Maybe This Time by Jill Mansell @JillMansell @headlinepg @HeadlineFiction #MaybeThisTime @JessFarrugiaPR

Mimi isn't looking for love when she spends a weekend in Goosebrook, the Cotswolds village her dad has moved to. And her first encounter with Cal, who lives there too, is nothing like a scene in a romantic movie - although she can't help noticing how charismatic he is. But Cal's in no position to be any more than a friend, and Mimi heads back to her busy London life.

When they meet again four years later, it's still not to be. Cal is focusing on his family, and Mimi on her career. Then Cal dives into a potentially perfect new romance whilst Mimi's busy fixing other people's relationships.

It seems as if something, or someone else, always gets in their way. Will it ever be the right time for both of them?

Maybe This Time by Jill Mansell was published by Headline on 24 January 2019, my thanks to the publisher who sent my copy for review.


Mimi's Dad and his new partner have moved to the Cotswolds village of Goosebrook. Mimi is a London girl through and through and when she meets Cal, one of the locals, she's certainly attracted to his looks, but is unsure as to why he appears to be wrestling a sheep in the middle of a field.

This is the first of many meetings between Mimi and Cal, but there's no romance between them, even if Mimi does dream a little about the what-ifs. As Mimi becomes a regular visitor to Goosebrook, she begins to make real friends amongst the locals. They pick her up when she's disappointed in love, and in work and include her in village events. It is during one of these events that tragedy strikes and nothing is quite the same for Mimi, or Cal and his daughter Cora ever again.

When Mimi is offered a job in Spain, as the PA to a well-know crime writer, she knows that it's an opportunity that she has to take, but this also results in missed opportunities in love. Jill Mansell's depiction of the self-obsessed crime author and his treatment of his staff is hilariously funny, and probably quite near to the mark!

Maybe This Time is a romantic, funny, heartwarming and heartbreaking story. As always Jill Mansell writes with wit and charm. Her characters leap from the pages and the reader is soon swept up in the lives of the villagers. This author cleverly includes some serious and often tragic issues within her novels and this one is no different. Her depiction of the devastation caused by a tragic accident is genuine and compassionately done.

Another wonderful read from Jill Mansell and highly recommended by me.

Jill Mansell’s books are full of love, life and friendship and have been bringing joy to readers for twenty-five years. She started writing fiction while working in the NHS, after joining a local creative writing class. She has since written over twenty Sunday Times bestsellers, including THIS COULD CHANGE EVERYTHING, THE ONE YOU REALLY WANT and YOU AND ME, ALWAYS, and her books have sold over 11 million copies around the world. 

Jill's hobbies include buying stationery, particularly magical new colours of ink for the fountain pen she uses to write all her books – Jill is one of the few authors who still write their books by hand. Jill also loves people-watching and finding new characters to put in her novels. So when you’re out, make sure to always be on your best behaviour. And beware of beady-eyed authors carrying notebooks . . .

Jill keeps in touch with her readers on Twitter - @JillMansell - and Facebook - /OfficialJillMansell.

Beton Rouge by Simone Buchholz @ohneKlippo Blog Tour @OrendaBooks #MyLifeInBooks Translated by @FwdTranslations

On a warm September morning, an unconscious man is found in a cage at the entrance to the offices of one of Germany’s biggest magazines. He’s soon identified as a manager of the company, and he’s been tortured. Three days later, another manager appears in a similar way.

Chastity Riley and her new colleague Ivo Stepanovic are tasked with uncovering the truth behind the attacks, an investigation that goes far beyond the revenge they first suspect … to the dubious past shared by both victims. Travelling to the south of Germany, they step into the hothouse world of boarding schools, where secrets are currency, and monsters are bred … monsters who will stop at nothing to protect themselves.

A smart, dark, probing thriller, full of all the hard-boiled poetry and acerbic wit of the very best noir, Beton Rouge is both a classic whodunit and a scintillating expose of society, by one of the most exciting names in crime fiction.

Beton Rouge by Simon Buchholz in published in paperback by Orenda Books on 21 February 2019.

As part of the Blog Tour, I am delighted to welcome the author here to Random Things today, she's talking about the books that are special to her in My Life In Books

My Life in Books - Simone Buchholz

Otfried Preußler: The Robber Hotzenplotz

This is the first crime novel I ever read. I was seven or eight years old when I discovered the incredible Hotzenplotz: a robber with wild black hair and a long beard, and armed with seven knives and a pepper pistol. I adored the ambivalent character who never wore shoes, even in the middle of the forest.

