Blood & Sugar by Laura Shepherd-Robinson @LauraSRobinson @MantleBooks @panmacmillian #BloodAndSugar

June, 1781. An unidentified body hangs upon a hook at Deptford Dock – horribly tortured and branded with a slaver’s mark.

Some days later, Captain Harry Corsham – a war hero embarking upon a promising parliamentary career – is visited by the sister of an old friend. Her brother, passionate abolitionist Tad Archer, had been about to expose a secret that he believed could cause irreparable damage to the British slaving industry. He’d said people were trying to kill him, and now he is missing . . .

To discover what happened to Tad, Harry is forced to pick up the threads of his friend’s investigation, delving into the heart of the conspiracy Tad had unearthed. His investigation will threaten his political prospects, his family’s happiness, and force a reckoning with his past, risking the revelation of secrets that have the power to destroy him.

And that is only if he can survive the mortal dangers awaiting him in Deptford . . .

Blood & Sugar by Laura Shepherd-Robinson was published in paperback by Mantle Books / Pan Macmillan on 9 January 2020.

I bought myself a copy of this book some months ago, and then I couldn't find it! I searched everywhere, and suspect that one day, a Waterstone's bag will appear in a forgotten corner in my house and inside will be this book!  However, I have wonderful friends, and one of them was kind enough to purchase another copy for me, and send it. Thank you Kate!

I don't read a lot of historical fiction, and I can't remember the last time that I read a historical crime story, so Blood & Sugar is a bit of a genre swap for me.

Beginning in June 1781, in the port of Deptford, London, the prologue sets the scene for what really is an atmospheric and wonderfully written story of intrigue and corruption.
Lawyer and abolitionist, Tad Archer is found dead on the dockside. He's been hung from a hook on a pole in full view of anyone who may be around. This is a brutal and vicious killing of a man who was recently warned to get out of town. His views around the abolition of the slave trade were certainly not welcome in Deptford where the trade is plentiful and worth a lot of money.

Tad's sister is worried when he doesn't return home and contacts Captain Harry Corham to see if he can help.  Tad and Harry were once friends, but haven't been in contact for many years. Tad had always told his sister to contact Harry if anything should happen to him.

Harry is determined to find out what has happened to his friend, it is clear that Tad had stumbled upon some secrets that if exposed, could threaten the whole slave trade in Britain. This is dangerous territory and Harry will soon risk his own political career whilst trying to establish the facts.

Laura Shepherd-Robinson's writing flows beautifully; her descriptions of dirty, grimy Deptford are juxtaposed wonderfully with images of the grandeur of the homes of the upper classes.
Not only is this a compelling and intriguing tale of mystery and deceit, it is also a lesson in the history of the slave trade in this country; something that I knew very little about.

The characters are vivid and compelling, and whilst there are a lot of people to remember within this story, I found that it flowed very well. The plot is intricate and complex, with many strands making up the whole of the plot, at times it feels a little overcrowded, but it is artfully done and very well woven together.

I found Blood & Sugar to be an elegant and evocative read, both intriguing and informative and I will look forward to reading more from this author in the future.





Laura Shepherd-Robinson was born in Bristol in 1976. She has a BSc in Politics from the University of Bristol and an MSc in Political Theory from the London School of Economics. Laura worked in politics for nearly twenty years before re-entering normal life to complete an MA in Creative Writing at City University. 

She lives in London with her husband, Adrian.



www.laurashepherdrobinson.com
Author Page on Facebook
Twitter @LauraSRobinson
Instagram @laurashepherdrobinson

Can You See Her by SE Lynes @SELynesAuthor @bookouture #BooksOnTour #BlogTour #CanYouSeeHer

Rachel Ryder doesn’t understand how her life has changed so completely. When she was younger, heads would turn when she walked into a room. Her children needed her; her husband adored her.

But somehow the years wore that all away. She was so busy raising her children, looking after her parents… She can barely remember the woman she used to be, the one whose husband told her she was out of his league. The woman she is now just does the laundry and makes the dinner, and can walk into a room without anyone knowing she’s there.

She knows that she hated feeling invisible. She knows that she thought: what would it take for you to see me again?

And now she’s worried that she did something terrible. Because she’s sitting in a room, being asked whether she killed someone.

