April is always one of my favourite months. When I lived in the UK it held the promise of Spring and Spring flowers and bluebell woods. Now, I’m living in Australia it’s the middle of autumn, with thankfully cooler days after a record-breaking summer. It’s also the birth month I shared with my Dad.

This year April has been incredibly busy, as I was racing to finish my elephant story for The Regent’s Menagerie. Mine is in the Sexy set, but both books promise to be so much fun. Currently, both books are available for Pre-order at a special 99c/ 99p price.

Release date is June 21st

Volume 1, Sweet:

https://books2read.com/SweetMenagerie?store=amazon

or shorter url https://tinyurl.com/4nkff89a

Volume 2, Sexy:

https://books2read.com/SexyMenagerie?store=amazon

shorter url: https://tinyurl.com/58pvnzs5

Additionally, I had my flu jab and sore arm for few days. My writing group was producing an anthology .They graciously held space for my contribution. There were birthday celebrations-more about that later, and I still found time to read!

Summer at The Santorini Bookshop by Rebecca Raisin.

A Greek island holiday. A fake-dating pact. A chance at true love?
After losing her job as a book scout, hopeless romantic Evie needs a fresh start. So when she hears that her eccentric grandmother has just taken on a small bookshop in Santorini, Evie jumps at the chance to visit her.
But life on the island is not as idyllic as it first seems. Gran has a tempestuous relationship with her landlord and he’s threatening to take the bookshop away from her. So when Gran asks Evie to fake a romance with her landlord’s Greek God of a grandson, Georgios, to keep the family on side, she reluctantly agrees.
As the sun sets on Evie’s Greek holiday, can she save the bookshop – and fake date her way to love?

352 pages, Paperback Expected publication May 7, 2024

My Review.

An enjoyable escape from humdrum reality. Evie’s family has a problem with Grandma. She has never behaved as a grandma should. Now she has bought a bookshop in Santorini. As Evie is currently unemployed it’s obvious, she’s the one to sort it out. For book nerd Evie, a bookshop is a paradise, but she’s not as well equipped to handle all grandma’s problems. These include an irate landlord who is threatening to sell the shop, his gorgeous nephew Georgios, as well as Grandma’s disappeared husband (no 9) and a pack of rescue dogs.

Despite knowing it would all end happily, I enjoyed the twists and turns of this journey. A great holiday read!

The Busy Body by Kemper Donovan.

It’s a dream assignment. Former Senator Dorothy Gibson, aka that woman, is the most talked-about person in the country right now, though largely for the wrong reasons. As an independent candidate for President of the United States, Dorothy split the vote and is being blamed for the shocking result. After her very public defeat, she’s retreated to her home in rural Maine, inviting her ghostwriter to join her.

Her collaborator is impressed by Dorothy’s work ethic and steel-trap mind, not to mention the stunning surroundings (and one particularly gorgeous bodyguard). But when a neighbor dies under suspicious circumstances, Dorothy is determined to find the killer in their midst. And when Dorothy Gibson asks if you want to team up for a top secret, possibly dangerous murder investigation, the only answer “Of course!”

The best ghostwriters are adept at asking questions and spinning stories . . . two talents, it turns out, that also comes in handy for sleuths. Dorothy’s political career, meanwhile, has made her an expert at recognizing lies and double-dealing. Working together, the two women are soon untangling motives and whittling down suspects, to the exasperation of local police. But this investigation-much like the election-may not unfold the way anyone expects.

336 pages, Hardcover First published January 23, 2024

My Review.

This book has created a lot of buzz and it certainly sounded intriguing. Of course, I was drawing comparisons between the fictional Dorothy Gibson and Hilary Clinton. It’s interesting to reflect on the difficulties for a ghostwriter to accurately convey someone else’s thoughts and feelings. Especially someone as guarded as a practised politician. The break with routine should provide them with time to do that, but then there is a murder. All the ingredients are there, but sadly the book didn’t gel for me.

The Wake -Up Call by Beth O’Leary

Two hotel receptionists–and arch-rivals–find a collection of old wedding rings and compete to return them to their owners, discovering their own love story along the way.