Christine Nöstlinger: Wir pfeifen auf den Gurkenkönig (Not yet translated into English, the title loosely means ‘we don’t fucking care about the cucumber king’)

A populist-minded ‘cucumber king’ is discovered in the basement of a twelve-year-old boy’s family home. A story about the way populism works – by using lies and constantly yelling falsehoods –

this is a fantastic book that was an important part of my political education.

J.D. Salinger: The Catcher in the Rye

I was just deeply in love with Holden Caulfield (and I still am).

Ernest Hemingway: The Garden of Eden

Hemingway’s last, uncomplete novel stood on my father’s bookshelf. When I was sixteen, it was the first book for adults I read. Irritating, tender and absolutely beautiful.

Raymond Chandler: The Big Sleep

What can I say? I was nailed by this book’s sound. Since then my whole world sounds like Marlowe, especially at night.

Jakob Arjouni: Happy Birthday Turk!

The first German crime novel that really knocked my socks off. Suddenly I realised that it is possible to write cool, emotional and elegant stuff in this awkward language.

Anaïs Nin: Diaries

When I was studying philosophy I had to read a lot of men. Madame Nin was the female antidote; at night on my terrace – with shitloads of white wine, wagonloads of stars and the imagination born of that kind of life.

Dorothy Parker: Collected Stories

When I was writing for women’s magazines and wanted to get better, Dorothy Parker’s voice was a wonderful teacher.

Vladimir Nabokov: Lolita

Some people say it’s not okay to love this book, but I can’t help myself.

Alfred Lansing: Endurance– Shackleton’s Incredible Voyage to the Antarctic

The best adventure story ever written; forget everything else when it comes to writing about the wilderness.

William Boyd: Any Human Heart

For me this is the book of all books. Reading the story of Logan Mountstuart felt like heart surgery without anaesthesia, because I could feel everything I ever wanted to know about mankind and humanity. Absolutely enchanting, but in a very serious way.

Finally…

These days I am reading a lot of Joan Didion, just discovered her properly.

Simone Buchholz - February 2019 

Simone Buchholz was born in Hanau in 1972. 
At university, she studied Philosophy and Literature, worked as a waitress and a columnist, and trained to be a journalist at the prestigious Henri-Nannen-School in Hamburg. 
In 2016, Simone Buchholz was awarded the Crime Cologne Award, and second place in the German Crime Fiction Prize, for Blue Night, which was number one on the KrimiZEIT Best of Crime List for months. 

She lives in Sankt Pauli, in the heart of Hamburg, with her husband and son.

Follow her on Twitter @ohneKlippo

**** COVER REVEAL **** Amazing Grace by Kim Nash @KimTheBookworm @HeraBooks @rararesources #AmazingGrace

It is my absolute pleasure and honour to take part in this extra special Cover Reveal today, thanks to Rachel Gilby from Rachels' Random Resources for inviting me along.

Amazing Grace is the debut novel from Kim Nash, it's published by Hera Books on 10 April, and you can pre-order it now.

TAA-DAA!  Here it is! The most gorgeous and beautiful cover for what I am sure will be a fabulous book.

She’s taking her life back, one step at a time… 

Grace thought she had it all. Living in the beautiful village of Little Ollington, along with head teacher husband Mark and gorgeous son, Archie, she devoted herself to being the perfect mum and the perfect wife, her little family giving her everything she ever wanted. 

Until that fateful day when she walked in on Mark kissing his secretary - and her perfect life fell apart. 

Now she's a single mum to Archie, trying to find her way in life and keep things together for his sake. Saturday nights consist of a Chinese takeaway eaten in front of the TV clad in greying pyjamas, and she can’t remember the last time she had a kiss from anyone aside from her dog, Becks… 

Grace’s life needs a shake up – fast. So when gorgeous gardener Vinnie turns up on her doorstep, his twinkling eyes suggesting that he might be interested in more than just her conifers, she might just have found the answer to her prayers. But as Grace falls deeper for Vinnie, ten-year-old Archie fears that his mum finding love means she’ll never reconcile with the dad he loves. 

So when ex-husband Mark begs her for another chance, telling her he’s changed from the man that broke her heart, Grace finds herself with an impossible dilemma. Should she take back Mark and reunite the family that Archie loves? Or risk it all for a new chance of happiness? 

A funny, feel good romance about finding your own path and changing your life for the better – readers of Cathy Bramley, Jill Mansell and Josie Silver will love this uplifting read.