When no-one is watching, you can get away with anything…

Can You See Her by S E Lynes was published by Bookouture on 22 April 2020. My thanks to the publisher who sent my copy for review, and for inviting me to take part on this Blog Tour

When I read and reviewed SE Lynes' last book; The Lies We Hide, back in December last year, I was totally blown away by it. It has a firm place on my Top Books of 2019 list.

I was delighted to accept a place on the blog tour for this, her latest book; Can You See Her, and more than a little excited to see what she would come up with.

You know what?  I am a little lost for words. I have been totally and utterly engrossed in this outstanding story; it's so very well written, with an intelligence and depth that is just breathtaking. Move over The Lies We Hide, I have a new favourite book from SE Lynes.

Part thriller and part domestic noir; it's a difficult book to generalise. Whilst there are crimes to be solved, this is far more than a 'catch the killer' story; this is just something else altogether. 

Lead character Rachel is a glorious creation and most women of a certain age will recognise some of her feelings. The story begins 

"There are things I don't know. But I know people are dead, I know I killed them and I know it all started the day I realised I was invisible."

What an amazing opening sentence, if that doesn't hook you, then you have no soul at all. Rachel is relating the story of her last few months to a woman that she refers to as 'Blue Eyes'.
It is a sad, distressing and complex story that deals with the gradual deterioration of a person's mental health, and how that affects them, and has an impact on all of those around them. Rachel is coherent and intelligent, with more insight than many people; but are her recollections really hers, or are they the a distorted account of the truth?

There's been a spate of violent attacks in the area and Rachel can put herself at every crime scene. She has met those people, she connected with them, she empathised and saw their weaknesses, and now she's remembering just how she hurt them, and that's what she has to explain to Blue Eyes.

Rachel's issues stem back to when her son was a small baby, and have done a full circle, through recovery and now back to where she was when he was new born. Along the way, she has disappeared into herself more and more; dealing with feelings that are often too difficult to explain whilst being aware that her husband, daughter and even her childhood friend are becoming more distant.

OK, I'm struggling to write this review! To say much more would give too much away about the plot and I hate spoilers!  However, I would love to go on and on and on about the complexities and the intricacies of this quite amazing story. I love how it's structured; with Rachel's own voice being prominent and the supporting characters represented through the statements that they gave to the police. This allows the reader to see all characters in different lights; whilst we may think Rachel's family are uncaring and self centred, we find that they too have their own issues to bear; it's clever and adds depth to the novel.

So, my final words are 'go buy this book'. It is highly recommended by me, and I have no doubt at all that it will be in my Best Books of 2020 list.




Amazon best selling author of 'intelligent and haunting' psychological suspense novels, published by Bookouture.

S E Lynes' critically acclaimed debut, VALENTINA, was published by Blackbird Digital Books in July 2016. Her second novel, MOTHER was published by Bookouture in 2017, followed in 2018 by THE PACT and THE PROPOSAL. In August 2018, VALENTINA was published in a new edition by Bookouture and was followed in 2019 by gripping psychological suspense novel, THE WOMEN and the dark family drama, THE LIES WE HIDE. CAN YOU SEE HER? her new psychological thriller is available now. 

Formerly a BBC features journalist and producer, Lynes has lived in France, Spain, Scotland, Italy, and now lives in Greater London with her husband, three kids and her dog, Lola. She has an MA in creative writing from Kingston University and is a writer, tutor and mentor.

Lynes has also published three children's books in Italy: IL LEOPARDO LAMPO, LA COCCODRILLA INGAMBA, and the bilingual LA SCIMMIA SPIRITOSA/THE FUNNY MONKEY, all available at Amazon.it


Find her on:
Facebook S E Lynes Author
Twitter @SELynesAuthor
Instagram @S E Lynes Author

Letters From The Past by Erica James @TheEricaJames BLOG TOUR @orionbooks #RandomThingsTours #GuestReview @jaustenrulesok

It's the autumn of 1962 in the idyllic Suffolk village of Melstead St Mary. Evelyn Devereux's husband Kit is planning their 20th wedding anniversary party. But as they prepare to celebrate, Evelyn receives an anonymous letter that threatens to unravel the secrets she's kept hidden for many years - secrets that reach back to the war and her days at Bletchley Park.

Evelyn's sister-in-law, Hope, has brought joy to countless children with her bestselling books, but despite having a loving husband and caring family, happiness has never come easily to her. Then in an instant her fragile world is turned upside down when she too receives an anonymous letter.