It’s the busiest season of the year, and Forest Manor Hotel is quite literally falling apart. So, when Izzy and Lucas are given the same shift on the hotel’s front desk, they have no choice but to put their differences aside and see it through.

The hotel won’t stay afloat beyond Christmas without some sort of miracle. But when Izzy returns a guest’s lost wedding ring, the reward convinces management that this might be the way to fix everything. With four rings still sitting in the lost & found, the race is on for Izzy and Lucas to save their beloved hotel–and their jobs.

As their bitter rivalry turns into something much more complicated, Izzy and Lucas begin to wonder if there’s more at stake here than the hotel’s future. Can the two of them make it through the season with their hearts intact?

356 pages, Paperback. First published September 26, 2023

My Review.

A fun, easy-to-read and engaging story. Misunderstandings, hurt feelings, competitiveness and rivalries are all compounded by the ticking clock of a post-Christmas closure.

 I Remember Paris by Lucy Diamond.

‘I enjoyed it SO much!’ MARIAN KEYES’As multi-layered, rich and enjoyable as a giant mille-feuille. You will adore it’ MILLY JOHNSON.

Jess Bright, single mum and journalist, feels her life has stalled. So, when she’s offered a writing job in Paris for the summer, she leaps at the chance to go. Hasn’t she always felt that she left a piece of her heart in the city years before. Her subject is the iconic artist Adelaide Fox, whose personal life has been steeped in scandal and intrigue. Now approaching eighty, she’s ready to tell her side of the story – and serve up some scalding-hot revenge in the process. Amidst a stormy working relationship, Jess and Adelaide must face up to their pasts. As passionate affairs, terrible betrayals and life-changing secrets surface, there may be more surprises in store than either of them dared imagine . . .Set in the city of love, with two unforgettable protagonists, I REMEMBER PARIS is a glorious, life-affirming novel about second chances, unlikely friendships and finding your way back to yourself

‘Escapist, romantic and a little bit scandalous, this is Lucy Diamond at her page-turning best’ VERONICA HENRY.

My Review.

Thoroughly enjoyed this. A writer is invited to ghostwrite an autobiography of an intriguing female artist.  Mistakes both past and present affect the future. Add in Jess’s family dynamic. Adelaide’s stubborn nature, old flames and secrets combined with Paris itself. There is so much to savour and enjoy

The Happiest Ever After by Milly Johnson

What if you could write your own perfect storyline…?
The heartwarming, feelgood novel from the much-loved Sunday Times bestselling author, Milly Johnson

Polly Potter is surviving, not thriving. She used to love her job – until her mentor died and her new boss decided to make her life hell. She used to love her partner Chris – until he cheated on her, and now she can’t forget. The only place where her life is working is on the pages of the novel she is writing – there she can create a feistier, bolder, more successful version of herself – as the ­fictional Sabrina Anderson.

But what if it was possible to start over again? To leave everything behind, forget all that went before, and live the life you’d always dreamed of?

After a set of unforeseen circumstances, Polly ends up believing she really IS Sabrina, living at the heart of a noisy Italian family restaurant by the sea. Run by Teddy, the son of her new landlady Marielle, it’s a much-loved place, facing threat of closure as a rival restaurant moves in next door. Sabrina can’t remember her life as Polly, but she knows she is living a different life from the one she used to have.
But what if this new life could belong to her after all?

My Review,

Many of us will identify with how Polly’s life was before she lost her memory.  What does it say about that life that no one was actively looking for her?  I was cheering Polly on as her new life unfolded, willing her to succeed. In my opinion, Milly Johnson has created a character many of us can relate to and care about. I think Milly has taken over Maeve Binchy’s mantle

The Siren of Sussex by Mimi Matthews

Victorian high society’s most daring equestrienne finds love and an unexpected ally in her fight for independence in the strong arms of London’s most sought-after and devastatingly handsome half-Indian tailor.

Evelyn Maltravers understands exactly how little she’s worth on the marriage mart. As an incurable bluestocking from a family tumbling swiftly toward ruin, she knows she’ll never make a match in a ballroom. Her only hope is to distinguish herself by making the biggest splash in the one sphere she excels: on horseback. In haute couture. But to truly capture London’s attention she’ll need a habit-maker who’s not afraid to take risks with his designs—and with his heart.

