Tag Archives: Contemporary Fiction

One Step Too Far ( Frankie Elkin Book Two) by @LisaGardnerBks #CrimeThriller #NetGalley #TuesdayBookBlog

Posted in Book Review by

51gHxVG9GWLAuthor: Lisa Gardner

Published: January 2022 by Penguin

Category: Crime Thriller, Mystery, Contemporary Fiction

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If he never left the woods, where did he go?
A young man disappears during a stag weekend in the woods. Years later, he’s still missing.
But his friends who were with him that day are still searching for him. Still hunting for answers.
They hike deep into the wilderness.
With them is missing person specialist Frankie Elkin.
What they don’t know is that they are putting their own lives in terrifying danger, and may not come back alive . . .

In this second outing for Frankie Elkin, she reads about Timothy O’ Day in a small local newspaper. Timothy went missing in the Wyoming wilderness several years ago while camping with four friends prior to his marriage. The National Guard and volunteers searched initially but after finding no trace they gradually gave up. 

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Madam Tulip and the Rainbows End by David Ahern #CosyMystery #RBRT @DaveAhernWriter

Posted in Book Review by

416oSRlzE-LAuthor: David Ahern

Published: March 2022 by Malin Press

Category: Cosy Murder Mystery

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On the private island of a wealthy banker, a young and talented stonemason falls from a cliff. A tragic accident? Or murder?

The dead man’s sister is obsessed with justice and will stop at nothing.

A glamorous French widow and her heart-throb son are certain they have been cheated of their legacy.

A daughter is bequeathed an island mansion beyond her means.

An enigmatic letter hints at a hidden fortune.

Madam Tulip and the Rainbow’s End, the fifth instalment of this popular series, finds Derry O’Donnell and her fellow thespian and good friend, ex Navy Seal, Bruce, left to pick up the pieces when the rest of the cast desert the touring production they were involved in, without paying. Not only that, they made off with the box office takings, leaving Derry and Bruce with the hotel and bar bill for everyone.

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Where There’s Doubt by Terry Tyler #ContemporaryFiction #PsycologicalDrama @TerryTyler4 #TuesdayBookBlog

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60693093._SY475_Author: Terry Tyler

Kindle Edition

Category: Contemporary Fiction, Psychological Drama

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Café owner Kate is mentally drained after a tough two years; all she wants from her online chess partner is entertainment on lonely evenings, and maybe a little virtual flirtation.

She is unaware that Nico Lewis is a highly intelligent con artist who, with an intricately spun web of lies about their emotional connection, will soon convince her that he is The One.

Neither does Kate know that his schemes involve women who seek love on dating sites, as well as his small publishing business. A host of excited authors believe Nico is about to make their dreams come true.

Where There’s Doubt is a cautionary tale about the pitfalls of internet dating. Nico Lewis is a master in the art of seduction and, along with his girlfriend and others, is working an intricate scam targeting likely women on dating apps. Befriending them first in order to suss out their weaknesses and playing to their emotions, he convinces them he could be what their lives are lacking.

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#ThrowbackThursday ~ The Lost Man by Jane Harper ~ #Mystery set in the Australian Outback #FamilyDrama

Posted in Book Review, Throwback Thursday by

Throwback Thursday this week features The Lost Man by Jane Harper, published in 2018.

throwbackthursday

My Thoughts

The Outback is a harsh, vast and sparsely populated area with a brutal and unrelenting climate. It’s a hard life and the nearest neighbour could be hours away by car.

Those who live there know never to travel anywhere without a full quota of supplies, the means to stay in radio contact and a first aid kit in case of emergencies. So why did Cameron Bright, born, brought up and living in the Outback all his life, die in the desert, miles away from his fully stocked vehicle. It makes no sense to his family. Cameron knew what it took to survive in such an isolated place and he knew never to move far from his car.

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Face the Wind: Little Sister Book 2 by Caren J Werlinger #ContemporaryFiction #Drama

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513m43F1KXLAuthor: Caren J Werlinger

Published: August 2020 by Corgyn Publishing LLC

Category: Women’s Contemporary Fiction, Romance, Drama

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Kathleen Halloran has never been happier. She and Molly Cooper have built a life together, living in her grandmother’s cottage. The family drama of the past has calmed down. She and Molly will soon be aunts. Life on Little Sister Island is everything Kathleen could wish for… until the island begins to send ominous signals that change is in the wind.

The sequel to When The Stars Sang, Face the Wind, continues the story of the inhabitants of Little Sister, a tiny, remote island off the coast of Maine. Kathleen and Molly are happily settled in Kathleen’s grandmother’s cottage. Life was good. Summer was on its way and Molly was enjoying her first early morning row on the ocean that year. Just as she turned to head for the beach, a small tidal wave raced towards her, lifted the scull then disappeared into the once again calm ocean. Several of the island women felt something strange that morning in one way or another.