Across the village, up at Melstead Hall, Julia Devereux has married into a life beyond anything she could have dreamt of, not realising until it's too late that it comes with a heavy price.

Meanwhile, in the sun-baked desert of Palm Springs, Romily Devereux-Temple, crime-writer and former ATA pilot, is homesick for her beloved Island House, where she's saved the day more times than she can count. On her return home, and shocked to learn what has been going on in her absence, she finds herself reluctantly confronting a secret she's kept hidden for a very long time. Once again Romily is challenged to save the day and hold the family together. Can she do it, and maybe seize some happiness for herself at the same time?

From the gorgeous Suffolk countryside to the glamorous resort of Palm Springs, let Erica James sweep you away...

Letters From The Past by Erica James was published on 

16 April 2020 by Orion.

I'm delighted to welcome guest reviewer Louise Wykes to Random Things today, she'ssharing her review of the book for the #RandomThingsTours Blog Tour.


You can find Louise on Twitter @jaustenrulesok

Louise's Review of Letters From The Past

Letters From The Past by Erica James was published by Orion on 16th April 2020. I would like to thank the publisher for sending me a copy of this book to review and I’d also like to thank Anne Cater for agreeing to host my review on her blog. 

I have to confess that I have not read an Erica James book before. I remember seeing an aunt of mine read one of Erica’s books when I was about 12 and thinking the lovely bright cover was a promise of a book I could read when I was grown up enough! I do know that Erica’s books are usually thought to be easy going and uplifting stories and that combined with the title which seemed to convey a book that was going to be about the wonderful evocativeness of an old- fashioned handwritten letter. 

I really enjoy reading historical fiction, especially dual time-line books that illustrate how what has happened in the past can have echoes that resonate into the present. This book travels between events in the Second World War including those at Bletchley Park and later events in 1962. The action takes place in the wonderfully visualised small Suffolk village (with an occasional visit to Palm Springs in America) with beautiful houses as the setting of most of the action. It follows the complicated and inter-connected lives of various families who all have connection with a place called Island House. 

I didn’t realise until I had finished the book that this is actually a sequel to a previous book called Coming Home to Island House. Usually I prefer to read books in order and I think it may be why I found that a lot of the book contained a large amount of back story to let the reader know what had happened previously and I felt that this slowed down a lot of the action of the story as there had to be so much explanation. 

This was a charming read although for me personally as a reader, I felt that the pace of the story was too slow. This may be because a lot of my usual reading is crime, which is usually a faster paced read although I did enjoy the added element of the mystery of whom wrote the poison pen letters which generated a lot of action within the plot. I thought the visual descriptions of setting were detailed and interesting, but I felt that a lot of the book relied too much on telling the reader rather than showing the reader which for me would have been preferable.

With an insatiable appetite for other people's business, Erica James will readily strike up conversation with strangers in the hope of unearthing a useful gem for her writing. She finds it the best way to write authentic characters for her novels, although her two grown-up sons claim they will never recover from a childhood spent in a perpetual state of embarrassment at their mother's compulsion.

The author of many bestselling novels, including GARDENS OF DELIGHT, which won the Romantic Novel of the Year Award, and her recent Sunday Times top ten bestsellers, SUMMER AT THE LAKE and THE DANDELION YEARS, Erica now divides her time between Suffolk and Lake Como in Italy, where she strikes up conversation with unsuspecting Italians.

Twitter @TheEricaJames
Author Page on Facebook

Instagram @the_ericajames

Daisy by JP Henderson BLOG TOUR #DaisyBook @noexitpress #JPHenderson #RandomThingsTours #Win #Giveaway #Competition

Written in his own words, and guided by a man who collects glasses in a local pub, this is the story of Herod 'Rod' Pinkney's search for Daisy Lamprich, a young woman he first sees on a decade-old episode of the Judge Judy Show, and who he now intends to marry.

When Daisy is located in the coastal city of Huntington Beach, California, he travels there with his good friend and next-door neighbour, Donald, a man who once fought in the tunnels of Cu Chi during the Vietnam War and who now spends most of his time in Herod's basement.

Herod is confident that the outcome will be favourable, but there's a problem... Will the course of true love ever run smoothly for this unlikely hero?

Daisy is a funny and touching story of an improbable and heart-warming quest to find true love.

