds out that Clem is keeping a secret from her, it changes everything. Will they find a way to build something more meaningful together?

A delightful story about community, friendship and having the courage to start over, perfect for fans of Carole Matthews, Milly Johnson and Lucy Dillon

Purchase Link – https://amzn.to/3WN6PWM 

REVIEW ~ NIKI PRESTON ~ 5 STARS

When this book is marketed as “feel good” they really meant it. This book is a charming, gentle read but with plenty going on. A few dastardly moves and underhandedness that Meredith is totally in the dark about as she takes a huge life risk, up sticks and relocates 300 miles away in a the picturesque Cornish village Driftwood Bay. It even sounds romantic.

The Lighthouse Meredith bought online, unseen is definitely far from what she was expected. Its ramshackle and not at all renovated as she was led to believe. Cue handsome, good with his hands Clem and things start to happen and not just in the way of renovations. Phew, many steamy moments later and you’ve found yourself with only a few chapters left and no idea where the hours went.

Kim Nash creates a brilliant backdrop for this romance novel. I loved that it is actually a damn fine read and not all mushy and gooey eyes, dribbling all over each way. It is just life, new starts, friendships and hopefully, everything crossed a good dollop of love thrown in. Will Meredith stay when she finds out something that she would rather not have known? Who is being honest with her? Will she ever be accepted in Driftwood Bay by the not so welcoming locals? well some of the locals anyway.

Honestly this is an utterly delightful read, beautifully described locations and endearing characters that will have you wanting to move into the nearest Lighthouse pronto. Hopeful Hearts at the Cornish Cove is an absolute gem of a story that will warm your cockles. Perfect.

Author Bio –

Kim Nash is the author of uplifting, funny, heartwarming, romantic, feel-good fiction. She lives in Staffordshire with son Ollie and English Setter rescue dog Roni, is Digital Publicity Director for publisher Bookouture (division of Hachette UK), and is a book blogger at http://www.kimthebookworm.co.uk. When she’s not working or writing, Kim can be found walking her dog at Cannock Chase, reading, writing and binge-watching box sets on the TV.

Social Media Links –  

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KimTheBookWorm

Twitter https://twitter.com/KimTheBookworm

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/kim_the_bookworm/

Bookbub profile: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/kim-nash

With Thanks for The Advance Copy to ……………

Rachel Gilbey

Kim Nash

Boldwood Books

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Book Review “The Last Wife” by J.A.Baker

BOOK REVIEW (BLOFTOUR) NO : 178

Psychological Thriller

Standalone

Length : 300 pages

Publisher : Boldwood Books

SYNOPSIS/BOOK BLURB & purchase links

Welcome to Winters End…

Winters End should have been the perfect place for me and my husband Neil to start again. To leave the terrible secrets and guilt of our past far behind us.

But from the moment we arrived in the small, isolated community, it becomes clear to me that we are not welcome here. That someone wants us to leave…

I’m certain that everyone knows our secrets – knows who we really are. But how can that be?

Perhaps it’s my mind playing tricks on me. Just like before.

I know Neil thinks I’m paranoid. My thoughts spiralling. Again.

If only I had someone else to talk to. Another woman to confide in.

And that’s when I realise something far more terrifying.

I am the only wife at Winters End…and I could be the last…

Purchase Link – https://amzn.to/3Qu17qN

REVIEW ~ NIKI PRESTON ~ 5 STARS

Extraordinary, simply extraordinary. The Last Wife starts out relatively calm and peaceful. You’re getting into the story, understanding the reasons why Neil and Fiona have taken the drastic move to a tiny island called Winter’s End. A few chapters in and you find you’ve edged forwards in your seat, read a few more chapters, you’ve edged forwards again and before you know it you have become that “Edge of your seat” cliché. Honestly though this really is edge of the seat stuff. You hit a certain point where you just want to yell at them to LEAVE! This place is weird, the people are weirder and boy does J.A.Baker know how to create a creepy character, a gripping plot and twists that you just wouldn’t believe.

I admired the tenacity of Fiona. She knew something was off and she didn’t want to just leave it. Why is she the only wife? where the heck have all the others gone? Were there any others?

Neil however wound me up for a good portion of the story as he was trying to see the good in everyone and everything. He was quite dismissive of Fiona’s feelings and just painted on a chirpy face. I feel deep down he did know that perhaps Fiona was right but he just couldn’t face any more upheaval after everything they’d given up to move to Creepy Ville.

The Last Wife will keep you awake till the wee small hours but it’s worth every single hour.

Author Bio –

J. A. Baker is a successful psychological thriller writer of numerous books, previously published by Bloodhound. Born and brought up in Middlesbrough, she still lives in the North East, which inspires the settings for her books. Her first title for Boldwood will be published in December 2022.

Social Media Links –  

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thewriterjude

Twitter: https://twitter.com/thewriterjude

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jabakerauthor/

Bookbub profile: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/j-a-baker-5878014f-43f0-4740-a2f0-622d4db0975e

With Thanks for the Advance Copy to …..

Rachel Gilbey

J.A.Baker

Boldwood Books

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