Your Beautiful Lies by Louise Douglas

*****

I’ve loved everything Louise Douglas has written previously and I had great hopes for this book – thankfully I wasn’t disappointed as it is a great read! 

Annie grew up in Matlow, the daughter of a miner.  Whilst in her teens she was in love with local lad Tom, who was imprisoned for the manslaughter of an old lady.  She is now married to William, the local police chief who has a reputation for being incorruptible, and although she has an affluent lifestyle her days are repetitive and tedious, consisting of cooking, the school run and caring for her frail mother-in-law.   Annie is troubled by the news that Tom has served his time and is back in the area insisting he is innocent.  Despite her initial reservations, Annie is drawn to Tom and seeks to find the passion that is so lacking in her life.

Set in the 1980’s miner’s strike the atmosphere of the book is bleak and claustrophobic.  Being from that area and living through the strike, I thought it was very well written and captures the despondency and hopelessness of the whole situation.  It’s a gritty read and all the main characters are seriously flawed; Annie in particular is not a sympathetic character, she’s childish and self-absorbed.  The only character I felt any warmth towards was William’s mother who has flashes of clarity amidst her increasing confusion and bewilderment of senility.

All the threads are skilfully brought together and culminates in a shocking ending.

It’s a fantastic book, more serious in tone and scope than her early novels, and I look forward to her next one.

Thank you to Netgalley and Random House UK, Transworld for my review copy.

Little Lies by Liane Moriarty

*****

I loved this book!  It’s clever, tightly structured and I couldn’t put it down.

The story starts with a tragedy at a primary school social event but then goes back to the events leading up to this climax and introduces us to the parents and children in the wealthy Australian suburb.  The reader knows something horrific has happened but you have to be patient whilst the story unwinds.

Jane is the young single mum of Ziggy; new to the area and slightly out of her depth she is quickly adopted by the feisty and loyal Madeline who is an established mum at the school and her friend, the beautiful but rather insular Celeste.  However, the first day of school goes badly wrong for Ziggy and the consequences impacts across the whole school community.

More than a whodunit, it looks at relationships, friendships and loyalties.  I thought it was brilliantly written, switching between a gossipy style where the dialogue is sparklingly witty but also at times heartbreakingly sad.   The “mommy mafia” are truly horrific, as a teacher I would hate to come across any of them!  I had every sympathy for the inexperienced teacher Miss Barnes, who finally gets to be herself at the Audrey and Elvis event when she lets her hair down!  I particularly loved Madeline who is well aware of her own shallowness but she is the perfect foil for the reclusive Jane.  

I haven’t read anything else by this author but will certainly looking at her earlier books.

All I can say is read it now, it’s brilliant.

Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin UK for my review copy.

A Place For Us (Part 1) by Harriet Evans

****

This is the first of four instalments and thankfully I don’t have too long to wait to be able to get my hands on the next part!  It comes out later this month and it’s already on my Amazon wishlist.

Martha is preparing for her eightieth birthday party and sends out invitations including a cryptic comment about an important announcement.  The parties at Winterfold are legendary but the once close-knit family appears to have become more scattered of late.  The story is told with chapters written from the perspective of different characters which reveals their own secrets.

It’s a slow build that gradually discloses the cracks in the seemingly perfect lives of the Winters.  There are a lot of characters involved, which I found a bit muddled at first, but despite that I was desperate to read on and find out more about Martha’s announcement and it ends on a real cliffhanger.

I haven’t read anything by Harriet Evans for a while (I loved A Hopeless Romantic) and this has spurred me to find a couple of books that have been languishing for ages on my kindle.  I will definitely read on as the rest of the series becomes available.

Thank you to Netgalley and Headline for my review copy.

Quarter Past Two on a Wednesday Afternoon by Linda Newbery

****

Teenager Rose disappears from the garden during a summer afternoon.  There are no answers and no peace for her parents Sandra and Don Taverner and younger sister Anna.

In the present, Sandra seems to be unravelling at the prospect of finally moving home and losing the last point of connection with Rose.  

The gradual unveiling of the family secrets by moving backwards and forwards in time shows how snap decisions and thoughtless actions create family drama and tensions in the future.

The author skilfully portrays the hurt and pain of not knowing and the impact this has on all involved.  At first I found Anna, now in her thirties, to be an unsympathetic character, as she appears selfish, a bit of an outsider who is unwilling to commit.  However as the story unfolds and the reader is able to see the damage that Rose’s disappearance has done and the effect of continuous guilt and remorse, this drives her need to find answers and to resolve her ambiguous feelings towards Rose.