Daisy by JP Henderson was published today (23 April 2020) by No Exit Press.

As part of the #RandomThingsTours blog tour, I am delighted to have one digital copy to give away to one reader. Entry is simple, just fill out the competition widget at the end of this post.

GOOD LUCK!!  

Praise for Daisy

'The author writes beautiful, understated prose with a wry, dark humour. And in Rod, he has created a man of warmth and simple values. Highly recommended for fans of The Rosie Project and Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine' - Andrew Morris, TripFiction

Praise for J P Henderson:

'Deftly handled with an offbeat humour and a deal of worldly compassion' - Sunday Sport

'There is heartbreak... black humour... the charm of The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry' - Daily Mail

One Digital copy of Daisy by JP Henderson




J. Paul Henderson grew up in West Yorkshire, gained a Master's degree in American Studies and traveled to Afghanistan. 

He worked in a foundry, as a bus conductor, trained as an accountant and then, when the opportunity to return to academia arose, left for Mississippi, returning four years later with a doctorate in 20thC US History and more knowledge of Darlington Hoopes than was arguably necessary. (Hoopes was a Pennsylvanian socialist and the last presidential candidate of the American Socialist Party). 
American History departments were either closing or contracting, so he opted for a career in publishing, most of which was spent selling textbooks, in one position or other, for John Wiley & Sons.

My Pear-Shaped Life by Carmel Harrington #RandomThingsTours @HappyMrsH @fictionpubteam #GuestReview @jaustenrulesok @HarperCollinsUK

Meet Greta.

She’s funny.

She’s flawed.

She’s hiding so much behind her big smile she’s forgotten who she is.

But Greta is about to discover that the key to being happy is…being you.

Greta Gale has played the part of the funny fat one her entire life, hiding her insecurities behind a big smile. But size doesn’t matter when you can laugh at yourself, right?
Until Greta realises she’s the only one not laughing. And deep down, she’s not sure if she’ll ever laugh again.

But with her world feeling like it’s falling down around her, Greta is about to discover she’s stronger than she feels. And that sometimes the best moments in life come when it’s all gone a bit pear-shaped…

My Pear-Shaped Life by Carmel Harrington was published this month by Harper Collins.

I'm delighted to welcome guest reviewer Louise Wykes to Random Things today, she'ssharing her review of the book for the #RandomThingsTours Blog Tour.


You can find Louise on Twitter @jaustenrulesok

Louise's Review of My Pear-Shaped Life 

My Pear-Shaped Life by Carmel Harrington was published by HarperCollins on 1st March 2020. I would like to thank the publisher for sending me a copy of this book to review and I’d also like to thank Anne Cater for agreeing to host my review on her blog.

Carmel Harrington is a completely new author for me although from what I’ve seen reading other people’s reviews and following Carmel on Facebook, I had a suspicion that I would enjoy reading her books and by Jove, I did with this one!

My Pear-Shaped Life follows the life and troubles of Greta Gale who shares her name with a fictional Dr Gale from America who shares her words of wisdom and hope on Instagram and tv shows such as Oprah. Greta finds complete solace in Dr Gale’s words especially as at the beginning of this book, the reader is witness to Greta’s complete descent into a life where she ends up at a rehab facility to address her addiction to sleeping pills.

The book follows Greta’s experiences into rehab and the scenes are very hard hitting and as someone who has spent time in a hospital’s mental health ward I can confirm that these scenes are completely realistic and I found myself identifying with Greta and her struggles that she faces during such a difficult period of her life.

Then after Greta comes home from rehab, she realises that her true journey back to a “normal” place really begins. Again, I felt that this is an accurate representation as all the work that is done in rehab is only the beginning and the toughest test is being back in the real world and trying to find ways to deal with the many temptations that can face you.

After rehab Greta is offered the chance by her uncle (with whom Greta has a very special bond) to join him on a road trip from Kansas to Las Vegas where once there, Greta will be able to meet her hero Dr Gale who is performing in a show.

This book drew me in completely heart and soul. I empathised and identified with Greta so much especially about her battles with low self -esteem due to her battles with her weight. The intricate references to the film and book of The Wizard of Oz were enchanting and so very cleverly done I actually felt I was journeying with Greta, her uncle and the people they meet along the way. This book had a very theatrical feel and I think it would make a magnificent film.