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#GuestPost + #Giveaway from Bella Cassidy #author of Shoot the Moon @BellaMoonShoot @rararesources

Posted in Blog Tour, Giveaway, Guest Post by

I’m delighted to welcome Bella Cassidy with a guest post for my slot on the blog tour organised by Rachel’s Random Resources. I read Shoot the Moon earlier this year, my review can be found here.

Shoot The Moon

I am sometimes asked if any of my characters are based on real people. Oh yes, I say cheerily, every single one. Before reflecting that writers who don’t include elements of people they know in their work must have far better imaginations than me.

I find people absolutely fascinating; and will ask a hundred questions of anyone. And I’m delighted that, having reinvented myself as a journalist in my fifties, I’ve finally found an excuse for being so nosey. 

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The Woman at 72 Derry Lane by @HappyMrsH #ContemporaryFiction #Family #TuesdayBookBlog

Posted in Book Review, Contemporary Fiction, Family by

51KQ4xFjr8LAuthor: Carmel Harrington

Performed by Aoife McMahon

Published: HarperCollins and released on Audible in 2017

Category: Contemporary Fiction, Family, Abuse

four-half-stars

On a leafy suburban street in Dublin, beautiful, poised Stella Greene lives with her successful husband, Matt. The perfect couple in every way, Stella appears to have it all. Next door, at number 72 however, lives Rea Brady. Gruff, bad-tempered and rarely seen besides the twitching of her net curtains, rumour has it she’s lost it all…including her marbles if you believe the neighbourhood gossip.

Neighbours Rea and Stella couldn’t be more different and the public perception of them couldn’t be more wrong. They were both suffering in silence. To all outward appearances, Stella had a perfect life with her handsome husband, Matt, but the reality was quite different. Stella was trapped. She’d fallen in love with the wrong man and had no-one to turn to.

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#BookReview ~ Under One Roof by Samantha Tonge @SamTongeWriter @BoldwoodBooks @rararesources #ContemporaryFiction

Posted in Blog Tour, Book Review by

I’m delighted to share my thoughts on Under One Roof by Samantha Tonge for the blog tour organised by Rachel’s Random Resources

Under One Roof

Robin, recently made redundant, is persuaded by her Uncle Ralph that her mother, Faye, needs help after a bad fall. Robin and Faye have been estranged for a long time and they haven’t seen each other for eighteen years—since Robin’s daughter, Amber was born. Faye had never been a motherly sort, scathing and harsh, and she and Robin often clashed. Robin’s dad always acted as mediator but after he died Robin ran away with her boyfriend.

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The Dream Weavers by Barbara Erskine ~ Dual Time Line #Contemporary #HistFic #NetGalley #TuesdayBookBlog

Posted in Book Review, Contemporary Fiction, Historical Fiction by

51f7+uVOzgL._SX319_BO1,204,203,200_Author: Barbara Erskine

Published: April 2021 by HarperCollins

Category: Contemporary Fiction, Historical Fiction

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In a cottage hidden amongst the misty Welsh hills of Offa’s Dyke, Bea Dalloway is called to help Simon Armstrong, who is searching for peace. Instead he finds himself disturbed by unsettling noises and visions.

It isn’t long before Bea is also swept up by haunting dreams. The past is whispering to them, calling out for the truth to be told at last.  And as dreams and reality weave closer together, Bea and Simon must be strong to resist the pull of the past – and its desire for revenge…

Simon Armstrong has rented an isolated cottage situated on on the Welsh Marches, close to what remains of Offa’s Dyke, while he concentrates on writing his next book – a history of the Anglo-Saxon kingdom of Mercia. The peace and seclusion he envisaged is interrupted by the desperate sounds of a woman sobbing, calling out a name and banging at the door, but he has never been able to catch a glimpse of anyone. The owner of the cottage puts Simon in contact with Bea Dalloway, the local Canon Treasurer’s wife, who deals with strange occurrences. Bea is intrigued by Simon’s account of the unsettling disturbances he is subjected to.

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Shoot the Moon by Bella Cassidy @meHappyShed #BookReview for #RBRT #ContemporaryRomance

Posted in Book Review, Contemporary Fiction, Romance by

512c5QoEtLLAuthor: Bella Cassidy

Published: August 2021 by Happyshed Press

Category: Contemporary Fiction, Romance, Family Life

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When the love you miss the most is the one you’ve always had.

Tassie loves many things: her friends, her job, her garden. Even her first boyfriend. But there’s a kind of love she just can’t find.

Until, in losing everything, she sees what she needed most was there all along.

Sometimes it’s not the person you need to forget, but the person you need to forgive.

Tassie Morris is a successful wedding photographer, working for a popular bridal magazine. She has a complicated relationship with her mother, loves her friends, her job and her garden and is still hung up on the loathsome Alex. They dated several years ago until Alex upped sticks and moved to America. He’s married with children but that doesn’t stop him ‘catching up’ with Tassie when he’s back in the UK.

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