I don’t feel able to say much more without spoiling the slow build for others.  An emotional and thought-provoking read.


Thank you to Netgalley and Random House UK, Transworld for my review copy.

What Would Mary Berry Do? by Claire Sandy

****

Marie Dunwoody is a domestic disaster.  Her ignominious failure to produce a suitable showstopper cake for the school summer fete and the regular humiliation of comparing herself to perfect neighbour Lucy, sets Marie on a mission to do better next year and so she buys a recipe book by Mary Berry. 

Life isn’t easy in the Dunwoody household.  Husband, Robert is having a difficult time at work and the only way to outdo his competitive colleagues is to emulate Paul Hollywood and become a baker extraordinaire.  A new slick dental surgery threatens Marie’s livelihood and there’s the teenage traumas of Angus and their besotted neighbour “goth girl” Chloe being helped along by the twins, Rose and Iris.

Can cake conquer all?  Does Mary have all the answers?

I really enjoyed this.  It’s a light and frothy read, perfect now GBBO is back and for all fans of Jenny Colgan.  The various baking disasters and triumphs, new friendships and the exploits of Marie’s children and employees make it a great summer read.

Thanks to Netgalley and Pan Macmillan for my review copy.

Where Love Lies by Julie Cohen

*****

I loved this book!  It’s fantastic and it’s one that I will pester my friends to read as I just want to share it.

Felicity has the perfect husband.   Quinn adores her and she was swept up in his kindness whilst still grieving the loss of her mother.  He accepts her quirkiness and ensures life is consistent and safe, but is that enough?  Living in the village, where Quinn grew up, with an overpowering mother-in-law very close at hand is proving to be stifling to one who is artistic and impulsive.

Felicity’s world changes when a distinctive fragrance permeates her life and prompts her to recall a long lost love affair.  She turned her back on Ewan ten years ago, but was that the right decision?  Felicity needs to discover if these new overwhelming feelings triggered by the scent are real and what they mean for her future.

The book charts the dilemma for Felicity of seeking where her real love lies, but it goes much deeper than that.  It isn’t simply the story of a woman making a choice, it’s about where does love come from and how do we feel it.  Felicity has the potential to destroy Quinn’s life by choosing Ewan but in finding him she offers Ewan a lifeline that he might otherwise have lost.

Julie Cohen has created a beautifully crafted novel that at times is overwhelming and uncomfortable to read.  It is very well observed and in particular, Felicity’s grief for her mother is palpable.  It asks big questions of what is love and does your head rule your heart; there’s a fair bit of brain science involved too but it’s integral to the story.  It’s not your usual romantic read, it stays with you and I had a late night wanting to see what ultimately happens to these vibrant and flawed characters.  There was a real sense of how people are damaged by grief and loss but it is also full of hope and the redemptive power of love.

I received this book for review through netgalley.  Thank you to Random House UK, Transworld Publishers.

The Summer Guest by Emma Hannigan

****

It appears that Lexi Collins and her husband Sam have the perfect lifestyle in Caracove Bay.  They have a thriving art business, a busy social life and a beautiful house on Cashel Square.  Their peace is disturbed by the increasing demand to have a baby from Lexi’s mother which stirs up unsettling memories of the past and creates friction and misunderstandings between the whole family.

Kathleen Williams suddenly appears on Lexi’s doorstep; visiting from America and keen to see the childhood home she left more than sixty years ago.  Lexi and Sam invite Kathleen to move into their basement flat to stay for the summer so she can revisit old friends and take on the challenges set by her beloved husband.  To add to the mix, wilful teenage niece Amelie, frustrated by the restrictions set by her parents and hoping her “mint-bomb” aunt will be much more understanding, decides to move into Cashel Square.  The three generations of women become close sharing their lives and secrets.

A gentle read about the importance of friendships, love and the power of rainbows.  At times it seems a little simplistic (would you let a complete stranger move into your house?!) and most of the minor characters are just sooooo nice. Although some more difficult issues are broached they are all neatly tied up by the end, but I became really angry about the way Lexi's mother pressured her about having a baby and felt it was some what overdone.  Billed as perfect for fans of Maeve Binchy, it certainly echoes her Irish family sagas and depicts a cosy image of Ireland and it's people.  It's an enjoyable summer read. 

Thank you to lovereading for providing a free copy for review.  A shorter version of this review was submitted to www.lovereading.co.uk