All I can say is please read this beautiful, funny, bittersweet and wise tale of someone who learns that all of us are suffering in one way or another, but love, kindness and friendship can help ease all of our burdens. With reference to a phrase within the book I would say this is a Perfectly Perfect gem of a story.

International bestseller CARMEL HARRINGTON writes uplifting and inspiring books that have captured the hearts of readers worldwide. 
They have been translated into eight languages and published in eleven countries to date. 
Her latest novel, My Pear-Shaped Life went on sale in April 2020. 
Previous novels include A Thousand Roads Home, The Woman at 72 Derry Lane and Cold Feet, The Lost Years, the official ITV original novel to accompany the hit TV series. 
Carmel was shortlisted for an Irish Book Award in 2016 and 2017 and won the Kindle Book of the Year and Romantic eBook of the Year in 2014 for her debut novel, Beyond Grace's Rainbow. Carmel is also a regular on Irish TV as a panellist on Virgin Media's Elaine show. She lives with her family and rescue dog in a small village in Wexford. 

Carmel loves hearing from readers, so please feel free to connect with her on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram, @HappyMrsH. 

You can sign up for Carmel's newsletter on her website www.carmelharrington.com or join The Carmel Harrington Reading Room on Facebook, where readers discuss their favourite reads and take part in bookish challenges.

It's All In The Mind by Julie Warren @lsggbg @unbounders #ItsAllInTheMind BLOG TOUR #RandomThingsTours #Win #Giveaway

British popular culture would probably be very different had Larry Stephens not been born. We could now be living in a world without the Carry On films or Monty Python, and we may never have heard of Tony Hancock, Peter Sellers or Spike Milligan. Stephens' promising career as a jazz pianist was interrupted by the war, and after serving as an officer with the commandos he moved to London and struck up a friendship with Tony Hancock, becoming the sole writer of his stage material. Hancock introduced him to Peter Sellers, Harry Secombe, Spike Milligan and Michael Bentine and together they created The Goon Show, arguably the world's most influential comedy programme. As one of the main writers throughout its nine-year run, Stephens' experiences and acquaintances became themes and characters within the show. For the first time, the life and work of this unsung hero of British comedy has been thoroughly explored. Using unrivalled access to Larry Stephens' personal archive of letters, photographs and artwork, plus interviews with Stephens' many notable friends, family members, comrades and colleagues, It's All In The Mind tells the story of a boy from the Black Country whose short life had an enduring impact.

It's All In The Mind by Julie Warren was published by Unbound on 16 April 2020.
As part of this #RandomThingsTours Blog Tour I am delighted to offer one digital copy to one reader of this blog.

Entry is simple, just fill out the competition widget at the end of this blog post.

GOOD LUCK!  

Stephens’ promising career as a jazz pianist was interrupted by the war, and after serving as an officer with the Commandos he moved to London and struck up a friendship with Tony Hancock, becoming the sole writer of Hancock’s stage material. Hancock introduced him to Peter Sellers, Harry Secombe, Spike Milligan and Michael Bentine and together they created the Goon Show, arguably the world’s most influential comedy programme. As one of the main writers throughout the Goon Show’s nine-year run, Stephens’ experiences and acquaintances became themes and characters within the show.

He was the first person Peter Sellers attempted to contact beyond the grave; the Best Man at Tony Hancock’s first wedding; a regular writer for one of the most popular television comedies of the 1950s; and wrote for many leading actors and comedians, including supplying one-liners for Ealing Comedy, The Ladykillers.

His marriage to a catwalk model made him the focus of malicious jealousy from those he thought were his friends and that, combined with the pressure of having to come up with funny material week after week, is likely to have contributed to his death from a brain haemorrhage caused by hypertension at the age of just 35.

-------------------

It's All In The Mind: The Life And Legacy Of Larry Stephens will also include two appendices: the ‘lost’ script for Vacant Lot, a proposed Hancock sitcom, and a ‘Goonopedia’ detailing who was responsible for writing each of the Goon Show’s episodes – often different from those who were credited with having done so.

One digital copy of It's All In The Mind by Julie Warren



Julie Warren is a virtual assistant specialising in research. 
Her first job was as a turkey-plucker. 
She lasted approximately 10 minutes in this role and earned 2½ pence. 
After realising a career removing feathers from poultry wasn’t her thing, she became the communications and community manager for a high street bank where she wrote and edited the staff magazine and won a Chairman’s Award for Community and Diversity. 
After realising a career in banking wasn’t her thing, she spent a number of years living in Greece and this means she is now able to both cook and pronounce kolokythokeftedes. 