Pre-Order from Amazon

Kim Nash lives in Staffordshire with son Ollie and English Setter Roni, is PR & Social Media Manager for Bookouture and is a book blogger at www.kimthebookworm.co.uk. 

Kim won the Romantic Novelists Association's Media Star of the Year in 2016, which she still can't quite believe. She is now quite delighted to be a member of the RNA. 

When she's not working or writing, Kim can be found walking her dog, reading, standing on the sidelines of a football pitch cheering on Ollie and binge watching box sets on the TV. 

She's also quite partial to a spa day and a gin and tonic (not at the same time!) 

Kim also runs a book club in Cannock, Staffs. 

Amazing Grace is her debut novel with Hera Books and will be out on 10th April 2019 

Twitter:@KimTheBookworm

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

Instagram: @Kim_the_bookworm

Louis & Louise by Julie Cohen #BlogTour @julie_cohen @orionbooks #LouisAndLouise @Tr4cyF3nt0n

ONE LIFE. LIVED TWICE.

Louis and Louise are the same person born in two different lives. They are separated only by the sex announced by the doctor and a final 'e'.

They have the same best friends, the same red hair, the same dream of being a writer, the same excellent whistle. They both suffer one catastrophic night, with life-changing consequences.

Thirteen years later, they are both coming home.

A tender, insightful and timely novel about the things that bring us together - and those which separate us, from the author of Richard & Judy recommended book Together

Louis & Louise by Julie Cohen was published by Orion on 24 January 2019. My thanks to the publisher who sent my copy for review, and to Tracy who invited me to take part in this Blog Tour.

I've been a fan of Julie Cohen's writing for quite a few years now and a new book from her is always an exciting thought. I had no idea what Louis & Louise was about until I held my pre-publication copy in my hand,

This is a quite extraordinary story, told skilfully and cleverly and I'm really struggling to put my feelings into words. Louis & Louise is unlike anything I've ever read in the past; it's a story that has made me think and consider things that I've not really thought about before. It's a brave and powerful story, handled deftly by this very talented author.

Peggy and Irving Adler's first and only child was born on 8 September 1978. The baby is called Lou most of the time, but it's official name is Louis .... and Louise.

Julie Cohen takes one child and gives it two life stories and we the reader watch how this plays out. We see how Louis and Louise are spoken to and treated differently by people, because of their gender.  We watch them grow, discover new relationships, deal with the feelings of the local community and witness tragedy and sadness.

Louis and Louis both leave the small mill town of Casablanca in Maine, USA. They leave under difficult circumstances and only return reluctantly when their mother is dying.

Whilst this is most certainly a novel that deals with gender issues, it is also a tender and powerful study in relationships in both families and in communities. For me, this is Julie Cohen's hugest strength; her ability to take ordinary people from an ordinary background and make them remarkable.
The small town of Casablanca is a wonderful character in itself, overshadowed by the paper mill which is owned by Lou's family. I really felt as though I'd visited; as though I'd walked down the street, eaten in the diner and baked a lasagne for a grieving family. The sense of place is incredible.

This is a complex and cleverly structured novel, and I suspect that it was not easy to put together. However, it flows seamlessly, and despite Louis and Louise experiencing different things, albeit with the same cast of characters, it is so perfectly constructed.
Whilst Lou is most certainly the lead character in this story, I was totally bowled over by Allie and Benny; twin brother and sister who were Lou's childhood friends. Louis and Louise have differing views of Allie and Benny; with different experiences and a whole new set of circumstances according to gender. I found these relationships particularly beautiful, and the questions raised by the experience of gender are multiple.
Whilst Louis and Louise certainly have differing experiences and their stories are separate, there is one particular scene that they experience as Lou; seeing the same thing, hearing the same thing and feeling the same emotions and this scene displays this author's incredible talent so well.

Whilst the reader could be left an emotional wreck, this is such an uplifting and enlightening novel that it raises the spirits so high.

Wise, wonderful and beautifully written. Louis & Louise a brave and adventurous story of love, friendship, differences and hope.

Julie Cohen grew up in the western mountains of Maine. 

Her house was just up the hill from the library and she spent many hours walking back and forth, her nose in a book. 

She studied English Literature at Brown University and Cambridge University and is a popular speaker and teacher of creative writing, including classes for The Guardian and Literature Wales. 

Her books have been translated into fifteen languages and have sold nearly a million copies; DEAR THING was a Richard and Judy Book Club pick. 

Julie lives in Berkshire with her husband, son and a terrier of dubious origin.

You can find Julie on Twitter: @julie_cohen or you can visit her website: www.julie-cohen.com.