Half-Indian tailor Ahmad Malik has always had a talent for making women beautiful, inching his way toward recognition by designing riding habits for Rotten Row’s infamous Pretty Horsebreakers—but no one compares to Evelyn. Her unbridled spirit enchants him, awakening a depth of feeling he never thought possible.

But pushing boundaries comes at a cost and not everyone is pleased to welcome Evelyn and Ahmad into fashionable society. With obstacles spanning between them, the indomitable pair must decide which hurdles they can jump and what matters most: making their mark or following their hearts?

First published January 11, 2022

My Review.

Great title and an interesting read, parts of which would be of interest to those who know more about riding than I do. For me, the most appealing parts were the discussions on how to dress and also how the romance progressed.

The Cat Who Caught a Killer. by L.T Shearer.

Conrad the Cat Detective 1

Meet Conrad the cat. You’ve never met a detective like him before.
Neither has Lulu Lewis when he walks into her life one summer’s day. Mourning the recent death of her husband, the former police detective had expected a gentle retirement, quietly enjoying life on her new canal boat, The Lark, and visiting her mother-in-law Emily in a nearby care home.

But when Emily dies suddenly in suspicious circumstances, Lulu senses foul play and resolves to find out what really happened. And a remarkable cat named Conrad will be with her every step of the way . . .

318 pages, Kindle Edition First published October 27, 2022

My Review.

It seemed as if this book would be like catnip to me, a cat detective who is a talking cat. I wanted to like the book, but unfortunately, I didn’t.

 It was heavy-handed in the extreme with info dumps and non-sequiturs. It felt as if I was reading information straight from Google or Wikipedia. And then incidentally in the middle of the book was a recipe for how to cook fish.

As there are currently three in the series, I must assume that some people have found these books enjoyable.

The Most Dangerous Duke in London by Madeline Hunter.

Decadent Dukes Society 1.

Three sinfully handsome dukes, three scores to settle, three hearts about to meet their matches. All in one thrilling new trilogy from New York Times best selling author Madeline Hunter…

NOTORIOUS NOBLEMAN SEEKS REVENGE.

Name and Title :Adam Penrose, Duke of Stratton. Affiliation: London’s elite Society of Decadent Dukes. Family history: Scandalous. Personality traits: Dark and brooding, with a thirst for revenge. Ideal romantic partner: A woman of means, with beauty and brains, willing to live with reckless abandon. Desire: Clara Cheswick, gorgeous daughter of his family’s sworn enemy.

FAINT OF HEART NEED NOT APPLY.

Clara may be the woman Adam wants, but there’s one problem: she’s far more interested in publishing her women’s journal than getting married -especially to a man said to be dead set on vengeance. Though, with her nose for a story Clara wonders if his desire for justice is sincere- along with his incredibly innerving intention to be her husband. If her weak- kneed response to his kiss i any indication, falling for Adam clearly comes with a cost. But who knew courting danger could be such exhilarating fun?

My Review

It’s a pleasant change to read a book with an older heroine and one who has a purpose beyond matrimony. Clara’s thirst for independence runs counter to Adam’s desire to marry her. Having recently tasted freedom why would she choose to give it up?  Yet, she cannot deny in spite of the suspicions and doubts there is an attraction between them. Family secrets have to be probed and past events re-examined before they can hope to have a “happily ever after.”

Birthday! Actually Birthday months…

The stars aligned, I don’t know how it happened but I will be celebrating until June. All I can say is I have some wonderful friends. So far I have had a casual lunch, a luxurious and expensive lunch, a coffee catch up, where I was gifted with a manicure /pedicure voucher .There is another lunch next week taking my birthday well into May. But wait! There’s more… a dear friend bought tickets to a show I have been longing to see and that happens in June!

What else have I been up to?

Next week I’m writing a passion project close to my heart, a memoir of my late teens and early twenties. My life was far more complicated and challenging then and its something I’ve avoided talking about for a long time. Somehow now, it feels as if the time is right.