She currently lives in Essex and pretends to channel Larry Stephens on Twitter @lsggbg

The Authenticity Project by Clare Pooley @cpooleywriter #TheAuthenticityProject @TransworldBooks #TellYourTruth Guest Review @jaustenrulesok

Six strangers with one universal thing in common: their lives aren’t always what they make them out to be.

What would happen if they told the truth instead?

Julian Jessop is tired of hiding the deep loneliness he feels. So he begins The Authenticity Project – a small green notebook containing the truth about his life.

Leaving the notebook on a table in his friendly neighbourhood café, Julian never expects Monica, the owner, to track him down after finding it. Or that she’ll be inspired to write down her own story.

Little do they realize that such small acts of honesty hold the power to impact all those who discover the notebook and change their lives completely.

The Authenticity Project by Clare Pooley was published by Transworld Books on 2 April 

I'm delighted to welcome guest reviewer Louise Wykes to Random Things today, she'ssharing her review of the book for the #RandomThingsTours Blog Tour.


You can find Louise on Twitter @jaustenrulesok

Louise's Review of The Authenticity Project

The Authenticity Project by Clare Pooley was published by Bantam Press on 2^nd April 2020.  I would like to thank the publisher for sending me a copy of this book to review and I’d also like to thank Anne Cater for agreeing to host my review on her blog.

Since having children I’ve discovered that the books I’ve tended to escape with are dark, psychological thrillers that explore the darkest recesses of people and society in general.  However, due to the recent darkness in our lives caused by the coronavirus and lockdown limitations I’ve felt the need to escape somewhere more pleasant and uplifting and I couldn’t have asked for a more welcome antidote to the world’s scariness and devastation than this beautifully written and charmingly perceptive book.

The Authenticity Project is a notebook left on a table in a local café in Fulham, London.  Monica, the owner of the cage picks the book up at the end of the day and starts reading what is inside the innocuous looking exercise book.  She discovers the story of Julian, an elderly customer of hers whom she is shocked to learn feels lonely and unseen in his life and he had left the notebook in the café on purpose in order to see what would happen to it.  The questions posed in the book relate to asking each writer to tell the real truth about themselves that other people in their lives wouldn’t know.  This starts a journey for the notebook which ultimately leads the characters to begin to get to know each other.

There are several points of view within this novel as each person who has written in the notebook is introduced into the story.  Unlike other multiple viewpoints I’ve read before in novels, I found that I enjoyed reading every character’s story.   The difference in viewpoints kept the momentum of the story going and helped me read this book in two, glorious and emotional sittings even when I had twins attempting to destroy my living room with their toys!

I adored this book, it touches on serious topics such as loneliness, addiction, mental health issues, the unreality of social media and how these issues can have such a huge impact on how people feel about themselves.  This book deals with serious issues but with such a warm and light touch that the book never feels preachy.  I felt as if I was with friends whilst reading this book and was waiting impatiently to see what would ultimately happen with the notebook itself as well as each character.

I loved how the book ended as it felt right and true to the characters themselves and I’m hoping that there may be a second instalment of The Authenticity Project as I feel I’d like to know more especially about Alice and her young daughter as that was a character I could truly relate to as I suffered with post-natal depression after the birth of twins nearly 3 years ago so her story particularly resonated with me.

I just want everyone I know to read this book as it is a perfect escape from these troubled times.  The writing is sublime and feels easy to read which I was really surprised at as this is a debut novel and I know that creating something so easy to read is a definite skill.  I would definitely read more from this author.

So if you are missing warm hugs and café catch ups with good friends then you couldn’t do better than picking up this fabulous, uplifting gem of a book.

Clare Pooley graduated from Newnham College, Cambridge and spent twenty years in the heady

world of advertising before becoming a full-time mum.

Clare lives in Fulham, London with her long-suffering husband, three children, dog and a cupboard filled with alcohol-free beer.

Clare is the author of the hugely popular blog, Mummy was a Secret Drinker, under the pseudonym Sober Mummy.

You can also find Clare on Facebook.com/SoberMummy 

clarepooley.com

Twitter @cpooleywriter

Instagram @clare_pooley